Chapter 186: Would I Make a Scene Before His Majesty and the Empress if This Weren’t Serious?
Shu Yao crossed her arms, leaned back, and leisurely raised an eyebrow at him.
“You bastard… Mr. Antoine, do you think I’m sitting here just to watch you run your mouth and listen to an empty promise?”
“Heh heh…”
Antoine, who had been on the verge of exploding, couldn’t hold it in any longer and let out a suppressed chuckle. He crossed his legs high, folded his arms, and leaned back, his posture even more brazen and arrogant than Shu Yao’s opposite him, as if he were looking down on her, having seen through everything.
“So that’s what this is about.” A mocking smile touched Antoine’s eyes. “Just tell us what kind of compensation you want.”
He made a gesture of invitation, indicating that the woman opposite him could begin her performance.
‘Now I’ll just watch quietly and see what kind of outrageous demand this woman makes, right in front of the Empress.’
Shu Yao put on an innocent face. “Don’t make it sound like I’m trying to shake you down.”
Convinced he had seen her true intentions, Antoine sneered, “We’re already at this point, so you can drop the high-and-mighty act. If you’re too embarrassed, I can do you a favor and say it for you. Go on, how many hundreds of millions do you want?”
His tone became light and easy at the end.
“Oh?” Shu Yao acted surprised. “You sound like you can afford whatever I ask for.”
After she spoke, her expression shifted subtly, as if she were genuinely contemplating how to smoothly relieve him of a considerable sum in compensation.
‘Woman, you’re finally about to reveal your hideous true nature!’
Antoine assumed a superior posture of being in complete control, and he was secretly pleased with himself.
‘Anything that can be settled with Star Coins isn’t a problem at all.’
After a moment’s pause, Shu Yao looked at the smug Antoine and feigned a look of intense curiosity. “So the Austin family is very rich, huh? How did you get all that money? Were the methods of acquisition legal? Did you pay your taxes?”
Yudola let out a not-very-dignified snort of laughter.
Even Lady Xin, who was always so proper, felt the corners of her mouth lift slightly.
Antoine’s composure crumbled again.
“You’re overstepping your bounds, Miss Shu!” he said, his tone stiff. “Is auditing the Austin family’s finances any of your business?”
“Well, you’re the one who wants to compensate me. I have to know if the Austin family’s money is clean. If I end up with illegal funds, I’d find that quite disgusting.” Shu Yao spoke at a measured pace, feigning distress. Yet her words held an easy confidence, making her sound like a sanctimonious, shameless woman. “After all, as you know, I have my lofty principles.”
Shu Chao Yu chimed in, “That’s right. If we get tangled up in a lawsuit because of this later and the Star Coins in our account get frozen, wouldn’t the loss outweigh the gain for us!”
Yudola was about to lose it!
‘I so badly want to put my hands on my hips and just roar with laughter!’
‘This is so satisfying!’
Antoine shot to his feet, glaring darkly at the relaxed aunt and nephew duo across from him.
Footsteps echoed from outside the hall, along with the faint sounds of a dispute over someone’s identity.
Antoine immediately composed his expression and stood there respectfully, as well-behaved as a dog.
After glancing at the Empress, Shu Chao Yu patted Shu Yao, and they also rose to their feet.
Antoine’s lawyer, not understanding what was happening, looked around in confusion. Only when he saw a group of people led by Qin Songlin step into the reception hall did he scramble to his feet.
The Emperor was in the lead, with the Commander-in-Chief at his side.
Behind them followed several district chief-level officials. Shu Guohua was among them, his expression extremely foul.
As he passed Shu Yao, Qin Shiwei sent her a subtle, tender glance.
Shu Yao, in turn, gave him a playful wink.
After Qin Songlin took the head seat, he gestured to everyone. “Be seated.”
“Master Austin, please.” Antoine directed the vast majority of his respect toward a formidable-looking middle-aged man.
The man was tall and powerfully built, with the fierce eyes of a temple guardian, a bristling, spear-like beard, and an awe-inspiring presence. This was the Austin Family Master.
Each head of the Austin Family is bestowed the great name “Austin.”
In his capacity as Family Head, Austin was also the deputy chief of Zone One.
The Austin Family Master walked over to the seat Antoine had offered him. Just as he was about to sit down, a clear voice floated coolly from across the room:
“That’s the principal offender’s seat.”
The Austin Family Master froze awkwardly, his rear end hovering over the chair.
At this sight, the corners of some of the onlookers’ mouths twitched visibly.
Antoine shot Shu Yao a furious glare, then scanned the room. Seeing that only the seats in the back were empty, he glared his oblivious lawyer out of his chair.
The Austin Family Master calmly moved to the adjacent seat. As soon as he sat down, he gave Shu Yao a smiling glance, then spoke in a friendly but cold tone: