The imperial garden of the Northern Jin Dynasty palace.
Baochan, with her noticeably protruding belly, strolled in the garden.
Xiao Li helped her up, glancing around to make sure no one was around, and then said to Bao Chan, "Your Majesty, it's quiet here for now."
Upon hearing this, Baochan immediately pulled in her stomach and let out a sigh of relief, then sat down on a stone bench behind a clump of flowering trees by the roadside. "Pretending to be pregnant is this hard, it must be even harder if you're really pregnant."
Little Fox paused for a moment before replying, "That's probably true. Ten months of pregnancy, especially the final stage of childbirth, is said to be like passing through the gates of hell. If you make it through, both mother and child are safe; if you don't, one of them will die, or even both will perish."
"Then...wouldn't it be even more dangerous for that woman to be pregnant with twins?"
"The risks of difficult labor with twins are doubled, and Princess Chongyang was lucky."
"Of course I'm lucky. I've won his heart, which is better than countless women in the world."
"Your Majesty, please don't think about these things."
"How could I not want to? I'm still somewhat resentful. In terms of talent and appearance, what am I lacking?"
"Maybe we were just not meant to be."
The two eunuchs passed by the grove of flowering trees where they were, and were so engrossed in their conversation that they did not notice them.
"What is the Prince of Chongyang thinking? He doesn't ascend the throne himself, but lets his queen ascend it. This is unheard of."
“Since ancient times, women have stayed in the inner quarters. It is considered unchaste for a woman to show her face in public. This is not just showing her face in public, it is a hen crowing at dawn, usurping power and causing chaos. It is an omen of disaster. I think that once this empress is established in Chongyang Prefecture, it will be finished in no time.”
"That's why His Majesty and Xiangcheng are going to join forces to encircle them."
...
Hearing what the two eunuchs said, Baochan frowned and said to Xiaoli, "Go and ask them."
Little Fox went immediately.
Soon Xiao Li returned and said to Bao Chan, "Those two eunuchs are from the Council Hall and the tea room."
"What's this about the empress they were talking about?"
“King Chongyang wanted to establish a kingdom, but he would not be the emperor; instead, he would make his queen the empress and King Chongyang the subject.”
"Why would he install a puppet woman as emperor?" Baochan couldn't understand.
"The Central Jin Dynasty has sent envoys here, wanting to join forces with the Northern Jin to destroy Chongyang Prefecture. Although the Wu Kingdom has stopped its attacks for now, it is also observing. As long as the Central Jin and the Northern Jin join forces, they will certainly not remain indifferent."
"The encirclement is underway... Go out of the palace and send this message out."
"Your Majesty, this servant thinks you can't take any more risks now. They've never given you any benefits, so it's better to distance yourself from them now."
Bao Chan looked at Xiao Li in surprise, "What did you say?"
Little Fox hurriedly knelt on the ground, "This servant has overstepped her bounds."
Bao Chan looked at her for a while, her eyes darkening slightly. "What you said is not wrong. Get up."
Little Fox lowered her head and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Let's go back, I'm tired too." Baochan restored her belly to its swollen shape and said to Xiaoli, "I should find some time to get rid of this fake belly."
Xiao Li's expression changed slightly, and she looked down at her stomach.
While Baochan was speaking, she had been keeping a close eye on Xiaoli. When she saw Xiaoli's movements, her pupils contracted slightly before returning to normal.
After returning to the Jade Toad Palace, Bao Chan excused herself by saying she was tired and lay down on the bed to rest.
Xiao Li ordered everyone not to disturb Bao Chan's rest, and then hurriedly left the Jade Toad Palace.
Baochan stood by the window, watching Xiaoli's retreating figure, her eyes gradually turning cold. "No wonder you don't like betrayal. It turns out that this feeling is really unbearable."
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