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

Chapter 80 Not a Single Item Left
"Alright, don't mention that bitch to me." A hint of disgust flashed in Consort Xian's eyes.

"Your Majesty, please don't be angry." Xia Fuchuan poured another cup of tea for Consort Xian and placed it in front of her. "Isn't Consort Lan pregnant now? And Your Majesty's Third Prince isn't by your side, so why not..."

"Remove the mother and keep the child?" A sly smile curved the corners of Consort Xian's lips, and the solemn expression on her face instantly vanished: "Interesting."

Let's go see Lan Changzai.

When Consort Xian arrived at the side hall, Consort Lan was sitting inside, embroidering tiger-head hats for children.

Upon seeing Consort Xian, her eyes widened in surprise. She hurriedly put down her needlework and rose to greet her.

"This servant greets Consort Xian and pays her respects."

Consort Xian sneered and sat down opposite her: "Even the Empress has allowed you not to perform the curtsy, so why do you perform such a grand ceremony when you see me, sister?"

Consort Lan lowered her head, not daring to stand up: "Your Majesty."

"Alright, get up." Consort Xian frowned, picked up the tiger-head hat that Consort Lan had half-embroidered, and examined it: "This tiger-head hat is indeed exquisitely embroidered, with even stitches and beautiful color matching."

Consort Lan slowly stood up from the ground: "Your Majesty flatters me."

Consort Xian smiled and said, "Although I don't know why Father chose you to serve me in the palace, I suppose you are someone Father trusts. Now that the Emperor has already bestowed upon you the title of Consort, you don't need to be so humble anymore. Just remember that you came from the General's Mansion, and I will certainly not mistreat you."

"Yes." Consort Lan curtsied. "It is my honor to have Your Highness's care in the palace."

"If that's truly your thought, then your father's advice to bring you into the palace wasn't in vain. But if you have other intentions, don't blame me for being impolite," Consort Xian said sullenly.

"Your Highness Consort Xian, this servant dares not. I am where I am today because of Your Highness Consort Xian and the General's Mansion. I am only grateful and dare not have any other thoughts," said Consort Lan.

"What did the imperial physicians say about the baby in your womb? Is it a prince or a princess?" Consort Xian asked, fiddling with her nail guards.

"Your Majesty," said Consort Lan, "the child in my womb is still very young, and it is impossible to tell whether it is a prince or a princess at this time. If the imperial physician has a diagnosis, he will report to the Emperor, and the entire palace will likely know. I dare not conceal this; I truly do not know."

Consort Xian sneered at her half-serious words: "Alright, I'm tired, I'll go back first. You can continue embroidering."

"This servant respectfully sees off Consort Xian." Consort Lan curtsied.

Watching Consort Xian's departing figure, Consort Lan slowly straightened up.

"Your Majesty, what do you think Consort Xian means? She has always held a grudge against Your Majesty, so why has she suddenly started to care about you? Does she want to reconcile with Your Majesty?" Xi'er asked, puzzled.

Lan Changzai reached out and touched her protruding belly.

Although she hadn't had much contact with Consort Xian, she knew in her heart that Consort Xian was definitely not as kind as she appeared on the surface, nor was she as simple as she seemed.

Among so many women in the harem, even if she were the legitimate daughter of a general's family, she might not be able to gain the emperor's favor. If Consort Xian is said to be beautiful and charming, the harem is not lacking in women with outstanding appearances.

"Your Highness, Consort Xian came over today and said so much. Could it be that she's planning to harm the child in your womb?" Xi'er asked.

Lan Changzai frowned, staring at Xianfei's departing figure, lost in thought.

Xi'er brought over the medicine to help with pregnancy and placed it in front of Consort Lan: "Your Highness, the medicine is ready. Please drink it while it's hot. Actually, Your Highness, you don't need to be so humble in front of Consort Xian. Although Consort Xian is a Consort and you are only a Consort, you are both the Emperor's people. If you give birth to a prince for the Emperor in the future, he will surely promote you if he is happy. Although you were a maidservant by Consort Xian's side before, so what? As long as the Emperor likes you, even the late Emperor's Consort Jia was still a maidservant in the laundry department..."

"Alright, stop talking." Lan Changzai was getting annoyed.

"This servant knows her mistake. This servant will go to the small kitchen to see if the bird's nest soup I made for you is ready." Xi'er turned pale with fright and retreated. When Shen Qingwan woke up, she saw several fox furs on the table in the main hall of Kunning Palace.

"This is……?"

Zhen'er hurriedly stepped forward to explain: "Your Majesty, this was sent by the eunuchs of the Imperial Household Department. They said that a few days ago, Prince Rui and Prince Yao went hunting and obtained several fine fox furs. One was sent to the Empress Dowager's palace, and the other was given to Consort Xian."

Shen Qingwan reached out and touched the snow-white fur.

"The white fox fur coat is not made from the armpit of just one fox."

A fine fur coat is the best garment to ward off the cold winter.

Your Majesty, these three pieces, when put together, make a perfect vest, ideal for keeping warm in winter.

Shen Qingwan stared at the furs for a while and said, "Go and send these three fox furs to the Imperial Household Department. Have them make three cloaks according to the sizes of the First Prince, the Second Prince, and the First Princess. The Third Prince is too small, so just make him a hat. Once they are done, send them to the various palaces."

"Your Highness," Zhen'er said with heartache, "such fine fox fur is so hard to come by, why don't you keep it for yourself instead of sending it to the princes and princesses?"

It's not necessary to give it as a gift.

The Emperor gave one to the Empress Dowager, another to Consort Xian, and the rest to her; he certainly didn't intend to give them all to her.

Shen Qingwan knew that she and Emperor Yuanwu did not have such a relationship.

The intention behind bestowing the gift upon her was quite clear: to let the Empress see how it was distributed among her subordinates, and if she wanted to keep it herself, she naturally wouldn't say anything.

These three have pure coat colors, which is good.

However, the two cloaks that the Empress Dowager bestowed upon her at her wedding had linings made of mink fur, which were far more precious than this.

If all I can make is a fur collar, I might as well do a favor and give it to a few children.

If the child of Consort Rou and Consort Lan is born next year, I'm afraid there won't be enough to go around as a reward.

"Do as I say." Shen Qingwan withdrew her fingertips.

"Yes." Zhen'er put away the three fox furs: "This servant will take care of it."

Emperor Yuanwu learned of this three days later.

Several princes and princesses, dressed in the clothes bestowed upon them by the Empress, went to Kunning Palace to express their gratitude.

"Did the Empress really give them all away and keep nothing for herself?" Emperor Yuanwu paused in his work of reviewing memorials.

"Indeed, this servant was also thinking that Her Majesty the Empress hadn't kept any of such fine fox fur for herself, but had given it all away. Even the Third Prince was too young to wear a cloak, so Her Majesty the Empress instructed the Imperial Household Department to make a hat with fox fur trim, which made the Third Prince look very dashing." Wu Jixiang waved the float in his hand, gesturing as he spoke.

Emperor Yuanwu put down the memorial in his hand: "It is rare for the Empress to have such a heart."

"Should Your Majesty reward the Empress with something, so that she knows that Your Majesty is aware of this matter...?"

(End of this chapter)