The last imperial concubine selection was in the tenth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, a full eight years ago. Apart from some who had reached the age limit and couldn't wait any longer, and were granted special permission to marry, there was a large group of older unmarried members of the imperial clan who had submitted memorials upon hearing the news, waiting to get married.
According to Qing Dynasty regulations, all Manchu women who met the selection criteria had to undergo the selection process and be rejected before they had the right to marry. Those who married without going through the selection process and whose entire families were enslaved were also subject to such treatment.
Of course, if they secretly like each other, they can ask someone to speak to the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, or the Empress. Unless the Emperor takes a liking to them at first sight, they won't be kept on a whim. If they happen to meet someone from a respectable family, they might even receive a marriage decree from the palace.
Of course, there aren't many of these this year.
After all, the emperor was still in his prime, and there were still vacancies for the positions of concubines in the harem. Including the crown prince, there were only five princes in total. There were quite a few ambitious young women among the Manchu, Han, Mongol and other bannermen.
This greatly increased the vigilance of the concubines in the harem. Ever since they heard that the imperial concubine selection was about to begin, the entire harem was filled with a sense of unease and anxiety.
Even Consort Tong couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Lady Tongjia sent over a lot of information, basically asking her to select one or two women to serve as her assistants in the future. Consort Tong felt a pang of bitterness, but she suppressed her resentment and silently flipped through the documents. However, after only the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she could no longer hold back.
A palace maid stepped forward and gently loosened Consort Tong's hair, running her fingers through it and softly pressing to relax it. After a moment, Consort Tong's brows and eyes finally relaxed, and she let out a long, soothing sigh.
Granny Zhao quickly took away the list from the table.
She tiptoed out of the room, and only shook her head at another palace maid when she reached the door.
Everyone sighed and groaned.
Everyone could see the decline of Chengqian Palace, but seeing the master's heartbroken appearance, no one could say anything.
All of this was too cruel for the master.
The head maid and the senior palace maid were completely focused on the Imperial Concubine. The other junior palace maids could clearly see the anxiety on their faces and gathered in twos and threes in the courtyard, whispering among themselves.
The palace maids envied Hai Tao the most, who left Chengqian Palace with Consort Qi. Now, as Consort Qi's head palace maid, she was admired wherever she went, making the other palace maids, who were also of humble origin, extremely envious. They even forgot that they were among those who mocked Hai Tao when she left.
"A talent show..."
"Who knows, in another two months, we'll have a new benefactor or a senior official here."
"I'll be satisfied as long as they don't agree to what Uya did!"
“This is a general election, and the daughters of good families from the Eight Banners are all of high quality. They are definitely much better than the Uya clan.”
Laughter echoed in the courtyard.
The chatting palace maids were completely unaware that a pale face was pressed against the window, and clear black and white eyes were staring straight at them.
A talent show! A talent show?
Where did the imperial concubine selection come from in the eighteenth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign? Wuya's dazed mind seemed to snap out of its daze in an instant. She blinked her blank eyes, her neck making a cracking sound, and looked around in confusion.
A dark and cramped dormitory room.
The objects were covered in a layer of dust, and the bedding smelled of decay. Uya jumped up in alarm, only to find herself wearing nothing but a yellowed, worn-out single garment.
She stumbled and staggered as she went to find the bronze mirror.
The mirror reflected a haggard face. The once well-maintained, fair and delicate skin had become sallow, with drooping eye bags, faint wrinkles, and clumps of hair...
Uya agreed to the teeth fighting.
She stared in horror at the woman in the mirror, nearly covering her mouth to scream. Uya agreed and slammed the mirror down on the table with force, the crashing sound attracting the attention of the palace servants outside. They shouted for water.
The palace maid looked impatient.
She pushed the door open and was about to sternly reprimand Wuya for agreeing to be quiet when she was startled by Wuya's reddened eyes.
The maid muttered some curses, then smiled sheepishly, "Please wait here, my lady, I'll go fetch some water right away."
Turning around, Wuya heard her and the other palace maids complaining: "I don't know what's gotten into them today, they actually want to use water."
"Perhaps he has regained consciousness?"
"Tsk, stop talking. It's good enough that you're not crazy." The palace maid scoffed.
Uya agreed, biting her lip.
She straightened up, silently fetched a basin of water, boiled it, and began to wash herself, scrubbing her skin vigorously. In the vast imperial harem, without beauty or status… was she destined to spend her entire life enduring the scolding of maids and servants? No, no!
Uya agreed, biting her lip tightly.
She was deep in thought when she suddenly looked up at the palace maid carrying the basin of water and called out, "What time is it now?"
The maid who entered was not the same one from before, but a younger one. She had heard many rumors about Consort Wuya before, and now she was so frightened that her hand trembled and she almost spilled the whole basin of water on the ground.
The young palace maid was terrified.
She stammered, "Reporting to Your Highness, it is now the fifth day of the seventh month, and the Qixi Festival will be in two days."
"The fifth day of the seventh month, the fifth day of the seventh month..." Wuya's eyes gradually lit up. She still had a chance! She still had a chance!
The biggest earthquake of the 18th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign will occur at the end of the month!
If she could save the emperor during the earthquake, she would surely have everything!
Uya agreed and let out a deep breath.
Her gaze fell on the anxious palace maid, and she had another idea in mind.
Compared to the seasoned veterans who had spent years in the palace, the young palace maid before her was naive, which also meant she was easier to handle. A thousand thoughts flashed through Wuya's mind in an instant. She asked softly, "What... is your name?"
"This servant's name is Wang Qing."
"Is this your original name?"
"Yes, I am just a third-class palace maid who has just entered the palace," the palace maid Wang Qing said cautiously.
"Jiangcheng is like a painting, and the mountains are bathed in the clear sky at dusk. It really is a good name," Wuya replied with a smile.
Wang Qing could not hide her surprise.
Everyone in Chengqian Palace says that Consort Wuya has gone mad. But can a madwoman really state her name and purpose so readily? Consort Wuya is the first person to do so since entering the palace!
Uya promised to cheer up and try to turn things around with one last chance, while Wan Anran was busy in the palace, trying to pass the test of Qixi Festival through repeated practice.
First, leave a bowl of water out for a whole day.
The next day, you have to carefully place a needle on the water's surface. If it sinks, you don't even have the right to speak.
But will it pass if I just put it on?
That's not entirely true. In the palace, there were many other interpretations: if the needle shadow resembled a shuttle, it meant you would be good at weaving; if the needle shadow was thick at one end and thin at the other, like a pestle, it meant you would be good at washing clothes; and if the needle shadows were exactly the same, it meant you would be excellent at embroidery.
What if it's thick at both ends and thin in the middle?
Sorry, that just means you're a complete idiot! Wan Anran puffed out her cheeks after trying several times and still failing, and tried again and again, unwilling to give up.
Zisu thought the water bowl was quite practical.
Despite having devised a wool yarn that became wildly popular and caused a sensation in Mongolia, even earning the title of "Wool Goddess" among local herders, only the people of Chuxiu Palace actually knew about it.
The master's most impressive knitting achievements are probably the clothes for the young prince, and there are only a few of them.
Wan Anran struggled for a long time before finally giving up in despair.
Her cheeks puffed up in anger as she muttered indignantly, "There must be something wrong with the timing, otherwise how could it be a fool every time?"
Haitao stepped forward and gave it a try.
Zisu stepped forward and tried it.
After Ju Bai also tried it, Wan Anran simply closed her eyes and pretended not to see, so she wouldn't know how everyone else fared.
After the Qixi Festival, there were more and more news about the young ladies-in-waiting. Especially towards the end of the month, Wan Anran was surprised to see Wuya, the lady-in-waiting.
Following behind Consort Tong, she was docile, honest, and well-mannered, showing no trace of her former self. Of course, her much older appearance made the other concubines feel sorry for her, and even the Empress Dowager comforted her with a word of pity: "Consort Wuya, you are still young, and you have a long life ahead of you."
Uya agreed with a smile.
She bowed deeply and said in a romantic voice, "Thank you for your grace, Empress Dowager! I have been ill for so long, and I am only able to recover thanks to the care of the Noble Consort."
The Empress Dowager was somewhat surprised.
Because of Consort Qi's affair, she had never liked Consort Tong. But this time, her opinion changed slightly, and the Empress Dowager smiled at Consort Tong, saying, "Consort Tong has been doing very well lately."
Consort Tong's eyes were red.
She hurriedly got up and apologized, relieved that she hadn't done anything foolish this time.
If it weren't for the palace maid Wang Qing telling her that the maids in the back courtyard, taking advantage of the old women's indifference, used the excuse that Wuya had gone mad to lock her up in a room and abuse her, it might have come to light someday...
After thinking about the matter of Consort Qi and the changes in the Emperor, the Grand Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager's attitude towards her, Consort Tong immediately punished a group of palace servants without saying a word and gave Consort Wuya a good restorative treatment.
Empress Niohuru smiled and didn't interrupt.
The concubines exchanged glances—only the naive Empress Dowager could believe such things.
It's been almost nine months.
Why didn't Consort Tong discover this sooner or later? Why did she only discover it now? Last time, she could say she was blinded by the palace servants, but this time... it can only be said that Consort Tong has absolutely no ability to manage her subordinates!
Only Consort Tong was happy!
Wan Anran took a sip of tea, and as she watched the concubines, she quickly changed the subject to gossip about the young ladies-in-waiting.
Although the selection process for this batch of candidates has not yet begun, news of it is already flying everywhere, leaving onlookers like Wan Anran with a belly full of gossip, and making them realize that being a "chameleon" is not an easy thing.
Over here, Consort An and Consort Jing are talking about the imperial concubine Guarjia, who is said to be renowned for her beauty and exceptional talent in the capital. Over there, Consort Xi and Consort Duan are discussing the imperial concubine Jinjia, who is said to have a waist so slender it could be encircled by one hand, and who has studied dance for ten years, possessing a graceful figure. And of course, there's also the gossip surrounding the imperial concubine Hesheli…
Consort Hui's expressions were all quite meaningful.
The late Empress's younger sister is still young and not yet of age for the imperial concubine selection. This woman is a distant relative of the Hesheli clan, yet her demeanor vaguely resembles that of the late Empress, inevitably sparking some speculation.
Empress Niohuru coughed.
She placed the teacup on the table with a light touch: "The Emperor has already said that he wants to choose a good family in the capital. If you have any recommendations, please let us know."
Not staying in the palace?
Everyone felt as if they had eaten a rotten melon, and their spirits immediately plummeted.
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