Actually, the Empress Dowager hadn't summoned Zhao Junyao for anything particularly important. It was merely that the Fan Family issue had recently concluded.
Even though the Fan Family had taken the blame for the assassin incident, the Empress Dowager still felt uneasy. After all, she had a hand in the matter. The Emperor was always savvy and astute, so he might well have noticed something amiss, especially since he hadn't visited her for so long. Her heart grew increasingly suspicious and anxious.
So, the Empress Dowager summoned the Emperor to probe him and, incidentally, play the emotional card, hoping to properly maintain the bond between mother and son.
Looking at the Empress Dowager's kindly and amiable smile, Zhao Junyao could only muster a smile in return, though his carried a faint trace of mockery.
