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

Chapter 114 Xiangyun and Daiyu Visit the Imperial Palace

Seeing Daiyu's disappointment, Xiangyun also complained to Baoyu, saying, "Some time ago I asked him to go and meet those officials and ministers, to talk to men about career and economics, and to learn some social skills, so that he wouldn't be bothering us girls all day. But Second Brother told me to go sit in another room quickly."

Now that he's been forced into corvée labor, the military camp is full of soldiers, a mixed bag. No matter how much silver he's given, he won't be able to handle it. I think from now on, I'll only give him three to five taels of silver each time, so he knows how hard it is to earn money and won't spend it recklessly.

Upon hearing this, Daiyu couldn't help but lower her head and think carefully: Had I been wrong all along?

She happened to overhear what Shi Xiangyun said. Baoyu told Xiangyun to go to another room and then said that she was his confidante. She never advised him to study officialdom or economics. Therefore, after hearing Baoyu's words, she regarded him as her confidante. She was both happy and surprised, sad and sighing.

But looking back now, it seems that she had a narrow vision and ended up harming Baoyu.

Shi Xiangyun, Xue Baochai, Xiren, and others all advised him to study hard and pay attention to economics, but Baoyu did not listen and only played and laughed with his sisters in the inner quarters.

Now, with the world collapsing, he realizes he has reaped what he sowed, and he is struggling to make ends meet in the military camp.

"Baoyu..."

Daiyu murmured to herself, perhaps she should also advise Baoyu that things could not be the same as before.

"Sister Lin!"

Xiangyun suddenly blushed and stammered, "You stayed in Linjing Palace for several days, did you have any contact with the Emperor...?"

In her opinion, the emperor had already taken Sister Lin into the harem, and after she had stayed for a few days, he must have given her his approval.

These days she's been thinking about getting the stamp, but there's no one to talk to. When she told Yingchun, her second sister just blushed and couldn't say anything.

Baochai was not officially recognized, but Madam Qin was granted the title of Imperial Concubine. However, Xiangyun was too embarrassed to tell her.

Therefore, she could only come to Lin Daiyu.

But when she said this, Daiyu misunderstood that she meant to serve the emperor in bed, so she was embarrassed and annoyed and spat at her, saying, "You little brat, Yun, you're not even married yet and you're already thinking about becoming a favored concubine!"

Xiangyun said with a shy smile, "Sister Lin has also been approved, and she's making fun of me."

Daiyu didn't know what the stamp was, so she didn't reply.

Xiangyun said, "I originally thought that Sister Lin stayed in Linjing Palace for a few days because she was favored by him. Since Sister Lin didn't want to say, I didn't ask."

Daiyu fell silent for a long while before saying to her, "Being a favored concubine is also a career path and a way to make money..."

Xiangyun knew what she wanted to ask, so she said, "Our families all suffered misfortune, but fortunately the new emperor took a liking to us and summoned us to the palace... Madam Qin was the most open-minded. Knowing that things couldn't be reversed, she simply came to the palace to serve him. I heard from Sister Bao that when they went to visit the Daming Palace with the emperor, Madam Qin jumped off the palanquin and threw herself into his arms, playing around with him, but he didn't get angry."

He laughed as he spoke, and said to her, "Let's wait for him in the back hall later. If he gets angry, we'll leave. I'll sleep with Sister Lin tonight!"

Daiyu realized that Xiangyun, like Qin Keqing, had calmly accepted the idea of ​​entering the palace to become the emperor's concubine.

Since he had accepted the offer, he should maintain close contact with the emperor so that the emperor would grant him a pardon as soon as possible.

"I'll go with you!"

Daiyu finally agreed.

Xiangyun was very happy and chatted with her about many things concerning the emperor and the harem.

Unable to withstand her numerous questions, Daiyu smiled at her and said, "He summons people to serve him every night. He's a ridiculous emperor. Yun'er, now that you've entered the palace, you'll probably be going tonight too. Why are you still arguing with me? Go take a bath and change your clothes as soon as possible, and send yourself to his room clean!"

She would never have said that before!

Xiangyun hurriedly said, "I'll tell the Emperor what you said tonight, and see if he'll spare you!"

Daiyu was ultimately afraid of Prince Qian, Chu Yan, and therefore dared not speak.

When Xiangyun saw this, she couldn't help but laugh at her again.

Because the sisters in the garden never stopped talking about these things before, but now Daiyu dared not speak, which shows that she was very afraid.

The two chatted and laughed for a while when a eunuch came to deliver an imperial edict: "His Majesty decrees: Miss Yun can stay in the palace and play for now. She will return to Linjing Hall for dinner."

Upon hearing this, Xiangyun took Daiyu's hand and stood up, laughing, "Sister Lin, let's go to the palace together. I've been to the palace twice, but I haven't had a proper look at what the East and West Six Palaces are like. When we have time, let's go play at the Daming Palace. Sister Bao said that the palace is even more beautiful than the Grand View Garden!"

Daiyu knew that she and Baochai talked about everything on a daily basis, and that Baochai had previously told her about Qin Keqing jumping off the palanquin and throwing herself into the emperor's arms.

Daiyu stood up and said, "The Eastern and Western Six Palaces are nothing more than places where the emperor's concubines live. You will live there in the future too."

"Where is Sister Lin?" Xiangyun asked, looking at her.

Daiyu did not answer.

Xiangyun smiled and went out with her.

"Ladies, please board the palanquin," the palace maids said.

Two palanquins were ready. Xiangyun asked in surprise, "I didn't tell you to prepare them. Why have they been here all this time?"

A eunuch replied with a smile, "His Majesty thought that Miss Yun would like to travel around the palace, so he specially ordered someone to send it over!"

Daiyu said, "I won't sit on it. If I must sit on it, I'd rather go back inside."

Shi Xiangyun glanced at her and said to the eunuchs and maids, "We won't ride in the palanquin. You can carry it away. I'll walk around with Sister Lin." She knew that Sister Lin was usually a bit temperamental and liked to be sarcastic, so she spoke up for her.

Daiyu lowered her head and thought for a long time, then said to the eunuchs, "Thank you for the Emperor's kindness. I will express my gratitude in person tonight."

Shi Xiangyun looked at her for a while before she smiled.

The two walked together toward the inner palace, followed by Zijuan, Xueyan, Cuilu, and about a dozen eunuchs and palace maids. With the eunuchs around and the emperor's decree, they could go anywhere in the palace.

Xiangyun and Daiyu first went to Changchun Palace, where Jia Yuanchun lived, to meet Li Wan, and then went to the palace where Qin Keqing lived, where they had lunch.

After resting for a while, the three of them went to the Imperial Garden together and met several concubines in the palace, including Consort Wu. Qin Keqing then went back to rest.

Xiangyun and Daiyu went to Fengzao Palace again, met the Dowager Consort, and conveyed Jia Mu's greetings to her. They also met the former Empress Dowager and a group of concubines, who now lived in Fengzao Palace.

Both were young women, followed by a group of eunuchs and palace maids, clearly the appearance of favored concubines, which attracted the attention of the imperial concubines of Fengzao Palace who all came to curry favor with them.

"Princess Qinghe has arrived!"

As they were talking, a eunuch suddenly called out from outside the door.

Daiyu looked over and saw a graceful and beautiful girl of similar age, with a quiet demeanor, walking in, followed by several palace maids and eunuchs.

After she came in, she exchanged glances with Daiyu and Xiangyun.

"Miss Yun, you've come to the palace again, without even visiting me!"

Qinghe was overjoyed to see Xiangyun again. He took her hand and looked at Daiyu, asking, "And this young lady is...?"

"Her surname was Lin, her given name was Daiyu, and her father was a third-ranked scholar in the Shun Dynasty and the salt commissioner of Yangzhou."

Xiangyun smiled and introduced the palace to her, saying, "The palace is so big. I've been here twice already. Today, I spent most of the day with Sister Lin, and we only saw a small part of it. I heard there's also the Cining Palace, the East Palace, and some Buddhist halls and buildings. Next time we go, we'll invite you to come along, and you can give us a tour!"

The two had a good chat when they met last time, and seeing how enthusiastic she was today, Xiangyun took the initiative to invite her.

Qinghe grew up in the palace and was the daughter of the retired emperor. There were very few girls her age. When Xiangyun invited her to visit the palace together, she naturally agreed!
Daiyu glanced at the Empress Dowager sitting to the side; her expression was not good, perhaps because she had heard the words "Cining Palace".

The Dowager Empress, seated in the main seat, smiled and instructed them:

"You young ladies can wander around the palace, and the Emperor doesn't restrict you from going anywhere else. However, the guard posts of the Emperor's personal guards are on both sides of Xuanwu Gate, so it's best not to go near them. Also, don't inquire about the treasuries where valuables are stored in the palace."

Xiangyun quickly agreed, and Daiyu also thanked the Dowager Consort. In a way, the Dowager Consort was her elder and they were related by blood. Her maternal grandmother had mentioned her to her a few times.

Empress Dowager Shun said calmly, "The new emperor may not yet know the many troubles in the harem. If any trouble arises in the future, the rules in the palace will become stricter again. While things are relaxed now, you and Qinghe should go to Daming Palace to relax and have some fun, so that you won't be bored to death in the palace later."

Xiangyun looked at her, and couldn't help but feel worried.

Daiyu didn't say anything.

Seeing their downcast expressions, Qinghe quickly said, "I've been to the Daming Palace twice these past few days. Since His Majesty issued the decree, some palace staff have been visiting the palace. All the palaces and pavilions are in good condition, and I haven't heard of any trouble. Mother, you're overthinking it."

The Empress Dowager said, "I'm doing this for your own good. You've grown up in the palace, yet you're still so careless."

Qinghe lowered his head.

The Dowager Empress Dowager laughed and said, "In the past, her emperor brother and retired emperor father were not very close to her. Now that her husband is the emperor, how can things be the same as before?"

That hit the nail on the head.

Qinghe blushed, and everyone laughed. Xiangyun clapped her hands and said with a smile, "The princess is truly noble. Her brother is the emperor, her father is the emperor, and now her husband is also the emperor. If she gives birth to a son who will also be an emperor, that will be truly extraordinary!"

His words shocked everyone in the room.

Daiyu chuckled and covered her mouth with her handkerchief, saying:
"Yun girl, you've been too outspoken. Now you've brought trouble upon yourself with your words. Let's see how you'll apologize to the Emperor tonight."

The crowd felt somewhat relieved after hearing her words. Shi Xiangyun would be meeting the emperor tonight, and even if what she said earlier was wrong, the emperor would be able to judge her.

Qinghe glanced gratefully at Daiyu. If it weren't for those words, she would have had to explain to the emperor.

She was a princess of the previous dynasty. Although her son also bore the surname Chu, he could not become the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty, as the ministers would not allow it.

Seeing the surprised looks everyone had given her, Xiangyun regretted her careless words, but she still felt uneasy and sullen.

After sitting for a while, Xiangyun and Daiyu took their leave. Qinghe saw them off and then returned to Fengzao Palace. Tonight, she would accompany her mother and the Dowager Empress to dinner.

"My legs are tired, I can't go shopping with you anymore," Daiyu said with a smile.

"I won't go either. I'll go back to Linjing Palace and come another day."

Xiangyun also felt it was pointless and just wanted to go back and ask him for forgiveness.

So the two returned to Linjing Hall and chatted in Daiyu's room until evening, when a eunuch came to deliver a message: "His Majesty wishes to return to the rear hall for dinner. Please wait there, ladies!"

Daiyu and Xiangyun got up and went out to wait in the back hall. After a while, they saw Chu Yan, who had finished revising the memorials and returned to rest.

(End of this chapter)