Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

After the woman sat down as she was told, an old palace maid came forward and gently touched her shoulder blades and back with both hands to check whether there were any muscle nodules and whether her skeleton was symmetrical.

"The back is a little wide, but not unbalanced," said the old maid.

The female officer nodded and turned to the recorder and said, "Write it down. It's passed for the time being."

"Next, Lin Wan'er."

A pretty woman walked out of the procession slowly. She was wearing a light green dress, her black hair was tied into a simple bun, and her face was a little embarrassed, but she tried to make herself look calm. She stopped in front of the screen, bowed slightly, and stood in front of the old palace maid.

"Take off your coat." The old maid's tone was calm and majestic.

Lin Wan'er took a deep breath and took off her coat, revealing her neck and arms. Her skin was fair and delicate, and her arms were slender. The old palace maid gently pressed her shoulders and elbows to check the flexibility of her skin.

"Raise your arms." The old maid continued to order.

Lin Wan'er raised her arm and exposed her armpit. After a careful inspection, the old maid turned to the recorder beside her and said, "The skin is smooth and flawless, so it is temporarily passed."

After hearing this, Lin Wan'er's tense nerves relaxed a little. She slowly straightened her clothes, saluted to the female official, and then returned to the team.

"Shen Jingshu."

The next person to come out was a tall woman. She had a dignified face, calm eyes, and a solemn air when she walked. She walked to the screen and took off her coat as instructed, revealing her slender neck and arms.

The female official's eyes lingered between her shoulders and neck, and she nodded: "The shoulders are moderately wide and narrow, with smooth lines. Now look at her fingers."

The old maid stepped forward, gently grasped her hand, checked the length and proportion of her knuckles, and then pressed her palm with her fingertips: "The palm is warm and moist, and the fingers are slender and strong."

"Raise your arms." the old maid ordered again.

Shen Jingshu raised her arms steadily and calmly, exposing her armpits. After careful observation, the old maid said to the recorder: "The skin is flawless and the body is well-proportioned."

The female official took a look with satisfaction and said with a hint of praise: "This person has a good demeanor. I will record him as the best choice for now."

"Zhang Xiaolan."

The next woman was obviously a little nervous, her steps were a little slow, but she still walked forward calmly. Although her appearance was not outstanding, she was pretty and dignified, revealing a simple temperament.

After taking off her coat, Zhang Xiaolan revealed her slightly rounded arms and shoulders. When the old maid came forward to check, she frowned slightly and gently pressed her shoulder blade with her hand.

"The shoulder line is a little thick." The old maid whispered, "Look at the skin again."

She carefully checked Zhang Xiaolan's armpits and neck, and after confirming that there were no scars or birthmarks, she softened her tone and said, "Her skin is delicate, but her overall figure is not good."

Upon hearing this, the female official looked a little cold: "Record it as ordinary, passed."

After hearing this, Zhang Xiaolan bowed her head, with a complicated look on her face, and returned to her seat.

"Su Jinyun."

The woman who came forward attracted everyone's attention as soon as she appeared. She had a slender figure, delicate features, and a lively look between her eyebrows. When she saluted, her movements were light and graceful, and her voice was crisp: "Meet the adults."

The old maid raised her eyes and took a look, then ordered: "Take off your outer clothes."

Su Jinyun's movements were neat and tidy, revealing her graceful neck and arms. After the old maid used a ruler to measure her shoulder width and arm length, she turned around and said, "Perfect proportions, soft lines."

Then, she raised her arms, revealing her smooth and delicate skin. After a careful inspection, the old maid said softly, "No flaws, the skin is white and flexible."

The female official's eyes lit up slightly, and she nodded and said, "This woman is not only outstanding in appearance, but also has a rare temperament. Record her as the best choice."

Su Jinyun smiled slightly and bowed humbly: "Thank you for your kindness, sir." Then she gracefully retreated back to the team.

"Zhou Yufei."

A woman in a lilac dress came forward. She had regular features and a slightly plump figure, but she walked with dignity. She followed the instructions and took off her coat, exposing her arms and neck.

When the old maid came forward to check, she found a faint light-colored birthmark on the back of her shoulder. She frowned and turned to look at the female official.

"What is that?" the female official asked coldly.

The old maid pointed with her finger: "It's a shallow birthmark. Although it's not obvious, it's faintly visible under the light."

After hearing this, Zhou Yufei's face turned pale and she quickly bowed and explained, "Sir, I have had this birthmark since I was a child. It is nothing unusual and has never affected my health."

The female official pondered for a moment and said coldly: "The selection of the Crown Princess is very demanding and impeccable. Even a small birthmark like this cannot be ignored. Cross out the name."

Zhou Yufei lowered her head and tried to hold back her tears. She bowed and stepped back, her back revealing a sense of helplessness and loss.

After the inspection, the women who remained on the corridor outside the side hall walked back to their respective dormitories in twos and threes.

Their steps were slow, but each of them had a look of exhaustion and a hint of relief on their faces. Some lowered their heads to adjust their clothes, while others whispered to their companions, trying to digest the ordeal they had just experienced.

Gu Qingping followed at the end of the team, her eyes always fixed on the front. She looked calm, but her hand holding her sleeve tightened slightly.

It was not until she returned to the dormitory that she breathed a long sigh of relief, sat on the edge of the bed, and sorted out the scenes that had just happened in her mind.

Just as Gu Qingping was folding her coat neatly, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Who?" she asked loudly.

"It's me, Yurong." A familiar voice came from outside the door.

Gu Qingping walked over and opened the door, and sure enough, she saw Yurong standing at the door with a smile on her face.

"Come in." She stepped aside.

Yurong walked into the room, sat down on the edge of Gu Qingping's bed, and breathed a sigh of relief: "It was such a tough battle. I thought the inspection was just a simple matter, but I didn't expect them to not even let go of every inch of flaw on the skin."

Gu Qingping smiled lightly, poured a cup of tea and handed it to her: "This selection is to select one person from millions of people, so it is natural to be harsh." Yurong took the teacup, took a sip, and suddenly leaned in and whispered: "Do you know? The girl next door was sent out of the palace directly because she had a small birthmark on her back."

Gu Qingping frowned slightly when she heard this, put down the clothes in her hands, and looked at Yurong calmly: "This is expected. The selection of the Crown Princess is not just a beauty pageant, but also a selection of the future mother. Even if there is only a slight possibility of being criticized, it will become a reason for elimination."

Yurong sighed: "You see it clearly. But I always feel that it is too harsh."

Gu Qingping did not respond, but walked to the window and looked up at the blue sky outside. The sunlight shone on her face, making her look even calmer.

"Yurong," she said in a low but firm voice, "If you can't even bear these, how can you shoulder the responsibilities of the future? The position of the Crown Princess is not just a simple honor, but a solid position that needs to face countless storms. Every step must be taken steadily."

Yurong looked at her slightly turned face, was silent for a moment, and then smiled: "Qingping, you are really different from others. I think you will make it to the end of this selection."

Gu Qingping turned her head, her eyes were deep, and she smiled faintly: "Don't say it too early. There is still a long way to go."

At the same time, in the next room, several women were sitting together, whispering about the scene that had just happened.

"I really feel sorry for Sister Zhou. She was eliminated just because of a birthmark. She had such a good temperament." A petite woman whispered, her tone full of regret.

"Why isn't it worth it?" Another tall woman sneered, "The selection process is already very strict. The position of the Crown Princess affects the fate of the country, how can there be any flaws?"

"Having said that, I still feel uncomfortable seeing her leave with her head down." The petite woman raised her hand and wiped the corners of her eyes.

"Hmph, the roads in the palace have always been cruel and ruthless. If you can't even bear this, you might as well go home as soon as possible." The tall woman said coldly, with a hint of contempt in her tone.

Another woman who was sitting quietly beside the bed raised her head and said softly, "You can't say that. Although we who stayed behind are temporarily safe, the next test will only be more difficult. If we can't work together, I'm afraid it will be difficult for everyone to make it to the end."

The tall woman curled her lips and said, "Work together? Which one of you isn't thinking about whether you can win? Are there really so many sisters who love each other so deeply?"

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became subtle. The petite woman pursed her lips, lowered her head and stopped talking, while the quiet woman lowered her head and continued to sort out her clothes, seemingly unwilling to say more.

The next morning, the women who stayed in the palace gathered in the courtyard as usual. The air was fresh, and the sunlight shone through the branches and leaves on the ground, casting mottled shadows. However, the peaceful atmosphere was soon broken.

"Did you do this on purpose?" A clear but angry voice rang out in the courtyard.

Everyone turned to look, only to see a woman angrily pointing at another petite girl. The girl was obviously frightened and waved her hands to explain: "I didn't... I really didn't mean it."

"No? You clearly stepped on my skirt!" The woman was still furious, her tone was a bit aggressive, "Do you know how expensive this skirt is? Now it's so dirty, can you afford to pay for it?"

"I'm sorry, I..." The petite girl was pale, with tears in her eyes, and she was obviously at a loss.

Gu Qingping was walking by, and seeing this, she stopped, walked forward and said softly, "Sister, there's no need to be so angry."

The furious woman turned to look at Gu Qingping and said coldly, "This has nothing to do with you, so don't meddle in other people's business."

Gu Qingping did not back down, but smiled faintly: "We all live under the same roof, so we should naturally tolerate each other. This is just a small accident, why should we hurt the harmony?"

When the woman heard this, her expression eased a little, but she was still a little unwilling: "But my skirt..."

"If you're willing, I have a brand new handkerchief here that can be used to cover the stain." Gu Qingping took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it over.

The other party was stunned for a moment, took the handkerchief, and whispered: "...Forget it, just treat it as an accident."

The petite girl looked at Gu Qingping gratefully: "Thank you, sister."

Gu Qingping patted her shoulder gently, her eyes gentle but firm: "You have to remember, no matter what happens here, you have to calm yourself down. Otherwise, you will only make others laugh at you."

The woman nodded and whispered, "I understand."

The turmoil in the courtyard gradually subsided, and not far away, a female official in charge of the inspection took it all in, with a hint of approval in her eyes.

"Gu Qingping is really a smart and calm woman." The female official said softly.

In the early morning, the sun shines on the courtyard of Zichen Palace. Dozens of women are divided into groups to hold an embroidery competition in a designated area.

Dozens of women were divided into five groups and sat in designated positions. In front of each of them was a piece of snow-white silk cloth, needles and thread, and colorful silk threads.

Several female officials sat on both sides of the courtyard, their eyes sharp, looking around at every corner of the courtyard from time to time.

An elderly female official stood in the center of the courtyard, holding a scroll in her hand. She unfolded the scroll, revealing an exquisite painting of plum blossoms.

"Today's embroidery theme is plum blossoms." Her voice was low and majestic. "Everyone needs to complete the embroidery within one stick of incense. We will judge the results based on the precision of the stitches, the harmony of the colors, and the overall composition."

She glanced around, her eyes lingering on Gu Qingping for a moment, and then continued, "Remember, embroidery is not only about skills, but also about your state of mind. Every stitch is enough to reflect your temperament and patience."

The courtyard was silent, and the women bowed their heads and responded, "Yes, Lady."

At the female official's command, the women picked up their needles and threads and began to work. Gu Qingping threaded the first needle calmly, her eyes focused, and her hands moved smoothly and rhythmically. She chose the simplest plum blossom trunk line to start, and slowly outlined the outline on the scroll.

Yurong seemed a little impatient. She picked a bright red thread and prepared to start embroidering from the petals of the plum blossom, but she accidentally misplaced the first stitch, leaving an obvious needle mark on the silk cloth.

"Oh no..." Yurong muttered softly, trying to remedy the situation in a panic.

Gu Qingping saw it from the corner of her eye and said softly, "Yurong, don't be anxious. Pull the thread back to its original position first, and then re-sew along the outline. It's okay to be slow, but you must be calm."

Yurong looked up at her, a trace of anxiety flashed in her eyes, and whispered: "But half of the time has passed. If it goes on like this, I'm afraid I won't be able to finish the embroidery."

Gu Qingping smiled gently: "No matter how tight the time is, it is not as important as being steady. Once you panic, you will only make more mistakes."

After hearing this, Yurong took a deep breath, slowly stabilized her hand, and started to insert the needle again. Although her movements were much slower, they were obviously more methodical than before.

Not far away, a young female official walked behind Gu Qingping and looked down at her embroidery. Her stitches were even and fine, and the outline of the embroidery was clearly visible. The female official nodded slightly, with a hint of satisfaction in her eyes.

"Miss Qingping." The female official suddenly spoke, her voice was not loud, but it was clearly audible. (End of this chapter)