Family affairs, national affairs, and world affairs
I'm going to be a grandmother, what great news!
Shujia was not surprised to hear the news; it came a little unexpectedly. Having children after marriage was common sense, but this child was not one Shujia had been eagerly anticipating, at least not right away.
As a mother, it is inevitable that you have to consider issues from the perspective of your own children.
If Hongxi is born a girl, it will be fine. If it is a boy, he will be the eldest grandson of the emperor and born to the legitimate wife. Although the current situation is that the legitimate son inheritance system has basically been confirmed, who can say anything about the affairs of the royal family?
At present, it seems that the influence of Concubine Mao's line on the Empress' line is dispensable, but as a time traveler who has lost the reference script, it is never too cautious - the emperor can even be replaced, do you know what will happen next? When it comes to the possibility of involving your own children, it is better to be safe than sorry, right?
This is a place where rules are emphasized most, yet rules are broken most often. In the common people, an uncle marrying his niece would be called a beast, and there are more than one royal family that did this in history. [1]
Nothing is absolute in this world. Shujia, of course, wanted to be cautious. The problem was that Hongxi was several years older than Hongdan and had married earlier. Hongdan's mourning period was also longer than Hongxi's. Once Hongxi was out of mourning, Hongdan had to be restrained. Even if he married now, it would be impossible to have a son out of wedlock.
What can you do when you encounter this kind of situation?
What was to come had to come. After a brief moment of shock, Shujia quickly pulled herself together. She had feelings for Hongxi and was quite satisfied with Gegentana. Since it was inevitable, she should be more magnanimous. Hence the story of spreading the good news everywhere.
Compared to the Empress, Concubine Mao was genuinely happy. She was going to have a big, fat grandson, and all the hardships she had endured in the past had vanished. She was thinking about giving her daughter-in-law a good treat. Her family was quite wealthy, and her background wasn't low, so her dowry wasn't small. Over the years, Shujia had been very generous with her concubines, so Concubine Mao still had quite a few good things on hand.
Although she was happy, she did not dare to go beyond the Queen's authority. After receiving the news, she took her daughter-in-law to Kunning Palace and waited for the Queen to report the good news to Qianqing Palace and Ningshou Palace.
Hongxi's residence already had a small kitchen, so Shujia didn't need to make a separate one for Gegentana. She simply ordered that the pregnant woman's share be increased, similar to the share given to the wives of Kangxi's sons. The advantage of having a set routine is that you just follow it and avoid a lot of gossip.
In the past, Gegentana had two mothers-in-law, which was quite tiring to serve. Now, the advantage of having two mothers-in-law has been revealed: she can get two red envelopes.
Gegentana's face was also flushed, radiating the radiance of motherhood, and she gently thanked her mothers-in-law for the reward. Qianpin watched from the side, weighed it, and decided to have someone pack a nice gift and send it over when she got back.
Shujia said, "This is your first child, so be careful with everything. You already have a maid who has been with you for years, and she's very handy. I won't give birth to another one for you for now. I'll ask the Imperial Household Department to prepare a few more maids for you later. If you feel any of them are inconvenient or there aren't enough, just let me know and I'll arrange one for you."
After hearing what the Queen said, Concubine Mao also said, "We have all given birth to children before. If you have any questions, please tell us. We can always tell you something."
Gegentana said, "Thank you for your concern, mother. If I don't understand something, I will ask you for your advice."
Shujia said to Concubine Mao, "I feel relieved seeing her like this."
The princesses had seen pregnant women at home before. Some of those women were their own mothers, others were their mothers' rivals, and the emotions they felt during pregnancy were different. Now that their sister-in-law was pregnant, they were mostly just attracted to her. They all stared at their sister-in-law and cousin's belly with curiosity and a hint of shyness. They wanted to ask questions, but were too embarrassed to do so, and their expressions became a little strange, adding to the ambiguous atmosphere in the room.
Only Wu Yunzhu, who was still at an age where she didn't quite understand, asked with an exploratory spirit: "Where does the baby come from? How does he come out? Why can't I see him? When can I see him again?" She looked left and right, but couldn't see that her sister-in-law was any different from usual.
The princesses were speechless, and the eldest princess asked, "Where is your nanny?" Take this disorderly girl away quickly!
The Second Lady touched Wu Yunzhu's bald head and said, "Don't ask. You'll know when you see me. Everyone else has told you, so what's the point?" Then she turned around and asked, "Where's the Fifth Lady's nanny?"
Gegentana's pregnancy was good news for the entire imperial family. From the Grand Empress Dowager down, the late emperor's concubines, and the wives of the princes, all sent their condolences. The Imperial Household Department also began selecting wet nurses and nannies.
Mao Fei was even more concerned about her daughter-in-law. Whenever Gegentana went to see her, she would always look at her daughter-in-law's belly, comparing it little by little with the difference from yesterday. Today it seemed to be a little bigger, and her daughter-in-law's cheeks were a little fatter.
Of course, her biggest concern was her son and grandson. Even though the child's gender wasn't confirmed, it didn't stop Concubine Mao from assuming it was a boy. Her daughter-in-law was pregnant, but Concubine Mao was only half relieved—while caring for her belly, she also kept her son's belly in her thoughts.
Concubine Mao tossed and turned in her bedroom, unable to sleep. Her long experience in palace life had made her focus most of her energy on her son.
It's inevitable that a mother-in-law might feel a bit bitter, not wanting her son to forget her after getting married. However, as a reasonably sane mother-in-law, she wouldn't be so jealous of her son and daughter-in-law's happy lives that she wouldn't want her son to be so attached to them that he'd have a bunch of concubines and a chaotic backyard.
However, she always had to consider her son's needs. It would be fine if Hongxi didn't think about it, but if he did, rather than letting him find someone randomly, Mao Fei would rather choose a reliable person for her son. Furthermore, it was better to inform her son, especially her daughter-in-law, about such matters in advance as a sign of respect.
Furthermore, this matter still needed to be approved by the Empress. At the very least, she had to give her a heads-up and wait for her final nod or nod. The palace was different from the outside world; certain rules were the most stringent. Concubines were regulated by rank, and the number of maids they could have was determined. Even if Concubine Mao had her eye on a maid from her own palace and wanted to give her to her son, she would still be short of people and would have to go through the formalities of securing the marriage. This wasn't something Concubine Mao could decide on; she had to go through the Empress.
Compared to Kangxi's harem, Yinreng's harem had one thing that frustrated the concubines the most: the presence of an empress above them. In Kangxi's harem, the concubines could handle this on their own, but now with an additional leader, if you dare to make personnel decisions without authorization, you'll be punished.
If it is too troublesome, there are similar palace maids in Hongxi's courtyard. If Concubine Mao likes her, she must tell her daughter-in-law.
The palace maid on duty heard Concubine Mao sigh from inside the tent and asked hurriedly, "Master?"
Mao Fei said vaguely: "It's okay."
I'd better hang out at Hongxi's place more often these days. It'll give me an excuse to check on my daughter-in-law. If I see someone suitable, I'll take note of it. Then, I'll ask my son what he thinks. If he's interested, I'll mention it to my daughter-in-law. I'm sure she'll understand.
Well, I'd better ask my son first. If he's interested, he should also warn him: my daughter-in-law has just been diagnosed with pregnancy, so it's better to let her fetus stabilize for a month or two before making any decision.
Having made up her mind, Mao Fei slowly fell asleep.
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After having a daughter-in-law, the mother-in-law was no longer in a position to ask about many things about her son. Now Mao Fei had a new spiritual pillar and was full of energy.
Gegentana was a little overwhelmed by Mao Fei's enthusiasm.
She was overjoyed at her pregnancy. However, after the initial excitement wore off, she began to worry. What if the baby wasn't a son? So, even after she became pregnant, she remained extremely cautious and respectful. It didn't matter if she was proud now, but if she offended someone because of her pride, she would inevitably suffer in the future.
In response to her mother-in-law's enthusiasm, Gegentana had no choice but to be more cautious.
What Gegentana cared about was whether the baby in her belly was a boy, but the maids beside her were very experienced. After discussing it, the two maids came to "advise" Gegentana: "Madam, we have something to say, but we don't know whether we should say it or not."
Generally speaking, when someone asks “should I say it”, you cannot be sure whether she should say it or not, but what you can be sure of is that she must “really want to say it”.
Gegentana smiled: "Mammy always follows me and speaks directly if she has anything to say."
The nanny said, "The Lady has already said that we servants have always followed her and have no other thoughts. We are also wholeheartedly serving her... Now that the Lady is pregnant, it is a great joy. But if one does not think about the future, he will inevitably have immediate worries..."
"Mammy, you're showing off your knowledge. Just tell me what you think."
"Fujin isn't feeling well, and the Second Master needs help too," the nanny said cautiously. "Rather than letting others take advantage, it's better for Fujin to take the initiative."
Another maid also said, "The Master and Master Mao are the Second Master's mothers." Even if Hongxi wasn't the Queen's biological son, she wouldn't necessarily protect him. Even if she wanted to, it wouldn't be easy for her to do so in this matter. "Master Mao has been visiting the Second Master's palace maids several times in recent days."
Gegentana fell into a daze, then regained consciousness. Although she felt uncomfortable, the indigenous people of this dynasty were quite receptive to what the maids said, and they were not provoked to the point of seeking death.
"What does the nanny mean?" Gegentana quickly got into the mood and asked the nanny.
"First, pick one or two honest girls and give them to the Second Master. He'll remember your kindness, and the mistress and Master Mao will also think you're sensible," the maids advised carefully. "Let's say, even if the girl you favor has a child, she'll still be loyal to you, right?"
The two maids joined in the conversation, each emphasizing the advantages of this idea: "Next year will be another big election, and the higher-ups might want to appoint someone else. You should definitely make arrangements first. If the elders are happy, maybe they won't appoint someone else."
"That's right, you personally promoted him... His status is lower than the original one. As for the people recommended by the masters, their status is another matter."
Gegentana subconsciously rubbed her belly: "I'll think about it."
The maids exchanged glances, quietly retreated, and prepared to hold a small meeting to discuss the matter.
Leaning back on the kang, Gegentana pondered. The maids' words made sense, and she realized their subtext. The maids were worried about the new arrival, while Gegentana was worried she wasn't giving birth to a son. The two of them were convicted of the crime, giving Gegentana no chance to get jealous. A bad fate brings sorrow. A mother died young, a father was unreliable. What else could she do without magnanimity?
If the child isn't a son, the next year, when the emperor appoints a new bride, the concubine might be the first to take the throne, which is extremely dangerous. If the maid is chosen by her, her status is a hurdle, and she will ultimately be dependent on her. Even if she gives birth to a son, she can be treated as her own son if she advances, but she won't cause any trouble if she retreats. As long as she chooses the right person, she can keep her husband secure.
We still can't let the elders point fingers at the servants! Gegentana made a secret decision. She knew that Concubine Mao treated her well, but for her, her son's preferences were more important. The Empress was different. Hongxi wasn't her biological son, so she had to be less partial to him. As long as she managed to save face, the Empress wouldn't interfere too much in her family's lives.
What really determined Gegentana's opinion was that in this family, the queen's words had weight!
Gegentana first revealed her intention to the queen: "Mother, I haven't told the palace yet. What do you think...Is this arrangement okay?"
Shujia looked at Gegentana and sighed. "I know you're feeling troubled," she waved her hand, signaling her to listen. "I understand what you mean. When your mother was still alive, she entrusted you to me. For the sake of the Third Princess, I have to protect you a little. Don't overthink it. Just give birth to the child with peace of mind, and you'll have no worries."
Shujia knew very well that for Gegentana, a good mother-in-law would be one who did not interfere or interfered less in her territory. She only needed to care about Gegentana's daily life and ask whether her husband and wife were living in harmony.
Reasonable people are the parents of others; feudal and oppressive people are the fathers and mothers of one's own family. Who can't be a good person? This principle is the same from ancient times to the present.
Of course, she didn't want to remind Gegentana to arrange a concubine for Hongxi. It was a bit unethical to force her daughter-in-law to do something she couldn't do herself. And she couldn't force Hongxi to stop cheating. She simply turned a blind eye to the matter and let them work it out on their own.
She was already quite satisfied with this. With the empress's tacit approval, Gegentana secretly examined the palace maids. When she married, she brought a dowry of maids with her, but now she felt none of them were satisfactory and needed to reselect. At the same time, she deliberately tried to show her closeness to Concubine Mao, hoping to build a good relationship with her and get her to bring up the matter later, buying her time to act.
Mao Fei expressed satisfaction with her daughter-in-law's humble attitude and decided to punish her son.
When Hongxi was paying his respects to the emperor one day, Concubine Mao asked him about his private life in a veiled way. He felt a little embarrassed and said, "Mother, why are you asking me these questions?"
Concubine Mao said seriously, "You are still playing tricks on me! Can't Mother ask you about your affairs?"
Hongxi coughed dryly and said uncomfortably: "Don't worry, mother, we are fine."
Concubine Mao said, "If you are really good, I am happy too. Mother has worried about you for nothing. There is only one thing. If you want to marry someone, you should tell your wife. She is also proud of it. Don't be sneaky! Selling official salt as private salt is shameful."
Hongxi said with a little impatience: "I know~" and fled.
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There were more than three people who were concerned about Hongxi's private life. It was perfectly normal for married women to gossip about the affairs of other families. The Empress, the wife of Prince Jian, the wife of Prince Yu, and the Fifteenth Wife were a famous gossipy group.
The three wives had all seen Gegentana, and while they were happy for her, they also came over to talk to the queen.
Princess Jian's wife said, "I saw her when she was still a little girl. Now she's about to become a mother. Time flies by so fast. It's a pity that her mother is gone. If she were still here, she would be so happy."
"I said the same thing to the emperor the other day. She is not only his daughter-in-law but also his niece. Now that the third princess is gone, it is only right that we take better care of her." Shujia agreed.
Prince Yu’s wife[2] said, “I’m just looking after you, but there’s one thing you’ve thought of, sister?”
Shujia asked curiously, "What's the matter?"
"Hongxi's wife is not available right now. What's going on in Hongxi's room——"
Ning Hui thought about it and said, "Even though I have a daughter-in-law, as a mother-in-law, I can't control her too much, but I still have to know a little bit."
The Fifteenth Lady covered her mouth and smiled: "This kind of thing must not be kept from Master Mao."
The other three smiled knowingly. Shujia didn't mention that Gegentana had already told her, but just laughed along with everyone else. Ning Hui said, "Prince Guangshan's wedding is coming soon, right?"
Shuyi said, "It's scheduled after Prince Xian's wedding, so it's coming up soon. After the New Year, every family in the capital is busy preparing for their wedding. I was wondering if we should ask our prince to make Guangshan a crown prince?"
The remaining three glanced at Shuyi for a moment, and Shuyi said calmly, "It would also look better on the wedding day."
Shujia smiled and said, "If you have this intention, why not tell Prince Yu first? It doesn't matter whether it's conferred sooner or later."
The next day, Concubine Mao, who seemed to have figured out the situation, came to the Empress and said, "I'm thinking that if they both have their own ideas, that's fine. My daughter-in-law is young and might not think of this. If Hongxi is also confused, it would be better to show him a way out first. What do you think, my lady?"
Shujia said, "I was just about to talk about this. We need to talk to Hongxi about this, and then tell his wife. If Hongxi doesn't want to do it, we won't force him. If he wants to, we can talk about it later. Also, do you have any reliable people? Tell me about it."
Concubine Mao said, "There are two people, both of whom work in Hongxi Courtyard."
Shujia shook her head and said, "Wait a minute. From today on, go and see if there is anyone suitable around Hongxi's wife."
Mao Fei frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "I didn't think it through!"
To judge the maidservants around the daughter-in-law, and to examine their character, one needs to spend some time alone with them, and it is easy for others to see. When Concubine Mao was worried about how to tell her daughter-in-law about this, Gegentana came to pay her respects to Concubine Mao with the maidservants she had chosen.
I heard Gegentana say, "Mother, what do you think of this girl?"
Mao Fei was surprised and asked uncertainly, "What are you doing?"
Gegentana suppressed the sour feeling in her chest: "My wife is not feeling well, we can't just ask our master to... ahem, do you think this girl can serve the Second Master well?"
The chosen palace maid's original name was Da Niu, but when she came to Gegentana's place, she changed her name to Qing'er. After hearing what Gegentana said, she hurried forward and kowtowed to Concubine Mao.
This truly relieved Concubine Mao's worries. She was so happy that she looked the maid up and down. She wasn't the most beautiful, but she had some charm and looked like a decent woman. As a mother, she was most worried about her son being led astray by a "goddess". After taking one look at her face, she felt relieved. She then asked how old she was, where she was from, etc. Finally, she asked, "Have you reported this to the mistress?"
Gegentana smiled and said, "First, please give me some advice, mother."
Concubine Mao hurriedly said, "Hurry up and go to Kunning Palace to pay your respects."
When they arrived at Kunning Palace, Shujia was very generous and rewarded her with a pair of bracelets. Maofei also gave her some rewards, but they were not very expensive.
In this way, before Hongxi knew it, the three women had already decided on the candidate for his first concubine in his life.
When Gegentana told him about it that night, he was still a little angry: "Just take care of yourself, why do you think about these things?" Then he said to Qing'er, "Serve your master well."
Gegentana was secretly delighted and said, "You come again! I have no shortage of servants now."
"Am I missing something?" Hong Xi said, "I'm going to sleep in the study." He ran away with red ears.
Gegentana comforted Qing'er: "Second Master, you are so sorry. I don't need you to serve me here for now. You should rest well. Come over early tomorrow morning. Second Master will come over tomorrow morning."
Qing'er felt a little aggrieved, but she had to suppress it. She knelt down and bowed to Gegentana, then quietly took her leave.
After sending Qing'er away, Gegentana asked the nanny, "Who are the people around the Second Master?"
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Yinreng chewed a piece of after-meal fruit and found it delicious. He picked up a small piece with a toothpick and fed it to Wu Yunzhu. He threw it away and said to Shujia, "Today, Baotai submitted a memorial requesting that Guangshan be made a crown prince."
"He really did come to the book?"
"You know?"
Shujia also put down the toothpick: "The third girl came over a few days ago and said that she wanted Baotai to ask for the title, but she didn't expect Baotai to be so quick." She wiped her hands and said, "It's a decent wedding."
"Well, that's the reason." Yinreng came to a conclusion in his mind.
"Don't talk about this, there is something you need to think about right now."
"What's going on?"
Shujia pouted, Yinreng lowered his head, looked at his daughter sitting on his lap, and pointed at Wuyunzhu's head with his index finger.
Shujia nodded. "How old is she? It's time for her to start studying. How can I teach her alone? Her sisters all had older teachers when they were in the palace, and they all learned almost everything. Now they are just doing needlework and learning etiquette. What should she do?"
Wu Yunzhu realized that she had become the subject of discussion. She looked up at her father, then turned her neck to look at her mother: "Me?"
Shujia had never studied the education of the princesses, and Yinreng had never cared about it either. They both looked seriously at Wu Yunzhu.
"Do you have any ideas?"
"It seems inappropriate to ask her to go with the brothers," Shujia actually didn't mind. "She should stay at the back. It's not good for outsiders to enter the harem."
Yinreng thought for a moment and asked, "How did Princess Rongxian and the others learn it back then?"
Without having studied it in detail, Shujia said, "Most of them were raised by maids, and later on, there were also literate eunuchs who taught them. I think there are still few well-educated eunuchs, and it may be difficult to find them. When there are more princesses in the future, it will be better to establish certain rules."
This problem was not a big deal for Yinreng: "Xianfu Palace is now empty. Convert it into a place for the princesses to study. Nowadays, it is not as good as when their aunt was alive. There are fewer and fewer people in the palace who can speak Mongolian. Ask the Ministry of Internal Affairs to select an old and upright person to come here. As for the Mandarin language, it is also necessary to learn it. I will take care of this."
The biggest difference between the Lifanyuan and other central agencies is that there are more Mongolians working within it, and there are also more translators.
Then Yinreng asked Shujia what subjects she thought girls should learn, and then made arrangements one by one: "I'll arrange the rules of needlework for you." Holding his daughter in his arms, he thought more, "My daughter must know a little bit about everything."
It was decided immediately that if the sons knew something, the daughters would at least understand it, though not necessarily in depth. Yinreng would seek out "elderly and virtuous" individuals to teach Chinese, calligraphy, painting, and Western studies. This was a bit of an exaggeration; teaching boys and girls was, after all, different.
Being a tutor to the princes was an honorable position, though Kangxi might have exiled his entire family. Being a tutor to the princesses was also an honorable position if you were a woman, but it was a bit difficult to say for a man.
In the end, the group that came was really all women. The leader was Hesheli, the daughter of Soetu and the wife of Yisan'a. This woman was well-known for her talent and good character. She was also a relative of the family and an elderly woman.
Hesheli replied that she was a widow and feared she could not teach the princesses, but she eventually accepted the appointment after repeated requests from Kunning Palace. Shujia followed the etiquette and asked her daughters to become apprentices.
This Hesheli's name was Wuyunzhu, and at one point there were two Wuyunzhus in the palace. Unfortunately, the names of the most prominent ladies in the palace were meant to be taboo. The former was referred to as "Master of Xianfu Palace," and the latter as "Fifth Princess."
Shujia watched her daughters perform the ceremonial ceremony of paying respect to their teacher in Kunning Palace. Hesheli, though restrained by Shujia's orders, only accepted a half-offer. When Shujia said, "This is to teach them what respecting a teacher means, isn't it?" Hesheli's reluctance eased somewhat.
The most feared thing for a royal teacher is meeting these privileged students and privileged parents. Hesheli initially refused because she was worried about this: she couldn't teach freely under the numerous rules, and if she couldn't give full play to her abilities, they would blame her for not being competent enough.
The Queen at least seemed polite.
Shujia immediately set standards for Hesheli: palace meals, charcoal in winter, ice in summer, and a salary, along with a salary comparable to that of a tutor to the emperor's sons. "When meeting concubines or lower (there were no such people at the time), full formalities are unnecessary; when meeting princesses, only half formalities are required." She was allowed to ride in a two-person sedan chair to the gate of Xianfu Palace.
Praise the teacher highly and add a sentence: "Don't let me down."
The importance of this was significant enough, and Hesheli was also satisfied: "I, your servant, will do my utmost to repay your master's kindness." What satisfied her most was the good rules in the palace, respect for teachers and education. The emperor was also a sensible man, and being good to his wife was a good example of a good family tradition (= =).
Shujia smiled and said, "The Emperor has ordered the Imperial Household Department to rebuild Xianfu Palace. Once it's finished, the princesses can go to school. Is there anything you need?"
"Please tell me what the princesses have learned so that I can go back and prepare. Once Xianfu Palace is finished, it will be almost done."
Shujia watched the maids, who were each telling the Hesheli princesses what they had learned. The youngest was just getting started, so it could be considered that she didn't know much yet, so Hesheli was the one teaching her. The eldest and second princesses were about to be married, so there was no need to worry too much. The third and fourth princesses already had some basics.
After thinking about it, Hesheli felt that the work was not very heavy. She asked for instructions on the time arrangement and then took her leave to go back and prepare for class.
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For Yinreng, his daughter's education was a minor matter compared to state affairs. He gave the order and let his wife handle it. Hesheli was the cousin of Empress Renxiao, and Shujia treated her with courtesy. Yinreng was happy to see this happen, and even praised his wife for being generous.
After hearing about Shujia's troubles in the palace, he said to Yaerjiang'a with a smile: "Women have a lot of things to do, but she is just very good to her master."
Yaerjiang'a smiled and said, "The Royal Master is a role model for all people. Isn't it something the Emperor would be pleased to see your Majesty do this?"
He was called by Yinreng to discuss the matter of Guangshan being enthroned as the crown prince. Since he was in charge of the Ministry of Clan Affairs, such matters had to be handled with him.
Ma Qi, Li Guangdi, and others were all Grand Secretaries, and they also wanted to know about the enthronement of the prince, so they all came to the meeting, but their emotions were very complicated. Ma Qi followed up on Yaerjiang'a's words and said, "I still remember the day when the prince first started school, and the emperor personally took the prince to pay his respects to his teacher. It was truly touching."
Li Guangdi twitched his lips. "Damn, why didn't I have a good time when I was the prince's teacher?!" Didn't you see Tang Bin nearly cry when he was tested? Oh, and that unfortunate Xu Yuanmeng, who almost had his parents exiled! Huh? He was sent to the bondservant system. Is he out now?
Yinreng was feeling proud in his heart, and said, "Aren't these all as I should? Let's not talk about this anymore, just approve Prince Yu's memorial." After saying that, he pretended to cough, and his smile seemed a little obscene.
After flattering him, Yaerjiang'a slammed him in his heart: "I told you you're fat, and you're out of breath! Who doesn't know your dark history? Who was the one who refused to let the teacher sit in the middle of summer and made the teacher collapse from exhaustion? Poor old Tang Bin!"
Seeing that there was nothing for him to do, Yaerjiang'a replied and excused himself. He still had to go to the clan clan office to complete the registration procedures for Guangshan. Ma Qi then said, "Now that Prince Yu has been appointed Crown Prince, the Ministry of Internal Affairs must prepare all the necessary ceremonial equipment, utensils, and clothing for the Crown Prince. Furthermore, since the Crown Prince of Yu is about to marry, the Crown Prince's wife's clothing must also be prepared. The wedding ceremony should also be modified according to the regulations."
"That's it."
Yaerjiang'a retreated slowly. After hearing Ma Qi's words, he couldn't help but laugh: "Old Five and Old Twelve will be worried."
That's right. The Imperial Observatory had calculated the date and made a schedule according to the schedule. Now it suddenly had to be changed. Both the man and the woman could not afford to be slow. Even Yunqi and Yunlu, who usually had relatively mild tempers, were about to get angry.
No matter how irritable you are, you have to work hard. If something goes wrong, I'm afraid that the emperor brother won't be so easy to talk to.
They pressed their subordinates to go to the two families to ask for the couple's clothing sizes, and even dragged the head of the Imperial Household Department to discuss how to squeeze in time to do things. With the Crown Prince's 100th Birthday, the Empress's 100th Birthday, and the Emperor's 100th Birthday approaching, things were already piling up, and with this added issue, they were furious and cursed Baotai in their hearts.
Baotai was unaware that his two cousins were complaining about him. He was in high spirits. His son was getting married, and his step-wife thoughtfully asked him to ask for his son to be crowned Crown Prince. "My wife is so virtuous, what a good person," she thought, "and she treated Shuyi even better." The two old wives, knowing the Crown Prince's position was already secured, were not only pleased with their son's wife but also spoke highly of their future grandson's wife. A daughter raised in the Shi family was at least virtuous.
This sentiment affected Guangshan as well. It would be a lie to say he wasn't worried after having a stepmother. And with the occasional comment from his uncle's family, even though his stepmother had always been a good person, Guangshan still kept a distance from her. And since his wife was his stepmother's niece, the relationship became even more complex. It wasn't until the imperial decree came down that Guangshan realized he'd been playing the villain for nothing.
Everyone knew that a niece couldn't be compared to a biological son. Shuyi's behavior was a testament to her generosity.
Shuyi breathed a sigh of relief. Life would just be like this. Now that she had established her reputation, Baotai, Guangshan, and even the old lady would take care of her son. With her sister back at the palace, nothing would go wrong. She had suffered some grievances, but today it seemed like it was worth it.
After receiving the imperial edict, Baotai was actually embarrassed to go up. Shuyi just said, "Don't be happy yet. The eldest prince has been named the Crown Prince, so his marriage plan can no longer be arranged as before. We have to sort it out from the beginning. I originally prepared an extra gift, and now it is just the right time to use it, but it is still a little short."
"I was wondering, you asked them to give you more money to buy things, but it turns out that you had already..." Who reported this is debatable.
Shuyi snorted, "If we dare to change our minds at the last minute, the Imperial Household Department will hate us to death!"
Baotai chuckled: "If they want to scold me, they should scold me. Old Five and Old Twelve are not very good at talking, so even if they say it to my face, it won't matter."
Shuyi really wanted to roll her eyes.
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Things are going well at home, but things are still not going well for the family.
The Kuo Yin case was still underway, and the person Yinreng was waiting for had not yet arrived. Li Guangdi was a capable man, and Yinreng knew this, but if he wanted to make this capable man contribute, he needed to work hard to squeeze him. The person Yinreng was waiting for was Li Guangdi's student, Yang Mingshi.
This student was a true student, and could be considered Yinreng's junior fellow apprentice. Not only was Yang Mingshi selected by Li Guangdi as the examiner, but he also continued to study Confucian classics under Li Guangdi even after passing the exam.
This official was considered honest and shared Shi Shilun's penchant for championing the underprivileged. Emperor Kangxi famously said, "The inspectors of the time intentionally rejected the rich and recognized the poor, without questioning their academic achievements or their literary accomplishments." He was the perfect person to implement the current policy of discouraging the rich.
Yang Mingshi was Li Guangdi's student and was highly regarded by him. Yang Mingshi was dragged into this matter. Who would believe that Li Guangdi had no involvement?
As luck would have it, Yang Mingshi's parents died one after another. He began his mourning period in the 45th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, and this year marks the end of his period. We've got this much manpower, so why not use it? Give him a position first, test his skills, and if he proves capable, promote him to a more remote province as a pilot. By then, I'll see how anxious you, Li Guangdi, are. By the way, I won't let you retire until you're dead!
Just as Yinreng was dreaming, Li Guangdi arrived.
He came with a memorial: "Left Censor-in-Chief Zhao Shenqiao impeaches Minister of Justice Qi Shiwu."
Alas, the examination was over, Mr. Zhao had finished reviewing the papers and reporting to Yinreng, and his confinement was over. He returned to his original job - reporting on people!
Officials throughout the country who are in office but do nothing are considered good people, and there are also many who occupy advantageous positions and desperately try to make money. For example, Garin and Zhang Boxing are currently fighting each other. Mr. Zhao is a Han Chinese, honest, and is on the same side as Zhang Boxing, and he is helping Zhang Boxing out of righteousness.
However, due to the complexities of the situation, his opinion was set aside by Yinreng. Meanwhile, the Manchu and Han ministers in the court also began to take sides. This was a real headache for Yinreng, so he had to issue a stern reprimand: "Officials from all over the country have gathered in the capital, and you ministers are attacking each other. Aren't you afraid of what people say?" Are you just putting on a comedy skit in front of the younger generation? Shut up!
Okay, I won't help Zhang Boxing and Galin with their verbal fights anymore. They've just started some minor frictions with each other. Speaking of which, Zhang Boxing and Galin really screwed over quite a few people. Originally, everyone saw each other all the time in Beijing, so any minor disagreements were kept to themselves.
Now, you support Zhang Boxing, and I support Galin, and our positions are suddenly clear. Because of these two people, the conflict among others has deepened. Instead of reporting these two people, officials in Beijing have started reporting each other.
One of the more prominent ones was Tohaqi, a veteran princeling who held a high position of power but a rather unsavory character. The Infantry Commander had many responsibilities, especially security within and outside the capital, so Tohaqi took it upon himself to collect protection fees from merchants.
In the 46th year of the Kangxi reign, he was impeached by Gao Xiachang, a clerk in the Ministry of Revenue: "(Tuoheqi)...he himself supervised the arrests and sentencing, while the three battalions under his command were put under the command of a governor. He was a fierce general and arrogant soldiers, acting without restraint...The governor interfered in lawsuits, and the treacherous people formed a group of soldiers to pick on people, causing the people to suffer...The governor managed the streets and allowed his soldiers to commit corruption and abuse, oppressing officials and civilians."
At that time, Emperor Kangxi, for various reasons, did not impose sanctions on Tuoheqi. He simply said, "Sifang, who manages the streets, is afraid of dignitaries and only knows how to extort shopkeepers. Therefore, it has been merged with the command of the infantry. Now that merchants and civilians are suffering, Xiachang will be given the responsibility of taking charge and clearing up the mess within a year."
Gao Xiachang was quite capable, managing the streets fairly well. Tuoheqi was left helpless, staring blankly. He waited until now, finally finding evidence against Gao Xiachang. He claimed Gao had also taken a small commission, though it wasn't much. Tuoheqi could only calculate a few hundred taels. This amount was ridiculously small for the current corruption case. Furthermore, it came from an enemy, clearly a highly exaggerated claim.
Even if the figures were inflated, it was not a big deal for Yinreng, who had come into contact with the deficit in weaving. The emperor did not need to personally inquire about it and could just hand it over to the people below to handle.
This time, a problem arose: Qi Shiwu, the Minister of Justice, and Tuoheqi were in cahoots, both veteran "princelings with no bottom line."
Gao Xiachang was determined to be hanged. Fortunately, there were still reasonable people in this world who delayed the matter a little, and this delay lasted until Zhao Shenqiao was released from prison, uh, no, his confinement was completed.
Zhao Shenqiao was the Left Censor-in-Chief, the head of the censors. Gao Xiachang was the Imperial Censor of the Household Department, also a censor.
A further note: Qi Shiwu and Tuoheqi were men of bad character and reputation, and were also bannermen. Gao Xiachang was a good man with no notable misdeeds. Tuoheqi accused him of extortion, saying he was extorting money to the extreme, with each merchant only paying two or three hundred yuan per room from the beginning to the end.
Mr. Zhao could no longer sit still, so he filed a lawsuit against Qi Shiwu.
Yinreng didn't know exactly what kind of person his "confidant" was, but he had a rough idea of what he was like, and it was starting to give him a headache. Zhao Shenqiao filed a complaint, and every time he filed one, he was right. He accused Qi Shiwu of wrongful imprisonment, saying that Tuoheqi had falsely accused a good man.
Yinreng wanted to strangle these four people to death: What the hell are you doing?!
The author has something to say:
[1] The most famous story is that Empress Lü made Emperor Hui marry the daughter of Princess Lu Yuan. Another less famous story is that Sun Quan made his son marry his granddaughter. You can search for it on Baidu.
[2] At this time in history, Prince Yu’s wife had already died. It is likely that she was not living a good life and ran away.
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