The next day, Qinghe came to Yaoguang Palace with a bunch of special products from Linxi. This time she calculated the time and came after Taoti got up.

The two of them chatted and laughed, and their relationship became closer.

Friendship between girls is sometimes that simple.

When Pei Yan learned that Qinghe came to Yaoguang Palace to play, he did not stop her and just played with the girls.

He has been very busy these days. In addition to taking care of the renovations at the Gu Mansion, he also has to deal with the Ghost Festival in three days.

The 15th day of the seventh month every year is the Zhongyuan Festival, also known as the Yulanpen Festival. On this day, people will worship their ancestors, and temples will also hold Yulanpen meetings to pray for the souls of the dead.

Emperor Zhaokang had deep feelings for his late empress and empress, so every year the Ghost Festival in the imperial palace was celebrated with great ceremony. Not only were monks from the royal temples invited to chant sutras, but Taoist priests from the Baiyun Temple were also invited to perform rituals.

On the day of the Ghost Festival, Tao Ti got up early, wore a plain light-colored dress, and ate cold vegetarian dishes.

After breakfast, she and Pei Yan went to Yichun Palace, a palace next to Fengyi Palace.

Sitting on the sedan chair, Tao Ti asked in confusion, "Why not perform the ritual in Fengyi Palace?"

Pei Yan said calmly, "Father always felt that the spirit of our mother was still in Fengyi Palace. Our mother liked quietness, so he didn't want others to disturb her in Fengyi Palace."

Taoti: "...Okay."

After a pause, she asked curiously, "Well, then, wouldn't it be a conflict if we invited both monks and Taoist priests?"

Pei Yan pondered for a moment and answered, "Intellectually speaking, my father doesn't believe in religion."

Tao Ti: "Then he..."

Pei Yan curled his lips, "But when it comes to the Queen Mother, Father seems to have been irrational. He doesn't believe in ghosts and gods, but at the same time he hopes that there are souls and reincarnation in this world, so that he can continue his relationship with the Queen Mother. He doesn't know which monk or Taoist priest is more powerful, so he invites them all to let the Buddhist and Taoist sects show their magical powers."

Tao Ti's mouth twitched. Is this even possible?

As they were talking, the two arrived at Yichun Palace.

Emperor Zhaokang was not present, so everything was presided over by Empress Zhou. She led a group of concubines and royal women to conduct the sacrifice in an orderly, decent and thoughtful manner.

On the table were offerings such as oil cakes, milk cakes, rice cakes, melons and fruits. Tao Ti bent down to burn incense while secretly observing the expression of Queen Zhou.

Tao Ti really admires Queen Zhou. As the current wife, she can handle the sacrificial affairs for her husband's ex-wife without batting an eyelid. What a good mental quality she must have!

After burning incense, Tao Ti and Pei Yan knelt side by side on the cushions and listened to the monk chanting the Sutra of Rebirth with everyone else. The whole morning passed by in the chanting.

This is not the end. After completing the Buddhist procedures in the morning and having a simple lunch, I went to the back hall to perform the Taoist procedures in the afternoon...

By the time the Taoist ritual was over, the sky was already filled with sunset glow, ushering in night.

After a day of kneeling and bowing, the crowd was exhausted. When they heard Queen Zhou say they could leave, they left one after another as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

Pei Yan looked at the palace that had returned to its tranquility again, a hint of a smile appearing on his lips, his deep black eyes filled with coldness.

After pondering for a long time, he lowered his eyes and looked at the little girl beside him who was exhausted and absent-minded, and his eyes became gentle.

He turned sideways and rubbed her head with his hand. "Are you tired?"

Tao Ti came back to her senses, her dark eyes shining with a clear light, and she shook her head, "It's okay, not very tired."

In fact, she was also tired, but considering that it was all for Pei Yan's biological mother, she couldn't complain.

Pei Yan held her hand and said, "Let's go. Let's go to Fengyi Palace and burn some incense for our mother's tablet, and then we'll go home."

I don't know when he started to regard "Yaoguang Temple" as his "home"——

No matter how tired he was from running around outside, as long as he went back home at night and saw the lights on in Yaoguang Hall, the steaming meals, and her smiling face, he would relax. All the intrigues and conspiracies were isolated from him, and he no longer had any worries.

Fengyi Palace was right next door, and the two of them walked straight over hand in hand.

Li Gui and Nanny Lan were standing guard at the palace gate, one on each side. When they saw Pei Yan and Tao Ti coming, they quickly bowed and greeted them.

Pei Yan motioned for them to stand up and glanced at the closed door. "Is the emperor in there?"

Li Gui nodded, looking embarrassed, "Yes, Your Majesty has been sitting in there for a whole day, and we servants dare not go in and ask."

Hearing this, Pei Yan frowned.

Nanny Lan smiled gently at Tao Ti, looked up and saw Pei Yan frowning, and said slowly, "Your Highness, are you bringing the Crown Princess to pay homage to the Queen? Or you should go back. His Majesty...is not in a good mood right now."

Li Gui didn't think so. He said to Pei Yan with a smile, "Your Highness, why don't you go in and persuade His Majesty? It's getting late now and we have to go to court tomorrow."

Pei Yan hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Well, I'll go in and take a look."

His sleeve was grabbed, he turned his head and saw Taoti beside him, and said softly, "Ati, are you waiting at the door?"

Tao Ti pursed her lips and said softly, "Since you are here to pay homage to the late queen, I will go with you."

Pei Yan lowered his eyes, "Alright."

Li Gui quickly opened the door and let the two people in.

There were no lights on in the hall, the light was dim, and the main hall was empty with no one in it.

Tao Ti subconsciously pulled Pei Yan's sleeve, and Pei Yan looked at her comfortingly, "It's okay."

He led her to the side hall, his warm palm tightly wrapped around her soft and boneless little hand.

Walking around the nine-foot-high rosewood screen, a strong smell of alcohol wafted into my nose.

Emperor Zhaokang, wearing a loose black robe, was leaning against the bed with a tablet in one hand and a wine bottle in the other. He did not look like a dignified emperor at all. He looked like a drunkard wandering the streets, decadent, lonely, and boundlessly lonely.

Tao Ti's eyes were full of surprise, but Pei Yan acted as if it was normal. He calmly let go of Tao Ti's hand and whispered, "I'll go take a look."

Tao Ti nodded and stood there obediently.

Pei Yan walked forward and called out softly, "Father."

After hearing this, the man on the bed slowly sat up and leaned out half of his body. The drunken face appeared in the dim light. He squinted his eyes, as if he carefully identified it, and suddenly said, "It's Yan'er."

After saying this, he lowered his head and said to the tablet in his arms, "Yuanyuan, our son is here to see you."

Pei Yan's face was heavy and his eyes were dim.

As a bystander, Tao Ti felt that this scene was somewhat sad, but there was also a bit of weirdness in the sadness. Emperor Zhaokang seemed to be drunk and crazy.

Pei Yan went to help Emperor Zhaokang up, "Father, you are drunk, why don't you go back to the palace and rest first."

Emperor Zhaokang let him support him, put down the bottle of wine in his hand, and still held the tablet tightly.

When passing by Tao Ti, Emperor Zhao Kang stopped staggering. He slowly turned his head, and his deep eyes, emitting a sharp cold light, fell closely on Tao Ti.

Taoti, "..."

The hairs stand on end!

Emperor Zhaokang pushed Pei Yan away and walked up to Tao Ti with a cold face like a lone wolf, his eyes becoming more and more sinister.

He felt angry when he thought of this woman who drank poisoned wine on her wedding night.

Tao Ti's heart tightened, and after a moment's hesitation, she called out, "Father?"

Emperor Zhaokang's voice was hoarse and cold, "Tao, if you dare to betray the crown prince, I will kill your entire family!"

Tao Ti's eyelids twitched, especially when he said the word "kill", her neck seemed to really feel the coldness of a sharp blade.

Emperor Zhaokang wanted to say more, but Pei Yan stood in front of Tao Ti with a stern face, and pressed down Emperor Zhaokang's shoulder with one hand. His handsome face was full of seriousness, "Father, you scared her."

His voice was very low, suppressing his anger, and his handsome brows seemed to be covered with a layer of cold frost.

Emperor Zhaokang raised his head, a hint of surprise flashed across his slightly cloudy eyes, and he looked at Pei Yan.

The surroundings were so quiet that you could hear a pinprick of silence. In this deathly silence, a fierce undercurrent was surging.

The father and son are like two lions facing each other, one is majestic without being angry but has reached old age, while the other is young and strong and has infinite power.

Finally, Emperor Zhaokang lowered his eyes dimly.

"Yan'er, help me out."

"Yes." Pei Yan loosened his grip a little and instead held Emperor Zhaokang's hand.

Tao Ti let out a long sigh and patted his chest.

When I returned to Yaoguang Palace again, it was already dark.

After a tiring day, Tao Ti had no energy to enjoy delicious food. She had a simple dinner, took a shower, and climbed into bed.

Pei Yan lay down beside her, his tone apologetic, "Ati, father is drunk today, I want to say sorry on his behalf."

Tao Tiyu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she suddenly turned over to his side, saying in a relaxed tone, "It's okay, I know he is drunk, I don't take it to heart."

Pei Yan, "..."

Tao Ti said, "And he didn't do anything to me, he just warned me..."

Alas, after hearing Emperor Zhaokang's warning, he probably still remembered the incident of taking poison on his wedding night. In this matter, Tao Ti really just laid back and let himself be ridiculed.

Pei Yan stretched out his arms, held her in his arms, rested his chin on her hair, and said in a clear voice, "Ati, I'm sorry for wronging you."

Taoti put her arms around his waist, sniffing the reassuring pine scent on him, and muttered softly, "I just can't understand why His Majesty suddenly got angry with me..."

She was clearly standing in the corner, quiet and well-behaved, not saying a word!

"My mother did not die of illness, but committed suicide by taking poison."

"!!!" Tao Ti was shocked. She had heard some incredible palace secrets!

"Father must have seen you and remembered that you had taken poison, so...he got angry."

Taoti, "..."

This explains it.

After the shock, countless ridiculous scenes flashed through Tao Ti's mind. Finally, she couldn't suppress her curiosity and asked cautiously, "Your Highness, why did the late queen commit suicide?"

According to the information she currently knows, Empress Gu is both talented and beautiful, has a good family background, good friends, a biological son, and the deep affection of Emperor Zhaokang. This is definitely a winner's script in life.

If she died of illness, at most we would sigh and say that God is unfair and that beauty has a tragic fate.

But now she took the initiative to commit suicide by taking poison. Why?

Pei Yan was silent for a long time, then he pulled the corner of his mouth and said with a faint self-deprecating tone, "I want to know too."

His tone was calm, but Tao Timinui could sense his depression and couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable.

She moved closer to Pei Yan's arms, raised her head, kissed his chin gently, and coaxed him softly, "Your Highness, let's not think about those painful things, okay?"

Knowing she was comforting him, he held her tightly, like a drowning man grabbing a last piece of driftwood.

He lowered his head and took a deep breath into her shoulder. His voice was a little hoarse. "Ati, will you stay with me forever?"

Tao Ti's eyes flickered slightly, and she said softly, "Yes."

Pei Yan kissed her eyebrows tenderly, his thick eyelashes drooping, covering the surging madness and possessiveness in his eyes, "Remember your words."

If he breaks his promise, he might become crazy and do something crazy.

………

After the Ghost Festival, everything in the palace returned to normal, bustling with activity.

That afternoon, Qinghe came to play with Taoti as usual.

The swing that Tao Ti had asked the palace maid to make some time ago was ready, and she happily took Qinghe to the back hall to swing on it.

The two of them were swinging leisurely, and Qinghe suddenly remembered something important. She said softly, "Cousin, do you know about the Bamboo Garden Gathering?"

Tao Ti was startled. "The Gathering in the Bamboo Garden? The title of the book?"

"…It was a meeting held by the Prime Minister's Office."

"Uh, so..."

Tao Ti touched her nose embarrassedly, I'm sorry, I'm embarrassed again.

Qing He seemed a little worried, her eyebrows furrowed, and she said softly, "Yesterday afternoon, the Queen Mother called me to Ganlu Palace, saying that the Zhou family holds an elegant gathering at Zhuyuan Villa outside the city every year, and the noble ladies and sons of Chang'an City will go there to play... Well, she asked me to go with my cousin Lingbi."

Tao Ti said, "Then go ahead. You finally come to Chang'an to have fun. It's so boring to stay in the palace every day. Go out to travel and maybe you can make some friends."

Qing He bit her lip and whispered, "But I, I... don't really like cousin Lingbi. Well, actually, she doesn't really like me either. I'm not stupid, I can see that."

Taoti, "..."

My dear, you are very good at judging people. That guy is not a good person!

Qing He said, "I don't want to go, but the Queen's aunt has spoken, and I can't refuse her face..."

Looking at Qinghe's watery little deer eyes, Tao Ti seemed to understand something and raised her eyebrows and said, "You, you want me to go with you?"

Qing He's eyes lit up, and her face was full of anticipation. "Is it okay?"

Tao Ti, "…………"

Taoti, "Forget it, for your cuteness."

Qing He was so happy that he took Tao Ti's hand and leaned on her shoulder like a kitten, "Cousin, you are so nice!"