In mid-spring of the fifteenth year of Yongzheng's reign, as soon as the emperor's imperial commander arrived at the Old Summer Palace, he held a grand sutra banquet in the Qinzheng Qinxian Hall.
This dynasty's Confucian banquet lectures, which were filled with well-educated cabinet bachelors, Hanlin bachelors, and six ministers, mainly taught Confucianism to the emperor. It was a grand ceremony for the court. Such grand ceremonies were held three times a month in spring and autumn, starting from Yongzheng
Since he ascended the throne, he has worked non-stop for fifteen years, which can be regarded as a sufficient gesture.
This sutra feast was different from usual, because Yongzheng ordered the three elder princes to also attend the sutra banquet.
Concubine Mao slapped the fan in her hand heavily, "This third elder brother is already in his twenties, and the emperor still keeps him in the palace, and now he asks him to attend the Sutra banquet. What does this mean?!"
Shu Jin was very calm, "I'm just observing, not the government of other dynasties."
Concubine Mi sighed sadly, "Concubine, you can keep your composure! This is the third elder brother, what matters is the fourth elder brother!"
Shu Jin said: "Both of them are older than Hongzhou. Even Hongzhou has participated in the sutra feast. There is no reason why we should not ask our two elder brothers to go."
Concubine Mao and Concubine Mi looked at each other. At this age, the fifth elder brother has indeed suffered a lot...
Concubine Mao whispered: "I heard that Gui Li and Princess Huai Ke were having some unpleasant troubles."
Shu Jin thought about it with his toes and knew that Li Guiren wanted his daughter and son-in-law to help his son. Unfortunately, Princess Huaike and Gu Cong had a cold relationship, and they had already lived their own lives. Princess Huaike had no intention of marrying her.
What's the situation of my younger brother, and considering that the Gu family... are pure ministers of the emperor, how can they get involved in the fight for the heir apparent?
After coming and going, Li Guiren began to blame the eldest daughter.
Shu Jin said: "It's not easy for the eldest princess."
Concubine Mao sneered: "I see, this third brother has already been ambitious!"
Concubine Mi also said: "The third elder brother's mother's clan is weak, his wife's clan is standing by and watching, and the Gu family and his son are honest ministers, so there is no way he can become a leader. It is the fourth elder brother who is more troublesome."
Concubine Mao's eyebrows sank: "Xi Bi, if the Niu Hulu family asks him to marry Fujin from a wealthy family, it will indeed be more troublesome than the third elder brother."
Didn't Hongli in history just marry the Fucha family and become his direct descendant Fujin?
The inertia of history still exists, and Shu Jin also feels that Yongzheng will not change his son's wife out of spite and ask his daughter-in-law from his previous life to marry someone else.
No matter how much Yongzheng hated Hongshi, didn't he still ask him to marry Dong E?
By the way, who is Hongzhou Fujin?
Anyway, his family status is not too high.
Shu Jin didn't have any sectarian views, nor did he think that marrying any Fujin would be enough to influence the throne.
For example, Yongzheng himself did not rely much on the Yue family when he was seizing the throne. The final decision on who would be the prince was the emperor.
In this era of centralized power reaching its peak, the emperor's will can trump everything else.
Therefore, Shu Jin was not afraid that Hongli would marry some high-ranking Fujin, and would not stop him.
"The more it is at this time, the more important it is to be calm." Shu Jin said firmly, "In today's sutra banquet, the emperor will treat the elders equally, I am afraid it is just a test."
Test whether she, a noble concubine, can accommodate all the disciples.
Even though Yongzheng was not merciless at all in killing his brothers, he was more worried than anyone else about the same thing happening to his son a hundred years later.
No matter how bad Hong Li was, at least she treated Hong Zhou and Hong Luo kindly.
"Testing?" Concubine Mao and Concubine Mi looked at each other.
After a long time, Concubine Mao asked in a low voice: "Who are you testing? You, a noble concubine?"
Shu Jin nodded heavily, "In the past three years, although the harem has been peaceful, it is almost our world." As a noble concubine, she has no one to check and balance her.
Concubine Mao's face darkened, "Have you not done enough for your concubine these years? Even the concubine who was imprisoned in Jingren Palace has not been treated harshly! What else does the emperor have to worry about?!"
The emperor was a suspicious creature, so Shu Jin was not surprised at all when faced with Yongzheng's suspicion. Although Shu Jin did not deliberately create the situation where one person dominated the harem, Hong Zhou was indeed promoted to the most prestigious position among the princes.
It is already the fifteenth year of Yongzheng's life. Under the premise of knowing his lifespan, Yongzheng will only become more and more anxious.
Over the years, Shu Jin has been silently counting the days. Yongzheng is getting older and older, and she is getting happier and happier. While she is happy, she can't help but worry more about Hong Zhou's future. Concubine Xi is under house arrest. Although she is to blame for her own fault, she can't help but worry about Hong Zhou's future.
In the end, Shu Jin and Xi Bi, mother and son, came to opposite sides.
If he couldn't win, Shu Jin didn't think Qianlong in history would treat his younger brother so kindly.
She has no way out.
Hong Zhou had no way out.
Precisely because they knew this, Concubine Mao and Concubine Mi couldn't help but feel anxious for her.
But the more this happens, the more calm you have to be.
Shu Jin narrowed his eyes and said, "The princes are all grown up now. Maybe I should find an opportunity to ask the emperor to restore Xi's concubine and Li Guiren's former positions."
Concubine Mao and Concubine Mi both stared.
Shu Jin chuckled and said: "Don't worry, I will also ask for the title of concubine for Mi in front of the emperor. After all, Hongxin is getting older."
She must be virtuous and even repay evil with kindness in order to gain Yongzheng's trust.
But she can't just give others an advantage. Over the years, Mi Bi has been passive and sabotaging her work. She neither strives for favor nor clings to favor. She really has no way to help her.
Now, it is indeed a good opportunity.
Concubine Mi hurriedly said: "My dear, it doesn't matter whether the concubine is a concubine or a concubine, but how can you ask for a title for the Li family and the Niu Hulu family? Aren't you afraid of raising their ambitions?"
Shu Jin said calmly: "Their ambition will not be extinguished because of their low status. Rather than waiting for the emperor to mention this matter, it is better for me to take the initiative."
Only by taking the initiative can you plan the next step.
What she has to do is not make mistakes.
As long as she doesn't make any mistakes, she can definitely win.
And the person she needs to deal with with all her heart is no longer Li or Niu Hulu, but Yongzheng!
Concubine Mao sighed quietly, "It's not easy for you to be a noble concubine."
Shu Jin smiled and said: "Who in this harem has it easy?"
After sending away Concubine Mao and Concubine Mi, Shu Jin began to deal with palace affairs. Now that there are few people in the harem, it is naturally easier to deal with them.
At this time, Zhang Shoufa came closer and whispered: "Empress, the concubine Xi in the palace secretly contacted Niu Hulu's family again..."
"Oh?" Shu Jin raised his eyebrows. Over the years, Xibi has never lost contact with her mother's family. In recent years, she has even become involved with the head of the Niu Hulu family.
"It's good to be under surveillance. There's no need to stop her." Shu Jin ordered as usual. Even Xi Bin's actions couldn't be concealed from her, so how could she conceal them from the emperor.
It was precisely because of these small actions over the years that Yongzheng never forgave Xi Concubine and imprisoned her for more than four years. During this period, the fourth elder brother pleaded for mercy many times, but to no avail, and was reprimanded by the emperor many times.
Zhang Shoufa whispered: "This time, Xibi wants the Niu Hulu family to help with the matchmaking..."
Have you started planning Hongli’s marriage?
Shu Jin raised his eyebrows, okay, things will get lively next.