Chapter 3
It was not until I heard the Empress’s golden words with my own ears that my tense back finally relaxed in silence.
Seeing that I had finally stopped pacing, the maid Lixue asked, “Princess, are you going to enter Guang’an Palace to pay respects to the Empress Your Highness?”
“No, let’s go back.”
In His Majesty’s harem, no concubine dared to challenge the Empress.
Everyone knew that when the Empress was still the Crown Princess, there was no other woman in the entire Eastern Palace except her.
It was only after the Emperor ascended the throne that new consorts were appointed.
Throughout history, there had been favored concubines who, at the height of their favor, overshadowed the Empress with the Emperor’s partiality.
But only the current Emperor devoted himself solely to the Empress, granting her unique honor.
The Empress’s position was as solid as a fortress.
Since she had decided on the Lottery Drawing, then it could only be the Lottery Drawing.
No one else’s schemes would work now.
Only when my mind relaxed did I suddenly realize that my calves ached from being tensed.
I had walked for a full hour.
Perhaps only the square tiles laid along the path to Guang’an Palace knew how anxious and fearful every step I took upon them had been in that hour.
I was grateful to have escaped a calamity.
Strictly speaking, I hadn’t truly escaped, since no one knew the outcome of the Lottery Drawing yet.
But at least the Empress Your Highness had given me a fair chance to face fate.
She personally prepared every detail of the Lottery Drawing, ensuring that no one could cheat under her watchful eyes.
Everything was left to fate.
On the day of the Lottery Drawing, each princess was accompanied by her own Mother Consort.
Consort Qi also had to accompany me.
Before leaving, Lixue brought a basin of water for me to wash my hands, while Haitang patted me with fragrant leaves.
They recited a string of auspicious phrases, praying for my good fortune and the dispelling of bad luck.
When I went to see Consort Qi, she had already finished her breakfast.
All these years, her attitude toward me had always been lukewarm.
It seemed she wanted to show me with this attitude that she had never relaxed her vigilance against me for a moment; should I ever harbor any ill intent, she would immediately turn her back on me and drive me out of Muchen Palace.
Upon seeing me, Consort Qi got straight to the point: “The Lottery Drawing is personally supervised by the Empress; no one dares to cheat.”
“This is a fair selection. If you are unfortunate enough to be chosen, it is fate, and you must accept it. I will not plead for you.”
I replied, “Yes.”
Only then did Consort Qi nod and accompany me to Guang’an Palace.
On the bright yellow brocade lay four round balls.
When held in hand and twisted in a certain direction, they would open into two halves.
Whoever drew the one with ‘Zhong’ would go for the Marriage Alliance.
The order of the Lottery Drawing was determined by drawing lots.
I drew the shortest stick, meaning I would go last.
In other words, whatever the three princesses left behind would be mine.
The first to draw was Yongping.
She stood before the brocade, took a deep breath, and her fingers hesitated between the first and second balls.
Consort Qin watched anxiously, her pale fingers clutching her silk handkerchief so tightly it seemed she might tear it apart.
Yongping chose the second ball on the right.
Holding her breath, she twisted it open.
She found it did not have ‘Zhong.’
She cheered with joy.
“Mother Consort! No ‘Zhong’! It’s not me!”
She immediately looked for Consort Qin.
Consort Qin finally released the poor handkerchief, let out a long sigh of relief, pressed her hands together, and whispered repeatedly, “Amitabha, thank you Bodhisattva, thank you Bodhisattva.”
Yongping handed the ball to Nanny An for inspection.
Nanny An announced, “Princess Yongping, not Zhong.”
The second was Mingzhen.
She did not spend much time choosing, gritted her teeth, and picked up the first ball on the left.
She twisted it open.
In the next second, her body stiffened, she let out a miserable cry, and fainted straight away.
Consort Liu sprang up from her chair.
The maids reacted quickly and caught Mingzhen before she hit the ground.
“Clatter-”
The object in Mingzhen’s hand slipped and fell to the floor, revealing half of the bright red character-Zhong.
Consort Liu stared wide-eyed at the engraving, petrified, motionless for a long time.
Nanny An bent down to pick up the engraved piece, held it up, and showed it to everyone one by one.
She announced, “Princess Mingzhen, Zhong.”
The Empress rose, about to speak.
Suddenly, Consort Liu wailed loudly, “Zhener! Empress Your Highness, please summon the Imperial Physician! Where is the Imperial Physician? What’s wrong with my Zhener?”