Chapter 53: Chapter 41: This Damned, Ill-Fated Bond
Song Yunzhao instinctively straightened her back, looking as if she were about to march onto a battlefield.
"Little Sister Zhao, are you all right?" Ye Xi, sensing something was amiss with the person beside her, immediately asked with concern.
Song Yunzhao quickly replied, "I’m fine. Just a little nervous."
"Don’t be afraid. I’m here for you." Ye Xi found it a bit amusing. ’I never thought our family’s hot-tempered, sharp-tongued Yun Zhao could actually be scared. What a novelty.’
Song Yunzhao maintained her smile.
A flagstone path led straight to the main hall, the source of the voices they heard. They ascended the stone steps and arrived before the entrance in moments.
A Palace Attendant spotted them and came forward to greet them with a curtsy. "This way, young ladies. Please follow me."
The three of them followed the attendant into the grand hall. A large number of people were already seated, filling the room with the glitter of jewels and the shimmer of embroidered silks. As Song Yunzhao stepped inside, the chatter in the hall abruptly paused.
Song Yunzhao...
Someone let out a soft scoff. Song Yunzhao pretended not to hear and followed the Palace Attendant’s directions to a seat.
The hall was vast and densely packed with an unknown number of seats. Several dozen people were already present. A single glance was all it took for Song Yunzhao to spot Qin Xiyue by the window. Acting on pure instinct, she grabbed Ye Xi and found a spot to sit in the corner diagonally opposite the female protagonist.
’Stay away from the protagonist, stay safe.’
Ye Xi followed Song Yunzhao, looking utterly baffled. Song Qinghan hadn’t anticipated this sudden change either but reacted quickly and turned to follow them, silently cursing Song Yunzhao up and down.
’I knew that girl was up to no good,’ she thought. ’Trying to trip me up the second we walk in.’
After sitting down, Song Yunzhao let out a long, silent sigh of relief. ’Safe, for now.’
Song Qinghan, however, was extremely displeased. Turning her back to the room, she faced Song Yunzhao and hissed in a low voice, "What are you doing? Choosing a forgotten corner like this. Are you trying to get sent home on the very first day?"
Song Yunzhao replied unhurriedly, "I didn’t ask you to follow. Feel free to go find a seat you like."
"You..." Song Qinghan’s face darkened with rage.
Ye Xi added coolly, "Ms. Han, our families told us to be careful once we entered the palace. We’re completely in the dark about how things work here, so it’s not wise to be the nail that sticks out. If you want to take that risk, go right ahead."
Fuming, Song Qinghan sat back down and refused to speak to either of them again.
Song Yunzhao pursed her lips. ’And here I thought Song Qinghan had the backbone to actually walk away. Is that all?’
Noticing many people glancing their way, Ye Xi sat down close to Song Yunzhao, effectively shielding her in the corner. Song Yunzhao immediately felt a profound sense of security.
More people soon trickled into the hall, and the gazes that had been fixed on the sisters drifted away. Only then did Song Yunzhao lift her head to sneak a peek toward Qin Xiyue.
Qin Xiyue was speaking with the young woman beside her. The woman had a slim waist and delicate shoulders, an oval face, and a high-bridged nose. Her arched brows were fine and dark, her lips the color of cinnabar, and her eyes, clear as autumn pools, sparkled with light at every glance. She was exceptionally beautiful.
Seeing those eyes, Song Yunzhao immediately identified her as the novel’s second female supporting character, Lu Zhixue.
Lu Zhixue was the youngest legitimate daughter of the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. She was of noble birth and, according to the novel, an early ally of the protagonist before they became bitter enemies. A truly formidable character.
’After all, not just anyone could survive so late into the story. Even if she was just cannon fodder, she was the nuclear-bomb-level kind.’
Seeing how harmoniously the two interacted, she knew the book had been accurate. They had known each other before entering the palace, so it was only natural they would stick together during the selection.
Song Yunzhao averted her gaze. As more and more people filed in, the din in the hall grew louder.
She hid in her corner, leaning back in her chair to sneak a moment of rest. With Ye Xi shielding her from view, she even managed a short nap. By the time she opened her eyes, feeling refreshed, the sun was already beginning to set.
’Aha! No wonder my stomach feels so empty. Good thing I came prepared.’
She took a piece of beef jerky from her sachet. It was no bigger than a fingernail, easy to eat discreetly. Shielding her mouth with a handkerchief, she popped it in, then pressed a few more pieces into Ye Xi’s hand so she could have some too.
Ye Xi stared in astonishment at the jerky in her palm, instinctively covering it with her handkerchief. She turned to stare at Song Yunzhao. "How did you bring this with you?"
’Didn’t they confiscate it during the inspection?’
Song Yunzhao blinked. "I just tossed them into my sachet this morning and forgot to take them out."
Ye Xi didn’t believe her for a second. But she was really so hungry. She discreetly popped a piece into her mouth.
The small bite took the edge off her hunger. As the sky outside gradually darkened, some of the young women in the hall grew restless, constantly craning their necks to look outside.
Song Yunzhao had been sitting for so long her bottom was sore. She desperately wanted to get up and walk around, but since no one else was moving, she could only endure it.
’At least night was falling.’
Another quarter of an hour passed before a Palace Attendant entered. The hall fell silent at once.
The lead Palace Attendant swept her gaze over the crowd before speaking slowly. "Young ladies, everyone has now arrived. Please follow me."
There were quite a few people in the hall—a rough count suggested at least one or two hundred.
’Considering the long line of carriages outside the palace, this was a small number,’ she thought. ’The elimination rate is quite high.’
Finally allowed to stand, Song Yunzhao got up and discreetly shook out her stiff limbs before following the crowd outside.
Ye Xi nudged her arm. When she looked over, Ye Xi shot her a meaningful glance. Following her gaze, she saw Song Qinghan walking closely with a young woman in a lake-blue dress. They were so chummy, one might mistake them for childhood best friends.
Song Qinghan was the type who could sweet-talk Mrs. Cai into making life difficult for her back home. It was no surprise that someone so skilled at surface-level pleasantries could cozy up to others this quickly.
Zhichun Palace was massive. Built specifically for the selection, it was filled with rooms. Each candidate was assigned a room of her own. The rooms weren’t large, with just enough space for a few simple belongings. Accommodations were decided by drawing lots.
Legend had it that during the reign of the founding emperor, a dispute among candidates over room assignments had led to a death. Ever since, this rule of drawing lots had been firmly established.
Song Yunzhao clicked her tongue. ’Of course they have to draw lots. How else would they trigger conflict for the plot?’
’After all, whoever draws the prime spot next to the protagonist is always a major supporting character destined to enter the harem. A minor piece of cannon fodder like me would never have such an honor.’
Feeling completely at ease, Song Yunzhao walked with the crowd toward the large wooden box, with Ye Xi following behind her. She reached into the box, swished her hand around, and grabbed a wooden token. Looking down, she read: Spring Thirteen.
The candidates’ rooms in Zhichun Palace were organized by season: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Hers must be room thirteen in the Spring section.
Ye Xi drew Autumn Eighteen. As they searched for their rooms, they found that the Spring rooms formed the outermost row, directly across from the Summer rooms. The next row over had the Autumn and Winter rooms facing each other in the same way.
’A long row of single-occupancy rooms all facing each other,’ she thought. ’It’s actually kind of creepy.’
Song Yunzhao and Ye Xi parted ways. She followed the flow of people until she found her room number. Just as she was about to push the door open, a dreadful thought struck her.
’Where did the protagonist live again?’
Thirteen...
Thirteen!
She whirled around to look at the room opposite hers and saw Qin Xiyue, her back turned, pushing open the door.
’At a time like this, shouldn’t I be breaking into a serenade for the girl across the way?’
’Oh, this cursed, twisted fate.’
