The emperor just doesn't treat everyone equally, and it's none of my business!

Not only the Prime Minister was angry about Gu Yulin's safe return to Beijing, but Shangguan Yan who was in the harem was even more angry and had a headache.

Why didn't her father listen to her!

Because the letter was not sent out at all, it was intercepted as soon as it left the palace gate and is now placed in Lu Junze's Yangxin Palace.

Shangguan Yan also knew that sending a letter out of the palace was risky, so the letter was not written very clearly. Any explanation would make sense, otherwise Lu Junze would not have simply taken away some of the Queen's power.

The assassin who was captured by Gu Chengfeng and brought back to the capital committed suicide by taking poison the next day after returning to the capital. The reason is unknown. The account book handed over by Gu Yulin did not have any direct relationship with the prime minister, but only with several of his students. Lu Junze was not polite and took this opportunity to clean up most of them.

Queen Shangguan Yan was also relieved when she heard the news, as long as her father was fine.

Laba Festival was soon here, and people drink Laba porridge on Laba Festival. Gu Shijin asked her subordinates to prepare the ingredients for her one day in advance, as she wanted to make the Laba porridge herself.

Laba porridge is very simple, but it uses a lot of ingredients. When the imperial kitchen heard that it was Gu Shijin who wanted it, they prepared it for her in a very neat and tidy manner.

Yellow rice, white rice, glutinous rice, millet, water chestnut rice, chestnuts, red beans, peeled date paste, peach kernels, melon seeds, peanuts, raisins, etc.

I came back from paying respects to the Queen at Fengyi Palace.

Gu Shijin couldn't wait to ask Xiao Linzi to light the small stove.

Gu Shijin still doesn't have a small kitchen in his current position, so he can only use a small stove to cook.

However, you don’t need a very big stove to cook Laba porridge. This small stove is enough, and the porridge tastes better when cooked over low heat.

It is easy to ignore the surrounding environment when doing something. Gu Shijin didn't feel cold after hanging out outside for so long. It might be because he was next to the stove.

After the Laba porridge was cooked, Xingyue asked Gu Shijin to go back to the house as it was cold here.

Gu Shijin nodded and walked into the house while saying, "It doesn't feel as cold today as the past two days."

"Pfft..." Xingyue couldn't help but laughed out loud.

Gu Shijin looked at Xingyue in confusion and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"My lady, you don't feel cold because of this dress."

Gu Shijin lowered his head and looked at the clothes he was wearing, but he didn't see anything different. This dress was sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs two days ago. It was almost Laba Festival, and the emperor ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to make new clothes for all the ladies in the palace.

"My lady, there is a whole fox skin inside your clothes." Xingyue whispered, "It is the only one in the palace."

Gu Shijin touched his clothes. No wonder they were so warm.

Gu Shijin smiled. She gave Lu Junze a pair of fox fur gloves, and Lu Junze gave her such a big fox fur coat.

The clothes made of fox fur are indeed worthy of their reputation. After staying in the room with charcoal burning for a long time, Gu Shijin still wanted to sweat.

"Xingyue, please remove one of the charcoal basins." The allotment of charcoal in each palace is regulated, so try to save as much as possible.

"Yes, my lady." Xingyue responded and went to get a charcoal basin.

About half an hour later, the aroma of Laba porridge wafted out. Gu Shijin sniffed and said, "It smells so good."

"Yes, the Laba porridge made by the young lady is somewhat different from that in the imperial kitchen." Xingzhu said.

Gu Shijin smiled and said, "My mother taught me how to make this Laba porridge. It's the way it's made in her hometown, and it's slightly different from the way it's made in Beijing."

Xingyue said: "I feel that the one made by the young master is more fragrant."

Gu Shijin: "Then you should eat more later."

"Okay, thank you, my Lord."

Gu Shijin cooked a lot of Laba porridge. Since there weren't many people in Ningyu Pavilion, she planned to give a bowl of porridge to all the palace maids and eunuchs so that they could all have a taste of the Laba festival.

After the Laba porridge was cooked, Gu Shijin asked Xingzhu to scoop out two bowls first, and the rest was divided among the palace maids and eunuchs.

Gu Shijin had just put the Laba porridge into the lunch box when Su Deyuan came over.

"Your servant pays respects to Lady Jinpin."

"Eunuch Su, please stand up."

"My Lady Jinpin, the Emperor has summoned you to the Yangxin Palace for lunch." Su Deyuan said.

"Okay, thank you, Eunuch Su."

Lu Junze was not busy with government affairs today. After the court session, he discussed some things with his ministers and then had some free time.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. May your Majesty be blessed with good health." Gu Shijin had just squatted down when she was helped up by Lu Junze.

Lu Junze looked at the food box in Xingzhu's hand and asked, "What delicious food have you prepared today?"

In fact, Lu Junze knew it in his heart because Su Deyuan told him yesterday that Ningyu Pavilion was preparing the ingredients for Laba porridge.

Gu Shijin opened the food box and put the bowl on the table, saying, "Your Majesty, Laba Laba, of course it's Laba porridge."

Lunch was already on the table. Gu Shijin moved the other dishes and placed the Laba porridge in front of Lu Junze.

Lu Junze pointed to another bowl and deliberately asked, “Why are there two bowls?”

"This bowl is naturally mine. Is it that only the emperor is allowed to eat it and not me?"

"Hahaha." Lu Junze laughed.

Originally, the imperial kitchen had prepared Laba porridge for Lu Junze, but Lu Junze knew that Gu Shijin had prepared it, so he didn't let the imperial kitchen send it over.

Lu Junze drinks Laba porridge every year, but he thinks this year's is particularly delicious.

"Not bad." Lu Junze wiped his mouth after drinking.

"Of course, I made this myself." Gu Shijin pretended to be proud.

Lu Junze felt itchy when he saw her. He liked Gu Shijin's confident look.

"Is this dress warm?" Lu Junze touched Gu Shijin's clothes.

Gu Shijin nodded: "It's warm, thank you, Your Majesty."

"I got this fox skin from hunting two years ago. I've kept it in the storeroom. If you hadn't given me the gloves that day, I would have almost forgotten about it."

"You are afraid of the cold, so it is just right to sew clothes for you."

Hunting activities were not held every year in the Great Xia Dynasty. For example, there was no hunting activity last year. Moreover, even if there were hunting activities, it would be extremely rare to obtain a complete fox skin.

Gu Shijin looked at Lu Junze with a touched expression.

After drinking the Laba porridge, the two began to eat. Now that they were eating together with Lu Junze, Gu Shijin didn't need to serve Lu Junze.

It should be said that Gu Shijin only did this the first time they had a meal together. The rest of the time they sat together to eat, and when they saw something delicious, they would use the serving chopsticks to pick up some for the other person.

This year's lunch consisted of stewed mutton, which was braised in brown sauce. Gu Shijin noticed the difference at the first bite.

Gu Shijin: "Your Majesty, has the palace changed the imperial chef?"

The braised lamb has no fishy smell at all and is soft and tender. More importantly, the taste is simply delicious.

As he spoke, Gu Shijin picked up another piece and put it into his mouth.

Seeing that Shi Jin was enjoying his meal, Lu Junze was also happy and said, "This is the chef from Yuzhou."

People in Yuzhou like spicy food, and their cooking skills are quite unique.

"It's delicious. Your Majesty, please keep the chef in the palace." Gu Shijin said.

Lu Junze shook his head and said helplessly: “It’s already the imperial chef.”

"Yes." Gu Shijin raised his head and looked at Lu Junze with sparkling eyes.