Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 840 Burning Anniversary

Pingjun Palace, inner hall.

Cao Jia took Cao Ying's hand and looked at her carefully. Seeing that she was not only slightly relaxed, but also in good spirits, she was relieved.She dragged Cao Ying to sit by the kang, and then greeted Cao Yi who was next to her: "The third younger sister is also sitting, it's rare for us sisters to get together and talk about ourselves."

Cao Yi followed and sat down. Although Cao Ying was concerned about the rules, seeing that the people waiting in the room were all people close to Cao Jia's, she didn't create such a destructive atmosphere.

In a few days, it will be Cao Yin's anniversary, Cao Jia sent people to pick up the sisters, and it was to burn Zhou for his father.

Cao Ying is a niece who has already left her filial piety.Cao Jia and Cao Ying are biological and adopted daughters, and they can only leave after burning for weeks.

Speaking of this, the sisters couldn't help but say a few sentimental words, even Cao Ying, for the time being, can't care about the dirty things of the Sun family, and only cares about the kindness of her uncle when he was alive.

Sisters Cao Jia and Cao Yi were even more sentimental and wept silently.

It was still Cao Jia who wiped his tears first, and said to the two of them, "Look, I'm all blamed. I invited the elder sister and the third younger sister to talk about burning Zhou's grave. Gold beads."

Cao Yi also wiped his tears and said, "Second Sister, what arrangements do you have? My Younger Sister is thinking about finding a big temple and doing a few rituals for my father. If Second Sister has other arrangements, it is the same for my younger sister to follow."

Cao Jia nodded and said: "In addition to going to my father's grave on this day, I also want to do a few ceremonies for my father in Chongfu Temple, light a few long-burning lamps, and I am planning to send people to Chongfu Temple to send sesame oil money. If the elder sister If the third sister is willing, let's do it together in Chongfu Temple."

Chongfu Temple is the oldest ancient temple in the capital city, and one of the famous big temples. There are many eminent monks in it, and few receive religious services from outside.

Only the Cao Jia family, with the status of the clan Fujin, can get what they want.

Naturally, Cao Yi and Cao Ying had nothing to say, Cao Yi said: "Borrowing the help of my second sister, we can also show our filial piety."

Cao Ying also said: "Yes, I heard that praying at Chongfu Temple is very effective. If you can pray for Uncle once or twice, that would be great."

Cao Jia's meaning is to let the sisters follow her name, and the money for doing things will be paid by the palace.Cao Yi and Cao Ying refused, and finally agreed that the palace would pay 300 taels;

Because she thought that Cao Ying was not rich, her Cao Jia sisters were going to pay for her, but she didn't do it, and she also wanted to do her filial piety.Cao Jiashi and Cao Yi couldn't stop her, so they had to follow her.

After talking about the business, Cao Jia remembered that the days were getting colder, and said to Cao Ying: "Seeing that the beginning of winter is coming, I will ask someone to pack up some furs and send them to the big sister's house tomorrow. Big sister and nephews can add clothes to wear."

Cao Ying heard this, and said repeatedly: "I have received it, and I have a lot to wear. It's better for the second sister to keep it for her own use, or it's good to be filial to my aunt."

Seeing her being so alienated, Cao Jia shook her head and said, "Eldest sister is true. I have heard from the third sister that Sun Jue has taken over the fur clothes that the eldest sister is a little eye-catching. If the third sister can redeem the jewelry for the eldest sister, I will I'm also a younger sister, so I can't do my best for the elder sister? Besides, there is no shortage of skins in my house. Every year, there is a division in our house. Our master is not here this year, and the House of Internal Affairs has not shorted us. , but received the emperor’s grace and gave us a double share. They are all good skins, and they are reluctant to give them away to outsiders. They just happen to be used by my own family. I have asked people to keep both the wife and the second wife, and the elder sister can just use them at ease.”

Cao Ying's eyes turned red when she heard this, she lowered her head and cried, "It's all because of me, it's useless to tell my sisters to laugh at me."

Cao Jia sighed, and said: "Flesh and blood relatives, what are you talking about, let's see later."

The three sisters left after lunch.Coming out of the palace, Cao Yi took Cao Ying into a carriage and talked about sister Zhixian.

Now that Sun Jue has left, there is no need for these two maids and concubines of the Sun family to hide, it is not good to live in Zhuangzi outside the city all the time.After all, they are two delicate beauties, they have been left outside for a long time, and if something else happens, it will also hinder their reputation.

Cao Ying felt a little hesitant in her heart, not because she was narrow-minded and couldn't tolerate sister Zhixian after her husband was gone, but because she thought of the twins.

She originally cared about her concubine and cherished her reputation, so she did not listen to her husband's arrangement and sold Sister Zhixian.

Hearing her husband categorically tell her mother-in-law and fourth uncle that the twin sons had "died from illness", Cao Ying didn't know how to tell the sister, even if she knew some inside information.

Cao Ying compares her heart with her heart, so she can understand Zhixian's pain of losing her son.If Zhixian and Sister Zhixian didn't know what to do and hated the Sun family for this, wouldn't Cao Ying bring them disaster by keeping them by her side?
Seeing Cao Ying's hesitation, Cao Yi said: "If my sister has any scruples, she will sell her teeth far away. If she is soft-hearted, she can give up some money and send them away. They are concubines, and they are not very old, so there is no need to sell them." Stay in Sun's house for the rest of your life."

"Hey! In the end, they are all hard-working people. The third younger sister should be sent back. I'll ask their sisters what they think." Cao Ying said.

This was Cao Ying's family matter, so Cao Yi couldn't say anything, so he nodded in agreement.

The next day, the steward of the palace sent two carts of leather goods to Sun's residence.

When the tailor who made leather clothes came over, he was astounded when he saw these leathers, saying that the market price of these leathers was 800 to [-] taels of silver.

In Cao Ying's heart, her eyes could only turn red and she felt a lot of emotion.

In addition to the jewelry redeemed by Cao Yi and the furs sent by Cao Jia, a few days ago Cao Yong sent someone to send two carts of antiques, all of which were Cao Ying's dowry. of……

It was too late to be sentimental, the carriage from the Duke's mansion arrived, and sister Zhixian put on a cap and entered Sun's residence.

All the maids in the room were dismissed, leaving only Mrs. Liang as a companion.

Cao Ying whispered to Sister Zhixian and confirmed the true identity of the twins.Zhixian is fine, but Yexian has already knelt down on the ground, wanting to know the whereabouts of his son.

How could Cao Ying say something like "death of illness", she weighed it and said, "If someone hadn't come to find me, I wouldn't have thought of pursuing this matter. They were taken away to enjoy the blessings, even if mother and child are not allowed to see each other, they only want to benefit That family is richer than the Sun's family, and there are no other heirs in this house. There are only grandfathers and grandmothers on it, and there are no aunts and brothers. Their brothers will only live better and will not be wronged."

She didn't make it clear in what she said, but sister Zhixian is the maidservant of the Li family, so she naturally knows what she means.

Even if the son is extremely rich and separated from each other, how could he be happy, Ye Xian couldn't help but cry again.It was still Zhixian, afraid that Cao Ying would be impatient, so she persuaded the girl.

Cao Ying did not mention the details of her husband and wife's separation, but only said that Sun Jue had left Beijing.She didn't keep Zhixian and Yexian sisters, but returned their life deeds, and gave each of them 20 taels of silver and a bag of old clothes for the two sisters.

"I don't want to keep you. Otherwise, the uncle and that family will find out and blame you. You sisters either seek relatives and friends, or find a suitable family to marry. You are still young." Cao Ying said.

Zhi Xian and Ye Xian knew that it was nothing for a rich family to beat a concubine to death for private reasons, but they were glad that they escaped, so why would they complain about Cao Ying.

The two sisters kowtowed three times to Cao Ying, and left Sun's residence with the silver invoice.

After all, Cao Ying was worried, and made people watch her quietly for two days. When they got the news, the two sisters got on the boat going south, and it seemed that they were going to Suzhou to find their son.

Go ahead to dangers.

Cao Ying admired the courage of the two Zhixian sisters. Although she was a little worried, she thought that Zhixian had always been a smooth and sensible person. With her around, the two sisters would not foolishly go to the Li family to ask for a son, so she put the matter aside. don't mention...

*
In a blink of an eye, it was the twelfth of September, the anniversary of Cao Yin's death.

Early in the morning, there was a row of carriages in front of Cao's mansion, and the three Cao family sisters all came back, and followed Cao Yong and others to the Cao family's cemetery in Haidian.

Sacrificial banquets, sacrificial wine, all kinds of cumbersome etiquettes, and the commotion didn't end until noon.

As early as the vegetarian meal was ordered in a temple near the cemetery, the big guys came here to rest together at noon.

After today, except for Li Shi, Cao Yong and Changsheng who still need to observe filial piety, everyone else except filial piety.

In the Zen room, Cao Yong saw Gu Na in Tsing Yi.

Gu Nada Cao Yong is four years old, thirty years old this year, with a short beard on his mouth, and looks thin, but he really has a bit of a breeze in his sleeves, and he looks like a fairy.

Seeing Cao Yong, he knelt down and bowed down: "Cousin uncle!"

Cao Yong hurriedly stepped forward to help him up, and said: "It's hard to meet the previous one, and I have time to say a few words. What are you spending so much time making a fuss about?"

After carefully looking at Gu Na for a moment, they sat down with each other. He frowned and said, "Why are you losing weight again? Now your immediate boss is your father-in-law. He has always valued you, so why doesn't he know how to take care of you?"

Now Gu Na is working in the Procuratorate, and the person who was the left governor of the Procuratorate at that time was Cai Shengyuan, who was the chief examiner of the Jiangnan Township Examination in the 44th year of Kangxi.

He is not only Gu Na's tutor, but also Gu Na's father-in-law.

Gu Na smiled wryly and said: "Father-in-law is upright, and he is most afraid of people saying that he is favoritism. Although relatives are avoided in the officialdom of this dynasty, they only avoid 'father and son, uncles, brothers' and do not avoid in-laws, but when I entered the Inspectorate, I also attracted many people. Talk to me. I wanted to avoid it, but was stopped by my father-in-law, and now I can only finish this job."

The recusal system currently implemented in the officialdom of the Qing Dynasty was formulated by the Shunzhi Dynasty. The evasion of relatives is not complicated. In addition to stipulating that the children of the current Beijing officials above the third rank are not allowed to be elected as officials, that is, fathers and sons, uncles, and brothers are not allowed to work together. , and it was added in Kangxi's 55th year, "The children of all bachelors are not allowed to be cabinet bachelors."

Naturally, the "great scholar" refers to the great scholar in the dynasty. After all, there are not one or two families with father and son double bachelors and uncles and nephews double bachelors in this dynasty.

Rules are dead, people are alive.

The emperor's preference is the biggest rule in this world.Otherwise, according to the rules, Cao Yong could not be appointed as the Ministry of Household Affairs in the first two years.

In front of the word "hand-picked", the rules are just decorations.

Seeing Gu Na like this, it would be difficult to come to the Yamen of the Inspectorate, Cao Yong thought for a while, and said: "Perhaps it doesn't take that long, I heard that Chen Shen, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, has not been in good health since he entered the autumn, and now he is begging for a rest due to old illness. If there is a vacancy in the Ministry of Rites, your father-in-law may be transferred to the Ministry of Rites. He was originally a cabinet minister, and he has always won the Sacred Heart. Now there are vacancies for Manchu and Han university scholars. If the emperor wants to promote him, the yamen of the Ministry of Rites will have to go through a formality."

Gu Na was overjoyed when he heard the words, and said: "It's really a blessing. My father-in-law is upright. In the past two years, I have been worrying about him day and night. If I can leave the Inspectorate as soon as possible, I will be safe as soon as possible."

Cao Yong thinks of Jiu Age, who is about to return to Beijing, and worries about Gu Na's official career.

Everyone knows that Gu Na is the disciple of the ninth elder brother, and when the fourth elder brother comes to power, Gu Na's name must be among the people who will be liquidated.

"The capital is a place of ups and downs, so it's not suitable to stay for a long time... Listen to me, it's better to find a foreign job and experience outside for a few years. When the weather is calm, it's time for you to show your talent." Cao Yong thought about it, and persuaded: " Even Brother Nine, it’s not good to get close any more, if you can stay away, stay away. Brother Nine is flamboyant by nature and doesn’t know how to restrain himself. He has already laid the blame, and I’m afraid that in the future, he will not only tire himself, but also others.”

Gu Na sighed, and said: "My nephew also knows this truth. It's just that my father-in-law got an official position through the imperial examination, and there is no domestic support or foreign support in the court. All these years, I have relied on my self-defilement and secret dealings to preserve this peace. If I leave Jiu'a Brother, or being hated by the ninth elder brother, and the father-in-law is also hard to calm down in his later years, how can my nephew bear it?"

This is the case with Beijing officials, the more prominent they are, the more dangerous they are.What Gu Na said was not aimless.

"Think about it well. If you continue like this, you will certainly be able to keep your father-in-law in peace for a few years, and your official career will be ruined." Cao Yong sighed and said.

When Gu Na heard this, his expression changed, and he said for a while: "It's not that my nephew is nostalgic for officialdom and greedy for wealth and honor. It's just that after these years, my nephew also understands some truths. If you want to be at ease, you have to be uncomfortable. If you don't have the support of power, Even living in seclusion and farming in the countryside is not an easy task. Please also ask my cousin to teach me."

Life is so helpless, he is a transparent person, of course he will not naively think that he can retreat from the officialdom.

"Ninth elder brother, even if you keep going, you can't get too close. You can't collect your talents, otherwise, in the eyes of outsiders, you are just a dog under the ninth elder brother's door. Since you are in the important yamen, you should show your hands. Don't be afraid Offending people, when it comes time to show off your skills, someone will watch." Cao Yong thought for a while and thought that the fourth elder brother is a person who cherishes talents. The elder brother has done bad things in his name, as long as the fourth elder brother has the impression of being a "capable official", it is always good.

In the past two years, Kangxi's health was not good, as we all know.

No one dared to say it outright, but they all knew in their hearts that the sky might change at any time.

Gu Na knew what Cao Yong said.Only by making meritorious deeds by oneself will it attract the attention of the new king, and the future will not be ruined because of Brother Nine.

He got up and made a long bow, saying: "Nephew, thank you cousin for teaching."

Cao Yong waved his hand and said: "Teaching is out of the question, and no one can guarantee it, but as long as you try your best to achieve the word 'no regrets', even if you really leave the officialdom in the future, you can feel more comfortable in your heart." Speaking of this, He paused and said, "You went to the cemetery this morning and saw the wine you left behind."

Gu Na nodded and said: "My nephew has gone. Speaking of which, my aunt and nephew still have a few years of upbringing, so I should have gone. It's just a little bit of a taboo in front of people, so as not to let Brother Jiu know, I'm going to use this to make trouble again."

Speaking of the past, Cao Yong also sighed in his heart.

Gu Na lived in Zhizao Mansion for four years, went to school with Cao Yong, and practiced riding and shooting together.Speaking of it, their friendship is deeper than that of Cao Yong, Yongqing and Ningchun.

If Brother Nine hadn't been troubled back then and forced Gu Nain into his sect, the relationship between these relatives would not have been so sneaky.

"Stay here for a few more years, brother Jiu won't always be so powerful." Cao Yong said with a bit of melancholy.

After hearing this, Gu Na could only nod in agreement.

Because it was a private meeting, Gu Na didn't want to greet Mrs. Li in full view, the uncle and nephew talked for a while, then Gu Na quietly retreated out with the familiar little novice monk.

Everyone in the Cao Mansion also finished their fast and set off to return to the city...

*
Household Yamen, this hall.

Li Wei stood on the ground, looked down at the toe of his boots, and cursed in his heart.Although he is just a layman and has the desire to cling to the powerful in his heart, he still wins.

Like the cold-faced prince in front of him, he really didn't dare to cling to him.

It's just that people are unlucky enough to get their teeth clogged after drinking cold water.

Ever since he offended Prince Zhuang, his life has been difficult.Prince Zhuang loves face, even if he is really annoyed, but Li Wei has already come to plead guilty, so it is not good to deal with Li Wei directly.

But if he can't stand it, he will wink a lot, and Li Wei's life will be difficult under the crowd.

If it were someone else, even if they were not scared to death with trepidation, they would still have to live in fear and live carefully.Fortunately, Li Wei is a big-hearted person with a thick skin, and he is mean to make things difficult for his colleagues.

But in his heart he was thinking, how to survive one term, so as not to return to his hometown in such a despondent way, unable to straighten up in front of his fellow villagers and neighbors.

So what about the lord, the lord in the capital can't count two slaps.

Unexpectedly, his calmness caused the fourth elder brother to look sideways.

Now, calling Li Wei to reprimand him every three or five days has become the fourth elder brother's pleasure.

At the beginning, some officials thought about what they wanted, thinking that the fourth elder brother favored Li Wei and treated him with three points of politeness; later, after hearing the words from the two pens in the hall, they realized that although Li Wei was "treated differently" by the fourth elder brother ", but has nothing to do with importance.

In this way, the treatment Li Wei received was "the nephew lights the lamp - according to the uncle".

Today, the fourth elder brother held an account book in the warehouse of the household department, looked at Li Wei's crooked signature on it, and scolded Li Wei sternly.

Li Wei pleaded guilty, but his teeth were itching with hatred in his heart.

No wonder outsiders said that this master is mean, and his mouth is too ugly. Even if Li Wei's handwriting is ugly, he can't just call it a "dog crawling".

He is a donated official, not a Jinshi master, so what's wrong with ugly handwriting?
As far as he knows, not to mention other yamen, it is the household department, and there are two common manchus who are not as good as him in writing.

The fourth elder brother trained for a while, and felt his mouth was dry, so he felt refreshed in his heart.

Looking up and looking at Li Wei's pockmarked face, it was not so obtrusive anymore. He waved his hand and said to Li Wei: "Go back and copy the "Diamond Sutra" ten times, calm down and practice your calligraphy."

When Li Wei heard this, his face immediately changed.

As far as his level is concerned, it would be good if he could know a few words. Asking him to copy books would cost him half his life...

Seeing Li Wei's sour face, the fourth elder brother showed no sympathy at all, but showed a rare smile...

*
Tears ran, fell to the sixth place in history.Xiao Jiu asked for a monthly ticket.

(End of this chapter)