105 in power
◎In the bedroom, scattered robes gradually spread from the window to the bedside.◎
The night before the wedding, Mrs. Meng took advantage of the moonlight to go to Leyouyuan.
The female officials in the palace had already moved into the mansion half a month ago, and according to the ceremonials of the emperor and empress's wedding, they taught the empress the etiquette and rules of receiving the imperial decree and visiting the temple.
The number of palace guards outside Leyouyuan was doubled. The wife of Marquis Xuanping was the biological mother of the Empress, so the female officials did not stop her after paying their respects.
"Madam, please."
There were bright candles lit in the bedroom, and on the table was the list of dowry that the Marquis' Mansion gave to Gu Ningxi.
Every woman who married into the palace had a set dowry. The Xuanping Marquis's residence meticulously managed Gu Ningxi's affairs, and she only regretted not being able to add a little more.
"Mother."
Gu Ningxi supported his mother who was about to bow and signaled the maid in the room to leave.
With her daughter's wedding approaching, Mrs. Meng is filled with mixed emotions.
Xier is going to the place that everyone in Kyoto envies. As a mother, Mrs. Meng cannot help but worry about her daughter.
In the candlelight, she looked at her daughter, who had grown into a beautiful and graceful girl, and unconsciously recalled her cute and clever appearance as a child. It seemed like just a blink of an eye, and her Xi'er had reached marriageable age.
"I still remember the comment that wandering Taoist priest gave you when you were born. He said your destiny was extremely precious, but your past life marriage was regretful, and your current life marriage might be bumpy as well."
Mrs. Meng couldn't help but think these days that since Xier had married into the palace as queen, the Taoist's words had come true halfway.
"Mother, fate can be changed." Gu Ningxi shook Madam Meng's hand. "Before we got married, Your Majesty and I consulted at Chongsheng Temple. The master said that as long as I work hard, my dreams will come true."
Gu Ningxi knew how to reassure his mother. Twenty years had passed since the Taoist's comments, and Mrs. Meng also believed in the master of Chongsheng Temple.
The mother and daughter had a heart-to-heart talk. Although she was married into the imperial palace, if Gu Ningxi missed her mother, they could meet often.
Madam Meng wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and said, "You'll have to dress up tomorrow morning. You should go to bed early tonight."
She had another purpose for this trip. Mrs. Meng took out two booklets from her sleeve and quickly stuffed them under Gu Ningxi's pillow.
"Learn well before your wedding night, don't be clueless."
She was afraid that her daughter would be shy, so after telling her this last thing, she quickly got up and left the dormitory.
Gu Ningxi asked the maid to send her mother away. After returning to the bedroom, she looked at the corner of the book sticking out from under the pillow and took it out.
After taking a shower and changing into her pajamas, she leaned on the pillow and leisurely flipped through books to pass the time.
These two books of fire avoidance are drawn in a standard manner and have ordinary styles.
Gu Ningxi's heart was not disturbed. He gradually felt sleepy, so he extinguished the candle and went to sleep.
The entire mansion was immersed in tension and busyness that night, and Madam Meng and Marquis Xuanping almost couldn't sleep all night.
At dawn, at three quarters past three in the morning, Gu Ningxi was gently awakened by Yin Lan and Yin Zhu.
Today is the ceremony of enthroning the queen. All the ceremonies are grand and complicated. Preparations started at the hour of Yin and are very tight.
Led by Aunt Sun and Aunt Zhao, the maids doing their makeup came in one after another.
Gu Ningxi was already familiar with the two of them, and she sat down in front of the dressing table skillfully.
The morning glow bathed Leyou Courtyard. Madam Meng, Madam Shen, and the women of the Gu clan arrived early. Because the house was bustling with activity, everyone except the two wives of the Marquis Xuanping waited in the side rooms, occasionally offering assistance.
The hair bun worn during the empress's coronation ceremony was called the Yaofeng Hanzhang bun. Aunt Sun held the ivory comb, assisted by four maids. From the hour of Yin to the middle of the hour of Mao, Gu Ningxi watched as her dark hair was pulled up strand by strand, the gorgeous and solemn bun gradually taking shape under Aunt Sun's skillful hands.
She couldn't help but say, "This hairstyle is even more complicated than last time."
Aunt Sun smiled kindly. There was a lot of noise in the room, and Mrs. Meng somehow overheard it. She asked in confusion, "What last time?"
"Mother, did you hear it wrong?" Gu Ningxi also had a puzzled look on her face.
Mrs. Meng originally thought that she was being overly suspicious, so she stopped asking questions and continued to confirm Xier's wedding ceremony with the ceremonial officer.
Madam Shen took people to count the dowry for the last time. Compared with Madam Meng's joy and worry, the feelings in her heart were even more complicated and indescribable.
She gazed at the twelve-branched hairpin, gleaming in the morning light. This was a privilege afforded only to the empress of a nation. Court ladies, even those of the highest rank, could only wear seven-branched hairpins. Each one was adorned with precious pearls and jade, its center a phoenix crown holding a pearl. The exquisite craftsmanship of the twelve hairpins was a testament to the high regard His Majesty held for the empress.
Madam Shen tossed and turned for several sleepless nights. Wan'er's marriage had been enough to make her proud, but she had never imagined Ning Xi would be so fortunate. Taking advantage of the opportunity offered by her appointment to the imperial court, she had become childhood sweethearts with the current emperor, stepping into the harem and becoming the mother of the nation.
Ever since they married into the Xuanping Marquis's mansion, Madam Shen had been in charge of the household affairs, suppressing Madam Meng for most of her life. Now that everyone in the mansion respected the other, how could Madam Shen feel good?
But she knew the principle that everyone benefits when one person prospers. Everyone in the Marquis's Mansion was looking forward to having a queen, and the status of the Gu family would surpass that of the Ningguo Mansion.
With a heavy heart, Madam Shen diligently reviewed and approved the final dowry list. Since Mrs. Meng was not competent, she still managed most of the wedding ceremonies at the Marquis' Mansion.
Everything was arranged in Leyou Courtyard, and Madam Chen and Madam Meng also returned to the courtyard to put on their makeup, waiting to send the Queen out at six o'clock in the morning.
As the auspicious time approached, Gu Ningxi put on her formal dress. Aunt Sun and Aunt Zhao together pinned twelve flower hairpins on her head and then carefully decorated her.
Amidst the chorus of ritual music, two envoys arrived bearing imperial seals, welcomed by the Emperor himself. Marquis Gu and Marquis Xuanping came out to greet them, and the two exchanged greetings. The chief envoy for the ceremony was Prince Yu, and his deputy was Minister of Works Pei Jian, both highly respected figures at court.
The Yan Di chariot that the new empress rode was waiting outside the residence of Marquis Xuanping. The entire chariot was decorated with gold, jade and colorful paintings. The phoenix on the top flapped its wings towards the morning sun, as if ready to fly, and the phoenix feathers made of gold threads sparkled.
The imperial guards cleared the way, and the street in front of the Xuanping Marquis' Mansion was filled with people who came to watch the ceremony.
The sound of ritual music was deep and long, and the main gate of the Xuanping Marquis Mansion was wide open.
Gu Ningxi covered her face with a round brocade fan with a pattern of golden phoenix reflecting the moon, and the tassels hanging from the twelve-tree flower hairpin concealed most of her features.
Wearing embroidered shoes on the brocade carpet, Gu Ningxi boarded the Yan Di carriage.
The chief and deputy envoys of the conferring ceremony were in front, the ceremonial procession was solemn and graceful, and the Yan Di carriage drove towards the palace.
Madam Meng stood beside Marquis Xuanping, watching the golden and green ceremonial procession gradually go away, tears in her eyes.
The Hanyuan Hall where the enthronement ceremony was held had been newly decorated, and all civil and military officials were waiting there with their tablets in hand.
The carriage stopped in front of the jade steps. Gu Ningxi looked at the majestic hall bathed in golden light, feeling both strange and familiar.
She climbed the jade steps. She had been to Hanyuan Hall countless times when she attended court in the past, rising from a sixth-rank Qingyi Hanlin to the position of Zhongshu.
And today, she was enthroned here and officially became the Queen of Dajin.
All the ministers bowed their heads. Lu Jing stood on the high platform, watching his beloved girl walking towards him step by step.
The dress was spread on the golden bricks, like a splendid painting with flowing light and color.
In the main hall, Prince Yu read out loud the decree of enthronement of the empress and the imperial seal, and Gu Ningxi formally took over his own decree and seal.
The envoy retreated down the stairs, and Lu Jing helped Gu Ningxi up with both hands.
All the ministers kowtowed again, and shouts of "Long live the emperor" resounded throughout the hall.
"Your Majesty has established a queen, and she is now the empress. This is truly a blessing for the nation. We, your subjects, congratulate Your Majesty and respectfully welcome the Empress. Long live Her Majesty!"
After the enthronement ceremony, Lu Jing took Gu Ningxi's hand, and the two of them rode in the same carriage, heading to the altar to perform the Heavenly Sacrifice. They then paid homage to the ancestral temple, offering sacrifices to the Lu family's ancestors, and enthroning Gu Ningxi as the Empress of the Great Jin Dynasty.
After all the ceremonies were completed, she ascended the throne in Kunning Hall, and the ladies from both inside and outside the palace came to congratulate and pay homage to the new queen, wishing her a long and healthy life.
After being busy for most of the day, Gu Ningxi was able to take a short break in the back hall in the afternoon.
At dusk, Aunt Sun and Aunt Zhao touched up her makeup again, and the wedding ceremony was ready in the main hall.
A pair of red candles with golden dragon and phoenix patterns were lit in front of the hall, and the lights in the hall were bright, illuminating the luxurious and festive decorations in the hall.
Gu Ningxi and Lu Jing sat together in front of the couch, each receiving a cup of wine from the ceremonial officer. The two cups were tied together with a red string, symbolizing "eternal love."
They took a sip of each other's wine and then exchanged it, which meant "husband and wife are one, controlling the world together."
The wedding ceremony was completed, and the one-day ceremony of enthroning the queen was thus completed.
The maids filed out and closed the hall door.
Only Gu Ningxi and Lu Jing were left in the bedroom. She breathed a sigh of relief and immediately felt much more relaxed.
When she was about to take off the heavy twelve bouquets of flower hairpins, Gu Ningxi noticed that the other person's gaze was still on her, with joy in his eyes.
Gu Ningxi smiled: "It's not your first marriage, why are you so happy?"
The candlelight flickered, and Lu Jing quietly looked at the beautiful girl in front of him.
When she married him in the empress's attire in front of the whole world, he felt an indescribable joy and incomparable fulfillment in his heart.
It’s as if the regrets and debts that could not be made up in the previous life are made up in this life.
The tassels of the twelve tree flower hairpins sway gently, and the brilliant light flows.
He wanted to remember her appearance at this moment firmly in his mind.
The moonlight is bright, and a pair of red candles with dragon and phoenix patterns burn until dawn.
…
On the fourth day after the wedding, Gu Ningxi began to take charge of the harem.
The eight heads of the inner court and the six female officials paid their respects to the new queen. Gu Ningxi read the palace rules and regulations, and all the accounts that had been sorted out over the past three years were clear and understandable.
For the past twenty years, the Empress Dowager had been in charge of the harem, keeping all palace affairs in perfect order. Gu Ningxi hardly had to worry about anything and could take over everything.
The Empress Dowager also ordered someone to send her her experience in managing the harem, as well as the strengths of the female officials and stewards, so that Gu Ningxi could identify people and assign them to the right positions and get started as soon as possible.
Furthermore, the harem was quiet and deserted, so it wouldn't consume too much of Gu Ningxi's attention. By the time the New Year had just passed, she had already become familiar with harem affairs and assumed her duties as the head of the imperial palace.
The first imperial decree issued by Gu Ningxi was to select Gu Ningwan, a first-rank imperial lady and wife of Duke Qi, as the fifth-rank palace lady in the harem to help her manage palace affairs.
The Duke of Qi's Mansion is not far from the imperial city. My sister can enter the palace five or six days out of ten days and still live in the Duke of Qi's Mansion.
Just like before getting married, Gu Ningxi still participated in government affairs.
It was spring, and it was time for examinations of officials. Officials in this dynasty took a small exam every year to determine their rank, and a major exam every three years, combining the three scores to determine promotions, demotions, rewards, and punishments.
During his reign, His Royal Highness the Prince of Shu established the "Four Virtues and Twenty-Seven Highests" as the standard for evaluating officials. The "Four Virtues" emphasized the moral character of officials: "One is known for virtue and righteousness; two is clear, prudent, and clear-minded; three is fair and just; and four is diligent and unwavering." In short, "virtue, prudence, fairness, and diligence" became the formal standards upheld by officials throughout the Jin Dynasty. The "Twenty-Seven Highests" set twenty-seven performance requirements for officials based on their respective positions. For example, "selecting and evaluating individuals and promoting the best" was the high standard for the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War; "making decisive decisions without hesitation and giving and dismissing officials with fairness" was the high standard for adjudication, applicable to the chancellors of the nine temples and five regents.
The "good" and "best" grades obtained by officials are divided into nine grades, among which one best and four good grades are the best, one best and three good grades are the upper-middle, and by analogy, those who are proficient in their duties but have no best grades are the middle-lower, and those who are flattering, deceitful, corrupt and have appearances of corruption are the lowest.
During the reign of the King of Shu, the "Four Virtues and Twenty-Seven Mosts" were largely complete and continued in use after improvements were made during the Xin Dynasty. The imperial court's official assessments were handled by the Ministry of Personnel's Examination and Reward Office, with the Examination and Reward Langzhong and Examination and Reward Yuanwailang, respectively, responsible for evaluating officials below the fourth rank. Officials above the third rank were mostly heads of central government departments or local prefectures, and their assessments were reported to the emperor for personal judgment.
Lu Jing has been busy with this matter recently. After Gu Ningxi finished his own business, he moved to the west desk with great interest and looked through the examination reports of low-ranking officials of the sixth and seventh ranks.
Lu Jing occasionally looked up at her, a smile in his eyes. Sure enough, within a cup of tea, Gu Ningxi had picked out the memorial belonging to Lin Qi, the son of the Duke of Ning.
She skimmed through it first, then reread it twice. The two examiners and four assistant examiners of the Ministry of Personnel were appointed by Lu Jing himself. Gu Ningxi praised him, "Your Majesty truly has a keen eye for talent."
In the past, when the King of Shu ordered the Ministry of Personnel to evaluate officials, although they set detailed requirements, they often acted moderately and compromisingly, taking into account personal feelings. For officials like Lin Qi, who came from noble families, the Ministry of Personnel always showed some bias, setting rather flattering evaluation forms.
Hearing Gu Ningxi's unabashed praise, Lu Jing's smile widened. Official evaluations are designed to reduce incompetence and neglect, and serve as a crucial basis for promotions and demotions. If one were simply being affectionate and considerate, why would one mobilize so many troops?
Gu Ningxi, seeing Lin's poor score in chess, declared him "betraying the public interest and pursuing private interests, leading to the loss of his position." Not to mention that his schemes against his fiancée were well known to everyone, his three years in office with virtually no achievements alone made his exile from the capital a certainty.
Gu Ningxi opened the map and prepared to choose a good place for him.
She admitted that she had some personal revenge, but so what? If he was so incompetent and lazy, who else could he demote?
Falling into her hands was what Lin Qi deserved.
Gu Ningxi thought excitedly that she could tell her sister when she entered the palace one day. With Lin Qi's talent and ability, he wasn't even worthy of carrying her sister's shoes.
Taking Lin Qi as an example, a new trend was evident in the court. During the reign of the retired emperor, many sons of aristocratic families were appointed officials.
Now that the four borders are gradually stabilizing, these sons of nobles who have received rewards without any merit and have been occupying positions without doing anything will be cleared out of the court, and important positions in the court will be reserved for knowledgeable people with real talents and practical work.
Lin Qi bore the brunt of the attack, and Gu Ningxi personally drafted the decree, using him to intimidate the court. The Jin court had no room for such idlers.
Not only should we demote incompetent officials, but we should also select talented and capable ones.
The March Spring Examination was to be presided over by Gu Ningxi. She also needed to have her own confidants in the court, otherwise her participation in politics would be like a castle in the air and would be difficult to convince the public.
Holding an imperial examination to recruit scholars is a good opportunity now.
Besides, Gu Ningxi was a top-ranked scholar, and was seven points more familiar with the imperial examination than Lu Jing. He was also well aware of the malpractices in the imperial examination over the years.
There were more than two months left before the Spring Examination, so she had time to revise it.
Lu Jing and Gu Ningxi gradually came to an agreement: of the six ministries, Lu Jing would oversee the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Justice, while Gu Ningxi would gradually take over the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Works. Foreign military operations remained Lu Jing's primary responsibility, while the remaining lesser government affairs were handled by those with free time.
The two of them would discuss and consult, often finishing the day's affairs by the afternoon, leaving them with plenty of free time in the evenings. They could play chess and drink tea, or paint and admire the scenery. On days when both of them had free time, they could go horseback riding in the imperial gardens or practice archery in the training grounds.
Gu Ningxi's archery skills have improved a lot, but it would still embarrass Lu Jing if he used it.
But it didn't matter. Gu Ningxi shot the arrow cleanly and was very satisfied with himself for hitting the target.
The weather is getting warmer and spring flowers are blooming one after another.
There is a special kind of interest in appreciating flowers under the moon.
Lu Jing pinned a newly opened crabapple blossom on Gu Ningxi's temples, and her eyes were full of charm that could captivate the soul.
The bright moon was silent, and the scattered robes in the bedroom gradually drifted from the window to the bed.
The last piece of clothing flew out of the tent, and the spring scenery was beautiful on the couch, with crabapples in full bloom.
Although it is not early morning, the flower stamens are already full of crystal dewdrops.
"There will be a court meeting tomorrow!" Gu Ningxi, with blushing cheeks, was unable to push him away and used words to warn the person who was reluctant to leave.
"Do you still want to attend the morning court tomorrow?"
To Lu Jing, who still had plenty of energy, it sounded like Gu Ningxi could agree to do it again.
He readily followed suit, shifting the person's position and holding her beneath him. Gu Ningxi couldn't see him, her fingers clutching the brocade quilt, sensing his movements, the curtains swaying more rapidly.
The moon is bright and the wind is clear, and the spring scenery is endless.
【Author’s words】
I'm not in a good state today [poor] I have 11,000 extra chapters tomorrow, I will slowly make up for it~
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