The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

After the Double Ninth Festival, the leaves in the palace turned yellow.

The Imperial Garden is located behind Kunning Palace. The west wind is blowing, and many leaves are blown into Kunning Palace, layer after layer, and soon the ground is covered with fallen leaves. At this time in the past, many young eunuchs would sweep the fallen leaves with long bamboo brooms. Today, the back window is open, so they can no longer sweep the dust. The eunuch in charge can only order the young eunuchs and palace maids to pick up the dust with their hands.

Inside the window, the queen stood there quietly, staring into the distance in a daze.

There was the sound of footsteps, and the eunuch in charge walked in and said softly, "Madam, Li Yuanzheng is here."

The queen came to her senses, turned around, sat down on the couch, and looked at the pearl curtain.

Director Li of the Imperial Hospital was standing outside the pearl curtain with his head bowed.

Queen: "How is the Lin family's daughter's illness?"

Li Yuanzheng looked at the ground and replied, "Your Majesty, you will need to stay in bed for at least half a month."

The queen was silent for a moment and said, "I understand. You can go down now."

Li Yuanzheng: “Yes.” He bowed and retreated.

The queen sighed. Tomorrow is the auspicious day chosen by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory. Adopting a goddaughter is not a trivial matter. A formal ceremony must be held. However, the daughter of the Lin family is ill. Adopting the daughter of the Lin family as a goddaughter is to win over Li Hu and Lin Ruhai and to show them favor.

If the daughter of the Lin family was allowed to drag her sick body to attend the ceremony, it would not be a favor, but an enmity and a slap in the face.

The ceremony can only be postponed!
Thinking of this, the queen sighed deeply. It seemed that this matter had never been going smoothly and was always interrupted by some messy things. Could it be God's will?
Thinking of this, the queen said to the eunuch standing by her side: "Tell the Imperial Clan Bureau and the Ministry of Rites to cancel the ceremony for the time being."

The eunuch in charge said, “Yes.”

The whole room smells of medicine.

Xueyan and Xiangling opened their eyes wide and looked at Li Hu who was busy working.

After the medicine was ready, Li Hu picked up a rag beside the empty bowl and wrapped the handle of the medicine jar. He lifted the jar and poured the medicine into an empty bowl, then poured the medicine in the bowl into another empty bowl. He did this several times before carrying the medicine bowl into the bedroom.

Lin Daiyu was sick; she was caught in the rain and caught a cold.

She was lying on the bed with a steaming hot towel on her head. Her little face was pale and looked very pitiful.

Xue Baochai wrung out a hot face towel from the copper basin, folded it into a strip, and held it in her left palm. She picked up a dry velvet face towel with her right hand and walked silently to the bedside.

Zijuan, who was standing beside the bed, took the hot towel off Lin Daiyu's forehead. Xue Baochai first gently wiped the sweat on Lin Daiyu's forehead with a dry towel, and then put the hot towel on Lin Daiyu's forehead.

When she saw Li Hu coming in, Zijuan reached out to take the medicine bowl, but Li Hu dodged her.

Li Hu: "Go and have a rest."

Zijuan: “Yes.”

Xue Baochai bowed slightly and said softly, "Duke."

Li Hu looked at her with a complicated expression and whispered, "You've worked hard these past few days. Go to the green gauze cabinet and take a nap."

Xue Baochai bent her knees and said, "Yes," and walked out quietly.

"Sister Lin." Li Hu held the medicine bowl and called softly to Lin Daiyu who was resting with her eyes closed.

Lin Daiyu hummed, and after a while she slowly opened her eyes and gradually saw Li Hu standing beside her: "Second brother."

"Take the medicine." Li Hu smiled, put the medicine bowl on the low table beside the bed, sat down next to Lin Daiyu, and "dragged" her out of the quilt like pulling a carrot.

Lin Daiyu laughed angrily: "If I count on you to serve me, I will die of illness, but you will do it."

"Bah, bah, bah"

Li Hu held her hand and knocked on the bed. He leaned against the headboard and held her in his arms. "Don't say these unlucky words!" He covered her with the quilt.

Against the backdrop of the bright red middle garment, the little face looked even paler, which was heartbreaking to look at.

Li Hu put one hand on her forehead and used the other hand to hold the medicine bowl. He asked softly, "How do you feel?" "A little cold."

"Cold?" Li Hu hurriedly pulled a thin quilt over and wrapped her tightly, leaving only her head exposed.

"hot."

"Are you cold or hot?"

"do not know"

"Sister Lin? Sister Lin?"

When Li Hu saw that she closed her eyes again and her breathing was weak, his heart skipped a beat. How could this be serious?

Suddenly he caught a glimpse of the smile on her lips and reacted instantly. Li Hu breathed a sigh of relief, feeling angry and amused, "Even in this state, you are still so naughty." He tapped her forehead.

Only then did Lin Daiyu open her eyes and smile.

Li Hu picked up the medicine bowl, tasted it himself first, and said with a smile, "It's just right, not cold or hot." Then he scooped a spoonful of medicine and fed it into her mouth.

Lin Daiyu opened her mouth to take the spoonful of medicine, swallowed it, and then curled her lips and said, "It's so bitter."

"Good medicine tastes bitter and is good for the sick."

Li Hu put the second spoonful of medicine to her mouth and said with a sly smile: "How about I feed you myself?"

Lin Daiyu's face turned red and she quickly opened her mouth to take the spoonful of medicine.

Li Hu smiled proudly. The girl was in a bad mood last night and didn't want to take medicine. He fed her half a bowl with his mouth and she drank the remaining half obediently.

Sure enough, Lin Daiyu drank the medicine obediently.

Little guy, I can’t cure you!
Li Hu picked up the face towel and wiped Lin Daiyu's mouth, then called out to the outside, "Zijuan, warm water."

Before she finished her words, Zijuan came in with a bowl of warm water and brought it to Lin Daiyu's mouth.

Lin Daiyu sat up straight, rinsed her mouth with a sip of warm water, and lay back in Li Hu's arms.

Li Hu wiped her mouth and asked, "Sleep a little longer?"

Lin Daiyu shook her head slightly: "My head hurts from sleeping."

"Headache?"

Li Hu smiled and said, "Let me serve you." Then he gently massaged her head.

Lin Daiyu pursed her lips, looked up at Li Hu silently, her eyes full of tenderness.

Li Hu saw it, leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, and said softly: "Close your eyes and rest."

Lin Daiyu hummed and slowly closed her eyes.

Li Hu smiled bitterly. It was his fault. On a whim, he took Lin Daiyu to the back garden of the East City Villa to enjoy the scenery. The girl was so happy that she insisted on pushing him on the swing. She was sweating all over. Unfortunately, it rained suddenly. The autumn rain was cold, and she was sweating all over again, so she fell ill.

Li Hu came to his senses when he heard soft breathing sounds beside his ears. He saw a strand of hair hanging down and covering her lips. He reached out his hand to hold it in place for her.

At this moment, Zijuan walked in silently and whispered a few words in Li Hu's ear.

The ceremony is temporarily cancelled?
Li Hu's eyes flashed. It seemed that there was an unspeakable force blocking this matter, preventing the Queen from recognizing Lin Daiyu as her goddaughter. Could it be that this was God's will? Or was it God's warning that he would break up with the Crown Prince in the future? !
Thinking about it, he shook his head slightly. There will always be a way out when you reach the mountain. There is no need to make trouble for yourself.

At this time, Amber came in and whispered in Li Hu's ear: "Second Master, someone is coming from the Ministry of War. Please go and discuss the martial arts examination."

Li Hu nodded, and the martial arts examination was about to begin (end of this chapter)