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

Chapter 82 is specially designed for
Lan Changyi was taken aback: "Your Majesty, may I... sit down?"

Emperor Yuanwu chuckled: "Does Consort Lan not want to dine with me?"

Lan Changzai shook her head repeatedly, sat down opposite Emperor Yuanwu, picked up her chopsticks, and ate whichever dish Emperor Yuanwu ate, and ate as many bites as Emperor Yuanwu ate.

As they ate, Emperor Yuanwu noticed Lan Chang's small action in no time.

"What is Consort Lan doing? Why are you trying to imitate me? You eat whatever I eat? Does Consort Lan think that only food that I have eaten is safe from poison? Is Consort Lan using me as a food taster?" Emperor Yuanwu said half-jokingly.

Consort Lan was so frightened that she knelt down on the ground: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, I dare not, I did not mean that, I just do not know the etiquette of dining with Your Majesty, I..."

Upon hearing Consort Lan's words, Emperor Yuanwu couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Consort Lan, how come I never noticed how interesting you were before? What rules are there for dining? As long as you and I are both full, that's enough. Now that you are pregnant, don't kneel down all the time. Don't hurt the prince in your womb."

"Yes."

Xi'er helped Lan Changzai sit down on the stool.

As soon as Consort Xian reached the entrance of her palace, Emperor Yuanwu's laughter came from behind her.

The laughter she once longed for now sounds particularly grating.

Consort Xian suddenly stopped, and Xia Fuchuan, who was following behind her, also stopped. He turned around and glanced in the direction of Consort Lan's palace: "Your Highness, are you alright?"

Consort Xian shook her head, her eyes dim.

Xia Fuchuan hurriedly stepped forward to support her: "Your Majesty, please don't be like this. Perhaps His Majesty was just acting on a whim. Maybe he'll forget about Consort Lan after lunch. Last time, when Prince Rui and Prince Yao went hunting and obtained some fine fox fur, besides the Empress Dowager, the first person His Majesty thought of was Your Majesty. After rewarding you, he sent the rest to the Empress. This shows that His Majesty still cares about you. Now that Consort Lan is pregnant, the Emperor and Empress Dowager value the imperial heir. Even if they take extra care of her, it's only because of the child in her womb. Your Majesty should stay away from her recently to avoid displeasing His Majesty."

"Of course I know that His Majesty cares about me. From the day I entered the palace, I knew that His Majesty could never have only me. Besides, I just went to her palace for a visit and didn't do anything to her. How did I offend her and make His Majesty have to come and support her personally?" Consort Xian's face was ugly, and she almost twisted her ankle when she crossed the threshold.

Xia Fuchuan supported her arm: "Yes, yes, Your Majesty is right in everything you do, but as the Emperor said, Your Majesty has just recovered from a serious illness. Why should you harm your health for a mere concubine? We should rest in the palace to avoid seeing her every day and getting annoyed."

"You think you're so good at making me happy?" Consort Xian scoffed.

"This servant is clumsy with words and knows no way of pleasing Your Highness. I am just telling the truth." Xia Fuchuan peeled a segment of orange and put it into Consort Xian's hand: "Your Highness, have an orange."

"You," Consort Xian couldn't help but poke his forehead. "By the way, how are the maids that the Imperial Household Department picked for me? You're busy running around all day now, you must be exhausted."

"Serving Your Majesty is not tiring at all, as long as Your Majesty does not mind my clumsiness." Xia Fuchuan peeled another orange and placed it in Consort Xian's hand: "The Imperial Household Department sent word yesterday that there was a palace maid named Xia Mei who served Consort Qi. She was clever, loyal, and an old servant in the palace. Now that Consort Qi has passed away, it is just right to transfer her to serve Your Majesty."

"Consort Qi..." Consort Xian paused while eating an orange: "No, this maid is absolutely unacceptable."

"What's wrong?" Xia Fuchuan asked, puzzled. "You know how much the Empress Dowager hates Consort Qi. If someone from her side were to come to Jingyang Palace to serve her, who knows how many troubles would arise if the Empress Dowager found out." Consort Xian sighed inwardly, "Go and tell the Imperial Household Department to have someone else replaced."

“Your Majesty need not worry. Although the Empress Dowager does not like Consort Qi, both the late Emperor and Consort Qi are no longer alive. Although the Emperor did not posthumously confer any titles upon Consort Qi, he did bestow many rewards upon her maternal family. This matter was handled personally by the Empress,” Xia Fuchuan said.

"Oh?" Consort Xian asked in a drawn-out tone, "Is that so?"

"Your Majesty, your illness had just begun to improve at that time, so you did not know."

"In that case, I'll have someone bring Xia Mei over this afternoon so I can take a look." Consort Xian placed the leftover oranges on the table. "The Imperial Household Department sent two wild ginseng roots yesterday, saying they were for me to nourish my body. I've been eating so many tonics every day, and they've made me too hot-tempered. I'll give those two wild ginseng roots to you."

"Thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty." Xia Fuchuan couldn't stop smiling.

The next morning.

Shen Qingwan got up early and sat in front of the bronze mirror while Zhen'er helped her with her makeup.

"Your Majesty, yesterday the Emperor learned that you had given three fox furs to the princes and princesses, and he praised them highly in front of Eunuch Jixiang. This morning, the Emperor specially sent Eunuch Jixiang to deliver a set of jewelry, saying it was brought to the palace from the South China Sea. It is exquisite. Would Your Majesty like to take a look?" After Zhen'er finished speaking, she placed a carved mahogany box in front of Shen Qingwan.

The tributes sent to the South China Sea each year consisted mainly of pearls and corals. Most of the goods along the South China Sea coast naturally came from the sea.

There was no special reason for it to be sent to her. She, as the empress, received a share of everything that was presented as tribute from the palace, regardless of its size. There was no question of it being specially sent to her.

However, this year's pearl seems different from previous years. Although it is not particularly large, it is no longer white as in previous years. Under the pearly light, there is a faint purple layer, which is really beautiful.

Purple pearls are rare enough, but it's even rarer to find a complete set of jewelry: twelve hairpins, earrings, and a necklace.

"Your Highness, if you like it, this servant will put it on for you." Zhen'er was also seeing such a rare item for the first time and was extremely excited.

After Shen Qingwan finished dressing up, she noticed that among the newly delivered jewelry, there was a particularly exquisite white pearl hairpin.

She casually placed it in Zhen'er's hair: "This hairpin is quite unique and looks very elegant. I'll keep it for you to wear."

“Your Majesty.” Zhen’er’s eyes widened in surprise: “Pearls are precious. The South China Sea can only send a few as tribute each year. How can Your Majesty bestow such a precious thing upon this servant? This servant cannot accept it.”

As Zhen'er spoke, she reached out to touch the hairpin in her hair, wanting to take it off, but Shen Qingwan pressed down on the back of her hand: "You said it yourself that you would pay tribute every year. Since it is something that is available every year, how can it be considered precious? Girls should dress themselves up well during their beautiful years. Since I have given it to you, there is no reason for me to take it back."

(End of this chapter)