Capítulo 486: Chapter 275 Competing for Favor

Idle, repeated hours always pass by quickly, and after five days, the Internal Affairs Office had determined the positions of the newly promoted young mistresses.

According to custom, the contestants who had not yet served the emperor were first named either Junior Attendant or Changzai.

Of the nine contestants who remained from the first selection, eight were named Changzai, while Shu Qing, due to her excellent family background, was exceptionally granted the title of Noble Lady.

Shu Wan and Ning Yuan, coming from the humblest origins, naturally had to start from the very bottom as Junior Attendants.

Because of their low status, they couldn’t even have their separate palaces and had to live in the side halls behind Changning Palace, managed by Consort De, Xu Yinjia.

“That’s wonderful.” Ning Yuan looked at Shu Wan with joy, “We can live together again.”

Shu Wan’s expression remained indifferent, not really concerning herself too much with this matter; she turned to look outside the window as the eunuchs and palace maids who came to deliver palace clothes were already walking this way.

Due to the difference in status, nobody from the first group of nine who had kept their tiles had deigned to see her and Ning Yuan these past days.

But today was different; after the promotion, everyone would have to meet the Queen Mother of the harem together.

The Empress Huiyi had passed away; the current Queen Mother of the harem was the Empress Dowager.

“Please have the young mistresses change into their clothes and proceed together to Cining Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.”

Within moments, the eunuchs and palace maids had already walked in.

A flicker passed through Shu Wan’s eyes as she stood there, allowing the palace attendants to help her with her make-up and dress.

An hour later, Shu Wan and Ning Yuan, having finished grooming, stepped out from the West Hall to join the other contestants.

This was the first time the first group of contestants met with Shu Wan and Ning Yuan.

Ning Yuan walked out first, and the others glanced over with little change in expression.

Ning Yuan was beautiful, but they were not lacking either, and even crushed Ning Yuan in terms of family background; they didn’t take anyone who posed no threat seriously.

However, in the next moment, as Shu Wan followed Ning Yuan out, everyone’s gaze shifted towards her.

The difference in status meant that the palace dress of each lady in the harem was different, and naturally, the level of splendor and refinement was also not the same.

Shu Wan was dressed in a light blue cross-collared palace attire, with a simple headdress, yet she naturally possessed a pure and unsullied aura.

“That must be the daughter of the County Magistrate who was kept by exception, right? No wonder, she indeed has a beautiful face.”

“A lowly birth is a lowly birth, no matter how much the collateral branch struggles, it can’t surpass the main branch, and besides, it seems to me this newcomer is just imitating Noble Lady Shu.”

The crowd belittled Shu Wan while looking flatteringly at Shu Qing.

However, Shu Qing was not listening to what the people around her were saying. A buzzing noise filled her ears as she fixed her eyes on Shu Wan, who was standing not far away.

As the daughter of the Prime Minister, entering the palace was inevitable for her, and she had never paid any attention to what others said about the contestant who looked like Shu Wan.

But she had not expected the resemblance to be so striking.

It was so much so that Shu Qing felt as if the real Shu Wan had come back.

Her hand clenched into a fist beneath her sleeve, and her voice was slightly broken as she called out, “Shu Wan?!”

Shu Wan looked at Shu Qing uneasily, seemingly not quite understanding the sudden hostility coming from her.

She stepped forward and gave Shu Qing a bow, “Greetings, Noble Lady.”

Finally regaining her composure, Shu Qing scrutinized Shu Wan carefully. Indeed, the real Shu Wan would never bow to her, nor would she have such a naive and simple demeanor.

It was her own over-anxiousness.

With a disdainful hum, Shu Qing stopped paying any attention to Shu Wan.

She needed to perform well at today’s audience with the Empress Dowager.

Seeing Shu Qing walk away with a crowd, Ning Yuan approached, “Ziruo, aren’t you related to her? Why does she look at you as if she wants to devour you?”

“When the late Empress was alive, she was a concubine-born daughter of the Prime Minister’s Mansion.”

As soon as Shu Wan explained this, Ning Yuan immediately understood.

Just like her own half-sister, whose greatest dream in life was to replace her. No wonder Shu Wan’s resemblance to the late Empress made Shu Qing so annoyed.

“Don’t take it to heart.” Ning Yuan pulled Shu Wan forward, “We probably won’t have much to do with them in the future anyway.”

“We will,” said Shu Wan suddenly.

“Huh?” Ning Yuan looked puzzled, “We are of low status and have no backers, why should we provoke her?”

“Because I intend to compete for favor.”

The key truth of returning through time was something probably only Qi Yuan knew.

For her, there were many ways to gain Qi Yuan’s trust, but becoming a Favored Consort was the quickest one.

“…” Ning Yuan, unusually speechless, took a second look at Shu Wan, somewhat disbelieving, “You really don’t look like someone who would actively compete for favor.”