Reduce penalties and everything will go smoothly

Although she had a surreptitious connection with Shi Wenbing, and seemed to be able to get some information about her father's movements, Hongxiu was still young and learning the rules in the courtyard, so she couldn't be of much use yet. Shujia herself persisted in doing odd jobs in her father's study and acting as a little spy, which really made her wait.

That day, Shi Wenbing returned, holding the official bulletin as usual, his whole body relaxed. Shujia tilted her head curiously, and Shi Wenbing smiled unexpectedly, but didn't try to stop her. Shujia rolled her eyes and looked at the bulletin in his hand. The punishment was announced.

Xiluo Te asked, "What's wrong? Master is so happy?" Shi Wenbing didn't have the habit of circulating the court bulletin in the backyard. Could it be a surprise today? Shi Wenbing leaned forward and said to Shujia, "Read it to your mother."

It was truly difficult. When the ministers deliberated on the crimes of the people, they worried that the sentences wouldn't be harsh enough. They even proposed dismissal and immediate execution of the former governor-general, Jueluo Balu, along with confiscation of his property and the enlistment of his wife and undivided sons into the ranks of the baoyizuoling. He was a Jueluo, even enlisting his wife and undivided sons into the ranks of the baoyizuoling. Others who received similar punishments included the deputy governor-general, Tuodai, Jingqinihafanshuota, and the former chancellor, Harhaci.

Hearing this, Xiluo Te was terrified and kept chanting: "What's going on? Can the Jueluo family also be incorporated into the Baoyi Zuoling? Then how did my father decide? The master actually agreed?" Shi Wenbing suppressed his laughter and patted Shujia's head: "Stop chanting irrelevant things." Shujia frowned. "I've been chanting for such a long time, and you just came to interrupt me. You obviously want to make my mother nervous! You are so sinister.

After flipping through the book, the ministers of the Council of State said that the son-in-law Huashan and the former Left Censor-in-Chief Duonuo failed to rescue Yongxing and were to be dismissed from their posts and their property confiscated.

This punishment was much lighter than those others, and Xiluo Te even laughed: "Father and mother were married, so how can the title of Prince Consort be waived? The general's seal was of no great use once the war was over, so why should it be revoked?" Even the confiscation of property was troublesome. Hua Shan's son, Shu Jia's father, was now a hereditary earl and a de facto deputy governor, and they lived together. So would Shi Wenbing's property be confiscated? Shi Wenzhuo had originally been a student, then a low-ranking guard in the palace, with a promising future. Which group did he belong to?

If their house is really raided, it will definitely not just be the Shi family that will have a headache.

Shi Wenbing smiled in silence while Shujia continued reading. Xiao Xuanzi showed mercy, sparing those who had been threatened with death. Hua Shan was merely dismissed from his post. The whole family laughed.

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With this good news, Shi Lang requested an imperial decree to transfer land troops from Xinghua, Jiangdong, and other places to join the navy in suppressing Penghu and Taiwan, instead of transferring troops from the Banner Camp in Hangzhou. Shi Wenbing was able to face this matter with relative composure. However, the others in the Banner Camp were not so happy.

Hangzhou General Mahada, a member of the Tonggiya clan and a member of the Manchu Plain White Banner, was promoted from Cangling to Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Plain White Banner in the seventh year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. He had made considerable military achievements during his time in the Three Feudatories. Upon returning to Hangzhou, he was awarded the third-class Adahahafan for his meritorious service. Having risen to prominence through military success, he was now feeling somewhat restless. He had a relatively smooth journey through the Three Feudatories, ultimately earning the hereditary title of Third-class Light Cavalry Commandant. He was deeply interested in military action, but unexpectedly, he was not allowed to go this time.

Mahada was deeply unhappy, but there was nothing he could do. If the emperor forbade him to go, there was no point in wanting to go. Besides, the Banner Camp in Hangzhou was crucial, controlling the southeastern city, and he couldn't just leave. Mahada turned his displeasure into motivation: to make some money.

Although Mahada's surname was Tongjia, he had little connection to Empress Xiaokangzhang's maternal family, who belonged to the Han Army Banner. He was also a man of some ability and a relatively thoughtful heart. In the fertile land of Hangzhou, even the ordinary tributes from the lower classes were greater than in other places.

However, Hangzhou wasn't his own; it was the provincial capital, with its many officials. To profit, he needed to network widely. Shi Wenbing was a bannerman and a vice-governor. While his rank was lower than his, his nobility was higher, so naturally, he wanted to befriend him. Last October, on Shi Wenbing's birthday, Mahada had generously brought people to celebrate. Thirty-six wasn't a full birthday, but it was still considered his zodiac year, so he celebrated with considerable pomp and circumstance, collecting quite a few gifts. There was a Xuande incense burner in Xiluo's room, a painting of wandering poets hung in Shi Wenbing's study, and a snuff bottle sent to Beijing for the New Year...

Now that spring had arrived, the idle Mahada had once again enlisted Shi Wenbing in business. He hadn't set up shop himself or sent a family member, but rather had brought Shi Wenbing along to serve as his backer. Hangzhou was a bustling commercial city, and to do business there, one needed some connections. Hangzhou, in particular, originally had no military bases. As the Qing army advanced southward, they enclosed the northwest of Hangzhou, erected a city wall, and installed artillery. The area from Qiantang Gate to Yongjin Gate, once a densely populated area, became a prime location for the camp. The story behind this is needless to elaborate.

Towards the end of the Shunzhi reign, the increasing number of Bannermen led to demands for city expansion, frightening the Hangzhou gentry. They preferred to pay for new housing for the Bannermen rather than allow them to reclaim the city's territory. Consequently, the Han Chinese were extremely wary of further problems caused by the Bannermen, and businessmen were particularly concerned with the importance of harmony. The garrison officers of the Eight Banners were especially well-served, as any mishap with these men would be a catastrophic disaster.

Officialdom wasn't particularly corrupt at the time, but there was a common practice whereby local officials could secure shares in certain businesses. Even larger businesses were subject to these hidden arrangements, a clear example of collusion between officials and businessmen, and a protective umbrella. In Hangzhou, this rule was even more widely observed.

The former vice-governor naturally had a share, but when he was dismissed, his share went to Mahada. Now that Shi Wenbing had arrived, this share naturally went to him. Mahada was bored out of his mind, so he took the opportunity to introduce Shi Wenbing and reap some benefits for himself. Without fighting, their lives were truly idle.

Last year, some businesses cleverly included Shi Wenbing in their budgets and managed to squeeze out a little bit of money. However, Shi Wenbing was busy last year and wasn't very familiar with the situation here, so he didn't get all the money he 'deserved'. Now...

Shi Wenbing wasn't a complete nerd, and with Shi Lin's guidance, he quickly learned the ropes. The risks of becoming a dry shareholder weren't great. Their names didn't officially appear on the list of dividends, often using pseudonyms or the names of their subordinates. At year-end, they simply collected their pay. If a business had any disputes or needed a green light, the forces behind the dry shareholders would intervene.

That's the trend.

Shi Wenbing thus made a fortune, and Xiluotai was able to purchase furniture and other items without worry. With a new home, there were naturally many things to buy. They also needed jewelry for Shujia and Shuxian. Their dowry boxes had already been prepared in Beijing. Shuxian had used hers for a while, but Shujia's hadn't been used yet, so she gave it to her aunt, and a new one was ordered in Hangzhou.

When she took it in, she saw a box a foot high, made of heavy purple-brown wood, beautifully carved. The top panel opened to reveal a glass mirror. The box had four small drawers, which could be opened to hold hairpins, hairpins, pearl flowers, and the like—Shujia didn't have a collection of that kind yet; she wasn't bald anymore, but her hair wasn't that long yet.

Under the drawer are two small doors like cabinet doors. When opened, they are empty and can be used to store small boxes or other things.

Nanny Yin touched the box and said, "This is made of red sandalwood, which is rare."

Shujia's hands trembled. Rosewood... making a makeup box for a child, isn't that too luxurious?

Being sent out, making money became easier, and more importantly, at her age, her family naturally wanted to equip her with fine things. Wuya Mammy took out the two pairs of earrings that Xiluo Te had given her last time, gestured, and said, "It's March now, and it's Madam's birthday in two days. She should be wearing jade..."

While she was hesitating, Xiluo Te sent Mudan over and said, "Hello, young lady." Hongxiu quickly went over to open the curtain and said, "Hello, sister." Mudan touched her head, came in, paid her respects first, asked how the maids were, and nodded to Chunxi and Xiaxi.

She came with a mother-of-pearl box in her hand and said as she handed it over, "Madam asked me to bring some things for the young lady to use tomorrow." When she opened the box, it was a box full of jade articles, including jade bracelets, jade pendants, and even a few hairpins, but they were quite small, about the size of a child, and were obviously prepared for Shujia.

Wuya Ma Ma checked in with her and counted the items. Qingjin then poured tea and brought it over. Mudan smiled and said, "Thank you, young lady, for the gift." After drinking, she added, "Madam, for your birthday, there are so many gifts from outside, even better than those in Beijing. If Madam is happy, she'll probably give you something nice."

Xia Xi asked what they had, and Mudan said, "The ones from the masters' houses are antiques and decorative items. The strange thing is that the ones from our shops are all rare goods from the north and south. I heard there are even Western items."

Shujia smiled and said, "Since you want to know, I'll go pay my respects to Mother later. You can come with me. If Mother is happy, she'll definitely let me see it." Xia Xi smiled and said, "If Madam is happy, give the young lady a few more and put them in our room. Then I'll be more interested." Mudan hit her and said, "In that case, I'll go back to Madam first."

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Ever since Shujia and Shuxian learned to read, Xiluo Te had her daughters read to her some lists and simple letters. She was one of the first bannermen to enter the Western Han Dynasty, so she wasn't very familiar with these literary matters. While she had no problem with daily life, writing and drawing were a bit of a headache. It was a good idea for her daughters to be of use, so as not to waste human resources and to gradually introduce her to some household chores from a young age, she was perfectly placed to do them.

When Shujia brought Xia Xi over, Xiluo was lying on the couch, with Shaoyao rubbing her shoulders. Seeing Shujia coming, she waved to her and said, "Just in time, your brother has sent me a letter. Read it to me."

On Xiluo's birthday, sons naturally had to show their filial piety. Fu Dali and Qingde had no income yet, only their monthly allowance, so they couldn't afford any expensive gifts. However, they ordered some jewelry in Beijing and sent a letter. Shujia read it, which also contained birthday congratulations and said that they were doing well in the official school.

After hearing this, Xiluo Te carefully put the letter into a box. Shujia recognized this small mother-of-pearl box as one used to store letters from her two brothers. She whispered, "Mother, do you want to write back to them? My handwriting is very good. If you tell me to, I'll write." She pouted, "I miss them a little and want to write to them, but I'm afraid my father will think I'm naughty and won't send someone to deliver a letter just for me. If mother comes along, my father won't tell, okay?" She tilted her head and acted like a loli.

Xiluotai was moved, and Xia Xi quickly added, "The young lady's writing brush and ink are ready. I'll go get them right away." Shujia quickly brought them, and she ground the ink herself. Xiluotai spoke, and she wrote. She began by saying everything was fine here, then asked about the situation in Beijing, how she was eating, how she was dressed, how she was feeling, how her studies were going, and whether she had grown taller. And so on and so forth.

Having an extra secretary and being able to communicate with her son again made Xiluo happy. Seeing Shujia seal the letter, Xiluo said, "If you have any letters, go back and write them. Tomorrow I'll tell your father and have someone send them back. Lamei will go to your eldest daughter and ask her if she has any letters to take with her. If she does, bring them along."

Shujia was just trying to cheer her up, but she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. She couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "So convenient? Then from now on..." Xiluo Te said, "You think it's easy? It's just a coincidence. This year is the selection of concubines. After the first month of the lunar year, all the concubines here who are old enough will go north. I guess now that the first round of selection is over, the ones who put down their names should be here soon. They will definitely send someone to pick them up. It's just the right time for us to ask someone to go with us."

Showgirls...big pick...

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Shujia was quite sensitive to the issue of "Xiu Nu" (show girls), as the Qing officials always mentioned it. Remembering her family's qualifications, she thought they should be among the candidates, so she became quite concerned about it and kept an eye out for any comments on the "Xiu Nu" (show girls), but there was little useful information.

First, he fought the Three Feudatories, then he went back home to show off his achievements to his ancestors, and then he wanted to take Taiwan. Kangxi finally changed his mind. As Shi Lang won one victory after another, he finally remembered that in the past ten years, most of the boys of his family in Beijing who were of marriageable age had not yet married, and the girls in the banners across the country were also afraid to marry.

Well, then, let the election begin. It just so happened that he had just returned from Mount Wutai with his beloved prince after a period of self-cultivation, so he could finally get a taste of worldly life.

Many Bannermen held high hopes for this selection. With so many yellow belts, everyone's chances of being chosen would be higher. The Emperor was still young, so who knew who would be lucky enough to win. This was especially true for Bannermen of lower rank. Even if they weren't chosen, it was better to just give up their name; at least they could get married. Tears welled up in their eyes.

Hangzhou was a city with a large concentration of Manchus. When the imperial edict for the selection of girls was received at the beginning of the 22nd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, families with girls of appropriate age began preparing. This time, preparations were truly made. They had prepared in previous years, but the selections were never made. Many people were over the age limit, yet no edict was issued, and they eventually slacked off.

This time, a clear decree had been issued, and the Hangzhou camp was in turmoil, with people scrambling to make clothes, prepare jewelry, and learn the rules. How many years had the country been established? How many selections of concubines had there been? Excluding the deceased emperors and empresses, you could count them on your fingers, without even having to take off your socks. The time between these selections was quite long, and Hangzhou was so far away from the capital, so learning the rules was quite confusing.

Then came the procession of the concubines to the capital. Those with the manpower, financial resources, and supplies would have a more spectacular procession. It was said that the concubines had to go through several rounds of elimination, and the lucky ones would have to stay in the palace for two days, bringing with them all kinds of clothes, jewelry, and daily necessities. For those from less well-off families, perhaps they would just gather together from a few families that were acquainted with each other.

Once they were sent to Beijing, those who were initially shortlisted would have to wait for their turn. Those who were rejected would be sent back. Some families, lacking sufficient manpower, would send someone to fetch them. Furthermore, those who were shortlisted and might be arranged to marry would have to travel to Beijing to hold the wedding. Thus, the second group of relatives and friends departed, and the Shi family's letters followed them north.

By the time the express horse brought back the results of the preliminary selection, along with the dispatch of someone from Hangzhou to fetch the unsuccessful contestants, it was already March. In March, two members of the Shi family had birthdays: Xiluote and Shi Lin. Xiluote's birthday fell on the tenth day of the third lunar month, while Shi Lin's was on the twenty-third. Shi Wenbing had recently been quite well-off, and since this was their first time living in the same city, Xiluote's birthday gift for her uncle was particularly elaborate.

On his own birthday, Sirut invited many guests and received many gifts. Because the results of the primary election had come out, there was a big piece of gossip at the table—and quite a few people were talking about it.