Heh, no lies about spending!

Today was the grand court assembly, and the Pan residence was located in Changle Lane, quite a distance from the Ming Palace.

However, as early as the hour of the Ox, Father Pan had already hurriedly left the mansion in a sedan chair.

At the first hour of the Dragon, several young ladies of the household hurried to the main courtyard to pay respects to the lady of the house.

Having been deceived into spending all her family’s wealth in just one day, Pan Yulian lay tossing and turning all night, heartbroken and unable to sleep.

When it was time for the usual morning greetings, she drifted to the main hall like a walking corpse.

Upon entering Ningfeng Hall, Pan Yulian stood listlessly by the side, head bowed and eyes vacant, her expression dazed and spiritless.

Earlier, Pan Nianyao and Pan Fangyan, who had arrived sooner, barely acknowledged Pan Yulian’s silence. As daughters from secondary wives, they were merely acquaintances, indifferent to one another—no need to go out of their way to curry favor.

If their legitimate elder sister were present, then it would be proper for them to approach with smiles and offer greetings—but where was Pan Wenjun?

They scanned the hall and, seeing no one, exchanged a glance.

The Great Jin Dynasty valued filial piety above all, and Pan Wenjun was known for her sense and discipline, never arriving later than them. At this hour, the legitimate elder sister was still nowhere to be seen...

Just as they pondered this, Wet Nurse Wu supported Madam Lin out from the inner chambers.

After years of habit, even Pan Yulian instinctively straightened up. Once Madam Lin was seated, the three of them knelt in unison to pay their respects.

Though her face was powdered with jade frost powder, Madam Lin’s swollen, exhausted eyes could not be concealed.

With a few days left before the registration for the selection of palace ladies, there was no time to delay.

The matter had been decided the night before; Father Pan could hardly wait a moment and immediately informed Pan Wenjun.

While Father Pan was filled with anxious sighs, and Madam Lin wept bitterly, Pan Wenjun tearfully agreed. Afterwards, Madam Lin and Pan Wenjun embraced, weeping together bitterly.

Having cried half the night and also remained sleepless, Madam Lin’s temples throbbed painfully. She closed her eyes, rubbed her hairline hard, then opened them again, glancing darkly at the three kneeling daughters.

In the past, Madam Lin had found the many daughters of secondary wives bothersome, like feeding cats and dogs, and cared little for them.

But now, she bitterly regretted having so few of them, and even more so that she did not have several breathtaking beauties, like celestial maidens descended from heaven, to shield them from this disaster.

Gazing gloomily at the three before her, Madam Lin waved her hand and said, “Enough, rise. Now that the three of you are here, there is something I must discuss.”

Seeing Madam Lin’s unpleasant expression, Pan Nianyao’s heart tightened, and she lowered her eyes meekly, ready to listen and obey.

Usually coquettish and cunning, Pan Fangyan also dared not joke or speak, standing properly without a word.

As for Pan Yulian... well, she was always a shallow, foolish simpleton. Madam Lin didn’t even bother to pay her much mind.

In the silence, Madam Lin’s words struck like thunderclaps.

“This time, the household must send a candidate to the palace selection. Which one of you three will go?”

At the sound of this, Pan Nianyao and Pan Fangyan were startled, staring in shock at Madam Lin.

Since their eldest sister had participated in the selection, no one in the household had cared about it again. Why suddenly was someone required to enter the selection now?!

Thanks to Father Pan’s clearly biased attitude—joyful when things go well, harsh when they don’t—the Pan household had no fools who thought highly of themselves.

Pan Nianyao and Pan Fangyan were fully aware of their place.

They were better than those below them, but far from those above them—even among noble families, they could not hope to compete.

The palace?!

What kind of place was that?

Yes, it sounded like a grand, magnificent place, shimmering with gold and jade, with glazed golden tiles sparkling brightly—a place of wealth and privilege. But even the finest place required a fortunate destiny, didn’t it?

His Majesty had reigned for over ten years. In the beginning, many had ambitions like phoenixes, scrambling eagerly to enter the palace, but now everyone could see clearly.

The palace was filled with numerous consorts, and daughters from humble families had barely a sliver of hope to change their fortunes!

If, by misfortune, one of them was chosen, wouldn’t they be trapped there, unable to raise their heads, living out a life of hardship and bitterness, reduced to ashes and bones?

In the dead silence, Madam Lin’s gaze first fell upon Pan Fangyan, the usually sharp-witted one on the left.

Pan Fangyan felt a chill run through her body at that look, goosebumps breaking out all over.

Glancing at Pan Nianyao beside her, who dared not even breathe, Pan Fangyan, clutching at a lifeline, involuntarily raised her voice louder than usual—

“Mother!”

“Mother, our third sister is older than me, always gentle and kind, well-read and prudent. This time, if she participates, it would be most fitting!”

Pan Nianyao, who had been wishing to disappear into thin air, suddenly felt stabbed in the back.

She widened her eyes at the “noble friend or rival” Pan Fangyan, then hurriedly said to Madam Lin, “Mother, you know I’m slow-witted and usually act sluggishly. I have no real talents.”

“The fifth sister is lovely and clever, lively and charming—she would surely attract the favor of a noble patron if she were to enter the selection!”

The burning hot potato was tossed back, and Pan Fangyan broke out in a cold sweat.

“Mother, I’m talkative and quite unreliable. I’m not someone who can achieve much. The third sister is steady and generous—she’s the most suitable for this important responsibility!”

The two sisters often bickered, but Pan Nianyao had never hated Pan Fangyan’s tongue as much as now.

At this moment, she truly wanted to jump forward and strangle her.

“Mother, I’m dull and slow. Despite your efforts teaching me all these years, I still haven’t learned much. In this household, you treat me kindly and do not hold grudges, but outside, who would be so forgiving?”

“The imperial family’s authority does not tolerate a foolish daughter like me.”

“If I alone were to err and be punished, that would be one thing—but what if I bring disgrace to the entire family... then I would be beyond redemption.”

Hearing Pan Nianyao’s sharp tongue, Pan Fangyan quickly interjected, “Mother, if the third sister is slow-witted, then what hope is there for us?”

Seeing Pan Fangyan unwilling to relent, Pan Nianyao was equally determined and responded, “Mother, the fifth sister...”

The two sisters crowded before Madam Lin, each trying to outpraise the other, fearful of missing a single compliment.

Already in a foul mood and suffering from a headache, Madam Lin’s anger suddenly flared.

None of them were fools; who could not see that the sisters were viciously belittling each other while desperately flattering one another for some hidden purpose?

Even Pan Wenjun was forced to participate in the selection—yet these two shameless girls dared to push the responsibility back and forth...

“Bang!”

Madam Lin suddenly slammed the table, eyes reddened as she roared, “How dare you!”

Pointing at them, she scolded, “You two ungrateful wretches!”

“The Pan household thrives under the Emperor’s grace. Your father carries this in his heart daily, rising early and working late, eating without appetite, diligently striving—only wishing he could repay the Emperor’s kindness tenfold.”

“Now the imperial family has graciously allowed even those born lowly like you to bask in heavenly favor, and yet you show no gratitude or reverence, instead shoving and pushing like this? What manners are these?!”

Madam Lin pounded the table repeatedly in anger. “Is this how you’ve been taught in this household?!”

“Pampered with gold and jewels, waited on by servants, dressed in fine silks, yet you have become such disloyal and unfilial creatures?!”

With Madam Lin’s scolding, Pan Nianyao and Pan Fangyan knelt trembling.

Their kneeling drew everyone’s attention to Pan Yulian, who stood behind them.

All eyes immediately fixed on her.

Suddenly the focus, Pan Yulian looked somewhat dazed. Seeing the two sisters kneeling, she lowered her head and knelt as well.

Madam Lin, displeased, glared at Pan Yulian with a cold sneer. “What’s this? Could it be that Miss Pan Four wishes to go to the selection herself?”

Even the dullest could hear the sarcasm in Madam Lin’s tone. The others in the room prepared themselves to watch Pan Yulian throw a tantrum, cry pitifully, and beg.

But to their surprise, Pan Yulian nodded repeatedly, “Yes.”

As she responded, Madam Lin pinched her forehead and muttered coldly, “Why, now that you’re mentioned, you have no more to say? In the household...”

Watching in astonishment, Wet Nurse Wu was the first to recover and quietly whispered a reminder to Madam Lin.

—!

Madam Lin abruptly ceased her scolding.

Her hand still raised, she widened her eyes in disbelief, “What did you say?!”

Pan Yulian, kneeling happily, looked up with innocent flattery, her eyes shining brightly.

In her left eye was wealth; in her right, nobility.

Her ambition for fortune and status was glaringly obvious on her face.

She smiled ingratiatingly at Madam Lin, nodding repeatedly, “Mother, I am willing. I want to go to the palace selection!”

Pan Nianyao and Pan Fangyan instantly turned their heads, staring fixedly at Pan Yulian.

Never before—truly, they swore—had Pan Yulian appeared so glaringly, yet so pleasing to the eye...

Well, whether Pan Yulian was confused now or had always been a foolish, snobbish simpleton who failed to grasp the pros and cons, in any case, she was playing the role of a Savior.

The kneeling sisters, without discussion, tacitly agreed loudly in unison.

“Mother, the fourth sister is the most beautiful, radiant as the moon and stars. If she enters the selection, it will be most fitting!”

“Yes, Mother, the fourth sister is the most stunning in the entire household—no, in the entire capital. If she participates, everything will surely go smoothly!”

...