Harem Daily Life

After leaving Concubine Wang's courtyard, Tao Yanyan went to visit Concubine Li.

Compared to the last time he came, seeing Concubine Li's extravagant spending, this time was obviously much better. Tao Yanyan was very satisfied and said to the nun of Jingci Temple who was accompanying him, "A monk should behave like a monk. Now she is much simpler. You should take care of her and keep her like this. You must make sure Concubine Li can worship Buddha with a pure mind and without distractions."

The nun clasped her hands together and immediately agreed.

When Concubine Li saw Tao Yanyan, she was furious when she remembered that her letter for help had fallen on deaf ears. Tao Yanyan bowed slightly and stood up straight before saying, "Concubine Li's practice has been quite effective during this period. She has lost a lot of weight compared to the last time. She finally looks like a monk."

She was no longer wearing brocade clothes, and her head ornaments were reduced to a jade hairpin. How could she still look as elegant as the former favorite concubine? Tao Yanyan was very satisfied with the result.

Concubine Li was furious: "Don't be too proud. When I was favored, you didn't even know where to cool off. How dare you act like a favored concubine in front of me? Who do you think you are? When Concubine Lu gives birth to a child, she will definitely replace you step by step in the future. We will wait and see!"

Tao Yanyan smiled and said, "I don't need you to worry about the affairs of the palace. You should concentrate on worshipping Buddha and copying more Buddhist scriptures for the late emperor to offer to him. He is old and will live one day less. If you offer more, you can also accumulate blessings for yourself so that you can meet the late emperor earlier when you go to the underworld in the future."

Concubine Li felt cold all over after hearing what she said. She was so angry that she said, "You...you actually cursed me to grow old? I'm not even forty yet, how can I be old?"

Tao Yanyan acted like she had lost her temper and said embarrassedly, "Ah, look at me, how can I be so speechless? I should say that you are a beauty in your twilight years. Although you are a little old, you are still pretty compared to people of the same age. You even have two fewer wrinkles than people of the same age."

Concubine Li was speechless. This Imperial Concubine Tao was sent by God specifically to make her angry!

Seeing that Concubine Li was so angry that she couldn't speak, Tao Yanyan continued, "Don't take it to heart, Concubine. People will always grow old, just like time cannot be reversed and flowing water will eventually flow into the sea. It is normal for people to grow old. If you don't grow old, wouldn't you become an old witch?"

Concubine Li covered her chest with her hands, having difficulty breathing. The maids and servants beside her hurried forward to support her.

"Let her go, drive her away quickly! I don't want to see her again. She is really mad at me!" Concubine Li, who had lived a glorious life all her life, was so angry that she doubted her life at this moment.

A maid stepped forward and said respectfully, "Your Highness, the Dowager Concubine is not feeling well and needs to rest. Please move aside." They were all there to serve the Dowager Concubine. If anything happened to her, they would have no good future. It would be better for them to serve her well, at least they would get a monthly allowance.

Tao Yanyan chuckled: "You can't stand such a little anger? Lady Dowager, you worship Buddha, but you don't know much about Buddhism. You should recite more scriptures, cultivate yourself and improve your character, which will make you more generous."

After saying this, he left with his people in satisfaction, leaving Concubine Li so angry that she almost fainted.

As expected, Concubine Dowager Li could not swallow this humiliation. Two days later, she wrote another letter and sent it to the palace. This letter was thicker than the previous ones. It recounted in detail how irritating Concubine Tao was in Jingci Temple. At the end, it also included some self-pitying words. The general meaning was that she had accompanied the late emperor for twenty years, and even if she had no merits, she had worked hard. She should not be ridiculed by a junior like this, and asked Your Majesty to make the decision.

He Linzhang took a quick look at the letter and threw it into the stove beside him. The letter instantly burned to ashes.

After a while, Yingyi asked for an audience. He Linzhang dismissed everyone around him and called Yingyi out.

"Your Majesty, two days ago you asked your subordinates to investigate the backgrounds of those censors, and they have already found out. The three of them are more or less related to the Zhennan Palace. The impeachment of Concubine Tao was instigated by Concubine Yan. Ever since Concubine Tao's two new shops took away the business of the Zhennan Palace, Concubine Yan sent people to secretly make trouble and contacted the censors to spread news that was unfavorable to the Concubine."

He Linzhang's eyes darkened, and his dislike for Princess Yan increased even more.

"What's going on with the Yan State delegation?"

Ying Yi reported back, "The Yan State delegation had an internal conflict and had gone to the Princess of Yan to resign. Many of them wanted to return to Yan immediately, but the Princess of Yan refused, and the two sides had a dispute. Several Yan State officials with tough attitudes have already packed their bags and will probably leave soon."

He Linzhang sneered, "I really don't know what she is still insisting on. I clearly rejected her, but she is still stubborn."

After Ying Yi left, Zhang Fuhai came in from outside and reported, "Your Majesty, Wang Zhaoyi sent someone to report that the third princess's fever has subsided, so please rest assured. In addition, the imperial concubine is feeling unwell, so please don't go to Changle Palace tonight. I have already invited the imperial physician."

When He Linzhang heard this, how could he not go? He immediately put down the memorial in his hand and hurried to Changle Palace.

Tao Yanyan has been exercising since she woke up from the water. She was usually in good health, but recently she has been feeling tired. At first she thought it was because winter was coming and she was lazy, but after returning from Jingci Temple this time, she couldn't bear it anymore and felt weak all over. She persisted for another two days before calling in a doctor.

At this moment, she was lying on the bed, lazily, watching Doctor Liu taking her pulse with a frown on his face, and she felt a little nervous.

"Doctor Liu, is there something wrong with me? It shouldn't be a cold. Could it be that I've been poisoned?" Tao Yanyan looked tired and said weakly.

Doctor Liu thought for a long time before saying, "Your Majesty, have you been taking the medicine I prescribed for you? I wonder if it's the medicine that's causing the problem."

Thinking of the contraceptive pills she had taken before, Tao Yanyan nodded and said, "I've been taking them. Didn't you say that this pill has no other side effects except preventing pregnancy?"

Doctor Liu frowned, "In principle, there are indeed no side effects, but Your Majesty has been taking it for two years, and it may cause body aches and weakness. Your Majesty, why not stop taking the medicine? You are in the prime of your life now, and after two years of recuperation, it will be a happy event if you get pregnant with a prince sooner!"

"What do you mean you can't get pregnant?" Just as Doctor Liu finished his words, the door was pushed open forcefully. He Linzhang stood at the door and asked loudly.

Mingyue, with a frown on her face, stood behind him. Mingyue quickly winked at Tao Yanyan. Tao Yanyan was frightened by the sudden appearance of the emperor, and then saw his angry face and was shocked.

Doctor Liu knelt down in a hurry, not daring to look up.

He Linzhang strode to Tao Yanyan's side, his whole body filled with restrained anger: "You took medicine on purpose to not have a child? You, don't want to have a child with me?"