Chapter 167: The Empress' Black Silk Foot Massage—A Truly Groundbreaking Progress (3)
The White Jade Pavilion wasn't just a national marvel—it was the Empress' enforcement agency.
Its defense force handled all inconvenient matters, maintaining order and stability.
Simply put, it was a fusion of secret police and intelligence bureau, enough to terrify countless corrupt officials.
This defensive force was most clearly represented by one of its subordinate bodies—the Twelve Towers.
Each tower was staffed with trusted aides personally cultivated by the Empress, unknown to the public.
Even so, these twelve hidden forces were spread throughout the empire!
Shenyue was one such member.
Though she usually kept quiet, she was steadily amassing power in secret.
One could only imagine how formidable these forces could be when mobilized.
It was no exaggeration to say this was the Empress' confidence in wielding power across the realm!
Su Qing played along and showed a surprised expression.
"This is the highest authority, second only to mine and the Empress Dowager's, and yet some people don't seem to appreciate it."
The Empress spoke with a hint of self-mockery.
"Your Majesty, you're too kind to me—I'm truly moved!"
"I'll give it my all from now on, dedicate myself wholeheartedly to Your Majesty, and to Your Majesty's..."
Su Qing wore an elated expression, spewing a string of praises—after all, they cost nothing.
The Empress even started to blush at all the flattery.
She'd been praised countless times before.
Whether sincere or not, she usually scoffed at such words.
If anything, she often thought such courtiers were sycophants.
But now, even knowing he was doing it on purpose, she still felt embarrassed.
She couldn't say why she felt this way.
"Enough. Do you think saying all this makes me happy? Use that power wisely."
"You've offended a lot of powerful people this time—you must ensure your own safety."
"If you die, that would be a huge disgrace for me."
The Empress changed the subject.
At the end, as if to cover her thoughts, she added a slightly tsundere remark.
"Understood. I'll protect myself well and won't let them get their way!"
Su Qing naturally didn't expose her and replied solemnly.
With this level of authority, everything would become much easier for him going forward.
After finishing official matters, the room fell into brief silence.
What followed was personal.
The Empress studied the youth before her, her gaze filled with hesitation and complexity.
For a ruler known for decisiveness, this look revealed her deep inner conflict.
Initially, she had wanted to keep him around as a mascot, to lift her spirits.
No matter what happened, as long as she didn't fall, he'd be safe.
But over time, that idea faded from her mind.
His meaning to her had started to shift.
Especially recently—his help had been monumental.
She couldn't even imagine what things would be like without his assistance.
Surely, the situation would've been dire, stuck in political and military turmoil.
He'd even persuaded Eunuch Cao, who was originally poised to be her greatest threat, turning disaster into fortune.
The staged scene of a heaven-sent chosen one had completely stabilized the capital.
No more chaos—everything was moving in the right direction.
And all of that was thanks to his planning!
"Your Majesty, why are you looking at me like that?"
Su Qing asked innocently.
To be honest, he found her current expression of hesitation and restraint quite amusing.
Probably only he would ever get to see this side of her.
"You've done very well lately. You've been a huge help to me."
"Besides the reward I gave earlier, I'll also allow you one request. What do you want?"
The Empress snapped out of it and replied casually.
"Well... can I ask for something a bit presumptuous?"
Su Qing asked after thinking for a moment.
"Go on."
The Empress seemed to recall something, staying calm.
Her toes curled slightly—what exactly came to her mind, no one could say.
"I want to call Your Majesty 'sister' from now on."
Su Qing said shyly.
This request, of course, was meant to draw them closer.
If they remained ruler and subject forever, how could things ever progress?
He had no desire to remain a loyal subject forever—vague ambiguity without further steps was not for him.
"Just that?"
The Empress looked confused.
She had expected something involving physical intimacy, but this... this was it?
"Yes."
Su Qing nodded without hesitation.
"Granted. When no one's around, you may call me by my name—Li Qinglan."
The Empress agreed without realizing the cunning behind his seemingly innocent request.
She even suspected he was trying to be considerate by asking for something so simple.
"Qinglan-jie."
Su Qing called out without pause.
His voice was soft and harmless, like a little brother calling to his older sister.
"Mm."
The Empress answered.
It sounded a bit strange to her, though she couldn't pinpoint why.
Before, even though their interactions weren't typical for ruler and subject, the titles had stayed formal.
Now, shifting to a sibling-like tone—it was bound to feel odd.
"Qinglan-jie."
Su Qing called out again, seeming unsatisfied.
The Empress responded again on reflex.
But this was just the beginning.
No more words—just that one repeated call.
Yet after it happened again and again, the Empress grew more uneasy.
She looked at the boy's bright smile, and for some reason, her cheeks began to flush.
That little puppy from before—when did he become so dangerously charming?
"Alright, alright—is that really your only request? Nothing else?"
The Empress tried to steer the topic away.