The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 440: Stay alive

With a click, a spark of fire lit up.

A bonfire of hay and dead branches was lit.

Wang Daniu put a skinned and cleaned wild rabbit on the fire and started roasting it.

Li Hu walked over, sat cross-legged beside him, placed the sword on his legs, and stared at the fire in a daze.

Wang Daniu looked around and whispered, "I see that Prince Fu's eyes are not right when he looks at the Crown Prince, just like a wolf looking at its prey."

Li Hu came back to his senses and said, "Don't worry about it. The Crown Prince lives and eats with the Emperor. He is surrounded by 3,000 imperial guards equipped with new breech-loading self-fired muskets. Even tens of thousands of people can't get through."

Wang Daniu suddenly realized: "That's right!" While turning the hare over, he suddenly exclaimed: "I know!"

Li Hu was frightened by him.

Wang Daniu said excitedly: "Poison! Poison the food!"

Li Hu was stunned for a moment, then rolled his eyes: "He can't poison his father to death as well."

Wang Daniu: "Why not?"

Li Hu: "If we poison his father to death, wouldn't that just be a bargain for the prince? He has even less hope."

Wang Daniu blinked his eyes and said, "Then poison the Crown Prince, Prince Kang, and Prince An together."

Li Hu shook his head. It was possible to poison Prince Kang and Prince An, but it was definitely impossible to poison the Crown Prince. The Queen was very capable and Prince Fu was no match for her.

Wang Daniu changed the subject: "Will the Marshal go hunting in the mountains tomorrow?"

Li Hu: "No, I have many enemies."

Wang Daniu nodded and asked, "When will the master come to Beijing?"

Li Hu was silent. Taoist Zhang, who had received the money, was very reliable. He not only matched the horoscopes quickly, but also selected two auspicious days, one at the end of the winter month and the other in the twelfth month, and sent them to Xuzhou by express horse. But the emperor had not yet expressed his opinion and had no decree, so Lin Ruhai could not come to Beijing. If Lin Ruhai did not come to Beijing, the wedding could not be held.

Thinking of this, Li Hu sighed, why is it so difficult to find a wife!

Wang Daniu suddenly laughed.

Li Hu looked at him strangely.

Wang Daniu laughed and said, "Will they be worried if the Marshal doesn't go into the mountains to hunt?"

Li Hu thought about it and laughed too.

Wang Daniu: "These bastards are so mad!"

Li Hu turned to look towards the direction of King Zhongshun's tent and thought: Since someone has taken action, I will just watch the show.
Prince Zhongshun was sitting in the tent at this time, with a Kunqu opera spread out on the coffee table. He tapped the beats of the opera with his fingers and hummed softly.

At this time, the captain of the guard came in with a basin of hot water.

Walking up to King Zhongshun, the captain of the guard knelt down on one leg, put down the hot water, and then took off King Zhongshun's shoes and socks.

Prince Zhongshun came back to his senses and looked at him: "Is everything arranged?"

"Everything has been arranged." The captain of the guard picked up King Zhongshun's feet and put them in the basin.

King Zhongshun nodded with satisfaction. He did not intend to assassinate Li Hu during the hunt because the success rate was too low. After the hunt tomorrow, the emperor would reward him with imperial wine, and Li Hu would die after dark!
Thinking of this, Prince Zhongshun began to hum, shaking his head.

The sound of a horn rang out at the foot of the West Mountain.

At the entrance to the hunting ground, the temporary viewing platform built with autumn grass and huge trees was filled with royal relatives, nobles, and civil and military officials who came to watch the hunting.

Li Hu, in plain clothes, was also standing there.

Below the hunting viewing platform, the military scholars who had all changed into riding and archery outfits suppressed their excitement and stood solemnly beside their horses, holding their breath, waiting for the emperor.

Finally, Emperor Yongchang arrived.

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise!

Emperor Yongchang came leading a pony, on the horse's back was the Crown Prince, who was dressed in riding and archery clothes, his eyes wide open with great excitement.

Dai Quan followed closely, leading the emperor's horse.

Li Hu raised his eyebrows. Is this what this means by relationship between generations?

All the military scholars knelt down and shouted "Long live the emperor".

Li Hu and others were shocked. The Dashun Dynasty was not the Qing Dynasty, and they did not have to kneel in every occasion.

After they knelt, Li Hu and the others could no longer stand and salute, so they had to kneel down as well.

Emperor Yongchang smiled with satisfaction and nodded: "Get up, everyone get up."

Everyone then stood up in a mess.

Emperor Yongchang then took the Crown Prince down from the horse and looked at Prince Fu, who was also wearing casual clothes.

Prince Fu: "Father, I have to observe three years of mourning for my mother and cannot accompany the emperor on hunting trips. Please allow me to do so."

Emperor Yongchang nodded and turned his gaze to Li Hu: "You are not going either?"

Li Hu laughed and said, "The forest is dense. If I shave my face, how can I hold the wedding?"

Emperor Yongchang said unhappily: "La Yue." Li Hu's smile widened: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."

With a "humph", Emperor Yongchang jumped onto his horse.

Prince Fu spoke again: "Leave Huang Taisun to your son's care."

Emperor Yongchang looked at Prince Fu and said, "No need." Then he turned his gaze to Dai Quan.

Dai Quan understood and carried Huang Taisun to the horse.

Emperor Yongchang embraced Grandson Huang and shouted, "Let's go!" After that, he rode his horse first to the hunting ground!

A group of imperial guards followed closely behind him to escort him.

All the military scholars mounted their horses and galloped towards the hunting grounds.

Suddenly, there were the sounds of gongs and drums, shouts of people, neighing of horses, horns, and gongs and drums, which shook the earth.

Li Hu glanced at Prince Fu. Although his face was expressionless, his hands were clenched tightly, and he was obviously trying hard to adjust his emotions.

At this time, Prince Fu moved his mouth, and then turned and left.

Li Hu was slightly stunned. "You forced me to do this." What does this mean? Are you going to take action? !
"Duke." A voice sounded behind him. Li Hu turned around and saw that it was Feng Ziying.

Li Hu: "What's wrong?"

Feng Ziying came forward and whispered, "We found traces of people on the other side of the mountain."

assassin?

Li Hu thought for a moment and asked, "Where is the Marquis Zhongjing?"

Feng Ziying: "I heard that someone in the Infantry Camp fell asleep while on duty last night. My Lord, go over to see what happened. The Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Guards have already searched the entire forest and found no one."

Li Hu's eyes flashed: "Are you saying that these people were let in by King Zhongshun?"

Feng Ziying's eyes widened, and then he said hurriedly: "I didn't say that!"

Li Hu smiled and said, "What do you want me to do?"

Feng Ziying: "Please ask the Duke's scouts to help search for those who broke in."

"Okay, I'll go with you to take a look since I have nothing to do."

"Thank you, Duke."

"Hey, have you seen Baoyu recently?" Li Hu asked as he led Feng Ziying towards the scout camp.

Feng Ziying: "We met during the Double Ninth Festival."

Li Hu: "What is he busy with?"

Feng Ziying: "What else can I do? I am forced to study by the Second Wife"

As they were talking, the two arrived at the scout camp.

Just as everyone was preparing their weapons and equipment, a firework rose to the northeast.

Feng Ziying's expression changed: "It's the Imperial Army's signal for help!"

Li Hu immediately said to the sentinel, "Let's go." He then mounted his horse and led Feng Ziying, his personal soldiers and the sentinel to the place where the signal was raised.
Roars and screams rang out among the autumn grass that was half a person's height.

In the distance, a team of imperial guards were fighting with a group of men in black. Relying on the advantage of their armor, they chopped the men in black to the ground one by one.

At this moment, the men in black formed a square formation with three shields, three spears and three swords. The shields blocked the swords of the imperial guards, the spears stabbed at the imperial guards, and the swords protected the wings and the rear.

Li Hu was shocked: "Mandarin Duck Formation!"

Feng Ziying was also surprised: "Who are these men in black?!"

The imperial guards soon fell into a disadvantage and were chopped down to the ground one by one.

Li Hu raised his hand.

Wang Yaozu took the lead and led the scouts to charge towards the men in black who were besieging the imperial guards. They all drew their bows and aimed at the men in black. As soon as the arrows left the strings, dozens of men in black fell to the ground.

The scouts did not continue to charge forward, but instead controlled their horses to move left and right, shooting with bows and arrows sideways, continuously shooting the men in black hiding behind their shields.

Feng Ziying smacked his lips. This was a maneuvering tactic that the Mongols were good at.

Seeing that there were only a few men in black left, Feng Ziying hurriedly shouted, "Leave them alive! Leave them alive!"

"Leave him alive!" Li Hu smiled bitterly. This group of killers were used to killing people.

Wang Yaozu waved his hand, and several strong scouts rushed forward with lassoes in their hands.

With a whoosh, the lasso flew out.

Several men in black were put in a halter around their necks, fell to the ground, and were immediately dragged out.

Immediately afterwards, a wave of arrows rained down, and the remaining men in black fell to the ground screaming, with their bodies and heads full of arrows, like hedgehogs.

Feng Ziying opened his mouth, this is too cruel!

(End of this chapter)