Chapter 124 Fake Belly
What's wrong with you now?
"The way the Empress looked at me was as if she was saying that I was a thief."
Guan Zhiwei scoffed. These people really have too much free time. She wrote the word "Forbidden" in large characters on the memorial with her vermilion brush, without even looking up: "How can it be you acting like a thief? It should be me stealing chickens and dogs."
Gao Huan was silent for a moment, suspecting that His Majesty was subtly criticizing him.
"Petty theft is a term used by common people, and it is not in keeping with Your Majesty's status."
"That's just flirting."
Gao Huan pondered, "Even grass sounds a bit cheap." He protested, "I am not some kind of foxtail grass."
"Got it, seeking pleasure with prostitutes."
"..." Indeed, there was no grass.
Gao Huan suggested, "How about Your Majesty says 'stealing fragrance and jade'?"
Guan Zhiwei laughed: "What do you think of 'Playing Dragon and Phoenix'?"
Gao Huan felt that this word suited his status very well, and said modestly, "What Your Majesty said is all good."
"Pah," Guan Zhiwei said with a smirk, "You're really trying to flatter yourself. I'm willing but unable to do so."
This word is truly stuck to Gao Huan's forehead.
Gao Huan's expression twisted slightly.
I should have known better than to say those things.
He said, "The past is the past."
"Is he a pervert now?"
"..."
Guan Liuliu forced down her upturned lips.
Talking about slightly suggestive topics can bring harmony between men and women, and alleviate the pain of their family of origin.
Guan Zhiwei chatted with him for a few minutes before getting to the point: "Did you find what I asked you to find?"
Gao Huan immediately abandoned his playful mood, his eyes becoming meaningful: "Found it, Your Majesty. Bringing it into the palace might attract attention, so I will transport it along with other items to Your Majesty's private treasury this afternoon."
The box contained bamboo-woven basins, lined with cotton, in various sizes to mimic a pregnant belly from three to nine months.
Isn't Zhifang waiting for her weakness?
Congratulations to him, he'll be here soon.
Guan Liuliu summoned the imperial physician on the grounds that His Majesty was unwell.
The imperial physician took His Majesty's pulse and found it to be slippery. He then announced that His Majesty was pregnant and was already three months along.
Guan Zhiwei happily informed the imperial court that the country would soon have a successor.
Whether it was true or not, all the civil and military officials in the court were extremely happy, even more so than if their wives had given birth.
Knowing that Junyuan's wife had given birth, he was overjoyed, his teeth chattering. He picked her up and spun her around happily.
"Your Majesty, I'm going to be a father! Thank you so much! You were actually willing to have my child. I'm almost crying!"
Guan Liuliu said anxiously, "Your Majesty, please don't make such a big move. The baby is still unstable, and His Majesty hasn't been eating or sleeping well lately. He needs to be rested and protected. Less stimulation will be better for the baby."
Zhi Junyuan quickly put the person down, looking nervous: "I'm sorry, I was wrong."
"It's okay, it's okay. Just don't hug me and spin me around next time. I feel dizzy and nauseous." Guan Zhiwei covered her head and exchanged a glance with Guan Liuliu through her hand.
Both of them breathed a sigh of relief. What if their bellies had popped out?
With His Majesty pregnant, the only person who might be unhappy is Yuan Chizheng.
Your Majesty is a woman, and once pregnant, she takes up her belly and abstains from male companionship.
How does he win favor?
Why isn't it Zhijunyuan who's pregnant?
He can then rely on his beauty to win favor.
Unlike now, when people have to rack their brains to win favor.
Finally, he asked Gao Huan to send a handwritten letter to Guan Zhiwei.
It says on it:
I came downstairs, and coins fell from the sky; I asked the heavens, where are they?
I hate the prince, who has already left; I curse my enemy, who is gone and cannot be kept.
I regret my past words; I spoke carelessly, leaving no room for acquaintances. Why bother asking right and wrong?
Separation requires no knife, from now on I will not rely on my enemies, a thousand kinds of longing can be wiped away with a single stroke.
"Yuan Chi was just saying that he was worried Your Majesty might be bored while pregnant, so he specially made a riddle for Your Majesty to guess." Gao Huan presented the riddle to His Majesty with both hands. His palms were white and tender, with distinct knuckles, like sections of tender white scallions.
Guan Zhiwei took a look; it was not only a word puzzle, but also a poem expressing a woman's lament.
The melancholy between the lines is cleverly expressed through the riddle.
Is this young master using all his brainpower on this?
Guan Zhiwei was amused and laughed heartily: "This person is quite the performer, jumping around like that, so cheerful."
Gao Huan felt he hadn't guessed wrong; His Majesty did indeed treat this Third Young Master Yuan as a trophy, glancing at him every now and then to put him in a good mood.
Zhi Junyuan couldn't hide his jealousy. "Your Majesty, your pregnancy must be quite tiring. Solving these riddles must be very mentally taxing."
Guan Zhiwei could tell he was jealous, so she tossed the riddle aside and said, "I like you the most."
Zhi Jun glanced at Gao Huan, feeling embarrassed in front of so many people.
Guan Zhiwei, with a thick skin, rested her chin on her hand and said with a smile, "You know, everyone likes me, but I only like you."
Zhi Junyuan gave a soft "hmm," with a hint of smugness.
Gao Huan had an inscrutable expression, a half-smile playing on his lips.
"I still have memorials to review. You may all leave."
"yes."
The two took their leave together.
As soon as they stepped out of the Imperial Study, Zhi Junyuan said impatiently, "Your Majesty is pregnant and should take good care of yourself. If Lord Gao is a loyal minister, he should not be doing anything fancy at this time."
Gao Huan smiled slightly as he listened to his barbed words. The Emperor was pregnant; didn't he know what that meant? It was something he had someone make up.
“Your Majesty is a monarch, it’s normal for him to have three palaces and six concubines. There must be some concubines of noble birth in the harem, it has always been like this throughout history.” Gao Huan said in a tone of “I’m doing this for your own good”: “Compared to the sons of those high-ranking officials, isn’t Yuan Chizheng better?”
Zhi Junyuan's face turned ashen: "There's no need for you to worry about that, Lord Gao. This is my business. The Empress manages the six palaces, and the Attendant-in-Ordinary is an official from the previous dynasty. Don't overstep your bounds."
"Oh dear, when it comes to background, I can't compare to him," Gao Huan said slowly.
He admits he can't compare, but do you think you can compare to Junyuan?
Guan Zhiwei didn't care much about the storms and troubles outside; she focused solely on getting pregnant.
I'm two months pregnant and experiencing vomiting and nausea.
I'm three months pregnant and can't eat.
I'm four months pregnant, weak, and can't get out of bed.
I'm five months pregnant and have sciatic nerve pain. Once I sit down, I can't get up and can only lie down.
I'm six months pregnant and I often get up at night. I can't lie flat anymore, so I have to lie on my side.
Because he had been suffering from discomfort since the beginning of his pregnancy, Zhi Junyuan had not been near Guan Zhiwei. At first, he could sleep beside her, but later, when he got up at night and was restless, Guan Zhiwei stopped letting him stay overnight.
During the day, he also had to help His Majesty process memorials, either by reviewing them or by separating the important from the unimportant ones.
The thick stack of memorials contained mostly impeachments against the father for abusing his power and controlling the military.
He secretly hid all these memorials, not letting Guan Zhiwei see them.
He comforted himself, saying that this was also to allow His Majesty to focus on her pregnancy.
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