The young women lined up in rows according to the rules, and then in groups of six they stepped forward to bow and pay their respects to the Emperor.
The term "秀女" (xiù nǚ) sounds like a beauty pageant, but in reality, it is quite different from a beauty pageant. At least, not everyone who makes it onto the list is necessarily a great beauty.
Emperor Kangxi valued family background more when selecting candidates for his tablet. Of course, for the sake of visual appeal, he would also select some candidates who were talented and good-looking but came from ordinary backgrounds.
After all, besides having to consider family background when bestowing marriages upon members of the imperial family, his harem also needed to be filled. He was the emperor, and now he had control of the entire court, so naturally he didn't need to be influenced by maternal relatives to favor women. He also liked pretty women!
Furthermore, some should also be left for the sons.
In Kangxi's view, a good wife should be dignified, virtuous and good at managing the household, while concubines and princesses should naturally be pretty, to amuse and entertain.
So when Kangxi looked at the list and compared the appearance and talent of the candidates, he began to keep or discard nameplates.
Shuyuan, Tong Yunyao, and Guarjia, whom Kangxi valued and who was to be given to the Crown Prince, were all in the same row. The six of them stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and were then asked about their talents. They were required to give a live performance.
The Empress Dowager looked at the six pretty girls standing there, and when she heard the name Shuyuan, she couldn't help but smile and say, "They are all good princesses. I think Guarjia and Ulanara are quite good."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Kangxi smiled and said, "Since Mother Empress likes it, then keep it."
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "The Emperor himself is looking into this. Imagine if the wife of Prince Gong came to the palace to see me and told me that her fourth son wanted to marry Princess Ulanara. They have quite a connection and have met for several years. Why doesn't the Emperor grant her wish?"
"Since the Empress Dowager says it's fate, then it must truly be fate. Liang Jiugong, keep the plaque, and bring the Consort's niece along." Kangxi said this with a smile on his face, but what he was really thinking was anyone's guess.
Liang Jiugong: "Guarjia Jingxian, Ulanara Shuyuan, Tongjia Yunyao, keep the plaques."
There was also a woman named Dong E behind her, whose nameplate was also kept.
It took all morning to select from the hundreds of women chosen for the imperial concubine selection.
This year, more nameplates were kept than in previous years. In previous years, forty or fifty were kept, but this year sixty or seventy were kept. It's not that Emperor Kangxi is lustful this year, but mainly because his sons are growing up and it's time for them to have women in their harem. In addition, the needs of the imperial clan are also quite high this year.
In the afternoon, mule carts carried the young women out of the Shenwu Gate. Once all the young women had left, the triennial selection process was finally over.
After the selection process, the girls who were rejected and sent home could go on marriage proposals, while those who were accepted waited at home for the imperial decree, their futures entirely tied to that unknown decree.
The future of these women was now entirely tied to these imperial edicts.
Shuyuan was very confident in herself and waited contentedly at home for the imperial decree to bestow her marriage upon the Fourth Prince. Shuwan saw her expression of joy and anger and sneered inwardly. She wanted to see if she would still be so happy when the imperial decree was actually issued.
Shuwan understood very well how to break a person down. The most unbearable thing is to be told that someone has failed when they are full of hope and about to reap the rewards of victory.
Shuwan is waiting to see Shuyuan make a fool of herself! Hopefully, Shuyuan won't disappoint her.
In the palace, Kangxi looked at the list of candidates for the imperial concubines again and again, and couldn't help but sigh. The quality of this year's candidates was not bad, but none of them were suitable for Yinzhen.
Kangxi put away the file on the selected women and said, "Liang Jiugong, send someone to summon Yinzhen."
"yes."
Liang Jiugong had a guess in his heart, which was probably related to the marriage. He just didn't know what His Majesty was planning. He had summoned the Fourth Prince over to ask for his opinion.
Since His Majesty values him so highly, he should be even more respectful to the Fourth Prince in the future.
When Yinzhen received the summons from Emperor Kangxi, he hurried over. He knew in his heart that it was probably related to the marriage. Thinking of the marriage, he couldn't help but frown.
Before the final selection, he thought it would be the eldest princess of the Ulanara family. Later, when he heard that the Empress Dowager had arranged for the eldest princess of the Ulanara family to be betrothed to the fourth prince of the Prince Gong family, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Even if the Empress Dowager didn't speak up, he would still refuse, because if he really married Shuyuan as his wife, he would be even more cuckolded.
He felt that getting married was so difficult!
Yinzhen entered the study in the Qianqing Palace: "Your subject greets Your Majesty."
"Get up!"
"Thank you, Father Emperor."
"I called you here today because I have something to tell you. I originally intended to choose a gentle and virtuous consort for you from this year's imperial concubine selection, but some of the women were not very honest and were sent away. I think the remaining ones are not good enough for you. Let's wait three more years for your consort!"
Yinzhen was genuinely surprised to hear this; he had thought that his father would bestow upon him a wife of average family background!
I didn't expect him to care so much about him. He would rather postpone the meeting than let him make do. He truly deserves to be called his imperial father.
I never expected it, but I was really relieved.
So what if it's three years later? He's already traumatized by women because of Song Yuerong. He can go three years without touching a woman, let alone marrying three years later.
That's probably what he wanted!
"Father, you may decide."
Kangxi also felt embarrassed and said, "Don't worry, I'll pick two princesses for you to serve first."
Emperor Kangxi was thinking of bestowing a secondary consort upon him, but since the primary consort was not yet in the household, and a secondary consort was to be brought in first, and Consort De still had that temperament, Emperor Kangxi was afraid that the inner quarters of Yinzhen would be in turmoil!
Yinzhen: "Your subject thanks Your Majesty."
...
Shuyuan waited at home with great joy for the imperial decree to bestow her marriage upon the Fourth Prince.
"Princess, someone from the palace has arrived."
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