Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Zhiwei immediately felt three pairs of eyes in the private room fall on her.

His Majesty's scrutinizing gaze, Lord Bian's sudden sharp look, even the guard on the bamboo mat who hadn't shown any presence from beginning to end looked over in an instant, his hand had somehow landed on the scabbard at his waist.

Liu Zhiwei lowered her eyes slightly, the muscles around her lips tightened slightly, and her long eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly.

She wasn't entirely sure.

A solar eclipse is considered an ominous sign by the world, representing drastic changes in the heavens and earth and disasters, a warning from heaven to the rulers of the human world.

Even the emperor needed to examine his own virtue and hold sacrifices to eliminate the negative influence.

She didn't know His Majesty's attitude towards this matter: would he be offended and think she was exaggerating, or would he accept her reasoning and show sufficient importance to it?

These two attitudes correspond to two completely different fates for her.

If His Majesty were to fly into a rage, all her previous efforts would undoubtedly be nothing but digging her own grave. Her reputation as a "master of divination" could be shattered in the blink of an eye, and she and her brother would be doomed.

If His Majesty shows sufficient importance, such merit would be enough to ensure that the brother and sister would live a worry-free life for the rest of their lives.

Liu Zhiwei bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, if a solar eclipse occurs without warning, it could very well cause panic and spread rumors. Even worse, some villains might take the opportunity to cause trouble and destabilize the country."

Seeing that His Majesty remained silent, Liu Zhiwei continued to add fuel to the fire, "If you don't believe what I'm saying, then make preparations early. What's wrong with waiting seven months?"

"If there is no celestial eclipse at that time, everyone will be happy, and my death will be nothing to regret. If, unfortunately, my words come true, and we have taken precautions, we can turn danger into safety and misfortune into good fortune. We can use this as an opportunity to accomplish what Your Majesty desires."

After these words were spoken, the private room fell into an even deeper silence, until a crisp clapping sound startled the two people who were still shaken.

Liu Zhiwei followed the sound and looked toward His Majesty, meeting a pair of admiring eyes.

Qin Ji praised her highly without reservation, saying, "Liu Zhiwei, you are even more outstanding than I expected."

Has His Majesty accepted her words?

After a heartbeat that skipped a beat, it finally calmed down. The blood in her fingertips warmed up and turned a normal pink. Liu Zhiwei said modestly, "Your Majesty flatters me."

"You have considerable expertise in astronomy, calendar systems, and mathematics?"

Your Majesty's question suggests that you have some understanding of celestial phenomena like solar eclipses, rather than blindly resisting them, fearing them like tigers, or regarding them as snakes and scorpions.

Liu Zhiwei was completely relieved.

Thinking of His Majesty's arrogant and dazzling "knowing a little bit" before, Liu Zhiwei smoothed the wrinkles on her skirt and replied demurely, "You flatter me, I only know a little bit."

Tsk, what a shrewd scholar, what a con artist.

However, he has good judgment; he knows to emulate the virtuous.

Qin Ji wore an approachable smile. "However, you think too highly of my Imperial Observatory, considering it a bunch of useless incompetents."

Liu Zhiwei was taken aback.

Qin Ji calmly sipped his tea. "You think you're the only one who understands celestial phenomena and calendars?"

A crack finally appeared on the girl's composed face; her eyes widened slightly before quickly lowering again to return to her "calm and collected" demeanor. She picked up her teacup, pretending to drink, her sleeve obscuring the lower half of her face. "How could this be?"

"The officials of the Imperial Observatory are skilled in calendar making, astronomical observation, and stargazing; they naturally know far more than a young girl like me who hasn't even reached marriageable age."

Qin Ji held his teacup, observing Liu Zhiwei's reaction with great interest. "Back in March of this year, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau presented me with a report on the calculations for the solar eclipse next July."

Liu Zhiwei's hand holding the tea cup trembled almost imperceptibly, but she managed to steady it so as not to spill it. After calmly taking a sip, she put the teacup down and said, "This humble woman is ignorant and has made Your Majesty laugh at me."

Her attitude was frank, but her slightly flushed cheeks betrayed her embarrassment.

A barely perceptible smile flickered in Qin Ji's eyes.

A thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl is already quite impressive.

Confined by experience and a small courtyard, his impoverished life lacked sufficient support, resulting in a lack of broad knowledge.

Even so, the date and time of the solar eclipse she calculated were exactly the same as those of the Imperial Observatory, and even more accurate, down to the second quarter of the hour of Si (9-11 AM).

As long as she can be provided with good conditions, this girl's future is limitless.

What a talented person! He pleases me greatly.

Qin Ji was extremely satisfied. "With your talent, it's a pity that you're confined to the inner chambers and limited by your status as a woman."

Liu Zhiwei unconsciously clenched her skirt with her hands on her knees.

How could she not know how difficult it is for a woman to achieve something great?

Confined to their own little world, their writings remained unpublished. Even when they wrote to those knowledgeable in calendrical science and astronomy seeking guidance, they were most often refused.

One reason is because of the strict separation between men and women.

Or they might simply look down on her, thinking that a young girl should be embroidering or chasing butterflies instead of observing celestial phenomena and studying the calendar.

She tried to climb to a high place to look at the stars, but she couldn't even stand up.

Once married, if she doesn't get her husband's support, all her life's learning will be in vain.

Although the girl appeared relatively calm, her sadness was impossible to hide.

Qin Ji asked, "How long did you calculate the solar eclipse?"

"Five months."

"Where will the observations take place?"

Liu Zhiwei bit her thin lips lightly, "On an unnamed mountain in the outskirts of Beijing. The mountain path is steep, and wild animals occasionally appear, but when the weather is nice, my brother will offer to carry me up the mountain."

Qin Ji was slightly surprised. He had thought that Liu Zhiwei's data came from collection, but he did not expect that it was actually her own observation.

Liu Qinghong operates in a gray area; regardless of his moral character, he is exceptionally kind to his sister.

It's unclear whether he learned such excellent light-body skills in order to carry his younger sister around and observe things.

Qin Ji asked, "Without an armillary sphere or a gnomon, how did you perform the calculations?"

"Use a bamboo pole as a compass, a stone slab as a jade tablet, and a copper coin with a hole in it. Hang it before your eyes and aim it at the stars." Liu Zhiwei said without hesitation.

"Did you have a teacher?"

For a moment, Liu Zhiwei's expression showed embarrassment, but it quickly became solemn. She slowly said, "It is inherited from the sages and worthies of the past, from the stars and the sun and moon, from the various schools of thought, and from the changing seasons."

The voice was soft, not directed at any specific person, but rather at the ancient starry sky, the changing seasons, the shining wisdom of the sages throughout the long river of history, and the countless classic texts they left behind.

The moment he finished speaking, you could hear a pin drop.

Both the mooncakes and red beans attracted attention.

The girl was very clever. She realized that he intended to recruit her and was afraid that her "self-taught" background would cause her to lose the opportunity. So she simply elevated the fact that she had no teacher to the status of a sage from heaven and earth.

He really is a conman; he's got a bit of his style.

A hint of a smile flashed across Qin Ji's eyes. "I can arrange for servants to attend to your daily needs, and I can also grant you access to the relevant books treasured in the palace. I can even arrange for experts in this field to discuss and exchange ideas with you to help you fill in any gaps in your knowledge. The Observatory can also be opened to you."

"but……"

Liu Zhiwei was overwhelmed by this series of benefits, her pupils trembled slightly, but she remained rational, knowing that the important part usually comes after the "but", so she listened attentively.

"However, your calculations of the solar eclipse must be compiled into a report."

This is essentially to obtain her calculation method, or perhaps to compare it with that of the Imperial Observatory, to see if there is anything that can be absorbed and optimized.

Liu Zhiwei had no intention of keeping her work to herself, and bowed, saying, "Zhiwei obeys."

Qin Ji suddenly tapped the wooden table and said meaningfully, "Perhaps in the future, our Great Yin Imperial Observatory will produce a female director."

Liu Zhiwei suddenly looked up, her fingertips trembling slightly.

She felt she had already received great privileges by being able to study the calendar and observe the stars without any distractions.

I originally thought I was just working in secret, but I never expected to be able to step into the limelight as a woman.

This was something she never dared to imagine; Liu Zhiwei's hands gripped the edge of the wheelchair tightly.

Is His Majesty just making empty promises to her?

Can we keep a written agreement?

Liu Zhiwei's calm eyes were filled with joy. She tried her best to maintain her usual clear and restrained voice, but the slight rise in the last syllable betrayed the turbulent waves in her heart. "Your Majesty has discerning eyes. If that day truly comes, all of Zhiwei's knowledge will be used by Your Majesty to repay the Emperor's grace."

Qin Ji slowly took a sip of tea.

Tsk, your cultivation is lacking; you show your joy on your face.

Overdoing the flattery lowers one's class.

They're far inferior to me.

...

First update! It's a bit late today, but this chapter has a lot of words, right? (Good boy/girl)

The second update is still at midnight. The event continues. We're still 600 points short today. Help! Only four hours left! GG, GG looks like it's over! (shouting)

Whether there will be a double update tomorrow depends on everyone, let's go!