194: Junior brother, you smell so good...

“Congratulations to Jin Yi (Golden Cloaks) on his triumphant return!”

The civil and military officials beside the golden imperial carriage also echoed loudly.

Everyone looked at Li Shengyuan with fervent eyes.

First, he beheaded Prince Yan and pacified the northern rebellion, then he ventured deep into the Far North to thwart the Demon Cult's insectoid beast tide plan, ultimately slaying the Demon Cult's Second Rank Six Demon Lords, greatly boosting morale and causing the Demon Cult's rebellions in various regions to retreat!

Each of these accomplishments, if achieved by any single person, would be enough to earn them a marquessate or a generalship; now, all of them converged upon Li Shengyuan alone!

He even overcame an unprecedented Tenfold Heavenly Tribulation, becoming one of the few Second Rank powerhouses in Great Qian!

The current Li Shengyuan is a name that even the Demon Cult trembles at the mere mention of!

Many high-ranking officials and ministers looked at Chief Assistant Li Cangsheng, who was at the forefront of all officials, with envy and jealousy in their eyes.

He was already above ten thousand people and below only one, and now Li Shengyuan's prestige was so immense; it seemed the Li family would monopolize the court from now on…

Everyone sighed in their hearts.

If it were anyone else, the Great Qian imperial family might be wary of the Li family's growing power, but who made Li Shengyuan the Empress's only junior brother?

It seemed they might have secretly pledged their lives to each other long ago…

There would be no need for rebellion; if a prince was born in the future, Great Qian would be theirs to command…

It seemed half of Great Qian would belong to the Li family.

With Li Shengyuan as the Empress's consort, the Second Rank imperial princes who remained reclusive would likely be smiling so wide their mouths couldn't close.

Because they knew that Li Shengyuan's aspirations would certainly no longer be confined to Great Qian, but would encompass higher pursuits.

The people on the sky abyss watched this shocking scene, their blood boiling.

Even Li Shengyuan, looking at the scene of the Emperor personally welcoming him, with the Golden Cloaks bowing in unison and shouting, felt his heart surge with emotion.

“Your subject Li Shengyuan greets Your Majesty; fortunately, I did not disappoint Your Majesty’s high hopes!” Li Shengyuan bowed.

“Jin Yi (Golden Cloaks) has eliminated traitors and protected the borders; this is a great achievement. All my beloved subjects, quickly rise; there is no need to bow!” Empress Mu Qingning's voice was unprecedentedly gentle.

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

The people on the sky abyss responded in unison.

Empress Mu Qingning smiled slightly, rose, and came to the golden imperial carriage, waving her hand and saying:

“All of you are meritorious subjects of my Great Qian. Upon your return to the capital this time, all will be rewarded. Follow me to the Imperial Palace for a three-day celebration!”

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace!” Li Shengyuan led the response.

Female Emperor Mu Qingning looked at Li Shengyuan with gentle eyes and smiled:

“Jin Yi (Golden Cloaks), come with me on the imperial carriage. We have been separated for a long time, and I have many things to tell you…”

Li Shengyuan was momentarily stunned upon hearing this; no outsider had ever been on the Emperor's imperial carriage before!

Not even the Emperor's most beloved concubines or the Empress herself!

This was the exclusive carriage of the Great Qian Emperor!

The civil and military officials were also shocked, and Li Cangsheng frowned slightly, being the first to offer a remonstrance:

“Your Majesty, I fear this may be inappropriate…”

The others also echoed in agreement.

Empress Mu Qingning, however, waved her hand calmly and smiled.

“There is nothing inappropriate. My decision is made. All my beloved subjects, simply consider this an eager reunion between a senior sister and her junior brother after a long separation!”

“This…” Li Cangsheng frowned slightly.

The Li family was already the most dazzling existence, known as the foremost family below the imperial family. If Li Shengyuan were to also sit on the Emperor's imperial carriage, wouldn't it be too ostentatious?

But why did Li Shengyuan feel like his senior sister, the Empress, was doing this to declare her sovereignty?

Although his senior sister was looking at him, he felt her gaze kept glancing towards those beside him…

At this moment, Empress Mu Qingning smiled and urged:

“Junior brother, come quickly. We haven't seen each other for a long time, and senior sister has many things she wants to tell you!”

“Alright…”

Li Shengyuan could only nod and agree, meeting his senior sister Female Emperor Mu Qingning's expectant gaze.

After giving a few instructions to his father, mother, Yue Xiyan, and other confidantes, he walked towards the luxurious golden imperial carriage where his senior sister Female Emperor Mu Qingning was.

Female Emperor Mu Qingning saw Li Shengyuan approach, and with a smile in her eyes, she actively pulled him into the golden dragon throne inside the imperial carriage.

He always felt his senior sister looked behind him a few times with a triumphant and provocative gaze…

“Junior brother, come sit here with senior sister…”

Watching Li Shengyuan and Empress together on the golden dragon throne, the civil and military officials' eyelids twitched wildly. In broad daylight, they were sitting on the dragon throne; did this count as an official announcement?!

Everyone really wanted to ask, if you do this, will those reclusive, old-fashioned imperial princes be happy?

Little did they know, in the empty Imperial Study, the two of them had done far more outrageous things than this…

Empress Mu Qingning's eyes were filled with Li Shengyuan, while the female guards protecting the imperial carriage outside shouted:

“Proceed to the palace!”

“Yes!”

The Golden Cloaks commander respectfully responded, then directed the Golden Cloaks to clear the way, guarding both sides of the imperial carriage and the civil and military officials.

Nine golden flood dragons turned their heads, heading back to the Imperial Palace in a mighty procession!

The capital's common folk, as well as powerhouses and merchants from various regions who had gathered nearby, also returned to the capital with surging emotions.

Witnessing this scene today was truly an eye-opener.

But what surprised the officials even more was that not only did Empress and a man sit on the dragon throne, but they even closed the curtains of the imperial carriage, forbidding outsiders from peering in…

In broad daylight, a man and a woman staying alone in a closed room—what kind of decorum was that?!

Indecent, utterly indecent!

Some old fuddy-duddies were heartbroken and wanted to voice their displeasure, but a single glance from Li Cangsheng made them obediently shut up…

Li Cangsheng was a Second Rank great scholar of the current age, and only the Dean of the Black White Academy's College of Literature could compare to him. The fuddy-duddies feared no one, but they did fear great scholars more powerful than themselves…

On the sky abyss, Wenren Qingxuan sensed that a few of her daughters-in-law seemed a bit off, and she chuckled as she held Yue Xiyan's hand and said:

“Shengyuan and Empress have been cultivating together since they were young; their feelings are very good. This is the first time they've been separated for so long, so they must be unaccustomed to it. They probably have a lot of private things to say…”

Recalling Empress Mu Qingning's final triumphant and provocative smile, Yue Xiyan smiled slightly and nodded:

“Indeed, we should give them some time. After all, I've monopolized Shengyuan for so long; he should interact with other women too…”

Wenren Qingxuan felt her scalp tingle upon hearing this; these two most assertive daughters-in-law seemed to be at odds!

At this moment, Shen Xinrong smiled and said, “Let's catch up quickly too; otherwise, Shengyuan and the others will get too far ahead.”

In her heart, she was pondering how to alleviate the conflict. As the eldest wife, she didn't need to be the strongest, but she absolutely had to be able to mediate her sisters' disputes.

Zixuan, inconspicuous in the corner, pouted somewhat sourly:

“She even enchanted the Empress; she really is a demoness…”

At the same time, inside the closed imperial carriage, Li Shengyuan looked at the tightly sealed environment and hesitantly said:

“Senior sister, in broad daylight, isn't it a bit inappropriate for us to be alone together like this?”

“I think it's quite nice…” Female Emperor Mu Qingning smiled slightly.

Then, with somewhat fervent eyes, she said, “Besides, if others were watching, how could senior sister give junior brother his reward?”

“Wh-what reward?”

Female Emperor Mu Qingning's eyes were hazy as she lightly stroked Li Shengyuan's cheek, murmuring Stupidly:

“Junior brother, after so long, you smell so good…”

Li Shengyuan: “Hmm???”