After the rebellion was successful, I realized that this place was the Red Mansion

Chapter 109 Lin Daiyu moves into Linjing Palace, Jia Yuanchun's thoughts are with Chu Yan
"It seems I wasn't the one who went into the betting."

Seeing her expression, Chu Yan smiled faintly, "It's a bet between you and Jia Baoyu."

The room fell silent.

Only the sound of Lin Daiyu's tears falling onto her clothes could be heard.

"When spring ends, beauty fades; flowers fall, and people die, both unaware of the other's passing—was that a poem you wrote?"

Chu Yan then asked her.

Daiyu looked at him with teary eyes, wondering how he knew about the poem she had written.
Chu Yan said, "The poem is very good, which shows that you are talented. However, compared to lamenting the fallen flowers, I prefer Bai Juyi's simple poem, 'Wildfire cannot burn it all, the spring breeze brings it back to life.' Flowers bloom and wither, and there will always be a next year."

Daiyu knew that he was not mocking her poem, but rather using it to comfort her.

Using both kindness and severity is a tactic he has always excelled at!

Daiyu gradually stopped crying. There was no use crying now. He was not Baoyu, who would anxiously come to comfort her.

The emperor before her, though she had met him in her dreams, was heartless and unmoved no matter how much she cried.

"Your Majesty!"

A few tears remained in Daiyu's eyes as she forced a smile and said, "What you said before, that you wouldn't force me to serve the emperor for three to five years and would preserve my chastity... is that really true?"

Her tear-streaked face flushed red.

Chu Yan said, "Of course, I always keep my word."

Daiyu felt a little relieved.

"but."

Upon hearing his words, Daiyu looked up nervously again.

Chu Yan laughed and said, "What do you mean by a woman's purity? In the Han and Tang dynasties, the social atmosphere was open, and women could travel freely and were not afraid to talk to men. But now, even seeing a man is considered a violation of etiquette for a woman in her boudoir. Now that I have seen you, haven't I already ruined your purity?"

Hearing his words, Daiyu had already guessed seven or eight parts of what was going on. Her frail body trembled slightly, yet she still wanted to resist:
"The customs of ancient times are indeed different from those of today, and the standard for a woman's chastity should be based on the present day!"

Chu Yan nodded. "You're right. However, these days, marriages are arranged by parents and matchmakers. You and Baoyu have a secret affair. Although you haven't done anything out of line, you've still violated the rules of propriety. Can you say that you're no longer a virgin?"

When he pointed this out, Daiyu was filled with shame and looked at him with indignation: "Although I am with Baoyu... I have never done anything that would be improper!"

Chu Yan said, "If we follow your logic, it's clear that innocence is treated differently by different people. I am now the emperor, so I am different from the rest of the world."

Daiyu wanted to argue, but Chu Yan laughed and said, "I'm reasoning with you according to your own logic. If you don't want to follow the rules, then don't blame me for not showing you any mercy."

Daiyu suddenly fell silent. After all, he was the emperor, in charge of her and the Jia family's life and death.

"I assure you that I will not summon you to my bedchamber for the next three years, but you must not harbor any thoughts of suicide. Otherwise, I will exterminate the entire Jia family, three generations, on the grounds of disrespecting my imperial will."

In fact, Chu Yan didn't need to give her any guarantees; he only needed to threaten her that if she committed suicide, he would exterminate the entire Jia family.

But she is, after all, Lin Daiyu, the first of the Twelve Beauties of the Red Chamber. Now that we see her, her beautiful face is captivating, and her unwavering devotion to Jia Baoyu is touching. As a weak woman, she also has the courage to perish together with him.

Because he admired her, Chu Yan was willing to treat her with special consideration.

Chu Yan looked at her and saw that Lin Daiyu had her head down and had not spoken for a long time.

"come over."

Chu Yan gave her instructions.

Daiyu slowly raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Come to me." Chu Yan bared his fangs; the conditions had been given, leaving her no room to refuse.

Daiyu remained silent.

Even being sentenced to death is now a luxury for her.

"Ugh."

Chu Yan sighed softly, stood up, walked to her, reached out and pulled her up, then put his arm around her slender waist. In the moment she was lost in thought, he picked her up and carried her back to the soft couch.

Chu Yan wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, his hand landing on her slender hand and grasping the back of her hand.

Lin Daiyu's body was very light, her waist no wider than a palm. Through her clothes, one could vaguely feel her girlish buttocks, and her slender, straight legs hung down on his lap. Her delicate body trembled slightly.

She didn't struggle; her body remained frozen in place.

After embracing her, Chu Yan smelled a faint fragrance emanating from Lin Daiyu, a fragrance so refreshing that it made him want to peel back her collar and carefully smell where the fragrance was coming from.

Her body was slender and supple. Even though she was wearing thick clothes, one could still feel that her waist was graceful and her skin was delicate and smooth.

Chu Yan made no further move and slowly said to her, "Don't worry, Sister Lin, I mean what I say. I won't ruin your reputation within three years."

She and Jia Baoyu had a deep affection for each other, and if they wanted to separate them, they would have to use unusual methods.

If you really don't do anything to her, you won't be able to get her to agree even in ten or twenty years.

Generally speaking, the bottom line is broken little by little. Even if you don't ask her to serve you in bed, there are still many things you can do.

You don't need to call me Lin Daiyu!

Daiyu wiped away her tears with her delicate hands, her voice choked with sobs.

Chu Yan looked down and saw that her delicate face was covered with tears. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and her brows were furrowed. She was indeed very pitiful when she cried.

"I'll call you Miss Lin?" Chu Yan reached out to wipe her tears, but Lin Daiyu, who was sitting in his arms, stubbornly turned her head away, and her frail body began to struggle.

Chu Yan wrapped his arms around her waist, and Daiyu couldn't break free from his grasp despite her strength.

Her face flushed red with shame and indignation, and her delicate body trembled violently.

With an action that brooked no refusal, Chu Yan took her handkerchief, wiped her face, then returned the handkerchief to her and turned to call outside, "Call Zijuan here."

The palace maid hurried off to fetch someone.

A moment later, Zijuan came in and was startled: the frail girl was being held in the arms of the tall emperor, her eyes red from crying.

Chu Yan said, "Delicate flowers cannot withstand wind and rain; they need patient care. Zijuan, you will take good care of your young lady later. I will assign you eight palace maids, and you will be allowed to freely roam within the palace and the Daming Palace, riding in palanquins and enjoying the treatment of imperial concubines."

Zijuan was in a state of turmoil. The girl was still crying, so she could only step forward to express her gratitude.

Chu Yan looked down at Daiyu again. Naturally, she was not happy about being treated like a concubine. She was still sobbing, which was very distressing to see.

Chu Yan said, “Your father has disappeared for unknown reasons. Whether he is hiding from the war, loyal to the Shun Dynasty and unwilling to appear, or fearing arrest and hiding, you will not find him if you try to search for him rashly. I will first issue an edict to restore your Lin family ancestral home and post a notice at your house saying that you are in the palace. Your father will come to the capital when he knows this.”

Furthermore, once the world is at peace, there will be a general amnesty, and your father will appear when he finds out.

"If your father is already dead, I will issue an edict after some time to retrieve his remains and have them properly buried."

Upon hearing him mention his father, Lin Daiyu, who was sitting on his lap, gradually stopped crying, lowered her head, and thanked him in a trembling voice.

She forgot that she should have thanked him.

Chu Yan didn't pursue this trivial matter. He let go of her and called Zijuan to help Daiyu up. He said, "You can choose a room to live in Linjing Hall. After five days, you can stay in Linjing Hall again, or choose a palace in the inner palace to live in."

After saying that, he smiled and said, "There are many sleeping quarters in the harem now, you can choose any one of them."

In Chu Yan's harem, apart from Empress Zhang residing in Kunning Palace, Jia Yuanchun, Qin Keqing, and Consort Wu each occupy a palace.

Shi Xiangyun and Princess Qinghe can also reserve a spot in advance.

Aside from the East and West Six Palaces, the Cining Palace, the East Palace, the Palace of the Retired Emperor, the Palace of the Empress Dowager, and other palaces could also be occupied by imperial concubines; the names of Cining Palace and the like could simply be changed.

Without saying a word, Daiyu hurriedly bowed to him and left with Zijuan's help.

Chu Yan glanced at her again.

Lin Daiyu, with her delicate, willow-like figure, was supported by Zijuan. As she walked, she seemed to drift away with the wind, displaying exceptional grace.

Chu Yan doesn't plan to bother her for the next couple of days, letting her adjust first.

Human habits are terrifying. Once you get used to something, even if it's very uncomfortable, you will gradually accept it and become dependent on it.

……

After seeing Daiyu, Chu Yan went to the front hall to review memorials.

He returned to the inner palace after midnight and learned from the palace maids that Yuan Chun was waiting for him in the east side room.

"Where does Miss Lin live?"

"They lived in the west wing."

Chu Yan nodded and walked into the east bedroom, only to find Yuan Chun asleep on the low table on the soft couch, with Bao Qin also dozing off beside her. She was startled awake when she heard the noise.

"His Majesty!"

Baoqin hurriedly stood up, her face flushed, and then tried to shake the Empress awake.

"No need."

Chu Yan called out to her and walked over. He glanced at Jia Yuanchun, who was sleeping peacefully, and saw that her round and noble face looked even more adorable in the candlelight.

Chu Yan chuckled, reached out and gently stroked her beautiful face, then hugged her and lifted her up by the waist.

Jia Yuanchun slowly opened her eyes. Seeing him, her gaze was still somewhat hazy. She softly called out, "Your Majesty..."

"You can continue sleeping."

Chu Yan carried her into the east bedroom, and said to Baoqin and the others, "You should go back to sleep too."

I will abstain from sex tonight.

Baoqin pursed her lips, her expression a mixture of grievance and regret. If she hadn't fallen asleep, she could have served the emperor again tonight…

Unfortunately, she and the Empress had bathed and dressed in the afternoon, preparing to serve the Emperor, but they missed it because they were tired from just returning to the palace.

"His Majesty!"

After Yuan Chun was placed on the bed, her ample buttocks pressed against the mattress, and her eyes gradually cleared. She hurriedly said, "This concubine will help Your Majesty undress."

"No need, you can continue sleeping. You don't need to serve me tonight; we'll sleep together."

Chu Yan smiled, casually took off his clothes, and then helped Jia Yuanchun, who was lying on the bed, to untie her belt. In a few quick movements, he transformed her into a white sheep wearing only a lotus-patterned bodice.

After getting into bed, he held Yuan Chun in his arms and asked her, "Are you tired after coming back today?"

Yuan Chun nestled in his arms and softly replied, "I have just returned from home and may be a little tired, which may have upset Your Majesty... Please, Your Majesty, punish me."

Her voice trembled with shyness, a sentiment typical of a woman confined to her quarters, not an admission of guilt.

Chu Yan reached into the lotus flower, hugged her from behind, and laughed, "I won't punish you tonight. I'll teach you a lesson another day. Go to sleep early. Tomorrow you should visit Miss Lin. I'm afraid she might be thinking something."

Yuan Chun nestled softly in his arms, not minding him mentioning Lin Daiyu. Right now, she and His Majesty were like a married couple discussing matters in bed, whispering intimately in the quiet of the night.

"Your Majesty~" Yuan Chun turned her head and kissed his face, her voice becoming increasingly gentle: "I stayed at home for four days. At first, I had a pleasant conversation with my grandmother and mother, sharing our affection for each other. But after less than two days, I missed Your Majesty and wanted to return to the palace."

Chu Yan lowered his head and, by the sliver of moonlight filtering through the window, saw the emotional look on Yuan Chun's face.

Last year, Yuan Chun returned home to visit her family and was reluctant to leave her maiden home, but now she takes the initiative to want to return to the palace.

In comparison, while Chu Yan's vigor and strength certainly played a part, it was also his slight leniency towards Yuan Chun that made her, who had been tense for ten years, quickly fall in love with him.

Yuan Chun had always been dignified and virtuous in the palace, strictly adhering to palace etiquette. However, when Chu Yan entered the palace, he kicked away the people who had been above her, such as the retired emperor, the empress dowager, the emperor, the empress, and the old concubine. He then allowed her to temporarily manage the harem, gave her his trust, allowed her to act freely, and told her to go home and stay for a few days.

Yuan Chun then unleashed her true nature and became very dependent on him.

Chu Yan smiled, lowered his head and kissed her lips, "So it was my beloved concubine who wanted it after being away for four days. I'm so sorry for being so insensitive. Here's a pillow for you, lie down comfortably!"

Yuan Chun's face flushed red. She sat up shyly, brushed her fallen hair aside, and bit her lip with a shy smile: "Your Majesty has been working hard reviewing memorials until the second watch of the night. How can I let Your Majesty get tired again? Please, Your Majesty, lie down."

Chu Yan laughed, then lay down, using the high pillow as a pillow, to admire Yuan Chun's delicate and charming appearance at this moment.

She couldn't figure it out, but Chu Yan didn't help her. He watched as she blushed and tried little by little, exclaiming in surprise and confusion, and then gradually sighing with satisfaction.

"Your Majesty, is this how I feel?"

Yuan Chun reached out her hand to him, and Chu Yan reached out and clasped her fingers tightly, laughing, "You can go even faster."

"This is already the fastest I have ever been."

Yuan Chun shook her head, her speech unclear, and she sobbed just like Lin Daiyu during the day.

After a long while, she finally nestled in Chu Yan's arms, her round, noble face covered in sweat. Chu Yan reached out and stroked her burning face before lowering his head to kiss her.

A moment later, Yuan Chun lay down, her eyes captivating.

(End of this chapter)