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

Chapter 75: The Queen's Peace
Chu Yan looked at the old empress dowager again. This old concubine, who was over eighty years old, appeared only a few times in the book "Dream of Red Mansions", but her death triggered a series of events in the Jia family.

Now that he knows about her relationship with Jia Yuanchun, Chu Yan believes that if her fate had been as it was, after her death, the virtuous concubine Jia Yuanchun would have fallen out of favor and would no longer be able to hold the position of concubine. She might have become depressed and eventually fell ill.

But now everything has changed.

"The old concubine's surname is Zhen?" Chu Yan asked her.

"Your Majesty, my surname is Zhen, and my maiden family is the former president of the Jinling Provincial Tiren Academy, the Zhen family."

The old concubine replied slowly. Perhaps because of her age, she did not look worried or afraid.

Chu Yan nodded, knowing that there was a Zhen Baoyu in the Zhen family, but he didn't ask much.

Glancing at the Empress Dowager and the elderly concubines, Chu Yan said, "This prince... I ascend the throne today and will move into the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Since you have come to pay your respects with sincerity, I will not make things difficult for you."

The concubines all looked happy.

Chu Yan issued an edict: "Extraordinary permission is granted to the old concubines and empress dowagers of the Shun Dynasty to temporarily reside in Fengzao Palace, and their food, clothing, and expenses are treated as those of concubines. Concubines over fifty years old can also live in Fengzao Palace, and their food, clothing, and expenses are treated as those of seventh-rank female historians.
Therefore, the consort of the Emperor Taishang lived in the Eastern Palace, or in the Huang'en Temple, and was allowed to have two maids to serve her.

Everyone knelt down to express their gratitude, and Qinghe also helped the old concubine to kneel down, and then the two of them knelt down.

Fengzao Palace was originally the residence of the old empress dowager, and could barely accommodate more than 20 elderly concubines to live there in their old age. Princess Qinghe could visit her mother often, and Jia Yuanchun could also visit the old empress dowager.

"The rest of the concubines, those with the title of Concubine, will enter the Huang'en Temple and bring a maid; those without the title of Concubine will be allowed to leave the palace and remarry."

A group of young concubines showed disappointment. They all had the title of concubine, or at least were talented women.

Those who have been favored but not made concubines will not appear here.

"Let's handle it this way for now."

Chu Yan said, and after they bowed and stood up, he continued, "There is a lot about the harem that I still don't understand. Wait a few days, Empress Zhang and Consort Xian De, you two will report back. I want to know the situation in the palace, including the palace system, personnel, property, etc."

"I obey your command."

"Everyone, get up."

Chu Yan looked at Empress Zhang and said with a smile, "The Empress will stay, and the others can go back."

Empress Zhang trembled, and her gentle and dignified face slowly turned red with shame, knowing what he meant.

Princess Qinghe subconsciously asked, "Why did you keep the emperor's sister-in-law?"

The Queen Mother heard this and quickly reached out to hold her hand, whispering, "Seventeenth girl, you should address me as Your Majesty!"

The princess blushed and wanted to apologize, but Chu Yan smiled at her and said, "Qinghe, come here."

The Queen Mother sighed softly and helped the old concubine out.

The other concubines also withdrew.

Princess Qinghe's face flushed red, but she could only walk towards Chu Yan.

"I beg your Majesty for mercy." Empress Zhang stopped her and turned to Chu Yan, bowing her head slightly. "I will accompany your Majesty tonight. After all, the princess is not married yet."

Qinghe's face turned even redder.

Most of the concubines had already left, but a few young concubines remained. They suddenly knelt down and pleaded with Chu Yan, their faces blushing, "I have heard that Your Majesty is so brave and that Concubine Wu, Concubine Zhou, and others have shown great favor to you. I, I, would like to stay and accompany you. I only ask Your Majesty to show mercy and allow us to stay in the palace!"

They shaved their heads and became nuns in Huang'en Temple, with only a maidservant to serve them. How could they survive such a hard life that would last for decades?
Chu Yan glanced at them and thought they were quite young and beautiful, so he nodded and said, "Stay in the palace. You will be given food and clothing as eighth-rank ladies. Get up. You will stay and serve tonight. Go and close the palace door."

Several young concubines were both happy and shy. They hurriedly kowtowed and tried to close the door, but were stopped by Empress Zhang.

Chu Yan smiled and said, "Okay, I won't tease you anymore. Qinghe, go back and we'll talk about it another day."

The princess's beautiful face blushed with shame. After a long while, she left the hall, looking back every few steps.

The door was closed, leaving only the dignified and majestic Empress Shunchao, who was dressed in a phoenix robe, and several young concubines serving her in the hall.

The queen lowered her head and said nothing.

"Get closer."

"..."

Empress Zhang took a few steps towards him, but suddenly heard his next words:
"Remove armor."

Remove armor?

Empress Zhang, who was already feeling uneasy and shy, became even more confused. She suspected that there was soft armor hidden in her clothes?

Chu Yan stared at her in her phoenix robe, then smiled and said, "Have you understood, Queen? I'm asking you to take off your armor."

At this moment, he felt very happy.

The historians would not record these secrets of the palace; this was just a little hobby of the emperor.

"I... don't understand!"

Empress Zhang gritted her teeth and finally looked up, glaring at him with her phoenix eyes.

She got it!
Chu Yan smiled and looked at the young concubines, "The Queen doesn't understand, do you understand what I mean?"

They all blushed and nodded.

"Okay, it seems you are smarter than the Queen." Chu Yan signaled to them, "Go and remove the Queen's armor." Several young concubines looked at each other, not daring to disobey, and stepped forward.

but.

As soon as Empress Zhang raised her hand, the aura of a mother of the country emerged, and several people couldn't help but stop.

Chu Yan looked at her quietly, and said in a slow voice, "I am just looking at the Queen and admiring her stunning appearance. What's wrong with that?"

"I am not your queen." Queen Zhang said calmly.

"Tonight is." Chu Yan said.

Empress Zhang closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said slowly, "Tell them to leave. I... am your empress tonight."

Chu Yan nodded and ordered, "Go out and close the door!"

Several concubines bowed, turned around and went out, leaving Empress Zhang alone.

Empress Zhang still had her eyes closed. After struggling for a moment, she slowly raised her hand and took off the phoenix crown first.

"Keep the phoenix crown." Chu Yan said with a smile.

Empress Zhang frowned at first, then reacted and glared at him again with her phoenix eyes, but she had no choice but to do as she was told.

As the queen, she doesn't need to learn the tricks of those foxy women and doesn't understand the pleasures of bed.

But she also vaguely guessed why Chu Yan asked her to keep the phoenix crown.

After a while, she slowly fumbled to untie the luxurious cross-collar and large sleeves with twelve lines of phoenix and bird patterns. This was a queen's dress that required several palace maids to help her wear it.

Chu Yan watched her put the phoenix robe on a chair beside her without blinking, and then unbuttoned her inner garment.

The queen's noble phoenix body was faintly visible, with only a white double-breasted dress underneath remaining.

Empress Zhang's face turned even redder. After a moment, Chu Yan saw her embroidered bellyband with a red phoenix holding a piece of chrysanthemum. It was so round and bulging that the phoenix seemed to be about to spread its wings and fly high.

Snow-white skin came into view.

Chu Yan picked up the teacup, looked at the queen who was the mother of the country, and slowly took a sip to moisten his dry throat.

"I have taken off my armor!"

Empress Zhang had no expression on her face, but her pretty face was flushed.

Chu Yan smiled and said, "You still have the soft armor, why don't you take it off?"

Empress Zhang glared again and again!

Chu Yan changed his tone to coax her: "I am watching you. You are indeed the Empress. Not only do you command the harem, you also outshine all the other concubines in the six palaces!"

Empress Zhang closed her eyes, slowly raised her hand, put it behind her neck, and gently pulled the knot of her bellyband.

The phoenix has landed.

Chu Yan sat on the chair, admiring her for a long time before he stood up, walked to her, and held the queen in his arms. "Your Majesty, your beauty is unparalleled. I conquered the world just for this moment!"

He is talking nonsense!

After experiencing several humiliations, how could Empress Zhang not understand his sinister nature? Perhaps it was true, but she was only included among the many concubines.

"I wish to be born ugly." Empress Zhang covered her face with her hands.

But it couldn't cover up her delicate and fair body, which was all in Chu Yan's eyes.

Chu Yan picked her up by the waist and walked into the inner room, saying with a smile: "Her Majesty, haven't you heard that it's hard to give up natural beauty?"

"I've only heard that women are the ruin of a country!"

Chu Yan put her on the bed and said with a smile: "The Queen is indeed a beauty that has ruined the country."

Empress Zhang blushed and for the first time clearly rejected him: "Your Majesty, I beg you to grant me death!!"

Chu Yan knew that his words had irritated her, so he hugged her in his arms: "I was just praising your beauty. How can you be blamed for the fall of the Shun Dynasty?"

Empress Zhang stared at him, and after confirming that he was joking with her, she slowly softened.

She cherished her life, but she also did not want to be labeled as the "evil queen who destroyed the country" in history books.

Chu Yan sat on the bed and said with a smile, "Come, undress me."

Empress Zhang, who was not wearing any armor, looked at him angrily for a few times, and finally crawled over helplessly.

Chu Yan lay down and smiled at her clumsy and shy appearance.

Empress Zhang pushed him and said hurriedly, "Hurry up and call Concubine Li, Concubine Song, and Concubine Zhang back!"

"You are my queen tonight, how can there be anyone else?"

"I won't be your queen anymore... Ugh! You'd better kill me!"

(End of this chapter)