After handing the ten beauties over to the imperial concubine and asking her to talk to Mrs. Qiao about their placement, Jiang Changning returned to Rujingyuan to continue practicing her calligraphy.
Qiao had long known that Chang Youzhong had brought ten beauties into the mansion, but when she learned that Jiang Changning had brought ten beauties to Liuxuan Courtyard, she was puzzled, "What is Jiang planning to do?"
Just as he was trying to figure out Jiang Changning's intention, a maid from the imperial concubine's courtyard came over and said, "Master Daofei, the imperial concubine invites you over."
Qiao went to see the dowager empress, who did not chat with her and told her to settle the ten beauties.
"Yes, mother." Qiao responded with a smile.
Only the wife is qualified to place the prince's concubines.
However, the concubine's next words made her smile freeze on her face.
"You should sort out the account books and hand them over to Jiang. She will still be in charge of the affairs of this mansion." The concubine paused and added awkwardly, "Thank you for your hard work over the years."
"I'm not tired, mother, I'm not tired, I can continue to be the housekeeper." Qiao said anxiously.
"It's not that I don't allow you to manage it, but now Brother Yu's daughter-in-law is the Princess of Jin. She should be the one in charge of the household. It's not right and reasonable for you to be in charge." said the concubine.
"Mother, I was heartbroken after my husband passed away. If it weren't for Kang Ren, I would have followed my husband long ago. I promised my husband that I would take good care of the palace and take care of the backyard for him. Mother!" Qiao knelt on the ground with a sad expression, "Mother, please let me continue to be the housekeeper."
The concubine did not speak, while Mrs. Qiao kept begging with tears in her eyes, as if she would not live if the concubine took away her power as housekeeper.
"You get up first. We'll talk about the housekeeper issue later." The concubine dowager was old, and her heart was softer than when she was young. Qiao mentioned her eldest son again. The concubine dowager couldn't bear it anymore and no longer insisted on her giving up the housekeeper's power.
"Thank you, mother." Qiao took out a handkerchief and wiped away the tears that squeezed out of the corners of her eyes.
The concubine sighed, "Take those ten people away and settle them down properly."
"Yes, mother." Qiao came out of the room, the sadness on her face gone.
She asked the maid to call out the ten beauties who were sitting in the side room, feeling uneasy.
"My lady, the mourning concubine." Chang Youzhong bowed.
Mrs. Qiao smiled dignifiedly and elegantly, "Hello, Eunuch Chang."
"This is the prince's widowed sister-in-law, Concubine Dao. You should pay your respects to her," said Chang Youzhong.
The word "widowed sister-in-law" almost made Qiao unable to maintain the smile on her face.
Although the beauties didn't understand why the princess disappeared, when someone else came, they still knelt down and saluted obediently, saying, "Greetings to the master, the princess, and long live the princess."
Qiao placed these ten beauties in the fourth and fifth courtyards on the east side.
The side door between the fourth and third courtyards leads directly to Hongyi Courtyard in front.
In a large family, the house is divided into two roads, east and west, and a middle road. The west road is generally for the girls in the family. The master and mistress live in the front of the middle road, and the master's concubines live in the back. The east road is generally for the young masters in the family.
In the palace, the west wing was occupied by Qiao and Princess Kangren, mother and daughter; the middle wing was occupied by the imperial concubine, the prince and the princess; Xiang and Liu were placed in the two small courtyards at the back of the middle wing.
Logically, the ten beauties should be placed in the courtyard behind the middle road, but now they are placed in the courtyard behind the east road.
"My lady, this arrangement is not appropriate." Chang Youzhong said.
"There are only two large courtyards that can accommodate so many people at once. The others haven't been cleaned up yet, so let them live there temporarily. We will make other arrangements after they serve the prince."
Qiao used this to fool Chang Youzhong, and Chang Youzhong could not raise any more objections, so he had to go to Rujingyuan to report to Jiang Changning.
"I will arrange someone to teach them the rules." Jiang Changning did not intend to do nothing. She did not want these ten beauties to be instigated by the Qiao family to make trouble for her. She still wanted to live a peaceful life.
Seeing that Jiang Changning had no other instructions, Chang Youzhong left the house and went to the Ministry of Rites.
The Prince of Jin, a brave and skilled general, was supposed to serve in the Ministry of War, but was instead assigned by the Emperor to be the Minister of Rites.
The rank of the Minister of Rites is not low, nor is it an idle position. It seems that the Emperor attaches great importance to Prince Jin, but in fact he just wants to completely cut off Prince Jin's path to leading the army.
The Prince of Jin seemed unaware of the Emperor's intention and worked diligently in the Ministry of Rites.
The Ministry of Rites has been very busy recently. Although the marriages of the three princes have been arranged, the princes of the Duke's Mansion, the junior duke of the County Duke's Mansion, and the princes of the Marquis' Mansion and the Earl's Mansion still need to marry. The Minister of Rites has to arrange people to take care of all these.
Just as the Prince of Jin was reading the official document, Chang Youzhong came in and said, "Your Highness, the person has been sent to the palace."
"What did the princess say?" Prince Jin looked up and asked.
Chang Youzhong reported truthfully: "The princess took the people to Liuxuan Courtyard and asked the concubine to come forward and let the mistress Daofei place them."
Prince Jin stroked his chin, thoughtfully.
Chang Youzhong then reported: "The Empress Dowager has placed them in the Xieye Courtyard and Yishu Courtyard."
Prince Jin frowned, "Does the princess agree?"
Chang Youzhong replied: "The princess did not object. She sent three maids to teach them the rules. One of the three maids was Fu Cui, who often served the princess."
Prince Jin nodded slightly. Even though his little princess was angry, she still made the necessary arrangements.
At the third quarter of the You hour, Prince Jin returned to the palace and went to Liuxuan Courtyard to pay his respects.
Before entering the door, I heard the concubine say: "No need to make a big fuss."
The end of this month is the Concubine Dowager's 45th birthday. Although it is not a full birthday, it falls on the fifth day, so it is okay to have a big celebration.
"If mother finds hosting a banquet too tiring, how about inviting the Jinxiu troupe to the mansion to perform a few new plays?" Prince Jin said as he walked in.
The concubine loved to listen to opera, and she smiled and said, "I'll listen to you."
The Prince of Jin glanced at Jiang Changning, who looked normal, bowed to the Concubine Dowager, and said with a smile, "I'll leave this matter to my son and your daughter-in-law. Mother, just watch the show with peace of mind that day."
It was Jiang Changning's turn to speak at this time, but Qiao said first: "Don't worry, mother, your daughter-in-law will definitely get things done properly."
When she said this, it was as if she and King Jin were husband and wife.
The concubine thought that Mrs. Qiao was just anxious to please her, and didn't think much about it.
Although Prince Jin felt that it was inappropriate for Qiao to interrupt, she was also the daughter-in-law of the Concubine Dowager and was in charge of the palace, so it was normal for her to say such things.
Only Jiang Changning felt something strange. She glanced at Qiao and seemed to understand something.
Mrs. Qiao felt a little guilty when Jiang Changning looked at her, so she forced herself to change the subject and said, "Your Majesty really values His Majesty. No one has ever been rewarded with ten beauties at once."
Annan sent fifty beauties, and the emperor immediately awarded ten of them to Prince Jin. If the emperor's favor was decided by the quantity.
The emperor indeed values Prince Jin very much.
(End of this chapter)