The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 408 Court Power Struggles and Imperial Concubinage: The Power Map of the Founding of the Ming Dynasty

Three days later, the bronze bell in the Fengtian Hall rang again. This time, there were no envoys from all over the world paying homage to the emperor, but because it concerned the power structure between the inner court and the court, the undercurrents were even more intense.

Beneath the imperial steps, brothers Han Jiuguang and Han Jiuyuan stood side by side, their red court robes embroidered with peacock patterns, standing out conspicuously among the gleaming armor of the other military officers.

The eunuch unfurled the yellow silk of the imperial edict, and a high-pitched voice pierced the silence of the hall: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Your mother, Lady Qin, shall be honored as Empress Dowager, residing in Chang Le Palace; Your principal wife, Lady Xiao, shall be made Empress, in charge of all affairs of the six palaces..."

The two brothers exchanged a glance. The position of Empress was already a foregone conclusion, and their Han family had no chance of competing for it.

I dare not dream of such a position, but only aspire to a position below that of the Empress.

"Wei Fuyao is hereby appointed as a Noble Consort and will reside in Yonghe Palace; Lie Mingzhu is hereby appointed as a Noble Consort and will reside in Chengqian Palace..."

Upon reading this part of the imperial edict, Han Jiuyuan unconsciously clenched his sleeves.

The two imperial concubines were a woman from the Wei family who held military power and a nomadic woman from the Kereit tribe who had surrendered. Both of them had solid military achievements to back them up.

The term "Lieshi" is the Han Chinese name for the Kereit tribe of the grasslands.

Nowadays, people of different ethnicities in the Ming Dynasty generally adopt Han names and speak Chinese.

Therefore, Li Xiao personally helped Sorukha Teni change his surname from Kere to Lie and named him Mingzhu.

Consort Lie, also known as Lie Mingzhu.

"Han Ying'er is hereby appointed as a virtuous consort and will reside in Zhongcui Palace..." The reading continued.

"Shi Guli is hereby granted the title of Consort Liang and will reside in Jingren Palace; Zhao is hereby granted the title of Consort Shu and will reside in Jingyang Palace; Huang is hereby granted the title of Consort De and will reside in Changchun Palace..."

Upon hearing this conferment, Han Ying'er's uncle, Han Jiuguang, couldn't help but sigh softly, feeling somewhat disappointed.

"Consort Xian..."

He was all too aware of the weight behind this title.

The loss of the position of Imperial Concubine was not due to the lack of obedience of her niece Ying'er, but rather because the Han family's foundation was not stable.

They dared not even dream of becoming empress, but they still held a sliver of hope for becoming imperial concubines—who knew that they would ultimately fail to achieve their wish.

The reasons for this are twofold: firstly, Han Ying'er has not given birth to a prince since she gave birth to a princess for His Majesty; secondly, the Han family's power has declined.

Yes, it's a sign of declining power.

Although the two brothers served in the same court and were originally high-ranking officials in charge of border regions, after this reward, one of them will definitely be transferred back to the central government.

What an honor it is to have two ministers from the same family!

However, the Han family had a fatal weakness: both brothers were civil officials.

Now that the Ming Dynasty is prosperous and powerful, everything is judged by military merit, which determines a hero's future.

At present, in the early days of the founding of the country, they can still hold high positions as civil servants.

Looking at those who came after them in the court, most of them were former military generals who had been transferred to their posts. The criteria for evaluation in the future would still prioritize military merit.

At present, the Ming Dynasty has not incorporated the Confucian Four Books and Five Classics into the official education system, let alone held imperial examinations to select officials.

Li Xiao, however, showed no intention whatsoever of restarting the imperial examination system.

In this atmosphere where military merit is paramount, although the two brothers made contributions in logistics, overall management, and developing people's livelihood, they ultimately lacked real combat achievements.

In the eyes of the martial arts group, they were naturally inferior.

They had also learned their lesson and sent all their second-generation descendants to the battlefield, with two of them even dying on the battlefield. But the Han family remained true to their original aspiration: they must transform themselves into military elites.

Just like this time, Han Ying'er failed to be made a concubine, ultimately because the Han family lacked the support of a strong military base.

Although several members of the second generation of the Han family have already risen to the middle ranks of the Eight Towns, they still find it difficult to attain high positions. The only people the court can rely on are still the two brothers.

Thinking of this, they could only console themselves in their hearts: "At least, we still got the position of the virtuous consort, the head of the four consorts."

"Much better than others."

……

This day marked the third day since Li Xiao proclaimed himself emperor. There was only one agenda item: to appoint an empress and consorts. No titles would be given to princes, princesses, or nobles. Official titles would be appointed after three days.

Therefore, the court assembly ended quickly, and the officials had no objections, nor dared to have any, since ultimately, this was all Li Xiao's family matter.

At most, they would just secretly complain in their hearts, like the Han brothers, Han Jiuguang and Han Jiuyuan.

They certainly wouldn't dare to offer their opinions to Li Xiao in person.

Li Xiao's prestige in the Ming Dynasty goes without saying; after all, he was the founding emperor.

"Brother, look at that foreign woman from the Shi clan, who had no one to rely on, yet she was made a Liangfei (a high-ranking concubine). And that barbarian woman from the Kereit tribe in the northern desert was directly made a Guifei (another high-ranking concubine). Ying'er, she..." Han Jiuyuan's voice was full of resentment.

Han Jiuguang raised his hand and pressed it on his shoulder, gently shaking his head: "Don't rush."

“If military men can rise to power through military merit, so can the sons of our Han family.”

"Once the second and third princes have distinguished themselves on the battlefield, and Ying'er gives birth to a prince, the position of Imperial Concubine... will surely be within reach."

“But right now, the most important thing is the court assembly in three days.” Han Jiuguang’s expression was solemn, and his voice was very low.

"You must have heard that His Majesty is going to appoint ministers of various ministries and governors of various prefectures, and that Jinzhou and Damo have been merged into Zhili."

Han Jiuyuan's Adam's apple bobbed: "That position of Governor of Zhili is coveted by countless military generals..."

"We simply can't win this competition."

Han Jiuguang gave a wry smile: "This position is of paramount importance. It is the undisputed top position among all the states in the Ming Dynasty, and it will surely be the prize of those who have made outstanding military achievements."

He abruptly changed the subject, his eyes suddenly sharpening: "But we can settle for second best. At least we should secure the positions of Minister and Governor, one in the inner court and one in the outer court, to stabilize the Han family's foundation."

Han Jiuyuan nodded slightly. The most likely position for Minister was Minister of Revenue.

Because during the previous Protectorate period, he served as the Military Advisor of the Revenue Department, in charge of the money and grain in the northern frontier.

In recent years, he has gained experience in local government, serving as the governor of Lingzhou and gaining experience in governing a region.

Aside from military achievements, he has a wealth of other experience.

Therefore, no one but him could hold the position of Minister of Revenue.

However, Li Xiao could not allow both brothers to remain in the central government as ministers; one of them would inevitably have to leave Longcheng.

It could only be Han Jiuguang. Although he had served as the Grand Chancellor of the Liao Kingdom, he did not have enough merit in the Ming Dynasty and needed to gain experience.

So the two brothers then began to discuss where Han Jiuguang would be best suited to be governor.

After much discussion, a general conclusion was reached.

Upon returning to his residence, standing before the main gate, Han Jiuguang gazed at the glazed tiles deep within the palace and sighed softly.

In the end, the world of the Ming Dynasty is decided by swords and spears. If the Han family wants to gain a foothold, the only way is to fight their way out through military merit.

In contrast to the somber atmosphere of the imperial court, the side hall on the west side of the inner palace presented a completely different scene.

Shiguli, also known as Tajiguli, is placing a silver ring in the Gaochang style on her younger sister's finger.

The Ming Dynasty launched a comprehensive Sinicization movement, and Li Xiao's concubines all set an example by changing their names. Solughati changed her name to Liemingzhu, while Tajiguli, the daughter of the former prime minister of Gaochang, Alkus, was personally renamed Shiguli by Li Xiao.

The last syllable of the surname Alcus was used as a homophone for the last two characters of the given name, "Guli".

At this moment, Shiguli looked at the silver ring with trembling eyes and said softly to her sister, "Look at this ring, it was made for us by Father before he passed away, and now it has become a memento."

"I just heard from the eunuch that Sister Wei has already prepared the Imperial Concubine's ceremonial retinue, and Empress Xiao's phoenix seal is scheduled to be awarded tomorrow... We..."

Her younger sister, Asuguli, clutched her sleeve, her voice trembling with tears: "Sister, we have no family to support us, what will His Majesty do...?"

Before she could finish speaking, Asugul's tears had already rolled down onto her brocade skirt, leaving a small wet patch.

Their father, Arkus, was killed by a rebellion in Gaochang, leaving only the two sisters to depend on each other for survival.

Those former subordinates of her father are now just low-ranking officers in the Ming army. Even entering the palace requires reporting at every level. How can they compare to the Khitan power behind Xiao Yanyan and the military family influence of Wei Fuyao?
Although Li Xiao often visited their palace, the servants in the inner quarters and the servants' attitudes had already subtly created a hierarchy among them.

Just then, with a creak, the door to the side hall was suddenly pushed open, and the maid, Mairyan, rushed in, her face flushed red: "Madam! Young lady! What a joyous occasion!"

Shiguli suddenly stood up, her ring clattering to the ground: "What's wrong? Is it...?"

"The imperial edict has been read!"

Mairyan, panting heavily, spoke rapidly, like a machine gun: "His Majesty bestows upon you the title of Consort Liang."

"Consort Liang, one of the Four Consorts! She has also bestowed upon this young lady the title of Consort Gu! She has been rewarded with a hundred bolts of brocade and ten pearls! The people from the Imperial Household Department have just arrived here with the imperial decree!"

"What did you say?"

Asugul grabbed the maid's arm, her nails almost digging into her flesh: "Consort Liang?"

"Absolutely true!"

Maiyan nodded vigorously: "Someone from the front residence sent word that I heard it clearly. The official who proclaimed the imperial edict read out that 'Shi Guli is to be made a Liang Consort.'"

"Young lady, you are a 'Consort Gu,' which is two ranks higher than those talented ladies and noble ladies!"

Shiguli stood frozen in place for a long while before slowly squatting down and picking up the silver ring from the ground.

Sunlight streamed through the lattice window, illuminating her face and reflecting the disbelief in her eyes, which then turned into hot tears that rolled down her cheeks: "Really... really is Consort Liang?"

The sisters' power base has been waning, and they no longer have military or civilian backing. They still have some influence among some Uyghurs.

She thought it would be lucky to get the rank of concubine, but she was able to become one of the four consorts, on equal footing with Han Ying'er.

Asugul threw herself into her arms, her cries filled with ecstatic joy: "Sister! We have a title now! No one will dare to look down on us anymore!"

Although she was once the Queen of Gaochang, holding a prestigious position, she now only has one identity: Li Xiao's concubine.

The imperial harem was also a place of fame and fortune, a place of competition and struggle.

Without the support of their maternal families, they had to climb the social ladder at all costs if they wanted a better life. Now that their status is settled, they can finally relax.

Although she still can't compare to Xiao Yanyan, Wei Fuyao, Han Ying'er, and others, she is at least a cut above the other beauties.

"Why are you crying?"

Shiguli wiped away her tears, but couldn't help laughing out loud: "It's clearly because we've proven ourselves."

She recalled how she had been secretly saddened by her allowance last night, but now she felt a sudden sense of relief.

So what if her family is weak?
The sisters, with their exceptional skills, served His Majesty with utmost care and comfort; such favor could not be earned through family background alone.

She raised her hand to her lower abdomen, a new hope igniting in her eyes: "Only if we can give birth to another prince for His Majesty can we sisters truly gain a foothold in this palace."

"Ok!"

Asugul nodded vigorously, quickly wiping away her tears, and reached out to tidy her sister's hair: "Sister is right! Tomorrow we'll go pay our respects to the Empress Dowager and congratulate the Empress, and from then on..."

On the other side of the palace, Huang Xiuer was bowing deeply to the porcelain statue of the Three Pure Ones on the table. The incense sticks in front of the table were rising gently, making her plain face appear even more serene.

"Your Majesty, the people from the Imperial Household Department just left, and the brocade and pearls bestowed as rewards have all been put into storage!"

The maid Chun Tao entered carrying a teacup, her voice filled with excitement: "Your Highness, this is the position of one of the Four Consorts! It's so much better than we expected!"

As Huang Xiuer stood up, the warmth of her kowtow still lingered on her fingertips. She looked at the benevolent faces of the Three Pure Ones on the porcelain statue, and couldn't help but smile slightly. However, a hint of lingering fear was hidden in her eyes: "It's truly thanks to the protection of the gods."

She originally thought that as a remarried woman, she would at most get the rank of a concubine. If it was too low, she was afraid that she would be bullied by women from military families like Wei Fuyao. If it was too high, she was afraid that she would become a thorn in the side of Empress Xiao.

The position of Consort De is better than I expected, but it's not so high or low that others will be wary of me. It's just right and fits my heart perfectly.

She gently touched the plain silver hairpin at her temple.

This was given to her by her maternal family when she entered the Li family. Her father had long since retired and returned to his hometown, her younger brother was idle all day long, and only her elder brother was an insignificant commander in the army. How could he compare to the Khitan nobles of the Xiao family or Wei Xuan of the Wei family?

Everyone understands the strength of the Khitans within the Ming Dynasty, and everyone knows how much His Majesty values ​​Wei Xuan.

Therefore, Huang Xiuer never thought of comparing herself to the two of them, nor could she compare herself to them. She just wanted to live her own life well.

"Where's the longbow?" Huang Xiuer asked, turning her head.

As soon as he finished speaking, a young man dressed in a royal blue brocade robe lifted the curtain and entered. He still had a hint of Li Xiao's heroic spirit in his eyes and brows, but his face was more delicate and lacked the perseverance that comes with years of hardship.

It was her son, Chang Gong.

"mother!"

He strode up to Huang Xiuer, his voice brimming with undisguised joy: "Yanmo just said that Father Emperor has bestowed upon you the title of Consort De? You are one of the Four Consorts?"

Seeing the light in his eyes, Huang Xiuer felt a warmth in her heart and reached out to take his hand: "I just came back from thanking the Three Pure Ones. The people from the Imperial Household Department just left."

"Great!"

Chang Gong couldn't help but raise his voice: "In this way, no one will dare to say that my daughter and I have no dignity in the palace anymore."

Children in this era were generally precocious. Although Chang Gong was young, he knew that his mother had been married before marrying his father.

As a result, Huang Xiuer often felt inferior, and Chang Gong also felt very uncomfortable with this feeling.

Chuntao smiled and chimed in, "Your Highness is right."

"Consort De is a legitimate fourth-rank consort, and her allowances and the servants she receives in the palace are all top-notch!"

Chang Gong's gaze fell on the plain silver hairpin at his mother's temple, and he suddenly said, "Tomorrow, I will make a new gold hairpin for you, Mother, one inlaid with pearls, worthy of Consort De's status."

Huang Xiuer gently patted the back of his hand, her tone filled with relief: "Don't waste money, Mother doesn't need to."

She knew that Chang Gong was filial and was prepared to use his own savings to make a gold hairpin for her, but she really didn't need to.

Firstly, Huang Xiuer didn't care about these material possessions.

Secondly, although the Ming Dynasty was wealthy, Li Xiao never allowed his sons to have too much money in order to train them.

Each month, the Hexi Merchant Guild, now known as the Imperial Household Department, would be instructed to distribute monthly stipends to the heirs according to the prescribed standards.

Let them have some spare money, but not enough to spend it lavishly, so as not to develop a hedonistic personality.

They need to understand that even if they really like money, they have to rely on themselves to plunder on the battlefield, earn merit and rewards, or even do business to make money.

But one must never seek gain without effort, indulge in pleasure, or lose one's ambition.

So, Huang Xiuer was very happy to see her son's filial piety, but she did not forget to tell him: "Silly child, the allowance is enough for us, there is no need to make such a fuss."

But then, her tone became more serious than usual: "Your father ascended the throne and bestowed titles upon his concubines."

“You are now a proper prince, but I have something to tell you.”

She stroked her son's warm palm, her gaze deep: "Your eldest brother is the Empress's eldest legitimate son, and he has the entire Khitan nobility backing him up."

"His Majesty values ​​the Wei family highly. Our Huang family doesn't have that kind of power, so we absolutely cannot touch the position of Crown Prince."

Upon hearing this, Chang Gong's initial excitement instantly cooled. He lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath them, and unconsciously twisted the hem of his clothes with his fingertips: "Son understands."

Do you know why your mother said that?

Huang Xiuer raised her voice and reached out to press his shoulder: "Throughout history, when has the struggle for the throne not been fought over the corpses of brothers and relatives?"

She recalled the grievances she suffered at her ex-husband's house, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Now that I've finally had a son, I must protect him and keep him safe.

"I don't ask you to have a glorious future, I only ask that you be a prince and live a peaceful life."

"Take what your father gives you; never fight for what he doesn't give you, understand?"

"clear."

Chang Gong raised his head, a hint of reluctance flashing across his handsome face, but he still obediently nodded.

But another thought was churning in his mind: they were all the emperor's sons, so why was his elder brother born superior to others?
Because his elder brother's mother was the empress, while his own mother was just a concubine?

Because behind the eldest brother stood a powerful group of Khitan warriors?
But this Ming Dynasty was conquered by my father, relying on the blood and sweat of the Li clan, not the Khitans. Why shouldn't I even have the right to compete for it?
Seeing her son's obedient appearance, Huang Xiuer felt a little relieved, but then instructed him, "Tomorrow, come with me to pay our respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress. Be careful in your words and actions, and don't break the rules."

Meanwhile, inside Chengqian Palace, a lively scene unfolded.

Sorukha Tseini leaned back on the soft couch covered with tiger skin, one hand supporting his waist and the other stroking his round belly.

Upon hearing the eunuch finish reading the imperial edict bestowing the title of Imperial Concubine, he immediately patted the small table beside the couch and laughed, "His Majesty has bestowed upon me the title of Imperial Concubine?"

Her maid, Ulan, quickly stepped forward to support her: "Your Highness, please be careful, and take good care of the little prince in your womb."

"What are you afraid of?"

Sorukhati waved his hand dismissively: "I'm carrying a warrior from the northern frontier in my belly, he's not afraid at all!"

As she spoke, the unrestrained spirit of a grassland woman was fully revealed. She even raised her hand and patted her belly, making two muffled "thump" sounds, like bouncing a ball.

While onlookers were terrified, she remained completely unconcerned.

Despite her outward appearance as a bold and forthright woman from the grasslands, no different from those sisters who gallop on horseback, she is actually quite thoughtful and intelligent.

“My mother said that this pointed and hard belly means it’s definitely a strong boy.”

"When he is born, I will name him Kublai Khan, a wise and brave warrior! He will surely be able to ride into battle like His Majesty and expand the territory!"

As she spoke, she gently patted her belly, her tone full of joy.

If she gives birth to a son, she will be the second woman, after the Empress, to have two sons.

The custom on the grasslands is that the more brothers there are, the bigger the fist.

Once, when Li Xiao was drunk, he shouted that he wanted to ride a horse on the grassland and then had sex with her. Sorukhetini was not unhappy at all; on the contrary, he was proud of it.

He is Your Majesty's great horse of the grasslands, destined to bear Your Majesty more sons.

Unlike the jubilation on Sorukhatheni's side, another side hall was completely silent.

Yelü Jin sat upright by the window, holding a Liao Dynasty jade pendant that had been worn smooth in her hand. Upon hearing the news that she had been conferred the title of Consort Jin, she simply uttered an "oh" softly, her face showing no emotion whatsoever.

The maid, Lü'e, sighed: "Your Highness, you were a princess of the former Liao Dynasty, how come you were only granted the title of concubine..."

"It's good enough to be alive, what more could you ask for?" Yelü Jin interrupted her, his voice as soft as a breeze.

She had witnessed the devastation of the Liao dynasty firsthand; the royal family members were either killed or captured. She was incredibly fortunate to have been taken into Li Xiao's household so early and to retain a semblance of dignity.

She stroked the Khitan patterns on the jade pendant, a hint of melancholy flashing in her eyes, but she quickly calmed down.

“Those positions were never relevant to me. My aunt was His Majesty’s first wife, and her status was no less than mine before.”

“Consort Wei is the daughter of a military family, and Sorghaghtani has the support of the grassland tribes. As a princess of a fallen kingdom, I should be content with the position of a concubine and the ability to live a peaceful life.”

As night deepened, the lights in the palace gradually came on.

At Jingren Palace, Shiguli and her sister were choosing what to wear for their morning greetings, while Suoluqateni was excitedly planning for the future.

Huang Xiuer carefully taught her son etiquette under the lamp, while Yelü Jin and Li Lingyang were lost in thought, gazing at old objects.

Different palaces, different states of mind, yet all were bound together by this imperial edict of investiture, tightly bound to the center of power in the Ming Dynasty.

All of this was quietly observed by Li Xiao through the spies within the palace walls.

He stood on the terrace of Fengtian Hall, gazing at the myriad lights of the palace in the direction of the inner palace, his fingertips lightly tapping the railing.

The rank of the conferred title, seemingly a manifestation of favor, was in reality a pawn in his strategy to balance the power between the court and the harem.

Xiao Yanyan's Khitan nobles, Wei Fuyao's Jinzhou nobles, Suoluheti's grassland tribes, and Shiguli's Western Regions allies.

And those women with weaker family backgrounds—only by having them check and balance each other can the newly established Ming Dynasty be stabilized.

(End of this chapter)