Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 463

I don't know when it started, snowflakes began to fall in the sky, and when Cao Yong and Chu Yu got up the next day, the outside was already covered with snow.

The snow on the ground could cover the feet, Cao Yong stood at the door, watched the snow pear flowers fluttering down, and took a deep breath.Calculate the itinerary, and in half a day, the parents will be able to arrive in Tongzhou.

The snow fell just right, the weather was not as dry and cold as it was yesterday, and the northwest wind was also gradually subsiding. It looked very peaceful and peaceful.

After finishing washing in the room, Chu Yu didn't see Cao Yong, so she pulled out the curtain and saw him standing at the door looking at the snow scene, and she also stood beside him, with a soft joy on her face.

It was rare to see her look so happy, Cao Yong took his wife's hand without saying anything, and the couple stood under the porch for a long time.

It was only when Xiyun prepared breakfast and came out to invite them in that they both turned around and entered the house.

After breakfast, Cao Yong couldn't sit still, and Tong Chuyu said that he wanted to ride out to meet him.

This time, Chu Yu tried to dissuade her, saying: "My son-in-law, it's snowing outside, and if we delay talking on the road, if we catch a cold or the wind blows, it won't be beautiful. After all, they are old and young."

Cao Yong thought about it too, so he pressed his patience and waited here at the post station.

Every few minutes, he would take out his pocket watch to check, and he really knew what "living the day like a year" is.

Whether it is the family affection of his flesh and blood body, or the comfort of his time-traveled soul in a foreign land, Cao Yin and his wife are special existences to him.

Like the source of water and the root of trees, it can make him feel peaceful in his heart.

At noon, the snow stopped and the sky gradually cleared up.

Even with Chuyu, she was a little restless, and had already made people prepare wine, vegetables and ginseng soup to drive away the cold at the post station.

Within a quarter of an hour, people had to go out and look around, hoping that Cao Yin and the others would arrive early.

In the post station here, there used to be a few officials who went out of Beijing and went to Beijing. I heard that there were officials from the Taipu Temple here, so I had to come and visit.

Most of them were people Cao Yong didn't know, and after a few gentle words of entertainment, they broke up.

After the end of time, Cao Yong finally got the news that the Cao family's convoy was already a mile away.

After hearing this, Cao Yong got up immediately, and went to meet him at the gate of the post station with Chu Yu.Cao Shuo got the news and was already waiting here.

Already able to see the team vaguely and hear the sound of horseshoes, Cao Yong took a few steps forward and looked at the approaching crowd with indescribable joy in his heart.

Among the crowd in front, one came out on a fast horse, got off the horse beside Cao Yong, bent his knees and half knelt down and said, "Please greet the uncle, the young one, the master and wife are coming..."

It was Wu Sheng who hadn't seen him for several years. He was an errand in Jiangning after Cao Quan passed away. It has been two and a half years now.

Cao Yong leaned down slightly, pulled his arm up, and said: "I heard that my wife is in charge and married you a daughter-in-law. I also want to congratulate you."

Wu Sheng raised his head, looked at Cao Yong, and said: "Grandpa, the little one is always looking forward to returning to Beijing, and wants to work by Grandpa's side."

Cao Yong patted him on the shoulder and said: "It will be fine in the future, your brother added a boy at the beginning of the month, and you will become an uncle!" As he said, he looked at the team that was approaching, but he was a little surprised.

Because they went north in winter and the waterway was impassable, so this time the Cao family moved, but the population was the same, and some bulky things would have to be transported by water in the spring of next year.

However, as far as the eye can see, the convoy is long and there are many followers, even on horseback there are more than a hundred people.

After Wu Sheng greeted Cao Shuo and Chu Yu who were behind Cao Yong, he saw that Cao Yong was puzzled, and said beside him: "Master, I met Zhejiang Governor Wang and his family at the post station the day before yesterday, and the two families went on the road together in the past two days."

The governor of Zhejiang that he was talking about, Mr. Wang, was named Wang Duzhao. He was born as a Jinshi and had been the governor of Zhejiang for many years.

According to the residence newspaper a few days ago, he came to Beijing this time to serve as the right servant of the Ministry of Industry.Like Zhang Boxing, the governor of Jiangsu, he was born in a professional class and has a wide reputation among scholars.

Cao Yong looked at the team that was getting closer, and turned his head to look at Chu Yu, only to see that Chu Yu's sight had already fallen on the team.

When Yicheng got the news, he also bowed and stepped out to meet him.

Riding ahead on horseback was Cao Fangtong, a middle-aged man with a pale face whom he didn't know.Seeing Cao Yong and Chu Yu waiting at the gate of the post station, Cao Fang reined in the horse, got down early, stepped forward and said, "Master, grandma, master and wife are here!" The first carriage, said: "The master is in that carriage" and pointed to the one behind: "The wife and the young master are in that carriage!"

Cao Yong nodded, and has already walked forward with Chu Yu and Cao Shuo.

The convoy had already stopped at the gate of the post station, and Cao Yong and Chu Yu first stood beside Cao Yin's car.Cao Yin has already picked up the curtain of the car, showing half of his face, looked at Cao Yong and the others, and said with a bit of reproach: "I told you earlier that you are not allowed to come out. It is so cold, why bother."

Blame is blame, but the joy in his eyes cannot be hidden.

Cao Yong looked at his gray hair, the wrinkles on his forehead, and his hunched body. He felt hot under his eyes. He took two steps forward and said, "Father, my son will help you get out of the car!"

Cao Yinyuan also wanted to reproach him, could it be that he is too old and needs his son to support him?
But in front of his wife, he didn't want to embarrass his son, so he reached out and helped Cao Yong's arm to get off the car.Seeing Cao Shuo at the side, he hurried forward and helped Cao Yin on the other side.

From the end of March last year to the present, it has only been a year and a half, but it seems like a few years have passed.

Looking at Cao Yin's bony hands covered with age spots, Cao Yong's mind appeared in the middle-aged man who was full of vigor back then.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed.

He has grown from a young boy to an adult, and Cao Yin has also grown from a young man to a white-haired old man.

Cao Yin got off the carriage and stood still, looked at the snow on the ground, then looked at Chu Yu, and said warmly: "Madam misses you very much, hurry over!"

Chuyu's eyes were already red, she bent over to answer, and led Xiyun to Li's car.

Cao Yong looked at his father, he had thousands of questions to ask in his heart, just as he was about to speak, he saw another person coming out of Cao Yin's carriage, it was Cao Fu.

Cao leaned over to be tall, and already looked like a half-grown boy.

He jumped off the carriage, walked to Cao Yong, leaned over and said, "Brother!" Then he turned to Cao Shuo and said, "Third brother!"

Because he is thirteen this year and is in the period of changing his voice, his speech sounds a little hoarse.

Cao Yong looked at this little brother. Every time his father wrote home letters, he must be mentioned, what homework he had learned, and what poems and essays he had read.

Among them, the meaning of doting and drowning is obvious, which makes Cao Yong can't help but have some taste.

Thinking that he can't be with his parents, having this clever cousin in front of the second elder makes the evening scene of the second elder more lively, and Cao Yong's heart can be calmed down.

"Grow up!" Cao Yong nodded with a smile, and said: "I always heard your uncle mentioning you in the letter, and the second aunt also talked about you to the sky. Finally, the whole family is reunited."

After Cao Yong greeted Cao Yin, he was also thinking about Li's side, and turned his head to look.

The women's family's carriage was about to enter the post station and stopped at the door of the house, so Chuyu had already boarded Li's carriage.

At this moment, the carriage of the Wang family also arrived.

Cao Yin approached with his nephew, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then entered the post station.

Although there are no big objects.But adding up the small and soft population, the Cao family also used a dozen carriages.

Cao Fang and Wu Sheng ordered everyone to seal up the contents of the carriage and arranged for people to look at it.

The chief steward in the Jiangning mansion is Cao Yuan, Cao Fang's elder brother, but he couldn't see him this time. Cao Yong asked Cao Fang, "I haven't seen the chief steward and the old steward. Does the old steward want to retire in the south?"

Cao Fang lowered his hands and replied: "My little father is looking forward to returning to Beijing. He originally wanted to come with the master and wife. It's just that he is getting old and it's winter and the twelfth lunar month. He was persuaded by the master to let him follow in the spring of the next year." Come over with the privates over there."

So it turns out that Cao Yuan stayed in Jiangning, waiting for the rest of the furniture to be escorted to Beijing next spring.

Cao Yong asked Cao Fang. Just as he was about to go into the house with his father, he saw a man walking out of the entourage who dismounted. He was wearing green cloth clothes and a bamboo hat on his head, and came towards him.

Because he couldn't see his face clearly, Cao Yong didn't know who he was, but compared with other people, the clothes on this person looked familiar.

Seeing that his son was not moving forward, Cao Yin followed his line of sight, saw the person coming, patted his forehead with a smile, and said: "Look at my memory, I even forgot that there is an elegant guest."

Where does this "elegance" come from, Cao Yong still thought to himself, the man had already walked up to him, stretched out his hand to remove the bamboo hat, and revealed his bald head with ring scars.

Seeing the visitor looking at him with a smile, Cao Yong couldn't help being surprised and said, "Zhiran!"

If it wasn't Zhiran, who else could it be?He put his palms together with a smile, bowed his head and said, "Amitabha, is Donor Cao safe?"

I am really very happy. Speaking of the young friends in Jiangning, apart from Ning Chun, Yongqing and Ma Jun, it is this young monk Zhiran who is the same age as Cao Yong.

The last time the two met was when Zhiran was formally ordained in the spring of Kangxi 49, and they hadn't seen each other for four or five years.

It's not easy to say that a friend comes from afar.

Cao Yong also felt a bit of joy in his heart, and asked, "Why did you come out? Didn't you say that your uncle wants to pass on your mantle and let you succeed as the abbot of Qingliang Temple?"

This is standing in the yard, but it is not the time to talk.

Zhiran glanced at Cao Yin and others standing beside him, smiled and said to Cao Yong: "It's a long story, let's invite old benefactor Cao and others to enter the room first, and I will talk to benefactor Cao later." , Cao Yin and others are invited to enter the house.

Seeing that he wanted to avoid the female family members, Cao Yin waved his hands and said, "Young monk, you are an outsider, no matter what you do, you should come in together, so we can talk later."

Seeing what Cao Yin said, Zhiran agreed, and followed the members of the Cao family into the house.

Here is the room that has been prepared before, and the kang has already been fully burned. As soon as you enter the room, you feel a lot of heat.

Mrs. Li had already entered first, standing in front of the kang, looking at her son who came in with her husband, she couldn't stop crying.

Cao Yong saw her tearful eyes, eyes full of kindness, and her heart was also sour, and he went up to greet each other with a big gift: "Mother... my son greets mother..."

Seeing Cao Yong kneeling in front of her eyes, Li couldn't bear it, and didn't care about his wife and nephew. He reached out and took his son's head in his arms, and said with a sob: "God has eyes, I finally I was looking forward to this day..." At the end, she was already crying.

Chuyu stood on the side, holding Tianyou in her hand, seeing her mother-in-law like this, her eyes were also wet, she hurriedly turned sideways, trying to wipe away her tears.As far as I could see, I happened to see a young monk following Brother Cao Shuo.

Chu Yu couldn't help being taken aback, just thinking that she didn't know who it was, but she went directly into the inner hall, but felt something was wrong.

This monk looks so kind, why is his brows so familiar?

Although Chu Yu felt it was weird in her heart, she didn't want to stare hard at a young monk in public, so she turned to look at her mother-in-law and her husband.

Cao Yong was embraced by Li Shi, and when he heard Li Shi's weeping, his face was also somewhat moved.

Although he didn't get along with Li for a long time since he was a child, Cao Yong could deeply feel her unreserved maternal love.In her heart, her husband and children are her heaven, and her concern for her son is the deepest.

Tianyouyuan was in Chuyu's hands, and he was still a bit cautious, standing beside him honestly.Seeing Li Shi so sad, he couldn't take it anymore, he broke away from his mother's hand, ran two steps forward, grabbed Li Shi's lapel, and said in a crying voice: "Grandmother..."

Hearing his grandson's call, Li finally came to his senses, let go of his son, wiped his tears, bowed his head and said to Tianyou: "Hurry up and call someone, this is your father!"

It's strange to say that when he saw Chu Yu just now, Tian You obediently obeyed his grandmother's order to call for someone; now when he sees Cao Yong, he grabs Li Shi's lapel and refuses to go forward.

Mrs. Li lowered her head, pushed Tianyou forward, and coaxed: "Go and call 'Father', don't you still want something fun?"

Tianyou bit his lip, glanced at Cao Yong, then at Li Shi, his face was in a mess, and he said in a low voice: "I made grandma cry, the villain..."

*
(End of this chapter)