At the third quarter of the Shen hour (around 3:45 PM), Eunuch Wu, the supervisor of the Imperial Household Department, waited at Tianlu Pavilion with jade tablets in his hands.
Eunuch Gao stepped out and glanced at the tablets on the tray. At the front were the four Consorts—Duan, Jing, De, and Shu. Since there were no Imperial Concubines or Lady of Brightness in the palace, behind them were Concubine Gong, Concubine Tian, and Concubine Wang.
Eunuch Gao reached out and moved Concubine Wang’s jade tablet ahead of Concubine Tian’s.
The second row contained the newly appointed Beauties.
Eunuch Gao moved Concubine Gu of Xiu Yidian to the first position.
“That’s all, you may go in now.”
Eunuch Wu stood with his head lowered, saying nothing more, and carried the jade tablets into the pavilion.
In just a short moment, he came back out.
He shook his head at Eunuch Gao.
Indeed, no tablet was turned today.
Eunuch Gao: “Then come back tomorrow.”
The next morning, although Concubine Wang didn’t summon the two Beauties to the main hall for breakfast, according to protocol, both still had to go to the main hall after breakfast to pay their respects to Concubine Wang, the mistress of the hall.
Unfortunately, the two Beauties were left waiting today. After an hour, a palace maid finally said that Concubine Wang was unwell and wouldn’t be seeing them.
Gu Yi was anxious. She had planned to exchange pleasantries with Concubine Wang today and think about what to do tomorrow night, but Concubine Wang didn’t come out to see her.
Gu Yi walked away deep in thought, her face filled with anxiety.
Returning to the western side hall, Gu Yi calmed down and carefully reviewed the plot once more based on her previous experiences.
The first time, she had entrusted the silk to a small palace maid, so the female protagonist didn’t come to Xiu Yidian and therefore didn’t meet the male protagonist.
The second time, she didn’t confiscate the jade, so the female protagonist came to Xiu Yidian early to complete her task and therefore didn’t meet the male protagonist.
The third time, she also didn’t confiscate the jade, focusing instead on building rapport, so the female protagonist came to Xiu Yidian early to complete her task and therefore didn’t meet the male protagonist.
This time, if the female protagonist came on schedule to complete her task, would she need to stand in the pouring rain to see the Emperor?
If the Emperor came and she sent Zhao Wan to deliver the silk to the main hall, would Zhao Wan even be able to see the Emperor? And if she did get in, presenting such a beauty before the Emperor might cause Concubine Wang to have her killed the next day.
Her situation was so difficult, and she didn’t have much time left.
Could the Emperor meet the female protagonist somewhere else? Perhaps in the Imperial Garden?
She remembered the female protagonist saying she liked to wander there after her duties. Last time, the Emperor had also passed through the garden, and although they were separated by the lake, it wasn’t impossible.
In the book, didn’t the male and female protagonists have many accidental encounters?
Thinking of this, Gu Yi felt hopeful again.
As the sky darkened, she went again to the path where she had intercepted the female protagonist last time.
But this time, she waited until the moon was bright, and the female protagonist never appeared, leaving only solitude around her.
Gu Yi, holding a white paper lantern, walked to the end of the stone path, looking toward the palace gate in the distance.
What if she found a way to… escape?
Her footsteps unconsciously headed toward the palace gate. Storming through was not an option, but perhaps she could check the layout now and think of a plan tomorrow?
By now, the night had deepened. Guards patrolled in groups of two or three, and Gu Yi didn’t dare get too close.
Forget it, it was just a thought.
Escaping from the palace was probably impossible at this moment.
She was about to turn around when she saw a figure walking along the corridor leading to the palace gate, with guards making way.
Between the carved beams and flying eaves was a long corridor.
Gu Yi saw a solitary figure approaching, dressed in a deep blue robe with flying fish emblems.
The Great Mu Dynasty’s primary villainous eunuch, Eunuch Gao.
Gu Yi held her lantern, hiding at the narrow corner of the palace corridor, with the stone path leading to the garden behind her.
She didn’t dare to simply approach Eunuch Gao and strike up a conversation.
But it was late, and palace rules were strict; she needed to return before the Palace Security Office locked the gates.
If she didn’t speak to him now, she wouldn’t have another chance.
She would risk it! After all, if she died, she’d just start over!
Gu Yi stood in place, waiting.
The approaching figure came closer, wearing a veiled hat with black gauze covering his face.
He had an upright posture and walked at a measured pace. The flying fish emblem on his chest had glaring dragon eyes, imposing and intimidating.
Gu Yi wavered a bit and took a few steps back.
She stepped on some dry branches on the ground, making a crackling sound that was particularly crisp in the silent night.
Xiaoyan had just turned the corner and looked toward the sound, seeing a palace maid holding a lantern at the corner of the garden.
He raised his eyes to scan her hairpin—not a palace maid, but he couldn’t recall exactly what rank she was.
Gu Yi hurriedly curtseyed, “I pay my respects to Eunuch Gao.” A first-rank official, far above a Beauty.
Xiaoyan didn’t speak. He hadn’t seen this woman before and figured she must be a newly appointed Beauty.
But portraits differed greatly from real people. He hadn’t yet seen the newly appointed Beauties in the palace and didn’t know their appearances or surnames.
Seeing that the Eunuch Gao before her didn’t speak but had stopped, Gu Yi immediately curtseyed again and said, “I am Concubine Gu from Xiu Yidian.” After a moment, she quietly added, “The one who sent the golden peanut.”
Xiaoyan knew Eunuch Gao’s character well and inwardly gave a cold laugh.
Concubine Gu, who sent the golden peanut.
He stepped forward to leave.
As he passed by Gu Yi, she immediately curtseyed again, “I respectfully bid Eunuch Gao farewell!”
She knelt in haste, and the lantern swayed in the wind, causing the candle inside to tilt and set the outer paper wrapping on fire.
“Ah… this…”
Afraid of being burned, Gu Yi instinctively threw the lantern away.
Sparks flew, and one landed on the black gauze, igniting the veiled hat of the Eunuch Gao standing before her.
Bad luck really couldn’t be blamed on society.
Xiaoyan swiftly removed the veiled hat, and his leather boots forcefully stomped on the sparks and the rolling round lantern.
Darkness suddenly fell around them.
But Gu Yi still clearly saw the face of Eunuch Gao before her. In the darkness, his eyes shone like two flying stars, his brows slightly furrowed, concealing sharpness.
For the Great Mu Dynasty’s primary villainous eunuch to be so handsome… this was getting absurd…
Gu Yi only dared to look at him for a moment before quickly lowering her head, “E-Eunuch Gao, I didn’t mean to. Are you all right?”
Xiaoyan felt the urge to kill. The short dagger had already fallen from his sleeve into his palm, concealed under his wide robe.
Gu Yi kept her head down and tremblingly took out a white handkerchief from her sleeve, “Eunuch Gao, your face is covered in black soot, making your features indistinguishable. Would you like to wipe it off?”
Xiaoyan thought for a moment, withdrew the dagger, and walked away.
Seeing him leave, Gu Yi’s legs gave way, and she crouched on the ground, cold sweat streaming down her back.
That person was not Eunuch Gao.
In the book, Eunuch Gao was a middle-aged man with a pale, beardless face and small, narrow eyes.
The man just now was young, with eyes like peach blossoms, and a thin, light-colored scar on the corner of his forehead.
There was a chapter in the book where Xiaoyan disguised himself as Eunuch Gao to kill someone.
Although it wasn’t at the beginning of the book, Xiaoyan certainly could disguise himself as Eunuch Gao.
From this, Gu Yi guessed that the person was the heartless Emperor, Xiaoyan.
Gu Yi crouched for a while until she could breathe evenly again.
She’d better go home, wash up, and sleep.
On the morning of the third day, Gu Yi woke up very early.
The morning glow at the edge of the sky was orange-red and brilliant, tinting half the sky.
Gu Yi, as usual, went to Concubine Wang’s main hall, sat on the cold bench for a while, then returned to the western side hall to draw tables.
Tao Jia stood beside her, grinding ink, watching Gu Yi fill the paper with square grids and strange symbols.
“Beauty, what are you drawing?”
Gu Yi rolled up her sleeves, “Just doodling.” I’m reviewing the situation.
She mapped out the three days and thirty-six hours, noting all the palace figures, times, and locations she knew. She marked random choices and inevitable events.
For instance, on the first day, Tao Jia may or may not go to reward Eunuch Gao’s disciple.
Concubine Wang would reward her with silk.
She would meet the female protagonist at a certain time.
Concubine Gong would appear somewhere in the garden.
On the second day, the female protagonist might or might not come to complete her task.
The female protagonist was unlikely to pass through the garden.
Would the Emperor disguise himself as Eunuch Gao and pass through the palace gate and Imperial Garden?
On the third day, the Emperor would pass by the lakeside and come to Xiu Yidian.
She needed to find the causal logic in all of this.
But she was confined to a small corner of Xiu Yidian. No matter how clever she was, she couldn’t guarantee that the male and female protagonists would meet.
Moreover, even if she could ensure that the male and female protagonists met, whether she could survive beyond three days was still a huge assumption.
Gu Yi stared at this simplified Excel table, feeling that her situation was truly difficult.
At noon, Eunuch Wu, the supervisor of the Imperial Household Department, reluctantly carried the jade tablets to Tianlu Pavilion again.
From within the pavilion came the Emperor’s voice: “Come in.”
Eunuch Wu lifted the tray high above his head, taking small steps, and steadily brought the jade tablets before Xiaoyan.
Xiaoyan looked at the jade tablets on the tray. Consorts Duan, Jing, and De were in the first position, with Consort Shu right after, still marked with a red tag.
Then came Concubine Gong, Concubine Wang, and other concubines.
Xiaoyan asked, “Who was it last time?”
Eunuch Wu: “Last time it was Concubine Gong from Zhái Fāng Palace.”
It should be the Wang family’s turn. Xiaoyan’s finger moved toward Concubine Wang of Xiu Yidian.
Xiu Yidian…
He paused, his gaze shifting to the next row of newly appointed Beauties.
Concubine Gu of Xiu Yidian was in the second position.
She must have seen his face last night but pretended not to.
Though somewhat foolish, she seemed to have a measure of wisdom in her foolishness.
“The Gu family isn’t it from the prefect of Fu Province?”
This was truly unknown…
Eunuch Wu’s pleading gaze immediately turned to Eunuch Gao, standing like a pillar nearby.
Eunuch Gao: “Your Majesty has a good memory. Concubine Gu’s father is the prefect of Fu Province, a fifth-rank official… Originally a magistrate in Qing Prefecture, he was transferred to Fu Province two years ago.”
Xiaoyan smiled lightly, “Is that so…” He turned over the jade tablet of Concubine Gu from Xiu Yidian, facing it downward.
This Concubine Gu became the first among the newly appointed Beauties to have her tablet turned.
Eunuch Wu carried the jade tablets out and immediately reported Concubine Gu of Xiu Yidian’s name to the Imperial Etiquette Bureau.
At the Wei hour (1-3 PM), in the western side hall of Xiu Yidian, palace maids and instructional matrons from the Imperial Etiquette Bureau filed in.
Gu Yi was stunned. Tao Jia exclaimed joyfully, “Congratulations, Beauty, congratulations!”
The instructional matron handed a silk scroll from the tray to two palace maids.
Gu Yi watched as one maid held each end of the scroll, and a vivid image of physiological health hygiene unfolded before her eyes.
After a moment of silence, the instructional matron’s smile was just right—not too flattering, not too cold, “Concubine Gu, do you understand?”
Gu Yi opened her mouth but couldn’t utter a word. She allowed the two maids beside her to strip her naked and wash her several times in the bathtub.
Flower petals filled the bathtub, and the rich floral fragrance made Gu Yi sneeze.
The Emperor had chosen her tablet? W-why?
Because of their encounter last night?
Did this mean the female protagonist could naturally meet the Emperor here?
Seeing her lost in thought, Tao Jia thought she was nervous and consoled her, “My lady, this is unique among the newly appointed Beauties. My lady will have great fortune in the future!”
Seeing her excited expression, Gu Yi didn’t have the heart to dampen her spirits.
Let’s just hope to survive tonight first.
Because her tablet had been chosen, Gu Yi didn’t eat dinner, fearing that eating too much would be unseemly.
Clad in magnificent attire with an empty stomach, she only hoped that the female protagonist would arrive on time.