The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

It has been five days since the emperor returned to the capital, but he has not shown up, and the royal family, nobles, civil and military officials who accompanied him have not returned to the capital. Martial law was even imposed before dawn, and people were not allowed to enter or leave the capital.

The six ministries, nine government offices, and even the entire capital were caught in a strange atmosphere. Ordinary people were also whispering in the streets and alleys, discussing all kinds of things wrong with the court. Rumors spread everywhere, causing panic among the people.

In the hall of the Hanlin Academy, the upright people gathered again.

The official who was a Jinshi in the imperial examination said loudly, "We can't wait any longer. Go to the cabinet and ask them what happened in Xishan and whether the emperor is well!"

Then many people shouted:
"Yes! Find the cabinet and ask them for an explanation!"

"It's no use looking for them. Let's go to the Meridian Gate. If we can't see the emperor today, we will die!"

Everyone's blood was boiling: "Yes! Even if we are beaten to death today, we must seek justice for the people of the world and maintain the discipline of the court!"

"Die for remonstrance! Die for remonstrance!"

The call was responded to by hundreds of people, and most of the officials immediately rushed to the hall door.

There were still some relatively mild and timid people left, all of whom were the "poor Hanlin" who had worked hard in the Hanlin Academy for many years. They looked at each other and then turned their eyes to Mei Hanlin who was sitting in the corner.

Mei Hanlin, who was sitting there drinking tea, was obviously a little absent-minded and didn't notice anyone's gaze at all.

An elderly Hanlin coughed and spoke: "Mei Hanlin"

Mei Hanlin came back to his senses and said, "Yeah." Then he was slightly stunned, "Where are the people?"

The Hanlin: "He went to the Meridian Gate. He made a death-defying remonstrance."

Mei Hanlin was stunned for a moment, just nodded without saying anything.

The Hanlin said: "You are a senior Hanlin. The president and other scholars are not here. You have to make a decision on such a big matter!"

Others responded, "Yes, yes, you have to make a decision for everyone!"

Make a decision? He himself has no idea now!
Mei Hanlin sighed inwardly. He had been feeling uneasy these days. He wanted to go to Prince Zhongshun's mansion early in the morning to get information, but he found that the gate was closed and the guards were all strangers. He then went to the private residence of the manor's manager, but there were guards from the Imperial Household Department in casual clothes.

He had a premonition that something had happened to Prince Zhongshun!
"What? What are you doing?"

Amidst the noise, an official from the Military Affairs Department rushed in with a team of soldiers.

Several officials from the Hanlin Academy followed behind him in a rage.

The older Hanlin's face darkened: "How dare you! This is the Hanlin Academy, is this a place you can come to?"

The official didn't bother to answer him and asked loudly, "Who is Mei Hanlin?"

Mei Hanlin was so shocked that he trembled and looked at the official.

The official also saw him, walked up to him, looked at him with a smile and said, "Are you Mei Hanlin?"

Mei Hanlin: “Yes.”

The official: “Please.”

Mei Hanlin swallowed his saliva and said, "Where are you going?"

The official said: "It's hard to tell here because there are so many people. You will know when you get there."

Mei Hanlin understood, but still refused to give up: "I am an official appointed by the court, a bachelor of the Imperial Academy. Without an imperial decree, what rights do you have to arrest me?"

The official looked at the official robes on him, flashed a hint of ridicule, and shouted to the soldiers beside him: "Come on! Strip this scholar of his robes!"

"Yes!" The soldiers stepped forward and stripped off Mei Hanlin's official robe.

The official suddenly remembered: "Oh, your house has been searched."

Mei Hanlin's whole body had collapsed. He desperately held onto the armrests of the chair to prevent himself from falling, but his hands went limp and he slid off the chair, collapsing on the ground.

The official waved his hand dismissively: "Take him away!"

"Yes!" The soldiers felt very relieved and carried Mei Hanlin out.

The official glanced at the Hanlin, then walked out with his head held high.

The Hanlin scholars looked at each other in confusion.

Without any obstruction, more than a hundred clean officials went straight to the Meridian Gate and knelt down.

Before they could speak, hurried footsteps were heard, and then a team of guards from the Imperial Household Department appeared from the left and right side gates at the same time.

The Qingliu official who was kneeling there was surrounded by the foreigners before he could recover from the shock.

The eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate then walked out slowly, stood in front of the crowd, and then pulled out a list from his sleeve. As he called out the names, officials were dragged out one by one.
At the same time, this scene was being played out in all government offices, big and small, in the capital.

The Great Purge has begun! Looking at this densely packed list of names and official titles of fifty or sixty people, Li Hu sighed. Who could have thought that this weak prince could be so ruthless when he took action?
He had seen the list drawn up by the cabinet, which only had about twenty people, and most of them were former generals of King Zhongshun. However, this list had thirty or forty more people, and he knew without guessing who these people were, as they were all officials who had served under the Second, Third, and Fourth Princes.

This is naked revenge!

It seems that the prince is not satisfied with the list of officials drawn up by the queen and the cabinet, so he is eliminating dissidents and making room for his people.

Alas, the chair in the Fengtian Hall can really change people!
The prince is floating!
Thinking of this, Li Hu shook his head, tore the list into pieces and threw it into the lake.

Looking at the scraps of paper floating on the lake, Li Hu thought of Jia She who imitated Prince Zhongshun to forge the order to mobilize troops. This old boy also has some little ideas! He wants to fight for the chair in Fengtian Hall! Prince An is only two years old, and he really dares to think so.

He remembered the Queen's words and let him command the Crown Prince's Brave Guard Battalion.

Now it seems that the queen is the only normal person in this family.

At this time, a gust of wind blew from the woods, ruffling Li Hu's loose hair.

Amber, who had been sitting quietly on a stone bench nearby, stood up and said softly, "It's windy, let's go back to the house."

Li Hu came back to his senses: "Yeah."

As soon as I reached the backyard door, I saw Xue Baochai, dressed in gorgeous clothes, walking towards me from the moon gate.

Ying'er and two maids carried cloaks and bundles.

Feng followed behind with a wife who was in charge.

Walking up to him, Xue Baochai bowed slightly and said, "Second Master."

Li Hu looked at her carefully from head to toe, then said with a smile, "The three pieces of clothing you are wearing were all made by the needlework room of the Imperial Household Department. You girls don't like to wear clothes from outside, so they look good on you."

After hearing this, Xue Baochai smiled at him faintly.

Li Hu took another look at the gold hairpins and pearl bracelets on her head. They were all imperial jewelry from the Imperial Household Department's Imperial Household Department. They made her face look even more beautiful. Lin Daiyu had good taste.

Now that it has been made clear, Li Hu can appreciate it openly.

Xue Baochai blushed and was about to speak.

Li Hu suddenly stretched out a hand and touched her fair face.

Xue Baochai dodged subconsciously, paused, and walked back, lowering her head with a red face.

Li Hu raised her eyebrows. Did she think that he was going to touch her face? She underestimated herself!
Thinking of this, he plucked a phoenix hairpin from Xue Baochai's head and said, "This phoenix hairpin has three tails. You can't wear it now. Keep it for now." As he said this, he handed the phoenix hairpin to her.

"Yes." Xue Baochai bent her knees and then pinched it.

"Why are you going back today?"

"Mother sent someone to tell me that my brother and the Xia family's wife and daughter have come to Beijing, and asked me to go back and take a look."

"Miss Xia is here?"

"Yes."

"That person is even more aggressive than Feng Lazi."

Xue Baochai looked at him strangely, as if to say: How did you know?
As the old saying goes, it is better to destroy ten temples than to break up a marriage. Besides, Xue Pan was just in need of someone who could control him.

Li Hu thought for a moment and said, "Be careful."

Xue Baochai's eyes lit up and she answered softly, "Yes."

Looking at Xue Baochai dressed like this, Li Hu suddenly thought of Hua Xiren in the original novel who was allowed by Mrs. Wang to go home to visit her relatives, so he asked Feng Shi, "How did your lady arrange it?"

Feng: "In reply to the Second Master, two little girls will follow and serve Miss Bao, and the housekeeper's wife who went out with her will be sent to another one, and two old maids will be brought to accompany Miss Bao. Four personal soldiers will be sent outside to follow the carriage."

Li Hu understood that Lin Daiyu was going to make things clear.

He nodded and said to Xue Baochai, "If there is anything, send someone to report it."

After a pause, he said, "Tell you girls."

Although she was asked to tell Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai was still very happy and said "hmm".

Li Hu: "Go ahead."

Xue Baochai bowed slightly and said, "Yes."

Looking at Xue Baochai's receding back, Li Hu sighed softly. Five years had passed in a blink of an eye, and he only had two maids. This was embarrassing for the time traveler! (End of this chapter)