Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 29

Yu Cheng and Ji Zhao stood side by side next to Cheng Feiwan.

Cheng Feiwan didn’t rush to announce the results. She propped her elbow on the production team’s podium, turned to look at the two, and asked with a smile, “Yu Cheng, Zhaozhao, how are you feeling right now?”

The microphone was first handed to Yu Cheng, but she immediately passed it to Ji Zhao without hesitation.

“See that?” one of the unadvanced Trainees whispered to her companion. “Yu Cheng was afraid to speak first and make a mistake, so she gave the microphone to Ji Zhaozhao first. It looks humble, but she’s actually trying to steal the answers.”

The Trainee beside her looked enlightened. “Good lesson!”

Ji Zhao took the microphone, paused for a moment, and said, “A little drowsy.”

Cheng Feiwan was surprised. “Just a little drowsy?”

“It’s more than a little,” Ji Zhao replied. “I’m really exhausted.”

Su Jing’s bed was made of iron and had rusted from disuse. Even a slight turn caused it to creak loudly. Her sleep was light, hovering between wakefulness and slumber, only deepening just before dawn. Though she had tried to catch up on sleep after returning, it was like a drop in the ocean.

She was incredibly drowsy and desperately wanted to finish and go back to sleep.

Cheng Feiwan cleared her throat. The assistant director whispered in her ear, “Let Yu Cheng answer.”

Yu Cheng gripped the microphone again, her voice steady and unhesitating. “My feelings are simply this: I hope Teacher Cheng will announce the results and conclude this quickly.”

Cheng Feiwan: “……”

The trainees: “……”

The assistant director: “……”

Though Yu Cheng’s words were tactfully phrased, everyone seemed to hear an unspoken message: Just end it already because Ji Zhaozhao is tired!

“Very well,” Cheng Feiwan said, standing tall. “Let’s proceed to the main announcement.”

The atmosphere tensed again.

“Now, we will announce the trainee who secured the Center Position. She received a total of 2,456,785 votes from fans.” Cheng Feiwan’s voice was deliberate and forceful. “She already had a certain level of public attention before the program began.”

“Is it Yu Cheng? Her father is Yu Wangmeng, right?”

“Must be Ji Zhaozhao! Didn’t she make the headlines for jumping off the hotel balcony while we were staying there?”

During the Initial Evaluation, her performance of “White Snow” was nothing short of divine. Even Teacher Ruan, known for her notoriously high standards, praised it effusively, giving her an exceptionally high evaluation.

“Holy crap! It’s Ji Zhaozhao!”

“Who else could play ‘White Snow’ on the guqin?”

“Not only did she avoid elimination in the first round, but she actually advanced to the Center Position again?”

“The entertainment industry is about to change!”

“She’s so adorable. Her teammates all see her as their ‘Luck King’—touch her and your luck will skyrocket. She’s also incredibly calm and steady, the rock everyone looks to in times of stress. Her opera vocals are as stunning as her guqin playing—both are breathtaking.”

Cheng Feiwan turned to the camera, her voice ringing out: “Congratulations to Timely Entertainment and Ji Zhaozhao! Congratulations!”

“Let’s also congratulate Yu Cheng from Firefly Agency! She received a total of 1,876,543 votes from fans, securing second place—a remarkable achievement! Congratulations!”

Pei Jia’s voice chimed in from above: “Zhaozhao is amazing!”

Song Jiangjiang chimed in: “I’m going to surpass you two lovebirds!”

Shen Xin whistled, giving a thumbs-up: “The entire Perfect Pair Group advances—awesome!”

Once everyone had calmed down, Cheng Feiwan signaled the staff to return the microphone to Yu Cheng. “Yu Cheng, please share your thoughts.”

Yu Cheng gripped the microphone, looked into the camera for a moment, then suddenly turned to Ji Zhao. “Zhaozhao, congratulations!”

Cheng Feiwan: “……”

She squeezed out the words through gritted teeth, “That’s supposed to be your own speech.”

Yu Cheng replied earnestly, “That is my speech.”

She then faced the camera again. “Thank you to all my supportive fans. I’ll work even harder for the next stage and won’t disappoint you. Thank you.”

She pursed her lips and bowed.

Cheng Feiwan quickly ushered her away. “Alright, please go to your designated position.”

Yu Cheng handed the microphone to Ji Zhao, giving her a deep look. Ji Zhao mouthed, “Wait for me,” and Yu Cheng nodded slightly before walking toward the second-place position. She stepped onto the first step, thinking to dash up the rest while the camera wasn’t focused on her. But just as she raised her heels, she heard Ji Zhao say, “Walk properly.”

Yu Cheng stumbled slightly, then straightened herself under the watchful eyes of the crowd. With her head held high and her steps purposeful, she strode toward the second place.

The trainees: “……”

She went too far, showing her true colors in public.

Cheng Feiwan forced a dry laugh, secretly disappointed she hadn’t witnessed Yu Cheng’s grand entrance. She turned to Ji Zhao and said, “Zhaozhao, please share your thoughts.”

Ji Zhao faced the camera, her gaze calm, her voice carrying a faint smile. “I heard this show has a curse called the Initial Center Curse, which says that trainees who start as Initial Center never make it to debut. I refuse to believe in curses, and I’m glad you all feel the same.”

“That’s how we got to today, and that’s how I got to be Center Position.”

“I’ll keep working hard to break this curse. I hope you’ll join me. Let’s all cheer together!”

With that, she gave a slight bow, handed the microphone back to Cheng Feiwan, and walked steadily toward her place under everyone’s gaze. Her figure paused, she turned, and sat down.

“Hey—” Song Jiangjiang’s voice came from the lower left. “Why did you skip the hug part?”

Ji Zhao froze. “What hug?”

Song Jiangjiang slapped the armrest. “Didn’t you see how everyone hugged each other when they came up—sharing joy and progress together? You two, though… even if this is just for show, don’t you think you’re being a bit too obvious?”

Her words implied that Yu Cheng hadn’t hugged anyone earlier.

Ji Zhao glanced at the Assistant Director, who was frantically gesturing off-camera, itching to rush onto the stage and direct her himself. Seeing her look, he quickly signaled a crew member to hold up a cue card.

In big letters, it read: Hug your teammates! Do it again!

Ji Zhao: “……”

She really didn’t want to move.

But the show’s effect came first. Thankfully, she only needed to hug the higher-ups, starting from Shen Xin, Chen Xingzi, and working her way up. By the time she faced Yu Cheng, she was already numb from all the hugging.

“Joy!” the Follow PD reminded her, standing close.

Ji Zhao forced a smile and reached out, but before she could touch Yu Cheng, her wrist was suddenly grabbed. Before she could react, she found herself pulled into a hug. After a moment of surprise, she relaxed. “Grand General Yu, you’re quite proactive.”

Yu Cheng’s voice was low. “Your Majesty needn’t personally handle such matters. This subject can take care of it.”

Ji Zhao hummed in acknowledgment.

After hugging for a while, she suddenly noticed the silence. Blinking, she saw the trainees below looking up at her and Yu Cheng, their eyes clearly saying, “That’s enough. You’re never going to let go of this hug, are you?”

Ji Zhao: “……”

She gently pushed Yu Cheng away and returned to her seat with a perfectly composed expression.

After more than four hours of filming, the first ranking announcement was finally nearing its end. Cheng Feiwan delivered the closing remarks: “Partings will always happen. Some trainees will board the train to the next station, while others will disembark here. But disembarking isn’t the end; every stop offers its own beautiful scenery. I look forward to the day we meet again—with you, and with those who support you.”

Her overly sentimental words brought tears to many trainees’ eyes. In contrast, the eliminated trainees were more carefree, waving to the advancing seats and calling out, “Keep up the good work!”

As Cheng Feiwan had said, partings were inevitable. Even though no one wanted to leave, the next morning, the eliminated trainees began leaving the estate one by one.

Fans and paparazzi lurking near the estate secretly watched for any signs of who was eliminated, updating posts on forums with titles like “Debut! Girl First Ranking Announced!” “Ji Zhaozhao Definitely in the Top 3!” and “The Omen’s Predictions Are Going Crazy!”

[Verified: Ji Zhaozhao is definitely in the top 3.]

[Also verified: Even if Ji Zhaozhao is in the top 3 now, she might not actually debut. First, the production team has been desperate to break the “Initial Center Curse” for ages. Otherwise, they won’t be able to promote the Initial Center to the Royal Group later. Second, I heard someone’s digging up Ji Zhaozhao’s dark past. If that comes out, her popularity will plummet. Third… my gut tells me so.]

[What dark past could Ji Zhaozhao possibly have? Her parents are dead, but her family’s rich. Her grandfather built a commercial empire; even a fraction of his wealth would make her rich for life. She’s never stolen or robbed anything. What dark past could she possibly have?]

[You’d be surprised. I heard Ji Zhaozhao actually did steal something. Supposedly it was her grandfather’s money, and her cousin discovered it. As a reward, her cousin got a mansion.]

********

[Huh, how does the forum know these family secrets? Did my cousin actually spill the beans to stop his little sister from gossiping? So low…]

[Am I the only one obsessed with the Perfect Pair’s scandalous antics? How did they even get into this mess…? Can’t anyone care about my shipping pair? I really need some juicy gossip about them to spice up my boring office life…]

[My daily routine: Work (open Shen Xin’s page and share her posts about cursing her boss and colleagues), Slack off (admire Qiao Yue’s craft-making updates), Paid Breaks (daydream about Zheng Dongqing’s wealthy lifestyle), Lunch (take in Ji Zhaozhao’s gorgeous photos and harass all my friends to vote for my “wife”), After Lunch (open Yu Cheng’s feed and secretly envy her good fortune)…]

[Can the Perfect Pair Group lock down their partnership? Will they continue collaborating in the next round?]

[Mods, someone’s running naked! Are you just going to let them get away with it?!]

Compared to the lively and varied discussions online, the estate felt unusually desolate and empty.

The sudden departure of thirty-three trainees left many dorm rooms nearly vacant, some with only one person remaining. The doors facing the corridor stood open, the wind blowing through them, making the place seem even more desolate.

The stark contrast with yesterday’s peaceful atmosphere was jarring, making everyone feel unsettled.

The early-rising trainees ate breakfast in silence, occasionally whispering to their neighbors and sighing, their food tasting bland.

The talent competition was a brutal fight to the death, but the emotions were real.

Ji Zhao wasn’t hungry and only grabbed a piece of tiramisu. She took small bites while observing the trainees’ moods. Song Jiangjiang sat down to her right with her tray, wolfing down fried noodles to suppress her hunger before finally asking, “What are you looking at?”

Ji Zhao averted her gaze. “Nothing. Why are you just here?”

“I went to the Confessional.” Song Jiangjiang yawned, then turned to Yu Cheng over Ji Zhao’s shoulder. “Oh, Yu Cheng, your Confessional segment is coming up soon. Don’t forget!”

Yu Cheng hummed in acknowledgment. “I understand.”

Song Jiangjiang closed her eyes, exhausted. “This show never stops for a single day.”

“If I’d known this was coming, I should have packed my bags with the others and slipped away while the waters were muddied!” Pei Jia plopped down beside her, taking a fierce gulp of cola. “The old guard just left, and we haven’t even finished grieving, and now we’re back to filming!”

Across from her, Chen Xingzi stared at her wistfully, drool practically dripping from her mouth. “You can actually drink carbonated drinks…”

Shen Yican handed her a cup of plain water. “After all, the estate charges by the day.”

Her perspective was so unconventional that all the still-grieving trainees froze momentarily. After their brief pause, they resumed their sorrowful moods, but now they didn’t know how to continue. So, they simply carried on with their tasks: those who needed to eat went to eat, those who needed to go to the confessional went to the confessional. The busy scene fell into an orderly rhythm.

Song Jiangjiang grabbed another small steamed bun and stuffed it into her mouth in three quick bites, her words muffled as she asked, “The next public performance is coming up soon. Which group are you guys choosing?”

Debut! Girl‘s third assessment task: Position Evaluation.

The Position Evaluation was divided into four main categories—Vocal Group, Dance Group, Rap Group, and Composition Group. Each category was further split into smaller groups. Within these groups, trainees were both teammates and competitors. The audience voted for their favorite trainees, and the trainee with the most votes in each group received 50,000 points. Additionally, the trainee with the most votes in each main category received an additional 100,000 points.

100,000 points put you ahead of the pack from the start, virtually guaranteeing advancement to the next round. Who wouldn’t be tempted by that?

Song Jiangjiang said, “Zhaozhao, tell me the truth, and I’ll avoid you right away.”

“Just go straight to the Composition Group,” Pei Jia said, not even looking up from the chicken claw she was gnawing. “That group is definitely small, and they need original work.” She paused, tired from chewing, and sighed wistfully. “Who actually has any creative ideas?”

“Not me,” He Yumeng said, sipping her orange juice. “I’ll just stick with the Vocal Group.”

“What about Yu Cheng?” Song Jiangjiang asked.

“Of course she’ll go where Zhaozhao goes… uh, Yu Cheng, why are you glaring at me?” Chen Xingzi’s heart trembled. “Okay, okay, you’ll go where Zhaozhao goes, right?”

“Is that so?” Ji Zhao turned to Yu Cheng, her gaze steady.

Yu Cheng’s eyes were resolute. If not for the audience, Ji Zhao suspected she would declare, “This subject swears eternal loyalty to Your Majesty.” But that wouldn’t do. She set down her fork. “I suggest we don’t.”

“This theme challenge is about finding your place in the team. Naturally, you should compete where you’re skilled. If it’s just to follow me into an area I’m unskilled in, I suggest against it.”

She looked at Yu Cheng. “Do you understand?”

Yu Cheng lowered her gaze. “Yes.”

“How obedient you are,” Pei Jia said, resting her chin in her hand. “Why are you more obedient than my own boss? Yu Cheng, do you want to work for our company? We only pay 2,000 yuan a month, so think carefully.”

Ji Zhao shot her a pointed look. “It includes free meals and accommodation, plus five insurances and one fund. After probation, you get market-rate pay. Even if you don’t work on holidays, you get triple pay, and overtime is extra. Plus, there’s a 1,000-yuan monthly allowance…”

She glanced around, pausing. “Why are you all staring at me like… starving wolves about to pounce, eyes glowing green?”

“Does your company even need people?” Song Jiangjiang asked earnestly. “Can you take a look at me? I’m now the third-ranked seed player—no boasting, but I have limitless prospects!”

“Get lost!” Chen Xingzi’s eyes sparkled. “I’m number seven, and that’s a lucky position! Having me around means the company will have a lucky charm and thrive!”

Shen Xin said solemnly, “I recommend myself.”

Song Jiangjiang retorted, “And then you create an alt account to curse the company!”

Shen Xin: “… Who would complain about such a great perk? This is practically my dream lazy paradise. You guys can fight it out. I’m out of here.”

Pei Jia slammed her hand on the table. “Hey!”

She was clearly upset. “Have you guys lost your minds? I’m the only artist in the company right now, and you’re all jumping in to compete with each other? Right in front of me!”

The table fell silent for a moment.

Song Jiangjiang raised her hand. “What’s wrong with competing right in front of you?”

This soul-searching question struck a chord with the trainees who had just been vying for the position. Right! Pei Jia is just a trainee—neither a manager nor a star, and she’s barely of age. With the boss right here, does she even have a say?

Pei Jia: “……”

She tugged at Ji Zhao’s arm. “Zhaozhao, look at them!”

Ji Zhao took a sip of the orange juice He Yumeng had eagerly poured for her, wincing at the sourness. She set the cup down and said, “If they join the company, you’ll be their senior—your juniors.”

Pei Jia’s eyes lit up.

The trainees: “……”

Pei Jia: “Come, come, sign up with me.”

The trainees: “Goodbye!”

Afternoon found seventy-five trainees gathered outdoors.

The overcast sky threatened rain, the breeze carried a coolness, and dark clouds circled nearby, as if in response to the production team’s fervent prayers. The anxious Assistant Director raised his megaphone and shouted, “Get ready! We’re about to start filming!”

Facing the trainees stood a massive maze, its entrance emblazoned with the words “Position Evaluation.”

According to Cheng Feiwan, the trainees would enter the maze in rank order. Once the gates closed behind them, they would find four paths labeled “Rap,” “Vocal,” “Dance,” and “Create.”

This was the third theme task: Position Evaluation. Its purpose was to help trainees discover their roles within the group and showcase their talents to fans.

After choosing a path, trainees would navigate the maze, following clues to find songs within their chosen category. If they liked a song, they would take the corresponding token; if not, they would put the token down and continue searching.

“Remember, you can’t retrace your steps,” Cheng Feiwan warned as her final reminder.

She looked up at the sky. “The weather forecast says it’s going to rain tonight. Even though I don’t know why the production team chose to do this outside, let’s wrap things up quickly. My waterproof eyeliner isn’t actually waterproof.”

The trainees burst into laughter.

Cheng Feiwan stepped aside to clear a path. “Ji Zhaozhao, if I’m not mistaken, you’ll probably choose the Vocal Group, right?”

Ji Zhao emerged from the group of trainees. As the first place winner in the initial ranking, she was the first to choose. She gave the camera a mysterious smile before strolling into the maze.

“I’ll be waiting for you inside, my teammates.” She waved without turning back, and the maze’s door slowly closed behind her, leaving a sense of mystery for the trainees outside.

“Damn it! For some reason, I’m suddenly feeling fired up! I want to be on her team!”

“Come on, this performance is an individual battle. Choosing the Vocal Group with her just makes us competitors!”

“Yu Cheng will probably be grouped with Ji Zhaozhao, right? She can’t seem to be apart from Ji Zhaozhao for a moment. Tsk tsk tsk, look at her determined stride. I just wonder if they’ll pick the same song. If they end up competing against each other without the same song, I think Yu Cheng will cry.”

“Enough already… stop shipping them…”

Under everyone’s gaze, Yu Cheng stepped into the maze. The gates closed behind her, dark clouds looming overhead. Reluctantly, the Assistant Director ordered the lights to come on.

The maze’s overhead lights lit up sequentially, illuminating Yu Cheng’s surroundings.

She stood before four entrances.

“Say something,” Follow PD whispered.

Yu Cheng narrowed her eyes. “There are four entrances to the maze, but only one exit. That means no matter which path I choose, I’ll eventually see Zhaozhao, right?”

Follow PD: “?”

Is that the point? This round is about selecting songs, not choosing people!

Yu Cheng continued her analysis: “Zhaozhao will definitely choose Vocal. She told me to choose what I’m good at, but I’m not particularly skilled at anything. My strengths only come out when I’m by her side.”

Follow PD: “……”

Help! There’s a hopeless romantic here!

Yu Cheng walked to the Vocal door and confidently strode inside. The maze was like any other, except for the slightly better greenery. She quickly spotted a sign hanging on the wall.

Swinging in mid-air, it read: This World, So Many People / Teresa Teng

Yu Cheng took it in her hands and studied it for a moment. She tapped the dot at the top, and a small TV on the wall lit up, playing the song. After listening for a while, she said, “It’s a nice song, but it’s too soft. Zhaozhao wouldn’t choose this.”

Follow PD, now thoroughly numb, continued to follow her forward.

[ Wishing for One True Heart ] / Li Xingliang

Not Your Majesty’s style.

[ City of Secrets ] / Xu Song

Same reason.

[ What Do I Do? ] / SHE

Yu Cheng listened carefully to the song, hearing the lyrics: “What should I do? This feeling is sweet yet sour / Secretly loving you, happiness and loneliness… / One day, you’ll be the one going crazy for me.” She murmured, “It’s quite cute. Perfect for Zhaozhao.”

Follow PD: “……”

Think about yourself too! The production team wants you to be cool!

Forget it. Follow PD watched Yu Cheng with a mixture of pity and frustration. A brutal truth is about to hit her, and the show’s ratings are going to explode. But right now, she’s all alone with no one to share this moment with. How lonely…

Under Follow PD’s lonely gaze, Yu Cheng walked to the exit of the maze. The exit suddenly opened onto a stage filled with fans, arranged in categorized seating. Ji Zhaozhao sat alone in the middle of seventy-five seats. Seeing Yu Cheng, she waved. “You made it.”

But the moment Yu Cheng saw the category Ji Zhaozhao was in and the song she’d chosen, her expression froze.

“What song did you pick?” Ji Zhao asked.

Yu Cheng: “……”

Ji Zhao noticed Yu Cheng’s odd expression and frowned slightly. She leaned back and crossed her legs. “Yu Cheng, don’t tell me you picked a vocal song.”

Yu Cheng hesitated. “Didn’t you say we should choose what we’re good at? Why did you pick dance? And it’s in a foreign language!”

Ji Zhao cleared her throat, her gaze drifting upward for a moment. Suddenly remembering she was the Emperor, she realized there was nothing to feel guilty about—her decisions were always right.

She straightened up and asked Yu Cheng, “Do I have any weak areas?”

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