Another half a year has passed, and in the blink of an eye, it has been the forty-fifth year of Kangxi. Cao Yan is twelve, and he has grown rapidly, comparable to Huixin and Dark Fragrance. According to Cao's own estimates, it should be more than one meter six. The happiest person in this year is Cao Song, his younger brother Cao Shuo is seven years old, and he is going to study in the clan study after the year.

Gu Na took the township examination last autumn, won the second place in the exam, and obtained the qualification to lift people. At the same time as Gu Na, Ma Jun also took the exam, and the first place Xie Yuan was won by Wang Yunjin, a native of Wuxi County, Changzhou Prefecture. According to the rules of the field, all new recruits must thank the examiner. Cai Shengyuan, the chief examiner of the Jiangsu Township Examination this year, is the champion of Kangxi 21.

Cai Shengyuan saw that the first name Xie Yuan Wang Yunjin was nearly half a hundred years old, his face was full of wrinkles, and although his hair was black, it was sparse, and he didn't like it in his heart. Looking at the second place Gu Na and the third place Ma Jun, it was a surprise. Gu Naxu is fifteen years old, Ma Junxu is eighteen years old, the two of them are elegant and handsome, and their demeanor is like everyone, standing out from the crowd in the new lift. Cai Shengyuan was moved by his love for talents, and wanted to accept the two of them as students and bring them back to Beijing to train them in person for the exam in next spring.

Ma Jun's father, Ma De, is the most old-fashioned, thinking that if his son follows Cai Shengyuan, he is expected to return if he enters Shike next year; If you fail to take the exam next year, if you meet Cai Shengyuan to participate in the exam, you will have to avoid the exam as a disciple and delay your future. Therefore, he politely declined.

Gu Na here, naturally ask Cao Yin and Zhuang Chang to make the decision. Zhuang Chang has a lot of affairs, although he has the heart to teach his disciples well, but most of the time he has to rely on Gu Na to study. Cai Shengyuan was born as a champion and has been a Hanlin for more than 20 years, and it is really hard to find such a famous teacher. The two also thought of avoiding the exam, and because it was related to Gu Na's future, they explained the relationship to Gu Na and let Gu Na make his own decision. After thinking about it for a night, Gu Na decided to accompany Cai Shengyuan into Beijing.

In Jiangning Weaving Mansion, after Cai Shengyuan visited Cao Yin, he officially accepted the tea offered by Gu Na in the living room of Cao's house, which was regarded as officially accepting this student. After Cao Yan knew the news, he didn't know whether he should be happy for Gu Na, with Gu Na's cleverness, if there was no accident, it shouldn't be a problem to try. After Gu Na was a Zhongjin Shi, he either entered the Hanlin Academy, or went to the local Renzhi County, anyway, he had no chance to return to Jiangsu. Alone, without the care of parents and the support of siblings, it is really lonely. Thinking of this, Cao Yan asked Hui Xin to prepare a silver ticket and a small box of gold leaves for Gu to spend. Gu Na has the dividends he received from Lin Xia Zhai before, and he is still rich in his hands, so he refuses to accept it anymore. Cao Yan thought of Yongqing, he did not join the army, but entered the guard camp under the arrangement of his grandfather, so he wrote a letter to him, asking him to take care of Gu Na when he had time.

Now, Gu Na has been away from Jiangning for two months, and there are letters sent every month, although there are not many words, but he mentions that everything is fine, and he is preparing for the exam with peace of mind.

In the first month, the Jiangning weaving house inside and outside the lanterns, the old lady is more comfortable than every year, because last winter her maiden nephew Sun Wenqi served as Hangzhou weaving, and now the Sun family is a guest in Jiangning. Although the Sun family is a big family, the only brother with the same father and mother as Lao Taijun is Sun Wenqi's father. For this in-law's nephew, Lao Taijun's care is no less than that of Cao Yin's two brothers.

On the fifteenth day of the first month, the capital came down to deliver the edict. In addition to the rewards for the Cao family, Kangxi also had a will for Cao Yin and his wife. In addition to ordering Cao Yin's wife Li to send her daughter to Beijing in August, she also mentioned that Cao Yin should enter Beijing in September.

Although the Eight Banners are all draft girls, they are different. The Cao family, as a coat, was supposed to participate in the spring election, not the general election every three years. The object of this small election is the daughter of Shangsanqi Baoyi, and if she chooses to enter the palace as a palace maid, she can only be released when she is twenty-five years old. This triennial show girl election is a selection of nobles. In addition to selecting concubines, the queen mother also gave marriage to the princes, grandsons and clans among the elected show girls.

Kangxi's will is to raise the Cao family and show Cao Yan a good family matter. Cao Yin and his wife, thank God for their grace and add countless gratitude. Only Zhao Jia's family, thinking that she was also the granddaughter of Lao Taijun, Cao Yan saw that she was about to fly to the golden branch, but her daughter Cao Ying could only marry a child, and she was dissatisfied. She didn't dare to reveal it in front of the old lady, because this family affair was decided by the old lady, and the son-in-law was none other than the old lady's nephew and Sun Wenqi's eldest son, Sun Jue.

The granddaughter of the Cao family, three sisters, Cao Ying entered Beijing at 14 o'clock three years ago to be a candidate, and spent money, so that the primary election was lost, and the errand of entering the palace was exempted. Subsequently, the old lady made the decision and gave Cao Ying to Sun Jue, and the wedding date was set for March this year. Cao Yan went to Beijing this autumn, and although Cao Yi was on the family tree, because she was an adopted daughter, she was not eligible for candidacy.

Corresponding to the four major families that appear in "Dream of Red Mansions", is it the Sun family corresponding to the historian, or the Li family corresponding to the historian? Now that the three major weaving families in Jiangning, the Cao family, the Li family, and the Sun family are related, how come the Xue family in the so-called "Four Great Families of Jinling" has no trace? Cao Yan couldn't think clearly, so he didn't bother to think about it again.

Sun Wenqi's three sons are all older than Cao Yan, and the youngest son, Sun Lin, is two years older than Cao Yan. Sun Wenqi's eldest daughter, Sun Yu, is fifteen years old, two months younger than Cao Yan, and will be a candidate in Beijing this autumn. Although the Sun family was an official in the north, the Sun family brothers and sisters often came to Jiangning to ask the old lady for peace. Sun Yu and Cao Yan have a good relationship, and they live in Yunyongzhai every time they come.

As soon as the relatives and sisters came, Cao Yi seemed lonely. She is nominally the adopted daughter of the Cao family, but after all, she is not a blood relative, and it is not easy for relatives to be intimate with her. Cao Yan thought of the originally lively and lovely little girl, who was becoming more and more like a lady in Cao Mansion, and felt very sorry for her. Although his body is the same age as Cao Yi, his mental age is twenty years older. Sometimes, Cao Yi loves Cao Yi as a daughter, and naturally can't bear her to be wronged.

In the Chunnuan Pavilion, Cao Yi smiled and said, "Brother, is this really for Ping'er?" ”

Cao Yan sat on the chair and replied with a smile: "Naturally, when did I ever lie to my sister?" ”

Fangcha came up to serve tea, and when she heard the words, she said, "Is it just for our girl, or is it for the eldest girl and the second girl?" "Fangcha is citrine, it was originally a second-class maid beside Lao Taijun, and it was given to Cao Yan by Lao Taijun. After Cao Yi arrived at Cao's mansion, Cao Yan sent Cha Quartz to Chun Nuanju because there were few people waiting around Cao Yi.

Cao Yan listened to Fangcha's questioning, felt a little strange, and always felt that this was a little familiar, and then thought that this was not Daiyu's line in "Dream of Red Mansions". Cao Yi's smiling face slowly stopped, and he lowered his head and did not speak.

Seeing this, Cao Yan knew that there must be a reason, so he asked Fangcha: "What's the matter, someone is disrespectful to your girl?" ”

Fangcha replied angrily: "Which of these housekeepers in our house doesn't have rich eyes?" Our girls are not the flesh and blood of the old lady, so they naturally look down on them. It's okay to be just snubbing, but there is that eyeless bastard line, and the idea of the girl's monthly bonus is raised, and she has repeatedly asked for a reward from Yuzi, and if she doesn't give it, the leftovers will be sent. I'm going to go to the old lady and the lady to call the shots, but the girl is just a forbearance. Now, there are all kinds of bastard words, saying that since she is not a real lady, what kind of Miss Qiao'er is still taking it. ”

When Cao Yan heard this, his face turned pale: "What about my sister, who actually stood by and watched?" ”

"The second girl has been busy learning the rules for the past two years, how can she pay attention to these?" Fangcha said complainingly.

Cao Yan saw Cao Yi's red eyes, knowing that what Fang Cha said should be true, and he was quite annoyed, because he lived in the front yard, he didn't know that there were still these filthy things in the backyard. The old lady is not a director, and the Li family is a good-tempered person, so he was relieved, but he didn't expect to be really reckless.

Cao Yan asked the names of the stewards, and kept them in his heart, and the relatives were there, so it was not easy to deal with them. When the first month comes, there is always a time to settle accounts.

After Fangcha finished the complaint, with a little pride on her face, she only circled in front of Cao Yan and refused to stop going out. Cao Yan saw that she was wearing a pair of cat's eye pendants on her ears, which was a birthday gift she gave to Cao Yi last year, her brows furrowed slightly, and she said to Fang Cha: "Go to my yard to find Hui Xin, and say that I want to play leaf cards with you girls for a while, and let her prepare some loose money!" ”

Fangcha went out in response, and Cao Yan asked Cao Yi: "What's the matter, why is Fangcha wearing the pendant I gave you?" ”

Cao Yi lowered his head and muttered, "Sister Fangcha said she likes it!" ”

Cao Yan had a headache when he saw Cao Yi like this, and it seemed that he was not his own, and he thought that Fangcha was troublesome and stuffed into Chunnuan Pavilion.

Seeing Cao Yi's pitiful appearance, Cao Yan reached out and touched the little Jingba in her arms: "This was specially bought for you to relieve boredom, not even the eldest sister and the second sister?" No matter who says they like it, you can't give it anymore! ”

Cao Yi raised his head, his eyes were bright, and he couldn't hide his joy, and nodded vigorously: "Brother, don't worry, I'll take a good look at it, no one can snatch it away?" ”

Seeing her so childish, Cao Yan couldn't help but laugh: "Well, then you give it a name and treat it well, animals are good friends of humans!" ”

"Humans?" Cao Yi was slightly puzzled.

"Human beings are the general term for our people, just as chickens are generic names for chickens and dogs are generic names for dogs." Cao Yan explained casually.

Before Cao Yi could speak, he heard someone laugh outside the window: "Some human beings must believe that all beings are equal, otherwise why use chickens and dogs to compare the spirits of all things." "It was Cao Yan who arrived with his cousin Sun Yu.

Little girls have no resistance to cute things, Cao Yan and Sun Yu saw the puppy in Cao Yi's arms, and immediately forgot the girl's reserve, and quickly surrounded her.

"A gift from my brother? Did the third sister have a name? Cao Yan hugged the puppy and liked it so much.

Cao Yi shook his head: "My sister has the best knowledge, can I name the dog?" ”

Cao Yan groaned: "This dog's fur is as white as snow, so it's called 'Aoshuang', and the 'Aoshuang' of 'Aoshuang Fighting Snow'." ”

Several little girls thought the name was good, and called the puppy "Aoshuang" and "Aoshuang". Cao Yan rolled his eyes in his heart, such a female surname, this little Jingba is obviously a gentleman, okay.