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

Chapter 168 Chrysanthemum
Unexpectedly, because she was so cold, her hand trembled, and the scalding water splashed directly onto Emperor Yuanwu's sleeve.

Lady Shen was so frightened that she shuddered, her hands trembled, and the teacup she was holding, which was already unsteady, fell to the ground.

The teacup struck the ground, producing a crisp sound that seemed particularly out of place in the already somewhat messy palace.

Consort Shen turned pale with fright and knelt down on the ground. However, she knelt too hastily and her knees landed on the broken porcelain shards, causing bright red blood to instantly spread.

"what……"

Consort Shen cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground, clutching her injured knee, and bursting into tears.

Emperor Yuanwu:...

For a moment, he really couldn't tell whether Consort Shen was ignorant of the rules or just too stupid.

He found her amusing and completely lost any desire to have sex with her.

"Consort Shen has injured her leg. Summon an imperial physician to take a look. Since Consort Shen is unwell, I will return now." Emperor Yuanwu said, already standing up.

Is the Emperor leaving?

Consort Shen's sobs faltered.

This was her first time serving the emperor in the palace. Why did Emperor Yuanwu come to her palace, sit for a while, and then leave? Was he not going to stay overnight?

"emperor……"

Consort Shen was stunned for a moment, but Emperor Yuanwu had already stepped out of the gate of Consort Shen's palace.

"Your Majesty, I am fine. I can serve you in bed."

Emperor Yuanwu stopped abruptly upon hearing the voice behind him.

"Which head maid taught Consort Shen manners? She will be fined half a year's salary and given thirty strokes of the cane."

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Wu Jixiang replied.

No wonder the Emperor, despite having chosen Consort Shen, wanted to leave as soon as he entered the room.

It's one thing to do things a little silly.

It is extremely improper for a concubine to say such shameless things in front of so many palace maids and eunuchs.

But Consort Shen was completely unaware that there was anything wrong with what she said.

She simply assumed that Emperor Yuanwu left early because of her knee injury.

Undeterred, she tried to chase after him, but the pain in her knee prevented her from getting up. Instead, as she fell, her palm hit the ground first, and a bloody gash was cut into her palm by a shard of porcelain.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor has already left. Let me help you up." Xiao Hua stepped forward and took her arm.

Consort Shen angrily punched herself twice, but the wound was too painful, so she could only let the maid help her to the bed.

She stared blankly in the direction Emperor Yuanwu had left. "Xiaohua, do you think His Majesty will come back tomorrow?"

"Your Majesty, it is inconvenient for you to serve the Emperor with your injuries. You should heal your injuries first, and then you can serve him properly," Xiao Hua comforted her.

Get well soon...

Consort Shen glanced down at her palm. After leaving Consort Shen's palace, Emperor Yuanwu intended to return to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to rest. Just as he reached the entrance of Changchun Palace, his gaze fell upon the main hall of Changchun Palace, which was still lit up.

Consort Zhen lived in the main hall of Changchun Palace.

Emperor Yuanwu seemed to have forgotten when he last visited Consort Zhen's palace.

Under the candlelight, Consort Zhen and her daughter Jiang Wanying sat in the center of the main hall, looking at what Consort Zhen was holding, as if she was teaching Jiang Wanying embroidery.

Emperor Yuanwu stared at the mother and daughter for a while before walking towards the main hall of Changchun Palace.

"The emperor..."

Wu Jixiang moved his lips, about to make a report, but was stopped by Emperor Yuanwu raising his hand.

“Wan Ying, you’ve embroidered this part incorrectly. This chrysanthemum should be embroidered with yellow thread. Why did you choose green? When have you ever seen any green flowers in the palace?” Consort Zhen said softly.

“Mother, the chrysanthemums in the palace really are green. Last autumn, I saw the servants in the flower room holding two pots of green chrysanthemums. Although the chrysanthemums were green, they were a different color from the leaves. It was a refreshing light green. I really liked those chrysanthemums and wanted to ask the servants in the flower room for one to play with, but they said that those chrysanthemums were a new variety that had been cultivated with great difficulty and that I couldn’t play with them. They had to be sent to Consort Xian in Jingyang Palace…” Jiang Wanying said, her eyes lowered in disappointment.

Consort Zhen's smile froze for a moment. She gently patted Jiang Wanying's head with some tenderness, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Even though she was no longer favored in the harem, Jiang Wanying was still Emperor Yuanwu's eldest princess.

Even if this green chrysanthemum is precious, it is still just a flower.

It's unbelievable that the servants in the flower shop would bully people like this.

Jiang Wanying grew up in the palace from a young age, and through her experiences, she knew how difficult it was for her mother to be out of favor.

Even if she suffered grievances from the servants in the flower room, she never mentioned it to Consort Zhen.

She figured that since the servants in the flower shop weren't willing to let her play with the green chrysanthemums, she could just embroider one herself and keep it for admiring; that would be just as good.

Sensitive from a young age, she naturally noticed her mother's unusual behavior. She hurriedly said, "Mother, I've thought about it and I still think the yellow chrysanthemums look better. I'll take it apart and embroider it again."

Such sensible words brought tears to Consort Zhen's eyes. She moved her lips, but before she could speak, Emperor Yuanwu's voice came from outside the door.

"Who says only yellow chrysanthemums are beautiful? I actually think purple chrysanthemums have a unique charm, a subtle purple that blends with a warm, harmonious yellow..."

Consort Zhen was startled and looked up towards the door. She stared at Emperor Yuanwu for a while, as if trying to identify something, before she suddenly came to her senses.

She rose from the stool and bowed, her expression a mixture of surprise and panic. "Your Majesty, I pay my respects. Long live the Emperor!"

Consort Zhen bowed, and Jiang Wanying hurriedly stood up and bowed as well: "Your daughter greets Father Emperor, may Father Emperor be blessed."

"Get up." Emperor Yuanwu took two steps toward them, sat down at the table, picked up the handkerchief embroidered by Jiang Wanying, and examined it carefully. "I think this green chrysanthemum is so lifelike, it would be a pity to remove it. Wanying, why don't you embroider a yellow one and a purple one next to this green chrysanthemum, and compare the three colors together? Which color chrysanthemum looks better?"

Jiang Wanying nodded obediently, "What Father Emperor said makes a lot of sense. I'll go embroider now."

"It's getting late, that's all for today. Wanying, go and rest early. I still have something to say to your mother." Emperor Yuanwu paused, then turned to Wu Jixiang and said, "Tomorrow, go to the flower room and have them bring over two pots of chrysanthemums of all colors from the palace. The princess needs to learn embroidery, but how can she embroider without a reference?"

Wu Jixiang paused, then replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Jiang Wanying bowed and then withdrew.

Consort Zhen felt somewhat uneasy and served Emperor Yuanwu a cup of tea. "Your Majesty, I wonder if there's something you need to do so late?"

(End of this chapter)