Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

Zhu You樘's action made Empress Dowager Wu laugh heartily.

"It shows that His Majesty knows to balance the north and south even when selecting consorts. He truly has the makings of a wise ruler."

Empress Dowager Wang also echoed, "Indeed, His Majesty will surely be a wise ruler of his generation."

"He can handle the affairs of the previous dynasty and the matters of the inner palace."

Zhu You樘 merely smiled faintly, not taking up the two empress dowagers' words.

Zhu You樘 looked again at the dozen or so northern maidens who had been rejected.

After several calculations in his mind, he made a decision.

Zhu You樘 pointed to one of the maidens with excellent looks: "You, leave your nameplate."

That maiden was overjoyed and quickly knelt down to express her gratitude.

"This subject thanks Your Majesty, thanks Your Majesty."

"Do you have a name? What is your family background?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, this subject has no name. My father is Vice Minister Gu You of the Court of the Imperial Stud, my childhood name is Manman, from Dengzhou Prefecture, Luzhou."

Zhu You樘 looked at the five selected maidens: "The five of you may each choose five eunuchs and five maids to serve you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"All of you may leave."

"Yes."

At Zhu You樘's command, all the maidens withdrew from the main hall of the Talent Selection Palace.

The nameplates on the tray in the hands of Palace Director Cui also increased from four to five.

Empress Dowager Wang was beaming with joy, a smile on her face: "Your Majesty, select three."

The so-called "select three" meant choosing three from these five maidens.

Then, from these three, one would be chosen as empress, and the other two would be imperial concubines.

Following that would be the betrothal proposal, the auspicious divination, the presentation of betrothal gifts, and after selecting a lucky day, the grand wedding could be held to welcome the empress.

Of course, only when marrying the empress would a grand ceremony be required.

Concubines and consorts did not require such ceremonies.

Zhu You樘 had no intention of selecting three: "I will not select."

Empress Dowager Wang was stunned, extremely anxious: "Your Majesty, how can you not select?"

"A country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and the inner palace cannot be without a mistress for a day."

"Now that Your Majesty has just ascended the throne, the phoenix seal of the inner palace has yet to be held by anyone. Your Majesty should establish an empress as soon as possible."

It was no wonder that Empress Dowager Wang was so anxious. This was Zhu You樘's first nationwide selection of consorts, and the position of empress would be determined in this selection.

After this selection, even if more consorts were chosen, the highest rank they could be granted would only be "嫔" (Pin, a lower-ranked concubine).

Among the five selected maidens, three came from humble backgrounds, destined to be unable to touch the phoenix position.

Then, among the remaining two maidens, one was Zhang Wan'er, with whom she had already built a good relationship.

No matter how one looked at it, Zhang Wan'er had the greatest chance of being named empress.

Empress Dowager Wang was absolutely unwilling to miss such a rare opportunity.

Empress Dowager Wu did not speak, but in her heart, she also supported Zhu You樘 in establishing an empress first.

After all, according to the rules, the inner palace could not be without a mistress for a day.

In the past, it was because Zhu You樘 had not yet selected consorts, but now that he had already chosen maidens, it was natural to establish an empress.

But Zhu You樘's attitude was very firm. His face was stern, his eyes like swords, staring intently at Empress Dowager Wang.

"I have said, I will not select three, and I will not establish an empress!"

Establish an empress?

What a joke!

Were they really afraid he would live too long?

Looking back, Emperor Xianzong, Emperor Yingzong, Emperor Daizong, Emperor Xuanzong, which one of them died a normal death?

Looking forward, Emperor Wuzong, Emperor Muzong, Emperor Guangzong, Emperor Xizong, how did these emperors die?

Not to mention the distant past, just Emperor Xianzong and Emperor Yingzong, the deaths of these two former emperors were very suspicious.

Zhu You樘 had always suspected that the deaths of these two former emperors were probably not normal illnesses, but a meticulously planned murder.

Zhu You樘 did not know whether the inner palace was involved in this murder.

But at least, it was enough for Zhu You樘 to understand that the inner palace could not be trusted!

The position of empress, unless it was the most trusted and closest person, was best not to be granted.

Since his ascension to the throne, the late emperor first abolished Empress Wu and then never touched Empress Wang. There was a reason for that.

Empress Wang frowned deeply, earnestly persuading: "Your Majesty, you cannot not establish an empress."

"If Your Majesty does not establish an empress, who will manage the affairs of the inner palace?"

"I said I will not establish one, no need to persuade me further!"

"The affairs of the inner palace can be handled by Empress Dowager Wu."

There was already some anger in Zhu You樘's tone.

Seeing that Zhu You樘 was getting angry, Empress Wang wisely closed her mouth, only giving Empress Dowager Wu a look.

Empress Wu pondered for a moment, and finally stood on Zhu You樘's side.

"If Your Majesty does not want to establish an empress now, then after getting familiar with the concubines, it will not be too late to choose a virtuous and virtuous consort to establish as empress."

"Then Your Majesty, how should the ranks of these five maidens be properly conferred?"

Zhu You樘 pondered for a few seconds: "For those entering the palace for the first time, the ranks should not be conferred too high."

"How about this, Zhang Wan'er is conferred the rank of Pin (嫔), take the character Kang (康), and grant a silver certificate."

"Chen Yuanyuan is conferred the rank of Jieyu (婕妤), Liu Rushi is conferred the rank of Cairen (才人), and Dong Xiaowan is conferred the rank of Guiren (贵人)."

"As for the Gu girl, just give her the rank of Shunu (淑女)."

The hierarchy of the Ming Dynasty's inner palace was strict.

Generally speaking, it was divided into six ranks.

The first rank was the Empress, the mistress of the inner palace, the mother of the world.

The second rank was the Imperial Noble Consort (皇贵妃), the most favored in the six palaces, jointly holding the golden treasures.

The third rank was the Noble Consort (贵妃), who could exclusively enjoy a palace, the mistress of a palace.

The fourth rank was the Consort (妃), with eight characters: Xian (贤), Shu (淑), Zhuang (庄), Jing (敬), Hui (惠), Shun (顺), Kang (康), Ning (宁).

The fifth rank was the嫔 (Pin), with nine characters: De (德), Xian (贤), Zhuang (庄), Li (丽), Hui (惠), An (安), He (和), Xi (僖), Kang (康).

The sixth rank was Zhaoyi (昭仪), Jieyu (婕妤), Meiren (美人), Cairen (才人), Guiren (贵人), Xuanshi (选侍), Shunu (淑女), and other positions.

Below these, there were also Changzai (常在) and Daying (答应) who were not ranked.

However, their status was low, no different from ordinary palace maids, only palace maids who could serve the emperor to sleep with.

Among them, the difference between the same rank was not large, but there were also high and low distinctions.

And the difference between different ranks was like a chasm.

The highest rank in the sixth rank, Zhaoyi, was like a servant in front of the third rank, Noble Consort.

However, as long as one was deeply favored by the emperor, even the Noble Consort would not give a favored Guiren a bad look.

After all, as long as the emperor was willing, a Shunu could immediately be promoted to Imperial Noble Consort.

At the same time, only the Empress had the golden certificate, golden treasure, and golden seal.

The Consorts had silver certificates, golden seals, but no treasure.

The Pins only had silver certificates.

However, when the late emperor was in power, because he greatly favored Consort Wan, he specially granted her a golden treasure.

Therefore, in the inner palace at that time, in addition to Empress Wang, Consort Wan also had a golden treasure.

The two jointly held the golden treasures.

Fu Dahai, the chief eunuch of the Office of Palace Affairs who was guarding on the side, and Cui Gongzheng, both remembered it firmly.

Empress Dowager Wu then asked: "Then Your Majesty, the arrangement of the five maidens' palaces..."

Zhu You樘 shook his hand: "You can arrange these small matters as you see fit, do not bother me."

"As for the subsequent betrothal proposal, auspicious divination, and other matters, they will also be handled by the two empress dowagers."

"I am a little tired, I will take my leave first."

Zhu You樘 stood up and left the Talent Selection Palace.

All the eunuchs and palace maids in the palace knelt on the ground: "Respectfully sending off Your Majesty."

Empress Dowager Wang and Empress Dowager Wu also stood up and watched Zhu You樘 leave.

The two empress dowagers looked at each other, both with some worries.

His Majesty not establishing an empress, this matter can be said to be unheard of.

I do not know if there will be any trouble in this situation where the inner palace has no mistress.