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

Chapter 294 Love
"Aunt," Consort Xi called out reluctantly.

Clearly, the Empress Dowager was not buying it and had no intention of responding to her. She simply turned to Zhang Mama and instructed her to tell the Imperial Kitchen to bring lunch over and to prepare several of the Emperor's favorite dishes.

"Yes." Granny Zhang curtsied and left.

Shen Qingwan secretly thought to herself that the Emperor didn't like the food prepared by the Imperial Kitchen at all. The Empress Dowager loved her son, but she didn't love him in the right way.

"Mother, the Emperor is having a meal in your palace. Why don't you have the kitchen prepare some of the Emperor's favorite dishes? Wouldn't that be more thoughtful than the Imperial Kitchen's daily preparations?"

Upon hearing Shen Qingwan's words, the Empress Dowager's eyes lit up. She ordered a few dishes and then instructed someone to prepare them.

"The Empress is indeed very thoughtful," the Empress Dowager said with satisfaction.

Seeing the Empress Dowager and the Empress interacting and completely ignoring her, Consort Xi's lips trembled with anger. She even forgot basic etiquette and angrily sat down in her chariot.

Just as Consort Xi's carriage was being carried out of Cining Palace, Emperor Yuanwu's carriage happened to be walking by from a distance.

Emperor Yuanwu sat half-reclined on the carriage with his eyes closed.

As the two carriages passed each other, Emperor Yuanwu seemed not to have noticed Consort Xi's presence at all, or perhaps he had noticed but was too lazy to open his eyes.

Consort Xi patted the armrest of the sedan chair several times, seemingly trying to attract Emperor Yuanwu's attention. However, no matter how hard she tried, she felt her voice was about to go hoarse, but Emperor Yuanwu never raised his eyes to look at her.

She watched from afar as Emperor Yuanwu's arrogant carriage entered the Cining Palace.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

She truly couldn't understand what kind of spell the Empress had cast on the Empress Dowager. Why did the Empress Dowager always side with the Empress? She was clearly from the Empress Dowager's family, yet she was treated like an outsider. She could have stayed to dine with the Emperor at lunch today. And that Imperial Physician Zhang—he must have been bribed by the Empress too. She was just feeling nauseous from listening to their conversation and almost vomited, yet he claimed she had signs of a miscarriage. The Imperial Hospital staff were all quacks.

When Emperor Yuanwu arrived at Cining Palace, Yanran was not in a good mood. It wasn't that he disliked having meals at Cining Palace, but he simply disliked that the Empress Dowager always seemed to have ulterior motives when inviting him to meals.

He already knew that the Empress and Consort Xi were present when the people from Cining Palace came to deliver the message.

He disliked seeing that Consort Xi the most; she spoke incoherently, and he couldn't understand what she was saying. He also seemed not to understand what she was saying.

Emperor Yuanwu could understand that the Empress Dowager wanted to consolidate her family's power in the court by selecting a few clever and quick-witted girls from her clan to send to the harem as concubines. As her son, he could understand and would not object to it. However, Consort Xi was dull-witted and completely oblivious to romance. Every time he went to her palace, he felt like he was living a long time. But if he didn't go, the Empress Dowager would nag him endlessly, which was really annoying.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be well."

When Emperor Yuanwu entered the main hall of Cining Palace, he first bowed to the Empress Dowager. When he looked up, he found that only the Empress Dowager and the Empress were sitting in the main hall.

Why isn't Consort Xi here?
Emperor Yuanwu paused for a moment, realizing that the messenger had been mistaken.

But it's good that she's not here.

Emperor Yuanwu sat down on the chair next to the Empress Dowager, said a few words, and then the Empress Dowager went to her bedchamber to change her clothes.

The huge main hall was suddenly left with only Emperor Yuanwu and the Empress.

"Is it just the three of us tonight?" Emperor Yuanwu stared at the Empress for a moment before asking in surprise. Shen Qingwan took a teacup from the middle of the table in the main hall, poured a cup of tea for Emperor Yuanwu, placed it in front of him, and then slowly asked, "Does Your Majesty wish to have someone else with you?"

Emperor Yuanwu:...

Emperor Yuanwu was taken aback. As if deliberately concealing something, he picked up his teacup, his gaze unconsciously shifting to the other side, not daring to look directly at the Empress. "I was just asking casually."

Shen Qingwan smiled, thinking about the sullen face Emperor Yuanwu had when he came in. The messenger must have told him that Consort Xi was also in the Empress Dowager's palace, but he didn't see Consort Xi when he came over, so he was just wondering.

“Consort Xi was feeling unwell just now, so the imperial physician was summoned. Physician Zhang advised Consort Xi to rest quietly, so the Empress Dowager had someone send Consort Xi back to the palace first and she will not dine with the Emperor,” Shen Qingwan explained.

Upon hearing these words, Emperor Yuanwu's expression seemed to improve considerably. He took another sip of tea, casually placed the teacup on the table, and moved his lips, but before he could speak, the Empress Dowager, having changed her clothes, came out of the main hall. Seeing the Empress and the Emperor sitting together, seemingly chatting idly, she nodded with great satisfaction.

"That's right. Seeing the Empress and the Emperor showing mutual respect and love, I can finally rest assured."

Shen Qingwan: ...

Empress Dowager, please don't overthink things. She only mentioned a few things about Consort Xi, how could that be considered affection?

However, it seems the Empress Dowager thinks so and seems to be in a good mood, so there's really no need for me to spoil her mood at such a time.

Shen Qingwan remained silent, only lowered her eyes and smiled, as beautiful and captivating as a blooming peach blossom.

Her face and the peach blossoms complemented each other beautifully; one smile could topple a city, another could topple a nation.

Emperor Yuanwu was momentarily lost in thought as he watched.

"The dishes from the Imperial Kitchen have all been delivered. Emperor and Empress, please come and dine."

The three sat around a food platter. The Empress Dowager placed a piece of braised pork on Emperor Yuanwu's platter, and Emperor Yuanwu was slightly taken aback.

Although it was just a very slight expression, the observant Empress Dowager still noticed it. "Just now, I said I would have the Imperial Kitchen prepare some dishes that the Emperor likes and send them over, but the Empress said that the Emperor is tired of eating the Imperial Kitchen's dishes every day. It would be better to have Ai Jia's small kitchen prepare some dishes that the Emperor likes. I thought the Emperor used to like braised pork, so I ordered them to make it. But the time was too short, and I don't know if it will be well-seasoned or if it will taste the same as before."

Emperor Yuanwu lowered his head and took a bite. "The meat is tender and juicy, not greasy at all. The dishes made in the small kitchen of Cining Palace have never disappointed me."

The Empress Dowager smiled with satisfaction and placed another piece in Emperor Yuanwu's bowl. "If Your Majesty finds it delicious, please eat more. Although the court is busy, Your Majesty should take good care of your health. I have noticed that Your Majesty has lost weight these past two days."

Two days?

You've lost weight?

Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Shen Qingwan couldn't help but raise her eyes and glance at Emperor Yuanwu.

She hadn't seen Emperor Yuanwu for some time. Apart from some lingering bruises around his eyes, she really couldn't tell he had lost weight.

If matters concerning the previous dynasty could make someone visibly lose weight in just two days, she would truly be willing to share the emperor's burdens, and save herself the trouble of constantly worrying about how to eat a balanced diet so that she wouldn't gain weight so quickly.

(End of this chapter)