Not to mention Emperor Jiang Jing, even Shen Qing cast a surprised glance at him. They were truly startled by his shameless words.
However, the culprit slowly straightened up and calmly said, "Qingqing and I are deeply in love with each other. We got married in the Jing Kingdom. You are Qingqing's father, so this title of father - in - law surely suits you well."
Emperor Jiang Jing sneered and slapped the table hard. "What kind of marriage? Do you have the marriage certificate? Did you hold the wedding ceremony? Has this emperor, her father, ever acknowledged it?"
"Whether you acknowledge it or not is your attitude. Whether I can make you acknowledge it is my ability. Do you really think those people in the imperial garden can outshine me?"
Changing his self - address, Ji Junye's aura underwent a huge change.
Emperor Jiang Jing was rendered speechless.
At the right moment, Shen Qing served a cup of tea. "Father, have a cup of tea first to calm down."
Grateful for the excuse, Emperor Jiang Jing took the tea and looked at Shen Qing. "Among those young masters in the imperial garden, you don't like any of them?"
Shen Qing forced a smile. "Father, don't make fun of me. Those young masters are still teenagers. How old am I this year?"
"So what if they are teenagers? Youth has its own advantages!" Emperor Jiang Jing's words sounded a bit lacking in confidence.
"However, Father, I really don't match them. Moreover, Sibao may not like the ones you've selected either."
Hearing the name Sibao, Emperor Jiang Jing fell into rare silence.
"What about Young Master Meng? I heard that you've known each other for a long time. He's also your cousin. Isn't he suitable either?"
Shen Qing replied, "I regard Doctor Meng as a friend and a relative. He has been kind to me, but I only treat him as a friend and a relative. If we were forced into a husband - wife relationship, the original friendship would surely change."
"Moreover, Aye and I are deeply in love with each other. There's no room for a third person in our relationship. Father, don't you know this well? That's why you haven't set foot anywhere else except the Qiwu Palace for so many years."
Emperor Jiang Jing opened his mouth, and after a while, he said, "... You're right. But what about him?"
Emperor Jiang Jing pointed at Ji Junye. "As a monarch of a country, how could there be only you in his harem?"
Over the years, he had doted only on the empress. Although the court officials were dissatisfied, since the crown prince had been established early and he had many princes, he could easily suppress the dissatisfied voices.
But what about Ji Junye?
He only had a daughter, Sibao, for now. For the sake of heirs, the court officials would constantly urge him to take concubines. He was thousands of miles away. If Niannian was wronged one day, even if he wanted to stand up for her, it would be beyond his reach.
At this moment, Ji Junye's voice came, "I can do it."
Emperor Jiang Jing was stunned.
Ji Junye continued, "Many years ago, I made up my mind to marry only Qingqing in this life. I was poisoned by my foster mother when I was young, so I'm destined to have no heirs. After I marry Qingqing, I'll spread the news. Naturally, the court officials won't send their daughters into the palace."
Emperor Jiang Jing was shocked. "You're unable to have heirs. Then Sibao..."
Shen Qing interrupted, "Sibao's arrival was an accident."
Emperor Jiang Jing didn't expect that he could do this for Shen Qing. As an emperor, he knew very well that the dignity of a monarch and the royal family was inviolable. If it got out that a monarch was infertile, it would surely be a laughingstock.
Not knowing what to say, he waved his hand wearily. "You may go back first. Three days later, I'll hold a banquet in the Qianqiu Hall to welcome Emperor Jingye."
"Then I'll take my leave first."
Shen Qing pulled Ji Junye away. Ji Junye was still bubbling with sweetness because of Shen Qing's words about their mutual love and the absence of a third person in their relationship. As soon as they went out, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.
"I want to hear what you said just now again."
Shen Qing pretended to be stupid. "What words?"
Just as Ji Junye was about to say something, he saw from afar that the empress was coming with Sibao.
The empress and Sibao naturally saw them too.
"Daddy!"
Sibao broke free from the empress and happily ran towards Ji Junye.
Ji Junye caught her steadily and picked her up. Sibao sat in his arms and gave his handsome face a kiss.
"Why is Daddy here?"
Since Sibao could remember, she had always been with Ji Junye. Although she had been happy in the palace of the Jiang Kingdom these days, there was definitely a sense of loss after suddenly leaving her daddy.
"Daddy missed Sibao and Mother, so he came to find you."
"If Sibao only wants Daddy and doesn't want Grandmother, Grandmother will be sad."
As she spoke, the empress also walked closer and couldn't help but tease.
Sibao hugged Ji Junye's neck, her big eyes rolling. "I want Daddy and Grandmother too."
Only then was the empress satisfied.
"Mother - in - law." Ji Junye nodded to the empress as a greeting.
"Since you're here, have a good get - together. I still have something to talk to His Majesty about, so I won't chat with you anymore." The empress neither responded positively nor negatively, but her reaction was obviously better than Emperor Jiang Jing's.
"Then Sibao will go to accompany Grandmother tonight."
The empress agreed with a smile. "Okay. Come to the Qiwu Palace for dinner tonight."
After the empress left, Shen Qing whispered to Ji Junye, "Mother invited you to the Qiwu Palace for dinner tonight. It seems that she has a good impression of you."
"Maybe it's because of you?"
As the saying goes, a mother - in - law will love her future son - in - law more and more. If the empress was a breakthrough, his dream of marrying Qingqing would come true soon.
Shen Qing glanced at him, thought for a moment, and said half - jokingly and half - seriously, "Maybe... it's because of your looks?"
Ji Junye laughed. "It's really an honor for my face then."
Due to Ji Junye's sensitive identity, Shen Qing didn't take him around but led him to her own bedroom.
The empress originally wanted her to live in the Qiwu Palace, but Shen Qing thought it was inappropriate for her to live in the empress's palace as an adult. So the empress had the Qingsi Hall, which was located between the front court and the back palace, cleaned up for her as a bedroom.
Shen Qing took off her shoes and got on the couch. She asked someone to serve tea and stroked Sibao's furry little head. "Father and Mother both like Sibao very much. They must feel that they missed my growth, so they pour all their love and guilt on Sibao."
Ji Junye hugged most of her body into his arms. "Let them dote on Sibao. I'll dote on you."
Shen Qing punched him. "Sibao is still here. What are you talking about?"
But Sibao covered her eyes. "Sibao isn't here."
Shen Qing and Ji Junye glanced at each other and smiled silently.
In the imperial study.
When Emperor Jiang Jing saw the empress coming, he knew that she had met Ji Junye. "Have you seen him?"
"Yes, I have." When there were no outsiders, the empress didn't care about anything and sat down on a chair by herself. "I also invited them to the Qiwu Palace for dinner tonight."
"Just invite Niannian and Sibao. Why invite him?"
The empress sipped her tea on her own. "It's nothing. As a mother - in - law, I should meet my future son - in - law, right?"
"What son - in - law? I haven't acknowledged him yet, and you've already recognized him?"
Emperor Jiang Jing couldn't accept it. He felt a sense of helplessness as if Emperor Jing's undertaking was incomplete while the empress had defected.
The empress raised her eyebrows. "Whether you acknowledge him or not is your business. Whether I recognize him or not is mine. Let's not talk about this for now. First, explain to me what happened to Jianing."