There is always a bright future ahead.
Emperor Hongwu closed a door for Muchun, and opened a window. As a result, Muchun's mood was like a dandelion blown by the autumn wind, sometimes on the ground, sometimes in the sky.
The twelve upper guards of the imperial army were: Jinyiwei, Qibearer Guard, Jinwu Vanguard, Jinwu Rearguard, Yulin Left Guard, Yulin Right Guard, Fujun Guard, Fujun Left Guard, Fujun Right Guard, Fujun Vanguard, Fujun Rearguard and Huben Left Guard.
The Twelve Guards were stationed at the gates of the imperial city's forbidden areas. They were not under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War and only took orders from Emperor Hongwu. However, Emperor Hongwu was busy with all kinds of affairs and had no energy to command and arrange the training, patrols, guarding and combat of this group of people. Therefore, Emperor Hongwu had to choose a trustworthy person to lead the imperial guards.
Guo Ying, the Marquis of Gongchang, was able to fight outside and guard the city. He was quite famous in the army and could control the twelve guards. When Mu Chun was the commander of the Yulin Right Guard, he was only responsible for the security of the area east of the imperial city. Now he became Guo Ying's deputy general and ran to various gates inside and outside the imperial city several times a day - but he was unlucky and did not meet Sister Shanwei by chance.
Moreover, most of the people around now are Guo Ying's men, and it is not as convenient as before to find Hu Shanwei. Mu Chun is worried that she can't hide the little secret in her heart, which may harm her instead. Therefore, she focuses on the guards of the imperial city that she is familiar with, and dares not act rashly.
Hu Shanwei was reinstated, and Chen Ermei from the Imperial Food Bureau took advantage of her position to hold a welcoming banquet. Old friends like Jiang Quan and Huang Weide all came, but Shen Qionglian was absent, and she asked the palace maid to bring a jar of fine wine.
After four years, everyone got used to Shen Qionglian's aloof temper and didn't care about it. They drank and chatted during the table. Hu Shanwei then learned that Chen Ermei had written a letter asking her family to help find Huang Wei De's relatives. After three years of hard work by the Chen family, the result was achieved. The Chen family found Huang Wei De's home in Panyu County, Guangdong.
The Huang family never moved. After the war, Huang Wei De's parents waited for their daughter in the old residence, hoping that she would still remember the way home until she died.
Now, almost all members of the Huang family have died, with only a young niece left alive. The Huang clan took the opportunity to wipe out the family, seized the orphan's house and land, and sold her to someone else as a child bride on the pretext of arranging a marriage.
The Chen family found the orphan girl and redeemed her with ten times her value of silver. Now she is raised in the Chen family and is taught to read and write.
Huang Wei De had been in the palace for many years and had accumulated some money, which he entrusted to Chen Ermei and handed over to the Chen family as money for his niece's redemption, support and education expenses, and then placed his niece in the Chen family for foster care.
After hearing this, everyone sighed. Hu Shanwei was also moved. The world is so big and everyone has their own life. She cannot expect everyone to revolve around her. It is true that Huang Wei De is her student, but Huang Wei De also has his own life. Hu Shanwei is just the teacher in her life. Huang Wei De's past and future will be involved by people who are more important than herself.
A maid who was lost and abducted during war in her childhood, who reads by the light of the fire under the stove and uses charcoal as a pen but refuses to give up studying, her future is definitely not just to be my, Hu Shanwei's, student.
I have only been an official in the palace for a few years, but I have unknowingly developed a self-centered consciousness. I have magnified my own contributions several times in order to measure the contributions of others and treat others with an attitude of favor. This idea is ridiculous.
Hu Shanwei thought about this clearly, and his stubbornness disappeared immediately. He suddenly became enlightened and toasted Huang Wei De: "I wish you all the hard work will pay off, and finally be reunited with your family."
Huang Weide wiped his tears, drank the wine in the glass, and sighed, "People should never give up hope. It is useless to feel sorry for yourself and lament your miserable life. If I hadn't been so determined to study hard, I wouldn't have become your disciple, I wouldn't have met Chen Ermei, and I wouldn't have been able to ask her to help me find my relatives. The moment I got the news about my niece, I was happier than when Empress Xiaoci gave me a name."
Huang Wei De's original name was Mei Xiang, a standard slave name.
Chen Ermei noticed that the atmosphere was a little sad, so she immediately raised her glass and said with a smile, "It's an unforgettable event for you, but it's just a piece of cake for me. We have decided to enter the palace as ladies-in-waiting and spend most of our lives in the palace. Fate is hard-won. We should support each other and learn from each other's strengths and weaknesses. We should all stay single in this life, right? Anyway, when we get old, we will have money and status, and we will grow old with dignity. When the time comes, we will retire from the palace and live together to see who can live longer."
Chen Ermei wanted to comfort him, but Huang Weide immediately responded, "Okay, then we'll all become immortals."
Jiang Quan smiled and said, "In terms of age, I am the oldest. You can all come and see me off in the future."
Everyone laughed and clinked their glasses together, "Cheers to the immortal old man!"
That night, both the host and the guests had a great time and drank up the jar of fine wine that Shen Qionglian had sent.
On the eighth day of the eighth month, Empress Xiaoci celebrated her death anniversary. The tenth day was the anniversary of the death. Five days later, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, it was the Mid-Autumn Festival. However, the harem was still in mourning for the empress. Concubine Guo Ning summoned Concubine Guo Hui and Concubine Da Ding to discuss matters together and said:
"Mid-Autumn Festival is a major festival. In the past, it was celebrated with great fanfare. However, this festival is too close to Empress Xiaoci's death anniversary and the emperor is not in the mood to celebrate. I suggest that we keep this festival simple and cancel all celebrations. We can only hold a royal family banquet. What do you think?"
Concubine Guo Hui said: "Concubine Ning is right. It's better to keep it simple."
The wooden beauty, Concubine Da Ding, did not dare to move, and said woodenly: "I will listen to my two sisters."
Concubine Guo Ning said: "Then it is settled."
After the important matters were finalized, Concubine Guo Hui and Concubine Da Ding, who were too busy to do anything, immediately resigned and returned to their respective palaces, staying indoors and refusing to go out.
Concubine Guo Ning said to Hu Shanwei: "It would be great if all the six bureaus and one department were like these two concubines."
Hu Shanwei was not as relaxed as Concubine Guo Ning. "The Emperor appointed these two people to help His Majesty manage the harem, but they just follow His Majesty's lead without any suggestions. This is not a good thing. If something goes wrong, it will be His Majesty's responsibility. If it goes well, they will naturally share some of the credit."
Concubine Guo Ning slammed the table and stood up, "These two usually seem to be quiet, but I didn't expect that they both have good calculations."
"Your Majesty, calm down." Hu Shanwei advised, "Given the backgrounds of Concubine Hui and Concubine Ding, if they were not more tactful, they would have lost their place in the harem long ago. What Your Majesty needs to do is to boldly let go and leave things to them to do, and let them make their own decisions. For example, at the Mid-Autumn family banquet, Concubine Hui will be in charge of the banquet, and Concubine Ding will be in charge of the lantern riddles, singing and dancing during the banquet. Your Majesty will only coordinate behind the scenes."
Concubine Guo Ning was uneasy. "I am worried. What if these two mess up? This is the first major festival I am organizing."
When she first came to power, she was always frustrated. Concubine Guo Ning wanted to do something great to show her abilities and let Emperor Hongwu see her good points.
Hu Shanwei advised Concubine Guo Ning to change her habit of seeking credit: "Given the personalities of Concubine Hui and Concubine Da, I guess they will follow the old rules and never do anything fancy. The Emperor is not in the mood for a festival, so no one will appreciate it no matter how well you do. Your Majesty has just arrived, so if you don't make any mistakes, it will be a credit. There is still a long way to go. Once Empress Xiaoci's 27-month mourning period is over next year and the royal family is no longer in mourning, it won't be too late for you to hold a grand ceremony."
Hu Shanwei's frank advice touched the heart of Concubine Guo Ning. Concubine Guo Ning felt that Hu Shanwei was indeed a real person, but she was indeed hurt by him.
Concubine Guo Ning said, "I understand what you said. 'Not making mistakes is a merit.' That's what Concubine Li did before. But I'm different from Concubine Li. I have a distinguished family background and have a prince. Do I have to learn from Concubine Li?"
Concubine Guo Ning felt hurt by Hu Shanwei, and Hu Shanwei felt angry by Concubine Guo Ning! With this kind of thinking, the power of the harem will be over sooner or later!
Hu Shanwei is not the traditional gentle, persuasive, and earnest person. She is better at giving warnings and bluntly said:
"Yes, Your Majesty is indeed different from Concubine Li. When Concubine Li was in charge of the harem, it was General Gongchang Marquis Guo Xing who led the Twelve Guards. Now that Your Majesty is in charge of the harem, the Twelve Guards immediately have an additional General Mu Chun, the Marquis of Xiping, as their deputy general. This is the difference. Your Majesty, you have to be more careful than Concubine Li."
Concubine Guo Ning's face changed drastically. She covered her chest and shouted in a low voice, "How dare you discuss state affairs! If anyone in the harem interferes in government affairs, they will be executed. The iron tablet is still standing on the East-West Long Street."
Hu Shanwei recalled Empress Xiaoci's teachings: the affairs of the harem are closely related to the previous dynasty and influence each other.
Hu Shanwei said, "There are many yes-men in the harem. Why did the queen invite me back? If the queen regrets and thinks I am a nuisance, then let me go back to Xiaoling Mausoleum to feed the deer."
After saying that, Hu Shanwei walked away in anger. Concubine Guo Ning was so stubborn that she felt that she was about to become the second Concubine Li who died without knowing why she died - she died because of her own actions. The murderer behind the scenes wanted to push Concubine Guo Ning to the top and then let her dig her own grave.
It must be, this is consistent with the murderer's usual style of action, careful planning, one link after another, and impeccable.
Seeing Hu Shanwei approaching the door, Concubine Guo Ning shouted, "Stop!"
Hu Shanwei stopped walking. She was just acting to give Concubine Guo Ning a drastic measure. Concubine Guo Ning had lived a comfortable life for too long and was about to be spoiled. She had ambitions but nothing else. She was a complete idiot.
Some people want Concubine Guo Ning to dig her own grave, but Hu Shanwei doesn't want Concubine Guo Ning to fail. She wants to see what tricks the other party will use. Only when the opponent takes action will she have the opportunity to chop off her own hands.
Concubine Guo Ning asked: "Can you help me become a noble concubine or a queen?"
Hu Shanwei turned around, shook his head, and answered neatly, "No."
Concubine Guo Ning showed a disappointed expression.
Hu Shanwei looked at Concubine Guo Ning steadily, "I can only do one thing for you, and that is to take care of the harem. I can't do anything else."
At this point, Concubine Guo Ning and Hu Shanwei opened up. Concubine Guo Ning had lofty ambitions, but to achieve this goal, managing the harem was the foundation.
The two looked at each other for a long time. Concubine Guo Ning clapped her hands and laughed, "No wonder you can protest against Concubine Cao. You are really a match made in heaven. I believe in you, and you must keep your promise."
Concubine Guo Ning did as Hu Shanwei said and delegated power. Concubine Guo Hui and Concubine Da Ding repeatedly shirked responsibility, saying that they had never done such a thing and that they would listen to their sister in everything.
Concubine Guo Ning said, "The Emperor wants you two sisters to share my worries, so I won't refuse. We have been sisters for many years, celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival every year. Even if we haven't eaten pork, we have seen pigs run. The banquet will be given to Concubine Hui, and the riddles, singing and dancing will be given to Concubine Ding. It's settled, you two sisters, please quickly discuss it with the six departments and one bureau. The festival will be in three days, and I am counting on you two sisters."
At the royal family dinner on Mid-Autumn Festival, everything went as expected by Hu Shanwei. Emperor Hongwu was missing Empress Xiaoci and was in low spirits. Finally, according to past practice, court poets wrote poems to commemorate her. Emperor Hongwu selected Shen Qionglian's Mid-Autumn poem as the best and gave her a reward.
Cui Shangyi was overjoyed and led Shen Qionglian forward to thank her. Shen Qionglian was already drunk. She took the reward but was still unwilling to leave. She waved her hand and said, "Bring me paper and pen. I can still write."
Hu Shanwei spread out the paper, and Shen Qionglian picked up the pen and wrote without hesitation: "Shangyi introduced me to the dragon bed, and the emperor personally wrote the incense. Fortunately, I was ranked first in the roll call, and I danced to thank the king for his grace."
Shen Qionglian had been a court poet for four years and had long figured out the tastes of the Hongwu Emperor. Her writing was easy to understand and very appropriate to the occasion, just in line with the aesthetic tastes of the Hongwu Emperor, who was very pleased and finally smiled at the end of the Mid-Autumn family dinner. "Teacher Shen is a natural talent. The princes of the Grand Hall happen to be learning the Book of Documents, so let Teacher Shen teach them the Wu Yi chapter."
The author has something to say: Shen Qionglian really taught the princes the "Wu Yi" chapter. Anyway, I basically can't understand the "Shang Shu", so it is difficult to explain this clearly.
The days before the 15th are all Chinese New Year. I will give out 100 red envelopes tonight. Come and get them~
Congratulations to reader Momo for receiving a big red envelope of 100 points.
№14 Netizen: Momo Comment: "Hu Shanwei" Score: 2 Published time: 2019-02-12 23:37:12 Reviewed chapter: 113
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