Chapter 16: The Immortal Seed, Qin Yuyao
An Rong’er was momentarily stunned, almost instinctively. She’d come to participate in the selection for the palace, yet—why... But upon seeing the Empress and Lady Duan’s half-smiling gazes, she quickly caught on and knelt down, “This commoner is willing!”
“Thank you, Your Majesty…”
Lady Duan, Shentu Yu, smiled with genuine delight. She hoped that such a woman would never appear before her again; otherwise, she might not restrain herself from doing something drastic. Vixen—best kept far away!
“Register her name,” came the command.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” The officials from the Imperial Household Department immediately bowed and acknowledged the order.
An Rong’er spoke again, “Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Highness the Empress…”
Zheng Yi spoke, “Rise. Grant her a scented sachet.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Lin He quietly signaled the other officials from the Ministry of Revenue to step forward and relay instructions. Without the explicit command of the Emperor, the Empress, or Lady Duan, no candidate was permitted to speak out.
An Rong’er’s actions drew jealous glances from three other candidates nearby; their expressions soured with envy. She had made them mere background figures, which was infuriating.
An Rong’er thought herself clever—though she’d been accepted into the palace, it was to Xingqing Palace, to serve the Emperor, and she’d already offended many of her ‘colleagues.’
Her future in the palace would be riddled with obstacles.
The Emperor was already sixty years old; who knows how many years remain for him. When the time comes, An Lingrong will be a beauty left behind by the former Emperor. If she fails to bear a child, her days will surely be fraught with hardship.
With this thought, the three women’s expressions improved considerably.
“Are you three feeling jealous?” Zheng Yi suddenly asked. The trio quickly shook their heads, “No, Your Majesty, we dare not.”
“Don’t say I haven’t given you a chance. Do you three possess any other talents?”
The three exchanged glances and lowered their heads, not daring to respond.
Zheng Yi shook his head. As the chief eunuch of the Empress’s palace, Lü Defu, was about to announce the next round, Zheng Yi spoke again: “Remain here. Grant them scented sachets.”
“Enter Xingqing Palace.”
“What?” Lü Defu was momentarily stunned. Why keep them as well?
Zheng Yi shot him a glare, prompting the other eunuchs to quickly bring forward the sachets.
“Grant the sachets!”
The three young women looked up in surprise, their eyes wide with astonishment. How—how were they chosen as well?
Was Xingqing Palace so short of attendants?
“Do you not wish to accept?” Shentu Yu suddenly spoke, her tone tinged with an odd flavor, as if suppressing laughter.
“You have the fortune to serve the Emperor; who knows how many lifetimes of blessings you’ve accrued. Kneel and give thanks!”
Shentu Yu’s words jolted the three women awake. They hurriedly knelt, “Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!”
“We are grateful, Your Majesty! May you live long and prosper…”
The five women were led away. During this interlude, Lü Defu quickly called the officials from the Imperial Household Department.
“Greetings, sir, what instructions do you have?”
Lü Defu spoke quietly, “The Emperor is in high spirits today, and may leave behind many candidates. We have prepared too few sachets.”
“Hurry to the Household Department and have them prepare more sachets.”
“Yes!”
The young eunuch asked, “How many sachets should be prepared?”
“As many candidates as there are, prepare that many sachets!”
“Yes, sir!”
“We—have we been chosen?”
“But why the Emperor?”
“Isn’t the selection for His Majesty?”
“His Majesty honors filial piety above all; we must obey imperial commands!”
“But, but the Emperor is already past sixty…”
“Silence! This is the palace; even His Majesty must obey the Emperor, who dares defy him?”
Just as Lü Defu anticipated, the next dozen groups of candidates were all retained, each granted a sachet—none were rejected!
The Emperor—such vigor!
Over two hundred candidates, and the Emperor wanted them all?
Others were shocked or bewildered, but none could dampen Zheng Yi’s enthusiasm.
Group after group of beauties were led away, and his interest remained undiminished.
He reminisced—selecting beauties at a karaoke bar in his previous life was never so satisfying. He could only pick a handful, and they were all unremarkable.
Thirty-something matrons abounded.
Here, however, every candidate was a girl of eighteen or nineteen, sweet, delicate, with birdlike grace.
He wondered, among so many beauties, how many could bring him that essence of mortal charm?
As dozens of young beauties passed by, the entire hall was suffused with a lingering fragrance.
Another four young women were brought forward, and even Zheng Yi’s gaze brightened, prompting him to sit upright.
Among them was a young woman clad in white gauze, her long black hair cascading like a waterfall, lending her an aura of pure, ethereal elegance.
She was not the type whose beauty struck at first glance; rather, each feature was unremarkable on its own.
Yet, this very ordinary appearance stirred in Zheng Yi a strange sense of inviolable sanctity.
A perfectly shaped oval face, skin delicate as porcelain, a gently rising nose, and a faint blush on her cheeks.
Her eyes were tranquil as a lake, shining with a watery brilliance.
Her eyelashes curled slightly, her gaze soft and understated.
A fairy.
So ethereal.
She could only be admired from afar, never sullied.
At first glance, she seemed a fairy stepped from a painting.
Who in this world could possibly be worthy of her?
Her beauty evoked a fierce desire to protect—like a flawless jade goddess, exquisite and immaculate.
Compared to her, the three others beside her seemed instantly diminished.
Lin He took up the register at just the right moment and announced, “Qin Yuyao, daughter of Hanlin Academy scholar Qin Zaidao, age eighteen!”
“Hanlin Academy editor…”
As Lin He finished, the surrounding officials’ families began to murmur.
“How did she come here?”
“Ah, what a pity for this girl!”
“His Majesty admires her—will the Emperor take her into his palace?”
“If those three return, ha ha ha…”
Zheng Yi was puzzled—these officials knew her?
Hanlin scholar? It was only a fifth-ranked post, responsible for drafting confidential edicts, known as ‘the emperor’s private secretary,’ a position of importance.
Such posts were usually held by those who ranked at the top in the imperial exams.
Even so, why would his daughter attract such attention?
Did she have some unusual quality?
Zheng Yi pondered and turned to ask, “Empress, do you know this girl?”
Lü Su was also gazing at Qin Yuyao in surprise. Hearing Zheng Yi’s question, she replied softly, “Father, this girl is one of the ‘immortal seedlings’ who was overlooked.”
“Immortal seedling?” Zheng Yi was even more curious. “What do you mean?”
“A month ago, Elder Yunhe from the Changhe Sect tested the spiritual roots of children from noble families and some commoners in the capital, and took three into the sect for cultivation.”
Lü Su explained, “But in truth, Yunhe found four children with spiritual roots that day—three boys and one girl.”
“These four were deemed suitable to enter the immortal sect and embark on the path of cultivation, so the capital called them ‘immortal seedlings.’”
“This girl was one child whom Yunhe left behind.”
Zheng Yi’s heart stirred. “If she is an immortal seedling, why did Yunhe leave her?”
Lü Su replied, “I asked His Majesty about this. According to him, Qin Yuyao possesses a spiritual root, but her aptitude is quite ordinary—not worthy of Yunhe’s attention, so she was left behind.”
“To think she ended up as a candidate—truly, fate plays strange games.”
“Immortal seedling? Spiritual root!”
Zheng Yi’s eyes flashed as he stared intently at this peerless maiden.
“So that’s how it is…”