12 May the Buddha grant salvation to my roommate.

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Today, before the Di'an Gate of the Imperial Palace, the traffic of carriages and sedan chairs was ceaseless.

As evening approached, a young woman stepped down from a carriage that had just arrived at the palace gate.

She was dressed in a high-waisted, glazed-blue, floral-patterned skirt with a white plum blossom embroidered half-sleeve top, complemented by a thin, lighter-colored floral shawl. Her entire demeanor was one of elegant refinement, drawing the involuntary gazes of those around her.

Zhong Miaozhen, however, seemed oblivious to the surrounding attention. Even as she was guided by palace attendants toward her assigned quarters, a lingering air of melancholy remained about her.

The frail, quiet beauty bore a trace of faint sorrow between her brows, making her appear as exquisite as an ancient painting that one could not bear to disturb.

That was until this "painting" was "hung" at the entrance of the Jinrun Pavilion courtyard—

"Hah, how truly shameless!"

"Ha, I wonder who is putting on such a show!"

"A petty, squirming insect!"

"A hypocritical, arrogant, and pretentious wretch!"

"You bewitching, fawning creature!"

"You shallow-eyed, foolish woman!"

...

Zhong Miaozhen, who had already crossed one foot over the threshold, suddenly froze in place.

Watching the two women in the courtyard—who, without naming names, were locked in a fierce verbal battle—Zhong Miaozhen quietly began trying to lift the foot that had already crossed the threshold, attempting to tip-toe her way back out.

But her arrival had clearly caught the attention of the two "combatants" in the room.

Pan Yulian and He Yushan both snapped their heads toward her—

Zhong Miaozhen, stuck at the threshold with one foot in the air: ...

Well, in the blink of an eye, Zhong Miaozhen acted as if nothing had happened. She placed her foot down naturally and stepped over the threshold.

She smoothed her clothes, clutched her square silk handkerchief, and walked in slowly.

Upon reaching the doorway, Zhong Miaozhen did not ask what they were arguing about. She merely glanced at Pan Yulian, gave a slight nod, and said, "During our time as candidates, I hope to trouble you as little as possible."

"..."

Stunned, Pan Yulian and He Yushan subconsciously exchanged a look. Then, realizing what had happened, they both snorted in unison and turned their heads away, clearing a path.

Zhong Miaozhen nodded and, having successfully entered the room, chose the empty bed in the middle.

She sat on the bed and let out a soft sigh. Even when the maid Tingmei offered her tea, she merely shook her head.

Things were much more lively after He Yushan entered the room.

One moment she demanded hot tea, the next she was criticizing the room's furnishings, picking faults with every item, and finally, she complained that the bed by the window was poorly positioned.

While saying this, He Yushan kept eyeing Pan Yulian, clearly coveting the spot where Pan Yulian was sleeping.

But would Pan Yulian indulge her?

Away from home, she had tossed morality aside to be her true self.

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Pan Yulian sat on the bed without shifting an inch. After changing her clothes, she produced a circular fan from somewhere and, with lazy, indifferent eyes, fanned herself leisurely.

This scene made He Yushan furious.

Had it not been for the mandatory rules of the selection process, He Yushan would never have come to the palace at all.

Back in the courtyard, He Yushan had already noticed Pan Yulian, who had been following behind Pan Wenjun with her head bowed.

She had assumed that since the Great Jin Dynasty favored a quiet, delicate, and graceful demeanor, and since Pan Yulian was born looking so... she would naturally be like a timid, submissive quail, cowering and kneeling. She had not expected that the moment she reached out, she would be pricked by a hand full of thorns.

Growing angrier by the second, He Yushan flung her embroidered quilt aside and threw a tantrum. "Since you know this is where the palace candidates live, why aren't you more careful?!"

"How can you expect one to sleep under a quilt that smells of dampness and mold?"

In the brief time that followed, Tingmei, who had been running around at everyone's beck and call, showed not a trace of annoyance on her face.

She stepped forward, curtsied, and replied gently, "Answering the Mistress, since the selection began, Nanny Lai has sent palace attendants to clean the Jinrun Pavilion from top to bottom many times."

"It is only because the spring and summer seasons in the capital are so humid... It is truly our negligence, and we ask for the Mistress's forgiveness."

As she spoke, Tingmei picked up the quilt that had been thrown on the floor with delicate care. "May I be so bold as to ask if the Mistress has a preferred style? I shall go and fetch a new one for you."

He Yushan’s anger subsided slightly as she watched Tingmei’s humble and submissive demeanor. She snorted. "That’s more like it. Go, bring me one with an orchid pattern."

"As you wish."

Having received her orders, Tingmei curtsied again to the others in the room and left with the quilt in her arms.

The circular fan in Pan Yulian's hand paused slightly.

Although Pan Yulian and Tingmei had agreed that they should only act as if they were meeting for the first time upon entering the palace, watching Tingmei’s departing figure made Pan Yulian suddenly wave her fan violently in front of her nose.

She then looked toward He Yushan, frowning and shaking her head as if to disperse a foul odor, and said in a sharp, sarcastic, and passive-aggressive tone, "Oh my, oh my. Such a foul stench. I am truly unlucky; it’s so stiflingly smelly it could kill someone."

"Who are you talking about?!"

"Who am I talking about? I’m talking about a little dog. Do you believe me?"

"Stop acting crazy here! There are no dogs in this inner palace!"

"Oh, you can't see it? My, my, that is strange. It is clearly barking right here—I can see it, but you cannot?"

Very well, a new conflict had begun.

Yet, amidst the tension and noise in the room, the center remained a scene of serene peculiarity.

The quiet, melancholy beauty pressed her palms together, bowing her head as she softly chanted: "Amitabha, illuminating all worlds in the ten directions, may all sentient beings drowning in suffering quickly reach the Pure Land of Infinite Light. To all the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times, all Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas, Homage to the Perfection of Wisdom."

***

"My dear Manager, how can you remain so calm?"

Zhang Qin, the senior maid who had been responsible for the daily lives of the candidates at the Palace of Gathered Elegance for the past few days, hurried into the room looking utterly exasperated.

Manager Zeng, who was sitting in the inner room recording something in a register, did not even look up at the sound. "What is it? Has the sky fallen or the earth cracked?"

"The sky? The sky hasn't fallen, and the earth hasn't cracked."

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"Oh, then has an imperial decree suddenly arrived at the palace?"

Zhang Qin subconsciously shook her head. "No."

Manager Zeng turned a page in the register, pointed to the stool in front of her, and smiled. "Since the sky hasn't fallen, the earth hasn't cracked, and there is no imperial decree, why shouldn't I be calm?"

"Sigh, it's all because of the candidates who entered the palace this time."

Zhang Qin walked a few steps closer, sat on the stool, and specifically named them: "It's those ladies staying in the Jinrun Pavilion."

It has always been the case that candidates entering the palace for selection are, if not trembling with fear, at least cautious and meticulous in everything they do.

Fine, even if they were going to cause trouble, it would usually be after a few days of getting used to the palace, fighting secret battles.

But this time, these two "crouching dragons and phoenix chicks" just bumped into each other so vividly.

Good heavens, the candidates had only just entered the palace—they hadn't even had their first meal—and yet they had already started causing such a ruckus. It was truly a first.

What gave Zhang Qin an even worse headache was that if this pair of "Heavenly Talents" had simply broken the rules, it would be easy to handle; she could just report it and have them driven out of the palace.

But candidates are different from palace maids; they cannot be beaten or scolded. Even if they are just arguing with each other, there is certainly no rule that allows for them to be expelled for that.

Stuck in this awkward middle ground, one must be constantly vigilant and careful.

The feeling of knowing there is a pit, but not knowing how deep it is or when one might step into it, is absolutely terrible.

It had only just begun, and already she was being faced with the antics of these "crouching dragons and phoenix chicks." Nanny Zhang, with a heavy heart, slapped her hand and sighed, "They have only just entered the palace. This is only the first day."

"I have a feeling that with these two... there will be plenty more trouble to come."

Seeing Zhang Qin’s miserable expression, Manager Zeng smiled and shook her head. She closed the register and stood up. "You've been in the palace for so many years, and yet you are still so easily unsettled by every shift of the wind. Nothing has gone wrong yet, and you are already in a panic."

Zhang Qin was the type of person who would be pricked by worry the moment she saw the slightest sign of danger.

Seeing Manager Zeng’s dismissive attitude, Zhang Qin finally stated her intent: "Manager, since that is the case... why not change the living quarters for these two candidates?"

That was not an entirely unreasonable suggestion. After all, the candidates were not staying in the palace for long. Separating them for these few days would be better than having them bump into each other and cause trouble every time they turned around.

But Manager Zeng shook her head.

With a serious expression, she pointed upward. "If it were any other candidates' quarters, we could change them. But these two ladies are the ones who cannot be moved."

Zhang Qin was startled. "Manager, this..."

In this palace, some things do not need to be said aloud.

Manager Zeng nodded. "Since you know the gravity of the situation, keep it buried in your heart."

Zhang Qin quickly stood up, bowed her head, and replied, "Yes."