After Scheming Against the Enemy Nation’s Emperor, I Got Pregnant Chapter 12

A dignified member of the Qizhang family was thus dragged away. The remaining scholars performed terribly. They had entered full of confidence, but now they realized the unfathomable nature of imperial authority—serving the emperor was like living alongside a tiger. The man above them was the most brilliant and formidable ruler in Great Ning’s history.

All their pre-exam scheming and maneuvering had been utterly transparent in his eyes. The emperor did not punish them, merely making an example of one—showing his generosity.

They now understood that their only path was loyalty to the emperor. Any attempt to take shortcuts would lead to Zhang Ninghan’s fate.

All the scholars abandoned their petty calculations.

The emperor questioned each of them, his gaze sweeping across the hall before finally landing once more on Xie Caiqing in the front row.

The court officials instantly understood—after a decade, a top scholar from a humble background was about to emerge.

The Grand Eunuch called Xie Caiqing forward as Xiao Yun absentmindedly took a sip of tea.

Xie Caiqing stepped into the center of the hall, standing under the gaze of all.

Xiao Yun set down his cup, leaned forward, and rested his strong arms on his thighs, looking down at the scholar with unrestrained scrutiny.

Compared to himself, the man below was utterly delicate, much smaller than the robust people of Great Ning. Slender arms, a narrow waist, thin legs—fair and beautiful, standing amidst the grandeur of the hall like a pristine white pearl dropped into a bottomless golden abyss, looking all the more helpless and empty. As if in the next moment, he would be coated in filthy gold dust and burst into tears.

Though the scholar had already passed the test, Xiao Yun didn’t know why he still wanted to tease and torment him. Amusement flashed in his eyes.

“Xie Caizi, I have one more question for you.”

The white pearl hesitated for a moment, then obediently lowered his head. “I am willing to hear it.”

“I have heard that in Yixian Tower, Xie Caiqing once said, ‘Nan Huaiyi is worthy.’ Is this true?”

The white pearl’s heart skipped a beat.

Several officials’ expressions changed drastically. This matter could be either trivial or grave—if taken seriously, it meant Xie Caiqing harbored sentiments toward a rival nation and belittled the emperor, a crime punishable by death. If brushed aside, he might even be commended. Whether it was severe or light depended entirely on the emperor’s will.

Many scholars secretly rejoiced at his predicament.

“It is true,” Jiang Huaichu admitted, pressing his lips together as his mind raced for a response.

He hadn’t expected Xiao Yun to bring this up.

If Xiao Yun were truly petty and insisted on killing him regardless of appearances, he would have no choice but to fight to the death. He had people here…

But that was the worst-case scenario.

Jiang Huaichu’s fingers, hidden in his sleeve, firmly gripped three poisoned needles.

Xiao Yun studied him up and down, then let out a sudden chuckle.

The white pearl lowered his head further, his long lashes trembling slightly like crow feathers.

After a long silence, as if he had frightened him enough, Xiao Yun lazily smiled. “Come, come, lift your head and look at me. You can’t see Nan Huaiyi, but I’m right here. Between me and Nan Huaiyi, who is more handsome?”

“….” Jiang Huaichu almost dropped his silver needle in shock. His mind went blank for a moment, and then, against his will, his ears began to turn red.

How could anyone be so shameless? The court officials and scholars were all present, watching him in broad daylight. This was the imperial examination—this question would be recorded, spread across the empire, and even written into history books for future scholars to analyze in detail.

The entire court stared in stunned silence. Then they coughed, suppressing their laughter, looking at Xie Caiqing with sympathy.

One had to admit — the question was a bit of a rogue’s trick, but it still showed some learning.

Jiang Huaichu clenched his fingers.

This question was not easy to answer either. If he changed his tune and said Xiao Yun was the most handsome man in the world, he’d be seen as a sycophant, fickle and two-faced. But if he stuck to saying his imperial brother was the most handsome, it would show consistency — yet it would slight Xiao Yun and risk offending him. Saying they were equally handsome would be treated as a slippery, evasive answer — something Xiao Yun would never accept.

Ultimately, it was a test of his adaptability — how he’d extricate himself from such a cunning trap.

The most handsome man in the world was, of course, his imperial brother. But in this moment…

The whole room was holding back laughter, all eyes on Xie Caiqing, who appeared calm on the surface but was clearly standing on a bed of needles inside.

“Xie Caizi, so shy and silent. Do you want me to walk right up to you so you can get a good look?” Xiao Yun made as if to stand up. “Come on, come on — I don’t mind the trouble.”

“…” Jiang Huaichu gritted his teeth, then immediately raised his head — only to meet a pair of dark eyes filled with teasing amusement.

The man’s brows and eyes were sharply defined, rich and intense. The moment they met, a mix of imperial dominance and the honed aggression of a battlefield warrior surged toward him — combined with a flirtatiousness so vague it was impossible to tell if it was sincere or not. It exploded in his chest, throwing his thoughts into chaos. His back went damp with cold sweat; his mind faltered and stumbled.

One glance from this man could shatter a person’s composure.

But Jiang Huaichu had been used to being stared down by his imperial brother since childhood. He quickly steadied himself.

The man in front of him was taller than his imperial brother, with broader shoulders and a straight, strong waist — physically more powerful. His features were sharper and more chiseled than his brother’s. Unlike the gentle and affectionate look typical of men from Nanruo, this man had prominent brow bones, a high nose bridge, thin lips, and a faint roguish air in his expression. His facial expressions, too, were bold and unrestrained.

The man was dressed in dark robes. The dragon robe of Great Ning was different from that of Nanruo—it was black and gold, with a massive golden dragon coiling across it, baring its fangs and claws in an awe-inspiring display. His collar was slightly open, and his sleeves were casually rolled up.

The solemn and intricate dragon robe, when worn by him, looked more like everyday attire.

At first glance, he was striking—undoubtedly more appealing to women than his imperial brother.

But surely, he wasn’t as easy on the eyes as his imperial brother, Jiang Huaichu muttered inwardly.

Jiang Huaichu was following the emperor’s decree to lift his gaze, while Xiao Yun was also looking down at him from his lofty position.

Last time, he had only caught a distant glimpse, remembering only a vague outline and impression. Now that he could take a closer look, he couldn’t help but wonder—how could there be a man who looked so unlike a man? Not that he looked like a woman either. He just…

He couldn’t quite put it into words; his vocabulary failed him.

The men he was used to seeing were like mountains—hard-bodied, broad-chested, strong-waisted, thick-legged, and with voices like thunder. Even Xie Zhe, famed for his refined elegance, had a firm face and a tall, well-built frame.

But the man before him was simply beautiful—more beautiful than any person he had ever seen. Not in a delicate or fragile way, but in a way that made him seem to glow on his own, like a priceless… night pearl.

Something so precious—one would have to handle it with the utmost care, lest it shatter.

The more Xiao Yun thought about it, the more amused he became. He barely managed to compose himself and asked, “What do you think?”

Jiang Huaichu was slightly distracted.

This was his first time seeing Xiao Yun in person, not just in a portrait.

His imperial brother was dignified and elegant in stillness, while Xiao Yun was vivid and expressive in movement—hard to capture in a painting. Of course, his imperial brother was still more pleasing to the eye, aligning with Jiang Huaichu’s usual tastes.

But the old manor master hadn’t lied to him—if Xiao Yun looked like this, then with features so flawless, any child of his could only be ugly by sheer misfortune.

Pushing aside his untimely thoughts, Jiang Huaichu was about to force out some praise for Xiao Yun when an idea struck him.

Since no response would be the best response, then perhaps… he wouldn’t respond at all.

Xiao Yun had asked, but that didn’t mean he was obligated to answer.

Xiao Yun had expected the always-proper Xie Caiqing to take one glance and immediately lower his head. Instead, Xie Caiqing stared at his face, seemingly dazed, his face gradually flushing red.

His complexion was pale, making any change in color especially obvious. That faint blush against his smooth, luminous skin made him appear all the more vivid and lively.

Xiao Yun froze for a moment before the corners of his mouth curled up, unable to suppress his amusement.

Seeing Xie Caiqing’s audaciously prolonged gaze upon the emperor’s face, the grand eunuch reprimanded him: “Insolence!”

The night pearl was startled awake, lowering his eyelashes, looking a little lost.

“His Majesty is speaking to you!” the grand eunuch urged.

Xie Caiqing pressed his lips together, as if about to speak, then hesitated, then tried again, only to ultimately say nothing.

Liu Yun, noticing his unusual silence, grew anxious on his behalf. Some scholars were already waiting to see Xie Caiqing suffer, but unexpectedly, the emperor suddenly burst into laughter and rebuked the grand eunuch behind him.

“Enough. I just found it amusing, merely teasing a little. Would I truly make an issue out of something so trivial? Xie Caiqing, you may step back.”

For the rest of the court session, the ministers witnessed an exceedingly rare sight—a smiling emperor.