The grand event of the emperor selecting a concubine was greatly hyped up by businessmen.

The most famous beauty among them was soon replaced by Bu Lianshi, and the people's daily focus was on when Bu Lianshi would enter the palace to participate in the selection.

In addition, there are two older beauties who are sought after by men all over the city.

One is Guo from Guangzong, Jizhou, named Queen Guo, who is 29 years old this year.

The other one is from the Jizhou Zhen family, named Zhen Mi, who is 32 years old this year.

Both of them are widows, but they have not given birth to children. Even though they have entered middle age, their charm and grace are not much inferior to that of Master Bu Lian, and their temperament is even better.

Queen Guo was spoiled since childhood, and had a spoiled temperament beneath her gentle appearance.

Zhen Mi came from a merchant family. She was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but she still felt inferior to others and treated people with kindness.

Queen Guo sent a girl from her clan to participate this time. In fact, the real reason was that she wanted to see if there was any chance.

Zhen Mi came for business opportunities and had little intention of being chosen by the emperor. Her main concern was for the future of her family.

Ten years ago, Jinmao swept through the Hebei gentry, Jizhou suffered heavy losses, and the Zhen family's support collapsed.

At that time, Zhen Mi wanted to shoulder the burden of the family and married into the Wang family of Langya. Unexpectedly, the Wang family of Langya also suffered a liquidation. In the end, the Zhen family got nothing and had to start all over again.

Fortunately, the new policy was friendly to businessmen, and the Zhen family survived thanks to years of accumulation.

Now, Zhen Mi wants to seize this opportunity to restore the glory of the Zhen family.

Thus, the beauty list came into being.

This was the inspiration that Zhen Mi got from referring to the debate competition held by Jinmao. She knew that in this era, a woman with both beauty and wisdom could often become the key to the revival of a family. Zhen Mi not only had a stunning appearance, but also extraordinary talent and foresight. The "Beauty List" she carefully planned was not only a feast for selecting appearance, but also a stage for displaying talent and making friends with the powerful.

She invited talented men and beautiful women from all over the country to participate, and set up multiple assessment links such as poetry, music, chess, calligraphy, and political views, aiming to discover and commend those women who are both good at both internal and external cultivation. This initiative quickly attracted the attention of the whole city, and even attracted the attention of the government and the public, and the reputation of the Zhen family also rose accordingly.

Zhen Mi personally participated in the preparation and hosting of the Beauty List. She selected judges with keen insight to ensure fairness and impartiality, and invited guests with extraordinary social skills, including many important officials in the court and business tycoons. These measures not only made the Beauty List unprecedented, but also paved the way for the Zhen family to the center of power and wealth.

More importantly, Zhen Mi successfully selected several beautiful and talented women for the Zhen family through the Beauty List as a bridge for the Zhen family to marry with various forces. These marriages not only consolidated the status of the Zhen family, but also brought much-needed resources and allies to the Zhen family, laying a solid foundation for the future development of the Zhen family.

On this basis, Zhen Mi also cleverly used the influence of this event to launch a series of public welfare activities, such as funding poor students, opening girls' schools, and promoting health and beauty knowledge. These measures greatly improved the social reputation and public favorability of the Zhen family. She knew that the real long-term strategy was to win the hearts of the people, rather than just relying on power and wealth to build a brilliant future.

Zhen Mi also personally hosted a gala called "Talents and Talents", inviting the beauties on the list to show their talents, from poetry and songs to music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and dance and opera, showing the diverse styles of ancient women. This gala not only feasted the eyes of the audience, but also inspired the society to pay attention to women's education and talents, and further consolidated Zhen Mi's image as a female leader.

At the same time, Zhen Mi also keenly perceived the existence of business opportunities. She joined forces with many businessmen to launch a series of products related to the Beauty List, such as customized jewelry, beauty products, and picture albums and poetry collections with the theme of the Beauty List. These products were very popular in the market, not only bringing huge profits to the Zhen family, but also further expanding the influence of the Beauty List, making it a major cultural phenomenon in society at that time.

In addition, Zhen Mi also used this platform to actively promote cultural exchange and integration, inviting artists from different regions and cultures to participate in activities, and promoting cultural diversity and inclusiveness. Her efforts not only enriched people's cultural life, but also won wider social recognition and support for the Zhen family. In short, Zhen Mi showed extraordinary wisdom, foresight and courage in the process of preparing and hosting the Beauty List. She not only successfully enhanced the status and influence of the Zhen family, but also brought positive changes and far-reaching impacts to the entire society.

As the list continues to ferment, its influence has gradually transcended the scope of single aesthetic judgment and penetrated into all levels of society, inspiring people's diverse thinking and exploration of beauty. Zhen Mi realized that beauty is not limited to external appearance, but also lies in inner cultivation, display of talent and charm of personality. Therefore, she began to incorporate more diversified elements into the list selection criteria, such as talent display, moral evaluation, social contribution, etc., striving to show the style of the candidates from all aspects and angles.

This change quickly attracted more people's attention and participation, not only the aristocracy, but also ordinary people were infected by this cultural craze, and they recommended their own "beauties" and told their stories and achievements. This bottom-up participation method greatly strengthened the mass base of the list, making it a bridge connecting all social classes.

Zhen Mi also took this opportunity to advocate the importance of women's education and self-improvement, encouraging women to go out of their homes, learn knowledge, participate in social activities, and show their self-worth. She set up scholarships to support talented women to receive education; held lectures and workshops, invited well-known scholars and craftsmen to teach skills; and even founded a women's college to provide women with opportunities for systematic learning. These measures not only improved the social status of women, but also cultivated a large number of knowledgeable people for society, further promoting the prosperity and development of culture.

As time went by, the list of people advocated by Zhen Mi gradually developed into a unique cultural symbol, representing the spirit of the times of openness, tolerance and progress. It not only recorded the beauty of that era, but also witnessed the changes and progress of social culture. Zhen Mi's name was therefore forever engraved in the long river of history and became a model for future generations to admire and learn from.

On this basis, Zhen Mi's legacy inspired more knowledgeable people to devote themselves to the reform of education and culture. They began to establish more schools and academies across the country, not only for women, but for all classes and genders, striving to popularize knowledge and equal education. These educational institutions not only taught traditional classics, but also introduced multiple disciplines such as natural sciences and artistic innovation, which greatly enriched the learning content and broadened people's horizons.

At the same time, society's recognition of women's talents has reached an unprecedented level. Inspired by the spirit of Zhen Mi, women began to participate extensively in various fields such as literary creation, scientific research, and political discussions. Their works and opinions frequently appeared in various academic journals and public forums, becoming an important force in promoting social progress. Women are no longer confined to the family, but bravely step out of the house and write their own glorious chapters with their wisdom and strength.

In addition, the list of people advocated by Zhen Mi has also promoted the diversified development of the social evaluation system. People began to pay more attention to personal morality, talent and contribution, rather than simply relying on birth or gender to judge a person's value. This change in concept has injected more vitality and creativity into society, allowing everyone to shine on the stage that suits them.

Ultimately, the cultural prosperity and social progress created and promoted by Zhen Mi became a precious treasure that future generations continue to pursue and inherit. Whenever people mention this period of history, they are all impressed by Zhen Mi's foresight and selfless dedication, which further strengthens their belief and determination to promote social equality and cultural development. Zhen Mi's story is like a beacon, illuminating the path of human pursuit of civilization and progress.

Her spirit transcends the boundaries of time and space, inspiring people of different times to break through traditional constraints, dare to challenge established rules, and accept every unique individual with a more open and inclusive mindset. In the field of education, this idea has inspired a wave of educational reform, prompting the education system to pay more attention to cultivating students' comprehensive qualities, rather than judging students' future based solely on test scores or family background. Schools have begun to emphasize individual development, encouraging students to explore their interests and potential, so that every child can find their own stage and shine.

In the workplace, Zhen Mi's ideas have gradually become a consensus, promoting the transformation of workplace culture. Companies have begun to value employees' character, talents and actual contributions, rather than simply relying on external factors such as education or gender to determine promotion and treatment. This change has not only stimulated employees' enthusiasm and creativity, but also promoted diversity and harmony within the team, allowing companies to gather more diverse wisdom and strength to jointly promote the development of the business.

At the same time, Zhen Mi's story has also inspired society to reflect deeply and take positive actions on gender equality. People have begun to realize that gender should not be a yardstick for measuring personal value, and that women have the same rights and opportunities as men to pursue their dreams and careers. The popularization of this concept has promoted women's extensive participation and outstanding contributions in various fields such as politics, economy, science and technology, and culture, and further promoted the overall progress and development of society.

In short, the values ​​advocated by Zhen Mi, which emphasize personal morality, talent and contribution, not only had a profound impact at the time, but also left a valuable ideological legacy for future generations. It is like an inexhaustible driving force, pushing human society forward and moving towards a more just, equal, harmonious and prosperous future.

Queen Guo was very jealous of Zhen Mi's achievements. Although she could not hide her envy and even jealousy of Zhen Mi's outstanding achievements and wide acclaim, she did not let this emotion become a stumbling block to her progress. Instead, she chose to turn this envy into a driving force for self-improvement, deeply reflect on her own strengths and weaknesses, and strive to shine in their respective fields.

Queen Guo knows that in this ever-changing era, momentary envy or jealousy alone cannot change the status quo. Only by continuous learning and the courage to challenge oneself can one leave one's own footprints in the torrent of history. She began to focus more on cultivating her leadership skills, actively participating in social affairs, and using practical actions to prove that the power of women is not only reflected in softness and gentleness, but also in perseverance and courage to take responsibility.

At the same time, Queen Guo also learned to appreciate and respect the achievements of others. She realized that Zhen Mi's brilliance was a microcosm of the joint efforts of the female group, not an isolated incident. Therefore, she actively sought cooperation and exchanges with Zhen Mi and more outstanding women to jointly fight for more rights and opportunities for women and promote the true realization of gender equality.

With the efforts of Queen Guo, she gradually achieved remarkable achievements in her field, not only winning wide recognition from the society, but also setting an example for those who came after her. She used her own experience to tell the world that true success is not simply copying the glory of others, but finding your own sky in understanding, respecting and surpassing.

At the same time, Queen Guo also realized that promoting gender equality is not just the responsibility of individuals or minority groups, it requires the joint efforts and participation of the whole society. Therefore, she began to actively participate in various public welfare activities, using her influence to advocate the establishment of a more inclusive and equal workplace environment, encourage companies to formulate and implement gender equality policies, and ensure that women have the same rights and opportunities as men in their career development. She also advocated the establishment of a number of women's mutual aid organizations to provide psychological support, career guidance and legal aid to women who encounter difficulties in the workplace and life, helping them to overcome obstacles and bravely pursue their dreams.

Queen Guo knows that education is the fundamental way to change destiny and promote gender equality. Therefore, she pays special attention to women's education and invests a lot of resources to support women's education projects, from basic education to higher education, from skills training to leadership development, to comprehensively improve women's comprehensive quality and competitiveness. She firmly believes that when women have sufficient knowledge and skills, they will be able to face challenges more confidently, participate more actively in social construction, and contribute more to the process of gender equality.

As Queen Guo's influence continues to expand, she has gradually become a symbol of the times, symbolizing the rise of female power and wisdom. Her story has inspired more and more women to bravely stand up, fight for the rights of themselves and their peers, and jointly build a more just and equal society. In this process, Queen Guo has also deeply realized that true success lies not only in personal glory and achievement, but also in being able to lead and promote a group and a society towards a better direction.

She began to actively devote herself to education and public welfare, using her fame and influence to build a learning bridge for girls in remote areas, ensuring that they can get the same educational opportunities as urban children. Queen Guo knew that education was the key to changing destiny and breaking gender boundaries. She personally participated in the curriculum design, focusing on cultivating girls' self-confidence, leadership and innovation, and encouraging them to bravely pursue their dreams, not afraid of difficulties, and dare to challenge the constraints of traditional concepts. (End of this chapter)