Empress Sunrise

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CHAPTER 2 – The Palace of Eternal Longevity

The next morning, Adelaide was awoken even before the sun had risen up behind the mountains. 

She was pulled by Mei Ling out of bed.

"You must make haste child. The head Eunuch is waiting," said Mei Ling.

After Adelaide had taken a quick bath and was dressed in comfortable silk clothing, she and Mei Ling rushed out of the maid's chambers and into a neighboring room where hundreds of beautiful, good-looking girls were dallying.

Adelaide looked all across the room.

They were all wearing the same color of silk clothing, and even their hair was styled in a similar way.

"Do not fret, child. These are all young girls who have participated in this year's selection. In the future, one of them might be the Empress," informed Mei Ling.

Selection? Adelaide thought.

She had read about it from one of her Father's books before.

If Adelaide remembers correctly, the Selection is the process of the inner court where they pick among these young girls (most of them are daughters of high-ranking officials) who is most deserving to serve the Emperor in his harem.

It is a rigorous process composed of many stages in which these young girls she's with are tested and inspected from a wide range of areas such as embroidery, cooking, calligraphy, their purity, and even their capability to get pregnant.

Minutes later, Head Eunuch Jia Li made an appearance.

"All of you have been ranked according to the results of the Selection, therefore you must behave according to your rankings. Except for Noble Lady Jiao and Noble Lady Yue, everyone else is ranked below Attendant One," said Head Eunuch Jia Li.

As Adelaide listened, she recalled one of the chapters in which she had read about the harem rankings inside the forbidden city.

Suppose the Linjiang Empire was established nine decades ago and the current Emperor falls on the 14th ruler. In that case, the Imperial Palace still follows the harem rules created by the first Empress.

All in all, there are eight rankings in the inner court.

There can only be one Empress, one Imperial Noble Consort, two Noble Consorts, four Consorts, six Concubines, and an unlimited number of Noble Ladies, and Attendants whether be it first or second rank.

Mei Ling had told her last night about the rigorous process of when Empress Mu was chosen as the bride-to-be by the current Emperor.

Empresses were usually chosen by the precedent Emperor and his advisors, not by the Emperor himself. The choice was made on the base of political and economic advantages.

The future Empress Mu was the legitimate daughter of the Mu Clan under the banner of the Vermillion Phoenix, one of the most noble and rich clans since the empire was established.

As soon as the choice was made, the future Empress Mu was moved to live in the palace to be raised and educated by the Empress Dowager herself.

The fortunate thing is, the late Empress and the Emperor's love blossomed towards each other. As the Empress gave birth to three legitimate Princesses and one legitimate prince, her position became more secure within the inner court.

It was the beginning of a supposed eternal romance between the Empress and the Emperor, that was until tragedy struck.

But that is a story for another time, as Mei Ling told her last night.