After Crossing Over, I Marked the Empress

“This bonsai’s landscaping and style have a strong ancient Yin Country flavor.”

“Of course, this is just my personal judgment, and I can’t provide solid evidence right now.”

Shen Han didn’t beat around the bush and directly expressed her thoughts.

Xu Zhao let out a “Huh?” and immediately began searching for relevant information on her tablet.

Gu Junwan pondered briefly, then spoke: “In my memory, there’s no widespread inheritance of bonsai art in Yin Country’s modern history. If this is a technique passed down from ancient times, the identity of the person who made this bonsai is definitely problematic!”

Something unavailable on the market, yet the other party could skillfully create it – this strongly suggested they were either the owner or an inheritor of the technique.

And being able to inherit ancient Yin Country techniques, the person’s background was almost self-evident.

How sharp was Gu Junwan’s mind? A single thread could lead her to unravel numerous entangled links.

Recalling the scene of the Li couple bringing her the bonsai earlier, as well as their New Year’s visits when she was a child, Gu Junwan felt a mysterious fog lifting slightly!

At the same time, she was shocked and inexplicably saddened by her own suspicions.

That Uncle Li had once been a battle-hardened general who followed her grandmother through life and death!

Sensing her Omega’s low spirits, Shen Han immediately stepped forward and gently embraced her.

She didn’t speak, only conveying her message through actions.

No matter what storms we encounter, I will always be by your side.

To protect you, to drive away the bitter cold.

Gu Junwan rested her head in the crook of her Alpha’s neck, feeling her strong heartbeat, lightly inhaling that familiar and reassuring pine scent. Her chaotic thoughts gradually calmed.

Xu Zhao tactfully retreated a short distance.

Her fingers moved rapidly, efficiently conducting searches, but her eyes behind her glasses couldn’t help glancing towards Gu Junwan.

‘When Her Majesty is feeling down, only Shen the dog can effectively comfort her.’

‘Hmm, that’s not entirely accurate. Without Shen the dog, Her Majesty wouldn’t let anyone see she was feeling down in the first place.’

Xu Zhao had a team of secretaries behind her, so the information search progressed quickly.

In less than 15 minutes, preliminary results were in.

Records of ancient Yin Country contained almost no detailed descriptions of bonsai or penjing.

As for the bonsai artworks created by Li Jianye, there was no mature framework established before him.

Calling it his own school of style would be fitting.

This result didn’t particularly surprise Shen Han.

After all, the other party wasn’t a fool. How could they send something with such obvious flaws to Gu Junwan’s desk?

Nevertheless, Shen Han didn’t want to give up this lead.

Not finding relevant recorded information didn’t mean there was truly no connection between the two.

Just as she was thinking about how to suggest to Gu Junwan that they continue investigating the bonsai-giver, the latter spoke first.

“I plan to secretly investigate Li Jianye.”

She then provided some brief information to her Alpha: “He’s a retired military officer, almost 70 years old. He earned military merits under my grandmother’s command. Our whole family respects him—”

When she heard Li Jianye’s age, Shen Han suddenly recalled an Awakened mentioned in the interrogation records of a border guard official.

That Awakened had mental control abilities, was older, and male!

The latter two points matched that elderly Li Jianye.

When Shen Han shared this information, both Gu Junwan and Xu Zhao’s expressions became extremely grave.

Xu Zhao dropped her tablet and asked her Empress with a hint of panic: “Your Majesty, do you feel any discomfort? Like dizziness or chest tightness?”

Gu Junwan shook her head slightly: “I don’t feel any physical discomfort.”

She then changed tack, continuing: “However, if he is the Awakened we’re looking for, it would explain his true motive for appearing here today, and answer my earlier confusion.”

“If this hypothesis is correct, he must have used his ability on me just now!”

Gu Junwan’s expression turned solemn, and she immediately instructed Xu Zhao: “Go get the hotel surveillance footage of the Li couple entering and leaving. Do it secretly, don’t make a fuss.”

Xu Zhao acknowledged and hurried out to do so.

Shen Han led her Omega to sit on the sofa, poured hot tea into a porcelain cup, and handed it to her.

“We can have Jiang Xinyue confirm again, disguising herself to keep watch around his activity area. Whether he’s Awakened or not, we’ll know in a few days.”

Gu Junwan took a sip of hot tea, pondered for a moment, then rejected Shen Han’s suggestion.

“The Awakened that Jiang Xinyue discovered on the day of the meeting wasn’t Li Jianye, because he couldn’t have been at the Peace Palace conference building during that time. Jiang Xinyue needs to continue screening the original targets.”

“I plan to send people to first investigate Li Jianye’s living patterns, then find an opportunity to directly infiltrate his residence for a secret search. This will be more efficient and direct for verification.”

After hearing Gu Junwan’s plan, Shen Han leaned forward on the sofa cushion and kissed her red lips.

Then she gleefully praised: “My wife is so smart! I almost lost sight of the main issue. There’s no point in checking if that bonsai old man is Awakened, we should just investigate him directly!”

The Alpha’s spontaneous “wife” made Gu Junwan’s heart race instantly.

Her jade-like cheeks visibly tinged pink.

Like a thin layer of rouge, it was extremely beautiful!

At this moment, there was a gentle knock on the conference room door. The afternoon’s scheduled visitor had arrived early.

……

Gu Junwan didn’t tell Gu Yuwei about her suspicions regarding Li Jianye for now.

Secret investigations were best known by as few people as possible.

Moreover, to get the other party’s cooperation, she needed to produce some convincing evidence.

Li Jianye’s identity was already special. Even Gu Junwan couldn’t secretly arrest someone based on mere suspicion.

The task of investigating the Li couple’s living patterns was assigned to Ning Xi.

Shen Han and Jiang Xinyue remained at the White Egret Hotel, staying by the Empress’s side, handling their respective work.

That evening.

Xu Zhao, who had just seen off the last batch of visitors, suddenly returned to the Empress’s reception room with a hesitant expression.

After finishing the day’s work, Gu Junwan hadn’t immediately left this temporary office.

She still needed some time to sort through and review information.

Also in the room were Shen Han and Jiang Xinyue.

They were organizing some documents, trying to move gently to avoid disturbing Gu Junwan’s thoughts.

Seeing Xu Zhao’s somewhat evasive gaze, Shen Han walked directly up to her and asked quietly: “Why that look? Did you run into your ex while seeing off guests?”

Shen Han had meant it as a casual joke.

Unexpectedly, after she spoke, she found the Special Assistant’s demeanor became even more embarrassed.

“No way!” Shen Han covered her mouth and giggled, “Did I really guess right?”

Xu Zhao silently rolled her eyes.

She thought: If I told you there’s a crazy Alpha outside who’s obsessed with Her Majesty and begging to see the Empress, you’d probably bite your tongue!

“What’s wrong?”

Gu Junwan had also noticed Xu Zhao’s unnatural behavior. She stood up from behind her desk and walked towards her Alpha while asking.

Xu Zhao cleared her throat, then began reporting officially.

“Your Majesty, the Finance Minister’s third son, Cao Zikun, has come for a secret visit. He says he has important intelligence to reveal to you in person. He’s waiting outside the reception room now.”

When she heard the name “Cao Zikun,” Gu Junwan’s steps faltered slightly.

But her face remained calm as usual: “I remember Minister Cao Hao declined the invitation. Did he send his son or did he come on his own?”

Xu Zhao shook her head: “Couldn’t find out.”

She added in her mind: He said he’d only report all information to you alone.

But Xu Zhao couldn’t say these things in front of a certain Alpha.

Even she felt a toothache at the mention of Cao Zikun.

Knowing the Empress had no feelings for him, yet he still refused to give up.

Before the coup happened, among the Empress’s many suitors, he was the most difficult to deal with.

Because he neither pestered her incessantly nor made any obviously harassing moves.

He even tried to restrain himself from appearing before the Empress to cause trouble.

He just waited there, silently devoting himself without asking for anything in return.

For someone like Cao Zikun, Gu Junwan could only ignore him, unable to do anything targeted.

In short, many people in the Second District knew about Cao Zikun’s infatuation with the Empress.

But with the upheaval over a year ago, everyone’s life rhythms were completely disrupted.

And now, that person suddenly popped up again.

If he hadn’t claimed to have important intelligence to share, Xu Zhao would have sent him away directly.

To avoid causing any trouble that might turn the docile Shen dog into a “vicious hound” – that would be problematic.

Shen Han, oblivious to this history, was still secretly making eyes at her Omega.

“Is this Cao Zikun guy someone who pursued Special Assistant Xu? I see her expression is really unnatural!”

Gu Junwan fell silent, then directly told Xu Zhao to bring him in.

She glanced at a certain Alpha with a face full of gossip waiting to watch the drama unfold, and sighed lightly in her heart: No, the person he pursued was actually me.

When Xu Zhao led in a man wearing a fisherman’s hat, sunglasses, and a mask, completely covering himself,

Shen Han was still secretly marveling: This guy is so pretentious, does he think he’s a big star?

After entering the room, Cao Zikun said softly: “Your Majesty, please wait a moment.”

Then he began removing his “armor.”

Soon, a young man with handsome features appeared before everyone.

The youth had delicate features, high brow bones and deep-set eyes, making his facial features very three-dimensional.

Just as his name contained the character “kun,” Cao Zikun’s face had a touch of appropriate femininity, adding a melancholic undertone to his appearance.

As Shen Han looked, she sensed something was amiss!

‘That Cao Zikun is an Alpha, so he shouldn’t be Xu Zhao’s pursuer.’

‘Wait!’

‘Damn! Why has he been staring at my Junwan since he entered?!’