Your Majesty, please do not disturb, the empress only wants to engage in business

Chapter 191 Alterating Clothes

Being chosen to be a concubine in the palace is a privilege that goes without saying. Apart from the group that came from the Prince's Mansion, the rest of them, though young, each have their own unique skills.

After all, these were noble ladies raised by prominent families. No one was stupid. Girls who were either delicate and pretentious or arrogant and domineering would never appear in the imperial palace's selection process.

Ambitious aristocratic families would only choose intelligent and capable girls to enter the palace for the sake of their family's future; those without ambition would send their daughters to the palace simply to secure a life of wealth and honor for their daughters, so naturally each family would raise their children to be very "sensible".

As a result, although the palace appeared peaceful on the surface, undercurrents were surging beneath the surface.

Especially given the current situation.

"What's the use of them being anxious if the Emperor doesn't enter the inner palace? They've been asking around so many times that they've already gotten their hands on me."

In Kunning Palace, Shen Qingyin sat on the phoenix throne and couldn't help but rub her temples.

She now manages all affairs of the harem. Although she has people to help her, she still has to do many of the major tasks herself. In order to make things easier for herself, she even changed the concubines' morning and evening greetings to once every five days.

Even watching those women bickering and arguing amongst themselves was a headache for her.

The Empress's perspective is always different from that of the concubines. Concubines only need to think about how to please the Emperor, but the Empress has to think about many more things.

Granny Hua massaged Shen Qingyin's arm. After dealing with palace affairs all morning, even an iron woman would have a sore wrist from writing all morning.

"Your Majesty need not concern yourself with these matters. His Majesty is currently diligent in governing and loves his people, and is praised by the ministers in the court. Moreover, at this time, there is no shortage of children in the harem. Consort Qi is about to give birth, and that is what Your Majesty should be concerned about."

After all, she was someone who had been with her since childhood, and her words always touched her heart. Shen Qingyin naturally knew that the most important thing right now was to take good care of Qi Meiren's child.

She was, after all, the Empress, the mother of all the children in the harem. Even if it was just for show, she had to make it public.

When the child is born, Consort Qi will definitely be rewarded. Whether she will be promoted to the rank of Jieyu or Pin will depend on whether she is carrying a boy or a girl.

If a son is born in one go, the child will have a very special significance in the harem. The first prince after the emperor ascends the throne can be considered to be favored by heaven, and even the emperor himself will probably take a second look at him.

Although Shen Qingyin didn't really believe in fate, she couldn't argue with the fact that the Emperor and Empress Dowager did. So, as the Empress, she couldn't say much and just focus on doing her job well on the surface.

Thinking this, Shen Qingyin moved around again, stretching her legs and waist.

However, her movements were restricted by the empress's palace attire she was wearing.

Aside from the emperor and empress dowager, whose clothes were often made to be looser, the clothes of the concubines in the harem, even the empress, were primarily for aesthetics, with comfort being the least important factor.

Just like her as a person.

Bound by this identity within this deep palace, her body is not free, nor is her soul. Shen Qingyin sighed.

Chunju stood to the side and saw Shen Qingyin's movements clearly. She noticed that Shen Qingyin's clothes were uncomfortable, so she squatted down and tugged at the hem for Shen Qingyin.

However, this inevitably made the clothes a bit messy.

"Why should Your Highness suffer such hardship? We can do whatever we want in our own palace."

Chunju has always been considered one of the Empress's confidantes. Although she doesn't always pay much attention to what she says, she always manages to say things that the Empress can't accept: "The other day, I overheard some of the palace maids gossiping. They all said that Consort Rong used to be very carefree in Chengqian Palace, and now that she's pregnant, she's even more unrestrained in the palace."

In my humble opinion, Your Majesty should learn from Consort Rong's carefree attitude. After all, you are the Empress, the mother of the nation. Why should you have to endure this toil and hardship while others enjoy the good life?

Before she could finish speaking, and before Empress Shen could say anything, Granny Hua had already reprimanded her.

"How dare you! Is this how you speak in front of Her Majesty the Empress? Get out of here at once!"

"No need!"

Shen Qingyin raised her hand to stop Granny Hua from speaking and Chunju from bowing her head to apologize: "Granny, there's no need to say such things. I know what Chunju is after. They are both people I brought from my home, and Granny has been with me since I was a child. We don't need to be so reserved with each other."

Even if one wants to put on airs, one shouldn't do that to one's own family. It's not easy to find a confidant in the palace. If even those around her can't offer a word of advice, then no one will tell her the truth.

Her family only kept urging her to give the emperor another son, and no one ever considered her feelings. Even when her mother entered the palace, she always told her to prioritize the overall situation. But Shen Qingyin herself couldn't explain why there were so many "overall situations" that she, as the empress, needed to balance.

Moreover, with so many messes in the harem, she sometimes couldn't even handle them all, so how could she have the energy to worry about family matters?

Chunju's words today also served as a reminder to her.

Whether it's the Emperor and Empress Dowager, or the glory of her family, these things have been weighing on her for so long, making it hard for her to breathe. She really can't bear it anymore.

Since that's the case, she might as well make herself a little more comfortable. For example, these clothes. Originally, the Empress's palace dresses were made to be tight and form-fitting, which often made her uncomfortable. So she might as well start by changing them.

Anyway, Xie Yun'an doesn't care about her. She can't even get a little attention from her husband. If she can't live more comfortably, then he might as well abdicate and hand over the throne to Consort Rong.

Although Chunju's words weren't exactly a wake-up call for her, they did make her a little more aware. So Shen Qingyin said, "Besides, Chunju is right. These clothes are ultimately meant to be worn by people. If they make people uncomfortable, we can just alter them."

"Later, Chunju, go to the Imperial Household Department and speak to the head lady-in-chief of the Needlework Bureau. Tell her that my figure has changed and ask them to alter all the clothes worn after I enter Kunning Palace, making them a little looser."

Upon hearing this, Chunju was naturally pleased that Empress Shen had come to her senses, and nodded emphatically: "Yes, I understand, I will go right away!"