187: Please don't let the umbrella break!

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty!"

James practically wailed as he returned to the Empress Dowager's palace. Yuan Zhe tried to pull him back twice, but couldn't hold him.

"James, you're a veteran of the Imperial Court. Shouting like this in my presence—where are your manners?"

The Empress Dowager's face darkened as she scolded him.

This is bad! James stopped in his tracks!

He was in the presence of the Empress Dowager, who valued rules above all else, not the seemingly stern but actually lenient Emperor... He hurriedly apologized.

The Emperor sighed inwardly and came to his subordinate's rescue.

"I told him to come report immediately once he had results." The Emperor stood up. "That will be all; I'll take him with me."

He didn't give the Empress Dowager a chance to lose her temper, turning to leave with long strides.

"Your Majesty, you..." The Empress Dowager wanted to ask him privately if his health had encountered issues again these past few days, but The Emperor was already gone.

Tu Nan hurriedly took the Children to bid the Empress Dowager farewell, chasing after The Emperor's footsteps to leave.

The Empress Dowager nodded politely, but as soon as they left, her expression immediately sank.

"The Emperor's temper is far too good, indulging them until they have no sense of rules in their eyes." The maids and guards surrounding her all tensed their nerves more carefully.

They were terrified of becoming the targets of her displaced anger.

***

"Neither matched, both of them."

James couldn't wait at all; as soon as they left the Empress Dowager's palace, he immediately reported while walking beside The Emperor.

"Talk back at the palace."

They hadn't walked very far from the palace behind them. Out of consideration for the Empress Dowager, he hadn't performed a lethal purge there. Thus, it was the place in the entire Imperial Palace where his control was weakest.

He stood in place, waiting for Tu Nan and the Two Children to catch up, and the group returned to his territory.

"Take the Children down to freshen up, change their clothes, and then come over." Little Tiger Miao Miao couldn't exactly go around naked.

Tu Nan knew this was to send the Children away. Coaxing them to go get familiar with the place first, she consciously stood beside James.

The Emperor acted as if he didn't see it.

Tu Nan thus naturally participated in this small pre-palace meeting that was closely related to her.

"There are no matching types in the general Gene Bank at all, nor in the Royal Gene Bank. Your Majesty! This is truly important. That child also has a Talent, right? An S-Rank new beast species—perhaps the ability won't be just simple Fire Control?" He swallowed hard and looked up at The Emperor.

The Emperor agreed with his view.

"There are two..." Tu Nan calmly corrected James. "Both Children have Talents."

James was even more pleasantly surprised.

"This is truly a joy for the Empire, congratulations Your Majesty." When it was time to be pleasing, this old doctor's tongue was far from clumsy. "Miss Tu Nan, you are truly... amazing. Ah, no wonder His Majesty had you do research with me. You surely have some insights?"

"A few."

Tu Nan's eyes flickered, thinking this old doctor was quite pure-hearted.

"Their father is..." James asked cautiously.

Seeing that Tu Nan didn't answer immediately, he thoughtfully added, "No, no, no, I'm not asking for his name. I mean, what are his Beast Form and Rank?"

Tu Nan's gaze met The Emperor's, and she said calmly, "He should have just broken through to A-Rank... He is a Tiger-Wolf Chaotic Beast."

This was simply...

"A miracle..." James's expression was full of awe.

He swallowed and stated his position. "Then how do you want to conduct the research? Just say the word! I will definitely cooperate to the best of my ability on my end."

"Your Majesty." Tu Nan, however, directly faced The Emperor with a request.

"Speaking of insights in research, I have a friend who has helped me a lot." She didn't doubt that The Emperor could find out Lance was by her side, but he might not know Lance's identity as a Foster Mother.

Tu Nan didn't plan on letting Lance take risks with her, so she simply said,

"I hope to let her continue collecting information outside, but I might need her to send me data. What do you think...?"

Ever since she entered the Imperial Palace, her bracelet had stopped working.

The Imperial Palace came with its own signal jammers.

"Your partner." He nodded; as expected, he knew. "Perfume? Have two bottles sent in."

This was his way of showing Tu Nan favor, a form of affirmation for her.

Tu Nan smiled and accepted, but immediately felt worried... She hadn't yet figured out the depth of the scent of his medicine. Her perfumes didn't seem suitable to appear before him.

But fortunately, he didn't focus on investigating Lance. Even so... it was best if Lance never appeared in the Imperial Palace for the rest of his life.

"Give her a bracelet."

The Emperor gave the order; naturally, someone would arrange it for Tu Nan.

"I need to remind you of one thing: all communications here will be filtered." The Emperor's finger tapped lightly on the armrest, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

"Do not say things that shouldn't be said."

Tu Nan lowered her eyes.

There was no need to doubt; The Emperor wasn't just talking about the communication between her and Lance. He likely meant for her not to be so "lovey-dovey" with the other two Male Beasts.

He wanted to use her, yet he also felt heartache for his subordinates.

How can there be such a good deal? My Emperor.

Tu Nan carefully cast her gaze toward the top of The Emperor's head... As she focused on his data, that scroll unfurled once again.

A bright 15% tempted her.

It was like it was mocking this all-powerful Lord of the Empire... Fortunately, besides providing a data scroll when each character first appeared, the System would only unfurl them daily if Tu Nan's attention was focused on them.

Otherwise... it might have been even harder for Tu Nan to integrate into this world.

"Your Majesty, I can guarantee not to reveal any research progress." Tu Nan agreed lukewarmly, but after a thought, she eventually threw in a sarcastic Yin and Yang remark.

"But I think there might be some words in the communications that aren't quite proper... I'm truly afraid of polluting your eyes."

What a warrior!

At this moment, the thoughts of James and his friend were synchronized.

How many years had it been since anyone dared to speak to The Emperor like this? Those old ministers who used to be so pretentious had also become as obedient as quails over the years.

The sound of The Emperor tapping the armrest grew heavier with each beat.

Each tap pulled everyone's hearts into their throats.

He suddenly stood up, the hem of his long robe swishing as he prepared to leave the study. He actually... avoided Tu Nan's remark?

This was even more unusual.

Four S-Ranks... it really is too heavy a burden.

James sighed with emotion.

But The Emperor suddenly stopped at the study door.

He held onto the doorframe and coughed quietly twice.

Yuan Zhe, who was following behind him, hurriedly reached out to another follower for a potion, but just as he took a small step back—

The Emperor swayed and crashed forward!

"Your Majesty!"

Everyone was shocked.

The Emperor was caught by the guards at the door, but everyone swarmed around him in a panic.

"Move aside!"

James pushed aside the useless obstacles in front of him and rushed to The Emperor's side. At this moment, the playful look on his face vanished, replaced by a professional and reassuring aura of a doctor.

He peeled back The Emperor's eyelids, tore open the clothes on his chest to listen for a moment, and then took command with a darkened face, directly ordering,

"The Treatment Pod, he must go into the Treatment Pod."

Looking around at the guards and maids, he asked Yuan Zhe, "What's the word?"

Yuan Zhe had already had a low couch brought over to gently lift The Emperor onto it. Without even looking up, he replied,

"Rest assured, they are all trustworthy; no news will leak out."

Both were guarding The Emperor's side to head deeper into the palace, but Yuan Zhe suddenly froze.

He turned back and saw Tu Nan standing silently by a pillar, looking as if she wanted nothing more than to merge into the pillar's shadow.

Tu Nan was currently cursing herself.

Why did you have to meddle here!

Why did you have to talk so much!

Why did you have to be so sarcastic!

If something happened to The Emperor like this, no one would forgive her. She would be doomed for sure.

Who could have predicted this?

"Miss Tu Nan." Yuan Zhe's tone was sinister.

Indeed... if anyone here was untrustworthy, she would be the first.

"Until His Majesty wakes up, please do not take a single step out of this place."

"Otherwise..."

Tu Nan nodded like a woodpecker.

She wouldn't dare, believe her!