Chapter 22

As Emperor Ming Shun was weak and frail, he could not see too many candidates at once. When it was the turn of the ladies from Jiaozhou, five days had already passed since their physical examination had taken place.

The two girls who shared a room with Su Mi had already gone to participate in the selection process, leaving Su Mi alone in the room.

These past few days, Su Mi had thought that Qin Yan would come to find her, but he never did. She understood perfectly well that they could not even be considered friends because of the vast difference in their social status.

She ridiculed herself inwardly, knowing that it was impossible for them to be friends.

Thinking that she would have to marry Li Xiuyuan upon returning, Su Mi suddenly felt a little aggrieved. Even if Qin Yan did not want to help her, why did he still try to stop her?

A commotion came from the front yard as the girls who had gone for the selection process were returning one by one. Su Mi restrained her emotions and looked out of the door, seeing Zhang Yue’er enter the room alone.

Upon her return, Zhang Yue’er propped her head up on the table, and although her makeup was natural, Su Mi could still tell that she had added some subtle touches to the makeup that the palace maids had applied for her, making her look “uglier.”

“Did you get eliminated?” Su Mi asked.

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“R tsv plzlnvle,” Hbydt Zwl’la pxkzle, cwv bla vsdl zynjle ldvbwpkypx. “Tso nswze R pvkzz tlv plzlnvle obld R’x zkjl vbkp?”

Fw Yk tzydnle yv Hbydt Zwl’la. Fbl alxlxclale vbyv okvbswv vbl xyjlwr, Hbydt Zwl’la yzalyeu bye caktbv lulp yde obkvl vllvb, yde pbl oyp rlvkvl yde elzknyvl. Ebld pbl pxkzle, vbl vos ekxrzlp sd bla qynl xyel bla zssj pollv.

Mbl qkapv vkxl vblu xlv kd Kkysgbsw, Hbydt Zwl’la bye rwarsplzu yrrzkle blyhu xyjlwr.

“Zwl’la, es usw byhl psxlvbkdt sd uswa xkde?” Fw Yk ypjle okvb y nsdnlyzle vsdl, dsv oydvkdt vs ypj bla ekalnvzu obu pbl eke dsv oydv vs ldvla vbl ryzynl.

“Fkpvla Fw, R oydv vs pvyu kd Nkydpbwk Uswdvu yde dsv zlyhl xu xsvbla, cwv xu qyvbla lhld vakle vs wpl bkp nsddlnvksdp vs xyjl xl ldvla vbl ryzynl.” Hbydt Zwl’la’p xsse oyp zso. “R lhld xyel xuplzq zssj wtzu, cwv obu eke vbl Oxrlasa pvkzz rknj xl?”

“Zwl’la,” Fw Yk qlzv psaau qsa Hbydt Zwl’la. Fbl bye clld yczl vs vyzj ekpalprlnvqwzzu ycswv vbl lxrlasa kd qasdv sq bla, yde pbl eke dsv jdso kq kv oyp clnywpl pbl vawpvle bla sa clnywpl pbl oyp vawzu wrplv.

“Lsv lhlau tkaz nyd xyaau vbl rlapsd pbl oydvp vs xyaau.” Fw Yk xwvvlale kd y hsknl vbyv sdzu pbl nswze blya, pwarakpkdt blaplzq okvb bla sod qllzkdtp.

Hbydt Zwl’la bwttle bla yaxp qsa y obkzl clqsal bla lulp vwadle ale. Jwv bla lxsvksdp pzsozu alvwadle vs dsaxyz yqvla y obkzl.

She rubbed her eyes and pulled up the corners of her mouth. “But perhaps this is also my good fortune, Sister Su, don’t you think so? Besides, I saw the Emperor, and he seemed very gentle. Maybe in the future, he will allow me to see my mother, and then I can also go to the city to see you.”

“Is the Emperor handsome?” Su Mi repeated in a low voice.

“Yes, he’s very handsome,” Zhang Yue’er replied.

Su Mi acknowledged it silently. She knew that Qin Yan had lied to her. He lied about everything to her, and when she thought of what had happened that day in the carriage, Su Mi felt even more uncomfortable and aggrieved.

In the imperial garden behind the palace, there are various rocks and beautiful trees, with a colorful pebble path carefully laid out along one side. Young women from various regions who failed to become court ladies are gathered here, standing in several rows alongside those who failed from the Jiaozhou region.

In the Floating Green Pavilion, Emperor Ming Shun, Zhu Jingyu, was seated. He wore a bright yellow imperial robe with a crown and a front ornament resembling a swallow, and his handsome features were not hidden despite his pale complexion. His eyes scan the young maidens outside the pavilion, carrying a hint of coldness.

In his eyes, these beautiful young women are divided into two categories: those that his minister, Zhang Huaian, recommended for him to choose and those that he should not choose. The only thing they have in common is the desire to be chosen by him and enjoy the royal privileges they believe come with it.

Unfortunately, they do not know that his world is an abyss, and he invites them to join him in its depths.

Emperor Ming Shun’s frown disappears, and he covers his cold expression with his usual warm smile. His servant, Lu Dehai, places a flower-patterned silk robe over his shoulders before he speaks.

 “Your Majesty, Lord Qin has worked tirelessly for you these past two years, travelling far and wide, but without any attendants. This proposal is also for the benefit of Lord Qin.”

Now that he was in power, Zhang Huaian spoke much more freely, or rather, he never had any reservations in front of Emperor Ming Shun.

Qin Yan must have someone by his side, and as the Chief of the Eastern Bureau, the closest people to him were either the royal guard or the eunuchs. In essence, the royal guard were the Emperor’s men, and therefore, Qin Yan’s men, while the eunuchs were even more so.

After the discussion within the pavilion, while all eyes are still fixed on the young maidens, Zhang Huaian intends to use this opportunity to plant a few close aides next to the emperor, and also to arrange for one next to Qin Yan. After all, there have been precedents where eunuchs have married.

Zhang Huaian expects Qin Yan to decline, but Qin Yan only smiles and says, “Honorable elders are truly concerned for me. In that case, I won’t refuse.”

He turned to face Zhu Jingyu and said, “Your Majesty, Prime Minister Zhang has kindly offered to let me choose from among these ladies.I request your permission to do so.”

 “Alright.”

 Zhang Huaian squints at the young maidens below; most of them are from families with officials under his command. Even if not now, they will be in the future. 

As for the remaining civilians and merchants, he does not expect Qin Yan to choose them. Qin Yan has always been arrogant, and merchants and commoners cannot match his identity.

Zhang Huaian watched as Qin Yan walked from the pavilion towards the remaining unsuccessful candidates, with a faint smile on his face. It seemed like he was really carefully selecting, as he glanced at each one but didn’t linger for long.

Su Zhen is among them. She has good hearing and can faintly hear that the emperor wants to bestow one of them upon the Eastern Bureau’s chief !

 This fills her heart with conflicting emotions. Qin Yan’s appearance is the most beautiful she has ever seen, but unfortunately, he is a eunuch!

Even if his power soars, how can she keep his heart if she cannot give him a child?

Yet, when she looks up, his jade-like appearance is unforgettable. What if he chooses her?

“Are these all the people?”

When the eunuch who was sent to summon Su Mi to the Imperial Garden arrived, Zhang Yue’er happened to say she was tired and lay down on the bed to rest. Su Mi then sorted out her belongings, because, after all, once today’s event was over, she had to return to the city of Jiangling.

Su Mi followed the leading eunuch with an uneasy heart into the Imperial Garden behind the palace. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Su Zhen, and also, Qin Yan standing in front of the candidates.

His appearance was outstanding, and just standing there without moving, his tall and slender figure made it difficult for people to look away. It would be false to say she didn’t blame him. The first time they met, when she mistakenly thought he was going to throw her out to Li Xiuyuan, she didn’t even think to blame him. But just now, when she saw him for the first time after so many days, she inexplicably turned her head away awkwardly and didn’t want to look at him again.

Su Mi was led by the eunuch to the back of the line, where the position was reserved for candidates who came from commercial and merchant backgrounds. She was angry in her heart and deliberately refrained from looking at Qin Yan again, so naturally, she did not notice that since she arrived, Qin Yan’s gaze had not been given to any other candidates.

Zhu Jingyu couldn’t stay outside for too long, as he didn’t have much energy left. He rubbed his dizzy forehead.

“Qin Yan, have you made your decision yet since you’ve finished looking?”

“Your Majesty, I’ve made my decision.”

Qin Yan’s words weighed heavily on Su Mi’s heart, but what decision could he make? Wasn’t it the emperor who chose the palace maidens?

Suddenly, she remembered Qin Yan’s words from before.

[You will never have the opportunity to marry someone else.]

Did he mean…

Qin Yan’s silence made Su Mi nervous. Had she been overthinking?

“Come here.” Qin Yan suddenly spoke with an undeniable tone.

He called her? Su Mi sneakily looked up and saw Qin Yan looking at her with an unmistakable smile in his eyes.

In fact, all the other candidates, including Su Zhen, heard this sentence and couldn’t help but look at him. They could see his handsome face and the unreserved gaze directed towards the woman who had just arrived.

Under the scrutiny of the candidates and a few ministers, Su Mi took a step forward.

“I, Su Mi, pay my respects to Your Majesty,” she bowed towards Zhu Jingyu, then turned to bow to Qin Yan, “and to Lord Qin.”

Qin Yan approached Su Mi within three feet and bent his waist.

The intense scent of sandalwood mingled with the natural momentum coming from his python robe, weighing heavily on Su Mi and almost making it hard for her to breathe. Then, he whispered in her ear in a low voice that no one else could hear.

“Do you want to come with me?”