After the initial "run-in period", several officials above the household department began to have some appearances of performing their duties and working together, but the atmosphere in the yamen gradually became subtle.

It turns out that there are factions in those who are in charge, but this faction has been disrupted in the constantly changing personnel appointments, and the situation is somewhat chaotic. And now, the officials have arrived one after another, the interpersonal context has become clear, and the factional division has also been faintly revealed.

Cao Hao looked at it coldly and knew some reasons, but because of the different positions of the officials above, the officials below also began to stand in line.

Some of them like to tie up with their bosses and want to be reused and promoted; There are also some newly-promoted vacancies, and the vacancies of middle- and low-level officials vacated in the case of the household department's corruption of ink have probably been "sold" out by various forces, and those who have come in through one door have naturally stood in one place and become the exclusive relatives of certain forces.

There is also another part that is completely passive. Cao Hao saw someone being called over by the chief for questioning, and when he came out, his smile was very stiff, and when he turned his back, he had a sad face and sighed.

Among the court officials, there are also many who want to win over Cao Hao, such as Man Shangshu Mu and Lun. First, Cao Hao was not interested in taking refuge in any force; Again, I don't have a good impression of this Mu Helun. This Mu Helun has a fat head and big ears, a face full of meat, and a shy general's belly, no matter how you look at it, he doesn't look like a clean official. Su Yueli relied on the dignity of the Manshang book, and shouted at some Han officials. Cao Hao was very unaccustomed to it, so he naturally disdained to be with him.

As for Zhang Pengxi, the Han Shangshu, he has already tried the case of Kali's impeachment of Jiangnan officials twice, and although he did not obviously help Kali, he was faintly helping. Because he didn't say anything special to Cao Hao, Cao Hao naturally stayed away.

Later, in Cao Yin's family letter, Cao Hao was also reminded to beware of Zhang Pengxi, especially when the Cao family was still "short" in the household department.

The income of the pearl in May was indeed enough to pay off the debt, but Cao Yin did not pay off the deficit once. The Pearl Club itself is very eye-catching, if the Cao family pays off the deficit of up to one million immediately after the Pearl Club, wouldn't it be a declaration that the world has made a lot of money on pearls? It was a trivial matter if this business could not be saved, and there was a political struggle at that time, and it was even more difficult for the Cao family to be alone. Therefore, after Cao Yin and Cao Hao's father and son discussed, they were ready to quietly and slowly make up for the deficit in a few years.

This idea can be hidden from the household department, but it can't be hidden from Kangxi. Not to mention the word "monarch and minister", nor to mention the secret line of the political secretary, that is, Kangxi returned to Cao Yin's Zhu criticism, the sentence "The two Huai have many disadvantages and a lot of shortcomings, so it is necessary to try to make up for it, and it is good to have nothing to do during the term of office, and not to be negligent." Be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful! This grace is already to make Cao Yin grateful, how could he hide it from Kangxi if he had silver to pay off the deficit?

Cao Yin wrote a secret fold to Kangxi, and wrote the beginning and end of the Pearl Club to him one by one, which naturally had to mention his son Cao Hao, although it was written as simple as possible, but the pride that could not be concealed between the lines. This is completely the pride of a father's son Jackie Chan, and he didn't expect Kangxi to put his "capable" son in the household.

After Cao Yin received his son's letter, he thought about it for a long time, discussed it with his staff for a long time, and then replied to his son, taught him some ways to get along with people, and reminded him to pay attention to which things and which people.

As for the phenomenon of dividing parties and factions, in fact, it has existed in all dynasties. Although Cao Hao has just entered the official career, when he also helped Jiangning's father deal with some official affairs when he was recuperating from his illness, he also has some understanding of what is going on in the officialdom of the Qing Dynasty. Although it's not a left-right source, it's also a little troublesome.

The return of the team in the household yamen was disturbed for a while, and the situation was almost settled, so there was no chaos. It's just that when Kangxi asked Zhang Pengxi about the Jiangnan deficit case again, Zhang Pengxi didn't know for what purpose, and said that Jiangning local officials volunteered to deduct their labor year by year to make up for the shortfall.

Although this proposal was rejected by Kangxi, it still caused a lot of ripples in the household department and Jiangnan officialdom. Zhang Pengxi didn't obviously stand on anyone's side this time, and he didn't know who this stick was going to smash on, and there was simply disrupting the situation. The officials involved in the inspection on the side of the household department all muttered, and some restless people were about to move.

Fortunately, with Shi Shilun, a squire who has been a royal historian, most people don't dare to tear each other down too much even if they are opposed, and the affairs of the ordinary are still carried out in an orderly manner.

When Shi Shilun was the Yin of Shuntian Mansion, he had some contact with Cao Hao because of the attack on the Cao family, and he had a very good impression of Cao Hao. Working together at this time, although they did not take any care of Cao Hao, they did not have such strict requirements for others.

Cao Hao knew that Shi Shilun had always disliked the powerful, and although he was not a gentleman, the word "powerful" could not be erased. Originally, I was a little worried that Shi Shilun would not look down on him and deliberately make things difficult, but later found that Shi Shilun treated him quite leniently, secretly wondering, but he also put his mind at ease.

Since November, Cao Hao has encountered the busiest period. Due to the disaster in Fujian, 150,000 stones of rice from Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Cao were to be intercepted and transported to relief, and the work of the ministry began to be busy. As soon as he got off work, Cao Hao rushed home as soon as possible and had dinner with Cao Yi and Cao Song in Kwai Courtyard, wanting to get together again before his sister got married.

Cao Yi's wedding date is November 22, and all the dowries have been prepared, just waiting for the Jueluo family to marry.

Because of the face of the Jueluo family, Cao Hao was reluctant to be too public, except for the dowry that his parents had prepared in the south, so that Amethyst added things that were both applicable and not extravagant.

In addition to those dowries, Cao Hao also asked He Maocai to buy a small village of 20 hectares of land in Changping, which can be regarded as a wedding field. Not counting the barren mountain hot springs, there are three granges under his name, one is the one that the Sun Taijun first married to the Cao family, one is the one given by the sixteenth elder brother last year, and the other is rewarded by Kangxi, but they all have their own sayings, and it is not suitable to be transferred, so they specially bought 20 hectares.

Because Li was not in Beijing, Cao Jia, as the eldest sister, naturally took the role of a mother, and took her sister over several times to teach some marriage.

* On November 15, the holy driver will go to the temporary shrine and filial piety tomb, and the second elder brother Yinren, the fifth elder brother Yinqi, the seventh elder brother Yinyou, the eighth elder brother Yinyu, the fifteenth elder brother Yinlu, and the sixteenth elder brother Yinlu will accompany him.

On the second day of the Holy Drive, the fourth elder brother appeared in the courtyard of the household.

Cao Hao didn't know if he was here to inspect the work or for something else. Because of the fourteenth, Kangxi belittled Shi Wengui, the waiter of the warehouse, for being weak and incompetent, and said that the warehouse affairs were the most important, so he awarded Shi Shilun as the waiter of the warehouse, and transferred Shi Wengui to make up for Shi Shilun's lack and became the right waiter of the household.

This Shi Wengui is the uncle of the crown princess, and was used by Kangxi with the word "weak and incompetent", and the ministers couldn't help but figure out the sacred heart. Cao Hao is also inevitably vulgar, and discussed this matter with Mr. Zhuang for a long time in private. With the appearance of the fourth elder brother at this time, it is difficult for Cao Hao not to think about the issue of seizing the heir.

The fourth elder brother didn't make any moves, only patrolled for a week as usual, and when he saw Cao Hao, he asked lightly: "Are you familiar with the errand?" ”

Cao Hao replied: "It's almost there. ”

The fourth elder brother only nodded, and left without any more words, leaving the second monk Cao Hao and Zhangzhang confused, and he didn't know what he meant after thinking for a long time. Presumably to let himself do a good job in the future, so that he can use it in the future? Cao Hao had to think so.

* As the wedding date approached, the smile on Cao Yi's face became less and less, and the amount of food became smaller and smaller.

Cao Song was very arrogant, how could he find this? Cao Hao looked at her, somewhat similar to the panic when she entered Beijing last year, and she understood her thoughts a little.

At this time, the emphasis is on "the water spilled by the married daughter", although Mrs. Jueluo and Seshtu seem to be kind and generous people, but after all, they are not family members who have been together for many years. For the upcoming married life, Cao Yi is looking forward to it with anxiety and trepidation, right? He persuaded twice, but Cao Yi was just silent, and he didn't know if he heard it.

On this day, for dinner, Cao Yi ate very little. Even Cao Song noticed that something was wrong, and asked Cao Yi, "Third sister, isn't the food appetizing?" ”

Cao Yi smiled and shook his head: "I'm not hungry!" ”

Cao Song looked at Cao Yi's rice bowl with wide eyes, but only then did he go to the point: "I only ate two bites, it's like cat food, how can I not be hungry?" He still wanted to say more, but the jade cicada came over and replied, saying that Mama Zhang asked the second master if he had eaten well, and if he had eaten well, he asked the second master to go back.

Although Cao Song was impatient, after all, he was his mother's nurse, and he ate most of the bowl of rice in two bites, said goodbye to his brothers and sisters, and went back to Huaiyuan first.

Looking at Cao Yi's already sharp chin, Cao Hao frowned slightly, turned around and instructed Zhu'er, who was waiting beside him, to say, "Go and warm a bowl of ** for the girl!" ”

Cao Yi looked at Cao Hao uneasily and muttered, "Brother, Ping'er is not hungry!" ”

After a while, Zhu'er brought a bowl of milk. Cao Hao handed it to Cao Yi with his own hands, watched her drink, and instructed Chunya behind her: "Starting tomorrow, prepare a bowl for the girl in the morning and evening, whether she has eaten or not, don't pull it down!" ”

Chunya secretly looked at Cao Yi and leaned down.

"Brother!" Cao Yi knew that his brother was very busy on an errand now, and he was tired of worrying about himself, so he couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

Seeing her lower her head, Cao Hao stretched out his hand and rubbed her hair vigorously: "Silly girl, flesh and blood, blood and blood, are you out of the house, aren't you the Cao family, aren't you my sister?"

"Brother......" Cao Yi couldn't help but reddened when she heard Cao Hao's words: "Brother, Ping'er is afraid!" As he spoke, tears flowed.

Cao Hao waved his hand, sent Zhu'er and Chunya, who were waiting next to him, to retreat, and then took a handkerchief and wiped Cao Yi's tears: "With my brother here, what are you afraid of?" It's just a marriage, if Seshtu dares to bully you, tell me to teach him a lesson! Look at him like that, but he is not my opponent, I will keep beating him obediently! ”

As soon as he spoke, Cao Yi burst into tears and laughed, tilted his head to look at his brother and said: "My brother is now a civil official, and he looks the most gentle, why do you still want to fight?" ”

Cao Hao touched his chin: "Ping said that Sven is okay, if my sister is bullied, then let Sven go to hell!" ”

Cao Yi smiled: "Brother is so good! Speaking of this, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but bend down, and he said with red eyes: "Brother, I miss my mother and father!" ”

Although Cao Yin's body is better, after all, he is old and has errands, so he is not suitable for a long journey. The Li family has to take care of the housekeeper and take care of her husband and Gao Taijun, where can she get out? A few days ago, I specially sent someone to send a letter to the capital, but I couldn't come to send my daughter to get married.

Cao Hao gently persuaded: "If you think about your parents, you should take good care of yourself." Aren't they elders looking forward to us doing well as children? Although Jiangning is farther from Beijing, the road is relatively smooth. I think Mrs. Jue Luo is a reasonable person, and she is good to you. When you become a daughter-in-law, treat her as a parent and honor her well! She feels sorry for you, and naturally understands your feelings of missing your parents, and she will not stop you from coming out! At that time, it won't be a big deal for you to take your brother-in-law back to Jiangning! ”

After listening to the previous words, Cao Yi kept nodding his head; When he heard the mention of "daughter-in-law" and "brother-in-law" in the back, he was so ashamed that he couldn't sit still, so he said twice and quit.

Cao Hao relieved his sister, and he was in a good mood, so he ate half a bowl of rice with the dishes that had not yet cooled.

Zhu'er and Cui'er saw Cao Yi go out, picked up the curtain and came in to wait, and saw Cao Hao eating cold dishes, so they hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Uncle, wait for it to be hot before eating!" ”

Cao Hao put down his chopsticks and waved his hand: "I'm already full, but it's your sister Amethyst's side, I'm busy with the girl's dowry list these days, and I don't have time to go back to the courtyard here to eat." Remember to make up for the kitchen, and send it over. ”

Although Cao Yi's marriage is November 22, according to the etiquette procedures at this time, it is often the arrangement of the first three and the second and second five: the first is to add a box; the second is to give makeup; the third is to hire a woman (that is, a man to marry); The fourth and fifth are celebrated. In these five days, the woman should hold a feast and entertain relatives and friends.

Although the Cao family is not in Beijing, there are many relatives and friends, and now Cao Hao is in charge here, even those princes' mansions are looking at the face of Pingjun Wangfu and Chun Wangfu, and they also have to come to socialize.

Since November 20, Cao Hao has asked for leave in the ministry and started to hold his sister's wedding. Fortunately, there are regulations to follow, and with the help of the Ping Wangfu, everything is in order.

Although Vanilla was reluctant to Cao Yi, considering that she was old and it was not suitable to be a dowry maid, she still listened to her mother's intention and stayed in Cao's house. In addition to Chunya, Xia Fu, Qiu Xuan and Dong Zhi, the four who were waiting for the marriage, Amethyst also chose two honest couples to accompany the marriage.

On November 22, in the sound of firecrackers, Cao Yi wore a red hijab and was helped onto a sedan chair.

After the firecrackers were set off, the red confetti was all over the ground, and Cao Hao stood outside the gate, watching his sister's sedan chair leave, his eyes were sour.

(To be continued)