Who Would Understand, Her Ladyship Wrote A Hundred Palace Regulations - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The Emperor’s Protection

In Cining Palace, the concubines had already left, and only Xue Jieyu remained to keep the empress dowager company.

Consort Shu and Wang Degui arrived at Cining Palace together.

“Empress Dowager, please forgive me. It’s all because this servant was stupid and didn’t convey the Emperor’s decree to you in time…” Wang Degui repeated the emperor’s words again and said tremblingly, “The Emperor also said… said that Ning Guiren pays her respects to you every day and is absolutely filial and respectful. The one time she missed was because of the Emperor’s fault. We hope the Empress Dowager can understand.”

Empress Dowager Xue’s face was gloomy.

The emperor was clearly protecting Ning Wanyin and saying it was his fault. Naturally, Empress Dowager Xue couldn’t punish Ning Wanyin anymore.
She said coldly, “Since the Emperor is speaking up for her, I will let her off. You can leave.”

Wang Degui wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and quickly left.

Consort Shu didn’t want to stay and see the empress dowager’s anger, so she also bowed and left.

After the outsiders left.

The leading eunuch, Liu Zhen, said angrily, “Empress Dowager, the Emperor is actually protecting a woman and slapping your face! He has forgotten that without your support, he wouldn’t be able to sit on the throne! You can’t let this go!”

When Empress Dowager Xue was the empress, she controlled the harem.

The emperor, who was still a prince at the time, had to bow to her respectfully.
How could he dare to go against his mother?

So the people in Cining Palace felt superior, even when facing the emperor.

“Enough, you can leave. Let me think about it,” Empress Dowager Xue said, waving her hand to dismiss the palace servants, despite her anger.

The previous generation’s winner in the harem was not someone to be trifled with.

Liu Zhen led the palace servants out.

Empress Dowager Xue looked at Xue Jieyu with a complex expression, “Yan’er, we and the Cen family were both wrong about him. We thought he was someone we could control. The Emperor has been laying out his plans in the court for three years and has already established a foundation. It’s hard to replace him on the throne now. That’s why the family specifically sent you to the palace.”

“I understand, Aunt. You’re saying this because…” Xue Jieyu felt that today’s incident was very humiliating for her aunt, and as a member of the Xue family, she was also deeply angry.

“The Emperor is not a puppet, and he won’t be content with being one. So, you need to look beyond the surface and see the Emperor’s true intentions. Don’t let anger cloud your judgment,” Empress Dowager Xue advised, a cold smile appearing on her face.

“The Emperor can’t directly confront us, so you’ll be granted the title of Jieyu. This is the emperor’s compromise with the Xue family. He wants me to back down and use this Ning Guiren as a pawn.”

Xue Jieyu looked puzzled, “Aunt, how do you back down?”

“The Emperor said that Ning Guiren pays her respects to me every day…” Empress Dowager Xue’s eyes were cold.

Every day, pay respects.
The emperor had made it clear enough.

Xue Jieyu was taken aback and then understood, “Your Majesty wants you to be like the previous Empress Dowagers…”

Not pay respects every day, only on the first and fifteenth of the month.

That would reduce the empress dowager’s control and deterrence over the harem by half.

Now, the concubines had to pay their respects every day and were threatened by the empress dowager.

The emperor’s concubines, however, had to look at the empress dowager’s mood.

The emperor couldn’t tolerate that.

“You…” Xue Jieyu looked at the empress dowager with concern.
If she gave up power, the Xue family’s influence in the harem would decrease…

“Let’s wait and see. I need to think about it carefully,” Empress Dowager Xue said, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes. If the emperor continued to not favor Xue Jieyu, she would have no choice.

They needed an imperial prince with Xue family blood!

…

The atmosphere in Cining Palace was gloomy, but Lingxue Pavilion was bustling with activity.

After Wang Degui finished apologizing in Cining Palace, he hurried to deliver the silk and jewelry that had just been transported from the inner treasury.

In addition, there were also gold and silver gifts according to the rules.

The palace maids and eunuchs carried trays of gift boxes, filling the courtyard of Lingxue Pavilion.

“Guiren, this set of golden flower silk inlaid with precious stones and butterflies is a top-notch treasure, consisting of 28 pieces. And this soft jade brocade from Shu Prefecture is as soft as clouds, with exquisite weaving and embroidery. It’s very beautiful,” Wang Degui introduced enthusiastically. The emperor valued this noble consort so much that he wouldn’t dare to be negligent.

Ning Wanyin looked at the dazzling array of treasures and silk, and her thin lips curved slightly upwards.

The emperor was quite good at giving gifts.

She loved luxurious things.

It was exactly what she wanted.

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness,” Ning Wanyin bowed slightly towards the gifts to show her gratitude.

Wang Degui pointed to a row of eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department, “The Emperor heard that Guiren likes lotus flowers and specially ordered this servant to build a pond to plant lotus flowers for you. Does Guiren have any requirements for the design of the lotus pond…”

Build a lotus pond?

Ning Wanyin did like lotus flowers, and there was a lotus pond in her family’s mansion. The most suitable water depth for lotus flowers was less than a person’s height. If a pond was built specifically for planting lotus flowers, it wouldn’t be too deep.

It would be the kind of pond where you could stand up if you fell in, without being submerged.

Ning Wanyin smiled slightly, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness! The concubine has no requirements. Everything will be arranged according to the servant’s plan. When the lotus flowers bloom in summer, the concubine will personally pick lotus flowers and send them to Your Majesty!”

“Guiren truly has a deep affection for the emperor,” Wang Degui flattered with a smile.

…

In Zhongcui Palace, Mozhu Hall.

“Mistress, the news just came that the emperor intervened and protected Ning Guiren. He also sent a pile of rewards!” The personal maid, Shi’er, said angrily, “Why did the Emperor not care about our Mistress when she was humiliated by the Empress Dowager yesterday?”

Song Qingzhi was taken aback and frowned, “Don’t complain about the Emperor.”

Shi’er reluctantly shut up.

Song Qingzhi lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the book page, but her mind was restless.

She had been secretly comforting herself that the emperor was a person who did great things and wouldn’t bother with the harem. She was only detained by the empress dowager for a day, and the emperor didn’t need to go to such great lengths…

But it turned out that when the emperor favored someone, it was so obvious.

She was just not the person the emperor loved.

Song Qingzhi’s hand holding the book scroll clenched tightly.

The entire palace was waiting to see the excitement at Lingxue Pavilion, but they didn’t expect Ning Wanyin not only to avoid being sent to the cold palace but also to receive a pile of rewards from the emperor.

Everyone was shocked, except for Tang Miaoling, who was very calm.

Because she had been shocked once in her previous life.

She leisurely lounged in her bedroom, snacking on candied melon seeds and savoring the taste.

Then she picked up the cup of Longjing tea on the tea table and took a sip, feeling content. After removing the emperor from her life, she spent her days thinking about good food and drinks.
Wasn’t that wonderful?

“Meiren, a message from the Emperor’s court. Tonight, Ning Guiren will still attend to the emperor!” The palace maid in charge, Qiu Xia, reminded her.

Qiu Xia was an old woman in the palace and was also connected to the Tang family.

The four noble families had power and influence, and it wasn’t difficult to arrange some palace maids in advance.

When Tang Miaoling was selected, the Tang family immediately sent Qiu Xia to her side to help her gain favor.

“Hmm…” Tang Miaoling didn’t think much of it and continued to snack on melon seeds happily.

“This Ning Guiren is your cousin. If you take the Emperor’s favor away from her, she won’t be offended,” Qiu Xia strategized.

“Pa!”

The melon seed Tang Miaoling was snacking on cracked.

Take her cousin’s favor?

You really think too highly of me!