Chapter 198 Palace Selection Rookie 1
Imperial Garden.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs built a dragon and phoenix platform in the north of the Imperial Garden a month earlier.
It is built with gold and stone, painted with dragons and phoenixes, and topped with a canopy, highlighting the royal nobility.
There were also sixteen ice platforms, and countless palace ladies fanned themselves around them.
Even at the hottest time of the day at noon, you won't feel the heat at all when sitting in the Dragon and Phoenix Terrace.
At this moment, Xiao Jingheng sat in the first seat, the Queen Mother sat on the left, and the Concubine Chen sat on the right.
Six feet in front of the platform, there is a wide road paved with crimson cloud-patterned silk from east to west.
It means purple air coming from the east and soaring straight up.
The beauties who participated in the palace selection gathered in the pavilion on the west side.
Whoever the eunuch in front of the emperor called out by name would step forward, step on the blessing carpet, and walk all the way to the Dragon and Phoenix Terrace to face the emperor.
This morning, I watched the girls come and go in droves.
Xiao Jingheng met at least seventy or eighty people, but only three of them left their names.
Xiao Jingheng has always been very discerning. In addition, most of the daughters of important officials in the court had been taken into the harem or betrothed to princes during the previous coronation and the selection last year.
If these beauties want to be selected, they must either be from a family whose mothers were powerful in the previous dynasty and of the right age, or have exceptionally outstanding looks.
Xiao Jingheng has seen countless women, but the only one who caught his eye was a beauty like Song Zhao.
But he had already gotten the best, so what he saw today seemed even more unsightly and mundane.
In addition, the selection was held in the summer in the Imperial Garden, so the ladies were all sunburned and sweating, and their makeup either faded or smudged.
Not to mention being stunningly beautiful, there aren't even many that look refreshing.
The more Xiao Jingheng looked at it, the more impatient he became.
As for the beauties lined up behind him, he just glanced at them and ordered them to put down their names.
Naturally, the Queen Mother would not be happy about this.
"There are many vacancies in the imperial harem now, and the number of concubines is also insufficient. If the emperor continues to be so picky, I'm afraid it will not be beneficial to the heir to the throne."
Xiao Jingheng said gloomily, "They are all mediocre women. They are useless even if they are selected."
The Empress Dowager looked a little gloomy. "How can you have the best of both worlds? It is not always possible to pick someone who will please the Emperor in every way. For those who are still passable, I will give them the position of concubine and keep them for the time being."
Xiao Jingheng didn't respond to her words.
Seeing that the mother and son were about to become tense, Concubine Chen peeled a grape and handed it to Xiao Jingheng.
"Your Majesty, I have asked someone to prepare some Yangzhi Ganlu, and I have added some ice to it. It can help to dispel the heat and calm your mind. Your Majesty has been looking around for so long that your eyes are blurry. It's time to take a rest."
This morning, Concubine Chen had already advised Xiao Jingheng to take a rest three times.
The longer he rested, the hotter the sun became, and the more miserable the waiting beauties became.
No matter how beautiful she is, how beautiful can she be if she is wilted by the sun?
The Queen Mother could see that the Concubine Chen was having trouble with her thoughts again.
Just as he was about to scold him, he saw Jiang Deshun step forward and said hurriedly:
"Your Majesty, the Minister of Personnel has something important to discuss with you."
The Queen Mother saw Xiao Jingheng leaning forward and trying to get up, so she hurriedly said to Jiang Deshun in a stern voice:
"He knows that today is the day of the Emperor's Palace Selection. What could be more important than this? Go and tell him to wait."
Xiao Jingheng didn't look at the Queen Mother, but his eyes darkened.
"Because he knows that today is the day of the palace selection, he came to me now, I'm afraid he really has something important to tell me."
He responded to the Queen Mother's remark coldly, almost declaring out loud that the harem should not interfere in government affairs.
In fact, Xiao Jingheng could have chosen not to go, but after the Queen Mother said so, he stood up without any hesitation and walked off the stage, leaving only one last instruction:
"It's not good to keep these concubines in the spotlight like this. There are only a few left, so the Queen Mother and the Consort can choose as they see fit."
"Emperor! You..."
The Queen Mother called Xiao Jingheng, but Xiao Jingheng got on the sedan chair without even stopping.
The concubines waiting on the side also noticed that something was wrong, and gathered in groups of two or three to discuss it in low voices.
Seeing that the Queen Mother was very angry, Concubine Chen advised:
"The emperor is diligent in his work, and the empress dowager is his mother. As the saying goes, mother and son are connected by heart, so the empress dowager certainly knows what the emperor wants. It is not impossible for the empress dowager to choose for the emperor."
Although she said this, she was happier than anyone else in her heart.
After Xiao Jingheng left, the remaining people were all selected by the Queen Mother.
Even if the concubines selected by the Queen Mother entered the palace, they would definitely not be very close to Xiao Jingheng.
Later, Xiao Yinzi continued to report in a solemn voice:
"The beautiful lady is here to see you."
Seeing six beauties coming out of the pavilion one after another, Xiao Yinzi announced the name of one of them and then stepped forward.
"Song A-Bi, daughter of Song Qing, prefect of Yuzhou, fifteen years old."
"Meng Shuran, daughter of Meng Yu, Bincheng South Transport Division, 17 years old."
"Tong Rongyue, daughter of Jiangdu Navy Admiral Tong Chishan, 18 years old."
"......"
The Queen Mother didn't pay much attention to the people mentioned above.
When Xiao Yinzi read the name of Tong Rongyue, the Queen Mother suddenly whispered:
"The admiral is a first-rank official. I remember that she missed the opportunity to enter the palace last year because she was ill. How come Tong Chishan's daughter was ranked so far back in the palace selection this year?"
He glanced at Chen Fei and said, "You were the one who set the rankings for the talent show. Did you neglect it?"
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