The owner of the hand was quick and grabbed the horse's reins firmly.

She exerted force suddenly, twisting her wrist flexibly to secure the reins.

The horse felt restrained, raised its head and let out a long neigh, then reluctantly slowed down.

But the horse was unwilling to stop and began to struggle again, trying to break free from the restraints, running in a crooked and irregular route.

This scene made the guards outside the Shenwu Gate tremble with fear.

They drew their weapons, stood ready for battle, and were ready to respond to any possible danger.

The girl in the car sighed softly, feeling a little helpless.

As a result, she had to come forward.

If the carriage hits the guards, that would be real trouble.

The curtain opened.

A figure jumped out of the carriage lightly and landed steadily on the horse's broad back.

The girl's face is bold and bright, like the rising morning glow, unforgettable at first sight.

Her scarlet skirt fluttered in the wind, drawing a beautiful arc in the air.

The weight on its back made the horse struggle even more.

The girl grabbed the rope with both hands and suddenly grabbed it towards herself.

The horse abruptly stopped moving forward, panting unwillingly.

The wheels turned slower and slower, and finally stopped in front of Shenwu Gate.

The girl patted the horse's back gently and whispered to soothe the suddenly crazy horse.

With her soothing, the horse gradually calmed down, only stomping on the ground slightly and pacing back and forth.

The guards saw that her face was calm and her movements revealed an indescribable elegance and composure. It was clear that she was an experienced horse rider.

but……

Swords flashed and weapons were unsheathed.

The guards raised their swords and asked, "Who are you? Why did you trespass into Shenwu Gate?"

As soon as the girl in the red dress got off her horse, more than a dozen swords were pointed at her throat.

The atmosphere on the field was tense and solemn, but the girl moved calmly.

Her bright eyes swept over everyone, as if assessing the situation on the field.

Suddenly, the girl showed a shy smile that was extremely inconsistent with her temperament.

"Today... is the day when concubines enter the palace? Did I remember it wrong?" She spoke weakly, with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

The leading guard frowned and raised his right hand, signaling everyone to put down their swords.

He asked in a deep voice: "What's your name?"

The girl smiled slightly and said softly, "Hello everyone, my name is Zhu...Hanfei."

Her accent has a Jiangnan twang, but she sounds more like a Beijing native.

The leading guard turned around and looked at Nanny Chen.

"Zhu Hanfei?"

It is indeed the name that remains today.

Nanny Chen frowned slightly, walked forward slowly, and looked up and down at the girl who called herself Zhu Hanfei.

Zhu Hanfei just stood there, letting her eyes scan every part of her.

Even though she was stared at so rudely, she didn't get angry and continued to respond to Nanny Chen with a smile.

Nanny Chen seemed quite displeased: "Are you Zhu Hanfei? How dare you ride a horse in a skirt without any manners?"

It's so unruly!

Who would raise a young lady like this?

Nanny Chen pondered in her heart.

How could such a woman pass the queen's selection, be included in the candidate list, and even come to the capital city without any obstacles?

The girl who claimed to be Zhu Hanfei heard this and belatedly exclaimed "Ah".

She covered her red lips and said with a little surprise: "It turns out that there is a rule in the capital that you can't wear a skirt while riding a horse."

The girl was humble.

She bowed deeply to Nanny Chen and said self-reproachfully, "Nanny, I'm so sorry. I'm new here and didn't know about this rule. It's really embarrassing."

Her manner of greeting was elegant and proper, no different from that of a daughter of an official family.

Nanny Chen narrowed her eyes.

After spending so many years in the palace, Nanny Chen's insight into people's hearts has become perfect.

Every subtle emotional fluctuation, every inconsistency between words and actions, cannot escape her eyes.

Nanny Chen knew what was going on.

Zhu Hanfei...was clearly pretending to be stupid in front of her.

Nanny Chen said coldly: "Show me your way."

The girl took the envelope out of the package, held it in both hands, and handed it respectfully to Nanny Chen.

Nanny Chen lowered her head, opened the envelope, and took out the piece of paper covered with words.

——The texture of the paper is correct, and the official seal is also correct.

All the information proves that the girl in front of him is Zhu Hanfei.

But the feeling of disharmony kept lingering in Nanny Chen's heart.

She always trusted her instincts.

Nanny Chen stuffed the thin paper back into the envelope, but was not in a hurry to return it to Zhu Hanfei.

Seeing this, Zhu Hanfei's eyes flickered slightly, and the curve of her mouth tightened a little.

It turned out to be the maid in the palace.

I'm afraid this stage won't be easy for her.

Nanny Chen looked at Zhu Hanfei inquiringly.

She asked, "Where is your driver? Why didn't he come with you today? You were born in Zhejiang Province, so why do you know how to ride a horse?"

This is a long story, Zhu Hanfei thought.

She couldn't tell Mammy.

The temporary driver spoke obscene words to her and was kicked off the road by her, right?

The girl pursed her lips, lowered her head to avoid Nanny Chen's scrutinizing gaze, and said embarrassedly:

"Mammy, the driver...drank too much last night and unfortunately fell off the carriage halfway and was seriously injured. I'm not good at driving, so I let the horse lose control and disturbed you. I'm really sorry."

"As for my horsemanship, my brother taught me. I am dull and only learned the basics," Zhu Hanfei replied modestly.

"Who is your brother?" Nanny Chen asked.

Zhu Hanfei was calm and answered fluently: "My brother is the commander of the palace cavalry guard, Zhu Hanxin."

Nanny Chen raised her eyebrows.

Commander Zhu?

This name is not unknown in the palace.

The garrison forces in the palace can be simply divided into two groups: one is the imperial guards, and the other is the imperial guards.

Although both are guards, their origins and duties are different, and they check and balance each other.

Most of the imperial guards were of commoner origin and were led by Fang Rong'an.

Most of the guards came from official families. Although their fighting skills varied, they all had clean family backgrounds and strong connections.

Commander Zhu is the best among the guards and is also someone that Nanny Chen knows. He has a bright future.

Nanny Chen asked, "Does Commander Zhu know that you are entering the palace today?"

The girl shook her head and said softly, "I didn't tell my elder brother. He is busy with his work in the palace, and I don't want to disturb him."

Nanny Chen became more suspicious of her.

Didn’t the elder brother know that his younger sister was going to Beijing for the selection?

How is it possible! ?

There are too many suspicious points about this woman.

First, although she was a lady from an official family, she was an excellent horseman, not inferior to men at all, and she even dared to jump on the horse in her skirt.

Secondly, although her accent has a bit of the softness of the Jiangnan region, it is closer to the official language of the capital.

Finally, for such a big event as the concubine entering the palace, there was no maid accompanying her?

The journey from Zhejiang to Beijing is long, so how could her family trust her so much?

Nanny Chen clutched the envelope and shouted, "You are not Zhu Hanfei. Who are you? Tell the truth!"

Faced with this sudden questioning, Zhu Hanfei's expression instantly became aggrieved and confused.

Her eyes instantly turned red.

"Mammy, what do you mean?"

Her shoulders shrank as if she was frightened. "I am not me, who else can I be?"

Nanny Chen sneered and said, "Then you'll have to ask the girl herself."