Secrets of Yuqing Palace

The process of celebrating the New Year in the palace is complicated yet full of ritual.

As the Crown Princess, Wanyu learned palace affairs from the four concubines and had to participate in it.

First, on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, a ceremony to worship the Kitchen God will be held in the palace.

Offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God, send him to heaven, and report the good and evil deeds of the world to the Jade Emperor.

In order to make the Kitchen God "speak good things to the heavens and bring good luck to the world below", a lot of sacrifices need to be prepared in advance to make the Kitchen God "satisfied".

On the 26th day of the 12th lunar month, the palace began to paste door gods, spring couplets and palace training pictures.

The emperor would order the eunuchs to seal the seal, which was called "sealing the treasure". This meant that except for major emergencies, the emperor would no longer deal with state affairs and would prepare to spend the New Year with peace of mind.

At the same time, government offices in various places had to seal up their official seals, which meant that all officials in the Qing Dynasty began to take a holiday on that day.

From the 28th to the 30th day of the 12th lunar month, 36 lamas would spread out cushions in front of the Zhongzheng Hall and sit in meditation every day, chanting the "Happy New Year Sutra" aloud, praying to the Buddha to bless the palace with good fortune and happiness in the new year.

On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, the Lamas will perform the "Cloth Jumping Ceremony" in the Zhongzheng Hall.

Tiaobuli is a Mongolian word, which means "to drive away demons and evil spirits" in Chinese. It is a religious ritual of Tibetan Buddhism.

Next comes New Year’s Eve.

However, on the day before New Year's Eve, the palace would hold a ceremony to offer sacrifices to all ancestors.

The ceremony is held in the Imperial Ancestral Temple on the southeast side of the Forbidden City and is one of the most important ceremonial activities during the Spring Festival.

The emperor would fast in advance and personally go to the Taimiao to preside over the sacrifice.

The princes, as well as other clan members such as princes, dukes, beile, and beizi, as well as officials and guards from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, followed the emperor to perform ancestral worship ceremonies in the Taimiao, burning incense and offering sacrifices to their ancestors and gods and Buddhas.

Although Wanyu could not directly participate in the ancestor worship ceremony like the emperor and the princes, she also needed to make preparations in Yuqing Palace.

It is necessary to ensure that Yinreng's clothing, accessories, etc. are all dressed neatly and appropriately when he goes out to worship his ancestors, and there must be no mistakes.

At the same time, when Yinreng returned, he should be welcomed with appropriate etiquette to show respect for the solemn ceremony of ancestor worship.

On New Year's Eve, the emperor would lead all the royal family members to burn incense and worship their ancestors and gods and Buddhas, and hold a "God-receiving Ceremony" in Kunning Palace to bring back the Kitchen God who was sent away on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month.

The eunuchs would burn pine branches, cypress leaves, etc. in golden furnaces in the palace, and sesame straw would be scattered throughout the palaces and courtyards for people to step on, which meant "跴(cai三声)岁" and had the auspicious meaning of "climbing higher step by step".

Even Yuqing Palace is no exception.

Next is the New Year’s Eve family dinner.

On New Year's Eve, Wanyu and Yinreng got up early.

Wanyu let Xia Lian dress her up and put on the auspicious clothes of the Crown Princess.

Logically speaking, on this day, the prince's wife and all the concubines should first pay their respects to the empress, and then be taken by the empress to Ningshou Palace to pay their respects to the empress dowager.

But there is no queen in the palace now, so the princes and their wives have to go to their mother's palace first, and then pay their respects to the highest-ranking concubine in the palace, Concubine Nianhulu, and then the concubine will lead everyone to the empress dowager.

However, Wanyu is different from ordinary princes' wives. She is the wife of the crown prince, and her status and rank are no lower than that of a noble concubine.

In the past, she didn't need to go to Yongshou Palace to pay her respects to the imperial concubine.

So, with Yinreng's advance instructions, after Wanyu left Yuqing Palace, she got on a sedan chair and went directly to Ningshou Palace.

After she arrived at Ningshou Palace, Aunt Ulan, who was beside the Empress Dowager, immediately invited her in with a smile on her face.

Wanyu's face was gentle, and she greeted with a smile on her lips: "Granddaughter-in-law Guaerjia pays her respects to the Empress Dowager."

"I respectfully wish the Empress Dowager great happiness and good health, a peaceful New Year's Eve, and peace and prosperity throughout the years, and a long and blessed life."

The Queen Mother smiled and said, "Good boy, thanks for your good words. Get up quickly."

Wanyu stood up and said, "Yes, Royal Madam."

The little girl, about ten years old, sitting next to the Empress Dowager, also greeted Wanyu obediently.

"Sister, I have met the Crown Prince's Second Sister-in-law."

Wanyu smiled and said, "Fifth sister, there's no need to be so polite."

The Empress Dowager smiled kindly and said, "You should all sit down quickly and stop standing there."

After the two of them sat down obediently, the Empress Dowager looked at Wanyu with concern.

"Why did the Crown Princess come so early today?"

Wanyu said playfully, "Today is New Year's Eve, a good day to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new."

"The Imperial Madam is the most blessed person in the harem. My granddaughter-in-law wanted to come and pay her respects to the Imperial Madam early and share in her blessings."

The Queen Mother was stunned at first, then burst into laughter and spoke her mind.

"You mischievous little devil."

"I am blessed, aren't you blessed too?"

She was not only the Crown Princess, but her status in the harem was second only to that of the Empress Dowager.

Moreover, she is valued by the emperor, and the prince has a deep friendship with her. Now there has been no new person entering the Eastern Palace.

Speaking of being blessed, this girl is much more blessed than her.

Back then, she came to the Forbidden City from Khorchin. The emperor disliked her and even considered deposing her several times.

If it weren't for the protection of the Empress Dowager, I might have died alone in this Forbidden City!

And the other women in the palace are no match for this Crown Princess.

Wanyu chuckled and said embarrassedly, "Granddaughter-in-law is too greedy. She thinks that if she stays with the Royal Madam for a while, she might be more blessed."

"The Royal Madam is in good health. My granddaughter-in-law actually thinks she looks younger than my own mother. I'm so envious."

"My granddaughter-in-law hopes to enjoy more of the good fortune of the Royal Mother, so that when she is old she can be like the Royal Mother, not only healthy but also looking young."

The Empress Dowager was so pleased with the Crown Princess' words that she smiled from ear to ear.

He reached out and pinched her soft little face, "What a lively girl."

"With you always showing filial piety to me and making me laugh, I feel younger and younger."

Even the fifth princess beside him couldn't help laughing and covered her mouth with her handkerchief and laughed secretly.

[I didn't expect my fifth sister-in-law to be so lively and playful.]

Aunt Wulan behind the Empress Dowager also smiled and echoed, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is right. Every time the Crown Princess comes to Ningshou Palace, our entire Ningshou Palace is bustling with joy."

"The Empress Dowager is in great spirits and even smiles when she goes to bed at night."

Wanyu immediately smiled and said, "Then from now on, granddaughter-in-law must come and bother the Queen Mother more often."

"As the old saying goes, a smile makes you look ten years younger!"

"I must try to make the Royal Madam smile more often in the future and make you look younger."

"Maybe one day when I accompany the Royal Madam to stroll in the Imperial Garden, those ladies will think we are sisters and stroll around the Imperial Garden together."

"Pfft~"

"Pfft~"

"Hahahahaha..."

“Chuckle…Chuckle…”

The Empress Dowager looked at Wanyu and was so happy that she couldn't speak. She could only laugh and say intermittently: "You...you..."

The laughter from Ningshou Palace soon spread outside the palace.

At this time, Consort Nianhulu was bringing all the concubines, as well as the First and Fourth Consorts, to the outside of Ningshou Palace.

Surprise flashed in everyone's eyes.

[Why is Ningshou Palace so bustling today? ]

After the young eunuch's announcement, the laughter in Ningshou Palace gradually subsided.

Soon, Nanny Gegen, who was beside the Empress Dowager, came out and invited everyone in.

After everyone entered the main hall, they found that the Crown Princess had already arrived.

Thinking of the laughter just now, everyone understood.

As everyone knows, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager both like the Crown Princess very much.

The emperor did it because of the prince, but the empress dowager did it not only because of the prince, but also because she herself had a good impression of the princess.

Every time the Crown Princess came to Ningshou Palace to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager, she could see a smile on the Empress Dowager's face.

Moreover, the Queen Mother often rewards the Crown Princess with good things and protects her.