Cao's Mansion, the front side yard, Zheng Hu's residence.

The last time Cao Yan saw Zheng Woxue, it was in the forty-ninth year of Kangxi, and he hadn't seen him for five or six years.

Twenty-four or five-year-old women, dressed in eighty percent new silk gowns, with their hair in a bun, faded from the youthfulness of youth, and a quiet smile on their faces.

The moment she saw Cao Yan, she was already short, and said, "I've seen Gongzi." ”

Although as early as the forty-ninth year of Kangxi, Cao Yan made people eliminate the slavery of the Zheng family brothers and sisters, but she still maintained the old title.

Cao Yan's mind flashed the situation of meeting the Zheng family brothers and sisters for the first time in the ruined temple outside Jiangning City, and it had been ten years.

In addition to Zheng Woxue, Zheng Hu's husband Wang Quantai is also at Zheng Hu's place. Seeing Cao Yan come in, he also got up and saluted, and said, "Master Cao! ”

Cao Yan stretched out his hand to help Wang Quantai, nodded at Zheng Woxue, and then said to Zheng Hu: "Since your sister-in-law and sister-in-law have arrived, why don't you let someone tell me?" ”

Zheng Huhan laughed twice and said, "The little ones didn't expect them to arrive here, and they thought it would be March." ”

As he spoke, all the people sat down.

Since Zheng Woxue gave Cao Yan a courtesy, she didn't stay in the hall for a long time, and went to the back room to talk to her sister-in-law Cao.

Wang Quantai is not a living person, he is a partial branch of the Wang family, and the cousin of the head of the family, Wang Lusheng. He is in good health, has been on an errand for many years in the Anton Health Institute, and went to Guangzhou a few years ago.

Cao Yan said: "How many of you came back from Guangzhou, this time from Yuezhao?" Your uncle is fine, I haven't seen him for two or three years, and I'm very panicked. ”

Wang Quantai replied with a smile: "When I arrived in the winter moon last year, I wanted to go directly to Beijing, but the old lady at home wanted to see my daughter-in-law, so I went back to the photo first." The uncle has a happy event, the aunt has a body, and she will give birth in two months. There is only one boy and one girl under my uncle's knees, and this time he is looking forward to adding another son. Every day is happy or something, the angry Jingjing girl can't do it, and complains that her father is patriarchal, which makes her uncle make amends again. My uncle knew that I was going to Beijing, and he also talked about Cao Ye, and prepared a lot of things for grandma to play with the young master and the girls. ”

Although he hadn't met Wang Lusheng a few times, Cao Yan had a very good impression of that Shandong man.

Hearing that there was a happy event in his family, Cao Yan was also happy, and said: "Whether it is to make Zhang or tiles, he wants to congratulate, I just hope that your uncle can get his wish." ”

Cao Yan said casually, but Wang Quantai was a little uncomfortable.

Just now, with Zheng Woxue giving Cao Yan a salute, it was nothing. When he mentioned his cousin, he remembered that Cao Yan had a relationship with his uncle.

If it was from his uncle's side, didn't he want to call Cao Yan uncle?

Thinking that he was in his thirties and Cao Yan was only in his early twenties, Wang Quantai couldn't help swallowing and spitting. In the end, the identity is different, or don't climb this world, just call it like that.

Wang Quantai was a military attache of Liupin earlier, and the reason why he said that he was sick and abandoned the official was because he helped Cao Yan come forward to rectify the Yizhou pot.

Thinking of this, Cao Yan thought about it for a while, and said: "In the early years, because of the subordinates, the tired brother Wang lost his future, which really made the subordinates ashamed and uneasy. I don't know if Brother Wang has the heart to go out of the mountain, and he is willing to do his best. ”

Wang Quantai listened, waved his hand hurriedly, and said: "Hey, Master Cao, I can't afford this title, my uncle knows what to kick, so it's better to call me by my name." It's just that when you become an official, it's just a lot of topping, and I've long since stopped thinking about it. Now that I have come to the capital, it is all up to Cao Ye to arrange, just give me food. ”

Speaking of this, this brave tall and strong man showed a slight unease on his face, and in order to hide this, he laughed twice "hehe".

Wang Quantai is a son of the Wang family, although the daughter-in-law he married has something to do with the Cao family, but he will not defect to the Cao family with his wife, which has another hidden secret.

Wang Quantai lost his father when he was young, and there was an old lady at home, and there were several acres of land at home. Although he was the eldest son, he went to the guard as an errand in his early years, and his mother was supported by his brother.

The relationship between the two brothers is quite deep, and later Wang Quantai delayed the family affairs due to the death of his fiancée, but his brother got married earlier than him.

When he was in the health center, Wang Quantai was able to get a limited amount of money every year, but only a few dozen taels, but in addition to leaving some pocket flowers, most of them were handed over to his wife to collect.

In the past few years in Guangzhou, because he is in charge of the Wang family's business, he has dividends every year, and the income is very considerable.

Three or four hundred taels a year, and in three years, there are more than a thousand taels.

The rules of the Wang clan are strict, Wang Quantai is not careful about the color of the wine, and there is no expense, and these silver are all brought back.

His brother used the money to buy a shop, but he built a decent family business, and his son was richer than before.

Zheng Hu went to Zhaozhao the year before last and said that Wang Quantai's family background was average, because he saw most of the big families like the Cao family and the Wei Xin family.

A small landlord like the Wang family, who has a few acres of land and a few shops, is really not in Zheng Hu's eyes, even he is himself, and he is also worth tens of thousands.

Wang Quantai is a real person, so he didn't think too much about it, after all, he was his own brother over there.

Staying in Guangzhou, although he has a long knowledge and earns money, he is not so easy to treat because he is not accustomed to the water and soil, and his diet is not adjusted. After thinking about it, Wang Quantai decided to take his wife who had not passed through the door to return to the wedding to complete the marriage.

He thought that he would still settle in his hometown and support his mother, which could be regarded as filial piety.

After this letter was sent to his brother, the reply from there became strange. The "bitter mouth" and "tossing and turning" are nothing more than persuading him to work in Guangzhou, and it can be regarded as repaying his cousin for taking care of their brother.

Wang Quantai didn't think about anything else at first, and said that he would take Zheng Woxue back to get married.

His mother is old, and as the eldest son, it is not good for him to continue to wander outside. In that case, it is too unfilial. Besides, there is no reason to do it yourself in marriage and marriage.

His brother's reply was no longer as "tactful" as before, but directly said that the children were getting older and there were not many houses at home. Wang Quantai's house in his early years was lived in by his son. If you are doing family affairs at home, is it too crowded?

Xu is brother also knows in his heart that he is not reasonable, after all, this has not been separated, half of the family business is left by his father and ancestors, and half of it is purchased by his brother with the money he has earned for more than ten years.

Therefore, his brother said the charter of family affairs, and the Tao was that when he married his own son, he used twenty taels of bridal silver, which was compared with his brother's example. Brother this time, is it also prepared according to twenty taels of silver?

Wang Quantai just looks honest, he has been in the guard for many years, and he is at the helm of the family business in Guangzhou, is he a fool?

He just felt a chill in his heart, but he didn't know if it was his brother's idea or his mother's idea.

In a letter to his cousin Wang Lusheng, he asked about his family's current situation.

The news he got was that his brother had recently changed the mansion, but he also added to the population, bought a few small maids and little girls, and invited Mr. Xixi.

No matter what, after all, there are your own lifelong events, and there is no reason not to worship the ancestral hall after marrying a daughter-in-law. Therefore, Wang Lusheng still took Zheng Woxue back to Zhaozhao.

Seeing Zheng Woxue, the queen mother was quite satisfied with the appearance of this daughter-in-law. When asked about her origin, she knew that she was from a merchant family, and the old lady's face was a little unsightly.

In Wang Quantai's house, his grandfather and father have left the merchant and studied books as a business. Before his father's death, he was still a talented and famous. His brother has also been admitted to Xiucai.

is the daughter-in-law married by his brother, and she is also the daughter of Xiucai.

Wang Quantai was in his thirties, and he met the daughter-in-law he wanted to marry, and he was full of joy. I thought that the old lady would only be happy for herself, where would she have thought that there was a pick here?

His wife faded to Zheng Woxue, pulled her son elsewhere, and persuaded him to put out this thought.

Although Wang Quantai went to Guangzhou to help his cousin take care of the business for a few years, he was an official after all. If you want to go back to work, it's not difficult, if you don't look for a serious girl, why do you want to marry a businesswoman?

Wang Quantai was dumbfounded when he heard it, and felt funny and angry?

This Wang family is a maritime merchant and a pearl merchant, where is this now, and he is picking on the identity of a businessman?

The old lady is still nagging, but the family rules don't need to take concubines, otherwise, this Zheng family's daughter would be a concubine.

When Wang Quantai heard this, his face changed.

When the old lady saw her eldest son like this, Fang no longer nagged, but said with a little discomfort: "If you really want to marry, your mother won't stop you, you are so old, you don't have a daughter-in-law, and you won't be the same." It's just that you have to think about your brother somewhat, and he still has to test his fame...... You're getting older, so why don't you split up......"

Wang Quantai laughed angrily, he went around in such a big circle, and the key thing was only the sentence at the end.

He smiled and said, "Then according to the meaning of the mother, what kind of division should this family have?" ”

The old lady said: "You give your cousin an errand and don't live at home, this house is newly purchased by your second brother, so you don't need to divide it." Your father left six acres of land back then, and you two brothers divided it equally, is this appropriate? ”

The old lady asked seriously, but Wang Quantai couldn't open his mouth.

went out on an errand for more than ten years, and the silver he earned was 1,000 taels or more than 1,000 taels. With this money, his brother bought three or four acres of land, two shops, and this new house.

The silver that Wang Quantai left by his side was only a few dozen taels, and he didn't even have the silver to marry his daughter-in-law.

His wife said to help him save his wife's book and let him hand over all the money to the family, is this such a way to save money?

Seeing that Wang Quantai was silent, the old lady chirped and said, "You are only two people, and you have earned a lot of money, so be more sympathetic and sympathetic to your brother." Several of your nephews are studying, and it costs money to buy pen and ink. ”

Wang Quantai was excited, and he didn't know what it was like.

Not only the old lady, but also his brother, did not speak as respectfully as in the past. In the past, he was a six-rank official, and his younger brother was Xiucai. Now his younger brother is still a showman, but he is the steward of his cousin's business.

Wang Quantai originally wanted to have a good relationship with his mother, but thinking that the old man was old, and he had not been around for many years to fulfill his filial piety, he really couldn't care about it.

He found a reason, took Zheng Woxue out of the house, and went to Wang Lusheng's place.

This family business was known to Wang Lusheng in his early years. Speaking of the Zheng family, the two families are also quite related, and they also married in the previous dynasty.

Later, due to the change of dynasty, the imperial court issued a ban on the sea, the pearl diving industry declined, and the two families broke off.

Seeing Zheng Woxue this time, Wang Lusheng is like a nephew in the world.

He also knew a little about Wang Quantai's family affairs, and knew Wang Quantai's difficulties, so he gave Zhang Luo a wedding from his side.

Although Wang Quantai was cold, it was not too much of an accident. Otherwise, he would not have mentioned entering Beijing in his letter to Zheng Hu.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the old lady made people mention the separation.

Wang Quantai originally wanted to leave all the funds for his mother as pension, but he was scolded by Wang Lusheng.

He is already a wife, how can he have no permanent property? Moreover, this is left by his father, and the son inherits his father's business, which is justified.

When Wang Quantai heard this, he took the three acres of thin fields, but he did not ask someone to take care of them, but sold them all.

sold 800 taels of silver, Wang Quantai took out 300 taels of them and gave them to Wang Lusheng, which can be regarded as repaying the previous marriage. The other five hundred taels were all given to his wife.

Wang Lu was so angry that he wanted to beat him with a stick.

Since ancient times, only the son of a loser sells his ancestral property.

Wang Lusheng smiled bitterly, if he didn't sell the land, he was afraid that the old lady and his brother would not be at ease.

He didn't take the more than 1,000 taels of silver to heart, but only regarded it as filial piety to his mother. But the old lady and his brother were weak-hearted, and tried every now and then to see if he had any intention of returning the money.

In the future, if you don't plan to stay here, what will you do with the land?

On the first day of the second month, the old lady said that Wang Lusheng took his wife to celebrate his mother's birthday, and then set off for the capital.

In Cao Yan's heart, there was some confusion.

Wang Lusheng is a son of the Wang family, even if he marries Zheng Woxue as his wife, there is no reason to follow him to the Cao family.

Looking at the dress of the husband and wife, and thinking about what the housekeeper said, the husband and wife only brought a maid and a small servant to Beijing, and the luggage was very simple, Cao Yan felt more and more confused.

Wang Lusheng is not a stingy person, this nephew has helped him take care of business in Guangzhou for three years, and he will not be treated badly.

Besides, Zheng Woxue's side has tens of thousands of taels of dowry silver. At the beginning, Yang Mingchang bought the 160,000 silver of the pearl square, and Cao Yan gave it to Zheng Hu.

Zheng Hu originally wanted to leave 60,000 yuan, and the remaining 100,000 yuan was given to his sister as a dowry. Zheng Woxue didn't do it, and in the end, the two brothers and sisters were divided equally.

In Guangzhou in recent years, Zheng Woxue has also made silver transactions several times. Although it can't be said that the income has doubled, there are 12,000 more.

Where is it, this value is passable, why are the husband and wife so hard?

Not only Cao Yan was confused, but even Zheng Woxue's sister-in-law Cao Shi didn't understand.

In the early years, Cao followed her husband to Guangzhou, and her sister-in-law was about the same age, and their relationship was very good, and they were less evasive when they spoke.

Cao Shi took the sister-in-law's hand, looked up and down, shook her head involuntarily, and said, "Marrying a man and marrying a man, dressing and eating, why is the girl out of the house, but not as good as before?" Isn't the Wang family a medium-sized family, so poor? ”

Zheng Woxue smiled and said, "It's not good to be swaggering when you're out and about." ”

Cao Shi pursed his lips, but he didn't believe it, and said: "Don't fool me, girl, even if it's for the sake of going out, the carriage, the people waiting around you, that line." Even the mother-in-law of a landlord in the countryside travels more decently than this. ”

Zheng Woxue didn't answer, but asked separately: "By the way, sister-in-law, can my brother find the house that I asked my brother to find before?" ”

Cao Shi smiled: "I have inquired about it early, there are two places, both outside the front door." Although it is not in the inner city, it is also a good area, and it will be cheap to travel in the future. are all three-in, one is the house where the Beijing official lived; One is the house of a Jin merchant. The price is not expensive, one thousand three, one thousand eight. Although the merchant's house was more expensive, he brought a small garden, and I heard that it was even neatly cleaned. Just wait for the girl to see it with her aunt, and then you can go to the yamen to go through the formalities. ”

Zheng Woxue listened, but she was a little embarrassed, and said in a low voice: "Sister-in-law, since my brother is looking for it with his heart, this house is naturally good." It's just that...... At the moment, there is a little shortage of money in hand, so let's buy a small courtyard to live in, and it is best not to exceed three hundred taels of silver. ”

When Cao Shi heard this, he couldn't help frowning, and said, "What is this, even if you are tight, don't you still have your brother?" Your brother wanted to buy it directly, but he didn't pay the money first because he was afraid that his brother-in-law's face would not look good. Since you are short of money, let your brother out. You went out of the cabinet, and your brother didn't buy a decent dowry, that's what he didn't do. I've been talking to him a few times, and this brother is too bad to do. ”

In the early years, although Zheng Hu shared 160,000 yuan with his sister-in-law, he did not tell his wife the truth, for fear that he would suddenly add a windfall and suddenly change. Only took out 10,000 taels of it, and gave it to his wife to keep as the lost ancestral property.

The Cao family didn't know that Zheng Woxue had dowry silver, so he said ......*

(To be continued)