Chapter 146
What happened after the sixth election
Shen Jin entered the palace with Chu Xiuming, bringing the two portraits that were finally selected and various reasons that were written down. Chu Xiuyuan directly set the location in the Imperial Garden and asked the imperial kitchen to prepare many of his signature pastries. Chu Xiuming and Shen Jin saluted before sitting down. Although Chu Xiuyuan told them not to be so polite, they still had to show the proper etiquette.
The eunuch beside Chu Xiuyuan had already opened the two portraits. Shen Jin held the fruit tea in both hands and said, "In fact, the two girls are much prettier than in the portraits." Shen Jin got these two portraits from the two families. "Your Majesty, which one do you like better?"
"I think they are all the same." The young man admired Ai. Even Chu Xiuyuan couldn't help but feel shy at this time. He still looked at it as he was told, and then said, "Sister-in-law, tell me about it."
Shen Jin took out two pieces of paper from Zhao Mama and handed them to Chu Xiuyuan. On them were written not only the colors of clothes the two girls were used to wearing, but also their tastes, personalities, and even the content of their conversation. Chu Xiuming sat aside without saying anything. Shen Jin said, "I wrote down those sentences from their conversation. The girl in the yellow dress is from the Xia family, and the girl in the purple dress is from the Shi family."
"The Xia family girl is more quiet, she loves to laugh, and she has dimples when she laughs." Shen Jin pointed to the place where the portrait was and said, "It's a pity that the painter didn't draw her like her. The Shi family girl is very good at finding fun for herself, and she is good at riding horses and hunting."
Chu Xiuyuan carefully read what Shen Jin had written down, even the conversations that made Miss Xia laugh non-stop, but he didn't find it funny. He just thought that it was not bad to have a wife who loved to laugh. After all, being in the court was serious enough. Going back, he would have to face a serious wife? Chu Xiuyuan couldn't help shaking, feeling a little overwhelmed.
"Do you want to meet him?" Shen Jin suddenly asked.
Chu Xiuyuan thought about it, nodded and said, "Let's meet."
Shen Jin smiled and said, "Why not the day after tomorrow? I will invite the two girls to play on the farm, and let my husband take His Majesty to hide nearby and watch."
Chu Xiuyuan looked at Chu Xiuming, and Chu Xiuming said, "Getting married is a major event in life. It's good to meet or talk together. Sometimes things like fate are very wonderful." For example, he recognized his young lady at first sight. Chu Xiuming raised the corners of his mouth and looked at Shen Jin. Shen Jin happened to be looking at him and smiled back.
In fact, Chu Xiuyuan has always envied the relationship between his brother and sister-in-law. He lowered his eyes slightly and looked at the two portraits again, hoping that he and his wife could be like this in the future.
After Shen Jin left the palace and invited the girls from the Shi and Xia families to the other courtyard to appreciate the flowers, many people already had an idea in their minds. They were afraid that the queen would come from one of these two families. However, these two girls were really well chosen. Not only did their family traditions remain clean, but they also had few connections with many forces. Some noble ladies had seen them both. One was quiet, the other was active, and both were dignified and good at accepting gifts. Even the most picky ladies would agree with them. However, the others who were not chosen were not much worse than these two in all aspects. Many people carefully analyzed Shen Jin's choice at home, but could not find out how she made the choice.
Shen Jin's arrangement in the villa was very fair. There was horse riding and pitching pots, which the Shi family girl was good at, and there was painting and writing, which the Xia family girl liked. Chu Xiuming took Chu Xiuyuan to stand on a small building not far away and saw everything clearly. Chu Xiuming found that Chu Xiuyuan's eyes were more focused on the Shi family girl. In fact, Chu Xiuming also felt that Chu Xiuyuan might appreciate the Shi family girl more, because life in the border town had a great influence on Chu Xiuyuan. However, it was just appreciation, and I'm afraid Chu Xiuyuan would choose the Xia family girl in the end.
Chu Xiuming didn't say anything. He poured a cup of tea and placed it in Chu Xiuyuan's hand. Chu Xiuyuan took a sip and said, "Brother, what do you think of the Xia family girl?"
"You make your own choice." Chu Xiuming said without expressing his opinion.
Chu Xiuyuan touched the bottom of the cup with his fingers and said, "Although the position of queen is good, it is lonely in the palace. The time I can spend with her is limited. Miss Shi... is not suitable."
"Why not meet him?" Chu Xiuming said, "It wouldn't be rude to have your sister-in-law accompany you."
Chu Xiuyuan thought about it and nodded, "Okay."
Chu Xiuming went to the door and gave a few instructions to the servant, who then ran off to make arrangements. Not long after, Nanny Zhao came over and invited Chu Xiuming and Chu Xiuyuan to another courtyard. There was a pond in that courtyard and a pavilion in the middle. The pavilion had already been decorated. Chu Xiuming waited for Chu Xiuyuan to sit down before he sat down in the corner.
Soon, Shen Jin came with two girls. She first asked Madam Zhao to invite Miss Xia to sit in the corridor, and she took Miss Shi into the pavilion. They could see what was going on inside the pavilion from the outside, but could not hear clearly what people were saying inside. Miss Xia and Miss Shi were both shy, nervous, and indescribably excited.
Looking at the girl from the Shi family who entered first, the girl from the Xia family slowly exhaled, took a sip of the tea brought by Zhao Mama, calmed down her mind, and then smiled shyly at Zhao Mama, "I lost my composure just now."
Upon hearing this, Nanny Zhao smiled and said nothing. Miss Xia had done a great job by calming down so quickly and admitting her gaffe so frankly.
The girl from the Shi family was more stable than the girl from the Xia family, but even so, she blushed after entering the pavilion, bit her lower lip lightly, and saluted Chu Xiuyuan gracefully, her eyelashes fluttering shyly and dignified. After Chu Xiuyuan asked her to sit down, she sat down slightly sideways. She was a girl from a noble family, and there was nothing wrong with her every move.
Shen Jin smiled and poured a cup of tea for Miss Shi. Without saying anything, he walked to sit next to Chu Xiuming. Chu Xiuming gently pinched Shen Jin's fingers. Chu Xiuyuan smiled and said, "I have a few questions for Miss Shi, so I asked my sister-in-law to bring Miss Shi here."
When Miss Shi heard Chu Xiuyuan mention Shen Jin, she suddenly remembered that she had just lost her mind because of seeing Chu Xiuyuan and sat down before Shen Jin. Her face turned pale, but it was too late to do anything now. She forced herself to remain calm and said, "I dare not. Your Majesty, just ask."
Chu Xiuyuan said, "I wonder where Miss Shi thinks it would be best to raise her offspring?"
Miss Shi blushed and tried to hold back her embarrassment. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Shen Jin say, "Your Majesty, this time Miss Shi came first, and Miss Xia has more time to calm down. For the sake of fairness, why don't you ask a few questions at once and let Miss Shi think about it aside? I will go and bring Miss Xia here, and let Miss Shi ask the questions to Miss Xia. I will also prepare paper and pen for both of us to answer together."
The implication is to give Miss Shi some time to think.
Chu Xiuyuan smiled when he heard this and said, "Sister-in-law is still very thoughtful."
Shen Jin pursed her lips and smiled, glancing at Chu Xiuming with a smug look. Chu Xiuming pinched Shen Jin's fingers again. The Shi family girl understood Shen Jin's position in Chu Xiuyuan's heart even more. However, because of Shen Jin's words just now, she was also grateful in her heart, so she smiled shyly at Shen Jin. Chu Xiuyuan continued, "Second, if I disappear one day, what will you do, young lady?"
When these words came out, Miss Shi's face changed drastically, but Chu Xiuming and Shen Jin seemed not to understand what he meant. Chu Xiuyuan said, "The last question is, what is a good lord?"
After asking three questions, Shen Jin asked Miss Shi to sit aside to rest, and then went out to invite Miss Xia. Miss Xia walked behind Shen Jin, and bowed to Chu Xiuyuan when she came in. After Chu Xiuyuan asked for a seat, she bowed to Chu Xiuming and Shen Jin, and finally nodded to the pale Miss Shi, and then half sat on the chair. Aunt Zhao had already prepared paper and pen, and Chu Xiuyuan repeated the question and said, "Give the two ladies one stick of incense time."
Miss Xia's face also looked bad. She glanced at Miss Shi in surprise, but Miss Shi had calmed down. After bowing, she stood up and began to write down her answer. She had also been learning calligraphy since she was young. Although she was not an expert, she was very good. Miss Xia looked at the incense lit over there, bit her lip, and stood up to start writing. Her mind was blank, so she just wrote down whatever she thought of.
After an incense stick of time, both of them finished writing. Nanny Zhao put away the things and heard Chu Xiuyuan say, "Send the two girls back home."
Shen Jin glanced at Nanny Zhao, who nodded slightly and went to see the person off, also delivering the two gifts she had prepared.
After everyone left, Chu Xiuyuan began to look at their answers. After reading them, he handed them to Chu Xiuming and asked Chu Xiuming and Shen Jin to look at them together. The handwriting of the girl from the Xia family was beautiful, which was better than that of the girl from the Shi family. For the first question, the girl from the Shi family answered that she was raised by her side when she was young, lived alone after she was six years old, chose a famous teacher to teach her, and lived with her father at the age of ten.
The answers given by Miss Xia and Miss Shi were similar, but without the last sentence.
Chu Xiuyuan looked at Shen Jin and asked, "Sister-in-law, what do you think the first question should be?"
Shen Jin answered without thinking, "Of course, they should be raised by their parents from childhood to adulthood. Their husbands should be their teachers, and then famous teachers should be hired. When they grow up, they should be allowed to travel, so that they can read but not use books."
Chu Xiuyuan responded, and Chu Xiuming looked at Chu Xiuyuan and said, "If you have children in the future, don't neglect their childhood, because some good habits should be cultivated from an early age. Both the father and the mother are indispensable, and strictness and kindness should be used together."
"Yes." Chu Xiuyuan understood what Chu Xiuming meant.
To the second question, Miss Shi might have seen how much Chu Xiuyuan valued Chu Xiuming and his wife, so she answered by inviting Prince Ning to the palace immediately, and then inviting the left and right prime ministers and loyal ministers to discuss the matter.
Miss Xia’s answer was to invite Prince Ning, Prince Rui, and the left and right prime ministers to enter the palace and seal the city gates.
Chu Xiuyuan asked, "Sister-in-law, what's your second question? If my brother disappeared, what would you do?"
"Ah?" Shen Jin thought for a moment and said, "Of course we should protect the child and send someone to look for him."
Chu Xiuyuan was stunned for a moment before he realized that his identity was different from Chu Xiuming's, but the two of them were considering the overall situation and no one mentioned looking for him. It might be because they were afraid of instability in the country. Although it was not wrong, Chu Xiuyuan felt a little disappointed.
Chu Xiuming said with a smile in his eyes, "Even I cannot be completely trusted. Keep the news secret and stabilize the government. And an odd number is better." The last sentence was about hiring people. When it is difficult to make a decision, it is better to express opinions and make a decision.
"Yes." Chu Xiuyuan also understood.
The last question is, what is a good monarch? This sentence can help us understand why a good husband is, and why a good monarch is.
The girl from the Shi family thought a lot and wrote a lot. Some of her writings expressed her expectations for her future husband, while others praised Chu Xiuyuan for being a very good emperor.
The girl from the Xia family wrote that the people had enough food and clothing and their families lived happily.
Chu Xiuyuan looked at Shen Jin and understood what he meant without asking. Shen Jin simply said, "My husband is like this." In Shen Jin's heart, Chu Xiuming is the best husband.
Chu Xiuming did not comment this time and said, "Your Majesty, please choose according to your own ideas."
Chu Xiuyuan nodded, and returned to the palace after his meal. Three days later, an imperial decree was issued to confer the title of empress to the Xia family's daughter.
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