The men of Kangxi's family
It was time to get up. Yinreng was the first to sit up and straighten his loose shirt. This was the only piece of clothing he had on. Only the sleeves hung on his arms, and the front was open, with the shirt wrinkled at the back of his shoulders—where the second young lady had rubbed her face. Shujia's face flushed even more; her situation was... similar.
As a man, one must always be brave. Yinreng thought that there was no need to be shy in his own home and in his wife's room, so he got out of bed naturally.
Shujia wasn't one to be shy, but now she was. Especially... seeing Yinreng's smiling eyes, she actually... flinched. So sad and angry. He hadn't done anything (huh?), so why did she feel like she was being manipulated?
Then something even more embarrassing happened. A bunch of people rushed into the room, some women, some men and some women. Shujia was shocked: "You guys came in just like that? We're both naked!"
Of course they had to come in. If they didn't, would you wrap yourself in a blanket and look for clothes in front of your husband who had been sleeping soundly all night? Besides, did you know that he had been guarding outside all night?
The Crown Prince had a flaw: a love of cleanliness. This habit was inherited from his impeccable father, who insisted on being neatly dressed even in the hottest summer and sitting upright at all times. Similarly, he was very strict in his daily life. The Crown Prince's every need was met, which fostered his nitpicking.
According to the Crown Prince's habit, after sex, he had to clean himself up so that he could continue to maintain his image. Moreover, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had no habit of sleeping with a woman all night, or rather, he had been sleeping alone since he moved out of the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
It's also a matter of perception. Emperors throughout history have learned that lust is bad, and there are even some strange rules, like concubines can't sleep with the emperor overnight. Yinreng didn't learn much else, but he mastered the posture perfectly.
From a practical point of view, he had to get up early the next day to attend court with Kangxi and then study cultural courses. So what was the point of rushing out of the women's room so early in the morning, or taking a woman out of the Yuqing Palace?
I would like to solemnly explain Kangxi's arrangement for Yinreng, which was a detrimental arrangement for his son. Yuqing Palace was a rather awkward place, built west of Fengxian Hall on the foundation of the Ming Dynasty Fengci Hall. Its long and narrow structure was where Yinreng lived after he became independent. While it was acceptable as a residence and office for an underage crown prince, it was clearly unsuitable for accommodating the crown prince's entire family.
So Kangxi planned to renovate the East Palace, the former residence of the Ming Dynasty crown prince, and move Yinreng's concubines there. Coincidentally, Yinreng also had the same idea, and hearing his son's instructions to the Ministry of Internal Affairs saved Kangxi the trouble of speaking. Both overlooked one point: traditionally, the harem was the front court, but Xiefang Palace... was located southeast of Yuqing Palace!
Anyone who's seen a map of the Forbidden City or visited it in person knows that these two places are incredibly far apart! The most frustrating thing is that, while they're far apart, for example, the Qianqing Palace isn't close to the East and West Six Palaces. But, take note: getting from the Yuqing Palace to the Xiefang Hall requires passing through the Arrow Pavilion, the Imperial Kitchen Teahouse, and other places. Unlike the Qianqing Palace, which is the inner court, it's its own backyard. And directly in front of the Arrow Pavilion and the Imperial Kitchen Teahouse are a series of buildings, including the Wenyuan Pavilion and the Wenhua Hall!
You say, early in the morning, what if one day the time is misjudged, and a minister who arrived early to gather saw the prince coming out of Xiefang Palace from the left wing gate? Or the prince's concubine returning from Yuqing Palace? This would definitely not be a big deal!
So, even after having several children with his concubine, his interactions with these people remained pitifully rare, and he never broke the rules. After finishing his work, the Crown Prince went about his business, and once he had recovered, the first thing he did was wash up before going to bed. Those who knew his habits had already prepared water yesterday.
As a result, the prince and the princess went to bed without even washing!
Well, it’s early in the morning, let’s make up for it! Everyone murmured in their hearts, these two have a good relationship!
Time is tight, a couple's bath is out of the question.
Hongxiu and the others had already entered, grabbing a piece of clothing and wrapping Shujia in it. The screen was already up, and the newlyweds were frantically taking their bath. Shujia felt a sense of disorientation, this… this… that difference in her body after her wedding night. She soaked in the hot water for a bit, feeling a little better, but couldn't soak much longer. A glance at the clock amidst the steamy heat revealed five o'clock. As she put on her undergarment, a stream of people carrying copper basins entered the room, adding more ice.
According to custom, wedding night candles cannot be blown out. Generally, candles that can burn overnight should be chosen, and they should go out at about the same time the next morning. What if they don't go out at the same time? No problem, just use a fan to blow out one candle at a time. This symbolizes being together through life and death (?)
Everyone knows this is nonsense and few people can actually do it, but everyone still wants to believe it.
It's May, so fans are a given. The candles for the Crown Prince's wedding were custom-made, placed in a specially chosen location to ensure they wouldn't go out. Now, they're burning evenly, one almost out, the other still having a little bit of light.
Seeing that one was almost burned, Shujia fanned out the other one.
Yinreng had been watching from the side, and he couldn't help but smile as he saw Shujia staring intently at the candle. Her silhouette was soft, and the upturned corners of her eyes revealed a hint of charm that was not visible from below. Of course, Shujia was serious. She had to time the candle to go out perfectly. Who wouldn't want a good omen? Whether you believe it or not, I did.
Shujia finished her work, fan in hand, and turned back to meet Yinreng's eyes. Her face flushed. Yinreng blinked and continued to smile.
Men who feel they have a decent profile, or who have reached a certain level of status, often develop a certain "cultivation complex." Especially when they think, "Look, I can do it, and you can't..." Even if it's just that, there's still a sense of accomplishment. Yinreng was at this stage, and if he saw his wife looking a bit like a student or embarrassed—an expression he was probably imagining—his sense of accomplishment intensified.
The prince was in a very good mood, looking at his wife, whom he was "nurturing" (he probably didn't know the broad connotations of this term). To paraphrase a scene from a classic romance novel: "He felt a mixture of wanting to laugh, a little embarrassed, and yet incredibly content, like a frog drenched in aged wine, only just short of croaking."
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Because this was a ceremonial wedding, it differed slightly from local customs. Today, according to custom, they would meet the Emperor and Empress, and wear formal attire. Before getting dressed, eunuchs brought two tables to fill the stomachs of the newlyweds. They were not allowed to eat much, and they were also required to drink minimal water. They quickly finished their meal, rinsed and wiped their mouths, and began to dress.
With yesterday's experience, she dressed quickly. Once dressed, she felt more confident. Shujia regained her composure and began to put on her makeup. Her hair was styled, tightly combed, to facilitate the final placement of the tiara. Then came her makeup. Despite the extra layers, Shujia decided to do it herself; it was still a sunny day.
Women shouldn't let men see them wearing makeup, and they shouldn't let them see them removing it either, or they'll be disappointed. But while Shujia was combing her hair, Yinreng was having his braid re-braided by a young eunuch. By the time she finished, his braid was done, too. He was looking at his wife.
Shujia glanced at Yinreng awkwardly, then turned away, her ears blushing pink, hoping he would leave. Although Yinreng had seen her without makeup, it would be better not to change her appearance in front of him.
Yinreng misunderstood, or rather, he was thinking: Well, it's not impossible to draw eyebrows. It's reasonable to draw eyebrows for a newlywed, right?
So he walked up.
Shujia was at a loss for words when Yinreng whispered, "I've never done it before. Just sit tight." The maids and eunuchs chuckled, and Shujia couldn't resist. Her eyebrows weren't difficult to draw; they were just a simple stroke, once they had a nice shape. Yinreng, his left hand supporting her chin, gently stroked with his right. He remembered her eyebrows had been quite good yesterday. He applied even more lightly, and Shujia felt a heat on her chin. Was she going to sweat?
Yinreng's calligraphy and painting skills were exceptional, and he traced the painting lightly and effortlessly across a plain face. He began by tracing the right side, following his memory, lightly brushing it out. His wife's simple features were elegant and graceful. To Shujia's astonishment, he switched to his left hand and calmly finished the other side, surprisingly symmetrical.
After finishing the painting, he held his wife's face and looked left and right, then stood up, took two steps back, and looked left and right again, as if he had completed a proud painting.
Shujia waited until he finished, then uncomfortably sat up in front of the mirror and put on her makeup. She'd already seen it all, so she might as well just do it. God help him not to have any psychological trauma or anything...
The truth wasn't that bad. She'd always been known for her nude makeup look. Besides, 'there's no such thing as an ugly woman at 18,' she was at the age where she looked beautiful even without makeup. When Yinreng was liking her, he certainly wasn't terrified. They say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and while these two weren't quite at that level—in this era, they were genuine lovers. Could you possibly expect anything more intimate than that?
Yinreng watched in amazement as Shujia swept left and right, wiping away, without making any visible movements. Only when the overall effect came into focus did he realize, huh? She actually looked more energetic. Amazing!
Having a wife with a low level of correction is a blessing. Looking at her beautifully made-up face, you wouldn't expect a huge difference after she takes it off. Shujia corrected her spirit, not her beauty, and Yinreng accepted it quickly.
By the time he put on the tiara, Shujia's makeup was complete. She began adding jewelry, the headband being added later because she needed to put on makeup. After she put on the headband, Zichang came over with a box and opened it, revealing three pairs of earrings. Shujia felt her earlobes begin to throb. She'd been wearing them since yesterday. So heavy!
After finishing the cleaning, the head eunuch of Yuqing Palace began to read out today's procedures to the two masters, so as to deepen their impressions: "... go to the Qianqing Palace to pay homage to the emperor... leave... go to Fengxian Hall to pay homage to Empress Renxiao... Ningshou Palace to pay homage to the Empress Dowager..."
When he heard the words "Fengxian Palace", Yinreng frowned and his face looked a little pale.
Start.
Shujia felt something was off; Yinreng's aura wasn't right. Then, this Yuqing Palace. She'd been blindfolded when she arrived, so she hadn't had time to examine it. Now, it was incredibly narrow! Walking further, it was even more embarrassing. This Xiangxu Gate was incredibly narrow! The Qianxing Gate was just as narrow. Shujia swore that two strong people standing side by side could fill these two gates! She felt that the feng shui of this Yuqing Palace was truly terrible; it felt cramped and claustrophobic.
Oh, I'm superstitious. But even with scientific analysis, it's easy to become psychologically distorted in an environment like Yuqing Palace. Others live in square rooms, but his room is squeezed into a flat space.
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Kangxi got up very early.
Last night, Kangxi, unusually, didn't turn over the card. Except for special circumstances like illness, mourning, fasting, and even during military events, he still turned over the card. Yesterday, Kangxi, making an exception, slept alone. Perhaps because he couldn't sleep alone, he tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep.
Kangxi woke up at dawn. The entire Qianqing Palace was in operation, preparing the emperor's hair and hair, preparing his breakfast, and waiting for the Crown Prince and his wife to pay their respects. He had just sat down when a young eunuch rushed over, "My lord, the Crown Prince and his wife have risen, and the Yuqing Palace is open."
Kangxi calmly ate two pieces of steamed bun, then returned to the eastern warm room to look at his son's elementary school homework. He flipped through two pages, frowning. Why hasn't he come yet? "Go get the eldest prince, the third prince... and both of them." When he was in a bad mood, tormenting his son was Kangxi's secret weapon to relieve his boredom.
It was customary in the Qing palace to get up early, and soon, the eldest prince Yinzhi, the third prince Yinzhi, the fourth prince Yinzhen, the fifth prince Yinqi, the seventh prince Yinyou, the eighth prince Yinsi... all who could come arrived, all neatly dressed.
Kangxi stood up, straightened his clothes, and sat on the throne in the main hall.
It just so happened that Yinreng and his wife also arrived. Shujia already knew that she was going to meet Kangxi, but she didn't expect that there were also a bunch of uncles and brothers-in-law to meet. The unique costumes of the princes made her dizzy. Shujia was worried. Everyone who stayed in this room today was not a good person! Glancing to the left, Yinreng was still there, and she felt relieved.
First, they met Kangxi according to the proper etiquette. A female official led Yinreng to the left, slightly forward, where he knelt three times and bowed nine times. Shujia, slightly further back on the right, knelt six times and bowed three times. No tea was offered, yet she received a slew of gifts, all presented in pairs. Shujia was astonished to hear the eunuchs read out the gifts one by one. Kangxi was known for his thriftiness, but this time, he was truly extravagant!
They climbed to their feet, lowered their heads, and stood, awaiting Kangxi's instructions. Kangxi's words were simple, beginning with his best wishes for the newlyweds: "As husband and wife, you must be of one mind and one virtue." Then, with a wave of his hand, he said, "Yinreng, come here." The Crown Prince and his wife stepped forward, standing at the foot of Kangxi's throne, allowing the newlyweds to meet their brothers.
According to ancient customs, uncles and sisters-in-law were not allowed to meet. Only when both parties were older could they meet more easily. When they were younger, they had to avoid it. But they were family, so they couldn't help but know each other, right? So this happened.
Yinzhi hated moments like this the most, when the order of seniority met the distinction between the emperor and his subjects, a complete defeat, a rage that nearly gnawed his teeth. The old man was watching from above, and he still had to bow. Yinreng's mood brightened again, and he smiled, "Big brother, you're polite." The first two words sounded like he was gritting his teeth.
Shujia dodged to the side, half accepting his greeting. Then she stood up straight, a standard smile on her face, her hands clasped in front of her, a calm demeanor.
I was laughing so hard in my heart.
This uncle is so... domineering! Honestly, he's not ugly, not at all. On the contrary, he has a certain air of heroism. But with that face, he manages to act like... I'm vulgar, I'm rude, I hate everyone, no one is better than me... a nouveau riche look.
If he wasn't the crown prince, Yinreng could still cosplay as a handsome young man. But if Yinzhi wasn't the eldest prince, he could only... stick a fake mole on his cheek to pretend to be a local tycoon riding a donkey, holding an abacus and wearing furry earmuffs, collecting rent himself - the kind of negative example in patriotic education.
Yinzhi was slightly satisfied. Isn't the second son's wife quite polite? She looks okay, and her expression doesn't ask for a beating. It's a pity that she is paired with such a thing as the second son!
Then there were the third son, Yinzhi, and the fourth son, Yinzhen. These were relatively normal: one possessed a refined air, the other... also a normal teenager. But... why did the fourth son's face resemble Uncle Daoming? Damn! His ears even stick out a bit. = = Yinzhi and Yinzhen had a good impression of the second sister-in-law. Judging from her appearance, even at a glance, they could tell she had been chosen based on specific criteria. She had a good temperament and was very pleasing to the eye. Peace and tranquility were rare.
Yinzhen was a very emotional person. If he thought you were good, then he was really good. He truly embodied the saying, "Love is on your knees, hate is in the abyss." Now that he had a good impression of his second sister-in-law, he became completely friendly. He flapped his sleeves vigorously, and his voice was filled with joy. Shujia was a little confused. What... was going on?
The fifth brother actually spoke Chinese. The Empress Dowager had reminded him, "Oh, your second sister-in-law is the best person. She has a good temper and is fun. Don't be afraid. She speaks Mongolian and Mandarin very well. You can speak Chinese, but if you can't, switch to Mongolian. If you're in front of your father, just speak Mandarin." Yinqi didn't know whether to laugh or cry, thinking, "I may not be able to write Chinese well now, but I can still speak Chinese." He glanced at this legendary second sister-in-law very carefully and habitually. He felt a sense of familiarity and thought she was easy to get along with.
The seventh child had a slight disability in his legs and feet. He moved a beat slower than the others, feeling a little annoyed and secretly gritting his teeth. Yinyou blushed slightly, and Yin'er was waiting in the back, wanting to roll his eyes. He glanced over and saw that Khan Ama was looking at his second sister-in-law. He took the opportunity to turn his neck, but was poked by Yin'e. He immediately stood up and looked over again. Well, his second brother was already glaring at him.
Yinreng was satisfied with his wife's performance. He treated everyone equally, so what if she was the director? It was the same! Seeing Yinzhen slacking off, he naturally gave her a displeased look.
Yinreng was multitasking, while Shujia continued to meet with the numbers. Eighth Brother was truly a well-mannered young man. Ninth Brother… plump and sleek. Tenth Brother… why have you lost weight? Thirteen and Fourteen were still handsome.
Even after traveling through time for so long, Shujia still reflexively recalled the following assessments: The eldest was stupid, the second was a jerk, the third was dull, and the tenth was fat. The fourth was cool and devoted, the eighth was gentle as jade, and the ninth... a man with a feminine appearance, with peach blossom eyes and a devilish smile. The thirteenth was chivalrous, and the fourteenth was loyal. — The simpler the language, the more memorable it is. Shujia memorized these few simple words and was struck by them.
Oh my god! !!! Aside from the eldest and the eighth, the rest of the group… the number of running beasts is just one zero!
Kangxi had been observing her and thought it was good. She just knew the etiquette. She was neither arrogant nor impatient. She was not proud of being the crown prince's wife. Instead, she chose someone worthy of the prince.
Kangxi was satisfied. This hurdle was cleared. Next, they had to go to the place where the Empress Dowager was sitting. It was estimated that there would be a lot of onlookers.
The author has something to say: Fourth Master's ears are only slightly protruding... a tiny bit visible in a portrait of him when he was younger. Don't flatter me, Fourth Master. Also, Fourth Master, Lao Kang said you were "a little moody when you were younger," but you haven't gotten much better as you've grown up. When you need someone, you call him a treasure, and when you dislike him, you demote him by eighteen ranks. — I'm kidding. Embarrassing.
The men in Kangxi's family are all so cute and funny = =
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