The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 61 Being Too Smart Is Not Good
After leaving Jia Yucun, Li Hu did not go to see the prince, but went straight home.

Li Hu's feet were hanging on the bed frame, his back resting on the folded quilt, his head tilted back, staring at the ceiling in a daze.

After an unknown amount of time, he sat up on the bed, staring at the incense burner, lost in thought for a moment. Then he got off the bed, added some sandalwood to the incense burner, and blew on the open fire to warm the bedroom.

With no one to serve him, Li Hu walked to the warm room, picked up the copper kettle, and made tea at the desk.

Li Hu sat down, picked up the tea bowl and took a sip, then let out a long sigh.

He understood the prince's idea. It would not only allow Jia Yucun to integrate into the civil service group more quickly, but it would also provoke a conflict between the civil service group and the military, completely splitting the two groups that were originally at odds with each other. The ultimate result would be chaos in the court.

It can be said that except for the emperor, everyone else in the royal family wanted the Dashun Dynasty to be in chaos. The more chaotic it was, the better it was for them, so they could take advantage of the opportunity to gain benefits and fish in troubled waters.

Li Hu sighed again. Is that chair so attractive? In order to fight for that chair, they can ignore the safety of the country and spare no effort.

He suddenly felt an inexplicable irritation in his heart. He put down the tea bowl, stood up and walked out.

Li Hu walked out facing the cold wind, with the corners of his robe lifted up by the wind. The biting cold wind was like a knife, clearing his mind.

There was a sound of footsteps, and then Lin Daiyu came in from the moon gate of the courtyard, wearing a white fox fur cloak and a Guanyin hood, holding Xueyan's hand, and behind her was Amber, leading four maids and two old women.

Li Hu rushed forward and said, "The wind is howling, be careful not to catch a cold!"

"It doesn't matter, I'm wearing thick clothes." Lin Daiyu said with a smile.

Li Hu: "Let's talk inside." He went up and held Lin Daiyu's other arm and walked towards the main room.

Amber had already opened the cotton curtain, and Li Hu helped Lin Daiyu walk in.

"Your room isn't much warmer than outside!"

Lin Daiyu took off her hood and asked Hubo, "Where is the charcoal I asked you to bring?"

Amber replied, "I put it in the small dining room. I didn't know when the second master would come back, so I didn't light it." After that, she asked the two maids to bring two large braziers out of the small dining room, put them in the room, and then blew them to light.

Two large pots of charcoal fire burned red, and the room immediately became warm.

Lin Daiyu then took off her cloak and said, "I've thought about it and I think I need someone to take care of your daily life."

"Let's do it after the New Year. Let's go to the human market after the New Year." Li Hu took the cloak and handed it to Xueyan.

Lin Daiyu looked at him and smiled: "I have Xueyan and Zijuan, which are enough for me. From now on, Amber will take care of your daily life. And they will be responsible for cleaning the house and running errands." As she said this, she pointed to the maids and old women of the Lin family.

Amber and the maids all looked at Li Hu.

Li Hu thought for a moment and replied, "Okay, you decide on family matters."

Lin Daiyu said "hmm", and then said: "I looked through the roster of the mansion, and there is a shortage of people everywhere, especially maids. I thought about it, and I don't know the background of the people bought in the market, so why not ask the soldiers if their relatives and friends are willing to work in the mansion."

Li Hu nodded: "Okay, I will talk to them. Come, sit down, let's sit down and talk." As he said that, he pulled her to sit on the chair against the wall.

At this time, Amber brought over two bowls of hot tea on a tea tray.

Li Hu served the tea to Lin Daiyu.

Lin Daiyu took the tea with both hands and looked at Li Hu with a smile in her eyes.

Li Hu was stunned for a moment, "What's wrong?"

Lin Daiyu smiled, took a sip of tea, and said, "Madame Wang is back. The old lady said she will come over tomorrow."

Li Hu put down the tea bowl and asked, "How do you plan to arrange it?"

Lin Daiyu also put down her tea bowl. "Look at the weather. It will snow heavily before dusk. It will be sunny tomorrow. Although my room is nice, it is not as comfortable as the flower hall. I have sent someone to cover the floor kang. The banquet will be held in the big flower hall."

Li Hu nodded and said, "Although our garden is small, it is enough for you to enjoy the scenery for half a day. You can start a poetry club and write poems. It's about time."

Lin Daiyu: "Not to write poetry, I just invite them to enjoy the snow scenery."

Li Hu was puzzled: "Why did you change it suddenly?"

Lin Daiyu pursed her lips and said, "I just remembered it when I was writing the invitation. That day the old lady asked me what books I had read, and I answered, 'I just read the Four Books.' Out of politeness, I asked my second sister what books they read, and the old lady said, 'It's just learning a few words, it's not as if you are blind.'"

After a pause, he said, "I am inviting my second sister and the others to form a poetry club to write poems. Isn't that an intentional argument with her?"

Li Hu looked at her and smiled. It is said that Lin Daiyu is aloof and arrogant, and does not understand the ways of the world. But these words can be said to be very worldly. Lin Daiyu was a little unhappy with his gaze and said angrily, "What are you looking at!"

"Uh"

Li Hu was stunned. He had just praised her twice and her true colors were revealed?
With a humph, Lin Daiyu said: "You're not going out tomorrow, are you?"

Li Hu: "I'm not going out. Hey~ Are you going to introduce me to the girls from the Jia family?" After saying that, he looked at Lin Daiyu with excitement and anticipation.

Lin Daiyu was so angry that she laughed: "You are thinking very nicely! Introducing you to them? You are shameless, but I still have this face. I can't bring myself to ask for it."

Xueyan, who was standing nearby, burst out laughing, but quickly held it back.

Li Hu took the opportunity to ease the embarrassment and glared at her.

Xueyan stuck out her tongue and stepped aside.

Lin Daiyu: "You are not allowed to bully Xueyan."

Li Hu: "No more, no more. What did you want to say just now?"

Lin Daiyu: "Tomorrow Baoyu will come with us, you can keep him company."

Li Hu nodded.

At this moment, a report came from the maid outside the door: "Second Master, Third Uncle is here."

Li Hu: "Please come in!"

Li San is the only elder in the Li family, so Lin Daiyu does not need to avoid him.

Li San walked in.

Lin Daiyu had already stood up. She took a step forward, knelt down in front of Li Sanying, and said softly, "Uncle San!"

Li San turned sideways and said with a smile, "Hello, young lady."

Li Hu waved his hand and said, "From now on, please stop doing these empty formalities. It's too awkward."

With outsiders present, Lin Daiyu still gave Li Hu face and said obediently, "Yes."

Li San smiled, took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Li Hu: "A letter from Yuqing Palace." He nodded to Lin Daiyu, turned around and walked out.

Lin Daiyu walked him to the door and watched Li San leave the yard through the window before she walked back and sat down next to Li Hu.

After reading the letter, Li Hu lowered his head and thought silently. After thinking for a moment, he read it again and then handed the letter to Lin Daiyu, "You can read it too."

Lin Daiyu took the letter, read a few lines, was slightly stunned, and then continued reading.

Li Hu stood up, and walked slowly with his hands behind his back. The prince's letter said two things: First, the emperor cut the Gordian knot, found the so-called murderer, got the so-called evidence, and put the blame on the White Lotus Sect, which temporarily resolved the conflict between the civil service group and the military. However, as long as he did not decide on the reward for Wang Ziteng, accidents could happen again at any time!
As for another thing, Jia Yucun was sick and very timid.

After reading the letter, Lin Daiyu looked at Li Hu and asked, "Did you scare the gentleman?"

Li Hu walked back to Lin Daiyu and looked at her: "Don't slander my innocence out of thin air. He is your teacher. I respect him enough. How can I threaten him?"

"Contaminating your innocence?"

Lin Daiyu glanced at him sideways, then shook the letter in her hand, too lazy to speak.

"Uh"

Li Hu was ashamed. It was not good to be too smart. He felt like in the original novel, Jia Baoyu was crushed by Lin Daiyu's IQ!
At this time, a maid exclaimed outside: "It's snowing!"

After listening to this, Lin Daiyu stood up and walked to the window, looked at the falling snow outside, and then said to Li Hu: "Second brother, let's go to the garden to appreciate the plum blossoms. Those red plum blossoms are like rouge, reflected by the snowflakes, it must be very interesting!" After that, she looked at him expectantly.

Li Hu couldn't bear to refuse, and was worried that she would catch a cold. After thinking for a while, he replied, "It's cold outside, you need to put on more clothes."

"Uh-huh."

Lin Daiyu nodded quickly.

Li Hu said to Hubo, "There is a fur coat in the closet. Take it out." He then said to Lin Daiyu, "Let's have dinner at the waterside pavilion."

(End of this chapter)