readsfreenovel Chapter 329 Consort Fucha
Chapter 329 Consort Fucha
If they continue to oppose the emperor, they will certainly not have a good end.
It wasn't that no officials wanted to remonstrate to the death, but two years ago, for some unknown reason, the emperor suddenly announced that Princess Shuhe and others would participate in political affairs.
This provoked strong opposition from the entire court, and several ministers even risked their lives to remonstrate with him.
Unexpectedly, the Emperor not only refused to compromise, but also allowed those ministers to commit suicide by crashing into the palace in front of the Golden Palace.
The positions of those ministers were taken over after their deaths.
The scandals of those high-ranking officials and their families were also published in the *Da Qing Bai Xing Bao* (The People's Daily of the Qing Dynasty).
The emperor also purged those people's families one by one, so they could be said to have lost both their wives and their troops.
Not only did he lose his life, but he also ended up with a tarnished reputation and eternal infamy.
Upon realizing this, everyone shuddered and dared not utter another word.
Prince Dun cleared his throat and stepped forward.
"Your Majesty is wise; the unity of the Manchu and Han peoples is an inevitable trend."
Making a Han woman empress truly demonstrates Your Majesty's magnanimity and foresight; we, your subjects, naturally support it.
Seeing this, the other princes also expressed their support.
Those ministers who were originally dissatisfied had no choice but to back down after seeing that the princes had all expressed their opinions.
Hongchang looked at everyone and said, "Since that's the case, then it's settled."
From now on, no one needs to mention again whether my empress was a Han woman or a Manchu woman.
I hope that all people in the world will respect the Empress as much as the Prime Minister respects me.
I hope that when you return home, you will instruct your wives and daughters.
"Lady and Consort, do not do anything disrespectful, or I will not forgive you lightly."
The ministers immediately knelt down to receive the decree. Although they still harbored resentment, they dared not show it in the slightest.
Once this matter was settled, the ministers began to discuss other matters.
Neqin stepped forward and knelt down, her voice hoarse, yet carrying a resolute air:
"Your Majesty, this old minister is guilty."
The breath that had just been released in the hall was put back in its throat by his words.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Neqin, the Minister of War and Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard.
At this moment, he kowtowed without his hat, his white braid hanging down his back like a dead gray snake.
Hongchang raised his eyes, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger: "What crime has Neqing committed?"
Neqin pressed her forehead against the gold brick, her voice trembling:
"This old minister has failed in his duty to educate his grandson, allowing Niohuru Jinyao to become arrogant and disrespectful."
This disrespectful behavior before the palace has tarnished Your Majesty's countenance and disgraced our ancestors. This old minister... earnestly begs Your Majesty to punish me!
As he finished speaking, he almost slammed his forehead against the ground three times with a thud.
A drop of blood rolled down his brow bone.
The drops, dripping onto the gleaming brick surface, were a blindingly red.
This is sacrificing a pawn to save the king, and also a strategic retreat to advance.
The hall was completely silent. Everyone understood.
Neqin is sacrificing his life's dignity to buy a way out for the Niohuru family:
As long as the emperor is willing to punish him for "lax family discipline," his entire family will not be implicated.
Hongchang looked down at him, his fingertips slowly tracing the armrest of the dragon throne.
"You have indeed failed to properly educate your granddaughter; her behavior was not limited to misbehaving before the emperor."
What do you think should be done with your granddaughter?
Neqin trembled, her forehead pressed against the ground, her voice trembling with tears:
"Your Majesty, my granddaughter is in poor health, and from now on she will have to stay home to recuperate..."
This old minister has failed His Majesty's grace, and is willing to accept punishment.
Neqin meant to cause Niohuru Jinyao to die of illness.
Then, by citing Neqin's own merits, he pleaded with Hongchang to spare the entire Niohuru family.
Neqin never imagined that after decades of navigating the ups and downs of officialdom, he would ultimately bow down to his granddaughter.
It can only be said that it was a matter of timing and fate.
Hongchang looked at Neqin and, considering his contributions over the years, decided not to be too harsh on him and stopped pressuring him.
Then he slowly said, "I will be lenient in my punishment because I remember your many years of hard work and great achievements, and because you have already admitted your mistake."
Effective immediately, you are stripped of your official rank and sent home to reflect on your mistakes.
As for Niohuru Jinyao, since she's ill, she should stay home and rest. Don't let her out to cause trouble.
The women in your family bear an undeniable responsibility for raising such a woman.
I hope you understand.
Upon hearing this, Neqin was visibly shaken, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He was both relieved that his family had escaped a great disaster and saddened by the end of his official career.
As for what Hongchang said, Neqin kept it in mind.
He had long ago sent his wife and daughter-in-law to the family temple.
You don't need to come out anymore.
Neqin kowtowed deeply, "Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty. This old minister will certainly obey your command."
The ministers sighed inwardly, lamenting that Neqin's illustrious reputation had ultimately been ruined by his granddaughter.
Hongchang's actions not only demonstrated the emperor's boundless grace but also served as a warning to everyone.
After this incident, the court continued to discuss other matters.
As soon as the imperial edict establishing the empress was issued, the Liang family had already prepared an incense table to receive the decree.
Long before the Emperor issued an edict allowing Han women to participate in the imperial concubine selection,
The Liang family then arranged for someone to spend a large sum of money to purchase a not-too-small house in the capital.
The day the imperial decree reached the Liang residence, a light snow had just fallen in the capital.
The vermilion gate was wide open, and an incense table stretched from in front of the screen wall all the way down to the steps.
Liang Yuan, along with his wife and servants, knelt in a dense crowd in both courtyards.
The one who delivered the imperial edict was Zhang Hude himself.
"...She is intelligent and quick-witted, and possesses gentle and respectful virtues... She was made Empress and given residence in Kunning Palace. A year later, an auspicious day will be chosen for their wedding."
The yellow silk was unfurled, its golden powder shimmering like snow, so dazzling that everyone could not open their eyes.
The Liang family never expected that the position of empress would fall to their own family.
Sending their daughter to the palace for the imperial concubine selection was actually a last resort for them.
Although the emperor allowed Han women to participate in the imperial concubine selection, many people speculated that the selected Han women would likely not hold high ranks.
At best, she could only attain the rank of concubine; it wasn't that they lacked confidence in their daughter.
The problem is that there are just too many girls participating in this talent show.
There are always people better than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding. Their daughter is outstanding.
Other people's daughters are also excellent.
There are many benefits to a daughter entering the palace as a concubine.
But they have no connections in the palace, and their daughter will surely suffer if she enters the palace.
The Liang couple hesitated when asked to send their daughter to the palace.
In the end, it was their daughter who made them finally decide.
Liang Wanyi voluntarily enters the palace for the imperial concubine selection.
She was willing to participate in the imperial concubine selection not for the glory and wealth of the palace.
Instead, Liang Wanyi saw many things in the "Da Qing Bai Xing Bao" newspaper.
She has great ambitions.
Their ideal scenario was that after the second round of selection, their daughter would return home to choose a husband.
My daughter was very happy after returning from the talent show.
After inquiring about the details, they only assumed that their daughter's situation after entering the palace wouldn't be too bad.
Unexpected, unexpected
Unexpected, unexpected
A thin layer of snow covered the blue tiles, like a sprinkling of crushed salt.
The brazier in front of the incense table crackled, startling Madam Liang so much that her fingertips trembled.
"...she was made Empress..."
Those eight words stunned everyone in the courtyard, leaving them speechless.
Liang Yuan was stunned for a long time, until Zhang Hude bent down to help him up, then he kowtowed in a hoarse voice:
"Your subject...accepts the decree and expresses gratitude."
The yellow silk was handed to him; it was light and flimsy, yet it burned his knuckles.
Once the noise subsided and the crowd dispersed, the gates of the Liang residence closed.
Madam Liang grabbed her daughter's hand, her nails almost digging into her flesh.
"Wanyi, tell your mother, is this... is this a mistake?"
Liang Wanyi gripped her mother's hand in return, her palms also damp, yet her smile remained remarkably steady:
"That's right, Mother, she is the Empress."