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

Chapter 117 Grievance
Even as he walked out of the gates of Kunning Palace, Chen Gui felt like he was in a dream.

What's wrong with Her Majesty the Empress today?
Has your personality suddenly changed?

Seeing the list of names of those who would serve the emperor, she not only didn't blame him, but also taught him many techniques on how to present green nameplates to please the emperor.

What's wrong with the Empress?
Didn't he used to hate other concubines serving him in bed the most?
Which concubine do you hate more for being pregnant with the emperor's child?

He would either spend his days sending contraceptive soup to one of the concubines he had served in the emperor's bedchamber, or he would go to the palace of another concubine he had served in the emperor's bedchamber and cause trouble.

How could she possibly allow the Emperor to favor other concubines now?

Moreover, it seems that the concubines he just mentioned were not introduced into the palace by her.

Since they aren't her people, why should she help them?

Does the Empress really intend to be a virtuous empress?

Impossible, absolutely impossible.

After Chen Gui left, Zhen'er poured Shen Qingwan another cup of tea.

"Your Majesty, how can you still be in the mood for tea? I know that some things I say will displease you, but Your Majesty, it's one thing if you don't compete for the Emperor's favor yourself, but why are you sending other concubines to the Emperor's side? Aren't you worried at all?" Zhen'er couldn't help but complain to herself.

Shen Qingwan didn't respond to her words, but simply took the teacup from her hands and took a small sip of the tea, which was about 80% hot.

Seeing her calm and composed demeanor, Zhen'er became even more anxious: "Your Majesty, if the concubines in the harem give birth to princes and princesses one after another, what will become of your future?"

Shen Qingwan slowly placed the teacup in her hand on the table, raised her eyes and looked at Zhen'er: "Then can I just sit back and reap the benefits from this?"

"Huh?" Zhen'er was completely confused and couldn't understand what Shen Qingwan meant at all.

"Whether it's people or things, scarcity increases value. The princes in the harem are precious now because there are only a few children in the harem. If there were ten or eight princes in the harem in the future, would the princes really be so precious?"

I'm afraid that if they were to start a fight, they wouldn't even know who to attack first.

Besides, at Emperor Yuanwu's age, whether it's a young prince or an older one, there's a possibility that he could succeed to the throne in the future.

The more princes she has, the more comfortable her days of lying down will be.

Having more favored concubines in the harem would disperse the power among the various palaces, which is better than having only one concubine who holds absolute power now.

"What Your Highness says does make some sense," Zhen'er nodded, seemingly understanding.

Shen Qingwan: ...

What do you mean by "a bit of reason"? What she said was clearly the truth.

never mind!

Shen Qingwan picked up the teacup and took a big gulp of tea.

As evening approached, word came from the Imperial Household Department that Emperor Yuanwu had chosen Consort Rong.

When Shen Qingwan heard about this, she felt it was within her expectations.

Unexpectedly, Wu Jixiang also came to deliver a message, saying that Emperor Yuanwu would be having dinner at Kunning Palace in the evening.

Shen Qingwan frowned: This emperor...

Since we've already chosen Consort Rong, why not dine in her palace and then rest afterward?

Don't you find it tiring?

Now that the message had been delivered, Shen Qingwan still needed to make preparations in advance.

Most of the food was delivered from the imperial kitchen, and Shen Qingwan had the small kitchen prepare a few vegetarian dishes.

Because of the cold weather, the imperial kitchen prepared mostly stews with soup to prevent the food from getting cold and causing stomach upset. Eating these dishes every day inevitably made them a bit greasy.

With nothing to do in the afternoon, Shen Qingwan began to study how to carve decorations on dishes. Originally, it was just to pass the time, so she carved some carrots, radishes, and other things to decorate the dishes and make people feel more pleasant while eating.

But lately, whenever she eats frozen pears, she feels it's unrefined to hold such a big frozen pear and bite into it, so she's started researching how to carve a flower on the frozen pear.

After a busy afternoon, sacrificing several frozen pears, I finally carved half a frozen pear into a blooming peony? Or perhaps a rose?

Anyway, it looks like it has flower petals.

Shen Qingwan, believing that those who do great things don't concern themselves with trifles, placed the carved flower into a teacup.

Just as she was about to try carving another one, Emperor Yuanwu happened to arrive.

"What is the Empress doing?" Emperor Yuanwu asked in surprise, wiping his hands while staring at the frozen pears on the table.

"I had some free time this afternoon, so I carved a flower out of a frozen pear. Would Your Majesty like to try some?"

Emperor Yuanwu raised an eyebrow and glanced at Shen Qingwan: "Has the Empress forgotten something?"

What did you forget?
Shen Qingwan was surprised and thought for a long time but couldn't remember what Emperor Yuanwu had forgotten.
"Your Majesty, why don't you elaborate?"

"The Empress no longer needs to bow to me?" Emperor Yuanwu casually tossed a used handkerchief into Wu Jixiang's hand.

Shen Qingwan listened to his words with a mixture of helplessness and amusement: "In this harem, you are the emperor and I am the empress. If you have to bow after every bite when you come to Kunning Palace for a meal, wouldn't that create distance between the emperor and empress?"

Although this was just an excuse that Shen Qingwan made up on the spot, she felt that what she said was not entirely unreasonable.

The emperor and empress are husband and wife; why should they be so formal with each other?

Although they don't seem to be a real couple.

But that's how it appears to outsiders.

Emperor Yuanwu smiled, amused by Shen Qingwan's words: "Isn't the Empress's statement a bit of a sophistry?"

"Then, Your Majesty, could you be reasonable and forgive my unreasonable argument? Considering that even the frozen pears have been carved into flowers, could you allow me to be so unreasonable this once?"

Emperor Yuanwu was taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter: "Then it is perfectly reasonable for me to eat this frozen pear carved into a flower shape."

Shen Qingwan, knowing when to stop, sat down opposite Emperor Yuanwu: "Your Majesty, is it delicious?"

"I've eaten so many frozen pears that I'm tired of them, but a frozen pear is still a frozen pear, and it doesn't taste fresh at all."

Shen Qingwan: ...

This is a classic case of getting a good deal and then complaining.

Food couldn't shut him up.

"After the Lantern Festival, Mo Ganxie's eldest son, Mo Gan Junyi, will enter the palace as a hostage. The Empress needs to make preparations in advance."

Shen Qingwan paused, holding her chopsticks, never expecting that this matter would actually come to fruition.

The problem is that a hostage has entered the palace. How should we arrange things? There has never been such a thing before.

After all, it concerns the safety of both countries, so it cannot be taken lightly.

"Currently, only the eldest prince lives in the prince's quarters. Why not arrange for the hostage to be placed there?"

Arranged to be in the Prince's residence?

Shen Qingwan frowned, feeling that this suggestion was not very good.

“The Prince’s Residence is originally a place for princes in the palace to live. The First Prince has lived there since he was a child. If we let a hostage move in now, it will probably cause controversy. Although the First Prince is only seven years old, he has his own ideas. Although Mogan Junyi is also a prince, he is, after all, a front for the Northern Desert. Moreover, his identity is special. If the two of them live together, it might cause the First Prince to have other ideas. How can Your Majesty let an outsider wrong your child?”

(End of this chapter)