C19 Female official examination

Seeing that she had been tricked, Chunhe immediately pouted and said, "Your Highness, you lied to me again. Yulan, you have also been corrupted by the empress dowager, so you lied to me."

Yulan said with grievance, "How could I lie to you? You are too delicious."

"Alright, alright, you only know how to bully Yulan." Chu Linglang quickly said.

"It took me a lot of effort to bring you two out of the palace, but you just slept in the inn for the entire afternoon."

"That's right! What fun places did you two go to in the afternoon? You didn't even bring me along." Chunhe said with grievance.

"We want to bring you, but you were so drunk. How could I bring you along with the empress dowager?"

"Quickly change your clothes. If you wait any longer, I won't be able to protect you two." Chu Linglang said as she changed her clothes.

When the two of them heard this, they quickly changed their clothes and followed Chu Linglang downstairs.

When the boss saw this, he said, "Grand General, you have finished your work and are returning. Please come again!"

Chu Linglang nodded in agreement.

After the three of them left, they ran all the way and felt the air outside the palace. Looking at the people and carriages on the street, they couldn't help but sigh, "The life outside the palace is really colorful!"

After returning to the palace, it was surprisingly quiet today. When they asked the imperial guards, they found out that the emperor had not come for a whole day, nor did he come to convey any words.

Chu Linglang laid down on the soft couch comfortably and ate fruits. Chunhe chased after her and asked about what happened in the afternoon.

Yulan told Chunhe about the empress dowager taking her to deliver food to the beggars in the afternoon. The beggars were in a very difficult situation.

Chunhe was even more admiring of the future. Chu Linglang listened to her praise as she ate.

"Pass on my order. The female official selection will be divided into written test and practical test. The written test will be held tomorrow morning."

"It's the empress dowager."

Chu Linglang lay on the soft couch and tossed and turned in a daze. Thinking about how she could leave the palace after building the orphanage, she really did not want to be a golden sparrow in this harem. This was not a waste of being the empress dowager. No, the person who gave her the token that day was the person who helped her out when she was stopped by the palace guards when she returned to the palace. Who was he?

Chu Linglang began to analyze the situation, and finally came to the conclusion that the Emperor gave her the token. What was the purpose of his actions? Could it be that he was hinting that she should leave? That would be great.

"The Emperor has arrived." The eunuch shouted.

Chu Linglang sat up, "Your son greets his mother."

"Why is the Emperor free today? I was just about to go to your place to find you for something."

"Oh? Then we are truly mother and son. We are together. What is your mother looking for me for?"

"Isn't it? I will inform you in advance about the female official examination tomorrow. After all, the Emperor has experience in choosing officials."

"It's just this matter? Everything will be decided by mother."

"There's another matter. Mother wants to borrow a strong martial arts expert to compete with them. She wants the Shadow Guard beside you." Feng Xuan narrowed his eyes. He could tell that Chu Linglang must have guessed that he gave her the token. He would play with her.

"Left, come out." Feng Xuan called out.

A blue-eyed, curly-haired guard walked out.

Chu Linglang was shocked when she saw his appearance. "Where did he get in? I haven't seen him do anything. He looks so special!"

Feng Xuan smiled. "Left is a human, so he looks different from us."

"Is there someone called Right?" Chu Linglang asked curiously.

"Right, come out." A veiled woman walked out. She had brown eyes and an ice-cold face. It was obvious that she was not a kind person.

"Is she the Right? Oh, is there no one else?"

"It seems like Mother wants to find someone. Or maybe she wants to see how many strong people I have here."

"Ahem, no. I didn't see anyone that matched my eyes, so I asked. However, the names on the left and right are easy to remember." Chu Linglang waved her hand and explained.

Feng Xuan saw her curiosity and smiled. He thought that he should not tease her anymore. "Mother, your son is called Shaang Xia. Do you want him to come out or Xia?"

Chu Linglang rolled her eyes at him. It seemed that his memory was not good, so he gave such a simple name to the people around him. She said perfunctorily, "Come out!"

A tall figure walked in from outside the door. Chu Linglang shouted, "It's him, it's him."

"Who is he?" Feng Xuan teased.

"Nothing. I'm going to have him compete with the female official tomorrow."

"Mother, are you sure? Shaang Xia is the leader of the lifeguard. Are you sure that the female official won't be injured?"

Chu Linglang said snappily, "So his name is Shangguan? It's not your left and right?"

"Reporting to Empress Dowager, I am surnamed Shangguan, and I have taken one of the surnames. My first name is Xia, Xia of the summer." Shaang Xia replied seriously.

"Oh." Chu Linglang scratched her head. She wanted to ask him about the token, but then she thought about how she almost got into a dog hole. It would be awkward if the Emperor knew about it. It was better to keep it to herself. However, from his expression, he probably wouldn't tell anyone about the dog hole.

"You will be the one to compete tomorrow. You should act according to the situation and don't hurt them."

"I understand. I will be lenient tomorrow, right?"

"Don't tell me you are the strongest person in the palace?" Chu Linglang asked curiously.

"No, the one with the highest martial arts is the Emperor." Before Shaang Xia could finish, Feng Xuan coughed lightly.

Chu Linglang glared at Feng Xuan.

"Mother, then I will let Shaang Xia guard the Ritual Hall tomorrow."

"That's great. Then tomorrow, will the Emperor not come?" Chu Linglang asked politely.

"No, I still have something to do tomorrow. The female official will be left to you."

The next morning, Chu Linglang got up comfortably. The moment she opened the door, she saw Shaang Xia's figure.

She was shocked. "Wow, why are the lifeguards on duty so early in the morning?"

Yulan walked over with hot water. "That's right! This General came as soon as the palace opened."

"Have you eaten breakfast?" Chu Linglang asked with concern.

"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, I have eaten breakfast. If there is nothing else, I will continue to patrol. If there is anything, please inform me at any time." Shaang Xia said coldly.

"Who dares to provoke him so early in the morning? His face can even freeze pork." Chu Linglang teased Yulan.

Yulan shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know either! When I was talking to him just now, he only nodded and did not answer."

"What a weirdo. Where did Chunhe go this morning?" Chu Linglang looked around and asked.

"He should have gone to get the oil sprouts and soy juice for the Empress Dowager." Chu Linglang's eyes lit up when she mentioned the oil sprouts.

"Let me serve you to wash up and change clothes!" Chu Linglang only realized that she had come out while wearing her pajamas.

Yulan wiped Chu Linglang's face. Chu Linglang took it and asked, "What was the smell last night? It was very calming."

"Reporting to the Empress Dowager. Last night, the Emperor left the lavender incense. He said that you have been feeling uneasy these few days and told me to light it for you."

Chu Linglang smiled, "How is the preparation going today?"

"Everything is going according to the Empress Dowager's orders. It is almost done. The Emperor has ordered a few examiners to come over and preside over the written test." Yulan reported honestly.

Chunhe returned with soy juice and oil sprouts. Yulan asked with concern, "Why did you come back so late?"

Chunhe patted herself, "Don't mention it. Her Royal Highness came back in a hurry this morning. When she heard that I was a person of the Ritual Hall, she grabbed me and started to ask me about everything. She even said that she, this little mother, didn't even know to go and see her."

Chu Linglang had just finished drinking a mouthful of bean juice and spat it all out. "What? There's a princess?"

"That's right! Doesn't the empress dowager know? Princess Hua is the Royal Highness's biological sister."

Chu Linglang bit on a piece of oyster and shook her head like a rattle drum. She thought to herself that she did not know whether this was a blessing or a misfortune. She had actually picked up a son for free, and this time, she had a daughter. The heavens must have let me be born at such a young age.

"That's right. Princess Hua has been traveling around the world all year round. The previous emperor had sent her to Chang'e Mountain to learn, and the Emperor had also been sent to the temple a long time ago.

However, our princess has a strange personality. She is the most beloved daughter of the previous emperor because she looks like Imperial Consort Mei." Chunhe said.

Chu Linglang thought to herself, No wonder the first time I met Feng Xuan was in the temple. Feng Xuan is so good-looking, his sister must not be too far off.

Thinking about a little girl in a colorful dress with seven-colored braids walking in, Chu Linglang sat down and started to eat breakfast. Chu Linglang curiously looked at her and did not wait for Chu Linglang to ask.

Feng Hua picked up a piece of oyster and asked without even lifting her head, "You are Chu Linglang? My Royal Father's little wife."

"That's right! I am Chu Linglang, your stepmother, the empress dowager of Xiliang Country."

Feng Hua frowned. "This soybean juice is really unpleasant to drink. Alright, I'm leaving. I heard that you will be choosing a female official later. I will come and join in the fun." With that, Feng Hua stood up and left.

"Tsk, this is the princess of Xiliang Country. How can she be so arrogant and rude?" Chu Linglang snorted and repeated the words in Feng Hua's tone.

"Ah, who invited her to eat? Why is she so picky?"

"Esteemed Empress Dowager, after eating, this servant will help you dress. What do you want to dress for today?"

"I want to wear something more light today. I want to find a suit for me." Chu Linglang said casually.

Chunhe and Yulan looked at each other and went to find clothes. Then, they helped Chu Linglang comb her hair into a neat ponytail.

"The empress dowager's dressing is very heroic." Chunhe and Yulan praised.

"Nonsense. After wearing the guard uniform for so many times, of course I have some feelings for it. Otherwise, how could we sneak out of the palace?"

"It's getting late. Let's go to the main hall to take a look." Chu Linglang moved to the main hall.

A few civil servants had been waiting in the main hall for a long time. When they saw this young lady with a heroic aura, they started to talk among themselves.

Yulan saw this and quickly shouted, "The empress dowager has arrived."

The civil servants all bowed to Chu Linglang. "This old subject greets the empress dowager. May the empress dowager have a safe journey."

From their expressions, Chu Linglang knew that they did not approve of her as the empress dowager.

"Forget the formalities, please take a seat. Chunhe will serve tea to all of you."

Chu Linglang thought that this Feng Xuan was helping me, making it so embarrassing. It was so awkward for the ministers to enter the harem.

The ministers sat there in a straight line.

Chu Linglang also smiled awkwardly. Finally, Chunhe and Yulan arrived.

"Empress Dowager, everyone is here."