The Li family knew that his brother and nephew were coming, and they also came to the front yard to meet them, talked about family affairs for a while, and left the Li family father and son to eat here in the Cao Mansion.

The wine and food were placed in the front yard, and after the Li family led people to set up the banquet, they went back to the inner house to take care of Chu Yu.

Cao Yin's father and son stayed in the front yard to entertain guests. During the banquet, everyone smiled and looked very affectionate with each other.

As far as Cao Yin and Li Xu are concerned, they want the children to get close.

Speaking of which, the younger generation is different from them. Although they were all on errands by the side of Banzai Ye at the beginning, they were just colleagues and friends, and later became in-laws; In Cao Hao and Li Ding's generation, they are cousins who depend on each other by blood.

There are not many sons in the Li family, Cao Hao is an only son here, and these two cousins are the pillars of the family, so they should be close.

Li Ding and Cao Hao are not as affectionate as the older generation thinks, although at the dinner table, in front of the parent, the two of them are quite happy, but they have their own thoughts.

Cao Hao thought about the words of the sixteenth elder brother, and couldn't figure out the reason why Li Ding was "famous" for himself in the Internal Affairs Office, it couldn't be that he really felt good, for fear that others wouldn't know, right? This reason is so nonsense that Cao Hao can't feel his kindness, but he can't figure out the reason why he wants to deal with himself. No matter what friction there was in the past, externally, the Cao and Li families are connected and inseparable.

Thinking like this, Cao Hao raised the teacup in his hand and said to Li Ding: "Cousin, the little brother here wants to give a cup, thank your cousin for your praise of the little brother." Although my cousin has good intentions, we are close relatives, these words of praise for my little brother come out of my cousin's mouth, and it is difficult for outsiders to take it seriously, so let's avoid it in the future! ”

Li Ding was stunned when he heard this, and his expression was a little stiff. Cao Yin and Li Xu heard this for the first time, and they were a little curious and looked over here.

Cao Yin said with a smile: "Xincheng praised your cousin as an outsider? In the year of his weak crown, he was neither literate nor martial, where is it worth boasting in front of him? ”

Li Xu shook his head at Cao Yin and said, "Dongting is ridiculous, not to mention these young people today, few of them can compare with Fu Ruo, even when we were young, we didn't necessarily do better than him. These two said that they went back and forth in Beijing to socialize, and I also heard that Fu Ruo won a great victory in Shandong and made a meritorious contribution! ”

Cao Yin hurriedly said: "Big brother, don't kill him!" He is a civil official, even if it is a bandit or something, it is also a matter of the Green Battalion, he is just an accomplice, where is the credit? ”

Li Xu pointed at Cao Yin and said, "You, you, I'm afraid that people will know how good Fu Ruo is!" How is this appeasement not a great merit? The people of Shandong are fierce, and there are often gangsters gathering in the mountains and forests, endangering the people's livelihood. If you don't go to the local area for more than a year, you can have such a credit, which is commendable! ”

Cao Yin listened, just smiled and asked Li Dingdao: "Xincheng also heard about the bandits, and talked about it with others?" ”

Li Ding stood up, just wanted to bite the bullet and respond indiscriminately, but when he looked up, he saw Cao Hao looking at him with a smile, and he didn't feel that his heart was on fire, and he was a little impatient to lie, so he smiled and said: "Uncle, it's not because of this, it's that when my nephew handed over the tea garden to the Internal Affairs Office, he praised his cousin a few words." That year, I was in Suzhou to make a garden, didn't I borrow people from my uncle's family, I heard them say unintentionally, saying that it was my uncle's tea garden, as if I had the guidance of my cousin. Nowadays, it is rumored that the cousin in the capital is a 'tea boy', and it is just nonsense to say that he has received the tea sage book. When the Ministry of Internal Affairs talked about it, it seemed that he was quite unscrupulous to his cousin, and his nephew was not angry, so he praised his cousin a few words. ”

Although Cao Yin and Li Xu were still smiling, the atmosphere in the banquet suddenly cooled down.

Cao Yin looked at Li Ding for a long time, muttered for a while, then turned his head, sighed, and said slowly to Li Xu: "It seems that we are all old, the children are all older, and we have our own plans, I'm afraid it won't be our turn!" ”

Li Xu was a little embarrassed, and reluctantly smiled: "It's all for brothers, it's not for me, I've always been used to them, and I act out of proportion." ”

Cao Yin smiled and said: "The wind in the north is strong, and it is difficult to support it alone, so it's good for the eldest brother to know it." ”

Li Dingben relied on Cao Yin to value him, so he said so cleverly, reversed black and white, and said that his mistakes were "righteous indignation", which should only be gently erased. Unexpectedly, Cao Yin seemed to see through him, ignored him, and said such a thing.

He stood there and saw his father smiling at Cao Yin, and felt that it was very unsightly.

After Li Xu heard Cao Yin's words, he knew what he meant, the Cao family and the Li family still have some weight in the south of the Yangtze River, but coming to the capital is nothing, only by supporting each other can it be better.

He smiled and scolded Li Ding: "Nonsense, don't you give your cousin compensation!" I'm in my twenties, and I'm still acting so carelessly! What kind of place is the capital, and where is it the turn of people like us to swagger? Your cousin has always been cautious, and you don't know how much trouble you will cause him when you make such an unclear statement. Where is this boasting, this is just a scourge to people! ”

No matter what Li Ding's heart was, in front of the Cao family's father and son, he was taught by his father like this, he couldn't hold his face, his face was flushed, his head was lowered and his fists were clenched vigorously, and he couldn't speak for a long time.

Cao Hao remembered the incident of Wangfeng Villa a few years ago, and knew that this Li Ding looked kind, but he was a ruthless person. After all, it is not good to tear his face with him for the sake of Li's face, so Cao Hao opened his mouth and said to Li Xu: "Uncle doesn't have to be like this, and it is unintentional to want to come to my cousin." It's just a few words of truth, and it's not a mistake. ”

When Li Xu heard this, he nodded with relief, and said with some excitement: "If Fu can think like this, it will be good!" We are close relatives, can we still have bad hearts? When your cousin first arrived in the capital, he didn't know that this side was different from the south, and his uncle didn't tell him, so there was such a thing, and it was best if you didn't misunderstand. ”

Cao Hao glanced at Li Ding and said to Li Xu: "Uncle don't worry, nephew understands." ”

Because of this episode, this meal is also depressed. Although everyone still laughed and talked afterwards, it was a little difficult.

One less time, everyone put chopsticks. Li Xu and Cao Hao exchanged two words of greeting, and then took their son to say goodbye.

After sending Li Xu's father and son out of the gate, and watching the two leave with their entourage, Cao Yin turned around, glanced at his son beside him, and said, "You come to the study with your father, and your father has something to ask you!" ”

"Yes!" Cao Hao responded and followed his father into the study in the west room of the front hall.

Cao Yin sat down, raised his head, frowned and asked Cao Hao: "The incident in Yangzhou in May of the forty-ninth year of Kangxi, you will tell your father carefully from beginning to end." ”

Cao Hao breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, he was still worried that his father would be deceived by Li Ding's gentle appearance, and it seemed that his father was also vigilant. Then, he told Cao Yin truthfully about the matter of Wangfeng Villa without adding oil and vinegar.

Cao Yin thought about it for a while, and said for a while: "It's because my father is confused!" The second child of the Li family, no better than his father, seems to have a good idea, and you will get along with each other in the future...... Ay! Let's take a look and talk about it, don't force it! Speaking of this, he looked at Cao Hao, but his eyes became sharp, he squinted, and asked: "What happened back then, I saw those individuals who died with my own eyes, maybe there were innocent people in them, I don't know how many families left orphans and widows." No matter how hot Li Ding is, in the final analysis, it is because you persecuted too much. Have you ever regretted it? ”

Although Cao Hao didn't know why his father remembered to ask this, he knew that he had never regretted it. He didn't want to be a saint. If it endangers his family and his surname, whether it is ten or a hundred lives, he will not regret it. Even if it is uncomfortable, even if it will be difficult in his heart, he will never regret it.

After all, he's just a selfish ordinary person. When there is no danger, he is willing to be a kind-hearted person and do what he can for those who are suffering; If it is dangerous, the little man in his heart will grow wings and flutter.

Thinking of this, Cao Hao shook his head and said in a low voice: "My son doesn't regret it!" ”

Cao Yin stood up, held the table, and said word by word, "What did you say?" I didn't hear it clearly for the Father! ”

"My son doesn't regret it!" Cao Hao raised his head and amplified the volume.

Cao Yin raised his head, stared at his son fiercely, and asked, "If it's not a hundred lives, but a thousand, don't you regret it?" ”

Cao Hao was a little puzzled, he didn't know why his father asked like this, and muttered, "Father ......"

"What if it's 10,000 lives, 100,000 lives?" Cao Yin continued to ask in a deep voice: "If you have a bad thought, if you can save the lives of these people, what will be the price...... The price is our Cao family...... What would you do......"

Cao Hao wanted to say what 10,000 people or 100,000 people had to do with him, but he couldn't say it, he only felt that his chest was uncomfortable.

If that time comes, he doesn't know what choice he can make. For the sake of the Cao family, he asked for the surnames of 10,000 people or 100,000 people, does he have the courage to do it? I am afraid that I will not be able to live because of my guilt; If he gave up his parents and family for the sake of 10,000 people or 100,000 people, he would not be able to do it.

Seeing Cao Hao so confused, Cao Yin was a little worried in his heart, his face was cold, and he shouted: "Kneel!" ”

Cao Hao was frightened by his voice, until Cao Yin asked him to kneel again, and he knelt.

Cao Yin put his hands behind his back, no longer looked at Cao Hao, and said in a deep voice: "You have to think about what you want!" Do you want your family to be healthy, or do you want to achieve a great cause of helping the world and loving the people? Think clearly, think carefully, think clearly, and don't hesitate. When you know what you want, get up and speak for your father. After speaking, he strode out of the study.

Is it the well-being of the family? Or is it the great cause of helping the world and loving the people? Cao Hao wanted to laugh at himself, what kind of dynasty is this, the Kangxi Dynasty where the imperial power is supreme and the common people are like mustard, do you still want to think about leaving a name in history? Why did my father ask that?

However, he did not get up, and even after Cao Yin left, he still knelt on the ground.

My father was right, what I wanted, I had to figure it out after all. On the one hand, he pretends to be a good person, and on the other hand, he does selfish things, this two-faced person is really ridiculous.

If the so-called people's livelihood is contrary to his family and his own safety, will he learn to be a good person, or will he tear off his mask and show a vulgar face? The answer is obvious.

No matter how much he pretends to be good, he is just a selfish villain after all, Cao Hao bowed his head to the ground, and his heart was at a loss.

*Inside the Dongzhi Gate, the Li family's mansion.

No matter how angry he was in his heart, under Li Xu's anger, Li Ding still knelt down obediently.

Li Xu held back the anger in his heart, pointed at his son, and scolded: "Don't say that you are unintentional, you little bit of fancy intestines, you can't hide it from your old man!" Are you in your twenties, and still ignorant children? No matter how dissatisfied you are with the Cao family, how jealous you are with Cao Hao, how can you act like this? ”

Li Ding was still listening to the sentence in front of him, and when he said that he was "jealous" of Cao Hao, he was very unconvinced, straightened his neck, and argued: "Father, where is the son jealous of him, why should the son be jealous?" He just relied on the power of the Pingjun Mansion and the Chunjun Palace, and what real skills did he have! ”

When Li Xu saw his son's attitude, he was furious, raised his leg and gave him a kick, and scolded: "You are the eighth lamb of the king of death, Lao Tzu has confessed to you in vain along the way!" What did I say to you, you need to be cautious in your words and deeds when you go to the capital, and you can't make a mistake in half a step! The Cao family is our in-laws, and it is the help of each other, not outsiders. You're good, you see that Cao Hao's reputation is big, don't you be angry, right? deliberately said these words to attract the idea of others to beat Cao Hao. You can watch the excitement when you are yourself, which makes Cao Hao fall into disgrace, but you don't know that you have become a joke! Big joke! ”

Speaking of this, Li Xu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Although the people of the Internal Affairs Mansion are close to the Eighth Master, the current steward elder brother is the sixteenth elder brother!" It's also a cousin, how can you, who have dealt with both sides, compare to how many years they have been friends? I'm afraid that everyone will see that you have hidden evil intentions, who will dare to get close to you in the future? If you don't untie this knot, and when the feast of longevity is over, you will still be sick, and come back to the south with me; The province stayed in the capital, and was used by people with a heart to do stupid things that hurt relatives and enemies were happy! ”

Li Ding was already stupid to listen to, his eyes were straight, and he couldn't tell whether he regretted it or not.

(To be continued)