The Empress Dowager passed away

It's the end of the year, and the family will have to deal with two more places to exchange gifts: Wendu's family and Shuxian's in-laws. That adds up to four more things to do. As the children get married, the Shi family will become increasingly bustling. Despite the busy schedule, Xiluotai is still quite happy—who wouldn't want a prosperous family? She advises her daughter on what gifts to give based on their relationship. Starting this year, Xiluotai no longer treats Shujia like a child. After the Lunar New Year, she'll be twelve, so she's definitely not young anymore.

The men in the family are also busy. Those who have errands are all in high spirits. No one wants to work hard for a year and then have a mistake or something go wrong, and all the hard work will be wasted.

Hua Shan and others were still busy socializing, and the old man had been very busy recently, so he'd become closer to his drinking buddies. Hua Shan believed his greatest contribution to the family was about to come! Similarly, Tong Guogang was also working hard. They both had the same ambition: to become Manchus.

Hua Shan, seemingly a scoundrel and unreliable, was actually quite reliable. Everyone keeps a record, and Hua Shan's was particularly clear. Just look at how he publicly humiliated the iron-hatted king, how he deserted and disobeyed orders on the battlefield, and how he ultimately emerged unscathed, never bringing disaster to his family, which still thrived. It's clear he's quite capable.

As the saying goes, you're not afraid of enemies who are like wolves, but you're afraid of teammates who are like pigs. If this teammate is also unfortunate enough to hold the title of captain, then team annihilation is not a problem. If Hua Shan is truly unreliable, then no matter how capable Shi Wenbing is, he can only sigh in despair.

Hua Shan was actually quite responsible for his family. Being responsible, in this day and age, meant ensuring everyone had good food and drink, status and position, wealth and power, and finally, a promising future. It could be said that he had achieved all of this. His eldest son, of course, had a promising future, his second son also had a promising future, and both of his grandsons had achieved status. Now, he had other things to worry about.

For example, the issue of their family’s nationality.

As everyone knows, the Eight Banners were divided into three categories: Manchus first, Mongols second, and Han Chinese third. The three categories were also excluded from all opportunities and benefits in this order—all opportunities and benefits. If their family were in the Han Chinese, then whether it was for fame or power, they would have to wait for what others had left. Hua Shan was very unhappy, very unhappy.

Think about it, the two of you had similar qualifications, but you lost because of your banner status... I regret it so much! It's so unfair, our family is clearly the Suwan Guwalgiya clan!

As much as we take advantage of non-banner Han people, the bastards of the Manchu Banner have taken advantage of us. So, in order to prevent the bastards of the Manchu Banner from taking advantage of us, Hua Shan decided to apply to join the Manchu Banner (to become the enviable thing).

If we accomplish this, the future of our descendants will be like a four-lane road being transformed into an eight-lane road, making it incredibly spacious. The future promotions of our grandsons and the selection of our granddaughters will be much better.

As a responsible patriarch, the most important thing was to pave a path forward for future generations. The fact that his grandsons could secure prestigious positions at such a young age was entirely at the emperor's discretion, a highly unreliable outcome. Hua Shan sought institutional guarantees. Even if the emperor didn't know about this person, according to regulations and conventions, they could still be selected for positions such as imperial guards—a Manchu upper three banners.

Besides, his granddaughter was about to be selected for the imperial examination, and his previous missteps on the battlefield should have been largely forgotten. He could apply for Manchu citizenship and have a bright future for his granddaughter. As with everyone else, one's own children are always the best, and such good children deserved the best, didn't they? Hua Shan's goal was to find a wife for his granddaughter. He wasn't considering a prince's wife, but a wife of a duke or a county prince was a reasonable possibility.

If the application is approved, these goals can be achieved and benefit the entire family. Hua Shan, who became the head of his branch because he married a princess, also felt it necessary to do something to show that his son's title was correct and beneficial to the development of the entire family.

These days, parents love their children, and elders love their juniors—it's all just that. In which era haven't parents considered their children's well-being a good job and a good status? As for thoughtfulness, that's too esoteric, intangible. We have no choice but to be down-to-earth and focus on tangible things.

A Western philosopher once said that matter is primary and consciousness is secondary. Hua Shan has grasped the essence of this saying.

Tong Guogang, a member of the Bordered Yellow Banner of the Han army, also wanted to become a Manchu. His niece was already a Royal Noble Consort and Vice Empress, so if he could bring his entire family into the Manchu system... Tong Guogang would be tempted. Furthermore, if he submitted a petition, the chances of success would be extremely high.

If Hua Shan's roguery was considered respectable, then Tong Guogang was a bandit who dared to brazenly challenge the emperor. The sight of these two old men together was truly hilarious. Hua Shan was the strategist who offered bad advice, while Tong Guogang was the main damage dealer who relied on his toughness, high defense, and high evasion to charge headfirst into battle.

The two men huddled together, chattering about how to write a memorial and find a time to submit it to the emperor. Hua Shan was so worried that he warned, "If a ruler doesn't keep secrets, he will lose his ministers; if a minister doesn't keep secrets, he will lose himself. If others get to know about this, they'll all rush to change their nationality. If the master gets angry, maybe everything will be in vain. Even if you're not worried, what if the master only asks you to change the nationality of one branch? What about the rest?"

Tong Guogang was convinced.

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While Hua Shan was busy, Shu Jia was also busy. She was worried about one thing: the older maids in her family needed to be married off in batches. How to match them up was a big question!

No matter what, she is a person who has received nearly twenty years of modern education. She is selfish and indifferent, but she can only ignore people she is not familiar with. If she really wants to take the person she has been with for ten years out like a kitten or a puppy and sell him like a carrot or cabbage, she still cannot accept it.

In other words, if she really wanted to sell her, she wouldn't say anything. But the fact that a grown woman was being paired with a random man, like an animal, was what she found most difficult to accept. If she was sold, she could be redeemed, but if she got married, everything would be over.

If she were to make the decision, she wouldn't dare speak up. For example, everyone believed that for a girl these days, having a wife was a truly blessed thing, regardless of whether it was a legitimate wife or a concubine. If she married the Crown Prince, having a concubine wouldn't matter much. But Shujia's demands were different.

Similarly, Shujia believed that being able to escape slavery and become a commoner was a great thing, but the maids might not share the same sentiment. This was an era where Manchus and Han people were said to be one, but in reality, inequality was everywhere. If they truly became commoners outside, their lives might not be any better than here. Being a slave was not possible.

If she let her maids say what they wanted, she wouldn't dare to guarantee that she could fulfill their wishes. After all, she wasn't the one making the decisions. Don't agree to something you can't do; this was Shujia's principle.

In this case, the culprit that thwarted Shujia's plans was her gender. If she were a man, she would have behaved better, studied better, had a brighter future, and would have had a say in all matters at home. Unfortunately, she was a girl, and sooner or later she would have to marry. While the Xiluo family could let her manage the household, the Shi family would not let her take charge of everything.

After struggling for a long time, she finally came up with a compromise plan. She first asked the two maids for their opinions. If it was feasible, she would go and tell Mrs. Xiluote. If it was difficult, she would not make any guarantees in advance.

Chunxi and Xiaxi were delighted. With the young woman's intervention, their lives would be a little better. They had been first-class maids, very respectable, by the young woman's side. Once released, it would be difficult to regain that respectability. The best outcome would be to marry a promising husband and become a housekeeper in the future. It was best not to think about finding someone else outside. Given their natural feet, the conditions of the man willing to take them in wouldn't be very good, and their parents wouldn't easily agree.

After hearing what they said, Shujia was silent. Who could have thought that "not having to bind feet", which was a favor given by God in the Qing Dynasty, would become a bondage to them?

Without making any promises, Shujia went to Xiluo Te's place. Xiluo Te sat on the couch and looked at a list of male servants who were old enough to marry, followed by their personal rank, job, and the job of their parents in the palace.

Shujia sat down across from Xiluotai. "Mother, where's my younger brother?" Xiluotai smiled and said, "Your eldest brother isn't on duty today. I took him out to play." She placed the list on the table. Shujia tilted her head to look at it. She had been helping with the housework lately. "What's this? I've already sorted out the list for rewards. Is this a separate reward?"

Xiluo Te smiled and said, "That's not the case." After a moment's hesitation, her daughter would be twelve by the New Year, so she wasn't too young anymore. "It's their marriage list. Chunxi and Xiaxi in your house are also old enough, and the house in your courtyard isn't big enough for them. It's perfect for them to get married, so you can have some free time."

"Mother has decided...who will he marry?"

"I only gave those two girls to you because I thought they were not bad. I certainly can't let them suffer such a fate. What? What do you want to say?"

Shujia hesitated. She didn't have the energy to take care of everyone around her right now, so she could only offer help with the big things she could. She figured that when she got married, the Shi family would definitely want a dowry, so it would be better to have Chunxi as her companion. This would be just what they wanted: marry a promising male servant who could be promoted to a steward, and bring him along so they could all stay together. If conditions allowed, they could buy some property, so that even if they were removed from the family, they would have the confidence to be bullied and looked down upon. Killing two birds with one stone.

After hearing her plan, Xiluo Te smiled and said, "That's good, and very thoughtful." Her daughter had grown up, and it would take less than a year and a half for her to be selected for the imperial examination, and if all went well, her marriage would be arranged. Fortunately, her family's dowry was almost ready. The warehouse was already filled with various silks, and there was enough wood to make furniture. The gold and silver utensils, antiques, calligraphy and paintings would certainly not be out of place. The only thing missing was a son-in-law.

Then Xiluo Te instructed her daughter: "Your sister-in-law has brought people here. You'd better talk to her." They all came from this step. Xiluo Te married several of the maids who came with her as dowry to potential male servants in the mansion at that time. She first controlled some of the resources in the mansion, then slowly expanded her influence, and finally controlled the entire mansion.

Shujia asked Xiluo: "Then what should I say?"

Xiluo Te said, "She should be a sensible person. You can say whatever you want to say. As long as she is clear, it will be fine. I also want to tell you something: after all, she will be the head of the family in the future. How you get along with your family depends not only on how well you get along with your brothers, but also on your sister-in-law. Look at the eldest girl. As soon as she knows your sister-in-law is pregnant, send someone to see her."

Shujia: ...Mother, even if it’s my age in Chinese lunar calendar, I’m only eleven.

Wendu was indeed very understanding. Shujia had just said, "Sister-in-law, our family wants to marry off one of the older maids. Do you have anyone you'd like to marry off?" Wendu asked Shujia, "What are your plans, sister? I've only been married a few days, and I don't know anyone here." Shujia thought she was doing a favor, "I have Chunxi and Xiaxi, and I don't want them to be married off..."

Wendu had just gotten married and remembered all these things clearly. She expressed her understanding for Shujia's approach: "My sister is very thoughtful. She will make a big selection next year. If... it will come in handy next year." After all, it was the dowry that her sister-in-law was going to take away in the end. It would be better for her to mark it out now so that she would have an idea and avoid offending the wrong person.

Shujia was furious. Why did everyone remind her that she would have to deal with this kind of trouble the year after next? It seemed she needed to speed up the process and deal with the elders before the big election.

After careful analysis, Shujia concluded that Hua Shan and Shi Wenbing, especially Shi Wenbing, were the ones who made the decisions regarding her family's most important matters. While others might have a say, the dominant opinions were still held by these two. As for herself, she had the least say in matters that most concerned her.

At the end of the year, everyone was busy. Shujia finished her work and noticed that Huashan was often nowhere to be seen (someone interjected: he was doing something bad with good intentions...). Shi Wenbing, a man with an actual job, was counting the number of people. The money and rice for the bannermen would be distributed in February of the following year, and he needed to check the roster again before the end of the year.

Okay, let's first decide the maids' futures. Sometimes, a man and a woman who appear perfectly matched in every way to outsiders might just not be able to get along, yet they end up being a couple. Hence the saying, "A clever wife sleeps with a clumsy husband." Shujia, however, understood that men have strong pride. If he knew it was his wife who chose him, and then the master gave the order, his future wouldn't necessarily be any easier.

It's always a good idea to give their parents the right to arrange marriages, then give them a hint and have them make the arrangements. Then, give them some gifts and make sure they look good, and it'll be a good marriage.

Things are busy before the New Year, so after falling in love with each other, we have to wait until next spring to get things done.

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Shujia was packing up to go with her mother to visit her little cousin. This cousin, also from the Xiluo family, had given birth to another son in November. He had just celebrated his third birthday. Although he wasn't even a month old yet, Xiluo had become particularly fond of children, especially newborns. Today, she brought her daughter to visit her niece.

Mother and daughter were in the same car. Shujia asked her mother, "It's not even a full month yet, and we're busy at the end of the year. Why did you make this trip?" Xiluo Te said, "Who am I doing this for? You seem to be quite capable of housework, so why are you so clueless about these things?" She straightened a strand of her daughter's hair and said, "You've grown up. It's too late to teach you these things now. I have to take you out more so you can understand the ins and outs of this. Your elder sister got married in a hurry, so she didn't visit many families..."

My cousin's husband is now a doctor, a remarkable achievement for someone his age, though of course, if you factor in his bannermanship, the achievement is somewhat diminished. My cousin also received an imperial decree and gave birth to a son, so she's in a great mood. A woman in confinement, of course, can't leave the house, so she's resting in bed, her son in a stroller.

Being unmarried is a good thing; gifts can be much lighter; a few items of needlework are enough. Shujia had originally prepared a set of small clothes and shoes for her future nephew and niece, but now she's taking these to fill the gaps while she continues working on them. The little cousin seemed delighted. After meeting her aunt and then looking at her cousin's needlework, she thought it was excellent.

Shujia smiled and said, "I just learned how to cut, and I don't know if I can do it. Please don't despise me. When Guanyinbao was this old, I didn't know how to make clothes." The little cousin said, "I think it's very good. Look how dense the stitches are. It will look very lively when worn." Shujia said, "The baby has to grow up well too." The baby was spitting out saliva bubbles, which looked so cute.

After saying goodbye, Xiluo Te praised Shujia. "Being able to find a topic of conversation is a skill. You have to make people want to talk to you. If you can't even communicate, then there's no point in even thinking about how deep the friendship will be." "I came to visit my niece today, and she didn't forget everything and start discussing needlework when she was praised. That's a good thing."

Xiluo Te was thinking about taking her daughter out more often during the year, no matter how tiring it was. She also wanted her daughter to show up more often during family banquets. Shujia was quite upset. Although she had been reincarnated as a baby and had grown up without much contact with human society, she still remembered some skills. They were just here to see the mother and baby, so she just said it casually.

As soon as they entered the house, Zhang Lujia came to meet them and helped Xiluote get out of the car: "Madam, the Empress Dowager in the palace is seriously ill. The master sent a message, asking you to hand over the sign to pay your respects according to the situation." Shujia held Fu Haijia's hand and then got out of the car, her feet paused. The Empress Dowager's health was getting worse and worse. It was normal for an old lady to have some illnesses at her age, but her family regarded this illness as a big deal, which obviously meant that she was seriously ill.

Now, there was no need to visit relatives anymore. Those who were to visit were all officials and nobles. Everyone had to go hand in hand to see the Empress Dowager. Fu Hai's family quickly sent for word to prepare a car for the Countess and re-arranged the entourage.

The Empress Dowager was gravely ill. Kangxi not only personally attended to her, but he even went so far as to offer prayers in the southern suburbs, willingly reducing his own lifespan to hers. He personally wrote the prayers. It's unclear whether Heaven felt sorry for her and didn't want her to die early, or perhaps was displeased with him for not letting her have her way, but on December 25th, the Empress Dowager passed away.

The whole nation began to remove their tassels and change their clothes. What? Did your family make bright red clothes for the New Year? Wear them after the event. When will the event be over? It's still a long time before then. All ministers and women of the second rank and above in the capital were required to go to mourn. Xiluo Te handed over the household chores to Shujia, with Zhang Lujia assisting. Shujia first ordered all festive items prepared for the New Year to be removed, and those that hadn't been ordered were no longer needed. The Empress Dowager has passed away, and you still want to celebrate the New Year?!

Then, the needlework staff had to hurry up and make clothes. The adults had a few plain-colored outfits to keep for the coming period, but who would have the wit to prepare plain clothes for someone like Guanyinbao? And Wendu, a newlywed, had plain fabrics but no clothes. Shujia herself was a young girl, and no one dared to make these for her. Everything had to be made quickly.

She also ordered the servants' clothing inspected and immediately changed, and all jewelry removed. She also reassigned tasks, deciding who would accompany the various masters into the palace and how to prepare meals. Shujia also provided a doctor in case any of her elders fell ill from exhaustion—Hua Shan was already quite old. She assigned each household member their duties, and she checked on them daily. Everything was in good order.

Kangxi's affection for the Grand Empress Dowager was profound, a fact reflected in her funeral. While dynastic custom dictated that funerals should not exceed a year, Kangxi completely ignored this and insisted on waiting until the eleventh day of the first lunar month. Then, Kangxi began his protests. His ministers argued that the emperor's mourning period was 27 months, and that 27 days was enough for him. Kangxi refused to comply, and the ministers continued to submit memorials. Later, over 500 students from the Imperial College joined in, nearly overwhelming him with the snowflakes of memorials.

Kangxi fought with his ministers for three years of mourning for his grandmother, from December to the first month of the lunar calendar, a period of fifteen days. By the first month of his 27th year, Kangxi had exhausted himself and finally yielded. Even if he wanted to wear mourning for his grandmother, it would have been difficult to determine if the situation permitted it. He had been unable to eat, drinking only gruel, walking to the funeral procession, weeping bitterly, and caring for the equally weakened Empress Dowager. His health was unbearable.

While they were arguing, Concubine De gave birth to her third son. It was an unfortunate birth, and while he received all the royal treatment he deserved, he didn't have to worry about the excitement. It was a complete mess.

After the medicine was finally released, everyone went home to take a shower and go to bed. When they woke up, they found that there was a problem.

After the Empress Dowager's death, the Emperor didn't secure a 27-month mourning period, but given his filial piety, the selection of a daughter should be stopped! According to ritual system, sons mourn for three years, while grandsons mourn for a shorter period. However, there is a certain type of grandson that is best served for three years: the so-called legitimate son or grandson. Kangxi succeeded Shunzhi to the throne, and even though he wasn't born to Shunzhi's first wife, no one dared to question his legitimacy.

You can't forbid people from wearing mourning clothes, but you can't force them to choose a concubine less than a year and a half after their grandmother died, right?

If he ignored them, would his sons dare to say, "Dad, I want to get married"? Of course not. Especially since, according to the order of precedence, after the eldest prince, the Crown Prince would marry. His status in the patriarchal system was the same as Kangxi's. While he didn't have to observe mourning as long, he didn't need to rush into trouble while his father was grieving. Besides, the Crown Prince was also saddened by the death of the Grand Empress Dowager. How could he not be sad that someone who truly loved him was gone? Who would dare to speak out if the Supreme Couple wasn't mentioned?

So next year's big selection can be said to be a failure.