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

Chapter 399 Irregularities
"It's getting late." Shen Qingwan turned to the side, showing no mercy. "Su Tianhe, escort my mother out of the palace. Staying in the palace without reporting it is really against the rules."

"you……"

Liu was so angry that her face turned ashen.

She moved her lips but before she could speak, Shen Qingwan had already turned around and walked towards the palace.

Zhen'er watched her departing figure, hesitated for a moment, and then helped Liu Shi up from the ground.

"Madam, why don't you go back first? I'll put in a good word for you with Her Highness and see if there's any chance of a change in the situation."

Lady Liu paused, thinking that perhaps there really was still a chance to turn things around.

Moreover, Shen Qingwan had already returned to her palace, so it was probably pointless for her to make a scene any longer. Therefore, she took the opportunity Zhen'er had given her and got up.

"Now that she is the Empress, she has long forgotten her family. She probably thinks our Liu family is a burden to her. But if it weren't for the auspicious clouds at her birth, she wouldn't have had such good fortune to marry into the Eastern Palace." As she spoke, Madam Liu sighed and stood up.

“Madam, although Her Majesty is now the Empress, life in the palace is not easy.” Zhen’er said as she took Liu’s arm and walked out.

While Liu was not paying attention, she gave Su Tianhe a wink.

Su Tianhe spoke knowingly, “Madam Shen may not know this, but the palace rules are strict. If the concubines in the harem interfere in politics, it is a capital offense that will result in the extermination of nine generations of their family. Just recently, Pang was given death for writing a few letters to her father’s former subordinates.”

Lady Liu suddenly stopped in her tracks, her face paling noticeably. "You wouldn't be conspiring to frame me, would you? Doesn't the Empress even have this much power?"

"Madam Shen, how could this servant dare to lie to you?" Su Tianhe said with a smile. "It is precisely because our lady is the Empress that so many eyes in the harem are watching this position. Our lady is even more careful and cannot bend the law for personal gain, lest someone find fault with her and complain to the Emperor."

Sitting atop the high carriage, Lady Liu said nothing more. Su Tianhe personally escorted her to the palace gate, recounting along the way how difficult the Empress's life had been.

"What? What did you just say? Her Majesty the Empress has miscarried?" Lady Liu asked in surprise.

“Madam Shen, this servant would not dare to speak carelessly about such things. Our Lady is still in her postpartum period and her body is still weak.”

Liu Shi, who had just straightened her back in surprise, slowly bent back down. Her palms were icy cold and trembling uncontrollably, as if she were shrouded in a chilling fear.

What exactly did she do? She was completely unaware that her own daughter had miscarried, yet she went to her and made a scene over her niece's miscarriage.

At this moment, she must have felt very heartbroken.

"Madam Shen, rest assured, your servants will do their best to serve Her Majesty the Empress." Su Tianhe looked up at her. The moonlight shone on her face, making it difficult to see clearly, but the panic in her eyes was still evident.

He paused and continued, "We servants often advise Her Majesty the Empress not to always think of others. A few days ago, Her Majesty slapped a palace maid thirty times for disrespecting her, and was subsequently confined to her quarters by the Emperor."

what?
Liu could hardly believe her ears.

Su Tianhe's words throughout the journey made her heart pound like a drum, leaving her feeling uneasy and anxious.

She is the queen!
How could a dignified empress be confined to her quarters just for hitting a palace maid?

It's not that the Emperor treats her very well now, nor that the Empress Dowager dotes on her.

If that's the case, why are they still living such a precarious life in the palace?

The chariot stopped at the palace gate.

Su Tianhe bowed slightly, "Madam Shen, Madam Shen..."

He called out several times before Liu Shi suddenly came to her senses, "We're...we're here?"

"Replying to Madam Shen, we have arrived at the palace gate. This servant can only escort you here."

Su Tianhe spoke respectfully, extending a hand to help her down from the chariot. "Thank you."

“Madam Shen, this is what I should do. You don’t need to be so polite with me.”

"Ah...oh..."

Su Tianhe watched as Lady Liu left the palace, her mind elsewhere, before finally letting out a long sigh of relief.

No wonder the Empress was angry.

Anyone would feel very disappointed if treated like this by their own mother.

When he returned to Kunning Palace, Zhen'er had just left Shen Qingwan's bedroom.

Su Tianhe tiptoed and peeked into the bedchamber, then whispered, "How is Her Majesty? Has she fallen asleep?"

“She’s already in bed. Her Majesty told me to come out and not to serve her inside. She must still be grieving.” Zhen’er sighed. “Back when we were in the manor, Madam was always biased. She always made sure Miss Liu got the best food and clothes first. And even now, so many years later, she still…”

Zhen'er couldn't continue speaking. Even though she disapproved, as a servant, she couldn't talk about her master's family affairs, after all, she also came from the Shen family.

"Go in and check on Her Majesty later, so she won't be sad inside all alone," Su Tianhe said helplessly.

"I just had someone brew some calming tea. I'll go check if it's ready." Zhen'er nodded, but as she turned around, she accidentally bumped into the table leg. The pain made her gasp and almost fall over, but luckily Su Tianhe pulled her up.

"Thank you... thank you..."

Zhen'er's cheeks were flushed red with pain, and large beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.

Su Tianhe hurriedly ran to get the first-aid kit, took out a box of medicine for sprains and bruises, and said, "Take off your shoes quickly, I'll help you apply some medicine."

"It's alright, it'll stop hurting in a bit," Zhen'er said through gritted teeth, her words stammering.

"You're sweating profusely from the pain, why are you still being stubborn? If you don't get the medicine, let's see how you'll serve your master tomorrow morning," Su Tianhe scolded, feigning anger.

Zhen'er couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she had no choice but to lift her foot.

It really hurt so much, that excruciating pain made her internal organs ache as well.

It was already late at night.

Since Jiang Wenlan moved into Kunning Palace, the servants in the side hall were all original servants of Kunning Palace. Shen Qingwan did not bring the maids from the prince's quarters with her, but only had Jiang Wenlan bring a few personal servants.

The staff at Kunning Palace is short-handed.

At this moment, there were few people in the main hall except for her and Su Tianhe.

Although a woman's feet should not be shown to men other than her husband, Su Tianhe was not a man after all.

Zhen'er hesitated for a moment, then took off the shoes.

This medicine is really helpful; in just a short while, Zhen'er's foot has swollen up quite a bit.

I don't know if I'll be better by tomorrow morning.

Just as Zhen'er applied the medicine and waited a while, she wanted to put her shoes back on.

A eunuch who served the eldest prince walked in from outside.

The scene before him made him pause for a moment...