Ming Dynasty: A mere unruly commoner is rebelling against the heaven?

Chapter 52: Whether you are a master or a slave depends on your luck

Sending the beautiful girls trained by the family into the palace is like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each showing their magical powers.

The simplest and most direct method is to bribe the selection official and ask him to agree to register the nominated woman as a citizen.

This method is extremely risky and not many people would use it.

What is really defenseless is that those women are disguised as innocent girls from ordinary families, and are chosen by the selection officials, and can naturally enter the palace.

Another way is that under deliberate arrangements, she would be selected by the selection officials and sent to the palace.

Zhu Youtang had Zhang Cai dismembered by six horses in public in order to make an example of him and frighten other ministers who had such thoughts.

"Everyone else in Zhang Cai's selection team will be demoted and have their salaries fined!"

"As for you, Liu Jian."

Zhu Youtang looked at Liu Jian, which made Liu Jian bend even lower.

"Half a year's salary penalty!"

Liu Jian secretly groaned in his heart, but nodded respectfully on the surface.

Liu Jian knew that this was actually a warning from Zhu Youtang to him for constantly recommending cabinet ministers.

Liu Jian's move to expand the cabinet was so obvious that it aroused Zhu Youtang's disgust.

"Retreat!"

After Zhu Youtang finished speaking, he turned and left.

All the civil and military officials took one look at the bloodstain on the ground and left the palace with lingering fear.

……

On the other side, Chen Yuanyuan, Liu Rushi and eight others, led by a female historian named Zhao, came to Chuxiu Palace.

After another examination, they were confirmed to be virgins and were officially allowed to enter the palace.

After Ms. Zhao asked them to change into the uniform clothes of the palace beauties, she took them to the hall of Chuxiu Palace.

Here, hundreds of beauties, under the guidance of Cui Gongzheng, learned basic palace etiquette.

Cui Gongzheng saw the new concubines, narrowed his eyes slightly, and waved to them: "New concubines, stand in front of me."

"Yes."

The eight beauties stood in front of Cui Gongzheng one by one, lowered their heads and accepted his review.

Cui Gongzheng walked around the eight people, examining their appearance and body shapes.

She had to admit that even with her critical eyes, the looks of these eight women were all top-notch.

Among this group of beauties, only a few can be compared with them.

Cui Gongzheng nodded with satisfaction: "Everyone, go back to the team."

"Yes."

When the eight people returned to the team, Cui Gong was standing in front of hundreds of beauties and began to lecture them.

"Remember, from the moment you step into the palace, you will be completely separated from everything outside the palace."

"From now on, the only thing you have to do is to serve the current emperor well."

"The palace is different from the outside. There are rules for what to say and what not to say, what to do and what not to do."

"Your task for the next few days is to familiarize yourself with the palace rules and fulfill your duties. Do you understand?"

Hundreds of ladies answered in unison: "Got it."

Cui Gongzheng nodded and continued his lecture: "Among the hundreds of you ladies, no more than fifty will have the opportunity to see the emperor in the end."

"And the number of people who can gain the emperor's favor and have the opportunity to serve him will not exceed twenty."

"As for those who can be promoted to concubines, there will not be more than one handful of them."

"If you want to please His Majesty, you need appearance, figure, personality, and talent. None of them can be missing!"

"The next month is your only chance to change your fate."

"From now on in the palace, whether you are a master or a slave depends on your luck."

"Did you hear everything clearly?"

"Listen clearly!"

Hundreds of palace maidens had solemn expressions, feeling tremendous pressure in their hearts, with beads of sweat oozing from their foreheads.

At this moment, the voice of a young eunuch suddenly came. "Empress Dowager Wu has arrived, Empress Dowager Wang has arrived!"

Cui Gongzheng hurriedly led hundreds of beautiful ladies to bow slightly to the two empress dowagers as a gesture of respect.

"Meet Queen Mother Wu, meet Queen Mother Wang."

"No need to be so polite. I heard that all the concubines have entered the palace today, so I came to see them."

Empress Dowager Wu smiled and looked at the beauties in Chuxiu Palace with curiosity.

Queen Mother Wang also walked in: "Sister Wu and I have the same idea, what a coincidence."

When the two graceful and elegant empress dowagers walked into the Chuxiu Palace, the hundreds of concubines present felt even more pressured.

The two empress dowagers walked casually among the hundreds of beauties, and when they met a beauty that caught their eye, they would stop to talk with her.

Queen Mother Wang searched everywhere, and suddenly her eyes lit up. She quickly walked to a concubine and said, "I want to ask you, do you have a name?"

The beautiful lady raised her head in surprise, revealing a face that was breathtakingly beautiful.

The girl had a graceful figure and beautiful appearance, and was as beautiful as Chen Yuanyuan, Liu Rushi and the other eight girls.

The concubine responded respectfully: "Your Majesty, I don't have a name. My father's surname is Zhang."

Many women in the Ming Dynasty did not have their own names, only their father's surname.

Especially among the descendants of officials, few have formal names, and at most they only have a nickname.

"Oh?" Queen Mother Wang asked again, "What is your family background like?"

"Your Highness, my father is the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, Zhang Luan."

Queen Mother Wang nodded with satisfaction: "Yes, you have a clean family background and outstanding appearance. I am very satisfied with you."

Queen Mother Wang waved her hand, and her maid came forward and handed over a precious hairpin.

"Take this hairpin. It's my gift to you."

Zhang was frightened by this sudden surprise. She opened her cherry lips and stared blankly at Queen Dowager Wang.

The maid beside him gently reminded: "Why are you standing there? Why don't you thank me?"

Zhang finally reacted and bowed in return, "Thank you, Empress Dowager, for your gift."

Queen Mother Wang smiled and looked at the other beauties.

Cui Gong was standing nearby, secretly memorizing Zhang's appearance.

Queen Mother Wang's move undoubtedly showed her attitude.

This Miss Zhang will definitely get the chance to meet the emperor in the end.

The purpose of Queen Mother Wang and Queen Mother Wu's visit was the same, both of them came to select the concubines they satisfied and then take the opportunity to build relationships with the concubines.

In this way, when these beauties really gain the emperor's favor one day, they can also benefit from it.

Empress Dowager Wang won over Zhang, and Empress Dowager Wu also noticed Chen Yuanyuan and Liu Rushi among the eight women.

Empress Dowager Wu walked up to Chen Yuanyuan and the others and asked with a smile, "Do you have any names?"

Chen Yuanyuan was delighted and quickly replied, "Your Majesty, my name is Chen Yuanyuan."

"Your Majesty, my name is Liu Rushi."

"..."

The eight women each gave their own name in the soft Wu dialect, which made Empress Dowager Wu feel very comfortable.

Then, Queen Wu asked, "What about your family background?"

Chen Yuanyuan and the others' faces froze slightly, but they didn't dare to lie and could only answer hesitantly.

"We, your servants... have been adopted by Mr. Zhang, the governor of Yingtian... since we were young..."

As soon as the excuse of adopting a daughter was put forward, everyone understood what was going on.

As Chen Yuanyuan spoke, she carefully observed the expression of Empress Dowager Wu.

The eight girls were feeling extremely nervous at this moment, their chests were pounding and they even secretly clenched their hands.

They prayed silently, waiting for the response from Queen Mother Wu.

　I continue to ask for the follow-up reading on Tuesday in advance!!! I beg everyone to remember to come and read the last chapter every Tuesday!!!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)