Chapter 229 Entering the Palace

Xie Yuanjiu took a bite of food beside him, lowered her head quietly, and said nothing.

But Second Master Xie frowned somewhat unwillingly.

"The prince specifically asked Ningning to go, but you sent Yuanjiu in. Wouldn't the prince be angry?"

Xie Suzhi also sank his eyes and said, "Second brother and sister, it's best for Yuanjiu to avoid participating in the Ninth Prince's selection of female officials."

"There was a problem before, although it can't be completely considered as Yuanjiu's fault, but those who have ulterior motives will definitely keep an eye on her when they see her entering the palace for the election, which will not be a good thing for her."

He has made all the disadvantages of the matter clear.

If they were not a family, Xie Suzhi would never have given such instructions.

However, Mrs. Xie put down her chopsticks: "Brother, what you said is not very nice."

"It was not God's will that day to dry the sutras, and it was not our Yuanjiu who did not do it well. Even if Concubine Rong wants to blame, she should think about why she did not choose the right day!"

Xie Suzhi's face changed, and he slammed the table suddenly: "How dare you talk about the concubine!"

Mr. Xie frowned: "You are afraid that others will not think too much, right?"

Mrs. Xie curled her lips unconvinced and lowered her head: "Hey, I am also for Yuanjiu. It's okay if I can't be selected as a female official, but it would be bad to offend Concubine Rong if it spreads out?"

You know, after Concubine Li was banished to the cold palace, Concubine Rong became the person in power in the six palaces.

The noble families are all people who change their attitudes according to the wind. Knowing that Xie Yuanjiu had offended Concubine Rong, how can she still socialize in the circle of noble ladies?

Xie Mingxu listened coldly, with a calm face as if it had nothing to do with him.

But his peripheral vision has been paying attention to Shen Ningning beside him.

The little guy has been holding a big bowl and eating seriously since the beginning of the meal.

It seems that what they are discussing is not important at all.

She ate deliciously, and Xie Mingxu couldn't help but chuckle and picked up another meatball for her.

Mrs. Xie insisted on her own opinion, and Mr. Xie looked ugly.

Finally, Xie Suzhi looked at Xie Yuanjiu who had been silent all the time.

"Yuanjiu, what do you think?"

"I..." Xie Yuanjiu lowered his eyebrows: "Uncle, I want to enter the palace because I am unwilling."

"Last time, it can be said that I was unlucky and encountered heavy rain. This time, I want to compete for the position of accompanying female official with my strength. Even if I can't succeed, I have proved myself to Concubine Rong." She finally told the truth in her heart.

Xie Suzhi sighed: "You have to think about it. This time when you enter the palace, there will be other ladies competing with you."

"No matter how good your relationship is, she will regard you as a rival. She may ridicule you because of the failure of the previous sutra drying. Can you accept it?"

Xie Yuanjiu nodded heavily: "Yes."

In this way, Xie Suzhi nodded: "Okay, our Xie family has always respected the wishes of children. Since you insist, I will help you one last time."

Xie Yuanjiu's eyes were filled with joy: "Thank you, uncle!"

"Ningning." Xie Suzhi suddenly spoke.

The little guy raised his head from the rice bowl, and his little mouth was shiny.

"Hmm?" There were rice grains on the corners of her mouth, and she blinked her big round eyes and looked at Xie Suzhi.

Xie Suzhi smiled lightly, wiped the rice grains from the corners of her lips, and said: "Since the prince asked, and you are willing, godfather will not stop you."

"Wait until the day you enter the palace, you and Yuanjiu will enter the palace together."

Shen Ningning had no objection to this: "Okay, godfather!"

Xie Yuanjiu's fingers holding the chopsticks tightened slightly.

She pretended to be indifferent and asked: "Uncle, Ningning is so young, and she also wants to run for a female official?"

Xie Suzhi's face was indifferent: "The reason why the prince invited Ningning is nothing more than using the excuse of selecting female officials."

"Ningning will not delay your selection of female officials, but you must remember to take good care of her when necessary."

"Because you enter the palace, you represent the Xie family, Yuanjiu, you are older, you should understand this truth."

Xie Yuanjiu looked at Shen Ningning, the little guy was feasting, and didn't care at all that they were talking about herself.

She felt a little dissatisfied.

However, she still said, "Don't worry, uncle. I have long regarded Ningning as my own sister, and it is my duty to take care of her."

Mrs. Xie was the happiest, laughing, "Of course, we are all family, and our Yuanjiu is very good at being a sister!"

So, the matter was settled.

Concubine Rong selected female officials for the Ninth Prince, and there were five specially invited ladies on the list.

They were Shen Ningning, Ye Shangyi from the old Taifu family, and three other noble ladies.

According to past practice, every time a female official was selected, the specially invited ladies were basically the internal candidates.

In the end, the female official must be selected from these five people.

However, there are exceptions.

When the emperor was still a prince, Concubine Rong was not a specially invited lady, but she also stood out from the noble ladies and was selected by the emperor as a female official to accompany her, and later became a concubine.

This time, in addition to Shen Ningning and the other five specially invited ladies, there are also fifteen legitimate daughters of high families.

A total of twenty people will spend a five-day selection period in the palace.

During this period, the Palace Affairs Department will judge the behavior of the noble lady from all aspects to see if it meets the requirements of a female official.

I heard that not only does one need to be proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but one must also be smart, knowledgeable and shrewd.

Shen Ningning left countless supplies for Langlang and Grandma, enough for the next five days.

She also visited Wu'er and the others and brought a lot of food.

On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Shen Ningning was at Xie's house, preparing to go to the palace with Xie Yuanjiu.

The palace specially sent guards to greet them. The tall horse stood in the bleak north wind, which was even more majestic.

Xie Yuanjiu had already boarded the carriage.

Xie Suzhi took Shen Ningning's hand and explained some matters to her at the door.

"Ningning, your status is more noble than theirs, so, under normal circumstances, you will not be punished or embarrassed."

"But if someone bullies you, you go to the Palace Affairs Department and find an aunt named Fang Min, she will help."

The little girl was wearing a beautiful pink and white coat and skirt today, and the white rabbit fur around her neck made her face look more delicate and white.

She blinked her clear black eyes: "Okay, I remember, godfather, don't worry about me, I'll just go in for fun!"

Anyway, I have been to the palace many times.

Well, this time, it would be best to reconcile with my brother and let him not be angry anymore.

Xie Suzhi touched the little girl's head and handed her a gilded heater: "Go."

Shen Ningning waved goodbye to Xie Suzhi and got on the carriage.

Xie Yuanjiu looked at her and smiled slightly: "Sister Ningning, don't be afraid after entering the palace, I will take good care of you."

Shen Ningning held the gilded heater, blinked her long eyelashes twice, and nodded obediently.

However, when the carriage just entered the palace gate and approached the waterside pavilion where the noble ladies rested, the guards left them here and left one after another.

A group of ladies had arrived here a long time ago. They looked at the palace far away in the center of the lake and looked at each other in bewilderment.

Some people complained: "Why is there not even an aunt to lead the way?"

"That's right, there is no boat, no bridge, how can we get across?"

The cold wind rolled from the lake, and the snow on the surrounding trees fell.

The ladies who usually live in luxury were shivering with cold, complaining with pale faces.

Only Shen Ningning, a small figure, stood among a group of ladies older than her, like a pink and white porcelain ball.

She held the small heater given by Xie Suzhi and stood there with a bright face.

Her little face was red, her eyes were dark and bright, as if she was not afraid of the cold wind and was not cold at all.

Xie Yuanjiu keenly noticed that there was no road leading to the Waterside Flower Garden, which must be the first test left for them in the palace.

She thought about it and said directly: "Since there is no boat, it means that the eunuch in charge here is lazy."

"Let's go to the steward and ask him to send a few boats."

Several ladies thought what Xie Yuanjiu said made sense and were about to follow her.

However, Shen Ningning raised her hand: "No, this is not going there by boat."

The ladies cast suspicious eyes at her: "Do you know how to get there?"