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

Chapter 177 Concubine

Shen Qingwan glared at her. "Those two palace maids were just punished for this. Do you want to be punished along with them?"

Zhen'er couldn't help but shudder: "This servant doesn't want to."

She paused, then playfully punched Shen Qingwan's shoulder, saying in a slightly ingratiating tone, "This servant only wants to stay with Your Highness forever."

"Forever?" Shen Qingwan repeated her words. "Don't you want to get married in the future?"

“Your Majesty…” Zhen’er blushed shyly, “How could Your Majesty say such a thing? I am of lowly status. Even if I marry in the future, I can only be a concubine and live my life watching the mood of the principal wife. I still want to serve Your Majesty.”

"With me standing up for you, how could you be a concubine? If you ever find someone you like, just tell me, and I'll ask the Emperor to grant you a marriage. With the Emperor's blessing, no one will dare to look down on you," Shen Qingwan said earnestly.

“But Your Highness, if I get married, what will happen to you? Who will serve you? What if the new servant doesn’t serve you well?” Zhen’er asked with a face full of worry, as if she were getting married tomorrow.

This……

Shen Qingwan paused after hearing what she said, then reached out and flicked her nose. "Silly girl, even if someone else serves you, they won't serve you as attentively as you do. I can't let you waste your life. If you have someone you like, I will definitely stand up for you. You've been with me since you were little... so... so you don't need to worry about your dowry. I guarantee you'll live a life of comfort and ease for the rest of your days."

"Does Your Highness find me annoying and want to send me away?" Zhen'er's nose tingled, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Shen Qingwan: ? ? ?

"Why are you crying all of a sudden?" Shen Qingwan shook her head, both amused and exasperated. "Could it be that you're crying because you're moved?"

"No, I didn't." Zhen'er pouted and wiped away her tears. "Your Highness is just making fun of me on purpose."

"I have not. What I say today, I will definitely keep in the future." Shen Qingwan said softly, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore."

However, Shen Qingwan remembered something else at this moment.

After Consort De lost her child, Emperor Yuanwu only demoted her to the rank of Noble Lady. He did not send her to the Cold Palace or move her to another place. She was raised in the palace as before.

If Emperor Yuanwu still had feelings for her, Shen Qingwan didn't think so; if he didn't, could it be that Emperor Yuanwu had other thoughts?

In the evening, the Imperial Household Department announced that Emperor Yuanwu had chosen Consort Xia.

As expected, the people sent by the Prince's Mansion were different from the palace maids selected for the imperial concubine selection. Regardless of whether Emperor Yuanwu liked them or not, the formalities still had to be followed.

No one seemed to care that Shen Qingwan had punished the palace maids in the Imperial Garden.

Who would remember the Empress punishing two servants? But when she strolled in the Imperial Garden with Emperor Yuanwu, Consort Ruan's attempt to vie for the Emperor's favor became the laughing stock of the entire harem.

After dinner, Consort Xian visited the Third Prince and, just as she entered the gates of Jingyang Palace, she saw Consort Ruan sitting in the courtyard. "Oh, isn't this Consort Ruan?" Consort Xian quickened her pace and walked to Consort Ruan's side. "Why do your eyes look so red, sister? Did you suffer some grievance outside today?"

Ruan Changzai didn't want to pay attention to her, but since Consort Xian was the head of Jingyang Palace, she didn't dare to offend her. She could only bite the bullet and get up to greet her, "This concubine greets Consort Xian. May Consort Xian be well. If Consort Xian has nothing else to say, this concubine is a little tired and will go back to rest first."

"Sister, don't go. You haven't told me what I asked you. If someone has wronged you, tell me. You are a member of my palace. If you have been wronged outside, I should stand up for you."

Ruan Changzai raised her eyes and glanced at Consort Xian. She knew in her heart that Consort Xian was just laughing at her and would never genuinely help her.

"Your Highness Consort Xian, I have not been wronged. I am fine, but I am a little tired. I would like to go back and rest." Consort Ruan curtsied again.

Even though she had already humbled herself so much, Consort Xian still didn't let her off the hook. Instead, she became even more sarcastic and went even further, saying, "That's right, if you suffer a grievance, you can still talk about it, but if the Emperor dislikes you, then that's really a bit tragic."

When Ruan Chang was in a daze, she looked up at Consort Xian and saw Consort Xian's smug face.

Ruan Changzai's fingertips trembled, and her already pale face turned even paler. She hadn't wanted to make enemies with Consort Xian, but Consort Xian's repeated provocations had finally made her lose her composure.

She spoke again, her previous humility gone, replaced by a slightly higher tone. "Your Highness Consort Xian, I did go to the Imperial Garden today and saw His Majesty. He didn't have time to pay me any attention because he was taking a walk with the Empress. Although I was disappointed, I didn't feel a single complaint. The Empress and His Majesty are a perfect match, inseparable. As a concubine, I shouldn't have disturbed them. Since I was impetuous, it wouldn't hurt for His Majesty to reprimand me. But the Empress is magnanimous and didn't take it to heart. After all, she's the principal wife; she doesn't need to compete with us concubines. Your Highness Consort Xian, don't you agree?"

Ruan Changzai deliberately emphasized the word "we".

She simply couldn't understand what was so great about a disgraced concubine who flaunted her power every day.
Could it be that just because Emperor Yuanwu favored her more often in the past, she was more noble than others?
"What did you say?" Consort Xian's eyes flashed with anger as she asked through gritted teeth, enunciating each word clearly.

"I didn't say anything. I just realized my place and knew that as a concubine, I must be obedient and behave myself..."

Before Consort Ruan could finish speaking, Consort Xian raised her hand and slapped her across the face.

"presumptuous!"

Ruan Changzai covered her burning cheek with one hand, her eyes red and swollen, staring intently at Consort Xian. "Why did you hit me?"

Consort Xian sneered, "Just because I'm a Consort and you're just a lowly concubine, does that mean I can hit you whenever I want?"

Ruan Changzai slowly straightened up, taking her hand off her face. She couldn't suppress the sneer on her lips. "Is Consort Xian unhappy because she heard that the Emperor was accompanying the Empress to stroll in the Imperial Garden? There's no need to take it out on me. Even if you beat me to death today, the Emperor won't come to Jingyang Palace tonight, let alone choose Consort Xian."

Consort Xian's lips twitched with anger. Just as she raised her hand to slap Consort Ruan again, Xia Mei stopped her, saying, "Your Majesty, please don't be angry. It's not worth ruining your health."

"Hehe." Consort Ruan shook her head with a chuckle. "His Majesty is quite fond of the Empress now. He consults the Empress on everything. Consort Xian, you're beating me like a madwoman here, as if you don't want to know what His Majesty and the Empress talked about when they strolled through the Imperial Garden today..."

(End of this chapter)