The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 91: Adding fuel to the fire 2
Bursts of crying, shouting and cursing came from a distance.

Li Hu pulled the reins suddenly.

Wang Daniu and others also reined in their horses.

Li Hu frowned. The Infantry Yamen did not impose martial law. Did King Zhongshun also want to add fuel to the fire?
The street entrance leading to the Shanguo Mansion in the distance was full of people watching the fun, and Li Hu led everyone forward.

Stopping behind the crowd, Li Hu looked up.

The gate of the Shanguo Mansion was tightly closed, and in front of the door there was a sea of ​​white paper flowers and spirit banners. The stone steps were filled with the families of the fallen soldiers, all dressed in mourning. The sound of wailing mixed with the shouting and cursing of many people could be heard.

People from the Infantry Yamen arrived and stood behind the families of the soldiers who had died in the battle.

What are they doing? Protecting the families of these fallen soldiers?
Li Hu quickly glanced at the crowd, but did not see Dai Quan and the people from the Imperial Household Department, so he thought they had gone in.

The door opened with a click.

Dai Quan came out with a group of guards from the Imperial Household Department.

The family members seemed to have a tacit understanding and knelt down together.

Dai Quan sighed and said, "Let's all go back. The court will investigate this matter thoroughly and give everyone an explanation."

The crowd was indignant, and many people shouted:

"We can't let our loved ones die like this!"

"The people from the Shanguo Mansion cannot just get away with it!"

Li Hu shook his head. Without any evidence, Dai Quan would not be able to convince these people even if he shouted at the top of his lungs.

At this moment, a shocking cry came from behind.

Li Hu turned around and was shocked.

Coffins wrapped in white cloth were lifted high up, with white spirit banners fluttering in the breeze. Many people, all in mourning, walked towards this side in a vast sea of ​​white, accompanied by earth-shaking wails.

This is going to force the Shanguo Mansion to death!

Who is it? The Emperor Retired?! Perhaps there are other people who are willing to see the Four Princes and Eight Dukes completely break with the Emperor and add fuel to the fire!

Li Hu sighed softly, squeezed his legs together, and urged his horse to gallop straight north, home!
All the personal soldiers hurriedly rode their horses and followed Li Hu.

At this time, the crowd had made way, and Dai Quan also noticed the situation here and hurried over.

Wang Daniu glanced at Dai Quan, whipped his whip hard, and the horse rushed forward like an arrow.

"Wang Daniu?"

Dai Quan paused for a moment, "Li Hu is here? The conscienceless little bastard runs away when he encounters trouble!" After thinking about it, he walked away again, leading a group of guards from the Imperial Household Department towards the huge team.

Li Hu slowed down his horse, thinking about his worries, letting the horse go wherever the reins led and unknowingly he arrived at the door of his home.

The steward came out to greet him: "Second Master is back!"

Li Hu came back to his senses and saw the blue cloth official sedan parked outside the door.

Li Hu asked, "Who's here?" and dismounted.

The steward took the reins and said, "Second Master, Second Master Lian from Rongguo Mansion has arrived and is waiting in the front hall."

Jia Lian, why is he here? How did he know that I was going to the city?
Thinking of this, Li Hu strode towards the gate of the mansion.

Jia Lian was sitting on a chair in the front hall at this time, holding the tea bowl in one hand and pinching the lid of the bowl with the other hand to slowly remove the tea foam floating on the surface. Then he put it to his mouth and took a sip, savored it for a while, then took a few more sips, put the bowl down, leaned back and closed his eyes.

Li Hu walked to the door and stopped, looking at Jia Lian with a smile, whose face was full of fatigue.

The life of officials is not as easy as shown in TV dramas, especially for low-level officials. They are so busy in the government that they can hardly breathe.

It was fortunate that Jia Lian managed to catch the grand court meeting, otherwise it would have been even more difficult.

I didn’t have time to see the emperor today, and I don’t know how the Censorate’s investigation is going!

Li Hu coughed and walked in.

Jia Lian was startled and stood up quickly when he saw Li Hu coming in.

Li Hu waved his hand and said, "Sit down, sit down. It's not even time to leave the yamen yet, why are you running back from the yamen?" As he said that, he sat down on the chair next to Jia Lian.

Jia Lian looked miserable: "It's not easy to be an official in Beijing, and it's even harder to be a low-level official in Beijing!"

Li Hu looked at him and smiled, then asked, "How does it feel to be the head of the family?" Jia Lian was stunned at first, then he started laughing.

In the past, he had only a hereditary future that he didn't know when would come. His father, Jia She, hid in the East Courtyard and drank with his concubine all day long. His father didn't love him, his mother died early, and he had no backing. Wang Xifeng's family was powerful and rich, and she had Lady Jia and Mrs. Wang as her backers. Naturally, he couldn't stand up straight, and even in important matters of housekeeping, he was suppressed by Wang Xifeng.

It is different now. He is the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Personnel, and it is a real vacancy. The prince recognizes his ability to get things done. Even without relying on the Jia family and Li Hu, he can be promoted to Director of the Ministry of Personnel quickly.

Although the power over talents was in the hands of the emperor, the appointment, removal, examination, promotion, demotion, and transfer of all civil officials in the country were still under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel. The Ministry of Personnel also had the right of selection. Anyone who was qualified through examination, donation or reinstatement had to go to the Ministry of Personnel to await selection.

Although the emperor retained the final say in personnel selection, he was not familiar with all the candidates, nor could he review the information of all the selected candidates one by one. He often only reviewed the top few candidates and then shortlisted one person.

This gave the Ministry of Personnel a huge room for maneuver, allowing them to put their "favorable candidates" in front. The Crown Prince avoided suspicion, and the Minister of Personnel would not personally select candidates. It was all done by the Langzhong and Yuanwailang of various departments, so Jia Lian had real power.

With power comes money. Even if he does not accept gifts from elected officials, he still receives a lot of gifts from local officials every year, such as ice, carbon, festivals, and annual gifts.

With power and money, he naturally became more confident.

In addition, Wang Xifeng's wife became a noble lady due to her husband's status, a fifth-rank concubine, the same rank as Mrs. Wang.

He has completely turned over a new leaf now. He is a little tired, but he feels at ease and relaxed.

The servant came in with tea.

Li Hu took a sip and asked again: "How did you know I was back?"

Jia Lian: "Jia Yucun said so."

Li Hu stopped the tea that was brought to his mouth and asked with a smile: "Do you often visit each other?"

Jia Lian smiled: "You know him. He got the first spring tea from somewhere, but he eagerly sent it to me."

Li Hu smiled.

Jia Lian: "No more jokes. What do you think about the Duke of Shan Guo's affairs?"

Li Hu put down the tea bowl and looked at him: "Do you believe it?"

Jia Lian was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

Li Hu sighed: "To be honest, I don't believe it either. But there is no evidence! Now all parties are putting pressure on the palace."

Jia Lian: "How will the emperor deal with the Duke of Shan's Mansion?"

Li Hu: "Your Majesty can ignore the clean officials of the Censorate, the Imperial Academy, and the Imperial College, but you cannot ignore the requests of the families of the fallen soldiers. No matter who is behind this, Your Majesty must give in on this matter."

Jia Lian was shocked: "Will the emperor confiscate the Duke of Shan's mansion?"

Li Hu nodded.

Jia Lian swallowed his saliva and asked again: "Can I submit a petition to guarantee his safety?"

Before he could finish his words, Zhang San rushed in with the frightened guards from the Imperial Household Department.

The guy gasped: "Something happened."

Li Hu stood up suddenly.

Jia Lian also stood up.

The man took a breath and said, "The widowed mother of a soldier in the Central Army's Vanguard Battalion died on the stone lions in front of the gate of the Shanguogong Mansion."

Li Hu was stunned for a moment, then sighed.

Jia Lian shook his head: "Why are you so depressed?"

The man swallowed his saliva and said, "A widowed mother and only son."

Li Hu was startled. Things had gotten out of hand.

Jia Lian was also shocked.

That guy: "General Li, the old ancestor asks you to bring all your personal soldiers, stabilize the situation, and wait for the imperial army."

Li Hu: "Where are the people from the Infantry Office?"

That guy: "They? If they hadn't pretended to obey but secretly disobeyed, there wouldn't have been such a big incident! This is an urgent matter, please have pity on me and leave quickly."

Li Hu nodded.

(End of this chapter)