Chapter 113

Chapter 113

In early April, as the gentle Qingming drizzle softly enveloped the Forbidden City, the first selection of palace maid candidates during Emperor Yongzheng's reign officially began.

Candidates from all over the country and northern Mongolia lined up outside the Shenwu Gate, awaiting selection.

It had been nearly seven years since the last selection, and apart from those exempt due to age, this selection involved as many as eight thousand candidates.

As with previous selections, the Imperial Household Department first screened out those without major flaws before they could proceed to the initial selection.

The initial selection lasted three days. After passing the re-selection, the candidates would stay in the palace for half a month to be taught the rules before the final selection.

This selection drew considerable attention both inside and outside the capital, with many fearing potential issues.

Given the large number of candidates, families with high aspirations worried about intense competition. The initial selection was manageable, but the re-selection... could be daunting.

Despite these concerns, families had no choice but to send their daughters to the palace.

On the first day of the selection, most candidates were from prominent families within the Manchu, Mongolian, and Han Eight Banners.

According to tradition, the top three banners, where the retired emperor and the reigning emperor resided, were positioned at the front.

The remaining five banners were arranged with the Manchu banners first, followed by the Mongolian banners, and finally the Han banners.

From the second watch, mule-drawn carts began to gather outside the Shenwu Gate, filling the area for several miles around.

Guards from the Commander-in-Chief's Office were stationed outside, while officials from the Imperial Household Department's Shanggong and Shanggong departments, along with palace servants from the Department's Rites Office, were stationed inside to maintain order.

Candidates in mule-drawn carts closer to the Shenwu Gate waited relatively comfortably.

Those further away felt anxious, knowing they might have to wait until late in the day.

Even though they had prepared light snacks and tea, fearing the lack of lavatory facilities and potential embarrassment, they dared not eat or drink, fearing it might ruin their chances.

Every year, some candidates faced this challenge.

However, as dawn broke and the Shenwu Gate opened, all participating candidates noticed something unusual.

Hundreds of palace guards approached from a distance, stationed themselves on both sides of the Shenwu Gate, and quickly formed four lines, each with a three-person gap in the middle, creating a barrier of guards.

Then, palace eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department emerged from the Shenwu Gate in an orderly fashion and took their positions at the front of the three barriers.

Each eunuch held a wooden board with an iron plate inside and began to announce—

"Manchu candidates in the center, Mongolian Eight Banners on the left, Han Eight Banners on the right. All candidates must quickly disembark and form lines, ten per group, and follow the palace servants in an orderly manner into the Shenwu Gate!"

Some eunuchs, carrying these wooden boards, bypassed the palace guards they usually dared not approach and ran back, repeating this announcement at regular intervals until it could be heard several miles away.

The Imperial Household Department had already sent people to guide the mule-drawn carts to turn around and leave from the other side, while others continuously announced the selection rules—

"Selected candidates need not leave the palace on the same day. The initial and re-selections are combined, with candidates divided into those from the Chu Xiu Palace, Yan Hui Pavilion, and Shu Fang Zhai."

"Unselected candidates will be sent back by the Imperial Household Department before sunset each day, with no need for mule-drawn carts to pick them up!"

"After half a month, qualified candidates from the three locations will each receive a seal, which will grant them the imperial edict for promotion!"

Upon hearing these announcements, the ministers and servants from the top three banners who were managing the mule-drawn carts, as well as those who had sent their family members for the selection, were all astonished.

Even the fastest initial selection usually took three to five days to complete, with many candidates being eliminated during the screening process.

After the initial selection, only one in ten selected palace maids could advance to the re-selection, and it was somewhat reasonable to keep them in the palace. But this time, all of them are staying in the palace?

And the Imperial Household Department is to send them back? What nonsense!

Some from noble families mocked in their mule carriages, "The Prince of Lü Commandery's handling of this matter is so baffling, one wouldn't know where to begin criticizing. Does he think this is some kind of sleight of hand?"

With so many people, is the Imperial Household Department so overstaffed that they have nothing better to do, or can the palace really accommodate them all?

There were also female relatives accompanying the lady of the family to the selection process, whispering, "It has nothing to do with the Prince of Lü Commandery. I heard that this selection was arranged by a certain Female Official Suining."

"If even His Majesty is backing her, there's bound to be a huge mess. Tsk tsk, it's like trying to prop up mud that won't hold!"

...

While the outside world was still buzzing with discussions about the selection rules, the selected palace maids, after checking the wooden tags on their lapels, quickly formed teams of ten and were led into the Shenwu Gate.

In this world, no one understands the efficiency of a meticulously planned assembly line for crowd control in an event involving tens of thousands of people.

Before anyone could react, the mule carriages, guided by the infantry of the Commander-in-chief's Office, quickly dispersed from the Shenwu Gate area.

Along with the carriages, news of the event at the Shenwu Gate also spread.

*

Every selection is the most bustling time in the capital.

Not only do the participating families pay attention, but even the common folk who are not eligible to participate discuss it over meals.

Led by Geng Shuning, with the cooperation of Yun Tao and Tuoheqi, this selection sparked a lot of ridicule among the families in less than half a day.

Some, concerned for their lady of the family, laughed while hastily arranging gifts and sending nameplates.

Fearing that issues in the selection might affect their lady's future, those who had long found Geng Shuning's presence irritating were just biding their time.

On the first day of selection, nearly two thousand people participated.

If the palace gates were locked before the selected palace maids could return home, it would signify a major blunder from the get-go.

Then they couldn't be faulted for seeking an audience with the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager to accuse Geng Shuning.

The selection is tied to the imperial family's succession and is closely linked to the court, not a trivial matter. If there's a blunder, even if the Emperor wants to shield her, the Retired Emperor won't permit it.

Only by curbing Geng Shuning's arrogance can the ladies of the family entering the palace have a chance to pursue their future. Once an opportunity arises, no one will let it slip.

The capital even quickly established a betting pool, wagering on whether the first batch of selected palace maids could return home before the palace gates were locked, with odds as high as nine to one for those who could.

*

Geng Shuning's younger sister, Geng Shuyao, also came of age for selection. Since her father was already a first-rank official, she also participated in the palace selection on the first day.

The Nara clan was confined to the ancestral hall, and the youngest son was sent to study at the Geng family school.

Geng Jia De Jin had just returned to the capital to oversee the Ministry of Justice and was too busy to arrange for his shaken daughter to enter the palace.

Geng Jia De Jin then ordered Geng Wenyan, who had just recovered and was idle at home, to escort his younger sister to the selection.

Under her mother's suppression, Geng Shuyao had a poor relationship with her younger brother Geng Wenqi but got along well with her sister-in-law.

Geng Wenyan, nagged by his father and wife, decided to sleep in the mule carriage all day, just to avoid the noise.

Since Geng Shuning became a first-rank female official, the family's threshold was almost worn out by visitors.

Now, with Geng Wenyan's wife, Tatara, managing the household, Geng Wenyan, as Geng Shuning's elder brother, saw his status rise and was inevitably flattered by many.

However, Geng Wenyan wasn’t interested in a career in government; he preferred indulging in food, drink, and entertainment.

First controlled by his stepmother and wife, and now by his father, he didn’t dare cause too much trouble, afraid his father might break his legs. So, he grew tired of socializing.

Surprisingly, he had sent his sister into the palace before dawn and was back home shortly after sunrise.

As he made his way to the west city wall, hearing the lively chatter outside, Geng Wenyan decided to step out of the mule cart and wander over to join the excitement.

Coincidentally spotted by A Linga, the idle Niohuru Duke immediately came up with a devious idea.

A Linga was even more reckless than Geng Wenyan, having no qualms about bullying juniors, and immediately beckoned his personal attendant—

"Go, fetch our future young lord from the Minister of Justice's family up here!"

Although Geng Shuning was only a female official, the emperor’s obvious favor made the Geng family’s future clear, and many couldn’t help but feel envious.

However, the Geng family, having been elevated from bondservants, wouldn’t dare openly provoke a duke from a prominent Manchu clan. Bewildered, Geng Wenyan followed along to the teahouse.

Once there, provoked by A Linga and his sycophants, things took a turn for the worse.

*

By the time Geng Shuning received the news, it was already well into the afternoon.

The selected palace maids were arranged in the imperial garden, queuing up for quick registration and evaluations.

Qiao He hurried in: "Mistress, there’s trouble. The eldest master of the Geng family was sent home by the Niohuru Duke with a debt note of twenty thousand taels."

Geng Jia De Jin, who was on duty at the Six Ministries, was furious upon receiving the news from the Qi family.

But he didn’t dare collapse, quickly sending the message to Geng Shuning.

The debt wasn’t a problem; the Geng family could easily afford twenty thousand taels.

But if this became public, and the first batch of selected palace maids couldn’t return home before the palace gates closed, both Geng Shuning and the Geng family would suffer, and the censors would surely impeach the Geng family fiercely.

*

When Qiao He came in to speak, Geng Shuning was busily sewing her own bras and underwear.

Previously, as Consort Xi had anticipated, Yinzhen and Geng Shuning couldn’t publicly reveal the empress dowager’s actions, as it would disgrace the retired emperor and accuse the current emperor of lacking filial piety.

Qiao He and Qingfang had worried that their mistress would be angry, but after the emperor and mistress broke a screen during their intimate moment, the previous incident seemed to have faded away like a passing breeze.

But the emperor hadn’t smiled for half a month, exuding a chilling aura, terrifying the imperial servants who served him, wishing they could become invisible.

Yet Geng Shuning was always smiling, seemingly in high spirits, constantly engaging the emperor in playful antics.

Was the emperor angry? According to Zhao Song, even the ministers at court were terrified by the emperor’s grim expression, not daring to provoke him.

But if the emperor was truly angry, he never scolded Geng Shuning, silently allowing her to stir up trouble... and frequently calling for water at night.

Su Peisheng and Qiao He, after some days of worry, had almost given up.

Whatever happens, happens.

They couldn’t understand the rules of divine conflicts.

No one at the imperial court dared to disrespect Geng Shuning; instead, seeing the emperor’s obvious indulgence, they became even more respectful.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation was practically turning into Geng Shuning’s palace.

Geng Jia De Jin could quickly relay messages to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, thanks to the cooperation of the imperial servants.

Geng Shuning listened to Qiao He's report and smiled with ease.

"Has my brother fully recovered?"

The original host was not close to Geng Wenyan, and when the Nala clan tormented her, Geng Wenyan never stood up for her.

Geng Shuning thought it was fine as long as her brother didn't cause her any trouble, and she didn't intend to have much contact with him.

Seeing that her mistress was not anxious, Qiao He also calmed down and nodded with a helpless smile.

"Reporting to Mistress, His Majesty specially sent Imperial Physician Chang to treat Minister Geng and Master Geng. They had fully recovered by the Shangsi Festival... but today, who knows?"

If Geng Wenyan were her son, Qiao He thought to herself, his legs and wrists would surely be broken today.

Geng Shuning also guessed this and laughed even more heartily.

Qingfang quickly moved the embroidery basket aside, worried her mistress might prick herself.

"Tell Zhao Song to deliver a message to my father for me, saying that I plead for my brother's sake. If his arms and legs are broken and need to be reattached, he'll have to stay home, which is such a waste," Geng Shuning said with a smile.

Qiao He: "..." Was that not what she thought it meant?

"The money he earns, tell my father to take half for the family's public funds and half for my sister-in-law. Have her organize all of my mother's dowry and store it in the warehouse. If there's not enough money, tell my brother to go out and earn more," Geng Shuning said leisurely, sipping her tea, confirming Qiao He's thoughts.

"The odds are nine to one... Qingfang, immediately arrange for someone discreet to take a hundred thousand taels of silver notes from the box and place the bet. Meanwhile, Qiao He, go find out who the bookmaker is."

Qingfang smiled and agreed: "This servant will go to the imperial garden to keep an eye on things after completing the task, ensuring it doesn't delay Mistress's money-making."

*

The palace was bustling with the selection of new palace maids, and outside the palace, there was much discussion about the gambling and the incident at Shenwu Gate, making it livelier than the New Year.

Even Consort Qi and Consort Xi, who had been under house arrest due to illness, couldn't resist sending people out to secretly see which outstanding candidates would enter the palace.

Consort Qi, upon learning that many had been selected, couldn't help but curse Geng Shuning daily.

"I'm waiting for that wench to bring in some seductive women to steal her favor, and then we'll see how she can still be so arrogant!"

Her maidservant Hong Ying smiled and said, "I'm afraid we won't have to wait that long. It's already mid-afternoon, and I see that half of the palace maids in the imperial garden haven't completed that tedious registration. They definitely won't leave the palace before the gates are locked."

Consort Qi thought so too. Many were eliminated in the selection, and she had never seen a selection where the palace maids were sent home.

She stopped cursing and just waited to see the spectacle.

Consort Xi, hearing the report from Chunfu, who had been promoted from a second-class palace maid, also felt it was impossible but remained silent with a grim face.

She had suffered too many setbacks because of Geng Shuning.

From having to move palaces, to being asked to leave Nine Continents Clear View, to losing her carefully trained senior palace maid to the Imperial Punishment Bureau...

She didn't want to admit it, but she had to acknowledge that Geng Shuning always managed to do the unthinkable. Today... many people's plans would likely fall through.

By early evening, Consort Xi couldn't hold back any longer and instructed Chunfu: "Send someone to the imperial garden to see if the palace maids have left—"

"Mistress! Mistress! The palace maids have left the palace!" Another second-class palace maid, Chunyan, ran in, her eyes wide.

"Chen Tai has been lurking near the imperial garden. Half an hour ago, the Imperial Household Department arranged for the eliminated palace maids to leave through the imperial garden. They should be outside Shenwu Gate by now."

Chen Tai was the chief eunuch of Yonghe Palace. Although Consort Xi was not yet a consort and couldn't keep Chen Tai by her side, with the third prince around, Chen Tai had long since pledged allegiance to Consort Xi and diligently served her.

Consort Xi tightly gripped her teacup, her face sinking with unease as she asked.

"How many selected palace maid candidates were directly eliminated?"

Nearly two thousand eligible selected palace maid candidates, not to mention the palace couldn't house them all. Even if only twenty to thirty percent were to be eliminated, hundreds of selected palace maid candidates would be staying in various parts of the capital. The Imperial Household Department had to arrange for their stay in the palace, and it was absolutely impossible to send them all back in a short time.

Chunyan was somewhat at a loss; she really didn't know.

Fortunately, Chen Tai, who had caught his breath outside, quickly came in and reported the key points without Consort Xi needing to prompt him.

"Reporting to Your Ladyship, this selection is indeed unusual. Female Official Suining had the vast majority of selected palace maid candidates arranged into the North Three Palaces and the Qianxi Palace Complex."

Consort Xi: "..." It's because the third prince is still too young; those places are not currently inhabited by royal offspring, leaving plenty of space for that woman from the Geng family to exploit!

Chen Tai continued, "This selection eliminated... only the Wu Ya, Niohuru, Ma Jia, Nala, Chen Jia, and Tatara clans. The others... all passed."

Chen Tai even counted carefully and glanced cautiously at Consort Xi, "A total of 132 candidates were eliminated. The Imperial Household Department had already prepared enough carriages, escorted by the Superintendent's Office back home, and they have already set off."

The teacup in Consort Xi's hand fell to the ground with a loud 'bang'.

"How dare she!" The situation in Changchun Palace was much the same, with Consort Qi loudly asking.

"How many does she plan to keep tomorrow? Combining the initial and secondary selections... is this woman trying to exhaust His Majesty?!"

Consort Xi, who knew Geng Shuning better, had an especially grim expression but couldn't bring herself to curse aloud.

She finally understood how Geng Shuning would retaliate against the sabotage at the previous Lantern Festival palace banquet and the Empress Dowager's overt and covert troubles.

Geng Shuning didn't even bother to personally suppress the consorts or oppose the Empress Dowager, risking a bad reputation for filial impiety. She was... letting all the Eight Banners households challenge the Empress Dowager and the consorts.

Even if they are the emperor's mother, women, and even if the emperor cannot easily dispose of them... how can they contend with the entire Qing Dynasty?

Although the final selection of those entering the palace is not yet decided, as long as Geng Shuning doesn't make a mistake and aligns with the majority of the nobility and ministers' interests, no one can touch her.

*

While Consort Qi, Consort Xi, and other consorts in the palace were furious, people in the capital who saw the Imperial Household Department's carriages and infantry guards spread the news of the first batch of selected palace maid candidates returning home.

The entire capital quickly buzzed with activity, especially the Shengxing Gambling House, which had opened a betting pool and was now surrounded by a crowd.

The Geng family, the Qi family, and several other families friendly with the Gengs came with gongs and drums and plenty of servants, making a grand display to collect their winnings.

The gambling house manager was sweating profusely, his face as pale as paper, looking as though he might faint at any moment.

What was clearly impossible had suddenly become reality, more terrifying than seeing a ghost.

Although many people had placed bets, the amount they had to pay out was even greater!

A widowed wealthy merchant's wife had bet a hundred thousand taels of silver, and the payout was nine hundred thousand taels!

Not to mention others... in total, over two million taels were likely to be paid out.

Not far from the Shengxing Gambling House, in a teahouse, the owner of Shengxing, Huaqi, and A Linga had smashed the tea room into a mess.

Huaqi cursed, "What on earth is the emperor doing? A woman is making a mess, and he's following her madness?!"

A Linga cursed the Geng family's ancestors for eighteen generations, "Damn it, the twenty thousand taels of silver that brat from the Geng family won, the capital was given by me!"

"If I had known that fool on the throne was so stupid—"

"A Linga!" Huaqi shouted angrily, sweating coldly, "If you want to die, go back to your mansion and curse, I still want to live!"

A Linga couldn't sit still any longer and stormed out of the teahouse, returning to his mansion to vent his anger.

Not just them, even Yinzhen's brothers, especially the recently well-behaved Yunxiang and Yun'e, were extremely curious.

Yun'e asked his ninth brother, "Do you think Fourth Brother... I mean, do you think he can afford to support so many women? Does he have that much money in his private coffers?"

Yunxiang sneered, "Come on, I've calculated it. His private coffers probably don't even have as much money as one of our father's storerooms does."

"Previously, the imperial treasury was empty. He spent a lot on the smallpox inoculation, and our father secretly gave him some money."

"Recently, he's been pushing the Ministry of Works to promote royal rice and royal beans, allowing the people to borrow seeds and reducing taxes. Neither the imperial treasury nor his private coffers are in good shape."

He speculated, "Could Fourth Brother be planning to hold the selected palace maids as hostages and demand ransom from their families? Given his... ahem, his personality, it's not something he wouldn't do!"

Yun'e, however, had a different opinion this time.

"I don't think so. Have you forgotten about the Linglong charcoal and Linglong stove business run by the Imperial Household Department?"

"Besides, the Imperial Household Department has some shops that make profitable deals. They must earn quite a bit for Fourth Brother each year, right?"

Yunxiang naturally knew, "Do you think the relief efforts for the floods in Zhuozhou and Huguang were so quick because of the money he had?"

Yun'e let out a long "oh," then realized something was off, "Hey, Ninth Brother, how do you know that our father secretly gave Fourth Brother money?"

Yunxiang coughed lightly, "With my intelligence, it's naturally easier for me to find out about money-related matters than for others!"

In reality, after repaying the Ministry of Revenue, he went to complain about being poor to Consort Yi and his father. Consort Yi secretly told him not to cause trouble, as his father was already upset about his own private coffers.

Yunxiang had a sharp nose; he could sense his father's favoritism.

In the past, his father had always favored Emperor Duane and his other brothers, almost never involving Fourth Brother.

This made Yunxiang jealous for a long time, which is why he never stopped opposing Yinzhen.

Now that he had become a prince, his wife's family was also being heavily relied upon.

His father even hinted to his mother that he would promote her rank on her birthday. Yunxiang really had no intention of opposing Yinzhen anymore.

Recently, he had been racking his brains trying to figure out how to get in touch with the female official whom his Fourth Brother held in high regard.

If there's money to be made, he could surely make more than others!

With such a lucrative opportunity right in front of him, visible but untouchable, it was incredibly frustrating for Yunxiang.

Now, just as he hadn't made contact yet, Yunxiang suddenly realized... his Fourth Brother seemed a bit blind.

This Female Official Suining wasn't very reliable!

But Yunxiang didn't tell Yun'e about this.

His tenth brother had a big mouth. If he told Yun'e, the prince title he just got might not stay warm for long before being taken away.

He thought about it and ordered his subordinates not to cozy up to Yun Tao anymore, and not to try to sit down for tea with Geng Jia De Jin.

Unexpectedly, just as he finished giving these orders, an edict from the Grand Empress Dowager arrived in the palace.

The edict shocked Yunxiang.

He stared dumbfounded at Nanny Wuyunna and asked, "Nanny, are you saying that Female Official Suining wants to see me, so the Grand Empress Dowager issued an edict summoning me to the palace for an audience?!"

On the second day of the selection, this Female Official Suining still had time to meet with an outsider?