"Mother's thoughts are misplaced. If by entering the palace, your daughter can gain some favor with His Majesty, it truly is a good thing that can benefit father and brother. Or do you really wish to see elder brother and third brother live their lives aimlessly, forever under the suppression of those from the West Wing?"
Upon hearing her daughter mention her two sons and their future prospects, Mrs. Dong finally held back her tears.
Her gaze towards Lin Wanyi was filled with apology and reluctance.
"Rest assured, your daughter is not like a reed easily manipulated by others. Moreover, as second aunt said, doesn't our eldest sister still look after things in the palace? We both know their intentions. Since they want me to help solidify her favor, they will naturally find a way to ensure my safety."
These words brought some comfort to Mrs. Dong's worried heart.
At this point, there's no use in crying. It's better to think about what items to prepare for her daughter.
So she wiped away her tears and began packing her daughter's belongings.
That night, Lin Wanyi bid farewell to her parents and chatted with her elder brother and younger brother before resting.
As the room dimmed to a single lamp, she lay in bed pondering her future life in the palace.
The words spoken during the day were merely to comfort her mother. Everything after entering the palace was unknown to her.
Tossing and turning for a long time, she only fell asleep when dawn began to break.
So much so that she was still dozing in the carriage to the palace, and her maids, Chunqi and Xia An, watched anxiously at their mistress's under-eye circles and the approaching palace walls.
"Miss, Miss..."
Hearing Chunqi's familiar voice, Lin Wanyi finally opened her eyes from light sleep.
"Are we there?"
"The palace maid outside said we've reached Shunzhen Gate. This carriage cannot enter."
Lin Wanyi nodded, took a deep breath, and lifted the curtain to alight from the carriage.
All around were towering red palace walls. The plaque of Shunzhen Gate hung before her, and three palace maids, all dressed in dark green, stood neatly in front of the carriage.
"Servant Xu Guangping from the Inner Court Department greets Miss Lin, wishing her well."
"Thank you, Mr. Xu, for your courtesy."
"Servant is ordered to await Miss Lin here. I will escort you to Chuxiu Palace first."
Having entered the palace gate, everything naturally followed orders, and Lin Wanyi was not prideful, following Eunuch Xu through the side gate into the palace.
After the palace gate slowly closed, Lin Wanyi glanced outside the city and turned back with determined steps, free of distractions.
Upon entering Chuxiu Palace, a series of strict inspections awaited her. The nannies thoroughly examined her from head to toe, even her hair, taking about half an hour.
"Please excuse us, Miss Lin. These checks are a necessary procedure for new concubines entering the palace."
"No problem, nanny, have you completed the checks?"
"Yes, after Miss Lin changes into her palace attire, a servant will escort you to Yihua Palace."
Although it was not yet her permanent place, having come here, Lin Wanyi had little resentment. After changing clothes with the help of palace attendants, she went to Yihua Palace.
The palace walls were majestic, the rules strict.
Along the way, they encountered several groups of palace maids and eunuchs, all bowed and courteously saluting. Such a scene made Chunqi and Xia An swallow nervously behind Lin Wanyi.
They were highly alert, afraid a single misstep would endanger their mistress.
So tense were they that they forgot which gates they passed and which palaces they entered. When they finally realized, the three had arrived at the east hall of Yihua Palace.
The escort was an elderly nanny, stern-faced and unsmiling.
"Miss Lin, this is the place where you will reside. Everything inside has been arranged. Should you need anything else, just send a maid to the Inner Court Department to retrieve it."
"Thank you, nanny, for your guidance."
Saying this, she motioned for Xia An to pass a heavy pouch, which the nanny accepted discreetly.
Her tone became considerably kinder, even offering a helpful piece of advice.
"You entered the palace a month late. In Yihua Palace, there are currently no concubines in the main hall. Instead, Lady Chu, the highest-ranked concubine from this selection, resides in the rear hall; her father is General Hu Wei of the Northwest. In the right hall lives Concubine Mu, whose father is the Huaiyin County Magistrate. Her rank is the same as yours, so you may freely associate with her."
Truly, money makes the world go round.
This nanny discreetly divulged the identities of those living in the palace, thus resolving Lin Wanyi's uncertainties.
"Nanny, you are very thoughtful."
"Miss Lin, please rest first. A palace attendant will summon you shortly."
With this, she respectfully bowed and left the left hall.
After she left, Chunqi and Xia An relaxed, curiously glancing around.
"Miss, will someone come later?"
"Probably someone from the Imperial Concubine's palace. It's important to meet them since this is our first time in the palace."
She was not chosen through the selection. Had it not been for the Imperial Concubine and Commandery Princess Rong Kang's efforts, she likely wouldn't have entered the palace at this time.
Since she was here, a meeting was essential.
Chunqi nodded in partial understanding, while Xia An reminded her.
"Once inside the palace, you can no longer address her as 'Miss'. You should follow the nannies and call her 'Miss Lin'."
Chunqi stuck out her tongue in embarrassment, "The servant forgot, Miss... oh, Miss Lin, what should we do next?"
"Just organize the things we brought."
"Shouldn't we meet the others in this palace?"
"The hierarchy in the harem is very strict. Empress Xu has been deceased for three years, and now the Imperial Concubine is in charge. Naturally, we must visit her first. Breaking protocol would not be wise."
Lin Wanyi patiently explained.
There are no major events in the palace. It's merely a matter of attending to the same man alongside a group of women.
But a woman's heart is a needle at the bottom of the sea, especially in the palace. A single misstep could invite much attention, so Lin Wanyi couldn't afford carelessness.
Fortunately, she had cared for others by observing their moods at home, so she wouldn't break the rules.
She instructed Xia An to light agarwood, which helped alleviate much of their tension.
Their belongings were few, so they easily finished organizing them.
The room on the left was a study, mostly filled with miscellaneous books Lin Wanyi loved, and some playful gadgets her father had prepared to pass the time before entering the palace.
The right room was a bedchamber, with a yellow pearwood bed carved with crabapple flower patterns and adorned with an autumnal yellow gauze canopy, making the light that filtered through it seem gentle.
Chunqi was just asking about lunch when they heard someone arriving outside.