"So it was Brother Gu. Forgive my disrespect."
Zeng Anmin bowed to Gu Xiangnan.
The Empress glanced at Die'er, then gestured toward the table.
"Please, sit."
With that, she took her seat first.
Die'er caught the meaning in the Empress's gaze at once. She bowed to the two of them and said, "Die'er will prepare some tea."
As she spoke, she slowly headed into the room.
Only Zeng Anmin and the Empress remained.
"Brother Wu." The Empress slowly raised her eyes to look at Zeng Anmin, her face utterly expressionless as she asked,
"Why did you alert the Black-Clad Guard?"
After saying that, her gaze lingered on Zeng Anmin's face.
She stared at him without blinking.
Zeng Anmin froze for a moment, then scratched his head awkwardly. "To tell you the truth, I left right on Brother Gu's heels after you departed the Jiaofang Division."
At this point, he chuckled.
"I simply forgot that it was curfew at this hour and got spotted by the Black-Clad Guard. My identity is rather special, and I didn't want to stir up too much trouble."
"Who would have thought that I'd happen to run into Brother Gu while I was fleeing?"
"Come to think of it." Zeng Anmin looked at the Empress with a strange expression, feigning puzzlement. "Brother Gu seems upright and comes from a distinguished family. Why would you become a gentleman of the rafters?"
The Empress's expression stiffened slightly.
Then she waved a hand. "It's a long story."
"Oh~" Zeng Anmin nodded in sudden understanding. "Indeed, everyone has certain special hobbies. I can understand that."
"Brother Wu, you said just now that your identity is special..."
She looked Zeng Anmin up and down for a moment, then raised a brow.
"It seems Brother Wu is not from Jiang Kingdom."
Zeng