In November of previous years, the dignitaries in the capital were busy admiring the snow and making tea, but this year, everyone's attention was attracted by the draft.
On the eighth day of November, horse-drawn carriages carrying beautiful ladies passed by from time to time on the streets of the capital.
Outside the gate of Wuchang Bo's Mansion, Shi Fuyue and Shi Fuyin, who were all dressed in new clothes, also got into the carriage under the watch of the Shi family.
Among the crowd, Jin Yue'e looked the most worried, and Mrs. Shi Wu looked the most complicated.
Entering the palace to run for election is likely to be a turning point in the fate of their daughter. As mothers, the two of them are naturally the most worried.
As for the rest of the Shi family, their expressions were relatively relaxed. Most of them actually hoped that the two would be chosen. The adults took care of the mood of the fourth and fifth bedrooms and dispersed without saying anything, but the juniors gathered together.
Looking forward to the future.
"I hope the second sister and the third sister can be selected. In this way, our family will also be related to the royal family."
"The best thing is to be favored by the emperor and enter the palace as a concubine."
"Your Majesty? Your Majesty is too old to be the father of the second and third sisters. It is better to be favored by the prince."
"What do you know? It is best for the uncle's house to become a concubine in the palace. The second sister and the third sister are the emperor's concubines. We are naturally the emperor's people. There is no need to get involved in other factional disputes."
"If the second sister or the third sister become the prince's wife, the uncle's house will most likely be involved in the fight between the princes in the future."
"The matter of seizing the legitimate son has always been bloody. If you are not careful, you will confiscate the family and exterminate the clan. Tell yourselves, is it better for the second sister and the third sister to enter the palace as a concubine, or to enter the prince's concubine's house?"
"Well... let's go into the palace and become a concubine."
Shi Fuxin walked behind, listening to the discussions of her brothers and sisters at home, but said nothing.
"Sister, what are you thinking about?"
When Shi Dinghao saw that Shi Fuxin had been silent, he waved his hand in front of her: "Are you worried that the third sister will be chosen?" As he said that, he pulled Shi Fuxin behind for a distance.
"Sister, didn't you prepare the medicine for body odor for the third sister? When the third sister got on the carriage just now, I smelled it specially. The smell... was absolutely amazing."
"I tell you with a man's feelings, no man can bear it. Just put your heart back in your stomach."
"Pfft~"
Shi Fuxin couldn't help laughing, and looked at her silly brother: "As a man, what kind of man are you? You're just a little brat at best."
Shi Dinghao was unhappy: "Why am I not a man anymore?" He patted his chest and said, "I am an upright man. Sister, let me tell you the truth, there are girls who give me purses."
Looking at her silly little brother, Shi Fuxin was extremely happy: "Oh, I can't tell, you are so charming." She looked curious and said, "Where's your wallet? Let me see it."
Shi Dinghao looked serious: "Sister, you are looking down on your brother too much. Am I the kind of casual person? If a random girl gives me a purse and I have to accept it, then I am too cheap."
Shi Fuxin's face was full of smile: "Look what you can do."
"Sixth sister, ninth brother, we are going to my eldest brother's waterside pavilion to enjoy the snow, why don't you join us?"
Shi Dinghao glanced at Shi Fuxin and saw her lack of interest, so he loudly replied: "We still have homework, so we won't go. You guys should have fun."
Seeing Shi Fuxin and Shi Dinghao walking away, Shi Fulin curled her lips and said, "Every time I ask them to play together, I only agree once three times. This is a big deal."
Shi Fuzhen: "My fourth uncle and his family don't want my third sister to run for election. They are in a bad mood, so why do you force them to do so?"
Shi Fulin: "How can I force them? Can I force it?" She snorted, "All the brothers and sisters in the family are together, but they are absent. I know that they don't want to play with us. I don't know, but I thought
We are ostracizing them."
Shi Dingrong spoke: "Okay, Sixth Sister and Ninth Brother have something to do, we can just enjoy the snow by ourselves."
...
After Shi Dinghao and Shi Fuxin returned to Yiguiyuan, they saw that Shi Fuxin was still in a low mood and said in surprise: "
Sister, why have you become sentimental? This is not like you."
Shi Fuxin glanced at him sideways: "Do you think everyone is as heartless as you?"
Shi Dinghao retorted: "I am born with a generous heart."
Shi Fuxin did not continue to talk to him, but just said: "You also heard what Sister Lin and the others said just now, how do you feel?"
Shi Dinghao sneered: "A bunch of self-righteous guys, they can choose whoever they want."
Shi Fuxin looked calm: "We are said to be brothers and sisters in the same family, but when something happens, everyone's first consideration is their own interests. How many of you have put yourself in your sister's shoes and considered the feelings of your second sister?"
Everyone is thinking about the benefits to the uncle's house after the two are chosen, but whether they are entering the palace as a concubine or entering the prince's house, it will not be so easy.
Shi Fuxin looked at Shi Dinghao: "Jiulang, what do you think of the capital?"
Shi Dinghao said without thinking: "Of course the capital is nice. There are delicious things to eat, fun things to do, and things to see and listen to. It seems like everything I never thought about at the border."
Shi Fuxin was silent: "The capital is indeed prosperous and lively, but there are also many things that cannot be controlled."
Shi Dinghao nodded: "Sister, I understand this. I also remember what you said before. The capital is like a chessboard. After we come to Beijing, we will be the chess pieces in it."
Shi Fuxin: "Yes, if you are a chess piece, you will be controlled by others, whether you want it or not. Even if your status is as high as the Duke of Dingguo, you have to obediently send your favorite ninth girl to the draft."
Shi Dinghao's face showed surprise: "Sister, it turns out you are worried about Miss Xiahou. Don't worry. I heard from my brother that the old Duke of Xiahou entered the palace two days ago. He must have gone there for Miss Xiahou. What's the matter with the emperor?"
You have to give face to the old Duke of Xiahou, Miss Xiahou will definitely lose the election."
Shi Fuxin's eyes flashed slightly: "This person still has to be of great enough value, so valuable that even the emperor has to give him face." As she said that, she looked at Shi Dinghao.
"Kuro, have you ever thought about the future?"
Shi Dinghao was stunned: "In the future?" He looked uncertain, "Study hard and take the No. 1 exam?"
Shi Fuxin did not expect a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy to have a clear plan for the future. She just said: "It has been a year since we returned to the uncle's house to make plans."
"During this year, my father became the deputy commander of the Army and Horse Department; my mother also learned how to take care of the land and shop assigned to me by my uncle's house. In addition to the monthly income from the house, our family also has its own extra income."
"Brother passed the imperial examination and became a fourth-grade imperial guard; you, me, and sister were admitted to the Imperial Academy and the Imperial Academy of Women. Our family has finally established a foothold in the uncle's residence."
"Once we gain a firm foothold, we can seek development."
Shi Dinghao: "Development? Development of what?"
Shi Fuxin looked at him: "What do you want to do? What kind of life do you want to live? What kind of person do you want to be? What do you have to do to get what you want?"
Shi Dinghao was confused by the question. He had never thought about this before. They were not yet thirteen years old. Do they need to think about such serious things?
"Sister, what do you want?"
Shi Fuxin stood up and looked at the osmanthus tree in the yard: "I want to live a free life. Others cannot force me to do things I don't want to do." Turning back to Shi Dinghao, "My life is something that only I can do."
Make the decision and no one else can interfere."
Shi Dinghao's eyes lit up when he heard this: "Sister, I am the same as you."
Shi Fuxin smiled: "But in the capital, it is difficult to do all this."
Shi Dinghao felt confident: "It's okay, sister, we will definitely be able to do it."
Shi Fuxin laughed: "Then tell me, how are you going to get everything you want?"
Shi Dinghao was stuck. After holding it in for a long time, he said: "I am the younger brother. Let me first see how you do it, sister."
Shi Fuxin glanced at him: "The two biggest things in life are nothing more than starting a family and starting a business. As long as these two things go well, the rest will not be much different."
"After returning to the uncle's house, our family's life has been greatly improved, but this is not enough."
"Just like
My brother and sister are not young anymore, can our family come up with a decent betrothal gift and dowry?"
"If you can't get it, you need help from the uncle. If you take advantage of others, you have to listen to others."
"We don't want anyone to make fun of our marriage in the future. We will earn more money from now on. Where does the money come from? We must first have an inheritance."
"If you have an industry and develop it, money will naturally come."
"With the money, I can naturally collect a rich dowry. If I have a rich enough dowry, I don't need the government to contribute money. I will have the absolute say in choosing a husband in the future."
"So, I have decided that I am going to start preparing to open a rouge and gouache shop. I want women in the capital to think of what I sell first when they buy rouge and gouache."