Chapter 15: On the Little Matter of Everyone Thinking I’ve Lost Favor

After the concubines left.

Lianrui whispered, “Mistress, I’ll go and ask His Majesty to save you!”

“No need,” Ning Wanyin shook her head.

She guessed the Emperor wouldn’t come.

She was a pawn used by the Emperor to suppress the Xue family.

But as a pawn, she also needed to understand that the Emperor wouldn’t suppress the Xue family all the time.

Imperial strategy lies in balance.

In the Emperor’s eyes, the two Dukes, Xue and Cen, were not only powerful enemies who dared to overpower him, but also ministers who guarded the country together.

A desperate struggle would be a lose-lose situation.

The Emperor promoted his favored concubines to check and balance the two Dukes, not to crush them.

Otherwise, his favored concubines would become the new Xue and Cen.

After understanding this logic, everything became clear.

As a pawn, when the Emperor suppressed, she charged into battle; when the Emperor stopped, she quietly lay low.

Xue Jieyu’s promotion indicated that the Emperor had reached some kind of agreement with the Xue family.

And the Empress Dowager’s reprimand and punishment of concubines was within her power as Empress Dowager.

The Emperor wouldn’t deliberately break the rules of imperial power.

Unless, the Emperor needed to suppress the Empress Dowager, only then would he possibly support her and damage the Empress Dowager’s reputation.

In the case of Meiren Song, the Emperor was more likely to come.

But now, the time was not right, and the situation was not in her favor.

Since she wasn’t sure he would come, she shouldn’t humiliate herself.

Moreover, what happened in the palace was never hidden from the Emperor.

Even if she didn’t send someone to invite him, he would know what happened in Cining Palace today.

…

In Qianxin Palace.

Wang Degui nervously recounted Ning Wanyin’s punishment, tentatively asking, “Ning Meiren has always been well-behaved. Kneeling for a whole day, her knees must be injured.”

He dared not say that the Empress Dowager was picking on her.

He was just saying a few good words for Ning Wanyin.

The Emperor, who was reviewing memorials, didn’t look up, and coldly asked, “What did you take from her?”

“Your Majesty, please calm down! I didn’t take anything, it’s just that Your Majesty has always favored Ning Meiren, I… I just reported truthfully.” Wang Degui knelt down in fright.

Helian Qi’s angular face was expressionless, his mood a little irritable, “Mind your own business, get out.”

“I know my crime!” Wang Degui wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and scrambled out.

Helian Qi continued to review memorials, his mind filled with Ning Wanyin’s charming smile.

The cinnabar paused on the memorial, leaving a red dot.

Coming back to his senses, Helian Qi continued to write. It was just a trivial matter.

Insignificant.

Wang Degui had just come out of Qianxin Palace.

A palace maid was kneeling and crying, “Please report to the Eunuch, my mistress has been punished by the Empress Dowager! Please save my mistress, the Empress Dowager is deliberately punishing her!”

It was Danli.

Ning Wanyin had told them not to report.

Lianrui obeyed, but Danli had her own ideas. She had witnessed the Emperor’s favor towards Ning Meiren…

She believed that the Emperor would definitely rush to Cining Palace to vent his anger for Ning Meiren.

Then he would also reward her, a loyal servant! Perhaps he would even look at her more favorably and make her a selected maid.

Wang Degui had just been reprimanded, understanding the Emperor’s indifferent attitude, and scolded, “Crying in front of Qianxin Palace, what kind of demeanor is this? Get out!”

“But my mistress is waiting for His Majesty to save her…”

“The Empress Dowager…”

The Empress Dowager is reprimanding the concubines, how could she cause a death? If you talk nonsense again, I’ll send you to Xinzeku!” Wang Degui interrupted sternly, remembering Ning Meiren’s former favor, he left a little room for her, saying:

“His Majesty already knows about this. Alright, go back quickly. Disturbing the Emperor is a capital offense!”

Danli couldn’t believe it. His Majesty already knew, but he didn’t care about the Mistress?

Could it be…

My Mistress has lost favor?

Everyone in the palace was watching Qianxin Palace.

Hearing that Danli was kicked out, the concubines were shocked.

The Emperor had been so protective of Ning Wanyin before, but now he let her be punished by the Empress Dowager.

Could it be that she has lost favor!

…

Zhongcui Palace, left wing, Mozhu Xuan.

“Mistress, good news! The people from Lingxue Pavilion went to ask His Majesty to intervene, but they were kicked out. Ning Wanyin has lost favor!” Shi’er happily reported back.

Song Qingzhi was both surprised and delighted, her heart settled. She was very worried that the Emperor would go to save Ning Wanyin.

The Emperor had even protected Ning Wanyin when she didn’t pay her respects.

How could he ignore this today?

Unless, he doesn’t like Ning Wanyin anymore!

“If you think about it, the Emperor hasn’t been to Lingxue Pavilion for quite some time,” Song Qingzhi muttered to herself.

It seems that the Emperor’s favor for Ning Wanyin was just a passing fancy.

Now that the novelty has worn off, she’s just an ordinary concubine. In the Emperor’s eyes, she’s nothing special.

Understanding this, Song Qingzhi was in a good mood.

…

As the sun began to set.

Ning Wanyin returned to Lingxue Pavilion with Lianrui’s support, the entire pavilion was filled with anxiety and panic.

“What’s wrong?” Ning Wanyin asked, frowning.

Danli was distraught. She thought that Ning Wanyin was the Emperor’s favorite, so she was arrogant and fearless.

Once the Emperor no longer supported her, with the things Ning Wanyin had done to offend the Empress Dowager, it was uncertain if she would live for a few more days, wouldn’t she be implicated?

“I went to Qianxin Palace to ask His Majesty, but His Majesty didn’t care…” Danli’s fearful tone had a hint of resentment:

“Mistress, you were too arrogant back then, you offended the Empress Dowager, how can you have a good life in the future…”

Lianrui interrupted sharply, “How dare you disrespect the Mistress, saying such offensive things!”

“Didn’t I tell you all not to go?” Ning Wanyin’s gaze darkened as she looked at Danli.

The sharp gaze made Danli tremble, she took a step back, but still stubbornly said, “I was also worried about the Mistress’s safety, who knew you would lose favor so quickly…”

“You dare to curse the Mistress, you—” Lianrui was furious.

Ning Wanyin’s gaze was calm, she had decided to replace Danli. She couldn’t use someone who acted on their own.

But the Internal Affairs Department wasn’t hers, she couldn’t just replace people at will.

She would deal with it tomorrow.

“Lianrui, help me inside first. I’m a little hungry, ask Xiao Guizi to go to the Imperial Kitchen to get dinner.” Ning Wanyin had been hungry for a day, she didn’t have the energy to argue.

Xiao Guizi was looking for connections to change his job as soon as possible, because he hadn’t found a new place yet, he still had to work in Lingxue Pavilion for the time being, and he couldn’t disobey the Mistress’s orders, so he reluctantly went to the Imperial Kitchen.

Lianrui helped Ning Wanyin change her clothes, seeing the bruises on her knees, her tears fell, “Mistress, your knees are bruised…”

How could the Mistress have suffered such injustice.

Although…

The Ning family had fallen, but Ning Wanyin was also a daughter raised with love and care by her mother, who had never been willing to punish her.

“His Majesty is truly heartless. You haven’t done anything wrong…” Lianrui wiped away the tears that had spilled from her eyes, feeling sorry for Ning Wanyin.

Ning Wanyin reached out to stroke her head, comforting her, “Don’t cry, I’m fine. The Empress Dowager holds great power, it’s only natural for her to punish me, His Majesty can’t interfere.”

“But His Majesty clearly protected you before…” Lianrui was puzzled.

“His Majesty is already protecting me.”

Ning Wanyin changed into a new set of clothes, and Xiao Guizi returned with a food box.

Unlike the usual eight dishes, there were only four dishes and one soup today, and they had a foul, sour smell.

“This is spoiled, how can we eat it!” Lianrui was shocked to see the dishes, looking at Xiao Guizi:

“Did you get the wrong one? Go and change it.”

“I noticed it was spoiled earlier, and I asked the steward to change it for the Mistress. But the steward said this was for the Mistress… He also said there was no other food in the Imperial Kitchen, and he wouldn’t let me change it.” Xiao Guizi answered dejectedly.

“But we paid for it. The Imperial Kitchen used to give us desserts!” Lianrui was puzzled.

Xiao Guizi shook his head and sighed, “That was before, no one deliberately made things difficult for the Mistress, so the Imperial Kitchen naturally wouldn’t offend money. But now, money doesn’t mean anything.”

He was an old hand in the palace, and he didn’t find this situation strange.

The whole palace knew that Ning Wanyin had lost favor!

There were many people who disliked Ning Wanyin. Any concubine could just whisper a word to the Imperial Kitchen…

Ning Wanyin wouldn’t have a good life anymore.

Hunger makes people’s moods worse.

Ning Wanyin, who hadn’t eaten all day, saw this table of spoiled food and was in a terrible mood.

She had originally planned to visit His Majesty tomorrow.

But nothing could stop her from eating!

Right, now, go!