The emperor just doesn't treat everyone equally, and it's none of my business!

There were not exactly three thousand concubines in the Great Xia Dynasty's harem, but there were quite a few.

There are many people here who are like Gu Shijin before today, whom Lu Junze has never seen, let alone favored.

Some of them were sent by officials, and some were selected through talent shows.

Among those who were favored, most of them were there to complete a mission - to restrain officials of the previous dynasty and to continue the family line.

But last night's Gu Shijin gave Lu Junze a different feeling, and he didn't know what it was.

News from the harem spreads the fastest, let alone such embarrassing news.

As soon as Su Deyuan finished announcing the decree from Gu Shijin and left, most of the concubines in the harem had already received the news.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor has just issued an edict to confer the title of Noble Lady Jin on the woman in Ningyu Pavilion." Yunzhi said after walking to the Queen's side and bowing.

Empress Shangguan Yan was checking the palace accounts. She didn't even look up when she heard this. After a long while, she closed the account book and asked, "Have the rewards been delivered?"

"Your Majesty, the imperial edict was delivered before it arrived."

Yunzhi took the account book from Shangguan Yan and smiled: "Your Highness is indeed the one who knows the Emperor best."

Shangguan Yan's eyes, which had been calm until now, flickered. Understand?

maybe.

The roof is covered with golden glazed tiles, and the beams are carved and the buildings are painted. The palace is filled with various kinds of orchids, which are elegant and noble.

At this moment, a stunning woman in purple palace dress was sitting in the room, carefully drawing her eyebrows with black ink.

A woman dressed in the clothes of a palace maid walked in from outside. Seeing the stunning woman drawing her eyebrows, she walked to her side with light steps. After the stunning woman finished drawing her eyebrows, she reported to her one by one what happened in the harem that day.

The stunning woman adjusted her hair and looked at her face in the mirror with satisfaction: "Great, I have a new sister."

Then, she frowned, touched the jade necklace on her neck, and said, "This necklace doesn't match my outfit today, put it away."

"Yes, your Majesty." The senior palace maid hurried forward and carefully took off the jade necklace.

If we were to ask who in the harem was most surprised about Gu Shijin's promotion, it would be Gu Shijin himself.

Although she felt that the emperor was very satisfied with her, she did not expect that he would promote her. In the harem, those who could be promoted had to be either pregnant or had made some significant contributions.

For example, Ming Jieyushi was promoted from Wanyi of the fifth rank to Jieyushi of the fourth rank because her father had made great contributions in suppressing bandits, and the emperor promoted her as a token of grace.

Seeing that Gu Shijin looked unhappy, Xingyue also stopped smiling and said, "My dear, what's wrong with you?"

"It is a great pleasure for the Emperor to confer upon you the title of noble."

Gu Shijin looked at Xingyue and shook her head. She pointed at the rewards sent by the emperor and the queen on the table and said, "Put all these in the warehouse."

"Yes, my lord."

When Xingyue collected a box, her hand paused for a moment, then she picked up the box and walked to Gu Shijin: "My lady, should we put this in the warehouse as well?"

In the box was the jade hairpin with Ganoderma lucidum and bamboo knot pattern that Lu Junze had specifically ordered.

Xingyue: "Eunuch Su said that this hairpin was specially ordered by the emperor."

Gu Shijin picked up the hairpin and looked at it, then put it on the table next to him: "Put the others away."

Xingyue happily agreed: "Yes, my lady."

During the three years since he came here, Gu Shijin's exercise was limited to walking around Ningyu Pavilion, squatting in the Imperial Garden for half an hour in the morning, and feeling unbearable pain in his calves after waking up from a nap at noon.

Gu Shijin rubbed his calf and sighed. In his previous life, he found those palace fights on TV interesting, but he found it difficult when he was in the middle of it.

It's only the first day and troubles are coming one after another.

Or maybe her position is too low and she is not favored enough.

"My lady, let me apply a hot compress to your calves." Xingyue came in with a basin of hot water, squeezed out a towel and put it on Gu Shijin's calves and began to rub them gently.

"My lady, Miss Shunpin has been punished twice, how come..." Xingyue didn't finish her words, but Gu Shijin understood what she meant.

This Shunpin has been demoted twice, but her arrogant and domineering character has not changed.

But in the palace, people like Shunpin who are open about it are the easiest to guard against. You're afraid of those who appear to be sisters with you on the surface but may step on you in secret at any time.

but……

Gu Shijin looked at Xingyue, his tone more serious than ever before: "Xingyue, I know you care about me, but don't say these things again in the future. There are so many people around, and if someone hears it, I can't protect you."

"Every word and action in the palace could be used to get you killed at any time."

Like today, when Concubine Liu came, she came in without even being notified.

Xingyue had also been in the palace for several years, so she naturally knew something about the cruelty of the harem. She said, "Thank you for reminding me, my lady. Xingyue knows."

Although Xingyue is not stable enough, she is obedient, loyal and careful in her work. After Gu Shijin admonished her twice, she changed a lot.

When it was almost time for dinner, the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department came with his men.

If promoted to a noble lady, she could have four personal palace maids and eunuchs around her: a head aunt, a personal palace maid, and two eunuchs.

There are only two people around Gu Shijin now, and the chief steward of the Ministry of Internal Affairs came today to let Gu Shijin choose people.

"Your servant, Deng Yuan, the chief steward of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, greets Lady Jin." As soon as he entered Ningyu Pavilion, Deng Yuan and his men paid a great tribute to Gu Shijin.

The Imperial Household Department is responsible for various miscellaneous matters in the palace, including food, clothing, housing, transportation, etc. Gu Shijin was not favored before, so naturally he had no intersection with the Imperial Household Department.

But Deng Yuan brought people here so quickly, probably because he wanted to show goodwill to her.

Gu Shijin raised his hand: "Eunuch Deng, please stand up. Thank you for your hard work."

Deng Yuan said with a smile on his face: "It's not hard. It is a blessing for me to work for the young master."

"Lady Jin, these are all carefully selected by me. Please take a look and see if there is anything that suits your eyes."

Deng Yuan brought a total of twenty people, including ten palace maids and ten eunuchs.

Eunuchs are easy to choose. Gu Shijin picked one who is relatively young but looks stable. He will observe him carefully and use him if he is useful. If not, he will be sent to do some chores.

But it is difficult to choose a palace maid, Gu Shijin wants to choose one who is steady and capable of taking charge.

It can be seen that Deng Yuan is still very concerned about this matter. Among the ten palace maids, five are younger and five are older. It seems that they have a detailed understanding of the situation in Ningyu Pavilion.

Gu Shijin looked around, adjusted the hairpin on her head, and said, "I think all of them are good. Does Eunuch Deng have any recommendations?"

Deng Yuan smiled and said, "Lady Jin, these are all carefully selected by my servants. You can take your time to choose and pick one that you like." But while he was speaking, Deng Yuan's gaze lingered on one of the palace maids for a little longer.

Gu Shijin looked at the man quietly. He was an old man in the palace, about twenty years old, and looked very steady.

Gu Shijin asked again what these palace maids were good at, and finally chose the one that Deng Yuan pointed to.

Judging from Deng Yuan's attitude today, he was interested in making friends with him, so Gu Shijin asked tentatively.

And indeed it is.