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

Chapter 378 Having Too Much to Eat
“Your Majesty, I know you are anxious, but Consort Rou’s pregnancy was doomed to fail. You are currently in your postpartum period. Even if you don’t go, no one can find fault with you. Why should you get involved in this mess?”

Shen Qingwan paused for a moment, almost forgetting that she was still in her postpartum period.

I just wanted to lie down and relax, but somehow I ended up with a life of hardship.

She must have been eating too much lately.

When people are hungry, they always think that one day they will be able to eat their fill.

But once people are full, they start thinking about doing something else.

She's been eating too much lately; to put it simply, she's been eating too much and is feeling stuffed.

“In that case, I won’t go. Zhen’er, go to the storeroom and find some nourishing things to send to Consort Rou. Tell her that I will visit her at Zhongcui Palace after I finish my confinement period.”

When Zhen'er returned with the gifts, she didn't look too happy.

Shen Qingwan thought she had suffered some injustice at Zhongcui Palace, and only after asking her in detail did she find out.

It turned out that it was those gossipy women in the harem who were talking behind her back, and she just happened to overhear them.

"There's something strange about Consort Rou's pregnancy. Could it be related to Consort Pang?"

"It's hard to say what will happen if the harem loses two children at once."

"Ever since the anniversary of Consort Li's death, Consort De has been so frightened that she has fallen seriously ill. For a long time now, no one in the inner palace has been allowed to talk about ghosts or anything like that. If anyone hears it, they will probably be punished."

"You've all heard that Her Majesty the Empress has selected some young and beautiful women from among the imperial relatives to enter the palace, and they will arrive tomorrow."

"It was only because of the Empress that Consort Xia caught the Emperor's eye a few more times. Now that she is truly favored, why is the Empress unhappy again and is in a hurry to select concubines for the Emperor to send in?"

"Which woman in the harem doesn't compete for favor? Even the empress can't escape the struggle for the emperor's affections."

"Since Your Majesty the Empress wants to compete, why not just keep the Emperor in Kunning Palace? Why make trouble for yourself by bringing so many young women into the palace?"

"The Empress is currently in confinement and cannot serve the Emperor, so how can she compete? The Empress helped Consort Xia, but she never expected that the Emperor would like Consort Xia so much. It was one thing that she was not favored before, but now that she is favored exclusively, how can the Empress sit still?"

"I thought the harem would finally have some peace and quiet for a couple of days, but it's getting more and more lively than I expected."

Zhen'er became more and more indignant as she spoke, "How could the Empress and the others, who are not favored by the Emperor, slander you like this behind your back? The reason you did this was for the sake of the Emperor's offspring."

Shen Qingwan smiled faintly, unconcerned, and didn't even bother to ask who was gossiping behind her back before deciding to let the matter drop.

“You said it yourself, those who talk behind people’s backs are not favored. If they didn’t spend all their time thinking about these things, perhaps life in the harem wouldn’t be so unbearable.”

"But...Your Majesty..."

Zhen'er hesitated, moving her lips as if she wanted to say something, but Shen Qingwan interrupted her with a raised hand, "Let's make dumplings for dinner tonight. It's been a long time since we've had dumplings. Let's make a variety of fillings. Have Su Tianhe go and tell the prince that after the eldest prince comes down from his study, he should come directly to Kunning Palace. It's been quite a while since I've asked the eldest prince about his studies."

"Yes, Your Highness." Zhen'er curtsied. "Actually, the eldest prince is very ambitious. Every time Your Highness asks him about his studies, he answers fluently. If Consort Li were still alive, with someone to look after him, the eldest prince would surely be able to succeed."

“Being successful isn’t something that can be achieved just by having someone watching over you. That princess in Prince Yao’s mansion, though she’s watched over all day, is still arrogant and unreasonable, and doesn’t know any manners whatsoever.”

Zhen'er: "...Your Majesty is absolutely right."

"For the dumplings later, let's make one with beef and celery, one with pork and shrimp, and one with mushrooms, green peppers, and chicken. What kind of vegetarian filling should we have?" Shen Qingwan asked thoughtfully.

Chicken with shiitake mushrooms and green peppers?

When Zhen'er heard these words, her eyes widened instantly. "Your Majesty, these three things can be used to make dumplings?"

"Why not?" Shen Qingwan raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Your Majesty, this is the first time in my life I've ever heard of green peppers being used to make dumplings." Zhen'er's face was full of disbelief.

“Everything can be made into dumplings. Actually, there’s no need to always make traditional foods like dumplings with pork and scallion filling every time we eat them. There are so many delicious things out there; making them into dumplings doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be tasty enough.” Shen Qingwan paused, “Have you ever tried tomato and egg dumplings?”

Zhen'er's expression flashed across her face like a slideshow, and she shook her head. "I've never had tomato and egg, but I have had leek and egg."

Shen Qingwan: ...

"Then tonight I'll let you all try what dumplings are different."

Want to try them all?
The people in Kunning Palace were all overjoyed upon hearing this.

The Empress's intention is that everyone should have a share of dumplings tonight.

The sound of chopping dumpling filling in the small kitchen seemed to carry more force than before.

Upon hearing that there were dumplings to eat at Kunning Palace, Jiang Wenlan left his study and went directly to Kunning Palace without even returning to the Prince's quarters.

"Your son greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. May Your Majesty be blessed."

"Get up quickly." Shen Qingwan's eyes were gentle. "Your Majesty has made dumplings. What kind of filling do you usually like to eat? Your Majesty has them make them."

"Your Majesty, I am not picky. I like anything Your Majesty makes."

People really do like to hear nice things. Shen Qingwan admitted that she was amused by a child, and it was a genuine laugh from the bottom of her heart.

"Empress Mother, are you feeling any better?" Jiang Wenlan looked Shen Qingwan up and down with a worried expression.

"Your Majesty is alright." Shen Qingwan raised her hand and touched his forehead.

“Your Majesty, I have seen the ladies in the palace who lost their children before. They had to stay in bed for almost a month and take a lot of bitter medicine before they could get out of bed. Your Majesty, you should take good care of your health.” Jiang Wenlan said with a worried expression.

Shen Qingwan couldn't tell him the truth, so she simply said it was nothing and pulled him to sit down in front of the food plate.

Steaming hot dumplings were served, and the small kitchen also prepared several delicate side dishes.

Shen Qingwan placed a dumpling in Jiang Wenlan's bowl. "There's something that Your Majesty has been wanting to ask you about."

Jiang Wenlan's expression relaxed slightly, and she put down her chopsticks. "Please speak, Your Majesty."

Seeing his serious and earnest expression, Shen Qingwan smiled in relief. "Your mother is just thinking that you've grown up now, and in a few years, you'll be of marriageable age. These things need to be kept in mind by servants so that the household can be peaceful and you can better serve your father. But your mother also wants to ask you if you'd like her to keep an eye out for such a person for you."