The front of the three-dimensional Arhat bed, adorned with an unbroken black swastika pattern, is covered with a tiger-skin saddlebag. On the small table on the bed are a cloisonné enamel Wenwang Ding (a type of ancient Chinese bronze vessel) and an incense box.
On the high tables on both sides are bonsai made of evergreen stone with jade leaves and jade branches. In front of the glass screen, a sliding armchair is draped with a cloth that looks like a green base with a coin-shaped python pattern.
It was still dark outside, but there was already the rustling sound of clothes rubbing together.
After Hua Rong entered the room, he added some incense to the incense burner, lit it, and then went inside to wake Feng Ling'er.
"Rongrong, why can't you let me sleep a little longer?"
After Feng Ling'er complained a couple of times as usual, Hua Rong finally lit the lamp.
"Miss, you should get up too. Don't forget today is your day for the palace selection. If you pass, you will be a member of the palace. At that time, you will have to pay your respects to the Empress every day."
"If Miss continues to sleep in like this, the consequences will be severe! So it's better to develop this habit now!"
When Feng Ling'er heard Hua Rong's words, she surprisingly didn't refute them.
She sat up, but instead of getting dressed immediately, she just sat on the bed in a daze.
Hua Rong quietly brought her water, adjusted the water temperature, and prepared the makeup supplies for her later. She was so busy that she didn't have time to stop.
She wouldn't normally be this busy.
As a result, Feng Ling'er has become like a frightened bird, and has only trusted her over the years!
He doesn't believe a single word about other people.
Therefore, in the past few years, only she has been allowed to enter the inner room.
It's not easy for this young girl; her aunt is not favored.
Although he had a younger brother, the brother was raised by the first wife.
Not only was she spoiled rotten, but she also completely disowned her as her own sister.
Over the years, she has been the target of countless schemes and plots because of her outstanding appearance.
If it weren't for her by my side, I wouldn't have made it to today.
As for Hua Rong helping her, she did have her own purpose of entering the palace.
But seeing how hard the little girl was working, I felt a little pity for her.
Feng Ling'er, sitting on the bed, didn't speak for a long time.
“Rongrong, I really don’t want to go to the palace. Even a small Feng family is full of scheming every day. How much more so a huge palace? I really don’t want to live like this.”
Hua Rong didn't speak, because she knew that Feng Ling'er was just saying that.
She wasn't reluctant to leave the Feng family mansion; she was just a little tired of all the scheming.
Hua Rong felt that it would be better to go to the palace than to stay in the Feng residence.
Earn a bright future!
So even the concubine, who was struggling to get enough to eat under the oppression of the First Madam, had something to look forward to.
Without that fearsome force, Hua Rong realized that there were still many dangers in this world.
Especially the scheming of human nature!
She knew she still had a lot to learn.
She had to carefully plan how to make a living, let alone Feng Ling'er, who was in a difficult situation!
"Sigh, I'm saying these discouraging things again. Rongrong, just pretend you didn't hear me. I actually know my current situation. Entering the palace is actually the best choice. Otherwise, I'll only be given away by my mother to be someone else's concubine."
"I'd rather be the concubine of the most noble person in the world than someone else's!"
Hua Rong looked up and saw that the usually optimistic girl now had piercing eyes and a cold expression!
"Rongrong, I want that woman to kneel before me! To kneel before my mother!"
Hua Rong opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.
======
At the majestic palace gates, Hua Rong and Xiao Ci stood outside, waiting for the results of the palace selection.
Xiao Ci was the girl who stayed in the Feng family after being whipped by the slave trader.
Whether she passes the palace selection or not, Feng Ling'er still has to go home and wait three days before entering the palace.
Of course, the results will be different!
One entered the palace to become a master, and the other entered the palace to become a maid.
With Feng Ling'er's stunning beauty and cunning, Hua Rong was still confident about the palace selection.
Unlike other maids who waited for their masters to come out in the sweltering heat.
She arrived early and found a good shady spot.
She waited expressionlessly, but Xiao Ci kept moving around in front of her.
"Oh Rongrong, aren't you worried? What if you don't get selected as a lady?"
Xiao Ci was so anxious that sweat beaded on her nose. In the sunlight, the sweat glistened, contrasting beautifully with her fair skin, making her look quite charming.
But no matter how beautiful she was, she couldn't compare to Hua Rong next to her.
Hua Rong's features were not particularly outstanding, and she was only wearing a light blue silk satin dress.
She wore a gold-inlaid jade hairpin with the character for longevity on it, and held a round fan in her hand, gently waving it.
It was just an ordinary outfit, yet it gave off an air of boundless spring.
Especially her eyes, which always seemed to possess a captivating charm.
Fortunately, Xiaoci grew up with Huarong and had developed a resistance to her unique charm.
Besides, what's so special about that? She's the only one who's ever seen Hua Rong's true face!
Everyone says that Feng Ling'er, the third daughter of the Feng family born out of wedlock, is the most beautiful woman in the entire Longjing.
In reality, only she knew that compared to her young mistress, Hua Rong was truly stunningly beautiful!
Unfortunately, for people of their status, beauty is a cardinal sin!
She only learned Hua Rong's true appearance by chance!
"What are you worried about? With our young lady's looks, do you think she won't be chosen?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ci glanced at Hua Rong.
She felt that if Hua Rong were running for office, she would definitely be just as carefree as Hua Rong right now.
Because there's absolutely nothing to worry about!
It wasn't that she looked down on Feng Ling'er, but having seen better ones, her confidence in Feng Ling'er had diminished.
"From what you're saying, you think your young lady is truly foolproof?"
A male voice with a strange smile suddenly rang out, sounding quite abrupt in this quiet and cool place.
Hua Rong turned around and saw a man dressed in brocade robes with a jade pendant around his waist.
He had handsome features, with a red beauty mark between his eyebrows that contrasted with his fair skin, making him even more striking than one could have imagined!
Hua Rong glanced at him for a while, then picked up her fan and performed a standard palace salute.
"This servant, Gu Huarong, is the personal maid of the Third Miss of the Feng family. I greet Your Highness the Ninth Prince!"
Upon hearing Hua Rong say this, Xiao Ci quickly followed suit.
"This servant, Xiao Ci, greets the Ninth Prince."
When Ninth Prince Yuwen Xiao heard Hua Rong recognize him so confidently, he raised an eyebrow.
He opened his folding fan and fanned himself in a self-assured and dashing manner.
"You're quite an interesting girl. Everyone says I look a lot like my eighth brother, and sometimes even Father and Mother recognize us. How come you can recognize me at a glance?"
Hua Rong frowned, not because of Yuwen Xiao's problem.
It's simply because she was standing downwind of Yuwen Xiao!
The smell of sweat from him fanning himself could be smelled in her nose!
What she hated most was the summer in Dayan!
Because the people of Dayan have such a strong body odor!
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