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

Chapter 274 Snowy Night
After Chu Yan had lunch at the Lin family's house, Xia Shouzhong came up with several house deeds, smiling obsequiously:

"Here are a house that I was temporarily managing, and three houses from the Daming Palace. I'm bringing them here for Lord Lin to inspect. If you're not satisfied, I'll see if there are any more in the palace and do my best to find one for you!"

Lin Ruhai could no longer refuse, so he chose a house with three courtyards.

After Xia Shouzhong left, Daiyu sat with Chu Yan at home for a while. Seeing that he had no intention of leaving, Daiyu took the initiative to say, "His Majesty and I are going back now. Father, please take good care of yourself."

Lin Ruhai stood up to see him off.

Chu Yan laughed and said, "Sister Lin, you want to go back so soon?"

Daiyu smiled and said softly, "Although Your Majesty is willing to spend more time with me at home, I am also reluctant to part with my father. However, as the ruler of the world, Your Majesty cannot stay away from the palace for too long."

Lin Ruhai said with satisfaction, "Exactly!"

His daughter is already showing the makings of a virtuous consort, and knows how to advise the emperor. Her mother in heaven would surely be pleased to see this.

"That's fine."

Chu Yan nodded and said, "My visit ends here today, but I have something I'd like to ask Minister Lin to do."

Lin Ruhai stood up and said, "Your Majesty, please give your orders."

Chu Yan said, "Many of the concubines' families have been punished to do corvée labor. Now that the end of the year is approaching, I would like to ask my father-in-law to go to the imperial estates and other places outside the city in the next few days and ask them to come into the city on New Year's Eve and have New Year's Eve dinner at Daguan Palace."

Daiyu was somewhat surprised, but Lin Ruhai immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "On behalf of my father-in-law, I thank Your Majesty for the special imperial decree!"

Chu Yan called Yuanyang in and gave her the prepared reward, which included some silver coins that Lin Ruhai could use when he called someone back.

After everything was finished, Chu Yan smiled at Daiyu and said, "We're going back now. Would you like to have a few more words with Father in private, Lin sister? I'll be waiting for you here."

Daiyu then got up and went out with Lin Ruhai, where the father and daughter chatted for a few words in the courtyard.

Having said everything that needed to be said, Daiyu simply smiled and said, "Father, you don't need to worry about me. I have no worries in the palace, and His Majesty treats me very well."

Lin Ruhai looked at his daughter with affection and smiled with relief: "When I saw you in Daming Palace before, I was worried that you would not be used to living in the palace. Today, the Emperor personally brought you back, and I am already relieved. I know that you are favored and do not need to worry or be afraid in the palace."

After chatting for a while, Lin Ruhai suddenly asked, "How are you feeling? You've been taking medicine since you were a child, and you've mentioned it in your previous letters. When I was in Hangzhou seeking refuge, I heard that the new emperor had taken over the capital, and I was worried that you wouldn't make it through this great calamity."

His daughter's health would collapse within a few days if she stopped taking the medication.

Daiyu smiled and said, "There was a man named Leng Zixing who told His Majesty that the Jia family had twelve beauties. After His Majesty entered the city, he sent troops to surround the Jia family, so that I could continue to take medicine to recuperate."

Lin Ruhai was greatly surprised: "I also know Leng Zixing. I met him in Hangzhou. I heard that he knew your elementary school teacher in Yangzhou. I never expected such a coincidence!"

Daiyu still smiled and said, "It's clear that there's a element of coincidence in everything. May I ask, Father, where is Leng Zixing now?"

Lin Ruhai said, "He said he would wait until the capital is stable before going to Beijing. Perhaps he should come next year."

Daiyu remembered this matter and said that one day she would have someone invite Leng Zixing over so that he could confront the "King of Thieves" face to face and see if he would still lie.

……

After bidding farewell to Lin Ruhai, Chu Yan and Daiyu returned to the Grand View Garden, walking hand in hand.

Why is Lin Daiyu smiling at me?

Chu Yan quickly sensed something was wrong. Daiyu, who was holding his hand, would occasionally turn her head and cover her mouth to laugh at him, as if she had caught him doing something wrong.

Daiyu walked briskly, her beautiful face smiling, and said, "You said earlier that the Twelve Beauties of Jinling were mentioned by Leng Zixing?"

“That’s right.” Chu Yan didn’t blush at all.

Daiyu glanced at him sideways: "I just asked my father, and he happened to have seen that person as well, but he had never heard of any Twelve Beauties."

Chu Yan couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Why would he mention you to the Jia family's son-in-law?"

Daiyu gave a soft hum, but she didn't believe him. She said, "When I have nothing to do, I've also counted in my mind that there are only eleven people whose ancestral home is Jinling. Including my sister-in-law and Sister-in-law Feng, there is still one person whose identity I don't know. Would Your Majesty be willing to help me find out?"

Chu Yan realized that she only called him "brother" when they were alone in the room.

He laughed and said, "Did Lin Daiyu figure out who it was? Or did the Crimson Pearl Fairy from her previous life tell you in your dream?"

Daiyu then listed them out. Upon hearing this, Chu Yan realized that she hadn't "awakened" like Qin Keqing, but rather had calculated it herself. She added Baoqin to the Twelve Beauties, but hadn't included Qin Keqing.

Furthermore, she did not include Miaoyu in the count, but instead substituted her with Xiuyan.

However, without having read the Fairy Disenchantment's Love Ranking, no one could have guessed that one of the Twelve Beauties was a young girl named Qiao Jie.

Chu Yan said, "Next spring, after the river thaws, Lin Daiyu will probably know who the Twelve Beauties are."

Upon hearing this, Daiyu knew it was related to Consort Xie, but she didn't know if it was just an excuse or if he really wanted to wait until Consort Xie arrived in the capital before talking about it.

She smiled and said, "Is the Imperial Concubine the last of the Golden Hairpins?"

Chu Yan smiled. "She is 'Leng Zixing'."

Daiyu couldn't understand the meaning behind his words, so she had no choice but to give up. The two walked back to the back door of Yangxin Hall, and she said with a smile, "I'm going back to my room to rest. You should also go back and chat and have fun with Yun'er and the others. I won't come to your place tonight."

Chu Yan quickly said, "I was just thinking of going to your place, Yu'er, tonight!"

A blush crept onto Daiyu's face. She neither said yes nor no, and turned away.

Chu Yan watched her graceful and slender figure gradually disappear into the distance. Daiyu suddenly turned back, smiled shyly at him, and then walked away.

This means "to agree".

Chu Yan returned to Yangxin Hall in high spirits. Xiangyun, Baochai, and Baoqin were chatting in the warm pavilion when they heard of his return and rushed out to greet him, all smiling and saying, "Your Majesty has returned from accompanying Lin Daiyu on her visit home!"

Chu Yan embraced the smiling Baoqin in his arms, then hugged Qinghe, carrying one in each arm into the house. After getting onto the kang (heated brick bed), he pulled Tanchun into his arms and showered her with affection.

The girls blushed and tried to avoid him, but Chu Yan pressed them down on the kang (a heated brick bed), kissing and embracing them.

In an instant, the warm pavilion was filled with vibrant colors and fragrant aromas, and laughter echoed continuously.

Finally, Chu Yan embraced Baochai's plump body and leaned against the pillow, while Tan Chun and the others sat on the kang, tidying their messy hair and hairpins.

Baochai's face was flushed as she enjoyed this rare favor. She felt the Emperor's large hands caressing her waist and abdomen, and occasionally he would lower his head to kiss her. She didn't care that there were other people around and tilted her head back to meet his kisses.

Tan Chun glanced over and blushed again.

When they first met the Emperor, he embraced them and "stamped" their names, which made them feel extremely ashamed and indignant.

Now, as they get to know each other better and their feelings deepen, and with the Emperor's favor and indulgence, the young ladies in the garden, who were originally very strict about observing proper etiquette, are gradually...

"Brother Emperor!"

Seeing Chu Yan bury his face in Baochai's neck on the kang, Xiangyun blushed and pulled him away. Playing around was fine, but if they really did those things in front of everyone, she would be too ashamed to death.

Chu Yan snapped out of his daze and simply held the disheveled Baochai in his arms. Seeing this, Qinghe brought over a cup of tea and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, please have some tea."

This means to calm him down.

Chu Yan smiled and was about to speak when the two girls from the Wang family walked in. When Wang Junyi saw the scene in the warm pavilion, her face immediately turned red, while her younger sister Xuanzhu walked in with a smile.

"Please have a seat."

Chu Yan greeted them and said with a smile, "I had nothing to do today, so I went back to Lin's house with her and happened to meet your father."

"what!"

Both sisters exclaimed in surprise.

Chu Yan said, "I appointed him as a seventh-rank military officer so that he could support his family, and he agreed. He will report for duty after the Lantern Festival."

The two hurriedly got up, bowed down and thanked her. Junyi was so happy that she cried. Chu Yan saw that her beautiful and delicate face was really pretty, gentle and graceful, just like a lady. So he reached out and pulled her over, hugged her and kissed her affectionately for a while.

Wang Junyi blushed deeply, but obediently complied. After being kissed a few times, she couldn't help but let out a few soft moans.

It sounds really good.

Still nestled in Chu Yan's arms, Baochai smiled and said, "Sister Jun, please come to Yangxin Hall more often in the future."

Wang Junyi blushed and softly agreed. Chu Yan, enjoying being surrounded by beautiful girls, then said, "I have also invited your fathers and brothers to come back for the New Year and have a New Year's Eve dinner together, so it will be more lively and festive."

They were all surprised, and when they came to their senses, they quickly got up to thank him. Chu Yan stopped them and said, "I haven't pardoned them yet, I'm just making things a little easier for them."

Baochai smiled and said, "Even so, His Majesty is still benevolent and virtuous. When Baoqin and I go home later, we will tell our mother. She will surely be happy and will definitely come to pay her respects in person."

Hearing her mention Aunt Xue, Chu Yan's heart stirred.

His harem was growing larger and larger, to the point that he was overwhelmed with the affairs of his concubines, yet he still couldn't forget Lady Xue.

He smiled and said, "Tell your family not to come and kneel, to avoid trouble. I will go to Hengwu Garden another day, and then I will have your mother come to thank you."

Xiangyun and the others couldn't understand what was going on, but Baochai and Baoqin blushed slightly.

Chu Yan looked at Xiangyun: "I will also give two of your uncles a seventh-rank official position, so that your family will be free from worries about making a living."

Xiangyun's face lit up with joy. She wanted to kneel down and kowtow, but then she remembered something and hurriedly asked, "Will my Emperor brother allow me to kowtow?"

Everyone laughed. Chu Yan smiled and told her to kowtow on the kang (a heated brick bed). After she finished kowtowing, he pulled her into his arms and kissed Xiangyun's charming, cute, and slightly heroic face a few times.

Wang Junyi saw this and secretly breathed a sigh of relief; His Majesty didn't just kiss her in front of everyone.

Inside the warm pavilion, Chu Yan had dinner with two women, one on each side. As night fell, everyone left one after another.

Xiangyun will return to the East Mansion tonight to tell her two aunts the good news.

Just as Chu Yan was about to leave for Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Qingwen entered carrying a wooden box covered with brocade. She asked in confusion, "Your Majesty, Xia Shouzhong asked me to bring this in, but he won't tell me what it is."

"Open it and let me see," Chu Yan ordered. Qingwen lifted the brocade, revealing gold-inlaid jade plaques inside.

Upon closer inspection, Qingwen saw that the plaques listed the titles of the various empresses.

"Consort Li, née Qin; Consort Shun, née Jia; Consort Li; Noble Lady Ping; Empress Zhang..."

Chu Yan chuckled and ordered, "Take this back to him and tell him that I will not be summoning any concubines tonight, but will instead go to Xiaoxiang Pavilion to keep Miss Lin company."

Qingwen then understood and laughed, "The Emperor has many concubines he wants to summon, why would he need to specially send a nameplate? It's clear he has nothing better to do."

Chu Yan raised his hand and pinched her cheek, then said leisurely under Qingwen's puzzled gaze, "It's a brand I ordered him to make for my own amusement. It's been made for several months, and I haven't used it even once."

Qingwen hurriedly said, "Damn it, how come I didn't realize it was His Majesty's idea?"

Chu Yan smiled, walked out the door, and said casually, "None of you need to come along. It's terribly cold. Just stay home and play for a while before going to sleep."

Upon hearing this, Yuanyang handed over the items His Majesty would use that evening to a palace maid to take away.

Chu Yan went straight to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

The door was not closed yet; it must have been left open for him by Lin Daiyu.

"Your Majesty is here!"

Upon seeing him, Ou Guan hurriedly went inside to report. Chu Yan followed her in, embraced Daiyu who was about to come out, and took her back to the study.

Daiyu smiled and was about to speak when she suddenly lowered her head and sniffed his clothes. Then she covered her nose with her handkerchief and said, "Such a strong scent of perfume. Did His Majesty the Emperor play with the ladies before coming here?"

Chu Yan raised his sleeve and smelled it. Sure enough, there was a mixed scent of perfumes, including those of Baochai, Baoqin, Xiangyun, Tanchun, and others. He had held and pampered many of the girls in the warm pavilion that afternoon.

"Luckily, Qingwen and the others prepared clothes for me," Chu Yan said with a smile.

Daiyu asked, "You haven't taken a bath yet. Use my hot water to wash yourself first, and then I'll have someone bring you some."

Chu Yan asked knowingly, lowering his head to sniff her: "Did Lin just wash up?"

Daiyu laughed and pushed him away: "The hot water hasn't been brought yet, what are you smelling? I don't have their perfume on me~"

"Who says there isn't? Lin Daiyu smells wonderful."

While they were idly joking around, hot water prepared for Daiyu was brought over. Chu Yan simply washed up in the room, and Zijuan and Xueyan came in to serve him, helping him undress.

Daiyu didn't leave either, but stayed by his side to help. When she saw him about to take off his shirt, she smiled and stopped him, saying, "It's cold, don't take it off. Use a hot towel to wipe your body."

"It's alright. The people of Oros even jump into icy water to bathe in winter to show their bravery."

"You're not a foreign man~"

Daiyu said with a smile.

Soon after, Chu Yan finished washing up, changed into clean clothes, and sat with Daiyu under the moon window. Zijuan brought in a brazier and said with a smile, "It's snowing lightly. Perhaps it will snow heavily tonight."

Daiyu hurriedly opened the window and, sure enough, saw fine snowflakes falling outside the moon-shaped window.

She rubbed her hands together, exhaling warm breath as she faced the cold wind. Chu Yan sat in a chair watching her. Daiyu's appearance at this moment was no different from that of a girl in later generations who saw snow.

"Would you like to enjoy the snow?" Daiyu turned to him and asked with a smile.

"Turn it off, it's cold," Chu Yan said, shaking his head.

Daiyu closed the window again, walked over, and did something that surprised Chu Yan:
She took the initiative to put her arms around his neck, and then sat in his lap.

Chu Yan's heart fluttered, and he embraced Lin Meimei's waist, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

After a while, Daiyu's body felt weak and her heart was filled with tender feelings. She looked up at him and smiled, "Since we couldn't appreciate the snow, why don't we compose two poems about a snowy night?"

Chu Yan pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm too lazy to think tonight. I just want to be with Lin Daiyu. So, let's read some poems by ancient poets, compare the past and present, and experience the charm of a snowy night in ancient times."

Upon hearing this, Daiyu quickly smiled and said, "That's interesting. Recite one of them for me."

Chu Yan then recited: "...I hear a dog barking at the thatched gate, a traveler returns home on a snowy night."

Daiyu laughed and said, "This is not appropriate at all. There is no barking of dogs, and it is not the night of returning home... The words 'returning person' are more fitting."

She smiled at him with affectionate eyes; the person returning was none other than Chu Yan.

“This one is famous; we must mention the poem about a snowy night,” Chu Yan said with a smile. “Sister Lin, you should also write one.”

Daiyu was well-versed in poetry and had many verses in her mind. She quickly recited: "The night is deep, and I know the snow is heavy, for I hear the sound of bamboo breaking."

Chu Yan exclaimed, "Bai Juyi's poem is so fitting for the occasion; though it is not yet late at night, the bamboo of Xiaoxiang is already there."

Daiyu smiled and they each recited a line of ancient poems about snowy nights in the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, under the moonlit window, as it was snowing.

Before I knew it, it was already past midnight.

Zijuan brought in a bowl of medicine and said with a smile, "Miss, it's time to take your medicine. After you take it, you can chat with His Majesty about poetry."

Upon hearing this, Daiyu stepped down from Chu Yan's embrace and sat on the chair opposite him.

Chu Yan watched as she frowned and slowly drank the bitter medicine, clutching her chest to catch her breath as she drank, showing how unpleasant the medicine was.

After Zijuan left, he went over and hugged Lin Daiyu, then lowered his head and kissed her lips.

Daiyu struggled hastily, about to speak, when Chu Yan tasted the remaining medicine in her mouth...

Daiyu's heart trembled as she realized his intention. Moved, she couldn't help but cry.

Chu Yan wiped away her tears and smiled, "Why are you crying? Is the medicine too awful?"

With tears streaming down her face, Daiyu said, "I've been eating these medicines since I was little, and I'm used to how awful they taste. But I just can't help but wonder, how could you possibly taste my awful medicine..."

Chu Yan smiled and said, "I'm thinking about how to persuade Lin Daiyu to take an elixir."

Daiyu chuckled and laughed again, wiping away her tears, and said with a smile, "I don't want to owe you any more favors. Once I owe you something... I can never repay it in my lifetime."

Her voice was clear and soft, and as she spoke, her eyes sparkled with a captivating charm.

Chu Yan couldn't resist and hugged Daiyu tightly, kissing her passionately.

(End of this chapter)