The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Xu Zhenguan slowly landed, the luxurious white robe softly hanging down, her gaze instantly fell on Zhao Douan's face at the forefront, and the last bit of worry in her heart finally dissipated slowly.

Just as Zhao Douan had guessed, she had already ordered the Inner Palace Experts to set up defenses near the Zhao Mansion.

Waiting for Zhao Douan's trace was one purpose, preventing Zhao Douan's political enemies in the Capital from secretly avenging the Zhao Family during his "death" was another.

Not long ago, the Imperial Guards rushed to report, describing the situation.

Although the Empress was ninety-nine percent sure in her heart, since Zhao Douan had not lifted his disguise at that time, she was still apprehensive.

Until this moment, under the shroud of Divine Thought, she was clearly and unmistakably certain that the person before her was indeed the living Little Forbidden Army, not someone else impersonating.

The emotions she had suppressed for nearly a month surged out like a flood.

An extremely complex emotion surged in her heart, her expression slightly cold, she lightly parted her red lips: "Zhao Douan, do you know your crime?!"

Ah?

Gongshu Tianyuan and Haitang were confused, not knowing what the Empress was up to, and couldn't help but look up in astonishment.

However, immediately after, they saw Zhao Douan very smoothly plead guilty: "Your subject! The crime of deceiving the ruler is unforgivable!"

Deceiving the ruler?

Isn't... fake death also considered deceiving the ruler? That seems a bit outrageous, doesn't it make sense? Gongshu Tianyuan ridiculed inwardly.

But dared not make a sound.

The Empress coldly overlooked him, her nose slightly sour, expressionless she said: "It's good that you know. Do you know how much turmoil your death news has caused throughout the entire Capital, among all the civil and military officials?"

Zhao Douan exclaimed: "May the Empress quell her anger, the guilty subject deserves a thousand deaths and can't escape blame, I just earnestly beg for a little time to report on the trip to Feng City, after which whatever punishment the Empress imposes, your subject will have no complaints!"

The Empress gave a reserved "Hmm" before remembering there were others present, glanced at everyone, and her cheeks flushed for a moment: "I shall allow you to speak your case."

Isn't... so this is how ruler and minister interact? We're still here, aren't we?

So, are we part of your cosplay too?

Everyone tried hard to control their expressions.

Gongshu Tianyuan inwardly exclaimed "Well done, learned it."

Zhang Han's mouth slightly curled upward, but he hid it well.

Haitang looked full of disdain, feeling uncomfortable as a steel-hearted woman, even getting goosebumps.

Jin Jian yawned, his eyelids drooped downward, he didn't really listen clearly.

Ji Yue and Yun Xi both cautiously sneaked a peek forward, the two tacitly hiding at the back, one being socially awkward, the other being a "rebel", naturally fearful of the Empress.

"I have words to ask him, you all continue eating, no need to panic." The Empress reassured the little group, then looked at Zhao Douan.

The latter immediately led the Empress to the study room at home.

...

...

The study room.

Once the Empress entered the room, Zhao Douan closed the door with both hands, exhaled slowly, then turned back to look at her.

The layout of the study room still remained as it was when Zhao Douan left home, You Jinhua wouldn't easily move his belongings as per his request.

Therefore, even when cleaning, she tried not to disturb the placement of items in the room, hence even though he had left the Capital for more than two months, everything in the room looked just as it did before he left.

Papers lay scattered on the table, books piled up randomly, a brush was thrown beside the inkstone, and on the table's rice paper, half a piece of an ugly unfinished painting remained.

On the bookshelf were some antique porcelain and jade.

Xu Zhenguan curiously surveyed the surroundings, walking slowly with her lotus steps to the table, lowering her gaze to check the half-drawn picture on the table.

The painting clearly depicted a woman, standing by the window, looking out at the lake, only showing a side profile.

"Did you draw this?" Xu Zhenguan frowned, scrutinizing this abstract painting, "What is this?"

Zhao Douan eagerly replied: "It's the Empress in the painting, your subject misses the Empress day and night, so I painted to console my thoughts..."

??

An extremely rare shock appeared on Xu Zhenguan's ice-frosted face, she looked at this "abstract" national painting in disbelief, raised her head, and stared at him profoundly: "Are you saying, this blob is... me?"

Uh... Zhao Douan's smile froze, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.

In his previous life, although he followed the leader and encountered some national studies, and tried out traditional painting, it was only at an enthusiast level.

Without the foundational skills from childhood, how difficult is it to learn as an adult? It's not the same difficulty as playing go or writing poetry.

But in the Yu Country officialdom, there was a pursuit of elegant things like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

Zhao Douan privately tried learning traditional painting, and the one on the table was also a practice piece, he was rather proud, thinking his skill improved fast, but evidently, in the Empress, who had received royal education from an early age, it was no different from a blob in her eyes.

"I... I..." Even the eloquent Zhao Douan was at a loss for words, he suddenly realized a problem, compared to the jokingly mannered "fake death in deceiving the ruler", painting the Empress as a blob seemed far more serious.

However, the expected anger from the Empress did not arrive, after Xu Zhenguan cast an extremely disdainful look at him, she suddenly relaxed, implying meaningfully, "You still have things you're not good at after all, if your painting attainments were similar to your skill in chess and poetry, I would truly have to ponder, whether you are human, or the Divine walking the World."

————

Originally I could write seven or eight thousand words, but tonight I was invited to the website's live broadcast room for a joint mic, which delayed me. This chapter is six thousand five hundred.

```