The news that the Emperor of Jin had lost his appetite spread throughout the capital, and the people flocked to the imperial city to volunteer their talents.
However, getting an audience with the Emperor wasn't as simple as just having a few words. The palace's head eunuch, Granny Cui, personally oversaw the selection process, and only those approved by her were allowed to enter the imperial city.
First, anyone with an unusual or peculiar appearance was immediately eliminated by Granny Cui. It wasn't that Granny Cui intended to discriminate, but His Majesty was currently in poor health, and what if she frightened him?
Secondly, there are some people who try to pass themselves off as genuine. These people don't have any real skills; they're just after the reward and want to gamble. As soon as Granny Cui asks them a question, they'll immediately be exposed. Such people will not only be eliminated but also arrested and punished.
Then there are those who do have some ability, but are too ignorant of their own limitations, like frogs in a well. There was a noble lady who could bend over backwards, and her parents praised her to the skies. She was eager to perform contortion for the emperor, but when she arrived, she found that even the palace maids next to Cui Mama were more skilled than her, and she left in disappointment.
After eliminating all the unsuitable candidates, dozens of people remained who were truly sincere and possessed unique skills. Some could perform magic tricks, some could tell jokes, and some could perform acrobatics. Granny Cui led everyone to wait outside a side gate on the east side of the imperial city, where she would go in to arrange the subsequent matters.
Loud noises are prohibited here; everyone dares only to speak in hushed tones. Many people's expressions change constantly, some excited, some nervous, and some worried.
If they could persuade His Majesty to eat, the reward would be ten thousand taels of silver. Many ordinary people, let alone ten thousand taels, couldn't even earn a thousand or eight taels of silver in their entire lives. Success would be a complete turnaround. Granny Cui also promised that as long as everyone tried their best, even if they failed to persuade His Majesty, there would be no punishment.
At the end of the crowd stood a girl in white, wearing a veil, her eyes lowered, seemingly unaffected by the emotions of those in front of her.
Her bearing clearly indicated she came from a prestigious family, but no one knew which family she belonged to. Many of the participants in this selection were sons and daughters of prominent families, but all of them were eliminated in the preliminary rounds; only she passed.
A man in front of her, around thirty years old, finished talking to the person in front of him, but then, feeling unsatisfied, turned back to the woman in white and asked, "What is your surname, Miss?"
The girl in white said: "White."
The middle-aged man said, "So you are Miss Bai. Do you have any skills that can persuade the Emperor?"
The girl in white said, "I can dance."
The middle-aged man smiled and said, "Then you'd better not go. His Majesty is so hungry he's dizzy and lightheaded, how could he possibly be in the mood to appreciate your dance?"
The girl in white didn't seem to mind at all and asked, "What skills do you possess, sir?"
The middle-aged man revealed a proud expression and said, "I have a special skill in ventriloquism. I can imitate a woman's voice. His Majesty is actually missing the Empress. As long as I imitate the Empress's words, His Majesty will definitely eat."
The girl in white asked, "Have you actually used it?"
"Of course I've used it. Back when Miss Bai from the Duke's mansion disappeared, it was me who went to the Duke's mansion... Hey?"
He scratched his head and carefully examined the girl in white, but the girl in white was wearing a veil, only revealing her clear black and white eyes looking at him.
“Your voice sounds a bit like Miss Bai from the Duke’s mansion,” the middle-aged man said strangely. “But that Miss Bai… Her Majesty the Empress herself said she is already dead.”
Bai Zhiyi was a wanted criminal for assassinating Emperor Kangping. Later, after Wei Jingzhuo and Su Wan returned from Southern Chu, they dropped the pursuit of Bai Zhiyi, on the grounds that she had already died in the attack in Zhao County. Since she was dead, there was no need to pursue the matter further.
As he was puzzled, the girl in white said, "I don't know that Miss Bai from the Duke's Mansion."
The middle-aged man nodded and said, "That's right, Bai Zhiyi is disfigured."
Everyone knows that Bai Zhiyi was disfigured in an explosion and wears a mask to cover it up every day.
Although the girl in front of him was wearing a veil, her face was fair and delicate, and she was definitely not the same person as the Bai Zhiyi he knew. She seemed to be even younger.
The two exchanged a few more words when a handsome young man approached and greeted the girl in white, saying, "Miss, news has arrived from home."
The girl in white greeted the middle-aged man, then turned and followed the young man to a secluded spot, saying, "Jiang Li, can't you see I'm busy?"
Jiang Li chuckled and handed her a small roll of paper: "It's a message from Mr. Jiang."
"I just received a message from Mr. Jiang via carrier pigeon. The Creator is very satisfied with what you have done. Leaving Su Wan alone on the island means we don't have to watch over her all the time. With the giant eagle protecting her, she won't be in any danger."
The girl in white opened the scroll, glanced at it, and chuckled, "Does the Creator know about the fire at Tongchan Temple?"
Jiang Li blushed slightly and said awkwardly, "I didn't dare tell the Creator. If she found out, she would definitely call us all back to be punished and replace us with new trackers, then I wouldn't be able to stay by your side."
The girl in white said coldly, "It seems that keeping Su Wan imprisoned on the island has made things easier for you guys."
Jiang Li sensed the sarcasm in her words, her face flushed even more, and she stammered, "I...I..."
The girl in white straightened her face: "I told you to get the lab's passwords, how many have you gotten?"
Jiang Li didn't dare to meet her gaze and said, "We're...we're still working on it. The Creator won't tell us these codes. I have to think of a way."
The girl in white interrupted him, saying, "Don't make excuses, just do it now."
Jiang Li grew anxious and said, "Xiao Yi, don't force me. What I'm doing is tantamount to betraying the Creator. Do you know how much risk I'm taking?"
The girl in white softened her voice and said, "The greater the risk, the greater the reward. Are you listening to me or the Creator?"
Jiang Li blurted out, "Of course it's you."
The girl in white possessed a mysterious magic; a mere smile from her was enough to render him unable to refuse any of her requests. The Holy Land wasn't lacking in beautiful girls, but none possessed the same power as the girl in white.
"Then obediently help me with my work." The girl in white lifted a corner of her veil and gave Jiang Lifeng a flirtatious wink.
Jiang Li was stunned, her mind went blank, and only her heart was pounding in her chest.
By the time he came to his senses, the girl in white had already left and entered the imperial city with the others who were waiting.
"I'm going to die, I'm going to die."
His face flushed red, he clutched his clothes at his chest, and stared blankly as the white-clad girl's figure disappeared through the side gate before walking away, utterly dejected.
Granny Cui led the group through corridors and courtyards to a heavily guarded compound. It consisted of a row of three rooms.
Several imperial physicians and a few ministers in court robes stood in the open courtyard, conversing in hushed tones. All of them had furrowed brows and troubled expressions.
“His Majesty is resting inside,” said Granny Cui, pointing to a room in the center. “You all wait outside and remain silent. I will take someone in to meet His Majesty.”
The girl in white stood at the very back of the line, her eyes fixed on the closed door, and spoke slowly in a voice only she could hear:
"Your Majesty, I have arrived."
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