Harem Daily Life

Chapter 449: Concubine Tao Suffering from Morning Sickness

Five days passed, and He Linzhang waited until his cold was completely healed before he set foot in Changle Palace again. As soon as he entered the palace, he saw the concubine he hadn't seen for many days lying limply on the chaise longue, looking extremely weak and lazy. He couldn't help but approach her and said, "I haven't seen you for a few days. Why do you look weaker and weaker?"

She didn't look very well, and she lacked the brightness and vitality she once had.

Tao Yanyan had been suffering from severe morning sickness recently, and she was too lazy to even talk every day. When He Linzhang asked her this, the grievances in her heart came out layer by layer, and her eyes turned red: "It's all because of this thing in my stomach that I vomited everything I ate. Now I feel like vomiting when I drink water."

She leaned into He Linzhang's arms: "When will this day end? It's really hard."

He Linzhang gently stroked her back: "Be patient, it will be fine in four months. Ask the kitchen to make whatever you want to eat. Don't be afraid of the trouble. Even a bite is good."

Seeing the weak appearance of the little concubine, He Linzhang felt distressed.

Caiyun prepared dinner as usual and cooked a separate meal for Tao Yanyan, making pumpkin porridge and stir-frying some green vegetables.

He Linzhang frowned as he looked at the dish without any oil or water: "You are going to give this to the imperial concubine?"

Caiyun Yuncai's hands trembled and she almost fell to the ground.

“Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine cannot tolerate meat. Not a drop of oil can be added to this dish, not even salt. Otherwise, once the Imperial Concubine smells the odor, she will…” Caiyun had no choice but to serve the lightest dish, boiling it if possible. Even the aroma of meat could not waft out of the kitchen for the Imperial Concubine to smell.

"Your Majesty, this is what I want to eat the most, please don't blame them. Bring it here quickly and have a few bites while I have an appetite."

Tao Yanyan stood up slightly and slowly ate most of the meal with pumpkin porridge and green vegetables.

"Do you want to ask the imperial physician to think of a solution? If you continue like this, I'm afraid your body won't be able to hold on." He Linzhang was worried.

Tao Yanyan shook her head and said, "The imperial physician comes every two days, and the pulse is normal. Your Majesty, don't worry, all food is nutritious. I will take supplements when I stop having morning sickness."

After hearing what she said, He Linzhang was no longer so persistent, but he felt even more sorry for her, so he stayed with her the whole night and didn't even review the memorials.

"Your Majesty, aren't you bored sitting around watching over me? Why don't you read some storybooks to me?" Tao Yanyan felt dizzy whenever she read books now, and she was usually too embarrassed to ask Mingyue and the others to read to her. Now that there was a free laborer, it would be a waste not to use him.

He Linzhang would now grant her whatever she asked, so he picked up a book and started reading.

As he read on, the tips of He Linzhang's ears began to turn red, and he began to feel a little uncomfortable.

"Well, do you usually read these weird and sadomasochistic love stories? Do you think they're interesting?" Some of the plots were so explicit that even He Linzhang felt shy.

Tao Yanyan looked at him with a smile: "Your Majesty, do you think it's ugly? Isn't it more interesting than that boring memorial?"

Seeing He Linzhang's embarrassed look, she suddenly became playful. She stood up slightly, sat on his legs, and put her arms around his neck: "My dear, why are you so free today? Could it be that the wind blew you here? Are you sick because you miss me?"

He Linzhang: “…”

Thinking that you have put the lines in the storybook into practice, should I reply: I wish to go to Mount Wushan with my beautiful lady, and share the beauty of the moon together even though we are thousands miles apart.

The lines were too corny for He Linzhang to finish. His handsome face flushed and his body tensed up involuntarily. He stared at the person in his arms with burning eyes, and his fingertips went around her waist and stroked it back and forth.

Tao Yanyan was just playing around at first, but by the end she felt guilty and scared - His Majesty, who was so hot, was too scary. She was pregnant now, and she couldn't get angry! So she quickly stood up, took a few steps back, and lay down with a red face without saying a word.

With his arms empty, He Linzhang took a deep breath and said in a hoarse voice: "I'd better go and review the memorials. You go to bed early. I'll be back after I finish reviewing them."

If they continued to stay in the same room, he was afraid that he would lose control and do something stupid.

At night, He Linzhang returned to his room, washed up, and went to bed with his concubine. Tao Yanyan turned over, found a comfortable position, and squeezed into his arms.

"Your Majesty, is the Third Prince okay? I have listened to Your Majesty and have not been in contact with Yongning Palace during this period." Sooner or later, the matter regarding the Third Prince must be made clear, Tao Yanyan asked before going to bed.

He Linzhang's eyes darkened: "I know the whole story. Fortunately, there was not much musk and it was only used once, so it did not cause any harm to you. Otherwise, I would not forgive her!"

Tao Yanyan did not ask how he found out. As an emperor, he would be able to find out if he wanted to. She just looked up at him and said, "Since Your Majesty knows everything, I will not say more. But the child is innocent. This time, because of Concubine Shu's harm to me, the Third Prince was implicated. He is really pitiful."

He Linzhang kissed her forehead. "He Kang was born weak and is much thinner than He Min, who is the same age. This time, I also kept silent about it for the sake of the child and did not punish Concubine Shu. Although she is my cousin, I am really heartbroken by her treatment of you. I didn't expect that after all these years, she would be so cruel that she would even murder my own flesh and blood!"

If someone else had done something so despicable, He Linzhang might not have been so angry. But Concubine Shu was a relative from his mother's family. How could he not be disheartened by her treating him like this?

Tao Yanyan had no intention of using this incident to bring down Concubine Shu. She smiled and gently stroked his chest: "Your Majesty, don't be angry. I am fine. I just felt uncomfortable for a few days. I think that Concubine Shu lost more than she gained. She will remember the lesson in the future and will not dare to do anything to me again."

He Linzhang hugged her tighter: "I hope she can be more sensible and not make things difficult for the Queen Mother and the Shu family."

The two of them fell asleep in each other's arms. Perhaps Tao Yanyan felt the long-lost sense of security and slept soundly the whole night.

After being neglected for half a month, Imperial Concubine Tao was favored again, and the other concubines in the palace became jealous again, bubbling with jealousy. However, there were also some who were clear-headed and had seen the situation in the palace, and they surrendered to Imperial Concubine Tao.

"Your Majesty, Concubine Zhou and Concubine Liang are here again. They said they were worried that you would be bored, so they came to keep you company. Do you want me to send them away?" Mingyue came in to report. These two had been coming quite frequently in recent days, and they were intent on building relationships with you.

Tao Yanyan was lying on the chaise longue, eating some fruit: "Let them in. Anyway, I have nothing to do now, so I'll just use this as a way to kill time."

Mingyue went out to invite people. After the two concubines came in, they bowed to Tao Yanyan and then sat down respectfully.

"Your Highness, you look very good today. It seems that fruits are really nourishing." Grapes, melons and fragrant pears were placed on the table. They were all sent to the palace by the Second Prince of Xia as a thank you. He Linzhang gave them all to Changle Palace.

Tao Yanyan asked Mingyue to divide two plates for the two of them: "This fruit is really good, it is a specialty of the Western Regions, you can try it."

The two were delighted and started chatting while eating fruit.

"Have you heard, Madam, that the Lu family has written a letter to His Majesty, begging him to arrange for Concubine Li to return to the palace to take care of Concubine Lu during her pregnancy?"

After Concubine Zhou finished speaking, Tao Yanyan paused and said, "Hasn't she been in Jingci Temple for less than a year? Can she not bear it so soon?"