211: Fleeting Light

Could she really do it?

Tu Nan did not know why The Emperor could be so certain.

Was it because he was too familiar with that feeling?

He carried this Empire on his shoulders, constantly weighing options, constantly making decisions.

And he kept thinking like this, walking until now?

As she was analyzing, The Emperor started coughing in a low voice.

Tu Nan frowned. Beastmen rarely... get sick; injuries didn't count. Life and death seemed absolute for Beastmen; there wasn't much middle ground.

"Your Majesty, what exactly is wrong with you? What did Doctor James say?"

Why did he keep coughing?

The Emperor coughed a few more times before steadying himself.

He took the small smelling bottle handed to him by Yuan Zhe, took a couple of whiffs, and then looked at Tu Nan with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

Tu Nan was horrified; she was overstepping her bounds.

But His Majesty just twitched the corner of his mouth and asked her.

"Want to know?"

Since it had come to this, Tu Nan simply nodded.

"Heh," The Emperor leaned back against the chair.

"Not enough yet."

Tu Nan blinked.

His Majesty cast a sidelong glance at her with a smile.

"As you are now, you don't have the qualifications yet. Understand?"

Tu Nan felt defeated.

Fine, she had offered herself up for his entertainment. But what could she do? Who let him be His Majesty? No matter how angry she was, she could only shut up.

"Alright. I've thought about the matter from earlier."

The Emperor pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his hands.

"We can't make a move now because catching these few fish in this net is far from enough."

"Look at these people, hmm? Their Family spheres of influence cannot cover the locations of the Nursery you pointed out."

"If they want to take root in these places, it's either because someone is giving the green light, or someone else is interfering. No, it's not just the Empress Dowager."

"The military, someone in the military must be involved. Among your list, the level of the people from the military is too low; that's not right."

"Find this person."

Tu Nan stood frozen in place.

So that was why His Majesty wouldn't let her act now.

She felt ashamed, and The Emperor saw through her immediately.

"Don't overthink it. Your shortcomings are also very obvious; you lack sufficient understanding of the noble forces of the Empire. There are too many twists and turns in this."

"Let Hain fill you in on the noble spheres of influence."

He pondered for a moment, then vetoed himself.

"Forget it, it's not appropriate for Hain to have much contact with you lately. I'll do it."

He smiled.

"I still have to teach students." After thinking, he made arrangements for Tu Nan.

"Dinner time is fine."

"Add a portion for her at my place every day," he said to Yuan Zhe.

He looked at Tu Nan and specifically instructed, "See what is suitable for her to eat."

Yuan Zhe smiled.

There was no need for you to instruct this, Your Majesty...

"...Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty." Tu Nan accepted this huge pie in a daze.

This was truly a massive act of grace.

Every day, dinner, personal instruction from His Majesty.

Did Hain and Kong Jiamu have this kind of treatment back in the day? It seems His Majesty is truly very satisfied with her work.

Tu Nan was full of motivation.

The pinnacle of a powerful official was within reach!

"Also." The Emperor wasn't finished.

"If the Empress Dowager wants to hold a ball, then let her hold it."

He smiled meaningfully.

"If the net isn't shaken, how will the fish be startled..."

***

With an order from The Emperor, the ball was held half a month later.

As soon as Tu Nan stepped into the palace banquet hall, she was summoned by the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager looked her up and down, shook her head, and scolded her affectionately.

"Why are you dressed so plainly today!"

She pointed to a young Female Beast standing behind her and said to Tu Nan, "Look at how pretty Pamela is dressed."

It was that stunningly beautiful Female Beast.

The Young Miss of the Black Family, whose father and brother's information had been highlighted by Tu Nan for His Majesty.

Tu Nan bowed.

"How could I dare to compare myself to Young Miss Pamela?" She appeared to feel inferior.

"I am but a lowly Female Official, only able to attend a banquet of this level because of your invitation."

"Besides..." She lowered her voice and said embarrassedly to the Empress Dowager, "I have already had Children, my waist... really can't fit into such cinched dresses."

Pamela was wearing a cinched pink gown, which matched her light brown hair exceptionally well.

The Empress Dowager saw her fidgeting with her one-shoulder, strapless but high-waisted ivory dress.

Now she understood.

Oh, some Female Beasts really can't recover their waistline after giving birth.

She was in a good mood today, so she felt some pity for Tu Nan.

"Sigh, don't think about it, this dress suits you well too."

Tu Nan's beauty foundation was there; even though she was dressed relatively conservatively today, and her hair was simply coiled up, it instead brought out a certain Aura.

The Empress Dowager was stunned. She was so composed, as if... the beautiful young ladies in the venue were like glittering goods in a shop window.

And she... was the customer browsing in the store.

"Thank you for the compliment, Empress Dowager. Shall I go and ask if the Young Misses you've been longing for have all arrived?"

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly.

Not bad, knows when to advance or retreat, can get things done. Very useful.

It's a pity she is a researcher and is watched strictly.

She had already seen Peng Tianyu's covetous gaze in the corner, never leaving Tu Nan's side.

Forget it, she wouldn't cause trouble for The Emperor next time.

If some research secret leaked, and she had to deal with this Female Beast, that would be pitiful.

The Empress Dowager considered herself very considerate.

In reality, she was very cold.

"His Majesty the Emperor~ has arrived~"

Everyone present stopped chatting and bowed in the direction of His Majesty's arrival.

The music at the scene also shifted from a soft prelude to a grand movement.

His Majesty was wearing a deep blue evening suit and was rarely seen wearing a gold hair accessory.

The style was a variation of a crown, pressing down his long hair behind his ears like small ear fins or wings.

He walked up to the Empress Dowager with a smile, reached out to support her, and with his mother, walked to the front of the hall amidst everyone's bows.

Turning around, he announced with a smile.

"Everyone, it has been many years since there has been such a magnificent scene in the palace. It was the Empress Dowager who reminded me to let this night be filled with music and laughter. So... today, we shouldn't be too restrained."

The Emperor took a wine glass from a servant, his fingertips touching the glass wall; it was cold.

He still had a smile on his lips as he raised his glass high.

"To everyone."

"To Your Majesty!"

The amber liquid slid into his mouth, and he drank it in one gulp, but at that moment, his breathing was slightly chaotic for an instant.

It was so short that it seemed like a mere illusion.

The music began, and the ball officially started.

Everyone seemed to have no other purpose, joining this large-scale performance show as happily as if they had only come to the palace to dance.

Tu Nan retreated to the side of a pillar.

Peng Tianyu automatically leaned over.

"Are you tired? Do you want to sit for a while?"

He was extremely worried, but couldn't say it directly, his expression becoming increasingly fierce with anxiety.

This made the Empress Dowager, who happened to look over, chuckle.

"What makes you in such a good mood?" The Emperor sat with the Empress Dowager to chat.

"Seeing these young people puts me in a good mood." The Empress Dowager smiled and called Pamela forward, introducing her to His Majesty.

"Look, this is Pamela of the Black Family."

"Who could have expected the Black Family to have such an outstanding daughter?" The Empress Dowager smiled.

The Emperor looked at Pamela intently for a good while before turning to the Empress Dowager.

"Not bad."

A simple evaluation of only two words made the smile lines at the corners of the Empress Dowager's eyes deepen.

She pulled Pamela along and asked many more questions, seeing that The Emperor seemed indifferent, yet he didn't interrupt her and listened carefully the whole time.

Sure enough, Kong Jiamu's grasp of His Majesty's preferences was more accurate than anyone else's.

The Empress Dowager was very proud of herself for coming up with this method.

Kong Jiamu really couldn't bear to refuse his lover.

He picked Pamela out from a pile of information, saying that His Majesty liked looking at those who were both beautiful and smart.

There was a chance; the Empress Dowager was very satisfied.

Seeing that the timing was about right, she intended to let His Majesty invite Pamela to dance.

But His Majesty suddenly stood up.

"Excuse me for a moment."

He quickly exited the banquet hall.

The Emperor's left hand pressed against his right waist, shielding it with his right arm.

Yuan Zhe followed closely behind His Majesty, blocking all lines of sight from the right.

His Majesty the Emperor's hand was out of control, trembling slightly.