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

Chapter 316 Beauty
"Consort Yan has arrived!"

Consort Yan?
Upon hearing the sound, Consort Rou took two steps outside. She stood inside the palace and looked out through the curtain.

A graceful young woman, supported by a palace maid, stepped down from the carriage.

Watch as she gracefully moves with her slender waist, revealing her fair wrists beneath the light gauze.

Her eyes, like spring water, flowed with clear, captivating light; her delicate, fair face was more beautiful than any flower; her fingers were like slender scallions; her lips were like vermilion; every frown and smile stirred the soul.

She is indeed a beauty, just as rumored.

Roupin felt a sense of displeasure. Since her birth, everyone around her had praised her for her outstanding appearance, saying she was a beauty rarely seen in the surrounding villages.

But after entering the palace, she realized what it meant to be outshone by others. The concubines in the palace were all beautiful, and she was fortunate to have Emperor Yuanwu's favor. But this Consort Yan in front of her was a high-ranking general of the second rank, and she was so beautiful. Now she had entered the palace as a consort, and after serving the emperor, she would be promoted. Wouldn't that be...

Just as Consort Rou thought of this, the sound of the Fourth Prince crying came from inside the bedchamber.

"Why are you crying again?" Consort Rou said irritably, lifting her skirt as she walked into the hall. "How does the wet nurse serve you all day?"

The wet nurse was terrified and broke out in a cold sweat. Without thinking, she knelt down on the ground with the child in her arms. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. The Fourth Prince caught a cold a couple of days ago, which is why he has been so fussy these past few days. It is my fault for not taking good care of him. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

"Take good care of the child? Is this how you take good care of the child? Why are you kneeling while holding the child? Get up right now!"

Consort Rou walked quickly and hurriedly, and her voice became a completely uncontrollable shout, which frightened the Fourth Prince, whose crying had almost stopped, so much so that he started crying again.

The wet nurse was so frightened that she didn't care about anything else. She collapsed to the ground and patted and coaxed him, but after patting him for a long time, the Fourth Prince's crying not only did not stop, but he cried even harder than before.

The wet nurse was sweating profusely with anxiety. Just as she was at a loss, Consort Rou appeared in front of her without her noticing.

"Your Majesty... Your Highness." The wet nurse trembled with fear, her voice shaking. "Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince may be hungry. Let me take him down to nurse him."

Consort Rou glared at her fiercely, her chest heaving heavily.

Jun'er couldn't bear to watch any longer and came over from behind. "Your Majesty, look, the Fourth Prince's face is all red from crying. Let the wet nurse take him away first."

Consort Rou's face was grim, and she still showed no sign of backing down. The wet nurse held the Fourth Prince and knelt on the ground, not daring to move.

Jun'er winked at her, then turned and took her arm. "Your Highness, I've had someone heat up the bathwater and prepared the warming and cold-dispelling medicine prescribed by the Imperial Hospital. Please let me help Your Highness take a bath."

Upon hearing this, Consort Rou's expression softened slightly.

While serving her bath, Jun'er comforted her, "This servant knows that Your Highness has always lived alone in Zhongcui Palace. Now that there is suddenly another person, you feel uncomfortable."

Consort Rou closed her eyes and rested her head on the edge of the wooden tub.

"Your Majesty, if we look at it from another perspective, this might not be a bad thing. If this Consort Yan is truly favored, Your Majesty can pretend to get along with her, and then we can compete for the Emperor's favor together."

"Your Majesty, don't be afraid of Consort Yan just because she is Consort Xian's person. Even if she was recommended by the Consort, so what? Which concubine in the harem doesn't compete for favor? Once Consort Yan gains the favor, I don't believe the Consort can sit still. Your Majesty won't even need to do anything; they might start fighting on their own."

Upon hearing her words, Consort Rou's expression finally softened somewhat.

After a long while, she slowly said, "I hope so."
-
The next day, Shen Qingwan was having lunch in the palace. She had just taken two bites when she heard a eunuch announce her arrival from outside.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

Shen Qingwan paused, her hand holding the chopsticks pausing. She thought to herself, "Why is he here again at this hour?" She still got up and put down the chopsticks.

"Greetings to His Majesty, may His Majesty be blessed with good fortune."

Shen Qingwan curtsied as he entered.

This gesture caused Emperor Yuanwu to suddenly stop in his tracks.

"Didn't the Empress say that we have been husband and wife for many years and there is no need for so much formality? Why are you being so polite today, and even getting up to greet me?"

Emperor Yuanwu spoke with a hint of irony.

Shen Qingwan: ...

Emperor Yuanwu really does hold grudges. She only said it casually, and only once. There's no need for him to keep it up every time he comes to Kunning Palace.

"If Your Majesty does not like it, then I will not get up next time. If Your Majesty comes to Kunning Palace and sees me having a meal or sleeping, please do not be angry and say that I am unruly."

go to bed?

When Emperor Yuanwu heard those two words, he was washing his hands. He thought about how he had stayed overnight in Kunning Palace and wondered if he had done anything with Shen Qingwan that night.

Just then, when he heard Shen Qingwan say the word "sleep," he happened to choke on his own saliva and coughed violently.

Shen Qingwan quickened her pace, walked to Emperor Yuanwu's side, patted his back to help him catch his breath, and had someone bring him a cup of tea to help suppress his violent cough.

Emperor Yuanwu, clutching his chest, walked to the food tray and sat down.

Shen Qingwan looked at the basin of water for washing hands with great curiosity. It was really strange. Emperor Yuanwu had only washed his hands, not drunk the water, so why was he choking like this?

That's really...strange!
"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Shen Qingwan saw tears welling up in his eyes as he coughed, and handed him her silk handkerchief.

Emperor Yuanwu hasn't been visiting the harem much lately, and he hasn't been overworking himself, so why is he still so weak?
I really don't know what the people in the imperial kitchen are thinking. Emperor Yuanwu is so concerned about his image that he doesn't take any of those aphrodisiacs. Don't they know to give him some leeks and oysters to help him recover? He's coughing so much that he's almost collapsing from exhaustion. How is he supposed to have children?

He doesn't even look at how he's neglected all the concubines in the harem.

Emperor Yuanwu waved to her, and Shen Qingwan called Zhen'er over, asked what else was in the small kitchen, and then ordered two more dishes to be added: stir-fried eggs with chives, stir-fried broccoli with shrimp, and spinach soup.

Some vegetarian ingredients are also easier to handle, so as not to make Emperor Yuanwu wait too long, and if the dishes on the table get cold, it will affect his appetite.

These three dishes, although all vegetarian, are also good for strengthening the body.

Just as the two began to eat, Wu Jixiang walked in from outside. "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, Lingnan has presented a considerable amount of silk as tribute. I would like to ask Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress how you plan to arrange it."

"The silk from Lingnan has always been the best." Emperor Yuanwu finished speaking and glanced at the Empress...