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

Chapter 139 Disloyalty, Injustice, and Filial Piety
Shen Qingwan paused for a moment: "It's not like we're asking to marry the Emperor's own son. The entire country is the Emperor's subjects. Since they are the Emperor's subjects, then naturally everyone can be a prince or princess. Just like when we asked Mo Ganxie to send his beloved son as a hostage, it was up to him to decide which one he wanted."

Emperor Yuanwu paused for a moment, then his expression brightened. In high spirits, he picked up a piece of bitter melon and put it in his mouth. The bitter melon tasted sweet instead. "The Empress's words are meant to teach me to give her a taste of her own medicine."

“Your Majesty cherishes your people, which is the way of a ruler.” Shen Qingwan then helped Emperor Yuanwu put a bitter melon in his bowl. “Although bitter melon is bitter, it can clear heat and detoxify. Although it is so bitter that it is hard to swallow, it can strengthen the spleen and improve appetite. It has the virtue and merit of a gentleman and is also known as the gentleman’s vegetable.”

From the main hall of Kunning Palace, Emperor Yuanwu's hearty laughter could be heard.

Liu Ruyan, who had just picked up a piece of green vegetable, suddenly paused heavily.

Isn't it always said that the Emperor doesn't like my cousin?

Why send all the palace servants out just for dinner? My cousin has always been the most doting on the servants of Kunning Palace, even when they are on night duty, they stay indoors. How can she bear to leave them standing outside in the freezing cold? Aren't you afraid they will get cold?
What makes her inferior to her cousin? Why is it that she can win the emperor's favor and enter the palace as the queen? All she wanted was to be with the one she loved, but she was sent to the Three Saints Nunnery to live a life of solitude and Buddhist solitude.

This is not fair!

This is not fair at all!
Liu Ruyan angrily slammed down her chopsticks.

"In the Empress's opinion, which princess is the most suitable for a marriage alliance?" Emperor Yuanwu had just lost his appetite because he was feeling down. He had only taken a small bite of the bird's nest that Consort De had sent. His lack of appetite was due to his emotional distress. Now, however, his appetite had increased considerably.

However, the food in the Empress's palace was indeed more to his liking than that in the Imperial Kitchen and other palaces.

It wasn't just that it suited his taste; there was an even more important reason. When he dined in the palaces of other concubines, all they thought about was how to make a move on him after the meal. But the Empress simply enjoyed her meal, focusing all her attention on the dishes on the table. The atmosphere was different, making the meal more relaxed. Emperor Yuanwu was increasingly enjoying dining in Kunning Palace.

"Why is Your Majesty asking for my opinion? Such a matter as a princess's marriage should be discussed with the court officials or princes. You always tell me that if word gets out, I'll be accused of interfering in politics, which I can't afford to do, and it will also implicate my maternal family," Shen Qingwan said quietly.

Emperor Yuanwu paused for a moment upon hearing her words, then burst into laughter. "If anyone is to be blamed, it is my fault. I am the one who came to discuss this with the Empress."

“The Emperor is the Son of Heaven, how could the Son of Heaven be wrong?” Shen Qingwan said sullenly.

Emperor Yuanwu glanced at her indifferently: "Empress, please speak freely. You and I are husband and wife, unlike others."

Every concubine in the harem harbored ulterior motives. Emperor Yuanwu used the power of their maternal families to consolidate his throne, and they, in turn, used his favor to try to gain a higher position in the harem, even coveting the empress's position.

Shen Qingwan is different. No one in her maternal family holds an official position in the court, and she is already the Empress. As for... favor?
She didn't seem to care much.

Emperor Yuanwu felt that, in the vast harem, only with Shen Qingwan could he find a place to breathe.

"Your Majesty, could you please promise me that what you have said to me will be kept between us and not to be known by any third party? I only wish to live a peaceful life in the harem. As the Empress, I will naturally manage everything in the harem for Your Majesty, so that Your Majesty can focus on state affairs without any worries. I also ask Your Majesty not to let others know about our... gossip between husband and wife, lest it become a handle for impeaching me in the future."

Shen Qingwan's expression was extremely serious, a look that Emperor Yuanwu had never seen before.

He looked at Shen Qingwan with a complex expression, but his gaze was unwavering: "Of course."

Shen Qingwan knew that Emperor Yuanwu had made the decision regarding the hostage, after listening to her advice, and now he was asking for her opinion on the marriage alliance.

Although both of these matters concern the previous dynasty, whether it's a hostage or a princess, they are both related to the harem. It's understandable for her to chime in, but as for anything else... Shen Qingwan really didn't want to get involved in the affairs of the previous dynasty.

However, judging from what Emperor Yuanwu said today, it seems that the emperor will soon take action against the General's Mansion and the Pang family.

Shen Qingwan didn't know whether the Rong family would become the second Pang family.

Regardless of who Emperor Yuanwu weakened or supported, it was merely a means to balance the previous dynasty.

"As for the selection of the princess, Your Majesty can simply find a woman of suitable age and outstanding appearance among the imperial relatives."

"Outstanding appearance?" Emperor Yuanwu asked in surprise, "Why?"

"Mo Ganxie's harem is huge. Mo Gan Junyi is fourteen years old this year, not the eldest son. There are quite a few concubines in the harem. I heard that the concubine who just entered the palace is also pregnant. She must be a lustful person."

Shen Qingwan's few words, spoken casually, caused Emperor Yuanwu to cough violently.

cough cough...

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Shen Qingwan stood up and handed a cup of tea to Emperor Yuanwu. "Have some water to calm yourself down."

Emperor Yuanwu struggled to stop coughing: "The matter of the imperial heir concerns the affairs of the court and is the foundation of the country. How can he be considered a lecherous person?"

Shen Qingwan: ...

She had just been wondering why Emperor Yuanwu had suddenly started coughing, only to find out that he thought her words were a sarcastic jab at him.

He really is overthinking it...

Shen Qingwan coughed lightly: "No, Your Majesty, that's not what I meant. I just wanted to say that Mo Ganxie was not originally the King of Mobei, but just a prince. A prince with a large number of wives and concubines in his mansion, wouldn't that be a lecherous person?"

Emperor Yuanwu:...

Shen Qingwan's explanation only reinforced Emperor Yuanwu's belief that her harem was indeed lustful!

The atmosphere became noticeably awkward.

"Your Majesty, there is something I have been thinking about these past few days and would like to discuss with you at a suitable time. I would like to go to the Imperial Palace after the snow stops to visit the concubines living there and see if there is any shortage there. This year is different from previous years. In the spring, Consort Rou gave birth to a child and will be busy for a while. In addition, Consort De is also pregnant. In mid-June, the Empress Dowager will go to the Imperial Palace to escape the summer heat, so she will not have time to take care of things. It would be better to take advantage of this time when there are no major events in the palace and go to see if there is anything that needs to be repaired or added, so that we can prepare in advance."

After the late emperor passed away, although the Dowager Consort was not a very important person, if she was simply left in the temporary palace and ignored, people might criticize her in the future, saying that the emperor was an unfaithful, unjust, and unfilial person.

(End of this chapter)