Chương 747: Imperial Decree to Select Concubines

Her eyes lit up, and she immediately waved behind her.

A palace maid waiting outside the hall brought in a scroll, which she unfolded... It was a stack of meticulous paintings of court ladies, each one exquisitely drawn, with neat little notes describing their family backgrounds written beside them.

"My lord, look, these are a few of the candidates I've selected..." Cai Yan pointed to the portraits, her interest piqued, just like a mother in later generations choosing a marriage partner for her son.

"This one belongs to the Zhou family. Her father is a vice commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. They have a respectable family background, and she is upright and honest. I've also heard she has a gentle nature. And this one is the daughter of a clerk in the Ministry of Personnel. She is literate and knows how to manage a household..."

"Wait, wait, wait!"

Liu Ce quickly waved his hand to stop her, both amused and exasperated.

"Yan'er, you've already made your choice? So you were prepared all along, just waiting for my nod, weren't you?"

"I have to do my homework first," Cai Yan said matter-of-factly.

"The matter of the Crown Princess is a matter of national importance and cannot be taken lightly. Three years ago, I went through the archives of the Imperial Clan Court and the Ministry of Rites, and reviewed all the eligible daughters of officials of the fifth rank and above in the capital. I initially screened out more than a dozen suitable ones."

"During the three years my husband has been on his western expedition, many ministers have submitted memorials requesting the selection of a crown princess for the crown prince, but because you were away, none of these proposals came to fruition. That's why I was just about to discuss this with you."

Looking at Cai Yan's earnestness, Liu Ce couldn't help but chuckle: "You're not leaving the Ministry of Rites any chance at all. If they knew you'd already finished screening everything in private, they'd be crying."

"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible." Cai Yan curled her lips.

"If we wait for the Ministry of Rites to proceed slowly according to the procedures, who knows what kind of person they will choose. I'll do a screening first, so I have a better understanding of the situation."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ce picked up the dozen or so paintings of court ladies, flipped through them one by one, and quickly put them down.

The paintings are all beautifully drawn, depicting each person with delicate features, but these paintings are like later-era photoshopped images, so their credibility is limited.

Besides, when choosing a crown princess, looks alone won't suffice.

Cai Yan leaned forward, her eyes serious: "I wonder what criteria my husband has for choosing the Crown Princess? We can't just pick anyone, can we? Tell me your standards so I can have a better understanding."

"No way! The rules have to be strictly enforced."

Liu Ce immediately sat up straight, counting on his fingers in a serious manner, as if he were setting selection criteria:

"First and foremost, we will not choose the eldest daughters of noble families."

Think about it, if you marry the daughter of a duke, you'll have a bunch of relatives pulling strings in the court. Today your maternal uncle's family wants an official position, tomorrow your paternal uncle's family wants benefits, and then the maternal relatives interfere in politics. Isn't that troublesome?

How many dynasties were ruined by the maternal relatives of emperors? Empress Lü, Wang Mang, and He Jin are bloody examples. We absolutely must not fall into this trap.

Cai Yan paused for a moment, then nodded: "My husband is right. I hadn't thought of that; I only thought that a better family background meant a better upbringing for the girl. Indeed, the Xun Gui family is too powerful and could easily become uncontrollable. So, if not the Xun Gui family, what kind should we choose?"

"Choose a good family man."

Liu Ce said with absolute certainty, "Girls from families of low- to mid-ranking military officers, ordinary scholars, or even commoners are all acceptable."

Anyone whose family background is clean, whose family has not committed any serious crimes such as confiscation of property or execution within three generations, and who is not from a background of prostitution, acting, or slavery is eligible to participate in the election.

The lower the official rank in the family, the better. They won't have so many scheming thoughts, nor the power to interfere in court affairs. The Crown Princess can focus on managing the Eastern Palace and stay out of court matters; that'll keep things peaceful.

He paused, then added, his tone very sincere:

"Also, don't just focus on the face. As long as you're decent-looking, that's enough. You don't need that kind of seductive, alluring look that's good for nothing."

The key is to have a strong body, so that you don't fall over with a gust of wind. You will have to have children and manage the household in the future, and you won't be able to support yourself if you are weak.

She must be steady and generous in temperament; a gentle nature is fine, but she cannot be arrogant, willful, or prone to crying, making a scene, or threatening suicide. Think about it, the Crown Princess will become the Empress in the future; she must be able to keep order in the Eastern Palace and manage the affairs of the entire household.

"Marrying a delicate, pretty girl who can't even take care of herself, how can she assist the crown prince?"

"My husband is right." Cai Yan nodded repeatedly, finding the idea more and more reasonable.

"I also think that character is the most important thing. One must know etiquette, be good at managing a household, and have a sense of propriety. In the future, the Crown Prince will be busy with state affairs every day, so there must be a reliable person at home to support the family."

Good looks alone aren't enough; in the long run, character is what matters.

"That's right!"

Liu Ce snapped his fingers, then remembered something important, and his expression turned serious:

"There is also an ironclad rule... It is strictly forbidden for court officials to send people to the capital without authorization!"

Anyone who dares to secretly slip their niece or nephew onto the list, or to use back channels or engage in underhanded tactics, will be immediately dismissed and punished without mercy if discovered by me.

Let's have an open and fair election; no one should resort to underhanded tactics.

The two of them huddled together and chatted for a long time about the details, like they were having a casual conversation: The age range should be 18 to 22. Too young and they won't know any better; too old and it won't be appropriate either.

You must have studied at the prefectural school or above; if you can't read, you won't be able to have a conversation with the crown prince.

Needles should be basic skills like needlework and cooking. While not required to be an expert in everything, they should at least know how to manage a household and not be completely dependent on servants.

After they had finished talking, Liu Ce called out, "Someone, draft an imperial edict!"

The eunuch in charge of the seal trotted in, carrying paper and pen, ready to take notes.

Liu Ce cleared his throat and orally delivered the decree, stating it clearly and without any ambiguity:

"The Crown Prince has come of age and it is time to choose a virtuous consort. The Ministry of Rites is hereby ordered to immediately prepare for the selection of the Crown Prince's consort. An edict shall be issued to all provinces, prefectures and counties throughout the country to select women from good families, aged eighteen to twenty-two, who have attended a prefectural school or above, whose family background is clean, whose appearance is dignified, and whose character is gentle and virtuous.

The local authorities shall conduct a step-by-step review and selection process and escort them to the capital for a second selection within three months."

The entire selection process for imperial concubines was jointly supervised by the Ministry of Rites, the Directorate of Ceremonial, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Officials were strictly prohibited from engaging in favoritism, bribery, or private exchanges; violators would be severely punished. All women participating in the selection had to be chosen through public screening, and ministers were not allowed to recommend relatives or friends privately.

During the selection of imperial concubines, receptions at post stations throughout the region should be kept simple and extravagant. If any local official uses this opportunity to impose levies or extort money, the people are permitted to appeal to higher authorities. Once verified, such officials will be dismissed and punished without exception.

The eunuch carefully noted down the decree, then withdrew, holding it in his hand.

Cai Yan breathed a long sigh of relief, a smile spreading across her face, a huge weight lifted from her heart: "That's great, at least we can finally get this on the agenda. I've been worried sick about this for years."

Liu Ce smiled and waved his hand: "Don't be too impatient. The local areas will screen them first, weeding out the scoundrels and those with unclear family backgrounds, and then send them to the capital for the female officials and old nannies to investigate them carefully."

Whether she has any hidden illnesses or how good her temper is, we have to keep her in the palace for two months to observe her carefully. We can't just make a decision after one glance.

"In the final selection, we'll both work together to help our son choose one he'll really like."

He paused, then stroked his chin with a mischievous grin, leaned closer, and whispered, "It would be best to pick someone with a straightforward personality, someone who can keep him in check. This kid is too quiet usually; he needs someone more lively to balance things out."

Cai Yan laughed and patted him on the shoulder: "How can you talk about your son like that?"

The atmosphere in the palace was relaxed. The emperor and empress, though tacitly aware of each other, both took the matter to heart.

The imperial edict arrived at the Ministry of Rites very quickly.