Someone is snatching the Royal Prince
When Concubine Tong said the Empress Dowager intended to marry Hongxi to the Third Prince Consort's daughter, Shujia was stunned. Shujia knew that although Concubine Tong often gossiped with her, as a woman who had been in charge of the harem for many years, and even within Kangxi's harem, she was definitely not one to make unfounded claims. When Concubine Tong said this, it meant she was... at least 70% certain.
Shujia asked in vain: "Mother, is the news accurate?"
Concubine Tong nodded seriously, then looked at Shujia's serious face in surprise - the Crown Princess's expression was definitely not happy. Concubine Tong really found it strange. Hongxi's wife was pretty good, so why did the Crown Princess still have such a bad expression?
"What’s wrong with you?"
Shujia's first thought was about the Third Princess and her Third Prince Consort: The Third Princess, according to tradition, was the fifth daughter of the Emperor. Her mother was the noblewoman Zhaojia, a figure who served as a backdrop. Born in the 13th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, she was granted the title of Princess Heshuo Duanjing in the 31st year of his reign. In October of the same year, she married Galzang, the second son of the Mongol King Duling of the Kharchin tribe. Galzang, a member of the Ulianghai Zilmo clan, inherited the title of Prince Duling of the Kharchin in the 43rd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.
Among Kangxi's daughters and husbands, this couple was only average. Shujia had originally thought that Hongxi might be the daughter of a prominent Manchu family in the capital, which would surely increase her importance. But upon hearing that she was the daughter of the Third Princess and her husband, she couldn't help but reassess the importance of her new bride, and so her expression was serious.
After weighing the options, Shujia remembered that Wulianghai Jiermo was, after all, Yinreng's niece and Hongxi's cousin. The words "consanguineous marriage" flashed through her mind, and a moment of embarrassment crossed her face. Hearing Concubine Tong's question, she quickly adjusted her expression.
Really, she was distracted even when it came to Concubine Tong. This wasn't good. No matter how familiar they were, Concubine Tong and she were still in the stage of polite mutual benefit.
Shujia said to Concubine Tong seriously, "Last year, the emperor toured the frontier, and I went with the crown prince. During the tour, my father-in-law even visited Princess Duanjing's residence. We have all met the third princess, and she is a very nice person. But this third prince-in-law is... a little out of tune."
Concubine Tong asked, "Have you met the third prince?" There was surprise in her tone.
Shujia shook her head: "Mother, we can't see anyone, can't we tell anything from their actions?"
Concubine Tong fell silent. She had originally assumed the Crown Princess was unhappy that a concubine's son had married a relatively prominent woman, but now, hearing this, she thought... was she unhappy because Hongxi's father-in-law was unreliable? The Third Prince Consort was indeed a little, ahem, unreliable. From the rare words Kangxi let slip during Concubine Tong's interactions with Kangxi, it was clear that the Emperor was still somewhat dissatisfied with his son-in-law.
"As for this girl, it all depends on how Mother trains her. You also said that our Third Princess is a very kind person, and the girl she raises will be no problem. Besides, the child is only... thirteen this year, still young. If you bring her to your side and teach her carefully, she will definitely be fine."
Shujia wanted to roll her eyes. "I originally thought that now that I have a daughter-in-law, I could hand Hongxi over to her, and that would put my mind at ease. Now I have another job to do."
Concubine Tong gave her a glare and said, "Be happy that someone is waiting on you."
Shujia also laughed: "Forget it, let's see what Khan Ama will do first. If Hongxi is really arranged to be married, how can I really just ignore everything? I have to teach him some rules."
"It's good that you think of it this way. Once a girl is married, she belongs to her husband's family. Everything is up to you, don't you think?" Tong Fei was relieved. She was just giving the news out of kindness, and she didn't want to make it seem like she was gossiping. Fortunately, the Crown Princess was a relatively trustworthy person. If she had a temper like a firecracker, Tong Fei would never dare to give such a news.
Shujia smiled a little embarrassedly and said to Concubine Tong, "Don't worry, my mother will laugh at me. I am always worried about Hongxi, afraid that he might not do well enough. He is the eldest son now, and his affairs will be an example for the future."
Concubine Tong silently added in her heart: This guy is not a biological child, but the others are. Biological children can be beaten and scolded, and no one thinks it is bad. Why don't you try beating and scolding those who are not your biological children? The Crown Princess is different from ordinary people, and she is watching.
After a moment of emotion, Concubine Tong continued gossiping: "This year, Duke Guoyi also has a daughter running for the election. Did you know about this?"
Shujia thought about it and realized that the Guoyi Gong she was talking about was Alinga, the son of Ebilun and the uncle of the Tenth Prince. This man was of noble birth, but his character was not very good. He had a bloody quarrel with his brother Faka and was once close to the Eighth Prince, but he had restrained himself a lot recently.
Alinga's daughter? Actually, she is the cousin of the tenth prince. The blood relationship is quite close. Even if he opposed the daughter of the third prince, Alinga's daughter would not fall into Hongxi's pocket. Shujia sighed a little, what a pity!
"I met this girl twice last year. She's pretty and a nice person." She's nothing like her father.
Concubine Tong smiled and said, "Look, even a man like Alinga can raise a good daughter. You can rest assured about Hongxi's daughter-in-law."
Shujia smiled and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you. This daughter of Duke Guoyi..."
"Have you forgotten that not only is the Fifteenth Prince old enough, but the Sixteenth Prince is not young either."
The sixteenth prince Yinlu was born to the same mother as the fifteenth prince Yinlu. He was two years younger than Yinlu. His birthday was in June of the thirty-fourth year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi. This year he is exactly thirteen years old (in nominal terms), which is not considered young.
"Time flies by so fast. I remember when the Sixteenth Prince was born, I had just gotten married."
After a few more sighs, Shujia took her leave. Kangxi had returned today, and after asking about official business and meeting the Empress Dowager, he would definitely return to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to ask the confidants who had stayed behind for any news. She had been talking for a while in the Chengqian Palace, and Kangxi had probably finished his questions. It was time to turn over the cards, and regardless of whether Concubine Tong was chosen or not, it was best for her not to stay until then.
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Shujia made her way to the Eastern Palace, thinking all the way: in less than two weeks, the Emperor would be on his southern tour again, and arrangements for marriages had to be made before then. She had to take advantage of these few days to meet the concubines. Furthermore, she had to meet her sisters, both of them!
By the way, I also need to tell Yinreng that Hongxi's wife is probably what Kangxi wanted. Concubine Tong is not someone who talks nonsense, and the Empress Dowager is someone who would never go against the Emperor. My Lord, your son is going to marry your niece's daughter.
This close relative marriage is really not a good thing. I wonder if I could mention it briefly?
When Shujia returned to the Eastern Palace and met Yinreng, she realized that this matter must not be mentioned.
Yinreng had already finished examining his sons' lessons, and Hongdan had also been given a day off, so the father, sons, and brothers were all gathered together. Shujia came over and saw her sons all standing up. She walked over to the table and sat opposite Yinreng. "I came out of Ningshou Palace and then went to Chengqian Palace to sit for a while and listen to some things."
Yinreng nodded: "That's perfect. I have something to tell you later."
Shujia sat down, motioned for her sons to sit down, and asked them to bring Hongzao over: "Look at this little boy, he almost didn't recognize me."
Yinreng reached out and gently tapped his son's chubby chin, making Hongzao chuckle: "You know each other in just a short while?"
Shujia then asked about Hongxi and the others' homework, and Yinreng pretended to be serious: "It's okay, you still need to work hard."
The sons stood up again and listened to the lecture with their hands down.
When Shujia saw that all the family members had arrived, she brought up the main topic: "He's going on tour in a few days. Who among us can accompany him?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the sons straightened their backs a little. Among them, Hongdan was not worried. He didn't care much whether to go or not. In fact, he wanted to stay. As he continued to be involved in government affairs and heard about his father's past "achievements", such as the regent and the minister, he also felt a little itchy.
Hongxi and others wanted to go with him.
Yinreng glanced around, whetting his sons' appetites, and then said, "You and I will go, and they—Hongdan, Hongxi, and Hongtong—will all go and prepare."
Honggui couldn't help himself any longer: "Father, what about me?"
"You?" Yinreng glanced at him and said, "You stay here and study hard. And... practice martial arts well." You look like a little fool! Do you want to be the same size as your uncle when you grow up?
Honggui's face fell, and Hongchen's face fell as well: "I miss my mother~"
Honggui sat close to him, holding his brother's chubby little hand. They were in the same boat, looking into each other's eyes, tears in their eyes.
Yinreng was both angry and amused: "You two, behave yourself! You may not be that old, but you have a lot of tricks up your sleeve! You're boys, who are you trying to show off to? Huh?"
Then there was a long lecture, which lasted until his mouth was dry. The two children had already wilted.
Shujia smiled and said, "It's time for dinner. Let's serve the food. It's rare for the family to be together. Let's eat together."
Don’t talk while eating.
After dinner, Yinreng sent the children out: "It's still early, go back to study. The emperor will come to the study tomorrow to examine your homework. You Mafa are much more knowledgeable than me. Be careful not to get stumped and embarrassed. I will beat you when I get back!"
The sons ran away in panic.
After the scene was cleared, the Crown Prince and his wife each had a cup of tea and retreated to the study, where a basin of ice was placed, to chat. The weather in early June was scorching, and going for a walk felt a bit self-inflicted. Having just finished their meal, they were both feeling a bit lazy, and their voices were soft.
In everyone's mind, women should be more gossipy, talkative, and know all the gossip about the family. Shujia happened to have a few things to say, so she spoke first: "I've divided up the things I brought from the south and sent them off. Also, one of my eighth brother's wife's maids is pregnant. It happened while we were traveling with the emperor, and it's been about two months now."
Yinreng opened his eyelids and asked, "Old Eight?"
"yes."
Yinreng sneered and said, "Old Eight, please don't start a fire in the backyard again!"
Seeing he wasn't concerned, Shujia recounted a few more stories about his wives' pregnancies, and Yinreng occasionally commented. His opinion was similar to Shujia's. "Letting the first wife bear a child is a sign of maturity." After hearing this, don't assume the prince is a friend of women or a protector of his wife. Even though he favors his concubine over his wife, his assessment of such matters remains consistent with mainstream society.
Shujia finally got to the point: "Today I went to Chengqian Palace and chatted with my mother for a while. She said that the Empress Dowager has her eyes on the daughter of the third prince consort and wants to give her to Hongxi."
Yinreng sighed: "This is not surprising, their generations are similar."
"But the Third Prince Consort—"
"What do you think happened to him?" Yinreng suddenly became energetic and looked at his wife with burning eyes.
Yinreng had a deep understanding of his brother-in-law, the Third Prince Consort. He was not a good man and was very dishonest. However, Mongolia was far away and nothing serious had happened yet, so Yinreng did not gossip about him to his wife. Now looking at Shujia's expression, did she seem to know something?
"After all, I did stay with the emperor at Princess Duanjing's residence for two days, and I always felt that their family wasn't quite what it seemed. It seemed as if the princess was supporting them. And... the princess and her husband didn't seem very close. We all know the Third Princess; she's a very good person. But her husband and she don't get along well, or at least they don't know the rules."
"A halo around the moon indicates wind, a moist ground indicates rain. You are able to discern the big picture from the subtle details! You can tell a lot about a person's character and future prospects by observing their personal ethics."
Shujia also became interested: "What do you mean? The third prince-in-law is not appropriate? Then what about Hongxi's wife..."
"I still have to! Why do you think Khan Ama gave Princess Duanjing to Galzang?" He was trying to win him over, hoping he would be more honest and consider the family relationship. "Now that Hongxi is married, you just need to teach her well."
In short, this Third Prince Consort was either a traitor or a man with a spring in his butt; he was truly restless. It's fair to say that many Mongolian princes and nobles were like this, not entirely genuinely loyal to the emperor. Of course, some Qing court practices were similar. They were all the same.
However, Kangxi was a relatively kind person. Due to the circumstances and to save face, he married his daughter off to the emperor, a true "peace marriage." Unexpectedly, Galzang remained somewhat rebellious, so Kangxi, in a cruel move, gave Galzang's daughter to his grandson. This was also a gesture of appeasement, with greater political significance than familial affection.
This marriage cannot be postponed!
"I understand. Tomorrow when Khan Ama is in charge of government, I will go to Ningshou Palace to pay my respects and see if I can meet this group of beautiful girls. By the way, according to what the imperial concubine said, not only will the fourth girl become my sister-in-law, but Alinga's daughter will also be given to my sixteenth brother." Shujia contributed the information.
Yinreng chuckled, "This is going to be a lively place. Alinga isn't a good person either," then turned serious, "Sixteenth Prince is getting married soon. Time flies." His Khan Ama was in good health. Should he be happy or unhappy about this?
Scratching his head, Yinreng uttered a string of numbers: "Ninth, Tenth, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth..."
"ah?"
“There are so many people living in the palace!”
"Well?"
“What a waste of money!”
Shujia understood: "Compared to opening a mansion?"
Yinreng's face twisted instantly. The cost of setting up a prince's residence alone was 230,000 taels of silver. With seven princes, that was over 1.6 million. Then there were the salaries of each prince after receiving his title, the cost of building his residence, farms inside and outside the Great Wall, and the number of people in his household... Just for these seven, you couldn't afford to do this without two or three million taels of silver.
These weren't the main points; they could squeeze out this little bit of money from anywhere, and if that didn't work, they could just raid a few of the rats' houses. The most important thing now was that after the prince was granted a title and established his own government, he would be appointed as the lord of each banner.
MD! Where can we find so many assistant commanders for them?
Furthermore, at least half of these people should be given a job. With a government office and a job, they can then appoint retainers. Damn! There are so many positions, and even fewer high-level, lucrative ones. There were already too many wolves and too little meat, and now there are even more.
I really can't afford to raise so many sons! Khan Ama, let's make a deal. Can you... take your time with the children?
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Some people are upset and think having too many sons is not good, while others are eager to have a son.
Prince An's death was originally a blow to the Eighth Prince's Mansion, but now it's a completely different story. Not to mention the Eighth Prince, who has already decided to make some separations, even if he cares deeply about his uncle's Eighth Lady, he is more concerned about the affairs of his own backyard.
The Eighth Lady first sent a capable person to Prince An's Mansion, and then she took Zhang to meet Concubine Liang and Concubine Hui, and then brought them back.
Zhang was a pretty woman, about eighteen or nineteen, with an oval face and willow-shaped eyebrows. Her cheeks were now rosy, and she exuded a maternal aura. Liangpin and Huifei both liked her. Even if they hadn't liked her originally, they should have liked her because of her pregnancy.
They both spoke with discretion. When they heard that it was the Eighth Lady who had promoted her, they both said to Zhang: "You must remember the Lady's kindness."
Zhang was originally a maidservant to the Eighth Concubine, and she was also a clever person. The biggest difference between her and Wang was that she understood the Eighth Concubine's bottom line. Fully understanding the intentions of one's immediate superior was a prerequisite for being a successful subordinate.
She was the Eighth Lady's maid. Having been with her for so many years, she could tell she wanted a child from her concubine. Pregnancy was absolutely not life-threatening. From all her experiences over the years, it seemed the Eighth Lady wasn't completely unreasonable. She wouldn't kill you just because you gave birth to a son.
Zhang does not have the same psychological burden as Wang.
"I am the servant of the Lady, and I shall do my duty."
Back home, the Eighth Lady got busy: "Clean up the east wing of this courtyard, and assign two maids and two nannies to look after it. No one is allowed to disturb her. All her food and clothing will be deducted from my monthly allowance, and her food will come from my small kitchen! Oh, and go to the Imperial Hospital and find two imperial doctors."
The Eighth Prince was also overjoyed, and couldn't stop smiling: "Seeing that you are so busy, I will follow the example of last time."
The Eighth Lady glared at him and said, "How can we follow the same pattern as last time? She was originally just my maid, so her status is somewhat different." She then regretted her slip of the tongue and said, "What are you, a man, doing standing here dealing with women's affairs?"
The Eighth Prince had been happy for a whole day and night, and only after being stared at by the Eighth Lady did he adjust his expression: "Finish this matter, and go to Prince An's Mansion tomorrow..." and repeated his original words.
The Eighth Lady was reluctant to alienate her uncle's family, muttering, "You've said that several times, and I've remembered it. I'm not ignorant. They're going through trouble right now, so we can't make it public. If there's anything, we can wait until I inherit the title before discussing it. Isn't that right?"
The Eighth Prince smiled and nodded.
The Eighth Prince thoughtfully slept with his wife that night, and they shared many beautiful visions for the future. Lady Eighth knew that the Eighth Prince was happy to be a father. Well, since he couldn't have children, and Zhang was pregnant again, she had to quickly arrange for another child. One son wasn't enough to guarantee safety.
The next morning, Zhang, cleverly, rose early and came to set the rules. The Eighth Prince expressed satisfaction with Zhang's behavior, but said nothing. The Eighth Lady, after letting Zhang stand for a moment, seated her. Zhang settled on a footstool and chatted with the Eighth Lady.
Although she hadn't revealed her pregnancy yet, with the Eighth Lady's antics tomorrow, everyone in the Eighth Prince's mansion knew Zhang was pregnant. Wang and the other concubines were truly jealous. The Eighth Prince had also worked diligently, and they themselves had tried every possible remedy, only to have a maid take the cake.
Envy, jealousy, and hatred. Everyone congratulated the Eighth Lady: "Congratulations, Lady."
Damn it! The Eighth Lady cursed inwardly, glanced around, and laughed happily. After laughing for a while, her face turned serious again: "This girl is now in a precious body, no one is allowed to mess with her!" She started to criticize the concubine, "If anyone causes an accident out of jealousy, I will not forgive her!"
After showing off her power, the Eighth Lady finally felt relieved. She said to Zhang, "Go back to your room and rest. Everyone else can go away." She got up, changed into plain clothes, and went to Prince An's mansion.
The Prince An's mansion had to host two funerals in a row, and even the brothers of Marhun were driven away by Emperor Kangxi. It was a truly desolate scene. Worst of all, the capital was currently awaiting the outcome of the imperial examination, and the powerful and influential families were not paying attention to it, so their condolences were perfunctory.
Prince An's wife was so angry that she cursed: "What a conscienceless bunch! What were they like when the prince was here? What are they like now?"
The Eighth Lady had no choice but to persuade her, "Aunt, calm down." She looked around and repeated the Eighth Prince's words in a low voice, "Something happened to our family recently. Khan Ama is very unhappy about the previous nightmare suppression. No matter how much you feel resentment, you have to wait until Hua Qi inherits the title."
Tong Jia sat in a chair, looking very depressed. "I know that, but look at everyone here. They're all so focused on showing off their daughter. They seem to have lost all interest. Who would even remember to mention this?"
The Eighth Lady gave another idea. Tong Jia’s brother was Orondai. Couldn’t he propose it?
Tong Jia looked at the Eighth Lady in despair: "You are a weird person." There was something she didn't say. The one who inherited the title was Hua Qi, not her biological son. This... is right?
The two women chatted about some funeral matters, but there was always a sense of poor contact, so the Eighth Lady excused herself and left. Sitting in the carriage, the Eighth Lady lifted the curtain and looked at the white Prince An's Mansion, feeling infinitely desolate.
Meanwhile, the Eighth Prince received a notice in the palace to accompany the emperor. The Crown Prince, the Eighth Prince, the Thirteenth Prince, the Fifteenth Prince, the Sixteenth Prince, the Seventeenth Prince, and the Eighteenth Prince were to accompany the emperor on this trip. While the Eighth Prince happily accepted the order, a wary feeling welled up within him: the old master definitely didn't want him to get involved with Prince An's mansion anymore.
Looking at the crown prince standing in the front row, the Eighth Prince suddenly realized that the only one who could protect him was the old man. The best policy was to obey him. The Eighth Prince knew what was going on and wondered if he should take his wife with him. This time, he was accompanying the emperor, so he decided to bring the calligraphy with him.
Yinreng was quite speechless when he heard this arrangement. The older the old man got, the more he loved his youngest son. Starting from the fifteenth prince, these princes had not married or taken on official duties, but had to accompany the emperor on his journeys, which meant they would accompany him throughout the trip. The eighth and thirteenth princes might have to be replaced midway.
Then he thought, the old man truly loves the princess and her son. With this thought, Yinreng felt a surge of displeasure, but then suppressed it. Alas, Khan Ama knew that the Third and Thirteenth Princes were not allowed to meet. The two had a long-standing grudge, and if they appeared in the same scene, it would always make the atmosphere awkward. Therefore, the old man would not put them together unless absolutely necessary.
These two are a deadlock! If Thirteen forgives the Third, he would be unfilial to his biological mother. How else can the Third apologize?
There is no solution.
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While the Crown Prince was thinking about his brothers and his Khan-father, the Crown Princess had already arrived at Ningshou Palace.
The Queen Mother was already waving: "Come quickly, come quickly, there is something good going on."
Shujia sat down closer and said, "When we come to our ancestor's place, naturally everything will be good."
"That's right!" The Empress Dowager was very proud and waved to Shujia like a thief. "I tell you, the matter with the Fifteenth Prince will definitely be successful!"
"This is really a good thing. I have to give two gifts but can only attend one wedding banquet." Shujia pretended to be dissatisfied.
The Empress Dowager seemed to have been tickled, and she couldn't stop laughing: "How could you be so stingy?" After laughing for a long time, she said to Shujia, "I have another good news, but I can't tell you now. I originally wanted to ask you to take a look, but the Emperor will be coming over soon. Come back in a couple of days, and then it will be approved."
Shujia had a hundred questions in her mind, but she held back and didn't ask. Nothing could be finalized until the Emperor made a decision. A moment later, the concubines and their wives arrived. The Empress Dowager announced that the Emperor would be arriving soon, so she asked the concubines to stay and the wives to leave.
The wives were also filled with questions. At Ningshou Palace, however, a discussion had already begun regarding the fate of the concubines. Kangxi had yet to meet a concubine, but the concubines had. He questioned those who had, comparing them with the written documents he had seen. Besides the already-finalized candidates for his sons' and grandsons' wives, he also had a rough idea of the fate of the remaining concubines.
Then he decided, "Let's forget about it today. I'll go and see it tomorrow and make a final decision."
This news was not secret, and it soon spread. Shujia did not call Shuyi to the Eastern Palace to disrupt the competition when she participated in the competition. She could not do the same with Shuhui, so she only sent Hongxiu and others to visit Shuhui, and asked the Empress Dowager and Concubine Tong, who would appear tomorrow, to keep an eye on her.
The next day, Kangxi finished viewing the concubines and quickly made his decision, which was not much different from what he had known beforehand. This time, Kangxi did not keep any of the concubines. He brought back another woman named Chen from Jiangnan. Thus, the first batch of concubines was designated for the princes: "Guaerjia, the daughter of General Shi Wenbing, the Duke of Shi, was to be the legitimate wife of the fifteenth prince, Yinyu. Niuhulu, the daughter of Alinga, the Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard, was to be the legitimate wife of the sixteenth prince, Yinlu."
Before the marriages for the royal family this year were arranged, a grandson of the emperor was included: "The daughter of the Duke of Duling of Kharchin and the son-in-law Galzang, the daughter of the Kharchin Ulianghai Jiermo, is to be the legitimate wife of the grandson of the emperor, Hongxi."
Just two of these three are enough to keep the Eastern Palace busy.
Shujia asked the Empress Dowager for permission to bring Shuhui home to talk to her before her sister returned home. She also asked if she could see Wulianghai Zilmo beforehand, as she didn't know when she would return home.
The Empress Dowager readily agreed, "That's only natural. We'll be sisters-in-law when we meet again. There's no rush for the Third Princess's daughter. The Emperor has told her to stay in the palace for a few days. The Emperor is about to depart, so she'll go home with him. You have plenty of time."
Shujia smiled and said, "Thank you for your grace, ancestor."
When the dust settled, Shuhui, with a faint smile, came to meet her sister and future sister-in-law. In this system where one's control was limited, having such a destination was already a good thing. Shujia looked at her carefully. She was wearing a fruit green cheongsam, her hair neatly combed into a bun, a white jade hairpin pinned to her head, and a velvet flower pressed against her temples. She stood firmly on the bottom of the flowerpot, holding an embroidered handkerchief in her hand. Her face, still childish, already had the expression of an adult.
She had every right to come to the Eastern Palace. After paying her respects, she sat down next to Shujia and listened to her sister ask her, "How have you been these past few months? How are the concubines? How has the Imperial Concubine treated you? What has the Empress Dowager asked you?"
Shuhui was now relaxed: "Sister, please speak slowly."
"I'd like to talk slowly, but you have to go home soon."
Shuhui pouted and said, "I'll tell you everything. I've been living quite well these past few months. The room I was assigned is the most comfortable one, and next door is the daughter of Duke Guoyi."
"They are also future sisters-in-law. How are you getting along?"
"That girl is not a bad person. I have no conflicts with her. She is one year younger than me," Shuhui smiled mysteriously, "I treat her as my younger sister."
P! "The Fifteenth Prince is one year older than you!" Shujia didn't buy it at all.
Shuhui coughed and continued, "That's all there is to it, ladies. Sister," her tone grew weaker, "I haven't even entered the palace yet, and already people are saying my future is sealed. No one wants to cross me."
"Isn't it good that no one is against you?"
"It's even worse than that, sister. I finally understand what flattery means. One by one, they say nothing but good things. I can't accept it, and I can't refuse it. The decree hasn't been issued yet, so I can only endure it."
"Yeah, almost. I was pretty much like that back then."
The two sisters smiled at each other. Perhaps Shuyi felt the same way?
"The Empress Dowager often asked me to speak with her. I met Wangpin several times in Ningshou Palace. Later, the Imperial Concubine also often asked me to go with the daughter of Duke Guoyi, and Wangpin was always there."
Shujia's face turned serious: "What did you say and do?"
"Well, I initially treated her as the mistress of my harem, but as I saw her more often, I smiled more often. I didn't dare show that I knew the news." As he spoke, his face turned red.
Shuhui finally felt relieved and began to ask about Wulianghai Zilmo's situation: "Do you know the daughter of the Third Prince Consort? Wulianghai Zilmo."
Shuhui knew that this was an arranged marriage for Hongxi, and therefore she was both her niece-in-law and her niece. "Sister, you forgot. She's the princess's daughter, chosen individually, and she doesn't usually stay with us. However, I've seen her twice in Ningshou Palace. She's ordinary-looking, but well-behaved. Her temper... you can't tell in such a short time."
After explaining the situation, Shujia beckoned Shuhui to come closer, took her hand, put their heads together, and said some private words: "This year, there are three arranged marriages for them, uncle and nephew, but they haven't arranged a single concubine."
Shuhui bit her lower lip to prevent herself from smiling too much, and Shujia poked her forehead hard with a finger: "Wake up, don't think it's good luck... Live a good life with the Fifteenth Prince, understand?"
"Sister, why is this happening?"
"You are too young. It will be bad for your health to consummate the marriage." Shujia still held back the talk about offspring, fearing that it would cause her psychological burden.
"When did this happen? I've never heard of it before," Shuhui suppressed her shame and wanted to ask for clarification, "Is this the emperor's intention? What does the princess mean..."
Halfway through her speech, Shuhui received a warning look from Shujia, and suddenly an idea came to her mind: "Sister, it's you——"
"Shut up."
Shuhui took a deep breath, stepped back, and knelt neatly. "I'll always remember your teachings, sister. I won't forget your kindness." Dragging two princes and a grandson into the water—this affection was a bit too great, this skill was a bit too profound. The Fifteenth Concubine decided to follow her sister from now on.
"You're my sister, so of course I have to take care of you. But there's one thing: you have to be polite and treat your husband and mother-in-law with all your heart. Next time we see you, we'll have to address each other differently. There's something I need to tell you before we do. Come here."
Shuhui walked forward as she was told and leaned over to listen.
It was not until Hongxiu came to urge them that the two sisters reluctantly said goodbye.
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The Crown Princess, contented with meeting her sister, was unaware that speculation was already raging. While the official decree hadn't been issued, insider information was already being sold. The daughter of a certain family was being assigned to someone else, and outsiders were buying her for prices ranging from five, ten, or even twenty taels.
After reading this, everyone was stunned: Was the emperor stupid? How could the prince have no concubines, no grandchildren? They thought they had bought fake news and nearly went to the palace to demand an explanation. Thanks to the seller's reputation, no trouble arose. Then, they waited for the official announcement. Once it was announced, the betrothed happily went around paying their respects. At the prince's wife's house, things began to tidy up again, awaiting the formalities.
Shujia sent someone to the Earl's mansion that day to deliver some gifts and give him many instructions. Yinreng and Yinyu also recognized each other as relatives. There were also some interesting expressions in Prince Yu's mansion, and for a time the Shi family was in great glory.
Shi Wenbing began to apply for retirement. His health hadn't been very good since his serious illness that year, and he'd held on so long as he could wait until his daughters found homes. Now that his wish was fulfilled, it was time to retire. Well, as soon as his daughters' weddings were over, he'd request retirement. It was time to take a break.
Poor parents in the world!
There are also parents in the East Palace who are worried about their sons.
Inside and outside the palace, the princes all sent gifts, and the various princely palaces also came to join in the fun. Shujia also saw Shuyi and knew that she was doing well now. She got along with her stepchildren without being too close or hostile. She patted her hand and said, "That's about it." The two talked about Shuhui for a few more times, and someone else came outside.
"Let's go, it's Prince Xian's wife."
After dealing with this mess, Shujia suddenly remembered that Wulianghai Jiermo's grandmother, Zhaojia, was still in the palace. Only after she had contacted Zhaojia did Shujia return to the Eastern Palace.
Honestly, the daughter of the Third Prince Consort wasn't a good match. No matter how good the girl was, the Third Prince Consort wasn't a good match. Li Jia, unaware of the true situation, thought Hongxi had won the lottery. Wulianghai Jiermo's mother was a princess, and her father was a prince. What a wonderful background!
Hongxi was teased by his brothers about being the groom, and he was too shy to notice what was going on behind the scenes. He had been to Princess Duanjing's mansion before, and it seemed pretty well behaved.
Yinreng and Shujia were both skeptical. They hesitated, wondering whether to speak clearly with Hongxi. Shujia preferred to keep it a secret for now: "I haven't even met her yet, and I've already heard my parents' disapproval. How am I supposed to live with her in the future? She's still the Third Princess's daughter." If things didn't go well between the couple, and if things got chaotic, the news would get to the Third Prince Consort, and who knew what kind of trouble would ensue.
Yinreng thought it over again and again: "Let's wait and see, there's no way it's going to cause any trouble. Hongdan is already grown up, and it will be his business in three years. When you come back from the frontier, you should pay more attention to him so that he won't be caught off guard."
Speaking of this, Shujia's heart was lifted, and she was definitely more concerned about her than Hongxi: "I understand. The Third Prince Consort's daughter is going home with the emperor, and this is a good opportunity to take a closer look. I will find a chance to see her tomorrow when I go to Ningshou Palace. Do you want to see her too? She will even call you uncle."
Yinreng said, "It's not appropriate to do this in the palace. She has already been assigned to Hongxi. On the road, the rules will be relaxed. Put her in your car..."
"good."
The next day, Shujia went to Ningshou Palace. Before she could make any request, she had already seen the legendary Hongxi's designated wife, Kalachin Ulianghai Zilmo.
The Crown Princess had visited Princess Duanjing's residence and had certainly seen her niece. A year after not seeing her, she had grown taller, had a fairer complexion, and was more polite, though her appearance was only average. Princess Duanjing herself was not particularly beautiful, and her daughter's appearance hadn't improved much either.
When Shujia met her last year, she never thought that she would be Hongxi's wife. As for close relatives, Shujia would not consider this.
As soon as she saw the Crown Princess coming, Wulianghai Zilmo stood up, a little nervous. Of course, she had met the Crown Princess before. As her aunt, she was a kind elder, but as her mother-in-law, she could no longer treat her like an aunt.
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Come and see your wife."
Shujia was helpless. Her youngest son was only a year old, and this...bastard had already been betrothed. Uncertainly, she sat down next to the Empress Dowager. "I've seen her before, at the Third Princess's residence." She didn't have a deep impression of her, but "she wasn't this tall then. Come, come here, let me take a look."
Wulianghai Jiermo had obviously been taught by a nanny, so the Third Princess must have had someone to teach her. Her every move was quite proper. She stepped forward to pay her respects. Since she hadn't married yet, she couldn't address Shujia as "mother." She said, "Meet the Crown Princess."
Shujia smiled: "Even if you don't call me mother, you should at least call me aunt. Don't be too restrained in front of the Empress Dowager. We are all family."
The Empress Dowager had never had any special feelings for either the Third Princess or Wulianghai Zilmo. It was simply that as she aged, she grew more attached to family ties and felt a special concern for Wulianghai Zilmo. She was unaware of the intricacies of this marriage and was more happy for her beloved Crown Princess. "Look, your daughter-in-law has a good background. I'll take good care of her."
After having more contact with Ulianghai Zilmo, he gradually fell in love with this girl. He just wanted to serve as a bridge for his future daughter-in-law to meet more often.
"You're right, we're a family."
There was no language barrier in the conversation between Uriankhai Zilmer and the Empress Dowager, but the process was tedious. The age difference between them was so great, and their interests diverged so widely that they had no common interests. Fortunately, the Empress Dowager was old, nostalgic, and nagging, so at first she just listened.
Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager later asked her about the grasslands. She had been raised in the palace, so she didn't know much. She briefly explained, and the Empress Dowager began to yearn for her past. While Kharchin and Khorchin were not the same, it was still good to hear the so-called local accent. The next day, the Empress Dowager repeated her previous questions.
Ulianghai Zilmer acted like a parrot, repeating every day what she said the day before, and the Empress Dowager never got tired of listening to it!
I wanted to cry. I was really counting the days until I could go home! Regardless of whether my future mother-in-law was easy to get along with or not, just because she wouldn't be a parrot, Ulianghai Zilmo was extremely grateful and shyly called out, "Auntie."
Shujia said to her, "Do you know? The emperor is leaving, and you are going with us. Your uncle said the other day that your mother has already submitted a petition and will pay her respects to you, Guo Luomafa, halfway through the journey. It will only be a few days before you can see your mother. Are you happy?"
Wulianghai Zilmo smiled and said, "I'm very happy to see my mother." As she said this, her eyes were fixed on Shujia. It was a double entendre.
Shujia felt relieved because her daughter-in-law seemed easy to get along with. If this girl looked like Garzang, Shujia would have a headache.
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When the Holy Chariot set out, he brought just a few of them with him.
Among the princes' wives, in addition to the Crown Princess, there are thirteen other wives.
The Eighth Prince wanted to take his wife with him, but she refused, insisting on staying home to take care of Zhang: "Home is different from before, I'm worried about you." The Eighth Prince was no match for him on this matter, so he had to call his trusted men over and said, "Keep an eye on the wife. If she goes to Prince An's Mansion too often, tell Zhang to pretend to be unwell."
After all the instructions were completed, the Eighth Prince left with his men.
Wulianghai Jiermo originally had her own carriage. After being summoned by the Crown Princess, she spent the day with her aunt, sometimes accompanied by her other aunt, the Thirteenth Lady. The Thirteenth Lady was under considerable pressure. The Thirteenth Prince still had numerous concubines, and this time, she had given birth to a daughter. Yet, she remained composed and spoke with the utmost tenderness, speaking of her daughter with the utmost motherly care and tenderness.
Princess Duanjing had been well-educated, and her attendant nannies were also skilled, but she wasn't close friends with the prince's wife. She knew the broad rules, but knew little about the intricacies. Listening to their conversations and comparing them to her usual upbringing, Ulianghai Jiermo benefited greatly.
This time, the route was slightly different from the previous ones, and they didn't stop at Tangquan. That day, Wulianghai Zilmo discovered that her aunt Thirteen hadn't come, leaving only her and her future mother-in-law in the carriage. When they arrived at the station, the Crown Princess didn't let her leave, but stayed to talk.
Here, she met her uncle, the crown prince, and her future father-in-law. Wulianghai Zilmo quickly stood up, recognizing who this person was by the clothes, and hurriedly greeted him. When she heard him called, she stood up and tried to retreat.
But she heard the Crown Princess say, "This is your uncle. What's wrong with meeting him? If you avoid him now, it will be difficult to see him again in the future." Ulianghai Zilmo had no choice but to stay. She heard a man's voice asking with a smile, "Is this the third princess's daughter?" She raised her head slightly. The Crown Prince had no beard yet, and his eyes were clear.
"How is your mother?"
This was a question for her. Wulianghai Zilmo said, "Mother usually lives in the mansion. She often says that the palace favors her and that the mansion is very comfortable."
"Where's your Ama?"
Wulianghai Zilmo said carefully, "I'm usually looked after by the maids, so I don't see my father very often. But he often rides horses everywhere, and he's in good health."
"Mammy? Is there a Deng?"
Wulianghai Zilmo was greatly surprised: "That's right."
Yinreng glanced at the dowry list at that time, and unexpectedly, he was right. He smiled and said, "She is an old man with your mother, so it is appropriate."
As the uncle and nephew exchanged questions, word spread outside that the princes had arrived to pay their respects to their parents. Ulianghai Zilmo felt her cheeks flush. The Empress Dowager had gossiped to her that Hongxi would also be accompanying them. Unsure of what she was thinking, Ulianghai Zilmo abruptly withdrew.
Shujia agreed without hesitation. Yinreng waited until she left before saying, "She's a sensible person. She left like that. We should still let Hongxi take a look at her. We met before our wedding." His niece wasn't particularly beautiful, so his son should be mentally prepared for this.
Shujia glanced at him and said, "Hongxi is already standing outside. This girl will definitely run into him if she goes out."
Hongxi came in with a strange smile on his face, and Yinreng knew that he had seen her before. As a man, Yinreng was very puzzled: That girl is not very pretty, what... are you thinking about!
The truth is: Hongxi only saw a slender figure. The girl was well-educated. She glanced over at Hongxi's four-legged skirt and immediately lowered her head. Hongxi was still there, thinking it was one of the Crown Princess's maids. Only after she passed by did he realize, damn! The clothes are wrong. This must be my wife. Hey, she has a nice figure.
Everyone was relieved by this misunderstanding until the emperor stopped at Huayugou and Princess Duanjing came to pay her respects, and Hongxi finally got to see his aunt.
When he looked up, he saw his cousin standing next to his aunt. She was still the same size, and this time he could see her face. Hongxi's heart calmed down.
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Princess Duanjing was pleased with her nephew; he was of good status and not bad looking. She herself had been uneasy adapting to life on the grasslands, and her relationship with her husband hadn't been good. She was extremely reluctant to see her daughter spend her entire life there. Now that she could return to the capital, it was the best thing ever.
Although Hongxi was the Crown Prince's illegitimate son, he was the Crown Prince's elder brother. When that day came, Hongdan couldn't treat his brother unfairly. The Crown Princess was firmly in power, and Hongxi couldn't threaten her, so she would naturally treat him well. And she had her biological mother in the palace, who could look after her daughter.
So they chatted and laughed happily, and kept praising the Crown Princess for her good fortune.
Princess Duanjing was even prettier than his daughter, and her manners were also very good. This greatly comforted Hongxi's heart, which had been torn apart by the fact that his future wife would not be a great beauty, and he began to feel more at ease towards his cousin. Knowing that his cousin was also well-educated, Hongxi regained some confidence in his future life.
Then, Princess Kejing, Princess Rongxian, and others, each based on their respective residences, paid their respects to the Emperor. After meeting the Emperor, they all came to the Crown Princess to congratulate her on her marriage to the Crown Princess. Those with daughters were inevitably tempted, having seen the prosperity of the capital, especially the palace's medical care, which was far superior to that of the grasslands. When the princesses married or gave birth, the palace always sent doctors to accompany them, but the medical care was often insufficient, leading to the princess's death.
Mongolian doctors are no joke sometimes. They're good at treating injuries, but their skills in treating these diseases are really quite poor.
With the princesses present, the Mongolian ladies retreated an arrow's length. In fact, they were anxious: the emperor's grandchildren had grown up, especially the Crown Princess's son! They wanted to show off, but they were hindered by the princesses in front. They had more in common with the Crown Princess and were relatives.
Shujia saw the trick within two days and reported it to Yinreng. Yinreng sneered, "I feel bad for Hongxi, let alone Hongdan? The Khan would never consider such a thing." The political center of gravity had shifted. Producing a concubine was easy enough for Mongolia, but proposing a future queen mother? How could that be possible?!
The Crown Prince, like him, was now in a state of trouble! Economically, there were problems with the transportation of grain for the imperial court, droughts in Suzhou, Jiangning, and other places that resulted in high rice prices. Corruption cases arose in the civil service, and politically, there were cases of mountain bandits and Miao people banditry.
If peace were to be achieved, the problem lay south of the Great Wall, not the other way around. The emperor and his son knew full well that now was the time to offer the best positions to those who could be of use south of the Great Wall.
Yinreng lay on his wife's lap, thinking to himself, the economy and the civil service are beginning to shake the foundation of the country, but unfortunately, Khan Ama has become too cautious and unwilling to make any changes. To end the chaos and revitalize the country, the first thing to do is to improve the civil service. Only after the civil service is improved can economic reform be carried out. Otherwise, no matter how good the plan is, it will be ruined in the hands of these bastards. The scriptures are all good, but they cannot be read by crooked monks.
Shujia thought, "I hope it's not Mongolia." Even if she had lost her political sensitivity, she knew that Mongolia today was probably similar to the democratic parties of later generations. That subtle feeling can only be understood, not expressed in words.
While the couple was discussing, Jia Yingxuan came in from outside. He was about to speak, but turned his head away.
Yinreng asked indifferently, "What's the matter?" and lay there motionless.
Jia Yingxuan also stuttered, "Master, there was a commotion at Prince Zhen's place just now. I went to see that they were distributing rewards. The fourth wife in the capital has given birth to a little prince."
"When did it happen?" It was the Crown Princess who asked the question.
Before Jia Yingxuan could speak, Yinreng asked, "Why are you so anxious about their family giving birth to a son?"
Shujia coughed and said, "I have to calculate the date of the third day of bathing and the full moon."
Jia Yingxuan heard his master's lazy voice again: "When did it happen?"
"It's the sixth day of the eighth month, and Prince Zhen is so happy."
After hearing what Jia Yingxuan said, Yinreng got up on his own initiative and said, "Then I have to go and see him. When I'm in a bad mood, seeing the fourth brother happy is really all the cure for my illness."
"..." Shujia and the others. What do you think of your brother?
The author has something to say:
The second girl's younger sister finally got engaged.
The Fourth Lady finally gave birth to a son.
Some people have started to miss the little shota Hongdan. Sigh, in my heart he is still that fat student!
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