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

Chapter 168 Li Wan, You Shi

Wang Xifeng did not accompany the emperor to the garden.

Logically, as the young wife in charge, she should be serving the emperor on behalf of the old lady and the madam. She is also familiar with the affairs of the garden and can immediately carry out any orders the emperor gives.

but.

Just now in Rongxi Hall, the emperor would look at her with a seemingly casual glance. Every time he looked at her, it would make her heart flutter, as if he could see through her body and see the undergarment she was wearing!
Therefore, as soon as the emperor said the party was over, she hurriedly returned with the old lady and had the girls accompany him to stroll in the garden.

Yuan Chun, Li Wan, and Jia Lan returned to Grandmother Jia's courtyard. As everyone sat down, Jia Lan, the only remaining male in the household, became the darling of all the women. Grandmother Jia had barely sat down when she beckoned Jia Lan over, smiling kindly as she asked him:

"How is Lan'er doing in the palace? Come and sit here."

This was the first time Li Wan had seen her son sitting next to the old lady. In the past, the old lady was always accompanied by Daiyu, Baochai, Baoqin and her sisters, or Baoyu.

She felt a mix of emotions, both happy and heartbroken, and though she wanted to wipe away her tears, she held them back.

After everyone sat for a while, Yuan Chun smiled and said, "Grandma, are you tired? There are many things to do today to welcome the Emperor."

Grandmother Jia smiled at her and said, "There are far fewer formalities than when you visited your family last time. Last year we waited all day, but this time it was less than half a day before the Emperor dismissed us."

Yuan Chun's noble and beautiful face showed a look of emotion: "His Majesty has always been kind to us and has exempted us from many rules whenever possible. The young ladies have entered the palace several times and know this."

Yingchun, Xiuyan, and Xuanzhu were all present, but Xichun had never been to the palace.

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Since you are tired, go back and rest. We will have the banquet later."

As everyone was about to get up and take their leave, Lady Wang suddenly said to Li Wan, "Since Lan'er has been pardoned by the Emperor, you should no longer go to the palace. Stay at home and raise Lan'er with peace of mind."

Everyone looked at Li Wan, who was standing behind Madam Wang, but did not answer immediately, her expression seemingly somewhat ashamed.

Madam Wang continued, "Now only the young ladies live in the garden. The Emperor is staying in the main hall. I heard from Yun that we need to find a house for Miss Qin and Miss Xing. You should give up your Daoxiang Village and move back to your original place."

Li Wan remained silent, unable to think of a good answer.

She absolutely did not want to move out of the garden!
Since becoming a widow, she has been stuck in a limbo in the Jia family, having to carefully observe the conduct of a widow every day. She even sleeps without drawing the curtains, for fear that others will think she is secretly weeping and grieving, or having any complaints or grievances.

After moving into the garden, she finally got a chance to breathe, away from the old lady and her mother-in-law, and lived in Daoxiang Village, where she created her own little world.

Now that her wife is asking her to move out again, how could she possibly agree?
Looking at Jia Lan, Li Wan had an idea in mind, so she said with a smile, "Madam, Lan'er is used to living in Daoxiang Village. I'm afraid he won't sleep well if we move him to another place."

Lady Wang said unhappily, "What's there to be uncomfortable about? You'll get used to it after a few more days. The emperor lives in the main hall, and you, a mere woman, are living inside? What kind of behavior is that?"

Wang Xifeng glanced at her sister-in-law, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

The emperor sent Ping'er to deliver a verbal order, instructing her to embroider a bellyband. This suggests that the emperor intended to summon her to sleep with him. Given that her sister-in-law had entered the palace several times, could it be that... she had already served the emperor in his chambers?

Everyone was watching. It was only natural for a mother-in-law to reprimand her daughter-in-law. How could she possibly defend herself?
Li Wan had no way to express her grievances. With her head half-lowered, she could only say, "Madam, I'm afraid this is inappropriate."

Madam Wang looked at her, somewhat puzzled. This daughter-in-law...

Grandmother Jia said, "If she doesn't want to, don't force her. Let her stay in the garden and teach Lan'er."

Lady Wang still refused. She couldn't argue about other things, but Li Wan was her daughter-in-law, and it was up to her, the mother-in-law, to manage her.

Just as he was about to speak, a maidservant rushed in: "Granny Zhao from the palace has arrived!"

No one knew who Granny Zhao was. There were countless eunuchs and female officials in the mansion, but anyone who came to see them alone had to stand up to greet them.

Wang Xifeng, with her sharp eyes, noticed that Yingchun, Xiuyan, Xichun, and the others were about to get up, so she quickly told them to sit down and said with a smile, "According to the rules set by Miss Bao, you don't need to get up to greet them."

The three of them then sat down, feeling embarrassed.

One of them was timid and indecisive, another was easygoing, and the third was aloof and indifferent; none of them accompanied the emperor to the garden.

As for Wang Xuanzhu, it's not advisable for her to go along.

A moment later, Granny Zhao came in, first bowing to the young ladies with a smile, before asking, "Which one is Lady Li?"

Many people may not know who the Palace Judge is, but there is only one person with the surname Li.

Li Wan quickly stepped forward: "That's me. I didn't know you were looking for me, Granny..."

"I've come to convey His Majesty's decree," said Granny Zhao solemnly.

Everyone's faces turned solemn, and they quickly stood up. After they were ready, Granny Zhao continued:

"His Majesty has summoned Consort Li to his bedchamber tonight."

A seemingly casual remark carried immense weight in everyone's ears!
Li Wan's elegant and virtuous face turned completely red. She should have been a widow, but at this moment her cheeks were flushed with shyness, as if a thousand charms were emanating from her eyebrows, and spring passion was everywhere.

Lady Wang was speechless.

Wang Xifeng's eyes widened, and she thought to herself, "So that's how it is. No wonder the Emperor showed mercy to my sister-in-law and pardoned her son!"

Aunt Xue had come to keep him company, but she never expected to hear such a shocking story: on his very first night, the emperor did not favor the young ladies, but instead summoned a widowed woman to serve him in bed!
She suddenly remembered that when she was in front of the Jia family's gate, the emperor looked at her and asked who she was. Could it be that he had already taken a liking to her...

"Amitabha Buddha, absolutely not!"

Aunt Xue was inwardly groaning, but without realizing it, a blush crept onto her face.

Zhao Mama said, "Li Shi, accept the imperial decree."

Li Wan then came to her senses and was about to kneel down when she looked at the old lady. Seeing that she hadn't said anything, she looked at her mistress, who was also silent and looked very unpleasant.

That's it.

From that moment on, she was probably no longer Jia's daughter-in-law.

"Your Majesty, I receive the imperial decree..."

Li Wan was about to kneel down, but Zhao Mama helped her up and said with a smile, "The palace has issued an imperial edict that there is no need for kneeling. In the evenings, palace maids will come to serve Your Highness when you bathe and change. May I ask where Your Highness is staying?"

She changed her tune very quickly.

Li Wan blushed and whispered, "I live in Daoxiang Village in the garden."

Zhao Mama nodded and smiled, "Daoxiang Village? I remember. When His Majesty holds a banquet tonight, Your Highness can take your leave halfway through, bathe and change, and then wait in His Majesty's palace. As for other matters, Your Highness need not worry about them. Just wait to receive His Majesty's favor tonight."

As he spoke, he glanced at the people inside the room, seemingly casually, and left without saying anything more.

Everyone was left looking at each other.

Seeing Li Wan blushing, Yuan Chun quickly said, "Grandma, Madam, there's nothing we can do about it. His Majesty is very fond of your figure and appearance, so he summoned you to serve him in bed... This should be a good thing!"

Even if they were unwilling, if the emperor summoned them, they and others would still have to congratulate him.

The emperor bestowed his favor, saying "fortunately."

Li Wan blushed. Her son was still there and didn't quite understand what they were saying. He asked, "Mother, does His Majesty want you to sleep with him tonight?" This made Li Wan even more embarrassed. Grandmother Jia quickly said, "Yuanyang, take Lan'er to the room to play. Lan'er will sleep with me tonight. You don't need to go home."

Jia Lan thought it best to avoid his widowed mother, who was summoned by the emperor for his favor.
After Jia Lan was taken away, Grandmother Jia looked at her granddaughter-in-law with a complicated expression and sighed, "What the eldest maid said is right. It is a good thing for us servants to receive the emperor's favor. You are still young and beautiful. You have suffered these years of widowhood. Now the emperor is merciful and has bestowed favor on the Jia family. There is also an imperial edict summoning you to receive the favor. You can go with peace of mind. There is nothing else to do at home."

As she spoke, Grandmother Jia glared at Lady Wang, signaling her to be quiet.

Lady Wang looked displeased, but she dared not disobey the imperial decree.

Seeing this, Li Wan felt a strange sense of pleasure. Thinking of Qin Keqing's farewell visit last time, she also bowed to Grandmother Jia and said in a low voice, "I am an unfilial granddaughter-in-law. I am afraid that I will not be able to serve by your side in the future. I will also find it difficult to pay my respects to you and Madam again."

Lady Wang asked, "You've been made a concubine?"

Being summoned to serve the emperor in bed does not necessarily mean being made a concubine, and Li Wan's words now indicate that she is bidding them farewell.

Seeing this, Yuan Chun could no longer hide it and said, "My sister-in-law has entered the palace several times and met His Majesty a few times in my palace. His Majesty once said that he wanted to make my sister-in-law a concubine."

Madam Wang's expression changed. Her daughter-in-law suddenly became terrifying. She was no longer the daughter-in-law serving her, but a concubine from the palace!
When she returns to the Rongguo Mansion, everyone must kneel to welcome her!

At this moment, Madam Wang didn't even dare to say anything sarcastic. She should have realized that her daughter-in-law's repeated visits to the palace were because she had climbed the social ladder and received the emperor's favor!

Li Wan gradually calmed down. Since the emperor was no longer hiding the matter, she would just sever ties with her former identity, just like Qin Keqing.

"Madam," Li Wan said softly, "from now on, I will no longer be able to come and pay my respects to you."

From then on, it was Lady Wang who should kneel before her.

The maids and servants inside the room secretly peeked out and saw that the lady's face was frighteningly pale. She must be feeling extremely aggrieved. While Bao Er Ye was in such a state, Li Wan had remarried the emperor with her son.

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "This is only right. We should be giving up our seats for the young ladies now."

Wang Xifeng also cracked a joke, and the atmosphere in the room improved considerably.

Li Wan did not linger and returned to Daoxiang Village after bidding farewell.

The transition from Jia family daughter-in-law to imperial concubine was not something she could accept as quickly as Qin Keqing. At this moment, her mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts, but ultimately only one thing remained:

Tonight I will go and serve the emperor.

There was nothing else that she needed to worry about.

……

Meanwhile, Qin Keqing returned to Ningguo Mansion with her former mother-in-law, Madam You, all smiles. The maids and servants of the entire mansion rushed to greet her, bowing and shouting, "Greetings, Consort Qin!"

"Rise, all of you. There's no need for such formalities."

A gentle smile appeared on Qin Keqing's bright and charming face. Unlike before, she had now accepted her current status as an empress.

Ruizhu and Zhuzhu, who followed behind, were also smiling. The Empress's return to Ningguo Mansion was like a triumphant homecoming, how magnificent!

The former mother-in-law, Madam You, is now willingly humbled and obsequious, speaking to her with a smile.

Qin Keqing treated her with great respect, and Madam You was flattered and hurriedly invited her to come back to her room to sit for a while.

"Which room does Grandma live in now?"

Qin Keqing noticed that the place she was being taken to was remote, so she asked curiously.

Madam You smiled and said, "Times have changed. I am already fortunate to be able to live in three small flower halls. I have no daughters or sisters in the palace, and I only have some old friendship with the Empress. So Yun'er asked me to manage the household with the Shi family and the Wang family's wives, and we barely make ends meet."

Qin Keqing hurriedly asked, "Is Madam short of money? I have several hundred taels of silver in my room, please give it to Madam."

"Absolutely not!"

Madam You hurriedly declined, saying with shame, "I am already fortunate to have the position of housekeeper. Now that Tan'er has taken over as housekeeper, I don't know how long I can stay in this position. I am really worried."

She looked at Qin Keqing with a complicated expression.

Now that she has lost her man and become a widow, Qin Keqing has dumped Jia Rong and entered the palace to comfortably become a concubine.

Even if the Jia family did not fall into ruin, she would be unable to move an inch without her husband's support. After much thought, she realized that the only person she could rely on was her former daughter-in-law.

Fortunately, he treated her well back then and never mistreated her, so the two of them still have some friendship.

Qin Keqing held her hand and smiled, "Don't worry, Grandma, as long as I'm here, I won't let you down... Besides."

She looked Lady You up and down, her eyes brimming with seductive charm: "Madam is still young, the Emperor might not necessarily not take a liking to you."

As if burned by a red-hot iron, Madam You hurriedly shook off her hand.

Qin Keqing covered her face with a round fan, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

After a long while, Madam You sighed and said, "I'm already like this, so please don't try to joke with me."

Qin Keqing smiled and said, "Although it was a joke, it was somewhat genuine. It depends on what you think, Madam."

Seeing that she wasn't joking, Madam You hurriedly declined again: "I'm already thirty, why should I think about these things? I haven't slept with your former father-in-law in a long time. He only dotes on a few young women. It's clear that men don't like someone like me..."

Qin Keqing seemed to be deep in thought. "Peifeng, are your two concubines, Xie Yuan and the others, still alive?"

“They’re all here. After they lost their men, they complained all day long. I got annoyed with them, so I sent them to look after the garden.”

Qin Keqing chatted with her for a while longer, and seeing that You Shi wanted to remain a widow and be a virtuous woman, she said no more.

She wasn't a wanton woman deliberately trying to make You Shi an adulterous concubine; rather, seeing that His Majesty was interested in the entire Jia family, she told You Shi to be prepared, regardless of whether it would work out or not.

Because her former mother-in-law was Jia Zhen's second wife, she was still young, beautiful, and had a certain womanly charm.

His Majesty may not make her a concubine, but he wouldn't mind summoning her to serve him in bed.

Even if Lady You cannot become a concubine, she can still live peacefully in this mansion after serving the emperor, without worrying about being forced out.

Since she was unwilling, Qin Keqing didn't say anything more. If the emperor came to Ningguo Mansion for a visit and happened to be in the mood to summon You Shi to serve him in bed, she would have to go no matter how unwilling she was.

After Qin Keqing sat for a while, the wives and grandmothers of the Shi and Wang families came to pay their respects. There was not enough room for everyone in the room, so Qin Keqing said, "Let's go to Tianxiang Tower to rest for a while, and then go there when the banquet starts tonight."

Lady Wang Ziteng smiled and said, "Let's do as Your Majesty says, let's go."

The group went to Tianxiang Tower.

This place was originally where Jia Zhen used to drink and make merry, and Qin Keqing was very afraid to come here. But now she was sitting and chatting with the ladies and grandmothers with a smile.

Ningguo Mansion was now her emperor husband's temporary palace, and no one could bully her anymore.

Except for His Majesty~.

(End of this chapter)