Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 42 Gifts
On March 48th in the 25th year of Kangxi, Cao Yong finished his six-day rest and began to go to the palace to be on duty again.

In this class, the eight guards of Cao Yong are on duty at the Taihe Gate, and the time is from the beginning of noon to the beginning of Shen every day (from [-]:[-] am to [-]:[-] pm).Everyone only met once or twice, but because of the friendship at the wine table that day, Cao Yong and his colleagues also got along very well.

Although it has been down for a while, there are still a lot of officials in the Taihe Gate, and everyone can't be as casual as guarding the small gate inside.Two hours, four hours, and it was noon again. Although the weather was not hot, the sun was shining brightly.

When Shen Shi was approaching, a seventeen or eighteen-year-old eunuch trotted over: "Can Cao Yong, the third-class bodyguard, be on duty here?"

Everyone looked at Cao Yong, and Cao Yong stepped forward and replied: "I am Cao Yong, is your father-in-law looking for me?"

The little eunuch looked at Cao Yong, and said: "Long live Lord summoned, the chief executive is waiting at the bodyguard, Cao bodyguard should go there quickly with the servant!"

Cao Yong glanced at De Tehei, saw him nodding, and then followed the little eunuch and headed towards the left door in the north.

In no one's place, Cao Yong took out a piece of jade the size of a thumb from his purse, and stuffed it into the eunuch's hand: "What do you call my father-in-law, please trouble me to pass on the message, this is Cao Yong's wish."

The eunuch was a little flattered, and hurriedly replied: "Slave Wei Zhu, who works in Qianqing Palace, thank Cao's bodyguards for their generous gifts. It seems that Long Live Lord ordered Cao's bodyguards to be summoned after hearing the news from elder brother's office."

After passing through two middle gates, Cao Yong followed Wei Zhu to Qianqingmen Square.The guard's office is in the connecting room on the west side of the square.When Cao Yong arrived, Liang Jiugong, the chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, was talking with the Minister of Internal Affairs on duty.He has been to Jiangning with Shengjia many times, and he has been to Cao's family to pass the decree a few years ago, so Cao Yong knew the chief eunuch.

"Cao Yong, the third-class bodyguard of the humble rank, has seen two adults!" Cao Yong calmly saluted.

The minister looked at Cao Yong, smiled and nodded: "It's a bit of a skill to be able to defeat Detehei, and it doesn't hurt your father's reputation."

Liang Jiugong stood up: "In a blink of an eye, you are so old. The last time I saw you, you were still a child. Come with our house quickly, and the Lord Long Live is summoning you in the South Study Room."

"Yes!" Cao Yong bowed his head and followed behind Liang Jiugong.

"You have seen Shengjia before, so you don't need to ask more. It's just that there are many people in the palace. If there is any overstepping, you will lose your tongue. You should pay attention!" Liang Jiugong is in his 40s and has no airs. Yong taught in the tone of an elder.

"Thank you, Director Liang, for the point, Cao Yong wrote it down!" Cao Yong replied.

Cao Yong did not discriminate against eunuchs, a unique product of this ancient class society.

There are many misunderstandings in the world, thinking that after a man is castrated and becomes a eunuch, he is neither male nor female.Cao Yong doesn't think so, it's just that the secretion of male hormones is less, and the masculine characteristics stop developing or gradually disappear. Could it be that he is no longer a man.Sima Qian, who wrote "The Swan Song of Historians, Li Sao Without Rhyme" after being castrated, and Zheng He, who sailed to the West with his fleet, are all worthy of the admiration of later generations.

Qianqing Palace, South Study Room.

Emperor Kangxi sat cross-legged on the kang, holding the homework of several princes and grandchildren in his hands, and he would comment on the completed ones.At this time, he is more like a kind father.Hearing that Liang Jiugong said that Cao Yong had arrived and was waiting outside the door, he put down the pen in his hand and said, "Biography!"

Liang Jiugong raised his voice: "Chuan, the third-class bodyguard Cao Yong will meet you!"

There was another eunuch at the door of the study and said: "Chuan, the third-class guard Cao Yong will see you!"

The little eunuch at the door opened the curtain, Cao Yong bowed his head and walked in, first there was a screen, behind the screen were a few chairs, and there was a door on the right hand, two little eunuchs stood by the door, it seemed that that was the place where the emperor summoned.

Entering the right room, Cao Yong flicked his sleeves in front of the threshold and knelt down: "Slave Cao Yong has seen Long Live, Long Live, Long Live, Long Live!"

Kangxi couldn't help laughing and said: "I asked you to talk, go forward and answer!"

"Cha!" Cao Yong responded, got up and took a few steps forward.

"Your father said in February that he would send you to Beijing as an errand, and I asked about it a few days ago. I remember that you are younger than elder brother fifteen, is this year sixteen or fifteen?" Kangxi asked.

"If you go back to the Long Live God, the slave is sixteen years old, and he is 14 years old and nine months old!" Cao Yong replied respectfully.It would be a lie to say that you are not nervous, the person in front of you holds the power of life and death.

Kangxi nodded: "It's really difficult for you to come to Beijing as an errand at such a young age! I heard that you kept filial piety for your grandmother in the temple two years ago, and your heart is commendable. It's not in vain that the old lady has loved you all these years!" I don't know what Kangxi is Thinking of the deceased nanny Cao Sun, she still sighed that she did not have such filial children and grandchildren, and was a little silent for a while.

I don't know if this is a compliment, Kangxi didn't ask questions, Cao Yong couldn't interrupt, and the atmosphere in the room was a bit cold for a while.

After a while, Kangxi said again: "I heard that you gave a gift to Elder Brother." Speaking of this, his voice became sharp: "Well, how could I think of giving a gift to Thirteenth Elder Brother? Oil!"

"Going back to Lord Long Live, I have suffered from hardships when I was young. If the fourth elder brother and the thirteenth elder brother did not help me, I am afraid that my life would have been lost long ago. I will always remember this kindness." Cao Yongzao Prepared and not intimidated by Kangxi's voice.

Although it was a long time ago, Kangxi still remembered: "Since you remember the great kindness of the fourth elder brother and the thirteenth elder brother, why didn't you go to the fourth elder brother's house to say hello after entering Beijing?"

Cao Yong sighed secretly in his heart, it's amazing, he asked someone to give a gift to elder brother, but it was just yesterday, and today Kangxi has found out his whereabouts in the past few days: "If you go back to the Lord Long Live, even though the slave has entered the palace as a You are worthy, but you dare not act casually. There is an order from the imperial court that foreign ministers are not allowed to make friends with the prince. This slave has the heart to go to the fourth elder brother's house to pay his respects, but he is afraid that his father will be implicated, so he dare not go."

Kangxi said thoughtfully: "It's good to know that it's good to be cautious, but you don't have to be too rigid. It doesn't matter if you are asked to comment on calligraphy, or you are asked to talk about business. It doesn't matter if you go. If there is anything new, I will tell you next time." I listen!"

"The slave complies with the order!" Cao Yong finally waited for this sentence, and responded happily, and at the same time mourned for several princes.Just those little actions and careful thinking of those few people, I'm afraid they didn't hide the slightest bit from this Long Live Lord.

Kangxi picked up a palm-sized porcelain vase from the small table on the kang: "It is stated in your gift list to Shisan that this substance can cure rheumatism, does it really have this effect?

Cao Yong replied: "This thing is snake oil essence, which is refined from Fujian mountain snake snake oil. It was originally an earthen prescription for dehumidification. The slave's father has rheumatism, and the effect of using this thing is good. This time, the slave I brought two bottles and wanted to give them to the elders of my relatives. Unexpectedly, I accidentally learned that the thirteenth elder brother was suffering from eczema. "

Kangxi nodded: "It's hard for you to be sincere. I heard that you won the archery competition with Detehei. That's right. It's a bit like your father's youthful spirit."

Kangxi asked a few more questions about Cao Yong's homework, and finally let him leave after the acclimatization of the past few days.

Out of the Qianqing Gate, Cao Yong breathed a sigh of relief.For the prosperity and decline of the Cao family, he intends to rely on the big tree of Kangxi to enjoy the shade, but such a "slave" answer is not what he wants. "Slave", "slave", calling himself like this, he felt very depressed in his heart.If it goes on like this, not to mention prolonging life, you will die of depression if you are depressed.

Taking out his pocket watch, it was already 03 o'clock in the afternoon (30:[-] p.m.), Cao Yong went out of Donghuamen, changed into the guard's clothes at the guard camp's stable, changed into casual clothes and led his horse to return home.Unexpectedly, Nalan Chengping rode a horse and waited outside the carriage house.

Seeing Cao Yong leading the horse out, Nalan Chengping stepped forward with a smile: "Brother Cao just came out, and it took less than half an hour to be summoned like this. In the future, Brother Cao will be well-off, so I have to pull Brother Cao!"

Although Cao Yong didn't like Nalan Chengping, he was a colleague after all, and he was still a senior, so he responded casually with a smile.

The two walked side by side, and Nalan Chengping mentioned the competition with the Mongols. A few days ago, Bao Yagege had an appointment to fight the Mongols, but then he canceled the competition for some reason.Seeing Cao Yong's complacency, Nalan Chengping began to flatter Cao Yong's archery skills.Although Cao Yong had a smile on his face, he didn't answer.

I don't know if it's Cao Yong's bad luck, or Nalan Chengping is a bad person, every time the two of them are together, they can find faults.Then someone shouted rudely: "Nalan Chengping, stop for me, last time you dared to snatch the bitch that I liked in Pinhualou. That time I let you slip away, let's see where you go this time. "

While speaking, 30 to [-] people poured out from the alley in front, and stopped Cao Yong and Nalan Chengping.The leader was a few well-dressed sons. The man who spoke had a dark face and a thick body, standing in front of everyone.

The fat black man was just about to open his mouth to scold again, when he saw Cao Yong sizing him up, his body became stiff all of a sudden, his eyes were very lustful, and his mouth became dirty: "Oh, no wonder I haven't blocked you for half a month. Boy, the taste has actually changed. This kid, tender meat, top grade, where did you find it, pass it on to the uncle, and the uncle will forgive your rudeness last time!"

Cao Yong was depressed because he had been a slave for a long time. Now he saw that the fat man was masculine, so disgusting.

Nalan Chengping was afraid that things would become serious, so he hurriedly said, "Guishan, don't talk nonsense, this is the son of Cao weaving family in Jiangnan."

"Cao Zhizao? Cao Yin, that coat-coating slave!" Guishan said with a smile, "A little slave, Yangzi, dares to call you son in front of the master. It's really ridiculous! The master has taken a fancy to him, but his luck is not good!"

While speaking, Gui Shan had already touched Cao Yong's horse, and was about to pull him off the horse.

How could Cao Yong allow Guishan to approach him, lightly tapped the horse's belly with his left foot, and stroked the horse's neck with his right hand.Hearing a "hiss", Cao Yong's mount seemed to be frightened, and the front hooves were raised high.

Guishan stood beside Cao Yong's horse, defenseless, and fell down in fright.The horse seemed to be out of control, and its front hooves stomped heavily towards the Guishan Mountain.Hearing a "crack", Guishan screamed.But after only half the scream, he passed out from the pain.

Things happened too fast, and when the long follower brought by Guishan realized it, everything fell to the ground in dust.They were the first to check Guishan's injuries, and the others shouted angrily and surrounded Cao Yong.

Cao Yong sat on the horse, watching everything coldly.

(End of this chapter)