In the palace, the queen was carefully examining the beauties in front of her.
The beauties in front of me all have beautiful looks, graceful figures, spring-like eyes, and delicious looks. Even Queen Zhang couldn't help but nod her head in satisfaction after reading it.
"Well, not bad~"
"I heard that the beauties sent as tribute from Korea have gone through rigorous training and are particularly good at serving people. When I saw her today, she certainly lived up to her reputation."
Queen Zhang nodded slightly.
Korea often paid tribute to the Emperor of Heaven, including Korean ginseng, East China Sea pearls, mink skins, tiger skins, BMWs and other rare and precious treasures. At the same time, every time the tribute was paid, several beauties must be brought as tribute.
This practice has not stopped since Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The emperors of the Ming Dynasty were full of praise for the beauties paid tribute by the Korean state. Zhu Yuanzhang even made several Korean beauties his concubines.
In the Hongzhi Dynasty, Emperor Hongzhi did not like beauties, but every time the Korean state paid tribute, beauties were still indispensable. For these beauties who paid tribute, their fate was tragic, and they could only grow old and die in this palace.
But this is their fate and cannot be changed.
Empress Zhang had heard about the power of North Korea's tribute beauties before, so she had always been on guard against it, for fear that Emperor Hongzhi would fall in love with his daughter.
Fortunately, Emperor Hongzhi had always been very single-minded and never glanced at any of his other women from beginning to end, which was considered strange among emperors.
"Listen up, you guys~"
"You will be the prince's people from now on. You must serve the prince well. Especially this first time, you must satisfy the prince. This first time for the prince of Ming Dynasty is very important."
Queen Zhang said with a straight face to the beauties in front of her.
She paid close attention to her husband, Emperor Hongzhi, but when it came to her son, she had a different look. This was Zhu Houzhao's first time, so she arranged it directly for Zhu Houzhao.
Because Emperor Hongzhi always had only one Empress Zhang, even the regular beauty contests for emperors in previous dynasties were stopped. The only young and beautiful women suitable for the palace were beauties from Korea and Japan who came as tribute.
Arranging such matters for the prince was not uncommon among the ancient royal families. Even before the princess got married, there were queens or concubines who specially sent maids to test the prince's fighting ability.
Of course, children who grew up in the royal family generally do not need to try this aspect, because usually very early on, the maids around these princes will secretly climb into the prince's bed, hoping to soar into the sky and become a phoenix.
But Zhu Houzhao was in a worse situation. After stealing things that were not suitable for children, Emperor Hongzhi believed Liu Jin's words and felt that it would be very harmful to be exposed to things that were not suitable for children too early.
So the strictest order was issued, and all the maids around Zhu Houzhao were replaced by young eunuchs, without any chance of contact.
Later, I worked in military camps and research institutes. There were no palace maids around me. I had no contact with things inappropriate for children, so naturally I didn't understand anything.
She is about to turn eighteen now, and beauty pageants are already in full swing all over the Ming Dynasty to select the crown princess, and she will marry the crown princess next year.
Zhu Houzhao has grown up, and he should learn and understand some things. What's more, the royal family's development is related to the country's country and the future of the old Zhu family.
Naturally, this matter fell on Empress Zhang. As the empress and Zhu Houzhao's biological mother, she had unshirkable responsibilities.
What's more, seeing that my belly was getting bigger day by day, I had to make arrangements for Zhu Houzhao while I still had the energy, so this was the scene in front of me.
Empress Zhang is choosing a beauty for Zhu Houzhao.
"Yes, Queen~"
Several beauties replied in unison, each of them slightly excited.
I originally thought that I would die of old age in the Ming Dynasty Palace and be a widow for the rest of my life, but I didn't expect that I would have the opportunity to serve His Highness the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty.
Although they are Koreans and not from the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty has a good relationship with North Korea. Many Korean beauties who have paid tribute to the Ming Dynasty have been given the title of concubine, and some have given birth to many princes and princesses. During the Chengzu period, Zhu Di loved one very much.
The beauty of North Korea was named Concubine Quanxian, and after the death of the queen, she was intended to be in charge of the Sixth Palace.
Even in unofficial history, there are rumors that Zhu Di was not actually born to Empress Ma, but to a tribute daughter who was given to Zhu Yuanzhang by the Korean Empire, and there is a lot of evidence.
Zhu Di was afraid that his own blood would affect his rule, so he repeatedly emphasized that he was born to Queen Ma.
Of course, this is unofficial history. According to official history, he was the fourth son born to Queen Ma.
From here we can know that there were a large number of court ladies from North Korea in the harem of the Ming Dynasty, many of whom were named concubines. As for Cai Ren, Zhao Yi, Jie Yu and so on, there are not many of them.
These beauties from Korea made an extremely important contribution to the friendship between Korea and the Ming Dynasty. Especially in the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di and Zhu Yuanzhang both intended to win over Korea, so they recruited Korean beauties from Korea many times.
, she was named a concubine, which consolidated the relationship between North Korea and the Ming Dynasty.
This is also one of the important reasons why the relationship between Ming Dynasty and North Korea has always been extremely strong. In ancient times, marriage between countries was an important means to consolidate the relationship between the two countries.
Of course, for these Korean beauties who were sent as tribute to the Ming Dynasty, their happiness, even life and death, became unimportant. By the time they arrived in the Ming Dynasty, their fate was already linked to the emperor. The emperor was happy and liked him.
, I have taken a fancy to you, and your good days are coming.
But if you have never been favored by the emperor, your fate will be very miserable. If you meet the emperor and show kindness, you may be able to return to North Korea. If not, you may have to die alone in the palace.
Emperor Hongzhi only liked Empress Zhang. This was something everyone knew. Originally, they were all desperate and were waiting for the day when they would be lucky enough to be returned to North Korea by the Emperor of Heaven.
Who knew that now, Queen Zhang would be sent to serve His Highness the Crown Prince of Ming Dynasty, and this opportunity would come.
These women who came to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty were not women from ordinary people's families. They were all women from North Korean officials' families or from the families of big businessmen and landowners. Each one of them had received training and education in various aspects. You still know this.
"Well, let's all go down~"
Queen Zhang nodded with satisfaction.
She doted on Zhu Houzhao very much, and Zhu Houzhao in history was also spoiled rotten because of this.
But there was no way. She only had this son, and he was the future successor of the Ming Dynasty. The key was that Emperor Hongzhi loved her very much. She was the only woman in the harem. The Zhang brothers were so arrogant and domineering that it was just a change.
It's just a reprimand from Emperor Hongzhi.
"Your Majesty has arrived~"
At this moment, Emperor Hongzhi walked over with a smile on his face.
"See Your Majesty~"
Everyone saluted quickly.
"No need~ no need~"
Emperor Hongzhi was all smiles, especially when he saw Queen Zhang's bulging belly, he was even more happy. He quickly supported Queen Zhang and said: "Be careful, be careful~"
"It's okay, it's only been a few months~"
Queen Zhang said nonchalantly.
"Are you satisfied with the vegetables and fruits from Ryukyu?"
Emperor Hongzhi looked at the fruits on the table next to him and asked.
"I'm satisfied, especially this kiwi fruit. It's sour and sweet. I like it the most. You can try it too."
"I heard from the imperial doctors and professors at the medical school that kiwi fruit contains a lot of nutrients. If you eat more kiwi fruit, you can even use it as a beauty salon."
Empress Zhang personally picked up a piece of kiwi fruit and fed it to Emperor Hongzhi.
"Hmm~"
"Don't tell me, it's really good."
Emperor Hongzhi took a bite and nodded, and then noticed several Korean beauties standing beside him.
"What do these maids do?"
Emperor Hongzhi was naturally a little strange. In the past, Emperor Hongzhi rarely saw beautiful maids. This was because Emperor Hongzhi did not like women, and the other reason was the arrangement of Empress Zhang, who could enjoy being alone.
Pampering is naturally the best.
"Your Majesty, I arranged this for the prince."
"The prince will be eighteen soon, and he should know some things. What's more, he is choosing a princess. He will marry the prince next year, so I will make arrangements in advance."
Empress Zhang did not hide anything, she told everything, and then asked: "Your Majesty, what do you think of these beauties?"
"These are all tributes from North Korea, and I have people choose them again and again."
"Well, not bad~"
Emperor Hongzhi looked at it carefully and said: "Just follow your arrangements. The prince has grown up. It's time to start a family and start a business. It's time to expand the branches of our old Zhu family."
"Your Majesty, I am pregnant now and cannot serve Your Majesty. Would you like me to choose some beauties to serve Your Majesty?"
Empress Zhang looked at Emperor Hongzhi's eyes carefully, and after thinking about it, she asked tentatively.
She didn't bring this up once or twice. She was the only one in the harem. Although she was favored, she was also scolded by others. They said she was jealous and monopolized the emperor's favor, causing the royal family's heirs to wither and so on.
some type of.
Therefore, she proposed to Emperor Hongzhi many times that he should open up the harem and expand the royal family, but she was rejected by Emperor Hongzhi every time.
"No need~"
"I only love you."
Emperor Hongzhi looked at Empress Zhang, smiled, shook his head and said.
After witnessing the battles in the harem of the previous dynasty, Emperor Hongzhi made up his mind very early on that he would never let the same thing happen in his harem, so he only doted on Queen Zhang, so that the harem would be extremely clean from the beginning.
