The harem is too complicated; the empress, a lazy bum, wins by doing nothing.

Chapter 103 No Rules

"These pastries are quite unique, especially the color, it's really beautiful. I never would have guessed that Her Majesty the Empress had such skill," the Princess kept praising.

Although we have had enough to eat and wear in the northern desert over the years, the northern desert is arid and has little rain. The diet is mainly meat, and the yield of vegetables is very low. The food is good, but things like snacks are rarely seen.

Children are simple-minded. Growing up in the northern desert, they naturally don't understand the rules of the palace. When they saw the beautiful pastries, their eyes lit up, and they reached out to take them to eat, but the princess quickly closed the food box.

"You two are so ill-mannered! How can you just take and eat things bestowed by the Empress? Hurry up and thank the Empress!" the Princess scolded.

"Mother, thank you? Why should I thank you? Didn't you already thank me?" Mo Ganbin asked, puzzled.

“Mother, these pastries are so pretty! I want the pink one, the pink one!” Mo Ganyao quickly added.

Mo Ganyao was still very young, only four years old. Seeing that her mother wouldn't give in, she plopped down on the ground, crying, "Mother is so mean, this place is so mean, I don't want to be here, I want to go home, I want Father Emperor..."

As Mo Ganyao spoke, she burst into tears.

The eldest princess turned pale with fright, covered Mo Ganyao's mouth with her hand, and knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I failed to discipline the child properly. Please don't take it to heart."

Shen Qingwan didn't say anything, but got up and walked to her side, taking the pink pastry from the food box and handing it to Mo Ganyao: "Is this what you want?"

Mo Ganyao stared wide-eyed, tears still clinging to her eyelashes. She looked at Shen Qingwan blankly for a while, then glanced at her mother before timidly reaching out to take a piece of pastry and stuffing it into her mouth.

Shen Qingwan ruffled her hair and handed another piece to Mo Ganbin: "Eat up, we're all family, why so many formalities?"

Just as the princess was stunned, Shen Qingwan bent down and helped her up from the ground: "It seems that Moganbu has treated you and your two children well over the years."

The moment Shen Qingwan finished speaking, she could no longer hold back her emotions and burst into tears: "Your Majesty the Empress..."

"Don't be sad. After the Emperor finishes his morning court session, go and have a good talk with him. The Emperor only hopes that the northern desert can be peaceful so that the people can avoid suffering. He may not really want to take his life. For the sake of the two children, this matter may not be without hope. Although your mother is not considered favored in the harem, she has followed the Empress Dowager for many years. The Empress Dowager is a vegetarian and a Buddhist, and she is wholeheartedly devoted to good deeds."

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty the Empress." The eldest princess cried bitterly.

"The women of the inner palace are not allowed to interfere in politics. I can't help you with this matter either. That's all I have to say," Shen Qingwan said helplessly.

“I understand, Your Majesty. I’m just here with my two children to pay my respects to Your Majesty. Your Majesty didn’t say anything, and I didn’t hear anything.” After saying this, the Princess wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. “I guess it’s about time for the concubines to come and pay their respects, so I’ll take my two children back first and come to pay my respects to Your Majesty another day.”

When the eldest princess came out of the main hall of Kunning Palace with her two children, Consort Xian had just reached the corner outside the palace gate of Kunning Palace.

"The Eldest Princess is really proactive, coming so early to pay her respects to the Empress." Consort Xian's steps suddenly stopped. Looking at the Eldest Princess and the two children from afar, she sneered: "Look at what she's dressed like. How shabby! She came to curry favor with the Empress, but didn't even manage to get a few pieces of fine fabric. Has she come all this way for nothing?"

"Your Majesty, do you think the eyes of the Princess and the two children look like they've just been crying?" Xia Mei said with a sinister smile.

"Oh?" Consort Xian carefully examined the Princess and the two children. Seeing that the three of them looked unwell, it seemed that, just as Xia Mei had said, they had just been crying.

I had seen the Empress's grand procession before.

They even changed the name of the Hehuan Hall.

In retrospect, all of this was just for show.

The Empress still couldn't accept them. That makes things much more interesting.

"Let's go and say hello to the Princess and the two children." Consort Xian's sly lips curled into a smile.

The eldest princess was in low spirits. Holding a child in one hand, she walked with her head down toward Xingshuang Pavilion. Just as she stepped out of the gate of Kunning Palace, she was stopped in her tracks.

"Greetings, Princess." Consort Xian said leisurely.

"This is..." the princess drawled.

Although she had met Consort Xian a few times before.

That happened many years ago.

Having been away from the palace for so many years, he looked somewhat familiar, but for a moment I couldn't remember who he was.

“Our mistress is Consort Xian of Jingyang Palace,” Xia Mei said.

Consort Xian?

Upon hearing those two words, the eldest princess's face darkened, and she straightened up instantly: "So you are Consort Xian. I thought my imperial brother had a beauty of unparalleled grace, but after seeing you today, you're nothing special."

Consort Xian was taken aback by the choking sound. She moved her lips, but before she could speak, she was stunned.

The eldest princess simply took one child by the hand and walked past her.

Consort Xian was completely stunned and it took her a while to come to her senses.

She turned her head and glanced in the direction the princess had left: "Wait, what kind of attitude is that?"

Xia Mei looked embarrassed and wished she could slap herself. If she hadn't just brought it up, the Princess might have cried, and Consort Xian wouldn't be speechless right now.

I originally wanted to see them make a fool of themselves, but I ended up becoming the biggest joke myself.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. Perhaps the Princess was upset by the Empress's words and is in a bad mood right now," Xia Mei said, forcing herself to comfort her.

Consort Xian frowned deeply and scoffed coldly: "When Father was pacifying the northern desert, he should have killed Moganbu's entire family. Does she still think she's a noble princess? She's just a stray dog, and she doesn't even share the same mother as the Emperor. What's she arrogant about in the harem?"

"Your Majesty is right. The Eldest Princess did indeed overstep her bounds. However, let's go and pay our respects to the Empress as soon as possible."

"What bad luck this morning!" Consort Xian couldn't help but spit.

"Your Majesty, why hold a grudge against the Princess? The Emperor has brought her back now only for appearances, to put on a show for the women in the harem. Your Majesty, think about it: if the Emperor doesn't treat the Princess well, doesn't give her honor and wealth, then which of the ladies in the harem who have daughters would be willing to marry their daughters off for a political marriage?" Xia Mei comforted her.

Consort Xian's mood indeed improved considerably upon hearing her words: "That's right, everyone in the harem knows what's going on, except for the Empress and the Eldest Princess. Especially that Eldest Princess, who thinks she's come back with a golden edge after going to a marriage alliance!"

(End of this chapter)