The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 96 The storm is coming
The bundle was cut open by a knife, and a box fell out. Although there was a clear knife mark on the box, it was intact.

The man took out the box and saw three feathers stuck to the seal of the box. It was an urgent letter from the court conveying important military intelligence!
The man gave a bitter smile, then tore off the nightgown of a masked man, wrapped the box and tied it to his chest.

The rainstorm followed the thunder. The man looked through the rain at the bodies lying in disorder on the mountain path. Suddenly, tears flowed from the corners of his eyes. Then he knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily, saying: "If I don't take revenge, I, Liu Xianglian, will not be a man!"

Strangely enough, after Liu Xianglian said these words, the thunder stopped and the wind and rain became quieter.

Knowing that he could not stay, Liu Xianglian searched several masked men and said to them, "I will come back to pick you up after I hand over the things to the post station." After that, he mounted the horse and whipped it hard, and the horse rushed forward like an arrow.

This place is not far from the mountain pass, and Baoding Prefecture is just outside the mountain.

Although he was unable to find anything useful from those men in black, Liu Xianglian understood that these people were all military personnel.

It seems that something big happened in Shaanxi!

Liu Xianglian whipped the horse hard and it rushed forward.

The moon was covered by clouds, with only some twinkling stars.

The sound of horse hooves was heard in the distance on the post road, and a horse was galloping towards them.

Suddenly, the horse let out a mournful cry, foamed at the mouth, and its front legs went limp, and it fell forward.

The man on the horse was thrown to the ground.

The man struggled to get up, took the sword from the horse, and staggered towards the forest in the distance of the post road.

Looking closely, it was Liu Xianglian.

At this time, Liu Xianglian was in a very miserable state, with blood and wounds all over his body, and it was obvious that he had experienced a great battle.

After running a short distance, a burst of hurried horse hoof sounds came from the post road ahead.

Liu Xianglian's heart skipped a beat and he gritted his teeth and ran towards the forest.

A dozen riders came galloping over.

I can’t get away! Liu Xianglian stopped and drew his sword.

The other side also discovered Liu Xianglian. Several horses rushed over and circled around Liu Xianglian in small steps.

Liu Xianglian clenched the hilt of the sword. These people were definitely soldiers. There was a strong smell of blood on their bodies. It was obvious that they had just killed someone, and not just one or two!
Could it be that they are in the same group as the people who killed the postmen and massacred the people in the post station?

At this time, more than ten other riders also galloped over.

The leader was Wang Daniu, who stared at Liu Xianglian and asked, "What do you do?"

Liu Xianglian looked at him: "Who are you? Which government office are you from?"

Wang Daniu: "Don't ask who I am, answer my question first."

The horsemen drew their swords.

Just then, there was a burst of horse hoof sounds.

A dozen strong and capable men came galloping on horseback from the opposite post road.

The men looked at Wang Daniu and his group from afar and pulled the reins.

Wang Daniu's eyes lit up: "There are a few bastards here." He clamped his legs together and quickly drew out his saber with his right hand.

With a "swish", the scouts behind him drew their sabers and charged forward.

Under Liu Xianglian's astonished gaze, sabers were flying, screams were heard one after another, and the men who were chasing him fell off their horses one by one.

"Damn martial arts master!"

Wang Daniu shook off the blood on his saber and controlled his horse to turn around.

A martial arts master? Liu Xianglian was a little confused.

Wang Daniu rode over on his horse and examined it for a moment: "Chop it off."

Liu Xianglian was startled: "I am not in the same group with them!"

Wang Daniu raised his hand.

Liu Xianglian was anxious: "I am a descendant of the Duke of Liguo's Mansion in the capital!"

Wang Daniu was stunned: "Liu family?"

Liu Xianglian nodded and asked, "Which government office in the capital are you from?"

Wang Daniu was in a dilemma. If he killed him, he was worried that it would cause trouble for Li Hu; if he didn't kill him, it would still cause trouble for Li Hu.

There is trouble everywhere, Wang Daniu made up his mind, kill!

Liu Xianglian saw this, and his face, which had been pale due to excessive blood loss, immediately turned even paler.

At this time, a burst of hurried horse hoof sounds came over, and Li Hu and his group of more than 30 riders galloped towards this side.

Wang Daniu sheathed his sword and went forward. Liu Xianglian recognized Li Hu and shouted, "General Li, I am Liu Xianglian, a descendant of the Duke of Liguo's mansion!"

Liu Xianglian? Is that the "cold-faced Erlang" Liu Xianglian? !

While listening to Wang Daniu's story, Li Hu looked at Liu Xianglian.

Liu Xianglian: "On the sixth day of the first lunar month, I was invited to perform in a play at Ningguo Mansion. Master Zhen and Master Lian accompanied General Li to drink at the main table, and later Master Bao also came."

Li Hu raised his eyebrows, knowing it so clearly, it must be true.

Li Hu waved at the scouts, and they made way.

Liu Xianglian ran towards Li Hu while untying the bag in front of his chest.

Liu Xianglian clasped his hands together and handed over the urgent message: "Six hundred miles of urgent message!"

Li Hu was startled, he took the package and looked at it, and sure enough, there were three feathers stuck to it!

Liu Xianglian: "On the way back to Beijing from Taiyuan, I met a postman who was being chased. The postman said two words, 'Yulin'."

The red-robed eunuch was startled: "Oh no, something must have happened in Yulin!" He then said to Li Hu: "General Li, we can't wait any longer, this urgent document must be presented to the emperor immediately!"

Li Hu looked at Liu Xianglian: "Can you still ride a horse?"

Liu Xianglian: "I can't go back now."

The red-robed eunuch immediately interrupted him and said, "No! You must come with me to the palace. The emperor wants to question me."

Li Hu: “Why?”

Liu Xianglian's eyes turned red, and he told the story in general about how they were being chased and he was the only one in the entire troupe who managed to escape by chance.

Li Hu was silent.

The red-robed eunuch said, "This is easy to do." He pointed at the two guards beside him and said, "You two go to Baoding Prefecture and ask the local government to send someone."

The two guards said, "Yes." and galloped forward on their horses.

Li Hu took out a water bag from his saddlebag and handed it to Liu Xianglian: "Have a drink of water."

Liu Xianglian nodded gratefully, took the water bag and drank it in big gulps, then took the meat pie handed to him by Li Hu and started eating it.

At this time, the scouts drove over the dozen or so ownerless horses.

The red-robed eunuch spoke again: "Let's go, Master Liu!"

Liu Xianglian swallowed the meat pie in his mouth, took the reins, and mounted the horse.

Li Hu pulled out a walnut-sized gold watch from his bosom, took a look at it, and said, "If everything goes well, we can get to the Qianqing Palace before the imperial meeting." After that, he whipped the horse hard, and the horse rushed towards the capital like an arrow.

Wang Daniu, Liu Xianglian and others followed on horseback.

The sky was getting light and the majestic city walls and towers were already in sight.

Li Hu whipped hard.

Wang Daniu, Liu Xianglian and others waved their whips together.

The horse team ran faster.

At noon, the left and right doors slowly opened with a click.

Led by the chief minister, followed by four cabinet ministers, they walked towards the Zuoye Gate on foot.

At this time, a burst of hurried horse hoof sounds came over, and everyone looked over.

Li Hu whipped his horse and galloped towards this side.

Everyone showed a look of astonishment.

The eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate was startled at first, then hurried forward to greet him.

Li Hu jumped off his sweaty horse and took out the express letter: "Six hundred miles express!"

The eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate took the urgent letter and turned to run towards the Zuoye Gate.

Li Hu wiped the sweat from his face and panted. There were not many opportunities to ride a horse into the imperial city. Although it was tiring, it felt great!

At this time, the cabinet chief appeared behind him quietly: "Master Li?"

Li Hu turned around and said, "Oh, it's the Prime Minister. What's wrong with you?" He clasped his hands together.

The cabinet chief asked in a low voice: "What is it?"

Li Hu: "I picked it up on the road and sent it to you 600 miles away."

The Prime Minister was confused at first, then his face changed. Someone actually dared to kill the postman!

The four cabinet ministers standing by also changed their expressions!
(End of this chapter)