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

Chapter 210 The Princess Becomes a Consort
Chu Yan found Xiangyun and Zijuan in the next room. The two were chatting when they saw him come in. Zijuan blushed and quickly stood up with her head down.

Chu Yan laughed and said, "Why are you so afraid of me?"

Xiangyun glanced at the two of them and nodded firmly: "It must be that the Emperor is bullying Zijuan again!"

This made Zijuan even more embarrassed. She wanted to go out, but as she walked past the emperor, he grabbed her hand, causing Zijuan to gasp in surprise.

Hearing the noise, Daiyu came over to take a look and sneered, "You're taking your anger out on Zijuan again. Let her go right now. Even the emperor shouldn't be so concerned about people."

Chu Yan released his grip, but Zijuan quickly said, "It was my lack of courtesy that displeased His Majesty."

Chu Yan said, "It's nothing. We haven't seen each other since we talked last time, so I miss you."

Daiyu didn't believe him and left with Zijuan. Chu Yan and Xiangyun also went out. Just as they were about to leave, Daiyu leaned out of the moon window and said to them, "Don't kiss under the eaves. It'll embarrass people!"

Xiangyun's ears turned red, and she quickly pulled Chu Yan, who was laughing, away from Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

After leaving, Chu Yan smiled and said, "If Lin Daiyu is half as cute as Yun'er, I don't need to go to so much trouble."

Xiangyun thought for a while before saying to him, "If Sister Ruolin were as straightforward as I am, she wouldn't be a daughter of the Lin family, and she wouldn't be able to write such a beautiful line as 'The Cold Moon Buries the Flower Soul.'"

Chu Yan said, "I didn't write it?"

Xiangyun chuckled, her eyes revealing her charming naivety: "I chatted with Sister Lin yesterday, and she said that Brother Emperor is good at divination. After thinking about it carefully, I realized that this poem is not something Brother Emperor could write; it's Sister Lin's usual poetic style."

Chu Yan smiled, not bothering to argue, and took her hand to walk with her. Xiangyun blushed with embarrassment, quickly turning her head to look around. Seeing Qingwen and the others following behind, she blushed even more, lowered her head shyly, and said, "Why does my Emperor brother like to tease people like this?"

"How is this playing tricks on people?" Chu Yan said, interlocking his fingers with hers.

Xiangyun had never experienced anything like this before. She found it both novel and her heart pounding, yet she also felt shy. Thinking about the affection between husband and wife, she couldn't recall anyone else having done something like this.

Xiangyun said shyly, "It's not teasing, it's just...doing some lewd things, as Sister Lin just said, it makes people feel ashamed..."

Chu Yan pulled her closer and said in a low voice, "Don't worry about what others think. Let's do what we're doing. That's how it is between husband and wife. If anyone gossips, just say that you've already been made a concubine."

"Besides, isn't Yun'er going to serve me in bed?" he chuckled.

Xiangyun blushed and lowered her head. After a while, she said, "I am different from Sister Lin. There is no one else in my heart. You have always been good to me. Even if I say or do something wrong, you have never punished me. Apart from Brother Bao, you are the best to me!"

Chu Yan laughed. Without "Brother Bao," she wasn't Xiangyun; with "Brother Bao," she was truly the straightforward and honest Shi Xiangyun.

He said, "Your grandmother... that is, Old Madam Shi, was she not good to you?"

Xiangyun immediately smiled and said, "The old lady is my great-aunt!" After thinking for a moment, she added, "The old lady is also good to me. She always remembers to give me a share of any good food or fun things she has. She usually dotes on me, but she is different from others."

She turned to look at him again, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment, and laughed, “Brother Bao is not quite the same as Brother Emperor. Brother Bao usually plays with me, and we brothers and sisters talk about everything… I can’t quite put my finger on how we are different.”

Chu Yan nodded and said, "Then it seems that I am still not as good as your brother Baoyu."

Xiangyun hurriedly wanted to explain, but then she remembered that she was the one who brought it up, and she couldn't speak up for a moment, so she could only beg for mercy: "Brother Emperor, please spare Yun'er."

Chu Yan smiled.

Xiangyun walked hand in hand with him, and after a while, she spoke: "I have also walked in the garden with Baoyu, but I have never felt my heart rise and fall like this with the Emperor. I am both angry and happy. There are some things I want to say, but I don't know how to say them. I wish I could come out and stroll in the garden every night!"

Chu Yan stopped and took her hand: "Are these what Yun'er really thinking?"

Xiangyun nodded: "These are my true feelings!"

Chu Yan then pulled her into his arms and stroked her playful and charming cheeks: "How is it now? Is your heart still fluctuating?"

Xiangyun blushed and shook her head, complaining, "My face is so hot, and my body is hot too. It's all your fault for teasing me like this."

Chu Yan lowered his head to kiss her, but Xiang Yun raised her hand to block him, laughed, and ran away. She looked back at him, and Chu Yan followed. The two walked and played around, and before they knew it, they had arrived at Yi Hong Courtyard. Just then, Mushe returned and called out from afar, "Miss Yun!"

Qingwen muttered, "How could we have run into each other so late?"

Because she was from the Yihong Courtyard, she also came over and met with Musk Moon.

"It's Qingwen..."

When Musk Moon saw her, her expression was very complicated, a mixture of envy and sighs.

Xiangyun asked with a smile, "Is Sister Xiren here? Please give her my regards."

Musk Moon hurriedly replied, "I saw Xi Ren inside when I went out, but I don't know if she's still there. I'll go in and call her."

"No need to call them," Xiangyun said with a smile, pulling her along. "We're just passing by."

Musk Moon was taken aback. She glanced at the Emperor. Xiangyun was already an imperial concubine. The word "we" was just right.

Chu Yan said, "I thought you deliberately dragged me here."

Upon hearing this, Xiangyun turned to him and said aggrievedly, "Your Majesty is wronging me by thinking this way. If I wanted to plead for Xiren, I would have just asked. Why would I have dragged you along?"

Chu Yan took her hand and laughed, "As expected, this is the real Yun'er. I was overthinking it."

Just then, Xiren came out of the room and heard this. She was startled: No wonder officials always say that serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. The emperor is indeed very suspicious.

She hurried forward to bow.

Chu Yan said calmly, "I'll come visit Yihong Courtyard another day."

So Xiangyun and I walked across the white stone bridge behind Yihong Courtyard and arrived at Longcui Nunnery not far away.

Xiangyun was delighted to see that the peaches on the tree were about to ripen, and she couldn't help but pull Chu Yan to find a few ripe peaches to eat.

Seeing that her lips were plump and moist after eating the peach, Chu Yan couldn't help but hug her and kiss Xiangyun's lips under a peach tree. He tasted the sweet peach flavor in her mouth, and in the blink of an eye, Xiangyun's body went weak. He held her waist tightly and she leaned most of her body into his arms.

Qingwen had already gotten used to it, and simply told the eunuchs to turn their backs and not to peek!
She looked at the two of them again and saw their necks intertwined, and for a moment she couldn't help but let her mind wander.

Suddenly, a person stood in the distance. Qingwen quickly looked closely and saw that it was Miaoyu from Longcui Nunnery who had come out at some point and happened to witness this scene!
"go back!"

Qingwen waved to her from afar, signaling Miaoyu to move aside.

The aloof and tall abbot of Longcui Nunnery, who was half-monastic, watched for a while before turning back to the nunnery.

After an unknown amount of time, as Chu Yan released Xiangyun and continued strolling through the garden, Qingwen stepped forward and whispered, "I just saw Miaoyu come out."

"Oh?"

Chu Yan turned his head to look at the Longcui Nunnery behind the plum tree and nodded, saying, "Go and tell Miaoyu to remember to attend the imperial concubine conferment ceremony tomorrow."

Qingwen found it strange, but said nothing and turned to go to Longcui Nunnery to deliver a message.

Xiangyun was dazed by the kiss. She clung to Chu Yan's arm, her face flushed, her slender hand unconsciously touching her lips. She seemed to find it strange that after being kissed, her whole body felt weak and hot, and she could only walk by leaning against him.

After a while, Qingwen returned and saw that Miss Yun's eyes were still glazed over, so she reported, "The message has been delivered."

How did she react?

"When I went in, Miaoyu was sitting cross-legged in the meditation hall. After she got up to receive the decree, she only said that she knew."

Chu Yan nodded without saying anything. He led Xiangyun around half of the Grand View Garden, then walked for nearly half an hour in Huifang Garden to see her second and third aunts before returning to Yangxin Hall.

After nightfall, Xia Shouzhong arrived at the entrance of Yangxin Hall. Seeing that no one was inside, he dared not go in. He went to the side room and beckoned to Fangguan, who was playing inside, and said with a smile, "Miss Fangguan, this servant has something to say!"

Fangguan was playing cat's cradle with Lingguan and Diguan. She turned her head to look at him, then immediately turned back to continue playing, saying only, "Say what you have to say, my ears aren't busy!"

One sentence made Lingguan and the other person laugh.

Xia Shouzhong hurriedly smiled and said, "This servant is about to ask which concubine His Majesty will summon tonight to serve him in bed, since it is almost time for His Majesty to rest."

Upon hearing the word "serving him in bed," Lingguan blushed and silently turned her back to him.

Xia Shouzhong also knew that among His Majesty's personal maids, Lingguan had already served him in bed, but she was not very obedient. If he were the emperor, he would have replaced this shameless girl long ago!

Unfortunately, he wasn't the emperor. His Majesty doted on these girls, and he had no choice but to try to please them.

Di Guan remained silent, and seeing that no one responded, Xia Shouzhong hurriedly repeated, "I'll go ask."

Fangguan reluctantly got up, and while playing cat's cradle, she walked from the side room into the Emperor's bedroom, and then went to the east side room.

After a while, she returned and told Xia Shouzhong, "His Majesty said that the princess will be conferred the title of Consort tomorrow, and no one will be summoned to serve him tonight."

Xia Shouzhong nodded in agreement, thanked Fangguan, and then withdrew.

Lingguan glanced back at him. It turned out that even the chief eunuch who managed many eunuchs had to be extremely respectful to them. Fangguan was not afraid of offending anyone.

The next day came in a flash.

The garden was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations again, and many "囍" (double happiness) characters were pasted up. The young actresses were able to rest for a day and also helped with the work, but they were not very good at it and just busied themselves aimlessly.

In the afternoon, the residents of Daguan Palace gathered in the main hall to watch the ceremony of bestowing the title of imperial concubine.

From Consort Qin and Consort Xiande, to the young ladies and servants, as well as Grandmother Jia, Old Lady Shi, the Wang family, Aunt Xue, and others, all dressed neatly, they all went to the hall to watch the ceremony.

Since it was not a formal investiture of a concubine, no officials from the Ministry of Rites were appointed as chief and deputy envoys; only two eunuchs and two female officials announced the rites.

"The auspicious hour has arrived! Princess, please step forward to receive your investiture!"

Fangguan and the other young actresses hid behind the screen behind the emperor's throne, and hurriedly tiptoed to see what was happening. Soon they saw a beautiful and gentle princess dressed in a red wedding gown, shyly being led by the empress into the emperor's presence. On either side of her sat a group of concubines and young ladies, all watching her.

"How enviable!" someone whispered.

Fangguan listened intently to these words, her eyes wide with surprise. Being made a concubine by the emperor was such a grand occasion, far more exciting than a theatrical performance.

Although there was no official document yet, Xia Shouzhong still sang as he presented the seal to Princess Qinghe while holding the sandalwood seal box: "By imperial decree: Chen is hereby conferred the title of Consort Zhuang, and the seal is temporarily granted. The official document will be drafted by the Ministry of Rites at a later date!"

Princess Qinghe knelt down respectfully and kowtowed. She raised her hands, took the seal box, handed it to her maid Shuyu, and then kowtowed to her emperor husband.

Thus, the ceremony of bestowing the title of imperial concubine was completed. Chu Yan exited through the back door first, and the others left in an orderly manner.

After a while, Xiangyun, Baochai, Xiuyan and others escorted Princess Qinghe, along with Qin Keqing, Jia Yuanchun, Empress Zhang and others, to the Yangxin Hall.

With so many beautiful flowers in full bloom, it was truly dazzling.

Qinghe, dressed in a red wedding gown, smiled rosy-cheeked as they led her to sit down at the head of the left seat.

After chatting for a while, the banquet began. Chu Yan took Qinghe's hand and went out to feast with them.

They drank until evening before returning to Yangxintang.

The girls all dispersed, only Empress Zhang remained.

"Sister-in-law." Qinghe hesitated, looking a little nervous. Although she had been favored two or three times before, it was different from the wedding night.

Empress Zhang said in a low voice, "Just do as I say, I've taught you everything I can."

In the past, when a princess got married, the empress wouldn't have needed to personally teach her about the wedding night. But now that the two sisters-in-law were "dependent on each other" in the palace, Empress Zhang took extra care of her and chatted with her for a long time last night.

"His Majesty has returned. I'll be going now. You go and greet him."

Seeing the emperor's entourage return, Empress Zhang hurriedly let go of the young actors' side room, intending to leave, but soon discovered that the young actors had not yet returned from drinking, and the door was closed from the outside.

Left with no other option, she had to turn back and leave through the main entrance.

"Where is the Empress going?"

Chu Yan called out to her.

Empress Zhang lowered her head, a bad feeling already in her heart, and replied, "This concubine will not disturb you any longer... Your Majesty!?"

Before she could finish speaking, Chu Yan pulled her into the room. The eunuchs and maids all stopped, but Qingwen, Xiangling, and Yuchuan followed her in without disturbing her.

Chu Yan then pulled Qinghe, who was wearing a wedding dress, into the west side room and led the two sisters-in-law to sit on the couch.

Empress Zhang served him many times; how could she not guess his thoughts?

Therefore, her eyes were filled with resentment: "Your Majesty, please allow me to return..."

Chu Yan ignored her, pulled Qinghe into his arms, and climbed onto the bed together. He smiled and looked down at her, saying, "Qinghe, have you learned how to conduct marital relations?"

Qinghe's delicate face flushed crimson with embarrassment, and her voice was barely audible: "Your Majesty...we've been intimate three times..."

"That doesn't count, it was just a kiss."

Chu Yan, with a serious expression, pointed at Empress Zhang and said, "Your sister-in-law happens to be an expert in this field. Why don't we have her teach you? What do you think?"

Empress Zhang quickly gave Qinghe a meaningful look!

She had also learned these past few days that although the rebellious emperor was domineering, he would eventually listen to advice. As long as there was a reason, and one humbled oneself and pleaded softly, he would always agree.

Today is a great day for Qinghe. As long as Qinghe speaks up, the emperor will surely let her go!

but.

Qinghe, nestled in her emperor husband's arms, bit her soft, delicate lips and looked at her before shyly nodding and saying, "If sister-in-law is willing to stay and teach me, I... I will certainly do my best to learn."

Chu Yan was overjoyed and embraced Qinghe, kissing her.

Seeing that "the situation was hopeless" and the princess had defected, Empress Zhang had no choice but to sigh and kneel on the soft couch. After their kiss ended, she said resentfully, "Your Majesty really knows how to make things difficult for people. How am I supposed to get along with Qinghe like this?"

Qinghe seemed to realize what was about to happen, and turned her head away shyly again, burying her face in Chu Yan's arms, and whispered, "I'm sorry to trouble you, sister-in-law, I'll just close my eyes..."

Chu Yan laughed and said, "How can you learn with your eyes closed?" He then beckoned to Empress Zhang, "Your Majesty, come up here. I'll go with you first, and Qinghe can learn from the side."

Empress Zhang stood by the soft couch, refusing to get on it or leave. She earnestly advised, "Your Majesty, though you are an emperor, you must still consider your reputation. I and Qinghe are people of a fallen kingdom; it's one thing to have a bad name, but Your Majesty..."

"Which historian would record such palace affairs?"

Chu Yan reached out and pulled Empress Zhang onto the bed.

He then leaned against the pillows and embraced them on either side, the Empress on his left and the Princess on his right. The two women exchanged a glance, then shyly looked away.

Empress Zhang muttered in a low voice, "You're so stupid."

Qinghe blushed, and then her emperor husband picked her up, kissing her as he undressed her.

Empress Zhang sighed and, without waiting for Chu Yan to make a move, she took matters into her own hands.

Before long, all of their clothes were thrown into the corner of the soft couch. Chu Yan put the panting princess aside and said to her with a smile, "Qinghe, watch over them for now. I'll come back to you later."

After saying this, he embraced Empress Zhang again.

Qinghe's slender, delicate body was fair and smooth, and she was somewhat shy. She hugged the wedding dress to her chest and looked at her emperor husband and sister-in-law with shy eyes.

Before long, she turned away in embarrassment.

This was even more embarrassing than her previous experiences!

Her sister-in-law was initially reserved, but in the blink of an eye, she revealed her wanton side, probably even forgetting about her.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiangling came in to serve tea and saw Princess Qinghe being held in the arms of the Empress. The princess was leaning against her, her head resting on the Empress's chest, while His Majesty was holding her. The two were in front of and behind the Empress, with the princess in the middle.

"Your Majesty, please have some tea." Xiangling, who was already married, tried her best not to look away and obediently brought the tea to Chu Yan's lips.

Then, tea was served to the empress and princess, whose voices had become hoarse.

The two were exhausted from playing around, so Xiangling stepped forward to help push them.

It was so dark and chaotic that Xiangling didn't come out until Qingwen yawned and fell asleep, her clothes disheveled, and she also went to bed.

After enjoying himself to the fullest, Chu Yan finally fell asleep with the Empress and Princess in his arms.

(End of this chapter)