King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 269 Baochai asks for leave
Two days later, Zhu Jinghong changed into clothes in Chengming Courtyard.

Compared with the toga with long sleeves that he usually wears, he prefers a smart and simple attire, so today he wore a purple sleeveless lace pattern and a matching black hat with a folded brim on his head.

With his current attire, he can go to the battlefield directly by putting on the armor.

"Master Thirteen, dressing up like this... I'm afraid it's inappropriate to go to a banquet!" Yu Hai bit the bullet and gave a suggestion.

This is a straight person, so Zhu Jinghong would not blame him, but said calmly: "Don't worry about it, just stay honest and take care of your family!"

"Yes!"

Yu Hai stayed to see that the one who accompanied Zhu Jinghong out was Deng An, who was very proud of himself at the moment.

"Master Thirteen, let's go now?"

"Let's go!"

With his hands behind his back, Zhu Jinghong walked out calmly, while Yu Hai and others hurriedly followed.

Inside the courtyard, Hou Jing and Lu Yuxin were already waiting, and they came here specially to welcome them.

Others also wanted to come, but Hou Jing stopped them. After all, if they all came, why not celebrate directly in Chengmingyuan.

"Master Thirteen, everything is ready, do you think we will leave now?" Hou Jing said very respectfully.

"Ok!"

In response, Zhu Jinghong walked out first with his hands behind his back, but Hou Jing and the others hurriedly followed.

When leaving the palace, you usually go east, but just after Zhu Jinghong came out of Chengming Courtyard, he happened to meet Baochai.

"I've seen Lord Thirteen!" Baochai stepped forward to salute.

Seeing that Zhu Jinghong wanted to talk to Baochai, Hou Jing and the others wisely moved away, and even Deng An was several steps behind.

After signaling Baochai to excuse her, Zhu Jinghong asked, "Miss Bao, where are you going?"

Baochai replied softly: "Yesterday I asked my mother for leave, and today I will go out of the palace to visit my mother!"

"Go home... It's been so long since I've been in the palace, it's time to go back and have a look!"

"Master Thirteen is going out?" Baochai asked.

"Yeah... I want to go out and have a look, but we are not on the way!"

The two chatted like this, and went out of Donghua Gate all the way.

When we got here, Zhu Jinghong was already waiting in a sedan chair, and there were hundreds of guards as standard bearers.

The Xue family knew about Baochai's request for leave, so they sent someone to pick her up, but they could only wait outside Dong'an Gate, so she had to walk some distance outside.

So the two parted. Zhu Jinghong got into the sedan chair and was carried away, while Baochai had to go out alone.

When he walked out of Donganmen, he saw his elder brother waiting outside and Jia Lian who accompanied him.

Xue Pan rushed up to greet him, with a panicked look on his face, he said: "Sister, you can figure it out, Master Thirteen just passed by, and I was almost seen by him!"

Even if he claims to be valued by the thirteenth master in front of others, even if he has completed the errands assigned by the master, but when he really meets Zhu Jinghong and Xue Pan, there is only fear.

Looking at the elder brother who was visibly thinner, Baochai thought that he was exhausted from his errands, so he warned: "Brother, since you have completed the errand for the Thirteenth Master, you should report it to your face, otherwise you will suffer in vain." Already!"

Hearing his sister's dissatisfaction, Xue Pan scratched his head and smiled awkwardly, but Jia Lian stepped forward and said, "Sister Xue...this is not a place to talk, let's go back first, the old lady and sisters are waiting for you !"

"Please trouble Lian's second brother to come over too!"

Hearing this, Jia Lian immediately corrected him: "Sister Xue is ridiculous, since I have become the elder brother...running for my sister, why bother or not!"

My own girl?This Jia Lian is so enthusiastic, I have been compared to him, and I have never seen him so enthusiastic about Yingchun...

When Xue Pan was full of doubts, Baochai had been served by Yinger Wenxing, and slowly walked into the sedan chair and took a seat.

"Get up the sedan chair, let's go!" Jia Lian said in person.

When Baochai and his party rushed to Jia's mansion, Zhu Jinghong had already arrived outside Xiuguo's mansion.

Along the way, besides hundreds of guards escorting him, there were soldiers and horses guarding him along the way, so the journey was unimpeded.

At this moment, outside Duke Xiu's mansion, the guards have been heavily guarded, and the guard of honor is unfurling.

The male members of the Hou family and the guards and officers attending the banquet were standing respectfully outside the gate, ready to welcome Zhu Jinghong's arrival.

After the sedan chair fell, Deng An directed the little eunuch to raise the curtain, and Zhu Jinghong was able to get out of the sedan chair.

Seeing Zhu Jinghong appearing, everyone bowed one after another: "I will see the Thirteenth Master!"

Walking in front of the crowd with his hands behind his back, Zhu Jinghong raised his head and glanced at the plaque on the mansion, and then turned his gaze to the kneeling crowd.

"Get up!"

"Thank you Thirteen Lord!"

After everyone stood up, they moved to both sides of the gate, allowing Zhu Jinghong to enter the mansion.

"Master Thirteen, please!" Hou Jing came up to entertain him in person.

It stands to reason that if people like Zhu Jinghong are present today, the Hou family should have someone important to greet them.

Hou Jing's grandfather, Hou Xiaokang, is now the first-class son. He has been dismissed from the rank of official and has been appointed as the second-rank Dingguo general.

It was appropriate for such a large number of military figures to come to greet Zhu Jinghong, but the emperor passed on an order to him, telling him to go to the Fifth Army's mansion as usual, and not to mess around with the juniors.

Grandfather couldn't come, logically Hou Jing's father should come out to say hello, but unfortunately this one couldn't come either.

It wasn't that Hou Jing's father was entrusting him to the elders, but that this man died ten years ago, on the way of following Zhu Xianming to break the palace ban.

Therefore, Dafang now only has Hou Jing and a few brothers, so naturally Hou Jing has to come to greet him.

"Let's go... let's go in!" Zhu Jinghong stepped into the gate.

The layout of the Hou family is similar to that of the Jia family. Entering the gate is the outer courtyard, and further forward is the Yi gate. At this moment, there are guards guarding both inside and outside the Yi gate.

Today's banquet is held in the reception hall behind the Yimen Gate, and some of the situation inside can already be seen through the door.

"Hou Jing, your house is very grand, not as simple as you said!"

"Master Thirteen, this... This minister's house is a public house after all, so we have to work hard on this face. We usually..."

Stopping, Zhu Jinghong turned around and said, "Why are you nervous? It doesn't matter whether it's simple or magnificent, as long as you are loyal to the Holy One, you are a loyal minister of Ming Dynasty!"

"Yes yes yes... Master Thirteen is right!"

All the way into Yimen, a stage has been set up on the south side, and there will be a troupe of dancers performing here.

In the courtyard, a dozen tables have been set up, where a bodyguard and officers will sit.

And Zhu Jinghong's seat was set under the porch at the main entrance of the hall, and Hou Jing was accompanying him up the steps at the moment.

Squeezing away the eunuchs who wanted to serve, Hou Jing pulled out the chair and said to Zhu Jinghong, "Master Thirteen, please sit down!"

After sitting on the chair, Zhu Jinghong looked at the people standing below, and said calmly, "All sit down!"

At this moment, in the courtyard, apart from the guards and military officers who participated in the banquet, there were only eunuchs serving and maids from the Hou family, and the rest of the Hou family men could not enter to serve.

"Find a place to sit too!" Zhu Jinghong looked at Hou Jing.

"Yes!"

It is now late October, and the weather is already very cold. It is not appropriate to hold a banquet outside at this time.

However, this was Zhu Jinghong's request, so Hou Jing could only comply.

Signaling Deng An to pour wine, Zhu Jinghong smiled and said to everyone: "Everyone... let's not talk about anything else, it's very cold today, let's have a drink to warm up first!"

Seeing Zhu Jinghong toasting, everyone stood up and toasted, and then, led by Hou Jing, said loudly: "To the thirteenth master!"

After drinking the wine in the cup, Zhu Jinghong motioned for everyone to sit down.

"Everyone, this Shanglinyuan review was a great success, and you have all been commended by the Holy One... What a joy to congratulate!"

"Come...let's have another drink!"

(End of this chapter)