With the arrival of the Spring Festival, the capital has ushered in a few days of clear weather. The sky on the third day of the Chinese New Year is blue and cloudless, as clear as jasper.

A large group of women wearing imperial uniforms entered the palace one after another and came to the imposing Kunning Palace as promised, making it look very lively.

Empress Chen wore a double phoenix dragon crown on her head, and there were Ju, big shirt and shiny cape inside. Combined with her temperament, she demonstrated her mother's style in the world.

"The wife pays me a blessing to the Queen, the Queen is a thousand years old!"

When the ladies of the imperial decree saw Empress Chen dressing like this, they felt a little shorter, but no matter how they view Empress Chen in their hearts, they seemed to be polite and polite.

Although Empress Chen was not favored by the emperor and had no descendants as capital, and was rumored to be extremely frugal and stingy, this queen of the Ming Dynasty was finally here, and her identity and status were placed.

Empress Chen was following Wu Qiuyu, Mrs. Ma, Mrs. Guo and others chatting in the Western Warehouse. She gently raised her hands to the several maids of the imperial decree who were greeting and said, "Don't give me a gift, please take your seat first!"

Since it was still early and the invitation had not arrived yet, the table had not started yet, and there was only tea and palace pastries on the table.

The ladies of the imperial edict also have a fixed order of seating, and they all took their seats in sequence. At the same time, they couldn't help but take a look at Queen Chen more. Many people felt that the queen seemed a little different from the past.

Queen Chen seemed to be unaware of it and continued to chat with Wu Qiuyu, Mrs. Guo and Mrs. Ma, making the atmosphere here look happy.

In this harmonious atmosphere, more and more royal ladies arrive on time, and often the guests who think they have identities fall at the end.

When Queen Chen saw that the time was almost the same, she asked a woman next to her: "Shen Shanggong, what's the situation in Yikun Palace?"

The middle-aged woman in the female official uniform stood next to the queen without any expression. When she heard this question, she was about to answer, but there happened to be a movement at the door.

Everyone looked at the door and saw the long-awaited eldest princess and Concubine Li.

The eldest princess is fat and short, has a normal appearance, with a few freckles on her face, and is wearing the standard princess suit, but she is diligently holding the Concubine Li who has crossed the threshold and said, "Sister-in-law, be careful of this threshold!" As she said that, she complained again: "This Kunning Palace is really true, what's the threshold so high!"

The voice was not deliberately amplified, but it was enough to fall into the ears of the people present, which made the maids present exchange a wink silently.

Fortunately, I was born in the imperial family. With the disgusting mouth of the eldest princess, someone would definitely beat the mouth into a sausage.

Concubine Li is twenty-three years old this year, and now her belly is bulging again. She is pregnant with her second child. She undoubtedly has another bargaining chip in her hand.

After weighing the pros and cons, she also decided to come to the appointment and came to the hall to salute and said in a regular manner: "Empress, my sister is late, please don't blame me!"

However, without waiting for Queen Chen to respond, the eldest princess next to me immediately said sarcastically: "My sister-in-law, even the red envelopes I gave to my family a few days ago were stingy. Why did you have money to buy a banquet today?"

this……

Although the ladies of the imperial decree knew that the eldest princess had always been despised, it was a bit too much to be mocked by the queen in public.

Wu Qiuyu's brows frowned slightly. Since the last time the eldest princess intended to marry his family, she has also begun to hate the arrogant eldest princess, but she did not expect that the eldest princess would be so rude.

"The Ai family is not like the eldest princess who can get 2,000 stones of rice in the court every year, and my mother's family is not like the Li family who engage in business and saves a lot of money. Therefore, today's banquet is simple!" Empress Chen's face looked like an ancient well, and she responded indifferently.

When the eldest princess heard the "Business Family", she felt extremely displeased. She immediately said sarcastically: "Since I am from the royal family, my blood is so precious, I will naturally be supported by the court. As long as I am not like Gukangbo's gambling, the daily expenses are still enough. But if the banquet you bought is too shabby, I will lose my royal face and embarrass my emperor brother!"

this……

When the ladies of the imperial decree heard that the eldest princess actually broke the throne so much, they found that this was not arrogant, and they were just deliberately coming to find fault.

Mrs. Guo, Mrs. Ma and others have a great affection for the queen. Now that the situation has developed, they can't help but look at Queen Chen with concern. If this banquet is too shabby, then it will be really gossiped.

Wu Qiuyu knew that the banquet was indeed shabby, but she couldn't help but look at Queen Chen with even more worry.

But what is quite surprising is that Empress Chen's cultivation is excellent and she is not angry by the eldest princess's rude words. However, she asked someone to arrange a seat for Concubine Li first.

"The Ai family has its own right to do things!" Queen Chen replied lightly, and then said to the arrogant eldest princess again: "Since you are here, there is something you have to tell you!"

"What's the matter?" The eldest princess found that the queen's temperament was obviously different from before, but suddenly remembered that her female official had not appeared yet, so she asked vigilantly.

Empress Chen faced the princess's gaze and said lightly: "He Shangyi, the female official in charge of your eldest son's mansion, came to Ai's family last night and claimed that she was old and was about to return home. The family had agreed!"

The Ming Dynasty followed the female officials system of Zhou, Han and Tang dynasties, and established "six bureaus and one department", namely Shanggong Bureau, Shangyi Bureau, Shangfu Bureau, Shang food bureau, Shangfu Bureau, Shangfu Bureau, Shanggong Bureau and Gong Zhengshi.

The sixth bureau chief officer rank is the fifth rank, and the Gong Zhengsi chief officer rank is the sixth rank, who are in charge of palace management, etiquette, clothing, catering, accommodation, assessment and other work.

The selection of female officials in the Ming Dynasty had strict standards. The morality, family, talent, etc. of the selected female officials should be examined, and the ritual officials were interviewed and admitted.

For example, in the 17th year of Hongwu, the imperial edict was issued: Su, Song, Jia, Hu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, there were officials. The people of the people were over thirteen years old, under 19 years old, and women over thirty or under 40 years old, and those who had no husband were willing to enter the palace to prepare envoys, and they ordered each to pay money for the Daoliage and send it to the capital. The women were for the harem, while the women were for the sixth day of the sixth day.

In other words, older women will directly be granted female officials, while younger women will temporarily act as palace maids as backup female officials, so they may also be favored by the emperor and become concubines.

There are also clear regulations on leaving: "Those who have been obedient for more work may have been five or six years, and they will return to their parents and listen to their marriage. Those who are older are allowed to return, and those who are willing to stay will listen. Those who are now appointed will be given a family salary."

For example, a female official named Huang Weide came to Nanjing from the south sea in Guangdong during the Hongwu period, and later went to Beijing. Until the seventh year of Xuande, she begged for her body to return to the south and spent most of her life in the palace.

It is worth mentioning that as the status of eunuchs gradually improved, female officials were excluded by eunuchs, and some important positions were constantly replaced by eunuchs.

According to the regulations of the Ming Dynasty, a princess must marry a female official from Shangyi Bureau to be responsible for handling all the affairs of the princess, and the eldest princess will naturally be no exception.

Because the princess represents the royal face, it is not allowed to happen that violates etiquette and law. Not to mention having an affair with other men, even if the prince-consort dies, he must keep his chastity.

The female official plays the role of supervisor in it, but regulates the princess' words and deeds, and is not controlled by the princess, and she only obeys the queen.

Of course, this is a society of favor after all. Once you meet a female official with a good temper, they will be at peace with each other, and even turn a blind eye to some of the princess' behaviors. However, meeting a female official who sticks to principles will make the princess extremely painful.

When the eldest princess learned that the female official who was being sold by her had retired and returned home, she couldn't help but stared at her eyes and said, "Why haven't I heard He Jie mention this?"

"He Shangyi applied to my palace for return home last night. The palace has approved it. What's wrong with this?" Queen Chen raised her eyes and looked at the shocked princess, but asked faintly.

According to the female official system of the Ming Dynasty, the queen was the highest manager of the female official, so she naturally had the right to deal with the stay and leave of the female official of the eldest princess's mansion.

What's more, now the female official from the Princess's Mansion has taken the initiative to apply for her return home, and the queen can make the decision directly, but she does not need to listen to anyone's opinions.

Huh?

The wife of the imperial decree present had long been influenced by the struggles in the officialdom. Looking at the conversation between the queen and the eldest princess about the female official, she faintly smelled the smell of conspiracy.

Judging from the eldest princess’ reaction, this may not be a coincidence. All of this may be the queen’s plan, but she wants to arrange a new female official in the eldest princess’s mansion who obeys her orders.

It just made them feel very puzzled. Although the female official was controlled by the queen, if it were not for someone to arrest him or promise enough benefits, it would be impossible for them to leave the palace easily.

Although he is also an official in his hometown, he is far less likely to stay in the Princess's Mansion and eat and drink spicy food. Life is much more nourishing than returning to a remote place alone.

The eldest princess's face was solemn, and she did not inherit the wisdom of Jiajing. However, she was confused by the sudden news and lost her mind for a while. She didn't know what to do.

"I am the new Shangyi Li Su of Shangyi. I have met the eldest princess!" A young female official next to her stood up and gave a serious tribute to the eldest princess.

Queen Chen pointed to the young female official next to her and said seriously: "Li Shangyi knows the etiquette, so she will be the female official in the eldest princess's mansion in the future!"

"Isn't this the palace maid next to you? I just want He Jie!" After seeing the new female official, the eldest princess said with a gloomy face.

No matter how fat or stupid she is, when she sees the person being arranged is an old person next to Queen Chen, she knows that the queen must have bad intentions and has already restrained herself through this new female official.

Huh?

Seeing this, the maids present couldn't help but look at each other.

Although I don’t know what means the queen has used to manipulate the female official system in one fell swoop, the current arrangement reveals the power of the queen.

No matter how noble the princess is, she still has to be bound by etiquette and law, and needs to be controlled by female officials everywhere. After all, she is just a canary in the cage.

"The Ai family just said it very clearly. He Jie has returned home. Now the Ai family has arranged a new female official for your eldest princess. This move is done according to the rules in the palace. Could it be that you still disobeying your order?" The queen thought about the anger she had suffered over the years, and looked at the princess majesticly and said.

Facing the tough-minded queen, the eldest princess finally realized that she had made a huge mistake.

Although Concubine Li's mother is worthy of her son, the highest manager of the female official has always been the queen, but the highest manager of all the female official, and she has to be controlled by a certain degree of restraint by the female official.

Originally, He Jie, the female official in the Changgong Mansion, was attacked by her money, so she turned a blind eye to some of her extraordinary actions, but the new female official was probably not good at coming.

The eldest princess knew that the queen must be the one who was interfering with this matter, but she accused him angrily: "Sister-in-law, this is clearly what you did. What do you mean?"

this……

The madam present saw that the eldest princess was willing to break up with Empress Chen on the spot, and instead was worried about the eldest princess, she still thought she was not sure about the current situation!

"Princess, your female official in your Princess' Mansion is going to return home. What's wrong with me as the queen? How can I change a female official? Please explain it clearly!" Empress Chen did not expect that the princess would criticize her in person, and a burst of anger surged in her heart and asked sternly.

The ladies of the imperial decree couldn't help but look at the eldest princess, which was really "a mute eats coptis chinensis - they can't afford to suffer."

The eldest princess knew that she could not blame the queen without any evidence, and the queen was indeed exercising her rights. She immediately stepped back and said, "I am considered unlucky, but the female official has to change one. I don't want your person!"

At the end, she glanced at Queen Chen with a sarcastic look, and had made up her mind not to let Queen Chen have the chance to catch her braid.

"You can't take the initiative to do this!" Empress Chen refused flatly when she heard this request.

this……

The wife of the imperial decree present thought that Empress Chen would take a step back, but seeing the aura shown by Empress Chen, she had already re-recognized the queen who had always been low-key.

Concubine Li was also slightly stunned. As a bricklayer's daughter, she entered Prince Yu's mansion as a palace maid in her early years. At that time, she served Queen Chen and then swallowed silently.

Seeing that Queen Chen refused so firmly, the eldest princess snorted coldly: "Then I'll look for Brother Emperor!"

"Princess, your title is inappropriate! The Tian family has the rules of the Tian family. Now there is only the emperor and the queen, but there is no queen's sister-in-law and the emperor's brother. Please be careful with the title, otherwise it will be disrespectful!" Shang Yi and Li Su suddenly stood up and accused him.

The eldest princess looked at the unemployed Li Shangyi and immediately said to herself: "Don't use chicken feathers as a command arrow. I won't eat this!"

"I urged the etiquette in the palace and had the responsibility to supervise the princess's character. If there is any mistake, it would be a mistake!" Li Su responded seriously.

Seeing that she was completely at a disadvantage, the eldest princess immediately put down her words and said, "Don't argue with you, I will go to find the emperor's brother and ask him to preside over justice for me!"

As he said that, he turned around and left, intending to find the place through his cheap third brother so that this woman can know how powerful she is.

"If you really have such a big face, then let the emperor depose the Ai family, and say that the Ai family will not fulfill your wishes. You need an obedient female official so that you can get along with the groom!" The queen picked up the teacup and said calmly.

When the eldest princess heard this, her face turned pale and looked at Queen Chen in disbelief.

When the ladies of the imperial decree saw the princess' reaction, they immediately felt that something was wrong and looked at the willful princess in shock. It turned out that there was still big news hidden here!
Chapter completed!