Hibiscus Tent: The Prime Minister’s palm is reborn

The battle ended only when the pot of tea was empty, and it was time for dinner.

After Gao Yang finished counting the pieces, he looked at Liang Qian unhappily and picked up the chess pieces reluctantly.

"The Queen Mother wins again."

He hung his head and complained: "I have been learning from General Zhou for so long. I can't say I have learned 100%, but at least I have learned 70% or 80%. I can even beat him once in a while. But why do I always lose to the Queen Mother..."

Liang Qian pursed her lips and smiled: "Not to mention that Zhou Yun has always played chess casually, the reason why he taught you chess is just to let you understand this art and cultivate your character. After all, a prince of a country still needs to learn the strategies of governing a country and the art of being an emperor. These skills only need to be learned, not mastered. Even if you don't know how to do it, it's not a big deal."

Gao Yang sighed: "Among the six tutors in the Eastern Palace, my favorite is General Zhou. He is not only good at both literature and martial arts, but also can tell me a lot about things outside the palace."

He didn't know what he was thinking of, and he lowered his eyes in dejection.

Liang Qian thought for a moment and said, "I guess he will agree to leave the palace in the next few days."

Gao Yang was stunned for a moment before he realized that she was talking about Gao Hao.

"Why?"

Whether it was said explicitly or implicitly, she mentioned it to Gao Hao several times, but she didn't say no, just said to wait.

He also knew in his heart that he was the deposed emperor, and as long as he lived one more day, Gao Hao would be uneasy.

Gao Yang clenched the chess piece in his hand, was silent for a while, and then whispered: "If I weren't there, he wouldn't be suspicious of you. In fact, if you really followed him, he probably wouldn't treat you badly."

Let's not talk about the rumors in the palace. He saw Gao Hao's concern and care for her during this period. Although there was some calculation involved, at the very least, she could live like other concubines without having to walk on thin ice and worry every day...

Liang Qian frowned and looked at Gao Yang in surprise and amusement.

"Back in Beiyuan, who was the one who angrily rushed into the tent to question me? Is that worthy of your father?"

"Forget it, I won't talk to you anymore." Gao Yang stood up suddenly, his tone stiff and awkward.

He said and headed for the door.

Liang Qian was about to call him, but he stopped and spoke to her with the back of his head in a hoarse voice.

"I want to say that even if you really give up on me, I won't blame you... Da Qi's surname is Gao, not Liang, and I am not your child."

Her child, Princess Changle Gao Xi, the infant imperial sister whom he had only seen from afar a few times, had already died in a fire.

Maybe she was so good to him just to transfer and pour her unfulfilled love onto him.

If that's the case, then there's no need.

Gao Yang took a deep breath, straightened his back, and took a step forward.

Liang Qian looked at the thin yet stubborn figure in front of her, and was silent for a moment. She wanted to step forward again, but he did not give her a chance to speak and walked away without looking back.

What the emperor wants is never pity or sympathy.

Gu Ya ran into Gao Yang coming out of the inner hall. Seeing his sullen face, she was startled and opened her mouth timidly.

"Your Highness..."

Gao Yang walked straight past her and stepped out of the threshold.

It was already dark outside. The palace lanterns in the corridor were flickering in the night wind and seemed to be about to go out at any moment, as if they were making a final resistance.

He looked up for a long time, until the cold wind blew through him, then he took a step forward.

When Gu Ya came in, she saw Liang Qian standing quietly, staring at the gently swaying pearl curtain in a daze.

"What is this doing?"

Before she could say anything, another voice sounded behind her.

Gu Ya was startled. When he turned around to see who was coming, he quickly stepped aside and bowed deeply.

"His Majesty."

Gao Hao glanced at Liang Qian through the beaded curtain, pushed aside the long string of water jade beads, and said with a smile: "Looking at you like this, it seems like you are still sitting in the court."

Liang Qian's expression was very calm: "Why did the emperor come at this time?"

This was the first time he came at night after moving into Hanzhang Palace.

Gao Hao's lips curled up slightly: "Didn't you order someone to send cakes to Taiji Hall? I thought it would be better to accompany the Queen Mother for dinner."

When I turned around and saw the chessboard on the table, I couldn't help but think of the small figure I had just glimpsed in the corridor.

"Prince Guangning just left?"

Gao Hao sat down in the seat where Gao Yang had sat and picked up a chess piece on the chessboard.

"Is this because you lost the game of chess and you're throwing a tantrum?"

He raised his eyes.

Liang Qian also sat down: "It's normal for children to be upset for a while."

He then ordered Guya to clean the table and then looked at the person sitting opposite him.

"The Emperor has something to say, right?"

It was at this time that Jinzhi came in.

"Your Majesty, dinner is ready."

Gao Hao smiled and took Liang Qian's hand: "I've been busy all day, and I'm hungry too. Let's talk while we eat."

The table was filled with food, which included not only a few more meat dishes than usual, but also a pot of wine.

Jinzhi filled their glasses with wine, then bowed and left.

Liang Qian's eyes were as calm as a cold pond.

"emperor--"

"You've lost a lot of weight recently," Gao Hao interrupted her, "Is it because of the rumors in the palace?"

Liang Qian frowned.

Gao Hao continued to talk to himself: "When we were discussing matters today, I looked at the civil and military officials in the court, and suddenly I thought of you. I wonder how you felt when I thought of you sitting behind the pearl curtain and looking at all of us?"

Liang Qian didn't even raise her eyelids: "Ghosts and monsters."

Gao Hao was stunned for a moment, nodded, and started laughing. He laughed so hard that he stopped and looked at her.

"Do you know why I left the Hanguang Palace empty?"

Liang Qian: "The suspense is what makes people most anxious."

Gao Hao smiled, in a good mood, and picked up the wine glass to drink first.

"Don't tease me today."

After finishing the cup, he put down the empty cup and observed her eyebrows.

"Do you think they are fighting for the Hanguang Palace like the ministers of the previous dynasty?"

Liang Qian didn't say anything. Some questions didn't need to be answered.

"The former dynasty fought for power, the harem fought for favor, and I just had to watch them fight." Gao Hao glanced at the indifferent man and filled his glass again. "Sometimes I find it very interesting, watching them is like seeing my past self, and sometimes I find it boring..."

He paused and said, "I think you are the only one who understands this feeling, because we both went through untold hardships to reach this peak."

Liang Qian didn't look at him, but just shook her head slightly: "It's different."

"no the same?"

"I am just a prisoner now, a canary trapped in this magnificent palace."

Gao Hao was silent for a moment, seemed to consider it, and then took Liang Qian's hand.

"That day, I promised to give you an heir, but in Hanguang Palace, you would rather return the seal than reject me."

He asked again: "Why do you insist on leaving the palace? Are you afraid of being criticized?"

Liang Qian didn't look at him, her eyes were fixed on the hand that was holding hers.

Gao Hao looked at the silent man and sighed slightly: "I know that the aristocratic families pay attention to that, but we in the royal family never care."

His tone was gentle yet helpless.

"Since you don't want to be my concubine, I will continue to be your queen mother. I have thought about it. When you are pregnant, I will move you to the temporary palace to take care of you until you give birth to an heir. I will take you back to the palace. As for the child, I will give it to the queen to raise. Don't you get along well with her? If you give birth to a prince, I will make him the crown prince. If you give birth to a princess, it doesn't matter. I said that the crown prince can only be born by you."

Liang Qian narrowed her eyes and wanted to laugh when she heard this.

Gao Hao lifted her chin.

"When you give birth to our child, I will return the Queen Mother's seal to you. By then, will you still feel like a prisoner?"

When their eyes met, they could not help but feel deep affection.