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

Chapter 173: Upset
Consort Rong glanced awkwardly at Shen Qingwan, "This concubine has been disrespectful in front of Her Majesty the Empress."

"Has your period come this month, little sister?" Consort Zhen asked immediately.

That's too sensitive. If your spleen and stomach are upset and your period hasn't come, then it's highly likely you're pregnant.

Consort Rong hadn't thought about it before; she simply felt unwell.

But when Consort Zhen asked her that question, she suddenly remembered something, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her eyes in embarrassment.

The maid standing behind Consort Rong hurriedly said, "Our Consort's period is seven days late."

Nausea and vomiting may indicate physical discomfort, but if nausea and vomiting are accompanied by a missed period, it is very likely that you are pregnant.

The crowd exchanged glances, each lost in their own thoughts; their expressions were more fascinating than those of a theatrical troupe.

Shen Qingwan glanced at it and sent someone to fetch the imperial physician.

The imperial physician summoned from Kunning Palace, Physician Zhang, arrived without hesitation, carrying his medicine chest. After taking her pulse, he said, "Congratulations, Consort Rong! Your Majesty the Empress, Consort Rong is pregnant."

It's really good news!
Just a few days ago, she was wondering why Consort Rong, who had received so much favor, hadn't made any moves yet, but she never expected that she would have one so soon.

Shen Qingwan got up and walked to Consort Rong's side. "Now that Consort Rong is pregnant, we will have to trouble Imperial Physician Zhang with the matter of protecting the pregnancy."

Rather than having the Empress Dowager or the Emperor appoint another imperial physician for Consort Rong later, it would be better to settle this matter now.

"Your Majesty, you flatter me. This is all I should do," Physician Zhang bowed. "I will certainly do my best for Your Highness."

Consort Rong thanked him repeatedly, her eyes welling up with tears of joy.

"Congratulations, Consort Rong!" Consort Zhen led the way in offering her congratulations, and the other concubines followed suit.

Only Consort Xian, standing on the outermost circle, had a grim expression.

Even Consort Zhen, who rarely sees Emperor Yuanwu, spent the night with him yesterday.

The Emperor values ​​the Rong family so much; if Consort Rong were to give birth to a boy this time, wouldn't the Rong family become the biggest threat to the Pang family?

After so many years of war on the frontier, and so many years of her father guarding the frontier, it was only with great difficulty that the frontier was stabilized.

With just a casual remark from the Emperor, Rong Yuze was replaced.

The tree that the Pang family planted ultimately provided shade for the Rong family; how could she not be angry?

Even though the Emperor treated her much worse than before, she was still the head of the palace and he wouldn't allow a mere concubine like her to ride on her head.

However, it seems that Consort Rong's reign as a noblewoman will not last long.

As Shen Qingwan sat back down in her seat, she glanced at Consort Xian out of the corner of her eye.

Just as she expected.

After seeing everyone off, Shen Qingwan called Zhen'er and Su Tianhe into the hall.

"Consort Rong's pregnancy came suddenly, and I am always uneasy. Now that many new people have entered the palace, I am afraid that some of them may have made the wrong decisions or done something wrong. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager value the imperial lineage, so please take good care of this pregnancy and make sure nothing goes wrong."

Shen Qingwan's unusually serious expression made Su Tianhe and Zhen'er inexplicably nervous.

“However, this newcomer has no grudge against Consort Rong, so it’s unlikely that she would take such a big risk for a child who hasn’t even been born yet.” Zhen’er said solemnly. “But when Imperial Physician Zhang diagnosed Consort Rong as pregnant, Consort Xian stood at the farthest point, her eyes like those of a black-eyed chicken, as if she wanted to eat her alive. It was quite unsettling to see her like that.”

Shen Qingwan naturally saw this scene as well. Regardless of what happened in the previous dynasty, since the emperor had no intention of touching Consort Xian for the time being, she was not going to cause trouble for herself. "If you say such things in front of me, I will pretend I didn't hear them. But if others hear them, I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you."

Zhen'er turned pale with fright, "This servant knows she was wrong."

"How's Xiao Cui doing lately? Has she done anything?" Shen Qingwan asked, glancing into the courtyard.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I have been keeping a close eye on Xiao Cui. If she dares to do anything disloyal in Kunning Palace, I will certainly not let her off the hook," Su Tianhe replied.

"Your Majesty, since you know that Xiao Cui is Consort Xian's person, why keep her in the palace? Why not just find an excuse to send her away and let her serve somewhere else, so that you don't have to watch her under your nose every day and get annoyed?" Zhen'er said, puzzled.

Send her away?

No matter what excuse is used to send her away, it's tantamount to telling Consort Xian that she already knows about Xiao Cui being bribed by her.

Rather than alerting her, it's better to keep the enemy in the open while she remains hidden, and play along with her.

Maybe one day...

This little Cui will become a powerful tool to bring down Consort Xian.

"I have a use for her, so keep a close eye on her."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Su Tianhe and Zhen'er replied in unison.

Shen Qingwan paused for a moment, then continued, "There's one more thing..."

She only got halfway through her sentence when a eunuch rushed in from outside Kunning Palace. "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! Consort De has miscarried! Would you like to go and see her?"

Did Consort De miscarry?
Shen Qingwan sighed inwardly. She knew all along that Consort De's pregnancy was doomed, but she never expected it to end so quickly.

The loss of a child in the palace is a major event, and as the Empress, she must go and see for herself.

"How is Consort De?"

"Your Majesty, ever since Consort De was frightened on the anniversary of Consort Li's death, she has been acting erratically, constantly muttering about ghosts coming to claim her life. At first, we were curious, but as time went on and we heard it so often, no one paid any attention to what she said anymore. Besides, the Emperor no longer visits Consort De, so who would care what an unfavored concubine says..."

Su Tianhe's words are true.

Now that Consort De has successfully given birth, I'm afraid the Emperor will entrust the child to someone else to raise.

With so many concubines in the harem, Emperor Yuanwu wouldn't care if one more or one less came up with them.

However, it doesn't matter which concubine in the palace gave birth to the child, or the mother's status. As long as the child is his, as long as he likes and values ​​him, he can find him a high-status adoptive mother to change his fate.

Thinking of this, Shen Qingwan couldn't help but think of Consort Xian's third prince.

Could it be that the Emperor and Consort Xian had already developed a rift from that time onward?
If Emperor Yuanwu does not agree, then I'm afraid no one will be able to take the Third Prince away from Consort Xian.

Moreover, she always felt that someone like Emperor Yuanwu, who could overcome all obstacles and carve out a bloody path from among the many princes to stand on that supreme throne, must not be as simple as he seemed.

Now that the Third Prince is being raised by Consort Shu, even if Emperor Yuanwu were to harbor murderous intentions towards the General's Mansion or Consort Xian in the future, it would not affect the Third Prince.

That was a brilliant move.

She felt as if her decision to find a suitable foster mother for the Third Prince had been a trap set by Emperor Yuanwu...

(End of this chapter)