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

Chapter 301 Lantern Festival Banquet: Qin Keqing Warns the Hairpin
Yangxintang.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Xue Baoqin stretched out her fair and slender hand and picked out a jade pendant from the brocade box. Xiangyun and the others hurried over to take a look and saw the pendant inside, but no one spoke.

Baoqin was also stunned.

Baochai quickly smiled and said, "This one is not good, let's change to another one." As she spoke, she gestured to Baoqin, who hurriedly tried to return the plaque.

Chu Yan remained seated, and upon seeing this, frowned and said, "Why are there still bad things in the box?"

Xiangyun smiled and said, "It's not bad, it's excellent!"

"Sister Yun!" Baoqin quickly grabbed her hand, and Xiangyun gave her a look, telling her not to be afraid.

Chu Yan laughed: "Since it's so good, why don't you want it? Chai'er, let me see it!"

Instead of asking Baoqin to fetch it, he ordered Baochai to do so. Xichun immediately realized that His Majesty was punishing her for being talkative.

Baochai looked embarrassed and presented the jade token that Baoqin had drawn. Chu Yan picked it up, looked at it, then looked at Baoqin and said with a smile, "The Consort Shu is just right for Sister Qin, why is it not good?"

Baoqin smiled shyly and said, "I am not worthy of Consort Shu."

The system of imperial concubine titles, namely Gui, Shu, De, and Xian, was established in the Tang Dynasty. Guifei was the most honored, second only to the Empress. Later, imperial concubines were often referred to as Guifei and conferred titles such as "Gui," "Shu," "De," and "Xian."

Therefore, even if Chu Yan did not explicitly bestow the title of Noble Consort upon her, the palace servants and court officials would regard her as a Noble Consort since Baoqin was chosen as the Noble Consort.

Chu Yan said, "She's a good match." Then he laughed, "Just based on what happened this morning, Qin'er is a perfect match!"

Baochai, Daiyu, and Xiuyan didn't quite understand, but Li Wan and Qin Keqing understood something. Fengjie, however, just laughed and spat.

Baoqin blushed even more, but stood up and solemnly declined, saying, "The rank of Imperial Concubine is first grade. Since I have not borne any children for His Majesty and have no parents to rely on, it is truly difficult for me to receive such a great imperial favor." She added, "Besides, none of the sisters in the harem have been granted the title of Imperial Concubine. I was only chosen by chance today. How can I be granted the title of Imperial Concubine so easily?"

Yuan Chun glanced at the Emperor, then turned to Bao Qin and smiled, saying, "There is no rule that says one can only be made a Noble Consort if one has offspring."

Baoqin quickly said, "Yes, I misspoke, please don't blame me, elder sister."

Daiyu smiled and said, "In the previous dynasty, there was no fixed rule for the titles of imperial concubines. Now that Sister Qin has drawn the title of Consort Shu, let's accept it for now. When Consort Xie comes to the capital in the future, His Majesty will determine the title of Consort."

Chu Yan laughed: "Empress Lin has spoken, Qin'er, aren't you going to accept it?"

Everyone laughed, and Daiyu blushed, giving him a reproachful look.

Baoqin had no choice but to accept the Consort Shu's jade token, and couldn't help but look at her sister again.

Her elder sister hadn't even been made a concubine yet, but she was already half a Noble Consort...

Soon, everyone dispersed, and Baoqin followed her sister to Hengwu Garden. On the way, Baochai looked at her with a smile and said, "Congratulations, little sister. I must pay my respects to you when I see you in the future!"

Baoqin laughed and said, "Sister is teasing me. The sisters in the garden have been made concubines one after another, but I haven't seen any of them bowing to each other."

Baochai took her hand and said, “I am sincerely congratulating you. When I saw you draw the title of Consort Shu, I was startled. I thought that your sister Yun is favored no less than you or me, but she was not made a Noble Consort, while you were. Even if your sister Yun doesn’t care, there are bound to be people in the palace who are jealous. Therefore, they wanted to decline the title of Noble Consort for you.”

Baoqin nodded and said, "Sister's concern is just that. I have no grudges. I am truly unworthy of being named a Noble Consort."

Baochai laughed and said, "Who says you're not worthy? The Emperor just said you are worthy. If you're not worthy, then no one else is worthy!"

Baoqin laughed and said, "Sister, you are the true Imperial Concubine! His Majesty has said several times that you have the bearing of an Imperial Concubine!"

Baochai remained silent until she returned home and sat down, after which she said, "You have been granted the title of Consort Shu, leaving only the character 'Noble' among the ranks of Consorts. My elder sister already possesses the title of 'Virtuous,' so His Majesty will likely not grant the titles of Consort Xian or Consort De."

Baoqin said, "It should be 'Consort Xue' that you should call her!"

After sitting for a while, she said goodbye and left.

On the way, Xiao Luo was in high spirits. Bao Qin asked her what was making her so happy, and Xiao Luo smiled and said, "Shouldn't you be happy that you've been named a Consort Shu?"

Baoqin sighed, "How wonderful it would be if there were twelve Imperial Concubines?"

The little snail didn't understand.

Fortunately, Baoqin was open-minded and stopped worrying about it after returning home. She continued to do needlework and read books.

A few days passed in the blink of an eye, and the Lantern Festival arrived.

Chu Yan still hosted a banquet, watched a play with the concubines of the harem, and invited Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, Aunt Xue, Aunt Xiangyun and others to come. The play lasted until nightfall before everyone dispersed.

But it did not dissipate.

Chu Yan laughed and said, "I've set up a banquet inside. Those of you who still want to drink, please stay."

Daiyu and the others all looked over, and Fengjie said with a smile, "I'll take Miss back first and put her to bed. If I have time, I'll come and ask His Majesty for a cup of wine."

Chu Yan said, "You just go back."

So Fengjie took Qiaojie back, and Empress Zhang also took the little princesses back. Li Wan stayed behind because Jia Lan had been taken away by Lady Wang.

More than half of the people stayed behind.

Chu Yan returned to the warm pavilion and ordered Yuanyang to bring over a table. He sat down on the kang (a heated brick bed) and smiled at Daiyu, saying, "You are weak, come and sit with me."

Daiyu did not refuse, but she did not approach him either. She had Baochai and Keqing sit with him and pour him wine, while Xiangyun sat next to her sister Baochai.

Yuanyang brought over three tables, and the concubines sat down around them. The room was warm, and they all took off their outer garments, revealing their exquisite figures.

Chu Yan was in high spirits. Before the food and wine were even served, he drank two cups and leaned back to chat with them.

Daiyu whispered to Tanchun beside her, "His Majesty is happy that he won't be attending court tomorrow."

Tan Chun glanced at Chu Yan and smiled, then said, "Drinking alone is no fun, let's play a drinking game."

Daiyu laughed and said, "The food hasn't even been served yet, but people are already drinking. Drinking games are supposed to be a refined pastime, but drinking straight is just like drinking dregs outside."

That's exactly what I'm talking about right now—people who have women on both sides!

Chu Yan laughed and said, "With you all by my side, even drinking alone is interesting."

Daiyu stopped talking and just smiled.

Baochai smiled and said, "We just had some wine with the ladies and mistresses, and we can't drink any more right now. How about we use tea instead of wine? We don't have any wine or food, so we can play drinking games with tea."

Everyone agreed, and Qin Keqing asked with a smile, "What drinking game should we play?"

Some suggested rock-paper-scissors, others suggested musical chairs, and still others suggested drawing flower names. Seeing this, Qin Keqing quickly said, "We usually use the games of our predecessors when we play drinking games. Although they are elegant, we are tired of them. Why don't we come up with a new game tonight? If we can borrow His Majesty's favor to make it a classic story, that would be a wonderful thing!"

Xiangyun clapped her hands and said yes, then asked, "What fun games do you have?"

Keqing smiled and said, "Let's each write a poem, a proverb, or a riddle. The poem, proverb, or riddle must all be related to the people or things around us right now. We'll make them into lots, and whoever draws the lot has to guess it. The one who guesses wrong has to drink a penalty shot!"

Baoqin said, "That's interesting."

Seeing that everyone agreed, Yuanyang busied herself with preparations. It was easy enough; she simply wrote down what everyone had written and then matched it with the slips of paper.

No matter how many slips of paper everyone wrote, Chu Yan saw that Ke Qing wrote more than ten slips and handed them to Yuan Yang.

Soon, the divination sticks were ready. Yuanyang brought them to the Emperor, and Chu Yan then handed them to Baochai. As Baochai shook the divination tube, Qin Keqing secretly smiled. A stick quickly fell out and landed on the table. Yuanyang hurriedly picked it up and went to find a slip of paper to give to her.

Baochai unfolded it and saw a line of delicate handwriting that read:
"Born as the first branch on the Jade Terrace, why should it need rain to be reserved?"
Her flowing robes are protected by the spring breeze; her jade-like bones are beyond the comprehension of this mortal world.

After reading it, Baochai frowned slightly, thought for a while, and then laughed and said, "It's really embarrassing. I can't guess the riddle hidden in this poem. Is it about a person, an object, or a prophecy or admonition?"

Ke Qing clapped her hands and laughed, "Miss Bao can't guess it, she should be punished!"

Baochai had no choice but to drink it. Seeing this, Li Wan laughed and said, "Don't even mention Baochai, none of us can figure it out. What exactly is written here?"

Keqing said, "It is a peony in the mirror."

Upon hearing this, everyone pointed at her and laughed, saying she was cheating. Who would guess such a thing? Besides, it wasn't even something right in front of them, so they punished her by making her drink.

Qin Keqing quickly handed the divination sticks to Xiangyun, thus covering up the matter of drinking the penalty wine.

Xiangyun also drew a fortune stick, which read: "The swaddling clothes have been used to save the infant, the gates of heaven are opened, the setting sun shines in golden light. The crane's shadow on the cold pond transforms into cloud feathers, the unicorn's tracks on the Xiang River enter the imperial palace."

After Xiangyun finished reading, she immediately asked, "Is it about me?"

After saying that, she looked at Ke Qing, then at His Majesty the Emperor, and then at Sister Lin.

Does she still remember His Majesty's words, "A crane's shadow crosses the cold pond, a flower's soul is buried by the cold moon"?

Qin Keqing clapped her hands, "I guessed it!"

Everyone looked at her. Baochai seemed to be deep in thought. She then looked at the Emperor and saw that he was just smiling and drinking, not surprised at all.

"It's my turn."

Daiyu stretched out her slender hand, and Yuanyang brought her the divination stick container.

Daiyu held the divination tube in both hands, glanced at Chu Yan and Qin Keqing, and then began to shake it. After a moment, some divination sticks fell down.

Chu Yan picked it up and read aloud: "Old spirit by the Three Lives Stone, bathed in new grace in the Shanglin Garden. Having freed himself from the ethereal debt of love, he now wields the awe-inspiring power of the Purple Palace."

Daiyu remained silent, and suddenly many things connected. Brother Chu had indeed never lied to her. She just didn't know who Consort Qin was. Perhaps she was related to Consort Xie.

Brother Chu knew, but he didn't tell her; perhaps the time wasn't right.

Xiangyun smiled and said, "It's Sister Lin." Daiyu then smiled and said, "Thank you, Sister Qin, and thank you, His Majesty the Emperor."

Chu Yan said, "If you thank me again, I'll have to punish Lin Daiyu."

Daiyu blushed. She had never been punished by her, but she knew how this person punished others.

Seeing this, everyone shook their fortune sticks. Li Wan's was "Peach and plum blossoms in the spring breeze illuminate the nine heavens, the red robe has long been replaced by the old black robe," Yingchun's was "Golden boudoir flowers and willows shine with dragon patterns, the delicate body now receives the light of the sun and moon." Qinghe also wanted to shake his fortune stick, but he only got the common answer.

Baoqin was the same.

After the drinking game was over, the food was served. No one mentioned what had just happened, and everyone drank with Chu Yan.

Daiyu drank a small cup of wine and ate some food with him, but then stopped eating.

At the second watch of the night, Chu Yan said, "It's getting late. Let's invite our sister, the Fairy Disenchantment, to say a few words. If she says anything wrong, I will punish her on your behalf!"

Xiangyun laughed and said, "She should be punished. I thought about it for a long time but couldn't come up with anything. She definitely has to be punished!"

Everyone looked at her again, and Qin Keqing hurriedly begged for mercy, saying, "It was my sister... it was Consort Xie who appeared to me in a dream, asking me to comfort you sisters. Otherwise, how would I dare to act so presumptuously in front of His Majesty?"

As she spoke, Keqing rubbed against Chu Yan, using all her seductive tricks to charm him. Chu Yan reached out and pinched her face, making Keqing's eyes fill with tears. She was both alluring and pitiful, truly lovable.

Xiangyun sighed, "Since it was Consort Xie's idea, we shouldn't say anything more. Our Emperor knows what's going on."

Baochai smiled and said, "In another three months, the truth will come out, so there's no need to rush."

Everyone nodded, and seeing that Chu Yan had nothing to say, they all took their leave and went back.

Qin Keqing stayed until the end, and before Chu Yan could ask any questions, she took the initiative to say, "My sister called me back to the heavens and instructed me to warn the young ladies first. I also advised her to come to the capital as soon as possible, and not to keep hiding from His Majesty. Whether to reward or punish is up to His Majesty."

Chu Yan sneered: "There's no reason to reward her? The next time you see her, I order you to punish her for me!"

Qin Keqing smiled and agreed, then said softly, "Your Majesty, it's late."

Seeing her gentle and charming expression, Chu Yan was about to speak when Feng Jie's laughter came from outside: "I'm late, have all the girls left?"

As she spoke, she walked into the room and saw that Keqing was also there. She smiled and said, "I was indeed a step too late. My daughter had just fallen asleep when you all finished drinking."

Ke Qing smiled and pulled her over: "Auntie, you've come at the perfect time! I was originally going to be divorced, and then I died in the freezing snow. It was His Majesty who saved me. Auntie should kowtow to His Majesty with me to express our gratitude~"

Chu Yan raised an eyebrow.

Sister Feng looked at her in surprise: "What are you saying? How could I be divorced and die in the snow? Who told you all this!"

Ke Qing smiled and pulled her to kneel at Chu Yan's feet, chuckling, "Auntie rushed to Yangxin Hall, wasn't it just to kowtow to His Majesty? That's it~"

In front of Sister Feng, she opened her mouth and kowtowed, her forehead hitting Chu Yan's abdomen.

Sister Feng blushed and spat at her, but didn't dodge. She glanced at the dog emperor a few times, and seeing that he didn't move, she felt so angry that her teeth itched.

It wasn't until Chu Yan reached out and pulled her that Feng Jie's resentment turned to joy, and she crawled into the quilt to tease him with Ke Qing.

All told, she hadn't been intimate with him for half a month, and that's exactly when she was craving him.

Silent all night.

When Fengjie woke up, she heard Feng'er say that Qiaojie was making a fuss about wanting her mother, so she hurriedly got dressed and went back, leaving Keqing on the bed to be intimate with Chu Yan.

Halfway there, Fengjie hurriedly returned, taking advantage of the tender moments the two had shared the previous night, and asked in a low voice, "His Majesty once said that my daughter was also one of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling?"

Chu Yan knew what she was asking and said directly, "Take good care of Qiao'er, and I will make her a concubine in the future."

"Hun... Zhang".

Sister Feng gritted her teeth, almost cursing out loud, but Chu Yan reached out and rubbed her face, laughing, "You dreamed about me last night? What did you call me in your dream?"

Sister Feng was immediately surprised.

Chu Yan lowered his head and kissed her lips: "Alright, I promise you, we'll talk about it when Qiao'er is older."

Sister Feng had no choice but to leave. She knew in her heart that although the dog emperor had promised not to make her a concubine, Qiao Jie was already so beautiful at such a young age that she would surely grow up to be a great beauty.

If she is kept in the palace, the emperor will surely take a liking to her and want to make her a concubine.

But she couldn't bear to send Qiaojie away to be raised. So she decided to wait until her daughter was older.

At worst, she can give up being a concubine and let her daughter take the position.

(End of this chapter)