"Understood!"
Zheng Yi’s sedan chair headed towards Xianfu Palace. Behind him, a palace maid from Yonghe Palace was stopped by the artificial hill, but Zheng Yi pretended not to notice.
These days, he newly accepted Jian Yu as a Noble Lady, and she also practiced the "Hundred Battle Blood Slaughter Saber."
Training together, the progress was astonishingly several tis faster than that of a single person.
His proficiency with the "Hundred Battle Blood Slaughter Saber" was growing at a rapid pace.
Yonghe Palace.
Seeing the personal maid return again with nothing, Yang Huan’s gaze couldn’t help but show so despair.
"Your, Your Majesty, is really so heartless?"
"Your Grace~"
The palace maid knelt on the ground, speaking with a clear sob in her voice, "It’s the servant’s fault for being useless, not being able to see Your Majesty. The servant has gone seven or eight tis, yet Your Majesty still refuses to see you..."
"No, it’s not your fault, it’s my fault..."
She staggered to the bedside, gently caressing the little girl on the bed, "Yao’er, your father is so heartless, what should your mother do..."
"Gurgle~"
In her dreamlike state, Yao’er suddenly smiled, her delicate, doll-like face blooming like a hundred flowers, and Yang Huan lovingly stroked Yao’er’s little face.
A few days ago, Yao’er had a persistent high fever. She nearly knelt before the eunuchs and palace maids outside, and it was only after giving her last piece of jewelry to the gatekeeping eunuch that the Imperial Physician was summoned.
Otherwise... Yao’er might have been in serious trouble.
"The selection... the selection after the Lantern Festival is my last chance."
"On that day, most of the eunuchs and palace maids will be going to the Imperial Garden to serve, and that’s when I can slip out of the palace and find an opportunity to see His Majesty."
"For Yao’er, even if I have to affront the Emperor, I can’t care anymore!"
The Lantern Festival is the last major holiday of the year in Great Yu’s traditions.
That night, the entire Capital City was lit with bright lights, making it as bright as day, incredibly splendid.
Pedestrians crowded, bustling and enjoying with the common people.
Within the Imperial City, it was also bustling. The palace maids and eunuchs, under their respective masters’ orders, lit lanterns to pray for good fortune.
A great many palace maids gathered by the streams of their respective palaces, placing river lanterns, laughing and chatting incessantly.
Zheng Yi also called upon the Empress Dowager and the consorts to gather at Taihe Hall, feasting with ministers, and the revelry continued until midnight.
That night was very peaceful, nothing occurred.
After the Lantern Festival, the weather unusually cleared up, with a gentle breeze, but there was still a slight chill.
But even so, it couldn’t extinguish the enthusiasm of the group of graceful and beautiful young girls.
Early in the morning, urged by their tutor aunties, they washed, dressed up, and went to the Imperial Garden to await their turn.
Today was the selection ceremony of His Majesty.
More than five hundred Concubine Candidates, after half a year of selection, training, and secret competition, finally reached this stage.
Among them, who knows how many would remain in the palace?
Even if unable to stay in the palace and beco a favored consort of the Emperor, they could be allocated to other Royal Family mbers.
A lifeti of wealth and glory, endless enjoynt!
If their maternal family’s influence was strong, and they themselves were likable or had a special skill, caught the Emperor’s eye, they might achieve glory in one step and be conferred as Consorts!
This is a fortune that countless won couldn’t compete for in a lifeti.
In the Imperial Garden, blossoming with flowers, delicate and lush.
Now in early spring, many flowers were still in bud.
But compared to so many flowers, these over five hundred young girls seed even more delicate.
So are grand, so are vibrant, so are pure, and so are innocent, naive, playful...
"Sister, your dress is really pretty."
"Sister, you’re pretty too. Who knows how many n would like you."
"Ordinary n are nothing, I only want to be His Majesty’s woman~"
"Hehe, how old are you, do you understand what it ans to be His Majesty’s woman?"
"Hmph! Of course, I know! Mother secretly taught many things, didn’t she?"
"What things?"
"Hmph! Not telling you~"
"Mother, bless your child to be chosen by His Majesty!"
"His Majesty is the cream of the crop, rest assured, mother. Your child will try hard!"
"A bit cold, don’t you think? How are those girls wearing so little, what a lack of propriety?"
"Shh... lower your voice, they’re people from Baihua Sect, they’re Martial Artists, so they’re not afraid of a bit of cold."
"Huh? Why is there a Daoist as well?"
"What Daoist! That’s a Female Crown from Taiyii Dao! I heard she’s an Inner Sect Disciple. I didn’t expect her to co either~"
"So many people..."
The entire Imperial Garden was full of chatter and excitent like flocks of birds, lively and noisy.
Yet, the voices of these teenage girls were as clear as nightingales, making people want to listen a bit more.
However, these over five hundred individuals faintly divided into several organizations according to identity, influence, maternal family power, etc.
Within these, further divided into dozens of smaller groups based on maternal family positions, personal preferences, relationships, etc.
The most powerful, with the largest numbers, belonged to the daughters of the Civil Servant Group and Noble Clans.
From a young age, they were taught Royal Family etiquette, proficient in all arts, aiming to achieve their pinnacle overnight, becoming the Emperor’s won.
The second group was a combination of daughters from military households and the army.
Like the Civil Servant Group’s children, but vaguely marginalized.
The third group consisted of common folk’s daughters.
Their maternal families had no influence, often discovered and brought into the Capital City because of their beauty or character, hoping for a chance at advancent.
The fourth, with the fewest numbers, vaguely isolated by everyone.
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