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

Chapter 227 Brotherhood

"When you first entered the palace?" Consort Tong frowned. "You mean when you followed Consort Xian?"

“Although Consort Xian has long lost her former glory, since we said those things to her back then, how can we pretend nothing happened and forget about it, and then go to the Empress?” Consort Dong said with an unusually serious expression.

Consort Tong sneered, "Back then, in order to have a better future in the harem, I did say I wanted to follow Consort Xian. But back then, Consort Xian was the most favored concubine in the six palaces. How could she be like this now? Not only has she lost the Emperor's favor, but she also stirs up trouble in the harem every day. When she and Consort Ruan fought in the palace, did she still remember that she was a dignified Consort? Because of this incident, she was no longer even a Consort. Does she think there's no future in following her? Why should I continue to follow her?"

Ruan Changzai: ...

"No, why are you dragging me into this again? Last time, even though it was my impulsive act, I was still punished along with you, okay?" Ruan Changzai couldn't help but roll his eyes.

“I’m not saying it was wrong for you to fight with her. I’m just saying that since things have already escalated to this point, there’s really no need for us to fight. Because of those few words you said to Consort Xian when you entered the palace, you’re going to follow her for the rest of your life. Besides, even if we’re willing to follow her, she might not be willing in her heart.” Consort Tong said sullenly.

"But..." Dong Changzai's expression was solemn. In her mind, this was tantamount to betraying Xianpin and siding with a new master. She couldn't live with herself. To put it bluntly, wasn't this selling out her master for personal gain?
"Alright, stop with the 'buts' and 'no's. Consort Xian herself has a hard time even seeing the Emperor. Do you expect her to introduce us after she sees him? Look at Noble Lady Xi, she has never been favored by the Emperor. I heard that after the selection of concubines, she was the last one to receive the Emperor's favor. Even her first time receiving the Emperor's favor was with the help of the Empress. Otherwise, let alone being promoted to Noble Lady, she probably wouldn't even know what the Emperor looks like."

"That's not quite right. Although Consort Xi is not favored by the Emperor, she is the Empress Dowager's niece. The Empress's help for her is mostly due to the Empress Dowager's influence. Even if she is not promoted, with the Empress Dowager as her backer, her life in the harem won't be too bad. How could it be the same as ours?" Consort Dong sighed after saying this.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about Consort Xi. Let's talk about Consort Rou. I heard that when Consort Xian was being assigned palaces during the selection process, she wanted to keep Consort Rou in her own palace. At that time, Her Majesty the Empress didn't care about the affairs of the inner palace, but she still managed to assign Consort Rou to Zhongcui Palace with just a word. You must know that when she lived alone in Zhongcui Palace, she was just a Noble Lady. If it weren't for Her Majesty the Empress protecting her, why would Imperial Physician Zhang personally take care of her pregnancy when she first became pregnant? Haven't you really considered all of this carefully?" Consort Tong said seriously.

"This..." Dong Chang was speechless for a moment, but she felt that Tong Changzai's words made perfect sense.

"Alright, I really don't understand what you're thinking." Consort Ruan pushed Consort Dong. "I don't think Consort Tong is wrong at all. Everyone looks out for themselves. Nobody's going to hang themselves on one tree. Consort Xian is already struggling to take care of herself, so how could she be in the mood to help us? We're not betraying our former master. This harem is the Empress's domain. Even when Consort Xian was a Noble Consort, she still had to kneel before the Empress. What's wrong with us being loyal to the Empress?"

"But this Empress is really strange. I heard that she used to be crazy and made a mess of the harem every day. She didn't seem like someone who could accomplish great things at all. But now she is calm and collected, and has brought down those who opposed her one by one." Consort Dong looked puzzled.

"There are always rumors that are untrue. If she really had no ability at all, how could she have become the empress of a country? When it comes to the concubines in the harem, which one of them doesn't have a more prestigious family background than the empress's? But who dares to say with their hands on their chest that their position in the harem is as secure as Mount Tai?" Consort Tong sighed.

"With so many palace maids being released from the harem, it seems like a major upheaval is about to occur. I'm afraid that all the spies planted in various palaces will take advantage of this opportunity to leave. Who will be in charge of the harem in the future? We need to be even more vigilant," Ruan Changzai added.

"By the way, after you spoke to the Empress yesterday, did she agree?" Consort Dong turned her head. Consort Tong shook her head, "I don't quite understand what the Empress means either..."

After seeing everyone off, Shen Qingwan ate a few bites of breakfast and headed towards Cining Palace.

It wasn't a big deal for palace maids to leave the palace, but now that things have changed, there must be quite a few palace maids in Cining Palace who have reached the age to leave.

The inner palace is a place where things tend to get restless. If this alarms the Empress Dowager, she will probably have to make the trip herself, otherwise she won't feel at ease.

When Shen Qingwan arrived at Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was having breakfast. On the table next to her were two gift boxes of the same Dong'e donkey-hide gelatin that Prince Rui had given her the day before.

When the Empress Dowager saw her coming, she put down the spoon in her hand and looked in the direction Shen Qingwan was looking. "Prince Rui had promised to come to my palace early this morning to have breakfast with me, but unexpectedly, he drank with the Emperor yesterday and hurt his health. He felt unwell last night and left the palace overnight. It's rare that he still cares about me and had someone send this Dong'e donkey-hide gelatin over this morning."

Shen Qingwan withdrew her gaze and sat down beside the Empress Dowager. "Prince Rui is filial."

"This child has been clever since he was a child, but his cleverness has backfired. He spends his days idly and likes to travel around the world. With his abilities, if he could hold a minor official position in the court, he could help the emperor share his burdens."

Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Shen Qingwan's lips twitched.

The Empress Dowager and Emperor Yuanwu were of one mind. It is no secret in the palace how ruthless the Empress Dowager was in helping Emperor Yuanwu secure the position of Crown Prince.

Now it looks peaceful and serene. The Empress Dowager eats vegetarian food and chants Buddhist prayers every day. Those who witnessed the Empress Dowager's methods back then are long gone.

Did Prince Rui share Emperor Yuanwu's burdens?
These words are probably only meant for those who are unaware of the situation. Back then, Emperor Yuanwu's position as crown prince was forcibly taken from Prince Rui. She doesn't believe that Emperor Yuanwu could be without any reservations about allowing him to hold such an important position.

Ever since witnessing Prince Rui's martial arts competition at the foot of Huguo Temple Mountain, she has been unable to look beyond the surface and directly perceive the brotherly bond between Prince Rui and Emperor Yuanwu...

(End of this chapter)