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 selected only twenty beauties to enter the palace for careful selection.
The concubines entered the palace and lived in Chuxiu Palace. In the next few 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 in Shengjing City. They knew each other and were all between fourteen and seventeen years old. They were all very friendly.
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 beauties, he returned to the Shanggong Bureau and met Chu Qing.
Chu Chi asked, "Second brother, what are you doing in the harem?"
Chu Qing looked at Chu Chi and said, "His Majesty asked you to go to the Taiji Hall."
Chu Chi responded: "Okay."
"Sister..." Chu Qing looked at Chu Chi, "Did His Majesty say why he would confer you a title?"
Chu Qing often accompanies Zhao Jie, so she naturally knows the unknown secrets between His Majesty and her sister.
Chu Chi said: "Second brother, rain, dew, thunder and lightning are all grace from the emperor. No matter what the emperor conferred on 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 follow His Majesty like this without any status or position."
Chu Chi put his finger to his lips, "Shh, you have been in front of His Majesty 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 who was standing in front of the desk, writing. Just as he was about to kneel down to salute, he heard Zhao Jie speak, "I've told you many times that you don't have to salute 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 appeared on Chu Chi's forehead. Zhao Jie didn't disdain to touch Chu Chi's forehead and said in a deep voice: "After the selection is over, I will make you the Virtuous Consort."
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 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, "It's good as long as you don't think it's 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 in Chuxiu Palace that needs my attention."
Zhao Jie responded: "Yes."
When Chu Chi was about to leave the Taiji Hall, he saw that a statue of Guanyin had appeared in the outer hall. Seeing that the sandalwood was almost burned 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 it into the incense burner.
…
In the princess's mansion.
Qi Yuning hadn't fallen asleep yet. She was worried about the things in the palace and asked Lu Ze, "Have you asked Zhao Jie who he likes to be the queen?"
Lu Ze said, "He is very resistant to the talent show. I think Zhao Jie seems to have a favorite girl in his heart. When I was practicing martial arts with him a few days ago, I saw red marks on his back from 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 maid was?"
"The Taiji Palace is like a solid wall, and 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 oppose the selection for the sake of a palace maid. After all, the harem of Dasheng cannot be managed by a 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 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 saw Qi Yuning and bowed, "Princess."
Qi Yuning took the tea that Chu Chi brought and asked, "Do you know if His Majesty has ever visited 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 betraying the princess' 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 said, "Are you so 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 is a maidservant that His Majesty loves so much. For the sake of peace in the harem, I have to intervene. Please help Qin Yinqiu during the selection."
Chu Chi responded: "Yes."
After Qi Yuning left, Chu Chi went to Chuxiu Palace to see Qin Yinqiu. Qin Yinqiu, who had just turned fifteen, was very fair and pretty. Although she did not have the brightness of a young girl, she was very dignified.
"Aunt Chu."
Chu Chi smiled when he saw Qin Yinqiu and asked, "Miss Qin, can you play the guqin?"
Qin Yinqiu said: "I know a little bit."
Chu Chi whispered, "Your Majesty likes the song "Peony Fairy" the most. Miss Qin might as well practice it more in the next few days."
Qin Yinqiu said: "Peony Fairy? I have never heard of it."
Chu Chi walked to the side where there was paper and pen and wrote down the music score: "Miss Qin, just practice according to this score."
The closer it gets to the beauty pageant, the more things Chu Chi has to do. These beauties may become masters of the palace in the future. Although Zhao Jie has promised that she will be a virtuous concubine in the future, Chu Chi dare not neglect it.
Shang Gong Wu is old and no longer in charge of affairs. Although Chu Chi is not a Shang Gong yet, he is no different from a Shang Gong and is in charge of all matters big and small.
Chu Chi returned to her bedroom and suddenly saw Zhao Jie inside. She was startled and asked, "Your Majesty, why are you here?"
Zhao Jie held Chu Chi in his arms and said, "You are about to become the Defei, so we don't have to hide from people anymore. I sent people to call you several times today, but you always said you were busy..."
Chu Chi said: "I am really busy, and there can be no mistakes in the draft."
Zhao Jie frowned when he heard the word "selection". He heard the sound of guqin coming from not far away from the Shanggong Bureau and looked down at Chu Chi, "Who is playing the guqin?"
"I'll ask Eunuch Xu to go to Chuxiu Palace to ask." Chu Chi said in a low voice.
Zhao Jie's eyes were filled with anger. He let go of Chu Chi and said angrily, "How could you not know who played it? This Peony Fairy is the score I wrote for you. I have only played it for you and you are the only one who knows the score. Don't try to argue that other palace maids and eunuchs in Taiji Palace heard the score a few times and passed it around."
Chu Chilian knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty."
Zhao Jie said: "Princess Qi came to the palace today. I think she came to you to arrange the choice of my queen, so you gave the Peony Fairy Book to her designated queen candidate? Chu Chi, you are so loyal to your master!"
After Zhao Jie finished speaking, he left angrily.
Chu Chi clenched her hands, her heart full of panic. She was not afraid of being punished by Zhao Jie, but she was afraid that Zhao Jie would bear a grudge against Qi Yuning because of this. She even chased after him, "Your Majesty, Princess Qi didn't want to interfere in your selection of the queen. She saw that you were resisting the selection for the person you liked, and she was afraid that you would be confused and be seduced by beauty. For the sake of the future peace of the harem, she wanted me to help choose the most suitable candidate for the queen..."
Zhao Jie lowered his eyes and said to Chu Chi: "You still know that I am resisting the selection for you! But you told others about the Peony Fairy song for your master, trampling on my feelings for you!"
Chu Chi said in panic: "Your Majesty..."
Zhao Jie said coldly: "Don't follow me."
Zhao Jie left angrily, leaving Chu Chi standing there, at a loss as to what to do.
At the gate of Chuxiu Palace, Chu Liuli, who had received the news that His Majesty was coming to Chuxiu Palace, had been waiting at the gate of the palace. After waiting for a long time, he did not expect that His Majesty actually came out from the Shangfu Bureau next door.
Chu Liuli had never expected to hear such a secret behind her back. How could Chu Chi, a female official in the Shanggong Bureau, be worthy of His Majesty's true love?
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