The Zhou imperial palace.
Sili was training with the other newly admitted palace maids in the Office of Ceremonial Instruction.
Sili bent her knees and dipped into a curtsey, holding the posture without moving.
Each of them had a bowl of water balanced on top of her head.
Whoever spilled the bowl would be punished.
After a quarter of an hour passed, many of the maids’ legs were already trembling, and the bowls on their heads wobbled as if they were about to fall at any mont.
But Sili was as steady as a statue, her entire body perfectly still.
Not to ntion the other maids—even the lady-official in charge of training secretly found it remarkable. She felt the woman nad “Si Li” was truly outstanding.
Sili ignored the attention from those around her.
Her mind was still on last night’s events.
The horned mosquito dying was a small matter. It was not so precious spirit beast.
The real trouble was that crazy woman.
To be honest, Sili did not even know how she had offended that crazy woman. Out of nowhere, she had co looking for trouble for Sili and Wangxin—Sili did not even know her.
And now, that crazy woman was not only inside the imperial palace, she had even appeared in the Zhou ruler’s sleeping palace.
What relationship did she have with the Zhou ruler? Why would she appear in the Zhou ruler’s sleeping palace?
One was a great cultivator at least at the peak of the Immortal Realm. The other was only an emperor of a mortal petty dynasty.
By all common sense, the two of them should never have had anything to do with each other...
“Forget it. Thinking about it now is useless.”
Sili sighed quietly in her heart and put the matter aside.
Whatever relationship that crazy woman had with the Zhou ruler—
Since she had discovered the horned mosquito, she would certainly have grown suspicious.
For all Sili knew, the Zhou imperial palace might already be conducting a covert investigation.
For the ti being, it was best to act steadily and safely.
As for how to take the Zhou ruler’s fresh blood—after the heat died down, she would think of another way.
After sorting out her thoughts,
Sili decided that for these days, she would be a palace maid properly and not wander anywhere.
Without realizing it, ten days passed.
As the wedding between the Zhou ruler and the two future royal consorts drew closer, the imperial palace grew more and more lively.
But Sili had no interest in that.
By comparison, Sili felt that being a palace maid in a mortal dynasty was not easy at all.
At first, she had only been learning etiquette and practicing ceremonial forms.
But gradually, the lady-officials of the Office of Ceremonial Instruction taught Sili and the others how to fold clothes, wash clothes, brew tea, and so on...
They even brought out many erotic paintings and explained matters of the bedchamber to them.
Looking at those paintings and listening to things they had never heard before about “n and won,” many maids blushed.
They were excited and expectant, yet also a little wistful.
They also understood why they were being taught this—so that when His Majesty favored them in the future, they could serve His Majesty better.
But the problem was: how many palace maids could truly be favored by His Majesty?
How many endured loneliness in the imperial palace, only to be sent out once they reached a certain age?
To beco a palace lady-official was the best ending most people could hope for.
Another five days passed.
From the day Sili entered the imperial palace to today, twenty-one days had already gone by.
And the training for the new palace maids would end today.
On this day,
So maids were assigned to the laundry workshop, so to the imperial kitchen, and others to the crafts workshop.
So who had perford exceptionally well in training were assigned to the sleeping palaces of the two future royal consorts.
Those maids were the happiest of all.
After all, His Majesty would certainly favor the royal consorts in the future, and would often co and go from their sleeping palaces.
That ant they could see His Majesty often.
And if one day His Majesty was in the mood and favored them, too—
That was not impossible.
Even if His Majesty did not take notice of them, serving the two consorts was still better than washing clothes and cooking every day.
Soon, the maids who had been assigned positions were led away one after another.
Only Sili remained standing where she was.
And the lady-official responsible for assignnts was chatting with another lady-official in the distance.
Their gazes drifted toward Sili’s direction from ti to ti.
Sili’s heartbeat gradually sped up.
She suspected her identity had been exposed.
Sili had even prepared herself already.
If her identity was exposed, she would stop pretending and carve her way out of the imperial palace.
Even if the other party was an Ascension Realm sword cultivator, so what?
If she wanted to leave, it would not be so easy for an Ascension Realm sword cultivator to stop her!
“Your na is Si Li, correct?”
After the ti it takes half a stick of incense to burn, the unfamiliar lady-official ca to stand in front of Sili.
“Yes, Big Sister.”
Sili dipped into a curtsey.
“Mm.” The unfamiliar lady-official nodded and sized Sili up. “My na is Liu Shi. I am a lady-official in the Empress Dowager’s palace. I heard from Shuang’er that among this batch of newly admitted girls, you are the most outstanding. Co—follow to the Empress Dowager’s sleeping palace.”
“The Empress Dowager’s sleeping palace?” Sili said in surprise.
Lady-official Liu Shi smiled. “What is it? You don’t want to?”
“Of course not.” Sili hurriedly said, “To serve the Empress Dowager is the fortune my ancestors accumulated. That fortune has been spent on —how could I dare be unwilling?”
“Good. But you may not necessarily remain with the Empress Dowager, either. Enough—there’s no use telling you more. Co with .”
Liu Shi turned and walked out of the courtyard.
“Yes, Big Sister.”
Sili put on an anxious, flattered look and hurried after her.
Three quarters of an hour later...
The Palace of Spiritual Heart...
“This servant Si Li pays respects to the Empress Dowager.”
Standing before Empress Dowager Yan, Sili dipped into a curtsey, her expression carrying a trace of nervousness and a trace of being overwheld by favor.
“Mm.” Empress Dowager Yan nodded. “Raise your head. Don’t keep it lowered.”
“Yes, Empress Dowager.” Sili slowly lifted her head.
While Empress Dowager Yan looked Sili over, Sili also looked at her.
In Sili’s eyes, this Empress Dowager Yan, though already forty, [N O V E L I G H T] was very well maintained. There was not a hint of age on her, and compared to ordinary won, she carried an even more mature charm.
“Pretty. Your figure is passable, too. And your movents are poised and proper.”
Empress Dowager Yan examined Sili and nodded in satisfaction.
“I’ve heard you also understand poetry and songs?”
“This servant would not dare claim to understand. I have only learned a little skin-deep,” Sili said at once.
“Mm. You know to keep your tail tucked. Not bad, not bad.”
Empress Dowager Yan withdrew her gaze and smiled at her.
“To tell the truth, I’m quite inclined to take you into the Palace of Spiritual Heart. But there’s a better place. Do you want to go?”
“There is no place better than serving the Empress Dowager,” Sili answered.
“Hehehe...”
Empress Dowager Yan laughed.
“You’re a clever girl.
“But you’re saying your pretty words too early.
“What if I said—
I want you to serve His Majesty instead?”
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