Harem Daily Life

Chapter 1091 The vengeful little bird is quite cunning.

He Xiaoqi, who had been flung away, flew all the way to Chang Le Palace and went straight into Tao Yanyan's sleeve pocket.

Tao Yanyan, who was reading a storybook, looked at him suspiciously: "It's stuffy in the sleeve pocket, are you sure you want to go in?"

He Xiaoqi kept his beak tightly closed and remained silent after crawling inside.

Tao Yanyan sighed. Having raised birds for a long time, she had figured out He Xiaoqi's temperament. It was a talkative bird, and if it fell silent, it meant it had been wronged and was sulking.

Tao Yan Yan softened her tone: "Tell your mother who made our lovely Xiao Qi angry? Your mother will stand up for you." Tao Yan Yan coaxed her softly, as if she were coaxing a baby.

He Xiaoqi hesitated for a long time before finally peeking out of his sleeve with his bird head, tilting it to the side: "Mother, I congratulate Father on having a grandson, but he threw me away! Waaaaaah, I'm so heartbroken!"

Tao Yanyan: “…”

"Oh, little Qi, don't cry. Wait for His Majesty to come, then I'll talk to him."

After finishing his official duties that evening, He Linzhang returned to Chang Le Palace to rest. There he saw that He Xiaoqi, who usually followed the Empress Dowager, was in their bedroom. It was already late and he still hadn't returned to the Empress Dowager's side.

He Xiaoqi didn't chatter away with him as usual, but just stayed quietly next to Tao Yanyan.

"Still not asleep? Waiting for me?" He Linzhang stepped forward, hugged Tao Yanyan, and kissed her forehead, his eyes filled with tenderness.

He Xiaoqi turned her head away from the bird and stared at Tao Yanyan: "Mother~"

A bird that's being affectionate and adorable.

Tao Yanyan coughed lightly and looked up at He Linzhang: "Did Your Majesty upset Xiao Qi today? Xiao Qi is usually a bit lively, but it's also quite interesting. How could Your Majesty throw it away and make it sad?"

Tao Yanyan blinked and gave He Linzhang a meaningful look. He Linzhang immediately understood; he hadn't expected a bird to dare to complain.

He raised an eyebrow: "It's because I can't stand its laughter. Hehehehehe, who did it learn that from?" None of the children have ever laughed like that before.

Tao Yanyan glanced at He Xiaoqi, who turned her head and said, "Villains all have that kind of laughter, it's from storybooks."

"Hey, our Xiao Qi isn't a villain, why don't you change that laugh?" Tao Yanyan offered a sound suggestion.

He Xiaoqi flapped its wings: "No way, no other laughter is as domineering as this." After saying that, it flew to He Linzhang's shoulder and rubbed its fluffy head against He Linzhang's cheek: "Don't you dare shake me off again next time, I hold grudges and I'm petty."

He Linzhang raised his finger and tapped the bird's head. As long as the reason was explained, it could be appeased so quickly. How could it hold a grudge? It was not as troublesome as angering the Empress or He Yinuo in the past.

He Xiaoqi, who was already feeling sleepy, was quickly coaxed back to sleep and was too lazy to fly back to Changchun Palace. So she found a place to sleep. He Linzhang narrowed his eyes and said, "You can't sleep here. Go to Yinuo's room."

He's not stupid; why would he keep a noisy bird around? Wouldn't the bird just pick up all the sweet nothings they whispered in the middle of the night?

He Xiaoqi, who had just been coaxed, became a little agitated: "Usually when Fifth Sister throws a tantrum, Father and Mother always let her sleep in her room."

He Linzhang touched his nose: "That was before she was seven years old. She can't do that now that she's older. Besides, you're smarter, more clever, and more well-behaved than her. How can you still be sleeping in our room when you're so old?"

He Xiaoqi was suddenly praised and became invigorated. She raised her bird head, revealing a perfect 45-degree profile: "Alright, I'm so smart and well-behaved, I won't disturb Father and Mother's rest."

After saying that, it flapped its wings and flew out of the window, heading straight for He Yinuo's room.

He Linzhang breathed a sigh of relief, then shook his head helplessly: "Your father probably didn't expect that he would have another bird as his grandson when he gave it to the Empress Dowager back then."

Tao Yanyan changed his clothes: "It has some spirit, and it's quite interesting. By the way, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is getting old. My father finally managed to persuade her to come back to the palace. From now on, she shouldn't live in the small courtyard anymore."

Mu Yu had mentioned this matter to Tao Yanyan in private. Although he wanted to continue spending time alone with the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager was getting on in years and had recently been in poor health. After much consideration, Mu Yu decided that he should let the Empress Dowager live in the palace so that he could take better care of her.

He Linzhang nodded: "I have long had this intention. The Changchun Palace is full of the Empress Dowager's people, so it's fine for your father to move in with her. He has been by the Empress Dowager's side for so many years, and he has long been regarded as her close eunuch."

Tao Yanyan glared at him, her eyes sparkling with charm and affection, which made He Linzhang's lower abdomen tighten. He bent down, picked her up, and carried her straight to the inner room.

"Your Majesty, take it easy. Do you still think you're a young man in your twenties? You're a grandfather now!"

He Linzhang pulled Tao Yanyan into his arms, his hands roaming over her body, causing Tao Yanyan to tremble.

"Whether I am as good as I was in my twenties or not, Yan Yan can find out for himself by trying."

Tao Yanyan almost couldn't get up the next day, but fortunately the concubines didn't have to come to pay their respects, which saved her a lot of embarrassment. Xianglan had already ordered someone to stew some tonic for her, and after combing her hair and washing her face, she served it to her while it was still warm.

"Your Highness, the Noble Consort Xian just sent over the list of guests for the New Year's banquet. I have already glanced through it and found some additions and subtractions. This is the first time that Lord Duan, who has just joined the Ministry of War, has attended a banquet. The Noble Consort Xian has arranged for him to sit next to Lord Tao, right next to Marquis Ningyuan."

Upon hearing this, Tao Yanyan frowned: "Where is General Gu? Where is General Gu sitting?"

The Empress's maternal family, the Marquis of Ningyuan's mansion, the Tao family, and General Gu's mansion, always sat together every year. Suddenly, a Minister Duan from the Ministry of War arrived, which felt a bit strange.

Xianglan said, "General Gu is seated opposite Lord Duan, with Prince Yong and Marquis Qi, the Protector of the State." Xianglan thought for a moment and added, "According to this arrangement, General Gu is not being neglected, after all, the two beside him are His Majesty's own brother and the newly appointed Marquis who has taken over Yanzhou."

After finishing the tonic, Tao Yanyan took the list and ranking chart and looked at them: "This year, Yue Rong is pregnant, and Jin An won't be coming back for the New Year, so this ranking isn't a problem. But hasn't Lord Duan been promoted a bit too quickly in the past year or two?"

The newly appointed Minister of War, Lord Duan, is the second son of the late General Duan. He is familiar with military strategy and has served in the army with his father. His prestige in the army is second only to Gu Yi, and he is also a rare and excellent general.

Previously, when the Minister of War retired to his hometown, Tao Yanyan had asked Gu Yi if he wanted to take over the Ministry of War. Gu Yi and the Marquis of Ningyuan both declined, not wanting to be too prominent. Later, His Majesty promoted him step by step, gradually elevating this second son of the Duan family. Unexpectedly, it only took two years for him to become the Minister, at just over forty years old.

Xianglan coughed lightly: "After Chief Eunuch Chang went to the Imperial Household Department, he instructed me to pay attention to many things on a regular basis. I had previously inquired and heard that the Duan family has two daughters of marriageable age, both of whom are exceptionally beautiful. I was thinking, could it be that His Majesty... intends to choose one of the two daughters of the Duan family as the Crown Princess?"