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

Chapter 74 Bad Luck
After Zhen'er finished speaking, she cautiously raised her eyes and glanced at Shen Qingwan.

Shen Qingwan didn't speak, but her gaze towards Jiang Wenlan deepened.

With so many things happening at once, it's almost too much of a coincidence.

It seems like everything is aimed at her.

Shen Qingwan couldn't make decisions about Consort Qi's affairs on her own.

The next morning.

Shen Qingwan went to Cining Palace to discuss with the Empress Dowager what to do about Consort Qi's funeral arrangements.

Although the Empress Dowager didn't say anything, it was clear from her words that she still harbored resentment towards Consort Qi.

Since the Empress Dowager dislikes him as the Empress, he should be a wise man to adapt to the times.

He casually gave instructions to the Ministry of Rites, leaving the matter to Consort Shu.

Consort Shu was also tired of the process. The late emperor was no longer around, and she was the person the Empress Dowager disliked the most. She just gave a perfunctory and perfunctory response, and that was the end of it.

This is absolutely terrible luck.

Everything had been simplified, but when the news reached the Empress Dowager, it was criticized as being too fussy.

Consort Shu was extremely annoyed, but dared not show any originality. How come some people are annoying when they are alive, and still not likable when they are dead?

Fortunately, the Empress Dowager only said a few words; if she had really blamed them...

Wasn't she just dragged into this for nothing?

The palace maids who originally served Consort Qi were to be transferred to other palaces, but when they came to report this, Consort Shu was already annoyed, so she simply sent them all to the laundry department.

To avoid offending the Empress Dowager again due to her soft heart, and causing trouble for herself, no one would help her.

After Consort Qi passed away, according to palace rules, she should be posthumously honored. Once the topic of posthumous honors came up, it was no longer something that Consort Shu could decide on her own.

The Emperor is the Empress Dowager's biological son, and naturally, he won't like anyone the Empress Dowager dislikes. The Empress is currently taking care of the First Prince, so Consort Shu has no one to consult with.

Just as she was worrying, Consort De arrived.

"What's wrong with my sister? Why is she sitting there lost in thought?"

Upon hearing this, Consort Shu stood up, and the two exchanged greetings: "Sister, you've come at the perfect time. I happen to have something that's troubling me, and now that you're here, we can discuss it together."

"Is my sister referring to Consort Qi?" Consort De asked in return.

"Since you already know, sister, please give me some advice. I really don't know whether or not to tell the Emperor and the Empress Dowager about Consort Qi's posthumous conferment." Consort Shu looked troubled.

"If you ask me, my sister is a very honest person. Back when Consort Qi was favored, she made things difficult for our Empress Dowager quite a bit. The Empress Dowager was the first to dislike her. Now that she's gone, why do you care whether she gets a posthumous title or not?" Consort De smiled with relief.

"With your words of comfort, elder sister, I can finally rest assured." Consort Shu breathed a sigh of relief.

"I plan to visit the First Prince at Kunning Palace. Would you like to come with me, sister?" Consort De asked.

"Sister, let me pack up."

When Consort De and Consort Shu arrived at Kunning Palace.

Shen Qingwan was sitting in the main seat of Kunning Palace, interrogating a kneeling eunuch. Consort Shu and Consort De paused in their steps.

Consort Shu pursed her lips and spoke through her nose in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "It seems we've come at the wrong time."

"Who says otherwise?" Consort De's expression was also somewhat complicated.

Just when the two were at a loss as to what to do next...

Shen Qingwan was furious in the palace: "Who gave you the audacity to plot against a prince?"

"Your Majesty, I'm innocent! I really didn't push the First Prince. I saw him jump into the lake himself!" The little eunuch knelt on the ground, trembling.

"You still dare to argue even now? Guards, drag her away and give her thirty strokes of the cane." Shen Qingwan's eyes darkened: "I'd like to see when you'll finally tell the truth!"

"Your Majesty, I am truly innocent! I did not push the First Prince! It was he who jumped down on his own, Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."

Consort Shu and Consort De stood at the door until the guards dragged the little eunuch out before walking side by side into Kunning Palace.

"This humble servant greets Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty be blessed."

"Get up," Shen Qingwan said casually, her thoughts seemingly unfocused. "Why are Consort Shu and Consort De here today?"

"Your Majesty, I happened to have nothing to do in the palace today, so I asked my sister to come with me to visit the First Prince." Consort De replied, "Is the First Prince feeling any better?"

Shen Qingwan slowly shook her head and led the two of them into the side hall of Kunning Palace.

Shen Qingwan gestured to the palace maids serving the eldest prince in the side hall, indicating that they should not bow so as not to disturb the eldest prince.

The three of them walked to the bedside, and just then, the eldest prince, who was lying on the bed, suddenly opened his eyes.

Jiang Wenlan looked around as if trying to identify something, his eyes filled with fear. When his gaze fell on Huang Shen Qingwan, he suddenly exclaimed in alarm, "Your Majesty, save me! Someone is trying to harm me! Your Majesty, someone pushed me into the water!"

Consort De and Consort Shu exchanged a glance, then silently gasped as if they had overheard something they shouldn't have.

"Don't be in a hurry, eldest prince, speak slowly." Shen Qingwan grabbed her arm.

"Your Majesty, I'm terrified! I only wanted to check if the fish in the lake would freeze to death after it froze over, but I didn't bring anything to tap the surface, so I asked my servant to get it. As soon as the servant left, someone pushed me into the lake from behind! Your Majesty, is someone trying to harm me? I'm so scared, so very scared! Your Majesty, please save me! Even if Father Emperor dislikes me, even if everyone else dislikes me, I don't want to die..."

Jiang Wenlan spoke while crying, her body trembling violently with emotion.

Shen Qingwan hurriedly saved him and summoned the imperial physician.

"Your Highness, rest assured, I will not allow anyone to harm you. I have already punished those servants who did not serve you diligently. For now, Your Highness, please stay in Kunning Palace and recover before we discuss anything else," Shen Qingwan comforted him. "How about Your Highness has the imperial physician take your pulse first?"

Hearing that he could stay temporarily, Jiang Wenlan was no longer as agitated as before. He had been crying bitterly, his shoulders shaking with each sob. In any case, he managed to lie down. The imperial physician took his pulse, prescribed some medicine, and said that there was nothing seriously wrong, but he still needed to rest for some time.

When Consort De and Consort Shu came out of Kunning Palace, they looked at each other in bewilderment.

"It's all my fault, elder sister. I shouldn't have called my younger sister to Kunning Palace to see the eldest prince at this time," Consort De said remorsefully.

"How can this be blamed on you, sister? It's just that..." Consort Shu stopped and paused before speaking, "What do you think of this, sister?"

"What are you saying, sister?" Consort De was taken aback. "Could it be that you also believe that the First Prince jumped down on his own?"

(End of this chapter)