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

Chapter 68 Funny
It was cold, so the tea that the servants prepared for Emperor Yuanwu was naturally served piping hot, in case it got cold if left out for too long.

He had already eaten spicy food, and after taking a sip of hot tea, Emperor Yuanwu's facial features contorted. Even though he tried his best to control himself, his lips still hissed from the spiciness.

Shen Qingwan: ...

Ah this!

She hurriedly dismissed all the servants who were attending to her, and simply closed the palace gates. She then chilled a bowl of osmanthus tea, added some honey, and handed it to Emperor Yuanwu.

"This isn't hot, drink it quickly, it will make you feel better."

Shen Qingwan thought through all the saddest things in her life before she managed to suppress the uncontrollable upward curve of her lips.

She must have saved the galaxy in her past life, otherwise how could she have had the chance to see an emperor embarrass himself because of a bite of her chili sauce?

Emperor Yuanwu took a sip of osmanthus tea. The cool and sweet osmanthus flavor did indeed make his mouth feel much better.

Shen Qingwan couldn't hold it in any longer. Since there was no one else in the room, she simply stopped pretending and burst out laughing.

"Is it funny?" Emperor Yuanwu couldn't help but raise his eyes and roll his eyes at him.

"It's not that funny," Shen Qingwan coughed lightly. "I just didn't expect the Emperor to be unable to eat spicy food."

"You can handle spicy food?" Emperor Yuanwu said, as he drank the entire bowl of osmanthus tea.

"He should be able to eat a little more than the Emperor."

"Ha!" Emperor Yuanwu snorted coldly: "Empress, don't try to be tough here. Your lips are swollen from the spiciness, and you still have the nerve to say you can handle spicy food. Besides, this stuff is bad, so don't eat it again!"

“It’s normal for your mouth to swell up after eating chili peppers, but to be so spicy that you’re gasping for breath… cough cough…” Shen Qingwan pulled out her silk handkerchief and handed it to Emperor Yuanwu: “Your Majesty, wipe the sweat from your forehead!”

Emperor Yuanwu:...

"But His Majesty seems to be in a good mood today?" Shen Qingwan dared not continue teasing him, afraid that if she went too far with the joke and really angered him, she would be in deep trouble.

"I just went to see Consort Rou, and Physician Zhang said that Consort Rou is having a boy this time."

Thinking of this, Emperor Yuanwu instantly forgot about the dizziness and lightheadedness caused by the spiciness.

"It's really good to be a prince; there are just too few princes in the palace," Shen Qingwan remarked.

"Consort Rou looks so delicate and frail, it's unbelievable that her belly is so fertile. She's only been in the palace for a few months and she's already pregnant, and it's even a boy." Emperor Yuanwu picked up a piece of mutton from the pot and took another bite, but this time he didn't dip it in the sauce that Shen Qingwan had prepared for him, but ate it directly.

To ensure the mutton's freshness, only water was added to the pot, and no salt was even added.

The fact that Emperor Yuanwu could eat a piece of unsalted mutton with such relish shows that he was in a truly good mood.

"Once Consort Rou gives birth to a prince, I will promote her to the rank of Imperial Concubine."

Since there was no one else in the room except him and Shen Qingwan, Emperor Yuanwu didn't bother to hide anything and directly voiced his thoughts.

But upon hearing this, Shen Qingwan couldn't help but frown.

"If His Majesty truly values ​​Consort Rou's pregnancy, then it's best to keep the fact that she's carrying a boy a secret as far as possible before the baby is born. Imperial Physician Zhang has served in the palace for so many years; he's very discreet. We must be cautious in everything we do and lest anyone find a loophole."

Emperor Yuanwu paused in his eating and looked up at Shen Qingwan.

Shen Qingwan felt she had given all the necessary reminders, and there was no point in saying more, so she lowered her head and continued eating...

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Wu Jixiang said anxiously, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! You must go to Chuxiu Palace immediately! Consort Li, she..."

Shen Qingwan and Emperor Yuanwu exchanged a glance.

Shen Qingwan walked quickly to the door and opened it. Wu Jixiang looked at their swollen lips and was slightly taken aback.

"What exactly happened to Consort Li?" Emperor Yuanwu put down his chopsticks.

"Your Majesty, a messenger from Chuxiu Palace reported that Consort Li got up abruptly while sunbathing in the palace this afternoon. She only felt a little uncomfortable at the time and didn't think much of it, so she went back to her palace for a nap. However, by evening, her stomach started to hurt. The imperial physicians on duty at the Imperial Hospital are all in Chuxiu Palace right now. Would Your Majesty like to go and take a look?"

"Then what are we waiting for? Your Majesty, please go and take a look." Shen Qingwan turned around and urged Emperor Yuanwu.

When Consort Li contracted smallpox, we knew that she wouldn't be able to keep this pregnancy, but we didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

If we could hold on for seven months, and use all the medical skills of the imperial physicians, we might be able to save the child's life.

It seems certain that the child cannot be saved.

Shen Qingwan had already stepped out of the palace gate in her haste when Emperor Yuanwu slowly stood up from the stool.

Shen Qingwan: ...

At this moment, she had a feeling that the emperor wasn't worried, but the eunuch was.

She turned her head to take another look at Wu Jixiang standing beside her.

good good!
It turns out the eunuch wasn't worried at all; it was just her who was anxious.

When Emperor Yuanwu and Shen Qingwan arrived at Chuxiu Palace, there were many concubines standing there.

Consort De, Consort Shu, Consort Liang, Consort Jin, and Consort Zhen have all come over.

As soon as I stepped into the palace gates of Consort Li's chambers, I was hit by a strong smell of blood.

The sound of Consort Li's screams echoed from her bedchamber; just by listening to the sound, one could tell how terrible her condition was.

When everyone saw Emperor Yuanwu approaching, they all curtsied and paid their respects.

"May Your Majesty be blessed, and may Your Majesty the Empress be blessed."

"Get up."

Shen Qingwan followed behind Emperor Yuanwu and had only taken two steps toward the palace when she saw a female physician with blood all over her hands carrying a basin of bloody water out of the palace.

Emperor Yuanwu paused, turning to the imperial physician beside him to ask, "How is Consort Li?"

"Your Majesty, the child cannot be saved. Consort Li has been bleeding profusely since her miscarriage. Your humble servant will do everything in his power to stop the bleeding."

Seeing that Emperor Yuanwu didn't seem to be going in, Shen Qingwan offered him a way out: "Your Majesty has to attend the morning court tomorrow. Why don't you go and rest in one of the concubines' palaces first? With me here, Your Majesty can rest assured."

“Yes, Your Majesty, no matter how big Consort Li’s matter is, it is not as important as the affairs of the court. Your Majesty should go back and rest first.” Consort De followed up, “Why don’t I accompany Your Majesty back to rest first?”

Emperor Yuanwu glanced at Consort De and nodded.

After Consort De and Emperor Yuanwu left, Shen Qingwan spoke again: "Consort Shu, Consort Zhen and Consort Liang have children in their palaces, so please go back first."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I thank you for your kindness."

The three of them walked out of the gate of Chuxiu Palace side by side.

"Consort Li has been childless for so many years, and now that she finally has a child, who would have thought that something like this would happen?" Consort Liang sighed.

"Alas, my heart ached when I heard Consort Li's screams. She lost so much blood; I'm afraid her body is ruined and she won't recover anytime soon," Consort Shu sighed.

"But when Her Majesty the Empress and the Emperor came over just now, did you notice their mouths...?"

(End of this chapter)