The concubine is extremely cautious

The next day.

Ning Wanyin ate one more bowl of rice for breakfast.

Ning Wanyin had to go to Qianxin Palace to serve the pens and ink today, so she specially picked a thin persimmon-colored narrow-sleeved waist dress to make it easier to work. She pinned a pair of red gold butterfly hairpins in her hair, which was neither too ostentatious nor too undignified.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." Ning Wanyin saluted.

Helian Qi was reviewing memorials and said without even looking up, "Go draw a picture and show it to me when you're done. Wang Degui, set up a desk for Lady Ning."

"Yes." Wang Degui took the order and made arrangements.

Ning Wanyin was slightly surprised and said, "I want to grind ink for your majesty..."

"Who can't do such a small thing as grinding ink?" Helian Qi finally looked up at her in his busy schedule:

"Paint it well, don't waste my dragon-patterned ink."

Ning Wanyin answered obediently, "I have deeply reflected on this and dare not waste the famous ink that Your Majesty gave me. Today, I specially brought ordinary cloud ink. After I learn how to paint, I will use the famous ink that Your Majesty gave me."

"I gave you a reward so that you can use it. No matter how good a thing is, if it is put aside, it will lose its original meaning." Helian Qi continued to review the memorials with his head down, and said casually:

"When you're done, I'll find some good ink to reward you."

Ning Wanyin's eyebrows curved slightly, and she bowed with a look of surprise and joy: "Your Majesty treats me so well. I don't know how to repay Your Majesty."

"If your paintings don't hurt my eyes, it will be your way of repaying me." Helian Qi said only three gentle words.

If you let him say a few more words, nothing good will come out.

The new desk was placed below Helian Qi, and Ning Wanyin sat down obediently to copy the painting.

In the hall, there was only the rustling sound of two people's pens.

Wang Degui was waiting with pen and ink on the side, secretly surprised.

When other concubines came to serve the pens and ink, they would literally stand aside and grind the ink. But Lady Ning came to serve the pens and ink...

You're here to paint?

After she finished painting, His Majesty still wanted to give her some advice. Who was serving whom?

Your Majesty really has a special fondness for Lady Ning.

indeed.

Helian Qi just wanted to give her some favor. Because she took care of Shunpin's job and did it very much to his liking, he wanted to give her some grace.

Ning Wanyin is now learning painting very seriously.

She used to think that her studies were so messy because she didn’t work hard, but now she realizes that working hard is of little use.

Her talent in painting is really mediocre.

But she really likes painting and enjoys it.

As a result, Ning Wanyin was in a good mood while Helian Qi's heartbeat was irregular.

"I will summon the ministers this afternoon, so you can go back first." After commenting on two of her paintings, Helian Qi rubbed his uncomfortable eyes.

Ning Wanyin bowed and said, "I'll take my leave. Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty. I have something else to report."

"explain."

"After getting permission from Concubine Shun, I have prepared a hundred palace rules for Changchun Palace. The duties of the palace servants are much heavier than before. With the current manpower in Concubine Shun's palace, it can still be handled for a day or two. If it takes too long, I am afraid that the palace servants will be overworked, and the safety of Concubine Shun will be neglected." Ning Wanyin said sincerely: "I dare to ask Your Majesty to arrange more manpower..."

Helian Qi nodded slightly, "You have considered everything very carefully. Wang Degui, pass on my order to transfer twenty palace maids to Changchun Palace for assignment."

"Yes!" Wang Degui accepted the order.

Ning Wanyin saw his reaction and continued logically, "I am worried that someone will use the people around me to attack, so Lingxue Pavilion is also on high alert... and we are a little short of manpower."

"I'll give you ten more." Helian Qi looked at Ning Wanyin, "You'll need them when you're doing work in the future. I'll leave these people to you."

There is a fixed number of palace maids of different ranks for concubines.

But since Helian Qi borrowed his own servant, it didn't count as a violation of palace rules.

The staff for Changchun Palace will be transferred back after Shunpin gives birth. But Ning Wanyin will help manage the six palaces in the future, so she will need more staff...

He would not transfer this group of people back. If Ning Wanyin abused her power, these people could also monitor her.

Kill several birds with one stone.

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

As for what she did, would the emperor know?

Of course, she would only use them to do things that she was not afraid of being found out by the emperor.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!" Ning Wanyin bowed respectfully to express her gratitude.

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

Ning Wanyin returned to Lingxue Pavilion with the ten eunuchs newly assigned by His Majesty.

These people are usually responsible for the accompanying security and are somewhat proficient in fighting.

"Your servant Xiao Xia Zi pays respects to the master." Xia Yong led a group of eunuchs to pay respect respectfully.

Although they were originally intended to serve the emperor, the emperor gave them to Ning Wanyin, which was enough to show his favoritism towards this beauty.

Naturally, they dared not neglect it.

"Lingxue Pavilion is short of staff. You will be responsible for vigilance from now on." Ning Wanyin ordered.

"Yes."

"Lian Rui, there is a reward."

The eunuchs hurriedly saluted and said, "Thank you, Master, for the generous reward!"

……

After the summer hunt, the card Helian Qi flipped over the most was Ning Wanyin.

In addition to serving the emperor in bed, she was occasionally summoned to Qianxin Palace to serve him with writing materials.

Ning Wanyin became the most favored concubine in the harem in the eyes of everyone.

In addition to Ning Wanyin's popularity, Helian Qi summoned Wen Baolin and restored her status as a beauty the next day.

Two days later, she went to Concubine Song and was promoted to Concubine Jieyi.

This did not cause much disturbance. With Song Qingzhi's first time sleeping with the emperor, everyone thought that she would be promoted soon.

Now that Ning Wanyin is in great favor, she is not too noticeable anymore.

After Concubine Wen was restored to the throne, she immediately prepared valuable gifts and went to the Yonghe Palace to pay a visit.

After the two sides exchanged greetings and the host and guest sat down, Lady Wen's accompanying maid immediately presented a gift box.

"This is the Guzhu purple bamboo shoots that I brought from home when I entered the palace. I heard that you also like to drink tea, so please don't dislike it." Lady Wen smiled warmly.

Guzhu Zisun is a top-grade tribute tea, and only the Duke's Mansion and the Emperor's important ministers will be rewarded with it.

The gift from Lady Wen is truly precious.

Ning Wanyin didn't answer, but looked at Lady Wen and said, "I wonder what Lady Wen wants to say?"

"It's nothing important. It's just that we are destined to enter the palace together. I want to be closer to you. Please don't think I'm disturbing you." Lady Wen looked at Ning Wanyin with a deep smile.

If entering the palace together is fate, then half of the concubines in the harem are destined to be with Ning Wanyin.

This was nothing more than an excuse to make friends with Ning Wanyin.

"I am now responsible for taking care of Concubine Shun, so I have no time to entertain Concubine Wen." Ning Wanyin also found an excuse to refuse directly.

Lady Wen's face froze. She didn't expect Ning Wanyin to refuse so straightforwardly.

She deliberately waited until she was restored to her original position before coming back.

Otherwise, when her position is low, Ning Wanyin will look down on her.

Now that she is the emperor's new favorite and her father is an important official of His Majesty, if she were another concubine, she would definitely be happy to make friends with her.

Ning Wanyin still looked down on her...

“Although Sister Ning is favored by His Majesty now, she has no friends. If something happens, she will be unable to handle it alone.” Lady Wen was unhappy and forced a fake smile.

"Thank you for your concern. It's no use." Ning Wanyin refused calmly.

Lady Wen choked and could only suppress her anger and left with a fake smile on her face.

"Master, don't you consider finding some allies? Concubine Xue and Concubine Cen are surrounded by a group of people..." Lian Rui asked.

"Not consider."

The more people there are, the more loopholes there are.

Regardless of whether this Lady Wen was insincere or sincere in her friendship, she didn't need any allies.