Harem Daily Life

Chapter 420: What’s the point of fighting if you can’t win?

Upon hearing that General Qi came to visit on the orders of the Emperor, Lord Tao personally welcomed him in.

"Thank you, General Qi. The imperial physician has examined Zhixing. His life is not in danger for now. But he will need to recover for a while." Lord Tao took him to Tao Zhixing's room. He saw that one of his eyes was swollen, leaving a large bruise. The corner of his mouth was also broken, and he looked very pitiful.

Qi Yizheng asked with concern: "Master Xiao Tao, do you have any injuries anywhere else besides your face?"

Tao Zhixing's voice was unclear: "It's okay... I only have two broken ribs... I have a lot of skin injuries... I won't die."

Madam Tao glared at him and said, "Look at you. I told you not to go today and to accompany me to the Zhao family for a banquet, but you didn't listen. Now it's like that. It takes a hundred days to heal your broken bones. You can't go to the banquets in the capital, and you can't go back to Qingtian County."

Qi Yizheng glanced at Lord Tao, who shook his head and explained, "Originally, his mother wanted to take him out more often during the New Year holidays, attend banquets and get him married sooner, but now..."

Not to mention blind dates and engagement, it would take three months to recover from the injury.

Qi Yizheng raised his eyebrows and advised: "Marriage is not something that can be rushed. Madam Tao should let Little Master Tao recover from his injuries first. I will report to His Majesty and the Imperial Concubine when I return. As for returning to the county to take up your post, you should go to the Ministry of Personnel and ask for leave first."

Qi Yizheng did not stay long. After leaving Tao's house, he went to the palace to report.

Knowing the whole story and his brother's injuries, Tao Yanyan was a little speechless. The original owner's elder brother was too impulsive. He was obviously a weak scholar. Why did he take action when he didn't listen to others' comments? If he couldn't beat them, what was the point of taking action?

but--

Why do I always feel like something is wrong?

Tao Yanyan thought about it, why would the eldest son of the Tao family risk his own life to protect Gu Ning?

Are the two of them on such a good relationship?

Before she could think clearly, she saw Eunuch Zhang coming to report in a hurry: "Your Majesty, Madam, Ningyuan Hou sent someone to request the imperial physician. Miss Gu hanged herself!"

"What?" Tao Yanyan's hands and feet went limp: "Why would Gu Ning suddenly commit suicide?"

He Linzhang first asked the imperial physician to treat her, and then comforted the frightened concubine: "Don't worry, since you can still ask the imperial physician to see her, she should still be alive."

Tao Yanyan was still worried. Seeing her like this, He Linzhang simply stopped working and accompanied her back first.

It was not until the evening that news came in from outside the palace that Miss Gu was out of danger and was fine.

Tao Yanyan thought about how good her sister Gu Ning was and couldn't understand why she would commit suicide, so she wrote a letter and asked Dong Fang to deliver it tomorrow.

As a result, not long after lunch the next day, Chang Tai came to report that her mother, Mrs. Tao, wanted to see her.

Tao Yanyan hurriedly asked someone to come in, thinking that her mother was in such a hurry to come to the palace, it must be because of her brother's matter.

Mrs. Tao looked a little strange. Tao Yanyan helped her mother sit down and asked, "Mother, you came to the palace today. Did my brother's injury get worse?"

Madam Tao shook her head, looking disheartened: "His injury is not life-threatening, it will heal in a few months. Jingzhao Yin arrested the person who beat him, made him pay compensation and gave him a beating, and the families of those young masters also came to apologize, so the matter is over. But..."

Madam Tao thought for a moment and said, "But last night, when he found out that Gu Ning had committed suicide, your brother... insisted on going to the Marquis' Mansion to visit him. I couldn't help but ask him about it, and he finally told me the truth."

Tao Yanyan opened her eyes wide and waited anxiously, smelling a hint of something unusual.

Mrs. Tao slapped her thigh and said, "I really didn't expect that they would fall in love with each other! Last night, your brother said that he would not marry anyone other than Gu Ning in this life. Those people made fun of Gu Ning for being speechless, and he couldn't stand it at all, so he went up to argue with them and fought with them. When he learned that Gu Ning had hanged himself, he ignored his injuries and wanted to visit him. Your father and I knew that he was serious this time."

Tao Yanyan looked at Mrs. Tao's worried expression and asked, "Does mother dislike Ning'er and oppose them being together?"

Mrs. Tao looked conflicted, and after a long while she said, "If Gu Ning was a normal girl, I would be delighted. She is a daughter of a marquis, and your father is the Minister of Industry. Our family is well matched to marry a daughter of a marquis. The relationship between the two families is close, so it would be best if we could strengthen the relationship. But Ning'er..."

Mrs. Tao sighed: "It's not that I don't like Ning'er, but your brother is my only son. As a mother, I definitely hope that he can find a better daughter-in-law."

Tao Yanyan also understood Mrs. Tao's dilemma. She put herself in her shoes and thought that if Jin'an fell in love with a disabled girl in the future, she would probably feel uncomfortable too.

The son that I raised carefully has a good family background and a bright future. He can indeed find a better one.

but--

Outsiders have no right to interfere in matters of the heart.

"Mother, have you asked my brother why he is so determined? Also, Gu Ning committed suicide yesterday. Although I don't know the reason, I guess she heard about my brother being beaten. She felt guilty and knew how my brother felt about her. She couldn't find a solution, so she wanted to die out of distress to avoid embarrassing everyone."

Tao Yanyan made a reasonable guess. Mrs. Tao wiped away her tears and said, "Your father and I also guessed so, which makes us even more sad. Ning'er is not a bad person, we just... just feel a little unwilling."

Tao Yanyan silently comforted her until Mrs. Tao calmed down, then said: "This matter still needs to be handled properly. My father and mother raised me, and my uncle from the Gu family treated me very well. My brother is my relative, and Ning'er is also my relative. I hope everyone can be well."

Madam Tao nodded: "I came to the palace today because I couldn't make up my mind, so I came to talk to you. It really can't be solved in a short time. I think I still have to go to the Marquis' Mansion. Your brother has a stubborn temper. I'm afraid that if I don't go to see him, he will be worried about Gu Ning and will go there regardless of his injuries. That would be bad."

Tao Yanyan nodded and asked Mingyue to go to the storehouse to get the best royal secret wound medicine and give it to Madam Tao: "The ingredients of this medicine are very good. Mother, take it back and give it to my brother so that he can get better faster."

Royal things are all the best, so Mrs. Tao naturally did not refuse.

After seeing Mrs. Tao off, Tao Yanyan sighed and sat on the couch in a daze.

When He Linzhang came in, he found that the little concubine looked absent-minded.

He walked over and surrounded the man from behind: "What are you thinking about? You are lost in thought."

When Tao Yanyan saw that it was him, she leaned back and nestled into his arms like a delicate and boneless kitten: "I was wondering, if I became disabled one day, would His Majesty still like me."

He Linzhang frowned when he heard this, and turned her over and held her in his arms: "You are fine, why are you thinking about this?"

Tao Yanyan then briefly told the story of Tao Zhixing and Gu Ning.

"My brother likes my cousin, and he can't stand her being laughed at by outsiders. He is usually a prudent person, but he is willing to fight regardless of his own life. My cousin knows that she can't enter the Tao family, and she would rather die than embarrass everyone. She is also a soft-hearted little pitiful person."

He Linzhang said: "Don't think too much. If you are worried, go and have a look tomorrow."