Chapter 238

In the duty room, Jia Yucun was sorting out the official documents reported by various departments of the Ministry of Revenue.

After finally finishing the last stack of official documents, Jia Yucun stood up and stretched his arms wearily.

Walking to the small stove, Jia Yucun picked up the small copper kettle and walked back to the desk to make tea. Perhaps because he was too tired, the tea spilled out.

Jia Yucun hurriedly took a rag to wipe the tea spilled on the desk, at this time the door was pushed open.

Jia Yucun raised his head in surprise, but his hand accidentally knocked over the tea bowl. With a cry of surprise, his sleeves were covered with tea and the back of his hands turned red!
The fourth prince who broke in was stunned for a moment, and asked hurriedly: “Are you okay?”

“it’s okay no problem”

Jia Yucun quickly cleaned the desk with a rag.

The fourth prince walked to the chair under the window and sat down, saying excitedly: “This bet finally paid off. The leaders of the Qingliu clan who had a good relationship with the third prince invited me to participate in this year’s Laba Poetry Festival!”

Jia Yucun: “Oh?”

The fourth prince looked at him and smiled, then said, “I have told them that I will take you there when the time comes, and they all agreed.”

When these words were spoken, Jia Yucun was overjoyed.

The fourth prince smiled and said, “Prepare well. At the poetry gathering, at least you can win honor for me!”

Before Jia Yucun could answer, a young eunuch’s voice came from outside the door: “Minister Jia!”

Jia Yucun was stunned at first, then he winked at the Fourth Prince, turned around and walked to the door, lifted the curtain and saw that it was indeed the eunuch from Yuqing Palace.

The young eunuch spoke: “Your Highness the Crown Prince, please ask Minister Jia to go to the Infantry Yamen and bail out a man named Xue Ke.” As he said this, he handed a piece of ink paper to Jia Yucun.

Jia Yucun took it and looked at it. On it were written Xue Ke’s hometown, name, age, and facial features.

After reading it, Jia Yucun said: “Please report back to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I will tell him about my mission and then I will leave.”

Little eunuch: “Yes.”

Jia Yucun watched the young eunuch’s back disappear outside the courtyard gate before turning around and entering the duty room.

The Fourth Prince had already stood up and was looking at Jia Yucun and the piece of ink paper in his hand.

Jia Yucun understood and said, “The people from the Xue family in Jinling are now in charge of the caravan affairs for Earl Zhongyong.” Then he handed the ink paper to the Fourth Prince.

After hearing this, the Fourth Prince just glanced at it and said, “Don’t forget about the poetry meeting.” Then he walked out.

Mrs. Mei sat on a chair beside the bed, tightly holding Mr. Mei’s hand, and said with tears streaming down her face: “Son, please don’t get hurt! If anything happens to you, who can I count on?”

Mr. Mei’s injuries were not very serious. He was given some medicine at the clinic, and his head was wrapped tightly with white silk. He was then sent back by people from the Infantry Yamen.

Master Mei, leaning on the bed, looked pale. He cursed Xue Pan and threatened to bring people to tear down the Xue family’s pawnshop and house, beat Xue Pan to death, and sue the Xue family.

While trying to persuade him, Mrs. Mei also told him that Xue Pan and Xue Ke were thrown into the prison of the Infantry Yamen.

Master Mei immediately became alert and wanted to deal with Xue Pan.

At this moment, Mei Hanlin rushed in like a gust of wind, and when he saw Master Mei, he started to curse: “Damn you little bastard! After drinking the yellow soup, instead of lying down and being obedient, you started to talk nonsense! Now that the prince has intervened, one day, I will lose my life in your hands!”

Madam Mei was shocked and asked anxiously, “What does this have to do with the prince?!”

Mei Hanlin: “Xue Ke is now working for the Earl of Loyalty and Bravery. The Crown Prince has ordered that Jia Yucun, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, go and protect him personally!”

After hearing this, Master Mei muttered, “What’s wrong with the prince? The prince also has to abide by the law! I can’t just get beaten for nothing.”

Madam Mei spoke up: “That’s right! We must avenge this! That little bastard can’t just get away with it!”

Mei Hanlin’s fingers trembled as he pointed at Madam Mei and her son: “You, you want me to die? That’s the prince!”

Madam Mei hesitated and said, “We can’t just let it go like this. He beat someone up and didn’t even show his face. He really doesn’t take our Mei family seriously!”

Mei Hanlin: “I won’t argue with you. I will go to the Infantry Yamen now to make a confession and say that you were drunk and bumped into someone and released Xue Pan.” After saying that, he turned around and walked out.

Madam Mei looked unhappy, snorted, and said, “You are making a mountain out of a molehill. The prince is too nosy. God is really blind that a merchant and a lowly person can get close to the prince.”

Master Mei gritted his teeth and said, “This is all the fault of that loyal and brave Earl! This matter is not over yet, I will have to do it sooner or later.”

Mrs. Mei quickly interrupted him: “Don’t talk nonsense! This is a titled earl, we can’t afford to offend him.”

With a humph, Master Mei said: “Behind us is the Zhongshun Palace.”

“Okay, stop talking. Your father will be angry again if he finds out.”

“I don’t care. I can’t take this beating for nothing. I must marry these sisters.”

Li Hu didn’t know yet that he had a new enemy.

At this time, Li Hu was sharpening the arrows himself, grinding the arrowheads back and forth on a huge knife stone.

Lin Daiyu was standing beside the knife stone, constantly scooping water with a long-handled copper spoon and pouring it onto the knife stone.

There was a pile of sharpened, gleaming arrows piled up next to it.

Zijuan stood aside with her hands hanging down, watching.

After a while, Li Hu sharpened the arrow, felt the tip with his hand, and then with a clang, he threw the arrow onto the pile of arrows and stood up.

Lin Daiyu quickly scooped water for Li Hu to wash his hands, and then took out a handkerchief and handed it to him. While wiping his hands, Li Hu said, “Put these feather arrows in the quiver and hang it in my bedroom.”

Zijuan: “Yes.”

Li Hu said to Lin Daiyu again, “Let’s go.”

Lin Daiyu nodded happily and followed Li Hu out.

Outside the gate of the villa, Li Hu’s big white horse was standing there quietly, with a saber and bow and arrow hanging on the left side of the horse’s back, and a quiver hanging on the right side.

As soon as it saw Li Hu coming out, the big white horse ran over and rubbed its head against Li Hu.

Li Hu touched its head, smoothed its mane, patted its back, and smoothed its tail, while whispering, “You have to show your respect to me today.”

Lin Daiyu came over and asked, “What are you talking about?”

Li Hu smiled and said, “I’m introducing you to it.”

Lin Daiyu rolled her eyes, looked at the big white horse carefully, then said with blinking eyes: “Can I touch it?”

Li Hu: “Of course.”

Lin Daiyu was a little scared, her little face was tense. She stretched out a hand and carefully touched the big white horse’s head.

The big white horse closed its eyes and lowered its head, sniffing.

Lin Daiyu clapped her hands excitedly and jumped up, her little face flushed with excitement.

Li Hu was amused by her and carried her onto the horse. He then climbed onto the horse himself, held her in his arms, clamped his legs together, and rode the horse straight towards the small forest.

The sound of horse hooves startled a flock of sparrows, which flew around in the air.

Lin Daiyu leaned in Li Hu’s arms and shouted loudly: “Sparrow! Sparrow!”

Li Hu understood, clamped his legs around the horse’s belly, let go of the reins, took out the bow and arrow, pulled out an arrow from the quiver, put it on the bowstring, drew the bow to its full draw, and with a “whoosh”, the arrow left the string.

A sparrow fell from the sky.

Lin Daiyu clapped her hands: “Hit it!”

Li Hu smiled, pulled out another arrow from the quiver, put it on the bowstring, drew the bow to its full length, aimed at the flock of sparrows, and with another “whoosh”, the arrow left the string.

Killing two birds with one stone, two sparrows fell from the sky.

Lin Daiyu was even more excited: “Two! Second brother, you are so awesome!”

Li Hu drew his bow, drew his arrow, and shot arrow after arrow. Every arrow hit its target. Soon, more than ten sparrows fell to the ground, and the sparrows were scared and fled in all directions.

Li Hu shook his arms.

Lin Daiyu: “Are you tired? Let’s just walk slowly and enjoy the scenery.”

How can we spoil the fun at this time? Don’t say you are not tired. Even if you are tired, you have to grit your teeth and persevere.

Li Hu smiled and said, “This is just a warm-up. I’m not bragging, a hundred or eighty arrows are no problem.”

Lin Daiyu smiled and then pointed to the sky in the distance: “Look, what is that?”

Li Hu looked over and was stunned: “Nothing?”

Lin Daiyu smiled evilly: “Didn’t you see such a big cow?”

Li Hu laughed and pinched her cheek: “You have such a big mouth!”

Just then, a group of hares ran out.

Lin Daiyu held Li Hu’s hand and said excitedly, “Ah, rabbit! Shoot it, shoot it, I want to eat roasted rabbit meat!”

Li Hu bent his bow and drew his arrow again, then paused, then said with a smile: “Come, I will teach you archery.”

Lin Daiyu was slightly stunned, and asked unconfidently: “Can I do it?”

Li Hu smiled and said, “I’ll help you.” He held Lin Daiyu’s hand, one hand holding the bow and the other hand on the string, and said, “When I say release, you let go immediately. Do you understand?”

Lin Daiyu nodded vigorously.

Li Hu slowly pulled the bowstring and said, “One, two, three, shoot!”

Lin Daiyu immediately let go of her hand, and Li Hu followed suit, and the arrow flew off the string.

The arrow hit a hare, and the hare struggled and jumped a few steps before finally falling down.

Lin Daiyu shouted with joy: “I hit it! I hit it!”

Li Hu: “Let’s shoot another one.”

Lin Daiyu shook her head: “Don’t hurt your arm.”

Li Hu shook his head. Being too smart is not good. He put the bow and arrow back into the bow bag, squeezed his legs against the horse’s belly, and said with a smile: “Let’s go to the front and take a look.”

(End of this chapter)