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

Chapter 173 A Visit to the Grand View Garden: Xiaoxiang Pavilion (Part 2)

After returning to the main hall and sitting down, Zijuan and Xueyan came to pour tea, while Xiren and Yuchuan stood by.

Chu Yan took a sip of tea from Xiaoxiang Pavilion and asked Daiyu, "How come Yuchuan is with you?"

Upon hearing this, Daiyu became even more puzzled, and looked at him with a half-smile: "If Yuchuan isn't with me, where else could she be?"

Chu Yan smiled but remained silent.

Seeing this, Baochai said, "Some time ago, Yuchuan was serving Madam, but later she came to Daiyu's room for some reason."

Yu Chuan stood to the side with her head slightly lowered, not interrupting to say anything more.

Chu Yan nodded, having figured out what had happened, and said to Yu Chuan, "Fortunately, Lin Meimei took you in, otherwise you would have been kicked out."

Yu Chuan then said, "I am also grateful to Miss Lin."

After thinking for a moment, Daiyu wanted to say that Baoyu was wrong about Jin Chuan, but then she thought that he was older and she was the younger sister, so how could she say that to him?
Besides, even if she and Baoyu had a secret affair, it had nothing to do with each other. He was no one to her, so she had no reason to speak up for him.

If she tells others, they might suspect her.

Chu Yan smiled and said, "When I entered the palace, I gave some of the concubines a choice: whether to stay or leave. The same applies to you. Apart from Qingwen and Xiangling, I will also grant you the favor of choosing whether to stay or leave."

Xiangyun was immediately delighted upon hearing this, but when she looked at Xiren, she noticed that they weren't particularly happy.

Daiyu smiled and said, "Zijuan and Xueyan, aren't you going to thank the Emperor? He has granted you permission to go out and choose a good husband."

Zijuan complained, "I thanked His Majesty but not you, Miss. You know perfectly well that I don't want to go out!"

Xiangyun quickly smiled and said, "Since you don't want to go out, does that mean you want to go to the palace with Sister Lin to serve the emperor?"

Zijuan blushed, and Daiyu, upon hearing this, also glared shyly at the girl named Yun!
Everyone laughed, and Chu Yan couldn't help but look at the two of them. From now on, Sister Yun's husband and Sister Lin's husband would be the same person, and that would be him.

Xiren hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I also do not wish to leave the manor. I will remain here to serve... I am willing to serve whomever you wish, and I will leave it to Your Majesty and the ladies to decide!"

Chu Yan nodded: "The imperial decree will not be issued soon, so you should stay at the manor for now."

He currently wants to take Qingwen and Xiangling in, but he might keep the others if they have any outstanding qualities or suit his taste.

Commonly known as the selection of imperial concubines.

After they finished speaking, Zijuan, Xueyan, Xiren, and Yuchuan formally came forward to express their gratitude.

Whether they go out or not, it is all thanks to the Emperor's grace.

Seeing that they had nothing more to say, Chu Yan asked Zijuan, "How has your young lady been lately?"

Baochai and the others looked over, and Daiyu stood up and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty, but I am feeling well."

Chu Yan laughed and said, "I didn't ask you, I asked your Zijuan."

Daiyu stared at him for a while before reluctantly sitting down, secretly wondering why he asked Zijuan directly instead of her.

Zijuan replied with a smile, "Miss is still the same as before, taking her medicine once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once before bed, and drinking a bowl of bird's nest porridge every day. Her health is still the same as before, not good, but not bad either. With His Majesty the Emperor taking special care of her, Miss can still take her medicine."

The next sentence seemed to be about something else, or perhaps it was just a common compliment. Daiyu wanted to express her anger but couldn't.

Princess Qinghe was somewhat surprised to hear this and hurriedly asked, "Does Miss Lin take medicine three times a day?"

Daiyu said, "I have been taking medicine since I was a child, when I was just learning to eat, and I have never stopped taking it for a single day."

Baochai laughed and said, "Pinya is truly a sickly beauty raised in a medicine pot."

Chu Yanchao smiled and said to Daiyu, "Did you see how your Zijuan replied? How does it compare to you?"

Daiyu was touched and stood up again: "Thank you for your concern. I am feeling a little better than before."

She knew the reason and guessed it; Chu Yan must have guessed the reason as well.

Because Baoyu was not around, although she cried several times, she gradually recovered and no longer had to worry about it every day, so she was better than before.

Unbeknownst to her, Chu Yan had another thought: perhaps the Crimson Pearl Fairy no longer needed to repay her tears, and that's why her illness was gradually improving.

Chu Yan originally wanted to give her some elixirs to help her recover and prevent her from being sickly every day, so that she could enjoy his favor in the future. However, with Fairy Jiangzhu around, it was better not to give her any elixirs.

Even if you give it to them, it doesn't necessarily mean they can cure the disease.

After sitting for a while, Chu Yan stood up and said to Daiyu, "You should rest now. Someone will come to invite you to a banquet this evening, Zijuan."

He summoned Zijuan separately and instructed her, "If your young lady needs anything, she can go to the storeroom to withdraw it. The other young ladies can do the same. There's no need to ask Tanchun for money again. Tanchun, just have someone keep the accounts."

They couldn't spend money freely in the palace, but the Ning and Rong mansions had relatively independent treasuries, so they could use more.

Tan Chun smiled and said, "If the sisters in the garden ask me, I wouldn't dare refuse."

Chu Yan said, "It'll save you trouble. Besides, your sister Lin is shy, she'd be too embarrassed to ask you."

Daiyu smiled and said, "It's kind of you to go to such lengths for us."

She was a suspicious person, and hearing Chu Yan think of her again made her even more doubtful, but she couldn't find any problem. He had spoken to Zijuan in front of everyone, without hiding it from them.

Chu Yan slowly took two steps outside, then suddenly stopped and said to Zijuan, "If your young lady wants to see Miss Yun's second brother, tell me quietly."

Everyone was puzzled for a moment, but Daiyu immediately understood his meaning. Her eyes, filled with tears and a hint of embarrassment and anger, turned to Xiangyun and said, "Your emperor brother is indeed domineering. He tells people to their faces that they are not allowed to associate with others, and he even tries to turn the maids in their rooms against them!" Zijuan then realized what he meant and felt very embarrassed. Should she listen to her mistress or obey the imperial decree?
Chu Yan smiled; after all, she was Lin Daiyu, and immediately understood his intention.

Xiangyun complained, "You all have to talk your way out of this, why drag me into it? You're always talking about your Miss Yun and your Emperor brother, why are you pulling me into this? Can't you just say it to their faces?"

Everyone laughed.

Chu Yan took Xiangyun's hand and said with a smile, "I apologize to Yun'er!" He then kissed her cheek and lips.

Daiyu turned around and walked back in embarrassment, saying, "Hurry up and leave, don't defile my elegant place of listening to bamboo!"

"He insisted on coming!" Xiangyun's face turned bright red. She tried to get away, but Chu Yan pulled her out again.

Baochai observed this and pondered it in her heart. Along the way, the emperor kissed Baoqin, Yingchun, and Xiuyan. Apart from Xiuyan, who was there to "stamp" her name, the others left no trace. Baoqin's words seemed to suggest jealousy, while Yingchun was simply waiting in front of her house when the emperor hugged and kissed her.

She, Qinghe, and Tanchun were never favored by the emperor.

Looking at the emperor's tall figure and Xiangyun, who was being held in his arms and kissed on the veranda, Baochai sighed softly. Could it be that who is favored depends on the emperor's mood?

The three chatted idly nearby. When Xueyan saw this, she blushed and went back to tell the girl.

Daiyu came out to take another look and saw the emperor holding Yun'er in his arms and kissing her under the covered walkway of her Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Baochai and the other two ignored it and stood aside to wait.

"Aren't you ashamed, Yun girl!"

Daiyu covered her face with a handkerchief and whispered to Baochai and the others, asking them to find a way to separate the two.

"Shhh."

Qinghe made a gesture and whispered, "Disturbing the Emperor's enjoyment will likely result in punishment..."

She grew up in the palace and held it in great awe. Even though the emperor had been her father and brother, she was taught by her elders not to easily disobey the emperor's will.

Tan Chun and Bao Chai both looked at Daiyu with expressions of helplessness.

Daiyu thought for a moment, glanced at the two embracing each other, turned around and went back. Soon she returned with Xueyan, who was carrying a birdcage that was hanging under the eaves.

She picked up a bamboo stick from the ground and gently tapped it on the birdcage. The parrot then jumped up and cried out, "Look at how spring ends and flowers fall; that's when beauty fades and death comes!"

The shout was so loud that it immediately startled Chu Yan and Xiang Yun. The two separated and turned to look at each other.

Daiyu had already thrown down the bamboo branch and fled back to Xiaoxiang Pavilion as fast as she could.

"That girl is naughty!"

Baochai smiled and pointed at her, pointing out who the mastermind was. The others couldn't help but laugh, but they were also a little worried that the emperor would be angry.

Fortunately, no.

Chu Yan smiled and released Xiangyun, whose face was flushed, saying, "I'll settle the score with Sister Lin another day."

With that, he pulled Xiangyun up and led Qinghe and the others away.

His words reached the room, and Daiyu smiled with her hands covering her mouth. Zijuan came in to serve tea and also smiled, saying, "Miss, you're not worried about being humiliated by the emperor."

Daiyu immediately tensed her face, feigning displeasure, "There's no escaping it now. I asked him to be lenient and let Baoyu come back, but who knows what other ways he'll secretly come up with to humiliate me!"

Zijuan smiled and said, "Wait another half an hour, the banquet should start tonight, so please get ready early, Miss."

Daiyu agreed, and Zijuan asked her, "Why didn't you apologize to Master Bao just now? Jin Chuan's death was, after all, related to him."

Daiyu sneered, "It was Baoyu's constant flirting with the maids that caused this. Why should I plead for him?"

Zijuan smiled and said, "Is the young lady trying to avoid suspicion?"

Daiyu remained silent.

Zijuan then asked, "Does the young lady know why Consort Qin's younger brother died?"

Daiyu exclaimed in surprise, "Is it also related to Baoyu?"

Zijuan sighed, "I don't know much about the inside story either. I heard that he and Zhineng were doing something shady in the mansion and were caught by someone. When Zhineng begged for forgiveness, she mentioned Master Bao and said something, but no one knows what really happened."

Daiyu remained silent for a long time, thinking that Baoyu was still with Jiang Yuhan in the military camp, and that Qin Zhong might also be related to him.

"I hope he will change his ways soon. Now that his home has been ransacked, if he doesn't come to his senses, I'm afraid no one will be able to help him..."

Daiyu said softly.

Zijuan nodded and went out to prepare her clothes and jewelry for the evening.

Half an hour later, a palace maid came to deliver a message that the Emperor was hosting a banquet at the Imperial Residence, inviting everyone from the Ning and Rong mansions to drink.

Daiyu, along with Zijuan, Xueyan, and Yuchuan, and her wet nurse, went out together towards the provincial villa. When they arrived at the archway, they saw that various colorful lanterns had been hung throughout the palace, waiting to be lit after nightfall.

Numerous maids, eunuchs, and palace maids were busy everywhere, making it even more lively than the New Year.

The women from both families came, including the Shi family, the Wang family, Aunt Xue, Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, Lady Xing, and others.

Then came the young wife Wang Xifeng, and the head maids Ping'er, Yuanyang, Xiren, Qingwen, and other girls. The beauties were all vying for attention. Before long, the emperor arrived, and the girls gathered around him, surrounded by jewels and jade, which only made him look more like a...tyrant!
(End of this chapter)