On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the palace gave a banquet to the foreign vassal kings, Beile, Beizi, Gong, Taiji, and internal ministers, scholars, and guards as usual.

Cao Hao and his wife naturally wanted to enter the palace. Before the banquet, Chu Yu followed King Chun Fujin and his female dependents, while Cao Hao was pulled away by the sixteen elder brothers to speak.

Cao Hao saw Brother Sixteen once during the dinner on Chinese New Year's Eve, and he has been half a month now, although he is reluctant, because he has to perform a junior ceremony in front of people.

The sixteenth elder brother smiled and smiled, and Fang patted him on the shoulder: "Come on, it's just for fun, I know if you don't like to be polite, or the rules of the past, this ceremony is all exempt!" Then he said, "I haven't seen you for a while." It's not the same as before, but now I want to hang out and have fun without anyone to accompany me! ”

Cao Hao saw that he was cheap and behaved, but he didn't bother to bother with him. Thinking of which time I followed out in the past, I was not cautious and cautious, although I knew that the sixteenth elder brother was not persuaded, but in the end, when I got here, I persuaded him very seriously.

The sixteenth elder brother waved his hand: "It's okay, it's just that you are blind!" ”

Cao Hao rolled his eyes in his heart and stopped persuading him.

The sixteenth elder brother smiled: "It's okay in two months, the thirteenth brother is going to divide the mansion, and when he goes out of the palace, he will go to his mansion to play!" ”

Cao Hao asked him: "I've heard about it a few times a year ago, and I've never been able to believe it, but this time it's accurate?" How much time to open a government to build a mansion? ”

The sixteenth elder brother said: "This time it's a quasi-letter!" In fact, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been planning for a while, and this time the twelfth brother and the thirteenth brother are divided together, either at the end of February or the beginning of March, and Ji said that he has not yet chosen. The mansion is cleaned up, and the grain village and people in Shengjing haven't been dialed over! ”

Cao Hao nodded, it is also a good thing for him that the thirteenth elder brother has divided the mansion, at least next time he invites An to enter the palace, it is just that this housewarming gift has to be thought about, and the best is naturally affordable and unassuming.

The sixteenth elder brother envied himself for a while, these brothers who had divided the mansion did not have to be confined to the palace like him, and he was thinking about how much he could temporarily divide the mansion. At the end, he said a little abruptly: "It would be nice if Brother Thirteen had a branch earlier, his mansion is in Goldfish Hutong, and there is a lamp market over there, so it is very lively!" If he had already lived, he would have been able to sneak out and have a look! ”

The fifteenth day of the first month is called the main lamp, and the lantern festival is actually from the thirteenth day of the first month to the seventeenth end of the first month, the market is full of lights, the lanterns are hung and the lanterns are sold, and there are fireworks sold, food and small things are even seven, seven, eight or eight, dotted with the festival scene, very lively.

Cao Hao had already been there once last year, although it was lively, but there were no good lights, he shook his head with a smile and said: "Although there are several light markets in Beijing, where are there more lights in the palace?" Why run out, I'm afraid that those lights won't be able to get into your eyes, but I'm just trying to join in the fun. ”

The sixteenth elder brother also smiled: "You still know me, I am not a trick to look at the lights, the people have their own folk fun, how can it be compared in this big courtyard with red walls and yellow tiles?" But speaking of which, this year, the Ministry of Industry has entered a few new lights, let's take a look. ”

When the banquet in the palace was dispersed, small snowflakes fell in the sky.

Chu Yu still didn't see enough of the colorful lights and fireworks, before getting into the car, a big bright red fireworks were bursting in the night sky behind her, she couldn't help but stop and look up, and only reluctantly got into the car when the fireworks fell.

When Cao Hao saw it, he said: "There are fireworks at home, you like it, go back and ask them to light it for you!" ”

Chu Yu smiled and nodded: "The lanterns in the two gardens in our backyard are also good, and they look even better if they are lined with fireworks!" ”

The car passed through Xixiao Street, just about to cross Fengsheng Hutong, which is also a light market, and heard the lively noise from afar, Chu Yu couldn't help but listen with his ears pricked up.

"It's the City of Lights." Cao Hao explained, seeing that she was embarrassed to pick up the car curtain to see, he picked the car curtain half open for her.

Chu Yu looked at it for a while, and then the car passed, and then he closed his gaze: "I haven't seen the light market outside, it turned out to be so lively." I only have a year in the Yuan Festival, with Eniang in the nunnery to live, I saw the surrounding people put river lanterns, there are lotus leaves, lotus, cranes and herons...... Each one is superb. ”

Cao Hao remembered that in the early years in Jiangning, he had also gone to the river to put the river lanterns on the Midyear Festival, and the sparkling oars on the Qinhuai River appeared in front of him, lively and noisy, and he couldn't help laughing: "If you are empty, let's go back to the south and watch the lights on the Qinhuai River, which is also beautiful!" ”

Chu Yu couldn't help but be fascinated when he heard this, and thought about it happily, but then he thought about it when he didn't know when he could go to the south to have a look, and he was a little stunned.

Cao Hao smiled and squeezed her little hand: "It's late tonight, it's snowing again, and it's not a joke if it's freezing." The errand in the Ming'er Department is almost over, I'll come back early, let's go to the light market to see the lights at night! ”

Chu Yu's eyes were bright, he looked at Cao Hao with a smile, and couldn't help nodding. Suddenly remembered something, frowned again, picked a crack in the curtain of the car, looked at the small snowflakes outside, shook his head and said: "It hasn't snowed much this winter, but the snowflakes are floating in the spring." It's not big at the moment, but I don't know what will happen to Ming'er! ”

Cao Hao couldn't help but pat her head: "Don't be afraid, as long as they come out of the stall tomorrow, it will be snowing, let's go and see it with an umbrella." ”

Chu Yu said "um", and remembered something again: "Then go back and ask someone to take out the thickest big sweater and prepare it for Ming'er to wear!" ”

* The snow stopped after a while, and it was a sunny day on the sixteenth day of the first month.

After the audit of the accounts of Fujian's losses was completed, Cao Hao and Fu Xiangong took the final accounts and handed them over to Li Qichang in Langzhong. After Li Qichang's rough examination, he was sent to Peng Zhu, the relief of Su in the Five Cities, to prepare for the grain transfer, and the errand of Cao Hao and several people was over. Because everyone has been busy for a while, and now there is not so much work, Li Qichang asked them to go back early.

Cao Hao came out of the department early, went home, walked to the mouth of the alley, and met Ning Chun coming from there.

Ning Chun greeted him from afar, urged the horse to get closer and said with a smile: "I was coming from your house, and I was a step late." ”

Cao Hao smiled and said: "It's not too late, just ask Brother Jingming to turn around and go to the house for a cup of tea." ”

"No!" Ning Chun waved his hand, "I'm just sending a few lamps over for you to enjoy with the county lord!" ”

Cao Haoqi said: "What kind of lantern did you personally send it?" ”

Ning Chun said: "The new skillful work of the Lantern Festival in the ministry is a horse lantern. Yesterday, Ergong went to the palace, Long Yan was happy, and many people were rewarded! Seeing Cao Hao frowning, he couldn't help but smile and said, "Sensei, can I give you something to pay tribute?" I'm an older brother, and I still use you to worry about these? It's the same, but it's not as particular as in the palace, the material and beads are not encroached upon, but they are also extremely fine. I originally left eight lamps to be divided between you and Yongqing, and then I remembered that his family couldn't hang it during the filial piety period, so I brought it to you, or hung it in your own home, or kept it for others! ”

Cao Hao smiled and thanked: "Then I should invite you over for a drink!" ”

Ning Chun shook his head with a smile, approached Cao Hao, and said in a low voice: "I just got the letter today, Qiu Niang has a body, I will go to her side to take a look before I rush home!" ”

Cao Hao hurriedly congratulated him, and said: "In the past two days, I will ask Amethyst to send things over, and if you need it, ask your sister-in-law to send someone to my house to find it!" ”

Ning Chun said: "Don't bother your side." He stabbed Cao Hao again, and smiled evilly: "Brother and sister, is there any movement, huh?" ”

The newlywed was less than a month old, and Cao Hao endured the embarrassment, saying that because the county lord was young, he was afraid that she would be in danger during childbirth, and wanted to ask Ning Chun for a contraceptive method.

Ning Chun was puzzled when he heard this, and frowned: "It's a year later, and the county lord is sixteen, and he is still young?" And there are only some prescriptions in Fireworks Alley, but I don't dare to eat them indiscriminately. It's not a big deal for this woman to have a baby. I advise you, let's stop thinking about it! Even if you're not in a hurry, your uncle and aunt are still thinking about holding your grandson! ”

Cao Hao shook his head, and Ning Chun saw that he didn't want to say this, so he diverted his words: "There is another thing you have to congratulate me, but my brother is about to be promoted recently!" ”

Cao Hao hurriedly asked for details, and Ning Chun replied that it was a director of the Ministry of Industry who was begging for leave due to illness, and the above was approved, and he moved a little to find this shortage. Cao Hao was congratulated again. Ning Chun smiled and asked him to change his name to drink, and then said goodbye and left.

The marquee lantern sent by Ning Chun is really very exquisite, Chu Yu saw it in the palace when he was in the Yuan Festival, and he liked it, but now he is very happy to see these few.

Chu Yu took out four and packed them separately, asked two people to send them to Pingwang's Mansion, two to Jueluo Mansion, and the remaining four found a proper place to hang up, she couldn't see enough where she stood, and only when the maid came to invite her to dinner, she was willing to move her steps.

After dinner, the young couple put on thick clothes and took a carriage to the lamp market in Fengsheng Hutong.

At that time, the largest lamp market in Yanjing City was not in the west of the city, but in the east of the city, the East Fourth Archway and Chongwen Street, where the whole street was full of fireworks and lights, and the scale of Fengsheng Hutong was much smaller, and the style of colored lanterns and fireworks was relatively less.

Rao is like this, and Chu Yu also watched it with relish. She looked at the stalls from one stall to another, and many things were never seen before, and she felt very novel. Cao Hao saw that there were some well-made things, and Chu Yu revealed what he liked, so he immediately paid for it with silver.

On the way back, the carriage was already half loaded with all sorts of things. There are also some small lanterns with very ordinary workmanship, but chic and interesting, although Chu Yu said that he would give his younger brothers and sisters to play with when he went back to Chunwang's Mansion, but at this time he couldn't put it down, and he played it repeatedly.

Until he returned to Cao's Mansion, Chu Yu was still immersed in a happy state, his little face was flushed, and he didn't know whether it was frozen or excited, and his eyebrows and eyes were full of joy.

Seeing Cao Hao's heart, he couldn't help but be moved, not to mention the lights out here, on the same night, thousands of miles away in Jiangning, there were people who couldn't survive or die.

* Jiangning, Caojia Xifu.

"Ah......" A woman's miserable cry was heard far away in the quiet night.

Not every mother expects her child to be born early, just like this.

As early as June last year, she moved from the original small south courtyard to the courtyard at the edge of the back garden, and never appeared in front of people again, and the maid Fuyun she married and a grandmother surnamed Jia were also sent back to the Lu family.

Cao Quan wrote clearly in the thank you post to the road platform, "deeply feeling" his intentions, but now that Lu Mei has entered the door of the Cao family, he does not need the servants of the Lu family.

The Cao family is not easy to deceive, Cao Yin is cured, Cao Hao will marry Gege of the prince's mansion, who will come to touch the mold at this time? Originally, they arranged for Lu Mei to enter the Cao family, but it was just because Cao Yin was seriously ill and wanted to stir up around Cao Quan and plan the Cao family's industry. If you can win over the best, even if you can't win over those who know the roots, it's good to think about it. In fact, after Cao Hao returned to Jiangning after beating the capital, they wanted to change their minds and put this "beauty trick" on Cao Hao, but they didn't dare to start because they were afraid to go to King Chunjun's side.

Because Lu Daotai offended the Cao family, he was naturally panicked and went to Kali to ask for advice.

Kali also hated the Cao family because of the loss of those manpower in May, but what can he do if he hates it? He is just because of the emperor's favor, and it has been smooth sailing for more than ten years, and the governor and governor have mixed up some power, but the Cao family has been relied on by Kangxi for more than 50 years.

When he first arrived in Jiangnan, he didn't have the idea of fighting the Cao family, and he also took the matter of breaking the bullet to impeach the Cao and Li families for embezzling state funds and privately befriending the prince and brother.

Kangxi suppressed the Ming fold and replied to Kali's instructions, only saying that he knew everything, but also said that he would wait for Cao Yin to go to Beijing and ask him about it.

As a result, Cao Yin has not yet arrived in Beijing, and the holy decree to promote the title has been sent to Jiangnan. After Cao Yin walked around Beijing, well, he became the prince's in-laws. The eldest daughter is the iron hat Wang Fujin, and the eldest son is the emperor's grandson-in-law, who in Jiangnan can shake the Cao family?

Fortunately, Cao Yin was so sick that he was relieved: the Cao family had raised the flag, and Cao Hao would not succeed his father's official position; After Cao Yin goes, only Cao Hao is left in the Cao family, Cao Quan is mediocre, which one can take the lead? It was because of his contempt that he would allow his son to calculate the pearl merchants who came to Jiangnan, but he did not have the intention of killing two birds with one stone, but it was a fiasco.

After the Wangfengzhuang incident, Kali and Gandu father and son were very frightened by Cao Hao's viciousness, and began to privately investigate the Cao family's eldest son's behavior and temperament, but the more they investigated, the more confused they became. Except for the summer of Kangxi's 40th year, when it was rumored that he was abducted for two months, he had been living in Jiangning before entering Beijing, but he rarely appeared in front of the world. After entering Beijing, he first had a dispute with the children of Guo Luoluo's family, and then fought with the children of the yellow flag outside the plug, but the result was that he rose step by step, first the imperial guard, and became the prince's companion, in which the emperor's partiality is not a star.

The Cao family, standing behind the emperor is the emperor, and Kali is very helpless to recognize this. In addition, now that the governor Zhang Boxing has a good relationship with the governor, there is a faint tendency to empty him as a governor, and he is a little anxious, so he can't take care of the Cao family.

The governor is afraid of the Cao family, how can Lu Daotai have the courage to provoke? He already regretted it very much, why did he let the above beat the Cao family's idea because of his greed. No matter how he sighed, he avoided mentioning Lu Mei from now on, as if he had never had this family affair at all.

In this way, Lu Mei completely cut off the sound outside. She was placed under house arrest in the courtyard next to the garden, guarded by two healthy servants, for half a year.

Lu Mei had a ghost in her heart, of course she understood that it was the East Window incident, but she relied on the flesh and blood of the Cao family in her stomach, and Cao Quan was a lover, thinking of begging him. Cao Quan didn't know how to face her, except for the initial inquiry, he didn't want to step into this courtyard for half a step.

Lu Mei went on a hunger strike, wanting to use the child in her belly to dominate Cao Quan, but she only got a bowl of medicine. Cao Quan asked her mother-in-law to pass on the message to her, if you don't want this child, drink medicine, and the child of the province will suffer in the world.

Lu Mei is unspeakably remorseful, but no one will listen, she knows that Cao Quan has not dealt with him so far, I am afraid that it is also for her stomach, in the end, it is his own blood and blood. She gradually lost weight, and she didn't move all the time, and she couldn't think of any way to survive in a desperate situation. It wasn't until after the Mid-Autumn Festival that the two healthy women who guarded her mentioned that Gao Taijun of Dongfu came to see his wife and gave the four girls in her swaddling clothes a lot of greeting gifts.

"Gao Taijun" and "Li Family", thinking of the two of them, Lu Mei finally had some hope. She is just a poor woman, born in Qinglou, she doesn't know her father's surname, she was raised as a cash cow since she was a child, where did she do all the heinous bad things?

For the next few months, she kept looking for an opportunity to escape, believing that if she reached Dongfu, she would naturally seek refuge, but she never succeeded. As her belly grew bigger, she became more and more anxious and panicked.

In the house, it is not only Lu Mei who is uncomfortable, but Zhaojia's is not happy. Not to mention having a daughter, the relationship with her husband is not harmonious, and the second room was moved to the backyard as a baby. Although no one in the house dared to chew their tongues in person, it was inevitable to talk in private.

Zhao Jiashi couldn't swallow this breath, and wanted to find trouble with Lu Mei, but he couldn't even enter the courtyard door. Although the two grandmothers were descendants of the Cao family, they were called by Cao Quan from the Weaving Mansion, and they did not buy the account of the "second wife".

(To be continued)