Chapter 13 Entering the Inner Palace
"Mother, what did that bitch say?" Song Zhiqing looked at Song Kaishan and Ding Shi with a look of horror.
Ignore her, she's talking nonsense.
"My lord, are you really not going to do anything about it? Are you just going to let her leave the manor like this?" Madam Ding gripped Song Kaishan's arm tightly, a hint of anxiety in her eyes.
These past few days, it seems like everything has spiraled out of control.
It seems like Song Zhimian is dragging them into a quagmire.
Song Kaishan's mind was also filled with Song Zhimian's words.
She went to the palace to become a lady-in-waiting, and asked him to change the person he was to marry...
"She wants to escape! Dream on! She's only passed the initial screening; she's a long way from officially becoming a female official!"
Becoming a female official isn't that easy. I'll go find the prince right now.
"As long as the prince gives the word, it's as easy as stepping on an ant for the Imperial Concubine to eliminate someone from the pool of potential female officials."
As Song Kaishan spoke, he flicked his sleeve and walked towards the gate of the Marquis's mansion.
Ding felt somewhat relieved.
Yes, with the Imperial Concubine enjoying the highest favor in the harem, eliminating a candidate for a female official is a trivial matter.
...
Song Zhimin was in a simple carriage, and she quickly entered the inner palace with Eunuch Liang.
She has not yet undergone rigorous training and instruction, so she cannot be called a female official, much less enter the palace.
However, even the inner palace surprised Song Zhimian even more.
It seems different from the palaces I've visited before; the inner palace seems more majestic.
Whether they were eunuchs or fathers-in-law, they all had serious expressions and were busy with their own tasks, yet the scene was orderly despite the large number of people.
Perhaps it was the purse that Song Zhimian gave to Eunuch Liang that had an effect.
Once inside the inner palace, Song Zhimian could no longer ride in the carriage; she had to get off and walk with Eunuch Liang.
"Miss Song, these are the rules for entering the inner palace."
The rules of the inner palace are not much different from those of the imperial palace.
Whether civil or military officials, no one could enter on foot unless they had His Majesty's decree allowing them to ride in a sedan chair.
Of course, the noble ladies and princes and princesses in the palace are an exception; the noble ladies have their own sedan chairs. "Eunuch Liang explained to Song Zhimian in a low voice.
Song Zhimian quickly thanked her father-in-law for his advice.
Eunuch Liang gave Song Zhimian a deep look.
This Miss Song was personally recommended by His Highness Prince Qi, and I heard that he even went through the proper channels with His Majesty.
Although we're talking about becoming a female official now, who knows what the future holds!
The Imperial Concubine, who enjoyed the Emperor's favor for many years, was originally a female official in charge of clothing by the Empress's side.
With Miss Song's beauty and the recommendation of His Highness Prince Qi, she might just become a noblewoman in the future!
With this in mind, Eunuch Liang offered even more advice.
"Miss Song is well-read and should know that there are many female officials in the inner palace. There are six bureaus and one department, and the head of the female officials is the Palace Attendant."
The current Palace Attendant is His Majesty's Imperial Aunt, Aunt Cui.
All the female officials in the palace and the inner court were under the jurisdiction of Aunt Cui.
Aunt Cui held a rank of third grade and was the only person who was on equal footing with Xue Gongping, the emperor's personal eunuch.
Although she was strict in her teaching, she was fair and just, and her rewards and punishments were clear and impartial.
Song Zhimian wrote them all down.
After following Eunuch Liang for a while, we passed through the entire inner palace and finally arrived at a courtyard at the back of the inner palace.
All the courtyards here are the same, except that each courtyard has a sign hanging at its entrance.
Song Zhimian and Eunuch Liang finally stopped in front of a courtyard.
A woman with her hair spiked up and wearing a headscarf came to greet them.
She respectfully bowed to Eunuch Liang before looking at Song Zhimian.
"Which young lady would trouble Eunuch Liang to deliver this?"
Eunuch Liang smiled and flicked the whisk in his hand.
"The eunuch Xue sent us to pick up the person. This is Song Zhimian, the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Zhongyong, who donated her dowry to the North."
"Miss Song, this is Aunt Yue, a fifth-rank master of ceremonies from the Imperial Ceremonial Bureau." Eunuch Liang gave her a brief reminder.
Having learned a little about the ranks of female officials in the palace, Song Zhimian immediately bowed to Aunt Yue.
"Hello, Aunt Yue!"
Aunt Yue took a closer look and was also somewhat amazed.
How did such a beautiful woman end up as a lady-in-waiting...?
However, her thoughts were the same as Liang Gonggong's.
The person who can be personally arranged by Eunuch Xue to pick up must be someone of great importance, so I should be careful to take good care of them.
What's more, even before Miss Song herself arrived, some things had already come here.
"Miss Song, please come with me. Your room has been arranged!"
"I'll take you to see it!" Aunt Yue's face was full of smiles.
Song Zhimian quickly bowed to Eunuch Liang again.
"Thank you for your hard work, Father-in-law!"
Eunuch Liang quickly smiled, then swung his whisk and walked away with measured steps.
Song Zhimian followed Aunt Yue into the courtyard. When she reached the gate, she looked at the sign at the gate.
Tian Shu Academy!
The courtyard is quite large, square in shape, with a total of sixteen rooms. Each room is not very big, but it is enough for one person to live in.
Everything on the bed was complete, including bedding and curtains, and all the other items in the room were also provided.
Tables, chairs, benches, toiletries, and cabinets for storing things.
“Every room is the same.”
The Tian Shu Courtyard and the adjacent Tian Ji Courtyard housed thirty-two female officials who were selected for the position.
In addition, the Imperial Household Department recruited thirty-two female physicians for the Imperial Medical Academy.
They lived in Yaoguang Courtyard on the other side.
The rooms at Yaoguang Courtyard are for two people each.
Whether they were candidates for female officials or female physicians, they had to learn the rules for ten days after entering the inner palace.
You must learn the rules of the palace and the inner court.
Only after you've learned all the rules can you be assigned to the place where you're supposed to learn what you're supposed to learn.
Miss Song, this is your room, everything inside is complete.
The candidates for female official positions were required to wear uniform clothing, from their inner garments to their outer garments, and even their shoes, socks, and headbands.
However, Miss Song's room had an extra box compared to others; it had been delivered by the Surveillance Department two hours earlier.
They said it was your personal property, Miss.
Okay, you should rest for a while!
"There are two old women living over there at the gatehouse. If you need anything, just tell them. I'll be in that room before the courtyard closes," Aunt Yue said with a smile, introducing Song Zhimin.
Song Zhimian wrote them all down.
When Aunt Yue left, Song Zhimian stuffed the last purse she had left into Aunt Yue's hand.
This is a small amount of private money that the original owner had secretly saved, totaling one hundred taels.
Fifty taels were given to Eunuch Liang, and the remaining fifty taels were given to Aunt Yue.
As for the future...
Song Zhimian, figure it out yourself!
...
Inside an extremely luxurious palace within the imperial palace, a beautiful woman in magnificent palace attire reclines on a chaise longue.
"Tomorrow, go to the Inner Palace and talk to the master of ceremonies in charge of this recruitment of female officials. Find a reason to reject that... the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion!"
"Just say it's my will!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" The head maidservant beside the Imperial Concubine immediately responded.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
