The difficulty of the ancient horse trial marriage before marriage, how mysterious is the identity of the trial marriage woman?
In ancient times, they worshipped horses, but their way of choosing a mate was not simple. Not only do they have to pass rigorous exams before marriage, but they also have to go through an unprecedented event before marriage"Trial marriage"Rite. This ancient custom ensured that the horses at the emperor's side faced great stress and difficulties. And in this trial marriage ceremony, how mysterious and special is the woman's identity?
Marriage was not only a union of families, but also a political game of the ancient aristocracy. At that time, in addition to being talented and having a prominent family background, the crown princess also had to pass strict"Trial marriage"Test. How strict are the criteria for trial marriage, and what secrets are hidden in them? Who are the women in the trial marriage, and what mysterious role do they play in the ceremony?
i.Difficult multiple-choice tests.
Li Siming was an ordinary ** son during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. Since he was a child, he dreamed that one day he would marry his sister and princess and become the emperor's concubine. However, this dream is difficult to achieve.
To become a prince's concubine, one must first be of humble origin, usually a servant of the emperor or a member of a lower family, so that it is easier to control. Even if you are from an orthodox background, you must pass a rigorous selection test.
Li Siming was dedicated to the emperor and had the honor of being the emperor's future bridegroom. However, he had to undergo a month-long examination, during which the emperor sent his chamberlains to monitor Li Siming's every move. A month later, the emperor reviewed all the reports and decided whether to approve him or not.
The assessment is trivial and rigorous, whether it is speech and behavior or life and work, everything must be correct, serious and rigorous, and the slightest sloppiness and negligence will be eliminated. Moreover, during the selection process, princesses from different superpowers tend to compete for favor. Li Si knew that this was a normal procedure and that the chances were slim, but he still took the risk.
A month later, the emperor finally confirmed that Li Siming was not suitable and could not be a colt. This is because he showed a certain arrogance in his speech, which did not conform to the style of a king. What's more, Li Shimin never closes his door at night and often has a relationship with a woman in the market, and the emperor doesn't like it. Li Siming knew that she had some indiscretions, but she did not correct her appearance and behavior, she just chose shame, but she did not succeed. But it also made her realize how difficult it is to be a prince's wife.
Li Siming couldn't accept this result for a while, but when he realized that he didn't do very well, he could only sigh helplessly. He also had to admire the emperor's discernment, because this harsh judgment ensured that those who eventually became concubines would be strict with themselves, conscientious, and would never dare to be sloppy in the slightest. This is the best way to protect the interests and honor of the royal family.
Secondly, under great pressure and concern.
Even after passing the rigorous exams, becoming the wife of a prince is not an easy task. A prince and wife from such a background have to bear a lot of responsibilities and pressures after marriage.
Yang Yizhen was a guard during the Ming Dynasty Shenzong period, and was fortunate enough to be chosen as the princess's mount and rode beside the horse. Although Yang Yizhen had a lot to look forward to on the wedding day, he realized that this was just the beginning. He must pay attention to his words and deeds so as not to cause trouble for the royal family, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable.
Yang Yizhen understands the sense of urgency and crisis as the emperor's wife. She felt that the Emperor was watching her every move with curious eyes, lest she say half a curse. She understood the emperor's fears, and if her words and deeds did not conform to the rules of etiquette, it would inevitably weaken the emperor's authority. At this moment, Yang Yiqing was seized by an invisible fear.
More so, Yang Yizhen must always serve the princess to ensure her happiness and joy. The slightest dissatisfaction of the princess means that she will never be able to turn over. Yang Yizhen must be aware of her precarious position as a foreign groom and must therefore be careful to ensure the happiness of the princess and her family.
This kind of double attack of pressure from heaven and pressure from his wife's family made Yang Yizhen have mixed feelings. He often wondered what would happen to the princess when her situation changed. The first emperor died, and the princess's position was threatened by discord within the royal family. The princess has lost power, and the side room that has been clamped down by the emperor's side for many years is in danger of being removed at any time.
In this anxiety and anxiety, Yang Yizheng realized that the emperor was like a flat boat, walking between the reefs, with turbulent waves left and right, and there was a possibility of being swept away at any time. This situation has put pressure on Yang Yizhen, but all he can do is to always be vigilant about his words and deeds and be careful to seek peace.
iii.Premarital flirting and rigid testing.
During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the royal family implemented it in order to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past"Trial marriage"System. So-called"Trial marriage", that is, before the princess gets married, choose a concubine to spend the night with Ma's fiancé.
Its main purpose is to check the physical condition, personality and compatibility of both future spouses. If any problems are found, the marriage contract will be annulled immediately. This undoubtedly increases the difficulty of becoming a crown princess. Xu Shilin, who was the commander of the forbidden army at the time, had the opportunity to marry the princess. According to the procedure, he had to undergo a trial marriage for one day and one night.
During the trial, the judges closely observed Xu Shilin's sexual activity. The Empress Dowager Cixi instructed them to check whether his physical strength and abilities were satisfactory. If they were not satisfied with anything, they immediately reported it to the Empress Dowager Cixi. After thinking about it, the palace maids came to the conclusion that Xu Shilin was indeed unable to satisfy the elderly eldest princess in many ways. Therefore, Xu Shilin and Rapunzel's marriage was canceled.
When this trial marriage report was placed on the desk of the Empress Dowager Cixi, the Empress Dowager Cixi sighed. She thought it would be great to have more horses as a partner, but she didn't know if the trial marriage would end up fruitless. The Empress Dowager Cixi knew that this arduous experiment was only to ensure the inheritance of the royal family's bloodline, and there could be no inconsistencies. The good fortune of the princess's life made it inevitable to cancel this family business.
Although Xu Shilin was disappointed, he could also understand the intentions of the Empress Dowager Cixi, and through this strict pre-marital testing system, he ensured that the selection of the concubines was impeccable. All he could do was accept the result and bury his love in his heart.
iv.The law forbade the prince's wife to take a concubine.
When Xu Shilin became a colt, he had no children under his knees. Three years later, he married the princess's concubine. As the saying goes, it is the will of heaven to take a concubine and give birth to a child. The princess weighed and agreed, but she said that the emperor's consent must be obtained first.
According to ancient rules, if a prince wanted to marry a concubine, he had to obtain the consent of his mother-in-law and wife. This is to ensure the status and conduct of the concubines and avoid discrediting the royal family. Xu Shilin asked the emperor for instructions on this matter.
After much deliberation, the emperor agreed, but with one restriction, and that was that he could only marry one wife. She has been childless for three years, and marriage can make up for the regret of being childless. However, the emperor was still worried that Xu Shilin's move would cause the eldest princess to be dissatisfied, so he clearly instructed Xu Shilin that the concubines should be cautious in their words and deeds and not insult the majesty of the eldest princess.
This was the ancient restriction on the concubines of princes' wives. The number of concubines is limited to one, subject to the consent of the wife. This was done to protect the status of the main wife and avoid disputes due to too many concubines. Xu Shilin eventually got his wish, but he also realized that after the princess's death, he would face the pressure of a lifelong widower. It was also a heavy burden for him.
Being a horse in the emperor's cavalry may seem very honorable, but in fact it is a difficult task. You have to pass an extremely difficult selection exam, and even if you are the emperor's cavalry, you will have to endure tremendous pressure. Anyone who has really experienced fighting alongside the so-called supernumerary cavalry knows that hiding behind the ranks is not easy.