The second girl turned over a new leaf
Shujia slept soundly, while Xiluo lay awake. If you had a foolish, unmotivated daughter, you'd be worried and sleepless too. What had gone wrong? Xiluo was in a bad mood. She'd taught her everything, and she looked so graceful when she went out to meet people. Why didn't she think of anything better?
Mrs. Xiluo was thankful that the grand selection didn't go ahead as planned next year. Otherwise, with her daughter's mindset, she would definitely have broken her leg next year. Fortunately, there was still time. Four years was plenty of time. Mrs. Xiluo swore fiercely: I must correct my daughter's incorrect thinking! The corners of the quilt were wrinkled.
Xiluo Te didn't plan to tell her husband and father-in-law until things got worse. After all, her daughter's thinking was wrong, and she was also responsible. Fortunately, she discovered it early! Foolish girl, you better be careful!
Shujia: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz～～～～Taking a nap.
Xiluo Te tossed and turned in bed, feeling annoyed. She made up her mind and got up. Half of the original maids had been released, and a few new maids had been added. They were on probation and were very attentive. When they heard the noise, they hurried up to serve: "Madam..."
"Someone go and see if the girl has gotten up. If she does, ask her to come to my room." Before personally confirming that the danger alert was lifted, Xiluo decided to keep a close watch on her daughter and continue the conversation.
The little girl took the order and left.
Shujia woke up feeling refreshed. Hongxiu fetched water for her to wash her face, combed her hair, and dressed again. The little girl's outfit was simple, and she didn't need to put on makeup, so she was ready in less than two-quarters of an hour. Climbing onto the bottom of the flowerpot was a bit heavy, but with such a thing on her feet, she walked with a particularly steady and heavy step.
Looking up at the Western chime clock, it's almost time for the aunts to arrive. Today, I need advice on embroidering hems. Over the past two years, Beijing's clothing has become increasingly elaborate, with more and more embroidered hems. Shujia doesn't really like this approach; she thinks one or two is enough. But the situation is overwhelming, and she has to make two formal dresses. The relationship between the hems and the color matching are crucial. Otherwise, even the best embroidery will be useless. Would putting "The Scream" and "Mona Lisa" together look good?
Unexpectedly, a message came from Xiluo Te: "Miss, the madam wants you to come over and say something." Shujia didn't understand what was going on, so she asked Qingjin to tell the aunts to wait until she came back before resuming the class.
Mrs. Xiluo had prepared a speech in her mind, waiting for her daughter to come. When Shujia entered, Mrs. Xiluo's expression was no longer so serious. She waved her daughter to sit next to her, took her daughter's hand and began to talk: "You're twelve this year. What do you want for your birthday?"
Shujia now has everything except freedom. She buys new clothes and jewelry with the changing seasons, and sends someone to buy books for her when she wants to read (as long as they are not banned. She has read enough banned books before she traveled through time, so there is no need to take the risk here). Her brothers are not bad to her and buy her things every now and then. Her sister-in-law sometimes gives her things as well.
So Shujia said, "I have everything I need, and now is the time of national mourning, so it's better to have less trouble than more."
Isn't that quite sensible? Why is she so confused when it comes to the most important things in life? Xiluo Te calmed down and introduced the topic: "She's not young anymore. If it weren't for the national mourning, she would have been selected next year." Shujia shifted uncomfortably: "Mother, I'm still young. I want to spend more time with you."
Xiluo Te began to speak earnestly: "Mother can't bear to leave you either. This is a good opportunity for you to stay with me for a few more years. But you are not a child anymore. You must not have any foolish thoughts." What is a concubine's daughter who keeps her thoughts hidden in her heart? The biological daughter who has gone crazy for some reason is the enemy from the previous life!
Shujia was stunned: "Why does mother say that? Did I do something wrong?" She thought quickly that maybe the words spoken before nap had irritated her, so she hurried to make amends.
Mrs. Xiluo was frustrated. Her daughter had mastered concealing her emotions well, a significant achievement. But applying this same skill to her own mother was deeply unpleasant. Shujia's transformation had unfolded under her watch. While she couldn't guess her daughter's specific thoughts, she could still sense her general mood. From her mother's careful observation, Shujia was now experiencing internal conflict, and she felt guilty.
Patting her daughter on the back, she said, "Don't be so naive. I'm your mother, and I know what you're thinking."
You don't know, Shujia feels deeply wronged, and it's not all for her own sake. If only there were good men among Kangxi's sons, she wouldn't be so troubled. The Digital Legion's main structure is already complete. Unless someone on behalf of the Moon destroys them now, the court will be a chaotic mess. She has the misfortune of being of the same generation as Jiulong, and her age is about the same. If she were to get involved, she would die without knowing how.
Shujia knew she had a decent background, but with Dong E as a reference, she didn't think she stood out. She wasn't worthy of the life of a coffee table, mingling with the digital army. With so many members of the Juelu family, it was possible to get a prince or a duke's wife.
Her family wanted her to marry well, and they loved her. If she did, she'd undoubtedly come into contact with the Digital Army, becoming increasingly close to some and becoming less so. In ten or eight years, Kowloon would truly be in turmoil, and many would be swept up in it. She only knew of the intense fighting, but she had no idea of the details, making it difficult to speculate.
Even brothers can become living enemies. If one of them is not careful, they will be affected, killed as a warning to others, and punished later. It is better to just be quiet and hope for peace. However, this cannot be said openly to Xiluo, so he can only continue to beat around the bush: "Just pick and choose like radishes and cabbages..."
"As long as I can live well and have a smooth life ahead, what's wrong with being a cabbage and carrot for a while?" Xiluotai calmly retorted, "Is there anything wrong with a servant picking for their masters? You've always known what's important, but now you're being stubborn again. Except for the princesses, all the noblest women in the Eight Banners have to go through this."
Ami tofu, Miss Shujia was shocked by the phrase "slaves picking on their masters." After all this time, we're slaves too! Entering the palace, she claimed she never used those two words, subconsciously avoiding them, and even thinking she was being self-sufficient. While verbal evasion is possible, the reality of "everything is in the hands of others" is inescapable.
It was like a bucket of cold water poured over her head. Small tricks wouldn't work under the big principles. Shujia's displeasure was understandable, but fortunately, her angry youthful thoughts had been tempered by a decade of life, so she didn't immediately snap.
From a practical point of view, what Xiluo said made sense, but she was still unhappy. Seeing that Shujia didn't say anything, Xiluo gave her some time to think.
Shujia suppressed her dissatisfaction, tried to calm down, and reasoned with Xiluo: "What if being a commoner is still not going well? The arranged marriage cannot be cancelled, what if..."
"There's no such thing as a chance," Xiluo Te said bluntly. "Why did you, Mafa, go to such great lengths to get our family incorporated into Manchuria? Why did your father-brother work so hard? The master knows what's going on. You should be at peace. You can't be someone's mistress in a family like ours."
Shujia wavered. She had already given up on the idea of dating first and getting married later. After a few months of observation, the possibility of meeting a non-blood-related man of similar age was almost zero. She could only hum and moan, "Is there anyone willing to be someone's mistress?"
Even if you marry first and then cultivate your relationship, you can't have someone else standing by and trying to snatch the meat from the pot! These days, the most detrimental thing for a bannerman family with a little status to do is to first give his son a concubine, so that the wife will have the illusion that "one of us is the third party."
A concubine from an ordinary family can find someone to marry, but if she gets a concubine from the Jurchen family, she can only be kept or killed. If she can't bring herself to kill her to silence her, wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?
Xiluo Te didn't care. She was talking about the issue of first and second wives now. Without the funeral, she would be old enough to be elected next year, so she's no longer a child. I knew you wouldn't listen if I just said it once! It seems I have to continue to increase the weight.
Xiluo Te expanded on what she had said that morning, emphasizing the following points: First, the man who arranged an arranged marriage usually had high status, and as a wife, she would certainly have the privilege of meeting the Empress Dowager from time to time. Through an arranged marriage, she could leave a good impression with the bosses, not only would her family have the final say, but she could also leverage the Empress Dowager's influence. Second, it was an ironclad fact that those who chose their own husbands would inevitably have concubines.
Finally, multiple-choice question: If you both have a mistress, would you choose the one with more security or the one with less security?
Xiluotai put the key point at the end, repeating it over and over again. She had no other options, and she couldn't really beat her daughter to death. As for the wheel, mother and daughter argued back and forth. Xiluotai's patience index was several points higher than Shujia's, and in the end, Shujia lost.
A lie repeated a thousand times becomes the truth. Xiluo Te had certainly never heard this saying, yet she instinctively chose this approach. The approach worked, and Shujia, driven to the point of ostrich-like defiance by the nagging, was forced to seriously reckon with reality—her own mother wasn't on her side.
Staying single or dating to find a compatible husband is pure fantasy. The 21st century has seen a glut of outstanding leftover women prove that "compatible husbands" are a scarce commodity. After seeing her father and brothers have countless concubines, and even Hua Shan now has two concubines to take care of her, Shujia's romantic optimism has faded.
Shujia stubbornly asked: "Such a bunch of people are annoying. If you change your surname, maybe I can deal with them..."
Xiluo Te gasped, "What nonsense are you talking about?! I never knew you were so competitive! How can you say such things casually? It's better to keep two obedient ones than to force him to go out and cause trouble! You fool!" She was completely furious, "Are you a wild girl from the country? You say such nonsense! Listen to me, there are some things that you can't say even if you think about them! Just talk to your own mother, and you better watch your mouth!"
It's over, it's over. Where has the virtuous lady's demeanor gone? She was so angry that she even said it out loud! Looking up, she saw the lady of her family listening to her instructions with a virtuous expression.
Xiluo Te patted her chest and said, "It's okay, it's okay." She sent all the maids away before she spoke. Okay, mother and daughter were having a heart-to-heart talk. Shujia had never heard Xiluo Te use such a cold tone: "Have you forgotten what I said back in Hangzhou? You can't just come up with such an idea? Do you care about your reputation? If I were a tigress, do you think you could marry well? Family tradition, family tradition, do you know?"
"Who doesn't care?"
"I don't care! You want a son-in-law who thinks the same as you, and you and your wife can live together? Who doesn't want that? I wanted that too when I first got married. Think about it, are there any sons-in-law who are still married these days? Even if there are, they would want a virtuous daughter-in-law, not one with a bad reputation. You are too strong-willed, so you will definitely not get a good one."
That's clear enough. Mrs. Xiluo paused to sip her tea and catch her breath. "Children are all debts!" Children who are usually well-behaved and sensible, and bring honor to their parents, once they get angry, they are even more difficult to deal with than those who are always smooth-talking.
"What does father say?" When it comes to marriage, father and grandfather have a lot of say. The first thing everyone says is 'XX's daughter', and this XX must be the father's name.
"I don't know what he's thinking. I only know one thing—this won't work."
Shujia opened her mouth and then closed it again: "Mother, if we really hand it over to the higher-ups, we won't be able to control our life or death... I'm really scared..." There is no return for an arranged marriage.
Xiluo Te said bitterly, "Did you miss everything I said? Did the master arrange a marriage randomly? Ever since the establishment of the imperial selection system, he has never randomly chosen anyone for a match. Do you think the royal family doesn't consider family background when arranging marriages?" Finally, she laughed out loud, "Are you scared silly?"
It’s really a bit silly...Shu Jiamo.
Honestly, "Mother, let me think about it. My mind is a little confused."
Xiluo Te said, "You just think too much. Listen to me, don't think about anything, just be honest. If you think too much, you will only cause trouble for yourself."
Shujia lingered back to her room. Xiluo Te didn't confine her and then starved her for two meals to wake her up, which was completely a courtesy to her. Dejectedly, she pulled out a book. Yes, it was a poem by Nalan Xingde.
Oh, oh, I flipped through the book and found "Hua Tang Chun". It's so exciting!
A lifetime, a generation, a couple—it was destined to remain only a dream. Even Heaven, through her own hand, had orchestrated this dream countless years in advance. Shujia flipped through the pages and soon came across her own handwritten words: "Excessive wisdom leads to harm, deep love does not bring longevity." Oh, and the person who wrote these words is already dead, a trait of deep affection.
Damn! You don’t have to remind me like this, right?
Shu Jiamo, Xiluo is her biological mother. If her biological mother said so, it is clear that her path is very narrow. From now on, the key is to plan how to get along with her future husband. Reason said so.
No matter how you think about it, you feel aggrieved. This is what emotions say.
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Shujia calmed down, but Xiluo was still worried. From time to time, the mother and daughter would have a heart-to-heart talk, and Shujia had to have a serious discussion with her mother, because her acting skills were not acceptable to her mother at all.
Calming down, Shujia had to admit that she had come through this and had to accept the reality. There was no point in trying to convince her. She couldn't even convince her mother, let alone anyone else. She might get scolded by Shi Wenbing, but the pressure was so intense that Shujia still wanted to put up a last-ditch effort.
She went to Qingde, the most unpretentious one, to see if his brother had any ideas. Qingde patted her head and said, "Of course there are those who try to escape the selection! For example, they can't bear to leave their families, or they think it's hard to survive in the palace. Think about it, during the time of the late emperor, when that someone was around, even the empress couldn't survive. No one wants their daughter to suffer in vain."
Shujia was delighted: "It's not easy to get by in the palace now." Qingde was shocked: "What nonsense are you talking about? The master doesn't choose ladies from famous families these days. Those with good family backgrounds are all given to the princes. How can you not participate in the selection?"
After Qingde's brilliant explanation, Shujia finally understood that it was certainly possible to evade the imperial examination. The problem was... the consequences of being caught were dire! Before each imperial examination, the general commander led a checkup of each person, accompanied by his assistants. In the case of funerals, those over the age limit were checked, and for illnesses, doctors were called—and they were all good doctors. If you can't bring yourself to break your arms or legs, you'd better not try.
Shujia: ...If it really breaks, it won’t be worth it.
Shujia secretly hated herself. If she had traveled through time as an adult, she would have needed to struggle and deal with things as soon as she came. Her original skills would not have been lost and would have been honed all the time, so her mental age would have accumulated with her age before traveling through time. But this baby traveled through time, and she didn't have to think about anything. Even if she thought about it, it would be useless. After being a child for eleven years, her original skills had degenerated, her innocence attribute points had increased, but her mental age had decreased - she became innocent, like a child, thinking that if she closed her eyes, no ghosts would come to catch her.
Every child in babywear is an angel who has offended God—God has turned them from winged boys and girls into winged buns, and their titles and ranks have been reduced. Children in babywear cannot afford to be hurt!
Shujia had to admit that what Xiluotai kept repeating every day had some truth to it. Her competitive spirit was aroused, and she couldn't hide her feelings. She was constantly dealing with her mother. Xiluotai made up her mind and called her eldest daughter back home.
It's not good for a newlywed daughter-in-law to frequently visit her parents' home, and Xiluo Te was quite restrained. This time, two or three months had passed since her last visit, giving the sisters a chance to talk privately. Shujia was once again scolded by Shuxian. Shuxian used her own experience as an example: "Who doesn't have a concubine?" She couldn't understand her sister's overbearing nature. Whether you accept it or not, the facts are the facts, so don't try to cover your ears and steal the bell.
Under repeated bombardment, Shujia finally said to Xiluotai: "Mother, I have figured it out."
Xiluo Te was very relieved, thinking that her earnest advice had paid off. She looked at her daughter again and said, "It's good that you have figured it out. Don't overthink it. You still have your father and mother. Your Mafa won't let you suffer any harm."
Mother and daughter reconciled. Xiluo Te and Shi Wenbing held an urgent meeting. Even a concubine's daughter didn't want to be a concubine, let alone a biological daughter. Shi Wenbing was silent for a moment. His daughter was right. This matter really wasn't up to their family to decide. However, an arranged marriage certainly wouldn't allow a concubine to have a higher birth than the wife. His daughter wouldn't be in any danger.
Shi Wenbing said: "Don't think too much, it won't be that serious." Xiluo Te said happily: "I feel relieved when you say that, Master." Shi Wenbing thought, don't worry, my father will not suffer any loss!
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In May, Concubine Li died. She had given birth to a son, but he died young. She had little say in the family, living in obscurity. She had recently fallen ill, seen doctors, and taken medicine, but she still died. The death of a childless concubine wasn't a big deal, and with Wen Du's due date approaching, no one wanted to talk about Concubine Li's unlucky past. They allocated money for her funeral and let it go.
Concubine Li had originally lived with Xiluo Te, but after she fell seriously ill, she moved out, and her room was given to Ah Fu. Now that Concubine Li was dead, there was no trace of her in the room, and no one in the family mentioned her anymore, as if she had never existed.
Everyone was busy preparing for the arrival of the fourth generation. Silut had already hired a skilled midwife and prepared all the necessary supplies for the birth. Several sets of small clothes had been made, and swaddling clothes, a stroller, a wet nurse, and a babysitter had all been selected.
Shujia rubbed her nose and went back to her room to write, hoping her mother would be busy enough to forget her silly idea a while ago.
Of course, Mrs. Xiluo was busy. Her grandson was born in late May, and she was busy preparing for his third-day bath, the full moon, and her daughter-in-law's confinement. This didn't mean she'd forgotten her daughter; she continued to closely monitor and teach her various skills. As she saw her daughter's recovery, Mrs. Xiluo began to reflect on whether she hadn't paid enough attention to her, leading to her strange thoughts. She seemed to be learning quickly, doing well, and being thoughtful, but she hadn't relaxed her ideological education.
After Wendu returned from confinement, Xiluo took her daughter to teach her various subjects. As usual, the daily instructions included a warning against any ill intentions, followed by the main topic. Shujia assessed her household chores and interpersonal relationships, which she found to be quite good. Xiluo focused on how to get along with her husband, and touched on the question of how to deal with concubines. Once again, ruthlessness was futile!
Shujia understood there was no way to escape, so she listened attentively. The phrase "slaves are chosen by their masters" exposed the true nature of her leisurely life of luxury for over a decade. No matter how leisurely you were, you were still a slave! Behave!
She finally understood where all those palace fights and house fights came from. They were forced out! If you don't want to kowtow to others and call yourself a slave, then you have to stop being a slave.
Life is like that, can't resist? Then just enjoy it. No, no, it's like this—if you want to win the championship, you have to join the game! If you don't want to be picked on, you have to...
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Of course, Hua Shan refused to suffer any loss, and he enthusiastically planned for his granddaughter. Actually, there was someone who was quite suitable: Prince Jian's eldest son, Yaer Jiang'a, who was the same age as Shujia. He was making a lot of calculations, but he didn't dare to announce it in advance. The emperor didn't eliminate you, but you eliminated the emperor's son first. This was not a good idea.
Besides, Hua Shan and Prince Jian Yabu's relationship is not good, so it's not right to bring it up right now. Prince Jian's family still doesn't know what they are thinking, and if we just stick to them, wouldn't that be stupid?
Now, Hua Shan has a bolder idea.
It was already the first month of the 28th year of the Kangxi reign, and more than half a year had passed since Shujia accepted her fate and decided not to escape the imperial examination. Hua Shan looked at his granddaughter standing below him, feeling increasingly proud.
My granddaughter just came back from the palace. The Empress Dowager likes our granddaughter very much. Hua Shan made an analysis and judgment with his experienced eyes.
On the third day of the first lunar month, Kangxi took his eldest son, his third son, and a group of others on a southern tour, leaving the Empress Dowager in the palace. After the death of the Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager's relationship with Kangxi improved, and she received more flattery.
She had concubines by her side, and she also had the fifth prince, Yinqi, and the ninth daughter (born to Concubine De) by her side, so she wasn't too lonely. But princes and princesses needed to study, and Yinqi's schoolwork was a mess. Eventually, Kangxi couldn't stand it anymore and finally intervened. The concubines couldn't just sit around all day, seeing him every day. After seeing him so often, they ran out of fresh topics to talk about, so they had to bring in someone from outside the palace to talk to him.
By chance, Dong'e's wife, Borjigit, was present that day. The purse she brought was a gift from Shujia last time. It was well-made, with a hidden pocket between the crotch. She presented it to the Empress Dowager when she spoke of needlework. The Empress Dowager remembered Shujia and, the next day, asked Xilute to bring her daughter to "talk."
Xiluo Te warned her, "Don't have any foolish thoughts." Shujia's heart was filled with tears. "I've learned another lesson. Don't say anything careless. Once you say it, you can't take it back." She nodded honestly.
The Empress Dowager was delighted to see Shujia. Since her grandchildren were about to go to school, she chatted about other children. She mentioned Shujia's embroidery skills, prompting her to show her the purse she was carrying. Shujia said the purse with a hidden pocket was completely unnecessary for the Empress Dowager. She didn't go out much, anyway.
The Empress Dowager was still very pleased with it and kept it. Shujia thought about it and realized that there was nothing in it, just a small comb, a small round mirror, and a few silver beads. The Empress Dowager liked it, and she was the most comfortable old lady she had ever seen since she traveled through time, so she was very generous in giving it away.
The Empress Dowager was very happy: "I think your idea is the best. I will ask them to cut it according to your design. When they are finished in a couple of days, I will pick out a few nice ones for you."
Old and young, old and young, when old people are old they really become like children. Shujia thanked her with a smile, and the Empress Dowager was even happier.
A few days later, word came from the Empress Dowager that the purse was ready and asked her to come to the palace to take a look at it.
This was probably a case of "kids seeing other kids have new toys, borrowing them, and then when their own families buy them, they can't wait to share, saying, 'Look, I got one too.'" Shujia dressed herself up and followed the eunuch who came to deliver the imperial decree. Her family also gave the eunuch a red envelope, as usual.
This time, Xiluo Te did not accompany them. When they arrived at Ningshou Palace, the Empress Dowager was sitting on the kang in the back room. A pile of purses were placed on the kang table. The Empress Dowager had been smiling since Shujia entered. She smiled as she watched her bow and said to her, "Come, girl, come and take a look at these."
That was a professional's, better than Shujia's own. Shujia readily admitted, "It's much better than the previous one." The Empress Dowager continued, "They don't have the best idea you have." Shujia decided to tell the truth: "I just made this secret pocket because I wanted to keep all the odds and ends in when I go out. I don't use it normally. I can't hold much in it; it just looks novel." After all, how big could a purse be? If it was filled with too much, it would be too bulging and look ugly.
The Empress Dowager didn't care about that. Even if someone she liked had abalone teeth, she would still say they looked like a cute little rabbit. "Let's not talk about that. Help me pick two." Shujia: ... She really didn't know this thing was so good that it could catch the Empress Dowager's eye.
Just as I was watching, the Crown Prince arrived.
Kangxi had passed away, leaving him as regent. The crown prince had one more thing to do every day—check on his grandmother. And here she was, here she was.
Shujia was standing with one leg bent on the kang, leaning forward to examine her purse. Unable to find fault with the embroidery, she examined the seams to see if they were intricate. Hearing the prince approach, she quickly straightened, glanced around, and slipped away to hide.
The darling grandson had arrived, and the Empress Dowager hadn't noticed Shujia's actions. Looking at her grown-up grandson, she said with satisfaction, "Well, come and see this purse." Speaking of the purse, she thought of Shujia. What a strange thought! These two are quite a match!
Shujia was a delightful girl and had been one of the candidates for the prince's wife, and Kangxi had also intended to choose her. The more the Empress Dowager thought about it, the happier she felt. This was truly wonderful!
"Grandmother Empress Dowager, you..."
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