Who Would Understand, Her Ladyship Wrote A Hundred Palace Regulations - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Authority to Manage the Six Palaces

The hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Wang Degui was stunned. Why was Ning Meiren doing this?
It wasn’t her problem to begin with. If something happened to Shun Pin, she would be putting her own life at risk.

She was literally risking her life to save Tang Meiren.
What loyalty!

Helian Qi stared at the kneeling woman for a long time before slowly speaking, “Since you’re willing to guarantee with your life, I’ll entrust Shun Pin’s safety to you. If Shun Pin gives birth smoothly, I’ll record your merit. But if anything happens to her, your life…”

“I’ll accept whatever punishment Your Majesty decides,” Ning Wanyin replied firmly.

Helian Qi was indeed surprised. He didn’t think that Ning Wanyin had much to do with Shun Pin’s incident. He was just suspicious of everyone in the palace.

But Ning Wanyin was willing to risk her life to save Tang Meiren, which made him certain that even if Tang Meiren was behind the incident, Ning Wanyin wouldn’t know about it. As long as Ning Wanyin did her best, he wouldn’t blame her if something unexpected happened later.

After all, even he couldn’t guarantee Shun Pin’s safety despite his best efforts. Ning Wanyin wasn’t a god, and she couldn’t ensure everything would go smoothly.

“Wang Degui, pass on the order to Consort Shu to confine Tang Miaoling to her residence and not to torture her,” Helian Qi instructed, then looked at Ning Wanyin.
“You can leave now. You’ll be taking care of Shun Pin from now on.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Ning Wanyin bowed to show her gratitude.

Back in the warm pavilion, Lian Rui was anxious. “Mistress, Shun Pin’s pregnancy is only two months old, and there have already been two incidents. Who knows how many more will happen in the future? Why did you take on this hot potato…”

“If I didn’t say that, how could I dispel the Emperor’s suspicions?” Ning Wanyin replied calmly.
“And how could I prevent others from taking advantage of the situation and dragging me down?”

“If Consort Shu tortures Tang Miaoling, she’ll definitely say that I instructed her. Even if it’s just one-sided words, it won’t be enough to clear my name. But the Emperor will definitely suspect me…”

“Using power for personal gain, bullying concubines, or even interfering with politics… the Emperor might not have the heart to kill me. But the imperial heir is obviously a sensitive topic for him. I can’t let him have the intention to kill me.”

Lian Rui was worried. “But what if… what if something happens? What will you do then?”

“As long as the Emperor believes that I didn’t intend to harm Shun Pin, and I do my best, even if something unexpected happens, the Emperor will give me some leeway,” Ning Wanyin said calmly.

Lian Rui couldn’t understand. Now that she was just suspected, the Emperor might have the intention to kill her. But if Shun Pin really had an accident under her care, the Emperor would give her some leeway? What kind of logic was that?

It was simple. Ning Wanyin had gained Helian Qi’s trust through this action. In Helian Qi’s eyes, she was willing to risk her life to protect Shun Pin.
Why would he want to kill someone like that?

“Currently, this is the best outcome,” Ning Wanyin analyzed the pros and cons calmly.
“Firstly, it prevents me from being dragged down and dispels the Emperor’s suspicions. Secondly, it saves Tang Miaoling. Thirdly, it allows me to gain experience in protecting the pregnancy.”

She paused and continued, “After we return to the palace, I need to see Tang Miaoling and investigate what’s really going on.”

After Ning Wanyin pleaded for mercy, the Emperor confined Tang Miaoling.

In an instant, the news of the seductress confusing the Emperor’s heart was spreading like wildfire in the court and the harem.

“Have you heard, Mistress? Consort Shu arrested Tang Miaoling and was about to torture her… Ning Wanyin pleaded for mercy, and the Emperor not only spared her torture but also just confined her,” Shi Er said indignantly.
“Even if someone plots to harm the imperial heir, the Emperor can still show mercy. The Emperor is truly bewitched.”

Song Qingzhi looked at her with a resentful gaze. “The Emperor’s favoritism towards her is obvious to everyone. Even if she kills someone, he will still protect her.”

Wen Baolin, who was also preparing to return to the palace, heard the news and thought, “My father was right. Ning Wanyin has such great favor, and I should definitely befriend her. Moreover, she’s willing to plead for Tang Miaoling, which shows she’s a loyal and righteous person. As long as she treats me like a sister, I’ll have another helper in the palace.”

When Helian Qi returned to the palace, he immediately interrogated Tang Miaoling.

Tang Miaoling had seen Qiu Xia being taken into the Punishment Department, only to be carried out covered in blood.
She was terrified.

“Your Majesty, please believe me. I’m being framed. I didn’t plot to harm Shun Pin…” Tang Miaoling hastily kowtowed.

Helian Qi’s sharp eyes, like those of an eagle, stared at her. “What evidence do you have?”

“I… I didn’t harm Shun Pin…” Tang Miaoling didn’t know how to prove her innocence and stuttered, repeating the same sentence.

Helian Qi’s eyes flashed with annoyance and disgust.

Repeating the same sentence over and over was useless.

According to his usual temper, he would have sent Tang Miaoling to the Punishment Department directly. But now, he just waved his hand.
“Take her away.”

“Yes,” Wang Degui immediately led several eunuchs to drag Tang Miaoling away.

Tang Miaoling was scared out of her wits, thinking she was about to be beheaded. She burst into tears, struggling and crying out. “Your Majesty, please spare me! I’m innocent! I didn’t harm Shun Pin…”

Helian Qi’s expression remained unchanged.

Wang Degui dragged Tang Miaoling away and came back to report. “Your Majesty, Consort Shu and the others are waiting in the side hall.”

The Emperor had returned to the palace, and the concubines should pay their respects. Especially after what happened to Shun Pin, Consort Shu, as the one in charge of the six palaces, should come to apologize.

“Let them come in,” Helian Qi said calmly.

Consort Shu led the concubines in to pay their respects.

Ning Wanyin and the other concubines who had just returned to the palace were also among them.

No one knew what the Emperor had said to Tang Miaoling, but seeing her being dragged out crying…

Everyone secretly guessed that if Ning Wanyin hadn’t pleaded for mercy, Tang Miaoling would have been doomed.

“I offer my apologies to Your Majesty for failing to take good care of Shun Pin. It’s my dereliction of duty,” Consort Shu said, bowing her head in apology.

Helian Qi glanced at her coldly. “You were entrusted with managing the six palaces, yet Shun Pin almost had an accident. It’s indeed your dereliction of duty.”

“Your Majesty, the harem is a complex place with many affairs. Consort Shu has always managed it well. But it’s hard to prevent internal threats. The palace maid was Shun Pin’s own servant, and it’s hard for Consort Shu to control everything that happens in Shun Pin’s own palace,” Cen Jieyu chimed in.

The implication was that it was Shun Pin’s own fault.

Helian Qi said, “Consort Shu has a lot of work to do. I’ll choose someone to assist her in managing the six palaces.”

Everyone fell silent, especially Consort Shu herself, who stiffened.

“Ning Meiren,” Helian Qi called out.

Ning Wanyin stepped forward, bowed, and paid her respects.
“I offer my respects to Your Majesty.”

“From today on, you’ll assist Consort Shu in managing the six palaces. Since Consort Shu can’t handle it alone, I’ll entrust the care of Shun Pin’s fetus to you,” Helian Qi instructed.

Ning Wanyin bowed respectfully. “I accept Your Majesty’s decree.”

Consort Shu’s gaze turned to Ning Wanyin, her soft hands clenched into fists under her sleeves. She had known that Xue Zhaoyi and Cen Jieyu were aiming for the position of Empress, and she might lose the power to manage the harem.

But she never expected that the first person to share her power would be Ning Wanyin, someone she didn’t even consider a threat.

“Your Majesty, Ning Meiren is indeed a good person, and I like her too. But she’s only been in the palace for a month, and her seniority is shallow. I’m afraid she won’t be able to command respect,” Fang Zhaoyi said with a smile, raising an objection.