"I heard you're pregnant?" Sima Jiao asked.

Who the hell told you I'm pregnant? Don't you have any fucking clue whether I'm pregnant or not?! When Liao Tingyan heard Sima Jiao ask this question, she almost couldn't control her ferocious expression.

She forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty is joking with this concubine. How could this concubine possibly be pregnant, hehe."

Come to think of it, isn't it a bit unscientific that she actually gained weight? In which Mary Sue novel does the setting of a peerless beauty say she suddenly gets fat?

No, no, no, analyzing rationally, she actually didn't gain that much weight. It's just because her figure was too good and waist too slim before, so she wore a qiupiao.

Recently she's been sleeping with Sima Jiao all day, so a little belly grew - wait until next summer when the weather is hot and she loses appetite, her figure will naturally recover.

It must be like this.

While Liao Tingyan was comforting herself, Sima Jiao let out an "oh", looked at her belly, reached out to touch it, pinched it and said, "No wonder you felt much softer when I held you. Turns out a circle of flesh grew on your belly."

Liao Tingyan: "..." Self-comfort failed, mentality collapsed.

Sima Jiao: "No wonder, you eat so much every day. I've never seen anyone who can eat more than you."

Liao Tingyan was furious with shame. Does this dog emperor know how to speak? Isn't he good at reading people? How come he can't see at all that she's about to lose it?! And whose fault is this?

This guy doesn't like to eat himself, but likes watching others eat. Every time he sees her eating, he's just like those big shots in the modern world who send gifts while watching mukbang. He keeps giving her treasures and often has the imperial kitchen make all kinds of delicious desserts and dishes in various ways.

He fattened her up and still has the nerve to nag here!

Sima Jiao saw her expression clearly and suddenly laughed out loud. He reached out to hug her, but pretended to lift her waist a little and put her down again, saying, "Really gained weight, can't lift you."

Liao Tingyan lost her mind after being hit by this combo. She pounced on him, baring fangs and brandishing claws. Sima Jiao opened his arms to catch her, laughing loudly, "Don't be impulsive. How can the gentle and graceful Noble Consort be so fierce."

Fierce your grandma's leg! Liao Tingyan took a deep breath, preparing to break his waist.

Sima Jiao: "You're really that angry? Then I'll take you to see treasures. I'll give you whatever you like."

Not all women will give up being angry because of receiving shockingly expensive gifts, but Liao Tingyan will.

She happily took out 108 strings of pearl curtains from the emperor's private treasury, said to be treasures of the previous dynasty, the beloved collection of a former Empress Dowager. Liao Tingyan had them tidied up, ready to hang in the bedchamber of Furong Palace.

"But, you always sleep in my inner palace. If you hang them in your own place, you won't see them either." Sima Jiao suggested, "Why not hang them in front of the palace gate as a door curtain."

Hearing this, Liao Tingyan thought it made a lot of sense and had them hung in front of the palace gate, so she could see them when going in and out. Because Sima Jiao had a very casual attitude towards these treasures, throwing them around to play with the sound, smashing them into the water to hit fish, Liao Tingyan's attitude also became casual.

But the palace maids and female attendants were much more careful, including Guiye. They passed through those pearl curtains to enter the palace very cautiously every day.

Because Liao Tingyan currently held the highest position in the harem, theoretically speaking, she should be in charge of all harem affairs. However, because Sima Jiao's harem was very harmonious and there was hardly anything that required her to handle, with minor matters all dealt with by the inner court, the only thing Liao Tingyan needed to do at present was to accept the greetings from the beauties of the various palaces on the first and fifteenth of each month.

Originally, everyone paid respects in the outer hall. Later, seeing the weather turning cold, Liao Tingyan let them come inside. In just this short time, the beauties were all shocked by what they saw.

That incense burner seemed to be a precious furnishing from the Heavenly Pavilion of Xuanwu Palace in the previous dynasty. It's said that even the incense burned inside has a special fragrance.

And Liao Tingyan actually used a large piece of pure white fur without any impurities as a foot mat; the exquisite carved jade flower bracelet on the Noble Consort's wrist seemed to be specially commissioned by Emperor Sima of four generations ago for his beloved empress, consuming over a thousand precious jade stones to obtain this single piece...

And this time, when the beauties came to pay respects, before even entering the gate, they saw the pearl curtains hanging at the entrance of Furong Palace. They all had some discernment and knowledge.

Seeing these invaluable and incomparably precious pearl curtains actually being used as door curtains, they couldn't help clicking their tongues. One beauty touched the pearl hairpin on her own head with an unsightly expression. The pearls on the hairpin were lustrous and bright, a hard-to-find top-grade eastern pearl.

She often took it out to show off in the past, wearing it every day and treasuring it very much. But now, seeing that every pearl on these pearl curtains looked better than the one on her head, yet the Noble Consort used them as door curtains, her face felt burning hot.

After several months of peaceful days, quite a few beauties privately started having little thoughts. Now, seeing the Noble Consort being so favored, with all kinds of rare playthings and various treasures that His Majesty let her casually toss around filling Furong Palace, they also couldn't help feeling envious.

Who says they have no chance of being favored?

With people's hearts stirring like this, Liao Tingyan discovered that beauties appeared around her much more often. After eating, she would go to the garden to aid digestion.

In such a large garden, she rarely encountered anyone before. Now, every single time, she could see shy and timid beauties nearby.

Even she felt something was off and asked Guiye, "Do the beauties have any ideas? I see they've been very active lately."

Guiye's expression turned solemn, "They are probably jealous of the Noble Consort now monopolizing His Majesty's favor alone. The Noble Consort needs to be careful of them fighting for favor!"

Liao Tingyan: "..."

The palace fighting drama is finally starting? But isn't their way of fighting for favor too unconventional? If they want to compete for favor, then why does no beauty show up when Sima Jiao accompanies her to stroll in the garden, yet she can encounter many beauties when she goes out with just a few palace maids? And these beauties all seem to be deliberately trying to please her?

"His Majesty's authority is immense. This concubine does not dare to rashly desire His Majesty's favor, only wishing to serve the Noble Consort..." The beauty shyly expressed her intentions, even trembling a few times when mentioning Sima Jiao.

Indeed, they did not dare to entice Emperor Sima Jiao, as the experiences of their predecessors were too tragic. The beauties still in the palace could not forget the dark times before Consort Liao entered the palace. So they changed their approach. If they could not gain the Emperor's favor, gaining the Noble Consort's affection was just as good.

It could similarly elevate their treatment and status, with much less risk to their lives. Much more feasible!

Liao Tingyan: If I heard correctly, these beauties seem to want to cling to my coattails?

After observing for some time, Liao Tingyan discovered that the beauties were indeed vying for favor, but not for Sima Jiao's affection, but for hers. Everyone wanted to stand out in her eyes, yet not a single person dared to compete in front of Sima Jiao. Even when occasionally encountering Sima Jiao, these beauties would honestly shrink to the side, eyes downcast.

Liao Tingyan did not know what exactly Sima Jiao had done before to make these beauties so afraid, leading to such an odd scene of currying favor. She only knew that she had recently been surrounded by beauties. Whenever she returned and saw Sima Jiao, she felt a faint guilt.

Well, her sexual orientation was normal. She had no designs on Sima Jiao's concubines, even if some of those beauties were truly cute, gentle and moving. She had no such thoughts!

"You've been frequenting the Imperial Garden lately?" Sima Jiao asked her.

Liao Tingyan honestly nodded, "Yes, but the Imperial Garden is too big. I still haven't walked through half of it yet."

"I also heard many beauties often 'run into' you in the garden?" Sima Jiao asked again.

Liao Tingyan chuckled dryly, "Ah haha—I suppose so."

Sima Jiao clicked his tongue and pulled her to his side. "No need to pay them any mind. Don't think they are truly weak just because they look delicate. No one simple could survive in my harem until now. If you believe them, you'll be used. They are skilled at deceiving with appearances and lies. You know nothing, so it's best you stay away from them, lest you be taken in by their honeyed words."

Liao Tingyan: ...... Is my image in Sima Jiao's heart that of an idiot?

That "know nothing" was describing her? Even if she indeed only exhibited abilities to eat and sleep after entering the palace, he can't look down on her like this. At least in her previous world she had experienced workplace struggles.

Also, he previously warned her that the court officials were no good and forbade her from speaking in court. Now he's cautioning that the harem beauties are no good and forbidding her from making friends in the harem. Does this person have paranoid delusions, thinking no one in the world can be trusted? Or is this an emperor's common affliction?

After studying her for a while, Sima Jiao seemed to give up on educating her. "Seeing your blank look, you probably don't understand. Forget it, do as you wish. Anyway, if you dislike any of them, just tell me. I'll kill them."

Ignoring his last sentence, Liao Tingyan suddenly realized that in both their hearts, the other's image seemed to be that of an idiot.

With Sima Jiao's words, Liao Tingyan felt a bit strange when 'running into' the beauties again. She always felt those delicate little lambs were actually wolves in sheep's clothing.

"Noble Consort, look, it's snowing!" A maid from Furong Palace smiled as she brought in a branch of red plum blossoms. "Snow is scarce this year. It's already deep into winter, yet this is the first snowfall. But the red plums have bloomed early. When this servant passed by the Plum Garden and saw the flowers blooming so nicely, I cut a couple branches."

Another maid said, "I heard the red plums in the Plum Garden are especially beautiful this year. But red plums are most beautiful in the snow. Cut like this and placed in the palace, it seems a bit dull."

With nothing to do, hearing the two maids say this, Liao Tingyan became interested in seeing the plum blossoms. The two flower-holding maids glanced at each other, smiling as they attended her out the door.

The snow was light, just some fine flakes drifting down. Liao Tingyan did not take a palanquin. Changing into leather boots, wrapped in a thick cloak and holding a small hand-warmer, she prepared to walk over.

Guiye was still accompanying her, along with the two flower-holding maids and a group of palace servants specifically tasked with holding umbrellas for her.

The Plum Garden was indeed filled with many plum blossoms at this time. But due to the cold weather, besides them, there seemed to be no one else around. The ground was covered with a thin layer of snow, while the plum branches were coated in a layer of glistening white.

Liao Tingyan wandered around the Plum Garden for a while, feeling there wasn't actually much to see. She was thinking of heading back when, from the corner of her eye, she suddenly spotted a white figure flash by not far away.

Turning to look, she only saw a small white-furred animal dart into the woods, leaving a few footprints in the snow.

"What was that?" Liao Tingyan asked curiously.

"It seemed to be a white fox?" a maid said.

"A white fox?" Liao Tingyan was interested. Turning, she led a few people in that direction. "Let's go see."

They passed through the woods and saw a long corridor and a hexagonal pavilion. This was a place in the Plum Garden for appreciating the winter scenery. One side had a wall with flower windows, while the other side was open.

Liao Tingyan saw a trail of plum blossom-shaped footprints on the floor tiles and followed them. She didn't find the white-furred creature, but when she reached the flower window, she heard the voices of two people conversing on the other side.

She peered out through the flower window and saw that under the plum tree outside, two maids with their backs to her were cutting plum branches. One of them said, "It's said the Noble Consort is with child. Who knows if it's true? What do you think, Sister?"

"If it's true, then how pitiful. Who knows what kind of strange child will be born," the older maid sighed. "After all, His Majesty's bloodline is taboo..."

Liao Tingyan: Wait a minute, isn't this plot development typical of stirring up trouble? Next, these two will definitely reveal a shocking secret for her to overhear.

Thinking this, Liao Tingyan unhesitatingly turned and left.

The more you know, the faster you die. Better hurry away!

Author's Note:

High energy warning for the next chapter.

Let me emphasize again, Ah Jiao is a tyrant, a dog emperor, truly.