215: Startled Birds

After Tu Nan readjusted her mindset, everything proceeded even more smoothly than expected.

The Emperor single-handedly disrupted the arrangements he had made regarding the Empress Dowager.

Then, with swift and decisive actions, he threw several powerful officials from the Empress Dowager's faction into the Inspectorate, the reasons for which could hardly be considered sufficient.

Of course, those taken away were far more than just those few; in fact, The Emperor's actions were quite extensive.

In one fell swoop, many people were invited in.

However, some were released after a few days, while others remained silent and unseen.

"With such a big scene, aren't you afraid of making her vigilant?"

Tu Nan asked The Emperor during dinner.

"With such a big scene, who would know who I am targeting?"

The Emperor always seemed to have no appetite when eating; compared to eating himself, he seemed more willing to watch Tu Nan eat.

"Cut some of that for her; perhaps it will taste better with a different preparation."

He directed the attendant to add more food to Tu Nan's plate.

During dinner, the food on Tu Nan's plate seemed like it would never decrease.

"A little less, I'm almost full." Tu Nan felt like she was being force-fed.

"You ate more than this yesterday."

The Emperor signaled the attendant to hurry up.

Tu Nan was forced to eat until she was completely full before she could wait for The Emperor to put down his cutlery.

He was always able to accurately gauge Tu Nan's capacity to end the dinner.

"Rest assured, if some can come out, they will think they can come out too."

He had a deep understanding of those who were jumping around.

"As long as a way out is left for them, they won't be willing to perish together."

However, as time passed, many people began to lose their composure.

When the nobles entered the palace to inquire, The Emperor just expressionlessly had someone hand each of them a document to read for themselves.

That was a portion of the content uncovered by the Inspectorate, which was truly shocking.

Some embezzled military funds, others kept slaves privately. The types varied, but they were certainly serious crimes.

The Emperor asked them with a straight face if they were coming forward to plead for such colleagues because they were also involved in these messy affairs.

He asked if they also wanted to take a trip to the Inspectorate.

When everyone was silent as cicadas in winter, he then placated them.

"You are worried that I am acting arbitrarily; you can rest assured about this."

"After the Inspectorate finishes the investigation, all evidence will be made public."

The ministers looked at each other; since Your Majesty said so, they might as well wait until the investigation is over.

No one expected that this investigation would last for more than three months...

Tu Nan had already noticed that The Emperor's personality had shifted twice more.

But she had learned to be smart now; she had learned to play the fool.

No matter how The Emperor acted, she would be a loyal subject when discussing serious matters and a sycophant at other times.

Simply put, she switched between human and cat very skillfully.

The Emperor was finally satisfied with her, and the daily dinner sessions never stopped.

***

Tu Nan's position by The Emperor's side became increasingly stable.

In handling government affairs, intelligence analysis, and investigation events, Tu Nan gradually performed with ease.

She became increasingly seasoned in dealing with the power networks of various great Empire Families and the ways of the nobles.

Hain was even surprised that occasionally Tu Nan performed better than him in pinpointing the behavioral patterns of those people.

Her pregnancy was already eight months along, and Hain had already submitted a report to The Emperor, requesting to return to the Capital City recently.

He hoped to accompany Tu Nan when she gave birth.

He also hoped to see the Children for the first time.

"What do you say?"

The Emperor asked for Tu Nan's opinion.

"I plan to tell Hain."

Tu Nan did not intend to delay any longer; once the Children were born, even if, taking a step back, Hain did not acknowledge them.

She wasn't unable to support them, and neither was The Emperor.

She already had her own foundation for standing in this world, a cornerstone piled up from many, many complex things.

The Emperor shook his head, sighing for his subordinate.

"What about Kong Jiamu?" This calmer Emperor was more benevolent.

"Him..."

Tu Nan thought of the Video Call from half a month ago.

Because of the tense situation on the front line, that was a long-overdue Video Call between her and Kong Jiamu.

***

When Kong Jiamu's Video Call request appeared on Tu Nan's bracelet, even though she had already made up her mind, when this moment arrived, Tu Nan still felt unsure of what to think.

She knew that Li had already reached Kong Jiamu's side, but the short messages he took time to send to Tu Nan let her know that Kong Jiamu had not learned of her identity from Li.

What was the reason?

Could it be that Li hadn't spoken up? He didn't think he could ask directly? Then what was the reason he dragged himself to Kong Jiamu's side?

Or was this Video Call from Kong Jiamu for this matter?

Tu Nan pressed the connect button.

"Tu Nan, Nannan-nan~" Kong Jiamu was practically singing an aria.

"I miss you so much; these damn bugs are really annoying, I almost ruined my face!"

His bright voice instantly filled Tu Nan's room.

Tu Nan frowned immediately.

"What's wrong, are you hurt again?"

The frequency of him mentioning his injuries in his recent text messages had increased.

"Sigh, there's no help for it. Those blockheads risk their lives at the drop of a hat. I don't know how Ryan led the Sixth Legion; the soldiers brought out are all reckless and don't care about their lives."

The Ryan he mentioned was the Sixth Legion Commander.

"Now that they've been transferred to my hands, it's really hard to change them in a short time. To rescue them, it's truly annoying."

Tu Nan looked at this proud and responsible bird with a smile in her eyes.

He was complaining, but wasn't he still going back time and again to fish his subordinates out?

But...

"I don't know how to lead soldiers, but Jiamu, if you keep making them feel that you will cover for them, then you might turn into the ultimate weapon in the soldiers' hearts."

Tu Nan hoped he would consider this point carefully.

"You are a general. For the tasks you give them, don't they need to find their own ways to complete them?"

"Among their methods, you should not be included."

The Peacock can use himself as a strategic weapon, but he cannot let the lower levels use him as a conventional weapon.

It's not that the soldiers aren't worthy.

It's just that in the army, the battlefield situation seen from different positions is inherently different.

"Ah!" The Peacock laughed.

"Tu Nan, you're amazing. I even whipped a field officer for this yesterday."

He smiled arrogantly.

"He thought I couldn't see through his intentions, using his own subordinates' lives to gamble, and using me to trade for his military merit? After I whipped him, I threw him to the military law enforcement team."

As long as he knew, Tu Nan felt a bit more at ease.

The Peacock saw Tu Nan sitting on the sofa hugging a pillow and was displeased.

He acted spoiled.

"Good Tu Nan, stand up and turn around so I can take a good look~ Come, let me hug you."

He struck a dashing pose waiting for a hug.

Tu Nan remained calm, staring at Kong Jiamu until he was stunned, and only then did she ask him.

"How much time is left on the Video Call quota?"

Video Calls from the front line were so precious, with only a very limited amount of time.

"Hurry! Less than a minute, come, Tu Nan baby, give me a hug."

Oh... one minute.

Tu Nan slowly dragged it out for another ten seconds before slowly standing up and moving the pillow away.

Kong Jiamu was stunned instantly.

This silly bird was truly completely frozen in place, and it took a long while before he pointed at Tu Nan's belly with a trembling voice, asking with a stutter.

"What... is this..."

Tu Nan touched her round belly and said very mischievously.

"A belly."

"Tu Nan, Tu Nan." Kong Jiamu's eyes went blank, and he almost cut off the Video Call with his trembling hand.

"Are you, are you pregnant?"

"Yes, I am."

Tu Nan calculated that the time was about to be up and told him with a smile.

"You're going to be a father, are you happy?"

The Video Call time was up.

Kong Jiamu's shocked expression and his "Ah~~~" sound that pierced the sky dissipated into the air just like that.

Oh my.

Hopefully, this gift will make the Peacock cherish himself more.

Come back safely.

Tu Nan looked at the starry sky in the distance and thought so.