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

Chapter 243 Eyeliner
"I wonder if there's something I've done wrong by suddenly issuing an edict for Consort Xi to move out of Xianfu Palace?" Consort Jin cautiously raised her eyes and glanced at Zhang Mama. "If there really is something I've done wrong, please give me a clear explanation, Zhang Mama, so I can apologize to the Empress Dowager, right?"

"Your Highness Consort Jin is overthinking it. The Empress Dowager only had Consort Xi move to Lingxiang Pavilion because it's closer to Cining Palace. She was worried that Consort Xi might be overthinking during her pregnancy, and it would also be convenient for her to keep her company. It has nothing to do with anyone else. Your Highness Consort Jin should know that Consort Xi is the Empress Dowager's distant cousin. Since the Empress Dowager entered the palace to serve the late Emperor, she has rarely seen her family. Now that a member of her family has entered the palace, she naturally wants to be closer to her," Zhang Mama said with a smile.

"So that's how it is..." Consort Jin smiled with relief, her expression clearly showing a sense of relief.

"If there's nothing else for Consort Jin, I'll take my leave now."

"Take care, Granny Zhang."

Consort Jin watched Zhang Mama's departing figure from afar, her eyes gradually darkening.

What exactly does the Empress Dowager mean by this?
Why would they suddenly move Consort Xi out of Xianfu Palace?

Could it be that she thought she would harm Consort Xi?
Consort Jin felt increasingly uneasy.

Nope!

It really won't work!

If Consort Xi were to move out like this, who knows what kind of nasty rumors would spread in the harem.

Who would dare to live in her Xianfu Palace after this?
When Consort Jin turned back to the palace, she saw that the servants in Consort Xi's palace had already begun packing their things, preparing to move. Her steps slowed down.

Hearing the commotion, Consort Xia also came out of her palace. Seeing the pile of things in the courtyard, she paused for a moment and asked in surprise, "Consort Xi, what are you doing? Don't you want any of these things?"

"What the hell!" Consort Xi exclaimed, clearly displeased. "I don't know what my aunt was thinking. She inexplicably made me move to Lingxiang Pavilion. When other people get pregnant, they receive rewards and favors. But me? I'm pregnant and she wants me to move to Lingxiang Pavilion? I was actually quite happy about being pregnant, but now..."

"Please don't say that, Consort Xi. Be careful about the baby in your belly," Consort Xia kindly reminded her.

Consort Jin's smile was somewhat forced. "Actually, if you really want to stay in Xianfu Palace and don't want to move to another place, you might as well talk to the Empress Dowager. After all, you've lived here for so long since you entered the palace and you're used to it. If you move to another place now, you'll inevitably have to adapt. I'm just thinking that you're pregnant now, so it's better to stay put than to move around."

Consort Xi's eyes lit up. "What Consort Jin says is very true."

After saying this, she hurriedly turned around and waved to the people in the palace, "Don't pack anymore, I'm going to talk to my aunt right now. I want to stay in Xianfu Palace and I don't want to go to Lingxiang Pavilion. My aunt is really something. I don't know who went to my aunt to gossip and cause so much trouble."

As Consort Xi spoke, she lifted her foot and, with a flourish, walked towards the palace gate.

Seeing her flustered appearance, Consort Xia couldn't help but frown slightly. "Consort Xi, you are pregnant now, so you should slow down. The Empress Dowager must have her reasons for making this arrangement. Perhaps..."

Before she could finish speaking, Consort Xi's figure had already disappeared from her sight.

Consort Xia couldn't help but sigh.

Consort Jin watched her departing figure, her expression momentarily relaxed. She slowly withdrew her gaze and looked down at Consort Xia, saying, "It's truly unexpected that the first one to become pregnant in our palace is Consort Xi. My sister has been in the palace for some time now. You were carefully selected by Prince Rui's mansion to serve the Emperor. Prince Rui and our Emperor have a deep brotherly bond, so you should work harder and, like Consort Xi, give the Emperor a son or daughter as soon as possible."

Consort Xia's eyes flickered. She wasn't sure if he genuinely hadn't noticed the sarcasm in Consort Jin's tone, or if he simply hadn't taken her words to heart. She gave a slight curtsy, her face still bearing her usual smile. "Yes, Your Highness Consort Jin, I will remember your teachings. I will certainly strive to bear an heir for His Majesty as soon as possible." Consort Jin felt a sense of powerlessness, as if she had punched cotton.

Consort Xi's pregnancy and the Empress Dowager's order for her to move out of Xianfu Palace have already overwhelmed her. There are still a lot of trivial matters in the harem waiting for her to deal with. Right now, she really doesn't have the energy to argue with a consort who has only served Emperor Yuanwu once since entering the palace about whether she can get pregnant.

"I don't have the good fortune of Consort Xia, who spends her days idly pondering useless things in the palace." After saying this, Consort Jin turned and walked towards her own palace.

Consort Xia still wore a polite smile on her face, "This concubine respectfully sees off Consort Jin."

Consort Jin: ...

Consort Jin suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Who are the people in her palace? Did they all forget to bring their brains when they entered the palace?

She can't even distinguish between good and bad words, yet she still wants to achieve something in the harem and bear imperial offspring for Emperor Yuanwu.

Consort Jin shook her head with a laugh. How ridiculous!

When Shen Qingwan returned to the palace, Zhen'er handed her a list of palace maids from Kunning Palace who were leaving the palace. "Your Majesty, please take a look. If there are no problems on Your Majesty's side, then this servant will have them hand over their work and pack their things to leave the palace in the next two days."

"Hmm." Shen Qingwan nodded. She could have ignored such a trivial matter, but since the list had been delivered to her, she casually opened it and glanced at it.

Compared to other palaces, the number of palace maids leaving Kunning Palace is much smaller.

Apart from a few palace maids over twenty-five years old, the list only included 19-year-old Xiaoling and Xiaocui at the very end.

Xiao Cui?

Shen Qingwan had some impression of this palace maid. She seemed to be from the same hometown as Xia Fuchuan from Consort Xian's palace, and the two had even had some private contact later.

To put it bluntly, she was just a spy planted in her palace by Consort Xian, but she confessed early on and was treated leniently.

Whether it was genuine confession or mere pretense, no one knew. In any case, knowing this connection, Zhen'er and Su Tianhe never let their guard down around her. Even when they sent messages to Consort Xian, they probably only mentioned trivial matters.

Even so, this was Consort Xian's most successful spy planted in Kunning Palace.

How could she bear to let her leave the palace so easily?
Could it be that the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?

It's interesting that she has other spies in Kunning Palace.

Zhen'er followed Shen Qingwan's gaze and landed on Xiao Cui's name, a mocking smile creeping onto her lips, "Your Majesty..."