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

Chapter 223 Adoption
Emperor Yuanwu stared at her blankly without speaking, but his eyes twitched when he heard the name Consort Li.

"I heard that Prince Yao has found a woman who looks very similar to Consort Li. When the Emperor favors Consort Yao, does he like her, or does he just see her as a substitute for Consort Li? Can my brother really let go of Consort Li completely?"

Prince Rui seemed to be rambling incoherently while drunk, yet every word was piercing to the heart. Emperor Yuanwu's temples throbbed twice as he listened, and his brows furrowed deeply. "How did things get so complicated that you brought me into this conversation about your affairs? Prince Rui, don't be sad. The dead cannot be brought back to life. If you ever encounter a woman you truly desire, just tell me. Whether she is a noblewoman from the capital or a girl from an ordinary family, as long as I am in charge, I assure you that no one will dare to say anything against her."

Prince Rui shook his head with a half-smile, "Thank you for your kind offer, Your Majesty."

"I see that Prince Rui has really had too much to drink. That's enough for today. I'm tired too." Emperor Yuanwu stood up unsteadily. "Help me to the Empress's place to rest."

Queen?

When Wu Jixiang heard the word "Empress," he was taken aback. He thought Emperor Yuanwu had made a mistake. After waiting for a while, Emperor Yuanwu did not seem to have any intention of changing his words, so he reached out and supported Emperor Yuanwu's arm.

"Your Majesty, the Empress usually goes to bed early, so she should be asleep by now. When I went to get the wine just now, I saw that the lights in Qixiang Palace were still on. Would Your Majesty like to go and rest there since Consort Liang and Noble Lady Yao haven't gone to bed yet?"

Emperor Yuanwu seemed a little drunk. He raised a hand and waved it in front of his eyes. "No, let's go to the Empress's place. I haven't had breakfast at Kunning Palace in a long time. I can have breakfast there tomorrow morning."

Wu Jixiang pursed his lips deeply, then looked up at Prince Rui and said, "Your Majesty, please be careful."

Prince Rui slumped over the table, his hand holding the wine glass hanging limply at the edge, muttering, "Drink, brother, keep drinking..."

It seems... she's already asleep.

"What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and help Prince Rui to the side hall to rest. If Prince Rui gets cold, you'll be in for a beating."

As Wu Jixiang helped Emperor Yuanwu walk out of the palace, he glared at several eunuchs standing by the wall and muttered under his breath.

"Jixiang, why are you angry with them?" Emperor Yuanwu said, turning his head as he stepped out of the main hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. "If they were all as clever as you, how could they all be just little eunuchs?"

Wu Jixiang was taken aback. “Your Majesty is right to reprimand me. It’s just that this servant is afraid. This servant accompanied Your Majesty to Kunning Palace. Those few clueless servants really stood there guarding Prince Rui all night.”

Emperor Yuanwu couldn't help but laugh out loud, "To me, it sounds like you're worried about your subordinates, not that you're really concerned for Prince Rui, afraid he'll catch a cold sleeping on the table in the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

"The servant dare not."

Wu Jixiang bent down to support Emperor Yuanwu's arm, glancing at the emperor's face out of the corner of his eye. Seeing that the emperor was full of energy and had a rosy complexion, showing no signs of drunkenness, he seemed to understand something.

"Your Majesty has had too much to drink tonight. Why don't you wait here for a moment? I'll have someone bring a sedan chair over. It's getting dark, and it will take a while to walk all the way to Kunning Palace."

"Never mind." Emperor Yuanwu waved his hand. "Just like you said, the Empress is probably going to sleep by now. If I go over there now, she'll probably have to get up and busy for a while, and then it will be dawn."

After Emperor Yuanwu finished speaking, he pointed in the direction of Zhongcui Palace, "I see that the lights in Zhongcui Palace are still on. I also miss the Fourth Prince a bit. I'll go to Zhongcui Palace to rest tonight." The next morning.

Before Shen Qingwan even got out of bed, the concubines from all the palaces had already gathered at the entrance of Kunning Palace.

Today is quite lively; even Consort Xian, whose leg injury has not yet healed, has come.

Zhen'er came out from the side door of the main hall. "Your Highnesses, Her Majesty the Empress has not yet washed up. It is chilly outside. Please come to the main hall to wait. I have prepared the finest osmanthus tea for you."

“Aunt Zhen’er, you’re so kind. The sky is clear and cloudless today, and the sun is shining warmly. If we stand here and talk for a while, please tell Her Majesty the Empress that there’s no rush,” Consort Shen said.

Zhen'er curtsied and returned to her palace to help Shen Qingwan wash up.

The concubines who had arrived gathered in small groups and started chatting.

Ruan Changzai nudged Tong Changzai's arm and spoke first, "Have you all heard? Last night, Her Majesty the Empress brought dishes she had personally prepared to the Princes' quarters and had dinner with the First Prince. Tell me, why does Her Majesty the Empress like that First Prince so much? This doesn't seem to be the first time, does it?"

Brother?

A strange glint flashed in Consort Tong's eyes. Last night, the Empress was in such a hurry to send her away because she was going to the Prince's quarters to see the First Prince.

Could it be that the Empress didn't want to help her, or that something really had happened?

After Ruan Changzai finished speaking, seeing that Tong Changzai was lost in thought and seemed not to have heard what she said, she nudged her with her elbow again, "What are you thinking about? Did you hear what I said?"

Tong Changzai suddenly came to her senses. She subtly pulled her hand out of Ruan Changzai's arms and casually adjusted the hairpin in her hair as if she were tidying her hair. "I heard you, I heard you."

Yesterday, she had spoken so frankly to the Empress. If the Empress were to see her hugging and holding hands so intimately with Consort Ruan, she couldn't let the Empress think that she was a two-faced person and that her words were insincere.

"Tong Changzai, something's wrong with you today?" Ruan Changzai looked at her curiously, then turned to Dong Changzai, who was standing on the other side, and said, "Have you noticed that Tong Changzai is acting particularly strange today?"

"What's wrong with that?" Tong Changzai gave an awkward laugh, as if deliberately trying to hide something, and glanced around furtively.

“Look, look…” Ruan Changzai pointed at her, “You still say you didn’t? You won’t even look at me. What were you doing yesterday? Did you do something you felt guilty about?”

Tong Changzai reached out and slapped her hand away, still not daring to look directly at the two people in front of her. "No, I was just thinking that even if Her Majesty the Empress really wanted to adopt the First Prince, it's not something we, Changzai, should be concerned about."

"Adopted?" Ruan Changzai almost exclaimed in surprise. She instinctively covered her mouth with her hands and looked around. "Tong Changzai, have you heard something? Why would you say that?"

(End of this chapter)