Harem Daily Life

He Linzhang really couldn't bear it.

Over ten years had passed since the late Emperor's death, and the Empress Dowager had lived alone in the deep palace for over a decade. She had never been the Emperor's favorite, and her relationship with him had gradually faded because of Concubine Li.

"So according to Yan Yan, we should pretend we don't know anything and let them go?"

Tao Yanyan nodded and said, "Since you're using Eunuch Qin as a tool, why not just pretend you didn't see it? The Queen Mother probably guessed that His Majesty already knew about it, and she's been feeling down lately."

It was obvious on the day of He Linzhang's palace banquet that the Queen Mother's expression was not right.

"Forget it. Compared to the late emperor's face, I still hope that my mother will be happy." He Linzhang decided to take a step back and fulfill the empress dowager's wish.

"In a few days, the New Year's Day will begin. The Xia Kingdom has sent a letter stating that they have sent envoys to the Great Zhou to discuss trade for the new year. Among them are Kang Mowan and the Xia Kingdom's Ning Wang. They must be received well. In the harem, I have already asked the virtuous concubine to prepare a banquet. If she is undecided, she can consult you again."

Tao Yanyan raised an eyebrow: "Prince Ning of Xia? Is he the nephew of Kang Mowan?"

He Linzhang nodded. "Ever since Kang Mowan secured the trade rights with the Great Zhou, he's become a favorite of the Xia royal family. The new emperor entrusted him with important tasks after ascending the throne. Prince Ning is the Xia emperor's eldest son, eighteen years old this year, and is said to be a master of chess."

Tao Yanyan smiled and said: "It is true that heroes emerge from youth. He is already on a diplomatic mission to the Great Zhou at such a young age."

He Linzhang raised his eyebrows and said, "Our child is no worse than him. When Jin'an grows up a little, I plan to let him go out for a walk. He can try to handle some important state affairs."

Thinking of the days when Jin'an would be traveling around the world and not in the palace, and how his followers would be anxiously waiting for him, Tao Yanyan said with a smile: "Your Majesty, just think about it. If you really send Jin'an away, I'm afraid Xiaobao and the other two will cry for ten days or half a month before they give up."

He Linzhang choked and couldn't help but sigh: "It turns out that the three of them still like Jin'an more than me."

"Your Majesty, why are you still jealous of your son? Aren't you ashamed?" Tao Yanyan said jokingly with his head tilted.

Looking at her adorable appearance, He Linzhang couldn't help but step forward and hug her tightly: "Yan Yan, can we stay somewhere else for the next two days? I want to go out and relax."

Tao Yanyan looked up at him and asked, "Just me and Your Majesty, without the children?"

He Linzhang nodded: "No. Let Jinan take them."

"Puff..." Tao Yanyan couldn't help laughing: "See, His Majesty said that the three little ones only like their older brother. Who lets their older brother take care of the kids more?"

The emperor and empress happily decided to sneak out for two days to see the colorful world outside the palace, and left the little tails to Jin'an.

The next morning, His Majesty and the Queen quietly left the palace under the pretext of inspecting the imperial property, leaving only a message to He Jinan, asking him to take good care of his elder sister, younger brother, and younger sister.

He Jinan: "..." Inspecting the imperial estate? Didn't they just inspect it a year ago?

But he couldn't disobey his father's orders, so he had to temporarily act as the head of the family.

Tao Yanyan fell into a deep sleep as soon as she got on the carriage. She stayed in He Linzhang's arms all the way and never woke up. Naturally, she didn't know where she was being taken.

She woke up slowly only when the carriage finally stopped.

"Yan Yan finally woke up. If you hadn't woken up, I would have called the imperial physician to see you." He Linzhang straightened her messy hair and said with a smile.

Tao Yanyan stretched lazily and glared at him: "It's all your fault, Your Majesty. You kept talking all night and kept me awake for hours."

A red cloud drifted across He Linzhang's ears. He coughed lightly and said, "Do you blame me? Who is begging me so much..."

"Your Majesty~" Tao Yanyan hurriedly covered his mouth: "The shadow guards are here, please don't say anything!"

Ying San and the others all had their ears perked up and their faces flushed red as they listened.

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore. Let's go." He Linzhang took Tao Yanyan out of the carriage. They saw that this place was next to a lake, and there was a floating bridge extending to the center of the lake.

Because of the snow, the lake was covered with ice. At first glance, it looked foggy, like a fairyland on earth.

"Wow..." Tao Yanyan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration: "I didn't expect there was such a beautiful place outside the capital. How did Your Majesty find it?"

He Linzhang took her hand and stepped onto the bridge together. He said slowly: "Originally, there was only this pool of water here. I thought the scenery was very beautiful, so I asked the Ministry of Works to draw up a blueprint. Construction started and it took more than two years to complete. Look -"

He Linzhang looked at the plaque hanging on the house in the middle of the lake, and Tao Yanyan looked with him.

"Yueyan Cottage?" Tao Yanyan looked at He Linzhang with a puzzled expression.

"I love Yan Yan, so I named it Yueyan Cottage. This is a gift from me to Yan Yan." He said as he led people in. If from the outside, Yueyan Cottage looked like a palace floating in a fairyland, then from the inside, it was a small replica of Changle Palace.

Tao Yanyan fell in love with this place almost immediately. What a big villa in the middle of the lake. How much would it cost in modern times!

Tao Yanyan looked around excitedly, walking here and there, and liked every room very much.

"Your Majesty always does things quietly and never reveals any information. This is to give me a big surprise." Tao Yanyan hugged He Linzhang's waist, buried her head in his arms and said coquettishly.

"As long as you like it, I am happy to see you happy."

As He Linzhang spoke, he lifted Tao Yanyan's chin, and when they looked at each other affectionately, he kissed her.

Tao Yanyan sometimes found it strange. He Linzhang was clearly already thirty-six years old, yet his energy was no less than that of his youth. Last night, the two of them didn't stop until midnight, and today they were rolling around together before dark. She wanted to understand his age and urge him to be more restrained, but he just kept getting more aggressive. In the end, Tao Yanyan was so tired that she couldn't even speak.

The two stayed in Yueyan Cottage for two days and one night. Except for eating, they never left the room. Qingfeng and Shuang'er had enough of the beautiful scenery.

On the evening of the seventh day, He Linzhang finally carried Tao Yanyan onto the carriage and set off for the palace. Just like when they came, Tao Yanyan fell asleep as soon as he got on the carriage, and the carriage swayed all the way into the palace.

Tao Yanyan, feeling exhausted all over, returned to Changle Palace, took a quick look at the children, and went back to his room to sleep. He slept until noon on the eighth day of the first lunar month and finally made up for the energy he had lost in the past two days.

After she had lunch, Concubine Xian arrived to ask for instructions on the reception banquet for the Xia Kingdom delegation.

"Your Majesty, the representatives of the Xia Kingdom delegation this time are their Jingnan Prince Kang Mowan and Ning Prince. I think Ning Prince is about the same age as our Second Prince. Should we invite the Second Prince to attend as well?"

Tao Yanyan nodded and said, "Your Majesty mentioned before that Prince Ning is good at chess, so let Jin'an attend, and invite the chess master Mr. Shi as well."

Concubine Xian said happily: "That's even better. I will go down and prepare the invitation now."