honeymoon end bird
The trip to her parents' home took two and a half hours, including over an hour's journey there and back. She spent a little over an hour at home, including a token banquet. There was very little actual conversation. While Shujia's situation went smoothly and achieved most of her goals, Yinreng's was more of a struggle.
Shujia simply thought that while there couldn't be any undercover eunuchs in Yuqing Palace, it was inevitable that one or two would have a crush on others. Now she just hoped her family could find the more dangerous ones so she could be aware of them and exploit them if necessary.
Sitting upright, Shujia suddenly opened her eyes: Even if she could find the information, passing it on would be a huge problem. Putting it on paper would be impossible; it would leave too much trace. If she went back to her parents' home, the eldest wife might be able to find a similar excuse, but the Crown Princess couldn't. If she were the Empress, her family could apply and submit a card according to the regulations and on the date. As the Crown Princess, the regulations in this regard were the same as her wedding ceremony: there were no regulations at the moment!
There might be another solution, which is to allow the palace maids to see their families at the palace gate every once in a while. However, this would spread the news too widely. As the saying goes, a secret known to more than two people is no longer a secret!
Shujia was worried.
Yinreng had even more on his mind. As a self-confident crown prince, he believed his people were flawless. Unexpectedly, Huashan openly criticized Soetu's shortcomings, which inevitably made Yinreng unhappy. He had originally thought that his mother's family and his wife's family would complement each other and work together for him, but now... was this internal strife? Yinreng had a problem with Huashan.
Yinreng fell into deep thought.
It's true that Kangxi raised him, as their behavior and temperaments often resembled each other. For example, Kangxi was extremely tolerant of his maternal uncle's family, while Yinreng was also extremely partial to the Hesheli family. When these two showed partiality, they were truly selectively blind. If they were nice to someone, even if you scolded them, they would praise you, "Your scolding is so creative, you truly deserve my attention."
Fortunately, Yinreng wasn't as cunning as Kangxi; after all, he was still young. When he wasn't about to take action against someone, no one could see it. By the time people realized what was happening, the unlucky person was already buried deep in the pit. For example, the unfortunate Changning, like Fuquan, was once highly favored by Kangxi. But after a few years of silence, he faded from everyone's sight.
Yinreng was slightly more direct than Kangxi. He treated Soetu well and would not tolerate anyone saying anything bad about him, which he would not listen to. Fortunately, Huashan was his wife's grandfather, and he had a good opinion of the Shi family, so he was reluctant to bother to refute Huashan in his heart.
He recalled Hua Shan's words with a rebuttal. Why had Soetu lost his drive? He'd been so effective against Mingzhu! Military affairs... the Three Feudatories... Yinreng firmly believed that Soetu was a seasoned ruler. It was Mingzhu who had advocated for the dismantling of the feudal system, and after the order was issued, the Three Feudatories rebelled. It was a fact, and it was only natural that Soetu would have wanted to execute the proponents. Although the Three Feudatories were eventually pacified, and the emperor reprimanded Soetu, had a more gradual approach been taken, wouldn't the Three Feudatories have rebelled?
How could Suo Etu not know about military affairs? He... had been the military advisor during the previous battle against Galdan! He had even won the battle! Although Galdan escaped, Yinreng insisted that this must have been because the eldest prince and Mingzhu were also in the army, hindering Prince Bo and causing him to lose his mind!
Suo Etu still has prestige in the army... Yinreng himself felt guilty after hearing this - he could no longer find any evidence to prove it. If Suo Etu really had the support of the army, why would he have such high expectations of the Shi family?
Yinreng finally took Hua Shan's words a little more seriously. He had learned a great deal about the ways of ruling. A qualified emperor was never taught, but he still possessed a master's mindset. He couldn't help but ponder the fact that making the best use of people was essential. Previously, only Soetu was reliable. Now, perhaps the Shi family could be used?
Hmm, there seems to be a bit of a conflict between the two sides? Although it seems that Hua Shan is the only one at odds. But that's fine... Competition creates motivation, as long as there's no infighting. Aside from Hua Shan, the rest of the Shi family seems pretty reliable.
——————————————————————————————————————————
When the two returned to Yuqing Palace, they just happened to catch a lunch snack.
On a scorching hot day, the two of them wore their entire outfits to perfection. Upon returning, the first thing they did was change. Shujia changed into a lighter outfit, this time embroidered with pomegranates. Her clothes, while some were embroidered with flowers and dragons and phoenixes, also featured a significant number of designs, including grapes, pomegranates, gourds, and lotus pods. The most striking were the several sets embroidered with a hundred children.
A significant portion of her jewelry features similar designs, such as gourds, pomegranates, and Buddha's hands. There are also ingenious pieces featuring little boy designs on flat squares. There's also the legendary "Eighteen Seeds" bracelet, which has a beautiful name.
Add to that the quilts and blankets, and various furnishings depicting children (mostly boys) in the newlyweds' rooms. This implicitly tells the couple to hurry up and have a baby! While the original intention may have been a blessing, the effect is to create subconscious pressure.
She had to wear them even if she felt pressured! Shujia had no choice but to put them on, looking fresher, and then she went to dinner with Yinreng. They were still newlyweds, and after all this time, it was still unclear whether they would still eat together.
Yinreng had just changed his clothes and emerged, his ceremonial crown removed for a small, unbroken cap with a beautiful jade in the center. There was ice in the room, and a young eunuch was fanning himself nearby.
Seeing Shujia approaching, he said, "I'm the one who's quicker this time." Shujia looked at him and saw that something seemed off. After a moment's thought, she decided to keep quiet and wait until he finished eating before continuing. People tend to get mad when they're hungry, and bringing up something that upsets them right now could easily lead to anger. Especially since they had just returned from the Shi family, the most likely scenario was that something had happened at Yinreng's natal home that had upset him.
Once he's full and his blood sugar has returned, his mood will improve. A well-fed cat will let you pet it. So Shujia smiled and said, "I was slow," glancing around at Yinreng, who looked taller now that he had lost his weight. "He looks fresh and clean now."
Yinreng's lips curled up, but he controlled himself again: "It's late, have some snacks and rest for a while. You've been busy all morning, don't tire yourself out."
Don’t talk while eating.
After eating, we rinsed our mouths, washed our hands, cleared the table, served tea, sat down, and started chatting.
Seeing that Yinreng had almost finished his meal and his expression had softened considerably, Shujia asked, "Nothing bothered you today, right?"
Yinreng looked at her with a half-smile: "What kind of trouble do you think will happen?"
Shujia's hair stood on end at his laughter: "Really?" Her stomach started to hurt.
Yinreng saw that Shujia's eyes were a little straight and her face was pale, so he smiled and shook his head: "Don't think too much, it's no big deal." As the saying goes, husband and wife are one, and once the wife enters his family, she is considered a member of his family, regardless of her natal family. The prince still magnanimously picked up the princess.
After he said that, Shujia became even more worried: "You'd better tell me, otherwise I'll always be worried about you."
As for this person, if there is anything that makes you unhappy, something that may lead to misunderstanding, or something that may create a bad impression, it is best to explain it as soon as possible, otherwise the problems will accumulate and become a mess, and in the end you will have no idea where to start if you want to solve them.
Yinreng was obviously in a good mood, and Shujia's slightly panicked expression was not bad, so he just asked suggestively: "You Mafa..."
Shujia was relieved when she heard it was Huashan. No wonder Yinreng wasn't angry, just unhappy. Her own Mafa had a long record of verbal offenses. Everyone knew he was a bit of a gangster, and his words were not good for morality. Yin said, "What did he say? What did you not like to hear? If it weren't so, he wouldn't be himself."
Seeing Shujia's change from worry to indifference, Yinreng asked, "He said something I didn't like, and you felt relieved?" Shujia smiled and said, "That's probably because he feels closer to you. Didn't you see... that year, when I was still young, before my father came home, my uncle and two brothers suffered a lot at his hands. The more dignified people were, the more he wanted to make them angry. But... I really didn't see him make any big mistakes."
Yinreng said, "So, he is a person who is confused about small things but not confused about big things?" His tone was a little unhappy.
Shujia said, "I don't know anything else. I only know that my father and the others have always been worried about Mafa, and Mafa has managed to get by safely until now. Mafa only talks about it, but I've never seen him make any mistakes in his work. There is only one thing that is a great hatred in his life. He doesn't care about it outside, but he keeps thinking about it at home..."
"Oh? What is that?" Yinreng couldn't help but ask.
"Yongxing..." Shujia said the place name helplessly.
Yinreng laughed: "Indeed."
"?"
"He said it again today." Thinking of Hua Shan's dissatisfaction with Soetu, he still felt a little uncomfortable.
Shujia's eyes were filled with doubt. Yinreng thought for a moment and decided to ask his wife. After all, Shujia was more familiar with Huashan. After carefully choosing his words, he asked, "When you were at home, did you hear your Mafa and your father talk about... what they thought of Soetu?"
Shujia was startled. She had not expected Yinreng to ask this question, and immediately said, "I don't know much about this. At home, Mafa and Ama didn't live together for very long. As far as I can remember, they were never at home. First, they were in the Three Feudatories, and neither of them worked in the same place. Later, Ama went to Hangzhou and then Fujian. He was never at home, and they rarely talked. As for state affairs," she smiled, "there is only one way. Whatever Khan Ama says is what goes."
"Oh—" Yinreng responded casually, thinking, this means the Shi family father and son are not very close. Even if Huashan doesn't like Suo'etu, it doesn't matter. After all, he is old, and Shi Wenbing, the pillar of the Shi family, is still very little influenced by Huashan.
Yinreng felt relieved and started talking: "Don't worry, it's just you, Mafa, who said that Prime Minister Suo doesn't understand military affairs."
Shujia opened her eyes wide: "Did he say it directly?"
Yinreng nodded, Shujia held her forehead with her hand, and Yinreng looked at her with a bit of sympathy. It was really...
Shujia cursed in her heart: "What kind of drug did Suo Etu give you?! Has he ever won a battle or been on the front lines?! You trust him so much! He tied you to the flagpole, don't you know? And you still have a problem with me, Mafa? Is Suo Etu a popular guy?"
Yinreng didn't know that Shujia was secretly criticizing him, and he comforted her: "Everyone in the court knows that he, well, doesn't speak very respectfully..."
Then, Shujia finally knew why Hua Shan was removed from the position of Grand Secretary.
According to what Yinreng had heard, Prince Zhuang Bogoduo was the son of Huang Taiji's fifth son, Prince Chengze Shuo Sai. He inherited the title during the Shunzhi era and was renamed Prince Zhuang. He was actually a cousin of Hua Shan's first wife, Heshuo Gege, making him Hua Shan's brother-in-law.
In the early years of Emperor Kangxi’s reign, during the first month of the lunar calendar, the two men went to the palace for a banquet. Perhaps because they were drunk or something else, Boguoduo was a prince and Hua Shan’s former brother-in-law, and Hua Shan was a very easygoing person, so Boguoduo spoke very casually. He joked with Hua Shan and accidentally mentioned that Hua Shan’s second wife had also passed away. Hua Shan immediately became furious: “You don’t even have a son!” [1]
Shujia expressionless: ...
Seeing Shujia speechless, Yinreng suddenly felt that Huashan had actually saved his face. He changed the subject: "Khan Ama will be returning to the palace soon. You should also start preparing."
"?"
"After Khan Ama comes back, on the seventh day of next month, he will enthrone the Crown Princess and offer sacrifices to the Imperial Ancestral Temple." The poor child was made to forget his important business because of the unreliable Mafa.
Indeed, despite being named Crown Princess, she still hadn't received her official permit! She was still in the probation period. It was said that this was another setback from the Imperial Observatory and the Ministry of Rites. Kangxi, a man of Western learning and superstition, always insisted on choosing an auspicious date, and in the end, the wedding date and the enthronement date were not even considered together.
Shujia hasn't received her official seal yet. She needs to take it easy until she gets her certificate and seal. Fortunately, she's been performing well. Of course, she needs to keep up the good work until she gets it.
By sheer coincidence, the old lady she favored was the Empress Dowager, who had a very good relationship with Kangxi. She got along very well with the Empress Dowager. She was still very far away from Yinreng's concubines, and Shujia had no time to pay attention to them, but she had a good reputation for being tolerant.
Very good, very good, everything is fine now. All that remains is to wait until the seal is in hand and then consider holding it firmly.
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Shujia pondered her work permit, her official seal, and her future. Elsewhere in the capital, someone was also actively planning.
Hua Shan had his own agenda. Everyone knew that war with Galdan was imminent. Last time, Mingzhu and Suo'etu both participated in the military campaign, and this time, they were likely to go together. E'hai, the Shi family's relative, was in the northwest preparing military supplies. If Suo'etu also went with them, and he showed weakness at a critical moment, things would be disastrous!
Mongolia is different from Yunnan. It could be said that the Bannermen could afford to lose half their territory—after all, it was seized, a cost-free venture—but they couldn't afford to lose Mongolia—it was tied to their homeland. Suo'etu wasn't as forceful as Mingzhu on the Three Feudatories, so that was fine. However, if he wasn't tough on Galdan either, Kangxi would surely be furious!
Hua Shan's assessment of the situation was quite accurate, and his nephew's observations also supported this: Soetu was increasingly losing the emperor's favor. Mingzhu, though petty, was still respectable. A smiling tiger, so to speak; at least his actions made people feel comfortable. In comparison, Soetu was quite unpleasant. Starting in the 18th year of the Kangxi reign, Kangxi had severely reprimanded him, forcing Soetu to resign. Although he remained, he left a bad impression.
Don't you think about it? You're just a servant. Even if you're the prince's great-uncle, so what? The emperor is still the prince's biological father! You're inserting yourself between father and son, forcing the prince to lean towards you. How could the emperor not be furious?! Even if it's for the prince's good, you want him to lean towards the emperor instead of you!
Soetu is an idiot, Huashan commented.
On the one hand, he asked Shi Wenbing to check everyone on the list given by Shujia as soon as possible, and then asked his daughter-in-law to go to the palace to congratulate his granddaughter after she was canonized, and take the opportunity to tell his granddaughter what she found.
On the other hand, Hua Shan asked Fu Dali to find Yinreng before Kangxi returned to the palace.
Yinreng had a good impression of Fu Dali. After finishing his business that day, he saw that Fu Dali seemed to be lingering around, so he called him over and said, "You went back to your parents' home the other day, and it really brought back the Crown Princess's worries. You've been talking about home all the time these past few days. How are all your family members doing?"
Fu Dali took advantage of the opportunity and stayed.
Obviously, this is a way for the brother-in-law and his wife to bond, so others should always avoid them.
After chatting for a while, and noticing that the people around him had moved away, Fu Dali whispered to Yinreng sincerely, "You can also sense that the Emperor is about to use his troops."
Is he trying to get some credit? Yinreng speculated. "Want a chance to show off here?" That's fine. I'm worried about the lack of support in the army. If he could go to the front and make a name for himself...
Fu Dali continued, "I, your servant Mafa, guess that the best time will be within a year, early next year."
Yinreng was slightly displeased upon hearing Huashan's news, but the news Fu Dali brought was truly shocking. As an assistant in charge of government affairs, he naturally knew that a battle with Galdan would inevitably come, a life-and-death struggle. But how could Huashan have guessed so accurately? Yinreng himself didn't even know when Kangxi would send his troops.
He's fine handling government affairs, but he's not a military advisor. Just because you have the title of "Commander-in-Chief" or "General" doesn't mean you understand military matters. Anyone can wear a vest, but not all wearers are high-defense black tortoises; they could be thin-shelled snails.
Hua Shan is an unreliable person, Yinreng said to himself.
Then he said calmly: "How can we make rash decisions about military and national affairs?"
Fu Dali whispered, "I dare not say anything nonsense, but... my father-in-law has been sent to the west by the master for several years..."
Yinreng remembered that Ehai was Fu Dali's father-in-law, and he became more cautious.
Yinreng was 70% convinced and said, "I understand." He took note of it and prepared to see if Huashan was right. At the same time, he felt a little proud. It felt good to have external support! If he hadn't married the girl from the Shi family, why would they have warned him like this? Moreover, Huashan didn't say anything bad about Soetu this time, as if he was trying hard to prove himself, which made Yinreng feel even better.
Fu Dali, realizing his goal for the day had been achieved, excused himself. Returning home, he reported, "I've told the Crown Prince that we'll have a battle with Galdan early next year."
Hua Shan pinched his goat beard and said, "I'm afraid this prince still doesn't believe it. Let's wait and see next year."
He looked down on Soetu, but the morning's probing proved that the prince truly trusted him. To convince the prince that he was right, Hua Shan had to convince him that what he said was right. Predicting a war was only the first step. Getting it right at least proved his military prowess. Then, if Hua Shan could criticize Soetu's incompetence and predict he was about to make a mistake (which Hua Shan believed Soetu was certain to do), and that prediction came true, his credibility would only grow.
First, use your ability to gain Yinreng's recognition, then gain his trust step by step. Then, persuade Yinreng to accept your correct point of view, and in this way, you can pull the prince back from the dangerous path of sliding towards Soetu's shipwreck.
His granddaughter was right: flattery kills! With someone like Soetu, who repeatedly formed cliques, fearing others wouldn't know he was on the Crown Prince's side, practically shouting "Let the Crown Prince succeed," and who refused to repent despite countless rebuffs from the Emperor, he would sooner or later drag the Crown Prince down with him. Don't you realize that your actions are a reminder to the Emperor: "With your death, good times will begin for everyone"?
Hua Shan narrowed his eyes and smiled sinisterly: "We've just married the Crown Prince, and there's still a long way to go. Let's just wait and see." Suo'etu, if you were smart, it would be fine, but who told you to be stupid? Anyway, I can't just watch my granddaughter suffer with me, right?
Since ancient times, no truly great clan has relied on women to establish itself. The Shi family is no different, but the current situation is simply too favorable. Shujia, though still immature, has a keen eye for the situation. There's no reason not to lend a hand, achieving a win-win situation. If there's a path that benefits everyone, why not support each other and continue on this path?
Yinreng returned to Yuqing Palace, where Shujia was copying sutras. Surviving in the palace required more than just looking good; socializing was crucial. Using gold powder to copy the sutras, Shujia's handwriting was smooth, elegant, and regular, giving it a certain solemnity. Regardless of its immediate use, it served as a gesture, a quiet activity that calmed the mind, and a valuable gift should anything ever arise.
Yinreng was in a good mood, and the more he looked at his wife's quiet appearance, the happier he felt.
In this world, some people are happy while others are unhappy.
Inside Prince An's Mansion, now Prince An's Mansion, the head of the household, Maerhui, is talking to his wife.
The line of the former Prince Anhe, Yue Le, seemed to enjoy immense power, even after Yue Le's death. Ma Erhui was the Prince of Duoluo'an, his half-brother Jingxi was the Prince of Duoluo'xi, and his half-brother Yunduan was the Prince of Duoluo'qin. All three were sons of the Hesheli clan. They also had their half-brother Saibuli, who served as the General of the Auxiliary State, and other cousins. In short, this branch dominated the Zhenglan Banner, commanding numerous sub-banners and possessing considerable influence. Guoluolu, who had been raised in her maternal family, was even appointed as the legitimate wife of the Eighth Prince. This clearly marked a flourishing and prosperous situation.
However, the moon waxes and wanes, and the water overflows when it is full.
First, Yunduan was demoted to Gushan Beizi in the 29th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. Then, strange rumors began to spread. They were nothing more than intensifying pressure, with rumors that Yue Le's conduct wasn't entirely perfect. The Eighth Prince, whom Guo Luoluo was referring to, had a mother of the lowest birthplace among Kangxi's sons. There was no sign yet that the Eighth Prince possessed any aura of dominance. This marriage...
Yue Le and his family have been feeling that life is getting harder and harder lately. But the emperor's family is still celebrating various happy events, and they have to put on a good show everywhere. This feeling is quite complicated.
Ma'erhui's wife, Khorchin Borjigit, was ill. Though a daughter of the steppes, she had married into the imperial court in Beijing and, influenced by her literary husband, had become deeply Sinicized. Seeing the dichotomy between her family and the pressures of her life, she had to go and congratulate the emperor on his marriage. Didn't that make her sick?
"I'm fine. I'll just take a few doses of medicine and get my hair out. I have to go back to the palace in a few days. The crowning of the Crown Princess is such a joyous occasion. If I were to call in sick, I wonder what people would say."
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At this time when everyone was worried about their own situation, Kangxi returned from his multi-day tour of the suburbs of Beijing. Yinreng led his brothers and officials to greet him.
He hadn't walked far, and didn't miss out on his business. He announced in front of everyone kneeling to greet him, "Tomorrow, the Imperial Court will hold court at the Qianqing Palace as usual." Everyone, go back and prepare. Then he took his sons back to the Qianqing Palace.
In the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Kangxi comforted his sons, ordering them to return to their studies and errands. He then detained the crown prince. After a brief exchange of comfort between father and son, Kangxi asked him to sit next to him and carefully examined him: "He looks energetic. Is everything going well?"
The somewhat teasing words made Yinreng smile embarrassedly: "Khan Ama seems to have become darker and thinner, or is his daily life not going well?" It seemed that if Kangxi nodded, he would grab the servants and beat them up.
Kangxi was greatly relieved and patted Yinreng on the shoulder, telling him to calm down. "Out in the world, it's naturally different from being in the palace. It's summer now, so it's normal to be a little darker and thinner. I actually feel much more energetic."
There is a lot of joy between father and son.
Kangxi was in a good mood and was particularly quick to act. When Yinreng asked him how to arrange for his wife, Kangxi gave it some thought.
Really, he had built this place for Yinreng in order to bring his son closer to him, and also so that Empress Renxiao, who was already enshrined in the Fengxian Hall, could feel his son's presence nearby. Now... his son had grown up, and the place was not enough.
The problem is, the Crown Prince's main empress is the Yuqing Palace. How could the couple be separated? Look at the Forbidden City: the Qianqing, Jiaotai, and Kunning halls are all on the same axis. But if the Crown Princess lived in the rear hall of the Yuqing Palace, well... it would be really inconvenient to come and go.
Kangxi was dumbfounded. After thinking for a while, he finally came up with an idea. He asked Yinreng again, "What do you think?"
Yinreng said, "I think the people from the Chancellery aren't always here. How about having her go out for a walk after getting up in the morning? She has to go to the Empress Dowager's every day. Since she won't be in Yuqing Palace early in the morning, perhaps we could decorate the main hall in the east palace and use it as a place for daytime affairs. She can come back after dinner, as the Chancellery people will be out of the palace by then. What do you think, Khan Ama?"
Yinreng and Kangxi had the same idea: how could the principal wife live anywhere else? Especially since the plaques on the main hall of the former Ming Dynasty's Eastern Palace had been removed, she could not live there for a long time, so it was just a temporary place to stay.
When Kangxi heard what Yinreng said, he realized that it was exactly what he was thinking. He agreed immediately and added, "There is no rush for this matter. Let the Ministry of Internal Affairs clean up the house first. It won't be too late to talk about it after the canonization. You have been married for less than a month, so you must not move easily." Then he gave Yinreng some instructions on some matters to pay attention to during the wedding period.
It seemed more like an ordinary conversation between father and son.
A father and son were talking here, and a father and son were also talking over there.
Hua Shan asked, "Have you checked everything?"
Shi Wenbing was a little embarrassed: "Half of it has been done." Seeing Hua Shan about to glare at him, he quickly explained, "This matter must be done without leaving any trace. These people are all from small families, and two of them are no longer from their hometown. It will take some time."
"Those who are not from their hometowns must be thoroughly investigated. Those who have become wealthy suddenly, or have relatives who need support, must be carefully investigated to find out who is looking after them."
"Son, save it."
"Among those we've investigated so far, are there any who are suspicious?"
"There are two. One is a young eunuch. His family could barely make ends meet (Hua Shan interrupted: 'Nonsense, otherwise who would rush to send their son to the palace to be slaughtered?'), and now he's acquired a vast fortune. I heard from the neighbors that it was money brought in by servants working in the palace. I've checked on his son, and he's just a young eunuch, with a monthly salary of only a few taels. He couldn't possibly have acquired such a fortune. Someone must have..."
"Well, keep digging!"
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Shujia walked to Ningshou Palace every day without fail. She wasn't worried about the lack of gossip during their daily encounters; with so many people in the harem, there was naturally plenty of gossip. She could talk about the First Concubine's illness to show her concern; Concubine Wang, whom Kangxi had brought from the south, was about to give birth; if she gave birth to a prince, it would be the Sixteenth Prince; and Li, the concubine of the Fourth Prince Yinzhen, was already eight months pregnant...
There is really endless gossip.
Yinreng obtained Kangxi's permission and told Shujia the same day he returned. Shujia then thought it wouldn't be a good idea to stay cooped up in Yuqing Palace forever. She didn't like Li Jiashi and Li Jiashi, but she couldn't hide away forever. There were also some eunuchs and palace maids in Xiefang Palace, and she wanted to observe them as well.
After all, Xiefang Palace was also registered under the name of Yuqing Palace, so there was no reason for him to give up his territory. However, Kangxi had said that he couldn't go there yet. He had to wait until everything was settled and the wedding date was over before considering the arrangements - the Crown Princess's master bedroom was still in Yuqing Palace.
These are all things that happened later. Right now, there is a big event waiting for her - the day of enthronement has arrived.
Shujia put on her court dress again and went to town in full attire.
Kangxi dispatched Grand Secretary Alantai as chief envoy, and Left Vice Minister of Rites Xierda as deputy envoy, to present the imperial edict and imperial seal to the Yuqing Palace. Inside the main hall, the golden edict and imperial seal were laid out on the table. This time, Shujia was required to bow three times and kneel three times. Then, a maid took the edict and imperial seal from the chief envoy and handed them to Shujia.
Once the messenger left, the first stage of the process was complete. Shujia was looking at the Crown Princess's golden seal, inscribed with jade chopstick characters, a crouching dragon button, and a platform. It was four inches square and one and a half inches thick, with the words "Crown Princess's Seal" inscribed in a mix of Manchu and Han characters.
The golden book was even more dazzling. It was said that the imperial edict that had originally arranged her marriage was also written in a very ornate style, unlike the one arranged by the prince. However, it was Shi Wenbing who received the edict, so Shujia didn't see anything. Now was the perfect time to appreciate it.
A row of gold plates, with holes drilled in the four corners, were twisted together with gold wire to form a folded paper. On top was an imperial edict inscribed in both Manchu and Chinese: "You are the daughter of Dutong Bo Shi Wenbing, born into a noble family, celebrating the teachings of propriety, chaste and obedient, and with exemplary manners. You are the daughter of Hechun Palace, truly embodying the three virtues, and are called concubines who guard the utensils and carry the ancestral lineage. Following these laws and regulations, and in accordance with the national code, I hereby appoint you as the Crown Princess. Go, I am honored! You are honored to receive this honor, so be careful!" [2]
After reading it, I put it in the box and locked it. There was also an ivory keychain, with a phoenix on top and a palm-sized round key below. The characters "Crown Princess" were carved in vertical letters in the middle. The characters on the left and right were slightly smaller, one engraved with "Master Key" and the other with "Book of Treasures." One side was in Chinese, the other in Manchu.
Then they went to pay homage to Kangxi and the Fengxian Temple. At the same time, Kangxi sent people to the Taimiao to offer sacrifices.
Then she would meet the Empress Dowager, and then... go home! After all, her mother-in-law was the original empress, and Kangxi had no plans to appoint another empress.
The Crown Princess's work permit is in hand.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince and his wife had been married for exactly one month.
The author has something to say: [1] This is my guess.
[2] I haven't found any records of the imperial seals for the Crown Princess, but since it was officially conferred, she must have a full set of belongings. So, I made a golden seal based on the seals of the Empress, Imperial Noble Consort, Crown Prince, and Prince. The edict on the golden seal is from Li Chengqian's wife, so I made some minor changes.
Speaking of which, there are so few records about the Crown Prince and his wife! Clearly, there was such a Crown Prince and his wife, but there's nothing about their ceremonial rituals. So frustrating...
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