In the seventh year of Jia You, the Empress gave birth to the Eldest Princess for the Emperor. From then on, the Emperor and Empress had two imperial sons and one princess. With sons and daughters, they were all good.
The Imperial House hadn't taken female candidates into Jing for seven whole years, so the memorials at court urging the Emperor to take female candidates into Jing increased. Even if the Emperor himself wasn't willing to take too many women into the palace, he had to think about the other young masters of the Imperial House or prestigious families in Jing. They still had thoughts of taking concubines.
This time, He Heng didn't strongly object and agreed to the officials taking female candidates into Jing. After three months, the female candidates from all over the country had been chosen into the palace.
These women were all from good families. The vulgar ones were quickly filtered out, and so were the ones with unattractive appearances. After round after round of filtering, there were only twenty or so people left. However, these twenty or so people couldn't be considered part of the hougong. Unless the Emperor picked someone to favor, according to the rules, these people would all be sent back to their hometowns after five years. Either they would be favored by the Empress or the Empress Dowager and Taifei and be bestowed as a concubine, but that wasn't what they wanted.
He Yao was the Crown Prince of Da Long. Even though he was only seven, he already understood what it meant to have female candidates enter the palace. He looked at his four-year-old didi behind him and a profound expression came onto his face: "Er di, haven't you been learning recently? Why don't you ask fuhuang more? When I was learning to write, fuhuang was the one who taught me."
Standing behind the two, Qu Qing Ju couldn't help but smile when she heard her eldest son's words. Back then, wasn't it just a matter of two or three years ago? She saw her eldest son's serious expression and beckoned her two sons in front of her: "Tun Tun, Teng Teng, come here!"
He Yao hadn't thought that muhou would hear his words. He pulled He Teng and obediently walked in front of Qu Qing Ju, asking in a small voice: "Muhou, why have you come?"
"Muhou can't come out for a walk," Qu Qing Ju crouched down and hugged her two sons. She smiled and said, "I'm going to Chao Ming Hall to take care of some matters. You two brothers have fun. At noon, muhou will get the chef to make your favorite dishes."
He Yao's toes spun on the ground and then he said: "Is muhou going to choose feipin for fuhuang?"
"Who told you this?" Qu Qing Ju laughed but she didn't coax the children just because they were young. She explained seriously, "Muhou is really going to see those female candidates, but it's not for your fuhuang. These female candidates, other than your fuhuang, they can go serve other people. "
"Then let them dig earthworms for me." He Teng clapped his hands excitedly. "I can't even dig earthworms."
Qu Qing Ju patted her youngest son's head that was shaved like a pan. Qu Qing Ju huffed at her youngest son's head that had been shaved into a spatula.
"What are you doing here?" He Yao patted his younger brother's shoulder sternly. He raised his chin and said, "What we need to do now is keep these female candidates away from fuhuang. Let the eunuchs do digging earthworms. Those female candidates are soft and have no energy at all, how can they dig earthworms? You, a man, cannot do it, do you think those female candidates can do it?"
"Qu Qing Ju smiled as she looked at her two sons. The eldest son's hands were behind his back, and he had an expression of" I don't want to see those women, but for muhou, I can force myself to go ". The youngest son also had an expectant expression. She shook her head helplessly," Alright, you two can come together. "
Qu Qing Ju smiled as she looked at her two sons. The eldest son's hands were behind his back, and he had an expression of "I don't want to see those women, but for muhou, I can force myself to go". The youngest son also had an expectant expression. She shook her head helplessly, "Alright, you two can come together."
Seeing muhou agree to their request, He Yao coughed dryly and then reached out to hold his brother's hand. He ordered solemnly: "When you see those female candidates, you have to behave better. We are muhou's children, don't lose muhou's face."
He Teng obediently nodded and patted his chest: "Don't worry, ge ge, we are the crown prince and imperial son. Didn't muhou say that when the two of us are together, we are invincible yellow buns."
The corner of He Yao's mouth twitched. He didn't believe this kind of words to coax children. They weren't three or four years old.
The female candidates that had passed through the layers of selection were extremely uneasy. The news of the Emperor and Empress's deep love had spread through all of Da Long. They were afraid that the Empress would treat them harshly, and that they would have the life to enter the palace, but not the life to enjoy wealth. Who knew that in the days that they had been in the palace, they hadn't been treated harshly at all? They hadn't even seen the people around the Empress. When someone was brought to Chao Ming Hall, they finally remembered that this was the last round of selection. The Emperor and Empress would personally inspect them. If they were to their liking, they could become part of the feipin of the hougong.
Some people were still trembling. Some people's thoughts had started to waver. They were all outstanding women from all over the world. If they received the favor of the Emperor, would they have to worry about not being able to bring glory to their ancestors, not being able to enjoy wealth?
Even more, the Empress was already twenty-three and the Emperor was only a few years older than the Empress. After so many years, no matter how deep the feelings were, they weren't as strong as they had been in the beginning. They were all double-eight females. Even if they weren't as beautiful as the Empress, they were at least younger than the Empress, more energetic than the Empress. That was their capital.
But no matter what they thought, when the Empress who wasn't as young and energetic as them appeared, they were still stunned.
The grand phoenix robe, exquisite hairpins, and skin whiter than snow, where did she look like a matron that had given birth to three children? When the Empress held the hands of a palace maid and walked up the jade stairs to sit on the phoenix chair, they all knelt down in greeting. The bit of arrogance they had before had disappeared without a trace.
"Stand up," Qu Qing Ju let her two sons sit beside her. She smiled as she looked at the twenty or thirty young females below, "Our Da Long has good weather and can always raise all kinds of beauties. Seeing everyone today, ben gong is pleased to see you."
The female candidates hadn't expected that the Empress would be such a beautiful and gentle person. Many of them had good feelings towards the Empress and forgot their original intentions.
Those with sharp eyes saw the two boys sitting beside the Empress and instantly understood that they were most likely the Crown Prince and the Second Imperial Prince. Thinking that the Empress still had a princess that was only five months old, the smarter ones gave up on the idea of entering the hougong. Putting aside whether they would be favored or not, just offending the Empress, they wouldn't have good days in the future.
"The Emperor is busy with government affairs and specially ordered ben gong to come see you girls," Qu Qing Ju swept the expressions on the faces of the young females below. Seeing that these people's behavior was very appropriate, she knew that this batch of female candidates would be less worrisome than the last years of Qing De, "Are you girls used to the palace?"
The female candidates standing below all said they were very used to it and praised the people and things in the palace. There were also a few girls who purposefully expressed their loyalty in front of the Empress. This behavior expressed their thoughts.
Of course, Qu Qing Ju understood, but from beginning to end, she didn't acknowledge these people's voluntary displays of goodwill. After leaving Chao Ming Hall, she said to her two sons beside her: "Did you see? Your fuhuang won't be interested in girls like this. You are still young, just grow up happily. These things aren't things that little men should be concerned about. "
"As a son, muhou's matters are things that a man should be concerned about," He Yao raised his chin and said, "A man should be like this."
"En!" He Teng nodded in confusion at the side. Even though he didn't understand, he clearly heard muhou and men. He expressed his agreement.
Qu Qing Ju's heart warmed. She crouched down to hug her two sons: "Muhou has two manly sons, it's a blessing. In the future, Tun Tun and Teng Teng have to protect their mother, wife and children. This is what men should do."
"En!" The two young children solemnly nodded.
Qu Qing Ju looked at them, her smile like a flower.
Not long after, most of the twenty or so female candidates were sent back to their hometowns. These female candidates were very happy when they left. When they returned, if someone asked, they would talk about how good the Empress was. It caused some impoverished scholars to write stories about the Empress, but they were all stories that beautified the Empress.
Qu Qing Ju didn't know what had happened outside the palace, but something unexpected had happened inside the palace. That was, among the female candidates left behind, someone complained that the Empress had monopolized the Emperor's favor and was too jealous.
When the words came out, it created a storm in the hougong. Everyone was waiting to see what would happen to this arrogant female candidate. It had to be known that the Empress was very kind to Heng fei and Luo guipin. The Emperor rested in Kui Yuan Palace every day, that was the Emperor's own decision. No matter how capable the Empress was, she couldn't tie the Emperor's feet, could she?
So in other people's eyes, this was a huge joke. It wasn't that there weren't blind palace maids in the palace who wanted to become a phoenix from a sparrow, but no one had ever succeeded. Where did this female candidate get her confidence from?
In reality, Qu Qing Ju was also slightly curious. She sat in the pavilion in the middle of the pond in the Imperial Garden and carelessly threw the bait in her hands to the goldfish in the lotus pond. She turned to look at the female candidate called Chu Bi who was kneeling in front of her. This was a very beautiful girl. Her brows carried a pride that other women didn't have. She took the handkerchief that Mu Jin handed over and wiped her hands. She sighed: "These years, there has never been a lack of women in the hougong who want to be feipin. You are not the first, and you will not be the last."
Chu Bi had long regretted what she had said in a moment of anger. Hearing the Empress speak, she obediently and respectfully knelt. She was afraid that if she angered the Empress, she wouldn't even be able to keep her little life.
"As a woman, if one could choose, then it would be to obtain the heart of one person and never leave," Qu Qing Ju saw the puzzlement on Chu Bi's face and smiled, "But the men in the world are fickle, and the women are infatuated. The ending is often crueler than imagined."
Hearing this, Chu Bi's heart moved slightly. For some reason, she gathered her courage to raise her head to look at the Empress. She found that there wasn't any anger on the Empress' face, but an unspeakable warmth. Her heart moved slightly and she regretted her careless grumbling.
"Empress niangniang … …" Chu Bi stammered, "nubi knows her wrongs, and asks for Empress niangniang's forgiveness."
"Stand up," Qu Qing Ju smiled wryly as she raised her hand, "If you really want to become a feipin in the hougong, ben gong naturally won't stop you. I just hope that you won't regret it in the future."
Chu Bi stilled. She knew that the Empress wasn't lying, but she hesitated now.
At this time, she heard footsteps behind her. Before she raised her head, she heard the palace maids and taijian kneel down in the pavilion, calling for the Emperor.
Emperor? She gathered her courage and raised her head. She saw the Emperor and the Empress's hands clasped together. In the eyes of the Emperor, other than the Empress, he didn't seem to see anyone else.
She obediently bowed to the Emperor. From beginning to end, the Emperor didn't even glance at her, and didn't ask about her. When the Emperor hurriedly left, she found out that the Emperor still had official matters to attend to. It was only because he saw the Empress in the pavilion in the pond that he had come to see.
How deep of a relationship did it take to do this?
Chu Bi walked in front of the Empress and gave a full bow: "The daughter of a Nan Jun official, Chu Bi, dares to beg for the Empress' phoenix grace, and for the Empress to allow nubi to return home and marry."
She might have envied the riches and splendor, but she also knew what she could hope for, and what she should let go of. Otherwise, the ending would only be a tragedy.
Qu Qing Ju looked at this young girl and instantly smiled. She hadn't guessed incorrectly. This kind of girl might have a stubborn personality, but she wouldn't lose her rationality. This hadn't wasted her efforts.
Since He Heng had no interest in other women, why should she keep these young women in the hougong as widows because of a virtuous reputation? They were all women. She couldn't do a thing that wanted both face and benefits.
Chu Bi left like this. Afterwards, she heard that none of the five female candidates had become the Emperor's feipin, but had become someone else's qieshi. She looked at her husband who treated her warmly and for some reason, she thought of the words the Empress had said.
As a woman, if she could choose, it would be to obtain the heart of one person, to never part.
Only now did she understand the rules the Empress had for the female candidates. If the Empress didn't care about them, and allowed the twenty female candidates to spend five years in the palace and then be sent out of the palace, what awaited them was old age. Where would they go to find a good husband?
"What are you thinking about?" The man beside Chu Bi asked with a slight smile.
"Nothing," Chu Bi shook her head. She smiled as she replied: "Just thinking, if there wasn't one person, I probably wouldn't have met you in this life."
"Who is this person?"
"She, is probably the best woman in the world," She closed the book in her hand, her smile warm and sweet, "It's late, go to sleep."
The man beside her looked at the book in her hand. Wasn't this a novel about the love between the Emperor and the Empress?
It was said that the Emperor and Empress had deep feelings for each other. After marrying for more than a decade, the Emperor's love for the Empress never changed. Right now, the two had both a son and a daughter, the envy of many men and women in the world.
He smiled. This was probably the most touching love story between Emperor and Empress that had never happened before or since in Da Long Dynasty.
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