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

Chapter 928 Cao Family
Haitang vaguely heard Cao Gengyun's words outside the house. She paused and sent Xiao Shitou away first.

She turned her head to look at Wang Xiaoqing and the unfamiliar follower, and waved to the former to follow her to a corner of the yard.

Wang Xiaoqing blushed slightly and ran to her: "Miss, what do you want?"

Haitang lowered her voice and asked, "Who is standing with you?"

Wang Xiaoqing replied in a low voice: "He was sent by the Cao family to serve Master Cao. His name is Cao Yong."

Haitang asked him, "How is Grandpa Cao doing at home these days? Is there anyone bullying him?"

Wang Xiaoqing said hurriedly, "No, no. Master Cao has been living well at home these days. The young masters and grandsons of the Cao family are all very filial and respectful to him. I asked around and found out that the women of the Cao family and the servants didn't dare to say anything unpleasant. The grandmothers and girls of the Cao family prepared food and clothes for Master Cao according to his preferences. Even during the period of national mourning, when many things couldn't be used, they did their best. Several grandsons also gathered around Master Cao to ask for advice. I heard that they all learned well. Master Cao was very happy after seeing their homework and said that they were all promising talents and had some of his character when he was young."

Although it is not known why the Cao family, who had ignored Cao Gengyun for many years, suddenly changed their attitude and became so filial and attentive, as long as they can maintain this filial piety, take good care of Cao Gengyun and make him happy, there is no need for outsiders to delve too deeply into the past. The key is that Cao Gengyun himself is satisfied.

However, there must be a reason for the Cao family to act this way, right? Even if it is just for profit, it is better than digging a hole behind the scenes without any clear reason.

Thinking of this, Haitang asked Wang Xiaoqing again: "How is the Cao family doing now?"

Wang Xiaoqing hesitated for a moment, then glanced back at Cao Yong quietly. He lowered his voice even more when he thought the latter couldn't hear what he was saying. "Although the Cao family is not poor, they are not rich either. Except for a few young masters and grandsons who have one or two good clothes to wear when they go out, the other grandmothers and girls are all dressed in ordinary clothes, that is, they are dressed in clothes that can be seen by people. Most of the needlework is done by their own family. His family still lives in the old house where Mr. Cao lived when he was young. As the family has more people, they are all crowded together. There are not many people to serve. There are nearly 20 people in the family, with only one housekeeper, two women, two maids, a cook and a long-term servant who goes out with them. Even the work of the doorman is done by the housekeeper. If they need a car, they have to go to the street temporarily to hire one. The family does not keep a car or horses. This Cao Yong is actually a newly bought person. He is worth a lot of money and was bought specifically for Mr. Cao. In order to buy him, the eldest grandmother of the Cao family even pawned her dowry to squeeze out this money."

Are you so tight on money?

Haitang couldn't help but show a look of surprise and doubt: "I remember that the Cao family is also a government official family, and Grandpa Cao's son is also an official. How did it come to this?"

Wang Xiaoqing complained in a low voice: "People below are saying that the Cao family's young masters have a difficult career, they have no backing, and no good relatives. Good things never happen to them, but bad things must be attributed to them. There is no hope of promotion every year, and they almost had to pack up and go back to their hometown to farm several times. They want to give some generous gifts to curry favor with the nobles, but it is difficult for the family to come up with a good gift. Several grandsons are good at studying, but the annual expenses of books and pens are very difficult for the Cao family to support. For this reason, several girls are not easy to get married because they don't have dowries..." Wang Xiaoqing was embarrassed to say that when the three masters Xie Wenzai, Cao Gengyun and Lu Bainian lived with the Hai family in Chang'an, they lived a more affluent life than the Cao family. At least the three masters at home can eat and drink whatever they want, and they never have to worry about money. They can make new clothes every season, and there are plenty of people to order around. If the family members are not enough, they can borrow from the Hai family. If the Hai family servants are not enough, there are still people from the Zhenguo Mansion! The Cao family has been doing their best to provide things for Mr. Cao these days. In fact, for Mr. Cao, it is just a daily life in the Hai family...

The Cao family was so poor, but they still tried their best to please Cao Gengyun, which was a bit like pretending to be rich. After Wang Xiaoqing noticed this, he told Cao Gengyun privately, and the latter advised his children and grandchildren not to spend too much money on him. He had already been accustomed to ordinary life and did not pursue any pomp. But the Cao family still had no intention of changing, and kept saying that they had been unfilial for many years, and now this little filial piety was just to make up for the sins of the past few decades...

With his sons and daughters-in-law being so attentive and his grandchildren being so filial and lovely, Cao Gengyun was happy at home, but in fact, he was also under some pressure. He had contacted many old friends these days to inquire about the situation of his children and grandchildren. He knew that although they had once been attached to the Sun family, they had been kicked out a long time ago for various reasons. In the past, the Cao family was in a difficult situation and their future was uncertain, but now the Sun family was about to fall into bad luck. It was a good thing that they were estranged from the Sun faction. No matter who wanted to settle accounts with the Sun faction, they would not be implicated.

Although the sons of the Cao family were not very talented, they were well-behaved and had no stains on their careers in the imperial examinations. As long as they were not implicated by the Sun faction, they would be able to continue on their path in the future. But if they still had no backers and no money or power, the family's situation would never change. Cao Gengyun's return actually gave them new hope - as a Wu family member who was exiled in his early years, Cao Gengyun knew many old friends. As long as the Wu family members who were now reinstated in the court were willing to help his children and grandchildren for the sake of his old friend, the Cao family would have a chance to turn things around.

Wang Xiaoqing whispered to Haitang: "Master Cao actually knew what was going on, and he was secretly upset all night. But when he woke up in the morning and saw the grandchildren coming to greet him attentively, and the grandmothers and the girls were also very considerate, he couldn't lose his temper again. These days he has been meeting and communicating with old friends, trying to find a way out for the young masters!"

Haitang sighed. How pitiful are the hearts of parents in the world. Even though Cao Gengyun had been neglected by his family for many years and kept saying that he didn't care, he couldn't bear to do it when he saw the faces of his children and grandchildren.

Well, as long as the Cao family can always be filial and attentive to him, what does it matter if Grandpa Cao helps them a little? A richer family life will also be good for Cao Gengyun himself, unless he really doesn't plan to reunite with his family.

Haitang thought about this and asked Wang Xiaoqing, "Are the friends that Grandpa Cao has contacted willing to help his children and grandchildren?"

Wang Xiaoqing replied, "It's a national mourning right now, and I heard that they can't take care of it for the time being. These days, there are all kinds of news in Beijing, and no one knows which master will step down and which master will take over. The masters of each family dare not guarantee it! After Master Cao heard about the Lu family, he was busy asking for news about the Lu family these days and couldn't take care of anything else."

Haitang was surprised: "What's the news about the Lu family? Did something happen to his family?"

Wang Xiaoqing looked mysterious. "I heard that the Lu family is going to be in big trouble! They are helping the Sun family dig a tunnel! This was the news that came out yesterday. They said that the Sun family was quiet, but they actually wanted to escape. Master Cao was shocked when he heard about it, and he had to come back to tell Master Lu no matter what."

Digging a tunnel? Wasn't it the son of the Grand Secretary's Mansion who wanted to dig a tunnel to save his sweetheart? How did it have anything to do with the Lu family? !