Chapter 287 Draft

On the day of the talent show, the sun shone brightly in Beijing, and the Imperial Garden was filled with colorful flowers and bustling crowds.

Huang Mian, the younger brother of the newly appointed Minister of Works Huang Wei, stood out in the crowd, dressed in a pink silk gauze robe.

He was born with a handsome face, and today he had specially applied makeup and dressed up, making him even more beautiful.

Everyone knew that his elder brother, Huang Wei, had been promoted to Minister of Works by His Majesty at a young age, and had a promising future in the court.

Huang Mian herself is exceptionally beautiful. If she were to be chosen to serve by the emperor's side, it would not only bring glory to her family but also elevate the Huang family's power to a new level.

As a result, many people around gathered around, exchanging pleasantries, flattering and praising him, their words full of ingratiation.

Huang Mian was happy to enjoy the adulation, her eyes revealing her smugness.

On the other side of the crowd, Wang Yanzhi, a member of the Wang family, appeared much more low-key.

He stood tall and composed in the line, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, his posture upright, as if the surrounding noise had nothing to do with him.

The Wang family is now the only remaining of the five great aristocratic families, along with the Empress Pei family.

Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has vigorously rectified officialdom, and the once powerful aristocratic families have become increasingly weak.

The Wang family has staked almost all their hopes on this selection process, sending out their three most handsome and talented sons, determined to have one of them chosen for the imperial harem.

Even if it's just a low-ranking position, it can still give the Wang family a chance to breathe.

Wang Yanzhi was the eldest son of the direct line, carrying the hopes of the entire family on his shoulders.

In addition, there was the Duke of England's grandson, the Grand Princess's grandson, and General Fu's son...

The group of nobles and scions of prominent families all had impressive backgrounds.

Even vassal states such as Nanzhao, Xianbei, and Goryeo sent many handsome men.

The young men in their colorful brocade robes stood together, their beauty surpassing even that of flowers, drawing the attention of the female officials in charge of the selection.

The air was filled with the scent of perfume and flowers, and even the breeze carried a hint of fragrance.

When Jue La Yun Dan appeared in the Imperial Garden dressed in a bright red palace gown, all the young men present were momentarily stunned.

The garden fell silent instantly.

His outfit was made of the finest Persian silk, embroidered with intricate patterns in gold thread, shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight.

Her golden hair was tied up high with a white jade crown, and a dot of cinnabar on her forehead made her already beautiful face even more breathtaking.

Even before entering the palace, these young men had heard the legendary stories of this Imperial Concubine Chen.

The hostage sent by Tibet was not only granted the title of "Chen" and given residence in Ningxiang Palace, but also deeply favored by the emperor.

At the time, many people did not believe it, thinking it was just an exaggerated rumor from the harem. But now that they have seen the real person, they know that the rumors are true.

Her looks and beauty truly surpassed those of the vast majority present.

However, after the initial amazement, many scions of prominent families couldn't hide their contempt.

In their eyes, even if Jue La Yun Dan was born a prince, he was still a "prisoner of war." Even if he received temporary favor, he was ultimately "lowly" and not worthy of being compared with them, the scions of noble families and descendants of famous clans.

Until someone bowed first and said, "Greetings, Your Highness, the Imperial Attendant!"

The crowd suddenly came to their senses and followed suit, bowing and greeting each other. However, the greetings, though numerous, carried a hint of reluctance.

Jue La Yun Dan completely ignored everyone's stares and sat down in her seat.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the candied fruit and pastries on the table, and he reached out and picked up a piece of hibiscus cake to eat.

Only when reminded by the palace servant beside him did he casually say, "Get up."

After saying that, he lowered his head again and focused on selecting the food on the table, as if these young men from noble families were not as attractive as a piece of pastry.

This attitude of completely disregarding them only fueled the anger of many.

A young man dressed in a royal blue brocade robe straightened up and whispered in a voice only the two people beside him could hear: "He's just a hostage sent by a defeated country, relying on his looks to please His Majesty. What's there to be proud of?"

Those nearby secretly scoffed and chimed in, "Who says otherwise? Look at him! Does he really think he's the mistress of the harem?"

Some people couldn't wait to pave the way for their entry into the palace, so they hurriedly stepped forward to flatter him, saying, "I have long heard of the extraordinary grace and beauty of Your Highness, and seeing you today confirms that the rumors are true. I am Zhao Mingxuan, son of the Governor of Jiangnan Prefecture. I wish Your Highness continued good fortune and everlasting favor."

This obsequious behavior drew snickers from those around him.

The young man in the royal blue brocade robe let out a cold laugh without any attempt to hide it: "What a sycophant!"

Zhao Mingxuan's face immediately turned bright red, and he stood frozen in place, caught in a dilemma.

Jue La Yun Dan also heard the voice and looked over at him. "Who are you?"

The young man straightened his back and arrogantly raised his chin: "Fang Yan, son of the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices."

Upon hearing this, Jue La Yun Dan looked at the palace servant beside him and asked, "Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, what kind of official is that? I've never heard of him."

He grew up in Tibet and after entering the Great Qi, he only focused on following Li Yuanzhao. He didn't know much about the official positions in the court, so what he said at this moment was the truth.