maidservant

Chapter 18: Lin Yu from Houfu was selected and canonized as Liangdi
During important festivals such as the Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival, it is necessary to present gifts and attend banquets held in the palace.

The concubines to be selected need to learn to play the guqin, play chess (such as Go and Xiangqi), paint (mainly flowers, birds, and landscapes), and appreciate calligraphy and poetry.

These are not only a reflection of personal cultivation, but also an important means to gain favor in the palace.

You also need to learn to control your emotions, be patient and restrained, and especially stay calm when facing power struggles and emotional disputes.

In addition, in terms of dining etiquette, when eating in the palace, one must pay attention to the sitting posture, the way of using chopsticks and the arrangement of food. In terms of dressing up, there are also strict regulations for combing hair. In this selection of concubines, all the girls must comb their hair into a "black cloud flying temple" hairstyle.
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In the Marquis' Mansion, Lin Yu was sitting in the embroidery room with a bronze mirror in front of her.

Nanny Zheng stood behind her, combing her hair with a comb in her hand.

"Miss, your hair must be combed neatly and elegantly." Madam Zheng's voice was low and steady.
"Your Highness will soon have his coming-of-age ceremony. The selection will be imminent."

Lin Yu's fingers gently stroked the jade pendant on the dressing table, and her eyes fell on the figure in the mirror: she was wearing a pink palace skirt with a flowing cloud pattern embroidered on the waist, which made her look even more beautiful and charming.

"Mammy, do you think... there is still hope for me?" Lin Yu asked softly.

Nanny Zheng paused, then continued combing, "Of course there is. The eldest young lady is gifted, intelligent, and beautiful. With the careful training of the Marquis' Mansion, she will definitely stand out."

On the day of the coming-of-age ceremony, the capital was already bustling with traffic.

General Yang Zhao stood in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, his eyes sweeping over the ministers kneeling below.

Today he was wearing a robe and a crown, his majesty was inviolable.

"Announce the decree!" the eunuch shouted loudly.

The old emperor's voice was transmitted to everyone present through the yellow silk:

"The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, proclaims: Governing a nation requires prioritizing culture and virtue, while governing a family requires ritual and music. In this prosperous era of peace and prosperity, the Crown Prince, as the heir apparent to the throne and seated in the Eastern Palace, ought to select virtuous and virtuous women to assist him. Various families have presented beautiful women to me. I have carefully examined their talents and virtues, and have specifically ordered the Crown Prince to select one:
A princess consort, to rectify the rites of the Eastern Palace;
Two Liangdi, to assist the Crown Prince in his administration;
The two maids are talented and will bring prosperity to the entire palace.

Now that this decree has been issued, the auspicious time has arrived. We must be rigorous and careful in our selection, and there must be no mistakes. I decree this!"

Three bells rang out. Yunshan stood beside the carriage outside the palace, looking up at the towering palaces, praying that everything would go smoothly.

Three days later, good news came from the Marquis' Mansion.

A palace eunuch came forward with an imperial edict. His steps were brisk and powerful. He held the edict in his hand, his face beaming with joy, his voice trembling slightly. "I have come here by imperial decree to announce the good news!"

Congratulations to Miss Lin Yu of the Marquis' Mansion for being selected and conferred the title of Liangdi.

When he met the Marquis's wife and the young lady, he bowed respectfully, his voice filled with undisguised excitement:
"Fengtian Chengyun Emperor, the imperial edict said:

The daughter of Marquis Yong'an is a woman of outstanding virtue and talent.

Today, there is the eldest daughter of the Lin family, who is both virtuous and talented. She is specially appointed as the Prince's Consort.

You must fulfill your duties, assist the Crown Prince, correct your words and deeds, and cultivate the virtue of virtue. Respect you!

As soon as he finished speaking, cheers rang out in the mansion.

"Congratulations, Miss, on being chosen to enter the palace and be canonized as the Crown Prince's Consort!"

The Marquis and his wife thanked him profusely, and the maids and servants were moved to tears. Lin Yu knelt and kowtowed until Yunshan helped him to his feet.

The eunuch stood aside, a smile on his face, a hint of respect in his eyes, and a sincere congratulation in his tone.

The Marquis respectfully invited the eunuch into the main hall and ordered tea to be served. The eunuch took the teacup and, slightly embarrassed, moistened his throat. He left the mansion with a silver bag and a look of reluctance, silently wishing the young woman peace and happiness in the Eastern Palace.

That day, the Marquis' Mansion was in an uproar—

The entire marquisate was instantly immersed in joy. The news that Lin Yu was canonized as the Crown Prince's Consort undoubtedly made the marquisate extremely glorious.

After a while, a fast horse came galloping with the sound of hooves, and suddenly stopped in front of the marquis's mansion.

A servant in a brocade robe dismounted and breathlessly handed a secret letter to the guard at the gate.

The Marquis had been waiting for a long time. He nodded slightly when he heard this: "It is indeed her."

The Marquis's wife was discussing trivial matters with Lin Yu in Mulanju. When she heard the Marquis calling her, she took Lin Yu to the main hall.

The mother and daughter came to the main hall. Before they even sat down, the steward had already reported the contents of the letter in detail:
"The Crown Princess has been chosen. It is the Duke of Ying's granddaughter, Huangfu Jinglang. She has a dignified character and proper manners, and is a talented woman of her generation."

His eyes were deep and thoughtful. "Mr. Ying has been an official for over forty years. His disciples are all over the country. He is powerful enough to influence the direction of the court."

"Indeed," the lady said, "Although the late Crown Prince has many followers left, none can rival Lord Ying. Lord Ying is highly respected, and handing power to his descendants will further consolidate his position."

Lin Yu listened intently and nodded involuntarily: "The Crown Princess must be both virtuous and talented, and must be able to convince the public. Miss Huangfu is indeed the most suitable."

The Marquis stood up and paced around the hall, saying in a deep voice, "Duke Ying's move is not only for the benefit of his family, but also for the benefit of the court."

The lady and Lin Yu looked at each other and saw seriousness in each other's eyes.

"However, since Lord Ying was able to suppress the former crown prince's power, he must have some extraordinary qualities."

The mother, daughter and two daughters looked at each other and saw worry and alertness in each other's eyes.

In a vast mansion, seventeen-year-old Huangfu Jinglang sat in her study. She inherited the political wisdom of the Duke of Yingguo, while possessing a calmness and decisiveness beyond her peers.

"Grandma, what do you think of the account books and the affairs of the four courtyards in the east and west?" Her voice was crisp and pleasant, with a bit of the sharpness unique to young people.

The Duke of Ying looked up and flipped through the book carefully, a look of approval on her face: "Jing Lang, your management skills are improving day by day."

The two sat opposite each other, one old and one young, discussing things in detail.

In the imperial ancestral temple, a woman knelt down to pray and then went to the vegetarian room.

She is the only daughter of the late emperor's niece, the Princess Consort, Cui Wan'er. She has known the Crown Prince since childhood. When the Crown Prince was still Prince Jing, they were cousins, but now she has been canonized as his Consort.

Her slender fingers gently stroked the brush on the desk, and her eyes occasionally swept towards the garden outside the window.

This power game also swept her into it.

In a few days, Lin Yu will move into the East Palace.

Everyone in the Marquis's Mansion was very busy with this, and the lady was in charge of it personally, fearing that there would be any omissions.

That afternoon, sunlight streamed through the carved window lattices into the lady's courtyard. The orchids in the garden were in bud, about to bloom, and the air was filled with a light and elegant fragrance.

Suddenly, Aunt Lin beside the Madam walked in quietly and reported solemnly: "Madam, this servant has something to discuss with you."

(End of this chapter)