A Survival Guide to the Qing Harem

Chapter 21 The "female man"'s promotion step by step (1)
Social pressure is increasing, and the requirements for women are getting higher and higher. Women not only have to have children, but also have to do the same work as men, not to mention earning money to support their families. Although it made the woman proud, it was not easy to count them down.Take a look at this standard, "Able to go to the hall, to go to the kitchen, to kill a wooden horse, to overturn a fence, to drive a good car, to buy a good house, to fight with mistresses, and to fight hooligans" is the best "female woman". Man”, can live with a man, can live without a man.

But in our harem of the Qing Dynasty, these theorems need to be changed. Although a man is shared by dozens or even hundreds of women, there are indeed many people who may be in the state of "no man" for a long time, but live a comfortable and lonely life. Being old is not a harem rule.Once you are in this besieged city, there is no so-called comfort. If you are not favored and live in seclusion for a long time, you will be treated coldly, and even the servants will not take you seriously.Leaving aside what should be served, you may not even be able to eat hot dishes and meals.It's better to be a commoner at home.

Therefore, when you come to the harem, no one wants to live in that kind of cold life. If you want to eat well, wear well, and passers-by are respectful to you, you must have a safe backer.And relying on this backing, step by step from a small role, overcome obstacles and reach high positions.Because only by standing taller can we have greater power, realize what we want, and have the ability to protect ourselves.

I want to climb up step by step, and raise my eyebrows with my husband at the highest point |
Women who lived in the harem of the Qing Dynasty usually had only two thoughts: going out of the palace and being a queen!

The first kind of people hope that they can live safely until they are 25 years old, leave the palace smoothly, and stay away from the Forbidden City, a place of right and wrong.Of course, this kind of thinking only exists among court ladies, because as long as they are crowned "the emperor's woman", no matter whether they have been favored by the emperor or not, they are not allowed to leave the palace for life.I'm afraid this is easy to understand!After all, how could the emperor, who is under one person and above ten thousand people, tolerate himself wearing a cuckold?Therefore, he would rather have a lot of women guarding the boudoir than wearing a cuckold himself!

The second type of women accounted for the vast majority of the women in the harem, and even ordinary court ladies could not help but fantasize that they were favored by the emperor, flying on branches and becoming phoenixes.After all, the queen is the master of the harem, who wouldn't want to be the most powerful person?Even if you can't become a queen, you can still be a master. When more and more people salute you, more and more things are rewarded by the emperor, and your salary is getting higher and higher, the sense of satisfaction cannot be described in a few words of.

Well, to travel to the harem of the Qing Dynasty, we already know that the highest goal is to become a queen, so how to become a queen?In the harem of the Qing Dynasty, how many levels were women divided into?How can we climb up step by step like "Snail" sung by Jay Chou, raise eyebrows with the dear emperor at the highest point, and show off our motherly demeanor by the way?
Don't worry, the most important thing to play games is to know the rules.Let's first understand the ranks of the women in the harem. The lowest rank is naturally the maid, which is what we often call the maid.This is the life of serving the master.Of course, there are many ruthless characters who have been promoted from maids to queens in history. Wei Zifu, Wang Zhengjun, and Zhao Feiyan are all first-class masters who were promoted from maids to queens!However, in our Qing Dynasty, there has not been such an example for the time being.Of course, it cannot be ruled out that you are the one who can create this miracle.

If you are a little court lady who did not come from the knockout stage of the draft, but was lucky enough to be selected by the emperor, then congratulations, you can be promoted to agree. The title "promise" can be divided into big promise and small promise.However, there is not much difference between the two.If the emperor likes you very much, then it is estimated that you will not stay in such an insignificant position for too long.Of course, we still have to talk about the rules. Before the emperor has issued you an upgrade qualification certificate, you'd better behave yourself!You must know that in our harem of the Qing Dynasty, promises have no status, and can only be assigned to a maid to serve you.Usually, this court lady doesn't take you too seriously, and other palace maids passing by don't regard you as their master either.To put it bluntly, promise is synonymous with "one-night stand".So, hurry up and think of some tricks to get promoted.

If you promise to go up a level, you will always be present.If you are promoted from promise to permanent presence, then you can assign two maids to serve you.However, this level is still quite low, and ambitious people should not be willing to stay in this position.This position can't even get a ticket to the palace fight!

Of course, if you made your debut as a draft girl, and you have the authentic blood of the upper three banners, and you are lucky enough to be selected by the emperor, then congratulations, you can avoid the promotion from the two levels of promise and often, and directly Can be promoted to nobleman.When it comes to draft girls, we have to mention Yehenara Xingzhen.Hearing this name, maybe you feel quite strange.But if I put it another way, I guess you will say "wow".Yes, maybe you've already guessed it.This Yehenara Xingzhen is the Empress Dowager Cixi, the famous Lafayette in the history of Qing Dynasty.

Empress Dowager Cixi was also born as a beautiful woman.She doesn't have much advantage over you.Although she was born in a family of officials, the highest rank in her family is a fourth-rank official.Therefore, Cixi is well aware that her situation is not optimistic.Besides, when she was young, she didn't believe in any nonsense about love at first sight.You must know that it is easier for the emperor to fall in love with a woman at first sight when no one is around.If he is allowed to fall in love with a woman at first sight among the beauties, the probability is estimated to be very low.Cixi didn't dare to expect such a low-probability event to happen to her, so she decided to help herself!Cixi spent money to buy the cronies around the emperor through layers of relationships, and learned which evening the emperor would go to visit the Imperial Garden!So, she just stood there and waited for the rabbit to watch!

Sure enough, money can turn ghosts around!The little eunuch bought by Cixi lived up to expectations and told Cixi exactly where the emperor would pass by.Ci Xi pinpointed the timing and pretended to look for the lost silk scarf in that place.The emperor passed by and met her and asked her what she was doing, but Cixi kept her head down and answered the emperor's questions.Now, the man's curiosity was aroused!The emperor asked her to raise her head, and she raised her head slowly, showing the shyness that a woman should have!Boom, thunder and fire, in the charming night, the emperor who had just finished his official business and was about to think about some private matters was worried about which girl to favor, and now a shy beauty came to his door, and it was her!

Of course, Cixi was not built. Although she is not well-read and well-educated, she can also read a few words and tell some principles that women should follow. The important thing is that she was able to figure it out through observation and communication in a short period of time. The emperor's mind.Every time she speaks, it is always what the emperor wants to hear; every time she cares, it can always reach her heart, and she will be favored by anyone who does not favor.Having captured the emperor's heart, she became a nobleman in no time.

Two years later, Cixi was named Yipin again.This concubine is the "position" of a nobleman, the fourth rank below the queen, and can have six maids to serve.Not only that, but in many matters in the harem, the treatment of a concubine is the same as that of a concubine. For example, after becoming a concubine, she is considered to be the lord of the first palace. In her own palace, she can manage other minor lords.For another example, when participating in some large-scale activities, concubines and above harem women can show their faces, and those who promise to be there often can only stay in their own palace and listen to the excitement.

Two years later, Cixi was conferred the title Concubine Yi.Sahua, this is the third-class position under the queen, and can have six maids to serve.What's even more commendable is that only four people can get the position of concubine.

In other words, Cixi had a smooth time in the harem of the Qing Dynasty. In just one year, she was promoted from a concubine to a noble concubine, only one step away from the queen.There can only be two noble concubines in the harem of the Qing Dynasty, and they can be served by eight court ladies.Just like promises, there are big promises and small promises, and noble concubines are divided into noble concubines and imperial concubines.Needless to say, the imperial concubine is a level above the imperial concubine, there can only be one imperial concubine in the harem, and the imperial concubine can only be served by eight court ladies.

After the imperial concubine is naturally the queen!But this position is not so easy to do. Come on, the emperor got married early, and I don’t know how many times you were drafted when you entered the palace. In the second draft, he didn't get the default spot, basically he didn't have a chance with the queen.Of course, if the emperor succeeds to the throne from the prince when he becomes an adult, and you are not the concubine Fujin of the past, you don't have to consider the position of queen.

But we can’t say that so deadly. The so-called "a country cannot live without a king", according to the laws of the Qing Dynasty and the beliefs of the Manchu people, this country cannot live without a descendant. Different people will exert all kinds of "soft pressure" on the emperor. The purpose is to let the emperor establish a new queen as soon as possible, so that someone can mother the world and manage the harem, so that the emperor can be regarded as "complete".If you happen to come across such an opportunity, grab it!
Son, you really give my mother a face | Mother is more expensive than child
A mother is more expensive than a child, and all the women in the harem know the weight of this word!Therefore, the women in the harem gathered together to give birth to the emperor.The so-called competition for favor is essentially the same. No matter whether you can keep the emperor's heart or not, at least keep the emperor's people first, so that it is possible to conceive once.

However, in the Qing Dynasty, there was no advanced medical technology that could predict the sex of the baby in advance, so in fact, once the concubine was confirmed to be pregnant, she would be treated well.As the saying goes, "I am pregnant and I am the biggest".Except for those court ladies who were lucky enough to be lucky by the emperor's whim, unless the emperor still cared about them and gave them a name, it would be difficult to fight for some rights for themselves.

Of course, in the strictly hierarchical harem, the level of treatment received by the concubines for pregnancy and childbirth is also very clear. There is a record in the "History of the Palace of the Kingdom", saying that the concubine will be rewarded after giving birth to the full moon.The queen will be rewarded with 1000 taels of silver, the imperial concubine will be rewarded with 500 taels of silver, the noble concubine will be rewarded with 400 taels of silver, the concubine will be rewarded with 300 taels of silver, the concubine will be rewarded with 200 taels of silver, noblemen and regulars will be rewarded with 100 taels of silver, and the promise will be rewarded with silver 50 taels.what is this concept?Calculated according to the purity of silver in the Qing Dynasty and the value of silver today, the queen's 1000 taels is roughly equivalent to 20 RMB today... This is just a "bonus" that is clearly stipulated. The emperor and the empress dowager are happy, and they will definitely reward Something valuable.Concubines from all palaces come to congratulate, no matter if they are sincere or fake, they can't come empty-handed, they must bring something good to support the scene, these things add up to a lot of income.

In addition to the actual number on the bank card, the benefit of having a child is the promotion of political status.For example, when you are in the embarrassment of being a nobleman, God gave you a child. As soon as the child's father is happy, he will immediately make you a concubine.At the next level, the treatment in all aspects is very different.Another example is that once you have a son, and you are quite favored by the emperor, it is possible to make your son the prince immediately.

It seems that in this harem, having children is still a matter of making money.Moreover, there is no family planning here, but instead, birth is encouraged. As long as you have enough means to let the emperor bestow the grace of Yulu, as long as you have enough physical fitness to give birth, the bonus will not be interrupted, and the probability of having a son is very high. !
Women in modern cities still have to squeeze the bus and subway to go to work when they are pregnant, and they have to persist until they are about to give birth before they can take maternity insurance and pay to give birth. I believe many people feel the same.However, in our harem of the Qing Dynasty, such a thing would never happen. Once the imperial physician who makes regular inspections announces that you are pregnant, even if the emperor is not very kind, there will be no shortage of care.From physical examination to diet and daily life, there are also various necessary items and medicines.

The archival material "Quan Guifei Yuxi Four Brothers Book" records in detail the whole situation of Emperor Daoguang's Quan Guifei from pregnancy to childbirth.Let me emphasize here first that the son born to Concubine Quan was the later Emperor Xianfeng.Let's take a look at the treatment of conceiving the emperor and giving birth to a child from here.

In September of the tenth year of Daoguang (1830), Concubine Quan was pregnant. The Ministry of Internal Affairs specially arranged for the imperial physician in charge of Concubine Quan's pregnancy to come to the door regularly every day to check her pulse.Diet and potions are arranged and adjusted according to Concubine Quan's body.Weekly pregnancy checkups are to be kept on file.

On March 25th of the second year, Concubine Quan was seven months pregnant. Three imperial doctors from the Imperial Hospital conducted consultations and concluded that "the pulse is peaceful." half-eating", and added several high-quality maids to serve them.

From April 28th, the imperial doctor and the midwife began to be on duty in turn, and they could not show up for a quarter of an hour. Comprehensive security measures.

On the ninth day of June, Concubine Quan gave birth to a little prince. The chief eunuch led the imperial physicians of the imperial hospital, as well as the doctors of Dafangmai and Xiaofangmai to conduct physical examinations for the mother and child, and concluded that "the pulses of the mother and the child are peaceful" , Then play a report on Emperor Guang, so Long Yan is very happy.

The data about Concubine Quan's pregnancy and childbirth fully reflects the situation that one person is pregnant and spoils everyone, but there is no detailed record about the luxury of food and clothing.Twenty-five years later, Cixi, the daughter-in-law of Concubine Quan, was different. There are detailed records of her birth to Emperor Tongzhi.

July 1855 was supposed to be a day of double happiness for Cixi. First, she was favored by her husband, Emperor Xianfeng, and was promoted from a nobleman to a concubine. Second, she became pregnant not long after.I won't go into details about how the House of Internal Affairs arranges her, how many people in the palace take care of her, and how much she eats every day.But at the end of the year, Concubine Yi was six months pregnant. The Qing Palace stipulated that the head of the inner court was six months pregnant. In order to ensure the safety of the mother and child, a relative of the mother's family was allowed to come into the palace to take care of and accompany her. Mother invited into the palace.

Just after the Spring Festival, Cixi's Chuxiu Palace added two high-quality maids, two maids in charge of lights, and two maids who washed clothes.When the delivery period was approaching, the two midwives and the two imperial doctors took turns to be on night duty and keep happy.A few days later, the number of imperial doctors on duty increased to six, and they were on duty alternately day and night, in case of emergency.

(End of this chapter)