Seeing the empress dowager rush out excitedly, only to regain her majestic poise upon seeing their family of three, Sang Qien instinctively released Zu An’s hand. Her womanly instincts told her that Ah Zu and the empress dowager had to have something between them.4

She and Dandan had shared their guesses, but because of how sensitive the empress dowager’s identity was, they hadn’t dared to investigate. Even so, at that instant, she confirmed their relationship—there was no need for concrete proof. 1

She had spent many years living in the capital and understood how powerful the empress dowager was. She didn’t want to get on the empress dowager’s bad side, lest she implicate her daughter. 2

Zu An could never have known that Sang Qien would have thought this far in an instant. Upon seeing Liu Ning, he smiled and said, “Paying respects to the empress dowager.”0

He greeted her like...0