On the eighth day of the first month of the fiftieth year of Kangxi, Cao Hao took his marriage leave and started his errand career in Yamen and Caofu again.

When Cao Hao arrived at the gate of the household department, he met two colleagues of the company, Fu Xiangong and Peng Zhu, the directors. Su said that he was good friends with Cao Hao, and the two came over to say goodbye, and congratulated Cao Hao on the new joy.

Cao Hao smiled and thanked them in return, and told them that he hadn't come to the ministry for a month, and asked how the errand was and if there were any new errands.

Fu Xiangong said: "But the adults asked, Fujian is not peaceful these days." In November of last year, there was a disaster, and the people had no food, so the gangs of pirates on the sea went north, but they called the officials and troops to block them in Zhejiang, and they were defeated and flowed around. This group of fierce criminals was mad, and when they returned to Fujian, they went ashore again to kill and loot grain, and the people suffered. At present, the division is checking the reported loss accounts, and I am afraid that the higher authorities will transfer grain to Fujian again to appease the people. Right now, it looks like we're going to be busy for a while at the beginning of the year! ”

Cao Hao sighed: "When I was in Jiangning in the middle of last year, I also heard about the Fujian pirates going north, and in July and August, they said that they were suppressed, and then they appeared again in the second half of the year!" ”

Peng Zhu also said: "It's not! It's a big problem. I don't know how many times I can wipe them all out for the time being! Fujian has been plagued by a catastrophe this year, alas, we are also busy with the back of the head! ”

While speaking, several people had already entered the Fujian Division and greeted all colleagues one by one. A small official said to Cao Hao: "Lord Langzhong has just explained, if Lord Cao comes, please ask Lord Cao to come over and discuss something." ”

Cao Hao nodded in response, and Peng Zhu smiled on the side: "Look, my lord, it must be Haikou's business!" ”

Cao Hao smiled but didn't answer, and went to find Li Qichang. The two met and exchanged a few pleasantries, and Li Qichang opened his mouth to get down to business, and sure enough, he asked Cao Hao to lead a few subordinates to inspect the loss accounts reported by the Fujian locality. Cao Hao naturally responded with one bite.

Fu Xiangong is in charge of this stall, I heard that Cao Hao is very happy to be a supervisor, Cao Hao also knows that he is capable and satisfied, so he called him and a few pen posts, which began to audit.

After two busy days with Fu Xiangong, Cao Hao heard some other news from his mouth, which was related to the Jiangnan Division. At the end of last year, Chen Pengnian, the prefect of Suzhou, had just been dragged down the horse by Chen Pengnian, the prefect of Suzhou, and should have followed this line to investigate, but at the beginning of this year, he stopped there, but added something else, which was to check the accounts of the garrison in the sea.

Cao Hao thought about the mention of King Chunjun more than ten days ago. When he went back and discussed with Mr. Zhuang Xi, both of them felt that what King Chunjun said should be about Kali and Zhang Boxing attacking each other, and they were afraid that ten would be ** or around the problem of Jiangnan's deficit. At this time, I heard that the Jiangnan Division began to check the salaries of the soldiers, and Cao Hao was a little unexpected.

Cao Hao listened to it, only secretly thinking, there was no expression on his face, and a pen post that was being recorded and written listened to what Fu Xiangong said, and couldn't help muttering: "If the salary of Jiangnan to defend the sea is also misappropriated and occupied, the soldiers will suffer, and I am afraid that no one will fight bravely to kill the enemy." Then this Haikou has already plagued Zhejiang, where will he come back to plague Fujian? ”

Fu Xiangong was a person who dared to speak, and because these pen posts in front of him were all his henchmen, he also knew that Cao Hao was not a trickster, so he laughed when he heard the words of the pen style, and then said in a low voice: "That is not the reason why the bandits killed and retired the officers and soldiers!" In my opinion, there are still some accidents in it. You say, if they are willing to kill the enemy and don't kill them cleanly, they can still let Haikou have the life to return to Fujian? ”

Several people present nodded. Another said: "It's not the lower officials who say it, the salary of the Fujian garrison is not something we checked, we don't know, if this is carefully investigated, I'm afraid it's not easy to say." Just like the adults say, if you are willing to kill the enemy, then there is no one in Fujian! ”

Cao Hao remembered that in Yangzhou, he listened to the two catchers talk about the various shortcomings of the Green Camp Army, and he also knew that these local soldiers were not the best of the best. If there is no more soldier salary, it will be worse than bandits, and the people will be harmed, let alone ask them to suppress bandits.

When a few people saw Cao Hao's face helpless and shook his head slightly, they knew that he also knew the shortcomings, so they didn't care about it at the moment, and lowered their voices and chatted for a while.

*Cao Fu, Aoi-in.

Although Cao Hao doesn't live in the upper room here, the furnishings and bedding here have not been touched at all. Chu Yu looked at everything in front of him, thinking that these were all used by the forehead, and he looked at it carefully, full of curiosity. When she saw that the quilts on the bed were all muslin, she couldn't help but be surprised, and turned around and asked Amethyst: "Sister Amethyst, how do you use this?" ”

Hai'er just happened to send tea, and Amethyst said with a smile: "The county lord has a sip of tea first, and it's not too late to see again!" ”

Chu Yu was originally very embarrassed and didn't know what to call Amethyst, but later saw that Cao Yi and Cao Song both called her "Sister Amethyst", so they also called her like this.

Although Mama Ye and Xiyun both felt that it was too much to raise amethyst like this, it was not easy to persuade each other. Cao Hao didn't regard Amethyst as a servant in his heart, so he naturally didn't feel that it was inappropriate to call it like this. Even when he was a child, didn't he obediently call his sister for several years.

Amethyst didn't admit it, and persuaded it several times, but in the end it was up to her. Amethyst originally managed the affairs of the inner house, which was just expedient, but now that she has a serious hostess, she has to hand over the key to the account book early.

Chu Yu is not very old, because she grew up beside Chang Fujin since she was a child, she is not a stranger to housekeeping, and after she pointed out that after marriage, Chang Fujin also began to intentionally teach her some housekeeping, and now she also understands a lot. It's just that she came here for a few days, and saw that the house was orderly and had its own regulations, so she didn't want to meddle rashly. It was really Amethyst who said and said, she took the key, but everything up and down was still entrusted to Amethyst.

Mama Ye couldn't help but be secretly anxious in her eyes, thinking that Gege was too real, and when she entered the door under her eyes, how could she convince the public without erecting her majesty? Although she has a noble status, after all, she is already the daughter-in-law of the Cao family, if she shows a good surname at the beginning, she will have a side room in the future...... However, when Chu Yu picked up the tea, he smelled the strong fragrance of jujubes, and couldn't help but lift the lid of the bowl to check, but it was a thick red jujube tea.

"If it's cold today, and I heard that the county lord is not feeling well, this can be made up!" Amethyst said with a smile.

Chu Yu remembered that when she was in the palace, Eniang had just boiled red date tea for herself, and her eyes couldn't help but be a little red, and she was embarrassed to let people see it, so she lowered her head and drank tea. It's warm and sweet, but the body is much more comfortable than just now.

Amethyst saw that she was unwell, and she was not recuperating in the yard over there, but it was a little strange to come over like this, but it was not good to ask directly what the reason was, so she talked about the topic she asked just now: "Although the uncle's surname is excellent, he has also been a little weird since he was a child, and the food he uses is not the same as everyone else!" ”

Chu Yu was really curious, and hurriedly raised his head and asked, "What's wrong with your forehead?" Sister Amethyst grew up watching her forehead? ”

Amethyst smiled and said, "Yes, but it's not." When the slave maid waited in the old lady's Xuanrui Hall, the uncle was already five years old, but he was not as naughty as ordinary children, and he was very well-behaved! It's just that after that year......" Speaking of this, Fang noticed the loss of words and immediately paused.

Chu Yu was going to marry into the Cao family, and he knew a little about the ancestors of the Cao family, and knew that Eyu's grandmother was Huang Mafa's nanny. Although this grandmother has passed away, because of the forehead and Huang Marfa, she still has some respect in her heart.

Chu Yu was thinking about what he looked like when he was young, but he didn't know what it looked like and what was weird, so when he saw Amethyst pause, he hurriedly asked, "What happened that year?" ”

This is a secret, Amethyst was thinking about how to diverge, but Chu Yu had already looked at her as if she had scruples, so she raised her head and said to Xiyun and Xixia who were sorting out the charcoal basin: "It's strange and cold, you go back and get my fox armpit cloak!" Seeing that Amethyst was full of plain clothes, he commanded: "Take the two small wool coats that I found in the first two days, they are the crimson and the royal blue." ”

Xiyun and Xixia glanced at the mink cloak that Gege was wearing, and went down in response.

There was no one else in the room, and Chu Yu said: "I'm very curious about the forehead!" I am already husband and wife, and I have been well taken care of by him, but I don't know what I can do for him. Looking at the furnishings on his side, it is completely different from that side, but it is to accommodate me, and he does not show half discomfort. I'm very uneasy......" said with a little apprehension in his voice.

Seeing that her expression was a little worried, Amethyst couldn't help but persuade: "The county lord is unwell, and he should have taken a good breath, but such cranky thoughts hurt his body, but he asked the uncle to come back and worry about it!" ”

A smile appeared on Chu Yu's face, and he said, "I only talk to Sister Amethyst about this, in front of my forehead, I am full of joy and I don't think about anything." It's not that she is thick-skinned and casually talks about these things to others, but she is really happy, although Amethyst is not an elder, she is like a sister, which makes people trust and rely on.

When Amethyst saw her mention Cao Hao, her eyes lit up, and she saw that she really liked it, and she was very happy for this little couple, so she talked about Cao Hao's childhood anecdotes and hobbies, but she just concealed the abduction in the summer when she was seven years old.

Chu Yu listened carefully and secretly remembered it in his heart.

After a while, Xiyun and Xixia came over with a cloak and two small fur coats. Chu Yu took it with his own hands and rested it on the table in front of Amethyst: "Sister Amethyst is not very old, where is it so plain?" These clothes are my dowry things, and I haven't worn them, if my sister is polite, she won't treat me as her own family! ”

Amethyst didn't want to accept it, but when she said this, she had no choice but to accept it, thank her solemnly, and then persuade Chu Yu to go back to the new house. This side of the house has not been inhabited for half a month, although two pots of charcoal have been lit, but there is still no warmth.

Chu Yu smiled and nodded, but his expression was a little reluctant. When Amethyst saw it, she was not at ease, so she said that she had something to find Zhu'er, and she happened to go back with her.

Chu Yu went back to the new courtyard with her. Amethyst didn't enter the upper room, and went directly to the residence of Zhu'er and Cui'er on the back porch.

Chu Yu was waiting for Cao Hao because the four big maids were waiting for Cao Hao, so they had to be arranged in this courtyard. However, Hai'er interceded with Cao Hao, and stayed in the Kwai Courtyard to follow Amethyst, and Huan'er relied on Hai'er everywhere, so she didn't come over, so now only her Pearl Cui'er is placed in the row of houses on the back porch.

"Pearls are there?" Amethyst called from under the window.

"Sister Amethyst!" But it was Zhu'er and Cui'er who opened the door and welcomed Amethyst in.

While pouring the tea, Zhu'er asked, "Why did my sister have to come over?" Something calls us to the past! ”

Amethyst asked, "The county lord went to the Kwai Courtyard, but I saw that something was wrong. See you after dinner last year, it's still fine, what's going on? ”

Listening to Amethyst's words, Zhu'er and Cui'er glanced at each other, their expressions were very strange, but they didn't respond.

Amethyst nodded: "It seems that there is a reason, but why, but you can't tell me?" ”

Zhu'er was still silent, and Cui'er hurriedly said: "Even if my sister doesn't ask, we are also going to tell my sister, and we have to ask my sister to persuade Mama Ye well!" ”

"Mama Ye?" Amethyst was puzzled: "She is the nurse of the county lord, and she looks like she understands the rules, and she feels sorry for the county lord, can she still give the county lord anger?" ”

Cui'er muttered in a low voice: "I'm afraid it hurts too much, it's too heartbreaking!" ”

Seeing that her face was full of resentment, Amethyst said: "She is the nurse of the county lord, and she is married, even the uncle, and she must be polite, where is the turn to find us people to make arrangements, which rule is this?" ”

Cui'er hurriedly admitted her mistake: "Sister Amethyst, it's mine, I won't dare to do it again!" It's just that she is really too old now, because the county lord saw red, she ordered someone to burn the kang outside the upper room! ”

Amethyst frowned slightly, the outer room of the upper room is connected to the bedroom, and there is only a hundred treasure grid in the middle. Because Cao Hao was impatient with this, these people did not leave anyone to wait at night when they went to the room.

"The county lord agreed?" Amethyst asked.

Cui'er bit her lip and said, "The county lord is young, and his surname is Ge Roushun, even if he is reluctant, where can he speak!" ”

"But you chose the one called Xiyu?" Amethyst asked, the one with the best appearance among the eight people who came to marry: "You two have also been with them for a while, do you know what the origin of this Xiyu is, how could such a person be arranged by the county king's mansion?" ”

Cui'er said: "I asked Xicai, but among the eight people, only Yun, Yan, Cai, and Xia have served since childhood, and the four of Rain, Snow, Frost, and Dew were picked out by the grandmother around Fujin." ”

This is a matter of the house, even amethyst is not easy to say. She didn't worry about the county lord yet, but when she thought about her uncle's surname, she knew that she was too worried.

* Cao Hao finished his errand, and when he returned to the house, it was already Shen Zheng (four o'clock in the afternoon), because he wanted to ask Mr. Zhuang Xi to talk about what he heard today, so he did not go back to the inner courtyard first. Mr. Zhuang had been waiting for him in the study for a long time, but it was Cao Yin who came to write home.

After Cao Hao finished reading it, he handed the foreign affairs sheets to Mr. Zhuang, and after he finished reading them, he said: "I heard that the Jiangnan Division is checking the salaries of the soldiers stationed in the sea, and I also said that Kali was going to attack the admiral, but it turned out that he was still coming for Uncle Zhang!" ”

Cao Yin's letter said that Kali had sued Zhang Boxing in December for the black situation, and that it was the Fujian pirates who arrived in Zhejiang, and the Zhejiang defenders failed to suppress the bandits because of their failure to patrol them. Kali claimed that he wanted to go to sea, but Zhang Boxing "not only had no intention of going to sea, but also repeatedly asked 'why go to sea'", that is, Zhang Boxing deliberately avoided and refused to inspect sincerely.

The most outrageous thing is that Kali said that the admiral Shi Yide not only did not lead the troops, but brought several children to play and sing, and stayed with Zhang Boxing on the small river in Shanghai County for more than a month. The words refer to the fact that the salaries of the imperial court were not used to reward the soldiers who suppressed the bandits, but were used to advance the gouache and silver for the admiral and the governor to sell singing children.

Cao Hao said: "I'm afraid this is the reason why the Jiangnan Division was asked to inspect the sea guard and pay for the defense." This is obviously still under the guise of Zhang Boxing's idea, and it seems that Kali will not stop if he does not bring Zhang Boxing down. ”

Mr. Zhuang sighed and said, "Why doesn't Zhang Boxing want to bring down Kali? I just didn't have any handles, and I didn't do anything like Kali! Kali is now a heart-wrenching sentence, but it is a fight of life and death! If the soldiers' salaries find out about the star point accident, Kali can make a big fuss, and Zhang Boxing will inevitably be dismissed; If it can't be found, then Kali is slandering the ordained officer, then depending on the honor of the person above, if he loses the Sacred Heart, he will never recover. ”

Cao Hao frowned: "Kali doesn't look like a person who can gamble on his surname, what can he ......do?"

Mr. Zhuang said: "Zhang Pengxi's position on the household side is also uncertain now, if he is partial to Kali, then there is nothing to say!" But in the old man's opinion, Kali is afraid that it is still a sacred heart of gambling. Since the above is called checked, at least believe him sixty percent! ”

Cao Hao was silent, pondered for a long time, and then asked, "Then the mention of King Chunjun a few days ago...... According to the sir, can I be stirred in? ”

Mr. Zhuang thought for a moment, shook his head, and said, "Unless someone wants to defeat Kali, they will arrange for you to come over." The one above doesn't now. Kali is the in-law of the ninth elder brother, so if he wants to come to the eighth elder brother's side, he will naturally not. Look at the behavior of the fourth elder brother, that is, he wants to protect Uncle Zhang, and he will not ask you to investigate, so he will arrange for others to go early in the morning. In this way, you should rest assured. ”

Cao Hao let out a sigh: "I hope so!" "The Cao family finally withdrew from the political situation in Jiangnan, and he didn't want to get involved anymore.

(To be continued)