That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

Xiao Yan was at a loss, his hand frozen on her abdomen, not daring to move, yet his expression couldn't hide his excitement.

Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, Song Shuangning couldn't help but laugh out loud. She swayed slightly and teased, "Why is Your Majesty so excited?"

Xiao Yan gently stroked her belly: "Did the baby kick you too hard?"

Song Shuangning shook her head and replied, "It doesn't hurt."

She paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "But in two more months, the baby's movements will become more noticeable, and it will also hurt."

Xiao Yan's expression darkened upon hearing this, filled with heartache. "If he dares to misbehave, he'll kick you until it hurts. When he gets out, I'll spank him!"

These words made Song Shuangning laugh until her eyes crinkled.

Xiao Yan, on the contrary, felt somewhat embarrassed and pretended to be serious, saying, "Stop laughing."

Song Shuangning pursed her lips, suppressing a laugh: "Okay, I won't laugh anymore."

She thought to herself: Even though she was the one who was pregnant, the emperor acted like the pregnant one, becoming more and more childish, and his words and actions were silly.

Unfortunately, she has a low threshold for laughter, and she can't help but laugh whenever she sees him.

After holding back her laughter for so long, Song Shuangning finally burst out laughing.

Xiao Yan felt even more embarrassed, his handsome face flushed slightly, and his ears burned even hotter.

"Still laughing?!"

Song Shuangning lay on the table, laughing incessantly, her shoulders shaking.

Xiao Yan pretended to turn and leave, saying, "I'm not playing along with your nonsense anymore. I'm leaving!!"

Song Shuangning reached for his hand again, but just as she grabbed his sleeve, she clutched her stomach and cried out, "Ouch!"

Xiao Yan turned around instantly, his large hand firmly supporting her waist, his voice panicked: "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Song Shuangning smiled and said, "It's nothing, I just laughed so hard I couldn't breathe."

Xiao Yan: "..."

He sighed and rubbed his forehead, "You scared me."

Tao Banxia entered the hall at the right time and was about to bow when Song Shuangning quickly waved her hand and said, "I'm fine. I just laughed so hard I almost choked. It's nothing serious."

Xiao Yan picked up the conversation and said to Tao Banxia, ​​"Since you're here, let's take Her Majesty's pulse."

Tao Banxia stepped forward in response, and after taking the pulse, she softly reported, "Your Majesty is fine, but it is not advisable for you to be too emotionally agitated."

Xiao Yan immediately glared at Song Shuangning, his tone slightly admonishing: "Did you hear that? Remember it."

Song Shuangning glared back defiantly.

"You two ganged up on me."

Tao Banxia lowered her eyes and chuckled softly, not daring to make a sound.

Xiao Yan gently poked her forehead. "Only someone as delicate as you can be."

Tao Banxia took out two bottles of essential oil from her medicine box and handed them over, saying, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this is a pregnancy-protecting oil that I developed. Some women are prone to developing stretch marks during pregnancy. Your Majesty can apply a little to it and massage it in every day to greatly reduce the possibility of stretch marks appearing."

Song Shuangning's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly: "I was just thinking of talking to you about this a few days ago."

If stretch marks do appear, they are not easy to get rid of; prevention is the best approach.

Xiao Yan specially kept Tao Banxia behind so that she could demonstrate the massage techniques in detail. He followed along step by step, repeatedly asking about the pressure and intensity, not daring to be ambiguous in the slightest.

In the evening, Tingyu and Tinglu helped Song Shuangning take a bath, and Song Shuangning leaned against the bed, flipping through storybooks to pass the time.

When Xiao Yan returned from his bath, he saw her engrossed in reading. He walked over, took the book from her hands, and quickly flipped through a couple of pages. "What's so nutritious about reading this all day?"

Song Shuangning chuckled softly, her eyes crinkling: "Since it's not nutritious, Your Majesty shouldn't secretly read it."

"I have never read it." Xiao Yan glared at her and put the book aside.

Song Shuangning sat on his lap, gently poked his chest, and then wrapped her arms around his neck and swayed back and forth.

"If the Emperor didn't peek, then where did he learn all those tricks from?"

Xiao Yan was taken aback by the question. He coughed twice to cover his discomfort, then reached out and put his arm around her waist, pressing her back onto the bed.

"Don't speak anymore, I'll apply some pregnancy-pregnancy-protecting oil to you."

Song Shuangning pointed to Tingyu.

Xiao Yan lowered his head and unbuttoned her nightgown. "What? You don't believe me?"

Song Shuangning pursed her lips and didn't respond, her eyes clearly reflecting a hint of distrust.

Xiao Yan unscrewed the porcelain bottle, poured some pregnancy-pregnancy oil into his palm and rubbed it to warm it. He clumsily followed the method taught by Tao Banxia and slowly massaged in circles, from his abdomen to his waist. His movements were slow and awkward.

After a moment, he looked up: "Is this force alright?"

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, but she did not respond.

Why aren't you saying anything?

Song Shuangning finally laughed out loud, "His Majesty forbade me to speak just now."

Xiao Yan: "..."

Because she was already slender, her lower abdomen was only slightly protruding in the first three months, but now, at five months, the protrusion of her lower abdomen is particularly obvious.

Xiao Yan placed his hand on her lower abdomen, where their bloodlines intertwined, where their thoughts were bound.

Perhaps the baby in his womb sensed him, because it gave him a gentle kick.

Xiao Yan and Song Shuangning exchanged a surprised glance.

Xiao Yan slowly leaned down, his nose gently touching her protruding belly, his voice soft and soothing:

"Father is here."

After applying the pregnancy-pregnancy oil, Xiao Yan quickly put on her nightgown.

Song Shuangning glanced at him*.

Xiao Yan noticed her gaze and raised his hand to cover her eyes.

"Don't look around."

Song Shuangning chuckled and hooked her finger around his palm. "Ayan, don't go soaking in cold water. It's already autumn, and you'll easily catch a cold."

Then she sat up and lightly kissed his handsome profile.

"I'd be reluctant to part with it either."

**********

The next day.

The King of Chu arrived at the Hall of Diligent Governance with light steps, unable to hide his joy, and even forgot to perform the proper etiquette.

"Your Majesty, I am about to get married!"

Xiao Yan was sipping his tea when he heard this and almost spat out the tea in his mouth, looking completely bewildered.

"marry??"

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Someone, fetch a royal physician."

The King of Chu smiled broadly: "What are you saying, Your Majesty? I am perfectly fine and not confused at all."

"Which family's girl is she?"

"Zheng Yueyao".

The King of Chu laughed even more triumphantly.

Xiao Yan's surprise deepened. "Zheng Yueyao? Wasn't she avoiding you like the plague not long ago, unwilling to have anything to do with you? And weren't you making a fuss about guarding the border?"

King Chu chuckled twice and scratched his head.

"I have to thank Your Majesty for pointing this out back then. I followed Your Majesty's method of developing feelings over time, pestering her every day and taking care of her in every way. Now, Yueyao is deeply in love with me and can no longer live without me."

Love develops over time?

Isn't that just being a prisoner?

The King of Chu smiled, his heart fluttering with desire.

Xiao Yan looked at him with disdain: "Is that all you've got?"