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

Chapter 395 With Heart

But this simple dinner had to be turned into a banquet, with a table full of food. Some dishes were only eaten once and then left uneaten, and many dishes were just for show and no one ate them.

It's true what they say: three meals a day, money flowing like water, but Emperor Yuanwu, as steadfast as iron, refuses to eat it.

Since we need to reduce the expenses of the imperial harem, let's start with Emperor Yuanwu and cut his three meals a day in half. That would generate a lot of money.

Why bother reminding the people in each palace every day to burn fewer candles and less charcoal?

"Empress Mother, is it true? Father is coming for dinner tonight?" Jiang Wenlan seemed quite surprised.

Emperor Yuanwu often came to Kunning Palace for dinner, but Shen Qingwan didn't feel anything special about it. Sometimes, she would even complain that he had delayed her meal.

But Jiang Wenlan was different. After all, he could only see Emperor Yuanwu a few times a year, let alone sit down and dine with him alone like this.

Shen Qingwan could see the suppressed excitement in his eyes, but it only lasted for a moment before it dimmed.

"What's wrong?" Shen Qingwan asked, puzzled.

"Never mind, Mother, you should have your meal with Father later."

Jiang Wenlan glanced at his knees. "It's not convenient for me."

When Shen Qingwan ate with Jiang Wenlan on ordinary days, there weren't many dishes. In order to take care of Jiang Wenlan's leg injury, the food plates were placed next to his bed.

Jiang Wenlan doesn't need to get out of bed; she can simply turn to her side to eat with them.

Shen Qingwan could accommodate him like this, but Emperor Yuanwu would not.

If they were to dine in the main hall of Kunning Palace, Jiang Wenlan could be carried there, but he couldn't lay his legs flat.

His knee had just started to scab over, and laying it flat would inevitably pull on the wound.

But no one dared to wrong Emperor Yuanwu.

Shen Qingwan dares!

"Have someone set out all the food over here, and also bring the food platters over here."

As soon as Shen Qingwan finished speaking, not only Jiang Wenlan was stunned, but even Su Tianhe, who had been by her side for many years, was taken aback for a moment before quickly leading his people to move a table in the main hall.

When Emperor Yuanwu arrived at Kunning Palace, the aroma of food wafted out from the side hall.

Emperor Yuanwu glanced at the main hall and found it completely empty except for two palace maids standing outside.

Not only was there no prepared dinner, but Shen Qingwan was not even in the palace.

He turned his head curiously and glanced at Wu Jixiang.
"Didn't you tell the Empress that I was coming to Kunning Palace for dinner today?"

Wu Jixiang was also completely bewildered, even feeling as if his visit to Kunning Palace that afternoon was a dream.

"Your Majesty, this servant..."

"emperor."

Shen Qingwan lifted the curtain of the side hall and walked out.

"Greetings to His Majesty, may His Majesty be blessed with good fortune."

Emperor Yuanwu raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "What is the Empress doing...?"

"Your Majesty, dinner is ready." Shen Qingwan said, raising her hand to lift the curtain of the side hall. "Please come in."

Emperor Yuanwu paused for a moment, seemingly quite surprised.

"Your Majesty, the First Prince has injured his leg and has been eating in the side hall of Kunning Palace these past few days. Today, Your Majesty will have to make do with eating in the side hall."

Emperor Yuanwu's lips twitched, feeling that Shen Qingwan's words were somewhat sarcastic.

It's as if he, as a father, doesn't understand his own son at all.

Jiang Wenlan was anxious and uneasy when Emperor Yuanwu arrived at Kunning Palace. Even when Shen Qingwan held his hand and told him that everything was alright, he was still worried that Emperor Yuanwu would be angry with the Empress for arranging for him to dine in the side hall that night.

Seeing Emperor Yuanwu walk in with a calm expression, Jiang Wenlan finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

Ok!

Father Emperor was not angry, and Mother Emperor was not implicated.

Emperor Yuanwu washed his hands, and the three of them sat around the food platter.

Although Jiang Wenlan was sitting on the bed, she was covered with a thick quilt, so sitting higher up did not affect her meal.

Emperor Yuanwu noticed these small details and placed a piece of meat in Jiang Wenlan's bowl.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Jiang Wenlan could not kneel and bow, but she still respectfully lowered her head and bent over.

Emperor Yuanwu rarely dined with the children in the palace, but this distance still caused a subtle, unnoticed unease to flash across his brow.

"There are no outsiders here, so there's no need for formalities. You're injured right now, so eat more meat to help you recover faster." After saying this, Emperor Yuanwu picked up another piece of pork rib and placed it in Jiang Wenlan's bowl.

Shen Qingwan couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Your Majesty seems to be suggesting a 'like cures like' approach."

Emperor Yuanwu raised an eyebrow, hummed in agreement, and drew out the last syllable of his voice.

"Eating meat to replenish body?"

Shen Qingwan's words made Emperor Yuanwu laugh heartily, "According to what you're saying, then wouldn't the eldest prince have to eat the bones too, so he'd recover faster?"

Jiang Wenlan: ...

good good!
The Emperor and Empress were flirting, and he was the unlucky guy they teased.

"Then the eldest prince should eat more." After Shen Qingwan finished speaking, she picked up a chicken leg and put it into Jiang Wenlan's bowl.

Emperor Yuanwu also took the chicken head out of the bowl of chicken soup and put it into Jiang Wenlan's bowl.

"eat fast."

Shen Qingwan and Jiang Wenlan said in unison.

Jiang Wenlan: ...

Jiang Wenlan had a complicated expression on his face, and frowned, which made Emperor Yuanwu laugh out loud.

Shen Qingwan also wanted to laugh, but because she was sitting at the same table as Emperor Yuanwu and the First Prince, she could only hold it in with dignity.

If you get sick from holding back your laughter, would that be considered a work-related injury?
"emperor."

Wu Jixiang's words interrupted the three of them.

No one paid attention to when Wu Jixiang came in, with Jun'er following behind him.

"What is it?" Emperor Yuanwu asked casually, a smile playing on his lips.

"It's Consort Rou's personal maid, Jun'er. She said she knew the First Prince was injured, so she specially brought some top-quality ginseng to help him recover."

Emperor Yuanwu didn't even raise his eyes. "Just put it there."

After saying that, he lowered his head again and continued eating what was in his bowl.

It must be said that the skills of the small kitchen in Kunning Palace are indeed excellent, especially this sweet and sour pork ribs. It is sweet and sour, and the meat on the ribs has a slightly charred aroma, which is a unique flavor. The imperial kitchen can never make this taste.

The goods were delivered, and Jun'er didn't seem to have any intention of leaving. Shen Qingwan glanced indifferently at the ginseng.

That ginseng was clearly very valuable; even among the tributes sent to the palace every year, it was rare to see such a fine ginseng.

The timing of the ginseng delivery was too coincidental. The eldest prince had been injured for so long. If she truly cared about him, she should have sent the ginseng long ago.

It was delivered at just the right time, precisely when Emperor Yuanwu arrived, which shows that Consort Rou had put a lot of thought into it.

"Your Majesty, please try this. The fish is tender and juicy, with no fishy smell at all."