94 Maudlin (1/2)

The Empress Dowager who had been looking at the scene of another person being able to be close to her child and look after him, felt displeased when her child showed such a sullen expression to the child.

However, before she could reprimand him, she heard her son's words.

”How many times have I told you not to refer to yourself as this lowly servant or some other variant thereof? That puts me even more off than all the rules and regulations I have to follow in this place. At least, you can act as if you listen to my words and act accordingly, can't you?”

Zhou Sheng smiled helplessly at Su Li's words and coaxed, ”Alright. Alright. This lowly one will listen to Your Majesty's words. Don't get angry on my behalf and just eat the food before it gets cold and becomes unpalatable.”

Su Li pointed to Zhou Sheng's face, ”You...You...are you trying to play me? Do you think I won't get angry at you? How many times do I have to repeat myself before those words penetrate your thick skull?”

”One more time, as always, Your Majesty. Anyways, this lowly one cannot break the protocol and have even more tongues wagging. It's better to be cautious.”

Su Li snorted at Zhou Sheng's words and the dinner continued.

When the Empress Dowager tried to place a fish fried in mustard oil in His Majesty's place, Zhou Sheng stopped her, ”My lady, His Majesty is allergic to this.”

Those words seemed to sick out the air from the easygoing atmosphere and the pavilion returned to a pin drop silence.

However, before it could get awkward, he smiled sheepishly at the Empress Dowager and wheedled,  ”If My Lady doesn't despise this one, this servant would…”

Before he could finish his words, the old lady had already placed the fish in his bowl and gave him such a heart-stopping smile that if she had been a few decades younger and Zhou Sheng's heart hadn't already been with Princess, he would have fallen under the Empress Dowager's thrall.

When Su Li noticed the old lady and Zhou Sheng getting along so well, she couldn't stop smiling.

Now, someone would like to question: What was Ning Fu doing while all of this was happening?

Well, the answer would be that first he was surprised by Zhou Sheng's actions.

Secondly, he was surprised some more by the Empress Dowager's nonchalant attitude towards the fact that her family line might end if her son loved another man.

But then thinking about how the monarch had already rejected even the idea of getting married, it seemed that the mama-bear would be happy as long as she knew someone body could get close to that block faced the son of his.

However, what left him flummoxed was the fact that if the emperor was so close to his friend/sub-ordinate, how close he must have been to the one he loved.