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

What a daydream!

Let’s not talk about Lin Yunv’s plan for now. After taking a nap and practicing calligraphy with his son for half an hour, Gu Youning took the snacks sent by the Shangshi Bureau and sat in the sedan chair to Qianming Palace.

"This servant pays his respects to the Concubine."

When they arrived at the gate of Qianming Palace, Cao Zhong had already rushed forward to pay his respects before Gu Youning got out of the sedan chair.

"Hello, Eunuch Cao. I wonder if the Emperor is free right now?"

Gu Youning seemed not to notice the anxiety on Cao Zhong's face, and asked while standing under the sedan chair.

"I'm free, I'm free. Concubine Gu has arrived just in time. Please come in."

When Cao Zhong saw the food box in Gu Youning's hand, he smiled even more attentively.

Gu Youning nodded and walked into the hall alone. He saw the person in the hall sitting behind the dragon table, supporting his forehead with his hand, holding a memorial in his hand, and his brows were tightly furrowed.

The emperor was obviously unhappy, and Gu Youning cursed Cao Zhong in his heart.

But she had already walked right in front of the emperor and couldn't leave, and she probably guessed what Cao Zhong meant.

The emperor's thin lips, which used to be clear and moist, had some white skin on them. It was obvious that he had not had tea for a long time, and probably had not even had a proper lunch.

"Concubine, please pay your respects to the Emperor."

After Gu Youning paid his respects, he looked at the emperor with a pair of worried eyes without waiting for the emperor to call him to stand up, which was very different from his usual lively attitude.

"Why are you here?"

Xiao Heng looked at the woman wearing a silver Shu brocade cloak below him, raised his hand slightly, and motioned her to come over.

Gu Youning then walked up the stairs and placed the food box on the dragon table.

"The Imperial Food Bureau sent some cakes today. This concubine and I both thought they were delicious, so we thought of sending some to His Majesty."

Gu Youning took out the pastries from the food box, but there were so many unfolded memorials in front of the emperor that he had nowhere to put them.

Seeing the woman blinking and standing there in a daze, her eyes were fixed on the pastry in her hands, afraid that she would see something.

"Get out!"

There was a flash of disdain in Xiao Heng's eyes, but he extended his hand.

In just a moment, the letter was placed on the other side.

"Your Majesty, try these cakes. They are delicious even when they are cold."

The depression in his heart was dissipated a lot by the woman's clumsy courtesy. In addition, he had only eaten two pieces of lunch, so his stomach was really empty. Xiao Heng had already picked up a piece of cake and put it in his mouth, but when he heard this, his hand stopped.

What kind of talk is that? He is the emperor, but he is only fit to eat cold food.

Xiao Heng wanted to scold her, but he felt that he shouldn't argue with this woman. It was already a progress that she remembered to send him some cakes today.

So they ate the milk and red bean paste cake in their hands in two bites.

Xiao Heng originally planned to eat three or two pieces to fill his stomach, so after finishing the third piece, he picked up the bright yellow towel to wipe his hands.

"Your Majesty, you don't want to eat anymore? Then I will eat the rest."

Gu Youning placed the pear soup in front of the emperor and picked up the remaining snacks to eat.

The pear soup was still somewhat warm, but the emperor did not like its sweet taste and only wanted to touch his lips with it.

But it was unexpectedly not greasy, with only the sweetness of pear. Xiao Heng leaned back in his chair, turned around and saw the woman eating it sweetly. After watching for a while, his hand unconsciously reached out.

In this way, by the time the two plates of pastries were empty, the emperor was already eight-tenths full. With a bowl of pear soup, he felt much better.

"Sure enough, after the meal, the emperor looks much better. Eunuch Cao can rest assured now."

"You don't know, just now Eunuch Cao wanted to drag me into the palace directly."

Gu Youning put the plates and cups back into the food box and said happily.

The smile in Xiao Heng's eyes disappeared: "Did Cao Zhong ask you to come?"

"Yes, Eunuch Cao said that the emperor has been busy with state affairs these days and is even unwilling to eat. No one has tried to persuade me to come and visit him when I have time...ah..."

Before Gu Youning could finish his words, he was pulled into a strong embrace. When he raised his eyes, he met the emperor's unfriendly gaze.

"How could there be no one around me...it turns out that my beloved concubine doesn't care about me herself, she's just helping others."

The emperor really wanted to say that during the days when he was not in the harem, the concubines who sent soup and water to Qianming Palace never stopped, otherwise Cao Zhong would not have become so plump.

But he subconsciously felt that he couldn't say this.

Gu Youning's waist fell into a pair of strong hands. She glanced nervously at the palace door at first. Seeing that the door was tightly closed, she reached out and stroked the emperor's haggard face, her eyes full of worry. "Of course, I am concerned about the emperor. The emperor's complexion is even worse now than when he was sick before."

As the past was mentioned, the anger in the emperor's eyes slowly subsided. His free left hand unconsciously rose and gently covered the back of the hand on his face. But just as his brows softened, he heard the woman in his arms say in great annoyance, "It's a shame that it has affected the emperor's handsomeness."

"Ning'er!"

The hand on the waist instantly gained more strength.

Looking at the vivid anger on the emperor's face, Gu Youning smiled secretly in her heart. She had said those words on purpose, in order to curry favor with Cao Zhong and stir up the emperor's true emotions.

What the emperor lacks the least is the gentleness of women.

As long as the emperor wants, he can enjoy all kinds of tenderness in rotation every day.

Why should she be a gentle and meticulous person anymore?

Of course, she has another purpose that only the emperor can see, but if the emperor doesn't see it, it doesn't matter.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Cui, Duke Zheng, and Minister He request an audience."

Before Xiao Heng could finish his reprimand, Cao Zhong's report was heard outside the hall.

The emperor was really frustrated because he couldn't speak even after being reprimanded twice in two days.

"Your Majesty, the court officials have arrived. It's time for me to leave."

Gu Youning took advantage of the emperor's daze, twisted his waist, and broke free from the emperor's arms.

There was still a hint of triumphant pride in her bright eyes, but when she walked downstairs, she said politely, "I'll take my leave."

The palace door opened, and Gu Youning came out and said to Cao Zhong beside him, "Eunuch Cao, the emperor has already had his meal."

"Thanks to Concubine Gu, I will escort you out."

Cao Zhong's face was full of joy.

"I have met Concubine Gu."

Several people in purple official uniforms behind Cao Zhong also saluted Gu Youning.

"A few adults are exempt from the courtesy."

Gu Youning's eyes casually passed over the faces of the people in front of him. The one with a strong physique and fierce eyes was the imperial concubine's father, Duke Zheng; the one with an elegant figure but a frivolous look in his eyes was the empress dowager's brother, the Minister of the Secretariat, Prime Minister Cui; as for the last one, he should be He Chongyuan's father, Minister He.

With these people entering the palace at the same time, and with the dark circles under Xiao Heng's eyes, it seems that something big has happened in the court.

"Your Majesty, the matter of Dengzhou..."

A faint sound came from the hall, but as he walked further, Gu Youning could no longer hear it.

But Dengzhou...