Harem Daily Life

Chapter 414 Do you and I have a tacit understanding?

Li Cairen was pampered and usually very delicate. Dong Fang didn't dare to kill her for fear of accidentally killing her and causing trouble for the imperial concubine.

After kicking him a few times, Dong Fang slipped away, leaving Li Cairen lying on the ground, unable to get up, groaning and calling for help.

But it was dark at night and the cold palace was remote. No matter how loudly she shouted, no one would come.

It is normal to flatter the powerful and look down on the weak in this palace, and no one would bother to pay attention to a concubine who is not favored in the cold palace.

On the second day of the first lunar month, Tao Yanyan asked Dong Fang to send the maternity and baby clothes she had drawn to Prince Jing's mansion. She also asked him to go to the clothing workshop and send a copy of the clothing pattern to Manager Sun, so that after the workshop started working, he could make a few pieces and sell them in the shops in the capital.

Not long after Dong Fang left the palace, Eunuch Zhang came on orders to invite Tao Yanyan to go to the Qinzheng Palace. The emperor was receiving relatives who came to pay New Year's greetings in the Qinzheng Palace today. The eldest prince was not feeling well, and Concubine De was too busy to accompany him, so she came to invite Concubine Tao to go over.

Tao Yanyan dressed up before leaving in a sedan chair. In fact, she had already met these clan members at the palace banquet that day, but they often visited each other during the New Year holidays, so it was customary for them to come today.

Those who came were several princes, He Linzhang's younger brothers, cousins, and their respective princesses. When young people gathered together, the atmosphere was quite lively.

As soon as Tao Yanyan went there, he found several familiar faces, but the pregnant Princess Jing was not among them. She must have stayed in the mansion to take care of her baby.

Several princesses came over to pay their respects, and Tao Yanyan returned the greetings generously before walking to He Linzhang's side to accompany him.

He Linzhang didn't act like an emperor today. He looked much kinder. When Tao Yanyan came over, he was smiling. In an instant, people had the illusion that he was not the emperor, but everyone's brother.

Prince Yong was sitting in the crowd. He noticed Tao Yanyan as soon as she entered the room, but he didn't dare to look at her for too long for fear of being exposed.

Prince Su was meeting a lot of people. He loved to play, so he suggested that everyone play games. Tao Yanyan instantly became interested because she had never played ancient games before!

"Let me make it clear first, even if we lose, we can't lose our temper. Your Majesty especially can't be angry, otherwise it won't be fun!" Prince Su took precautions in advance to prevent the emperor from getting angry and ruining the atmosphere of the New Year festival.

He Linzhang said unhappily: "You are saying this specifically to provoke me, right? Let's start talking about the rules. It's just a game, and no one here can afford to play."

Upon hearing this, Prince Su laughed and said, "Well, your Majesty, I feel relieved with your words."

So, the King Su said the name of the game, called "Telepathy". It means randomly drawing lots, and the two people who draw the same color lot have to write down the answer to a question at the same time. If the answers are the same, they are people with telepathy. If they are not the same, the two people will be punished. Either fined silver or fined to drink.

"This is the most popular way of playing in the capital recently. What do you think? Do you dare to play it?" Prince Su did not forget to provoke him.

"What's there to be afraid of? Come on, let's play!" King Zhao echoed.

So Prince Su took out a bucket of lots and asked everyone to draw.

Normally, the princesses of each family were very reserved, but today they were not so particular about details. They were relaxed and drew lots one by one. Tao Yanyan took the second to last lot, and the last lot was taken by Princess Yong.

As luck would have it, Tao Yanyan and Princess Yong were the ones who drew the same color in the first round. The two looked at each other and thought they were not familiar with each other, so they were probably going to be punished.

"Then let me ask a question. Please listen to the question: What would you do if your husband loves someone else?" The questioner was King Han, He Linzhang's cousin.

Tao Yanyan glanced at He Linzhang and wrote a few words on the paper.

Princess Yong pondered for a moment and also wrote a few words.

When they finished writing, they announced it at the same time. The scene fell silent instantly.

"Princess Yong wrote: Hold on to the green mountains and never let go, no matter which direction the wind blows."

"Empress Tao wrote: There are beautiful women everywhere in the world, why should you love only one flower?"

After the King Su finished speaking, he said with a smile: "You two, one is firm and the other is free and easy. If your answers are inconsistent, you will be punished!"

Tao Yanyan smiled, took out five taels of silver and put them in the box, accepting the punishment. Princess Yong also took out five taels of silver, and in the first round, ten taels of silver were confiscated.

He Linzhang squeezed Tao Yanyan's hand, leaned close to her ear and whispered: "Yanyan is free and easy, but I am a little hurt."

Tao Yanyan looked around and glared at him a little embarrassedly: "It's just a game, Your Majesty, do you take it seriously?"

The scene of the two whispering in each other's ears fell into King Yong's eyes, like dazzling sunlight, forcing him to look away.

At the beginning of the second round, Tao Yanyan's hand speed was very fast this time. He quickly drew a lot, and when he saw that the color was gone, he instantly breathed a sigh of relief. But unexpectedly, He Linzhang drew it. He just waited to see who would be so unlucky and draw the same color lot as the emperor.

It must be said that everything seemed to be arranged by fate. Prince Yong looked at the color lottery in his hand, looked at the emperor opposite him, and said helplessly: "Just ask a simple question, so that your majesty can have a tacit understanding with your heart for once."

His words made everyone laugh, and Prince Su asked: "How about writing three sentences about your love for your loved one?"

Prince Su was thinking that there were only a few good sentences to praise women, and the two of them would always come up with the same answer, so it would not be difficult for them.

He Linzhang smiled, glanced at Tao Yanyan, and wrote on the paper: "As bright as the moon, as a flower that speaks, as cinnabar in the heart."

Princess Yong clenched her fingers and tried to control her expression. Prince Yong quickly glanced at Tao Yanyan and wrote: "Generous and kind, beautiful and intelligent, lively and smart."

The two of them announced their answers at the same time, and they gave different answers. King Yong generously accepted the fine of five taels of silver.

He Linzhang didn't have a purse, so he took out the red envelope that Tao Yanyan had given him and prepared to take out a hundred-liang silver note from it and put it in the box.

Prince Su quickly added: "We agreed that there will be no compensation for the fine, just put in whatever you put in."

Tao Yanyan's mouth twitched: "That won't do. Your Majesty, one hundred taels is too much. I will pay for Your Majesty. Five taels will be enough. Your Majesty, please take good care of this banknote."

He Linzhang had no choice but to put the banknote away lovingly, and said with a smile: "The imperial concubine is not a stingy person on weekdays, but because this banknote is a New Year's red envelope given to me by the great imperial concubine, it is very meaningful."

Several princes joked: "I didn't expect that your majesty and the imperial concubine would have such fun spending time together in private. It's really rare."

Giving New Year’s red envelopes to the emperor? That’s a bold idea.

But why do I feel like copying it for no reason?

No wonder the Imperial Concubine received such praise from His Majesty. It turns out that when it comes to controlling men, the ladies in the palace have many tricks up their sleeves.

Prince Yong put down five taels of silver dejectedly and smiled pretending to be happy.

Prince Su started drawing lots again. This time everyone rushed forward. Tao Yanyan had bad luck and was drawn again.