Two months later.
The sixth year of Taian, the beginning of September.
The imperial selection, which should have been held once every three years, was beginning again only a year after the last.
Since Emperor Zhang Chengyan ascended the throne, this was the second time a selection had been held.
It was said that Emperor Zhang Chengyan was young, promising, and handsome, possessing the true bearing of a sovereign; even back when he was a prince, he had been the ideal husband for many noble ladies in the Capital.
It was a pity, however, that despite having many concubines for several years, he had yet to produce a single imperial heir. Only the voluptuous Imperial Noble Consort had once been pregnant, leaping from a lowly Jieyu to the rank of Imperial Noble Consort, enjoying boundless glory.
Alas, that child did not survive; it passed away prematurely. The entire nation even went into mourning for it, with the common people observing a vegetarian diet in the hope that the Emperor would conceive another son to continue the reign of the Darong State.
Three years had passed since then, and there had been no further joyous news from the inner court.
This led many noble ladies in the Capital to gear up, all eager to try their luck at the Imperial Palace.
Whoever could give birth to the first imperial heir would surely have a bright and magnificent future, and their entire family would be able to soar to new heights.
On the bustling streets of the Capital.
A carriage draped with blue-green curtains wove through the crowded marketplace, heading toward the Imperial Palace.
Before the side palace gate, countless carriages were already parked.
One by one, the noble ladies stepped out, their appearances charming, young, and beautiful.
They all possessed very voluptuous figures; with every step they took, their flesh would tremble three times over.Yet, paired with their youthful faces and that just-right, spirited vitality, it was far from ugly; instead, it added a certain aesthetic appeal.
Bai Wutong stepped down from the carriage, her slender frame forming a stark contrast to the others.
She wore a moon-white sheer gown, unadorned save for a touch of green at the waist, where a belt of the same color cinched her figure to a narrow span. Her dark, lustrous hair was pulled up, pinned only with a white hibiscus ornament, revealing a long, fair, and delicate neck.
With those brows and eyes that seemed perpetually touched by melancholy, she looked like a hibiscus rising from the water, stirring feelings of pity and affection in all who saw her.
As a gentle breeze drifted by, her form seemed to sway with it, like a celestial maiden ready to be carried off on the wind, drawing the gazes of everyone nearby.
One of them covered her mouth and laughed, "Quick, look! Where could this beggar have come from?"
"Right? Why is she so thin? Could she have some sort of ailment?"
"To think she’d dare come to the selection just like this—what a delusional fool. Whose daughter is she, anyway? I’ve never heard of any young lady who looks like a bamboo pole."
"Trying to dream of bearing royal heirs while looking that wretchedly thin—it’s laughable."
Since the founding of the Darong State, the standard of beauty had gradually shifted toward a fuller figure.
This was especially true since the Emperor ascended the throne.
The Emperor and the Empress Dowager in the inner court both favored buxom women, believing they were better suited for childbearing. The only Imperial Noble Consort who had conceived was, in fact, built exactly that way.Coupled with the enduring lack of an heir to the throne, the nationwide preference for plump beauties had reached an absolute peak.
Throughout the entire Darong State now, even in the most remote corners, women had to be somewhat plump in order to find a good husband.
If a woman was too slender, outsiders would consider her poorly suited for childbearing—a sign of misfortune. Whichever family married such a woman was bound to lead an unhappy life thereafter.
Faced with the mocking taunts of the crowd, Bai Wutong remained silent.
Her true form was a white Cat-Spirit, and whatever she looked like in human form was simply how she looked.
Even through the aging, sickness, and death of the future, her appearance would not change much.
"Hey, we're talking to you!" The woman who had spoken just moments before swished her hips, jiggling her flesh as she walked over, and rudely poked a finger right against Bai Wutong's chest, shoving her back a step and nearly making her stumble.
The surrounding crowd burst into harsh, mocking laughter.
"Did you all see that? This creature is so frail she can't even withstand a breeze. Let alone bearing children, if she ever actually got pregnant, she'd never be able to carry it to term."
The woman picked up a round silk fan to cover her thick lips, her eyes filled with jealousy and hatred. Although her figure was extremely robust and the women in her family were prolific childbearers, her face was desperately plain.
The moment she laid eyes on Bai Wutong's breathtakingly stunning face, she wished she could swap it onto her own head.
If not for Bai Wutong's slender figure, which made her look as thin and light as a willow leaf compared to everyone else, she would have long since regarded her as her greatest enemy.
Bai Wutong slowly raised her eyes, her gaze cold and piercing, seemingly indifferent to the jeers surrounding her. "Whose family are you from?"
"Oh? What's that supposed to mean? You want to come after me for trouble?" The woman didn't care in the least. She was just someone destined not to be selected, so why should she fear offending her? Besides, her father was none other than the Left Prime Minister!
"I am Gao Jingwan, daughter of the Left Prime Minister. The women in my family all have at least three sons, and in the future, I will surely bear an imperial heir for the Emperor as well! What's more, my family is on terms of lifelong friendship with the Imperial Noble Consort, who is currently the most favored in the palace!"
Bai Wutong made a mental note of her.
Anyone connected to the Imperial Noble Consort was someone she would never let off the hook!
Seeing Bai Wutong lower her gaze and ignore her completely, Gao Jingwan flew into a rage. "What do you mean by that? Are you looking down on me? I'll teach you! Let's see if I don't scratch up that seductive, fox-like face of yours!"
With that, Gao Jingwan, accustomed as she always was to acting imperiously and tyrannically, lunged forward with her claws out.
She had never liked pretty women, and whenever she encountered one whose power and status fell short of her own, she was determined to make her suffer!
Bai Wutong had no intention of letting her ruin her face, which was the fundamental basis for establishing herself in the inner court in the future.
Her slender figure nimbly dodged aside, as light as a wisp of smoke, landing on the ground without making the slightest sound.
"How dare you dodge!" Gao Jingwan was determined to teach her a lesson today."Jingwan, stop making a scene. The palace gates will open soon; do you really want the palace staff in charge of the selection to see you acting like this?" A woman's gentle, melodic voice drifted from behind.
Gao Jingwan paused, looked back, and let out a scoff of utter disdain. "Wen Chuyun, mind your own business."
Despite her words, she ceased her harassment.
Bai Wutong looked at Wen Chuyun. Though the other woman was smiling, appearing gentle and charming, the smile did not reach her eyes.
Wen Chuyun was the eldest daughter of the Palace Attendant and a renowned talented woman in the Capital. Not only was she exceptionally gifted, but she was also a great beauty; for a time, scholars and literati had hailed her as the most beautiful woman in the Capital.
She possessed a full figure as well, though not as plump as Gao Jingwan’s; she was round, graceful, and carried an air of dignified composure—a look that elders favored most. If nothing went wrong, she would surely be selected.
Wen Chuyun approached Bai Wutong and took her hand with practiced familiarity. "Sister, whose family are you from? I don't seem to have ever seen you in the Capital."
Seeing this, Gao Jingwan sneered, "Wen Chuyun, have you lost your mind? Why bother fawning over a sickly weakling? If she gets selected today, I’ll walk out of these palace gates on my hands!"
Just as Bai Wutong was about to speak, the palace gates opened.
The Nanny in charge of the selection appeared. She was so stout that she almost filled half the doorway, her face covered in rolls of flesh—one look was enough to see she was not a woman to be trifled with. "Young ladies, follow me."
All those who had come to the Imperial Palace were daughters of officials rank five or above, or those from families with many children; they did not need to participate in the preliminary rounds and only had to go through this final stage to see if the Emperor would keep their tallies.
Therefore, the palace staff dared not treat them too harshly. After a quick glance, she led them to a side hall in the inner court. "Young ladies, please change into these maid-of-honor robes before you proceed to the palace selection."
"Remove your makeup and do not keep any personal items. In the past, maid-of-honors have tried to leave hairpins behind to stand out, only to be kicked out before they even stepped foot into the palace. Do not be foolish, ladies."
The maid-of-honors, who had been busy changing, all slumped, crestfallen, as they removed their meticulously prepared ornaments.
Many of the women, who had been radiant and glowing just moments before, turned drab the instant they wiped away their makeup.
Only by being made to look identical could their true differences be seen.
Bai Wutong had been wearing simple clothing to begin with and had no accessories to remove. She quickly changed into the goose-yellow maid-of-honor robe and waited to the side.
As for her face, there was no need for makeup at all. Being a Cat-Spirit, even if she couldn't cultivate, she was different from an ordinary person. Her face was fair and elegant, as smooth and tender as a peeled egg.Her appearance was far too exquisite, yet her frame was so delicate that even with such beauty, people would merely grant her a second glance.
At that second look, they would only scoff, dismissing her as no threat at all.
As they finished changing into their robes, the others began whispering among themselves. The selection process this time had been rushed, and the proceedings were to be just as hurried; they were all to enter the palace hall at once, rather than in small groups.
Many of the imperial concubine candidates grew anxious. "What are we to do? If we all go in together, won't I just be lost in the crowd?"
A companion standing nearby comforted her, "That won't happen. You have such a fine figure—your waist is quite full, which is a sign that you are well-suited for childbearing. You are certain to be chosen."
Bai Wutong sat to the side, quietly taking in every word. At the same time, she matched the people around her to the portraits she had studied, gaining a rough understanding of who everyone was. She paid particular attention to those with connections to the Imperial Noble Consort.
"Why are you sitting here all by yourself? Were you frightened by Gao Jingwan?" Wen Chuyun strolled over to stand before Bai Wutong. "She has always been overbearing, and she especially despises anyone else with a beautiful face. By the way, what is your name?"
"Bai Wutong."
"Wutong—what a lovely name. As the saying goes, 'Where there is a Wutong tree, the phoenix will come.' Such a fortunate meaning; I am quite envious. You seem like a kind soul. If we both happen to remain in the Imperial Palace, perhaps we could be companions?"
Wen Chuyun spoke in soft, gentle tones, her voice melodious and designed to effortlessly win favor.
Unfortunately, Bai Wutong was a Cat-Spirit. Having come to the human world for the first time only to witness the death of her parents, she would never truly trust any human.
Wen Chuyun produced a small sachet and offered it to Bai Wutong. "I embroidered this myself; consider it a gift. I don't yet know what this deep palace with its high walls holds in store, but I only hope to have someone sincere to talk to. I find that you are different from the other noblewomen—you are gentle and charming. Perhaps we could be companions in the future."
Bai Wutong squeezed the sachet, and a faint, sweet fragrance immediately drifted from it.
She took a light sniff, and her sensitive little nose identified the contents—most were common fragrant flowers known for their calming and soothing properties, many of which she had seen in the mountain forests where she lived.
However, hidden among them was one ingredient with a chronic toxin. At first, there would be no ill effects, but after a period of time, the victim would grow gradually weaker until they eventually coughed up blood and perished.
To think that upon their very first meeting, Wen Chuyun would already want her dead—she was truly a viper in beautiful skin.
It was just as the rumors said: the inner court was filled with countless treacherous schemes. Without some measure of skill, it was impossible to survive in this man-eating palace!