Chapter 360
Chapter 360
...
In history.
This year was actually an uneventful one.
But for many people, it was quite different.
The Jiang family came from humble beginnings and did not tolerate idleness.
Although Jiang Changtian initially insisted on taking in the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled, these individuals would still do what they could with their limited abilities.
There were not many masters in the palace, so there was no need for so many people.
Qin Luoxia was a practical person.
Aunt Yin also returned to the palace.
Fate is truly... a circle that goes round and round.
She eventually returned to the palace, becoming a senior old matron.
She had worked in the palace for a few years, receiving the palace's salary, but always felt that the palace was too competitive. Then she resigned to relax, distancing herself from the palace. Unexpectedly, after several years outside, she found a new employer, only to discover that the new boss had acquired the place where she used to work. Aunt Yin made a strong comeback.
She was back, an old employee.
She resumed her palace salary, and her seniority was reinstated.
As someone who understood both the Jiang family and the palace very well, Aunt Yin knew how to meet both sides' needs, making her work twice as effective.
The Jiang family was a frugal household, focusing on food and clothing for comfort, without extravagance.
The only extravagance might be the young master. His habits were oddly clean, so he had many requirements but didn't like many people serving him.
Therefore, with so many people in the palace, it was a waste.
Qin Luoxia, now capable of handling matters on her own, would only consult Aunt Yin when she didn't understand something.
The former Emperor's concubines were given two choices by Qin Luoxia: one, they could leave the palace to live out their old age, possibly to raise grandchildren. If their sons were gone but their grandchildren remained, the palace's experienced people could help manage the chaos at home. Two, those without children could choose to stay in the palace for old age care, following a nursing home model. The elderly who couldn't move would be well taken care of, and the younger ones could use their talents. There was no concept of an idle palace or a cold palace; everyone had to stay active and busy, leaving no time for depression.
The women of the former Emperor were skilled in various arts, truly outstanding female elites of society.
Some were skilled in embroidery, dancing, poetry, and playing musical instruments, capable of teaching. Even those who were merely beautiful could handle reception duties, at least providing aesthetic pleasure.
After dealing with the former Emperor's women, the remaining were the current palace maids and eunuchs.
Originally, there were many palace maids, and it was impossible to release them all. Suddenly releasing them at an older age would not be suitable for marriage, and anything in excess would devalue. Releasing such a large group could lead to unknown consequences.
Now, hearing that the new Empress could arrange for them to become concubines in officials' households, all the palace maids were excited.
Compared to countless outcomes, this was the best.
After all, in this era, people had never been taught about monogamy. Polygamy was the norm, and being a concubine was often a path for many women. Compared to being a concubine for an ordinary wealthy merchant or a shopkeeper, being a concubine for a high-ranking official was an unimaginable good outcome.
Letting them find their own way, they couldn't achieve such conditions.
Most palace maids actively signed up. The Empress even had a conversation with each signing palace maid, asking about her preferences and requirements, allowing them to choose!
Qin Luoxia thought simply: different girls have different thoughts. Some like handsome men, some like younger men, some like wealthy men. Since they were all getting married, they might as well choose one they were satisfied with.
Aunt Yin was very satisfied. The Empress did an excellent job, combining grace with authority. This way, if the palace maids had a bad life, they could complain, and if they had a good life, they would surely remember the Empress's kindness. These were all palace people, all married from the palace. The Empress was particularly kind, truly like a mother, having individual conversations with each palace maid. Most of these maids would remember the Empress after marriage, providing support. A few without brains couldn't be helped.
But then again, if they truly had no brains, they wouldn't have survived in the palace. Any palace maid who survived and thrived had her strengths and wits.
Qin Luoxia worked methodically. She believed she wasn't smart, so she did everything seriously, consulting her husband when she didn't understand, not feeling embarrassed.
She also had a married daughter, so she empathized, speaking earnestly with each girl.
Whether they received it or not didn't matter; she did what she could.
She hoped the girls would all have good destinies.
Some palace maids didn't want to leave the palace to become concubines. That was fine too; they could stay in the palace and use their talents.
She tried to meet everyone's choices.
Then, the wives of officials who had petitioned for the Emperor to fill the harem also had to come to the palace to meet the new Empress.
These ladies were nervous, not expecting the first thing the new Empress asked them to do was to arrange concubines for their husbands. They felt both depressed and frustrated.
Truly, why worry about whether the Emperor takes concubines?
If the Emperor wants to bestow someone, can you refuse?
There were already many concubines at home, and now the Emperor was giving another one, with a dowry. Was this a concubine? Concubines didn't need dowries, but since it was their husband's fault, the wives had to handle it.
The new Emperor had just ascended.
The new Empress was no pushover.
There were rumors that the new Emperor had been fond of amassing wealth when he was an official in Jingzhou, often using family birthdays as an excuse to collect gifts, even his son-in-law's birthday.
So, when it came to preparing dowries, the families were sensible and provided valuable gifts.
The palace also arranged dowries for the maids, very respectable. The dowries would be the girls' private property. The Empress even thoughtfully provided secret health medicines. The palace maids all knew about Princess Caiyi, who had given the Meng Family, known for its single lineage, twin sons in one birth.
It was hard not to attribute it to the secret medicines.
So, although outsiders said the new Emperor was amassing wealth,
those palace maids leaving the palace in palanquins were tearfully grateful.
Their future might be uncertain, but at least their past was secure.
The Empress said she was their family, and they could report any issues.
Aliali: 6748ac5ec4f3f33ac47c6ad8They left with the royal dowries and were sent to various officials' households.
Initially, these officials were angry, feeling they had been outmaneuvered by the new Emperor, losing face.
They had no good feelings towards these palace maids but had to accept them due to royal face.
The officials' wives were also worried about future unrest in their households.
Unexpectedly, these palace maids performed very well, not vying for favor, but getting along well with the ladies of the house, quickly establishing themselves. These officials also felt that the palace-trained women were indeed different in thought and behavior.
As the snow melted and green grass emerged, spring arrived.
Those palace maids bestowed by the palace began to get pregnant one after another...
It was also said that they had health medicines from the Empress as part of their dowry, and the noblewomen of the capital's eyes turned green with envy.
In fact, the pills were just ordinary herbs from home, nothing special. But these palace maids, at their age of over twenty, were actually in their best childbearing years. And since they had been working all year round, they were less likely to have difficult births, resulting in high fertility rates...
...