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

Chapter 270 Return
After settling the accommodations for Empress Zhang and the others, a few more days passed.

When will His Majesty return?

In the afternoon, Qin Keqing, as if in a spring nap, lay reclining on the emperor's couch in the Yangxin Hall, sighing.

Xiangyun counted the days and said, "It will take at least half a month to get back from Liaodong. There is ice and snow on the way, so it will definitely take 20 days. Today is the 15th, so it will probably be the 25th before we can get back to the capital."

Qingwen was also in the room. Upon hearing this, she said, "Those traitors deserve to die. They just had to invade the border again after autumn!"

Just then, Daiyu walked in wearing a crane-feather cloak. Xiangyun quickly got up, took her hand, and asked, "Sister Lin, did you dream of His Majesty last night?"

Daiyu said, "Perhaps they are about to return to the capital. I haven't seen the Emperor these past few days, and I don't know how their journey is going."

Like everyone else, after learning that Chu Yan was coming back, she only looked forward to the day they would meet, and her longing for him lessened considerably.

Qin Keqing lay on the low table on the kang (a heated brick bed), sighing, "If His Majesty were here, I wouldn't be cold."

Daiyu laughed and said, "I don't understand what you mean. If His Majesty were here, how could you not be cold?"

Qin Keqing chuckled, "I'll snuggle into His Majesty's arms and have him hold me so I won't be cold~"

Everyone blushed and laughed at her words. Daiyu spat at her, and the unmarried girls, including Baoqin, couldn't stand such womanly talk and started laughing and joking with Keqing.

A few more days passed in the blink of an eye. Daiyu was reading in her room when Ouguan suddenly came in to report: "Miss, His Majesty has returned to the capital!"

Daiyu was startled and stood up, staring at her intently. After a long while, she asked nervously, her expression dazed, "Where is he?"

Ou Guan smiled and said, "I heard from the eunuch who delivered the message that His Majesty entered the capital through Yong'an Gate, first ordering the officials of the Six Ministries to come to court. His Majesty will then go to the palace to meet with all the officials before returning to Daguan Palace!"

Daiyu let out a long sigh, put her palms together and said, "Amitabha, the Emperor has returned safely. I will go to the temple to burn incense and make a vow another day."

After saying that, she hurriedly instructed, "Go and send someone into the palace to inquire about the news. Report back immediately after His Majesty returns. Also, send someone to tell all the young ladies and ladies in the garden to prepare to welcome His Majesty back to the palace."

Ou Guan smiled and said, "Don't worry, Miss, everything has been prepared. There are even people accompanying the Emperor to the palace."

The news of the emperor's return to the capital spread throughout the Daguan Palace in the blink of an eye. Everyone gathered at the Yangxin Hall, their faces beaming with joy, anxiously waiting.

About an hour later, a eunuch rode up to the back gate of Daguan Palace and reported: "His Majesty has finished summoning all the officials and his imperial carriage is on its way to Daguan Palace. Please come out to greet him, ladies and ladies!"

Upon hearing the report, Daiyu, Baochai, and the others went out of the garden through the back gate. The imperial guards had all retreated back to their duty rooms, and only eunuchs were standing guard at the back gate. So they went out through the back gate and waited on the back street.

Shortly after.

The sound of horses' hooves came from afar, and many eunuchs came running panting. When they saw Daiyu and the others, they did not dare to say anything and stepped aside.

Qin Keqing tiptoed to look at the distance of the street and soon saw a group of soldiers in dirty armor, covered in snow, riding towards her. They did not approach, but their murderous aura was enough to make people tremble.

Where is His Majesty?

Qin Keqing was searching for the Emperor when she saw a man riding a tall horse step forward, his clothes also covered in dust. As he approached, he smiled at them from his horse.

"Your Majesty the Emperor!!" Xiangyun exclaimed in delight.

Daiyu couldn't help but shed tears again, and Baoqin's crescent-shaped eyes were also brimming with tears. Yingchun, Tanchun, and the others excitedly went to greet them.

"I'm back!"

Chu Yan dismounted, handed the reins to the eunuch, and turned to the guards who had followed him, smiling, "I have returned to the palace. You may all go back and rest. You must be tired from riding with me through the night these past few days. I'll give you a holiday until the Lantern Festival!"

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!" Upon learning that they could have leave until the Lantern Festival, the guards, their faces weathered by the elements, beamed with joy, bowed, and then departed.

Chu Yan turned to look at them, a smile on his face.

The girls were excited, tearful, happy, or gentle and considerate, each beautiful face displaying a different charm. They swept away his fatigue of the past four months, and he relaxed, wanting only to go back to the garden with them and give himself a break until the Lantern Festival!

Chu Yan laughed and said, "My beloved concubines, you've grown even more beautiful in just a few months!"

Everyone was taken aback at first, then laughed in embarrassment. Daiyu spat at him, saying, "You've only just returned and you're already saying such inappropriate things. It's clear you're a fool..." She couldn't bear to say the words "foolish emperor" at this moment.

Chu Yan wanted to raise his hand and rub Lin Meimei's cheek. Although they met in his dream, the feeling of holding her was much less than that of the real Lin Meimei's soft body.

But considering he was covered in snow, he gave up and said, "Let's go into the garden and talk about it!"

Daiyu saw what he wanted to do and smiled faintly.

Xiangyun tried to get closer, but Chu Yan blocked her with a smile: "I'm all dirty. I'll chat with you after I take a bath when I get back."

Wang Xifeng stepped forward with a smile and said, "I knew His Majesty would want to take a bath when he returned, so I had already ordered people to prepare hot water."

"Feng Nu did a good job."

Chu Yan nodded and took the lead into the Grand View Palace. Some of the people heard the words "Feng Nu" but did not know what they meant, while others laughed at Feng Jie after hearing them, making her blush with embarrassment and not daring to say a word. They followed behind her back to the garden in a daze.

"Has Your Majesty seen the Princess and the Empress?" Tan Chun asked.

"Yes, we met them. They need to pack their bags and will come back tomorrow."

As Chu Yan spoke, he entered the Grand View Garden, looked around, and nodded approvingly, saying, "What a beautiful winter snow scene! I'll take you out to enjoy the snow another day after it snows heavily."

Baochai smiled and said, "Your Majesty is in high spirits. The snow has melted a bit these days, so the snow scene is not as beautiful as it was a few days ago."

Xiangyun quickly smiled and said, "We must compose poems to appreciate the snow. We started a poetry club and wanted to invite His Majesty to join, but we were afraid that His Majesty would laugh at us girls for being silly and refuse to join."

"When did I ever laugh at you girls for writing poetry? I like it more than anything."

Chu Yan couldn't help but pinch her, his fingers touching Shi Xiangyun's soft and delicate face, her smooth skin making his heart flutter.

These past few days I've been focused on fighting and haven't had much time to indulge myself. Now that I'm back in the garden, it's time to make love with them.

However, none of Daiyu, Baoqin, Baochai, or Tanchun had ever served him in bed, so he patiently waited until night to talk to them about their longing for each other.

Tan Chun smiled and said, "Last Mid-Autumn Festival, His Majesty composed a few poems for us. How could he possibly look down on the poems written by girls like us?"

Keqing covered her mouth and smiled, saying, "Your Majesty is most fond of the poems written by Lin Daiyu and Qin'er, such as the poem on reminiscing about the past and the poem on the five beauties. They are all excellent works."

Everyone laughed, but Daiyu said, "I didn't write 'Ode to the Five Beauties,' perhaps it was written by His Majesty in a dream."

Chu Yan said, "I did indeed meet Lin Daiyu in a dream, and it was Lin Daiyu who wrote it in her dream."

Daiyu blushed slightly, and Baochai secretly glanced at her. After the Emperor returned, it was confirmed that Lin Daiyu had met His Majesty in a dream.

Of all the concubines in the harem, only she possessed this extraordinary ability. No wonder the Emperor appointed her to command the Imperial Guards; he must have already decided that Lin Daiyu would be his Empress…

While Baochai was lost in thought, the group quickly returned to Yangxin Hall, where Qingwen, Xiangling, and others greeted them at the back door.

Chu Yan also laughed and said, "I'm back. Come inside and take off my armor."

Xiangyun then came to her senses and hurriedly asked, "Does the Emperor wear armor when he travels? Won't he get tired?"

As Chu Yan walked, he said, "I didn't wear it all the time. I only changed into it when I was about to enter the capital. I only took two squads of personal guards with me back to the capital." The last sentence was an explanation, but no one who had never held power, no matter how smart, could guess its meaning.

For an emperor to lead a small number of troops into the camp to regain power was a risky move, and he dared to do so only because he possessed superhuman strength and had led troops for many years.

This is also why he immediately ordered all officials to come to court after returning to the city.

In front of them, Qingwen and the others came up to remove his armor. Daiyu examined him carefully and was relieved to see that he had no injuries.

"Your Majesty, please put on your clothes quickly! The hot water will be brought over from the kitchen soon." Yuanyang brought over a pile of clothes.

Chu Yan glanced at it, then casually picked up a mink coat and put it on, saying, "No need to bother getting dressed, I'm going to take a bath soon."

Qingwen laughed and said, "At least wear an extra pair of pants. How can you stand wearing only one pair of underpants?"

Seeing that they were all looking at him with concern, Chu Yan had no choice but to put on two more layers of clothing and sit in the hall to chat with them.

Baoqin and the others gradually learned that he had abandoned the main force and led two squads of personal guards back to the capital, probably so that he could see them as soon as possible.

Qin Keqing gently advised, "Next time, come back slower. Rushing on your journey might lead to some trouble."

"Don't worry, Your Highness, there won't be a next time." Xiuyan smiled and said, "After the Jurchens were pacified, the barbarians will no longer dare to invade the border. Even if they do, there will be no need for the emperor to personally lead the expedition."

Chu Yan laughed and said, "That's hard to say. Emperor Chengzu of Ming reigned for twenty-two years and personally led five military campaigns. He spent most of his time fighting."

"Does His Majesty intend to personally lead the expedition?" the crowd asked hastily.

"It was just a joke. Governing the country is more important than fighting wars. This time, I sent the head of the bandit chieftain to the Rouran. I hope they will be intimidated and stop bothering me with my governance."

Chu Yan chatted with them for a while, then the eunuchs brought in hot water. He said to them, "You should go back and rest for now. I need to take a bath and relax for a while. I'll come back for dinner."

Although Daiyu was reluctant to leave, she did not want to disturb his rest, so she got up and said, "Your Majesty, please rest for a while. We will come again at dinner time."

Xiangyun, Xichun, and the others had all left, but Qin Keqing remained, smiling gently and sweetly: "How about I serve Your Majesty?"

Chu Yan led her into the bathhouse behind Yangxin Hall. There wasn't a dedicated bathhouse here originally; it was only built this winter specifically for his bathing.

The bathhouse wasn't large, and it was enclosed on all sides. Inside, a brazier was burning charcoal, making the room warm and cozy. Chu Yan tore at Ke Qing's clothes, and soon Ke'er, her skin white, nestled in his arms, giggling seductively.

"I'll serve Your Majesty too. Little Red, bring me a hot towel!"

Lin Hongyu soaked a towel in hot water, wrung it out slightly, and handed it to Consort Li.

Chu Yan leaned back in the specially made recliner, his head tilted back, and let Xiang Ling wash his hair. Ke Qing nestled in his arms, her soft body pressed against him, her slender hands holding a towel, gently wiping him clean.

Chu Yan smiled, reached for a hot towel, and swished it wetly over Qin Keqing's fair and graceful body, wiping her up and down.

The first time Qin Keqing served him a bath, she knew how to do it without being taught. She smiled shyly and asked Yuanyang to bring her rose essence, poured it into her arms, and then snuggled into Chu Yan's embrace.

"!!"

Qingwen, who was not yet married, stared wide-eyed.

Even Xiangling and Yuchuan, who had served the emperor, were quite ashamed.

Yuanyang blushed and looked at him for a while before laughing and saying, "Next time Consort Li comes to serve us, we won't need to prepare so many towels."

Consort Li's body is His Majesty's towel.

Chu Yan lay back in the chair, arms and legs outstretched, his body and mind slowly relaxing as Ke Qing served him.

A smooth, warm, and delicate beauty serving you wholeheartedly is the most heartwarming thing.

half an hour.

Qin Keqing nestled lazily in his arms. Chu Yan put his arm around her waist, stood up, and carried her into the bathtub. He sat inside, stretched out his legs, and smiled at Qingwen, "This chair is nice. Who made it?"

Yu Chuan hurriedly said, "When I was serving Your Majesty a bath, I thought of making a chair that would make it easier for Your Majesty to lie down. The carpenter made it a while ago, and Your Majesty likes it, so it was worth all our efforts."

Chu Yan nodded approvingly: "Well done."

This chair functions similarly to the chairs found in later hair salons.

Yu Chuan smiled and said, "Qing Wen also changed some of the styles."

"Oh? What is it?" Chu Yan asked, his voice relaxed as he played with Ke'er while taking a bath.

Qingwen blushed and stammered, "His Majesty used to summon several concubines to his bedchamber in one night. I thought the bed might not be big enough, so I had someone measure the dimensions and make the bed bigger."

Chu Yan laughed heartily: "That's even better!"

Ke Qing stretched out her jade-like arms and wrapped them around his neck, laughing, "It's a pity I can't go to sleep tonight."

Chu Yan asked in surprise, "Why not?"

Keqing came over and said with a smile, "I have already served you. Your Majesty, it would be best if you summon Sister Yun or Second Sister to serve you tonight."

Chu Yan thought for a moment and sighed, "I'm sorry to have troubled you."

Ke Qing nestled against him and said softly, "Your Majesty, why say such things? I know Your Majesty cherishes young ladies. Having experienced the trials of love in the mortal realm, I wish I could have met Your Majesty sooner."

Chu Yan raised an eyebrow and asked Ke Qing in his arms, "What did you say?"

Keqing blinked her innocent yet charming eyes: "What did Your Majesty ask Ke'er? Ke'er just said that she knows Your Majesty cherishes... Oh dear!"

Chu Yan didn't tolerate her. He raised his hand and slapped her buttocks, which were barely visible in the water, before asking, "Do you also want to be punished by me like your sister, Jinghuan?"

"oops!"

Qin Keqing cried out in surprise and laughter, glancing at him only once before bursting into his arms, squirming and twisting wildly: "Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, forgive me! Your Majesty~~~"

The water splashed everywhere as they twisted, and Yuanyang, Qingwen, and the others sitting inside watched.

She secretly learned from Consort Li.

"You haven't said it yet?"

Chu Yan raised his hand and struck her a few more times, but Qin Keqing in his arms begged for mercy in a muffled voice, refusing to say anything.

He could only sigh and say, "Next spring, when your sister comes, you and your sister must kneel down before me and apologize!"

Qin Keqing covered her mouth and chuckled, saying, "I'll kneel down now~", as she opened her mouth to inhale, then sank into the hot water to beg for forgiveness for her sins.

Chu Yan closed his eyes.

Thinking about the two of them, and Daiyu's matter, it seems that the truth will not be revealed until the beginning of spring next March.

(End of this chapter)