Kunning Palace construction resumed
Taking her son to watch this farce wasn't some dark, superior-minded empress who took pleasure in watching others embarrass themselves. Shujia wanted to remind her children that a woman's battlefield was also dangerous. At the same time, as events unfolded, she began to harbor some desire to educate her children.
She taught her children a lesson: Don't underestimate anyone, even the court maids and eunuchs who appear submissive to you. They aren't intelligent robots, serving only. They have their own ideas, some good and some bad. Some are determined to climb the ladder, while others are loyal to their former masters. Observe for yourself and don't make hasty judgments.
The children of the royal family are truly pitiful. Family affection, for one, is impure. Love, for another, is constantly stymied by various factors. Friendship, for the most part, is utter nonsense. You can't really blame them for being ignorant of the suffering of ordinary people. These children are considered well-off, but they don't necessarily truly understand the lives of working people.
As for understanding the sinister nature of human nature, those who have it easy tend to be naive, and in a position of power, naiveté is unacceptable. Once one delves into the art of thick black, one is surrounded by countless examples of darkness, which is extremely detrimental to the healthy growth of mind and body.
Shujia was practically dying of worry. With such an opportunity, she had to make the most of it. Like any mother worried about her child's upbringing, Shujia watched her children with a frantic anxiety, fearing they might develop a distorted understanding, perhaps overlooking the underlying principles and focusing solely on the surface.
If Zhang San falsely accuses Li Si and your child sees it, and if he only sees that Zhang San is a bad person, and he's the crown prince, then you can forget about him. If he can see that there's also false accusation, or even a deeper level of common tactical analysis and a method for judging false accusations, then he has a better future.
It would be better if the incident was a little more complicated and he could see it more clearly.
Shujia clutched her chest, watching anxiously, yet unable to intervene too much. It was like letting a child learn to walk; if you didn't let go, they wouldn't be able to walk properly. But watching them fall, you felt heartbroken.
In this case, if it were an ordinary family, letting the father teach the child, especially a son, would be perfectly appropriate. Unfortunately, the father has a special job—emperor—so whether he has the time is questionable. Whether he might raise a child with a distorted character is even more questionable, Shujia also has doubts, because Yinreng's upbringing was also very strange. The upbringing of emperors is generally strange. Counting on one's fingers, the proportion of emperors with sub-healthy mental health is ridiculously high. We cannot be completely confident.
What about teaching by myself? No way!
Shujia was self-aware on this point. If she weren't in this position, she'd still be confident she could raise a good child. The problem was, she was still teaching her son, and her skills weren't up to par! Looking at the past through the eyes of the harem would only ruin her son! Honestly, in the 21st century, most politicians are still men. Most of her children are boys.
The healthy growth of a child is the result of the combined influence of various factors. It is impossible for her to walk the rest of her children's life journey on their behalf. She must learn to let go early and cultivate their self-reliance as early as possible.
While Shujia was concerned about her children's education, the previous dynasty was also busy. The emperor was busy, his relatives were busy, and his ministers were busy too. The new emperor ascended the throne, and there was a lot to do, but because the reign title was still Kangxi, many actions could not be taken.
But! The New Year is coming soon, and everyone is excited to show off their talents.
The emperor was very excited. He could finally settle the black account he had kept for many years.
The royal family was very excited. The emperor's brothers could take their mother to raise her. At least the emperor's generation was lowered by one generation, so it was no longer an absolute suppression. When the new emperor ascended the throne, he had to appease everyone by promoting titles and granting favors.
The ministers were also very excited. The change of dynasties was a good opportunity to stand out in the chaos.
Well, during this opportune moment, you must not do anything wrong. This isn't about choosing sides; in fact, there's no such thing as standing on the same side right now. Besides the emperor, whose side can you side with? This is about meddling in other people's affairs.
It could be said that releasing the late emperor's concubines and allowing them to live with their son was a great deed, a great grace, a rare benevolent policy, one that even the censors could only praise. Of course, these days, there weren't many censors with a bit of backbone who dared to meddle in other people's affairs.
Even if you want to object, think carefully. You're not just scolding the emperor. The emperor's brothers are craning their necks outside the palace gates, waiting for their mother! If the emperor still has to maintain his personal image, and his mother isn't held hostage in someone else's home (she's already been separated from him forever), and you justify it by saying something like the late emperor's wife can't be released, the emperor will back off, and you'll earn a reputation as someone who speaks out. But the emperor's brothers aren't so easy to deal with.
There are so many of them, and when there are so many, and they're unselected, their quality is bound to vary, so there might be one or two dangerous individuals. Ahem, this is another ethnic group with, uh, a bit of a barbaric legacy. Kangxi was very good at educating his sons, and with a few exceptions, they're quite capable of fighting. If they get angry, they'll chop you down for not letting them support their mother. That's a perfectly reasonable argument. You'll die in vain; they can still take their mother away.
Forget it, forget it. I've already given in. From the moment I shaved my head and changed my clothes, the integrity of a scholar has been thrown into the gutter and rotted. I'd better continue to muddle along, be a good boy, and just follow the emperor's instructions.
Amidst the chorus of praise, senior officials still had one thing to do—the Lunar New Year was approaching, and with it came the changing of the reign title. This was a major event. This wasn't the Xia, Shang, or Zhou dynasties, where reign titles were unheard of (at least not handed down), nor was it the earlier dynasties, where emperors changed reign titles more frequently than they changed wives. Since the Ming Dynasty, each emperor had essentially adopted a reign title for their entire life, and this was a lifelong commitment. No sloppiness was allowed!
So, a group of senior officials discussed the issue of the new emperor's reign title with the emperor and the royal family.
This is a difficult problem. For over a thousand years, emperors changed their reign titles more frequently than they changed their wives. This included the period of the Great Schism, when several states coexisted, each with its own set of reign titles. Trying to avoid repeating one title over the other was incredibly difficult!
Of course, the reign title should be pleasant and auspicious, but there are only a few of the 3,000 commonly used Chinese characters that have auspicious meanings. There are certainly many ways to permutate and combine them, but some sentences don't flow smoothly and can't be used.
The Ministry of Rites and other departments and personnel have been discussing this for two months, but there is still no conclusion. Today, we will continue the discussion.
The ministers conducted a preliminary screening. First, they listed the reign titles of all dynasties, making sure they were not repeated. Then they arranged and combined auspicious characters. Finally, they selected a number of reign titles for the emperor to choose.
Yinreng was still picky about some things and had rejected proposals twice, causing great trouble to the Ministry of Rites.
This time, it had to be finalized as soon as possible. After this was finalized, the Ministry of Rites had to do other things, such as drafting titles for promotions in the harem of the late emperor, or titles for the emperor's concubines, or even if the emperor wanted to promote some of his younger brothers and give them a throne, then they would have to draft titles again.
Normally, the reign title contains the characters "Zheng", "Yong", "An", "Yuan", "Da", "Zhi"... Unfortunately, these characters are used so frequently that almost all combinations have been used. It is very difficult to come up with any innovation, especially innovation that suits the emperor's wishes.
Everyone continued to study with the same spirit as they would for the imperial examinations, and came up with a bunch of reign titles, such as "Xiangrui" and "Taisho". Seeing this, Yinreng frowned and wanted to curse. What kind of reign titles were these?
Finally, the emperor rolled up his sleeves and personally designated the reign title "Changtai." The official explanation was: "We're not playing games; our goal is to maintain long-term peace and prosperity for the country." The emperor said, "During the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, the country's name was resounding, and the reign title was Zhizheng, but its prosperity lasted no more than a hundred years. Why? Because they didn't care about the people! I'm not such a ruler. The people are the foundation of the country."
The emperor’s inner thoughts: I am as righteous as can be, no need to confess.
That's it, we don't want to bother with it anymore. Now prepare the imperial edict, the molds for minting coins, and the New Year's greetings.
At this time, the Imperial Household Department also reported: "The concubines left behind by the late emperor, Huifei, Yifei, Defei, and Rongfei, will be relocated to their respective residences after the change of reign. The names of the eunuchs and palace maids who will accompany them have also been drawn up. The rooms in Ningshou Palace have been renovated and are awaiting relocation."
Yinreng nodded: "I understand."
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The emperor was kind-hearted, and most of his younger brothers were happy, as were most of the late emperor's concubines.
Except for some people.
Those without sons had no more thoughts, no more talk, and went to live in the widows' dormitory. Those with sons were also feeling bad.
For example, Concubine Liang.
Even if it were you, you'd feel awkward. Who was Concubine Hui? It's true that she was Kangxi's concubine and Yunti's mother, but she also had another identity: Yunti's adoptive mother, Liangpin's superior for decades, and now even higher in rank than Liangpin.
Well, my own son hasn't even received care from his son and daughter-in-law, and now she's interfering.
It can be said that Concubine Liang had good intentions. She didn't insist on forcing her son to drive away Concubine Hui. If it weren't for Concubine Hui, the Eighth Prince might not have received the kind of training he received. Many of the people the Eighth Prince met were because of the eldest son.
But the problem is this: if Concubine Liang herself said, "Oh, your son has been sentenced to life imprisonment, you have nowhere to go, and it's awkward to stay in the palace. You raised my son, why don't you stay with him for a few days? I can't leave now anyway." She would have done the favor herself, with a little bit of pride and superiority.
Now, no one has even asked for her opinion and the matter has been decided. How can Concubine Liang not be depressed?
What's wrong with this guy? When I can leave, my son will already have a mother-in-law at home. What's my position? Others leave the palace and are promoted from deputy to full-time. I am still a deputy when I leave!
Don’t bully people like this!
But the emperor wanted to bully you like this, what else could you do? Liangpin had suffered the loss, so she had to be magnanimous. There were some things that even her own son could not say too clearly, so she had to swallow it.
At this time, no one cared about her feelings. Yunsi and his wife did come to see her and promised that when Liangpin came out in three years, they would do their best to serve her. The implicit meaning of their words was that even if you came out a little later, you are still my mother and I will not let you be controlled by others.
Liangpin also said: "Huifei treats you well, we must have a conscience."
In addition, Concubine Hui also came over to express her gratitude, and Concubine Liang smiled and said, "You have raised him for so many years, isn't it his duty for him to serve you?"
Apart from that, no one cares about this matter anymore: everyone has their own future to pursue.
After decades in the palace, I'd accumulated quite a bit of belongings, most of which I had to pack up and take away, though some of them were also to be given away. I couldn't forget the familiar people who hadn't left the palace yet, the people who served me, and most importantly, the central figures.
For example, Xinjun’s family.
The Empress, the mistress of the empire, will never lack for good things, but she must be thoughtful and considerate, and a generous gift must be prepared and presented during her official ceremony. Although the eldest princess, Wu Yunzhu, hasn't yet been officially crowned, no one should underestimate her. Treating her well also makes a good impression on her parents. Hongxi's wife is his granddaughter, so a small memento is also acceptable.
By the way, when we get to our son’s place, don’t forget to give gifts to his daughter-in-law and grandchildren!
Oh, and there's one more big thing: we can't move out until after New Year's Day and the Queen's coronation ceremony. Hey? Where's my dress?
The four concubines were of high status, with seniority and high position. The imperial concubines had not been in the palace for as long as them, not to mention the others below them. They all had sons, and with them leading the way, the entire six palaces in the east and west were in turmoil. This further provoked the shady people's lungs.
Among these shady people is the new queen.
Isn't it good to be a queen? Of course it is!
However, many problems remained. Salaries had increased, and they needed ten palace maids, but they were still short of candidates. The eunuchs needed one chief, two chiefs, and twelve ordinary eunuchs, and there was a significant shortage. There was also the issue of how to decorate the Kunning Palace after moving there. The empress was selecting her maids, and many people were vying for them, and so on and so forth.
None of this was a big deal; the new queen was only concerned about one thing: her husband's resistance to her new residence.
Amidst the bustle, the Empress sat at her desk, leisurely flipping through a book. Her unperturbed demeanor was truly admirable. Outsiders had no idea that the Empress was nervously preparing a plan. The secret lay in the book she held, a volume steeped in feudal superstition.
This was a book on feng shui. Kangxi had been buried. After ascending the throne, a new emperor inevitably began choosing his own "eternal blessed land," and it was only natural to mention this to his wife. Shujia seized the opportunity to research the subject.
You have to be careful about this at other times. If you are not careful, people might think you are drawing circles.
A few of the Empress's maids and eunuchs were actually literate, and everyone knew she was mildly interested. Back then, in the feudal era, indulging in feudal superstitions was a popular trend. Many of the palace maids and eunuchs jumped on the bandwagon, and with the rise of this trend, many followed suit. Everyone already had a considerable store of such knowledge, and the imperial concubines were at an age when they were bored and supposed to be vegetarians and Buddhist monks, so it wasn't a bad idea to enrich their knowledge with some extracurricular activities.
The Empress and the Emperor had a wide range of interests, including geometry, algebra, astronomy, geography, painting, and calligraphy. Often, their hobbies were out of reach for the public, and feudal superstitions were easily adopted.
Due to the unique circumstances of the time, the emperor needed to discuss matters with his wife. For example, the disposition of the remaining concubines, the placement of the imperial concubines who needed to be promoted, and the housing issues of his concubines. Oh, and I'd also like to inform you that I'm conferring the title of First-Class Cheng'en Duke on your father. Your father-in-law's family was originally an earl, and now the two titles won't be merged. Since you have three sons, what are your opinions on the succession of this title?
On this day, Yinreng came again, took a look at the book Shujia was reading, and said with a smile: "You are really putting your heart into it."
Shujia said, "I have some free time, so I took a look." She didn't say where she was going to live in the future, but she said, "I think you look good today."
Yinreng was in a good mood after his worries were solved, and he immediately shared the reign title with his wife. Shujia agreed, but in fact, she just listened to it for fun.
Then Yinreng said, "I have chosen the title of Wangpin as Mi[1], and also..." He listed the positions and titles of his brothers' mothers, and Shujia secretly memorized them.
Then, Yinreng talked about the titles of his concubines. Li Jia was "Mao Fei" and Li Jia was "An Pin". Shujia asked: "When were they both canonized?"
Yinreng said, "After March of next year, we have to complete the enthronement ceremony for Hongdan."
Shujia asked with concern, "What about Hongxi? He's already married and should be able to serve. Why is he still just being called the prince?"
Of course Yinreng wanted to, but he said, "Let's wait a bit. The fifteenth son is his uncle and he's older, so he hasn't been given a title yet!" The sixteenth and seventeenth sons were getting older, and if they were given a title, how much silver and a Zuoling would have to go out. Silver didn't matter to him, but Zuoling was what he cared about.
Yinreng and Kangxi had the same mentality. Of course, they wanted to give their own sons the best, but unfortunately, there were other people who were snatching resources away from them. It was a headache, a real headache!
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The New Year has arrived, and everyone is filled with joy and hope.
During the New Year's Day celebrations, the Mongolian tribes once again recognized their new master, and Yinreng generously gave a banquet and awards. Then, the emperor warmly invited everyone to stay for a few more days: "The ceremony of enshrining the Empress Dowager, the ceremony of enthroning the Empress, and the ceremony of enthroning the Crown Prince are about to begin. You can all join us for the grand occasion."
The Mongolians are very happy. They use public funds for food, drink and entertainment. If you don’t take advantage of this opportunity, you are a bastard!
In addition to them, all the civil and military officials were also happy because the emperor raised everyone's honor level and gave them some prizes during this ceremony.
The people were also quite happy. That year, the emperor announced that all taxes previously owed to the country would be exempted, and the tax was issued in the form of an imperial edict.
Criminals were also very happy because the new emperor ascended the throne, changed the era name, and issued a general amnesty. Of course, this only pardoned crimes below the death penalty. If you were a **social person and the death penalty was suspended or exiled, you would still stay in prison.
In such a joyful atmosphere, three grand ceremonies were held successively in the first two months of the new emperor's first year.
The Grand Empress Dowager became the second Grand Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty, and her treatment was upgraded to a higher level.
Next came the ceremony of enthroning the empress. In fact, Her Majesty had already received congratulations from all the wives, princesses, and other women of high rank in the Jiaotai Hall on New Year's Day. This time, it was merely a formality, yet it was also incredibly grand. It was almost as if she were remarrying an empress. The ceremony was also dedicated to the Heaven and Earth and the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
The empress's uniforms and ceremonial guards were all ready. Shujia had only one comment about the court attire: "Heavy!" They say the greater the power, the greater the responsibility; indeed, the higher the position, the heavier the clothing. The court crown on her head was much heavier than the crown worn by the Crown Princess!
Even when armed and ready for battle, one must maintain a proper smile. Shujia's maid was chosen to be the wife of Fu Erdan, the Grand Minister of the Imperial Guards of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner. The term "maid" shouldn't be taken literally, meaning a servant; it's actually a female guest or companion, a prestigious position.
Suddenly, all the ladies of the Shi family gathered together. Almost all the daughters of the Shi family were here. As for Shuxian, Jiang Ting's transfer order had just been issued, and he would have to wait two months before returning.
Everything looks so beautiful.
That afternoon, the emperor personally visited the empress in Kunning Palace and reportedly had a friendly conversation with her.
Bah! Shujia gets angry at whoever says that. Yinreng walked in, took a deep breath, and then slowly looked around the palace, a look of deep thought. This isn't a good start!
Then, he did not enter the inner room, but chatted with his wife in the outer room. He said: "The decree has been drafted and will be issued tomorrow. Shi Wenbing is the first-class Cheng'en Duke..."
Shujia could tell that his tone of voice was completely absent-minded, and his expression was stiff. His eyes involuntarily glanced toward the inner room, then snapped back into focus. It was as awkward as it could be.
Anyone who brings it up is a fool! Shujia pretended not to know. She was still in mourning and had no need for this room. She just smiled and said, "Now we are closer. In the past, when I was at home, I always wondered what you were doing. I wondered if you were thirsty or tired. Now, even if I can just look at the back wall of the Qianqing Palace, I feel more at ease."
Yinreng forced a smile: "That's true, haven't I always been here? Whether you can see me during the day or not, you can go home at night."
Shujia smiled, stood up and straightened his collar: "I'll always be waiting for you."
After Yinreng left, he could not live with his wife and observe mourning.
Shujia lowered her eyes and secretly calculated the date. The next day, Shi Wenbing was conferred the title of First-Class Cheng'en Duke.
A few days later, Yinreng honored Wang Concubine as the Imperial Father's Concubine Mi, Yunyou's mother, Daijia, as the Imperial Father's Concubine Cheng, Yunlu's mother as the Imperial Father's Concubine Ding, and Yunli's mother as the Imperial Father's Concubine Qin. He issued certificates and then asked them to move. Concubine Cheng moved in with his son, while the others moved to Ningshou Palace—along with the Imperial Father's Noble Concubine and others.
At this point, the issue of the late emperor's concubines was resolved. Everyone in and outside the palace breathed a sigh of relief. The Empress also summoned the Ministry of Punishment to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the various public security cases that had been exposed during the competition for the right to leave the palace. Those who were wrongly accused were vindicated, and those who were wrongly punished, without bias.
Then, the Queen used the imperial edict.
Of course, the first time a memorial was used, it was best to get it done right away. To this end, the Empress and the Emperor had consulted beforehand. Initially, they reported on the previous misconduct, then lamented, "It's not their fault. Once they enter the palace, they can't leave until they're thirty. The sooner they can leave, the better."
Yinreng snorted coldly: "Have they been wronged in the palace?"
Shujia described the girls' plight very miserably: "You'll be thirty years old when you leave the palace. You've been in the palace for seventeen years. Your parents may be gone, and you won't even recognize your brothers. How can you live a good life? At this age, how can you get married? Back then, we had a few palace maids who taught us the rules. But you've been all alone like this all your life. Thinking about it now, it still makes me sad."
At this time, Yinreng was still angry. No matter how wronged he felt, he could not make the palace a mess!
Shujia proposed a solution: "It's better to release them early. They will have hope and won't think of these crooked ways. In a few years, another concubine mother will be sent out. Don't make a fuss then. Release them early. They will be grateful and will serve you wholeheartedly. Their parents will be even more grateful for the emperor's grace and will do their job more attentively."
This is a benevolent policy, the homework that a new emperor should do when he comes to power. Yinreng said to Shujia: "This is a good idea. You submit the memorial and I will approve it."
Building momentum for the Empress was also one of the Emperor's goals. Meanwhile, the people around the late Emperor's concubine were truly too boisterous! They were too scheming, and the thought of them staying at home made him uncomfortable. Getting rid of the old and replacing them with the new was exactly what he wanted. He was just worried about not having a legitimate reason to dismiss so many people, and now this reason had arrived.
"Okay. As for the vacant position, it's spring now and the Imperial Household Department's selection has begun again. It won't be long before it's filled."
"Great kindness."
The next day, the empress submitted a memorial to the emperor, urging the emperor to raise the age of maids leaving the palace to 25. The ostensible reason was that leaving after 30 would make marriage difficult and lead to a miserable life, which was not the original intention of the imperial court's benevolence. Furthermore, having so many women unable to contribute to the nation's population development was a great loss to the country.
The emperor approved it.
This time, it was truly a grand celebration for the entire harem! Everyone praised the Empress as truly virtuous and benevolent, and the Emperor as truly benevolent. This was the common people's reputation, a genuine one, praised by the grassroots. The daughters of powerful officials in the Imperial Household Department generally sought exemptions, and those who entered the palace to serve were often less well-connected.
If the emperor ordered us to serve, we would serve; this was the rule and there was no room for protest. However, when the emperor implemented virtuous policies and everyone was happy, this was not because of the rule but because of their inner feelings.
The Queen is a good person, a very good person!
Good people will be rewarded!
Everyone had put their heart and soul into the ceremony of enthroning the crown prince. Shujia saw it all, took it to heart, and decided it was time to move on to her next plan: getting sick!
Okay, Queen, your good fortune has come to an end for now. You don’t have to pretend to be sick anymore. Your father is dead!
Shujia was still wondering how to get rid of the illness naturally. A common cold wouldn't work, but chest tightness and headaches were something even the most skilled doctors couldn't cure—as long as the patient insisted they were feeling unwell. It wasn't like having a runny nose or a fever, which could be easily determined at a glance.
The news came that she was really sick.
Shi Wenbing was a typical feudal patriarch of this era, serious and somewhat rigid, but he was a really good man. Shujia couldn't bear such a blow for a while, and she really fell ill.
Bedridden, Yinreng naturally came to visit. Shujia just cried, her heart shrinking as if it had been pressed into boiling water. Yinreng was not very good at comforting his wife. He had experienced this kind of thing before and knew that all comfort was futile at this time. He just looked at his wife silently, and he also... took in the interior of Kunning Palace for the first time.
Is this where I was born? Is this where my mother died? What kind of day was that? Yinreng wanted to remember everything here, but he also wanted to escape immediately.
No, my wife's father died and I came to comfort her.
Little did she know that Shujia was struggling in her heart: should she go on?
Yes! I have to hold on!
"I... I'll feel better if I cry. Don't worry, just let me cry and I'll be fine," he said haltingly. "You have something to do, go ahead and do it. Don't delay."
If this were in the Eastern Palace, Yinreng would definitely stay. He sat for a moment before standing up and saying, "Don't be too sad. I'll come see you tomorrow."
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The queen was very ill. In addition to being extremely sad, she also had a headache and chest tightness. The imperial physician could not diagnose the cause of her illness.
Then, out of nowhere, some strange remarks came out: the layout of Kunning Palace is not conducive to the queen!
Eunuch A: "The door of Kunning Palace is tilted. The Empress, the Empress, the door is tilted. It's not good for the Empress."
Eunuch B: "Don't talk nonsense, this is the rule of the Qing Dynasty. I heard that when we were in Shengjing, the door of Qingning Palace was opened like this, and nothing happened."
Eunuch C: "You know shit! Have you ever seen a good empress living in a house like that? Empress Xiaoduanwen," he looked around, "had no sons! Emperor Shunzhi's Consort Jing was deposed! The Grand Empress Dowager...didn't give birth either, and she almost..."
Eunuch A: "I remember now. Empress Renxiao... uh," it's unacceptable, unacceptable, "Empress Xiaozhao lived there for only six months before she passed away, and Empress Xiaoyi passed away before she even moved in."
Palace Maid A: "Oh, how could such a good person as the Queen be affected by the feng shui of Kunning Palace?"
Palace Maid B: "That's right, this...can the door be changed?"
Through the mouths of eunuchs and palace maids, the gossip spread to the harem, and then to the concubines living in the palace. Then, it spread outside the palace.
So far, there is a relatively objective evaluation of the above-mentioned behavior: a bunch of housewives without scientific spirit are engaging in feudal superstition.
But everyone should not forget that the Queen has two younger sisters, both of whom are married, and their husbands are the Emperor's younger brother and cousin respectively. The pillow talk has spread, and it is inevitable that there will be doubts.
Then, the news spread through various channels to the concubines outside the palace, and then to their husbands. Then, through the concubines, it spread to the ladies of high rank, and then the husbands of the ladies of high rank knew about it. Many people saw an opportunity.
Grand Secretary Li Guangdi petitioned the emperor, protesting that the door to Kunning Palace opened improperly, unfavorably for the empress. Although Shunzhi's objections were dismissed during the palace's renovations, they now had to be changed. Many empresses had already suffered misfortunes caused by this door. In the past, when the empire was outside the Great Wall and before the country was fully under his control, opening this door was acceptable. Now that he had become the common ruler of the empire, how could the empress of the empire be allowed to use a lesser-known door?
Everyone needs to adapt to the situation! This is God telling everyone that we are very positive!
What nonsense!
This was the Queen's evaluation. She said, "I'm fine. I'm just too sad. I'll be fine after resting for a while." As she said this, she frowned and touched her chest, and another attack broke out.
Her children and sisters-in-law came to persuade her, but the queen said, "Even if it's true, I have to live here! If it happens to me, then the door is bad. You can ask the emperor to change it."
He acted as if he was ready to prove his point with his life, which puzzled everyone.
But it suited the temperament of both of them.
The first one is Yinreng, Thaksin!
He didn't believe that the feng shui of Kunning Palace had been changed for the wrong reasons. Did he believe that he was "born to have an unlucky mother"?
This was a thorn in Yinreng's heart: even if everyone didn't say it, didn't they think so in their hearts? As he grew older, he couldn't help but have such thoughts himself.
This knot had troubled him for decades, and he could barely bear it anymore, it was driving him mad. Carrying his mother's life on his shoulders, who wouldn't feel the weight of it? A voice inside him kept shouting: Get rid of it, get rid of it!
You should find another reason to explain it!
Of course, he wouldn't wait until his wife died to change the door; that would be too unkind. So, the empress was moved to the nearest bedroom, across from the emperor. Did her condition seem to be improving? Yinreng smiled.
Another example is the Grand Empress Dowager. Originally an elderly woman easily persuaded by charlatans to surrender all her savings, she was highly receptive to superstition. Thanks to the recent surge in superstition learning, she was also indoctrinated with even more superstitious knowledge.
Besides, how could we tell her not to believe in superstition? Would we have to wait until she was in her seventies or eighties to admit that her husband wanted to destroy her because she wasn't good enough?
The Grand Empress Dowager appeared, supported by two women on each side, and advised the Emperor: "Your Majesty, you must believe in Feng Shui! The Empress is the most important! The Empress is so wonderful! What's the big deal about renovating the house? Just think of it as asking a doctor to prescribe a prescription, and the prescription is to renovate the house."
What? You can't say it?
It is said that the empress's son once said in private in a very frivolous tone: "Actually, the opposition is right. After all, we are Manchus and cannot forget our roots. It's okay if no one supports the reconstruction of Kunning Palace. I will pay for the renovation of the doors of your mother and wife's houses and turn them into pocket rooms."
Yinreng made the decision: "Rebuild Kunning Palace!"
Such an absurd drama caused the entire court to fall into complete silence.
What is the reason?
emperor!
He wants to change, he has a knot in his heart, and everyone may not have known it before, but once the news gets out, anyone with a little common sense will understand the reason at the first time.
Want to object? You're going to die!
It is said that under the emperor's careful care, the queen recovered without any medicine after staying in the west wing of the Qianqing Palace for three days.
Shujia smiled and said, "Originally, the illness will heal naturally in due time. Kunning Palace has just been completed. It would be a waste to start construction again."
Yinreng said: "I can still afford this little bit of money. For you, I am happy to do it!"
"You really are a rich man!" Shujia laughed at him. "But I can't live here anymore. It's not convenient for you to hold meetings here, right? There are differences between men and women. Should I move somewhere else first?"
"You choose a place. Once you've packed up, I'll come see you."
"good."
In the first year of Changtai, construction of Kunning Palace began again.
The author has something to say:
[1] It is better to keep the original titles of Kangxi’s concubines.
PS: Giving the crown prince a reign title was too much of a brainteaser. I spent an hour thinking about it, but it was shot down by Fatty, so I had to start over again...
PPS: It is said that everyone cannot see it, so I refreshed it in the background.
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