Seizing the throne, abolishing the adopted son, the imperial concubine rose to prominence

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Lady Wen still seemed indifferent to the emperor.

"Your Majesty's hands are so cold. Did you get blown by the wind outside? Warm your hands quickly."

Gu Youning felt that the emperor seemed a little unhappy, and smiled as he stuffed the heater into the emperor's hands.

"Well, it's been a bit cold lately."

The speaker may not have meant it, but the listener took it seriously. The emperor took it with an awkward expression and explained with his nose against the tip of his nose.

However, when the emperor thought of what he had just heard outside the curtain, he felt unhappy again.

"It's almost time for lunch. Do you and Zheng'er want to eat anything?"

While the emperor was talking to Gu Youning, he was paying attention to Lady Wen who was standing below.

Lady Wen never liked to be in his presence, so he thought that when the topic of dining came up, Lady Wen would leave. However, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Lady Wen had actually sat down on the round stool below.

The emperor's brows frowned unconsciously.

"Zheng'er loves to eat cakes, so ask the Imperial Food Bureau to prepare a few items on a plate. Don't take more than he needs. He's injured now, and I can't be mean to him."

"What? The eldest prince is also injured? The emperor is accompanying him in Jing'an Residence. Who in this palace is so ambitious as to dare to hurt the eldest prince?"

Lady Wen stood up in shock.

"Nothing serious, we just fell down while walking in the house."

Gu Youning spoke before the emperor could open his mouth, and winked at Concubine Wen.

Seeing that the emperor sitting next to her was silent and Concubine Wen looked angry at her for not fighting back, Gu Youning suddenly felt a headache.

What are these two people doing?

"It's cold outside, Miss Wen, please stay for dinner."

As soon as Gu Youning finished speaking, the emperor looked over with a gloomy gaze.

"Your Majesty, Lady Wen came to visit me and Zheng'er. We can't let her go back hungry."

Gu Youning didn't know how much the emperor had just heard outside, but she and Concubine Wen didn't say anything that shouldn't be said, except that Concubine Wen said a few presumptuous words.

However, the emperor has always been tolerant of Concubine Wen because of what happened back then, so logically he shouldn't pursue the matter.

"Just follow Ning'er's advice."

The emperor's thin lips moved, but he finally responded with a smile.

But this lunch was destined to make the emperor angry.

Lady Wen kept serving food to Gu Youning and his mother, and secretly criticized the blandness and monotony of the imperial meals several times.

"Auntie Wen, have this cake. It's delicious."

However, the son got along very well with Lady Wen, and even fed his limited cakes into Lady Wen's mouth.

"Mother eats too."

Xiao Yunzheng gave the other piece of crab roe cake to his mother.

He didn't want to play favorites and wanted to give one to his father as well, but there was only one left on the plate.

He looked at it for a long time before hesitatingly saying, "Father, how about Zheng'er and you each take half."

"No need, Zheng'er can eat it by himself."

As an emperor and a father, there was no way he could compete with a five-year-old for food.

But soon he felt even more depressed.

"It tastes good, but it's not crispy enough. If you like it, come back to my palace and eat it. I'll ask the kitchen to make it for you. It's guaranteed to be more fragrant and crispy than this."

Lady Wen took a bite and shook her head.

"Auntie Wen has a small kitchen? Does that mean I can cook whatever I want?"

"When I was out, what did Zheng'er want to eat? Mom could make it for me, too?"

Xiao Yunzheng looked at Lady Wen with his big, black eyes shining brightly. He was so happy that he even forgot to call her mother.

"The small kitchen at my aunt's place makes the best pastries. They have more varieties than the ones at Shang Pharmacy. The eldest prince can even order his own."

"Really? Mother, can we go to Aunt Wen's palace more often in the future?"

"Okay, but this will trouble your Aunt Wen too much."

Gu Youning's eyes showed envy. In this palace, apart from the Empress Dowager, the Queen, and the Imperial Concubine, only Concubine Wen had a small kitchen. The cook there was sent to the palace by the Wen family, only to make medicinal food for Concubine Wen to nourish her body.

There is a small kitchen, so you can cook whatever you want cheaply and without having to run back and forth to Shang Pharmacy. It is also safer.

"Changchun Palace and Zhaoqing Palace are only a few steps away. Why don't you both come and dine with me from now on? Don't worry, I guarantee you won't have the same meal twice for a month."

"it is good……"

Before Xiao Yunzheng could even finish his order, the emperor placed a piece of tender rouge goose breast in Gu Youning's bowl and said, "If Ning'er likes, we can build a small kitchen in Changchun Palace."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Gu Youning was really overjoyed and quickly stood up to express her gratitude, her bright eyes becoming even brighter.

"It's just a small matter, why bother with this? I'll ask Cao Zhong to handle it right away, and you can use it when you return to Changchun Palace."

The emperor reached out to help, showing the first unforced smile of the day at lunch.

"Father is the best."

Xiao Yunzheng also shouted happily.

"I just don't know when you can go back?"

"After being here for a few days, I see that the eldest prince has lost weight. It's really pitiful."

Lady Wen sighed.

Gu Youning discovered at this time that today, Lady Wen and the emperor were facing each other.

"Your Majesty, this wild duck soup is the best way to warm your body right now. Please try it."

Seeing the emperor's smile gradually disappear, Gu Youning personally scooped a bowl of soup for the emperor and spoke softly, secretly winking at his son.

"Auntie Wen, Zheng'er wants to eat that."

Xiao Yunzheng hurriedly pulled Lady Wen's sleeve and acted coquettishly.

"Okay, Auntie will serve it to you. What else does the eldest prince want to eat?"

With his son calming Concubine Wen down, Gu Youning began to serve food to the emperor with a gentle look on his face, much more attentive than usual.

The emperor rewarded her with a small kitchen today, so she should return the favor and serve him well.

All four of them ate very well at lunch, especially the emperor, who was particularly satisfied with Gu Youning's attentive service.

After the palace servants cleared away the dishes and chopsticks, the four of them washed their hands. Just as Concubine Wen was about to pull Gu Youning aside to talk, the emperor spoke first: "I've been busy all morning. I'm a little tired. Would you like Ning'er to stay with me for a while?"

"it is good."

Gu Youning responded with a smile.

"The concubine will leave first."

Lady Wen gritted her teeth. Although she seemed to be careless and hated rules on weekdays, she was born into a noble family after all, and the upbringing she received since childhood made it impossible for her to stay and watch the two of them being intimate.

"Let the palace maids coax Zheng'er to take a nap, and I will have a quiet chat with Ning'er for a while."

Gu Youning was half hugged and half held up from the round stool. Looking at the emperor's satisfied smile, Gu Youning was speechless for a moment. Why was the emperor like a child today?

"Ning'er, today I..."

After the palace maids left, Gu Youning was gently embraced by the emperor and sat down on the spacious imperial concubine's couch.

"Your Majesty, there is no need to explain. I believe in you, just as you believe that I would not take Lu Yunu's life just now."

Gu Youning leaned against the emperor's chest and whispered.

"I...well, my Ning'er is kind and soft-hearted, so she naturally wouldn't take anyone's life at will."

The emperor paused, a guilty look on his face. He really thought that the woman wanted to kill Lu Yunu out of anger.

But it’s hard to say at this time.

"Good deeds will be rewarded and evil deeds will be punished in the end. I believe that those who do evil will be punished."

If heaven doesn't take revenge, then she will take it herself.

"Duke Zheng is in charge of the Ministry of War and the military camps in the capital. I cannot act rashly for the time being, but I have a plan in mind. In no more than six months, I will be able to truly make the decision for you and Zheng'er."

It was just the first time that the emperor brought up the affairs of state in front of Gu Youning.

"Your Highness, please be careful."

"I said that because I was too scared and angry, but there are already too many people who are making things difficult for the emperor, and I don't want to be one of them."

Gu Youning raised his chin and looked at the emperor seriously.

"I will. I'm looking forward to growing old with Ning'er!"

The more Gu Youning gave in, the more reluctant the emperor became.

How could he, an emperor, not even be able to protect the woman he loved?