Any noble ladies, with distinguished and of good moral conduct, aged nine to sixteen years old, were included in the ranks of the selection. Except for those who were already engaged, and those who needed to observe the mourning period for their family’s funerals, no one was allowed to evade the selection for any reason! Offenders would be exiled with their entire family!
Once the imperial decree was released, the whole of Nanling became lively.
Those who dreamed of glory and soaring up to the sky with one start rejoiced.
There were a myriad of reactions.
At the same time, the calm in Xinghua Village was also completely broken.
The Liu family looked at the official document delivered to their hands, and felt like it was a bolt from the blue!
Liu’s daughter, Liu Yusheng, was awarded the title of Ruyi County Lady. She was also among the noble ladies, 16 years of age and of the right age. She was specially selected to participate in the imperial consort selection. Since she already possessed a title and was of excellent character and moral, she could directly participate in the final selection without going through layers of screening!
Looking at the official seal on the official document, Chen Xiulan felt dizzy and almost passed out.
How could their daughter be included in the selection process?
She was obviously not an official’s daughter, but she was dragged down by a title!
The whole family sat in the living room, looking at the official document at a loss and fury!
“It’s definitely not that simple here,” Liu Zhiqiu at least attended a private school, so his mind turned a little faster.
“Xiao Feng is the emperor. Knowing that Axiu is deeply in love with Nannan, it’s absolutely impossible for him to do this kind of robbing someone else’s love. Someone must be behind this matter!”
Wei Hong nodded, “Indeed, the emperor is most afraid of my master. Even if you give him ten guts, he would never dare to do this kind of thing. I’m afraid this was set up by someone else.”
“Someone made moves behind their backs. I believe my master and His Majesty still don’t know about this and were kept in the dark about it.”
“So what should we do now? Our Nannan can’t go to the palace. If Axiu knows, he’ll go crazy!” Grandma Liu wrinkled her brow, and her heart was in turmoil.
They’ve spent all their lives as farmers, so she had never encountered such a thing.
The matter even involved their Nannan, and Axiu, Xiao Feng.
What a mess!
What about their Nannan?
The official decree has been issued, and it even stated that she could directly participate in the final selection. But Nannan was in the capital and knew nothing about what was going on in the village. They were here, but they couldn’t do anything at all!
Liu Dalin has long been seeing red. He gritted his teeth and vowed, “Just let me know who is scheming behind our Nannan. I must take my knife and chop him!”
“Brother, I’m with you! I’ll fight to the death and never leave you to your own death!…”
Before Liu Erlin could finish, Grandpa Liu smacked him. “Just with your brains, you’re only delivering two heads on a platter!
What kind of people do you think are behind this? Do you think it’s those rascals dilettantes of Xiapo Village? Do you think they’ll run scared when you tell them you’ll fight them to death?
If they’re so easy to deal with, even if you wouldn’t have to go, I’d go and fight them first!”
The two brothers were scolded and no longer squealed.
This level of reasoning was something they could understand.
They were just really angry deep inside. They’ve gone too far with their bullying!
“Wei Hong, do you have a way to deliver a letter to the capital?” The old man asked.
Wei Hong nodded, “Yes, we have a special way to send messages. Even without you saying, I must also report this matter to my master.”
“Then tell him. Let him find a way to solve this matter. If it really can’t be solved,” after a pause, the old man gritted his teeth, “let him announce to the public that he and Nannan have long been engaged since childhood!”
“Father!” Liu Dalin almost jumped to his feet.
Just because he refused to let Nannan participate in the selection didn’t mean he was willing to let that brat, Axiu, benefit for nothing!
“If you have a better way, you can say it. If not, shut up!”
“…”
Chen Xiulan tugged at Liu Dalin’s sleeve. “I agree with Dad’s approach. Our first priority now is to solve this problem. Nannan absolutely can’t enter the palace.
Otherwise, even if she’s not selected as a consort in the end, it will still create a gap between Axiu and Xiao Feng. The uncle and nephew are likely to end up turning their backs against each other.”
The consequences of them turning against each other, plus with Axiu’s current position of power, once that happened and they went all out regardless of anything, the world was bound to be in a tumult!
Wei Hong surveyed the room full of frowning people and said, “Then I will go now and send a message to Master.”
“Yan Hong, tell that boy that he can only announce it to the public if there is no other way. He can declare that their marriage was set when they were kids. If he dares to think more about anything else, I’ll go to the capital and break his legs!” Liu Dalin instructed breathlessly.
Wei Hong nodded. She would report it, but as to how her master would solve it was another matter.
The capital, besides the waves of sensation the imperial decree has caused right after it was posted, the calm soon returned to the surface.
Liu Yusheng knew about Feng Mohan’s upcoming draft, but except for sighing, there was nothing she could do for him.
As the emperor, there were some responsibilities he couldn’t shirk.
There was no avoiding it.
Then he could only choose to accept it. After that, find another way to choose his own path in a life where there was no choice.
The selection process was in full swing, screening layer by layer, from rural areas, to towns, up to the cities of the state.
Liu Yusheng’s side also worked non-stop.
The Qian family has already chosen the most suitable tea plantations and tea mountains in the entire range of Nanling and then screened them. They also personally inspected the chosen ones and negotiated the price before finalizing the sale.
If they wanted to harvest the best quality of tea to compete, it was best to replant them themselves. But that would take too much time and energy, so Liu Yusheng did not consider it.
As long as they could provide her with fresh and high-quality tea, she could process them with the spiritual spring water concoction. Although the effect wouldn’t be as good as her own, it could still compete with the top tea on the market currently.
She had two sales pitches, taste and health.
Health was the top priority.
Everyone cherished their lives, most especially the rich.
If there was a kind of tea that could satisfy their taste, at the same time, preserve their health, the market value could be imagined.
Today, Feng Qingbai came home a little late.
It was already afternoon when he entered the door.
When he entered the Shengxiao Courtyard, a faint tea fragrance permeated in the courtyard. It has a subtle flavor, somewhat similar to the tea he usually drinks, but also a bit different.
The woman was drying tea leaves in the courtyard.
She was wearing a soft green dress, looking focused as she stood in the middle of a pile of neatly sorted wicker sieves. She was bowed slightly, quiet and elegant.
The medicine shelves that he built for her before finally came in handy.
He walked to her noiselessly and gently embraced her from behind. He buried his head in her neck and drew on her elegant medicinal fragrance.
“You’re back.” The young girl tilted her head and smiled at him.
“Yeah, are you tired?” During this period, she was so absorbed in this that she didn’t even have the basic leisure.
“No, I like doing these.”
“If you are tired, stop for a while. There’s no need to be in such a hurry.”
“Okay.”
Knowing that the man was concerned for her, Liu Yusheng obediently responded.
She wasn’t lying. She was really fond of these activities. Dealing with medicinal herbs and tea was much easier and more comfortable than dealing with people.
Peek-Aboo 
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