A middle-aged emperor, childless, was blessed with a beautiful and pregnant concubine who entered th

"I am clearly the chosen one!"

"I am the one the Empress Dowager summoned; she is nothing but a lowly imposter!"

"You bitch! You stole my spot, you deserve to die, you deserve to die!"

Chun Tao went mad in the palace. The maids serving her looked at her with disdain, but dared not show it too obviously. They could only lower their heads and wait for her to finish her madness before silently entering the palace to tidy up.

Chun Tao was of low rank, but Emperor Qianwu, out of respect for the Empress Dowager, bestowed upon her the title of Baolin, a sixth-rank official.

Under normal circumstances, a woman like her, who had never been favored by the emperor and whose appearance was ordinary, would normally be given the rank of eighth-grade lady-in-waiting when she first entered the palace.

The investiture ceremony for Baolin was not that complicated. The day before yesterday, a eunuch came and simply announced the imperial decree, indicating her status as "Baolin", and the ceremony was completed.

They didn't arrange any formal accommodations for her. She originally lived here, so this palace was given to her as her residence.

There weren't many valuable items in her palace.

Just as the palace maid was putting the things that Chun Tao had thrown on the ground and messed up back in their place, she heard Chun Tao say, "Isn't the ceremony for bestowing the title of Imperial Concubine tomorrow?"

Upon hearing this, the palace maid felt a little flustered. "Lady Baolin, what do you intend to do?"

Chun Tao's expression suddenly turned cold.

"When is it your place to interrupt when your master is doing things?"

The palace maid's face burned, and she was extremely flustered.

As a concubine, Chun Tao didn't have many servants around her.

This palace maid was originally assigned to her, and now she belongs to her as well.

But the palace maid was heartbroken.

She only agreed to serve this lady after learning that she had been personally brought into the palace by the Empress Dowager.

If she had known she was like this beforehand, she would have bribed the eunuch in the Directorate of Ceremonial to indicate she wouldn't be coming!

But it's not too late now.

This Baolin is clearly not very bright; we can't let her get dragged down with us.

The palace maid immediately lowered her head and remained silent, afraid that the Lady Baolin would discover her disloyalty.

Although Chun Tao disliked the palace maids, she was new to the place and had no one she could rely on.

She only realized after entering the palace that even the emperor's women couldn't go anywhere in the palace.

There are still quite a few places they can't go.

Therefore, they had to rely on the palace maids and eunuchs who served them to gather information.

Thinking about it this way, Chuntao couldn't help but want to win over the palace maids again.

"Sui'er, it's not that I'm harsh or unkind to you, but you know that your master has been bullied."

"The 'Daughter of Destiny' chosen by the abbot of Hanshan Temple was clearly me! Only I can bear His Majesty an heir; that Zhou Mingyi is just an imposter!"

As soon as Zhou Mingyi was brought into the palace, the news reached Chuntao.

Chuntao immediately sent her maid Sui'er to inquire.

The information she gathered was mostly what Consort Chen and her daughter wanted her to know.

This includes the incident where Zhou Mingyi was sent to Qingzhou, but an accident occurred on the way, and she was rescued.

Chun Tao was furious!

She inquired about Zhou Mingyi when she first entered the palace, but couldn't find out anything about her.

It is evident that at the time, Consort Chen and her daughter believed that she was the only woman who had been brought back from outside the palace.

But with new concubines arriving in the palace, and Consort Chen and her daughter Princess Chaoyang wielding considerable power, it would be virtually impossible to keep it completely hidden from them.

The news quickly leaked out.

"That Zhou Mingyi is nothing but an imposter. Even the Imperial Concubine and the Princess don't like her, yet she still eagerly tries to enter the palace. I wonder what her intentions are!"

"You mean, she was sent to the Qingzhou military camp, and on the way she was insulted by the coachman and by the Hu people. She even fell off a cliff with that general, and maybe she had some kind of ending with him..."

Chun Tao's expression was extremely vicious, and Sui'er was terrified.

"This servant doesn't know... These are all just rumors spread by other people."

Chun Tao's eyes lit up, and she said firmly, "Do you know what it means to have trouble without trouble?"

"If she didn't do it, why would so many people be saying it?"

"How hateful that she has also bewitched His Majesty!"

Sui'er has been in the palace for many years and knows the ways of surviving in the palace well.

The more low-key and unassuming you are, the longer you will live.

Years of experience have taught Sui'er that people like Jin Baolin, who know nothing but are self-righteous, will eventually be devoured!

She instinctively flinched.

Chuntao said, "Good girl, why are you trembling?"

"I've only just entered the palace and don't have many useful people around me. On the day of the investiture ceremony, you can go and denounce Consort Zhen."

Chun Tao felt jealous when this title was mentioned.

This should have been hers.

"What kind of virtuous concubine is she? She's nothing but a withered flower!"

The tassels trembled even more violently.

She tried to calm herself down.

She can't just go looking for her own death!

But Jin Baolin was the mistress, and she was just a palace maid.

She spoke up, and she couldn't very well refuse outright.

Suddenly, Sui'er had a flash of inspiration. "Reporting to Madam Baolin, I am but a lowly servant, my words carry little weight. Who would believe what I say?"

"Even if someone were to report someone, it would have to be a woman of status like Baolin."

"You are the chosen one personally brought back to the palace by the Empress Dowager. Only your words carry weight and can earn His Majesty's attention."

It has to be said that Sui'er's flattery hit Chun Tao right where it hurts.

She was silent for a moment, then suddenly her eyes shone brightly as she said, "Sui'er, you're right!"

……

On the day of her investiture as a concubine, the weather was fine and sunny.

Zhou Mingyi wore a floral hairpin and a pheasant-patterned robe, looking dignified and composed.

Yet she became even more beautiful, like a fairy.

The more I look at the pomegranate, the happier I become.

God knows how worried she was when her daughter went missing.

But the adults said she should wait at home, because it wouldn't do if no one was home when the girl came back.

Later, people from the palace came, and Shiliu finally got to see the girl!

"Your Majesty, I can hear the sound of the imperial procession! It's so lively!"

"Your Majesty, this servant has spotted the Dragon Pavilion!"

"So this is what Master Long looks like! I've never seen Master Long before in all my life!"

After their parents passed away, the elder brother sold off all the servants in the house to save money.

Later, when he was in high school, he bought a maid for his younger sister.

This little maid is Shiliu.

Normally, Zhou Mingchong always complained that she was too young, too talkative, and not mature enough.

But his younger sister was already mature enough; he wished she could be as lively and charming as when their parents were alive.

But he knew there was no going back.

Furthermore, since the girl had been loyal to her master after Madam Cen and the others forced their way in, the brother and sister treated her with even more favor.

After Zhou Mingyi "woke up", he asked Emperor Qianwu for her.

After consulting with Shiliu herself, they brought her into the palace.

After the ceremonial guard, the dragon pavilion, and the investiture envoy entered the palace, the Mingyi, guided by the female officials in charge of the ceremony, knelt in the courtyard facing the "Jie" (a symbol of imperial authority) and the imperial seal table, which represented the emperor, to listen to the imperial edict.

The eunuch ordered the eunuch to kneel and read aloud:

By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:

I believe that the king's rule begins in the palace, and the virtues of women are manifested in the governance of the inner court.

You, Zhou, come from a distinguished family and were carefully selected at a young age.

She is gentle and respectful by nature, and conducts herself with virtue and grace.

She was serene and gentle, possessing the noble qualities of a kind and wise woman;

Frugality, virtue, gentleness, and goodness are the guiding principles of harmony, chastity, and obedience.

Serve your superiors with sincerity and fulfill all the duties of respect and diligence;

By showing kindness and compassion to the people, we can demonstrate the spirit of benevolence and kindness.

By virtue of Your Majesty's decree and in accordance with public opinion, I hereby bestow upon you the title of Zhenfei (Consort Zhen) with a golden book and golden seal.

May you be honored with your illustrious achievements and continue to make outstanding contributions.

Always be mindful and vigilant, and strive to be in harmony with Heaven in accordance with the principles of Earth;

He was filial and sincere, and served the people with pepper and brocade to assist in governing the country.

He studied poetry and propriety, and always assisted in the planning of Zhonghu.

By fulfilling our promises and acting in accordance with the will, we bring lasting joy and prosperity to future generations.

Respectfully yours!