I don't know if Cao Yin trusted his son too much, or if he was in a hurry to go to the doctor, but after three or five years of hard work, he scraped together a hundred thousand taels of silver tickets and sent three proper family members to buy tea gardens in various places. However, for the matter of pearls, it was unexpected by Cao Yan.

Cao Yan, who came to his father's study again, looked at the death deeds of the Zheng brothers and sisters on the table, and was speechless for a while. Thinking that Zheng Hai once said that "I would rather die than be a minion", Cao Yan empathized, because of his identity, he could not take off the title of a royal minion.

"The Zheng family has been pearl diving for generations, and the Zheng brothers and sisters have the ability to know and defend pearls, but they don't know what you said about raising pearls." Cao Yin said slowly: "You plan to teach people skills, but you don't limit their identities. Have you thought about what happened to them? Rather than being calculated in the future, it is better to stay in the Cao family with peace of mind. ”

Seeing that Cao Yin didn't answer, Cao Yin waved his hand and said, "Their brother and sister are going to Taihu Lake today, if you have anything to say, go to the cotton embankment!" ”

The brothers and sisters of the Zheng family have become slaves of the Cao family, if the Cao family refuses to let go, then let alone them, even their children and grandchildren will be slaves and maids in the Cao family for generations. Cao Yan walked out of the mansion and looked up at the sky, feeling a little depressed.

Cao Yin did not directly point it out in his words, but the meaning was very clear, since it was a major event related to the rise and fall of the Cao family, naturally only the Cao family could participate. The people of the Cao family, in addition to masters like Cao Yan, also include those slaves who are attached to the Cao family. There is no insurmountable gap between loyalty and betrayal, just to see whether the weight of betrayal is enough. In Cao Yin's eyes, only the minions whose life and death are controlled by the Cao family are trustworthy.

Xiao Man, the scholar on duty beside Cao Yan, led two horses over, Xiao Man was the eldest grandson of Cao Fu, the chief housekeeper of the Cao family, and the eldest son of Cao Fang, the shopkeeper of Linxia Zhai, who had just followed Cao Yan recently, and was two years younger than Cao Yan. Cao Yin's original two scholars, Ximo and Rongmo, were arranged by Cao Yin to follow the stewards to purchase tea gardens.

Cao Yan took the reins from Xiao Man's hand, turned over on the horse, and then said to Xiao Man: "You go and pick a pony!" ”

When Xiao Man heard this, he straightened his chest vigorously, pouted and said, "Ye Xiao looked down on the slave? The slave learned to ride a horse at the age of five, and the years of riding a horse are not shorter than that of the master! As he spoke, he touched the horse's back and got on the horse very neatly.

Cao Yan saw that Xiao Man didn't look like a new hand, so he didn't worry about him, waved his horsewhip, and went in the direction of the cotton embankment.

When he saw the cotton embankment ferry in the distance, Cao Yan grabbed the horse's reins and slowed the horse's speed. With Cao Yin's means, even if the Zheng family brothers and sisters signed the deed of sale, they must be grateful to Dade, but Cao Yin couldn't help but feel guilty in his heart. These two brothers and sisters were originally people who had nothing to do with the Cao family, but they were dragged into this pool of troubled waters.

"Childe, Childe is here, brother!" When Zheng Woxue saw Cao Yan, she pulled Zheng Hai's sleeve with a little excitement.

Zheng Hai strode two steps quickly, "plopped", knelt down in front of Cao Yan's horse, and said with tears in his eyes: "Son's great kindness, Zheng Hai is willing to serve Childe's life." ”

Although Cao Yin didn't know what Cao Yin said to the Zheng family brothers and sisters, he couldn't cry or laugh when he saw Zheng Hai's grateful appearance, and he bought him for ten years with ten thousand taels of silver and promised to avenge him, and he didn't see him like this.

Cao Yan jumped off the horse with a little emotion and helped Zheng Hai up: "Don't say that, it can't be as good as you want, Cao Yan is already ashamed and uneasy." ”

"That bullshit general soldier actually stood up for the old thief, the son would rather offend the powerful than protect our brothers and sisters, I Zheng Hai will remember this grace of regeneration!" Zheng Hai clenched his fists and said.

Cao Yin's heart moved, and he roughly knew that Cao Yin was pulling the banner of the General Military Mansion and frightened the two brothers and sisters. Now the two have signed a death contract, but their gratitude is even stronger.

Cao Yan didn't say more, took the handbook of bead farming written by himself from his arms, and handed it to Zheng Woxue: "This booklet, look at the back and destroy it, this is a secret related to the lifeblood of the industry, and it must not be known to outsiders." Ten years of appointment, Cao Yan has never forgotten, you brothers and sisters rest assured! Although the words were beautiful, Cao Yan didn't know in his heart how he would deal if the Zheng family brothers and sisters relied on the bead raising skills they learned from him to stand on their own or take refuge in others.

The technique of cultivating pearls was written by Cao Yan based on what he knew in his previous life. Cao Yan's sister-in-law in her last life was a large pearl farmer in Suzhou, and Cao Yan followed her brother and sister-in-law to the pearl factory when she was a child. In fact, there is not much scientific and technological content in pearl farming. It is just a matter of selecting a suitable female mussel and artificially moving foreign matter to promote the formation of pearls. However, the difference between ancient and modern times is that after hundreds of years, pearl farming has been industrialized, and there are enterprises specializing in cultivating pearl mussels. At present, it is necessary to start with the selection and breeding of female mussels, and there will be no results in the short term.

Zheng Woxue took the booklet with both hands and carefully placed it in her arms, looking at Cao Yan with a pair of bright eyes full of gratitude.

The boatman had already asked if he wanted to start the boat, and the steward sent by the Cao Mansion to send the Zheng family brothers and sisters to Taihu Lake saw the little master of the house coming at the bow of the boat and ran over to say goodbye. After another toss, Cao Yan watched the Zheng family brothers and sisters leave by boat.

The bureau of the cloth has been laid out, if there is no accident, the problem of the Cao family's deficit should be solved. As for the succession, standing on the wrong team, the problem is not Cao Yin and Cao Yin's father and son, but after Cao Yin's stepson Cao Fu took office in Jiangning Weaving Mansion. If he does not die, of course, the Cao family does not need a step-son to inherit the family business; If his life is really declining, according to the historical record of inheriting the weaving mansion within two years of illness and death, then what will he do with the rise and fall of the Cao family in the future.

Cao Yan pulled the reins of the horse and turned around and went home, but saw a glass-topped carriage parked not far away, which was very familiar. The granddaughter of the hundred-year-old Bai family, the eldest lady of Bihelou? Cao Yan squinted his eyes, a little unhappy in his heart, could it be that he was following him? The traces of the Zheng family brothers and sisters are not difficult to find, and it is not difficult for the Yang family to find out that they are in the Cao family. However, the Cao family is not afraid. Although Cao Yin used the general army to scare the Zheng family brothers and sisters, he actually didn't take the second-grade general soldier seriously, let alone the so-called "Yang Million". When you go to Jiangnan to be an official, if you don't first inquire about the relationship between the Cao family and the royal family, and don't take the Cao family in your eyes, you will either be crazy or stupid. If someone dares to attack the Cao family without long eyes, without the Cao family fighting back, Emperor Kangxi will not tolerate him.

When Cao Yan rode past the carriage, he heard someone say in a coquettish voice: "Young Master Cao, please stay!" ”

Cao Yan stood on his horse, and a purple-clothed girl slowly walked down from the glass carriage, her eyebrows were like distant mountains, and her pupils were like ink.

The purple-clothed girl walked up to Cao Gongma, put her hand on her waist, and gave a salute: "The little girl Yang Ruixue has seen Cao Gongzi!" ”

Cao Yan nodded, as a return gift, and did not plan to get off the horse to socialize. Although Yang Ruixue and Zheng Woxue are sisters, their fates are very different. Whether it was for Zheng Woxue to be upset, or thinking that he might be followed, he didn't have a good impression of the eldest lady in front of him.

Regarding Cao Yan's rudeness, Yang Ruixue did not show the slightest annoyance on her face. No matter how rich the Yang family is, they are just businessmen, and their status is not much higher than that of ordinary people in the eyes of the official eunuchs. Cao Yan is the son of the weaving house, and it is abnormal if he treats people too eagerly.

Yang Ruixue turned around, took out a small package from the carriage, and handed it to Cao Yan with both hands: "I overheard that Ruixue's two closest relatives were placed at Gongzi's place. The rights and wrongs of our elders are not something that we as children can discuss. Here is a little bit of Ruixue's heart, please ask the son to hand it over to Ruixue's two close relatives. ”

Cao Yan looked at the package and said, "If you have this heart, why have you only done it in vain for four years?" ”

When Yang Ruixue heard this, she didn't defend herself, tears swirled in her eyes, and she gave Cao Yan another salute: "Please hand it over!" ”

Seeing the little girl's slightly stubborn appearance, Cao Yan despised herself a little in her heart, but she was only a twelve or thirteen-year-old child, and it was ridiculous for her to be angry with her. It was not until now that he discovered that the power and strategy of the ancients should not be taken lightly, and those who can be like a fish in water in officialdom are all masters of figuring out people's hearts. He showed the brothers and sisters of the Zheng family to be kind and righteous, but they couldn't compare to Cao Yin's small means, which stood high and low. It seems that in addition to learning literature and martial arts, this trick of scheming is also indispensable, otherwise maybe when, like Zheng Hai, he will be calculated, and he will be grateful to Dade.

Cao Yan dismounted and took the package, which was very weighty, and it seemed that there was a lot of property in it. "I should hand over the things myself, but if you don't take them, I can't call the shots!"

Yang Ruixue breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Cao Yan take the package, and asked with a little hope and a little inquiry: "The two people who boarded the ferry just now, but are Rui Xue Na and those two close relatives?" Where are they going? Can you go back to Jiangning in the near future? ”

Although Yang Ruixue behaved kindly, Cao Yan still didn't want to reveal the whereabouts of the Zheng family's brothers and sisters, so she didn't answer her question, and coped: "There are still trivial matters at home, next time I will talk to the young lady, and please forgive me!" With that, he got on his horse and left.

Listening to the sound of the horse's hooves gradually moving away, Yang Ruixue shed a line of tears, bowed her head and returned to the car. There was a girl in red sitting in the car, and she handed over a handkerchief: "Silly girl, what are you crying about!" The tighter his mouth, the more peaceful your hard-working brother and sister will be. Although he didn't reply, he didn't deny that the two people just now were your brother and sister, and it seems that they are ** inseparable from ten! It's good for them to leave Jiangning temporarily, so that your father won't have the idea of beating them! ”

Yang Ruixue listened, then stopped her tears, took the handkerchief, and wiped her tears: "Although the son of the Cao family is cold on his face, his heart is good!" ”

The girl in red looked at Yang Ruixue with a smile: "Who in Jiangnan doesn't know that this son of the Cao family is not very old, but he has been praised by the Lord Long Live himself, both civil and military." I don't know how many people are thinking about this marriage with the Cao family. You little tween, aren't you moved? ”

Yang Ruixue's face was full of shame: "Sister Yongjia is really, she can make fun of Ruixue, but Ruixue doesn't follow." Chirping, the two little girls laughed together, and the clouds of sorrow dispersed.

After talking about Cao Yan's side, let's talk about the Zheng family brothers and sisters. After the boat left the ferry, the Zheng siblings returned to the cabin. Because Zheng Woxue changed back into women's clothes, she occupied one room by herself, and Zheng Hai and the Cao family housekeeper had one. Zheng Woxue sat on the bed, took out the booklet given by Cao Yan and read it carefully. I saw her expression, first shocked, then excited, and finally frightened.

Zheng Woxue is delicate, and her eyes are broadened when she follows her brother to seek life outside, and after reading this booklet, she vaguely understands that someone else in the Cao family came forward to arrange for them to sign the death deed, not to find a reason to avoid the chief soldier, but for the things recorded in this booklet. She didn't read much, but she still knew the allusion of "the sin of Huaibi".

Zheng Woxue suddenly had an impulse to tell her brother the truth, and then the brother and sister ran away, but in a blink of an eye, this idea was extinguished, and running away from slavery is a capital crime. Cao Yan's immature and somewhat heroic face appeared in his mind, and Zheng Woxue's heart slowly calmed down. She sighed and reopened the booklet, taking the contents to heart little by little. Three days later, when the boat arrived at Taihu Lake, Zheng Woxue had already memorized the contents of the book. Before leaving the boat and landing on the shore, she tore the booklet to shreds, soaked it in a basin of water, and poured it into the river with the water, leaving no trace.