"The queen, having finished instructing the beautiful concubine, walked majestically to the main seat and sat down."
At that moment, Yu Yao respectfully walked to the center of the hall in front of the throne and slowly knelt down, softly saying: "My concubine Yu Yao greets Her Majesty the Queen. May Her Majesty's body be healthy, and her blessings last for a thousand years."
This is a solemn bowing ceremony, with the forehead gently touching the ground, showing utmost devotion.
This is a rule in the palace. After serving the concubine, the concubine for the first time comes to pay respect to the Phoenix Hall, they must perform a kneeling-kissing ceremony, indicating respect towards the queen. You should show this kind of respect towards the queen.
The empress nodded slightly, her gaze falling on her, her tone gentle, "Qin Guiren, since you have entered the palace, you must strictly follow the palace rules, get along well with your sisters in the palace, and never act on impulse. Moreover, since you have become a concubine, you must continue the emperor's lineage and expand your family. Don't let down the emperor's favor and expectations."
The Consort Li glanced at the empress and her expression was extremely scornful.
Each concubine who enters the palace, this old woman always says these words, doesn't she get tired of it?
If anyone is truly pregnant, this old woman's heart would probably be very uncomfortable, she is really hypocritical.
The Consort Li didn't keep staring at the empress either; she quickly shifted her gaze to one side.
The same thoughts were also held by Yugui Princess and Jinyan Princess.
As for hypocrisy, the empress is first and no one dares to be second.
The expressions of everyone in the room were varied, and their eyes unintentionally fell on Yun Concubine, as she was the only one present who had ever been pregnant.
Yun Concubine saw that everyone was looking at her and knew the reason. She couldn't help but remember the child she had lost in the Eastern Palace.
Within three months, it was gone.
Every time she remembers it, it causes Yun Concubine great sorrow.
Yun Concubine's heartbreak is unknown to all.
Yu Yao stood up, bowed respectfully and said: "The Queen's teachings, the maidservant remembers in her heart. She will certainly get along well with her sisters and continue the emperor's lineage."
The empress nodded slightly, "You understand well, you may go."
"Yes."
She respectfully bowed and returned to her original position.
She wasn't sure where to stand, so she guessed she should stand a little in front of the beautiful Shu, which wouldn't be wrong.
"Qin Sister, you stand in the wrong place. You should stand in front of me."
A beautiful woman in light purple plum blossom dress suddenly said.
She took the hint and shifted slightly backward, making room for Yu Yao.
Seeing Yu Yao looking at herself in confusion, she smiled and explained: "I am Wang Guiren. Since Qin Sister has a title, she should stand in front of me."
"Thank you for reminding me."
Yu Yao nodded slightly, understanding the situation, and then stood in the position where Wang Guiren had been.
Wang Guiren, on the other hand, stood in her position.
Then, everyone heard the queen say: "Ladies, since the emperor has just ascended the throne and there are many things to do, now that the period of mourning is over, in accordance with our ancestors' rules, our Great Qian state will hold a grand selection to enrich the palace and perpetuate the imperial bloodline."
Upon hearing this, the hall was immediately filled with discussions. The consorts looked at each other with varying expressions, but most of them had bad faces.
The women in the harem are already numerous, and if a new batch comes, they may not even have enough to eat.
Yugui's face was very unpleasant, another group of women were coming to compete with her for her cousin, which was really annoying.
But she also understood that holding a selection for the new emperor to ascension was an ancestral custom, and no one could change it.
Even the grandmother-in-law wouldn't be able to change it.
Consort Li's face was also dark and her complexion was very bad. She had twisted her handkerchief into a knot.
Jinyan Consort looked gloomy, though she did not speak, her heart was full of worry.
Some other concubines lowered their heads without speaking, while others sighed secretly.
Yu Yao's attitude was very calm, since she didn't like the dog emperor, she didn't care how many women came.
The empress observed the expressions of everyone present, though she was also unhappy about the selection, it was an ancestral custom and a rule that no one could change.
She didn't say anything, she only waved and let everyone leave.
Yu Yao knew that Consort Li would definitely cause her trouble, as soon as she left Phoenix Hall, she ran away at a fast pace with Liuliang.
In a flash, she was out of sight.
The angry Consort Li staring daggers at her, she twisted the handkerchief in her hand, cursing angrily: "This little slut, is she a rabbit? How fast can she run?"
As the concubines came to pay their respects and left Phoenix Hall, they happened to see this scene and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
When Consort Li heard the laughter of the crowd, her face turned even more unpleasant. She flushed with embarrassment and anger, glared at everyone, and then flung her handkerchief before leaving in a sedan chair.
Jinyan Consort watched this scene in front of her, she gently lowered her eyelids, and in her heart, she secretly plotted.
This Consort Li has been dealt a blow, and she will definitely look for opportunities to take revenge in the future. The competition in the harem is becoming more intense. I have to be more careful. Perhaps I can take advantage of the conflict between the two and gain the upper hand without directly getting involved.
"Your Majesty, let's go."
The maid Xiangguo stepped forward, gently supporting Jinyan Consort and sitting in the sedan chair to leave quickly.
Yugui Princess glanced at Jinyan Consort, then at the already gone Consort Li, a cold smile curling on her lips.
These are all people who can't be presented in front of others, how dare they serve the princess's cousin? And yet the cousin still likes them, it really makes one angry.
She looked aloof and flicked her handkerchief, then sat on the guifei sedan chair with the help of Fengrong, and quickly left.
On this side.
Yu Yao ran back to the Eryue Hall with Liuliang, taking the small path out of fear that Consort Li might chase after her.
Fortunately, she ran fast enough to escape the ordeal.
Liuliang was breathless, following closely behind, "Miss, you ran so fast; it's exhausted the maid."
Yu Yao stopped in her tracks, gasping for breath, "If I didn't run, I would be caught by Consort Li and it would be endless."
She wasn't afraid of Consort Li, she just didn't want to bother.
After returning, she took a bath, had a meal, and then lay on the couch to think about the current situation in the harem.
The empress forms her own faction, with numerous concubines under her command.
It is said that the virtue concubine and Rong Concubine are both under the empress's command.
Yugui Princess is the niece of the dowager empress and the cousin of the emperor. Although she is not favored by the emperor, she holds a high position and also has a considerable number of concubines under her wing.
Wenzhao Princess is under the command of Yugui Princess, which can be seen when she comes to pay her respects at Phoenix Hall.
Consort Li and Jinyan Consort are both favored concubines, each of them has established their own factions, and they each have concubines under their command.
Yue Concubine is proud and aloof, not aligning with anyone, which also makes her a faction, but she doesn't have many followers, often coming and going alone.
At present, there are only a few factions, but with so many concubines in the harem, it's difficult for Yu Yao to find out who is under whose command.
There are also some who have no faction.
Thinking about what happened today in the Phoenix Hall, she feared she had already been categorized as part of the empress's faction by the other concubines in the harem.
The empress's partiality towards her is so obvious that it's clear to everyone with eyes.
She leans against the soft couch, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.
To be honest, she doesn't want to be affiliated with the empress or become a blade in the empress's hand.
However, the empress hasn't shown any signs of favoring her yet, and it seems she is still being considered. She can only take one step at a time and respond to whatever comes her way.
She also thought of the selection, she didn't mind it, but the balance of the harem would definitely be disrupted, and various factions would make their moves.
By then, who knows what kind of situation it would be.
Guanguigong.
Inside the palace, incense smoke rose, and a faint fragrance permeated the air.
Yugui Princess leaned against the soft couch, with Maidservant Fengrong kneeling at her feet, gently pounding her legs in intervals.
Yugui Princess looked over at Wenzhao Princess, who was sitting on a stool, sewing, and sighed with a melancholic expression: "I have little love from the emperor, and my current status is all thanks to my grandmother. Now that there is to be a selection, he will probably forget me."
Even though she doesn't want to admit it, she is fully aware in her heart that the emperor has little affection for her, which makes her feel very uncomfortable.
Wenzhao Princess looked at the melancholic expression on Yugui Princess's face, her eyes flickered, and she comforted: "Your Majesty, do not worry. You have the protection of the dowager empress and a stable position in the palace. Moreover, this selection may not be all bad; we can choose some who are easy to control and use them to help Your Majesty, adding to Your Majesty's strength."
Yugui Princess sighed softly, "While that may be true, the new people have too many variables, and who knows what kind of trouble they may cause."
She waved her hand impatiently, "But you're right, we can't just sit around and wait to die."
She sat up straight, her eyes sharpening. "Order it to be done: during the selection, carefully observe the behavior, words, and background of the maidens. Those with ambition and deep thoughts, we can win over; those who cannot be won over, we should find a way to remove them."
Wenzhao Princess quickly answered, "Yes, Your Majesty."
