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

Chapter 167: Lack of Mind

I like men.

When these words reached Emperor Yuanwu's ears, he was caught off guard and choked violently on the fish soup in his mouth.

Not only was Emperor Yuanwu shocked by these words, but even Wu Jixiang, who was standing by serving, was so shocked that he couldn't react for a long time.

Only after Emperor Yuanwu coughed twice did he step forward and hand over the handkerchief.

"Your Majesty, are you alright? Have some tea to calm your nerves." Wu Jixiang picked up a teacup and handed it to Emperor Yuanwu.

It took Emperor Yuanwu a great deal of effort to calm himself down.

Seeing Emperor Yuanwu's strong reaction, Shen Qingwan seemed to realize that such words would be difficult for people of this era to accept, and hurriedly changed her words.

"Your Majesty, I also had Zhen'er cook lotus seed and white fungus soup. Would you like me to serve you a bowl? This fish soup isn't good, so it's better not to drink it."

Emperor Yuanwu nodded as he wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

next second.

"Lotus seed and white fungus soup is also good for reducing internal heat."

Shen Qingwan: Uh…

It really is!
Emperor Yuanwu stared at her turning back. Her yellow gauze dress was embroidered with five-colored gold threads depicting a phoenix soaring towards the rising sun and worshipping the moon. She wore a yellow phoenix-tail skirt with butterflies and flowers. Her turning was light and graceful, and the hem of her skirt brushed against the hem of his clothes that had fallen to the ground, causing Emperor Yuanwu to lose his composure for a moment.

Shen Qingwan looks a little plumper than before, and her complexion is better. Before, I always thought she was very thin, as if you could crush all the bones in her body with one hand.

At this time, not only did her complexion improve significantly, but even the way she walked became incredibly graceful.

In particular, her every smile and frown exuded a gentle, unassuming air that was unlike any other concubine in the harem.

Most importantly, he hadn't paid much attention to the empress before, but now she seemed unafraid of him at all. That's why he felt incredibly relaxed and at ease every time he spoke with her, because he could hear the truth from her, instead of the arrogant and sycophantic person everyone fawned over, who only uttered flattering words.

Perhaps only those in high positions can understand how precious it is to have a husband who is willing to speak the truth to them, who is not treated as a supreme being, but as an ordinary person.

After finishing his white fungus soup, Emperor Yuanwu sat in Kunning Palace for a while. He didn't know what he was waiting for, but he thought that if Shen Qingwan could ask him to stay, he would not go to Consort Shen's place today and would stay to keep her company.

Even after the people from Changchun Palace came to urge him, Shen Qingwan just kept her head down looking at the book in her hand and didn't say a word. For some reason, she felt a strange sense of irritation when she looked at the little eunuch kneeling on the ground to deliver the message.

"Didn't the palace governesses teach your young mistress any manners? She hasn't even learned the rules properly, so how can she serve the emperor? Let her learn the rules properly."

Upon hearing the sound, Shen Qingwan hurriedly put down the book in her hand and looked up at Emperor Yuanwu.

He was the one who had chosen Consort Shen, and it was already late, yet he remained in Kunning Palace reading, showing no intention of going over. When someone sent someone to inquire, he became unhappy.

Shen Qingwan increasingly felt that Emperor Yuanwu's temper was a bit strange, and he was unpredictable.

However, he was indeed angry with Consort Shen, and it happened in her Kunning Palace, so he still had to say a few words of advice. Shen Qingwan sighed silently in her heart and walked to Emperor Yuanwu's side. "Your Majesty, why should you lose your temper with a mere eunuch? Besides, Consort Shen has only just entered the palace and it's her first time serving the emperor. It's understandable that she's too nervous."

Although Emperor Yuanwu stopped reprimanding him, his expression remained unpleasant.

Shen Qingwan could only grit her teeth and continue, "This Consort Shen was sent in by Prince Xiang's mansion. Even if His Majesty is angry, he still has to consider Prince Xiang's face. His Majesty has already visited her. If Consort Shen really doesn't suit his taste, he can just keep her in the palace with good food and drink. Why hurt the brotherly relationship between His Majesty and Prince Xiang for the sake of a woman?"

Emperor Yuanwu glanced back at Shen Qingwan indifferently, still without saying a word, but his expression had clearly softened considerably.

Shen Qingwan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and gave Wu Jixiang, who was standing behind Emperor Yuanwu, a wink.

Wu Jixiang also understood the meaning behind Shen Qingwan's look. "Your Majesty, why don't we make our way to Changchun Palace? It's still early, and the eldest princess might not have gone to bed yet. Your Majesty can go and see her on the way."

When Consort Shen received the message from the eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, she had already taken a bath and changed into a more revealing outfit.

Even though the palace was heated by an underfloor heating system, she stood at the entrance, gazing at the direction of Changchun Palace's gate, her arms wrapped around her shoulders, shivering from the cold.

"He's here, he's here, the Emperor has finally arrived!" Consort Shen saw a candlelight appear outside the Changchun Palace and excitedly ran out of the room.

Xiao Hua, the palace maid who served her, hurriedly followed her out, clutching her shawl.

"Your Majesty, it's cold outside. Please put on your shawl and don't catch a cold..."

Before Xiao Hua could finish speaking, Consort Shen had already run to Emperor Yuanwu and knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects. Long live the Emperor!"

Emperor Yuanwu glanced down at Consort Shen kneeling on the ground, his brow furrowing deeply. "In this cold weather, Consort Shen is dressed so thinly. Aren't you cold kneeling on the ground?"

Consort Shen was already shivering from the cold, but she still forced herself to speak: "Your Majesty, I am not cold. I know Your Majesty is coming tonight, and my heart is warm. I am not cold at all."

After speaking, Consort Shen couldn't help but smile shyly.

"If Consort Shen isn't cold, then continue kneeling here. I'm cold, so I'll go inside first." After saying this, Emperor Yuanwu looked down at him and coughed lightly. "You're blocking my way."

Consort Shen: ...

Her face turned pale, and she scrambled to her feet, awkwardly following Emperor Yuanwu into the hall.

As I stepped through the door, I couldn't help but sneeze.

Looking at her like this, Wu Jixiang was utterly speechless.

The Imperial Household Department had already told her in advance that Emperor Yuanwu would be coming to her place tonight, so she should just bathe and change early and wait patiently. With all those jewels and ornaments in her hair, she probably put all the gold hairpins that the Empress had given her since she entered the palace into her hair. It was one thing to dress up like a caged canary, but to wear such heavy makeup, was she waiting for the Emperor to come so that she could take another bath?
Wu Jixiang was a little confused.

No matter what, this Consort Shen was sent in by Prince Xiang's mansion, and she seems a bit dim-witted.

"Your Majesty, please have a cup of tea to warm yourself up." Consort Shen took the teacup from Xiao Hua's hands...

(End of this chapter)