Harem Daily Life

After Shu Fei came out of the Queen's Palace, she went directly to the Empress Dowager's Changchun Palace.

In the past, because she was the niece of the Empress Dowager, the palace maids in Changchun Palace were very polite to her. Whenever she came, they welcomed her in without notifying her. She was more respectful than the Empress and the Imperial Concubine. But today, she ran into a wall and had to stand outside the door for half an hour before she was summoned in.

The Queen Mother seemed to be unwell. She was wearing a headband and was lying on the bed when she met her.

"Your concubine pays her respects to the Empress Dowager. I haven't seen her for a long time. I hope she is doing well." Shu Fei saluted very seriously, more solemnly than any other time.

The Queen Mother asked the maid to bring a cup of tea. After taking a sip, she said calmly, "My family is old and useless. My son didn't tell me the truth and attacked my family. I didn't even receive any news in advance! But you are still young, smart, and the first of the second-rank concubines. You are by the side of the Shu family, can't you save a person?"

The Queen Mother shouted angrily, her face flushed with anger.

Shu Fei quickly knelt down and pleaded guilty: "Aunt, it was really your majesty's iron-blooded hand that found out all the crimes of the Shu family. The Shu family refused to listen to the advice, resisted with knives, and took hostages. Under such circumstances, I couldn't save them even if I wanted to!"

Shu Fei cried bitterly while speaking, and crawled forward two steps on her knees to apologize, "Originally, Your Majesty was moved by compassion, and also took into consideration the Shu family's status as relatives, and wanted to release the elderly, the weak, the women, the children, and those who had not committed any crime, but Madam Shu insisted on having her own way, and put a knife on the neck of Tao Cairen, and forced Tao Cairen to release them. Your Majesty was furious and wanted to kill them."

Concubine Shu wiped her tears and said, "Tao Cairen was very quick-witted. Even after being caught by Madam Shu, she was able to incite the Shu family members to rebel. The Shu family servants and some people who had not committed any crime all turned against her. The Shu family was doomed, so they were all captured by Your Majesty."

"Tao Cairen?" The Queen Mother searched her mind, but had no impression of her at all. Concubines of lower status had no chance to meet the Queen Mother in person, so it was understandable that the Queen Mother could not remember this person.

"Yes, in desperation, she instigated the rebellious servants, so the Shu family was easily captured by Your Majesty." Shu Fei explained lightly, without mentioning that Tao Cairen was also saving her life.

Seeing that the Queen Mother frowned deeply, Concubine Shu advised: "Aunt, His Majesty has already investigated the Lincheng Shu family's crimes. I'm afraid it is indeed difficult to save them. Now, saving the Shu family in the capital is the top priority!"

After Shu Fei reminded her, the Queen Mother patted the quilt and asked, "Is there any close connection between the capital and Lincheng?"

Shu Fei replied, "I have sent a letter to my father and brother, asking them to investigate themselves and make the necessary decisions."

The Queen Mother seemed to be really relieved, and she asked someone to help Concubine Shu up: "Is this what I taught you all the time? You don't even have the tact to see that the ground is cold, why don't you help Concubine Shu up!"

The palace maids hurriedly went to help her and took her to a seat nearby.

Shu Fei wiped her tears and continued to comfort him, "Your Majesty, I hope your aunt will not be angry with your Majesty. He is the emperor and he has reasons for what he does."

The Queen Mother glared at her and said, "Just protect him! You have to find excuses for whatever he does. Although he is sacrificing his relatives for the greater good, I have to find a place to vent my anger!"

Shu Fei advised: "Aunt, don't get angry and hurt yourself. If you want to vent your anger, just vent it on your niece."

The Queen Mother sighed, "It was the Shu family of Lincheng who made the mistake first, and the Emperor was impulsive later. Well, you are also tired from the journey, go down and rest first."

Shu Fei said, "I haven't seen my aunt for a long time. I will wait on her in Changchun Palace for a while."

The Queen Mother waved her hands and said, "There are so many people here to serve me. You can go. If you really want to do your best, go and copy a few volumes of scriptures and make offerings to the Shu family's branch branches on my behalf to reduce the sins."

Shu Fei then stood up and said, "Yes, I obey your order."

Shu Fei passed this test. After all, the emperor had killed someone, so the empress dowager couldn't do anything even if she was angry. As for copying scriptures, it was lonely in the palace anyway, so she just took it as a way to pass the time.

After Shu Fei left, the eunuch Qin in charge said, "Shu Fei is very clever. This matter has nothing to do with her, but she revealed a talented person named Tao."

"Hmph." The Queen Mother snorted coldly, "You just want to mitigate your sin of not saving someone from death. I actually know that she can't influence the Emperor's heart, and the Emperor won't open a backdoor for her. But she is the only one from the Shu family who can enter the palace. There are no girls of the younger generation who are of the right age. Back then, seeing that she was obsessed with the Emperor, I took the opportunity to let her enter the palace. Who would have thought that after five years, she would have no offspring and no favor. This move was in vain."

"After all, Shufei is from your family and is close to you. Wait until Your Majesty sees Shufei's good points. Shufei is still young and will have children sooner or later. The Queen Mother doesn't have to worry too much." Eunuch Qin advised.

"You and I have been in the palace for decades. Can't you tell whether a concubine is favored or not? You just rely on the fact that I trust you and use nice words to coax me." The Queen Mother said unhappily.

"Oh, I deserve to die. How could the Queen Mother be angry again? I really deserve to be beaten." He said as he slapped himself.

"Okay, don't change the subject." The Queen Mother pondered, "Go and take a look at the talented lady Tao she just mentioned, and observe her secretly to see if she is someone who can be favored."

Eunuch Qin confirmed, "Does the Queen Mother want to take her under your command and use her for your benefit?" He then worriedly said, "It's a pity that she is a person of an outsider, I'm afraid we won't be close enough to her."

"Use benefits to lure her, use benefits to maintain her, cooperate for benefits, and benefit each other. Why do I want her to be close to me? It is enough to have common interests with me. Do you think Shu Fei and I are close because of the aunt-nephew relationship? It is all for the Shu family." The ultimate winner of the palace fight in the previous dynasty really looked at the essence of things.

Eunuch Qin was enlightened and said hurriedly, "Yes, I will keep an eye on that talented person Tao."

"Well, but we have to test her position in the emperor's heart first." After thinking for a while, he said, "It has been more than an hour since Shu Fei came to our Changchun Palace, and the emperor has not come to ask a single question. So, go and call Tao Cairen now, and let her stand outside the door for half an hour before coming in."

Eunuch Qin asked suspiciously, "It's easy to explain to His Majesty, but what about the others?" There has to be a reason to ask someone to make the rules. It would be safer for him to ask for instructions before doing anything.

"Didn't you pick up a child from the public and bring her in? You're using this as an excuse to make her stand outside the door."

He Linzhang informed the empress dowager of Tao Jinan's affairs in advance, saying only that the child had helped him. He felt sorry for the child and sympathized with the difficulties faced by the common people, so he adopted the child and raised him under the name of Concubine Tao.

This isn't a big deal, and the Queen Mother has no objection to it, but it's a good excuse now.

After returning to Cuiweixuan, Tao Yanyan first went to see how Xianglan was arranged, and then personally looked at the room prepared for Tao Jinan. Just as he was about to wash up, change clothes and lie down, he saw Chang Tai rushing in.

"Talented lady, the Queen Mother has summoned you to come over immediately. The palace maid who is delivering the message is already waiting outside."

"Ah?" Tao Yanyan was confused, but did not dare to delay. He quickly tidied up his appearance, still wearing the clothes he had not changed, and went out with Qingfeng and Changtai.