Finally got the big pick
With the sound of paper twisting gently, Yinreng asked in a voice mixed with joy and a hint of pain, "So many?"
Yaerjiang'a also nodded in the same tone and said, "Who says it's not?"
As a responsible and motivated prince in charge of the Imperial Clan Court, Yarjiang'a always handled matters within his purview promptly. Today's incident was no exception: another group of clan members were to be granted titles, and he reported it to Yinreng along with a clan census form.
At this moment, the two brothers were reviewing the list in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. As expected, the imperial clan's population had expanded to a point that was both gratifying and worrying. Back then, when everyone had just decided to conquer the empire, how many people were there in their family? Now that Manman had written so much, it was truly... so moving that it made me want to cry! It costs money to support so many people and their families!
The two men exchanged a conflicted glance, each seeing emotion in the other's eyes. Then, their faces straightened at the same time, with Yinreng speaking first: "Let's do as we agreed."
Yaerjiang'a immediately understood: "I will prepare it right away."
He was preparing for the exam. Yinreng added, "There are more and more people coming. Spread the word. I'll set the exam questions myself this year. You only have one chance. If you pass, you'll be rewarded with a title. If you don't, you can rest."
There was no other way; there were simply too many members of the imperial clan. At the dawn of the dynasty, the imperial clan was relatively rare, and like bannermen, everyone had ample opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and earn titles. Essentially, anyone with the same surname as the emperor, if they possessed even a modicum of talent, could shine. The Qing court, with its vast resources and a commitment to "serving one clan with all the power in the land," offered anyone with a connection a chance to be rewarded with a title.
Under these policies, the imperial family's population expanded even more than that of ordinary bannermen. By this point, resources were scarce, and the lavish spending of relatives was no longer possible. During the Kangxi reign, many members of the imperial family, save for a belt around their waists, enjoyed the same material benefits as ordinary bannermen.
One of the reforms to the clan system during the Kangxi reign was to standardize the rules for inheritance and conferring titles on each clan member.
Not only did it stipulate that ordinary idle royal family members would receive the same subsidies as bannermen, but it also stipulated the titles of the sons of royal family members with titles. Specifically, if the title was hereditary, the eldest son would inherit it, and the title would not be reduced in rank. If the title was hereditary, the eldest son would inherit it, and the title would be reduced in rank until it reached the rank of Feng'en General. If the title was not hereditary, the title would remain with the individual and not be inherited (this was rare).
The rest of the sons' titles were determined by their birth mother's status, not simply because their father was a prince. Sons born to the prince's legitimate wife were given the title of Duke of the State, a lower rank than the eighth rank; sons born to concubines were given the title of Second-Class General of the State; sons born to confidants or other concubines were given the title of Third-Class General of the State. This continued in this order, extending to the ranks of the remaining members of the royal family.
Don't think that's the end of it. To reduce the financial burden and allocate limited resources to relatives with greater development potential, the court also stipulated that all those who aspired to a title must first take an examination before being granted one. Only those who passed the examination could receive the aforementioned title. If you failed once, you would be demoted one rank, and if you failed again, you would be left with nothing.
It has to be said that the implementation of this measure has, to a certain extent, stimulated the royal family's enthusiasm for learning and saved the country a lot of expenses - the title is a systematic project, including the wife and children of the recipient.
You have to take exams to become a civil servant, and you have to take exams to get a knighthood. Knowledge changes your destiny!
Yarjiang'a replied, "Yeah." He wasn't worried about his sons at all. First, their academic performance wasn't top-notch, but it wasn't bad either. Second, he was still in his prime. These two things were enough.
Yinreng shook the notebook that Yarjiang'e had brought: "Put this here first, I'll take a look at it."
Hearing his tone as if to ask her to leave, Yarjiang'a hesitated for a moment, but still asked, "I heard that the Queen intends to choose a wife for Hongyu to marry this year?"
Yinreng smiled slightly and looked up at Yaerjiang'a: "Yes, what's the matter?"
Yaerjiang Adao said, "This... Hongyu is grown up now. He has married a wife. It's not right for him to live in the palace forever, right? Besides, if he marries a wife in the palace, what rank should be considered? It can't be the same as the other princes! You... I wonder what the emperor's decision is?"
He was here to handle matters like the classification of the royal family, so it made sense to mention Hongyu. He couldn't let Hongyu live in the palace without knowing his identity; it wouldn't look right.
Yinreng smiled and said, "I have my own ideas on this. You should go and prepare for the exam as soon as possible."
This time, Yaerjiang'a readily agreed to leave. Yinreng said to Hongdan, "Prince Jian is a careful person."
Hongdan also smiled and agreed: "Khan Ama is right. Since Prince Jian took charge of the Ministry of Clan Affairs, he has rarely made mistakes."
Yinreng said, "Don't just watch him. You brothers should also work harder these days. I will personally test the royal family members who are waiting to be conferred titles. You brothers should come with me."
Hongdan replied, "My son obeys your order." Going together definitely wasn't about serving as examiners together, or even just observing. Knowing his family well, Hongdan knew that both his grandfather and father liked to parade their children before reviewing outsiders. Of course, the emperor himself would be the first to strike a pose.
Letting go of this one, Grand Secretary Xiao Yongzao came in with a bunch of memorials. This one was also a veteran, and also a bannerman, the Han army white banner.
After entering the room and paying his respects, Yinreng kindly offered him a seat.
The news Xiao Yongzao brought was not very good: "Shuntian Prefecture County Examination..."
Just five words were enough to make Yinreng straighten his back even more: "What happened to the Shuntian Prefecture County Examination?"
Xiao Yongzao gritted his teeth and told the bad news with his eyes closed: "Someone cheated in the Shuntian Prefecture's provincial examination."
Hongdan's eyes, originally filled with curiosity, were now burning with anger! Those who cheated in the last exam had just been punished, and now someone was breaking the rules again! Because he was in the presence of the emperor, he pursed his lips and waited for Yinreng to ask questions.
Yinreng was also very angry. Ever since he came to power, he had been trying to recruit talents for his own use through the imperial examinations, but time and again, he had encountered mistakes. His voice was cold and icy: "Zhang Penghe has always been cautious in his work, how could he have made such a mistake?!"
Xiao Yongzao's cheeks twitched, and he quickly said, "It's not him, it's not him!" He swallowed hard, "It was the candidate. Cha Richang, the father of Cha Weiren, who won first place in the Shuntian County Examination, hired someone to write for Yizi, bribed the clerk, and passed on the essay. Zhou Qi, who also passed the Shuntian County Examination, hired someone to write for him and colluded with the clerks who copied the papers to commit cheating."
Just the examinees? Yinreng felt a little better: "Just check it out. We must punish them severely!"
Xiao Yongzao said bitterly, "Forget about Cha Mou, but this Zhou Qi..."
"how?"
"He is the son of Zhou San, a member of the Tohaqi family, the former commander of the infantry," he waved his hands repeatedly, "that's not what I want to say, but... they were first reported by Shao Wenqing, but Zhou San bribed the prison warden Zhou Zhiquan, wanting to get rid of Shao Wenqing and silence him." Then he was reported to the Censorate.
Kuixu and Tuoheqi were originally political enemies of the Zhiwang and Taizi factions. By the time Mingzhu changed sides, the relationship between the two families was merely superficial. Furthermore, Tuoheqi, relying on his original shares, looked down upon Kuixu and his colleagues. If Kuixu didn't hold a grudge, he'd be a saint, Xiao Yongzao silently grumbled.
Yinreng's face flushed slightly, and he began to curse: "Zhou San and Zhou Qi were slaves, yet they bribed and disrupted the imperial examination ceremony. This is a heinous crime. We should deal with it as we must. Why involve Tohaqi? Do you think Tohaqi's servants can escape the law? Do you think I will protect Tohaqi's servants?!"
Seeing that things were going badly, Xiao Yongzao quickly apologized, "I was just asking for your instructions, Your Majesty. If Zhou San and his son hadn't been taken to the Heqi Mansion, how would we have arrested them?"
"Call the Infantry Commander..." Yinreng stopped talking mid-sentence. Even he couldn't believe that Aljishan, a fellow Suo Party member, wouldn't protect Tohaqi. Damn! Clinging together for mutual support has always been a tradition of the Prince's Party, or Suo Party.
Yinreng called Aljishan over. Xiao Yongzao wiped his sweat and quickly excused himself when he saw Aljishan coming. Yinreng said to Aljishan, "Sit down," and then to Xiao Yongzao, "Minister He Yi has worked hard and has made great contributions. I reward him with the double-eyed peacock feather."
Xiao Yongzao happily agreed and took his leave. Yinreng then told Aljishan, "How is the capital these days?"
After hearing about the awarding of the Heyi Flower Feather, Aljishan was secretly looking towards Hongdan. When he heard Yinreng's question, he hurriedly said, "There is peace and tranquility under the emperor's feet. It's just that the beautiful ladies from all over the country are coming to the capital, which makes it a bit too lively."
Yinreng hummed, "Set up the chessboard, and let's play a few games."
Aljishan had no reason to refuse. The two of them played back and forth for dozens of moves. Aljishan's decline became increasingly apparent, so Yinreng casually said, "Send someone to Tuoheqi to get two men out. Have the leader do it, and we'll continue playing chess."
The chess piece in Aljishan's hand fell onto the chessboard with a thud.
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After Tohqi was dismissed from his post, his family was also arrested, leaving him humiliated. Yinreng attached great importance to the imperial examinations. Zhou Qi was born a servant and took the exam with everyone else. If his performance was based on his own abilities, Yinreng might have felt a little admiration for his talent. However, he cheated, which was a serious problem.
Cha Richang and his son were also sentenced to heavy penalties. They were sentenced to hanging in prison, while Zhou San and his son were executed immediately. The bribed agents, messengers, and copyists were also punished, including some censors who had failed to oversee the case from the outset.
After dealing with these, the date for the royal family's title examination has arrived.
As Hongdan expected, Yinreng brought his brothers and Hongyu to attend the examination ceremony. The examination was divided into three parts: literary examination, archery and riding, and interview. Because the emperor was the invigilator, the interview was the main part of the examination.
In the first round, the emperor gave everyone a task to write. First, they had to recite a few passages from the Four Books that the emperor casually recited, then write an essay, and then translate it into Manchu and Chinese.
Even among the imperial clan, not everyone got to see their head emperor so often, and emotional fluctuations were inevitable for teenagers. Hongtong stretched his neck and saw that quite a few of his relatives were trembling. He chuckled, glanced around, and continued to act calm.
Among the imperial clan members, some were good students, some were not, and some handed in their papers early and some late. As the exam drew to a close, some became increasingly anxious. When everyone's papers were handed in, Yinreng examined them one by one, tossing aside those with poor handwriting.
Then, they would ask their own sons to show off, starting with the youngest ones, like Hongzao and Hongchen. They would then have them recite a section of the book from memory, then explain and comment on it to win everyone's admiration. Hongtong and Honggui would comment on the Manchu-Chinese translation, and it was foreseeable that Hongdan and Hongxi would answer questions about their writing on current affairs.
Hongyu stood upright, showing genuine concern. It wasn't easy being among these cousins, so he couldn't possibly stand out. Even if his martial arts weren't as good as Hongxi, who was several years his senior, and his academics were slightly behind Hongdan, didn't that mean he couldn't be compared to a young boy like Hongzao? He simply couldn't stand out; he had to remember his status.
Life in the palace was only slightly better than confinement. Hongyu positioned himself appropriately, and he managed to get along peacefully with his cousins. In such matters of prominence, he always tried to downplay his presence.
Unexpectedly, his second uncle actually said, "Hongyu, tell us about this part."
"..." Hongyu's mind went blank for a moment, and he immediately adjusted his state. This part was relatively simple. He recalled what his master said, and then said it out loud just like that.
The answer was neither good nor bad, but it was consistent with his usual performance, and was above average compared to these candidates.
Yinreng was very pleased: "You were delayed for a few years when you were a child, and it seems that you have really worked hard these days." Then he announced, "Everyone go home, we will have the archery and horse riding exams tomorrow." Then he took his son and nephew back to his own territory - the Qianqing Palace.
In the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Yinreng frowned and first said to Honggui: "You said one thing wrong today! Is this what your master taught you? The national language should not be neglected, and people should not forget their roots..." After scolding him, he said to Hongchen and Hongzao: "When you study, you must not only practice recitation, but also understand its meaning. The national language cannot be neglected." After saying this, he glanced at Honggui.
Hongdial: "..."
The two older sons also gave good answers, and Yinreng, wanting to save some face for them in front of his younger brothers, did not scold them. Instead, he said, "Learning is like rowing against the current."
To Hongyu, it was praise and encouragement: "You did well today. Keep studying hard. Tomorrow there will be a test on horseback riding and archery. You all must accompany me for the review. Tomorrow, not only you, but also the royal family members present today, and all males over ten years old from all the royal families will be there. Check your archery and horsemanship and show them your prowess."
The nephews and nieces responded in unison.
The test of horsemanship and archery was different from the written test, where the royal family members first wrote their papers. Yinreng took the lead and hit the target with three arrows, to thunderous cheers from the crowd. Yinreng's mouth curled up in a smug smile, and then he gestured to his sons and Hongyu to demonstrate their talents in turn.
Then came the other nephews, and then the examination for the royal family members.
This exam wasn't even the civil service exam; if you didn't pass today, there was always next year. This was a single test that would determine your entire life. It affected your future prospects, your financial situation, the type of wife you could marry, your wife's imperial decree, and the social status of your children... It was already stressful enough, and this kind emperor even put a bit of pressure on everyone by organizing a decent exhibition match!
The first one to go up was a bit off-key. He had to shoot ten arrows and hit seven. His hand slipped twice before he calmed down and shot one arrow after another into the bull's eye.
Yinreng smiled and nodded.
After the exam, the results were not announced immediately. Yinreng asked everyone to go home and then summoned the kings to discuss the matter.
Yaer Jiang'a, who was in charge of the Imperial Clan's Office, said first, "There are quite a few good-looking children this year. Although some have been dismissed, they are not many. This shows that the Imperial Clan is also full of talented people."
Yunsi had other thoughts. Concubine Liang would be fifty this October, and Yunsi was perfectly willing to bring his biological mother out to live with him. He also had feelings for his adoptive mother. However, if his biological mother paid respects to his adoptive mother in the palace, and if they were still the same here, he would feel bad for his biological mother.
In particular, both of them were concubines, and Concubine Liang eventually became the main concubine. There was no patriarchal law that required her to serve the legitimate mother first.
Yunsi had already written the memorial, but he hadn't found the right opportunity to submit it. He wanted Hongyu to support his grandmother, but that required him to have both a mansion and a title. It would be best if Hongyu submitted the application himself, otherwise it would be awkward to say he no longer cared for his adoptive mother, who had been so kind to him.
Therefore, when the Eighth Lady told the Queen about Hongyu's marriage, Yunsi was embarrassed to say to his second brother: Give our nephew Hongyu a mansion so that I can give Concubine Hui to him to raise.
While he was still anxious, his brothers had finished their discussion and Yinreng had announced the result: "All members of the imperial clan who have passed the examination will be given titles according to the status of their parents. The Imperial Clan Bureau will draft the list and report back."
Yarjiang'a had completed a task and responded with a relaxed tone. Yinreng added, "Hongyu is also the grandson of the late emperor. I raised him in the palace. Now that he has grown up, I will help him start a family and establish a career. Hongyu will be made a Duke of Fuguo. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will choose a site for him to build a mansion and provide him with slaves."
What a pleasant surprise! Yunsi happily joined his brothers in saying, "Your Majesty is benevolent, loving, and fraternal. He is a role model for the world."
Then, the brothers praised the emperor from various perspectives. Yunqi, among them, was a bit frustrated by the praise. He was in charge of the Imperial Household Department, which gave him another responsibility. You know, royal family members who were granted titles weren't necessarily given houses. At most, they would be given a plaque and supervised to see if their houses exceeded the specifications. The Imperial Household Department usually built houses for the emperor's sons and daughters. Building houses for others was considered a special favor.
After everyone had finished flattering him, they all left. Yinreng called Hongyu over and announced the good news to him personally.
Hongyu was also pleasantly surprised. He finally had his own territory. He was deeply moved and said, "Thank you, Khan, for your cultivation. I am a guest here."
Yinreng touched his chin and said, "The Queen is selecting a wife for you from among the concubines, and your fifth uncle is choosing a location for your mansion. When the mansion is completed next year, you will have double happiness."
Hongyu expressed his gratitude again.
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"Prince Fuguo?" Shujia was a little surprised. "You want me to choose one based on the wife of a prince."
"Guanglue Beile, the eldest son of Consort Chu Yingyuan, was only posthumously named Beile. Yunzhi's brothers are still alive, so Hongyu had no choice but to be demoted by two ranks," Yinreng answered casually. "How are the concubines?"
How are the concubines? Shujia's heart skipped a beat. What did he mean by asking this? Did he want to review them himself? Or... did he want to enrich his harem?
Shujia's thoughts raced as she continued, "We've retained more of the Mongol Banner this year, while we've cut down a few of the Han Banner. There are indeed some good ones left, but we'll have to wait until we've finished examining them to see how they fare. Also, what we've seen now can't be taken as definitive; we'll have to wait two months before we can make a final judgment."
Yinreng nodded: "I understand."
Is that it?
Shujia was unsure of Yinreng's intentions, so she simply turned back to Hongyu: "Then...will the wife chosen for Hongyu remain the same?"
Yinreng nodded. "He's a sensible man, so it's reasonable to give him a good wife. Besides, things are different there, and there are so many things to do. I'm afraid he won't be able to survive without a good wife."
"Now that you put it that way, I understand. So—are you busy with the affairs of the former dynasty right now?"
"how?"
"The selection of beauties has ended. They will stay in the palace soon. You must find time to see them." Shujia's heart was in her throat when she said this.
Yinreng said nonchalantly, "I understand."
This job is impossible! Shujia was very depressed. She couldn't open her mouth, and she was worried that Yinreng had such thoughts. She also had to worry about her future daughter-in-law. Hesheli was a good girl, at least she met the general standards. But who should Hongtong choose as his Mongolian daughter-in-law?
While his wife was agonizing over the matter, Yinreng, as if nothing had happened, continued to talk about the portrait: "We've been talking about painting a Western painting for years, but there's been no end to it. I've already asked them to find a Western painter. Once the big selection is done, let's move to the garden and paint slowly and leisurely."
This was not bad news. Shujia smiled and said, "That's good." Then she asked, "Is the Westerner who provided the painting also a priest?"
"Western merchants are also profit-driven by nature, and they can't stop snagging money. Since the early Ming Dynasty, most of those traveling inland have been missionaries," Yinreng said thoughtfully. Thinking of the issue of gender separation, he added, "Just treat them as offerings, or monks."
Missionaries truly have a spirit of inquiry, Shujia sighed inwardly and asked a few more questions, "So, most of those who teach geometry and mathematics are also missionaries?"
"That's right," Yinreng said, speaking of missionaries. He then went on to explain their usefulness in medicine, as well as their various skills, such as clockmaking, enamelware, mapmaking, and so on. "Among them, there are some who are arrogant, and some who are self-disciplined..."
Despite learning some missionary knowledge, Shujia still felt a bit irritated by the incident and unfortunately brought some of this negative emotion into her work.
"The Queen?"
"Ancestor."
Through the questions and answers, Shujia calmed down.
Today was the day for the reselection of the concubines. The Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress were presiding over the Imperial Gardens, near the Shenwu Gate. The concubines entered one by one, forming a line, one group after another, waiting for the bosses to screen them again.
Not only were the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress present, but Consort Mao and Consort Qian also had a seat. The late emperor's concubines were also allowed by the Grand Empress Dowager, and concubines and above were also present. Others, such as princesses, noble ladies, and concubines, were not allowed to participate according to regulations.
The Empress Dowager looked at the group of fresh and tender little girls, and her smile was so happy that she couldn't stop: "Good, all good. What are you looking at?" She turned her head and saw Shujia seemed to be distracted, so she greeted her.
Shujia felt a little regretful. If her actions were seen by someone with ulterior motives, they would definitely criticize her. She couldn't spread rumors like this when Yinreng hadn't agreed. She also smiled and said, "Grandfather."
"Look at them, how wonderful they are."
"Yeah. As soon as I looked at it, I remembered that I was here that year and almost lost consciousness."
The excuse was a good one. None of the women present here could be considered young. Even the queen, who was not yet forty years old, would have to sigh that "time is a butcher's knife" as long as she lowered her eyes and glanced at the young girls in the subway station.
The Empress Dowager also missed it very much: "You still remember those days, but I can't even remember what I was like when I first entered the palace."
Concubine Tong tried to smooth things over: "Grandma, if you can't remember, then forget it. Could it be that the day you entered the palace was better than having your children and grandchildren around you now? Look at how much the Emperor and Empress respect you. Why don't you look forward?" This was a double entendre. The Grand Empress Dowager raised her eyes and saw the little girls in front of her: "Yes, look forward."
The girls in front also stood in their respective positions. Since they had passed the preliminary selection, they were no longer wearing the same blue cheongsams. Instead, they were wearing various pink cheongsams, with their hair in buns and their skirts in flower pots. Some had already developed their figures, while others had not yet fully developed. But they all stood quietly.
Shujia's eyesight was quite good, and she spotted a few familiar figures. The Hesheli clan, the Guwalgiya clan, and the Fucha clan were all present. The Empress Dowager was also familiar with these clans, and was quite confident in the selection of the future Crown Princess, so she paid particular attention to the names of the Eight Banners of Mongolia.
The eunuchs called out names, and each one came out, walked a few steps forward, bowed, and announced his or her name. This was the second round of selection, and some girls with more reliable backgrounds but less qualified personalities had missed the initial round and were waiting for this time to put up their names.
The Grand Empress Dowager had a maid at her side, holding her glasses case. If she saw someone she was interested in, she would call them over and have them take out their glasses for a closer look. The rest of the time, she would discuss with the Empress who to keep and whose name to give up. Shujia would also consult with Concubine Tong and Concubine Mao, and they would carefully say something that would not offend either side.
Shujia had her own standards: too ugly, too fat, too thin—none would be acceptable. Nor would anyone too voluptuous. Only then did she realize that the "feudal standards" she had once criticized were actually quite relevant. Putting aside the fear of a "little seductress" seducing her husband, even when choosing a daughter-in-law, even for her son's concubine, she didn't want to end up with someone like Bao Si or Zhao Feiyan.
There were still quite a few people who made it to the re-selection. The Empress Dowager drank tea several times to stay awake and actually made it through the morning. After a short nap, when she came back to see me, she had a somewhat perfunctory attitude.
Shujia saw a young girl standing before her. She was of medium build and appearance, and her demeanor was a little nervous, with a little sweat on her forehead. She was unsure whether to do this or not, so she asked the Grand Empress Dowager. The Grand Empress Dowager covered her mouth and yawned, "Stay."
Another young girl came with similar conditions to the last one. The Empress Dowager was a little annoyed: "Put down the sign."
The little girl originally thought that she was in the same condition as the previous one. If others could pass, she could pass too. She had just felt relieved, but when she heard the word "put down the sign", she almost burst into tears.
Shujia had noticed long ago that girls with connections were usually assigned to the morning interviews. For interviews like this, if you didn't have a strong enough background, getting an interview in the afternoon was completely up to luck!
…
…
…
To accommodate the Empress Dowager's health, the daily reselection period was shortened, so it was extended over two days. Regardless, the reselection process was finally concluded, and the final list was confirmed. After a brief return home to pack, the women who had entered the overnight stay began their close-up inspection.
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Being able to stay in the palace, even if the name tag was dropped, would still make her marriage somewhat glorious. This round of selected ladies walked with confidence, one by one entering through the Shenwu Gate. Under the guidance of the eunuchs, they settled into their assigned rooms, adjusted their appearance, and then went to the Ningshou Palace to pay their respects. Shujia finished her business early and waited in the Ningshou Palace.
The makeup of the remaining concubines has been taken to a higher level. After two rounds of selection, they have some understanding of the palace, and their overall performance has improved a lot.
The Grand Empress Dowager was surprisingly perceptive for once: "Queen, why do I feel like there are no fewer people here than the last time we saw them? Didn't they put up signs for several people last time?"
Of those who managed to stay this long, both Manchu and Han, there were quite a few who could understand Mongolian, not to mention that there were also fellow villagers of the Grand Empress Dowager from the Mongolian Banner. The girls' hearts skipped a beat as the Empress slowly explained, "Grandfather, during the last selection, some young children were left with names but not arranged to marry. This time, of course, they all have to come together."
"Oh, look at my memory." He looked at the concubines again and asked Shujia, "Have their accommodations been arranged?"
"Yes, there are a little more people this year. I sent Lin Si'er, Wang Youde, and Wu Mingli with four eunuchs each, and Xiuniu, Zishang, and Lulu with four palace maids each, to serve in three different palaces."
The Empress Dowager regained her smile. "That's good. Let's send them all away to rest. God has mercy on them. They're so young, but they've been busy all morning."
After the concubines took their leave, Shujia also took her leave.
After returning to Kunning Palace, Zhao Guoshi came to report that Wendu and Jueluo handed over signs and requested an audience.
Shu Jia agreed after a brief thought.
Hongxiu, listening from the sidelines, thought to herself, these were probably the two grandmothers asking about their children's marriages. Both Fu Dali and Qingde had sons of marriageable age, and the weddings could have been arranged three years ago, but unfortunately, they were delayed. Naturally, both mothers were anxious. Without further ado, Hongxiu went forward to help Shujia change her clothes while quietly reporting the news from Lin Si'er and the others who had been sent to observe the women staying overnight.
"The concubines are divided into three palaces. We have prepared one more than in previous years, so it is very spacious. They have just moved in, so it is not yet clear who is good and who is not. They are watching them closely."
"Don't let them walk around, so as not to scare the princesses." Shujia didn't want to see a girl who was selected into the selection become good friends with her own daughter.
"Don't worry, the access control will be strictly enforced."
"what else?"
Hongxiu thought for a moment and said, "Master, if you want to know more details, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until they've settled the girls before you can reply. It's time for dinner, so why don't you have some breakfast first?"
Shujia nodded and ate the meal in a depressed mood.
After dinner, Lin Si'er and others arrived one after another. Shujia listened to their reports. These people were very experienced. They had already decided in advance where the concubines would live. They didn't need to explain in detail. They just said, "X palace has a certain number of concubines from a certain banner living there." Then they reported on the concubines who they thought were particularly outstanding and whom Shujia had previously called in to speak with individually.
Reports indicate that the ladies from prominent families have behaved remarkably well, remaining quiet and composed. They brought more luggage into the palace than the average court lady, but that wasn't particularly unusual.
Shujia then inquired in detail about the Mongolian women's belongings, including whether they had any books, needlework, etc. He Yi's daughter and Fu Erdan's wife had brought some with them. These people were considered the focus of the investigation, and Lin Si'er and others also paid special attention to them, and they were able to tell a lot about them.
Well, it's okay. Shujia lowered her eyes and thought, as long as she can read and write, it will be fine.
"Pay attention to how they get along, how they reward each other, and what they usually do."
“Yeah.”
In the evening, Shujia told Yinreng what she had learned during the day. Yinreng smiled and said, "You can handle these things as you see fit."
Shujia felt like she was punching cotton and continued to hold her breath.
With this suffocating feeling, when she met Wendu and Jueluo the next day, her expression improved slightly, which startled them: "What happened to the master?"
"Uh, I didn't sleep well."
The two sisters-in-law looked at each other, and finally, Wen Dushi said, "The servants are here today to ask the master to come back."
Shujia perked up a bit: "What's wrong?"
"The two of us," Wendu said, and Jueluo nodded. "Since we've finished our mourning this year, we'd like to arrange marriages for our sons. We've come to ask the Master for your opinion."
What "instructions" are they asking for? Clearly, they're just trying to figure out if there's a suitable concubine. Or perhaps, they've already made some private contact, and since they're from his own family, it's easier for them to talk, so they're here to ask for mercy.
Shujia asked, "Have you found someone you like? If you two have already agreed, and the Emperor has no other plans, I'd be happy to do you a favor. But if you've already chosen someone, and I drop their name, then that wouldn't be marrying a daughter-in-law, it would be making an enemy."
Wendu and Jueluo exchanged a glance and said, "We servants don't have any opinions. Even if the royal family can't choose one, it's good enough for us to marry. We are just here to ask for your instructions. The concubines have lived in the palace for so long, and nothing can escape your scrutiny."
Shujia thought for a moment and said, "You go back first. These girls can't see anything right now. I also need to tell the emperor that as long as I can control everything, I will not let my nephews suffer any harm." As she spoke, she began to feel emotional. Her overall impression of her nephews still lingered on those chubby little balls before they got married. In the blink of an eye, they were about to get married. Time flew by.
Wendu and Jueluo thanked her profusely, and Shujia pondered how to bring it up with Yinreng. That evening, Yinreng was busy with work and stayed alone in the Qianqing Palace, so he didn't come to the back room. Shujia had no choice but to keep her words to herself. Unexpectedly, the next day, a new situation arose.
Shujia looked at Shuyi in front of her in amazement. What was going on?
Shuyi sighed and said, "I didn't want to come here at first, but our old lady has spoken, so I have no choice."
It turned out that Fuquan had a young daughter, born in the 39th year of the Kangxi reign, and approaching the age for arranged marriage. Although not the old lady's biological daughter, she had been raised by her father-in-law and was very reluctant to marry her off to Mongolia. As luck would have it, his daughter-in-law had connections here, so she decided to give it a try to see if she could stay in Beijing. To achieve this goal, she was willing to marry Fu Dali's son.
Shujia trembled and said, "Your sister-in-law, your niece's wife? What do you think?"
Shuyi wanted to cry: "This is not what I thought. Our old lady is old..."
Shujia waved her hand and said, "Go back and tell the old lady that we have no say in this matter."
Shuyi let out a long sigh: "With your words, it will be easier for me to go back."
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"This old lady is indeed old." Yinreng made a comment. At that time, Shujia had already told him about Shuyi's coming. Taking advantage of the matter of the old lady, she also mentioned that her nephew was also of marriageable age, so she wanted to give him a shot of prevention.
"Who says it's not? The generation gap is too great. The third girl will marry Baotai soon. How can you be so reckless?"
"Don't worry about them. Baotai also told me vaguely about this matter. He was quite tactful and added that he had no other choice but to marry his sister to a better wife so that he could have an explanation to the old lady. When he said that, I remembered that there are still many women in the royal family who have reached the right age to marry."
Shujia's eyes flashed. Judging from Yinreng's recent behavior, most of these princesses were going to marry in Mongolia.
As expected, while the concubines were still living in the palace, Yinreng began marrying off the daughters of his own family. The aforementioned sister of Baotai was made a princess and married off to Lobsang Gunbu, the Heshuo Darhan Prince of Khorchin. He also adopted all the older daughters of his younger brothers, and with no immediate replacements, he had no choice but to spread his influence to the surrounding families, marrying off whoever he could.
Shujia saw it all and smiled in her heart. Well, it seems that her nephew will not be lucky enough to marry a daughter of the royal family: there are not enough people.
Turning back to the concubines, she was surprised to see that both the Fuerdan and Mawu families had used various means to deny their selection. After all, they had initially strived hard to become a future queen mother, but later realized things were not going their way. He Yi, for his diligence, had been awarded a hereditary title and later promoted to Grand Secretary. Naturally, they lowered their sights; Hong Tong was a good candidate, as were the other princes' sons.
Both families have representatives in the core decision-making circles. Knowing that the emperor was trying to win over the Mongols, not only did a large number of princesses and dukes marry off, but many of the selected women were from the Mongolian banners. It seemed that this large area of territory had competitors. And then there was Hongyu. It seemed that the emperor was trying to show his kindness. What if she married him...
I would rather give up the brand!
They and Prince Yu's wife had the same idea. At worst, they could marry into the Empress's family. Fu Dali still held the title of Duke Cheng'en, so marrying his eldest son wouldn't be a disadvantage. This title was hereditary and generally held high rank. Compared to marrying into a lower-ranked royal family, it was a win.
Shujia was so confused. "What are you thinking?! Are you kidding me? Just stay away!" She insisted on leaving their sign behind and told her family to find someone else.
Meanwhile, a different kind of excitement was brewing among the concubines. The emperor's harem was empty, and he was young, both literary and martial. Some concubines from less privileged backgrounds harbored such aspirations. They were all young girls, still immature and unlearned in the ways of aristocrats, so some shoving and jostling were inevitable. Lin Si'er and the others noticed, and reported it to Kunning Palace.
Shujia slowly gathered intelligence, occasionally summoning certain women to talk, occasionally inviting them to dinner. She was pleasantly surprised to find that Hesheli was a resilient young woman, not only well-mannered but also well-educated. More importantly, she also knew a great deal about interpersonal relationships in the capital.
One day, when Shujia was summoning someone to speak, a Western-style chime clock began to chime. This one was quite unique, with a little bird coming out of a small room to tell the time, attracting the attention of the ladies. Shujia smiled and said, "Who brought this in, or that one?"
Hongxiu then replied, "It seems to be Shuerchen, the tenth son of Sunu Beizi's family."
"The name sounds familiar to me, but I can't quite remember it."
Hesheli was only slightly surprised by the clock, but soon returned to normal. When she heard Shuerchen's name, she nodded slightly, but said nothing. Shujia looked at her, and she didn't hide it too much. She leaned forward and replied, "I have heard a little about it."
"Tell me about it."
Hesheli was still a little nervous. After a pause, she explained why she knew about Shuerchen: "I heard this at home. This man believed in foreign religions. There are many foreign things in his house, all very exquisite. I met his wife. She had a cross pendant around her neck."
She had a good memory and observation skills, and even if her excuses were made up, they were plausible and reasonable, and she was quite patient. Shujia had a good opinion of her daughter-in-law.
Of course, the examination of the concubines was comprehensive. During their stay, a major event was taking place: the Empress's wedding. Many of the concubines exerted their utmost skill, striving to showcase their strengths, most of which involved needlework. Among them, Shujia was delighted to discover a Mongolian girl who was also skilled in needlework.
Generally speaking, a person's overall qualities are complementary. A girl from a normal family who is good at sewing at least means she has the corresponding conditions to learn other aspects. Shujia looked at the list and saw that it was Borjigit, the daughter of Dutong Sige, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, the Empress Dowager and the other imperial concubines came to inspect the performance of the girls. They were still the same old three things: women's work, cultural skills, and answering questions. Shujia took this opportunity to dismiss a group of young girls with romantic dreams. For those she liked, such as Hesheli, Shujia asked questions she knew. Knowing that the Empress Dowager was not very proficient in Chinese, she asked simpler questions in Chinese. When the Empress Dowager heard the girl answer, she was delighted: "She answered very well."
Shujia asked a few more profound questions to show the concubines the true level of Hesheli and others, and controlled the time until the Empress Dowager became bored. Everything would be OK.
For little girls who don't know much about the subject, she would ask questions that they might not know the answers to.
To the Empress Dowager, it was perfectly normal for the Empress to ask certain concubines questions in Mongolian. However, she was unaware that the lives of the lower-class bannermen were no longer as comfortable as they had been in the past. They might not even recognize all the Chinese characters or the national language, let alone learn Mongolian, which was rarely used in daily life. Even if she knew that the Empress Dowager valued Mongolian, she would not have the conditions to learn it.
Seeing them acting like ducks hearing thunder, the Empress Dowager was unhappy. She asked again in Mongolian, and the looks in the audience became even more innocent, and then innocently enough, their eyes filled with tears. The Empress Dowager became even more depressed and waved her hand: "Let's just put down the sign."
Shujia said, "I'll listen to you."
It's easier for those who are a little smarter, just a little math and geography knowledge. There are still few geniuses in this world.
Another batch was dismissed.
When Yinreng personally reviewed the concubines, the girls he saw were mostly well-behaved young ladies. Yinreng had never personally reviewed a selection of concubines, and Kangxi hadn't taught him anything, so he had to figure it out on his own. He was filled with thoughts, thinking about his wife's reports on which concubine would be a good match for which man.
After examining each of the main marriage candidates, it was already noon. The weather was already quite hot, and both the examiners and the candidates were a little tired. Yinreng saw that the main task was almost completed and said to Shujia, "You can discuss the rest with the Empress Dowager." But he still remembered that he had more important things to do, so he simply left Shujia to his wife.
Two days later, the order for arranged marriages came out. The first batch was for the Crown Princess, meaning no one was listed. Well, the Emperor was used to this; since he'd married, he no longer had the privilege of selecting concubines. Furthermore, this time, with so many candidates, there were enough for the Empress to eliminate the restless ones while still maintaining a reasonable standard of quality for the remaining concubines.
Yinreng was not careful for a moment (it is possible that he was easily deceived by various means) and habitually chose a wife for someone else. Tragic!
The final result was that the daughters of Fu Erdan, Ma Wu, and others were chosen as legitimate wives for members of the imperial clan. Of course, these weren't idle members of the imperial clan, but rather members of the imperial clan who held military governorships or other substantial positions. This was also because the designated Crown Princess wasn't of particularly prominent origin, so the wives of the Crown Prince's brothers and cousins had to be chosen to balance the situation.
Hesheli, the daughter of the newly promoted Grand Secretary He Yi, was officially appointed Crown Princess. Meanwhile, Borjigit, the daughter of General Bo Sige, was appointed as the legitimate wife of Hongtong; Guaerjia, the daughter of Zuoling Kexing'e, was appointed as the legitimate wife of Fuguo Hongyu; Borjigit, the daughter of Shilang Luozhan, was appointed as the legitimate wife of Hongshu; and Daijia, the daughter of Langzhong Shundai, was appointed as the legitimate wife of Hongsheng. Ning Hui also got Nian as her daughter-in-law, as she had wished.
As soon as the news got out, the Wendu and Jueluo clans busied themselves selecting brides for their sons from among the unsuccessful candidates. One candidate was the granddaughter of Grand Secretary Xiao Yongzao, and the other was the niece of Third Lady Dong E. They arranged their eldest son's marriage first, then worked on the second.
It's a happy ending for everyone.
The author has something to say:
There used to be a white porcelain cup in Jinjiang with a few small people climbing on a cliff painted on it with simple lines, and a line of big words at the bottom: Heading towards the big pit.
I'm lucky enough to have a cup like this. Ever since I started using it last year, the hole in my hand has gotten longer and longer. Yesterday, I finally couldn't resist and went to the supermarket to buy a new water cup with a pig flying in the sky. (Book~ Guest* Residence... Read the latest chapters and get the fastest updates shu+ke+ju
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