Chapter 31: Tang Beauty Was Captured

Lady Ning was sent back to the capital the next day to prepare for the fasting ceremony.

The Emperor continued to hunt with Consort Zhuang every day, and Ning Wanyin did not compete with Consort Zhuang, happy to spend more time with her mother.

Such good times were rare.

“Concubine Cen’s meaning is for you to rely on her…” Cheng relayed 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 these days, you must be cautious in everything.”

“You can also consider it? You have no one to take care of you in the palace, after all, the Emperor’s favor is not long-lasting…” Cheng said with concern.

“But the high branch of the Cen family is even less lasting than the Emperor’s favor. We can’t offer the Cen family the benefits they want, such an ally won’t last long. I have my own plans for the palace. By the way, you are now a second-rank lady, you are qualified to visit the Empress Dowager and attend palace banquets, but you should go to the palace less often…”

Pausing, Ning Wanyin looked at Cheng seriously and said, “Daughter misses you very much, but I don’t want to involve you in the turmoil of the palace.”

She could pretend to be fine and pretend that she was living well, but she was worried that her mother would be careless because of this, so she could only tell the truth.

Cheng was not stupid, upon hearing Ning Wanyin’s words, tears could not help but fall.

She came to the palace once, and her daughter was worried. And her daughter was in it every day, how dangerous it was.

How could a daughter not want to see her mother?

But she could only tell her, you don’t have to come if you don’t have anything to do.

“Mother understands, as long as I know you are doing well, whether I see you or not, I am at ease.” Cheng hugged Ning Wanyin, tears streaming down her face.

Ning Wanyin’s eyes also turned red.

At this moment, Lianrui rushed in, “Madam, something happened in the palace!”

“What happened?” The tears in Ning Wanyin’s eyes were still flickering, but her brows and eyes instantly calmed down.

“Concubine Shun almost miscarried, it is said that Tang Meiren did it. Now Tang Meiren has been arrested by Noble Consort Shu…” Lianrui reported.

Concubine Shun’s food was mixed with safflower.

It was her palace maid Chunni who poisoned her.

Chunni insisted that she was instructed by Tang Miaoling, saying that the safflower was secretly given to her by Qiu Xia, the chief maid beside Tang Miaoling.

There was also a passing eunuch who testified that he saw Qiu Xia near Changchun Palace.

Noble Consort Shu immediately sealed Xianfu Palace, searched Qiu Xia’s residence and found safflower, and immediately arrested Tang Miaoling and a group of palace maids.

“Qiu Xia was taken to the Department of Punishments, she refused to confess even to death, and was beaten to death. Tang Meiren is a concubine, and the Emperor’s order is needed to punish her. So Noble Consort Shu sent a letter to request an imperial decree…” Lianrui felt scared even as she spoke, one life was gone just like that.

Ning Wanyin’s face darkened slightly.

Not to mention whether Tang Miaoling had the guts, she probably didn’t have the ability either.

“Wanyin, Miaoling doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would do this, right?” Cheng asked with some doubt.

Ning Wanyin said in a deep voice, “Whether she did it or not, once she enters the Department of Punishments, it’s as if she did it. She’s a weakling, she can’t withstand torture, and she’ll admit to anything anyone says. If they say she was instructed by me, she’ll admit to it too.”

“What? This will involve you…” Cheng’s face changed instantly, and she panicked.

Ning Wanyin’s expression was calm, “She’s my cousin. We are related to the Tang family, and in the eyes of outsiders, we are naturally a group.”

She didn’t let Ning Ziyun enter the palace, not only because she disliked her.

It was also because the Ning family was in trouble, she would inevitably be implicated.

“Wanyin, what are you going to do…” Cheng’s heart ached, she was very worried.

Ning Wanyin was calm and composed, looking at her, “Daughter will be fine. You go back first, I’m going to see the Emperor now, to stop his decree.”

Firstly, they were cousins, and this matter might involve her.

Secondly, Tang Miaoling had helped her, and she had to save her.

…

In the main hall of the hunting lodge, Helian Qi was furious, and with a wave of his sleeve, he swept a pile of memorials off the desk.

Wang Degui knelt on the ground trembling, only daring to report good news, “Your Majesty, calm down! Judge Zhao said that although Concubine Shun is unwell, fortunately, it was discovered in time, and the fetus has been saved!”

“Prepare the carriage to return to the palace!” Helian Qi said coldly.

The hunting trip had been completed in the past two days, and they were originally scheduled to return to the palace tomorrow.

“Yes! Then what about Noble Consort Shu’s petition…” Wang Degui asked.

Helian Qi’s eyes were filled with rage, “Let her investigate thoroughly.”

He had already understood the case. Qiu Xia refused to confess even to death, so there were only two possibilities. One, she was framed. Two, she was loyal to her mistress, Tang Miaoling.

But for the Emperor, it was better to kill a thousand by mistake than to let one go.

An insignificant person, how could she be more important than the dragon fetus.

“Your Majesty, Lady Ning requests an audience.” The eunuch on duty outside came to report.

The annoyance in Helian Qi’s eyes deepened, “She still comes to see me at this time, isn’t she afraid of others slandering them as a group?”

Pausing, he also wanted to know how much Ning Wanyin knew about Tang Miaoling’s matter, so he said:

“Let her in.”

…

Ning Wanyin entered the hall and saw the scattered memorials on the ground.

Helian Qi sat on the dragon throne with a blank expression, looking at her coldly, “What are you doing here?”

“This concubine heard that Concubine Shun was almost killed, and she specially came to request an imperial decree from Your Majesty, please don’t torture Tang Meiren.” Ning Wanyin knelt on the ground, her expression open and honest.

Wang Degui gasped. Good heavens, she really came to plead for Tang Meiren.

You still dare to get involved in this matter? Others can’t even distance themselves from it.

“Why do you want me to spare her? Do you think she’s innocent?” Helian Qi narrowed his eyes slightly, as if asking for her opinion, his expression unreadable.

How dare you guarantee that she is innocent?

Unless she reports everything she does to you? So, did you instruct her to do this today?

Although Ning Wanyin protected Concubine Shun’s dragon fetus last time, it doesn’t mean that she will never harm her.

Different times have different choices, and enemies and friends can change at any time.

Ning Wanyin was very clear that if she dared to plead for Tang Miaoling’s innocence, she would not be able to clear herself of Concubine Shun’s matter.

The Emperor favored her, but he would also suspect her, suspect everyone in the palace.

“This concubine doesn’t know if Tang Meiren is innocent, but this concubine knows that she is cowardly and spineless. No matter what the crime is, as long as she is tortured, she will admit to it. If the person behind it is not her, wouldn’t it be a wrongful killing of an innocent person and letting the real culprit escape?” Ning Wanyin answered calmly.

Since she decided to plead for Tang Miaoling, these words had been rehearsed three times in her mind.

“Then who is the real culprit you’re talking about?” Helian Qi asked back.

Ning Wanyin answered calmly, “This concubine doesn’t know. But this concubine heard that Concubine Shun is safe, the person behind it hasn’t achieved their goal yet, and they are very likely to strike again. This concubine is bold enough to ask Your Majesty to allow this concubine to take care of Concubine Shun, wait for the rabbit, and catch the real culprit.”

“This concubine is willing to protect Concubine Shun with her life! If this concubine fails to find any suspicious people, Your Majesty can punish Tang Meiren later.”

A flash of surprise crossed Helian Qi’s eyes, “You want to take care of Concubine Shun? If anything happens to the dragon fetus, you know you can’t bear the consequences.”

“This concubine will do her best, if there is any mistake, she is willing to accept the punishment.” Ning Wanyin knelt down and bowed.