sbdcsierra Chapter 1060 The Benefits of Holding Power
Chapter 1060 The Benefits of Holding Power
Shen Zhinian had to arrange meals reasonably according to the advice of the imperial physician. For example, when the emperor was suffering from internal heat, he would instruct the imperial kitchen to use less spicy food. He would personally or appoint a trusted palace servant to deliver soup and snacks to the Yangxin Palace.
Although the women in the harem were selected by the emperor to sleep with him, Shen Zhinian also had the power to deal with them.
She had to balance the various palaces to avoid jealousy caused by someone sleeping with her for too many consecutive days. She also asked the people in the Jingshifang to record the time when the concubines slept with her in order to check whether they were pregnant.
Fifth, we must reconcile the relationship between concubines.
Shen Zhinian needs to regularly summon high-ranking concubines to Zhongcui Palace for discussions and listen to their suggestions on harem management, while also tactfully reminding them not to form cliques in private.
If a concubine frequently hosts banquets for others, you need to be careful.
In addition, Shen Zhinian also has to comfort the concubines who are favored or out of favor.
Those who are favored should be warned not to be arrogant; those who have fallen out of favor should be rewarded with items to show care and prevent them from causing trouble out of resentment.
6. Deal with emergencies in the harem.
For example, if a concubine encountered an acute illness, had a difficult birth, or was infected with the plague, Shen Zhinian would immediately summon the imperial physician and coordinate with other palaces to vacate a side hall to accommodate her. At the same time, the news would be blocked to avoid panic, and the details would be reported to the emperor afterwards.
For example, if Shen Zhinian discovered that a palace maid had committed a serious crime such as treason or leaking secrets, he must first obtain evidence and then ask the emperor to make a decision. He is not allowed to deal with the case on his own.
If the emperor was on tour or living in the Old Summer Palace, Shen Zhinian would have to send people to deliver reports to the harem regularly. If there were any emergencies, they could be dealt with first.
Seventh, she must exercise some of the Queen’s powers.
For example, representing the Zhou Dynasty to receive foreign envoys together with the emperor, etc.
Finally, it is self-discipline.
As the de facto master of the harem, Shen Zhinian needs to set an example, command the concubines, and share the emperor's worries.
The family must also be restrained to prevent it from taking advantage of its power to interfere in state affairs and being impeached by censors.
Although there are many things to do every day, Shen Zhinian likes and even enjoys the feeling of having all the power in the six palaces in his hands!
Otherwise, not to mention that it is not easy to make a living under someone else's control, and without control over the harem, I am afraid that one day I will not even know how I died...
So the women in the harem are all fighting for it.
Not only are they vying for the emperor's favor, but they are also vying for power in the palace!
Of course, even though Shen Zhinian is the most respected person in the harem now, she is only a noble concubine after all, not a legitimate queen, and there are still restrictions in some areas.
For example, when making major decisions, such as executing low-ranking concubines or changing palace rules, they had to seek the emperor's approval and could not act arbitrarily.
When it comes to high-ranking concubines, especially those with prominent family backgrounds, one must be extremely cautious to avoid causing political turmoil.
It is also necessary to strike a balance between establishing authority and being gentle. Being too strict can easily lead to being accused of being jealous and domineering, while being too lenient can lead to lax management.
You have to show your authority to win the support of the people, but you also have to avoid overstepping your authority and angering the emperor. If you handle palace affairs properly, you can win favor, but you may also arouse suspicion due to excessive power...
To sum it up, this is——
Shen Zhinian has to be a manager of specific affairs and also a representative of the imperial power in the harem. The daily schedule is full of trivial details and hidden political games.
Of course, assisting in managing the six palaces is tedious, but the benefits it brings are immeasurable!
First, Shen Zhinian is the actual ruler of harem affairs and can directly promote or demote palace maids and eunuchs.
For example, a maidservant was promoted to the head maid, a high-ranking female official was appointed or dismissed, and even the status of a concubine could be affected. For example, a woman could be demoted on the grounds of lack of moral character.
Moreover, Shen Zhinian does not need to report daily affairs to the emperor and can control the distribution of supplies in the harem.
For example, she would give priority to giving new tea that was tributed from Jiangnan to the concubines she liked; she had the power to determine the procedures of palace banquets and designate a low-ranking concubine to perform a dance, thereby honoring them; she even had the final say over disputes between concubines.
In addition, Shen Zhinian's exclusive "Treasure of Concubine Chen" seal can be used to sign documents in the harem. Except for extremely important events, her instructions are equivalent to the Queen's decree!
Second, Shen Zhinian enjoys material privileges.
Because she was in charge of the six palaces and had a special status, the palace she lived in could use more advanced furnishings, such as golden nanmu furniture and screens decorated with oriental pearls.
Clothing expenses can also exceed the restrictions of the imperial concubine's rank. To wear a phoenix-patterned headdress, just remove the phoenix in the middle.
The daily meal standard was similar to that of the empress, and she could enjoy the eight delicacies of land and sea. The meals prepared by the small kitchen in Zhongcui Palace far exceeded the number of dishes served to ordinary imperial concubines.
In addition, rare items presented as tribute by local officials or vassal states, such as South China Sea pearls and Western Region spices, need to be selected by Shen Zhinian first, and the rest will be distributed according to rank.
Third, Shen Zhinian has more political capital.
The concubines assisting in the management of the six palaces means that the family's status rises, and the father and brother can receive extra favors from the emperor, such as promotion to official position, and the award of titles.
This formed a virtuous cycle in which the harem gained power and the previous dynasty benefited; the previous dynasty benefited and her position in the harem became more stable.
Women from a family can also get a higher starting point when they enter the palace. For example, women from the Shen family can be directly named noble ladies when they enter the palace, instead of having to start as concubines or maids like ordinary concubines.
Just like during the beauty contest the year before last, Jiang Shuren was still the queen, and her sister Jiang Wanning was named Jiang Guiren as soon as she entered the palace, which made many people envious.
The most important thing is to gain the trust of the emperor!
Fourth, Shen Zhinian can use this opportunity to establish a virtuous image and pave the way for the future.
Just like what she did this time, she advocated frugality in the harem and established an image of virtue in the court and among the people.
She could even compile her ideas on managing the harem into documents such as "Collection of Essentials of Internal Regulations" and pass them down to later generations.
It can also suppress opponents.
You can use the name of enforcing palace rules to strike at potential enemies.
For example, he punished favored concubines on the grounds of exceeding the rules of extravagance, or dismissed female officials from hostile factions on the grounds of dereliction of duty in order to consolidate his own position!
Fifth, it can avoid the risk of harem infighting.
For example, he would transfer guards with strong martial arts skills to patrol outside his palace.
With spies in various palaces and an independent intelligence network, you can detect conspiracies such as poisoning and false accusations in advance, reducing the risk of being harmed.
When faced with a crisis, you have enough power to protect yourself.
If there is a sudden plague in the palace, they can have priority access to imperial doctors, medicinal materials, etc. They even have the right to order the blockade of other palaces to preserve the safety of Zhongcui Palace.
Sixth, it is emotional and spiritual.
In a sense, the assistant to the six palaces can be regarded as the emperor's male external affairs and the female internal affairs. It is very easy to gain the emperor's trust and emotional favor, how can he not be favored?
With favor, the emperor will sleep with the emperor frequently, and the probability of giving birth to a prince will also increase, thus making the mother more honorable by having a son.
All the concubines and palace maids knelt at Shen Zhinian's feet. In the hierarchical harem, she received unique respect!