November 23 is the 14th birthday of King Chun's Mansion Da Gege. Because the seventh elder brother went to the tomb with the saint, although the Chunwang Mansion had a birthday wine for Da Gege, Cao Hao was not easy to come to the door, and the wedding banquet for the Cao family to marry their daughter would not rest until twenty-four, and Cao Hao couldn't get out, so he only asked the amethyst chip to be sent as a backup gift.

Amethyst Sidu drew up a gift list, which was nothing more than clothes, embroidered jewelry, rouge, etc., and brought it to Cao Hao for a look.

Cao Hao said: "You see what other elegant and interesting hanging ornaments, add a few." ”

Amethyst said with a smile: "I remember that when I gave a gift to King Chun's Mansion in the middle of the year, I heard the eldest girl of our family say that Gege loves lotus-like decorations like entanglement branches. ”

Huan'er came in with a cup of tonic soup, just put down the tea tray, and when she heard this, she couldn't help laughing: "I added hanging ornaments, I'm afraid I will have to move back in a few days." ”

Zhu'er pushed her and said, "It's not big or small." As he spoke, he took the lid cup and put it in front of Cao Hao.

Cao Hao took the lid cup and drank a little half, and said to Amethyst: "Next time stew less, I really can't drink it!" ”

In the past half a month, Amethyst began to instruct the kitchen to make a cup of tonic soup for Cao Hao every morning and evening, Cao Hao guessed that it was about Amethyst who saw that she was busy with official business to help him make up for his body, although he felt that there was no need to make up so much when he was young, but it was not a bad thing to make his body stronger, and he also knew that winter was a good time to make a tonic, and the soup stew was very delicious, so he ate it as a snack after a meal.

Amethyst smiled and agreed, and then went down to add a gift for Da Gege without mentioning it.

* When Cao Yi returns to the door, the wedding banquet in Cao's Mansion will come to an end.

Because when Cao Hao came back from the south, Cao Quan and Zhao Jia's family brought a letter to Cao Song, asking their son to return to the south for the New Year this year. Although Mama Zhang was uncontrolled in the capital this year, she was not as comfortable as in the southern mansion, so she wished to go back to Jiangning as soon as possible, so she packed her luggage early, thinking that she would leave after Cao Yi left the cabinet.

Cao Song didn't want to go back, although he also missed his parents, but there was still his brother's marriage here. Now that Cao Yi is out of the cabinet again, do you want her brother to do a happy event alone?

Mama Zhang still wanted to take the order of Cao Song's parents to persuade again, but was glared back by Cao Song's eyes.

From November 25, Cao Hao began to work as an errand boy in the household department every day. Because by the end of the year, all the divisions had gathered the accounts of their subordinate provinces, and everyone was very busy.

There are more than 20 people in charge of the Fujian Division and pen stickers, but after all, there are too many errands in charge, and the manpower is really not available. Cao Hao, a foreigner, although he is the deputy chief officer, does not have any direct errands under his name, and there is nothing to check, so he seems to be relatively idle.

Some principals and pen stickers are already very familiar with Cao Hao in private, but in the yamen, as a subordinate, where is the reason to bother the officials? Therefore, everyone is looking at the leisure, and they can only secretly envy.

In the two months since Cao Hao entered the Fujian Division, Li Qichang in Langzhong was also observing Cao Hao. He has been in the household department for more than 20 years, starting from the pen and sticking style, and he has been promoted in a down-to-earth manner based on his political achievements. Although he only knew how to work hard and rarely paid attention to current affairs, he also knew that since the 47th year of Kangxi's investigation of the deficit of the household department, the Cao family in Jiangnan has become a large debtor of the household department, and the Cao family has rich assets, holding several of the most profitable tea yards in the world, and the annual income is tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands.

Originally, Li Qichang only regarded Cao Hao as an ordinary son of a powerful person, and he came to the household department as an errand boy, but he took advantage of the lack here to mix up his qualifications. In the division, there are those who are jealous of Cao Hao's background, and some people remind Li Qichang to beware of Cao Hao, who can guarantee that he has no identity to replace him.

Li Qichang just smiled, the son of the noble son of the banner man, he has a seniority in the sixth department, and there are many officials who are released to be officials, how many of them can be the head of a department? After all, it is a yamen, and there must be someone who works hard, so where can you expect those gentlemen?

Cao Hao's principle of being a man has always been to respect the elderly, and he has great respect for the boss who is only one level higher than himself. After a long time, Li Qichang no longer regarded Cao Hao as the son of a powerful man, and sometimes enthusiastically helped him understand the affairs of the division.

Now, everyone is busy, but the chief who is also the head of the Dongxiling, Rehe, and Miyun garrisons has taken sick leave due to the cold. Everyone else has their own job, where can they be freed up?

Li Qichang pondered for a moment, and then asked Cao Hao to receive the errand of inspecting the salary. Cao Hao knew all about the process of the company's errands before, and immediately entered the role, took two pen stickers to check the accounts, and was busy until it was dark before he returned home.

Due to fatigue for a day, Cao Hao finished dinner, went to bed early, and woke up in the middle of the night, feeling that his body was hot and unbearable.

Cao Hao touched his forehead and body, he didn't have a fever, and he didn't look like he was sick, but for some reason he felt uncomfortably hot. He got up and poured herbal tea on the ground, drank two cups in a row, and then felt refreshed, and went back groggy and fell asleep again.

When he woke up the next morning, Cao Hao felt that his mouth was dry and his throat was about to smoke, thinking that it was because the cold kang was too hot and the house was dry.

Cao Hao got up and put on his clothes, drank two sips of water to moisten his throat, and saw Amethyst come in with someone to serve and freshen up, so he said to her: "The kang is too hot, the house is too dry, next night put two basins of cold water on the ground in the house." ”

As he was talking, he felt a heat in his nasal cavity and fluid flowing out. Cao Hao thought he had a cold and runny nose, which was quite embarrassing, but he felt that something was wrong with the hot and sticky answers, and in a blink of an eye, it had fallen on the placket, scarlet, and it turned out to be a nosebleed.

A few maids hurriedly took silk and fine paper, Cao Hao tilted his head and stuffed his nose with the paper, and slapped some cold water on his head, tossing for a long time to stop the bleeding.

Amethyst hurriedly said: "But do you want to find a doctor to take a look?" ”

Cao Hao waved his hand and said: "No, if the house is dry in winter, it is easy to have nosebleeds." It's not a big deal. ”

After the grooming was finished, Hai'er Cui'er carried the kang table over, and put it on the food again, Cao Hao opened the cup of tonic soup, and saw that there were ginseng wolfberries again, so he reacted to what was going on, and shook his head: "This tonic soup can't be drunk, it can be replenished!" ”

Amethyst was very apologetic: "This tonic soup is according to the rules...... Why don't you ask Imperial Doctor Chen to diagnose the uncle's pulse? ”

Cao Hao shook his head and said, "Don't, it's cold, there's no disease, why bother the old doctor!" Speaking of this, I remembered something: "Two days ago, Cheng Mengxing gave a gift, but he didn't seem to see him eating, and he couldn't take care of a cup of toast at home." Now he will come and look at the garden, and you will leave him behind, and give him a feast in the evening. If you don't come today, you will send a post to his house, and Ming'er will invite him to drink. ”

Amethyst responded, and said: "The yard is almost finished, and Mr. Cheng has come to watch it." I'm sure I'll be able to come today. ”

* Although Cao Hao had the heart to invite Cheng Mengxing to dinner, Cheng Mengxing was unable to go to Cao's Mansion that day. When Cao Fu sent someone to deliver the post to the door, the concierge of Cheng Fu received the post, saying that the master's family had gone out and came back to tell him.

Cheng Mengxing was invited to drink by Hu Jiren.

When Hu Jiren donated to the official, he borrowed 10,000 taels of silver from Cheng Mengxing, and recently sent silver to his family, but he was not free because of the busy work in the ministry, and he was urged by the uncle.

The two sat down in the private room of Binyue Ju and asked for a few signature dishes for a drink.

Hu Jiren has been extremely depressed for the past month, his boss has been strict, and he has been tired to death recently, far from being as happy as when he was doing an idle pen post. What's even more uncomfortable is that he found that the eldest son of the Cao family, who kicked his ribs in September, was actually transferred to the household department as an errand!

Last month, Hu Jiren heard that Amethyst was a housekeeper in the Cao family, so he went to the Cao Mansion to find someone with the idea of trying his luck. Seeing that Amethyst was still dressed up before leaving the cabinet, he couldn't help but think that if he could accept her as a concubine, he would be able to climb the Cao family and reap some benefits; Even if you can't, it can be regarded as fulfilling your mother's dying will, and getting a beautiful concubine will not be a loss.

Hu Jiren felt that Na Amethyst was completely kind to the second room, and he had already lifted her up by twelve points. Although she was born in an official eunuch, after all, she has been reduced to a slave, what other luxury can she have? thought that as soon as she mentioned it, she would happily follow her, but who knew that Amethyst would glared at him mockingly and refused.

Hu Jiren was not angry in his heart, and then he stopped Cao Hao, and wanted to redeem the matter of amethyst. was beaten by Cao Hao, he was still full of hatred, suspecting that Amethyst and Cao Hao were selfish, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that it was "the hatred of taking his wife" and "great shame", so he muttered that sooner or later he would have to take revenge.

Within half a month, Hu Jiren saw Cao Hao in the courtyard of the Yamen of the Ministry of Households, and he was still wearing the official uniform of Cong Wupin, which was one level higher than himself. He was busy asking people, and only then did he know that Cao Hao had become a member of the Fujian Division. He was jealous and hateful, and at the same time glad that he was in the Shandong Division. If it is in the Fujian Division, wouldn't it be in the hands of Cao Hao, where will there be good fruits to eat?

While pouring wine, Hu Jiren said some stuffy things about the errands of the ministry, vented the officialdom for a while, and then moved to the love field, and couldn't help but mention the matter of amethyst to Cheng Mengxing again. Don't mention yourself, just say that Amethyst is ruthless and Cao Fu is unrighteous.

Cheng Mengxing was confused when he heard this, and couldn't help but ask him: "When you inquired with me, you mentioned this relative, I don't understand, what kind of relative is, how did he end up in Cao's Mansion again?" ”

Hu Jiren snorted twice: "It was my aunt's daughter, who was engaged to a young marriage, and then her house was raided, so the news was cut off!" Saying that, he was a little angry and annoyed: "Cousin, do you say she knows what her identity is now?" I have done my best to promote her to be the second room, and I will serve a shelf with me! What about when she was still an official lady? ”

Cheng Mengxing frowned, he couldn't hear Hu Jiren's reasoning. Since there is a marriage contract, you should not break your trust and marry; Because the news was cut off, I couldn't get in touch, and it was a helpless move to marry another, so I should look at the cousin and treat him politely, how can I say anything like taking a concubine.

Although she didn't have much contact with Amethyst, Cheng Mengxing had a good impression of her. Hu Jiren kept his promise and has not married yet, and Amethyst is a condescension to give him a main room, not to mention that giving a second room is like a charity now. Don't say that the Amethyst girl is angry, even he, an outsider, can't look past it.

After all, it was a family matter, and Cheng Mengxing didn't say much, so he just quietly diverted the topic. Hu Jiren was talking and returning to the topic of amethyst, scolding more and more, the words were unbearable, and he pulled Cheng Mengxing's sleeve and said that sooner or later he would take revenge on Cao Hao.

Cheng Mengxing pulled his sleeves and said coldly: "I don't know, do you know what identity you are now?" ”

Hu Jiren's eyes widened: "Cousin, what do you mean by this?!" ”

Cheng Mengxing persuaded: "You still have to be An'an, the eldest son of the Cao family is not something you can afford to provoke!" And the amethyst girl is a good girl, she should be respected by a good student, and Hugh will humiliate her. ”

Hu Jiren looked at Cheng Mengxing for a long time, suddenly grinned, raised his hand to dry a glass of wine, and slammed the wine glass to the ground, pointing at Cheng Mengxing and saying, "Cousin is a person who pities fragrant and cherishes jade!" By the way, I forgot, my cousin recently said that he was in and out of Cao's Mansion, could it be that he fell in love with Amethyst? ”

Cheng Mengxing frowned and said, "I'm just saying a fair word." I also advise you, don't make a mistake, otherwise, the Hu family will not be able to protect you at that time. ”

Hu Jiren drank a lot of wine, but he was not confused in his heart, he knew what power the Cao family had, but now he was still hard-mouthed, and he said two sentences with his neck crossed.

Cheng Mengxing didn't bother to pay attention to him anymore, stood up and dusted off his clothes, said "goodbye" and walked out.

Although Hu Jiren has many friends in Beijing, he can't find another one who is willing to borrow money like Cheng Mengxing, although the uncle is in Beijing, he is a poor Hanlin, if he uses money, he has to come to Cheng Mengxing, so he naturally refuses to offend Cheng Mengxing. Hu Jiren hurriedly stood up, pulled Cheng Mengxing and said: "I'm drunk and full of nonsense, cousin Mo Wei, drinking, drinking, drinking......"

Cheng Mengxing said: "Change it!" As he spoke, he went downstairs without touching the ground.

Hu Jiren hurriedly chased him out, shouting: "Cousin, you are just holding grievances, do you want to be angry for an outsider and your relatives?" ”——

(To be continued)