Father-in-law Rong of the Imperial Tea Room is gone after two days. According to the news from the palace, he was suffering from an "emergency".

Cao Hao was not surprised, the most dead people in this palace were "emergencies", which were rolled up in mats and sent directly to Nanyuan to be burned. This father-in-law Rong, who is only in his twenties, had been Wei Zhu's follower earlier, so after Wei Zhu made his fortune, he also got rid of it, and he was decent at a young age.

Although he is a eunuch, he is an optimistic and laughing surname. The round little face is a smiling face every time I see someone. Because Cao Hao has no shelf, Father-in-law Rong is also willing to be close to Cao Hao.

Cao Hao looked at the bag of silver on the desk and sneered twice. He is cold-blooded, and he has been in this world for many years, and he has more instincts to seek good fortune and avoid evil.

It seems that his guess is almost right, and this palace is really weird.

Cao Hao put the silver in the drawer, stood up, and asked the little guy outside the door, "Has Mr. He arrived?" What about the shopkeeper Han? ”

The little guy bowed his head and replied: "If you go back to the uncle, when you arrive, you will have tea with the second manager in the side hall." The shopkeeper Han was led by the grandmother in the grandmother's room, and went directly to the backyard to greet his wife and grandmother. ”

Today is the eighth day of the lunar month, the old customs in Beijing, and we must prepare for the New Year from today.

The stewards of the Zhuangzi and the shop should also start to report to the owner.

What the harvest of Zhuangzi was, Cao Hao knew when he went to Changping before. Today, I am worried about He Maocai coming, but I just want to ask about the past.

Because of Hu Chengjing's officials, Cao Hao has already instructed Cao Hao to disperse them and settle them in other Zhuangzi. A change of environment and less gossip is also a blessing for them.

The family that moved after selling the house and livestock to fill the rent, Cao Hao also made people quietly look for it, and he also planned to settle it in other villages.

It's not fake, but people who don't want to be innocent, and they suffer for the sake of the Cao family.

Cao Hao just wants his wife to live peacefully, but he is not interested in wearing a hat of "being rich and unkind", he was also a commoner in his previous life. In this life, the Cao family is just a slave family in the eyes of the Manchurian magnates.

He is not a miser, he does not rely on these few land rents, and he cannot force people to death. Although the world is difficult, he still hopes that he will be quiet in front of him, but he will seek peace of mind.

Seeing Cao Hao coming in, He Maocai and Cao Fang both got up and saluted. Seeing that Cao Hao and He Maocai were about to talk, Cao Fang bowed and avoided it.

That is, Cao Hao personally instructed He Maocai to be lazy, but half a month's work has been properly handled. Cao Hao listened to it thoughtfully, nodded, and let go of a matter.

Other compensation, will also do.

Seeing He Maocai's trembling appearance, he knew that he couldn't let go of Hu Cheng's matter, and Cao Hao was also a little unbearable.

Compared with the more than 100 hectares of land in Changping, the person left by the old lady to him was even more satisfying to Cao Hao. What is a loyal servant, He Maocai takes on the word "loyalty".

If you are someone else, in the position of He Maocai, you have already made a soft move; He Maocai spent most of his life running the Cao family's land.

Cao Hao's income from land production mostly relied on He Maocai.

"What the eldest grandmother said last time is that the old housekeeper will have to worry about the matter of two more Zhuangzi. As for the stewardship of the new Zhuangzi, the old housekeeper picks two proper people. Not to mention the new Zhuangzi, it is these old villages, there are inappropriate people, and the old housekeeper directly replaces them. The old housekeeper is also old, and some of his nephews are handy, so he stays by his side to learn, and he is not in a hurry to change hands in the future. Cao Hao thought about it for a while and said.

This is all the management power of Waizhuang, and it can be regarded as telling He Maocai that his successor is chosen by himself.

He Maocai's lips trembled, and his eyes were already red: "Uncle...... Uncle ......"

"I don't have to worry about the candidates chosen by the old housekeeper. Just to avoid the misdeeds of the next head, in the future, the patrol steward will also become a permanent one, and it will be changed once a year. Zhao Tong is used by my side, and there are other places to use him in the future. However, let him help Zhuangzi for two months, and the old housekeeper should also pay attention to this candidate for the village steward. It's still the old saying, people like us don't expect to eat in the field, and we can't make that black rent with a clear conscience; Those things that bully men and women can't come from our Zhuangzi. For the rest, act in accordance with the charter. Cao Hao said.

He Maocai was also disheartened, and after listening to Cao Hao's bitter words, he nodded his head in response to ......* Oront, the holy driving is here.

The sixteenth elder brother drank a bowl of hot laba porridge, and only felt a lot warmer on his body. This year's snow is abundant, and if it continues to fall, the drought in the northern spring will be eased next year.

The sixteenth elder brother was stunned for a moment, patted his head, and said to himself: "It's not me who is going to the household department, why did you start to worry about this?" It seems that this is too much of a leisurely time. ”

Remembering the previous few days, the royal front answered. Looking at the appearance of the imperial father, if he didn't obediently write a recommendation excerpt, he would be thrown to the household as an errand.

Although the storage position is empty now, all the elder brothers in charge also have their own spheres of influence. It is true that the fourth elder brother is a vegetarian and recites the Buddha, but the dragon has reverse scales, and it is not something that can be offended casually.

The sixteenth elder brother turned his head sideways, looked in the direction of the capital, sighed, and said, "Fu Ruo, you should also receive the letter from the master, you should be prepared." Dead friends don't die poor Dao, this is also a helpless ......"

* Although it is only a few years of effort, but with the wisdom of the fourth elder brother's sticky rod, the shadow is sufficient, and the fourth elder brother also has a little bit of care in his heart.

He shut himself in his study for a long time, thinking a lot. Put himself in his shoes, he can also understand the difficulties of the imperial father, but there are some taboos in his heart...... If it weren't for the rampant corruption of corrupt officials and corrupt officials, which made the treasury empty, how could it have reached this point?

Thinking of this, he became more and more resentful of those silverfish of the country.

Dai Jin stood outside the door of the study, hesitated for a long time, and whispered through the door: "Master, Nian Qianyao's eldest son has arrived with a New Year's gift, and he will enter Beijing to greet his master." ”

"Nian Xi is here!" When the fourth elder brother heard this, he put down the fold in his hand, stood up, and said, "Bring him over to talk." ”

One time less, Dai Jin came in with a young man.

The young man was sixteen or seventeen years old, with clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, but he was good-looking, but his face was pale and he looked a little thin. When he saw the fourth elder brother, he had already thrown off his sleeves and saluted him for a thousand years.

He is Nian Xi, the eldest son of Nian Qianyao, although the Nian family is the banner of the Han army, but his ancestors have been in Manchuria for a long time, and he has acted in accordance with Manchu customs.

The fourth elder brother had already stepped forward, helped Nian Xi up with both hands, looked up and down a few times, and said, "In the blink of an eye, it has grown so big." Amma was a child when he took office. How are you Amma? It's cold, why did I send you? It's been a hard journey. ”

No wonder he is close to this nephew, since Kangxi forty-five years, after the death of Nian Qianyao's wife Nalan Shi, Nian Xi was taken to the palace by his aunt Nian Shi to raise him.

It wasn't until the forty-eighth year of Kangxi that Nian Qianyao was released, and Nian Xi returned to his home and took office with his father and stepmother.

"Lord Wang, the slave Ama is fine, I just miss the prince and look forward to returning to Beijing as soon as possible; However, because of the war in the northwest, he handed over several excerpts requesting to return to Beijing to see His Majesty, but the emperor did not agree. Nian Xi saw that the fourth elder brother was still as loving as in the past, and he was also a little close, and replied with a red face: "The slave also misses his aunt and the prince, so he begged Ama and got this errand." There was some fatigue on the road, but thinking of seeing my aunt and the prince, the slave didn't feel tired. ”

He lost his mother when he was a child, and his father didn't marry him, and in his heart, his aunt Nian was like his mother.

Seeing that his eyes were full of intimacy, the fourth elder brother felt warm in his heart, patted him on the shoulder and said, "It's good to come back, it's good to come back." I've had several experiences with you Amati, but I don't worry about your body, and I want to take you back to Beijing to recuperate. However, thinking that you are the eldest son and need to be by your Amma's side, I have delayed it so far. This time, he was not allowed to leave, and he stayed in this house as in the past. Your house will be kept for you. ”

Speaking of this, the fourth elder brother couldn't help but feel a little gloomy when he thought of Hongyun, the third son who had died and was the same age as Nian Xi.

When Nian Xi was a child, when he was in the fourth elder brother's mansion, he also had a very good personal relationship with Brother Hongyun. Seeing the fourth elder brother's expression, he couldn't help but persuade: "Uncle, don't be sad, save the little elder brother from being uneasy." I heard that my uncle's family has added two cousins, and my nephew hasn't said hello to my uncle yet. ”

He also revealed his true feelings, and for a while he called according to the old name.

Although the fourth elder brother is plain and cold, he is also a person of great affection. Seeing him like this, he didn't blame him for overstepping, but became closer and closer, nodded, and said, "Go and ask Fujin and your aunt to say goodbye first, both of them love you, and they know that you are back, and they are also happy to designate ......"

Nian Xi respectfully agreed, but there was a word that he didn't say.

That is, his father asked him to return to Beijing, and also wanted him to go back to Nalan Mansion to visit the sick. His biological mother is the granddaughter of Nalan Mingzhu and the second daughter of Nalan surnamed De.

Now his mother's clan is withering, and the head of the Nalan Mansion is sick in bed again.

When Nian Qianyao left Beijing in his early years, he also had a very good relationship with his uncle and father-in-law. Even if his wife died of illness and remarried the daughter of the clan as his stepfamily, he maintained contact with the Nalan family.

Nalan died of illness, leaving behind a son and a daughter, one son was Nian Qianyao's eldest son Nian Xi, and a daughter died young.

After lingering on the sick bed for a long time, Nian Qianyao took care of the old feelings, so he asked his son to go to Beijing to give New Year's gifts, and visit his uncle and grandfather...... * Cao's mansion, study.

Cao Hao held the letter of the sixteenth elder brother, and he couldn't cry or laugh.

"Recommend" yourself to the household department, what is this called? In addition to the hall officials, these six departments are the officials, and the hall officials are from the first grade of Shangshu and the second grade of the servant; The highest official is the middle of the five pins.

Civil officials are different from military attachés, and when there is a war, there is a twenty-year-old general, who is a clan and royal family, and it is good to wait for merit by name. This twenty-three-year-old squire is in charge of the ministry, it's not child's play, what is it?

If it is said that in the middle of the five products, in the forty-eighth year of Cao Hao Kangxi, he came out of the guard, and the first errand he took was the Fujian Shilang of the household department. After seven or eight years, not to mention the credit, there are several pieces of hard work in this life. Is it that to survive to the end is to return to the original point and start all over again?

He stood up, a little unable to sit still, he really didn't know what medicine was sold in Kangxi's gourd.

Although he is not greedy for false fame, but now that his father has just resigned, if he is really demoted to Wupinlang, then there will be villains who will jump out and fall into the well for the Cao family.

He wasn't afraid, he just felt troublesome.

He put down the letter, came out of the study, walked to the porch, and called a small servant: "Go to the concierge and ask, has the master come back?" ”

The little guy answered, and before he turned around, Cao Hao saw Cao Yin coming from behind the shadow wall.

He hurriedly greeted him and said, "Father is back, is Lao Shangshu like this?" ”

It turned out that he heard that Marhan was a little uncomfortable, so Cao Yin went to Shangshu Mansion to visit his illness.

"It's quite tough, but my ears are getting more and more back, and I'm a little confused, so I pulled my throat and talked about the rebellion of the three feudatories for a long time." Cao Yin replied casually.

Marhan was eighty-three years old and in his seventies before he stepped down from the throne of Shangshu.

Cao Hao followed behind Cao Yin, looking at his father, whose waist was straight, and also noticed his abnormality.

has been an official for a lifetime, and there are also uncomfortable things when he is idle.

Thinking of this, Cao Hao couldn't help but complain about Emperor Kangxi's kindness. Compared with those who are disobedient to the yang, my father's side not only has the heart of "loyalty", but also has struggled for this all his life.

Seeing that Cao Hao was silent, Cao Yin stopped, turned his head to look at him, and said, "But something?" ”

"Hmm." Cao Hao nodded and said, "The sixteenth elder brother has sent a letter, saying that he is recommending his son to be an errand in the household department. The son was a little confused and asked his father for an idea. ”

When Cao Yin heard this, he was not surprised. As early as when he handed over the fold to resign, he knew that there would be this day, but he didn't expect to involve the sixteenth elder brother.

Although according to the law, officials are not subject to the crime of "joint sitting", in fact, if the person being recommended makes a mistake, the recommender also has to bear some responsibility. The size of the relationship depends on the "grace" above.

He did not go back to the inner court, but went to the study with his son.

After being silent for a while, he raised his head and asked Cao Hao, "Hao'er, if you go to the household department, do you have a way to collect money?" ”

Cao Hao shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Father, my son doesn't have the ability to turn stones into gold. The previous few open sources were all profitable due to the situation, and the right time, place and people were all available, so it was a trick. Although his son worked as an errand in the household department, his exposure to errands was limited, and if he had done it in the past, he would have been blind. ”

Cao Yin believed his son's words, but was the letter on the dragon chair?

Cao Yin looked at his son and couldn't help but feel a little guilty of himself.

The son's surname is very restrained and never ostentatious. If it weren't for the fact that he truthfully revealed his son's ability in the secret compromise to the emperor back then, he would not have said it today.

Since ancient times, there have been many courtiers who have opened up sources and reduced expenditure for the emperor, and how many of them have a good end?

Originally, he was "loyal", grateful for the emperor's kindness, and hoped that his son would be loyal to the emperor like himself; Now I know more things, my mood is different, and my heart of foolishness is a little lighter.

"You are young in grade and have little qualifications, and you have taken on a new errand, even if there is something inappropriate, it is just a demotion and then honing. However, now that the sixteenth elder brother is involved, the weight is different. The sixteenth elder brother is already in the age of the weak crown, and he has not yet been knighted, if he is dragged down by you......" Cao Yin said halfway, and the rest of the words were not specified.

Cao Hao's side couldn't help frowning.

Who is close to whom? Even if he has a deep friendship with the sixteenth elder brother, can he still be stronger than the flesh and blood of Kangxi and the sixteenth elder brother?

Although the previous Kangxi was strict, there was also love in it; Today's Kangxi is just like an eccentric old man, thinking about it is a play, which is a headache.

Cao Hao hesitated for a moment and asked, "Father, do you think the emperor is going to arrange for his son to go to the household department on an errand?" ”

Even if you want to be demoted, you have to be charged with a crime, right? Cao Hao's mind was racing, thinking about what was wrong with him in the past year or so.

He was a cautious man, so how could he leave the handle outside?

After thinking about it for a while, I couldn't help but feel a little disheartened. Whether it is rising or falling, it is just a matter of Kangxi's words. Like his father, what is at fault?

The servants of the Cao family are indecent, but compared to other families in the capital, they are insignificant.

If he hadn't decided to send Hu Cheng to the official office of the Yamen, he would not have given Yushi a chance to impeach his father.

Could it be that if you are wrong, you should also learn from the conventions of other people's families, and under the banner of "family ugliness should not be publicized", the matter will not be resolved?

Cao Yin saw his son's confusion, couldn't help but be a little worried, and asked, "If you are demoted, will you be resentful?" ”

"Thunder and rain and dew, are they all Jun'en?" Hearing his father say this, Cao Hao couldn't help but ask rhetorically.

"If you don't understand this truth, you can't stand on the court." Cao Yin said slowly: "Hao'er has been too smooth all these years, and Xu is heart can't stand setbacks. When my father was your age, he learned the rules from your grandfather. You have to remember that even if you are a fifth-grade official on this errand, you are still stained with the shadow of your ancestors, and you are much better than others. ”

"Remember that? What has that son been doing for the past seven years? If you knew this was the case, why not learn to live a leisurely life? Cao Hao only felt tired, thinking of all these years of hardship, and felt panicked in his heart.

"Heaven descends on the people, you must first work their minds, work their muscles and bones, you should only hone it......" Cao Yin saw his son like this, although he was distressed, he still said with a straight face.

"Father, hasn't the son been honed enough over the years? Not to mention the loyalty and patriotism of the monarch, and the dedication to duty, it can be regarded as worthy of the court. "Cao Hao's side, I really can't face it calmly.

Don't suffer from injustice and exchange for injustice.

Others eat and drink as Beijing officials, let go and scrape the ground, the officials do it moisturizing, and Xiao Yuzi lives a leisurely life.

I thought that I would not fall into the tongue and not let others find faults, and I would do my best, but I was wrong.

"Father, or do you want your son to resign too?" Cao Hao looked at his father and said in a low voice.

Cao Yin stood up, walked up to Cao Hao, stretched out his arm, and put his hand on his shoulder: "Cao Hao, it's still the same sentence, thunder and rain and dew, all of which are Jun's grace." Since you landed, glory and wealth, what is missing? This is all the emperor's grace. You have to remember that even if you work hard for several years, it is the duty of a courtier, and you can't complain about it! "In the end, it's already a little bit fierce.

Since beating Cao Hao on an errand, father and son have gotten along well. This kind of score of Lao Tzu teaching his son, Cao Yin has not put it in the past few years.

It sounds reasonable, but it also sounds unreasonable.

Cao Hao smiled bitterly and looked at his father. He just said for a moment that his father is old, he is the pillar of the Cao family, and he has to grit his teeth to support him.

"You will benefit from these tribulations, and you will be the glory of the Cao family, because you ...... will become the first cabinet minister of the Cao family......" Cao Yin looked into his son's eyes and said slowly, his voice extremely firm......

(To be continued)