Chapter 2638: Confident
After sending away the officials, Sang Qien, and Sisi, the empress dowager dismissed the maids and eunuchs in the room with a wave of her hand. This should have been highly inappropriate, but no one questioned her order. The empress dowager had gained absolute control over the people around her, and her closest eunuchs and maids were aware of her affair with the regent. Sometimes, they'd even had to cover for her.
Once the maids closed the door behind them, the empress dowager rushed into Zu An’s arms.
Zu An embraced her mature body as he asked with a smile, “Ning’er, what do you need to discuss with me?”
The empress dowager raised her head, resting her lower jaw on his chest as she said with a pout, “You only call me that in private. Why didn’t you call me Ning’er earlier?”
Zu An burst into laughter. “You’re the empress dowager. We need to pay heed to your reputation in public.”
“What about Sang Qien and Sisi? You held their hands in public,” the empress dowager complained.
Zu An realized that she was jealous. Instead of explaining himself, he leaned in and kissed her. Only a fool would debate about right and wrong at a time like this. What she needs is emotional affirmation.
The empress dowager moaned. Her lover’s sweet nothings quelled the anger bubbling inside her, and her body gradually relaxed.
Some time later, the two of them began talking about the kings’ rebellion and the imperial court’s initial defeat.
“A skilled housewife can’t prepare a meal without rice.” The empress dowager explained the circumstances then. “Rumors of your death in the other world caused hearts to waver. With those under us thinking about who to side with, it’s no wonder our army suffered defeat after defeat. Linglong and I may be capable, but we've reliant on our subordinates to execute our orders. The situation only stabilized when Linglong joined the frontlines while I held fort in the capital.”
“You've worked hard,” Zu An said, grabbing her hand.
The empress dowager burst into laughter, lighting up the solemn imperial library. “Regent, do you want to know what happened in this time?”