In early winter, the beautiful ladies from all over the country, whom everyone in the court had been looking forward to for a long time, entered the palace one after another.
This was His Majesty's first beauty pageant, and it was reasonable to select a wide range of people, but Zhao Jie finally decided to select only twenty beauties to enter the palace.
At the beginning of November, the concubines entered the palace and lived in Chuxiu Palace. During these days, they would learn the etiquette and rules of the palace here, waiting to meet His Majesty in five days.
Except for Chu Liuli, most of the beauties who entered the palace were daughters of high-ranking officials and nobles. They knew each other and were all between fourteen and seventeen years old. After suddenly entering the palace, they all became very friendly with each other.
Only Chu Liuli looked arrogant and looked down upon everyone.
But she was specially sent to the palace by the Queen Mother. Although Zheng Xiuxiu and others did not like Chu Liuli's appearance, they did not say much.
Hua Xiangrong made no secret of his dislike for Chu Liuli.
After Chu Chi settled these concubines, she saw Chu Qing. She walked up to Chu Qing and asked, "Second brother."
Chu Qing looked at Chu Chi and said, "His Majesty asked you to go to Taiji Hall."
Chu Chi responded, "Okay."
"Sister..." Chu Qing looked at Chu Chi, "Did His Majesty ever tell you why he would confer the title on you?"
Chu Qing often stayed with Zhao Jie, so she naturally knew the unknown secrets between His Majesty and her sister.
Chu Chi said: "Second brother, rain, dew, thunder and lightning are all the grace of the emperor. No matter what the emperor bestows upon me, it all depends on the emperor's will."
Chu Qing lowered her head and said, "It's all because of my uselessness. If I were more capable, I wouldn't have let you, sister, follow His Majesty in this nameless and nameless way."
Chu Chi put his finger to his lips, "Shh, you've been in His Majesty's presence for so many years, don't you know what to say and what not to say?"
Chu Qing lowered his head and said nothing more.
Chu Chi entered the Taiji Hall and looked at the young emperor standing at his desk, writing with his head bent. Just as he was about to kneel down to pay his respects, he heard Zhao Jie say, "I've told you many times that you don't have to pay your respects when you see me."
Chu Chi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the rules cannot be abolished."
Zhao Jie motioned Chu Chi to come closer, put down the brush in his hand, pushed Chu Chi against the desk, bent down and kissed her red lips...
The nights in early winter were very cold, but the emperor's bedroom was not cold at all, as the incense was burning brightly.
Half an hour later, a thin layer of sweat formed on Chu Chi's forehead. Zhao Jie, without disdain, pressed his hand against Chu Chi's forehead and said in a deep voice, "After the selection is over, I will confer the title of Virtuous Consort upon you."
Chu Chi looked at Zhao Jie in surprise. She didn't expect it to be of such a high grade.
In the harem, the queen is the most respected, followed by the noble concubine and the virtuous concubine. The position of the virtuous concubine is the highest among the high positions in the palace. "Your Majesty..."
Zhao Jie asked, "Is it too low? But I must give the position of Imperial Concubine to Chu Liuli, otherwise my mother will definitely make a fuss for a long time and be very annoying. Otherwise, I will make you Imperial Concubine."
Chu Chi said: "I don't think it's too low, but this position is too high..."
Zhao Jie looked at Chu Chi through the candlelight beside the bed, hiding the guilt in his heart and said, "As long as you don't mind it being too low."
Although he was the emperor who ruled the world, he also had many frustrations.
On one side are the Regent and the Qi family, and on the other side are his own mother and those aristocratic families who are secretly trying to seize power. He cannot follow his own wishes and marry Chu Chi.
Perhaps out of guilt, Zhao Jie let Chu Chi go early today.
Chu Chi washed up and stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I'll go back first. I'm afraid there's still something going on at Chuxiu Palace that needs my attention."
Zhao Jie responded, "Yeah."
When Chu Chi was about to leave the Taiji Hall, he saw that a statue of Guanyin Buddha had appeared in the outer hall. Seeing that the sandalwood was about to burn out and the Bodhisattva was about to run out of incense, Chu Chi took three sandalwood sticks from the side, took fire from a candle beside, lit the sandalwood, and put the sandalwood into the incense burner.
…
In the princess's mansion.
Qi Yuning hadn't slept yet. She was worried about the affairs in the palace and asked Lu Ze, "Have you asked Zhao Jie who he wants to be the queen?"
Lu Ze said, "He's very resistant to the selection. I think Zhao Jie already has a favorite woman in his heart. A few days ago, when I was practicing martial arts with him, I saw red marks on his back from his nails. I think he must have had sex with a palace maid and fell in love with her."
"What?" Qi Yuning frowned and asked, "Did you find out who that palace maid was?"
"The Taiji Palace is like a fortress of iron and steel; it cannot be easily penetrated."
Qi Yuning said: "Your Majesty is young, and it is inevitable that he will lose control when he sees beauty. It is indeed inappropriate to resist the selection for the sake of a palace maid. After all, the Da Sheng harem cannot be managed by a single palace maid.
Your Majesty is about to take power, and the harem should be managed by a virtuous and shrewd daughter. Zhao Jie must not make a foolish mistake and delay the selection of concubines for the sake of a palace maid."
The more Qi Yuning thought about it, the more she felt uneasy. The next day, she went to the palace to find Chu Chi.
Chu Chi greeted Qi Yuning and said, "Princess."
Qi Yuning took the tea that Chu Chi brought and asked, "Do you know if His Majesty has ever had a visit from a palace maid?"
Chu Chilian shook his head and said, "No."
Chu Chi didn't dare to tell the truth to Qi Yuning from the bottom of her heart. She was afraid of disappointing the princess's trust in her. Although the princess would know it was her in a few days, Chu Chi wanted to keep it secret for as long as possible.
Qi Yuning raised her eyes to look at Chu Chi and asked, "Are you really that sure?"
Chu Chi said: "Yes, no."
Qi Yuning looked at Chu Chi and said, "Among these beautiful ladies, I think the one who is most suitable to be the queen is Qin Yinqiu from Duke Qin's Mansion."
Qin Yinqiu is the daughter of Qin Feng's second brother. She just turned fifteen this year. As the eldest daughter of Duke Qin's Mansion, Qin Yinqiu has been well-educated since childhood. She is dignified, polite, and has both good character and appearance.
Qi Yuning sipped his tea and said, "Originally, we shouldn't have interfered with His Majesty's selection of a queen, but before there was Chu Liuli, and now there's a maidservant that His Majesty loves so dearly. For the sake of peace in the harem, I have to intervene. Please help Qin Yinqiu during the selection."
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