Almost the entire Jiang family attended the banquet for selecting a concubine.
Considering that Xu Mo was all alone, Jiang Chengfeng offered to invite him to come along, and Jiang Sheng also decided to stay in the second courtyard.
After it gets bright, I will change into neat but unremarkable clothes and wait at the gate of the courtyard.
"Jiang Sheng, are we really going? Can't we just pretend to be sick?" Zheng Ruqian glanced at the border and then at the capital, his worry outweighing his dejection. "Although Xiao Si isn't here, I remember him saying that he has a kind of illness that's so convincing it's hard to tell the difference."
At worst, even if you're ruthless enough to inhale some croton oil and become completely exhausted, it's better than being plotted against in the capital.
Jiang San and Jiang Si nodded in agreement.
Xu Mo sighed, and was about to explain the importance of selecting concubines when Jiang Sheng spoke up.
“I asked Grandmother and Xiaoyu yesterday, and it’s true that it’s possible to fake being sick.” She said seriously, “But Second Brother, it’s not just Xiaoyu who’s going to the palace this time, but also Sister Yao, Sister Dou, and even Sister Qi.”
Those daughters of aristocratic families with friendly relations were all required to enter the palace. One illness was acceptable, but multiple illnesses were tantamount to slapping the imperial family in the face.
Rather than leaving Yao Siqing or Dou Jingyi alone, it's better for everyone to go in and out together, and to be wary of each other. It's always better than allies becoming enemies.
Madam Jiang attended despite her exhaustion, which was surely because she had this in mind.
Xu Mo's solo attendance at the banquet was also a way of protecting the powerful family behind him.
Or perhaps they are protecting the master to whom the power is loyal, and do not want him to lose these arms.
“But…” Zheng Ruqian finally gave in, “They’ve all left, leaving me all alone. Don’t forget to come back soon, I’ll slaughter a sheep for you to eat.”
A brief murmur, yet it conveyed all the loneliness.
The six siblings scattered in different places, each striving in their own way.
Jiang Sheng sniffed, just about to say something, when the Jiang family's carriage arrived.
She could only look at Zheng Ruqian and solemnly said, "Second brother, don't worry, save me a big leg of lamb for dinner tonight."
"What, what lamb leg?" Jiang Chengyu poked his head out. "Am I getting some too?"
The somber atmosphere instantly lightened, and Jiang Chengfeng chuckled and scolded from the side, "You're really shameless."
He then looked at Xu Mo and said, "Brother Xu, come up here. The imperial examination is about to begin. Don't forget our agreement."
He extended his palm, and Xu Mo responded. He was then pulled onto the carriage shaft and greeted Jiang Jizong inside.
Jiang Sheng was pulled into another car by Jiang Chengyu, where the dignified and serious Old Madam Jiang and the equally indifferent mother and daughter from the second wife were sitting.
At the last spring banquet, everyone dressed up in their finest attire, with hairpins in their hair that looked like they could stab someone to death.
This time, they all opted for a clean and somber look, clearly to avoid drawing attention.
Jiang Sheng and Jiang Chengyu looked at each other, and both covered their mouths and chuckled.
After laughing, they leaned closer and whispered to each other.
Jiang Sheng instructed like an older sister, "You must be careful this time to prevent the eldest prince from causing trouble. You'd better not stray more than three steps from me..."
"Don't worry." Jiang Chengyu was even more carefree. "If I were really scared, I wouldn't have come. I only came because I knew there would be a lot of fun."
To Jiang Sheng's astonishment, the group arrived at the imperial city and switched to walking.
However, this time they did not go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but to the Yanhui Pavilion in the northwest corner of the Imperial Garden, which was the place where emperors of past dynasties selected concubines and could also be used to select consorts for princes.
As is well known, the selection of a concubine is second only to the selection of a talent show in terms of solemnity, but the rules are completely different from those of the talent show.
The selection process required every household to submit a list of potential daughters. After gathering together, the matrons would screen them based on their appearance, figure, and other qualities. After several rounds of screening, the best candidates would be chosen. Then, the royal family would conduct a final selection. Those chosen would be added to the harem, while those not selected would remain as palace maids.
The system was not only rigorously structured, but also encompassed a wide range of social statuses, from commoners to aristocratic families, truly embracing diverse backgrounds.
Choosing a prince's consort is different. Whether it's the principal wife or a concubine, only members of a prominent family are eligible to be considered.
Even when taking a concubine, the emperor would treat the daughter of a high-ranking family with great courtesy, let alone when choosing a daughter-in-law.
The current imperial family is rather timid and tolerant towards aristocratic families. Consequently, they have lost some of their assertiveness in choosing princes' consorts, leaving the younger generation to rely more on their own efforts.
For example, the Second Prince rescued Jiang Sheng, and the First Prince played chess with Dou Weiming.
When the royal family's attitude is not firm enough, and powerful families hold great power, the princes will inevitably lose their backbone.
So, was the choice of the dark and quiet Yanhui Pavilion made so that the princes could carry out their secret schemes and force the legitimate daughters of noble families to submit?
A strange thought suddenly popped into Jiang Sheng's mind, almost soaking her back.
She thought about the Tian family's image as weak in the eyes of the world, and then about the analysis made by her elder brother Xu Mo, and suddenly felt that she could not easily underestimate anyone.
"Nannan," Old Madam Jiang called from the front.
Jiang Sheng didn't dare to let her mind wander and ran over in a flash.
Upon entering Yanhui Pavilion, men and women must separate.
Xu Mo was still a little worried and hadn't even said anything to warn her when Jiang Chengfeng pulled him away, saying, "Brother Xu, don't be afraid. I promise you, your two sisters are absolutely fine and safe! If anything happens to them, you can twist my head off and play with it..."
The more they talk, the more nonsensical it becomes.
Madam Jiang shook her head helplessly, but she couldn't pay attention to him. She was surrounded by ladies from prominent families with whom she had made good friends, and there were also people coming to pay their respects to Old Madam Jiang. She was extremely busy.
Jiang Sheng and Jiang Chengyu were also busy. They first met Yao Siqing, then Dou Jingyi. Qi Yue also came in behind Madam Qi. They all had to exchange pleasantries with each other.
These processes are no different from a spring banquet; they all emphasize personal relationships and social interactions.
The main difference is that the imperial concubines will also be attending this time.
I also know that this selection banquet for the imperial concubines will probably not be simple.
The girls who had no interest in becoming prince consorts all sat quietly, neither chatting nor strolling under the trees.
They were on high alert, waiting for the emperor to lead his concubines and children into Yanhui Pavilion.
“If the Empress were alive, she should have presided over this selection of imperial concubines,” Yao Siqing reminded her in a barely audible voice. “After Empress Yan passed away, Consort Ju held the highest position in the harem, and she was the one who arranged all of this.”
That is precisely why we need to be even more vigilant and cautious.
The girls were outnumbered and vulnerable, able to follow their mothers or grandmothers without anyone to serve them, making them easy targets for schemes.
"Sister Yao, don't act alone. If anything happens, just call us." Jiang Sheng whispered a reminder.
Yao Siqing smiled, then glanced at Dou Jingyi. "Okay."
Just as their voices faded, the imperial family arrived with the harem. This time, there was no back door; instead, they entered through the front door in a grand procession.
Consort Ju truly lived up to her title as a favored concubine. Adorned with gold and silver, she was practically a walking mine. Her clothes were also very close to bright red, slightly lagging behind the imperial family, yet from a distance, they were almost on par.
The Crown Princess and Consort Min stood behind with their heads bowed and eyes lowered, while she stood proudly with her striking features. When her gaze fell on Jiang Chengyu, she revealed a confident smile.
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