Not long after Shen Qing sat down, the others came one after another, and their gazes all fell on Shen Qing's belly involuntarily.
It was not for any other reason but simply a bit... curious.
After all, they were all big men. Suddenly, there was a junior female disciple who was also pregnant... Their feelings were quite delicate.
But Ning Yang was different. He was secretly excited.
These days, he had been paying attention to the constellations from time to time and found that the small star at the tail of the Phoenix Star was getting brighter and brighter, and there was even a faint aura of the Purple Star, which was an auspicious omen. He was so excited that he almost fell off the star - watching platform.
The crown prince!
No one else knew, only he did!
Ning Yang felt like the only sober one among the drunk.
The others didn't notice Ning Yang's abnormality. He liked to study constellations, and it was normal for him to act mysteriously on usual days.
When everyone was gathered, they lined up in order to pay New Year greetings to Old Chen.
"Am I late?"
Just as they finished paying their respects, a voice came from outside. The familiar voice made Shen Qing's heart skip a beat.
Ji Junye strode in wearing a black cloak. There were still ice crystals on the fur of the cloak, which obviously showed that he had rushed back.
Everyone was stunned. Just as they were about to salute, Ji Junye said, "There's no need for excessive courtesy. Today, I'm just a guest here to pay New Year greetings to Old Chen."
"Here with me, why do you need to salute him?" Old Chen snorted proudly. "Tell me, what are you here for?"
Ji Junye said matter - of - factly, "Of course, I'm here to pay New Year greetings to you."
Old Chen had an expression of "Do you think I'll believe you?" In previous years, he would only send New Year gifts at most. This year, he actually remembered to come and pay New Year greetings.
This kid, wouldn't he be here to see someone?
Old Chen's eyes scanned around. When they passed by Shen Qing, his eyebrows twitched violently.
This kid shouldn't be so absurd, right?
Right...?
Ji Junye asked his men to carry in the New Year gifts for Old Chen. There were also gifts for the others, and even Shen Yan received one. All of them were precious but not overly expensive items, which made everyone exclaim at his generosity.
The topic of why Ji Junye came was thus diverted.
While others were busy looking at their own New Year gifts, only Ning Yang hugged his things and shrank into a corner alone. There was an unusually bright light flashing in his eyes.
The emperor and the junior female disciple looked more and more well - matched.
As he was thinking, he suddenly realized something. It seemed that the junior female disciple hadn't divorced yet, right?
It was good that she didn't divorce. If she did, he couldn't secretly watch them together like this. It was so exciting!
Nie Lingxian saw Ning Yang shrinking in the corner alone and didn't know what he was thinking. He couldn't help but nudge him with his elbow and leaned over to him with a smile. "Second Brother, what are you doing? Why do you look like a thief?"
Ning Yang slapped his hand away impatiently and said disdainfully, "What do you know?"
Nie Lingxian was amused. "Okay, okay, I don't know. Let me see what you got?"
Although Ning Yang didn't want to show it to him, he couldn't stand his pestering, so he had to open it for him to see.
But as soon as he opened it, Ning Yang himself was stunned.
"This is... the Celestial Globe!"
The Celestial Globe was an instrument used to observe constellations. It was a hollow sphere with the positions of constellations on its surface. Inside, there were mechanical devices that could show the movement of the stars through machinery. The whole instrument presented a "delicate and exquisite" appearance of being hollowed out, so it was called the Celestial Globe.
However, the person who invented and made the Celestial Globe had been dead for many years, and the method of making it had been lost during the previous dynasty. This Celestial Globe should be the only one in the world, and it should be stored in the national treasury. But now, the emperor had given it to him!
Ning Yang felt that he was so happy that he was about to faint. This was more of a pleasant surprise than a pie falling from the sky, okay?!
Ning Yang quickly understood the reason. It must be because he supported the emperor's relationship with the junior female disciple. Who would have thought that the emperor was so infatuated.
The commotion on Ning Yang's side attracted a lot of people's attention. Shen Qing also noticed him. She had never even heard of the Celestial Globe, but judging from Second Brother's expression, this gift must have hit his heart.
That rascal Ji Junye had already started to bribe her master and senior brothers.
But Shen Qing didn't think it was a bad thing for him to do so. He was willing to go to such great lengths to please the people close to her precisely because he cared about her.
He... was really good.
When they were leaving, Shen Qing went out with Han Yuanjing again.
Thinking of her past life, Shen Qing couldn't help but ask, "Senior Brother, if one day you were asked to enter the Grand Secretariat, would you be willing?"
As everyone knew, although the Hanlin Academy had relatively low - ranking official positions, its members were all close ministers of the emperor. Without any accident, the top three scholars of each dynasty would enter the Hanlin Academy.
Han Yuanjing was a bit surprised that Shen Qing would ask him such a question. "Once one has learned both civil and military skills, one should offer them to the emperor. If the country and the people need me to do something, I will naturally not decline."
"Thank you, Senior Brother, for clarifying my doubts."
Han Yuanjing smiled and glanced in a certain direction. "Junior Sister, hurry up. Someone is waiting over there."
Shen Qing was puzzled. She followed his gaze and saw her carriage and a corner of a familiar robe that was accidentally exposed.
Her heart started pounding.
"Senior Brother, I..."
Han Yuanjing shook his head. "Junior Sister, there's no need to explain. Go."
After Shen Qing curtsied, she walked towards the carriage, leaving Han Yuanjing looking at her back thoughtfully.
The meaning of what Junior Sister said just now...
Once she got into the carriage, Shen Qing was embraced tightly. Then she was pressed against the wall of the carriage, and a storm of kisses rained down on her.
There was only his aura between heaven and earth, gentle yet domineering, leaving her with no thought of escaping.
"Do you like someone like Han Yuanjing?"
Shen Qing slumped limply in his arms in a daze. Before she could react, she suddenly heard him say such a thing.
"... Of course not."
If she were still an unmarried young girl, she might really like Senior Brother's type. But with two lifetimes combined, she could be Senior Brother's grandmother. She really couldn't have such thoughts.
Moreover, judging from the look in Han Yuanjing's eyes just now, he must not be as gentle and refined as he seemed on the surface.
Seeing that she hesitated and was in a daze, Ji Junye lowered his head and bit her lip.
Shen Qing winced in pain and covered her mouth, wordlessly accusing him.
Ji Junye got even closer to her. His tall figure loomed over her, making the originally spacious space in the carriage seem extremely cramped.
"Don't like him. Qingqing can only like me. No other man except me is allowed!"
Shen Qing took back what she had said about him being good in her heart. She snorted and lightly punched him in the chest. Just like the scholar in the storybook said to the young lady, she said, "Don't you understand my heart? Do I have to cut it open for you to believe me?"
Half of Ji Junye's body went numb. His voice was hoarse. "There's no need to cut it open. I'll know just by tasting it."
Shen Qing almost bit her own tongue.
What did he mean by tasting?!
Before she could react, he had already lifted the front of her clothes, and his other hand slipped in under the hem of her dress.
Tears welled up in Shen Qing's eyes. All she could think about was: This guy is really like a dog!
It was easier to bully him in her dreams. In reality, he only bullied her!