The Jiang Family was practically all present for this concubine selection banquet. Considering that Xu Mo was alone, Jiang Chengfeng took the initiative to invite him along, and Jiang Sheng simply stayed in the small courtyard in the second wing.
They just waited until dawn broke, changing into tidy but not flashy clothes, and waited at the gate.
"Jiang Sheng, do you really have to go? Can you really not pretend to be sick?" Zheng Ruqian looked towards the borderlands, then back at the imperial city, still more worried than lonely in the end. "Although Xiao Si is not here, I remember he talked about a kind of pretending sickness."
If nothing else, ruthlessly suck on broad beans to the point of collapse, which would be better than entering the imperial city and getting plotted against.
Jiang San and Jiang Si nodded beside, their eyes full of agreement.
Xu Mo sighed, just about to explain the importance of selecting concubines, when Jiang Sheng spoke up.
"I asked Grandmother and little Yu yesterday, you actually can pretend to be sick." She spoke seriously. "However, second brother, it's not just little Yu going into the palace this time, but also Sister Yao, Sister Dou, and even Sister Qi."
Those friendly elite young ladies were all going into the palace too. One person could pretend illness, but too many would be equal to slapping the Imperial Court in the face.
Rather than let Yao Siqing or Dou Jingyi be isolated, it would be better for everyone to enter and leave together, guarding against each other, which would definitely be better than allies becoming enemies.
The reason why Old Lady Jiang attended despite her exhaustion was also because she thought of this level.
Xu Mo attended the banquet alone, similarly also to maintain the power behind the elite families who were loyal to him, not wanting him to lose these connections.
Or rather, they wanted to maintain the families loyal to the main family, not wanting the main family to lose these arms.
"But..." Zheng Ruqian finally conceded defeat. "With everyone gone, it'll just be me left alone. Don't forget to come back early, I'll kill a sheep and cook it for you!"
The short murmur fully expressed his loneliness. The six siblings were scattered to the four directions, each striving hard.
Jiang Sheng sucked in her nose, just about to say something, when the Jiang family carriages arrived.
She could only look at Zheng Ruqian and say solemnly, "Second brother, don't worry. Leave a big sheep leg for me, I'll be back tonight to eat it."
"What, what sheep leg?" Jiang Chengyu stuck his head out. "Is there a portion for me too?"
The solemn atmosphere instantly became cheerful. Jiang Chengfeng laughed and scolded at the side, "So shameless."
He then looked at Xu Mo. "Brother Xu, please come up. The imperial exam is coming up soon, don't forget our agreement."
He stretched out his palm. Xu Mo reciprocated and was pulled straight onto the carriage shaft, greeting Jiang Jizong inside.
Jiang Chengyu pulled Jiang Sheng onto another carriage. Inside sat the graceful and solemn Old Lady Jiang, as well as the similarly plain second madam and daughter.
Last time at the Spring Viewing Banquet everyone was still dressed up brightly, the hairpins on their heads practically lethal.
This time they were unanimously plain and gloomy, clearly avoiding standing out.
Jiang Sheng and Jiang Chengyu looked at each other, both covering their mouths and secretly laughing.
After finishing laughing they huddled together and whispered.
Jiang Sheng spoke like an older sister lecturing, "You must be careful this time, guard against tricks from the Crown Prince. It's best if you don't leave my side by more than three steps..."
"Don't worry." Jiang Chengyu was even more unconcerned. "If I was really afraid I wouldn't have come. I came specially because I knew there would be lots of fun."
Under Jiang Sheng's stare, the group arrived at the imperial city. They switched to walking on foot.
Only this time they didn't go to Taihe Hall, but rather the Yanhui Pavilion at the northwest corner of the Imperial Gardens, which had been used for concubine selections by previous generations of emperors, and could also be used for selecting consorts for princes.
It was common knowledge that the formality of selecting consorts was second only to selecting concubines, but the rules were completely different from selecting concubines.
Selecting concubines required every household to put forward women, gather together to be assessed by the palace matrons on posture, looks, figure, repeated selection of the outstanding ones. Then the imperial clan would personally select, the chosen ones could enter the rear palace, the rejects would stay on as palace maids.
Layer on layer of strict selection, with candidates ranging from commoners to elite families, it could be said to take in diverse streams.
Selecting prince consorts was different. Whether principal consort or side consort, they all had to be from elite orthodox families to even qualify as candidates. Even if meeting an elite family's main daughter, the emperor would be polite. What more the selection of daughters-in-law?
The current Imperial Court had a reputation for cowardice among the common folk. They were exceptionally accommodating towards elite families, and also less firm regarding selection of prince consorts, leaving it more to the younger generation's own efforts.
Like with the Second Prince's heroic rescue of Jiang Sheng, or the Crown Prince's accompaniment of Dou Wei playing chess.
When the imperial clan's attitude wasn't strong enough, and the elite families held great power, the princes would naturally also not straighten their spines.
So was the selection being held in the secluded and quiet Yanhui Pavilion to facilitate the princes' covert scheming to coerce the elite family daughters into submission?
This strange thought suddenly popped into Jiang Sheng's mind, almost drenching her back with sweat.
She thought about the reputation of weakness the Imperial Court had in the eyes of the common folk, then thought about eldest brother Xu Mo's analysis. She suddenly felt that no one should be underestimated lightly.
"Niece." Old Lady Jiang called out from the front.
Jiang Sheng didn't dare let her thoughts run wild, and ran over like a wisp of smoke.
Upon entering Yanhui Pavilion, males and females had to separate.
Xu Mo was still somewhat worried, and hadn't managed to remind them before Jiang Chengfeng pulled him away. "Brother Xu, don't worry. I guarantee my two younger sisters will definitely be fine, safe and sound! If anything happens you can pull my head off to play with..."
He spoke more and more crazily.
Second Lady Jiang shook her head helplessly, but she also couldn't be bothered with him. Everywhere was filled with wives of families on good terms, as well as those here to pay respects to Old Lady Jiang. She was busy to the point of dizzying distraction.
Jiang Sheng and Jiang Chengyu weren't idle either. First they met Yao Siqing, then saw Dou Jingyi. Qi Yue was also following Madam Qi in. They needed to exchange pleasantries and social niceties.
This process wasn't different from the Spring Viewing Banquet. It emphasized interpersonal relationships and social finesse, back and forth interaction.
The difference would probably be the attendance of the consorts this time.
It was also known that this concubine selection banquet definitely wouldn't be simple.
The uninterested in prince consort positions kept quiet, neither chatting in groups of three or two, nor strolling under the trees.
They were fully vigilant, waiting for the imperial clan and consorts to step into Yanhui Pavilion.
"For this kind of concubine and consort selection, if the Empress was still around it should be hosted by the Empress." Yao Siqing used an imperceptible voice to remind. "With Yan Empress' passing, Noble Consort Ju is the most favored in the rear palace. This should all be under her arrangements."
And also because of this, they needed to be even more vigilant and cautious.
These few girls were isolated and weak. At most they could follow behind their mothers or grandmothers, without even personal servants, easily falling prey to plots.
"Sister Yao, don't act alone. If anything happens just call for us to come together." Jiang Sheng quietly reminded.
Yao Siqing pursed her lips in a smile, lightly glancing at Dou Jingyi again. "Alright."
Right as their voices faded, the imperial clan arrived with the rear palace's people. This time there was no back door used, it was a majestic procession from the front entrance.
Noble Consort Ju truly lived up to being the favored consort. Covered in gold and silver it could be said she was a walking mountain of ore. Her clothes were also extremely close to cardinal red, slightly behind the imperial clan by half a step. From afar it looked as if she was shoulder-to-shoulder.
Consort Chu and Consort Min followed deferentially behind her with lowered heads. She had gorgeous brows and eyes, full of confidence upon sweeping her gaze onto Jiang Chengyu, revealing a sure of victory smile.
