Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 1378
Cao Mansion, Jiuru Courtyard, Shang Fang.

Hearing faint laughter in the wing room, Cao Yong's expression also lightened up.

Chu Yu put the agate bowl in front of her husband, and said with a smile: "Since the seventh younger brother and Tianbao are filial, the master will also eat and eat..."

Cao Yong picked up the agate bowl, looked at the black and purple nightshade fruit inside, and said: "Tomorrow, I will send people to pick all the ripe fruits, and they can be washed and soaked in wine...the seedlings should be shoveled..."

Chu Yu was surprised when he heard that, "Okay, why did you shovel it? Didn't the master say that this is a good thing and can be used as medicine?"

Cao Yong pointed to the little finger-sized fruit, and said, "It's fine when it's ripe, but if you eat it when it's green, you'll be poisoned... I was tempted earlier, and I wanted to plant some for you. The old lady does gynecological remedies, but whether it is relatives and friends, or juniors, when they see this wild thing and are curious, it is inevitable that they will learn from it. If they are not careful, it will be unbeautiful if there is an accident..."

When Chu Yu heard this, she was unavoidably afraid for a while, and said: "In this way, it is really a disaster, so let's shovel it quickly..." Speaking of this, some complained: "Tianbao has become more and more greedy. It looks like it's chubby, and it looks like a little fat man..."

Cao Yong thought about the youngest son, not because he ate much better than others, but because he did less exercise, and said: "God bless them in the early years, when they were young, they not only studied, but also practiced martial arts... When Changsheng and the others went down, these little ones, but All I can do is to study the books of sages and sages, bow horses and shoot horses, and Dongfu is not prepared... Now that I think about it, it is not appropriate. The children in our family must not become nerds. I will talk to my fourth brother tomorrow, and I will always let him go. It is good for the children to combine work and rest..."

There is an old saying that goes well, say Cao Cao, and Cao Cao will arrive.

Before Cao Yong finished speaking, a servant girl came in and said: "Master, there is a message from the servant at the second gate that the fourth master is here, waiting for the master in the front yard..."

When Chu Yu heard this, she was quite surprised.

Because Cao Xiangfang was here the day before yesterday, Chunhua was also with him, and the husband and wife came to visit the sickness, so I would like to greet Mrs. Li by the way.

Why are you here again today?
On Cao Yong's side, he knew something in his heart, got up and said to Chu Yu: "Perhaps there is something looking for me, I'll go and have a look... Fourth brother likes to eat crabs, yesterday I packed a basket of freshwater fish sent by Zhuangzi, and I will give it to you later." Take the fourth brother back..."

Chu Yu got up to answer, while Cao Yong picked up the curtain and walked out to the flower hall in the front yard.

Cao Xiang was wearing men's clothes, and he seemed to have come directly from the Imperial Academy. He sat on a chair and frowned.

Seeing his cousin coming in, Cao Xiang hurriedly stood up and said, "Brother, today the emperor issued an order to reprimand the civil and military officials in the south of the Yangtze River for the unfavorable matter of flood control. The younger brother heard that there seems to be the second brother involved, so he wants to be arrested. Beijing is awaiting trial, how can this be good?"

Although Cao Yong had been prepared in his heart, he was still very concerned when things came to an end. The dismissal of Cao Song could not be changed, and what remained was the crime.

If the crime is serious, even if there is a day of recovery, it will be difficult to make progress.

"Several faults, it sounds like it has something to do with the arrest of robbers, and there are things like drunkenness and negligence on flood control errands..." Cao Xiang said, a little puzzled: "It doesn't sound like a major crime, how come it's pending trial? Isn't it? The second brother had a close relationship with Fan Shiduo, was he implicated? Fan Shiduo was dismissed as governor, and was also arrested and taken back to Beijing."

Cao Yong nodded and said: "It's the disaster of the pond fish..."

Cao Xiang frowned and said, "Brother, what will happen to the second brother? He won't be really accused, right? Did someone make trouble? Will it implicate the elder brother?"

Although he was born in the imperial examination, he also understood that the prosperity and decline of the official careers of the brothers of the Cao family depended on their cousins.

As long as the cousin is in the court, even if someone plots against their brothers, they will have scruples; if the cousin is unstable, then the brothers will lose their foundation.

Cao Yong thought that Cao Xiang was the eldest son of Li Wei now, and said, "Second brother is the chief soldier. His job is to guard the place. It is not his job to arrest robbers. There is Li Wei at the top. This is not a big crime...Building dams to prevent floods This is also the responsibility of the local officials. At most, he is assisting. At this time, the court is holding Jiangnan officials accountable. Most of the charges for the second brother are for flood control and dam repairs... The second brother can't keep his crown, and the fourth brother can go to Dali appropriately. The temple and the Ministry of Punishment inquired, and no one is allowed to drill camp..."

When Cao Xiang heard this, he stood up with wide-eyed eyes: "Brother, if the second brother really committed this crime, will his reputation among the people be bad?"

Cao Yong didn't continue to speak, but took Cao Xiang to the study, picked up a brush and wrote four words to Cao Xiang.

Those four words are "abandoning soldiers and protecting commanders".

Cao Xiang was not dull, but his face was a bit ugly: "Brother, there is no other way?"

Cao Yongdao: "I heard the rumors before the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I also wondered if I could get the second child out, but who would dare to go against the sacred heart? In the official career, there have been many ups and downs. One thing is not necessarily a bad thing.”

Cao Xiang hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Brother, will Li Wei be behind to push hands?"

Although he reads sage books, he would not call himself a sage. If his student's Lao Tzu really plotted against his elder brother, he would naturally think about it.

Cao Yong shook his head and said: "He dare not, and he doesn't have the ability! Besides the emperor, who else would dare to attack the second child?"

Cao Xiang nodded, he felt relieved, and then asked: "Second sister-in-law and nephews...do you send someone to pick them up in Jiangning?"

Since Cao Song was suspended from Jiangning's general army and detained and returned to Beijing, his family members had no reason to stay in Jiangning.

"Since the imperial decree has just been issued, it will take some time to arrive in Jiangning. It's good to ask some proper people to pick it up, so as not to surprise your second sister-in-law and the others..." Cao Yong thought for a while, and said: "Here in Beijing, the yard and house should be The tidied ones are also tidied up...the second old lady, when the imperial decree is issued tomorrow, I will go over and let you know..."

Having said that, he stopped, looked at Cao Xiang and said, "Did you hear the news about Jiangnan from the Imperial Academy?"

Cao Xiang nodded and said, "Yes, I heard about it in the afternoon, and I was really taken aback..."

Cao Yong said: "I'm afraid I can't hide it from the second old lady. My fourth brother and I will go and have a look..."

Cao Xiang also came to his senses, and said with a wry smile, "I just wanted to find out and tell Eldest Brother, but I forgot about Sun Li. How dare he hide such an important matter from Eldest Sister..."

Cao Yong was still wearing hospitality clothes, but he didn't need to change to go out, so he called a servant, gave a few orders, and then followed Cao Xiang out of the mansion.

When they arrived at the East Mansion, the steward had already been ordered to arrange the carriage, Zhao Jia had already left the inner courtyard, supported by Cao Ying and Chunhua, and was about to get into the carriage.

Seeing Cao Yong, Zhao Jia rushed forward as if seeing a savior, and said in a crying voice: "Nephew, you are here. I am going to look for you. Someone is going to kill Xiaoer. You can't stand by." Don't care..."

Cao Yong hurriedly supported him, and said, "Don't be in a hurry..."

Zhao Jia said sharply: "How can I not be in a hurry? Not to mention the future, but also to be arrested and returned to Beijing? What kind of disaster did Xiao Er commit to suffer this crime?"

There are many maids and servants nearby, so it is not a place to talk, Cao Yong said: "Second Aunt, go in first and then talk..."

Zhao Jia still wanted to speak again, Cao Xiang persuaded in a low voice: "Didn't the old lady go to find the elder brother just now? Now that the elder brother is here, it is not short of these two sentences..."

Although Mrs. Zhao Jia knew that it was not good to say this in front of servants and maidservants, Cao Xiang blocked her words, smothered her anger in her heart, raised her eyebrows, and said: "Why? The fourth master is in charge, can I, my old lady Do you need the permission of the fourth master to speak? In your eyes, is there such an old woman? Your second brother has such a big accident, and your elder sister can't sit still. She wants to report back, but she doesn't see your heart Is it just what you want if the old lady dies with a bang?"

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Cao Xiang couldn't stand still when he said this, so he could only kneel down and say, "Old lady calm down..."

Cao Yong couldn't see it, and half-supported Zhao Jia's family to walk in, saying: "My nephew is taking a rest today, and my second aunt will tell me what's going on..."

Zhao Jiashi was about to talk to Cao Yong, but he didn't struggle, and said: "Your elder sister just came back and taught me that it was Xiaoer's chief soldier who was arrested, and she was arrested and brought back to Beijing for trial... She said she was catching bandits. I didn’t handle the errands well, if it’s another crime, I dare not just defend your second brother, but this one is my old woman in the inner house, and I know it’s wrong... Although Xiaoer doesn’t know how to cheat, but he is obedient, remember Your teachings. During the two years I was in Jiangning, I saw with my own eyes that no matter what the usual situation is, as long as there is official business, Xiaoer must do it carefully, lest there be any shortcomings, and the Cao family will lose face..."

On this point, Cao Yong never doubted.

But only such a crime will not hurt Cao Xiang.

"Second aunt, don't worry, since the emperor summoned the second brother back to Beijing, instead of directly convicting him, many things are still to be decided..." Cao Yong comforted him calmly.

His composure spread to Zhao Jiashi.

Zhao Jia's heart also lost the initial panic, hesitatingly said: "Really? Is it a false alarm? When Xiao Er arrives in Beijing, everything will be fine..." As he spoke, he was also a little undecided: " Could it be that Xiaoer really messed up sometimes? He is in Jiangning, he has many officialdom entertainments, and drinking and sex is inevitable here..."

Cao Yong said: "Second Aunt, don't worry too much, it's all personal virtue, it doesn't get in the way..."

Speaking of speaking, everyone has already returned to Zhao Jia's room.

Cao Ying just rescued Cao Xiang because of Cao Yong, and Cao Yong carried Zhao Jia's family back and lost respect. He was dissatisfied when he heard this. With regard to the construction of the dam, the floods in the south of the Yangtze River this year have drowned a lot of people, can the crime of the second brother be lightened?"

When Zhao Jia heard this, his face turned pale with shock and his body trembled.

Cao Yong looked at Cao Ying, his eyes were very dissatisfied.

Cao Ying was a little guilty, but she still said stubbornly: "I'm not lying, that's what Lier said when he came back... If it didn't matter too much, the fourth brother would not go directly to ask Brother Yong to make decisions... It is said that how many people in Jiangnan drowned?" Thousands of people, even the governor is in prison now, let alone the second brother..."

(End of this chapter)