The Scrolls

The empress let out a soft smile as she watched her children bumble off. She had found herself temporarily relieved that even if her body had been much weaker after Yu Rou's birth, she still had a crown prince to rely on. Her status as the Empress in the palace was unmatched, there was no one here that could lift even a candle against her or her children.

Ra-on approached the Empress and whispered "Your highness, would you like me to bring in the scrolls?"

SoHye nodded and Ra-on made a waving motion at another attendant who bowed and turned around to the younger palace attendant who was holding a velvet-lined tray in her hands. The tray was stacked with 6 scrolls. The parchment was tied with the representative colors of the 6 different concubines.

Ra-on stepped forth and commanded in a loud voice.

"Pass out the scrolls."

The mentors bowed once and each of them stepped forth to retrieve the scroll with the colors of the respective concubines in their care. They brought it to the side of their care and placed it on the wooden table on the right-hand side of each bench. Some ladies let out a curious look as they waited patiently for an explanation.

Amongst them, Shan Yu also took a quick glance. She smirked with pride as she had grown up studying a copy of this scroll. Since she was young, her mother had engaged various tutors to equip her with various skills and knowledge that would be important for a noble lady. As the daughter of one of the generals serving under the Emperor, Shan Yu and her mother had always kept in mind that they would most definitely have the chance to enter the rankings of the palace.

At this moment Ji Chun glanced over to her right, where she noticed how Shan Yu was smirking away. Ji Chun narrowed her eyes. She knew that Shan Yu had most probably grown up with these scrolls made available at her fingertips. Her father being an important official would mean her mother would be grooming her to be a concubine one day. She. could sigh inwardly as she recalled how hard it was for herself and her mother to even get a copy of this scroll.

Ji Chun, however, masked her face into one that showed indifference. She had spent her entire childhood being pitted against Shan Yu. It was a bitter rivalry that she had not chosen, ever since they were children, they were constantly compared at family gatherings. Ji Chun's mother was the younger sister of Shan Yu's mother and ever single fight has left Ji Chun feeling bitter.

She had often been bullied by Shan Yu who would make sure than Ji Chun felt small and inferior. Shan Yu's mother even went as far as to bribe various tutors to ensure that no one was willing to coach and teach Ji Chun. It was through Ji Chun's mother's patience and warmness that they had finally obtained some scrolls for Ji Chun to study. Ji Chun's mother had always taught her daughter tirelessly, being the first wife of a famous general, she had learnt to strategize and abide her time silently.

It was a huge surprise for the extended family when they found out that Ji Chun had been nominated for the selection process. Shan Yu's mother threw a fit and raged on at home against all her servants, upset that Ji Chun would have a chance at entering the palace. She had wanted her own daughter Shan Yu to be the first in the family to be granted a noble lady title.

Ji Chun carefully sipped her tea. She could only hope that Shan Yu continued to be brash, childish, and arrogant. With such an attitude, there was no need for Ji Chun to do anything, time would tell and Shan Yu's actions would speak for herself. She would just watch patiently as this haughty girl falls from grace.