Secrets of Yuqing Palace

Chapter 271 Entering the Imperial Academy and the Cabinet

After Wanyu and Shi Huashan talked for a while, they saw that Mafa looked tired, so they covered him with a blanket and left the room.

As they were in a hurry to get back to Changchun Garden, they only talked with their families for a short while before leaving.

Back at Taoyuan Book House, Xia Lu placed the things given by the old lady on the table and asked the Crown Princess to take a look.

Only then did Wanyu know what things Mafa left for her and the children.

The two sons were given 30,000 taels of silver notes, a large house in the inner city and a large house in the outer city, two large manors with an area of more than a thousand acres around the capital, and the deeds to two hot spring manors.

What was given to his daughter was 60,000 taels of silver notes, a four-story house and two street-facing shops in the inner city, as well as the deeds to two shops in the outer city.

In addition, there are many high-quality hairpins and jewelry, which were prepared as dowries for Fuling'a in advance.

Less than a month after staying in Changchun Garden, news came that Shi Huashan had passed away.

Since we are still in the garden, the rules are not so strict.

So the sisters Wanyu and Wanlin went back to the Guarjia house again, personally burned a stick of incense to Mafa, and then returned to the garden with a bad look on their faces.

Due to the cultural differences between Manchus and Han people, the period of mourning was limited to three months.

The Eight Banners of Manchuria, the Eight Banners of Mongolia, and the Eight Banners of Han Army can mourn for their grandparents, parents, and adoptive parents for three months to fulfill their filial duties.

From then on, when a Manchu official's parents died, the mourning period was generally one hundred days.

The mourning period for Han officials was generally three years, which followed the custom of the Han people, that is, to observe the mourning period for three years, but in reality it was twenty-seven months.

Although Wanyu is a Manchu, she also has Han genes in her bones.

So she agreed with Yinreng and decided to observe mourning for Mafa for a year.

Yinreng knew that they had a deep affection for each other, and did not oppose the young lady's decision.

........

After a year of mourning passed, the new year arrived and it was the 44th year of the Kangxi reign.

In February, Emperor Kangxi issued an order to confer the title of Princess Heshuo Chunxun on the 22-year-old Sixth Princess, the daughter of Noble Lady Nala (later Concubine Tong).

On the third day of September, she married Tsering, a direct descendant of Genghis Khan and Khalkha Taiji of the Borjigit clan of Mongolia.

After the wedding, he would return to his old place in Tamil to resist the restless Junggar soldiers.

Because in the 31st year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi, Celing's grandmother Gechulehatun brought him and his tribesmen from their place of residence, Tamir, to surrender to the Qing Dynasty.

Emperor Kangxi appointed Celeng as the commander of light cavalry, allowed him to stay in the capital, and study in the inner court. His subordinates were incorporated into the Bordered Yellow Banner of the Eight Banners Chahar.

In May, a major event of far-reaching significance occurred to the Guwalja clan.

After years of hard work, the Crown Princess's younger brother Shi Mujin passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi. He now enters the Hanlin Academy and becomes a sixth-rank editor.

Because Shi Mujin was the best student in the entire Guwaljia clan, the family had already planned a path for him.

Since ancient times, there has been a saying that "only Jinshi can enter the Hanlin Academy, and only Hanlin can enter the Cabinet."

Moreover, having entered the Hanlin Academy through the formal imperial examination, his future prospects will be more stable and promising than relying on family influence.

Therefore, entering the Hanlin Academy was only his first step. The ultimate goal was to enter the cabinet and climb step by step to the first-rank cabinet minister.

The result was exactly as everyone expected. Shi Mujin, a Manchu who passed the imperial examination and entered the Hanlin Academy with his own strength, was highly favored by Kangxi.

His promotion speed is no slower than that of his brother Shi Liha, who was given the "golden finger" by Wanyu!

.........

On the third day of September, after Princess Chunxun and Ce Ling got married, Ce Ling was granted the title of Heshuo Efu and the rank of Beizi.

A few days after their wedding, Su Malagu, who was in her nineties, passed away.

Kangxi reburied her with the same ceremony as a concubine. Since the coffin of Empress Xiaozhuang Wen was now placed in the Zan'an Fengdian at the foot of Changrui Mountain in Zunhua, Kangxi decided to place Su Malagu's coffin there as well.

Placing her together with Empress Xiaozhuang Wen allowed the master and servant to renew their friendship.

In October, Wanyu was found to be pregnant again.

Everyone in Yuqing Palace was filled with joy.

Even Kangxi and the Empress Dowager, who had been depressed by Su Malagu's death, finally smiled when they heard the news.

In November, Wanyu's cousin Fucha Wunaxi and Yinxiang's eldest son was also one hundred days old.

Later, when he was one year old, Emperor Kangxi gave him the name Hongchang.

It was not long after the Spring Festival.

In February of the 45th year of the Kangxi reign.

The emperor named the eighth princess, who was twenty years old, Princess Heshuo Wenke.

She was also granted marriage to Cangjin, the Prince of Duleng of the Borjigit clan of Mongolia and the Ongniud tribe.

She got married in July and married into the Ongniud tribe.

The princess now has three concubines and palace maids who are skilled in martial arts to teach and train her. Although she is not proficient in both civil and military affairs, her studies have been quite effective.

He is fluent in Manchu, Mongolian and Chinese, and is familiar with the unique cultures of each ethnic group.

Yu Wu is also physically strong and adept at riding a horse and wielding a whip.

In addition, with the guards and dowry arranged by the emperor for the princesses, there was no need to worry that they would not survive after marrying into Mongolia.

The sudden arranged marriage caught Yinxiang off guard.

He only has two younger sisters. Now his eighth sister has been married to Khan Ama in Mongolia, and he doesn't want his tenth sister to marry into Mongolia as well.

But his ninth sister was getting married soon, so he had to keep an eye on the dowry prepared for his sister by the Ministry of Internal Affairs while discussing with his wife what would be the most appropriate dowry to give to his ninth sister.

I also have to think of a way to keep my tenth sister in the capital?

I finally made it to July.

The Crown Princess's second sister-in-law finished her confinement after giving birth to the second princess of the Eastern Palace.

Yinreng named the second princess Fuling'a (born to be blessed).

The ninth sister, Princess Heshuo Wenke, also followed the wedding escort team to the Ongniud tribe.

After finishing all his work, Yinxiang still couldn't think of any good solution.

He knew that he could not change Khan Ama's mind, so he had to take his wife and his eldest son Hongchang, who had just turned one year old, to Yuqing Palace, hoping to ask his second brother and sister-in-law for help.

When Wanyu saw her cousin Wu Naxi bringing Hongchang to Yuqing Palace, she immediately frowned and said, "It's so hot, and Hongchang is so young. Aren't you afraid that the little guy will get a heat stroke?"

With sweat all over her forehead, Unashi carried her son into the cool Huaqing Palace. Her originally rosy little face instantly felt much more comfortable.

When she saw her cousin, she quickly handed her son to her cousin.

"Cousin, please help me catch this kid."

"It's getting heavier. My hands are almost numb."

Wanyu quickly took the little guy over and touched his little hands and face.

Very good, not too hot.

Unashi first wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, then rubbed his wrists and sat down opposite his cousin.

Seeing her cousin holding Hongchang and touching him here and there out of worry, she explained with a smile.

"Don't worry, cousin. When our grandfather was holding this kid, he was holding an umbrella with his other hand."

"After entering the palace, I held him in my left hand and held an umbrella with my right hand, so he didn't get any sun exposure at all."

"And I'm by his side, fanning him. The little thing is so beautiful."

Wanyu glared at her.

"Children are extremely fragile, and Hongchang has just turned one year old, so you still have to be careful."