Only after the rebellion succeeded did they realize that this place was...

"Minglan, hurry up and tell me."

Rulan bared her teeth and claws as she stepped forward, her almond eyes wide open, looking fierce. Yet, her delicate features made her appear innocent and naive, lacking any intimidating power. Only in front of Minglan did she dare to act so arrogantly.

"Fifth sister, please spare me!"

Minglan's body went limp as she leaned against the back of the pearwood chair beside her, her eyes lowered and lips slightly pursed. Her delicate and frail appearance even resembled that of Daiyu burying flowers.

Rulan was speechless, her cheeks puffed out, standing there, too angry to speak.

Hua Lan found it amusing and quickly intervened to mediate: "Alright, Ru Lan, stop bullying Sixth Sister. The preliminary selection has just ended, so everyone should rest and recuperate. There are still many things to do later."

Mo Lan, who was standing to the side, saw the two of them like this and a sneer appeared on her lips. The contempt in her eyes could not be hidden.

She had previously been somewhat wary of Minglan, fearing that the girl might seem docile but actually harbor scheming intentions. Now it seems that she had been overthinking things.

One is naive and clueless, the other feigns weakness. Do they even deserve to compete with her for the glory and wealth in the palace?

That's a joke.

……

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, however, a different, somber atmosphere prevailed.

Rong Feiyan stood in the hall, her pale fingers tightly gripping the hem of her robe. The vast palace was empty except for the flickering candlelight and the long, yellowish lanterns of the Changxin Palace, which cast her long shadow on the cold, golden brick floor.

Outside the palace, the chief eunuch who led her there and the imperial guards surrounding her all stood with their heads bowed in solemn silence.

Rong Feiyan leaned gently against the palace pillar, and a sense of security finally began to emerge in her empty heart.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty?"

She called out softly in a low voice, her voice barely audible, and tried to turn to ask the eunuch outside the hall, but the eunuch ignored her and remained standing with his head bowed.

Rong Feiyan could only bite her lower lip and wait quietly in the hall.

The initial excitement and slight anticipation of the emperor's favor that I felt upon arrival have gradually faded during this long wait, leaving me only with unease.

After an unknown amount of time, a steady series of footsteps came from behind the hall. The steps were neither hurried nor slow, but they carried an innate sense of authority.

Rong Feiyan subconsciously turned around and saw a tall figure walking slowly towards her. The man had a handsome face and wore a moon-white robe. He was not wearing a dragon robe, but he could not hide his imperial aura.

"Is this His Majesty?"

Rong Feiyan's disappointment vanished instantly, replaced by an indescribable surge of joy. Her face flushed crimson, even her ears turned rosy, making her look incredibly beautiful.

After all.

She was just a young woman who had gone through the coming-of-age ceremony but had not yet married. Even with her meticulous mind, she could not hide her girlish shyness in front of such a beautiful face.

She suppressed the flutter in her heart and looked up.

Liu Hongzheng looked at her indifferently.

The girl before me had a beautiful face, large and bright eyes, an oval face, and a deep blue brocade robe that gave her a graceful air.

As expected of the former Consort Rong's sister, she has inherited some of the royal air.

From a distance, it really does look like what one would expect from a palace, except it lacks the arrogance of the rumors circulating in the streets.

"Your subject, Rong Feiyan, greets Your Majesty."

She curtsied, her voice ethereal and soft, yet without a trace of affectation.

Liu Hong's casual gaze swept over her, but in an instant, his indifferent gaze suddenly turned sharp, filled with intense scrutiny, as if it could see right through her.

"Do you know why I have sought you out today?"

Rong Feiyan quickly lowered her head, gently shook her head, and said in a weak voice, "This humble woman does not know."

"Deceiving the emperor is a grave crime."

Liu Hong's tone rose slightly, carrying the majesty of an emperor, and resounded like thunder in the hall, instantly startling the young girl. Her delicate body trembled slightly, and she lowered her head even further.

Seeing her like this, Liu Hong softened his tone slightly, giving her a moment to breathe: "Think about it again carefully."

Upon hearing this, Rong Feiyan buried her head almost to her chest, her delicate body trembling uncontrollably. Her hands were clenched tightly together, her nails digging deep into her palms, leaving bluish-white marks. It looked terrifying, but it was far less than the panic in her heart at that moment.

Her hidden thoughts could no longer be concealed.

A moment later, Rong Feiyan seemed to have decided to go all out.

She was in the deep palace, and the emperor had personally summoned her. Since he had already asked questions, he must have vaguely guessed something. If she didn't give a decent explanation today, she would definitely not be able to get through this.

She took a deep breath, and when she looked up, there was no trace of shyness in her eyes, only determination.

"Your Majesty, I dare to report that Lady Cao, the wife of the Marquis of Shunming, has been secretly colluding with important officials of the former dynasty and many nobles in the capital city of Dongjing for the past few months. Her actions are extremely discreet and few people know about them."

Her voice trembled slightly, but every word was clear: "The reason I know this is because of my elder sister. The former Consort Rong was also one of them, but my elder sister secretly investigated and told me all the inside information."

"My daughter and elder sister have absolutely no intention of plotting against Your Majesty or our new Han dynasty."

"I beg Your Majesty to make the right judgment."

As soon as she finished speaking, Rong Feiyan knelt down on the ground as if a mountain of gold and a jade pillar had collapsed, and kowtowed to the ground with her head, her forehead touching the cold gold bricks. Her movements were devout and urgent, only in this way could she show her sincerity and the truth of what she said.

However, this answer clearly did not satisfy Liu Hong.

He slowly walked up to Rong Feiyan, looking down at her with a calm yet undeniably authoritative tone: "Only Lady Cao, the wife of the Marquis of Shunming? No one but her husband, Marquis Zhao Zhen of Shunming?"

Rong Feiyan dared not conceal anything or make any excuses, and truthfully replied, "My elder sister has never mentioned the Marquis, and I truly do not know any other details."

Liu Hong nodded slightly, seemingly believing her words, and then turned to give the chief eunuch beside him a wink.

The chief eunuch understood immediately, bowed and stepped forward, holding in his hands the prepared Xuan paper, the ground Huizhou ink, and a fine wolf-hair brush.

Write down all the names and people you know.

Liu Hong's voice came softly.

Rong Feiyan bit her lower lip, her fingertips trembling slightly, and hesitated for a moment.

"What? Are you trying to negotiate with me?"

Liu Hong smiled slightly, but his eyes held a deep sense of mockery, as if he could see right through her thoughts.

"This humble woman dares not."

Rong Feiyan's heart skipped a beat. Even though she dared not look up and meet Liu Hong's gaze, she was forced to shake her head repeatedly and deny it hastily by the oppressive aura in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After that, Liu Hong didn't need to say anything more.

She then reached out and took the wolf-hair brush.

The brush handle was warm and smooth, and the ink was rich and fragrant. The ink was the finest Tianyun ink, fine and even, and had been ground to perfection by her.

Rong Feiyan took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in her heart, calmed herself down, picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, and slowly began to write on the rice paper.

After a short while, the pristine white Xuan paper was covered with a dense array of names, ranging from high-ranking officials to minor officials of the seventh rank, and even a few hidden nobles from the old dynasty.

It can be said that it covers everything, big and small.

Liu Hong picked up the Xuan paper, glanced at it, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "If we were to confront each other in court one day, would you dare to step forward and testify?"

"Your Majesty, I am willing to be your witness and testify that Lady Cao, the wife of the Marquis of Shunming, is plotting treason and endangering the state of our new Han dynasty."

Without a second thought, Rong Feiyan answered loudly, her voice still slightly hoarse but filled with unwavering determination.

Liu Hong was slightly taken aback, surprised by the words of the young girl in front of him.

Such decisiveness and pragmatism are truly rare, even for a woman.

In a short time.

He actually developed a bit of interest in Rong Feiyan and casually asked, "Tell me the reason."

Rong Feiyan was still prostrate on the ground when she heard this, and was about to continue kowtowing, but Liu Hong raised his hand to stop her: "Rise."

She slowly rose, curtsied, and looked up with unwavering determination, revealing a do-or-die resolve: "Your Majesty, apart from the Marquis of Shunming, his young and inexperienced son, and his birth mother, Madam Zhu, everyone in the Shunming Marquis's mansion is looking for a way out for themselves."

Your Majesty is my only way out, and I am willing to live and die with you.

Now that I have entered the palace, this is the best path for the rest of my life. Your Majesty is the destination of this path. How could I dare to go against my conscience?

This is my heart, and also the heart of my elder sister; I beseech Your Majesty to have mercy.

His words were spoken eloquently, with conviction and reason.

This not only clarified her own stance but also elevated the emperor, attributing Consort Rong's actions to loyalty to the monarch, leaving no room for criticism.

Liu Hong quite agreed with it.

I must say, those words were very comforting to hear.

He waved his hand dismissively, chuckled loudly, and said with a hint of approval, "Remember!"

The chief eunuch beside him quickly bowed and picked up a pen, ready to record.

"Rong Feiyan, a beautiful and virtuous young lady of the palace, is hereby granted the title of Zhaoyi and will reside in a side hall of Changle Palace. It is hoped that she will continue to work diligently and fulfill her duties, and not fail the Emperor's grace."

Liu Hong's verbal order resounded clearly within the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The chief eunuch recorded everything word for word and then drafted a secret edict.

This imperial edict was not directly given to Rong Feiyan, but was kept in the inner palace archives. It was not only a conferment of a title upon her, but also a reward for her, and an acknowledgment of her petition.

"We must not break the rules of the palace."

Looking at Rong Feiyan, who was bowing, Liu Hong slowly added, "After the imperial concubine selection, when I bestow my rewards upon the concubines, I will formally issue an edict to grant you a title. If you are able to give birth to a prince in the palace in the future, you may also have a place among the four first-rank ladies."

This was a return gift for Rong Feiyan, and also for her sister, Consort Rong, who was behind her.

The position of Zhaoyi was not considered lowly.

The imperial harem of the new Han dynasty was strictly hierarchical, with concubines ranked from top to bottom.

The empress is the emperor's principal wife, the mother of the nation, and in charge of the affairs of the six palaces.

Next were four ladies of the first rank: Consort Gui, Consort Shu, Consort De, and Consort Xian. Among them, Consort Gui was the most honored of all the consorts, and she also held the power to assist in managing the inner palace. She was second only to the emperor in the inner court.

Below that are the ranks of concubines, from the second to the fourth rank, with titles such as Guiyi, Shuyi, Shurong, Zhaoyi, and Zhaorong, the order of rank depending entirely on the emperor's favor. At the very bottom are Jieyu, Meiren, and Cairen, which are ranks five, six, and seven, and are mostly the initial titles bestowed upon newly favored individuals.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your kindness."

Rong Feiyan's voice was clear and crisp as she kowtowed repeatedly, her eyes brimming with joy.

……

Before long, Rong Feiyan left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

She was surrounded by a chief eunuch and imperial guards, but her wildly beating heart betrayed her true feelings; she was so nervous it seemed like it would jump out of her throat.

After the initial tension came overwhelming elation.

"Once the imperial concubine selection is over, I, Rong Feiyan, will be Consort Rong, just like my sister was, a noble lady in the palace. If I give birth to a prince someday, I will become Consort Rong, or even..."

As her thoughts raced, Rong Feiyan's lips curved slightly, a faint smile spreading across her beautiful face, her two dimples appearing and disappearing, revealing her immense excitement.

Compared to the anxiety she felt when she arrived, she now walked with a light step and seemed much more relaxed.

From then on, this deep palace became her home.

She was also one of the mistresses of this back courtyard.

Her gaze swept toward the chief eunuch beside her. Rong Feiyan had lost her initial cautiousness and gained a more relaxed and self-satisfied air.

She would not become arrogant because of temporary favor. The eunuch in front of the emperor may seem to be just a servant, but outside the palace, even high-ranking officials of the third or fourth rank would respectfully address him as "Master Si".

Moreover, her position as a Zhaoyi (a high-ranking concubine) is not yet completely secured, so how could she be careless and risk losing this sure thing?

"Lord Si, may I make a request, even if it is one I would be doing?"

Rong Feiyan's tone remained respectful, and her manners were impeccable.

Seeing this, the head eunuch was willing to give her face and make a good relationship, since they would see each other again in the deep palace: "Miss is joking. In the future, you will be Her Majesty. Just give me your orders, and I will do my best not to disappoint Her Majesty."

Rong Feiyan whispered her thoughts.

The chief eunuch smiled.

This was a trivial matter for him, nothing more than a casual remark, but he couldn't help but think to himself: This future Consort Rong is indeed a clever person who can judge the situation.

……

At midnight, all was quiet in the Xiu Nu Courtyard.

Many of the young ladies-in-waiting had already retired for the night, but some courtyards still had their lights on. Within the palace walls, there was never a shortage of these hopeful figures.

Qiuxiangzhai, where the Sheng family's daughters lived, was one such place, with dim lamplight reflecting off the windows.

"Knock knock knock".

A heavy knocking sound suddenly rang out in the quiet night.

Hua Lan quickly straightened her clothes and, accompanied by Mo Lan, Ru Lan, and Ming Lan, opened the door. Seeing the head eunuch and Rong Feiyan standing there, she looked puzzled: "Eunuch, Miss Rong!"

Rong Feiyan quickly curtsied to Hua Lan, her face full of a young lady's intimacy and respect: "I apologize for being so presumptuous late at night, Sister Hua Lan. I only dared to come and bother you because I saw that Qiu Xiang Zhai was still lit up."

"I hope you won't take offense, sister."

She was unusually polite to Hua Lan.

"It's alright."

Hua Lan stepped aside and invited the two into the courtyard.

The chief eunuch was already reluctant to stay in the ladies' quarters any longer, especially since it was already late.

His indifferent gaze swept over the four Sheng family girls in the courtyard, lingering on Mo Lan for a moment before he said directly, "Starting tomorrow, Miss Rong will be staying at Qiuxiangzhai. I would appreciate it if you ladies could get along well with her."

After saying that, he turned and left in a hurry, leaving no trace.

The Qiuxiangzhai courtyard was spacious, with plenty of rooms remaining. Even if Rong Feiyan moved in, it wouldn't be crowded at all. However, the Sheng family girls each had their own thoughts.

Qiuxiangzhai was originally a private place where the Sheng family lived alone, but now that there is an outsider, things are different.

"Sister Hualan, and Sister Minglan..."

Rong Feiyan greeted the two warmly with a gentle smile.

Hua Lan smiled and nodded, remaining composed.

But this special way of addressing Minglan was unexpected by everyone.

Mo Lan, who had lowered her guard because of Ming Lan and Ru Lan's playful banter, slowly climbed higher, and a barely perceptible hint of wariness flashed in her eyes.

Rulan looked puzzled, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, as if her innermost thoughts were written all over her face.

As for Minglan, she completely lost her composure, looking miserable with her drooping eyebrows and eyes, a picture of someone whose life was truly miserable.

Why is it me again?

Minglan: Don't come any closer!

……

On the other side...

The night was deep and the dew was heavy.

On the long corridor of the Shunming Marquis's residence, the moonlight was as clear as water, cascading like a waterfall, stretching a lonely figure long and slender.

Consort Rong stood under the corridor. Although her robes were still quite magnificent, they had long lost any of the glory she once had in the palace.

She was no longer the high and mighty Consort Rong, but just an insignificant concubine in the Shunming Marquis's mansion.

The position of a concubine has always been as lowly as dust.

The practice of favoring a concubine over the wife is extremely rare, and in the Shunming Marquis's mansion, it's practically impossible. Even if it were possible, Zhu Shi, who bore the legitimate son, was the recognized second wife in the mansion; how could she possibly compare?

Consort Rong gazed at the bright full moon in the sky, her eyes filled with bitterness and resentment, and murmured to herself, "In this life, fate, luck, and ability are the three most important factors. Only by standing on the right shore can one live a good life."

"Unfortunately, I was born with a short life, just the daughter of a bricklayer, and my luck was also ordinary. I served the emperor for several years, but I did not bear a single child. Now, this is the only chance I have left."

"No matter what, I have to seize it, I have to seize it with all my might."

"Feiyan, you are the last hope of our Rong family. Don't let your sister down."

She was the one who secretly discussed things with Cao that day.

But how could she accept that?

It's laughable that a former imperial concubine has fallen to the status of a mere concubine, especially at her age, still childless.

Consort Rong suddenly clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white, her stubborn gaze fixed on the full moon, her voice filled with deep hatred and obsession: "Who says a bricklayer's daughter can't rise to the top and become a phoenix? If there's a first time, there will definitely be a second."

"This matter is bound to succeed!"