To Be A Virtuous Wife

122

In the seventh year of Jia You, the Empress gave birth to the Eldest Princess for the Emperor. With that, the Imperial Couple had two Imperial Sons and one Princess, with both sons and daughter, it was all good.

For seven entire years, the Imperial House did not take candidates into Jing and the memorandums urging the Emperor to select candidate increased. Even though the Emperor might not be willing to take too many women into the palace, he had to think about the other males of the Imperial and noble families, those people wanted to take concubines.

This time, He Heng didn't strongly oppose it and agreed to let candidates enter Jing. After three months had passed, the female candidates from all over the country were chosen to enter the palace.

These women all came from common but good families. Those of rough conduct were eliminated, the same with those who did not have a fair appearance. After rounds of elimination, just twenty people were left. However, those twenty could not be considered as one of the palace. Unless the Emperor selected to favor one of them, then, according to protocol, these people would all be sent back to their homes after five years. Otherwise, they may be chosen by the Empress or Dowager Empresses to bestow to someone as a concubine. But that was not what they wanted.

He Yao, the Crown Prince of Da Long, already knew what female candidates meant even though he was only seven years old. He looked at his four years-old brother behind him, and a profound expression came onto his face: "Er di, weren't you learning [Thousand Word Text] recently? Why don't we go ask fuhuang? Fuhuanghad taught me in the past when I was learning to write."

Qu Qing Ju, who was standing behind them, heard her eldest son's words, and couldn't help but laugh. In the past, wasn't it just two years ago? She saw the serious expression on her eldest son's face and summoned the two sons to her: "Tun Tun, Teng Teng, come over!"

He Yao hadn't thought that Muhouoverheard his words. He led He Teng obediently in front of Qu Qing Ju and said in a small voice: "Muhou, why have you come over?"

"Muhou is just walking around," Qu Qing Ju crouched down to hug her two sons and smiled, "I'm going to Chao Ming Hall to take care of some affairs. You two brothers have fun. At noon, muhou will let the chefs make your favorite dishes."

He Yao's foot drew circles on the ground and then he said: "Is muhougoing there to select feipin for fuhuang?"

"Who told you these things?" Qu Qing Ju laughed, but she didn't fool them because they were young children and explained seriously, "Muhou is going to see those female candidates, but not to chose them for your fuhuang. These female candidates, other than your fuhuang, they can serve other people."

"Then I'll let them dig earthworms for me," He Teng happily clapped his hands, "I can't find any."

Would the people in the palace take you to places that had earthworms? Qu Qing Ju brushed the bowl cut hairstyle of her younger son.

"Don't go to see the fuss," He Yao sternly patted his didi's shoulder and raised his chin, "What we need to do now is to keep fuhuang further away from these female candidates. Let the taijian dig for earthworms. Those candidates are too soft, they don't have any strength and can't find any earthworms. Something that you can't do, can those female candidates accomplish it?"

He Teng heard his big brother state this, and his chubby face had an expression of realization. He nodded emphatically: "En, we'll keep them away from fuhuang." He turned and tugged Qu Qing Ju's sleeve, "Muhou, I'm also going, I'm also going."

Qu Qing Ju smiled as she looked at her two sons. Her eldest son had his hands at his back, expressing "I don't want to see those women, but for muhou, I can manage to go". At the expectant expression on her younger son's face, she shook her head helplessly, "Alright, you two can come."