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

Chapter 291 Lin Xiaoxiang's Clever Plan Proves Her True Feelings
Behind the screen, Baochai sighed inwardly, "My brother has been away on corvée labor for half a year and he's even learned to call himself a servant. I pity him for suffering."

Then he thought, "The Emperor suddenly asked a question, but my brother could only cry out that he was wronged. It is clear that he did not understand that His Majesty did not intend to punish him."

Xue Pan kept kowtowing, his face turning pale with fright.

Chu Yan spoke up: "I already know about your case. Xiang Ling, whom you were arguing about, is now serving in my room. Do you know you were wrong?"

Xue Pan could only kowtow.

Chu Yan said calmly, "Jia Yucun's judgment was a muddled case; it was a muddled thing done by the Wang and Jia families together."

Although Wang Ziteng was not present, several members of the Wang family were there, including Madam Wang, Wang Xifeng, Aunt Xue, Baochai, and others. They all stood up and bowed their heads.

Xue Pan was so frightened that he trembled. He had completely disregarded the case before, but now it had become the reason for the new emperor to hold him accountable.

"That's all."

Chu Yan said, "Given the judgment of the old dynasty and the fact that your mother and sister serve in the palace, I will no longer pursue your crimes."

Xue Pan nearly collapsed to the ground.

"Now that the dynasty has changed and the court has a completely new look and atmosphere, if you dare to act recklessly again, no one can save you. Those who deserve to be beheaded will be beheaded, and those who deserve to be exiled will be exiled. Even the concubines who plead for your crimes will be considered guilty. Anyone who dares to privately protect or conceal the truth will be stripped of their concubine status and punished."

Chu Yan's words, "considered guilty," sent a chill down the spines of the concubines behind the screen. The subsequent abolition of their concubine status was the most severe thing the emperor had said to them in the past six months!
The emperor's decree was announced aloud, and behind the screen, the concubines knelt on the ground, kowtowing to receive the decree.

"I hope you will remember this."

Chu Yan ordered Xue Pan to retreat, and then said, "Jia She."

Yingchun's father, Jia She, hurriedly came out and knelt down.

Chu Yan glanced at him twice and said, "If you dare to indulge in pleasure and lust again, or abuse your power, your life will be in danger. Get out of here."

The emperor uttered only one sentence, which terrified Jia She. He had no idea what he had done wrong, so he could only kowtow three times and retreat back to the queue.

"Jia Jing."

When Chu Yan spoke again, Jia Jing, Xi Chun's father, who was over sixty years old, came out and knelt down, trembling.

"What kind of Taoist practice are you?" Chu Yan said calmly. "You do nothing but cause trouble in the Taoist temple all day long. Your son is a bastard, and your grandson is a good-for-nothing. If it weren't for the Fourth Miss, I would have thrown you out long ago."

Jia Jing kept kowtowing, repeatedly saying he knew he was wrong.

Behind the screen, Jia Xichun's expression was complicated. After a long while, she finally felt relieved.

"Jia Lian".

Chu Yan continued, and Jia Lian hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down. Behind the screen, Wang Xifeng looked nervous, not because of her former husband, but because she guessed that the dog emperor had specifically summoned Jia Lian to talk about her.

really.

Chu Yan said, "Your wife, Feng Jie, has now entered the palace to serve me. Are you aware of this?"

Everyone, both inside and outside the house, was taken aback.

Jia Lian hurriedly kowtowed and said with a forced smile, "Your Majesty led the righteous army to destroy the tyrannical Shun dynasty. My Jia family and the Wang family are all guilty. Although I was once husband and wife with Lady Feng, we have had no relationship since we were questioned. Lady Feng is no longer my wife, but merely a palace maid serving in Your Majesty's palace. It is Your Majesty's honor to summon Lady Feng. How could I dare to complain?!"

Sister Feng felt a huge weight lifted from her heart, but a cold smile appeared on her face: "Well done, Lian boy. Why haven't I seen him so clever before?"

Li Wan and the others laughed.

Chu Yan laughed and said, "I didn't say you had any complaints, but you did. It seems you do."

Jia Lian hurriedly kowtowed.

"no."

Chu Yan, remembering that Jia Lian was also Qiao Jie's father, said, "Your families each have several daughters serving in the palace. In the future, you will all be relatives of the emperor."

Jia Zheng and the others stood with their hands at their sides. Having been reprimanded earlier, they dared not show any excitement at this moment.

Chu Yan said, “I originally intended to punish you with several years of forced labor before issuing an edict to pardon your crimes. However, since you are either the fathers or brothers of the concubines in the palace, your daughters and sisters will inevitably worry if I order you to do forced labor again.”

Xue Pan and the others dared not even breathe loudly; the past six months of forced labor had truly made them wish they were dead.

Now, the person who can decide their fate with a single word is right before their eyes!
Chu Yan said, "But you are nobles of the previous dynasty. It would be unreasonable to pardon you too quickly. I will compromise and exempt you from working in the fields every day after the New Year."

The crowd beamed with joy and bowed down in unison.

Chu Yan then said, "Among them, Jia Zheng, Jia Lian, Xue Ke, and Jia Qiang are permitted to return to the city to live." He glanced at Lin Ruhai and continued, "Lin Ruhai is transferred to the position of Vice Minister of the Imperial Academy, and Jia Lian is pardoned and appointed as a clerk in the Imperial Academy."

Jia Lian trembled all over, feeling as refreshed as if he had drunk an ice-cold drink on a summer day!
The emperor actually pardoned him and even gave him an official position at the Lantai Temple, so he could serve as an official alongside his uncle, Lin!
what is this?
His wife served the emperor so well in the harem that he was extremely pleased!

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Lin Ruhai knelt down and kowtowed to express his gratitude, and Jia Lian hurriedly knelt down as well.

Chu Yan said, "The Lantai Temple oversees the imperial relatives and nobles. I will appoint several more people as Lantai Temple officials. Minister Lin has held this position before, so he should know what it is."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."

Lin Ruhai answered respectfully.

After passing the imperial examination and becoming a third-ranked scholar, he served as a doctor at the Imperial Academy for three years.

The Lantai Temple oversees princes and dukes above, and imperial sons-in-law and relatives below. The chief officials are mostly members of the imperial family, while the deputy officials are court officials who are the ones who actually do the work.

Chu Yan said, "Now that Lantai Temple has been established, from now on, any of you who commit crimes or have improper conduct will be investigated and evidence collected by Lantai Temple."

The crowd kowtowed again to receive the decree.

"Official business is finished," Chu Yan said with a smile. "Let's talk about some personal matters. Tomorrow, come to Rongxi Hall, where I, the concubines, and you will have a lively New Year's Eve dinner together."

Everyone nodded and agreed.

Chu Yan didn't linger, dismissing them and saying, "You can meet with your relatives in the front courtyard from now on, there's no need to ask Third Miss and Sister Feng anymore."

The crowd was about to kowtow again, but Chu Yan excused them and ordered them to leave.

After the men left, the women came out from behind the screen.

Because of the stern words spoken earlier, Yingchun, Tanchun, Li Wan, and others were somewhat afraid, and even Xiangyun was affected.

Daiyu said, "A country has its laws, and a family has its rules. His Majesty has set rules and re-established the Lantai Temple today, which will actually help to supervise the imperial relatives and make them behave themselves, unlike before."

Upon hearing this, Baochai had no choice but to come out, bow, and apologize. She sighed, "My brother has been naughty since he was a child. He doesn't know what's important and often gets into arguments with others, which leads to disaster. His Majesty ordered him to perform corvée labor for half a year. Now my brother knows how high the sky is and will never dare to be reckless again."

Aunt Xue blushed and said something, but none of the Jia family members dared to interrupt.

Chu Yan laughed and said, "Your brother is your brother, and you are you. I can tell the difference. But you and Madam Xue should teach him a lesson. If he continues to be arrogant and ignorant, I will not forgive him." He added, "Not only Xue Pan, but everyone else too. If any of your family members break the law or commit crimes, do not come to plead for them. If they can be pardoned, I will definitely show leniency. Your pleading will only annoy me. Remember that."

Everyone, including Daiyu, Xiangyun, and Baoqin, nodded.

Chu Yan was satisfied; he had finished his reprimand and got up to leave.

"Your Majesty," Daiyu suddenly smiled.

"What's wrong?" Chu Yan asked with a smile.

Daiyu walked over, bent down slightly, and whispered in his ear, "Jia Baoyu."

Chu Yan doubted he had misheard. He looked at her, and Daiyu smiled and said, "Do you remember what His Majesty wanted to ask me this morning?"

Morning?

Chu Yan thought for a while before bursting into laughter and ordering Yuanyang, "Go and call Jia Baoyu here!"

Everyone was stunned.

Everyone looked towards the door. From the moment Jia Lian and the others entered, Jia Baoyu had actually been lingering outside the door. Miss Lin must have seen him, which is why she invited him inside.

But why is that?

Yuanyang hurried out and called Jia Baoyu, who was wearing an old cotton-padded coat, into the house.

This time, the women did not avoid the situation, firstly because many of them had known Jia Baoyu since childhood, and secondly because Chu Yan was present.

"Grandma... Mother, Lin Daiyu, Baochai..."

The presence of all the beautiful and charming sisters in the room greatly excited Jia Baoyu, who had not seen them for a long time. Seeing their even more outstanding appearances, he felt an even stronger sense of déjà vu.

Daiyu, holding Xiangyun's hand, stood behind Chu Yan with Baoqin and the others, while Tanchun and the others accompanied Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang.

Baochai said, "Brother Bao, how could you forget again? You must kowtow and pay your respects when you come in."

In the past, if Baoyu had forgotten to bow in his excitement, no one would have said anything, and he could have done it later.

But things are different now.

Upon hearing Baochai's reprimand, Jia Baoyu hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed to Chu Yan in a grand manner.

"Get up."

Chu Yan said calmly, "I just finished reprimanding the imperial relatives, but I forgot about you."

Everyone then realized that this was why Jia Baoyu had been called in.

"Your Majesty's instructions will be obeyed!"

Jia Baoyu had learned quite a bit from the eunuchs' language these days, and at this moment he respectfully kowtowed.

Chu Yan said, "Did you spend all of the more than one thousand taels that Lin Daiyu gave you earlier?"

Daiyu couldn't help but recall half a year ago, when she was still thinking of Jia Baoyu and worried that he would suffer outside.

Now, standing behind Chu Yan and looking at Jia Baoyu before her, she could only sigh at the past, having no further connection with him.

“…Yes, yes!” Jia Baoyu couldn’t help but look up at Lin Daiyu. The emperor also called her Lin Daiyu, but at this moment, Lin Daiyu was standing behind that person, looking at him calmly with her bright and clear eyes.

Jia Baoyu was heartbroken and cried out, "Sister Lin!"

He dared not shout it out, nor did he dare to go mad, because he knew that no matter how crazy or foolish he became, his maternal grandmother, his mother, his father, and others would no longer protect him.

Chu Yan asked, "What did you do with so much money?"

Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, Lady Xing, and others were also watching.

After hesitating for a while, Jia Baoyu finally said, "Some were given to my brothers, and some to the officers in the military camp. Most of them... were given to Officer Qi."

"An actor from the former Prince Zhongshun's mansion?"

"……Yes."

"What a spoiled brat, he doesn't value money at all."

Chu Yan said calmly, then turned to Lin Daiyu and said, "Sister Lin was the same back then."

Since Daiyu had taken the initiative to bring up the matter, she was prepared to be scolded by him, so she honestly lowered her head and admitted her mistake: "This concubine knows that she was wrong, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Chu Yan shuddered, incredulous, staring at her intently as he watched Daiyu's small face slowly blush.

Xiangyun and the others looked at her in surprise, as it was the first time they had heard Daiyu refer to herself as "this concubine."

Jia Baoyu was terrified. He looked up and saw Lin Daiyu blushing shyly, now completely like an imperial concubine, another man's wife. Therefore, she referred to herself as... "this humble servant!"

This concubine...

Your humble servant... is Lin Daiyu!
"Lin Daiyu!!!" Jia Baoyu couldn't help but cry out, his face covered in tears. Everyone knew that something bad was about to happen, and Grandmother Jia hurriedly instructed Lady Wang: "Take Baoyu out. He's about to have another episode of his madness. Don't let him offend His Majesty."

Now the Jia family is showing signs of revival. The Jia family still has Jia Lan and Jia Huan, as well as her sons Jia Zheng and Jia She. Although she also feels sorry for Jia Baoyu, he has always been ignorant, so she can only reluctantly send him out to work and not come back often in the future.

Lady Wang hurried over to pull Jia Baoyu away.

Chu Yan spoke up to stop them, laughing and saying, "They're brothers and sisters, they grew up together since they were little, they just call each other 'Sister Lin'."

Upon hearing this, Xiangyun smiled and whispered, "Brother Emperor is up to no good."

Chu Yan laughed and said, "Nonsense, it's your sister Lin who's up to no good."

Daiyu quickly retorted, "It was clearly you who asked me that made me testify, and now you're blaming me again."

Chu Yan said, "I didn't know you wanted to prove it this way."

Baoqin asked curiously, "What are Your Majesty and Sister Lin talking about? Tell us too."

Daiyu smiled and said, "It was just a trivial matter in my spare time, and it's all fine now, so I won't mention it again!"

Chu Yan nodded: "I won't say anymore." He stood up, took Daiyu and Baoqin's hands, and said with a smile: "It's rare that I didn't attend court today, but I still had to summon people and deal with some matters. I'm tired too. You two accompany me back to the garden to rest well and wait for New Year's Eve tomorrow."

After hearing this, Xiangyun turned to Jia Baoyu and smiled, "Second Brother, we're leaving now. Remember to come to Rongxi Hall for New Year's Eve dinner tomorrow."

Baoqin, Daiyu, Baochai, Yingchun, Xichun, Li Wan, and others all bid farewell to Jia Baoyu. Their farewells were neither too distant nor too intimate. After saying goodbye, they escorted Chu Yan and left to return to the Grand View Garden.

Fengjie, Tanchun, and Yuanchun stayed behind. Fengjie naturally didn't have much to say, as she had to listen to the old women's reports later and didn't have time to chat with Jia Baoyu.

Besides, she is now a proper Consort Wang and concurrently serves as the Right Minister of the Daguan Palace, so she should be more discreet with men outside the palace.

Only Tan Chun and Yuan Chun, along with Lady Wang, saw Jia Baoyu off. Yuan Chun gave him a few more instructions, saying, "When you are serving your father outside, remember to be attentive and frugal. If you need more than you can afford, come to your mother and me, and we will think of a way to help you."

Tan Chun also said, "Father has not been pardoned yet, but it should be within two or three years. Once he gets through this, everything will be fine."

Jia Baoyu's mind was still filled with the scene of Lin Daiyu, Baochai, Qinmei, and others escorting the emperor as he left. He couldn't help but ask again, "Elder sister, did Lin Daiyu serve the emperor in bed...?"

Tan Chun's face turned cold, and Yuan Chun quickly tried to dissuade her: "Don't mention your Lin sister again, or I won't dare to speak to you anymore. Remember, what happened when you were little is in the past, don't dwell on it anymore."

Jia Baoyu was speechless and left dejectedly.

In my mind, I still hear Lin Daiyu referring to herself as "this humble servant" before the emperor...

(End of this chapter)