After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 920 Going out
As the brother and sister were talking, there was a sudden noise in the yard outside. Haitang hurriedly got up and looked at the door. It turned out that it was her grandmother Ma who came back with Aunt Cui.

When Ma saw her grandson coming home, she was overjoyed: "You're finally back! I heard that your grandfather and second uncle have come home, and the master will have to take a second break in two days. Why have you been staying in the palace all the time? You're finally back today! You must have suffered these days?" She looked at her grandson's face and body carefully, and felt that the changes were not that big.

Haijiao smiled and hugged his grandmother, saying, "Don't worry, grandma. I'm doing fine in the palace. I've been in the Imperial Guard for so long that I've become familiar with my superiors and colleagues. Seeing that I'm young, they'll take good care of me and won't let me suffer. I eat and sleep well in there, and there's not much work to do every day. It's an easy life. Don't worry about me, grandma. I'm doing much better than grandpa and second uncle!"

"Nonsense!" Ma patted her grandson lightly, "The master lives in the Ministry of Revenue, and he doesn't have to be exposed to the wind and sun. How can he live worse than you? I know you don't want me to worry, but you can't lie with your eyes open! I know you are lying to me, and I am even more worried."

"I'm telling the truth!" Hai Jiao laughed, "It's really not hard for me. Although I have to guard the palace gate, the place I guard is surrounded by high palace walls, and the wind can't blow through. There are heated beds and braziers in the duty room, so it's not cold at all. Besides, our reputation as Jinyiwei is still very useful. All meals and accommodations are top-notch. Although there is no wine and meat during the national mourning period, the food is fresh and hot, much better than the food in the government cafeteria outside. There are also people who make mourning clothes and wash clothes for us!"

"Really?" Ma was skeptical, but looking at her grandson's appearance, he was indeed not as haggard and miserable as her husband. She felt a little relieved: "As long as you live well in the palace, it's fine. Do you want to take a day off? When is the next time?"

Haijiao's day off was a gift from the new emperor, who knows when the next time will be? However, order in the palace has been restored. Empress Dowager Zhou, Imperial Concubine Xu, and even the new emperor's brothers are all kind and compassionate. It will not be long before the Jinyiwei will also implement the welfare of rotating rest.

Haijiao did not give a direct answer, but just got around it by saying something coquettishly, that she had not had breakfast, and had some noodle soup and snacks after returning home, which barely filled her hunger, and she wanted to have a few of her favorite dishes for lunch.

Ma agreed immediately and took Aunt Cui to the front kitchen to give instructions. It was still early in the day and the market had not yet closed, so I thought I could still buy the ingredients I needed.

After seeing his grandmother off, Haijiao immediately returned to his room. Haitang thought he was going back to take a bath and rest, so she didn't care. She ordered someone to take away the tableware on the kang table and went back to her yard. After a while, she came back to get the black warm hat and riding gloves she made for her brother, but she found that Haijiao had changed his clothes and was ready to go out again.

She was surprised: "Brother, are you going out? You aren't going to stay home for lunch?" He had just ordered dishes in front of his grandmother and tricked the old lady into doing some work. Now he turned around and left. Wouldn't that disappoint his grandmother?

Hai Jiao smiled and said, "I'm just going out to do something. I will be back before lunch and will never let grandma down. Don't worry, little sister."

Haitang stopped talking and handed him the warm hat and gloves. "I made these recently. They are padded and a piece of very soft sheepskin is sewn on the inside of the gloves to prevent them from being worn out. They are all black and can match your official uniform and mourning clothes."

Haijiao took it with surprise and put it on immediately: "Good sister, thank you for your gift. I was just thinking of buying these things, and you brought them here before I asked anyone to make them. It's hard for you to rush to do them. It's so cold, you can just read books or chat with friends on the letter when you have free time. Why do you have to stay in the house to do these? Aren't you afraid of tiring your eyes and getting your hands cold?"

Haitang had trained her inner strength, so why would she be afraid of the cold wind? She smiled and asked, "Brother has been on duty for more than ten days in a row. He finally came home, but instead of taking a good rest, he went out before lunch. What's the reason? If it's something that must be done outside the palace, you can also tell me. I can do it for you when you are not at home."

Haijiao smiled and said, "It's not a big deal. I just have to meet Zhang Lurong and talk to a few acquaintances. I just need to make a round and serve as a cover. Otherwise, how can I explain to my great uncle later? I was on duty in the palace, so how did I know that someone outside the palace had an affair with the daughter of the Sun family? If I learned it from the Jinyiwei, the news would have been passed to the higher-ups long ago. How could it be my turn to report this secret?" Haitang blinked, "Brother is planning to report the matter of the son of the Grand Secretary and the daughter of the Sun family? Then why tell my great uncle?" Normally, shouldn't they go to Cheng'en Marquis' Mansion to find Zhou Yijun?

The one who led the troops to surround the neighborhood where the Sun family lived was none other than Zhou's son-in-law Kang Wenshu. If this news was revealed to the Zhou family, it would be easier to find the real culprit.

However, Haitang immediately thought of the reason: "Brother thinks that the Zhou family has a daughter who is also among the candidates for the new emperor and queen. If the scandal of the other candidate's family is exposed, people might suspect the Zhou family of having ulterior motives, right?"

Hai Jiao nodded: "This is related to the Sun family. If Zhou Yijun knows about it, he will definitely report it. But his sister is among the candidates. In order to avoid gossip, it is better to avoid suspicion. I have been friends with him for so many years, why should I make it difficult for him? I might as well tell my uncle. He will contact Tao Gelao anyway. Wouldn't it be easier to let Tao Gelao handle this matter?"

Tao Yue may not be opposed to the Zhou family having another queen, but most people in the cabinet support the daughter of the Grand Secretary, so he can't be too unsociable. But if there is a problem with the daughter of the Grand Secretary, it should be handled by the civil officials in a low-key manner, rather than making it known to the royal family and military generals, which would bring shame to the cabinet. Hai Jiao believes that Tao Yue is the best person to handle this matter.

Haitang hesitated for a moment and said, "Although I believe in Mr. Tao's character and ability, but... Mr. Tao doesn't need to consider the issue of avoiding suspicion?"

"Why should Elder Tao avoid suspicion?" Hai Jiao was puzzled. "His eldest granddaughter is already married, and the younger granddaughter is much younger than him..." He suddenly paused, then remembered something, and said in annoyance, "Ah!" and stamped his feet, "I actually forgot!"

He forgot the difference between two lifetimes.

In the previous life, the dispute over the selection of the new emperor and empress began a few years later, when the new emperor turned fifteen, and lasted for several years. At that time, Tao Ge Lao's eldest granddaughter had already married, and the youngest granddaughter had not yet grown up, so she avoided the dispute from the beginning and could watch from the sidelines.

But in this life, the new emperor has not yet ascended the throne, and the eldest granddaughter of Tao Ge's family has not yet married! If he remembered correctly, at this time... Miss Tao has not even been engaged? !
Tao Ge's family also has an unmarried granddaughter of marriageable age, who seems to be a candidate for the queen recommended by the civil officials...

Haijiao was very upset. How could he make such a stupid mistake?!
Haitang felt that Lord Tao would not allow his granddaughter to be the empress: "The Tao family's daughter is suitable in all aspects, and she is also a royal relative. If the late emperor wanted to marry the crown prince, how could the daughter of the Grand Secretary be a problem? Since the daughter of the Tao family is not among the candidates, it is obvious that Lord Tao must have rejected the late emperor."

Although Tao Yue was born as a relative of the emperor, he hated what Sun Ge Lao did and was determined to be a true virtuous and loyal minister. How could he let his granddaughter become the queen? Since he refused, there was nothing to avoid. As long as the girl of the Tao family was not among the candidates, no amount of gossip would affect him.

Haitang said to her brother, "Brother, just report it. As long as my uncle tells Elder Tao the news, we can leave the rest to him. We have known Elder Tao for so many years and we trust him..."