Harem Daily Life

Chapter 454 She is challenging my patience

Maybe it was because Tao Yanyan was pregnant, and the changes in progesterone made her more sentimental than before.

After hearing He Linzhang's question, she became even more unhappy. The anger that she had suppressed suddenly came out again. Her eyes turned red in an instant, and I felt sorry for her.

He Linzhang held her in his arms helplessly: "The mistake has been made, and I regret it. Yan Yan, if you think too much, it will only cause you more trouble. Let's be good to each other and stop arguing about this, okay?"

Tao Yanyan took a deep breath and punched him: "I don't want to feel bad either, but I can't control myself from feeling bad."

Tao Yanyan felt that she might be suffering from some pregnancy depression.

He Linzhang patted her back gently and held the delicate little concubine in his arms until Zhang Fuhai came in to invite her.

"Your Majesty, the situation at Mingcui Pavilion is not good. Concubine De has sent someone to invite you over."

Tao Yanyan came out of his arms and said: "Your Majesty, please go and have a look. I am fine. You can go about your business."

He Linzhang stood up helplessly: "Let the breeze or the bright moon watch over you at night, so that you won't get cold if you kick off the quilt."

Tao Yanyan nodded obediently, leaned back on the cushion, and watched He Linzhang leave.

Lu Cairen struggled for a day and a night, and finally gave birth to a princess after using every possible means.

Concubine Lu almost lost her life due to difficult childbirth. The imperial physician told her to rest and recuperate, and the newly born Fourth Princess was taken home directly by Concubine Liang to be raised.

For the sake of the child, He Linzhang promoted Lu Cairen to the rank of beauty.

Chang Tai reported all of this from time to time, and Tao Yanyan remained calm after hearing it.

"Jieyu Liang now has someone to rely on. Mingyue, go to the storehouse and pick out a gift and send it to Jieyu Liang."

Mingyue agreed and turned to go out to do her business.

"Your Majesty..." Chang Tai stood aside, seeming to be hesitant to speak.

"Just say what you want to say. Why are you hesitating?" Tao Yanyan glanced at Chang Tai.

Chang Tai had no choice but to tell his master the rumors he had heard.

"There are many people gossiping in the palace. I don't know where the rumor came from. They said... because the queen oppressed Concubine Lu, it caused Concubine Lu to give birth prematurely, and almost killed two people. People in the palace are saying that the queen is cruel and jealous, and she can't stand other concubines having children."

Chang Tai was afraid that the imperial concubine would be angry, so he spoke in a lower voice.

Tao Yanyan sneered: "There are only a few people who framed me at this time. Just listen to the gossip and ignore it."

Tao Yanyan had thought about catching the mastermind behind spreading the rumors, but she was weak and lacked energy now, so she was really powerless.

Unexpectedly, the rumors in the harem even affected the previous dynasty, and Lord Tao was impeached for failing to educate his daughter properly.

Lord Tao challenged a group of people and resolutely defended his daughter's character, engaging in a verbal battle with the other lords. Ningyuan Hou naturally also defended Tao Yanyan, as her uncle and adoptive father were Tao Yanyan's strongest backers.

He Linzhang couldn't bear to hear outsiders saying bad things about Tao Yanyan, so he immediately asked Eunuch Zhang to find out the truth of the matter. After much investigation, he found out that the rumor was spread by several palace maids who were sweeping the imperial garden. They were all punished and sent to the Ministry of Punishment, and the mastermind behind the incident also surfaced.

"It's still her?" He Linzhang closed the memorial in his hand, his eyes extremely cold: "She has been causing trouble for Yan Yan again and again, throwing dirty water on Yan Yan. I think Concubine Shu doesn't take my previous reprimand to heart at all!"

Eunuch Zhang was frightened by the emperor's violent temper and trembled all over. He stepped forward and advised, "Your Majesty, calm down. After all, the status of Concubine Shu is different. If the punishment is too severe, it may hurt the reputation of the Shu family and make it difficult for the empress dowager."

He Linzhang snorted coldly: "But she really challenges my patience!" He Linzhang felt upset when he thought about the fact that the little concubine was listless all day long because of her pregnancy, and was also being attacked with these false accusations.

"Since entering the palace, Yan Yan has never provoked others. It is others who have always made things difficult for her. Relying on her relationship with me, Concubine Shu has provoked me many times. Because of her rumors, court officials who do not know the truth have verbally attacked Yan Yan and even wrote to me to depose the imperial concubine. I can't stand it anymore. This time I must support Yan Yan."

He Linzhang stood up and paced, thinking about how to punish him. After a while, he said, "Go and tell me that Concubine Shu will be demoted to Concubine and fined three months' salary. Shu Jingtai will be demoted two levels and ordered to leave the capital today and go to Wucheng to serve as the county governor. He cannot return to the capital without transfer."

Isn't Concubine Shu relying on the power of the Shu family? Then let's cut off her reliance first. Without her father working in Beijing, let's see how she can have the energy to frame others.

Eunuch Zhang still wanted to persuade them, but it was mainly because of the Empress Dowager's problem, which was difficult to deal with!

As if seeing Zhang Fuhai's embarrassment, He Linzhang said: "This Great Zhou Dynasty belongs to the He family. If the Queen Mother wants to favor the Shu family, she must be reasonable. If the Queen Mother is dissatisfied, I will argue with her."

He Linzhang has been in power for eight years and is no longer the fledgling emperor. Ever since Tao Yanyan managed the imperial property in an orderly manner, he has had plenty of money and confidence. In addition, Tao Yanyan has invented so many things that benefit the people, and the national strength of the Great Zhou has reached a new level.

He may have needed to rely on his in-laws in the past, but now he is fully capable of directly confronting them.

Eunuch Zhang had no choice but to go down and convey the imperial edict, hoping that after the Empress Dowager learned the news, she would be more open-minded and not create a rift between her and His Majesty because of her natal family.

On the second day after Shufei was demoted to concubine in the summer palace, the news reached the Empress Dowager.

"Oh, my son is really capable."

Eunuch Qin studied the Queen Mother's face and saw that she didn't seem too angry, so he advised, "Queen Mother, His Majesty is also very angry, so he punished her like this. The Queen Mother must not get angry with His Majesty over this."

The Queen Mother rolled her eyes at him and said, "You've been following me for so long, and you still don't understand my thoughts?"

Eunuch Qin smiled awkwardly, with wrinkles on his face, hiding his helplessness. He thought to himself: Women's hearts are as unfathomable as the sea. I'm afraid few people can guess the fickle mind of the most noble woman in the Great Zhou.

"I have actually been prepared for this a long time ago. The Shu family assisted him in coming to power, and they will be liquidated sooner or later. Now, using this as an excuse to bring the Shu family down bit by bit may not be a bad thing. Alas..." The Queen Mother sighed, looking at the osmanthus tree outside the window and shook her head.

"Originally, when Concubine Shu gave birth to a prince, I had some thoughts on assisting this little grandson to inherit the throne in the future. But this little grandson..." Thinking of the child's congenital deficiency, thinness and weakness, the Queen Mother was filled with emotion: "He is useless! Without a strong body, he has lost the qualification to take the first step."

Eunuch Qin shrank his neck. As it involved the succession to the throne, he dared not say much.

"Among my three grandchildren, the third prince is weak and out; the second prince's identity is difficult to prove and the court officials will definitely oppose it, so he is out; as for the eldest prince... he looks okay at the moment, but his qualifications... are always mediocre. In addition, the Rong family holds the military power, so who can be at ease?"

The Queen Mother analyzed to herself that Eunuch Qin really wished he was deaf so he couldn't hear anything. He really wanted to keep his life and enjoy more time, but didn't want to die early because he knew too many secrets!