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

Chapter 58: Far-reaching Plan

"Is there something else the Empress needs to do that she's in such a hurry to get me to leave?"

Shen Qingwan: ...

Does sleeping count?

"Your Majesty, what are you saying? I had no intention of sending you away. It's just that Your Majesty hasn't visited the inner palace in a long time, and the ladies there are eagerly awaiting your arrival. It's getting late, so it's better to go sooner rather than later, lest the ladies keep waiting..."

Shen Qingwan didn't finish her sentence before she couldn't help but yawn. Her mouth was only half open when she seemed to remember something and quickly closed it again.

She kept her mouth shut, but tears still streamed down her face uncontrollably.

"The Empress is truly virtuous, always thinking of the women in the palace," Emperor Yuanwu said through gritted teeth, enunciating each word clearly.

"If the sisters in the harem are happy, the Emperor will be happy. If the Emperor is happy, it means I'm doing a good job as Empress, and that makes me happy too..."

Shen Qingwan was so sleepy that she was completely drowsy, her mouth moving with the Duke of Zhou (a figure in Chinese mythology associated with sleep), and she didn't even know what she was saying.

Emperor Yuanwu took every word to heart.

Competent?

The current empress is really treating being empress as a job.

It's so late, she's sleepy, why doesn't she think of keeping him here?
If it were a concubine from another palace, she would probably be overjoyed by now, bathing and changing clothes, waiting for his favor.

He glanced at the Empress again; she was so sleepy she couldn't even lift her head.

Emperor Yuanwu:...

Emperor Yuanwu frowned deeply, put down the book in his hand, and stood up from the stool.

A glint of light flashed in Shen Qingwan's eyes: "Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty!"

Emperor Yuanwu:...

He snorted coldly, and even as he passed by Shen Qingwan, he ignored her polite demeanor and quickly left the Kunning Palace.

next second.

The lights in the bedroom of Kunning Palace were then turned off.

Wu Jixiang flicked his whisk: "Your Majesty, slow down! Which palace are you going to rest in? This servant can't keep up!"

"Return to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to review the memorials!"

The next morning, after the concubines had paid their respects, Shen Qingwan went to Cining Palace.

When Shen Qingwan arrived at Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was carefully pruning a potted plant.

"Your daughter-in-law greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be blessed."

"Rise." The Empress Dowager raised her eyes and glanced at Shen Qingwan. "Why has the Empress come so early today? Is there something you need?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, yesterday your daughter-in-law went to the Sansheng Temple to burn incense and pray for blessings, and obtained a peace charm for Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty is very kind." The Empress Dowager put down the scissors in her hand, took the amulet, and examined it carefully. "I didn't expect Your Majesty to meditate and chant Buddhist scriptures in your spare time. That's good. People who believe in Buddhism have pure hearts." Shen Qing nodded and smiled. "If this amulet can protect Your Majesty's lifelong peace, that would be truly good. Your Majesty's pine tree is also very beautifully trimmed."

"By pruning the sprawling branches, we can reduce the loss of nutrients and water. By removing the withered and yellow leaves, we can keep it low to the ground, so that the pine tree will look tall and beautiful." The Empress Dowager said, pointing to the lowest, newly sprouted bud, and asked Shen Qingwan, "Does the Empress think it's better to keep this branch or cut it off?"

"At this time, the pine tree is higher on the left and lower on the right, looking both neat and beautiful. If we cut off the newly sprouted buds, we can maintain the original shape of the pine tree. If we don't cut them off, after some time, they might overtake the main branch and replace it. But for a new bud to grow, it needs a main branch to provide it with nutrients, and the flowerpot needs to be rotated frequently so that it can get sunlight and absorb more nutrients. The main branch already has its own shape. How big and how tall can the new bud grow? The scissors have always been in Mother's hands. Does Mother still worry that it will not grow well and will overtake the main branch?"

Hearing Shen Qingwan's words, the Empress Dowager paused slightly, and a slow smile appeared on her lips: "So, in the Empress's opinion, is this what you mean?"

The Empress Dowager put down the scissors in her hand, turned the flowerpot, and turned the new shoot away from the sunlight. The tender green shoot instantly lost some of its original vitality.

Shen Qingwan had lunch at Cining Palace before returning home.

"Your Majesty, Consort Lan has been waiting for you for a while." Su Tianhe was waiting for her at the door.

Shen Qingwan frowned slightly.

Why is she here?

"Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress. Your humble servant greets Your Majesty the Empress." Consort Lan knelt on the ground and bowed.

Shen Qingwan sat down on a chair in the main hall of Kunning Palace: "Consort Lan is currently pregnant, so there's no need for formalities. Please get up and sit down."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty." Consort Lan stood up and sat on the stool beside her.

"Is there something you need, Consort Lan, that you've come at this hour? If the palace is short of anything, you can ask Consort Shu for help, and she will take care of it for you," Shen Qingwan said softly.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. The Imperial Household Department has done a very good job. My palace lacks nothing." Lan Changzai said, glancing at the palace servants beside Shen Qingwan. "I just have something I'd like to say to Your Majesty."

Shen Qingwan gave Zhen'er a wink, and Zhen'er led the servants from Kunning Palace out.

The instant the door closed.

Lan Changzai got up from the stool and knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, I know that I am of lowly status and have little influence. I am already fortunate enough to have the imperial seed stay in my womb for a few days."

"Since Consort Lan has come, she must have something to say. Please speak frankly."

"Your Majesty speaks frankly, so I won't beat around the bush either. I want Your Majesty to help me keep this pregnancy. If one day I can successfully give birth to a prince, whether it is a princess or a prince, I am willing to entrust it to Your Majesty to raise." After Lan Changzai finished speaking, she raised her eyes to look at Shen Qingwan, her eyes revealing a trace of sincerity.

"If I remember correctly, Consort Lan was recommended by the General's Mansion. If that's the case, why doesn't Consort Lan entrust the prince to Consort Xian for upbringing?" Shen Qingwan asked calmly.

"Your Majesty, although I come from the General's Mansion, Consort Xian will not tolerate me and the child in my womb. I know Your Majesty's status is noble, and you disdain the concubines' scramble for favors. Consort Rou and Consort Li's pregnancies were both saved by Your Majesty. I know my status is lowly, and I have nothing to repay Your Majesty with. If this child is a prince, Your Majesty will have one more person to rely on in the future." Consort Lan kowtowed deeply on the ground as she said this: "I am certain that Your Majesty will have mercy on me."

Shen Qingwan didn't speak, she just watched her silently.

"Your Majesty, I know my visit today is abrupt. Please consider this for some time. I am not in a hurry. I am willing to wait..."

After Lan Changzai finished speaking, she looked up at Shen Qingwan and said, "Parents love their children and plan far ahead for them. Your Majesty, please don't misunderstand me. I just want the child in my womb to be born safely."

“You…” Shen Qingwan paused here, “You’re not an ordinary palace maid. The General’s Mansion must have had other intentions in sending you into the palace, right?”

(End of this chapter)