Chapter 887: The Young Empress (24)

"I wonder if Your Majesty has any free time today?"

Naturally, Tang Guo wasn't about to say she didn't.

She followed Nan Yunchuan back to his palace.

As she watched him prepare flower tea with smooth, practiced movements, her expression remained largely unchanged. Only the corners of her lips curved slightly upward. She appeared nothing like she had in Jing Cheng's palace, where she had been completely relaxed and at ease.

The Chief Steward, who had followed her since childhood, had long noticed that the Empress treated the Imperial Consort differently.

Before, he had only suspected it.

Now he was completely certain.

The only person the Empress truly held in her heart was probably the Imperial Consort.

After drinking Nan Yunchuan's flower tea, Tang Guo offered a few words of praise and rewarded him with many gifts. She spoke several words of concern, just as she always had, and then prepared to leave.

Nan Yunchuan hurriedly spoke up.

"If Your Majesty wishes to drink flower tea in the future, you are always welcome to come to Yunchuan's palace."

"All right."

Tang Guo turned back, a faint smile on her lips.

"Yunchuan's tea-making skills are indeed excellent."

Then she seemed to remember something.

"Oh, right. From now on, I'll permit you to return home once every month. What do you think?"

Nan Yunchuan could hardly believe what he had heard.

He stared at Tang Guo in astonishment.

When he noticed those beautiful eyes fixed steadily upon him, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Had he...

Already begun winning the Empress's genuine affection?

The thought made his heartbeat impossible to control.

For that brief instant, his heart truly was stirred by the young woman standing before him.

But he quickly recovered.

The person he intended to overthrow in the future was the very Empress standing before him.

His goal had always been to gain her trust.

Of course, if he could obtain her heart as well, that would be even better.

Once he had the Empress's genuine affection, everything would become much easier.

Now that she had granted him permission to return home every month, there were many things he would be able to accomplish.

Initially, he tried to refuse.

Naturally, Tang Guo did not allow him to.

In the end, Nan Yunchuan accepted the arrangement with obvious delight.

From that day onward, Tang Guo was invited to Nan Yunchuan's palace almost every day.

Occasionally, Su Qing would also make an appearance.

Before long, all the men of the imperial harem had reached the same conclusion:

The person most favored by Her Majesty was Nan Yunchuan.

Some time ago, when the Empress had personally accompanied the Imperial Consort on his trip home, many had believed that Jing Cheng was the one she cherished most.

But after returning to the palace, the Empress rarely visited the Imperial Consort.

Instead, she went to Nan Yunchuan's palace every day, even if only to sit there for a short while.

Now everyone understood.

The Empress's attitude toward the Imperial Consort was merely one of respect.

As for Nan Yunchuan...

That was genuine affection.

"If things continue like this, the Empress will trust you completely," Su Qing said. "That will make our plans much easier to carry out."

Gone was the melancholy expression he usually wore before others.

Within those cool, detached eyes was nothing but calculation.

Noticing that Nan Yunchuan was lost in thought, Su Qing tapped the table lightly.

"Yunchuan."

"Hm?"

Nan Yunchuan snapped back to reality.

He had merely been thinking about the days he had recently spent with the Empress.

Tang Guo had treated him extremely well.

A trace of regret surfaced in his heart.

If she were not the Empress, perhaps she could have survived.

Su Qing immediately saw through his thoughts.

His expression darkened.

"Brother Yunchuan, don't lose your heart."

He fixed Nan Yunchuan with a warning gaze.

"Don't forget who she is. She is the Empress—the Empress of the Western Saint Kingdom. She may treat you well today, but tomorrow she could just as easily treat someone else the same way."

His voice grew colder.

"Or are you saying that because you enjoy being the sole recipient of her favor, you're willing to remain in the harem forever? That you're willing to let the men of the Western Saint Kingdom remain oppressed forever, with no chance to rise?"

"I understand."

Nan Yunchuan suppressed those inappropriate thoughts.

Still, Su Qing continued his warning.

"It's good that you understand. Don't abandon our ideals simply because of the Empress's gentleness toward you."

"I know."