The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 81 Night Talk
The sky gradually darkened and a drizzle of rain began to fall.

After dinner, Li Hu took Lin Daiyu to lean on the kang in the warm room to digest the food, listening to the sound of raindrops outside the window.

The door curtain was lifted, and Zijuan came in holding a tray, and smilingly placed a bowl of candied haws on the kang table.

Lin Daiyu blushed and glared at her: "What are you laughing at?"

Zijuan held back her laughter and said, "No, I'm not laughing."

Lin Daiyu was annoyed: "Get out!"

Zijuan: “Yes” she quickly covered her mouth and ran out.

Then, a faint but clear laugh came from the living room.

Li Hu laughed.

Lin Daiyu couldn't hold back her anger anymore, so she stretched out her hand to twist his waist without any hesitation, and it was obvious that he was a repeat offender.

Li Hu didn't hide either. She was wearing thick clothes in this weather, so she couldn't pinch her flesh. Besides, she didn't want to use real strength.

Of course, in order to save her face, Li Hu still pretended to be in pain and took a breath.

Lin Daiyu snorted and said, "It's all your fault!" Then she raised her hand and hit Li Hu again.

Li Hu grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. He patted her back gently and said, "Yes, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have asked Zijuan to go to the kitchen to prepare candied haws for you to digest your food. You've lost face." At this point, he couldn't help laughing.

"Hate!"

Lin Daiyu burst out laughing.

Li Hu held her and sat up straight, picked up a candied haws and put it to her mouth, "Try it."

"I'll eat it myself."

Lin Daiyu took it, took a small bite, her eyes lit up, and then she started eating happily.

Li Hu smiled. Several chefs in the kitchen cooked two dishes with the fish she caught, sugar-fried carp and braised tofu with mixed fish. The girl was very happy. She completely forgot the sadness she had in Rongqingtang. Not only did she drink several glasses of wine happily, she also ate one more bowl of rouge rice than usual. As a result, she ate too much!
"Sour and sweet."

Lin Daiyu picked up one and gave it to Li Hu, and then picked one for herself.

Li Hu tasted it and found it was indeed sour and sweet.

Seeing that there were candied haws residues on her lips, Li Hu took out her handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped the corners of her mouth.

Lin Daiyu glared at him and said, "You are not allowed to do this!"

"There's no one here."

"You're getting more and more shameless!"

Li Hu smiled without saying anything and held her hand tighter.

Habit becomes nature. Lin Daiyu also knew that Li Hu would not do anything else, so she leaned comfortably in his arms and ate five pills in a row before stopping.

Li Hu wiped her hands with a handkerchief and said, "No matter how delicious the food is, you have to eat it in moderation. Don't be greedy. You have to learn to enjoy it in moderation."

whispering sound!
She turned her head and muttered, "You eat more than me."

Li Hu laughed and pinched the lovely little face.

Lin Daiyu frowned, slapped his hand away, and said angrily, "Why are you touching me?"

Seeing that she was really getting angry, Li Hu changed the subject: "Are you going to visit the old lady tomorrow to ask how she is?"

Lin Daiyu shook her head.

Li Hu leaned back on the mattress and said, "It's better not to go. Count it yourself. Since I came to Beijing in December last year, you have been there less than ten times, and you have cried at least five times. Crying hurts your body and you will definitely get a cough. Ask a doctor to boil some medicine, ginseng and cinnamon."

Having said that, he hugged Lin Daiyu and lifted her up to make her lean more comfortably, "I'm not worried about the money, but I'm worried about you. Take today for example, although you didn't have a cough, the corners of your eyes are still a little red and swollen." As he spoke, he reached out and rubbed the corners of her eyes.

This time, Lin Daiyu was not angry and did not speak. She buried her head in Li Hu's chest and rubbed it like a cat.

Li Hu smiled, this girl was trying to give in.

The rain outside was getting heavier, making the warm room even quieter.

Lin Daiyu suddenly remembered: "Princess Beijing invited me to go to the palace on the third day of March to enjoy the spring scenery, and also invited me to join their poetry club."

Li Hu: "Oh? Who are they?" Lin Daiyu: "There are ladies and wives of the four princes and eight dukes, as well as the families of officials from the Censorate and the Imperial Academy."

Li Hu thought for a moment and asked, "What do you think?"

Lin Daiyu: “No.”

Li Hu: “Why?”

Lin Daiyu: "The Prince of Beijing's Mansion and our family are not of the same kind. Besides, if you are being so attentive to me for no reason, I'm sure you have bad intentions!"

Li Hu smiled and patted her head, saying, "We don't envy her. I will make you a princess in the future, a princess of the prince! When you go to Rongguo Mansion again, the old lady will not only give you her seat, but also pay you respect. And the second wife, let her kneel down to answer, isn't it exciting?"

Lin Daiyu raised her head, smiled angrily and punched Li Hu: "Does it look like a junior to say such things? Disgusting!"

Li Hu smiled.

Lin Daiyu pushed his hand away and sat up.

Li Hu also sat up straight, "What's wrong?"

Lin Daiyu paused and said, "When the old lady mentioned Prince Beijing, I saw resentment in Princess Beijing's eyes, although it was only a flash."

Li Hu perked up: "Are you sure?"

"It can't be wrong." Lin Daiyu said affirmatively.

Li Hu became excited. The amount of information here was huge. The fact that Princess Beijing could hate her husband was enough to show that there was a fundamental contradiction between the two, which was probably related to the Zhen family.

It seems that the guess was correct. In the original novel, the Zhen family collapsed within just one year after the old empress dowager's "body was still warm", which was definitely related to Prince Beijing.

Li Hu got off the kang and walked around the warm room with his hands behind his back.

Seeing his frown, Lin Daiyu rolled her eyes and said, "Why are you worrying about this? You are not the emperor!"

This one sentence reminded Li Hu that he was worrying about nothing and causing headaches for the emperor and the prince.

Without worries, he felt much more relaxed. Li Hu sat down at the table on the kang, picked up a candied haws and started eating it. He said to Lin Daiyu, "I will go to the palace tomorrow. You should sleep a little longer."

Lin Daiyu nodded.

Li Hu: "Please have someone prepare the wine and food. We will have dinner in the waterside pavilion and enjoy the view while celebrating your birthday. I will bring back some snacks from the imperial kitchen."

Lin Daiyu smiled.

Li Hu thought about it and told her Jia She's plan.

Lin Daiyu: "Will it not be a burden to you?"

Li Hu smiled: "Jia Lian is not an easy person to deal with. He just doesn't have the space to develop his talents."

After a pause, he said, "Put him in the Ministry of Personnel. Perhaps he will be of great use in the future."

Lin Daiyu looked at him and asked, "Doctor of the Ministry of Personnel?"

Li Hu rolled his eyes: "I'm not a big-faced guy!"

Lin Daiyu was stunned for a moment: "What do you mean?" Suddenly she remembered Jia Baoyu's big round face, and burst out laughing, then rolled her eyes at Li Hu.

Li Hu smiled and said, "Jia Lian has no meritorious title, he only donated a nominal position of fifth-rank Tongzhi. Originally, I agreed with the master that I should first go to the Ministry of Personnel to be a sixth-rank official to gain experience. With your reminder and my face, it should be no problem to change to a fifth-rank Yuanwailang. Hey~~ Who makes me kind-hearted?"

"You are kind-hearted?"

Lin Daiyu glanced at him sideways, pursed her lips and was too lazy to speak.

Li Hu felt a little embarrassed. It was bad to be too smart. He couldn't hide his thoughts at all.

He needs the first wife to rise quickly and guard the last connections in the Rongguo Mansion, which will be of great use to him in the future.

Lin Daiyu stood up and said, "The rain is getting heavier, let's go back."

Li Hu looked out the window and said with a smile, "You've been working hard for half a day, you should rest early." He also stood up, clapped his hands, and opened his arms.
Lin Daiyu's face turned red, she bit her lower lip, and walked over.

Li Hu smiled and took her into his arms, patted her back gently, and whispered, "I'm leaving." Then he kissed her on the forehead and left in a leisurely manner.

Although it was not the first time, Lin Daiyu was still shy. She touched her hot cheeks and turned to go into the bedroom.
(End of this chapter)