Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 707

Henan Mansion, Front Street, Cao's House.

Seeing Luju packing her luggage, Cao Xiang hurriedly stepped forward two steps, helped her arm and said, "Didn't I tell you to rest, what are you doing, tell Fu Ling and the others to be careful and tired."

Seeing her husband's nervousness, Luju shook her head and said, "It's all small, not tired. Although today is warmer than in Beijing, it's going to be winter now. I don't know if I can eat well when I go out. Drink well." At this point, she hesitated for a moment, and said, "Why don't you take Poria to serve?"

It has been more than a month since she found out that she was pregnant. Although the husband and wife did not have a separate room, they were afraid that something would be wrong, so they did not make out anymore.

Fu Ling was playing the servant Cao Xiang, and Lu Ju was a bit apprehensive when she came to Henan Mansion this time.But after getting along with her, I found that she was a straightforward and unscheming person, so I was relieved.

It's just that she and Cao Xiang are two newlyweds, and it's just the honey in the oil, and they know that the mistress has been appointed in Beijing.Although there is no need to see off relatives this year because of the filial piety period, there is always a way to pass.

In Luju's heart, she was worried.Naturally, I can't be "virtuous", so I can find another woman for my husband.

Until now, when Cao Xiang was going on a business trip for half a month, Lu Ju hesitated again and again before saying this.She still has more than half a year of pregnancy, so Cao Xiang can't be allowed to abstain from womanizing for more than half a year. It's better to be seduced by outsiders than to be seduced by outsiders.

Cao Xiang helped her to sit up, and said: "Don't worry about it. I'm on a business trip, not to enjoy the blessings? But half a month's work, it's on your side, after all, you have a body. I really shouldn't delay Come on, write to my sister-in-law earlier, maybe people from Beijing have come over."

Hearing this, Luju's expression changed, she turned around, grabbed Cao Xiang's arm, and said with a bit of panic, "Master wrote about my pregnancy in a letter at home? Ma'am, the jade spider from back then girl……"

Thinking of the past, Luju only felt a chill in her back and her teeth began to chatter.She looked down at her belly, which was not yet pregnant, and the tears couldn't stop falling down "ba da", "ba da".

When Cao Xiang saw him, he took out his handkerchief and wiped it for her. He couldn't hide the worry on his face, and said softly, "What are you thinking about? Well, why do you think of her? Can you compare with her? It was in the filial piety period." Besides, I only mentioned it to my second brother and second sister-in-law, not my wife. I entrusted my second sister-in-law to pick two old nuns to take care of you. You have been crying too much recently, and you hurt your eyes carefully. Otherwise, please Let a doctor come and prescribe two soothing medicines, you haven’t slept well these few days.”

Lu Ju grabbed Cao Xiang's arm, buried her head in his arms, and said with a sob, "Master, I'm afraid..."

Cao Xiang stroked her back and coaxed her: "With me, what are you afraid of? I have already greeted the magistrate's wife. I am not here for half a month. If there is anything at home, you can go to the magistrate. The wife said, "If you want to eat and use anything, you can ask people to buy it. If the money in the east box is not enough, you can use the money in the west box. Afterwards, the salary will be paid, and it will be made up."

After hearing this, Luju hurriedly shook her head.The family's cash was placed in a box on the kang in the bedroom, the east was brought from Beijing, and the west was donated in various names by the magistrate's yamen in the past few months.

Although Cao Xiang was a son from the mansion, but because he was a concubine, and his aunt, Zhao Jia, was always domineering, so there was nothing to spend when he was a child except for a monthly fee.

Even Cao Yong's Linxiazhai back then had only a few big odd flowers, and a few small ones were still in their infancy, so naturally there were none.

In this way, Cao Xiang developed a good habit of thrift.On Luju's side, her background is limited, her family is small, and she doesn't need to put on any pomp and keep her money tight.Therefore, the couple's expenditure is limited.Even if there is a salute, there are ins and outs, it's even.

"Didn't the Lord say that the silver can't be moved? It's better not to move it. In the future, even if there is something wrong with the magistrate's office, we can justify it." Luju said.

Seeing that his wife was so sensible, Cao Xiang nodded and said, "Well, then do as you say. Uncle's reply only said that we should stay still for a while and listen more. Don't worry too much, uncle and brother They are all in the capital, and the second brother is a guard in the palace, even if the magistrate wants to plot against us, he has to think about it."

Lu Ju nodded and said, "Well, don't worry about that, I'm just afraid that the master will work too hard..."

*
Capital City, Caojiadongfu, Dongkuayuan.

Jinghui and Cao Song were not so leisurely. When they heard that Luju was pregnant, both of them couldn't be happy.

On Cao Song's side, thinking of the dead jade spider, he was also a little bit afraid, and specifically confessed to Jinghui: "Since the fourth brother said to keep it secret, on the wife's side, let's help hide it."

Seeing Cao Song's reaction like this, Jinghui was a little surprised.

Although Lu Ju is a true concubine, she is Zhao Jia's girl, and she is quite doted on by her.If she knew that Lu Ju was pregnant, Zhao Jia's side would probably be happy too.Especially the marriage with the general's mansion was not happy. Having the eldest son of a concubine in the foreground can also give the newcomer a big blow.

What Jinghui is worried about is the newcomer entering the house and the marriage between husband and wife.Family and everything are prosperous, if the husband and wife are not in harmony, they can only end up being laughed at by outsiders.

The two Cao Shuo and his wife are a lesson from the past.Jinghui is the eldest daughter-in-law of the East Mansion, so she would naturally think of this.

Unexpectedly, in Cao Song's family letter, he asked his brother and sister-in-law for help.Cao Song has always protected his brothers, and he also thought that his brothers were still young and would suffer outside, so naturally he agreed without thinking about it.

But the manpower in the mansion is limited, how easy is it to send a few people to Henan Mansion without telling Zhao Jia?

Jinghui was hesitating here, Cao Song also thought of this, and said: "Why don't you talk to sister-in-law and borrow two people from Xifu?"

"Inappropriate. This is to take care of the new aunt. After the four younger siblings come over, I know it in my heart, and I will complain to my sister-in-law." Jing Hui shook her head.

"How about buying two clean daughters-in-law in the market?" Cao Song thought for a while and said.

"People outside don't know their natures, and they don't dare to ask them to serve pregnant women. If there is something inappropriate, the fourth uncle will blame you and me for not being dedicated as brothers and sisters." Jinghui still has a lot of worries .

"What should I do?" Cao Song lost his mind for a moment.

Jinghui thought for a while, and said: "Tianxiang is ill these days, and my wife said she wanted to move her to the Zhuangzi to recuperate. I have stopped her twice. I am afraid that the place is remote and it will be inconvenient to find a doctor. I will see her in the afternoon. , her complexion has improved a lot, but when she mentions his wife, she loses her mind. In the past two years, every time my wife felt upset, she would ask Tian Xiang to go to the room for a while. Looking at Tian Xiang's appearance, I was almost bluffing, Why don't you take this opportunity to send her to stay in the Zhuangzi for two years, and take it easy. In this way, you can send two nuns to follow. Then borrow someone from the sister-in-law to replace the two nuns. If you come out, you'll have both."

Cao Song listened to his wife's words in an orderly manner, and of course had no other opinions, so he nodded in approval.

Hearing the sound of clappers playing shifts in the distance, it has already been shifted.

Cao Song stood up and said to his wife: "It's the first watch, let's go, let's light a bag of cigarettes for my wife and come back to rest..."

*
Haidian, Ba Age Garden.

After a long time, Cao Yong and Si Age arrived at Haidian from Tangquan.He got off his horse, and saw that white lanterns had been hung on both sides of the gate, and the inside was also brightly lit, surrounded by cigarettes, and faintly heard the sound of monks and Taoists chanting sutras.

Because of Brother Jiu's explanation, the Buddhist scriptures are invited here, plus Zen, Taoism, nuns, and lay Buddhists, and five booths are placed opposite each other.You must know that Fanjing is different from Zen sutras and Taoist temples. It is lamas who come to chant sutras.

Because the imperial court vigorously supported the Yellow Sect of Lamaism, Lamas were also treated with courtesy in the capital.If you want to order lamas to chant scriptures, you need a car to pick you up and send them off. Each lama has to take a separate car and prepare a first-class meat feast.The fee paid is also several times that of Zen scriptures.

A funeral that can afford Fanjing is even a luxurious funeral.Nine, eleven, and thirteen people are mostly used, and people with higher status use fifteen.

On the eighth elder brother's side, seven or seven 49 people were invited.Together with Zen, Taoism, nuns, and lay Buddhists, it is all this pomp.

Seeing Si elder brother get off the car, Cao Yong hesitated for a moment, stepped forward and said: "Fourth master, or else I will pass the decree after the time passes."

According to an old folk saying, the "first seven" is the day when the soul of the deceased returns home.After the family prepares a meal, they should avoid it, and don't let the deceased see it, so as not to worry about him and not be able to reincarnate with peace of mind.

Although Cao Yong didn't believe these superstitious rhetoric in his heart, he had to consider the mood of the widow after all, and he was afraid that the fourth elder brother would be too difficult to do, so he said more.

The fourth elder brother raised his head, looked at the white lanterns swaying in the autumn wind, and said: "The emperor has not given an explanation. You can choose the time to announce the decree."

Cao Yong was choked speechless, and the fourth elder brother had already ordered the long followers around him, saying: "Go forward and report, the imperial decree arrives, and open the middle door to welcome the decree."

The man responded and went forward to deliver the message.

On the concierge's side, while letting people communicate inside, they lead people to open the middle door.

In the mourning shed, the ninth elder brother and the tenth elder brother are trying to persuade Ba Fujin.Bafujin not only dressed himself up according to his own size, but also asked people to bring the eldest elder brother, eldest Gege, and Er Gege to wait in the mourning hall, without any intention of avoiding them.

Bafujin has no childbirth, and there is only one concubine and one concubine under the eight princes' knees.The concubine is the elder brother Hongwang, and the concubine is Ergege.Eldest brother and Er Gege are the same age, both are nine years old this year, and they are well-behaved and sensible.

Da Gege is not Ba Gege's biological daughter, but Ba Fujin's adopted daughter Wan Qing, who is the daughter of Yuan Nan's study walker He Zhuo.

Last winter, just after the second elder brother's "alumni case" broke out, Kangxi broke out with He Zhuo, who had worked in the Babeile Mansion in Nanshufang.There are several reasons on the surface, all of which are literary lawsuits, but in fact it is because of his friendship with the eighth elder brother.In addition, when Ding You was in the 45th year of Kangxi, he once entrusted the young girl born by his concubine to the eighth elder brother's house to take care of him. This is the real crime.This young girl is Wan Qing.

After He Zhuo was dismissed from office, Wan Qing was taken back to He's house by her father, but she often went back to Ba Age's mansion to visit her adoptive father and mother.After the eighth elder brother fell ill last month, she came here even more, and accompanied her adoptive mother to serve the decoction in a disheveled dress.

Although they are not blood relatives, but according to the ritual of "yifu", she, elder brother and Er Gege wear "zhebai" together.

"Sister-in-law Ba, do you have the heart to make Brother-in-law's soul uneasy?" Brother Nine persuaded, "My younger brother knows that Sister-in-law and Brother-in-law are deeply in love with each other, but when Brother-in-law is gone, he will go, so sister-in-law should take it easy."

Ba Fujin shook his head, and said in a hoarse voice: "He left as soon as he said he would, without even saying a word, so cruel, why do you want him to feel at ease?" As he spoke, he burst into tears: "I just want him to worry about it." , let him feel uneasy. Isn’t there such a thing as resurrection? As long as the Buddha is willing to make it perfect, I will eat fast and chant Buddha, build roads and bridges, and do good deeds for the rest of my life..."

Speaking of this, she leaned down and told the children: "You must remember to call someone, call Ama later. If you Ama is reluctant to part with you, maybe you will come back."

Eldest brother and Er Gege are still at the age of chaos, although they feel that something is wrong, they still nod obediently; eldest Gege is thirteen this year, and he knows what is going on.

After hearing Bafujin's words, she shed tears and called out softly, "Er Niang..."

Ba Fujin didn't wipe away his tears, and said: "Cry, I don't want to make you all cry, so let me cry a little more today. If you, Ama, don't bear it, maybe you will come back..." Speaking of this, again Can't help but cry out.

When she cried, the children couldn't help it, and the room was filled with crying.

When Brother Jiu saw this situation, his nose felt sore and his face was cold.Stretching out his hand to touch it, at some point, he also burst into tears.

"Fu Jin, Ninth Master, Tenth Master, the imperial decree has arrived." The steward who came in to report heard the deafening crying, and felt his ears numb, but the imperial decree was important and he dared not delay, so he could only bite the bullet and said.

"Imperial decree, at this time?" Brother Jiu lowered his head and wiped away the tears on his face, then raised his head and asked, "Who is going to deliver the decree?"

Bafujin was beside him, and when he heard the word "imperial decree", he also stopped crying.

The steward bowed and replied, "It's the Fourth Prince and Director Cao of the House of Internal Affairs who came here to deliver the decree."

Brother Jiu has been busy with the funeral for the past few days, and has not considered other things. Counting the days now, it is not that Sheng Jia should go to Tangquan, right?

"Sister-in-law Ba, since the imperial decree has arrived, let's set up the incense table." Brother Nine finished talking to Brother Eight, and then said to Brother Ten: "Perhaps it's Huang Ama's posthumous seal, let's go out to meet her."

The tenth elder brother agreed and came out with the ninth elder brother.

The middle door was already wide open, the fourth elder brother and Cao Yong stood outside the door, but did not enter the door immediately.It wasn't until the ninth elder brother and the tenth elder brother came out and met each other that the fourth elder brother lifted his foot and entered the garden gate.

Although the eighth elder brother stopped his salary and the silver rice of everyone in the mansion, his title of title has not been changed. The Baylor Mansion also has its own civil and military officials, and they all follow here to take care of the funeral.

When they heard that the imperial decree had arrived, everyone came out and knelt behind Bafujin to welcome him.

It has been seven days since the eighth elder brother passed away, whether it is posthumous title or posthumous title, it will be granted.That's why Ninth Brother was not surprised when he heard the imperial decree arrived, but seeing Fourth Brother's sullen face, he was a little confused.

Not sure, and Cao Yong.

The mourning hall is located in the front yard of the garden, just now the cries of Bafujin and several children reached Cao Yong's ears.The dead are dead, but the living have to suffer.

What the fourth elder brother brought was such a purpose. It would be strange if the ninth elder brother could hold back.

The chanting of scriptures stopped at the Wutai ceremonies, and there was silence in front of the mourning hall, and everyone was waiting for the fourth elder brother to announce the decree.

The fourth elder brother was not in a hurry, avoided his body, nodded at Cao Yong, and signaled him to announce the decree first.

Forget it, if you listen to the good news first and then the bad news, there may be a buffer.

Thinking in his heart, Cao Yong took two steps forward, stood facing south and facing north, took out the imperial decree, held it flat in front of him, and said loudly: "The imperial decree has arrived!"

All the people in the field, except Cao Yong and the fourth elder brother, knelt down.

I don't know who drafted the imperial decree, but it was full of eloquence and was extremely gorgeous. Among them, there are two main ones, who were posthumously named "Lianjun King" and posthumously named "Shun".

Bafujin prostrated himself on the ground, accepting the order with tears all over his face.From now on, the eighth elder brother is no longer Babeile or Lianbeile, but the king of Lianshun County.The title of the wood master god has been changed.

Brother Jiu was a little dissatisfied when he heard that he was only named "Prince King".

It is true that the eighth prince's biological mother was born in a low family background, but she was also named a concubine in the end.The eighth elder brother himself was an errand in his teens, followed the holy driver to the west, and was in charge of the blue flag camp; and then he worked as an errand in the Sixth Ministry and made great achievements.

How is the eighth elder brother's talent and knowledge worse than that of the third and fourth elder brothers?Or can't you make a prince, even if you die?

The ninth elder brother was full of depression and had nowhere to vent. The fourth elder brother had already taken the decree and began to read out the second imperial decree today.

No matter how dissatisfied Brother Jiu was, he could only rely on the rules and knelt down to listen.

When he heard that it was the order to "transfer the spirit back to the capital", the ninth elder brother jumped up from the ground and stared at the fourth elder brother fiercely, his lips trembling, unable to speak, thinking that he was already extremely angry.

Cao Yong stood behind the fourth elder brother, listening to the fourth elder brother's calm statement, he really wished that he would disappear immediately.

No matter what happens next, whether there is a quarrel or a dispute, it is their royal business, and there is no need for me, an outsider, to be this witness.

Ba Fujin's face had lost all color, his eyes were dull, and his body was crumbling.Fortunately, Da Gege saw sharp eyes and supported her so that she didn't fall to the ground.

The tenth elder brother was so angry that he screamed "Wow", and he didn't care about his elder brother's tricks. He stretched out his hand, pointed at the fourth elder brother and said, "What enmity do you have with mynah? Why don't people live in peace after death? Huang Ama is flattering, don't even want brotherhood?"

"That day, didn't I say that the coffin of the starling can't be moved! Why, why, why you..." Brother Jiu clenched his fists vigorously, holding back his anger, with a ferocious face on his face, and roared.

The fourth elder brother rolled up the imperial decree, without looking at the ninth elder brother, he said: "What the imperial order has done, this king can do nothing about it. Brothers and sisters, please accept the order." The latter sentence was addressed to Ba Fujin.

"...Huang Ama... Can't tolerate me even if you force our master to death?" Ba Fujin did not accept the order, but raised his head and said angrily: "Master, hurry up and take me away... "At the end, it was already howling.

The little ones, seeing such a scene, couldn't bear it any longer, and started crying along with "woo woo".

Looking at the mad-looking Fujin Ba and hearing the cries of the children, the red-eyed Brother Nine couldn't bear it any longer. With a low growl, he rushed forward and landed his fist hard on Brother Four's face.

The figure of the fourth elder brother is also considered tall, but the ninth elder brother couldn't bear it and attacked in anger. He staggered and bumped into Cao Yong.

One punch just finished, and then another punch came.On the Si elder brother's side, there was no intention of avoiding it, and the dye vat was opened on his face immediately, and blood was already protruding from the corner of his mouth.

Cao Yong was behind the fourth elder brother, looking at the dazzled eyes, and sighed in his heart.I can't just sit on the sidelines, otherwise I will offend the fourth elder brother...

"Jiuye, please calm down. Even if the fourth master is magnanimous, he will not sue the emperor, after all, it is the eighth master..." Cao Yong had no choice but to stop Jiu elder brother's third punch, begging in a low voice... …

*
Tears run, the fifth in history is dangerous, the sixth is chasing, Xiao Jiu begs for a monthly ticket.

Awow, I really want to be free and easy, and stop begging so lowly, I really can't be free and easy.Except for the monthly ticket list, Xiao Cao really has nothing worth talking about.The recommendations given by the editors in the past two months are all very good, and they are also related to the position on the list. I sincerely thank everyone here.

It's getting cold, and Beijing is below zero. There is no heating at home, and the hands and feet are freezing in the house, but I still feel very happy to be able to code. Happiness is given by everyone.grateful.

(End of this chapter)