The Rebirth of Li Fei: The Strongest Palace Fighting System

Hearing this, I raised a gentle smile and continued the emperor's words:

"I suspect His Majesty must have felt bad seeing Concubine Xin so moved, so he wanted to change places and change his mood. And now, His Majesty has arrived at the Yanxi Palace again. I heard he just went to Concubine Xia's place in the East Wing Hall, so why is he coming to my place again?"

The emperor shook his head slightly and said with a bitter smile:

"Yes, I thought changing the place would change my mood, but who would have thought that Xia Dongchun would actually talk to me about the same thing, as if we had discussed it beforehand, talking about Princess Zhiqiu and performing the same drama."

"The rules of the harem cannot be broken. The emperor is in a dilemma."

I smiled and nodded, thinking to myself while helping the emperor take off his shoes.

Concubine Xin, Concubine Xia, and I may have all been reduced to neglected concubines in the emperor's heart, so he chose to come here.

However, these are not important to me. What is important is that I complete my task as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, I walked gently to the table and poured a cup of hot tea for the emperor.

The emperor took the teacup, took a sip, and a trace of appreciation and comfort flashed in his eyes:

"Empress An is sensible and considerate. Well, it's late, I'm tired, let's go to bed early."

I bowed slightly, secretly delighted in my heart. Although I knew that the emperor's staying here tonight was not entirely out of love for me, it at least provided me with more opportunities to complete the task.

......

After the emperor fell asleep, I quietly got out of bed and whispered in a low voice:

"Xiao Tao, Xiao Tao!"

After a while, Xiao Tao appeared in front of me, rubbing her sleepy eyes, and said with a bit of sleepiness:

"My lady... Xiao Tao retreated outside to wait when she saw the Emperor arrive. It's so late, why haven't you slept yet?"

I shook my head slightly and said solemnly:

"The Emperor has arrived, and our mission has made new progress. However, we must proceed with caution. Please ask the oleander elf how I can subtly mention the princesses and the Fourth and Fifth Princes so as not to offend the Emperor and at the same time make him consider our proposal."

Xiao Tao's sleepiness instantly dissipated after hearing this. She nodded and her expression became serious.

"Don't worry, my lady. Xiaotao will do it right away."

Xiaotao closed her eyes and frowned, as if she was having a silent conversation with the oleander elf.

After a long time, she slowly opened her eyes, with a determined light in them, and said to me:

"My lady, tomorrow you will rise early and personally prepare a delicious breakfast for His Majesty. The Emperor will surely appreciate your thoughtfulness and stay to savor it. While they are eating, you can try to get the Emperor to recall his childhood, particularly the days when he grew up away from his biological mother. While this may touch the Emperor's sensitive spot, if guided skillfully, perhaps he will resonate."

I heard this, and I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy:

"However, if I rashly mention this matter, I'm afraid it will incur the Emperor's wrath! The Emperor's thoughts are always difficult to guess."

Xiaotao nodded gently, indicating that she understood my concerns:

"My lady is right. Directly mentioning the Emperor's past is indeed extremely risky. Therefore, Xiao Tao suggests that you start by talking about your own background and recounting some of your childhood experiences separated from your family. If there are similarities between you and the Emperor, he will naturally connect the dots and empathize with them. In this way, when you slowly bring up the topic of the princesses and princes, it will appear more natural and more likely to be accepted by the Emperor."

I listened to Xiaotao's advice, gradually felt more confident, and nodded.

......

The next morning, I got up early and carefully prepared breakfast for the emperor.

There were several exquisite dishes on the table: delicate and tender emerald tofu, fragrant squirrel fish, golden fried dumplings, and the bowl of lotus seed soup that I specially made, which was sweet and refreshing for the lungs.

Soon, the emperor woke up. I gently helped him wash and change his clothes. After everything was ready, I led the emperor to the dining table and served him his meal respectfully.

In the dim morning light, I arranged everything in a soft voice, just to give the emperor a warm start.

After tasting it, the emperor smiled with satisfaction and praised:

"Concubine An, you are so virtuous and considerate. You always bring me surprises. Especially this bowl of lotus seed soup, it is sweet but not greasy, and the fragrance is full of mouth. It is made very well, and I like it very much."

I humbly responded:

"Your Majesty, you are too kind. It is my honor to share your worries. I only wish that Your Majesty will be in good health and in a good mood every day."

After hearing this, the emperor's eyes became softer. He looked up at me, as if he noticed that I was just watching him enjoy his meal quietly, while I was holding only a piece of simple white porridge in my hand.

The emperor frowned slightly, and asked with some confusion and distress:

"Concubine An, why don't you eat? I see a rich array of delicacies on the table, yet you only eat this coarse food. Why is that?"

"Your Majesty, you may not know this, but I grew up in poverty, and have been accustomed to these simple meals ever since I was little. In my heart, the value of food lies not in its preciousness, but in the person with whom it is shared, and the thought that goes into it. Being able to prepare these for Your Majesty brings me satisfaction. As for myself, these simple meals are something I'm used to, and they represent the most comforting feeling in my heart."

The emperor looked at him with a mixture of confusion and pity, and said softly:

"Concubine An, you are at least the legitimate daughter of Songyang Cheng County. Although you are not extremely wealthy, you are still better off than the rich and better off than the poor. Why do you live such a hard and shabby life, as if you were in a poor family?"

A subtle sadness flashed across my eyes. I lowered my eyes slightly, and my voice was soft but with a subtle tremor:

"Your Majesty, you may not know that my mother was not blessed. After my father embarked on his official career, my mother passed away early and was unable to enjoy any glory. I was raised by other concubines in the palace. In those days, the concubines and I were treated differently."

I paused for a moment, a faint smile forming on the corner of my mouth, a smile that contained a hint of bitterness and relief.

"Since I was little, Auntie has always enjoyed the best food in the mansion, while I, a concubine, can often only eat her leftovers. Over time, simple meals have become a habit for me, a normal part of life."

I looked up at the Emperor, a hint of gratitude in my eyes, and continued:

"Since I was fortunate enough to enter the palace and become His Majesty's concubine, my life has changed dramatically. Now, I no longer have to worry about leftovers. This favor has brought me great happiness and satisfaction. In my heart, I am only grateful for everything His Majesty has given me."