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

Chapter 212 Layoffs (Part 1)

The day after being made a concubine, Chu Yan issued another decree, ordering Princess Qinghe to stay at Yangxin Hall for three days as a sign of his favor.

Empress Zhang returned to the palace that afternoon, whether out of fear of gossip or because she was too ashamed.

Chu Yan still went to Pear Fragrance Courtyard to handle political affairs every day, and returned to the garden in the afternoon or evening to chat with the girls in the garden to relieve boredom. He would occasionally be intimate with them to deepen their relationship.

That day, as he was reclining on the couch playing chess with Yingchun and Xiangyun, Yuanchun and Tanchun came in together.

"Your Majesty~"

Yuan Chun bowed with a smile.

Chu Yan glanced at them, then looked back at the chessboard and said, "You two must have something on your mind. Speak."

Tan Chun smiled and said, "I can't hide it from His Majesty. My elder sister and I came here to dismiss the maids and servants in the palace."

Chu Yan nodded and continued playing chess, letting them talk.

Tan Chun said, "There were originally nearly a thousand servants in Ningrong Mansion. After deducting the servants outside and the people from various estates, there are now about five hundred maids, old women and young wives left in Daguan Palace."

She added, "I have discussed this with my elder sister. Apart from the more than one hundred people in the garden, there are about two hundred people who are unnecessary and can be dismissed."

As she spoke, she took out a form and handed it over.

Although Chu Yan didn't recognize them, he took the document and glanced at it. He saw that it listed four head maids of Grandmother Jia, two head maids of Lady Wang, Zhou Rui's wife, Lin Zhixiao's wife, several concubines of Jia She and Jia Zhen, Jia Rong's maidservants, and so on.

If he hadn't said not to move anything in the Grand View Garden, Tan Chun probably would have laid off all the maids in Yi Hong Courtyard.

"Yun'er, you and Ermutou should come and take a look too."

Chu Yan smiled and handed the list to them. Yingchun was staring at the chessboard when she heard this and looked up. When she heard His Majesty call her "Second Wooden Head," her face couldn't help but turn red.

Shi Xiangyun asked curiously, "What does His Majesty want with me? Is there someone from my Shi family on his behalf?"

Tan Chun quickly smiled and said, "The Shi and Wang families didn't bring many maids and servants to begin with, so why would we cut them off again?"

Xiangyun took it and looked at it, and saw that there was indeed no one from the Shi family on it.

Chu Yan looked at the two of them and said, "I have a feeling that once this list is released, it will cause a stir. At that time, those who are laid off will also come to you for help."

Yingchun remained silent because she saw that people from her mother Madam Xing's household, Wang Shanbao's wife, Granny Fei, and others were also on the list of people to be laid off, and they were all written on the list by her eldest sister and third sister.

Just as Tan Chun was about to speak, Xiang Yun, looking at the list, exclaimed in surprise, "Third Sister, you've laid off so many people!" She looked up at the two of them and laughed, "No wonder Eldest Sister also laid off people; otherwise, she would have attracted a lot of resentment."

Yuan Chun smiled.

Tan Chun laughed and said, "I'm not afraid of offending people. Besides, after the old lady and the madam heard about this, they both agreed. The old lady took the initiative to dismiss four senior maids, and the madam also dismissed two. She also ruthlessly dismissed Zhou Rui's maidservant. With the support of the old lady and the madam, I dared to make big changes to the list."

Chu Yan smiled, and Yuan Chun quickly pulled Tan Chun back, scolding her, "If it weren't for the old lady and the madam, would you still not lay off staff?"

Tan Chun then came to her senses and hurriedly got up, blushing as she apologized.

Chu Yan didn't want to point it out, but Shi Xiangyun, who was playing chess opposite him, laughed and said, "His Majesty the Emperor has decreed the reduction; who can stop him? In Sister Lin's words, His Majesty the Emperor is a domineering person~"

Everyone laughed, and Tan Chun had no choice but to bow again to apologize.

Chu Yan said, "It's not your fault. You've been dealing with them and considering their feelings, and you haven't even remembered me, your emperor husband. Come here, I'm going to punish you."

The group looked at Tan Chun and saw that her face had turned red. They all knew what the Emperor was about to do.

Tan Chun had no choice but to walk over, thinking she would only be hugged or kissed.

To her surprise, as soon as she got closer, Chu Yan grabbed her around the waist, made her lie face down on the couch, and then raised his hand and slapped her buttocks.

"Snapped!!"

The sound was somewhat muffled and not crisp or melodious enough, after all, it was through the clothes.

One can only vaguely sense the beauty of a young girl's delicate buttocks.

"His Majesty!!"

Not only was Tan Chun blushing with embarrassment, but Yuan Chun and Xiang Yun also blushed. Ying Chun was even more shy and dared not look, lowering her head to continue looking at the chessboard. Her body trembled slightly, and she thought to herself, "His Majesty's punishment like this... is too much for my third sister."

Chu Yan released his grip and said seriously, "Are you satisfied with this punishment?"

Tan Chun didn't shed tears of grievance. Over the past few days, she had come to know the Emperor. From her sister-in-law to the little actress, everyone had been summoned to his favor. Even Sister Lin had been so ashamed that she ran away several times, let alone her.
Furthermore, the eldest sister Yuan Chun also served Qin Keqing in bed at night, so if Tan Chun was going to be surprised, she would have been surprised then.

This whole affair stemmed from her neglecting the fact that Chu Yan was the one in charge of everything. If this were in the imperial court, who knows how serious the crime would be? The fact that she only received a spanking is already an act of mercy from His Majesty…

Even so, it was still extremely embarrassing!

"His Majesty……"

Tan Chun cried out again, her eyes conveying a thousand unspoken words.

Chu Yan laughed and continued playing chess, saying, "After you publish this list, people will inevitably come looking for you. If they come to you for help, you can also come to me for help, but you need to explain why you stayed."

Tan Chun composed herself and nodded, saying, "It is certainly a good thing that His Majesty has shown such great favor. As the saying goes, even an upright official finds it difficult to settle family disputes. The relationships among the people in the mansion are intricate and complex, and neither my elder sister nor I have been able to clear our names."

Chu Yan suddenly asked, "Why didn't Sister Feng help you?"

Tan Chun laughed and said, "Sister Feng often offends people in the past, so I don't want her to get involved this time."

Chu Yan nodded, "I thought she had hidden herself."

At this point, Yuan Chun said, "The reduction of palace staff is almost complete. Once His Majesty returns to the palace, the Empress and I will submit the list." She added, "I will return to the palace in a couple of days to attend to this matter."

"it is good."

Chu Yan looked at them and smiled: "You've all done a lot of hard work, what kind of reward do you want?"

Both of them declined, so he simply stopped asking and still wrapped his arms around Tan Chun's waist. He then raised his hand to summon Yuan Chun, and hugged the two of them together, making the two sisters blush with embarrassment before letting go.

After about half an hour, when Miss Bao and Miss Qin arrived at Yangxin Hall, Tan Chun and Yuan Chun took their leave.

On the way back, Yuan Chun whispered to her third sister, "Don't take that matter too seriously. His Majesty is just that kind of man. Sometimes he is very unreasonable. He dotes on the concubines in the harem, but he also does some shameful things. When the Empress and I performed dances and played the zither for His Majesty in the Qianqing Palace, we thought we were going to suffer a great humiliation, but His Majesty later showed us affection."

Tan Chun shook her head, blushing, and said, "I have no resentment towards His Majesty."

That's the truth. She's been busy with household affairs these past few days and is feeling quite tired, but after playing around with the Emperor, she feels much more relaxed.

Yuan Chun smiled and said, "It's good that you don't worry about it. Go now and summon everyone to discuss the layoffs. Give them three days. Also, while people are in turmoil, remember to arrange for someone to keep an eye on all the houses." Tan Chun nodded in agreement. After seeing her elder sister back to the side hall, she sent someone to summon all the stewardesses and women. They sat down in the council hall again and waited for everyone to arrive.

"Hello, young lady."

"Greetings, Third Sister."

Many of the stewardesses arrived with smiles on their faces and greeted Tan Chun, who was sitting upright in the main seat. They had all heard rumors of staff reductions and were feeling uneasy.

What they never expected was that not long ago, the Third Miss was still favored in the Emperor's palace, being held in the arms of a man and loved. How could she be the same person who was now so shrewd, cold and dignified?
"Everyone is here?"

Tan Chun's beautiful eyes swept around the room, her voice calm: "I don't need to say anything else. I believe you have all heard the news. His Majesty once issued an edict ordering Eldest Sister and Empress to reduce the number of palace servants. Not long ago, another edict was issued to reduce the number of useless people in Daguan Palace. You are granted special permission to leave. Those who are still young and able to bear children can go to the military camp to find husbands, and the elderly can go to find their families. Each of you will receive some severance pay."

His words immediately caused an uproar.

When Tan Chun mentioned some important people, the old women were even more terrified. Some of them immediately knelt on the ground and cried, "Third Miss, please have mercy! How can I, at my age, go out and get married? My son has been punished to do corvée labor. How will I survive if I go out?"

Tan Chun glanced at her twice, and still said coldly, "You don't need to come to me crying. I know you have two daughters who are married. Go and find them; you'll always find a place to stay."

Lin Zhixiao's mind was in turmoil amidst the crowd; her name was on the layoff list!

Several maids who came to watch were also startled when they learned about the list. When Tan Chun announced that people would be laid off in three days, they hurriedly ran back to tell the others.

For a time, panic gripped the Daguan Palace. Apart from a few who wanted to leave, most of those laid off were unwilling to go.

Lin Zhixiao's wife rushed to Fengjie's house and happened to meet Ping'er. After explaining what had happened, she was invited inside, where her daughter Lin Hongyu was massaging Fengjie's back.

"What happened? Why are you in such a panic?" Sister Feng asked with a smile.

Lin Zhixiao's wife kneeling on the ground startled Hongyu. After hearing her mother's words clearly, she was stunned and lost in thought.

She always said, "Even a long shed can't last forever," but now she was stuck in the mansion while her mother was laid off and her father was forced into corvée labor. The family was truly separated by vast distances, and even the most composed person would be in turmoil at this moment.

Sister Feng sat up straight and, after thinking for a long time, said, "Third Miss actually put you on the layoff list too!"

Lin Zhixiao's wife said helplessly, "Not to mention me, even the old lady's head maids, and the maids who accompany the madam and the first madam have all been laid off."

She added, "And several people in Aunt Zhao's room were also cut in half by the Third Miss, which shows that she was ruthless."

Whether it was her biological mother or her stepmother, Tan Chun showed no mercy and eliminated unnecessary servants.

Before Ping'er and Fengjie could speak, Hongyu, who had come to her senses, hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty has always been considerate of your servants. Has he issued any other decrees?"

Sister Feng nodded and said to Lin Zhixiao's wife, "Get up first, and we'll talk about it in detail later."

Lin Zhixiao's family recounted the story.

Hongyu said, "Although His Majesty did not say it explicitly, the Third Miss will not send the person out of the mansion until three days later. If someone can ask the Third Miss for help, perhaps the person can be kept."

As he spoke, he knelt down and kowtowed to Sister Feng.

After thinking for a while, Sister Feng laughed and said, "You think so quickly, you guessed Third Miss's idea in the blink of an eye."

After saying that, she remained silent for a while.

Ping'er helped Hongyu up and advised, "Sit down first, we'll talk about whether you can stay later." As she spoke, she glanced at Fengjie and said, "If you serve in Grandma's room, Grandma won't leave you alone."

Sister Feng sneered: "I don't care, you're still here, aren't you? It's the same whether you plead for me or I plead for you."

Lin Zhixiao's wife didn't understand, but Hongyu did: both mistress and servant had served the emperor in bed.

Ping'er dismissed the two women, saying she would think of another way, then turned to Fengjie and smiled, "Grandma, are you too proud to ask Third Miss for help?"

"Humph."

Fengjie reclined on the couch again, picked up her white short-tailed cat, and while stroking the cat, she pondered and said, "If what Xiaohong said makes sense, then it's fine. I can ask Sanya for help too. But if Sanya is acting on imperial orders, wouldn't I lose face if I went to ask her for help? The old lady and the ladies had no choice but to dismiss their head maids and maids."

Ping'er smiled and said, "Wouldn't it be faster if Grandma went to Yangxin Hall?"

"You little hussy, you're never still!" Sister Feng raised her hand to pinch her cheek and spat at her, "I think you haven't climbed into the Emperor's bed in a while, and you're itching for more!"

Ping'er didn't argue, but reached out and pulled her hand away before smiling and saying, "In that case, let's wait a day. If the Third Miss is lenient towards others, then Grandma will go and explain things to Hongyu."

Sister Feng nodded: "Let's do it this way. Go out and find out what's going on. I shouldn't go out for the next three days. If anyone comes to see me, just say I'm sick."

She used to be strict with her subordinates, but some people would come to her for help, and she would simply avoid them.

Ping'er went out and discussed things with Hongyu for a while before going out to find out what was going on.

To her surprise, not long after she stepped outside, several people stopped her and knelt down, pleading, "Sister Ping, please save us!"

Ping'er took a closer look and realized that these people were all maids serving Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang. Two of them were Grandmother Jia's head maids, Boli and Feicui.

Ping'er quickly helped them up, and after asking them carefully, she learned that they were also among those being laid off.

“We know that it won’t work to ask the old lady and the madam again, so we can only ask Sister Ping.”

Several maids pleaded.

Ping'er looked at them for a long time before sighing, "It's not that I'm heartless, but the matter involves the imperial decree, and it's still unknown whether I can plead for you... The old lady is sentimental and will surely prepare some silver for you if she lets you go out, so that you can get married."

Glass asked, "If the house was ransacked, where would the people in the mansion get any money?"

Ping'er laughed and said, "Don't worry, it will come in time. You've all forgotten that the young ladies in the manor are all the old lady's granddaughters and great-granddaughters. How could we let you serve them for nothing?"

After offering some words of comfort, Ping'er saw them off.

Upon arriving at Grandmother Jia's courtyard, Ping'er finally saw the impact of the recent layoffs.

Miss Lin and her companions sat with the old lady. There were originally about ten maids and servants waiting to serve her outside, but now half of them were gone, and the rest were all on tenterhooks.

"Ping'er is here? Please have a seat." When Grandmother Jia saw her come in, she smiled and instructed someone to give her a chair.

In the past, Ping'er would never have had a seat, nor would she have dared to sit, but now she can sit calmly in front of Grandmother Jia.

She had only been sitting for a short while when Zhou Rui's wife, Wang Shanbao's wife, and many other old women came and knelt before Grandmother Jia, crying and pleading with Lady Wang and Lady Xing.

Some of the dismissed second-class maids also came and knelt down. Nearly a hundred people were kneeling inside and outside the house. Grandmother Jia sighed for a long time, but there was nothing she could do. She could only send them all away.

Daiyu took in the whole scene.

(End of this chapter)