mtl008 Chapter 142: Imperial Decree to Confer the Title of Concubine (Edited)
Chapter 142: Imperial Decree to Confer the Title of Concubine (Edited)
The next moment, Liang Jiugong walked in with a whisk in his arms, followed by a group of eunuchs and palace maids.
As soon as he came in, he looked at Shi Ergege first. He saw that she had a cold and distant expression, but her hands were tightly clenched with a handkerchief, and her fingertips were white.
He sighed inwardly. He had just been standing outside the door. The words of the Shi family were so chilling that even an outsider like him felt heartbroken, let alone the Second Princess Shi.
I also thought of the youngest son of Governor Li who had a sexual preference. No wonder even a soft-hearted person like Shi Ergege fell in love with him. Wouldn’t the emperor be heartbroken if he knew about this?
Thinking of this, Liang Jiugong looked at Mrs. Shi with a serious expression.
"Madam Shi, why did I just hear someone outside the door saying that one can be selected as a concubine just by writing, what is going on?"
Although Madam Shi was the wife of a third-class earl, Liang Jiugong was the chief steward of the imperial court and the emperor's close confidant. Even the ministers of military affairs had to be polite to him. How could she dare to act rudely in front of him?
He was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he half leaned on Nanny Tang and stammered:
"That's, that's..." It took a long while before Shi Mu's face flushed as she managed to utter, "That's because I feel that my daughter is unlucky and it's a great blessing to be favored by the emperor. I dare not even think about being promoted to a concubine."
"Oh I got it."
Liang Jiugong glanced at Shi Mu meaningfully after hearing this, and said without comment:
"You'll know in a moment. We are here on the orders of the Emperor to issue the imperial decree for the selection of concubines. Are all the masters of your mansion here?"
Shi Mu had a bad feeling when she was being looked at, but she didn't have time to think about it. She quickly suppressed her anxiety and panic and said with an apologetic smile:
"Manager Liang, we're still missing Rongyue. She's not feeling well and is now in the carriage outside the door. I'm just about to arrange for a maid to carry her in. Can you please wait for a moment?"
Liang Jiugong had just come in from outside, so of course he knew about this. Hearing this, his expression did not change, and he nodded slightly:
"Then Madam Shi, please bring in Grand Princess Shi!"
Shi Rongyue was hurriedly carried into the house with a veil on. Now all the masters of the Shi Mansion were present. Liang Jiugong looked around, but did not read the imperial edict immediately. Instead, he fixed his eyes on Shi Rongyue's veil.
"Shi Da Gege, receiving the imperial edict is a sacred matter, you should take off your veil."
The imperial edict represents the will of the whole world. Seeing an imperial edict is like seeing the emperor, and the person receiving it must be solemn and respectful.
Upon hearing this, Shi Rongyue immediately covered her face with the veil and kept shaking her head.
"Manager Liang, my face is still not healed, I can't see the wind, you..."
However, she had no choice at the moment. A maid who followed the emperor stepped forward and apologized, then took off the veil on Shi Rongyue's face without hesitation, revealing a face covered with dense red rashes.
Everyone subconsciously turned their eyes away, revealing a disgusted expression. Even Shi's mother, who loved her eldest daughter the most, couldn't bear to look at it. Shi Rongyue was furious and annoyed when she saw this, and her face was even more horrible when she was angry.
Shi Nanxi stood aside and gently withdrew her gaze. Shi Rongyue, everything has just begun.
Without further delay, Liang Jiugong took the imperial edict from the tray behind him, and everyone knelt down to receive it.
"The Emperor, in compliance with the Will of Heaven, proclaims that Nanxi Shi, the youngest daughter of the Third Class Earl Shi Wenbing, is gentle and kind, of good character, virtuous, and prudent, and has won my heart... I decree that she be canonized as my consort and given the title of Xian, and that she enter the palace on May 24th. I decree this."
What! Empress Xian! She was actually made a concubine!
The room was so quiet that not even the sound of breathing could be heard. Everyone subconsciously held their breath. Shi Mu only felt a buzzing in her head.
His first reaction was not to be happy for Shi Nanxi or Shi Fu, but to recall what he had said not long ago.
——Shi Nanxi, how did you pass the palace selection and are about to enter the palace? What about your elder sister? Did something happen to Rongyue again, and the emperor is showing her favor to compensate the Shi family?
——Humph, even if I’m selected based on my calligraphy, can I still be given the title of concubine?
——I feel that my daughter is unfortunate enough to be favored by the Emperor and is very lucky. I dare not even think about becoming a concubine!
At this moment, the words that made up these sentences seemed to fly out of my mind one by one and hit me hard in the face.
Slap, slap, slap, the silent slaps made her face burn with pain.
The third concubine's daughter, Yao, felt as if she was struck by thunder. All her previous denials and disbelief were made dizzy by the two words "Empress Xian".
The third son, Guanyinbao, was even more dumbfounded.
The second sister was actually canonized as Consort Xian by the Emperor! He slapped himself hard, it hurt like hell.
The other two illegitimate sons and the fourth illegitimate daughter were in a daze, as if they were in a dream.
As the person involved, Shi Nanxi was also a little dazed. Although she was confident in her position and had thought about the position of concubine, she felt that the possibility was not high.
Because Kangxi was notoriously stingy with the positions in the harem in later generations, she felt that the position of concubine was more likely, and she never thought about the positions below concubine. After all, if the woman who made Kangxi fall in love with her didn't even have the position of concubine, then she should find someone else as soon as possible.
When she heard that it was a position of imperial concubine, she was very surprised. As for the title "Xian", which means gentle, quiet and charming, she was also very satisfied.
"Congratulations, Empress Xian. Congratulations, Empress Xian. Please accept the order."
Liang Jiugong's smiling voice was heard, and Shi Nanxi knelt respectfully to express his gratitude.
"Your Highness, I accept your order. Long live the Emperor!"
Then he stood up with the help of Hongying, took the imperial edict, and turned to other people.
Shi Mu and the others were still in a daze, when the butler suddenly kowtowed heavily.
"I congratulate Her Majesty Empress Xian. I wish Her Majesty long life and good health!"
The butler's loud congratulations finally woke everyone up. They woke up as if from a dream and looked at Shi Nanxi in front of them holding the imperial edict.
It was afternoon, the sun was still shining brightly, and the bright light coming through the door made her whole body glow with a layer of golden light, so dazzling that people dared not look directly at her. They subconsciously lowered their heads, kowtowed heavily, and shouted in unison:
"Congratulations to Her Majesty Empress Xian. May Her Majesty be blessed with good health and good fortune!"
Shi Nanxi took the imperial edict, looked around, smiled and slowly raised her hand: "Everyone, get up."
After the imperial decree to confer the title of imperial concubine to Shi Nanxi was issued, Liang Jiugong issued another imperial decree to appoint Shi Rongyue as the Fourth Prince's concubine, and to allow her to enter the palace one month later. Everyone who was still in shock and some of them had not yet recovered were shocked again.
This time, unlike the shock of Shi Nanxi being canonized as Empress Xian, the shock was that Shi Rongyue was only canonized as the Fourth Prince's concubine!
How could this happen? She was originally a candidate for the Crown Princess, but was plotted against. No matter what, she should have been the legitimate wife!
Shi Nanxi knew what was going on, but others didn't. At this moment, Shi's mother's mind once again heard what her second daughter had said in the palace.
Could it be that Rongyue really did it on purpose in order to marry the Fourth Prince? Otherwise, why would she only be canonized as a concubine!!!
Shi Rongyue couldn't believe it.
how come!
How can it be!
Shouldn’t she be the legitimate wife?
Her original identity was even worthy of being the Crown Princess!
Now he has to be inferior to Ulanala and Sui!
When Liang Jiugong saw that Princess Shi had not responded to the imperial edict for a long time, a hint of sarcasm flashed through his mind. Aren't all these what she asked for herself?
She likes the Fourth Prince so much that she even does not hesitate to attack herself just to get rid of the status of the designated Crown Princess. It seems that she does not care about the status of a concubine.
"Grand Princess Shi, why don't you accept my order?"
Liang Jiugong's faint reminder sounded in her ears. Shi Rongyue, supported by her maid, took the imperial edict in a daze and felt lost.
I just felt like something had changed.