Chapter 151 Imperial Concubines

The atmosphere inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation remained somewhat tense.

The portraits of the young women laid out on the table, with their vibrant colors and varied poses, seemed to be the most unpopular decorations.

Huo Lin's fingers mechanically turned the pages, his impatience evident.

The faces in the portraits, whether dignified, charming, or delicate, were like puppets on an assembly line in his eyes—all the same and utterly boring.

He couldn't even be bothered to listen to the head maid's introduction.

This face is too round, these eyes are too seductive, restless, and this person is too thin.

Perhaps...

Huo Lin's gaze once again drifted uncontrollably towards Jiang Huan, who was also holding a booklet and looking down at it.

She's quite composed. I told her it was to maintain balance in the court, does she not believe me?

Or did she really take the Empress Dowager's words to heart?

No, why is he thinking about these things?

Huo Lin felt a little irritated, so he turned the page a little harder, making a soft rustling sound.

Jiang Huan wasn't as calm as she appeared; she didn't even turn a single page of the booklet in her hand for a long time.

Hearing the sound, she secretly glanced at Huo Lin out of the corner of her eye, a smile flashing in her eyes.

The look of disdain in his eyes was exactly the same as when he looked at those rambling, nonsensical memorials.

The Empress Dowager witnessed the subtle interaction between the two, which only fueled her anger.

The emperor was clearly distracted; he wasn't really selecting candidates.

And then there's Consort Zhuang, who pretends to be obedient and docile, but who knows how smug she is inside.

She coughed loudly, trying to draw Huo Lin's attention back: "Your Majesty, I think this daughter of the Vice Minister of War is quite remarkable. She is heroic and spirited, with the bearing of a military family..."

Huo Lin didn't even lift his eyelids, gave a perfunctory "hmm," and his gaze returned to the booklet, but his eyes were even colder than before.

The demeanor of a military family?

What he wanted was a stable harem, not to find a second Consort Jia.

The atmosphere inside the hall was so heavy it was almost palpable. The head maid's voice grew softer and softer, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

Meanwhile, in the corridor outside the hall.

A group of young women who had passed the initial selection and were waiting for their final audience were waiting quietly.

They were all dressed in colorful clothes, their ornaments jingling, and the air was filled with the mixed scents of various cosmetics.

Among them, a girl in a pale yellow dress stood in the corner; it was He Ling.

She nervously asked herself, "System, are you sure this will work? Will Huo Lin really fall in love with me at first sight?"

Although she was successfully selected with the help of the system, He Ling still felt uncertain when facing that cold-blooded emperor.

Moreover, thinking about how she had accidentally seriously injured Huo Lin with a prop last time, He Ling felt a little scared.

[Host, please rest assured.]

An electronic voice, audible only to He Ling, rang in her mind.

[Based on this system's in-depth scan analysis of the target, Huo Lin, your makeup and demeanor today match his preferences. Combined with the buff aura carefully crafted for you by this system, as long as you maintain emotional stability and present your best self, you will surely pique his interest and trigger the 'love at first sight' storyline.]

He Ling took a deep breath, straightened her back, and cheered herself up.

With the system around, she'll definitely be fine; there won't be any problems.

Just stay calm; she's the chosen one.

Just as He Ling was trying to mentally prepare herself, a voice came from diagonally in front of her.

"Oh, isn't this Sister Liu?"

The speaker was dressed in a flamboyant pomegranate red dress, with a fashionable hairstyle, and had a beautiful face with an innate air of arrogance in her eyes.

This person was none other than Wen Yilin, the beloved daughter of Wen Chong, the Minister of Revenue.

She swayed her hips as she walked up to Liu Shuyao: "Sister Liu, you're not in good health. You've been standing here for so long. Don't faint and miss your audience with the Emperor."

She covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Liu Shuyao's face was already somewhat pale. Upon hearing this, she glanced at Wen Yilin indifferently, without showing any anger.

Her voice was calm and even: "Thank you for your concern, Sister Wen. Shuyao is doing well."

She held a plain-colored sachet in her hand, seemingly absorbing the calming aroma of the herbs inside. Her demeanor was serene, exuding an unapproachable air of refined elegance.

Wen Yilin felt as if she had punched a cotton ball, and her displeasure only intensified.

She couldn't stand Liu Shuyao's aloof and arrogant attitude, as if nothing mattered to her.

Her father was the Minister of Revenue, in charge of the nation's finances. What was so great about Liu Shuyao, who only had a father who was the Prime Minister?

In this talent show, Wen Yilin is determined to win first place.

"Hmph, Sister Liu is so elegant." Wen Yilin pouted and deliberately raised her voice, "However, that alone is not enough. The Emperor likes lively and interesting beauties, not sickly wooden ones."

Liu Shuyao frowned slightly, seemingly feeling uncomfortable from the strong scent of perfume, and coughed lightly twice.

The palace rules were strict, and she didn't want to argue with Wen Yilin, but Wen Yilin just wouldn't stop.

“Miss Wen, please be careful with your words.” Her voice was soft and weak, but exceptionally clear. “The imperial selection is by imperial decree. Shuyao has come here on imperial orders and dares not be negligent in the slightest. As for her health, the imperial physicians will make their judgment. Miss Wen need not worry about it.”

Wen Yilin was speechless for a moment after being rebuffed by her neither soft nor hard response.

She was used to being arrogant and could not stand such humiliation. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she was about to explode.

"quiet!"

The head eunuch guarding the palace gate had a stern face, gave a low, shrill shout, and swept his stern gaze over.

"How dare you make a fuss and disturb His Majesty's presence in front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation! How many heads do you have?!"

This shout instantly silenced all the young ladies, and Wen Yilin had no choice but to shut her mouth in embarrassment.

But she was unwilling to give up, so she glared at Liu Shuyao and silently mouthed "sickly woman."

Liu Shuyao lowered her eyelashes again, as if nothing had happened.

He Ling was startled by the sudden reprimand and quickly lowered her head.

Just as undercurrents were surging outside the hall, the heavy doors of the Hall of Mental Cultivation creaked open and were slowly pushed open from the inside.

All the young women's hearts jumped into their throats, filled with tension.

Wang Degui's round, smiling face appeared behind the door. He cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping over the girls in the corridor. His voice was not loud, but it was extremely penetrating.

"By imperial decree, the three ladies Liu Shuyao, Wen Yilin, and He Ling are summoned to an audience!"

Wen Yilin's smug expression froze on her face for a moment, then turned into ecstasy. She glanced at Liu Shuyao defiantly, straightened her fiery red dress, and walked over first with her head held high.

A ripple flashed in Liu Shuyao's eyes, but it subsided in the blink of an eye. She put away the sachet and followed steadily.

He Ling's heart was pounding and her palms were sweating profusely.

She mentally checked the buff aura created by the system one last time, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.