Chapter 509 - 418: Reporting back, Elder Sister, my name is Si Li.
Chapter 509: Chapter 418: Reporting back, Elder Sister, my name is Si Li.
Zhou Imperial City.
Ever since the Imperial Palace announced it was recruiting Maids, people all over the Zhou Kingdom had been getting ideas.
This was especially true for the people of the Zhou Imperial City, living right under the Emperor’s nose.
It wasn’t just common families; many wealthy households also wanted to send their daughters into the palace.
After all, if their daughter happened to catch His Majesty’s eye, even if she didn’t become an Imperial Consort, becoming a Talented Person or even a Female Official would be a great outcome.
However, the number of women who could be selected for the palace was limited.
So, aside from a few truly exceptional women who were chosen, many people bribed the Palace Maids sent out by the Imperial Palace in the hopes of getting their daughters in.
Of course, common women could also register with the local Female Official themselves and, if they passed her preliminary selection, could proceed to the final assessment in the inner palace. The difficulty, however, was extremely high.
「On this day.」
Si Li changed into a set of clean, simple clothes and, under a new identity, once again headed to the manor where the preliminary selection for Palace Maids was being held.
This time, however, Si Li was feeling a bit emotional, and her mood was not particularly good.
The reason was that she had been rejected once before, not long ago.
At the time, Si Li couldn’t understand it at all.
Her fabricated identity was spotless, her etiquette was impeccable, her face was beautiful, and her figure was even more remarkable.
According to Si Li’s understanding, when the Mortal Dynasty selected Palace Maids, a clean background was paramount. Appearance and figure came second, as the maids were meant to serve the Emperor.
’Logically speaking, how could I possibly have been rejected? What part of me didn’t meet the requirements? How could any of those other women be more beautiful than me?’
Feeling utterly unconvinced, Si Li had her subordinates from Tinghai Pavilion gather intelligence.
Finally, Si Li learned that the Empress Dowager in the palace was worried that if a Palace Maid was too beautiful, she would win the Emperor’s favor. Therefore, there was an unwritten rule for this selection: women who were too beautiful were also to be rejected.
Upon learning this rule, Si Li was so furious her chest heaved for a moment.
’I never would have imagined the reason for my rejection was that I was too beautiful!’
This time, Si Li learned her lesson. She applied a light disguise, making herself pretty but not so outstanding as to be conspicuous.
’I’ll definitely pass this time! I have to! Today is the last day of the Maid selection. If I don’t get into the palace now, it’ll be hard to find such a good opportunity again.’
Upon arriving at the manor for the preliminary Maid selection, Si Li found the place filled with women; there wasn’t a single man in sight.
A Palace Maid led Si Li into a room.
Thirty beautiful women were already standing in the room.
A Female Official paced back and forth in front of Si Li and the others, scrutinizing their faces and examining their figures.
The Female Official even used her hands to take a measurement or two.
Soon, the Female Official walked up to Si Li and studied her appearance.
"Not bad-looking."
The Female Official, who was around thirty, nodded before her gaze fell upon Si Li’s collar.
Today, Si Li had intentionally worn a loose-fitting dress to conceal her figure, visually bringing herself down to an ’above-average’ level.
But the Female Official still felt that something was off.
The Female Official reached her hand toward Si Li’s collar.
Si Li froze for a second, but then bit her lip and clenched her small fists, forcefully suppressing the urge to kill the Female Official with a single palm strike.
The moment the Female Official touched Si Li, she too froze.
After taking her measurements, the Female Official looked at Si Li in astonishment, her eyes filled with a look of envy, and even jealousy.
’Although this woman’s face is merely above-average,’ the Female Official thought, ’her figure is far too exaggerated. If His Majesty saw her, could he really control himself?’
Just as the Female Official was about to tell Si Li to leave, Si Li stealthily pulled a roll of silver banknotes from her sleeve, slipped it into the Female Official’s, and said pitifully:
"Sister, this humble girl lost her father when she was young, and my mother passed away not long ago. A local tyrant is trying to force himself on me, and I can only protect myself by entering the palace. I beg for your pity, Sister. If there is anything unsuitable about me, I will surely correct it..."
"..."
The Female Official’s brow twitched. ’Your figure is so exaggerated it’s more than a handful, you can’t change that even if you wanted to! And what kind of country girl has so many silver banknotes?’
But feeling the thick roll of banknotes in her sleeve, the Female Official accepted them anyway and cleared her throat a few times.
"Your circumstances are indeed pitiful. We women of the world should have sympathy for one another. What is your name?"
"Replying to Sister, this little sister is called Si Li," Si Li said softly.
"Si Li, is it?" The Female Official found her name on the register and put a checkmark next to it. "Wait in the courtyard. You’ll go with the others to the palace for the assessment. And remember, if you really do get into the palace, stay out of His Majesty’s sight in the future."
With that, the Female Official glanced at her collar again. "Also, if you do get into the palace, you’d best bind them with a sash afterward. Understand? Don’t say I didn’t warn you."
"Yes, Sister," Si Li quickly thanked her.
After leaving the room, most of the women departed from the courtyard; only those who had passed the selection remained.
An hour later, led by the Female Official, the final batch of two hundred women boarded carriages and set off for the Imperial Palace.
In the end, twenty would be chosen from these two hundred.
Before long, Si Li arrived at the Imperial Palace and was taken to one palace hall after another for more assessments.
The people in charge of the assessments were all Female Officials from the Empress Dowager’s own palace.
These Female Officials first checked to see if Si Li and the others were virgins.
Then they monitored their speech and behavior and examined their etiquette.
Being able to read was a bonus.
Each time, Si Li found an opportunity to secretly slip silver banknotes to these Female Officials.
The assessments lasted the entire day. By the time the sun set in the evening, the process was finally over, and Si Li had successfully passed.
"From this day forward, you are all Palace Maids. The inner palace is not like other places; you must be cautious in your words and actions! Tomorrow, someone will instruct you in palace etiquette.
All of you, work hard.
Soon, two Noble Consorts will be entering the palace. Those who perform well may get to serve Their Ladyships, or even His Majesty!
Those who perform poorly will be sent to do laundry and boil water!
Understand?"
The Female Official named Jin Yin addressed the group.
"We understand, Sister," the new Palace Maids shouted in unison.
Jin Yin nodded and continued, "I also know that many of you dream of winning His Majesty’s favor, of a sparrow turning into a Phoenix. But you had all better refrain from preening in front of His Majesty, or your lives will be forfeit. Don’t say your big sister didn’t warn you."
"Yes," the Palace Maids replied once more.
"Go and rest. Be up on time tomorrow at the Hour of the Rabbit."
With that, the Female Official Jin Yin turned and walked away.
The Palace Maids went to their respective quarters to bathe, change, and eat dinner.
Night fell, and the darkness deepened.
When the other Palace Maids in her room had all fallen asleep, Si Li slowly opened her eyes and quietly got out of bed.