Harem Daily Life

Chapter 732: Like a Transformed Baby

The next day, when Concubine Liang took the fourth princess to the Qinzheng Palace again, she was stopped by a young eunuch.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty went to Changle Palace for lunch right after the court session. His Majesty said that since the weather is still cold, there's no need for you to bring the Fourth Princess to Qinzheng Palace every day to deliver food. If His Majesty is free, he will visit you."

Concubine Liang was almost biting her teeth off. It had only been a few days and His Majesty was already tired of it.

She glanced at the Fourth Princess and thought, what's the point of looking alike? The Queen had easily won His Majesty's heart away with just one move.

What she didn't know was that Tao Yanyan actually didn't say anything, nor did he ask He Linzhang not to see other concubines. It was Xiao Yunuo who made the request, asking her father to go to Changle Palace for lunch for the next five days, because her father had ignored her for five days and she had to make up for it.

He Linzhang, who doted on the little princess the most, was naturally happy to coax her, so he asked the eunuch to refuse Concubine Liang, so that she wouldn't have to make a wasted trip with the child every day.

Concubine Liang, feeling elated for a few days, was once again turned away, and the news quickly spread throughout the harem. Upon hearing this, Concubine Xian smiled softly, "See, the Empress is the Empress after all." However, Concubine Xian waited for several days, but the Empress did not summon Concubine Liang to reprimand her, and her wish to see the gossip was not fulfilled.

The second day of the second lunar month is the day when the dragon raises its head, which is also the day when the Great Zhou Dynasty starts spring plowing. He Linzhang led all the civil and military officials to a village in the suburbs to reclaim the land and plant crops.

He Jinan had been staying in the village for several days with the Imperial College staff. When he saw the emperor's carriage approaching, he knelt and bowed with everyone else.

Tao Yanyan had told the children in advance that if they saw Jin'an, they should pretend not to know him, because Jin'an's identity in the Imperial College was concealed from everyone, and he did not want to be treated preferentially because of his identity.

The twins were smaller, so to be on the safe side, she explained them several times. He Xuan and He Yue were already quite sensible, so she told them once and they memorized them. As for He Xiaobao, he only knew how to repeat words, so Tao Yanyan didn't need to pay any attention to him.

After the Imperial Astronomical Observatory read a prayer, He Linzhang led the court officials to start hoeing the ground. Tao Yanyan was also not idle. He took a few children and started digging the ground with their own tools.

He Xuan and He Yue were digging quite well, but He Yue had to stop from time to time to look for earthworms. If there were any, he would catch a few, play with them, and then let them go.

It was the first time for the twins to participate in this kind of activity. They found it quite novel and followed their sisters' example, loosening the soil with hoes one by one. Although they could only turn over the surface of the soil with their strength.

He Xiaobao was digging the ground with the small hoe Hongxia had prepared for him, held by Shuang'er. But he kept looking towards the Imperial College, pointing his finger at it and calling "Brother, Brother." His legs were so strong that he wished he could walk there himself.

"Wow..." He Xiaobao saw his second brother, but he didn't come to hug him. He felt wronged and could only cry in front of everyone.

Shuang'er had no choice but to ask Tao Yanyan for permission. Tao Yanyan had no choice but to let Shuang'er take He Xiaobao over first.

When He Jinan saw Xiaobao coming, he quickly put down the hoe in his hand, wiped his hands with a handkerchief, then stepped forward and took He Xiaobao from Shuang'er's arms.

He Xiaobao was crying at first, but as soon as she was in He Jinan's arms, she stopped crying immediately. This change in expression can be said to be very natural.

"Brother, brother." He Xiaobao was very clingy. He held Jin'an's clothes tightly with his little hands and leaned on Jin'an's shoulders with a wronged look on his face.

"Hey, Tao Jinan, you are really good at coaxing children, but you must not let him fall. This is the fifth prince." Jinan used the surname Tao in the Imperial College, and his classmates were very enthusiastic and kindly reminded him.

Jinan smiled and expressed his gratitude, then hugged Xiaobao and told him what everyone was doing. He Xiaobao seemed to understand but not quite, and listened attentively.

"It's really strange. Why is the Fifth Prince so well-behaved? He doesn't even cry in a stranger's arms. Wow, he is so cute. Can I hug him?" A classmate from the Imperial College was eager to try.

Jin An turned around calmly and stopped the classmate: "Don't hold him. Be careful not to make him cry. He is of noble status." Jin An looked at the classmate's hands covered with mud and didn't want to let him hold the chubby little baby.

Shuang'er was worried that it was difficult to hold the Second Prince, so she reached out to hold the Fifth Prince. However, He Xiaobao was like a fat little pendant and refused to come out of Jin'an's arms.

He Jinan was a little amused, thinking, "I never saw you so clingy to your brother when you were in the palace. Why do you seem like a different baby when you're out there?"

Although he also liked his younger brother clinging to him like this, but if he held the little fat boy for too long, his arms would become weak. In desperation, He Jinan had to carry He Xiaobao to the pergola, where there was a bench to sit on so that he could take a break.

After moving the position, He Xiaobao was a little dissatisfied because he didn't see so many people digging the soil. However, there were steamed buns in the pergola, and the big white steamed buns instantly attracted his attention.

"What? Do you want to eat?" He Jinan asked with a smile when he saw Xiaobao drooling.

He Xiaobao's little hands had already reached out towards the steamed buns, but he was a baby who knew the rules. If his brother didn't let him eat, he would just watch and would never steal it himself.

He Jinan watched his fingers moving around and making grasping gestures, and helplessly, he took a steamed bun and put it in his hand.

He Xiaobao, who got the big white steamed bun, felt like he had found a rare treasure. He clenched the bun in his two little hands and started to chew it.

Mmm, fragrant and soft, even without many teeth, you can still eat a few bites. He Xiaobao was very satisfied. He could eat delicious food and watch so many people digging in the ground. It was a really pleasant day.

"You little thing, you stick so much to your brother that he can't go to work." He Jinan was very helpless. He originally wanted to cultivate a small piece of land by himself today.

He Xiaobao sat in his arms and nibbled, like a fat hamster.

Not far away, He Xin soon grew tired. She put down her hoe, glanced at her second and fifth brothers in the nearby shed, and protested to Concubine Liang, "Mother, why can these two rest while I have to work in the mud?"

Concubine Liang also regretted coming here. She had dressed up and put on makeup today to show it to His Majesty, but now there was mud on her skirt, shoes, and cuffs. Nothing was clean. She was really upset.

She glanced at He Xin and said, "That's the Imperial College's shed over there. If you want to rest, go to our carriage and rest for a while." Concubine Liang took the opportunity to put down her hoe and took He Xin back to the carriage.

Mingyue was beside Tao Yanyan, keeping an eye on Concubine Liang. Seeing that the mother and daughter returned to the carriage so quickly, she whispered a few words in Tao Yanyan's ear.

"This Concubine Liang followed me here eagerly, dressed like that. It's obvious she wants to see His Majesty, not really come to open up the land."

Tao Yanyan only smiled faintly and said nothing. However, her eyes looked towards the Imperial College pavilion. Her mind suddenly became confused, as if something was about to happen.