The girl is finally getting married

His family was shocked and heartbroken. Shi Wenbing was surrounded by his wife and children. Seeing his wife's worried look, he felt a surge of emotion and decided to go home. He had already been mentally prepared for his family's reaction; today, he had already been asked about his health by two prominent figures.

Let's rewind the time to this morning -

In the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Kangxi was having a routine meeting with Yinreng, essentially a pre-job training session between the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Today's discussion was about Mongolian affairs. Kangxi pulled out a memorial and said, "Take a look at this first."

Yinreng took it and read it. It was written in Mongolian. The person submitting it was Bunidala, the wife of Zasaktu Khan of Khalkha. "Your Majesty is away at the imperial court. My son Balang and I wanted to go there to tell you about our late grandfather's noble title and Zasaktu Khan's murder. However, due to his death, we were unable to attend. I have come here with my six-year-old son Kesek Taiji. I am a widow and an orphan. I hope Your Majesty will have mercy on me."

Yinreng, fluent in Mongolian, read quickly, but did not close the memorial immediately. Instead, he looked at it carefully again, organizing his thoughts, and then slowly closed it and respectfully placed it back on the table. Kangxi knew from his movements that he was already thinking, so he asked directly, "What do you think?"

Yinreng said slowly, "I remember that Kesek was the youngest son of the former Zasaktu Khan. As he said, a widow and an orphan, this seems to be... a request for a title for his son. The state can also appease him as appropriate, but Mongolia is in a turbulent time now, and I am afraid... a young child is not fit for important positions. Therefore, the court previously decided to appoint Tsewangjab, the younger brother of Zasaktu Khan, as a prince."

Kangxi raised his lip and said, "That's what I mean. I'll order the Court of Internal Affairs to investigate further. If what Bunidala said is true, then his son Kesek will be granted a noble title."

The main topic of the day had concluded. Kangxi was quite pleased with his son's performance. Yinreng, seeing Kangxi's expression, knew Kangxi was also satisfied. Just as they were about to end this successful meeting, Shi Wenbing's green card arrived. Yinreng had already stood up and was about to say goodbye, but now... a little awkward.

Kangxi couldn't help but smile: "Sit down."

Yinreng clenched his right fist, placed it against his lips, and coughed, "Your son obeys your command."

For any official sent out of state, the first thing they had to do upon being summoned back to the capital was to see the emperor; they could not return home. If you arrived in the capital at a lucky time, you could see the emperor and return home that same day. Otherwise, you would have to stay at the post station, hand in your name card the next day, and wait for news. If you were asked to go home first and then see him again in two days, you could do so. Otherwise, you would have to wait until you had seen the emperor.

Shi Wenbing, both of high rank and the future father-in-law of the crown prince, was summoned to the Palace of Heavenly Purity upon his return, having presented his nameplate. Shi Wenbing had also planned his journey well, spending the first night at a posthouse not far from Beijing to rest and recuperate. The next day, he presented his nameplate just as the morning court session concluded. Given his circumstances, he likely could have jumped the queue simply by presenting his nameplate.

Just as Shi Wenbing had predicted, the green-headed stick was handed over, and the recipient, fearing delay, quickly informed Kangxi. Originally, several groups of people had been waiting to see the emperor today, their green-headed sticks already in the process of being sorted, waiting for the emperor to finish his lecture on governance with his son before summoning them. Now... they had to be put on hold.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the kang was warm, and the floor heating had long been turned on. The warmth in the eastern warm room was exceptional. Shi Wenbing had been outside, feeling slightly chilled, but the shock of heat and cold sent a shiver through him. He shivered, rolled up his sleeves, and kowtowed.

Kangxi waited for him to finish his greetings, then took a closer look. He saw that he was wearing a robe with a kirin pattern and a ruby ​​cap. While his attire was impressive, he had become darker and thinner. He asked, "Why have you lost so much weight?" and offered him a seat. Shi Wenbing had already spotted a golden figure beside him, a unique figure among Qing Dynasty men—the Crown Prince!

This was the future son-in-law. Normally, when the father-in-law and son-in-law meet, the son-in-law should greet his father-in-law, but when it came to them, he had to do the other way around. With the emperor in front, it was inconvenient to greet others, and Shi Wenbing was a little embarrassed.

Kangxi smiled and said, "It's just right. You two haven't met alone yet." Shi Wenbing bowed to the Crown Prince again, and Yinreng supported him. Shi Wenbing took the opportunity to stand up and examine Yinreng. This was probably the closest they had ever come to each other. Putting aside the crown prince's aura, Yinreng, a man of both civil and military talents, was indeed a good son-in-law. It wasn't that he wronged his daughter; all fathers felt the same way: they always wanted their daughters to marry a good man.

He took a quick glance, held his breath, and waited for the emperor to ask questions.

The first thing Kangxi asked about was naturally the situation in Fujian.

Shi Wenbing was quite well prepared. "As soon as I received the order, I began recruiting soldiers. It's been less than ten years since the end of the war in Fujian Province, and we need to increase our military standards. If they are old and weak and useless, it would be better not to recruit them. Therefore, I didn't use the established governor's standards. I personally selected new soldiers, trained them first, and eliminated those who couldn't withstand the training. Then I recruited more soldiers, and then eliminated them again. Even now, we are still short of two or three out of ten."

With that, he pulled a pre-written memorial from his sleeve, bowed, and held it in his hands. Yinreng and Kangxi met eyes, and Yinreng personally stood up, took the memorial from Shi Wenbing, and handed it to Kangxi. Kangxi opened it, glanced at the ten lines, and seeing that the general idea was consistent with Shi Wenbing's introduction, he put it aside.

He also asked Shi Wenbing about the recent situation in Fujian: "All I know about Fujian is from the memorials. Since you are from Fujian, you may tell me about it. If you have seen or heard anything along the way, you may also speak frankly."

Everyone knew Kangxi's temper. He liked to ask about trivial matters, then analyze the information he wanted to know from them. Shi Wenbing thought for a moment: "When I arrived, the price of rice in Fujian was... Some places along the way were quite dry... but there were no refugees..."

Kangxi was very pleased. He had lost weight and was doing more work, which showed that he had lost weight due to hard work and was loyal to the emperor. This was very good. Yinreng was also very satisfied. Yes, this future father-in-law was a man of action. No matter how you looked at it, it was a big plus. He asked about Shi Wenbing's health again: "You look much more haggard than in previous years. You should take good care of yourselves. I have kept you here, and you are of great use to me."

Shi Wenbing said, "I will repay your kindness by being torn to pieces."

Kangxi felt relieved and waved his hand: "Don't be restrained." Then Kangxi talked about what he wanted Shi Wenbing to do this time - your daughter is going to marry my son, should we go through the procedures?

Shi Wenbing knelt again to express his gratitude. Kangxi smiled and said, "My prince is known to the whole world; he's very good. I've seen your daughter; she's also very good." He then pulled out a pamphlet and said, "This is the wedding plan drafted by the Ministry of Rites. Take a look. Are there any additions or changes you'd like to make?"

Shi Wenbing shuddered. Normally, when the two families discussed the marriage, it was a matter of negotiation. But when it came to Shi Wenbing, nothing could be said. Being picky? How could he dare to criticize the royal family? Refusing? Where would the Crown Prince's face be? Shi Wenbing replied, "Although I have some knowledge of literature, I am certainly not as knowledgeable as the officials in the Ministry of Rites in these matters. My master is well-versed in ancient and modern knowledge, so why should I presume to teach him? Simply obey my master's orders, and I will do them."

Kangxi laughed heartily: "I will not let these two good children suffer any injustice. Go back and take a closer look. The Imperial Astronomical Observatory has already selected several dates for selection. Once they are ready, the tax will be paid before the New Year."

Shi Wenbing came out to express his gratitude.

Kangxi said to Yinreng, "Are you relieved now?" and gave him a look. Yinreng understood and knelt down to come out.

Yinreng walked out and took two quick steps, just in time to catch up with Shi Wenbing. As Shi Wenbing was walking, he heard footsteps behind him. He stopped and turned around. It was the crown prince. He stood aside, his hands hanging down, waiting for the crown prince to pass by or speak to him.

This time, they were here to talk. The future father-in-law and son-in-law were indeed strangers, and their conversation was mostly general. Yinreng was quite polite to his future father-in-law, starting with a conversation: "I was reading Mengxi Bitan, and Shen Kuo said, 'The grass on the ridges and cliffs never withers in winter.' Is that true?"

Shi Wenbing was more familiar with this one, and gradually relaxed: "... on New Year's Day, people often use flowers as decorations... but the summer is quite hot."

Yinreng smiled and said, "Every advantage has its disadvantages. Since it's a warm winter, you may not have brought enough winter clothes on your journey. It's cold today, are you satisfied?" Shi Wenbing said, "Thank you, Your Highness. My wife returned to Beijing last year and packed some winter clothes for Fuzhou."

Yinreng said, "That's good."

The two men exchanged a few words indifferently, and as they talked, they walked out of the Qianqing Gate. Shi Wenbing had to go home, and Yinreng said, "Then you go back first. I also have things to do from Khan Ama." Shi Wenbing waited for Yinreng's eunuchs to catch up, and then they left the palace and went home.

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At the Shi family, Shi Wenbing returned and first paid his respects to Hua Shan. As a father, and one who always presented himself as a rather unremarkable one, Hua Shan was concerned about his son's health but didn't ask about his well-being. Instead, he acted impatiently: "How did you end up like this?! Like a beggar? Can't you eat a little more to gain weight?! Go, go, go, look at your wife. Don't see any guests today. Let me eat and rest. It seems like the drought in the Qing Dynasty has spread to you! You look so dry, I can't even enjoy my meal."

Shi Wenbing was driven to Xiluo Te's main house. Xiluo Te had already arranged hot water and a change of clothes. She personally took Shi Wenbing's hat and watched the maids help Shi Wenbing wash his face and change his clothes. She was furious and said, "What are these two concubines doing?! They actually take care of the master like this!"

Shi Wenbing said, "I don't blame them. They're just too busy. Although I've been diligent in my duties as an official for many years, I haven't made many achievements to show for myself. This time..."

"Master, Madam, the young lady, the Third Master, the two grandmothers, and the two young men have arrived and are ready to pay their respects to the Master."

Shi Wenbing stopped talking and said: "How can you let a girl run around everywhere?" She is about to get married!

Shujia had heard it outside and immediately joined in: "Greetings to my father. Also, I saw my father at home and he didn't run around."

Shi Wenbing threw down his handkerchief and smiled, "Come on, come on, come on. I can't win any argument with you. Come in." Xiluo Te glanced at him from the side, but out of consideration for his face, she said nothing. In her heart, she wondered: Why is the master so easy to talk to today?

Little did he know that Shi Wenbing's status as the future father-in-law of the world was about to take hold. Today, he met the Crown Prince, a rather nice young man, who reminded him: Your daughter will soon no longer be yours! Shi Wenbing returned home again today after a long absence. As someone who, like Kangxi, had lost his mother at a young age, he yearned for family affection. Finally, there was one more thing: today, he had received the wedding gift, and he had to inform his daughter.

The younger generations came in to pay their respects. Shujia was stunned when she saw this. This... the change was too great. She truly believed the saying, "Men age suddenly." She cried out, "Father," and then choked up. The main reason Kangxi had brought her back in the middle of winter was because she was getting married.

Shujia's knees gave way, but Shi Wenbing quickly helped her up. No one in the family dared to kneel, so they simply bowed. Shujia rubbed her handkerchief as she was helped to a sitting position, feeling rather uncomfortable.

Then the two daughters-in-law kowtowed to Shi Wenbing. Shi Wenbing had come from Fujian with a lot of gifts, but he still had a little. His daughter was getting married, so he thought it would be a good idea to bring home some valuable things he had recently saved up. This would also provide a welcome gift for the rest of the family. This was Jueluo's first time meeting her father-in-law, so she had an extra gift.

When it was Guanyinbao's turn, the child froze for a moment. Xiluotai said, "Come and meet your father." After Guanyinbao finished bowing, Shi Wenbing asked, "Why aren't you going to school today? Didn't your father say you'd already been admitted to the government school?"

Xiluo Te said, "He's like this as soon as he comes back. Don't scare the child. Didn't the master feel particularly cold when he came back? He was fine at first, but then several people in their school fell ill. I was afraid that he would catch the disease. The situation at home is different from previous years, and we can't make any mistakes. Isn't this just asking for leave for him?" Shi Wenbing didn't say anything and gave him something as a reward.

Then they asked Mingxi and Ruixi to kowtow to Mafa. The sight of these two frivolous children kneeling on the prayer mat was quite comical, especially the latter, who was quite defiant. He refused to be held by his wet nurse and insisted on kowtowing himself. As a result—it was winter and he was so overwhelmed with clothing, he looked like a giant ball, making his movements extremely awkward. He knelt down, and with a bang, he collapsed completely onto the prayer mat. Stretching out his limbs through the thick clothing, he fluttered about like a little turtle with its shell pinched, which made everyone laugh.

Shi Wenbing asked his children and grandchildren a few questions about their homework, then said to Guanyinbao, "Even if you don't go to school, you can't neglect your studies at home. Is Mr. Jiang still home?" Shujia said, "Mr. Jiang hasn't resigned yet. I've been studying lately, and I still ask him if I don't understand something." Shi Wenbing said, "We have to put that aside for now. The master gave us the wedding gift today, so let's take a look at this first. If Mr. Jiang has time, have him give the third son a lesson." He then glared at Guanyinbao, "Why aren't you going to study yet?"

Guanyinbao pouted and retreated. Wendu and Jueluo also saw the opportunity and said together, "Let's go see if the food is ready in the kitchen." They took their son downstairs.

Shi Wenbing took out the wedding ceremony and said, "I just got it when I met the master this morning. I haven't looked at it carefully..." Shujia said first, "There's no rush. Besides, we still have the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Father, please go to bed first and have dinner before you look at it. My brothers haven't come back yet, and there's also Mafa. Once everyone is here, we can discuss it later."

Shi Wenbing laughed at himself and said, "I'm almost too busy. I have to go back soon."

"Going back?" duet between wife and daughter.

"Of course I have to go back. A journey of a hundred miles begins with a single step. The previous mission hasn't been completed yet. I was the one who started this. If I leave and the camp explodes right after me, I'll lose everything, both inside and outside."

Shujia looked at Shi Wenbing again. He was dark and thin. It was understandable that busy people, especially those who spent time in hot places, would tend to become darker and thinner. But what really worried her was Shi Wenbing's health. He was so thin he looked frail, and he looked completely sub-healthy. It seemed as if the work of the past two years had exhausted all his energy.

Shi Wenbing was puzzled by the stares, but suddenly realized, "The sun is so strong in the south that people get tanned like charcoal. If you don't believe me, ask your mother. I was just in a hurry and a little tired. I'll be fine after eating and sleeping well."

Shujia curled her lips and said nothing. "Then you rest. We'll discuss this when my brothers return." Then she went back to her needlework. She had already made a set of clothes for Guanyinbao and hand covers for Xiluo, and was currently working on socks for Huashan. Suddenly, she remembered that her father had returned to Beijing and didn't seem to have enough winter clothes. She hurried back to work on the work.

Shi Wenbing ate and rested, and Shujia returned to her courtyard. She secretly resolved to give him a checkup! Although her father had always worked hard and was in good health, it was possible that his illnesses were accumulating, and if they erupted, it would be disastrous. Medical care in this dynasty was still limited, so she had to be careful. If he really ruined his health, his later life would be ruined. Before she traveled through time, there was a professor who worked so hard that he developed stomach problems. At the age of fifty, he could only eat noodles for dinner; otherwise, he couldn't digest them. It was such a pain in the ass!

Shi Wenbing didn't know that his daughter had already listed him as a potential patient. He ate with great relish. After the meal, he said to Xiluo Te, "I saw the court bulletin on the way, saying that my uncle has been appointed as the governor-general. I have to go to his house to congratulate him tomorrow, as I have other relatives to visit." It was not until October that Dong E was appointed as the governor-general of Manchuria by Emperor Kangxi, and Shi Wenbing was still on the way at that time.

Xiluo Te said, "The gift has been sent. I asked Fu Dali to go and offer congratulations in person."

Shi Wenbing let out a long sigh, "That's not what I meant. It's true that our family seems to be getting more and more prosperous these days, but the more we get to this point, the more we must be polite. We can't let others call us frivolous, nor can we let the master call us insecure. That's just the beginning."

Xiluo Te said, "Then you should rest for a while. Why would you go to someone's house in the afternoon? You can send someone to the door with a note first, and then go in person tomorrow. Get some sleep first, and I'll go pack the things you need for tomorrow's visit. Shouldn't that put your mind at ease?"

"Okay."

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After dinner, everyone gathered. Originally, the men were supposed to discuss matters, but Xiluo Te was the head of the household, and Shujia, the client, was of high status, so they were allowed to sit in on the discussion. Today, Shi Wenying was also invited to the meeting, and Qingde read while everyone listened and discussed.

Qingde first scrambled it over, quickly reviewed it, and then summarized, "Well... they've set a few steps: arranged marriage, accepting the bride price, literary engagement, welcoming the bride, and returning to the bride's home. Well... the first three are written, but the last two haven't been detailed yet."

Ordinarily, even if it were being drafted now and there were arguments, it wouldn't be this slow. Previous dynasties had simply modified the rituals of previous dynasties, essentially changing the name. Unfortunately, the current ruling party is a minority, and their customs differ. The old rules can't be used, and they have to create a new process that's no less effective than the previous one. This is a death sentence.

The position of being both emperor and minister was one that didn't allow for the restrictions of previous dynasties, stumping many. Even the term "Grand Wedding Ceremony" was a special permission granted by Kangxi. While it might be verbalized as "Prince So-and-so's Grand Wedding," in written form, the Hui Dian (Collected Regulations) only used "Grand Wedding Ceremony" for the emperor, while the princes used "Hunting Ceremony." And the crown prince, somewhere in between, so which group did he belong to? Kangxi, wanting to honor his son, granted these three special permission.

So after some fuss, the Ministry of Rites has only finalized the details of the wedding ceremony in the first part, and the rest is just an outline.

Shu Jiamo: What have you been arguing about for so long? They brought my father back from thousands of miles away, and then told us that the only three things we can do are arranged marriage, the betrothal gift, and the written engagement!

Qingde continued, "Arranged marriage... the dragon robe for the Crown Princess's father... the betrothal gift... the Crown Princess's parents... the engagement letter... clothes and saddle horses for the Crown Princess's parents..."

During the engagement ceremony, the prince must personally visit his wife's family, while the emperor does not. The crown prince follows the emperor's example. The empress's imperial seal and seal are presented at the betrothal ceremony, but the crown princess's are not, similar to the bride's family. Furthermore, the number of tables at the banquet is limited. The prince's wife's family has fifty tables, while the crown princess's family, after bargaining like buying vegetables at a market, has been reduced to seventy. The crown princess's family also receives more gifts than the prince's wife's family. And so on and so forth.

Then Shujia discovered that she didn't have to show up at all for these three jobs.

Shujia was speechless and finally asked, "What about the rest?" After all this, why don't you tell me when you're getting married?! This is me getting married, okay?

The following matters required the appearance of the Crown Princess, and had to be postponed because - what kind of dress the Crown Princess should wear, what kind of car she should ride in, what kind of ceremonial guards she should use, and what level of ladies-in-waiting should be used to welcome her, have not yet been decided!

Shi Wenying said, "People from the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Rites will come to our house to give us instructions on how to arrange the ceremony."

Shujia really wanted to ask: "What exactly are we discussing here as if it were a big deal?" But after thinking about it, she held back.

All the Shi family had to do was dress up, especially Shi Wenbing, and get new, well-tailored clothes to receive the imperial edict. There was no need to worry about the dowry, as the wedding ceremony specifically noted that the Crown Princess's crown and clothing would be provided by the Imperial Household Department.

This is really a characteristic of China. The more something is raised to the political level, the more troublesome it is, and the more you will realize that all the troubles are really troubles!

The rest of the Shi family, however, had different ideas. They were busy preparing red envelopes for the day's rewards, selecting staff for the day's duties, and drawing up a guest list for their own banquet. They were so busy that they had lost a lot of weight. The officials from the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Rites arrived as scheduled, bowed to Shujia, and said, "Just sit down." Two experienced maids from the Imperial Household Department also accompanied Shujia.

The main participant, Shi Wenbing, was to go to the palace to receive the imperial edict, which had been placed in Jingren Palace in advance. It was then brought out and read out that day. This referred to a marriage.

Then came the Nacai Ceremony and the Wending Ceremony. Shi Wenbing was still the main participant, while Shujia sat in the main room waiting in her best attire. Surrounding her were the female relatives, including Shuxian, Guan, her aunt, and others.

All gifts from the palace, except for the gifts given to her parents and grandfather, and all other gifts for engagement should be packed up and counted as part of her dowry.

After all these formalities were finally completed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Within the Shi family, Shujia's daughter's status was finally confirmed. From then on, Shujia was not allowed to perform formalities when meeting elders, and peers and younger generations were required to greet her. Her courtyard was not open to casual entry; Mr. Jiang was the one who supervised Guanyinbao. Her status dictated her right to speak. She was allowed to do needlework and cooking, but if she had to use the knife, she would be met with a crowd of people kneeling and trying to persuade her to do so.

The happiest people weren't the Shi family, but the Third Prince and his mother's Yue family. Finally, finally... it was their turn! The Fourth Prince was still okay; his wife was still young and could still afford it. As for the Third Prince, Pengchun's new clothes for receiving the imperial decree were ready, but they were almost worn out. There was still no news about him preparing to marry his daughter.

The wedding ceremonies for ordinary princes were readily available; the Imperial Household Department and other departments had already prepared the materials from the day of the grand selection. There was an older prince who had already been married, so all the necessary examples were readily available, making the ceremony very quick and easy. The Imperial Astronomical Observatory had already calculated auspicious dates for the past two years, so the ceremony could be held on the day that was ready.

Seeing that the Shi family had completed their engagement ceremony, Pengchun's family hurried to make new clothes. The grand selection process ended in spring and summer, and now that winter had arrived, the mantle had to be remade. They finally finished it before going to the palace to receive the imperial decree. They went to the Former Qing Palace and received the decree, which read, "The daughter of the Dong E family is now to be married to the Crown Prince Yinzhi as his wife." Then, they cleared the house and waited for the Third Prince to arrive for the engagement.

The same is true for Fei Yanggu's family.

Then… the two families realized they still had to wait! Because the most important aspect of the prince's wedding—the welcoming ceremony—hadn't been decided yet. Like a needle puncturing a full tire, it deflated!

Just at this time, perhaps because he saw that his sons were too happy about their engagements, Kangxi issued another decree: Guo Luoluo, the daughter of the prince consort Mingshang, was to be the legitimate wife of the eighth prince Yinsi.

The whole capital was stunned.

If the fourth child got a child bride, then the eighth child had a child marriage!

It is still an extremely unreliable child marriage.

Not only does this Eighth Concubine not have a father, she also doesn't have a mother! Ordinary families wouldn't choose a girl like this as their daughter-in-law unless they had to. Her father was a prisoner sentenced to death. Even though she's Prince An's granddaughter, if you really compare their circumstances, they'd rather choose a girl with both parents alive and a happy family.

But Kangxi said yes, and so it was! No father? Let her uncle take the order. No mother? Let her grandmother take care of it. That's it! The engagement banquet was organized by Mingzhu and others, and Prince An's family hosted the banquet as the bride's family. Incidentally, this grandmother was not the biological mother of Guo Luoluo's biological mother, Gege, but her legal mother—Hesheli, Yue Le's third wife, and the daughter of Soni.

Shujia should have been gossiping about this legendary, famously devoted couple who had arranged a marriage for their children. But in reality, she was in no mood—Shi Wenbing was ill, seriously ill.

For the past two years or so, he had been extremely exhausted in Fuzhou, personally overseeing military training, and had almost completely exhausted his basic skills. If Shi Wenbing had come from the south to the north in the summer or autumn, he would have been able to slowly adapt to the cold northern winter. Unfortunately, he returned in winter, and the northern winter is truly unbearable. The post stations along the way, however good, were no match for home. His return was met with a severe cold snap, and his health worsened.

Then he was worried about his daughter's marriage. After returning from the arranged marriage, he had some symptoms of coughing and chills. Xiluo wanted to call a doctor, but he stopped her: "At this time, we must not cause any more trouble. If the doctor really comes in, who knows what will be said outside!" Xiluo had to order the kitchen to boil ginger soup to induce sweating, but the condition did not improve.

After forcing himself to finish the procedures, the accumulated problems would always flare up. The whole family was extremely worried - Shi Wenbing didn't look as strong as he had a few years ago. This time, the god of time had stomped on him several times.

The emperor immediately asked a doctor to prescribe medicine. Kangxi was also alarmed and sent the imperial physician. The imperial physician was quite skilled and prescribed a few doses of medicine, which immediately suppressed the disease.

Then, Kangxi issued an edict, declaring that Shi Wenbing could return to Fujian after the first lunar month. Then, someone from the Yuqing Palace arrived and bestowed upon him two whole ginseng plants, each at least three or four hundred years old. The eunuch delivering the edict also said, "The Crown Prince is deeply concerned about your condition."

The whole family thanked her. Shujia thought to herself that ginseng was the right medicine for treating colds.

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This New Year, keeping a low profile was impossible. The Shi family already had many visitors, and now they were even more crowded. The Shi family entertained relatives and friends from all directions, while also visiting relatives and friends themselves. Then came the news of Shuxian's pregnancy, followed by good news from Jueluo and Rong'er. Even more coincidental, the person who sent New Year gifts from Shi Wenzhuo also brought good news—Shi Wenzhuo was going to be a father too.

The family celebrated the passing of the year with great joy. Mrs. Xiluo was even busier as she prepared gifts for Shi Wenzhuo and sent gifts to Shuxian.

After a busy New Year, Shi Wenbing is about to return to Fujian.

Shujia was deeply worried about him. If it were just a normal situation, it would be fine—he could get well and be done with it. But Shujia was overwhelmed by her family's affection, and her thoughts were flooded with thoughts. As Shi Wenbing had said, he still had to travel thousands of miles back to Fujian, then visit the grassroots units... And then, after a while, when the ministers had argued over another etiquette and the next steps in the wedding were underway, would he have to travel thousands of miles back again? During the Lunar New Year, the number of guests visiting doubled compared to previous years, and he was already exhausted.

If I catch up with the force, and just return, I'll start training, exhausted. The result of the quarrel in the capital will be known, and I won't even have time to catch my breath, but ask you to come back—the Crown Prince can't delay marrying a wife. Then continue running? Will I be exhausted to death? I used to have a good foundation, but I'm exhausted now. Now my body has been sick, and I'm getting older, so my physical functions can only decline. How much suffering will I suffer next time?

Shujia said, "They say illness comes like a mountain falling, and goes like a thread being pulled out. There are different types of doctors. Some offer quick results, but others are simply forcing things to happen. Ultimately, careful treatment is essential." She was worried these people might have used some drastic medication that might work temporarily but harm the body later. Life expectancy is short these days, anyway. Shi Wenbing already has grandchildren, so he's considered an elderly man. It's perfectly normal for the elderly to suffer from many illnesses.

The more he thought about it, the more scared he became. He wiped his eyes with a handkerchief and said, "Father came back this time because of me. If he really gets sick because of this, how can I feel at ease? Besides, Father is back to work. How can he do his job well if he doesn't take care of himself? I have never asked Father to do anything. Just think of it as me begging you." In the end, he knelt down, explained the situation to him with reason, moved him with emotion, and finally suppressed him with force.

Her status determined her right to speak; if she said something, it had to be done. Shi Wenbing was startled by her kneeling and had no choice but to agree—how could he bear to kneel like that? While Xiluotai thought her daughter was a little overly worried, she understood—she probably was emotionally swayed by her upcoming marriage. But Shujia's words made sense, and she supported them. Huashan naturally wouldn't object. Fu Dali, a man of filial piety, was a man of great importance, so even if he thought it was an exaggeration, he would strongly support it.

The decision was passed unanimously, and Shi Wenbing was chosen to represent the family. Shujia, representing the entire family, hired Dai Feng, a renowned doctor in Beijing, to accompany Shi Wenbing wherever he went, acting as his personal physician.

Shujia was still worried. At least she knew that men are competitive. They don't want to be doubted, whether in their health or their abilities. If Shi Wenbing was just fooling her and took the patient away, but refused to listen to the doctor, she would be powerless to do anything.

Shujia could guess what Shi Wenbing was thinking. He was going to show off, firstly to fulfill his dream of building a career, and secondly to impress his daughter. Shujia had no doubt he would become a workaholic, and the doctor couldn't follow him into the barracks. He wouldn't listen to her requests for rest, and he forgot to take the medicine she prescribed. It made little difference whether he had a doctor or not.

So Shujia listened to Shi Wenbing say helplessly: "I'll do as you say." Then, she put down her handkerchief, lowered her head, stretched out her hand and drew circles along the rim of the tea bowl, and said softly: "No one is patient enough to carry a doctor behind him. Once the doctor is taken away, we don't know whether you will listen to him or take care of yourself... It's all up to you! We... will just think about you every day." After that, she sighed.

You can use provocation to target children. They're inexperienced, so their minds won't react quickly. By the time they finally realize what's going on, the situation is already decided. However, for adult men, this approach is best avoided. As the saying goes, softness overcomes steel. Provocation is useless; you need to make them feel uncomfortable; that's when they remember.

Shi Wenbing's braids were practically standing on end. He had only accepted the doctor's visit to quiet his family's clamor. He thought, "I've always been in good health. This time, it was probably a coincidence that everything happened at once, and it's just fatigue. Now that I'm fully recovered, why would I need the doctor to keep following me around?"

I had originally planned to send the doctor back soon, but after hearing Shujia's last words, I felt a wave of sadness. I silently said that I would listen to the doctor's words.

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Shi Wenbing bid farewell to Kangxi and departed south, while the court officials continued to argue over the remaining steps for the wedding. Peng Chun, standing in line, was so angry that he wanted to punch both sides. "You guys don't need to do this, do you? The crown prince is the heir apparent. As long as it doesn't violate the rules, what's wrong with a more formal ceremony? If you keep arguing, my daughter won't get married either!"

The Shi family was not in a hurry. Shi Wenbing had just come south, so let him rest for a while!

At this moment, the Ministry of Revenue came to join in the fun again. They said the country needed to deploy troops, and… the expenses for the Crown Prince’s wedding—?

The Ministry of Internal Affairs also jumped out and asked, "Can you first determine what color clothes she will wear so that we can prepare the material?"

What a mess!

Kangxi had another concern: Galdan was a constant threat, and he had to defeat him. Ever since the Battle of Ulan Butong, Kangxi's only thought had been to completely annihilate Galdan. The Ministry of Revenue's words struck a chord with him. He could still afford the Crown Prince's wedding, even if it meant money. But preparations for war were about to begin.

The Shi family then heard the news that Wendu's father, Ehai, had been ordered by Emperor Kangxi to go to Ningxia to stockpile livestock. Soon after, the position of Shaanxi Provincial Surveillance Commissioner became vacant, and Ehai was directly appointed by Emperor Kangxi to take up the position there. Another piece of good news.

Kangxi fell ill during this time. In May, he was too ill to govern, and all affairs were handed over to the crown prince. Suddenly, the tide of discussion at court subtly shifted. It was said that Kangxi had contracted dysentery and needed some time to recover.

The Shi family was initially quite nervous, fearing something might happen to Kangxi. Once Kangxi was safely recovered, they resumed their efforts to prepare Shujia's dowry. The Imperial Household Department was responsible for the Crown Princess's clothing, hat, court beads, belt hooks, jewelry, and even the furnishings for the bridal chamber—some of which required golden fabrics and oriental pearls, items that ministers were forbidden to obtain without authorization—but the Shi family couldn't just sit back and do nothing.

Xiluo Te looked at the list and arranged them one by one.

First, the dowry included farms, fields, and shops. She was given a large farm outside the capital, a prime piece of land acquired by the Prince Yu's palace when they entered the capital. The dowry had been given to the Shi family, and now it belonged to the Aisin-Gioro family. There was also a small farm, only about twenty hectares, but it was quite quiet. She also had six shops in the capital, which collected rent. Considering she was marrying the crown prince, these weren't too much.

Then there were the servants who came with the dowry. If the bride was a prince, it would have been fine. The prince would have his own residence, and the concubine could enter the palace to serve, providing an extra arm of support. Now, if she was entering the palace, the maids who served her had to be useful and able to communicate clearly with the outside world. Shujia's four older maids were selected as such. The concubines just had to be obedient and not abuse their power and do whatever they wanted.

Then comes the jewelry, made of various materials, in complete sets and pairs. Note that except for things like court beads, no single pieces are allowed.

You also have to prepare clothes, which the palace has provided, and you can't do without a dowry, otherwise it would be a laughing stock.

The Shi family still had furniture to make, and Shujia's dowry box needed to be remade. The bride's dowry had to include all sorts of daily necessities. Even if large pieces of furniture couldn't be taken to the palace to measure the room, smaller items had to be made: small cabinets, small tables, jewelry boxes, and various decorative screens—glass, marble, embroidered...

Xiluo Te made a list, called all the daughters-in-law over, and showed it to Shujia: "See if there is anything missing?"

Jueluo looked at it for a while and said, "Would you like some calligraphy and paintings?"

Xiluo Te then asked her to add the four treasures of the study. Shujia counted on her fingers: "How long will it take to finish all this? Half a year?"

Wen Du said, "That's fast. Just the embroidery alone wouldn't be completed in a short time. For example, this hundred-child jacket, stitch by stitch, would take even a skilled embroiderer months. The needlework technicians wouldn't have to do anything else, just preparing the curtains, clothes, and mattresses... a year wouldn't necessarily be enough. They'd have to buy them, and that would take the better part of half a year. Plus, the dowry maids' clothes and accessories have to be prepared. The needlework technicians have to prepare purses for gifts. The girls themselves have to do some needlework for the palace elders."

Xiluo Te said to Jue Luo, "Add this one too," and then continued Wendu's words, "As for household items, we need a bunk bed. I think the palace will have enough space for it. We also need tables and chairs; they will definitely be able to be moved in. As for cabinets and the like... make a few of the same style. If there's room, put them all together, like a large cabinet. If the space is a little narrow, put them individually."

Wen Du said, "Two dressing mirrors are needed. And a target mirror..."

I've listed them one by one. Well, now I just hope that the people above me can argue for a few more days. These things will not be accomplished in more than a year!

From then on, the Shi family's central mission became this, until the Crown Princess returned home and took up permanent residence in the palace. The Xiluo family, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, were busy overseeing Shujia's dowry, while the search for craftsmen was left to Fu Dali and Qingde, who either personally oversaw it or selected trusted personnel.

Shujia also sewed her own wedding gown, a romantic feat she couldn't experience. The decision about her wedding attire was made by someone else. She crafted various purses, preparing them for the Empress Dowager and others, and the maids in her chambers also made them as gifts. Xiluo Te even collected various gold and silver ingots to fill the purses.

Miss Zhou discovered that something was wrong with Shujia, and she personally went to find Xiluo Te and said, "The young lady sews until the second watch every day and is not idle during the day. You should try to persuade her."

When Xiluotai came to Shujia's room, she found that she looked more energetic. By energetic, she was thinner, taller, and had a stronger presence. Shujia was holding a half-finished jacket in her hand, which was for Shi Wenbing.

Xiluo Te asked Hongxiu, "How many have you done, young lady?" She looked through the books and saw some for Huashan, her brothers, her younger brother, and even her little sister who was still learning to walk... Xiluo Te gasped, "What are you trying to do?" Then she sighed softly, "Are you reluctant to leave home?"

Shujia lowered her head and sewed. She couldn't feel at ease these days unless she was constantly busy. She knew that her current state, in a few hundred years, would be considered premarital phobia, but she wasn't really afraid. There was nothing to be afraid of. She was willing to risk her life to dethrone the emperor. She just couldn't bear to leave. Whenever she had some free time, she'd think, "I'm leaving here, I'm not going to see these people anymore." Such emotions could drive a person mad.

Mrs. Xiluo watched her daughter sew with such skill that at any other time she would have felt pleased, but now she felt only sadness. Mother and daughter, one sewing, while the other sat quietly watching. The maids and servants dared not utter a word. The room was eerily quiet. After a long moment, Mrs. Xiluo said, "I won't stop you. Don't do this at night. Do it during the day."

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During these busy days, time quietly passed to the 33rd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. The Ministry of Rites finally drafted the appropriate treatment for the Crown Princess and established detailed rules for the welcoming ceremony. The Imperial Household Department was finally able to purchase and produce according to the list.

"The Crown Princess's court attire is golden yellow... The crown is three layers of gold, adorned with twelve oriental pearls and rubies, and three sets of court beads... The hairpins are inlaid with the inscriptions of "all blessings" and are in full distribution... The court beads are arranged in a set of beeswax... The long hairpins are inlaid with kingfisher feathers and are paired..." Yinreng read the list, still not satisfied. He was still not satisfied with the ceremonial procession for the Crown Princess. The number was only ten more than that of the prince, which was not impressive enough. He secretly noted down the person who suggested reducing the number. This was not only to protect his wife, but also to determine the political leanings of the court officials through this ceremony.

Everything was ready, except for the Imperial Household Department to prepare all the necessary items for the Crown Princess, and then to bring the Crown Princess's father back from a great distance to marry his daughter. Even the death of Prince Yu Fuquan's mother, Concubine Ning Que, could not prevent Kangxi from accelerating his son's marriage.

Kangxi's heart was pounding. His father had died of illness in his youth, and his grandfather had only lived to the age of fifty-three. He was now forty-one, and had fallen seriously ill the previous year. He couldn't help but think about it, and vowed to see Yinreng give birth to a legitimate son before he died, so that he could personally teach him and have the pleasure of doing so.

In September of the 33rd year of the Kangxi reign, Shi Wensheng was appointed Governor of Guizhou and, that same month, was promoted to Governor of Yunnan. Shi Wenbing was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Plain White Banner of the Han Army. The Shi family breathed a sigh of relief; Shi Wenbing had returned, and the wedding date was approaching. Sure enough, an imperial decree was issued that same day, concluding the wedding in May of the following year.

Relatives from all over the Shi family also sent gifts as dowry. Because they didn't know when the wedding would end, everyone prepared early, fearing they would be late. Shi Wenzhuo bought various fabrics and cloths and sent two large boxes.

Shi Lin had been the governor of Yunnan and was now the governor-general of Guangdong and Guangxi. The old couple had a good impression of Shi Wenbing's family, so they gave them valuable gifts, including local ivory products, two boxes of gems, a Western clock, a gold-cased pocket watch, and so on.

Shi Wensheng also served as an official in various places and had a considerable collection. When he first arrived in Yunnan, he was afraid that giving Shi Wenbing something too expensive would attract attention and appear to be a money-making stuntman. So he gave Shi Wenbing something more elegant, such as a few inkstones.

In addition, there are other relatives and friends, and I can remember them all one by one.

These things arrived earlier than Shi Wenbing's! They arrived in Beijing together with the New Year gifts before the New Year, while Shi Wenbing had been on the road for more than two months and only returned home after the New Year.

Shi Wenbing came back lying sideways. Fortunately, he was still alive.

According to Zhang Lu, who was following them, this was a close call. Hua Shan hit him on the head with his pipe: "Old fellow, tell me what's important!"

"The master set out as soon as he received the order, but unexpectedly fell ill on the way. He first caught a cold, but he insisted on continuing his journey. He got worse when he reached Jiangsu, but he still had to hold on. Fortunately, Mr. Dai took care of him, prescribing medicine and giving him medicine along the way. He also changed carriages and didn't ride a horse again..."

"Stupid thing! Still want to ride a horse?!" Hua Shan was furious, not caring that his grandson was still there, and he cursed. He could only curse. The man was half dead, was he really going to beat him to death?

Dai Feng, the accompanying doctor, was furious after hearing Zhang Lu's favor, telling him, "It was our second daughter who specifically asked someone to invite you to treat the master's health." If anything happened to Shi Wenbing, wouldn't this young lady hate him to death? He said bluntly, "Old sir, please don't be angry. You should be thankful. Fortunately, I prescribed the medicine and gave you the medicine as soon as I felt something was wrong. If you hadn't found a village or an inn halfway, and had been delayed for another day, you would have developed tuberculosis!"

Hua Shan stopped cursing and rolled his eyes instead—he was frightened. Tuberculosis, in this day and age, is practically a terminal illness. And the fact that it's still on the road, with a shortage of medical care and medicine, is terrifying just thinking about it.

The Shi family also received the imperial physician sent by Kangxi and ginseng sent by Yinreng.

Okay, the wedding isn’t until May anyway, at least he’s back, so you should take good care of yourself!

The author has something to say: Just flap your butterfly wings!

I forgot to write a notice about my suspension yesterday, so I made everyone waste a whole day. I feel really bad about that. Today I came back to supplement yesterday's content, and then read the comments. I will reply to everyone's comments first.

As usual, one, two, three.

First of all, there was no update yesterday. Regardless of whether there was a promise of daily updates or not, it was because I did not notify you in advance.

Let me explain here. As a coder who has to work during the day, I arrive at the dormitory at 5:30 at the earliest. I need to eat, take a shower and wash clothes in the hot weather. This does not leave me much time to write, and this is when there are no gatherings with colleagues. Therefore, updates will not be very early, and there is no way to know in advance whether I will have to work overtime. Even if everything is normal and I come back to write, I can't know whether I will be stuck tonight. I may not be satisfied with the work by the end, and it will be very late at that time. So if you can't wait for an update at 11 o'clock, don't wait.

As for those who have left because of a lack of updates, let's part ways amicably. I've tried my best to update to this point, so if you find a better article, please come and tell me. Let's follow the good articles together, no rating required.

Then, I never delete posts. If you find that a post is gone, please contact Jinjiang. This is a crazy general receiver. It is either gone or deleted. Another situation is that if a message has too many replies, it will become a topic and appear on the right. Students who want to see it can check it out by themselves.

Finally, I know Guan Da, the author of "The Story of Minglan," recommended this article. It was everyone who told me about it. First it was Yan Yan, and then today's comments. I don't know how many people found this article because of it, but I'm grateful regardless. I need to say here that I feel I need to apologize to her. I saw a comment that's become a hot topic now, so you can find it if you look it up.

I've always believed that writing is for people to read, and naturally there will be good reviews and bad reviews. Since I'm allowed to write, it's also allowed for some people to dislike it. If you think my writing is bad, you can't bear to read it, you can't continue, and you feel disgusted and want to express yourself, that's okay. Your comments will also help me discover my own shortcomings.

But don't bring anyone else into this! That's enough! If you like her writing, feel free to enjoy it without dragging anyone else into it. As for recommendations, let's just say everyone has their own preferences. Just because someone likes apples doesn't mean they shouldn't enjoy durian. It's easier to simply enjoy a piece of writing. This isn't a blind date; you need to like someone from the inside out.

above.

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Furthermore, the Veritable Records record that Shi Wenbing was promoted from General of Fuzhou to Commander-in-Chief of the Plain White Banner in September of the 33rd year of the Kangxi reign. If he died on his way back to Beijing, it would have been November of that year. This article adopts this interpretation. The record states that Hua Shan died in the summer of the 34th year, and Shi Wenbing attended the funeral. This suggests that Shi Wenbing was already Commander-in-Chief and would have been in Beijing (assuming that was the year of the imperial selection of concubines, so the Commander-in-Chief would have been in Beijing to handle affairs). Death on the way back to Beijing seems difficult to explain.

I think Hua Shan lost his son in old age, which was a big blow. He died after attending his granddaughter's wedding. As for the delay of the wedding due to Shi Wenbing's death, it can only be said that the Empress Dowager or Emperor Kangxi died.

After spending ages compiling the wedding ceremony, I've come to realize that perhaps it's perfectly normal for the ministers to argue so long—it's simply not something that could be created overnight. I wasted so much time researching the emperor's wedding and the prince's wedding ceremony, only to end up with nothing in my head. OTZ...

Finally, today is the birthday of Meat Brother Pang Pang. Here is a very fat chapter.