The concubine is extremely cautious

Although he didn't think Ning Wanyin had the ability to serve him, the chess piece that had jumped into his palm could still be used.

Besides, men always have some sympathy for women who do everything to please them.

She worked hard to learn chess and painting for her own sake. Although she was not very talented, she was truly passionate about it.

Who would kill someone who only cares about themselves for no reason?

For both profit and emotion, he can keep her for the time being.

"Get up." Helian Qi stretched out his hand towards Ning Wanyin.

Ning Wanyin carefully placed her hand in the king's palm. At this moment, she knew that her life was saved for the time being.

But that doesn't mean the emperor will always protect her.

Now that they met for the first time, the emperor had a good impression of her and she happened to be of use to him.

But if you take a wrong step, you may lose the favor of the Holy Lord.

"Your Majesty, would you like to play a game of chess?" Ning Wanyin asked with a faint smile.

Helian Qi had already seen her ordinary paintings and had no high expectations for her chess skills, but he was in a bad mood today and was not in a good mood.

It’s better to play a game of chess first to relieve some of the tension.

"Ah."

Wang Degui hurriedly asked the palace maid to add a few more palace lanterns and led the palace servants to retreat.

The bedroom is quiet.

The only sound left was the crisp sound of the exquisite chess pieces falling on the board.

Mutual exchange.

Gradually, Helian Qi's lazy look became more serious.

This chess game actually seems to be evenly matched.

He couldn't help but look at the woman opposite him.

The palace lanterns illuminated the delicate face of the beauty, which was like dew condensed on a lotus, delicate and charming, so bright and beautiful that it was dazzling.

"Your Majesty, it's your turn." The beauty put down the chess piece with her slender hands and looked at him with a sweet smile.

Helian Qi came back to his senses and praised him for a rare moment, "You are a good chess player."

"Thank you for your compliment, Your Majesty."

……

When you meet your worthy opponent, you don’t know when to start.

Wang Degui reminded from outside the door: "Your Majesty, it's time to go to court."

Only then did Helian Qi realize that he had actually played chess with the woman in front of him all night.

The three games ended in a tie, and it was difficult to determine the winner.

If he originally just wanted to use this chess piece, he didn't want her to break it so easily.

It is rare to meet an opponent nowadays, and I am happy to see the prey.

Helian Qi stood up and looked at Ning Wanyin with a gentler look than before: "I'm going to court first, I'll play chess with you later."

"Yes." Ning Wanyin bowed.

Helian Qi was about to leave when he remembered something and said:

"You played chess with me all night, you must have worked hard. Take a rest, you don't have to pay respects to the Queen Mother today—"

He actually gave up hope.

Lady Ning looks like a gentle and well-behaved woman, and she must have kept the rules and etiquette in mind.

If I can't be his chess piece, it's nice to play chess with him to relieve his boredom.

Ning Wanyin was stunned. Not going to pay respects to the Queen Mother?

It was filial piety for a concubine to pay respects to the empress dowager. If she did not, it would be disrespectful, and the empress dowager would have every reason to send her to the cold palace.

But every word of the emperor needs to be carefully considered.

Since he said this, there must be a deeper meaning behind it and it was definitely not just a casual remark.

"Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty. I do feel unwell. If I go to pay my respects to the Queen Mother in this sick state, I am afraid it would be impolite in front of the palace. So I will not go." Ning Wanyin looked at Helian Qi tentatively.

She said this very carefully, watching His Majesty's expression cautiously. If the emperor didn't mean this, she would immediately change her mind and go pay her respects to the empress dowager!

Helian Qi paused in his steps and looked at the young woman in front of him in surprise.

Regardless of whether she was arrogant because of her favor or she understood his hidden meaning, everything she did was exactly what he wanted.

Helian Qi, who had been feeling irritated for the entire day, finally felt better.

He bent down and personally helped Ning Wanyin up, smiling faintly, "You should take a good rest."

Ning Wanyin felt a little relieved, knowing that she had made the right bet. After a lot of thoughts in her mind, she made a prompt decision and decided to press on.

He looked up at Helian Qi, hesitant to speak, "Your Majesty..."

"Ok?"

"I was not able to sleep with you last night..." Ning Wanyin's face flushed with shyness, and she whispered:

"Your Majesty, can you come tonight?"

Helian Qi was once again shocked by Ning Wanyin. How dare she sleep with him for two consecutive days...

This is really...

It was audacious and very much to his liking.

"Okay." Helian Qi agreed.

Ning Wanyin bowed happily, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

……

Helian Qi walked out of Lingxue Pavilion with a happy face.

At first glance, I saw eight black water tanks at the door...

"Lady Ning loves lotus, so dig a pond in the courtyard of Lingxue Pavilion to grow lotus." Helian Qi ordered.

Wang Degui was stunned, and quickly accepted the order, "Yes."

The emperor actually renovated the palace for a little noble, this is really...

Lady Ning has good means!

Helian Qi thought of the appearance of Concubine Ning in his mind. She looked like a woman who liked to dress up. She was so delicate and noble that she was indeed suitable for gorgeous and precious things.

Helian Qi ordered again, "Pick some precious jewelry and silk from my treasury as rewards for her."

Because he was too rich, the emperor could not even remember how many treasures he had.

However, as the emperor's chief steward, Wang Degui knew the treasure list by heart. When he heard that His Majesty specifically mentioned the word "precious", he did not dare to mention ordinary things and asked respectfully:

"Last month, the South China Sea paid tribute with a batch of soft jade brocade, as well as a set of red gold flower filigree inlaid with a hundred beads and butterfly headpieces, embellished with jade, tourmaline, and pearls, a total of 28 pieces. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

Helian Qi nodded with satisfaction, "Well, let's do it."

"Yes!" Wang Degui replied, secretly shocked in his heart that the emperor really had a special fondness for this noble lady Ning.

Just as he was sighing inwardly, the emperor, who was in a very good mood, said:

"The Yiqinsi does not need to hand over the booklet. I will come to Lingxue Pavilion tonight."

Wang Degui staggered. What? Two days in a row?

Lady Ning’s methods are truly... astonishing!

……

After the emperor left.

Lian Rui and Dan Li went in and came forward to serve, "Master, it's time to pay respects to the Queen Mother!"

"I'm not going today." Ning Wanyin sat down on the couch slowly, "Lianrui, get ready to take a bath. I want to sleep."

"Yes." Lian Rui immediately went down to make arrangements. She had been a servant since she was young, and she knew very well that there must be a reason for her master to do anything, so there was no need to ask any more questions.

But it was the first time that Danli saw a concubine who dared not to pay respects to the Queen Mother, and she was shocked and reminded:

"My dear! You are committing a crime of disrespect if you don't pay your respects to the Queen Mother! You will be punished by the Queen Mother!"

Ning Wanyin said calmly, "His Majesty told me not to greet you."

"This...this...Your Majesty just said it casually, how can you...how can you really not go..." Danli was incredulous.

Ning Wanyin would not tell anyone about this game of chess, and said, "You go down, I need to rest."

Danli had no choice but to leave the bedroom.

"Why did you come out? Hurry up and help the master pay respects to the Queen Mother!" Xiao Guizi asked in surprise when she saw her.

Dan Li's face was full of disbelief. She lowered her voice and said, "The master is spoiled and has become too arrogant to pay respects to the Queen Mother..."

"What?" Xiao Guizi was stunned. "This noble lady is lucky, but I didn't expect her to be stupid. She has offended the Queen Mother. Does she still have a chance to survive in the palace? I think we should find another employer as soon as possible!"

While the palace ladies were thinking about their own things, Ning Wanyin had already finished washing and was lying on the couch.

Since you have already surrendered to the emperor, isn't it the self-consciousness of a chess piece to offend the empress dowager to death?

A favored concubine should act like a favored concubine.

She should have offended the Empress Dowager, the Xue and Cen families, and made enemies throughout the palace.

She will let the emperor know that she is his best chess piece.

Since entering the palace, Ning Wanyin has never thought of relying on love. Even if the emperor is really attracted to her, isn't it too frivolous to pin her life and death on the monarch's whim?

How could an emperor be someone who is confined by love?

She didn't believe that the emperor would lose his mind for a woman. She wouldn't do that either.

All the efforts Ning Wanyin has made so far have been for the purpose of being needed by the emperor.

The emperor's love may fade, but he will at least keep those who are useful to him.

She made a special effort to learn chess in order to play chess with him.

I have not missed a single day of chess practice in the past three years.

As for painting…

Just learn it casually.

Playing chess is fun only when the two players are of equal skill, but if she is also good at painting, how can she show your Majesty’s prowess?

One is smart and the other is clumsy, all are scheming.