Let's say that Cao Hao went back to the inner room, and then changed into homely clothes, and Cao Yi rushed over.

Cao Yi sat down and said, "Brother, there is something I have to tell you today. ”

Cao Hao saw that she was serious, her face was still a little nervous, and she couldn't help but wonder: "What's the matter?" ”

"At the next morning, the Jiang family of the [***] money village in the north of the city came over as a gift. It's about giving gifts to my brother and me. Cao Yi glanced at his brother cautiously, "The second miss of the Jiang family has only met a few times in the Jizhu Society, but I am not familiar with each other, and I have not been in contact with her since she got married, so I really don't know which gift she gave me." And the one who gave it to my brother said it was a thank you gift. ”

Cao Hao frowned, the Jiang family was so fast, and its meaning was obvious: "You accepted it?" ”

"Naturally, it never did." Cao Yi said: "Although the two families live in Jiangning, they are always said to be unkind, she gave this gift strangely, I don't know what she thinks and where she dares to accept it?" So I just called someone to send it back. I'm afraid they have something to ask for ....... Since my father and mother were taking a nap, I didn't want to disturb them and asked them to go back. ”

Cao Hao nodded: "You did the right thing." You don't know, something happened today, his family not only wants to show favor to the Cao family, but also to show others, but he just wants to use the Cao family as an umbrella. ”

Cao Yi said: "Since my brother said so, I am relieved." I was afraid that it was really for my brother, so I turned it away! ”

Cao Hao smiled: "That's nothing. After thinking about it, she still briefly told Cao Yi what happened to the Jiang family today, so that she knew in her heart that if the Jiang family came to the door again, she would be able to deal with it.

Cao Yi knew that the second lady of the Jiang family was widowed, but it was the first time she had heard of her family's fight for family property. After Cao Hao finished speaking, she was silent for a long time, wanting to say something, but when she saw that her brother was drunk and hazy, she got up and went back with a smile.

* Early the next morning, Wei Xin came over to "listen to the errand", and continued to discuss the matter of the Pearl Club with Cao Hao in the study.

Cao Hao and Wei Xin glanced at each other, and Wei Xin laughed and said, "This Second Miss Jiang has pointed ears and fast hands and feet. It's just that if you don't give a gift, it will inevitably seem insincere......"

Cao Hao shook his head: "I sent it yesterday, and I asked my third sister to send it!" ”

Wei Xin was originally joking, but when he heard that the Jiang family really gave him a gift, he couldn't help but be stunned, pondered for a while, and said, "Miss Jiang Er is really a smart person. Presumably yesterday, I wanted to use the prestige of the Cao family to deter the Jiang family! Because she saw the confiscation of her gift, she turned to the idea of pearls, and she also had the heart to make a profit, I am afraid that the main thing is to show favor to the Cao family and ask for protection! But it doesn't have to, the Jiang family is not a big family, even the in-laws on the other side of her mother's family are old, and any one of them can be on the stage. It is estimated that I was frightened by the two yellow belts yesterday, and I have no bottom in my heart! He paused and said, "Why don't you wait a little while, and the little one will take a look?" Look at the little one, don't let the housekeeper enter the house, who knows if it's a scoundrel, let him enter the house today, and they will dare to call themselves the Cao family tomorrow! ”

Cao Hao saw that his originally serious face showed a hint of banter again, and couldn't help laughing: "Without the consent of the Cao family, you want to use the guise of the Cao family?" Nor did they dare. ”

Wei Xin was happy: "Yes." But let's go and find out his tone first. ”

Cao Hao nodded in response.

After the tea, Wei Xin came back, and he also had a gift list of clay and gold paper in his hand.

Seeing Cao Haozhi frowning, Wei Xin smiled and said, "Don't worry, Childe, is the small one with shallow eyelids?" These of them, even if they are worth a few silver coins, may not be able to enter Wei Wu's eyes! This time, they were obedient, first apologized and said that they were reckless in giving gifts yesterday, and then presented the gift list, and said a bunch of things around the bush, which meant that the son wanted to see it, so they quietly carried it according to the list. ”

Cao Hao didn't look at the gift list, but said: "We are busy with things here, and we are too busy to take care of ourselves, how can we have time to take care of other families?" I see that this Miss Jiang Er has quite a lot of means, and as you said, even if we don't come forward, she also has relatives who make it, not the weak woman who can be bullied by anyone, presumably she handled it properly. Return the gift slip and don't have to mention it again. ”

Wei Xin listened to Cao Hao's voice and knew that he was a little annoyed by the Jiang family's calculations, so he put aside this and talked about pearls again. said that the Jiang family also wanted to get involved in the pearl business, because his family had no other conditions for raising pearls except for silver, so they did not get an invitation at the beginning. Now the Jiang family came to the door, in addition to hoping to get the invitation and looking forward to future cooperation, they also offered to guarantee the silver money of the pearl divers at this pearl meeting.

Cao Hao secretly said in his heart, pearls are profitable, and the Jiang family is eager to rush to it is the instinct of businessmen, but this arrow is the three eagles, which not only flatters the Cao family, but also gets the profits of pearls, and that guarantees the money for major households not only to get profits, but also to push the credibility and prestige of [***] money to the peak. The second miss of the Jiang family is really shrewd and has a good calculation!

Wei Xin also said these three things, but he said: "People say that [***] Qian Zhuang's family has a rich background, and if you don't say it, you have to have millions of taels." The second miss of the Jiang family's maternal grandfather's house is very prestigious in Yangzhou, but I heard that the old man and the old lady are not there a few years ago, and now Miss Jiang's second uncle's uncle takes care of her far less than the old lady at the beginning. In fact, if we form an alliance with the Jiang family and trade their silver, it will not lose a good way. ”

Cao Hao nodded: "This has to be considered in the long run." You go and return the gift list to the Jiang family, and the invitation card and silver money guarantee, you don't need to mention it for the time being, just delay them first. ”

* In a blink of an eye, on the eighth day of the fourth month, the birthday of the Buddha, it is the day when the women of the two provinces go to the Qingliang Temple to offer incense.

Cao Hao's second uncle Cao Quan, after the expiration of the Ding Wei period last year, was unwilling to go to other places to be an official, and waited until the end of the year to wait for a five-grade vacancy in the governor's yamen. Because of guarding the boundaries of Jiangning, although the relationship between Zhang Boxing, the current governor of Jiangsu, and Cao Yin is not close, he is also very polite, and he naturally favors Cao Yin's brother.

Let's talk about Zhao Jia's side, because the Li family has been busy taking care of her husband in the past few months, and the female dependents in some scenes of the Cao family have also entrusted Zhao Jia's family. Zhao Jia's has always loved the limelight, but these words are quite proud, only because they found out that there is joy in March, which can be regarded as a stop.

This time to worship the Buddha, Zhao Jia's family originally said that he would not go because of his heavy body, but I don't know why he wanted to go again. In this house, Cao Yi was dressed up early, thinking about accompanying his mother Li to incense and praying for his father's health. I didn't expect that it was about to be the time to leave, but there was something that Zhaojia was going to do.

In the past few months since returning from Beijing, Cao Yi and Zhao Jia's two have met, and they are a little uncomfortable with each other, and they have avoided everything they can avoid. Today, she can't avoid it, and the servants of the carriage here are all ready, if she says that she doesn't want to go temporarily, she will be suspicious. She was really depressed, so she went to Cao Hao's side to sit.

Cao Hao wanted to escort his mother to incense, and also changed his clothes when he went out, and when he saw his sister sitting there sullen, he shook his head: "It's not that you did something bad and your heart is empty, why do you want to avoid her?" Even if there is a thorn, she has talent in her heart. In my opinion, it's not necessary for you to avoid it, but it's good to walk around in front of her two more times to get her in the way! ”

Cao Yi glanced at her brother curiously: "My brother is disrespectful when she says this, after all, she is also an elder." ”

"As you said, she's an elder, and she's just an elder. When you can't see it, you can't remember it; When I saw her, when she was a clay fetus Buddha statue, there was no shortage of courtesy. With that idle work, it is better to think about how to be filial to your father and mother! Cao Hao said disapprerovingly. This is what he said in his heart, he really didn't have a good impression of the second aunt, he always felt that she was too utilitarian, and she was fake to her family and relatives.

The two brothers and sisters were talking, when they heard the little maid at the door Cai'er say: "Uncle, third girl, the third master is here with the fourth master and the fifth master!" ”

Cao Hao and Cao Yi glanced at each other, seeing that it was Zhao Jia's arrival, and these three should have followed their mother.

"Well, please let them in!" Cao Hao raised his voice.

After speaking, Cao Shuo came in from the door with his two younger brothers: "Please eldest brother, please third sister!" "Now they've been in school for several years, and they have a good way to do it. Cao Hao nodded and asked the three cousins to sit down.

These three people, Cao Shuo is eleven years old, Cao Xiang is nine years old, and Cao Fu is eight years old. However, in terms of appearance, Cao Fu is the most outstanding, and he is also well-behaved when he speaks.

If history has not changed, and he can't avoid the fate of dying of illness, then the fifth master of the Cao family in front of him and the fourth son of the second room, Cao Fu, will inherit to the name of the big house and send his mother Li to the end of his life. Thinking of this, Cao Hao inevitably felt a little strange in his heart, and his feelings for Cao Fu were really complicated. If you want to get closer, teach him filial piety well, and make a plan for the future; It's a rejection in my heart, and I can't calmly face this little cousin who has replaced my identity.

Cao Yi also looked at his three younger brothers, and then his eyes fell on Cao Xiang, who was sitting there with his head down. He is the only concubine in the second room, and his biological mother is also a concubine from the maid, which is similar to Cao Yi's background. He was a year older than the youngest Cao Fu, but he was very thin, and he sat there with his hands and feet tied, looking very uncomfortable. Looking at him again, although it is a new light green robe, the style is a little old, obviously ill-fitting, and there are obvious stitch marks on the cuffs and neckline, which seems to have been modified with a coat. Needless to say, it is naturally an old dress that my brothers can't wear.

Cao Yi sighed secretly, and at the same time was indescribably happy, and turned his head to look at his brother, full of gratitude.

The three brothers were ordered by their aunt Li to ask Cao Hao and Cao Yi to get up.

Cao Hao listened and glanced at Cao Yi. Cao Yi got up with a smile, and his expression was a little more indescribably relieved: "Since it was my mother who called, brother, let's go over quickly!" ”

Cao Hao put his mind at ease and nodded with a smile.

Qingliang Temple is an ancient temple, and it is said that there are many female dependents who come to incense. Fortunately, the Cao family had already gone to the temple and greeted the temple, and a special yard was prepared to settle down, so they were not worried about outsiders colliding.

When the arrangements were made, Cao Yi accompanied his mother to incense, and Cao Hao went to find Zhiran. There are a lot of Dharma things today, and Zhiran is busy chanting the scriptures, so he can't be empty at all. Cao Hao was really bored, so he went to talk to the Wei brothers, and they and the Cao family's coachman were waiting outside the temple, although it was only the beginning of April, but the south was hot early, and the head was bright and dazzling. The Wei brothers were enjoying the shade under a big tree diagonally across the temple, and Wei Bai also pulled Wu Mao and Wu Sheng brothers, pointing to the female dependents called by the small civilian households in the distance, and talked about the difference between the southern beauties and the northern beauties.

The Wu brothers are not married, they were originally honest, but they have been with the Wei brothers for half a year, but they have also given birth to a bit of romance, and they don't know where to put these eyes.

When Cao Hao arrived, he was listening to Wei Bai's experience of seeing beauties, and he couldn't help but have a little smile on his face.

The Wu family brothers were afraid that they would think that the two of them would not learn well, so they immediately looked at each other without squinting. Wei Bai saw Cao Hao coming, but he looked like he wanted to say something, laughed several times, and then pulled Cao Hao aside as if he had made up his mind: "Son, now Lao Bai is cheeky, I ask you if you have something!" ”

Wei Bai has always been used to hippie smiles, but now it is rare and solemn. Cao Hao also stopped laughing: "Second Brother Wei is polite, what do you say, can I still refuse?" ”

Wei Bai rubbed his hands as if he was embarrassed: "Childe, Lao Bai wants to borrow money to make an envoy." ”

Regarding the mention of silver money, Wei Bai was somewhat embarrassed to speak. In the year that he followed Cao Hao, Cao Hao never treated the Wei brothers in terms of silver, and their monthly money and silver were more than Cao Song's, but because the two brothers had always been used to being big-handed, they had no savings.

Cao Hao smiled and nodded: "What other big things do I say, look at the second brother Wei who is embarrassed, but there is not much on his body at the moment, how much do you use?" I'll get it to you when I get back to the house! Speaking of this, he couldn't help but care: "Second Brother Wei, the place where the flowers and willows are not a clean place after all, and you still have to take care of your body." There are really eye-catching, picking out a home to buy is not better than going every time! are all poor people, and being able to follow you can be regarded as a blessing for these dusty women! ”

Wei Bai's face turned red, and he said after a while: "Childe, this silver money is not going to the scoop, it is going to be hired by the Fangcha family!" ”

"Fangcha?" Cao Hao was a little surprised: "I heard that she was released to be a relative a year ago, why is she still at home?" After speaking, he nodded again: "I remember, her grandmother Zhao Mama is the most money-loving, and it seems that the dowry must be better." ”

Seeing Wei Bai smiling, Cao Hao congratulated him repeatedly, if this thing was done, it would also fulfill Wei Bai's infatuation.

Everyone talked and laughed for a while, and the little girl inside came over and talked back, saying that the wife, the second wife and the girl had finished the incense and asked to prepare the car to go back. In this way, as when he came, Cao Hao took the various chief guards to escort the carriage and returned to the weaving mansion.

Although Wei Bai had the intention of marrying Fangcha as a lady, he didn't know how much gift money to give to make Fangcha's family feel relieved. After all, when it comes to kissing and bowing, it is unfamiliar to their brothers. Cao Hao didn't know the doorway, although he took a few thousand taels of silver tickets to Wei Bai, but not all of them were prepared for the Zhao family. He asked Cao Fang to help Zhang Luo, and acted according to the local engagement in Jiangning, and he must give enough money to satisfy Mama Zhao, but not too much. After all, if this family business is successful, there will be a lot of expenses in the future.

Cao Fang knew that his uncle treated the Wei family brothers differently, and he heard Xiaoman say that their brother had saved the second master's surname in the capital, so he didn't dare to slack off and responded with all his heart.

* On the morning of the ninth day of the first lunar month, Cao Hao went to Kaiyang Courtyard to greet his parents, and Cao Yi also came over. Cao Yin had breakfast and was in good spirits, but because he was really impatient to lie on the bed, he got up with the help of Li's and sat on the edge of the bed with a piece of clothing and gossiped with his children.

Cao Hao and Cao Yi saw that their father was in a good mood, and they were also happy, sitting on a stool on the ground and talking with him.

Li mentioned yesterday's incense, but he happened to meet the Governor's Mansion's Mrs. Tai, the old man is kind and kind, very devout to the Buddha, more than seventy years old, and a Buddha statue to kowtow.

Cao Yin and Cao Hao's father and son did not have a good impression of the governor Kali, and they were also interested in hearing that his family's family members. It was Li's next sentence that attracted the attention of the two, and the niece of Kali yesterday was also there, which was the young lady hired by the Li family to Li Ding a few days ago. It looks good, and it is also very filial to wait by my grandmother's side, but he is a little young, only thirteen, and Li Ding is eight years old.

If it is said that Cao Yin and Cao Hao's father and son are not interested, they have to sigh now.

Nakari is also worthy of being an old fritter in officialdom, and his political sense is quite keen. Since Cao Yin was seriously ill and Li Xu traveled frequently from Suzhou to Jiangning, he was faintly aware of something. And the two met in early April, and they decided on their sons and daughters' families and got married. Counting it, it is the Li family who is high, after all, Li Ding is a concubine. However, at present, Li Ding is already on an errand beside his father, and he looks dignified, and the Li family's etiquette is also very decent, and the Governor's Mansion is very satisfied.

Seeing that her husband and son looked a little wrong, Li remembered that her husband had mentioned to her last year that the Governor's Mansion wanted to marry her. The governor did not have a biological daughter, and it seemed that it should be the young lady from yesterday who wanted to give it to his family, and he couldn't help but regret his gaffe, so he hurriedly changed the topic and said: "Yesterday, Song'er's mother mentioned that now several little brothers in Nafu are getting older, but the courtyard is not enough to live. ”

Cao Yin nodded: "If they want to cultivate, they can cultivate, but at the moment, she has a lot of errands in the second brother's yamen, who will be the director of this mess?" ”

Lee replied: "When I first heard her say, I was apprehensive in the same way. However, Song'er's mother was warm, and said that there was no shortage of manpower there, and I couldn't persuade him much. ”

Cao Yin waved his hand and said, "That's it, let her be!" Although he didn't like Zhaojia's family, after all, he still wanted his brother's affection, so he told Cao Hao to help more when he was free.

Cao Hao got up and responded, and saw that his father was a little tired after sitting for a while, so he followed Cao Yi and the two out.

Cao Yi wore less jewelry in the past, but now he said that there is an extra string of jade beads on his wrist, and the green one is very good-looking. Cao Hao saw it unintentionally and felt a little familiar, but he had never seen his sister wear it.

Cao Yi saw his brother looking at the string of beads, blushed slightly, and explained: "Because I think this color looks cool, I put it on!" This is, this is ......" The more he spoke, the quieter his voice became, and finally it was almost inaudible: "This is from his family." ”

Before Cao Hao could react, Cao Yi had already blushed and ran away quickly.

Cao Hao realized that the "other family" that his sister just said was the Jueluo family, but it was rare to see her so shy, looking at her shadow and smiling.

Thinking of the Jueluo family, Cao Hao couldn't help but think of his sister-in-law's marriage again, and when he first made up his mind, the Jueluo family revealed the idea of wanting to get married before the year. After all, Seshtu is an only son, and he is not young, so it is understandable that Mrs. Jueluo wants to hold her grandson as soon as possible. Cao Hao was reluctant to let Cao Yi marry at such a young age. At this time, the medical conditions were backward, and many young women could not survive the birth of children. Even the emperor's daughters are not a few who die in childbirth after marriage. Therefore, Cao Hao was really a little afraid when he thought of this, and he didn't dare to let his sister take this risk.

However, looking at the meaning of the Li family, he agreed to marry this year, and he thought that he also took care of her husband's body. I'm afraid that if Cao Yin has a good one, his children need to be filial. It's okay for my son, after all, Da Gege is also young; On my daughter's side, if it drags on for three years, I am afraid that she will be too old, which will cause complaints from her in-laws-

(To be continued)