The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 62 It’s Snowing

Snow flakes were falling from the sky.

In the wind and snow, Aunt Xue wrapped herself in a large cloak, wore a warm vest, and held the hand of a maid. Behind her, a woman holding a green silk umbrella walked towards Lixiangyuan.

Lixiangyuan is located in the northeast corner of Rongguo Mansion. It has about ten houses, a front hall and a back house, as well as a small and exquisite garden. There is also a door leading to the back street, which is convenient for Xue Pan to enter and exit.

After entering the yard, Aunt Xue did not go back to her room, but went straight to Xue Baochai's room.

There was no one in the outer room, so Aunt Xue walked into the inner room and saw Xue Baochai in her homely clothes, with her hair tied up in a bun. She was sitting on the kang, leaning over the small kang table and drawing with her maid Ying'er.

Seeing Aunt Xue come in, Xue Baochai hurriedly put down her pen and said, "Mom is back." She got off the kang, took off Aunt Xue's cloak, helped her sit on the edge of the kang, and asked Ying'er to pour tea.

Aunt Xue smelled a cool, sweet fragrance and asked Xue Baochai, "Did you just take the medicine?"

Xue Baochai said "hmm", took the cup of tea handed to her by Ying'er and handed it to Aunt Xue.

Aunt Xue took a sip of tea and continued, "I heard from your aunt that Miss Lin's illness was also acquired from her womb. Why don't we invite a skilled imperial physician to take a look and cure her?"

Xue Baochai was silent for a moment, then answered, "I have inquired about this matter. I heard from the maid that two of the doctors who examined Miss Lin's pulse were the emperor's attending doctors, and they were the ones who drafted the prescriptions. The court has a system, and my aunt's family cannot invite an attending doctor. This is the emperor's grace."

Aunt Xue was disappointed and put down the tea bowl.

Xue Baochai smiled faintly: "Don't worry, Mom, there will always be a way in the future."

Aunt Xue nodded.

"What does the old lady want me to do?"

Aunt Xue then remembered: "Look at me, I was so busy talking that I forgot the important things. Miss Lin sent a letter, inviting the three girls from the Jia family to go to her house tomorrow to enjoy the snow. The old lady is happy, and she wants to go and join in the fun. I thought of you, so I asked you to go and relax."

Xue Baochai was stunned for a moment: "This..."

Aunt Xue: "They have two courtyards, and Miss Lin lives in a separate courtyard. The two houses are separated by two streets. You can come back before dark. Go ahead. You've been bored these days."

Only then did Xue Baochai nod.

Aunt Xue: "I stopped by your aunt and told her about the Li family." She took a sip from the tea bowl and continued, "Your aunt doesn't like him very much, and even hates him a little."

Xue Baochai: "Miss Lin?"

Aunt Xue nodded, then shook her head.

Xue Baochai understood and asked again, "Why does Auntie also hate General Li? Is it because of Brother Bao's matter?"

Aunt Xue: "Because he is Jia Min's son-in-law!"

Xue Baochai was secretly shocked: Mrs. Wang is so vindictive! Jia Min is dead, but she still holds on to her hatred. She must be crazy. She must not know that her uncle is going to help her enter the palace!

Aunt Xue: "This Li Hu has a pretty good relationship with your uncle. If there's a chance, ask your brother to invite him and build a relationship with him. Who knows, he may be useful someday."

Xue Baochai nodded: "How is uncle's matter going?"

Aunt Xue smiled bitterly and shook her head: "The situation is not good. Your uncle sent a servant back in the afternoon to report the news. The group of Qingliu believed that it was your uncle who sent someone to assassinate Jia Yucun. Not only did they submit a memorial, they also knelt outside the Qianqing Palace."

Xue Baochai showed a trace of panic on her face. If Wang Ziteng fell, could she still enter the palace? What about the case in Jinling? What should the Xue family do?

At this moment, Zhou Ruijia came in excitedly, greeted Aunt Xue, and said happily: "Great news, great news! The master sent a servant back to tell you that the uncle has been rewarded, the governor of Jiangsu, and the title of assistant minister of the Ministry of War!"

Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai stood up at the same time.

Zhou Ruijia said: "Madam has ordered the kitchen to prepare wine and food. Miss Bao, please change your clothes and go over." After saying that, she hurried away.

Aunt Xue came back to her senses and asked: "What rank is this Jiangsu governor?"

Xue Baochai: "The Governor of Jiangsu is a second-rank official, but my uncle has been given the title of Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, so his actual rank is second-rank."

Aunt Xue said excitedly: "Second rank, your uncle has become a real frontier official now!" At this point, she suddenly realized, "Your uncle has been promoted to the governor of Jiangsu, so your brother's case can be completely solved."

Xue Baochai nodded.

Aunt Xue: "I'll go back and change my clothes, and you should also wear something brightly colored." After saying that, she hurried away.

Snow was still falling. Nanny Wang and several maids holding food boxes walked in from the garden gate. They followed the stone path and turned a few corners. Suddenly, the view in front of them was bright. A small bridge stretched to the center of the lake. There was an exquisite and elegant water pavilion. Curtains were hung on all sides of the pavilion to block the wind and snow. Entering the water pavilion, it was warm as spring. Four large pots of charcoal fire were burning, and there were several small stoves.

In the water pavilion, the tables and chairs were fully prepared, the wine utensils and stoves were also set out, and Lin Daiyu was cooking the wine herself.

Li Hu stood by the window, holding a letter in his hand, and looked there.

Nanny Wang: "Young lady."

Lin Daiyu: "Put it on the table."

The old women walked over, and soon the table was filled with food. It was very rich, with exquisite hot and cold dishes made of four kinds of meat and four kinds of vegetables, as well as fresh venison and lamb, which had been cut and neatly placed on the plates.

Then, the old women brought an iron stove, iron skewers, iron wire cloth and various seasonings.

Without asking the old women to help, Amber, Zijuan, Xueyan and Qingwen took off the bracelets on their hands and picked up iron sticks to pierce their flesh.

"Xueyan, you come and watch the wine." Lin Daiyu was obviously in a good mood. She walked to the iron stove and started grilling the meat herself.

Strings of tender mutton sizzled on the charcoal fire, and soon the waterside pavilion was filled with the crackling sound of fat dripping on the charcoal fire, followed by the unique aroma of barbecue. At this time, Xueyan opened the wine pot, and the aroma of wine and meat mixed together, making people salivate.

Li Hu came back to his senses, looked at Lin Daiyu who was having fun, and then looked at the letter in his hand. The post of Governor of Jiangsu was not easy. The salt tax in Lianghuai alone was enough to give Wang Ziteng a headache, and there were also the gentry in Jiangnan. In addition, the Governor of Jiangsu was a civil servant, and the emperor clearly did not want Wang Ziteng to control the military power.

I don’t know what Wang Ziteng felt when he saw the imperial edict, whether he would regret it!

It has to be said that Wang Ziteng had miscalculated, the emperor was not so easy to fool.

Hey, didn't Wang Ziteng, who was appointed as the governor of Jiangsu, solve Xue Pan's case? Could it be that this is another invisible hand controlling this? !
"Second brother!"

Lin Daiyu's call brought him back to his senses. He folded the letter, put it in his arms, and walked over.

Lin Daiyu picked up a skewer of freshly roasted mutton and said, "Second brother, please try it. I roasted it. How about you try it?"

"Oh, you're getting more capable."

Li Hu took a bite and blinked, "It tastes good, you should try it too."

"Yeah, I read it in a book."

Lin Daiyu also picked up a skewer and tasted it. She blinked her eyes a few times and handed the skewer to Xueyan: "Try it too."

"Hey!" Xueyan took it happily and took a bite. Then she curled her lips and looked at Lin Daiyu: "Miss."

Li Hu and Lin Daiyu then spat out the mutton in their mouths and laughed at each other.

Nanny Wang, Zijuan and the others understood what was going on and started laughing.

Xueyan also laughed.

After laughing, Li Hu saw that there was charcoal ash on Lin Daiyu's left cheek, so he reached out to wipe it for her and said, "Lift your head higher, so that you won't be stained by the charcoal ash."

Lin Daiyu blushed, but said nothing. She lowered her head and silently turned the roast meat on the iron stove.

Li Hu smiled, picked up a skewer of venison, and grilled it while brushing it with oil, making the sound of fat. Then he sprinkled seasoning on it. Soon, a skewer of grilled venison with good color, aroma and flavor came out of the oven. He handed it to Lin Daiyu: "Try my cooking."

Lin Daiyu looked at him warily.

Li Hu was happy: "I'm not lying to you, try it."

Lin Daiyu then took it, glanced at Li Hu again, then carefully took a small bite. Her eyes lit up and she finished the whole skewer of roasted venison in just a few bites.

Li Hu smiled and poured her another glass of wine.

He took the wine glass and drank it in one gulp, then Lin Daiyu looked at him with blinking eyes.

Li Hu: "Today I will let you have a good taste of my cooking skills."

Lin Daiyu smiled, and her smile was so happy and comfortable.

(End of this chapter)