Chapter two

She sat on the bed for what seemed like forever before the lady shook her thinking she was asleep. “Young lady, wake up! The sedan is here.” Tea stood up and then clutched on to the lady's hand to guide her because she could not see where she was going. They walked, made a few twists and turns before getting to the front of the gate. There were other people here she could tell but none of them spared her a glance as they were rushing to fix things around the area she was staying in. She could tell that the house was very big but she lived in a small room at the back. The lady kept on guiding her and after a while she said, “Watch your step before climbing over the gate.” The lady then let go of her hand and another smoother one took a hold of hers. “Don’t worry servant lady. We shall take good care of your lady in the palace.” The new hand then rushed her Into the sedan and then sat her down gently before telling the driver to whip the horse and leave. “Hello Miss Qian. My name is Mu Xi and l’ll be your servant girl for the remainder of the selection. It would be good if you changed out of these clothes if you want to keep your little life when seeing the Emperor. I have some nice clothes here for you to wear so quickly put them on. Otherwise, looking like a bride like this will just make the empress lash out at you. Your family is ruthless.”

Tea softly replied: “There is no problem. Let us change clothes.”

“Excuse me then.”

The maid took off the red cloth and Tea could now see better. She looked around her and saw that she was in some type of wooden cart. The girl sitting next to her widened her eyes in awe: “What wonderful looks you have my lady. Truly a sight in red.” Tea opened her mouth to reply but decided not to say anything in the end. Mu Xi glanced at her then frowned: “Mistress, you have to worsen your appearance. There is no need to compete in appearance right now. I can’t do much about it now but if we get chosen for selection then we must worsen your looks. Otherwise, you’ll be targeted first.”Tea nodded and Mu Xi started to remove her red robes. In their place was a light blue inner robe that was then covered by a yellow second layer and then a dark blue outer robe with embroidered with silver wisps of smoke. A light yellow shawl was wrapped around her arms. It made Tea look like an immortal fairy descending down the heavens. Mu Xi opened her mouth again to advise her “Mistress later on, just keep the same personality you have now. Don’t change into anything and most of all don’t react to anything. Remain calm.”

Tea nodded and Mu Xi sat back down quietly. Only the hooves of the horse could be heard now. Tea was still in a daze but no one else knew but her. After a few more hours, they arrived the side entrance of a huge building. Tea wanted to stare up at it but decided it would worsen her image. When the thought about her image flitted through her mind, she almost doubled over in laughter. A 6 year old girl was caring about her image. What a joke!

They entered the palace smoothly and Mu Xi led her to a large clearing where there seemed to be other ladies flitting about and chattering. Tea did not know much about what she was doing so she just remained silent and enjoyed looking at the beautiful ladies. She tried to minimise her presence but her appearance was just too eye-catching. Nevertheless, apart from a few glances here and there, no one approached her at all. She was secretly relieved because she did not have to deal with a sudden best-friend or new arch nemesis. She really had no energy to even think. Looking about the girls, she noticed someone who was just as quiet as her in the corner of the room but did not say anything else. Just from Mu Xi’s warnings, she could tell that none of the people were simple at all. Especially, those who were quiet and disdained talking and even more so those who smiled away but secretly schemed. She didn’t want any trouble for now. She had no resources to sway people with.

A palace maid with a significantly higher status than any of them walked in. Seeing her made everyone else quiet down. She smiled arrogantly before saying: “Young misses half of you shall go for the body inspection while the other half come with me for the four arts test. At noon, the groups shall swap over and then you can all go back to rest in your rooms. Remember that this is not only the concubine selection but also the maid selection. Make sure that you work extremely hard if you don’t want to be a maid.” Everyone then curtsied slowly and stood in a line. Every second person went with the maid and everyone else went to the inspection.

Tea was currently sweating buckets. What four arts test? What inspection? She was only six years old!! When did she have any of these skills? None of this showed on her stoic face as she walked with the rest of the other girls for the body inspection. Luckily for her, she still had time to think about some strategies. Actually, she didn’t know what to do but trust in this body’s skills. What else could she do.

She was led into a courtyard and then put into a group of four with her being the fifth person. A eunuch came in and ordered each of them to follow a mama to a room where their bodies would be inspected. Those who did not pass the inspection would be sent directly back home to be married to other nobles while the rest went to the test. She walked again to another room and then her maid took off her outer robe and second layer so she was just left with her inner layer skirt and dudou. Then the mama who was leading the way inspected her body thoroughly while checking her wrist for the vaginal dot before contemplating deeply. Then all the people in her group came back together and three were told to go back home. She was not one of them.

The mama then motioned for her and the other young lady to follow to the etiquette test. There she met with the rest of the ladies and there were only 20 ladies left from the original 50. More than a half of the ladies were eliminated in this test. A straight line was made with white sand and three pieces of jadeite were put on her shoulder and her head. “Walk the entire length of this white sand line. Those who drop their jadeite first will be eliminated.”