Three years have passed in the blink of an eye, and I'll be participating in the talent show next month.
During this time, my grandmother gave me two well-trained maids, one a female physician and the other skilled in martial arts.
Mother sent Madam Song to teach her skills such as playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Madam Song was nearly 40 years old, and she was full of charm. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were not prominent, but rather made her look more mature and beautiful.
As I rode in the mule cart toward the Forbidden City, I recalled what my mother and grandmother had said: the noble ladies participating in this selection were:
The Han army flags included:
The second daughter of Mao Shicong, the Governor-General of Huguang, was said to be exceptionally beautiful and skilled in playing the zither.
She was the younger sister of Consort Tong, but it was obvious to everyone that she was the one who was chosen to enter the palace.
Manchu banners included:
The second-class imperial guard was the legitimate daughter of the Fucha clan. It was said that the second daughter was quite literate and extremely talented. Her grandfather was a third-rank official and the wing commander of the firearms battalion, who was deeply trusted by the royal family.
The niece of the Minister of the Imperial Stud, Ulanara, was a descendant of the former Grand Consort Abahai, and is now a collateral branch.
She was the eldest daughter of the Suozhuoluo clan, the Zuo Ling of Shengjing. Her father was the clan chief of the Suozhuoluo clan and held military power over the clan.
Among the Mongol banners came the Empress Dowager's niece, who was the legitimate daughter of the Empress Dowager's cousin, as well as two other members of the Empress Dowager's clan.
There was also a noblewoman from the Durbert clan, who was a noblewoman from the Durbert clan, the mother of Consort Hui, who had passed away during the reign of Emperor Kangxi.
Consort Hui, of the Borjigit clan, was the daughter of Ji'a Yuxi, a third-class duke of the Khorchin. She died of illness in the ninth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign before she could even serve him in bed. This noblewoman was from the family of Consort Hui's birth mother, of the Durbet clan.
Among the princes of the imperial clan who were of marriageable age was Manduhu, the second son of Prince Gong, who was 13 years old and born to his concubine, Lady Shushu Gioro.
Another is the grandson of Yebushu, the Duke of Fuguo, who is 16 years old. Yebushu was the fourth son of Huang Taiji.
The eldest grandson of Duke Changshu, the Duke of Fuguo, also needed to get married. Changshu was the seventh son of Huang Taiji.
There were also some Zhenguo Dukes, Feng'en Generals, and other members of the imperial clan.
News has also been released in the palace that a primary consort will be chosen for Consort Hui's eldest son this year.
His father was already the Minister of War, a high-ranking official in the court. His elder brother passed the imperial examination at the age of 23 and was highly regarded by Emperor Kangxi. After spending three years in the Hanlin Academy, he was transferred to the Ministry of Revenue as an assistant minister, a powerful official.
My parents analyzed the situation and concluded that the Grand Consort would likely be chosen from among the women of the Suozhuoluo clan, the Fucha clan, and our family. However, they also warned us not to be careless, as the competition among the young ladies was fierce, and we must remember to protect ourselves, as there had been unexpected contenders before.
He also gave me a jade pendant, which allowed me to mobilize my family's influence in the palace.
From then on, under my brother's slightly worried yet proud gaze, I stepped into the Forbidden City and began the legendary life of the Grand Consort.
She spent more than two months in the palace selecting candidates, witnessing the struggles among the young women, especially the fierce competition among those of lower and middle ranks. Eventually, she was reprimanded by Consort Tong, who expelled three of the young women from the palace.
My sister Fucha and I were almost caught in the trap, but we cleverly escaped. That's how we forged a revolutionary friendship. Later, I analyzed that this might have been a scheme by the Hesheli family, who didn't want the First Prince to have a powerful wife's family. Now, the factional struggle between Mingzhu and Suo'etu is already in full swing, and the rivalry between the Crown Prince and the First Prince is beginning to emerge.
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