On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month in the fourth year of Kangxi's reign, Queen Hesheli was hired and accepted as a gift.
On the seventh day of the ninth lunar month, because the second day was an auspicious day for a wedding, Kangxi sent officials to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, the Ancestral Temple, and Sheji to hold a grand ceremony.
The betrothal gift included twenty thousand taels of gold, ten thousand taels of silver, one gold teapot, two silver teapots, a pair of silver chests, one thousand pieces of brocade, twenty saddles, and forty horses.
Hesheli's father Gabra and grandfather Sonny led the male members of the family, and Mrs. Sonny led the female members to welcome the ceremony.
The whole family lined up on both sides of the courtyard, kneeled three times and kowtowed nine times to the north (the emperor's throne faced south) to thank the emperor for his favor.
Chen Meili smiled lightly, as if she had withdrawn from this farce
Compared with Hesheli's happy face and his family's numerous thanks, Chen Meili really couldn't hold her tongue.
"Whatever my sister likes, feel free to take it," Hesheli said with a generous look on his face.
In Hesheli's eyes, there is nothing more valuable than enjoying the back seat and family honor, Chen Meili thought to herself.
"My sister is so generous, but I can't bear to give in." Chen Meili nodded: "My sister doesn't like anything else, but she is happy with the 20,000 taels of gold and 10,000 taels of silver."
"You like silver coins!" Hesheli was surprised
Chen Meili ignored his look, "People die for money and birds die for food", which was just normal for her.
Hesheli bowed his head: "If sister likes it, just take it."
"Thank you so much, sister, for your love!" Chen Meili nodded.
On September 8th, the third emperor's wedding ceremony since the Qing Dynasty entered the customs was held in Beijing.
The etiquette procedures were almost completely in accordance with the traditions of the Han people. Chen Meili understood that because she knew that she was a Han, these were all for her own benefit.
Nacai: Sending gifts to the bride’s home is one of the steps in the engagement ceremony. The important gifts are horses and saddles (the old-fashioned prairie people in Manchuria mainly live on horses)
The officials of the Qintian Prison chose an auspicious day, and the emperor sent a group headed by the Minister of Internal Affairs, including three princesses, the wives of the three regent ministers, and chamberlains and bodyguards, to deliver the gifts to the bride's home.
Ten well-saddled horses, ten armours, one hundred brocades, and two hundred other fine cloths
This ceremony also ends with the woman’s relatives kneeling down three times and kowtowing nine times to express their gratitude.
Emperor Kangxi entered the Hall of Supreme Harmony to view the seal and gold seal of Empress Xiaocheng. Then, he handed over the two empress symbols to the imperial envoys. The envoys held the treasures in their hands, and all the courtiers followed him and sent them to the back.
residence
The queen received the token, knelt and kowtowed, and then took a sedan chair to the palace.
Four ministers' wives led the sedan in front, and seven ministers' wives followed behind the sedan, all riding horses (women riding horses is a prominent feature of Manchu tradition)
Escorted by attendants and chamberlains on both sides, the queen's entourage was allowed to walk on the royal road leading to the middle palace.