The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Thousands of miles away in Shengjing City, it is already late autumn.

The autumn weather is clear and cool, neither too hot nor too cold. At the hour of Si, the idle Manchu gentlemen would go out with their bird cages and katydids, and go to teahouses to walk their birds, drink tea, and fight katydids.

The huge teahouse was soon packed with people, some hanging bird cages, some looking for seats, some greeting acquaintances, with people shouting and birds chirping, the place was extremely lively.

Suddenly, the loud and high-pitched chirping of katydids was heard in the teahouse.

The teahouse, which was like a bird market just now, suddenly became quiet, and everyone began to search for the katydid sounds.

At this time, a young man with a greasy mouth slowly stood up, with a proud look on his face. While enjoying the gazes of everyone, he took out a yellow gourd from his arms and gently placed it on the table.

The people in the teahouse gathered around immediately, each of them rolling their eyes and listening to the katydid's still chirping sounds.

Slowly, the sound stopped.

"Top quality!" An old bannerman shook his head and praised loudly.

"Where did you get it?"

"How much money did it cost?"

"From the sound of his calls, he's even more powerful than the 'General' who won first place in the katydid competition!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The young man sat down and said, "This is the 'General'!"

"Oh!" everyone exclaimed.

The old bannerman spoke up: "No, that's not right. I heard that the 'General' was bought by the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Mingrui, at a high price."

"Oh?" Everyone turned their heads to him again.

The young man laughed and said, "That's right! Mingrui bought this 'General' to honor us and the prince and to plead for Fukangan."

Everyone suddenly realized: "Oh"

The old bannerman looked at Grasshopper and said, "Then this."

The young man said: "I helped the Prince Heqin deliver crabs to the Fifteenth Master's residence the other day, and he gave it to me as a reward."

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Just giving a crab would give away this "general" worth a hundred gold coins?

The old bannerman smiled and said that the prince was deliberately humiliating Fu Cha. Mingrui, give it to the servant, this is a loud slap in the face!

A bannerman spoke up: "What do you think the emperor will do with Fu Kang'an?"

Another bannerman said: "Needless to say, beating the prince and seriously injuring the royal family members are both capital crimes, not to mention that he also killed several palace guards!"

The bannermen nodded in unison.

The old bannerman spoke again: "That's true, but it depends on the person!" Then he looked at the young man and said, "Do you know why you and the prince want to kill Fu Kang'an?"

The young man: "Of course it's because Fu Kang'an took advantage of his misfortune."

The old bannerman shook his head: "This is just the surface, the real reason is - Fu Kang'an is not a descendant of the Fucha family!"

"Oh!" everyone exclaimed.

The young man: "Impossible! If it's not his Fu Cha family's child, why would the Fu Cha family be willing to pay any price?"

The old bannerman interrupted him and said, "That's because Fu Kang'an's bloodline is more noble than Fu Cha's!" Then he dipped his finger into a little tea in his tea bowl and wrote the word "Emperor" on the table.

With a "whoosh" sound, everyone started to make a loud noise.

"A royal family member? Is that rumor true?!"

"Damn it, no wonder he was able to rise so high!"

The old bannerman looked at the young man and said, "Go back and tell the prince that you should show mercy when you can!"

The young man swallowed his saliva and said: "You, you are Gong"

The old bannerman said: "I'm just a messenger." After saying that, he took out a small silver ingot from his pocket, put it on the table, stood up and walked out.

The man behind him suddenly trembled all over, and when the old bannerman stood up, he revealed the sign on his waist, on which were clearly engraved the words "Da Nei"!
At this time, the living room of Heshen's house was filled with all kinds of jade and precious treasures. Heshen sat on the upper chair, holding a snuff bottle in his hand, pouring the tobacco stubs into the palm of his hand, then rubbing two fingers with the tobacco stubs, wiping them into his nostrils, and then closing his eyes and slowly inhaling.

Liu Quan stood beside him with his hands hanging down.

After a long while, He Shen sneezed with a yawn, and then he slowly said, "Bring me your official uniform. I want to enter the palace."

Liu Quan hesitated for a moment, "Sir, are you really going to ask the Emperor for mercy on Fu Kang'an's behalf?"

He Shen slowly opened his eyes and said: "If you accept a gift, you have to do something for them."

Liu Quan: "But Fukangan's crime was too serious. He injured the prince."

He Shen smiled and said, "It doesn't matter who Fu Kang'an hurt. What matters is that His Majesty doesn't want him to die. Do you understand?"

Liu Quan was stunned: "You mean, the emperor asked Mingrui to send these things?"

He Shen rolled his eyes and said, "Who in the capital doesn't know that Fu Cha looks down on me, He Shen? Without the Emperor's order, Fu Cha Mingrui will not come to my door."

After a pause, he said, "It seems that His Majesty still values ​​Fu Kang'an very much."

Liu Quan: "Should we talk to the prince?"

Heshen stood up and said, "No need. Remember, keep your back straight in front of Hongzhou and Yongyan. Things have changed, and now they need my help." After saying that, he walked straight to the back hall.

This is Hong Zhou’s study.

Yongyan arrived and was pacing back and forth in the room, saying viciously as he walked: "Heshen is a dog slave. When I inherit the throne, I will definitely kill all nine generations of his clan! I will peel off his skin, pull out his tendons, grind his bones and scatter his ashes!"

Hong Zhou shook his head: "You are too impetuous! This should also be what your royal father meant."

Yongyan was startled: "What does the Emperor mean?"

Hong Zhou: "I have carefully considered Fu Kang'an's matter. There are too many coincidences. It is obvious that someone is setting up a trap to provoke a fight within the Eight Banners!"

Yongyan was startled: "Who?"

Hong Zhou: "Han Emperor. If your father didn't notice it before, he must have seen it clearly now. Therefore, I predict that Fu Kang'an will be banished from the capital."

Yongyan: "It's too good for him!"

At this moment, the voice of the butler of Hong Zhou Mansion came from outside the door: "Your Majesty, the emperor has released Fu Kang'an!"

Hong Zhou: "What punishment?"

The housekeeper said: "Remove the deputy commander of the Bordered Yellow Banner and appoint him as the general of Uliyasutai. Set off immediately."

Hong Zhou was slightly stunned.

Yongyan's face changed: "General Uliastai? He is a local emperor. He can expand his power there. With the help of those families, the emperor is really getting old and confused!"

Hong Zhou's face also looked a little unhappy. Why did the emperor do this? Could it be that he was really senile and confused? !
A cold light flashed across Yongyan's eyes: "Send someone to kill him on the way!"

Hong Zhou: "No! Your father will definitely send someone to protect him secretly."

Yongyan: "What should we do then?"

Hong Zhou's eyes flashed, and then he picked up the pen and wrote the three words "Rakshasa" on a blank piece of paper.

Yongyan was shocked: "This, this is not good!"

Hong Zhou: "Uliasutai is a burden to the Qing Dynasty now. It is better to suffer a short pain than a long one! Without Uliasutai, the saved food can feed more Han army flags. Without Fu Kang'an, those eight banner nobles will be honest. In addition, when the Han people take over the Ulanqab League, they will face the Russians directly! Kill three birds with one stone!"

Yongyan: "Okay!"

At this time, the butler's voice came from outside again: "My Lord, there is a letter from inside the pass."

Hong Zhou: "Bring it in."

The butler came in and handed the letter to Hong Zhou.

Hong Zhou took the letter, tore it open, and read it. Then he clenched the letter and said, "Li Hu has led his troops north. It's time to arrive." (End of this chapter)