Who Would Understand, Her Ladyship Wrote A Hundred Palace Regulations - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Slapping Her Face

Ning Wanyin wore a bright red dress with embroidered lotus flowers and a snow-white cloak with golden threads. Her hair was adorned with a pair of golden butterfly hairpins that shimmered like flowing pearls. She was stunningly beautiful and radiant.

She didn’t say a word, quietly observing the development of the situation.

If it was said that Ning Wanyin intentionally harmed Liu Zhaoyi, smart people would still find some doubts.

Ning Wanyin’s family background was average, and she had just entered the palace. Her roots were shallow, so how could she have known about Liu Zhaoyi’s pregnancy?

But if she was harming Li Guiren instead? She and Li Guiren weren’t on good terms. Li Guiren had asked Dan Li to gather information about her private life, so it would be normal for Ning Wanyin to use Dan Li to retaliate against Li Guiren.

Tianzhu grass could cause infertility, and if Ning Wanyin wanted to ruin Li Guiren’s future, this would be the most suitable medicine.

If they found the ashes of Tianzhu grass in her palace, it would be conclusive evidence.

It was a chain of events that made sense.

“Your Majesty, Dan Li is definitely Ning Wanyin’s person. Dan Li told me that she was driven away after arguing with Ning Wanyin. I was foolish enough to believe her. She never did anything to harm me. When I was punished by the Empress Dowager, Dan Li personally went to ask for your mercy… They’re in cahoots!” Li Guiren cried, her voice filled with tears.

Ning Wanyin didn’t rush to respond. She glanced at Li Guiren calmly and said, “You say Dan Li is my person, and I’m plotting to harm you. What evidence do you have?”

“I… I… The Tianzhu grass isn’t from my palace. This harmful substance must be hidden in your palace! I beg Your Majesty to search Lingxue Pavilion!” Li Guiren kowtowed.

Ning Wanyin’s eyes grew darker.
Search Lingxue Pavilion?

It seemed that Li Guiren knew very well that there was medicine ash in her palace.

Helian Qi also looked at Ning Wanyin, his deep eyes unfathomable.

Ning Wanyin couldn’t read his thoughts, but she knew that the Emperor wanted to search Lingxue Pavilion thoroughly to find out who was harming his child.

“To prove my innocence, I request that Your Majesty search Lingxue Pavilion,” Ning Wanyin bowed.

Helian Qi said calmly, “Wang Degui, take the female physician and search thoroughly!”

“Yes!” Wang Degui and the female physician left to carry out the order.

Li Guiren’s heart relaxed. When the searchers returned, Ning Wanyin would be doomed!

At that time, she would be the victim, and all the blame would fall on Ning Wanyin.
She could escape unscathed.

Wang Degui and his team searched Lingxue Pavilion thoroughly.

Soon, they returned to report, “Your Majesty, we didn’t find any trace of Tianzhu grass.”

Li Guiren’s pupils shrank in shock. How was this possible?

She had hidden it well…

“It’s possible that Ning Meiren destroyed the evidence if she had a motive to harm,” Xue Zhaoyi said, frowning.

Ning Wanyin looked at her with a sharp gaze. “So without evidence, you’re going to accuse me of harming Li Guiren? What kind of person is she that I would need to go to such great lengths to harm her?”

With that, Ning Wanyin walked straight to Li Guiren and slapped her face hard.

The sound of a slap echoed through the room.

Li Guiren was knocked to the ground, her face stinging. She looked up at Helian Qi with tears in her eyes. “Your Majesty, she hit me…”

“As a subordinate, you falsely accused your superior. That’s crime one,” Ning Wanyin said.

“You failed to manage your palace maid properly, which harmed the imperial heir. That’s crime two.”

Ning Wanyin slapped Li Guiren again, her face now symmetrically swollen.

The room fell silent in shock.

Even Helian Qi’s eyes widened slightly. He hadn’t expected Ning Wanyin to be so fierce.

After slapping Li Guiren twice, Ning Wanyin bowed to Helian Qi. “Dan Li harmed Liu Zhaoyi, and Li Guiren shifted the blame, saying she used to be a palace maid in Lingxue Pavilion, implying that I was behind it. But since she’s a palace maid assigned by the Imperial Household Department to Lingxue Pavilion, shouldn’t I say she’s under Consort Shu’s command?”

Consort Shu’s face changed slightly. She looked at Helian Qi with a wronged expression. “Your Majesty, I don’t know Dan Li. How could I know all the palace maids? Please see the truth.”

Cen Jieyu chimed in. “If we follow that logic, wouldn’t every palace maid’s mistake be blamed on Consort Shu? That’s not reasonable.”

“So, Dan Li is Li Guiren’s palace maid, and it has nothing to do with Consort Shu or me,” Ning Wanyin said calmly.

Consort Shu and Cen Jieyu were both speechless.

The room was silent for a moment.

If they had found evidence in Lingxue Pavilion, Ning Wanyin would have been doomed today. But without evidence, Dan Li could have been manipulated by anyone.

“Your Majesty, Dan Li harmed the imperial heir, and Li Guiren, as her mistress, can’t escape responsibility. Please punish both of them,” Ning Wanyin bowed.

Helian Qi looked at the petite woman in front of him and reached out to help her up. “Take Dan Li and Li Guiren to the Punishment Prison Department for interrogation.”

“Your Majesty, I’m innocent…” Li Guiren cried out in fear.

But soon, she was dragged away by Wang Degui and his men.

Consort Zhuang had been lost in thought since she heard about Liu Zhaoyi’s pregnancy. Now, she snapped back to reality and felt a pang of sourness. “Your Majesty, do you believe everything Ning Wanyin says?”

“Of course, I trust Ning Meiren. She’s a kind and gentle woman. She wouldn’t do such things,” Helian Qi said with a warm smile.

Consort Zhuang glared at Ning Wanyin angrily.
Fox spirit!

Ning Wanyin: ???
Can you really believe the Emperor’s flattery?

The Emperor trusted her because, without Li Guiren’s palace maid, Liu Zhaoyi wouldn’t have been harmed. Regardless of whether Li Guiren was the mastermind or was framed, she was responsible for Liu Zhaoyi’s near miscarriage.

She deserved to die.

As for Ning Wanyin and the other concubines, they had the same level of suspicion in the Emperor’s eyes.
Without evidence, he wouldn’t punish her.

Moreover, if Ning Wanyin hadn’t called in female physician Sun, Liu Zhaoyi might have lost the child today. Whether it was a coincidence or not, it was still her merit.

Human hearts are complex, and everyone has their own calculations. The Emperor wasn’t a god, and he couldn’t know what everyone was thinking.

But the Emperor didn’t need to know all the details. He only needed to make decisions based on what mattered to him.

What mattered to him was the imperial heir.

The Punishment Prison Department didn’t find any new clues.

Dan Li said the fragrance was given to her by Li Guiren, while Li Guiren claimed she was innocent.

Wang Degui reported the case in detail.

Helian Qi had a few suspects in mind, but he didn’t say anything.
He just said calmly, “Execute these two. Also, issue an edict to promote Liu Zhaoyi to the rank of Pin, with the title Shun. Where is she living now? Who else is living with her?”

“Shun Pin originally lived in the side hall of Changchun Palace. Wen Baolin lives in the right side hall,” Wang Degui replied respectfully.

Helian Qi said, “Move Wen Baolin out and replace her with someone else. Let Shun Pin live in the main hall of Changchun Palace, alone. This way, she can rest and take care of her pregnancy without any distractions.”

“Yes,” Wang Degui acknowledged the order.

Today, the Empress Dowager didn’t have time to trouble Ning Wanyin. Ning Wanyin returned to Lingxue Pavilion.

Lian Rui welcomed her with tears in her eyes. “Mistress, you’re back!”

Although she had expected it, Wang Degui and his men had searched Lingxue Pavilion thoroughly, which still frightened her.

She was worried that something might have happened to her mistress outside.

Now, seeing her mistress return safely, she finally felt relieved.

“You were also frightened. I’m fine,” Ning Wanyin comforted her.