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

Chapter 169 A Visit to the Grand View Garden: Yihong Courtyard

Chu Yan finally entered the Grand View Garden.

The main gate of the garden faces south, with five main rooms. The old woman on duty came out of the room and stood by the wall with her head down.

Chu Yan ignored it, looked up and saw that the view was blocked by the green screen mountain as soon as he entered the garden, so he laughed and said, "What a fine screen wall."

The Emerald Screen Mountain in this garden is designed in imitation of the screen wall of a courtyard, so that people will not see the entire garden view as soon as they enter the gate.

Baochai looked at it and smiled, "I heard that this garden was planned and built by an old gentleman named Shanziye, whom Lord Zheng invited."

"Miss Bao is indeed very knowledgeable," Chu Yan praised.

Xiangyun quickly replied, "That's right! There's nothing in the world that Sister Bao doesn't understand!"

Chu Yan laughed. Xiangyun was truly a little fan of Baochai.

So, leading Tan Chun, Bao Qin, Qing He, and several other girls, they walked to the right along the wide road. When they reached the fork in the road, Chu Yan asked, "Which way does this lead?"

Qinghe turned his head and laughed, "Your Majesty has never visited the garden, yet you know where the attractions are. Your Majesty is truly omniscient."

"Hey?"

Xiangyun realized what was happening and looked at her brother, the emperor, with a puzzled expression.

Chu Yan smiled and said, "I know that Lin Daiyu lives in Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Baochai lives in Hengwu Garden, and Yun'er is the most pitiful, having nowhere to live."

Xiangyun giggled and said in a coquettish voice, "Your Majesty, you've misunderstood. I'm not a member of the Jia family, so how could I stay in their garden for long? I only came to Third Sister's house to play and stay for a few days before."

Tan Chun laughed and said, "Sister Yun doesn't just stay for a few days. Once, she threw a tantrum and stayed for a full three months!"

Xiangyun blushed.

Qinghe looked on in surprise, while Baochai covered her mouth and laughed, "Yun'er actually has a temper? That's true, apart from Yun'er, no one else has such a big temper, enough to stay at someone else's house for three months."

Chu Yan smiled, he had guessed it.

Xiangyun quickly replied, "That was all when I was little. And I'm not the only one living here. Sister Bao has been living here for several years!"

Baochai was speechless for a moment, Baoqin blushed, and Tanchun was even more at a loss for words.

Chu Yan raised his hand and pinched Xiangyun's face. "You silly girl, how can you say such things in front of people? You have never lived under someone else's roof, but your older sisters all live in the Jia family. If your words reach your sister Lin's ears, she will be sad again."

Xiangyun was straightforward and outspoken. She hadn't thought of these things before, but now that she heard them, she felt embarrassed.

Baochai smiled and said, "Yun'er is always like this. Our family came here to seek refuge with relatives, and we are very grateful to Third Sister's family for taking us in."

Tan Chun said, “Why do you say such things, Sister Bao? Putting aside our kinship, we are now living in the Emperor’s palace, so there’s no need to mention that.”

Baoqin also sighed and looked at Chu Yan. Wang Xuanzhu then said, "We are all imperial concubines, so let's not distinguish between your family and mine anymore."

"They are all my beloved concubines. Come, my concubines, follow me!"

Chu Yan randomly chose a road and casually remarked.

When Baochai, Xiangyun, and the others heard the term "beloved concubine" again, they were still somewhat shy. Princess Qinghe quickly caught up with him and took his arm, which made them all look at her with surprise. They wondered when the princess had become so bold.

Xiangyun remembered what His Majesty had just said, but she didn't dare to bring it up again. Looking ahead, she laughed again: "That's the road to Yihong Courtyard, where Brother Bao lives!"

Baochai quickly gave her a meaningful look, telling her to mention Jia Baoyu less.

Xiangyun then realized what was happening and quickly grabbed Chu Yan: "Brother Emperor, no one lives in Yihong Courtyard anymore, only Sister Xiren and the maids live there. Let's go over there and sit in Sister Lin's room for a while!"

Chu Yan said, "What's so shameful about the Yihong Courtyard?"

Xiangyun stamped her foot in frustration. She was just making trouble for herself and shouldn't have said those things.

Chu Yan smiled and took her hand, feeling the soft and warm touch of Yun Meimei's small hand. He said, "I suppose you and the sister Xiren you mentioned are close. Let's go sit there for a while."

Xiangyun had no choice but to obediently follow, and together with Sister Bao and the others, they arrived at the front of Yihong Courtyard.

The gate to the Yihong Courtyard was ajar. In order not to disturb the emperor's enjoyment, the eunuchs and maids followed behind and did not go up to knock on the door.

"Sister Xiren, I've come to see you! Come out and greet me!"

Xiangyun went in first and called out. Three maids were sitting under the eaves making knots. When they saw her come in, they all stood up and were about to speak when they saw a tall and burly man walk in. They were so frightened that they hurriedly tried to back away.

Baochai laughed and said, "Why are you little maids hiding? You don't even know to kneel and greet the Emperor when he arrives."

The maids only then realized what was happening and hurriedly knelt down again.

"No need," Chu Yan waved his hand and asked them their names and ages.

Of the maids mentioned in Dream of the Red Chamber, he only remembered Lin Hongyu and Liu Wu'er. Since none of them were mentioned, he let it go and didn't ask any further.

At this moment, several beautiful maids rushed out of the main room, intending to kneel and greet him, but Chu Yan declined.

Looking closely at them, they were indeed more beautiful and had a better temperament than the maids outside. In particular, there was a maid with an oval face and her head down. She had the most slender waist and her eyebrows were slightly delicate, like Lin Daiyu.

Chu Yan guessed her identity, chuckled, and led Xiangyun and the others into the house.

The second-class maids in the Grand View Garden were unsure whether to follow, until Xiangyun beckoned to them, at which point they entered the room. They stood in a line, heads bowed and eyes lowered.

Xiangyun looked around the room and asked, "Where is Sister Xiren?"

One of them hurriedly replied, "Xiren hasn't returned yet; she's probably busy with something outside."

After Chu Yan sat down, he glanced again at the maid whose eyebrows and eyes resembled Lin Daiyu's. She was still half-lowering her head, her lips painted with rouge, and her lips were small and delicate like shells, making one want to taste them.

Her fingers were intertwined, revealing her inner turmoil. Furthermore, her long fingernails, painted with vermilion, made her appear even more alluring.

"What are your names?" Chu Yan asked with a smile.

She glanced over quickly, then lowered her head again.

Seeing that no one answered for a moment, she stood up and said, "The old lady called me Magpie, and later Master Bao named me Qingwen."

It really was her, one of the most flamboyant maids in Dream of the Red Chamber!

Chu Yan remained calm and asked again, "Do you still remember your real name?"

Musk Moon and the others all looked at her, and Qingwen said, "I don't remember."

Chu Yan laughed and said, "You really don't remember?"

Qingwen initially thought the emperor was just asking casually, so she gave a casual answer. But when he pressed her for details, she couldn't help but look at him suspiciously.

Chu Yan met Qingwen's gaze and saw that her eyes were as black as lacquer, bright and spirited, extremely lively. Through those eyes, one could tell that she must be eloquent and articulate.

"Perhaps my surname is Lin, but I don't remember." Qingwen lowered her head again and replied, "I have a cousin who lives in the mansion, and that's how he knows my surname."

Chu Yan nodded, then asked the others, but didn't ask their surnames.

Musk Moon, Autumn Pattern, Jade Mark, and the rest of the people were not there.

Looking at Qingwen and the others, Chu Yan had an idea in mind, but hadn't decided yet. He turned to Baoqin and smiled, "Sister Qin, you haven't found a place to live yet. How about moving here?"

Qingwen and the others looked over, secretly wondering if Miss Qin would become the future young lady of the Grand View Garden. If she moved in, it would be better than now; they could simply serve Baoqin without any backing.

Baoqin hurriedly said, "This is the best residence in the entire garden besides the main hall. It should be called Consort Qin or Princess. I am too young to live in such a big place."

Qinghe laughed and said, "I can stay anywhere."

Baoqin, however, still declined.

Seeing that she was unwilling to stay there, Chu Yan did not force her. He first looked at the entire garden, then at the Ningguo Mansion, and finally decided where they would stay.

After sitting for a while, Chu Yan stood up and said to Qingwen and the others, "There is a banquet tonight. You should go with Ping'er and Xiren. I won't keep you any longer. You can talk to Xiren when she gets back."

Xiangyun smiled and said, "On behalf of Sister Xiren, I thank Your Majesty!"

If it weren't for Xiren, and only Ping'er, they might have thought the emperor wanted to favor them, just like Ping'er. But with Xiren, they mistakenly thought it was a favor bestowed on Xiangyun, thus benefiting them as well.

Chu Yan smiled, offered no explanation, and led them outside.

After Qingwen and the others expressed their gratitude, they saw him out the door.

(End of this chapter)