Thirteen Fujin is pregnant in September and is about to give birth, so he can't come out to entertain guests.

The other Fujin were in the inner courtyard, and it was not suitable for Zhang Luo to come out on behalf of the Thirteen Fujin, so Cao Hao and their meal was Zhang Luo by the Thirteenth Elder Brother himself.

Several main dishes include roast venison, grilled bear paws, white meat and blood sausage pot, and the others are vegetarian dishes, such as agate rolls (vegetarian sausages), water ridge flowers (vegetarian oil roasted fish), and roasted ruyi (vegetarian fish).

In addition to meat and vegetarian dishes, there is also a plate of green lettuce and shallots, which are used for eating rice. There is also a plate of cucumbers on the side, but the thumb is thick, and it looks very refreshing.

Next to these two plates of lettuce, there are four small bowls of blue and white with four kinds of fried sauces, vegetarian sauce, pigeon sauce, venison sauce and eggplant sauce.

There are also four blue and white medium bowls, which contain red bean japonica rice, yellow rice, sorghum rice and coarse wheat rice.

Not to mention anything else, the green and fragrant rice on the table aroused people's appetite.

This kind of hospitality is already out of accordance with the regulations, but it also has the intention of not treating the fourth elder brother and Cao Hao as outsiders.

The table is placed on the kang table, the fourth elder brother sits, Cao Hao accompanies him on the east side, and the thirteenth elder brother accompanies him on the west side.

The wine on it is the dried peach wine that Cao Hao brought this time.

The thirteenth elder brother took the wine jug, and while pouring wine for the fourth elder brother and Cao Hao, he asked, "Why did you change it, what about 'ten miles of incense'?" I've been thinking about it for half a month. ”

When Cao Hao heard this, he lowered his head and replied: "In the future, we are afraid that this wine will not be brewed over there, and the Thirteenth Master likes it, so I will send the recipe to the Thirteenth Master tomorrow." ”

The Thirteenth Master was stunned when he heard this, then looked at the light green robe on Cao Hao's body, and said, "When I mention this, it's not mine." I talked about it when I gossiped with Zhiran before, and it turned out that it was brewed by Zhuang Xi. You have done a funeral in linen and filial piety, in order to fulfill the righteousness of being a disciple, and you still need to mourn. Birth, old age, sickness and death, the way of the cycle of heaven and earth, always look at it. ”

Mourning in his heart, Cao Hao didn't want to be pretty, raised his head, nodded, and said, "Xie Thirteen Ye is relieved, it's okay." It's just that I've been staying together all these years, and I'm a little unaccustomed to being separated at first glance. ”

The thirteenth elder brother diverted the topic and asked about the common words of the fourth elder brother.

The fourth elder brother responded casually, but glanced at Cao Hao with his eyes from time to time.

This capital yamen, after a small year, has fallen into the pen sealed, but the internal affairs office, because it is the internal yamen, but also to take care of a lot of palace affairs before and after Chinese New Year's Eve, there is no pen sealed.

Therefore, Cao Hao has to go to the point every day.

When Cao Hao got up in the early morning, he filled two pieces of dumplings, went to the palace to take care of errands, and ran several New Year's gifts. Now, he's really hungry.

Watching the fourth elder brother move his chopsticks, Cao Hao made a package of rice here, which was rolled with old yellow rice and venison sauce, and sent it to his mouth, which was really fragrant.

Cao Hao ate sweetly, thinking in his heart, let Chu Yu also eat this.

In the wax moon, the fat chicken and duck are eating, and they are really tired of dying, but they are still refreshing. Besides, these are coarse grains, and the children eat just right.

Cao Hao was eating, thinking about it, but something was wrong.

I don't know when, the fourth elder brother and the thirteenth elder brother have already put down their chopsticks, and they all turned their heads and looked at Cao Hao.

Under the gaze of these two people, Cao Hao sent the last two mouthfuls of rice to his mouth, but he was a little puzzled in his heart.

Could it be that his face is stained with sauce, how can these two masters have such eyes?

The thirteenth elder brother had already opened his mouth with a smile and said to the fourth elder brother: "Looking at the appearance of the big man in front of me, I really can't see the intelligence of my childhood. If you are wise and foolish, this guy is clumsy! The procurement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been rectified, but I don't know how many people will be offended. ”

"Hmm!" The fourth elder brother glanced at Cao Hao and answered.

Cao Hao was quite embarrassed, and looked at the thirteenth elder brother with some puzzlement, but he really didn't know how to talk about this stubble.

The thirteenth elder brother had already restrained his smile, and said to Cao Hao: "Even if you don't come today, I will have someone call you over." I thought about it for a while, and I still have some thoughts in my heart, and I want to talk to you about it. ”

The fourth elder brother was beside him, silent, only holding the teacup in his hand and looking at Cao Hao.

Cao Hao's mind was flying, how could the thirteenth elder brother pay attention to the side of the Internal Affairs Office?

As far as he knew, the thirteenth elder brother was silent until the Yongzheng Dynasty before he came out of the mountain.

Thinking in his heart, Cao Hao had already put down his chopsticks, and said with a smile: "What is the lesson of the Thirteenth Master, Cao Hao listens to it." ”

The thirteenth elder brother pondered for a moment and said, "What the hell is going on with that bidding?" Not to mention anything else, it is the Mongolian tea ceremony, and after a year, I don't know how much benefit it is. The people who were able to put this piece earlier have some weight behind them, and if you act like this, although you have the emperor behind you as a backer, there are many people who have offended, and it is not cheap to act in the future. ”

The thirteenth elder brother asked seriously, the fourth elder brother on the side listened seriously, and Cao Hao was not sloppy here, so he bowed slightly and replied: "Thirteenth master, to put it bluntly, this bidding is just the words 'the one with the highest price'."

In the past, the Ministry of Internal Affairs' trade with Mongolia and Oros was a lot of annual transactions, and most of them went into the pockets of the managers. Upward and downward effects, corruption is commonplace. Not to mention the meager income of the inner treasury, sometimes it is necessary to take out a large amount of silver to buy foreign goods.

This bidding, however, was to make a reserve price for each trade line, and then openly bid for these imperial merchants. Whoever gives the most money gets this trade route. In this way, the income of the inner treasury will be improved.

Other businesses that did not bid bid again and chose other businesses. In this way, the old merchants are willing to pay for the money, and the new merchants also have the opportunity to intervene, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs has benefited again.

Among them, it offended some vested interests, but also enabled some businessmen to get a piece of the pie from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The key is to be able to quickly accumulate a batch of silver taels and enrich the military spending in the northwest. ”

The fourth elder brother and the thirteenth elder brother listened carefully, with different expressions on their faces.

The fourth elder brother frowned slightly, looked at Cao Hao, but sighed in his heart. Although the person in front of him is lazy and unmotivated, but for financial management, there is really a set of money that is only the inner treasury, after all, it is the inner treasury.

The use of harem concubines, the travel of the holy car, the cost of repairing the Tangquan Palace in Xiaotangshan, etc., all have to come out of the inner library.

Cao Hao's financial management skills are used in the Internal Affairs Office, but they are a bit wasteful, and may even become the source of his trouble. If he is in the household department and does things wholeheartedly, his achievements will be more abundant than what he is looking for.

But it was the emperor's father's hand-picking, and the fourth elder brother could only sigh in his heart.

After hearing this, the thirteenth elder brother pondered for a moment, and said to Cao Hao with a smile: "I don't dare to say anything about the money, but I have a good shopkeeper in my hand, and I have to participate in this excitement." Cao Hao, you say it can be made? ”

Over the years with the thirteenth elder brother, Cao Hao has a lot of respect for him, in addition to the thirteenth elder brother's righteousness and not snobbery, but also because the thirteenth elder brother is bold and not greedy for money.

Even if the thirteenth elder brother took the initiative to participate in the procurement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Cao Hao would not believe that he wanted a piece of the pie.

What's going on here?

Is it that you have the silver, and you want to find a way to hand it over to the inner treasury for the northwest military expenses? No, a few days ago, I took out 50,000 taels of silver, and even if I still have it in my hand, there is not much left.

Then what is the reason why the thirteenth elder brother took the initiative to wade into this troubled water?

Cao Hao remembered what the Thirteenth Elder Brother thought at the beginning, afraid that he would offend people or something, and he realized something, and asked, "Isn't the Thirteenth Master worried about me, afraid that the bidding in February will not be opened, and I will be punished by the emperor?" ”

The thirteenth elder brother waved his hand and said with a smile: "You, you, you will also be amorous." You are not a Mao boy who has just entered the official career, you have all sat down to the Sanpintang official, what else is there to worry about? I just saw that the big shopkeeper of our family was capable, and I wanted to take the opportunity to let her show her head and save herself from being confined to a small shop, but I was blind to talent. ”

Although the thirteenth elder brother did not admit it, but the indescribable concern in his eyes, Cao Hao saw it and was quite moved.

Some of these words came out.

It is said that many imperial businessmen of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have very strong opinions on Cao Hao's idea of bidding, and they have already joined forces and refused to participate in the bidding meeting in February next year.

Cao Hao is not afraid, where the benefits are, who can not be selfish?

Among them, there are many merchants who have released rumors to the outside world, and quietly show favor to Cao Hao's side.

Even if these old businessmen don't bid, Cao Hao is not afraid.

got the news, the Jin merchants, Hui merchants, and Lu merchants who rushed to the capital were not one or two.

If those old merchants really give up bidding, there will be no shortage of merchants who are willing to take over.

I thought that the thirteenth elder brother also heard the rumors, and he was afraid that Cao Hao would smash the field here, so he joined in to support Cao Hao.

Cao Hao's side felt the kindness of the thirteenth elder brother, but he didn't say no.

In his heart, he is willing to take the initiative of the thirteenth elder brother, pay attention to the major events of people's livelihood outside, save himself from depression, and die early in his prime.

Besides, he believes that Zheng Woxue's ability can support a bunch of things.

The fourth elder brother watched coldly, thinking about what the thirteenth elder brother said about Cao Hao's offending people, his expression gradually eased, he nodded, and said to Cao Hao: "Those greedy villains are difficult to achieve big things, you don't need to be afraid." What is there, naturally there is ...... Naturally, the emperor is in charge of you. ”

It was rare to hear him say a soft word, Cao Hao listened, but he didn't dare to delay on his face, he hurriedly made a gesture of gratitude, and bowed his head and said: "Xie Siye's teachings, Cao Hao wrote it down, and he didn't dare to be afraid." I wish to do a good job, live up to the emperor's orders, and live up to the love of the fourth and thirteenth masters. ”

This internal affairs office has always been the territory of the eighth elder brother and the ninth elder brother, and it was that guy who Cao Hao offended to death this time.

But is it standing in line, the fourth elder brother thought of this, but he was relieved, raised the wine glass in his hand, and made a drinking gesture to the thirteenth elder brother and Cao Hao.

Cao Hao drank a glass of wine, but felt that the roots of his teeth were a little sour.

I should confess and confess, so that the fourth master should also know his position, but this wine was not drunk in vain...... * Desheng Gate, Dajiang Hutong, Dong Zhai.

Su Xin sat in his own room, smiling and groaning, listening to the chatter of his sister-in-law and cousins.

Although they are from Baoyi and should participate in the small election of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, there are not many people who actually enter the palace on errands. Su Xin's generation, in addition to her, there is also a cousin who came out of the house and entered the palace on an errand last year.

To this day, many people still suspect that Su Xin, as the eldest granddaughter of the Dong family, was sent to the palace on an errand because of the pillow wind blown by the Gao family.

Gao is Su Xin's stepmother, the grade is less than thirty, less than ten years after entering the door, and now she has two sons and a daughter.

Although the status is not as good as the Shang family, the Gao family is also an errand in the Internal Affairs Office, and they are the old friends of the Dong family.

In addition, the Gao family gave birth to another son, and the relationship with Suxin's father is good, and no one at home dares to ignore her because she is a stepmother.

However, Dong Shang's family is a generational in-law, even if it is Su Xin's generation, there is a cousin-in-law who is married to the daughter of the Shang family. Speaking of which, it's Su Xin's cousin.

In the past, it was just said, but now Suxin is back home, but it makes everyone look desolate.

The young man just asked curiously about the excitement in the palace, and Su Xin was still a "Qincha" status, and he was designated as a guest in the Earl's Palace.

is old, but he knows that the palace is not easy to treat, after all, it is the work of waiting for people, and if he can't keep it right, he will break the rules.

The Dong family is deeply rooted in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but in the eyes of the royal people, it is just a lowly coat.

A team beat a girl to death, what's the matter.

Now that he has been ordered by the Queen Mother, he has gone out of the palace on an errand, which is a relief.

There are some things that cousins can ask, but Su Xin knows the rules and doesn't dare to chew her tongue, so she only laughs and doesn't say anything.

She was already quiet, but after being so silent, she became more and more pitiful.

Shang couldn't bear it when he saw it, he already took Su Xin's hand and said, "Girl, Ming'er will let your brother talk to the old lady to see if he can beg the sixteenth master to let you out of the palace as soon as possible." It's not good to really let you be on an errand until you reach thirty, then won't you become an old girl? Always ask for the grace of the palace. ”

Su Xin didn't know how to reply, as a woman, where can she be self-dedicated?

Gao was bringing the girl to send food to eat, and when he heard what Shang said, he said, "Yes, I told you Ama about this yesterday." If you are in the palace, you will be on an errand in front of the palace, and it will be difficult to move around. Since they have already left the palace, the Cao family is also a family with friendships, and there are many activities in and out of the palace, so it is appropriate to keep it even. ”

Because she was standing, Su Xin also got up and stood.

Su Xin's half-sister Su Wei sat on the side of the kang, but she was seven or eight years old, and she was in the innocent and romantic grade, and when she saw the tray behind her mother, she tilted her head and asked: "Eniang, why do you want the eldest sister's family to come, doesn't the Cao family have good food to eat?" Didn't you say that the eldest sister would eat the tea of the Cao family in the future, and we could all eat the dumplings of Daoxiang Village? ”

The child's words are unscrupulous, but Su Xin's face changed when he listened.

Gao hurriedly pulled his daughter and scolded: "What are you talking about? Something without rules, where do you hear nonsense, the skin is tight, isn't it, don't shut up quickly! ”

Su Weiyou was not angry, pouted and muttered: "I didn't say it, it was the eldest aunt and the third aunt who said that the eldest sister wants to eat the tea of the Cao family, and the dowry has been prepared......"

At the mention of marriage, the girls blushed a little, and did not dare to listen any further, so they lowered their heads and went down to the kang and followed a widow and aunt to avoid it.

Su Xin's face was pale, and his body trembled slightly.

Gao held a handkerchief in his hand and looked at Su Xin, but he was speechless.

Shang's heart is straightforward, and she is the eldest daughter-in-law of the long house, and she is in charge of the family director, so she has fewer scruples, so she said: "Second aunt, what is going on?" The girl was ordered to be on an errand at the Earl's Court, or on an errand boy. How can such words come out of this innocent person? It's beating our house again, which makes the girl how to behave in the future......"

Gao bit his lip and said, "I don't know the details, but I heard your second uncle mention it, saying that the Cao family is a good family and a holy family." If the girl can be given to their home, the palace will be willing to release her. ”

When Shang Shi heard this, his expression changed greatly, and he said with a pale face: "No matter how good the Cao family is, can you still wronged the girl to be a concubine?" Second wife, the girl still has her own uncle, my Ama and my second uncle will not watch the girl be wronged. ”

When Gao heard this, he hurriedly waved his hand and said, "It's not the Cao family's room, it's the second room of the Cao family, it's just that the fourth master of the Cao family is a concubine, and the fifth master is a little worse, and the old lady and your second uncle haven't made up their minds yet......"

*

(To be continued)