The next time, Cao Yan got up early as usual, moved his muscles and bones in the school field, and went out to school after returning to the room with breakfast. Due to his growing age in recent years, he was bored by the car, so Cao Yan began to ride a horse to school. Gu Na was already waiting at the door, and when he saw Cao Yan come out, the two of them walked forward side by side. Cao Yan's scholars Xi Mo and Mo Mo have grown into teenagers, and the two scholars of Tong Na rode horses and followed behind the two masters.

"Uncle Cousin wants to be in the pearl business?" Gu Na asked with a hint of certainty.

When Cao Yan heard this "cousin", he remembered the sentence "My cousin is countless, there is no major event, and he doesn't come to the door", every time he thinks it's funny.

Hearing Gu Na ask, Cao Yan replied with a smile: "You came up with this in one night?" Neither admitting nor denying it, seeing that Gu Na was pondering for a long time, he threw down his whip and rode his horse to the front.

There were a few fewer older ones and a few more young ones in the genealogy, and there were only three or two people left at Gu Na's age. During the lunch break, Cao Xuan asked someone to call Gu Na to the backyard study, Cao Xuan and Cao Song glanced at each other, it seemed that the old man was going to be verbose again.

Cao Xuan was not as pleasant as before, but a little annoyed, and when he saw Gu Na come in, he didn't wait for him to say hello, so he scolded with a slap on his face: "It's too unmotivated, it's too unmotivated!" ”

Gu Na was scolded in a daze, and looked at Cao Lan in confusion.

Cao Xuan snorted coldly and said: "This year is the year of the township exam, you don't go back to study hard after school, but follow Cao Yan and Cao Song brothers to wander around, I heard that some time ago, you were still fighting in Beicheng, who taught you to be so unbearable!" ”

"Sir!" Gu Na frowned slightly, not knowing how to justify.

Cao Ling began to lay out the facts and reason, which was nothing more than to understand that he was different from the Cao family's brothers, and he had no family father to rely on, and he could only get ahead by relying on the imperial examination.

Gu Na had been taught a few times before, and knew that if he refuted, this gentleman would say more, so he had to bow his head and obey his fate, and listened to Cao Xuan for half an hour.

In ethnology, Cao Yan looked at his classmates around him, and then looked at the "Spring and Autumn Period" in his hand, thinking about whether his ethnology career should come to an end. In the past four years, the four books and five classics are familiar, and the champion does not dare to say that he should be able to cope with the examination of a child. In last year's children's exam, thirteen-year-old Gu Na easily won the first place and became a little talent.

Although Cao Yan was a little curious about the Qing Dynasty exam, he didn't join in the excitement. The children of ordinary people, who are ten years old, can win the title of "prodigy" and improve their family status. Born in a family, he doesn't need the icing on the cake, and he firmly remembers the truth of "shooting the first bird with a gun". In a powerful family, no one cares if there is a gentleman or mediocrity, but if it is the son of Mingzhu, Nalan Rongruo, who is both civil and military, is different. What about the alternative, it's not that the world doesn't tolerate it, and it ends up depressed.

Seeing that Gu Na had been gone for a long time, Cao Song scratched his face with a bitter face: "How long will this school be, this old man has been getting more and more strict recently!" ”

Cao Yan looked at his brother who was sleepy after memorizing two sentences, and his heart was also strange, seeing that his father and uncle were both elegant people, who was this Cao Song who only liked martial arts? Could it be that this is the legendary inheritance of the next generation, after all, the ancestors of the Cao family started with military exploits.

Seeing that Cao Yan's sad face was really pitiful, Cao Yan said, "The third child should go to school next year." ”

"Yes, the third child is about to enter school!" Cao Song answered, and as he spoke, his spirits were already bright: "Isn't it possible for us to be classmates with the third child, then my brother and I will be able to go until the end of the year!" ”

Cao Yan didn't pay attention to Cao Song anymore, thinking about the news of the Zheng family in his head. Zheng Hai and Zheng Woxue brothers and sisters were born in a family, and they have some knowledge, and in recent years, they have also made a living by being middlemen in the loose bead market to earn a few silver dollars. His sister is even more discerning and can identify one or two beads through the mother mussel. It's not that the brother and sister are young, and they have no support in Jiangning, so they can only let the pearl merchants call and squeeze, and they have been living tightly.

When Gu Na returned, he had another afternoon class. Cao Yan and a few people went out of the clan school, and after sending the scholar boy, he rode to the forest to fast. Because Lin Xia Zhai was having guests, Cao Yan went directly to the guest room in the side courtyard.

The Zheng brothers and sisters have been waiting for a long time, and they are a little apprehensive to give Cao Yan a salute. Zheng Woxue was still dressed in men's clothes, and she was very uncomfortable in front of several sons, and took a step back to stand behind her brother.

After entering the forest fasting, Cao Songtong was like grass growing on his body, scratching his ears and cheeks, and refused to settle down for half a moment. Cao Yan waved his hand directly, and said with a smile: "Go to the back kitchen, relieve your hunger, and Gu Na will also follow over to see and learn." ”

Cao Song jumped up from his seat with joy and pulled Gu Na's sleeve: "Hurry up, save my brother from regretting!" "You must know that the back kitchen of Lin Xia Zhai is a forbidden place, and you can't enter it all the time.

Gu Na saw Cao Song send Cao Song and himself out, and knew that he had something to say to the Zheng brothers and sisters in private, so Cao Song pulled him out. As soon as I arrived at the door of the side door, I saw Cao Fang walking over quickly with a few small servants, and it seemed that he had received news to see the master. Gu Na said: "Uncle Cousin is talking, Cao Fang will take me and my second uncle to the back kitchen first, this is what Uncle Yan promised!" ”

Cao Fang listened to Gu Na's words, knew that there must be some confidential matter inside, and instructed the little servant behind him to close the door of the side courtyard and no one was allowed to enter or leave, and then led Gu Na and Cao Song to the back.

Not to mention how surprising Cao Song and Gu Na were when they saw the pattern of the back kitchen, just to say that the two of them couldn't turn their eyes away when they saw the newly made Nine Turns of Chaolu. In a jade bowl half the size of a palm made of Hetian white jade, a layer of smoothie that has been ground to a fine level is spread, and on top of it are various colored balls the size of thumb caps. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, and white, a total of nine colors, one for each color. On the small balls of various colors, there is a translucent white jade spoon.

Seeing Cao Song's eyes widen, Chef Yu and Master Tian were in a relationship, and when they made this Nine Turns of Morning Dew for the first time yesterday, the shock of the two of them was no less than that of Cao Song.

Cao Song carefully picked up the white jade spoon, put a small ball and put it in his mouth, in addition to the faint fruit, there was also a slight bitter fragrance. "Bitter!" Cao Song was very surprised, looking at such a delicate thing, he thought it was a dessert, but when he ate the second ball, it was another fruity flavor, with a faint sweet fragrance.

Gu Na tasted it one bite at a time, but Cao Song didn't wait, he ate the rest in two bites, and stretched out his hand to ask for another one. Yu Tian's two masters suddenly frowned: "Oh, my good second master, it took a few hours, and only made three servings, one was sent to the old lady in the house, and two were given to the two masters to try, where is there!" ”

Cao Song is not a scheming person, and patted Yu Tian's two masters: "It's okay, the master knows that you are working hard, but don't forget what to eat in the future, just leave a copy for the master, don't say that you are busy and not free when the time comes!" ”

Yu Tian's two masters replied: "As long as your uncle sends a word, even if the minions are busy to death, they must be able to master first!" ”

Cao Song was satisfied, but Gu Na heard that the meaning of Yu Tian's two masters seemed to be that they didn't listen to anyone's instructions except his cousin. I really don't know what kind of means that cousin used, he really will trap people.

Yu Tian's two masters used to be imperial chefs, and they were sent to Jiangnan by Kangxi more than 20 years ago to serve the old lady. In recent years, due to his age, the affairs of the weaving mansion have been passed on to his children and grandchildren to cook, and he can grow old in Jiangning with peace of mind. I don't know how Cao Yan thought of the two, so he came to the door in person and invited two masters to go out of the mountain and become the chef of Linxia Zhai. Lin Xia Zhai's business is thriving, and it is somewhat stained with the light of the two masters, and the banquet made by the imperial chef, even if you have the right and money, it is not something that can be eaten at will.

When Cao Song and the others returned to the side courtyard, Cao Yan finished explaining to the Zheng brothers and sisters, and saw that Cao Fang was also here, and asked about the ordering arrangements for the near future.

Cao Song was still mentioning the delicious taste of the Nine Turns of the Morning Dew, but Gu Na noticed that the eyes of the Zheng brothers and sisters were shining, and their faces were pressed with excitement, thinking in their hearts, it seemed that Uncle Cousin had already arranged it.

Gu Na is a young man who is smart, whether it is learning or dealing with people, he is much stronger than his peers, although he is modest on his face, he always has a little arrogance in his heart. However, in the past few years in the weaving house, his self-confidence has gradually faded, because he can't understand Cao Yan at all. Cao Yan doesn't talk much, is not ostentatious, and is lazy, but he seems to be smarter, more humble, and more confusing than him.

After explaining Cao Yan's affairs, Cao Yan said to Cao Fang: "Your eldest son is eight years old, I will explain to Fu Bo in two days, let him wait in the study, follow to learn some books, and find a good background in the future, you can't let your grandfather be busy in the Cao family for several generations!" ”

When Cao Fang heard this, he quickly knelt down: "Thank you for the grace of the little master, the slave must do his duty and be loyal to the little master." ”

Cao Yan waved his hand and went out with Cao Song and Gu Na.

On the way home, Cao Yan's heart gradually sank. The entire Jiangning City is immersed in the joy of the imminent arrival of the holy car, and the dock has been overhauled since last year. The road from the pier to the weaving house was repaired after the first few greetings. But in order to show respect, it is still planed according to this, and then the bluestone slab of the letter is replaced. The houses on both sides of the road have long been demolished.

In order to protect the safety of the holy driver in Jiangning, the Imperial Forest Army has already sent people to search the whole city together with the local officials in Jiangning, but all the ruffians and hooligans with a little bad deeds will be put in prison. Now that I think about it, Wei Xin and Zheng Hai, if they hadn't been subdued by Cao Yan and accepted as long-term followers, I am afraid that they would also be on the list of officials who are arrested. As for the beggars in the streets and alleys, they were also banished from the city by the officials because they were unsightly.

The closer to the weaving house, the more people and carriages there are, and the coming and going is as lively as a temple fair. Cao Yan was riding a few horses, and he heard someone shouting behind him: "Give way, give way, the governor of the yamen is forgiving!" ”

Cao Yan grabbed the reins of the horse, avoided the side of the road, and only heard the sound of the horse's hooves, it was actually a cavalry team of more than 100 people, and it was Fubiao's own soldiers who were dressed up. The cavalry, escorting three or four wagons, came at a gallop.

Cao Yan has seen similar scenes, these days, there are several similar convoys, and the destination is Weaving Mansion.

At the gate of the Weaving Mansion, the sedan chairs of various officials stopped for a while, and the convoy stopped at the side door, and Cao Fu and a group of stewards were watching the servant-like boxes.