Shi's premarital education
In fact, there were more than one person concerned about Shi Wenbing's condition. One could even say that the news of the Crown Prince's future father-in-law's unauthorized entry into the capital had already alarmed the entire city, rapidly spreading to all corners of the country. Reactions ranged from those who expressed concern, those who watched the drama, to those who gloated over the misfortune.
One of them was Kangxi. His beloved son, cherished for so many years, was finally getting married, only to find his in-laws dying. What bad luck! Kangxi was known for his respect for Western science, but his personal experiences made it impossible not to be superstitious. Basically, the experiences of his relatives speak volumes: anyone who associates with him is doomed to misfortune.
He had sent the imperial physician, who would report back upon his return. Kangxi listened carefully to the pulse diagnosis and inquired about the prescription. He assessed the situation and concluded that while the condition looked serious, it was still manageable. He was finally relieved.
He stood up and walked to the back door of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Looking back, behind the square Jiaotai Hall, lay the Kunning Palace, which had caused Kangxi inexplicable heartache.
Looking at the south window of the east corner room and the corridor beneath the yellow glazed tiles of Kunning Palace, Kangxi said softly, "Our child is getting married soon. It must go smoothly!"
I hope that success is not limited to one person.
"What's going on?" The man who asked the question was sitting very steadily, and if you ignored the fact that his fingers were gripping the armrests of the chair so hard that they had turned white.
The person who replied was the eunuch from Yuqing Palace, who was delivering ginseng and other supplies to the Shi family. To be assigned this mission, he must have been a well-known figure within the Yuqing Palace, possessing some respectability and a good understanding of his master's moods, even though this master was becoming increasingly difficult to serve.
The eunuch lowered his hands and said, "He looks very frail, but the Shi family originally had a doctor accompanying him. He can already stand up..."
"You told him to get up?!" Yinreng's voice suddenly rose, "Fool! He's sick! I want him to get better now!"
The eunuch said, "When I get to the gate of the Shi family, the people inside will know..."
"roll!"
After sending the eunuch away, Yinreng sat in a chair in a daze, his hands slightly shaking. After sitting quietly for a long time, he raised his voice and said, "Someone come!"
The eunuch who had delivered the imperial eunuch had already slipped away. A young eunuch, about twelve or thirteen years old, stepped forward. He was not tall enough, his head lowered. He hurried forward, his hands hanging, and stood ready: "This servant awaits the master's orders." Yinreng said: "Send someone to the Imperial Hospital and fetch Wan Xingde!"
The young eunuch memorized Wan Xingde's name, repeated it, and walked backwards out the door, a trail of smoke leading to the Imperial Hospital. When he arrived, Wan Xingde had just returned. He was still young, and his voice wasn't shrill. In fact, most eunuchs' voices weren't that unpleasant. It was only when they raised their pitch in surprise that their voices reached the level of eardrum-shattering. He sounded a little effeminate, but with his fair, delicate face, he wasn't unpleasant.
Therefore, the doctors in the Imperial Court didn't feel any resentment, especially since this person came from Yuqing Palace and was looking for Wan Xingde. Everyone knew that Wan Xingde was the one who was specially appointed to treat the Crown Prince's future father-in-law. After gathering his clothes and taking his signature, he followed the eunuch to the palace. Once he reached the palace gate, he had to register and enter.
In Yuqing Palace, Yinreng tapped the armrest with his right index and middle fingers, his face sullen. When the news that Wan Xingde had arrived reached him, Yinreng's eyes darkened, he took a deep breath, shook his neck, and sat up straighter.
Wan Xingde first paid his respects to the Crown Prince. Yinreng watched him finish before ordering him to take a seat and then inquired about Shi Wenbing's condition. Wan Xingde thought to himself, although one of the ways for imperial physicians to protect themselves is to exaggerate the severity of illnesses, this is just a cold. No matter how serious it is, it is still a cold. Even if the emperor asks, he should still treat it as a cold.
Wan Xingde said honestly, "It's just a cold. I was out of balance beforehand, caught a cold in the cold winter, and was tired on the way back. These three things combined together are extremely dangerous."
He felt bitter. The Emperor wasn't always in good health, and there were also ailments like the Empress Dowager's. The Emperor was at least somewhat knowledgeable in medicine, and the Crown Prince, influenced by him, wasn't bad either, so it was hard for him to make up a lie. Returning from the Shi residence, he'd first been interrogated by the Emperor, and then, at the end, the Emperor had even discussed medical matters with him. Now, the Crown Prince was angry again, and Wan Xingde felt like he was about to see a doctor.
Normally, under different circumstances, they would have prescribed a quick-acting medication, and after the ceremony, they'd be done. But the wedding was still four months away! Even if it took effect now, in two days the drug would have completely drained the patient's vital energy, and the patient would have died. The Crown Prince hadn't even married yet, and if anyone investigated, the Imperial Hospital would surely be resented. All they could do was patiently and patiently treat him.
Yinreng was inexplicably anxious. Deep down, he didn't want anything to happen to Shi Wenbing. He wanted his future father-in-law to live to his seventies and eighties in good health. "Dangerous? How dangerous? I heard that Shi Wenbing had a doctor by his side, and it was only thanks to timely diagnosis and treatment that he avoided tuberculosis."
You know all this? Wan Xingde wiped his sweat from his heart and began to recite the pulse diagnosis: "Chiguan... Cunguan..." Anyway, he had passed the test with the emperor. If it didn't work, he would just carry the emperor out...
Yinreng sneered, "Don't try to fool me with this. I have only one thing to say: I want Shi Wenbing to live well! If he lives well, you will reward him. If anything happens to him, you will handle it!"
Well, this guy is totally unreasonable! The emperor at least wants to discuss it, but this guy just wants the result! When a scholar meets a soldier, he can't explain himself!
Wan Xingde felt incredibly wronged and frustrated. Who wouldn't want him to live a good life? Life and death are determined by fate, and wealth and honor are bestowed by Heaven. Medicine can't cure fatal illnesses, but Buddha can save those destined for salvation. He had confidence in his medical skills; after all, the patient hadn't reached its worst point. But, never fearing the worst, he added a caveat: "This illness, after all, was delayed along the way and damaged the foundation. You need to rest and recuperate, clear your mind, and don't overthink..."
"That's all you're telling me?" Yinreng asked calmly, then roared, "Why didn't you tell their family members? Why did you come to me and tell them? Go tell them!"
Wan Xingde felt like crying: "I have already told their family."
Yinreng thought to himself, "You're just playing me for fun, aren't you?" But since he still needed him, he waved him off.
The imperial physician left, but Yinreng was still uneasy and ordered the eunuch: "Keep an eye on him at all times and report to me immediately if you have any news!"
The young eunuch obeyed the order, but he was secretly grumbling. Only two people had ever made the Crown Prince so nervous before: His Majesty the Emperor and the former Grand Empress Dowager. When those two were ill, the Crown Prince had been just as anxious and irritated. While his future father-in-law wasn't as good as those two, was he still on the Crown Prince's mind? The Crown Prince wasn't being mean to the future Crown Princess. Then again, his future father-in-law wasn't as powerful as the palace masters, so why was he so anxious and irritated as to bring the imperial physician over?
Don't dare to ask, but you can think, listen, and do it. This is the rule of survival in the palace.
Yinreng casually picked up a book, hoping to calm himself down. Unfortunately, he was reading "Records of the Grand Historian." He came across a section in the "Biographies of Merchants" that said, "Jiangnan is low and humid, and men die young." Fujian is south of the Yangtze River, and according to Shi Wenbing's own account, it was indeed low and humid... His hands shook with anger. He gently placed the book on the desk, grabbed the glass paperweight, and slammed it to the ground. He felt relieved as he watched the scattered debris.
Yinreng was half concerned about the future of his Yue family, and half terrified. Currently, few people could empathize with his fear, and even he himself didn't realize the source of his dread. People would only say that good things come to those who wait, or that the Shi family was favored by the emperor, or that Shi Wenbing was lucky...
At this point, who could have considered the Crown Prince's fate? Empress Renxiao and Empress Xiaozhao had both passed away. While Kangxi was unlucky in marriage, it wasn't necessarily Yinreng who was unlucky in motherhood. What if his future father-in-law died before the wedding...
Such concerns weren't without reason. At least one person was expressing concern, "What should I do? I've always suspected that fate is determined by heaven. Now that I'm blessed with wealth, if someone with a weak fate can't handle the blessing, it could actually harm them," he said, frowning, looking deeply concerned. "If something really happens, my second son will be devastated."
The two words were pronounced especially loudly.
Yinzhi was almost mad with hatred. His once handsome face turned sinister, radiating a murderous aura. He was clearly the eldest son, and he had worked incredibly hard, but in the end… Yinreng had given birth to a grandson! Even though he was born out of wedlock… it was a complete slap in his face.
Yirgen Jueluo looked glum as she listened to Yinzhi's complaints in silence. Her health was deteriorating and she was recovering. Yinzhi's unfriendly words were not to be shouted out in public. Mingzhu insisted on urging him to be "friendly", but he couldn't hold it in and had to run to his wife's room to satisfy his urge.
Irgen Jueluo was torn. On the one hand, she was becoming increasingly depressed. Having given birth to four daughters in a row, her health was deteriorating. Her physical state was affecting her mental state, and she, once a typical lady from a noble family, was now somewhat distorted. Hearing Yinzhi's words was quite comforting. On the other hand, she was wondering—could it be that I, too, couldn't handle such great fortune? She was the legitimate wife of the eldest prince, and her husband treated her with great respect, yet she had given birth to four daughters in a row! Could it be that those with a weak destiny really couldn't handle such great fortune?
Yinzhi talked to himself for a while, then felt it was boring, so he threw his sleeves and went out, leaving Irgen Jueluo in a daze in the room.
Those outside the palace weren't having a good time either. Mingzhu and her group seemed to be gloating over the misfortune, yet they could only laugh inwardly, forcing themselves to suppress their laughter and express their concern on the surface. Soetu, on the other hand, was so anxious that several of his hairs had turned gray. The so-called "establishing a family and building a career"—a man's maturity wasn't just defined by age, but also by whether he had accomplished the major life events. Marriage also had political significance!
The most frustrated were the Pengchun family. If the Crown Prince's marriage was delayed, the Third Prince, as his younger brother, would have to postpone his marriage as well. This was simply making fun of them all!
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The Shi family was peaceful. Shi Wenbing's illness was serious, and if he wasn't careful, it could worsen. So far, it seemed manageable. Shi Wenbing was in a very good mood, listening to everything Wan Xingde said. None of the things Wan Xingde worried about would happen.
As a man, his life has been largely fulfilled, having proven his reliability through decades of dedicated work. More recently, he has demonstrated his competence by risking his life to carry out the major military reforms in Fujian. He has a successful career!
My daughter is getting married, and the procedures are handled by the state machinery. The dowry... my wife has already taken care of it. My children and grandchildren are all doing well, and my father, who used to be unreliable, has become more restrained. The family is happy!
No more dissatisfaction.
Life's challenges were few and far between. Even if there were, they were all about achieving a good start and a good end. In this situation, why would anyone dare to risk his life? He wasn't an impulsive person. His previous struggles were driven by his own ambitions, to bring honor to his daughter and his family. Now that his goals were achieved, Shi Wenbing dutifully followed the doctor's orders.
But as a patient, he was bored. For someone who'd always held military service or a position based on it, Shi Wenbing had a decent level of literacy. But because he was ill, he was forbidden from doing anything, on the grounds that it was mentally taxing. Shujia was furious—it wasn't like he was doing math Olympiad problems, memorizing English words, or learning the three-X table... well, forget that last one. Anyway, reading a book wouldn't be mentally taxing, right?
But Shi Wenbing is very self-disciplined, almost to the point of self-abuse. He just stays put, unsupervised. Having spent half his life traveling, Shi Wenbing is now a homebody. The difference between being able to sit up and not being able to is that one stays in bed while staying there, while the other stays there while sitting.
It wasn't until a month later that he was able to walk with the aid of a cane. The imperial physician diagnosed him, "The cold has healed, but his body remains weak. He's been severely depleted lately, and after all, he's not young anymore. And judging by his current condition, he must have been through a lot in his youth, relying on his strength and being careless. He didn't care when he was young, and he'll suffer in his old age."
It was spring at that time, the peak season for various infectious diseases. Emperor Kangxi specially allowed him to take sick leave and retain his original title, so Shi Wenbing continued to stay at home.
Shujia believed that proper exercise was beneficial to both physical and mental health. After some thought, she decided to endure it. What if she caught a cold from the wind? The body relies on a foundation; if the foundation is strong, exercise will only improve it. If the foundation is damaged, and the intensity of the exercise exceeds the tolerance, it will be troublesome.
While Shi Wenbing recuperated at home, the family had few idlers. Both sons had errands, and in the 34th year of the Kangxi reign, also the year of the great selection of candidates, Qingde was particularly busy. Then, Xiluo Te had to finalize her daughter's dowry and care for her newborn daughter. The fourth daughter of the Shi family was born in December of the 33rd year of the Kangxi reign, a daughter born at an old age, two months younger than her nephew, Qingde's son Changji.
The only one in the family who has time to take care of the household chores is Wendu, who is so busy that she has no time to rest.
Normally, Shujia would have offered her help. But now that she was engaged, to the Crown Prince, she felt embarrassed to meddle even if others didn't try. Speaking of which, if it were a girl from an ordinary family, she wouldn't have to meddle in her family's affairs unless it was absolutely necessary.
Whenever she had some free time, she would go and spend time with Shi Wenbing. In this family, everyone else had been together regularly in recent years, but Shi Wenbing had been working away from home. His recent illness was largely due to his own actions. Shujia's sadness deepened as she recalled Shi Wenbing's time in Hangzhou, cradling her in his lap as he taught her the Manchu version of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" word by word. She longed to spend more time with her father.
But his family tried to stop him and try to dissuade him. Shi Wenbing also said, "I'm not well yet. What will I do if I let you recover from my illness?"
Shujia said, "I'm bored too... There's no one to talk to at home, and it just so happens that you're bored too, right? I'm already uncomfortable talking now, and later on, I'm afraid there will be even more people watching, and it will be difficult to see each other. Don't you want to take this opportunity to look at me more? Remember what I look like? Just treat it as it was in Hangzhou, and you do your thing. We haven't had a good conversation in years, and I... just want to look at you."
Shi Wenbing was persuaded, and Hua Shan joined in the fun. Shujia was watching over the two on her own, and Wendu was relieved. Shi Wenbing was ill and needed constant care from the younger generation. With Shujia around, others could make fewer visits. And Hua Shan, who usually didn't care about things at home and only caused trouble, had something to do without causing any trouble. It was perfect.
Mrs. Xiluo had always felt that her daughter was not in a good mood. It was easy to understand why the bride-to-be was reluctant to leave home. She was busy with a lot of things now, including two little daughters, relatives and friends everywhere, and she had to take care of all the important things. She really couldn't spare the time to look after her daughters. Thinking that her husband's health was getting better, it would be good for the father and daughter to talk, she reluctantly agreed.
What should you talk about with a man? Of course, you should talk about what he's interested in. Shi Wenbing's greatest political achievement so far is the military standard, something he's very familiar with, so it's easy to talk about. Shujia pretended to be interested, starting with questions about Fujian's geography and climate, and finally moving on to military affairs.
Shi Wenbing was quite capable, knowing his daughter was trying to comfort him and spend more time together. He was able to talk about anything that came to his mind, even with his eyes closed, half asleep, and half awake. He explained the Eight Banners system, its population, and the soldiers; the current state of the Green Camp, the reasons for its establishment, and its significance. He also recounted his experience equipping soldiers in Fujian with firearms, and when Shujia expressed interest, he offered some additional firearms knowledge.
Hua Shan was a man who could only hold his head high during major events. He was getting impatient, and it just so happened that he'd actually led troops in battle, attacked people, robbed money, and escaped, uh, yeah. He rolled up his sleeves, lifted the lid, took a sip of his tea, and began to interrupt. He believed the current Eight Banners were all cowards, and the commanders at court were idiots. He never forgot to defend himself back then: "You say I didn't go to the rescue? What was the situation then? How many able-bodied men were there in the Eight Banners? Counting all the men, women, old, and weak, we've only managed this small number over the years, and if we're not careful, they'll all be wiped out! Who would dare to use the lives of the Bannermen to fill that void? As long as there's green mountains, there's firewood to burn..."
Shi Wenbing smiled bitterly. If you had persisted for a while and pretended not to disobey orders so openly, and surrendered on your own not long after the rebellion, would you have been punished?
Shujia, however, believed Hua Shan's point was valid. Population was the fatal flaw of the Bannermen, and indeed of the Qing dynasty's rule over the country. A small population instilled constant fear in foreign lands, not to mention the political precedents of the Jin and Yuan dynasties. This led to a conservative rule, a conservatism that was the complete opposite of the enterprising spirit of the early expansion. To control the nation, they had to restrict people's thoughts and enslave education, hence the literary inquisition. To put it bluntly, it was a manifestation of extreme fear.
Openness comes from strength and self-confidence, while closedness comes from arrogance and inferiority.
The second young lady was now a member of a minority group, and one at the top. She could have feigned ignorance about these issues before, but now she had to think clearly. As the Crown Princess, she must rise to the pinnacle of power alongside the Crown Prince, bear a son, and then help him ascend to the throne. Otherwise, death! A tragic death!... These political and ethnic issues became her inevitable future challenges, her inevitable resolutions! At the very least, she had to begin thinking, trying her best... to offer future decision-makers some of the concerns of a time-traveling prophet.
"When a regime starts burning books, if it is not stopped, its next step will be to burn people! When a regime starts silencing speech, if it is not stopped, its next step will be to silence people!" [1] Such a regime has absolutely no future.
You make people stupid. They believe whatever you say. As long as you can still control them, they will naturally believe you. Once a strong force from the outside comes to break the control, they will also believe whatever others say. If this other person is your enemy... congratulations, your enemy's believers are all provided by you.
From then on, Shujia became increasingly interested in these matters. The dynasty's military system, official system, official promotions, official practices... Of course, she could only ask about these matters outright occasionally, but most of the time, she had to analyze them herself from the words of Huashan and Shi Wenbing. These two had considerable experience, dealing with superiors, managing subordinates, and treating staff...
When it came to something interesting, Hua Shan slapped his head and said, "Why can't I remember the day?"
Shujia smiled and said, "Isn't it enough to know the general situation?"
Hua Shan was very upset: "No! I have to find out." Memory loss is a sign of aging. Even an elderly child with great-grandchildren refuses to admit they're old. Even if they've forgotten something, they have to find it so they can show off next time—see, I still remember it. My memory is still good!
It was a good thing they had nothing to do, so they just chatted among themselves. In Shi Wenbing's study, all sorts of documents were neatly arranged. Shujia had found the official gazette and given it to Hua Shannian, asking him to memorize it so he could look younger.
In addition to gaining information, Shujia also learned a particularly clear lesson: "You must be cautious in governing." If a ruler is not discreet, he will lose his ministers; if a minister is not discreet, he will lose himself. Let others know what you want them to know, and what you don't want others to know must be kept confidential and cannot be shown, let alone speculated.
Grandfathers should have discussed these matters of officialdom with their descendants, but since they were on official business, they had to discuss them with their granddaughters. Shi Wenbing was a cautious man, careful not to dwell too much on state affairs with his daughters. Bannermen's daughters were precious, and they managed household affairs at home, but... that didn't mean they had to be involved in government affairs.
Then, Shi Wenbing had a headache. He had never realized that his daughter was so bold in speaking out, and even discussing state affairs. Shujia thought she was very careful, but Shi Wenbing still found out. No matter how careful a person is, if the things she desires and must obtain are in the hands of others, she cannot give them up. Time is also running out, and her subconscious will inevitably be exposed.
Shi Wenbing thought carefully, feeling somewhat relieved that he hadn't said anything against the rules. But then he felt a little worried. His daughter couldn't be power-hungry! That wouldn't be good. Harem meddling has been a taboo in every dynasty. How could a good girl be so interested in officialdom? She should be supporting her husband and raising her children, managing the harem. Even if she was the Crown Princess, she should only be concerned with the affairs of the ladies of the court. She shouldn't be interfering in the court's military system or whether its firearms were muzzle-loading.
Shujia laughed and said, "Come on, isn't this the right time?"
Shi Wenbing frowned. That was wrong. It was absolutely wrong. Hua Shan chuckled, "Come on, you're reading the court gazette?" Shujia wrinkled her nose at him. "Isn't it Mafa who wants to know something?" She was holding a copy in her hand as she spoke, then put it down and her eyes fixed on it.
"He has a grudge against the prince, right?!"
Shi Wenbing said in a deep voice: "What?" Oh no, this girl has gone astray! Why did I think she should study in the first place? Look, she's become restless after studying.
Shujia was furious, completely oblivious to her father's resentful thoughts. What a teammate! You're such a jerk! Perhaps Yinreng himself wasn't such a jerk, but simply someone who was dragged down by his jerk teammates!
"The Minister of Rites, Shamuha, reported to the emperor that the crown prince's prayer mat should be placed inside the threshold, and the emperor dismissed Shamuha from his post."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Shi Wenbing asked without caring that his daughter would become the Crown Princess in the future.
"There is no two suns in the sky, nor two rulers in a country. Since ancient times, only the emperor's prayer mat has been placed within the threshold of the Fengxian Palace." Is this a blatant attempt to force the emperor to abdicate? The symbolism is overwhelming. What do Chinese people value most? Symbolism! If Yinreng hadn't been the "Empress Yuan's legitimate son," how could he have achieved such prominence?
Shujia's speech speed is getting faster and faster: "He is an undercover agent, right? He did it on purpose? To remind the emperor that the prince will take over..."
Bang!
Shujia received the first slap in her life - the giver was Shi Wenbing, for free.
Shujia felt very aggrieved. She believed that what she said was right. The time was right, the place was right, and the person was right. She would not say the same thing if it was a different time, place, or person. If her own father and grandfather didn't believe her, who else could she believe?
After Shi Wenbing slapped him, he regretted it. It was a subconscious action, a reflection of the deeply ingrained distinction between ruler and subject: subjects should not criticize their ruler. Even among those vying for the throne, no one really engaged in the blunt analysis shown on TV. At most, they'd say, "The prince is respectful and courteous, a good king," or "The crown prince is too harsh."
"The Palace of Eternal Light" is a far-fetched TV series, but one of its characters offers a fitting metaphor: the Daming Palace is like a brothel. The more upscale the place, the more it resorts to sleight of hand to disguise its prostitution. The imperial palace is so upscale, so of course, the memorial archways used to conceal its activities must be done to the utmost.
No wonder Shi Wenbing was shocked. Father and daughter stared at each other.
Hua Shan's face darkened and he slapped Shi Wenbing: "You are not as good as her!" He turned to Shujia, "You say."
Shujia was completely stunned: "Huh?"
"You've been beaten silly, haven't you?" The old scoundrel showed his rogue side again. "What's an undercover? Well, that's a pretty accurate description."
Shujia was sweating profusely, and then for some reason she burst out laughing: "Haha. It's okay, Ama's illness hasn't healed yet, he's weak. It doesn't hurt."
"Tell me if it doesn't hurt." Even so, Hua Shan still looked at his granddaughter's face carefully. What a jerk! Why not hit her in the face? If it weren't for Shi Wenbing being sick, Hua Shan would have wanted to whip him.
Shujia was careful this time. Yes, she had to be steady. Why was she so calm the other times, but now... she sighed. When she was calm, it was obviously because the problem was not serious.
"I've said the most important things... it's just flattery. One last thing, this is to trap the East Palace... If Mingzhu can find ten or eight people like this, the eldest prince won't have to take action." Kangxi must have gotten anxious first. His subordinates lifted the prince up high, and then asked the emperor to cut off his claws. Bang!
Hua Shan and Shi Wenbing's faces were as gloomy as the bottom of a pot. Hua Shan said, "It's good that you know what's going on. Try to persuade him more. By the way, you're a girl, why are you talking like a scoundrel? So blunt? Where's your upbringing?! You're a woman! A woman! Have you read books? Do you understand the art of fighting without bloodshed? Do you understand the art of keeping a low profile? Why are you being so sensible in front of men? Interfering in politics? Be honest. Even if you're trying to persuade someone, you have to do it in a way that no one can detect, understand?"
Shujia: ...I am completely speechless.
Girl, you are still too young to get involved in politics.
However, she discovered something that no one else had clearly discovered. Hua Shan and Shi Wenbing expressed their affirmation of Shujia's IQ, but at the same time expressed great concern about her political emotional intelligence. As a last resort, they had to start special training.
Shujia understood that the crown prince, like the emperor, was not allowed to leave the palace on a regular basis. His contact with the outside world was either through summoning people in Yuqing Palace—which Kangxi would undoubtedly know about—or through those summoned. In short, information flow was limited. The eldest prince, on the other hand, was different. He had begun serving as an official, allowing him to leave the palace and maximize his contact with the outside world. Once he was granted a title and a residence, he had his own territory. Yinreng, on the other hand, had rented his territory from Kangxi.
In Yinreng's Chancellery, Kangxi prioritized moral character when selecting officials. As we all know, in politics, a gentleman is always outmatched by a villain. To cultivate a gentleman who can outmaneuver a villain, countless predecessors have been victimized by villains, inspiring a sense of responsibility in promising young people. For example, Xu Jie's hard work.
Shujia hadn't expected that the purpose, clearly intended to strengthen family ties and comfort her father, would ultimately necessitate a family tutoring program. Fortunately, Shi Wenbing's health had recovered, otherwise this would have been enough to make him vomit blood again. Seeing Shi Wenbing's expression, Shujia couldn't bear it anymore and said, "I understand, I understand everything. It's just the relationship between ruler and subject, father and son. It's just about observing honesty and filial piety."
Seeing that Shi Wenbing was still worried, Shujia smiled and said, "I was overthinking it. When it comes to closeness, who can be closer than father and son? A few days ago, my father was so angry that he beat me. Wasn't it because he was worried that I would suffer and told me so much? Even if I behave myself, you will still be angry with me?"
Shi Wenbing said coldly, "I still remember that horse racing thing you mentioned! I can't even sleep well."
Shujia lowered her head. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have said it again. When have I ever said anything in front of someone I shouldn't have said it to?"
Shi Wenbing sighed, "Be cautious when alone! Not only when you are with your own people, but even when you are alone, you must always be consistent."
Shujia stood up solemnly and kowtowed three times in a very upright manner.
Regardless, Shi Wenbing felt a little relieved as he watched his daughter continue to do her usual routine, eating when she should, sleeping when she should, sewing when she had time, and bringing her soups and nourishing foods on schedule. However, there was still a knot in his heart that he couldn't help but pound on every day, telling her to be more careful in what she said and did.
Hua Shan had heard so much that he became impatient. "Girl, do you know what your biggest mistake was? You shouldn't have said it so rashly! Same words, different ways of saying it?! If you had said it was a villain, how could he have framed the Crown Prince and caused jealousy between father and son? I would have advised the Crown Prince to be filial to his father. Then your father wouldn't have slapped you."
As I said, when it comes to things in the backyard, the girl is very mature, but when it comes to things in the court, she is still very naive.
Shujia accepted Shi Wenbing's advice, and his anxious heart calmed down: "I was too impatient and useless. I was lazy and inactive for a long time, and I actually lost my composure."
Shujia felt guilty: "Why doesn't Dad hit other people? If someone from our family said that, Dad wouldn't care." She took even more care of her father and grandfather, and they became closer to each other.
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Premarital political education has yielded fruitful results, and other premarital education programs are also underway.
In April, Fu Dali and Qingde arrived together. Since the engagement, they hadn't been able to enter and leave their sister's yard as before. Their arrival today had been a long discussion. She had been sewing clothes for months, painstakingly. It would be strange if she didn't feel sorry for her sister, who was always so sensible.
If it were anything more ordinary, the two would probably just be talking about "doing my job well, being a good official, bringing honor to the family, and also making my sister proud." But now, the topic of their conversation was completely different.
When the two came in, Shujia asked them to sit together at the crabapple-shaped table under the south window of the study, and the three siblings sat around the table. The maid brought tea, and Shujia asked with a smile, "Why do you brothers have time to sit with me?" Qingde winked at Fu Dali, and he did it on purpose.
Fu Dali secretly took note. He coughed and said, "The date set by the Ministry of Rites is the beginning of May... Well, you're getting married soon... After all, it's your sister's wedding, so we... have something to discuss."
Qingde gave Shujia a wicked smile and winked at her secretly: It's so funny to see how frustrated he is.
"Just follow the rules, don't fight or lose, and you will be safe... Do things smoothly, and you will be loved and inseparable from others... Even if a man has a loved one, if you have this rule, you can protect yourself... Men don't like women who are too strong and like to make trouble..." Fu Dali spoke haltingly. Shujia listened for a while before she understood. She was surprised that this brother, who imitated his father in all his behaviors, actually told his sister this kind of... way for couples to get along.
Qingde laughed enough: "Hey, let me tell you! Men, of course, want to have a virtuous wife, but they also want their lives to be fresh and exciting, right? Every man has a bitch living in his heart, and you can't let him get too comfortable - Hey, don't laugh, seriously. If you weren't my sister, if we hadn't been good friends over the years, I wouldn't say this. Don't say this to your sisters-in-law. If you are too sensible and let a man get too comfortable, he should treat you as if you don't exist. Or he will only think of you when he's in trouble. It sounds glorious, but in fact, you're just a mess!"
Shujia thought she should laugh, and she did, laughing until tears came out. Saying this was hard enough for both of them. He'd revealed all his secrets about men to his sister. After all, people are made friends through time.
Shujia nodded repeatedly.
As for Xiluo Te, she was talking about a rather serious topic: "I've been busy lately, so I'd better tell you something. The Crown Prince already has a eldest son, and the palace has selected a wet nurse for the child... Now, there are two little princes in Yuqing Palace...both born to Li Jia's wife."
The central theme of Sirut’s education is: You can’t abuse other people’s children. No, this is your child!
"He's your son, whether you like it or not! Remember, even if you feel wronged, you can't show it!" Xiluo Te tightly grasped Shujia's hand. "He's a royal family, this is normal. Suffering is a blessing, and only by giving can you gain. Take good care of them, and you don't have to worry too much. The palace has its own wet nurses, nannies, Jingqi Mama, and Haha Zhuzi. Just don't be so sullen."
"You have to make the Crown Prince happy, then your life will be happy. If you can endure for a while, you will be respected for a lifetime! The Fourth Lady is still a child, and the Fourth Prince's daughter has already given birth to her eldest daughter."
Shujia was surprised and asked, "Isn't this perfectly normal? Doesn't my elder sister call you mother?" Damn it! Outside those palace walls, a man who fathers a child out of wedlock will never find a good wife! Here, protests are futile! Might is right. Shujia remembered this. She couldn't make her parents worry anymore. One had to learn to grow up; that was the price of growing up.
Xiluo wiped her tears and said, "You must live a good life!"
"Um."
The Shi family's pre-marital education was nearly complete, and in the spring of the 34th year of the Kangxi reign, a new match was finally decided. Kangxi's arranged marriages announced that Tatala, daughter of Zhang Bao, a member of the Imperial Court, would be the legitimate wife of the fifth prince, Yinqi, and Nara, daughter of Faka, the deputy governor-general, would be the legitimate wife of the seventh prince, Yinyou. Even more surprising was the fact that Wang, daughter of Alpha, the clerk of the Imperial Court, would be the concubine of the eighth prince.
Shujia was stunned. Where did this person come from? Wasn't the Eighth Brother just a woman from the Guoluo family?
Before she could even finish her surprise, the Shi family had already entered a state of preparation. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Rites had sent people to the palace two weeks in advance. The maids were there to teach Shujia common sense. Originally, the maids had come during the engagement ceremony, but after inspecting her in all aspects, they found no need to criticize her behavior and conversation, so they went back.
This time I am going to talk about some other things, such as the status of concubines, the position of each palace, some interpersonal relationships, etc. These cannot be discussed in advance, for fear that the situation in the palace will spread outside the palace. Only a few days in advance are given to ensure that the Crown Princess enters the palace as soon as she has learned the secrets, so as not to spread the secrets.
The Shi family finally finalized Shujia's dowry, and the portion prepared by the Imperial Household Department also arrived. The Shi family's 128 dowries were all substantial, each labeled with red paper, while the portion prepared by the Imperial Household Department was labeled with yellow paper. Each item was clearly marked: the item, material, specifications, weight, inlay...
After making sure everything was perfect, they packed everything up and sent the dowry to the palace on the first day of the wedding. It stretched all the way from Shi's house to the palace, attracting onlookers along the way.
Of course Shujia didn't know all this. She wanted to have a good rest - even though she couldn't fall asleep in bed and felt very calm, she still couldn't fall asleep.
The next morning, Shujia woke up early, emptied her bowels, and ate only rice cakes and other foods that would keep her from going to the bathroom easily. Then she dressed and put on her makeup. This wedding was a tragic one. Not only was she marrying a prince with a bleak future, but the wedding day was also not auspicious.
In the fifth month of the lunar calendar, the hottest day of the year, I wore formal attire, a court gown, and a court skirt... carrying a hat weighing several kilograms, and three sets of court beads around my neck weighing another kilogram, not counting the beading... There was no air conditioning, and a fan was out of the question. Even if there was ice, it wouldn't have relieved the heat much.
It rained all day and was cooler at the end of April. But the day before the dowry was to be delivered, the rain stopped! The emperor, who had been frowning in the Palace of Heavenly Purity, smiled.
The prince, who was originally COSing a trapped beast in Yinreng Palace, was happy.
The female relatives of the Shi family also gathered together, and the women in the room were crying and laughing.
Finally, it’s time to get on the carriage!
The author has something to say: Embarrassing...
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