Lanqin looked up at the Fourth Prince with surprise, but he smiled nonchalantly, waiting for her to receive the decree. Sure enough, someone behind her whispered, "Shouldn't the Empress be in charge of the harem?"

Lanqin was indeed worried about this, which is why she hesitated to accept the imperial decree.

Wu was overjoyed; all her previous worries had been resolved. Her rank and status were now completely dispelled by the Fourth Prince's imperial decree. As long as Lanqin held the reins of the harem, what did it matter if she was the Empress? Excitedly, she pulled Song aside and knelt down first, shouting to Lanqin, "Congratulations, Consort Xi! Your humble servant obeys Your Highness's decree..."

Those around them looked around and had no choice but to kneel on the ground, shouting to Lanqin, "Congratulations, Consort Xi! Your humble servants will obey Your Highness's decree..."

Lanqin watched everyone's reactions with trepidation.

But the Fourth Prince looked at Lanqin with unwavering eyes. Helpless, Lanqin had no choice but to accept the imperial edict, close her eyes, and kneel three times in deep bow: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"

The news of Lanqin's investiture on the day it was conferred quickly reached the Empress's ears. The next day, according to ancestral custom, when Lanqin was to come to pay her respects and serve tea to the Empress, she deliberately made Lanqin wait for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before slowly coming out.

The Empress smiled serenely, barely even raising an eyebrow, maintaining her dignified and noble demeanor. Looking at Lanqin kneeling on the ground, she said with a smile, "Sister, I'm truly sorry. I'm not feeling well today, so I kept you waiting a little longer..."

Lanqin replied respectfully, "I am not concerned, Your Majesty's health is the most important thing..." After saying that, she gestured to the maid beside her to bring tea, and carefully and slowly handed the tea to the Empress. Although Ulanara had lost power for many years, and although the Fourth Prince favored her, she was now the Empress, and things were different from when she was in the Prince's residence. She had to maintain the proper decorum.

The Empress sat in her chair, glancing sideways at Lanqin, still smiling but making no move to reach out.

Lanqin bent over, struggling to stay upright and not daring to move. She knew in her heart that the Empress was deliberately making things difficult for her. Although she was angry, she forced herself to remain silent.

"Sister, this is the palace, not the Yong Prince's mansion where we used to live. I hope that you will be more self-disciplined in the future, maintain harmony in the palace, serve diligently, and consider the overall situation..." The Empress remained expressionless, only her mouth moved slightly, and she barely managed to take the teacup when she saw that Lanqin was about to lose her balance.

Lanqin breathed a sigh of relief, almost staggering. The palace maid behind her reached out in surprise to support her, but was stopped by Lanqin's stern look. After regaining her balance, she slowly bowed to express her gratitude: "I am overjoyed to receive your instruction, Your Majesty."

After serving tea, Lanqin, having stood all morning and then forced to bend over for half a day by the Empress, was so sore halfway there that she couldn't move and leaned against the wall, unable to straighten up for a long time. Seeing Lanqin's pained expression, Baoqin was frightened and wanted to call the imperial physician, but Lanqin stopped her: "It's alright, it's nothing serious, don't disturb the Emperor..."

Baoqin complained, "Your Majesty, the Empress is clearly making things difficult for you. You are now in charge of the harem, how can you let her bully you like this..."

Lanqin smiled wryly, pounding her back: "Silly girl, you know the Empress did it on purpose. She was just angry for a moment. If we didn't let her vent, who knows what trouble she would cause later. It's better this way. She made things difficult for me, and I've vented my anger. Only when I feel at peace will the harem be harmonious..."

After saying these words, Lanqin herself felt a little ashamed, wondering if she had been too "great"...