In the Celestial Sun Imperial City, beneath the feet of the Son of Heaven, the imperial palace stood tall and majestic, exuding an awe-inspiring grandeur.
In the golden autumn of August, the bright sun hung high in the azure sky, casting its radiant glow upon the entire imperial city, making it appear even more resplendent and magnificent.
At this time, marking the first anniversary of the new emperor’s ascension to the throne, the Empress Dowager personally presided over the selection of consorts to enrich the Imperial Harem and ensure the continuation of the royal lineage.
Today was the final stage—the Palace Selection.
One after another, exquisitely ornate carriages arrived slowly, eventually coming to a halt before the Gate of Compliant Virtue.
The candidates participating in the Palace Selection alighted from their carriages here, guided by the palace matrons to enter and present themselves before the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.
Every candidate who had reached this stage of the Palace Selection came from distinguished backgrounds and possessed remarkable beauty. However, compared to the legitimate daughter of the Duke Stabilizing Country Residence, they were like minor talents overshadowed by a true master.
It was widely known that the legitimate daughter of the Duke Stabilizing Country Residence had not participated in the earlier selection rounds. Instead, an imperial decree had been issued, allowing her to enter the Palace Selection directly.
From this, it was almost certain that she would be chosen during the Palace Selection.
Although rumors circulated that the legitimate daughter of the Duke Stabilizing Country Residence possessed a face as beautiful as flowers and the moon, a peerless beauty, she was also said to be as fragile as a “Beauty Lantern,” delicate enough to be damaged by a mere gust of wind.
Nevertheless, her family background alone was enough to make everyone present tense and watchful, especially those candidates confident in their own selection and promotion to imperial consorts.
For a moment, all attention was fixed on the carriage from the Duke Stabilizing Country Residence.
Inside that very carriage:
The interior of the carriage was remarkably spacious, furnished with a soft couch.
On the couch, a young woman in a goose-yellow dress lay lazily on her side, propping her cheek with one hand.
Her skin was as smooth as congealed cream, her face more enchanting than a painted immortal. Her hair was as dark as ink, her eyebrows like distant mountains, and her captivating peach-blossom eyes shimmered with a thousand subtle charms with every glance.
She was the legitimate daughter of the Duke Stabilizing Country Residence—Qin Shu.
Originally, she had been a top-tier agent in a mysterious 21st-century organization. After perishing in a plane crash and passing through the gates of the underworld, she unexpectedly opened her eyes to find her soul transmigrated to another world, reborn as the legitimate daughter of the Duke Stabilizing Country Residence in the Celestial Sun Nation.
Over the years, her father had been stationed in Southern Xiang City in the southern border region. As the only daughter of the Duke Stabilizing Country Residence, she had been lavished with extreme affection by her parents and elder brother. Life in Southern Xiang City had been one of utter freedom and carefree enjoyment—precisely the life she had dreamed of in her previous existence.
However, due to her origins in the Duke Stabilizing Country Residence, the late emperor had once declared in her childhood that if a crown prince were appointed, she would be made the crown princess.
But the late emperor passed away before he could appoint a crown prince. Yet, those words seemed to announce to the world that Qin Shu was destined to become the woman of the future Son of Heaven.
The Qin family had always held military authority: her father guarded the southern border, and her eldest brother defended the Western Borderlands. Both fulfilled their duties with utmost loyalty to the sovereign, never overstepping their bounds or growing arrogant over their achievements.
Their aim was to avoid arousing the emperor’s suspicions toward the Qin family. Moreover, her parents had spent years carefully cultivating the image that she was frail and sickly, requiring meticulous care, in the hope that she might avoid entering the palace and becoming entangled in the intrigues of the Imperial Harem.
Yet, against all expectations, after the new emperor ascended the throne, an imperial decree summoning her to the palace selection inexplicably fell upon her. What’s more, she was directly entered into the Palace Selection round, which was tantamount to telling her that, for her, the Palace Selection was merely a formality—entering the palace was inevitable.
How utterly exasperating. From now on, her leisurely, unfettered, and free-spirited happy days would be gone forever.
The maids kneeling beside her to attend, Xin Lian and Xin Yi, exchanged a glance and softly reminded, “Miss, it’s time to disembark from the carriage.”
Qin Shu, dragging her languid body, sat up, put on her shoes and socks, and stepped out of the carriage. She gazed at the imperial palace, realizing it had been ten years since her last visit.
Unfortunately, the last time she could leave, but this time, there was no such opportunity.
So be it. Since she had to enter the palace, she would see for herself what purpose that damned emperor had in bringing her here!
Supported by Xin Lian and Xin Yi, Qin Shu alighted from the carriage and instantly felt the surrounding gazes converge upon her.
Simultaneously, hushed discussions accompanied the stares, and Qin Shu keenly caught a particularly jarring remark.
“Just look at her frail, delicate appearance—it’s clear she’s in poor health. What ‘Beauty Lantern’? More like a sickly ghost. She really thinks she’s a celestial beauty, but it’s all because she’s the legitimate daughter of the Duke Stabilizing Country Residence, born into a good family. Is she really worth you all fawning over like lapdogs?”
“You…”
One of the selected maidens intended to retort but was pulled back by another beside her. “Elder sister, this is the imperial palace grounds. Don’t start a dispute with anyone.”
Qin Shu’s cold eyes swept over the maiden who had insulted her. She had expected someone superior, but this specimen wasn’t even fit to compare to her own maids, yet she had the audacity to boast.
She did not react, only instructing Xin Lian and Xin Yi to wait there, while she followed the summoning matron inside.
Xin Lian and Xin Yi acknowledged with a “Yes,” watching their mistress walk away before exchanging a look. With their sharp hearing, they had naturally overheard the comment earlier.
Since their mistress had not given any orders, they would not act recklessly. They glanced at that person—nothing but a foolish loudmouth, unworthy even of polishing their mistress’s shoes.
Qin Shu, along with five other selected maidens, followed the eunuch leading the way toward Ruyi Hall, where the Palace Selection was held.
Upon entering the hall, all the maidens bowed their heads, cautious and careful, afraid of committing any impropriety before the hall. Yet, their expressions of longing to become the emperor’s consorts were unmistakable.
Qin Shu was the last in her group. Unlike the others, she paid no extra attention and instead took the opportunity to secretly glance up at the two figures seated above.
In the center, seated on the Dragon Throne, was a man wearing a Red-Gold Crown with Tassels. The twelve strands of white jade beads hung before his face, obscuring his Dragon Countenance and making it impossible to discern his features. Clad in a yellow robe embroidered with nine Dragon Patterns, even seated, his imperial majesty was undeniable. This was the new emperor of Celestial Sun Nation—Xuan Yuan Che.
To his right, on a throne, sat a middle-aged woman in bright yellow court attire, dignified and elegant, exuding an air of nobility. Clearly, this was the emperor’s birth mother, the Empress Dowager.
In an instant, Qin Shu sensed a gaze descending from the Dragon Throne. Interesting—even with her subtlety, she had been detected.
Wait, it wasn’t just detection; he was staring directly at her. Though his eyes were separated by the twelve jade beads before him, the overwhelming intensity of his gaze felt like blazing flames, making her entire body uneasy.
Then, Qin Shu averted her attention as the eunuch in charge of rituals repeatedly announced “rejected,” making it clear that none of the five maidens before her had been retained.
She sighed inwardly. If possible, she truly wished she could give her “pre-selected” spot to one of them.
The next moment, the master of ceremonies called her name, “Qin Shu, daughter of Duke Dingguo Qin Hong, aged seventeen.”
Qin Shu stepped forward and performed the ritual salute as her mother had taught her, but when she spoke, she deliberately lowered her voice slightly, lending her words a touch of feebleness.
“Your humble subject Qin Shu pays respects to Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager. May Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager enjoy boundless blessings and eternal peace.”