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

Chapter 387 Exhausted
He moved his lips but hadn't had a chance to speak.

Zhen'er rushed in from outside, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! This morning, His Majesty vomited blood during the morning court session."

Vomiting blood?

"Why would someone suddenly vomit blood?" Shen Qingwan frowned. "Has the imperial physician been summoned? What did he say?"

"Your Majesty, the Emperor has already been sent to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and the imperial physicians are all on their way there. Such a major matter could not be kept from the Empress Dowager, and she probably already knows about it. The concubines in the harem are also rushing to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Your Majesty, would you like to go and see him as well?"

Shen Qingwan's gaze was indifferent. "Since so many people have gone, it won't make a difference if I go too. Besides, we've already announced to the public that I just had a miscarriage. What kind of person who has had a miscarriage would not be resting in bed and instead keep running around?"

Zhen'er's expression flashed by like a revolving lantern.

Their mistress really does treat people differently.

When the eldest prince fell and was injured, he rushed to the prince's quarters without thinking and stayed there for a whole night.

Now that the Emperor is coughing up blood, their master is bringing up the topic of "postpartum care."

Being a lackey is too hard!

"Your Majesty, this servant will go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and tell you that Your Majesty is unwell and unable to get out of bed. Please let this servant go there first."

Shen Qingwan nodded with satisfaction. Under her earnest nagging, Zhen'er had finally made a lot of progress.

"Empress Mother, did Father really vomit blood? How serious is it?" Jiang Wenlan asked with a solemn expression.

Shen Qingwan shook her head patiently, "Your Majesty doesn't know. I've already sent Zhen'er to check. When she comes back, if Father's condition is really serious, Your Majesty will find someone to send you there to see Father. Is that alright?"

"Your subject will obey Mother."

Shen Qingwan's expression relaxed for a moment, and the words of persuasion she wanted to say stuck in her throat.

She had originally thought that Jiang Wenlan would rush to the Hall of Mental Cultivation despite his leg injury once he learned of this.

But I didn't expect...

He was surprisingly calm.

Shen Qingwan's brow twitched slightly. "It's not that your mother doesn't want you to see your father, it's just that she's worried that if you go there now, with so many people in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, it might worsen your injuries. It's not that..."

Shen Qingwan felt that the more she explained, the more confused she became.

She originally thought that if Jiang Wenlan went over at this time, he might not be able to see Emperor Yuanwu, and might even hurt him.

After all, growing up with palace maids and eunuchs not only made him precocious, but also made him feel inferior.

"Your Majesty, there's no need to say more. Your son understands." Jiang Wenlan's expression was more serious than ever before, leaving Shen Qingwan speechless for a moment.

She paused for a while before tentatively asking, "You really don't blame the Empress Dowager?"

Jiang Wenlan nodded firmly, "In this harem, only the Empress Dowager is the best to me, and only the Empress Dowager truly cares about me. I only trust the Empress Dowager."

After saying that, he lowered his eyes and turned a page of the book in his hand, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.

Shen Qingwan's eyes trembled, and for a moment, she felt her eyes sting.

Actually, she didn't do anything.

If Emperor Yuanwu hadn't asked her to clean up the side hall, she would never have brought Jiang Wenlan here to recuperate.

She had always just hoped to lie low and do nothing in the harem, and never thought about having a child with Emperor Yuanwu or winning over any of the princes to pave the way for herself.

However, after entering the palace, she witnessed a child of such a young age being abused by eunuchs and nannies.

She couldn't bear to abandon the task when she had the ability, so she replaced his original servants, regularly sending them food and reminding them not to neglect her. As for the rest…

Shen Qingwan had never imagined it.

But ironically, it was those most worthless things that a child remembered.

"Wait for Zhen'er to return and see what the situation is on the Emperor's side."

Shen Qingwan looked at Jiang Wenlan again with a somewhat solemn expression.

"Empress Mother, are you worried about Father Emperor?"

"Hmm?" Shen Qingwan raised an eyebrow and looked at him, drawing out the last syllable of her voice.

She was hesitating about how to explain this to a child.

Jiang Wenlan spoke again, "Empress Mother, you really don't need to put too much thought into Father. There are so many concubines in the harem. Some of them don't even see Father once a year. In fact, Father doesn't even remember who many of them are. It seems that no concubine has been able to receive Father's favor since she entered the palace."

Shen Qingwan: ...

She paid no attention to Emperor Yuanwu.

Shen Qingwan was truly curious as to when Jiang Wenlan had developed such a deep misunderstanding of her.

But she felt as if she were being lectured by a child.

Shen Qingwan couldn't help but raise her hand and point at his forehead, "How did you come up with all this?"

"I didn't mean to, it's just that I often hear palace maids and eunuchs say that," Jiang Wenlan said calmly.

Shen Qingwan: ...

While the two were talking, Zhen'er returned from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

She glanced at Shen Qingwan with a serious expression.

That glance.

Shen Qingwan understood; it meant there were some things that were inconvenient to say in front of the First Prince.

"Your Majesty has had some bird's nest prepared. Would Your Majesty like to go and take a look? If the First Prince is tired of sitting here, have someone carry him to his bed for a nap."

“Your Majesty, if you have something to do, please don’t worry about me. I’m not sleepy and want to read for a while. Your Majesty, please go ahead and do your work.”

Shen Qingwan: ...

Children who truly love learning don't need to be chased or forced to study.

A child who doesn't like to learn will still not learn anything even if you beat him to death.

"Your head injury hasn't healed yet. Even if you're reading, you can't read for too long. You should recover first before doing anything else," Shen Qingwan instructed worriedly.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

After Jiang Wenlan finished speaking, he picked up the book and started reading.

Shen Qingwan left the side hall and walked into the courtyard, lowering her voice to ask, "What did the Emperor say?"

"Your Majesty, the Emperor has awakened. He said he fainted due to a sudden surge of anger, but..."

Zhen'er paused, then cautiously glanced around. "I only inquired quietly, but His Majesty was already feeling unwell this morning when he got up at Consort Xia's place. He intended to have the imperial physician examine him after court, but unexpectedly, he became unwell after court... Because the Empress Dowager was also present, the imperial physician dared not speak openly, but I heard that His Majesty called for water four times last night..."

Zhen'er was still a virgin, and even though she had been in the palace for a long time, there were still some things she couldn't say. She hesitated for a while before vaguely saying, "I'm tired!"