Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 640
The capital, the yamen of the Ministry of Rites.

In accordance with the imperial decree, a banquet was held in the Ministry of Rites to entertain Kong Yuqi, the seventh-generation eldest grandson of Confucius No. 60, who came to Beijing to meet.As the left servant of the Ministry of Rites, Cao Yin accompanied several university scholars, other ministers and servants of the Ministry of Rites to accompany the banquet.

Kong Yuqi, one year older than Cao Yin, has been named Duke Yan Sheng for fifty years.

As early as the 23rd year of Kangxi, when Kangxi visited Qufu in person, Cao Yin and Kong Yuqi met each other.After Cao Yin arrived in the south of the Yangtze River, he also visited Qufu several times on his way to Beijing to visit Duke Yansheng's mansion, and had a personal relationship with Kong Yuqi.

It's just that during the banquet, the two of them didn't have time to say goodbye; they didn't have time to chat until the banquet was over.

After Kong Yuqi's visit, he will leave for Qufu the next day. Tomorrow, he will host a banquet for several relatives and old relatives in the other courtyard in the capital, and Cao Yin will also be invited to the banquet.

Kong Yuqi's car was sent away, and the officials who accompanied the banquet also returned to the mansion one after another.

As soon as I arrived at the door, I saw the big housekeeper Cao Zhong come forward and report, saying: "Master, the third master of my family came to pay his respects with the third mistress. Because the master is not here, he has already greeted his wife. Now, the third mistress asks his wife to stay and talk. The third master is here." The front hall has been waiting for the master for a long time."

Cao Yin nodded when he heard the words, and went to the front hall.

After entering the room, Cao Yin saw a person standing with his back to the door, like calligraphy and painting on the screen in the appreciating hall.Hearing footsteps, the man turned around.I saw him wearing a 27% new uniform, with a long face and a short beard. He was [-] or [-] years old.

Ten years ago, Sun Taijun died of illness. When Cao Yin Fuling went north, he had seen Cao Qi, so he recognized him immediately.The honest and dull young man in front of him is his cousin Cao Qi.

Within a short time, Cao Qi had already knelt down and said: "My nephew has met uncle, please greet uncle."

Cao Yin stepped forward, supported him with both hands, looked up and down, filled with emotion, and said: "Get up quickly, how many of us are here? In the blink of an eye, I haven't seen him for more than ten years. They are all close relatives, it shouldn't be like this."

"I arrived in the capital in the afternoon yesterday, because it was a little late, I didn't come here because I was afraid of disturbing my uncle and aunt." Cao Qi replied.

The two uncles and nephews, after seeing the ceremony, took their seats as guests and hosts.

"I've been to the House of Internal Affairs, is the errand settled yet?" Cao Yin asked.

Cao Qi shook his head and said, "I went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but there are no suitable vacancies for a while, so I'm afraid I have to wait."

The Cao family has worked in the Ministry of Internal Affairs for several lifetimes, and Cao Yin of the Ministry of Internal Affairs doesn't know the twists and turns.

It's not that there is no lack, I'm afraid it hasn't been dredged yet.

Although Cao Qi is Cao Yintang's nephew, after all, he has been out of Beijing for many years.In particular, the Cao family only carried the flag of Cao Xi, and the others were still covering the flag.

Even if you want to sell the favor of the Cao family, you have to accept the love of Cao Yin and his son. Others are really not taken seriously by those people.

Cao Yin thought for a while, then said: "Ding You used to work at the guard's office, do you still want to go back there now? Your second brother is also at the guard's office now, if you want to go back to the guard's office, I will take you to the guard's office tomorrow Take a walk around the mansion of several adults."

The ministers in the Zhengbai Banner of the Guard Office were originally Fu Erdan, Duke of the Assistant State, and Fu Erdan, the first-class meritorious service. After E Fei died of illness, Bahunde, the deputy governor of the Xianghuang Banner, filled his vacancy.

Fu Erdan is now in the Northwest Army, not in front of the imperial court.

When Cao Qi wanted to go back to the bodyguard, he had to greet the Minister of Internal Affairs of Zhengbai Banner, and he also had to take the Minister of Internal Guard, A Ling'a, there.

Although Cao Yin usually didn't want to get too close to these clan and royal relatives, but after all, this person in front of him was not someone else, but a cousin who hadn't left five clothes, and he wanted to do his best.

Cao Qi's expression was very indifferent, and he bowed and said, "Uncle loves you so much, and my nephew will always remember it. It's just that my nephew and daughter-in-law are not in good health, so my nephew doesn't want to go back to the guards, and I'll wait to see if there is any shortage in the Ministry of Internal Affairs."

"I'm not in good health, is it because I'm not acclimatized, or what? Did you hire an imperial physician?" Cao Yin said with a bit of worry after hearing this.

"Certain illness, although not sick, but the body is a little weak. My nephew is thinking about it, and I will ask the imperial doctor to come and take a look at her in a few days." Cao Qi replied.

Cao Yin nodded, and then asked: "Where do you live? Otherwise, you can live in the mansion here. There is an empty yard here, so I can take care of you twice."

Cao Qi said: "Thank you uncle for your kindness. There is an old house outside the front door, and now I live there. If my nephew and daughter-in-law are healthy, my nephew would like to serve uncle. It's just that she is a sick child, and she can't do her best. It is too troublesome to bother my aunt to worry about it. We will come to serve her when she is better."

Cao Yin saw that what he said was reasonable, so he didn't force him, he said: "The imperial doctor who often visits our home is good at medicine, tomorrow I will ask someone to invite him to come over and show my niece and daughter-in-law."

Cao Qi was overjoyed when he heard the words, he stood up and bowed and said, "If that's the case, uncle is my nephew's great benefactor."

Originally, because of the estrangement of his predecessors, Cao Yin had little contact with this nephew, and they were very close to each other.Now, after this earnest talk, seeing that he is indifferent to fame and wealth, and has affection and righteousness towards his wife, Cao Yin is also somewhat close to this nephew in his heart.

"I'll eat here tonight, and I'll clean up Sang's forehead." Cao Yin said to Cao Qi with a smile on his face, and then ordered the housekeeper to go to Dongfu to see if Brother Cao Xiang had finished school. , Call to pick up Cao Xiang and their brothers.

Cao Qi looked at it, and thought of the cousin who was already the chief minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs——Cao Yong, the son-in-law of Heshuo.

In the early years at Sun Taijun's funeral, he once saw Cao Yong, and his only impression was that he was a handsome child.

Unexpectedly, after ten years of hard work, that handsome child became the pillar of Cao's family.

*
Lanyuan, go to the room.

Mrs. Li looked at her nephew and daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wang, with pity on her face, and said, "I have two old ginseng plants, and I will ask someone to wrap them up for you later. It's good for such a weak body, so I have to make up for it. .”

That Wang's face is extremely beautiful, but his face is dull, his lips are pale, and he doesn't look angry at all.

Mrs. Wang replied softly: "My nephew and daughter-in-law thanked my aunt. It's much better now, and I fainted after walking two steps earlier."

"Except for the deficiency of qi and blood, what else can the doctor say? It's not easy to be sick for a long time at such a young age. You must get well sooner." Li Shi held Wang Shi's hand and said with a bit of worry.

Mrs. Wang shook her head lightly, and said: "Nothing else, the doctor said that we should rest and rest, so we can't worry about it. There are many things in the old house, and our wife passed away again, so we can't be quiet. The daughter-in-law didn't want to follow. It was because our father said that it is cheaper to seek medical treatment in the capital and he can rest in peace, so he brought his nephew and daughter-in-law here."

Just as he was talking, Mrs. Zhao Jia had arrived with Jinghui, fourth sister, and fifth son.

Because relatives came, it was Li's envoys who came to Dongfu to invite them.

Mrs. Zhao Jia was still in her filial piety and rarely went out, so she rarely had a chance to meet guests, so she came here dressed up.

When Mrs. Wang heard that she was an elder, she got up and said Wanfu, and then met Jinghui a few times.

"Tsk tsk, it really looks like the people in the painting, but it compares with our family." Mrs. Zhao Jia looked at Mrs. Wang and said to Mrs. Li with a smile.

With Jinghui in front of her, Li-shi couldn't say anything else, so she ordered the servant girl to carry the chair to Jinghui, saying: "You are twin, you can't stand up, sit down and talk."

Jing Hui blushed, glanced at her mother-in-law, saw her nodding, and then sat sideways.

"Speaking of which, I have never been back to my hometown, and this is the first time I have met my nephew and daughter-in-law." Having said that, Mrs. Zhao Jia turned her head and asked Mrs. Li, "Sister-in-law, which older is this elder nephew or brother Yong?"

Mrs. Li said with a smile: "If I remember correctly, my nephew is born in the year of snake and is five years older than brother Yong."

Zhao Jia said with a smile: "It's rare, brother Yong has these younger brothers, and finally a brother came. In the future, there will be someone who can cure him...can help him."

Hearing this yin and yang, Li Shi felt a little uncomfortable, but he was too lazy to argue with her, so he smiled and ordered people to prepare the dinner...

*
Outside Anding Gate, Prince Yong's Mansion, Study Room.

The fourth elder brother was wearing ordinary clothes, with a string of Buddhist beads hanging in his hand, while dialing the Buddhist beads, he listened to Dai Jin's report of the news inside and outside the capital in the past few days.

According to the news from the Changchun Garden, Nalan Fusen, the first-class imperial bodyguard who was sent to Jinan on a business trip at the beginning of the month, has returned to Beijing and has already met with Yujia.Since the meeting was private, the content of the discussion is unknown.

In the Nancheng Porridge Factory of the Five Cities Relief Porridge Factory, several sick and old beggars died suddenly, and their bodies had been incinerated.It was suspected that there was something wrong with the porridge served, but no one reported it to the Yamen of Shuntian Prefecture.

Among the ministers of civil and military affairs, Kui Xu, the academician in charge of the Imperial Academy, was sick and did not even go to the banquet given by Duke Yan Sheng.

The Cao family sent someone to Rehe to deliver a letter the day before yesterday, and Cao Qi, nephew of Cao Yintang and former second-class bodyguard, came to Beijing.

Hearing the miscellaneous news, the fourth elder brother frowned.

Dai Jin had already finished his report, seeing the fourth elder brother frowning, he hesitated for a moment, and said, "Fourth master, the day when Kui Xu fell ill was the same day that the Cao family sent people to Rehe..."

"Oh?" The fourth elder brother raised his head after hearing this, and asked, "How about the ten thousand taels of gold? Was it made by Kui Xu?"

Dai Jin shook his head and said: "This hasn't been found out yet, but according to previous news, Kui Xu had a confidant housekeeper who left Beijing early last month." Speaking of this, he was a little confused, and said: "I just don't know, Kui Xu If there is any enmity with the Cao family, if it is only said that it is for Brother Nine, it will not reach this point."

"Gold 1 taels..." The fourth elder brother's face was as deep as water, and his eyes were full of anger: "The silverfish of the country... Huang Ama is still too generous..."

*
Rehe, the garden of Prince Chun's Mansion.

Cao Yong looked at the family letter in his hand, and finally heaved a sigh of relief.Jinan's "reward offer" has been cancelled, even if there are still some people rushing here on the road, as long as they can cope with it for half a month, it will be almost the same.

Although he didn't like to socialize in the past, it's really sad to be confined in the garden like this, going in and out with soldiers.

Thinking that Elder Sixteen had been bored for quite a few days, Cao Yong hurried over to tell the news.

Elder Sixteen was overjoyed when he heard the words, and said with a smile: "Qi Min can rest now, he has been suffering a lot these days. The prison on the other side of the yamen has been closed for more than a hundred people. A farce, finally It's going to end."

"Yes, it's really a farce." Cao Yong thought of what his father said in his letter that it was Nalan Fusen who was ordered to Jinan Mansion to resolve the matter, and he was moved with some doubts.

If the government can solve it by stepping in, then the so-called "reward" in the world is not too heavy.According to common sense, even if the government wants to intervene, shouldn't they be at a loss and can't find a clue?

According to the order, Nalan Fusen captured the person who "offered a reward" in less than a month after arriving in Jinan, which seemed to be a little smooth.

Elder Sixteen finished laughing and realized something was wrong, he stopped laughing and said: "In this way, can't it really be a farce? Could it be that they are idle, making fun of others?"

Cao Yong, who is not kidding, doesn't know, but is just curious about the origin of the person who will be escorted to Beijing.

"Master Sixteen, who is the happiest when I die?" Cao Yong asked.

Brother Sixteen didn't even think about it, and said: "That's not to mention, it's naturally Brother Nine. He, a famous 'God of Wealth' in the capital, was humiliated by you, a 'boy of good fortune'. I'm afraid he ate you raw." I have my heart."

Cao Yong shook his head.Said: "The eighth elder brother is in a difficult situation now, the ninth elder brother will not do anything more, and the accident will happen in vain. Besides silver, who else is looking forward to my death?"

Elder Sixteen pointed his fingers and said: "Back then, Guishan hated you more than the sea because you became lame and lost your fame; that year when there was an epidemic in the capital, you and the fourth brother blocked several Baylor Households to prevent the epidemic. The gate of the mansion. In these mansions, those who have family members who have died dare not take their anger on the fourth brother, but they must take it on you. The civil chaos in Shandong destroyed many rich and powerful Shaoguo Zhuangzi, and made the court clean up the drinking order. Well-informed, naturally Knowing that Yizhou is not in chaos, I have a bright mind, and thinking of you is nothing... In addition, some old households did not prepare the money for the bidding of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, lost the bid, and lost their jobs. If you don’t hate you, you can hate it Which..."

Speaking of this, Elder Sixteen shook his head, looked at Cao Yong and said: "Fu Ruo, look at you, you don't have many friends, and you are almost making enemies on all sides."

Cao Yong looked at Brother Sixteen, but the appearance of Brother Fifteen appeared in his mind.

Is it really an unknown so-called farce, or is it a plan of "killing two birds with one stone"?
For the eighth elder brother, Kangxi was already deeply jealous.Just like the abolished prince back then, so many charges may not all be related to the prince, but Kangxi has already become suspicious, so of course it is "conclusive evidence".

Among the civil and military officials, the most indispensable are those who speculate on the Sacred Heart.

This bounty was offered at the time when Brother Jiu lost the competition with Cao Yong's House of Internal Affairs. Even if there is no evidence, many people will think of Brother Jiu.

Whether it is killing Cao Yong or blaming Brother Jiu, it is not a waste of time to get one of the two.

It's just that the fourteenth elder brother made a "gentleman's appointment" with himself, and will it be the fifteenth elder brother who will do it later?
Among other things, even if these two young elder brothers really teamed up to make trouble, where did the money come from?

Cao Yong was thinking hard, Elder Sixteen patted him on the shoulder, raised his eyebrows and said: "Why don't you speak, Fu Ruo is afraid?"

Cao Yong smiled and shook his head, and said to Elder Sixteen: "Master Sixteen, Su Hebalu and Xiao Er are in the school grounds, let's go over to see the excitement."

"Okay, I'm so itchy too." Elder Sixteen replied with a smile, and the two went out together.

*
Suzhou Weaving Mansion, Study Room.

Li Xu was standing in front of the window, staring at the rockery in the yard in a daze, when someone came in and said, "Father, the old lady is feeling a little uncomfortable... Madame asks father to come over..."

It was Li Xu's eldest son Li Nai who came.

Hearing this, Li Xu couldn't help frowning, turned around, and said, "Why is it uncomfortable, isn't it just a few days..."

(End of this chapter)