Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 35.2

After the second group performance assessment of Debut! Girl Season 4, which featured fifteen stages, concluded just past ten o’clock, Cheng Feiwan and the mentors took the stage.

“Are you having fun tonight?” Cheng Feiwan’s voice echoed through the arena. “Was the performance good?”

Though the audience was mostly made up of trainee fans, the production team had also allocated votes for mentor fans. Now, the floating signs were retrieved, swaying in mid-air, their answer ringing out with excitement: “Happy—!!!”

Cheng Feiwan introduced each mentor one by one. After finishing the introductions, she announced, “Now, let’s welcome our seventy-five trainees back to the stage!”

The stage, though spacious, was still a tight fit for seventy-five people, especially with the need to keep each trainee in the camera frame. Though they had rehearsed, it took several minutes for everyone to settle into their positions.

“Jiangjiang,” Cheng Feiwan prompted the trainee according to the script, “how are you feeling right now?”

Song Jiangjiang silently grumbled to herself that Teacher Cheng always asked the same generic question, but her expression remained neutral. Taking the microphone, she smiled brightly at the camera and said, “Even though my smile looks a little forced right now, I’m actually feeling incredibly happy.”

“Why are you so good?” Cheng Feiwan asked, even though she already knew the answer.

“Being able to get first place in the Rap Group is an honor. Thank you to all the viewers who supported me,” Song Jiangjiang said solemnly for two seconds before she couldn’t hold it in anymore. “I’ve decided to treat myself to a big meal tomorrow to celebrate. If you don’t mind, I’ll even stream it live for you all!”

Cheng Feiwan chuckled. “Sure, I’ll watch.”

The trainees burst into laughter, slapping Song Jiangjiang on the shoulder even across several rows. “Seriously though, I want to eat with you. Not because I want the food, but because I want to stream it together.”

“No way! I’m not sharing!” Song Jiangjiang said to Ji Zhao beside her. “Zhaozhao, you can come. Let’s find a five-star…”

Before she could finish, Yu Cheng reached past Ji Zhao and grabbed the microphone. “I’ll have to decline,” she said. Then she turned to the camera and smoothly answered Cheng Feiwan’s question: “Everyone, please be careful and stay safe on your way home.”

Song Jiangjiang suddenly realized what had happened. She asked Ji Zhao, “Did Yu Cheng just reject me?”

Ji Zhao tilted her head. “Looks like it.”

Song Jiangjiang sighed. “I invited her… Why would she reject me?”

Ji Zhao looked at her.

“…This is bullying,” Song Jiangjiang said.

Ji Zhao smiled faintly.

The audience below seemed to have just realized what had happened. They desperately stifled their screams, whispering urgently to their friends, “Did Yu Cheng just reject Song Jiangjiang for Ji Zhaozhao?! Holy crap! Chengcheng is so perceptive! Aaaaaah, my ship is real! Sorry, Song Jiangjiang!”

Song Jiangjiang’s sole remaining fan chuckled. “Take Jiangjiang away! No date!”

Fans near the stage grew agitated, shouting at Cheng Feiwan to ask Yu Cheng why she had rejected Song Jiangjiang. Cheng Feiwan asked, and Yu Cheng paused before replying, “When I interviewed Song Jiangjiang today, she said exactly the same thing to me.”

Song Jiangjiang: “……”

A boomerang, huh?

Yuzhao CP: “……”

You just got your ship dashed to pieces!

“Zhaozhao said she wants to study tomorrow,” Yu Cheng added. “So she definitely can’t join you.”

Song Jiangjiang protested, “Then Zhaozhao can study while you come.”

Yu Cheng replied, “I need to stay with her.”

[ Yuzhao CP fans: ] “!!!”

Resurrected on the spot!

“Our trainees are really close,” Cheng Feiwan said with a smile. “Zhaozhao, I heard rumors that if you don’t debut, you’ll go back and study for your graduate exams. Is that true?”

Ji Zhao took the microphone. “To dispel the rumors, that’s false.”

Cheng Feiwan asked curiously, “Then what are you reading?”

Ji Zhao answered, “There’s no cell service at the estate, so I’m passing the time reading Ying Tian’s textbooks. If the production team doesn’t collect our phones tonight, I won’t need to read at all.”

At this, all the trainees’ heads swiveled toward the Assistant Director.

The Assistant Director: “……”

Sure enough, Cheng Feiwan immediately prompted the Assistant Director, “Considering how well everyone’s stage performances were today, why don’t we skip collecting the phones tonight?”

The assistant director smiled and gave Cheng Feiwan a thumbs-up.

This show will eventually belong to Season, he thought bitterly.

When the trainees heard they wouldn’t have to turn off their phones today, they immediately cheered excitedly. Cheng Feiwan added, “But after you get your phones back, you have to post on Weibo tonight!”

The trainees dragged out their response: “Okay—”

With that, the second performance of Debut! Girl Season 4 came to an end.

The first-place winners of each group—Song Jiangjiang from the Rap Group, Yu Cheng from the Vocal Group, Ji Zhaozhao from the Dance Group, and the winner of the Composition Group—each received an additional 150,000 votes.

Notably, the winner of the Composition Group was Pei Jia from Timely Entertainment.

Pei Jia had come to the Composition Group determined to be eliminated, but she discovered that because higher-ranked trainees had deliberately avoided the group, it was filled with lower-tier members. Some had less than two days of training, others had joined just for the free meals and lodging, and some pretty “flower vases” had advanced solely on their looks.

In short, she was not only the most skilled member of the Composition Group, but also the one with the best audience appeal.

Then, by a lucky fluke, she took first place and became the new Luck King of the training center. After the competition, the trainees swarmed around her, rubbing against her affectionately, saying that her timely performance had caused their ancestral graves to emit green smoke—a sign of immense fortune. They all considered themselves blessed, and some even asked if it was still possible to join her team.

Pei Jia gloated, “Come, come, everyone come! Call me Senior Sister first.”

The trainees surrounding her chorused, “Senior Sister Pei Jia~~~”

The repeated address made Pei Jia’s bones melt with pleasure. She floated on a cloud as she said to Ji Zhao, “So this is what it feels like to be an Emperor! Truly, doubting Emperors, understanding Emperors, and becoming Emperors!”

Ji Zhao asked, “What do you mean?”

Pei Jia replied, “With three palaces, six courts, and seventy-two concubines, if I were in that position, I wouldn’t want to attend morning court either.”

Ji Zhao said, “Then you’d be a tyrant.”

Pei Jia asked, “With so many beauties waiting for you, how could you not be a tyrant?”

Yu Cheng glanced at Ji Zhao.

For some reason, Ji Zhao felt momentarily guilty. Then she remembered she wasn’t actually attending morning court, and Yu Cheng wouldn’t reprimand her for indulging in beauty. Besides, she wasn’t indulging in beauty at all. Clearing her throat, she said, “I wouldn’t be a tyrant.”

Pei Jia thought the example was wrong. “Imagine the beauty as a handsome man instead.”

Ji Zhao thought of all the various men who had been forced into her harem, and a wave of disgust swept through her. “That’s even worse.”

Pei Jia made an inquisitive sound. “Why?”

But before she could think about it too much, she shrugged it off. “We probably won’t be leaving anytime soon anyway. I should unpack the luggage I already packed. Why doesn’t your dorm have any hand-me-downs? I want to move in!”

On the bus ride back, even though everyone had their phones, the cameras were rolling, so they all put their phones away and chatted with the people around them. Pei Jia greeted Ji Zhao briefly before going to find her roommates, leaving Ji Zhao sitting alone under Yu Cheng’s gaze. Uncomfortable under the stare, Ji Zhao glared back. “Why are you staring at me?”

Yu Cheng pursed her lips. “I was thinking that Your Majesty has always managed the harem well, never letting it interfere with state affairs.”

Ji Zhao snorted softly. “Of course.”

She paused. “But what do you say about me missing the morning court session because of you?”

Yu Cheng was speechless.

It was the Sixth Year of Jiaxi. Ji Zhao had just turned eighteen, and the entire nation was celebrating her birthday. She drank too much at the festivities, and after returning to the palace, she couldn’t sleep. Sitting by the window, she admired the red plum blossoms blooming against the snow and asked her head maid, “With the New Year approaching, shouldn’t Yu Cheng be returning to the capital soon?”

The head maid replied, “Your Majesty misses General Yu. Why not respond to her New Year’s greetings?”

At that time, Yu Cheng insisted on remaining stationed at the border, a decision supported by the entire court. Only Ji Zhao opposed it. She thought, The border is so far away. It’s so difficult to see her. How could she just leave like that? Though she ultimately yielded to Yu Cheng’s resolve, her resentment lingered.

Throughout that year, Ji Zhao only responded to Yu Cheng’s official reports, completely ignoring her personal greetings.

Ji Zhao scoffed, “I miss her? Just wait until she returns. I’ll teach her a lesson!”

Then Yu Cheng arrived.

Riding through the swirling snow and biting wind from the border, she assumed Ji Zhao would be asleep. But as soon as she entered the palace gates, she collided with the young Emperor, sitting by the window. Her golden dragon-patterned cloak draped down, its fluffy collar framing her face. The flickering candlelight inside the chamber cast shadows across her features, revealing a calm gentleness.

It felt like a dream.

“Then I slept late, skipping the morning court for the first time in all these years.”

Ji Zhao grumbled, “You’re even upset that I pretended to be sick? You said lying is wrong. Oh, but if I don’t lie, I’d have to say I summoned General Yu to my chambers last night, so—”

Yu Cheng quickly interrupted her: “Your Majesty!”

Her voice lowered to a whisper: “Watch your words!”

Ji Zhao found teasing Yu Cheng utterly amusing, but she was also afraid of truly angering her. She sighed regretfully, thinking about how she’d tell those stuffy ministers back at the Great Qi court, and said, “Fine, fine, fine. I’ll heed your advice, Esteemed Minister Yu. I’ll watch my words.”

Like the end of a major exam, regardless of the results, the trainees’ spirits were relaxed at that moment.

Back at the estate, the sociable ones exchanged WeChat contacts, while the gaming addicts lined up in the corridor for a group session. Looking over the latticed railing, one could see the dining hall filled with people happily eating while watching short videos, creating a sea of joy.

Within half an hour, a group called “Estate Hundred Day Tour” had been created, its membership steadily growing until all one hundred and eight trainees had joined.

Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng had always had tablets, but since they hadn’t had anyone to contact, they’d never bothered to turn them on. Now, as if they’d discovered new territory, they sat side by side on Yu Cheng’s upper bunk, scrolling through WeChat. After a while, Ji Zhao asked, “Should we… add each other as friends?”

Yu Cheng nodded. “How do we do that?”

Ji Zhao pondered. “When in doubt… Hm? What’s this red dot?” She tapped it. “Jiangjiangjiang requests to add you as a friend. Message: I’m Song Jiangjiang.”

“Song Jiangjiang added me,” Ji Zhao said. “She added me through the group.”

“Wait,” Yu Cheng said.

She quickly opened the “Estate Hundred Day Tour” group, haphazardly tapping the screen until she accidentally stumbled upon the member list. She immediately saw Ji Zhao’s profile picture and tapped it.

Request to add as friend.

She clumsily typed: I’m Yu Cheng.

Sent successfully.

Yu Cheng looked at Ji Zhao’s phone. “Did you get it?”

“I got it.”

“Approve mine first.”

Ji Zhao couldn’t help but chuckle as she accepted Yu Cheng’s friend request. The chat window immediately popped up:

[System: You’ve added Yu Cheng as “Lala.” You can now start chatting.]

Yu Cheng: “……”

What kind of weird name is that?!

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