Why did Emperor Xianfeng marry Cixi?

Why did Xianfeng marry Cixi? Before answering this question formally, I want to talk to you about the draft system of the Qing Dynasty.

Since ancient times, the emperor's marriage is not something you can do with my will. Ancient marriage was related to parents' lives, and the words of the matchmaker matched each other. The parties to a marriage may not know each other or even meet each other, but they must meet the above conditions before they can get married. It can be seen that it is already so troublesome for ordinary people to get married, let alone the emperor. Emperors in past dynasties all had similar draft system when they got married. Since the emperor shunzhi, the conscription system of the Qing Dynasty has stipulated that:

All Manchu Eight Banners women aged 13 to 16 must participate in the triennial emperor selection. The chosen person must stay in the palace with the emperor, become a concubine, or be blessed by the descendants of the royal family. Women who have not participated in the draft are not allowed to get married.

Judging from the above provisions on the conscription system of the Qing Dynasty, the Manchu royal family only selected beautiful women from the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty because the Manchu royal family prohibited marriage between Manchu and Han. Will there be one after the female monk enters the palace? Reading and choosing? Link, that is, every few girls stand in a row, personally selected by the emperor and the queen mother. Those who are selected will be awarded the title of emperor, while those who are not selected can be awarded the title of royalty or the home of the royal family.

And the record of Cixi in the Draft of Qing History begins like this:

Xiao Qinxian (that is, Cixi), Ye La, female, is a passerby in Huining, Anhui. In the first year of Xianfeng, he was elected to the palace and was named an Iraqi noble.

So Cixi is from Yehenala, Manchu. Elected to the palace? In other words, Cixi entered the palace through the draft system, so she took an ordinary road that any Manchu woman could take. Her father's name was Cheng Wai, and Cheng Wai's official position in Daotai, Guang Tai, Anhui Province at that time was a four-product official position, and his family was not prominent. Even some unofficial history records that Cixi was originally a Han Chinese, but later she was moved to a mansion in Cheng Wai and became his adopted daughter.

According to the draft of Qing history, Cixi entered the palace in the first year of Xianfeng, and was named? Noble person? Four years later, promoted to? Hey? Six years promotion? Princess? Seven years later, I was promoted to? Imperial concubine? This speed is like a rocket.

The speed of Cixi's promotion can also prove one thing, that is, Xianfeng must be particularly fond of Cixi, so why was Cixi selected by Emperor Xianfeng through the draft system?

As mentioned earlier, Cixi entered the harem through the draft, and a woman who can become an emperor must pass? Reading and choosing? Link, that is, by the emperor himself.

Therefore, Cixi must be a woman who is seen by Xianfeng!

So what are the advantages of a woman who is seen by a man in a group of women? For the Qing emperor, family status is not considered, and morality can't be learned at first sight. So what must make the emperor fall in love at first sight? Appearance? In other words, Cixi successfully attracted Xianfeng by virtue of her appearance.

Men all over the world have one thing in common, that is? Lascivious? Xianfeng is one of them? Outstanding? .

There are many photos of Cixi now. From the photos, Cixi is not outstanding, but we must know that the shooting technology at that time was far less developed than today, and the photos of Cixi were all in her later years. If we compare her photos with other royal women, we can find that Cixi's face is still normal.

Regarding the appearance of Cixi, De Ling, the most trusted maid-in-waiting in Cixi's later years, once wrote in the book:

When the Queen Mother was young, she was really a charming and clever girl and was often praised by people in the palace. Even Iraq is gradually being squeezed out by the years, and after entering the old country, it still retains some touching beauty.

Carl, an American painter who painted for Cixi, once said:

All parts of her body are in harmony. Her beautiful face, tender and beautiful hands, slim figure and shiny black hair are harmoniously combined and complement each other?

So, what I said above means the same thing. Xianfeng married Cixi because compared with other female practitioners of that year, Cixi's appearance was the most outstanding. As for how beautiful Cixi was when she was young, this salted fish is not clear.