Palace Scheming: the Queen In the Cold Palace I

Chapter 38: The first show of power in the draft (3)

"Back to the emperor, Yun Qing has indeed settled all the draft matters! I wonder if the emperor's words mean that Yun Qing failed to handle it well?" Yun Qing stood up and replied without being humble or arrogant, not paying attention to He Ruowan's gloating.

She knew that he always liked to embarrass her, and now he started to accuse him, which only made her more comfortable. She believes that when everything becomes a habit, there will be no more feelings.

Looking at her calm expression, Xuanyuan Ze's eyes couldn't help but deepen again. He couldn't help but imagine how charming she must be when she was chatting in this hall just now!

The person arranged by Chang Le had reported all the process of the queen's selection of the beauty in detail, which made him almost want to go down to the court immediately and come to have a glimpse of her charming style.

It's a pity that she never likes to talk much in front of herself. She seems to be avoiding herself, and she seems to be unwilling to stay with him for a moment longer.

well! With a sigh in his heart, he swept the hall again and asked dissatisfiedly: "I would like to ask the queen, how many beautiful girls should be admitted to my harem this time?"

Damn it, there must be hundreds of women in front of her. As a queen, is she so eager to fill up her harem?

"Back to the emperor, there is a rule in the Tianque Palace. The emperor's talent show is held every three years. No more than thirty beautiful girls can enter the palace at one time! The quota of beautiful girls is submitted by each state and county. The upper limit is one thousand, and the lower limit cannot be lower. With a quota of 600, the remaining ones can choose to enter the palace as maids and serve as female officials. As the first batch of drafts, the emperor can admit fifty to eighty beautiful ladies into the palace at one time, so Yunqing selects one for the emperor. There are one hundred and eight beautiful girls for the emperor to choose from. If the emperor feels that there are too few, there are still hundreds of beautiful girls in the Beixiu Palace. Yunqing can send someone to bring them. "

Yun Qing lowered her head and responded, making Xuanyuan Ze's eyes widen. He didn't expect that she understood it in such detail.

What’s even more hateful is that she actually misinterpreted her meaning and deliberately said that she was too young...

Originally, he was just annoyed that she would blame her for leaving so much trouble for him, but now it seems that he can't help her.

Glancing at the beautiful women below him again, he frowned helplessly, hummed lightly, and then said: "That's enough, that's enough, let's get started!"

"Yes! This is the list of beautiful girls, please take a look at it!" Yun Qing nodded slightly, then respectfully handed the list of beautiful girls to Xuanyuan Ze, and ordered Xiao Taohong to have the prepared flowers and golden hairpins placed on the Put them on two silver plates and place them respectfully in front of Xuanyuan Ze.

The selection method inherited from Tianque: Anyone who is admired for flowers is the woman selected by the emperor. The gift of the hairpin is a kind of comfort to the unsuccessful woman. Therefore, to see whether the beautiful girl is selected, you only need to look at whether the emperor rewards her with flowers or hairpins.

 "Chang Le! Start nominating me in order according to the names above!" Xuanyuan Ze casually took the list of beautiful girls handed over by Yun Qing after sweeping the crowd, glanced at it briefly, and asked Chang Le to take it.

"The servant is here!" Chang Le flicked his whisk, took two steps forward, respectfully took the list of show girls, then stood up straight and shouted in a sharp voice: "All the show girls are lined up from left to right. , everyone who hears the nomination is required to state his/her net worth, name and age in the first three steps! Do you understand?"

 “Yes!” All the ladies responded in unison, and then they all stood nervously at His Highness, waiting with bated breath for Eunuch Chang’s nomination.

 “Xinlan, Queen of Show, please come forward!”

"Here!" As Chang Le's unique high-pitched voice sang, the first woman whose name was called couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat. Then she hurriedly walked out of the crowd, stood dignifiedly in front of the hall, and bowed respectfully. , and then reported her name according to the etiquette: "Your Majesty Queen Xinlan, she is fifteen years old! She is the direct daughter of the Wang family, and she is the third in the family. She has one brother, two sisters, and two younger brothers! My father serves in the court and is an official. The third grade belongs to the Inspector General and the Inspector General."

"Well, reward!" Xuanyuan Ze's handsome eyebrows were indifferent. He didn't even look at the woman who lowered her head and held her breath. He picked up a gold hairpin and asked the maid standing beside him to send it away.

As soon as the other party received the gold hairpin, he was filled with tears, but he did not dare to raise his head. He only gave a slight blessing, thanked the emperor, and then left sadly.

"Beautiful girl Zhou Jinyu, please come forward!" Chang Le flicked his whisker, and the second beautiful girl nervously crossed the crowd and came to the emperor. She turned around tremblingly and said softly: "Your Majesty Zhou Jinyu, I am fifteen years old. The daughter of a concubine of the Zhou family, she is the second oldest in the family. She has an elder sister, two younger sisters and a younger brother! Her father works in Fulin County and is the seventh-level magistrate!"

"Well, reward!" Xuanyuan Ze still didn't look at them. He had no intention of seeing the appearance of these beautiful girls. He dismissed more than twenty beautiful girls in a row, which made Yun Qing secretly anxious.

 Fortunately, this show book contains only insignificant ordinary beauties. If this situation continues, it will definitely cause some turmoil in the government. Doesn’t the emperor not understand this?

 “Well, reward!”

"Your Majesty, please wait!" Just when Xuanyuan Ze was about to reward the golden hairpin to the beautiful girl Yao Bingqian who was standing in front of His Highness, Yun Qing finally couldn't help but speak.

She frowned slightly and looked at the golden hairpin Xuanyuanze picked up without hesitation. She still couldn't figure out what he wanted?

Yao Bingqian is the eldest daughter of Yao Lin, the Minister of Rites. If other beautiful women are said to be dispensable, Yao Bingqian is very outstanding regardless of her status, talent and appearance. How could the emperor give up so easily?

"What do you think of the queen?" Yunqing raised her handsome eyebrows, and Yunqing seemed to see a flash of playfulness in Xuanyuan Ze's eyes, which made her almost think she was dazzled.

 But when she was about to say that Yao's beautiful girl was very talented and beautiful, she clearly saw a smile on the corner of Xuanyuan Ze's lips, letting her understand that he had been waiting for her to take the initiative to speak.

 But he couldn’t figure it out, what on earth was he thinking?

She frowned slightly and said in a clear voice: "Your Majesty, this girl has outstanding talents and pretty appearance. I think she is a good beauty."

"Oh, I want to take a good look at the person recommended by the Queen! Yao Bingqian, raise your head!" He glanced at Yun Qing with a smile. His voice with a pleasant smile almost made Yao Bingqian jump for joy, and she raised her head shyly, a little flattered. , looking with great anticipation and nervousness at the handsome man on the high seat who almost captured her heart at first sight.

With just one glance, her cheeks turned red quickly, her heart beat faster, and her whole body became as delicate as a spring flower, as beautiful as a charming one.

He Ruowan's heart skipped a beat. Looking at the shy and coquettish woman, she couldn't help but tighten her palms. She glanced at the emperor with some resentment, but saw that the emperor was looking directly at the woman, seemingly very satisfied.

"Well, the Queen's taste is indeed good! Come and enjoy the flowers!" Xuanyuan Ze looked at the woman with beautiful eyes and affectionate eyes, then picked up a flower and handed it to the maid on the side.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Yao Bingqian was overjoyed, and her voice couldn't help but be filled with excitement. She glanced at the emperor again, and then cast a surprised and grateful look at Yun Qing.

She never expected that the queen who said she would recommend her and others would actually keep her promise.

She never expected that the emperor would actually listen to what the queen said! It seems that I need to re-examine this so-called disgraced queen in the future.

"Wan'er, please help me see why I should seal her?" Just when He Ruowan was gritting her teeth with hatred, secretly wondering if Yun Qing was deliberately trying to get a group of beautiful women to enter the palace to compete with her for favor, Xuanyuan Ze turned to look at her, with a look of inquiry in his eyes.

With her eyebrows closed, He Ruowan immediately smiled dignifiedly and said: "In my opinion, this girl is very beautiful. She is as graceful as a willow, slim and beautiful, which is pleasing to the eye. Why don't the emperor just seal her?" For beauty, she is indeed worthy of her!”

"Well, Wan'er has good taste! That must be a beauty!" Xuanyuanze complimented casually, then waved his hand and asked Chang Le to move on to the next one.

He Ruowan, on the other hand, shot her proud eyes at Yun Qing to show that she was the favored one, and it was she, He Ruowan, who should take the initiative to win over people's hearts.

 As for canonizing any beautiful woman, it is just a favor.

 Because in terms of beauty, she is definitely superior to Yao Meiren, so there are many beauties in the palace, but they have no influence on her.

"My daughter, Tang Ninghen, is fifteen years old. She is the eldest daughter of Prince Yiyang Jing! She has an eldest brother and seven or eight younger brothers and sisters! My father is the late emperor's sworn brother!" Following the name of Xiu Nu, she was chosen. , Standing in front of the palace at this moment is Prince Jing’s eldest daughter, Tang Ninghen.

"Well, raise your head!" This time without Yun Qing's reminder, Xuanyuan Ze took the initiative to ask the beautiful girl below to raise her head. Looking at the aloof and arrogant face, he couldn't help but smile and said: "Well, Jing The prince's daughter is indeed beautiful, smart and well-mannered. Please come and enjoy the flowers for me!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty for your grace!" Tang Ninghen was overjoyed. She didn't expect that her name was far higher than the others. This was both expected and slightly unexpected by her.

However, facing this extremely handsome man, her heart was beating.

 “My daughter Zhao Tayou…”

Most of the show girls were selected, and almost all of them were within Yunqing's expectations. From this, it can be seen that the emperor really cares about this draft.

It's just that from his brows, there is no sign of special importance for any of the beautiful women. Yun Qing just expected that he would reward each of them accordingly according to their status.

Hehe, although she didn't care about how many women he selected to enter the palace, she lamented in her heart that he, a majestic king of a country, had to consider the courtiers to accept these beautiful women.

Even if you are an emperor, you can’t do whatever you want! Just like when he married her, he must be in the same mood as he is now, maybe even worse.

"Your Majesty Bai Zixian, she is sixteen years old, the daughter of a concubine! My father is a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, from the fourth rank!" After hearing too many delicate and soft voices, a slightly cold voice made Xuanyuan Ze's eyes move slightly, and then He calmly told her to look up.

 What comes into view is a delicate and clean face. It is not particularly beautiful, but it feels very fresh and comfortable.

Especially her eyes, although there is a hint of admiration in them, they are much lighter than those of other women.

At first glance, her temperament is very similar to that of Queen Yunqing, but she is obviously inferior to her. This is not about beauty, but a kind of quiet aura emanating from Yun Qing's whole body, which is very hazy and yet very distinct.

 Sighing slightly, he was slightly upset that he could find the shadow of Yun Qing in a beautiful girl. Even though that person was right in front of him, he still had to endure her indifference, and he still had to control his thoughts about her like this. He was really going crazy.

 He said that he wanted her to realize that he was the only man in her life, but he found irritably that the way she looked at him was always the same!

"Your Majesty, please wait!" He was absent-minded, but Yun Qing stopped his movement again, which made him a little confused. He turned to look at her, but saw a faint dissatisfaction in her bright and beautiful eyes.

"What does the Queen want to say?" He stared at her silently, but saw her eyes fall on his right hand, and in that hand, he was holding a gold hairpin that he planned to give.

"Yun Qing feels that the beautiful girl Bai Zixian is delicate, smart and talented. If the emperor chooses her, it will be a good thing!" Yun Qing looked at Xuanyuan Ze's absent-minded expression, wondering if he would understand what he said. Listen in.

 Just now he made Bai Zixian look up unusually. She thought he had chosen her. But who knows, for the first time, after seeing the appearance of a beautiful girl, he let her lose the election.

She saw that Bai Zixian's eyes changed several times in an instant, from secret admiration at the beginning to sudden loss of concentration. What a blow this was to a woman with such a simple temperament.

Women have always cared about appearance. It is understandable that he just sent her away without looking at her just like he did to other beautiful women. But at this moment, Yun Qing didn't want to watch an elegant woman feel sad for him.

What's more, she has a very good impression of Bai Zixian in her heart. If there were more women like this in the palace, there would be fewer disputes.

“Oh, the queen likes her?” Xuanyuan Ze raised his handsome eyebrows, and Xuanyuan Ze also became interested.

Haven't he not only had this illusion, but Yun Qing also thought she was a bit like her?

Hehe, originally he didn’t want to let this woman who was similar to her but not as good as her enter the palace, but since she liked it, it didn’t matter.

"Well, Yun Qing thought that the emperor should like her!" Yun Qing couldn't see why there was such an interested look in his eyes, so she was slightly stunned and answered casually.

After she finished speaking, she found that Xuanyuan Ze suddenly smiled briskly, and the hearty and melodious voice made He Ruowan and the other ladies secretly surprised. They wondered why the emperor was so happy suddenly.

"Does the queen think that I should also like you?" With a charming smile on his lips, he looked at her incomprehensibly, and his eyes were filled with amazement as he saw how he was shocked at the beginning and then turned red as he gradually understood. Face, the smile is thicker.

But Yun Qing quickly lowered his head and replied calmly: "Yun Qing has never been like this, the emperor is making fun of him."

"Haha, sister, why should I be so modest! According to my sister, Bai Zixian is somewhat similar to my sister. Just now my sister said that the emperor should like her, so of course the emperor also likes her!" A chuckle sounded in the hall, He Ruowan was not proud. The loud laughter made everyone in the hall suddenly perk up their ears and listen to the next conversation.

Bai Zixian's heart froze, her eyes looking at Yun Qing changed slightly, and then she silently glanced at the emperor who was staring at the empress. Her heart suddenly tightened, and her eyes quickly dimmed.

"Wan'er understands my feelings best! Haha, the queen's mother is my favorite, so she is naturally my favorite. Since she is the queen's chosen beauty, I naturally like her too."

The corners of his lips were raised slightly. After He Ruowan spoke, Xuanyuanze just raised his handsome eyebrows, and then admitted with a hearty smile, causing everyone in the hall to widen their eyes in shock and look at the emperor in disbelief. He actually announced in public that the one he loved most was the queen.

how so? I heard that the queen was not deliberately neglected by the emperor and fell out of favor?

And Concubine Hua was clearly what everyone said was the emperor's favorite concubine, and it was because of her that the emperor accepted her as his concubine on the day after he was established. How come the one the emperor loved had a different candidate at this moment?

Perplexed, curious, puzzled... For a moment, many strange eyes immediately turned to Yun Qing, who was also surprised, but she just looked at Xuanyuan Ze in shock, not believing that he had just said such words in public.

"Your Majesty..." He Ruowan's beautiful eyes were filled with sadness, and she looked at the man who only looked at Yun Qing with some disbelief. She wanted to see from his expression that he was just saying this to make fun of Yun Qing, not true love. Fucked that woman.

"Bai Zixian, right! Well, if you are favored by the Queen, you are also a blessed person, so I will make you a noble one. Come and enjoy the flowers!" However, He Ruowan's resentment was drowned out by Xuanyuan Ze's loud words. , making her bite her lip for a moment, silent in disbelief, and sat upright in her seat.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness! Thank you, the Empress, for your kindness!" Bai Zixian took the flowers from the Emperor, but her face did not show the joy that the other ladies had when they received the flowers. She only slightly looked at the two empresses, and then her expression was indifferent. The ground retreated.

Yun Qing didn't pay attention to the faint look of frustration that flashed across her face. He just sat aside in a daze, wondering what Xuanyuan Ze meant by saying this just now.

"Your Majesty Yunya, now fifteen years old, is the concubine daughter of Prime Minister Yun Tianhai..." When Yun Ya's voice came clearly into the ears of Yun Qing and He Ruowan, their minds froze and they looked straight at the same time. The beautiful woman standing towards His Highness.

Xuanyuan Ze also raised his handsome eyes and looked at the woman who was talking quietly, thoughtfully.

 Then he turned his head and looked at Yun Qing beside him, and saw that her eyes were calm, and he couldn't tell what her plans were for this sister.

“Well, the prime minister’s daughter!” He whispered this title softly, making His Highness Yunya confidently ready to let the young emperor see her beauty, just waiting for the emperor to speak.

Unexpectedly, after waiting for a long time, she heard the emperor sigh softly, which made her feel slightly surprised.

Immediately afterwards, the emperor's regretful voice came clearly to her ears: "It's a pity that I heard that the prime minister only has you as an unmarried daughter. If I take you into the harem again, I'm afraid the prime minister will blame me for letting him have no wife." My daughter can stay with me and enjoy our family forever.”

 (End of this chapter)