Nan Feng found the person slightly familiar – upon careful reflection, she remembered seeing Madam Zhi with her husband in the brothel after a late-night snack with Xiaoqing.
It was this man before her eyes.
Seeing Nan Feng look at her uncle, Mrs. Chen asked, “Have you met him before?”
“Once.”
Mrs. Chen then said, “He must be back for money now. Every time he has spent enough outside, he returns home for money. He used to get as much as he asked for from my sis-in-law, but her absence did limit him and he goes out less. Occasionally he still goes out, the bit of money at home is still enough for his indulgences. However, I wonder about his future. Doesn’t a person always have to prepare for the future? What do you think, Miss Nan Feng?”
Nan Feng gave a faint smile.
She felt that some people were setting themselves up because their lives were too fortable.
…
The triennial selection of beauties had begun.
Nan Feng and Xiaolun were in a side pound of the Yamen, in front of them were cosmetics of Zhi Meitang and face washes, face masks from the Xiangkou Square.
There were also a few other petitors with them, also presenting their cosmetics, peting along with Nan Feng for a chance to supply the selected beauties.
This scene was nothing like what Nan Feng had imagined. She thought the petition would be fierce and had even prepared a lengthy list of adjectives to introduce her products – much like a modern PPT presentation.
However, it seemed that the Business Association had preselected just a few merchants for this opportunity.
The other merchants were chatting, lazing around, not at all resembling petitors. Nan Feng couldn’t help but smile.
She had been too nervous.
As it was the third day of the third month, the weather was warming up in Fukou county and all kinds of flowers in the courtyard were blooming. From where they were, they could see the potential concubines not far away training.
It was all the daily palace etiquette; saluting, executing a litany of movements, with each movement measured with a ruler. A tad too high or too low was unacceptable. Observing them, Nan Feng felt for their hardships.
“Sister Nan Feng, do you think it’s worth it to enter the palace?” Xiaolun asked in a low voice.
Nan Feng shook her head: “I wouldn’t know. They say once you enter the palace, it’s as deep as the sea. Once a woman enters and isn’t chosen as a favorite concubine, she will grow old and die in there.”
Not far from them, a shop owner had overheard the conversation between Nan Feng and Xiaoqing and joined in, “Isn’t it? They say that out of 3000 beauties in the back palace, even if the Emperor slept with one every night, he wouldn’t get around to all of them. Some women live their whole lives in the palace without ever being favored.”
Nan Feng then asked, “So why do so many women still rush to enter the palace? Isn’t it like jumping into a pit of fire?”
“Some are truly clinging to the dream of being a concubine, while others are pushed by their families. Most of them are daughters of ministers, who have no choice. If their daughter bees a favorite concubine in the palace, it paves the way for them to get a promotion. If their daughter gives birth to a son, who later bees a prince or the crown prince, that would be truly remarkable, they might even directly receive land and a noble title,” explained the shop owner.
Nan Feng wondered – what if this crown prince fell out of favor and was replaced by another prince? Wasn’t that just a dead end?
This wasn’t the right time to broach such a subject though, especially with a noblewoman’s arrival just a short distance away.
The woman’s attire was not of a moner, likely her official uniform.
It was said that every time there was a selection, the palace would send lady officials to select from all over.
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