Although Chang Feng is not as scheming as those old men in the imperial court, he is definitely one of those with quick reactions and flexible mind among his peers.
If there is a serious illness in the family, the children can get married and the illness can be washed away with happy events. This is called "happiness".
Chang Feng's words reminded Zhu Youtang.
Zhu Youtang shouted at Shang Ming's retreating back: "The reason why I choose my concubine is to bring joy to my mother's concubine!"
Shang Ming turned his head. He dared not pass on Zhu Youtang's words to Emperor Chenghua.
Because if he doesn't say it, Xiao Jing, the steward of the East Palace, will.
Xiao Jing was Huaien's junior brother. After Huaien left Beijing, he supervised the Twelve Regiment Camps. He was like a royal horse supervisor, which can be seen directly from Emperor Chenghua.
A moment later, in the bedroom of Kunning Palace.
Concubine Wan Gui has fallen into a coma. Emperor Chenghua was watching over the bed.
Shang Ming walked in: "Your Majesty, the prince said that he chose the concubine to celebrate the happiness of the noble concubine."
Emperor Chenghua's brows eased: "Happy?"
Shang Ming hurriedly said: "Happiness is a silly custom of ordinary people, and it is not worthy of belief."
Emperor Chenghua was so ill that he sought medical treatment: "Even if there is even the slightest chance, we must try!"
"The imperial concubine is from an ordinary family. What if it is useful?"
"Let the cabinet draft the decree and approve the memorial from the Metropolitan Procuratorate. Your Chief of Ceremonies will approve it as soon as possible. Let Beizhili select girls from good families!"
When a prince chooses a concubine, it is usually a nationwide selection process.
Zhu Youtang wanted to get married before Concubine Wan Gui's death, so when he asked Ni Jinxian to make a decision, he made the selection scope within Beizhili.
In order to celebrate Concubine Wan Gui's happiness as soon as possible, Emperor Chenghua also designated Beizhili as the selection area.
The prince's quest for a eldest wife consists of eight steps. They are audition, primary selection, secondary selection, selection, palace selection, viewing selection, third selection, and imperial appointment.
Liu Xiaoyan's father, Liu Bingyi, is the Northern Zhili vassal and will be the person in charge of the audition.
Shang Ming returned to the palace gate and conveyed the decree to Zhu Youtang.
Zhu Youtang thought to himself: Fortunately, Chang Feng was so anxious that he reminded me in time. Otherwise, the wedding will be ruined.
Zhu Youtang glanced at Chang Feng again.
Zhu Youtang raised his head and glanced at the sky. The warm sunshine in winter made him in a good mood. Instead of sitting in the chariot, he prepared to walk back to the East Palace to bask in the sun.
Chang Feng followed closely behind him.
In the long palace alley, three people walked towards each other.
They are the three brothers of the Wan family, Wantong, Wanxi and Wanda.
When the three brothers saw the prince, they knelt down and kowtowed: "Greetings to His Royal Highness."
Zhu Youtang asked affectionately: "Three uncles, are you going to see Gu's mother and concubine?"
Wantong replied: "Exactly."
Zhu Youtang pretended to be compassionate like a cat crying like a mouse: "The illness of my mother and concubine really worries me! Three uncles, please go quickly."
Everyone in the Zhu family is an actor. If history were an Oscar selection. The first person from the Zhu family to receive a statuette should be Zhu Yuanzhang, Taizu of the Ming Dynasty.
One hundred and twenty-one years ago, Zhu Yuanzhang won the Best Actor Award during the late Yuan Dynasty for his performance in a scene in which Prince Xiao Ming fell into the water and died.
Zhu Youtang is deeply familiar with the true biography of Grandpa Taizu. He obviously hated Concubine Wan Gui so much that his teeth itched with hatred, but he still called her "Mother Concubine" and looked worried about her condition.
Wantong and others left, and the two sides walked a hundred steps away from each other.
Zhu Youtang suddenly turned his head and glanced at the backs of the three brothers of the Wan family.
He pointed at the three figures from behind and asked Chang Feng: "What did you see?"
Chang Feng originally wanted to answer "I saw three dogs."
On second thought, this answer was too in depth.
The three brothers of the Wan family are all vicious dogs that bite people. Do I need to remind the prince?
Chang Feng had an idea and said: "Your Highness. I saw the 4,000 warriors and 3,000 captains of the Jinyi Guards; the 100,000 troops in the five military camps on the outskirts of Beijing; and the 1,507 Han generals in the palace."
A shocking and perfect answer!
Among the three brothers of the Wan family, Wan Tong is in charge of the royal guards.
Wanxi controls the fifth military camp, which is the strongest among the three major camps in the capital.
Wanda served as the commander of the Jinyi Guards, in charge of the Han generals under the Jinyi Guards, and was in charge of the palace garrison.
Of course, military power inside and outside the capital is not in the hands of one family.
The Twelve Regiment Battalion, the Three Thousand Battalion, the Shenji Battalion, and the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division were in the hands of Huai En's junior brothers and cadres.
Chang Feng said this to remind the prince. These three brothers all have military power in their hands and will be the biggest obstacle to the prince's ascension to the throne. The prince must be prepared in advance to prevent them from gathering troops to cause chaos.
Zhu Youtang can naturally understand the profound meaning of Chang Feng.
Zhu Youtang glanced at Chang Feng and said with emotion: "With your talent, your future will be far more than just trying out a hundred households."
In the Ming Dynasty, not just any cat or dog could be called "Qing" by the emperor, prince, or vassal king.
Chang Feng was flattered and said humbly: "I am just a mediocre person with no knowledge or skills."
Zhu Youtang smiled slightly: "Do you believe this?"
When the prince wanted to choose a concubine, the chief envoy of Northern Zhili did not dare to neglect it. All prefectures and counties immediately mobilized.
Half a month later, the chief envoy arrived at the Yamen.
The feudal lord Liu Bingyi was sitting in the lobby, sweating profusely from his work. He had a booklet in his hand with a thousand names on it.
A group of prefects, prefects, and county magistrates were lined up under the hall.
Liu Bingyi said: "Within four days, all the female candidates must be gathered in the capital. If the Beizhi Guild Hall cannot be accommodated, they will live in the back offices of Fansi, Nisi, and Shuntianfu Yamen."
"Kōzhifu, you used to be in charge of the Ministry of Etiquette. You are responsible for teaching them the most basic etiquette for entering the palace."
"Also, you must warn your soldiers and government officials. These are the women who will be dedicated to the prince's selection. Let them stop going to the guild hall and the back office!"
"Even if I take one more look, I'll still get twenty points!"
Liu Bingyi, a wallflower, had long been willing to join the prince when he saw that the prince was powerful.
It was so easy to get a chance to curry favor with the prince, how could he not try his best?
Suddenly, a government official reported: "The prince has sent someone to contact us about the selection."
Liu Bingyi said quickly: "Comrades, let's go to the door to greet the envoy from the East Palace!"
More than a hundred government and county officials, led by Liu Bingyi, marched toward the Yamen Gate.
Liu Bingyi suddenly stopped. He straightened his black gauze hat. Seeing that the third-grade golden flower belt around his waist seemed dirty, he took out his handkerchief and wiped it carefully.
He thought to himself: I must leave a good impression on the envoy from the East Palace today!
When he walked to the yamen gate, Liu Bingyi was stunned!
The prince's messenger in front of him turned out to be his ex-prospective son-in-law, Chang Feng, whom he despised and broke off the engagement? !
Liu Bingyi looked shocked: "Are you... the envoy of the East Palace?"
Chang Feng cupped his hands and said with a slight smile: "Liu Shibo, you're all right here. Thirty years in Hedong, thirty years in Hexi. You didn't expect me to be the one here today, right?"
Liu Bingyi was dumbfounded: "Weren't you demoted to Qufu?"
Chang Feng said: "But I was transferred back to the capital by the prince! Now I always accompany the prince and protect the prince personally."
Although it is the first month of the year, the weather is cold. There were beads of sweat on Liu Bingyi's forehead.
He regretted in his heart: The conscience of heaven and earth, I am not a fortune teller. How could it be expected that a poor boy with no job, no rank, no title, no honor, no fame and no money three and a half years ago would now be on the high echelons of a prince?
If I could live up to this day, I would risk my life to let Xiaoyan marry him!
Chang Feng said: "I'm not here to reminisce about old times, I'm here to do business! Let's go into the lobby and talk!"
Liu Bingyi cautiously led Chang Feng into the vassal hall.
Chang Feng sat down in the main hall unceremoniously. He glanced at the five thick stacks of lists on his desk: "These are the lists of candidate women?"
Liu Bingyi nodded: "Yes."
Chang Feng said: "Pick out the one from Shuntian Mansion and let me have a look."
Liu Bingyi picked out the Shuntian Mansion book with trembling hands.
There are a total of two hundred names on it. The woman's place of origin, origin, length, and age were recorded in detail.
Chang Feng carefully searched for a name... and found it! really!
Chang Feng slapped the alarm and shouted: "Liu Fansi, you are so brave!"
