On the morning of March 13, Cao Hao followed his father to Zhaojia Mansion to visit his in-law, Shangshu Marhan, the former military department.

Marhan is already an octogenarian, and he still looks energetic, but because of the back of his ears, he speaks louder than before, for fear that the other party will not hear.

He is a member of the Shunzhi Dynasty, who has been in office for more than 50 years, and only a few years ago he was begging for old age and illness. Although he has been a civil official for most of his life, he is most proud of his early years when he was a commander of the cavalry, and with the transfer from the Yangwei general Amida, from Jiangning to defeat the Shaanxi Governor Wang Fuchen who rebelled against Wu Sangui.

At that time, it was Cao Hao's grandfather Cao Xi who prepared logistics salaries for them in Jiangning.

"Wang Fuchen entrenched in Xiliang and rebelled against Wu Sangui, and the entire northwest was in chaos. It took us a few months to march thousands of miles to Shaanxi, except for the general Amida, who is the deputy commander......" Marhan sat on the kang, said this, a little confused, pressed the cigarette pot in his hand, looked at Cao Yin, who was sitting at the bottom, and asked.

These old things, and the past forty or fifty years, where will Cao Yin know? Just as he didn't know how to answer, he heard Fengde, who stepped forward to light a cigarette for Marhan, whispered: "Grandpa, it's Ekejiha and Mu Shuhui!" ”

Feng De is the eldest grandson of Marhan, who was a classmate of Cao Song in his early years, and was two years older than Cao Hao. His father went to the ministry on an errand, and he and his younger brother Feng Che served as pen stickers in the ministry, and now he is just resting, so he takes care of his grandfather at home.

Marhan didn't hear clearly, poked his ear out, and asked, "Who?" Qiha Suhun, whose kid is that? ”

Feng De lit a cigarette pot for Marhan, glanced at Cao Yin with a little guilt, raised his voice and said, "Grandpa, didn't you follow the two deputy capitals of Ekejiha and Mu Shuhui to attack the city back then?" ”

Marhan heard it clearly this time, took a puff of cigarette, squinted his eyes and nodded, and said to Cao Yin and Cao Hao: "Yes, it is to follow the deputy capital commander Ekejiha and Mu Shuhui, and march from Jingzhou, and repeatedly break the fortress along the way, beheading hundreds of people, and ...... in Keningzhou" Speaking of this, he fell into a kind of contemplation, and did not move for a long time, like a wooden statue.

Feng De saw that his grandfather was so snub to his relatives, his face was a little embarrassed, and he whispered to Cao Yin: "Uncle Cao, grandpa is not sincere and lazy, it was okay a few years ago, and it was convenient to speak; Since the beginning of winter last year, my grandfather has often remembered the events of his early years. When I met someone, I pulled it to talk, and halfway through the talk, I didn't know what to think. ”

Cao Yin waved his hand and said, "It's not in the way, people are old, it's all like this, as the eldest grandson, you have to take care of your grandfather carefully." ”

Feng De replied, and Cao Yin said to Marhan: "Boss, you have a good rest, and the younger generation will come to visit again!" ”

"Greedy boy, it's that kid who is mischievous, is it Fengde, or Fengche?" Marhan lowered his face and asked Cao Yin seriously.

It was Feng De who stepped forward to persuade his grandfather, saying that the guests were leaving. Marhan understood a little at this time, nodded, and said to Cao Yin: "If you are busy, go back, change your leisure, and talk again." Your daughter-in-law...... Your daughter-in-law has a daughter? Is it a full moon? ”

Cao Yin glanced at Cao Hao and replied: "Boss, the younger daughter-in-law has added a male grandson, who is already half a year old, and will bring it over to you to kowtow when he is older!" ”

"Male grandson? Brat? Marhan shook his head and said, "No, no, it's obviously a girl." When I was working as a langzhong in the household department, I happened to have one in the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the same year, and I heard that I also made a special trip to order a lot of things to be sent, all of which were personally ordered by the Lord Banzai...... This gift is indispensable, and I will order someone to prepare a copy tomorrow......"

These words were reversed, and Cao Yin's father and son were puzzled.

Feng De saw that his grandfather was getting more and more unscored, and hurriedly said to Cao Hao: "Fu Ruo, this is really sorry, I told my grandfather early tomorrow, you added a kid, I really don't know how his old man remembers." ”

Hey, it seems that although Marhan looks a little tough, he is really a little confused. Cao Yin and Cao Hao got up and said goodbye to the old man.

Marhan looked at Cao Yin and said: "This thing is really strange, come to think of it, Long Live Lord really didn't take Dongting as an outsider......"

Cao Yin's heart moved, and he asked, "Boss, what's so strange, why don't you talk to the juniors?" ”

Marhan was slightly stunned, closed his eyes casually, and muttered: "I can't say it, I can't say it......

After a while, everyone heard the snoring, and the old man sat down and fell asleep.

Feng De first confessed to Cao Yin's father and son, and then stepped forward, gently smoked a cigarette pouch from his grandfather's hand, took a pillow, and helped his grandfather lie down.

After Marhan was settled, Feng De sent Cao Yin and his son out, and said to them apologetically: "Grandfather looks in good spirits, and most of the whole day is sleeping. ”

Cao Yin is also a sixty-year-old person, thinking of the ministers of the early years of the Kangxi Dynasty, few of them have a good end, and there are even fewer who can retire like Marhan, and I can't help but feel embarrassed.

Cao Hao felt that Fengde was quite reborn, which was completely different from the swinger who led his younger brothers and cousins around. In the end, because it is bigger, it is much more stable, and it has faded away from the arrogance of youth.

Feng De saw Cao Hao looking at him, remembered Cao Songlai, and asked, "Fu Ruo, when did my aunt and Xiao Er go to Beijing?" It's good if it's cooler, but if it's summer, you can suffer on the road. ”

Cao Hao remembered what his mother Li had said before, and replied: "If it is earlier, in May and June, and later in July and August, how can I go to Beijing around the beginning of autumn!" ”

Feng De smiled: "That's a good feeling, Xiao Er was too in a hurry a few years ago, so I met once, and it will be fine in the future." My aunt brought her cousins and cousins into Beijing, and it was cheap to go back and forth. It's like you, what are you doing in that ravine, go back to Beijing as soon as possible! Speaking of this, he lowered his voice and said in a low voice: "If it is really as outsiders say, there is any way to make a fortune, remember not to forget to pull your brother." As he spoke, he squeezed his eyes.

At this moment, the stability of the eldest son and grandson was dispersed, and he returned to the appearance of a naughty child.

Cao Hao saw that when he mentioned the silver, his eyes lit up, and he was very funny, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "I can save it, I can save it, if there is really such a day, I will come to look for you first." ”

As he spoke, out of the gate, Cao Yuan had already led someone to park Cao Yin's carriage here. Cao Hao helped his father on the horse, rode with him, said goodbye to Fengde, and returned to Cao's mansion.

Thinking of Marhan, who was already old and confused, Cao Hao recalled that when Cao Song was in Beijing in his early years, when he fought with several cousins in the academy, Marhan taught his grandchildren a lesson. This is only three or four years of hard work, but for the twilight of the elderly, it is a earth-shaking change.

Thinking of this, Cao Hao turned his head to look at his father's carriage, and there was always a time when his father and mother would be like this, like children, and they needed to be coaxed by their juniors.

At this moment, Cao Yin, sitting in the carriage, was in turmoil in his heart, and he always felt that there seemed to be something in Marhan's words that he didn't know.

In his early years, Marhan did serve as the head of the household department, which was from the twenty-eighth year of Kangxi to the thirty-third year of Kangxi. In the thirty-third year of Kangxi, he was promoted to a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, and then moved to the military department.

Moreover, Cao Yin still remembers that after the birth of the eldest daughter Cao Yan, there was indeed a reward in Beijing.

At that time, it was only because of the affection of the old lady of the Sun family, and it was Cao Yin's first child, so Long Live Lord would pay more attention to it. Thinking about it now, he seems to have a faint feeling that something is wrong.

Thinking of the end, the answer was very absurd, Cao Yin shook his head, unable to believe these speculations, afraid that he had thought too much.

After returning to Cao's house, Cao Yin went to the study in the front yard, and Cao Hao went back to the inner house to change clothes. Since he was going to have a drink with Nalan Fusen in the next day, there was no need to dress so solemnly, so he found light clothes and put them on.

Seeing that Chu Yu's complexion was fine, Cao Hao relaxed slightly.

Yesterday when she came back from the palace, although she was still smiling in front of her mother-in-law, she sat in a daze when she returned to Wutong Garden. It wasn't until Cao Hao went back that her spirits improved.

Cao Hao thought that she was worried about the disagreement between Hongshu and Hongzhuo brothers, and comforted: "Don't worry, I told Hongshu to let him find an opportunity to reconcile with Hongzhuo!" ”

Chu Yu thought that her husband was comforting herself, and said with a sigh: "Hongshu has always been the stupidest, and Hongzhuo is stubborn, where can the two of them be okay for a while?" ”

Cao Hao patted his chest and said with a smile: "I will be the military advisor to Hongshu, what else are you worried about?" No matter how stubborn Hongzhuo is, he's just a half-grown child. ”

Seeing her husband say this, Chu Yu also felt a little relieved, originally she also wanted to talk to Cao Hao about this, and asked her husband to help her two younger brothers be peacemakers.

Although those things in the palace should not be nagged with her husband, but after being settled at night, Chu Yu still couldn't help but tell Cao Hao what he saw and heard when he returned to the province.

Regarding the actions of King Chun Fujin, Cao Hao did not say anything. Although emotionally speaking, he is more inclined to the side of the Fu Jin Na La, but he also has some sympathy for that Yan Fu Jin.

Although there is an element of calculation Hongshu in this behavior, in the final analysis, she wants to rely on something. There is no biological son, and the concubine who is not close will become the heir of the palace, and the mother of the concubine is her opponent who has been fighting openly and secretly all her life, how can she not be apprehensive? If you want to meddle in Hongshu's family affairs, you have already arranged for your niece to be Hongshu's side room, also for the sake of the future barrier.

Chu Yu knew that her husband didn't like to talk about right and wrong behind her back, and she also brushed aside the entanglement between her mother-in-law and her biological mother. Despite this, Cao Hao still heard the hesitation in her words, and was relieved.

* At the second quarter of the first month (half past one in the afternoon), Nalan Fusen sent someone to invite Cao Hao.

Because of the late start of the afternoon, Cao Hao didn't know how long everyone had to eat, so he told Chu Yu to go to bed early when he was tired, and he didn't have to wait for him to come back.

After leaving Wutong Garden, I went to the Lanyuan to talk to my mother, and after looking at my son Tianyou, Cao Hao left the house and followed the head of the Nalan family to the place where he ate and drank.

After asking on the way, Cao Hao knew that the place he was going to was the restaurant set by Li Ding.

The pavilion is not far from Caofu, on the shore of Shicha Sea, it is a slightly secluded courtyard. From the outside, it doesn't look like an ordinary person, but it looks cleaner.

After the shadow wall, there are four main rooms with three lights and one dark, and there are three wing rooms in each of the east and west. On the left side of the main house, there is a hidden door, it seems that there is a hole in it, but I don't know if it is a garden or an inner house.

There are a few plantain plants in front of the house, and there are two and a half feet of fish tanks in the yard, with swaying golden scales, looking very leisurely.

Although it looks elegant, it is not unusual, but Cao Hao has an inexplicable sense of familiarity in his heart.

The movement outside had already been heard in the house, and Nalan Fusen and Li Ding greeted them with a smile.

"Big Brother Fussen, cousin!" Cao Hao met the two of them and entered the house with them.

The three rooms without partitions look very bright, but Cao Hao can't help but feel touched. Because of the layout of this room, the placement of potted plants, and the chessboard in the corner, it looks very familiar, and it is somewhat similar to the forest in Jiangning Lane when he was back.

Nalan Fusen smiled and said: "If Fu Ruo looks stupid, my brother is too, such an elegant place, who would have thought that it was a restaurant?" ”

Because it was Li Dingxun's place, he acted as half of the master, invited Nalan Fusen and Cao Hao to sit down, and then said to Nalan Fusen with a smile: "Brother Nalan is too underestimated Furuo. Speaking of which, this kind of private restaurant was still made up by Fu Ruo when he was a teenager. ”

"Oh?" Nalan Fusen was a little surprised, and said to Cao Hao with a little admiration: "Su said that he only knows that Fu Ruo is stable, and he still knows these things about his livelihood, which is really admirable." ”

Cao Hao smiled and waved his hand, and said: "I don't dare to be a big brother's compliment, it's just a fool's errand when I was a child, where is the serious matter?" ”

Li Ding's attitude towards Cao Hao at the moment was a little closer than before, and he said to Cao Hao with a smile: "I'm ashamed to say it, I didn't want to invite Brother Nalan and my cousin here. I didn't hide it from my cousin, saying that this was a restaurant opened by a steward of my cousin's family, and it had been open for more than a year. In his early years, he followed his father to Jiangning, and went to his cousin's restaurant, so he painted the tiger according to the cat, and made such a four dislikes, but it was a little unkind. ”

(To be continued)