female concubine

On February 29th in the [-]th year of Qianyuan, Cao Shuyao, the great-grandson of Cao Yun of the Shangzhu Kingdom, and the Jiji, hosted a banquet in Cao's house in Fangming, Chunming.

On that day, half of Tokyo city's dignitaries went to the banquet. Early in the morning, the guests arrived at Cao's house one after another.

To show their sincerity, Cao Ji and his wife visited the palace three days ago and invited Cao Shuyao's aunt, Cao Peiru, to be the guest of honor for the eldest daughter and Jiji ceremony. They also invited an official and a supporter, and rented a musical instrument troupe from the north of the city to sit around on the day of Jiji ceremony. in a corner of the field.

There was frequent steam coming out of the bathroom in the inner courtyard, and the maid sent the clean and tidy clothes and cloth shoes into the bathroom, "Girl."

Cao Shuyao walked out of the tub naked, water drops slid down her skin from her shoulders to her slender waist, the maid stared blankly, "Young lady is so pretty."

After changing into the clothes and shoes, the female envoy sent him to the east courtyard of the hall where the ceremony was held, and entered the changing room to sit and wait.

The guests arrived one after another, and most of them were full of curiosity, "Even the girls from Cao's family have grown up."

"It's been a while since I called."

"Yeah, the eldest girl lives in seclusion, and she doesn't know what she looks like now."

The women who got off the carriage entered Cao's house one after another, and the acquainted guests stopped to say hello to each other, and entered Cao's house together to discuss with each other.

"Master, the honorable guest Cao Shilang is here."

Cao Ji and his wife rushed to the door to greet them, "Sister, brother-in-law."

"uncle."

"It's really lively." Cao Peiru, Wang Wenfu and their eldest daughter all entered the room with smiles, one is the prime minister of the current dynasty, the other is the servant of the six ministries, two purple robes entered the room, and the guests bowed to each other.

There are three mats in the hall for the Jiji ceremony, two of which are with seat cushions in the center of the hall, and another mat with three sets of Jiji clothes is placed on the east side. Yousi holds a tray with hair accessories Standing in the west of the lobby.

The houseboys led the guests to sit in the courtyard south of the hall, Cao Ji and his wife welcomed Cao Peiru to the guest of honor seat, and Cao Ji and his wife sat down after all the guests were seated.

At the beginning of Zhiji ceremony, Cao Ji got up from his seat and walked to the front of the hall to bow to everyone, "My little girl is here today, and Cao is very grateful for your visit to the humble house." He then ordered to the maid who was waiting at the arched door of the east courtyard. : "Please come out with the praiser and the girl."

The praiser is Cao Peiru and Wang Wenfu's married daughter, Wang. Wang went out to wash her hands before the washroom and then went to the west steps of the hall to wait. Nodding behind the clothes, she said, "Girl can go out now."

Cao Shuyao exhaled softly, her face was calm, and she walked out of the east courtyard slowly with her clothes sleeves in her hands, and stood facing south in the center of the lobby with cushions, bowing to the guests, pushing her hands slightly downward.

"It's no wonder so many suitors have returned in vain. Mr. Cao raised a good-natured daughter."

"The family is full of dignitaries, and the guests and praises of this ceremony are also nobles."

After saluting, Cao Shuyao turned around and knelt on the ground mat facing the west steps, and the praiser knelt and sat opposite Cao Peiru and picked up a comb to comb her hair.

After combing their hair, Cao Ji and his wife stood up together with Cao Peiru, who was the guest of honor, and walked down the east steps to wash their hands in front of the washroom. The maid handed over a dry handkerchief, and Cao Peiru wiped her hands after taking it and nodded slightly, "Thank you."

The envoy was full of envy when she stared at Cao Peiru. The most enviable women in Tokyo today are Cao and Liu. They stand in court as a woman, and they are not weaker than men.

Cao Peiru turned around and bowed to Cao Ji and his wife and then returned to their respective positions. The praiser stood in a corner of the lobby and shouted loudly: "Chu Jia!"

The owner of the tray offered the Luopa and the hairpin. After hearing this, Cao Shuyao sat back and turned to face the due east. Aunt Cao Peiru stepped forward and chanted a congratulatory speech: "On the auspicious day of the lunar month, I will start to add yuan clothes; abandon your young aspirations, and follow them." Er Chengde; Shoukao Weiqi, Jieer Jingfu." Immediately, he knelt down and combed his hair and added a hairpin, "After the hairpin, you are a girl to be married, and you have to think about it if you have a relative. Of course, my aunt didn't let you You must make a choice, everyone has their own path and life, parents and elders are just guides, and your sister's marriage is also chosen by her."

"Shu Yao always remembers her aunt's teachings."

After adding the hairpin, Cao Peiru patted her shoulder lightly and got up to reset, the praiser stepped forward and knelt down to straighten the hairpin for her, "You can be regarded as I have grown up watching you grow up today, seeing you growing up today, I have many emotions, you have grown up since childhood Smart, but my sister still hopes that you can always be happy."

Cao Shuyao looked at her elder sister, nodded her head in thanks and said, "Thank you, sister."

Cao Shuyao stood up and faced south, and the guests all stood up and bowed to him to congratulate him. Cao Shuyao returned the salute and walked down the east steps back to the room in the east courtyard to change clothes.

Yousi presented the first set of clothes on the mat on the east side to the admirer, and the admirer brought them into the east room. Cao Shuyao changed into a skirt and walked out of the arch dignifiedly.

The guests watching the ceremony in the courtyard stared at each other, especially one young man, who stared dumbfoundedly, and suddenly frowned and said sadly: "My coronation ceremony is in winter, and it will be more than half a year..." Xiao Yan Gui looked around, everyone felt like a wolf and a tiger in their eyes, "If someone else takes the lead..."

Cao Shuyao came to the guests wearing a skirt.

"Bye!"

Then he bowed his knees and bowed his hands to the ground in front of the parents' seat, and performed one of the nine worships, the Jishou ceremony.

"Two plus!"

Cao Shuyao went to the center of the hall and knelt on the mat facing east. A general offered her a hairpin. Cao Peiru got up and went down the east steps to wash her hands. Erweiyi, Shushende; My sister will live forever and be blessed by Hu Fu forever."

The praiser leaned over and gently removed the first hairpin for Cao Shuyao, Cao Peiru knelt down and put the second hairpin on her hairpin, and after getting up and reseting, the praiser straightened her hairpin.

The guests bowed to Cao Shuyao again to congratulate him, and went back to change the deep clothes with curved skirts corresponding to the hairpins. All the rituals were the same as the first time.

"Two thanks!"

The girl of Jiji wore a deep dress with a curved train corresponding to the hairpin and showed it in front of people, and then went to the seat of the official guest Cao Peiru and performed the first kneeling salute.

"Three plus!"

For the third time, the process of honorable guests, praisers and Yousi remained the same. Cao Shuyao sat on his knees in the east, and Cao Peiru held the hairpin crown in front of him. To become Jude; the yellow scorpion has no boundaries, and it is celebrated by the heavens." Then he took off the hairpin and replaced it with a hairpin crown, and after being bowed and congratulated by the guests, he went back to the room to change clothes.

The praiser took the long-sleeved long skirt dress opposite the hairpin crown and sent it to the east room to put it on with the maid. The short shirt and yellow skirt were made of pink gauze, covered with a reddish yellow gauze shirt, and covered with red Luo Beizi.

"Three thanks!"

The female envoy supported Cao Shuyao, wearing a long-sleeved dress and a hairpin crown, and walked out of the arch, kneeling before the guests.

"Miss Cao's family..."

"I don't know whose family is so lucky to be married as a bride."

"Isn't there a rumor that he is right with Dalang from the Xiao family?"

The female envoy helped Cao Shuyao get up, and the attendants removed all the utensils in the hall, and set up a banquet on the west steps.

As the guest of honor, Cao Peiru stepped forward and bowed to her nephew, "Please."

Cao Shuyao bowed slightly and nodded, then walked to the west side of the wine banquet and stood facing south. Mrs. Wang offered wine, "Mother."

Cao Peiru took the wine handed by her daughter and walked to her niece, saying in praise: "Sweet and sweet wine are thick, and you can recommend Lingfang; worship and sacrifice them to make you auspicious; and the rest of the sky will never be forgotten."

After Cao Shuyao bowed her knees and saluted, she took the wine glass and entered the table, sprinkled the wine on the ground as sacrificial wine, and only brought it to her lips to touch it lightly without drinking. A priest served rice, and after eating two mouthfuls, she put down her chopsticks and knelt down to her aunt again, and immediately got up The east side of the west steps faces south.

In the word selection process, there are also guests who choose characters for them, "Etiquette is prepared, the moon is auspicious, and the characters are announced; the word Kongjia is suitable for fashion and scholars; it is suitable for fakes, and it will be protected forever," Cao Peiru said. Writing about today's adult nephew, Xiuwai Huizhong, "The wind and haze will eventually come, Huiran is willing to come, so I just say words, Huiran."

"Thank you, aunt, for taking the characters. Although Huiran's qualifications are shallow, he dare not forget the teachings of his ancestors and elders. He must work hard and never violate it."

Then he knelt in front of his parents to listen to the teachings, and finally thanked all the guests. Most of the people who attended the ceremony were families of officials, and many of them were refused to propose marriage.

No matter what kind of questions, Cao Shuyao can always answer calmly, and he will not embarrass the guests. After the whole ceremony, he did not show any panic at all. Rumors about the eldest girl quickly spread.

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——Huaiyang County Government——

"No."

"why?"

"No, no, no reason!"

Xiao Yangui frowned deeply, "In ancient times, there were 20 feudal princes who were crowned, and men from [-] to [-] could be crowned. Why can't I, but I have to wait until the age of [-]?"

"You can't even wait half a year, and you still want to marry someone else's girl?"

"Mother," Xiao Yangui knew that his always serious father listened to his mother the most, "Mother, please help me persuade the adults, my son really likes Miss Cao, and my son only wants Miss Cao to be his eldest wife."

Mrs. Lu raised her hand and patted the back of her son's hand, "Your father has his own reasons, so just be obedient, half a year is not long."

"But who knows if she will marry someone else in the next six months. If so, my son would rather not marry."

"Then don't marry!" Xiao Yunze said coldly, holding a cup of hot tea.

Xiao Yangui turned her head to look at her father, and immediately snorted coldly, "Hmph!"

After his son left, Xiao Yunze put down the teacup and let out a long sigh.

"Is the official not allowing him to hold the crown ceremony in advance to propose marriage to the Cao family, is there any concern?"

"I am an official in this position, and I am in charge of the front of the palace and have a large army. If I marry the Cao family again, I am afraid that it will really flourish and decline."

"But how will the officials refuse him after Dalang and Guan, are you father and son... going to stalemate?"

"The name of the Cao family has already been spread in Tokyo, and the women who reach the age of Ji are as old as plums. The Cao family has no reason to keep rejecting it. After all, the officials protect the powerful family and don't want to offend the powerful." Xiao Yunze immediately lowered his head and sighed, "I didn't understand before. The painstaking efforts of my father and Weng Weng, I didn’t know the hard work and helplessness of raising children until I became a father.”

"Before I entered the palace and saw the official's appearance, I'm afraid it was..." Mrs. Lu looked around, "The deadline is only two years, and with the current situation in the court, if the official's departure, the official and His Royal Highness are the same. Brothers and sisters, you should have no worries if you propose marriage to Da Lang at that time, right?"

"Da Lang's marriage..." Xiao Yunze lowered his head, "His name was bestowed by the officials, this wedding must be done with the officials and His Royal Highness, I will go to the palace to ask Her Highness the Queen someday."

"Should His Royal Highness be in charge of your son's marriage?"

Xiao Yunze closed his eyes and sighed: "It is up to Your Highness that the Xiao family can have this status as a relative. He is my eldest son. Whether the Xiao family will flourish or decline in the next hundred years depends on him alone."

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In March of the 29th year of Qianyuan, at the beginning of late spring, Han Si, Minister of the Ministry of War, impeached the prime ministers of the eastern and western prefectures, including Fang Zhiyan and Zhang Hou, as well as the deputy ministers and more than a dozen other high-ranking officials, which shocked the government and the public for a while.