King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 783 Canonization
After working outside for so many years, Zhu Jinghong has become experienced in the world and has no unrealistic fantasies about officials.

So now, he was just feeling emotional for a moment, but he would not be depressed.

This is the current situation, we can only make do with what we have.

In a blink of an eye, a few days passed and Jia Yucun was transferred to a horizontal level. This matter did not cause any waves. It was normal to fill a gap in staff.

As for the case in Jinling, we can investigate it as we wish, but it will no longer be related to Jia Yucun.

Three days later, Deputy Chief Censor Wang Pei'an came to the emperor to ask for an official position, which surprised Zhu Jinghong.

Logically speaking, this was the first time Wang Pei'an spoke up, and he recommended himself for the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice out of public interest, but he was still rejected by Zhu Jinghong.

Wang Pei'an was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. Even if he did not eat, drink or sleep, he could not handle too many cases and would be distracted by the complicated miscellaneous affairs.

Letting Wang Pei'an supervise all officials and at the same time cultivating more people like himself in the censor system can be said to be making the best use of resources.

As for Wang Pei'an's promotion to the position of Left Censor-in-Chief, this matter cannot be rushed because his qualifications are somewhat lacking and his background as a juren also has certain restrictions.

If they wanted to help him take the position, it would be best to wait until Chief Censor Yao Hongchang retired. This man had been able to hold the position of Chief Censor for many years in the Zhengtong Dynasty, and he was also an honest official with a good reputation.

If Wang Pei'an is directly removed from office to make room for him, not only will the government and the opposition disagree, but Wang Pei'an himself will not agree.

The days passed like this, and Zhu Jinghong's main tasks in the near future, apart from reading memorials, were to meet with ministers.

In the blink of an eye, it was September 8th, the day for enthroning the queen.

The enthronement of the empress was also a major event, so the ceremony was held in the Fengtian Hall. The scale of the ceremony was much smaller than that of the emperor's enthronement, but there were still royal family members, nobles, officials, and envoys present to watch the ceremony.

Of course, enthroning the empress is a matter of the inner court. Only the edict will be issued in the Fengtian Hall, and all other matters must be carried out in the Kunning Palace.

In the Kunning Palace, Baochai, served by female officials, put on the most formal Zhaiyi, which can be called the female version of the "crown robe".

After putting on the phoenix crown, Baochai turned around gracefully. All the concubines, princesses, and high-ranking ladies in the hall bowed and kowtowed to her.

Among them, Xue Wangshi, the queen's biological mother, was also present. This was her first time to meet the queen in person, even though she was also her daughter.

As early as a month ago, after learning of the emperor's death, Xia Yuegui predicted that the prince would succeed to the throne, so she advocated that the whole family come to Beijing in order to witness today's sacred moment.

At this moment, Xia Yuegui was standing behind her mother-in-law. Logically speaking, she shouldn't be here because of her low rank, but after all, she was the queen's sister-in-law!

According to the court system, the queen's father and brother should be conferred the title of earl, so it won't be long before the Xue family will be ranked among the nobles, and Xia Yuegui will also become a first-rank lady.

"Your Majesty, please get up!"

Following the instructions of the ceremonial officer, Baochai, supported by several female officials on her left and right and under the watchful eyes of everyone present, walked from the side hall to the main hall.

In the crowd, everyone was happy except for one person who was unhappy. She was the legitimate princess Zhu Yunsheng.

It wasn't that she had any problem with her sister-in-law, but she felt that the owner of Kunning Palace had changed.

This is her mother's palace. She grew up here, but now all traces of it in her memory are about to be erased.

It is natural to feel sad, but Zhu Yunsheng understands that this is inevitable. After all, the Qianqing Palace has had more than a dozen owners.

Today is the auspicious day for the enthronement of the Queen. Zhu Yunsheng finally smiled and sent Baochai out of the palace with everyone else.

Zhu Yunsheng actually had no opinion about this Thirteenth Sister-in-law. After thinking about many things carefully, she realized that there was nothing she could do about them.

To be more objective, among her three sisters-in-law, this Thirteenth Sister-in-law was the best to her.

Baochai entered Kunning Palace and sat on the phoenix throne. The concubines, princesses, princesses, and high-ranking ladies stood in line outside the palace according to their closeness and rank.

Sitting on the Phoenix Throne, Baochai's thoughts unconsciously drifted back to ten years ago, when she was also participating in the final selection of the Princess here.

And today she will be promoted again and become the queen who rules the country.

Baochai was overwhelmed with emotion, and Yang Jingting, who was waiting outside the hall, also thought of the shame of that year.

But all her resentment and resentment turned into a smile on her face. At this moment, she was happier than anyone else.

Unlike Yang Jingting's fake smile, Daiyu, Xiangyun, Keqing and Yinglian all had bright smiles, looking forward to the upcoming enthronement ceremony.

Over at the Fengtian Palace, the ceremony of issuing the imperial edict was in progress, and the imperial edict and the imperial seal would be sent to the Kunning Palace soon.

As they waited, half an hour passed quickly and the imperial edict was already approaching Kunning Palace.

"Your Majesty, please get married!" Shang Yi knelt before the phoenix throne and said.

Baochai then stood up and, supported by the female officials on her left and right, walked out of the hall. At this time, the female musicians were already playing.

"Envoy Lu Tong and deputy envoy Deng An, follow the decree to present the empress with the imperial seal!"

Afterwards, Lu Tong and other eunuchs who represented the emperor's will entered the palace from Kunning Palace, and then became busy on the steps of the main hall.

Soon, the incense table and other items were arranged, and the atmosphere on the scene became more solemn.

Led by the female official, Baochai came to the seat to receive the imperial edict and stood there, while eunuchs such as Lu Tong each received the imperial edict, the golden book, and the queen's treasure, and stood on the steps.

"There is a rule!" Lu Tong shouted.

Afterwards, not only Baochai, but everyone at the scene knelt on the ground and chanted, "Long live the emperor."

"The emperor is destined to be carried by heaven, and he is said to be..."

"I have heard that after the union of heaven and earth, all things flourish. Your successor should follow the example of heaven and earth and nurture all things..."

"I have been guiding the great cause, hoping to establish my position in the two yin and yang, to spread harmony in the two qi, and to teach the country. If I do not first rectify the position and name of the central palace, how can I achieve the results of internal governance?"

"Crown Princess Xue, you were chosen by my royal father and mother to be my wife. You possess the four virtues to be my successor. You are the descendant of the two southern states and can be enthroned as the empress!"

Here, Zhu Jinghong emphasized the "legitimacy" of Baochai's identity, as she was selected by the previous emperor and empress.

Of course, compliments such as “combining four virtues” and “being born in the two southern regions” are also piled up like crazy without any cost.

It's no wonder that the people in the Hanlin Academy are able to write such beautiful words, which shows their high level of professionalism.

"To spread the teachings to women and to benefit the world, how admirable!
After the imperial edict was read, Baochai kowtowed again, then took the edict from Lu Tong and handed it to Shangyi who was waiting behind her.

Next came the Golden Book, which was equivalent to the Queen's certificate of appointment, and then came the seal, which was the Queen's seal.

At this point, Lu Tong and others completed their mission, and then bid farewell to the queen and returned to Fengtian Hall to report.

"Your Majesty, please take your seat!" the female official led the way in a loud voice.

The next step was to pay homage to the Queen. This item had already been rehearsed, so the scene did not appear messy.

There were many women and the hall was narrow, so only people of high rank could enter the hall to pay their respects, while everyone else could only kowtow outside.

Princess Gongshun Chen Zhi also came to the scene today, and she was standing at the front.

Because she had the most respected status among the ladies outside the court, she was chosen as the "head" of the court congratulations, which meant she spoke on behalf of everyone.

As for Yuanchun, she had caught a cold recently, so she asked for leave and was granted by Baochai.

After all, Yuanchun had a special status. As the eldest daughter-in-law of the previous emperor, it was not necessarily a bad thing for her not to come. At this moment, Baochai, wearing a phoenix crown and a phoenix robe, had taken a seat in the main seat of the central hall, while Chen Zhi, led by a female official, came to the congratulatory seat opposite Baochai.

Chen Zhi felt very uncomfortable at the moment. It was she who acted as a matchmaker that made Baochai be chosen as the princess. Now, seeing her sitting on the throne she had always dreamed of, this made her feel more uncomfortable than if Chen Zhi had been killed.

But now, I am at the mercy of others. Even if I feel unwilling, Chen Zhi can only put on a bright smile.

"bye!"

Following the female official's shout, Chen Zhi led everyone to pay respect, and then said in a loud voice: "We are meeting Her Majesty the Queen, receiving the imperial seal and taking the throne as the Empress. I am overjoyed and would like to offer my congratulations!"

Every word of these words was like a needle piercing Chen Zhizhi's heart.

The more painful she was at the moment, the happier Baochai was. This way she could vent her anger over the years. It was obvious that this arrangement was her idea.

Of course, she said this to show the close relationship between the sisters-in-law, so she gave the honor of foreman to Princess Gongshun, and no one could find fault with it.

Everyone kowtowed in succession before standing up, and then Baochai stepped down and left.

Next, she will take a short rest, and then go to the Qianqing Palace to pay homage to the emperor, and then she will pay homage to the Fengxian Hall.

As for the ladies who came to watch the ceremony, there was nothing left for them to do next, so they left Kunning Palace one after another.

"Oh my, why are you walking so fast, Princess? It's like someone wants to eat you!"

The voice coming from behind made Chen Zhi's forehead numb, but she still had to force a smile and turned around to look at the person behind her.

"Greetings to the imperial concubine!"

That’s right, the person who came later was Yang Jingting. She had a smile on her face, but it made Chen Zhi shudder.

There was a grudge between her and Baochai. Now that she was the queen, she would not argue with her. But the imperial concubine in front of her was different. She might really embarrass her.

"What are you talking about, Princess? I haven't been canonized yet. I'm still the Crown Prince's concubine. So I'm still a little bit inferior to your Princess of the County!"

At this point, Yang Jingting bowed and said, "Speaking of which...I should be the one bowing to you!"

"How dare I!" Chen Zhi quickly begged for mercy.

Yang Jingting quickly reached out to support him and said, "Hey...Princess, why are you so polite? If it weren't for your guidance back then, I wouldn't be where I am today!"

If we say that the person Yang Jingting hates the most in this world is Baochai, then the second one is Chen Zhi.

Now she couldn't touch Baochai, and couldn't deal with Chen Zhi? Then she might as well give up being a concubine.

Chen Zhi understood this principle, and she had no other way to deal with it except to accept it.

You can't ask Baochai for help, right? She would rather see her suffer.

Ask Zhu Jinghong for help? That's even more impossible. Reporting to Zhu Jinghong "overstepping his authority" would only lead to the Empress Dowager's suppression.

"My lady, it was my ignorance that caused the disaster..."

At this point, Chen Zhi took two steps closer, and then lowered her voice and said, "But when I planned it back then, I did it for your sake, but it didn't go smoothly and backfired!"

Yang Jingting was almost laughing out of anger as she still wanted to lie to herself at this time. Chen Zhi's words insulted her IQ.

"How is Prince Gongshun these days? I heard he made a scene the night His Majesty passed away!"

When Yang Jingting said this, Chen Zhi was almost scared to death, because she said the most taboo words.

At this time, Chen Zhi did not intend to defend herself, and begged for mercy, "My Queen, please spare my life!"

She was really scared. If what happened on the night of the emperor's death continued to ferment, Zhu Jingyuan and even the entire Gongshun Palace might be wiped out reasonably.

"Sister Ting, Sixth Sister-in-law...what are you talking about!"

Zhu Yunsheng's voice sounded like heavenly music to Chen Zhi.

Chen Zhi quickly replied, "Third sister, I was just joking with the imperial concubine. Today, the queen is being canonized, and the whole world is celebrating!"

Although Chen Zhi was still smiling, Zhu Yunsheng understood her embarrassment, so when others were walking around these two, Zhu Yunsheng took the initiative to come over.

Yang Jingting didn't say anything. She could give Zhu Yunsheng face, but she didn't have to give it if she didn't want to.

"Sister Ting, today is the day when the Thirteenth Sister-in-law is being canonized and everyone is celebrating. Why... do you look unhappy?"

Hearing this, Yang Jingting smiled and then said, "Third sister... things are different now, don't say such things carelessly!"

What Yang Jingting said is also very interesting. It can be said that the day of enthronement is different from the past, or it can be said that there has been a "change of dynasty", and Zhu Yunsheng's status is no longer as high as before.

Zhu Yunsheng understood both meanings, but she did not get angry on the spot because no one dared to cause trouble.

Zhu Yunsheng replied: "Yes...so it is better to say less. As the saying goes, a thousand words are not as good as silence. Now that Sister Ting has entered the palace from the palace, being cautious in what she says and does is the foundation of her life!"

Chen Zhi was horrified when she heard these words. It was obvious that she was no longer qualified to join the struggle at this level.

Looking back to the past, even the imperial concubines in the palace were very polite to her, the princess of the prince. It seems like a world away from the current situation.

"Princess, this is a reminder. I will keep it in mind!" Yang Jingting smiled wryly.

Yang Jingting was really unhappy that Zhu Yunsheng showed up and pretended to be a good guy, so she didn't want to endure it anymore and said this in a sarcastic tone.

Zhu Yunsheng didn't want to waste any more words, so he pulled Chen Zhi out of the palace gate.

Zhu Yunsheng knew that she was impulsive, but she couldn't help but want to help because she didn't want to see her brother being humiliated.

That’s right, in Zhu Yunsheng’s view, Chen Zhi’s embarrassment was equivalent to his brother’s humiliation.

"Third sister, thank you so much!"

Chen Zhi had just finished thanking him when she heard Zhu Yunsheng say, "I'm not helping you, I'm helping Sixth Brother!"

This one sentence choked Chen Zhi, and then the two of them left the palace in silence.

Back in the side hall of Kunning Palace, Baochai was sitting and resting. Ying'er came quietly to her and told her what had just happened.

"I know!" Baochai's reaction was indifferent, and it was impossible to tell whether she was happy or angry.

But in fact, both parties made her uncomfortable, because they chose this day of enthronement to make trouble.

As for Zhu Yunsheng who tried to stop the fight, she couldn't be happy either. The reason was Zhu Yunsheng's attitude. She seemed to be too concerned about Prince Gongshun's Mansion.

Although the throne has been determined, Zhu Yunsheng's support for the old six family seems to be out of touch with the times.

Forget it, forget it, her brother didn’t say anything, so why should I meddle in other people’s business… Baochai sighed in her heart.

Now in this world, among Zhu Jinghong's sisters, in a sense, only this younger sister is left, and she really has the capital to make some trouble.

Besides, as a sister-in-law, Baochai really couldn't do anything to her younger sister-in-law, so she could only stop thinking about her. As long as this person didn't go too far, it would be fine.

(End of this chapter)