Chapter 16#

In March, a crowd gathered outside the usually solemn Imperial City.

Many young women who had entered the capital to be selected for the harem were waiting at the palace gates to be inspected. Anyone with physical or facial imperfections would be eliminated at this stage.

By the afternoon, a succession of young women had entered the Palace of Gathered Elegance.

The once quiet harem had become lively.

The selection of concubines was a rare major event, and the palace staff were busy non-stop. Although the excitement outside had nothing to do with the North Wing, the injection of fresh air into the palace seemed to have brought some life to the people.

Nanny Ming’s health had finally improved a little, and she was no longer confined to her room all day. According to Han Dan, her spirits were also much better, and she didn’t scold people as much.

A few days ago, Chen Mingde also received news.

It was said that He Ye, the previous He Ye, had her body examined by a coroner. There were no signs of coercion, and the act of taking the poison at that time should have been of her own volition.

Regardless of whether she was forced or acted on her own, she should have taken the medicine herself.

Before her death, He Ye had been to Yongning Palace several times and had contact with a palace servant named Jia Wen.

Jia Wen also admitted that they were friends. He Ye was in a bad mood and came to chat with her a few times, but there was no other contact.

The guards searched Jia Wen’s house, but found no trace of poison.

The matter came to a dead end.

Chen Mingde was not surprised by this result. As for Nanny Ming, she had even less of a reaction.

Privately, the palace servants of the North Wing had their own guesses.

Although those palace maids were considerate to Nanny Ming, they no longer dared to get close to her.

No one wanted to be the next He Ye.

After the new He Ye arrived, because she was too capable and did many things, the other palace maids, perhaps out of caution, also became active and vied with each other.

Finally, when Jingzhe went to get food, he was no longer alone.

Recently, Han Dan had been with him.

This was a good thing.

But Jingzhe was used to being alone. Especially when he was alone, if he met Rong Jiu, it was convenient to talk to him. With more people, he felt constrained.

However, since their last meeting, Rong Jiu had not appeared again. It was probably because of the selection of concubines in the palace, and the guards had been transferred.

Anyway, everything was ready, so Jingzhe was not in a hurry.

“Jingzhe,” on the way back, Han Dan, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, “Don’t you think…”

She paused, “He Ye, is a little strange?”

“The new He Ye?”

Han Dan nodded.

Jingzhe frowned. He didn’t like to talk about these things with people, but since Han Dan asked, he replied cryptically.

“Stay away from her.”

This new He Ye was indeed proactive and likable.

But she was too good at pleasing people, sometimes to an excessive degree.

Jingzhe’s cabinet was always locked, and he didn’t let others touch his things. He would tidy them up himself.

But since He Ye arrived, Jingzhe had already rejected her offers to help no less than three times.

Being too proactive was abnormal.

Han Dan was silent for a while: “Next year, I will work hard to pass the assessment and leave the North Wing.” She glanced at Jingzhe, and her voice lowered, “Your time is almost up too, you should prepare early.”

The North Wing was right in front of them. After Han Dan said this, she quickly walked into the narrow gate, leaving Jingzhe behind.

…The assessment.

Jingzhe was already twenty years old after the New Year.

This year was indeed his last year. If he was not promoted according to the rules, then apart from a great opportunity, his life was set.

He would be a low-ranking eunuch for the rest of his life.

He didn’t care before.

Living in the North Wing for a lifetime was also good. What’s the difference in how you live?

But he met the system, and so many things happened one after another. The North Wing was no longer a safe place, but had become the target of public criticism. And the future that the system talked about was a bit scary. If he didn’t strive for progress, in a few years, he would have to suffer from foreign invasion.

Leaving might not be a bad thing.

But leaving was not easy either.

There were so many people in the North Wing right now, and it was impossible to say that everyone wanted to leave.

But… could they leave?

One of the reasons why Jingzhe had not dared to go to the Palace of Gathered Elegance since he got Concubine Yao’s sewing kit was that he suspected that someone was secretly watching every move of the North Wing.

If he went to the Palace of Gathered Elegance, he was afraid that he would be actively offering clues and his own head!

Take it slow, take it slow.

…

Compared to the liveliness of the harem, Qianming Palace was solemn.

Ning Hongru, who had just returned from Shoukang Palace, saw the two silver ingots on the wide desk at a glance.

Twenty taels. Palace-made.

This size, this shape, he would not be mistaken.

These two silver ingots were old acquaintances.

He didn’t know when, he didn’t know why, they just appeared on this dragon desk.

Ning Hongru glanced at the female official Shi Lijun before bowing.

“Your Majesty, this is the list prepared by the Empress Dowager. These are the young women who will be selected for the palace this time.”

“Throw it away.”

Emperor Jingyuan said casually. Ning Hongru was also straightforward. As soon as the emperor said this, he directly tore the thick stack of lists in his hand and ordered the palace servants to clean it up.

Then he smiled and cupped his hands: “Your Majesty, it’s fine not to look at this list, but the Empress Dowager is determined this time to find an Empress for Your Majesty.”

The young women had already entered the palace. The Empress Dowager had gone to a lot of trouble to arrange a banquet. Although Emperor Jingyuan did not show up, it was still lively.

The originally stagnant palace was already boiling.

Although Emperor Jingyuan was impatient with the Empress Dowager, Ning Hongru was still cautious when he spoke, lest in the future this Empress would please His Majesty, and he would be in a difficult position.

“If the Empress Dowager wants to marry, let her marry.” Emperor Jingyuan said nonchalantly, “How is the matter of the agarwood going?”

Ning Hongru bowed and said softly, “That batch of agarwood is ready, just waiting for the east wind.”

Emperor Jingyuan nodded, and the hall fell silent again.

Emperor Jingyuan liked quiet. Everyone serving in Qianming Palace remembered this, and their steps and breathing were very light, for fear of disturbing Emperor Jingyuan.

Half an hour later, Emperor Jingyuan finished his government affairs, casually threw the brush into the brush washer, and picked up the twenty taels of silver ingots, playing with them in his hand.

Emperor Jingyuan’s reputation among the civil and military officials was not good because of the matter of executing the court officials.

However, although this emperor was ruthless, he still handled daily government affairs, and the court was stable under his rule, with no natural or man-made disasters.

He would spend time every day dealing with government affairs, and then he would not necessarily be in Qianming Palace. Sometimes, Emperor Jingyuan would suddenly appear in the palace of a certain concubine. If she was lucky, she would become a popular person in the palace and be doted on.

However, perhaps because of what happened to Talented Lady Liu last year, the entire palace became much quieter, and everyone was afraid of becoming the next Talented Lady Liu.

This overwhelming wealth was really not something to be desired.

Except for a few high-ranking concubines, the other beauties and concubines did not dare to act presumptuously and were all very honest.

This also brought some peace and quiet to Qianming Palace.

Ning Hongru stared at the silver ingots in Emperor Jingyuan’s hand and finally couldn’t help but say, “Your Majesty, is there something wrong with this silver?”

He had been staring at this thing for so long, but he couldn’t see anything special about it.

“There’s nothing wrong with it,” Emperor Jingyuan said coldly, “I earned it.”

But if you listened carefully, there was also a hint of interest.

His Majesty earned it?

In this world, who would dare to do business with the emperor?

No matter how much Ning Hongru thought, he didn’t dare to ask.

He knew very well what he could ask and what he couldn’t.

Shi Lijun spoke at the right time: “Concubine Xu went to Shoukang Palace before and got a few palace servants from the Empress Dowager. It is said that they can watch the door and do some odd jobs.”

Previously, Emperor Jingyuan had asked people to keep an eye on Chenghuan Palace, so Shi Lijun naturally did not dare to be negligent.

It was true that Concubine Xu and Concubine Yao were old relatives. But it was also true that Concubine Xu was the Empress Dowager’s person.

The relationships in this palace were complicated and were never just based on surname and blood, but more on interests and benefits.

Emperor Jingyuan leaned back in his chair.

A few strings of pure black jade beads the size of pupils were casually thrown on the desk, the silk threads winding and piling up.

The eyeballs of those palace servants before were no different from others, which disappointed Emperor Jingyuan a little.

Months of surveillance had not revealed any problems with the people of Chenghuan Palace.

The problem was not with these people.

Emperor Jingyuan’s cold white fingers held this “life-buying money.” The silver ingots were tossed up and down, and the two silver blocks in his hand were like a juggling act, never falling to the ground.

Since he had accepted it, Jingzhe’s fate, as light as a cicada’s wing, was also in his palm.

“Clean it all up.”

What fell lightly was a cold command.

Shi Lijun bowed respectfully: “Yes.”

His Majesty was too willful, and the people of Qianming Palace never dared to get into trouble.

Even Ning Hongru and Shi Lijun, who had reached their current positions, could not guarantee their safety.

However… in recent months, His Majesty had restrained himself a little.

It was as if something interesting had firmly attracted him.

Ning Hongru and Shi Lijun exchanged a cryptic glance, praying in their hearts.

They hoped that Emperor Jingyuan’s interest could last a little longer.

It had been a few months since anyone had died in Qianming Palace.