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

Chapter 272 A Few Things About Winter

Day two.

Despite wanting to slack off for a few days, Chu Yan had no choice but to get up and attend the morning court session, as he had just returned to the capital and had a lot of things to do.

It was a cold winter day. After he lifted the blanket, Xiangyun, who was sleeping next to him, shrank back and then woke up groggily, calling out to him, "Brother Emperor."

"Yun'er, continue sleeping. I'm going to the morning court."

Chu Yan gently rubbed her slightly cold face; it still felt as smooth and tender as a young girl's skin.

Xiangyun, having regained some consciousness, chuckled from under the covers, "My brother the Emperor said yesterday he wanted to be a foolish ruler, how come he's become a wise ruler today?"

"Wasn't last night debauched enough?"

Chu Yan's words made Xiangyun blush. Xiangling and Yuchuan came to help him get up. Xiangyun looked at the dream from under the covers and suddenly said, "Last night I dreamed again about that mountain spirit who wanted to be my and my emperor brother's daughter!"

"What did she say?" Chu Yan asked, standing by the bed, wondering to himself, "Could it be related to Jinghuan again?"

Xiangyun laughed and said, "I don't remember. I went to many places with her to play around. I only remember her saying that if Emperor Brother agrees, she will be reincarnated into my belly immediately~, hehe."

Chu Yan smiled and said to Xiangyun, "Have her come and talk to me."

Xiangyun agreed.

Chu Yan went out to change his clothes. It was inconvenient to take a bath in winter, so he just wiped his body down.

After washing up and changing, Chu Yan went out and saw that it was still dark, so he asked Yuanyang and the others, "Have Miss Lin and the others gotten up at this time on weekdays?"

Yuanyang smiled and said, "At this hour, Miss Lin should be up as well, as she is going to pay her respects to the old lady and madam later."

Paying respects to one's elders morning and evening is an unavoidable rule and etiquette for Daiyu and her friends. However, since their status is different now, they no longer call it "paying respects" but "asking for greetings."

Chu Yan said, "I'm going to see Miss Lin. You don't need to come with me; it's quite cold outside."

As she spoke, she walked out. Qingwen and the others exchanged glances. Of the five head maids and several second-class maids, Chunyan and Qingwen, Yuanyang, Wu'er, and Sheyue were sent to go with her, while the rest stayed in the room.

On the way, Chu Yan suddenly remembered to ask, "I was in such a hurry to come back yesterday that I didn't ask Yuanyang where you are staying now?"

Yuanyang smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. After I returned to the garden with the young ladies, I obtained the consent of the Third Miss and Granny Feng and temporarily moved into Yihong Courtyard. Musk Moon, Wu'er and others also came to stay with me. Yihong Courtyard is closer to Yangxin Hall, so we don't have to go through the front courtyard to enter the garden."

Chu Yan nodded, glanced at Yuanyang's beautiful face, and asked again, "I remember your family is in Jinling?"

Yuanyang nodded hurriedly and said, "My original surname is Jin, and my father's name is Jin Cai. He used to guard the Jia family's old house in Jinling."

Chu Yan said, "When I attacked Jinling a few years ago, it was Chu Ming and his men who did the confiscation of the city's wealthy and powerful families. I didn't pay attention to the Jia family. How is your father now? Have they been corresponding?"

Yuanyang lowered her head in shame: "When autumn came, my father wrote to me, saying that he was raising cattle at the Zhang family's place and earned one hundred coins a month. He was doing alright. After I received the letter, I asked someone to send me some winter clothes and borrowed some silver from Qingwen and the others to make up twenty taels to send over."

After hearing this, Chu Yan sighed and said, "It's admirable that you've thought of everything so thoroughly and handled everything so well. Go and ask if the Third Miss's residence still has any silver. Take out one hundred taels as a reward for you."

Yuanyang was about to speak when Chu Yan waved his hand and said, "One hundred taels is not much for ten or so people. Take it."

What will happen in the future is unknown, but at least they haven't used their power to make money yet.

We arrived at Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

When Chu Yan entered, Daiyu was sitting in front of her dressing table drawing her eyebrows. When she saw him come in, she smiled and asked, "Why aren't you going to court properly? What are you doing here so early in the morning?"

Standing behind Daiyu, Chu Yan looked at her unparalleled beauty in the mirror and said with a smile, "I miss Lin Daiyu. I'm afraid I'll be busy all day, so I've come to visit her early to ease my longing."

Daiyu's face flushed slightly, a mixture of shyness and reproach on her face. Zijuan and Xueyan, standing to the side, smiled and combed the young lady's hair.

After a long pause, Daiyu said with a shy smile, "How shameless! Your Majesty is the supreme ruler, yet you speak such words of a young lady in your boudoir."

As she spoke, she covered her face with both hands, feigning shyness. The girl's delicate and charming demeanor, and her lingering affection, appeared before Chu Yan's eyes, warming his heart. It was worth the journey he had made to see her.

Chu Yan laughed and said, "Didn't you hear that many gentle and graceful women are men? When I was in Liaodong, I often missed Yu'er."

Upon hearing this, Daiyu stood up and stood in front of him, taking the initiative to embrace him with both arms. Her watery eyes met Chu Yan's, and she said softly, "I feel the same way you do."

The silence speaks.

Chu Yan lowered his head and gently kissed Daiyu's lips a few times. Afraid of getting too carried away, he quickly let go and told her to go back to continue doing her makeup. He stood behind her and watched for a while.

Daiyu glanced at the sky and smiled, "It's dawn. The ministers should have arrived at Pear Fragrance Courtyard by now. You should hurry over. What time will you be back tonight? I'll go sit in the Hall of Mental Cultivation for a while."

Chu Yan said, "I'll be back at dinner time."

"I remember, you may go to the morning court."

Daiyu had not yet finished dressing up, but she got up to see him off at Xiaoxiang Pavilion. She watched him disappear into the distance before returning to continue dressing up.

Lixiangyuan.

After attending the morning court session, Chu Yan summoned his ministers to his study. Around noon, Xia Shouzhong came in to report: "Minister of Justice Liao Yuan, accompanied by Imperial Inspector of the Yellow River Lin Ruhai, has come to see Your Majesty to report on the breach of the Yellow River dike."

Chu Yan remembered this and ordered, "Let them in."

A moment later, the two entered the house and bowed respectfully.

This was Chu Yan's first time meeting Lin Ruhai, so he couldn't help but take a few more glances at him. He saw that Lin Ruhai, Daiyu's father, was around forty years old, and was refined, composed, and neither arrogant nor humble.

"Give me a seat."

Chu Yan asked them to sit down before asking, "How is the Yellow River matter? I haven't read the relevant memorials yet. Minister Liao, please give me a brief overview."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Liao Yuan immediately began to speak, which left Lin Ruhai somewhat taken aback.

After he passed the imperial examination and became a third-ranked scholar, he served as an official in the capital for several years and had several audiences with the emperor, but he never got so straight to the point.

Moreover, he was an official of the previous dynasty. Logically, upon first meeting the emperor, he should have knelt and kowtowed to thank the emperor for inviting him to serve as an official.

When Liao Yuan made his report, he did not stand up from his chair, which shows that the new monarch was efficient and did not care about formalities.

"The matter of inspecting officials will be handled by Imperial Censor Lin. Please have Imperial Censor Lin explain it to His Majesty!" Liao Yuan pushed the matter onto him.

Lin Ruhai calmly took over the conversation, pointing out several officials who had either neglected their duties or deceived their superiors during the Yellow River breach, and explaining the mistakes and crimes they had committed.

After listening, Chu Yan nodded and said, "Many officials in the previous dynasty were corrupt and overstaffed. You handled it very well. Remember your merits, and I will reward you later."

Liao Yuan hurriedly stood up, and Lin Ruhai also stood up, intending to kneel and kowtow in gratitude.

Chu Yan smiled and said, "I have something else to say, please sit down first." After the two sat down, he said to Lin Ruhai, "Minister Lin is Miss Lin's father. He has made meritorious contributions during this river patrol. He will serve as an official in the capital from now on. The specific position he will hold will be decided after the Ministry of Personnel discusses it. At the earliest, it will be after the Lantern Festival."

Only then was Lin Ruhai able to report, bowing deeply and saying, "Your Majesty is a criminal from the previous dynasty. I am grateful to Your Majesty for employing talent without regard to convention, issuing an edict to summon me to the capital, and appointing me as the Imperial Inspector of the River. I am now able to serve in the new dynasty, and I will certainly do my duty faithfully and live up to Your Majesty's great favor!"

Chu Yan smiled and said, "Let's not talk about the past. Have you seen your daughter? I adore her. I have to thank Minister Lin for raising such a beautiful woman." Lin Ruhai said with shame, "It is the Lin family's good fortune that Your Majesty has bestowed your favor upon us. Our ancestors in the afterlife would be gratified to know this and would bless Your Majesty to receive the grace of Heaven, bring glory to our family, and benefit future generations."

Chu Yan smiled and said, "Lin Qing, there's no need to be modest. Your daughter is not only beautiful, but also has good character and demeanor, which is also because you hired a scholar to teach her when she was young."

Lin Ruhai repeatedly expressed his shame, but inwardly he felt relieved.

The fact that his daughter told the emperor about these things shows that she and the emperor often had private conversations in the palace; otherwise, she wouldn't have been so detailed.

Although he has not been able to see his daughter in recent years, he can roughly know Daiyu's character as she grew up from her childhood temperament and some correspondence.

Liao Yuan, standing to the side, was also secretly surprised that the daughter of Lin Ruhai, the Imperial Inspector of the River, was so favored that the Emperor even mentioned her more when discussing official matters!

It seems likely that this Consort Lin will one day be able to compete with Consort Xie for the position of Empress…

After chatting for a while, Chu Yan asked them about the local customs and traditions along the Yellow River and their journey, before saying, "You've had a hard time. Lin Qing, you can rest at home until the Lantern Festival. You can come to court after the Ministry of Personnel has decided on your official position. Go now."

The two rose together, and because they had received a reward, they bowed in gratitude before leaving.

-

In the blink of an eye, it was afternoon. Xia Shouzhong came to report that Empress Zhang, Princess Qinghe, and others had arrived at Daguan Palace from the Imperial Palace.

Chu Yan instructed, "Go and ask them if they have a place to stay. If not, have the Third Miss and Madam Feng arrange it."

For a moment, I couldn't think of a proper way to address Sister Feng. Calling her Feng Nu in front of the eunuchs wouldn't work, and neither would calling her Feng'er, Sister Feng, or Grandma Feng. Since Consort Feng hadn't bestowed upon her the title of Consort, I simply called her Madam Feng.

Xia Shouzhong sent someone to deliver the oral message, and soon replied that he already had a place to stay.

When it was time for dinner, Chu Yan left Pear Fragrance Courtyard and returned to the garden.

He entered Yangxin Hall through the back door and could hear their laughter from afar. He raised his hand to stop the eunuch from relaying the message and went straight into the room. Sure enough, he saw more than ten beautiful and charming women sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) and chairs in the warm pavilion, chatting and laughing.

Empress Zhang, Princess Qinghe, and Consort Zhou arrived today, along with Daiyu, Xiangyun, Baochai, and Baoqin. However, some people, such as Keqing and Fengjie, are missing.

"His Majesty!"

They all stood up quickly. Although they had been sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed), the main seat was now empty. Chu Yan went over, hugged Qinghe, pulled her down to sit, and asked with a smile, "Did you arrive this afternoon?"

"Yes." Qinghe Xiuwan smiled gently on her beautiful face. "When we got up this morning, we packed our things and prepared to come over, but some things in the palace delayed us."

Chu Yan chatted with her for a few words, then looked up at Daiyu sitting in the chair and said with a smile, "Sister Lin, come and sit down."

Daiyu knew he was talking to her because of what happened that morning, so she smiled and said, "What idea has Your Majesty come up with this time? The princess and the empress didn't have lunch, just to wait to dine with Your Majesty tonight."

Chu Yan laughed heartily: "Very well, have someone serve the dishes, I will sit down and drink with you all!"

When Consort Wu went out to deliver a message, she was gentle and modest, and did not regard herself as a consort. Even when the newly conferred Consort Li and Consort Shun were conferred titles, she was always humble and never argued with them.

Consort Zhou, on the other hand, had been looking for an opportunity ever since she met Chu Yan. As soon as Princess Qinghe left, she couldn't wait to get on the kang (heated brick bed), leaning coquettishly against the emperor, looking like a resentful concubine who had been in the cold palace for many years and was yearning for his favor.

Chu Yan simply laid her across his lap, rubbing her waist as he chatted with them.

There's something I need to tell you.

He remembered seeing Lin Ruhai that morning, so he said to Daiyu, "I will give your father leave until the Lantern Festival, and then have the Ministry of Personnel appoint him to a position in the Imperial Academy or the Censorate."

Daiyu hurriedly stood up to bow and express her gratitude, but Chu Yan stopped her, saying with a smile, "Your father was the third-ranked scholar in the previous dynasty, and according to normal promotion, he could have become a third-rank minister."

Daiyu still bowed.

Consort Zhou, observing this, couldn't help but say enviously, "Miss Lin's father is talented, and the Emperor quickly promoted him, unlike our family..."

She dared not say anything more, and the people present did not feel comfortable bringing it up either.

"What happened at your home?" Chu Yan asked with a smile.

Consort Zhou hurriedly knelt on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Xiangyun smiled and said, "The families of the concubines in the harem are mostly relatives of the emperor in the imperial court, which is of course different from Sister Lin's family."

Consort Zhou looked at her gratefully and pleaded again, "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong."

Chu Yan smiled faintly and said, "It's alright. I know about your family affairs. Well, things will change soon. Just wait and see."

Including Xichun, they all stood up to express their gratitude, their faces beaming with joy.

Although they have been enjoying wealth and luxury in the palace these days, their fathers, brothers, sisters and others are still suffering outside, and they worry every time they talk about it.

Aside from Qinghe, she had nothing to worry about.

After dinner, Daiyu sat for a while longer, and seeing that it was getting dark, she got up to say goodbye and go home.

Chu Yan did not keep her any longer. Daiyu was frail, and the night was bitterly cold, so it was best for her to go back early.

"Qinghe, come here! It's been so long since I've hugged my Qinghe!"

He held Princess Qinghe's soft, delicate body in his arms on the kang (heated brick bed). Xiangyun sat next to him and smiled, saying, "Brother Emperor, please have the princess serve you tonight. I'll go back to rest too."

Qinghe blushed with embarrassment, while Consort Zhou watched with longing eyes.

Chu Yan smiled and said, "Tonight, the princess and the empress will serve me in bed. The rest of you will await my summons."

Xiangyun then realized she had said the wrong thing, smiled, and got up to go back to the side hall.

Chu Yan naturally wouldn't blame her for such a trivial matter. After everyone else left, only Qinghe and Empress Zhang remained in the warm pavilion.

"Your Majesty, may I also come to the kang (heated brick bed)..."

With the girls gone, Empress Zhang finally found an opportunity to get close to the emperor. After getting into bed, she quickly slipped under the covers, ignoring Qinghe's presence, and pressed her body tightly against Chu Yan.

Chu Yan caressed her dignified face, embraced her, and asked with a smile, "My Empress has been lonely for a long time, and misses me very much?"

Qinghe nestled in his arms, looking at the two of them with a slight blush on her face. She recalled that when she was made a concubine, she and her sister-in-law served him together.

Empress Zhang said softly, "In these four months, I dare not say that I miss Your Majesty every day. But whenever I see places Your Majesty frequents, such as the Zichen Hall, or when I see the island in the lake in the distance, I think of the joy Your Majesty shared with me, the princess, and others at banquets. My heart feels empty, and I feel depressed all day long."

Qinghe blushed as she listened quietly to her sister-in-law's sweet words with His Majesty.

She was too ashamed to say these things aloud, but her sister-in-law could say them to her face...

It's very effective.

Soon after, Qinghe and her sister-in-law, the Empress, threw off their clothes and pressed themselves tightly against Chu Yan. The familiar feeling quickly aroused Qinghe, and under the Empress's guidance, she did many things that she would blush with embarrassment the next day.

(End of this chapter)