Sunu was an exceptionally capable man.
Having lost his father while still in swaddling clothes, the young Sunu had neither elders to watch over him nor siblings to support him. He learned at an early age to read people’s expressions and won the favor of the Shunzhi Emperor. At the age of ten, he inherited his family’s noble rank, which was even raised by one level despite his lack of military achievements.
By the current reign, the Kangxi Emperor sitting on the dragon throne was far from generous to the imperial clan. He frequently used various pretexts to demote or strip noble titles to consolidate power into his own hands. Yet, under such circumstances, Sunu managed to have the Kangxi Emperor elevate his title, which was truly remarkable.
Sunu’s ability to gain promotions was due not only to his prominent talents, but also to his tactfulness. He was adaptable and diplomatic, avoiding making enemies so that no one spoke ill of him or tripped him up. Indeed, even when dealing with his in-law, whose title was several ranks lower than his own, he could maintain a exceedingly humble posture.
The moment he dismounted, he cupped his hands in greeting to Qishi and offered congratulations, “As the saying goes, ‘happy events make one’s spirit bright.’ Brother Qishi, you look younger and younger today.”
Qishi glanced sideways at him. What are you doing here?
With many clan relatives standing around, Qishi suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and shifted his body slightly to make room for Sunu.
Sunu stepped over and offered a low-voiced apology, “Brother Qishi, regarding what happened a while back, I am truly sorry to Wulinzhu. Remembering the entrustments you gave me when the two children got married, I failed to honor a single one. My heart is filled with guilt, and I haven’t dared to come to your door to face you.”
Qishi turned his head to look at him with an expression as if he had seen a ghost. You can really spout nonsense. They were clearly officials in the same court and saw each other every day. A few days ago, Sunu had deliberately feigned not knowing him, yet now he claimed he was too guilt-ridden to visit.
Sunu did not feel embarrassed in the slightest. He gave a chuckle and continued, “I agree in my heart with the request you raised, Brother Qishi. It’s just that my household has a large population and many opinions. It took me a great deal of effort to convince them all, and I only managed to persuade everyone yesterday.”
Qishi did not believe a single word of this, but since it pertained to his eldest daughter’s future happiness, he cared deeply and responded, “You are finally willing to let Leqin branch out?”
Sunu nodded.
Qishi asked further, “Then how much property do you plan to divide to him?”
“A residence, two shops, a manor in Shengjing, and ten thousand taels of silver for family division.” Sunu genuinely felt this was quite a lot, considering he had thirteen sons.
Qishi was extremely dissatisfied, his face returning to a cold demeanor. “Are you trying to dismiss a beggar with these petty pennies? How about I give you these things, and you let Leqin move into my Commander-in-Chief Estate?”
How could that be allowed! Moving into his father-in-law’s house would make him a matrilocal son-in-law. Sunu was not short of sons, but he could not afford to lose such face.
Sunu began to air his grievances, saying that raising over twenty children to adulthood was no easy task. Marrying off the older ones had consumed a vast amount of assets, leaving the estate a mere empty shell long ago.
Qishi agreed with this point; marriages indeed drained assets. He began to waver slightly. If his eldest son-in-law received a bit less, so be it. As long as he could move out to live independently and allow his eldest daughter to live comfortably, he could provide some subsidies himself.
Gali and Luomanse were standing right behind the two. Seeing their brother about to compromise, they realized things were bad and immediately stepped forward to offer support.
Gali asked in detail, “How many courtyards does that residence have? What area is it in, the inner city or the outer city? What kind of business do those shops do, and what is the annual surplus?”
Sunu felt a bit guilty, though his tone remained firm. “The location of the residence is extremely good, right in the territory of the Plain Red Banner, making it convenient to return to the Commander-in-Chief Estate for visits. The residence has two courtyards. Although it is not large, it is very spacious for just the young couple…”
The more Qishi listened, the colder his expression became. No matter how nicely that old fellow Sunu spouted his words, the things he offered were indeed stingy.
Gali was unwilling to let his niece suffer a loss and snapped, “Two courtyards are too small. Change it to three.”
Sunu shook his head, “It’s not that I’m reluctant, but there really aren’t any available in the territory of the Plain Red Banner.”
Gali sneered, “Don’t fool me. I know you have one. Didn’t you keep a mistress over there a few years ago? The place where you housed her was a courtyard with three entryways…”
!!!
Beile Sunu bought a large courtyard with three entryways to keep a mistress!
Everyone perked up their ears to listen closely to the gossip.
The moment Sunu heard the word “mistress,” his face turned pale. He hurriedly covered Gali’s mouth and shouted, “Don’t talk nonsense!” Then he whispered, “Fine, fine, fine, I’ll give the three-courtyard estate.”
If this matter were exposed, the sons and daughters-in-law back at the estate would cause another uproar.
Luomanse gave his cousin a thumbs-up and followed up with his own opinion, “A manor in Shengjing probably won’t do. The weather there is freezing; what yield could it possibly have? Replace it with one in the outskirts of the capital. It doesn’t need to be too large, three or four hundred mu will do.”
“The silver for the family division is also too little. Add a bit more to make it twenty thousand.”
Sunu thought to himself: How brazen!
These people of the Donggo clan were truly opening their mouths wide. Did they intend to strip his Beile Estate empty?
A trace of anger appeared on his face.
Seeing this, Qishi said coldly, “When the Eighth Beile offered betrothal gifts last year, you were quite generous. Not only did you present a manor in the outskirts of the capital, but you also sent three thousand taels of silver.”
Gali added from the side, “Ah, who asked him to be a Beile? Naturally, the gift had to be heavier. Our Ninth Prince is merely a bare-headed prince and does not receive much attention. When I see him later, I shall go and comfort him…”
Was this something that could be brought out into the open?
Sunu felt his scalp go numb. These people of the Donggo clan were too difficult to deal with. He had no choice but to nod.
“Hey, hey, I am getting old and my memory is poor. I misremembered Leqin’s division properties just now. Let us brothers recalculate this together…”
The Fourth Estate of Qiandong.
Yintang woke up very early today, changed into his python robes, and waited for the Grand Minister of the Imperial Household to notify him to leave the palace.
Before long, Shang Zhixing, the Grand Minister of the Imperial Household, came over and asked which imperial brother he had invited to accompany him.
Yintang slapped the back of his head and said in annoyance, “Oh no! I didn’t invite single one.”
He had been too happy last night and forgot about that matter!
Shang Zhixing was stunned: Are you joking with me?
He really wanted to drop his responsibilities, but he lacked the courage.
After pondering for a moment, he suggested, “It is still early right now. Ninth Prince, quickly think of which brother you want to invite to accompany you, and then send someone to invite him.”
“Right, right, what you said makes sense.”
Yintang quickly made up his mind; he wanted to invite his Fifth Brother and Eighth Brother. Fifth Brother was a uterine brother from the same mother who had always been close and affectionate toward him, making him easy to talk to. So he asked Shang Zhixing to go invite him, while he himself went to the neighboring Third Estate to invite the Eighth Prince.
Upon learning his intention, the Eighth Princess Consort showed a few hints of dissatisfaction on her face.
“Ninth Brother is also a person about to get married soon, so why are you still acting so rashly?
For such an important matter, you should have come to speak of it last night so our Eighth Prince could request leave from the chief official of the ministry. Now that you come to notify us at the last minute, aren’t you making things difficult for our Eighth Prince? If he doesn’t go, it betrays brotherly affection; if he goes, it means skipping work. If the Royal Father finds out, he will think our Prince is not devoted to his duties.”
Yintang had only spoken one sentence before being berated severely by her. He felt very displeased in his heart, yet what she said indeed made some sense, so he could not refute it.
He said falteringly, “Eighth Sister-in-law is right. I was inconsiderate and almost implicated Eighth Brother. Eighth Brother should still go to the ministry; I will look for someone else for this matter.”
He decided to go back and bring Yinge along to make up the numbers. A younger brother was still a brother, and it was better than missing one.
The Eighth Prince Yinsi hesitated for a moment and called out to stop him, “You really have a quick temper. I didn’t say I wasn’t going.”
Yintang opened his eyes wide, “But if you go, you won’t be able to attend to your duties. Aren’t you worried that Royal Father will hold you accountable?”
Yinsi said, “The duties are naturally important, but Ninth Brother’s matter is more important. When we return, I will go before Royal Father to plead guilty.”
“Eighth Brother…” Yintang was moved beyond measure. He had not expected Eighth Brother to prefer being scolded by Royal Father just to help him.
“Rest assured, Eighth Brother. When we return, I will go before Royal Father to take the blame.”
Yinsi patted his shoulder, “Please wait a moment, Ninth Brother. I will return to my room to change my clothes.”
The Eighth Princess Consort followed him inside and said with a touch of jealousy, “My Prince treats Ninth Brother so well.”
Yinsi pinched her cheek, “Ninth Brother has always been close to me. He rarely asks me for help; how could I refuse?”
Besides, the place they were going to today was the estate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Plain Red Banner Manchu, so members of that clan branch would surely be present. He had not had much contact with those people before. Going over today presented a perfect opportunity to socialize.
A moment later, Yinsi changed his clothes and stepped out.
When the two brothers returned to the Fourth Estate, the Fifth Prince Yinqi was inside eating breakfast.
Yinqi was much more straightforward than Yinsi. The moment the Grand Minister of the Imperial Household explained the situation, Yinqi immediately agreed, returned to his room to change into python robes, and went out without even having time to finish his breakfast.
Several princes followed the Grand Minister of the Imperial Household to gather at Qianqing Gate. Leading a grand procession of Grand Ministers of State, Ministers without Portfolio, Imperial Guards, and Officers, they departed the palace in a formidable manner.
By the time Sunu and Qishi reached an agreement regarding the division of property, the Ninth Prince and the others had arrived.
The group dismounted, exchanged greetings and bows, and then entered the estate.
Shoushan, walking at the rear, heard the title everyone used for Yintang and was somewhat shocked. That was actually the Ninth Prince? Was he not a young prince from the Prince Yu Estate?
He realized belatedly that the Ninth Prince had not told the truth that day.
He already had a bad first impression of this brother-in-law.
Reaching the main hall, Qishi and Lady Giyoro sat upright in the honor seats to receive the Ninth Prince’s formal greeting.
Yintang was very satisfied in his heart with this bestowed marriage, so he was extremely solemn during the greeting, without the slightest bit of perfunctoriness.
Noticing the Ninth Prince’s attitude, Qishi and Lady Giyoro had a good impression of him. However, as parents who doted on their daughter, they were still quite picky about their son-in-law.
First of all, the son-in-law’s status was too high, which was not good. If he mistreated their daughter, it would be difficult for them to discipline him.
Secondly, his frame was too slight; he looked as though he could be knocked down with a single punch. How could he protect their daughter?
Furthermore, his face was too beautiful and his eyes were too clear, appearing quite innocent and naive. Could such a person act as the pillar of the household in the future? Could he shield their daughter from wind and rain?
Unlike the pickiness of his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Yintang, perhaps out of love for Wulinzhu, had an extremely good impression of them. His father-in-law was dignified and sturdy, while his mother-in-law was elegant and refined. Wulinzhu had grown up picking the best traits of both, outshining her elders.
After Yintang finished his formal salute, Qishi and Lady Giyoro also had to return the courtesy. Only after this back-and-forth was the meeting ritual considered complete. The remaining procedures were arranged by the Grand Minister of the Imperial Household, while Yintang found an opportunity to seek out Shoushan to make amends.
“Fifth Brother.” Opening his mouth this way immediately drew the two of them closer. “It was not my intention to deceive you that day. It was truly because I was thin-skinned and feared that revealing my real name would cause others to laugh at my lack of ability, which was why I remained vague about my background. Please forgive me this once, Fifth Brother.”
He performed a bow toward Shoushan.
Shoushan hurriedly stepped aside and helped him up, “The Ninth Prince speaks too heavily.”
Putting himself in Yintang’s shoes, he could understand Yintang’s behavior. However, Yintang had indeed embarrassed himself that day.
Seeing that Shoushan’s expression was much gentler than before, Yintang continued, “My previous claim of coming to offer thanks, followed by my failure to visit your home, was not a deliberate breach of promise.
On the night I returned to the palace, I developed a high fever that did not break for a day and a night. Afterward, due to my injuries, I could not walk on the ground, so it was delayed. Moreover, Royal Father said he had already rewarded Fifth Brother, so I thought to come after my injuries healed.
I just did not expect that Royal Father would later bestow this marriage upon me, so I waited for this day to express my gratitude.”
Shoushan realized now that his previous filling of a vacancy for a good job had this reason behind it. Presumably, the “Fu” character his father obtained during the New Year was also due to this.
At this point, his slight dissatisfaction toward Yintang completely vanished.
Seeing Yintang looking around, he could not help but ask, “What is the Ninth Prince looking for?”
Yintang’s eyes flickered slightly, “Nothing in particular. I just feel that the arrangement of the Commander-in-Chief Estate is elegant and pleasing to the eye.”
Shoushan took it for the truth and led him to view the flowers and plants in the estate.
Yintang had initially listened casually, but hearing that there were traces of Wulinzhu’s life here, he paid a bit more attention, inadvertently locking eyes with a pair of eyes from afar.
The owner of those eyes was Wulinzhu.
She had already adjusted her mindset and accepted this bestowed marriage. Feeling curious about her future husband’s appearance, she had quietly snuck to the front courtyard.
Among the crowd in the front courtyard, the most eye-catching person was bound to be Yintang. However, Wulinzhu had known his identity early on as the “young prince from Prince Yu Estate,” so she unhesitatingly ruled him out; this was definitely not the Ninth Prince.
Next, her gaze fell upon Yinsi. He had a tall, slender figure and a gentle, elegant aura, chatting and laughing with several Donggo clan members. Wulinzhu guessed he was the warm and jade-like Eighth Virtuous Prince.
The last person wearing a yellow sash in the courtyard was the Fifth Prince Yinqi. He was a bit fat, but not ugly, with a smile on his face, resembling a Maitreya Buddha.
Wulinzhu murmured to herself, “No wonder Yongzheng said in Dayi Jiemi Lu that ‘Yintang was foolishly fat and bloated.’ He is only in his teens and already starting to gain weight. Won’t he be even fatter and uglier when he reaches middle age?”
Looking at this “Ninth Prince” who had gained weight prematurely, she furrowed her brows tight, her inner resistance growing even stronger.
Seeing Wulinzhu staring fixedly at Yinqi, Yintang was extremely puzzled: I am her future husband, why isn’t she looking at me? Could Fifth Brother be better looking than me?
Recalling Shoushan’s shock earlier, he guessed that Wulinzhu might have mistaken his identity. He hurriedly cleared his throat and called out to Yinqi and Yinsi, “Fifth Brother, Eighth Brother.”
Yinqi turned his head and asked him, “What is it, Ninth Brother?”
Yintang put his hands behind his back and smiled modestly, “It’s nothing. I just wanted to say thank you to my two elder brothers for their hard work today.”
Yinsi smiled like a spring breeze, “We are brothers; there is no need to be so distant.”
Yintang nodded, his peripheral vision sweeping toward the person in the distance. He did not miss the pleasant surprise in her eyes and grew increasingly pleased with himself.
Wulinzhu was indeed somewhat pleasantly surprised. She had already prepared herself to accept a chubby, average-looking Ninth Prince, but who could have expected the real person to be a handsome, upright young man.
Who would have thought that the handsome youth whose eyes seemed to spark electrifying charm was actually Yintang!
He looked so good when he smiled, making one involuntarily develop a romantic mind.
Returning to the inner courtyard, without that handsome face to distract her, Wulinzhu’s reason came back online. Once the pleasant surprise faded, what surged up afterward was anger!
He turned out to be the Ninth Prince. When she worked so hard to rescue him at the bottom of the valley back then, he had actually concealed his identity and refrained from telling the truth. Deceiving even his savior, he was truly deep-scheming and treacherous.
Most importantly, he was already so close to Yinsi at such an early stage, which increased her difficulty in breaking up the Eighth and Ninth Prince clique.
Yintang had no idea of Wulinzhu’s worries. Having seen the person he set his heart on and the admiration in her eyes, he was extraordinarily happy on the way back.
Reaching Qianqing Gate, the brothers went their separate ways.
Yintang looked at Yinsi, “Eighth Brother, I delayed your duties today. I will go before Royal Father to request punishment.”
Yinsi offered a gentle smile, “Ninth Brother need not blame yourself. I can still attend to half a day of duty when I return and work more; it should be fine.”
“With Eighth Brother offering such full support, how could I let Eighth Brother bear the responsibility? I must go to Royal Father to plead guilty.”
“There is really no need for this; it is merely a small matter. Say no more, I am heading to the ministry for duty.”
Watching Yinsi’s departing back, Yintang sighed with emotion, “Eighth Brother is truly loyal.”
Yinqi, seeing his own full brother praise someone else like that, felt extremely sour. Hearing these words, he could not hold back and said sarcastically, “Heh, is he the only one whose duties were delayed? Were mine not delayed?”
Yintang caught the jealousy in Yinqi’s words and quickly coaxed him, “Fifth Brother, my good Fifth Brother, don’t be angry, don’t be angry. In my heart, you are the best; no one else can compare.”
Hearing these words, Yinqi’s jealousy diminished slightly, though he still felt dissatisfied, “Then why didn’t I see you treat me like that?”
Yintang hooked his arm around his shoulder and walked forward, “The two of us were born of the same mother, so what need is there for polite words? Those are spoken to outsiders.”
“Outsiders.” The Fifth Prince was instantly coaxed into a good mood by this single word.
“Mm, that’s right. One must still distinguish between who is close and who is distant.”
……
Yinqi went to the ministry to attend to duties, while Yintang went to Qianqing Palace to pay his respects and incidentally plead guilty on behalf of the Eighth Prince.
As for what happened today, Kangxi had long received reports about it. Although he also felt Yintang acted improperly, those words should not have been spoken by the Eighth Princess Consort. The Eighth Princess Consort was overly arrogant to actually scold an imperial prince.
Along with that, he felt a trace of dissatisfaction toward the Eighth Prince as well. How could he allow his consort to scold his younger brother like that? He lacked the dignity of a husband and was not affectionate enough to his brother.
Furthermore… Old Eighth seemed to be a bit narrow-minded. If he truly worried about his duties, he could have sent a eunuch to the imperial presence and the chief official of the ministry to give word. Why did he have to wait until Yintang left in guilt before agreeing? Acting in such a manner was merely to make Yintang feel as if he owed a massive favor.
However, Kangxi was unwilling to think too poorly of his son, and he feared that speaking of it would cause friction between the two brothers, so he suppressed that emotion.
Seeing that Yintang made no attempt to hide his joy over this marriage, Kangxi felt pleased, believing that he was extremely insightful to have brought about a good match.
His tone softened by a few degrees, “This time, I shall act as if it never happened, but it will not be allowed again in the future. Go back.”
Yintang joyfully took his leave.
A few days later, the Imperial Household Department sent new news that the betrothal gifts would be presented at the Princess Consort’s estate on the sixth day of the fourth month.
Yintang heard that among the common people, the groom would personally hunt wild geese to serve as the chief gift for the betrothal. The palace did not have this custom, leaving everything to be handled by the Imperial Household Department, but he wanted to do it. He felt that when Wulinzhu received the wild geese, she would be able to feel his intentions and would surely be very happy.
So he went to Qianqing Palace again to seek permission.
“Why do you want to go outside the palace to practice archery and riding? Is the Archery Pavilion not enough for you all?” Kangxi put down his brush, not quite understanding his ninth son’s thoughts.
Yintang wore a face full of shame, “Isn’t it because I recalled that incident from last year? Going to the mountainside to pick a pomelo, only to be scared into the bottom of the valley by a snake inside, losing face completely.
The Archery Pavilion consists of lifeless targets after all, and we are overly familiar with it. Practicing inside makes it hard to make progress. I thought that going into the wild to practice with real weapons and armor would yield better results.”
Kangxi pondered; these words indeed carried some truth. It was precisely for this reason that every time he went to the Mulan Hunting Grounds, he brought the imperial princes along to practice.
Being startled by a snake that suddenly popped out was certainly something that would not happen to the elder princes; Old Ninth was still lacking.
Mm, it seemed Yintang practiced too little. If they went to the Mulan Hunting Grounds again this year, he must bring Old Ninth along to practice thoroughly.
Huh?
Obtaining the opportunity to accompany the emperor was great, but Yintang wanted to go out hunting right now. He continued to mumble in Kangxi’s ear about the benefits of going out.
Kangxi was annoyed by his son, “It seems your previous words were all excuses. Speak up, what is your ultimate purpose for insisting on leaving the palace to practice archery and riding in the woods?”
Seeing Kangxi’s piercing gaze, Yintang knew he could no longer stall, so he had to confess honestly.
“Just to catch wild geese?”
Yintang nodded.
Looking at his son’s expression, Kangxi could not help but recall the sincerity he only had in his youth, feeling somewhat moved.
“Fine then, I shall grant your request this once. Take more guards with you. If you get injured, your wedding date will have to be postponed.”
Yintang was overjoyed, “Yes, I will certainly bring enough guards and never get injured.”
He did not want to postpone the wedding date.
That same afternoon, Yintang took the Tenth Prince and a group of men and horses out of the palace.
When he returned, he carried two beautiful wild geese, saying he would present them to the Princess Consort on the day of the betrothal. This news quickly spread across the Princes’ Estates, leaving several princes’ consorts envious. Their own princes possessed better riding and archery skills, yet lacked the intent to please their wives.
On the sixth day of the fourth month, the Grand Minister of the Imperial Household led a large group of people to the Commander-in-Chief Estate to present the betrothal gifts.
The betrothal presentation served as the engagement banquet. The Imperial Household Department was to present betrothal gifts, banquet supplies, and the wedding date.
The betrothal gifts were divided into two types. One was the official gift, which was given to the Imperial Prince’s Consort, mainly consisting of clothing fabrics, jewelry, and daily-use gold and silver vessels; however, these items had to be brought back to the palace along with the consort’s dowry.
The other was the granted gift, given to the consort’s parents, which served as the true betrothal gift. It mainly consisted of gold, silver, court robes, mink hats, fox fur coats, horses, earrings, and the like.
The banquet supplies consisted of fifty tables of wine banquets, fifty tables of pastry banquets, thirty-six sheep, fifty bottles of yellow wine, complete with a musical band. Moreover, noble lords, Grand Ministers of State, Imperial Guards, and titled wives of officials above the second rank who were off duty that day were all to attend the banquet to extend their congratulations.①
After the banquet concluded, the Minister of the Imperial Household Department announced the wedding date: the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month.
This date was truly too tight, but there were indeed no good dates following it. The third day of the fifth month was the death anniversary of Empress Renxiao, followed by the Dragon Boat Festival; none of these days were suitable for holding a wedding. The next auspicious day was scheduled for the end of the fifth month, but it would be too hot then, making it difficult to hold a wedding, so the end of the fourth month was chosen instead.
After the betrothal presentation ended, Wulinzhu’s days suddenly became extraordinarily busy.
According to the rules, she was supposed to sew four sets of clothes for Yintang, one set for each season of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. However, with time being tight and her needlework being poor, she would only make four sets of inner garments, which saved a great deal of effort.
Originally, she had planned to let the servants underneath do it while she added a few stitches at the finishing stage. However, she had received the wild geese that Yintang personally left the palace to catch, being the first among the princes to do so. She had to admit that she was pleased by this, so she decided to make these clothes with her own hands.
In addition to this, she had to select the maidservants who would enter the palace with her. Entering the palace, it was unknown how many years she would stay there. The Primary Princess Consort had married in the twenty-sixth year of Kangxi and had not moved out to this day—a whole ten years.
Among the four maidservants by her side, the two elder ones were seventeen or eighteen years old, at the age for discussing marriage. Entering the palace would definitely delay them, so there was no need to bring them into the palace. As for the two younger ones, Caiyue, aged fifteen, was an orphan, while Caixia, aged fourteen, had a stepmother at home; both had no ties holding them back and were willing to follow her into the palace to serve.
When young maidservants entered the palace, they certainly had to be taught etiquette rules. Otherwise, if a mistake was made inside the palace, it would not be just the young maidservants who suffered. Therefore, she taught them very conscientiously.
Lady Giyoro was busy counting and auditing the dowry. During these days, the supplementary dowry gifts from relatives arrived one after another.
The Donggo clan of the Plain Red Banner originated from Hohole and had six sons. Inherited through several generations, the clan members were numerous, and the items sent were abundant as well.
Although her maternal family was somewhat impoverished, her uncles from collateral branches held noble titles and enjoyed much better circumstances; out of respect for the imperial marriage, they sent a great deal of items over.
There were also the items Lady Giyoro had saved up over the years.
In the current dynasty, the custom of generous dowries was prevalent. Many families with daughters started saving up dowries from the time the children were born, ranging from door curtains and toothbrushes to land, properties, shops, and manors. Washing, makeup, clothing, ornaments, food, drinks, and furniture were fully prepared; some families even prepared coffins.
The Commander-in-Chief Estate ultimately packed over one hundred and twenty chests of dowry, which would not do. Back then, when the Crown Princess entered the palace, she brought one hundred and twenty-eight chests of dowry, which was the specification for a Crown Prince’s Consort. Subsequent imperial princes’ consorts were all reduced to one hundred and twenty chests.
Lady Giyoro ordered people to repack the chests, compressing them tightly, and finally managed to stuff all the items into one hundred and twenty chests.
Apart from these visible items, there were also some properties: two three-entryway residences in the inner city, six manors each in the outskirts of the capital and Shengjing, six prosperous shops in the inner city, and sixty thousand taels of silver as accompanying dowry.
These invisible accompanying dowry items were all written down on the dowry list.
Among the common people, writing this was to avoid unclear asset division when a couple divorced. Although there was no divorce in the imperial family, they still followed this precedent. Moreover, when displaying the dowry, it would not look weak, avoiding gossip.
On the twenty-seventh day of the fourth month, these one hundred and twenty chests of dowry were delivered into the palace by the Donggo clan members, packing the Fourth Estate to the brim. This left the young princes who had not yet married filled with envy; after all, they currently had a monthly salary of only one hundred taels of silver. Who would not want to marry a consort with a generous dowry?
Looking at the courtyard full of dowry, the Ninth Prince felt a surge of excitement in his heart, filled with anticipation for tomorrow.
Meanwhile, inside the Commander-in-Chief Estate, Qishi and Lady Giyoro looked at the emptied courtyard, their hearts feeling bittersweet. Their eldest daughter had married early, and they thought their younger daughter could stay a few years longer. Unexpectedly, she was about to get married in the blink of an eye, and to the palace no less, offering even fewer opportunities to meet.
The family gathered together, chatting and rambling for a long time, not dispersing until late at night.
Before leaving, Lady Giyoro quietly stuffed a small booklet into Wulinzhu’s hands, instructing her in a low voice to read it carefully.
Wulinzhu guessed what it was, opening it to look only after there was no one left in the room. As she looked, her ears began to feel hot. Who said the ancients were reserved? They were clearly very bold and uninhibited; some of the images were even more extreme than modern film and television intimacy shots.
The author has something to say:
① Referenced and quoted from Etiquette Is Not Far from People: Approaching the Etiquette Culture of the Capital in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.