Chapter 326 The audition

And this time the “leveling method” of the audition was finalized at the end of the year, and even the Ministry of Rites did not issue the document. So Meng Xuan, Chang Nuo and even the imperial guard who were so well-informed knew nothing about it. Only the insiders of Eastern Palace who were in charge of the Ministry of Rites knew the details.

After all, inferior officers and those of humble origins would have no opportunities to participate in the audition. It was none of their business. Meng Xuan never worried about these things, because Meng’s family did not have a legitimate daughter. Three daughters of the concubine also got the special pardon through various ways early, and two elder daughters got married. Meng Xuan considered that He Danggui was not able to participate in the audition, so he never cared about the bustling audition held every three years.

Peng Jian didn’t care about the audition, too. Peng’s family did not have a daughter, and the clan relatives of Peng were of low status. Therefore, Peng’s Family reported to the Ministry of Rites, but was left out in previous auditions. In other words, the audition had nothing to do with Peng’s family.

Coincidentally, Peng Jian, a little official of Eastern Palace, handled the document of the Ministry of Rites about the audition this time. At first, he casually wrote and drank tea occasionally. Later, he noticed that there was “Yangzhou City” in the key area of audition.He took a closer look. Yes, it was “Yangzhou City” written with regular script in small characters.

Seeing this, he thought of Luo’s Mansion and the third sister He Danggui. So Peng Jian reviewed the rules and regulations and calculated the quota for East Yard of Luo’s Family. There were three places. Excluding First Miss Luo Baiying who did not need to participate in the audition, there were exactly three young ladies in Luo’s Family. However, the third sister He Danggui was also included.

Peng Jian felt a little anxious, and he thought about it again. The third sister was neither surnamed Luo nor a legal daughter of a concubine. Even in He’s Family in the capital, she might not have the opportunity. According to conventional rules, almost all participants were legitimate daughters or daughters of concubines who participated in the audition as legitimate daughters of legal mothers after some training. In most cases, if there were no legitimate daughters in the family, the legitimate daughters would be selected from relatives of the same clan. Daughters of concubines would not be selected. In the past ten years of the Ming Dynasty, there were obvious differences between the legitimate daughter and the daughter of the concubine, even though they had the same father.

Thinking about this, Peng Jian felt more relieved. He thought that the third sister would not take the place of East Yard of Luo’s Family. But he didn’t know that there were no suitable legitimate daughters in Luo’s Clan. The closest family Luo Shuisheng had five branches, and therefore had five places. So they didn’t need the three places of East Yard of Luo’s Family. In this case, He Danggui got a “precious” place. The audition would be held in February. The primary selection in Yangzhou City, secondary selection and last selection were all handled by Senior Governor, governor and Country Magistrate. After they drew up the specific process, the selection would begin.

However, to get ready for any emergency and get He Danggui psyched up, Peng Jian caught up with his elder brother Peng Shi, who was about to go to Yangzhou City for business. Peng Jian asked Peng Shi to inform He Danggui, so that the smart third sister could plan ahead.

Arriving in Yangzhou City, Peng Shi went to West Yard to give condolences, and then went to East Yard. He came to Tao Yao Yard to give belated New Year greetings before visiting Madam Luo. To his surprise, He Danggui didn’t meet him, which upset him. So he didn’t tell He Danggui the news and decided to keep her in suspense. The younger brother Peng Jian would be anxious if he knew this. This event would affect He Danggui’s life. He shouldn’t make jokes about it. Generally speaking, the third sister might not be able to get the chance. But it was good to inform her earlier.

Even He Danggui herself did not expect that she would face such a rough ride. Out of her inertia in the previous life, she didn’t care about things that did not occur in the previous life. She could only think of Luo Baiqiong’s failure in the audition in her previous life, which was such a joke, and she just laughed it off. However, in the 31st year of Hongwu Period in the previous life, the epidemic in the north never occurred. Therefore, according to the original national audition, there was no quota for Luo’s Mansion, which meant that Luo’s Family didn’t have the opportunities.

However, there was a sudden epidemic in this life. In addition, several blue-blooded men including the emperor’s eldest grandson Zhu Yunwen still had places for legal wife and concubines. Therefore, it became large-scale admission among a small number of participants. At least one hundred ladies would be chosen, which showed the infinite royal graciousness. This time, even the rule of “no daughter of the concubine” was removed. As long as the family was given the opportunity and had a lady between 12 and 21 years old, the lady could participate in the audition.

For fat girls like Liao Qing’er, the audition was a mere formality, but that was not the case for He Danggui.

Everyone got the opportunity. One could not identify their family backgrounds from their appearance. A beautiful face and a good figure would make one outstand. The most useful way was to doll up the Xiunv instead of bribing the selection officer. For those bribing the officers, if they gave cheap presents, the ladies would not be able to participate in the follow-up primary selection, secondary selection and last selection in the capital.

He Danggui was a slim girl aged 14. In her previous life, she was skinny because of malnutrition. But in this life, as she practiced martial arts every night, she was in good shape, though still slim. The worst thing was that she spent a whole year in the ghostly floating state in the dream. After that dream, strange things happened. She was as tall as in her dream, with the height of a 15 or 16 years old girl. And she was even as bosomy as a married woman. This time, these positive changes in her body brought troubles to her.

If she knew that, she would not remove the Yingying Powder on her face so early. Thanks to the application of the Yingying Powder for three years, the moisturizing of Beautifying Soup from Bai Yangbai and bath in the medicinal hot spring for three years, she looked even more beautiful than in the previous life. Free from concern, she was also in good spirits. She looked more confident and calmer, showing a sense of relief and trust to people around her. Her bright and soulful eyes were full of tenderness and gentleness, which made her stand out.

Before she removed the Yingying Powder on her face and hands, she was already a beautiful girl. But now without makeup, she looked more different. Fortunately, at present, her natural beauty was shown to Meng Xuan alone. In addition, Chan Yi and Shi Liu happened to see her original face. He Danggui asked Shi Liu to tell Madam Luo that she got back her fair skin after peeling. For the rest of the time, she wore a veil and ugly makeup. So far, after three years of maintenance, no one got the chance to see her beautiful face.

She chose to restore her original appearance at this time because she thought that Sun Meiniang was about to fall from power, who was the most annoying person in the family. She could even take the helm of the family. So why not restore her original appearance for celebration? This would also make Luo Baiqiong and Luo Baishao angrier, who were so jealous of her. Thinking of their shocked look, she felt so pleased.

That was the reason why He Danggui showed her original appearance to Shi Liu, the maid of Madam Luo several days ago. She wanted Shi Liu to tell Madam Luo firstly so that Madam Luo would not be frightened when she saw her face. However, if He Danggui knew the audition, she would definitely regret it. She shouldn’t wash away the Yingying Powder at this time. She should put on ugly makeup and show her face to more people.

In previous auditions, many girls who were resistant put on ugly makeup or pretended to be ill. Therefore, several riders were added to the regulations, which provided that those who were suspected of pretending to be ugly or ill would be subject to punishment for those who skipped the audition. Once exposed and verified, the highest punishment was that the lady’s father would be beheaded. It was in line with the ancient rule that “to feed without teaching is the father’s fault”. The lady herself would not be beheaded. Because ladies were all brainless appendages, and their parents were responsible for their behaviors.

With such regulations, even He Danggui who was so adept in disguise didn’t dare to have a try. She studied in Chengxu Academy every day, and impressed many ladies and gentlemen with her appearance. She did not get along well with some of them. If anyone blew the whistle, she would be punished. Moreover, she was selected in the name of the daughter of Luo’s Family and had nothing to do with He’s Family in the capital. If this happened, First Lord Luo Chuanbai would die.

Therefore, He Danggui didn’t know she would soon participate in the audition with her original appearance. Nobody knew whether she would be selected. The information that Peng Shi brought was very valuable to her. He Danggui would buy this “internal” information without hesitation even if spending two thousand liang silver of Meng Xuan.

The document of the Ministry of Rites was not issued yet. So this was just an “internal” decision. Before it was issued in Yangzhou City, those who did not originally have the opportunity, just like He Danggui, could still marry freely.

There was still fifteen to twenty days left. If Meng Xuan quickly finalized the marriage, gave the bride-price, exchanged the marriage contract and set the specific wedding date in this period, He Danggui would become the daughter-in-law of Meng’s family even without a wedding ceremony. Then she would not participate in the audition. If He Danggui or Meng Xuan knew the information, they would definitely think of this method and got married happily.

But now it was delayed due to Peng Shi. It was just a small verbal error, but He Danggui missed the chance to know that she was going to participate in the audition. No one knew when Peng Shi would visit her again.

In these few days, if He Danggui took off the veil in public and washed off the Yingying Powder to show her original appearance, and if she couldn’t get married before the issuance of the document, she would have to participate in the audition with such an outstanding appearance. Maybe she would go to the capital, and continue to participate in the following selections. She might be the concubine of the elder emperor, the imperial family, or officials, a female officer, or a court maid. Of course, there was little possibility to go back home.

She didn’t anticipate such a potential crisis. After all, when she saw Meng Xuan from the future, he said that He Danggui married him as a concubine and he didn’t mention the audition. He Danggui thought that if there were any great danger or ups and downs in the next three years, her beloved husband Meng Xuan would tell her word for word. Since he didn’t say anything, it meant that she would lead a smooth and carefree life in the next three years.

However, she didn’t realize that she suddenly changed her attitude towards Meng Xuan after knowing things that would happen three years later. But she shouldn’t have known these things. In the “original” storyline, there was no injured Meng Xuan who came to He Danggui. He Danggui did not allow Meng Xuan to treat injuries in her boudoir. Peng Shi arrived as scheduled and informed her of the audition. And Bai Yangbai, who lived in Luo’s Mansion, proposed marriage to her with the false name Bai Yang and resolved the crisis.

The chain effect was because her behaviors were very different from the “original”. It was a blunder, so she might really have a crisis.