The wives of the concubines are empresses

The two gentlemen accompanied the empress to the dining hall for dinner. After the empress sat down, the two gentlemen took their seats in order of their official ranks.

"It's been a long time since I've had a meal alone with you, my dears."

The Left Vice Minister of Rites said respectfully, "Yes."

Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Shrines, sat there in fear and did not dare to speak. Although he had been an official for ten years, except for grand court meetings, he had rarely seen the emperor, let alone had the experience of dining at the same table with the emperor.

Shangguan Wanjun waited until the people arranged by Liu Cheng had finished testing the poison before she started eating. The concubines were not at lunch today, so Mu Xiang served her soup.

"Everyone, start eating. Don't be shy."

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites looked at the serving chopsticks on the table and reached out to pick up some food for himself. The Empress's habit over the years remained the same, but he also preferred to pick up the food himself. There were no so many complicated rules, and he felt more comfortable while dining.

Shangguan Wanjun glanced at Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, carefully picking up the dishes, and sighed slightly in her heart.

She didn't do anything, but these ministers were really frightened and nervous.

Shangguan Wanjun didn't say much during the meal, as she was afraid that if she opened her mouth, the two ministers would eat even less happily.

After the meal, the palace maids brought a cup of mouthwash and handed out a clean handkerchief. Shangguan Wanjun took the cup, drank a sip, and then spit it into the basin. She then took the handkerchief and gently wiped her mouth. The other two ministers saw this and followed suit to rinse and wipe their mouths.

Shangguan Wanjun saw that they had finished and stood up to give orders.

"Let's go and take a walk in the courtyard to digest the food."

The two men bowed, "Yes, Your Majesty."

They understood that the empress might want to talk to them, so they followed one after another.

There are two water tanks in the courtyard, one of which contains water lilies and the other contains lotus flowers. As early autumn approaches, the last flower of the water lily and lotus flowers are still in bloom.

Shangguan Wanjun saw it and walked over.

"There's even a water lily and lotus in full bloom here. The flowering season is really long."

Lianhua smiled and looked up: "Yes, Your Majesty, look, there are quite a few lotus pods here."

Shangguan Wanjun found it to be true: "Well, it looks quite plump, and there must be a lot of lotus seeds inside."

Then she looked at Liu Cheng and ordered, "Cut off the lotus pods and we'll put them on the stone table later."

When Liu Cheng heard this, he quickly responded.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will immediately order someone to cut it." He looked at Shi Qingxue who was standing beside him and ordered, "Go and cut the lotus pods quickly."

Shi Qingxue said respectfully, "Yes, Eunuch Liu."

Shangguan Wanjun had walked to the stone table and sat down. She looked up at her two beloved ministers in official uniforms.

"sit down."

The two of them bowed together and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Muxiang, bring a plate."

Mu Xiang, who had been waiting quietly on the side, quickly responded: "Yes, Your Majesty, please wait a moment."

Shi Qingxue cut seven lotus pods and came to Shangguan Wanjun with them in his hands.

"Your Majesty, the lotus pods have been harvested. Would you like to see?"

Shangguan Wanjun glanced at the stone table, and Shi Qing understood and quickly put it down. One of the lotus pods playfully fell to the ground, and Shen Qiu, the head of the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, quickly bent down to pick it up and put it on the stone table.

Facing him who was still a little panicked and nervous, Shangguan Wanjun moved the corners of her mouth calmly.

At this time, Mu Xiang also came to the courtyard: "Your Majesty, I brought two plates, is that okay?"

"Okay, let it go."

Shangguan Wanjun picked up a lotus pod button, Mu Xiang put it down, and saw her take action.

It turned out that the emperor really wanted to deduct Lianzi, so she took two steps back and stood still.

Seeing this, the Left Vice Minister of Rites also reached out and took the lotus pod and began to knock it.

Seeing this, Shen Qiushi, the head of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Shrines, also took the initiative to pick up a lotus pod and started to crack it. The main reason was that the empress and his boss were cracking lotus seeds, and he didn't want to just sit there and do nothing.

Shangguan Wanjun said as she buttoned the phone, "Master Shen, right?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, quickly responded.

"Back to the Emperor, yes."

Seeing that he suddenly became more panicked and nervous, Shangguan Wanjun smiled gently, but her hands did not stop moving.

"Don't be so nervous. I'm just asking casually. Relax. You entered the court as an official during the time of the previous emperor."

Hearing this, Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, slowly relaxed, picked up the lotus pod on the table and continued to knock.

"Correct."

"What was your rank in the imperial examination that year?"

"168th place." Using Ming Dynasty data, according to the 89 imperial examinations held during the 276 years of the Ming Dynasty, the total number of Jinshi admitted was about 281 people on average per subject.

"I remember you are thirty-eight this year and have been in the Ministry of Rites for ten years."

"Yes."

"The annual salary is 250 taels of silver."

"enough?"

Shangguan Wanjun seemed to be asking casually, but in fact she was also trying to understand the living conditions of the officials.

However, each official's family situation is different, so we need to look at things from many perspectives.

"My family consists of eight people, one father, one mother, one wife, two sons, and two daughters. I have five servants, and the salary is barely enough."

Shangguan Wanjun asked in surprise, "You don't have a concubine?"

Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, said, "No."

"Most officials in the capital have concubines. Your salary seems to be decent, so why don't you find a concubine?" Don't most men in the world like to have three or four wives?

Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Shrines, felt a pang in his heart: Could it be that the emperor was going to grant him a concubine?

"When my wife married me, my family was extremely poor. I would never have thought of that."

"You dare not even think about that? Do you not dare, or do you not want to?"

The Left Vice Minister of Rites discovered that the empress had been asking his subordinates questions all the time, and all of them were about family matters, so he didn't know what the empress meant.

Now he is asking about someone's wives and concubines. Could it be that he wants to give a concubine to his subordinate?

Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Shrines, didn't know what to say for a moment. The main reason was that he couldn't guess the emperor's thoughts. If he said the wrong thing, he would be finished.

"Say what you think, otherwise you are deceiving the king."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, looked up in panic, then quickly knelt down and bowed before speaking.

"I would never dare."

"Look at you, I was just asking casually, and you knelt down."

When the Left Vice Minister of Rites heard this, he quickly asked him to stand up.

"Master Shen, why don't you get up and continue peeling lotus seeds?"

Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Shrines, did not hear the empress speak and did not dare to stand up.

Shangguan Wanjun glanced at him and smiled faintly.

"Get up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

He sat down and picked up the lotus pod and continued to peel it. Fortunately, there were lotus seeds to peel, which relieved some of his tension and panic.

Thinking of the previous question, he explained sincerely: "Madam, you did not despise my poor family when you married me, and you worked hard to take care of the household chores, gave birth to my children, and took care of my parents. It was already very hard. I cannot have that intention, nor do I want to have that intention.

It is said that a virtuous wife helps me to achieve great ambitions. I have given my virtuous wife ten thousand taels of gold and have never let her enjoy any blessings. How could I have such an ungrateful thought?

Besides, it is said that one should marry a virtuous wife. I already have a virtuous wife and a good mother, who have given me two sons and two daughters. This is enough for my life."

Shangguan Wanjun didn't expect to hear such an answer from him, but she found it quite simple and sincere.

"It's rare that you have such a high level of ideological awareness. You are truly blessed to have two sons and two daughters. You deserve this blessing."

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty."

"Are your two legitimate sons and daughters married?"