On April 15, when he received a report from the Gansu Governor Yi Deshu that he had conspired against the Alabutan soldiers in Hami, Kangxi issued an order to send 3,000 Manchurian soldiers from Xi'an, 2,000 battalion soldiers from the Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, and the troops under the command of the Gansu Governor to Hami to rescue Ying.

The Manchurian soldiers who went to Hami for rescue were led by Xi'an General Xi Zhu, the Green Battalion under the Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu was led by a member of the Adjutant General, and the Green Battalion under the Governor of Gansu was led by the Governor of Gansu.

In addition, Fu Ning'an, the secretary of the Ministry of Writing, took ten Manchurian guards to the front of the army. In addition to them, there were also ministers and guards from Errut and Balhu who also accompanied the army to the front of the army, in preparation for the purpose of detecting the thieves.

At the same time, the imperial court also issued a letter to the left wing of Qinghai, Khalkha Zasak, etc., and each ordered to be prepared.

However, after half a day's effort, the court responded to the matter of plotting against Hami by the Alabutan soldiers.

Originally, several courtiers who advocated "making a decree to reprimand" finally died down under the sideways gaze of the Manchu Dynasty.

It seems that there is only one voice left up and down, and that is "war".

The princes who squinted their eyes, sniffed snuff, and had a big belly in peacetime were shining with their eyes shining at the moment, and they couldn't help but raise their chests.

Cao Hao stood under the court, watching coldly, but he was puzzled in his heart.

Thousands of miles away from Xi'an to transfer troops, it seems that Kangxi is wary of the Western Mongolian tribes. However, the dispatch of ministers and guards from Errut and Balhu was somewhat inconsistent with the imperial court's policy of expelling the Mongols.

Since the beginning of the war, although Cao Yin is a civilian official, he is also worried in his heart.

This Erut Dzungar Department is the most stubborn, in the past, it was said that the Galdan rebellion, and now it took three imperial expeditions to conquer the northwest frontier before and after ten years of hard work.

This peaceful year is less than 20 years, is it going to be a resurgence?

In that year, after a series of wars such as pacifying the three feudatories, recovering Taiwan, and forcing back the Oros, the heroes and fierce generals were tempered, and their morale was positive; Now, after more than ten years of extravagant life, how can you expect those Eight Banners who like to carry cages and birds to go to the bloody field?

Now it is not what it used to be, and there is also an elderly emperor.

Although his eyes are still so sharp, his body is inevitably aging.

The Son of Heaven is old, the storage position is vacant, if the border is chaotic, there is no one who can come forward to take charge of the overall situation, how can it not be worrying.

This time the troops were transferred, although it was the Northwest Army, and the soldiers and horses Qian Liang were taken care of by the Xi'an Governor Yongtai along the way, but there was also a lot of movement on the side of the military department.

When the court meeting returned, several officials returned to the ministry, and they gathered their subordinates and talked about preparations for war.

Although there is no will from above to prepare for war, they do not dare to take it lightly in their duties. As if cramming for the time being, the soldiers in the northwest will take the lead to figure it out, and then familiarize themselves with the supply routes of the border passes.

In this way, when Kangxi remembers to ask, they can also know in their hearts. Otherwise, a mediocre hat will come down, and this future will be hindered.

Compared with the same household department and the Taifu Temple, the biggest difference between the military department is that there are many bannermen. Officials from the Eight Banners of Manchuria, the Eight Banners of Mongolia, and the Eight Banners of the Han Army account for eighty percent of the officials at the top and bottom, and ordinary officials account for only a few.

Although Cao Hao had the grade of Heshuo forehead, the officials of the Ministry of War didn't see it much.

Military affairs, the most important thing, the officials who can be suspended here are mostly from Manchurian noble families.

Cao Hao was demoted from a hall official to a military officer, and many people were waiting to see the jokes, and some people were still counting on seeing this forehead deflated.

Cao Hao is not a swaggering person, and when he arrives at the military department for half a month, he is mostly used to understand his own affairs, and he refuses to say much about other people. Even those who want to give him a horse can't catch his pigtails.

Coupled with the relationship between Nersu, others are not too deliberate, so they have to leave it alone.

Speaking of the reports of various divisions of the Ministry of War, the lack of horses in the Eight Banners Ranch is also a big event. Yin Tebu, the secretary of the military department, frowned and looked at Cao Hao, but he was speechless.

He already knew this, and because of this, his Shangshu was also implicated. It's just that Cao Hao has been in office for half a month, and he can't be blamed for this.

Cao Hao didn't worry about the ranch, even if Kangxi made a gesture of preparing for war, but the treasury was empty, and it was impossible to send troops on a large scale.

Now, in addition to the Northwest Eight Banners and Green Battalion soldiers ordered to be sent today, is it the turn of the Mongols?

Before it was time to fall into the office, Cao Hao heard that someone was looking for him outside.

When he came out of the yamen, Cao Song greeted him in the clothes of a guard.

"Isn't it Xiu Mu?" Cao Hao calculated in his heart, a little strange, and said, "This is...... Out of Beijing ......"

Cao Song nodded vigorously and said, "Well, I just received the news from the guard office, and my younger brother has packed up, so I will go to the official department to meet Lord Fu." ”

Cao Song's face did not have a smile in the past, and there was a bit of perseverance in his solemnity.

Galloping in Lanzhou, and then galloping in Hami, the journey takes thousands of miles, and the hardships can be imagined.

Although Cao Hao was not worried in his heart, he did not show it on his face. After all, he is a young man in his twenties, and it is inevitable to go out through the wind and rain, and if he is his mother-in-law, it makes him restrain his hands and lose his sharpness.

He thought about it for a while, and told Xiao Man to bring his mount over.

This is a yellow fat horse, or in the forty-eighth year of Kangxi, when Cao Hao followed him for the first time, the Mongolian prince Sukhbaru came from the wild horse herd.

When he was still a foal, Cao Hao transferred it to Baoya, not wanting to grow extremely tall and strong in a few years. When Baoya got married, she didn't take the horse, but asked her sister-in-law to return it to Cao Hao.

Cao Hao's original mount contracted a horse disease after going to the mouth in the first month, so he changed to this yellow fat horse to ride.

Cao Hao touched the neck of the horse, handed the reins to Cao Song, and said: "The road is far away, and it is inconvenient for the horses at the post station to be called, and ordinary horses can't support this long road." This horse plus your mount, and it's almost the same. ”

Cao Song hesitated for a moment and asked, "Brother, give it to me, what does my brother use?" ”

Cao Hao smiled: "It's just a substitute for transportation, which horse in the family can't be used?" This is a Mongolian wild horse, with a good foot and a good surname, you should be able to control it. As he spoke, he looked up at the sky, waved his hand, and said, "Go quickly, save the effort of delaying other adults." At home, you can rest assured, my brother and sister are sensible, and there are still us outside, so you don't have to worry about it. ”

Cao Song nodded, led Cao Hao's horse and led the entourage.

"......Slow down," Cao Hao called out.

Cao Song stopped and turned around.

Cao Hao originally wanted to say that the war was dangerous and told him to be careful, but when the words came to his lips, he thought that these guards were going to protect the officials and Shangshu in the Chinese army, and they would not fight on the front line.

He changed his words and said, "Say less and do more, don't be reckless, if you don't understand, ask your older colleagues more." ”

Cao Song solemnly agreed, and then got on the horse and left.

Regarding this war, Cao Hao was like watching a play before, and he didn't care about it. Now that Cao Song is gone, he can't take it easy.

The number of troops dispatched this time is only a few thousand. These people galloped to Hami, already a tired army, how could they defeat the fierce Eruts?

Cao Hao is completely unfamiliar with this history.

He only remembered that two or three years later, Alabutan led his troops to occupy Tibetan Province, and the Qing court army was dispatched, and the fourteenth elder brother was the "great general king".

Before this, Cao Hao didn't know how to toss Alabutan. Is it the glue of the war, or the defeat and retreat to the Tianshan Mountains, or the peace with the imperial court...... Although he has lived two lives, Cao Hao has lived in a peaceful era, and he is curious about war, but he is more unfamiliar.

With all kinds of doubts, Cao Hao returned home, and saw the old housekeeper come forward and said, "Uncle, the master just ordered to call the uncle back to go to the study to talk." As he spoke, he handed over the name card and stepped forward: "The thirteenth master also sent someone to send the name card over, saying that there is something to discuss, please ask the master to come over." ”

Cao Hao took the name post, nodded and said, "Got it." ”

The foreign goods shop to be opened by the thirteenth elder brother was originally scheduled to open on April 18 this month. It didn't take two or three days, but it was time to open, and I don't know if it was for this.

Wang Quantai has already invested in the door of the Thirteenth Elder Brother and entered the account holder of the Thirteenth Elder Brother's Mansion.

I heard that it was because of the suggestion of his wife Zheng that Wang Quantai agreed to join the banner. For outsiders, it is really happy to be able to devote themselves to being the doorman of the prince's mansion.

Although Wang Quantai has also mixed in the officialdom, in the end, he does not lose the integrity of the Shandong man, and he is unwilling to flatter and serve the powerful.

The thirteenth elder brother is different, he is a person who Cao Hao treats differently. Although the thirteenth elder brother currently does not have a title and is not valued by today, but his life is unpredictable, who can guarantee what it will be?

The two of them, rather than being impressed by the thirteenth elder brother, should not believe in Cao Hao's vision.

The thirteenth elder brother looked at Wang Quantai with a pleasant eye, and when he saw that the other party was willing to live under the door, he was also very impressed.

The division of the government for four or five years, except for the people who were originally under the umbrella of the Thirteenth Elder Brother of the Internal Affairs Office, this is the first time he has received the door.

It just so happened that his eldest son Hongtun was six years old, and when it was time for enlightenment, the thirteenth elder brother asked Wang Quantai to be Hongtun's riding and archery master.

The thirteenth elder brother will be the prime minister and prince in charge of national affairs in the future, Wang Quantai did not avoid him because of his temporary loss of power, and his future future can be regarded as a good deal.

When I arrived at the study, Mr. Zhuang was also there, and he was talking about the war with Cao Yin.

Seeing Cao Hao coming back, Mr. Zhuang nodded, and Cao Yin pointed to the chair next to him and asked him to sit down and talk.

"How about the military department, but it's all the main battle?" Cao Yin thought for a moment and asked.

"That's right, when it comes to military exploits, everyone's eyes are shining. Look at this meaning, but no one is looking forward to Xi Zhu's victory, Duba is looking forward to making a big move! Cao Hao replied.

"Northwest, ah......" Cao Yin's eyes lit up, then dimmed, sighed, and said to Cao Hao: "In the early years, my father was also so enthusiastic, because I went down to the south of the Yangtze River, I couldn't fight with the Lord of Long Live and regretted a lot. This war is more than a war, and it is not a blessing for the country to move and turmoil in all directions. ”

Mr. Zhuang rubbed his beard, looked at Cao Hao and said, "It's okay to say anything else, if the war really starts, this silver is urgently needed." The will that Fu Ruo had received before was becoming more and more elaborate this time. If it were an ordinary year, even if you failed to fulfill your will, Long Live Lord would not have bothered with you. This is a matter of soldiers, but Fu Ruo has to be extra careful, so as not to be angry. ”

Cao Hao also thought of this, so his heart felt quite heavy.

However, he didn't want the two relatives to worry, so he smiled and said, "Sir, don't worry, I have already had a rough idea." Even if you don't think about anything else in the past three years, you will always be able to put all your energy into this area. Even if there are shortcomings, I have some private production just in case, sir don't need to worry! ”

Mr. Zhuang's expression softened slightly, and said: "It's good that you know the severity, since you rely on the Internal Affairs Office to make money, you can let go of your hands and feet." It's really not good, it's good to think of a few more methods, and the little things add up. Even if there are surprises, there are other things to gain. ”

Cao Hao nodded in response, Cao Yin glanced at the post in his hand, and said, "I heard that the Thirteenth Master is looking for you, so you can change your clothes!" It's getting dark, go early and come back early, so that your mother won't have to worry about it. ”

"Hmm!" Cao Hao responded, got up to say goodbye to Mr. Zhuang, and went back to the inner house.

In the study, Cao Yin and Mr. Zhuang were not at ease at all.

Cao Yin sighed and said: "'The king is worried about the ministers' labor, and the king's humiliation and ministers die', the Cao family has been blessed by the long-lived lord for several generations, and there is no way to repay the broken bones." Long live Lord is the strongest, although it is hard to support it at today's court meeting, I don't know what the situation is now. ”

Mr. Zhuang is different from Cao Yin, he only respects Kangxi, and he can't care for him like Cao Yin.

"Your Excellency, be relieved that although the Erruts are fierce, they are not the same as in the past. Not to mention that the Oros people added fuel to the trouble, the northwest Mongolian tribes were not long after they were submitted, and the frontier was unstable. Long live the grace of the lord, the magnates of the Mongolian tribes, are accustomed to living a comfortable and luxurious life, and no one will be willing to give up power and continue the turbulent life of conquest. Mr. Zhuang smiled and said with relief.

Cao Yin showed a wry smile on his face, rubbed his eyebrows, and said, "Although I am worried about the military, the root cause is not in the military. Don't hide it from Xia Qing, I'm a little worried! ”

Mr. Zhuang smiled: "Is it to earn money for Neku?" Looking at Fu Ruo's meaning, he already has a plan in his heart, and the adults are at ease. ”

Cao Yin shook his head, looked up and said to Mr. Zhuang: "Xia Qing, you are Teacher Hao'er, and you have been by his side for many years, haven't you seen that he is inappropriate?" Although the surname is pure and filial, he has no loyalty and patriotism. Even if the frontier is in turmoil today, even Cao Song is the same enemy and has the ambition to serve the country. He felt as if he was out of the matter, and he didn't have a blood surname. In the end, he was already frowning: "He is the future head of the Cao family, although it is good to be indifferent to fame and fortune, but if it passes, I don't know whether it is a blessing or a curse." ”

When Mr. Zhuang heard this, his expression changed again and again, and said: "My lord still needs to be cautious, if Fu is not an exaggerated person and does not like publicity, he understands it in his heart." In this war, a young man like the second prince may think of pacifying the frontier and making contributions, but Fu Ruo has taken up positions in the household department and the military department successively, and knows more about the current situation of the court than ordinary ministers, so he naturally weighs it differently. It's just that the surname is stable, not a big problem. Filial piety comes first, if Fu Ruo's surname is good, adults should trust. ”

Cao Yin originally had some slight words about Cao Hao in his heart, but now that he listened to Mr. Zhuang's words, he couldn't help but feel ashamed when he saw him so protective, and said in a low voice: "I don't doubt him, it's just that the Cao family is blessed by Long Live Lord Longen, and I hope he can keep it in mind......

* Cao Hao didn't know that he didn't show a "loyal and patriotic" side, which had caused his father's dissatisfaction.

After meeting the Li family in the Orchid Courtyard, he hurried back to the Wutong Courtyard.

In the yard, Tianyou and Hengsheng are holding bamboo horses, chasing and playing in the yard. These Li family were worshipping the Buddha, and they were afraid of making trouble, so Chu Yu took the children to live in this courtyard.

The big girl Walnut next to Tianyou and the maid Wuen next to Hengsheng stood aside to take care of it. Seeing Cao Hao coming in, both of them leaned over to say goodbye.

Seeing that Tianyou lost the bamboo horse in his hand, he was already a monkey and hugged Cao Hao's leg: "Father, ride a big horse." ”

He was afraid of Cao Hao earlier, and he dared to be coquettish in front of his grandmother and grandfather, but he was only afraid of Cao Hao.

Although he was later influenced by Hengsheng, he learned the same way and treated Cao Hao closer, but his fear did not diminish. Cao Hao had a slightly wrong face, and he was about to cry, which was really a headache.

Cao Hao didn't take it seriously in his heart, but it made Chu Yu worried, afraid that their father and son would not be in harmony, and there would be any suspicions, so he secretly wept.

Cao Hao really had no choice, so he had to lower his body, buy a lot of snacks and gadgets in a different way, and personally took his son out to play twice, so that he could be regarded as completely "subduing" this kid.

Tianyou said "riding a big horse" at this time, which refers to the last time he went out with Cao Hao and sat on the horse, it seems that the little guy still remembers it clearly.

Cao Hao touched Tianyou's light head and said, "If you want to ride a big horse, you have to listen to your mother's words, treat your grandmother better, and our family will go to the garden in Haidian to enjoy the flowers." ”

While speaking, Hengsheng also came over, raised his little head, looked at Cao Hao and said, "Father! ”

Cao Hao leaned down, hugged one in one hand, and said as he went to the house: "Your grandmother was still talking about you just now, two little mud monkeys, hurry up and pack up and go to say goodbye to grandmother." ”

Chu Yu heard the movement in the room and had already greeted him in person.

Tianyou and Hengsheng are dozens of pounds, and Cao Hao is still a little difficult to hold.

When he entered the house, he put the two small ones on the kang, rubbed his arms, and said to Chu Yu with a smile: "Heng grows fast enough, and it looks like the weight is longer than the moon on his body." Saying that, he looked at Tianyou and said, "Is the boss still a picky eater?" It looks pretty much the same as before. ”

Chu Yu stepped forward, served Cao Hao changed into his official uniform, and said: "The problem of picky eating has been much better, and when I eat now, Tianyou can eat more than half of the dinner compared to my younger brother." I asked Mama, this meal is not small. Listen to **, in the past two nights, I listened to Tianyou grinding my teeth, maybe there was a worm in my stomach. Ming'er asked the imperial doctor to take a look and see if he wanted to prescribe two prescriptions to repel insects. ”

didn't see his daughter, Cao Hao knew that he was in the East House, so he went over to see it again.

After a while, Xicai brought someone to bring hot water, Cao Hao leaned over to wash it, and said to Chu Yu: "If there is anything to eat, let someone send some quickly." The thirteenth master has something to look for me, and the two of them have to go over to take a look. ”

Chu Yu went out in response to the order, Cao Hao wiped his hands, sat on the edge of the kang, touched Tianyou's little belly, and asked, "Does it hurt?" If there's anything you don't want to do, you have to say it. ”

Tianyou was touched and "giggled" and couldn't speak. Hengsheng tilted his head and thought about it, and said, "Father, my brother said that his stomach was swollen, and he always wanted to fart, but he couldn't let it out." ”

Tianyou is not very old, but he has also reached the age of shame, listening to his brother's words, his little face turned red, and he whispered angrily: "It's all said, don't tell others......"

"It's my father, not someone else!" Hang Seng's voice is exceptionally crisp.

Cao Hao saw the interaction between the two little brothers, remembered Cao Song, who had already left Beijing, and was a little worried.

He is not a person with a surname of patience, but in the nearly a year since the birth of his daughter, he has slowly become patient.

Originally, I thought that children would have to be several years old to remember and be sensible, but now watching the children grow up little by little, Cao Hao understands that the children are innocent, and they also have their own joys and angers in their infancy.

Let's just say that Tianhui, when Pingsuli is good, anyone can hug him, and he is very well-behaved if he doesn't cry or make trouble. But when she was unwell, she would cry and make a fuss.

At this time, only Chu Yu can coax her well. No matter how sick she is, how uncomfortable her body is, even if it burns the child's mouth full of blisters, when she can't bear to look at adults, as long as she is held by Chu Yu, she will stop crying.

Calling someone else, even if it is her father Cao Hao, this eldest lady doesn't buy it.

Thinking of this, Cao Hao said to Tianyou and Hengsheng: "If you feel uncomfortable in the future, tell us earlier, save yourself from getting sick and let your mother worry." ”

"Yes, Father!" When the little brothers saw Cao Hao's order, they both laughed and responded respectfully.

Cao Hao saw that they were obedient, and he felt a little bit of the glory of being a father in his heart, so he saw Tianyou hesitate for a moment, and whispered: "Father, grandmother is not feeling well, and grandmother also has a stomachache." ”

Cao Hao was surprised when he heard this, he just saw Li in the Lan Courtyard, and he didn't think there was anything unusual about her, why was she sick?

It just so happened that Chu Yu came in with a curtain, and after listening to Tianyou's words, his face couldn't help but change.

Cao Hao saw that her expression was wrong, and frowned: "Mrs. is uncomfortable, is it Mrs. who let her hide it?" Confused! After all, it's an old age, what if there is a mistake?

Chu Yu bit her lip, her eyes flickered, and she didn't dare to look at Cao Hao.

Cao Hao became more suspicious, could it be that he was seriously ill? His heart was heavy, and he had no heart to eat, so he got up and was about to go out.

Chu Yu saw that he was going out, so he hurriedly stepped forward, stopped him, and said, "Don't be impatient, don't be impatient, Mrs. is fine!" ”

Cao Hao stopped, seeing that his wife still wanted to speak and stopped, he was a little annoyed, and said, "What can't I say?" If it's okay, how can it hurt to have a stomachache, and it can't be that my wife has worms in her stomach? ”

As he spoke, Cao Hao faintly felt that something was wrong.

Chu Yu's face was flushed, and he didn't answer immediately, but told the maids to hug Tianyou and Hengsheng out, and when only the husband and wife were left in the house, Fang whispered: "It's Mrs. who told me not to call it, Mrs...... My wife has a body......"

Cao Hao's children are complete, and they know what it means to "have a body".

In addition to the consternation in his heart, his face did not have the slightest joy, but frowned, and asked, "How much do we know?" What did the doctor say, didn't my father know? ”

"I knew it when the second wife fell, and the wife came back and vomited badly, didn't she ask the doctor, but that time...... The wife was a little embarrassed, so she begged the imperial doctor not to let me, because I was waiting for the decoction in front of me, so I knew ......," Chu Yu replied.

When Cao Hao heard this, he was stunned and speechless.

"But I'm worried that my wife is too old to stand it?" Seeing this, Chu Yu said: "I was also worried about this in the morning, so I asked the imperial doctor to prescribe a prescription for conditioning. ”

As a daughter-in-law, but serving her mother-in-law to give birth, Chu Yu's heart is also full of feelings. However, her surname is soft, and she treats Li with sincerity and filial piety and dedication, which also makes Li grateful.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, after two months of "common hardships", their feelings have become closer and closer.

As a son of man, how can Cao Hao rest assured. He can only smile bitterly, after a few hundred years, his mother Lao Beng has a pearl, his father has added blood, and he has a sibling, which can be regarded as a happy event.

Three hundred years ago, a forty-five-year-old mother, who could have known whether she was happy or worried......

(To be continued)