Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 348 Visiting the Golden Gate Without a Trace
On the ninth day of October, tributes from all over the world participated in the palace examination in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony; on the 140th, Emperor Kangxi drove back to the palace from Changchun Garden; There is a difference between Jinshi and Di's background.

On October [-]th, under the imperial edict, Zhang Tingshu, Shangshu of the Ministry of Justice, was the official examiner of the martial arts examination; Zhan Shi Wang Yiqing, the young minister of Zhan Shifu, was the deputy examiner, and the martial arts examination kicked off today.

Cao Yong got the news in the yamen. After finishing his job, he didn't return to the mansion. He sent a message to his family to go to Yongqing mansion by himself.

The exam period is approaching, but Yongqing's complexion is good, he looks full of confidence, and even Cao Yong is a bit excited.

Although it is Enke from Kangxi Jiazi Wanshoujia, the candidates are also military candidates from various provinces, and the competition is not much less intense than in previous years.

Yongqing is the eldest grandson of the Earl's Mansion, and he also entered the school at a young age, so there is no problem with this strategy.For him, the rest of foot shooting and riding shooting are even more of a problem.As long as the performance is normal at that time, a fame cannot escape.

Although Yongqing was very strong since he was a child, he was doted on by his grandfather a lot. This is the first time that he has earned fame with his real ability.Talking with Cao Yong, excited with a bit of anticipation.

Cao Yong's hands were itchy, and he followed Yongqing to shoot a few arrows in the yard. Accuracy was necessary, but the target was only three points.Yongqing couldn't help laughing at him, but he just responded with a smile.If it is really shooting and hunting live animals, it may not be possible to do it with Cao Yong's ostentation.

Because Cao Yong was not an outsider when it was time to eat, Yongqing left him to eat here.Qi Jiashi ordered the kitchen to prepare some delicious side dishes, and arranged for the two brothers to have wine in the front yard.

Cao Yong and Yongqing had only eaten two chopsticks, and they saw Qijin trotting over, saying that someone from Cao's mansion came to look for Cao Yong.

Cao Yong put down his chopsticks, frowned and said: "Which one is here, and it won't make people feel safe after a meal?"

It was Wu Mao, the steward of Cao's mansion, who came in and told him, "Master, the housekeeper of the Li family is here to ask you for something important! Right now, wait in the mansion."

Cao Yong counted the days in his heart, since the [-]th, it has been five days, it seems that it is almost the same.

Because he wanted to go back home, he had no choice but to get up, and said with some apology: "Brother Shanyu, there is something at home, so I can only say goodbye today!"

Yongqing smiled heartily, got up and said: "Our brothers, how can we be so particular? Since there is something in the mansion, you should go back quickly!"

Cao Yong did not delay. He said goodbye to Yongqing and returned to the mansion with his long followers.

Yongqing stood outside the gate, watching Cao Yong go away, thinking in his heart, the Li family should be Xiao Cao's uncle's family.Cao Yong, as the eldest son of the Cao family, a bunch of cousins ​​and sisters below need to take care of him, even the cousins ​​among the relatives have to take care of him, which is really exhausting.

*
It was Qian Zhongying, the housekeeper of Li's house, who came to Cao's house to ask to see Cao Yong, accompanied by Cao Fang, waiting in the side hall.

Seeing Cao Yong coming back, Qian Zhongshui immediately got up from his seat, and without paying attention to Cao Yong, he said in a crying voice: "Young Master Biao...Young Master Biao...my second master is gone..."

Cao Yong was confused when he heard this, frowned, and asked: "It's gone, what's gone?"

Qian Zhongshui calmed down, and replied to Cao Yong: "On the eighth day of the lunar new year, my second master was on duty in the afternoon. He was fine before leaving the mansion, and he didn't say where he was going. At night, he didn't return to the mansion. Mr. The slave thought that the second master was resting in the house by Haizi, so he didn't take it to heart. When he got there, the guard sent someone to ask him. He said that the second master had been absent for three days. The adults above said that he wanted to ask him What a crime! This old slave saved the second master from being on errand. When I went to the house by Haizi and asked, he said that the second master had indeed gone to rest on the eighth day of the day. Urgent matter, please go back, Second Master!... The old slave took the boys and searched in and out of the city for two days, but still couldn't find it..."

Cao Yong patted his forehead, and asked Qian Zhongshui: "This... Could it be that uncle has an urgent letter? Where is the boy who followed, and he is gone too?"

Qian Zhongxuan nodded and said: "Returning to Young Master Biao, this old slave asked Shen Liu in the house over there, Second Master took two boys out with him, and these two boys are not seen now."

Cao Yong didn't know what to say, he listed several relatives in Beijing, but Qian Zhongshui had already run away.

How can such a good living person, who also works as a guard at the same time, be gone?
When Cao Yong followed Qian Zhongfeng to Li's house to inquire about the details, Fu Nai, Jiang Zhuo, and Sun Jue had all arrived.

Fu Nai's face was a bit ugly, Li Ding and Miss Fucha's wedding date was set on October 28th, and now there are only a few days left, but such an accident happened.

At the foot of the Son of Heaven, the land of the most benevolent, can a living person go to the sky and enter the earth?Thinking that the Li family had resigned from the Dong E family, Fu Nai's heart became more and more angry.

Although Cao Yin and his wife were the matchmakers who finally came to propose marriage in this marriage, but in fact it was Fu Nai who was involved.Now, the wedding date is approaching, and the groom has disappeared. How can I ask my niece to behave?Where do they put the face of the Fucha family?
Both Jiang Zhuo and Sun Jue are literati, so what ideas can they have.The thoughts of the two were similar, they both wondered if Li Ding got the news from the south and went back to Suzhou.I heard that Li Xu's wife and Li Ding's aunt Han Shi have not been in good health for the past two years.

But according to what the housekeeper said, he came out from the Shichahai mansion in the middle of the night, and the city gate was closed. Could it be that he left Beijing through Xizhimen just before Weizheng (two o'clock in the morning)?
Missing with Li Ding, there is also a long entourage and a personal servant.The boy's father, Guo Mao, is the head of the house. Although he is worried about his master, he is really concerned about his son. He doesn't care about what to say, and said: "Masters, isn't the little grandma living over there?" What kind of decent person, wouldn't he seduce outsiders and plot against our second master?"

This was the first time everyone heard of this, and they all looked at Guo Mao curiously.

The big housekeeper, Qian Zhongshen, glared at Guo Mao, and shouted: "What are you talking about? Is there someone like you who curses the master, why don't you go down!"

But Fu Nai stretched out his hand, and said to Qian Zhongshui: "Don't stop him, let him finish!" Then he asked Guo Mao, "What little grandma are you talking about, but she lives in Shichahai?"

Guo Mao nodded and said: "Isn't it her? I heard from my son that this grandma is not a decent woman..." He hesitated for a while, and said, "Yes, a few days ago... I have accompanied a foreigner..."

This is an adulterous affair, everyone looked at me and I looked at you, and they didn't make up their minds for a while.

Of these four people, Cao Yong is a cousin of the Li family, Jiang Zhuo is a blood relative, and Sun Jue and Fu Nai are relatives by marriage.Up to now, we can't let it go, but if we continue to investigate, it will involve the Li family's privacy.

Because Fu Nai was the longest among the crowd, everyone looked at him.

Because Fu Nai was thinking about his niece's marriage, he wanted to find out what happened, where could he let it go?Everyone rode their horses and went to Li's house in Shichahai.

After half an hour, everyone arrived at Shichahai.After hearing what Guo Mao said, Qian Zhongshen was also a little suspicious of Yang Shi, and sent someone to send a message to the inner house, asking Yang Shi to come out.

Others have never been to the outer house here, but Cao Yong has.Such an elegantly tidied up place is where Li Ding used to socialize with dignitaries, so it is not uncommon for him to raise two beauties.

After a while, Cao Yong was surprised to see a young woman approaching.

It wasn't Yang Ruixue who came, she had a smile on her face.She didn't believe the nonsense of "Second Master is gone", and got up from her in the middle of the night, not because she was thinking about the newcomers in Li's house.

In the past six months, Yang Ruixue has also inquired about the affairs of Li's house, knowing that now grandma has not entered the house, and there is a housekeeper favored by Li Ding in the second door.

However, at the moment when she saw Cao Yong, Yang Ruixue's smile froze, she lowered her head to congratulate everyone, and said softly: "I have met you all!"

Seeing that Cao Yong's expression was not right, Sun Jue asked, "Fu Ruo, do you know her?"

In a word, everyone looked to Cao Yong.

Cao Yong nodded, and said to Yang Ruixue: "Mrs. Bai, why are you here? Could it be... Madam said that the cousin in Beijing is the cousin here?"

Although Wei Hei found out that Li Ding was raising a woman in the house here, Cao Yong didn't expect that this was an old friend.

Yang Ruixue's face was flushed red, she couldn't tell whether it was from embarrassment or annoyance, and she nodded after a while.

My niece hasn't passed the family yet, and this Li Ding has already taken care of an outsider. Doesn't Fucha's family have any men?Fu Nai's face was terribly dark, and he asked Cao Yong in a deep voice, "Fu Ruo, who is this woman? How do you know her?"

Cao Yong didn't know how to answer. He wanted to say that his sister and sister were friends in the past, but seeing Yang Ruixue's behavior at this time would only damage their reputation.After thinking for a while, he replied: "She is from Jiangning, and my nephew had seen her before he went to Beijing to work!"

Although Cao Yong picked out his elder sister and younger sister, he heard that Yang Ruixue was annoyed.

She raised her head, looked at Cao Yong, and said with a bit of anger: "Master Cao is so ruthless, so clean! Why don't you mention my poor sister? My brother and sister have worked for your Cao family for many years. The ancestral pearl recipe was also sold by Master Cao for money, so you can’t even mention it?”

Cao Yong listened to her gossip, feeling really tired, frowned and said: "Mrs. Bai, please be careful! Your father never recognized any children before he was alive, but he doesn't know where these names of brother and sister come from? Although your natal family is Leaving a small fortune, but it is not rare for everyone. Whether Zheng Hu is your father's wife or son, you should know very well. Miss Zheng is now engaged, and your nonsense is really hindering her innocence."

What she said made Yang Ruixue blush.After her father died that year, her husband Bai Ruixi was on guard against Zheng Hu, fearing that he would take advantage of the power of the Cao family to rob the family property, so he took the opportunity to actively associate with Li Ding.

Unexpectedly, this was only a year's work, the husband and wife were two, the dead were dead, and the living was not like a person.

Is this the "self-inflicted evil, not to live"?The father worked so hard to save some of the family property, and the husband turned against his father-in-law and uncle in order to monopolize the family property, but now Li Ding has taken advantage of it.

So what if you have money, without power, how can you keep it?
There are many allusions to what the two said, inside and outside, and everyone was amazed after hearing it.

Yang Ruixue thought of the past, felt a little disheartened, impatient with the crowd, bent down, and backed out.

Everyone looked at Cao Yong, Cao Yong smiled wryly, and briefly said the fate of the Zheng brothers and sisters in a few words.Abandoning their wives and sons is really catching up with the script. Jiang Zhuo and Sun Jue, two self-proclaimed moral gentlemen, couldn't help sighing a few more times, "People's hearts are not ancient."

Although they met Yang Ruixue, there was no progress in finding Li Ding.

I have searched all the places Li Ding can go in Beijing.Everyone also asked the porter of the house here, although there were foreigners in the inner courtyard, they were brought back by Li Ding.Although I have been here several times, every time it is Li Ding who sends the letter first.

Although Mrs. Yang has been out of the family, every time she is followed by her mother-in-law and maidservants, there is nothing unusual about it.

After discussing it for a while, everyone still felt that it was more likely that Li Ding would leave Beijing.After all, the Li residence in the capital is all servants, and there are no other masters. If Li Ding is really in a hurry to go south, he may go out of the city directly.

Now, what everyone can do is to send a letter to the south to verify the news, besides pleading for leave at the guard's office.

Others have been busy for half a day, but they don't feel anything, only Fu Nai feels a little unlucky.The wedding date of the two families was set urgently, because they were afraid of catching up with the national funeral of the old concubine in the palace.Now, the national funeral has not yet come, but is it going to catch up with the Li family's filial piety?

This national funeral is okay, at most it will only last forty-nine days; if Li Ding's aunt dies of illness, Li Ding will have to observe filial piety for three years.What about getting married at the end of that month?
Everyone left the yard and dispersed separately.Cao Yong rode on the horse and returned to Cao's mansion with his entourage.

His expression was indifferent, and he couldn't tell whether he was sad or happy.Cao Yong didn't know the condition of Li Xu's wife, but he knew that Li Ding had...

*
(End of this chapter)