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

Chapter 99 Strange
Consort Shu and Consort De came out of Kunning Palace.

"Sister, what do you think of this matter?" Consort De asked.

"It's certainly a good thing that the Princess was able to bring them back. If Moganbu and her child were left in the northern desert after being captured, I'm afraid the people there wouldn't treat them well." Consort Shu was in low spirits.

"From what I just heard from Her Majesty the Empress, it seems that the Princess's return is going to be a big event. She's the one who gave the orders, but the two of us are the ones who will actually do the work. Whether or not we can win the Princess's favor is a minor matter. The real concern is that if this matter is too high-profile, it might displease the Empress Dowager, which could affect our future situation," Consort De worried.

"Didn't Consort Xiang follow the Empress Dowager back then? Besides, Consort Xiang has been gone for so many years, would the Empress Dowager still hold a grudge against a princess?" Consort Shu asked, puzzled.

"Look at everyone in our palace, fighting tooth and nail for the Emperor's favor. Back in the day, they weren't much better off. Even though the Empress Dowager is considerate of the Emperor's image and treats the Princess well, who knows what she's really thinking?"

Consort De secretly grumbled to herself. She used to follow the Empress, but she hadn't seen the Empress help her win any favor.

In this harem, what is truly good?

"According to what you've said, sister, should we proceed with this matter or not?" Consort Shu was even more confused.

"We must do it! How can we not do it? It's something Her Majesty the Empress has entrusted to us. How can we not do it?" Consort De said with a mournful face. "Sometimes, I really wish the Emperor could restore Consort Xian's right to assist in managing the six palaces. This is the kind of thing that she is best suited to do."

Concubine Shu:......

The Imperial Household Department was also quick and efficient; the matter had just been given in the morning, and by evening the plaque for Xingshuang Pavilion was already up.

Consort Shu ordered some palace maids and eunuchs to clean up Xingshuang Pavilion.

Consort Xian stood in the Imperial Garden, watching the servants bustling about, and was momentarily lost in thought.

"Your Majesty, the weather is about to change. Let's go back to the palace as soon as possible." Xia Mei draped a cloak over Consort Xian's shoulders.

In fact, at first, Consort Xian did not really want Xia Mei to come and serve her personally, after all, she had served Consort Qi before, and she was always somewhat wary of her.

After following her for a while, she found that although Xia Mei was not good-looking, she was meticulous and served her well, so she decided to stay.

Looking back now, being ugly might not be such a bad thing.

After Xia Mei came to serve him, Emperor Yuanwu visited Jingyang Palace several times, but never paid any attention to her. She was much more reassuring than that vixen Lan Cui.

When Consort Xian returned to the palace, the wind howled like weeping, the raindrops fell like arrows, and the surrounding trees were blown about, resembling a battle in the northern desert.

"I wonder how Father is doing over there?" Consort Xian murmured to herself, staring out the window.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, the General is brave and skilled in battle. When the Princess returns to the capital, the General will be back. The General has rendered meritorious service to the country, and the Emperor will surely be delighted. At that time, Your Majesty can ask the Emperor to grant you a meeting with the General," Xia Mei comforted her.

Consort Xian turned away and said nothing more.

She really wanted to see her father. She wanted to ask him why he sent Lan Cui to the palace and to her side. She had always thought that her father was a meticulous person and would not be negligent in such matters. So it was very likely that her father did it on purpose. Why did he do this when she was in a difficult situation?

Does he really not care at all about his daughter's situation in the harem, and only care about his own power?

at dusk.

The Kunning Palace announced the arrival of dinner, and the Imperial Kitchen delivered a newly developed dish: Bird's Nest and Egg White Duck.

Shen Qingwan sighed, "People in this era really know how to eat. They can even cook something as expensive as bird's nest with duck."

Eating something soupy or juicy in winter really warms you up. Shen Qingwan couldn't finish a whole duck, so she shared some with the palace maids and eunuchs.

I just finished dinner.

News came from Yanxi Palace that Consort De was suffering from severe abdominal pain and the imperial physician had been summoned. The Emperor also went there at that time.

The messenger's meaning was clear: if the emperor went, she, as the empress, would naturally follow.

However, it was raining heavily outside, and Consort De had not explained how serious the situation was or what the matter was.
Is it making a mountain out of a molehill if it's just food poisoning?

However, judging from the messenger's tone, it seems that this matter is not so simple.

"Did the imperial physician go?" Shen Qingwan wiped her lips with a silk handkerchief. "What did the imperial physician say?"

"Your Majesty, the imperial physician is still on his way. However, according to Consort De's personal maid, Consort De's period is more than seven days late."

My period is more than seven days late?

Could it be that Consort De is pregnant?

After the incident involving the mandarin duck bibs, Consort De's favor with the emperor diminished considerably.

However, Emperor Yuanwu, mindful of Consort De's maternal family, would often visit Yanxi Palace.

From her residence to the inner palace, Consort De hadn't had this for so many years, but now she suddenly has?
Shen Qingwan felt that something was amiss!
After the messenger left, Zhen'er hurriedly spoke up: "Your Majesty, if Consort De is indeed pregnant, you should still go over there. Otherwise, this matter will become a source of much gossip in the future."

“No rush.” Shen Qingwan picked up the teacup beside her and took a sip. “Food cools down quickly in winter. It’s not too late to go after everyone has eaten. It won’t make a difference if we wait a little longer.”

“Your Majesty,” Zhen’er said with a worried expression, “we are not hungry. If our meal delays Your Majesty’s business, then we will be the ones who deserve to die.”

"Just eat without worry. I'll hold up the sky for you if it falls. What are you afraid of?" Shen Qingwan took another sip of osmanthus tea. "Go and eat."

Zhen'er retreated with a troubled expression.

Shen Qingwan hadn't finished her cup of tea when Su Tianhe, his mouth greasy, strode in, wiping it as he did so.

"Your Majesty, I've finished eating." Su Tianhe said, wiping his lips with his sleeve. "It's raining heavily outside, so Your Majesty shouldn't walk over. I'll have someone bring the carriage over right away, so Your Majesty can ride there..."

Before Su Tianhe could finish speaking, another message came from Yanxi Palace, saying that it was not serious and there was nothing wrong. The rain was too heavy, so the Empress did not need to go over.

Shen Qingwan pursed her lips slightly but did not speak.

"Your Majesty, it's all my fault, all my fault. I thought I was pregnant. This heavy rain has made you come all this way for nothing." Consort De nestled in Emperor Yuanwu's arms, tears streaming down her face. "Thankfully, Her Majesty the Empress didn't brave the rain to come too, otherwise I would have been truly guilty."

"Consort De is exaggerating. What do you mean by grave sins? The imperial physician just said that you have been very weak lately. What could have happened to make you so listless and unable to eat or drink, that you almost fainted in the palace?"

It would have been better if Emperor Yuanwu hadn't spoken; the moment he finished speaking, Consort De cried even more bitterly.

"These days I've heard that the Eldest Princess is coming back, and I've been helping Her Majesty the Empress with the arrangements for her return to the palace. Although the work is mostly done by the servants, I'm worried that I won't do it well enough, and that I won't please His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress..."

(End of this chapter)