Who Would Understand, Her Ladyship Wrote A Hundred Palace Regulations - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Attending 1

Everyone in Lingxue Pavilion was overjoyed when they heard the news, except for Ning Wanyin.

Her situation was different from Song Meiren’s.

Song Meiren’s father was a high-ranking official trusted by the emperor, making her a valuable asset to be courted. The empress dowager’s treatment of Song Meiren was a measured warning.

But Ning Wanyin had no powerful backing.

If she was killed, the emperor wouldn’t care, and the Ning family wouldn’t dare to intervene. In the eyes of the two noble-born Jieyu, a mere count’s daughter like Ning Wanyin being chosen to attend to the emperor before them would be a great humiliation.

They would deal with her ten times more ruthlessly than with Song Meiren.

Was the emperor choosing her to attend to him?

No, he was choosing her to die.

At this critical moment, Ning Wanyin’s cautious nature, developed since childhood, allowed her to maintain a facade of excitement and joy, rewarding the chief eunuch with silver and following the ritual of bathing and changing clothes for attending to the emperor.

She exuded a sense of dignity, as if she would die with decorum, even if it was tomorrow.

The air was filled with mist.

Ning Wanyin sat calmly in the bathtub, her mind clear, searching for a way to save herself.

Pretend to have her period?

If she pretended to have her period and didn’t report it in time, she would be punished for dereliction of duty. And if she was found out to be faking it, she would be guilty of deceiving the emperor and wouldn’t be able to escape death.

Not feasible.

Pretend to be overjoyed and accidentally break her leg?

She could tolerate some physical pain, but what if the emperor still stayed?

Not feasible.

After ruling out over a dozen ways to save herself that would inevitably lead to death, Ning Wanyin determined three strategies: top, middle, and bottom.

Top strategy: Seek refuge with the emperor.

“Lian Rui, hang up the ‘Cold Plum Blossom Painting’ that brought me into the palace, hang it in the most conspicuous place. And take out my exquisite chess set,” Ning Wanyin instructed.

Lian Rui obeyed, going to find the items in the trunk. Ning Wanyin looked at Dan Li and said, “Choose the hairstyle you’re best at, use my best jewelry. I want to dress up to receive the emperor.”

“Yes!” Dan Li didn’t dare to be slow.

…

The night was deep.

Wang Degui looked at the time on the clepsydra and then at the monarch who was bowing his head to review the memorials, hesitating again and again.

Half an hour ago, he had already reminded him once.

But the emperor didn’t respond, continuing to review the memorials.

Seeing that the night was getting late, Wang Degui trembled with fear and knelt down, kowtowing: “Your Majesty, it’s getting late…”

Helian Qi gave him a cold glance, which made Wang Degui immediately shut up.

Helian Qi’s mood was irritable…

Today, there were many more memorials impeaching the Right Censor-in-Chief, Song Gu, seemingly justified, but actually because he had favored Song Meiren first, making the Xue and Cen families lose face.

…

The drawbacks left by his ancestors had become ingrained and difficult to change by his generation. It was time for a thorough reform. Helian Qi stood up.

Wang Degui quickly bowed and followed him, shouting outside the door, “Prepare the imperial carriage, Yonghe Palace!”

…

The moon had already passed its peak.

Helian Qi arrived at Yonghe Palace, where a group of palace servants knelt in front of the main hall, led by two beautiful women.

He wasn’t interested in looking and walked straight in.

After the emperor entered Lingxue Pavilion, Wang Degui looked at Ning Wanyin and reminded her, “Guiren, hurry up and go in to attend to the emperor!”

“Yes,” Ning Wanyin replied, standing up.

After Ning Wanyin entered the right side hall with the attending palace servants, Tang Miaoling stood up and led her own people back to the left side hall. As they shared the same palace, all the people in Yonghe Palace had to welcome the emperor when he arrived.

It was because of opportunities like this that Tang Miaoling had tried to win the emperor’s favor in her previous life…

But this life, she just wanted to avoid him! Emperor? Retreat, retreat!

…

When Helian Qi entered Lingxue Pavilion, the first thing he saw was eight large water vats.

Anyone would be drawn to notice them. The eight vats were arranged in a row, dark brown in color, placed along the eaves, big and ugly.

Since the lotus plants hadn’t been planted yet, the vats looked even more unsightly.

Helian Qi’s face remained expressionless as he walked through the flower garden and was about to step into the doorway when he couldn’t help but ask, “Who arranged these water vats?”

What kind of taste was this?

They were so ugly.

“The concubine had the water vats arranged, preparing to plant lotus flowers,” Ning Wanyin replied softly.

“The flower house said the lotus seeds are being nurtured and haven’t been delivered yet. By the time Your Majesty comes in the summer, you’ll be able to see lotus flowers filling the vats,” Ning Wanyin added.

Helian Qi glanced at her and suddenly, his eyes lit up.

The woman was wearing a light pink, long-sleeved dress with a tight waist, her makeup was gorgeous, and she exuded a charming aura. Her hair was styled in an intricate bun, adorned with a set of garnet jewelry, making her look particularly luxurious.

Her eyes sparkled like stars, and she was as beautiful as a peach blossom.

Just a glance was enough to see that the woman had made an effort to prepare for his visit.

Although he was used to such efforts, those who made an effort were always more pleasing to the eye than those who didn’t.

He hadn’t paid much attention to her during the palace selection.

Today, he discovered that she was a beauty.

“Do you like lotus flowers?” Helian Qi asked casually.
Ning Wanyin lowered her eyes, “The concubine likes lotus pods. Lotus seeds are sweet and delicious, and the meaning of ‘more seeds, more blessings’ is also very good!”

Helian Qi’s foot almost stumbled as he stepped onto the threshold…

He turned to look at Ning Wanyin’s expression, which seemed a bit strange.

Other concubines would say that lotus flowers symbolize purity and nobility.

But Ning Wanyin said that lotus seeds were delicious and represented good fortune?

You were really straightforward.

Ning Wanyin kept her eyes downcast, letting him look at her quietly, appearing very obedient.

Helian Qi’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment before he continued into the room.

As he entered the main hall, his eyes fell upon a painting on the wall.

A cold plum blossom stood tall in the snow, exuding a sense of elegance.
It was very familiar.

How could it not be familiar?

It was a reproduction of his own “Cold Plum Blossom Painting”.

When Helian Qi was a prince, he didn’t hold a position in the court and was passionate about poetry, literature, and especially good at painting and playing chess. He was known as a talented prince in the capital.

One of his “Cold Plum Blossom Paintings” was included in the “Great Yan Painting Collection” published by the court, and there were countless reproductions of it.

But he had never seen anyone dare to hang such a poorly done reproduction in their room.

“Do you like painting?” Helian Qi’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Ning Wanyin replied in a gentle voice, “Yes, this concubine used to study painting at home.”

“You’re not very good at it,” Helian Qi said bluntly.

Ning Wanyin nodded in agreement, “My mother also said that I don’t have a talent for painting. But since Your Majesty likes it, the concubine hopes to learn a bit more. If Your Majesty doesn’t like it, the concubine won’t learn it anymore.”

Helian Qi was taken aback.

It was expected of a concubine to try to please him, and her response didn’t surprise him.

His gaze wandered and fell upon a set of black and white Go stones on the tea table.

“Do you like playing chess? You like what I like?” Helian Qi’s eyebrows rose slightly.

It was natural for subordinates to follow their superior’s preferences, but the woman’s behavior seemed too obvious, a bit too shallow.

“Your Majesty, please forgive me!” Ning Wanyin bowed, her eyes downcast, containing tears, looking pitiful.

She spoke the words she had prepared three years ago, “The concubine admires Your Majesty. Knowing that the six palaces are full of beautiful women, the concubine’s humble appearance is not worth mentioning. I can only try to use external things to attract Your Majesty’s attention.”

The room fell silent.

Wang Degui was stunned. He had heard many sweet nothings from the concubines in the palace, but Ning Guiren’s words were particularly touching.

The love that was humble to the dust was pitiful to hear.

Ning Wanyin, however, didn’t put her hope for survival on the emperor’s mercy.

Showing her feelings was just the first step. She used “pity” to bridge the distance between herself and the emperor, and what came next was crucial.

“The concubine is foolish, but she has a true heart, willing to brave danger for Your Majesty. Whatever Your Majesty likes, the concubine will do. In the past, it was like this, and it will be like this in the future,” Ning Wanyin said slowly, looking up at Helian Qi with sincerity and earnestness.

She was willing to be the emperor’s sword and pawn.

Let the emperor know that she was more useful alive than dead.

Helian Qi’s calm eyes rippled slightly. He looked at the little woman in front of him seriously…

She was showing her loyalty?

Hmm, it was interesting.