Chapter 361: It’s Nothing… I Just Bit a Peppercorn

A blanket of silence fell over the Imperial Study.

The silence was so heavy it made one feel flustered.

Of course, the most flustered among them was Lin Xun.

Watching Brother Lin, Sister Qinger, and this beautiful, noble Empress sister fall into a silent standoff, Yaya blinked her big, watery eyes.

She didn’t know what she had said wrong.

But Yaya hadn’t said anything wrong, had she?

Because this sister really did have Brother Lin’s scent on her.

And the way Brother Lin’s scent blended with this Empress sister’s scent smelled really good.

“Yaya, since the Empress sister and Brother Lin are together, of course there would be a bit of a scent.”

Three breaths passed, but to Lin Xun, it felt like an entire century.

Finally, Jiang Qingshang was the first to speak, breaking the silence.

Jiang Qingshang rubbed Yaya’s head, her eyes curving into a gentle smile.

“That’s right.”

Xia Xiaomeng also followed suit.

“Yaya’s Brother Lin is this big sister’s Attendant Official, after all.”

Yaya raised her hand and asked, “Empress sister, what is an Attendant Official?”

“An Attendant Official…” Xia Xiaomeng explained gently, “An Attendant Official is a type of historian. To put it simply, he has to stay by my side and record my every word and action, so it’s normal for there to be a scent.”

“Oh…”

Actually, Yaya wanted to ask, ‘But the scent of Brother Lin on you is so strong, Empress sister. Do Attendant Officials have to sleep together too?’

But in the end, Yaya just gently bit her finger and didn’t say it out loud.

Yaya had a feeling that if she said those words, Brother Lin would probably assign her a lot of homework.

And indeed.

If Yaya really had said it, it would have likely destroyed this family.

“Qinger, you and Yaya go rest in the side palace for a bit; that’s where Lin Pei usually stays.

Your husband hasn’t finished his shift yet, so Qinger, please wait until the Attendant Official is off duty to spend time with him.

Let me use your husband for a while longer.”

Xia Xiaomeng said this as if she were teasing.

Jiang Qingshang nodded. “Of course. Since it’s my husband’s work, it wouldn’t be right for Qinger to disturb your business, Sister.”

“How could you call it a disturbance?”

Xia Xiaomeng warmly took Jiang Qingshang’s small hand.

“This deep palace is boring as it is. Now that you’re here, Qinger, we sisters can chat more. Shall we have lunch together later?”

“Mm.” Jiang Qingshang lowered her eyes slightly. “I’ll listen to you, Sister.”

Xia Xiaomeng gently smoothed Jiang Qingshang’s hair, just as she had when they were children.

Feeling the warmth of her sister’s palm, Jiang Qingshang couldn’t help but recall their childhood.

Back then, no matter what she wanted, her sister would always give it to her.

When she fell while learning to walk, her sister would be even more nervous than she was.

During their displacement in the war, no matter how hungry they were, her sister would always let her eat her fill first.

Involuntarily, a faint sense of guilt rose in Jiang Qingshang’s heart.

Her sister was still as considerate as ever, still so good to her.

The reason her husband entered the palace to serve as an Attendant Official was likely because her sister wanted to look after her brother-in-law.

It was even highly possible that her sister wanted to spend more time with her, which is why she had her husband serve as the Attendant Official.

Because only the position of Attendant Official required one to live in the palace with their family.

Yet, because of a single sentence from Qu Ke, she had doubted her own sister.

She had doubted her sister and her husband.

How could she think that way?

Besides, she already knew the truth.

Her husband was just a scholar, and her sister was the Empress of the Qian Kingdom; they had no prior connection, so it was impossible.

“Then Qinger will stop disturbing your work with my husband and take my leave first.”

Having cleared her mind, Jiang Qingshang took Yaya’s hand and left the Imperial Study, heading to the Side Hall under the guidance of a maid.

Looking back at the Imperial Study, Jiang Qingshang let out a long sigh of relief.

Because if her husband and sister really did have something going on…

To be honest, Jiang Qingshang didn’t know what she would have done in the end.

But fortunately, she didn’t have to face that dilemma.

The moment Jiang Qingshang left, Xia Xiaomeng’s heart also completely settled back into place.

Xia Xiaomeng turned back to look at Lin Xun, her eyes filled with a touch of grievance and tenderness.

Before Lin Xun could react, Xia Xiaomeng dove straight into his embrace.

She hugged Lin Xun tightly, greedily inhaling the scent on his body.

It was as if her most beloved possession was about to be taken back.

“Sister Mimi…”

Lin Xun held Xia Xiaomeng’s soft shoulders.

“If you dare push me away, I’ll call out Qinger’s name. She definitely hasn’t gone far yet.”

Lin Xun: “…”

Lin Xun could only look up at the golden ceiling of the Imperial Study.

He didn’t know why things had turned out this way, but he could only let Sister Mimi hold him like this.

Otherwise, Sister Mimi’s current emotional state seemed rather unstable.

If anything really happened, he wouldn’t be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

No.

In fact, his name was already beyond clearing.

Xia Xiaomeng hugged Lin Xun for half the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, then sat on him while she handled some government affairs.

Half an hour later, she hugged Lin Xun and napped for a while.

It could be said that from the time she woke up until noon, Xia Xiaomeng had been clinging to Lin Xun like a needy kitten, unwilling to get up for even a second.

It was only because Xia Xiaomeng was already a Cultivator in the Golden Core Realm and had long since achieved Inedia.

Otherwise, Lin Xun felt that if Sister Mimi had to go relieve herself, she would probably take him along.

For lunch, Xia Xiaomeng specifically had the maids choose a small table like the kind used by an ordinary family.

Lin Xun, Jiang Qingshang, Xia Xiaomeng, and Yaya ate lunch together, just like a normal family.

Of course, the food an ordinary family ate would definitely not look like this.

After all, these dishes were prepared by the Imperial Chefs.

Having never eaten such fine dishes before, Yaya stuffed her small mouth and ate heartily.

Jiang Qingshang considerately placed food into her husband’s bowl.

Xia Xiaomeng watched as Jiang Qingshang served Lin Xun, her slender hand twitching slightly as she held her jade chopsticks, her eyes constantly darting toward Lin Xun’s bowl.

But in the end, Xia Xiaomeng suppressed that small impulse in her heart.

Lin Xun also breathed a sigh of relief.

He was truly afraid that Sister Mimi would suddenly have a lapse in judgment and serve him food too.

However, before Lin Xun’s relief could last long, his body jolted.

“Husband? Is something wrong?”

Jiang Qingshang asked softly, noticing something unusual about her husband.

“It’s nothing. I just bit a Peppercorn.”

Lin Xun said with a smile.

But under the dining table, Xia Xiaomeng had already slipped her fair, tender foot out of her embroidered shoe.

The young woman extended her flawless jade leg, straightening her arch, as her crystalline toes slid against the fabric of Lin Xun’s trousers.