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

Chapter 323 Words Easily Lead to Trouble
As she spoke, Zhang Mama glanced at the concubines beside her before continuing, "The Empress Dowager said that she would have her embroiderers make a custom-made dress for you to wear on the Empress's birthday."

Shen Qingwan was taken aback. "Alright, please ask Zhang Mama to tell the Empress Dowager that I will go there after I finish dealing with these matters in the palace."

"Then this servant will take her leave."

After Zhang Mama left Kunning Palace, Meng Anfu also bowed and withdrew.

Shen Qingwan's face still wore her usual smile as she curiously asked the concubines standing in the courtyard, "Sisters, is there anything else?"

"No, that's all." Consort De gave an awkward smile. "Your Majesty, please continue with your business. I'll return to the palace now."

"Your Majesty, I'm going back now..."

One after another, the concubines walked out of Kunning Palace.

Just now, Granny Zhang mentioned the Empress Dowager's embroiderer?

That was the skillful hand of Suzhou embroidery. Apart from the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, she never served anyone else. Now, the Empress Dowager actually asked her to personally make two new clothes for the Empress, just for her birthday.

Yup!

Throughout her many years in the palace, no matter how outrageous her actions were, even if she caused chaos in the harem, the Empress Dowager always covered for her, and no one ever dared to utter a single word of rebuke.

Now, all he thinks about is that the Emperor treats the Empress differently. Not only does he no longer find her annoying, but he also frequently dine at Kunning Palace and has even consummated his marriage with her.

They had almost forgotten that behind the Empress, there had always been the powerful Empress Dowager.

The concubines went out together.

As soon as they left Kunning Palace, several people who were usually gossipy couldn't help but start talking about it.

"Do you think that Her Majesty the Empress summoned the imperial physician last night because the Emperor went to Consort Wen's palace?"

"That's why I say the Empress is the Empress. If she's unhappy, she can summon the head of the Imperial Hospital to prescribe a calming soup in the middle of the night with just a word."

"If the Empress was unwell yesterday and it was really related to the Emperor's visit to Consort Wen, didn't the Emperor compensate her? Of the cloth tribute from Lingnan, apart from a few bolts sent to Cining Palace, the rest were all given to the Empress."

"It's said that the Empress was personally chosen by the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was just unhappy, but she immediately offered up her own embroiderer, whom she had used for so many years..."

As the group was chatting happily, a loud cough suddenly came from behind them.

Zhen'er curtsied and said, "Please take care, Your Highnesses."

The concubines looked at each other, appearing guilty and not daring to raise their heads, and quickly dispersed.

Zhen'er's chest heaved heavily with anger. She stared at the departing concubines' backs for a long while before turning around and entering Kunning Palace. When she saw the Empress, her eyes stung and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"What happened?" Shen Qingwan asked in surprise, pulling her to her side. "You only went out to get a letter, why are you crying when you came back? Did someone bully you?"

"Your Majesty," Zhen'er said, wiping away her tears as she knelt on the ground. "It's all my fault, I've dragged Your Majesty into this mess."

Shen Qingwan frowned in confusion, trying to pull her up from the ground. "Get up and we can talk. What's wrong with you crying and kneeling like this?"

Zhen'er cried bitterly, her shoulders shaking with sobs. "Your Majesty, when I went to retrieve the letter for you, I ran into the concubines returning from paying their respects at the palace gate. They were all saying..."

At this point, Zhen'er choked up and couldn't speak again. Compared to her, Shen Qingwan seemed much calmer, and she had some guesses in her mind. "No matter what they said, you should get up first."

After Shen Qingwan finished speaking, she pulled her up from the ground.

Zhen'er's sobs continued, filled with self-reproach. "Your Majesty, this is all my fault. Your Majesty shouldn't have interfered with me yesterday. I am of lowly status, and kneeling on the ground for an hour was nothing. Now the whole palace is saying that Your Majesty was feeling unwell because the Emperor went to Consort Wen's palace last night, which is why you called the imperial physician to prescribe calming medicine. They are misunderstanding Your Majesty like this. I have truly committed a terrible sin."

Shen Qingwan: ...

She thought it was the cartload of cloth that caused the trouble. She never expected that the women in the harem were so bored that they thought she was jealous of Emperor Yuanwu.

She only wished to fill his nights with activities, with one concubine after another serving him, so that he wouldn't have time to bother her.

"Is that why?"

Zhen'er's crying stopped abruptly. She looked up at Shen Qingwan with a face full of surprise.

if not?
Isn't this enough?

"Alright, it's not worth crying over this. Didn't you kneel long enough for an hour yesterday? It seems Physician Zhang has miraculous healing skills, making your knees fully healed in just a few hours. Do you believe me?"

Zhen'er nodded, then shook her head. She stood there blankly for a moment before handing over the letter.

This letter was sent by Liu Ruyan from the northern desert. Last time, Emperor Yuanwu asked her to write a letter to Liu Ruyan to sound out the situation in the northern desert, but she did not expect that it would take so long to get a reply.

When Consort Wen staged her own poisoning incident last time, Emperor Yuanwu worried that she was acting under someone else's orders, which is why she resorted to such a desperate measure.

Shen Qingwan opened the letter. Apart from some high-sounding greetings, the only useful information in the entire letter was that Liu Ruyan was pregnant and was now three months along.

She wasn't surprised that Liu Ruyan would be favored in the northern desert. After all, it was related to the peace between the two countries. No matter what Mo Ganxie's purpose was in sending the Yuan princess to marry him, no matter which princess was sent, she was destined not to be sidelined.

Just like Emperor Yuanwu, even if he had no feelings for Consort Wen, he still had to be dedicated to the peace between the two countries.

However, Shen Qingwan hadn't expected that Mo Ganxie could actually get her pregnant with his child.

Her biggest worry now is that this child was easy to conceive, but difficult to give birth to, or even worse...

Shen Qingwan dared not think any further; she only felt a chill run down her spine.

"Your Majesty, are you really not angry at all?" Zhen'er asked, completely bewildered and confused.

"Angry?" Shen Qingwan chuckled. "People can say whatever they want. Even if I'm angry, do you think they'll stop talking just because I'm angry?"

Zhen'er understood and slowly nodded, "But Your Majesty..."

"Have you forgotten what I taught you yesterday? Words easily cause trouble. If you want to survive in the harem for a long time..."

"You have to watch what you say first," Zhen'er said quickly.

"Now that you've remembered, you should be even more careful with your words in the future," Shen Qingwan admonished.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, this servant will not do it again. This servant just cannot stand people gossiping about Your Majesty behind your back. The things they say are really too nasty."