Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 32

To the west of the city, Pingjun Wangfu, the main house in the inner courtyard.

With the sound of silver bell-like laughter, a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl came in, wearing a rose-red flag dress and a silver waistcoat, her face was flushed, she looked cute and cute.

Cao Jia sat up slightly, and said to the two concubines in front of her, "Hurry up and throw a handkerchief to wipe Ge Ge's hands."

The little girl's eyes were wide open, and she moved closer to Cao Jia's side: "Good sister-in-law, how do you know that Bao Ya came back from outside?"

Cao Jiashi pointed to the ground, Baoya lowered her head, only to find that there was half a grass on her shoe.

"Hmph! Make that Tana proud. Our people with the red flags are all useless. They can't even compare with a few Mongols. It's embarrassing to me!" Baoya pouted and said very dissatisfied.

Cao Jia said with a smile: "Is it just the inlaid red flag? Doesn't it mean that the people with the Zhenghuang flag also followed us to go horse racing?"

Bao Ya took the handkerchief handed over by the two concubines, and wiped her hands: "On weekdays, flying the three flags all day long, bragging about flying the three flags, isn't it all trash!"

"Mongols grew up on horseback, and their equestrian skills are naturally superb. How can these princes in Beijing be able to match them. If you challenge their strengths, how can you not lose?" Cao Jia said.

"What about the next archery match? What if we lose to the Mongols again?" Baoya frowned, distressed.

Cao Jia didn't know how to explain to this sister-in-law who likes to be competitive, so she changed the subject: "Why did you smile so happily just now?"

Listening to her sister-in-law's question, Baoya laughed again, and said with a smile: "Sister-in-law, you don't know, a funny thing happened at the gate of the house just now! That Nalan Chengping is so ridiculous, I don't know who was plotting against him , was shot with half a piece of horse dung in his mouth out of thin air!"

"Nalan Chengping, that nephew of the Prime Minister's Mansion?" Cao Jia shook her head, "That guy is too frivolous, he must have offended someone!"

Bao Ya nodded: "When I first entered the city, it seemed that I heard him molesting some female relatives. Her mouth was not clean, and eating a mouthful of horse manure would be considered an advantage to him."

The two aunts and sisters-in-law were chatting, Cao Jia's dowry maid Tingqin came in and reported back: "Fu Jin, I found out, it is indeed the uncle who came to Beijing and just arrived at the old house!"

Cao Jia couldn't help showing a smile on her face, while telling Tingqin to bring someone to invite her, she also ordered the servants in the mansion to prepare a first-class banquet.

Baoya heard this, and quickly asked: "Is it the brother that my sister-in-law kept talking about, the one who is two years older than Baoya?"

Cao Jiashi nodded yes, the face of a young boy floated in front of his eyes, he hadn't seen him for three years, so he didn't know what his younger brother looked like now.

*
Cao Mansion in Beijing, west courtyard.

Cao Yong took a hot bath comfortably to wash away the tiredness of the journey.After taking a shower and getting dressed, he asked Zijing to find out the gift that Cong Jiangning brought to her sister.Even if he was going to the Ma Mansion for a banquet in the evening, he still had to go to the Prince's Mansion first. Tomorrow, he had to go to the palace to carry out errands, so he would have time to talk about it.

Cao Yong asked the housekeeper, Cao Zhong, to choose two long-term attendants. In the future, there will inevitably be some work around him, such as carrying things and running errands.

Because everyone came to the capital for the first time and saw everything new, Cao Yong asked the housekeeper to pay the Wei brothers 50 taels of silver, and gave them half a day off to go out and wander around.He himself took Xiaoman and the two new elders to Pingjun Prince's Mansion to visit his sister.

As soon as he left the gate of Cao's mansion, Cao Yong saw a carriage coming in front of the door, and two of Cao Yan's dowry maids got out of the carriage to listen to the piano and taste paintings.

"It's true that the uncle has arrived, and the servants greet the uncle!" Tingqin and Pinhua smiled and bent down to say hello.

Cao Yong saw that the two were wearing flag outfits with gold and silver on their heads. They looked more beautiful than in previous years, and their conversations were not as shy as they were in Jiangning: "Why are you here? I'm going to visit Sister, I was wondering if I would be rude if I didn't send someone to say hello in advance."

Ting Qin said: "The girl has been talking about it for the past few days, and she sent people over every day to inquire about the news of the uncle. As soon as she got the letter, she sent her servants to welcome the uncle. If the girl is not inconvenient, I am afraid that she will come here in person!" Because it was a dowry brought by her natal family, although Cao Jia was called Fujin in the mansion, she was still called in the old days in front of Cao Yong.

Cao Yong nodded, not surprised. His sister seemed to have given birth to five or six sons in history, but now she only has two in her belly.The eldest son Fu Peng, who is about to turn one year old, should be the one who was brought up by Kangxi in the palace in history, and finally became the companion of Qianlong.

Cao Yong got on the horse, listened to the piano and played the book, got into the car, and a group of people went to Pingjun Wangfu.

Pingjun Wangfu is located in Shifuma Street, Xicheng, and was built in the Shunzhi period.As one of the eight founders of the country, Pingjun Wang was awarded by Taizu's second son, the first generation Prince Li Daishan.The first generation of the county king was Yuetuo, the eldest son of Daishan, and the great-grandfather of Naersu.When Naersu's father inherited the title, he was renamed the King of Pingjun by Kangxi, and the King's Mansion of Keqin County was also renamed the King's Mansion of Pingjun.

Although Cao Yong was in Beijing in his previous life, he is really not familiar with the authentic palace except Lama Temple.And the Lama Temple, as the place where two generations of emperors dived, became a royal Lama Temple, more like a temple.

In front of you are five gate houses with high polio tiles, three vermilion lacquer gates, the middle gate is closed tightly, only the west gate is slightly closed, it seems that it is often opened.

Several servants of the palace in front of the gate saw a young man riding a horse and following the carriage of the palace. They didn't know what to call them, but they saw two girls in charge of the mansion getting out of the carriage: "Hurry up and greet, it's Jiang Ning's uncle. coming!"

Jiang Ning, that's Fujin's natal family.Some of the servants were very courteous.Cao Yong got off his horse and signaled Xiaoman to offer a reward, and he followed Tingqin and Nongshu into the palace.

"Brothers, this is the wine money from my master. Brothers take time to drink a cup, it's good to relieve fatigue!" Xiaoman smiled and presented two ingots, and these servants flattered again.

Entering the gate, spare the shadow wall, walk along the west side of Yin'an Hall, listening to the piano and playing books, are hesitating whether to lead Cao Yong to the living room or the side hall: the living room is too solemn, and the side hall is afraid of neglect.

Cao Jiashi got the news and came out to meet him.She combed her hair twice, and was wearing a royal blue luxurious flag dress embroidered with red butterflies, but instead of the bottom of a flower-picking pot, she was wearing a pair of blue satin soft clapper shoes.Although the stomach is not visible, Cao Jia's figure is slightly plump than before marriage due to her childbirth, and her original oval face is more rounded.

Seeing his younger brother, before he could speak, Cao Jia's eyes were already red.

Cao Yong's heart softened, and he saluted: "Sister!"

The women behind Cao Jia’s family looked a little strange, and this title was a bit incompatible with etiquette. You must know that masters and slaves are different. No matter how prominent, it is just a royal coat, a status of a slave.It's just that there are no other elders in the palace, and the affairs of the inner house are all decided by Cao Jia, who dares to speak at this time?

"Well!" After Cao Jia nodded in response, she looked at Cao Yong: "He is much taller, he is actually an adult!" As he said, he took Cao Yong's hand and asked Jiang Ning's parents carefully as he walked in. Case.

Although Cao Yong is a young man with a weak crown, but after all, he is too old to enter the second school.Therefore, Cao Jiashi took his younger brother to the tea room next to the Wangfu study to talk.

The presents Cao Yong brought were not heavy, and they were brought in by the listeners and Nongshu who followed.

The maid left after serving tea, leaving only the sister and brother in the room.Cao Jiashi saw that one of the gifts brought by her younger brother was particularly gorgeous, so she couldn't help but opened it.Inside is a string of pearl wrist strings, the pearls are the size of the cap of a little finger, the most rare thing is that a string of eighteen beads looks the same, they are all top grade.In recent years, not only has the quantity of eastern pearls used by the imperial court decreased, but even the supply of southern pearls has not been as sufficient as in the past. Therefore, good pearls on the market are hard to come by.Such a string of beads can at least be worth several thousand taels of silver.She frowned slightly: "They are all from my own family, why bother to take these, it's too wasteful!"

Cao Yong smiled: "Sister, don't be upset, these are the same as the 'Tieguanyin' and 'Longjing', not bought from outside."

"Ah!" Cao Jia exhaled softly, looked at the door, and asked in a low voice: "Our family is engaged in pearl picking, like the tea leaves, is it my younger brother's idea?"

Cao Yong replied: "Yeah!" He picked up the teacup and took two sips.
Cao Jia's expression was slightly sentimental: "No wonder people in the world value sons over daughters. A man is indeed more useful than a daughter."

"Sister said what to do, it's just to help the family pay off. After all, my father is old. It's not good if he hurts his mind because of these trivial things!" Cao Yong put down his teacup and comforted him.

Cao Jia frowned: "Ever since there was an incident last year when the household department checked the deficit, I followed Xuanxin. A few years ago, when the family greeted you, I only felt that it was lively and grand. Now the director of the family knows that it is all piled up with gold and silver. It was lively. Fortunately, my father wrote in a letter and mentioned that the family acquired several tea gardens in the early years, added income, and began to pay back the deficit.”

Cao Yong pointed to the bead string: "This will also make some money in the next year or two, and with the previous few tea gardens, it should be almost the same in three to five years!"

Cao Jia breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good. Since last year, my father has also served as the Liangjiang Salt Envoy. I am afraid that it is also the grace given by the Long Live Lord for our family's deficit, so that we can use the tax money withheld by the Yanke to pay off the debt. But after all, it is not What a legitimate way, if someone makes a fuss, it will be dirty. Fortunately, there are other incomes, so my father doesn't have to choose that next strategy."

Cao Yong nodded. It is really not a good way to make up for the deficit with the salt tax. It seems that because of that in history, the debts of the Cao family were not paid off until the Yongzheng Dynasty.

Seeing Cao Yong pondering, Cao Jia realized something: "No wonder your father sent you to Qingliang Temple to observe filial piety. Now I understand his old man's intention!"

Cao Yong looked at his sister, puzzled.

Cao Jia smiled and replied: "Although my younger brother used to be well-mannered, he was always alienated, and facing his close relatives was no exception. There was also a bit of arrogance in the alienation. Now, it is like a sword in its sheath, with all its sharpness completely restrained, leaving only gentleness. Confucianism, could it be because of the boundlessness of Buddhism."

Seeing that her sister was joking, Cao Yong ignored her, but agreed with her somewhat in her heart.When he accidentally looked in the mirror, Cao Yong also found that he had changed in the past two years. He looked like a good gentleman no matter how he looked.God knows, he has a bad stomach, but he has no chance to show it for the time being.

(End of this chapter)