After the concubines left, Lian Rui whispered, “Master, I’ll go and ask His Majesty to come and rescue you!”
“No need to go.” Ning Wanyin shook her head.
She guessed that the Emperor would not come.
She is a pawn in the Emperor’s campaign to suppress the Xue family.
But as a pawn, she also needs to understand that the Emperor won’t constantly suppress the Xue family.
The art of imperial rule lies in checks and balances.
In the eyes of the Emperor, the Xue and Cen families are not only powerful enemies who bully the Emperor, but also ministers who work together to protect the country.
A fight to the death is a lose-lose situation.
The Emperor supported his favorite ministers to check and balance the two ministers, not to trample them to death.
Otherwise, wouldn’t his favorite minister become the new Xue and Cen?
Once one understands this logic, everything becomes perfectly clear.
As a chess piece, she charges forward when the Emperor suppresses her, and lays dormant quietly when the Emperor withdraws.
The promotion of Xue Zhaoyi indicated that the Emperor and the Xue family had reached some kind of tacit understanding.
The Empress Dowager’s right to discipline and punish concubines is inherent in her prerogative as empress dowager.
The Emperor would not deliberately violate the rules of imperial power.
Unless the Emperor needs to suppress the Empress Dowager, he might support her and embarrass the Empress Dowager.
If it were the situation of Song Meiren back then, the Emperor would most likely come.
The timing is not favorable, and the situation is not in her favor.
Since she is not sure about inviting him over, she won’t go and make a fool of herself.
Besides, what in the palace is there that the Emperor doesn’t know about?
Even if she didn’t send someone to invite him, he would know what happened in the Cining Palace today.
…
In Qianxin Palace—
Wang Degui trembled as he recounted the story of Ning Wanyin being punished for kneeling. Then he said tentatively, “Ning Meiren has always been a person who follows the rules. Kneeling for a whole day must have hurt her knees.”
He didn’t dare to directly accuse the Empress Dowager of picking on her.
He only spoke a few kind words in Ning Wanyin’s favor.
The Emperor, who was reviewing memorials, asked coldly without even looking up, “What benefits did you receive from her?”
“Your Majesty, please calm down! I didn’t take anything. It’s just that Your Majesty has always favored Ning Meiren, so I… I am reporting the truth.”
Wang Degui was so scared that he knelt on the ground.
Helian Qi’s sharp face remained expressionless, and he felt a little irritated.
“Mind your own business! Get out of here!”
“I admit my guilt!”
Wang Degui wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and crawled out.
As Helian Qi was writing comments on the memorial, the image of Ning Wanyin with a sweet smile appeared in his mind.
The cinnabar paused on the memorial, leaving a red dot.
Coming back to his senses, Helian Qi continued writing.
It was just a trivial matter.
Not worth mentioning.
As soon as Wang Degui emerged from Qianxin Palace, a palace maid knelt on the ground crying, “Thank you, Chief Eunuch, for reporting this. My Master has been punished by the Empress Dowager! Please save her, Your Majesty! The Empress Dowager is punishing my Master on purpose!”
It’s Dan Li.
Ning Wanyin asked them not to report it.
Lian Rui obeyed, but Dan Li had her own ideas.
She had witnessed firsthand how the Emperor favored Ning Meiren.
She believed that the Emperor would definitely rush to the Cining Palace to vent his anger on behalf of Ning Meiren.
When the time comes, he will reward her as a loyal servant!
Who knows, he might even look upon her with a higher regard and choose her as his concubine?
Wang Degui, having just been reprimanded and realizing the Emperor’s indifferent attitude, snapped, “Weeping and wailing in front of the Qianxin Palace—how unbecoming! Why don’t you leave!”
“But my Master is waiting for His Majesty to save her…”
“How could the Empress Dowager’s admonition for a concubine result in a fatality? If you continue this nonsense, I’ll send you to Xinzheku1*Xinzheku (辛者库) is a transliteration of the Manchu word “sin jeku,” which means “people who eat rations under the baoyi guanling” in Chinese. It refers to a type of baoyi organization within the Eight Banners system of the Qing Dynasty. It wasn’t a dedicated institution for the detention of criminals, but rather a group of hereditary servants responsible for laboring for the imperial family and nobles.
Xinzheku members can be divided into those who originally belonged to the Xinzheku and those who were inducted into the Xinzheku due to criminal charges. It’s not appropriate to assume that all Xinzheku members were criminals.!” Wang Degui interrupted sternly.
But remembering Ning Meiren’s former favor, he gave her a little leeway, saying, “His Majesty already knows about this. All right, you should return immediately. Disturbing the Emperor’s presence is a capital offense!”
Dan Li couldn’t believe it.
His Majesty already knew about this, but he didn’t care about the Master?
Could it be…
Her Master has fallen out of favor?
Everyone in the palace was watching the developments in the Qianxin Palace.
When the concubines heard that Dan Li had been kicked out, they were shocked.
The Emperor had previously protected Ning Wanyin so well, but now he was allowing her to be punished by the Empress Dowager.
Could it be that she had fallen out of favor?
…
Zhongcui Palace, Left Hall, Mozhu Pavilion.
“Master, good news! The people from Lingxue Pavilion went to ask His Majesty to come forward, but were driven out. Ning Wanyin has fallen out of favor!” Shi’er came back happily to report.
Song Qingzhi was surprised and delighted, her heart sinking into her stomach. She was deeply worried that the Emperor would rescue Ning Wanyin.
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