Harem Daily Life

Not long after, Eunuch Feng was waiting outside. He straightened his clothes and when he heard the news, he crouched down and walked in, kneeling before the Empress to pay his respects: "Your servant Feng Jiu greets the Empress. May the Empress be blessed with good health."

Tao Yanyan smiled and said, "Eunuch Feng, please stand up. It's been many years since we last met. How are you doing?"

Eunuch Feng's eyes were a little warm, and he sniffed and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I have been managing the Hot Spring Palace for many years, and everything has been fine. When I learned that Your Majesty was coming this year, I was very happy. I thought that I could see you before returning home. It is really a blessing for me."

Tao Yanyan was stunned. "You're going back home? I see you're not even fifty yet?"

Palace maids can leave the palace and get married at the age of 25, while eunuchs can continue to work until they are old. If they want to retire and return home, it will generally be delayed until they are 55 years old. After all, when they are old, it is difficult to make a living outside, and they have no children to support them in their old age. Life is difficult, so it is better for them to stay in the palace and serve their masters and save more money.

Eunuch Feng smiled and said, "I'm not yet fifty, but I have heart palpitations, and they become more frequent in the winter. So I thought I'd go back sooner rather than later, to avoid... After all, people always return to their roots. I'll visit my parents' graves for a few years, and then we can reunite as a family."

After Eunuch Feng finished speaking, he seemed to feel that it was inappropriate to say such things in the first month of the year, and he quickly apologized, "Look at this servant's mouth, there is no control over the rules. It's a festival, and I am saying such nonsense in front of the Empress."

Tao Yanyan didn't really care: "It's okay, there's nothing to worry about. So where is your hometown? Is it far from the capital?"

Eunuch Feng replied, "Not far. I'm from Suizhou, which is only about ten days' journey from the capital. My family was poor when I was young, and I was sold to a trafficker before finally being brought to the capital. There, I was bought and brought into the palace to become a eunuch. Forty years have passed in a flash. Time is unforgiving."

"Suzhou?" Tao Yanyan muttered the name, and Xianglan reminded him, "That's where Imperial Physician Liu went looking for medicine."

Tao Yanyan nodded: "No wonder it looks so familiar."

When Eunuch Feng heard about the search for herbs, he said, "Suizhou is covered in mountains and forests, with little arable land. Every household makes a living by growing herbs, and every year, herbal medicine merchants from all over the country like to go to Suizhou to buy herbs. However, these days, it's been difficult to grow good herbs, and the prices of herbs are high. What I spend on medicine in the capital for a month could buy me six months' worth in Suizhou. By the time I return, I think my savings will last me a few years."

Tao Yanyan understood his plan. Prices in Beijing were high, and food, clothing, housing and transportation all cost money. Medical treatment was a huge expense. It would be better to return to his hometown to retire, where all expenses could be reduced.

Tao Yanyan gave Xianglan a look, and Xianglan understood. She took out twenty taels of silver, wrapped it in red cloth and handed it to Eunuch Feng.

Eunuch Feng quickly declined: "I haven't served Your Majesty for many years. How can I ask for a reward from Your Majesty?"

Tao Yanyan advised, "Just accept it. When I was of humble status, you took great care of me. Now that I see you again, I feel very close to you. Now is the New Year holiday, and I always give gifts wherever I go to celebrate."

After the Queen said this, Eunuch Feng did not refuse any more and took the silver with both hands: "Thank you very much, Your Majesty, for the reward. I am truly fortunate to have met you."

Feng Jiu was originally a mere eunuch in charge of a temporary palace, his rank and income inferior to those of a third-rank eunuch in the imperial court. Ever since he met Tao Liangyi that year, he'd been favored by General Li, whose salary had doubled while also providing him with sinecure duties. He considered the empress before him his benefactor, wishing he could worship her like a bodhisattva and kowtow to her daily.

"This time, I have served the Emperor and Empress well, and will return home after the handover. Even though I am far away, I will pray for Her Majesty every day, wishing her good health and long-lasting blessings."

Tao Yanyan smiled and said, "You're so thoughtful. Then take good care of yourself. If you encounter any difficulties, write to Li Zongguan and have him pass it on to me. We've known each other for a while, so there's no need to be restrained."

Eunuch Feng quickly thanked her: "Yes, then I will not bother you any more and will take my leave now."

Xianglan waited for Eunuch Feng to leave before saying, "I've heard about this heart palpitations before. They say that while there aren't any signs of them on a normal day, once they do occur they can be extremely dangerous. If you don't treat them in time, they can die in an instant. Hey, Eunuch Feng seems so easygoing, how could he have developed such a condition?"

Tao Yanyan thought the so-called palpitations might be what later generations would call myocardial infarction or heart failure. While later generations could use interventional methods to dilate blood vessels and allow blood to flow, ancient times lacked such technology. Once contracted, one would have to take medication for life. And since medication is often toxic, the body would eventually be worn down by the constant use of medication.

"Cardiovascular diseases are the most difficult to diagnose. You should eat less oil and salt and exercise more. Obesity increases your risk of developing the disease. Besides Shuang'er's regular martial arts practice, which provides ample exercise, you should also exercise more. Learn a few moves from Shuang'er. Not only will you stay in shape, but it will also help promote blood circulation and reduce the risk of disease."

Shuang'er raised her eyebrows. "Your Majesty is right. Xianglan, you and the others should join me for morning exercises starting tomorrow and move more. But...Your Majesty should also move more."

Tao Yanyan was drinking tea and almost spit it out.

"I...I've already exercised enough, so I don't need to..."

Tao Yanyan's ears turned red. Exercising anywhere is exercising. She is exercising even when lying down, and she is exhausted every time.

Xianglan and the others covered their mouths and laughed secretly. Shuang'er rolled her eyes but refused to give in. "My queen, you can't be lazy. You spend the whole day sitting or lying in the house. It's not good for your health."

Tao Yanyan glared at her and said, "I'm just conserving my energy, understand? I can't explain it to you little girls."

A few people were talking and laughing when He Linzhang came in from outside. He left all the children with the empress dowager and asked them to keep her company.

"What are you talking about? I can hear your laughter from far away."

Xianglan and the others hurried to greet the emperor, but they all suppressed their smiles and dared not speak.

Shuang'er bravely said, "In reply to your Majesty, we servants are trying to persuade you to participate in morning exercises starting tomorrow to strengthen your body and stretch your muscles."

He Linzhang raised his eyebrows and said with interest, "Oh?" He looked Tao Yanyan up and down and said, "That's a good idea. The Queen really needs to build up some strength."

Tao Yanyan: “…”

Shuang'er and the others retreated with stifled laughter, not daring to disturb the Emperor and Empress's private time together. With no one around, Tao Yanyan angrily said, "Your Majesty, why do you allow them to tease me? You know I can't get up every day, yet you still make me do morning exercises. Humph, I can't even wake up from my sleep."

Anger was no longer enough to express Tao Yanyan's resistance. She stood up and walked to He Linzhang, stretched out her hand and twisted the soft flesh on his waist to show her protest.

He Linzhang took the person into his arms and held him tightly.

"Can't wake up? Then I'll accompany you to take a nap." Without saying anything, he picked her up and carried her into the inner room.

Tao Yanyan didn't know how she got back to bed not long after getting up and dressing. When she got up again, it was dark.