Chapter 205 The Second Branch of the Xue Family Enters Beijing
After seeing Wang Ziteng off, Li Hu came to Lin Ruhai’s study.

The floor was filled with book boxes, and Lin Ruhai was moving books from the bookshelf into the book boxes one by one.

Steward Lin: “Son-in-law.”

Li Hu hummed, glanced at the books all over the room, took off his robe, tucked a corner of his inner robe into his belt, and went to move the books.

Lin Ruhai was slightly stunned, put the box of books in his hand into the bookcase, turned around and sat down on the chair against the wall, looking at the busy Li Hu.

Butler Lin blinked his eyes. Whether it was drying books or organizing them, Lin Ruhai did it all himself and never asked servants to do it for him.

Lin Ruhai watched Li Hu quickly take boxes of books from the bookshelf and put them into the bookcase. A barely perceptible smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were filled with a soft and loving light.

Steward Lin smiled. He saw satisfaction and contentment in Lin Ruhai’s eyes. He brought a bowl of tea over and said softly, “Master, have some tea.”

Lin Ruhai came back to his senses: “Hmm.” He took the tea and took a sip, then said to Li Hu: “Don’t rush to move, wipe your face and drink some tea first.”

“Not tired. Just take a rest, and we’ll finish packing soon.” Beads of sweat appeared on Li Hu’s forehead, but he continued to take books off the bookshelf and put them into the book box.

Lin Ruhai: “Bring a basin of water.”

“Yes.” Butler Lin walked out with a smile.

Lin Ruhai: “Wang Ziteng is not a pushover, you have to be careful.”

Li Hu paused, put the book in his hand into the bookcase, and said, “What did you hear?”

“Recently, Wang Ziteng has been getting along well with the gentry in Jiangnan and has made quite a fortune.”

“Oh? No wonder this old guy paid back 100,000 taels to the Rongguo Mansion in one go.”

Lin Ruhai took a sip of the tea bowl and continued, “Those gentry in Jiangnan were too naive. They thought Wang Ziteng was a civil servant who would obey them if he was fed with money. Little did they know that he was a vicious wolf.”

Li Hu smiled. Wang Ziteng could sacrifice the Jia family for the sake of profit, so he would be even more ruthless when dealing with these gentry. Once they sensed danger, they would definitely take advantage of them.

“The emperor suddenly conferred a title on Wang Ziteng, but there was not a single word in the imperial edict explaining the reason. I always feel that this is strange.”

“Oh, it seems like you knew you were going to be promoted a long time ago!”

Lin Ruhai smiled. The appointment of an official at the level of governor required an imperial edict, which was sent to the governors and provincial governors. Why did he, a censor of salt, also receive one? It was obvious that the emperor wanted to promote him.

Thinking about this, Lin Ruhai suddenly looked at Li Hu. He thought of the root of the problem just by what he said casually, which was different from what he understood!

After emptying a row of bookshelves, Li Hu finally stood up straight and said, “I heard that smuggled salt is rampant in Lianghuai recently.”

Lin Ruhai let out a long sigh.

Li Hu looked at Lin Ruhai: “What’s wrong?”

“The ones who smuggled the salt were none other than the emperor’s sons.”

“Who?”

“.Alas, let’s not talk about it. The emperor has his own wise decision. By the way, the emperor sent a letter saying that the princes are having a hard time and are not as rich as the salt merchants. He told me to turn a blind eye and keep an eye on the salt merchants.”

Li Hu frowned. Can you play like this?!

Lin Ruhai was silent for a moment, then said, “The messenger went to Suzhou again.”

Li Hu’s eyes lit up: “Wang Ziteng?”

Lin Ruhai nodded.

At this time, Steward Lin came in with a basin of water, “Sir, wipe your face and drink some tea first.”

This is the time to perform, how can you complain of being tired!
Li Hu smiled and said, “It’s just the last two rows of bookshelves. It will be done quickly.”

Lin Ruhai and Steward Lin smiled at each other.

Li Hu skillfully took out boxes of books from the bookshelf and put them into the book box. Sure enough, he quickly emptied the last two rows of bookshelves.

Lin Ruhai looked at him and saw that his face was sweating. He smiled and said, “Wipe your face quickly.”

“Hey.” Li Hu dusted off his body, walked to the washstand, picked up the face towel in the basin, and washed his face. Lin Ruhai: “Prepare the bath water. Find the new robe that Yu’er made for me.”

“Yes.” Butler Lin stepped out.

After wiping his neck, Li Hu rubbed the face towel in the washbasin and said, “I heard from Uncle Lin that you will go to the temple to burn incense tomorrow. I will accompany you until you grow old.” After that, he wrung out the face towel, shook it out, and then hung it on the rack.

Lin Ruhai nodded and handed him a bowl of tea.

Li Hu hurriedly walked forward, took the tea with both hands, then sat down next to Lin Ruhai and said, “Sister Lin’s room has more books than your old place. My goodness, every time I rummage around with the big bookshelf, I’m exhausted. She was very comfortable, leaning on the kang in the warm room, pointing with her hand, watching me busy.” As he said that, he couldn’t help laughing.

After hearing this, Lin Ruhai couldn’t help but smile.

Seeing that he was happy, Li Hu talked about Lin Daiyu again, “Sister Lin’s appetite has improved, and her temper has also improved. But she is easy to coax. I can play chess with her, go fishing, or hold her in my arms. Ahem, ahem, well, are we going to Jinan Prefecture by land or by water?”

Lin Ruhai leaned back in his chair and asked, “What do you think Yu’er is doing now?”

Li Hu glanced at the clock in the corner and replied, “Reading.”

What Li Hu said was right. At that moment, Lin Daiyu was leaning on the kang in the warm room, reading a book.

Suddenly, Lin Daiyu sneezed several times in a row, then wrinkled her cute nose and muttered, “Who is talking about me?”

“Miss, are you catching a cold?” Zijuan quickly put down her needlework and put her hand on Lin Daiyu’s forehead to feel it. It was normal, so she breathed a sigh of relief and touched Lin Daiyu’s hand again: “It’s a little cold!” Then she called out loudly to the outside: “Xueyan, Xueyan.”

“Hey!” Xueyan responded and walked in, followed by Xiaoni, who was dressed as a maid.

Zijuan: “Ask a few old maids to bring in the small copper incense burner from the small dining room.”

“Sister, please stay here and serve the girl. I’ll go.” Xiao Ni ran out like the wind.

Xueyan looked at Zijuan with an innocent face, as if to say: I told you I’m not being lazy!

Zijuan said unhappily: “I wronged you.” Then she tapped her forehead.

Xueyan raised her little head proudly.

Lin Daiyu covered her mouth and smiled.

After a while, Xiao Ni asked a few maids to carry a small copper incense burner in, put it in the room, and then left.

Zijuan added some sandalwood to the incense burner and lit the fire, making the warm room much warmer.

Xueyan spoke up: “Are you hungry, girl?”

Lin Daiyu smiled and said, “Go ahead.”

Xueyan looked at Zijuan again: “Where’s my sister?”

Zijuan looked at her and smiled: “I saw you eating, so I guess you must be hungry too.”

Xueyan’s face turned red and she turned and walked out.

“Hello, Madam.” Xiao Ni’s voice.

The door curtain was lifted, and Nanny Wang walked in with a letter. She bowed slightly to Lin Daiyu and said, “Miss, this is a letter from the Xue family.” Then she handed the letter to Lin Daiyu.

Lin Daiyu took the letter, opened the seal and read it. After thinking for a while, she said, “Take a thirty-year-old mountain ginseng and send it to the second branch of the Xue family. Then let the personal guard take the name card of the uncle to ask the imperial physician Wang to check on Xue Ke’s mother.”

Nanny Wang: “Yes.”

Zijuan turned and went into the bedroom, then took out a business card and handed it to Nanny Wang.

Nanny Wang took the name card and walked out.

“Didn’t you say we would go to Beijing in mid-winter?” Zijuan said as she tidied up the books on the kang table.

Lin Daiyu folded the letter and said, “Mother Xue Ke’s condition is not good, so we need to change to a carriage and travel day and night.”

Zijuan nodded.

(End of this chapter)