Harem Daily Life

Chapter 418 My brother told me a secret before he died

Tao Yanyan raised her head and looked at He Linzhang. He Linzhang held her rebellious little hand and thought for a while before saying, "I didn't know her character before, so I was lost for a while. After I saw her clearly, my feelings faded. Yanyan asked this, are you still jealous?"

He Linzhang looked back at her, his eyes full of inquiry.

Tao Yanyan smiled and said, "Before I entered the palace, she was already a favorite concubine. Even if I am jealous, it cannot be against her. I just... feel that the women in the palace are a little pitiful."

After she finished speaking, she stood up slightly, propped up her head with one hand, and looked down at He Linzhang: "Sometimes, I feel a little guilty, because Your Majesty has been here with me all the time and never goes to other palaces. I feel a little sorry for them, but if Your Majesty goes, I will be sad. So, the women in the palace are pitiful."

He Linzhang pinched her face: "The current situation cannot be changed, and I cannot let them go free. What can I do?"

Ever since his relationship with Tao Yanyan deepened, he indeed lost interest in other concubines. Now he mainly visited those who had children, but did not stay overnight with them. He was too lazy to even visit the other concubines who did not have children.

Tao Yanyan nestled into his arms again: "Okay, I was just being too picky. I won't think too much about it anymore. Your Majesty still likes me these past two years, so I will continue to be your favorite concubine for another two years."

He Linzhang hugged the man tightly and said, "What two years? I want to grow old with you." After saying that, he turned over and pressed the man down.

He has been very fascinated by Tao Yanyan recently. He always feels that the little concubine seems to have suddenly become more beautiful, with her eyebrows and eyes becoming more charming, and she seems to have grown up.

Tao Yanyan himself also discovered that ever since he stopped taking the contraceptive pills, he had been taking supplements all over again, and it seemed as if his body had started to develop again. Whenever he was with He Linzhang, he became more decadent than before.

The next day, Tao Yanyan finally went to the cold palace. It was cold in the first month of the year, and she held a hot water bottle in her hand and wore a thick cloak. Her clothes full of pearls and jade were out of place in the desolate cold palace.

After taking the pills, Li Cairen felt much better and was able to get up and move around. However, it was cold and she was too lazy to get up, so she curled up in a thin quilt to keep warm.

Seeing the tattered door was opened, she looked towards the door and saw only a graceful shadow, but because the person was backlit, she could not see the face clearly.

Qingfeng and Xianglan first went into the room and opened the window to dissipate the smell. They then wiped the only small stool with a handkerchief before welcoming Concubine Tao in.

Li Cairen's eyes were dazed. She looked at the bright and charming Concubine Tao in front of her, then looked at herself in thin clothes, and couldn't help but sneered: "I didn't expect that one day we would meet like this."

It would be a lie to say that she didn't feel wronged. After Li Cairen sneered, tears welled up in her eyes. However, this time she didn't cry as she did before. She still retained some stubbornness.

Tao Yanyan walked to the stool and sat down. The light from the window shone on her face and body, making her look even more graceful and elegant, with an extraordinary demeanor.

"I heard that you wanted to see me? I wonder what else is there to talk about between you and me?" Tao Yanyan glanced at Li Cairen, but there was no contempt in his eyes, only a calm look.

Li Cairen glanced at Qingfeng and Xianglan, whom she brought with her: "Let your people go down first. I have something to tell you alone."

Tao Yanyan smiled and said, "They are all my confidants, there is nothing they cannot hear. If you want to talk, just talk. If not, I will leave."

Li Cairen choked and took a deep breath. She had finally managed to get someone here today, and this was the only chance for her to get out, so she had no choice but to say, "Okay, you're so cruel."

So, she thought for a moment and said, "You should know that my brother was His Majesty's guard and died to save His Majesty."

Tao Yanyan nodded, thinking that this Li Cairen would not use her brother's kindness to beg for mercy?

She said nothing and listened patiently.

“Actually, my brother didn’t die on the spot. He was sent back to the Lu family for treatment. He died after several hours of not being cured.” Li Cairen recalled what happened and couldn’t help shedding tears.

Tao Yanyan sighed and gave Qingfeng a look. Qingfeng stepped forward and poured a glass of water for Li Cairen. When he saw that the water was cold, he had no choice but to go out and get hot tea from the imperial concubine's sedan chair.

Li Cairen finished crying and continued, "I was guarding my brother at the time. He said a few words to me, but I couldn't hear them clearly. Now that I think about it, he seemed to be telling me a secret."

Tao Yanyan looked at her seriously and it seemed that he was not lying.

At this time, Qingfeng brought in some hot tea, picked up the cup on the table, poured a cup for Li Cairen and handed it to her.

It had been many days since she had had a chance to drink this cup of hot tea. Li Cairen took it and drank it in three or two gulps. Only then did she feel a little warmer.

Qingfeng took a look and poured her another cup.

Tao Yanyan said, "What do you want to exchange for this secret? Let me make it clear first, your so-called secret has to be valuable. If it is worthless, then I think you'd better not say anything."

Li Cairen sneered, "How do I know if you will say something valuable is worthless after I tell you? After all, you can't stand seeing me doing well."

Tao Yanyan looked around and saw the drafty windows, dilapidated furniture, thin bedding, lack of food and clothing, and the cold palace. She smiled and said, "How about this, no matter what you say, I can send you some thick clothes and quilts, and have someone help you repair this place so that it can at least be habitable. Then I can have someone send you two meals a day, hot meals."

This is Tao Yanyan providing her with some help from a humanitarian standpoint. If there is more, there will be nothing more.

Li Cairen thought about it and realized that she would not lose anything even if she told him, so she said, "Okay, but if it is valuable, I want you to take me out. I don't want to live here anymore and fend for myself."

Upon hearing this, Tao Yanyan narrowed his eyes and wondered who gave you the courage to think that your so-called secret was worth letting me release you from the cold palace?

She thought for a moment and said, "I don't have the power to let you go. But if you are really valuable, I can ask His Majesty for you to go to Jingci Temple to practice. At least it is better than staying in the cold palace."

When Li Cairen thought of her aunt's lonely days in Jingci Temple with ancient Buddhas and green lamps, she clenched her fists, but finally nodded.

After all, escaping from here is her biggest hope at the moment. As for where to go next, at least it will be better than here.

After she thought it through, she told him the last words she had heard: "My brother said that there was a traitor around His Majesty, who exposed His Majesty's whereabouts. But he didn't say who it was, and perhaps he didn't even know. He also said a poem, which was very strange."

Tao Yanyan frowned: "What poem?"

Li Cairen recalled: "A blue dragon was born in the Western Regions, and its wonderful music spread to the four countries."