"Huanhuan's slender waist is like that of a woman from the Chu Palace, but spring comes and her fragrance fades and her beauty withers. The feng shui of the Forbidden City is nurturing, and it will surely not cause you to lose your beauty and fragrance."
Hearing Da Ju's words, everyone understood that Zhen Huan had been selected, and the eunuch next to her immediately announced that she would keep her nameplate and be given a sachet.
[What kind of feng shui in the Forbidden City is said to nourish people? It's clearly feng shui that bites people! Almost all of the women selected for the imperial concubine selection this time are dead!]
Zhen Huan had just returned to her seat when she heard this sentence and couldn't help but widen her eyes.
Were they all completely dead?
“Sun Miaoqing, the sixteen-year-old sister of Sun Zhuhe, the Suzhou textile manufacturer.”
Oh, it's my turn. The sooner I finish my noodles, the sooner I can go home.
Da Ju's forehead twitched, but Sun Miaoqing, kneeling below, didn't notice at all.
"Your subject, Sun Miaoqing, greets Your Majesty and Empress Dowager. May Your Majesty and Empress Dowager enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
My brother said that if a woman makes it to the final selection but is then sent home, she'll have a better chance of finding a good husband than those who don't make it.
[To save face, they spent a considerable amount of money bribing Consort Hua. Anyway, with my looks, I definitely won't be chosen; it's just a formality.]
However, those who can become emperors possess a certain charisma; it's just that their voices are so imposing—truly the farts of gods, extraordinary indeed.
Da Ju discovered that he could hear what Sun Miaoqing was thinking. He was about to have a cup of tea to calm his nerves when he heard these words.
How could this girl be thinking such vulgar things?
He was so startled that he choked and coughed for a while before he recovered.
【Huh, why is he coughing?】
[My face isn't that ugly... right? Did I scare the emperor so much he choked?]
Facing the Empress Dowager's concerned gaze, Da Ju said, "I'm fine, Mother, don't worry."
The Empress Dowager said, "It's good that you're alright. You're such a grown-up, yet you're still so careless when you drink water."
After putting the teacup back, Da Ju asked, "Your name is... Sun Miaoqing?"
“The younger sister of Sun Zhuhe, the Suzhou textile manufacturer.”
Sun Miaoqing replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
[Hey, I've never heard of an emperor having such a bad memory. Didn't that eunuch just read it once?]
I don't know what good things my sister-in-law prepared at home; I've gotten so thin from hunger after half a day.
Upon hearing this, Daju, who had just recovered, couldn't help but cough again.
You lost weight in just half a day?
Looking at Sun Miaoqing standing outside, well, there wasn't a single concubine in his harem who was fatter than her!
“Raise your head.”
Sun Miaoqing lifted her face like Zhen Huan, and Da Ju looked at her carefully.
Should he say that the two are indeed siblings? Sun Miaoqing and her brother Sun Zhuhe look even more alike than Zhen Huan and Chun Yuan.
Especially those thick lips and that double chin!
He had never believed in ghosts or gods, so this was the first time he had encountered something like this, which was quite interesting.
"Make a note of it for future use."
Sun Miaoqing never expected to be selected; this wasn't in the TV series!
[That chubby orange cat is really quite philanthropic; it even has its share of people like me. Its taste is truly baffling.]
[My brother spent so much money bribing Consort Hua, and now it's all gone to waste. He's lost both his sister and money; how am I going to explain this to him when we get back?]
Da Ju was speechless. Was he, the ruler of a country, not worthy of a little girl?
Consort Hua...
He could hear what Sun Miaoqing was thinking, and keeping her around was making the best use of her.
The Empress Dowager, unaware of what Da Ju was thinking, stared at him in shock. Perhaps her gaze was too intense, for Da Ju turned his head and seemed to see his mother's silent question: When did he develop this hobby?
Alas, everyone is drunk while I alone am sober.
So lonely~
... ...
Sun Miaoqing, Shen Meizhuang, and Zhen Huan were all recorded by name and kept on the list. When they left, they nodded to each other and went their separate ways.
Lin Muyun and Sun Miaoqing walked hand in hand, constantly looking at her as they went.
Sun Miaoqing asked, "Mu Yun, why are you looking at me like that? Do I have flowers on my face?"
Lin Muyun said, "I didn't see the flower on your face, but the Emperor certainly did."
"You're making fun of me again."
Sun Miaoqing said unhappily, "I don't want to go to the palace. The emperor is old enough to be my father."
Upon hearing this, Lin Muyun glanced around in alarm. Fortunately, there were only the two of them on the palace road; otherwise, if someone had overheard, the joyous occasion would have immediately turned into a tragedy.
"You haven't even left the palace yet, and you dare to say such things."
"The emperor is the Son of Heaven. Which woman in the world doesn't want to enter the palace? What a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to rise to prominence."
Sun Miaoqing said, "Yes, aren't you one?"
Lin Muyun was speechless for a moment, then said awkwardly, "My situation is...it's different!"
"Now that you have been selected, you will be the Emperor's concubine. Your status will be different from before, so you must be careful with your words and actions and prepare well for entering the palace."
Sun Miaoqing nodded reluctantly with a long face. The place was full of shrewd people, both brave and calculating. How was she going to live like this?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
