The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 446 Heavy losses
Like the capital, the Xishan camp was in a mess at this time.

According to convention, when the emperor went out of the palace to hunt, he would take royal relatives, nobles, and officials from the six ministries and nine government offices with him. This time, more than 50 court officials accompanied him on the hunt. Only a dozen people, including the Minister of Works, the Right Vice Minister of Rites, and the Right Prime Minister of the Dali Temple, managed to survive.

Fortunately, several cabinet ministers and the chief and deputy chief officials of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue stayed in the capital to assist the prince, otherwise this huge machine of the Dashun Dynasty would have stopped working.

The rebellion started at the third watch, the heavy-armored infantry defeated the infantry camp at the end of the fourth watch, and the battle was over at the morning hour, not far from dawn.

With a "crack", Li Hu's boots stepped on a burnt wooden stick. He quickly glanced around and saw a mess everywhere.

At this time, Wang Yaozu strode towards Li Hu with a knife.

Walking up to him, Wang Yaozu reported to Li Hu: "General, we found Kong Qingxiang. This kid is lucky and is still alive."

Li Hu was really surprised and asked with a smile: "Where is the person?"

Wang Yaozu: "Send it to the Imperial Hospital on duty at the imperial tent."

Li Hu: "Let's go and take a look."

Wang Yaozu: "Marshal."

"What's wrong?" Li Hu stopped.

Wang Yaozu: ".Wang Li's body was found."

Li Hu was slightly startled. Wang Li was dead? Wang Ziteng had no descendants!
Wang Daniu snorted and said, "Wang Ziteng killed so many innocent people in Henan. This is retribution!"

Li Hu glared at him, then sighed in his heart. Wang Ziteng is almost fifty years old, and it is considered that he has lost his only son in old age. He didn't know how he would react.

He suddenly thought of Wang Ren who was recuperating at home. What a lucky bastard! He was really a scourge that would last for thousands of years!

Thinking of this, Li Hu shook his head and strode towards the imperial tent.

Wang Yaozu followed him and said as he walked: "We have found out that it was Prince Zhongshun who ordered the killing of Prince Fu."

Li Hu stopped in his tracks, a little unconvinced: "Are you sure?"

Wang Yaozu: "According to the personal soldiers of Prince Zhongshun, it was the captain of the guard who instigated Prince Zhongshun to also want to sit on the chair in Fengtian Hall."

Wang Daniu spoke again: "He is not worthy! He is a waste who only knows how to drink and play with actors. He can't even give birth to a son."

Li Hu was too lazy to say anything to him and started walking again.

The open space in front of the Imperial Medical Bureau's duty room was filled with corpses covered with white cloth. Almost all officials above the fourth rank and royal family members and nobles were here. There were still a few who had not been found, and they were estimated to have died.

The nobles and military commanders were almost wiped out, and the six ministries and nine government offices also needed a major reshuffle. I hope the prince will not hand over important positions to those corrupt scholars, otherwise
Thinking of this, Li Hu sighed silently and walked into the big tent.

As soon as he stepped into the big tent, a strong smell of blood hit him. Li Hu frowned, but he didn't know what to say, after all, the conditions were limited.

Seeing Li Hu coming, the imperial physician on duty hurried over and said, "Duke."

Li Hu nodded and asked, "Where is Kong Qingxiang from the Southern Pacification Office?"

The imperial physician pointed to a corner and said, "Captain Kong is over there." Then he was about to lead Li Hu to the way.

Li Hu waved his hand and said, "No need, go ahead and do your work." Then he walked straight over.

Kong Qingxiang was still lying on the sickbed with his eyes closed.

Li Hu reached out his hand and touched his forehead, then put three fingers on his wrist and nodded. He didn't have a fever and his pulse was fine. As long as he wasn't particularly unlucky, he should be able to make it.

"Marshal, look!" Wang Daniu whispered behind Li Hu.

Li Hu looked in the direction of the voice. Oh, isn't this the Minister of Rites, the Earl of Changxing, Zhen Yingjia? He thought he had also died in the war.

Zhen Yingjia, with white silk wrapped on her head, was also looking at Li Hu at this time.

Li Hu walked over.

Seeing Li Hu coming over, Zhen Yingjia struggled to sit up.

Li Hu said hurriedly, "Lie down and don't move."

Zhen Yingjia put his head back on the pillow and looked at Li Hu: "Excuse me, Duke, is there any news about my evil creature?"

Li Hu remained silent. There had been no news for such a long time, and Zhen Fu was most likely killed in the war.

Zhen Yingjia looked at him closely: "Duke"

Li Hu was just wondering how to respond when a red-robed eunuch from the Imperial Household Department walked in from outside the tent and headed straight towards him.

"My lord!"

The eunuch in red made a half-bow to Li Hu, then turned his gaze to Zhen Yingjia: "The Earl of Changxing" knew from his expression that it was not a happy occasion, so Zhen Yingjia stared at him.

The red-robed eunuch was silent for a moment, then he said softly, "My Lord, please accept my condolences."

Zhen Yingjia trembled violently, moved his lips, and spoke after a long while: "Looking for it, found it"

The red-robed eunuch said, "The prince is very brave. The bodies of the traitors are lying around him. The crown prince said that he would commend the prince for his achievements."

Tears flowed from Zhen Yingjia's eyes: "The Zhen family has been blessed by the emperor for generations. Fu'er sacrificed his life for the country, and his death was worthy!" He closed his eyes as he said this, but tears kept falling from the corners of his eyes.

The eunuch in red bowed deeply to Zhen Yingjia who was lying on the sickbed.

Li Hu sighed in his heart, another poor man who lost his son in old age! Suddenly he remembered Dai Quan's words, after Zhen Yingjia's death, no one would know about the activities of the retired emperor anymore.

The eunuch in red turned his gaze to Li Hu again and said, "Duke." As he said this, he stretched out his hand as a gesture of invitation.

Li Hu understood, glanced at Zhen Yingjia, and strode out.

As soon as he walked out of the big tent, Li Hu was stunned.

A group of guards from the Imperial Household Department were moving the corpse from the carriage.

The red-robed eunuch whispered, "These are the bodies of Han Qi, Chen Yejun, Wei Ruolan and other princes and grandchildren."

all dead!
Li Hu was shocked. All the heirs trained by each family had died. Most of the remaining ones were playboys who could only carry bird cages and watch cricket fighting shows. Without a suitable heir, the noble lineage would quickly decline.

Alas, Wei Ruolan is dead, who will Shi Xiangyun marry?

Wang Daniu suddenly remembered: "Hey, Jia Yucun can't get promoted anymore."

Li Hu came back to his senses and glanced at him: "Don't talk nonsense."

Heshen was still staying in the capital, and Jia Yucun happened to be in poor health, so the emperor asked him to stay in the Ministry of Rites. This old guy was lucky.

The chief eunuch pretended not to hear anything and continued, "My Lord, the old ancestor wants you to go to the imperial tent to discuss the emperor's return to the capital."

Li Hu nodded, turned and walked towards the imperial tent.

Inside the imperial tent, Li Yuan from the Imperial Hospital was sitting on a low stool beside the bed, taking the pulse of Emperor Yongchang.

The Crown Prince, Dai Quan and Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding stood by the bed, looking at Emperor Yongchang who was still unconscious.

Li Hu walked over quietly and lightly, bowed to the Crown Prince, looked at Li Yuanzheng who had his eyes closed to take the pulse, and waited.

After a while, Li Yuanzheng opened his eyes, stood up, bowed to the Crown Prince and said, "Your Majesty is blessed by heaven. As long as you take good care of yourself, you will get better. Please rest assured, Crown Prince."

The Crown Prince nodded with red eyes.

Dean Li was walking out carrying a medical bag.

Dai Quan winked at the other eunuchs.

The eunuchs all retreated.

The only people left in the imperial tent were Huang Taisun, Dai Quan, Zhongjing Hou Shi Ding and Li Hu. No, there was also Emperor Yongchang who was lying motionless on the bed.

After a moment of silence, Dai Quan spoke first: "I have asked Li Yuanzheng, and the emperor can take the sedan chair back to the capital. What I mean is that the emperor should return to the capital immediately and summon the imperial doctors of the Imperial Hospital for a consultation."

Shi Ding immediately followed up by stating: "I agree with the Minister's opinion."

The Crown Prince: "There are so many doctors in the Imperial Hospital, there must be a way to wake Grandpa up."

Li Hu didn't understand that the three of them had already discussed it. They were worried, no, Dai Quan and Shi Ding were worried that he would block this place and prevent the emperor from returning to Beijing, and let the emperor die here.

Thinking of this, Li Hu sneered in his heart. Not to mention that he had not received the secret order from the Queen and the Prince, even if he had, he would have pretended to know nothing. They are a family, and if they remember to settle accounts one day, they will play the Nine Clans Elimination Game!
Dai Quan and Shi Ding exchanged a glance and asked cautiously, "Duke Lu?"

Li Hu glanced at him, took out a gold watch from his waist, looked at it, and then spoke: "Let's set off now. If everything goes well, we can reach the capital before dark."

After hearing this, Dai Quan and Shi Ding were obviously relieved.

Li Hu: "Until a countermeasure is discussed in the palace, no one here can leave. I will personally lead the Hetao cavalry to escort the crown prince and the emperor back to the capital."

Shi Ding said nothing and looked at Dai Quan.

Dai Quan was silent for a moment, then said, "Okay. But we cannot report the news of the emperor's return to the capital in advance."

"Okay." Li Hu answered and smiled in his heart. This was to guard against the Queen and the Prince.

(End of this chapter)