The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 21: Sending a Wife

March is the beginning of the beautiful season, and it is the time of flower blooming again.

It is already mid-March, and the Imperial Garden has ushered in the flower-viewing season, with a scene of red flowers and green willows.

Emperor Yongchang was walking on the stone path in casual clothes with his hands behind his back.

Dai Quan bent his body slightly and followed him carefully.

Emperor Yongchang was walking when he suddenly stopped and asked, "The second son has been under house arrest for nearly half a year, right?"

Dai Quan: "Your Majesty, five months and twenty-one days."

At this time, the sound of several women laughing and talking came from a pavilion not far away.

Emperor Yongchang looked at them, at one of the women, Consort Xian, the biological mother of the second prince.

Dai Quan stood there with his head down.

Emperor Yongchang: "Then let him come out."

Dai Quan quickly replied, "Yes."

Emperor Yongchang paced back and forth, saying as he walked: "I heard that the medicine in southern Xinjiang is mysterious and magical, and may be able to cure the prince's illness. Let the people from the Imperial Household Department take a look, and you will be responsible for it yourself. Understand?"

Dai Quan: “Yes.”

There was the sound of footsteps, and a red-robed eunuch from the Imperial Household Department came over holding a memorial and said softly, "Your Majesty, a secret report from Shaanxi."

Emperor Yongchang took the memorial, tore open the seal and read it. As he read, his face darkened. Then, he slammed the memorial shut and said, "Send it to the cabinet and tell them that I said that the governor of Shaanxi should be dismissed and questioned first. Whoever is found should be dealt with according to the law."

The eunuch in red said, “As you wish.” He took the secret report with both hands, bowed and retreated.

"Governance"

Emperor Yongchang sighed, "A province suffered such a severe drought. The court issued a clear edict to exempt the people from taxes, but they not only did not lend them food, but also levied taxes. The corrupt officials also increased the exploitation, causing the people to flee. In Fengxiang, Qianzhou and other places, nine out of ten Han people's houses were empty. These are the wise and loyal ministers that the emperor used so much!"

At this point, he suddenly remembered: "What is Daming Palace busy with recently?"

Dai Quan: "Eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures."

Emperor Yongchang's expression became better: "Tell the people below to serve well."

Just as he finished speaking, another eunuch in red from the Imperial Household Department hurried over with an envelope and said softly, "Your Majesty, this is a secret letter from the Rongguo Mansion." Then he handed the letter over.

Emperor Yongchang took the letter, opened the seal and read it. After reading a few lines, his face became gloomy again.

Dai Quan looked at Emperor Yongchang in surprise.

With a "humph", Emperor Yongchang waved his hand.

The eunuch in red retreated.

Emperor Yongchang: "The Rongguo Mansion seems to have sensed something."

Dai Quan was shocked.

Emperor Yongchang took a few steps forward, then stopped and continued, "The old lady of the Jia family wrote a letter to Lin Ruhai, hoping to strengthen the relationship between the two families."

After a pause, he said, "This is a rainy day preparation."

Dai Quan thought for a moment and said, "I heard that Lin Ruhai's daughter is weak and sickly."

Emperor Yongchang raised his hand and said, "The old lady of the Jia family is after the connections of the Lin family. Lin Ruhai is not in good health, and it is very likely that he only has this one daughter. This year is the third year that Lin Ruhai has served as the Inspector of Salt. At most, he will have to step down from the post of Inspector of Salt in another three or two years. With his ability and achievements, he can be the Right Inspector of the Censorate or the Left Vice Minister of the Six Ministries.

Many of the successful candidates in his class are in the Censorate, the Hanlin Academy, and the Imperial College. I am not afraid of the Jia family. I am worried that someone will use the Jia family to involve Lin Ruhai. I have to be on guard! "

Dai Quan: "Then tell him clearly in the secret decree."

Emperor Yongchang said angrily: "It's the parents' order and the matchmaker's words. How can I interfere?"

Dai Quan looked up at the sky for a long time before he said, "We can find a good son-in-law for Lin Ruhai!" Emperor Yongchang: "Oh?"

Dai Quan: "Lin Ruhai couldn't have been unaware of the character of the young man from the Jia family who was born with a jade in his mouth. If there were a choice, he would definitely look down on it. Therefore, as long as we find a man of both virtue and talent to marry Lin Ruhai's daughter, everything will be solved."

After a short silence, Emperor Yongchang said: "Where can we find such a person in such a short time. We have to remove the people from the lineage of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes, and the people from the lineage of the Qingliu are not acceptable. They also have to have equal status and position, and their ages cannot be too different."

Dai Quan: "There is a suitable candidate right now. Although he is a little older and of lower status, his moral character and talent, well, his appearance may not be as good as those of the Jia family, but he is still a good-looking man."

Emperor Yongchang's eyes lit up: "You mean Li Hu!"

Dai Quan nodded: "Li Hu is smart, capable, courageous and strategic. He will definitely achieve great things in the future. It is not a disgrace to Lin Ruhai's daughter. I just don't know if Li Hu is willing to do it."

Emperor Yongchang was amused: "He doesn't want to? The Lin family is a family of scholars and nobles. It is his blessing to marry the daughter of such a family!"

Dai Quan smiled.

Emperor Yongchang made up his mind: "You go to the Beijing camp now to inform Li Hu, and ask him to prepare some things and send them to Yangzhou along with the imperial edict."

The Beijing camp is located in the southern suburbs, only twenty miles away from Yongdingmen. Once there is any change in the capital, the troops can arrive at the city in half an hour.

There are many rules in the army. Unless there is emergency military information, anyone who lets his horse run wild in the camp will be beaten with sixty sticks during the day and beheaded at night.

Although Dai Quan did not have an imperial edict on him, he still had to abide by military regulations. He rode his horse slowly towards the vanguard camp of the left sentry army.

Shouts came from the drill ground.

Li Hu, dressed in the uniform of a guerrilla general, was standing alone and quietly on the stands.

On the huge parade ground, thousands of officers and soldiers were divided into four square formations and trained under the command of officers.

This is the army under Li Hu's command, divided into six divisions (each division has a captain-general and 449 combat soldiers), two captains-general of sword and shield soldiers, three captains-general of spear soldiers, one captain-general of firearms battalion (5 bureaus, four bureaus are standard, and the emperor awarded one bureau), one cavalry captain-general, and a total of 2900 combat soldiers in the battalion.

At this time, Zhang Cheng came over.

Zhang Cheng walked to the front of the stands and said, "General, the military supplies for the second half of the month have been received."

Of course Li Hu did not come alone. Zhang Cheng, Wang Daniu, Jia Yun and others followed him.

Li Hu looked up at the sky and said, "Ask Jia Yun to take people to the city and buy ten big fat pigs for dinner."

Before he could finish his words, Zhang Cheng hurriedly said, "General, Chief Dai is here."

Li Hu looked in the direction of the voice and saw Dai Quan coming from the entrance of the drill ground.

Why is he here in a different year or festival? Is there a purpose?

Li Hu didn't have time to think about it and immediately went over to meet him.

"Great joy!" Dai Quan cupped his hands from a distance.

Li Hu was slightly stunned, then he greeted him with a smile on his face: "Prime Minister."

Dai Quan looked at him with a smile, and then told Li Hu the news of the emperor's marriage.

Li Hu was confused. Was he already in a relationship? Or was it Lin Daiyu, whose marriage was over?
Oh, how old is Lin Daiyu? It seems she just celebrated her eleventh birthday. Eleven years old is too old.

Dai Quan saw Li Hu was stunned and laughed, "Don't be too happy yet, hurry up and prepare something and send it to Yangzhou along with the imperial edict."

After a pause, he said, "It can't be too shabby, nor too vulgar."

Li Hu came back to his senses and asked: "What do you want to give me?"

Dai Quan was stunned for a moment and said unhappily: "Think for yourself!"

Li Hu: "I've never married a wife!"

Dai Quan opened his eyes wide and looked at Li Hu, which meant: I have never married either!!!
(End of this chapter)