Who Would Understand, Her Ladyship Wrote A Hundred Palace Regulations - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: The Emperor and I Are Meant to Be

Tang Miaoling stared straight at Qiu Xia, her eyes filled with resentment. In her previous life, she had died, and Qiu Xia had played a role in it.

Qiu Xia felt uneasy under her gaze, “Mistress?”

“You just said that Ning Wanyin is my cousin, and how could I take the emperor’s favor away from her?”
Tang Miaoling asked coldly, “Do you think I’m someone who wouldn’t consider sisterly affection?”

Qiu Xia hastily knelt down, “Please forgive me, Meiren. I spoke out of turn!”

Cui Ping, standing aside, was puzzled. When had the Young Lady ever mentioned sisterly affection? She even took things from her own sister.

Not to mention a cousin?

“From now on, you can’t say such things. I’m deeply attached to my cousin, and I absolutely don’t want to compete with her for the emperor’s favor,” Tang Miaoling warned.

Qiu Xia didn’t know that this mistress was actually someone who valued relationships. She hastily kowtowed and apologized.

She had chosen Ning Wanyin because Father Ning was a subordinate of the Changping Marquis, and Tang Miaoling could afford to offend him. If it were someone from another influential family, she wouldn’t dare to suggest competing for the emperor’s favor.

“Alright, you can leave now,” Tang Miaoling dismissed her.

She quickly took a sip of Longjing tea to calm her nerves.

She was scared to death.
They actually wanted her to offend her cousin?

No way would she let herself die!

It was still a day when her head was still attached to her body.

…
At dusk, the Emperor arrived at Yonghe Palace again.

Tang Miaoling knelt down properly in the row of palace servants bowing, thinking to herself that with her cousin’s frequency of being favored, maybe it would be better to move to a different place.

Wasn’t it annoying to kowtow and pay respects every day?

Maybe she could mention it to Consort Shu?
Oh, right, after moving, it seemed like she could be farther away from her terrifying cousin?

She would mention it tomorrow, and it had to be done immediately!

The emperor ignored Tang Miaoling again, and this time his footsteps stopped in front of Ning Wanyin, extending a hand to her. “Get up.”

Ning Wanyin blushed slightly, and the emperor led her into Lingxue Pavilion.

The imperial household department didn’t dare to be careless with the emperor’s orders. In just one day, the lotus pond in the courtyard was dug, and the greenhouse had sent over lotus seeds that had been nurtured.

If it were Ning Wanyin who wanted them, she would have to wait in line. But since it was the emperor, the greenhouse always had them ready.

The eight black water vats were removed.

Helian Qi thought Lingxue Pavilion looked much better now, and he led Ning Wanyin to the bedroom.

There were scattered papers and paints on the desk.

“Your Majesty, please forgive me…” Ning Wanyin frowned slightly, “I was going to paint a summer lotus picture as a gift for Your Majesty, but I didn’t finish it before you arrived…”

“Your painting isn’t necessary,” Helian Qi refused dismissively.

But since he was in a good mood, he would take a look. He picked up the painting on the desk and glanced at it, his expression indescribable.

“Who taught you… to paint like this?”

It was so bad that it hurt his eyes.

“My family’s hired tutor. He lectured well on painting theory, but I didn’t quite understand,” Ning Wanyin said, lowering her head and looking annoyed with herself for not being smart enough.

Helian Qi frowned, “Painting doesn’t require talking. What’s the use of lectures? You need to start from scratch, beginning with copying, and practice again.”

“I know, Your Majesty. I’ve copied many of your paintings!” Ning Wanyin immediately brightened up, her face eager to show off.

Helian Qi: …
What was the point of copying his paintings with her level of skill?

“You’ll start with something simple… Wang Degui, go get the painting album I copied when I was young.”

…

Helian Qi gave the order.

Wang Degui left after receiving the order.

Helian Qi looked at Ning Wanyin’s eager face, filled with a desire to learn, and felt like talking to her more.

When one stood in the position of a teacher, they naturally had a good impression of diligent students.

“Copying my paintings now won’t be useful. Start with simple things like flowers, birds, stones, and grass. Master the techniques and methods of painting, and then learn about composition and layout,” Helian Qi pointed out casually.

Ning Wanyin’s eyes widened, filled with joy, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for teaching me! Your Majesty is more skilled than my tutor. I can understand what you say.”

Helian Qi couldn’t help but smile. Many people had praised his painting skills, and he was used to flattery, so it didn’t affect him much.

But Ning Wanyin’s praise was different…

She said she could understand what he said?

He felt a strange sense of happiness. Helian Qi had never been a teacher before. If he had, he would know that this joy came from the natural relationship between a teacher and student.

A student who lacked guidance from a good teacher, after being pointed out by him, suddenly understood.

She thought he was amazing.

He wouldn’t think this kind of praise was flattery. Instead, he would think it was her sincere and heartfelt words.

Anyone would feel pleased by genuine praise.

The emperor was no exception.

Wang Degui soon brought over a painting album.

Ning Wanyin received it with both hands, as if it was a precious treasure, “Thank you, Your Majesty. Can I try now?”

“Yes,” Helian Qi nodded slightly and sat down on the soft couch by the window.

Ning Wanyin rolled up her sleeves and carefully copied a plum blossom. She didn’t know much about painting and hadn’t paid attention when she was learning.

But now that the emperor was teaching her, she had to take it seriously.

The current situation was a deliberate plan. She wanted to deepen her bond with the emperor. Love was too fragile and could be broken easily.

Besides being lovers, they should have more relationships.

Being chess companions was one.

Being teacher and student was another.

The deeper their bond, the more important she would be to him. He wouldn’t easily discard this pawn.

Ning Wanyin painted slowly and carefully.

When she finally finished copying and wanted to show it to the emperor for feedback, she saw that the emperor was leaning on the soft couch, supporting his forehead with one hand, and had closed his eyes.

Ning Wanyin was taken aback and immediately quieted down. She signaled to Wang Degui, who was attending to them, to leave…

Wang Degui glanced at the emperor and quietly retreated.

The emperor had played chess with Noble Consort Ning all night and had been busy with documents all day. He had only slept for an hour, so it was no wonder he was tired.

Lian Rui and the other palace maids retreated together.

Ning Wanyin walked quietly to Helian Qi and covered him with a cloak hanging on the screen.

She extinguished most of the candles in the palace, leaving only the red gauze lantern on the bed.

She didn’t go to bed.

The emperor wasn’t lying down, so she couldn’t lie down either.

Ning Wanyin leaned on the tea table, closing her eyes.

The noise from digging the pond in the courtyard during the day had prevented her from resting well.

She hadn’t been leaning for long before she fell asleep.

After an unknown amount of time…

Helian Qi woke up from his nap.

The room was dark, with only one lantern lit, but it was enough to see the woman leaning in front of him.

Her hair was disheveled, and her hairpins were askew.

She smelled faintly of ink and hadn’t changed into her nightclothes. She was curled up on one side of the tea table, like a small cat.

Helian Qi frowned slightly and called out to her, “Wake up…”

The emperor’s voice was like a thunderbolt to Ning Wanyin, jolting her awake from her light sleep. She became instantly alert and stood up.

Ning Wanyin quickly stood up and bowed to the emperor, “I was disrespectful! I didn’t want to disturb Your Majesty when I saw you sleeping.”

“What if I hadn’t woken up tonight?” Helian Qi looked at her with a strange expression. Other people would seize the opportunity to attend to the emperor, even if it meant making some noise.

But she had slept soundly.

Ning Wanyin hesitated for a moment before looking at Helian Qi, “Will Your Majesty still summon me again?”

Their eyes met.

Helian Qi raised an eyebrow, “Why do you think I’ll definitely come to see you again?”

This was a tricky question to answer.

She couldn’t reveal her intentions of deliberately trying to capture his heart with chess and painting. Nor could she admit that she was his pawn, and he would naturally come to see her again.

Talking about benefits and calculations in the bedroom would be too unromantic.

When it’s time to be romantic, one should be romantic.

“Your Majesty rewarded me with precious jewelry and clothes, and even ordered someone to dig a lotus pond. I feel that Your Majesty values me greatly. I think Your Majesty is fond of me,” Ning Wanyin said, stealing a glance at him, her eyes sparkling with allure.

Helian Qi was captivated by her gaze, and his mind was distracted.

This little woman was always full of surprises. She was indeed interesting.