Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 147 Tonic
November 23 is the 24th birthday of Da Gege in Prince Chun's Mansion.Because the seventh elder brother went to visit the mausoleum with Shengjia, although Chunwangfu had a birthday wine for Da Gege, it was not easy for Cao Yong to come to the house, and the wedding banquet for the daughter of the Cao family had to be held until the [-]th, so Cao Yong also Unable to get away, he just asked Zijing to prepare a backup gift and send it.

Zijing thought about drawing up a gift list, which was nothing more than clothes, embroidered jewelry, rouge, etc., and brought it to Cao Yong for a look.

Cao Yong said: "Look, there are other elegant and interesting hanging decorations, add a few."

Zijing smiled and said: "I remember when I gave gifts to Prince Chun's mansion in the middle of the year, I heard from our eldest girl that Gege loved the lotus-like decorations. I just remembered, didn't I get a double agate cup before, and it was also in that pattern." , add it!"

Huan'er came in with a cup of tonic soup, just put down the tea tray, when she heard this, she couldn't help laughing and said: "I added a hanging decoration, I'm afraid I will move it back in a few days."

Zhu'er pushed her and said, "It's not big or small." Saying that, she took the covered cup and put it in front of Cao Yong.

Cao Yong took the lid cup and drank a little, then said to Zijing: "Next time, stew less, I really can't drink it!"

In the last half month, Zijing began to order the kitchen to make a cup of nourishing soup for Cao Yong every morning and evening. Cao Yong guessed that Zijing saw her busy with work to help him nourish his body. It's not a bad thing to be stronger, and he also knows that winter is a good time to nourish himself, and the stewed soup is delicious, so he eats it as a snack after dinner.

Amethyst smiled and agreed, and then went down to add a gift for Da Gege without mentioning it.

*
When Cao Yi returned home, the wedding banquet in the Cao Mansion was considered to be over.

Because when Cao Yong came back from the south, Cao Quan and Zhao Jia had brought Cao Song a family letter, asking his son to return to the south this year for the New Year.Although Madam Zhang was not under control in the capital this year, she was not as comfortable as she was in Nanmianfu. She wished to go back to Jiangning as soon as possible, so she packed her luggage early, thinking that she would leave after Cao Yi came out of the cabinet.

Cao Song didn't want to go back. Although he missed his parents, there was still his brother's marriage here.Now that Cao Yi is out of the cabinet again, should he let his elder brother handle the wedding by himself?

Nanny Zhang still wanted to take Cao Song's parents' order to persuade her again, but Cao Song stared back with a blank stare.

From November 25th, Cao Yong began to work in the household department every day.Because at the end of the year, all departments have collected the accounts of their provinces, and everyone is very busy.

The Fujian Division has more than [-] people in charge, but after all, there are too many errands in charge, and the manpower cannot be allocated.Although Cao Yong, Yuanwailang, is a deputy chief officer, he has no direct errands under his name, and there is nothing to check, so he seems relatively leisurely.

Some principals and pen sticking styles are already very familiar with Cao Yong in private, but in the yamen, as a subordinate, how can there be any reason to bother the superior?Therefore, everyone looked at Xian Xian with envious eyes, and they could only secretly envy her.

During the past two months when Cao Yong entered Fujian Division, doctor Li Qichang was also observing Cao Yong.He has been in the household department for more than 47 years, starting from a pen and sticky style, and he was promoted steadily based on his political achievements.Although he usually only knows how to work hard and seldom pays attention to the current affairs of the government, but he also knows that since the [-]th year of Kangxi when the household department was short-lived, the Cao family in Jiangnan has become a large debtor of the household department, and the Cao family has a wealth of money. Here are some of the most profitable tea yards in the world, and the annual income is tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands.

At first, Li Qichang only regarded Cao Yong as an ordinary rich and powerful son, and he came to the household department as an errand but took advantage of the lack of many people here, so he came to get some seniority.In the company, there are those who are jealous of Cao Yong's background, and some people remind Li Qichang to beware of Cao Yong. Who can guarantee that he will not replace him.

Li Qichang just laughed it off, the noble sons of Banner Quan, who had a seniority in the Six Departments, have been sent out to be officials, how many of them can be the head of the First Department?After all, it is a yamen, and someone has to work hard, so how can we expect those dudes?

Cao Yong's principle of being a man has always been to respect the elders, and he respects the boss who is only one level higher than himself.As time went by, Li Qichang no longer regarded Cao Yong as a son of a powerful man, and sometimes he enthusiastically helped him understand the affairs of the department.

Now, everyone is busy, but the chief who also collects the salaries of the Dongxiling, Rehe, and Miyun garrisons has asked for sick leave due to a cold.Others perform their duties, where can there be free manpower?
Li Qichang pondered for a moment, then asked Cao Yong to accept the job of inspecting and paying.Cao Yong also knew all about the process of the secretary's errands before, immediately entered the role, took two pens to check the accounts, and did not return to the house until it was dark.

After a day of exhaustion, Cao Yong finished his dinner and went to bed early. When he woke up in the middle of the night, he felt hot and hot all over his body.

Cao Yong touched his forehead and his whole body. He didn't have a fever, and he didn't seem to be sick, but he just felt uncomfortably hot all over for some reason.He got up and poured herbal tea on the ground, drank two cups in a row before he felt refreshed, and fell asleep again when he went back groggy.

When he woke up the next morning, Cao Yong felt his mouth was dry and his throat was about to smoke. He thought it was because the kang was too hot and the room was dry.

Cao Yong got up and put on his clothes, drank two sips of water to moisten his throat, and when he saw Zijing brought someone in to wait for her to wash up, he said to her: "The kang is too hot, and the house is too dry. Next time, stay in the house at night." Put two basins of cold water on the ground."

Just as I was talking, I felt a heat in my nasal cavity, and liquid flowed out.Cao Yong thought it was a cold and runny nose, which was quite embarrassing, but he felt that something was wrong with the hot and sticky stuff. In a blink of an eye, it had already fallen on the front of his front, scarlet, which turned out to be a nosebleed.

Several maidservants rushed over with thin silk paper. Cao Yong raised his head and stuffed his nose with the paper, and poured some cold water on his forehead. It took a long time to stop the bleeding.

Zijing hurriedly said: "Do you want to ask the doctor to take a look?"

Cao Yong waved his hand and said: "No need, the house is dry in winter, and nosebleeds are easy to occur. It's not a big deal."

After washing and washing, Chai'er Cui'er brought the kang table over and put food on it. Cao Yong opened the cup of tonic soup and saw ginseng and goji berry again, so he realized what was going on and shook his head: "This tonic soup can't be done. Drink it, make up for it!"

Zijing was very apologetic: "This tonic soup is according to the rules... Should I invite Imperial Physician Chen to diagnose the pulse of the uncle?"

Cao Yong shook his head and said: "Don't, it's strangely cold, I'm not sick, why bother the old doctor!" Speaking of this, I remembered something: "Two days ago, Cheng Mengxing brought a gift, but he didn't seem to see him eating. The family is busy and I can't take care of toasting him. Today he is coming to look at the garden, you help him stay and have a banquet for him tonight. If he doesn't come today, send a post to his house and invite him to drink tomorrow .”

Zijing agreed, and said: "The yard is almost finished, and Mr. Cheng has come to watch it every day these days. I think I can come today."

*
Although Cao Yong wanted to invite Cheng Mengxing to dinner, Cheng Mengxing was unable to come to Cao's mansion that day because of something.When the Cao Mansion sent someone to deliver the post to the door, the concierge of the Cheng Mansion accepted the post, saying that the master had gone out and came back to pass on the message.

Cheng Mengxing was invited to drink by Hu Jiren.

When Hu Jiren donated his official position, he borrowed 1 taels of silver from Cheng Mengxing. Recently, his family sent the silver to him, but he was too busy with the ministry and was urged by his uncle. , rushed to return the money with the IOU first, and invited Cheng Mengxing to drink to thank him.

The two sat in the private room of Binyueju, ordered a few signature dishes and had a drink.

Hu Jiren has been extremely depressed for the past few months. He has a lot of work and his boss is strict. Recently, he is so tired that he is dying.What was even more uncomfortable was that he found out that the eldest son of the Cao family, who kicked his ribs black for several days in September, had been transferred to the household department as an errand!
Last month, Hu Jiren heard that Zijing was the girl in charge of Cao's house, so he really went to Cao's house to find someone with the idea of ​​trying his luck.Seeing that Zijing was still dressed as a concubine, he couldn't help thinking about it, thinking that if he could accept her as a concubine, he would be considered as a member of the Cao family, and he would be able to reap some benefits; A concubine never loses money.

Hu Jiren felt that accepting Zijing as the second wife was out of good intentions, and he was a [-]% compliment to her.Although she was born in an official, she has been reduced to a slave after all, what extravagant hope can she have?Originally thought that if I mentioned it, she would happily follow him, but Zijing glared at him mockingly, and refused.

Hu Jiren was upset, and then he stopped Cao Yong and wanted to redeem Amethyst.After being beaten by Cao Yong, he was still full of hatred and suspected that Amethyst and Cao Yong had selfishness. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that it was "the hatred of taking his wife" and "a great shame", so he talked about revenge sooner or later.

Within half a month, Hu Jiren saw Cao Yong in the yamen courtyard of the household department, and he was still wearing a fifth-rank official uniform, which was one level higher than himself.He hurriedly asked people, only to know that Cao Yong had become Yuanwailang of the Fujian Division.On the one hand, he was jealous and resentful, but on the other hand, he was glad that he was in Shandong Division.If it is in the Fujian Division, isn't the principal offender in the hands of Cao Yong, where is there any good fruit to eat?

While drinking wine, Hu Jiren talked about some annoyances about the ministry's errands, let off steam for a while in the officialdom, and then moved to the love scene, couldn't help but brought up the Amethyst thing with Cheng Mengxing again.He didn't mention anything about himself, but only said that Zijing was ruthless and Cao's mansion was ruthless.

Cheng Mengxing was confused, so he couldn't help asking him: "When you asked me that day, you mentioned this relative. I don't understand, what kind of relative is it, and why did it end up in Cao's house?"

Hu Jiren snorted twice: "It turned out to be my aunt's daughter, who was engaged in a small engagement, and then her house was ransacked, so the news was cut off!" As he spoke, he was a little annoyed, and annoyed: "Cousin, you said she knew her What status is she now? I have done my utmost to promote her as the second wife, and she is still putting on airs with me! Do you think she is still an official lady?"

Cheng Mengxing frowned, he couldn't tell that Hu Jiren was right.Since we have a long-standing marriage contract, we shouldn’t break our promises and marry another; because we have lost the news and can’t get in touch, it’s a helpless move to marry another, so we should treat him politely for the sake of our own cousin, so what can I say? Concubinage and all that shit.

Although he didn't have much contact with Zijing, Cheng Mengxing had a good impression of her.Hu Jiren kept his promise, and he is still unmarried. Zijing is condescending to be his first wife, not to mention giving him a second wife is like giving alms.Don't say Miss Zijing is angry, even an outsider like him can't see it.

After all, it's a family matter, so Cheng Mengxing didn't want to say much, so he just changed the topic calmly.Hu Jiren, on the other hand, returned to the topic of Amethyst, became more and more cursing, the words were unbearable, and then pulled Cheng Mengxing's sleeve, saying that sooner or later he would take revenge on Cao Yong.

Cheng Mengxing pulled his sleeves and said coldly: "I don't know, do you know what your identity is now?"

Hu Jiren's eyes widened: "Cousin, what do you mean?!"

Cheng Mengxing persuaded: "You should be safe and sound, the eldest son of the Cao family is not something you can afford! And that Zijing girl is a good girl, be respectful, don't humiliate her."

Hu Jiren looked at Cheng Mengxing for a while, then suddenly grinned, raised his hand to drink a glass of wine, then threw the glass to the ground, pointed at Cheng Mengxing and said, "Cousin is a person who loves fragrance and cherishes jade! By the way, I forgot, cousin Recently, I have been in and out of the Cao Mansion, could it be that I have taken a fancy to Zijing?"

Cheng Mengxing frowned and said, "I'm just speaking to be fair. I'm also advising you, don't be foolish, otherwise, the Hu family won't be able to protect you."

Hu Jiren drank a lot of wine, but he was not confused. He knew the power of the Cao family, but now his mouth was still stiff, and he snarled a few words.

Cheng Mengxing didn't bother to talk to him anymore, stood up and brushed off his clothes, said "Farewell" and walked out.

Although Hu Jiren has many friends in Beijing, he can't find anyone like Cheng Mengxing who is willing to borrow money readily. Although his uncle is in Beijing, he is a poor scholar. Offended Cheng Mengxing.Hu Jiren hurriedly stood up, pulled Cheng Mengxing and said: "I'm drunk, my mouth is full of nonsense, cousin, don't blame me, drink, drink..."

Cheng Mengxing said: "Let's do it another day!" Saying that, he went downstairs without touching the ground.

Hu Jiren hurriedly chased after him, shouting: "Cousin, you are just complaining, are you going to be angry because of an outsider and your own relatives?"
-
Ding jingle, the countdown to Xiao Cao's wedding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(End of this chapter)