LOT – Chapter 160 The Rise of Dowager Consort Chen

The people around were both curious and hesitant to listen.

Mainly because events like this were rare—once in a century—but the private pleasures of the emperor weren’t something they could eavesdrop on.

“What erotic stuff? What mosaic scenes? You’re overthinking it. When I say they stayed up all night, I mean they literally just stayed up all night.”

“Wasn’t it that they gave the ladies of the harem a money-making idea? Writing those palace intrigue stories. The problem was, the ladies had no real experience with palace scheming. And in this palace, the person with the most experience in palace intrigue was… the emperor himself. So he spent the whole night telling them stories about the intrigues of the previous dynasty’s harem.”

The emperor—the one with the most experience in palace intrigue!

The ministers widened their eyes slightly, feeling a mix of surprise and indescribable emotions.

And the main point: the harem… doesn’t actually fight? Are the ladies of the harem really getting along so harmoniously?

Because the previous dynasty’s court and the harem were two entirely different worlds, the ministers truly had no idea how the women of the harem lived.

“Hmph, it really is making me curious… But tell me about the previous dynasty’s palace intrigues. It couldn’t really have been like the novels, right?”

Lin Mo had actually witnessed real palace intrigue, though she had never seen any true household scheming.

Her own home was just too harmonious. Her parents were the real embodiment of true love, and every day she could watch them shower each other with affection right in front of her.

Hearing this, Bai Xiao suddenly became enthusiastic: “Then I’ll tell you. I mean, there’s the living Dowager Consort Chen, the sister of the current Duke Chen. As for those who are already dead… well, there’s nothing much to say about them.”

Suddenly being mentioned, Duke Chen: ??? Wait, wait! Shouldn’t it be easier to talk about those who are dead? Why mention the living one?

For some reason, he suddenly had a very, very bad premonition.

Lin Mo still had some impression of Duke Chen—mainly that he really was wealthy. His children were also well-off, and his family always appeared at any prominent banquet.

“Hurry up and tell me! I do have some impression of Duke Chen. He’s one of the wealthiest people I’ve ever seen.”

Bai Xiao: “Of course! Dowager Consort Chen was once a favored consort. She received a lot of wealth from the late emperor, and she sent it all back to her natal family. It would be strange if Duke Chen didn’t have money.”

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuande nearly had his eyes pop out. The way he looked at Duke Chen was almost fiery.

Using my father’s money to support your family!

The emperor felt like raising his sword—what kind of lousy father gives all the money away! Now he had nothing to spend, and had to scrape coins from every corner to supplement the treasury!

There’s no emperor in the world who’s suffered as miserably as me! Give back all my money!

“Your Majesty! Calm down! Calm down! Listen to what Lord Lin and the others have to say first!”

Eunuch Li was essentially the emperor’s emotional stabilizer, usually tasked with soothing his outbursts.

Duke Chen was sweating profusely, thinking: “Oh, my lord, please stop! If you say any more, our family’s wealth will be confiscated!”

Lin Mo, however, had no idea about Duke Chen’s inner panic. Her mind was full of palace intrigue.

As the only living consort who had actually experienced palace scheming, Dowager Consort Chen’s skills had to be impressive.

“Quickly, tell me how Dowager Consort Chen gained favor. Did she harm anyone?”

Bai Xiao: “Of course she harmed people, and more than one life too. Before she gained favor, there was a particularly favored Consort Xue. Chen used the tactic of letting others do the dirty work—she stirred conflict between the late emperor and Consort Xue, making them fight to the death, while she reaped the benefits quietly, and thus gained favor smoothly.”

“Later, Consort Xue was banished to the cold palace. Chen deliberately had palace maids and eunuchs secretly mistreat her, and Consort Xue, unable to bear the humiliation, threw herself into a well.”

Tsk tsk tsk! Now this was palace intrigue as she imagined it. So some of what the TV shows and novels portray is actually true.

Lin Mo even felt a little sorry for Consort Xue: “Isn’t that too cruel? Wasn’t she innocent?”

The others also felt a deep sense of pity. History favors the victors, and the struggles in the harem were even more intense than in the court—pure psychological warfare.

Luckily, Consort Xue’s family had fallen from grace. Otherwise, hearing that their daughter was killed here would have been unbearable.

Bai Xiao: “Of course, she wasn’t completely innocent. Any consort who gained favor had dirt on her hands. One princess from the late emperor’s reign was actually killed by Consort Xue. Later, Dowager Consort Chen stirred things between them, escalating the conflict to the point of life and death. That princess was the spark the late empress used to target Consort Xue.”

Lin Mo: “Now that you say it, I don’t feel sorry for her anymore. Serves her right!”

Bai Xiao nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

“Exactly. Those who died deserved it. Dowager Consort Chen was actually quite restrained. After gaining favor, she immediately avoided pregnancy, so even though she was favored, the others didn’t target her too much. Everyone assumed she couldn’t have children.”

“Actually, she either couldn’t have children or chose not to—or was afraid to. Once pregnant, she would have a weakness. From conception to childbirth is ten months, and how many can get through that safely? Some might only lose the child; others, both mother and child might perish. She did this for self-preservation.”

“Dowager Consort Chen lived very strategically. She didn’t seek true affection, true love, or children—only wealth. Her competition for favor was to improve her own treatment and advance her natal family.”

Hearing this, Lin Mo sincerely admired Dowager Consort Chen.

Such a woman had no weaknesses! She sought only riches and status, without a shred of genuine emotion. Impressive! No wonder she received so much wealth from the late emperor.

“Dowager Consort Chen was practically the heroine of palace intrigue dramas. No wonder she survived to the end.”

Others silently nodded in agreement. A woman living to this level of skill and strategy was truly remarkable.

The late emperor was handsome, and when he loved someone, he genuinely showered her with attention, wealth, and promotion of her family—giving her unique privileges.

Many consorts fell for this, thinking they were the only one, the uniquely favored one. So when they lost favor, they collapsed utterly, as the fall was too severe.

Hence they later became crazed for love and unscrupulous. Dowager Consort Chen was truly formidable—her period of favor was not short, yet she never let the late emperor cloud her judgment. Her resolve was extraordinary!

Bai Xiao continued: “To gain even more rewards from the late emperor, she even staged a fake pregnancy. Later, she claimed the child had been miscarried. She acted heartbroken, and the late emperor, feeling even more pity and guilt, lavished her with gifts flowing like a river into her palace.”

Lin Mo was genuinely speechless at this point. She could only raise a thumb in her heart.