The husband who forced her to marry her couldn't keep her warm, and she didn't want him to

Zhao Yu seemed to be at a loss for words. He picked up the lukewarm teacup, lowered his head and took two sips before speaking.

"Did Lord Jiang know about Chen Lingzhen's matter from the beginning?"

Jiang Nansheng nodded without saying much.

Zhao Yu didn't understand, and then asked: "Since Lord Jiang can control the harem, why did he want me to ascend the throne? Why do people outside think that Concubine Shu stayed in the harem for many reasons!"

Jiang Nansheng smiled, "Your Majesty has a kind heart and great love, but he does not understand what love is. Family, love, friendship... Just treat me as if I am like Your Majesty right now, not wanting to cause harm to the people and implicate innocent people."

When Jiang Nansheng was retreating from the South Study, Empress Yang, along with the palace maids and Lu Shan who was beside Concubine Zhen, were stopped outside the door by the eunuchs.

Seeing that Empress Yang seemed to have something to say, he paused and bowed to Empress Yang, who was wearing a bright yellow palace dress, and said, "Your Highness Jiang Nansheng greets Her Majesty the Empress."

Lu Shan, with the palace servants behind him, greeted Jiang Nansheng, then stood aside with his head lowered.

The intricate and gorgeous phoenix crown on Empress Yang's head made her face look even more childish.

She leaned sideways, nodded to Master Jiang Wu, and said, "Since the beginning of autumn, His Majesty has occasionally coughed. I asked someone to make rock sugar, white fungus, and snow pear juice. I heard that Master Jiang's twins are already six months old, and Concubine Shu is always thinking about them. Why not ask the Duke's wife and Madam Jiang Wu to bring the children to the palace to play."

The first few sentences were spoken in a serious manner, but the rest of the sentences were filled with a bit of innocence and romance.

Jiang Nansheng's eyes fell on the lotus pond on one side. "Thank you, Queen, for your concern. Your Majesty, for your grace. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the family of Duke Dingguo can enter the palace to attend the banquet."

Empress Yang nodded upon hearing this, thinking that as the mistress of the harem, it was her duty as the queen to care for a favorite minister like Jiang Nansheng and his family.

What's more, she got along better with Shu Taifei of Shou'an Palace than with the Empress Dowager of Cining Palace.

Perhaps it was because Concubine Shu gave birth to the eldest princess that she was able to find in Concubine Shu the same sense of harmony that she had when getting along with female elders at home.

After Jiang Nansheng walked down the stone steps and left, Empress Yang looked at Huang Tong and said, "Eunuch Huang, can you please let me know that the pear juice I brought is getting cold."

Seeing this, Lu Shan smiled flatteringly, "Our Concubine Zhen is pregnant recently, so the Imperial Kitchen prepared a sweet-scented osmanthus taro curd for the little master in her belly. Both the Concubine and the little master in her belly liked it very much, so she asked me to present it to His Majesty for him to taste."

She called her "Empress" all the time, and every sentence she spoke could not stop talking about the baby in Zhenfei's belly, as if she was constantly reminding others that Zhenfei was pregnant with a dragon seed.

There was no trace of suspicion on Empress Yang's face, not even a hint of jealousy.

Instead, he opened his mouth to correct Lu Shan, "Go back and tell Concubine Zhen that there is something wrong with this sweet-scented osmanthus taro milk."

Lu Shan raised his eyelids and looked at Empress Yang, "I wonder what instructions Her Majesty the Empress has for me to give so that I can go back and tell Empress Zhenfei everything."

Empress Yang stood up straight, pretending to be dignified and serious on her innocent and tender face, and looked down at Lu Shan who was bending over.

"I have taken into consideration that Concubine Zhen grew up in Ningyuan City and has been careless in her boudoir. Now that she is His Majesty's favorite concubine, she should be more restrained. She needs to be more careful in her words and actions in the future, so as not to disappoint His Majesty and the dignity of her position as a concubine."

"After seeing His Majesty later, I will go to the Empress Dowager to make it clear and find a nanny to teach Concubine Zhen how to behave. How can a concubine in the harem use His Majesty's name in the names of food!"

The word "taro" in "Osmanthus Taro Milk" is homophonic with the name of Emperor Jianming Zhao Yu.

Lu Shan's face turned pale, he fell to his knees with a plop, and shouted in fear: "Queen, please calm down!"

Empress Yang lowered her eyes and looked at him, her voice crisp, "I am not angry. After all, the concubines in the harem spoke rudely, and it is also my fault as the head of the harem."

Lu Shan knew that he would not get away so easily, and then he heard Empress Yang continue to say: "Lu Shan, you once served Master Mingjue, and you are considered an old man in the harem. Don't you know this little bit of rules? Qi Rong is so negligent in the majesty of the emperor."

What Empress Yang said was extremely heartbreaking. It was not excessive for a eunuch like him to be dragged out and beaten with a stick.

Lu Shan kowtowed on the ground, and the palace servants behind him also kowtowed when they saw him.

Soon the stone steps were stained with blood.

Although Empress Yang was naive and romantic, she grew up with her grandfather and attached great importance to rules.

"Alright, I haven't said what the punishment is yet. What's your intention in bringing palace servants and eunuchs to the South Study?"

Huang Tong raised his hand to signal, and a team of Jinyiwei came over. The leader bowed to Empress Yang and said, "Your subordinate Xu Hui, I wonder what instructions the Empress has for you?"

After Lu Shan and the others were taken away, there were spots of blood on the stone steps, and a bowl of spilled dessert that gave off a greasy sweet smell.

Huang Tong came over and whispered to Empress Yang, "Your Majesty, the Emperor said he would not see anyone... What do you think?"

Empress Yang couldn't help but frown slightly. Why didn't he say anything when Lu Shan was here just now? It was as if she was deliberately attacking Zhenfei's palace maids.

Huang Tong lowered his head and respectfully saw the Queen off.

......

When Gu Jinchu was in Minghui Hall with his two children, a servant came to report that Young Master Gu Wen of the Gu family was coming.

When she returned to Yuanyuan Hall, a young man in a lake blue shirt was standing under the corridor of the courtyard.

Seeing Gu Jinchu walk through the second door, Gu Wen strode over, bowed to his elder sister, and then looked at his nephew and niece with curiosity.

"Cheng'en has gained a lot of weight since the last time I saw him. Yu'en and my elder sister look more and more alike."

Nuonuo hugged her mother's neck, looking at him with curiosity in her big watery eyes.

Tuanzi was held by his wet nurse. He was no longer satisfied with being held upright in the nurse's arms. He also wanted the adults to hold him upright in front of them so that he could see the scenery along the way.

After the twins were born, Gu Wen saw them three times. It seemed that the two children looked different every time he saw them.

Seeing his brother rubbing his hands in anticipation, Gu Jinchu took Tuanzi and stuffed him into his arms, reminding him, "This kid is capable of a lot of trouble."

The last time Gu Wen held his nephew in his arms, he could only hold the little boy horizontally in his arms. He felt so light then, but now one can clearly feel his chubby weight.

He opened his eyes wide and looked at his eldest sister. "Cheng'en is really strong. His little feet and hands are very powerful."

As he spoke, he lifted Tuanzi up and down in his arms, but he didn't dare to do what Master Jiang Wu did, to throw the child up slightly and then catch him back in his arms, for fear of any mishap.

Tuanzi was used to playing with his father and was not afraid of strangers. He giggled, revealing two little white teeth that were so visible that his eyes were not visible.

Gu Jinchu held Nuonuo in one hand and stretched out his other hand to wipe the saliva from the corner of his son's mouth, then called his younger brother to go into the main room.

As the brother and sister walked side by side, Gu Jinchu realized that Gu Wen had grown a lot taller after not seeing him for a while.

Although he doesn't have straight shoulders, he has grown into an adult.

Gu Wen followed his elder sister to the west side room, sat down and said, "I came here today, first, to send Mid-Autumn Festival gifts to my elder sister and my uncle and aunt; second, to say goodbye to my elder sister."