Chapter 39: Gentleness Lasts Only Three Sentences

The next day.

Ning Wanyin ate an extra bowl of breakfast.

Today she was going to Qianxin Palace to serve with ink and paper, so she specially chose a thin persimmon-colored narrow-sleeved, waist-cinched dress, convenient for working with her hands. She wore a pair of red gold butterfly hairpins in her hair, not too flamboyant, but still befitting her status.

“This concubine greets Your Majesty, I wish Your Majesty well.” Ning Wanyin bowed.

Helian Qi was reviewing memorials, he didn’t look up and said, “Go to the side and paint, show me when you’re done. Wang Degui, set up a desk for Lady Ning.”

“Yes.” Wang Degui accepted the order and made arrangements.

Ning Wanyin was slightly surprised and said, “This concubine is going to grind ink for Your Majesty…”

“Grinding ink is such a small matter, anyone can do it.” Helian Qi finally looked up at her from his busy work:

“Paint well, don’t waste my dragon-patterned inkstone.”

Ning Wanyin answered obediently, “This concubine deeply reflects on her mistakes, I dare not waste the inkstone Your Majesty gave me, I specially brought ordinary cloud ink today, I will use the inkstone Your Majesty bestowed on me to paint after I learn.”

“I gave it to you so that you can use it. No matter how good something is, if it’s locked away, it loses its purpose.” Helian Qi continued to lower his head and review memorials, he said casually:

“When you finish it, I’ll find some good ink to give you.”

Ning Wanyin’s eyes curved slightly, she bowed with a look of surprise, “Your Majesty is so kind to this concubine, this concubine doesn’t know how to repay Your Majesty.”

“Your paintings can be a reward for me, as long as they don’t hurt my eyes.” Helian Qi’s gentleness lasted only three sentences.

If he were to say more, there wouldn’t be anything nice to say.

A new desk was placed below Helian Qi, Ning Wanyin obediently sat down and practiced calligraphy.

In the grand hall, only the sound of their pens and ink could be heard.

Wang Degui served them with ink and paper, he was secretly surprised.

Other concubines who came to serve with ink and paper would truly stand aside and grind ink. This Lady Ning came to serve with ink and paper…

She was actually painting?

She finished painting, and the Emperor would even give her guidance. Who was serving whom?

The Emperor was truly exceptionally fond of this Lady Ning.

Indeed.

Helian Qi just wanted to give her some special favors. Because she did a very good job taking care of Concubine Shun, he wanted to give her some grace.

Ning Wanyin was now very serious about learning to paint.

She used to think that it was because she didn’t work hard enough that her paintings were messy, now she realized that hard work didn’t help much.

Her talent for painting was truly mediocre.

But she still liked to paint, she enjoyed it.

So, Ning Wanyin painted with a happy heart, and Helian Qi’s heart beat irregularly.

“I have to summon the ministers this afternoon, you can go back first.” Helian Qi commented on two of her paintings, rubbing his sore eyes.

Ning Wanyin bowed and said, “This concubine takes her leave. Thank you for Your Majesty’s guidance, this concubine has one more thing to report.”

“Speak.”

“This concubine, after obtaining Concubine Shun’s permission, prepared one hundred palace rules for Changchun Palace. The palace maids and eunuchs’ tasks are much more demanding than before. With the current number of people in Your Ladyship’s palace, they can manage for a day or two, but in the long run, I’m afraid they will be overworked, and then Your Ladyship’s safety will be neglected.” Ning Wanyin said sincerely, “This concubine dares to ask Your Majesty to assign more people…”

Helian Qi nodded slightly, “You’ve considered it very carefully. Wang Degui, pass my order, assign twenty palace maids and eunuchs to Changchun Palace.”

“Yes!” Wang Degui accepted the order.

Ning Wanyin saw his reaction…

Helian Qi nodded in agreement, continuing naturally, “I’m worried that someone might use the people around me to harm me, so Lingsxue Pavilion is also heavily guarded… and I’m also short-staffed.”

“I’ll assign you ten more.” Helian Qi looked at Ning Wanyin, “You’ll need them for your future tasks. I’ll leave these people to you.”

The number of palace maids and eunuchs for concubines of different ranks was fixed.

But Helian Qi was assigning his own servants, so it wasn’t against the palace rules.

He would transfer the people assigned to Changchun Palace back after Concubine Shun gave birth. But Ning Wanyin would be assisting in managing the Six Palaces in the future, she would inevitably need people…

He wouldn’t transfer these people back. If Ning Wanyin abused her power, these people could also monitor her.

It was a win-win situation.

Ning Wanyin was in a good mood. She only had Lianrui in the palace, she was in need of some reliable people.

As for whether the Emperor would know what she was doing?

Of course, she would only use them for things that she wasn’t afraid of the Emperor knowing.

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace!” Ning Wanyin bowed respectfully to express her gratitude.

Helian Qi heard the surprise and gratitude in her tone, his thin lips slightly pursed, “Go down.”

Ning Wanyin returned to Lingsxue Pavilion with the ten eunuchs newly assigned by the Emperor.

These people were usually responsible for escorting the Emperor, and they were somewhat skilled in martial arts.

“This servant, Xia Yong, greets the mistress.” Xia Yong led the eunuchs in bowing respectfully.

Although they originally served the Emperor, the Emperor had given them to Ning Wanyin, which showed how much he favored this beauty.

They naturally dared not be negligent.

“Lingsxue Pavilion is short-staffed, you will be responsible for security from now on.” Ning Wanyin instructed.

“Yes.”

“Lianrui, there’s a reward.”

The eunuchs hurriedly bowed, “Thank you for the mistress’s generosity!”

…

After the summer hunting, Helian Qi chose Ning Wanyin most often.

Besides spending the night with her, he occasionally summoned her to Qianxin Palace to serve him with ink and paper.

Ning Wanyin became the undisputed first favorite concubine in the eyes of everyone.

Besides Ning Wanyin’s rising popularity, Helian Qi favored Concubine Wen, and the next day, he restored her to the rank of Lady.

Two days later, he went to Lady Song’s place and promoted her to Jieyu.

This didn’t cause much of a stir. With Song Qingzhi’s first time serving the Emperor, everyone thought she would be promoted soon.

Now that Ning Wanyin was favored, she wasn’t so eye-catching.

After Concubine Wen was restored to her rank, she immediately prepared a heavy gift and went to Yonghe Palace to visit.

After exchanging greetings, the host and guest sat down, and Concubine Wen’s accompanying maid immediately presented a gift box.

“This is Guzhu Zisun tea that I brought from home when I entered the palace. I heard that my sister also likes to drink tea, please don’t dislike it.” Concubine Wen smiled warmly.

Guzhu Zisun was a top-grade tribute tea, only the Duke’s Mansion and the Emperor’s important officials would receive it as a gift.

Concubine Wen’s gift was indeed very precious.

Ning Wanyin didn’t accept it, but looked at Concubine Wen and said, “What is it that Concubine Wen wants?”

“Nothing important, it’s just that we entered the palace at the same time, so we have a certain fate. I want to be closer to my sister, please don’t think I’m bothering you.” Concubine Wen looked at Ning Wanyin, her smile was deep.

If entering the palace at the same time was fate, then half of the concubines in the palace had a fate with Ning Wanyin.

This was just an excuse to befriend Ning Wanyin.

“I’m currently responsible for taking care of Concubine Shun, I don’t have time to entertain Concubine Wen.” Ning Wanyin also found an excuse to directly refuse.

Concubine Wen’s face froze, she didn’t expect Ning Wanyin to refuse so bluntly.

She had deliberately waited until she was restored to her rank before coming.

To avoid being looked down upon by Ning Wanyin when she was of a lower rank.

Now that she was the Emperor’s new favorite, and her father was an important official of the Emperor, any other concubine would have gladly befriended her.

Ning Wanyin actually still looked down on her…

“Lady Ning, although you are favored by the Emperor now, you don’t have any friends, if something happens, you’ll be alone.” Concubine Wen was unhappy, she forced a smile.

“Thank you for your concern, but I don’t need it.” Ning Wanyin calmly refused.

Concubine Wen choked, she could only suppress her annoyance and left with a forced smile.

“Mistress, don’t you consider finding some allies? Lady Xue and Lady Cen have a lot of people around them…” Lianrui asked.

“No.”

The more people, the more flaws.

Whether this Concubine Wen was insincere or genuinely wanted to befriend her, she didn’t need allies.