The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 98: True Father and Filial Son

A stick of Tibetan incense was emitting wisps of green smoke.

The emperor was sitting cross-legged on the kang, counting beads in his hands and reciting Buddhist scriptures silently.

"You leave behind the palace maids who serve the retired emperor, and I won't stop anyone else." Xia Shouzhong's voice was heard outside the hall.

"Grandfather, it's not that I am intolerant. You know the emperor's temper. The emperor's order is to replace them all."

"Then you take them all back, and I will serve the Emperor alone."

"You are joking, old ancestor. They are all sent by the emperor to serve the emperor. Please think about me as an official. At this moment, if I don't follow the master's orders, what crime should I be punished for?"

"Well, let them wait outside."

"Manager Xia, thunder and rain are blessings from heaven, how can you be like this?"

".you!"

"Alright. Listen, there will be no fewer than four people serving the Emperor every twelve hours, morning and evening."

"Yes!"

"You must serve respectfully. If you are negligent, I will punish you without mercy!"

"Yes!"

The retired emperor was still reciting scriptures, and then, the sound of footsteps and shouts of "Hurry up! Walk faster!" were heard outside the hall.

The emperor suddenly opened his eyes and immediately cast a fierce look out the window.

Looking at the palace maids and eunuchs who served him being pushed away by the people from the Imperial Household Department, the retired emperor rubbed the rosary beads one by one with his fingers.

It seems that the plan has failed, the emperor has received the express delivery, and the second brother is finished!

The emperor closed his eyes and placed the rosary on the kang table.

The door curtain was lifted and Xia Shouzhong came in with a sullen face.

Behind him followed four eunuchs.

Xia Shouzhong turned around and said, "We don't need you here. Wait outside the palace gate."

The four eunuchs said: "Yes." But they did not move.

Xia Shouzhong's face darkened: "Get out."

Four eunuchs: "Yes." They didn't move.

"Get out!" The emperor was also enraged. His face turned red and he suddenly couldn't breathe and started coughing violently.

Xia Shouzhong hurried forward to support him: "The Emperor Retired"

Two eunuchs rushed over, one to make tea while the other went forward to support him.

"Pa" a palm had already slapped him in the face! The eunuch was completely defenseless and was slapped by Xia Shouzhong, causing him to stagger and fall to the ground.

Xia Shouzhong: "Who are you to dare to pull the emperor!"

The eunuch knelt down immediately: "No, no."

The emperor calmed down a little after coughing and said, "Get out."

Four eunuchs: "Emperor Retired"

The Emperor: "Get out!"

The eunuch who was making tea spoke up: "We servants are here to serve you according to your orders."

The Emperor: "Bring me a knife, give it to him, and let him kill me."

After hearing what he said, the eunuch trembled with fear and fell to his knees. The other two eunuchs were also startled and knelt down beside him.

Xia Shouzhong: "Get out now!"

The four eunuchs looked at each other and had to retreat.

With a snort, the emperor said: "This evil creature has become very capable!"

Xia Shouzhong smiled bitterly. This was God’s grace. The emperor had only been tolerating it before. If they really wanted to punish the retired emperor, they would have no power to fight back at all.

He understood that the emperor was warning the emperor emeritus, and this was his bottom line.

The angry look on the retired emperor's face had disappeared: "That evil creature must be cleaning up the six ministries and nine government offices, cough cough cough cough"

Xia Shouzhong quickly patted him on the back: "Your Majesty, this result is not unexpected. Don't worry yet."

The emperor waved his hand and said, "What do you think we should do next?"

Xia Shouzhong was silent. The emperor certainly could not eliminate all the forces of the emperor. The problem now was that people could not leave and the news could not be delivered.

Judging from the emperor's attitude, there are probably still more than three months until the Emperor's birthday, June 18th.

The emperor seemed to understand and sighed deeply.

Xia Shouzhong, who was standing at the side, had a look of discomfort in his eyes. He picked up the tea bowl on the kang table and said softly, "Emperor, have a cup of hot tea." Emperor: "Go out."

Xia Shouzhong: "Emperor Retired"

The Emperor: "Get out!"

Xia Shouzhong trembled and stepped back.

The emperor picked up the rosary, then closed his eyes, counted the beads and recited Buddhist scriptures.

The retired emperor guessed correctly, the emperor was cleaning up the entire court.

In the upper study, as Dai Quan stamped the imperial seal on the last imperial edict, the "punishment" of the retired emperor came to a temporary end.

Two eunuchs in red robes held the imperial edict, bowed and retreated.

At this time, a eunuch in red from the Imperial Household Department came in with a letter.

The chief eunuch first glanced at Emperor Yongchang, who was sitting on the dragon throne with his eyes closed, then walked lightly to Dai Quan and whispered something in his ear.

Dai Quan took the letter and waved his hand.

The eunuch walked out quietly again.

Dai Quan opened the envelope and read a few lines. His expression suddenly became serious.

Emperor Yongchang still closed his eyes: "What's the matter?"

Dai Quan walked over holding the letter and said softly, "A letter from over there. Li Hu has left."

Only then did Emperor Yongchang open his eyes.

Dai Quan: "Li Hu arranged the military affairs, changed into civilian clothes, and went to Xi'an with his personal soldiers, one man and two horses."

Emperor Yongchang frowned and asked, "You only brought your personal soldiers?"

Dai Quan: "There are more than a hundred scouts who are going their separate ways and are said to be gathering in Yan'an Prefecture."

Emperor Yongchang pondered for a moment and asked, "Why is he going to Xi'an? To transfer troops from Yunguang?"

Dai Quan thought for a moment and said, "Li Hu is very cunning and would never do anything to give others an advantage."

Emperor Yongchang nodded.

Dai Quan wanted to say something, but Emperor Yongchang spoke up: "Forget it, as long as he can complete my mission."

As they were talking, the eunuch on duty walked to the door and gestured to Dai Quan.

Emperor Yongchang felt it from the corner of his eye: "Go ahead."

Dai Quan: “Yes.” He answered and walked quickly to the door and said a few words.

Dai Quan walked back to the imperial desk, looked troubled, and stood there hesitantly.

Emperor Yongchang has always been sensitive: "What's wrong?"

Dai Quan hesitated and replied, "Yes, it's from the emperor's side."

Emperor Yongchang frowned and said, "Speak!"

Dai Quan: ". They just don't allow the people they send to serve him, but His Majesty's order is to keep a close watch. So I told them that there should be no less than four people serving him every twelve hours. But Xia, the chief steward, beat the person sent to serve the emperor, which made the emperor angry. He even told them to kill him with a knife."

With a "bang", Emperor Yongchang slapped the imperial desk, which frightened Dai Quan.

"What a dog slave!" Emperor Yongchang gritted his teeth and said, "Come on!"

The eunuch on duty came in in response.

Emperor Yongchang: "Go to Daming Palace, take off the pants of Xia Shouzhong, the dog servant, and give him fifty or thirty strokes of the cane!"

The eunuch on duty answered loudly, "Yes," and bowed, then walked out.

Emperor Yongchang snorted, "You actually want to threaten me with death!" He slapped the imperial desk with his palm, "Can't he act like the crown prince and play the role of a loving father and a filial son with me? You have to make me suffer a bad reputation."

Dai Quan was shocked that the emperor had known about it all along.

Emperor Yongchang sighed softly: "He can be unkind to me, but I cannot be unfilial. Instruct him to serve him attentively and not to slack off."

Dai Quan: “Yes.”

Emperor Yongchang paused and said, "Hasn't he been chanting Buddha's name all this time? On the first and fifteenth day of every month, please invite the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple to the palace to explain the true meaning of Buddhist scriptures to him."

Dai Quan: “Yes.”

Emperor Yongchang: "Also, tell the imperial kitchen that the emperor should fast, chant Buddha's name, and eat vegetarian food on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month."

Dai Quan was stunned for a moment and replied, "Yes."

Emperor Yongchang stood up, walked to the window, took a deep breath, and looked into the distance with worried eyes: "I hope everything goes well for Li Hu on this trip."

(End of this chapter)