Beijing, Caofu, Lanyuan.

Li coaxed Changsheng to sleep, asked ** to hug him, and then called the maid to carry the embroidery screen. It is a picture of 100 longevity, and most of it has been embroidered.

This craft of Su embroidery was learned by her before she left the cabinet. Over the years, the number of times it has been used seriously can be counted on one finger.

On the Queen Mother's birthday last year, she dedicated a job in the past, and the Queen Mother praised it several times. At that time, she thought that she would also pre-backup the Hallomy gift in the future, which could be regarded as a thank you to the emperor.

The rumors of the past two years have been full of shadows, and she has also heard some of them. Although he didn't believe it, he also knew that there was no wind and no waves, and it was because the Queen Mother treated her differently that the villain chewed his tongue. Li didn't take it to heart, but acted more and more respectfully, and did not easily enter the palace without being summoned.

This embroidered screen is a preparation for the birthday of the Halloween, and there is still a half moon, and the days are a little tight. Thinking of this, Li couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

The more anxious I was, the more I had to do it, and after a while, there were a few mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law who came to pay attention.

A line of needlework, intermittently, but it took a quarter of an hour.

Li Shi was a little upset, put down the needle and thread, and instructed the maid on the side: "Go and invite the Amethyst girl to come over." ”

One less time, amethyst came at the order.

"Ma'am." Amethyst entered the room and leaned over to salute.

Li nodded, pointed to the chair on the ground, and said, "Here, I'm looking for you." Sit down and talk. ”

Amethyst bowed her head and sat down on the edge of her chair.

Li Shi sighed and said, "I know that now you are taking care of the daily lives of Tianyou and Hengsheng, and it is enough to take care of them. But my daughter-in-law is not in the house, so I'm afraid that some things will bother you for some days. Speaking of this, he pointed to the embroidery screen and said: "This is the birthday gift of the Wanshou Festival to be entered this year, but it is too late." If you're cheap, how about taking care of your housekeeping for a while? In the past, you also helped your daughter-in-law to take care of the house, and I was also at ease when I handed it over to you. ”

"Madam......" Amethyst hesitated when she heard this, and said, "It is also very appropriate for the slave to look at the Suxin girl......

Li waved his hand and said: "Su Xin is a guest, it's okay to talk with him to relieve boredom, how can I entrust the housework." If you are tired, help me for half a month. I'll wait until I'm done with this work, okay? ”

Seeing that it was said that it was to this point, Amethyst had no choice but to bite the bullet and said, "Since it is ordered by the wife, the slave and maid should work hard and dare not be lacking." On my wife's side, doing needlework every day is too tiring and eye-draining. If the wife agrees, the servant will ask the kitchen to make some nourishing tonic soup, right? ”

When Li heard this, he nodded with a smile and said, "But I can't wait for it, but I'm going to bother the girl." In the end, it was the old lady who trained you, and I can't complain that the children respect you. With such a appearance and such a character, who can not look at it twice. Even if you are young, don't work too hard, and think about nourishment. Otherwise, wouldn't it make me feel uneasy to exhaust you for housework? ”

Amethyst was not easy to say anything, seeing that Li was in a hurry to do needlework, she served to sew an embroidery thread before withdrawing.

Li Shi took the embroidery thread and looked at the back of Amethyst, and after a while, he sighed and began to do the work.

When Amethyst returned to the Kwai Courtyard, she saw Little Walnut with two little girls, standing by the flower bed in the corner, and stepped forward and said, "What is this for?" ”

Little Walnut turned around and said with a smile: "Sister, it's warm this day, I sprinkled a handful of raw melon seeds." Isn't there sunflowers in this yard every year, and this year is also a good time. It is a special trip to pick out raw melon seeds, each of which is full, and there is no deflated one. ”

"Really?" Amethyst squatted down and looked at the place where the small walnuts were sown, but there were horizontal and vertical, and it looked very much like the same thing.

"It's another year...... Amethyst remembered that when she went to Beijing at the beginning of that year, it was also spring, and it had been seven years now.

Little Walnut instructed the two little maids to take down the flower hoe and bucket, wiped the soil on her hands with a handkerchief, and said to Amethyst with a smile: "I heard my mother say, my sister has land in Changping, how many acres is there?" ”

"Well, how do you talk about that. There are a few acres. Amethyst said with a smile.

Little Walnut stretched out her hand and said with great interest: "Sister, grandma gave me a monthly amount of money after the New Year." Earlier, it was 300 texts, but now it is 500 texts. plus my mother's, there are more than a dozen taels of silver a year. Coupled with the savings of the previous years, there are also a lot of rewards with the wives and grandmothers during the New Year's holidays. My family has been tenants for several lifetimes, and I didn't dare to think of my own land earlier, but in the future, I want to buy some land for my mother's pension. ”

"It's hard for you to have such filial piety, save it slowly. If you want to buy it in the future, I will ask Steward He to help you two inquire. Amethyst stood up, touched the braids of the little walnut, and said, "Uncle and grandma are both affectionate people, you are so good to wait for the master, you will be blessed in the future." ”

"Hmm!" Little Walnut nodded vigorously and said with a smile: "My mother also said the same, we are the Yin virtue of our ancestors, and we can live such a life with Grandma Tian into our house......"

While the two were talking, a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law began to come over to do something.

It turned out that the Li family had already sent people to inform all places, and from now on, the affairs of the inner house will be decided by the Kwai Yuan side first.

One by one, one by one, although it is not big, it is extremely cumbersome.

Many of the charters were set by Amethyst back then, and it is easy to take care of them.

For example, adding or subtracting items in the house, determining the recipes of each courtyard, and Amethyst's side are all agreed upon according to the preferences of several masters.

It is related to things outside the house, traveling with gifts, etc., Amethyst is gathered together, and when I plan to go to the Orchid Courtyard every day to ask for peace, please make a decision from the Li family.

But it is orderly and orderly.

Amethyst also asked everyone to concentrate on Chenshi (7 to 9 o'clock in the morning) and Weishi (1 to 3 o'clock in the afternoon), so as not to delay her in taking care of Tianyou and Hengsheng.

The people around the Li family originally wanted to take advantage of Chu Yu's absence to make a few good things. Now Amethyst is in charge of affairs, but there is no change in personnel.

There are villains who are dissatisfied, and they have to chew their tongues in Li's ears. The Tao is that Amethyst is a servant, but she has been waiting for the old lady for a few years, but she has picked it up. The young master is called "aunt", and she dares to agree, but she doesn't know the rules.

Li Shi listened, but was annoyed.

But she was not angry with Amethyst, and she was annoyed that those mothers-in-law were troublesome, she got rid of those few January Qian Mi who chewed her tongue, and solemnly warned her, so that no one dared to talk about Amethyst.

Zhao Jia's side heard the rumors, and originally planned to see Amethyst's jokes, but he didn't expect such an end.

She also rushed over and complained to the Li family: "Sister-in-law too, isn't she just a servant?" Brother Hao'er and they have been lifted up, and if my sister-in-law is like this again, won't she have to go against the sky. I looked at her earlier, even if she waited for the old lady, would it be expensive? It's like a young lady, and she loves to take Jiao'er. If I were my sister-in-law, I wouldn't be used to her, so I would have gone out a long time ago. The eldest girl in her thirties is not as clean as the little daughter-in-law, who knows what she thinks? It's not good to say what sneaky you have if you can't keep it...... Why don't you protect her like this......"

Li had listened well before, but the more Zhao Jia's words became, the more unpleasant they became, and they couldn't help frowning, and said, "Brother and sister, please be careful!" How can you and I be a man with a daughter say such a thing? ”

Zhao Jiashi was bluffed by the Li family, and said: "I'm just telling the truth, what kind of anger is my sister-in-law angry about?" What kind of tablet is she, where can she compare with our girl? Brother Hao is confused, and sister-in-law is also confused, just a cheap maid, and she is like a young lady. ”

"She is also from an official family, and her family was defeated when she was a teenager. Being able to come to our house is also the fate of the two. Li didn't want to continue the topic, so he diverted and said, "I heard you talk about the relatives of the fourth and fifth children a few days ago, do you have a suitable person in your heart?" ”

Seeing this, Zhao Jia's momentum was extinguished, and he said: "The two of them are just prisoners, and they don't have a knight, where will there be a good girl who is willing to marry." A guard's mansion, what else can you say about being close or not? ”

"Brother and sister, don't be too picky, you always have to be a good girl, it's serious. This Beijing custom, marrying a daughter to a high gate, marrying a wife to a low level, there is also some truth. Seeing that she was depressed, Li opened his mouth to persuade.

Zhao Jiashi pursed his lips and said, "My sister-in-law has taken a county lord's daughter-in-law, can she still say such cool words?" Don't worry, even if the fourth child is good at homework, the fifth child is more intelligent, and he doesn't have a good father, and he can't marry the county lord's daughter-in-law, if he can't go beyond their eldest brother, the sister-in-law can rest assured......"

Li was so choked that he couldn't speak, but he knew that Zhaojia's was crooked, so he didn't bother to break with her, shook his head and continued to do needlework.

Zhao Jia's was still on the side, gushing: "I'm optimistic, if you want scenery in the future, you have to rely on our four and fifth sons ......"

* Rehe, Chunwangfu Garden, antechamber.

"What? All four members of the Zhao family died? Cao Hao came back from the yamen and couldn't help but be stunned when he heard what the chief housekeeper Qin Gui said.

Yesterday, he came back and listened to Chu Yu tell the details of Guo's unjust killing. I really didn't expect that there were such crazy people in the world, and I was quite indignant.

According to Chu Yu, if this grievance is not known to them, they can still watch from the wall. Now, Xiaoying is in the house, and Guo has fallen into a dream and begged, how can he ignore it.

Xiaoying is the girl raised by the Guo family in the past few years, and she was mixed into the house in the firewood train yesterday, and she is fourteen years old this year. Both parents died in the famine of the previous years, and were sold by their uncle to traffickers and transferred to the Guo family.

Saving someone's life is better than creating a seventh-level floating slaughter, even if it is just to avenge the deceased, it is also a matter of accumulating yin and virtue. Even if it is for the sake of the children's blessings, they should not sit idly by.

Cao Hao rarely saw what his wife cared about, so he nodded in response. For him, this is just a gesture. He took his name card and asked the chief housekeeper Qin Gui to go to the yamen to explain the matter.

Unexpectedly, this is a lot of effort, and things have changed again.

"How could a family of four die? Could it be that they resisted arrest? Even so, the officials were too hasty on their side. Cao Hao couldn't help frowning when he heard this.

Even if Guo's husband is guilty, his parents should not die together.

"Forehead, it's not the hand of the yamen. When the prefect heard the slave tell him about the secret story of Guo's case, he was furious and immediately ordered the man to be arrested and brought to justice. I don't want to, the officials and the arrester went to about a dozen people, but they couldn't open the door. Caught up in the air, worried that they had run away through the back door, and sent someone to intercept them. But when he saw a few bandits, he came out with a knife, and several officials stepped forward to intercept him. In the two phases, the weapons fight. After cutting down two officials, they wounded one and the other four fled. When I arrived in the courtyard, I saw that the Zhao family of three and the bride had their necks cut off, and there was no longer any vitality. Qin Gui thought about Fang Cai's scene, but he felt that his neck was full of numbness, and he couldn't help but stretch out his arm and touch the back of his neck.

Zhiran, Wei Hei, and Jiang Jian were all there, and after listening to what Qin Gui said, they had different expressions.

Wei Hei frowned and said, "Childe, these people are sneaky, and they are too close this day." It is also necessary to probe, cut the officials, and not go to the government, these few designated are outlaws. Before the manpower in this capital arrived, it was better for Childe to be cautious these days. ”

Cao Hao nodded and asked Qin Guidao, "What does the yamen say here?" Is there a wanted down? ”

"He has made a picture, saying that he wants to return the people to search the city. Steward Zhang stayed over there. It's just that Rehe doesn't have a city wall, and if the murderers want to escape, it's not easy to search and arrest. When Qin Gui said this, he was also a little worried, and said to Cao Hao: "Forehead, what Steward Wei said is reasonable. Regardless of whether those people are here for the sake of the forehead or not, it is always safe to be safe just in case. In the past few days, on the side of the yamen, if you want to travel, you should add some manpower. ”

Cao Hao nodded and said, "I know." but they have suffered everyone, and they have to work for me. It is estimated that they can survive for two days, and if they can't stay up, I'm afraid they won't be able to take care of a lot, and they will have to toss to feel at ease. These days, we are on guard. ”

As he was talking, he saw Zhang Yi coming back from the yamen and bringing with him the pictures of several murderers.

The injured murderer had confessed that he was a bandit in the pass, and he followed the leader out of the pass, and heard that there was a big deal. I don't know why.

There are a total of five of them, among whom there is a tearful mole under his left eye, who is the head of everyone, only knows the surname Tu, and everyone is called "Second Master". There is also an "uncle" who went out of the customs separately with them, saying that they would meet at Rehe before the tenth day of the first month of March.

What exactly is the deal, but it is not known.

As for the surname Zhao, he just met him on the road, and gave him a few small coins to find a place to stay.

But these words are right again, everyone, you look at me, I look at you, and their expressions are solemn.

Although I was on guard before, I was a little lucky, thinking that the road from Jinan to Rehe was not close, so I wanted to delay for a few days, but I didn't expect that it was just in front of me, and people had arrived.

In the end, it was Cao Hao who smiled and said: "The soldiers are coming, the water is flooding, and everyone should have some self-confidence." In this world, where are there a few masters who come and go without a trace? We are already on guard here, and we have a lot of manpower, so what are we afraid of? If my head were so easy to cut, it wouldn't be worth 10,000 taels of gold, would it? ”

Rao said it easily, and everyone's expressions couldn't be soothed.

Qin Gui hesitated for a moment and said, "E, why don't you borrow some people from other palaces first?" Let's help for a few days. ”

Cao Hao waved his hand and said: "There is no need to do this, not to mention the uproar, there are many people, there is always a place where you can't see it, but it is easy to get into chaos." These days, I won't go to the yamen. Wait and see, it's almost time for my father to send someone. Speaking of this, he glanced around at everyone and said, "Don't mention this matter in front of the county lord for the time being, it's a woman in the end, don't scare her anymore, please leave it to you." ”

Wei Hei hesitated for a moment, stepped forward and said, "Childe, if you don't tell the county lord, you can do it, but Childe wants to agree to it." From today onwards, please ask the master and others to escort you. ”

In addition to Wei Hei, Zheng Hu, Zhang Yi, Zhao and others also stepped forward to say so.

Cao Hao glanced at everyone, nodded, and said, "I know, I'll think about it." ”

But I felt a little tired, and I was faintly worried in my heart, afraid that my wife and daughter would be affected. Cao Hao said a few words to everyone, and then went back to the inner garden first, wondering whether to send his wife and daughter back to Beijing first.

Hundreds of miles away, but it makes people feel uneasy, for fear of giving those people an opportunity.

It seems that it is better to write an excerpt to Kangxi first to see if he can send his wife and daughter to the palace for temporary refuge.

Chu Yu, on her side, was relieved to know that her husband had already sent someone to the yamen. The Tao is that in a few days, I want to send people to the temple to help Guo do a few rituals, so that the affairs of the filial woman are too bleak.

"In this world, there are too many grievances, how many people can we help?" Seeing that his wife was so enthusiastic, Cao Hao thought of the tragic death of several members of the Zhao family, but the cause and effect of this could not be clearly explained: "You, you are too kind-hearted." ”

"The forehead is the kind-hearted, even if I don't say anything about the Guo family, the forehead knows it, and he won't stand idly by." Chu Yu said with a smile.

Cao Hao looked at her, with a little guilt, and said: "I said that I would take you around, but it is worse than in Beijing, and I can't move in this garden, and I don't even have a speaker." ”

When Chu Yu heard this, he remembered something and said with a smile: "Didn't you say that Lord Yi was going to bring Mrs. Qiru over as a guest next morning?" I've already called the kitchen to prepare wine and food, look at the hour, it's almost time, do you send someone to the front yard to ask? ”

Cao Hao took out his pocket watch, it was already the second quarter of Shen Zheng (half past four in the afternoon), and it was almost there.

He thought about it for a while and said to Chu Yu: "That Mrs. Ru, just get there." Although it has a relationship with Zheng Hu, the Zheng family doesn't recognize it, and we are too close, so it's not good. Besides, there is also the monk Eniang's side, which should also be taken into account. If we are relatives, if we know that we are close to this side, my heart will not be comfortable. ”

Chu Yu listened, nodded his head, and said, "What the forehead ordered is just a formality, I know it in my heart." ”

While the husband and wife were talking, a maid came to report, but the guest had already arrived.

Cao Hao got up and went to the front yard to greet him. Chu Yu sent her husband to the door and went back to the house.

When he arrived in the front yard, Yi Duli happened to enter the door with the Yang family. Cao Hao met with the two and asked someone to lead Yang to the inner courtyard, while he accompanied Yi Duli to the living room.

Although the two of them had just met in the yamen, Yi Duli was still giving gifts in style. Two boxes of out-of-print old books, two pots of gemstone bonsai, and two pairs of live rabbits.

"This is a waste of money for the troublesome adults, they are not outsiders, why are they still making these false courtesies?" When Cao Hao saw it, he saw that it was worth a lot, but he was a little embarrassed.

Yi Duli raised his eyebrows with a smile and said: "Except for those two pairs of rabbits, the others are all old things in the family, collected by my father in the early years, and they are also put aside, if you don't dislike the old age, it's good to have a stale smell." ”

Hearing that it was a relic of a scholar, Cao Hao shook his head disapprovingly, and said: "Since it is Ling Zun's love before his death, how can the adults take it easily, or take it back, I just take it in my heart." ”

Yi Duli shook his head and said, "There are many of these things, and they are not one or two, so Fu Ruo doesn't have to be taboo in his heart." The father's love has long been buried. Because I have rarely come here over the years, most of these things are stored in the storeroom, and they are piled up with thick dust. This excuse allows them to see the light of day again, which can be regarded as their blessing. Fu Ruo said it again, but it was really a foreign way. ”

When Cao Hao saw him say this, he didn't say much, opened the two boxes of old books and read them, and said, "It's a good thing, but it's a bit of a waste for me." You also know that although I usually read some miscellaneous books, I have not made any progress in learning. ”

"Although the gift list made by the Yang family is a little unruly, it also uses a little thought." Iduli sighed and said, "I said I was going to bring her over, and she must have been overjoyed. followed me and entered the big house, and she has been quite aggrieved in recent years. Although the monk is easy to get along with, after all, there are rules and etiquette, and it is not easy for her. ”

This is Yi Duli's family matter, and Cao Hao doesn't talk much, so he listens quietly.

I heard Yi Duli continue: "Now that the girl has asked the monk to take it again, the Yang family doesn't know how long she has been crying, and it's pitiful, so I want to fulfill her old wish." This person has to have a relationship in order to have feelings. Even if the Zheng family brothers and sisters don't want to recognize her now, wait for the two to walk around, after all, blood is thicker than water, and there will always be a blind date. ”

People have interactions with each other, and what is born may not be feelings, or feuds.

In the past few days, Cao Hao has also been wondering who he wants to put to death.

It will never be for no reason, just Zhang Luo, can always trace back to the source.

Yi Duli said so much in one breath, and when he didn't see Cao Hao speak, he couldn't help but be a little annoyed, and frowned: "Fu Ruo, you don't want to help?" You are the benefactor of the Zheng family brothers and sisters, but to put it mildly, you are better than me. ”

Cao Hao felt a headache when he saw that he was repeating the old words and not giving up without his purpose.

He thought about it for a while and said, "My lord, it's not that the little nephew doesn't want to share the worries of the adult, it's just that after all, it's Zheng Hu's family matter, and I'm not good at talking, besides, I really don't have the heart to take care of this now." ”

Seeing what Cao Hao said solemnly, Yi Duli realized that something was wrong, and said: "Yes, when I entered the mansion just now, I saw that there was something wrong with the looks of several stewards, is there something wrong?" ”

Cao Hao nodded, and told the truth about the reward for his head.

Yi Duli listened, but he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, slapped the table and said, "Damn, which bastard is this, making this disgusting person?" ”

Cao Hao shook his head and said, "If you can know who it is, it won't make people so troublesome." Open guns are easy to dodge, hidden arrows are difficult to defend, and they are in Rehe, and manpower is limited. ”

Yi Duli couldn't sit still, stood up, paced around on the ground, and stopped after a while before he stopped: "Since it is only after the bidding, how many companies have failed to bid before?" Even if you know that this trick may not help you, you must not stop. It's really better to offend a gentleman than a villain, what is this called? Sanpin Jingtang, who is already worried about national affairs, and still thinks about dealing with these villains, which is really hateful! ”

With this episode, where can I still eat this wine and food.

It was rare for Yiduli not to be greedy for a cup, and after a few mouthfuls of food, he sent people to the inner garden to urge the Yang family and went home together.

In Cao Hao's heart, he didn't agree with what Yi Duli said.

Even if the businessmen of the Internal Affairs Department lose their bids, few dare to find themselves uncomfortable and take the initiative to provoke the fight with the officials, isn't that death?

There is one more person who wants his Cao Hao's life.

When he was in Shandong, he designed to murder his people. When he returned to the capital, Mr. Zhuang bothered to investigate the matter, but in the end it was not resolved.

Cao Hao felt that something was wrong at that time, as if Mr. Zhuang was deliberately hiding something. He took the initiative to explore several times, but there was no progress, and finally he had doubts in his heart.

On Mr. Zhuang's side, did you find out anything, or did you find out, and it was inconvenient to tell him?

* When Iduli returned to the house, it was already time to hold the lamp. He sat on the edge of the kang, but he was a little uneasy.

Yang sat in front of the dresser and removed his makeup, with a little grievance on his face, and said: "Master, this Cao family's grandmother is too much, and she didn't say a few words to the slave family after a meal." Cold and indifferent, yes, she is a royal mansion, the slave is just a side house that can't be on the table, I want to eat with the slave, and people are also aggrieved! ”

When Yi Duli heard this, he couldn't help frowning, got up and said, "When the number of rites arrives, what else is useless?" It's not a boudoir friend, how can you be sticky when you meet? You're also a lot of things, so be careful to make people laugh! ”

Yang was reprimanded with a split head and a face, but he was so angry that his body trembled, forced a smile, turned around, and wanted to be coquettish, but Yi Duli had already slammed the door and went out.

"Master, it's going to be late, where are you going?" Yang asked, standing up and blushing his neck.

Ituli was unheard, and he had gone far away.

When he arrived at the front yard, Yiduli called the housekeeper and asked about the number of young men in the house.

Because this garden has not been inhabited for a long time, the number of people who stay here to watch the garden is limited, and there are less than 30 people brought by Yiduli from the capital.

Yi Duli waved his hand and said, "Pick a big head and a sturdy number of twenty people, take them to the garden of King Chun's mansion, and call them under Cao Ye." After explaining to the boys, it was all like their own home, and they did it with their hearts. If he makes a meritorious contribution, the lord will raise three generations of his family; Hehe, if anyone dares to play tricks and lose his face, look at his skin......"

In the end, his face was already a little hideous.

The housekeeper trembled when he heard this, bowed down and asked, "Master, when will it pass?" Is it late tonight? ”

"Count the people at once, go over at once, and bring enough guys. If you encounter a patrol, you will show the name of our house, you are not afraid of things. Speaking of this, he paused and said: "If Cao Ye sends you back, just say what Ye said, these boys, Ye is all dead now, if he doesn't accept it, together with you, you don't have to come back, all wipe Ye 's neck......"

The housekeeper was shocked when he heard this, and Yi Duli breathed a sigh of relief and said to himself: "Well, now, I can sleep well." It's a pity, the table is good, and I haven't eaten enough......"