To the side, Wen Lian let out a gasp. “What…?” she whispered, forgetting herself for a moment as she lifted her head to look at the Emperor.
Then her head whipped to her son again when he said calmly, “Please don’t lie, Your Majesty. He would never.”
Without taking his attention from the Emperor, Bai Ruyi stepped towards his mother and gently guided her into straightening from her bow. The man before them had no interest in formalities right now, but he would have no problem letting Wen Lian continue to bow without ever acknowledging her.
Seeing that, and failing to provoke any of the emotions he was hoping to see from Bai Ruyi, the Emperor scoffed again and began to look bored.
He said in a drawling tone, “At sixteen, that boy went behind my back and volunteered to join the next comp
