Volume 5, Chapter 332 – She Is Definitely Not Qi Huang

Qi Huang also perked up. As long as this test was over, her trip to the imperial palace would finally come to an end. As for the evidence against that corrupt official, she could always submit it under another identity—after all, she had plenty of doppelgängers, both male and female.

Ouyang Tong walked forward under the weight of countless gazes, her trembling hand reaching out to take the Phoenix Selection Token. Even though she knew this was all just an act, the psychological scars from being eliminated three years ago resurfaced.

Everyone in the Imperial Garden instinctively craned their necks, eager to see just how outstanding the doppelgänger of Cheng Hongling, the woman rumored to have scored six perfect marks on the Phoenix Selection Token, could be.

As Ouyang Tong gripped the token, pink halos began to shimmer above it, and scores gradually appeared beside each category. Knowing the results in advance, she instinctively shut her eyes, not daring to look.

“Imperial Consort Qi, please hand the token over to me.”

After a moment, Chief Steward Zhong, growing impatient, demanded it.

Ouyang Tong bit her lip and handed the token over, refusing to glance at it the entire time. Aside from fear, there was also a faint sliver of hope, what if the test from three years ago had been flawed? What if that imperial physician had been a quack?

Chief Steward Zhong took the token and cast a cursory glance at it. Having already braced himself for the outcome, he wasn’t the least bit surprised by the scores.

The onlookers, however, had no idea. Their necks stretched even further, as if they wished they could detach their heads and toss them over for a closer look.

“Chief Steward Zhong, what are the results? Why aren’t you announcing them?”

Lin Tu’s impatient voice cut through the silence. He just wanted this farce to end as soon as possible.

Only then did Chief Steward Zhong begin reading out the scores displayed on the token:

“Qi Huang…

Appearance: 8

Figure: 7

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Skin: 7

Voice: 7.”

By the time Chief Steward Zhong finished reading the first four categories, many in the Imperial Garden were already stunned. While not as exaggerated as the rumors about Cheng Hongling, these scores were still terrifying. Among the imperial consorts tested earlier, the best had only managed a single score above seven. Yet here was someone with all four categories above seven, and appearance even reaching eight! Even among the imperial consorts of past dynasties, such looks would rank among the very best.

“As expected of a cultivator’s doppelgänger!”

Someone couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.

Inside the pavilion, the expressions of several women darkened. While Empress Zhen and Consort Jin knew Ouyang Tong was an impostor, judging purely by these scores, she would undoubtedly become a formidable rival if she entered the imperial harem.

Consort Hui and Consort Li looked as if they were mourning their own parents. Just moments ago, they had mocked her, and now these scores felt like resounding slaps across their faces.

A flicker of joy also appeared on Ouyang Tong’s face. Perhaps due to better development, her figure had actually improved by one point compared to three years ago.

‘If the figure score can change, maybe the remaining two categories will be different too?’

Her hope grew stronger, and by now, she had even forgotten she was merely acting.

“Scent: 3

Fertility: 0

Overall Evaluation: 6.”

Chief Steward Zhong then read out the final two scores. The moment his voice faded, the Imperial Garden fell dead silent. No one had expected such an outcome.

“Th-this… A scent score of three is understandable. After all, not many girls have a natural fragrance, and three is already quite good. But fertility zero? What does that mean?”

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“Exactly! Among all the imperial consorts tested earlier, even the worst didn’t have a fertility score of zero.”

“Could there be some serious hidden condition with her body?”

“Who cares? Her overall score is only six, she’s not much of a threat anyway.”

The imperial consorts whispered among themselves.

‘Still not good enough…?’

Ouyang Tong felt disheartened, but at least her figure’s improvement had pushed her overall score to the passing mark, offering some small comfort.

‘But… six points… six is the bare minimum. Will I still be eliminated? If not, does that mean the mission failed?’

Then, a horrifying realization struck her, her mission was to be eliminated. Yet now, she had somehow scraped past the threshold. If she were accepted into the harem, would that count as mission failure? And if so… she would die!

The thought made her heart clench in fear.

‘Six points? What an awkward score!’

Qi Huang was also caught off guard, but she remained calm. She knew Lin Tu would find a way to eliminate Ouyang Tong, after all, a six point woman wasn’t worth compromising the emperor’s dignity.

Rules were set by the emperor, and whether an imperial consort stayed or left ultimately depended on his will.

The women in the pavilion also sighed in relief. They all knew what a fertility score of zero meant. Even if Ouyang Tong had scored eights in every other category, it wouldn’t matter, the emperor lacked neither beauty nor charm, only exceptional heirs.

Chief Steward Zhong, though involved in the scheme, didn’t dare make decisions for the emperor. Carefully, he sought guidance:

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“Your Majesty, while Qi Huang’s conditions are otherwise excellent, her fertility score is zero, meaning she is incapable of bearing children. What do you…?”

“So fertility zero means she can’t have children at all? Then she’s definitely getting eliminated!”

The imperial consorts suddenly understood, their faces lighting up with schadenfreude. After all, jealousy was only human nature.

Lin Tu slowly rose and stepped to the front of the pavilion.

“As Chief Steward Zhong has already stated, the royal lineage represents the future of the Western Radiance Dynasty. Thus, fertility is of utmost importance for imperial consorts. Since she cannot bear children, she naturally cannot enter the harem, not even if she were a personally selected imperial consort. Therefore… she is eliminated!”

“Your Majesty is truly a wise ruler, prioritizing the dynasty’s future over even your own chosen consort.”

Empress Zhen couldn’t resist flattering him.

Everyone present exhaled in relief. Only with “Qi Huang’s” elimination would this outcome align with their interests.

Ouyang Tong felt the same. She had already realized, what was dignity compared to her life? Being eliminated was clearly the better option.

“Hah! Seems like a rat’s nest like Huangtian County really can’t produce a phoenix. How shameless of her to name herself ‘Qi Huang’ ¹ 齐 (Qí) = Uniform, harmony, balance. 凰 (Huáng) = Phoenix !”

“Right? And to boast about being one of the Twin Moons of the Western Radiance Dynasty—who knew her doppelgänger would be such a withered willow? A six-point woman who can’t even bear children!”

“Sister, you must understand, people from Huangtian County are short-sighted. They’ve never seen real beauties. To them, a six-pointer must seem like a crane among chickens.”

Consort Hui and Consort Li had been waiting to kick her while she was down. Now that Lin Tu had pronounced “Qi Huang’s” sentence, they held nothing back, tearing into Ouyang Tong, and even Huangtian County itself, with vicious glee.

‘How dare they insult their own subjects! Are these the kind of women fit to be imperial consorts?!’

Inside the spatial ring, Qi Huang gritted her teeth in fury.

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Even though Ouyang Tong had accepted her fate, the cruel words still made her bow her head in shame. Never had she imagined a day when her appearance would make her feel so worthless.

Qi Huang, however, let out a deep breath. This ordeal was finally over, she could return to the Honghua Sect in peace.

“Imperial Brother, I feel that eliminating her like this may not be entirely appropriate.”

But just then, Prince Kang—Lin Kang, who had remained silent all this time—suddenly spoke up.

‘Who the hell is this guy? Why is he meddling?!’

Qi Huang was caught completely off guard. She hadn’t expected someone to interfere at the critical moment.

“Oh? Does Second Brother find fault with my decision? Was my explanation unclear? The prosperity of the royal family is tied to the future of the Western Radiance Dynasty. A woman who cannot bear children naturally cannot become an imperial consort, even if she scores six points.”

Lin Tu frowned slightly as he countered.

“Imperial Brother’s reasoning is sound. A woman who cannot bear children would struggle to be accepted even among commoners, let alone the imperial harem!”

Lin Kang spoke eloquently, but then his tone shifted.

“However, what I question is not that, but her identity.”

His sharp gaze locked onto Ouyang Tong.

“This woman… is definitely not Qi Huang!”

Ouyang Tong’s body trembled, her face instantly draining of color.