In the history of the Qing Dynasty, there were many concubines who were demoted, but there were not many who were demoted to slaves, there were two in the Daoguang Dynasty, namely Mu Promised and Man Changzai, and there was also one in the Xianfeng Dynasty, and the two concubines of the Daoguang Dynasty could not turn over until they died, and the Xianfeng Dynasty was able to make a comeback, and also gave birth to the Prince of the Great Qing Dynasty, which is also a miracle in the Qing Palace, and this is the Mei Guifei we want to talk about.
1. A palace maid who is favored by the emperor
Princess Mei Guifei Xu Jiashi, a native of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was born on the fifth day of the first month of August in the eighteenth year of Daoguang, 7 years younger than Xianfeng, and the daughter of Zhen zhen.
Xu Jia's origin is very clear, that is, the people under the cloth of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, that is, the slaves of the royal family, and the sincerity of his father is only a small leading urge. Although the sincere official position is not high, but do not underestimate this position, the lead is responsible for paying salaries to the officers and men of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, equivalent to accounting, generally speaking, can take this errand, the family conditions that are specified can not be bad, that is to say, although Xu Jia's birth is not good, but the family should be quite rich.
However, since she is a woman in the interior of the ministry, of course, it is indispensable to participate in the palace women's draft of the ministry of internal affairs, and in the three-year palace women's draft of Xianfeng, 15-year-old Xu Jiashi stood out. In fact, it is very normal for a woman like Xu Jia to be selected, the posture belongs to the superior in the harem, and the family has a few dollars, which is of course very popular in the draft, and Xu Jia's parents also hope that their daughters can enter the palace, get the emperor's favor, and change the fate of the family.
Sure enough, Xu Jiashi lived up to his parents' expectations and smoothly entered the palace and became a palace girl.
As we said just now, Xu Jiashi was a very beautiful woman, how could this escape the eyes of the young and vigorous Xianfeng Emperor, and soon after Xu Jiashi entered the palace, she was favored by the emperor and was named Mei Changzai in November of the third year of Xianfeng. "Mei" means "bright" and "brilliant", and from this title, it can also be seen that Xu Jiashi is definitely a beautiful woman, which is beyond doubt.
2. Demoted to an official woman
Because of Xu Jia's beautiful appearance, coupled with the fact that she was more pleasing to the emperor, after being crowned as Chang Zai, she continued to be favored, no less than those eight flags drafted into the palace of the inner court lords, such as Lan Guiren and Li Guiren. In December of the fourth year of Xianfeng, Xu Jia was promoted along with the pregnant Li Gui and the Suo Qi Luo Clan, who was also a palace woman, and was given the title of Mei Gui.
The ligui people got the jin seal because they were pregnant with the dragon fetus, and the gentle noble suo qi luoshi was because he came from the family of the ministry of internal affairs, and the family had advantages, and Xu Jia's sealing was purely based on Xianfeng's favor.
At this time, the noble Xu Jiashi can be said to be proud of the spring breeze, becoming arrogant, not putting anyone in his eyes, and his behavior style has become bold, but he did not expect that in April of the fifth year of Xianfeng, Xianfeng suddenly ordered her to be demoted to Changzai, and then directly demoted to an official woman. From nobles to officials and women, they were demoted three levels in a row, and more importantly, from masters to slaves.
So, what exactly did Xu Jiashi do to anger Xian Feng?
"Yesterday, because Mei often abused the handmaidens, and Yi and the eunuch Sun Laifu talked and laughed arbitrarily, Yi's position was dismissed, severely punished, and demoted to an official woman. And Sun Laifu was heavily reprimanded. The rules of the Six Houses should be solemn, and if there are any more willful abuses of the handmaidens, and those who are in harmony with the Great Overseer, they will be handled accordingly; if there are eunuchs who seem to have no rules, how can they still be so light, and they will soon be the eunuchs to the law! ”
This Zhu Zhi confessed very clearly, it turned out that Xu Jiashi had abused the palace girls around him, and also talked and laughed with the eunuchs at will, which was also a bit similar to the Tong Guifei who had been demoted to the third level in a row in the Daoguang Dynasty. Princess Tong Guifei was demoted to the third rank by Daoguang because she gave the emperor's reward to the eunuchs around her, and it seems that this Xu Jia clan did not know much about the history of this harem.
3. Gave birth to the Prince of the Great Qing Dynasty
In fact, in the case of Xu Jiashi, who was demoted to an official woman, there is no possibility of a comeback in the harem, and it can be referred to the good promise and Man Changzai of daoguang Dynasty who was demoted to an official woman. But I have to say that this Xu Jia clan really has a kind of magic, perhaps it is too beautiful to look at, and it has always made Xian Feng remember.
Only one year later, in May of the sixth year of Xianfeng, Xianfeng's qi had almost dissipated, and he promoted Xu Jiashi to Mei Changzai again. This conveys an important signal that Xu Jiashi may be favored again, and how can she let go of such an opportunity. Therefore, he did everything in his power to please the emperor, and before long he was promoted to a nobleman.
To say that this Xu Jia clan, there is really a set, she actually in Xianfeng seven years pregnant with the dragon species, and in xianfeng eight years of the first five days of February gave birth to the second son of the emperor, which may make Xianfeng happily close his mouth, after all, Xianfeng only had one son at that time, can add another, of course, very happy.
However, what people did not expect was that the second son of the emperor only lived for two hours (four hours) and died prematurely, which made Xu Jiashi heartbroken, and originally wanted to point to this son to change the fate of the family. In order to comfort Xu Jia, XianFeng decreed that he be promoted to concubine:
"Only Kun Yuan Yizhi." Also the one who praises it. Sundanese rest. With the virtue of Mei Rou Jia. Fenliu Mingyu. DianMao engraving. Ermei noble Xu Jiashi, respectful and cautious. Humility. It should shine with four stars. Hua Xuan was the first. Teach the Nine Emperors to declare their duties. Aromatic tree. It is the use of Jin Feng'er as a concubine. The Book of Shin. Erqi contains and does good deeds. Yi Zhao Ya du Yu Heng Huang. Ji Zhi Yanxi. YongHe Shu is grateful to Lun Ling. Thanks. ”
Only three days later, the Xianfeng Emperor died in Rehe, and the young Xu Jiashi inevitably became a widow, and after the Tongzhi Emperor succeeded to the throne, he honored Xu Jiashi as the Imperial Concubine in accordance with the custom of honoring the concubines of the former emperor:
"Imperial Concubine of the Emperor." Serve the palace. Respectfully and prudently. It is advisable to add a lofty name. Honorable. Concubine Li served the Imperial Examination for many years. Birth of the Grand Princess. He is honored as a noble concubine of the Emperor Li. Concubine Wan was promoted to concubine. Concubine Qi was promoted to concubine Qi. Concubine Mei was promoted to concubine. The nobles were promoted to concubines. Rong Guiren was promoted to rong concubine. Xuan Guiren was promoted to concubine. The jade nobles were promoted to the title of jade concubines. Ji Guiren was promoted to the title of Ji Concubine. The Xi nobles were promoted to the title of Xi Concubine. Qing Gui was promoted to concubine. All things that should be done. The yamen is played. ”
Thirteen years later, Emperor Tongzhi was critically ill, and in order to rush to the throne, the empress dowager of the two palaces was greatly enfeoffed with the sixth palace, and Xu Jiashi was once again honored:
"Emperor Ci'an Duan Yu Kangqing Emperor Cixi Duanyou Kangyi Emperor Yi Yi Yi. Emperor Li's concubines were equal to the throne. Served Emperor Wenzongxian. Both are called Shushen. Emperor Li's noble concubine was given the title of Emperor Li's noble concubine. Concubine Wan was given the title of Concubine Wan. Concubine Qi was given the title of Concubine Qi. Princess Rose was given the title of Princess Rose. Concubines were given the title of Concubines. Ji Concubine was given the title of Ji Concubine. Xi Concubine was given the title of Xi Concubine. Qing Concubine was given the title of Qing Concubine. ”
After that, Xu Jia spent another 16 spring and autumn seasons in the Guangxu Dynasty, and died on the eighth day of november in the 16th year of Guangxu at the age of 53. Three years later, Xu Jiashi was buried with Emperor Zhuang Jing's concubines in the Dingling Concubine Garden.
Zichen said:
Princess Mei Guifei Xu Jiashi can be said to be the most legendary concubine of the Xianfeng Harem, even in the entire history of the Great Qing Dynasty, there are few people like her who have risen and fallen. Although Xu Jia was born into a slave, she was fortunate to be favored by the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty and give birth to a prince, which was her luck, because she was demoted for violating palace rules, and her son died on the day of birth, which was her misfortune again.
Maybe life is like this, it will not give people a perfect state, nor will it give people a happy ending, everything will have flaws, this is the arrangement of fate, in the face of such an arrangement, we must face it calmly, accept it calmly, rather than self-pity.
References: Draft History of the Qing Dynasty, Records of Emperor Wenzong of the Qing Dynasty