The wives of the concubines are empresses

The second young man from a noble family in the second row was left behind, and it was the turn of the young man from a noble family in the third row. He looked a little nervous and lowered his head to look ahead.

Liu Cheng said loudly: "Continue."

The young master of the aristocratic family bowed respectfully and said, "I am An Renhuai, sixteen years old. I am good at reading, writing, poetry, and playing chess. I have never been a servant, but I have helped the family with chores and entertaining guests when I was busy."

There was nothing wrong with his answer, and Yuan Xinling thought he would be kept, but she saw Shangguan Wanjun waving her hand, and she and Lu Yan'er looked at each other in surprise.

An Renhuai was also surprised that he was not selected. Although he felt unwilling, he still had a sense of propriety.

The next one was a princess who looked a bit dandy. She seemed to be well taken care of by her family and had fair and tender skin.

"I, the minister Ji Fengxing, am twenty years old and a concubine's son. I am skilled in carpentry, but have never had the opportunity to work."

After hearing his words, Shangguan Wanjun raised her eyebrows and looked up.

"Already twenty? A bastard in the family?" Could it be that because of the suppression by his stepmother, his family would not have no chance to work?

"Back to the Emperor, yes."

"Why did you participate in the selection of concubines?" Is it to escape?

Ji Fengxing was stunned: Could it be that the emperor had guessed it? How should he respond?

Shangguan Wanjun frowned slightly: "It's hard to answer?"

The Ministry of Rites, the eunuchs and the female officials were stunned. They wondered why the emperor asked this question today.

Shangguan Wanjun's eyes never left Ji Fengxing. There was not much gentleness between her brows, nor was there any strong majesty emanating from her.

"The ministers choose the concubines to witness your majesty's grace."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Wanjun suddenly smiled with her eyes curved. Everyone thought she was smiling because she was praised, but in fact, it was not the case. She just didn't expect the other party to give such a roundabout answer.

"Keep."

Yuan Xinling bowed and said, "Yes."

How did Hideko convince the emperor? She felt that the process was inevitably smoother, but she felt that someone like the emperor would not be so superficial.

Due to Shangguan Wanjun's sudden involvement, the remaining candidates were 1,700, with 1,300 eliminated. However, Shangguan Wanjun's subsequent actions puzzled everyone. The eliminated Xiuzi were also retained and were specially treated to a hot pot dinner by Shangguan Wanjun, with Minglan personally sharing the dinner with them.

Chen Daren - Lin Xueyu was the emperor's husband. Although he was the imperial physician of the Imperial Medical Bureau, his main responsibility was to treat Shangguan Wanjun, the two Empress Dowagers and the other imperial husbands. Ministers and family members rarely visited him. Unless Shangguan Wanjun specifically instructed him to do so, he would generally not go.

Chen Daren-Lin Xueyu helped Shangguan Wanjun sit at the dining table and served her soup considerately.

"Your Majesty, come and have some soup."

"I'll do it myself. You've been watching for a whole day. Come and have your meal."

Chen Daren - Lin Xueyu smiled gently and nodded: "Yes."

After finishing a bowl of soup, Shangguan Wanjun felt full. The meal on the table was nutritionally balanced, with a good combination of meat and vegetables. The sight of it looking delicious made her quite hungry.

"Your Majesty, this home-cooked dish is quite good. Please try it."

Shangguan Wanjun opened her mouth slightly and chewed and swallowed the cauliflower in her mouth.

Cauliflower was introduced to China via the Silk Road, with records of it dating back to the Tang Dynasty. The term "cai" is mentioned in the Tang dynasty's "Youyang Zazu," indicating its introduction to China. By the Song Dynasty, cauliflower had become a royal vegetable and widely enjoyed among the people.

Among vegetarian dishes, Shangguan Wanjun likes cauliflower very much, especially when it is stir-fried with lean meat or bacon. It tastes very fragrant and has a good texture. It is also quite good when eaten cold.

Chen Daren-Lin Xueyu ate the yam and pine meat and felt it was good. He picked up the yam and fed it to Shangguan Wanjun.

"Your Majesty, please eat some yam. Eating it in moderation can help prevent constipation and also has health benefits."

Shangguan Wanjun gently opened her mouth and took a bite. The yam was crispy and tasted very good, making people want to eat more.

Yams existed in ancient times, and their name has changed throughout history. Yams were originally called "shu wei," a name recorded in the Han Dynasty's Shennong's Herbal Classic. Later, due to taboos, the name was changed to "shu yao" in the Tang Dynasty and then to "shan yao" in the Song Dynasty.

Shangguan Wanjun had just arrived in this world and found that she recognized many of the dishes. This made her feel somewhat familiar with this era and less apprehensive. She also dared to eat many foods boldly.

After the meal, the two sat in the courtyard to admire the moon and stars. Looking at the sky full of stars, Shangguan Wanjun couldn't help but speak.

"This season should be the time when fireflies are abundant, but I don't think I've seen many."

Chen Daren - Lin Xueyu was stunned: "Firefly?"

"Yes, you wouldn't be unfamiliar with him."

Chen Daren - Lin Xueyu smiled gently and looked up: "I know fireflies. Your Majesty, do you want to see fireflies?"

"I'm just saying." But fireflies are indeed one of the characteristics of hot days, especially when many of them come out at night, they look so bright and beautiful.

That night, Shangguan Wanjun slept in the same bed with Chen Daren - Lin Xueyu. What made the pregnant woman most uncomfortable was getting up early to go to court with a big belly.

The moment the door of the Golden Palace opened, all the ministers hurriedly straightened their clothes. Some ministers even smelled their bodies, fearing that any inappropriate smell would attract the emperor's attention.

Shangguan Wanjun forced herself to keep her eyes open, fearing that she would fall asleep due to excessive sleepiness.

"My dear ministers, may I have something to report today?"

The Minister of Personnel, Feng Mowen, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, since Grand Tutor Yun is resigning, we should host a banquet in his honor."

The ministers looked at each other and nodded.

"indeed."

"Correct."

Listening to the discussion of the court officials, Shangguan Wanjun pursed her lips and spoke.

"The Minister of Rites is right. The Ministry of Rites has been very busy recently, so this matter will be handed over to Mu Xiang."

Mu Xiang was stunned when she heard this. The emperor actually entrusted such an important matter to her?

She couldn't let the emperor down, so she quickly bowed and said, "Yes, I obey your order."

However, the person involved, Yun Taifu, spoke up at this time: "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry about this old minister's waste of money."

Shangguan Wanjun shook her head and refused: "Grandmaster, that's not what I meant. You are a veteran of three dynasties. Resigning is a serious matter, a matter of state, and it should not be taken lightly."

As an emperor, her attitude is very important.

Grand Tutor Yun was so moved by what he heard that he stepped out of the group with tears in his eyes and bowed, "Your Majesty, I obey your command. Thank you for your grace."

The moment he looked up, Shangguan Wanjun saw tears in his eyes, and she smiled faintly at Master Yun.

The banquet held in the palace for Grand Tutor Yun was held three days later. All the important figures in the court were present, as well as some ladies with imperial titles and wives of clansmen from prominent families.

As the protagonist, Master Yun was warmly greeted by everyone from the moment he entered the palace banquet.

"Taifu, since you are no longer in the court, you will have no choice but to visit me in person."

"Yes, Master."

Master Yun stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Welcome everyone."

A loud announcement was heard, and everyone knelt down to welcome him.

"Greetings to the Emperor, long live the Emperor. Greetings to the two Empress Dowagers, long live the Empress."