189: Mutual coercion

"System..."

Are you broken? Tu Nan wanted to ask.

But she rubbed her eyes and found that the number was still [15%].

The Emperor, however, was already standing in front of her.

He lowered his head, meeting her gaze, his thin lips curling slightly. "What are you looking at?"

Very keen.

Tu Nan observed him openly, using a ready-made excuse.

"Your Majesty, you look much better. Congratulations on your recovery."

Indeed, this Emperor had always had a powerful Aura, but if she thought back carefully, every time she saw him, his face lacked color. Combined with his silver hair, he had a coldness that made people afraid to look directly at him.

Coming out of this treatment, he finally looked healthier, and even the gold in his eyes seemed more vivid.

The Emperor set the Empress Dowager aside, appearing greatly interested in Tu Nan's ordinary compliment, staring as he asked, "Oh? What is there to congratulate?"

The Two Children were now pressed against their mother's legs. They could sense the wrong atmosphere outside and were somewhat nervous.

[What a smelly scent...]

Ao Ao must have smelled the scent of blood. He had always been a sensitive and meticulous child.

[Mommy, it's The Emperor Uncle. Is his throat better?] Miao Miao liked The Emperor very much and truly observed him minutely.

[Yes, he was sick and coughing before. Be good... don't come out.] Tu Nan instructed them.

She felt troubled by The Emperor's tricky question, especially in this situation where the Empress Dowager already had opinions about her.

Whether she answered flatteringly or officially, someone was bound to be dissatisfied.

"Your Majesty's recovery is naturally worth a national celebration. As an innocent person, I can also be released from house arrest, which is also worth being happy about."

The Emperor gave a soft hum, his satisfaction or lack thereof unreadable.

The Empress Dowager stood to the side without a word.

Tu Nan's explanation sank like a stone into the ocean, as if it were a useless effort.

The Emperor turned toward the Empress Dowager, a cold smile appearing at the corners of his mouth as he pressed her, "Is the Empress Dowager here to force a coup? Using force in my presence, hmm?"

The Empress Dowager's lips trembled. After a long while, she asked The Emperor stiffly, "You... how is your body?"

"Can't you see? It's perfectly fine." The Emperor was very impatient, looking coldly at the chaotic scene and giving an order with a hint of malice.

"Drag them all down."

The Empress Dowager did not plead for the people she brought at all, letting them lie on the ground bleeding, her gaze dull and disappointed until it became full of Death Qi.

"Your Majesty." Instead, it was Yuan Zhe who stepped forward with his head lowered, softly advising, "They were also just following orders. Could you grant them a little leniency?"

"Then how about this." Your Majesty was easy to persuade. He looked at the Empress Dowager standing alone and said considerately, "Your subordinates are incompetent. I will replace the entire lot for you."

He gave the order directly to Yuan Zhe. "The people in the Empress Dowager's palace are truly lacking in discernment. Handle it as you see fit."

"Yes." Yuan Zhe accepted the order.

Although she had felt their mother-son relationship was cold before, seeing it now, it was practically superficial.

Tu Nan gained a new understanding of the relationship between the Empire's most noble mother and son.

For her, there was no downside.

This way, she only had to focus on dealing with The Emperor. Otherwise, an Empress Dowager with strong opinions, high power, and seemingly no goodwill toward her would be much harder to deal with... especially since she had nothing to offer that could move the other party.

After the Empress Dowager was sent away, Tu Nan was once again in the study, standing before The Emperor.

"Your Majesty... where is Doctor James?"

Tu Nan asked him to remind this Majesty that the child in her womb really couldn't wait any longer.

"He's busy. Anxious to research?"

He sat lazily in his chair. Having just recovered from a serious illness, it was rare for him to lean his whole body against the back of the chair.

These words clearly showed he understood what Tu Nan was asking, yet he insisted on forcing her to say it herself.

Tu Nan swallowed her anger.

"I am quite anxious, Your Majesty." She satisfied his subtle, wicked sense of humor.

Sure enough, The Emperor was satisfied.

He nodded and beckoned Yuan Zhe to approach.

"Go, have Hain come over." Instead, he summoned someone else first.

"I'll take my leave..." Tu Nan wanted to hide in the inner chamber.

"Stay." The Emperor's face stiffened, and he asked Tu Nan seriously, "Didn't you say you had a way? Hmm, let me see what that way is."

Tu Nan slowly raised her head, thinking she had misheard, but he remained unmoving.

He really planned to watch her coax Hain?

Now he wasn't afraid of being discovered by his ministers later that he knew everything and was conspiring with Tu Nan to deceive them?

Adding this level of difficulty on the fly, what exactly was this man trying to do?

Tu Nan was puzzled.

Hain arrived quickly.

"Your Majesty."

Seeing Tu Nan and the Children in the room, his eyes curved into a smile, then he straightened his expression to salute His Majesty.

"Hmm. How is it, is the work done?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have been overseeing the cross-checking of those private accounts and have finished most of them. They will be completely done in another two days."

"Hmm, not bad." The Emperor was lukewarm. It was as if the matter of throwing all the account books of those restless people he'd dug up this year to Hain in one go wasn't urgent at all.

Hain was not swayed by The Emperor's attitude.

He knew in his heart how important his work was. The organization of those account books would be enough to make many people lose sleep.

But at this moment, it was not appropriate to delve too deeply into the matter.

He asked respectfully, "Your Majesty, for what reason have you summoned Tu Nan here? Do you need me to..."

If His Majesty had any dissatisfaction with Tu Nan, he could help smooth things over.

His Majesty didn't say a word, simply looking at Tu Nan with a smile.

He was clearly starting to watch the show.

Tu Nan secretly hated him but could only accept this little test before the throne.

"His Majesty has taken the Two Children as students and summoned me to talk about their situation." Tu Nan patted the Two Children beside her.

Hain was very excited. Although he had long expected The Emperor to be interested, he didn't expect the progress to be so fast.

"Congratulations!" He said to The Emperor with a smile, "I knew you would like them."

He relaxed slightly.

Tu Nan looked at Hain, a smile unconsciously rising to her lips, but she immediately suppressed the curve.

"His Majesty likes them very much and talked with me quite a bit," Tu Nan told Hain. "His Majesty said the Children are still young and wants me to stay in the palace to accompany them for a while."

Tu Nan paused, as if pondering the words she was about to say next.

Hain didn't know what she wanted to say, but Tu Nan's silence made him feel uneasy.

"Hain, I have already decided to pledge my loyalty to His Majesty."

Hain breathed a sigh of relief and smiled slightly.

This was quite normal. His Majesty had that kind of charismatic personality, and he was sincerely happy that Tu Nan could earn His Majesty's appreciation.

"A few days ago, His Majesty appointed me as a Third-Class Female Official," Tu Nan said seriously.

Hain was stunned. This was truly... a rare good thing.

A Third-Class Female Official was already not low. As a first-class noble, his current actual position was only a Second-Class Minister.

It was just... in the palace... she was still pregnant with a child, and his marriage... Tu Nan motioned for Hain to look at the two oblivious Children and said, "There are some things I have already reported to His Majesty, but I want to wait a bit before telling the Children."

Hain guessed this was about her pregnancy. In fact, he had also reported it to His Majesty. As for the Children, waiting a bit was fine.

Tu Nan, however, spoke to Hain with a solemn expression, "But if I am to act within the imperial court, it is not suitable for me to carry your surname anymore. Hain... I think many people would be unwilling to see another Montoya here."

She looked at Hain apologetically.

"You know... I have always wanted to make a career for myself. And His Majesty... he allows me to realize my ambitions."

Tu Nan suddenly bowed to The Emperor, performing a formal salute.

"I wish to be a Pure Minister, without changing my surname, just being myself and acting only according to His Majesty's decrees."

"I ask for Your Majesty's permission."

She bowed her body deeply.