Hibiscus Tent: The Prime Minister’s palm is reborn

While drinking tea, Liang Qian glanced at Gao Hao's face out of the corner of her eye.

Since he came, although the concubines below were smiling, they were not as relaxed as before and were obviously much more restrained. Their shy and timid eyes only wandered around his face, interpreting the expression of emotion with their eyes to the fullest.

Liang Qian just glanced and then lowered her eyes.

After all, no matter whether it is them personally or the families behind them, all their blessings and misfortunes, safety and danger, honor and disgrace, gains and losses are all tied to this same man. How can there be no open and secret struggles?

However, yesterday's enthronement was only the beginning of this magnificent struggle...

Liang Qian ordered someone to bring a plate of cakes on her desk to Gao Hao.

"The emperor just came back from his morning court session, so he must be a little hungry. Let's have some cakes first."

Gao Hao was a little surprised. He glanced at everyone, picked up a small piece from the plate, and couldn't help frowning.

"Why does it look a little different from theirs?"

After the emperor said this, the concubines looked at the cakes in the emperor's hand curiously, but they saw that the cakes in the plate were indeed different from theirs.

Liang Qian smiled slightly and put down the teacup: "I made it myself."

Everyone was surprised. They had never heard that Liang, who was the most favored concubine in the palace, could cook.

Gao Hao glanced at Liang Qian with a smile on his face. He really didn't expect that she would show her kindness to him in public without any reservation.

This is really surprising.

"The Queen Mother actually cooked for us herself?"

Liang Qian's face turned pink, and she was a little embarrassed. "I learned this after I moved to Hanzhang Palace. I'm not good at cooking. I made it for fun. I didn't make much, and it wasn't good. I can't compare to their dexterity, so I naturally didn't dare to bring it to them. However, I just tasted a piece myself, and it was barely edible. If Your Majesty doesn't mind it being rough, why don't you try it too?"

Gao Hao looked at the pastry in his hand and his smile deepened.

It looks like a flower, but I can't really tell what kind of flower it is.

It can be seen that what she said just now was not just self-deprecation, but that she is indeed not good at this.

Under Liang Qian's gaze, Gao Hao took a bite hesitantly.

It is soft and dense in the mouth, with a light sweetness and not greasy at all.

His eyes flashed with approval, and he took another sip before saying, "I tasted a faint plum fragrance, fresh and refreshing."

Liang Qian pursed her lips and said, "When I woke up in the morning, I saw that the green-calyx plum blossom outside the bedroom was in full bloom, so I picked some stamens. Adding them to the plum blossoms and snow, it has some flavor, and it doesn't disgrace it."

The concubines' breathing stagnated and they looked at each other in bewilderment.

Green plums are extremely precious. Such a rare variety is actually used to make pastries... The key is that she looks indifferent.

Everyone knows how luxurious the Hanguang Palace is. Although they have never been inside, looking at the empress dowager's behavior, it is obvious that she is used to such an extravagant life.

Gao Hao glanced at the pastry in his hand, then looked at Jin Zhi who was standing beside him with her head down.

He had specially ordered someone to find that green-calyx plum tree and plant it outside her window...

"what happened?"

Liang Qian blinked, very confused.

Gao Hao smiled and said, "No, it's fine."

Yuan Yun'e looked at the two of them quietly. She knew that someone had presented a green plum blossom to the emperor, and she thought that such a good thing must be given to Wei.

Who would have thought that when I came to Hanzhang Palace that day, I would see it being transplanted here.

She had tried to test Liang Qian and hinted that it was the emperor who came to see her, but Liang Qian didn't seem to take it seriously.

I never expected that Liang Qian would use it to make pastries.

Yuan Yun'e was secretly shocked, but the emperor didn't say anything and just let her do as she pleased.

Yuan Yun'e looked up again and suddenly became unsure whether she should let Liang continue to stay with the emperor.

Liang Qian smiled gently: "If the emperor likes it, I will make it again some other day and send it to Taiji Hall."

Gao Hao responded and looked at her again, but was interrupted by the visitor when he was about to say something.

A eunuch announced that Concubine Shu had arrived.

Liang Qian lowered her eyes and was about to take a sip from the cup when a palace maid came in, supporting a beautiful lady.

The former Concubine Lu, today's Concubine Lu.

Although she was dressed gorgeously, she was pregnant after all. She was not as proud as usual, but instead had a kind of delicate beauty.

For a moment, everyone in the palace, whether they had seen her or not, couldn't help but look at her.

There were all kinds of looks, including scrutinizing, curious, disdainful, and onlookers.

After all, everyone knew that she was not only Emperor Wenxuan's cousin, but also his unfavored Zhaoyi.

It is unbelievable that a dignified concubine has become a concubine...

Lu Wan smiled slightly at him, raised his chin slightly, and kept his eyes straight ahead.

When he came closer, he first bowed to the emperor and then turned to the queen.

Without waiting for anyone to salute, Yuan Yun'e rushed to support her.

"The concubine is pregnant, so there is no need to be polite."

Lu Wanying did not insist and smiled faintly. When she was about to sit down, she suddenly stood up and looked at Liang Qian.

"I seem to have forgotten to greet my cousin's wife."

The cousin's wife's voice was loud and clear.

Gao Hao looked at her with a critical look and frowned: "Shufei——"

Liang Qian interrupted Gao Hao with a smile.

"Please sit down, Concubine Shu."

"Thank you, cousin." The smile on her face was innocent and harmless, and her behavior did not act as if this was Hanzhang Palace. Instead, she behaved as if she was in her Yaohua Palace, free and easy.

The palace servant next to her carefully helped Lu Wanying sit down.

The concubines all had strange expressions and exchanged glances secretly.

On that day, all the concubines of Emperor Wenxuan were sent out of the palace, except Lu Zhaoyi who was left behind. At that time, the Empress Dowager was ill in bed, and all matters in the harem were decided by the Empress Dowager, which shows that the relationship between the two of them was very good.

Although the two of them looked a little strange, the Queen Mother did not care at all about Concubine Shu's disrespect. Everyone was unable to make a conclusion for the moment and just observed silently.

Lu Wanying ignored everyone else and smiled at the two people sitting above her, "Today is the first time that the concubines have come to pay respects to the Queen Mother. Although His Majesty has exempted me from paying respects, I thought about it and felt that it was inappropriate. In the end, I decided to come, but it's a little late."

Liang Qian ordered Jin Zhi to personally take care of her, and said, "The Concubine Shu is pregnant, so there is no need to force her."

Lu Wanying didn't respond to her words. She turned to look at Gao Hao and said with a smile, "I just didn't expect that His Majesty is here too. He must have just come here after the morning court session, right?"

Gao Hao had a sullen look on his face.

"Yes."

Yuan Yun'e took over the conversation and said with a smile: "Shufei came at the right time. Everyone is enjoying the cakes. You haven't had a good appetite these days. Why don't you eat some with everyone? Maybe with more people, you will feel better and your appetite will improve."

Someone followed up and echoed: "That's right, the queen was just tasting the cakes made by the queen mother herself using green-calyx plums. The concubines are not lucky enough to taste it, and I don't know how envious they are in their hearts."

Lu Wanying then looked over and saw a concubine who looked unfamiliar. Judging from her clothes, her rank was not high.

She looked back at the person sitting at the main seat and pretended to be surprised: "Cousin, you can actually make cakes?"

After saying this, he shook his head and sighed, "Why have I never heard Marquis Anding and Emperor Wenxuan mention it? I guess they are not as blessed as Your Majesty!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the air instantly cooled.

Before becoming Emperor Wenxuan's favorite concubine, Liang was just a concubine of Marquis Anding.

Those rumors about the three were once discussed privately.

I really didn't expect that Concubine Shu would dare to bring it up in front of so many people.

Just when everyone was in doubt, they heard her cry of surprise.

"Cousin, why are you wearing the queen's phoenix robe?"