Bai Mengxiang laid peacefully on the bed, his waist hugged by a figure behind him.

Another month had passed, Xu Yongheng's love meter was now at 80%.

Bai Mengxiang's stomach had grown big enough that the many layers of clothes he wore couldn't hide his belly from showing. As of now, the only thing he could do was stay low in his palace as Xu Yongheng and he had talked about this before.

They both had decided not to tell anyone of this matter until it came to the point where they couldn't hide it anymore.

Bai Mengxiang felt like he had a very doting husband. Seriously, he felt like a pampered princess or something. At times, Xu Yongheng wouldn't even let him walk two feet away from him, and was almost by his side 24/7. Bai Mengxiang had started to get use to it now. He liked being pampered.

Just then, the figure behind him suddenly loosened his arms and slowly got up. Bai Mengxiang used this moment to pretend that he had just woken up.

"Are you going to the morning court?" Bai Mengxiang asked, his eyes still misty from just waking up.

Xu Yongheng looked at him, his heart filled with happiness as he softly kissed Bai Mengxiang's forehead.

"Yes, you should go back to sleep. You haven't been getting much sleep these days." Xu Yongheng said as he started to wear his clothes for morning court.

"You've been telling me to go back to sleep too often. As a wife, I should help you out more." Bai Mengxiang got up from the bed and walked towards Xu Yongheng. He then grabbed the clothes as he helped Xu Yongheng put it on.

"What more do you need to do? Just being by my side is more than enough. You should get more rest. You shouldn't have to wake up so early just because of me." Xu Yongheng said, grabbing Bai Mengxiang's hand that stopped by his chest and held it.

"But still, I feel like I'm being too pampered by you. This isn't good for you. You have so much you need to do, I can't take up so much of your time. You have the whole nation on your back, this is one of the only things I can do for you." Bai Mengxiang said, leaning his head on Xu Yongheng's chest.

Xu Yongheng let Bai Mengxiang lean against his chest, his hand reaching up to touch Bai Mengxiang's stomach, caressing it.

"Yu Nation wants to form an alliance with the Xu Nation. They are betrothing one of their princes to me. I wanted to tell you and ask for your opinion." Xu Yongheng broke the silence with this startling sentence.

"Accept it. As much as I want to be the only one in your life, I know well enough that you are still an Emperor. If you are able to form an alliance, Xu Nation would profit by much. I just don't want your feelings to change towards me. That's all I wish for, your love, and for this child of ours to grow safely." Bai Mengxiang said, no longer leaning on Xu Yongheng but now staring into his eyes with an understanding smile.

"I promise that my heart won't be able to change, and I will make sure that our child grows safely." Xu Yongheng declared, smiling as he bent forwards and landed a soft kiss on Bai Mengxiang's lips.

A pink flush broke out on Bai Mengxiang's cheeks, his face appearing even more alluring with it. Xu Yongheng pulled away, smiling as he suppressed his laughter.

"Now go. Don't be late to the morning court." Bai Mengxiang gently pushed Xu Yongheng towards the door, trying to hide his flushed face.

Xu Yongheng said his farewells, and Bai Mengxiang sat down on a chair, calling Xiao Lan in.

"Imperial Noble Consort, what can I do for you?" Xiao Lan asked, her eyes filled with happiness and joy.

"I will have to bother you to go and make me another bowl of herbal tonic, Xiao Lan." Bai Mengxiang asked, rubbing his forehead as he looked at Xiao Lan.

"Yes, Imperial Noble Consort. I will be back soon." Xiao Lan happily left, smiling as she exited the door.

(System, has Shilian begun plotting anything yet.)

[Not yet. I have been monitoring him for a while now, and it seems like he has stopped all of his plans currently. He must be waiting for the perfect moment to attack or something. That seems like something he would do.]

(Has he stepped out of his palace lately?)

[A few times to exchange greetings with Mei Lin and the Empress Dowager. He has gotten extremely arrogant for some random reason. He struts around as if he was the Phoenix in the palace. It's actually quite funny monitoring him. I've gotten quite a few amount of laughs in as I watched him.]

(As much as I want to be you, I'll have to gladly say I wouldn't.)

The urgent knocking on the door startled Bai Mengxiang. He looked worriedly at the door before he saw Xiao Lan walk in, carrying the bowl, she set it down quickly.

"Imperial Noble Consort, two of Yu Nation's princes had suddenly visited the palace. One of their princes, Yu Zhuang has come along with his brother, Yu Long. Imperial Noble Consort, Yu Zhuang is a Ger." Xiao Lan stated, her eyes now clouded with worry.

She has been in this palace long enough to know what it meant for a prince, especially a Ger, to visit the palace. An alliance sealed with a marriage was sure to happen. That meant another person who would try to fight against her master. And right now, her master was in a vulnerable place. With a child in his stomach, he would be put in danger easily. It was only for a while that they could hide this matter, now, it can no longer be hidden.

She watched as Bai Mengxiang's eyes grew worried, but even then, he was still calm.

Xu Yongheng's eyes flickered as he watched some unexpected guests arrive. Fifth Prince, Yu Zhuang, and Second Prince, Yu Long.

As his eyes looked at them, he couldn't help but notice right away that something felt amiss about the both of them.

He looked at Yu Zhuang, noticing right away that this person seemed to have a stubborn character, maybe even spoiled, unlike his Mengxiang.

He watched as they both bowed down towards him, before standing upright. A minister by them led them to a seat.

"We apologize for the unruly welcome the two of you have received. The Xu Nation hadn't known that We would have guest from the Yu Nation visiting the palace. If We had known, We would have welcomed you both with a banquet fitting of your status." Xu Yongheng said, his eyes scanning Yu Long, who looked back and answered him.

"It is our fault to have inconvenience you. We thought that it has been a while since you have gotten the letter that was sent to you and decided to come and get an answer as soon as possible. If possible, we will have to ask for an answer now." Yu Long stated, not seeming to be scared of Xu Yongheng's presence.

Yu Zhuang only kept his eyes staring at Xu Yongheng, suddenly infatuated with the appearance of a handsome man. His smile got wider, his eyes now gleaming.

Xu Yongheng watched Yu Zhuang with hidden mirth, and most of all, disgust.

"That matter, is it? The Xu Nation will accept it. Of course, when can We complete both sides as what was stated, is what We need to know." Xu Yongheng said, beckoning a eunuch towards him.

"The Yu Nation can settle for anytime, as long as you are ready, we can do it." Yu Long replied, keeping a watchful eyes on his brother.

"Then.....how about one week from now? Will you be able to do it?" Xu Yongheng asked, his face covered with a cold smile.

Yu Long was left stunned before he answered him.

"That will be fine too. When we had come, we had already gotten everything ready. Even the one who will marry into your palace, who will be my fifth brother, Yu Zhuang." Yu Long said this, and Yu Zhuang's smile only grew.

"Then We will get everything in place. A banquet will be arranged for the welcoming of the two princes from Yu Nation, and the new alliance. For now, We will have a maid take you to your own palace for the time being." Xu Yongheng said, the maid from his side walked over to Yu Long and Yu Zhuang, leading them to their rooms.

Xu Yongheng watched them leave, not liking how Yu Zhuang kept glancing at him at all.

"The court is dismissed." With that, he walked out, eunuchs and maids tailing behind him as he made his way towards Bai Mengxiang's palace.

(Yu Zhuang, 20 years old)