After Scheming Against the Enemy Nation’s Emperor, I Got Pregnant Chapter 15

At the teahouse next to the nearby Inn.

Taifei anxiously asked, “Any news?”

Ru Shi sat down and shook his head. “All the other ministers have left, but don’t worry yet. Let’s wait a little longer. If necessary, we’ll go inquire.”

Taifei nodded uneasily. There was nothing else she could do. It had already been an hour since court ended, yet the young Wangye was still nowhere to be seen.

The thought of her little Wangye being left alone among a group of rough, sword-wielding warriors made her heart race with worry. In the past, even losing a single strand of his hair had pained her and his imperial brother. What if he got bumped or bruised? That would be unthinkable!

Ru Shi poured her some tea to calm her nerves. “Getting anxious won’t help. I’ll go check again in a bit.”

Taifei barely responded, her mind elsewhere. As she took a sip of tea, a sudden, deafening “DONG-QIANG” exploded outside the teahouse, causing her to jolt and spill tea onto her face.

Taifei: “…”

“Top scholar!”

“Look, it’s the top scholar!”

Excited children outside shouted in glee. The patrons inside the teahouse froze for a moment before immediately abandoning their tea and rushing out.

“Top scholar!”

The screams grew louder.

Taifei, now staring at the completely empty teahouse, exchanged glances with Ru Shi. Realizing something, her hands trembled as she set down her teacup, then hurried outside in quick strides. She pushed through the crowd and stood on tiptoe to see the official road—her expression freezing in place.

The young Wangye sat alone on a white horse, clutching the reins as tightly as he could. Amid the deafening clangs of gongs, he smiled gently and nodded in acknowledgment to the overly enthusiastic commoners.

The young Wangye was exceptionally fair-skinned, standing out completely from the surrounding crowd. His face was as refined as a jade crown, his jet-black hair flowing, and he wore a simple yet elegant robe. Paired with a tall, snow-white horse, he was impossible to miss for anyone with eyes.

The horse was incredibly sturdy, its belly round and taut, just looking at it made one’s legs ache in sympathy. It took a few steps, jolting slightly with each one. The young Wangye didn’t know how to ride, nor did he understand how to move in rhythm with the horse. Yet, being someone who upheld the highest standards of decorum and etiquette, he struggled to maintain his posture despite the jolts, gripping tightly with his legs and keeping his back straight.

Taifei thought to herself that the young Wangye was using every ounce of his years of cultivated poise at this moment.

But the next moment, she realized she was wrong.

The young women in the crowd weren’t particularly concerned with politics, but they could certainly appreciate a handsome face. It was unclear who started it, but suddenly, they began throwing things at the young Wangye.

“What are you doing?!”

One of the armed guards maintaining order caught a flying melon with his bare hands, utterly shocked.

“Stop that immediately! What do you think you’re doing?! Do you want to get yourselves killed?! This is the top scholar of the imperial examination!”

The guards quickly surrounded the young Wangye, shielding him from the overly enthusiastic citizens and the love-struck maidens.

The scene turned chaotic. The people knew that the law wouldn’t punish a large crowd, so threats didn’t deter them. Left with no choice, the lead guard shouted, “Handkerchiefs only! No throwing anything else!”

The crowd finally settled down a little.

Countless handkerchiefs, embroidered with delicate floral patterns, fluttered through the spring air.

Great Ning flourished, and with prosperity came reverence for the imperial examinations. Official positions were valuable, and a scholar’s cap was hard to come by. Achieving the top rank in the imperial examination was the shared dream of men and women alike—men longed for their names to appear on the golden roll, women hoped their future husbands would be among the successful candidates, the elderly wished for their sons to rise in rank, and the young pinned their hopes on their fathers’ success.

And this top scholar was of humble origins.

“Top Scholar!”
“Top Scholar!”
“Top Scholar!”

The streets were nearly emptied as people flooded in.

The young Wangye spotted Taifei, who was nearly crushed in the crowd, and his expression subtly changed as he lifted his hand slightly.

Based on her understanding of the young Wangye, Taifei suspected he was instinctively trying to cover his eyes—an attempt at playing ostrich.

Finally, they reached the lodging house. The guards struggled to hold back the crowd as Xie Caiqing prepared to dismount. He reached down, only to realize his feet still didn’t touch the ground—there was quite a bit of distance left.

Ru Shi quickly squeezed forward, spreading his arms toward the young Wangye.

The young Wangye gritted his teeth and jumped, landing in Ru Shi’s half-embrace, using him for balance before finally standing firm.

“Young Master, are you alright?” Ru Shi asked with concern, stepping closer.

Taifei desperately signaled at him with her eyes, but Ru Shi remained clueless.

For once, the young Wangye ignored everyone, briskly walking inside and locking himself in his room.

Wearing her human-skin mask, Taifei cheerfully greeted the officials outside before carrying a reheated bowl of porridge upstairs. She pressed her face to the door crack and coaxed gently, “It’s not embarrassing, you know. It’s a good thing—it builds your reputation.”

There was no response from inside.

“Aiyo, my heart aches for you! Whose terrible idea was this? I’ll curse them for you, alright? There, there, don’t be upset anymore.”

“You’ve been out all morning and haven’t eaten yet. Be good, eat a little, so I can feel at ease. I’ve already brought it up to you.”

After a while, the door opened.

Inside stood the same composed and serene young Wangye, as if nothing had ever happened.

He took the porridge from Taifei’s hands, sat down, and slowly ate, one spoonful at a time.

Taifei shut the door and sat across from him, watching him eat with satisfaction.

The young Wangye remained silent throughout his meal. Once finished, Taifei casually asked, “How is Xiao Yun?”

Jiang Huaichu wiped his mouth, frowned slightly, and said, “I believe he’s taken some interest in me.”

“What kind of interest?” Taifei’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“…I’m not sure. He might find me amusing and want to toy with me. He lifted me onto a horse earlier.”

Taifei froze for a moment, then grew excited. “That’s wonderful! Even the girls in my brothel haven’t been able to so much as brush his sleeve, and yet he carried you up himself.”

Seeing Jiang Huaichu’s usual calm demeanor, she then asked, “Did you take the initiative at all?”

“How could I?”

“Young Master,” Taifei coughed, “you’re here to have a child, not to pass the imperial examination. Whether or not you become the top scholar doesn’t matter—what matters is seizing the right opportunity… Ahem, for instance… taking advantage of the moment…”

“He doesn’t seem to like bold or wanton types,” Jiang Huaichu said in a serious, academic tone, contemplating carefully. “He seems to prefer those who are reserved, shy, easy to tease. It would be more fitting for me to continue acting like this.”

“…” Taifei glanced at Jiang Huaichu and thought to herself—does he even realize how naturally he fits that role?

But that was a good thing. His personality matched what was needed, which made it less likely for him to be exposed.

Jiang Huaichu calmly added, “So unless the right kind of accident happens, I shouldn’t take the initiative. Otherwise, it would contradict the impression he has of me. And if I fail and make him dislike me, it will be much harder to get close to him again.”

Taifei nodded thoughtfully. “So what you need is an accident—one that isn’t your fault, but that forces something to happen between you two?”

“Exactly.” Jiang Huaichu nodded seriously.

Taifei, who ran a brothel, was quite familiar with such things. “Young Master, you know how to use poisons. Why not find an opportunity to slip either yourself or him some aphrodisiac?”

Jiang Huaichu frowned. “That’s not a good idea. Even if I were drugged, there’s no guarantee he’d help me. And how would I make it seem like I took the drug accidentally, without arousing any suspicion? That in itself would be an incredibly difficult task.”

“As for drugging him—setting aside the fact that he’s highly cautious and skilled in martial arts, making it nearly impossible—if he woke up afterward, given his intelligence, he’d surely suspect me and start investigating. Even if he found nothing, he wouldn’t accept me afterward. He’s discarded favored ministers before; why would he keep someone he spent only one night with?”

“Unless I succeed in one try… otherwise, it would only make it harder for me to approach him again.”

“Creating an accident is easy, but making it flawless is difficult,” Jiang Huaichu frowned and said calmly.

Taifei furrowed her brows as well.

The young Wangye’s concerns were entirely valid.

Although Xiao Yun was generous with his affections toward those he favored, that only applied when their background was clean. With the young Wangye’s identity, a single misstep could cause a massive ripple effect. Conceiving a child was secondary—ensuring his own safety was the priority. Otherwise, if he ended up in Xiao Yun’s bed and was subsequently exposed, he would not only lose his efforts but also his life. That would be the worst possible outcome.

What the young Wangye needed was a safe period by Xiao Yun’s side—long enough to conceive—not just a one-time occurrence. That possibility was far too slim.

Moreover, his body was unique, different from a woman’s. Whether conception was even possible remained uncertain.

In the southern seas beyond Nanruo, there existed a rare lineage of merfolk. Their diluted blood had persisted for nearly a thousand years without being completely erased. And now, after dozens of generations, it had reawakened within the young Wangye, turning everything into a realm of unpredictability.

Suppressing the deep ache in her heart, Taifei focused on the matter at hand. “What you need is an accident that will never arouse Xiao Yun’s suspicion?”

Jiang Huaichu nodded, rubbing his temples, looking genuinely troubled.

Planning was one thing, but execution always came with a host of unforeseen problems. He had anticipated this and was not impatient, but time was running out.

“Shall I ask Ru Shi?” Taifei suggested.

Jiang Huaichu hummed in agreement. After she left, he quietly exhaled and lifted his leg to gently rub his inner thighs, which were still faintly sore.

…

Two days later, the top three scholars of the imperial examination followed tradition and went to the Mingyan Pagoda to inscribe their names.

Early in the morning, news arrived from the palace that the residence for the top scholar had been cleaned and was ready for him to move in.

Taifei remained at the inn to pack, planning to settle everything while the young Wangye was at Mingyan Pagoda so that he could move into his new residence smoothly.

Climbing Mingyan Pagoda and inscribing one’s name was the lifelong aspiration of countless scholars. However, only the top three winners of the triennial imperial exam and renowned court officials were granted the honor.

Over time, this ceremony had evolved into a prestigious event in Great Ning, a rare opportunity for noble families to introduce their heirs, meet influential figures, and even gain an audience with the emperor.

The inscription took place at the very top of Mingyan Pagoda.

As was customary, the emperor was already waiting at the summit. The top three scholars ascended first, followed by high-ranking officials, and lastly, the vast crowd of noble shizis.

At midday, the sun was bright, and Xiao Yun leaned against the tower’s railing, looking down from above. His eyes immediately landed on the top scholar.

“Xie Zhe, doesn’t he look like a luminous night pearl?” Xiao Yun commented.

“…Indeed,” Xie Zhe responded, after glancing over and silently agreeing.

The scholar’s pale skin practically glowed, making those within ten steps of him appear sallow by comparison.

Xiao Yun chuckled. “A few years ago, I visited Nanruo. Stuffy place, full of poisonous insects, but the people there all have strikingly fair skin. This top scholar is even fairer than they are. If I ever visit again, I ought to bring him along—let them see what true fair skin looks like.”

“…His Majesty is most wise,” Xie Zhe replied.

Though it was well into spring with pleasantly warm weather, the top scholar was wrapped in layers of clothing, meticulously neat. His hands remained tucked into his wide sleeves, revealing only his dazzlingly pale face and a small portion of his neck—nothing else.

Xiao Yun idly mused, “His face is always exposed to the sun and still so white. Imagine what the rest of his body looks like.”

“That… Your humble servant does not know. Presumably even whiter than his face.” Xie Zhe replied.

Xiao Yun smirked. He picked up a few grapes from a tray presented by a palace servant, rolling them between his fingers rather than eating them. “If he gets married, and once he undresses, he turns out to be even whiter and more beautiful than his wife—won’t that be rather awkward for her?”

Xie Zhe’s face turned slightly red. “He is still young. He has two years yet.”

Xiao Yun dismissed the notion. “I’d wager that once he secures a firm foothold in court, the old officials will start clamoring to marry him off. An eighteen-year-old who has achieved the highest academic honor thrice in a row—they’re not fools.”

Xie Zhe hesitated. “That seems a bit young. Marrying at eighteen… It would be scandalous.”

Great Ning was liberal in many ways, but certain traditions remained strictly upheld. A man marrying at eighteen was as improper as a girl being wed before coming of age.

Xiao Yun scoffed. “Since when have they ever cared about propriety? Look at Liu Yun—he adores that boy. I wouldn’t be surprised if he shoves his fierce daughter at him. Last I saw her, she was nearly as tall as me and desperate to marry.”

Xie Zhe: “….”

“You know how impatient Liu Yun is to have grandchildren. Otherwise, why else would he be clinging to my leg every day, pestering me to have children?” Xiao Yun added.

Xie Zhe had to admit it made sense.

Below, Xie Caiqing and the second and third-place scholars had entered the tower and begun their climb.

Mingyan Pagoda was tall and vast, with one level spiraling atop another, making the ascent as arduous as climbing a mountain.

The emperor gazed down at the people still gathered outside and suddenly narrowed his eyes. “Is that Rong Yu?”

Xie Zhe followed his gaze and was visibly surprised. “Qi Wang actually came?”

Qi Wang, Rong Yu, was the only son of the Eldest Princess. Although he was older than the emperor by a year, he was still the emperor’s nephew and addressed him as “uncle.” Spoiled since childhood, he was known for his arrogance and indulgence in men. He spent his days either confined in his estate with his male lovers or out searching for new ones. However, he never resorted to force, so his behavior, while scandalous, never tarnished the royal reputation, and the emperor never bothered to interfere.

He was typically absent from public events. The emperor had once joked, “He’s busy. Let him be.”

Even attending the final imperial examination had been at the Eldest Princess’ insistence. No one had expected him to show up for something as mundane as an inscription ceremony.

“Has he changed his ways?” Xie Zhe chuckled.

Xiao Yun sneered. “A dog never stops eating sh*t.”

The guards at the tower entrance parted, and Xiao Yun watched as the notoriously debauched Qi Wang—his face jaundiced from years of indulgence—sprinted into the tower as if in a race.

His expression darkened slightly. After a few seconds, he turned to Xie Zhe with a thoughtful look. “Of all the men who entered before him—who’s the most beautiful?”

Xie Zhe: “……”

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