Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 631
Capital, Cao Mansion, Orchid Court.

Mrs. Li put Changsheng to sleep, asked her to carry him down, and then called her maid to carry the embroidery screen.It is a picture of one hundred longevity, and most of it has been embroidered.

This handicraft of Suzhou embroidery was learned from masters of Suzhou embroidery before she left the pavilion.Over the years, the number of times it has been used seriously can be counted on one finger.

On the Empress Dowager's birthday last year, she dedicated a job she had done in the past, and the Empress Dowager praised it several times.At that time, she thought that she would also prepare a gift for the Longevity Day in the future, which could be regarded as a thank you for the emperor's kindness.

The rumors of the past two years were vague, and she had heard some of them.Although I don't believe it, I also know that there are no waves without wind, and it is because the Queen Mother treats each other differently that the villain chews his tongue.Mrs. Li didn't take it to heart, but acted more respectfully, not easily entering the palace without a summons.

This embroidered screen is a prepared birthday gift for the Longevity Festival, and there is still half a month left, so the days are a little tight.Thinking of this, Mrs. Li couldn't help feeling a little anxious.

The more anxious you are, the more things you have to do. After a while, several mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law will come to report the matter.

A line of needlework, intermittently, took a quarter of an hour.

Mrs. Li was a little annoyed, she put down her needle and thread, and said to the maid next to her, "Go ask Miss Zijing to come here."

After a while, Amethyst came at her command.

"Madam." Amethyst entered the room, bowed and saluted.

Mrs. Li nodded, pointed to the chair on the ground, and said, "Come on, I'm looking for you. Sit down and talk."

Amethyst lowered her head and sat on the edge of the chair.

Mrs. Li sighed, and said: "I know that you are taking care of Tianyou and Hengsheng's daily life now, it is enough trouble. But the daughter-in-law is not in the house, I am afraid that some things will bother you for a while." Speaking of this, she pointed Xiuping said: "This is the birthday gift for the Longevity Festival this year, but the date is too late. If you are cheaper, how about taking care of the housework for a while? You used to help the wife's housekeeper, I leave it to you, in my heart Also down-to-earth."

"Madam..." Zijing hesitated for a moment after hearing the words, and said, "It's very appropriate for a servant to watch Miss Suxin do things..."

Mrs. Li waved her hand and said: "Suxin is a guest, so it's okay to talk with me to relieve boredom, how can I entrust the housework to you. If you feel tired, just help me for half a month. I'll talk about it after I finish this job, okay? ?”

Seeing this point, Zijing had no choice but to bite the bullet and said: "Since it is ordered by the wife, the servants should work hard and dare not complain. On the wife's side, doing needlework every day is really too much work. If the wife Agreed, my servant asks the kitchen to make some nourishing soup for eyesight?"

Hearing this, Mrs. Li nodded with a smile, and said: "But I really want to trouble the girl. After all, it was the old lady who trained me. I can't blame the children for respecting you. With such an appearance and such a character, who can do it less?" Take a good look. Even though you are young, don't work too hard, and think about nourishing and nourishing. Otherwise, if you are exhausted because of housework, wouldn't it make me uneasy."

Zijing couldn't say anything, seeing that Mrs. Li was in a hurry to do needlework, she was sewing a piece of embroidery thread as a waiter, and then she backed out.

Holding the embroidery thread, Mrs. Li looked at Amethyst's back. After a while, she sighed and started to do her work.

Zijing returned to Sunflower Courtyard, and saw Little Walnut and two little maids standing by the flower bed in the corner, stepped forward and said, "What is this for?"

Little Walnut turned around and said with a smile: "Sister, it's getting warmer today, so I sprinkled a handful of raw sunflower seeds. Every year, there are sunflowers in this yard, and this year should be the occasion too. The raw sunflower seeds were specially picked out. They are all full, not a single one is deflated.”

"Really?" Zijing squatted down and looked at the place where the small walnuts were sown, but there were horizontal and vertical ones, which seemed to be the same thing.

"It's been another year..." Zijing remembered that when she went to Beijing at the beginning of the year, it was also spring, and it has been seven years since then.

Little Walnut ordered the two little maids to take down the flower hoe and bucket, wiped the dirt off their hands with a handkerchief, and said to Zijing with a smile: "Listen to my mother, my sister has land in Changping, how many acres? "

"Well, how do you talk about this. There are so many acres." Zijing said with a smile.

Little Walnut stretched out her hand and said with great interest: "Sister, grandma gave me a monthly payment after the new year. It was three hundred cash earlier, and now it is five hundred cash. Including my mother's, there are more than ten taels of silver in a year." .In addition to the savings from the previous few years, there are quite a lot of rewards with the wives and grandmas during the holidays. My family has been a tenant for several lifetimes. I didn’t even dare to think about my own land at first, but I have to buy it in the future. Some land for my mother's retirement."

"It's no wonder you have such filial piety, so save it up slowly. When you want to buy it in the future, I'll ask Manager He to help you both." Zijing stood up, touched Little Walnut's braid, and said, "Uncle and Grandma is a person who values ​​affection, so if you take good care of my young master, you will be a lucky person in the future."

"Yeah!" Little Walnut nodded vigorously, and said with a smile, "My mother also said the same thing, we are the virtues of our ancestors, and we can live a life like this by following Grandma Tian into our house..."

While the two were talking, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law began to report their affairs.

It turned out that Mrs. Li had already sent people to inform all places, and from now on, all matters concerning the inner house should be reported to the Sunflower Court for decision.

One piece, one pile, although not big, is extremely cumbersome.

Many regulations were set by Zijing back then, so it's easy to manage them.

In the mansion, such as adding and subtracting items, determining the recipes of each courtyard, and so on, Amethyst made a discretionary agreement according to the preferences of several masters.

For things related to outside the mansion, going out with the ceremony, etc., Zijing gathered all together, and when she planned to go to the Orchid Court to pay her respects every day, she asked Mrs. Li to make a decision.

But it is methodical and orderly.

Zijing also asked everyone to concentrate on Chenshi ([-]am to [-]am) and Weishi ([-]pm to [-]pm), so that she would not delay her taking care of Tianyou and Hengsheng.

The people around Mrs. Li originally wanted to take advantage of Chu Yu's absence to find a few good jobs.Now Zijing is in charge of the affairs, but there is no change in personnel.

There are small people who feel dissatisfied and have to chew their tongues in Li's ears.The way is that Zijing, as a maidservant, has only served the old lady for a few years, but she picked up the big one.The young man is called "aunt", and she dares to accept it, but she doesn't know the rules.

After hearing this, Mrs. Li was annoyed.

But she wasn't angry with Amethyst, but annoyed those women who were meddling. She gave those tongue-twisting January Qianmi a serious warning, so no one dared to talk about Amethyst anymore.

Zhao Jia's side heard the wind, and originally planned to watch Zijing's joke, but unexpectedly it ended like this.

She hurried over and complained to Mrs. Li: "Sister-in-law is too, isn't she just a maid? Brother Yong and the others have over-extended them. If sister-in-law does this again, she will go against the sky. I saw it earlier She is wrong, even if she has served the old lady, is it expensive? She is like a young lady, and loves to play with her. If I were a sister-in-law, I would not be used to her, so I would have sent her away. Thirty years old The big girl is not as clean as the little daughter-in-law, who knows what she thinks? It's hard to say if Bao Buqi has a sneaky heart... Otherwise, why does Brother Yong protect her like this..."

Mrs. Li was listening carefully before, but hearing what Mrs. Zhao Jia said became more and more unpleasant, she couldn't help frowning, and said: "Sisters, please be careful! You and I also have daughters, how can we say such things?"

Mrs. Zhao Jia was taken aback by Mrs. Li, and said embarrassingly: "I'm just telling the truth, why is my sister-in-law so angry? What kind of tablet is she on, how can she compare with our girls? Brother Yong is confused, The sister-in-law is also confused, she is just a lowly maid, and she is being praised like a young lady."

"She is also from an official family, and her family was defeated when she was ten years old. It is also fate to come to our house." Li Shi did not want to continue this topic, so she changed the subject: "I heard you talking about the fourth son a few days ago. , the fifth marriage, do you have a suitable family in mind?"

Seeing this being mentioned, Mrs. Zhao Jia lost her momentum, and said: "The two of them are just supervisors, and there is no noble. How can there be a good girl who is willing to marry. A guard's mansion, what can you say is a good relationship?"

"Brothers and sisters, don't be too picky. It's only decent if the girl is good. It's the custom in the capital that marrying a daughter goes to a high family, and marrying a daughter-in-law requires a low salary, which makes sense." Seeing that she was depressed, Mrs. Li persuaded her.

Zhao Jia curled her lips and said, "Sister-in-law has taken a daughter-in-law of a princess, how can she still say such sarcastic remarks? Don't worry, no matter how good the fourth child's homework is, and the younger fifth is smarter, he doesn't have a good father, and he won't be able to marry her." The daughter-in-law of the princess, if you can't get past their elder brother, don't worry, my sister-in-law..."

Mrs. Li was choked and speechless, but she knew that Mrs. Zhaojia was wrong, so she was too lazy to argue with her, so she shook her head and continued sewing.

Zhao Jia was still on the sidelines, talking endlessly: "I'm optimistic about it. If we want to be successful in the future, we still have to rely on our fourth and fifth children..."

*
Rehe, Chunwang Mansion Garden, front hall.

"What? All four members of the Zhao family died?" Cao Yong came back from the yamen, and he couldn't help being stunned when he heard what the housekeeper Qin Gui said.

When he came back yesterday, he heard Chuyu explain the details of Mrs. Guo's unjust murder.I really didn't expect that there are such crazy people in the world, and I am quite indignant.

According to what Chu Yu said, if the grievance is unknown to them, they can still watch from the sidelines.Now, Xiaoying is in the mansion, and Mrs. Guo has already dreamed of begging, how can she ignore it.

Xiaoying is the girl Guo has raised in the past few years. She sneaked into the house yesterday on a firewood train. She is 14 years old this year.Both parents died in the famine a few years ago, were sold to human traffickers by their uncle, and moved to Guo's family.

Saving a life is better than building a seven-level pagoda, even if it is just to complain for the dead, it is also a matter of accumulating virtue.Even if it is to accumulate blessings for the children, it should not stand idly by.

It was rare for Cao Yong to see what his wife cared about, so he nodded in agreement.For him, these are just a matter of effort.He took his name card and asked the chief housekeeper, Qin Gui, to go to the Yamen to explain the matter.

Unexpectedly, it took us a lot of effort, and things changed again.

"How could a family of four all die? Could it be that they resisted arrest? Even so, the Yamen's side is too hasty." Cao Yong couldn't help frowning upon hearing this.

Even if Guo's husband is guilty, his parents should not die together.

"Forehead son-in-law, it wasn't the yamen that did it. The magistrate was furious when he heard the secret of Guo's case from the servant, and immediately ordered that person to be arrested and brought to justice. No, the yamen servants and arresters went to a dozen people, But they couldn't call the gate open. The policeman saw that something was wrong, worried that they would run away from the back door, and sent someone to intercept them. But they saw a few bandits coming out with knives in their hands, and several yamen servants stepped forward to intercept them. Get up. After cutting down two yamen servants, they injured one person, and the other four fled away. When they went to the yard, they saw that the three members of Zhao's family, including the bride, had their necks cut off, and they were lifeless. "Qin Gui thought about the scene just now, but felt that his neck was numb, so he stretched out his arm involuntarily, and touched the back of his neck.

Zhiran, Wei Hei, and Jiang Jian were all there, but they had different expressions after hearing what Qin Gui said.

Wei Hei frowned, and said, "My lord, these people are acting sneaky, and they are too close together these days. We still need to inquire carefully, cut down the yamen servants, and don't go to the government. These few people are designated as desperadoes. Here in Beijing Before the manpower arrives, you should be more cautious these few days."

Cao Yong nodded, and asked Qin Gui: "What do you say at the Yamen? Is there anyone wanted?"

"Hua Ying has already been dispatched, and he said he wanted to search the city. Guanshi Zhang stayed there. It's just that there is no city wall in Rehe, and it is difficult to search for criminals if they want to escape." Qin Gui said here, too. With a little bit of worry, he said to Cao Yong: "My son-in-law, Wei Guanshi is right. No matter whether those people came for my son-in-law or not, it is always safe to be on the safe side. These days, the yamen By the way, if the forehead is going to travel, it is better to add some people."

Cao Yong nodded and said: "Understood. It is hard for everyone, and they have to work hard for me. It is estimated that they can survive for two days. In the past few days, it is time to be alert."

Just as he was talking, he saw Zhang Yi coming back from the yamen, bringing with him pictures of several criminals.

The injured murderer has already confessed that he is a bandit in the customs. He followed the leader out of the customs and heard that there is a big deal.Specifically why, but do not know.

There were five of them in total, one of them had a tear mole under his left eye, he was the head of the crowd, he only knew his surname was Tu, and everyone called him "Second Lord".Another "uncle" left the customs separately with them, and agreed to meet up in Rehe before the tenth day of March.

It is not known what the specific transaction is.

As for the surname Zhao, I just ran into him on the road and gave him a few small coins to find a place to stop.

The words were right again, everyone looked at me and I looked at you, and their expressions became serious.

Although I was prepared in my heart before, I was more or less lucky, thinking that the road from Jinan to Rehe was not close, and maybe there would be a delay, but I didn't expect that the person had arrived right in front of me.

In the end, Cao Yong smiled and said: "Soldiers come to block, water comes to flood the earth, everyone should have some confidence. In this world, where are there a few masters who come and go without a trace? We already have them here." Be prepared, there are too many people, what are you afraid of? If my head is so easy to cut, it won't be worth ten thousand taels of gold, will it?"

Even though he said it so easily, everyone's expressions couldn't be relieved.

Qin Gui hesitated for a moment, and said: "My son-in-law, why don't you borrow some manpower from other palace gardens first? Let's help for a few days first."

Cao Yong waved his hand and said: "There is no need to do this. Let alone the uproar. There are too many people, and there will always be places that cannot be seen, but it is easy to cause chaos. These days, I will not go to the Yamen. Wait. Wait and see, it's about time for my father to send someone." At this point, he glanced around at everyone and said, "Don't mention this matter in front of the princess for the time being, it's a woman after all, don't scare her anymore , please everyone."

Wei Hei hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and said, "My lord, it's fine if you don't tell the princess, but you have to agree to something. From today onwards, please ask the master and others to guard you."

Besides Wei Hei, Zheng Hu, Zhang Yi, Zhao Tong and the others also stepped forward to say the same.

Cao Yong glanced at everyone, nodded, and said: "Understood, I will think about it."

But he felt a little tired, and he was also a little worried in his heart, afraid of hurting his wife and daughter.After Cao Yong said a few words with everyone, he went back to the inner garden first, wondering if he should send his wife and daughter back to Beijing first.

Traveling for hundreds of miles, it makes people worry, fearing that it will give those people an opportunity.

It seems that it is better to write a note to Kangxi first, to see if he can send his wife and daughter to the palace temporarily.

On Chuyu's side, knowing that her husband had sent someone to the Yamen, she was very relieved.The way is that in a few days, people will go to the temple to help Guo's ceremonies, so that the death of a filial woman will not be too bleak.

"There are too many injustices in this world, how many people can we help?" Seeing his wife's enthusiasm, Cao Yong thought of the tragic death of several members of the Zhao family, but he couldn't explain the cause and effect clearly: "You, It’s just too kind.”

"The son-in-law is kind-hearted. Even if I don't say anything about the Guo family, if the son-in-law knows about it, he won't stand still." Chu Yu said with a smile.

Cao Yong looked at her, with a bit of guilt, and said: "I originally planned to take you around, but it is worse than being in Beijing. I can't move around this garden, and even a speaker can't move." No."

Hearing this, Chu Yu remembered something, and said with a smile: "Didn't Master Yi bring Mrs. Qiru over to be a guest in the afternoon? I have asked the kitchen to prepare the food and drink. Check the time. It's about time. Should I send someone over?" Ask in the front yard?"

Cao Yong took out his pocket watch, it was already the second quarter of Shenzheng (04:30 in the afternoon), and it was about to arrive.

He thought for a while, and said to Chu Yu: "Madam Ru, you can do it when you see it. Although she has something to do with Zheng Hu, the Zheng family doesn't recognize it. It's not good for us to be too close. Besides, There is also Sengge Erniang, who should also be taken into account. After all, if they are relatives, if they know that we are close to this side, they will feel uncomfortable."

After hearing this, Chu Yu nodded, and said, "What my son-in-law ordered is, but it's just a formality, I know it well."

The husband and wife were talking, and a maid came to report, but the guests had already arrived.

Cao Yong got up and went to the front yard to meet him.Chu Yu sent her husband to the door, and then went back to the house.

When they arrived at the front yard, Yi Duli happened to bring Mrs. Yang into the door.Cao Yong met the two of them and asked someone to lead Yang to the inner courtyard, while he accompanied Yi Duli to the living room.

Although the two met in the yamen just now, but now Yi Duli is still presenting presents in a decent manner.Two boxes of out-of-print old books, two pots of gem bonsai, and two pairs of live rabbits.

"This is to trouble your lord to spend money. You are not an outsider. What are you doing with these hypocrisy?" Cao Yong saw it and saw that it was expensive, but he was a little embarrassed.

Yi Duli raised his eyebrows with a smile, and said: "Except for the two pairs of rabbits, the rest are old things from the family. My father collected them in the early years and put them aside. Furuo, don't dislike them for being old, as long as they smell stale."

Hearing that it was a relic of a great scholar, Cao Yong shook his head disapprovingly, and said: "Since it is the love of your father, how can you take it so easily, you should take it back and accept it in your heart."

Yi Duli shook his head, and said: "There are many of these things, not one or two, so Fu Ruo doesn't have to be jealous. The ones my father loved the most have already been buried with him. Because I seldom come here these years , so most of these things are kept in the warehouse, piled up with a thick pile of ashes. It is their blessing to let them see the light of day again. Furuo said it again, but it is really heretic."

When Cao Yong saw what he said, he didn't refuse much. He opened the two boxes of old books and read, "It's a good thing, but it's a bit wasteful to send it to me. You also know me. But it didn’t work out.”

"Although the gift list made by Mrs. Yang is not in compliance with the rules, she has put a lot of thought into it." Yiduli sighed and said, "I said I would bring her here, and she must have been very happy. She followed me and entered the mansion Wife, she has been quite wronged these past few years. Although Sengge Erniang is easy to get along with, after all, she is bound by rules and etiquette, and it is not easy for her."

This is Yiduli's family affairs, Cao Yong is not good at talking, so he listened quietly.

I heard Yi Duli continue to say: "Now my daughter is picked up by Sengge Erniang again. I don't know how long Yang's side has been crying, and she is so pitiful. I want to fulfill her old wish. What about this person? You have to date to have feelings. Even if the brothers and sisters of the Zheng family don't want to recognize her now, they will walk around after a while, after all, blood is thicker than water, and there will always be a blind date."

When people communicate with each other, what is born may not be feelings, but perhaps old grievances.

In the past few days, Cao Yong is also wondering who is the one who wants to put himself to death.

It won't be for no reason, just spread this, and it can always be traced back to the source.

Yi Duli said so much in one breath, but Cao Yong hadn't spoken yet, so he couldn't help feeling a little annoyed, and frowned, "Fu Ruo, you don't want to help? You are the benefactor of the brothers and sisters of the Zheng family, but you are better than me when you say a word. It’s better than very strong.”

Cao Yong felt a headache when he saw him repeating the old saying, not giving up for no purpose.

He thought for a while, and said: "My lord, it's not that my nephew doesn't want to share your worries, it's just that it's Zheng Hu's family matter after all, I can't talk about it, besides, I really don't have the heart to take care of this right now."

Seeing Cao Yong's solemnity, Yi Duli realized something was wrong, and said: "Yes, just now when I entered the mansion, I saw that the expressions of several stewards were not right, what's the matter?"

Cao Yong nodded and told the truth about Wan Jin's reward for his head.

Yi Duli heard this, but couldn't help raising his eyebrows and raising his eyes, he patted the table and said, "Damn, what kind of bastard is this, who makes such a mess?"

Cao Yong shook his head and said: "If you can know who it is, you won't be so troublesome. It's easy to hide the open gun, but it's hard to guard against the dark arrow. And it's in Rehe, manpower is limited."

Yi Duli couldn't sit still any longer, stood up, paced up and down on the ground, stopped after a while and said: "Since it is only after the bidding, the failure to keep it is the ones who lost the bid before? Even if you know this One trick may not be enough to win you, but it also has to keep you going. I really would rather offend a gentleman than a villain. What is this called? The third-rank Jingtang is already worried about the country's affairs, but it still wants to deal with these villains Humans are really hateful!"

With this episode, how can the food and wine be eaten happily.

It was rare for Yi Duli not to drink too much, so after a few mouthfuls of food, he sent people to the inner garden to urge Mrs. Yang, and they went home together.

In Cao Yong's heart, he did not agree with what Yi Duli said.

Even if the merchants of the Ministry of Internal Affairs lost their bids, few dared to find it uncomfortable and took the initiative to provoke and fight with the officials. Isn't that a death sentence?
There is one more person who wants Cao Yong's life.

It was the person who planned to murder him when he was in Shandong.When he returned to the capital, Mr. Zhuang tried his best to investigate the matter, but in the end it was nothing.

Cao Yong felt something was wrong at the time, as if Mr. Zhuang had deliberately concealed something.He took the initiative to explore several times, but there was no progress, and finally he had doubts in his heart.

On Mr. Zhuang's side, has nothing been found out, or has it been found out, is it convenient to tell him?

*
When Yi Duli returned to the mansion, it was already time to light the lamps.He was sitting on the edge of the kang, but he was a little restless.

Sitting in front of the dressing table, Mrs. Yang took off her make-up, with a bit of grievance on her face, and said: "Master, this grandma of the Cao family is too airy. Faintly, yes, she is Wangfu Gege, and the slave is just a side room that can't stand on the stage, if you want to eat with the slave, she will feel condescending!"

Yi Duli heard this, and couldn't help frowning, stood up and said: "It's just the etiquette, what else is there to pick? I'm not a friend in the boudoir, how can I be sticky when I meet you? You are too busy, be careful to make people laugh!"

Yang Shi was reprimanded all over her head and face, but she was trembling with anger, forced a smile on her face, turned around, and wanted to act like a baby, but Yi Duli had already slammed the door and went out.

"Master, it's going to be late, where are you going?" Yang stood up and asked, scratching her neck.

Yi Duli seemed to have never heard of it, and had already gone far.

When they arrived at the front yard, Yi Duli sent someone to call the housekeeper, and asked about the number of young men in the mansion here.

Because the garden here has been unoccupied for a long time, the number of people staying here to look after the garden is limited. In addition, there are less than 30 people brought by Yiduli from the capital.

Yi Duli waved his big hand and said: "Pick out the big and strong ones, count twenty, bring them to the garden of Prince Chun's mansion, and serve under the command of Lord Cao. Explain to the boys, treat them as if they were your own home, and put your heart into it." Do errands. If you make a contribution, I will praise the three generations of his family here; hehe, if anyone dares to play tricks, I will lose my face, and see if I will take his skin off..."

In the end, his face was already a bit ferocious.

The butler trembled when he heard it, and bowed and asked, "Master, when will you be there? Is it late today?"

"Count people immediately, go over immediately, and bring enough guys. If you encounter patrols, you will reveal the name of our mansion. I am not afraid of trouble." Speaking of this, he paused, and said: "If Master Cao When I send you back, just say what I said, these boys, I will all be dead now, if he doesn’t accept you, you and I don’t have to come back, and they will all wipe their necks..."

The butler was horrified when he heard the words, and Yi Duli was relieved, and said to himself: "Well, now, I can sleep well. It's a pity, the noodles are good, and I'm not full..."

*
Asking for a monthly pass, why do you ask everyone to order a little bit. .Draw circles on the ground. . . .

(End of this chapter)