Guan Zhiyue looked at the women sitting below, none of whom dared to speak. So she called out a name directly, of course, the first woman she knew, the imperial concubine who had come to show off while she was still in the cold palace.
“Since no one knows how to introduce her, why doesn’t Consort Shen set an example for all the sisters?” Shen Na, who was singled out by Guan Zhiyue, stood up from the chair with a look of utter disgust on her face.
"This humble servant, Shen Na, greets Your Majesty the Empress. I am one of the four Consorts, and my father is Shen Zhongchangshi, a high-ranking official in the court," Shen Na said with a smile that concealed a dagger.
"Alright, Consort Shen, please sit down. I've heard that Consort Shen is currently managing the inner palace. You've truly worked hard and made great contributions. You must continue to do so in the future." Guan Zhiyue glanced at Shen Na, who had just sat down.
Shen Na's heart skipped a beat. Was this an interrogation? Or what? She was appointed by the Emperor to manage the harem. Could it be that the Emperor was now going to hand her over to the Empress?
Just as Consort Shen was lost in thought, Consort Shu, one of the four consorts, stood up gracefully, took a few steps toward Guan Zhiyue, and came to the center of the room. She said to Guan Zhiyue, "I am Zhuang Jie, and I greet Your Majesty the Empress. I am Consort Shu, one of the four consorts. My father is Zhuang Gongcao in the court. I am sixteen years old this year."
"Sister Shufei, you are indeed a beauty of unparalleled grace! You truly deserve to be the most outstanding woman in our harem!" Guan Zhiyue looked at the woman who wore a pink rose velvet coat and plum blossom brocade with gold accents on the upper body, a deep crimson embroidered gauze skirt with embroidered patterns on the lower body, her hair was styled in a flying bun, adorned with exquisite hair ornaments, jade earrings with green flowers, a leaf wax stone thumb ring on her slender, fair hands, a fruit green tasseled palace sash with auspicious floral knots tied around her waist, with a sachet embroidered with auspicious patterns hanging from it, and smoky satin double-petaled lotus brocade boots with hibiscus patterns on her feet.
She is indeed a beautiful woman. What a pity! What a pity! All these women are such a waste. They are all so beautiful and charming. How could they give up their free and easy lives for a pickled cucumber?
Original owner, look at you! So many people are fighting over a single pickled cucumber, why did you have to step into this deep palace?
Looking at the women in the room, Guan Zhiyue truly felt sorry for them.
"Sigh, there are countless cucumbers in the world, it's not worth it at all." Guan Zhiyue looked at these women and couldn't help but pout and shake her head.
"I wonder what Your Majesty means by this?" Guan Zhiyue thought to herself, but she accidentally blurted it out, which aroused the curiosity of Consort De, who had come to pay her respects. Consort De was the second oldest woman in the harem, and she was already eighteen years old this year.
"And you are?" Guan Zhiyue asked.
Consort De was somewhat speechless. Did she not hear her when she bowed to her earlier?
"This humble servant is Chang Shu, paying respects to Your Majesty the Empress. I am Consort De, one of the Four Consorts. My father is Grand Marshal Chang, and I am eighteen years old this year." Chang Shu respectfully bowed to Guan Zhiyue, but her heart was as calm as still water, without any thoughts or disrespect. In any case, she had never wanted to come to the palace in the first place.
"Sister Chang, please rise and take a seat." Guan Zhiyue raised her hand and said.
Chang Shu was actually a woman with a tragic fate. Among this group of people, she was the one who least wanted to enter the palace. However, before entering the palace, she was an ambitious woman. She had a childhood sweetheart, but her father cruelly separated them. From then on, she had an indifferent attitude towards everyone in the palace.
He Jiao stood up with a smile and bowed to Guan Zhiyue, saying, "Your Majesty, I don't need an introduction, do I? You already know me."
Guan Zhiyue looked at the girl who was the same age as herself. What a cruel twist of fate! How did such an innocent and lovely child end up in the palace? But she also wanted to gossip about how this brave but reckless woman felt now, after her chance encounter with the emperor, when she was confined to her own palace.
"Consort Lin Qiqi greets Your Majesty the Empress. I am seventeen years old this year. My father is an official under the eunuch Shen Zhongchang," Consort Lin Qiqi, one of the Nine Concubines, said softly.
"Consort Zheng Peipei greets Your Majesty the Empress. I am sixteen years old this year. My father is an official under the eunuch Shen." Consort Zheng Peipei, one of the Nine Consorts, said softly.
"Consort Fan Qiaoqiao greets Your Majesty the Empress. I am sixteen years old this year. My father is an official under the eunuch Shen Zhongchang," Consort Fan Qiaoqiao, one of the Nine Consorts, said softly.
"I, Fu Lingqiao, pay my respects to Your Majesty the Empress. I am seventeen years old this year, and my father is the Registrar of the Court of Imperial Stud." Fu Lingqiao, one of the Nine Concubines, said with some interest.
When Guan Zhiyue saw the woman in front of her, her eyes widened in surprise. This, this, this.
Holy crap, isn't this the woman I saw having an affair with the guard when I was in my soul state?
"My goodness, this is a wild horse, amazing..." Guan Zhiyue looked at Xiuyi Fu Lingqiao, who was half-squatting in front of her, and was overjoyed. This dog already has a green leaf on its head.
"Rise! Has Consort Xiu been feeling unwell lately? She seems rather uninterested," Guan Zhiyue said.
Fu Lingqiao quickly perked up and looked at the Empress sitting above, saying softly, "Your Majesty, I have been suffering from a cold lately and am not feeling well. Please excuse the Empress's enjoyment."
"It's alright! Xiuyi, you must take good care of yourself. All of you sisters, in this snowy season, you must protect yourselves so that we can provide our Emperor with a warm back garden," Guan Zhiyue said, looking at the women below.
Everyone blushed with embarrassment, but they all nodded in agreement.
The concubines' self-introductions continued unabated.
One of the nine concubines, Xiu Rong, is named Zhuang Ling. She is fifteen years old this year. She is the sister of Shu Fei, one of the four consorts. Xiu Rong is the younger sister of a concubine. She was sent by her family to support Shu Fei. She is commonly known as a sycophant.
Xiu Yuan, one of the Nine Concubines, is a beauty sent from the small border country of Bianluan. Her name is Duan Duan Yun Zhao. She is an exceptionally beautiful dancer and the oldest in the harem at nineteen years old. She is also one of the most alluring women. She doesn't like crowds and prefers dancing and playing the zither.
Then there's Consort Chongyi, one of the Nine Concubines. This girl is the youngest of all the women in the harem, only fourteen years old. Not only is she the youngest, but her family background is also the most affluent.
Her father was a county magistrate in a remote area. The reason she was selected to go to the palace was because the prefectural magistrate wanted to be promoted and was sacrificed to the officials above him. However, the officials above him directly pushed her into the harem, which was also a tragic fate.
Another rather comical case is that of one of the Nine Concubines, the last one being Chongyuan. It is said that she was the daughter of a county magistrate from a county near the capital, but for some reason she disappeared on her way there and was never found. It is estimated that she died, and the position of Chongyuan has remained vacant ever since.
Then came the twenty-seven ladies-in-waiting and the eighty-one imperial wives. The representatives sent by them and Guan Zhiyue stepped forward to pay their respects. Guan Zhiyue had been spending the whole day recognizing people, which had already made her dizzy and unable to help but curse inwardly.
Among them were twenty-seven ladies-in-waiting, including nine Jieyu, nine Meiren, nine Cairen, eighty-one imperial wives, twenty-seven Baolin, twenty-two Nüyu, and twenty-seven Huannu, who were of the lowest rank.
However, these were all masters; the lowest-ranking people in the palace were the palace maids and eunuchs.
"Alright, I'm tired today, so I won't keep you sisters any longer. I'll chat with you another day. Sisters, go back and rest early, and always be ready to produce offspring for the royal family!" Guan Zhiyue sat down in the main seat somewhat dejectedly, looking at the departing crowd and calling out to them.
After everyone left, Guan Zhiyue slumped onto the chair in a very unladylike manner, looking utterly miserable. What the hell was going on? So many women, all for a single pickled cucumber. Sigh.
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