Chapter 5: Entering the Palace

The day to enter the palace arrived quickly. Lu Shuyao dressed with great care, and the First Madam even came personally to Yuning Courtyard to pin a silver hair ornament into her hair.

Today, Lu Shuyao wore a light blue gown embroidered with double butterflies. She wore no gold jewelry; instead, her hair was adorned entirely with silver butterflies, crafted so delicately they seemed ready to take flight. Her waterfall of dark hair cascaded down her back as Concubine Liu gently brushed it for her. In the mirror, the young woman’s beauty was transcendent; her eyes were as shimmering as a lake, and her porcelain cheeks were flushed with a soft, natural pink. Sunlight bathed her face, making her appear ethereal, delicate, and radiant.

Once groomed, Lu Shuyao went to the main hall. Her father sat in the seat of honor, and she knelt to pay her respects. If she secured a rank in the palace, she would no longer need to bow to her family; in fact, her father might one day have to bow to her. Seeing his second daughter’s appearance, Father Lu nodded with satisfaction. Because this selection concerned the entire Lu household, he had, for once, taken a keen interest in her affairs.

"Shuyao, remember once you are in the palace that you are a daughter of the Lu family; every action you take reflects upon the clan. In the inner palace, jealousy and strife are the greatest taboos. You must strive to live in harmony with the other women."

Lu Shuyao nodded, then bid her family farewell and boarded the carriage. Only one personal maid was permitted; any additional servants would be provided within the palace. Lu Shuyao chose Peilan. Peilan was far more nervous than her mistress, pacing the carriage like an ant on a hot pan for the entire journey.

"Second Miss, are you not nervous?" Peilan asked, admiring Lu Shuyao's composure.

"How could I not be?" Lu Shuyao replied with a faint smile. "But if I were to make a fool of myself before the Emperor out of nervousness, it would be the end of everything."

Hearing this, Peilan forced herself to calm down. "Yes, you are right, Miss." She could not bring shame upon her mistress.

This was the new Emperor’s first selection, and the palace treated it with great importance and grandeur. Every noble daughter of age without a betrothal was required to attend. The vermilion palace walls were towering, the floors paved with smooth, seamless stone. Intricate murals and exquisite stone carvings served as constant reminders of imperial majesty. The candidates stood in lines of five, waiting for their audience with the Emperor. Lu Shuyao was in the eighth group, right in the middle.

"So the Lu family didn't send Lu Yuerong? They sent a concubine-born daughter instead? How unlucky."

Lu Shuyao had just stood still when she heard the disdainful remark from the woman beside her. She glanced at her out of the corner of her eye before quickly looking away. She recognized the woman—Zhang Xinwei, the legitimate daughter of the Assistant Commissioner of Revenue, who usually loved to compete with Lu Yuerong. Zhang Xinwei looked down on Lu Yuerong, let alone a concubine-born daughter of the Lu house. Lu Shuyao remembered that in her previous life, Zhang Xinwei had entered the harem, though she could not quite recall her rank.

Soon, the eighth group was called. The five women walked with graceful, lotus-like steps, following a eunuch holding a whisk toward the lakeside pavilion. The selection was being held in a pavilion in the center of the lake in the Imperial Garden. A breeze blew across the water, carrying a damp, cool air. Bamboo curtains hung around the pavilion, and pale, tooth-colored gauze draped within.

The Emperor sat in the seat of honor, expressionless, toying with a jade thumb ring. His brow was furrowed with faint impatience, revealing a touch of cold sharpness that made others afraid to meet his gaze. Sunlight reflecting off the lake hit his handsome, statue-like face, creating a stark contrast with his icy demeanor. Beside him sat a middle-aged woman, her head adorned with pearls and jade, dressed with regal elegance.

"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, the eighth group of candidates has arrived." The eunuch spoke, carefully gauging the mood of his superiors. Upon receiving a nod, he signaled for the women to enter the pavilion.

"Your Majesty, this is already the eighth group," the Empress Dowager said with a frown of dissatisfaction. "The selection is half over, yet you haven't taken a liking to a single one?"

The candidates below felt their hearts tighten. The Emperor paused his thumb-twirling and looked down at the five women.

"The one in the middle—whose daughter is she?" The Emperor’s voice was as cold as melting glacial ice.

At this question, Lu Shuyao’s hand, resting at her side, tightened slightly.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, she is Lu Shuyao, daughter of the Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue."

"Keep her."

Lu Shuyao quickly bowed. "I thank Your Majesty." Her posture was dignified, yet she could not hide the natural, enchanting allure of her graceful frame.

The Empress Dowager scanned Lu Shuyao’s face and figure, unable to help but sigh inwardly. With such a touching, delicate face and such a willow-like, lithe body, what man could resist? Even the ruthless new Emperor was no exception. She looked away toward the other candidates and asked, "And the one on the far right—is she from the Assistant Commissioner of Revenue’s family?"

"Yes, Empress Dowager," Zhang Xinwei replied, her voice trembling with nerves.

"Keep her as well."

Zhang Xinwei, who had been feeling dejected, immediately thanked them. Lu Shuyao and Zhang Xinwei were the first to be sent to the Palace of Cultivating Virtue. Their maids were admitted as well. Since they were the first to arrive, they each chose a small room with good ventilation. Zhang Xinwei disliked Lu Shuyao and had not given her a pleasant look since they left the pavilion.

"Don't think that just because the Emperor asked your name, he will remember you," Zhang Xinwei scoffed at her. Once back in her room, she immediately told her maid, "Take the silver we prepared to the steward of the Imperial Household Department. If the Emperor chooses a lady for the night, make sure they place my tablet in the very center!" Today, she had suffered for her position in line.

Meanwhile, at the Lu estate, Lu Yuerong heard that Lu Shuyao had entered the palace, and her long-standing anxiety finally began to settle. The palace selection would no longer fall to her! She had finally escaped the fate of her previous life.

"Eldest Miss, Young Master Xie heard you were ill and has come to see you," Binglian said, entering the room with a smile. "Would you like to see him?"

Lu Yuerong smiled. "Yes! Help me dress."

Xie Liwen sat in the main hall drinking tea; the person hosting him was Lu’s third son, Lu Yuerong’s biological brother.

"Second... Eldest Brother-in-law!" The third son was a mischievous youth who had been familiar with Xie Liwen, often calling him "Second Brother-in-law." Changing the title now felt awkward.

Xie Liwen’s hand paused as he held his teacup. Thinking of Lu Shuyao, he asked involuntarily, "Did the Second Miss enter the palace today?"

The third son laughed. "She did, of course."

A sour feeling rose in Xie Liwen’s chest. In his heart, he hoped Lu Shuyao would not be chosen by the Emperor. If she offended the Emperor and was sent back to the Lu family as a rejected candidate, that would be for the best. Candidates were required to remain chaste and could never marry again. If her marriage to him could not be, he preferred that she never marry at all. To hold onto that old betrothal for a lifetime—that would be the perfect ending.