The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 69 Rongqing Hall Banquet 1
It was nearly dusk and it was snowing heavily, making the alley behind the restaurant seem even more quiet and long.

In the heavy snow, a tightly covered carriage drove up and stopped at the back door.

The driver shook off the snow on his body, put on the whip, jumped down from the front of the sedan chair and rang the door knocker.

The back door creaked open and a strong man walked out.

At this time, the thick curtain of the sedan chair was lifted, and Bai Hongzhi, wearing a cloak, walked out of the sedan chair.

The sturdy man said, "The young master is back!" He ran forward and helped Bai Hongzhi get off the carriage.

Bai Hongzhi said to the man driving the carriage: "Tell His Majesty the Third Prince that I will prepare for the Spring Examination in the coming days."

The driver said, "Yes." He jumped on the carriage, whipped out his whip, tapped the horse's buttocks, and shouted, "Go!"

The horse pulled the cart slowly on the snow.

Bai Hongzhi watched the carriage disappear in the snow before entering the house.

At the back gate, the elderly manager came out holding a large oilcloth umbrella.

"Wasn't Young Master Sun kept by the Third Prince to eat Yuanxiao?" The elderly steward bowed to Bai Hongzhi.

Bai Hongzhi: "The third prince has gone to the palace to accompany the Concubine Shu to eat Yuanxiao." Then he walked into the backyard.

When they arrived at the door of the study, Bai Hongzhi took off his cloak and his attendant took it. He then called the elderly steward into the study.

The elderly steward handed Bai Hongzhi a cup of hot tea in a covered bowl, then he lay on the ground and blew on the charcoal fire in the basin, and the charcoal fire slowly turned red.

Bai Hongzhi took a few sips, put it down, picked up a blank piece of letter paper on the desk, and started writing on it.

After finishing writing, Bai Hongzhi picked up the letter, blew on it, and then handed it to the elderly steward.

The elderly steward took it and looked at Bai Hongzhi in surprise.

Bai Hongzhi picked up the tea bowl on the desk and took a sip, then said, "As a prince, I'm sure he can gain a lot of trust from the Jurchens."

The elderly steward nodded.

Bai Hongzhi: "Don't worry, I'll send it to the Jurchens in half an hour."

The old steward was startled again, and the city gate was immediately closed.

Bai Hongzhi smiled faintly: "The emperor's edict has been sent out long ago, but the Jurchens can only send out the information early tomorrow morning. With this time difference, the second prince will not be defeated too badly. At least he can escape. He cannot die for the time being."

After a pause, he said, "There is also the Third Prince. We cannot let him become suspicious of me. He only told me about this matter."

"understood."

The elderly steward nodded, blew on the ink, then carefully folded the letter and put it in his arms.

Bai Hongzhi continued, "I will not go out before the Spring Examination."

The old steward said: "Yes. Freshly cooked Yuanxiao, I'll go get a bowl for Master Sun."

Bai Hongzhi thought for a moment and said, "Go ahead."

The old steward walked out
Snowflakes were flying, and the back door slowly opened. A man wearing a bamboo hat tiptoed out, looked to both sides, and then walked quickly to the north side of the alley.

The back door was closed from the inside again.

The man's figure disappeared in the heavy snow, and a man flashed out from the end of the alley and followed him quietly.

The melodious sound of a flute came from afar.

A lamp emitting a dim light in the heavy snow floated towards the grand flower hall of Rongqing Hall.

Amber leaned sideways and stretched out her arm, holding the lantern to the right side in front of Li Hu, and whispered, "The snow is slippery, walk slower, Master!"

At this time, a crisp sandalwood clapper sounded in the big hall, followed by the beating of a small drum, and then there was a Kunqu opera in authentic Wu dialect: Her face is as white as a peach, her waist is as timid as a willow, and her brows are locked with worry and illness.

I'm not sad about the coming of spring, so why am I staying indoors?

I am afraid to see bees flying outside the window and catkins flying in front of the eaves, thinking about the time when Qingming Festival is just over.
Amber smiled and said, "What a coincidence that I came back. This is the part of "The Story of Washing Silk. Holding the Heart" that Second Master requested."

Li Hu smiled.

Amber continued, "I heard from Yuanyang that the next piece the old lady ordered is "Gathering in the West Tower". After that, we can go home." At this point, she suddenly remembered, "Oh no, I didn't prepare any money."

Li Hu stopped and said, "Oh? What money do you want to prepare?"

Amber: "According to the old rules, the show will end after this one, and then everyone will eat Yuanxiao together. The old lady will say the word 'reward', and Master Zhen and Master Lian will order the servants to scatter the prepared copper coins on the stage to reward the actors. Although Master Lian is just a guest, he is the head of our Li family and should be rewarded."

Li Hu thought it was polite, but also embarrassed. He had money on him, a huge sum, but he had no place to change it into change!
At this moment, Jia Lian called a few servants to come over from the hall carrying two large baskets.

"Are you done with your work?" Jia Lian and Li Hu had become much closer, and they spoke to each other in a more casual manner.

Li Hu nodded. He had been busy all day. He first talked with Baoling Hou Shi Nai in Jia She's study for a long time. This guy was very cunning. He was trying to find out the emperor's true attitude towards the four kings and eight dukes and the prince's illness in his words. Jia She couldn't stand it anymore and directly served tea to send him away. Shi Nai had to leave with a red face.

Just when Li Hu thought he could go to Rongqing Hall to feast his eyes, Jia Zheng arrived. He set up a banquet in Rongxi Hall and invited several nobles to join him, including Baoling Hou Shi Nai and Shenwu General Feng Tang.

Jia Zheng was very sincere, and the dinner was a great pleasure for both the host and the guests. However, he felt a little dizzy from drinking. It was because his soul had traveled through time and space, and his body was not with him, otherwise he would have drunk so much that he would have been dizzy.

After the dinner, they went to Jia Lian's house for a while. Wang Xifeng was pregnant, and judging from the time, it should be Qiaojie.

Then he went to attend the banquet hosted by Lady Jia. One stick of incense stick before his departure, he was called out by Amber. Li San came with Lin Ruhai's reply.

The father and daughter had the same temper, stubborn, and Lin Ruhai was unwilling to take the initiative to submit a petition to transfer from the post of Imperial Censor of Lianghuai Salt. In addition, he asked Li Hu's personal soldiers to bring back a stack of silver notes, 300,000 taels, so that he could buy some land.

Three hundred thousand at a time, it’s so nice to have a rich father-in-law!
"Second Master." Amber pulled at the corner of Li Hu's clothes, but her eyes were looking at the two large baskets full of copper coins.

Li Hu understood and asked Jia Lian, "What is this for?"

Jia Lian: "We'll enjoy the performances later. By the way, the old lady has prepared some for you and Miss Lin. Come in."

Li Hu smiled and thought that Grandmother Jia was still very reliable.

Two maids had already opened the felt curtain, and Li Hu and Jia Lian walked in side by side.

The local braziers were burning with pine, cypress and lily, and the kang was burning very vigorously, filling the room with fragrance and warmth like spring.

A small homely stage was built on the east side of the flower hall, and a banquet was set up on the west side, which was divided into two rooms by a large screen. Jia She and Jia Zheng led the male members of the Ning and Rong mansions to sit in the outer room, while Jia Mu led the female members of the family inside.

All tables and chairs are round in shape, symbolizing reunion.

Wang Xifeng said that this was a special instruction from Grandmother Jia.

When they saw Li Hu come in, Jia She and others turned their eyes to him.

Li Hu walked over and sat down next to Jia She, and told him that Lin Ruhai was unwilling to submit a petition to be transferred out of Yangzhou.

Jia She sighed and said, "If possible, send a few reliable people to Yangzhou."

Li Hu: "A team of personal soldiers stayed with my father-in-law."

"That's good!" Jia She picked up the wine glass.

Li Hu also picked up the wine glass and they both drank.

Jia She: "It's getting late, let's go inside and have some Yuanxiao with the old lady."

Li Hu poured the wine in the thermos for Jia She, and filled his own cup as well, and then went inside to drink a cup with Jia She, Jia Zheng, Jia Zhen, Jia Lian and Jia Baoyu. This shameless man ran inside and had a drink with them.

After speaking a few more words to Jia Zheng, Li Hu stood up and walked behind the screen.

(End of this chapter)