Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 772 Patriarchal Law

When Cao Yin asked Cao Qi about the marriage, Cao Qi had only one sentence: "Marriage is an important matter, the order of the parents, and the words of the matchmaker. Even if the nephew's parents are away, there are still the elders of the family. How dare the nephew be independent?"

With a light word, he pushed the question back to Cao Yin.

Cao Yin took the letter from the Seventh Master and read it for two days, but he still told Mrs. Li to pay attention to the daughters of the right age among the old relatives and friends.The left and right are just picking people, and the final decision will be made after the Seventh Lord arrives in Beijing next year.

This Seventh Lord has always been friendly to Jiang Ning's branch. If he hadn't mediated, the tomb of the branch clan would not have been adjacent to Fengrun's family.From this point of view, the old man is kind to Jiang Ning.

How easy is it to get a marriage that is well-matched?

In the 48th year of Kangxi, the Cao family raised the flag, and only carried the Jiangning Caoxi branch, and the Fengrun family was still under the name of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Intermarriage of the Eight Banners does not distinguish between flags and flags, but there is a checkpoint in the draft.Those with better family backgrounds and good looks are all decided by the palace and married to the clan or dignitaries.For other brands, either there are other arrangements at home, or they are defective.

As far as Baoyi's family is concerned, girls have more choices, but Cao Qi lost his wife and remarried.Which good girl is willing to fill in the house?
If he is from a poor family, he is not worthy of Cao Qi's status as the eldest son of the Cao family.

On Li's side, several candidates were selected, but they all felt inappropriate.I remembered that Zhaojia's main family had a few cousins ​​who were married to upper-middle-class families in the Eight Banners. The relatives were well connected, and there must be many girls of the right age among them, so I invited Zhaojia to come to the house for a talk.

In the past six months, Mrs. Zhao Jia felt very uncomfortable without the power of housekeeper.In front of people, the two daughters-in-law are more and more required to set rules, as if only in this way can they have face and will not be looked down upon by others.

Jinghui was born in a family, and Suxin has been a servant in the palace for many years, and she always follows the rules, so naturally there is no difference.Respectfully, he really served Mrs. Zhao Jia like an old lord.

Today Mrs. Li came over to ask someone to invite her to the mansion, so Mrs. Zhao Jia took her two daughters-in-law.

No matter how proud the eldest house is, it is indisputable that the number of heirs is rare, and it is impossible to catch up with the son of the second house.

Chu Yu is well aware of Zhao Jia's behavior.Therefore, after Jing Hui and Su Xin finished greeting Li Shi, she found an excuse and brought her two sisters-in-law down to save them from setting rules in the upper room.

The three sisters-in-law went to Wutong Garden for tea.

Chu Yu made people serve a few plates of newly made snacks in the mansion, Jing Hui and Su Xin still looked well-behaved, with low eyebrows and pleasing eyes.Seeing this, Chu Yu couldn't help smiling, and said, "Could it be that she was taught to look like a little daughter-in-law. There are no elders around, and you still flirt with me. Do you really think you are a guest?"

Hearing what Chuyu said, Jinghui felt more at ease, smiled and patted her own waist, and said, "I'm sorry to hear what my sister-in-law said. Yinzheng got up this morning and was feeling tired. Let my sister-in-law crooked."

"Why do you get up so early? Even though you are young, you should take good care of yourself. You are not cold-resistant." While ordering someone to prepare a pillow for Jinghui, Chu Yu beckoned Su Xin to sit by the kang: "Since the second brother and sister are going to rest Don't sit on the floor with the fifth sibling, we sisters-in-law and we haven't been together for a long time.

When Su Xin heard the words, she responded in a low voice.After Jinghui went outside and put on a fur vest and sat on the kang, she got up and sat down next to the kang.

"Recently, the mansion has been a little busy, coupled with some insomnia, I just feel dizzy these few days." Jing Hui leaned on the pillow and said with her forehead.

"Have you sought out an imperial physician? It's not a good time to delay." Seeing this, Chu Yu was a little worried.

Jinghui lowered her head and said: "It's nothing serious, it's not a good year to worry the elders."

After hearing this, Chu Yu understood what Jinghui meant.In the past six months, she established rules in front of Mr. Zhao Jia sooner or later, and became more respectful, so that Mr. Zhao could not make any mistakes and made the house stable.The end of the year is the busiest time for housework, and if she feels uncomfortable, it will just give Zhao Jia some room to explode.

"That can't be stiff, if the body wears down, it's too late to regret it." Chu Yu shook his head, turned around to call Xi Cai, and ordered: "Send someone to the second gate to send a message, and quietly invite an imperial physician over."

Jinghui was listening, and sat up, wanting to stop her.Chu Yu didn't wait for her to speak, but ordered her to like it.

"Sister-in-law..." Jinghui said, "I know sister-in-law loves me, but..."

Chuyu didn't wait for her to finish, and said: "It's not yet Laba, and it will take a month or two. Even if you are strong, you must have a good body. Otherwise, you will be sick, and you will wait until the day of Guining." It’s not to make the old lady in-laws sad.”

When Jing Hui heard about her grandmother, her eyes turned red, and she said in a low voice, "Be more sympathetic to sister-in-law."

"Second brother is careless. If there is something wronged by the younger siblings, the younger siblings will tell the sister-in-law, and the sister-in-law will make the decision for you." Chu Yu covered Jinghui's lap with the blanket brought by the maidservant, and said.

Jing Hui and Cao Song are married, and Chu Yu and Cao Yong act as matchmakers.Not to mention that among the cousins, Cao Yong is the closest to Cao Song, just like his own brother.Chuyu is the elder sister-in-law, so naturally she wishes for her well.

Jing Hui shook her head, seeing Su Xin bowed her head in silence, afraid of neglecting her, she changed the subject and said, "The eldest lady said that there is a marriage matter to discuss with our wife, but the fourth master's marriage?"

After hearing this, Su Xin raised her head and looked at Chu Yu together.

"It's a marriage, but it's not the fourth master's." Chu Yu said with a smile: "It's about the remarriage of Uncle Qi from the same clan, and the Seventh Lord Fengrun entrusted the master."

After hearing this, Jing Hui said, "I heard that Grandma Qi's funeral is like yesterday. It's been years in a blink of an eye, but it's not the time to remarry. I'm just a poor motherless orphan." At this point, she realized that she had made a slip of the tongue, and looked at her She glanced at Suxin and said, "Don't blame my brother and sister. Speaking of which, my sister-in-law is not as good as you."

Su Xin shook her head, and said: "Second sister-in-law has met. By the way, sister-in-law, is this uncle Qi the eldest son of the family? Is the one who is going to remarry this time a clan wife? It's not easy to choose."

Chu Yu nodded and said, "It's just like what the fifth sibling said."

Jing Hui was at the side, a little puzzled, and said: "Sister-in-law, isn't she the son of the direct line, the head of the family? What is there to say about marrying a wife?"

Chu Yu said with a smile: "It's a big deal, and it's really not easy to find a suitable one. Otherwise, it wouldn't embarrass my wife, and I would invite the second wife to come over and help find someone. Said, the details, I'm afraid I don't know as much as the fifth sibling, so I'd like to ask the fifth sibling to talk about it."

After saying this, she looked at Su Xin.

Jinghui's family is Manchu, so they are not as good as Dong's family for the orthodox Confucian clan rules.The Dong family is the direct lineage of the Dong family, and Dong Suxin's grandfather is the head of the Dong family.

Just listen to Su Xin said: "Speaking of clan wives, they value rules and childbearing more than ordinary daughters-in-law. If you are not a concubine, no one will hire a concubine's daughter as a clan wife. After all, a concubine's daughter has a humble birth mother, and the aunt is separated from her mother." Lost the blood, lost the support of the mother's family; and the relationship is the important matter of the offspring, the only daughter is not allowed, fearing that the offspring will be difficult to reproduce. The clan wife is in charge of the family's internal affairs, externally disciplines the female family members of the family, and externally communicates with in-laws and guests. Break the rules and make people laugh."

After listening to Suxin finish speaking in one breath, Jinghui couldn't help but snapping her tongue, and said: "There are so many rules. No wonder Grandma Qi is weak and weak, but she still has half of her etiquette. It's just bad luck."

"The clan wife serves the elders, educates the children, assists her husband, and presides over the family's chores. She has a long life. Su Xin's grandmother in her natal family is the wife of her grandfather. There are no two people in front of her." Su Xin said lightly: "My mother was overworked, and the root cause of the disease was caused after a miscarriage, and she died without herself."

Chu Yu and Jing Hui only know that Su Xin lost her mother when she was young, but they don't know the reason.After listening to Su Xin's words, the two looked at each other, regretting that they shouldn't have mentioned this matter.

On the contrary, it was Su Xin who went on to say: "Families of the Eight Banners follow the common customs and don't care about the descendants of the descendants. On the contrary, the Han people are willing to marry their daughters to the descendants of the descendants of the descendants of the descendants of the descendants of the descendants of the descendants of the descendants of the descendants. No intermarriage, if you want to find a suitable one in the flag, you really have to choose carefully."

Chu Yu said: "Isn't it? It's hard to choose. My wife found a few, but the master rejected them all..."

*
Dongcheng, Jiubeizi Mansion, outside the gate.

Although today is not a day for rest and mumbling, but Brother Jiu sent someone to the yamen to invite him, so Cao Yong could only come here.Fortunately, Brother Sixteen was also invited. During the conversation, Brother Nine only asked about tobacco, and did not make things difficult for Cao Yong.

In addition to Brother Jiu, Brother Sixteen and Cao Yong, Qin Daoran, the chief staff member of the Jiubeizi Mansion, was speaking in the hall.This Qin Daoran is the eldest grandson of Qin Dezao, a well-known scholar in the south of the Yangtze River, and his family owns the famous Jichang Garden in Wuxi.He was appointed to accompany him back to Beijing during Kangxi's southern tour. He was originally appointed to teach at Jiu A Ge's office, but later he was awarded a Jinshi, and he was named in the Hanlin Academy. .

For Brother Jiu, he is a teacher, a confidant, and a right-hand man.

Although the emperor entrusted the tobacco affairs to Brother Jiu, but the prince was limited in leaving the capital, Brother Jiu could only appoint his cronies to do it.

Cao Yong was not optimistic about Qin Daoran, and he sighed after leaving the gate of Jiubeizi Mansion.

Brother Sixteen glanced at him and said, "Fu Ruo is afraid that the old Confucian will make mistakes?"

Qin Daoran was in his sixtieth year, and his hair was half white, so Sixteenth Brother called him that.

Cao Yong nodded and said: "Seeking business is different from seeking power. Of course, he can assist Brother Jiu in the way of seeking power; in business, he is not as good as Brother Jiu himself. This tobacco thing is not something that can be solved overnight. Yes, I don’t know why brother Jiu chose this person.”

Elder Sixteen heard the words, frowned and said: "Yes. I also find it weird. I heard that Elder Ninth has Ma Jia under his command, who is his right-hand man to make money. I thought that this time Ma would come out in the first place. I don't know how to use it. Shangqin Daoran is an old Confucian. I also have no idea in my heart. Rather than him, it is really not as reassuring as shopkeeper Han."

Cao Yong listened, can only be speechless.

It is better to change the plan, even if Brother Jiu employs people improperly, Cao Yong will not push Han Jiangshi out of trouble.Cao Yong has also seen brother Jiu's hands and feet in the past six months. Whether it is really poaching people or playing tricks, he doesn't take it to heart.Because I know Han Jiang's temperament, he is not a frivolous person.

Since Han Jiang's is usable, there will be times when he can be used in the future, and it will not be this year or half a year.Brother Nine is easy to get along with, it's too late, how could he push Han Jiangshi closer?
Brother Sixteen raised his head, looked at the sky, and said, "It's still early, let's find a place to have a drink before returning."

On Cao Yong's side, it's okay to go back to the mansion, so he found a restaurant with Brother Sixteen and asked for a private room to sit in.

Most of the restaurants at this time serve Huaiyang cuisine and Shandong cuisine.The sixteenth elder brother lives in the palace, he eats fat chickens and ducks all day long, and he is tired of eating early, so he asks Xiao Er to serve some light dishes and warm two jugs of wine.

When Xiao Er went down, before the two of them could say anything, they heard the sound of dishes being dropped from the private room next door.

There are only thin wooden boards between the private rooms, and there is no sound insulation, so someone said: "Brother Yi'an is drunk, drink less."

"I...not drunk...not drunk...Sang Er, don't talk too much...I'm just a waste material, I'm afraid that this life will be like this, and there will be no future..." You said humanely.

Cao Yong was a little taken aback when he heard this.

It seems that the capital city is both big and small, and this is actually meeting an acquaintance.If one of them can still listen carefully, and both of them match, it should be his elder brother Cao Qi and his old friend Wailang Ertai, a member of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The next door was in chaos for a while, and then Xiaoer's voice and footsteps gradually subsided.It seems that he paid the money and left.

Brother Sixteen saw Cao Yong's expression, and said: "The voice sounds familiar, Furuo knows..."

"It's my elder brother, the errand in Ningshou Palace's ward rounds. The other one should be Wailang Ertai, a member of the Ministry of Internal Affairs." Cao Yong replied.

"So it's the two of them." Elder Sixteen raised his lips and said, "I didn't expect these two people to get together. Who doesn't know that Ertai is a fan of officials, and he just wants to make money all day long." , but you can't let go of airs, it's funny. Your clan brother is also aloof, does this count as congenial?"

"Ertai, Ertai..." When Ertai came to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Cao Yong met him once, and when he heard his words about his elder brother, he had the intention of clinging to him, and he felt displeased. , no follow.But for some reason, I just feel that the name is familiar.

Could it be that this is also like Zhang Tingyu and Li Wei, who were famous ministers of the Yongzheng Dynasty, Cao Yong was a little undecided.

"I heard that the twelfth brother has appointed people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The twelfth brother is the most careful in his actions. I am afraid that he can't understand Ertai's temper, so he didn't point him out." The sixteenth brother thought for a while and said with a smile "It's your clan brother. At first, he thought he was fake and lofty. I didn't expect that the third brother and the ninth brother had wooed him, and I didn't see any reaction from him. I don't know if it's true character or sharp eyes. If it's a real book Stay, working as a errand in the palace, it is really lucky to be able to avoid any mistakes."

Cao Yong listened, followed by nodding endlessly.No wonder every time I saw this clan brother before, I felt weird and always felt that something was wrong, so it was because of this.

After working as a guard in the palace for a few years, and then as the head of the tea house for a few years, how could a dull person be able to stand upright?

This clan brother is a person who is good at hiding and clumsy, but he doesn't know that no flaw is the biggest flaw...

*
The second watch is around 0:[-]. .

(End of this chapter)