On March 25, the 48th year of Kangxi, Cao Hao ended his six-day rest and began to go to the palace again.

In this class, Cao Hao's eight guards were on duty at Taihemen, and the time was from the beginning of noon to the beginning of the day (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) every day. Everyone has only met once or twice, but because of the friendship at the wine table, Cao Hao and his colleagues also get along very well.

Although it has been a period of time, there are still a lot of officials who come and go with the Taihe Gate, and everyone can't be as casual as guarding the small door inside. Two hours, four hours, and noon, although the sky is not hot, but the head is bright and dazzling.

When he was about to arrive at Shen, a seventeen or eighteen-year-old eunuch trotted over: "Can the third-class guard Cao Hao be on duty here?" ”

Everyone looked at Cao Hao, and Cao Hao stepped forward and replied: "It's Cao Hao below, is my father-in-law looking for me?" ”

The little eunuch looked at Cao Hao and said, "Long live the Lord summoned, the chief manager is waiting at the guard's office, Cao Guard's better go over with the slave!" ”

Cao Hao glanced at Detehei, saw him nodding, and then followed the little eunuch and headed in the direction of the left gate in the north.

In a no-man's place, Cao Hao took out a thumb-sized jade from his purse and stuffed it into the eunuch's hand: "What is the name of my father-in-law, I am tired of my father-in-law passing on the word, this is a little bit of Cao Hao's heart." ”

The eunuch was a little flattered, and hurriedly replied: "Slave Wei Zhu, on an errand in the Qianqing Palace, Xie Cao's guards are generous." Long Live Lord seems to have ordered the summons of Cao Guard's guards after hearing the news from Elder Brother's side. ”

After passing through the two middle gates, Cao Hao followed Wei Zhu to Qianqingmen Square. The guard's office, in the connecting room on the west side of the square. When Cao Hao arrived, Liang Jiugong, the eunuch in charge of the Qianqing Palace, was talking to the minister on duty. He had been to Jiangning many times with the saint, and had been to the Cao family a few years ago to preach the decree, so Cao Hao knew this chief eunuch.

"Cao Hao, a lowly third-class guard, has seen two adults!" Cao Hao calmly saluted.

The minister looked at Cao Hao and nodded with a smile: "Being able to defeat Detehei, you have some ability, and you haven't lost your father's reputation." ”

Liang Jiugong stood up: "It's so big in a blink of an eye, the last time I saw you, you were still a child." Come with us, long live the summons in the south study. ”

"Yes!" Cao Hao bowed his head and followed behind Liang Jiugong.

"You've seen the holy driver, you don't need to tell you more, it's just that there are many people in the palace, if you have to fall into your tongue if you have the slightest transgression, you still have to pay attention!" Liang Jiugong is in his forties, and he doesn't have any arrogance, and he teaches Cao Hao in the tone of an elder.

"Thank you, Mr. Liang, for the point, Cao Hao wrote it down!" Cao Hao replied.

For eunuchs, a unique product of ancient class society, Cao Hao did not discriminate.

There are many misunderstandings in the world, thinking that after a man is castrated into a eunuch, he is neither male nor female. Cao Hao doesn't think so, it's just that the hormone secretion of the male surname is less, and the characteristics of the male surname stop developing or gradually disappear, is this no longer a man. Sima Qian, who wrote "The swan song of the historian and the rhyme of the separation" after being punished by the palace, and Zheng He, who led the fleet to the West, are all worthy of the admiration of future generations.

Qianqing Palace, South Study.

Emperor Kangxi sat cross-legged on the kang, holding the homework of several princes and grandsons in his hands. At this point, he was more of a loving father. Hearing Liang Jiugong say that Cao Hao had arrived, he was waiting outside the door, and he put down the pen in his hand: "Pass!" ”

Liang Jiugong raised his voice: "Biography, the third-class guard Cao Hao has come to see you!" ”

At the door of the study, another eunuch continued: "Rumor, the third-class guard Cao Hao has come to see you!" ”

The little eunuch at the door opened the door curtain, Cao Hao lowered his head and walked in, first there was a screen, a few chairs behind the screen, there was a door on the right hand, and the two little eunuchs stood at the door, it seems that there is the place where the emperor summoned.

Entering the right room, Cao Hao flicked his sleeves in front of the threshold and knelt down: "Slave Cao Hao has seen long live, long live long live, long live, long live!" ”

Kangxi couldn't help laughing and said, "I asked you to speak, come forward and reply!" ”

"Wow!" Cao Hao responded, got up and took a few steps forward.

"Your father said in February that he would send you to Beijing on an errand, and I asked about it at first. I remember that you are younger than Brother Fifteen, sixteen or fifteen this year? Kangxi asked.

"If you go back to the Long Live Lord, the slave is sixteen years old, fourteen years and nine months old!" Cao Hao replied respectfully. If you say that you are not nervous, it is a lie, and the person in front of you has the power of life and death.

Kangxi nodded: "It's really difficult for you to go to Beijing on an errand at such a young age!" I heard that you kept filial piety to your grandmother in the temple two years ago, and your heart is commendable, and it is not in vain that the old lady has hurt you all these years! I don't know if Kangxi thinks of the deceased nanny Cao Sun, or sighs that he doesn't have such filial children and grandchildren, and he was a little silent for a while.

I don't know if this is a compliment, Kangxi didn't ask, Cao Hao couldn't interject, and the atmosphere in the room was a little cold for a while.

After a long while, Kangxi spoke again: "I heard that you gave a gift to Brother's side." Speaking of this, his voice became sharp: "Well, how could you think of giving a gift to the Thirteenth Elder Brother, and it was snake oil!" ”

"Back to the words of the Long Live Lord, the slave suffered when he was young, if there was no fourth elder brother and thirteenth elder brother to rescue, I am afraid that the slave's life would have been gone. This kindness is always remembered by the minions. Cao Hao had been prepared and was not intimidated by Kangxi's voice.

Although this incident has been a long time, Kangxi still remembers: "Since you remember the two great kindnesses of the fourth elder brother and the thirteenth elder brother, why didn't you go to the fourth elder brother's mansion to ask for peace after entering Beijing?" ”

Cao Hao sighed secretly in his heart, amazing, he asked someone to give a gift to his brother, but it was yesterday, and now Kangxi has found out his whereabouts in the past few days: "If you go back to the Long Live Lord, although the slave has entered the palace on duty, he does not dare to act casually." There is an order from the imperial court that foreign ministers are not allowed to make friends with the prince. The slave had the heart to go to the fourth elder brother's mansion to ask for peace, but he was afraid that the slave's father would be implicated, so he didn't dare to go. ”

Kangxi said thoughtfully: "It's good to know that you are cautious, but you don't have to be too restrained, just ask you to comment on calligraphy, ask you to talk about business, it doesn't hurt to go, what's new, I'll tell you next time!" ”

"Slaves obey!" Cao Hao finally waited for this sentence, and responded very happily, and at the same time mourned for several princes. Just those few little actions and careful thoughts, I'm afraid they haven't hidden this long live master at all.

Kangxi picked up a palm-sized porcelain bottle from the small table on the kang: "You indicated on the gift list for Thirteen that this thing can treat rheumatism, but it does have this curative effect?"

Cao Hao replied: "This thing is snake oil essence, which is refined from Fujian mountain snake and snake oil, and it is a dehumidified earthwork." The slave's father has rheumatism, and the effect of using this substance is good. This time when he entered Beijing, the slave brought two bottles, which he wanted to give to the elders of his relatives' family. Unexpectedly, he accidentally learned that the thirteenth elder brother was suffering from dampness, and the slave did not dare to hide his secrets, so he sent two bottles of snake oil essence to the elder brother's office. ”

Kangxi nodded: "It's hard for you to be sincere, I heard that you won the archery with Dete Heibi, yes, a little bit of your father's youthful spirit." ”

Kangxi asked a few more words about Cao Hao's homework, and the water and soil were not used to it a few days ago, and finally let him leave.

Out of the Qianqing Gate, Cao Hao breathed a sigh of relief. For the rise and fall of the Cao family, he had the heart to rely on the big tree of Kangxi to enjoy the shade, but such a "slave" answer was not what he wanted. "Slave", "slave", so he called himself, he felt depressed in his heart. If it goes on like this, not to mention prolonging life, you will die of depression if you are depressed.

took out his pocket watch, it was already two o'clock in the afternoon (half past three in the afternoon), Cao Hao went out of the Donghua Gate, changed into the guard clothes on the side of the guard camp carriage and stable, changed into civilian clothes and led his horse to return home. Unexpectedly, Nalan Chengping rode a horse and waited outside the carriage room.

Seeing Cao Hao leading the horse out, Nalan Chengping stepped forward with a smile: "Brother Cao just came out, and it will take half an hour to summon him like this." In the future, Brother Cao will be developed, and he will have to pull his brother! ”

Although Cao Hao didn't like Nalan Chengping, he was a colleague after all, and he was a senior, so he responded with a smile.

The two walked side by side, Nalan Chengping mentioned the competition with the Mongols, a few days ago it was said that Bao Ya Ge was about to fight the Mongols, and then he canceled the competition for some reason. Nalan Chengping saw that Cao Hao was proud to hear this, and began to flatter Cao Hao's excellent archery skills. Although Cao Hao had a smile on his face, he did not answer.

I don't know if Cao Hao is unlucky, or Nalan Chengping is a decrepit person, every time the two of them are together, they can meet and find faults. I heard someone shouting rudely: "Nalan Chengping, you stop for the master, you dared to rob the bitch that the master liked last time in Pinhualou." That time made you slip away, see where you go this time. ”

As he spoke, twenty or thirty people poured out of the alley in front of him and intercepted Cao Hao and Nalan Chengping. At the head were several well-dressed men, who spoke with a black face and a fat body, standing in front of the crowd.

The black fat man just wanted to open his mouth and scold again, but he happened to see Cao Hao looking at himself, his body was suddenly crisp, his eyes were very silver, and his mouth was not dry: "Oh, no wonder I haven't blocked you kid for more than half a month, but I have changed my taste." This kid, who tastes tender meat, is of the highest quality, where did you find it, transfer it to the uncle, and the uncle will spare you for your rudeness last time! ”

Cao Hao was depressed because he had been a slave for a long time, and now he saw that this fat man actually loved men, and he was disgusted.

Nalan Chengping was afraid that things would make a big deal, so he hurriedly said: "Guishan, don't talk nonsense, this is the son of Jiangnan Cao Weaver." ”

"Cao weaving? Cao Yin, that coated minion! Guishan smiled and said: "A little minion Yangzi, he dares to call himself a son in front of the master, it's really a laughing person!" Ye took a fancy to him, but his blessing was not! ”

While speaking, Guishan had already stepped forward, walked up to Cao Hao's horse, and was about to pull him off the horse.

Where will Cao Hao allow Guishan to get close, tap the horse's belly with his left foot, and caress the horse's neck with his right hand. Just listening to the sound of "hiss", Cao Hao's mount seemed to be frightened, and the hooves in front of him were raised high.

Guishan stood beside Cao Hao's horse, defenseless, and fell in fright. As if out of control, the horse's front hooves stomped heavily towards the mountain. Hearing only the sound of "quack", Guishan screamed. But after only half screaming, he fainted in pain.

Things happened too fast, and when the Chang Sui brought by Guishan reacted, everything fell to the ground in dust. The leaders of them checked Guishan's injuries, and the others shouted angrily and surrounded Cao Hao.

Cao Hao sat on the horse and looked at everything with cold eyes.