The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 47: Keep Your Integrity
The snow was falling heavily.

The lantern in front of the door flickered in the snow and wind, with the two big words "Li Mansion" printed on it.

The door was wide open, and at first glance, the whole yard was brightly lit.

Li San came out with two servants.

Looking at the dark street, Li San rubbed his hands and said, "Why haven't you come back yet?"

The sound of horse hooves and wheels creaked from afar, and a lamp shone dimly in the snow as it drifted towards us.

In the heavy snow, a group of cavalrymen came escorting a luxurious carriage.

As they got closer, Wang Daniu took the lead, leading ten of his personal soldiers.

The carriage stopped in front of the mansion gate and Li San went to greet it.

The car door opened, and Li Hu, wearing a fox fur coat, came out. Looking at the falling snow, he sighed and said, "It's snowing."

Li San could hear the melancholy in Li Hu's tone: "Second Master, don't worry. There's still a long way to go. Even if the Yongding River freezes over and the official ships can't enter the capital, it's only about 40 to 50 miles away. It's nothing."

Li Hu shook his head. What he was worried about was the political situation and the crown prince.

He did not hide anything and told the prince everything that happened in the West Warm Pavilion. Instead of being angry or excited as one might have imagined, the prince just responded with an "hmm" out of habit.

Li Hu understood that the prince's heart had completely turned cold, and their father-son relationship was severed, leaving only calculations.

The fourth prince went to the Ministry of Rites, but what about the second prince who had made great military achievements? He was also in charge of the Ministry of War?!

Thinking of this, Li Hu sighed deeply.

Li San said softly, "Second Master, it's windy outside, be careful not to catch a cold."

Li Hu came back to his senses, strode in, and asked, "Is there anything wrong at home?"

Li San took out a letter from his arms: "This is a letter from the second master of Rongguo Mansion."

Li Hu took the letter, opened the seal and read it. Then he was stunned for a moment. Zhen Yingjia actually wanted to treat him to a banquet.

A royal spy chief holds a banquet to entertain guests, a Hongmen Banquet?
Li Hu walked and thought, and stopped in front of the backyard door. In the original novel, the Zhen family was confiscated soon after the death of the old concubine. The Zhen family was not the Jia family. Although they were rich, they had no power in the court or the army, and would not pose a threat to the imperial power. What did they do wrong to be confiscated? Did they owe money to the treasury?

Impossible. The old concubine raised the emperor, and was considered the emperor's grandmother. It was impossible for her property to be confiscated just because of this matter.

By the way, the Zhen family is not only the old empress dowager’s maiden family, but also the maiden family of Princess Beijing.

It’s Prince Beijing again. It seems that the dismissal of the Jia family is also related to this “virtuous prince”. It seems that this “virtuous prince” is not virtuous!

At this time, Li Hu was shocked. Could his assassination be related to him? The waist knife of Jinling Manufacturing Bureau, Zhen family, it's really hard to say!
Is Zhen Yingjia trying to test Shui Rong and himself?
Thinking of this, Li Hu's face suddenly became serious. It was really the Hongmen Banquet.

Li San: "Second Master."

Li Hu thought for a moment and said, "Tomorrow when you go to Rongguo Mansion to see Jia Zheng, tell him that I have to go to Yuqing Palace to visit the patient and inquire about his health in the next few days. I don't have the time and I'm not in the mood." After that, he walked straight into the backyard.

According to the rules, officials who came to Beijing to report on their work had to stay in the post houses near the imperial city.

It's brightly lit here too.

The wind howled in the night and the breath turned into ice, but the postmaster paced back and forth anxiously on the stone steps in front of the door, stopping from time to time to look at the dark street.

Suddenly there was the sound of horse hooves and wheels pressing snow.

A group of cavalry came galloping over with a covered carriage.

The postmaster came out to greet him.

The carriage stopped and the thick cotton curtain was lifted. Zhen Fu jumped down first, holding up the curtain with his hand. Then Zhen Yingjia, wearing a thick fur coat, got off the carriage.

The postmaster apologized with a smile: "Master Zhen, there is a guest who has been waiting for you for a long time."

Zhen Yingjia: "Guests? What guests?"

Postmaster: "Well, sir, you should go and take a look in person." Zhen Yingjia nodded and strode inside.

In the distance, there was a row of three-room official residences with the main door open.

Dai Quan sat on a chair in front of a large charcoal fire, with a cloak covering his knees. He leaned close to the lamp beside him, holding a book and reading it.

Zhen Yingjia was secretly shocked and strode towards the official residence.

Zhen Fu's eyes flashed, and he hurriedly followed. Just as he reached the stone steps, two imperial guards suddenly appeared from both sides: "Stop!"

Zhen Fu: "What are you doing?"

Zhen Yingjia turned around and said, "Go and have a rest."

Zhen Fu had no choice but to answer, "Yes."

Zhen Yingjia walked in quickly and said to Dai Quan, "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting for so long!"

Dai Quan smiled and stood up: "Master Zhen, you are too kind."

Zhen Yingjia: "Is the Minister here to deliver an imperial decree?"

Dai Quan: "I am here to tell you that the emperor has no time to see Master Zhen. Please stay with the concubine for two days and then go back."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yingjia was stunned.

Dai Quan: "The emperor was already angry at the time. When he heard that the murder weapon came from the Jinling Manufacturing Bureau, he was naturally furious. That's why he ordered to summon Lord Zhen to the capital. The emperor knew that this matter had nothing to do with Lord Zhen, but the emperor's words were golden and could not be changed. Lord Zhen could only be wronged!"

Zhen Yingjia felt relieved when he heard this, and then he bowed towards the direction of the palace, and then took out a memorial from his arms: "Please ask the Minister to forward this memorial of apology to the emperor."

Dai Quan smiled and looked at him, then took the memorial and said, "You are a humble and kind person. These are the emperor's original words. The emperor asked me to tell you that people's hearts are hidden, and it is difficult to tell the truth from the false. Even if you open your heart, others may not be sincere. If you trust others too much, you will be deceived."

Zhen Yingjia's face lost its warmth and replaced with solemnity. He stared into Dai Quan's eyes and said, "Please enlighten me, Minister."

Dai Quan paused and said, "The emperor's intention should be to remind Lord Zhen to be careful of the people around him."

Zhen Yingjia: "Please make it clear, please."

Dai Quan: "Then I'll put it bluntly. Once a daughter is married off, she is like spilled water."

Zhen Yingjia stared at Dai Quan with wide eyes, unable to believe it for a moment.

"It's late at night, so I won't disturb Master Zhen's rest."

Dai Quan stuffed the book into his hands and said, "The long night is also a great time to read." After that, he walked out.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew in a lot of snowflakes.

Zhen Yingjia shivered when the wind blew, looked at the scroll, and unfolded the folded page, which was Wang Anshi's "Ode to Bamboo": People pity its thin and upright branches, and it thinks it is tall and strong even when it grows old. It once shared the rain and dew with weeds, and finally followed the pines and cypresses to the frost and ice.

Dai Quan should be reminding himself to maintain his integrity in his later years.

Zhen Yingjia closed his eyes. He understood that Dai Quan was talking about Shui Rong. What was the mystery behind this?
Zhen Yingjia sat down slowly. After a long while, he called out weakly, "Someone come."

An attendant walked in.

Zhen Yingjia: "Pack up, and when I come back from the palace tomorrow, we'll go back to Jinling."

The attendant was stunned for a moment: "Sir, you still have to go to Rongguo Mansion tomorrow."

Zhen Yingjia: "Then let's go to Rongguo Mansion first."

"Yes." The follower looked at him again and walked out.

Zhen Yingjia looked at the heavy snow falling outside the dim door, with a confused look in his eyes. He murmured, "Could it be that I really saw it wrong?"

(End of this chapter)