Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 34.2

The opening dance looks like a new routine, right? I want to see the full stage performance! Where’s the full stage performance?!

Is Song Jiangjiang’s performance really the first one? Can we see Jiangjiang blow the roof off the place? Just a few days ago, she was still battling it out with my Shen Yican fan friend over who gets to decide who makes breakfast next week based on who gets more votes…

Backstage.

Apart from the group performing and the group waiting to go on stage, the remaining trainees were all gathered in a room watching the live broadcast. The verbal commentary being shouted back and forth was no less enthusiastic than the posts on the forums.

“Woo, Song Jiangjiang! Respect!”

“It’s blowing up! Jiangjiang is really blowing up the stage!”

“So cool! Song Jiangjiang, I want to marry you!”

Ji Zhao joined in, cupping her hands around her mouth to shout, “Jiangjiang, I’ll reward you by letting you skip laundry today—”

Her teammates nearby glanced over, their expressions a mix of exasperation and amusement.

Everyone knew about Song Jiangjiang losing a bet to Ji Zhaozhao during the Initial Evaluation, but the fact that both were actually following through with the bet… well, it was downright astonishing.

Qian Xingxing sighed, “She’s such a little lady. I’m in love.”

Zhou Yuting admired, “What courage.”

Tong Wei scoffed, “Watch your mouth. Song Jiangjiang’s fans might tear you apart!”

Li Yunyue: “……”

She never wanted to speak, always preferring to stay quiet.

Song Jiangjiang’s rap skills were truly impressive. Her flawless tongue trills captivated the audience, crushing her teammates to secure the highest number of votes. Upon returning backstage, she gloated triumphantly. Shen Yican, who had come to greet her, clasped her hand in a rapper’s handshake, a gesture of mutual respect. “It’s all on you now, Yican!”

Shen Yican said, “Zhaozhao said you don’t have to wash the clothes today.”

Song Jiangjiang: “……”

Her speechless gaze turned to Ji Zhao, who smiled faintly at her.

Yu Cheng added from the side, “We’ll do it together tomorrow.”

Song Jiangjiang muttered bitterly, “You two deserve to be roasted by my fans!”

Ji Zhao glanced back at Yu Cheng, who had already changed into her performance outfit for What Should I Do? The stage was awash in pink bubbles, so her costume—a matching dress—helped her stand out. Her hair was braided into a cute, lively style. Even without smiling, Yu Cheng’s charm was enough to melt hearts.

Ji Zhao couldn’t resist pinching Yu Cheng’s cheek. “So cute.”

Yu Cheng let her tease, but protested verbally, “I’m not cute.”

Ji Zhao continued pinching. “I said you’re cute.”

If only I’d made Yu Cheng wear more feminine clothes back in the Great Qi Dynasty, Ji Zhao thought ruefully. With her hair in twin buns and a thin, straight bang, she would have been cuter than anyone.

Yu Cheng could tell Ji Zhao was suppressing her frustration. She sighed inwardly and said helplessly, “Zhaozhao—”

Ji Zhao cleared her throat. “Which group are we up next?”

The order of performance was determined by drawing lots, to prevent the audience from becoming bored by seeing the same type of act repeatedly. Just moments ago, the stage had been electrified by a rap performance, but now a singer was performing a sorrowful song, her voice as ethereal as celestial music, capable of inducing a trance-like state.

Ji Zhao commented, “The lyrics of this song are truly well-written.”

Yu Cheng said, “That’s the Vocal Group.”

Ji Zhao: “Yes.”

Yu Cheng: “My rival.”

Ji Zhao: “Yes.”

She paused, then chuckled. “Am I jealous?”

Having learned the word “jealous,” she used it frequently, yet also felt compelled to use it, as Yu Cheng seemed to be perpetually jealous. She had never realized that Grand General Yu could sometimes be so petty.

Though exposed, Yu Cheng didn’t deny it. “I’ll work hard to earn your praise too.”

Among all the civil and military officials at court, she had always enjoyed Your Majesty’s favor. Though other ministers often warned her, “Yu Cheng, you must be careful! Her Majesty’s temper has been poor lately, and he enjoys teasing you. You should keep your distance,” she refused to believe it.

She felt that Your Majesty wasn’t teasing her; he simply enjoyed playing with her. Her Majesty only laughed heartily when he was playing with her.

She would argue this with her colleagues, but strangely, they always rolled their eyes, wearing expressions that seemed to say, “We respect your conviction, but we wish you the best.”

Yu Cheng felt they didn’t understand.

Well, Your Majesty didn’t need everyone to understand. It was enough that she understood.

The forum discussion remained heated.

The live broadcast thread had reached a thousand posts, but thankfully there was a feature called “Only Show OP” that allowed users to see the OP’s live updates in real-time:

[The Composition Group cracked me up. When the host asked what the hardest part of the creation process was, Pei Jia made a face like she was about to quit, saying even breathing was difficult.]

[Vocal Group’s best performance so far is “There Are So Many People in the World.” ](For now, at least. Yu Cheng’s group hasn’t debuted yet, but just hearing their group name makes my heart melt with sweetness.)

[Guys, even though I was worried about getting eliminated, after watching a few stages, I feel like I can remarry now. I’ve gained several new wives! I’ll rank them later.]

[OP, that’s enough… You’ve got my hopes up! Are you going to compensate me if this doesn’t live up to expectations?!]

[OP has already mastered this group’s flaw: Being a fan of one person is like stripping naked in public. Loving everyone isn’t just stripping—it makes you a talent show judge…]

[But this group’s motto is… to hate everyone…]

******

The host was typing away while watching the competition, wary of being kicked out of the group for excessive bias. Just as he felt stuck between a rock and a hard place, the announcer suddenly boomed, “Please welcome Ji Zhaozhao, Zhou Yuting, Qian Xingxing, Li Yunyue, and Tong Wei as they bring you the stage performance titled ‘Dramatic’!”

The OP typed quickly: “I gotta go—Ji Zhaozhao is on stage! I promised a friend I’d send her some raw footage!”

The commenters waiting for the live text stream were baffled: “??? OP, say something! Has Ji Zhaozhao really bewitched your mind? What’s her nickname again—Young Miss?”

“Calling ‘Young Miss’ a nickname…? Can we stop tarnishing women’s titles?”

The audience at the venue had all signed confidentiality agreements, so no matter how impatient they were online, they’d have to wait for the program’s broadcast to see the stage. Little did they know the stage had already been set alight.

“Dramatic” carried an inherently seductive aura in its singing style and melody. The pre-chorus quickly led straight into the chorus. The trainees moved into position beside the chairs prepared earlier, lifting their legs, kicking, and bending backward in perfect synchronization with the music.

The crowd’s cheers threatened to lift the roof.

The moment the chorus began, cold fireworks erupted across the stage. In the blink of an eye, the stage was transformed: a single chair remained at center stage, with Ji Zhaozhao seated upon it. Four teammates lined up behind her, performing choreographed movements while trying to cover her eyes—only to have their hands swatted away, resisted, and struggled against by Ji Zhaozhao.

If you cover my mouth with your hand.

Trying to silence me.

I’ll scream as loud as I can.

I’ll scream until my throat is raw.

I shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds me.

I shouldn’t betray that “nurturing kindness.”

Ji Zhao lifted her legs, her silky pants sliding down momentarily before she stopped them. She stood up, kicked away the last chair, and joined her teammates for the final dance.

Don’t cover my mouth with your hands.

Don’t even try to touch me.

Trying to silence me.

Don’t think you can make me shut up.

I’ll scream as loud as I can.

My voice will pierce the heavens.

I shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds me.

I shouldn’t betray that “sincere heart”.

Inside the private booth, Ji Lin watched Ji Zhaozhao shine on stage. Though she felt admiration, what slipped out was, “If Grandfather saw this, he’d definitely think she’d brought shame to the Ji family!”

Zhong Qingxiu hummed in agreement. “But he can’t control Zhaozhao, can he?”

The Old Master of the Ji family was a relic of the past, a sexist leftover from the late Qing dynasty, and a tyrant. But he couldn’t truly control Ji Zhaozhao—not because he couldn’t, but because Zhaozhao wouldn’t allow it.

Zhong Qingxiu turned to Ji Lin. “What do you think Zhaozhao would say if Grandfather tried to boss her around?”

Ji Lin hesitated. “Uh… switch to a woman? Does she just get annoyed when men talk to her?”

Zhong Qingxiu chuckled.

Backstage, Song Jiangjiang was awestruck. “She’s even better than during rehearsals! I knew Zhaozhao had a great voice, but I had no idea she danced so well too! Yu Cheng, did you secretly give her private lessons?”

Pei Jia’s almond eyes widened. “Don’t tell me Boss Ji is going to fire all the other trainees because she’s too talented!”

Shen Yican clenched her fist. “…Next time, I really want to be in a group with Zhaozhao.”

Chen Xingzi said, “Once we debut, won’t we have plenty of chances to be in a group?”

Song Jiangjiang hissed and couldn’t resist turning to look at Yu Cheng, who had remained silent. She gently nudged Yu Cheng’s shoulder, but Yu Cheng’s tense posture nearly caused her to lose balance. “…Are you spacing out? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Yu Cheng’s eyes flickered.

But she didn’t look away even a little.

Song Jiangjiang grumbled, “What are you thinking?”

Yu Cheng murmured, “I’m thinking…”

Song Jiangjiang leaned closer. “About what?”

Yu Cheng fell silent.

The stage performance was over. The final shots zoomed in on each trainee’s ending pose. When the camera swept past Ji Zhao, she smiled directly at the lens, striking Yu Cheng right in the heart.

Your Majesty is truly beautiful, she thought.

Blinding, dazzling.

[User: Did Ji Zhaozhao really have a major wardrobe malfunction during that performance? I want to see pictures… Can anyone send me some so I can judge how disastrous it was? Did Zhou Yuting almost fall over?]

[User: Am I the only one who wants to see behind-the-scenes footage of that stage? If I remember right, Tong Wei and Ji Zhaozhao weren’t exactly friendly. Did they make up? Or are they still secretly competing, putting on a fake team spirit act? I want to see more of this drama.]

[User: Li Yunyue is a mystery. In the behind-the-scenes footage, she’s so quiet and awkward, practically a social phobia. How does she switch to a completely different persona the moment she steps on stage?]

[User: Bye-bye, Qian Xingxing! Her money is like stars in the sky—countless!]

******

City A Stadium, Plaza.

The fans who hadn’t gotten tickets but wanted to join the excitement eventually settled down after the opening, finding spots to sit and scrolling through forums while straining their ears to catch sounds from the stadium. After a while, the only thing they could clearly hear was cheering.

“Tsk tsk! When will they invent super hearing? I really need it right now.”

“Zhaozhao’s group finished their performance, right? I heard the girls inside cheering. Damn, I wish I was there!”

“Wait, wait! I think the host just said, ‘What an amazing performance!’ We must be moving to the Q&A segment. Ah, I’m so jealous I’m going crazy! I’ve never seen Ji Zhaozhao speak before. Who understands…?”

The fans exchanged glances, each seeing the same realization in the other’s eyes: We totally get it!

Inside the stadium, on the stage…

“What an incredible performance!” the host announced as she stepped onto the stage, allowing Ji Zhao and the others, who were still striking their final poses, to relax. She swayed awkwardly and chuckled, “Even I feel like getting up and dancing.”

The five members of the Dramatic group lined up in a row to the right of the host.

The host looked at them with maternal affection. “Why don’t you all introduce yourselves to the audience?”

The five exchanged glances, silently agreeing that Li Yunyue, standing closest to the host, should go first. Li Yunyue’s eyes twitched—she had simply been a step slower, ending up next to the host by chance!

The other four, led by Ji Zhao, all looked up at the sky.

In the open-air stadium, stars twinkled overhead. Ji Zhao’s mind wandered for a moment. According to her online research, the Seven Stars Alignment would occur around mid-June, just as the talent show was coming to an end.

If she could secure the Center Position and return to the Great Qi Dynasty, it would at least be a satisfactory conclusion for Ji Zhaozhao here.

At this thought, a hint of relief softened her gaze, and her heart, which had been suspended in anxiety, slowly settled back into place. Li Yunyue had just stammered through her self-introduction and quickly handed the floor to Qian Xingxing beside her.

Qian Xingxing performed a classic monologue from All’s Well, All’s Fair in her native Shaanxi dialect, drawing laughter from both the stage and the audience. She then gracefully snapped her fingers, mimicking a pistol with her index finger and thumb, pressed it against her chin, and gave the camera a flirtatious wink. “Give me a chance, and I’ll give you one too! Please support me!”

“The audience will definitely support you!” The host leaned forward, turning to Ji Zhao with a smile. “Zhaozhao! It’s your turn. What talent will you showcase?”

Before Ji Zhao could respond, Zhou Yuting and Tong Wei simultaneously shot glares at Qian Xingxing.

What was supposed to be a simple self-introduction—maybe a bit of campaigning at most—had escalated into a full-blown performance, instantly ratcheting up the pressure for those who followed.

Ji Zhao adjusted her headset. “Hello, everyone. I’m Ji Zhaozhao.”

Her performance on stage had lasted only two minutes, but the rapid succession of movements left her drenched in sweat. The moisture mixed with her makeup, glistening under the spotlight and making her look dazzlingly beautiful.

“I heard you all came from different places, and the journey must have been tough. I hope my performance didn’t disappoint your efforts and made this trip worthwhile. That would be my greatest happiness today.”

She bowed slightly. “Thank you!”

Turning to the side, she yielded the floor to Tong Wei. Tong Wei watched her with a complex expression, her gaze flickering. Ji Zhao paused, startled. “What is it?”

“If you lose, will you cry?” Tong Wei asked.

Ji Zhao hummed in confusion but answered earnestly, “No.”

The host cleared her throat, subtly reminding them they were still on stage, under the audience’s gaze, and shouldn’t be chatting casually. But Tong Wei ignored her completely, pressing on, “Why not?”

Why wouldn’t she cry?

Ji Zhao frowned slightly.

Why?

She had been destined to be Empress from the moment of her birth. Whoever taught her would tell her that crying was useless, that tears were the weapon of the weak, and that crying solved nothing.

Tong Wei didn’t believe crying solved problems; it was more about releasing emotions. But she’d been taught from a young age not to cry, and over time, she simply stopped.

If you lose a match, just win it back. Why cry?

Besides—

Ji Zhao said, “Who said I’ll definitely lose?”

Tong Wei’s lips moved slightly. “What if you do?”

Ji Zhao’s heart stirred. Tong Wei’s mind worked quickly. Could it be that Tong Wei is so confident she’ll win that she’s asking this? But if she’s so certain she’ll win, and she’s always disliked me, why even bother asking?

By then, prompted repeatedly by the host, Tong Wei was already facing the audience. She took a deep breath. “Hello, everyone, I’m Tong Wei. I hope you enjoy our performance, and I hope I have the chance to present new stages for you in the future.”

She bowed deeply. “Thank you!”

Because Tong Wei had taken too much time, Zhou Yuting’s self-introduction and campaigning time at the end was greatly reduced. The Director urged the host to move on to the voting segment. The host turned sideways, raised her hand, and announced, “Now, please exercise your right to vote. Please look at the big screen!”

The on-site voting with real-time feedback and transparent process reassured fans and made the voting segment even more exciting.

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