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

Chapter 206 Xing Xiangling (Part 2)
After they finished eating the fruit, Chu Yan sent them back: "I'm going to read a book for a while. You can do as you please. You can go sit in the east side room for a while before going back."

Baochai and the other two rose, bowed, and took their leave. Empress Zhang also rose from his embrace, her beautiful face showing a faint expression as she said, "I will return to the palace after I have dealt with those people."

Chu Yan glanced at her and instructed, "Miss Bao, go find a place for her to stay."

Baochai smiled and agreed.

Empress Zhang then said, "I will return to the palace first thing tomorrow morning."

Chu Yan laughed: "What are you messing with me about now?"

Qin Keqing noticed this and smiled, "His Majesty and the Empress haven't seen each other for many days, so he won't be summoning the Empress tonight."

Empress Zhang blushed, and Chu Yan nodded and smiled, "So that's what it is. It's a pity you're late. I've already arranged for Xiangling to serve me tonight, and it'll be your turn tomorrow."

Empress Zhang lowered her head to avoid eye contact and only said, "That's not what I think."

With that, she took Qinghe's hand and went out.

Xiangling's face was flushed. To keep his promise to her, His Majesty had postponed summoning the Empress...

Baochai and Keqing also left, lost in thought. Just now, Empress Zhang was held in the emperor's arms. Although her face was cold, she was already prepared to serve the emperor in bed. Afterwards, the emperor did not summon her, and she said those words in a fit of anger.

After they all left, Xiangling hesitated before stepping forward and said, "Your Majesty, tonight..."

Chu Yan said, "Don't worry about it. She won't blame you. Come here and continue fanning me. We'll have a meal later, and then we can go out for a walk when it cools down."

Xiangling had no choice but to go back to the bed and kneel down to fan herself.

Chu Yan held her soft waist in his arms, letting Xiangling lean against him, and asked her while reading, "What books has Xiangling read? Can you write poetry?"

He knew, of course, that Xiangling could write poetry.

After she answered, he smiled and said, "I'll go out during the day, and you can stay at home and read more poetry collections. In the future, when I ask the girls to compose poems and lyrics, you can be among them."

Xiangling smiled shyly and said, "I can't compare to the girls, I'm just playing around."

"Who isn't a playful child? Apart from a few talented women, none of us here can be called poets."

Upon hearing this, Xiangling quickly smiled and said, "The talented women Your Majesty mentioned are Miss Bao and Miss Lin? I know Miss Bao is quick-witted, and I've also heard that Miss Lin is skilled at composing poetry."

There was a distinction between inside and outside, and from then on, she would call Baochai "Miss Bao".

Chu Yan nodded and smiled, "If we add Qin, the others like Xiangyun and Tanchun would probably only be half-poets."

Xiangling listened, her mind wandering, lost in thought. She couldn't help but say, "When I have some free time that day, I'll definitely go and ask you, Miss, how to compose poetry!"

Chu Yan smiled, reached out and pinched her cheek, making Xiang Ling blush. Chu Yan then put his arm around her waist and said with a smile, "Xiang Ling, write a love poem for me to hear."

"Love poems? Your Majesty, you mean poems about love?"

Xiangling blushed and tried to express her feelings through poetry. What should she do?
Just as she was thinking, Yu Chuan returned. Xiang Ling was too embarrassed to write another poem, so she just gave a perfunctory reply.

Before long, it was dinner time. Chu Yan pulled Xiang Ling to the table, but didn't invite Yu Chuan or the opera singers who had just returned from their performance. Just as they started eating, Qing Wen returned.

After hearing her report, Chu Yan nodded: "You may go down and eat as well. I will eat with Xiangling tonight."

Qingwen was unaware that Xiangling was to be favored by the emperor that night. After glancing at her one last time, she returned to her room to eat with Yuchuan and Fangguan.

Xiangling drank some wine with Chu Yan, and after dinner and a short rest, Chu Yan went out with her again. Before leaving, he instructed Qingwen to prepare some hot water in the house at night.

"Your Majesty, may I stay to bathe and change...?" Xiangling blushed, thinking of the time when Li Wan was summoned to the emperor's bedchamber.

"No need, come walk with me, and we'll shower together tonight."

Chu Yan and she went out.

As they passed the hall on the right, the sharp-eyed Cuilu spotted him and quickly called the people inside out.

Xiangyun quickly came out and asked with a smile, "Did the Emperor and Xiangling go out for a stroll in the garden?"

Chu Yan nodded and said, "The weather will cool down after you eat. Go back and play."

As they were talking, Qinghe and Empress Zhang came out. Only then did Chu Yan learn that Empress Zhang was sleeping with Qinghe that night. The fact that the two sisters-in-law were sharing a bed made people's imaginations run wild, and he had an idea in mind.

Let’s put that aside for now.

As Chu Yan and Xiang Ling walked across Qin Fang Bridge, they saw a graceful and aloof woman. Her identity was revealed by the paddy field dress she wore. She stood on the stone path in front of Qing Tang Thatched Cottage, but did not come over. She only exchanged a glance with Chu Yan and Xiang Ling from a distance.

Xiangling laughed and said, "Miaoyu is a bit eccentric. I went to Longcui Nunnery a few times, but I only exchanged three sentences with her. It was only when Miss Bao went that she had more to say."

"I'll go visit her another day."

Chu Yan continued walking and soon arrived at Qin Fang Pavilion. As he stepped onto the pavilion, Xiang Ling finally realized what was happening and whispered, "Is His Majesty going to see Miss Lin?"

Chu Yan smiled but did not answer.

Xiangling didn't ask any more questions and obediently led the way, followed by seven or eight eunuchs and palace maids.

They soon arrived at Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Chu Yan raised his hand behind him, signaling his followers to stop, and he and Xiangling entered Xiaoxiang Pavilion together.

Ou Guan quickly spotted him and rushed inside to call for help. Zi Juan came out to greet him first, followed by the slender Lin Daiyu.

"Xiangling and I were strolling in the garden when we came here to sit for a while."

Chu Yan casually took Daiyu's hand and went into the house with her.

Still sitting under the moon-shaped window, the parrot stopped talking and closed its eyes to doze off.

Chu Yan sat down.

Daiyu refused to sit down, standing there with her head down, as if arguing with someone, holding her breath.

Chu Yan stared at her for a while, then chuckled and said, "Good sister, why don't you sit down? Are you practicing some kind of martial art, needing to practice your stance to strengthen your foundation, or are you preparing to uproot a few willow trees for fun?"

Daiyu sneered: "My surname isn't Lu. There's a man born from a lightning-struck tower who might just uproot a willow tree!"

She refused to sit and insisted on standing there. If Chu Yan were not the emperor, she would have had even more to say.

After a moment, Chu Yan said, "Actually, I came here specifically for Lin Daiyu. I know you have some grievances in your heart, and I was afraid that you would be angry and crying all night and wouldn't be able to sleep."

Daiyu finally looked up at him and believed the first half of his statement. She could also believe the second half, but she knew he harbored malicious intentions and had come with other thoughts.

She said, "That's strange. I don't know what grievances I could have. Your Majesty, please tell me."

Chu Yan sat in her chair, looked at her for a long time, and then shook his head: "I am not a mind reader like Lin Daiyu, I cannot fathom the depths of your heart."

Lin Daiyu undoubtedly has a temper, and her words can be sharp at times, not only towards Jia Baoyu, but also occasionally towards others.

For example, the conversations with Granny Li who urged others to drink, Zhou Rui who delivered palace flowers, and Hongyu who chatted with Zhuier at the Dripping Green Pavilion also serve as corroborating evidence.

But still the same sentence.

As long as a person is beautiful, everything they do is right. If a beautiful woman has a temper, then spend more time coaxing her.

However, Chu Yan waited for a while but still didn't hear her speak. He remained standing there, truly practicing his stance training.

“Please sit down!” he said.

Daiyu glanced at him again before sitting down.

She said slowly, "You came here because you were angry with me, but you didn't say why I was angry. Instead, you made things difficult for me. What can I say?"

Chu Yan sighed inwardly. It was only because he had conquered the world that he had this patience to spend time with Lin Daiyu on such romantic matters. He was far too slow.

Fortunately, he has some free time now.

So he said directly, "I told you that you call Xiren 'sister-in-law,' so why are you crying?"

Daiyu said, "The wind got into my eyes."

Chu Yan immediately stood up, startling Daiyu so much that she raised her hand to stop him, pitifully begging for mercy: "Good brother, please spare your sister this time!"

Daiyu subconsciously acted coquettishly and begged for forgiveness, calling him "good brother" in a soft and delicate voice that could melt a person's bones. No matter how angry one was, one had to soften in front of her.

Chu Yan sat down and instructed her, "If you get angry with me again, I'll put Lin Daiyu on my lap and hit her!"

Daiyu blushed, turned her head away, and whispered, "Does His Majesty regard Sister Yun as a concubine in the harem?"

"Of course!"

"Is it sincere?" She looked up at him.

Chu Yan smiled and said, "My feelings for Lin Daiyu are also sincere!"

Daiyu sneered, "His Majesty is just fond of women!"

Chu Yan laughed heartily, “What man in the world is not fond of women? Take Jia Baoyu, whom you know best, for example. Doesn’t he have a group of beautiful maids in his room, and he also has feelings for Ke Qing, and he’s also involved with Qin Zhong and that Qi Guan.”

Daiyu frowned, and after a long while, she sighed softly: "It's good that you think this way. Baoyu has indeed done some unsavory things at home, but the girls in the garden are all innocent."

Chu Yan then realized: "Are you worried that I'll look down on you? Don't worry, I know you're all virtuous and upright."

Daiyu felt relieved and didn't want to talk about the chaos in the manor anymore:
First, there was Leng Zixing revealing the girls' names; then there was Jia Zhen trying to take advantage of his daughter-in-law; then there was Baoyu, who was old but still fooling around in the inner quarters; and then there was Qin Zhong and Zhi Neng'er.

All those unpleasant things made her unwilling to mention them again. She had known a little about them in the past, but simply didn't want to get involved.

Chu Yan pointed out that Xi Ren had once served Bao Yu, and she was worried that the emperor would look down on the girls in the garden because of this, so she had no choice but to bring up the old story again.

Fortunately, the emperor believed them.

Daiyu lowered her guard and asked, "If you want to release Xiren or keep her, just issue the decree. Why bother asking me?"

Before Chu Yan could speak, she sneered again: "Just because I have a relationship with Bao Yu, does that mean I do everything for him, even preparing his concubines?" Chu Yan laughed: "Wasn't it you who gave him a thousand taels earlier? Oh, Lin sister is jealous."

Daiyu sighed, "If you can't guess, why do you keep trying?"

Chu Yan said, "Because you are Lin Daiyu."

Daiyu knew that only nine out of ten of his words were believable, but since he had come to visit her and inquired about her feelings, she believed him to some extent.

She laughed and said, "I am Lin Daiyu, but you are not Brother Chu."

After saying that, he blushed, realizing he had spoken out of turn.

Fortunately, he wasn't good at guessing what women were thinking.

Zijuan brought tea and then left.

Chu Yan asked her, "Are you feeling any better?"

Daiyu said, "It's almost night, His Majesty should be leaving soon, and I should go to sleep too."

This means she feels better and will be able to sleep well tonight.

Chu Yan nodded, and after finishing the tea that Zijuan poured for him, he stood up to leave.

Daiyu whispered from behind, "From now on, you don't need to ask me about Baoyu anymore. Just handle it yourself."

Chu Yan turned to look at her, but Daiyu had turned her back, her delicate body facing the moonlit window. Her soft, melodious voice said, "Besides, how can giving money be the same as asking for a concubine for him? It's clear you're just making wild guesses... Yes, you want me to plead for Baoyu so you can get what you want!"

Daiyu turned her head and smiled at him. When she turned her head, her eyes were truly captivating, and her beauty was beyond description.

After a long pause, Chu Yan said, "You've misunderstood me too. I asked you how to deal with Xiren because I wanted to make you happy."

Daiyu sneered: "Isn't that exactly what I said?"

Chu Yan chuckled and said, "Fine, I can't argue with you. Lin Daiyu's mind is full of twists and turns."

Daiyu smiled and said, "It's good that you have such a kind heart. Thank you for your sincerity."

Chu Yan smiled, wanting to say something, but then felt that it was best not to say anything.

So he left.

Daiyu sat back down in her chair and saw his teacup. Just as she was about to call Zijuan to tidy it up, she looked up and saw him return.

"Oh, right."

Chu Yan said, "Xi Ren is yours."

Daiyu said angrily, "What did we just say?"

Chu Yan smiled without saying a word, turned around, went out, called Xiang Ling, and left.

Daiyu thought for a long time before she understood the meaning behind his words. The mention of Xiren before they were discussed was different from the mention just now.

I thought about it for a while, my thoughts were a jumbled mess, but after lying in bed at night, I fell asleep quickly and wasn't bothered by it too much.

……

When Chu Yan and Xiang Ling left Xiaoxiang Pavilion, it was already dark, and two eunuchs led the way with lanterns.

Chu Yan looked up at the night sky and clicked his tongue, saying, "The moon is beautiful tonight, Xiangling, you should look too."

Xiangling, who was beside her, looked up at the moon in the sky and smiled, "I read in a poem that 'the moon has its phases of waxing and waning, just as people have their joys and sorrows, separations and reunions.' How did they come up with that idea? Then I thought about it carefully. People worship the moon at night, and when they have nothing to do, they have more on their minds, so they think of their families. That's why the waxing and waning of the moon reflects their joys and sorrows, separations and reunions."

Chu Yan burst into laughter, "As expected of the poetry-obsessed Xiangling!"

Xiangling retorted, "What nickname did Your Majesty give me? I've only ever heard of 'Poet Immortal' and 'Poet Sage,' never 'Poet Dull.'"

Chu Yan took her hand and laughed, "We didn't have that before, but we do now. How about I have Fourth Miss paint a poem for you on the painting? Silly Xiangling will write a poem for the moon."

Xiangling said, "Your Majesty says I'm dull, but how many people in the world aren't dull? Su Shi, the poet who wrote the lyrics, could think of joys and sorrows from the moon, which shows that he was also dull."

Chu Yan thought about it and found it to be true. He smiled and said, "People say that there is only a fine line between genius and madness, and that is exactly right."

Xiangling was puzzled: "How come I've never heard of this? A madman is a madman, how can he be compared to a genius? Is there some story I don't know about?"

Poets are always thinking about allusions!

Chu Yan looked at her by the moonlight and saw that Dai Xiangling had beautiful features and a pure and innocent appearance. He couldn't help but be moved and picked her up in his arms.

Xiangling was still preoccupied with the poems and allusions, never expecting this to happen. She was so frightened that her face turned pale.

The eunuchs who were following looked over, then quickly turned their heads away.

Chu Yan whispered, "Xiangling, don't move, I'll carry you back!"

Xiangling blushed and could only hide in his arms, no longer daring to look at anyone.

Chu Yan carried the slender Xiang Ling back to the main hall with light steps. The eunuchs who followed him were panting heavily, and they were shocked to find that Chu Yan could not keep up with him carrying Xiang Ling even when he was empty-handed.

Entering through the side gate of Daguanlou, Chu Yan slowed his pace as he passed the hall on the right. He heard Xiangyun and Empress Zhang laughing inside, as if the three of them were playing dominoes.

He didn't go in. Instead, he carried Xiangling back to Yangxin Hall, sent the eunuchs away, and closed the side door of Daguanlou after they left. Daguanlou was also surrounded by walls.

Upon entering Yangxin Hall, Qingwen and Yuchuan were waiting in the main hall, as were the civil officials. They all hurriedly got up when they saw the person return.

"What happened to Xiangling?" Yuchuan asked in surprise, thinking that she had been injured and had been carried back.

"I'm fine!"

Xiangling struggled to get down, but Chu Yan easily led her into the west side room. Hot water was already prepared, the bathtub was more than half full of water, and there were three more tubs of boiling hot water ready to be added at any time.

Chu Yan skillfully undressed Xiang Ling and ordered the maids in the room to serve her a bath. Fang Guan, Ling Guan, and Di Guan also entered the room upon hearing the news. When they saw the emperor holding Xiang Ling in his arms, they all blushed.

"His Majesty……!"

Xiangling was trembling with fear, feeling somewhat uncomfortable being watched by them, even though she knew this was what a maidservant was supposed to do.

Chu Yan smiled, released her hand, and ordered, "Give Xiangling a wash as well, I will be visiting Xiangling later."

Fangguan, having performed in operas several times, knew what "being favored" meant. Now, with the room full of them and the door closed, Fangguan grew bolder and asked curiously, "Does His Majesty intend to sleep with her like he did with Lingguan?"

"Pah!" Qingwen spat at her, her face flushed with embarrassment as she scolded, "Where did you learn such vulgar language?"

Fangguan said, "Isn't 'favoring a woman' the same as 'a man sleeping with a girl'? It's just a different word; that's what the old women in the garden all say!"

The civil official blushed and advised her, "Stop using such vulgar language. The next time you go on stage to sing, do you sing like this: 'Let's talk about how Zhang Sheng slept with Yingying,' wouldn't the girls be ashamed to death!"

Everyone laughed, even Xiangling, who was sitting naked next to Chu Yan, blushed and smiled.

Chu Yan was tempted.

Fangguan smiled at Xiangling and said, "I'd like to see how Xiangling and His Majesty do 'that' later!"

Xiangling was taken aback, and everyone in the room was also extremely surprised. Diguan hurriedly said, "Fangguan, what nonsense are you talking about! What... look."

Fangguan asked curiously, "What's wrong with that? His Majesty has been trying to recruit us as his concubines. First it was Lingguan, then Xiangling, and it'll be our turn soon. Qingwen, you told me to learn, and here I am, learning!"

Even Qingwen stopped scolding her, as she was too ashamed to lift her head.

This little vixen is too lazy to learn how to serve others, but she insists on learning how to do things in bed!
But he couldn't scold her, because the emperor had already decided to take them all as his concubines, so he didn't hide anything about it from them.

Chu Yan smiled and said, "If you want to learn, I'll teach you later. Tonight is Xiangling's special day, so please don't disturb her."

Fangguan finally calmed down, her face flushed and burning with embarrassment.

After washing and rinsing, Chu Yan carried Xiang Ling into the bathtub for a soak, while Qing Wen, Fang Guan, and others sat aside waiting to be tidied up.

But gradually, they became restless, because the two people in the bathtub were embracing and kissing, a scene that truly embarrassed them.

Lingguan made an excuse to return to her room, and Diguan followed her. Only Qingwen, Wenguan, and Yuchuan remained, but they dared not look any further.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Chu Yancai carried the exhausted Xiangling out of the bathtub.

Xiangling was too ashamed to open her eyes, letting Qingwen and the others wash her. Then His Majesty carried her to the soft couch in the east side room. Her body was completely naked.

Qingwen and the others did not clean up the bath tub in the west wing, leaving it for the eunuchs to carry away the next day. The three of them sat in the main hall to wait.

But all that could be heard from inside was the sound of Xiangling breaking.

Qingwen and the others blushed when they heard this.

It seems like I heard Xiangling say in a panic that she should put a handkerchief under her?

After an unknown amount of time, His Majesty called them in. It turned out they were thirsty. The civil official glanced over and saw Xiangling lying limply on His Majesty's strong body. There was a handkerchief on the soft couch, but it was not stained with blood.

After drinking the tea, Chu Yan carried Xiang Ling back to the east side room, taking her handkerchief with him as he went.

Chu Yan didn't know why Xiangling was so insistent on this. Perhaps she had learned it from the Xue family: to show her mother-in-law the handkerchief with blood on it the next day to demonstrate her chastity.

However, keeping it has its own charm.

One day, I'll collect Xiangyun and Baochai's red handkerchiefs as well.

However, Chu Yan had a minor flaw: he felt that deliberately doing something made it less interesting.

I'll keep the handkerchief when I remember it.

(End of this chapter)