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

Chapter 389 Face
Even though the Empress Dowager was awake, she still kept her eyes closed. When she heard what Physician Zhang said, she finally reacted. She turned over and left everyone with her back to them.

Physician Zhang: ...

He really wanted to say that he was only doing it for the Empress Dowager's own good.

But the Empress Dowager was in a bad mood at the moment. If he really said that, he was afraid that she would blame him and he would be in big trouble.

Physician Zhang looked up and glanced at Shen Qingwan.

Shen Qingwan: ...

She really didn't want to get involved!
Shen Qingwan gave Physician Zhang a wink, signaling him to leave.

Physician Zhang kowtowed with deep gratitude, picked up his medicine box, and left!
They ran away!
Since the Empress Dowager has not eaten for two meals, the small kitchen in Cining Palace must have prepared a meal.

She asked Zhang Mama a couple of simple questions, then had a bowl of bird's nest porridge served over.

Shen Qingwan sat on the edge of the bed and patiently said, "Mother, when I was a child, my mother often told me that getting angry would only hurt your health. If you really get sick from anger, you will only suffer. Not eating will only work on people who truly care about you."

The Empress Dowager knew that Shen Qingwan wanted to persuade her, but what she said at this moment did not sound like persuasion at all, but rather like adding fuel to the fire.

The Empress Dowager's eyes darkened. She rarely got angry with the Empress. Even though the original owner of this body had done so many outrageous things, the Empress Dowager had never been angry with the original owner.

But at this moment.

She spoke coldly, "Does the Empress mean that even if I don't eat, the Emperor won't come to Cining Palace to see me, but instead will accompany that Consort Xia who punished me?"

"Why would Mother think that way?" Shen Qingwan smiled faintly, seemingly unconcerned by the Empress Dowager's harsh words, and said aggrievedly, "I just wanted to tell you that your trick of not eating is indeed effective on me."

The Empress Dowager stared at her blankly, the angry words that were on the tip of her tongue stuck in her throat and she couldn't say them.

“Your Majesty’s daughter-in-law knows what’s making you angry. In fact, I’m even angrier than you are.” Shen Qingwan pursed her lips. “But I know I can’t get angry right now. His Majesty has already vomited blood. He’s so angry that he’s suffered a stroke. The worst thing for him is to get angry. If he can’t recover properly now and it leaves him with some kind of chronic illness, wouldn’t that be…”

Shen Qingwan stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence, slapping her lips twice. "Mother, please don't take offense. I'm just too blunt; my brain can never keep up with my mouth. Actually, I just wanted to say that His Majesty's illness is more or less a psychological one. A psychological illness needs a psychological cure. Since he likes Consort Xia and finds happiness in her presence, let him be. His Majesty is already worried enough dealing with court affairs all day long. He needs a place to vent. If he really gets sick from holding it in, it will be Mother who will be heartbroken."

The Empress Dowager was finally persuaded. She shook her head helplessly, "But the Emperor doesn't understand my good intentions at all. Only the Empress understands the bigger picture."

“Mother, the Emperor is not ignorant, but he is not only the ruler of a country, but also a man. Men care about their reputation. Since this matter was caused by the Emperor's favoritism towards Consort Xia…”

Shen Qingwan paused, glanced at the Empress Dowager, and seeing that her complexion was indeed better than before, she spoke, "Empress Dowager, you hit Consort Xia. In the Emperor's eyes, that's the same as hitting him. Who knows, the Emperor might even feel wronged. He's so ill, and you, Mother, don't care about him, yet you hit his concubine..."

"How could I not care about him? I did care about him, which is why I hit Consort Xia. If Consort Xia hadn't seduced the Emperor and used some seductive tricks, how could the Emperor have acted like this?" The Empress Dowager's expression, which had just softened, instantly darkened again.

"Mother, Consort Shen is just a consort, with no family background or connections. Let her use her seductive tricks if she wants. Perhaps soon, once she becomes pregnant, the Emperor will naturally switch to someone else. Even if she doesn't conceive the Emperor's child, once the novelty wears off, he won't go back. Why should Mother get angry with her? It will only harm your health and damage your relationship with the Emperor. This time, she received ten strokes of the cane, so she will probably be more cautious in the future. That's why Mother is angry."

In her last sentence, Shen Qingwan's tone was clearly coquettish and ingratiating.

"You're quite generous," the Empress Dowager said helplessly.

Shen Qingwan had already put her words to this extent; her husband had done such an absurd thing with a concubine, and she, as the legal wife, still had to say a lot of things to please her mother-in-law. The Empress Dowager had also come from this point in her life, and couldn't help but recall how difficult her own life in the palace had been.

Now she is the Empress Dowager, and everyone in the harem respects and fears her.

But back when she was just a concubine of the late emperor, she was also living a life of constant struggle and uncertainty.

Thinking that Shen Qingwan had just lost her child and still had to make Qingyan smile, she instantly felt extremely guilty and heartbroken.

She couldn't bring herself to admit her mistake, but when she looked up at Shen Qingwan, she inadvertently caught sight of the bowl of bird's nest porridge in her hand.

"What is that in the Empress's hand?"

Shen Qingwan's throat was dry from trying to persuade her, and just as she was about to give up, the Empress Dowager spoke up.

Does this mean they want to eat?
"Mother, this is bird's nest porridge. May I serve you a couple of bites? If you don't feel like eating, I'll have someone make something else."

The Empress Dowager reluctantly nodded her noble head. "No need for such trouble. I'll just eat a couple of bites. I'm not that hungry."

Not very hungry?

Even after finishing a bowl of bird's nest porridge, the Empress Dowager still showed no sign of stopping.

This isn't about not being hungry; it's clearly about having a huge appetite. A bowl of porridge is barely enough to fill a gap between their teeth.

Shen Qingwan could only complain in her heart, after all, she still had to consider the Empress Dowager's face and take the initiative to find a way out for her.

"Mother, this porridge has been served for a while now, and I reckon it's gotten cold. I'll go and get you a hot bowl."

The Empress Dowager nodded slowly.

When Shen Qingwan came in again, Zhang Mama and her group also followed her in.

I heard that the Empress Dowager has finally agreed to eat.

In addition to bird's nest porridge, a lot of other food was brought in.

Shen Qingwan pretended not to see anything and continued to feed the Empress Dowager in silence.

After she finished the bowl of bird's nest porridge in her hand, the Empress Dowager raised her hand, seemingly having eaten her fill, and her complexion improved considerably.

"I'm not eating anymore. Eating so much at night will make me feel bloated."

"Then if Mother gets hungry later, I'll have someone prepare something for you to eat," Shen Qingwan patiently instructed.

"Your Majesty should also take good care of yourself, this miscarriage..."

Before the Empress Dowager could finish speaking, Zhang Mama entered. Her gaze first fell on Shen Qingwan before she hesitantly said, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager..."