Chapter 177 Right

He slept so comfortably that he woke up feeling refreshed. Li Hu reached under his pillow and took out his pocket watch. He took a look and saw that the needle was pointing to between the end of Wei and the beginning of Shen.

“Amber? Amber?”

Li Hu shouted twice but there was no response. He reached out and pulled open the curtain, got off the bed, walked to the warm room in slippers, took a bowl and poured tea from the teapot.

I just heard someone behind me say, “Second Master, be careful not to burn your hands. Let us pour the tea.” As they spoke, two little girls came over, one took the bowl, and the other picked up the teapot to pour the tea.

Li Hu walked to the south window and sat down on the kang, and asked, “Where is your sister Amber?”

A little girl handed over tea and replied, “Sister Amber went to the kitchen.”

Li Hu drank his tea and said, “Go get some water for me to wash my face.”

The two little girls answered: “Yes.” and walked out.

Li Hu drank several sips before putting it down, stood up, stretched, turned around and walked into the bedroom. Only then did he see a cowhide envelope pressed by a jade paperweight on the desk, and he tore open the seal to take a look.

After reading the letter, Li Hu nodded with satisfaction. This was a letter from Xue Ke sent from Xi’an. Before the caravan arrived, he had already purchased a large amount of furs in the local area. As soon as the caravan arrived, he could immediately sell the furs to Jiangnan. This kid had a clear mind, was meticulous, and was quick in his work. He was much better than Xue Pan.

Wait and see, maybe I can entrust you with important tasks in the future!

“Second Master.” The voice of a little girl came from the warm room.

“Come in.” Li Hu folded the letter and put it in the box.

Two little girls came in with water for washing faces, and were about to wring out the face towel in the basin after putting it down.

Li Hu waved his hand gently, and the two little girls retreated.

Li Hu walked forward, wrung out the towel and wiped his face, then threw the towel into the copper basin and was about to go to the closet to find clothes to wear.

At this time, Amber walked in.

Amber: “Second Master is up.”

Li Hu said “hmm”, sat down and said, “I have washed my face, help me put on my clothes.”

Amber looked at him, smiled with her hand covering her mouth, wrung out a face towel from the basin, walked to Li Hu, and wiped his forehead with the towel, gently wiping Li Hu from his forehead to his face.

After wiping her neck, Amber smiled and said, “If Miss Lin saw this, she would laugh at me again.”

Li Hu smiled: “Miss Lin has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. She will laugh at me while wiping my face clean.”

Amber smiled, pulled Li Hu into the inner room, and helped him put on his clothes.

As he was talking, a little girl came from outside to report: “Second Master, Second Master Lian from Rongguo Mansion is here.”

Amber suddenly remembered: “Look at me, I was so busy talking that I forgot about the important things. At the beginning of the hour of Wei, when the Second Master was sleeping, Second Master Bao and Third Master Huan from Rongguo Mansion came, saying that they were sent by the Second Master to invite the Second Master to a banquet.”

After a pause, “In fact, the girl still wants the Second Master to go with her.”

Li Hu was silent for a moment, then said to the outside: “Just say I’m changing clothes.”

Amber: “Second Master, please have some porridge before you go over.”

Li Hu nodded.

In the main hall, Jia Lian picked up the tea bowl and sipped it slowly while looking towards the back hall.

After a long time, the sound of footsteps was heard from inside, and then Li Hu walked out.

Jia Lian put down his tea bowl and stood up with a smile: “Hurry up and go, they are waiting for you over there.”

Li Hu: “Wait for me? The banquet hasn’t started yet?”

Jia Lian nodded: “Today is a family dinner, no outside guests are invited. In order to wait for you, the second master, who has always disliked watching plays and is afraid of crowds, has invited a group of new opera performers to let everyone listen to the opera to kill time.”

Hearing what he said, Li Hu felt a little embarrassed.

Jia Lian: “Let’s go, the master has something to tell you.”

Li Hu nodded and walked out with him.

A clear sound of sandalwood clappers came from Jia’s mother’s courtyard, followed by the beating of a small drum, and then a melodious flute sound.

A small homely stage was set up in the courtyard. Jia’s grandmother set up several tables for a family banquet in her upper room. There was no outsider except Aunt Xue and her daughter. Lin Daiyu, Shi Xiangyun and Jia Xichun sat with Jia’s grandmother. Jia Yingchun and Jia Tanchun accompanied Mrs. Xing and Mrs. Wang. Li Wan and Wang Xifeng had seats today, and the remaining tables were occupied by other female members of the Jia family.

Lin Daiyu leaned back in her chair and looked at the stage absentmindedly.

Wang Xifeng came over with a wine glass and said softly, “Come, let’s have a drink together.” Then she drank it in one gulp. Lin Daiyu also drank it and looked at her: “What’s the matter?”

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, “Is there nothing wrong? Can’t I drink with you?”

Lin Daiyu looked at her and smiled.

Wang Xifeng blushed and said, “I have a favor to ask you.” She glanced at Lady Jia who was watching the play, then leaned over to Lin Daiyu’s ear and whispered something.

After hearing this, Lin Daiyu said nothing, but just stared at Wang Xifeng.

This look made Wang Xifeng feel a little uneasy.

After a long while, Lin Daiyu spoke up, “This wasn’t your idea!”

Wang Xifeng was about to speak when Lin Daiyu spoke again: “This was not your brother’s idea either.”

Wang Xifeng just opened her mouth but no sound came out.

Lin Daiyu: “I don’t know how and I can’t write this letter to my father.”

Wang Xifeng was so embarrassed by this harsh rejection that she had to return to her seat reluctantly.

Lin Daiyu sneered in her heart. What a Wang Ziteng! As the governor of Jiangsu, if he wanted to get involved in the salt industry, it would be easy for him to do so. However, he chose to use Wang Xifeng as a go-between. It was obvious that he wanted to drag the Li and Lin families into the water. His intentions were sinister.

At this time, Wang Shanbao, the housekeeper, walked in from outside and whispered a few words in Mrs. Xing’s ear.

Mrs. Xing smiled, stood up and walked towards Lady Jia.

Walking up to Lady Jia, Mrs. Xing said with a smile, “Madam, the Li family’s son is here.”

Grandmother Jia: “Oh? Where is he?”

Mrs. Xing: “They are talking in the master’s study now.” As she said this, she smiled at Lin Daiyu again.

Grandmother Jia raised her glass: “Please.”

“Old lady please!”

Everyone stood up and raised their glasses to Lady Jia.

Grandmother Jia worked with the others and looked at Yuanyang, “Let them play louder than usual!” Then she said to Lin Daiyu, “Can we order some music this time?”

Lin Daiyu blushed, took the play script handed to her by Shi Xiangyun, and looked down.
In Jia She’s study, Li Hu was also looking at a letter with his head down.

Jia She sat quietly, occasionally glancing at Li Hu who was reading the letter.

After reading the letter, Li Hu thought for a moment, then looked at Jia She: “Can Zhen Yingjia really give up the wealth and honor of Jiangnan?”

Jia She did not reply to his question, but looked at the letter in his hand and said, “Read it carefully.”

Li Hu was slightly stunned and had to read it again carefully.

Jia She: “How is it?”

Li Hu: “Is there a problem within the Zhen family?”

Jia She nodded and said, “I have thought about it carefully. The problem should be with the next generation of the Zhen family’s heir. The old concubine in the palace and the old lady of the Zhen family are partial to Zhen Baoyu, which caused Zhen Fu’s dissatisfaction, so he did some horrible things.”

Li Hu suddenly remembered Zhen Fu, Shui Rong, Jinling Manufacturing Bureau, White Lotus Sect, fuck, it’s that bastard Shui Rong!
Jia She continued, “I guess there are still some deficits.”

Li Hu: “What deficit?”

Jia She: “The Zhen family lost one or two million in the two major weaving bureaus in Jiangning and Suzhou.”

“So many!” Li Hu was surprised. “Will the emperor agree?”

Jia She: “The old concubine is still here.” He laughed and said, “Don’t forget, our emperor is a very respectable and filial person!”

Li Hu shook his head. He was just pretending to be cool and ended up putting shackles on himself.

Jia She took the letter from Li Hu and said, “I have a feeling that something is going to happen in the south and this is your chance.”

Li Hu nodded.

The clock in the corner rang.

Jia She stood up and said, “It’s getting late, let’s go over there.”

(End of this chapter)