Chapter 21
In the past life and this life, Hongwu's fifteen-year royal draft was different. Are there changes in the palace? Jia Yuanniang had suspicions in her mind.
No matter how much you speculate, you will find that there are more than just palace walls separating the inside and outside of the palace. The inner court is an independent small circle. Jia Yuanniang couldn't witness it with her own eyes, so she wasn't sure what the truth was.
Fortunately, Jia Yuanniang has made a decision in her heart. She no longer wants to cling to the emperor's high branches in her life.
Royal draft, new rules, she can do it too. When such an idea came to Jia Erniang's mind, she felt her heart beating faster. She was so excited that she almost couldn't control herself.
Grandma said that in the palaces of noble ministers in Kyoto, all ladies between the ages of thirteen and seventeen must stand for election as long as they are not engaged.
Jia Erniang thought about her identity, so what if she was the second concubine of Sui Guogong's mansion. Grandma is here, regardless of family separation. Nowadays, the big and second rooms in the Duke's Mansion are occupied by the same family. She, Jia Erniang, can also participate in Hongwu's fifteenth year royal draft.
The most noble thing in the world is the royal family. When Jia Erniang thought of this, she secretly glanced at her eldest sister Yuan Niang, and she found that a little thought came into her heart.
She wanted to have a chance at entering the palace for the draft. Every time Jia Erniang thinks of her birth mother's little thoughts, she wants to marry her to the Xiong family, and wants her to pull the Xiong family away. Jia Erniang's heart was filled with evil fire when she thought about it, and the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Jia Erniang was unwilling to give in. Why did she think in her heart that she had to be willing to be humble?
Jia Erniang clearly remembers Grandma’s sentiments about life. The nanny said that the daughter's family has two chances to be reincarnated in her life.
The first time is when you are born. The appearance of the parents you choose determines whether you will live in rich clothes or eat chaffy vegetables for the first half of your life.
The other time is to marry a loved one. The husband's character and ability, as well as the status of the husband's family, in this era, determine whether the rest of life will be bitter or sweet.
If you are at a lower level, you flatter and flatter those above you. The phoenix roosts in the sycamore tree, and the poor and humble couples are saddened by everything. Jia Erniang didn't want to be inferior to her sisters for the rest of her life.
The same rice breeds hundreds of people, and even sisters have their own worries at this time.
Among the sisters, Jia Sanniang is the calmest one. In her mind, as long as a person does not make things difficult for himself, he will be able to lie down in a comfortable position and live his life as he should.
Who gave Jia Sanniang a golden finger? She knew that her eldest sister Yuan Niang was the reborn empress of the palace. A person as powerful as the eldest sister is simply a piece of cake, putting aside the trivial matter of the draft. It is simply not worth mentioning.
"Grandma, the rules that were added temporarily to the royal draft this time are too sudden. My granddaughter knows better." Jia Sanniang spoke first. She expressed her own opinion and said: "The eldest sister is dignified and elegant, with natural beauty and natural temperament. Pure and kind, considerate and gentle..." Jia Sanniang counted off a string of complimentary words in one breath.
After that, she continued: "Not to mention my own family, I have looked at the ladies in Kyoto several times, and the eldest sister is also the top one. My granddaughter thinks that the eldest sister will definitely be selected. When the eldest sister becomes the empress in the palace, the second sister and I will return home after being unsuccessful. , Find your own marriage. When the time comes, please show your eldest sister a noble hand and let the younger sisters enjoy the eldest sister's nobility."
Jia Sanniang knew in her heart who the golden thigh of the Jia family was. It was so obvious that it was naturally the eldest sister Yuanniang.
At this time, Jia Sanniang said something joking in a relaxed tone, just to liven up the atmosphere in the room.
When the draft was mentioned, everyone from the grandmother to the sisters had cautious expressions, as if a big weight was weighing on their hearts. No matter what, Jia Sanniang knew that their family had a big treasure that was overwhelming them.
When the eldest sister comes out, she brings glory to the whole family.
"Third sister, I'm not as good as you said." Jia Yuanniang shook her head gently. She felt that she couldn't stand the third sister's praise. It was too straightforward and Jia Yuanniang wanted to be shameless. I can only be humble at this time.
After hearing what her third cousin said, Jia Erniang lowered her head slightly. After a moment, she said: "Eldest sister, your excellence is obvious to all. Third sister is not wrong in your praise."
Jia Erniang was also looking forward to being praised in this way. She also wants to stand out in front of others, and she doesn't want to exist in a small corner in obscurity all her life.
"Sanniang, are you praising your eldest sister or teasing your eldest sister? Be careful and ask for a beating." Princess Long'an said angrily.
"Grandma, don't blame me. It's my granddaughter's fault." Jia Sanniang stood up, bowed to her eldest sister and said, "Sister, I just want to liven up the atmosphere. I really feel that my eldest sister is the most beautiful girl in the world. You He is worthy of whoever he is worthy of.”
The meaning of these words is so simple. Jia Sanniang wants to say that the eldest sister will be a perfect match for the emperor if she enters the palace and becomes the empress.
Jia Yuanniang understood the meaning of Third Sister's last words. She stretched out her hand and pretended to hit her in the air, and then said: "Third Sister, you ask for a beating."
"Oh." Jia Sanniang pretended to be hit.
Seeing the amusement of her granddaughters, Princess Long'an laughed, and everyone in the room also laughed. The atmosphere was very good for a while.
After the laughter stopped, everyone sat down and listened to Princess Long'an say: "It doesn't matter what new rules you add, you sisters can go to the palace to gain knowledge. As for who will be selected and who will not be selected, there is probably a name for it in the palace. .”
Hearing what her grandmother said, Jia Erniang's heart tightened. She had some suspicions and always felt that her grandmother was saying that her eldest sister was the one the family wanted to support. It's useless for her to be careful. What kind of strength can she use to compete?
"Grandma, you are absolutely right." Jia Sanniang praised her.
Jia Sanniang didn't feel embarrassed at all about being a runner's companion. Due to her biological father's status as the Duke of Sui, there is an outstanding eldest sister in front of her, and she is the tall one and the short one behind her. Jia Sanniang thought that a little concubine like her was just going for a walk in the palace. Just like her grandmother said, she would gain experience by being a bitch in the palace, eating melons and watching the show, and then she would die peacefully. Return home.
"I called you sisters here just to warn you. After entering the palace, don't forget to watch and help each other. The sisters in the family are united and will not harm the reputation of the Duke's palace." Princess Long'an looked at the three granddaughters in front of her. They all expressed her admiration for her. of blood. When giving instructions at this moment, Princess Longan's tone was kind and her expression was kind.
"Granddaughter, remember this." Jia Sanniang, her eldest sister, and her second cousin responded to her grandmother's warning. The three sisters were sincere.
Girls in a family naturally have to be on the same page in front of outsiders. A family's reputation cannot be bad. Once it is stained, it is not an individual's problem, but a family matter.
In the fifteenth year of Hongwu's reign, it was the sixth day of March. Now when the nuns invited from the palace teach the rules, Jia Sanniang and the second sister are no longer auditors. They become formal students like the eldest sister.
There is only a little time left in the Duke's Mansion to make up for lessons. The teaching mothers wished they could dig into the minds of the second and third girls and stuff the two girls’ minds with the details and key points that they need to pay attention to after entering the palace.
Too tired from studying, Jia Sanniang wanted to lie down. She was obviously just there to make up the numbers, but she really didn't want to be a model worker.
Fortunately, on the sixth day of March, all the nuns came together to make up their homework for Jia Sanniang and her second cousin. The next day, the seventh day of March, all homework by Jia Sanniang, her eldest sister, and her second cousin stopped. They will enter the palace tomorrow, but today the three sisters can relax for a day. Eat, drink, and recuperate. It’s a relaxing day before the election.
Kyoto Imperial City, Changle Palace.
The Queen Mother of the Song Dynasty, who was sitting in the main seat of the main hall, was reading a letter. The letter was delivered from Daxiangguo Temple, and the person who delivered the letter to the palace was Song Taifei.
The Queen Mother of the Song Dynasty is old, even though she is old. She is dressed in palace makeup, wearing a crown and hairpin beads. She has lived in the palace for many years to cultivate her nobility, and she has the honor of the Queen Mother. The Empress Dowager of the Song Dynasty was always kind to others and smiling, and no one dared to look down upon her.
The Queen Mother of the Song Dynasty was deep in thought inside the palace, while the people outside the palace knelt down to welcome the holy driver.
Emperor Hongwu came to Changle Palace. When he came, the Queen Mother Song was naturally happy. After the emperor greeted him, the queen mother kindly asked the emperor to sit in front of him, and mother and son talked together.
"I am unlucky to have disturbed my mother." Emperor Hongwu glanced at the letter he put aside and said casually.
"Where did this come from?" the Empress Dowager of the Song Dynasty replied: "The Ai family hopes that the emperor will often come to Changle Palace to sit and sit. If you come, the queen mother will be very happy."
"This..." Emperor Hongwu pointed to the letter.
"It's just a small matter." The Empress Dowager Song said with a smile: "Your aunt was worshiping Buddha at Daxiangguo Temple, and she didn't forget to submit a letter. She wanted to send a message for the third child's marriage, and wanted to ask the Ai family to secure a marriage for the third child."
"What do you think the queen mother wants?" Emperor Hongwu asked casually, seemingly casually.
"The Ai family is soft-hearted and it is difficult to refuse." The Queen Mother of Song said: "Your aunt has taken a liking to the eldest girl from Sui Guogong's mansion and wants to marry her as the surrogate princess for the third child."
