[Qing wear] Harem promotion expert

Just after the fifth day of the first lunar month of this year, Shi Erha, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, was transferred, and in February he went to Guizhou to serve as the chief envoy.

Sacred Heart's displeasure can be seen from the transfer from the first-rank minister in the middle of Beijing to the second-rank minister in Guizhou.

As soon as the imperial decree came out, both the Niu Hulu clan to which Shi Erha belonged, and himself, were all bewitched by the imperial decree.Naturally, you have to make some connections—even if the imperial decree has been issued and cannot be reversed, you still have to figure out why the emperor suddenly annoyed you, so that you can correct it quickly.

Shangshu Shi Erha ran away for a day before he was told hesitantly by someone close to him: Why don't you go home and ask your wife?

Shi Erha:? ?

If you ask others again, you won't say it: You are not close, this is a matter of your own family, let others talk about it.

Shi Erha went back to the mansion and asked the maid in the back house to ask what his wife had done recently.The maid who was close to her couldn't bear the master's question, so she had no choice but to speak.Only then did Shi Erha realize that he had stabbed his wife in the back.

He pressed Jue Luo again: "I never told you about the official business, how did you know about it?" He is not stupid to be a minister, the emperor changed the document on his own, and wanted to deal with this matter coldly , Naturally, I don't want to gossip.

Shi Erha didn't find out the omissions in this Yuanwailang's document that day, and he was responsible for the leadership. How could he deliberately tell his wife about this matter, adding to the mistakes.

Jue Luo Shi was forced to ask, so he had to tell the truth: "It was a few days in the twelfth lunar month. I saw that the master was always worrying and sighing, and he was restless, so I forced him to ask the boy who followed the master. He knew that the master was writing a letter of apology. ..."

Shi Erha couldn't believe it: "How dare you go to the front study to look through the papers I presented to the Holy One?"

Jue Luoshi had no choice but to say: "Master's booklet is on the table, and it has not been locked. I... took someone to deliver the bedclothes for the study to Master, and just took a look as I passed by."

If it wasn't for the cold weather in winter and the chilly temperature, Shi Erha would almost be so angry that smoke would come out of his head.

Now that this matter was mentioned, Jue Luo directly felt aggrieved and cried: "The Guerjia family in the palace is really at odds with our family! My sister, who was born to be the first-class wife of the Nian family, has a A little girl who is a noble concubine. But since this concubine Xin entered the palace three years ago, first the noble concubine was demoted and fell out of favor, and then there was an accident in the Nian family. Even my younger sister had to leave and return home, crying every day. My natal family assists the country The government can't hold its head up even in the middle of the capital, and the serious son-in-law of the master doesn't want to visit the house more often."

"Now she's coming to harm the master again! Those very common words were drawn up by the member of the Ministry of Rituals, Wailang, but the emperor was eccentric, so he picked them out and didn't allow them to be used, so as not to engrave these words on the book and implicate him in the future. Concubine! I still have to submit an apology book with all my heart and soul. Let our family tell her to kill her!"

Shi Erha is a standard scholar-bureaucrat, and his wife is a noble daughter of the clan. For so many years, although the two of them are considered to be in love with each other, they are regarded as respectful guests. Your Majesty, it’s clearly you!” Then, I didn’t bother to explain to the confused madam about the situation in the court and the difficulty of being an official, I just felt disheartened: “Okay, you pack your things.”

Jue Luo didn't understand why, and was about to cry: "Master, is it going to divorce me?"

Shi Erha said indifferently: "We have been married for many years and have children. How can we divorce our wife? The holy order has been issued. In February, I will go to Guizhou to serve as the chief minister. Naturally, my wife will accompany me."

Jue Luo was dumbfounded.

Not to mention the Northwest or Yunnan and Guizhou, which have always been known for their hardships, in the eyes of Jueluo, as long as she leaves the capital, even if she is asked to go to Jiangnan and other places, it will be hard work!

So from the fifth day to the tenth day of the new year, Jue Luo visited Prince Yi's mansion several times, just to intercede with Prince Yi.

Thirteen Fujin said: "I've also heard the nonsense she said when the fourth princess was one year old. I didn't want to see her, but she refused to leave - after all, she felt Luo Shi, so I had to see her, but don't worry, I didn't Promise what."

The Thirteenth Master smiled: "I am relieved."

He said with emotion: "Shi Erha is also pitiful. According to my opinion, he is still a dutiful official, but he didn't manage the inner house well."

Shi Erha is Nian Gengyao's serious brother-in-law.But even with such close relatives, Nian Gengyao fell down and the emperor didn't even sit down. He still used it to mention the Minister of Rites last year. It can be seen that Shi Erha is a competent official. I didn't expect the biggest fall to fall on him. On the inner house who didn't care.

Thinking of this, Prince Yi personally poured a glass of wine for Fujin, respected Fujin and said: "Since the emperor's brother ascended the throne, my days in the mansion have become less and less, and Fujin has taken care of both inside and outside. You are exhausted from socializing and dealing with others." It is precisely because of the worry-free family life that the Thirteenth Master can devote himself to government affairs.

Thirteen Fujin was a little shy when Master Thirteen poured wine for her, and when Master Thirteen respected her, her face turned red.

Having been with each other for more than ten years, Fujin naturally knew the trust and affection of the Thirteenth Master for her, and thought that these words need not be said.But it wasn't until I really heard it in my ears and heard the affirmation of the most important person for my years of hard work, that I realized that it wasn't enough to understand each other.

In fact, she has been looking forward to it in her heart, deeply longing for such a firm affirmation from her husband.

Meanwhile, the emperor at the Yonghe Palace was in a similar state of mind.

It was only on the eleventh day of the first lunar month that he was free to go to the Yonghe Palace for a meal.

This time of Chinese New Year is the best opportunity for clansmen to pay respects to the emperor: there are so many clan residences in Beijing, there are so many of them because the children in the family have no errands, and the marriage is not settled.

Work and marriage, the two major problems of modern young people, are also the same in the eyes of all ancient parents: you have to watch your child get married and find an errand before you feel that your parents have fulfilled their responsibilities, and you can let go of this child. .

Most of the clansmen have no real power - the emperor's temperament is exactly the opposite of cronyism. He doesn't like to use these clansmen with good backgrounds, but prefers to use Li Wei and other newly promoted capable and hard-working grassroots.

Because they have no real power, there are not many reasons why these clansmen usually face each other.

It was finally the New Year's Eve, and the clan members hurriedly took the opportunity to walk away from their unique relatives in the world. While paying respects to the emperor, they talked about their family's difficulties and asked the emperor to take care of them.

There have been several generations of emperors since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, and this clan has also grown exponentially.

Rao is the emperor, he has to deal with one of the first and two big ones: he has a reputation for being strict, and even his relatives dare not come to hit the golden bell, which means that all the people who come are 'real relatives'.

For example, Haishan, Prince Gong’s mansion who came to see the emperor today: Prince Gong Changning is the younger brother of Lord Kangxi, and Haishan Baylor, who is the emperor, is the emperor’s serious cousin. He was born two years earlier than the emperor. Those who have read books, drawn bows and been punished for classmate love, such relatives came to plead for mercy, humbled to ask for a small errand for their children and grandchildren, even the emperor could not refuse it outright.

As soon as Haishan was sent away, Manduhu, the Duke of Zhen, came again. This man and Haishan were half-brothers.Lord Kangxi was generous, he allocated several titles to his younger brother's sons, and now they will all be left to the emperor to take care of them.

Prince Gong Changning left behind six sons. These six sons are now about the same age as the emperor, and they are all more fertile than the emperor. They each have seven or eight heirs, and even have grandchildren. How much can be known.

There are more wolves than meat, and each of them counts on the emperor to take care of him.

So from the first day of the Lunar New Year, the emperor began to meet relatives from all walks of life—I really felt more tired than going to court normally.Zhang Tingyu and others helped to take care of the serious affairs of the court, and now even Zhang Tingyu is on vacation, leaving only the emperor surrounded by clan members.

The emperor also experienced hundreds of years in advance the feeling of modern people celebrating the new year, biting the bullet and getting along with relatives they don't know very well.

So when he arrived at the entrance of Yonghe Palace, looking at the familiar lanterns and courtyards, the emperor unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

Su Peisheng, who followed beside him, felt that the emperor's steps were easy.

Just after entering the door, the emperor felt a slight coolness on his cheeks, it was snowing, and he was even more delighted: when he just got the news of Min Min's birth, the sky suddenly fell like this.

Jiang Heng had already received the pass from the inner eunuch, and seeing that the sky had been overcast, he held up an umbrella in advance and waited for the emperor at the entrance of the main hall.

When the emperor approached, she was spared before she even knelt down.

Then the emperor reached out to take the umbrella, held the umbrella in one hand, and naturally took her hand with the other.

With this grip, there was a sense of plush.

The emperor raised his hand in some doubts to look, only to see that her big sleeves were inlaid with the same wind hair as her neck, and there was a big circle of fluff.Paired with a lying rabbit on the head and a fur collar around the neck, it is a very harmonious outfit.

The emperor nodded: "Not bad."

Jiang Heng smiled: Sure enough, the emperor thinks it is good, this is a dog lover and a plush lover.

The two entered the main hall, and the palace servants stepped forward to take off the cloak for the emperor, and offered a cup of hot tea.

"Has the emperor smelled the smell of barbecue?"

Hearing her question, the emperor put down his teacup and stopped drinking the tea: "Finally used the barbecue rack on the west side?"

Jiang Heng smiled and nodded: "Yes, when I was preparing it, I thought I would use it in that winter." But because of pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter, etc., I haven't used it until now.

She stretched out her hand as a gesture of invitation: "Please move, Your Majesty, and this concubine invites you to have barbecue."

The emperor got up and went to the apse without wearing a cloak, walking vigorously.

Heart tired for several days, now looking at the fluffy snow, thinking of the fiery charcoal fire and the fragrant barbecue, the emperor felt that his heart had settled down.

When walking through the corridor, I suddenly remembered the last New Year's Eve in the palace in the previous life: At that time, the queen mother was long gone, and even the thirteenth brother, the queen and many other old people were gone, and the emperor even had a premonition of his own death. The body may not be able to support it for a long time, relying on all kinds of pills to hang the head, but every day the hands and feet are numb and cold.

Therefore, the charcoal fire in the Hall of Mental Cultivation is always full of charcoal.But even so, the emperor had to wrap himself in a thick sable fur to resist the cold in his body.

After the big banquet at the beginning of the first month was over, all the ministers shouted long live, he returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and was still alone.I had nothing to do, so I continued to read the abbreviations written by Hongli.Occasionally, when I look up at the bright New Year's lanterns outside, I feel an unusual sense of desolation.

At that time, he thought, that's all, as long as he has been the emperor for more than ten years, more people under his rule can have a good year. During this new year, the family can sit together, and there will be more meat on the table. Food, the whole family had a joyful and delicious new year, that is, his years of hard work were not in vain.

As for himself, he was used to being alone.

But now, he also has such a year, all his relatives are there, someone is waiting for him with an umbrella on a snowy night, and with the joy of the New Year, he prepares a prosperous barbecue, waiting for him to eat...

The emperor's sigh was interrupted.

From the south window of the main room in the back hall, a loud and clear child's voice came: "Ama! Ama! Let me out!"

The emperor couldn't help being astonished, and turned to look at Jiang Heng: "What's wrong with Minmin?" He couldn't wait for Jiang Heng to answer, so he changed direction and strode into the main hall.

Minmin was standing on the kang leaning on the window, her little face was full of anxiety, and she was still clapping on the window.

And the edge of the bed was surrounded by a seamless soft screen, so she couldn't get out at all, so when she saw the emperor, she hurriedly said: "Ama hug! Get out!"

"That's how you bring the princess? How dare you stop the princess when she wants to come out?"

As far as the emperor's voice and eyes were concerned, several nurses and nurses knelt down like grass in the north wind: "The emperor forgives the sin."

Jiang Heng had already followed in, putting his hand on the emperor's arm that was going to hold his daughter: "Your majesty, it was the concubine who prevented the wet nurses from carrying Minmin out."

The nurses kneeling on the ground seemed to be seeing a bodhisattva descending to earth, thinking that although the concubine Xin had the right idea to not let them take care of the princess, there was a great benefit, that is, if something happened, it was true.

Otherwise, they would have to bear the blame for not taking good care of the princess today.

The emperor looked at Jiang Heng: "What?"

"The emperor carried her out, and she must pester her to eat barbecue." Jiang Heng helplessly explained to the emperor.

Ever since Su Peisheng came over at noon to spread the word that the emperor would come over in the evening, Jiang Heng has been planning to eat barbecue.It's just that there are barbecue grills and everything, but this house has not been used, and the racks are all new and ungreased, so as not to be harsh.

So Jiang Heng decided to ask Xiao Luzi and Qiulu to roast a lot of pork belly at noon, and then used the barbecue oil to moisten the barbecue rack, and also tried the effect of the smoke in the room.

As for the roasted pork belly, Jiang Heng was never a wasteful person, so he let the palace people share it.This is not arrogance, because these pork meats were originally meals that the emperor would not use—except for special dishes such as roasted suckling pigs, pork was rarely used in this banquet in the womb.

As Mr. Dongpo said: "Huangzhou is good pork, the price is as cheap as dirt." Since the early dynasties, pork has been regarded as unworthy meat.In particular, the Manchus still mostly feed on cattle and sheep.

Pork is generally used for oil refining.

The palace people don't care about any kind of meat, as long as it is meat, it is delicious. What's more, the roasted pork belly has been brushed with oil and sauce, and it is full of flavor. After a new year, the food is better than the New Year's Eve dinner.

However, the fragrant barbecue smell attracted Min Min's interest.

She said the longest sentence ever: "Emiang, I will eat whatever you eat."

It's just that Minmin can't eat barbecue with such a lot of oil, so Jiang Heng made a promise with her for a long time, and even gave her half an extra half of her favorite red bean paste, which was strictly limited in the past, and allowed her to drink half a cup of cheese. The most important thing is that the aroma of the barbecue outside is also diffused, and Min Min temporarily forgot about the barbecue.

As a result, the stove was set up again at night, and the child remembered again!

He even started to slam the windows to shake people, as if he had been greatly wronged.

Mainly she realized that this person was really powerful, the emperor poked here, except for Jiang Heng who was still explaining in a soft voice, the nurses were all dizzy with fear.

Ever since Minmin was born, the emperor had never seen such a serious little face of his daughter - the emperor also looked in the mirror, and felt that, let alone, this look really resembled his own.

Jiang Heng watched the emperor carry Minmin out through the soft screen, and then whispered to himself: "Then send Minmin to the empress's mother."

The empress dowager didn't eat much in the afternoon, and Minmin probably forgot about the barbecue after going to play for a while.

After hearing this sentence, the nurses rushed out to ask someone to prepare the sedan chair.

The emperor personally wrapped his daughter in a small cloak and put on a hood, carried Minmin out and walked out, pointing to the snowflakes under the lantern: "Minmin, look, it's snowing."

Probably because she was born on a snowy night, Minmin was also very happy to see the snow, and even temporarily forgot about the barbecue, and reached out to catch the snow with the emperor. Every snowflake falling on her palm would arouse her desire to know the world for the first time. The joyful and amazed laughter, the child's carefree laughter sprinkled on the emperor's heart, felt that the troubles melted away like snowflakes in the palm of his daughter.

Of course, in such joy, Minmin was sent to the sedan chair by her parents who didn't want her to eat barbecue...

"Baked sweet potato skin?"

After the emperor ate a piece of roasted venison, he heard Jiang Heng ask Qiulu to roast two pieces of sweet potato skin to eat. He was quite unfamiliar: "What is this?"

"Your Majesty, what is it made of?"

When Qiulu handed over a bunch of grilled sweet potato skins, the emperor took a bite, and felt a kind of springy texture, with a little bit of vegetable grains in it, which was a wonderful taste.He tasted it slightly: "It's made of sweet potato flour."

Jiang Heng didn't want the emperor to be able to taste the taste of sweet potato flour.

After Xiao Luzi and Qiu Lu roasted a few plates of meat, they stopped and spread the meat on the half-extinguished small charcoal stove between the emperor and the empress, so that it would not be cold or burnt.

Then he saluted and retreated.

From time to time, Jiang Heng flipped the barbecue meat with a small copper tong to prevent it from sticking to the copper wire mesh. He also looked up at the snow outside following the sound of snow pressing on the pine branches outside.

When the emperor's use came to an end, he held a small red and white agate wine glass for the time being, and slowly drank the extremely low-alcohol wine, which was almost like grape juice, while asking Jiang Heng whether he had relieved some of his homesickness when he met Erniang in the second year of junior high school Love: "It's a pity that you first entered the palace, so it's hard to go home to visit." The rules in the palace were not so strict. When I was still in Prince Yong's mansion, no matter whether it was a Fujin or a side Fujin, as long as I told you in advance, I could take a carriage. It is not uncommon to go to the nearby palace to visit relatives and friends, and it is not uncommon to go back to my mother's house during the New Year's Eve.

Seeing the emperor mentioning this matter, Jiang Heng said: "Emianang brought up this matter in the palace, and my concubine feels that I should tell the emperor."

She told about Jue Ercha's gossip about the Jue Luo family at Minmin's first birthday banquet, then she looked at the emperor and said with a smile: "I don't know yet, this kind of thing happened to the concubine's documents. .”

The emperor frowned slightly: "I originally thought that this matter would be settled in the Ministry of Rites."

So when he heard that Shi Erha's wife was playing tricks on her daughter's first birthday banquet, the emperor was very annoyed, and before the first month came out, he sent her to Guizhou: there are few people in the mountains, so if you are so willing to talk, you can talk to the mountains .

This is because Shi Erha himself did not make any serious mistakes, so he was dealt with lightly.

The emperor didn't intend to tell her about it, but he just planned to smooth it out behind his back.Among the concubines in the palace, anyone who mentions Dong E's family is secretive, let alone being compared with her, I'm afraid they will be very disturbed.

At the same time, the emperor was also worried that if she listened to these gossips, she would imitate those "virtuous" behaviors and persuade herself to go elsewhere, which would lose the comfort of the two of them now.

Unexpectedly, she still knew here.

Jiang Heng smiled: "The concubine was a little surprised and worried when I heard it, but once I heard that the emperor knew about it, I knew there was nothing to be afraid of." Then he handed a new roasted sweet potato skin: "If it wasn't for Jue Luo, The concubines really don't know that the emperor is still considerate for the concubines, the concubines thank the emperor."

The emperor took it, seeing her smile was as sweet as the first time he saw her, and his heart was sweet too.

He's used to handling everything by himself, and it doesn't matter if others don't understand.

Just like the aphorism he once wrote to himself: "Look up to the world without shame, praise and blame have their own age."

These words are not only a comment on myself, but also a kind of helplessness.

Because of his painstaking efforts in his previous life, Zeng Jing and others still drew up ten crimes for him, and it is still rumored among the people that he is greedy for money and lustful, and is not a good emperor.In fact, even when he was in line with Zeng Jing, he never stopped his government affairs for a day.

He has always felt that it doesn't matter if he is not understood, as long as he has a clear conscience.

But now, facing the smiling faces in front of my eyes, I find that it is very satisfying to be able to be understood by others about the painstaking efforts behind what I have done, and to be able to be firmly spoken and trusted by others.

In February, Beijing and China's long-discussed draft began.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs sent the order of candidates for the palace to the Manchurian, Mongolian and Han capitals of all banners.

Besides, when the emperor came to the throne, there was only one draft in the palace, so the outside of the palace had to use this time as a reference answer.

Those who have enough family background and want their daughter to enter the palace to fight for the official family of the Eight Banners must hand over money to the Ministry of Internal Affairs these days, and want their daughter to enter the palace on the first day to participate in the election - it is said that the concubine Xin entered the palace on the first day The show girl to be selected.

Three years ago, the draft lasted for many days, but the emperor only arrived at noon on the first day, and this first day was of course very important.

The House of Internal Affairs has been rectified by the emperor, and now they don't dare to be greedy, but the money handed over by each family during the draft is not for nothing, so they accepted it with a smile.

Especially if every family has sent money, it means that no one has sent money, and the House of Internal Affairs will accept the money, and the work will not be done, and the order of the beautiful women after entering the palace will still be arranged according to the old rules over the years.

Afterwards, three copies were submitted to the emperor, queen mother and empress.

Concubine Yu has mixed joys and sorrows about the draft: the worry is that there are another batch of newcomers entering the palace, who basically have to prepare a batch of clothing rewards for those who can't enter the palace; Being occupied, even the morning and evening appointments are exempted. They ushered in the big annual leave once every three years, and they don't have to get up early to say hello for a full ten days.

Concubine Yu posted a post this day, asking Jiang Heng to bring Madam Yu over to participate in her poker game.

Jiang Heng came this time with a newly made bird card.

The mahjong made of pure black obsidian, only the surface of the tiles is gold powder, Yu Fei smiled and said: "Why, bring the tiles yourself, so that you can lose less points?"

Jiang Heng said with a smile: "This is an auspicious card for me to ask the Buddhist priests of the Zhongzheng Hall to calculate it. Black is associated with water, and water is associated with wealth."

Since the new year passed, the weather has gradually warmed up, and Jiang Heng resumed his nightly trip to the Zhongzheng Hall.Now that Minmin is grown up, he can take her out to play together, and Jiang Heng even took her to see his Swan Legion.Although they didn't come for a few days, the swans still recognized the whistle accompanied by delicious food, and enthusiastically went ashore to welcome Jiang Heng (goose cake).

Minmin was so happy to see it that now in the afternoon, she began to ask the wet nurse to have a snack after seeing the big goose - this child's biological clock is more punctual than the alarm clock.

"I mean, I saw a little golden whistle hanging around Minmin's neck the other day, and I wondered if the Changshou lock in the palace had a new look? So it was you who gave her the whistle to call the goose." Concubine Yu was washing the sparrow cards. While chatting with Jiang Heng.

After playing two laps, Jiang Heng still paid for nothing.

Concubine Yu smiled and said, "It's true that the black master is rich, it's just that the money comes from us."

Jiang Heng had no choice but to hand over another chip.

"I don't know how many people can be left in this primary election?" Concubine Yu asked Yu Yu, who was drawing cards, "You have seen a lot, so tell us."

Jiang Heng also listened.

Speaking of the strange things in the world, she entered the palace as a draft pick last time, and was regarded as a concubine outside the palace as a reference answer. In fact, she was not very clear about the specific draft process before!

As soon as she came here, she had already started working in Chuxiu Palace during the probationary period, and she was not given any experience of taking the entrance examination.

It wasn't until this time that the three concubines helped the empress dowager to arrange some chores before and after the draft, that Jiang Heng finally figured out the process of the draft.

This is the first time for these beautiful women to enter the palace. The so-called leaving a sign does not mean that they have entered the palace as concubines. It just means that they have been selected by the royal family and cannot be married by themselves. The ancestors are still to be determined.

After a series of scrutiny in the palace about the family backgrounds of the first draft girls, the empress dowager will order another batch of show girls for re-election, and the show girls who receive the "retain" card will be the show girls who enter the palace. The rest of the re-selection girls just wait at home for the imperial edict of marriage.

"Generally, there are a hundred people who can leave a sign in the primary election, but I'm afraid it's not enough--the third elder brother is going to refer to the marriage, and the fifteenth and sixteenth masters outside have to get married. There are so many The men of the palace are all looking forward to it."

After the 50 years of Emperor Kangxi, not only the population of the people has increased, but the population of the clan has also expanded dramatically.

Marriage is just a microcosm, from which we can see that there are many clansmen.

Jiang Heng couldn't help but think in his mind: This expenditure alone, after a few generations, may be a huge financial burden.Just like the Ming Dynasty, at the end of the period, the Zhu family spawned hundreds of thousands of relatives, and half of the national treasury was used to support idlers, and the military salary could not be paid.

She was thinking about the account and drawing cards when Huang Yang suddenly walked in from outside: "You two ladies, the Palace of Compassionate Ning called the lady on the imperial concubine's seat to come over."

It's like stepping back in time, and it's the same after a few rounds of playing cards last time.

Concubine Yu was shocked: "Isn't today the fourth day of the primary election? The Empress Dowager isn't in the Tiyuan Hall to select girls?"

Huang Yang also thought it was too coincidental, so he had to say: "Just now the little maid of the Compassionate Ning Palace mentioned that a few Geges came from the Khalkha tribe of Mongolia. The Empress Dowager stayed in the Tiyuan Hall to draft girls and couldn't leave, so the Empress Dowager invited a few The concubines and empresses are going to meet the guests."