Harem Daily Life

Madam Feng had been eagerly awaiting a reply, and when she finally received news, she was greatly disappointed, as He Linzhang refused to see her.

Looking at the young man before her who bore a striking resemblance to the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Madam Feng asked in bewilderment, "I've heard that Prince Jin was adopted from among the common people, so why... does he bear such a resemblance to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty?"

He Jin'an did not want to answer her question, and only said lightly, "Instead of being concerned about my background, Madam Feng, you should reconsider your request. If you want to change to something that is easier to achieve, it may be much better for you."

Madam Feng sneered, "They won't even grant me the empty title of Lady Protector of the Nation, what else can I ask for? But what surprises me is that His Majesty actually agreed to let me enter the palace as a lady-in-waiting?"

Madam Feng thought of how she had begged He Linzhang to allow her to enter the palace as a concubine, but he refused. Now that she was entering the palace as a female official, she would have plenty of opportunities to get close to him. Wasn't he afraid?

He Jin'an gave her no hope and said directly, "It was my mother who granted the request. She made an exception for you because she thought you were so devoted to serving the Great Zhou. Go to the palace tomorrow to kneel and thank the Empress. I have delivered my message. Farewell."

He Jin'an left without looking back, leaving Madam Feng completely bewildered.

"Madam, what should we do now? Do we really have to go to the palace?" The two women, mistress and servant, depended on each other for survival, and the old woman didn't know what to do.

Madam Feng sat down, looking at the crowds coming and going outside the window: "I won't let go of any opportunity to get close to him. Hahahaha, Empress Tao, don't blame me then, you brought this on yourself."

Consort Xian also heard about the matter of placing female officials, and the other party's status was so awkward that she felt it was really troublesome, so she hurriedly sent someone to inquire.

Tao Yanyan told her to calm down and to go to Chang Le Palace tomorrow if she had time.

To see Tao Yanyan, Madam Feng went to great lengths, not only buying the latest clothes to wear but also changing her entire headdress, all to ensure she didn't lose face in front of the Empress.

She hired a luxurious carriage, went straight to the palace gate, and after being informed, went to Chang Le Palace alone.

The more jeweled Madam Feng was, the more elegant and serene Tao Yanyan appeared. When the two met, if Tao Yanyan hadn't been sitting and Madam Feng hadn't been kneeling, one might have thought that Madam Feng was the empress and Tao Yanyan was just a commoner.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Consort Xian excitedly drank several sips of tea.

Tao Yanyan looked at her newly painted nails and said calmly, "Madam Feng must be almost forty now. It's been many years. How have you been?"

She immediately mentioned her age, which greatly displeased Madam Feng.

"After so many years, Her Majesty the Empress knows best whether it was good or bad. After all, everything I've experienced is inextricably linked to Empress Tao."

Tao Yan Yan wasn't annoyed by her resentful words, but just smiled and said, "Madam, you didn't have a good ending in either of your two marriages. I feel sorry for you. You finally regained your freedom, so why did you have to come back to the palace to suffer? To put it nicely, you're striving for the top; to put it bluntly, you don't know how to enjoy life and are making the best of a bad situation."

Madam Feng's face paled. Looking at Empress Tao, who appeared young, beautiful, and alluring, she sneered, "The late Emperor made a promise to me back then, and His Majesty was also present. He said that whatever I asked for, he would grant it. Since Your Majesty has already agreed to keep it, why bother asking me about the reasons behind it? Of course, even if Your Majesty wanted to know, I might not tell you."

Consort Xian swallowed hard, thinking that Madam Feng, who had been Empress for seven or eight years and Imperial Concubine for more than ten years, certainly had an imposing presence.

She couldn't help but turn her gaze to Empress Tao, worried that she would be overshadowed.

If the Empress is suppressed, then the concubine who shares the same hatred as the Empress will also lose face.

Tao Yanyan slowly ate a pastry and took a sip of tea, appearing extremely relaxed.

"Yes, you came with the imperial gold medal bestowed by the late emperor, requesting a position as a female official. His Majesty had no choice but to grant it. However, the number of female officials in the palace is saturated. I have searched around and found no place suitable for you."

Madam Feng was taken aback, then a fierce look appeared on her face: "Is Your Majesty playing games with me? You summoned me to the palace to tell me that His Majesty has agreed, and now you're making things difficult for me?"

Tao Yanyan smiled slightly: "After so many years of living in the palace, you still haven't taught Madam Feng how to keep her emotions in check? But it makes sense. Madam has won the favor of two generations of kings of Yan, so she must not have needed to restrain her temper and is used to running rampant in your Yan palace."

Tao Yan kept mentioning the State of Yan, and then the State of Yan was destroyed. It was like knives stabbing into Lady Feng's heart.

This was the first time Consort Xian had witnessed Empress Tao's sharp retorts up close, and she couldn't help but give Empress Tao a thumbs up in her heart.

When it comes to stabbing someone in the back, the Empress is the best!

No wonder Empress Tao was able to outlast so many people over the years, rising from the lowest rank of Liangyi to the throne of Empress.

The reason why the Empress Tao doesn't usually stab these concubines in the back is because they are well-behaved and sensible, and also because she is magnanimous.

Consort Xian was glad that she had already sided with Empress Tao, otherwise she would probably have been stabbed in the heart long ago.

Madam Feng, feeling as if she had been stabbed in the heart, gasped for breath: "What exactly does Her Majesty the Empress mean? Does she intend to disobey the late Emperor's promise? Although I am currently powerless, I know where to seek redress if I suffer injustice. I'm sure the Censorate is eager to take action."

Madam Feng brought up the Censorate, and Consort Xian cleared her throat and said, "Everything can be discussed. Matters of the inner palace should be handled by the inner palace. Why involve the court and the Censorate? It's just a position for a female official. I'll go back and search again; I'm sure I can find a vacancy."

Consort Xian gave Tao Yanyan a meaningful look, hoping she would keep the peace and not provoke her, lest she cause trouble.

Tao Yan smiled at her, sat up straight, and then looked like she was getting down to business: "What Consort Xian said is very true. Madam Feng, don't be in such a hurry. I never said that I disrespected the late Emperor or didn't keep my promises. If you let me finish speaking, you'll know that I've put a lot of thought into this request of yours."

Madam Feng choked and clenched her fists.

Was she impatient? Clearly, it's Empress Tao who's infuriating!

Seeing that the time was right, Tao Yanyan slowly said, "I have thought about it. The late emperor treated you very well. He was willing to give you a gold medal and make promises to you. Even his own princess might not do that. It is clear that the late emperor loved you very much."

Madam Feng's complexion improved slightly. She raised her eyebrows slightly and struck a pose.

"Therefore, I have decided to appoint you to the Imperial Mausoleum Administration, as a Director."

Tao Yanyan's words were like a sledgehammer, almost making Madam Feng vomit blood.

The Director of the Imperial Mausoleum Administration? Isn't that just someone who guards the imperial tombs?