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

Chapter 151 Thinking of Someone
"It's rare to see you so focused. In two days, it will be the anniversary of Consort Li's death..."

Consort Chun was taken aback. "Forgive my ignorance, Your Majesty, but please enlighten me."

Consort Xian hesitated for a moment, then lowered her eyes and said, "Over the years, His Majesty has never been able to let go of Consort Li. What if, on the anniversary of her death, a woman who resembles her appeared by His Majesty's side?"

Consort Chun's eyes lit up, then dimmed again: "But doesn't His Majesty hate it when people mention Consort Li in front of him? Won't this backfire?"

“My sister still doesn’t understand the Emperor enough.” Consort Xian raised an eyebrow and reached out to brush a stray hair from her temple. “The Emperor hates it when others mention Consort Li in front of him, but that doesn’t mean the Emperor can’t. If the Emperor really hates it so much when others mention Consort Li in front of him, then how come Consort Yao, who looks so much like Consort Li, was favored as soon as she entered the palace?”

Consort Chun suddenly realized, and the corners of her lips couldn't be suppressed as she curtsied and said, "This concubine thanks Consort Xian for her guidance. If I can gain the Emperor's favor, I will never forget the kindness of Your Highness in helping me today."

"Now that you know what to do, go and prepare well. Consort Li loves willow-leaf eyebrows, a cloud-like bun, light clothes, and a white shawl."

"Yes." Consort Chun was overjoyed: "I've remembered it all."

Consort Xian stared at her departing figure, lost in thought.

This was the first time she had personally delivered a woman to Emperor Yuanwu's side.

She knew better than anyone that her position in Emperor Yuanwu's harem was no longer what it used to be, and that Emperor Yuanwu was wary of her father.

When she fell seriously ill and her father sent Lan Cui to her side, she didn't understand and even resented it in her heart.

Only now has she understood her father's good intentions.

Even if she is not favored, she still has influence in the harem and can still hold onto power to find a good way out for the Third Prince.

If Consort Lan had not died, and she was pregnant with Emperor Yuanwu's child, she would have been easier to control than Consort Chun, since she had entered the palace from the General's Mansion.

She was so foolish back then, insisting on...

"Why is Your Highness doing this?" Xia Mei couldn't help but ask.

Consort Xian turned around, concealing all the complex emotions in her eyes. "Let's go."

Just as Shen Qingwan picked up her chopsticks for lunch, a eunuch announced her arrival at the door.

"The Emperor has arrived."

emperor?

Why did he come at this hour?

Shen Qingwan frowned slightly and reluctantly put down her chopsticks. Clearly, she was somewhat dissatisfied with Emperor Yuanwu's uninvited arrival.

If it were any other concubine in the palace, she would have been overjoyed.

But at this moment, staring at the plate of dishes she had carefully prepared, she felt a little heartbroken. It wasn't that she couldn't eat these dishes now that Emperor Yuanwu was here, but dining with him would certainly not be as comfortable or enjoyable as dining alone.

"Greetings to Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be well." Shen Qingwan rose and bowed.

Emperor Yuanwu was taken aback: "I remember the Empress saying before that we are husband and wife, and there is no need for so much formality. Why are you performing the ceremony yourself today?"

Shen Qingwan: ...

This... it seems she really did say that before, but Emperor Yuanwu only remembered that she said it, so he didn't bother to inform anyone before coming and just went straight through?

After washing his hands, Emperor Yuanwu sat down next to Shen Qingwan and asked, "Let me see what the Empress has prepared for us today?"

Shen Qingwan took the chopsticks that Zhen'er handed over and put them in Emperor Yuanwu's hands: "These are just some home-style dishes. Should we have the Imperial Kitchen send over some of the dishes that Your Majesty likes?"

Emperor Yuanwu shook his head, picked up a piece of cherry meat and put it in his mouth: "This cherry meat is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sweet and sour. I didn't really like sweet and sour food before, but now, I don't know why, after eating it so many times, I find it quite delicious." Shen Qingwan watched Emperor Yuanwu eat several bites of the plate of cherry meat in a row, feeling utterly hopeless.

She knew this would happen.

He didn't like bitter melon before, so why don't we see him eating bitter melon?

"Next time Your Majesty comes to dine, please have someone let me know in advance so that I can prepare accordingly." Shen Qingwan smiled, but only she knew that she was practically grinding her back teeth to powder.

It's one thing if someone shows up uninvited normally.

She hadn't had a decent meal in days.

He's the emperor, after all. Whatever he wants to eat, even if he wants dragon meat, the imperial kitchen will happily present it to him. Why does he have to come and snatch the cherry meat from her?

"No need." Emperor Yuanwu decisively refused: "If I inform the Empress in advance, she will have the Imperial Kitchen prepare the same things I usually eat. There's no thought behind it. It's better to come directly and eat some things that I don't usually get to eat."

Shen Qingwan: ...

"Your Majesty, please have some stir-fried bok choy with minced garlic to change things up..."

Shen Qingwan placed a piece of green vegetable into Emperor Yuanwu's bowl, paused for a moment, and before she could even put down her chopsticks, she quickly put them back: "Your Majesty is going to the Imperial Study this afternoon, so it's best not to eat this, lest your breath smells of garlic and offend others, which would be quite unseemly."

Emperor Yuanwu turned to look at him, puzzled. "You ate garlic, and now you have a bad taste in your mouth? What kind of taste?"

Shen Qingwan: ...

"Has Your Majesty never eaten this before?" Shen Qingwan asked in surprise.

"Of course I've eaten it." Emperor Yuanwu paused for a moment, "But no one has ever mentioned it to me."

Shen Qingwan: ...

Indeed, no one dared to mention this matter in front of him.

After all, no one dared to say that he had bad breath in front of the emperor.

“Only those who are very close can smell it, Your Majesty need not worry so much,” Shen Qingwan comforted him.

Emperor Yuanwu nodded as if he found something very problematic, and then asked Wu Jixiang behind him, "Did you smell any strange odor in my breath before?"

Wu Jixiang: ...

“Your Majesty, I follow you every day. Moreover, Your Majesty is tall and majestic, much taller than me. How could I possibly have the honor of facing Your Majesty face to face?”

Emperor Yuanwu stopped dwelling on the issue and continued eating.

But as Shen Qingwan watched him eat most of the garlic-flavored lettuce, she couldn't help but think of something else.

If Emperor Yuanwu had eaten garlic for dinner, then when he favored his concubines that night…

She had to admire the patience of the concubines in the harem.

Indeed, not everyone can be a favored concubine.

"By the way, I heard that you appointed Consort Jin and Consort Zhen to assist Consort Shu in managing the six palaces?" Emperor Yuanwu's casual remark brought Shen Qingwan back to reality.

"Yes." Shen Qingwan paused for a moment: "After Consort De became pregnant, Consort Shu took on most of the responsibilities in the palace. The Third Prince is still young, and she also has to take care of him. She can't manage everything by herself. I thought that although Consort Zhen has a low rank, she is still the birth mother of the eldest princess and her status is quite noble. It is reasonable for her to assist in managing the six palaces. Does Your Majesty have any questions?"

(End of this chapter)