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

Chapter 30 Let's Fight

The concubines also started discussing it.

"Is this the First Prince Jiang Wenlan? My goodness! Who arranged the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet? How dare they send him here? Aren't they afraid the Emperor will throw a tantrum and leave?"

"It should be the Empress. After all, Consort De and Consort Shu have been with the Emperor since the Prince's residence. Everyone knows that Consort Li let the First Prince steal the spotlight at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. Without the Empress's permission, who would dare?"

"It's not quite right to say that. I heard that a few days ago, His Majesty personally went to the Princes' Residence to see the First Prince."

"..."

Jiang Wenlan and Jiang Wanying, one played the xiao (vertical flute) and the other played the zheng (zither).

The song "High Mountains and Flowing Water" was absolutely amazing.

"it is good!"

The Empress Dowager watched a whole day of song, dance, and acrobatics, but she felt that none of them were as good as this show.

The affection between grandparents and grandchildren is the same even in imperial families.

Regardless of whether the eldest prince and the eldest princess's mother was favored or not, or what she had done.

The Empress Dowager loved her grandsons and granddaughters with the same affection.

Seeing the Empress Dowager happy.

Emperor Yuanwu: "Reward!"

"Thank you, Father Emperor! Thank you, Grandmother Emperor!" Jiang Wenlan and Jiang Wanying put down their musical instruments and knelt down to express their gratitude.

"Good child, come and sit here with your grandmother!"

Consort Yu looked at the Empress Dowager holding two children on either side, and then glanced at her own son, whose tears were still wet in her arms. Her expression turned even more unpleasant.

Shen Qingwan saw this scene, waved to Jiang Wenyuan, and took a piece of pastry, gesturing for him to come over to her side.

The palace banquet had been over for quite some time, and Jiang Wenyuan was no longer as shy as when he first arrived. He hesitated for a moment looking at the pastries in Shen Qingwan's hand, but still walked over.

As he took the pastry and put it in his mouth, he shyly lowered his head and smiled.

Shen Qingwan pulled him to her side and tugged at Emperor Yuanwu's sleeve: "Call him Father Emperor."

Yu Guiren's heart jumped into her throat.

Jiang Wenyuan has been in poor health since birth, and his rank is also low.

She could only see the Emperor a few times a year, let alone Jiang Wenyuan.

Consort Yu was afraid that Jiang Wenyuan would be frightened by Emperor Yuanwu just like before, so she sat down on the ground and started crying.

Just as her palms were sweating profusely.

Emperor Yuanwu suddenly reached out and pinched Jiang Wenyuan's face.

That's what kids are like.

He will smile back at whoever smiles at him.

He likes whoever likes him.

Emperor Yuanwu's small gesture made Jiang Wenyuan jump up happily and shout, "Father Emperor!"

Emperor Yuanwu raised an eyebrow and smiled, then picked Jiang Wenyuan up from the ground: "Why is this child so light?"

Consort Yu's face turned pale, and she was about to kneel down.

Shen Qingwan spoke up: "The Second Prince has been in poor health since childhood. Consort Yu must have put in a lot of effort to raise him to this size. As long as he is healthy, it doesn't matter if he is a little chubby or thin. He will grow stronger gradually."

Emperor Yuanwu nodded: "The Empress is quite right."

Jiang Wenyuan was born just as Emperor Yuanwu was vying for the throne with several other princes. After ascending the throne, he was busy with state affairs.

Only in the past year has the situation in the imperial court gradually stabilized.

Looking back, the prince and princess had both grown up.

He realized he had indeed been negligent in many ways. Emperor Yuanwu noticed that the Empress had finished the pastries Jiang Wenyuan was holding and then took another one from his own table and handed it to him.

Jiang Wenyuan didn't stand on ceremony, took the package, took a big bite, and said in a childish voice, "Thank you, Father Emperor."

Prince Yao, who had drunk a few cups of wine, stood up upon seeing this scene, holding his wine cup: "I never imagined that my royal brother would like children so much?"

Emperor Yuanwu did not speak, but simply raised his eyes and glanced in the direction of Prince Yao.

Seeing Emperor Yuanwu's displeasure, Prince Xiang hurriedly tried to smooth things over: "What father doesn't love his own children? My good-for-nothing sons drive me crazy every day, but if I don't see them for three days, I always feel like something is missing."

"Since His Majesty likes children so much, why doesn't he give the Empress a legitimate son?"

As soon as Prince Yao finished speaking, the entire Hall of Preserving Harmony fell silent.

Prince Xiang gave him several meaningful glances, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets: "Prince Yao is drunk, he should eat some food."

Emperor Yuanwu put Jiang Wenyuan down on the ground and smiled, "Prince Yao, don't worry about me. You should worry about Prince Rui. He's not getting any younger and still doesn't have a princess. I heard that Prince Rui personally escorted Wanwan's maid back last time, and she hasn't even thanked him yet."

Shen Qingwan: ...

Shen Qingwan couldn't help but swallow.

Is this what men call possessiveness?
Emperor Yuanwu always addressed her as Empress, never by her name.

He was actually able to call her by her given name in front of so many people.

Prince Rui, who was suddenly called out, trembled in surprise: "Your Majesty, you are too kind. That night, I was enjoying the rain in the pavilion of the Imperial Garden when I saw two eunuchs dragging a palace maid behind a tree. The maid seemed to be being coerced. I wanted to ask what was going on, but the two eunuchs ran away when they heard the noise. After questioning them carefully, I learned that the maid who was almost harmed was from the Empress's palace. Fearing that she might be harmed, and since I was also going back to rest, I took her to the outside of Kunning Palace on the way."

Prince Rui explained the events of that night in detail.

Moreover, it was explicitly stated that the goods were only delivered to the palace gate.

In other words.

He had never met Shen Qingwan in private.

Consort Xian glanced in the direction of Emperor Yuanwu.

Emperor Yuanwu's expression visibly relaxed for a moment.

The singing and dancing resumed, and the three princes chased each other around the Empress Dowager, having a great time.

As the birthday banquet was drawing to a close.

A woman in red descended from the sky and landed on the drum.

Dressed in fiery red, with a beautiful face, she danced like willow catkins to the rhythm of the music, kicking her legs like a swallow, leaping lightly through the air.

The audience seemed to be able to feel the power and beauty of her dance.

As she danced gracefully, her jade feet collided with the drumhead, producing a "thump-thump" sound.

Emperor Yuanwu raised his eyes and slowly looked at the dancing girl.

A red veil covered her face, and with a slight lift of her eyebrows, she exuded a captivating and alluring charm.

"Okay, reward!"

The woman in red leaped down from the drum and unveiled herself.

"Your concubine, Xi Changzai, greets the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. I wish the Empress Dowager good health and longevity, and the Emperor a long and prosperous reign, and may we share the same mountains and rivers forever."

Is happiness ever-present?
This is his distant cousin.

Emperor Yuanwu stood up, walked to Consort Xi, and helped her to her feet.

Seeing this, the Empress Dowager glanced at Shen Qingwan with satisfaction.

When Shen Qingwan suggested that Xi Changzai perform a dance at her birthday banquet, she was worried that it might be too deliberate and would only annoy Emperor Yuanwu even more.

But I didn't expect...

The Empress Dowager then had another question.

Since the Empress understands Emperor Yuanwu's thoughts so well, and she can easily make Consort Xi, who was previously disliked by the Emperor, gain favor, why doesn't she fight for herself?
(End of this chapter)