The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 165 Passing by
The sky gradually darkened and lanterns were lit in front of Huitong Hall.

There was a sound of footsteps, and Liu Quan came over with a lantern, leading several Jurchens dressed in Han costumes, guarding a sedan chair.

The sedan stopped in front of the Huitong Hall. The pole tilted and Heshen, dressed in plain clothes, came out of the sedan.

He Shen was obviously in a good mood. As he walked, he hummed softly: "Looking listless, his limbs are as soft as clouds, his eyes are confused by the hazy shadows and empty flowers."

Liu Quan leaned sideways and stretched out his arm, holding the lantern to the right in front of Heshen, muttering, "Master, please slow down and watch your step."

In the blink of an eye, the master and servant had walked into the courtyard arranged by the Ministry of Rites.

A man with a red roof was already waiting at the stone steps outside the main house.

Upon seeing Heshen, the man in the red hat came over quickly, bowed, and said, "Reporting to the Prime Minister, before dusk, the Han people's Ministry of Rites sent a message saying that a banquet will be held in the main hall in front tomorrow."

He Shen: “Oh?”

The red hat: "The Han official also said that the man named Li Hu will come at that time."

Heshen was stunned at first, then he smiled and said, "You can go down." Then he walked towards the door with his hands behind his back.

After entering the house, Heshen sat down on a chair against the wall. He was obviously still in high spirits and began to hum softly: "The palace, the golden furnace is filled with mist, the candlelight is dim. Rice spiders are clinging to each other, beans are planted on a golden plate, and flowers are blooming in silver bottles."

Liu Quan handed He Shen a cup of hot tea in a covered bowl. He Shen took a sip and praised: "It is worthy of being the ancestor of all operas! The lyrics are elegant, the singing is graceful, the sound is light and silky, especially the water-grinding singing, which is delicate and smooth. It is really unforgettable!"

Liu Quan, smiling, picked up the copper kettle on the stove, poured hot water into the basin, wrung out a hot face towel, handed it over, and said, "The actors we keep in the mansion are singing with all their might, and they have never seen you so happy."

He Shen took the towel and wiped his face, saying, "It's different. The tenderness and poetry of the Jiangnan water town. If you are not a native of Jiangnan, you can't sing that flavor."

Liu Quan took the face towel and scrubbed it in the basin, saying, "I don't hear any difference."

He Shen smiled, picked up the tea bowl, took a few sips, put it down, leaned back, closed his eyes and said, "I won't go out. Let's soak my feet."

Liu Quan: "Yes." He answered and poured another basin of hot water, walked to Heshen's side, knelt down on one leg, put down the hot water, and took off Heshen's shoes and socks.

Liu Quan picked up Heshen's feet and put them in the basin. Liu Quan began to rub Heshen's feet by pressing the acupoints.

Heshen's entire face relaxed, and he was obviously very comfortable.

"My Lord, thank you for your hard work. Several princes from Mongolia said that even if the matter is done, they will still have the support of the people." Liu Quan said softly while rubbing his feet skillfully.

He Shen smiled and said, "I never accept gifts. I just use their money to do their business. Do you understand?"

Liu Quan smiled and nodded: "I understand, I understand."

He Shen opened his eyes at this time and said with emotion: "There are still many good people! First, there was Li Hu, who solved a problem that had troubled me for many days with just one sentence. Then there are those Han cabinet ministers. Five thousand war horses, twenty thousand cattle and sheep. What good people!"

Liu Quan couldn't help laughing.

He Shen also laughed. He never thought that those Han ministers would be so easy to fool. In order to sign the contract as soon as possible, several Mongolian princes gathered 10,000 war horses and 50,000 cattle and sheep. The Jurchens were also prepared for the Han court to ask for a huge price.

Things went unexpectedly smoothly and the results were very gratifying. He reached a ceasefire agreement with the Han cabinet by paying only 5,000 war horses and 30,000 cattle and sheep.

A hint of pride flashed across Heshen's face. What a prince and a marquis had failed to accomplish, he accomplished easily. Let's see who will dare to say that he is a flatterer in the future!

There are still many good people!

Thinking of this, he sat up straight. The Han people were so eager to reach an agreement. Could it be that they could no longer hold on? Perhaps if the court insisted a little longer, the Han people would withdraw on their own?
Liu Quan: "Master, what's wrong?"

Heshen came back to his senses, then shook his head and thought: Why worry about this, making money is the real thing.

Liu Quan asked tentatively, "Are you worried about the five thousand war horses?"

Heshen looked at him.

Liu Quan: "I do have a way, but..."

He Shen: "Go on."

Liu Quan: "Yes. Sir, do you still remember the victory report from the Vice Governor of Heilongjiang?" He Shen was shocked: "Are you saying that he lied about military intelligence and concealed his defeat to claim credit?!"

His feet stopped in the wooden basin, and Liu Quan's hands had to stop as well.

Liu Quan: "He didn't dare. The deputy governor of Heilongjiang fought with the Russians for more than a month, and finally borrowed 2,000 cavalry from the governor of Hulunbuir to eliminate the invading Russians. The Russians' firearms were too powerful, and the cavalry borrowed by the governor of Hulunbuir suffered heavy losses, and he didn't dare to report it to the court. So."

He Shen looked at him and asked, "How do you know? Did you take his money?"

Liu Quan immediately knelt down on his other leg as well: "I am just thinking about you. It's hard to find a general who is close to you."

He Shen snorted and said, "You are so smart!"

Liu Quan buried his head tightly on the ground.

He Shen was silent for a moment, then asked, "How long has it been?"

Liu Quan: "Not long after, just before we set out."

He Shen thought for a moment and said, "You should rush back to Shengjing City tomorrow and stabilize the people of the Deputy Governor of Heilongjiang Province first. I will discuss the details after I return."

Liu Quan felt relieved when he heard this and replied, "Yes!"

He Shen closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair: "Add some more hot water."

The moonlight shone quietly on the Grand Canal. A large black-sailed boat was sailing upstream on the river. Several strong men stood on the bow of the boat. One stood in front, two stood behind him, and two more stood at the stern.

A gust of river wind blew, and the blue robes of several men fluttered backwards, revealing the swords at their waists.

"We're here! After turning two more river bends we'll reach Hejian Prefecture." The man standing in the front blurted out.

A man behind him asked: "Should we report this to the hall master?"

"I'll do it." The man at the front walked to the side of the cabin and said, "Master, we are entering Zhili."

The weak voice of the Azure Dragon Hall Master came from the cabin: "Pull over to the shore and wait until daybreak before leaving."

The man said, "Yes." and waved to the man behind him.

The boat headed for the shore.

At this moment, a huge official ship came from the other end of the canal. The words on the flag could not be seen at this time, but the name of "Imperial Household Department" could still be vaguely seen on the lantern on the tall mast!

The man then reported to the inside: "Master, there is a ship from the Ministry of Internal Affairs coming up ahead."

Qinglong Hall Master: "Don't worry about it."

The man: “Yes.”

The river breeze made the flags on the official ships rustle.

Bai Hongzhi stood alone on the bow deck, silently looking at the distant Shandong Prefecture.

The old steward came over with a cloak in his hand and tied it on Bai Hongzhi: "The river wind at night is bone-chilling, Master Sun, you should go in."

Bai Hongzhi: "The front is the border of Shandong."

"The border of Shandong is ahead." The elderly manager repeated Bai Hongzhi's words.

The two looked at each other and couldn't help but reveal a look of relaxation, as if they were feeling a sense of security as if they were back home.

A gust of wind blew, and the old steward spoke: "Go back."

Bai Hongzhi nodded, glanced at the black-sailed boat that was approaching the shore, turned and went into the cabin.

(End of this chapter)