Do You Know?: Rule the World.

Chapter 152 The Imperial Appointment of Minglan to the Palace: A Glimpse into the Life of the Sheng Family
Hua Lan smiled charmingly, her eyes sparkling, and said coquettishly, "My worries are not unfounded."

"Among the four sisters in the family, none of them can compare to the sixth sister in terms of appearance nowadays."

"Her little face has all the best features of her father and mother, and everyone who sees her praises her."

Previously, when Minglan accompanied Old Madam Sheng to Youyang, the eldest daughter-in-law Li's nephew saw Minglan.

The next day, she begged her father, mother, and Li to arrange a marriage for her, but Old Madam Sheng had no interest in the Li family.

He declined, citing his reluctance to part with Minglan and his desire to keep her by his side for a few more years.

"Oh? Is Hua'er praising her sisters in a roundabout way, or does she not trust me?" Zhao Han looked at her with a smile.

A pair of restless hands reached inside the nightgown, and with a gentle lift, the bodice embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water slid off.

Hua Lan had been favored by the emperor for many years, and now her face showed no shyness, but rather a sense of initiative and charm.

She raised her face, her breath sweet as orchids, and said softly, "Your Majesty, I naturally trust you."

"But no matter what, Your Majesty must not wrong her. As her elder sister, I will feel more at ease."

Zhao Han nodded. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

“Jing’er is about to reach the age of enlightenment. After the selection of scholars, I will personally choose a learned and virtuous tutor for him.”

“When Quan’er is a little older, we will send him to the palace to be a companion to Jing’er.”

“When two children go to school together, they have a playmate and can encourage each other.”

Upon hearing this, Hua Lan's eyes flashed with a mixture of joy and surprise.

Entering the palace to become a companion to a student was no ordinary honor.

This not only means that the entire family enjoys the deep trust of the emperor and is receiving great favor from him.

When the Crown Prince ascends the throne in the future, he will be his childhood companion, someone he has grown up with and spent every day with.

Quan Ge'er will surely become the new emperor's most core confidant, and his future is limitless!
Such an opportunity is coveted by countless noble families.

"On behalf of the entire Sheng family, I thank Your Majesty for your kindness," Hua Lan said with a gentle smile.

Before long, inside the Renming Hall, red candles flickered, warm curtains hung low, and shadows entwined...

-

Three days later, in the height of spring, a warm breeze blew, and hundreds of flowers bloomed, making Bianjing (Kaifeng) a place full of springtime charm.

After Zhao Han ordered the selection of concubines, the Imperial Household Department immediately began working tirelessly.

To avoid wasting manpower and resources, the selection of candidates in the Great Zhou Dynasty was mostly held in the vicinity of Bianjing, with only a few candidates coming from other places.

The requirements are that the candidate be of excellent character, appearance, speech, and achievements, and have a clean background.

Although family background is not highly valued, those born into prestigious families or those who are civil officials have a higher chance of being selected.

Of course, the final decision on whether the selected women would stay or leave rested with Zhao Han and Empress Dowager Cao.

Today, inside the Wenhua Hall.

Gu Tingye chuckled and said, "I was wondering about that earlier."

"Why was Consort Wei able to maintain her position as the top courtesan in just a few years, becoming famous throughout the capital, and remaining unchallenged to this day?"

"So the root of the problem lies with the Empress Dowager. Now everything makes sense."

Zhao Han looked up at him and asked, "I heard that you recently took a concubine's daughter from the Chengping Earl's mansion as your wife?"

"Yes!" Gu Tingye stroked his chin and said in a low voice, "My elder brother is currently on his deathbed and we don't know when he will pass away. My wife is also pregnant."

“There are many trivial matters in the household. Taking in a concubine can help her share some of the burden.”

The Chengping Earl's Mansion was the maternal home of Zhu, Gu Tingwei's wife.

Seeing Gu Tingye's efforts in planning for them, Madam Zhu was naturally very grateful.

Although the Marquis of Xiangyang's mansion is not what it used to be, it remains wealthy and influential.

Therefore, she specially selected a beautiful and well-behaved concubine's daughter from her maternal family to serve Gu Tingye.

After a moment, Gu Tingye laughed again, "Speaking of which, Yuan Ruo is truly blessed!"

“Princess Pingning sent me an invitation yesterday, saying that her wife, Lady Shen, has given birth to twins, a boy and a girl.”

"On my way to the palace today, I saw the Qi family distributing porridge and money everywhere."

"Tsk tsk tsk, it seems the Qi family is about to turn from having few descendants to becoming prosperous."

Zhao Han slowly picked up the teacup and gently blew away the foam.

"No wonder Minister Shen has been all smiles these past few days; it turns out it's because of this matter."

He remembered that in the original storyline, Shen Hezhen did indeed give birth to a daughter for Qi Heng, but a few years later, when Qi Heng was serving in another post...

Shen Hezhen insisted on taking her two children with her, but unfortunately contracted the plague, and all three of them died.

In this world, many things have changed, and Shin Hwa-jin might not have ended up in such a tragic state.

at the same time.

Jiying Lane, Sheng Mansion, inside Shou'an Hall.

"What?!" Wang Ruofu exclaimed, suddenly standing up, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at Cai Zan.

"Say it again, the Emperor wants to bring Minglan into the harem?"

Cai Zan nodded repeatedly. As Hua Lan's confidante, she was ordered to come today to inform the Sheng family of this news.

"Yes, ma'am."

"This was decided after the Emperor and the Empress discussed it together. The nanny who will teach the Sixth Miss manners will come to the door tomorrow."

Sheng Hong's hand, which was stroking his beard, froze in mid-air, unsure whether to go up or down.

The old lady's eyes narrowed slightly; this matter was quite unexpected for her.

“No, when did the Emperor take a liking to Minglan?” Wang Ruofu asked, frowning, ignoring Liu Mama’s gesturing look.

Cai Zan shook her head. "Madam, the heart of a ruler has always been unfathomable."

"How could I know such a thing? I'm just here today to relay a message from Her Majesty. But Her Majesty said that His Majesty brought up this matter personally."

Although Cai Zan was originally a maid from the Sheng family, she is now a confidante of the Empress and no longer needs to be addressed as a servant.

"My God..." Sheng Hong took a deep breath.

She secretly thought that if Minglan entered the palace, the good reputation that Rulan had built up for her through this marriage would probably be diminished.

After Cai Zan left, the old lady immediately asked Fang Mama to call Minglan and Wei Shuyi over.

At this moment, Minglan was watching Liu Ge'er practice swordsmanship in the garden, while Quan Ge'er sat on a stone bench nearby, clapping his hands with delight.

After Rulan got married, no one asked her to cook or help with needlework anymore.

Life has become much quieter, but there's always an inexplicable sense of boredom in my heart.

Before long, Minglan appeared in a light pink cloud-patterned ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with only a few simple pearl flowers in her hair.

It accentuated her beautiful face and refined demeanor.

Seeing that the old lady, Sheng Hong, and others were all present, with different expressions and their eyes all fixed on him.

She paused, startled, her almond-shaped eyes filled with a hint of confusion.

"Grandmother, Father... what happened?" Minglan asked softly.

Wei Shuyi frowned slightly, her lips moved, but she swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

The old lady beckoned her forward, pondered for a moment, and said gently, "His Majesty is selecting concubines this time and wishes to summon you to the harem."

“Our family owes its current prestige to the Emperor’s grace. You have gained his favor.” “For the Sheng family, this is an immense honor. No wonder the Emperor specially ordered you to sew knee pads.”

Upon hearing this, Minglan was momentarily stunned, her heart filled with mixed emotions—joy, worry, and a touch of anticipation.

Xiao Tao, standing beside her, stared wide-eyed in astonishment.

Unlike Danju, she was not as perceptive, and she could guess very little about Minglan's thoughts.

After weighing his options, Sheng Hong said, "Ming'er, since the Emperor's will has been decided..."

"From now on, once you enter the palace, you must be careful with your words and actions, abide by the palace rules, and do your best to assist the Empress and share her burdens."

"You two sisters are bound together by fate, sharing both glory and misfortune."

Wang Ruofu gripped her handkerchief tightly, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Minglan lowered her eyes, appearing calm and composed, and bowed gracefully, saying, "Father's words will be remembered by your daughter."

After leaving Shou'an Hall, Wei Shuyi and Minglan walked on the flat bluestone path in the backyard.

“Ming’er, the Emperor saved our lives, so I shouldn’t be asking this question.”

"But you are still my daughter, whom I carried for ten months and risked my life to have."

"If you set aside family honor and the inescapable will of the emperor, do you really want to enter the palace?" Wei Shuyi took Minglan's hand and turned to look at her.

Minglan raised her eyes, smiled brightly, and didn't hesitate for a moment.

"Young lady, I'm willing!"

"The Emperor has repeatedly lent a helping hand; we can never repay this debt of gratitude, and besides, our daughter..."

At this point, a blush rose on Minglan's fair and delicate cheeks.

Seeing the expression on his face, Wei Shu understood immediately and couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. "If it's your own wish, then I'm relieved."

Minglan took her arm and said as they walked, "Please think about it more deeply, young lady."

"If I can gain a foothold in the harem in the future, it will be a good thing for my uncle in the court."

“In the future, my mother and seventh brother will have one more person to support them. Perhaps my daughter can even help my mother get an imperial title.”

Wei Shuyi's lips curled up, revealing a relieved smile.

She sighed softly, "None of that matters. As long as you can live well in the palace in the future, that's all that matters."

Xiaodie, who had been following them, spoke up with a smile.

"Don't worry, young lady. In my humble opinion, the Emperor has probably already taken a liking to our young lady."

"After entering the palace and giving birth to an imperial heir, she might even be promoted to the rank of imperial concubine."

Upon hearing this, Wei Shuyi quickly looked around.

After confirming that no one was around, he whispered, "It's best to talk about these things in private. If someone overhears, it will definitely cause trouble."

"Yes, this servant knows her mistake." Xiaodie nodded repeatedly. At this time, she was in the prime of her life, and her appearance was dignified and beautiful.

Wei Shuyi wanted to let her go out and get married so she could live a peaceful life as a wife and mother.

But Xiaodie resolutely refused, insisting on serving by her side.

Wei Shuyi had no choice but to give up. After spending so many years together, she had come to regard Xiaodie as family.

On the other side, inside the Wei Rui Xuan.

Wang Ruofu, holding a teacup, sat blankly on the soft couch, and sighed deeply.

"Mo Lan married into the Earl's family, and Ming Lan was favored by the Emperor. Once she enters the palace, she will most likely become a concubine."

"Only my Ru'er, married to the Wen family who are not a good match, yet this stupid girl is actually happy about it."

After saying that, Wang Ruofu raised his hand and furrowed his brow.

When I think back to when Rulan returned to her parents' home, she only rode in a small sedan chair that needed to be carried by people.

A surge of emotion welled up within her, and she wished she could personally pay for another carriage for Rulan.

"Mother Liu, my Hua'er and Changbai both found good marriages, why did it have to be Ru'er..."

Wang Ruofu couldn't stop shaking his head and sighing.

Liu Mama put down her work and said gently, "Forgive this old servant for speaking frankly, but instead of feeling wronged for the Fifth Miss here, Madam, you should think about how many personal items to prepare for the Sixth Miss to take into the palace, so that she can manage things for everyone in the future."

Wang Ruofu put down his teacup and stared intently at her.

"The old lady will surely take good care of Minglan. I will give her the allowance set by my husband."

"The Emperor himself made it clear that he wanted her to enter the palace and would even reduce her expenses."

Mrs. Liu took a deep breath, looking utterly disappointed.

She couldn't understand why her wife had always acted so impulsively since childhood, never grasping the essentials.

"Doesn't Madam think that the Sixth Miss's entry into the palace would be beneficial to Her Majesty?"

Wang Ruofu's eyes darted around.

After a moment, she said, "That's easy to say. Who can guarantee that Minglan will be of one mind with Your Majesty in the future?"

"I think this girl is hiding her true strength. The other day she made my sister so angry that she could barely walk. She almost tripped and fell when she stepped over the threshold."

However, recalling that day, she felt a strange sense of comfort.

Back when she first returned to the Wang family from the countryside, Wang Ruoyu called her "wild girl" in front of countless outsiders.

Her mother did not stop her at all; only her father would scold her.

Now, whenever she goes to the Wang family, her brother, sister-in-law, and nephew all come out to greet her respectfully, which is incredibly dignified for her.

Liu's mother raised her hand and waved in front of Wang Ruofu.

"Besides the Sixth Miss, does Madam have anyone else she can be sure will be of one mind with Her Majesty?"

After regaining her senses, Wang Ruofu pursed her lips.

After thinking it over and over, I still couldn't come up with a single reliable person.

However, she was still unwilling to give up and said, "But that Third Brother Wei has quite a few grievances against our family. What if he instigates us..."

Liu's mother remained calm and poured herself a glass of water to moisten her throat.

Then he began to analyze in a low voice, "Madam, take a look around. There are quite a few girls from prominent families in this selection."

“Our family is very prestigious, but in my opinion, our foundation is still shallow compared to those true aristocratic families that have been operating in Bianjing for generations.”

"With the Sixth Miss here, she can at least share some of the burden with Your Majesty."

"Madam, please consider this: if Her Majesty loses power, how will Sixth Miss, as a concubine from the same Sheng family, fare?"

"Just as my lord said, we all prosper together and we all suffer together."

Wang Ruofu listened to her words, blinked, and nodded as if he understood.

After all, the great-grandfather of the Sheng family was just a beggar in his early years, wandering around. He even gave himself the surname Sheng.

Her great-grandfather was already a fifth-rank official in the imperial court. It took two generations to cultivate a Grand Tutor named Wang who was honored with a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

"What you said makes some sense. I'll discuss it with my lord tonight before making a decision."

After speaking, Wang Ruofu leaned back on the soft couch, lazily fanning himself.

The following day, at the Earl of Yongchang's residence.

The youngest daughter in the household, the seventh daughter, is also preparing to participate in this selection. Although she is born out of wedlock, she has been raised by Madam Wu since childhood. Madam Wu has no biological daughters and dotes on her.

(End of this chapter)