Harem Daily Life

He Linzhang entrusted the imperial property to Tao Yanyan with confidence and naturally supported her arrangements. He even wondered how good his vision was to find such a kind, generous and far-sighted queen, who was simply a top-notch and virtuous wife.

In his joy, He Linzhang asked Eunuch Zhang to open up his storehouse and gave him a lot of gold, silver, jewelry, silks and satins. Eunuch Zhang happily led his men to Changle Palace to deliver the gifts. Boxes full of gifts were carried into Changle Palace, which was amazing to see.

Mingyue, Qingfeng and the others were busy counting and registering the items one by one. They would find some that could be used right away and ask the Empress if she wanted to use them, and then keep them directly.

"My Lady, this set of Chaoyang Five Phoenix Pearl Hairpins is really beautiful. Would you like to wear it tomorrow?"

"This set of red gold and jade hairpins is also very beautiful. Your Majesty will look beautiful wearing it."

"This set of six-sided jade-inlaid hairpins with phoenix wings is also beautiful. It's really hard to choose among so many pieces of jewelry."

Tao Yanyan was holding Yunuo and playing. When he saw the two of them take out several boxes of jewelry, he smiled and said, "Pick out a few pieces to keep as gifts. Xianfei and the others help me share the palace affairs. I will give them some rewards during the holidays to thank them."

Mingyue said, "Yes, I have selected some. There is also some cloth in the storeroom that has become old after being stored for a long time. I have also selected some of it to give to the Empress as a reward when a lady of high rank comes to the palace."

Tao Yanyan nodded. She really liked the capable maids around her. They had been with her all these years and were now capable of standing on their own.

"You guys should also make some new clothes. You are all young girls, and you should dress up beautifully and be pleasing to the eye." Tao Yanyan never hesitates to give good things to the people around her, and she never skimps on food, clothing, and other expenses. Naturally, the people below her are also wholeheartedly dedicated to her.

"Mingyue, why are you in a daze?" Qingfeng bumped into Mingyue's shoulder.

Mingyue came back to her senses, looking a little embarrassed: "Nothing... Quickly pack it up and move it into the warehouse as soon as possible."

Xianglan looked at Mingyue and sighed imperceptibly. Qingfeng didn't know, but Xianglan felt that she knew something.

Mingyue, ever since the Empress was kidnapped by the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery and then rescued, something's been off. The Empress returned that day and took up residence in the Diligent Administration Palace. Mingyue and the others took turns bringing the children there to visit the Empress daily. One day, Yingyi was there, and Mingyue accidentally bumped into him, causing Mingyue's face to flush. After Mingyue returned, she felt a bit dazed. She was usually quiet, but now she was even more lost in thought.

Xianglan looked at it and thought that the bright moon was probably a reflection of her shadow...

But you can't ask such questions casually.

Yingyi and Mingyue hadn't met each other many times, so maybe I was wrong.

Perhaps because they hadn't taken the Queen of Great Zhou hostage as planned, the Xia Kingdom was completely defeated by the Great Zhou army and soon surrendered. Gu Yi didn't want to fight any longer. General Duan led 50,000 troops back to the border of Yan State, and Gu Yi remained in Xicheng and never withdrew his troops.

The Xia Kingdom sent an envoy to negotiate peace, led by Princess Kang Ning of the Xia Kingdom and the second prince Kang Mowan of the Xia Kingdom.

The group traveled a long way to the capital of the Great Zhou, and were impressed by its prosperity along the way.

As the princess rode in her carriage, Kang Ning's daughter, Princess Derou of Xiaguo, complained, "Mother had to bring me here, and it's preventing me from being with Brother Rui."

Kang Ning glared at her. "Focus your thoughts and stop thinking about your brother Rui. What's so good about him? Can he be better than the Emperor of Great Zhou? I finally begged my brother to exchange the Fifth Princess for you and bring you to Great Zhou. Perform well and try to make the Emperor of Great Zhou take a liking to you and make you his concubine. Isn't that better than staying in Xia Kingdom?"

Princess Derou's face was sullen. "Mother, how do you know that the Emperor of Great Zhou isn't an ugly man? I don't like ugly men. I want a handsome husband."

Kang Ning became excited when he thought of the portrait of the Emperor of Great Zhou that the Second Prince brought back from Great Zhou. The Emperor of Great Zhou was as handsome as his father.

"What do you know? Haven't you seen a portrait of the Great Zhou Emperor?"

Princess Derou snorted coldly, "How can a portrait reveal a person's true appearance? For someone you don't even know, you're sending your daughter away from home to a foreign land. I wonder if my mother truly loves me or is just pretending."

Kang Ning was too lazy to say anything more to her: "Anyway, you'll know when you meet the person. I wonder if you'll still be stubborn then!"

As the carriage bumped along, Kang Ning recalled the scene when he first met the late Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

She was seventeen years old that year, the age when girls first fall in love, and she met the man she wanted most in her life.

It's a pity that the man has already married the daughter of the Shu family of the Great Zhou Dynasty as the Crown Princess, and has several concubines. As a princess of the Xia Kingdom, it is impossible for her to condescend to be a concubine.

She asked him to divorce the Crown Princess and marry her, but he refused sternly. They had a big fight, and she left Da Zhou angrily. From then on, they had no more intersection of love, hate, and vengeance.

Whenever Kang Ning thought of Shu Jinse from the Shu family, he was so angry that his teeth were itching. How could that woman be so lucky? She went from being his Crown Princess to Queen, and then to Empress Dowager. Her own son even ascended the throne and became Emperor. She got all the benefits!

But Shu Jinse would never have imagined that her childhood sweetheart would now be her lover, serving as both her aide and her lover. In order to anger the emperor and empress, the two of them also developed a deep affection for each other and lived happily for so many years.

This time, Shang Yuanzhou also followed her back to Da Zhou. This was his first time to return to his hometown after thirty years away.

Behind the princess' carriage was Shang Yuanzhou's carriage. He was well-mannered and, despite being in his fifties, he was very well-maintained. His every move revealed the air of a suave and elegant scholar.

He lifted the curtain of the car and looked at the scenery of Da Zhou, but his eyes were cold.

Not knowing what he was thinking of, he took out a jade pendant from his arms that had been rubbed until it was smooth, and looked at it carefully.

"Jinse, what would you look like now? Are you still as bright and beautiful as ever? Or... have you become too fat and old?"

He couldn't explain how he felt about Shu Jinse. Back then, Shang Jia was just a businessman. Although he was wealthy, he had no fame. On the day the Shu family broke off the engagement, they said a lot of unpleasant things, which he still remembered vividly.

"Is it just because he's the crown prince? But have you ever thought that I could live my entire life without taking a concubine. I only want Jinse! I will never let her down!"

"Hmph, a lifelong couple, but she's just a merchant's wife. Our Jinse is going to be the Crown Princess. Do you know that? The Crown Princess will be the Empress, the mother of a country. Even if there are many beauties in the harem, so what? Our Jinse will be the future Empress!"

The Shu family forcefully broke off the engagement, and Shu Jinse asked him out for the last time and returned the jade pendant that was their token of love to him.

"Mingming, you said that we would be like the mandarin ducks on the jade, for life. You liar..." Shang Yuanzhou took a deep breath and held the jade pendant tightly.

"A-choo!" The Queen Mother, who was far away in the summer palace, sneezed and glared at Eunuch Qin unhappily: "I told you not to be so rough when wiping the table. Look, the dust is all kicked up, and it's making me sneeze."

The Queen Mother put a handkerchief to her nose and rubbed it.

Eunuch Qin didn't dare to say anything more, and he complained madly in his heart: "It's obviously because you wanted to stay cool. You ate several bowls of iced jelly and refused to take medicine, so you sneezed..."

Woo woo woo, it’s really hard to reason with you, the most noble woman in the Great Zhou.