Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 870 Zhongqiu
"Master Thirteen..." Nian Xi blushed from being teased by Master Thirteen, and was speechless in embarrassment.

Elder Brother Thirteen raised his eyebrows and scolded with a smile: "Come on, let's come with your grandpa. Look at me, you are a night owl who comes into the house and comes to the house for nothing, so sit down and talk about things quickly. No more ink marks, grandpa." We're about to see off the guests."

After being scolded a few times, Nian Xi lost the restraint he had just now, and became more at ease, and said earnestly, "Master Thirteen, I really beg you to come."

Although Thirteenth Master saw that he came to the door on business, he was still surprised in his heart.

After all, Nianxi is not an ordinary person. There is a governor, Lao Tzu, and Prince Heshuo's uncle, so ordinary things will not make him so difficult.

After all, he is no longer that hot-blooded and reckless Thirteen Lang, he pondered for a while before he said: "Fourth Master has always taken care of you, what is there that he can't take care of?"

After hearing this, Nian Xi hurriedly said: "The thirteenth master misunderstood, the fourth master treated the slave very well, the slave is very grateful. It's just...just... the slave has been suspended for two years as a deputy, and wants to find a regular job..."

He has always been weak, even though he donated to be an official, he is still doing idle work, just because he is afraid that he will be tired.

Among them, it is not without the love and concern of the fourth elder brother.

After all, Nian Xi is the eldest son of Nian Gengyao, who lost his mother when he was young, and has a pitiful background.

"How old are you, why are you in a hurry? Take good care of yourself for a few years, take care of your body, and don't eat when you think about errands." Brother Thirteen waved his hand and said.

"Master Thirteen, after all, this servant is a son of the Nian family, and he is no longer a child with a yellow mouth. He should fulfill his responsibilities as a son of man." Nian Xi's voice became more earnest.

Brother Thirteen frowned slightly, and said: "Are you worried that your uncle's dismissal will affect your father? There is no need. Your father is a courtier personally instructed by the emperor. He is of great use in the northwest and will not get involved. Besides, your uncle It's just a crime of negligence, and there is no fear of life, you should not worry too much, and your parents will worry if you hurt your body."

"Master Thirteen, the so-called crime of negligence is just the emperor's grace to show uncle some respect. Now that father is away, this son, a slave, should do his best to share his father's worries." Nian Xi said.

Elder Brother Thirteen knew that Nian Xi was right.

In the past few years when Nian Xiyao was appointed as the chief political envoy of Anhui, he has scraped a lot of land.In the fertile land in the south of the Yangtze River, how many governors have fallen, and how many of them have gone to maintain integrity?
When it comes to guilt, not to mention top-wearing, even the top-wearing guy may not be able to save things.

Now, the major incidents have been reduced to minor ones, Nian Xiyao's crimes of extorting bribes and corruption of ink have been erased, and pushed to the lower magistrate, leaving only the crime of negligence, which is indeed the grace of Kangxi.

This decency was not reserved for Nian Xiyao, but for Nian Gengyao, governor of Sichuan.

It's just that at this critical moment in the Northwest War, the emperor can think of a courtier to save some dignity; when the time passes, he still doesn't know what will happen.

Originally, the Nian brothers were all governors and officials, and they could help each other; now that the crime is being questioned here, and the northwest is a place full of gunpowder, Nian Xi is afraid that his father will be alone, so he wants to stand out and help his father.

Seeing Nian Xi's firm expression, Elder Thirteen asked, "You don't want to let it out, do you? This fourth master won't allow it. When you stop the medicine, it won't be too late to think about it." .”

Nian Xi shook his head and said, "I didn't think about going out of Beijing. I'm still in the inspector's office. I just want to fill a vacancy. I've been a deputy for two years, but it's just a dawdling. The slave also wants to do practical things."

Brother Thirteen saw his eyes shining, he couldn't help laughing and said: "This is already planned, what is the lack, tell me?"

"Master Thirteen, there is a vacancy in the supervisory censor of Zhejiang Province, and the servant wants to make up for it, but Master Si doesn't allow the servant to be self-employed." Nian Xi replied.

"Zhejiang Dao supervisory censor?" Brother Thirteen couldn't help frowning.

Although Jiangsu and Zhejiang are rich and prosperous places, they are also famous dens of corrupt officials.The officials who went to Jiangsu and Zhejiang did not end well, but the supervisory censor of Zhejiang Province was not so easy to do.

Those who can find real shortages in the south of the Yangtze River are mostly the emperor's close ministers, or they are from the family of lords.Even if the censor impeaches and sues these people, all kinds of criticisms will be met next.

Therefore, there are few supervisory censors in Zhejiang Province who can serve a full term.

"Why do you want to pick up this drudgery? It's thankless, and your body can't bear it." Elder Thirteen still shook his head, with disapproval on his face.

Nian Xi lowered his voice and said, "Master Thirteen, are we going to let moths run rampant? In Jiangnan, the imperial court will always clean it up. Now my uncle is greedy for ink, and even my father's reputation has been damaged. I will find a supervisory censor to make a With these political achievements, even if you can't honor the lintel, you can still do your best for the imperial court."

When the thirteenth elder brother heard this, his heart moved, thinking of the heartbreak of the fourth elder brother when he was thinking of the household bank and the corruption of Jiangnan's officialdom.

"The fourth master loves the slave, and the slave knows it, but the slave also wants to do something for the fourth master. There are not enough people around the fourth master. Although I am useless and have no plans, I can still watch and listen." Nian Xi looked up. , said.

He put it bluntly, but Thirteenth Elder Brother couldn't say anything, so he knocked on the table with his finger and said, "You know Fourth Master's temper, and I'm just talking about it for you. As for whether it can be done, it's not Grandpa has the final say..."

Hearing the words, Nian Xi had already stood up and thanked him...

After the housekeeper sent Nian Xi out, Brother Thirteen immediately stood up and looked at the screen.

A person turned out from behind the screen, it was the fourth elder brother with a pensive face.

"Fourth brother, why did he think of coming to me?" Thirteenth brother was a little puzzled: "This year, Xi is not the first one. There was someone who asked me to come to me two days ago. I was still thinking about what to do." Push it, so as not to upset fourth brother."

"I'm going to arrange a few people recently. It's not easy for me to show up. Dai Jin's idea is to push it to the thirteenth brother, so as not to be conspicuous outside." The fourth elder brother said: "I wanted to come here a few days ago and talk to you about this, so as to catch up with Huguang Flooding, allocating money and food, I have been busy for several days, and I am free to come here today."

Seeing that it was arranged by the fourth elder brother, the thirteenth elder brother nodded and said: "So that's how it is, younger brother understands."

Although his face was calm, he was even more astonished in his heart. The hand holding the teacup trembled and almost dropped the cup.Now the fourth brother arranges manpower to familiarize himself with Jiangnan officialdom, what is his plan?
Could it be Huang Ama's body... Thinking of this, Brother Thirteen only felt his temples throbbing.

He hurriedly brought the teacup to his mouth, and took two sips before he calmed down.

For a while, he felt a little sympathetic to Brother Fourteen.

Although the imperial court claimed to have an army of 30 in the northwest, it was actually only 10,000+.Among the 10,000+, there are several routes.Even if the fourteenth elder brother is sealed with the "General Fuyuan", he may not be able to capture all the 10,000+ troops in his hands.

Even if you hold it in your hand, what's the use?

Nian Gengyao, governor of Sichuan, is in charge of the rear, and it is not easy for Brother Fourteen to bring the army back to Beijing.

Unless Huang Ama is fine before the war in the northwest is settled, then the fourteenth elder brother has military merits, and the hope of winning the crown will increase; "The bigger it is, the more embarrassing the situation will be in the future.

The fourth elder brother's face was gloomy, as if he was extremely exhausted. He didn't see the thirteenth elder brother's gaffe, rubbed his forehead, and said: "The army has been deployed for two years, and it has been prepared for more than a year. This year, it will start. In June and July, They dispatched a large army several times and wiped out 200 enemies, and they were ashamed to report a great victory! The Ministry of Finance had long since run out of money, and now the military pay and food depend entirely on the local government. Some people have already impeached Jiang Chenxi, the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou, and Gan Guobi, the governor of Yunnan, for delaying the payment of the army. There has been little rain in Yunnan since last year, many places have no harvests, and many places are still waiting for the imperial court to release grain, so where can we prepare for military pay?"

As he spoke, the fourth elder brother already brought some resentment: "The imperial court is empty, the officials don't want to serve the country, and they all know how to be greedy for money. A prefect can be short of thousands of taels, and a magistrate can ask for bribes, which is more than 1 taels." Two! Both should be killed!"

This is about the ink corruption case in Anhui officialdom that Nian Xiyao was involved in.

Brother Thirteen didn't answer, and remembered a rumor about Nian Gengyao.

Nian Gengyao and Kangxi went to Sichuan in 48 years, and they have been governor and then governor in Sichuan for 12 years.During this period, I went back to Beijing two or three times to review my duties.

In normal years, even if people don't come back, the ceremony will continue.

This is not unusual, and it is also a common practice for governors in other places.

Although Nian Xiyao was greedy, Nian Gengyao's hands were not that clean either.Otherwise, why did he take advantage of both sides and speculate around?
Afterwards, the eighth elder brother died, and Nian Gengyao also made the fourth elder brother completely determined.

As far as the thirteenth elder brother knew, the income of the fourth elder brother's mansion, apart from Wangfu Zhuangzi, was Nian Gengyao's filial piety.

It's just that now, the fourth elder brother Geng Yao was a confidant back then, so he didn't care about this.He is the most defensive, now that Nian Gengyao is "loyal", the money "filial piety" will be accepted.

Wait until later to investigate... Elder Brother Thirteen's heart trembled, and he was inexplicably in awe of the elder brother who had always been the closest to him...

*
Going all the way, Cao Yong finally returned to the capital on August [-]th.

Into the gate, Cao Yong secretly relieved.People are so strange, many years ago, he wanted to escape from the capital; after staying in the capital for more than ten years, this place makes people think again.

The autumn wind is refreshing, and many streets in the capital hang up lanterns, and most of the passers-by on the street are carrying dim sum bags in their hands.There are also peddlers who walk around the streets, shouting "moon cakes", but in fact they are just brown sugar cakes eaten by ordinary people.
Two or three papers a piece, but they are bought by ordinary people to make festival scenes.

The streets were bustling with people, Cao Yong and his party could only rein in their horses and walk slowly.

When passing by Daoxiang Village in Qianmen, looking at the queue at the end of the street, Xiao Man kept saying, "I haven't eaten the pastry of Daoxiang Village for half a year, I really want this one, and when I get home, I will definitely make people buy three or five catties, so I can understand it." Quenching."

Cao Yi was at the side, looking at the big and small bags hanging on both sides of his horse, and joked: "Do you want to eat pastries, or do you want to eat something else? Xiaobie is better than a newlywed, this time sister-in-law must be careful." , maybe you will swallow it whole."

Xiaoman is old and thick-skinned. Hearing this joke, he hummed twice, and said, "Second Master, don't know how to joke small things. If you are capable, Second Master is going back. Don't even think about going to Qianmen Hutong. Bear with me." Let's talk in three days..."

Talking and laughing, a group of people arrived at Cao Mansion.

The chief steward, Cao Yuan, received the letter and rushed out to welcome him.

Because of the rush all the way, Cao Yong wrote a letter to his home when he left Guangzhou in June.

Going to the post station, he arrived in Beijing a few days earlier than them.

Thinking of the thousands of miles from Guangzhou to the capital, everyone thought that Cao Yong would arrive in Beijing before winter, but he did not expect him to arrive today.

"Please be safe, sir." Seeing Cao Yong, Cao Yuan bowed to greet him.

Cao Yong gave him a hand, and asked repeatedly: "Is there anything wrong in the mansion? How about the East mansion? Did the second master come back with a letter?"

"Uncle, don't worry, everything in the mansion is fine, and the East Mansion is also fine. The second master came back with a letter from his family a few days ago. According to the fifth master, everything is safe." Cao Yuan bowed and replied.

Cao Yong nodded and said: "These people who followed me will have a ten-day holiday. In addition to the monthly exception, each person will be rewarded with two new clothes, 20 taels of silver, double the amount of the master and the second master. In a few days, Cao Fang, Wei When the uncle comes back, the reward will be doubled according to this example."

Cao Yuan agreed, and Cao Yong turned around and said a few words with Cao Jia and Cao Yi, then turned and went to the inner house.

At this moment, Chu Yu had already got the news, and led people to meet him at the second gate.

Looking at his wife whom he hadn't seen for half a year, Cao Yong's chest felt warm. He didn't care about the servant girl looking at her, so he went up to hold her hand and said, "Why are you waiting here? It's windy today, so you have a headache?"

Chu Yu looked at her husband, whose face was tanned and red because of the rush, and felt distressed in his eyes. Instead, he held his hand and said, "Didn't you say that you only set off from Guangzhou at the end of June? Why did you arrive here so soon? What a hurry!" Urgent, how can the body endure?"

"It's okay." Cao Yong smiled and told his wife to feel at ease, and the husband and wife went to Lanyuan together.

As soon as he entered the yard, Mrs. Li supported a little maid and waited in the porch.

Cao Yong put down his wife's hand and walked forward quickly: "Mother, my son is back."

Mrs. Li supported her son's arm, looked her up and down, her face full of distress: "I've been here for half a year, let's see how thin I've become."

It is strange to say that in the early years when Cao Yong was still a child, Li Shi could still have a bit of self-restraint in front of him. Although he loves him dearly, but because he is the eldest son, he never pampered his son like a child.

Now, when Cao Yong grew up, Li Shi knew the year of destiny, but he treated his son like a child, and remembered it more and more.

Cao Yong held his mother's arm, and the mother and son entered the house together.After a while, Cao Ying, who was temporarily living in Cao's mansion, also came over.

On Chuyu's side, knowing her husband's love for cleaning, someone ordered the kitchen to bring bath water to Wutong Garden.Later, she called people to the school and brought the children over.

Today is August [-]th, Hang Seng's birthday.

Although there was no banquet for the children's birthday, they called the kitchen early to prepare the table.Now, it is cheap to directly meet Cao Yong.

It's just that in this way, it's not a matter of Xifu.It is a must to invite everyone from the Eastern Mansion to come and have fun together.

After Cao Yong talked with his mother and cousin for a while, and met his children, he went back to Wutong Garden to take a bath and change clothes.

Xu was too tired, Cao Yong was in the barrel and almost didn't fall asleep.

After changing clothes, everyone from Dongfu came over.

When brothers meet, they must say goodbye again.

The two brothers in Dongfu were relieved to see their cousin returning earlier than expected.

It's already August now, and there is only half a year left before next year's spring boudoir. It's time for Qian Chenqun to prepare for the imperial examination.

Chu Yu entrusted the matter of finding a wife to the two younger uncles. The two found it a few times, but they all felt that it was inappropriate. Now that Cao Yong came back to make up his mind, it would be the best...

(End of this chapter)