Madam Ning was sent back to the capital the next day to prepare for the fast.
The emperor still took Concubine Zhuang hunting every day. Ning Wanyin did not fight with Concubine Zhuang and was happy to spend more time with her mother.
Such good times are rare.
"Concubine Cen means that you should rely on her..." Cheng conveyed Concubine Cen's attitude when she came to see her.
Ning Wanyin shook her head and said, "You don't have to pay attention to her. Our Ning family must be very popular recently, so you should be more cautious."
"You can also consider it? There is no one to take care of you in the palace. After all, His Majesty's favor will not last long..." Cheng said with concern.
"But the Cen family's high position is even less permanent than your majesty's favor. We can't offer the Cen family the benefits they want, so this alliance won't last long. I have my own plans for the palace. By the way, you are now a second-class lady, and you are eligible to meet the Queen Mother and attend palace banquets, but you should refrain from entering the palace unless necessary..."
After a pause, Ning Wanyin looked at Cheng seriously and said, "My daughter misses you very much, but she doesn't want to involve you in the turmoil in the palace."
She could have glossed over the situation and pretended that she was doing well, but she was worried that her mother would take it lightly, so she had to tell her the truth.
Cheng was not a stupid person. When she heard Ning Wanyin's words, she couldn't help but shed tears.
Every time she came to the harem, her daughter would worry. And it was so dangerous for her daughter to be in it every day.
What daughter doesn't want to see her mother?
But she could only tell her not to come if she had nothing to do.
"Mother understands everything. As long as I know you are doing well, I will feel at ease whether I see you or not." Cheng hugged Ning Wanyin, tears falling from her eyes.
Ning Wanyin's eyes also turned red.
At this moment, Lian Rui came in hurriedly, "Master, something happened in the palace!"
"What's the matter?" Tears were still flashing in Ning Wanyin's eyes, but her brows suddenly calmed down.
"Shunpin almost had a miscarriage. It is said that Concubine Tang did it. Now Concubine Tang has been captured by Concubine Shu..." Lianrui reported.
Safflower was mixed into Shunpin's food.
It was Chunni, the maid serving in her palace, who drugged her.
Chunni insisted that she was instructed by Tang Miaoling and said that the red flower was secretly given to her by Qiuxia, the senior palace maid beside Tang Miaoling.
There were also eunuchs passing by who testified that they saw Qiuxia appear near Changchun Palace.
Concubine Shu immediately sealed off Xianfu Palace, found red flowers in Qiuxia's residence, and immediately arrested Tang Miaoling and a group of palace maids.
"Qiuxia was sent to the Criminal Court. She would rather die than plead, and was beaten to death. Concubine Tang was a concubine, and the emperor's order was needed to punish her. So Concubine Shu sent a letter to ask for permission..." Lianrui felt horrified as she spoke. A life was gone in an instant.
Ning Wanyin's face darkened slightly.
Not to mention whether Tang Miaoling has the courage or not, she probably doesn't have the ability to do so.
"Wanwan, Miaoling doesn't seem like she would do such a thing, right?" Cheng asked with some doubt.
Ning Wanyin said in a deep voice, "No matter if she did it or not, once she is in the prison department, it will be said that she did it. She is a weakling and cannot bear the torture. When the time comes, she will admit whatever others say. Even if they say that she was instructed by me, she will admit it."
"What? This involves you..." Cheng's face changed instantly and she panicked.
Ning Wanyin's expression was calm. "She is my cousin. We are related to the Tang family by marriage, so we are naturally in the same group in the eyes of outsiders."
She didn't let Ning Ziyin enter the palace not only because she hated her.
Also, if something happens to the Ning family, she will be implicated.
"Wanwan, what are you going to do then..." Cheng's heart was in a knot, and she was very worried.
Ning Wanyin was calm and looked at her, "My daughter will be fine. You can go back first. I have to go to see the emperor and stop his will."
First, they are cousins and this matter might involve her.
Besides, Tang Miaoling had helped her, so she had to help her too.
…
In the main hall of the palace, Helian Qi was furious and swept a pile of memorials off the desk with a flick of his sleeve.
Wang Degui knelt on the ground trembling with fear, and dared only pick out the good news and said, "Your Majesty, calm down! Court Judge Zhao said that although Concubine Shun was feeling unwell, fortunately she was discovered in time, and the fetus has been saved!"
"Go back to the palace!" Helian Qi said coldly.
The affairs concerning Xia Shou have been completed in the past two days, and it was originally planned that he would set off for the palace tomorrow.
"Yes! Then the request of Concubine Shu..." Wang Degui asked.
Helian Qi's eyes were filled with anger, "Let her interrogate carefully."
He had already inquired about the case. Qiuxia would rather die than surrender, so there were only two possibilities. One was that she was wrongly accused. The other was that she was loyal to her master Tang Miaoling.
But for the emperor, it is better to kill someone by mistake than to let him go.
How can an insignificant person be as important as the dragon fetus?
"Your Majesty, Concubine Ning requests to see you." The eunuch on duty outside the door came to report.
The irritation in Helian Qi's eyes became even worse. "You still come to see me at this time. Aren't you afraid that others will slander them as being in the same group?"
After a pause, he wanted to know how much Ning Wanyin knew about Tang Miaoling, and said:
"Let her in."
…
Ning Wanyin entered the hall and saw the messy memorials on the ground.
Helian Qi sat on the dragon chair with an expressionless face and looked at her coldly, "What are you doing here?"
"I heard that Concubine Shun was almost killed, so I came to ask your Majesty for permission. Please don't torture Concubine Tang harshly." Ning Wanyin knelt on the ground, speaking frankly.
Wang Degui gasped when he heard this. Good fellow, he really came to plead for Lady Tang.
How dare you get involved in this kind of mess? It's too late for others to distance themselves from it.
"Why did you ask me not to torture her? Do you think she was wronged?" Helian Qi narrowed his eyes slightly, as if asking for her opinion, and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.
How can you guarantee that she is innocent?
Unless she has to report everything she does to you? So was today's incident ordered by you?
Although Ning Wanyin protected Shunpin's dragon fetus last time, it doesn't mean that she will never murder her.
There are different choices at different times, and enemies and friends may change at any time.
Ning Wanyin was very clear that if she dared to say a word on behalf of Tang Miaoling, she would not be able to clear herself of the matter of Shunpin.
His Majesty dotes on her, but he also doubts her and everyone in the harem.
"I don't know whether Concubine Tang is innocent or not, but I know that she is cowardly and spineless. No matter what the accusation is, she will admit it as long as she is tortured. If the person behind the scenes is not her, wouldn't it be wrongfully killing an innocent person and letting the real murderer go?" Ning Wanyin answered calmly.
Since she decided to plead for Tang Miaoling, she had already gone through these words in her mind three times.
"Then who is the real murderer you are talking about?" Helian Qi asked back.
Ning Wanyin replied calmly, "I don't know. But I heard that Concubine Shun is fine, and the person behind the scenes has not yet achieved his goal, and it is very likely that he will strike again. I dare to ask Your Majesty to allow me to take care of Concubine Shun, wait and see, and catch the real culprit."
"I am willing to protect Concubine Shun with my life! If I fail to find anyone suspicious, Your Majesty can deal with Concubine Tang at that time."
A trace of surprise flashed in Helian Qi's eyes, "You want to take care of Shunpin? If the dragon fetus is damaged in any way, you know you can't afford it."
"I will try my best. If there is any mistake, I will take the blame." Ning Wanyin knelt down and bowed.
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