Chapter 729: You Can Definitely Do It

“Empress?” Zu’an’s heart stirred. He did indeed have something he needed to discuss with the Empress.

Zu’an made his way to Kunning Palace, where he encountered Eunuch Lü outside the gates.

Eunuch Lü scrutinized him from head to toe, then offered a smile uglier than a grimace. “Go on in,” he said, “Her Majesty is waiting for you.”

Zu’an felt a chill down his spine. The way the eunuch looked at him was so strange; he hoped he wasn’t dealing with an old pervert.

Inside the inner hall, sandalwood incense wafted, its unique fragrance subtly calming the mind.

“Greetings, Empress.” There were other palace maids and eunuchs nearby, so the proper etiquette could not be omitted.

The Empress sat gracefully on her phoenix chair, her magnificent attire enhancing her beauty. Seeing her was almost like seeing the future Crown Princess.

Although they weren't related by blood, their graceful nobility was strikingly similar.

No, wait, there was at least one major difference. As the Empress sat casually, one could faintly discern the full, ample curve of her hips—something the Crown Princess couldn't compare to.

Of course, the Crown Princess was also exceptional. He still remembered the sensation from that day—her firm, elastic youthfulness was completely different from the Empress's.

The Empress waved her hand, signaling the others to withdraw.

Only Little Gui and Little Zhuo remained to attend to her.

Though she was the Empress, there were many taboos regarding receiving external officials in the inner palace, so someone had to be present.

However, after the palace maids and eunuchs had left, she then motioned for Little Gui and Little Zhuo to guard the door from outside.

The two respectfully retreated, giving Zu’an a friendly smile as they passed, clearly remembering his previous kindness.

Soon, only the two of them remained in the room. The Empress said calmly, “If anyone else looked at me that way, I would have long since gouged out their eyeballs.”

Zu’an sighed deeply. “Your Majesty is so beautiful, but unfortunately, in this deep palace, your beauty often goes unnoticed. The other servants are too intimidated by your status and authority to look at you directly. Such beauty would be wasted if not admired. I naturally have to take a few extra glances to make up for them.”

A blush appeared on the Empress's cheeks, and her normally sharp phoenix eyes softened slightly. “You certainly have a sweet tongue. But if His Majesty were to hear such words, it would probably be a capital offense. The Emperor clearly wouldn't appreciate someone else doing what he should be doing.”

Zu’an’s heart skipped a beat. A mature woman was indeed a mature woman; she could playfully tease effortlessly. If he were a naive young man, he might genuinely be led astray by her subtle hints.

He replied with a smile, “As long as Your Majesty doesn't say anything, how would the Emperor ever know?”

The Emperor was constantly giving him trouble and threatening him, so Zu’an naturally felt dissatisfied and spoke with less deference.

The Empress's expression, however, darkened. “How dare you speak such disrespectful words!”

Anyone else might have been genuinely intimidated by her, but Zu’an remained unfazed. “Your Majesty dismissed everyone else, aren't you hinting at something to me?”

The Empress stared intently at him, then after a long moment, suddenly let out a soft laugh. “You truly are different from the other servants. I suddenly find it quite interesting to have someone like you as a companion.”

“Is that so?” Zu’an said noncommittally. “What did Your Majesty wish to see me about today?”

“Can't I send for you if there's nothing specific?” The Empress rose to her feet, and as she moved, a refreshing fragrance wafted to Zu’an’s nose.

Zu’an looked at her captivating face, beautiful as a peach and plum blossom. “Unless Your Majesty is lonely in the inner chambers and seeking a man.”

The Empress let out a soft, charming laugh, a strange glint sparkling in her phoenix eyes. “Why not?”

This time, it was Zu’an’s turn to be dumbfounded.

Seeing his stunned expression, the Empress scoffed, “You dog of a servant, so you were indeed harboring intentions towards me. I don't know whether to call you ignorant or utterly brazen.”

“My courage is quite small,” Zu’an said. “I have always been proper and obedient in this palace, never daring to overstep.”

“Heh heh...” The Empress sneered twice. “If you were proper, all the eunuchs in this palace would be men. Would a timid person even dare to touch the Crown Princess?”

Zu’an’s expression became serious. “The Crown Princess and I are innocent. Your Majesty should not speak carelessly.”

The Empress scoffed, “Someone else might truly believe you're not so bold, but you even dared to... Hmph, what's a Crown Princess in comparison?”

Zu’an didn't fall into her trap. “If I weren't innocent, how could His Majesty have let me go?”

The Empress frowned deeply. “That's what I can't figure out. With Zhao Hao's temperament, even if you were innocent, he wouldn't have spared your life after you became entangled with the Crown Princess.”

“Perhaps I'm just lucky,” Zu’an mused to himself. As expected of a husband and wife, she truly understood the Emperor.

Ultimately, the Emperor still needed his help to deal with King Qi; he hadn't truly let him go.

Once King Qi was dealt with, it would be the classic case of "when the cunning rabbit is caught, the hunting dog is cooked."

Moreover, this time he also had to investigate who framed the Crown Princess. If he couldn't find the culprit, he would likely be finished.

Damn it, he was supposed to do the Emperor's bidding, yet his life was constantly being threatened.

As the deadline approached, he grew increasingly agitated.

“Oh, right,” the Empress said suddenly. “The palace maids and eunuchs you asked Miss Chu to tell me about, the ones you wanted me to investigate...”

Before she could finish, Zu’an’s spirits lifted, and he quickly pressed, “Have you found any clues?”

Shi Jun had been taken away a few days ago, breaking that lead, and Zu’an had been quite troubled by it.

The Empress looked a little puzzled. “You're not investigating the case yourself, so why are you so invested?”

Zu’an maintained a calm expression. “I need to know who is secretly harming me.”

“I don't have the power to investigate everything,” the Empress said. “I merely ruled out some innocent people. They were completely unaware of what was happening and were simply coerced by their companions to go there. After investigating thoroughly, I found that those individuals were all summoned to the scene by seven people using various excuses.”

“Which seven people?” Zu’an pressed.

The Empress gracefully walked to the side, took a small booklet from a cabinet, and waved it. “The list is right here.”

Just as Zu’an reached for it, the Empress pulled her hand back, hiding the booklet behind her. “What benefit would I gain from giving this to you?”

Zu’an frowned slightly. “What benefit do you want? As long as it's within my power, I will not refuse.”

At the same time, he was curious. As a dignified Empress, what could she possibly lack? Why would she ask him?

The Empress smiled faintly. “You can definitely do it.”

Seeing her mysterious smile, Zu’an felt something was off. “What is it, exactly?”

The Empress, however, did not answer. Instead, she changed the subject. “During the days you were in prison, Miss Chu came to see me. I must say, you're quite fortunate with women; Miss Chu is truly like a fairy, and she cares for you so deeply.”

A soft smile appeared on Zu’an’s face. “She is indeed very good.”

The Empress then continued to chat with him about Chu Chuyan for a while, and then said, “Later, Miss Chu visited me a few more times. She mentioned that in the secret realm, her meridians were severed due to an accident, and you saved her like a hero, which is how you gradually came together.”

“That must be destiny,” Zu’an said, smiling inwardly, 'Why does that silly woman tell everyone everything?'

However, he quickly realized that Chu Chuyan was likely anxious to save him at the time, and the Empress was one of the people who could potentially help him, which is why she cooperated by answering her questions so readily.

Casually, the Empress then asked, “Oh, by the way, how did you save her back then?”

“By chance, I found a Trace-Agnostic Illusionary Lotus, and that's how I saved her,” Zu’an replied.

He certainly couldn't tell her that he had diligently "cultivated" on Chu Chuyan's body, restoring her through the balance of Yin and Yang, could he?

If he said that, the Empress would definitely think he was being a hooligan.

“Is that so?” The Empress said noncommittally.

Zu’an said, “I've answered everything you've asked. Now, shouldn't you give me that list?”

The Empress still shook her head. “Come again tonight, and I'll give it to you then.”

Zu’an was surprised. “Why does it have to be tonight?”

The Empress replied, “Because then I'll need you to do something for me.”