Lei Xing was honestly not even sure why she came here.

When she left the Emperor, she had actually planned to go see Li Ru but then as she went along she suddenly realized that she did not want to be there when the Minister of Rites arrived with his announcement...It would be awkward.

Moreover, Li Ru was not someone who would understand her current reservations on this matter. As as far Li Ru was concerned, Lei Xing should be happy that the Emperor is so in love with her that he has chosen to exclude all others.

And Lei Xing was happy, so happy she wanted to take the leap and give him the child he wanted. But there was still the politics of the matter in play and the Emperor seemed to be dismissing it all a bit too easily...Could it truly that simple? Was she simply thinking too much, being too cynical about it all?

Lei Xing had also noticed that when it came to things involving him, the Emperor never really told her the full nature of his troubles. He let her read edicts but she was pretty certain that he already knew exactly what was in them before he offered them to her. So she knew he would never tell her about the true nature of his troubles as he always seems to be unnecessarily worried about her worrying.

It was sweet but Lei Xing found it even more worrisome because it meant she could not trust him when he said everything was alright. Case and point, yesterday's incident when the world was literally rolling over right before her eyes he was going, 'everything will be fine...no problem at all'.

It was for her sake, she understood that. Another example of this was is how he handled the birth control situation, according to him the main reason he was upset was simply because she wanted to take the contraception behind his back and not because of her not wanting children. He pretty much ignored the fact that it was NOT fine for especially someone in his position not to have an heir.

And now he did this with the harem, yes he had told her before about not being interested in the existence of the harem. But despite his disinterest, he had taken the women in so as not to cause friction between him and the ministers, so he could get more important things much done much easier. But now he was setting the important matters aside in a bid to make her happy...It was heartwarming, but she was honestly finding it all stressful and worrying.

It was starting to seem as if when she was involved, he did not really think things through as he normally would.

Since his reassurances were not as reassuring as they should be, she wanted to get a neutral opinion to see if she was really thinking too much of all this. Perhaps, he had really done enough to pacify the ministers.

She wanted to get a neutral opinion, but her people options were very limited and it was not really dawning on her how limited they were. She actually started to miss Doctor Lou and his bracelet, but then again, much like the Emperor, Doctor Lou only tells her what he thinks she has the "capacity" to handle.

It was annoying.

As she changed directions to return to her palace to stew on her own, Ming Shu came to mind and it was like a light bulb went on in her head. Ming Shu had lived in the palace all these years, lived and served three Emperors and their harems. She definitely understood how things worked here and well, Lei Xing had come to understand the old woman a bit over the last month or so. They could be said to have developed a relationship of sorts and so here Lei Xing was talking to her "personal assistant".

Lei Xing lightly sighed and then said, "I want to know - No, I would like an honest discussion with you. You have been in the palace longer than anyone else has. You have also held this position for decades as well and that takes an understanding and a breadth of mind that does not come easy. I'm curious about how such an understanding and seasoned mind sees this development...?Rest assured, nothing you say will be held against you so your honesty is required." Lei Xing added the disclaimer to make the old woman more comfortable.

Ming Shu slightly knit her brows and scrutinized Lei Xing for a bit before asking in a confused tone, "You are worried...?"

Lei Xing blinked and then lightly sighed, "...I would just like a different perspective on the situation to further my own understanding hence my asking you..." She calmly with a small smile. She did not need to share her mood of the day with outsiders.

Ming Shu was quiet for a while and then she said, "Most women would simply be happy..."

Lei Xing slightly knit her brows, a bit annoyed but she smiled and said, "I am happy and as I said, I am simply trying to further my understanding so do share your insight."

{...Why are people assuming that me asking questions means I'm unhappy? -_-)'...Can't someone still think things through without causing unnecessary speculation! >_

Ming Shu still scrutinized Lei Xing then she sighed and said, "Well...It's not the first time an Emperor has dismissed the idea of a harem..."

"It's not?" Lei Xing asked in surprise, knitting her brows. The ministers definitely did not behave like it wasn't.

Ming Shu nodded, "Although the situation is a bit different...The Emperor's grandfather only had his Crown princess when he ascended the throne and his harem stayed empty even after he became Emperor..."

Lei Xing listened with her rapt attention, this was a pleasant surprise. Ming Shu showed a slight smile as she continued, "...back then when the ministers had tried to insist that the Emperor should accept concubines, he simply told them that the palace already had way too many maids than he knew what to do with so he could not accept more at thattime..." Ming Shu snorted as she recalled the outrage it had caused at the time. Then she froze and stared at Lei Xing wide-eyed before quickly lowering her head as her face reddened.

Lei Xing also lightly snorted and almost burst out laughing as she watched Ming Shu's reaction. But she had always been respectful to elders so she just lightly cleared her throat and stamped down her laughter.

{...Maids? I like this grandpa hahaha...guess he takes after his grandpa. Oh my goodness, imagine if he had gone and compared the girls to maids in front of the ministers, I would probably have died from a heart attack right there O_O)...Princesses are definitely awesome, great choice...Amazing!...}

"It is unfortunate that his Empress died young during her second pregnancy due to unexpected complications with her health..." Ming Shu said with a depressed sigh, having recovered from her earlier embarrassment.

Lei Xing froze and her jolly mood deflated. She gulped and somewhat nervously brought her hand to her neck and fiddled with the teeth on the necklace on her neck.

{...Relax...It will be alright, many, many - a huge percentage of women deliver safely...I also have great luck and a crazy doctor on my side - that's if I can find him but - he'll show...I wouldn't even need him haha...ha... it'll be fine -_-)'...}

"It was only after the death of his Empress that he accepted others into the harem to give him more children and even then, he never crowned another Empress during his reign..." Ming Shu sighed again and looked down at her hands.

The two sat quietly for a while, each with their own thoughts. Ming Shu finally looked up at Lei Xing and said, "She would be proud of her grandson and would have been proud in his choice of a wife" She finished with a polite somewhat saddened smile.

Lei Xing blinked at her for a bit and then nodded, "Thank you." She was suddenly feeling awkward.

She had heard that Ming Shu had been close with the Emperor's grandmother, the rumors said they were close as sisters and she was even charged with raising the Emperor's father after his mother's passing.

So obviously this was not an easy conversation for her and it was like Lei Xing had come to dig up old wounds so naturally, Lei Xing was feeling very awkward. She did not do well when people got emotional and it was even worse when she was not close to them.

It was clear this conversation had gone way over its limits. So Lei Xing got to her feet with a polite smile,?"I'll be leaving now..."

Ming Shu also stood up as well and bowed bidding her farewell and Lei Xing awkwardly nodded again and quickly but dignifiedly shuffled out of the room.

***

After leaving Ming Shu, Lei Xing returned to the Empress's palace and simply decided to have Xiao Ruo send out scouts to gauge the reaction in the other palaces. She could go see Li Ru after the buzz had died down.

Just as Lei Xing was settling down to relax, one of the Emperor's eunuchs arrived to inform her that Emperor has asked for her to lead the ceremony for the clearing of the harem/crowning of the princesses. Lei Xing blinked at the Eunuch in surprise when she got the message.

{...There's a ceremony? O_O)'...Well, I guess, makes sense...But me?...Oh yeah...I am the Empress so I guess, harem is my thing?... But why didn't he say something to me - Nevermind, I guess he didn't know the procedure either considering it wasn't everyday one turns their wives into princesses. I doubt there's a manual for it...*sigh* ceremony -_-)'...}

It was as if the eunuch heard Lei Xing's thoughts because he went on to explain, "...Normally this could have been done with the Empress dowager but since she is currently indisposed and you are the head of the harem, the Emperor decided that Your majesty should handle it instead. The Emperor said to tell you that your presence is simply required..." The Eunuch finished with a bow.

Lei Xing swiftly understood the Emperor's message, all she apparently had to do was to sit there, and that was fine by her. Would be awkward but it was alright, she could sit in, "Alright then...Is everything ready then?"

"The Minister of Rites said it will be another hour or two..." The eunuch informed.

"In that case, send word to the Imperial wives to assemble here in two hours then..." Lei Xing said and the Eunuch bowed and then left to do as instructed.

Lei Xing sighed and sent the maids away and went to lay down on her bed to relax for a while before she had to get up to get ready for this "glorious" ceremony. The irony of it all is that she had decided against going to Li Ru's palace to avoid being there when the edict arrived, but now not only was she going to be there, she was going to be leading the whole affair for all of them.

{...Life sure has a great sense of humor sometimes ?_?) ...What a long day...}

Lei Xing frowned and shook her head as she thought she heard Doctor Lou's snickering in her mind. She raised her arms up to confirm the bracelet was not there and then sighed and decided that clearly she was traumatized.

After all, it definitely could not be that she was actually missing the quack doctor and his irritatingly clingy bracelet already, right?

{...Definitely not...Speaking of clingy, I wonder how much of the "truth" his "goddaughter" knows...Everything? So she was playing me from the getgo?... Kinda pisses me off -_-)'...}

Lei Xing sighed again and then decided she would send for Tung Mei in a few days after the whole issue with the Imperial wives was over. Not for anything in particular, she was just curious to know how much this girl really knew.

{...I mean, if the quack's her godfather and he got someone to play me as he said, then it follows that dear goddaughter should know who it was...so perhaps her case was really one of mistaken identity? So she could have run over to me during the lantern festival thinking "I" was still the doc's friend?...

...It makes sense but then why was she mean to me during the selection if she thought I was the friend then...Well, maybe she had a fight with said friend at the time? ...Or was it just for fun? Playing the palace game maybe?... Yeah, I can see that, would not even be surprised if that quack actually put her up to it just for "fun" (?_?)...}

Lei Xing yawned and then rolled to her side and closed her eyes. She would deal with Tung Mei when she met Tung Mei. For now, she would nap and then go deal with the send-off ceremony for her palace-mates.