The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 10: Down the Qianmen Street

Wang Li was furious. He walked forward and kicked the servants: "Get up! Get up!"

After two "grunts", the servants still couldn't get up.

Another burst of laughter broke out in the crowd.

Just then, someone upstairs yelled, "How will the principal offender be punished?"

There were shouts from upstairs on both sides of the street:

"Do you still want to save the court's reputation?"

"Wang Li is not an official appointed by the imperial court, and the Wang family no longer has any titles. He is just a commoner!"

".According to the law, he shall be flogged eighty times."

Wang Li's face changed immediately and he turned and left.

General Sun Qian's confidant immediately stopped him.

"Get out of here!" Wang Li yelled.

Someone whispered, "Hit him!"

Then, the crowd was in an uproar: "Beat him! Beat him!"

Li Hu frowned. The ones causing trouble upstairs must be a family that is at odds with the Wang family. But these common people seem to hate the sons of nobles to the core!
Wang Liyuan's already pale face was sweating, and he pointed at the crowd with a trembling hand: "Sly, sly people. A bunch of sly people."

Li Hu: "What should we do?" He glanced at Zhao, Qian and Sun.

Zhao and Qian, however, looked at General Sun Qian.

General Sun Qian replied: "You have seen it, sir. The people are very angry! In addition, the dignity of the court and the laws of the country are also involved."

Li Hu interrupted him and asked, "How do we fight?"

Sun Qianzong: "According to the law, he should be flogged eighty times. Don't worry, my lord. The brothers know the limits and will not hurt the skin but the bones."

Li Hu looked at him: "You know a lot!"

"To be honest with you, sir, I once worked in the prison of the Infantry Commander's Office and specialized in this research." General Sun Qian looked proud.

Li Hu nodded, and turned his gaze to Zhao and Qian: "What do you think?"

Zhao and Qian looked at each other and answered in unison: "It's all up to you, sir!"

Li Hu: "Then beat him." Turning to General Sun Qian, he said: "Please, let us open our eyes and see what a real master of torture looks like."

President Sun Qian didn't seem to understand: "What?"

Li Hu: "You go and fight."

Mr. Sun Qian was stunned for a moment: "You are joking, right?"

Li Hu glanced at Wang Daniu.

Wang Daniu took a step forward, holding the hilt of the knife in his right hand, and looked at General Sun Qian coldly.

Zhao and Qian lowered their eyes, looking as if they had no intention of getting involved.

Li Hu smiled and looked at him: "You say who to beat, you say how to beat, I give you enough face. You, don't give me face?"

Mr. Sun Qian's face changed and he stood there like a stone.

Li Hu's eyes became sharp: "You also said 'people's resentment is boiling'. If a civil uprising is provoked, you will be the first one to be held accountable."

General Sun Qian was startled: "Sir, you can't let me take down such a big issue!"

Li Hu: "The case you judged caused a civil uprising. If we don't kill you, who should we kill?"

General Sun Qian was anxious: "Sir, what you said is not right. The position of lieutenant general is vacant, and the guerrilla general is in charge. Why should I be beheaded?"

"Kill my head?" Li Hu asked back.

General Sun Qian fell to his knees with a plop: "I, your humble servant, dare not have such thoughts."

"It better be this way."

Li Hu's face looked better, and his voice became softer: "You are the one who judged the case, and you must bear the consequences before the matter is settled! Go and beat him now, I don't care how you beat him, after eighty lashes, you will have nothing to do with it. I will take charge of the South Camp, and I will take responsibility for all the problems afterwards."

"grown ups!"

Sun Qian was panicking. "This is the son of the governor of the Beijing camp. I wouldn't dare to offend him even if I had eight heads."

"Are you going or not?!" Li Hu stopped listening to him.

Sun Qianzong's brows began to sweat, and he immediately kowtowed to the ground: "I know I was wrong, I beg you to forgive me..."

"All right!"

Li Hu stopped him and said, "This is your last chance. You don't have to strip me of my clothes before executing me." With a crisp sound, Wang Daniu pulled out the knife.

The commotion here had already alarmed everyone, and they all looked at each other in bewilderment.

Mr. Sun Qian's heart skipped a beat, realizing that Li Hu was not joking.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Yes." He stood up with sweat all over his head and walked towards Wang Li.

Wang Li seemed to understand and shouted, "What? What are you doing?"

General Sun Qian took the long whip from his confidant's hand and swung it towards the sky.

The whip made a crisp "crack" sound.

The crowd of onlookers were even more excited and rushed forward to watch.

Wang Li was startled, then shouted: "My father is the governor of the Beijing camp, how dare you!"

General Sun Qian said, "Master Wang, I'm sorry. You have violated the laws of the court." He said to his confidant, "Find a bench and ask Master Wang to lie down." He said to Wang Li, "Master Wang, don't worry. It will be quick."

Wang Li was furious: "You bastards, I won't let you go!"

Several soldiers as ferocious as wolves and tigers held Wang Li down and placed him on a bench.

Wang Li felt pain and annoyance, and cursed: "You son of a bitch!"

The whip in General Sun Qian's hand fell on Wang Li's back.

At first, everyone looked on quietly, but soon some people took the lead and shouted, "Six! Seven! Eight!"

Then more people shouted: "Nine! Ten! Eleven!"

Several young men in brocade robes were standing by a window on the upper floor, smiling at each other mischievously.

At this time, a young man spoke: "Wang Ziteng is here."

When everyone looked over, they saw a group of more than thirty riders coming from the Yongding Gate.

The leader was none other than Wang Ziteng, the governor of the Beijing camp.

Wang Ziteng pulled the reins.

The whole group stopped.

"Twenty-seven! Twenty-eight! Twenty-nine." Wang Li's screams were heard.

Wang Ziteng's face immediately became serious and his eyebrows raised.

The captain of the guard beside him spoke: "Sir, I will lead people to rescue the young master."

Wang Ziteng raised his hand and said gloomily, "Let this little beast learn a lesson! He beat up the officials, obstructed public affairs, and threatened to smash the government office in front of so many people! This is the capital, not Nanjing!"

The captain of the guard said: "Sir, we must save this face no matter what."

Wang Ziteng said angrily: "He is right, how can you defend him? Besides, the emperor is standing behind him. Do you understand?"

The captain of the guard was shocked: "Your Majesty."

Wang Ziteng: "You wait here and send that little beast back. Remember, don't cause trouble for me!" After saying that, he squeezed his legs together, urged his horse into the alley beside, and galloped towards Chongwenmen.

The eight personal soldiers hurriedly rode their horses and followed the prince.

Several young men in brocade robes looked at each other. Is Wang Ziteng scared?

At this time, a young man came over. He was handsome and suave, and exuded a gentle and Confucian demeanor, which made people feel very friendly.

A young man in a brocade robe spoke up: "Your Majesty, Wang Ziteng should go to the palace to plead guilty."

Another young man in brocade robes said, "Oh, what have the four great families of Jinling become now? What spineless fellows!"

Another young man in brocade robes said: "Where on earth did this Li Hu come from? He looks so weird!"

The young man who was called the Prince was none other than Prince Beijing Shui Rong.

Shui Rong looked at Wang Ziteng's disappearing back, then turned his gaze to Li Hu.

As if sensing something, Li Hu, who was riding on a horse, looked over and the two men made eye contact.

Shui Rong smiled slightly.

Li Hu raised his eyebrows. Who is this pretty boy?

"Eighty!" A thunderous shout set the crowd into an uproar.

Outside the side hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity
Dai Quan walked out of the door and said to Wang Ziteng who was waiting there, "The emperor said he was tired and we can talk tomorrow if there is anything."

Wang Ziteng was stunned for a long time, then he turned around and left, dragging his legs.

(End of this chapter)