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

Chapter 64 Too much talk leads to exhaustion; better to remain centered.

Consort Zhen hurriedly covered Jiang Wanying's mouth with her hand and gave Ling'er a wink.

Ling'er then dismissed everyone standing in the palace.

She reached out and pulled Jiang Wanying into her arms: "Wanying, who taught you to say those things just now?"

“No one taught me. I overheard the palace maids and eunuchs talking in the Imperial Study. They all said that I'm just a princess, and if Mother isn't favored, I won't be either. I'll definitely be sent away by Father for a political marriage in the future.” Jiang Wanying pouted, “Mother, what is a political marriage?”

Consort Zhen's face paled, and her lips unconsciously pursed deeply: "Wan Ying heard from Mother that those palace maids and eunuchs were just talking nonsense. Wan Ying doesn't need to take it to heart. Wan Ying is Father Emperor's daughter. What father doesn't love his daughter? Your Father Emperor is just too busy with state affairs. Didn't Father Emperor have the Empress send Wan Ying so many beautiful fabrics to make clothes? Are you happy, Wan Ying?"

“These fabrics are beautiful, and Wan Ying is naturally happy, but Mother, I heard that Father Emperor doesn’t seem to like the Empress.”

Consort Zhen frowned deeply. She felt that the tongues of these palace servants really needed to be straightened out. How could these servants say such things in front of children?

When Zhen'er arrived at Qixiang Palace, Consort Yao was embroidering.

"This servant greets Consort Yao. May Consort Yao be blessed."

"Aunt Zhen'er, why have you come in person? Come in quickly." Consort Yao put down her needlework and came out to greet her warmly.

"Her Majesty the Empress sent two bolts of Shu brocade to Consort Yao..." Before Zhen'er could finish speaking, she saw a bolt of Shu brocade displayed in Consort Yao's palace.

It seems the Emperor had just sent it over and hadn't had time to unpack it yet, which instantly made the atmosphere a bit awkward.

Consort Yao gave a wink to Zhu'er beside her, and Zhu'er hurriedly walked in front of the Shu brocade and blocked Zhen'er's view with her body.

"Thank you for making the trip, Aunt Zhen'er. Please tell His Majesty that I will go to Kunning Palace tomorrow to express my gratitude."

"Her Majesty the Empress said that it is too cold. This morning, the ground was covered in frost and the roads were slippery, so Her Majesty does not need to go to Kunning Palace to express her gratitude."

Zhen'er curtsied, wondering how to relay the Empress's instructions to Consort Yao. Unexpectedly, Consort Yao came out of the palace and warmly took Zhen'er's hand, saying, "Aunt Zhen'er, please come in and have a cup of hot tea before you leave, it's cold."

Consort Yao pulled Zhen'er into the room and pressed her down onto a stool. Zhen'er hurriedly stood up and said, "Your Highness, I am just a servant. It is not appropriate for me to sit like this."

“It’s appropriate, what’s inappropriate about it? Aunt Zhen’er is someone close to the Empress.” As Consort Yao was speaking, Zhu’er brought over a cup of hot tea, and Zhu’er also dismissed everyone else in the room.

Zhu'er was Consort Yao's personal maid and a member of Prince Yao's household. Prince Yao was worried that she would be alone in the palace without anyone to take care of her, so he had Zhu'er accompany her into the palace before she entered.

Even if we take a step back and say that the people I brought from the Prince's residence were far more useful than the servants randomly assigned by the Imperial Household Department.

“Aunt Zhen’er, I was sent directly to the palace by Prince Yao. I’m new here and don’t know much about the rules of the palace. I also don’t know who Consort Li is that the sisters mentioned in Her Majesty the Empress’s palace this morning. Do I really look a bit like Consort Li?”

There was no one else in the room, so Consort Yao stopped beating around the bush and asked what was on her mind.

"This servant has lived with Her Majesty the Empress in the Prince's residence for some time and has also seen Consort Li a few times. To be honest, Your Majesty does indeed resemble Consort Li in appearance."

“Then…” Consort Yao reached out and touched her cheek: “Since Aunt Zhen’er has spoken frankly, may I ask one more question? If His Majesty truly believes that I am favored because I look similar to the late Consort Li, was there anything about Consort Li’s attire that His Majesty particularly liked?”

"Since Your Highness has gained the Emperor's favor as soon as you entered the palace, why not just be yourself and not try to be someone else? Perhaps the Emperor doesn't see anyone else's shadow in Your Highness, but simply likes you? Consort Yao, before I came, Her Majesty the Empress also asked me to pass on a message to Your Highness: 'Too much talk leads to exhaustion; it's better to remain steadfast.'"

After Zhen'er finished speaking, she stood up and said, "Your Majesty, it's getting late, this servant will go back first." "Thank you for your reminder, Aunt Zhen'er."

Pearl slipped a silver ingot into Zhen'er's hand.

Zhen'er: ...

This is an enormous donation!
Normally, when she went to other palaces to deliver a message to a concubine, she would at most receive some small amounts of silver as a reward.

Consort Yao has only recently entered the palace, and as she said, she doesn't understand the rules of the palace. If she continues to be rewarded like this, she'll probably lose all her family's wealth sooner or later.

"Your Excellency, this is too much. This servant cannot accept it," Zhen'er waved her hands repeatedly.

"This is the first time Aunt has come to our Qixiang Palace. Please don't refuse Her Majesty's small token of appreciation."

Pearl, quick-witted and agile, immediately stuffed the silver ingot into Zhen'er's hand.

Zhen'er frowned and reluctantly accepted it.

Watching Zhen'er's departing figure.

Consort Yao silently recited the eight words that Shen Qingwan had asked Zhen'er to give her: "Too much talk leads to exhaustion; it is better to remain steadfast."

That night, Emperor Yuanwu stayed at Qixiang Palace again.

The next morning, no sooner had Emperor Yuanwu left Kaixiang Palace than Zhang Mama and her entourage entered.

When Consort Yao saw Granny Zhang, she was completely stunned. Having only been in the palace for two days, she couldn't even distinguish people properly, let alone know which palace this nanny, whose clothes and appearance were so different from everyone else's, belonged to.

"Greetings to Consort Yao, may Consort Yao be blessed." Granny Zhang curtsied.

Consort Yao's brow twitched, a sense of foreboding washing over her, sensing that this person's intentions were not good: "I wonder what brings you here so early, Granny?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager instructed me to bring you a bowl of medicinal soup to regulate your body." After Zhang Mama finished speaking, she waved to the servant behind her, and a palace maid handed a bowl of medicinal soup to Yao Guiren: "Your Highness, please drink the medicine while it is still hot. If it gets cold later, I'm afraid the medicine will not be as effective."

Consort Yao felt a sudden panic and broke out in a cold sweat.

Why would the Empress Dowager bring her medicine when she was perfectly fine? She had only been in the palace for two days, and apart from paying her respects to the Empress, she hadn't even stepped out of the gates of Qixiang Palace.

Could it be that he angered the Empress Dowager by going to pay his respects to her without entering the palace?

That wouldn't warrant being stabbed to death.

"Granny, please put down the medicine first. I just got up and I'm still feeling a bit nauseous. I can take the medicine after I finish breakfast."

Hearing what Consort Yao said, Granny Zhang showed no intention of leaving. Instead, she instructed the person carrying the medicine to take another step towards Consort Yao.

"Please take it, Your Highness, so that I can go back and report. Your Highness should drink it while it's hot. The imperial physician said that this medicine will be more effective if taken before breakfast. Please take it first."

(End of this chapter)