Chapter 1205 Postscript 61·The princess takes care of her parents-in-law
Although Wang Yitong said something tough, he was afraid when he really wanted to see the princess.
He didn't even go to the real princess' residence, but just visited the princess's suburban manor. As he approached the manor, he already started to feel uneasy.
She was afraid that she would offend the princess and cause her son to feel even more useless after marriage.
"Is this all the princess's property?" Xie Yiqin asked.
Xie Yan explained: "The land in the suburbs of Beijing is mostly occupied by the descendants of the founding nobles. When the late emperor reorganized the army, he ransacked the homes of some nobles who disobeyed the emperor's orders and exiled them. Their houses and fields were regarded as imperial property. Five of them were
Thousands of acres of land and a suburban mansion were given to the princess seven years ago. However, the property rights of the land and house belong to the royal family and will be taken back in the future."
Wang Yitong exclaimed: "With five thousand acres of land on the outskirts of Beijing, the late emperor really doted on the princess."
"Indeed," Xie Yan really understood this, "Normally speaking, one or two thousand acres are given at most. They often even give land verbally, without seeing the actual land at all. The land rental income is converted into money and distributed, just like
The food and real seals of nobles are the same."
Wang Yitong felt even heavier. The person his son was going to marry was the richest princess since the founding of the Ming Dynasty!
Can I have a bad temper?
While talking, the carriage slowly stopped.
Xie Yiqin asked: "Did you go the wrong way? This is the main entrance."
"When my uncle comes in the future, can he still take the side door?" Xie Yan said with a smile.
Wang Yitong felt that he had gained face, and his impression of the princess changed slightly. He nodded and praised: "But she is also reasonable."
When they first entered the village, someone had already gone in to report.
At this moment, Qingluan and his servants stood at the door to greet them, and respectfully saluted the couple.
Xie Yan introduced: "This is the princess's personal servant Qingluan. She grew up with the princess since she was a child. She is like a sister."
The couple quickly returned the courtesy without daring to show any slight or slight.
Enter the gate and continue walking inside.
They entered another door and suddenly saw a graceful and elegant woman wearing a golden crown and a floor-length skirt standing there with several maids.
The princess actually went to the outer courtyard to greet her in person?
Thanks to Yiqin, Wang Yitong hurriedly came forward to bow to him. No matter how much he talked about behind his back yesterday, he did not dare to have any other thoughts at this moment.
In the Tang and Song dynasties, they still had to kneel down, so the Ming Dynasty only abolished the kneeling ceremony.
The kneeling ceremony is gone, but the dignity and inferiority are still there, and there are other etiquettes to supplement them.
So speculators borrowed allusions from "Zuo Zhuan" and invented a kind of worship called "bowing". That is to squat down and put your hands on the ground, with your head lowered, but your knees are not really kneeling.
To be honest, the posture is quite ugly.
But it satisfied the vanity of the superiors, so the bowing ceremony became more and more popular, especially among the common people who often used it when meeting officials.
Forty years ago, a local official, because of his outstanding political achievements, was summoned alone by Emperor Dingtai when he returned to Beijing to report on his duties.
This official was very interesting. When he saw Emperor Dingtai, he bowed and deliberately raised his buttocks high, similar to the preparation posture of a sprinter.
Emperor Dingtai was furious: "You are a dignified official of the imperial court, but you don't read the "Da Ming Code: Etiquette"?
But the official said: "Only when ordinary people see officials like this can they show the majesty of the government. Only when I bow to your majesty can I show the majesty of the heavenly family."
"How can such an ugly salutation be dignified? You might as well just kneel down!" Emperor Dingtai became even more angry.
The official said: "If you kneel down, you will violate the "laws of the Ming Dynasty."
Shangguan did not bow, so he was resented for it. I have been in high and low officialdom for many years, and now I am much calmer. I am fortunate to be summoned by Your Majesty today, so I must not make the mistakes of my youth again."
Emperor Dingtai finally came to his senses, asked the official to stand up and speak, and rewarded him with a royal robe. The next day, he issued an imperial edict that no one was allowed to bow again, especially subordinates who saw the superior, and would be dismissed immediately upon verification.
What to do?
Above the three etiquettes of cupping hands, bowing, and bowing, there must be one etiquette to fill the gap.
Therefore, people slightly modified the bowing ceremony.
You don't have to squat directly, but you have to bend your waist deeply and bend your legs slightly. Your hands no longer touch the ground, but you have to raise your hands very high and then bow very low.
To put it simply, it is the bent-leg version of the long Yi!
At this moment, Xie Yiqin, Wang Yitong and his wife are in this improved version of bowing posture.
It has been very common in official circles, but it is generally not used in formal occasions, and it will not be used within five ranks, and it is strictly prohibited in public places in the capital.
Take Xie Yiqin, the general magistrate of the province, as an example. Generally, he would only bow when meeting the three chief officials of the province.
If you were an official with a tough personality, you would not bow to anyone you met. This has also become a behavior for some officials to show their integrity. It is very likely to offend a certain official, but it will also be widely praised by people.
Straight-legged magistrate, straight-legged magistrate...that is, they cannot bend their legs to bow.
If Ju Ming could survive until now, he would probably not know whether to laugh or cry.
"No need to be so generous!"
Zhu Tangxi quickly asked the maid to help the couple up.
Xie Yan was speechless. He had told his parents in advance, but he still bowed when he met the princess.
When the couple stood up straight, Zhu Tangxi stood straight and Wanfu returned the gift.
When Xie Yiqin and Wang Yitong saw this, they both felt very proud.
Because as a princess, you only need to nod in return. If you can bend down a little, it will already show that you attach great importance to them.
But at this moment, the princess performed a standard Wanfu ceremony.
When Zhu Tangxi turned around to welcome them in, Xie Yiqin nodded quietly to his wife, and Wang Yitong also winked and smiled at her husband.
Xie Yiqin thought to himself: As expected of a royal nobleman, the etiquette is so thorough and there is no airs at all.
Soon, they felt that their son was not polite.
Because after going in and sitting down, Xie Yan seemed to have returned to his own home and was too relaxed sitting on the chair.
"Ahem!" Xie Yiqin coughed twice, reminding his son to sit up straight.
Xie Yan didn't seem to understand. He ate the grapes brought by the maid and said, "These grapes are very sweet."
Zhu Tangxi said: "This is grown in my own manor, imported from the Western Regions, and has just matured recently. If Liu Lang likes it, I will send more people over, but it will take a few more days to mature in large quantities."
"That's great." Xie Yan said unceremoniously.
The couple finally realized that their son and the princess did have a good relationship.
Xie Yiqin said: "Dogs don't understand etiquette. If you are rude in the future, I hope your highness will understand it."
Zhu Tangxi smiled and said: "My lord, you are overly concerned. Liulang is very polite."
The princess actually called me "sir"?
Xie Yiqin instantly felt elated, his vanity was greatly satisfied, and he felt that this future daughter-in-law respected her elders too much!
The exchange of greetings just now was in the outer courtyard, so the princess politely addressed Xie Yiqin's position, and addressed Wang Yitong as "Mrs. Wang."
Now when we get to the inner hall, we call them "sir" directly and treat them as our elders.
Wang Yitong was also smiling at this moment. He didn't care about his son being angry after marriage, as long as his wife respected her parents-in-law. The princess was a good and polite child. If her son was disobedient, the princess should really discipline him.
Qingluan brought two gift boxes.
Zhu Tangxi said: "When we first met, I didn't know what the two adults liked. I asked Liulang, but he didn't know either. I made my own decision and chose two things. I don't know whether they are in line with the two adults' wishes."
"Your Highness is interested."
The couple quickly stood up, took the gift and thanked them. It was not easy to open it in person to see what it was.
Zhu Tangxi added: "Yesterday the Queen Mother sent someone to announce that the dusk ceremony will be held as normal when a princess comes out. By then, the etiquette will be more complicated, and the two elders will have to practice with the etiquette officer for two days."
"Yes, the gift cannot be discarded." Xie Yiqin said quickly.
Although Wang Yitong often criticizes her husband, she behaves gentle and virtuous when she goes out. Basically, her husband talks and she listens silently.
The normal departure of a princess is to leave the palace and go directly to the princess palace to get married.
The etiquette is very solemn. Usually the queen or concubine leads the imperial concubines in the capital to personally escort the princess out of the palace. Then a certain noble lady (the highest-ranking concubine) leads the imperial concubines in the capital to escort the princess from outside the palace.
To be continued...