The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 283 May

It was the beginning of the fifth lunar month, and the weather was unusually hot. The distance from the backyard to the back hall was only a few steps, but Li Hu was already sweating profusely. As soon as he stepped into the back hall, Wang Yaozu, who had been waiting there, came to greet him.

Li Hu waved his hand and said, "Don't bow in such hot weather. Let's talk business." Then he sat down on the chair and wiped the sweat off his face with a handkerchief.

Wang Yaozu moved the Bingjian closer to Li Hu, picked up a folding fan on the coffee table, unfolded it and fanned Li Hu gently: "We have already found out that those people are the ones the palace is looking for."

Li Hu stopped halfway through wiping his neck and looked up at Wang Yaozu: "Who are these people?"

Wang Yaozu: "These people are all old Beijingers, and there is nothing wrong with them on the surface. Baolinghou's people investigated them before, but they didn't find anything, or maybe they didn't investigate further because of the general's face." He took out a list from his sleeve and handed it to Li Hu, "These are the names and identities of the people who have been confirmed. Except for a few young and strong people, the rest are all old, weak, women and children."

Li Hu was surprised when he saw it, "Are you sure?"

"There's no doubt about it. This was confirmed after the scouts followed the two guards and family members around General Zhang Cheng for more than half a month." Wang Yaozu said affirmatively.

Li Hu was silent for a moment, then said, "These people don't look like vicious people. Why is the palace looking for them?" At this point, his eyes flashed, "Eradication of the roots? Did anyone from those families survive by chance?"

Wang Yaozu's eyes lit up, and he said excitedly: "That makes sense. The Crown Princess' maiden family, the Linjiang Marquis Mansion, was surnamed Zhang!" After saying that, he hurriedly closed his mouth and looked at Li Hu.

Li Hu couldn't help but twitch his eyebrows when he heard this.

Wang Yaozu didn't dare to say anything and continued to fan himself gently.

Li Hu: "Are those two people still honest?"

Wang Yaozu: "They are very honest. Apart from eating and sleeping, the two men stayed in General Zhang Cheng's tent and did nothing suspicious."

Li Hu nodded.

Wang Yaozu hesitated for a moment and whispered, "It's too dangerous to keep these people, isn't it?"

Li Hu shook his head: "It would be more troublesome if he died."

Wang Yaozu thought about it and it seemed to be the case.

Li Hu changed the subject: "How did the talks at the Ministry of Rites go?"

Wang Yaozu perked up and said with a smile: "This time Yongyan has suffered from heat stroke."

Li Hu raised his eyebrows: "Failed to reach an agreement again?"

Wang Yaozu said bitterly: "They deserve to be fooled by the Jurchens! A bunch of bastards who only know how to sit back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor."

Li Hu looked at him with a smile. He wondered how he would react if he knew that he was scolding the emperor.

The negotiations were played out in all kinds of ways by the uncle and nephew Hong Zhou and Yong Yan. One of them was not feeling well, while the other had a headache or fever. They would talk for a day and a half, and then rest for two or three days. More than half a month had passed, and the Jurchens kept raising their demands. The civil servants sent by the cabinet to negotiate kept making concessions. Their bottom line was broken again and again, but they still could not sign a contract.

Anyone with a discerning eye understood what the Jurchens wanted to do, but the civil servants’ inherent mentality of “not seeking merit, but avoiding fault” made them dare not argue their case. They could only make concessions continuously, hoping that the Jurchens would be content and sign a peace treaty as soon as possible.

This negotiation is almost becoming a joke.

As long as the peace treaty was not signed, the imperial court could not go to war with the Mongols, because there were quite a few Jurchen Eight Banners soldiers stationed in Chahar and Suiyuan City.

In addition, Li Hu also knew why the emperor wanted the civil officials to pick peaches and sign the peace treaty. He wanted to use this opportunity to leave a name in history in exchange for the civil officials' support for the court's use of troops.

"General, will the emperor let you take over the negotiations again?" Wang Yaozu suddenly asked.

Li Hu smiled and shook his head. The emperor was a man who cared a lot about his reputation. He would not slap himself in the face!

Wang Yaozu suddenly remembered: "There is another thing, Kong Xiaoer and the third prince have become friends!"

Li Hu smiled and said, "He must be mentally ill!"

Wang Yaozu also laughed: "Maybe."

Li Hu: "Oh, by the way, how is Wang Ziteng's new policy being implemented? The summer harvest is about to end."

Wang Yaozu: "It's a mess. The nobility is based on hereditary succession, the barons are based on the marquisates, the marquisates are based on the dukes, and the dukes are based on the royal family." At this point, he smiled and said, "It's not that there is no cooperation. The people have already paid their taxes."

Li Hu shook his head. If things continued like this, this year's summer tax would be delayed.

At this moment, there was a sound of footsteps outside, followed by the voice of a personal soldier: "Second Master, Ni Er is here."

Li Hu: "Let him in." After a while, Ni Er came in with sweat all over his head.

Ni Er: "Second Master, there is a rumor out there that the imperial court is going to use military force against the Mongols."

Li Hu looked at him: "When did it happen?"

Ni Er wiped the sweat off his face and replied, "I don't know, but the news has spread to many restaurants on Qianmen Street."

Li Hu thought about it and decided that it must be the Jurchens who were putting pressure on the imperial court.

Thinking of this, Li Hu sneered in his heart. The imperial court would bleed heavily this time. He didn't know whether the emperor would regret it!

"General, is this true?" Wang Yaozu looked at Li Hu expectantly.

Li Hu: "It has nothing to do with us."

Wang Yaozu was slightly stunned. After he understood what Li Hu said, a look of disappointment appeared in his eyes.

Li Hu stood up and said, "Well, there will always be a time for us brothers to make achievements." He glanced out the window and continued, "It's abnormally hot today. Go back and tell Zhang Cheng to prepare more anti-heat medicine. Let's stop the training for now."

Wang Yaozu: “Yes.”

Li Hu: "Also, don't wait until the beginning of the dog days. Start making herbal tea to cool down the soldiers from now on."

Wang Yaozu: “Yes.”

Li Hu thought for a moment and said, "Tell the officers who have families that I will have the Chamber of Commerce send ice cubes to their homes to cool them down." He then said to Ni Er, "Go get them yourself."

Wang Yaozu and Ni Er: "Thank you, General, and thank you, Second Master!"

Li Hu waved his hand and said, "Go back."

The two of them retreated together.

Li Hu walked to the window, looked at the scorching sun that could kill people, then turned and walked towards the backyard.

Go ahead and make a fuss. The louder the better, even to the point where it’s out of control.

Let’s see how the emperor ends up this time!
Back in the backyard, Li Hu was sweating profusely again. As soon as he walked under the eaves of the main hall, he heard Ying'er's voice.

Li Hu was slightly stunned. The weather was so hot and everyone was wearing so little. What was Xue Baochai doing here? !

The maid inside the door spotted Li Hu and quickly raised the curtain, shouting, "Second Master is back!"

As soon as he stepped into the main hall, a cool breeze hit him in the face, and Li Hu felt refreshed.

"Second Master is back!"

It was not convenient to take off Li Hu's clothes because there were outsiders present. Amber wrung out a wet towel from the washbasin and wiped the sweat off Li Hu's face; Xiangling took a cattail leaf fan and fanned him vigorously.

"General Lee!"

Ying'er came over and bowed, then took out a letter from her sleeve and handed it to Li Hu, "This is a letter from our girl."

Li Hu took the letter, tore it open and read it. He was immediately shocked. Wang Ziteng wanted to take action forcefully? Did he have the courage?!

After reading the letter, Li Hu looked at Ying'er and asked, "Is your daughter here?"

Ying'er: "Uncle Wang's wife is here, and our wife is talking to the old lady."

Li Hu nodded and said, "Go back and tell your girls that the implementation of the new policy is the emperor's will. Sooner or later, you have to pay the tax. The Li family will also pay it in a few days." At this point, he smiled. To his surprise, the Jia family did not pay the tax and did not stand up to support Wang Ziteng.

Ying'er: "Yes."

Seeing Ying'er leave, Li Hu immediately said to Hubo: "It's so hot, change my clothes quickly!"

Amber smiled and said, "Aunt Feng came just now and said that the young lady went to the bamboo forest to enjoy the cool air. Will the second master not go with her?" As she spoke, she took off Li Hu's robe.

Li Hu smiled and said to Xiangling, "Bring me my short-collared white coat."

(End of this chapter)