Happy Ending with the Second Male Lead

Chapter 17: XVII

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Envoy Liao rushed to Luojing City, and it happened to snow on the day he arrived. Seeing the tall city wall of Luojing close at hand, Envoy Liao had no intention of stopping to avoid the wind and snow. He still rode his servants in the wind and snow, ready to arrive within today. More than a dozen horses whizzed across the official road like a whirlwind, trampling the snow on the official road into a muddy mess.

When they got close to the city wall, Envoy Liao first stopped his horse and dismounted. Just as he was about to take out the documents to identify himself, a blue-robed eunuch came up with his men and asked with a smile, "Is it Envoy Liao?"

Envoy Liao was surprised, and nodded calmly, "That's right, I wonder who the eunuch is...?"

After confirming his identity, the eunuch smiled more warmly, bowed solemnly and said, "I am serving Your Majesty. I have been waiting here for several days because I knew that Envoy Liao would arrive in the capital in the near future. Finally, Envoy Liao arrived. Hexia is far away from Luojing. Envoy Liao must have had a hard time coming all the way. It is windy here. Envoy Liao, please come this way. Have a cup of hot tea and rest in the carriage first, and then you can go to the palace with me later."

Envoy Liao was led into Luojing by him, and the guards at the gate let them in without even looking at their entry documents. Although the eunuch in front of him was smiling and gentle, Envoy Liao was still full of doubts. He still didn't know why the emperor summoned him to Luojing. He had thought of asking his old acquaintances in the capital after arriving in Luojing, but he didn't expect to meet this eunuch as soon as he arrived, and he immediately wanted to take him into the palace.

Why is it so urgent

The more Envoy Liao thought about it, the more worried he became. He could not help but ask the eunuch quietly. The eunuch just smiled and said, "How can I know what your majesty is thinking? But Envoy Liao, please relax. In my opinion, it won't be a bad thing. Now the imperial concubine in the palace is the only one who enjoys the emperor's favor. Maybe she just misses you, so your majesty summoned you."

Shijun Liao: It’s unlikely that it’s just because of such a trivial matter. There must be other more important reasons!

He knew his daughter was actually very lazy. She had learned enough of the skills that a girl from an aristocratic family should learn, but she gave up everything and didn't want to spend the effort to do better. Apart from her good looks, she really had no merits worth mentioning. He heard that the beauties in the palace were not only beautiful, but also scheming. There was also a cruel emperor who loved killing people. No matter how he thought about his daughter, she was in dire straits. When someone said that Concubine Liao was favored by the emperor, he was half unbelieving and half worried. He didn't know how much his daughter had suffered during this period. If she wanted to live well in the palace, she would become unrecognizable.

The more he thought about it, the more sad Liao became. He didn't know what kind of haggard daughter he would see when he left.

On the way to the palace, passing by Duan's house, Liao Shijun was surprised to find a white lantern hanging in front of the Duan's house. If an ordinary person died, in such a big family, even a white lantern would not be eligible to be hung. It must be that the deceased must be a person of status in the Duan family.

"I wonder who died in Old Master Duan's house?"

The eunuch put on a compassionate and regretful expression at the right time, "It was Grand Tutor Duan's second son, who died of an acute illness a few days ago. Grand Tutor Duan, at his age, was so heartbroken to see his son die that he fell ill and has been recuperating at home. He has no time to even take care of the affairs of the court."

Envoy Liao didn't know this old tutor Duan. The Duan family, a big family, had lived in Luojing for generations, unlike the Liao family, which was just a family in Hexia. They basically had no contact with each other - mainly because they were looked down upon by others. So Envoy Liao just sighed and didn't pay much attention to it.

After entering the palace, a purple-robed eunuch came to greet us. He seemed to be of higher status, but his attitude was more enthusiastic.

"Envoy Liao is here! The Imperial Concubine is looking forward to seeing you. She has asked about your visit several times! Let's go and see the Imperial Concubine now."

Envoy Liao hesitated, "Should I go and see His Majesty first?"

The eunuch smiled and said, "No need. His Majesty has ordered that if you arrive, just go and see the imperial concubine first."

Although this was somewhat against etiquette, since the emperor said so, Envoy Liao could only go and see his daughter first. He was indeed worried, and followed the eunuch anxiously, not paying much attention to where the eunuch led him. When the eunuch stopped and stood in front of a palace door and bowed to him, Envoy Liao finally reacted and looked at the palace door.

"This... This seems to be the inner hall where His Majesty resides?" Envoy Liao was puzzled. Didn't his daughter want to see him? Why didn't she take him to the imperial concubine's residence, but instead to the inner hall where His Majesty slept and rested

The eunuch continued to explain with a smile: "Envoy Liao, there is no need to doubt. The imperial concubine is waiting for you in the palace."

There was no point in asking more questions, so Envoy Liao walked into the hall and saw the maids and palace servants bowing one by one and leading him to the couch.

Envoy Liao: “…”

Liao Tingyan was lying on the couch, almost buried in the fox fur cushion, with a strange-looking heater under his feet and a soft quilt covering his body. His posture was very casual and unruly, and very indecent. If it weren't for the various snacks and preserved fruits on the small table next to him, and his daughter's face was so good, Liao Shijun would have thought that she was paralyzed and couldn't get up.

However, he also remembered a certain rumor, and looking at his daughter's belly, he asked her with mixed feelings, "Is the imperial concubine pregnant?" That's why she looked like she was taking care of the baby.

Liao Tingyan had been slumped there, about to fall asleep, but when he heard that his father had arrived, he perked up. He had just sat up from the couch, and before he could ask about his father's recent situation, his father threw these words at him, and he fell silent immediately.

How come this rumor is spreading wider and wider? Is there anyone who can take care of it

"Well, father, don't believe the rumors outside. Your daughter is not pregnant." Liao Tingyan solemnly refuted the rumor, and then asked someone to bring a small cushioned table, "Father, please sit down and talk."

"How has father been doing these days? He must have been tired coming all the way here, and he looks thinner." Liao Tingyan was still very concerned about Liao Shijun, who had been his father for several years, and kept asking with concern.

Liao Shijun answered her questions one by one and wanted to say a few words to her, but when he saw her face, which was obviously fatter, he felt he couldn't open his mouth. Normally, he should say something like "You've lost weight too." As he was on his way, he had been imagining the sad scene of the father and daughter talking to each other after meeting their daughter, but now that he had actually seen her, he couldn't say this against his conscience.

He had to admit that his daughter might really be living a good life, because he had not fattened her up in all these years, but she had gained visibly weight less than a year after entering the palace.

"Father, would you like to try some of this preserved fruit? It's delicious. A while ago, the south sent tribute and had it made into preserved fruit."

As soon as Liao Tingyan opened her mouth, the maid who was arranging vases at the side came forward with preserved fruits and brought them to Liao Shijun. Looking at the array of food at hand, Liao Shijun really had a headache: "My lord concubine, do you usually treat guests like this?"

Liao Tingyan heard the disapproval in his father's tone and asked him puzzledly, "Dad, you don't like eating preserved fruits?" It was obvious that he loved eating these preserved fruits the most in winter in previous years.

Shijun Liao: It’s not about the preserved fruits at all!

He looked at his daughter worriedly: "When you were at home, you knew some rules. How come you have lost your sense of propriety now that you are in the palace? Although I am your father, my status is different now. You shouldn't sit on the couch and talk like this. Isn't it damaging your dignity?"

Yes, although my daughter was lazy at home before, she knew to sit up to eat and would sit upright when meeting guests. But now, she is lying on the couch in the middle of winter to eat. This is the emperor's inner palace! The emperor may come in at any time. What if he sees her unruly behavior and doesn't like her

The old father was worried sick.

Liao Tingyan didn't realize that her behavior was wrong for a while, and it took her a while to react, and she cursed inwardly. She really didn't pay attention. She spent most of her time lying here comfortably, and Sima Jiao often lay with her. No one dared to say anything wrong to her, so she got used to it. And she didn't need to entertain guests. You know, she basically lives in Sima Jiao's inner hall now. Who dares to come here as a guest? This place has completely become her territory, and of course she can do whatever she wants.

Sima Jiao is a man who can easily lead others astray. Liao Tingyan condemned Sima Jiao without any psychological pressure, but he still slumped on the couch and did not move. "Don't worry, father, His Majesty personally asked me to do this."

After these words came out, Liao Shijun had to swallow back his disapproval. What else could he do? He couldn't condemn the emperor. His daughter was now a concubine, so he couldn't say much about this matter.

The old father inexplicably felt that his daughter had found a backer and he could not control her, so he could only watch her lawless sadness.

Liao Tingyan touched her nose, thinking that her father must be complaining about something in his heart again. She could see his worry and tried her best to comfort him, "Father, you don't have to worry about me. You see, I'm doing well now. His Majesty dotes on me very much."

After the last big secret incident, both Liao Tingyan and Sima Jiao were more relaxed when getting along with each other. For example, Liao Tingyan was so lazy now, but before, she would at least not eat on Sima Jiao's bed. It was all because Sima Jiao was so obedient without any bottom line, and he almost spoiled her.

After hearing his daughter's words, Liao Shijun did not feel relieved, but became even more worried. He thought of the beauties in the previous dynasties who brought disaster to the country. They were called the source of disaster, but in fact they were all poor women who were lucky enough to be favored by the king. But once something happened, they became the source of all tragedies and were cursed by people, as if the country was destroyed just because of that little woman.

He really didn't want his daughter to end up like this. If possible, he would rather his daughter be just an ordinary beauty in the harem, living a peaceful and stable life.

Emperor Sima Jiao has a fickle temper. His favor today is only temporary and how long will it last? If His Majesty no longer favors his daughter in the future, how will his daughter cope with the situation

Liao Tingyan: Dad, what is he imagining again? His eyebrows are so wrinkled that they are about to burst out.

"Dad, you really don't have to worry too much, just live your own life well... You have been busy with government affairs over the years and have not taken in many concubines. Now that your daughter has found a home and you don't need to worry, why don't you remarry so that you can have a younger brother or sister to take care of you. Or has it been that dad just hasn't met a satisfactory woman?" Liao Tingyan asked tentatively.

As soon as she finished speaking, Sima Jiao's voice came from behind the curtain. He came from the front hall with two eunuchs. He must have heard what Liao Tingyan said, and he casually added: "If there is no one you like in Hexia, why not go to Luojing to choose a few beauties and bring them back? There are a few who are not bad looking in my harem. I wonder if Envoy Liao would like them."

Liao Tingyan: “…” Are you serious? ! ! Do you really want your concubine to be my stepmother

Envoy Liao: “…” His Majesty is really as the rumors say… unruly.

An emperor can go crazy, but a minister cannot go crazy together. Envoy Liao stood up and saluted with a serious face, "Your Majesty, I, Liao Jin, come to see you. I dare not."

Liao Tingyan also called out "Your Majesty". She was originally prepared to lie still as usual, but after receiving her father's gaze, she slowly got up and saluted. Before she could straighten her back, Sima Jiao had already strode to the side of the couch and pushed her back.

"It's so cold outside, why get up? Just lie down."

Liao Tingyan lay down and took out a hand warmer from under the quilt for Sima Jiao. He also lifted up a corner of the quilt to put it under his legs as a token of respect.

Sima Jiao grabbed the hand warmer and looked at Envoy Liao, saying with some dissatisfaction: "You can't bully my concubine."

Envoy Liao:

That seems to be his daughter, right? He didn't do anything disrespectful, did he

Seeing that he was shocked and didn't know where he was wrong, Sima Jiao raised his eyebrows and glared at him: "Didn't you force her to get up just now? Who allowed you to force her?" Based on the glances between Liao Tingyan and Liao Shijun just now, and Liao Tingyan's action of standing up to salute, Sima Jiao guessed that Liao Shijun must have said something before he came, nothing more than rules or something like that. Sima Jiao could guess without thinking that these people were really meddling in other people's business.

Liao Tingyan poked Sima Jiao's back with his finger from behind.

My dear! That's my father! Do you think everyone is a jerk like you