Kangxi's grace not only did not delay Zhao Shenqiao's vitality, but made him put his mind at ease.

After boiling for less than two days, he had already shown that he had run out of oil and dried up.

When he returned to the light, looking at the children and grandchildren who knelt on the ground, Zhao Shenqiao couldn't help but burst into tears, and said for a while: "Leave a disaster to my descendants, my fault." After I went, I returned to my hometown to keep filial piety, abide by the mean, and cultivate and read heirlooms...... No one of my sons shall be allowed to go out of office within three generations......"

Children of official eunuchs, who doesn't want to get a chance to advance to the imperial examination? When Zhao Shenqiao's children and grandchildren heard this, they looked at each other, not knowing how to respond.

Zhao Shenqiao couldn't help but be furious when he saw that everyone didn't speak, and shouted: "Reverse the son and grandson, the sword and axe are added, and you know how to be afraid?" ”

Everyone did not dare to bear the name of "disobedience", and they were busy kowtowing.

Zhao Shenqiao's son Feng Zhao floated in front of him, and the disaster of Feng Zhao was not greedy, but the eldest son of the official eunuch and the governor, who was fearless.

Thinking of this, he looked at his second son Zhao Xiongzhao again.

This son is the champion of Kangxi for 48 years, and he has the talent to govern the world, but he is tired of his father and brother, and he has a spare job in the Hanlin Academy.

"Don't complain about my son, if you lose your horse, you don't know if it's a blessing......," Zhao Shenqiao said in a deep voice.

Zhao Xiongzhao walked a few steps to the bed, and he was already choked up, and said: "My son will respect his father's life, stay away from the court, be a farmer with peace of mind, and hope that his father will be sympathetic to his son's filial piety, and he will already be healthy and live a long life......

He was already in his fifties, and because he was implicated in his brother's corruption of ink, he took the trouble to sell his property to recover from the imperial court; These sons, who are sick at the bedside, have trouble sleeping and eating, and now they are skinny and boneless, which makes people unbearable to look at each other.

Zhao Shenqiao felt a pain in his heart, he was already speechless, he didn't take a breath, and his body was already crooked...... Inside and outside the Shangshu Mansion, in a cry, it turned plain white...... Because Zhao Shenqiao was not there at dusk, Cao Hao was at the end of Zhuangzi, and when he got the news, it was already the afternoon.

For entertainment in the officialdom, other people's families, Cao Hao doesn't have to show up in person, just send a housekeeper to go; This Zhao Shenqiao is the peak of his worries, and he is his father's old friend before his death, so he has to show up.

The recent situation of the Zhao family is not a secret in officialdom. Since Zhao Fengzhao's conviction, the Taiyuan official office and the old mansion of the Zhao family in Changzhou have been raided.

Rao is like this, and he did not make up for the 300,000 taels of silver that Zhao Fengzhao "greedy for ink", and it is still being recovered in the past two years.

Now although Kangxi has grace and does not need to be recovered, the Zhao family, a big family, will immediately finish the funeral, and they will help the soul to return to their hometown, and their livelihood is also a problem.

has been in office for many years, and Cao Hao has also seen all kinds of characters in officialdom. Whether it is a local governor or a six-part book, the most complicated of them is this Zhao Shenqiao.

Until the Zhao family's old house was copied, Zhao Shenqiao was in his old age, and he still endured Kangxi's reprimand, and when he was conscientious, Cao Hao only had admiration in his heart.

Three years of Qing Governor's Mansion, 100,000 snowflakes of silver.

Zhao Shenqiao served as the governor of Zhejiang for ten years, and served as a court official in the household department for seven or eight years.

Zhao Shenqiao doesn't need to stretch out his hand, there are many people who are icing on the cake, but it is not uncommon for anyone who has a selfish heart and has a family background of 300,000 or 500,000 yuan.

Then, even if he has been a superintendent for more than ten years, and his son bears the notoriety of "greedy ink", the Zhao family has not copied out tens of thousands of taels of silver.

Even Cao Hao, who is not short of money, after he became a leader, he just went with the flow, unwilling to stand in the way of others, and complained in vain.

Zhao Shenqiao, really good.

In addition to making people prepare relevant funerals, Cao Hao also prepared Yi Bai taels of gold, and left Zhuangzi early to enter the city and went to Shangshu Mansion to worship in person.

In officialdom, there is no shortage of the words "people go to tea and cool down".

However, because Zhao Shenqiao still has the son of Hanlin who was born as a champion, everyone still has some three points of leeway. Even those who did not come to pay tribute had many people bring memorial services.

In front of Shangshu Mansion, there are a lot of cars and horses parked, which is not deserted.

It's just that in terms of Zhao Shenqiao's identity, the grades of the visitors are lower, and most of them are colleagues from Zhao Xiongzhao's Hanlin Academy, and the officials of the household department.

As soon as Cao Hao, a well-known forehead, came, he became the person with the highest rank and status among the hangers.

Many household officials, who know Cao Hao, have to come close to ask An to see, Cao Hao all bowed his hand in return, and followed Zhao Xiongzhao to worship in front of the spirit.

Zhao Xiongzhao was also worried in his heart, this Heshuo forehead and his family were just face-to-face friendships, and now he came to pay tribute to the Zhao family, even to give face to the Zhao family, but he didn't know why he came.

It's not that he speculates about people's hearts, but he was frightened by what happened to his brother.

can come forward to sue his brother for greedy ink, and can also cite "ironclad evidence", how can he be a stranger?

In officialdom, sometimes "old friends" are more terrible than "old enemies".

Cao Hao didn't say anything, and after worshipping in front of the spirit, he got up and wanted to leave after sitting for half a cup of tea.

During this time, he saw Guna, who had come to pay his respects.

Gu Na was the same year as Zhao Xiongzhao, and the two could be regarded as New Year's friends. The moment he saw Cao Hao, he just bowed and saluted, and didn't say anything.

Cao Hao didn't say much, after all, in the eyes of outsiders, Gu Na ignored the kindness of the Cao family's upbringing, impeached the Cao family's uncle Sun Jue, and "made enemies" with the Cao family.

Familiar faces, as well as Li Wei who is in the household department. He has always been enthusiastic, and when he saw that the Zhao family had insufficient manpower, he followed to do some chores.

Seeing this, Cao Hao's eyes softened.

Even if officialdom is a dye vat, not all the people who come out are black-hearted. Li Wei's development is definitely not luck.

Although in terms of knowledge, Li Wei, who can't write big characters well, is not as good as those Confucius and Mencian disciples, but in terms of character, he is much stronger than those people.

didn't wait for Cao Hao to leave, the official sacrifice arrived.

This is the sacrifice of the Son of Heaven, and everyone kneels with the children of the Zhao family to greet him.

Those who came to pay tribute to the tea and wine were the Minister of the Interior, Fuguo Gong Zhenheng, and the left attendant Zhang Tingyu of the Criminal Department, as well as ten guards.

Zhao Shenqiao's nickname has also come down, and he has "Gong Yi", which can only be regarded as middle and upper, and Wenchen's nickname has always been beautiful with the word "Wen".

"Keeping the right and unswerving" is respectful, "both can be changed" is also respectful, and Zhao Shenqiao's fault of "teaching his son no way" is unavoidable; Good deeds are not slack, Wen Renzhong is said to be Yi, can Ji Guo is good and Yi, wise and persistent, a "Yi" word can be regarded as a portrayal of Zhao Shenqiao's life.

After the official sacrifice was completed and Zhenheng and they left, Cao Hao did not stay long, said goodbye to Zhao Xiongzhao, and left.

Zhao Xiongzhao personally sent out the door, and the old housekeeper of Zhao Mansion rushed over, invited Zhao Xiongzhao aside, attached it to Zhao Xiongzhao's ear, and whispered a few words.

Zhao Xiongzhao was stunned when he heard this, looked at Cao Hao's expression change, and took two steps forward and said, "Uncle Cao, please stay!" ”

Cao Hao turned around and looked at Zhao Xiongzhao quietly.

Looking at this calm and waveless gaze, Zhao Xiongzhao suddenly felt a little uncomfortable. He was originally a man with the surname Gwenhou, and he never wanted to maliciously speculate on other people's thoughts.

The others in front of him were fine, but in the face of the silent young uncle in front of him, Zhao Xiongzhao couldn't help but feel ashamed of his speculation.

As the son of the Cao family, the second-class earl, and the big money of the county prince's mansion, he is far more weighty than the stormy Zhao family, so there is no need to calculate what the Zhao family is.

"Uncle is kind, and I understand it in my heart. It's just that the funeral is precious, and I can't afford it, and I hope that the uncle will be compassionate. Zhao Xiongzhao blushed and said with a bit of sincerity.

The rules in the capital are not good to give more in the ceremony.

There are rules for the exchange of power and elites, and it is a contemptible and shallow behavior to compare with each other in the ceremony. Cao Hao is not a hairy boy who doesn't know the world, how can he not know this.

He was stunned for a moment, glanced at the old housekeeper next to him, and said to Zhao Xiongzhao: "Lord Zhao misunderstood, the hundred taels of gold are not Dian Yi, but Cheng Yi sent by Cao in advance." Cao served his mother in Tangquan and rarely returned to the city, so he offered Cheng Yi together this time. For fear that Lord Zhao would misunderstand, he made a special trip to ask his family to say it. ”

When Zhao Xiongzhao heard this, he glanced at the old housekeeper, and when he saw the old housekeeper nodding, he knew that what Cao Hao said was true.

He hurriedly bowed down and said, "It's a faux pas!" ”

Cao Hao looked at him leaning over and said, "It's okay, Lord Zhao doesn't have to take it to heart." Please Lord Zhao stay, Cao will take the first step......"

Zhao Xiongzhao was still sent out of the gate, watching Cao Hao ride away before turning back.

The old housekeeper followed beside him, but he breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "Second master, with this hundred taels of gold, you can also settle the longevity money and the law money first......

Zhao Xiongzhao's footsteps were slow, looking at the mouth of the alley that was already lonely, and he couldn't say anything.

This young uncle really sent Dian Yi and Cheng Yi together to save trouble, or did he take into account the embarrassment of the Zhao family and was unable to treat the funeral...... speculating on the malice of others makes this down-and-out champion uncomfortable; Guessing the kindness of others also made his heart heavy.

The three generations of the Zhao family have not been out of office, and if it is a favor, they will not be able to repay it......* Coming out of Shangshu Mansion, it was still early, Cao Hao did not rush out of the city, but came to the Thirteenth Elder Brother's Mansion in Goldfish Hutong.

After entering October, the thirteenth elder brother's chronic illness recurred, although I heard that it was not serious, but Cao Hao returned to the city once, and still felt that he would go to visit and do his best.

In addition, the sixteenth elder brother only said that he was recuperating in the elder brother's house, and there was little news about it.

I don't know if there is no grounded life, Kangxi sent the imperial doctor to see him several times, the thirteenth elder brother is quite good-looking, the spirit is very full, there is no decadence in the early years, and the voice of the voice is loud and loud, I heard that Cao Hao is out of the Shangshu Mansion, the thirteenth elder brother couldn't help sighing, and said: "Zhao Shenqiao is a rare virtuous minister, and Zhao Xiongzhao is also a talented ......."

Back then, Zhao Fengzhao's "Ink Corruption Case" was clearly implicated in the "Kali Case", but in fact, there was also the emperor's checks and balances.

If Zhao Shenqiao was really as "old and confused" as the court reprimanded, Kangxi would not have repeatedly rejected him and let him die in the position of the head of the household department.

Seeing that the thirteenth elder brother had a good impression of Zhao's father and son, Cao Hao had to say a few good words.

He really hopes that the thirteenth elder brother can influence the fourth elder brother, and when he stays in the Yongzheng Dynasty and Zhao Xiong's filial piety, he can be reused.

If it's nothing else, even if you don't do your own business, good people don't have good rewards, and it's always embarrassing.

But he didn't know that Zhao Shenqiao left his last words that his children were not allowed to go out for three generations, and he rarely had this kindness, and he also paid it away, and it was decades later for the children of the Zhao family to enter the court again...... I heard that Cao Hao was going to go out of the city today, so the thirteenth elder brother left him here to eat, saving him the need to go back to the house and toss.

Cao Hao wanted to inquire carefully about the sixteenth elder brother, so he didn't leave in a hurry.

"Sixteenth elder brother, you don't have to worry, he is just implicated. Huang Ama knew it in his heart, and he wouldn't really blame him. "Although he talked about royal family affairs, Cao Hao was not an outsider, and the thirteenth elder brother told the second elder brother about his addiction to opium.

Although the Cao family has some eyes and ears in the capital, because this matter is related to the abolition of the prince in Xian'an Palace, it is a taboo thing, so Kangxi has long kept people silent, and they don't know about it.

"Opium?" Cao Hao listened to it and was surprised.

A few years ago, he was vacant as the head of the Internal Affairs Office, and he was on an errand in the palace, so he knew better than ordinary people what the Xian'an Palace was.

To put it mildly, how many people are staring at it, how many people in the Internal Affairs Office, the Zongren Mansion, and the Guard Office are involved, and it is really like an iron bucket.

If it weren't for this, the abolished prince would not have been solved immediately because of the war in the northwest, thinking of "making meritorious contributions" and making the "alum book case".

For the older brother, Kangxi is quite taboo; For this second elder brother, who has been the prince for 30 years, Kangxi is even more guarded.

The most taboo thing about this Xian'an Palace, which is surrounded by iron barrels, is to pass pieces of paper and things at the entrance.

In the eyes of the world, this opium is still a drug, and it is a forbidden thing. To say that there is no catty in this is hell.

"The sixteenth brother is really wronged!" The thirteenth elder brother smiled bitterly: "I really didn't expect that the medicines that were scarce a few years ago are now available in all major pharmacies in the capital, and there is no place to check them." The scourge of opium mentioned by Fu Ruo back then is indeed worrying. ”

The thirteenth elder brother diverged his words, and Cao Hao was also obedient. Naturally, he knew that the royal housework was not something he could intervene in, so he said a few words to the thirteenth elder brother about the spread of opium in the capital.

"That's right. There is a letter from Guangzhou, saying that it is going to set up a 'Thirteen Foreign Firm', I heard that there is still your family's business in it? The thirteenth elder brother remembered something and asked.

Speaking of this, Cao Hao also felt strange.

I really didn't expect that the famous "Thirteen Foreign Companies" in the later world was created at this time.

"Although it is said that it is caused by interests, it is also beneficial to the country and the people to take advantage of foreigners." Cao Hao said.

At this time, the Thirteen Fujin has already sent someone over to ask the Thirteenth Elder Brother where to set up the table.

The thirteenth elder brother didn't want to move the place, so he asked Cao Hao, so he directly sent the table to the study...... * Changping, Cao's Zhuangzi, the guest room.

"Second brother, it's my aunt's grandmother's birthday in a few days, and the birthday gift can be prepared by the big housekeeper?" Li Cheng asked.

"It's been prepared for a long time, it was prepared in Suzhou, and it was sent together with the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the third brother took care of it, so don't bother about this." Li Yu replied.

Li Cheng coughed twice and said, "Those mundane things can only be regarded as the birthday gift of the Li family, not our brothers." After half a month here, hasn't the second brother seen it yet? Although my cousin is cold, my aunt and grandmother really love her. The second brother still asks people to inquire, and see what the cousin of the Sun family and the cousin of the Cao family are preparing, let's prepare one, which can be regarded as exhausting the 'filial piety'......"

(To be continued)