Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

"I was a bit rough last night, get some rest," Zhu Youcheng said before leaving.

After Fu Dahai left, Chen Yuanyuan took a deep breath and instructed Gu Hengbo and Li Xiangjun beside her, "Hengbo, Xiangjun, help me bathe and change my clothes."

Gu Hengbo was a little worried: "His Majesty must still be angry at the moment. I'm afraid that this time, Little Master will suffer some grievances."

"I know, but this is also an opportunity."

"If it weren't for that Zhang Clan angering His Majesty, I'm afraid I would have to wait a long time for my turn to serve him."

"But His Majesty is too domineering. That Zhang promised to anger His Majesty, and His Majesty allowed Little Master to serve him. This…"

Li Xiangjun wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Chen Yuanyuan.

"Alright, don't say anymore!"

Chen Yuanyuan's expression had returned to calm: "Prepare quickly, don't keep His Majesty waiting for too long."

"Yes, Little Master."

A quarter of an hour later, Chen Yuanyuan, dressed and groomed, boarded the soft sedan chair of the Jing Shi Fang and headed towards Qianqing Palace.

On the way to Qianqing Palace, Fu Dahai outside the soft sedan chair was still carefully instructing.

"His Majesty is in a bad mood now. After Little Master enters, be careful with your words and actions, and don't anger His Majesty again."

Chen Yuanyuan replied: "Thank you, Eunuch, for reminding me. I will be careful."

"That's good, that's good."

The soft sedan chair stopped outside Qianqing Palace, and Chen Yuanyuan, led by a palace maid, arrived at the East Warm Pavilion.

The East Warm Pavilion was as warm as spring. Two lanterns near the dragon bed were extinguished, and the light was a little dim.

Several palace maids stood scattered in the corners, but Zhu Youcheng's figure was nowhere to be seen.

As Chen Yuanyuan looked around, a majestic voice suddenly came from the dragon bed with the bed curtains drawn.

"Come here."

"This concubine greets Your Majesty."

Chen Yuanyuan walked to the dragon bed, first saluting in the direction of the dragon bed, and secretly raised her head to look at the dragon bed.

Because the bed curtains were down, Chen Yuanyuan couldn't see what it was like inside.

"Come up."

The voice sounded again.

"Yes, this concubine is being rude."

Chen Yuanyuan bit her lip and climbed onto the dragon bed gently.

"Your Majesty…"

In the dim dragon bed, Chen Yuanyuan couldn't see Zhu Youcheng's face clearly, only felt a strong hand pull her into a warm embrace.

"Um…"

Raindrops beat against pear blossoms behind closed doors.

The soul is enchanted beneath the flowers, the soul is enchanted beneath the moon.

Sorrow gathers between the brows all day long.

A thousand teardrops, ten thousand teardrops.

…

The morning bell rang in her ears, and Chen Yuanyuan opened her eyes blankly.

She saw Zhu Youcheng beside the dragon bed, putting on his court clothes with the help of a palace maid.

Chen Yuanyuan was shocked and quickly wanted to get up and salute.

"This concubine was greedy for sleep and delayed Your Majesty…"

Chen Yuanyuan's movements affected the pain below her, and she couldn't help frowning, with a little fine sweat breaking out on her forehead.

Zhu Youcheng took a few steps closer and reached out to caress Chen Yuanyuan's face.

"You're awake. I was a bit rough last night. Get some rest today."

"I'm going to Hongde Hall to discuss matters with the Grand Secretaries. You don't have to rush back to your palace. Wait until your body recovers a bit before returning."

Chen Yuanyuan's cheeks were slightly red, and she nodded: "Yes, Your Majesty. This concubine thanks Your Majesty for your love."

Zhu Youcheng smiled slightly, put on a black fox cloak, and turned to walk out of Qianqing Palace.

"Fu Dahai, go to the inner treasury and see if there are any things women like, and reward some to Jingren Palace."

"Also, some daily necessities, reward them all together."

Zhu Youcheng ordered as he walked.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Fu Dahai lowered his head to receive the order, and his worried heart from the night before finally relaxed.

It seems that the wind in this harem is going to blow towards Jingren Palace.

Before going to Hongde Hall, Zhu Youcheng also took the time to check the construction progress of Yangxin Hall.

This Yangxin Hall was built by the craftsmen of the Ministry of Works according to Zhu Youcheng's own ideas.

The craftsmanship and materials used were the most top-notch of this era.

The entire Yangxin Hall covers an area of more than ten acres and contains a total of eighteen buildings, with the building area alone accounting for six acres.

Zhu Youcheng is building this Yangxin Hall as a permanent residence before the West Garden is rebuilt, so naturally he has to pay more attention to it.

Now Yangxin Hall is already taking shape. After Zhu Youcheng inquired about the construction schedule, he returned to Hongde Hall.

In Hongde Hall, the four Grand Secretaries quickly got up to greet him, and then reported on government affairs.

While Zhu Youcheng was handling government affairs, Chen Yuanyuan was still curled up in Zhu Youcheng's quilt.

She greedily inhaled the scent of Zhu Youcheng that still lingered on the quilt.

So this is what Your Majesty smells like.

Thinking of this, Chen Yuanyuan giggled twice.

After lying down for a while, Chen Yuanyuan reluctantly got up until Si Shi (9-11 am).

After being dressed and washed by the palace maids, she ate in Qianqing Palace, and finally took the sedan chair of the Jing Shi Fang back to Jingren Palace.

Just as she arrived at the entrance of Jingren Palace, Chen Yuanyuan saw a large group of people surrounding Jingren Palace from a distance, with palace maids and eunuchs going in and out, bustling with activity.

Chen Yuanyuan guessed something, feeling happy and a little shy.

The sedan chair stopped at the entrance of Jingren Palace, and Chen Yuanyuan stepped off the soft sedan chair and was immediately surrounded by a group of people.

"Little Master, look, His Majesty has rewarded you with so many treasures!"

Li Xiangjun held a box in her hand, and presented it to Chen Yuanyuan as if offering a treasure.

The box was full of gold and silver hairpins, jewelry and other items, filling a large box.

"Alright, I know, put it away quickly."

Fu Dahai was organizing batches of young eunuchs to put things into the Yuqing Building.

Seeing Chen Yuanyuan returning, he quickly came over to pay his respects: "This servant greets Chen Jieyu."

"Little Master is so lucky. His Majesty just instructed this servant to send some useful things to Little Master."

"In addition to rewarding some jewelry, His Majesty also rewarded some thick padded jackets, brocade, bronze gilded hand stoves, Suzhou embroidered screens… They are all inside."

"Thank you, Eunuch Fu."

Chen Yuanyuan smiled on the surface, but was secretly delighted in her heart.

"Congratulations, Sister! Sister is deeply favored by the Emperor. This younger sister must come to ask for good luck!"

As she spoke, Dong Xiaowan walked out of Yuqing Building, and happily saluted Chen Yuanyuan.

"Yes, younger sister must not refuse, and must not think of monopolizing His Majesty alone."

Liu Rushi followed closely behind, smiling brightly.

It turned out that these two had already heard the news and rushed to Jingren Palace early.

"Sister Dong is not allowed to laugh at me… Sister Liu, you too, what are you saying these things in broad daylight?"

Chen Yuanyuan's face was flushed red, and she didn't feel cold in the cold outdoors.

Fu Dahai knew that the young mistresses had some boudoir secrets to talk about, so he wisely took his leave: "Little Master, the things have been delivered, this servant will take his leave."

"Eunuch Fu, walk slowly."

After Fu Dahai left Jingren Palace, Chen Yuanyuan quickly pulled Dong Xiaowan and Liu Rushi into the Yuqing Building.

In the Yuqing Building, there were also Gu Hengbo, Kou Baimen, Bian Yujing and Ma Xianglan.

Adding the newly entered Chen Yuanyuan, Dong Xiaowan, Liu Rushi and Li Xiangjun.

Now, the eight sisters were reunited again.

Chen Yuanyuan asked the other palace maids in the room to go out, and closed the doors and windows, and suddenly it felt like she had returned to the time before she left the pavilion.

"Quick, good sister, quickly tell your sister, what does it feel like to serve His Majesty?"

Without outsiders, the eight sisters also let go.

The always straightforward Kou Baimen asked impatiently.

Chen Yuanyuan turned her head shyly: "Oh, why ask this? It's embarrassing."

"We are all sisters, what's there to be shy about?"

"Tell your sister, so that your sister can be prepared when she serves His Majesty in the future, right?" Dong Xiaowan also echoed from the side.

Liu Rushi smiled without saying a word, but stared at Chen Yuanyuan with her eyes unblinking, expecting her reply.

Gu Hengbo and Ma Xianglan smiled without saying a word, Li Xiangjun and Bian Yujing laughed and laughed, and joined Kou Baimen in booing.

Chen Yuanyuan was so ashamed that her face was flushed, and she felt hot all over her body even in the cold winter.

…

Jingren Palace was full of joy and peace, while the previously bustling Xianfu Palace was as cold as ice.

Since being stripped of her title and demoted to Da Ying by Zhu Youcheng last night, Zhang Wan'er had not closed her eyes all night.

She sat on the soft couch in Jiangyun Hall with her legs hugged, silently shedding tears until dawn.

At this moment, the regret in Zhang Wan'er's heart was beyond words.

She regretted agreeing to Empress Dowager Wang's conditions and agreeing to persuade Zhu Youcheng so much.

Zhang Wan'er originally thought that she had some weight in Zhu Youcheng's heart.

Zhu Youcheng would listen to some of her words.

But she never expected that the only response she received was a loud slap and this painful punishment.

Stripping her title, demoting her to Da Ying, and imprisoning her in Xianfu Palace.

Each of these punishments was so heavy that she couldn't bear it.

Zhang Wan'er looked at the jade bracelet on her hand, trembling with anger.

"It's all your fault!"

Zhang Wan'er took off the bracelet and was about to smash it on the ground, but Wei Hong stopped her in time.

"Little Master, you can't throw it away. This is a reward from the Empress Dowager. It will be troublesome if it is damaged."

Zhang Wan'er silently shed tears and buried her head in her jade arms.

Suddenly, a shout came from outside the door: "Zhang Da Ying, this servant is being rude!"

Zhao Yun, the chief eunuch of Xianfu Palace, walked into Jiangyun Hall, followed by several young eunuchs.

Zhao Yun changed his previous flattering appearance, and his tone even carried a condescending posture.

"Zhang Da Ying, I'm afraid you can't continue to live in this Jiangyun Hall. This servant has already cleaned up the neighboring Xianyun Pavilion, please move there immediately."

After Zhang Wan'er was demoted to Da Ying, she knew that she was no longer worthy of living in Jiangyun Hall, and had already asked Wei Hong and Yi Cui to pack her personal belongings.

"I know, please lead the way, Eunuch Zhao."

Zhang Wan'er wiped away her tears and walked towards the outside of Jiangyun Hall with Wei Hong and Yi Cui.

"Wait!" Zhao Yun stopped Zhang Wan'er again.

"Forgive this servant for being rude, this servant must also take a look at Little Master's personal package."

"The items bestowed by the Emperor cannot be taken out of Jiangyun Hall."

Yi Cui couldn't bear it and immediately argued: "Little Master's package is all the things she brought in when she entered the palace, how can she take a needle or thread from Jiangyun Hall?"

"Yi Cui." Zhang Wan'er shed tears again: "Let Eunuch Zhao check it."

"Hmph, thank you Little Master for understanding this servant."

Zhao Yun smiled and snatched the cloth bag from Yi Cui's body.