Chapter 2 - Incompetent Glee (2/2)

...I really have to get out of this, as the defense minister's daughter as long as I show up I will definitely be chosen because of my family...maybe I should fake an illness on that day, but considering how worried this family gets they could summon an imperial physician and I'm not sure if I could fool them...and because of this concubine thing, the royal family may be notified, if it is somehow discovered that I faked an illness, it could be paramount to lying to the royalty, which I know from my vast experience of dramas and novels is a crime that requires my severed head...so...I couldn't exactly ask this family to cooperate with me on the ”illness” because of the reasons I just mentioned...so...

...maybe I should run away, but where do I go? The world out there is a dangerous place and even more dangerous during this time period, especially for a woman. I know nowhere outside the walls of this compound even if I could gather money and valuables from the house to pawn to finance my escape...but what about life after the escape? How do I live? I don't even know how to start a fire to keep myself warm and journeying from city to city will take days...frankly I lack the idiot's courage necessary to run away...so...

”XiaoTing ah, since you like the emperor so much, jiejie is willing to give you her position to help you fulfill your dream as a good elder sister...” Lei Xing held XiaoTing's hand lovingly as she smiled at her sweetly.

”Ah?! Jiejie but I am not old enough to marry, plus jiejie has to marry first before me.” XiaoTing explained with a panicked expression.

...ah, that's right, she's just 14...what was I thinking? Even if I want to save myself, how can I attempt to throw her under the bus, she will get torn to pieces in the palace. I'm not a saint though, and I never try to be one either...who knows she could grow from it and emerge as a scheming viper as well...haah, forget it, can't do it anyway...

Lei Xing frowned and turned and walked away from the pavilion with determination, with Xiao Ting running after her.

”Jiejie, are you okay? where are you going?” XiaoTing asked as walked beside Lei Xing.

”To speak to father...”

”Jiejie, are you serious about not wanting to enter the palace?”

”Do I seem like I am joking?”

”Jiejie, wait, let's talk about it a bit...” XiaoTing grabbed Lei Xing's arm stopping her movement. Lei Xing released an irritated breath and stared blankly at XiaoTing showing her irritation about being interrupted. ”Jiejie, even if you ask father, there's nothing he can do. The candidates have already been approved by the empress dowager...there's really nothing anyone can do now....”

Lei Xing frowned, debating her words.

...it makes sense, but...is there really nothing?...wait...

”That's right, you mentioned a competition, right?” Lei Xing asked.

”Yes, the competition was the dowager's idea to test the personal qualifications of the candidates rather than choosing them based on their status to ensure a more peaceful harem for the emperor...at least that's what I heard”

”Then I could just fail then.” Lei Xing moved closer to XiaoTing and whispered in her ear, ”is there any chance father would bribe the examiners to get into the harem?”

”No way! Father hates bribery more than anything...he would never!” XiaoTing said firmly, ”also even if he wanted to, he couldn't. The dowager and the emperor are personally deciding on the result and the competition is to be carried out in front of the other officials, plus the dowager and the emperor don't know any of the faces of the noble young ladies so there is nothing but fairness.”

Lei Xing brightened suddenly feeling relaxed and turned to walk back to the pavilion.

...I should really thank the dowager, she must been very bored and wanted to mess with the officials to do this...I'm sure the high ranking officials were against this, but she definitely gained the support of lower officials who otherwise may not have had the chance...

”Jiejie, you can't seriously be planning to fail, are you?” XiaoTing asked as she followed behind Lei Xing.

”That is the only way.”

”Jiejie, you can't do that!”

”Can't do this, can't do that...what's the problem now?”

”Jiejie, if you don't give it your best and intentionally fail then you could be accused of ridiculing the royal family and the whole family could lose our lives!” XiaoTing pulled Lei Xing and looked at her with eyes wet with tears.

...Is this girl a fountain? She would do well in the acting business, crying on demand is truly a skill...

”Don't worry, I'm not stupid, I won't make it obvious...don't worry, trust me...” Lei Xing smiled at her and pat her shoulder.

”Jiejie...” XiaoTing whimpered.

”Now tell me about this competition, what is it based on?” Lei Xing asked as she pulled XiaoTing to sit at a table nearby.

”The competition is based on three sections; musical, embroidery and literary skills.”

....hahahahaha, guess I won't have to try hard to fail or try at all really...I automatically fail 2 out of the 3 tests...I have never embroidered anything in my life, I mean I have sewn little splits on a skirt badly back together, but I doubt that qualifies as embroidery....musical skill? The only instrument I can play is the recorder, which I learned in elementary school, I remember zero from that experience....The literary skill test I could pass as long as it is freestyle, I used to write poetry while I was in high school, it was the only thing I could do then - it was useless though and I tried so hard too...anyway, as long as I am not expected to regurgitate anything then I could probably dig up the long-buried poet in me to pass...

...Either way, it seems I am bound for failure, hahahahaha I have never been pleased to be so incompetent before....