"What did you do again?" asked Doctor Hu.
"If I say I teased the princess, do you believe it?" Zhao Xiaofei said in embarrassment.
Old Doctor Hu felt his calves go weak and he sat down on the ground.
At this time, in Kunning Palace, Princess Zhaorenhe and Princess Kunxing were kneeling on the ground, and Empress Zhou sat looking at them without saying a word. At this time, Chongzhen walked in and asked, "Empress, what's wrong with them?"
"Your Majesty, the two of them went to Zhongcui Palace without permission and spoke to the envoy from Nan'ao. I was about to punish them!" said Queen Zhou.
Chongzhen looked at his two daughters and said to Queen Zhou, "They are both concerned about Chun Ge's comfort, which is understandable. Let them go back and copy the Women's Instructions three times and don't eat dinner at night." Chun Ge refers to the prince.
"Dinner? I'm afraid they won't get hungry even if they don't eat dinner!" said Queen Zhou.
"Have they eaten?" Chongzhen asked.
"The envoys from Nan'ao gave it to them, saying it was originally a tribute, but the waves had washed away much of it. The last two pieces were given to them, and they ate them." Empress Zhou looked at the two kneeling on the ground. Ming Dynasty etiquette was strict. It's said that Hai Rui saw his five-year-old daughter starve to death for the sake of her reputation because she ate a pancake given by a male servant. Of course, this is absolute nonsense. Someone is throwing mud at Hai Rui. Although the author of this book lived during Hai Rui's time, he was only nine when he died. The specific details were filled in by someone named Zhou, who lived during the Qing Dynasty. Unless he traveled back in time and saw it with his own eyes!
But this story has a real basis, and it happened during the reign of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty. Yes, that unfortunate emperor who was captured by the Mongols! This shows how strict the separation of men and women was during the Ming Dynasty. And today, two princesses secretly went to see the crown prince and were caught by Zhao Xiaofei. The three of them even chatted and exchanged gifts. This is a big deal.
After hearing this, Chongzhen didn't know what to say. The harem was under the control of the empress. Even if you were the emperor, you couldn't interfere with the empress's management of the harem.
Princess Zhaoren, Zhu Miankou, was kneeling on the ground, tears streaming down her face. It was because she had asked Empress Zhou to taste the fresh food they had received that Empress Zhou had discovered the two of them had gone to Zhongcui Palace. After tasting the chocolate, Empress Zhou asked where such a delicious treat had come from, as she had never heard of it before. Princess Zhaoren, Zhu Miankou, directly claimed that it had been given by Zhao Xiaofei, the envoy from Nan'ao. Empress Zhou's expression immediately changed. She then ordered the two princesses to kneel and reflect on their actions. Under Empress Zhou's questioning, Zhu Miankou learned that Zhao Xiaofei had given Kunxing a small mirror.
Empress Zhou took the mirror, looked at the pattern on the back, and asked Zhu Miankou what it meant. She was so frightened that she confessed directly. She said it was the matchmaker from the Western country, which made Empress Zhou very angry.
Chongzhen felt a little distressed when he saw his two daughters, and said, "Let them get up! Just be careful next time. Let them go back and kneel until the third watch, okay?"
Empress Zhou took one look and said, "Your father has said so, why don't you leave?"
"It's mother! Thank you, father!" The two princesses retreated together.
Empress Zhou watched the two children walk away and said to Chongzhen, "Your Majesty! Look at what this is."
Empress Zhou took out a small round mirror, and Chongzhen asked, "Did he give it to me as well?"
Queen Zhou nodded, turned the mirror over, and said, "Your Majesty, look here again!"
"Who is painted here?" Chongzhen asked.
"Zhao Ren said that this is the Yue Lao from the West. I asked the eunuch to go to the Imperial Observatory to ask Johann Adam Schall von Bell, and it turned out that there is indeed such a god in their West. Moreover, when a man gives this god to a woman, it represents romance and means admiration." Queen Zhou said angrily.
Emperor Chongzhen's eyes were filled with complex emotions. He took a mirror and looked carefully. Without saying a word, he sat on the bed and thought. After a while, he said to Empress Zhou, "Kunxing is not young anymore. It's time to find a prince consort!"
"Your Majesty! Do you want to recruit Zhao Xiaofei as your son-in-law?" asked Queen Zhou.
"Isn't it possible?" Chongzhen asked back.
"But he comes from a small foreign country, how can he be worthy of the princess?" asked Queen Zhou.
"The people of Nan'ao are the remnants of the Southern Song Dynasty. They are Han Chinese like us. They speak Chinese and write Chinese characters. They can all recite poems and compose couplets, and their literary talent is no less than that of our Ming Dynasty. Just a few days ago, this Zhao Xiaofei wrote a poem. Does the Queen want to listen to it?" Chongzhen asked.
Empress Zhou nodded, and Chongzhen recited the poem that Zhao Xiaofei had plagiarized. After reciting it, Chongzhen said, "How is it? If it weren't for the taboo, I think Wei Zaode would have won the title of top courtesan."
"If Zhao Xiaofei goes to that kind of brothel and competes with important officials of the court for the title of the most beautiful woman, and we recruit him as our son-in-law, will it damage the reputation of our royal family?" asked Queen Zhou.
"I don't think so! Although Zhao Xiaofei doesn't have too many rules, he is a straightforward person without so many twists and turns. It is a blessing for Kunxing to marry him. Let Wang Chengen tell him later." Chongzhen said.
The two men thus arranged the marriage of Princess Kunxing and Zhu Mianzhu. Zhao Xiaofei, in Zhongcui Palace, was still worried. If the emperor got angry, he'd travel back through time. After all, the Forbidden City was the perfect place to escape; it hadn't changed much in centuries. Imperial Physician Hu, listening to Zhao Xiaofei's story, offered comfort. He said if the emperor was angry, he would have sent for his arrest. Just be at ease. Tomorrow, when the prince is well again, you can return home.
Zhao Xiaofei said, "How would I know? The princess's clothes are too ordinary. Not much better than those of a palace maid. She doesn't even have a maid or nanny accompanying her when she goes out. There's no pomp at all."
Doctor Hu said, "Your Majesty advocates frugality, and all princesses and princes should be frugal as well. The Emperor's court robes are still patched! So do you think the princess can be so ostentatious? Besides, do you think an ordinary palace maid can speak to you like that? It's not like you haven't seen what the palace maids are like. When did they ever speak to you like that?"
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