272: Who gave you permission to bully her?

Peng Tianyu felt a complete threat; otherwise, this captain, who valued the etiquette of the Imperial Guard as much as his own life, would not have lost his composure before the throne like this.

The red Imperial Guard uniform and the ceremonial sword he cherished had fallen to the ground.

The black panther suddenly lunged forward, becoming entangled in a fierce struggle with that man.

He held no advantage whatsoever; even Tu Nan could see that.

“Empress,” a squad member said in an anxious tone, suggesting softly, “The captain might not hold out for long. Let us escort you to the back to hide.”

“I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here.”

Where could she hide? Today, this place was her battlefield.

Looking at The Emperor floating in the treatment fluid, and then at that foolish brother who had been restrained, Tu Nan tightly gripped the power ring.

She felt as if she could hear the blood roaring in her chest... She still had a chance to persuade the ministers present to stand by her side. The power ring was The Emperor's authority; she remembered those words firmly.

“Everyone, look at this ring on my hand!”

“The Emperor personally handed this to me before going to the battlefield. Everyone on his flagship can testify to this, and Legion Commander Ryan knows it too!”

She laid this matter out first once again.

The wedding The Emperor personally arranged before going to the battlefield, the power ring he gave her, and his arrangements for her on the flagship—each and every one of them was a testament to his feelings.

Quite a few ministers straightened their expressions and looked toward her.

“Look over there!” Tu Nan pointed to where The Emperor and Long Jingyuan were. “His Majesty is still here; are you all going to disobey his orders?”

The Empress Dowager was extremely annoyed. “In consideration of the fact that you are carrying Children, I will not hold your loss of chastity against you, yet you are still here making a scene!”

Tu Nan looked at the Empress Dowager.

So she really thought Tu Nan knew nothing about this?

Then it seemed that what she said earlier about finding His Majesty in the basement was true?

That would mean... Tu Nan glanced at James, and then at Long Jingyuan, whose gaze seemed to be watching a play.

What, was she being left out again?

This feeling was truly unpleasant.

“His Majesty entrusted his Children, the Empire, and... his brother, all to me through the power ring!”

Tu Nan directly flipped the table.

“He is not His Majesty's clone at all! He is His Majesty's biological brother!” Tu Nan's clear voice echoed throughout the hall.

“Because His Majesty did not trust his mother,” Tu Nan looked at the Empress Dowager, “you are the fake one!”

“You are not His Majesty's mother at all!”

The Empress Dowager's mask of arrogance shattered into pieces, and the venom in her eyes almost overflowed.

“You!” She thought Tu Nan knew nothing, but as it turned out...?

The surrounding ministers were about to be driven into a state of confusion.

“These two Majesties are twins! Regardless of which one it is, they both possess the pure Dragon Bloodline. Letting His Majesty reveal his beast form will prove everything! I have never heard of any clone being able to replicate a Talent!”

“Insolence!”

The Empress Dowager's cheeks trembled, her rage uncontrollable.

“Seize her! What are you still dawdling for over there!”

She ordered the person fighting with Peng Tianyu.

Hearing this, the man kicked Peng Tianyu out of the palace gates and charged straight for Tu Nan.

The Imperial Guards gritted their teeth and blocked the way in front of Tu Nan, but they were kicked aside like falling dumplings, scattered all over the floor.

“Tsk.”

Long Jingyuan rolled his eyes at the ceiling, kicked away the person beside him, and leaped into the fray. With a reach of his hand, he snatched the black panther—whose head was nearly crushed—into his own grasp.

As his boots struck the ground, the golden pupils in his eyes dilated, and his Domain blossomed in an instant.

The kick the man threw seemed to hit some kind of spatial wall mid-way, and he fell straight to the ground from mid-air.

“Domain! It's a Domain, His Majesty's S-rank Talent.”

The ministers were incredibly excited; indeed, as the Empress said, a Talent was not something that could be easily replicated.

“Stop it, you idiot,” Long Jingyuan said impatiently. “Only an S-rank, yet you dare to act up in front of me? I even played along and let you drug me, only for you to put on such a pathetic show for me?”

The Empress Dowager was so angry her teeth were chattering.

“Look at this! Does this attitude resemble His Majesty in any way? He's a fake, he's a fake!” She still wouldn't give up, trying to point him out as a fraud.

But a pair of hands pressed down on her shoulders; it was Legion Commander Gu Bohan.

“Empress Dowager, there is no need to say more. I've said before that if someone is found impersonating His Majesty, there's no need for talk; they should be executed on the spot. You insisted on coming before everyone to clarify things.”

The old man shook his head and looked at Tu Nan kindly, asking her, “Empress, which one did you marry? Was it our poor Majesty who sacrificed himself, or this unruly fellow?”

His attitude was like that of an elder facing a disappointing junior, gentle and earnestly persuasive.

But Tu Nan did not miss the trap in his words.

“I became the Empress of the Empire according to His Majesty's decree, carrying his power ring and his Children. What exactly are you trying to question?”

The other party smiled slightly; seeing that she wasn't misled by his words, he wasn't disappointed.

He looked at the silent Majesty in the water and sighed deeply.

“His Majesty... truly loved his people like his own Children. What a pity.”

His Aura rose steadily, his white hair moving without wind. He visibly seemed to grow younger, transforming from an old man in decline into a man in his prime.

“S... The Legion Commander has achieved a Breakthrough?” someone exclaimed.

Gu Bohan nodded to that person and explained politely, “I broke through quite a while ago. I just didn't want to be so flashy.”

Not good. Tu Nan looked at Long Jingyuan, then looked back over there.

Now it had become two against one.

Gu Bohan's hand stroked the Treatment Pod back and forth, his expression full of regret. “I haven't wanted these empty titles for a long time. I wanted to step down and give the opportunities to the young people. His Majesty also used to urge me to rest early, but with the Empire facing such a crisis, I have no choice but to step forward.”

He looked at Tu Nan again. “The Empress Dowager has always been magnanimous. If the Empress is willing to be sensible, it wouldn't be impossible for you to see the Children occasionally in the future. What do you say?”

His words were beautifully phrased.

But Tu Nan didn't buy it at all.

“Empire crisis? What, the Star Worms at the border don't count? Even His Majesty had to lead the campaign personally, but what about you? As the Legion Commander, you can actually plot these underhanded schemes from the rear with a clear conscience.”

Long Jingyuan still had the strength to pull James over and retreat to Tu Nan's side together.

Even though the situation looked unfavorable for him, this man didn't seem to care at all, only watching Tu Nan scold them with a smile.

“Giving opportunities to young people? The Kong Jiamu you favored barely escaped with his life, and His Majesty is lying right here. And you? You're using the army to stage a coup?”

“Let me correct you once more: His Majesty is not dead. He is merely tired and resting for a moment. The Empire belongs to His Majesty, and so does the heir. It's not something any of you can just snatch away.”

“And as for me, don't you worry. The Empire His Majesty entrusted to me is enough to keep me busy. Soon, I will personally raise the heir of the Empire.”

The ministers nodded one after another.

Several younger ones supported Tu Nan with righteous indignation. “The Empress is right. His Majesty isn't dead yet; don't curse him.”

Gu Bohan's face stiffened, but he immediately relaxed again, looking at the person who had just spoken with a gentle gaze.

He said politely, “Lin Chenpei, young people who talk too much tend to die young.”

This was a blatant threat. Relying on his martial power, he no longer had any scruples.

“Empress Dowager, give the order.”

He said to the old woman beside him, “Set things right. Let this person impersonating His Majesty atone with his blood. Once His Majesty's child is born, it will be perfectly reasonable for you to act as regent.”

“The First Legion and I will support you with all our strength. Please rest assured.”

“Who said that? I count as half a member of the First Legion, and I don't support it!”

Someone refuted him without the slightest bit of politeness.

“What a mess. No wonder His Majesty told me to take over the First Legion.”

He walked to the center of the hall before reluctantly giving Tu Nan a sloppy salute.

“Long time no see, Empress.”

This person was unwilling to look at Tu Nan, so he had no choice but to stare intently at the Legion Commander.