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

Chapter 18 Reward
Kunning Palace summoned another imperial physician from the Imperial Medical Academy.

The imperial physician who came was Zhang, the chief physician of the Imperial Hospital.

Shen Qingwan lay on the bed and tossed and turned for a while. By now, she felt that the pain had subsided.

After taking her pulse, Physician Zhang asked, "Your Majesty, what did you eat after your dinner tonight?"

"Doctor Zhang, please speak frankly."

Could someone have really drugged her?
"Your Majesty, please do not be alarmed. I just took your pulse, and it seems that you have ingested something that is incompatible with your stomach, which is why you are experiencing abdominal pain and bloating. That's why I asked you about it," Physician Zhang explained earnestly.

"For her dinner, Her Majesty had stir-fried black carp with garlic, braised eggplant, pan-fried taro cakes, and clear chicken soup. After dinner, she ate some fruit, bananas and oranges, and drank a cup of osmanthus tea before bed."

The palace maid recounted everything in detail.

"Your Majesty, black carp is cold in nature, and eggplant is cooling in nature. Eating them together will damage the spleen and stomach, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain and indigestion. Taro and bananas, when eaten together, may cause bloating, abdominal pain, and indigestion."

However, some people experience these symptoms more noticeably, while others are unaffected.

The Empress is recovering from a serious illness, and her spleen and stomach are relatively weak, so she should pay extra attention to her diet.

After I return, I will write a detailed list of food incompatibilities.

The food was brought to Kunning Palace. The Empress's spleen and stomach are relatively weak, so her diet must be carefully monitored.

"Your Majesty, I will also prescribe some medicine to regulate your spleen and stomach, to help you recover. The mornings and evenings are still chilly after the start of autumn, so please be sure to keep warm."

Listening to Physician Zhang's instructions, Shen Qingwan nodded and rewarded him with a large handful of golden melon seeds when she saw him off.

“Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable. It is my honor to serve Your Majesty. How can I accept any reward money?”

The palace maid stuffed the golden melon seeds into Physician Zhang's hand: "The roads are slippery because of the rain. This is just a small token of Her Majesty the Empress's kindness. Physician Zhang, please don't be so polite."

Physician Zhang knelt on the ground, lifting his robe: "Your Majesty, I thank you. I will return to the Imperial Hospital immediately to prepare medicine for Your Majesty."

Shen Qingwan said softly, "Go and see Physician Zhang off."

Only when they reached the palace gate did Physician Zhang slowly release his grip. Looking at the handful of golden melon seeds in his hand, he still felt like he was dreaming.

The Empress was the most troublesome concubine in the entire Imperial Medical Academy.

In the past, whenever the Empress came to the Imperial Hospital, she would either ask for a contraceptive decoction or safflower.

Let's not talk about the reward.

It's a miracle they didn't cause a huge scene at their Imperial Hospital.

Why is he acting so strangely today? Not only did he not say anything, but he also gave him a reward.
After the imperial physician left.

Zhen'er also finished bathing and changed into a clean set of clothes.

She sat by Shen Qingwan's bedside and muttered to herself.

"Your Highness, do you think they are really from Consort Rou's palace? Consort Rou and I have no grudge against each other. Last time I saw Consort Rou come over, she was quite respectful to you. You dealt with Gao Da today, so why is Consort Rou arresting me? Could it be that he is related to Consort Rou...?"

Shen Qingwan: ……

Shen Qingwan now understands the meaning of master and servant being of one mind.

The original owner wasn't very bright, and her personal maid didn't seem to be much better.

The next morning.

Shen Qingwan was pruning flowers in the palace when a palace maid who was sweeping the courtyard came in.

"Your Highness, Granny Zhang is here."

She put down the scissors in her hand, a slight smile curving her lips, and said softly, "Granny Zhang, why did you come in person? Is there something the Empress Dowager has to instruct you?"

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager requests your presence at Cining Palace."

"May I ask, Granny Zhang, why did the Empress Dowager summon me so early this morning?"

Zhang Mama looked troubled: "Your Majesty, you'll find out when you get there."

"I understand. Please trouble Zhang Mama to tell the Empress Dowager that I will come after changing my clothes."

When Shen Qingwan arrived at Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager sat in the main seat of the Cining Palace, while Consort Xian knelt on the ground.

The concubines in the harem, except for a few newly arrived ladies-in-waiting, were all present. It was quite a lively scene early in the morning!
Shen Qingwan glanced at Consort Xian and curtsied.

"Your daughter-in-law greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be blessed."

"Consort Xian, the Empress has arrived. Please feel free to speak your mind."

Shen Qingwan: ? ? ?

Shen Qingwan walked over and sat down next to the Empress Dowager.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I am in charge of the affairs of the six palaces. Since someone has come to me to expose Your Majesty's private affairs, I must find out the truth. I absolutely cannot allow anyone to slander Your Majesty." Consort Xian knelt on the ground and said earnestly.

"Oh?"

Shen Qingwan drawled out her words.

"It is good that Consort Xian thinks this way. Please do not slander me. After all, framing the Empress is no small matter in the harem. According to palace rules, it is a crime of treason, which is punishable by death."

After Shen Qingwan finished speaking, she turned to the Empress Dowager and asked, "Mother, don't you agree?"

Queen Mother:…

The Empress Dowager seemed quite surprised that she would suddenly ask her such a question: "What the Empress said is true. Slandering the Empress has always been a serious crime. At the very least, it can result in cutting off hair or nose, and at worst, execution."

Consort Xian: !!!
Consort Xian felt a chill run down her spine.

She carefully went through the events from last night until now in her mind.

Make sure there is no problem.

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty the Empress, it was the eunuch on patrol last night who saw Your Majesty's maid Zhen'er and Prince Rui having a secret rendezvous in the Imperial Garden. I was thinking of taking Zhen'er to question her, but when I went to Kunning Palace this morning, I didn't see Zhen'er. I wonder if Zhen'er is..."

Shen Qingwan didn't speak, she just looked at her quietly.

"I don't know if this is unauthorized leaving the palace. Since she is someone close to the Empress, I think it's best for the Empress to decide for herself whether to protect her or not..."

"I will obey Your Majesty the Empress."

Shen Qingwan turned to the side.

"Mother, last night my daughter-in-law was in excruciating abdominal pain. In the middle of the night, Zhen'er went to the Imperial Hospital to fetch a physician for her. On the way, she encountered some trouble and was injured. It was Prince Rui who came to her aid. My daughter-in-law was about to send someone to deliver a thank-you gift to Prince Rui when, unexpectedly, Zhang Mama arrived first."

Consort Xian scoffed inwardly: "Your Majesty, by saying this, aren't you deliberately trying to protect Zhen'er?"

"Mother, Zhen'er and Prince Rui are complete strangers, how could she possibly have an affair in the middle of the night?"

at this time.

The concubines sitting below the throne also began to discuss among themselves.

"Your Majesty the Empress said that Zhen'er and Prince Rui were complete strangers. Does that mean that Your Majesty yourself is acquainted with Prince Rui?"

"I heard that before the Empress betrothed herself to the Emperor, she was engaged to Prince Rui."

"Zhen'er is the Empress's confidante. Who knows if she was having a secret rendezvous with Prince Rui in the middle of the night, or if she was helping the Empress pass on something?"

"Shut up!"

A cold, clear voice followed.

Emperor Yuanwu walked in from outside the palace.

The concubines hurriedly rose and bowed.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be well?"

Emperor Yuanwu roared, his eyes bloodshot and unfocused: "With a bunch of you gossiping behind my back, what good fortune can I possibly have?"

"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong."

Emperor Yuanwu did not speak, but walked to sit down next to the Empress Dowager and glanced at Shen Qingwan.

Shen Qingwan's gaze was indifferent, as if the person they were discussing was not her.

"Queen..."

(End of this chapter)