The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 136 No shame

It was already dawn.

With a "whoosh", a feather arrow hit the exact center of the target.

About thirty steps away from the target, Fu Kang'an, who was wearing a tight quiver, pulled out another arrow from the quiver, put it on the bowstring, drew the bow, and aimed at the target again.

With another "whoosh" sound, the arrow left the string.

There were footsteps behind me, and then a Jurchen woman in plain clothes walked in from the moon gate of the courtyard.

The man walked up to Fukang'an and whispered a few words.

Fu Kang'an drew his bow and aimed at the target, shot another arrow, and then spoke: "Tell the Han people that our two warriors who were chopped are dead."

The man was surprised: "They."

Fu Kang'an didn't even turn his head and continued to practice archery: "It's their honor."

The man hesitated for a moment and said, "The prince said that we should just test the attitude of the Han people. There is no need to make a big fuss. It would be bad if we delay the prince's plan."

Fukang'an swung his bow and stared at the man with his cold eyes.

The man was frightened by the look and knelt down, "You are so talkative!" He raised his hand and slapped himself, then was about to hit again.

Fu Kang'an snorted and said, "Get out of here."

The man: "Yeah." He kowtowed heavily, then got up and walked out.

Looking at the man's back, Fu Kang'an's eyes flashed coldly, and then he shouted loudly: "Come on!"

A Jurchen woman came in in response.

Fu Kang'an: "Let's find some Han Chinese clothes and hats and go out for a walk."

After working hard for most of the night, the Fourth Prince did not return home until the beginning of the Yin hour, and went to bed at the end of the Yin hour. Early in the morning, word came that he would not see anyone that morning except for the imperial edict.

It was already the beginning of the Si hour when Jia Yucun's sedan chair arrived here.

After Jia Yucun got off the sedan chair, he walked quickly towards the side door. As soon as he climbed the stone steps, he was stopped by the captain of the guard.

The Fourth Prince was also in charge of the Ministry of Rites, and Jia Yucun was the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. The guards of the Fourth Prince’s mansion naturally knew him.

Jia Yucun: "I have something important to report to the Fourth Prince."

The captain of the guards said: "Master Jia, His Highness said that he will not see anyone this morning except for the imperial edict. Please come back in the afternoon."

Jia Yucun was anxious: "Afternoon? The sky is about to fall! Go and report it quickly!"

Guard Captain: “This.”

Jia Yucun: "If it's not a big deal, I won't come here to disturb His Majesty the Fourth Prince. So, you can ask the Chief Historian to come out, isn't that okay?!"

The captain of the guard was in a dilemma. After thinking for a moment, he said, "In that case, I'll go in and take a look." After saying that, he turned around and walked in.
It was already the end of the Si hour when Jia Yucun walked into the front hall.

Just then, the Fourth Prince came out from the back hall yawning.

As soon as he saw the Fourth Prince, Jia Yucun started to yell, "We've been tricked! We've all been tricked by the Jiannu!"

The fourth prince sat down: "What's going on?"

Jia Yucun: "We just announced that the two civilians were killed by other civilians in the chaos, and the Jiannu said that the two people who were chopped by the soldiers of the South Camp died."

It was as if a thunderbolt struck the sky, and the Fourth Prince stood up in shock.

Jia Yucun: "We have become the murderers!"

The fourth prince felt a chill in his heart and said in a trembling voice: "What should we do now? The Jurchens will definitely take this opportunity to put forward many unreasonable conditions!"

Jia Yucun sighed and said, "I'm afraid the Jurchens will ask for a life for a life!"

The Fourth Prince's face turned pale.

Jia Yucun smiled bitterly and shook his head. It would have been fine if they had worked in vain, but they ended up helping others to plot against him.

Just then, the steward of the Fourth Prince's Mansion walked in with the Minister of Rites.

The Minister of Rites saluted the Fourth Prince first, then panted and said, "Something has happened. The Prince of Heqin has made a request to the Cabinet as an envoy, asking the court to give an explanation."

At this moment, a servant from the Fourth Prince's Mansion came in carrying a tea tray.

The fourth prince came back to his senses and stretched out his hand. The servant quickly handed him a bowl of tea. The fourth prince grabbed the bowl and suddenly smashed it hard on the brick floor!

Fragments flew and tea splashed everywhere!
Several people were shocked.

"Damn Jiannu! What on earth are they trying to do!" The Fourth Prince had never been so angry.

Jia Yucun and the Minister of Rites looked at each other and did not say anything.

After a long while, the Fourth Prince finally calmed down and looked at Jia Yucun and the Minister of Rites: "What do you think we should do?"

There is a rule in the officialdom that one must follow the orders of the superior. If a superior commits a crime while on duty, the subordinates involved in the case will not be implicated, but they will be held responsible if they gave advice.

Jia Yucun and the Minister of Rites were both silent.

The Fourth Prince frowned and was about to get angry.

The chief historian hurried in and whispered something in the fourth prince's ear.

The fourth prince was stunned at first, then he started laughing.

Jia Yucun and the Minister of Rites looked at him in surprise.

"Good," the fourth prince gritted his teeth, "this is the so-called clean stream. When the Jiannu killed the people of Dashun, they didn't dare to say a word. Now, they are rushing to submit memorials as if their parents have died, impeaching the Ministry of Rites, the Infantry Commander's Office, and Shuntian Prefecture, demanding severe punishment for the soldiers in the Southern Camp and giving the Jiannu an explanation."

At this point, he slapped the coffee table repeatedly: "You really have no shame! You talk about morality, but you are full of thieves and whores."

The chief historian noticed that he was off topic and quickly changed the subject: "Your Highness, please change your clothes. You may need to go to the palace."

Before he could finish his words, the steward hurried in and said, "Your Highness, the Emperor summons Your Highness to the palace."

The fourth prince was stunned for a moment, then sighed and said, "I understand!" Then he said to Jia Yucun and the Minister of Rites, "This is my idea. I won't let you take the responsibility. Go back and do your job with peace of mind."

Jia Yucun and the Minister of Rites looked at each other and answered in unison, "Yes." They bowed and walked out.

Ordinary people still live their lives as usual, and Qianmen Street is as bustling as ever.

Fukang'an wore a cloth hat with a brim pulled back, changed into a coarse cloth robe, and walked aimlessly among the bustling crowd with two followers.

Fu Kang'an stopped in front of a calligraphy and painting stall.

The stall owner stood up quickly, smiled and bowed, "Excuse me, sir, do you want to buy calligraphy or painting?"

Fu Kang'an spoke in stiff Chinese: "Take a look first, and buy if it suits you."

The stall owner was alert: "Isn't this customer from inside the country?"

Fu Kang'an smiled and said, "From Hetao."

The stall owner smiled again: "Just look, just look."

Fu Kang'an walked to a landscape painting and looked at it carefully.

The stall owner was just about to start selling his goods when he heard the sound of hurried horse hooves on the street.

The pedestrians immediately moved aside to make way, and a dozen horses galloped past.

Fu Kang'an glanced at the horse team going away and said to the stall owner, "Who is so arrogant?"

The stall owner showed a strange smile on his face: "General Li."

Fu Kangan: "Which General Li?"

Stall owner: "General Li who recovered Hetao."

General Li who recovered Hetao? Fu Kang'an's eyes flashed. It was him!

Just then, an attendant came over and whispered quickly in Fukang'an's ear.

Fu Kang'an's eyes lit up (in Manchu): "Are you sure?"

The attendant (in Manchu): "That's the code."

Fu Kang'an thought sharply for a moment and said, "Let's go and take a look." Then he turned and left.

The stall owner's voice came from behind: "What a pity. What a pity."

(End of this chapter)