Due to several heavy snowfalls in the winter of the 42nd year of Kangxi and the first month of the 43rd year, the winter grain grains in Shandong, Hejian and other places were not harvested, and famine broke out one after another. In February, hungry people from both places poured into the capital. On the 26th, the political envoy of Shandong revealed that the former political envoy Liu Hao had run out of treasury silver, and the former governor Wang Guochang had no deficit when he was in the treasury. In fact, the deficit of grain in the warehouse amounted to more than 500,000 stones. Because of this matter, Yinzhen was furious in the study, scolding these corrupt officials for being "bastards" and "rats of the country". But knowing this, Yinzhen is only a prince at this time after all, and he is powerless to change any situation.

These things were said by Xiao Shunzi after he went to the front yard and came back. It was because of him that I suddenly regained some of the admiration I once had for Yinzhen. The previous act of giving food for the sake of sharing favors and self-protection has also begun to be more sincere. Every day, I was worried that his liver was too hot because he was in a hurry and angry, so he specially stewed some food to clear his heart and send it over.

In March, the number of hungry people pouring into the capital has been bold to the point that the streets and alleys are everywhere, and although some of the gentry and wealthy families in the capital who have formed good relationships have set up soup kitchens, because there are many hungry people in Beijing, the soup kitchens in the five cities cannot be spread everywhere, and it is becoming more and more difficult. Under such circumstances, Kangxi was so anxious every day that he ordered the ministers of the Eight Banners to cook porridge in three places outside the city according to the flag, and sent Tong Guowei and Mingzhu to supervise the relief. The emperor is so busy, and Yinzhen, the prince and the courtier, don't say much.

In such a difficult situation, Yinzhen's Baylor Mansion is naturally not suitable for a full moon for the young son at this time, so the full moon banquet originally prepared can only be changed to symbolically add some wine and food to each courtyard, and the meaning is too much. I heard that the Li family lost her temper because of this, threw a few blue and white porcelain in her house, and called the person who came to deliver the news, and also fed the specially added vegetables to the dog on the day of the full moon of Hongshi, and even scolded the Wulanala clan, saying that she deliberately saved and Yinzhen to violate their mother and son.

This happened less than an hour, everyone in the house knew about it, Wanqing learned this to me, I first wondered how the front foot of the matter just came out, and the news flew all over the sky, one by one said the same as seeing it with my own eyes, and the atmosphere in the Li family's courtyard was too loose. But then after estimating, I thought of my previous guess, and said that I was afraid that it was spread by those people around the Li clan arranged by the Ulanala clan. If you even heard about it yourself, someone on Yinzhen's side in the front yard will probably tell you. Sure enough, Yinzhen, who was originally going to Li's side that night, sent someone to spread the word that she was busy with something, and blamed Li for becoming too ignorant, so that she could calm down and reflect.

Listening to these news, I only felt funny, and secretly wondered: Is this the old saying "giving birth to a child is stupid for three years", it stands to reason that the Li family has been favored by Yinzhen's side for so long, and he will not be stupid, how can he be so confused now, don't you really think that with two sons by your side, you can have no fear and lawlessness?

After thinking about it, I felt that it would not be so simple, but I was afraid that this was also the fire ignited by the Wulanala clan looking for someone to fan from the side, which finally made the Li clan dizzy.

Anyway, it's not a big deal for me to watch the fire from the other side here, watching them fight, and I'm happy to live my own little life quietly, so I warned no one in the courtyard to follow and join, so as not to burn themselves.

However, the matter of the hungry people and the matter of the Li family did not affect Yinzhen's intention to let me go out of the house to relax. On March 16, shortly after the full moon of Hongshi, it happened to be the birthday of the Buddha of Zhun Ti Bodhisattva. Yinzhen specially asked someone to come over to remind me to prepare earlier, and when the time came, Geng's mother accompanied me to the Fahua Temple outside the east city to make incense, and Xiaoshunzi, Wanqing and Yunhui followed together.

Because he is a low-status character, it is not in accordance with the rules to go out of the house, so he is extremely low-key. Before the dawn of the morning, Geng's mother was waiting outside the side door, I changed into the costume of an ordinary eunuch woman and took the entourage out of the house, got into a carriage prepared by the mansion that ordinary eunuch women usually used when they went out, and drove out of the city by Xiaoshunzi.

The carriage left Wangfu Street, and the whole person suddenly felt relaxed. In the past year, most of that restraint and repression have been reduced. I pointed to Wanqing and Yunhui and said to Geng's mother: "They and the little father-in-law who is driving outside are all reliable people around me, so you don't have to be restrained, just be casual." ”

As soon as Geng's mother heard me say this, her body, which had been tense, was obviously much more relaxed, and she was about to speak, but tears fell first. When I saw her crying, my originally relaxed mood was also infected, and the tip of my nose was sour, and my eyes were red.

Seeing this, Wanqing was busy on the side and comforted: "Mrs., don't cry, you cry, Gege is only afraid of being uncomfortable, it is rare to see each other, just say what is important to yourself." ”

As soon as Mother Geng heard Wanqing's words, she wiped away her tears to calm down her emotions, forced a smile, and said: "In the past year, it has been really difficult for you to be in the Fourth Master's Mansion, and your father and I both understand it in our hearts, but in addition to worrying about it, we can't do anything." Now that you look good, and you can be allowed to leave the house, I guess if you are extremely Tailai, your father and I will be relieved. Don't be so stubborn in the future, the master is the master after all, and you can only be the one who suffers. Mother doesn't want you to be prosperous and rich, I just want you to be safe and sound, no illness and no disaster......"

In the end, Geng's mother couldn't help choking, so she had to cover her lips and pause. I nodded with tears in my eyes and took Geng's mother's hand and called "Mother......", my voice was also crying, and my heart was blocked for a while. After a while, he came back to his senses and said, "Mother, my daughter worries her father, she is really unfilial, and she will not be like this in the future." ”

Geng's mother clapped my hand, in turn clenched it tightly in her palm, sighed lightly and said: "Just be careful, don't worry about the family, the neighborhood is good, nine ......."

When the word "nine" came out, Geng's mother immediately noticed that my hand suddenly tightened, and she knew that she was speechless, so she hurriedly changed her words: "The ninth master used to come and go around at home, and he took care of everything. But after all, the family of the nine masters is different from our family, your father said, you can't just accept favors without trying to repay, if you can't repay them, some kindnesses should not be easily accepted. Therefore, we returned all the silver and two things sent by the Nine Great Masters in the future, so as not to make you embarrassed in the future. ”

The "Nine Masters" in Geng's mother's mouth are naturally Yinyu, Yun Hui knows it, and Xiao Shunzi also knows a little, but Wanqing doesn't know. Although Wanqing is now a confidant, people's hearts are separated from their stomachs, and there are some things that one less person knows and one less risk. That's why he secretly reminded Geng's mother to be careful when she spoke.

However, Geng's mother's words also reassured me a lot. Originally, I was worried that the Geng family would receive too much help from Yinyu, and it would inevitably be involved in political struggles in the future.

Talking like this all the way, the atmosphere has changed from hugging and crying at the beginning to gossiping later. It's just that in the end, he still sticks to his identity, unlike before, he can say anything, and he doesn't avoid anything, so the gossip starts with Geng's mother's inquiry and ends with Geng's mother's persuasion. But fortunately, Yun Hui and Wan Qing interjected and joked from time to time on the side, and the topic was not boring, Geng's mother Xu had not yet adapted to the change of identity, and finally said politely to Wan Qing and Yun Hui: "Thanks to your care for the past year, I will depend on you for more trouble in the future." ”

Geng's mother's politeness made Wanqing and Yunhui extremely frightened, and hurriedly said: "The minions that Mrs. said really can't stand it, if you talk about it, Gege is the master of his own family to the minions, and it is right to serve the master as a slave, and it is right to share the worries of the master, so don't be so polite in the future." I'm afraid that I will break the rules and torture the minions. ”

Seeing that their words and expressions were really nervous and taboo, Geng's mother was afraid that she would say the wrong thing for a while, so the car suddenly fell silent, and the atmosphere suddenly became embarrassing. I had no choice but to excuse myself and said, "The rules in Baylor's Mansion are big, and they are all trained by special grandmother stewards. I treat them well, but I didn't let them put down the etiquette, I was afraid that I would be presumptuous in front of me, and I would accidentally lose the etiquette and cause trouble when I met the masters, so they usually mostly stuck to the etiquette and didn't dare to break the rules casually. But we have a good relationship in private like sisters, and my mother doesn't have to care about this, just get used to it. ”

Wanqing and Yun Hui saw that their reaction was too great, which made Geng's mother a little uncomfortable, and they hurriedly apologized. I said to them, "You can't change these rules for a while." But since I'm out of the house, I occasionally breathe a sigh of relief, so I don't care about it, so as not to lose my interest. ”

Wanqing and Yunhui hurriedly said yes, and tried to coax Geng's mother to laugh happily. Seeing Geng's mother happy, I also felt happy, and secretly thanked Yinzhen for this grace.