Only after seeing He Xue leave did the young ladies dare to relax.
"I was terrified! Why would Her Majesty the Empress come? I was so scared I didn't dare to look up. I wonder if Her Majesty the Empress is beautiful?"
"I peeked at it, and the Empress's cheongsam was embroidered with the latest patterns, and the Empress gave off a kind of..."
"What kind of feeling?" the little girl next to me asked impatiently.
The man thought for a moment, "Happiness, yes, it's the feeling of happiness!"
"How could Her Majesty the Empress not be happy? The Emperor waited for Her Majesty to grow up before marrying her. For so many years, the Emperor has only been devoted to Her Majesty the Empress! Which woman wouldn't be envious!" The speaker's tone was a mixture of envy and a hint of jealousy.
"Did you see the ring on Her Majesty the Empress's hand? I heard that the Emperor has one too. I wonder if he always wears it?"
"Alright, don't think about it so much. The Emperor is not someone we can aspire to!" Her tone was tinged with regret.
The Emperor is handsome and has an extraordinary bearing. He holds the reins of power over all the people. Almost every young girl in the imperial concubine selection hopes to enter the palace and stay by the Emperor's side. Unfortunately, the Emperor only wants the Empress. I wonder if the Emperor Emeritus knows the Emperor's thoughts. Does the Emperor Emeritus also approve of the Emperor's actions?
Everyone could see how much He Xue valued An Lingrong, and at this moment almost everyone surrounded An Lingrong, showing concern and care.
Faced with the sudden show of goodwill from everyone, An Lingrong was momentarily at a loss.
It was Nian Shilan who couldn't stand it and came to her rescue.
An Lingrong said gratefully to Nian Shilan, "Thank you so much for your help, sister. I will never forget your kindness today!" This was the second time Nian Shilan had helped her.
"You don't need to thank me, I just can't stand their fawning attitude!" Nian Shilan said disdainfully.
“Sister, that’s just how she talks. We’re staying in that room. You can come visit us when you have time!” Qi Yuebin explained Nian Shilan’s “arrogance” from the side.
"Thank you for the invitation, sister!" An Lingrong said with a curtsy.
After Nian Shilan and Qi Yuebin left, An Lingrong thanked Zhen Huan again, saying, "Lingrong thanks you for your help, sister!"
"It was nothing, don't worry about it!" Zhen Huan said with a slight smile.
When no one was around, Shen Meizhuang said to Zhen Huan, "Huan'er, have you ever seen the Empress before?"
"Sister said I've never seen Her Majesty the Empress! Why do you say that, sister?"
"I always feel that there's something indescribable about the way Her Majesty the Empress looks at us, as if she can see right through us!"
"Really? I didn't pay much attention! Maybe you're overthinking it, sister!" Zhen Huan said, but she was also puzzled. She tried to recall the scene, but couldn't remember anything for the time being.
Shen Meizhuang sighed softly, "I hope I'm overthinking it. However, we should still be more careful in our actions in the palace in the future."
Zhen Huan nodded in agreement.
"Huan'er, why didn't you agree to the Empress's request just now?" Shen Meizhuang knew that Zhen Huan was unwilling to participate in the imperial concubine selection. Before the selection, she even went to pray to Buddha, hoping that Buddha would bless her so that she would not be selected.
"I don't want to be sent back to the manor in such a humiliating way, otherwise who knows what people will say about me!"
Shen Meizhuang thought about it and realized that was indeed the case. "You've thought it through!"
"What are your plans, sister?" Zhen Huan knew that Shen Meizhuang's mother had always raised her to be like a concubine in the palace, and that Shen Meizhuang was not very resistant to the selection of concubines.
"We can only take it one step at a time!" Shen Meizhuang said. If she was chosen, she would probably be betrothed to some member of the imperial clan.
The originally peaceful imperial concubine selection process was disrupted by Emperor Jingning's summons and conferment of titles upon An Lingrong, which caused the entire process to explode like a drop of water falling into a hot oil pan.
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