Unnoticeable preparation
Mount Wutai, a pure Buddhist land, was a place where Emperor Kangxi's nameless karmic fire was rising. "Ami Doufu, you must hold back. He's not in the capital. Even if there are memorials, they may not be comprehensive. Don't act rashly. This matter is unusual; it involves many relationships."
Even if Kangxi wanted to vent his anger on someone, it wouldn't work. Yinzhi was still visiting the graves outside the Great Wall, so it wasn't his business. Mingzhu... poor Ming Xiang. He'd been reinstated to his former rank, but he'd never been the Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard again. Ever since Kangxi crippled him last time, his official position had been lost. He could no longer be called a "Ming Xiang." Mingzhu's influence was entirely due to his own efforts. Even if Kangxi had demoted him again, it would have been useless. After the previous demolition, Mingzhu still relied on his remnants to fight Soetu on equal terms for nearly a decade.
Even if Kangxi knew that this matter was related to the Mingzhu family, he could not take action now.
Eliminate the impact and cool down the situation. There are two ways to do this: 1. Forbid discussion of the matter; 2. Cover it up with other topics. Kangxi was reluctant to use the first option, so he opted for option 2.
"Have the memorials from the capital arrived?"
Wei Zhu came in, hunched over, holding a pile of memorials. "They're all here. These are from ministers, these are from the Crown Prince, and these are greetings from several princes..."
Kangxi unfolded the letter and saw Kaiyinbu continuing to monitor the situation, but there was no update on the incident. It was as if this incident had fallen from the sky, raindrops still falling, and the sky was clear of clouds. He tossed it aside and unfolded the memorials from his sons. The crown prince was also unaware of the incident, merely reporting on state affairs, the palace situation, and the progress of his brothers' house construction.
Kangxi raised an eyebrow, noticing the following sentence in Yinreng's memorial: "The Imperial Household Department's small selection has begun. This is presided over by the concubines' mothers. They will select women to serve in the palace. They will first be sent to the Imperial Household Department to be taught the rules. When the weather warms up, the old ones will be released and the new ones will be put on duty. At that time, the women selected for the grand selection will also have to stay in the palace for inspection..."
That's it!
Kangxi spread out his pen and paper and wrote a letter.
A few days later, the palace received a handwritten letter from Kangxi. Yinreng personally took it to the Empress Dowager, who was chatting with the Crown Princess at the time and said, "It's time for the big selection again. This year we have a lot of free time. Unlike last time, when they all got married together, I was busy looking for grandchildren's wives."
Shujia knew that the royal family would take a look at each other before choosing a daughter-in-law. This was something she had experienced before. However, "Eighth brother's wife has already been decided, but ninth and tenth brothers are not much older than him. Could it be that they won't choose one this time?" She had been wondering about this for a long time, but just didn't dare to ask.
"The Emperor means that the ninth and tenth sons should be put aside for now. This time, they will be assigned a concubine, and marrying a wife will be put off until the next time."
Indeed, the 37th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign was a year of unrest. Many important events in the future unfolded there. This was true in real history, and it is true in this article as well. The so-called unrest, the so-called multitude of events, is multifaceted and comprehensive. Not only did many uncertainties arise for men, but even for women, the wheel of fate was creaking and turning.
The 37th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign was also the year of the grand selection of concubines. This meant that the palace would begin to add a new batch of distinguished guests at the turn of spring and summer, and another wave of fresh and beautiful women from the Eight Banners would go their separate ways. Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Shujia suddenly realized something terrifying: the concubines, besides being used to enrich the harem, also had another important function: to arrange marriages for the princes and members of the imperial clan. The crown prince now had one wife and two concubines. The first wife was herself, and the second concubine had been in the palace for six years and was no longer new. Would her family have any more members?
Kangxi was born to oppose first wives, whether it was his own first wife or the first wives of his sons. Look, the eighth prince, who was about to marry, already had a concubine, and the ninth and tenth princes, who had not yet decided on a wife, also planned to take concubines first.
This time, instead of choosing a wife for the other princes, it would be too easy to just give the crown prince a concubine. Shujia had a sense of crisis, not knowing that Kangxi hadn't had such plans in recent years. The emperor wanted the crown prince and the crown princess to have more boys.
Just then, Yinreng arrived.
The Empress Dowager looked at him and waved, "Come, come, sit with us."
Yinreng first bowed smoothly: "Greetings to the Empress Dowager."
"Oh my! Look how energetic our prince is." The empress dowager was like all old ladies. When she saw her beloved grandson, she wanted to show off. This time, she wanted to show off to her grandson's wife.
Shujia suppressed a smile and said, "You are right."
Yinreng naturally heard it, and he gave her a sidelong glance with feigned anger, then went to the Empress Dowager and said business: "Khan Ama has sent a letter."
"Really? Come on, sit down and tell me in detail." He pointed to the mattress on the other side of the kang, "Sit closer so I can hear you clearly."
The Crown Prince and his wife were on either side, which made the Empress Dowager very pleased.
Yinreng unfolded the letter and read slowly: "...Palace affairs require the Empress Dowager's order before they can be carried out..." This statement revealed the Empress Dowager's greatest role in the palace: a rubber stamp. She was merely a handoff; the previous decisions had already been made for her. For example, when the fifth and seventh sons married, Kangxi and Yinreng had already tortured everyone at the Imperial Observatory to the point of madness, yet the Empress Dowager still needed a final order.
But the Empress Dowager was happy to hear this. She was also willing to ignore everything and just say, "Okay." This showed the emperor's importance and respect for her.
"What else?"
"The Empress Dowager may wish to ask her to keep an eye out for any of the beauties suitable for the daughters of the Ninth or Tenth Prince..."
"Huh?"
Shujia's jaw dropped. The Empress Dowager had just said that Kangxi had no plans to arrange marriages for the Ninth and Tenth Princes this time! If it were a major court matter, she was sure Kangxi wouldn't tell the Empress Dowager about this matter of marrying a prince's wife. There was no need for Kangxi to fool the old lady.
The Empress Dowager was petrified, and it took her a while to come to her senses. "You read that right, didn't you? When the Emperor left Beijing earlier, he told me there was no rush. He said I didn't need to work hard this year, just talk to my daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law. They'll be moving out soon, so I should enjoy their filial piety in the next one or two years."
Yinreng was also surprised. He hadn't heard any rumors before, so what had caused Kangxi to change his mind? He calmly looked over the letter in his hand again and said seriously to the old lady, "Look, I read it correctly. This is Khan Ama's handwriting, and the seal below is correct."
Kangxi was writing in Mongolian. The Empress Dowager, who had a bit of presbyopia, held it a little further away to read it: "Strange..."
So, the emperor’s heart is as mysterious as the sea.
Soon, the attention of the capital shifted, and the palace came to see young girls one after another, clearly to choose a wife for someone of extraordinary status. According to those who returned, at the first meeting, several of the main seats were present, but later only Concubine Yi came to see her more frequently.
A quick analysis reveals that among the currently unmarried princes who are almost of marriageable age, the Ninth and Tenth Princes are both sixteen this year, so it's time. Instead of worrying about such vague legends as the Crown Prince, it's better to consider whose daughter is lucky.
Just like people are more likely to be drawn to news like "Pork prices are going up again tomorrow" than "Did Colonel Ka get anal sex?" Most of the rumor's recipients have no direct conflict of interest with the crown prince and don't care who gets the throne; it's pure gossip.
The selection of concubines was different, as it was related to one's future! The Fifth Lady's father wasn't a noble, yet the Hetala family was still related to the emperor. The Fifth Prince's mother, Concubine Yi, was no mere concubine. Thinking of this, life in the capital began to stir.
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Yinreng had quite a good imitation of Kangxi, and now he discovered that one of his great hobbies was chatting with the people in the Zhanshi Mansion. Wang Yiqing was a gentleman of integrity, humble and polite, and shouldn't have been interested in gossip. But he was from the Zhanshi Mansion, so it was natural for him to be interested in matters related to the crown prince.
When he spoke, he said without reservation: "I live in the outer city, and although I don't have access to the news, I know that most of what people are talking about and thinking about now is about the beautiful girl. As expected, the innocent are innocent, and the prince does not need to worry."
Yinreng smiled faintly and said, "That's quite true." He felt relieved for the time being, and understood the meaning of Kangxi's letter. As long as his Khan Ama was still protecting him, he would be safe.
The topic changed to Wang Yiqing: "How is your father these days?" When chatting about family matters, of course one has to greet the other person's parents. Well, this sentence is purely a compliment.
"My father remains the same. Please ask about it, Your Highness."
"I remember you have a brother?"
"yes"
…
…
Two quarters of an hour passed in the spring afternoon, and the life of the Crown Prince seemed to everyone to be relaxed and unhurried.
No way!
After chatting with Wang Yiqing and enjoying afternoon tea, Yinreng came to discuss matters with Shujia. Relationships needed to be cultivated, and he needed to repair various relationships, starting with his relationship with Kangxi. It was only then that Yinreng realized how protective Kangxi was of him. He had previously taken Kangxi's kindness for granted, and had been somewhat careless about the father-son relationship.
"Yes, for Khan Ama's birthday, of course we have to prepare the gifts early," Shujia answered honestly, though puzzled. "This year is the same as last year, and we've included Hongdan as well."
"Give me the list so I can take a look."
"Zhao Guoshi."
Compared to Gao Sanxie and others who had to sacrifice themselves to earn their master's trust, Zhao Guoshi's life was much more comfortable. The Crown Princess hadn't shown any aversion to him from the beginning. Zhao Guoshi was cautious and quick to learn. Then, a small tray arrived, carrying a red paper order.
The list was in the form of a folded envelope. Yinreng took it and saw that it was still the same few items. The Crown Princess had purchased clothing, the Crown Prince had purchased antiques, and each of his sons had brought in a few to make up the number. The Crown Princess was very thorough and impeccable. However, there was one thing she couldn't do. Yinreng said, "Wait a moment. I'll carefully copy the sutra a few times."
Shujia was a little surprised. This trick was not like Yinreng: "Then you have to add one more thing, or remove one, otherwise the number will not look good." After hesitating for a moment, "How did you think of writing scriptures? I have never seen this as a birthday gift. It is a bit eye-catching and not very appropriate..." You were not like this before. Abnormal things are monsters, and abnormal people will suffer.
"Hmm? What do you think?" Yinreng asked in a purely discussion-oriented tone, feeling that what his wife said made sense.
"How about offering it in front of the Buddha? We all have the same intention. We just hope for the best for Khan Ama. As long as we pray for Khan Ama, it will be better than sending it to him."
"Okay!" Yinreng smiled slightly, "But it's not good to go to the temple outside. It will attract too much attention."
"How's it going with Suma's mom?"
"good."
The scheming duo laughed. A gift conveys a thought; it's enough for the person involved. Giving it to Suma guarantees Kangxi's knowledge, making it appear more sincere and less showy than giving it in person. Shujia was delighted with having guided Yinreng through this matter, while Yinreng expressed satisfaction at having mastered yet another skill. Zhou Gong dreaded the day of rumors, while Yinreng thought to himself, "What's this little grievance worth now? Wait, I'll definitely get even for this little grievance someday."
"Speaking of which, we always trouble Mother Suma, and I was wondering whether I should thank her properly." Shujia started another conversation.
"What do you mean?" Yinreng was in a good mood and had the patience to chat with his wife.
"It's still Hongdan, too naughty. I don't know who he resembles," Shujia deliberately glanced at Yinreng, "We can't keep him at home anymore. Every day when I go to Ningshou Palace, he insists on following me and even walks with me!"
Yinreng said seriously, "I really don't know who he resembles. My father-in-law taught me to be dignified and polite when I was little. Eh? You just said they walked to Ningshou Palace together? Did they leave from here?"
"Halfway through the walk, he couldn't walk anymore and started to act like a spoiled brat, squatting on the ground and refusing to move. The maids tried to hold him, but he refused. He insisted on waiting until he had rested before walking with me. What a stubborn temper!"
"Like me." Yinreng admitted it. He felt that this was a sign of perseverance, and moreover, it had to be like him.
“…”You can be more shameless.
"You've been talking for a long time, but you haven't told me why you want to thank Suma's mother."
"Didn't I tell you last time? He loves to run around again, and he's not quiet even in Ningshou Palace. Once he makes a fuss, the Empress Dowager and the concubines will gather around to watch him, and they won't be able to talk to him. I threw him to Mother Suma, and I didn't forget to bring him with me when I came back." She looked at the child's father innocently.
"Where is he now?"
As he was speaking, the little fat man came.
He came over unsteadily and plopped down on the carpet. "Greetings to my father and mother." His voice was soft and his pronunciation was a little unclear. Shujia saw that his forehead was sweating and his face was flushed. "Come here quickly."
It was just the beginning of February, and I didn't dare to take off the clothes for the little one. The fat kid was still dressed like a ball. His legs were very clumsy, and he floundered on the ground for a while. When he got up, he almost fell headfirst, and he stood up with great difficulty.
Yinreng was amused: "When did you learn this trick?" He reached out with his long hand and picked up the small cotton ball. The father and son faced each other and asked, "Who taught you this?"
"Replying to Ama," he slurred, saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth, "Mother Suma."
"He's always making trouble. I have to speak to someone in Ningshou Palace this afternoon, and the maids can't control him, so we'll ask Mama Suma to discipline him. It just so happens that Mama Suma lives right next to Ningshou Palace, so she's very close." Shujia completely ignored the fact that the maids couldn't control the fat boy simply because... she indulged him. Children do need to be taught some discipline, but the maids' methods are a bit harsh. They can't physically punish you, but they can just hang around you, using their subservient attitude to make you look like a pretentious fool.
Su Malagu personally raised the 12th prince, and now that he's already in his study, she has plenty of free time. Most importantly, before raising the 12th prince, Su Malagu had another student: Kangxi. She taught Kangxi's early childhood education. Su Malagu was also different from other nannies; she could ride a horse, and her inner temperament was unique. She was a stickler for rules, and she would never teach someone to be stupid.
Yinreng looked at his wife, then down at the fat ball in his hand, speechless for a moment. Should he say that fools have good fortune? Taking care of the child for someone else, what a good thing! And let Su Malagu take care of it.
Shujia did this on purpose. Ever since the little fat boy learned to walk, she had been training him, taking him for walks and so on. To accommodate the little fat boy's speed, she would rather set off early. In the palace, physical fitness was also a factor in assessing one's status. Hongyang was not as healthy as Hongxi, and although Li Jiashi cared more about her eldest son, the palace servants were more fawning over Hongxi.
The Empress Dowager was fond of the little fat boy, who was just learning to walk and eager to show off. The old and the young complemented each other perfectly, and the little fat boy, as a mascot, seemed filial, which would be a bonus in the future. Why not? Children are naturally sensitive and instinctively know who treats them well and who doesn't. He was always happy to see the Empress Dowager. He woke up on time every day, got dressed, and waited to see the old lady. The old lady missed him when she couldn't see him, and he missed her too.
When they arrived at Ningshou Palace, the little fat boy was tired from walking, so he was held by the Empress Dowager and shown around by the concubines. Hongyu and Hongqing had lost the opportunity, as this good job was snatched away by the fat boy's mother and given to him. They could only sigh in regret, not wanting to be like Dong Shi.
After the tour, when we got down to business, he had rested and couldn't sit still. It's difficult to get a child under two years old who has just learned to walk to sit upright like a Buddha.
Shujia happened to ask Suma for help, and her reason was justified: "Everyone was talking in front of the Empress Dowager at that time, and he was making a fuss, so she asked the maids to take him to a quiet place." Yes, all the women in the palace were talking to the Empress Dowager at that time, and there was no one else to look after him.
Today, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has more content to write in his letter to the Emperor.
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Kangxi received Yinreng's letter and read it: "...It has grown quite a bit in weight, and it feels a lot heavier in my hand. Now I can still lift it with one hand..." He imagined Yinreng carrying a meatball and laughed out loud, "...Thank you, Mother Suma, for your help. He has behaved much better since he came back..."
He picked up his pen and wrote, "Yes, the Empress Dowager likes Hongdan, so bring him to see her more often. Mother Suma taught me that he is a good person."
He paused, pondering for a moment. He was pleased to see the little fat boy's growth. There was only one thing: he hadn't had smallpox yet. This was a major reason why Kangxi hadn't rushed to identify the fat boy. After returning, it was time to vaccinate his grandson. Kangxi had added another item to his plan.
The child's grandfather had thought of something that the child's father had not yet thought of. He was busy sorting out his network of relationships.
The Crown Prince then realized that there were quite a few people who genuinely didn't buy his story. It wasn't that they weren't respectful enough to the Crown Prince, but rather that they were too respectful. Their respect was simply respect for the Crown Prince—they weren't really on his side, and yet they couldn't find fault.
Another type of people were those who had been offended by Soetu. Soetu had offended many people, not to mention Mingzhu and his group. There were also many who didn't rely on the eldest prince but had a problem with Soetu, and naturally had some resistance to the crown prince. Now that Soetu had fallen, they were still waiting and watching.
People like Fuquan had almost regained their neutrality, even showing some goodwill. Others were much more difficult to deal with, as they had entire families behind them, with complicated relationships. For example, the Ma and Qi brothers of the Fucha clan treated the Crown Prince as nothing more than the Crown Prince, refusing to get close to him. Another example was Li Guangdi, one of the Han ministers. This guy was incredibly cunning, yet he refused to even budge even a bit towards him.
Yinreng tried hard to recall how they had gotten along so well in the past. Where had he offended her? Unable to come up with a reason, the Crown Prince could only come to a depressing conclusion: there was something wrong with him.
If he wants people to be closer to him, he has to establish a good image and be persistent. But he can't stand out too much, or he'll seem like he's bullying others. It's a difficult balance to strike, and it's really frustrating!
While the Crown Prince was in deep distress, his sworn enemy returned from visiting his father's grave. "Visiting the grave" was Yinreng's inner commentary on the eldest prince's visit. Since Kangxi was away from Beijing, he had to report to Yinreng first. The speaker was beaming with joy, while the listeners were filled with resentment.
Yinzhi received the news while he was at the post station. He knew that the prince had been having a hard time recently. He didn't know what had happened to him, but he killed Soetu himself, and then he got into trouble for no reason, and many people criticized him. He was happy in his heart and said swiftly: "The scenery outside the Great Wall is unique. Prince, why didn't you go there once many years ago? Don't just sit in the palace. A good man has ambitions to travel far and wide. Khan Ama has to go out several times a year. The prince can't just stay at home all the time."
Yinreng was furious, but he still smiled and said, "Brother is right. My sister-in-law is sick again. You've had a hard time on the way. Go back and see her. Ah, this year is the year of the big election. Khan Amas will even give you a concubine."
You'd rather have a new wife, right?
Yinzhi also wanted to leave, to see his wife, and then rushed to see Mingzhu. Mingzhu sent someone to deliver the message, and came back to see him.
Mingzhu is now an old man, but his life is far more comfortable than Soetu's. As a powerful figure rivaling Soetu, a prominent figure who, despite knowing there was a crown prince, still chose him, his conflict with Soetu wasn't one of character but of personal interests. To put it bluntly, neither was a good person, equally greedy for power, bribed, favoritism, and cliquey. It's just that Mingzhu's IQ and EQ were higher.
Mingzhu's mansion is very magnificent. It is a happy thing to spend the rest of your life in such a house.
If the eldest prince was not a little bit more stupid, he would be happier. For the sake of her own happiness, Mingzhu needs to remind Yinzhi not to do stupid things.
The two of them sat down in Mingzhu's study.
Yinzhi couldn't contain his joy, his eyebrows and eyes were smiling, and the corners of his lips were straight up: "Second brother is going to have a lot of fun this time."
Mingzhu sighed in her heart: "I've thrown away a burden. The prince is Coke."
"Huh?"
Mingzhu patiently analyzed, "This was done by the Crown Prince, which proves the Crown Prince is not stupid." She glanced at the eldest prince, who was becoming increasingly dull. She raised her hand to stop Yinzhi's rebuttal, "Don't be unconvinced. After Soetu's fall, the Emperor became even closer to the Crown Prince. This alone is worth it. Who were Soetu's followers? Look at who the Emperor killed. I am a useless old man! The Crown Prince still has people he can use. We can't be too happy too soon."
He sighed, sighed again. If only Soetu had been finished long ago, he wouldn't have had to take such a huge risk to support the eldest prince. Scheming for the throne was a scheme that would destroy an entire family. But who had Soetu stood there in his way? To fight Soetu, he needed a prince, and the eldest prince's identity was too delicate.
If he had known this day would come, he would have stopped and waited for Suo Etu to be finished! He wouldn't have to be in such a difficult situation now, having to bite the bullet and move on.
Yinzhi asked, "Are we just going to sit there and watch?"
"Of course not. But you have to be patient and wait for now. Once you establish your government and build your ancestral home, your opportunity will come."
"It'll only be a month or so before the decree comes down," Yinzhi muttered softly, "What should we do next?"
"Just do your job conscientiously and honestly. Also, don't speak ill of the Crown Prince and don't go against him."
"What?!" The voice suddenly rose an octave.
Mingzhu was very calm: "You heard correctly. I've already taken the first step." She held up a finger. "First, we'll ruin his reputation. The Crown Prince has always had a smooth life. Once something goes wrong, he becomes anxious, and when people are anxious, they are prone to making mistakes." She glanced at Yinzhi with a hint of reproach, suggesting that he also had this problem. "At this time, we shouldn't make any big moves. The Emperor is watching. You must do your job well and let the Emperor know your ability. This is the most important thing. Besides, the princes are all grown up. The more capable they are, the more flustered the Crown Prince will be. The more mistakes he will make, and he will gradually lose the Emperor's favor. The Emperor will then dig up all the bad rumors about him. Now, our opportunity has come."
Yinzhi asked, "How long will it take?"
Mingzhu estimated: "It depends on how well you do and how well the prince does. It won't take long."
There's no clue? Yinzhi was unhappy. He had no hope at all! He secretly made up his mind: he could endure it now. Once he was crowned a prince and moved out of the palace, he would start to act. He had been waiting for more than 20 years and his patience was exhausted. Finally, Soetu was finished. Regardless of whether it was a stupid move or a brilliant one by the prince, it was a good opportunity. If Soetu had a fever, the prince would sneeze too. He should take advantage of his illness to kill him!
Seeing that Yinzhi didn't respond, Mingzhu continued to persuade him earnestly: "You must do your job well now, so that when the prince falls, the emperor will think of you. Otherwise, even if the prince is deposed, the emperor still has more than a dozen sons."
Yinzhi was unhappy. This old man was really a spoiler: "I am the eldest."
"The prince is in high esteem."
"snort!"
"For so many years, how have I treated the eldest prince? Is there ever a time when I didn't think about the eldest prince? Have I ever harmed the eldest prince?" God, if you give me another chance, I will never do such a stupid thing as supporting the eldest prince. I will just wait for the prince to kill Soetu, and then laugh at my mortal enemy.
Yinzhi finally nodded, but he pretended to obey and had other plans in mind.
"The Eighth Prince is getting married. Please take good care of him. You will be rewarded in the future." Mingzhu tried her best to find some positive things for Yinzhi to do, things that Yinzhi would be willing to do, so as to prevent him from getting into trouble impulsively. "The Anwang family can be considered as the Eighth Concubine's family."
Yinzhi liked to hear this: "I'll go see him when I get back."
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The future Eighth Consort was currently in the palace. The wedding was set for this year, but it would be some time after the enfeoffment. Guo Luoluo was also considered a relative of the royal family, so if the Empress Dowager wanted to see her, she had to come.
The girl living under someone else's roof didn't grow up to be Daiyu, but instead became Xiangyun. This is Shujia's evaluation of the Eighth Lady.
The last time I saw her, she was still very young. Now, she's gradually outgrowing the Lolita circle and entering her teenage years. She's wearing a bright red cheongsam, a shiny necklace around her neck, and a light layer of makeup, full of youthful energy. Yet, she behaves gracefully, and even when the Empress Dowager, the concubines, and the other wives look at her, she doesn't shy away.
She sat there with a handkerchief in her hand, a smile on her face, and spoke to the Empress Dowager: "The forsythia in my uncle's garden has bloomed, and there is a whole patch of it by the wall. I simply asked them to make velvet flowers based on the fresh flowers." She tilted her head slightly to show it off.
The Empress Dowager liked cheerful young ladies, and the future Eighth Lady's behavior suited her temperament perfectly. She kept saying, "What a wonderful girl! Your uncle and aunt are reluctant to part with her, aren't they?"
Guo Luoluo was now somewhat embarrassed. Previously, they could have said it was a meeting of relatives, but now that the subject of marriage was being discussed, her cheeks flushed and she lowered her head in silence. Shujia said to the Empress Dowager, "Grandma, look at you! You're embarrassing this young lady."
The Empress Dowager realized she had made a mistake and said sheepishly, "If I had such a lovely child, wouldn't I be reluctant to give her up?"
Prince An's wife said, "Men should marry when they are old enough, and women should marry when they are old enough. This is the right way to go. At most, we can just visit more often in the future."
Concubine Hui had always evaluated Guo Luoluo with the eyes of a future mother-in-law. The marriage had been arranged long ago, and she had previously considered her family background. Her biological father wasn't satisfactory, but her uncle's family, who had raised her, was indeed a good family. She was also worried that this experience of being adopted by her uncle's family would develop Guo Luoluo's eccentric personality. Now, seeing that Guo Luoluo was a generous woman, her eyes finally changed to one of approval.
Today was supposed to be a meeting between the Ninth and Tenth Concubines, with Guo Luoluo merely accompanying them. Unfortunately, her appearance reduced the other girls to mere supporting roles. People's auras really do differ.
Concubine Yi was the one who cared about her daughter-in-law. Among the girls she was looking at this time, one was from the Tong family. She was Tong Guogang's posthumous daughter, but unfortunately, she was born out of wedlock.
As for the Tenth Prince, only the Empress Dowager was slightly concerned about his marriage. The others were neither his legal mother nor his adoptive mother, and had no right to discuss the matter when his biological mother was not around.
These women don’t know that their discussion here is completely useless - Kangxi has no intention of choosing a daughter-in-law from this issue of the show!
In February, Kangxi finally returned before the preliminary selection of concubines.
It goes without saying that he handled government affairs, summoned his son, summoned ministers, and listened to reports. His next stop was to pay his respects to Ningshou Palace.
When mother and son met, the Empress Dowager squinted her presbyopic eyes and looked at Kangxi: "You look very healthy. I feel relieved."
Kangxi also said: "Your good health is your son's blessing."
The Queen Mother couldn't wait to show off her treasures: "I have seen several girls. The Tong family has good upbringing. But the girl from Prince An's family is really good. She is generous and good at speaking."
"From the Anwang family?"
"Old Eighth's wife."
"Have you...never seen the girls from the Eight Banners of Mongolia?" Kangxi was too embarrassed to admit that he was teasing the old lady, so he had to find another way. "Since you're the one making the decision, you should take a look at more girls from that area."
Kangxi's palace had few Mongolian concubines, and even the princes' wives and concubines hadn't had a single Mongolian wife. The Empress Dowager, following precedent, stood within the circle Kangxi had drawn, unprepared for this: "Huh?"
What a surprise!
Kangxi smiled.
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The Crown Princess was angry, and the target was her two sons who were not her biological sons.
Honestly, Hongyang and Hongxi still treated her with respect. Although they were not her biological children, they were respectful to their stepmother. Especially since Hongxi's biological mother was more worried about him, giving him the illusion that he was not cared for, he was closer to his stepmother and spoke more casually.
Once you become easy-going, you'll be exposed.
Hong Xi said to his brother in a very calm tone: "You are no worse than Xu Yuanmeng."
Xu Yuanmeng, her old neighbor from her mother's side, was the unfortunate one banished by Emperor Kangxi to the Xinzheku. Even worse, he was then brought back by Emperor Kangxi to teach at the Imperial School. It was such a bummer, such a bummer! Those in the Eight Banners were all slaves of their families, and teachers had to be respectful to their students, forbidden from hitting or scolding them. Life was damn hard for teachers in the Xinzheku.
In particular, this teacher had once been severely humiliated by a parent in front of his students! This had also affected his own parents, and he had even been sentenced to death. Fortunately, the emperor showed mercy and spared him from being hanged.
It's hard to hold my head up.
Everyone knows that Xu Yuanmeng's riding and archery skills are as bad as ever.
Today, Hongyang and Hongxi came to report their lessons to Yinreng as usual, and then paid their respects to Shujia. Hongxi acted coquettishly to his mother: "Big brother is confessing to Father again, saying that he's not in good health, his riding and shooting skills are not good, and he has embarrassed Father. If you ask me, what's there to feel guilty about..." He always felt that his mother was closer to him.
Hongyang argued: "Good is good, bad is bad."
Hong Xi said casually: "When you grow up, you will not be worse than Xu Yuanmeng." Then, Shujia's face changed.
Xu Yuanmeng is your teacher! Your attitude! Idiots! How can you disrespect a teacher?! If you tell anyone, it'll be a sign of poor upbringing.
Hong Xi continued, "I heard that guy back then..."
"Who is that guy?"
"Ah? Xu Yuanmeng..."
"Who is Xu Yuanmeng?"
"Master."
"I thought it was your Haha beads," the indifferent tone showed that the speaker was very angry. "Do I need to tell you the truth about respecting teachers?"
The tone was very light and there were no harsh words. Hongxi still stammered and didn't dare to respond.
"Who told you that?"
Xu Yuanmeng, the talkative eunuch, was punished so severely that I still remember it vividly.
The two brothers were brought before the prince: "You must tell me this."
Yinreng was very surprised: "What's the matter?"
He pointed at Lin Si'er and asked him to repeat the conversation just now.
"So that's what it is," Yinreng smiled, "It's okay to call it that."
"How can you address your master by his name? Heaven, Earth, the Emperor, your parents, and your teacher are all people to be respected," he sternly lectured the father and his two sons, using his son to point out his father. "Respecting him elevates yourself. How can being rude to your master make you appear superior to others? Just knowing a few words doesn't make you a scholar. A learned person radiates knowledge in everything he does."
Yinreng's ears jumped.
It is said that the next day, a eunuch was missing from the prince's study.
The author has something to say: JJ, you can smoke a little more!
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