The Prince of Lu was enfeoffed in Yanzhou. Gradually, he was no longer satisfied with his daily hobby of reciting poems and composing essays and answering poems with other scholars. As the emperor was far away, he began to imitate the poets of Wei and Jin dynasties and take elixirs to stimulate his inspiration. The Prince of Lu's wife, Tang, took the "Instructions/Admonitions for the Virtuous Concubines of Zhao and Song" given by her mother-in-law to discipline her husband.
His wife was very strict and he couldn't get the pills from outside, so the naughty boy Lu Wang simply got a few cauldrons and learned alchemy from scratch in the basement of his study. He produced and sold the pills himself, ate them and enjoyed them all. Of course, this is all a story for later.
In addition to Prince Lu's marriage and enfeoffment, other princes and princesses of the same age in the harem also got married, and there were constant happy events in the palace.
When Consort Chengmu Sun passed away, according to Emperor Hongwu's "Record of Filial Piety and Kindness", her children had to observe mourning for their stepmother for a year and were not allowed to talk about marriage.
Just after the mourning period ended, Empress Xiaoci passed away, and her children mourned for their stepmother for 27 months...
The palace held funerals one after another, delaying the marriage of the children. If another concubine died in the palace, according to the new filial piety system, the marriage would be delayed for another year.
You have to follow the rules you make yourself, even if it means crying.
Emperor Hongwu was also a father. Like all fathers in the world, he could not tolerate his children not getting married when they reached the age of marriage. Therefore, as soon as the mourning period ended, Emperor Hongwu quickly arranged marriages for his son and daughter:
The tenth prince, Prince Lu, married Tang, the eldest daughter of Duke Xin Tang He, as Princess Lu, and went to Yanzhou, Shandong to be a fief.
The eleventh prince, Prince of Shu Zhu Chun, married Lan, the eldest daughter of Lan Yu, Marquis of Yongchang, who had made outstanding contributions in the southern expedition, as his Princess of Shu, and went to Chengdu, Sichuan, to be enfeoffed as a vassal.
The seventh princess, Princess Daming, married Li Jian, the commander of the former military governor's office. Li Jian was chosen as the seventh consort mainly because his father, Li Ying, died in Yunnan during the southern expedition in the first two years of the Ming Dynasty, and the Hongwu Emperor comforted the orphans of the martyrs.
The eighth princess, Princess Fuqing, was the biological daughter of Empress Xiaoci and married Zhang Lin, the son of Zhang Long, Marquis of Fengxiang.
The ninth princess, Princess Shouchun, married Fu Zhong, the eldest son of Fu Youde, Duke of Ying. Fu Youde was the commander-in-chief of the Southern Expedition Army and had made many contributions. Moreover, Fu Tianxi, the youngest son of Fu Youde, died in the Southern Expedition and his body was never found. To appease the old general, Emperor Hongwu married his most beloved Princess Shouchun to the Fu family.
In general, this "collective wedding" of the royal family was basically related to the Ming Dynasty's southern expedition. People inside and outside the court began to realize that Emperor Hongwu attached no less importance to the southwestern territory than to the northern border, for which he fought hard for every inch of land.
In the southwest of the Ming Dynasty, as Lady Shexiang and Lady Mingde led their clansmen to cut through mountains and build roads, the Longchang Nine Posthouses were gradually opened. Some shrewd Ming Dynasty merchants began to go to Yunnan and Guizhou to do business and discovered that this was simply a gold mine.
How good was the business? One pound of salt could be exchanged for two horses.
Get rich!
In order to encourage their clansmen to leave the mountains, Lady Shexiang and Lady Mingde simply sent their sons to study in the capital to set an example. Emperor Hongwu summoned the descendants of these two heroines and arranged for them to study in the Imperial College.
The Hongwu Emperor had such an obvious political inclination that gradually some officials were willing to go there to serve as temporary officials and make achievements to get promoted; some civilians were also willing to go there to seek wealth. The Yunnan and Guizhou regions, which had been closed for thousands of years, began to communicate and integrate with the Central Plains civilization.
Just as people outside the palace were gearing up to take advantage of Emperor Hongwu's policy to revitalize the southwest to gain some political achievements or make some money, the harem, which had experienced a palace coup and bloody storm, was also showing signs of recovery and revitalization.
The newly promoted Concubine Guo launched an offensive against the position of empress. In order to show her ability, she was extremely dedicated to the five major marriages. As the saying goes, if you copy a book a hundred times, its meaning will become clear. Concubine Guo was mediocre in talent, but she worked hard all the way and gradually changed the evaluation of Emperor Hongwu and the harem with her loyalty and diligence.
The complicated weddings of two princes and three princesses were held one after another. There were constant happy events in the palace this year, and it was busy but not chaotic. The previous sad and tense atmosphere was swept away. Finally, people no longer had to live in fear of losing their heads all day long. Although it was a busy year, the mood of the palace people gradually improved and they were willing to smile at people.
People must look forward eventually, no matter how much blood and gore has happened before. When the huge waves recede, the noisy beach will return to a flat land, leaving occasionally a few empty shells and conchs to tell the past.
After five consecutive happy events, the atmosphere in the palace gradually became harmonious, and it was no longer the scene where everyone was in danger.
My mood improved, and the people and things that I used to find annoying gradually became pleasing to the eye.
Even Cao Shang Gong, who used to look down on Concubine Guo Ning, whispered to Hu Shanwei: "Since Concubine Guo was crowned as a noble concubine, she seems to be more relaxed. She always wanted to show off her power in front of us. Now that she is a noble concubine, she speaks and acts politely. When I go to Zhongcui Palace to discuss matters, I can even give her a seat and a cup of tea."
Hu Shanwei laughed and said, "In fact, Concubine Guo is very simple. Her thoughts are almost written on her face. This kind of personality has its advantages. She has no bad intentions and will not fight for the sake of fighting. She will not deliberately step on her former rivals Concubine Li Xian and Concubine Guo Hui to show off in front of them. She just wants to be respected and valued. Sometimes she will have a little temper, but she can be coaxed. No one is perfect."
Cao Shang Gong said: "If someone respects me one foot, I will respect him one yard. In this case, I will give Concubine Guo a big gift."
Cao Shanggong wrote to Emperor Hongwu, saying that the Kunning Palace had been empty for nearly four years. Although the Shanggong Bureau sent people to clean it regularly, there were still many places that needed repairs and filling with paint. In addition, because the imperial palace was built by filling up the Yanque Lake, some parts of the Kunning Palace now collapsed. She asked Emperor Hongwu whether he wanted to overhaul the Kunning Palace
In fact, this was a subtle test. No matter how high Concubine Guo's status was, she was still a concubine. No matter how magnificent the Zhongcui Palace was, it was just one of the six palaces. Only the queen was qualified to live in Kunning Palace, which was located on the central axis of the imperial palace.
The Kunning Palace was renovated to welcome the new owner to move in.
After seeing the memorial from Consort Cao, Emperor Hongwu went to Kunning Palace for a walk. He had never been here since Empress Xiaoci passed away.
Houses are strange things. Once no one lives in them, they become lifeless. Even if you go in and clean them often, they still look run-down.
Emperor Hongwu stayed in Kunning Palace for the whole afternoon. After leaving Kunning Palace, he said to Cao Shanggong who was waiting outside: "I approve it."
In order to prevent conflicts with the nobles in the palace, Kunning Palace was temporarily fenced off and a passage was built for the craftsmen to enter and exit. The bottles inside were clanging, and high scaffolding was set up, which could be seen even from outside the palace.
Zhongcui Palace.
When Concubine Guo heard Hu Shanwei talking about rebuilding Kunning Palace, she still didn't believe that good things would come so quickly. She went outside Kunning Palace and listened to the noise inside. She looked at the scaffolding that was gradually being erected and rubbed her eyes. "Am I dreaming?"
"No." Hu Shanwei pinched Concubine Guo's arm and said, "It hurts, right?"
"It hurts." Concubine Guo said, "It's a good thing to feel pain now."
Because of her dignity, Concubine Guo could not show her joy outside. When she returned to the palace, she was extremely happy, "I will be crowned as the queen!"
She was so excited that she couldn't control herself. She ran around the bedroom and couldn't stop for a moment. "I'm finally going to get what I want!"
Concubine Guo became more and more excited the more she thought about it, and she didn't even realize that one of her shoes had fallen off. Hu Shanwei picked up the shoe and said, "Madam, put your shoes on quickly. The ground is cold."
But happiness turns to sorrow. Concubine Guo suddenly clenched her teeth and fell to the ground. Hu Shanwei hurried over to rub her chest and pinch her philtrum, and ordered the palace maid to call for a female doctor.
When the female doctor came, Concubine Guo had been pinched awake by Hu Shanwei, leaving a red mark on her philtrum. Thinking of her ugly appearance just now, Concubine Guo felt a little embarrassed, "It's okay, I just fell down accidentally."
They certainly couldn't tell anyone that Concubine Guo was crazy, so Hu Shanwei said, "Now that the doctor is here, let him take a look at the Empress."
After checking her pulse, the female doctor said, "Your Highness seems to have a heart disease. We need to consult with the doctors in the Imperial Hospital to find out the details."
"Heart disease?" Concubine Guo Ning didn't believe it. "I have always been in good health. I often don't cough for a whole year. This year, I am in high spirits because of the happy events. I have never been a depressed and resentful person. How could I have a heart disease?"
Ever since Ru Siyao left, none of the female doctors in the palace were as strong as Ru Siyao, and no patient dared to refute Ru Siyao to her face.
The female doctor said, "From the pulse of the Majesty, it is like this. Heart disease is a disease, and it is often unrelated to mood. It was not obvious before, but now that the Majesty is getting older, coupled with the busy palace affairs and long days of hard work, it is easy for the disease to recur."
Concubine Guo had indeed not had any leisure time this year. She was extremely busy, and coupled with the sudden joy, she was so happy that she fainted briefly.
Hu Shanwei said, "In this case, please ask the Empress to move to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and invite the imperial doctors to come for a consultation."
"I won't go. I'm fine. Don't spread nonsense and tell others that I fell." Concubine Guo showed off her authority as the head of the harem. "Please ask Liu Siyao to prescribe a medicine for me according to my symptoms. I believe in Liu Siyao's medical skills. There's no need to make a big fuss about the imperial physician."
Since ancient times, the royal family has always been the biggest trouble maker in the medical field. Ordinary people’s medical trouble makers want money, but royal family’s medical trouble makers want lives!
Among them, Emperor Hongwu was the worst. In order to protect the imperial physicians and female doctors, Empress Xiaoci simply refused to treat her patients during her lifetime.
Liu Siyao suddenly felt a lot of pressure. She wished that Concubine Guo would go to the imperial doctors for consultation so that she would be less stressed. However, Concubine Guo was a little afraid of illness and was afraid of seeing a doctor, so she had to obey and said:
"I will prescribe medicine for you right now. However, after you take one dose of the medicine, I will come to see you again. If you are fine, that's great. If you are still not well, you must go to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and ask the imperial doctors to consult together. While you are taking the medicine, don't work too hard, don't be too happy or sad, and keep your mood calm."
Of course, Concubine Guo didn't want to die, so she said, "Okay." After a pause, she added, "I'm sure I'll be fine."
Liu Siyao went down to fill out the pulse record and prescribe medicine. Hu Shanwei was about to persuade her, but Concubine Guo Ning covered her mouth with her hand: "I know what you are going to say. I understand the reason, but the emperor cannot know my illness now. How can a weak and sick woman be in charge of the harem? The harem cannot be without a master for a day. Once the emperor takes away the power and gives it to other concubines, how can I be the queen? Kunning Palace is already being renovated!"
It was the first time that Hu Shanwei saw the fear and pleading in Concubine Guo Ning's eyes. This woman had a very hard life. She finally managed to get through it...
Hu Shanwei softened his heart and said, "I will not tell anyone this time, but Your Majesty must listen to Liu Siyao's words, take medicine well, and take care of your body. If the follow-up visit is still not good, you must go to the Qianqing Palace to consult the imperial physician."
Concubine Guo Ning nodded hurriedly and said, "It's a deal."
In order to recover as quickly as possible, Concubine Guo Ning immediately lay down to rest and handed over all palace affairs to Hu Shanwei and the six bureaus and one department, becoming a hands-off manager. When Hu Shanwei was busy like a top, Ru Siyao's letter arrived.
Reading Ru Siyao's letter was a great pleasure for Hu Shanwei in the palace. She couldn't wait to cut it open with a bamboo knife. When she saw the beginning, she couldn't help but want to scream with joy. Ru Siyao was pregnant. Currently, the couple was in Kaifeng, Henan, and was a guest of honor in the Zhou Palace.
Ru Siyao said in the letter that she was too old and had been traveling for a long time, so she had some problems during her pregnancy and needed to find a place to rest and take care of the baby. The fifth prince, Prince Zhou Zhu Su, was fond of medicine. He had heard of the reputation of Tan Ru and his wife who traveled all over the world to taste hundreds of herbs, and he admired them very much. So he invited the couple to the Prince Zhou Palace to write a medical book with a group of medical enthusiasts.
The men in the Zhu family all have their own characteristics: Crown Prince Zhu Biao, who is full of benevolence, righteousness, and morality, is a kind-hearted man; Prince of Qin Zhu Gang is cruel and a sadist; Prince of Yan Zhu Di is henpecked, and his wife likes to listen to operas, so he supported many playwrights to write scripts for her; Prince of Zhou Zhu Su is not good at civil or military affairs, but only likes medicine and studying medicinal materials; Prince of Lu Zhu Tan likes to imitate the elegance of the Wei and Jin dynasties, taking drugs and writing poetry.
Among them, Prince Zhou Zhu Su and the fourth prince Prince Yan Zhu Di were brothers. Their mother, Consort Shuo from Korea, died early, so Prince Yan moved to Dongwuso and the young Prince Zhou was raised by Consort Chengmu Sun.
Later, Sun died of illness and had no children. She only gave birth to Princess Huaiqing and Princess Lin'an. Emperor Hongwu promulgated the "Record of Filial Piety and Kindness", which changed the country's mourning system. For the first time, the princes mourned for their stepmothers. Because Sun had raised King Zhou, Emperor Hongwu ordered him to mourn for her for 27 months.
Therefore, King Zhou Zhu Su, Princess Huaiqing, and Princess Lin'an had a close relationship.
The two brothers, King Zhou and King Yan, both liked to write and print books.
The Prince of Yan's Mansion far away in Peking kept many famous playwrights because Princess Xu loved all kinds of dramas. Among them was Yang Jingxian, who wrote Journey to the West. The Prince of Yan's Mansion printed many play scripts, which were widely circulated among the people.
King Zhou of Kaifeng recruited famous medical experts from all over the world, collected medicinal materials, compiled medical books, and wrote two volumes of "Bao Sheng Yu Lu" to benefit the people.
Ru Siyao is an elderly pregnant woman who goes to the Zhou Palace to compile medical books. For the Tan Ru couple, this is a suitable profession with generous remuneration. It is a good place to raise children at home, concentrate on academics, and balance family and career.
If they were ordinary doctors, it would be fine, but Ru Siyao and Tan Taiyi were both people who knew the shocking secrets of the palace. Hu Shanwei couldn't help but feel a little worried. She had a keen sense of politics, so she immediately wrote back to Ru Siyao, asking him and his wife to just edit medical books and not pay attention to other things, especially not to talk about state affairs and politics.
After the letter was submitted to the Shangyi Bureau for review, it was passed on to the Zhou Palace in Kaifeng, Henan by the Tongzhengsi. Ru Siyao read the letter and replied with three words: "Got it."
After replying to Ru Siyao's letter, Hu Shanwei left the palace and went to the Xiaoling Mausoleum to burn incense for Empress Xiaoci, begging the empress to bless Concubine Guo to recover soon and be crowned empress smoothly. Otherwise, the palace would be leaderless, and someone would cause trouble and a group of people would die in a bloody storm.
Muchun is waiting here.
As a hostage, Mu Chun had been serving in the imperial guards obediently in the past few years and had never asked to go out to fight without any consideration. Seeing that he was obedient and that Empress Xiaoci liked him during her lifetime, the emperor gave Mu Chun the task of supervising the reconstruction of the Xiaoling Mausoleum.
Xiaoling Mausoleum became the place where Hu Shanwei and Muchun met most often. Surrounded by deer and peacocks, the two were not a family, but they were better than a family.
Hu Shanwei offered three sticks of incense to Empress Xiaoci, made a wish, and took a walk in the woods with Muchun. Seeing that Muchun seemed unhappy, he asked, "What happened? You look depressed."
Mu Chun said worriedly, "The emperor attaches great importance to the southwest. The marriages of two princesses and one prince were arranged to the families of military commanders who made great contributions in the southern expedition. Yunnan has gradually settled down, and many officials and businessmen have gone there. In this case, my father will probably end his mission of guarding Yunnan and return to the capital."
After a few years of comfortable life, if Mu Chun didn't mention it, Hu Shanwei almost forgot that he had a biological father. The "relationship" between Mu Ying and Mu Chun was basically maintained by beating and scolding. It was fine if they didn't meet, but once they met, it would be flammable and explosive.
Hu Shanwei had to comfort him. As he was speaking, the captain came over on horseback, "Lord Mu! Marquis Xiping has returned to the capital! The emperor has given a banquet, announcing Lord Mu's return to the palace, and the father and son are reunited!"
Mu Chun was shocked when he heard this and immediately slapped himself in the face, "This person just can't stand being remembered. Why can't I control my mouth?"
The author has something to say: Finally, there is a chapter without any deaths. After all, I am not a devil, I will not always send out lunch boxes, I will just write a chapter occasionally and live a peaceful life.
Today there is a 100-point prize-winning question. The first reader to answer correctly will be rewarded. It tests whether you pay attention to the details in the text. The answer has appeared many times in previous chapters.
In the royal "collective wedding" of this chapter, who was the biological mother of Zhu Chun, the King of Shu, who married Lan Yu, the eldest daughter of Lan, Marquis of Yongchang