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

Chapter 89 Disturbance
"Even if Your Majesty is angry, you must hold back for now. With all the imperial physicians kneeling on the ground like this, who will protect Consort Rou's pregnancy?"

Hearing Shen Qingwan's words, Emperor Yuanwu's expression finally softened a bit: "Today, for the sake of the Empress, I will not hold it against you. If anything happens to Consort Rou and the prince in her womb, I will punish your entire Imperial Hospital."

After Emperor Yuanwu finished speaking, he got up and went into Consort Rou's palace.

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress." Imperial Physician Zhang kowtowed to Shen Qingwan before slowly standing up.

“His Majesty is also anxious, so Physician Zhang will do his best,” Shen Qingwan said.

"Your Majesty the Empress instructed me." After saying this, Imperial Physician Zhang bowed to Shen Qingwan before turning and entering Consort Rou's palace.

The imperial physicians followed one after another inside, and Shen Qingwan followed them in as well.

The three women, Consort Shu, Consort Xian, and Consort De, were left staring at each other, unsure whether to stay or leave.

"The fact that the pregnancy was threatened is ultimately Roupin's own fault, so why did the Emperor get so angry at the Imperial Hospital?" Consort Xian asked in surprise.

Consort De couldn't help but roll her eyes when Consort De was out of sight: "Consort Xian didn't hear what His Majesty said about Consort Rou and the prince in her womb."

Consort De deliberately emphasized the words "prince": "Since he is a prince, His Majesty is naturally nervous."

Prince?

When Consort Xian heard those two words, her brow twitched. The incident was so sudden that she was completely focused on the Emperor's inexplicable outburst of anger and hadn't even noticed that he had mentioned the prince when he said those words.

If that's the case, the Imperial Hospital must have already diagnosed that Consort Rou's pregnancy was a boy.

The Emperor's favor towards Consort Rou was known throughout the palace.

Not only is Consort Rou young, but she has also risen from the rank of Changyi to Consort and received her own title as soon as she entered the palace. If she were to give birth to a prince, wouldn't she be promoted to the rank of Fei and become her equal?

Consort Xian looked unwell, and so did Consort De and Consort Shu.

When Consort Xian turned her head, she saw Consort Shu standing next to Consort De, and her mood worsened.

The Third Prince is clearly her own son, but now he's being called Consort Shu's child. Yet, neither the Empress Dowager nor Emperor Yuanwu has shown any sign of backing down on this matter.

It's been a really bad year; lately, nothing seems to be going smoothly.

Consort Shu felt awkward and knew that Consort Xian was staring at her. She pretended not to see it and casually looked to the other side, turning her body to the side as well.

Consort Xian: ...

After quite a while, Emperor Yuanwu, Shen Qingwan, and the imperial physician finally emerged from Consort Rou's palace.

"Your Majesty, as the Empress said, Consort Rou is in poor health and should rest quietly during her pregnancy, avoiding any disturbance. Your humble servant will go and prepare her medicine immediately." Emperor Yuanwu nodded, and Physician Zhang withdrew.

“Since the imperial physician has said so, then Consort Shu, Consort De, and Consort Xian should go back first. I just told Consort Rou that you have come to see her. She can go to the palace to express her gratitude when she is better another day,” Shen Qingwan said.

Consort De and Consort Shu couldn't help but exchange a glance.

Disturbance?

Thank you?

From the moment Consort Rou became pregnant, she was not only exempted from paying her respects to the Empress, but she was also exempted from all visits between the palaces.

The Empress Dowager even sent Zhang, the chief physician of the Imperial Hospital, to personally help Consort Rou with her pregnancy.

This... how could it possibly cause a disturbance?
Not to mention that Emperor Yuanwu forbade all kinds of people from coming to Zhongcui Palace to disturb Consort Rou, even if he allowed them to come, they wouldn't dare to.

If Consort Rou is unlucky and cannot keep the child, it's fine if it's just her, but if someone else comes along and blames it on someone else, no one can afford to suffer the consequences. "I'm relieved that Consort Rou is alright. There's no need for thanks. Let Consort Rou recover first," said Consort Xian.

"Yes, yes, since there's nothing else, then I'll head back now." After saying this, Consort De curtsied and left with Consort Shu.

After watching the two leave, Consort Xian followed suit and went out as well.

As soon as they stepped out of Zhongcui Palace, Consort De couldn't help but chatter on and on with Consort Shu.

"Do you really think Consort Rou is that weak? She didn't look frail during the selection process."

"Who knows?" Consort Shu was also troubled. She couldn't have children anymore. Although she was pregnant with the Third Prince, Consort Xian was always eyeing her like a hawk, as if she wanted to devour her. "Maybe it's because he's carrying the prince that the Emperor is so nervous."

Consort De was even more annoyed by this.

Nowadays, everyone in the palace can get pregnant and have children, but she is not young anymore and still has no children.

If she were the Empress, it would be fine. Even if she had no children, she would still be the venerable Empress Dowager, regardless of which prince inherited the throne.

After the imperial concubine selection, the harem was filled with many young women. Although she was still a concubine, she feared that one day she might lose her head, let alone her position.

If she truly couldn't have children herself, like Consort Shu, being able to raise a child by her side meant she would ultimately have someone to rely on.

"Who cares? Since the Emperor and Empress have both said she should rest and recuperate, it's certainly not wrong for us to stay away. If it really is a prince, there are plenty of people in the harem who are even more anxious than we are," Consort Shu said sullenly.

“It’s still early, sister, would you like to come to my palace for a while? Father sent some rouge yesterday, which is something that we don’t have in the palace,” said Consort De.

"Since you say so, sister, then I will respectfully comply."

Consort Xian watched as Consort De and Consort Shu left hand in hand, completely bewildered.

She was only sick for a short time.

When did these two become so close?
While Emperor Yuanwu's previous dynasty was still busy, the northern deserts were eyeing them covetously, making a conflict inevitable.

The reason for holding back was not because he was afraid of Moganbu or anything like that, but because Emperor Yuanwu was wary that if a real war broke out, it would implicate the eldest princess.

Although the eldest princess and Emperor Yuanwu did not share the same birth mother and were no longer vying for the throne, they grew up together and their affection for each other remained.

After Emperor Yuanwu left, Shen Qingwan also returned to the palace.

When they arrived at the entrance of Kunning Palace, they bumped into Consort Jin.

"This concubine greets Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty be blessed." Consort Jin looked flustered and quickly curtsied when she saw Shen Qingwan.

She always felt that her title of imperial concubine was bestowed upon her by Emperor Yuanwu on a whim.

Unlike Consort De, she was not favored, and unlike Consort Xian, she did not have the support of her maternal family.

Consort Jin felt that her new position as a concubine was like a windfall, and how long she could enjoy it depended on her own fate.

She was extremely careful, afraid that she might accidentally send herself away.

"I just learned that Consort Rou has had a miscarriage. I really didn't know that my sisters had all gone to Zhongcui Palace. When I was about to go, I heard that His Majesty had issued an edict saying that Consort Rou needs to rest quietly and should not be disturbed. I really didn't know what to do, so I came to Your Majesty's place..."

Consort Jin turned pale with anxiety: "Your Majesty, it was truly my oversight this time."

(End of this chapter)