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

Chapter 317 Crime
Whether it's good or bad, Shen Qingwan doesn't know.

Anyway, since Wu Jixiang came to ask at this time, she definitely won't lose out.

"What exactly were these tributes?"

Emperor Yuanwu usually didn't concern himself with matters of tribute from the palace, especially such trivial things as silk and satin. His sudden question caught Wu Jixiang off guard.

Wu Jixiang thought for a while before speaking, "Six bolts of Yunling brocade, ten bolts of Fuguang brocade, and there are a few more that I can't remember right now. I'll have to check and then report back to Your Majesty."

"No need." Emperor Yuanwu waved his hand generously. "Choose two bolts of Yunling brocade suitable for the Empress Dowager and send them to Cining Palace. Send the rest to Kunning Palace. Send four bolts of Fuguang brocade to Cining Palace and the rest to Kunning Palace. As for the rest, send them to Kunning Palace first thing tomorrow morning so that the Empress can choose first. The rest can then be distributed according to the rank of the concubines in each palace."

After Emperor Yuanwu finished speaking, he looked at Shen Qingwan and asked, "Is the Empress satisfied with this arrangement?"

Shen Qingwan raised an eyebrow and smiled, "With such an arrangement, isn't Your Majesty really afraid that I'll ask for an exorbitant price and leave all the cloth in my own palace?"

Emperor Yuanwu stared intently at her, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly lowered his head and laughed: "It's just a few bolts of cloth. If the Empress likes them, she can keep them all."

After he finished speaking, he turned to Wu Jixiang and said, "Tell the Imperial Household Department to send all the remaining horses, except for the ones sent to Cining Palace, to Kunning Palace."

Shen Qingwan: ...

She was really just saying it casually, how could Emperor Yuanwu take it seriously!

Shen Qingwan hurriedly spoke up to stop him, "If Your Majesty does this, won't all the concubines in the harem resent me?"

"I bestowed these gifts upon you, let's see who dares to say anything." Emperor Yuanwu's expression changed. "You are the Empress, not a concubine. These tribute items should be sent to you for selection first. Only after you have chosen the leftovers can others receive them. Even if this matter reaches the previous dynasty, those officials will not be able to find any grounds to impeach me. I dare to bestow these gifts, so why wouldn't the Empress dare to accept them?"

“I appreciate Your Majesty’s kindness, but so many bolts of cloth. If I send them all to Kunning Palace and make them into clothes, even if I change a set every day, I’m afraid I won’t wear the same thing twice in half a year. It’s just too much, and I’ll be resented by the whole palace. It doesn’t seem like a good deal.” Shen Qingwan’s lips twitched.

Upon hearing her words, Emperor Yuanwu was first taken aback, then laughed, seemingly in a very good mood, and laughed out loud, "I have always thought that the Empress is very clever, but it seems that the Empress is not so clever after all."

Shen Qingwan: ? ? ?

"What do you mean?" Shen Qingwan's smile froze for a moment, then she smiled and said, "If the Emperor sees through you, how can you be considered clever?"

“I’m giving these things to the Empress, not expecting her to keep them all for herself. She can use them to give away to others.” Emperor Yuanwu raised an eyebrow and smiled as he met her complaining gaze.

Shen Qingwan's already slightly furrowed brows tightened even more; "In the end, His Majesty never intended to bestow these fabrics solely upon me. Why did he pretend to be so generous just now, saying that I should keep them all? I was really not smart enough; I almost believed him."

"Is the Empress angry?" Emperor Yuanwu was taken aback, raising his eyebrows.

"Your Majesty, I dare not!" Shen Qingwan stood up, bowed, and said in a sarcastic tone.

"Hahaha." Emperor Yuanwu shook his head with a laugh. "The Empress must be really angry to say that."

Shen Qingwan ignored him and sat back down to continue eating.

"The Empress thinks, if these fabrics were bestowed by me, the six palaces would only remember my kindness. But if they were bestowed by the Empress, then the six palaces would naturally remember the Empress's kindness." Emperor Yuanwu said, then looked at Shen Qingwan. "So, does the Empress want the six palaces to remember my kindness, or the Empress's kindness?" Shen Qingwan swallowed hard, her expression somewhat indescribable.

The finest fabrics, the finest cloud-patterned brocade and shimmering brocade, would not have been coveted by the women of the six palaces if she had only gone to the Cining Palace and Kunning Palace.

But if all the Yunling brocade and Fuguang brocade were given away as rewards, even if all of them were given away, it probably wouldn't be enough for the several principal consorts in the harem. In the end, if one consort got a good piece and another got a bad one, Kunning Palace might not get a single piece, and they would be accused of doing a thankless job.

She would never do such a thankless and unpleasant task.

"Even if they remember my good deeds, what good will it do? It's better to let them remember the Emperor's good deeds. Maybe if the six palaces are happy, they'll give the Emperor a few more princes and princesses. Wouldn't that be great?" After Shen Qingwan finished speaking, she picked up a piece of chives and eggs and placed it in Emperor Yuanwu's bowl.

Emperor Yuanwu was slightly taken aback. "The Empress is truly virtuous."

“Of course.” Shen Qingwan said, serving Emperor Yuanwu another bowl of spinach soup. “I am the Empress. The Emperor and I are husband and wife. If the Emperor is happy, I am happy.”

Emperor Yuanwu lowered his eyes and stared at the food that Shen Qingwan had just put on her plate. Suddenly, he became unhappy. "As long as the Empress is happy."

Ah!
She was quite happy.

Having gotten rid of the hot potato and gained plenty of cloth to make new clothes, how could she not be happy?

Neither of them spoke; they simply lowered their heads and ate the food in their bowls.

When they were almost finished with lunch, Shen Qingwan suddenly spoke up, "Your Majesty, Consort Yan entered the palace yesterday. I arranged for her to stay in Zhongcui Palace. She has been learning etiquette from the nanny for the past two days, and she will be able to serve Your Majesty in a few days."

Emperor Yuanwu listened to her words without looking up, only humming in response through his nose.

Shen Qingwan stared at him, hesitated for a long time before speaking, "Your Majesty, there is something I am not sure if I should say."

Emperor Yuanwu looked up at her upon hearing this and said, "Speak freely."

“It’s Consort Wen.” Shen Qingwan’s expression was somewhat solemn. “Consort Wen has been in the palace for quite some time, but the Emperor has never summoned her to serve him in bed. There haven’t been any new concubines in the palace since, and the Emperor has been busy with state affairs. Consort Wen’s situation is understandable, but now…”

Shen Qingwan paused here, looked up at Emperor Yuanwu to make sure that his expression was not too volatile, before continuing.

After all, even the Empress Dowager has no say in which concubines one favors, let alone the Empress.

She always felt that Emperor Yuanwu was a bit like a child who hadn't grown up, especially rebellious. Just like the concubines that the Empress Dowager had arranged for him, he wouldn't even see them and deliberately left them to their own devices in the harem.

Consort Kewen has a special status; she is not a woman from a court official's family, but a princess sent from the northern desert for a political marriage.

Whether Emperor Yuanwu liked it or not, it wouldn't be good to leave it hanging like this indefinitely.

"If His Majesty never favors Consort Wen and instead favors a new concubine who has just entered the palace, won't Consort Wen become suspicious? Will she think that His Majesty is deliberately trying to intimidate and embarrass the Northern Frontier?"