On this side of Rehe, the matter of black dumplings has finally come to an end.

Cao Yin didn't forget to say a word to his son, and said: "Next time, ask someone to mix some white flour into it, maybe it will be easier to restrain it." ”

Although Cao Hao really has no appetite for this wheat bran, he wonders if he should also mix some grains in his regular diet at home. The children's nutrition is more balanced, and Cao Yin and Li's eating is also conducive to health.

It's just that you can't pick the cheapest thing, because then it's not nutrition, it's a sin.

Ming'er is the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Li family has already instructed the kitchen to make zongzi. Because Bao Ya was going back to Horqin after the festival, Chu Yu discussed with her mother-in-law and asked someone to pick up Bao Ya's mother and son here for the festival.

Tianhui, who was hugged by Baoya for three days, also returned. Hearing her mother's movements, Tianhui groped her way over, pulling Chu Yu's shirt and refusing to let go.

Bao Ya smiled and said to Chu Yu, "I miss you." Even if you don't ask someone to invite me today, I'll have to come. After coaxing for three days, I got up early this morning to find 'mother', and I couldn't coax him. ”

The married clan is Gege, and without the will of the imperial court, he cannot return to Beijing. Even if you report to the Zongren Mansion and the Imperial Court, and get permission from the imperial court, there are rules and time limits for returning to Beijing.

Parents are bereaved, or sons are married, daughters are married, and only by catching up with such an opportunity can the clans return to Beijing.

In addition, if you want to meet your relatives, you must take the opportunity of the holy car to visit the outside of the Sai Sai and accompany your husband or son to the court.

Chu Yu wants to follow her husband, even if she catches up with the opportunity to follow her in the future, she doesn't know what year or month it is.

Last time I said goodbye in the capital, Chu Yu was still a bride, and Bao Ya was still waiting to be married in the boudoir. This dazzling effort is already full of green leaves.

"Do you really have to stay up until Arslen is an adult before he can return to Beijing?" Chu Yu couldn't help but ask.

"I want to ask for a special purpose, go back to the capital to live for half a year, but for no reason, where is it so easy? I'm afraid that if the excerpt of the request is sent to the Zongren Mansion, it will lead to a reprimand, and then I will send two grandmothers to 'teach' me the rules. Bao Ya said with a wry smile.

Hearing this, Chu Yu couldn't help but feel sad.

Her younger sister, Ergege of King Chun's Mansion also pointed out that the marriage was outside the jam, and the marriage was delayed because she caught up with the man and encountered a white happy event. In the future, it will be the same as Baoya, and they will live for the marriage of Manchu and Mongolia, and live for the responsibility of loving the daughter of the Xinjue Luo family.

If she hadn't been able to marry into the Cao family, she might not have been able to live better than Baoya. Baoya is a hearty surname and an open-minded surname.

Bao Ya saw that Chu Yu was uncomfortable, shook her head, and said with a smile: "It's not life and death, let's see what we're doing during the festival?" Cao Hao was in his early twenties, and he was promoted to the vacancy of the head of the Internal Affairs Office, and this time he can finally be stable for a few years, right? In this way, there will be few opportunities to drive with Hu in the future. When the time comes, if I take the time to come to Rehe again, we will still be in the same place. If it weren't for the fact that the house was not peaceful this time, I would really like you to be a guest in Horqin with your family. It's May, and it's really full of wild flowers, and you can see it as if it's in a painting. ”

In the end, Bao Ya's eyes were already shining: "Riding a horse on a meadow, you can startle a hare by the horse's hooves." The hares on the grassland are different from the rabbits we have seen in Beijing, they are mostly gray, do not look fat, have long ears, and have a slender and long tail. There is a pinch of hair on the tip of the tail that can be used to make pens.

The hare was fast, but if two or three men chased it together, they could catch up. Once I was naughty, and when I saw this rabbit, I got off my horse and chased after him. By the way, this rabbit is not easy to chase on a horse, because it will turn around, and you will catch it, and it will turn around, which is fun.

I took two minions and chased after me in the meadow for half an hour. Later, there was a servant who was clever enough to take off his vest and throw it over, and covered the rabbit. I took a closer look, and I was pitiful, the rabbit was tired and vomited blood, and its little eyes were rolling, and it was unbearable to look at, so I asked someone to let it go. ”

Listening to Bao Ya's interesting speech, Chu Yu thought about the song of the horse, and said to Bao Ya: "In this way, it is not as difficult as everyone says in Mongolia. ”

Tianhui sat beside her mother, and listened to the little rabbit that Baoya said, and couldn't help but prick up her ears.

"What if it's hard or not? Those Gege in the palace are taught all kinds of rules, and a few of them speak loudly. When you arrive in Mongolia, you are alone, and who will feel good. I still have to explain myself. Now, Horqin's side has also repaired the palace. Although it is not as prosperous as Beijing, it is not aggrieved in terms of food and clothing. I heard that in the early years, those old aunts and grandmothers who married into the grassland still had to live in felt bags and drink mare's milk. Due to the irregular diet, few of the Gege who married at that time lived a long life. ”

Baoya said.

Chu Yu listened, afraid of causing Baoya to be sad, so he changed his words and said, "Has Bao Gege wrapped zongzi?" Ming'er is on the Dragon Boat Festival, and has already asked the kitchen to prepare glutinous rice. Why don't you ask someone to bring the zongzi leaves and fillings, let's make the zongzi and play by ourselves? ”

Baoya listened and became interested. However, after glancing at Chu Yu, he was still a little worried, and said, "Are you still sick?" ”

"It's not a hard work, it's just sitting on the kang and doing it." Chu Yu saw that Baoya was also interested, so he ordered someone to go to the kitchen to get the materials, and asked Xicai to take the embroidery thread.

One less time, the filling arrived, Chu Yu and Bao Ya took off their bracelets, cleaned their hands, and began to wrap ...... * Courtyard, study.

Because there was no other errand today, Cao Yin arrived at noon, and the father and son were in the study, reading the letter sent by Cao Song.

Cao Yin was old and a little dazzled, so he instructed his son to read the letter.

At the beginning, it was to ask for peace, and then it was to report the safety of the family, and then it was to mention Cao Xiang's release.

Cao Yin and Cao Hao, father and son, were quite surprised when they heard the news.

Cao Yin was already frowning, and said, "If you don't read it, what kind of discipline do you have?" Hao'er, when I wrote to the second child, I said that I was not allowed, isn't this nonsense? ”

Cao Hao looked at the letter in his hand, hesitated, and said, "Father, I'm afraid it's too late." Xiao Er wrote in the letter that Xiao Si had already completed the formalities from the Ministry of Officials, and he was going to leave Beijing for his post on the sixth day of the new year. ”

When Cao Yin heard this, he couldn't help sighing and said, "I thought that the fourth child was a material for reading, and our Cao family could also produce a jinshi." ”

Cao Yin entered the palace as a companion when he was a teenager, and together with Nalan Rongruo, he studied with the university scholar Xiong Ci.

In the eleventh year of Kangxi, Cao Yin and Nalan Rongruo participated in the township test of Shuntianfu together, and the two of them won the promotion in the same year. At that time, Cao Yin was fifteen, three years younger than the eighteen-year-old Nalan Rongruo.

The following year, Cao Yin was selected as a guard and was on duty in front of the imperial court, without taking the imperial examination. Nalan Rongruo failed to take the entrance examination, and three years later, he was ranked first.

Speaking of which, this is also a knot in Cao Yin's heart. He hopes that his children can take the career of the imperial examination, not just rely on the shadow of their ancestors.

After all, in the eyes of the world, a professional background is the right way. Xiucai, Juren, and Jinshi can fill the vacancies of different levels according to their different identities; Those who are not enumerated by the academic department are all called different paths, and they cannot be whispered in the same way as those who are born in the academic class.

The imperial court has a decree that "the Han people are not guaranteed to be promoted, and the Han army is not examined, and the Beijing officials and Zhengyin officials are not awarded", so they can only suffer in the position of auxiliary officials for the rest of their lives.

Although the Cao family carries the flag, it is not subject to this restriction and can fill the gap. But Cao Yin knew that no family could rely on the emperor's favor to prosper forever.

Once a son of heaven and a courtier, this is the same old reason.

Only by letting the children study hard, passing on poems and books, and the children successively entering the ranks with the imperial examination, can the family be passed on.

This dynasty has been in the customs for less than 100 years, and the father and son have been cabinet ministers, and uncles and nephews have successively been the families of Shangshu, not one household or two households. They are all scholarly families, full of scholars and people.

When Cao Yin saw it, he was really envious, and he also hoped that his son and nephew could take the right path of the imperial examination, so that the Cao family gradually got rid of the role of "fortunate minister".

Although Changfang has three sons, Cao Shun died early, and the remaining eldest son Cao Hao has already come out, and he has survived to the position of Sanpin Jingtang, and then went to participate in the imperial examination, isn't it a big joke in the world? The youngest son is less than a year old, and he is still in infancy, and it will take many years to read and learn to write, let alone end up.

The nephews in the second room, Cao Shuo, who is gone, will not talk about it, like Cao Song, elm head, not material for learning. The rest of the little four and five are all smart and clever, but the little five are frivolous, and they still have some aura in poetry and writing, and they have little benefit in the eight strands; There is only the fourth Cao Xiang, who studies hard, endorses solidly, and is also beautiful when he starts to do eight shares.

Cao Yin pinned the hopes of Jinshi and the first and glorious lintels on Cao Xiang, and no matter how busy he was with errands every month, he did not forget to ask his nephew about his homework again and again.

Who would have thought that at a young age, he learned to make up his own ideas, and he didn't discuss it with his elders, so he quietly made up for the shortcomings.

Cao Hao saw that his father was depressed, but when he was worried about Cao Xiang's youth, he persuaded: "Father don't worry too much, this discipline is the most idle errand, although Xiao Si is young, after all, he has been in Taixue for two years, and it is not difficult to deal with local scholars." ”

When Cao Yin heard this, he had a little hope, and said: "Yes, this teaching errand is not busy, if you are attentive, you can also make time to read the Four Books and Five Classics." Hao'er, help my father study ink, I want to write a letter to the fourth child, telling him that an errand is an errand, don't waste your homework. When his term of office expires and he returns to the capital, it is okay to take the examination again. ”

When Cao Hao saw his father say this, he didn't have any opinion.

He poured some water into the inkstone, took a strip of ink and grinded it, and polished a lot of ink in a short time.

Cao Yin took a pen and paper, dipped it in ink, and wrote with a pen: "Xiang'er and my nephew ......"

* Xinggong, Sizhi Bookstore.

Kangxi sat on the kang and looked at the folds in his hand, his face was a little unpleasant. Due to last year's flooding and this year's drought, the price of rice in Beijing has skyrocketed. Looking at the recent household excerpts, the price of rice in the capital is now expensive, which has attracted the attention of the world.

There were two ministers standing on the ground, one was the household servant who was on duty today, and the other was the acting minister in charge of the affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Guan Bao.

Kangxi closed the fold and said to the household servant: "The grain and rice of the officers and soldiers of the Eight Banners are scheduled to be released in August, and if you wait until August now, the price of rice will become more and more expensive." It was put on the 10th day of the first month of May. He handed out another 30,000 stone of rice and handed it over to the original rice seller to sell it at a reduced price. That is, it is called the Ministry of Households. ”

The squire knelt down and received the will, and withdrew.

When the waiter went out, Kangxi looked at Guanbao and said in a deep voice: "Last year, the local area of Zhili was flooded, and there was no bumper harvest. Since the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, I have eaten once in the palace. The first people are worried, and the later people are happy. Or it can inspire heavenly peace. ”

When Guanbao heard the will, his eyes were already red, his body was trembling, and he couldn't wait to take it for him.

Seeing him like this, Kangxi waved his hand and said, "Kneel down, I still have to look at the excerpts." ”

Guan Bao choked and went out, just in time to meet the sixteenth elder brother coming head-on.

Seeing Guanbao wiping his tears with his sleeve, the sixteenth elder brother couldn't help but stop and said with a smile: "Old Guan, is this a grievance?" Tell me about the master, the master is in charge of you?

Guan Bao hurriedly put down his arm, and after giving the sixteenth elder brother a salute, he said the reason for his tears.

The emperor has passed Jiazi in the end, and he is at the age of health and blessing, where can he stand this meal? It's just that everyone understands these words in their hearts, and no one dares to say them in front of the emperor.

Just like a drunk man always shouts "I'm not drunk", what older people are looking forward to the most is "I'm not old". Even if he is really old, others have to flatter him for being young, otherwise, he should wonder if others are cursing him to death, or hoping for him to die.

The sixteenth elder brother listened to Guanbao's words, and his heart was not good, so he looked at Guanbao and said: "First of all, you and I have to spend some brains to see if there is any way to persuade Huang Ama to add food or persuade Huang Ama to take some supplements." ”

Guanbao had no choice, so he had to go to the dining room to see if there were any recipes to eat, and he could top it.

* Beijing, Caojia East Mansion, Inner Courtyard Upper Room.

Zhao Jia's face drooped, glared at Cao Song and said, "Why is it good, don't open the banquet again?" I told your cousin and aunt that I wanted to bring her over for dinner. ”

Today is the joy of Cao Xiang's concubine, the new aunt's house has been cleaned up, and Cao Xiang has also bathed and changed his clothes and dressed up. Everything went according to the charter, but it didn't sit at the table.

Even if Cao Song is naïve, he will not say that the third sister is not allowed to speak, in that case, it will only cause Zhaojia's anger and have a disagreement with Cao Yiyue.

"Mother, this is the will of the imperial court, the home of the official eunuch and the doctor, no feasting, no more listening to the play, you must pray for rain with your heart." Cao Song said with a smile.

When Zhao Jiashi heard this, he couldn't help frowning, and said, "The official master of this court is idle, isn't it?" This is still worried about what other people's families eat, how to live? ”

Cao Song said: "I heard that even the ladies in the palace have reduced their meals, who dares not to pray for rain, I am afraid that they will be unlucky." Mother, the fourth child is not a wife, don't make trouble with those false ones, if you break the rules and attract the imperial history, your son's future will be ruined. ”

Listening to Cao Song's words, Zhao Jia's family is an inner house woman in the end, her hair is long and her knowledge is short, she doesn't dare to make any more ideas, and said curtly: "Then let someone go and tell your cousin and aunt to complain, don't forget to bring two boxes of dumplings to make amends." ”

Cao Song answered, and went down to order someone to go out and spread the word.

The night is getting darker, and when it is time to hold the lamp, red candles have been lit in Cao Xiang's house.

Even if it is a concubine, it is also an auspicious time that has been selected before, and when the time comes, a small sedan chair is used to carry the newlyweds in from the side door or the back door, and send them directly to the cave room, and the procedure is much simpler than marrying.

Outside the gate of Cao's house, Lu Ju was wearing a hijab and sitting in a small sedan chair for two, her eyes were straight, and she couldn't perceive joy at all, only endless fear remained, and she didn't know where her life was going...... A line of tears fell, sliding over the skirt, leaving no trace......

(To be continued)