Not only the show girls, but even Ximen Xinyue rose, standing above the show girls.
To be honest, most of the time, she really didn't dare to offend that woman. That woman was a ruthless killer. Don't think that having an emperor meant she could do whatever she wanted. If she angered her, the emperor might not be able to do anything.
This was her understanding, and the smartest one.
Outside the main hall, everyone crowded around a radiant woman as she walked in. Her entire being was elegant, clad in a white silk robe, which trailed long on the ground. There was no sound of rustling from her, and she was as ethereal as a wisp of cloud from heaven.
Her black hair, like ink, was loosely tied, and embedded with a few jade beads, their lustrous green hue exuding spiritual light. As she entered the hall, everyone's expressions changed.
Qingyao slowly walked in, and what met her eyes was a riot of colors.
Ximen Xinyue quickly led the show girls to pay their respects: "This concubine, along with all the show girls, greets Her Majesty the Empress."
"We greet Her Majesty the Empress."
A clear chorus echoed through the hall.
Qingyao raised her eyebrows slightly, and her cool voice resonated through the hall: "Everyone, rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Everyone stood up and lined up on both sides, none daring to say anything more. Only after Qingyao sat down on one side of the high seat did the Shu Consort, Ximen Xinyue, follow and sit below her.
Finally, the protagonist of the day made their grand entrance. The eunuch Ah Jiu's voice rang out: "His Majesty has arrived."
Upon hearing that the Emperor had arrived, many of the show girls' cheeks flushed red.
The Emperor was still the dragon among men, a rare handsome man in the world. To be able to enter the palace to serve His Majesty was truly a great fortune. Everyone knelt in unison to pay their respects: "We greet His Majesty."
No one dared to lift their heads to gaze at the Emperor as he entered the hall. They could only look at the ground, slightly raising their eyelids, and saw a pair of black boots embroidered with coiled dragons walking past. Only then did a clear, resonant, and magnetic voice sound from the high seat: "Everyone, rise."
Murong Liuzun turned his head to look at Qingyao, who was standing to the side, and slowly smiled, saying, "Yao'er, please sit down."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Qingyao calmly sat down, her expression indifferent. It was impossible to discern what she was thinking at the moment. Her emotions were as still as a deep sea, without a ripple.
Ximen Xinyue, seated below Qingyao, stood up and smiled charmingly at the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, my sisters have all entered. Your Majesty, please take a look and see if you fancy any of them. They are all beautiful like flowers."
As Ximen Xinyue praised the show girls below, she glanced at Mu Qingyao. Her greatest intention was to anger Qingyao, but this woman remained unperturbed, causing Ximen Xinyue herself to be quite upset.
"Mm, Xinyue is thoughtful."
The Emperor withdrew his gaze from Qingyao, turned his head to look at the woman below, and his pupils filled with light as he looked at the pretty girls.
This was a man's natural reaction to beautiful women, a primal instinct of the hunter, which he couldn't help but reveal.
Meanwhile, Qingyao had been quietly observing the Emperor. She saw his pupils were deep and his expression seemed somewhat agitated, with a swirling luster in his eyes.
Qingyao turned her head, her brows furrowed in thought. The Emperor had never been a lecherous person, yet at this moment, he was clearly a man who liked women.
Moreover,
A fleeting thought crossed her mind. Yin Xuan had once said that those who used disguises dared not display overly strong emotions, because if observed closely, they would still reveal flaws, their expressions not quite natural.
Natural, yes. All along, she had felt something was strange, that the Emperor's expressions were not quite natural.
Qingyao quickly turned her head to look at the man beside her. He was clearly excited, yet the skin on his face showed no significant fluctuation, remaining dark and unperturbed. So, he...
Qingyao's heart suddenly ached with grief. Her heart felt as though it was tearing apart. She had never dreamed of such a possibility.
She dug her fingernails into her flesh with force, feeling as though she could barely breathe. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her face. She had no feelings about the upcoming selection process; her mind felt numb.
If this Emperor was fake, then where was the real Liuzun?
What might have happened to him?
Qingyao dared not even think about it. What if something really had happened to Liuzun?
If it weren't for her exceptional self-control, she would have jumped up by now. However, she could only endure, fearing she might reveal a flaw and startle the person beside her.
She dug her hands into her flesh with force. The pain stimulated her, reminding her not to act impulsively...
Even though she was restraining herself, the person beside her still noticed her abnormality. One was the Emperor, the other was Xiao Yu'er. The former cast a concerned glance, a smile playing on his lips, and slowly asked, "What's wrong, Yao'er? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
He assumed Qingyao was asking because he was about to take a concubine.
Even Xiao Yu'er thought so. With concern, she reached out to hold her mother's hand, which was ice-cold. Startled and in pain, she thought, *Mother, I'm sorry.* Clutching Qingyao's hand tightly, she regretted not having stopped her from returning that day.
Snapping back to reality, her forehead was covered in beads of sweat, and a few strands of hair clung to her face. Her face was deathly pale. Fortunately, it was the selection ceremony, and if observed by those with ulterior motives, everyone would assume she couldn't accept the Emperor taking a concubine.
Ximen Xinyue's face was filled with arrogance and extreme smugness. The Emperor was taking a concubine, and this woman finally couldn't hold back.
Her efforts had not been in vain. She had thought this woman could pretend for so long. It turned out she was just like everyone else.
Thinking this, Ximen Xinyue couldn't help but let out a chuckle: "Sister, are you too sad? Your Majesty, Sister's face has changed. Doesn't Sister want His Majesty to take a concubine?"
Xiao Yu'er glared furiously: "You?"
Mochou and Bingxiao looked at their mistress simultaneously, unsure how to speak. Would their mistress really embarrass the Emperor in front of so many people?
If such a thing happened, it was likely that by tomorrow, the entire city of Lin'an would know that their mistress was jealous. This was Ximen Xinyue's intention.
Meanwhile, in the vast and empty hall of the Imperial harem, several beauties had already emerged from the ten women. Their complexions were a mixture of red and white, fearing that their beautiful dreams would fall through. Their eyes were wide open, and their breathing was rapid, as they stared intently at Her Majesty the Empress.
Everyone was looking at Qingyao. Although she had shown some anomaly earlier, it was almost instantaneous, and she quickly recovered. A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"What are you saying, Shu Consort? Since His Majesty has the intention, how could I possibly stop him? As the mistress of the three palaces, don't I have this duty?"
Her respectful and cool voice rang out. The Emperor, seated beside her, narrowed his eyes, a dark glint flashing. She seemed a little different. She was said to be very jealous before; why was she now agreeing to him taking a concubine?