In the Cining Palace, all the concubines had already left, leaving only Concubine Xue to talk with the Queen Mother.
Shufei and Wang Degui went to the Cining Palace together.
"Please forgive me, Empress Dowager. It is all my fault that I was stupid and did not have time to convey your Majesty's instructions to you..." Wang Degui repeated the emperor's words and said tremblingly:
"Your Majesty also said... He also said that Lady Ning paid respects to you every day, and she was absolutely not disrespectful. The occasional absence was also because of me. I hope the Queen Mother can understand."
Queen Mother Xue had a gloomy expression.
The emperor clearly protected Ning Wanyin and said it was his fault. Empress Dowager Xue naturally could not punish Ning Wanyin anymore and said coldly:
"Since the emperor has spoken up for her, I will let her go. You may go down."
Wang Degui wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and quickly left.
Concubine Shu would not stay to watch the Empress Dowager get angry, so she quickly bowed and took her leave.
After the outsiders leave.
The chief eunuch Liu Zhen said angrily, "Empress Dowager, His Majesty actually humiliated you for a woman! He completely forgot that without your support, he would not have been able to ascend to the throne! You can't let this go!"
When Empress Dowager Xue was the empress, she held great power in the harem.
The emperor, who was still a prince at the time, could only pay his respects to her. How could he dare to go against his stepmother?
Therefore, the people in the Cining Palace felt that they were superior to others, even when facing the emperor.
"Okay, you also step back and let me think about it carefully." Queen Mother Xue was furious, but she did not make any impulsive decision. Instead, she waved away the palace maids.
The winners of the harem of the previous generation were certainly not simple people.
Liu Zhen led the palace servants to retreat.
Empress Dowager Xue looked at Concubine Xue with a complicated expression: "Yan'er, we and the Cen family were wrong about him back then. We thought he was easy to control. The emperor has been making arrangements in the court for the past three years to compete with us. He has already established a foundation. It is difficult to change the throne now, so the family deliberately let you enter the palace."
"Yan'er understands. Aunt is saying this now..." Concubine Xue felt that today's events were very embarrassing for her aunt. As a daughter of the Xue family, she was also deeply angry.
"The emperor is not a puppet, nor will he be willing to be a puppet. Therefore, you must see through the appearance to see the emperor's true intentions, and don't be blinded by anger." Queen Mother Xue taught patiently, with a sneer on her face:
"The emperor cannot tear his face off with us directly, so you will be named a concubine. This is the emperor's compromise with the Xue family. He now wants me to take a step back and use this noble lady Ning as a raft."
Xue Jieyu was a little confused when she heard this. "Aunt, why are you taking a step back?"
"Didn't the emperor say it? Concubine Ning pays respects to me every day..." Empress Dowager Xue's eyes were cold.
The emperor had made it clear enough.
Concubine Xue was startled, then suddenly realized, "Your Majesty wants you to be like the previous queen dowagers..."
No more greetings every day, only on the first and fifteenth day of the month.
Then the empress dowager’s control and deterrence over the harem would be greatly reduced.
Now the concubines have to pay their respects to the empress dowager every day and be scolded and threatened by her.
The emperor's concubines had to act according to the empress dowager's mood.
The emperor cannot tolerate it.
"You..." Concubine Xue looked at the Queen Mother with concern. If she gave up her power, the Xue family's influence in the harem would be reduced...
"Let's wait and see. I need to think about it carefully." A trace of worry flashed in Empress Dowager Xue's eyes. If the emperor continued to disfavor Concubine Xue, she would have no choice.
They need a prince with Xue family blood!
…
There was a gloomy atmosphere in the Cining Palace, but there was a bustling atmosphere in the Lingxue Pavilion.
After Wang Degui went to the Cining Palace to apologize, he immediately rushed to transport the silk and jewelry that had just been brought from the inner treasury.
In addition, there are gold and silver rewards according to the quota.
The palace maids and eunuchs were carrying trays of gift boxes, filling the courtyard of Lingxue Pavilion.
"Sir, this set of red gold filigree inlaid with various treasures and butterfly jewelry is a top-notch treasure, with a total of twenty-eight pieces. And there is also the soft jade brocade, a tribute from Shu, which is as soft as clouds, exquisitely woven and embroidered, and very beautiful." Wang Degui introduced diligently.
The emperor protects and values this noble man so much, so naturally he would not neglect him.
Ning Wanyin looked at the dazzling array of precious silks and treasures, her thin lips slightly curved.
The emperor is quite good at giving gifts.
She prefers luxurious things.
Just what she wanted.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your gift." Ning Wanyin bowed slightly towards the objects to express her gratitude.
Wang Degui pointed at a row of eunuchs who were in charge of the palace and said, "Your Majesty heard that you like lotus, so you ordered me to build a pond for you to plant lotus. I wonder what you want the style of the lotus pond to be..."
Build a lotus pond?
Ning Wanyin really likes lotus, and there is a lotus pond at home. The most suitable water depth for lotus is less than the height of a person. If a pond is dug specifically for growing lotus, then the lotus pond will definitely not be too deep.
The kind that if you fall in, you won't drown as long as you stand up.
Ning Wanyin smiled lightly, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty! I don't have any requests, I'll leave everything to you, Eunuch. When the lotus flowers bloom in summer, I will pick some lotus flowers myself and give them to Your Majesty!"
"Your Excellency is truly kind to Your Majesty." Wang Degui flattered with a smile.
…
Zhongcui Palace, Mozhuxuan.
"Master, the news just came that His Majesty stepped in and protected Lady Ning. He also gave Lady Ning a lot of rewards!" Shi'er, the personal maid, said angrily:
"Why did he not care when our master was being bullied by the Queen Mother yesterday..."
Song Qingzhi was startled and frowned, "You can't blame your majesty."
Shier shut up reluctantly.
Song Qingzhi lowered her eyes and her gaze fell back on the pages of the book, but her mind was not at peace.
She had been secretly comforting herself that His Majesty was a man who could do great things, so why would he bother with the harem? She was just kept for a day by the Queen Mother, so His Majesty certainly didn't need to go to such great lengths...
But it turned out that the emperor's preference for one person was so obvious.
She is not His Majesty's favorite.
Song Qingzhi couldn't help but clench her hand holding the scroll.
…
Everyone in the palace was waiting to see the excitement in Lingxue Pavilion, but unexpectedly, Ning Wanyin was not only not sent to the cold palace, but also received a lot of rewards from the emperor.
Everyone was shocked, except Tang Miaoling who remained calm.
Because I had already been shocked once in my previous life.
She was leisurely nestling in her bedroom, holding a plate of sugar-roasted melon seeds, eating them with gusto.
Then pick up the Yuqian Longjing tea on the coffee table and take a sip, it tastes delicious.
After eliminating the emperor from your life, wouldn’t it be wonderful to just think about delicious food and drinks every day?
"My beauty, news has come from the Imperial Court. Concubine Ning will be serving you in bed tonight!" Qiuxia, the head maid, reminded.
Qiuxia is an elder in the palace and also a member of the Tang family.
The four marquisates are powerful and have some connections in the palace, so it is not difficult to arrange some palace maids in advance.
After Tang Miaoling was selected, the Tang family immediately transferred her to Tang Miaoling's side to help them win favor.
"Hmm——" Tang Miaoling didn't care and happily ate melon seeds.
"This Concubine Ning is your cousin. If you take away someone else's favor, you will offend people. But you and Concubine Ning are cousins, so she will definitely not mind." Qiuxia offered advice.
“Pah—”
Tang Miaoling cracked the melon seeds in her mouth.
Intercepting cousin's favor?
You don't have to think so highly of me!
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