Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 541
After eating some food in a hurry, Cao Yong left Wutong Garden.

When he reached Lanyuan, he hesitated for a moment, but turned in anyway.In his mind was Chuyu's plea just now, begging him to pretend he didn't know for a while, so as to save Li Shi embarrassment.

Cao Yin has come back and is sitting cross-legged on the kang to eat, while Mrs. Li is sitting on the other side with the rice bowl.Cao Yong glanced at the food on the table, except for a stewed chicken with bamboo shoots, the others were plain and seasonal vegetables.

Seeing his son coming in and going out to dress up, Mrs. Li put down the bowls and chopsticks in his hands, got up and said, "Let's go out now? Have you eaten the twisted melon box I sent someone? I remember your favorite food before. Today I happen to be eating vegetarian food. People have become vegan."

Cao Yong's heart warmed, so he didn't want to look at Li Shi's waist, he stepped forward to help her shoulder and said: "My son ate four, Chu Yu used two, even Tianyou and Hengsheng also like to eat. Mother sit down first. eat, my son comes over and takes a look and then leaves." As he spoke, he pushed Mrs. Li to the edge of the kang.

Cao Yin put down his chopsticks and said to Cao Yong: "Although the Thirteenth Master is not going to the court now, but such a big event happened in the northwest, and he will know it if he can't be prepared. Earlier, he was also concerned about martial arts. You have to know it well." , if you can comfort, you still have to comfort.”

Cao Yong was stunned when he heard the words, but he really didn't think of this, and hurriedly said: "Yes, my son knows it!" Speaking of this, he looked at Li Shi with a somewhat dull expression.

Before, I thought it was because of the changing seasons that Mrs. Li was tired and drowsy, but now I know it's because of her pregnancy.

Mrs. Li was a little confused by Cao Yong's look, and said with a smile: "What are you looking at? Is there a flower on my face?"

Cao Yong stood sideways behind Li Shi, helped her squeeze her shoulders, and said: "Seeing that my mother's complexion is not good, I'd better invite an imperial doctor to come over and take a look. It is also a happy event for the whole family to get well soon."

When Mrs. Li heard the "happy event", she looked a little uncomfortable, and said awkwardly: "What's so interesting, I don't know my body, it's just the heat."

Listening to what his wife and children were saying, Cao Yin also took a closer look at Li Shi, nodded and said: "I'm a little listless, and I see that you spend a lot of time lying down. It's better to pick up an imperial doctor to come over and take a look, save the children. miss."

Mrs. Li agreed vaguely. Seeing that she was uncomfortable, Cao Yong couldn't say much, so he said a few more words with Cao Yin, and then went out.

Mrs. Li sent her son outside the house, watched him go out of the yard, and then returned to the house.

Cao Yin saw that all the vegetables were placed in front of Li Shi, and he only ate two mouthfuls of the golden-fried twisted melon box, and only drank round-grained rice porridge with pickled melon.

He couldn't help frowning, and said: "How good is it to eat these two bites? Even a good person is too hungry!" As he spoke, he stretched out his chopsticks, picked up a chicken leg, and sent it to Mrs. Li's bowl.

Smelling the pungent meaty smell, Li's face turned pale involuntarily, he quickly covered his mouth, and retched.

Cao Yin's chopsticks stopped in the air, he turned his head sideways, and looked at Li Shi in puzzlement.

Li's maids, Xiuying and Xiujuan, used to serve the master and mistress for dinner. Seeing this, Xiuying hurriedly poured half a cup of tea, brought it to Li's mouth, and said, "Madam, hurry up."

Mrs. Li took it, and drank it in two or three gulps, her face looked better.

Seeing Cao Yin looking at him, Li Shi's somewhat pale face "brushed", red to the roots of his ears, but he didn't dare to look at Cao Yin anymore.

Her eyes wandered, and she murmured: "Master..."

Cao Yin had already got off the kang, looking at Li's loose gown, his face was unpredictable.

Li Shi only felt weak, at a loss, and extremely ashamed.

Not to mention that now I have grandchildren, grandsons, and granddaughters. The eldest daughter, Cao Jiashi, is now pregnant for three or four months. Does it mean that she has to do confinement together with her daughter?

Cao Yin swallowed hard, stared at Li Shi's waist, and asked, "This... this... has..."

Mrs. Li couldn't take it any longer, and didn't dare to look at Cao Yin, so she nodded and flew into the back room.

Cao Yin's expression froze, and then he burst out laughing "haha", dancing and chasing after him, his voice was louder than before: "Ma'am, Ma'am, I'm so happy, let me have a look..."

When Xiuying and Xiujuan saw each other, they both covered their mouths with handkerchiefs and laughed lowly, but they both breathed a sigh of relief.

As personal servants, they knew the truth about Mrs. Li, and they helped hide it for more than a month.

Seeing that Mrs. Li was about to show her pregnancy, they were also worried.If it doesn't come to light, it's not easy to ask the imperial doctor to treat it, it's really worrying...

Cao Yong deliberately emphasized Li's discomfort in front of Cao Yin, just to remind his father to pay attention, and the province's mother couldn't get rid of it and wanted to hide it.

Riding on horseback, Cao Yong was still wondering if his father didn't find out in a few days, should he tell the truth and want to sue.

Mrs. Li looked lacking in energy, but her face was plumper than before.Cao Yong originally thought it was because of getting fat because of his age, but after looking carefully just now, he found that it was a little swollen.

This is not a joke, in the end you have to be extra careful.

After a while, when we arrived at Thirteenth Elder Brother's Mansion, the sky was already slightly dark.

Zhang Rui, the chief eunuch next to the thirteenth elder brother, was watching outside the mansion. Seeing Cao Yong arrived, he hurriedly approached and said, "Cao Erfu, you are here. Our master has been talking about it for several times!"

Cao Yong pulled the reins of the horse, handed the reins to Xiaoman, and said with a smile: "The boss is waiting for you. You are late in the yamen, so you are late!"

Zhang Rui led the way and said: "Our master is waiting in the hall, and the slaves lead Cao's son-in-law over."

Cao Yong nodded and followed Zhang Rui into the gate.

In the living room, Elder Thirteen touched his forehead with his hands, walked up and down, with a slightly heavy expression.

Seeing that Cao Yong had arrived, he stopped, with a smile on his face, raised his eyebrows and said: "Why did we come here because of the delay in the yamen?"

He was born in the 25th year of Kangxi. He is [-] years old this year. Although he has experienced setbacks in these years and the "Chuan" line is deeply formed between his brows, there is still a bit of fortitude between his brows and eyes.

Among the princes of Kangxi, except for the elder brother who was imprisoned in Kangxi in 47 years, he has not yet met, the other elder brothers Cao Yong have all met.

Speaking of appearance, except for the round face of the eighth elder brother, which is different from other princes, most of them have inherited Kangxi's long face.Among them, ten elder brothers and thirteen elder brothers are the most handsome.

Speaking of it, Kangxi treats these two princes differently, wondering if there is any element of love for the house and black.

The ten princes were first appointed as the county king. Although he was rebellious, Kangxi seldom reprimanded him.The thirteenth elder brother has been with Kangxi since he was twelve or thirteen years old.

Whether it was the southern tour or the northern Xing, he was always one of Kangxi's most beloved princes in the past ten years until the prince was abolished.

Hearing Brother Thirteen's questioning, Cao Yong withdrew his thoughts, nodded, and said: "Yes, some adults asked about the status of each department today, and they will not be released until it is dark."

Elder Brother Thirteen listened attentively, seeing that Cao Yong didn't say much, he was a little disappointed, and said: "Dinner isn't ready yet, it just so happened that Zhuangzi sent He Xianer, let's have a drink or two?"

When Cao Yong came out, he was already half full, but seeing Elder Brother Thirteen looking forward to it, he nodded with a smile and said: "The weather is getting hotter, and I am thinking about this. I've disturbed Lord Thirteen!"

The thirteenth elder brother smiled and groaned when he heard the words, and ordered Zhang Rui to take someone to set up a table and place it in the flower hall.

The host and guest sat down, Brother Thirteen waved his hand and sent all the waiters down, leaving only Zhang Rui waiting outside the hall.

On the table, there are sliced ​​fresh lotus root, peeled fresh water chestnut and lotus seeds, a plate of snails, and a plate of dry fried small fish.There is also a watermelon cup, which contains diced melons, plums, mulberries, peaches, apricots and other seasonal fruits.

Elder Brother Thirteen held the opened bottle of wine in his hand, and said, "This is the foreign wine you sent two months ago, let's drink it today." Then, he took the glass and poured two glasses of wine. Cup, a cup delivered to Cao Yong.

Cao Yong took it with both hands, and looked at the pink wine in the glass and couldn't help being dazzled.

It's really strange, although the river of time is surging, but there is always some kind of connection in the dark.

Just like this wine and this wine glass, which are just commonplace 300 years later, will not seem obtrusive 300 years ago.

Elder Brother Thirteen picked up the glass and said with a smile, "Come on, let's have a drink first."

Cao Yong raised his glass and clinked glasses with him, both of them drank the wine in the glass.

The thirteenth elder brother tasted the wine in his mouth, shook his head, and said: "This foreigner's stuff may not be all good, and the wine we brew here is not so bad. Speaking of it, it is still our Qing Dynasty The shochu has a mellow taste and a lot of energy."

Cao Yong has already picked up the wine bottle and got up to fill up the thirteen elder brother and his cup.

"Well, if there are good grapes, the wine produced is not bad." Cao Yong put down the bottle and replied with a smile.

Elder Thirteen didn't answer the question, took a piece of fresh lotus root with chopsticks, put it in his mouth, looked at Cao Yong with hesitation in his eyes.

Cao Yong took the wine glass and took another sip, but his heart was filled with wonder.

Seeing Brother Thirteen's demeanor, could it be that he is really concerned about the war situation in the Northwest because of the opening of the foreign goods store?

Thinking of this, Cao Yong's heart moved, pretending not to care, turned his head to look out of the window, and said: "It's getting dark, I wonder if my second child has arrived in Yanqing?"

"Oh?" Brother Thirteen asked quite surprised: "Cao Song is out of Beijing? Isn't he working outside the guard?"

Cao Yong said that Cao Song was ordered to send the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, Fu Ning'an, to Lanzhou with nine other guards. As for the Junggar Khan King Cewang Allah Butan invaded Hami, and Hami returned to the king to ask for help. A clear explanation.

The thirteenth elder brother listened carefully, sometimes frowning, sometimes angry, but melancholy.

After Cao Yong finished speaking, Brother Thirteen remained silent for a long time.

After a while, he smiled wryly and said: "Cao Yong, it's hard for you to tell me these things without leaving any traces. What's wrong with me, mother-in-law and mother? Today I sent someone to look for you, just because I heard Junggar Messy news, I want to ask what happened."

With that said, he drank the wine in front of him in one gulp.But he choked, and he bent down and coughed vigorously.The spilled wine landed on his front, which was bright red.

"Hehe! Maybe I'm in a hurry to drink!" Brother Thirteen wiped the corners of his eyes with his sleeve, and said with a smile, as if he was telling Cao Yong, or talking to himself.

Cao Yong looked at him so absent-minded, I do not know how to relieve.Afraid that Brother Thirteen would be embarrassed, he lowered his head and remained silent, using only his chopsticks to compete with the plate of lotus seeds in front of the table.

It took a long time for Cao Yong to pick up one of the round lotus seeds and put it in his mouth.

The fragrance of lotus seeds and the bitterness of lotus seeds are mixed together, which has a special flavor.

The thirteenth elder brother had already tidied up and returned to normal, saying: "The Junggar people have always been cruel, and Cewang Alabutan is Galdan's nephew, so it is because of his banditry. Since he dared to invade Hami, he was appointed to make thorough preparations. I heard that it snowed heavily in the north last year, and the Junggar people have always been short of livelihoods. How can this hungry wolf be so easy to deal with? The imperial court sent more than [-] troops to the rescue. Although it is not a lot, they rushed thousands of miles away If you fight in a different place, you may not be able to win well."

Cao Yong listened, nodded and said: "What the thirteenth Lord said is that the Long Live Lord must also know this. If there is no accident, there should be a purpose in the past few days. Khalkha Mongolia and Qinghai Erut Mongolia will also Send troops to fight!"

"Qinghai Erute people?" Elder Brother Thirteen hesitated for a moment and asked, "Are wolves and tigers driven away? They come from the same origin as Alabutan. If the inside and the outside cooperate, isn't Qinghai dangerous?"

Cao Yong didn't think about this. Qinghai Mongolian Department was divided into several Taiwan and Kyrgyzstan jurisdictions, and the relationship with the imperial court was fairly close.There are also many Eruts who are officials and eunuchs in Beijing.

The Mongols are no longer the Mongols of the early years. In the hundreds of years of power struggle, they, the descendants of the golden family, killed each other and planted countless seeds of hatred.

After the Qing Dynasty entered the customs, in order to guard against the huge Han people, they recruited the Mongols to be their allies.

In the early years, Mongolian concubines occupied the harem of the Qing Dynasty. In the past, the five concubines of Emperor Taizong Huang Taiji were all noble daughters from various tribes in Mongolia.

In the Kangxi Dynasty, fewer Mongolian ladies entered the palace, but most of them were married to the royal palace.

From the time of Nurhachi before the Manchus entered the customs, the princesses of the Aixinjueluo family began to caress Mongolia.After nearly a hundred years of hard work, the blood of the golden family on the grassland and the blood of the Aixinjueluo family gradually merged.

Today, the princes, county kings, Bei Le, Bei Zi, etc. of various Mongolian tribes are mostly nephews of the Qing royal family.

From the initial living of chasing water and grass to building a gorgeous princess mansion and living a luxurious life no less than that of the Central Plains, the Mongols have lost the blood of goshawks and become court dogs and horses.

Brother Thirteen stood up after finishing speaking, and said to Cao Yong: "The Mongols are available, but you can't trust them all. Huang Ama will be wary of this. Even if the Mongols are ordered to send troops, they will send the Eight Banners soldiers to Hami. Otherwise, the Mongols have more troops than the imperial court. Wouldn’t it be annoying if there was a real defection? There is no room for the imperial court’s face. The Mongols’ ambitions must be guarded against!”

Listening to the thirteen elder brothers talking, Cao Yong couldn't help being stunned.

What he said about the Mongols sending troops was also mentioned by the [-]th elder brother at the Ministry of War in the afternoon, and he also had the same opinion as the thirteenth elder brother, thinking that the imperial court should send another group of troops to Hami to deter the Mongols.

These two brothers, one lost power and the other proud, but they have the same keen sense of war.

Compared with the fourteenth elder brother who was not well-known in his early years, the thirteenth elder brother can be said to be both civil and military.His knowledge was taught by Kangxi himself. "Poetry, prose, calligraphy, and calligraphy are both sensitive and fresh." As for martial arts, he also made his mark at a young age. He is one of the best among the princes.

When the thirteenth brother was a teenager, he killed a tiger, so he was praised by Kangxi as "Desperate Thirteenth Man".

Seeing that Cao Yong's expression was as usual, without any surprise, the thirteenth elder brother thought about it for a while, and said: "Why, someone mentioned this?...But the fourteenth elder brother?"

Cao Yong nodded, and said: "The Fourteenth Lord did mention it in the afternoon. Looking at the meaning, the Fourteenth Lord wants to ask for orders to lead the troops. The other princes are also eager to try. Presumably there will be news in these two days."

Elder Brother Thirteen's expression froze, he turned around after a while, looked at Cao Yong and said, "Cao Yong, I also want to make a plea for Huang Ama, how about it?"

Cao Yong hesitated for a moment, and said bluntly: "Although the thirteenth master is passionate, but in the eyes of others, I am afraid that they will think that the thirteenth master is going to regain his merits, which is really not thorough."

The thirteenth elder brother's face was pale, and he murmured: "Huang Ama, will you look at me like this?"

Cao Yong thought for a while, and said: "Long Live Lord thinks, I don't know. Those clan princes who are looking forward to military exploits, I am afraid that they don't want Thirteenth Lord to take the lead. Thirteenth Lord should think about it again to save effort Please, I am sorry to be wronged again."

Brother Thirteen clenched his fists and said, "Why haven't you survived these years, what else is there to worry about?"

Seeing that he had made up his mind in his words, Cao Yong couldn't help frowning.The final outcome of this war is unknown, but there should be nothing good on the court side, otherwise Cewang Alabutan would not have the vitality to rebel again in a few years.

"Master Thirteen, why don't we wait and see?" Cao Yong didn't want Elder Brother Thirteen's already difficult situation to become even more unbearable due to the impact of this war, so he couldn't help persuading him again: "These two Heaven's heart is uncertain, and if it is not guaranteed in two days, there will be a certain letter."

Elder Brother Thirteen smiled and waved his hands, and said: "When I have the letter of approval, I will go to the Zhan Zhanzi, isn't it just an afterthought? Don't persuade me, why are you a mother-in-law? This is my wish, shrouded in horse leather , is better than dying of old age in this stone coffin."

The thirteenth elder brother has lost the melancholy and hesitation before, only the perseverance and determination are left on his face and eyes.

So far, Cao Yong didn't want to say much, so he had to divert the conversation: "Master Thirteen, the opening of the business on the eighteenth day, can it still go on as usual?"

Brother Thirteen nodded, and said: "It's as usual, and there's no reason for us to mess up because of a Junggar. Don't say it's just a part of the force, and the crime is thousands of miles away from the capital." Hami, even if he is like Galdan, when he arrives in Ujumqin, the Thirteenth Lord is confident to beat him to the ground..."

*
Coming back from Thirteenth Prince's Mansion, it was already the beginning of the Hai Dynasty, Cao Yong's mood was not as optimistic as Thirteenth Prince's.

After these years of watching with cold eyes, Cao Yong knew a little about Kangxi's temperament.Kangxi was a cold-blooded emperor, but also a humane emperor.

These two seemingly contradictory personalities are intertwined, creating Kangxi's imperial authority.

He is very tolerant of those who see him, sometimes even conniving without principle.For example, to the Kari of that year, and to the Cao and Li families.

For those who look down on him, his coldness and meanness are also chilling.

Although the thirteenth elder brother is his son, which one is not his son?

The thirteenth brother's enthusiasm may not be able to warm the emperor's suspicion, and the result may be only disappointment and injury.

Although Cao Yong sympathizes with Brother Thirteen, but he is an outsider after all, he has said everything he can say, and the rest is to respect Brother Thirteen's choice...

Entering the alley, Cao Yong saw Zhao Jia's carriage entering the mansion when he passed by Dongfu.Cao Shuo originally followed on horseback. When he saw Cao Yong, he dismounted to pay his respects.

"Where did you go, we just came back?" Cao Yong looked inside the gate and said to Cao Shuo: "Your second brother is on a business trip, you have to be more careful at home, pay attention to the door, the weather is dry, so you have to go carefully water."

"I went to my uncle's house in the afternoon, that's why I came back. Don't worry, the eldest brother, the second brother has already explained before leaving, and the younger brother will save it." Cao Shuo bowed and replied...

*
Tears, two monthly tickets have been lost, and 20 will be released soon, crying to ask for monthly tickets. .

(End of this chapter)