If it weren't for the scandal in Gonghe Hall, Emperor Chu might have ignored Consort Fan's plea for grace, but alas, his son went ahead and heroically saved the beauty, and quite thoroughly at that, having had physical intimacy. What was to be done?
What else could be done but for the father to help cover things up?
Indeed, an emperor is also a father, and now Prince Zhou was cuddling and kissing someone's daughter; he had to take responsibility, or else the Wen family girl would either die or spend her life as a solitary ancient Buddha clothed in green.
Emperor Chu did not want to dishearten the Governor of Jiangnan.
Thus, as the masses expected, he pretended the scandal in Gonghe Hall hadn't happened and issued a royal decree on the spot, bestowing the Wen family's eldest daughter with the title of Concubine Zhou. In addition, he filled the concubine vacancies for all other princes who still had them.
