The man reached out and wiped her mouth, saying, "Why is your mouth all messed up, you little kitten?" Then he let go of her.

Jian Yang smiled awkwardly and stuffed all the egg yolk pastries in her hand into her mouth.

"I'd like to see if I can enter this Imperial Study!" The Empress Dowager's voice suddenly came from outside the door, sounding angry.

Jian Yang was so frightened that she almost choked. She hurriedly tried to find a place to hide, and Zhou Jingzhi also panicked at this moment.

However, the Empress Dowager had already pushed the door open, and the two of them were stunned.

"Girl?! How come it's you?" The Empress Dowager was stunned when she saw that it was Jian Yang.

Jian Yang bowed to the Empress Dowager and said, "Your Majesty, I have returned."

The Empress Dowager hurriedly pulled Jian Yang over, looking her up and down as if to confirm that she had returned unharmed.

After the Emperor paid his respects to her in the morning, she had already dispelled her concerns, but just now she heard that a strange face had come to the Emperor's study, brought by General Jian.

The Empress Dowager was truly uneasy. Remembering what the young eunuch had said, she hurriedly went to the Imperial Study.

To her surprise, the person turned out to be Jian Yatou, which filled her with both shock and delight.

"Why didn't you say you were coming back? You've made us worry for no reason," the Empress Dowager said, feigning anger.

Seeing the Empress Dowager's expression, both Jian Yang and Zhou Jingzhi breathed a sigh of relief.

Having not seen her for a long time, Jian Yang missed the kind-hearted old lady. She helped the Empress Dowager sit down and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was afraid that something bad might happen, so I kept it a secret."

"My son, although Jian'er has returned, I know what you're thinking, but isn't your behavior a bit too undignified?" the Empress Dowager said, frowning.

Although they were husband and wife, from the outside, it appeared that Empress Wende had already passed away, and the two of them always met in private, as if they were having an affair.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Jingzhi hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty has always wanted to know the identity of the new Empress. In fact, the new Empress is my person. The reason for not revealing her identity is to wait for A-Yang to return so that I can return the position to her."

"In a couple of days, I will give A-Yang a new identity; she will still be my Empress."

So that's how it is. The Empress Dowager recalled the Emperor's strange behavior in recent days, and now all of it was explained.

The emperor had been planning this for a long time, but was he really in a position to do so?

"Your Majesty, you have only just secured your position, and the ministers have finally gained your trust. If you were to reinstate Jian Yang as Empress, it would inevitably invite criticism," the Empress Dowager said earnestly.

Seeing that Zhou Jingzhi remained silent, she spoke again: "I also like Jian Yang very much, but some things must be considered in the context of the bigger picture. Do you understand, my son?"

"Your subject does not understand. I have already paved this way, so why can't A-Yang come back?" Zhou Jingzhi's face gradually turned gloomy.

As long as he doesn't say anything, how dare those ministers make up stories?

Jian Yang stood aside without saying a word. She felt a little uneasy. She thought everything would develop as she expected, but she never thought there would be so many obstacles.

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager became furious: "Nonsense! Even if you can silence these ministers, can you silence the voices of the people? Have you forgotten how the previous dynasty fell?"

"So what if it's blocked?" Zhou Jingzhi raised his eyebrows, his aura growing increasingly cold.

The Empress Dowager was so angry that she was speechless. She never expected that Zhou Jingzhi would go to such lengths for a woman.

The two were at an impasse for a moment.

Jian Yang laughed self-deprecatingly, never expecting that she would one day become what is known as a femme fatale.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I have matters to attend to at home, so I will take my leave now." After bowing, Jian Yang left without waiting for Zhou Jingzhi to say anything.

Seeing Jian Yang's somewhat forlorn figure, the Empress Dowager felt a pang of sadness.

She hesitated for a moment and said, "If the Emperor insists on keeping that girl, he can give her the rank of Consort, so that she won't attract too much attention."

Zhou Jingzhi remained silent. A concubine position? She wouldn't even care about the empress position, so why would she care about a concubine position? What she always wanted was a lifelong, monogamous relationship.

"Mother, there's no need to say anything more. I have made up my mind. The position of Empress belongs to A-Yang. As for the issues you mentioned, I have my own plans."

The Empress Dowager had no reply, and left with a flick of her sleeve.

Jian Yang was somewhat sullen the whole way. After returning to the Prime Minister's residence, she went straight to her room and locked the door.

The Empress Dowager's words kept echoing in Jian Yang's mind. She wondered if her choice to return to the palace was truly the right one. Could she really overcome all obstacles for the sake of love?

Jian Yang's mind was in turmoil. She kept thinking about it over and over, but eventually she gave up and went to the small kitchen to cook a bowl of noodles with soybean paste. She ate it while cursing Zhou Jingzhi.

That night, Jian Yang was preparing to rest when there was a soft knock on the door.

She knew Zhou Jingzhi would definitely come to see her tonight, so she locked the door before going to bed. At this moment, she didn't want to see that bastard at all.

Zhou Jingzhi stood outside the door and knocked for a while. When no one answered, he walked to the window, pushed it open, and climbed over the wall.

Jian Yang stared wide-eyed at the man who had suddenly appeared in her room. How did he climb through the window?

"Why won't A-Yang open the door for me?" Zhou Jingzhi said pitifully.

Jian Yang rolled her eyes, indicating that she didn't want to talk to him.

To her surprise, the man sat down on the edge of the bed and started rubbing her hand.

"If you keep doing this, I'll yell, you flower thief!" Jian Yang said angrily, pulling her hand away.

Zhou Jingzhi knew she was angry; the Empress Dowager's words today must have made her misunderstand him.

"Ayang, don't be angry. What Mother said today was just her opinion. I will only make you my Empress."

Hearing Zhou Jingzhi say this, Jian Yang became even more displeased. What did he mean by only making her the empress? What would happen after she became empress? Would she be cursed by the whole world? She didn't have the courage to be a wicked concubine who brought ruin to the country.

“Zhou Jingzhi, I can go back to be the Empress, but what about afterwards? What about all the problems that follow?” Jian Yang’s head ached just thinking about it.

Unexpectedly, the next second she was embraced by Zhou Jingzhi, and she heard the man's firm voice in her ear.

Zhou Jingzhi said, "Don't worry, you just need to be my empress, and I will take care of the rest."

Jian Yang didn't speak. Even after hearing Zhou Jingzhi say that, she wasn't sure what the future held.

"Ayang, don't be angry anymore, okay? Trust me." Zhou Jingzhi nuzzled Jian Yang's face.

Jian Yang was completely defeated. Who could resist a handsome man, especially one who would whisper sweet nothings in your ear?