Survival Manual of the Science Fiction World

Chapter 399 Text in Chinese

The three chatted for a while, and then Ai Haibara came over; she came alone.

Professor Agasa took the children back first. In case Ran asks about Conan, just say that Conan and the children went back with Professor Agasa to play games.

As for Ai Haibara, she was there to see why Shinichi Kudo was able to maintain his body this time, and to remind him that it was best to avoid the limelight and not appear in front of everyone like last time.

Finally, she secretly drew a vial of blood from Shinichi Kudo and instructed him to go to the professor's house after Shinichi returned home so that she could have his body checked out and find out what was causing his condition to remain unchanged.

Shinichi Kudo also wanted Ai Haibara to develop an antidote as soon as possible so that he could regain his original identity, and he nodded in agreement without hesitation.

When Ran and the others returned, they were followed by a resentful Kogoro Mouri and a smiling Inspector Otaki: "You left without even telling me. I stayed at the temple solving the mystery until the Buddha statues were returned, and that's when I found out you had already raided the killer's lair..."

Well, it seems they really have forgotten about Kogoro Mouri.

Officer Otaki said he was going to pick up Hattori Kazuha and take her back. Fortunately, Shinichi Kudo's cold symptoms had already subsided the night before, so the group parted ways. Chu Ming was not willing to drive anymore, so he simply left the car at the entrance of Sannoji Temple, sent a message to someone to come and pick it up, and hitched a ride with Kogoro Mouri.

When they returned to Tokyo, Chu Ming got off the bus at the street corner. He saw that Shinichi Kudo, who should have gotten off with him, was still lingering on the bus and wouldn't leave. Chu Ming didn't remind him.

Some people have been playing Conan for so long that they really treat the detective agency like their own home.

After Chu Ming returned, he simply resumed updating his long-abandoned article and posted the rest of the story.

[The previous chapter of the novel can be found at Chapter 231]

"

After being betrayed by Hideko, Bozi was imprisoned in a small dark room behind the Cold Palace.

The room was pitch black, and at night it was even colder and more chilling. She huddled in the corner, hugging her knees, and felt that Xiuzi's appearance looked more and more familiar.

——It’s her!

Back when Bozi was still a palace maid, he had already been to the Cold Palace. At that time, he met his best friend, Gezi. They talked about everything. Gezi was generous, proper, gentle and considerate, and helped him a lot.

Before entering the palace, Bozi was just a child from an ordinary family. It was impossible for her to learn dance, calligraphy and painting from a young age like the concubines in the palace.

At that time, she learned a lot of knowledge that only nobles could learn from Gezi, such as playing the zither, dancing, and even cooking skills. This was the source of her confidence in being favored as a palace maid.

Gezi was a gift from a neighboring country to the general, but the general did not trust her. After favoring her for a while, he casually threw her into the cold palace because of a small mistake.

However, Gezi did not wallow in self-pity because of this. Instead, she faced life positively and lived happily even in the cold palace.

She also advised Bozi that it wouldn't be bad for the two of them to spend the rest of their lives in the cold palace, and that even if he were in the cold palace, he could still protect a palace maid.

Although the general's wife rarely appeared in public and did not concern herself with the concubines' rivalry, she was very strict in managing her subordinates, and even the supplies in the cold palace were rarely withheld.

But Bozi refused. She told Gezi about her ambitions: she wanted to become the general's most beloved concubine, and at that time, she would ask the general to send Lanzi back to the neighboring country and let her return to her hometown.

After all, she had seen too much in the palace. If you are not favored, anyone can kick you while you're down. Who says the Cold Palace is a safe haven?

Take Lanzi from the palace next door, for example; she's not someone you can easily get along with.

Lanzi's parents were the general's trusted subordinates. After they sacrificed themselves to save the general, the general brought her into the palace. However, because she was too spoiled and willful, the general arranged for her to live in a palace not far from the Cold Palace.

However, Lanzi seemed to know that the general wouldn't do anything to her. Even though she was in a side hall, she remained arrogant and domineering, frequently wandering around the Cold Palace to assert her presence, teasing cats and dogs, smashing windows in one palace and kicking doors in another...

They even went so far as to falsely accuse Gezi of being a spy from a neighboring country, allowing those around her and those in the Cold Palace to bully her.

Back then, the person we bullied the most was Hideko!

In order to protect Bozi, who was a palace maid, Gezi ultimately died in the dark and cold palace.

She couldn't hold on, she didn't live to see her friend gain favor, and she couldn't return to the hometown she longed for day and night. In this cold palace in a foreign land, she ended her life.

If it weren't for Hideko, Gezi wouldn't have died!

Damn it! I can't believe I didn't recognize this woman before!

I can't believe I'm friends with her!

Hideko must have been laughing at herself back then, laughing at herself for making friends with a thief.

Bozi held her breath and completely cooled her heart in the cold palace.

After that, she went to Lanzi's palace with a smile, humbled herself before her, endured her bullying and ridicule, offered her advice and strategies, and helped Lanzi curb her arrogance and regain the general's favor. At the same time, she also followed Lanzi out of the cold palace.

After leaving, taking advantage of Lanzi's influence, they directly suppressed Xiuzi and drove her out of the palace.

The exotic dancer from before was aloof and didn't like to compete for favor. When the general was annoyed by the quarrels of his concubines, he would go to her for a moment of peace. Bo Zi suggested to Lan Zi that Qin Zi was cold to the general because she had a lover in the foreign land.

The general could not bear this humiliation and immediately ordered Qinzi to be sent away.

And there's Aiko, Feizi, Teko...

In the early stages, before she had established her own power, she relied on Lanzi to devise strategies to deal with several concubines who were favored by the general. Later, she used the general's favor to win over several allies, kicked Lanzi aside, and from then on, they were on equal footing with her.

But just as the two were fiercely vying for the emperor's favor, the prince, who had always ignored the infighting in the harem, suddenly summoned everyone in the harem.

After everyone arrived, the prince announced some news that shocked all the women present.

......"

Chapter 400 Chinese-End

"...

When the princess summoned everyone in the harem, it was definitely not just to chat and pass the time; she had dropped a bombshell in the harem.

She announced that the shogun was getting on in years but had no children. The shogun needed an heir, and she also needed a child to be registered in her name.

However, she herself suffered health problems in her early years and is now unable to bear children for the general. Therefore, the reason for gathering the general's concubines today is to announce whoever can give birth to the general's eldest son first will not only have the child registered in her name, but the child's birth mother will also rise in rank and be promoted to the general's concubine. In the future, this child will also be able to inherit the general's position.

These words caused an uproar among the concubines, but Bozi's eyes lit up instantly. This was an opportunity! An opportunity that had been delivered to her doorstep!

She had been feeling unwell and drowsy lately, and had a feeling that she was probably pregnant. When she heard this good news, she touched her belly without making it obvious and slowly revealed a gentle smile.

This baby must be a boy, or it will be!

After leaving the palace, Bo Zi secretly sent someone to invite the physician. After a series of complicated confirmation procedures, the physician, Watanabe Fate, congratulated Bo Zi with a joyful expression, confirming that Bo Zi was indeed pregnant.

Bozi was also beaming with joy, but she knew she couldn't spread the news, or she would become a target.

She slipped Watanabe Fitt some money and told him not to spread the word for the time being.

Unfortunately, Watanabe appeared to be neutral, but he was actually Ranko's man and turned around and leaked the information to Ranko.

So just as Bozi was preparing to keep a low profile and wait for her pregnancy to stabilize, the news of her pregnancy had already spread like wildfire among the concubines.

Because Bozi and Lanzi had been fighting fiercely, everyone was waiting for Lanzi to make the first move.

When Bozi learned that the information had been leaked, she immediately took precautions, fearing that Lanzi might tamper with her food or any of her belongings. However, her precautions proved futile, as Lanzi showed no sign of making any moves.

Meanwhile, Lanzi was plotting to follow the fake pregnancy and then steal Bozi's child on the day of delivery.

However, Lanzi's plan failed. She never expected that Langzi, who had always been on good terms with her and even called her a sister, would actually join forces with Bozi. Langzi had been tricked by Bozi before, how could she be so forgiving?!

Lanzi originally believed that Langzi was on her side and did not guard against her much. However, Langzi betrayed her and revealed that she was faking her pregnancy in front of the general and his wife.

The general, who had been showing extra favor to Lanzi and Bozi since they were pregnant, was furious when he learned that Lanzi's pregnancy was a hoax. He banished Lanzi to the cold palace and stripped her of her title. If nothing unexpected happens, Lanzi will never be able to leave the cold palace for the rest of her life.

Bozi became the biggest winner in this game, because she was the only one in the entire harem who became pregnant.

With the combined protection of the general and his wife, Bozi, she successfully gave birth on the day of her delivery.

Bozi had already made arrangements for someone to come and replace the baby with a pre-prepared male infant if she didn't give birth to a son.

But now that the general and his wife were waiting outside, she couldn't really do anything underhanded and could only leave it to fate, praying in the delivery room that she would give birth to a baby boy.

"Madam, keep going—push harder—"

……

Amidst the excruciating pain, Bozi faintly heard the cries of a baby.

She relaxed and forced herself to sit up halfway: "Let me see the child."

However, the midwife who helped deliver the baby ignored her while cleaning the baby and carefully carried the baby out.

Someone is trying to steal her child? Who sent them?

Despite the pain, Bozi cried out for help: "Help! Help! Arrest that thief! She stole my child! Help! Help! Help!"

The weak cries did not attract attention, or rather, no one paid any more attention to this tool that had already completed its task.

She struggled to her feet and slowly crawled to the door, only to witness a scene that horrified her.

The general, who had always doted on her, was now looking at the princess holding the child with a tender smile she had never seen before.

Isn't that her child?

Isn't it only registered under Beizi's name?

Why did you take it away?

Although Bozi was not in good spirits at the moment, she sensed that something was wrong. She saw the general give a few instructions to the maid, and then the maid came over.

She quickly returned to bed, the intense pain causing her to break out in a cold sweat, but since she had just given birth, some sweat shouldn't arouse suspicion.

Unfortunately, the maid who came in didn't care about any of this. She took out a pill from her side and stepped forward to put it into Bozi's mouth.

Bozi subconsciously tilted her head: "What are you going to give me to eat?"

The maid, with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, said, "Your concubine had a difficult childbirth. You've just given birth to your eldest son and your rank has been promoted to concubine. The general specifically instructed me to send you some medicine to help you recover as soon as possible."

Bozi didn't believe it at all. What kind of recovery medicine looks like this?

Only now did she realize that although the general seemed to dote on his concubines, he was actually incredibly cold-hearted. They were just objects he could easily dismiss. It seemed that only Lady Beizi was the one he truly cared about.