The girls, including Qingyin, Guo Luoluo, and Minghui, who had been robbed, ran to a quieter place, and the young and pretty girls couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
The girls looked at each other with synchronized expressions, and then, starting with someone, a burst of laughter seemed to spread contagiously. At that moment, regardless of their social status, the girls' thoughts seemed to be united, warm and adorable.
"Too many women can be terrifying!" After laughing for a while, the group started chatting, and Fucha Yuebin, who was usually the quietest, couldn't help but say with lingering fear.
"I never expected someone as small as a rat like you to dare say such a thing. Fucha Yuebin, you're not so cowardly after all!" Guo Luoluo Minghui laughed.
Qingyin glanced at Guo Luoluo Minghui without any meaning, and Guo Luoluo Minghui became obedient under her gaze.
Looking at Guo Luoluo Minghui, who became obedient after being glanced at by Qingyin, Fucha Yuebin suddenly felt that this proud Minghui princess was not so fierce and difficult to get along with. She looked at Qingyin with dependence, her eyes full of trust.
Lin Mengya and Lin Heyu were no longer as cautious as before, because Qingyin and Lin Heyu were now able to talk to Guo Luoluo Minghui freely. However, because of their status, they were obviously more talkative when they were talking to the more shy and introverted Fucha Yuebin. Guo Luoluo Minghui noticed this and glared at the two of them disdainfully before casually hugging Qingyin and whispering to her.
During the day, Qingyin couldn't open the gift properly. In the evening, after returning to her room, Lin Mengya and Lin Heyu went to bed early because they had been active, and Qingyin had time to deal with the gift properly.
Inside the gift box was a small bottle of perfume, its color somewhat similar to gardenia, but upon closer inspection, there was a faint, unidentified fishy smell. The scent wasn't strong, and it was easily masked by the perfume. If Qingyin hadn't had a keen sense of smell and some kind of special ability, she would have easily fallen for it.
Qingyin looked at the system's report: Three-lobed grass, the sap of which is highly poisonous. Prolonged contact or inhalation will cause skin corrosion and pus formation, commonly known as "skin rot." Qingyin raised an eyebrow at the perfume bottle that had been carefully poisoned. She thought that someone would be restless if this happened during the preliminary selection, but unfortunately, there were some unknown people planted in Chuxiu Palace, so she couldn't touch the perfume.
Propping her smooth chin, Qingyin sat cross-legged on the bed. She wasn't worried about who had poisoned her, but who was the person Chuxiu Palace had arranged for this? She hadn't seen anyone since she came to the selection process, had she? She just didn't know if this person was good or bad. But so far, no one had actually made a move against her. She would deal with whatever came her way. Qingyin thought to herself, then lay down properly, pulled the covers up, and drifted into a sweet sleep.
The next day, Qingyin looked at the perfume on her hand, which had been replaced with a clean one. The scent was still similar, but the poison was long gone.
Qingyin blinked. Where did this kind-hearted fairy come from to change her perfume? This person in the shadows must have good intentions.
The fake Ninth Prince, who was actually a fairy godmother, looked at the poisoned perfume in front of him with a fierce look in his eyes. "Investigate thoroughly who dared to lay a hand on Rou'er."
"It's Your Highness!"
A few days later, Qingyin heard the news that a candidate for the imperial concubine had fallen seriously ill and been dragged away. Fucha Yuebin said sadly to Qingyin, "Aqian is such a good person, yet she is unlucky enough to fall seriously ill. At this critical moment, she has fallen seriously ill and will probably miss the second round of selection."
Guo Luominghui, hands on her hips, said, "You idiot, you praise everyone who comes along. I mean, that girl named Aqian, her face is practically overflowing with jealousy towards you, and you're still praising her like a nice person, haha."
Fucha Yuebin was somewhat confused, "What is she jealous of me for?"
"Forget it, fools are lucky." Guo Luoluo Minghui glanced at the overly naive Fucha Yuebin, then looked at Qingyin and washed her eyes.
Qingyin watched the two of them interact strangely, one scolding and the other listening, and both seemed quite happy. Qingyin felt a little helpless, but soon she broke the atmosphere in Chuxiu Palace by herself.
A smiling eunuch entered, "Where is Lin Qinrou? The Emperor has decreed!"
Hearing the sound, Qingyin came over.
The girl had beautiful eyes and eyebrows, and her skin was as white as jade. Her thick black hair was tied into simple double buns, which made her look even more lively and beautiful, like a dream.
Qingyin bowed slightly and knelt to receive the imperial decree. Following Qingyin's action, the people behind her also knelt down in a clatter.
The young eunuch knew that the woman kneeling before him was the legendary Princess Qinrou. He was stunned by her breathtaking beauty, but following his long-standing habit, he still rationally read out the imperial edict.
Eunuch: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Lin Qinrou, a daughter of the Lin family, is gentle, virtuous, and intelligent... She shall be chosen as the secondary consort of the Ninth Prince. The Lin family shall be elevated to a branch of the Manchu Bordered Red Banner. This is the imperial decree."
"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty. Your humble daughter, Lin Qinrou, accepts the decree. Long live the Emperor!" Qingyin rose to receive the decree, her movements neither humble nor arrogant, her composure utmost.
In the eyes of the eunuchs, this newly appointed Ninth Consort was calm and composed. Although she was originally of humble origin, her demeanor was something that even these centuries-old noble families could not cultivate. Moreover, with her looks, this Consort might even be able to become the primary consort in the future. Her good fortune was far from over.
Thinking of this, the eunuch's attitude towards Qingyin was basically the same as his attitude towards the Emperor. He dared not look closely at the beautiful concubine's face any longer. After delivering the imperial edict, the eunuch was not in a hurry to leave. He stopped in front of her, bowed his head, and reminded her:
"Consort, now that you have been betrothed, you are different from the other candidates. If His Majesty's spirit is with you, you may temporarily reside in Consort Yi's Yikun Palace until the day of the betrothal. Consort, please make your preparations. This servant will be waiting for you at the door."
"Thank you for the reminder, Father-in-law." Qingyin thanked her father-in-law gratefully and had Zeng Li take out the silver that Lin's father had prepared and put it in his hand.
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