Forty-First Chapter

"Does Your Majesty want to hear the truth or a lie?"

Raising an eyebrow, he gripped her chin and brought her face before his eyes. Staring into her unyielding gaze, he parted his lips. "A lie."

"Your Majesty sees through everything. You care for the welfare of the people, list the charges, confiscate estates, exile people, and pass flawless judgments. I admire you so much I could prostrate myself five times."

"What a hypocritical prostration. Look at you. And you still claim you aren't advancing step by step? You're dissatisfied with my judgment, so you used Xiaojing to draw my attention to you. Then what? You want to overturn your father's case?" He turned his eyes aside and curled his lips, seemingly accustomed to such tricks. "Someone already tried this ploy long ago. I'm afraid you used it too late. And what a pity—you aren't a woman. If, at a time like this, you were willing to throw yourself into my arms like Rongrong, perhaps, for the sake of how comfortable you made me feel, I might recall your father from his place of exile."

"..." Those words pierced Zhu Bafu's ears painfully. She had no idea where the courage came from, but a malicious fire surged through her. She reached out and brushed away His Majesty's hand as it teased the tip of her chin, retorting sharply, "Your Majesty is overthinking things. I never intended to clear my father's name, nor do I intend to make a career in government. I only want to earn some money so my father can live more comfortably in exile. But this lowly scholar is weak and powerless. Aside from earning more as the Son of Heaven's Disciple, I couldn't think of any other way to make money. That's all. As for Young