The Mandate stood at the center.

At this moment, inside the Hall of Vitality, it was not only Emperor Ming Chongdi who was selecting palace maids, but also the Empress Dowager herself.

Though she was already advanced in years, the Empress Dowager’s eyesight remained keen, and she immediately noticed Pan Yulian’s appearance at first glance.

The Empress Dowager instinctively glanced at Ming Chongdi seated on the throne, only to see him cast a brief, indifferent look before turning his gaze away.

Clearly, he was not fond of her.

To be honest, the Empress Dowager herself was rather displeased with women like Pan Yulian, whose extravagant and dazzling beauty verged on that of a “demonic consort,” a dangerous beauty.

Had it been before, she would have sent such a one away early.

Yet, following the dream visitation from Guanyin in the Buddhist hall, her perspective had shifted.

Now, reflecting carefully, the noble daughters previously selected for the palace might have been dignified and elegant, but were they not ineffectual?

Fate is fickle, always turning on unexpected twists.

The Empress Dowager especially liked Pan Yulian’s name—“jade” signifying nourishment, and “lotus seed” symbolizing progeny. It was as if the name itself promised offspring.

The only problem was—her son disliked women of such appearance.

But wasn’t that a good thing?

The Empress Dowager hoped Pan Yulian would bear heirs but did not wish for her to be overly favored.

After all, with such a striking appearance, if Pan Yulian were greatly favored, misfortune might follow—she might truly seduce the emperor, becoming a calamity that could disrupt the dynasty.

Seeing Ming Chongdi’s lack of interest as if to dismiss this group, the Empress Dowager smiled and said, “We have looked all morning, yet I find these two girls seem spirited.”

Indeed, it was not only Pan Yulian but also He Yushan. The Empress Dowager was unwilling to let go of any possibility.

Seated high on the throne, the mother and son were distant; their voices were low, making it difficult for the kneeling maids at the palace gate to hear clearly. Kneeling for so long, the tension was palpable.

He Yushan, staring down at the gold bricks before her, remained composed. She admitted to herself that her recent performance had been lacking, and the emperor had not favored her.

Pan Yulian, on the other hand, was far more anxious and uncertain. Yet no matter how nervous, she only slightly raised her face, not daring to meet anyone’s eyes.

Reading novels was one thing—she knew that in reality, any great disrespect would lead to severe punishment.

After all, those in power among the ruling class were merciless and cruel in maintaining their authority.

The palace maids kneeling below dared not move, while the atmosphere above seemed somewhat relaxed.

When the Empress Dowager spoke, a faint smile finally appeared on Ming Chongdi’s face.

He looked at the Empress Dowager and said, “It is rare for Your Majesty to show such favor.”

Seeing the faint smile on his face, the Empress Dowager sighed inwardly.

After all those years as mother and son, she knew Ming Chongdi’s temperament well.

Even though she knew he disliked these girls, she refused to relent. However, she did not press the matter but instead looked at the maids kneeling below and reminisced, “Seeing them reminds me of the times when we used to select palace maids.”

Her expression briefly clouded with melancholy. “But I am no longer as I was before. In the past, I preferred the understated and simple, but now I like bright and vivid colors—colorful and spirited.”

The struggle for the throne back then had been fierce and bloody. When the Empress Dowager had been a consort of the late emperor, palace intrigues were merciless, and those days were swallowed with blood and tears.

After Ming Chongdi ascended to the throne, the Empress Dowager’s fierce ambition and desire for power found no outlet, so she poured all her energy into the matter of the emperor’s heirlessness.

In previous years, she had gone to great lengths to secure an heir; only in the last couple of years had things quieted somewhat.

But no matter how much she struggled before, the Empress Dowager rarely displayed such an expression.

At this moment, Ming Chongdi looked at the white hair at the Empress Dowager’s temples and said, “Since Your Majesty prefers brighter colors, I shall order the artisans of the inner gardens to transplant more colorful flowers.”

Casting a glance at the maids kneeling below, his eyes turned cold.

He paused, then said, “If any of these maids are fortunate enough to catch Your Majesty’s eye, they shall serve Your Majesty henceforth.”

With the Empress Dowager’s influential endorsement, the fates of Pan Yulian and He Yushan—these “hidden dragons and crouching phoenixes”—suddenly took a sharp turn.

“Mo Qing, daughter of Mo Haoying, chief magistrate of Liangzhou, is granted flowers.”

“He Yushan, daughter of He Li, deputy minister of the Court of Judicial Review, is granted a scented pouch.”

“Governor of Ningtai Prefecture in Yanzhou…”

“Pan Yulian, daughter of Pan Tongdian, assistant director of the Ministry of Works, is granted a scented pouch.”

…

She was selected?

Hearing the eunuch announce the names, He Yushan felt as if struck by thunder.

She gripped the sleeve tightly to keep from crying out—how could she have been chosen?

Wait, there was Pan Yulian too!

He Yushan glanced anxiously to the side and saw Pan Yulian close her eyes.

The matter was settled.

Pan Yulian’s expression was not too displeased; she had long been prepared mentally.

Had she been rejected, her future would have been entirely in the hands of the Pan household.

Given Master Pan’s temperament, even if she did not fall into the emperor’s favor, there were countless scoundrels in the original story, and she would have met no good end.

Now that she had entered the palace, even if she really did not want to serve the emperor… with so many people in the palace, how could the emperor favor them all?

“Every muscle and feature is perfectly beautiful, standing subtly at a distance, awaiting favor. Some have not seen the emperor’s face for thirty-six years…”

Within the palace, women who never saw the emperor were far from rare.

She was not the protagonist; there was no fixed plotline she had to follow. She could survive quietly, do nothing, and avoid competing for favor.

Receiving gifts, kowtowing, expressing thanks, then being led out by the eunuchs.

At this moment, the “fifteen-day palace tour” for the rejected maids came to an end; they awaited their family’s carriages or sedan chairs at the palace gates.

Those chosen were personally returned by the palace sedan chairs.

The distinction in status was clear.

On the way back, He Yushan tightly clutched her scented pouch, her eyes reddened as she glanced over.

Pan Yulian shivered.

Before He Yushan could speak, Pan Yulian immediately raised her voice triumphantly, “Look, I was chosen too, hahaha! I was chosen!”

Stepping forward, she stared fixedly at He Yushan, warning, “I’ll tell you, He Yushan, back when we were palace maids, you threw tantrums at me, but I was magnanimous and never took it seriously.”

She lifted her chin, fierce and arrogant, “Now I am entering the palace.”

“If you dare to bully me again, I won’t be so polite!”

Pan Yulian’s naturally alluring looks, combined with her sharp and brazen manner, made her resemble one of those cannon fodder characters who deserve to be slapped—truly infuriating.

Not only was He Yushan stunned, but passing palace servants also slowed down, discreetly trying to overhear.

“Pan Yulian…”

Seeing He Yushan’s red, tear-filled eyes, and considering her age and the emperor’s foolish, fat, ugly appearance… one felt pity.

But compared to feeling sorry for and comforting He Yushan, Pan Yulian was more concerned with protecting herself.

She could predict everything He Yushan wanted to say.

But at this point, she absolutely could not let those words be spoken aloud.

Her tears must never, ever be because she was chosen to enter the palace!

After all, it was Pan Yulian who had quarrelled and fought with He Yushan these days.

He Yushan truly did not want to enter the palace.

But to outsiders, it looked like they were both scheming together.

Now that they were both selected, if anyone accused them of disrespecting the emperor’s favor… life was already miserable enough—why would she seek out more suffering herself?

Glancing at He Yushan and the scented pouch in her hand, Pan Yulian seemed to recall something. She rolled her eyes, shook her head in frustration, and said resentfully, “You were chosen too? What bad luck!”

After the eye roll, she snorted, raised her head, and brusquely brushed past He Yushan, proudly striding away.

He Yushan stood stunned, watching Pan Yulian’s retreating figure, and her tears finally poured down uncontrollably.

To think a palace maid had been driven to tears by another!

This was truly unprecedented since the self-selection of palace maids in the Great Jin Dynasty.

Hearing the shocked murmurs around her, Pan Yulian paused briefly, but did not look back. With a smile on her lips and joy in her eyes, she continued toward the palace exit.

After today, the rift between her and He Yushan was truly torn open.

From now on, she was her own person, and He Yushan was He Yushan.

They had no friendship; their previous conflicts were simply due to incompatible temperaments and clashing personalities, not any joint schemes to fail the selection.

…

Ruan Xiuzhu and Pan Wenjun had both been rejected.

Unlike Pan Yulian, whose path was simple and crude, relying on unhealthy allure, the heroine had refined temperament.

There were already many such palace maids; unless someone was exceptionally outstanding, the emperor was unwilling to select more into the palace.

After rejection, Ruan Xiuzhu was hurriedly taken away.

Waiting at the palace gate, Pan Wenjun saw from afar Pan Yulian walking arrogantly with her head held high.

In broad daylight, Pan Wenjun felt her face burning with shame.

She wanted to hide her face when Pan Yulian noticed her approaching.

When they met, Pan Wenjun did not want to speak, only urging repeatedly, “Let’s go, get in the carriage quickly.”

Pan Yulian stood with her chin raised, waving a hand dismissively, “Second sister, you go ahead in the family carriage.”

Pan Wenjun was so embarrassed she no longer tried to cover her face.

She looked at Pan Yulian suspiciously and uncertain, “Yulian, could it be that you…”

Pan Yulian only smiled without answering, revealing the scented pouch concealed by the silk sash at her waist.

She exuded unmistakable pride, adjusted the auspicious tassel on her head, then feigned nonchalance, “Yes, I’m going back in the palace sedan chair.”

It was true.

Seeing the imperial gift of the scented pouch, Pan Wenjun’s expression was indescribably complex.

During these days in the palace, she had heard some about the emperor’s preferences and had worried for herself.

Fortunately, she was rejected.

But how could someone like Pan Yulian be chosen?

“Miss, Miss!”

Behind her, the palace servants carrying the sedan chair finally caught up with Pan Yulian.

Usually, selected maids would wait in the Eternal Alley.

Who would have thought Pan Yulian would leave swaggering away after making another maid cry?

Truly, truly…

Chief Eunuch Chang took a breath, about to speak to Pan Yulian as she approached, when something cool landed in his palm.

He instinctively caught it and found two heavy silver ingots firmly placed in his hand.

Looking up, he saw Pan Yulian smiling brightly as she withdrew her hand, saying, “Thank you for your hard work, sir.”

Well, this young lady was quite interesting.

At this, Eunuch Chang forgot his earlier irritation and bowed with a smile, “Your servant greets you, Miss. May you be auspicious.”

With a glance, he signaled the young eunuchs beside him to lift the sedan chair curtains.

Eunuch Chang bowed slightly, “Miss, please enter the sedan.”

Pan Yulian smiled and nodded, then turned to Pan Wenjun, “Second sister, let’s go back.”

“Alright.”

Pan Wenjun looked deeply at Pan Yulian before turning and boarding the carriage.

Just before the sedan left, Pan Wenjun heard Eunuch Chang instruct the young eunuchs to be careful.

…