Jiangning, Qingliang Temple, Abbot's Hall.

Looking at the big dragon on the chessboard that was about to take over the palace, Cao Yin was very complacent. Abbot Huikong, who was sitting opposite him, saw that there was no turning point on the chessboard, so he put the chess pieces in his hand back into the Gu, and said, "Master Cao, it's becoming more and more leisurely!" ”

Cao Yin was dressed in a cyan silk robe, wearing a pair of mille-feuille shoes of the same color, looking like an ordinary scribe, where there was still half a dignitary appearance. Although he is still thin, he looks in good spirits.

After listening to Huikong's words, Cao Yin nodded and said, "I have lived for more than fifty years, and only now do I know what it means to be truly comfortable!" Speaking of this, he couldn't help but fall into distant memories.

Since the beginning of my memory, what my parents taught in my ears was to "be generous to the emperor" and "be loyal to the emperor". Since he was a child, he has been stronger than children of the same age, and he loves to read and write, which is to hope that he will be able to achieve something in his studies when he grows up. Among the companions who entered the palace at that time, he was the youngest, but his homework was the best, and he was praised as a "prodigy" by everyone. When he is older, he is proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. At the age of sixteen, after completing his career as a companion, he was selected as a royal guard. He is also a person who can write poetry and write well, and is good at lyrics and songs, but he lost his spiritual surname in the powerful field.

Watching the Son of Heaven, who he has known since childhood, go to worship and level three times, step by step on the road to the peak of the God King, he is also enthusiastic. In his heart, he admired and thanked Kangxi, and willingly abandoned his ideals and offered all his loyalty to the emperor who treated him like a brother.

The prosperity is over, and most of my life has passed like this.

Burdened with a deficit of millions of taels, he paid off his debts with his family, and he had no regrets; He did not regret the false accusations and attacks before and after the abolition of the prince; is terminally ill, watching his son come back from the capital covered in wind and dust, he still has no regrets!

It's just that I'm tired.

There is no longer the spirit to figure out the Sacred Heart, and there is no longer the spirit to deal with all kinds of intrigues and wrestling.

The body gradually healed, only hanging Jiangning weaving, and unloading other errands for most of the year, Cao Yin became a frequent visitor to Qingliang Temple. Playing a game of chess with the abbot, listening to the bells in the temple, reading the first half of the scriptures, and reciting a few Zen words, he actually had the heart to abandon the world and become a monk. Because of the fact that his eldest son was young and his wife was affectionate, he finally put out this thought.

Pushing others by himself, thinking that he sent his son here to practice back then, Cao Yin didn't feel a little afraid. At that time, he wanted to dissolve the depression in his son's heart, so that he could learn the art of strategy in a calm state of mind, and prepare for his future succession.

Thinking of these now, Cao Yin couldn't help but feel a little ridiculous in his heart, what was the difference between what he did and his parents back then, so he almost slipped into his son's ear and said: "The heavenly family is gracious, and you must be loyal and prudent!" ”

The word "loyal and prudent" has restrained himself for more than 50 years, do you want him to restrain his son? Too obsessed, tired of oneself and tired.

"Everything is as you like" Cao Yin thought of these four words, his body was a lot more relaxed, and he pointed to the chessboard and said: "Come, come, old monk, let's have another game!" ”

Who said that the family's "four major are empty", Huikong lost because of the last game, but this game is pressing step by step and not giving up an inch of land, forcing Cao Yin to retreat one after another. It was really hard to get a tie.

Putting down the chess pieces, Cao Yin sighed with a smile: "Playing chess with the old monk is enjoyable!" Thinking about the fact that you and I have been friends for nearly 30 years, I still instructed you in chess skills at the beginning, but now it is the strength of one and the other, and it is really not easy to win a game against you! ”

Huikong said: "Master Cao Shi is in Hongchen, and he is a little jealous in his heart, and it is inevitable that he will think too much about the layout of the chess. Although he tried his best, it was just an undefeated situation. In the end, it is the donor who takes this seriously! Victory is also won by him, defeat is also defeated by him, it is up to him! ”

There is a bit of a sense of appropriation in this, and Cao Yin thanked him.

Looking out the window, it was past noon, thinking that his wife was still waiting for his dinner, Cao Yin said goodbye to Huikong. Huikong asked him to wait a while, and then called two novices, and brought two wooden boxes two feet long and one foot wide, and said: "This is a new incense made in the temple, and the eldest prince has specially asked for it several times in the past two years, and now I just ask the donor to bring it back." ”

Cao Yin thanked him, but he couldn't help but have two questions in his heart, is the fourth elder brother really as desireless as he behaved? The son has been sending incense for several years in a row, is it just to repay the favor? Subsequently, thinking of what Fang Cai Huikong said, "Victory is also won by him, and defeat is also lost by him", it seems that he is really too worried, his son has been different from others since he was a child, and where has he used himself to make half a snack over the years.

Back at the Weaving Mansion, Cao Yin simply asked about the Yamen, and then went back to Kaiyang Courtyard.

Li sat on the kang in the west room, rubbing the new shoes in his hand, his face was full of relief, and there were faint tears in the corners of his eyes. Seeing Cao Yin coming back, she put down her shoes and got up to greet her: "The master is back!" ”

"Hmm!" Cao Yin looked at her: "What's wrong?" Got a letter from your children? ”

Li wiped the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief, sent a few embroidered luans to fetch water and pass the meal, and then replied: "It's a letter from our son and daughter-in-law, and the last letter is to praise and praise the daughter-in-law, and this letter is also in this letter!" I can't complain that there is a saying that says, 'I forget my mother when I marry a daughter-in-law', and I can't help but taste it in my heart as a mother! ”

Cao Yin saw that his wife's face was full of joy, but he could put on a stern mother-in-law, and shook his head with a smile: "Don't say it's a son, it's you who are a mother-in-law, you haven't seen a daughter-in-law yet, aren't you talking about it all the time!" ”

The maids brought water and threw towels, and Li handed it to her husband with a smile: "Originally, I was worried that my daughter-in-law was from a noble background, and my daughter-in-law had a lukewarm attitude towards women, and I was afraid that the two would be young and quarrelsome." Now, it seems that I am too worried! ”

After Cao Yin wiped her face, she showed Cao Yin the new shoes on the kang: "This is the 'moon shoes' made by her daughter-in-law, look at this stitch, the work is done carefully, it is difficult for her to be patient!" ”

Cao Yin nodded: "I told you before that the Seventh Elder Brother's mother clan is not as noble as the other older elder brothers, but he is an understanding person, and his family's character and tutor will definitely be excellent!" ”

As he spoke, the meal was ready. Cao Yin went to sit on the side of the kang, and saw that the six dishes were all vegetarian dishes, and just wanted to ask Li how he remembered to eat vegetarian, he remembered that today is sixteen, and two more are the Birthday Festival. Over the years, if you can't go to Beijing to celebrate your birthday, you have fasted three times like this and prayed for long live.

* On the morning of March 18, Cao Hao changed into his guard clothes and entered the palace. Although the hundreds of officials in the capital were lively, I don't know what the old man Kangxi thought, and he didn't want to do it in a big way. Yesterday, the Empress Dowager returned to the palace from Changchun Garden, and according to the practice of previous years, this morning he will lead the kings, Baylor, Beizi, Gong, Ministers, scholars, guards, etc., to the Empress Dowager's palace to salute.

Subsequently, Kangxi held a grand court meeting in the Taihe Hall and accepted the congratulations of the civil and military officials below the king.

On March 22, he went to Changchun Garden again as the Queen Mother.

The princes and officials couldn't help but be dumbfounded, and no one could figure out what Kangxi's intentions were, so that the longevity festival that everyone had worked so hard to plan passed so plainly.

The sixteenth elder brother was happy, he listened to Cao Hao's suggestion, sent people to Daxing, Wanping, Liangxiang three counties away from the river to dig a hundred deep wells, and selected the people of the three places to offer a few soil ceremonies as a birthday gift, in the birthday of Kangxi, said that please give a jar of imperial wine, pour down the Gyeonggi hundred wells, so that the people of Gyeonggi can bathe in the emperor's grace. Kangxi Longyan Dayue, quasi-playing, praised the filial piety of the sixteenth elder brother.

On the day when the saint drove back to Changchun Garden, it was the son of the thirteenth elder brother's branch, and it was also the hundred days of the thirteenth elder brother's son-in-law, and the thirteen mansions were together for the sake of saving trouble.

The thirteenth elder brother, like his low-key fourth brother, did not invite any outsiders to the banquet, but simply invited more than a dozen tables, and invited his own brothers, in-laws Zhaojia Mansion and a few clans that often walked.

Cao Hao and Chu Yu are going to go, and Cao Song is the nephew of the thirteenth concubine, Jin Zhaojia, and because of Cao Hao, he is also invited.

It's just that Cao Song was limited by his identity, and followed his brother to give the thirteenth elder brother a gift list, congratulated him, and then retreated, and went out to find Fengde Fengche and a few other descendants of Zhaojia Mansion to sit at the table.

Because the sixteenth elder brother was also in the hall, Cao Hao was called to stay and speak.

After chatting for a few words, the people in the hall basically went to the table, and the thirteenth elder brother saw that there were no outsiders, so he smiled and said to Cao Hao: "These people are busy with the affairs of the government, and they can't take care of the side, I heard that you are doing a good job in the household department, and you have been promoted to Langzhong, which is very good!" ”

"The thirteenth master praised it falsely, and it was all a matter of some part." Cao Hao said.

This is not a humble statement, but Cao Hao does not have much joy about this promotion, and he is a little big when he thinks of the endless accounts of the household department. Recently, seeing that there are often people in the six departments who have been leveled, he has been looking forward to being leveled to an idle yamen from time to time.

It's just that in addition to the Ministry of Rites, there is really no too idle place in the six ministries, and the errands of the Ministry of Officials and Inspectors are relatively easy to do, but because they need to be in charge of the names of officials and bereavement, they don't have to deal with accounts! If you turn around and still look at the account, it is better not to adjust, not to mention that the water over there is not shallow, and the forces of all parties are also entangled.

The thirteenth elder brother waved his hand and said: "What is the master, you should also change your words to call the thirteenth uncle!" You don't have to fight with me like this. I know some of those things, and the fourth brother also praises you. ”

The sixteenth elder brother looked at it with a smile, and the thirteenth elder brother said it seriously, Cao Hao sighed helplessly in his heart: "The thirteenth uncle said that he was joking, not to fight with the thirteenth uncle, but to do nothing, it was all the hard work of his colleagues over there." ”

To be able to vote for the preferences of King Yong, it is not difficult to say, and it is not easy to say. King Yong believes in Buddhism, and Cao Hao makes some Buddha incense and the like, which also has the intention of doing what he likes. This Yong Wang Ye hates corrupt officials, although he knows it, but he can't make two corrupt officials out of thin air to repair it for Yong Wangye. This time is really a coincidence, but it shouldn't be a bad thing to get a praise from King Yong.

The sixteenth elder brother didn't take the praise of the Yongwang Lord as a good thing, and when he heard the thirteenth elder brother mention this, he was afraid that Cao Hao would be pulled to stand in line, so he hurriedly interjected: "Thirteenth brother, don't praise him, I know him, he is the most lazy and tight, but it's just an ornament, I don't believe he can be diligent!" ”

The thirteenth elder brother looked at Cao Hao and nodded: "The household department is indeed a little depressed, and it is also a good thing to be cautious in words and deeds, which requires you to be patient with your surname!" As he spoke, he said to Brother Sixteen: "It's Little Sixteen, which way do you want to go on an errand?" ”

The sixteenth elder brother smiled and said, "The thirteenth brother still doesn't know me? is more lazy than Cao Hao, but he just hopes that he doesn't have to go to the study and has more spare time to go out for a walk. In the future, I will often come to Brother Thirteen's house, Brother Thirteen, don't think I'm panicking. ”

The thirteenth elder brother shook his head and said, "I'm afraid that you are tied to an errand, and when the time comes, I want to invite you to come, but you will not come." ”

The sixteenth elder brother picked up the tea cup and made a toasting gesture: "If there is a good song and good wine here in the thirteenth brother, I will fight and escape the errand and be scolded by the emperor Amma, then I will also come!" ”

While talking, the servants came back and forth to talk about the time of the banquet, and the thirteenth elder brother stood up and said to the sixteenth elder brother: "Then go to listen to the play now, taste the wine, and estimate?" The Jixing class called today is not as famous as the Sanxi class, but the kung fu is solid, and the voice is also transparent. ”

Turning to the stage in the garden, the tenth elder brother saw the sixteenth elder brother coming, and greeted him from afar, calling him over.

Because the tenth elder brother has always been like this, usually the sixteenth elder brother knows his intentions, so he always has a hippie smile and only fights with them. It's just that there was something about Langtu and Guishan before, and the smile of the sixteenth elder brother is a little uncomfortable today.

Looking at the eighth elder brother sitting next to the tenth elder brother with a smile on his face, and the ninth elder brother who was quietly sipping wine, the sixteenth elder brother responded, but this step was getting smaller and smaller.

He had a smile on his face, but he muttered to Cao Hao: "Hey, if only I could sit at your table, I'm impatient to look at them, when everyone is a fool?" You have to think about it. It's a pity that you came with Da Gege today, otherwise I would have invited you out for a walk. ”

* The ladies who came to congratulate were all in the inner courtyard. Originally, the seventh elder brother and the thirteenth elder brother did not have any friendship, and the two families had an ordinary relationship, and King Chun Fujin came over but was polite on the scene, so he went out to sit at the table. However, the Thirteen Fujin treated the Thirteenth Elder Brother differently because Cao Hao's snake oil essence healed the Thirteenth Elder Brother's legs, and even Chu Yu was very close, pulling her to ask a few words.

Chu Yu didn't know that Cao Hao was abducted when he was a child, so naturally he didn't know that Uncle Thirteen had a life-saving grace for him. But because when she discussed the housewarming of the Thirteen Mansions and the congratulatory gifts for her sister-in-law, Cao Hao specially asked her to thicken it, and she gave it with affordable things, and she also saw that he was close to Uncle Thirteen. Coupled with her surname, Thirteen Fujin treats her well, and she is naturally close to this aunt.

Chu Yu smiled and replied to the Thirteen Fujin, and the wife and young lady of Zhaojia Mansion arrived outside. At Cao Song's birthday wine, Chu Yu had seen the ladies of Zhaojia Mansion, so he also smiled and said hello to them. Thirteen Fujin asked the nurse and the mother to take the little brother out.

The child was tiger-headed, looking around with black eyes, not afraid of life, and very fond of laughing, as soon as others teased, he couldn't stop laughing, it was so cute, and everyone praised it endlessly.

Chu Yu has many younger brothers and sisters in the family, and the youngest sister is not yet a year old, and she likes children very much. Seeing this little brother so cute at this moment, she touched her heart again, and her eyes couldn't help but show some emotions.

The fourth wife of Zhaojia Mansion is young, and she is also very close to Chu Yu, because there are no outsiders, and seeing Chu Yu looking at the little brother with blank eyes, she couldn't help but push her with a smile, and whispered: "What do you want Gege?" Gege himself, is there any movement? ”

Chu Yu couldn't help blushing when he was told that he was on his mind, and shook his head slightly, slightly apprehensive.

Thirteen Fujin was next to Chu Yu, listened to the words of the fourth wife, and changed the topic with a smile. When she was seated, she pulled Chu Yu with her, and whispered in Chu Yu's ear: "You, don't take those words to heart, how many years have you been married?" I began to worry about these, I didn't get married for three or four years before I got my family's big gege. These things are not in a hurry. ”

The sixteenth elder brother slipped away halfway through. Cao Hao wanted to go back with Chu Yu, so he naturally waited until the end of the banquet before leaving. Fortunately, the emperors and grandchildren and the concubines sitting at his table were not too annoying, and the meal was quite enjoyable.

When they returned home, the two changed into homely clothes, Chu Yu called for a sobering soup to drink for Cao Hao, and told Cao Hao some things about today's news, when she mentioned the little brother with a tiger head, her face showed a strange look.

Looking at her sparkling eyes, Cao Hao guessed her thoughts, but he didn't dare to take that risk after all.

That night, Cao Hao gave Chu Yu another general popularization of fertility knowledge. Among them, there are Chu Yu who heard Fu Jin before, and there are also those she heard for the first time. Lying in Cao Hao's arms, she listened with a red face, and when she encountered something she didn't understand, she endured shyness and asked in a low voice. When Cao Hao said that they as parents should prepare in advance, they must first adjust their bodies before they can give birth to a healthy baby, and Chu Yu asked the time for preparation.

Seeing her cute appearance, Cao Hao said that it didn't take long, but he was annoyed in his heart. Why is she no longer a few years older, and she refrains every time she comes to the door, he is really afraid that he will toss something wrong after a long time.

(To be continued)