Lin Wan softly said behind him, "Your Majesty should take a break and not sit for several hours without resting, which is not good for the flow of qi and blood. Even if the government affairs are busy and can't keep up, you must get up every half an hour to walk around and move slightly, it's better than sitting all day..."

  "What you said is just like Liang Shouchang, it's easy to say but hard to do. Taohong still had his eyes closed, the corners of his mouth slightly raised: "You've been serving by my side for a long time, how did you also learn some medical skills?"

  Lin Yan smiled faintly and chatted with him: "But it's also what several doctors said. Moreover, these words are understood by anyone who cultivates their health, what kind of medical principle is that? Mr. Liang is the chief physician of the Imperial Hospital, old in years and profound in learning. The Emperor should remember his words every day, take good care of his body, and the dragon's body being healthy is the greatest fortune for our Great Qin Dynasty."

  "He's a bit stubborn, always doing things his own way, even giving up many delicious foods and enjoyable activities. Every day is filled with worries about this and that... I'm not willing to live like this." Tuoba Hong suddenly stood up and grasped Lin Yuan's arms: "But when you say the same words, I somehow feel willing to listen."

  Lin Wan saw the ambiguous smile in his eyes and thought to herself that she had been serving in the emperor's palace for a longer and longer time. She lowered her head and smiled slightly: "That concubine should learn well from Liang Gong about medical principles, and come back to teach the Emperor... Besides, the Emperor, this matter of nourishing one's health cannot be done according to one's temperament, not all delicious foods are good, and not all troublesome things are bad."

  "Hey, you... " Taotao Hong chuckled and shook his head: "At a young age, she can already endure the constraints of nurturing her body. Speaking of which, I'm still in this state thanks to Empress Xiang bringing me up. She spoiled her own daughter and also spoiled me. When she wanted to listen to music, she could stay awake for half the night; when she wanted to learn painting, she would miss several days' worth of lunch; when she craved goose liver and snow fungus, she would have it twice a day... In winter, she loved sitting on an ice sled even if it meant getting frostbite. Fortunately, after giving birth to her daughter, for the sake of disciplining the child, she had to restrain herself somewhat..."

  Just as they were saying this, Yao Fusheng came in from outside and knocked on the door, kneeling on the ground: "The little palace maid of Linzhi Palace has come to deliver a message, saying that Empress Shang invites Your Majesty to have lunch together..."

  Xiang Fei was very clear about the division of Emperor's attention after she got pregnant this time. At night, Lin Yan, Bai Xiuwei, Chu Huaxin and others would fight for his attention, but during the day, he belonged to her alone. However, sometimes when Lin Yan fought for his daytime attention, she wouldn't get angry, at most just sending a message to take him away in a lukewarm manner. This attitude was much better than three years ago after giving birth to Zhao Chun, when she would monopolize both day and night.

  So Lin Wan didn't mind much and smiled as usual: "The concubines help the emperor change his clothes, don't let Concubine Xiang wait for too long."

  Tuoba Hong also smiled: "Ah... The food in Linzhi Palace is top-notch..."

  ***

  Lingzhi Palace is a large palace located in the southeast of Jianzhang Palace, with eleven halls including the main hall, Inviting Moon Building, side halls, Lianyu Xuan and Qingxiang Pavilion. There are twelve such palace groups in the entire imperial palace, known as the East and West Twelve Palaces, where concubines live. If every single one of these palaces were fully occupied, the harem would be able to accommodate hundreds of concubines. Therefore, emperors did not have to worry about having nowhere to place their many beauties, so many palaces were built to satisfy the needs of those lustful emperors' three thousand beauties.

  Tuoba Hong was a normal emperor who was neither indulgent nor excessively lustful. Although many people were housed in the twelve palaces, more than half of the rooms were still empty. In the Linzhi Palace, apart from Empress Xiang residing in the Yuanyuelou, there were also Concubine Jie, Feng Zhuangji and three other concubines living in the side halls.

  At this time, Xiang Fei in the Inviting Moon Pavilion was waiting for the emperor's arrival. She wore a light blue blouse with a moon-white skirt that reached her chest, and due to her swollen waist and abdomen, she didn't wear a belt. As she walked slowly, the wide hem of her skirt embroidered with colorful butterflies seemed to flutter like flowers in the rain. This beautiful woman, who was renowned for being the most beautiful among the six palaces, walked slowly to the window, stretched out her jade arm to open the window lattice, and smiled as she leaned back slightly to greet the scorching sunlight of summer, which was quite different from other women who usually cherished their skin.

  There were no palace maids standing by to fan or shade her. In the most luxurious and magnificent third floor of this Inviting Moon Building, where there should have been countless serving girls, they were often dismissed by their master with a single word - it was very strange, everyone knew that Consort Xiang liked grand feasts, liked lively gatherings, liked being surrounded by flowers and brocade, but she actually preferred quiet more often.

  Her right hand habitually stroked her abdomen, a faint smile on her face, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. After a moment, she let out a very slow and deep sigh.

  Just then, there was a loud shout outside, and Tuoba Hong's dragon carriage arrived very punctually.

  Shangguan Li suddenly turned around. She wasn't in a hurry to welcome the carriage, she bent down and tied the hem of Xiuer's skirt to the hook-shaped dragon head on the four-sided incense burner of the Panlong case.

  As Tuoba Hong and his entourage entered the house, they couldn't see the imperial consort who should have been waiting at the front of the hall to greet them. Instead, they saw a beautiful woman with her head bowed, frantically trying to free herself from her skirt with her feet, but unable to do so.

  Tuoba Hong burst out laughing at that moment. Shangguan Li looked up at him with a flustered expression, then furrowed her brow and said: "The Emperor saw it, and yet he ridicules me in public..." As soon as she lifted her head, she caught sight of Lin Xuan standing beside the Emperor, and for an instant, anger flashed across her face.

  She hadn't expected the Emperor to bring Lin Wan over. In the past, when the Emperor summoned Lin Wan to attend him or dine with him, it was one thing, but today he actually invited her to her own Inviting Moon Pavilion. Wasn't she supposed to be the only one in this harem? Today, she had clearly wanted to spend time alone with the Emperor, so why did another woman have to intervene... Xiangfei thought about these things, and her feet kept kicking at the hem of her skirt that was tangled around her legs, not knowing whether it was from embarrassment or annoyance.

  Lin Wan, who was standing beside her, could only cry out in injustice in her heart. She didn't want to come along in the first place, but was dragged here by Tuoba Hong against her will. She looked at Empress Xiang and then at Tuoba Hong, who was still laughing loudly, and bowed to Empress Xiang without saying much.

  Xiang Fei's gaze lingered on Lin Yuan's face for a moment before moving away, and she complained to the Emperor again: "You're still smiling!" As she spoke, she stomped her foot and tried to bow down again.

  "Hmm, I'll help you, be careful with your waist..." Taohong said as he walked up. Although he didn't go so far as to squat down and undo the Empress's skirt himself, he did wrap his arms around her waist and hold her steady, making sure that when the palace maids pulled on her clothes they wouldn't trip her up.

  In this awkward and hasty little accident, the emperor's eyes, which were accompanied by a smile, rarely showed a bit of genuine warmth.

  It didn't take long for Xiang Fei's skirt to be rescued, the thin fabric looked fragile but was actually made of heavenly silk, and despite being twisted and pulled, it hadn't been torn. Xiang Fei sat down on the soft couch with the Emperor holding her hand, and raised her eyes to smile at Lin Yuanyuan: "Noble Lady, you mustn't tell anyone."

  "Yes." Lin Wan did not joke with her and sat obediently on the soft couch on the other side of the emperor.

  Xiang Fei rolled her eyes at her boring behavior and moved closer to the Emperor's side, with the two almost sticking together.

  Tuoba Hong's left hand held one, his right hand held the other, and he couldn't help but feel more and more joyful. He stretched out his hands and hugged both beauties at the same time: "Lili and Yu'er are both by my side, this is indeed a great blessing for the people of Qi, it's truly one of life's greatest pleasures." As he spoke, he thought of something else and smiled slyly: "Lili usually likes lively scenes, today Yu'er has also come, why not call a few more people over to join in the feast?"

  This annoying Huigui has already sat here, what's the harm in coming a few more? The emperor likes it this way. Xiangfei lazily leaned her forehead against the emperor's shoulder and said in a clear and cold tone: "The emperor's proposal is naturally good. Today, I happened to prepare silk, bamboo, drum and music, thinking of listening to the music with the emperor, they can come over and it will be more lively, which is a good thing."

  Rarely did Empress She have a grand ceremony, and Tuoba Hong was delighted to summon Yao Fusheng to come forward, pointing out several names he liked in his heart to issue an edict to invite them.

  The order was quickly passed down, and the eunuchs went to various palaces to invite people. In no time, new guests arrived one after another. The emperor had summoned a total of five names. Bai Rongji and Zhao Shuyuan were the first to arrive, followed by the Chu sisters, who had recently gained the emperor's favor. Only Ye Cairen did not come, and her palace maid came to apologize to the emperor, saying that her mistress was ill and could not attend.

  The emperor listened to the palace report, and his mind immediately thought of that gentle and timid woman named Xiu Xin. This Ye Shi was a pretty likable little girl, but she wasn't the most beautiful, didn't read many books, and was too cautious, so the emperor wouldn't give her too much favor. At this time, he heard that this woman was ill, and he simply nodded slightly to approve her absence, too lazy to think about it. Too lazy to think if her illness is serious or not, also too lazy to think if she's deliberately absent-minded.

  Xiang Fei apparently didn't put her in mind either, she continued to sip the sour plum soup in her hand, her high-pitched phoenix eyes inadvertently glanced at Lin Yuan on the other side of the emperor, with a hint of annoyance on her face.

  When everyone entered the Inviting Moon Building, they all had a proud look on their faces, clearly being able to curry favor with the Emperor in the Empress's territory was not something ordinary people could do; however, when entering the inner palace, they all restrained themselves and didn't dare provoke the Empress.

  Of course, Chu Huaxin would never show weakness in front of Sheng Fei. Sheng Fei was the daughter of a high-ranking official and her background was not bad either; Sheng Fei was favored by the emperor and had received imperial grace for more than three years after entering the palace. Although she couldn't compare to Sheng Fei, she thought that one day she could sit on an equal footing with Sheng Fei. When she entered the hall, her head was held high, and since she had served the emperor in bed just yesterday, her complexion was particularly good today, and her voice when greeting was especially charming.

  She had been with Empress Xiang for many years and was already prepared to bear her anger and difficulties, as well as ready to counterattack. However, when she looked up at Empress Xiang to see the woman's angry face, she saw that Empress Xiang was holding a plate of fruit in front of her and instructing the palace staff: "Reward Hui Guifei with this, I heard she likes to eat this."

  The plate was filled with diced mango. Guiji thanked her immediately, but the little palace girl who was holding the plate said from the side: "This year's mango harvest in Jiangnan is not good, only a small basket was offered, and most people in the palace did not have the luck to taste it... If the young master loves to eat, he can come to Empress Sheng's palace often..." She ridiculed Lin that although she was favored, she was far from Empress Sheng's grace.

  Rou Yu Xiu stared at Xiang Fei and Lin Yuan with wide eyes as they engaged in a subtle confrontation. She was shocked by Xiang Fei's sudden disregard for her.

  What people hate the most is not others' bullying and harm, but rather that others don't even bother to pay attention to you... Yun Xiuzhu thought resentfully, since when did Xiang Fei stop treating her as a rival?

  That Hui Guizi is really something, a woman from a humble background, truly annoying... But how far can a woman without any backing go? Last time she was lucky to escape unscathed, but people's luck won't always be that good.