Chapter 1517: Should I Run or Not?

The Second Empress had followed Zu An in a hurry, carelessly pulling her clothes over her body. However, it left plenty of her fair skin visible, making her appear even more lovely and attractive.

“It’s nothing,” Zu An said. He couldn't tell her that Yan Xuehen had shown up, right?

“Was I not good enough in some way?” the Second Empress asked; she seemed on the verge of tears, looking incredibly innocent and charming.

Zu An immediately felt a flame ignite within him. Even though this woman had said she was repaying him out of gratitude, she had constantly been using her charm skill on him. Her intentions definitely weren’t as pure as she made them seem.

He felt as if his head would explode after Yan Xuehen’s visit; he had no idea what he was supposed to do. Now, this woman was even playing tricks on him!

It’s all her fault!

Even though his reason told him this had nothing to do with her, he had just absorbed Sir Fu’s cultivation. The chaotic nature of that power, which he had done his best to suppress, once again completely erupted.

Isn’t this woman trying to seduce me? Then, let’s see if you’ll still be in the mood to think such crooked thoughts.

He picked her up directly off the ground and carried her in his arms. The Second Empress really did have a special innate talent. She was clearly tall and slender, and yet when he picked her up, her body felt soft and boneless.

When she sensed the passion in Zu An’s eyes, a slight grin appeared on the corners of the Second Empress’ lips. She felt as if she had won at a certain small game.

However, at the same time, her heart pounded fiercely with even more nervousness and anticipation than back when she was newly wed. After all, she had only been aiming for the empress position back then and didn’t have any feelings or… desire for ‘him’.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

And yet, when she saw that Zu An wasn’t bringing her back into the previous room but rather into her own chambers, the Second Empresspanicked slightly, starting to struggle. She protested, “Don’t go there! There are people there…”

The empress’ chambers naturally had a large number of maids and eunuchs. Even late at night when the eunuchs went back to the outer areas, there were always some personal maids left behind in the palace.

“So what?” Zu An replied, his tone carrying a hint of unquestionable intent.

“You really are an overbearing man!” the Second Empress exclaimed, biting her lip. His powerful arms made her feeble struggles completely useless. Furthermore, her own conflicted heart wasn’t that resolute either.

Being seen by someone else would really be a big problem! There are no absolute secrets in the world unless I silence everyone forever. But those maids are all my trusted aides. I’m already lacking manpower, and it would be even more difficult to find trustworthy new people.

But if I firmly reject him, it might offend him…

Just like that, as those two thoughts continued to clash, she unknowingly arrived in her own chambers.

When they heard the activity, the maids inside came out to greet the Second Empress, but when they saw that her clothes were messy and that she was lying in Zu An’s arms with a look of embarrassment, their jaws almost seemed about to fall off.

The Second Empress was very embarrassed, and she gave the maids a threatening look. The maids all shuddered and didn’t dare to raise their heads again.

Just like that, Zu An carried the Second Empress into her room. The Second Empress’ slender hand gently waved and closed the door, and she activated a sound isolating formation.

However, when he saw her movements, Zu An coldly said, “Shut down the formation.”

“But…” the Second Empress began, somewhat nervously. She raised her head and saw his domineering expression. She was shaken. This man seemed to be embarrassing her on purpose!

However, after some hesitation, she still undid the formation.

Zu An walked around the resting chamber. As he breathed in the expensive fragrances and the familiar sweet scent coming from the Second Empress’ body, he couldn't help but smile, saying, “I didn’t expect to be back here again.”

The Second Empress’ face turned bright red. She knew he was talking about the time when the Elf Princess had been brought into the room. Back then, she had been forced to listen to them all night, and she had also been curious as to how the Elf Princess’ dainty physique could withstand such a fierce battle. She hadn’t expected to personally receive the answer herself today.

When she thought of that, her heart trembled. She said with a playful pout, “Your face was so scary before.”

Last time, they had needed to go through so much difficulty to help the Elf Princess escape. She had even generously saved them back then. Now, just how much had transpired since then? Zu An had already become someone she had to look up to.

Zu An didn’t reply to her, and instead threw her onto the phoenix seat.

Even the Second Empress’ skin was heating up. This was a place even the Fiend Emperor had considered off-limits. Previously, she hadn’t even dared to think that another man would defile this place. It wasn’t just her; no man among all the Fiend races would dare to have such a thought.

Furthermore, this man had deliberately taken down the formations, clearly intending to shatter her pride and fully tame her. As a woman who was proficient in charm skills, she naturally understood a man’s heart too.

For some reason, though, she didn’t feel any disgust. That heavy pressure instead made her feel a kind of indescribable expectation.

Her expression was extremely conflicted. She had clearly just received news of her husband’s death this evening, and yet she was already following another man to bed. I really am a bad woman…

…

Meanwhile, the maids in the palace shook in fear. They weren’t even in the mood to watch the drama unfold.

After all, as they came from the Imperial Palace, they knew the palace’s rules. The massive Imperial Palace constantly had people who died for various reasons. That was precisely because they had seen something they shouldn’t have seen and heard something they shouldn’t have heard.

After what happened today, not even dying eight times would be enough. Still, they were the Second Empress’ most trusted aides. Her highness wouldn’t kill them, right?

The maids hesitated as to whether or not they should flee, when a mature voice suddenly spoke up from one side. “Stop thinking nonsense already and guard your respective positions. Do not let anyone else approach this place.”

“Aunt Xiao!” the maids quickly greeted her respectfully. The mature female official before them was someone from the Second Empress’ family. She was the one in charge of the Empress Palace’s various matters, big or small.

“As long as you are loyal to her highness, her highness will definitely not let you down,” Aunt Xiao said as consolation, which finally dispelled their misgivings. After all, this kind of thing had already happened, and it would clearly happen again. Even if they were silenced and other people replaced them, there would still be a chance of news leaking out.

However, along with the encouragement came words of reality. Aunt Xiao’s expression turned cold and she continued, “But after tonight, if any rumors start to spread, I will not investigate all of you one by one. All of you here will die! Understand?”

“Yes!” the maids replied, shivering. No wonder her highness didn’t do anything before. She knew Aunt Xiao would take care of things later.

Aunt Xiao nodded in satisfaction. However, a frown appeared on her face when she looked at the tightly shut door. Her highness really is acting willfully.

Still, as someone who had followed the empress here and taken care of her since she was little, and furthermore remained unmarried the entire time, she saw the empress like her own daughter. She knew that even though the Second Empress looked bright on the surface, she had actually been cold and quiet in the palace, and always been extremely lonely.

Aunt Xiao had witnessed how impressive the Regent was tonight. He wasn’t a bad choice for her highness.

Fortunately, she still had at least a bit of restraint, at least closing the door. The formation should be active, right…

As soon as that thought emerged, however, a noise emerged from inside. Aunt Xiao was speechless.

What is up with this girl? Does she have to go that far?

She had no experience with such things herself, and the palace had always been a lonely and empty place for her too. When had she ever experienced such a shock before? She quickly left with a reddened face, dragging the excitedly listening maids out with her.

“We will stand guard a bit farther out. We cannot let anyone within several dozen meters… no, several hundred meters!” Aunt Xiao ordered with a flushed face. The two inside really had gone crazy! The young lady was still the empress! Even though the Fiend Emperor had died, this was still the Fiend races’ Imperial Palace. Who knew how many people were watching it?!

…

Just like that, after half a night, Aunt Xiao finally couldn't take it and knocked on the door. She called out, “Your highness, it is already daybreak. We have to carry out the young prince’s ascension to the throne. Your highness also needs to wear the ceremonial dress.”

The Second Empress’ ceremonial dress was extremely grand and complex. It was something a large group of maids needed to help with.

“I got it~” a lazy, extremely sweet voice called out from inside. It even made Aunt Xiao, who was also a woman, shiver.

Inside the room, on the phoenix seat, the Second Empress’ skin was covered in a layer of beautiful rosiness. She looked at the man next to her with tender feelings, her eyes misty and beautiful. She said, “I’ve discovered that the noble title I gave you before was just too fitting, my dear… Steady Aim Duke.”