The emperor's intention, he understood quite well. Those old fogeys in the court were always chanting that ancestral rituals could not be abolished. Sooner or later, it would annoy the emperor.
Eunuch Tang never expected that the emperor would act so quickly.
Before he knew it, dawn broke!
Du Gu Qing had tossed and turned all night on the bedding specially chosen for him by Eunuch Tang. When he got up in the morning, Eunuch Tang could clearly see the dark circles under Du Gu Qing's eyes.
Immediately, he said heart - achingly, "Oh dear, my good emperor. Is the bedding not comfortable enough for you, chosen by this old servant?"
"No. I just thought about some things and accidentally spent the whole night thinking!" Du Gu Qing knew that Eunuch Tang truly cared about him, so he told him what he had been thinking about all night.
"If the emperor has been thinking about something for a whole night, it must be a major matter." Eunuch Tang didn't ask any more questions. He immediately told Young Eunuch Yun to prepare water for washing the face and some refreshments.
"The queen is fond of sleeping. As for those imperial concubines and grand concubines of the previous emperor, those who want to leave the palace can guard the ancestral temple. Those who don't want to leave, I will provide for them in their old age." They were all women who had been favored by his father, but they had no children and no one to rely on.
"Yes. I'll go and handle it later. You'd better wash your face quickly. The refreshments are getting cold." Young Eunuch Yun was so scared out of his wits when he heard what his master and the emperor were talking about. He thought his master had lost his mind. How could a servant talk to the emperor like this? To his surprise, the emperor didn't get angry but just responded.
"Got it. Young Eunuch Yun, bring my official robes."
The emperor didn't need any assistance. He dressed himself, washed his face, and had breakfast.
Then he went to the morning court. Sitting on the highest seat in the middle, Du Gu Qing glanced at those who had proposed to enrich the imperial harem yesterday. "Young Eunuch Yun, announce the imperial edict."
Those families all had eligible young women. If there was a draft, they would surely be among the candidates. However, Du Gu Qing had no interest in this.
"I bestow the daughter of Li Mao, the vice - minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Li Yi, to Dong Maoshu, the second son of Dong Zigong, the left vice - minister."
"I bestow..."
"..."
It was actually an imperial edict for arranged marriages. Mei Zhenguo's eyes were filled with a smile. He vaguely understood what his son - in - law meant and secretly felt happy for his daughter.
After the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, Du Gu Qing said slowly, "From today on, the Feng Kingdom will abolish the imperial harem. Only the queen will remain."
As soon as he finished speaking, a minister immediately stood up to object.
Du Gu Qing looked at him coldly. "What? Lord Left Censor, does the emperor have to listen to you?" They always mentioned ancestral rituals. Weren't they just trying to force the emperor to be obedient? Who was he? He was Du Gu Qing. "Your Majesty, this is an ancestral system!" Another old minister stood up.
A smile curled up on Du Gu Qing's lips.
"Lord Liu, I'm the emperor, right? If it's about the ancestral system, my ancestors never told me in person. Well, you can go to the ancestral temple on my behalf and ask our ancestors for their opinion. Come back when our ancestors write a message for me." After saying that, he waved his hand, and immediately two imperial guards carried Lord Liu away to ask the ancestors for a note for Du Gu Qing.
"Who else wants to talk to me about the ancestral system?"
Du Gu Qing's eyes showed a fierce look. "When the Qiang tribes were pressing on our borders, I didn't see you all so united. It was my wife's brother and my wife who turned the tide of the war. A remarkable woman of our time should have the honor she deserves."
Another minister stood up. Du Gu Qing's eyes looked at him coldly. "Do you also want to go, my dear minister?"
"Not at all." The minister knelt in front of Du Gu Qing. "There are three forms of unfilial piety, and the greatest is to have no descendants. The queen has no children so far. For the sake of the imperial heirs, Your Majesty should also consider the Feng Kingdom!"
As soon as he said this, many ministers immediately echoed, "Yes, that makes sense."
"A woman who has no children so far..."
"Should I then enrich the imperial harem to continue the royal lineage?" Du Gu Qing's voice was full of sarcasm. The issue of imperial heirs was indeed the most difficult to avoid. "Lord Gongsun, do you have any good suggestions?"
"This old minister thinks that Your Majesty doesn't need to enrich the imperial harem. If the harem is too full, Your Majesty will neglect state affairs. You just need to select a few women of good character, dignity, and fertility during the draft."
"What Lord Gongsun said is right. This old minister also has the same idea!" One person spoke up in agreement, and most of the court officials seemed to agree.
Du Gu Qing slowly stood up. "The imperial harem belongs to me. When did it become your business to decide? Gentlemen, stop always talking about the ancestral system. Think about what remarkable things you have done since you became officials. If you have done nothing for the common people, then resign on your own initiative. I won't keep idle people in the imperial court."
"From today on, I will abolish the imperial harem. Whoever talks too much about this can go back to retire. I think you are all old and muddled - headed, even meddling in my harem."
"This old minister doesn't dare!" Lord Gongsun knelt down and kowtowed. Without an heir, after the emperor passed away, to whom would the foundation of the Feng Kingdom be handed over? He was also thinking for the country.
"Court is adjourned!" Du Gu Qing flicked his sleeves. He was almost driven mad by these old fogeys in just two days.
"The emperor has been bewitched by a witch..." Just as a minister was about to speak ill of Mei Qingxue, Mei Zhenguo looked at him coldly. "Lord Fu, do you think I look like a monster?"
"No, no!" Just after speaking ill of someone and being caught by the girl's father, Lord Fu Min was sweating on his forehead. "I'm not a monster. How could I give birth to a witch?"
Mei Zhenguo, who usually looked gentle and refined, grabbed the man by his lapel. "If you can't give me a good reason, I'll drag you to see the emperor."
"Old Prime Minister, just think of what this little one said as nonsense." Fu Min looked panicked. "Don't, this little one was talking nonsense!" Then he slapped himself on the mouth.
The other officials surrounded Mei Zhenguo and said in a hubbub, "Prime Minister, you are the emperor's father - in - law. You should persuade the emperor. How can there be only one queen in the harem? It's never happened in previous dynasties."
"There are many things that didn't happen in previous dynasties. There was never a brother - sister pair who turned the tide of a war in previous dynasties." The Grand Marshal said on the side. He wasn't helping Mei Zhenguo but thought it was a good thing that the emperor didn't indulge in women and wouldn't delay state affairs.
"But..."
"But what? Do you also want to go to the ancestral temple? Even if Lord Liu dies there, the ancestors won't come out to write a note."
"No, no." Going to that place was just waiting for death. Only a fool would go. Besides, if the emperor had no heirs, there were still collateral branches. They all had royal blood, even if they were from side branches. It didn't matter as long as they had the surname Du Gu.
The group of people soon dispersed. Mei Zhenguo was annoyed when he saw those pedantic guys.
Flicking his sleeves, he also entered the imperial harem. The queen had summoned him today. With the queen's imperial order, he could swagger into the harem. "This old minister pays homage to the queen," Mei Zhenguo knelt down on the ground with a grand salute. Mei Qingxue quickly told Xuan Qiao to guard the door and then helped her father up herself. "Father, what are you doing? There's only your daughter here."
"That won't do either." Mei Zhenguo was just about to lecture his daughter when he suddenly remembered that her status was different now. He immediately sat upright. "Father, if you're like this, then I won't say anything." Mei Qingxue pouted. Her father always said others were pedantic, but he was no better. "Pedantic!"
Mei Zhenguo was unhappy when he heard this. "Where am I pedantic? The emperor... my son - in - law abolished the imperial harem. I even supported him just now." It was really unfair to say he was pedantic.
"Abolish the imperial harem?" Mei Qingxue chewed on this statement and immediately understood what Du Gu Qing meant. She felt happy in her heart. "Father, I just said it casually."
This Du Gu Qing acted quickly. Yesterday she was still planning to leave the palace, and today she was going to ask her father when he would retire.
"Father, since mother is idle at home, ask her to bring sister - in - law into the palace to accompany me."
"Your sister - in - law is not in a convenient condition. Aren't you ashamed to trouble her?" Mei Zhenguo looked at his daughter. In fact, he was very happy, but his face remained serious.
"You're right, Father. When sister - in - law gives birth, remember to bring the baby into the palace for me to see."
"It will be several months before she gives birth. Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Father, do you think the palace is a fun place?" Really, Mei Qingxue was actually thinking about her father's treasures. "Father, do you have any interesting things that you haven't told me about?"
"Don't even think about it! I'll leave them to my grandson and grandson - in - law in the future." Mei Zhenguo flatly refused his daughter.
Mei Qingxue propped her chin with her hand and said helplessly, "Father, I'm just asking."
There was no need to be so firm. She wasn't his class enemy.
"Why did you call your father into the palace? If there's nothing, I'll go back to the mansion." Mei Zhenguo stood up and was about to leave.
"Father, if you dare to leave, I'll have someone tie you up to talk to me."
"Oh, what are your orders, Your Majesty the Queen?" Mei Zhenguo didn't expect his daughter to say she would have someone tie him up.
"The queen has nothing to ask you. It's Xue'er who wants to talk to you."
Mei Qingxue's nose felt sour. She pursed her lips and was about to cry. "Father, you're so heartless!"
"Pretending to cry won't work. Your mother is alone at home and bored. If I don't go back, she'll be embroidering again." Mei Zhenguo knew his wife very well.
"Father, let mother make baby clothes for the future nephew. It will make her happy."
"If I go back, she'll make fewer!" Mei Zhenguo felt sorry for his wife and wanted to go back to accompany her. "Father, go back and spend more time with mother. Xue'er misses her." Mei Qingxue held back her tears.
She slowly stood up and held her father's arm. "Father, Xue'er can't go back to the mansion for a short stay. You and mother should come into the palace more often."
"No. We need to avoid suspicion!" Mei Zhenguo shook his head. He was also reluctant to part with his daughter, but their family's position was really sensitive. He always prided himself on being honest and upright. How could he let others have any negative opinions about his official reputation on this matter?
He was the head of the civil officials, and Mei Haoxuan was vaguely the head of the military officials. Almost the whole court was in their family's hands. If they didn't avoid suspicion, he couldn't even convince himself.
Avoid suspicion?
Mei Qingxue was speechless. What was going on in her father's mind? It gave her a headache...
There were no other imperial concubines, just some grand concubines and imperial concubines of the previous emperor who didn't handle state affairs. "Father..." Mei Qingxue dragged out her voice coquettishly, but unfortunately, Mei Zhenguo wasn't affected. He flicked his sleeves and walked away slowly in his official steps.
"See you off, my lord." Xuan Qiao's voice came.
Mei Zhenguo stopped. "Serve the young lady well."
"This servant understands!" Xuan Qiao curtsied. She didn't know why Mei Zhenguo would specifically give this instruction.
After hearing Xuan Qiao's answer, Mei Zhenguo then slowly walked out of the palace in his official steps.