The sun will rise, the green trees in the capital city are full of greenery, and the flaming red pomegranate flowers are in full swing inside and outside the walls of the Vermilion Palace. The cars selected by the palace attendants lined up outside the Jinshui Gate in the order arranged the previous day, waiting for the forbidden door in the palace to open.

The carriages and horses entering the palace began to set off when the rooster crowed at the first sound, and when they arrived outside the Jinshui Gate, it was still early to leave the palace gate. The ladies to be selected were washed and bathed before dawn, and dressed up. Either apprehensive or frightened, he stayed quietly in the car.

Zangjiao was calm, first in the car with a silver bottle of warm water with some snacks prepared by He'er, and then leaned on the embroidered apricots and took a nap for a while, then heard some movement around him.

Thinking about which little lady had not done it properly, or there was something inconvenient, there was a muffled cry in the car, although it was low, it was very real in the silence of this dawn.

Xiuxing said quietly: "Wait for the palace door to open, this lady is crying, I'm afraid it's not appropriate." Ha'er put her hand to her mouth and shook her head.

Sure enough, the official who was responsible for taking care of the convoy said a few words to the lady. There was silence again. It took a long time for the Golden Water Gate to creak open. With the guidance of the internal officials, the convoy entered the palace gate in order.

According to the rules, it is from the Golden Water Gate, passing through the long road in the palace, passing through a deep and wide palace alley before coming to the inner city to welcome the Mandarin Gate. All the foreign officers who followed the convoy retreated, and the servants and maids who followed them all stayed outside the door. The lady must get out of the car and walk, wearing a long veil to cover her face, and there are blue-clothed officials and leading Shang Gong to lead into the palace.

Due to the large number of ladies in this year's draft, three palaces were divided into three rooms for the primary selection. The high-ranking ladies above the third grade are led from the red-clothed Shanggong to the Xinying Palace, from the third grade, from the fifth grade to the daughter of the official eunuch to the Liuxiang Palace, and the sixth grade to the seventh grade are divided into the first snow Xuan. Zangjiao, as the daughter of a low-end petty official, naturally went to Chuxuexuan with the low-level blue-clothed palace maid.

The green-clothed Shanggong standing outside Chu Xue Xuan saw that everyone had arrived, and ordered loudly: "The first test girl show takes off the power li, and five people enter in a row." When entering the white room, the clothes must not be left behind, and they must not be delayed. According to the number plate called by the mother, if there is any disagreement, he will be ordered to quit and wait for the dispatch in the outer hall.

Those who pass the initial examination will be dressed and plastic surgery, enter the ritual room, and gently move the lotus step and walk gracefully. Go around in a circle, say ten thousand blessings, and call the saint Wan'an. Those who are together stay, and then enter the Wude room to be selected. Those who do not agree leave the outer hall and wait. Do you understand? ”

All the women said in unison that Shanggong was hard, and the little girl understood. The green-clothed Shanggong nodded and waved. The ladies to be selected took the power and placed it on the elevated shelf, and lined up themselves to prepare for the election.

Zangjiao went to Mi Li, looked around slightly in the middle of the crowd, and found that Mo Lanyi, who had met in the post house that day, was also in the team next to him, still dressed plainly and elegantly, the two looked at each other, nodded slightly to each other and smiled.

When the five Tibetan Jiao people entered the white room, they saw the five mumu standing on the ground wearing a dark long robe with red edges on the cuffs and skirts, with a stern expression, and ordered to quickly widen the clothes.

Zangjiao gently removed her coat and unbuttoned her undergarment and long skirt. The smooth and smooth white arms and slender legs were revealed, and a pair of small peaks under the crimson belly pocket were slightly undulating. Going to the belly pocket again, the eyes of a few mothers suddenly lit up.

A mother with a slight numbness on her face walked up, took her hand as a ruler, measured it behind Zangjiao's shoulder, on her chest and waist, and told her to lower her head and open her mouth. In a low voice, he reported in a low voice: "The shoulders and arms are appropriate, the back and legs are like plastic, the umbilical cord is round, and the waist and hips are like pears...... Next to it, there is a priest Shang Gong with a pen to quickly record.

After the inspection, Mu Mu took the clothes and personally wore them with Zangjiao, and said with a smile on the corner of his mouth: "The lady is beautiful, her feet are like bamboo shoots, her complexion is like an orchid, and her white is flawless." Please enter the ritual room with these three ladies. ”

It turned out that one of the five people had already been withdrawn because of the slight breath under her armpits. Zang Jiao and the other three thanked Mumu softly, and were guided by the blue-clothed Shang Palace to the Wenli room.

The palace room is wide and empty, the five green-clothed Shang Gong combs their palace-style hair buns, sits upright and solemnly on the first five pear blossom wooden chairs, and the four golden lotus shakes slightly, and Tingting stepped forward to go around for a week, bending down to perform the blessing ceremony. Take turns to open their mouths and preach the saint Wan'an.

One of the little ladies in red thought that she was too nervous, her voice trembled slightly, and she stammered. Shang Gong, who was wearing a red coral palace ornament in the center, stood up and pointed and reprimanded: "Cowering, frivolous behavior, lack of etiquette, quickly retreat!" The little lady raised her sleeves and hid her face, and came out crying.

Another Shang Gong reprimanded the three of them: "You must know to accompany the emperor's attendants, when you advance and retreat decently, speak calmly, behave without bewitching and chaotic posture, and respond without the emperor's panic." Remember, go to the Wude Hall to consider your talents. ”

Zangjiao and the remaining two ladies walked all the way, thinking that the primary election would be so strict, and only three of the five of them remained. After today, I am afraid that there are only a few hundred people left, and I don't know how cautious the re-election is. Fortunately, I don't have the heart to be aggressive, just follow the etiquette.

There were no Shanggong women in the Wude room, only five green-clothed officials sat high with paper and pencils, and there were a few blue-clothed attendants standing behind them. Seeing the three of her come in to salute, she spoke: "The women of this dynasty have five virtues, soft and chaste character, good and beautiful appearance, appropriate speech and demeanor, female workers hold the Tao, calligraphy, painting, piano, chess, singing and dancing.

Since the three of them have passed the threshold of De Jong's etiquette, they are all of good looks. You only need to get out of the five virtue rooms, and half a foot can be regarded as stepping into the palace gate. Now you can report your name and history and know the talent for us to record. ”

The internal official spoke naturally, and his voice was high-pitched and a little weird, and the lady standing on the left of Zangjiao thought that she had never seen such a scene, so she couldn't help but laugh softly, and the internal official frowned and said: "So impetuous, you dare to enter the palace to serve the election." Take it out, reward five slaps, and immediately send it out to welcome the mandarin mandarin door, never be selected! ”

Zangjiao and the rest of the ladies glanced at each other, listening to the heart-rending cry of the lady, and the deep palace prohibition in her heart was really terrifying. After the official hair was finished, urging the two of them to report their names and talents, Zangjiao said slowly: "The little daughter Jin Zangjiao, her father is Chengjin Wenbao of Qingxian County, Pingzhou Prefecture under the rule of the Holy Dynasty. Since childhood, he has learned to point to female red, and he is slightly familiar with poetry and writing. ”

The internal official nodded: "How about singing, dancing, piano and chess?" Zangjiao groaned slightly: "The little girl has never practiced singing and dancing, and only learned some chess skills when she was young. "That's it, what about this lady?" "The youngest daughter Lin Yuzhen, her father is Lin Duoyou, the county commander of Ping'an County, Cangzhou Prefecture, under the rule of the Holy Dynasty. The little female needle refers to the female red is excellent, and the most exquisite embroidery. He is also proficient in poetry and writing, and is good at singing. This Lin Niangzi thought that she was frightened, and she said angrily in the future.

Several internal officials took notes with their pens, and said with a smile: "Congratulations to the two ladies for the primary election, and there will naturally be someone to guide them along the sandwich road after leaving the Wude room." After three days, enter the inner palace and then make a second selection. I would like to congratulate the lady Feng Luan on her high move. ”

The two of them immediately breathed a sigh of relief, thanked a few internal officials, and hurriedly walked out of the Wude room, and the lady called Lin Yuzhen patted her chest all the way: "This sister, just scared me to death." Zangjiao also had palpitations: "It's really a little terrifying, such a delicate daughter's family was beaten out." It's terrifying in this palace. ”

The two of them said while walking, but it was a garden when they came out, and many women were chatting and waiting outside, and a white-clothed palace maid came up to inform the two of them that all the ladies who had passed the primary election could wander around here by themselves, waiting for the results of the other two selections, and leaving the palace together. Lin Yuzhen said that she was a little anxious, so she left Zangjiao to find a clean place by herself.

Zangjiao walked slowly in the garden, but ran into Mo Lanyi standing under a pomegranate flower, and Zangjiao stepped forward and greeted with a smile. Mo Lanyi saw that it was her, and a smile of joy appeared on her beautiful face. "When I saw Sister Jin for the first time, I felt that my sister was beautiful. Sure enough, the primary election was easily passed. Congratulations to my sister. ”

Zang Jiao smiled: "Sister Mo even praised herself, if I passed the primary election easily, wouldn't you be the same, sister?" Mo Lanyi's face was slightly red, he lowered his head and gently brushed away a fallen flower on his body, and said in a low voice: "It is not easy for Daddy to be an official, and he is a stereotypical person who does not know how to flatter officials.

offended Hu Cao in the house, and that man gave his father a lot of fetters on the money valley. It hurts the poor people in Daddy's county to be very poor, and the performance appraisal is not good. If I don't win this year, my father will be replaced next year and will be transferred to a very poor place.

It's easy to pass the primary election today, and Sister Mi has spoken to me in the past two days, and she heard that three days later, the virtuous concubine in the palace will preside over the re-election. I don't know if I'll be able to get away with it. If you have a sister with such a color and demeanor, you don't have to worry so much. ”

Zangjiao looked at her thin and pitiful. Gently took her hand and comforted softly: "Sister, don't worry, I listened to the words of those internal officials and palaces today, and the palace doesn't seem to like those bewitching and beautiful women." Sister, you are delicate and beautiful, if there is no mistake, you must be selected. It's just that the seal is high and low, and it's enough to scare those officials. ”

Mo Lanyi held Zangjiao's hand and only felt warm and soft, and couldn't help but feel at ease. Thinking about it, he took out a water-red handkerchief from his arms and handed it to Zangjiao: "Lan Yi only feels that it is abnormal to be close to her sister, if my sister doesn't give up, can you and I make a handkerchief?" Even if my sister was not selected, I would thank my sister for her kind words when she returned home. This veil is embroidered by myself, and I hope my sister is not too coarse. "The handkerchief silk is ordinary, but the embroidered three or two pear blossoms are exquisite and delicate, and it is obvious that a lot of effort has been wasted.

Zangjiao bent her eyebrows and smiled: "My sister's hands are so skillful, but I am going to be ugly." He also took out a pale yellow handkerchief embroidered with apricot blossoms from his bosom and put it in her hand. Thinking about it, he pulled out a silver thread from his head, and Hua Sheng gently locked it in her hair

"My sister re-elected after three days, and I want to come to the house and always like Sudan. If you dress up more beautifully and exquisitely, it will be more eye-catching. Mo Lanyi didn't refuse, only nodded at her seriously, and the two smiled at each other in the shade of the flowers, as if they had known each other for many years.

"Sister Mo, huh? Sister Kim is also here. What are you doing? The two of them were startled, but it was Mirufu who walked up to them with a pomegranate flower and tilted her head to look at the two of them.

"It's nothing, but I'm just waiting to get out of the palace, Sister Mi is delicate and cute, and now she has passed the primary election, which is gratifying." Moranyi explained to her with a slight smile.

"It's all because of this Laoshizi branch hall, my father is also a military attache of the sixth grade, but he divided me into this Chuxue Xuan. Sister Duanmu and Sister Gu both went to the Liuxiang Palace, and they don't know if they have passed the primary election. Miruve grumbled with a pout.

Zang Jiao said in her heart, how can she make no more sense, and slowly say that there are concubines in the palace who help her, and it is enough to talk about appearance alone. I didn't bother to say anything, so I just smiled and said, "It's almost time, and after standing for half a day, my legs are soft and my mouth is dry, so I'd better find a place to rest." Hengzhi has cleared outsiders here, and there is no obstacle. ”

The three of them found a stone bench in a slightly secluded place and sat down, although Miruv was very young, she had a lot of words. kept talking about the news that came in, and chattered non-stop.

After a while, I heard a palace maid summoning the ladies to prepare to leave the palace. All the women lined up in turn to follow the lead out, back to the Yingluan Gate, the Shang Palace will enter the palace three days later to re-elect all matters and explain again, open the palace gate, each looking for their own carriages and horses.

He'er Xing'er stretched her neck to look for it in the crowd, and when she saw Zangjiao, she screamed and pounced, hurriedly helped her into the car, and was busy pouring water and pinching her shoulders. I was really tired after tossing and turning for most of the day, so I rested on He'er. The carriage and horse swayed on the road out of the Golden Water Gate, closed their eyes and fell asleep in a daze.