After covering a hundred miles a day, they reached the foothills of Lushan two days later. By then, the Military Academy had already set up a camp on the flat terrain, erecting tents surrounded by a wooden palisade painted yellow, with a bannered gate covered in yellow canopies. An outer wall was also set up, with guards taking turns to watch over it, preventing any unauthorized entry.
Except for the princess and her personal maids, the rest of the entourage was accommodated in the outer camp, with strict orders not to leave without permission. The beauties began to sense that their fates might soon be decided here. Although they had mentally prepared themselves for this when they were chosen to accompany Princess Zigu as part of her dowry, now that the moment had arrived, they couldn’t help but feel anxious and uneasy.
The five girls sharing a tent with Mei Lin were no different. Their previous lively chatter had faded, replaced by furrowed brows and a palpable sense of worry, as if a shadow of melancholy had descended upon them.
Mei Lin, however, was less concerned about this. Her thoughts were occupied with counting the days until she needed to take the antidote next month, and she was troubled by what kind of intelligence she could trade to obtain a more effective dose. So far, the only relief she found was that ever since joining the imperial entourage, the girls had started speaking the language of Dayan. They were so fluent that they outdid even her, a native of Dayan who rarely spoke.
The next morning, at the break of dawn, a loud horn echoed across the plains, accompanied by the thunder of hooves and the shouts of men. The girls, still exhausted from the journey, were startled awake, exchanging confused and fearful glances, like helpless animals in the forest about to be hunted.
Time passed slowly as they anxiously awaited their fate. Finally, as night fell and the hunters returned, the mountain wilderness was enveloped in darkness. Bonfires were lit across the spacious camp, and fresh game was roasted over the flames. The sound of laughter and merriment drifted through the gaps in the tents, giving them a glimpse of the lively atmosphere outside.
Just as the girls were nervously trying to stay awake, the long-awaited summons arrived. But to their surprise, they weren’t called upon to perform the songs and dances they had painstakingly prepared. The wide clearing, illuminated by the firelight, bore traces of flower petals and the marks of sharp blades, indicating that there had already been some entertainment.
Three hundred beautiful girls were arranged into ten rows, with thirty in each row, standing neatly and orderly in the center of the clearing, awaiting the selection of the nobles and ministers.
Mei Lin stood at the back, slightly tilting her body to the right to catch a glimpse of the Emperor of Dayan, seated in a place of honor.
Perhaps he had once been youthful and vigorous, and perhaps he still possessed wisdom and authority, but all she saw was a gaunt, sickly middle-aged man. His narrow eyes held a lingering charm, but the dark circles beneath them marred the impression of intelligence, evoking a sense of discomfort.
To his left sat a group of men in their twenties and thirties, dressed in military attire—clearly not just princes and nobles, but also young generals, the core participants in the hunt. To his right, the beautiful Princess Zigu sat veiled, her head bowed. She hadn’t glanced at them even once since their arrival. The others on her side were mostly scholars.
Mei Lin quickly took in her surroundings, then lowered her gaze, resisting the urge to look around further. She heard the Emperor’s voice, slightly weak but still commanding, echo in her ears.
"Today, in the hunt, Xuan Lie came out on top. I grant you the first choice."
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