Beijing, Cao Mansion, west side courtyard.

Because of the letter, knowing that Cao Hao was returning home today, Amethyst got up early with a few maids. The west side courtyard was renamed Aoi-in as early as April. Because Cao Hao lives here, he always screams awkwardly in the side yard, so he thinks about changing his name.

Most of the courtyards in the house are named after the plants and trees planted in the courtyard, such as: the Banyan Courtyard where Mr. Zhuang Xi is located, the Orchid Courtyard where the Li family lived after coming, the Chrysanthemum Courtyard and Guiyuan next to the garden, the idle Pine Courtyard and Bamboo Courtyard in the east, and the Huaiyuan Courtyard adjacent to Cao Hao's residence.

The courtyard where Cao Hao is located is clean and clean, but the grass and trees are scarce, and there are only a few plantains at the door that serve as a shadow wall. Whether it's a baryard or a banana courtyard, it sounds funny enough. There was a small flower garden in the yard, and the little maids inadvertently threw a few sunflower seeds, and a few sunflower seedlings actually grew. Cao Hao thought that the sunflowers were golden and good-looking, so he asked the maids not to pull them out and take care of them carefully, and the yard was renamed Kwai Courtyard.

"Sister Amethyst, the affairs of Zhao An's family and Qian Kang's family!" The maid said at the door.

Amethyst is looking at a list of seasonal clothes in the east wing, and now the uncle is the prince's companion, his identity is different from the past, and all kinds of clothes have to be added, but he can no longer use his surname, only pick the material of fine cloth, save the loss of identity, and make people laugh.

Zhao An's family is Cao Hao's former maid Huixin, also known as tortoiseshell, who was originally a second-class maid next to Lao Taijun, and was later pointed out to Cao Hao's side to wait. She is one year younger than Amethyst, two years older, married Zhao An, the son of the southern gatehouse, and still has an errand in the mansion after getting married. Qian Kang's family is another maid of Cao Hao's childhood, Dark Fragrance, who was also released when he was older and married Qian Kang, a son of the Fuli family.

Cao Hao went to Beijing, with only a few people waiting around him, including: three maids, two long-term attendants, and a small servant. Then Cao Hao had an accident in the capital and was beaten into a "serious injury", Li got the letter and went to Beijing in person, because he thought that there were not enough people around his son, and the people in the house here were angry, and he was afraid that he would not be able to arouse his heart, so he took Zhao An and Qian Kang to accompany them.

Hearing about the dealings between Zhao An's family and Qian Kang's family, Amethyst put down the list of clothes in her hand and said, "Call them in!" ”

The house in the capital has been empty for many years, and the affairs in the second gate were originally managed by the Cao Zhong family. Cao Zhong's family is in his fifties, and his health is not good, and after Cao Hao entered Beijing, he lived in this mansion permanently. Cao Zhong's family was a little inconsiderate, but fortunately, Amethyst took over, and everything was quite right. Although Amethyst is a domestic slave, she is a big maid who has served the old lady, and she has Cao Hao's respect, and the housekeepers in the house must be called "girl", and the younger generation is in a hurry to call "sister".

Zhao An's family and Qian Kang's family were both dressed as young women, and they were shorter after coming in: "Sister Amethyst!" "The two of them are familiar with Amethyst in the south, and they are still called according to the old name.

Amethyst got up with a smile: "Today, everyone in and outside the mansion is busy, why are you free to come to me?" Sit down and talk, how can there be so many rules between our sisters! ”

Zhao An's family and Qian Kang's family sat down in response, and then Qian Kang's family got up first and said, "Sister Amethyst, Mr. Zhuang paid ten taels of silver to the teahouse today. This month, from the first day of the new year to the present, it is said that Bula, and the whole two hundred and thirty taels of silver have been paid. I talked to him yesterday, Uncle came back today, and Mr. Zhuang still went out! ”

Mr. Zhuang in the mouth of Qian Kang's family was hired by Cao Yin for his son, and he came to Beijing in April by calling Jiangning.

Amethyst pondered for a moment: "Before the uncle left, he specially instructed not to neglect Mr. Zhuang, if you use silver money, you can withdraw it at will below a thousand taels." Two months ago, in a letter to my uncle, I mentioned that Mr. Zhuang likes to go out to drink tea, and the uncle replied that he would follow him. In the future, just keep accounts as usual, after all, the uncle knows it! ”

"Yes, you know!" Qian Kang's family responded, and then sat down.

Zhao An's family saw that Qian Kang's family had finished their errand, and got up and said: "Sister Amethyst, Miss Cousin of Juyuan is unwell today, and she wants to take a break for two days and then learn the rules. ”

Amethyst listened and frowned slightly: "These grandmothers are really old and confused, that is the nobleman who is waiting for the re-election of the palace brand, how can they handle it casually." On the side of the county king's mansion, Fu Jin suppressed him and did not dare to be presumptuous, and now he is coming to our mansion to be a prestige! As he spoke, he stood up: "Because she is a relative of the old lady's mother's family, the wife specially took care of her here, if she offends her because of a few ignorant grandmothers, then we are all guilty!" ”

*

Outside the Anding Gate, Cao Hao took Xiaoman and Wuen into the city on horseback, and the two brothers of the Wei family followed on horseback. Since they knew that the holy car was in Beijing today, the two brothers left the city early, guarded outside Changchun Garden, and welcomed Cao Hao back.

The two men have been by Cao Hao's side for eight years, and they can be regarded as watching him grow up, and they are really worried about being separated for more than half a year. It wasn't until noon today, seeing that Cao Hao came out of Changchun Garden safely and soundly, the two brothers were relieved.

Cao Hao saw the two brothers of the Wei family and asked about the recent situation of his mother Li and his sister Pingwang Fujin, only to know that his mother went back to the south at the end of August, and his sister gave birth to a little brother a few days ago. Cao Hao was a little disappointed, originally thought that after coming back, he would be able to stay with his mother for a few days and accompany his mother to visit the scenery of the capital. However, then I was relieved, Cao Yi is young after all, and he is his daughter's family, so it is okay to take care of it for ten days and a half months, but it must be a heavy burden after a long time.

*

West of the city, Cao Mansion, gate.

A blue-covered carriage was parked, and an old man with a gray beard came out of it.

The chief butler Cao Zhong stepped forward and said, "Imperial Doctor Chen, I'm bothering you again!" ”

The old man waved his hand: "I have been friends with your house for several lifetimes, what do you say!" ”

The two were greeting each other, only to hear the sound of horses' hooves of "da-da", and Cao Hao rode back.

The carriage got down was the Cao family's family friend, the Tai Doctor Chen of the Tai Hospital, from a medical family, his brother had served as the envoy of the Tai Hospital, and was sent to the south by Kangxi in the early years to take care of the old Taijun of the Sun family. Carefully calculated, the two have been friends for decades. Before Cao Hao left Beijing, he had seen Imperial Doctor Chen twice, so he recognized it, hurriedly dismounted, made a junior salute, and said: "It turned out to be Old Chen, Cao Hao has greeted you!" ”

Imperial Physician Chen touched his beard, looked at Cao Hao, and smiled thoughtfully: "Brother Hao'er is taller again, and his appearance is getting better and better. I heard that your mother was going to help you negotiate marriage a while ago, and I don't know whose daughter is cheaper! ”

How does everyone know about this? Cao Hao was slightly embarrassed. This Imperial Physician Chen has to make fun of him every time he sees him, and I heard that he has a granddaughter of the same age as Cao Hao at home, and she has the heart to marry the Cao family. However, at the moment, Imperial Doctor Chen should not be here to gossip, Cao Hao looked behind him, there was a small servant carrying a medicine box.

"Uncle!" The big housekeeper Cao Zhong came over and gave Cao Hao a thousand.

Cao Hao stretched out his hand to support: "Everything is fine in the house, which one is sick, why bother Chen Lao to come over?" ”

Cao Zhong replied: "Back to the uncle's words, everything is good in the house, but it was Miss Cousin who was waiting to be selected in Beijing from Changzhou who was slightly ill, so she specially invited Imperial Doctor Chen to come over." ”

"Miss Changzhou, the daughter of the cousin who married into the Chen family?" When Cao Hao heard Changzhou, he remembered a relative. Lao Taijun has a maiden niece, who is related to the Chen family of the Han Army Banner, and the niece and son-in-law seem to have served as a Taoist in Changzhou in recent years.

"Back to the uncle, it is the Chen family's cousin, who entered Beijing in August, and his wife was there at the time, because no one in the Chen family was in Beijing, so she was sent to our house for a temporary stay!" Cao Zhong replied.

Although this relative is not far away, it is not close either, why doesn't the mother avoid suspicion and arrange it at home? Cao Hao was puzzled, but with the old lady Chen by his side, he didn't want to ask too much, so he hurriedly said to the old lady: "It turns out that it is a noble person to be selected, no wonder you have to bother your old man, please come into the house to see tea!" ”

When Imperial Physician Chen saw Cao Hao carrying his luggage right away, he knew that he had just come back from outside, so he let him take care of himself and follow the big housekeeper to see the patients.

Cao Hao rode a horse all morning, and a lot of dust fell on his body, and he was not polite to the old lady, so he went back to the hospital to change his clothes. Xiaoman is a small house, and if he doesn't enter the second door, Cao Hao let him go down and rest. Wu En cautiously followed behind Cao Hao, very well-behaved and docile.

*

Cao Fu, Aoi Temple.

The maid Cui'er was cleaning the dead leaves of the plantain at the door, and when she saw Cao Hao coming in, she said happily: "Uncle is back!" ”

Hearing the sound of talking, a green maid came out of the room again, and greeted him with a smile: "It's really that the master is back, and the slaves and maids have been waiting for several days!" ”

Cao Hao didn't see Amethyst, and was a little surprised: "Zhu'er, Cui'er, why are you two here?" What about your Amethyst sister, hairpin and Huan'er? ”

Zhu'er and Cui'er were brought by Cao Hao to Jiang Ning, and they were the big maids in Cao Hao's room. Cao Hao's hairpin and Huan'er are also one of the big girls, and they were selected from among the children in the house here after arriving in the capital. Originally, he didn't call them this name, but Cao Hao was too lazy to think of names for them again, and let Amethyst arrange it. Amethyst followed the names of Zhu'er and Cui'er, and gave those two new names.

Hearing Cao Hao's question, Zhu'er replied: "Sister Amethyst went to the Ju Courtyard, and I heard that Miss Biao was a little unhappy over there. Hairpin and Huan'er are in the kitchen, looking at the food prepared for the uncle below! ”

Cao Hao nodded and said, "Call a few people to carry the water over, there is dust all over the body, but you have to wash it well." As he spoke, he pointed to Un: "She was brought back by me from Mongolia, and she will be regarded as a person from our house in the future, she is still young, you take care of her more, and you don't need to arrange errands!" ”