The wives of the concubines are empresses

"The eldest son is engaged and will be married on the tenth day of next month. The second son is eighteen years old and unengaged, but is currently discussing marriage. The eldest daughter is fifteen, and the second daughter is ten."

"It seems that both daughters are unengaged."

Shen Qiu, the head of the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, nodded. "Yes, I don't want to arrange marriages for my daughters too early. I'm afraid they won't meet the right man. If a girl marries the wrong man, her life will be ruined. If she has a son or daughter, she might have something to rely on. Otherwise, the rest of her life will be in jeopardy."

Shangguan Wanjun was deeply touched to hear that he, as a father, cared so much about his daughter.

Although she was the daughter of an emperor, she was not favored by her father when she was young. Fortunately, she was loved by her mother, the queen, and her childhood was relatively happy, at least better than many people.

Her father, the emperor, only wanted to have children and live forever in his life. He did not love her mother, the queen, nor her mother, the concubine. However, his favorite concubine was just using him as a stepping stone.

The two adults suddenly didn't hear the empress speak for a long time. They looked at each other and quietly looked at the empress opposite them. They found that she was lowering her head and peeling lotus seeds non-stop. They didn't know what she was thinking.

After a long time, Shangguan Wanjun smiled with a hint of bitterness.

"That's good. Your daughter is luckier than me."

Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Shrines, did not dare to respond. The empress's father was the late emperor. Who would dare to disrespect the late emperor? But the empress was really bold. She sighed in front of her ministers like that. The young people are really to be feared.

However, thinking about what the late emperor had done, Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Shrines, also felt that the empress was right.

Although she was the daughter of an emperor, she had never received the care and love of her father. All she had was what was allowed according to the ancestral system.

Thinking of the two current empress dowagers, he also sighed that it was fortunate that the empress had the love of her mother, the queen mother, and the concubines.

But when he thought of the sudden death of the late emperor and the complicated situation of the previous dynasty and the harem faced by the young emperor, he felt sorry for her.

If this was his own daughter, as a father, he would definitely be heartbroken.

"Has your eldest daughter held her coming-of-age ceremony?"

Shen Qiu, the absent-minded official from the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, was suddenly taken aback. "Not yet. We plan to wait until her sister-in-law gets married, and then choose an auspicious day."

"Okay, remember to give me a copy of the post when the time comes."

Shen Qiu, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and the Director of the Ministry of Rites' Shrines Department, was shocked.

Did they hear it right? The emperor took the initiative to ask for a coming-of-age ceremony invitation for a girl?

Seeing him stunned, Shangguan Wanjun laughed out loud.

"Can't you?"

"No, I will remember."

Thinking of his second son, Shangguan Wanjun became interested again: "What type of person does your second son like?"

The Left Vice Minister of Rites was stunned: Could it be that the Emperor has some ideas?

Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, was also surprised by this sudden mention: "I have never asked my son about this."

"Do you mind if your daughter-in-law is a few years older than your son?"

"As long as it's not too excessive, if my son likes it, as a father, I don't think it's a big deal. As long as the young couple lives a good life, that's all that matters."

The Left Vice Minister of Rites was even more confused. Wasn't the empress going to find him a husband?

But what does it mean to be a few years older?

Suddenly, the Left Vice Minister of Rites saw the female officials serving the empress. None of them were married yet and they seemed to have no interest in that kind of things at all. Could it be that the empress was anxious and wanted to make plans for them?

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites felt that she had revealed the truth, but the emperor had many female officials around him, at least eight of them, whether personal attendants or imperial ladies-in-waiting. So who should she choose a husband for?

Suddenly he thought of Lady Liuli who was temporarily assigned as an official some time ago. Together with her was Lady Liu from the Hanlin Academy. Could it be that the empress deliberately arranged these two people together in order to make them fall in love with each other over time?

Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, was also puzzled: What is the emperor going to do?

To marry another husband for yourself?

No, the emperor said that the daughter-in-law is older than the son. How dare the emperor say that about the daughter-in-law? Even if he is really the father-in-law, he dare not act like a father-in-law. He still has to bow down respectfully and call him a subject.

Hearing his words, Shangguan Wanjun curled her lips and smiled.

As long as she doesn't mind, it would be nice if her ladies-in-waiting could find younger husbands.

However, she had never seen Lord Shen's second son, and had no idea what his character, appearance, or figure were like.

Suddenly an idea came to her mind: why not find an opportunity to visit his house?

Realizing that she had not spoken for a long time and the air was almost suffocated, Shangguan Wanjun picked up another lotus pod and started peeling it.

"Lord Shen is quite open-minded. Your son and daughter are lucky to have you as their father."

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty."

"Which family is your eldest son betrothed to?"

"The eldest daughter of the Jiang family."

"Jiang family? What's the name of my future daughter-in-law?"

"Jiang Xialan."

Shangguan Wanjun was suddenly stunned: "Why does it sound a little familiar?"

Mu Xiang also felt the same way and reminded: "Your Majesty, we may have met before."

"is it?"

"You forgot that there seems to be a Miss Jiang in the hunting ground with Lord Murong. Her name seems to be this."

When she mentioned it, Ouhe suddenly remembered.

"Yes, yes, yes. I remember that my father was from the Censorate."

Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, was shocked: Could it be that my future daughter-in-law has really seen the emperor?

The key is that it also left an impression on the emperor and the female officials around him.

After being reminded by the two of them, Shangguan Wanjun had a vague shadow in her memory.

"Did I praise her?"

Lianhua said, "The Emperor praised many people that day, and he must have praised her as well."

The Left Vice Minister of Rites also remembered and quickly looked at his subordinates.

"Sir Shen, is your daughter-in-law's father from the Censorate?" He asked because he didn't know either.

Shen Qiu, the director of the Ministry of Rites and Shrines, nodded and said, "Indeed, it is the Experience Department of the Metropolitan Censorate."

The Left Vice Minister of Rites nodded solemnly: "It seems so. The Emperor did meet Miss Jiang that day and he even said that the names of these girls were very nice."

After all the lotus seeds were peeled, Shangguan Wanjun ordered Muxiang to ask the imperial kitchen to make lotus seed soup for the three of them to taste.

Back in the main hall of the Imperial Study, the four concubines, Consort Hao - Gao Zihao, Consort Qiao - Su Kangqiao, Consort Wen - Li Youwen, and General Nan Shaoan, had already begun reviewing memorials.

Seeing Shangguan Wanjun and others enter the hall, the four of them hurriedly stood up and bowed.

"Your Majesty, your humble servant."

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and the Director of the Ministry of Rites' Shrines Department - Shen Qiu also hurriedly saluted the four people.

"I pay my respects to the four lords."

Shangguan Wanjun looked at the four people, then looked at the desks beside them, and found that each of them seemed to have reviewed many memorials.

"Thank you for your hard work. Keep going."

By the time Muxiang brought three bowls of lotus seed soup and four bowls of fermented glutinous rice dumplings, it was already one quarter past three.

"My two lords, please try these last peeled lotus seeds."

The two nodded quickly and reached out to take it.

"Thank you girl."

"Thank you girl."