CH 19

Chapter 19- Entering the Palace

The women all went to the backyard, and the palace maids came to meet them. The men gathered in the front yard and entered the palace with the Zongzheng Department officials.

Standing in the corner, Su Yu found that most people were empty-handed, some were even fanning fans gracefully, and only he had foolishly carried a burden.

“Who is that, he’s actually carrying his luggage.” Someone discovered the unique Su Yu as if they were seeing something strange.

The first round of the Imperial Concubine Selection began today. Only those who passed the first round stayed in the palace. The luggage of the nobles could be sent to the palace's gate by their servants once it was settled.

Only those who had no servants like Su Yu would carry big bags and small parcels by themselves.

“It seems to be the concubine son of the Su family, the one who opened the restaurant.” Someone recognized him and couldn’t help sneering.

“The Su family is so dilapidated, it looks like this and they still have the nerve to come to the selection…”

“A fish seller, hahaha…”

Several teenagers not far away pointed at Su Yu. One of them never said a word, when he saw someone laughing out loud, he frowned slightly.

“The Zongzheng Department officials are coming, don’t make any more noise.”

“Shizi is right.” The man laughing stopped immediately, and the several teenagers around him also restrained themselves a little.

Su Yu glanced at the man, he was tall in stature and his face was cold and solemn. Listening to other people’s conversations, he seemed to be the Duke Lu’s son.

The title of nobility was passed down from generation to generation. If there were no further meritorious services, it was supposed to be demoted and inherited.

Only a few real founding heroes had been granted a hereditary title, and Duke Lu was one of them.

Duke Lu's official surname was Gao, and all men practiced martial arts and were a family of valiant generals. The current Duke Lu's grandfather still had no problem fighting and killing enemies.

This kind of Gao family was the true nobility!

Su Yu looked at the genuine “True” Gaofushuai, and it was hard to imagine how such a person could marry into the palace to serve the Emperor.

Sure enough, this selection was to rope in contacts, and the focus was on women.

As a quail carrying a burden ready to be ridiculed at any time, Su Yu didn’t plan to make friends with anyone. He simply took out the small fish cakes that he made in the morning and ate them with relish.

His Sauce was in the palace, in order to please the Master Cat, he specially made many snacks, looking forward to meeting it in the palace.

Duke Lu’s Shizi glanced at Su Yu casually. Seeing that he was eating as if no one else was around, he couldn’t help twitching the corners of his mouth.

Not long after, the officials of the Zongzheng Department appeared. They politely read out today’s process to the people, then gave each person a wooden token with their name engraved on it.

After rechecking their identity they arranged for everyone to get on a carriage. The Zongzheng Department prepared a special carriage, which was brought into the palace by the Zongzheng Department Deputy himself.

With a fragrant imperial canopy, all sides and angles were detailed and fine. One by one, carriages passed through the lofty Palace Road, going to the magnificent imperial palace.

The carriages of the noble children were in front, followed by the sons of the officials of the ministers of civil and military affairs, entering the palace from the Shenwu Gate. The women’s carriage followed, turning in front of the Shenwu Gate and diverting into the Shunzhen Gate, and did not meet the men. So Su Yu never saw his cousin Su Ying.

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Entering through the Shenwu Gate, there was a wide plaza. Everyone got off the carriages and a eunuch about 40 years old stood in front of them, saluting them with a smile.

“Yang Gonggong, I trust you have been well since we last met.” Changchun Marquis’s Shizi returned the salute with a smile.

“I’m thankful for your thoughts, Shizi.” The old eunuch surnamed Yang smiled with a wrinkled face and also greeted Duke Lu’s Shizi.

The latter just nodded and didn’t say much to him. The old eunuch didn’t care and cleared his throat, then he began to read the rules of the palace.

These “True Gaofushuai(TL_Note: Tall, rich, and handsome)” were already familiar with these rules, but it was the first time Su Yu heard it and the feeling was very novel.

The Imperial Concubine Selection was divided into four rounds, and it will take at least ten days to finish the selection.

During this period, the ladies lived in Xianglan Palace, and they, uh, handsome males, lived in Xunyang Palace. During this time, they couldn’t step out of the Xunyang Palace without being summoned.

All kinds of rules added up, not to mention seeing the Emperor, it was likely that they couldn’t even see a senior eunuch.

Su Yu touched his chin, so the scenes where the beauties bumped into the Emperor in those TV dramas of his previous life were nonsense after all.

The Imperial Palace in Da’an Dynasty was divided into the Outer Court and Inner Court. State affairs and court affairs were handled in the Outer Court, while the concubines lived in the Inner Court, separated by a vast imperial garden.

The area occupied by both sides was about the same, even if the area of the Outer Court was a bit bigger. The Xunyang Palace they were going to was within the scope of the Outer Court.

Except for the main hall of the Xunyang Palace, the rest of the buildings, which surrounded the main hall, were three-story high.

When the crowd arrived at the main hall, there were already many eunuchs waiting there. Three men in official uniforms stood behind a long table, and the first round of the primary election was about to begin.

This primary election, in Su Yu's opinion, was a roll call plus a simple physical examination. Everyone took their nameplates and went forward in turns to answer several questions, and check their identities.

At the same time, some of them would be screened out. Those who were ugly or disabled would have their nameplates taken away directedly.

Su Yu watched a man with a beard being ruthlessly eliminated, he was still unreconciled and wanted to reason.

He immediately felt that he had a correct attitude for participating in the selection, at least he remembered to shave before going out.

The order of the standing positions was also exquisite, those with high family status were in front. After the primary election, one could go to the side hall to choose where they wanted to live for the next few days.

When Su Yu arrived at the table, there were only a few people left.

“Surname and given name.” The official of the Ministry of Rites looked up at him absently and ticked “Upper-Middle” in his appearance.

“Su Yu, courtesy name Jintang.” Su Yu respectfully replied.

Glancing at the pamphlet on the table he found that there were three levels of “Superior”, “Top Quality” and “Stunning” above “Upper-Middle”.

Except for that Marquis Changchun's Shizi who was marked “Stunning”, the rest were basically “Upper-Middle” and “Lower-Middle”. Even the highest-ranking Duke Lu Shizi was only “Top-Quality”.

It seems that the inside story was not too dark, Su Yu thought absentmindedly.

He had seen Marquis Changchun’s Shizi at the Shenwu Gate, with a face like a crown of jade, he was indeed a beautiful man, if this was not “Stunning”, then what was?

A face suddenly flashed in his mind, the facial features so exquisite that they were almost flawless. It was the Secret Royal Guard who took Sauce that day…

Su Yu suddenly sympathized with the Emperor, he regarded a powerful man like Duke Lu’s Shizi as a “Top-Quality” resource, but he didn’t know that the real beauty was hidden in a corner he couldn’t see, what a waste of natural resources!

“Next.” Just as Su Yu was wondering, he has passed the primary election.

His Zongzheng Department token was taken away and replaced with a more exquisite waist token with a long cyan tassel, while the children of officials over there received a waist token decorated with a blue tassel.

Outside the main hall, a eunuch instructed Su Yu to go east.

The old eunuch surnamed Yang stood under the East building, seeing Su Yu’s leisurely approaching appearance, his face showed a little impatience.

“Young Master Su is late, so please stay in room 13, Xuanzi. ”

“Gonggong, room 13…” The little eunuch next to him heard his words, he looked at Su Yu and was a little hesitant.

Yang Gonggong raised his eyebrows and said slowly.

“Tianzi’s rooms are full, and besides Xuanzi's rooms not facing the sun, the rest is the same.”

Speaking of this, there was a reason, even third-class Tianzi’s rooms were full.

The Xuanzi’s rooms were not facing the sun, those that can choose naturally want to live better, and naturally they have to pay some benefit fees.

Su Yu naturally understood, but he didn’t intend to spend this unjust money, so he pretended not to know.

“No harm, it’s the same wherever you live. Thank you for your trouble, Gonggong.”

“Hmph.” The old eunuch snorted coldly and threw him a key.

Xuanzi No.13 was in the corner of the first floor, sure enough, it was not exposed to the sun at all. When he opened the room, a damp smell blew against his face.

After all, it was the Imperial Palace. In fact, the conditions were very good, at least better than Su Yu’s own room. Except for some moldy spots in the corner, the furniture was just a bit damp.

Su Yu put his bag down on the table, threw himself on the bed, and stretched out.

He finally realized what meant “no weight on a long journey”.

Carrying a burden that wasn’t too heavy in his hands for a whole day could also tire people out.

The courtyard gradually became lively, and the servants of the noble families the luggage and the little eunuchs were busy delivering the luggage to all rooms and packing up, but no one came to pay attention to Su Yu, and so he fell into a deep sleep.

When he woke up, it was already dark. Su Yu got up and touched his stomach, unexpectedly, no one came to call him to dinner. He opened his window and looked… He couldn’t see anything.

Because the window of his house was facing the courtyard wall, after opening the window there was the wall.

Looking up bored, Su Yu saw a flash of gold jump on the wall, and his eyes suddenly lit up.

“Sauce!”

The golden furball stumbled on its feet and almost fell down. He glanced at Su Yu, who kept waving foolishly. An Hongche was furious.

Stupid slave, even arriving at the Imperial Palace, you actually dare to call Us by this name!

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Shizi->heir of a noble house

Lu->vassal state at the time of the Zhou Dynasty

Gaofushuai->Mr. Perfect/tall, rich, and handsome

Shenwu Gate->Gate of Godly Prowess

Gonggong->Eunuch