The new problem for the future mother-in-law

The main gate of the Summer Resort is called Lizheng Gate. This name has existed since ancient times, but it was appropriated by Emperor Kangxi for this place. The golden plaque with "Summer Resort" is also written in Kangxi's handwriting. Seeing Yinreng's eyes at this time, he sighed again.

The Summer Palace finally took shape during the Qianlong Emperor's reign, when numerous scenic spots were located within the resort and temples stood in abundance outside. While the resort lacked the architectural complexes of later times, its picturesque scenery, with its picturesque mountains and clear waters, was more to Shujia's liking.

The emperor entered through the Lizheng Gate and the Neiwu Gate, arriving at the Danbo Jingcheng Hall. Led by the Empress, the palace ladies escorted the Grand Empress Dowager to the Songhe Qingyue Residence, where they would stay until the Emperor hurried over to take over. Only then did they return to their respective residences.

The entire Summer Resort adheres to the style of a garden residence. Even the main hall, unlike Changchun Garden, lacks yellow glazed tiles, and instead features gray tiles and white walls, a characteristic of residential dwellings. Even the doors and windows are not painted gold or red, but simply plain wood, lacquered either clear or black. The beauty and elegance of the resort are truly captivating, leaving one in awe.

The place was fresh, and the vegetation here was slightly different from that in Beijing, giving it a unique flavor. Especially the lawn behind the palace area, where the patch of "regular grass" was only an inch high, but only so high, shallow enough to cover horse hooves, yet still possessed a vibrant green hue that was truly endearing.

Hongtong put down his luggage and heard about this grassy area. He cheered and started thinking about how to spend some time there. Not to mention that there was no such spacious and comfortable place in the palace, even when he lived in Changchun Garden, he didn't have such convenient conditions!

But before that, he still had to study hard and report to his father. Only then could he ask for permission to go horseback riding and practice his skills.

Hongtong lived farther from the Grand Empress Dowager and the Emperor and Empress. Yinreng was housed in the Yanbo Zhishuang Pavilion, and after he moved into the Danbo Jingcheng Hall, the concubines naturally followed his residence. Of course, the specifics of their living arrangements were a separate matter. This was the main palace area. In fact, the original planning of the Mountain Resort largely followed certain rules. The emperor resided in the central wing, while figures like the Empress Dowager lived in the west wing, and the crown prince lived in the eastern palace.

The Mountain Resort also has an East Palace area, but according to their family's tradition of raising a crown prince, Hongdan will not have the opportunity to come and enjoy it in the short term.

The princes and princesses each had their own residences, but Shujia had strictly forbidden them from going to the water's edge alone. Therefore, although there were lakes and islands within the Summer Resort, they were only used for enjoyment.

Hongtong had a good plan, but he happened to meet his father!

When Yinreng heard Hongtong's application, his face darkened: "Have you finished your studies?" Unlucky princes, don't think that going out means traveling and summer vacation, your homework still needs to continue!

Hongtong didn't particularly care for his father's stern face, though if it were to become so, it would have been the face of a sullen emperor in the Qing Dynasty. Hongtong had grown up with his parents, and their relationship had always been good. He was also lively. It was okay to let off some steam occasionally. Besides, his brother was already the crown prince, so he didn't need to stand out, right? Khan Ama would most likely agree to his request.

Yinreng's expression remained unchanged. "The prince's daily homework is arranged by himself. How can you break the rules like this?"

Hongtong might be a bit of a jerk, but he was no fool. Seeing this, no matter how tempting the meadow was, he had no choice but to give up for now. He said, "I'll follow my father-in-law's instructions." But in his heart, he wondered: What is this old man thinking? Isn't martial arts a good thing?

If Hongdan were here right now, he would have probably figured it out by now. It wasn't that Hongdan was stupid, it was just that he was "out of his element."

Hongtong wants more free time to race horses each day, but his father is both happy and worried. He's happy that his son hasn't forgotten his roots, but he's worried that this kid is still so wild even though he's about to get married! These two ideas sound contradictory, but they are actually one and the same.

It was their origins that brought them to this. The Qing court hated being called "barbarians" the most. Words like "Hu" and "Lu" were particularly offensive. With such a small population, ruling so many was a struggle. The idea of ​​winning people over through virtue sounded ridiculous. However, ruling such a vast country required more than military force alone. They could seize control, but they couldn't rule it.

The principle of cultivating both civil and military skills was set by Kangxi. Only by doing both and making both strong can the rule of the clan be maintained for eternity.

You can't be biased! What can I do with such an unruly personality?

Of course, these are things that those in power have to think about. Even if others think about them, they will not easily bring them up.

Hongtong's ignorance was understandable—no one dared to tell him directly. He had to figure it out for himself. After nearly a hundred years of entering the Pass, the Manchus had become quite sinicized, and many were even more pedantic than the Han Chinese.

Not only was his application rejected, but he was also given extra homework. Hongtong instantly felt downcast. Asking anyone for help with academic matters was pointless. It wasn't like asking for one or two things you really wanted; you could just ask your mom and everything would be settled.

Hongtong grumbled inwardly, feeling that his father was a bit unkind. He had no fun, but he still had to do what his father asked.

Arriving at the school, he ran into an anxious Xu Yuanmeng. It was unclear whether Xu Yuanmeng was just too lucky or too unlucky. During the reign of Emperor Kangxi, he was a cultural teacher for the princes, but because of his poor physical education, he was severely punished by the emperor. Later, for some reason, Emperor Kangxi came to his senses and started promoting him again.

After he stopped being the prince's teacher, Mr. Xu's life became much better and he did a good job as an official. Unfortunately, Yinreng, for some reason, remembered him again and brought him back to be a teacher! Yinreng had a history of abusing his teachers when he was young. Although he later improved a lot for various reasons, he was still a feared person.

Xu Yuanmeng had been teaching for a while and found that the new students and new parents were easy to get along with. He had just breathed a sigh of relief when Hongtong caused him some trouble.

Just when Hongtong returned to class with a droopy head, Yinreng had already sent eunuchs to protest to Xu Yuanmeng!

Teacher Xu had been bullied by students' parents before, so this shock was naturally a big deal.

Hongtong's eyes widened. "What the hell? I just want to ride a horse for a while longer!" His mother was a person who respected teachers and education, and he was also influenced by her. Seeing Xu Yuanmeng so anxious, he was too embarrassed to blame his father anymore and admitted his mistake obediently: "I will study hard."

But he still didn't understand why he was being scolded for something he considered to be worthy of his roots. Could it be that his father had seen through his desire to relax and unwind?

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"Ask Prince Cheng to come see me."

While Hongtong was reading with his head shaking and guessing what his father was thinking, his father was thinking about other things.

Ordinarily, with war approaching, martial virtues should be encouraged. So why was Yinreng unhappy? This has to do with a common trait between Kangxi and Yinreng: demanding perfection. This trait was particularly acute in Yinreng. Even if he intended for his sons to develop their strengths, they couldn't compromise on other areas.

Even if Yinreng was determined to train his sons, Hongtong was about to get married, and he envisioned either Hongxi or Hongtong playing a role in the upcoming war, he couldn't just let them neglect their studies. Even if my son could mount a horse and lead troops, he couldn't be a reckless man whose eyes lit up and he dropped his books at the mere mention of horse racing. We must nip this problem in the bud!

The root is here.

If Hongtong was punished for his neglect of academic subjects, then Prince Cheng was a headache for Yinreng because he was too "bookish". Don't think that reading too much will prevent you from doing stupid things. Prince Cheng was a living example of a stupid person.

Yinreng racked his brains over what to do with him. Prince Cheng had also been unlucky, his rank constantly fluctuating. No sooner had he given him a high position than he'd manipulate his way out of it. Seeing as how several of his younger brothers had been granted the title of Prince, it would be awkward for him to remain a County Prince.

Everyone who was not a prince had their clothing colors adjusted to their rank. Yunzhi was the first in line, a prince, and behind him were his younger brothers, princes. Not only was he embarrassed, but Yinreng also felt awkward. Yunzhi flattered the emperor and Yinreng could not bear to see him being inferior to his younger brothers for long.

But there had to be a reason to raise his title, right? Why not give him a task and let him do it well? After completing it, he would be rewarded. After much deliberation, Yinreng, a fussy fellow, finally came up with a task that Yunzhi was least likely to be confused about: "editing a book."

Yunzhi hadn't been on a mission for quite some time, so upon hearing Yinreng's instructions, he was pleasantly surprised. Editing books was his specialty, and he had Chen Menglei helping him along. He immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will carry out this mission perfectly."

Yinreng thought to himself, "I'll be thankful if you don't make any more mistakes." He also encouraged his third brother: "If you work hard and make achievements, everyone will see it, and I will not forget you."

Yunzhi was encouraged and was happy to start immediately, but said: "Most of the people who edit the book are in the capital. I have been away from the capital for some time, so I don't know the current progress."

"Write a proposal first."

Write a plan first? Okay, Yunzhi agreed readily, got up and took his leave, walking out with a breeze on his shoulders.

Yunzhi returned home in high spirits, only to find his wife looking sad and melancholy. Hongsheng's wife, Xin'an, who had been sitting nearby, moved away because Yunzhi was back. Hearing his father-in-law ask his mother-in-law, "What happened to you?"

Xin An thought: Fu Jin is fine, it's others who are in trouble.

Seeing that it was him, Sanfujin quickly smiled again and said, "No big deal, I just ran into my second sister at the Queen's place today."

This second sister was Princess Rongxian. She should have been in high spirits, but today, she looked a little worried. The Empress didn't need ladies-in-waiting; the wives and princesses alone could fill a whole room. The Third Lady brought her daughter-in-law there, and naturally, she met Princess Rongxian and Prince Xian's wife.

The Third Lady brought Xin'an with her to show off. Xin'an had just arrived in Chengde and had been feeling unwell. She asked the imperial physician to take her pulse, and it turned out to be a pregnancy. Of course, the Third Lady wanted to show off her daughter-in-law; having a legitimate grandson was a first among the sisters-in-law.

Unfortunately, Princess Rongxian's daughter, the newly appointed Xian Wang Fu Jin, was also there. Speaking of marriage, she was still married before Xin An, although it was less than a year, so she was still a newlywed. Princess Rongxian didn't show it on her face, but she was a little anxious in her heart. No matter whether you are an iron hat prince or not, you can't do without a son.

Prince Xian is still young. If there is no news after a year of marriage, it would be natural for him to take a concubine. If he has a son out of wedlock by then, many things will be difficult to handle.

The Third Lady was initially pleased, but later sensed Princess Rongxian's discomfort and stopped talking, turning the topic to the Crown Prince's wedding after returning to the capital. She had diverted the subject on the spot, but when she returned home, she couldn't help but keep her daughter-in-law talking, and the topic was Princess Rongxian.

When one's family is happy, one naturally has the mood to care about others. The Third Lady and her daughter-in-law were worried about Prince Xian's wife, but before they could say a word, Yunzhi came back. The Third Lady did not tell her husband about this, but asked Yunzhi: "Master, you are so happy today, but is there any good news?"

Yunzhi smiled reservedly: "The emperor asked me to revise the book."

"Still repairing the book?"

"Isn't this exactly what I'm good at?"

This book is the Complete Works of Ancient and Modern Books. It began to be compiled in the 40th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, with Emperor Yinzhi supposedly in charge. However, Chen Menglei was the true pillar of the work. Although Yinzhi was a reasonably well-read scholar, he was not a scholarly man, though he was quite ambitious. When Yinreng came to power, he was given a new assignment, which he passed on to Chen Menglei, prioritizing his duties at the Ministry of Rites. This busyness ultimately led to him losing all his assignments and a reduction in rank.

Yinreng had found him this new assignment with good intentions; he was already familiar with the area, and with Chen Menglei's help, it shouldn't be a problem. Yunzhi himself was also incredibly eager to restore the book and potentially gain further rank.

After hearing the whole story, the Third Lady laughed and said, "The Emperor is trying to find a reason to commend you."

Yunzhi also chuckled.

Xin'an waited until Yunzhi finished talking to the Third Lady, then excitedly went to write a plan. Writing a plan without knowing the situation...

Xin'an put on a happy expression and congratulated the Third Lady. The Third Lady was also happy: "This is a great event for our family." My Lord, please don't let anything go wrong again!

Xin'an agreed with Sanfujin's words. If Yunzhi were promoted to a higher rank, wouldn't the entire family's titles also be taken with him? She was also happy.

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The moon shines across the nine provinces, some are happy while others are sad.

The one who is worried is Shujia.

This sorrow was brought to her by Shuyi.

Shuyi is much younger than her sister, but she is also a mother-in-law. Because the third lady mentioned the prince's marriage the day before yesterday, Shuyi suddenly remembered something and stepped forward to hand over the sign to see her sister.

"Sister, have you arranged for an honest palace maid to teach the prince about human affairs?"

Prince Yu's wife's words were like a bombshell to the Queen.

In the era before Aoi-sensei, sexual enlightenment for men was a difficult topic to discuss. Furthermore, with the prevalence of Neo-Confucianism, such matters could not be brought to light. While the royal family had many secret affairs, some things could not be brought to light. Of course, giving the crown prince a lesson in physiology and hygiene was out of the question.

Therefore, the imperial family relied on their conditions, adhering to the principle of "practice makes perfect." This practice often meant giving a graphic-distorted pornographic book and a concubine. Princes weren't so lucky before marriage, enjoying a host of palace maids. They would only accept gifts from their elders; otherwise, the maid would likely be ruined, and the prince would be embarrassed in front of the emperor. Private morality, private morality. Emperor Kangxi's usual practice was to give his son a beautiful woman as a concubine to temper her temperament before marriage. After repeated attempts, affection developed, and he betrayed many of his daughters-in-law.

As for Shujia, she was absolutely against this kind of thing. Whether it was a concubine or a concubine, she disliked it all. Ahem, as long as she was the first wife, she would be quite disgusted by this kind of thing. Shuyi certainly didn't like it either, but after all, her husband having a woman before marriage and her nephew having a woman before marriage were two different things.

After being reminded by Shuyi, Shujia remembered that there was probably no physiology and hygiene class in her son’s curriculum!

I was saying, I always feel like something is wrong. Yinreng's physiology class, ahem, is a practical class. Shujia was already a skilled worker when he got married, so naturally she forgot about the curriculum! Furthermore, in her opinion, a son's physiology education is the responsibility of his father, so it's not right for a mother to bring it up with her son, right? Xiluo Te taught her daughter many housewife skills, but she missed this one: Who gives premarital education that involves their grandson getting married? Shujia has a lot of knowledge about the 21st century, but she forgot to consider the national conditions. Letting Yinreng talk to his son about sex? Most likely, he sent a eunuch to deliver a book to his son. Now that he has a wife, he didn't even have to go through the formalities of giving his son a trial concubine.

Shuyi said, "There has to be an arrangement."

Shujia was in a dilemma. She had never arranged for anyone to become a concubine, so she could only choose a palace maid. Choosing a decent maid shouldn't be difficult, but she hesitated. She could dislike her father's concubine and play tricks on her; she could dislike her husband's concubine and be wary of her. But this upcoming concubine had no conflict of interest with her and probably wouldn't hurt anyone she cared about. She couldn't bring herself to make such a good girl her son's concubine!

Besides, this would be embarrassing for his daughter-in-law. If she gave birth to another illegitimate son, Shujia would also feel it was not right. And what if Hongdan fell in love with this palace girl?

But if you don’t choose…

Can she handle the rules? Don't forget, there's still the Grand Empress Dowager above her. What should she say if the old lady suddenly asks her? The difficulty of this question lies in the fact that Shujia herself is the eldest wife.

Shuyi didn't know what her sister was thinking, so she just said, "You have to teach her a little first, otherwise you'll make a fool of yourself at the wedding."

Shujia has always raised her son according to the standards of a good man, so she felt a little jealous when choosing a daughter-in-law: I raised a good son, who is handsome and not lustful, but he wants to be used by others. Ahem, the Queen picked up a second-hand one back then.

"Let me think about it."

What else is there to think about? But Shuyi tactfully stopped talking.

At the same time, the crown prince who was far away in the capital sneezed and muttered, "Did I put too much ice in the basin?" The eunuch was so scared that he kept asking the crown prince what was wrong.

Hongdan waved his hand, "It's all right, you can go ahead." Then he went to write a memorial to his father. Salt production had entered its peak season, and this year was the first year of the salt administration reform. Judging from the situation in the past two months, the situation was very good, so Hongdan naturally had to report.

At the same time, I also want to report that we have made great progress in preparing for military expenditures. With the increase in salt tax, even if a war breaks out, the impact on the national economy will be minimal.

He had no idea that his aunt and mother were considering his physical hygiene education.

After finishing the memorial in hand, he flipped over another, his ears blushing. This one was about planning the Crown Prince's wedding. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that the Crown Princess's court robes and ceremonial guards were all ready. Hongdan was mildly excited. He had met his future wife once before. She was a nice lady from a well-off family, and she seemed to have a good personality. Should she be easy to get along with?

Because of their status, everyone from the Grand Empress Dowager to Kangxi and Yinreng took him very seriously, fearing he would be corrupted. Shujia, in particular, absolutely did not believe that a boy raised by Kangxi would have any integrity in his private life.

Under such strict surveillance, Hongdan naturally had no chance to "commit a crime," and he grew up healthy and normal. Like all normal boys who had never experienced sexual intercourse, he had some aspirations for marriage. Of course, for Hongdan, like his father, this aspiration was also mixed with a bit of... anticipation for growth.

After the wedding, he would be a man with a family, and his words would carry more weight in the court. Well, it would be even better if he could give birth to a son soon.

He coughed, trying to hide his guilt. Noticing no one was around, Hongdan smiled knowingly and flipped through the folded paper again, finding that the bottom section covered his brother's wedding preparations. He omitted the section about himself and wrote on the insert that he must not treat his brother unfairly.

The next memorial was about some adjustments to Hongyu's mansion, which was nearing completion. Hongdan collected his thoughts and began to carefully consider how to write the insert for this memorial.

The author has something to say: I have a new computer and am getting familiar with it. Sorry for the long wait.