The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 70 Rongqing Hall Banquet 2
Compared to the simple ebony round table outside, the interior was much more luxurious, with four tables in total. Next to each table was a low table with an incense burner on it, burning the imperial lily palace incense. There were also small bonsai with rocks and moss, about eight inches long, four or five inches wide, and two or three inches high, all of which were fresh flowers. There was also a small lacquer tea tray with antique kiln tea cups and a small tea basket with top-quality tea brewed in it.

At the top table was Jia's grandmother, accompanied by Lin Daiyu and Shi Xiangyun, and there was an empty seat; opposite was Aunt Xue, accompanied by Lady Xing, Lady Wang, and Jia Baoyu; at the bottom two tables were sisters Jia Yingchun, Jia Tanchun, Jia Xichun and Xue Baochai, and Mrs. You, Li Wan, and Wang Xifeng. The three sisters-in-law did not need to set rules today.

Li Hu has met all the Twelve Beauties of Jinling, except Jia Yuanchun, Miaoyu, Qin Keqing and the unborn Qiaojie.

Seeing Li Hu, Jia's mother smiled and said, "Just sit next to Lin girl."

Li Hu first bowed deeply to Lady Jia, and then sat down next to Lin Daiyu.

At this time, Jia Baoyu came over, and Xiren behind him hurriedly put a new warm silver kettle in his hand.

Li Hu waved his hand and said, "Don't bother me. I'll drink by myself."

Jia Baoyu was startled and looked at his grandmother.

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Then everyone can do as they please."

Jia Baoyu poured the wine in the thermos for his grandmother, then poured some for Shi Xiangyun, and then poured himself a glass of wine.

Amber brought a pot of warm wine, and Li Hu poured himself a glass of wine. Seeing that Lin Daiyu's glass was empty, he asked, "Do you want to drink more?"

"I'm happy today, let me have another drink." Lin Daiyu picked up the wine glass and took it.

Grandmother Jia picked up the wine glass and said, "Please!" and drank it in one gulp.

Everyone raised their glasses. Li Hu and Jia Baoyu drank, and then Shi Xiangyun. Lin Daiyu took a sip, then covered her mouth with her hand and stuck out her tongue.

Li Hu took her wine and poured it into his own cup. He was not in a position to serve her food, so he picked up the teapot on the low table and poured her a cup of tea. "Have some tea."

Lin Daiyu hummed, picked up the tea and took a big sip.

"."

Seeing this, Jia's mother said with a smile, "Come, eat some food, eat some food!"

As they were talking, Lin Zhixiao's wife brought six housekeepers and carried three kang tables. On each table was a red felt, on which were placed copper coins, all strung together with bright red ropes.

Lin Zhixiao's wife instructed to place one of the coins under Aunt Xue's seat, and the other two to their table. Then, the wives opened all the copper coins, pulled out the colored strings, and scattered them on the table.

Li Hu sat down next to Lin Daiyu and said softly, "I heard from Hubo that this is the rule of noble families. You should pay attention to it. We will do the same in the future."

Lin Daiyu glanced at him: "Lots of money!"

“This is face!”

Li Hu picked up the wine glass and drank it all, then said with a smile: "Think about it, when you hold a banquet at home in the future, you can just show it to her. Wow, Madam Li is so generous!" Then he took out the stack of banknotes from his sleeve and quietly handed it to her.

"."

Lin Daiyu didn't argue with him for the sake of the banknotes, "Where did you get so many banknotes? They are all worth 10,000 taels."

"Our father gave us three hundred thousand taels to buy some land."

"Ok?"

Lin Daiyu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly reacted. She glanced at Jia Mu and others who were watching the play, and whispered, "Let's go outside, let's talk nicely." As she said that, she stuffed the stack of banknotes back into Li Hu's robe sleeve.

Li Hu: "Why did you give it to me again?"

Lin Daiyu rolled her eyes: "Do you think there is such a big pocket in my sleeve?"

Li Hu: “I haven’t touched it.”

"What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything."

Lin Daiyu turned her head and snorted.

Li Hu smiled. This girl was both courageous and had a bad temper. He would find an opportunity to teach her a lesson and suppress her arrogance.

Shi Xiangyun spoke up: "Sister Lin, wait until Sister Bao's birthday is over and watch the show before going back. It's a good opportunity for us to keep each other company!" She then looked at Li Hu: "Brother Lin"

After hearing this, Grandmother Jia lost her mood to watch the show and looked at Lin Daiyu and Li Hu.

Li Hu was stunned for a moment, then looked at Lin Daiyu, who also looked at him.

Li Hu was waiting for Lin Daiyu to speak, but Lin Daiyu didn't know how to start. The two looked at each other and were silent for a while.

Grandmother Jia felt a pang in her heart and spoke first: "Your sister Lin needs to recuperate. There are too many people and noise here, which is not conducive to rest. Besides, your sister Lin's house is only two blocks away from here, which is very convenient."

There was another silence, and Lin Daiyu suddenly kicked Li Hu.

Uh, are you going to use yourself as a shield? Forget it, what can I do if I spoiled you?

Li Hu coughed and spoke: "After tomorrow, I will go to the military camp, and I can't be alone at home."

"Oh?" Grandmother Jia looked at him, "Living in the military camp?"

Li Hu: "Yes. The Vanguard Battalion is still short of a battalion of soldiers. We need to recruit and train them ourselves. During this period, I must live in the barracks."

Jia Mu nodded.

Although she knew that Li Hu was busy with important matters, Lin Daiyu still felt an inexplicable melancholy in her heart, and her little face was full of unhappiness.

Li Hu saw this, quietly held her soft and tender little hand, and said to Xiangyun, "Your sister Lin lives in a separate courtyard. When you have nothing to do, you can go there with your second sister and the others. We have a garden there, too. By the way, you can start a poetry club." A little light just appeared in Shi Xiangyun's eyes, but then it dimmed again.

Li Hu understood: "I will talk to your uncle about this matter and ask him to bring a few more old maids."

Shi Xiangyun smiled and nodded.

"Brother Li, can I go with you?" Jia Baoyu walked over.

Li Hu was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to answer him. Xiren behind him spoke: "Madam said that the Second Master and Master Xue should go to school together."

Li Hu was shocked when he heard this. Let Jia Baoyu and Xue Pan go to school together? How crazy is that!
Grandmother Jia glanced at Xiren calmly, then said to Jia Baoyu: "You should study hard."

"Yes." Jia Baoyu lowered his head slightly.

Suddenly, there was a drumbeat on the stage. The "Western Tower Party" was about to end. Yu Shuye left in a huff, leaving Wen Bao behind. "You left in a huff. It just so happens that today is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The old ancestor of Rongguo Mansion is having a family feast. I'll ride this horse and rush in to ask for some fruit to eat."

It made everyone laugh.

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "It's snowing hard outside. After eating Yuanxiao, it's time for us to go home." Then she said the word "reward".

Three housekeepers' wives were already waiting with small winnowing baskets. When they heard the word "reward", they walked up to the pile of loose change on the table and each scooped a basket of money. They came out and said to the stage, "Ancestor, concubine, and General Li reward Wen Bao with fruit!" As they spoke, they scattered the money onto the stage, and the sound of money clanging all over the stage could be heard.

This was the flower hall, and the servants could not come in. The two large baskets of money prepared by Jia Zhen and Jia Lian were carried over by Jia Lian, Jia Rong, Jia Huan and Jia Cong. The sound of money could be heard all over the stage, and Jia's grandmother was very happy.

Li Hu squeezed Lin Daiyu's hand and asked with a smile, "How is it? Isn't it very heroic?"

There was a gleam in Lin Daiyu's eyes, and she was obviously moved.

Li Hu: "Don't feel bad about the money, I earn it for you."

Lin Daiyu said "hmm", and when she met Li Hu's eyes, her eyes were full of tenderness and dependence.

At this time, Jia's mother coughed and said, "Let's celebrate the Lantern Festival."

The maids came in one after another and placed a bowl of fragrant Yuanxiao in front of each person.

It was early evening when I got home. The snow and wind were howling in the night, and my breath turned to ice. Nanny Wang, along with a number of maids and old women, were waiting at the Chuihua Gate with lanterns in hand.

As soon as the servant left, Nanny Wang and others rushed over to help Lin Daiyu get out of the sedan chair. Someone put a fur coat on her and someone handed her a hot water bottle.

Li Hu was amazed and squeezed over, "Okay, okay, let's all go back and rest." As he said that, he took the oilcloth umbrella from an old woman and walked towards the backyard with Lin Daiyu in his arms.

From the hanging flower gate to the main house in the backyard, lanterns were lit everywhere.

"The Second Master and the young lady are back!" Several maids scrambled to open the felt curtain.

As soon as they stepped into the main hall from the extremely cold outside, they were hit by the heat. Li Hu was still okay, but Lin Daiyu started coughing immediately.

Li Hu quickly supported her and said, "Turn your face away first."

Lin Daiyu turned her face to the door, and Li Hu stroked her back, and she finally recovered her breath.

Li Hu helped her take off her warm vest and cloak, and together with Qingwen, helped her sit down on a chair against the wall, and asked Qingwen to pour tea.

Lin Daiyu looked at him and smiled: "I'm not that delicate." Then she stood up and took off Li Hu's cloak.

Li Hu smiled and sat down on a chair beside him. Then he took out a letter from his arms, tore it open and read it. A cold light flashed in his eyes.

Lin Daiyu had seen it: "What's wrong?"

Li Hu: "This is the information Ni Er just sent." He folded the letter and put it in his arms.

Although Bai Hongzhi's identity is still unclear, he is definitely not a good person because he is colluding with the Jurchen Tartars!

Qingwen brought two bowls of hot tea on a small tea tray.

Li Hu took a sip and said, "I will be home before your birthday. Uncle San will take care of the things outside, so you don't have to worry. Also, if you want to go to the old lady, just let the personal soldiers escort you there."

Lin Daiyu: “Yeah.”

Li Hu thought for a moment and took out the banknotes from his sleeve. "I'll tell Uncle San to go to Shuntian Prefecture to find out if there's anyone selling land. If there's anyone suitable, you can make the decision."

In those days, if you wanted to sell land, you had to register it with the government office, and only then could you post a notice to sell the land.

Lin Daiyu nodded.

Li Hu glanced at the clock in the corner and said, "You've been tired all day, go to bed early."

Lin Daiyu stood up and said, "You have to get up early tomorrow, so you should rest early."

Li Hu also stood up, "Take your medicine seriously and don't lose your temper."

Lin Daiyu lowered her head slightly and said "hmm".

Li Hu held her in his arms, patted her back gently, and whispered, "Just wait for me to come back." After that, he kissed her on the forehead and left before she could react.

"you!"

Lin Daiyu blushed, touched her forehead, and then ran into the bedroom like a gust of wind.

(End of this chapter)