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

Chapter 37: Raiding the Imperial Palace

"Your Majesty."

Qinghe also changed her address and, like her sister-in-law, raised her hands and covered her beautiful face with her wide sleeves to show that she was unwilling to serve.

She avoided Chu Yan's gaze and said, "My mother has issued an order that I will marry the son of Marquis Anyuan. Please forgive me, I... cannot serve the king."

She was not used to the word "slave" because she never called herself that in her daily life.

She is the Princess of Dashun, how could she call herself a slave?
"Marquis Anyuan?"

Chu Yan asked, and Xia Shouzhong beside him hurriedly said, "Your Highness Prince Qian, the wedding date of Princess Qinghe and the son of Marquis Anyuan is set for next month!"

"Oh." Chu Yan looked at her and smiled, "That's easy. I'll ascend the throne in a few days and then issue an order to cancel your engagement."

Qinghe's heart trembled.

She really... wanted to remarry the Qian Prince in front of her?!

But he was the one who destroyed her country and her family, and he was her enemy. How could she marry such a man...

At this moment, Qinghe recalled the history books she had read, but the books did not record much about the fate of princesses of a fallen country. Perhaps, being able to marry the founding emperor of the new dynasty was the best ending.

What can she, a weak woman, do?
But she still felt unwilling!

"And more," Chu Yan continued, "all the princes and nobles of the Shun Dynasty will be stripped of their titles. If you marry the son of Marquis Anyuan, you will only be a commoner, and your husband will have to serve more than ten years of corvee labor. How can a princess like you, who has never done housework, endure such hardship?"

Qinghe...was in a state of confusion.

He lowered his head and did not answer.

Chu Yan said to her calmly, "To stabilize the people of the old dynasty, I will make you my consort and publicize this matter. What do you think?"

The eunuchs and palace maids around, as well as Concubine Wu, Concubine Wu, Concubine Zhou and others, all quietly raised their heads and looked at Princess Qinghe, their eyes either full of envy or flattery.

This was the first concubine of the Xin Dynasty.

From princess to concubine, the transformation is huge, the only thing that remains unchanged is that she still lives in the palace!
Even Empress Zhang, who had her back to Chu Yan, turned her head to look at her beautiful sister-in-law. Her appearance and demeanor were one of the reasons why Prince Qian was so happy to make her a concubine.

Qinghe lowered her head and said, "Thank you, Prince Qian, for your kindness. However, I'm already betrothed to someone else and I don't want to marry anyone else in this lifetime!"

Shuyu immediately remembered that the princess had destroyed all the things that Marquis Anyuan had sent for her marriage yesterday, and guessed that the princess was speaking out of anger.

"That's fine."

Chu Yan said this deliberately. Seeing the princess in front of him seemed to be relieved, he said, "Stay in the palace for a few more days. When you figure it out, come and tell me."

"!!"

Qinghe suddenly looked up at him, and seeing the playful look in Chu Yan's eyes, he turned his head away in shame and anger and stopped talking.

Prince Qian seemed to be asking her if she was willing to be his concubine, but in fact he didn't give her any chance to refuse!

"Xian De Fei, what about you?" Chu Yan asked Jia Yuanchun again.

She seemed prepared. After bowing her head and bowing, she replied, "Your Highness, Prince Qian, I originally wanted to follow my husband and leave the palace, but... I heard that Your Highness wanted to abolish the titles of Dukes of the old dynasty. My family is the Jia family, the Duke of Rong. Now that our family and country are in ruins, Your Highness has also ordered me to stay in the palace and serve. I... dare not disobey!"

These words made Chu Yan look at her with admiration. He originally thought that she was a weak and timid woman, but he didn't expect that she also had insight and determination. She knew that staying in the palace would better protect her family, so she decisively gave up following Emperor Yongning.

Chu Yan said, "I have other arrangements for the Jia family. You can't save them just by staying and serving them."

Jia Yuanchun remained silent and bowed again.

"Your Highness King Qian!"

At this moment, Concubine Zhou suddenly knelt down, her face flushed with shame as she said, "If Your Highness does not despise my humble appearance, I am willing to stay in the palace and serve you!"

Concubine Wu and Concubine Wu were both stunned. Empress Zhang turned around, glanced at her coldly, then turned her head away and ignored her.

"why?"

Chu Yan asked her in a calm tone.

"I am the same as Concubine Xian De!" Concubine Zhou hurriedly found an excuse and showed a flattering smile on her charming little face.

No one would not like the willing service of a beautiful woman.

Because he had been away from home for many years, Chu Yan had only one concubine, Xie Zhaojun, and a few maids. He originally wanted to capture the capital and then select some daughters of Shun Dynasty officials to bring into the palace, one to have them as concubines to give birth to offspring, and the other to win people's hearts.

But I didn’t expect that this is the world of Red Mansions!
However, even if the beauties in the Red Mansion are included, he still has quite a few concubines in his harem.

From imperial concubines, imperial concubines to noble ladies, talented ladies, etc., generally speaking, a hundred people are not considered a lot, and there is even an allusion of riding a sheep cart in the hope of favor.

Having another noble lady like Zhou was nothing to Chu Yan. "Okay, you stay and serve me."

He nodded in agreement, and the charming and lovely Lady Zhou kowtowed respectfully to express her gratitude.

"Your Highness Prince Qian, I, I am willing to stay too!" Concubine Wu couldn't help but speak.

"Reason?" Chu Yan asked her in the same tone, "Don't say the same thing as Consort Xian De. There's no such thing as three times the truth."

"I...I saw that His Royal Highness Prince Qian was tall and strong, and I couldn't help but feel happy!"

Concubine Wu thought quickly and spoke out her true feelings with a blushing face.

Not only did she feel extremely embarrassed after hearing this, but Jia Yuanchun, Concubine Zhou, Empress Zhang and others also had shame on their faces and spat at her.

Princess Qinghe, who only had a vague understanding of matters between men and women, was somewhat puzzled as to why Concubine Wu was so happy.

"it is good!"

Chu Yan smiled and said, "This reason satisfies me very much. You can stay as well."

Concubine Wu blushed, but she knelt down and kowtowed happily.

Lady Zhou beside her muttered, "Vixen!"

Others may not have heard it, but Chu Yan heard it. He glanced at the two of them and said nothing.

He glanced at Concubine Wu Shu, and seeing her hesitation, he stopped paying attention and said, "For those of you who stay, your food, clothing, and other expenses will be reduced by one level. The Empress will be counted as a Noble Concubine, and the Noble Concubine will be counted as a Concubine. The old people in the Xu Palace will still call you Empress, Queen Mother, and Noble Concubine."

Everyone listened carefully to his orders, knowing that the fate of everyone in the palace was decided by Prince Qian.

At this moment, Empress Zhang seemed to feel relieved. If she agreed to serve Prince Qian, she could still have the rank of noble concubine.

It’s just a little strange, why did Prince Qian allow the palace maids and eunuchs to call her Queen?

Looking at Qinghe, Chu Yan continued to give orders: "Princess Qinghe's food and clothing expenses will be reduced by half according to the rank of concubines. The rest of the underage princes and princesses will all be provided with food and drink like palace maids and eunuchs, and will be under the supervision of the Queen for the time being."

As for those young princesses, Chu Yan planned to raise them up, marry the unattractive ones to meritorious officials, and give them dowries according to the standards of county princesses, so as not to bury their status as princesses of the old dynasty.

"Xian De Fei, I want you to do something."

Chu Yan looked at Jia Yuanchun, who quickly bowed to show that she was listening.

Chu Yan said, "All the former emperors, concubines, and wives of the emperor will be relocated to the Eastern Palace. All their belongings, except for a few common changes of clothing, will be confiscated and recorded."

Everyone was shocked. The confiscation extended to the palace?! Almost all the concubines had their homes searched and all their belongings confiscated!
This terrifying scene can only be seen when there is a change of dynasties.

“Concubine, concubine…”

This was the first time that Jia Yuanchun received such an important task. For her, who had been in the palace for ten years and had always been cautious, it was no less than transforming herself into the queen!
Only the queen is qualified to take charge of such an important matter!
"You can't do it?" Chu Yan asked, "If you can't do it, I'll let someone else do it."

Concubine Zhou and Concubine Wu, who had just agreed to serve, looked at him with shining eyes.

Who could understand the feeling of confiscating the property of all the concubines in the palace who had a disagreement with them?!

"I obey your order!"

Jia Yuanchun knelt down and kowtowed to receive the order.

Chu Yan smiled and said, "I haven't ascended the throne yet, get up."

Jia Yuanchun stood up hurriedly, feeling ashamed, and secretly hated herself for losing her composure and losing her manners.

Chu Yan looked at the others and said, "If you can't handle so many things by yourself, order others to help you. This includes the Queen and the Princess. They will all be at your disposal for the time being! Oh, I forgot, Queen Zhang's food and clothing expenses will also be reduced to half of the Imperial Concubine's."

The eunuchs and palace maids all looked at Empress Zhang and lowered their heads.

They have been in the palace for so long, how could they not see that Prince Qian was trying to intimidate the Empress!
Jia Yuanchun, who was originally just a noble concubine, is now able to command the queen, which is no less than Chi You holding Gan Qi.

Empress Zhang still had her back to Prince Qian, her face tense and she said nothing.

"I will obey the order of King Qian."

Jia Yuanchun said with lowered brows.

She couldn't help but think that Prince Qian's entry into the capital had indeed brought about earth-shaking changes. If she had followed Emperor Yongning, her Changchun Palace would have been confiscated before the Jia family was raided.

Cold fact: Concubine Wu and Noble Lady Zhou also appear in Dream of the Red Chamber.

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(End of this chapter)