Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 7 Love each other as a family
A girl of fifteen or sixteen was standing behind him unknowingly. She had her sleeves rolled up, her hands were wet, and her big, blinking eyes were looking down at him with a half-smile.

"Big sister!" Li Ming was so frightened that his body trembled. He said stubbornly, "You come to tease me when I'm halfway through washing clothes. Aren't you afraid that my mother will beat you?"

Li Ling is the oldest of the five sisters. Since they are all daughters of Yang, she is closer to Li Ming.

She rolled her eyes at Li Ming:
"You should just take care of yourself. Your mother is mad at you."

Li Ming was stunned: "What happened in the outer court was spread to the harem so quickly?"

Li Ling was also stunned: "What trouble did you get into in the outer court?"

Li Ming: “What?”

Li Ling: "What?"

silence……

"You haven't come back since the sun went down, and your mother thought you had escaped from the palace again." Li Ling looked at Li Ming meaningfully.

"But it seems like you've caused more trouble... I'm going to tell my mother!"

"Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute!" Li Ming realized that he was being tricked and hurriedly chased into the house.

The Lide Hall was dark and crowded. Li Ming accidentally knocked over another girl who was carrying a basket, and all the freshly washed clothes fell to the ground.

Li Ming quickly apologized: "I'm sorry, second sister..."

"It is my fault that I have offended Your Highness by being blind. I hope Your Highness will forgive me."

My second sister bowed respectfully.

Li Ming was speechless for a moment.

This is roughly his situation at "home".

Just like strangers.

This may be the silent resistance of these weak women against their enemies who killed their parents.

In comparison, although the eldest sister Li Ling always goes against herself, she is more like a family member.

Li Ming squatted down silently and cleaned up for his second sister.

"Your Highness, there is no need to do this..."

"What I do is none of your business?" Li Ming answered in a domineering manner, and suddenly found himself flying into the air.

Mr. Li was picked up by a pair of calloused hands and thrown into a small dark room.

"Ah... Mom." Li Ming suddenly became dispirited and laughed awkwardly, "So you are here?"

"You little brat, why are you getting heavier and heavier..." The young woman didn't care about the pain in her waist and picked up the feather duster without saying a word.

Li Ming's eyes subconsciously drifted towards the door.

Li Ling was standing at the door with his arms folded, watching the show. He should not have the time to tell on anyone.

"Mother, you haven't even asked me what I did, why are you beating me?" Li Ming felt very aggrieved.

"Oh? Then tell me what you did today." Princess Hailing rolled up her sleeves.

"Uh, this..."

"I'll let you be naughty! I'll let you make trouble!"

Rhythmic snapping sounds were heard in the small dark room.

…………

Li Ming ate this dinner on his knees.

Don’t ask, if you ask, it’s the style of Sui and Tang Dynasties, it’s definitely not because of a swollen butt.

Yang said with great regret:
"Ming'er, how can you be idle all day? You are not a child of an ordinary family, you are the flesh and blood of the current emperor!"

"Got it." Li Ming responded casually, buried his face in the bowl, and ate the rice mixed with corn.

He was still not used to being nagged by Yang.

Because Tang people get married early, Yang is only in her early thirties this year, so she can still be barely called "Little Sister".

Being nagging by the young lady made him feel out of place.

The sisters and concubines were only concerned about their jobs and were indifferent to the future of the emperor's children.

"Mother is talking to you, and you're still eating!" Li Ling also lectured in a serious manner and took a piece of meat from Li Ming's bowl.

"Ah, I saved the food for last!"

The brother and sister were making a fuss when a guest came to the door.

"Haha, the two of them have such a good relationship, they are like brothers."

What are you talking about? We are brothers... Li Ming felt that the other party was implying the complicated relationship in his family and looked at him unkindly.

The visitor was a young and beautiful concubine, carrying an exquisite food box.

Yang immediately stood up and came forward with a cheerful face:
"Awu, have you eaten? Come on, come on, please take a seat. Li Ming, don't be rude, call me auntie!"

"Hello, Fifth Aunt." Li Ming muttered reluctantly.

He didn't know the Fifth Aunt's name, but calling her Aunt in the harem was like calling her "barrier" in Tianjin, which would definitely not be wrong.

Moreover, the Fifth Aunt was indeed worthy of the prince's title of "Auntie" because she had a formal status in the harem.

She seemed to be a "talented woman" or something. Although her rank was not high, this "Fifth Concubine" was very good at dealing with things. She wandered around the harem, built relationships and chatted with the concubines, and got along very well with them.

But for some reason, Li Ming just didn't like her and felt that this concubine was too scheming.

What? You said that I, Li Ming, am also connected with the descendants of a famous family?
I am leading the nth generation of officials to the grassroots level!
Can understanding the people's sentiments in Chang'an be considered scheming?

"Alas, His Majesty gave me royal food today, but I am not hungry, so I will share it with Sister Yang."

The fifth aunt pretended to be annoyed and opened the food box.

Inside is half a carved winter melon with a lifelike phoenix pattern. The melon is hollowed out and filled with peach gum bird's nest.

The sisters who could only eat millet and rice every day were stunned.

Li Ming curled his lips.

Good tea, is it showing off that you are favored by the emperor...

The Fifth Aunt glanced at the table, a trace of disdain flashed in her eyes, and she pretended to be surprised:
"Sister Yang, are you eating vegetarian food today? The food is so simple."

The whole family was so focused on the "Ganlu Soup" brought by the Fifth Aunt that they didn't notice the thorn in the other person's words. Yang sighed sadly:

"I am poorly endowed, old and ugly, and have long lost the favor of His Majesty. I am only living for food."

Fifth Aunt smiled so hard that her eyebrows curved:

"Sister Yang, why are you complaining about yourself? Ever since the Queen passed away..."

She lowered her voice.

"Since the death of Her Majesty the Queen, Your Majesty has rarely set foot in the harem. The sisters are all alone in their empty rooms..."

"I'm full." Li Ming didn't want to watch the palace fighting drama, so he changed the channel and went into the small dark room.

Yang embarrassedly apologized to the "Fifth Aunt":
"Sister Mei Niang, that naughty child doesn't listen to his father's advice and is used to being naughty. I hope you don't mind."

"Wu" Mei Niang - actually Wu Mei Niang - looked at Li Ming's back, narrowed her eyes slightly, and immediately smiled generously:

"It's better for children to be pure in nature. I really envy Sister Yang for being able to give birth to a son for His Majesty..."

Yang's eyes were suddenly filled with loneliness and disappointment:
"It's a pity that I'm not a legitimate person and have brought trouble to that child..."

It is often said that a mother is honored by her son, but in the same way, a son is also honored by his mother.

If the mother was Empress Wende, Zhangsun, then even if the son was not the crown prince, he would still be able to obtain a generous fiefdom.

But if the mother is the wife of a loser in a political struggle and was taken into the harem by His Majesty like a trophy, then the son can only be considered a bonus.

The second daughter spoke up for her mother: "Mother, don't be discouraged. It's obviously Li Ming who is dragging us down!"

"Yeah, that kid is causing trouble everywhere, and sooner or later he'll get us all involved."

As soon as Li Ming left, the other sisters stopped hiding and started to talk and poke at him.

Wu Meiniang listened with a smile, and occasionally commented in surprise:
"Really? There's such a thing? That kid is so outrageous?"

Li Ling said nothing the whole time. He took a quick bite of rice and wanted to leave.

She doesn't like Wu Meiniang either.

Although this aunt would bring some delicious food whenever she visited, the relationship between family members would always become more strained after she left.

It seems like he came here specifically to cause trouble.

"I'm full..."

"My dear, I have good news for you!"

The old eunuch ran in excitedly. When he saw Wu Meiniang sitting there, he was stunned for a moment, then immediately bowed with a smile on his face:
"This old servant pays homage to the talented Wu."

Yang said gently:

"Awu is one of us, just tell me what you have to say."

The old eunuch looked at the smiling Wu Meiniang and felt a chill down his spine, and couldn't help but look away.

"My lady, His Majesty is visiting Lide Palace tonight."

The whole room was silent.

In the past few years when the Queen was away, His Majesty visited the harem only a few times.

On weekdays, he would spend the night in Lizheng Hall where Empress Changsun died, and would never pass through Yongxiang and enter the bedroom.

What's the wind blowing today that has attracted the old and ugly Yang...

The women looked delighted.

Although they have extremely complicated feelings towards the current emperor, who is actually their second uncle, it is always a good thing that their mother is favored.

Wu Meiniang's face was uncertain for a while, and she forced a smile:
"Haha...haha, congratulations, Sister Yang. I won't kill Feng Qing here..."

Yang was even more confused: "Old palace maid, do you know why His Majesty..."

The old eunuch looked outside the door, made sure there were no outsiders, lowered his voice and came closer:

"I also heard from others that Your Majesty happened to meet His Highness Li Ming outside the palace. He looked very heroic and resembled my father. I suddenly missed my wife."

It was him...

The women in the room were speechless for a moment.

(End of this chapter)