"Princess, I've gathered the Hundred-Flower Dew from the garden... ah!"
The maid's startled cry rang through the Imperial Retreat's inner courtyard. When the servants and guards hurried over in alarm, they found Bailing standing there with her belly swollen and a helpless look on her face. She scolded, "What are you shouting for? How utterly embarrassing! Never mind. Go ask my imperial father to come."
Heavens above! They had only looked away for a moment, and the princess was pregnant! Who on earth had done this?
The palace attendants panicked and rushed about spreading the news, unaware that Bailing had done this deliberately.
She could not keep it hidden and give rumors room to grow. That would make it easy for those with ulterior motives to exploit them and plot against her.
In the end, she had to take the open, honorable path and secure a legitimate standing for the child in her belly.
When the Golden Roc Great Sage heard the attendants' report, his face filled with disbelief. He thought someone with gall enough to swallow the heavens was playing a joke on him.
Once he recovered, the Golden Roc Great Sage hastily transformed into a streak of golden light and sped toward Bailing's residence.
Not long afterward, however, someone saw him turn into golden light again and leave the princess's Imperial Retreat, heading straight for the embassy housing the envoys.
"Why so alarmed, Great Sage?" Li Chen's incarnation had already been waiting there. Seeing Golden Roc rush over, he knowingly asked the question.
Golden Roc was beside himself with anger. "Grandmaster Li, you've certainly done a fine thing! My daughter was already betrothed to you. Why couldn't you wait until everything was properly prepared and marry her with all the proper rites?"
Li Chen threw back his head