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

Chapter 67 Rewarding the Three Armies and Meeting the Elderly Officer
"Your Majesty~"

Hearing the voice, Chu Yan looked up and saw two beauties in palace dresses.

One is Jia Yuanchun, one of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling. She is wearing an apricot-yellow printed soft gauze jacket with a white cross-collar underneath, and a pleated skirt, which makes her look gentle and soft.

The other was Princess Qinghe of the former Shun Dynasty. She wore a crescent-white cross-collared gown and a horse-faced skirt. Surprisingly, she had a white gauze scarf wrapped around her face to cover her palm-sized beautiful face, revealing only her smooth and soft forehead and a pair of bright big eyes with shyness.

Because they were going out of the city to meet many soldiers, neither of them dressed up. They simply tied their hair into a bun and decorated it with a hairpin. They only wore their clothes neatly and tightly, not even revealing their white necks.

Chu Yan stared at the veiled, graceful princess and ordered:

"Take off your veil and let this king see you!"

After putting on the veil, Princess Qinghe has a mysterious beauty that makes people want to explore her.

Yuanchun was a little stunned.

Qinghe's eyes were filled with shame and anger. After a while, she helplessly stretched out her white hands, pinched the veil with her slender fingers, and gently took it off.

Her soft and well-behaved face was full of blushes, showing the shyness and delicateness of an unmarried girl.

Chu Yan laughed: "I haven't seen you for a few days. I almost forgot what you look like, Qinghe. You are still as beautiful as ever!"

Qinghe lowered her head, holding the veil tightly in her hand.

"Let's go, let's get out of town!"

Chu Yan stood up, walked over, took their hands, and went out together.

The carriage was ready outside and the ministers of the new dynasty were waiting not far away. Qinghe was led by his hand to a golden satin-draped carriage pulled by two horses.

Qinghe lowered his head and held his hand as he got into the car.

The palace maids were opening the curtains, and Chu Yan smiled at her: "Actually, I didn't ask the Queen to accompany me tonight, I only asked Consort Xian De."

Qinghe suddenly opened her eyes wide and looked at him, but Chu Yan had already jumped on his horse and was walking in front of her.

"..."

Sitting in the Zhaiyu that only concubines could use, Qinghe felt extremely complicated.

This man really didn't know what to do. He imprisoned her and the emperor's sister-in-law in the palace and did not allow her to marry. At the same time, he took good care of her in many ways. He would personally help her get into the car, which made the palace maids and eunuchs around him look over.

Unable to figure it out, Qinghe looked out from the screen window and saw Prince Qian riding a horse in front of her Diyu.

He traveled in the emperor's carriage, accompanied by flags, drums, banners, pennants, and other items, as well as palace maids and eunuchs holding incense burners, palace lanterns, whisks, towels, and spittoons. All the ceremonial processions were based on the emperor's behavior, but he himself rode a horse and no one paid any attention to him.

When they came out of the Linjing Palace, they were followed by more than thirty personal guards of Prince Qian. When they left the Meridian Gate, hundreds of personal guards joined the team one after another. When they left the palace gate again, both sides of the street were already lined with soldiers.

There were countless civil officials and military generals. When they saw that Prince Qian did not ride in the imperial carriage, they all abandoned the sedan chair and rode on horses instead.

Prince Qian's troop arrived at the streets of the capital in a mighty procession. Some people had already sprinkled clean water on the streets and paved the road with yellow earth. It was no different from Qinghe's memory of the several times he had accompanied his father out of the city.

When they arrived at the city gate, thousands of people in front of them started making a commotion.

Qinghe was a little frightened and looked outside again, only to find that the soldiers guarding the city had gathered around when they saw King Qian's carriage coming, vying to have a drink with him.

Chu Yan stopped the guards in front of him from stopping him, rode forward, and said with a smile to the soldiers guarding the city: "Today we are rewarding the three armies. Unfortunately, I don't know how to split myself, so I can only leave the city and celebrate with the brothers camped outside the city!"

The soldiers burst into laughter and tried to persuade him to stay.

Chu Yan waved: "Bring me some wine!"

Everyone rushed to offer wine. Chu Yan dismounted, took a jar of wine, opened the lid, and said to them loudly: "I will drink first as a gesture of respect. Let's drink to our heart's content tonight!"

He raised his head, picked up the wine jar, poured the wine into his throat, and more than a thousand soldiers cheered loudly.

Inside the car, Qinghe stared at the scene with wide eyes. He saw that more than half of the wine in his wine jar had spilled out, wetting his robe. It was unsightly, but also indescribably generous. No wonder these soldiers came here without paying attention to military discipline.

After drinking, Chu Yan threw the wine jar back, mounted his horse again, and ordered, "Chu Ming, Li Changjin, you two will reward the three armies in the city on my behalf!"

The two men accepted the order and stayed in the city.

The numerous soldiers defending the city finally made way and watched King Qian's carriage leave the city.

There is no curfew tonight, and Prince Qian will probably be back late at night, so the city gates will remain open.

Qinghe rode the Zhaiyu out of the city gate and saw traces of the siege from a few days ago along the way. The moat was filled in many places, crisscrossing ditches were dug on the ground, and many parts of the city wall were damaged.

Jia Yuanchun also saw this scene and couldn't help but think of her family.

The king said that he would make the Jia family perform labor service in the capital, presumably to repair the city walls and dig canals.

When they arrived at the camp, there was another round of thunderous cheers. The camp was filled with the aroma of meat and wine, waiting for the arrival of King Qian.

Amidst cheers, the beautiful and quiet Princess Qinghe and the dignified Jia Yuanchun got out of the car and came to Chu Yan.

Surrounded by men's gazes, Qinghe had put on her veil again, but her face was still blushing. She followed Chu Yan closely, afraid of getting lost.

There were actually quite a few women in the camp, some of them from opera troupes. Most of the troupes from the capital had been invited, and temporary stages had been set up throughout the camp. The performers were currently dressing in the tents behind the stage, preparing for the performance. "This general greets the king!"

Hundreds of generals, both great and small, came to pay homage to Prince Qian. Yuanchun held Qinghe's hand and hid aside, not daring to accept the kneeling worship of these soldiers.

"stand up!"

Chu Yan sat on a chair outside the commander's tent and asked with a smile, "Have you arranged patrols tonight? Even though we're celebrating, we can't let our guard down."

Someone immediately replied, "Your Majesty, I have already dispatched additional patrols. We dare not let our guard down tonight!"

Chu Yan nodded and said to them: "Don't talk nonsense anymore. Not only you, but I am also waiting to drink and celebrate. Let's talk about the reward directly:
This time, we captured the city, and the previous battle with the Shun Dynasty army. The two merits are combined, and each person will be rewarded with 15 taels of silver!"

The generals looked delighted.

The more rewards the ordinary soldiers received, the richer the rewards these generals received.

Chu Yan smiled and said, "Because the battle for the city went smoothly this time and only took one day, I'm going to give you another reward: Anyone who takes part in the battle on the day of the siege will receive an extra five taels of silver!"

The generals were about to bow their heads in thanks when Chu Yan said, "It's not over yet. When this king ascends the throne tomorrow, he will issue an order to reward the soldiers with land and allow you to settle down and buy property!"

"I bow to thank the king for his grace!"

Everyone thanked him joyfully. A piece of land was much more valuable than a few pieces of silver. Land was the foundation of a family's life!

Chu Yan smiled and said, "Go back and tell the soldiers to have a good drink tonight!"

All the wine in the city was brought in to reward the troops.

The generals returned to their respective camps and conveyed King Qian's reward to the soldiers. For a moment, the huge camp of 100,000 soldiers was in an uproar, with constant noise, laughter and cheers everywhere.

After Chu Yan finished giving the rewards, someone built a stage in the open space outside the general's tent, which was facing the general's tent so that Chu Yan could go back to the tent to rest at any time.

Everyone is busy.

Yuanchun and Qinghe were following Chu Yan when they suddenly saw a familiar figure and called out to her, "Are you Lingguan?"

Lingguan?

Chu Yan remembered that this was one of the twelve little actors in the Grand View Garden, and it was said that she looked a bit like Lin Daiyu.

But Lingguan did not come over. She was busy, holding the costumes in her hands. She had just moved the costumes from the carriage to the tent behind the stage. When she heard the shouting, she just looked back, and because she didn't recognize who it was, she left.

Yuanchun was speechless for a moment. If she didn't dress like a concubine, Lingguan wouldn't recognize her.

Qinghe covered his mouth and laughed.

Although she was wearing a veil.

Chu Yan also laughed and asked the ministers following him: "Who is the one who will perform for me tonight?"

"The chief clerk personally appointed this actor from the Jia family, saying he was specially sent to perform for the king!"

"Did Chu Ming do it again?"

Chu Yan smiled and ordered someone to call the twelve little actors out of the tent.

"What do you want us to do? Can't you see we're putting on makeup?"

"That's right, if no one goes on stage to sing later, it's time to punish us again!"

"Who called us out?"

"It's His Royal Highness Prince Qian calling you, get out quickly!"

Amidst the chaos, twelve young actors were brought in front of Chu Yan. Most of them had not yet put on their makeup, and the rouge and powder on their faces were quite amusing to watch.

After knowing Chu Yan's identity, they who were unhappy just now now stood obediently with their heads down.

Yuanchun was very excited to see them, and tears welled up in her eyes again. She recalled the time when she went home to visit her parents and watched opera with her mother and grandmother.

"Who are Fangguan and Lingguan?"

Chu Yan asked them, his eyes falling on the most graceful and delicate person among the twelve people.

She stood up and whispered, "I am Lingguan."

Sure enough it was her!

Chu Yan ordered: "Raise your head and let me see."

Lingguan slowly raised her head, and her little face with a frown like spring mountains and eyes like autumn water appeared in Chu Yan's sight.

Lin Daiyu didn't see him, but she met someone who was somewhat similar to her.

Lingguan already looks like a pitiful sick beauty, so how beautiful should Lin Daiyu be?
If all goes well, it will be on sale tomorrow at noon
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(End of this chapter)