Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 700 Losing power (please ask for a guaranteed monthly pass)

Back in the palace, the gate of the inner palace has been closed.

Dong Dianbang was anxious and had no choice.Concubine De and Yaerjiang did not speak, and it was not his turn to call the shots.On Cao Yong's side, he sighed twice in his heart, said goodbye to Dong Dianbang, and went home.

Before, I wondered if Dong Dianbang was the spokesperson of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Brother Nine, but now it seems that it doesn't look like it.

For the eighth prince's illness, although he is also worried, it seems that he is also thinking about it.

When Cao Yong returned to the mansion, lanterns had been hung outside the gate.

After going to Lanyuan for a turn, Cao Yong returned to Wutongyuan, already hungry at the moment.

Chuyu's side has already received the news and sent people to the kitchen to prepare.

When Cao Yong finished washing up, Xicai had brought someone to set the table.

Looking at the hot pot of mutton and radish, Cao Yong couldn't help moving his index finger.Chu Yu sat on the side, helped her husband fill a bowl of hot soup, and delivered it to Cao Yong.

Tianhui sat on the kang, holding a peeled roasted sweet potato in her hand, followed the voice and looked over, saying, "Daddy is late."

Cao Yong drank two sips of hot soup before he felt more comfortable in his stomach.

When going out in the morning, Cao Yong promised his daughter to come back earlier today and bring her the roasted sweet potatoes outside.But it was delayed because of the eighth elder brother.

Cao Yong did not forget to promise his daughter to buy roasted sweet potatoes, and made a detour around the front door to buy a few catties back.Chu Yu sent people to send them to several children, leaving two yuan for Tianhui.

After hearing what his daughter said, he put down the bowl and said with a smile: "I'm sorry Tianhui, I'm busy with errands in the yamen today. Tianhui, don't stay bored in the room all the time, ask someone to take you to the yard to play more go."

Tianhui kept silent, brought the sweet potato to her mouth, and ate it mouthful.

When Cao Yong was almost finished eating, Chu Yu said: "My son-in-law, the old housekeeper fell down this afternoon. I have already invited the imperial doctor to come and see him. After all, he is old. He said that he will take care of him for a few months."

The old housekeeper she was talking about was Cao Zhong, the current chief housekeeper of the Cao Mansion.

He is over 60 years old and he is in Xiaozhong, so he has not been in charge of things in the past two years.Ever since Cao Yin and his wife went to Beijing, he had been muttering that he wanted to abdicate for the virtuous, and hand over the post of chief steward to Cao Yuan.

Because he and his father Cao Wu are both old men of the Cao family, Cao Yin thought of his loyalty and let him be the manager.

The Cao family lived in the south of the Yangtze River for a long time, and only a few servants remained in the old house in the capital. In the past fifty years, many families have produced children.Contacts and marriages form a system of their own.

In the Jiangnan mansion, Cao Fu and his son have been in charge of it for decades.

Since Cao Yong grew up and went north to the capital, all the people around him, such as those who have families and children, and those who have income from outsiders, have gradually become the same.

As a result, the servants of Cao's mansion were unknowingly divided into three factions.The Old House School in Beijing, the Jiangning School, and the Young Master School.

Among them, due to the relationship between Wu Mao, Wu Sheng, Zhang Yi, and Zhao Tong around Cao Yong, the Laozhai School is closer to the Young Master School; the Tongjiang Ning School has a vague meaning of fighting for power.

However, Cao Yin is the head of the family, and Cao Yong employs only a small number of housekeepers, so in the past two years, the Jiangning faction has dominated internal and external affairs.

Where there are people, there will inevitably be intrigue, and Cao Yong can understand it.

It's just that he doesn't like to make troubles, and he understands the fact that the subordinates form gangs, but he can't support it.Otherwise, everyone will be busy intrigue, and no one will be willing to do business with all their heart.

In Cao Yong's heart, he did not despise the servants of the family, but he did not think about pampering them.Eating as an errand, and eating as an errand, since you have received money from the Cao family, you can't eat for free.

Once there was a dispute between two stewards, and Cao Yong happened to catch up.The reason is that it came because of factional disputes, so Cao Yong couldn't laugh or cry.

Nothing to say, two hits of forty boards each, and the job was changed.

Since then, even if the stewards have disagreements with each other, they dare not have any troubles again.

"Understood, the old butler is over 60 years old. It's good to take good care of him, and ask someone to prepare some tonics. I'll go over and see him later." Cao Yong heard the words, nodded and said.

Seeing Chuyu hesitated to speak, Cao Yong said, "What else is there?"

Chu Yu replied: "After the old housekeeper fell down today, Sister Zijing also went to visit. After returning, I sat here for a while."

In the mansion here, Cao Zhong is nominally the chief housekeeper, but in fact since Cao Yin went to Beijing, Cao Yuan has mostly taken care of outside affairs.In addition, on Cao Yong's side, many errands were handed over to Cao Fang, and Cao Fang's son Xiaoman was used by his side.

Cao Fu's lineage has been in the limelight for a while in the mansion.

Before Amethyst, she mentioned it to Cao Yong tactfully.On Cao Yong's side, it's not easy to say much, after all, there is still his father making decisions.Besides, Cao Fang and his son have been with him for many years, and he is used to it. Naturally, there is no reason not to use it for other reasons.

"Use what can be used, and replace what can't be used. If the people in the house are still on guard, what's the point of living in that day? It's still the same old saying, honesty is easy to use, there are stealing, cheating, and gangsters , If you make trouble, don't use it." Cao Yong said.

Chu Yu agreed, and Xi Cai came in with a pack of ginseng.

On Chuyu's side, someone lit a glazed lamp, and she wanted to go to see a doctor with her husband.

Cao Zhong's house is in the house on the back street of Cao Mansion, go out from the back door, and it is diagonally across.

This is Sanjin's house. Hearing that Cao Yong and Chuyu are coming, the concierge is busy reporting to Cao Yong to stop them.With Cao Zhong's temperament, if he heard that the masters were coming, he would come out to greet him, it would be too much trouble.

Cao Zhong has two sons and a daughter. The eldest son had a rash when he was a child and burned his head, so he never worked.The second son was Xiaoxie's father, who died of shock when he was in his twenties.There is a daughter who has recruited a son-in-law who is also the son of the Cao family, named Zhao Zhiyong, who is Zhao Tong's uncle.

Zhao Zhiyong was in the front yard, so he had already received the news that Cao Yong and his wife were coming, so he trotted out to greet him.

In the inner hall, Cao Zhong was lying on the kang, and his granddaughter Xiaoxie was serving medicine in front of the kang.

Cao Zhong thought the medicine was bitter, so he refused to drink it. He muttered, "It's just a stretch, just stick a few plasters on it. What's the point of drinking it? The imperial physician is serious, and even those who are sick or not will prescribe a few prescriptions to torment others. "

Xiaoxie has already entered the mansion as an errand, and is the big girl next to Hang Seng.Today, because my grandfather is ill, I asked Mrs. Li and Chu Yu to go home to take care of him.

"Grandfather and granddaughter have been carrying it for a long time, and their arms are sore. Didn't they take candied fruit? After eating this, they won't feel bitter in their mouths." Xiaoxie coaxed.

Seeing that Cao Zhong didn't drink it, Cao Zhong's family rebuked, "Don't make the children worry about it. If you don't drink it, it will be cold. There is no need to worry the children. The girl is busy in the kitchen and said that she will make noodle soup for you."

Cao Zhong was most afraid of his wife's nagging, so he took the soup bowl from his granddaughter and drank it with a frown.

Seeing that he had finished drinking, Xiaoxie hurriedly took a piece of candied fruit and brought it to his grandfather's mouth.

Cao Zhong closed his mouth, and said to Xiaoxie: "Stop running home from now on, since you are on an errand, you have to be careful. Young Master still needs someone to look after him, you should pack it up and go back."

"Grandfather, Madam and Grandma told me to stay at home overnight." Xiaoxie said with a smile while collecting the medicine bowl.

When Cao Zhong heard this, he put on a straight face, and said to his wife: "Masters are sympathetic, we know what is good or bad. My granddaughter is ignorant, and you are too confused? How can a girl who works in the inner house spend the night outside casually? Like this For one thing, you go home today, and she goes home tomorrow, so what's the point?"

Seeing that her grandmother was being scolded, Xiaoxie felt a little uneasy, and said in a low voice: "Grandfather, don't care about grandma's affairs, it is granddaughter who decides to come back."

Cao Zhong lowered his face, pointed at his granddaughter, and said, "Hurry up and pack up and go back, and be more sensible in the future. Hitting you, food and clothing, are all the grace of the masters. Like others, receiving such favors, naturally Children and grandchildren are like cows and horses. In my previous life, I didn’t accumulate virtue, and I didn’t have children and grandchildren. Your father’s fortune is poor, and your uncle is like that. Don’t treat yourself as a girl, take more responsibility, and be more loyal to your father and uncle.” Speaking In the end, the speech was choked up.

Xiaoxie's eyes were reddened, she nodded and said: "Granddaughter knows she's wrong, she won't dare again."

The members of Cao Zhong's family couldn't help wiping away tears after hearing these words, and said, "Okay, what are you talking about? It makes the child feel uncomfortable, and the girl and aunt will be more concerned..."

Before the words finished, footsteps came from outside the house, followed by Zhao Zhiyong's voice: "Father, mother, uncle and grandma are here."

When Cao Zhong heard this, he was not relieved for a moment.

Zhao Zhiyong has already lifted the curtain and let Cao Yong and Chu Yu into the room.

Cao Zhong's family and Xiaoxie hurriedly bowed down to greet Cao Yong and Chu Yu.On Cao Zhong's side, he was struggling and wanted to get off the kang.

Seeing this, Cao Yong took a few steps forward, supported him, and said: "The old butler should lie down and talk, or I will turn around and leave."

On Chu Yu's side, he also offered a little help, and asked Cao Zhong's family to get up, turned around and took the silk package from Xicai, and delivered it to Cao Zhong's family, saying, "My lord is busy with errands in the yamen today, and I didn't get home until dark. He said that the old housekeeper was not feeling well, so he hurried over here. This bag of ginseng was prepared by someone sent by the uncle to help the old housekeeper with his health."

Cao Zhong's family hurriedly knelt down to pick it up.

Xiaoxie was beside her and kowtowed.

Cao Zhong sat on the kang, choked up when he heard the words, and said: "Master is so busy, he can still take care of this old slave, but this old slave can't help you, I'm really ashamed."

"What are you talking about? Don't say that the old house in the capital has been worried about by the old housekeeper all these years, just say that in the past few years I have been in Beijing, if the old housekeeper didn't bother me, the mansion wouldn't be so peaceful." Cao Yong said: "Say Wake up, I should have thanked the old housekeeper."

On Cao Zhong's side, after hearing these words, he couldn't help but burst into tears, and said, "It's all done by the old slave, how can I dare to thank you as the master? The old slave has many incompetences, but the master has not even said a serious word these years." I never said it. The old slave's father said before he was alive that it is the blessing of the old slave to have a master like the uncle."

Seeing Cao Zhong lose his composure like this, Cao Yong couldn't say anything.He always felt that with such sincerity, everything he said was utterly false, so he asked a few questions about his condition.

Cao Zhong respectfully agreed, Cao Zhong's family also moved the chairs, spread out brand new satin cushions, and invited Cao Yong and Chu Yu to sit down.

Seeing that Cao Zhong was sitting upright and well-behaved, Cao Zhong's family, Zhao Zhiyong and Xiaoxie were also uncomfortable, so Cao Yong said a few words and got up.

While asking the old housekeeper to take a good rest, he told Zhao Zhiyong to take care of him. If he felt uncomfortable, he would report to the mansion and invite the imperial physician.

Cao Zhong couldn't move his waist, so he asked his granddaughter to kowtow to Cao Yong and Chu Yu on his behalf.

When he came out of the inner hall together with Chuyu, Cao Yong saw Wu Sheng running over panting.

After Wu Sheng bowed down to meet Chu Yu, he said to Cao Yong: "Master, brother Jiu is here, wait in the living room."

Not only Cao Yong was surprised, even Chu Yu was surprised when he heard the words.

"Night owls come into the house and come for nothing."

Cao Yong thought about the matter of the eighth elder brother, and he already had a rough idea in his mind. He didn't have time to say more to Chu Yu, and said: "Go slowly and watch your steps. I'll go and have a look first."

Chu Yu nodded, turned around and ordered Xi Cai to hand over the glass lamp in her hand to Wu Sheng, and then said to Cao Yong: "It's cloudy today, there is no moon, I am in a hurry, it is better to use this lamp..."

*
Cao Mansion, the living room.

Brother Nine sat on a chair with a gloomy face, suppressing his anger in his heart.

What is the fickleness of the world? This is the fickleness of the world.

If Tao Min didn't invite an imperial doctor in the imperial hospital, there was really no way to ask him to come to Jiu'er's mansion, but Jiu'er didn't know about it.

These days, the wind in Beijing is not right, Brother Jiu knows it.For the matter of venison, he even made a special trip to Haidian.But there is nothing to persuade.

The eighth elder brother was born with a low maternal status, so he was strong and high-spirited when he was young.After suffering for more than 30 years, but ended up like this, it is inevitable to feel depressed.

For other people, whether they are indulging in beauty or indulging in alcohol, they can all radiate.

The eighth elder brother is used to self-control. He doesn't pay attention to wine, sex and wealth.

Even if he didn't get the reward, he heard about the money from Baylor and the officials in the mansion, but it's still the prince's mansion, and Baylor's title is still there.Who has the guts to neglect so far?

Brother Jiu was angry, and because of the old grudges before, he suspected that Cao Yong was a hindrance, so he came to the door aggressively to question the crime.

Unexpectedly, Cao Yong was so entrusted to him, making him wait for a cup of tea, but he still hasn't shown up.

Longyou was caught in the shallow water by a shrimp show, and the tiger fell in Pingyang by a dog.

Brother Jiu couldn't bear it any longer, and got up from his seat with a "thump", staring at Cao Fang who was standing by the door, his eyes were about to burst into flames.

Cao Fang's scalp was numb from being stared at, and he hoped that Cao Yong would arrive sooner.

At the Cao Mansion, there were originally three people who were qualified to accompany the guests into the hall to talk, Mr. Xixi Zhuang, the chief housekeeper Cao Zhong, and the second housekeeper Cao Yuan.

Mr. Zhuang died of illness. Cao Yuan went with Cao Yin's retinue and was not in Beijing. Cao Zhong, the housekeeper, was injured again and went home to recuperate.

If it were an ordinary guest, a steward like Cao Fang would do well to accompany him.

For someone with the status of Brother Nine, Cao Fang could only stand outside the door.

This is to abide by the dignity and inferiority, but Brother Jiu didn't know it, and seeing that he was allowed to sit still, he thought it was Cao Yong's arrogance, so naturally he became more and more angry.

Fortunately, he didn't have an attack, so Cao Yong hurried over.

"Cao Yong, you are so courageous. You dare to stop Bafujin's envoys to invite the imperial physician. If Babeile makes a mistake, you can take it with your own weight?" Brother Jiu saw Cao When Yong arrived, he sneered twice and said in a deep voice.

Brother Jiu was upset and irritable, but Cao Yong was calm and relaxed. He had already thought about the prepared rhetoric on the road just now.

Concubine De and Yaerjiang shirk responsibility from each other, and Cao Yong is unwilling to take the blame for nothing.Therefore, I bowed down and roughly talked about the matter of the afternoon, starting with Dong Dianbang looking for himself.

Brother Jiu heard these words, his face turned red and then white, white and then red again.

He turned around, looked at Tao Min who was carrying him and said, "Is Cao Yong serious?"

Tao Min was waiting for the news at the imperial hospital, and he didn't know about Cao Yong's search for Prince Jian, but it was true that he sent the booklet to the palace to ask Concubine De for instructions under the order of Ba Fujin.

After the ninth brother asked, he also knew that he had made a slip of the tongue.If Cao Yong made up a lie, he wouldn't involve Dong Dianbang and Yaerjiang'a. In this way, as soon as he inquired, he would know whether what he said was true or false.

He stared at Cao Yong for a long while, then said coldly: "During Babeile's illness, if the diagnosis and treatment were delayed and the condition worsened, who would be able to afford it? I don't know that the imperial physicians in the imperial hospital are so expensive. Mr. Cao, You are the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, how do you control your subordinates? I would like to trouble you, the head of the house, to go with the master, but the father wants to see, a prince, a head, can't invite an imperial doctor..."

*
Tears ran.Ask for a few guaranteed monthly tickets. .

(End of this chapter)