After Crossing Over, I Marked the Empress

Though small, the sonic incident caused a minor sensation within the base.

All the staff at the base felt greatly vindicated.

Because that self-important Prince of Jiying was finally forced to quiet down.

The Jiying Empire delegation, however, was furious.

Their Prince Walker had lost in his most proficient field of music to some unknown upstart.

It was utterly humiliating!

At this moment, Prince Walker sat scowling on a chair in the small conference hall.

He didn’t even dare to raise his head to look at Gu Junwan seated in the main chair.

He had originally wanted to display his most gentlemanly and elegant side before her.

But just now…

Prince Walker’s teeth ached at the memory of himself jumping up to slam the piano lid.

Just as he was wondering if Gu Junwan had seen that scene.

Suddenly, someone came to report that they had caught a very suspicious person.

At the Empress’s signal, Shen Han and her group escorted the Beta from the Jiying Empire into the conference hall.

This was an informal conference room.

It wasn’t large, and the decor emphasized a soft and comfortable style.

Seeing Shen Han and Ning Xi appear together here, a glimmer immediately flashed through Gu Junwan’s golden eyes.

She knew clearly that under normal circumstances, two S-class Alpha guards wouldn’t be assigned to duty together.

This was just one point of suspicion.

As the guards began their report.

The Empress appeared to calmly observe all of them, but in reality, her gaze lingered almost exclusively on one person.

Today, Shen Han wore the thicker winter military uniform.

The tightly cinched leather at her waist and the knee-high black military boots accentuated the young Alpha’s upright figure.

Upon entering the conference hall, all the guards had removed their military caps.

Though Shen Han’s breathing was as steady as usual, her temples glistened.

As if she had just undergone intense physical activity.

When Gu Junwan discreetly shifted her gaze to Ning Xi, the other S-class Alpha trainee guard showed none of these signs.

‘So, what had Shen Han just been doing? To work up such a sweat?’

By now, the guards had finished their report.

The escorted Beta was trembling all over.

His appearance of wanting to defend himself but not daring to speak made him look like he was about to cry from anxiety.

Prince Walker had initially thought they had caught the provocateur.

Full of anger, he wanted to see who exactly this person was, but to his surprise, the one caught was his own butler.

Seeing the butler with his hands tied behind his back, he could no longer stay angry and hurriedly explained.

“Your Majesty, I believe this must be a misunderstanding by your guards. This person is also a member of our delegation. I had asked him to look for that rule-breaker. We sincerely apologize for entering the office building without your permission.”

To be fair, although this Prince Walker of the Jiying Empire was somewhat annoying in certain aspects, he could still discern important matters.

His apology was very sincere.

Moreover, he didn’t mention wanting the Empress to catch that musician again.

Gu Junwan was naturally willing to give him this way out.

She immediately ordered the release of the Beta butler, then exchanged a few pleasantries, lightly brushing over the incident.

The Jiying envoys couldn’t say much more either.

After all, the Empress had already shown ample tolerance. If they didn’t know when to restrain themselves, they would truly be ungrateful.

After resolving the matter, Gu Junwan rose to leave first.

The guards stood at attention on both sides of the hall doors, heads held high, eyes straight ahead.

Shen Han stood upright, her expression solemn, showing no sign of overstepping.

In fact, from the moment she entered this conference hall.

She had been resisting the urge to look at Gu Junwan.

In such a diplomatic setting, she needed to act according to her position, so as not to cause trouble for the other.

The Empress soon approached.

As she was about to pass through the corridor between the guards, Shen Han couldn’t help but steal a glance at her.

This glance met directly with the Empress’s gaze.

Shen Han didn’t know if it was her imagination.

She felt that when Miss Gu looked at her, there seemed to be a smile in her eyes.

But before she could ponder it further, they had already passed each other.

The faint scent of cold plum wafted past her nose, bringing a wave of rich fragrance.

Shen Han even felt that a few strands of the other’s hair had brushed against her face.

Stirring up a string of subtle electric currents, flowing from her neck straight to her heart.

A feeling of a hundred claws scratching at her heart.

After the Empress left with her entourage, the Jiying Empire delegation also departed the room.

Shen Han and her partner had to continue their patrol.

After the distinguished guests had all left, the two returned to their posts.

They began patrolling side by side along the road of the foreign guest reception area.

Just as Ning Xi was about to speak in a low voice, a female voice from behind interrupted her thoughts.

“Shen Han.”

The speaker was Xu Zhao.

After stopping the two Alphas, she continued in an official manner: “Please come over here, I have a few questions for you.”

Hearing this, Ning Xi immediately became nervous.

Special Assistant Xu was a close confidant of the Empress. Her boss being suddenly called over for questioning, could there be some problem?

Shen Han quickly walked up to Xu Zhao.

Her facial expression was perfectly calm, but her tone carried a slight excitement: “What is it?”

Xu Zhao used a file folder to shield her hand, passing her a small white silk handkerchief.

She said in a low voice: “The Empress wants you to wipe the sweat off your forehead.”

With that, Special Assistant Xu turned and left efficiently.

Shen Han blinked her eyes, secretly tucking the handkerchief into her pocket before walking back to her teammate.

Halfway there, she casually raised her hand to scratch her face.

Smelling the lingering trace of plum fragrance on her fingertips, the little cat claws in her heart scratched even more fiercely.

“What did Special Assistant Xu ask you about?” Ning Xi inquired cautiously.

Shen Han casually made up two questions, earnestly fooling her teammate.

As she spoke, she put her hand back into her pocket, gently gripping the soft handkerchief.

……

Gu Junwan returned to her office with her assistant.

She first absentmindedly flipped through a few documents.

Then she lightly coughed and said to Xu Zhao: “Help me check the surveillance. Where was Shen Han patrolling when Prince Walker was playing the piano?”

As the Empress’s close confidant.

Xu Zhao immediately understood that she suspected Shen Han had produced that strange sound.

She felt in her heart that this matter surely wasn’t as the Empress imagined.

After all, that Alpha might be excellent, but she couldn’t possibly be proficient in everything, right?

The unfamiliar tone that had overwhelmed Prince Walker’s piano was extremely strange.

Xu Zhao mentally reviewed all the musical instruments she knew, but none of them matched.

Of course, thoughts aside, her work speed showed no delay.

Shortly after, several video clips were presented on the Empress’s desk.

Strangely, the footage of Shen Han and her partner appeared in the surveillance before Prince Walker played the piano and later when they caught the person, but the middle segment was missing.

Seeing this, even Xu Zhao couldn’t help but wonder inwardly.

“Could it really have been Shen Han and her group?”

“But now there’s no record on the surveillance. Will Her Majesty question her about this?”

As she was thinking.

Gu Junwan suddenly asked: “I remember the museum on the base houses many ancient national instruments, doesn’t it?”

This line of thought piqued Xu Zhao’s interest as well.

Without waiting for the Empress’s order.

She immediately began retrieving the museum’s surveillance footage from the past few days.

Then they discovered that just last night, the museum’s signal had suddenly been interfered with.

There was a period where the recorded video was all static.

How could there be such a coincidence in this world?

All the clues they wanted to investigate were cut off midway, which itself was an important clue!

Gu Junwan pondered briefly, then spoke: “Have the museum management staff do an inventory, focusing on checking the display cases of wind and string ancient instruments. Remember to keep this secret, and have the results delivered directly to you, don’t spread it around.”

The museum curator at the base was an elderly scholar.

He had already retired, but due to previous personnel changes causing a shortage at the museum, he had been rehired.

The old scholar diligently guarded those exhibits every month.

Now, hearing that Special Assistant Xu wanted him to conduct an inventory, he immediately became extremely alert.

Today was supposed to be his day off, but after receiving the call, he rushed back to his post in a flurry.

After checking the cabinets for over an hour.

He discovered that one of the display cases was indeed missing an item.

The old scholar was immediately furious, voluntarily offering to explain to the Empress in person.

Xu Zhao considered that the Empress might also have questions for him, so she nodded in agreement.

In the Empress’s office.

The old scholar rambled on about the importance of many ancient national instruments.

And begged the Empress to definitely find and return the missing suona.

After seeing off the old scholar, Gu Junwan turned slightly to look at her assistant.

Xu Zhao seemed to have not yet recovered from the old scholar’s words.

Although the facts were before her eyes, she still found it too incredible.

Ancient national instruments might still be passed down in some undeveloped remote areas.

But in the city, you probably couldn’t find anyone who knew how to play them even if you searched every nook and cranny.

In this age of information technology, when even dopamine could be obtained through neural connections, who would still fiddle with such ancient things?

“Let’s go.”

Hearing the Empress’s voice, Xu Zhao quickly pulled back her thoughts: “Your Majesty, where do you want to go?”

Gu Junwan smiled: “To find that missing ancient instrument, of course.”

At this moment, the turmoil in her heart was no less than Xu Zhao’s.

A thousand-year pipa, a ten-thousand-year zither, one tune of the suona determines a lifetime!

The Empress Omega was extremely curious in her heart.

How did that Alpha know how to play such an ancient instrument?