That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

Song Shuangning returned home as dusk fell and told Song Mingyuan and Gong Yerong the news of her selection in the palace examination.

The two were immediately overjoyed, with Song Mingyuan repeatedly saying "good," while only Aunt Su looked melancholy.

Looking at their genuine smiles, Song Shuangning also curved her lips into a smile, a gentle and pure one, but in her heart she was thinking:

My good days have begun, your good days are over.

Song Mingyuan nodded in satisfaction: "Ning'er, your father has prepared eighteen dowry items for you."

Eighteen stations?

Although it was respectable enough, Song Shuangning still felt it wasn't enough.

After all, who would complain about having too much money?

"Father has been so good to me, I am already very satisfied. It's just that after entering the palace, there will be many places that need to be taken care of and expenses will be complicated. Moreover, my elder sister is the noble Consort Song in the palace, and the whole palace is watching. If my dowry looks meager, I'm afraid people will laugh at my sister and make my father lose face."

She bit her lower lip, her eyes slightly reddened, and her voice, though choked with sobs, remained gentle.

"However, Father has his own reasons, and I will listen to you."

Song Mingyuan looked up and pondered deeply.

Gong Yerong frowned. Originally, there were only twelve dowry taels, but she added six more because she was worried about tarnishing Luo Wei's reputation. This little girl is still not satisfied?

"Shuang Ning is right," Song Mingyuan said.

"In that case, add eight more."

Gong Yerong was surprised, and somewhat displeased. "Master, this..."

Adding eight more would make it twenty-six. When Luo Wei entered the palace, her dowry was only thirty-five tiers…

Song Mingyuan raised his hand to interrupt her, "No need to say more, Shuangning, you should get some rest."

Gong Yerong could only suppress her dissatisfaction.

As night deepened, Aunt Su tiptoed in, clutching several neatly folded silver notes in her hand.

"Ning'er, I've found what you wanted. The doctor said this medicine should be taken once afterward; taking it for too long can be harmful to your health. Please be careful."

Song Shuangning nodded.

"Ning'er, I just heard that Master has added eight more taels of dowry to your dowry. There's not much I can do for you, but this is my savings. Take it, so you'll have more things to rely on after you enter the palace, and you'll feel more at ease."

Song Shuangning quickly pushed away her aunt's hand. "Mother, what are you saying? Please take it back. You still have many expenses in the manor. Father has already added eight taels to my dowry, so I won't have to worry about my expenses in the palace. Please take good care of yourself and don't worry about me, and don't let your daughter worry about you in the palace."

Looking at her sensible and considerate daughter, Aunt Su couldn't help but shed tears again.

"Ning'er, after you enter the palace, don't worry about your mother. Your mother will be fine."

Song Shuangning wiped away her tears.

"Ning'er will be alright too."

Twenty days later, the imperial edict for investiture was issued. The whole family changed into brand-new clothes and waited quietly in the mansion.

Just as the hour of Chen (7-9 AM) arrived, a eunuch suddenly announced loudly from outside the mansion: "The imperial edict has arrived."

The voice was clear and bright, and it instantly spread throughout the entire mansion.

Song Mingyuan led everyone in the mansion into the courtyard.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Song Shuangning, daughter of the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, is gentle and compliant, virtuous and prudent, adept at domestic duties, chaste and auspicious, and pure and harmonious. She is hereby conferred the title of Talented Lady and shall reside in the Summer Palace. You shall respectfully fulfill your duties, diligently conduct yourself, and live up to the Emperor's grace. This decree is hereby issued."

Song Shuangning accepted the imperial edict with a respectful posture and both hands, saying, "This concubine accepts the edict and thanks Your Majesty for your great favor."

She looked down at the bright yellow silk, quietly thinking: this position is exactly as she had imagined.

Below the rank of Cai Ren are Bao Lin, Yunu, and Cai Nu. If it weren't for Consort Song, she might only have received the rank of Bao Lin.

The eunuch delivering the imperial decree accepted a bag of loose silver from the steward and was then politely invited to a side hall for tea, his face beaming with smiles.

Song Shuangning, along with her overjoyed father and stepmother, turned around and returned to the main hall.

Song Mingyuan raised his hand and gently patted her shoulder, full of smug satisfaction: "Ning'er, you should thank Consort Song properly. If it weren't for Consort Song's sake, how could the Emperor have given you the rank of Consort?"

Song Shuangning just smiled and didn't say anything.

Gong Yerong then instructed, "After entering the palace, you must follow Consort Song's arrangements in everything. Comfort her well and help her recover from the pain of losing her child as soon as possible. You must listen to Consort Song and not cause her any worry, understand?"

Song Shuangning lowered her eyes, her gentle and docile appearance unchanged.

"My daughter's attainment of the rank of Talented Lady is indeed thanks to my elder sister."

She slowly raised her eyes, "But once I enter the palace, my aunt will truly be all alone in the mansion. I beg you, Father and Madam, to treat my aunt kindly and not let her suffer any grievances."

"That's natural." Song Mingyuan's smile faded slightly.

Song Shuangning glanced at the two of them lightly: "If you suffer any grievances in the mansion, I, being in the palace, will inevitably be distracted and worried. At that time, I don't know if I might do something foolish in my anxiety."

"Once I enter the palace, my interests will be intertwined with those of the Song family and my elder sister. Only when my aunt is well can I listen to my elder sister and do things for her without any worries."

Song Mingyuan stared straight at his second daughter, who had been docile and sensible since childhood, and felt that what she said today was like a warning or a threat.

Beneath Song Shuangning's gentle and kind exterior, a sharp edge has already begun to emerge, like ice slowly melting as the sun warms.

It makes one's heart pound for no reason.

A sense of doubt and unease also crossed Gong Yerong's mind.

"Ning'er, don't worry. Your father understands everything you've said."

Song Shuangning smiled slightly: "Thank you, Father."

After bidding farewell to her father and aunt, she boarded the carriage bound for the palace. The carriage swayed slowly, moving further and further away from her familiar home.

She raised her hand and lifted a corner of the sedan curtain, a cool breeze brushing against her temples. Looking up at the clear, vast sky, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind:

This was probably the last time she would see such a vast expanse of sky.

Even if the road ahead is fraught with thorns, she will never turn back.

Life will only get better if you love yourself enough.

The carriage came to a steady stop outside the Shenwu Gate of the Imperial Palace. Following the eunuch leading the way, we passed through layers of palace walls and finally stopped in front of the Summer Palace.

Looking up, the three characters "颐和宫" (Summer Palace) on the plaque are written with sharp strokes and distinct angles.

A palace maid dressed in a blue satin gown approached, "This servant greets Your Highness. This servant is Tinglan, does Your Highness still remember me?"

Tinglan had served her elder sister, Consort Song, since she was a child.

Song Shuangning smiled and said, "Of course I remember."

Tinglan stepped aside to lead the way, speaking softly as they walked: "Her Majesty is concerned that you have had a long journey, so she specially instructed that you should go back to your residence to rest and recuperate first. After you have washed up and settled in, it will not be too late for you to pay your respects to Her Majesty."

"I understand." Song Shuangning nodded.

Her residence was named Cangdong Pavilion. In the courtyard stood a solitary old pear tree with sparse branches, exuding a sense of elegance.