Chapter 17: It’s Me Who Wants to Reward You

“Your Majesty… Your Majesty…” Jieyu Li hurriedly kowtowed and pleaded, “This concubine is truly innocent… It was really Ning Wanyin who pushed this concubine…”

Helian Qi frowned impatiently, “Noisy.”

Wang Degui immediately showed his intelligence and dragged Jieyu Li away with several eunuchs…

Jieyu Li insisted that Ning Wanyin pushed her.

She thought that although Tang Miaoling was a witness, she was Ning Wanyin’s cousin, so her words couldn’t be considered testimony.

Without reliable evidence, she and Ning Wanyin were each telling their own story, how could the Emperor possibly punish her without asking?

But unexpectedly, the Emperor didn’t even ask a single question, he directly demoted her and drove her away.

Helian Qi’s gaze fell on the remaining Tang Miaoling, “What are you doing here?”

Tang Miaoling stole a glance at Ning Wanyin, instantly becoming nervous and stammering, “To… to give my cousin medicine.”

“You two are indeed close sisters.” Helian Qi looked at her with some surprise.

Ning Wanyin also looked at Tang Miaoling, she came to give her medicine?

Tang Miaoling quickly handed the porcelain bottle she was holding in her palm to Ning Wanyin, “This is very good for reducing swelling…”

After saying that, she bowed to the Emperor and hurriedly left.

Helian Qi held Ning Wanyin’s hand and entered Lingxue Pavilion. The moonlight sprinkled down, casting a starry glow, reflecting the shimmering ripples of the lotus pond.

Because of the injury to her knee, even though Ning Wanyin tried her best to control it, her walk was still unsteady, one step high and one step low.

Helian Qi didn’t think she had suffered much injustice, but seeing her struggling to walk, he felt a little pity, and suddenly asked,

“Are you angry that I didn’t protect you all the time?”

Ning Wanyin’s mind raced, the Emperor was clearly asking about the incident in the Empress Dowager’s palace this morning, when he didn’t protect her.

She couldn’t answer yes or no.

Even if she answered no, it would still acknowledge that the Emperor hadn’t protected her.

As long as this incident existed, who would dare to blame the Emperor to his face?

Then saying no would be the same as saying yes.

“Your Majesty, what are you saying?” Ning Wanyin’s thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant, she looked surprised, “Didn’t Your Majesty always protect this concubine? If it weren’t for you upholding justice, this concubine would have been bullied by Jieyu Li… ah no, by Gui Ren Li!”

Helian Qi’s gaze fell on her knee, “I’m talking about the Empress Dowager punishing you…”

“The Empress Dowager reprimanding this concubine is a matter of course. How can Your Majesty break the rules of etiquette for this concubine?” Ning Wanyin smiled faintly, looking at Helian Qi:

“Moreover, the Empress Dowager has always disliked this concubine, if it weren’t for Your Majesty’s sake, how could she have only given this concubine a light punishment today?”

“Your Majesty has already protected this concubine, this concubine is grateful.”

With the Empress Dowager’s power, it would be easy for her to kill any powerless concubine, she just needed to find an excuse.

She was still alive, it was the Emperor who saved her life.

Helian Qi was stunned, he always disliked stupidity, and appreciated women with sharp minds.

Ning Wanyin seemed spoiled, but she was actually clever and tactful, once again making him look at her with new eyes.

At first, he only felt a little novelty, but now he was truly paying attention to her.

Helian Qi saw her walking carefully and unsteadily.

He picked her up by the waist and strode through the flower path, ordering the eunuch beside him, “Wang Degui, go and invite the imperial physician to take a look.”

Wang Degui bowed and left.

Entering the pavilion, Helian…

Helian Qi saw the spoiled food on the table.

Ning Wanyin tugged at Helian Qi’s sleeve, eagerly complaining, “Your Majesty, the food sent from the Imperial Kitchen is simply inedible…”

Her stomach rumbled inopportunely.

She was truly hungry.

Helian Qi’s brows furrowed, a surge of anger rising in his heart, he said, “Have the steward of the Imperial Kitchen come immediately. Pass my decree, serve the meal!”

The accompanying eunuch immediately went to do so.

In a short while, the female physician from the Imperial Medical Bureau and the steward of the Imperial Kitchen arrived almost simultaneously.

The steward, accompanied by a young eunuch, trembled as he knelt on the ground outside the door, “This servant is guilty! The people below were negligent for a moment, and mistakenly gave the spoiled food to Lingxue Pavilion.”

“This servant is guilty! It was this servant’s negligence, I took the wrong thing.” The young eunuch also pleaded guilty.

Helian Qi ignored them, only asking the female physician who was examining the injury behind the curtain:

“How is Ning Meiren’s injury?”

“Meiren’s knee is swollen and bruised, she needs to use blood-activating and stasis-resolving medicine, and rest for a few days, she will be fine.” The female physician respectfully replied.

Helian Qi’s expression softened slightly, “Ning Meiren’s injury is in your hands, treat her well.”

“Yes!” The female physician quickly accepted the order, took out a medicine bottle from her medicine box, and carefully applied ointment to Ning Wanyin.

Helian Qi walked to the door and looked at the steward kneeling outside:

“Such a small matter can have a flaw, you don’t need to be the steward anymore, be sent to Xinzeku.”

“Your Majesty, please forgive me, this servant knows his mistake… this servant knows his mistake…” The steward hurriedly kowtowed and begged for mercy.

Helian Qi ignored his pleas, how dare a young eunuch do such a thing? The steward must know what happened today.

If he didn’t know, then he was even less worthy of being in this position.

Wang Degui gestured, and the accompanying eunuchs immediately dragged the steward and the young eunuch away…

After the female physician finished applying the medicine, she bowed and left.

A particularly sumptuous meal was placed on the table again.

Ning Wanyin walked out with Lianrui’s support, bowing, “Thank Your Majesty for upholding justice for this concubine!”

She said this sincerely.

She was so hungry.

Helian Qi saw her trembling appearance, stepped forward and helped her up, “Sit down and eat. You’ve suffered injustice today, I want to compensate you properly. What do you want? Just say it, I’ll grant you anything.”

As soon as he said this, the room fell silent.

Anything you want.

The Emperor’s meaning was clearly to promote Ning Wanyin.

Except for the occasional grand promotion of the Six Palaces during the New Year, concubines usually had to have merit to be promoted! (Including pregnancy, serving the Empress Dowager or Emperor during illness, managing the Six Palaces, family merit, etc. Serving the Emperor is also a merit, but only allows for one promotion based on this.)

Ning Wanyin had already been promoted once for serving the Emperor, now she was being promoted without any merit, which was against the rules!

But the Emperor’s words were an imperial decree. His favor for Ning Wanyin was known to all, and it was understandable for him to break the rules for her.

This Ning Meiren is really lucky!

The maids and eunuchs of Lingxue Pavilion also looked at Ning Wanyin with burning eyes. Their mistress was going to be promoted again, they would naturally be rewarded as well!

“This concubine has suffered injustice, it was the Imperial Kitchen that didn’t arrange things well, how can I ask Your Majesty for compensation? Moreover, Your Majesty has bestowed upon this concubine a table of delicacies, which is already a great favor.” Ning Wanyin was not arrogant, she answered respectfully.

Helian Qi insisted, “I feel sorry for you, I just want to bestow some favors on you.”

“Your Majesty’s kindness, this concubine dares not refuse. This concubine dares to ask Your Majesty to replace someone in this concubine’s palace.” Ning Wanyin said.

Wang Degui was stunned. Such a good opportunity, you don’t want a promotion, you want to deal with a palace servant?

If the news of His Majesty upholding justice for you spreads, tomorrow you can go to the Internal Affairs Department and ask for any replacement, the steward will give it to you.

Helian Qi was also a little surprised, she didn’t want a rank? Although it was against the rules, his words were the rules, with him protecting her, no one else could say anything.

“The people in your palace are indeed useless, you can replace them.” Helian Qi said. She was almost beaten just now, and those palace servants didn’t protect her…

They should be replaced.

As soon as he said this, all the maids and eunuchs in Lingxue Pavilion, except for Lianrui, knelt down, trembling, kowtowing.

“Thank Your Majesty for your grace!” Ning Wanyin bowed.

“They were negligent in their protection, they should be dealt with, it’s not a reward. Tell me another thing, what reward do you want.” Helian Qi asked again.

Wang Degui understood, the Emperor was determined to promote Ning Meiren!

He quickly drafted a congratulatory speech for Jieyu Ning.

Ning Wanyin hesitated slightly, the Emperor was determined to give her a reward, then…

“Can Your Majesty bestow upon this concubine a small kitchen?” Ning Wanyin asked tentatively, looking at Helian Qi.

Wang Degui’s draft was ruined. Congratulations, Jieyu… a small kitchen?