The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 46 Hope dashed
The official ship of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has entered Tianjin Prefecture and will be there soon.

When Li Hu thought of this, he had a headache. Because of the assassination, he first owed Jia Zhen a favor, and then Jia She and Jia Zheng came to visit him in person and brought expensive gifts.

For several days in a row, Grandmother Jia sent people to deliver various supplements. He could imagine how Grandmother Jia would react after she knew about this.

Li Hu thought about it and decided that in addition to sending New Year gifts to the prince, Rongguo Mansion should also send some gifts this year. He would send them the day before Lin Daiyu came to Beijing.

At this moment, a burst of exclamations came from the inner room, followed by Li San's voice: "Okay, okay, everyone get out."

Wang Daniu's voice: "You really believe in 'use people first, put them first, don't use them later'!"

Li San laughed and scolded: "You are a heartless little bastard."

Li Hu came back to his senses and turned his gaze towards the inner room.

Wang Daniu has already walked out with a smile on his face.

Wang Daniu: "General, why don't you go in and take a look?"

Li Hu didn't bother to pay attention to him, and said to Li San who came out: "This winter is particularly cold, add another incense burner in the inner room and prepare a few more braziers."

Li San: "Yes." He answered and pushed the tactless Wang Daniu, then led everyone out.

Li Hu walked in, his eyes slowly scanning the corners of the room. There were matching rosewood chairs and coffee tables, and against the wall were mahogany carved wardrobes and shelves for placing items. To the west was a mahogany desk inlaid with marble, on which were also placed pens, inkstones, paper and inkstones.

Li Hu turned his gaze to the bed, which took up almost half of the inner room.

The word "Babu" means to take a step, which means you need to step onto the bed. This kind of bed is also called a pedal bed, because it is built on the floor and the bed is above the floor, so it gets this name.

According to Li San, there are two types of step-out beds. One is simple, which is a canopy bed with an outer frame, and the other is a complex one, which is the step-out bed in front of you.

According to legend, in the late Ming Dynasty, wealthy families in the Jiangnan area would ask famous craftsmen to build a boudoir for their daughters as soon as they were born. However, this kind of step-out bed is complicated and requires thousands of man-hours, which means it takes more than three years to make. Only the truly wealthy families can afford it.

In addition, this type of step-out bed is huge in size, and a young lady has to take small steps in the bed, and it takes a hundred steps to walk around the bed, so this type of step-out bed is also called a "hundred-step bed."

This kind of bed cannot be found on the market.

Adhering to the principle of "if you don't use it, it will become invalid after it expires", Li Hu went directly to the emperor and selected this step-out bed from the warehouse of the Imperial Household Department's Manufacturing Office.

The emperor rewarded officials with a variety of things, especially when a prince gave birth to a granddaughter, a bed was one of the festive treasures given as a rule.

This step-out bed is tall in shape, complex in structure and luxurious in workmanship. The highlight lies in the delicate and exquisite carvings. The carvings are vivid and lifelike, and the reliefs, hollow carvings and round carvings complement each other. The courtyard's bridges, flowing water, pavilions, terraces, travertine stones, flowers and plants are all vividly expressed with every knife and chisel, giving people a sense of exquisiteness everywhere.

From the appearance, it looks like the bunk bed is placed on a closed wooden platform. The platform is three feet longer than the edge of the bed. There are pillars at the four corners of the platform, inlaid with wooden fences, and windows on both sides, which is equivalent to a small room.

There are corridors in front and behind the bed. After turning the corridor, you will reach the inner room, which is like a small inner room with stools, dressing tables, tables, small cabinets, jewelry boxes, toilets, etc. It is very complete.

Li Hu nodded with satisfaction, and Lin Daiyu brought daily necessities such as gauze curtains and bedding from home.

It would be even better if you put two pots of flowers on the low table.

Thinking of this, Li Hu turned around and walked out, taking off the gauze curtain hanging between the inner room and the outer room. After thinking about it, he closed it again to ventilate.

There was a sound of footsteps, and Li San appeared at the door. "Second Master, there's a message from Yuqing Palace saying that the miracle doctor from Southern Xinjiang has entered the palace."

Li Hu: "Open the windows for ventilation, and put a few pots of flowers in there." After saying that, he walked out quickly.

The palace had strict rules, but sometimes they seemed to have a leak. Before Li Hu arrived, the outside of Yuqing Palace was already filled with ministers who came to visit and ask about the patient's health.

Zhen Yingjia is here too.

Finally, footsteps were heard from inside, and then Dai Quan came out. He quickly scanned everyone's faces, cleared his throat, and said, "The Emperor's order~"

Zhen Yingjia and others knelt down.

Dai Quan: "What do you want to do? Do you want to cause trouble? Or do you want to force the emperor to abdicate?"

All the people fell down.

Dai Quan: "Go back to whichever government office you belong to. Why are you interfering?"

Before anyone could react, Dai Quan turned around and entered Yuqing Palace.

All the officials were stunned.

The eunuch on duty outside the palace gate gently reminded: "My lords, please go back."

Everyone climbed up in an uneven manner.

There was a slight commotion behind the crowd, and many people looked back.

Li Hu came, and although he was strolling, he took big steps and walked very fast.

In a blink of an eye, Li Hu had walked behind the crowd.

Li Hu frowned: "Please make way."

The officials then subconsciously moved to the sides to make way for a passage.

The eunuch on duty came over.

Li Hu walked forward and asked in a low voice: "What's going on?"

The chief eunuch on duty said: "Still taking the pulse." Li Hu walked quickly into Yuqing Palace.

Behind him were pairs of eyes with different expressions, some were envious, some were indifferent, and more were angry and dissatisfied.

Zhen Yingjia turned to an official beside him and whispered, "Who is this?"

The official said: "He is Li Hu, Li the Barber." After saying that, he turned and left.

He is Li Hu? He is indeed trusted by the emperor and the prince.

Zhen Yingjia remembered the old concubine's reminder and thought: Let's go to the Jia family and sit for a while first.

As soon as he stepped into the West Warm Pavilion, Li Hu was stunned.

It was surprisingly quiet, with only the ticking of the clock.

Emperor Yongchang sat alone on the couch facing south, staring at the ground in a daze.

The third and fourth princes, who were standing solemnly in front of Emperor Yongchang, all looked at Li Hu.

Li Hu was stunned for a moment, but still walked over lightly: "Your Majesty."

Emperor Yongchang glanced at him, then sighed: "You are here."

Li Hu: "I heard that the miracle doctor from Southern Xinjiang has entered the palace. I came to take a look."

Emperor Yongchang nodded and said, "Dai Quan is not here. Go and make me some tea."

Li Hu was stunned again. Why were his two sons ordering him around when they were here? He couldn't ask, so he could only answer, "Yes," and walked out.

The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were both stunned, looked at each other, and then looked down at the ground together.

After a while, Li Hu brought a bowl of tea on a tea tray.

Emperor Yongchang picked up the tea bowl and took a few sips before putting it down.

Li Hu was surprised. Was he really thirsty? Was he afraid of being poisoned? Then he subconsciously glanced at the Third and Fourth Princes.

The only sound left in the warm room was the ticking of the clock.

Gradually, the light in the warm room dimmed.

Li Hu lit the lantern on the table.

Finally, Dai Quan walked in.

Li Hu went up to him and asked anxiously, "How is it?"

Dai Quan did not answer and walked straight towards Emperor Yongchang.

Li Hu's heart skipped a beat.

Emperor Yongchang looked at Dai Quan.

Dai Quan: "The miracle doctor has written a prescription." As he said this, he presented the prescription to Emperor Yongchang.

Emperor Yongchang took it and looked at it carefully, then frowned and said, "Isn't this the prescription from the Imperial Hospital?"

Dai Quan bowed and replied: "One ingredient is missing: 'Deer Antler'."

Emperor Yongchang was startled, then immediately flew into a rage, and shouted, "Is there any difference?!"

There was silence.

Emperor Yongchang sighed and handed the prescription to Dai Quan: "Go and prepare the medicine."

Dai Quan: “Yes.” He took the prescription and ran out like the wind.

Emperor Yongchang stood up and walked back and forth rapidly.

Li Hu's heart suddenly rose, he held his breath and looked at the emperor.

The third prince secretly glanced at Emperor Yongchang, observing his reaction.

Emperor Yongchang suddenly stopped and met the Third Prince's eyes.

The third prince lowered his head in a hurry.

Emperor Yongchang's eyebrows moved slightly, he looked at Li Hu, and then turned his gaze to the Fourth Prince: "As a prince, don't always hang out with those monks and people from all walks of life. Read more books and practice riding and shooting more often. Only when you have real skills can you share your father's worries and serve the court."

The fourth prince was embarrassed and said, "Your Highness, I don't know anything, so I'd better not cause trouble for my father and the crown prince."

Hearing this, Emperor Yongchang's eyes immediately showed a look of sadness and pity as he looked at him deeply. After a long time, he said softly: "Father knows your filial piety. But chanting scriptures and reciting Buddha's name can't help father get through the New Year. You should go to the Ministry of Rites to study." After that, he walked out.

The fourth prince: "Yes."

The third prince's face turned pale.

Li Hu sighed, it was over.

(End of this chapter)