October 18th, the first year of Zhengde.
According to the emperor's decree, the British Duke Zhang Mao was sent as the chief envoy, and the Minister of Rites Lin Han and Prince Consort Cui Yuan were the deputy envoys. Accompanied by them, they sent a memorial to the Tiandi Ancestral Temple to determine the candidate for the queen and the date of the wedding.
The next day, the emperor received congratulations from hundreds of officials at the Fengtian Hall, and his envoys and deputy envoys paid homage to the emperor.
The emperor wore a royal robe and gave her a book of documents, writing: I hereby choose the daughter of Xia Ru, the chief registrar of Daxing County, to be the queen, and order the ministers and others to observe the etiquette and accept the honors.
These are the first two procedures in the "six rites" (nacai, asking for names, naji, nazheng, announcing the date, and personally welcoming).
During the Zhengtong years, the etiquette for how the emperor got married had already been decided, and when it came to Zhu Houzhao, he only had to follow it. He was unwilling to use his brain to change this kind of thing, because no matter how he changed it, it would be very cumbersome.
After Zhang Mao, Lin Han, and Cui Yuan were ordered, they set out from the main entrance of the palace with their entourage and gifts.
The queen's family was also very busy at this time.
The chief registrar of a county is really not a high-ranking official. Moreover, there is no example of marrying the emperor in hundreds of miles. Even if there is a long time to prepare, there will inevitably be panic. Fortunately, it will happen. The etiquette officer from the Ministry of Etiquette had agreed on everything one by one.
And outside the gate, there are lanterns and lanterns hanging high. Needless to say, it goes without saying.
There are bookcases in the courtyard after the entrance, and gifts are displayed in the main hall.
Xia Ru was waiting at home quite nervously. At this time, he also knew that his daughter was not officially a queen yet, but it had only happened in the past few days, so some etiquette was stricter than the requirements in the palace.
For example, he won't look at it himself, nor will he let others get close to him at will.
As we get closer, we can’t tell who is kowtowing to whom.
After waiting for an unknown amount of time, the palace guard of honor arrived.
By this time, all actions of both parties have been prescribed and discussed. Who does what, what is said, and even where to stand and in what order, there can be no mistakes or confusion.
First, the etiquette officer came first and shouted:
After being established, he was sent to perform the honorary ceremony of accepting and asking questions!
Then the envoy appointed by the emperor said in the courtyard: The British Duke Zhang Maofengzhi Nacai!
Xia Ru answered as required:
Mongolian visits, minister Xia Ru dare not resign!
Then, the etiquette officer will lead Xia Ru out of the main hall to greet the emperor's chief and deputy envoys, and both sides will meet with each other.
Then everyone, including all the attendants, entered the main hall.
After that, the deputy envoy read out the written document and handed over the betrothal gift.
Xia Ru wrote a reply to the book and accepted the generous gift.
This is the so-called acceptance.
The whole process is very complicated and boring.
The next question is to ask the woman's birthday and horoscope. There is also a set of procedures, after all, it is 'asking for the name of the system'.
In fact, it was already clear before that I chose you as the queen only after I calculated your birth date and found it suitable.
This is just a formality.
After completing the process of "asking for names", the chief and deputy envoys returned to the palace to perform.
The emperor would hand it over to the divination officials.
After such a divination, the result will definitely be auspicious, and the ceremony will be held a few days later. This is called Naji, which includes telling the woman the result of the divination.
In this way, the betrothal gift is held to formally present the betrothal gift to the woman.
After receiving the wedding gift, the envoys sent by the emperor went to the woman's house to perform the "announcement ceremony", that is, to inform the woman of the wedding day.
Every process here has a grand and complicated ceremony, and among the six rites, the last one, 'welcoming in person', is the main one.
Generally speaking, when marrying a daughter-in-law among the people, the man goes to the woman's home and welcomes her back.
But the royal family is different. Because of their respected status, they will only send a minister with children to welcome the bride.
Needless to say, it was a lively and grand scene.
The official wedding day was also the time when Zhu Houzhao was most exhausted.
Before dawn, he had already risen, attended by eunuchs and maids.
Qiuyun probably knew that he would not be relaxed today, so he brought two ginseng slices with him when he came over and said, "Your Majesty, keep this in your mouth, and chew it when you are tired."
"Will it work?"
Outside the house, there is some fish belly white in the east, and people can only feel their way around in the gradually receding darkness. It's just as busy outside, with preparations for thrones, preparations, festivals, gravy, colorful cups, etc.
"It works. This slave asked the two doctors."
She should be talking about Xin Hui and Kui'er in Yongshou Palace.
"It's such a tiring job."
"Your Majesty is very happy today. All the servants are happy for Your Majesty."
"Okay," Zhu Houzhao sighed, opening his arms as if he wanted to do whatever he wanted, "change your clothes."
The reason why he prepared a lot of time in advance is that time is actually very tight. It takes a long time just to get dressed and get to the place. After that, he will wear a crown and enter the main hall, surrounded by guards.
At the same time, the envoys sent by the emperor had already gone to the woman's house to greet the queen.
All civil and military officials, all dressed in court uniforms, stood outside Chengtian Gate.
Until the Queen's Caiyu enters the palace from here, and then passes through the Meridian Gate, then the bells and drums sound together, and the ceremony ends. The Queen, led by the Supervisor of Ceremonies and the maids in the palace, entered the inner court from Fengtian Gate and arrived at Kunning Palace. As for the palace, it was already covered with flags and the sun was out, and everyone was beaming with joy.
Here, Zhu Houzhao will meet his queen. She wears a crown of nine dragons and four phoenixes, and a true red double-breasted, large-sleeved shirt. Its solemnity is the most solemn that Zhu Houzhao has ever seen in his two lifetimes.
Queen...
This is his serious wife.
While he was thinking wildly, Zhang Mao's voice woke him up.
"I inherit the order of heaven and show you the grand plan. The way to run a country is to uphold the family. The relationship between husband and wife is the meaning of the universe..."
This is equivalent to a wedding vow,
Zhu Houzhao didn't know who from the Ministry of Etiquette wrote it. Anyway, it was so obscure and lengthy that it made his head feel dizzy. He also wondered how the little girl under the red gauze would feel.
In fact, after performing the grand ceremony here, they had to change their clothes again and put on formal attire, then go to Fengxian Hall to visit the emperor's family temple, and then return to Kunning Palace.
After returning to the bridal chamber, you have to change your clothes...and then drink a glass of wine. This process is also very cumbersome. First, the deacon raises the banquet table to present...use the golden goblet to drink wine...after drinking, you have to eat the dishes on the banquet table, and then finish the meal. Drink, drink and then eat the main food...after eating, drink together...
…
…
Zhu Houzhao was already a numb person in his later years.
It is in a state of 'whatever you want', and he will do whatever the courtesy officer says. He only had one thought: to end it as soon as possible.
Snapped!
I don’t know how long it took, but it went from dark to dawn, and then from dawn to dusk, when the etiquette officer finally let him go and closed the door.
Zhu Houzhao sat down directly on the soft stool, with his upper body lying on the table, not wanting to move at all.
However, he did not forget his married wife. He lay there, tilting his head and looking at the thin figure sitting upright under the red curtain, wearing a red gauze on his head.
To say she was tired, she was tired all at once, and every process involved a lot.
And in comparison, men's physical strength and physique are better.
In the room, the red candle swayed, and the red figure flickered.
We have reached this situation.
He is not a grown man who has been cooperating for such a day and then refuses to cooperate with his queen in the house. How capable is he of bullying such a little girl?
So he endured the fatigue and moved the stool to the bedside, thinking that he would have to complete all the procedures.
The girl probably knew that he was approaching, and she squeezed her crossed hands in front of him out of nervousness.
Zhu Houzhao saw this detail, and it was a pair of thin, white and slender hands.
"I'm going to reveal it."
Red curtain, little girl. In front of him sat the big bad wolf.
"Um."
Even the voices of people who have gone through layers of screening are very beautiful.
In any case, this is an exciting moment. Zhu Houzhao has not escaped from the world of mortals. A beautiful girl has followed him since then. This formal meeting, although it lacks the so-called moisturizing of love, will still have a feeling. A special feeling.
When their eyes met, Zhu Houzhao was slightly distracted as he looked at the delicate face. It was a slightly three-dimensional face with phoenix-like eyes, a straight nose, and no flaws at all.
Probably noticing that the emperor was looking at her, Xia was a little shy and turned her eyes to the lower left, but she mustered up the courage to say, "Your Majesty...let me serve you."
Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "There's no rush. Let's chat for a while. Are you hungry?"
Xia shook her head slightly with doubts.
"Not hungry?"
Zhu Houzhao felt that she was lying. How could she not be hungry after such a day? Maybe she didn't dare to let go in front of him, the emperor.
However, each person has his own personality. If you are an introvert and you have to be too enthusiastic towards others, that would not be good either.
"I'm a little hungry. Let's eat something first."
Xia wasn't sure if there was such a rule of etiquette, but she didn't have the guts to question the emperor, so she could only watch him do it.
Zhu Houzhao didn't care so much. No matter how many rules the palace had, he still wanted to care about me after the door was closed?
Moreover, he was indeed hungry.
There are plain noodles on the table in the room. After all, it is a palace dish. Even this simple thing is delicious and delicious. The noodles are soft and tender. Plus, I am hungry. It really tastes like a delicacy in the world.
"What do your parents call you when you're at home?"
There was no title in the emperor's words, but he was speaking to her.
Xia replied: "Your Majesty, at home, my mother calls me my concubine Ya'er."
"It sounds pretty good. Are you tired today?"
"Back to Your Majesty, you are not tired."
"I don't know whether I'm hungry or tired..." Zhu Houzhao, his cheeks bulging, sat down in front of her again, "Are you a fairy in the sky?"
"Concubine... how can I be a fairy? I have a low status, and I am all in the emperor's glory. The emperor chose me, so I can come to the palace and protect the emperor day and night. This is... this is my concubine. A great blessing.”
Zhu Houzhao said that he had memorized it well.
He understood, understood that a queen was taught various etiquettes.
From the beginning to the end, Xia had been trying hard to maintain her motherly attitude, and perhaps she didn't have the guts to do anything outrageous.
"Ya'er, are you sure you don't want to eat something? I allow you to eat."
Xia Shi shook her head.
Zhu Houzhao was helpless, "Okay, let's go to bed."
"Your Majesty, wait a moment and let me undress your Majesty."
"OK."
With this nod, the Queen seemed to become more familiar with the world. She stood up and untied her dress, took off her dress, arranged it and hung it aside. "Your Majesty, please sit down. I will help you take off your boots."
Such a formatting process is inevitably a bit boring, but Zhu Houzhao still finished it.
Finally, she blew out the lamp, took off the last piece of clothing, then walked to the bed and got under the quilt.
At that moment, Zhu Houzhao felt soft and tender in his arms.
(End of chapter)
