Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Your Highnesses
Translator: 549690339
Jiang Ning sighed, “Why does nobody believe me when I tell the truth?”
“Quiet down, everyone!” the Stewardess Nanny scolded with a cold face, “Aren’t you all ladies from respectable families? Don’t you even understand the rules of not talking while eating and not speaking when lying down? Don’t think you’re just here for a meal. Everything that happens here is known by the ladies and masters in the palace!”
The women fell silent.
So gathering everyone for a meal together was actually a test of their proper manners.
Regrettable indeed.
Only Jiang Ning seemed unaffected, finishing her steamed bun and pushing her wheelchair to her room to sleep.
Nobody paid attention to the nannies around her.
The nannies didn’t pay attention to her either.
However, another talented lady tried to follow, but was scolded by the Nanny, “The Empress Your Highness and other ladies have always advocated cherishing food. Leaving half uneaten like this will not please them.”
The talented lady was a noblewoman from a count’s family and took pride in her status. Upon hearing this, she retorted, “Jiang Seventh didn’t finish her food either. Why is she allowed to leave?”
The Nanny calmly replied, “If you don’t care about being chosen like her, then go ahead.”
This promptly silenced the talented lady, who obediently sat down and finished her meal.
Perhaps Jiang Family’s crippled girl was just lucky to pass the physical examination with her beautiful face.
But when she meets the Empress and the Noble Consort, things will not be easy.
The Prince of Yu is the son of the Noble Consort, who would never choose a cripple as a daughter-in-law for her son.
Nothing happened that night, and everyone went to rest.
Before dawn, they were called to dress and have their hair styled. After a bowl of porridge in the morning, they had to line up to go to the Hall of Ceremony to meet the Empress and other noble ladies.
It was said that the Prince of Yu would also attend and personally select the woman who pleased him the most.
This news thrilled and excited all the talented ladies.
However, just his name, the Prince of Yu, was enough to make their cheeks flush.
It was said that the Prince of Yu had an ethereal appearance and was exceptionally gentle and polite to others. Moreover, as the son of the Noble Consort, he had the highest status among all the princes.
Empress Your Highness had no sons and only one daughter, the Princess. The four princes were born from concubines, so it didn’t matter to her which of them would ascend to the throne.
The Fourth Prince, although his birth mother was only a Lady, had been raised by the Empress since childhood, naturally making his status higher than the others.
The birth mothers of the other two princes were both concubines, unable to compete for glory with them.
As the youngest among the princes, the Prince of Yu’s marriage was attracting much attention.
The talented ladies dressed up beautifully and followed the Stewardess Nanny to the Hall of Ceremony.
The Hall of Ceremony was originally a place for holding small banquets in the harem. The talented ladies were temporarily placed in a side hall, which was quite spacious.
After a long wait, the news came that the Empress and the Noble Consort had arrived.
The women got excited.
Only Jiang Ning was lazily leaning in her wheelchair, dozing off.
She was already sleepy, and with the early waking today, her eyelids continuously fought each other.
There were a total of sixteen talented ladies, who didn’t need to split up and lined up neatly to enter.
As for Jiang Ning, Huang Ying pushed her along, following the end of the line, yawning from time to time.
The Hall of Ceremony, not being a residential palace, wasn’t gorgeous but spacious and bright. In the slightly hot early summer season, it was comfortable with the breeze.
Jiang Ning sat in a corner, and although blocked by the talented ladies, she could still see the legendary appearance of the Empress and the Noble Consort.
They didn’t appear as magnificent and luxurious as she had imagined.
The Empress looked to be in her fifties or sixties, with a cicada hairstyle, a green skirt, and a yellow cloak with red patterns of branches and flowers on her shoulders. She was quite tall and somewhat thin. Although not beautiful due to her age, her noble grace and excellent temperament were outstanding.
The Noble Consort sitting on her left hand looked to be in her forties, clearly exquisitely beautiful, with picturesque eyes and eyebrows.
She wore a double-ring immortal bun, and the four thin, long hairpins on her head were remarkably dazzling.
Just by looking at the Noble Consort’s grace, one could tell that her son, the Prince of Yu, must have an exceptionally handsome appearance..