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

Chapter 120 Breakfast
Emperor Yuanwu sat in Jingyang Palace, his mind already wandering to the heavens. Whenever he stared at something for a while, his mind was filled with Shen Qingwan's words, "No."

He must be possessed by an evil spirit.

"Your Majesty, please try this duck soup. It's a new dish made by the Imperial Kitchen. The duck is fatty but not greasy, and it's also packed with mushrooms. It's delicious."

Seeing that Emperor Yuanwu was lost in thought, Consort Xian deliberately moved closer to him and said, "Your Majesty."

Emperor Yuanwu suddenly came to his senses, took the bowl of duck soup from Consort Xian's hands, and took a small sip.

Although the duck soup broth is delicious, the addition of many medicinal herbs makes the flavor of the herbs overpower the taste of the duck itself.

A meal is a meal; who would want to drink a mouthful of bitter medicine while eating?

After taking only a small sip, Emperor Yuanwu lost his appetite and instead remembered the bird's nest and duck soup he had eaten at Kunning Palace, which suited his taste perfectly.

"Your Majesty? What's wrong? Is this duck soup not good?" Consort Xian asked with a puzzled look, picking up her bowl and taking a sip with a spoon.

There's no problem, it tastes just like before.

Every time Emperor Yuanwu came to Jingyang Palace for a meal, he always ordered this duck soup. She had the imperial kitchen prepare it early this morning, but why did Emperor Yuanwu seem so uninterested in the duck soup?
"It's nothing." Emperor Yuanwu had clearly lost his appetite and put down his chopsticks.

"Your Majesty..." Consort Xian's smile froze: "You've only eaten a little bit, how can you say you're full? If the food doesn't suit Your Majesty's taste, I'll have the kitchen prepare something new for you."

Emperor Yuanwu thought for a moment and then said, "Then let the imperial kitchen make a new bird's nest duck soup."

Bird's Nest with Duck?
"Does the Imperial Kitchen have this dish? This is the first time I've heard of it." Consort Xian's smile became even more stiff.

"When I dined in the Queen's palace last time, I found it to be rich but not greasy, and quite delicious."

In the Queen's Palace.

Upon hearing these four words, Consort Xian's smile became even more stiff: "I didn't expect Her Majesty the Empress to be so good at preparing meals."

"That's certainly true." Emperor Yuanwu nodded with certainty.

Consort Xian: ...

After Emperor Yuanwu finished his lunch and left, Consort Xian summoned the head of the imperial kitchen to Jingyang Palace.

"Your Highness, I'm innocent! How could I possibly try to curry favor with Kunning Palace? The Empress's daily meals are all arranged by herself. What new dishes has the Imperial Kitchen come up with? If there's anything delicious, I'll definitely offer it to Your Highness first!" Gao Da knelt on the ground, crying and kowtowing repeatedly.

Consort Xian gave a cold laugh: "I hope so."

"Your Highness, how could this servant dare to lie to you? A few days ago, when I returned home, my mother mentioned Your Highness, saying that she hadn't seen Your Highness for a long time and missed you very much."

After Gao Da finished speaking, he looked up at Consort Xian. Sure enough, when Consort Xian heard the name Sun Jiabi, the expression on her face finally softened a bit.

Remembering that Sun Jiabi had left the palace while ill, she slowly asked, "Auntie, how have you been lately?"

"Mother is doing well, but she keeps worrying about Your Highness. She said that Your Highness likes pickled vegetables, and the family has made a lot. Once they are pickled, she will have this servant bring them to Your Highness in the palace," Gao Da said ingratiatingly.

"Alright, get up." Consort Xian rolled her eyes at him.

As the two were talking, Wu Jixiang came over and delivered a message, saying that the matter of the hostage from the northern desert entering the palace was to be handled by her.

Consort Xian's expression, which had just softened somewhat, instantly darkened again.

"Eunuch Jixiang, did His Majesty say anything else?"

"Your Highness, the Emperor said he doesn't trust anyone else to handle this matter, and it would be best if Your Highness handled it personally."

Consort Xian's expression was somewhat complicated: "Then I'll trouble Eunuch Wu Jixiang to inform His Majesty that I understand and will do my best to handle it." Wu Jixiang glanced at Gao Da beside Consort Xian and then left Jingyang Palace.

Gao Da glanced at Consort Xian with a shifty look in his eyes and said, "Your Highness, it's almost time to prepare dinner. This servant will take his leave now."

At this moment, Consort Xian was preoccupied with the matter of the hostage entering the palace, and she didn't hear what he said clearly before running away in a flash.

Consort Xian had no interest in whether Gao Da had left or not.

His mind was preoccupied with such a major matter as arranging the hostage in the northern desert; how could Emperor Yuanwu entrust it to her?

Above her was the Empress, and below her were Consort Xian and Consort De, who assisted in managing the six palaces.

Although she has been granted the title of Imperial Concubine, she is only a nominal Imperial Concubine without any real power.

Emperor Yuanwu had always rarely interfered in matters of the harem, so why did he suddenly become involved in this one?

She knew better than anyone how she had become a concubine.

How much blood of the northern desert soldiers was on her father's hands? Why did Emperor Yuanwu entrust her with the task of bringing the northern desert hostage to the palace?
Moganbu is not only alive, but has also moved into the princess's residence. Although the relationship between the new king of the northern desert, Moganxie, and Moganbu has always been fraught with conflict, as a prince who has plotted to usurp the throne, even if he wants to silence the gossip, he probably won't easily let go of the general's residence that has razed the northern border.

Consort Xian felt increasingly uneasy as she thought about it, sensing that things were not as simple as they seemed.

Emperor Yuanwu didn't know what was going on. Even though it was the same thing, he couldn't taste the flavor of Kunning Palace when he was with Consort Xian.

I didn't eat well at lunch, and dinner was delayed because court officials came to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to discuss state affairs. I ate a bowl of white fungus and snow frog to fill my stomach, but when dinner was served, I had no appetite again.

Since I hadn't enjoyed two meals during the Lunar New Year, I decided to go directly to Kunning Palace the next morning.

Shen Qingwan was quite startled by their unannounced arrival.

"Why has His Majesty arrived at this hour?"

Shen Qingwan put down the spoon in her hand, stood up and bowed.

Emperor Yuanwu glanced at the food on her table and asked, "What did the Empress have for breakfast today?"

"Wonton." Shen Qingwan was completely baffled.

"What are those dark, floating things up there?" Emperor Yuanwu asked thoughtfully.

Black thing?

Shen Qingwan glanced at her bowl in surprise, then realized, "Scallion oil, it's some scallion oil I made myself, I usually use it to season soups."

"This is the first time I've ever seen something like this."

Before Shen Qingwan could speak, Emperor Yuanwu had already sat down in front of the food platter.

Shen Qingwan: ...

She realized that Emperor Yuanwu had come so early in the morning just to freeload a meal.

Having already guessed Emperor Yuanwu's meaning, Shen Qingwan hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, would you like to try some?"

Emperor Yuanwu nodded and hummed an "Mmm" through his nose.

(End of this chapter)