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

Chapter 324 Sick
"Ignore it." Shen Qingwan said calmly. "Let's go to Kunning Palace first, so as not to keep the Empress Dowager waiting."

On the way to Cining Palace, Shen Qingwan kept thinking about how to divide the cartload of fabric. She wanted to send some to the imperial palace. If she didn't think about it, the imperial palace might not be able to get a new dress for several years.

Pick out some brightly colored ones and send them to the princes and princesses. Children always grow quickly, so we need to make clothes for them more often.

After this distribution, there probably won't be enough material left to distribute to every palace. Emperor Yuanwu really found her a good job. Since there isn't enough to distribute, Shen Qingwan simply decided not to distribute it anymore and instead use it to reward people on her birthday.

Shen Qingwan guessed that the Empress Dowager didn't really want to take her measurements when she asked her to come over. If it was just about measurements, the Imperial Household Department and the Embroidery Workshop had records of her clothing measurements. The fact that the Empress Dowager sent Zhang Mama to Kunning Palace at that time clearly showed that she wanted to make this a show for the concubines in the harem. She must have heard what Zhen'er had just heard, so she came to support her on purpose.

It must be said that the Empress Dowager was really good to the original owner of this body and to her.

With the Empress Dowager as his backer, he was much more reliable than Emperor Yuanwu.

Although she was known for her vengeful nature, this wasn't the time to argue with those gossipy concubines. After all, it wouldn't be long before some of them were no longer living such comfortable lives, no longer able to engage in idle chatter.

When Shen Qingwan came out of Cining Palace, not only had her measurements taken, but the Empress Dowager also bestowed many gifts upon her and said many comforting words.

The Empress Dowager seemed very worried that she would be jealous if Emperor Yuanwu went to the palaces of other concubines.

All she could say was that the Empress Dowager was overthinking it.

Just as evening fell and the batch of fabrics had been arranged, people from Consort Shu's palace arrived.

"Your Majesty, the Third Prince caught a cold last night. This morning, he vomited after every bite he ate. The imperial physician prescribed medicine, but it didn't help. In the afternoon, he developed a high fever. Consort Shu was very anxious and spent the whole day holding and comforting the Third Prince. Just now, when I went to invite Consort Shu to dinner, she fainted as soon as she stood up. The imperial physician came and said that it was caused by the shock and anger that caused her to faint." The palace maid, whether out of anxiety or fear, burst into tears as she spoke.

Shen Qingwan's face darkened instantly upon hearing this. "Such a serious matter, why did you only report it when it became so serious? If something were to happen to Consort Shu and the Third Prince, who among you could bear the responsibility?"

"Your Majesty, this servant knows her mistake."

When Shen Qingwan rushed to Yonghe Palace, Emperor Yuanwu's carriage had just arrived at the gate.

"What exactly happened? How did things get so serious before you came to report? What are all the servants of Yonghe Palace doing? They can't even take care of their own masters, and they can't even look after a child. Take them all out and give them thirty strokes of the cane."

Emperor Yuanwu's face was gloomy, and he was extremely angry. Before he even stepped into the palace, the order to punish him had already spread throughout Yonghe Palace.

Shen Qingwan frowned helplessly, quickened her pace, and caught up with Emperor Yuanwu. "Your Majesty, now that Consort Shu and the Third Prince are both ill, if we punish all the servants in Yonghe Palace at this time, who will take care of them?"

Before Shen Qingwan could finish speaking, Consort Xian strode in from outside the bedchamber.

"Your Majesty's words are strange. It is precisely because these servants are useless that His Majesty is punishing them,"

Consort Xian?
Shen Qingwan clasped her hands in front of her, her eyes dark and unfathomable, and asked in confusion, "When was Consort Xian released from confinement? How come I didn't know?" Consort Xian paused, her smile instantly freezing on her face. She turned her head uncomfortably to look at Emperor Yuanwu, and moved her lips as if to say something, but Emperor Yuanwu did not give her a chance to speak, and turned to enter Consort Shu's palace.

Emperor Yuanwu had just spoken, saying he would punish the servants of Yonghe Palace. Shen Qingwan offered a word of advice, but he neither agreed nor said he would continue to punish them. Wu Jixiang looked troubled and pleaded with Shen Qingwan.

"Your Majesty, look..."

"Nothing is more important than the health of Consort Shu and the Third Prince right now."

Wu Jixiang nodded knowingly and reached out to help Shen Qingwan lift the curtain of the palace.

Consort Xian watched as the Emperor and Empress entered the bedchamber one after the other. She was about to follow them in when she was stopped by Consort Shu's personal maid.

Chun'er stood at the palace gate of the sleeping quarters and curtsied, "Greetings, Your Highness, this servant greets Your Highness."

Consort Xian's eyes darkened. "Get out of my way."

Chun'er remained unmoved and stood at the door. "Your Highness, the imperial physician said that there are too many people in the bedchamber and the air is not good. His Majesty has instructed me to stay here and prevent anyone else from entering."

Consort Xian's face turned deathly pale with anger. Her hands clenched tightly at her sides, and her lips trembled uncontrollably. "You, a mere servant..."

Chun'er curtsied again, "Your Highness, I am truly sorry, but Consort Shu is still waiting for me to serve her. If Your Highness really wishes to enter, please have someone inform the Emperor."

Consort Xian trembled with anger. Her already pale face turned even paler. Just as Chun'er turned around, she was about to reach out and pull her back when Xia Mei beside her stopped her. "Your Majesty, the Third Prince is seriously ill, and you are still under house arrest. The Emperor and Empress are both here now. This is definitely not the time to be angry."

Although Consort Xian felt aggrieved, upon hearing Xia Mei's words, she withdrew her foot and stood blankly at the door.

The Third Prince was feeling unwell and was making a fuss. He wouldn't go with anyone except Consort Shu and insisted on being held by her. However, Consort Shu was too weak. Although the imperial physician had used acupuncture, she had woken up but was still pale and had no strength in her body. She could hardly get out of bed, let alone hold the child.

"Your Majesty, it's all my fault. I failed to take good care of the Third Prince." When Consort Shu saw Emperor Yuanwu enter, she kept calling him "Your Majesty," and tears streamed down her face.

"Consort Shu, there's no need to blame yourself. The imperial physician said that the Third Prince just caught a chill and will recover after taking a few doses of medicine," Emperor Yuanwu said, sitting by Consort Shu's bedside to comfort her.

They said that a few doses of medicine would help him get better, but the Third Prince was still just a child. It would be difficult to feed him even a few spoonfuls of such bitter medicine, let alone a whole bowl.

The difficulty isn't the illness itself, but rather the inability to administer the medication.

Emperor Yuanwu rarely lived with his children, so it was naturally difficult for him to think of this.

The Third Prince had just been soothed by his wet nurse, but now, whether it was because he was frightened by the crowd or because he was feeling unwell, he was lying peacefully in his wet nurse's arms when he suddenly started crying again.