Ming Dynasty: Empress Ma and I swapped clothes!

Chapter 43 Ma Xiulin: I won! I won!!!

Sun Miaoran didn't dwell on Zhu Biao, but instead praised Ma Xiuying directly.

Upon hearing this, Su Qing'er's eyes were filled with astonishment, her teeth clenched, and she was filled with deep regret.

"Don't call me 'sister,' you should call me 'little sister Miaoran.'"

"Sun Miaoran, you're taking advantage of me again. You were clearly asking about His Highness the Crown Prince, so why are you bringing up the Empress again?"

"Sun Miaoran, you have such a clever mind."

Ma Xiuying didn't see through the two girls' thoughts.

However, after hearing Sun Miaoran's words, her mind stirred slightly, recalling Zhu Biao from earlier.

It was already late at night.

His mental state remained vibrant. In the past, he would probably have been pale and weak, or at least he would have been tense and barely holding on.

But just now, the father and son stood together, both looking energetic and vigorous.

Ma Xiuying thought to herself.

"I owe that Wen kid another favor."

Parents are most worried about their children and offspring.

If others only benefit from it, they might just repay the favor in kind.

However, if the benefits fall on the offspring, especially the eldest son on whom the parents place the most hopes and who also puts the most effort, then it's a different story for the parents.

Once you've paid back one, you're always thinking about paying back another.

After all, the affection placed on a child is inexhaustible and can never be fully repaid.

The better the child's future prospects, the more and deeper the gratitude will be in their heart.

Once on the bed, Su Qing'er and Sun Miaoran kept their bickering within limits.

It was already getting late.

If this fighting continues, it might escalate into tomorrow. Palace rules still need to be followed.

"In another month, it will be the tenth day of the fourth month."

Although Ma Xiuying on the bed had closed her eyes, she was not the only one who was full of energy, just like Zhu Biao before. Now she herself had also benefited from it. Although she was a little sleepy, she was not weak and did not feel tired.

Thoughts arose one after another.

"The tenth day of the fourth month is the time when Xiao Er, Xiao San, Xiao Si, and Xiao Wu will be granted the title of king. Although it is only a temporary title and they will not immediately take up their fiefs, it should not be far off."

The so-called conferment of titles of kings in April was roughly planned in the second year of the Hongwu reign, and was further confirmed at the beginning of this year.

Preparations have even begun in the capital city itself.

The saying "an army marches on its stomach" illustrates this principle.

But being granted the title of king is one thing, but in Ma Xiuying's eyes, besides Xiao Si going to Beiping to govern the people in the fiefdom and ensure the peace and well-being of the region, adding Xiao Wu now might not disrupt the people's livelihood.

I don't expect him to make the people in his fiefdom prosperous, I just hope he won't do anything harmful or disrupt the social order.

When they went to their fiefdoms, the civil and military officials accompanying them would naturally be governed according to the laws of the dynasty. With the superiors setting an example, if the superiors did not act recklessly, even if the subordinates were absurd, they would still know their limits.

But these are Zhu Shuang and Zhu Fen, the mistresses.

The two of them have really given Ma Xiuying, as their mother, a lot of worry. She probably won't be able to get a good night's sleep tonight.

Thinking became a habit, and this habit also made Ma Xiuying's mind more active.

She looked towards the east and west sides of the hall, where Sun Miaoran and Su Qing'er were also sleeping on the bed.

"Young man Wen! If Xiao Er and Xiao San become successful, then Qing Qing'er and Miao Ran will be granted to you as you wish, and you will truly be allowed to marry them. But if they don't, then you really can't blame me, the Empress."

In a short while, Ma Xiuying shifted the blame for this troublesome matter onto Ma Wenxiang. The problem that had been troubling her for so long suddenly became clear.

As her thoughts gradually faded, she was able to get a good night's sleep.

As for the argument between Su Qing'er and Sun Miaoran over the distinction between wives and concubines, Ma Xiuying already had a solution in mind, but Ma Wenxiang might not have thought of it at the moment.

During the reign of Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty, the "Household Law of the Ming Dynasty" clearly stipulated that anyone who takes a wife as a concubine shall be punished with 107 strokes of the cane; anyone who takes a concubine as a wife shall be punished with 90 strokes of the cane and shall be ordered to correct their behavior.

Monogamy is the foundation of etiquette. A wife is formally married, carried in a sedan chair by eight men, and enters through the main gate, while a concubine is taken in through a side gate.

A wife is a legitimate in-law, while a concubine is generally not recognized and there is a significant gap in social status between them.

The wife is the mistress of the house, while the concubine is a servant.

Concubines may have a certain status, but legally they are considered family property, including their children. One is born of the principal wife, and the other is born of a concubine, so there is a distinction between primary and secondary. This is the reason why Su Qing'er felt indignant.

However, there is a solution. Although it cannot achieve absolute equality, it can minimize the gap between Su Qing'er and Sun Miaoran to the greatest extent possible.

That was Ma Xiuying, the reigning Empress, who personally issued a special decree granting her permission.

The Empress arranged the marriage, acknowledging that the two women shared a deep bond and were of equal importance, and treated them with the respect due to equal wives.

Although the legal aspects remain as described above, it is clearly an act of imperial power overriding etiquette and law.

Although legal documents still distinguish the order of precedence, the differences in other aspects are almost negligible, and no one else would dare to say anything about it.

Disrespecting imperial authority was a grave crime in ancient dynasties.

This is how the imperial power granted them a status almost equivalent to that of a concubine, and a certain position comparable to that of the principal wife.

……

In mid-February, the spring rains continued, and the streets remained as wet as they had been in the previous days.

Spring rain seeped into the soft mud, carrying the fragrance of the soil.

The vermilion notice had just been posted on the wall of the county government office.

In Qingfeng County and its surrounding towns and villages, many scholars eagerly looked up, including Ma Xiulin from Majia Village, who had been studying and farming for many years.

He searched for his name from beginning to end, and the first name he saw made him slightly happy, but then he felt it was only natural.

Isn't this already a consensus among everyone in Qingfeng County?

What's the point?

He then continued reading and saw that his name was still among the top ten, which reassured him.

He could easily obtain the mere title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations).

Back at his residence, Ma Xiulin strode around, holding a jade-green teapot in his hand, looking rather like a spoiled brat, hardly resembling a scholar.

However, since he's in high spirits today because of a happy occasion, it's normal for him to be a little flamboyant.

After all, although Ma Xiulin already has children and is from the middle generation of the family, he is actually only in his prime and has not yet reached the age of thirty. It is understandable that he has some of the habits of a young person.

"Brother Yangsheng, do you know that today is the day the results are announced? You passed! You passed!"

Ma Xiulin held his head high and tried his best to appear humble, but the corners of his mouth were still turned up high.

Wang Yangsheng didn't even raise his head after hearing this. He simply passed by him, his eyes still fixed on the scripture in his hands. He said, "As expected of the commentary by the sage Zhu Xi, the way of thinking is quite unique, especially the lofty and profound ideas."

Suddenly remembering something, he paused, looked up and saw Ma Xiulin's expectant gaze, then nodded and said, "You passed, that's great!"