[Qing wear] Harem promotion expert

"Hongli, what do you think? If there is anything you want to add or if you think there is something wrong, just tell Aijia." The queen mother closed the gift list and wedding dowry list sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Yan asked Hongli.

Hongli also held an identical list in his hand, and hurriedly got up from the chicken-wing wooden round stool and replied respectfully: "The house of internal affairs should be ready, grandson looks fine, thank you Huang Mamu for your concern. "

The Empress Dowager took off the reading mirror and beckoned Hongli to sit on the couch beside her.

Hongli only dared to sit on half of the couch, half of his body was still hanging.

As the grandson grew up day by day, although the Queen Mother loved her the same way, she was inevitably less close.The queen mother still remembered that when the emperor first came to the throne, Hongli Hongzhou was a child of five or six years old, and he dared to take off his little boots and climb up on the couch behind her to eat snacks when he entered the door.

Now ten years have passed in a flash, and the children are about to get married.

It was already the summer of the tenth year of Yongzheng, the auspicious day calculated by Qintian Supervisor, and the sixth day of the eighth month was suitable for a big wedding, and it also coincided with the birthdays of Si Age and Si Fujin.

Concubine Xi has also gone to Yuanmingyuan to 'recover her illness' for more than half a year.

However, the preparations for the prince's wedding were originally decided by the emperor himself, and then handed over to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Even the empress dowager and empress can only give some opinions on the utensils, and they can only improve the quality. There are rules for the quantity. can not be changed.The presence or absence of Concubine Xi's biological mother has no great influence on the preparations for the wedding.

At this time, the Empress Dowager called Hongli to comfort him: "This time, the gift given to Ulanara is less than when your brother got married, but there is a reason for it."

Hongli answered the words obediently: "Grandson understands that sister-in-law is the daughter of a Mongolian prince, and the marriage between Manchu and Mongolia is just different."

The queen mother nodded: "This shows that you are sensible."

After that, the grandfather and grandson had nothing to say, so Hongli resigned.

Aunt Wu Ya came up with the mirror case to put away the glasses for the Empress Dowager, and said: "Seeing that the big wedding is coming soon, it's rare that the fourth elder brother didn't plead with the empress and say something to let the empress Xi come out." At that time, the elder brother saw Tian'er sitting This begging wanted the queen mother to come forward to persuade the emperor, which made the queen mother difficult.

The Empress Dowager's expression was unclear, she didn't see much joy, she just said: "This child Hongli has always had a heart."

Aunt Wu Ya will not mention it.The Empress Dowager didn't like the fact that the sons of the late emperor seized the heir apparent, and it's even more unbearable to see all the sons are grandsons.

Aunt Wu Ya changed the subject and chatted with the mirror, "What do you think of the recent glasses? It turns out that the glass mirrors were brought by Westerners by sea, or from the Western Regions. From this year onwards, all the tributes will be mirrors made by the yamen of Beijing Zhongzaoban.”

She also brought a pair of brown-yellow glasses: "Didn't your mother say that the sun is very dazzling every time I go out in summer for the past two years? No, we also have mirrors made of black crystal and tea crystal. What do you want?" Why don't you take it out now?" Nurse Wu Ya looked at her watch: "This time should be the time when the princess and elder brother learn how to ride a horse, so the empress should take this citrine mirror and go out to have a look?"

People in the palace all got up early. For example, after elder brother went to the study, he would get up at four o'clock in the morning. It was another kind of night reading by candlelight.

The sun has not fully risen yet, and it is the coolest time of the day.

The Queen Mother smiled and said, "Alright, go and see the children."

Minmin and Sixth Brother learn horse riding together, which is the lesson that Minmin asked the emperor to come.

After this year, the sixth elder brother will officially move out of the Yonghe Palace and live in the elder brother's place.Minmin went to grind the emperor, and wanted to learn horse riding with her younger brother for another half a year.

When the emperor faced his daughter, it was always easy to lose his principles.He really ordered people to find the two most docile ponies, and let the two children learn (play) in the school yard for an hour every morning.

Jiang Heng is very supportive of this.

Ever since the sixth elder brother followed Gu Badai to study for enlightenment, Jiang Heng was always worried that his eyes were getting tired.Some time ago, seeing his son rubbing his eyes made Jiang Heng very worried.After returning to the emperor, he ordered a set of lenses from the Zaoban Yamen, and tested his son for myopia.

The Zaoban Yamen established in Beijing today is different from the Zaoban Office in the palace, which is responsible for making utensils for the royal family. It is a special department dedicated to researching advanced manufacturing technologies.

Dai Zi was the first minister in charge.

The reason for setting up a separate department is precisely because the previous lawsuits were unclear, and several departments wanted to fight for this big pie: for example, the Ministry of War felt that firearms were the most important item in the manufacturing department, so it was natural that Dai Zi and others should Affiliated to the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Industry has something to say, and the irrigation and water conservancy is under the Ministry of Industry's management. Since Mr. Dai Zi is responsible for the assembly and supervision of the automatic seeder, he should be a member of the Ministry of Industry.

The Ministry of Officials suggested that the Yamen should be directly merged into the Ministry of Officials for the convenience of management, on the grounds that all talents in the establishment of the Yamen had to be assessed and selected by the Ministry of Officials.

In the end, it was the emperor who directly decided to list them out.

Master Jiu was very sour when he heard the words: When the Foreign Affairs Yamen was first established, no one competed for me.

Let's talk about the establishment of a separate yamen, the allocation of funds from the Ministry of Households is rich, and the talent has been enriched through the imperial examination system, and the establishment of the yamen has made many achievements quickly.

Now not only can I burn out transparent glass lenses by myself to make glasses that are the same as Western flower glasses, but I have even mastered the principle and polished a set of lenses with different degrees, which can measure whether the eyes can't see clearly whether it is nearsighted or farsighted. , as well as testing out the most suitable degree for glasses, almost touched the embryonic form of the modern optical shop.

Jiang Heng wanted a set of these spectacle lenses for his collection, so that he could monitor the condition of his children's eyes at any time.

Fortunately, the sixth elder brother is not yet short-sighted, so Jiang Heng often urges them to go outdoors more.Seeing that Minmin wanted to learn how to ride a horse with his younger brother, Jiang Heng was very supportive and even made them all kinds of small riding clothes.

"The little clothes made by the imperial concubine are interesting. These two children look like a pair of twins from a distance." The queen mother is blind, but she can see clearly from a distance. Just outside the school grounds, she saw the well-educated, The eunuchs and maids guard the children who are just learning how to ride a pony.

Aunt Wu Ya also said: "It's just that the stature is a little short, and it looks like a row of Eros dolls in the empress's room."

The sixth elder brother has not officially gone to the study, and his early morning can still be used to ride horses with his sister.

But the rest of the elder brothers will not be so relaxed.

Seeing the capital at four o'clock in the morning every day is of course for studying.In the past two years, the emperor has paid more attention to the emotional cultivation of his sons. Therefore, although the princes have their own masters to teach separately, they are all together when they review the Four Books and Five Classics and the sacred teachings of Lord Kangxi in the morning.

You have to shake your head and memorize books for an hour before you can have breakfast.

Hongli was summoned by the Queen Mother today, so he was late for morning class.After the morning class was finished, Hong Zhou asked Hong Shi curiously while sorting out the books: "I heard from the eunuchs yesterday that brother is packing up and going to Fujian again?"

Hongshi nodded: "I have also stayed in the capital for more than a month this time, and I haven't been to many ports this year. Fifth brother doesn't know, those foreign businessmen are like water beads in the tideland. If they come out to dry in the sun, they will always get moldy. They have silver in their hands, but there will always be foolish officials who only look at the silver and die—every year they don’t check, and that year there will be some drugs that flow in.”

It was only when talking about these things that Hongshi became brighter. He was usually distracted when he was studying in the study room, just like when a monk hit the clock one day.

Hong Zhou said: "Brother worked hard, but my little nephew is only two months old, and I have to leave Beijing again."

Hongshi returned to Beijing this time just for his wife to give birth.He was naturally happy when he became an ama just now, but after being with his wife and children for a month or two, he was still ready to run away: as long as he was in Beijing, he would always meet Huang Ama and be given some exams by Huang Ama.

Even now that he is an Ama himself, Hongshi still trembles from his internal organs when he sees the emperor.

Now that the enthusiasm for children has passed, Hiroshi is ready to go back to his old business of smoking ban.

The eunuch next to Hongshi collected the books, and he himself said to the two younger brothers with a bit of unconcealed relaxation: "I have returned to Huang Ama, and I will pack my luggage in the next few days, and I have to talk to all the uncles and princes." I will say goodbye to you, and I won’t come to study after that.”

Hongli Hongzhou got up and saluted and bid farewell.

Seeing the back of Hongshi leaving happily, Hongli said that it was a lie that he didn't envy this relaxation, but he was more determined: Hongshi was a deserter.The reason why he was so relaxed was because he gave up the position of the crown prince. As the eldest son, he completely retreated and retreated. He just fled to the outside world blindly, but he couldn't get along in the capital, so he just changed his place to do his best.

When Hongli didn't want to learn from Hong, he wanted to learn from the emperor.

I am only 15 years old now.

Huang Ama didn't ascend the throne until she was 15 years old.

After today's school was over, Hongli went back to sort out his money: Huang Ama had already made a plan to go to Yuanmingyuan to cool off in a few days.Even if he can't see Er Niang at that time, he still has to send some silver to avoid the palace servants in the West Garden of Yuanmingyuan being negligent.

When I heard that Erniang was sent to the Old Summer Palace last year, Hongli was in the same mood as a sudden lightning strike. He didn't know what happened, so he immediately went to ask Huang Ama for mercy, and the answer he got was only "I have taken care of everything." The face of the prince's birth mother' this sentence.

Reminiscent of the rumors about the imperial concubine that just appeared in the palace, what else does Hongli not understand.

Therefore, Hongli was extremely annoyed for a while: he thought that Er Niang would endure with him, but in the end he made such a hasty move, which was obviously discovered by others—if it wasn't for the solid evidence, the Queen Mother wouldn't just keep silent. Even agreed with the emperor.

But life has to go down.Hongli is ready to fight a protracted war.In one year, ten years, or 20 years, he took the age of Huang Ama's enthronement as a goal to motivate himself to survive.

Get through this long time.

Speaking of the time, Jiang Heng has recently received a lot of new clocks.

To put it bluntly, the first thing that aroused the Chinese interest in Western things should be the precise timekeeping clocks and watches.

It can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty when Emperor Wanli received the Western clock for the first time. He was very interested in this kind of precision self-ringing clock.The emperor was interested, and the communication between the East and the West was smooth.It is not an exaggeration to say that clocks and watches are the biggest stepping stone for foreigners to enter the land of China.

After that, dynasties changed, and in the Qing Dynasty, it did not hinder the royal family's love for Western clocks.

This has always been one of the top luxury goods in Beijing.

It is said that this item has been popular among nobles for many years and the price is high. It is not that no Chinese people want to imitate it to make money.For example, in the Ten Lines of Guangzhou, businessmen called craftsmen to make imitations.But in the end, they know what they are and don't know why, and the clocks they make are relatively rough and the timekeeping is not very accurate.If the goods cannot be sold, gradually no one will do it, and only concentrate on reselling.

Until the establishment of foreign affairs yamen and zaoban yamen.

Now Jingzhong has been able to manufacture clocks as exquisite as the Western clocks brought over from France across the ocean.

Moreover, the Western clocks I purchased were naturally made by foreigners according to Western culture. The patterns on many clocks are women in mythology who are dressed coolly or even only in tulle, or simply wear nothing on the upper body. Male gods—the aesthetics of the two places are different. Many aristocratic families feel that it is unsightly, and they also wonder what is going on with Westerners. Do they just not like to wear clothes?Strange way to buy a lot of silk all year round.

Nowadays, the Yamen of the Central Government of Beijing can steadily produce domestically produced clocks and watches, and their shapes naturally fit in with Chinese civilization. For example, the round clock shaped like Chang'e holding the moon in the cloud, and the large carved clock with Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea are all deeply loved by the aristocratic families.

Sales of imported Western clocks have dropped a lot.

At this time, what Jiang Heng received here were also several domestically produced clocks.

At first, France was afraid of losing the big business of selling clocks and watches and would not make money. Later, I found out, no, I can't make money from Qing Dynasty, but I can change hands and become a second-hand dealer.

Such oriental clocks and watches, like silk and porcelain, are the favorite luxury items collected by western aristocrats to show off.

Jiang Heng didn't expect that on this timeline, there would be a situation where the "Chinese Bell" transported by France would be sold to Western countries.

When Minmin came back this day, he was rarely in a low mood.

Jiang Hengyuan was writing in front of the case, and when Qiu Xue said that his daughter was not in a good mood, he immediately put down his pen and washed his hands and went to the back hall.

When we arrived, we saw Min Min looking at the flowers at the window, Jiang Heng walked over and sat beside him: "What, did you quarrel with the sisters?"

Today Fourteen Fujin brought a few princesses from Prince Xun's mansion to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, also because the eldest princess in the mansion was about to get married, and had just made a marriage arrangement, came in to meet the Queen Mother, and the rest of the princesses were brought by Fourteen Fujin came in.

Min Min is the closest to Liu Gege from Prince Xun's Mansion, and has played the most since childhood.Today, I went to the Compassionate Ning Palace to meet my cousins ​​during the day.

When Jiang Heng saw her come back with something on his mind, he thought at first that the girl was having a quarrel.

Unexpectedly, after asking, Minmin thought about much bigger things than here.

"Er Niang, what do you think I will do in the future?"

"In the future?" Jiang Heng was a little uncertain about how far in the future his daughter was asking.

Min Min lowered her head and said, "Sixth Sister likes female celebrities, she showed me her newly learned stitches, and said that she had made a new purse fan cover for Uncle Fourteen's birthday. I specially begged the emperor's mother, and went to learn new stitches from the embroiderer in the palace."

Jiang Heng heard Fourteen Fujin say it once, and half sighed and half worried: "Is there still a shortage of needleworkers in our family? This child is not yet ten years old, and he does needlework until midnight and refuses to sleep—whatever I kissed her mother-in-law. Those who know say that their mother and daughter like to study acupuncture, but those who don't know think that I, Fujin, are so mean."

It can be seen that Liu Gege is doing needlework, not only because the girl is proud of being a female celebrity, but also because she is born with a passion here.

"For example, the elder sister of Uncle Jiu's family likes to learn arithmetic." Minmin stretched out her small hand and made a small gesture: "That time when she entered the palace, she brought something she loved to show me, it was such a small abacus. Although small, the abacus can be dialed just like a real abacus."

Jiang Heng also remembered that Gege from Jiufu Jin probably inherited the talent of Master Jiu and was born with the ability to settle accounts.Knowing that there are many Western books in the Yonghe Palace, he came back with Minmin specially, and borrowed a few books on mathematics by Westerners from her to read and play. It is said that Master Jiu also prefers this daughter for this reason.

Minmin raised her face, obviously distressed: "But Er Niang, I don't have anything that I particularly like."

In fact, Jiang Heng started to give his daughter some lessons after Minmin had the vaccine: calligraphy, arithmetic, and foreign languages ​​are courses that children need to calm down to learn. As for music, painting, handicrafts and other favorite courses, they are also scheduled. superior.It's not that Minmin studies hard to become some kind of all-round princess. First, it's for children to develop time concepts and study habits when they reach an age.Furthermore, Jiang Heng took out everything for his daughter to try, wanting to see where her daughter's interest lies.

Life is long for dozens of years, and there will be a sustenance if there is a hobby that you like from the heart.

Especially for Minmin, she doesn't need to worry about life, without bitterness as a flavoring agent, sometimes the sweetness doesn't feel sweet at all.

Not to mention, up to now, Jiang Heng has not seen what Minmin has a special preference for. Basically, he maintains a wide range of curiosity, but he is not obsessed.

It's the same as her temperament when she was a child. If there is no one, she will take that anyway, and she has never been obsessed.

However, this time, the child became distressed by this.

Jiang Heng didn't speak for a while.

On the other hand, Minmin was the only remaining nanny, seeing that the imperial concubine and the princess were silent, she felt that she had to make a good offer, so she flattered her: "The princess's paintings are very good, why don't you often paint and give them to the elders."

Before the words fell to the ground, Qiu Xue said: "Mother, come out with me." He invited the people out, and only left the inner room for the empress and the princess.

Jiang Heng didn't ask his daughter what she likes, but asked in a different way: "Minmin, what did you do today?"

Listening to her counting her fingers and talking about her day: first, she went horse riding with her younger brother, and then followed the empress dowager who watched them ride horses back to the Palace of Compassion, where she changed clothes and ate snacks.Afterwards, I saw my cousins, and when Liu Gege went to the Needle Industry Bureau, the Queen Mother also asked the nanny to send Minmin back to the Yonghe Palace first--then we will talk about betrothal preparations and other adults' words.

On the way back, Minmin went to see the swans, and then went to the rare bird house.

Speaking of this, Minmin suddenly became interested, and said to Jiang Heng: "Does Er Niang know? Little turtles come out of eggs."

The rare bird room is not limited to poultry, basically all the small animals kept in the imperial garden are under their care.Therefore, in addition to rare birds such as peacocks, white cranes and swans, there are also many fish fry and turtles.

Jiang Heng nodded, she knew that the turtle came out of the egg.

"Does my mother know that if you put baby eggs next to a hot stove, the hatchlings will be female turtles, and if you put them in a cooler place, will all the hatchlings be male turtles?"

Jiang Heng really didn't know this.

Seeing the joy in Minmin's eyes, Jiang Heng suddenly cleared the clouds and saw the fog, and she hugged her daughter: "Look, Minmin, isn't this what you like to do in the future?"

Minmin leaned on Er Niang and said in a low voice: "But Er Niang, these are useless things."

As she grew up, she met more cousins ​​from various palaces. Usually, the sisters started gossiping, what is the useful skill that everyone admires?It is a female celebrity like Liu Gege who is outstanding, and can often do needlework by herself to honor her parents; it is like the sisters in Jiushu's house who can settle accounts, and like the sisters in Uncle's house, they can compose poems and do it every festival. Two poems, dedicated to the elders...

But what she is interested in is all kinds of loose and strange little knowledge.

For example, she knew that Erniang had a set of lenses with concave and convex lenses, and Uncle Jiu's eyes were not very good. He used to squint to see things, but now he can see clearly with concave lenses, but Huang Mamu is getting older. Can't see clearly but only with convex lenses.

Don't look at the glasses that look the same, but if you wear them backwards, you will be even more difficult to see clearly.

But when she told her cousins ​​these things, others would agree and sigh, but Minmin could tell that they only agreed because she was a princess, and actually felt that these were insignificant gossip.

You want Minmin to say that today I fed the turtle with small strips of meat, observed the patterns on the turtle’s back, and listened to the turtle’s habits explained to her by the palace man who raised the turtle next to her. After learning new stitches, it is interesting who gets new jewelry.

In the past two years, Minmin didn't feel it, because her younger brother always accompanied her to talk about it.

But after the Chinese New Year, my younger brother will move out.Huang Ama said that his younger brother was going to study, to learn serious knowledge of governing the country.

Coupled with the lack of congeniality with the sisters today, Minmin is rarely depressed, lonely and at a loss: why is she only interested in these 'useless' things, and what will she do in the future?She also wants to learn a strength that can be used, so that Ama Erniang can praise it to others?

Jiang Heng rubbed his daughter's chin, soft and tender, like a child's heart that hasn't been beaten.

She said softly: "This is useless. Minmin, some people are born to appreciate this world."

Minmin looked up at her mother.

Jiang Heng lowered his head and smiled at her: "Minmin can write all these down, the flowers, birds, fish and insects you like to see, the Western utensils you like, and even the sun, moon and stars that your emperor Ama taught you. It can be what you want to do in the future.”

Minmin turned around and hugged Eniang's neck, her happy eyes were like two small galaxies.

"Like the "Integrated Ancient and Modern Books" compiled by Huang Mafa?"

Jiang Heng nodded and shook his head with a smile: "There is no need to deliberately seek completeness, as long as you are interested, you will listen to it and write it down. In the future, it will be Minmin's own encyclopedia."

Come to this world once, look at the wind, the rain, the clouds, and everything, and feel happy in your heart.As long as you walk through this life with enthusiasm and sincerity, and enjoy the world with great interest, you will not fail yourself.

Minmin got up from the bed: "Then you have to prepare a lot of notebooks, Er Niang, I know there are many things to write down."

Jiang Heng nodded: "Just worry about writing, I will take care of the loose-leaf booklet for you."

Two days later, the emperor went to Yonghe Palace for dinner and asked about it.

"What is Minmin going to do? I heard that she is going to write a book. She has already ordered me to write an inscription and postscript for her." The emperor had a smile on his face. The only one the emperor promised was his daughter.

Hearing Jiang Heng's rough explanation, the emperor nodded: "That's right, I'll live up to your miscellaneous knowledge."

Does this mean that Minmin has followed her, so she is interested in everything?

"Tell Minmin to just do it. If there are more collections in the future, I will print them into books for her in separate volumes." The emperor thought of his daughter's happy and glowing face yesterday, and he was relieved and hopeful: "I only look forward to this child. I've been so happy all my life."

Jiang Heng nodded and said warmly: "With the emperor's love and care, I will."