“Liu’er, come and sit by my side,” the empress dowager said tenderly, beckoning to Liu Liu.
Liu Liu gracefully moved to the empress dowager’s couch and sat next to her aunt. The empress dowager held Liu Liu’s hand and gazed at Consort Zhang below.
“I have always admired Liu’er’s character, her detachment and unwillingness to quarrel. Consort Zhang, you will have to take good care of her from now on.”
“Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will not fail to live up to your expectations. Sister is such a perceptive person, she will surely be deeply favored by the Emperor.”
Liu Liu, who had initially felt favorably towards Consort Zhang, frowned. A trace of displeasure settled in her eyes. It seemed this woman was also one to flatter and curry favor. Why should she try to befriend her? The women in this palace revolved around one man, and none of them were worth befriending.
“You may sit down as well,” the empress dowager said, very pleased with Consort Zhang’s words. She finally granted her a seat. Consort Zhang glanced at Liu Liu on the couch and felt a faint pang of jealousy. The empress dowager’s own niece, what immense honor this was.
She wondered what rank she would achieve in today’s selection, but it would surely be higher than her own current rank.
“Liu’er, don’t be nervous. No matter what the Emperor says, your aunt is here for you,” the empress dowager admonished gently, fearing Liu Liu would be wronged. She would never allow Liu Liu to suffer any injustice.
The Emperor was destined to choose Liu Liu as Empress today, as per the late Emperor’s will. If the Emperor dared to disobey, the heir apparent would be deposed and a younger prince would be enthroned.
“Thank you, Aunt,” Liu Liu said softly, but inwardly she snorted. If only the Emperor wouldn’t choose her, how carefree she would be. She would be thanking the heavens three times a day. xxs壹贰
“Your Majesty, please do not worry. The Emperor has always been filial and knows how much you dote on Sister. He will surely make Sister the Empress,” Consort Zhang said. As soon as she finished, the empress dowager smiled in satisfaction. Liu Liu’s body trembled, her face turning somewhat pale.
For heaven’s sake, she didn’t want to be Empress at all, to become a target for everyone’s envy.
Unaware of Liu Liu’s inner thoughts, the empress dowager assumed she was merely timid and comforted her softly, “Liu’er, don’t worry. Aunt will teach you when the time comes.”
“Yes,” Liu Liu felt her head spinning. In just this short while, she was already exhausted. The palace rules were so complex, she couldn’t possibly be that exalted woman, the mother of the nation. It would be better to let her live or die in the palace as she pleased.
As the empress dowager was speaking with Liu Liu, a bold figure burst in, calling out playfully, “Hmm, where’s Mother?”
The newcomer was none other than the current Emperor’s own sister, Princess Feng Wuyang. If anyone could shout in Cining Palace, it was her. Feng Wuyang flashed into the hall with a smile. Upon seeing Liu Liu sitting with her mother, she rushed over quickly.
“Second Cousin, you’re finally here! I missed you so much! Brother Emperor wouldn’t let me leave the palace, or I would have come to find you long ago,” Feng Wuyang nuzzled against Liu Liu like a puppy, showing extreme affection.
The empress dowager beside them chided her dotingly, “You’re so grown up now, why are you still acting like a child? Today is Liu’er’s day for the imperial selection. Don’t cling to her like this.”
“Imperial selection?” Feng Wuyang’s eyes widened. She looked Liu Liu up and down. No wonder Second Cousin looked even more refined and elegant; she had applied a light dusting of powder. Indeed, she looked beautiful with or without makeup, becoming even more graceful and charming. Thinking of her own brother, she couldn’t help but frown, “Brother Emperor is simply not worthy of Second Cousin. Why not betroth Second Cousin to Second Brother?”
As soon as Feng Wuyang finished speaking, the empress dowager’s face immediately darkened, and she reprimanded her, “Feng Wuyang, you are too presumptuous.”
Consort Zhang below inwardly agreed. Princess Wuyang had always been arrogant and willful, but why was she so close to the woman above? She had tried to curry favor with her for years but had never received a good look from her.
“Did I say something wrong? Brother Emperor will have many women in the future. Second Cousin is talented and beautiful. Why should she share one husband with so many women? Second Brother is much better; his manor can have only Second Cousin,” Feng Wuyang was not at all afraid of her mother’s displeasure. After all, her mother had never been able to do anything about her since she was little.
“Feng Wuyang, you?” The empress dowager’s face turned ashen, appearing ready to fly into a rage. Liu Liu quickly tugged on the empress dowager’s hand and said softly, “Aunt, please don’t mind her. Wuyang is just childish. Please don’t be angry.”
Feng Wuyang wanted to say more, but Liu Liu immediately gave her a look, and she held back, pouting her lips, which made her even more adorable and charming.
The empress dowager glanced at Liu Liu. “Liu’er is still so refined. I’ve spoiled this girl too much. It seems I need to discipline her properly from now on.” The empress dowager sighed and waved her hand, “Enough. She won’t feel comfortable if she doesn’t stir up trouble for a day.”
As soon as Feng Wuyang saw that her mother was no longer angry with her, she became energetic again. She ran to the empress dowager’s side and said with a grin, “Mother, the imperial selection ceremony is about to begin. Let’s go to Zhuxiu Palace.”
“You, I knew you wanted to see the excitement,” the empress dowager said helplessly as she got up. Feng Wuyang quickly darted to the center, pulling her mother with one hand and Liu Liu with the other, laughing happily, “Let’s go! I heard there are many beautiful women from the capital today. I’m just going to take a look.”
Consort Zhang watched the three women in front walk out, as if they had forgotten her existence. She felt a bit awkward, her eyes blankly staring. Fortunately, the empress dowager remembered her and turned back to instruct, “Consort Zhang, go to Zhuxiu Palace. You should also observe and tell the Emperor which ones are more suitable to stay in the palace.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Consort Zhang curtsied, rose, and led her maids to follow. The group headed towards Zhuxiu Palace.
Zhuxiu Palace was the palace where imperial selections were held in previous dynasties. It was silent inside, with only a female official lecturing. Her face was gloomy as she scanned the noble daughters, the heavenly beauties, before her.
“Although you may have been young ladies of noble families in your homes, once you stand here, you are no longer young ladies from your homes. Those chosen will become the Emperor’s women, and those not chosen will return to await marriage. Those chosen must abide by the palace rules and cannot be as willful and reckless as before.”
The female official was speaking enthusiastically when the voice of a young eunuch was heard from outside the palace gates: “The Empress Dowager has arrived, Consort Zhang has arrived, and the Princess has arrived.”
The female official immediately led the women selected for the imperial selection to welcome the empress dowager, “We greet the Empress Dowager, Consort Zhang, and the Princess, long live.”
Liu Liu, noticing that everyone else was kneeling and paying respects, quickly slipped to the back and stood in place. The empress dowager paid her no mind and waved her hand, saying clearly, “Everyone rise.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The empress dowager ascended the high seat and sat on the couch. Little Princess Feng Wuyang sat close beside her mother. Looking up, she saw Liu Liu standing among a large group of prospective consorts.
Just as she was about to call out to her, the empress dowager patted Feng Wuyang’s hand, signaling her to be quiet and not lose her princess’s decorum.
Consort Zhang sat next to the empress dowager’s lower seat, dignified and luxurious, adorned with jewels and pearls, graceful and charming. She gazed at the group of prospective consorts standing below with an air of noble demeanor.
Even if some of these prospective consorts held a higher rank than her, she had entered the palace first, and others would still have to respectfully address her as ‘sister’.