Chapter 205 - 179: The Wholesale Imitation Fails (Part 2)

With that in mind, Jiang Xian had Zhenqiu rummage through her private treasury for jewelry and also brought out two bolts of exquisite fabric. "People judge you by your clothes first. Mother, take these back and have some new outfits tailored. Think of it as me having your back."

She then asked about Yanchuan’s studies. Ms. Zhang was taken aback. "He’s still so little, but he does know a few characters."

Jiang Xian then had the Eldest Prince come over and recite his lessons for Ms. Zhang. "Bring Yanchuan here for the Mid-Autumn Festival to listen to him in person. It’ll put some pressure on his uncle."

Aside from infants still in swaddling clothes, boys were generally forbidden from entering the harem.

However, the rules were only that strict in the Imperial Palace.

If the Emperor was at a secondary palace or a mountain villa, the concubines didn’t have to abide by so many inflexible rules to summon visitors. With the Emperor’s favor and special dispensation, seeing anyone was much more convenient.

After witnessing the Eldest Prince’s abilities, Ms. Zhang immediately began to reproach herself. "It is I who have been a narrow-minded mother. I should be stricter with Yanchuan. Then again, his father is also to blame. He said he didn’t know many characters at that age, either. His Highness is the one who is truly accomplished."

Zhao’er beamed at his maternal grandmother’s praise.

He maintained his dignified posture and didn’t break into a goofy grin, but his eyes sparkled, letting any elder see just how proud he was. He remained modest, saying, "I’m just a slow bird who had to start early. I hope my uncle can come to the palace and study with me in the Upper Study Room. It would be much more convenient for Mother to see him then, too."

Yan Chi did not forbid concubines with sons from visiting the Upper Study Room to deliver soups and meals as a display of maternal affection.

Jiang Xian said, "You must attend any banquets you’re invited to. When people ask what I look like, you can say whatever you want. I’m not afraid of some knockoff trying to compete with me for the Emperor’s favor. The real deal is right here, so why would he need a substitute?"

...

Just as Jiang Xian had predicted, after Ms. Zhang returned home from the Imperial Palace, invitations addressed to the Jiang Mansion arrived in a flurry, like snowflakes. They were all inviting her to small gatherings at their homes for tea and theater.

Recalling her daughter’s words of encouragement, Ms. Zhang donned the jewelry her daughter had given her and had a new outfit tailored before heading out to the parties.

At these gatherings, the other madams were, just as expected, incredibly warm and gracious to her.

After a few rounds of wine, they finally asked, feigning casualness, "We heard Madam Jiang recently entered the Imperial Palace. Is Lady Zhaoyi doing well?"

"The Imperial Palace has excellent feng shui. It’s very nurturing, so of course she’s doing well."

"It’s a shame I didn’t dare to get a good look before. I would love to witness the legendary grace of Yan Chi’s number one Beauty."

The one who said this was a madam who had been fortunate enough to enter the Imperial Palace once.

Ms. Zhang refused to fall into that trap. She shook her head. "How can beauty be ranked first or second? A peony is beautiful, but does that make the plum blossom any less so? In my opinion, only the Empress is worthy of the title ’first.’ And if not her, there is still the Noble Consort."

At the mention of the Noble Consort, the woman clearly grew more reserved, but she still wanted to pry about Gu Zhaoyi’s appearance.

"She has two eyes, a nose, and a mouth."

"If you don’t wish to say, Madam Jiang, then let’s drop it. There’s no need to make fun of us."

"Isn’t every word I’ve spoken the absolute truth? And there’s more truth where that came from. In a mother’s eyes, is there any child who isn’t perfect? I think Lady Zhaoyi looks like a goddess from the heavens. You want me to describe her? I couldn’t possibly do her justice."

After visiting her daughter in the Imperial Palace, Ms. Zhang spoke with much more confidence.

She discovered that after she started speaking her mind and spouting whatever she pleased, people actually respected her more. Before, she had been meek and agreeable, terrified of making enemies for Jiang Xian. Though others were polite to her face, they secretly looked down on her. Now that Madam Jiang was putting on airs, everyone felt it was perfectly normal. After all, wasn’t she the Eldest Prince’s maternal grandmother? Her audacity must mean she had Gu Zhaoyi’s support, which gave her words more weight.

Since they couldn’t get any information from Ms. Zhang, some people turned their attention to Jiang Ke.

A certain man invited him to his residence as a guest, professing a great love for portraiture. He then laid out numerous paintings for Jiang Ke to see. To avoid arousing suspicion, the portraits depicted men and women, both old and young. The man feigned surprise as he picked one up to show off. "This one looks just like my daughter."

He deliberately steered the conversation toward his own daughter.

Jiang Ke’s reputation at the Hanlin Academy was that of a simple, gullible man, and in truth, he was exactly that.

"Haha, Lord Feng, your beloved daughter has your eyes. It’s clear a great father has a great daughter." Jiang Ke strode over and plucked a scroll from the collection. "This one looks a little like my girl."

Lord Feng was overjoyed and eagerly leaned in to see which portrait captured Gu Zhaoyi’s essence.

However, the portrait in Jiang Ke’s hands was of a three-year-old toddler.

"She might have looked like that in the past, but probably not anymore." Lord Feng’s smile nearly faltered. "Weren’t you just granted an audience with your daughter? She must look quite different from how she did back then."

"Why would she?"

Jiang Ke looked utterly baffled. He set down the child’s portrait. "My daughter is just a kid."

Her own father couldn’t see her as beautiful or plain; to him, she would always be his baby girl.

Even though she had shot up like a weed and somehow ended up in the Imperial Palace as one of the Emperor’s women, whenever Jiang Ke saw a small child, he still saw his daughter’s spirit in them. To him, she was supposed to be a little kid.

"..."

’What is wrong with this family!’ Lord Feng was exasperated. Still, he didn’t give up. "But does Lady Zhaoyi have a young girl’s delicate demeanor, making her very cute?"

Jiang Ke thought the man’s choice of words was a bit inappropriate, but he didn’t argue. "She does evoke a certain fondness, yes. After all, she’s still so young. As her parents, we have to be patient with her."

With these words from Mr. Jiang, everyone started to speculate—

’Perhaps the Emperor is a lolicon?’

...

The number of people hoping to be selected was as endless as a school of fish crossing a river. And these were just the ones who had enough connections to approach the Jiang family and try their schemes. As for the families of ordinary officials who couldn’t even get close to the Jiangs but still dreamed of sending a daughter to the palace to win favor, their only option was the metaphysical route: flocking to temples to pray to the bodhisattvas. The number of people praying for the same good fortune as Gu Zhaoyi grew and grew.

It was like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea—everyone had their own special trick.

The young women who had modeled themselves after "Gu Zhaoyi" and survived the initial screening by the eunuchs finally saw the Zhaoyi in the flesh during the second round of selections.

When they saw Lady Zhaoyi seated in the place of honor, so breathtakingly beautiful she seemed to glow, the crowd realized two things:

First, Mr. Jiang was full of crap. Gu Zhaoyi had an impressive figure and was by no means a child.

And second, Madam Jiang hadn’t been exaggerating in the slightest. Gu Zhaoyi truly did look like a goddess from the heavens.