Chapter 26: Offering a Cousin?

The Emperor, accompanied by Consort Zhuang and a group of princes and ministers, went hunting early in the morning.

Ning Wanyin, who couldn’t ride or shoot, stayed behind in the palace.

Although they were all “daughters of noble families,” in this era, women were considered beautiful for their gentleness, and martial arts were seen as vulgar.

The daughters of noble families learned music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, as well as etiquette and rules, but they didn’t know how to ride or shoot.

Occasionally, women from humble backgrounds, who weren’t bound by so many rules, had the opportunity to learn archery.

Of course, Ning Wanyin didn’t think Consort Zhuang was vulgar, she actually envied her good skills.

She would be more likely to survive an encounter with an assassin than Ning Wanyin.

Ning Wanyin now lived in the same palace as the Emperor, but she could only go to the main hall to serve him when he summoned her. She usually stayed in the warm pavilion on the side of the main hall.

Ning Wanyin specifically asked the Emperor for permission and received his approval to meet her family in the warm pavilion.

“Mistress, the old lady and Madam have arrived!” Xiao Guizi said cheerfully, leading a group of people in.

In the middle was Ning’s old lady, with a smile on her face.

On the left was Cheng Shi, with a happy expression, and on the right, supporting the old lady, was a young girl about the same age as Ning Wanyin.

“Wanyin…” Cheng Shi saw Ning Wanyin and was about to speak.

The old lady glanced at the maids and eunuchs in the room, coughed, “First, pay your respects to Ning Meiren!”

“Grandmother and Mother, you don’t need to be so formal. Xiao Guizi, you all go out first, Lianrui can stay to serve.” Ning Wanyin understood the implication.

Xiao Guizi and the others bowed and left.

Only their own people remained in the room.

The old lady’s expression instantly changed, she stared at Ning Wanyin with a stern look, “Ning Wanyin, you showed disrespect to the Empress Dowager, do you know your mistake?”

“This is all because of His Majesty’s favor, Wanyin can’t refuse the imperial grace…” Cheng Shi defended.

“Humph! I didn’t expect you to be such a shallow person. You were cautious and humble before, but now that you have the Emperor’s favor, you’ve become arrogant! You’ve treated the Empress Dowager so disrespectfully, do you know that offending the Xue family will bring you no good, and your family will be implicated by you.” The old lady’s eyes were sharp, her words like knives, “You’re a scourge to our Ning family, you’ve harmed the entire family because of you! Your mother raised a daughter like you, she’s also a sinner of our Ning family!”

Cheng Shi’s face turned pale when she heard the word “sinner,” but she still tried to defend Ning Wanyin, “Wanyin must have many reasons in the palace…”

Ning Wanyin knew that her grandmother would come to settle accounts with her.

Offending the Xue family, her grandmother was undoubtedly terrified.

But the Ning family wanted both the Emperor’s favor and a good relationship with the Xue and Cen families, how could they have it all?

She chose the Emperor out of desperation, but even if she wasn’t in a desperate situation, out of these three, the Emperor was still the best choice.

As long as she lived, the Ning family would be safe. If she died, the Emperor, out of gratitude for her loyalty in death, would also leave a way out for her family.

“Then what do you want to teach me, Grandmother?” Ning Wanyin looked at her calmly.

She would scold her first, then there would be something else.

The old lady wouldn’t have come here just to argue with her.

“It’s also thanks to your father’s hard work, the Cen family is helping us, as long as you follow Lady Consort Cen’s lead in the palace from now on, the Cen family will naturally protect us.” The old lady looked at Ning Wanyin, her eyes softened slightly.

Ning Wanyin’s thin lips pursed slightly, a hint of unsurprised sarcasm flashed in her eyes.

The Ning family once wanted to curry favor with the Xue and Cen families,

But they didn’t want her.

Now that she was the Emperor’s new favorite, she had severely damaged the Xue family’s reputation, so the Cen family extended an olive branch to them.

But would she dare to accept it?

If she did, she would be the next Lady Consort Wen.

Once she lost favor and no longer had the Emperor’s grace, what would she use to compete with the Xue family? How useful would she be to the Cen family then?

Would the Cen family still protect her?

“As Grandmother sees, I’m a fool, I admire His Majesty, and my heart belongs only to him. What you ask me to do, I can’t do…” Ning Wanyin refused calmly.

“I knew I couldn’t rely on you!” The old lady glanced at her with disdain, then looked at the girl beside her who was supporting her, her expression softened, “This is your cousin, take her into the palace, she will naturally help you with your worries.”

“Mother, you didn’t say you wanted Zi Yin to enter the palace…” Cheng Shi was shocked.

The old lady glared at Cheng Shi warningly, then looked at Ning Wanyin, “You may have the Emperor’s favor now, but no woman can stay favored forever. Your cousin entering the palace can also help you maintain your favor. Grandmother is doing this for your own good…”

“How can that be! Others will definitely criticize Wanyin! If Zi Yin wants to enter the palace, it’s better to wait for the draft three years later.” Cheng Shi objected in shock.

Although the Emperor could take a woman into the palace whenever he wanted.

But besides the draft, which was the orthodox way, other times it was considered “offering.”

If Ning Wanyin offered her sister to the Emperor, she would be condemned by many as a vixen who bewitched the Emperor.

“Cheng Shi, you’re becoming increasingly disrespectful! You dare to contradict me.” The old lady gave Cheng Shi a cold look, her eyes filled with anger.

Cheng Shi bowed, “My daughter-in-law didn’t mean that… Mother, please calm down, but letting Wanyin offer her cousin is really damaging to Wanyin’s reputation!”

Ning Wanyin said softly, “Mother, don’t worry, the family is more important than my reputation. If Grandmother thinks that my cousin entering the palace will be beneficial to the family, then Wanyin will naturally help my cousin.”

“Sister is willing for me to enter the palace?” Ning Zi Yin was a little surprised.

“As long as my sister is willing, I will help you.” A faint smile flashed in Ning Wanyin’s eyes.

Ning Zi Yin was half-believing, she said with a hidden meaning, “Sister, I’m entering the palace to help you. I’m just afraid that you won’t want me to be favored…”

“Sister, you’re overthinking. But even if I offer you to His Majesty, and His Majesty doesn’t like you, then Grandmother’s good intentions will be in vain.” Ning Wanyin stated.

Ning Zi Yin was about to say, His Majesty will definitely like me…

Then she heard her continue, “To ensure that my sister can catch His Majesty’s eye, I have an idea for you. Sister, why don’t you paint a picture to attract His Majesty’s attention. His Majesty is skilled in painting, and he might take a closer look at you out of love for the art.”

“Of course, His Majesty has a discerning eye, he has seen countless famous paintings. If your painting skills are not yet outstanding, why don’t you let your sister be your foil. With my clumsy work first, your painting will naturally be highlighted as a masterpiece.”

“Sister, you can also use my jewelry to adorn yourself, they are all gifts from His Majesty, they are more beautiful than those from outside. And I will definitely dress plainly, let you wear the makeup, and highlight your beauty.”

Cheng Shi was anxious, “Daughter, won’t you be overshadowed?”

Even if they wanted to let her cousin enter the palace, there was no need to make her a foil like this. What if the Emperor changes his mind and she loses favor?

Ning Zi Yin’s eyes lit up, she quickly looked at the old lady, “Grandmother, Sister’s paintings…”

She wanted to make sure that Ning Wanyin’s painting skills were indeed poor, so she wouldn’t be tricked.

The old lady nodded affirmatively, “You’re better than her.”

The two tutors who taught Ning Wanyin painting and chess were specially hired by the old lady at a great expense.

Ning Wanyin’s chess skills were decent, but she was slow to learn painting.

“Sister helps me so much, in the future, my sister will also take care of you.” Ning Zi Yin finally felt relieved, she said the polite words beautifully.

In reality, she didn’t plan to take care of Ning Wanyin.

Seeing Ning Wanyin’s favor, she was almost jealous to death. Why did she have such good luck.

She’s no worse than Ning Wanyin!

She was worried about suffering in the palace before, she would rather be the main wife in a noble family, so she didn’t participate in this year’s draft.

Now, seeing Ning Wanyin’s favor, she regretted it.