At the end of February, the city was full of rumors of corpses in Shichahai. Some say that there are more than a dozen, some say that there are dozens, and some say that there are hundreds, and they all say that they have noses and eyes as if they have seen them with their own eyes.

Nowadays, whose child is naughty, when the mother only needs to say, "If you cry again, you will be thrown away from the sea", and the child will stop immediately.

On February 27, Sima Jinliang, a soldier and horse in Beicheng, was dismissed from his post for inspection.

On February 28, the Zongren's Mansion asked: Lai Shi, the Duke of Fuguo, did not keep his duties quietly, so his eunuch Li Shou and the eunuchs in the inner country listened to information and spread rumors everywhere, and acted very misappropriately.

Kangxi personally approved the imperial pen on the fold: Lai Shi was retired and imprisoned, and his duke and the person who should be attacked inherited it, and the subordinate personnel gave the person who inherited the duke.

The smarter officials have all seen that cleaning up Shichahai is a pretense, and cleaning up the inner city is true.

Earlier, I was worried about the lack of the Yamen of the Military Capital and the Yamen of the Shuntian Mansion, and those who wanted to fall into the well were also honest. There are only a few nerd Yushi, and they are stupid to impeach Long Keduo and Wang Yi for their "negligence".

Among the recovered corpses was Li Ding, who disappeared a few months ago.

Qian Zhongxuan, the housekeeper of the Li Mansion, had already led someone to identify the corpse, and confirmed that this was his young master, Li Ding, through the clothes on his body and the waist tag left behind.

It's just that because the corpse is incomplete, it has been in the water for a long time, most of it is rotten, and it has been swallowed by fish and shrimp, and now only bones and residual flesh remain, and it is really impossible to identify the cause of death.

The news was sent to Cao's mansion, and Cao Hao had to go to Xizhimen again.

Because it was a young man's death, how to deal with Li Ding's funeral, Qian Zhongxuan, as a subordinate, could not make the decision, and had already sent a letter to Suzhou, waiting for Li Xu to show him.

Looking at the tragic situation of Li Ding's incomplete corpse, Cao Hao couldn't help but sigh twice. It's not that he's cheating, it's that it's really terrifying, and the smell is disgusting.

Since it has become a suspicious case in Shuntianfu and the infantry army, what else can the big housekeeper Qian Zhongxuan expect? He can only hope that he will be with Suzhou to see if the old man is wise and martial, and find out the feud of the Li family.

Cao Hao left the Li family, immediately took out the sachet, put it under his nose and sniffed it vigorously a few times, so that his chest was more comfortable. This is hand-sewn by Chu Yu, and it is filled with two scented herbs of rhubarb and atractylodes.

In February, there are many deep wells and ditches dug in the city, and the roads smell the stench, and those who dig ditches are often smoked down, and dead people often happen. People who go out often often carry sachets to wake up.

Wei Hei rode a horse and followed Cao Hao, and when he saw Cao Hao's demeanor, he couldn't help but laugh twice, and said, "I heard that no one in the city dares to eat fish anymore, and the fishmongers are crying for their fathers and mothers!" ”

Cao Hao was better, hearing Wei Hei mention "fish", and then thinking about Li Ding's almost gnawed corpse, his stomach couldn't help but feel sick.

"The dumpling shop has become popular these days, and many people are vegetarian and pray for blessings!" Wei Hei saw that Cao Hao's face was pale, so he stopped teasing him and diverted his conversation.

"Oh!" When Cao Hao heard this, his heart moved: "It's just fish, why can't it even be made with pork and chicken?" ”

Wei Hei smiled: "The people are ignorant, and they all say that there are unjust souls in Shichahai, and they borrowed the belly of a catfish to appear in the world, and they want to show their grievances." The people living in Haizi, afraid of being haunted by unjust ghosts, invited gods and Buddhas at home to prepare private offerings to the town. ”

Cao Hao calculated in his heart, it has been several days since the last time he talked to Han Jiang's about starting point shop, and I don't know what Han Jiang's thinking is. Whether she does it or not, Cao Hao is already interested in the business of this dim sum shop.

"Daoxiang Village", this time-honored brand that will be prosperous in the future, will be more than 200 years in advance, and thinking about it will also make him look forward to it.

From Daoxiang Village, I think of what Liubiju, Quanjude, and Neilian are rising. However, after all, the Cao family is an official family, and they should not be too greedy, otherwise it will be difficult for the imperial history to deal with it.

Nowadays, there are many children in the house, and there will only be more and more in the future, and there is a dim sum shop at home, and it is also quite fun to make some new dim sum for the children.

Thinking of this, Cao Hao was in a better mood and no longer thought about Li Ding.

Li Ding's brother Li Nai is a benevolent person, I just hope that Li Xu can toss less and rely more on this eldest son, there should be a blessing.

Regarding Li Ding's matter, Cao Hao has never regretted it at all, nor will he pretend to blame himself. Again, he made the same choice, who made him a man who cherished his life.

The one who killed himself was the Buddha, not Cao Hao.

Back at Cao's Mansion, Cao Hao just got off the horse at the door, and saw a person coming out of the door, kneeling on one knee and saying: "The little one has seen the uncle!" ”

Cao Hao looked at it, but it was Zheng Hu who came.

He hurriedly turned over and dismounted, pulled Zheng Hu up, and said with a smile: "Since I took the letter, I knew that you were coming, so I counted it, this is here!" ”

followed Zheng Hu out, and Cao Fang, who escorted the New Year's goods back to Jiangning a year ago.

Cao Fang stepped forward to greet Cao Hao, and Cao Hao asked, "How are they all with my lord and wife?" Last time, my father wrote that he was going to Suzhou, did he go? ”

Cao Fang replied: "The old lady took the fifth master and the eldest young master to Suzhou on the fifth day of the second month, and the younger ones also went to Beijing on the fifth day of the new year!" ”

Cao Hao nodded, and asked again: "The old housekeeper has a strong body, did you talk about the elderly in the capital?" ”

Cao Fang's father, Cao Fu, is the old housekeeper of Jiangning Weaving Mansion, because of his age, the position of housekeeper was taken over by his eldest son Cao Yuan, and now he is already at home for the elderly.

Cao Fang is the second son of Cao Fu, and now his family is following Cao Hao on an errand in Beijing. Last year, in addition to helping the owner's family deliver New Year's goods, Cao Fang also wanted to see if he could take his old father to the capital to fulfill his filial piety.

Cao Fang replied: "Uncle Xie is worried, the little old father is quite tough, but he is used to living in the south, and he is reluctant to come to the north, saying that after coming to the north, it is not cheap to ask the old lady for peace." ”

Cao Hao saw that his face was melancholy, and persuaded: "There are also old people who are reluctant to leave their hometowns, and you have this filial piety, and the old people are also pleased." After two years, if you can't do it, when Xiaoman is older, take your errand, and you go back to the southern mansion. ”

Cao Fang listened, shook his head and said: "Uncle, don't say that, the little one is mentioned by the uncle, and there is nothing to do to do it, how can he forget his public because of selfishness?" Besides, the little father has an elder brother to serve, so he doesn't need to worry about it. ”

While talking, everyone entered the courtyard, Cao Hao and Cao Fang finished talking about Jiangning's family affairs, and asked Zheng Hu: "Is your sister-in-law married?" Do you want to settle down in Guangzhou, or do you want to follow your brother-in-law back to your hometown in Shandong? ”

Zheng Hu had sent New Year's goods to Yizhou in Layue the year before last, and he wanted to stay by Cao Hao's side as an errand at the beginning. Because his sister-in-law's relationship with the Wang family was decided, and he had to prepare a dowry or something, Cao Hao didn't keep him, and asked him to go south to handle his sister-in-law's affairs.

Zheng Hu rubbed his hands, laughed twice, and said: "The meaning of the little one and Wang Quantai is that they both want to be set before the year, and the little girl refuses, saying that she will talk about it until the lunar month of this year!" When the time comes, they will come back from Guangzhou, or to their hometown in Shandong, or maybe to Beijing. ”

Zheng Woxue is two years older than Cao Hao, and now she is twenty-three, this is already a big girl, why did the marriage date be postponed for another year?

Cao Hao calculated and had an epiphany in his heart.

Yang Mingchang was not born in September of the previous year, and the filial piety in the twenty-seventh month happened to be the filial piety of the lunar month this year. Even if he abandoned his wife and children during his lifetime, Zheng Woxue still insisted on remarrying after keeping his father's filial piety for twenty-seven months, which is an inseparable blood bond.

Cao Hao saw that the clothes on Zheng Hu and Cao Fang's bodies were wrinkled, and both of them had a faint lack of color on their faces, obviously not long after they arrived at the house, and they didn't have time to freshen up and rest, so they said to the two: "You go down to freshen up first, take a good rest, prepare food in the kitchen for a while, and catch the wind for you at night!" ”

The two went down, and Cao Hao did not immediately return to Wutong Garden, but went to Rongyuan first to talk to Mr. Zhuang.

Mr. Zhuang sat on a chair under the porch, squinting in the sun while teaching Niuniu to recite Tang poems.

"Hoe He said that in the afternoon, the sweat drops of the soil, who knows that the Chinese food on the plate, the grains are hard!" He shook his head, and he also had a bit of an old master's posture.

The little girl sat on the small pestle, and also shook her head, and her small appearance was very rare.

Niuniu first followed along, and then when Mr. Zhuang asked him to recite it, there was only one sentence left in his mouth: "Every grain is hard".

Cao Hao stood at the gate of the courtyard, seeing that Mr. Zhuang was so leisurely and comfortable, he couldn't bear to disturb him with these trivial matters, so he stopped.

Xiao Niuniu was sharp-eyed, saw Cao Hao, and immediately got up from the small pestle, and flew towards Cao Hao: "Brother, brother, hug!" ”

Cao Hao squatted down, picked up the little Niuniu, and said, "Niuniu, what is delicious to eat, why is it heavy again?" ”

Xiao Niuniu grinned, hugged Cao Hao's neck, and said in a milky voice: "The dumplings sent by the second brother, Niuniu loves to eat!" ”

Cao Hao touched her pigtails and said, "Well, if you like to eat, you can eat it, you have to pick a few things that are not sweet, be careful of bad teeth!" ”

Xiao Niuniu held her little hand and nodded with a smile: "Niuniu knows, my mother and aunt have been talking about this all day, so don't say it brother!" Speaking of this, he lowered his voice and said: "Niuniu eats secretly, don't let my mother and aunt see it, my brother is not allowed to go!" ”

Seeing her ghostly appearance, Cao Hao also laughed and said, "Well, okay, listen to Niuniu!" ”

Mr. Zhuang had already gotten up from the chair, and when he saw Cao Hao doting on Niuniu like this, he couldn't help but shake his head and said, "She's naughty enough, you're still so used to her!" ”

Cao Hao listened to these irresponsible words and said to Mr. Zhuang: "Sir, what are you talking about me?" Who followed her daughter's ass all day long, eager to pick the stars and the moon? That's not called habitual, I'm an elder brother, so let's eat a few more pieces of dim sum to get used to it? ”

Mr. Zhuang was choked and speechless, and he laughed himself, and said: "This child is a debt, Tianyou is not in front of you, don't you think." When this little one in the county lord's belly comes out, you will also go to pick the stars and the moon! ”

Seeing that Cao Hao was still wearing an official uniform, he knew that he had just come back from a fight, and he specified that he had something to say. Mr. Zhuang called a maid and hugged Niuniu to find the two aunts.

Niuniu was reluctant to Cao Hao, and at first she refused, so she looked at her father on Cao Hao. Mr. Zhuang pretended to be a stiff face and said: "If you are disobedient, then there will be no almond crisp!" ”

Niuniu listened, and then reluctantly let go. As if she also realized that she was not righteous, she said to Cao Hao with a little apology: "Brother, the almond crisp is delicious...... Looking at her childish and cute appearance, Cao Hao smiled and nodded: "Well, I know, Niuniu go eat it!" ”

When Niuniu was carried down, Mr. Zhuang brought a chair over, and the two sat under the porch and talked. The people in the courtyard were sent to the back room, and only the two of them were there, and they did not hesitate to speak.

Recently, there is always a feeling of "the mountain rain is about to come and the wind is full of buildings", and Cao Hao is a little bottomless in his heart. He told Mr. Zhuang that he was confused, and he couldn't believe what was rumored by the outside world that the eighth elder brother was about to lose power.

It's only been the fifty-third year of Kangxi, and the fourteenth elder brother has not shown it at all, and the eighth elder brother is about to fall at this time?

Mr. Zhuang listened to Cao Hao's doubts, took a long breath, and said, "Long live the old man, and he can't tolerate the existence of any forces that threaten him. Since the second half of the courtiers recommended the eighth elder brother of the 'One Waste Prince', the two broke off their father-son relationship. In the eyes of Long Live Lord, the eighth elder brother is already an invincible enemy, and he is no longer a son.

It's just that Long Live Lord is becoming more and more cautious, this is the case for the eldest brother, the second elder brother, and the eighth elder brother. They all cut off their wings first, and waited until they were left alone, and then they were given a crime.

The eighth elder brother is different from the eldest elder brother and the second elder brother, the two occupy the eldest and occupy the eldest brother, and they have their own relatives to support each other. The eighth elder brother loves fame too much, and he is burdened by fame, but his subordinates are mixed, and he is not as strong as the eldest brother and the second elder brother at the beginning.

In the eyes of the Long Live Lord, the eighth elder brother is just a prey for adjustment, and when he saw the noisy joy, he pondered to repair it; When he had stopped, he was allowed to go on for a while. It's just that coming down like this, the eighth elder brother is like a frightened bird, but his actions are becoming more and more flawed, and he can't tolerate him if he wants to! ”

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(To be continued)