After returning from Anze Temple, the days passed like water, and in a blink of an eye, it was June 21, the 43rd year of Kangxi, and another Eight Banners draft kicked off in the slightly hot weather in June.

On this day, Huizhu got up just after the third watch. didn't use any food to eat, and was pulled by Zhang Jiashi to freshen up and dress up. I really didn't expect Huizhu to be chosen, but I really dressed her up for a while, and it wasn't until Chen Shizheng that Huizhu was dressed properly. Dressed in a blue flag suit with narrow sleeves on the pipa placket, a simple big braid on the back of his head, a flower ornament made of pearls on his sideburns, a small pearl pendant on his ears, and a white silk cloth strip hanging in front of his placket, which reads "Niu Hulu Huizhu, the daughter of Ling Zhu, the four-grade ceremonial official with the yellow flag".

However, Huizhu didn't have time to take a breath, and hurried to the old lady non-stop. When they arrived at the main house, after kowtowing to the old lady and saying goodbye, they listened to the old lady's instructions and reprimanded her, and Fang and Huiya got into the carriage of the draft.

At this time, Huizhu was already sitting on the carriage heading to the Shenwu Gate of the Forbidden City, and after breathing a sigh of relief, she leisurely looked at Huiya, who was riding in the same carriage with her.

Today's Huiya is more delicate and dignified than before, and she is also wearing a blue flag dress with narrow sleeves and a pipa placket, but the sleeves and hem are inlaid with white satin wide columns. Similarly, Hui Ya swore to be like her, combing simple long braids, but wearing white jade inlaid with emerald tourmaline beads and milky white velvet flowers on her sideburns, and white jade pendants of the same color on her ears, which could be seen to be extremely carefully dressed.

Huiya was also relieved at this time under the busyness of several hours. When he was idle, he found Huizhu's scrutiny, so he replied: "The second sister is dressed plainly today." was discovered, Huizhu was a little embarrassed and said, "Yes, hehe." So he covered it with a smile, and didn't mention it, and the two had nothing to say along the way.

After about half an hour, the carriage finally stopped, and it seemed that it had arrived outside the Shenwu Gate, Huizhu and Huiya glanced at each other suspiciously, and then heard Ling Zhu say outside the carriage: "It's here, you guys come down." After hearing this, the two got out of the carriage as they were told.

As soon as the first day of the first year was settled, Ling Zhu hurriedly pulled the two aside and said sharply: "I know that your sisters have not been very close, but you should remember that this is the palace and not the big courtyard of our family, so you can't make your temper angry, so you have to support each other to go." After finishing speaking, he stared at the sisters with sharp eyes, and said in a deep voice: "You are all my daughters, no matter what your concubines." ”

As he was talking, a little eunuch came to urge, and Ling Zhu saw that it was not early, so he had to hurriedly give a few more instructions, and let Huizhu and Huiya follow the little eunuch into the carriage of the Internal Affairs Office.

When she got into the carriage, Huiya suddenly grabbed Huizhu's hand and whispered, "Sister, I will listen to Amma." Hui Zhu was a little stunned, Hui Ya rarely called her sister like this, probably because of the depressed and tense atmosphere at this time. For the first time, Hye-joo felt that this girl, who had always been a little distant and had some small means, was really her sister. As soon as he thought about it, he turned back to Hui Ya and smiled comfortingly, and said softly: "Don't be afraid, I will always be with you." After the words fell, the two looked at each other and smiled, and got into the carriage hand in hand.

The carriage drove slowly, and after about half an hour of travel, it entered the Shenwu Gate, and the carriage stopped, and then a sharp voice like a gong shouted, "Please get out of the car, girls." ”

According to the order, Huizhu and the show girls got out of the car. As soon as they got off the ground, they saw a well-dressed eunuch in his forties, standing in front of them, asking them to line up according to the flag, and then called away the relatives of the palace lady and the show girl who had been selected and registered in the past. And the remaining show girls like Huizhu lined up in order according to their age and the flag they belonged to, and then walked towards the palace under the leadership of the eunuchs.

After a name-calling, Huizhu didn't have time to take a closer look at the Forbidden City three hundred years ago. Now if it is impossible not to be nervous, Huizhu only feels very excited at this moment, the eunuch three hundred years ago, the palace three hundred years ago, maybe she has only one chance in her life, to be in the concentration of power in the world, the Qing Palace.

Huizhu was about to raise her eyes to take a look, when she suddenly heard the leading eunuch raise her voice: "Girls, be careful, this is not your own home, or don't look around there, don't forget that you are here for the draft." When you become nobles, you can look at it as you like. Under the words of the great eunuch, the other show girls all lowered their heads and stopped their curious glances, and silently followed the steps of the eunuch. Huizhu was helpless, so she had to follow the eunuch to the destination without squinting.

Then, after walking for more than half an hour, they came to a wide compound, and everyone stopped.

In front of the courtyard were three long tables, with pen, ink, paper, inkstones, and stacks of booklets, behind which several well-dressed eunuchs were sitting and flipping through the books. Seeing that the show girls had arrived, a little eunuch hurriedly took the roster and began to call names, and then the show girls who were called went up one by one to be read and selected for the first time.

However, after a pillar of incense, Huizhu's name was read, and Huizhu couldn't help but be a little nervous, settled down, and followed a palace maid to a room.

As soon as they entered the house, two old ladies said solemnly: "Please also ask the girl to wear loose clothes." Huizhu bit her lip, remembering Zhang Jia's instructions this morning, she obediently took off her clothes and lay on the bed to let the old grandmothers test whether her body was innocent. But unexpectedly, the words and deeds of the grandmothers were very excessive, and Huizhu suddenly felt an unspeakable humiliation. Fortunately, the grandmothers quickly finished the inspection, and Huizhu immediately got out of bed and put on clothes. People have to bow their heads under the eaves, thinking that if the Eight Banners woman is brushed down in the first round, she will be underestimated in her in-law's house in the future. I had to suppress my anger, took out two light green Su embroidery purses and handed them to them, and the two grandmothers with contemptuous expressions on their faces said a little stiffly: "Mama has worked hard, this is embroidered by the little woman in her spare time, if you don't dislike it, please smile." ”

One of the high grandmothers took over the hand, reversed the weight of the purse, glanced at the other grandmother, and immediately smiled and said: "Ouch, it's good to look at, the girl has outstanding craftsmanship and will definitely have a good future." Huizhu didn't answer, made a half-salute, and walked out.

At that time, Huizhen and Huiya finished the examination, and the two sisters successfully passed the first hurdle. And because they belong to the yellow flag, they were the first to be selected, so they finished their work on the first day of entering the palace. Then for more than seven days, the first round of the draft ended, and a total of more than 230 show girls were now only about 100, and half of them were removed.

During this period, Hui Zhu and Hui Ya talked to themselves in the room in addition to eating. At the same time, Huizhu also knew that in the past, Huiya had low self-esteem because of her own concubine, alienated her, and was jealous of Huizhen, who was also a concubine, so she often stumbled her temperament. Now that it has been said, the estrangement has disappeared, and the two sisters have gotten along more and more harmoniously.