On the night of the first day of the lunar month, the First Emperor held a grand banquet in the palace. All the ministers with titles in the court, the First Emperor's princes, and the favored concubines in the harem all attended.
The First Emperor's favorite concubines, Mrs. Han, Mrs. Lu, Wang Meiren, Zheng Meiren, etc. were all sitting on both sides of the First Emperor.
On both sides of the lower head of the First Emperor are princes and ministers. The eldest son Fusu, the second son Yinggao, the fifth son Jianglu, the youngest seventeenth son Sichu, the eighteenth son Hu Hai, etc. are arranged in order on the right side. Wang Wan, Wei Zhuang, Feng Jie, Wang Jian and other ministers are arranged on the left side;
At this time, Mi Hong, the first wife of the First Emperor, had passed away. Mrs. Han and Mrs. Lu were the most favored concubines who had children.
Hu Hai was the youngest son of the First Emperor. After his birth, although more and more beauties were plundered from the Six Kingdoms, many of whom were favored by the First Emperor, none of them gave birth to an heir. This was true for Wang Meiren and Zheng Meiren. .
After the banquet began, Dr. Chun Yuyue saw that the seats of the First Emperor's concubines and princes were scattered around, and there was no distinction between high and low. He couldn't help but stand up and said: "Your Majesty, although the system of titles of emperor, supreme emperor and future emperors has been determined, but As for the system of queen and prince in the harem, it is still vacant. For the sake of royal honor, I suggest that the system of queen and prince should be established at the same time!"
The First Emperor was watching the singing and dancing with great interest and felt very happy. However, Chunyu Yue raised this question at this time, which made him quite unhappy. But after thinking about it, what he said was not unreasonable, and he said: "I am very pleased that you can share my worries. I will ask a doctor to study this matter and report it to me! Today is the first of the year, and all you need to do is Drink as much as you like, no need to talk about state affairs!”
Although Chun Yuyue knew that the First Emperor was evading, he knew that it was inconvenient to force any advice at this time, and the First Emperor had already ordered a discussion, so he replied: "I obey the decree!"
In the first ten years of the First Emperor's accession to the throne, the Empress Dowager Huayang, the Empress Dowager Xia, and the Empress Dowager Zhao successively took charge of the government. During this period, the Lao Ai Rebellion occurred, and Lu Buwei's monopoly on power made the First Emperor very disgusted with the harem's interference in political affairs. After taking charge, he never allowed the harem to interfere in political affairs. The ministers were afraid of the fate of Lao Ai and Lu Buwei, and did not dare to interfere with the affairs of the harem.
The position of queen was originally reserved for Mi Hong, but on the eve of Qin's unification of the world, Mi Hong died of an inexplicable illness. This allowed Mrs. Han and Mrs. Lu who had no chance to see an opportunity.
Mrs. Han entered the palace a year later than Mi Hong. Although her appearance was not as good as Mi Hong's, she was also handsome and charming. In addition, she was good at dancing and scheming, which made her very popular with the First Emperor. It was her idea to persecute the beauties offered by King Han.
At that time, the Korean ladies were favored by the First Emperor as soon as they entered the palace. Those beauties relied on the Emperor's favor and had no respect for her, a lady of Korean origin. They only knew that Mrs. Han hated her for relying on her youth and beauty to compete for favor. Not long after Hu Hai was born, several beauties donated by the King of Han became pregnant one after another, and the King of Qin was extremely favored.
Mrs. Han was worried that the First Emperor liked the new and disliked the old, so she wanted to get rid of him. Mrs. Han said to Mi Hong, the master of the harem at that time: "Sister, do you know that if the king favors Han women day after day, his body will inevitably be damaged in the long run, and you and I will be treated coldly."
"I don't know. It's just that His Majesty has always been strict with the harem. How can he listen to our suggestions?" Mi Hong said melancholy.
Mrs. Han heard that Mi Hong also had resentment, so she took the opportunity to suggest: "Of course we can't control the affairs of the country, but how can the king know everything about the things in the harem? Now that the imperial hospital is under the control of my sister, we can use this to get rid of these things Woe!"
Mi Hong was startled and asked: "Sister, do you want to kill those Korean girls?"
"Exactly! My sister is too soft-hearted. I have thought about it carefully. In the past few days, I pretended to be unwell and asked the imperial doctor to come and diagnose me. My sister secretly ordered the imperial doctor to say that I had the plague because I was worried about the plague in the palace. If it becomes popular, we need to ask the imperial hospital to boil a bowl of medicine for each person in the harem to achieve a preventive effect. When delivering the medicine, you only need to add a little manipulation to the Korean women's medicine to get rid of these disasters!"
"Ah..." After hearing this, Mi Hong broke into a cold sweat and said, "What if someone finds out?"
"If you don't tell me, and I won't tell you, the imperial doctor will naturally not dare to say anything! Then he will just say that he died from the plague. How can we investigate?"
Mi Hong was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to harm their lives, so she said: "I dare not agree to this! My sister should think of a way to make the king change his mind!"
Mrs. Han said anxiously: "If the king is willing to listen to you and me, I will not make such a move. Even if my sister doesn't think about herself, shouldn't she also think about Fusu?"
This sentence poked at Mi Hong's weakness. Fusu had been kind-hearted since he was a child, and it would be difficult for him to become the prince with his own strength. Once she was treated coldly, Fusu would never have a chance again. Mi Hong was silent for a long time, and finally made up her mind and said: "Hey, if you want to blame them, just blame them for their misfortune! For the sake of the king, my sister and I will complete this matter together!"
So Mi Hong summoned Dr. Wang, and together with Mrs. Han, they got rid of eight beauties donated by King Han, two of whom were pregnant.
Shortly after getting rid of Han Nu, Mi Hong also died of illness. Mrs. Han was ordered to take over the imperial hospital. The First Emperor gradually favored her. His son, Prince Gao, was naturally intelligent and fond of the military. The First Emperor sent General Feng Jie as his master. Everything was in line with her expectations. The position of queen was just around the corner. She felt that one day she could replace Mi Hong's position in the heart of the First Emperor.
However, the good times did not last long. With the successive demise of the Six Kingdoms, more and more beauties were plundered from the Six Kingdoms. The Xianyang Palace was filled with many beauties. Mrs. Han found that she could no longer pamper her exclusively. She often stayed for dozens of days in a row. The First Emperor could not be seen.
Although she was in charge of the imperial hospital, Mrs. Han realized that she could no longer achieve her goal by removing the women around the First Emperor. After all, she was already old and beautiful, but the new women who entered the palace were all young and beautiful, and even the First Emperor could not recognize them. A few can't restore the emperor's heart.
Mrs. Han came up with a more insidious trick. He recruited the imperial physician Li Zhen and asked, "Sir, have you ever heard of a medicine that can sterilize men?"
Li Zhen doubted why Mrs. Han would ask this, but he did not dare to ask more questions. He only said: "Medical books record that mercury can sterilize people. Long-term use will cause infertility regardless of men or women."
"From now on, all the decoctions used by the King will be added with mercury!"
Li Zhen broke into a cold sweat and trembled: "This... taking it for a long time may be harmful to the king's body..."
Mrs. Han interrupted: "Don't you know how to control the dosage? One qian or two qian? If there is a problem, you will be deceiving the emperor! I remember that your family lives in the north of the Weishui River. You also hope that they are safe, right?"
Li Zhen knew that his fortune and life were in the hands of Mrs. Han. He had no bargaining power, so he could only tremble and say: "I obey my order... Madam, please be kind and spare my family!"
"As long as you do what I say, I will ensure your prosperity and wealth!"
Since then, although the First Emperor continued to have new favorites, he never had any children.
Now that the First Emperor ordered a discussion about the prince and the harem, Mrs. Han's eyes lit up. Nowadays, the most favored young beauty of the First Emperor has no heirs, so it is naturally impossible for her to become the queen. Among the concubines who have heirs, she has the highest status and is the most likely to become the queen.
But among the princes, it was not clear who the First Emperor preferred. The eldest son Fusu was weak and kind-hearted, and did not please the First Emperor in many things, but he was the eldest son after all, and the First Emperor loved Mi Hong during his lifetime and buried her in his mausoleum after her death. This was enough. It shows that if Mi Hong is alive, she must be the queen, but after all, she is dead, and Fusu has nothing to rely on now.
The second son, Gongzi Gao, was smart since he was a child and was deeply loved by the First Emperor. In addition, his mother was the most favored, so he was very likely to be established as the crown prince.
The fifth son, General Lu, has a bold personality and is law-abiding. His mother, Lu Rong, has three sons in total. The eighth son, Ying Chun, and the twentieth son, Ying Chao, all firmly support the eldest brother. Moreover, Lu Rong and Mrs. Han entered the palace in the same year, and they were never in the harem. Having made mistakes, one is highly respected. Therefore, General Lu is also a popular candidate for the crown prince. If Lu is appointed as the crown prince, then Lu Rong will also treat her mother as her son and become the queen.
The youngest son Hu Hai lost his mother when he was young. The First Emperor took pity on him and always took him with him. He was the most beloved son of the First Emperor, but now he is too young to hold such a big responsibility. If the crown prince is registered now, the possibility of Hu Hai being crowned is very small.
The ministers in the court also thought for a while that the First Emperor was going to appoint a queen and a prince, and they were secretly observing and comparing, hoping to choose a reliable future for the future. Many ministers even began to frequent the harem, hoping to be appreciated by the princes.
Since the death of Mi Hong, the First Emperor has continued to have new favorites, but no one can take Mi Hong's place. In his heart, Mi Hong is his eternal queen, and the discussion in this edict is nothing more than to establish a system for the harem! The ministers' excessive reaction was something he had not expected.
In order to explore the reaction of the ministers in the palace to this matter, the First Emperor summoned the prime ministers Wang Wan and Wei Zhuang, the Taiwei Wang Jian, the imperial censor Feng Jie, and the court lieutenant Li Si for discussion. The First Emperor asked: "Now that the new dynasty has just been established, everything is ready to go. The affairs of the harem have always been the foundation of the country. If the harem is safe, the world will be safe. What do you, my beloved ministers, think about this?"
Prime Minister Wang Wan has always advocated following the system of the Zhou Dynasty, and was the first to answer: "During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, there were complete regulations on the harem. The emperor's wife was called the queen, and the princes were all legitimate eldest sons. The line of succession was clearly defined. The world ran according to this system. , there has been no problem for hundreds of years, and I hope your Majesty will continue to use it."
Li Sidao: "Now that the emperor is renamed emperor, the principal wife should also be renamed empress; the prince is the foundation of the country and should be called crown prince. The heirs of other families can no longer be called princes, but can only be called princes!"
Wang Wan dismissed Li Si's refutation, but the First Emperor nodded in agreement.
Feng Jie, the imperial censor, added: "In addition to the queen, the emperor's harem should also be divided into five levels according to status: madam, Zhaoyi, Jieyu, Ronghua, and beauty. In this way, the elders and younger ones can be in an orderly manner. , the superior and the inferior have their position, and the world is at peace.”
The First Emperor said: "What I love you all said makes sense. There should also be order in the harem. Tomorrow I will issue an edict and canonize all the ladies."
Prime Minister Wei Zhuang was attentive to every detail. When he saw that although the First Emperor was talking about the harem system with great interest, he did not mention the current candidates for the queen and prince in the harem, he tactfully reminded: "In the harem, the queen is the most important, and the queen is in charge of the harem. , traveling in the same carriage and sitting in the same seat as the emperor, her status is very important, and the appointment of a queen should be announced to the world."
At this time, the First Emperor just wanted to clarify the rules and regulations in the harem, and did not want to talk about the selection of the Queen Mother and the Prince, so he took Wei Zhuang's words and said: "Not only that, the Queen and the Prince have special status, and they should set up their own subordinate officials. Assist the queen in managing the harem, or assist the prince in studying state affairs. In the future, Yong Palace will be set up for the queen, and the East Palace will be set up for the prince, and both will open offices and build mansions."
Seeing that the First Emperor did not understand what he meant, Wei Zhuang continued: "The establishment of the Queen and the Crown Prince is related to the stability of the harem. Please consider it carefully!"
Wang Wan also echoed: "Your Majesty, I believe that the canonization of the prince should be carried out at the same time as the enfeoffment of the kings. Now that the world is unified, the territory of our Daqin has expanded several times. The people in remote areas are unruly and do not obey the king. Only the enfeoffed princes can go to educate them. Only then can we achieve long-term peace and stability! Your Majesty, please make plans in advance!"
The First Emperor did not expect that even his trusted ministers wanted him to appoint a prince and queen as soon as possible, and he became dissatisfied. But he still kept his tone and asked: "Then what standards does the prime minister think should be used for the appointment of the queen and the prince?"
Wang Wan said: "Since ancient times, the married wife has been regarded as the queen; the appointment of the prince follows the principle of 'establishing the eldest son through direct succession'. If the eldest son is unfilial, then 'establishing the son with virtuousness'. Both of these can ensure peace in the world. Among all the dynasties, the last one is "establishing a prince with love". King Zhou You abolished Yijiu and established Bofu, and the country was destroyed after his death. King Zhao Daoxiang abolished the son Jia and established Zhao Qian, and the state of Zhao fell into decline. I hope your majesty will carefully consider the emperor. The matter of the prince.”
The First Emperor knew what the ministers were thinking, and there would be no results if he continued like this, so he laughed and said: "You are so concerned about the queen and the prince, so you should submit a memorial tomorrow to evaluate the prince you are optimistic about. .”
Li Si felt a chill from the First Emperor's laughter. He guessed that the First Emperor did not really want to appoint a prince at this time. The ministers just thought that the prince should be appointed, which would definitely anger the emperor.
On the second day, the First Emperor issued an edict, saying: "The affairs of the harem are related to the peace of the country. We must respect etiquette and abide by the law, and be orderly in order to set an example for the world. From now on, the emperor's wife is called the queen, and the heir is called the emperor." Prince, no one else can be called prince anymore. Today has been decided and the time has come for the appointment. If you think there are suitable candidates for the queen and prince, you can write to me to recommend them, and I will consider them carefully."
Mrs. Han and Mrs. Lu were extremely excited when they received the news, feeling that the opportunity was right in front of them. So, Mrs. Han secretly summoned Feng Jie and said: "General Feng, the fate of our mother and son is in the hands of the general. Young Master Gao has always been cautious and knows the military. He is the best choice for the prince. General, please grasp this." Opportunity to convince His Majesty!"
Feng Jie said: "Old minister naturally knows that Young Master Gao is a good person, but the holy will is unpredictable, and as Young Master Gao's master, if I directly submit a letter to His Majesty, I fear His Majesty will be suspicious, and everyone in the world will not accept it!"
Mrs. Han understood this in a blink of an eye and said: "The general has misunderstood. The general has been in power for many years and must have many disciples and former officials. I just hope that the general can let them advise the young master. The general is planning behind the scenes!"
Feng Jie couldn't refuse anymore, so he had to say: "Old minister, I will do my best!"
After Mrs. Han thanked her, Feng Jie left.
Mrs. Lu also summoned Wang Wan, Jiang Lu's master. Emperor Dao Shi had always hated the harem's interference in politics. He could not explain Jiang Lu's character to his majesty, and hoped that the prime minister could fight for Jiang Lu's opportunities.
Wang Wan has always advocated the restoration of the feudal system, so he said: "The old minister hopes to take this opportunity to petition the emperor to restore the feudal system. Even if the general cannot be canonized as a prince, he still hopes to be canonized as a king!"
Thank you, Mrs. Lu.
After coming out of the harem, Feng Jie summoned his old officials and asked them to recommend the prince Gao as the prince; Wang Wan also summoned his disciples to recommend the general as the prince, and advocated that in addition to the crown prince, other princes should also be canonized as princes and kings; the other ministers Not knowing the true meaning of the First Emperor, when they heard that the First Emperor had issued an edict asking ministers to recommend candidates for the crown prince and queen, they were very excited and wrote letters one after another.
Li Si was unable to determine the true intention of the First Emperor and took no action.
Within a few days, the case of the First Emperor was filled with such memorials. However, the First Emperor did not read such memorials at all. He only ordered people to count who had been memorialized and who was recommended by all the ministers to be the prince.
