After Scheming Against the Enemy Nation’s Emperor, I Got Pregnant Chapter 65

Xie Caiqing was silent for a long time before feigning curiosity and asking, “What if he does have ambition?”

Xiao Yun shrugged, guessing lightly, “Then he’d be unstoppable, I suppose.”

“Unstoppable?”

“You’re really curious about him?” Xiao Yun laughed. He gently nudged Xie Caiqing’s head off his shoulder and cupped his shoulders to face him. “My little darling, don’t tell me you’re getting jealous?”

He paused for a second, then suddenly chuckled again. “Come to think of it, you two are the same age. Both talented, both beautiful.”

Xie Caiqing’s heart began to race. He kept his face composed. “Has Your Majesty seen Duan Wang?”

He had worn a human-skin mask in Nanruo, but after all, they were the same person. Even if the face had changed, small details might still be similar.

“Never seen him,” Xiao Yun said with a smile, “but I’ve heard of him. You don’t need to compare yourself to him—you’re far more beautiful. He may be of noble birth, but there’s no such thing as absolute fortune. Those born royal bear burdens others can’t imagine. But you? You have me to dote on you—your fate is far better.”

Whatever complicated look Xie Caiqing had on his face turned pitch black again at those final words.

….

Xiao Yun was invited to the training grounds by a military general for a sparring match. Xie Caiqing, taking advantage of the moment, slipped the memorial he hadn’t read aloud into his robes and quickly left the emperor’s palace without changing expression.

Back at his residence, in the study, Ru Shi stood respectfully to one side.

Xie Caiqing sat upright at his desk, expression dark as water. The study faced north, shrouded in shadow and oppressive heat. The atmosphere was tense and heavy.

Xie Caiqing spoke coolly, “Go have Xia Zhe rewrite the memorial. I want it in my hands when I return in an hour, so I can slip it back without notice.”

Ru Shi’s expression turned grim.

Xia Zhe had long been loyal to Nanruo. He worked as an unremarkable fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites, with no chance to appear in court—just like Xie Caiqing.

Ru Shi frowned. “What about Zhang Yu? Will you silence him?”

Xie Caiqing sneered, “They ended up like this because they tried to harm me. As long as they can prove I’m a traitor, they can clear themselves of wrongdoing. So of course they’ll stop at nothing. Most of what’s in that memorial is fabricated, but there’s definitely some truth too. Otherwise they wouldn’t dare risk a charge of deceiving the emperor. Xiao Yun isn’t an idiot.”

Ru Shi let out a huge sigh of relief—he had really thought things had gotten that bad.

Xie Caiqing spoke calmly: “Intercepting the letter is probably real. The rest is likely fabricated. Since the messenger had the resolve to commit suicide out of guilt, how could he possibly have confessed about me? And the person who wrote to me would never harm me.”

Ru Shi completely relaxed: “What are your orders, my lord?”

“You just need to retrieve the letter quietly. Without physical evidence, it’s nothing but blatant slander. After all, they have strong motives to frame me.”

Ru Shi asked, “What about Zhang Yu…”

“Isn’t his son half-crazed, wandering the pleasure quarters every day? Kidnap him. Zhang Yu had him in his old age and dotes on him like a lifeline—this will completely silence him.”

Ru Shi understood, but resentment flashed across his face: “They’ve tried to kill you again and again, and you’re just going to let them—”

“Making a move to silence them now would be too conspicuous. Once I leave Great Ning, you can eliminate the three of them directly.”

The man in the seat no longer held his usual gentle and obedient demeanor—his eyes were filled with the decisiveness and ruthlessness of someone in power.

“Yes, my lord!”

Ru Shi hesitated briefly, then gritted his teeth and spoke earnestly: “Forgive my boldness, but regardless of whether we silence them or not, the risks are now even greater. The more people who know, the more danger there is. For your own safety, if you can leave early—you should.”

Xie Caiqing naturally understood and sighed: “Ru Shi, wealth is found in danger. If something carries no risk, countless people would do it, and the gains would be minimal. Risk deters the many, which is why I can seize immense profits from it.”

“Ye Country, Meng Country—how many states have tried to target Xiao Yun?”

“I simply made it further down that path than most.”

“I never expected to reap rewards without effort. Where in this world does such a good thing exist? Compared to what I stand to gain if I succeed, the risks I currently face are well within what I can bear. If it ever goes beyond that, I’ll leave immediately. Don’t worry.”

His words were sincere, without a trace of arrogance. His expression was gentle, his eyes calm like water—the bearing of a Wangye with vision and composure.

Ru Shi felt a faint respect. After a pause, trust won out, and he no longer tried to dissuade him: “Yes, my lord.”

Xie Caiqing took a sip of tea, frowning slightly: “Why didn’t you tell me that the Nanruo envoys are nearly at the capital?”

Ru Shi was stunned: “I didn’t know.”

“You didn’t know?” Xie Caiqing was astonished.

“Yes,” Ru Shi realized something and added in shock, “I truly didn’t receive any such information.”

Xie Caiqing frowned deeply.

Ru Shi wouldn’t lie. That could only mean Nanruo managed to keep this from their intelligence network here.

How could that be?

Weighing priorities, Xie Caiqing quickly pushed the matter aside and ordered Ru Shi to act. Before Xiao Yun returned to his quarters to review memorials, Xie Caiqing had successfully and quietly restored the missing memorial.

…

That evening, as usual, Xie Caiqing strolled in the imperial garden. A passing palace maid slipped two sealed notes into his hand without a word and walked off as if nothing had happened.

He found a quiet, secluded spot and glanced through them.

The note from Ru Shi stated everything had been handled.

The other one—when Xie Caiqing saw the handwriting, the coldness on his face was replaced by a soft smile.

So that mysterious Nanruo noble who had written to him, without passing through the secret intelligence network and thus gotten intercepted by Zhang Yu’s people—it was his royal brother.

His brother didn’t know of the intelligence network. He had always hoped Xie Caiqing would be obedient and safe, steering clear of court intrigue. So Xie Caiqing had hidden the existence of the network from him.

Afraid of being scolded, Xie Caiqing braced himself and read the message:

“I have heeded your words and found a good match. I shall marry soon. Return quickly. I wish you good health.”

Just that one short line, and Xie Caiqing was stunned, then smiled with deep affection.

He had previously argued with Xiao Yun and told his brother to hurry and marry, not to fall behind Xiao Yun. He hadn’t expected his brother to actually come around. This was good news.

He would have a sister-in-law soon—he had to hurry back and couldn’t miss the wedding.

Surprisingly, there wasn’t a single word of reproach in the letter.

His brother still cherished him most of all. Even after being deceived and disobeyed, seeing him take such dangerous actions, his brother couldn’t bear to scold or hurt him—he just urged him to return quickly and wished him well.

Nearly three months apart, and his brother had changed so much—become gentler, like a different person.

A ripple stirred in Xie Caiqing’s heart.

When Xiao Yun returned from the training grounds, he was told Xie Caiqing had gone to the imperial garden. Following the trail to the lakeside, he saw Xie Caiqing under the green willows across the lake, dressed in white, with a smile on his lips. It was like the melting of snow, the end of winter and the arrival of spring. That faint mist of distance seemed gone, and he exuded a soft warmth.

Xiao Yun paused. His heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, he thought: Xie Caiqing should always smile like this—light, unburdened, vivid, and alive, like a feather floating free.

Though Xie Caiqing had smiled at him before, it was never quite the same.

Xiao Yun couldn’t explain why, but he felt a strange pang in his heart. Why did Xie Caiqing seem happier smiling at the lake than at him? Just as he was about to call out, he saw Xie Caiqing look down and gently place a hand on his own lower abdomen.

Xiao Yun froze mid-step, face full of confusion.

What… does that mean?

He stepped behind a tree and mimicked Xie Caiqing, placing a hand on his own belly.

What does this mean?

Was he… too full?

Across the lake, Xie Caiqing sighed, looking faintly disheartened as he withdrew his hand, a touch of melancholy in his expression.

Xiao Yun looked even more bewildered. Why touch your stomach? That wasn’t even where the stomach was—it looked more like…

But the problem was…

Xie Caiqing was a man.

Xiao Yun was startled by the bizarre thought that flashed through his mind.

Rubbing his belly because it’s uncomfortable? Then it should be a heavy press, not a gentle touch, right?

Or… could it be that Xie Caiqing secretly likes me so much that he wants to have my child?!

Maybe he’s heard people saying nonsense like ‘nothing lasts forever,’ ‘men are all fickle,’ ‘they laugh with the new and forget the old,’ and that emperors have harems of three thousand beauties — so the only way to secure a future is by having a child. But since he’s not a woman and can’t bear children, he’s secretly heartbroken, thinking his position is unstable?”

No way, right?

I’m not that kind of heartless scumbag! I don’t even like children!

Wait… Xie Caiqing wants to have my child? He’s already thinking about that?!

Then shouldn’t I treat him better? He’s so lacking in security… he’ll never have a child of love in this lifetime. I really should treat him more kindly. Otherwise, how lonely would he be?”

Across the lake, Xie Caiqing returned alone, his back slender and desolate. Looking at him, Xiao Yun felt a strange unease in his heart.

Just then, Xie Zhe came over and saw the emperor’s constantly shifting expression.

Xiao Yun, needing someone to talk to, immediately asked, “Have I been too cold to Xie Caiqing?”

Xie Zhe froze — thinking, You call that “cold”? That might be straight-up insulting the man.

Xiao Yun slapped his forehead. “That’s not what I mean! I mean whenever we meet, all I do is coax him to bed. I’ve never taken him out to have fun, never given him a proper gift, never asked what he’s thinking. That’s right! I’ve never asked him what he wants! I just talk and talk — isn’t that too heartless? I must look like a lust-crazed pervert to him!”

“…”

“D*mn it,” Xiao Yun cursed before Xie Zhe could respond. “I’m acting like some sleazy lecher!”

Xie Zhe: “…”

Xiao Yun paced with his hands on his hips. “How do you guys coax your wives? I’ve got no experience! All day long, my ministers are telling me to ‘visit’ so-and-so, and it’s made me think that if I like someone, I should just sleep with them. They’ll know that means I care.”

“D*mn it, no wonder Xie Caiqing says my so-called ‘love’ is just wanting him in bed. Turns out, he really believes that!” Xiao Yun got angry. “I look like some heartless b*stard! Why didn’t anyone tell me?!”

Xie Zhe was getting mentally twisted into knots himself. After a pause, he quickly said, “Your Majesty, you’ve done nothing wrong! Your affection is shown through visiting. If you don’t like someone, you don’t visit! You’re the emperor — it’s how all your ancestors did it!”

“That’s not the point,” Xiao Yun frowned. “Our ancestors visited women. Women can get pregnant. Visiting meant, ‘I want a child of love with you.’ Isn’t that romantic? But Xie Caiqing is a man! If I visit him, it just means I want to feel good— D*mn it!”

“…” Xie Zhe instinctively felt something was off about this logic, but Xiao Yun was talking too fast for him to keep up, and he couldn’t think of a rebuttal. He was getting swept up in it.

“Anyway, I need to take him out more. Talk with him more.” Xiao Yun decided. “Right now, he thinks I only care about one thing. He doesn’t know the real me. I need to give him a sense of security, so he can trust me, be confident.”

“…” Xie Zhe suddenly realized the emperor wasn’t actually listening, just talking to himself while pretending to be in a dialogue.

“I already give off this unreliable, shallow vibe—d*mn it, I forgot again,” Xiao Yun muttered. “I really do seem like a d*mn pervert.”

Xie Zhe: “Your Majesty, you’re handsome! You’re the emperor!”

“Handsome? Emperor? So why isn’t he completely devoted to me?! Because I seem like a pervert!”

“…” Xie Zhe gave up arguing. Knowing there was no pulling him out of this spiral for now, he sighed and sincerely said, “You should take him out more, talk to him more.”

“Right! Tonight, I’ll take him out!” Xiao Yun suddenly had an idea. “To prove I really care, I won’t sleep with him at all for a while!”