Harem Daily Life

Chapter 486: Flowers should be lively and bright at their age

Tao Yanyan was lying on the chaise longue looking at the accounts of the imperial farm, completely unaware that her uncle, Marquis Ningyuan, had already begun to help her with peripheral planning in order to help her ascend to the throne in the future.

"The income this year is not bad. It's not even the end of the year yet, but the data in the account is already very good. Last year's total income was over 300,000 taels, and this year's income has already exceeded that of last year. If we can earn more by the end of the year, we can have a good year." Tao Yanyan put the account book away and handed it to Chang Tai: "Send it back to Manager Li, and bring the crispy chicken in the kitchen with it."

Tao Yanyan's appetite has gradually improved since she came back from hunting. She has recently become addicted to eating all kinds of meat, and crispy chicken is her recent favorite.

The marinated chicken is fried in hot oil until golden brown, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and fragrant. If you like spicy food, sprinkle some chili powder and Sichuan pepper powder on it, and it will instantly become spicy and fragrant, making you salivate.

However, Tao Yanyan is worried that eating too spicy food may be bad for the fetus, so she usually eats it with plum sauce, which is sweet and sour and can relieve greasiness.

Everyone in Changle Palace has also benefited from the master's kindness. Recently, they have been eating and drinking with the master, and everyone has a rosy face.

Chang Tai put away the account book and went downstairs. Dong Fang handed over the account book of Xiang Man Yuan and said, "Madam, Madam Qi said that this year's business is also surprisingly good, with a 20% increase in revenue over last year."

Tao Yanyan took it and looked at it: "Well, Madam Qi has taken good care of Xiangmanyuan. You should bring the secret recipe of this crispy chicken with you next time you leave the palace and ask her to make it. Business will be even more prosperous during the New Year."

Dong Fang nodded in agreement, but when he thought about going to the shop today and learning that his fellow villager, the future wife of General Qi, Jiang Yingying, owed the shop another ten taels of silver, he couldn't help laughing: "The queen sent delicious food again, Jiang Yingying is afraid that she owes more debts!"

Tao Yanyan was surprised and asked, "The debt is only decreasing, why is she owing more and more?"

Dong Fang then told Tao Yanyan the inside story.

"What? She can eat so much?" Jiang Yingying is no ordinary person, as she can eat so much debt.

"I heard that General Qi and she ate together. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. The general and the future general's wife are both big eaters." Dong Fang said with a smile.

Tao Yanyan also shook his head in amusement, then thought of something and said to Mingyue, "Have you prepared the dowry list I asked you to prepare?"

Mingyue replied, "Everything is ready. I didn't know what specifications I should use to prepare Miss Jiang's dowry, so I went to ask Li, the chief steward. He looked through many lists and found one for me to refer to. I will bring it to the queen for review."

Soon, Mingyue took out a festive list and handed it to Tao Yanyan with both hands.

Qing Feng pouted and said, "Isn't the Queen too nice to Miss Jiang?"

Tao Yanyan glared at her and said, "I will prepare everything for you when each of you gets married, so don't be jealous."

Qingfeng blushed: "How can I be jealous? I just... I just feel that..." Qingfeng didn't say anything else, but Tao Yanyan knew that she was so petty because of that time in Miaoyinfang when Jiang Yingying didn't protect her.

"Okay, that happened so long ago, and you still remember it. You are not allowed to remember it in the future, okay? Think more about how she protected me during the hunting. No one is perfect to make mistakes. Overall, she has been very nice to me and has always been helping me." After Tao Yanyan finished speaking, she concentrated on looking at the dowry list.

"Well, that's right. Money, jewelry, and fabrics are not a big deal. The house and the shop must be included." After saying that, Tao Yanyan handed the list to Mingyue: "Before the New Year, let Dongfang take it to her, and give her the house deed as well, and transfer it to her name."

Mingyue put it away and asked doubtfully, "Madam, you are not her relative, so it is reasonable to give her some money, but isn't this house with two entrances and this shop too much?"

Even if you have money, you can't spend it lavishly! Mingyue was very curious about why the queen was so kind to Miss Jiang.

Tao Yanyan smiled and said, "She is going to marry General Qi. General Qi is your Majesty's companion, a third-rank military officer, and a first-class sword-bearing guard in front of the emperor. You all know Jiang Yingying's background. She has no relatives at home. I prepared these for her so that she can marry in style. The house and the shop are her confidence. A woman can live a happy life only if she has money."

After saying that, she looked at Mingyue and Qingfeng and said, "If you two get married in the future, this house and shop will also be indispensable. I have plenty of money now, so I will give each of you a house and a shop, so that you can live a rich life outside."

Mingyue's eyes were a little moist: "Your Highness is so kind to us, I don't want to go out and get married. I will accompany you all my life."

Qing Feng also nodded: "That's right, if we can stay with the queen and enjoy the good life, and the queen won't beat or scold us, we won't go out and get married."

Tao Yanyan smiled and said, "If you can't find a good one, then follow me. I will support you for the rest of your life. But if you find a good one, you can marry her." After saying that, she stood up and slowly walked to the window, looking at a wintersweet in the yard that was in full bloom.

"Look at the wintersweet, blooming within these red walls. It is beautiful, but if it is given a chance, it may prefer to bloom in the mountains, in the wilderness, under the free sky, blooming as it pleases and blooming wantonly."

Qingfeng and Mingyue looked at each other, and then heard Tao Yanyan continue: "I hope that you can leave the palace in the future, live freely and unrestrainedly outside, and live your own life."

The two little palace maids bit their lips and remained silent. If it wasn't bad to cry in front of the empress, they would have been so moved that they would have cried.

Tao Yanyan smiled and clapped his hands at everyone: "Okay, why are you so sentimental? You should be lively and bright at your age. I'm hungry, go get me something to eat, um, I want to eat some rice dumplings with fermented glutinous rice."

Mingyue shook her head firmly: "It can't be eaten. I'd better bring a bowl of yam porridge to the queen."

Tao Yanyan looked resentful: "Eating yam porridge again...then add pork ribs, pork ribs and yam porridge." Otherwise it will be too light and tasteless.

After eating and drinking, the children came back from primary school, but the three little ones seemed a little unhappy.

As the children grow up, Tao Yanyan will not pay too much attention to their privacy. If they want to talk to him, he will listen and give advice. If they don’t want to talk, Tao Yanyan will give them time to digest it alone.

Tao Yanyan winked at Xiao Quanzi, who nodded slightly. Mingyue and the others took the children downstairs to wash up, and Xiao Quanzi stepped forward to report:

"Your Majesty, on the way back, we met the eldest prince. We were all peaceful at first, but the eldest prince suddenly ran over and kicked the eldest princess, saying that the eldest princess's mother was a sinner and that the second princess's mother was also a sinner. The eldest princess endured it and said nothing. The second princess got angry on the spot and went up to fight with the eldest prince. The second prince couldn't bear to see the second princess being beaten, so he went up to help. The servants on both sides of us tried to stop the fight, but there were too many people and it became a mess. I don't know how it happened, but the second prince's jade pendant was broken."

"Is this the first jade pendant I gave him?" Tao Yanyan asked. That was the jade pendant she had specially made for Xiao Jinan after she received the jade from His Majesty.

Xiao Quanzi nodded: "The Second Prince treasured the jade pendant very much. He usually put it in his purse and wore it on his body. After it broke, the Second Prince was so angry that he cried loudly. This is the first time I have seen the Second Prince cry like that in the past few years that I have followed him. After returning to the palace, the Second Prince was afraid that the Queen would worry, so he didn't let us say anything."

Tao Yanyan was heartbroken. The usually magnanimous Xiao Jinan was so angry that he cried. Who wouldn't feel heartbroken?