Outside the window, the night was getting darker, and Cao Yan sat at the desk in the West Room where he lived in a daze. Dinner is still in Chunruitang, but I don't remember what I ate, it's not that he's forgetful, but he doesn't know how to eat. I thought that it would be more than ten or twenty years before the defeat of the Cao family, but the silver truck parked in front of the Weaving Mansion this afternoon reminded him of another thing, that is, Cao Yin's death.

I remember seeing Cao Yin on the Red Science Forum in my last life as if he died of malaria in the fifty-first year of Kangxi, and there are still seven years to go. Before he died, Cao Yin's body was straddled because he was exhausted in order to pay off the treasury. According to various novels and wild history records, the household department should have recovered the deficit of the treasury before the abolition of the crown prince, and at the latest it was only the forty-seventh year of Kangxi, three years from now. Thinking of these, no matter how calm Rao is surname Cao is, he can't stand by and watch it coldly. Although the family relationship with Cao Yin's father and son is weak, he can't watch Cao Yin tragically die, and then think with peace of mind that this is history and there is no way to change it.

When Cao Yan was thinking about how to solve the Cao family's predicament, he heard someone say: "Uncle, if you are tired of reading, eat two lychees." The voice was soft, and it was Cao Yan's maid Huixin who brought an agate saucer, with a few peeled lychees on top and two small bamboo skewers next to it.

Cao Yan stretched out his hand to hold a small bamboo skewer, and put the lychee in his mouth for a moment, the juice was small and small, and his lips and teeth were fragrant: "It's very fresh, have you tasted it with the dark fragrance?" This year's listing is half a month earlier than every year, and the size is also large. ”

Hui Xin didn't speak, and the dark incense who came in to deliver the tea said: "The total is just such a small plate, more than a dozen, my sister and I will just take a look, I heard that it was sent to the house at noon, and the concubine who came from Guangzhou smiled, and she wanted to welcome the saint." ”

"As long as you talk a lot, it seems that we are greedy." Hui Xin smiled and was disgusted.

Dark fragrance pouted: "It's not for my sister, my sister loves lychees the most, and every year we have no less in the room, but this year there is no sister's share!" ”

Seeing that the lamp was dim, Hui Xin picked up the lampshade, twisted the lamp with small scissors, and said with a smile after cleaning it up: "What a child, what do you do when you say this, it's a joke for the uncle." Now this is rare, and even a few girls in the old lady's yard have not been shared, so what do we have to complain about. ”

Because it was night, Huixin and Dark Fragrance both took off their shoulders. Hui Xin is a light blue lake-colored jacket, with a green skirt tied underneath, and her sixteen-year-old figure already shows the grace of a girl. Goose egg face, Danfeng eyes, the corners of the eyes are slightly downward, no matter when you look at it, you are smiling. Huixin is not only delicate in appearance, but the most valuable thing is that the surname is gentle and considerate, and takes care of Cao Yan's daily life properly.

When I watched "Dream of Red Mansions" in my last life, although Cao Yan didn't like Qingwen's pungency, she didn't like the scheming of people. It just so happens that among the maids I met in this life, there happened to be Huixin and Cha Jing who were on the same two pairs, and I didn't like the two of them very much. In the post-contact, he left an honest Huixin and sent away the noisy citrine. After all, he is not the Baoyu in the book, he has no ** relationship with the maid in the room, and there is no jealousy of Sister Lin Bao in the house. Huixin is careful, quick to do things, and there are not many words, which is the most in line with Cao Yan's mind. Dark incense is two years younger than Huixin, and it was trained by Huixin, and learning from Huixin is also worry-free. It's just that this girl is sometimes too sincere, and in her eyes, I'm afraid that Huixin's sister is heavier than her master.

Looking at other storybooks, several personal maids are one of the protagonist's little wives, although he is a man, but in the face of the two little girls he watched grow up, he really can't have any bad thoughts. Thinking about it, Cao Yan didn't feel that his body was a little hot, and he remembered the scene of pestering with a woman in his previous life, but when he thought that his small body was only eleven, his mind was sober again, and then he heard Hui Xin say: "Uncle, uncle!" ”

"Well, how?" Cao Yan retracted his mind and asked.

Hui Xin picked up a piece of paper on the upper left side of the desk and handed it to Cao Yan: "This is sent by the girl after dinner, and it is said that it is someone who will be used by the guests at the banquet in a few days, and let the uncle see if the manpower is enough, so that it is easy to add or subtract." ”

The girl in Huixin's mouth refers to Cao Yan's sister Cao Yan, who only told Cao Yan about the banquet before dinner, and the list was sent after the meal, and it seems that it was planned early during the day.

Cao Yan looked at the list in his hand, all of them were familiar names, Cao Yan's qin, chess, calligraphy and painting naturally needless to say, as well as Cao Yi's side of the vanilla and aromatic tea (both citrine, changed after Cao Yi's name), the two around Cao Ying in Xifu, and the two in the old lady's room, the two in Li's room, even Cao Yan did not fall here, and the name of the dark fragrance was impressively listed. Fortunately, Cao Yan knew that this self-seeking was inseparable from Huixin, and left one for Cao Yan.

This Cao Yan knows how to employ people, so he uses them in every room, but he doesn't pretend to be fake. Thinking like this, Cao Yin seems to have just woken up from a big dream, he is a family, of course he doesn't go out when he has something, he thinks hard about the future of the Cao family, it is better to go to Cao Yin to explain it clearly.

"Uncle, it's okay, the girl Ming'er has to wait for a reply!" Megumi asked.

Cao Yan nodded, stood up, and pointed to the lychee on the table: "You eat it with the dark fragrance, peel the skin, it's not fresh after a long time, I'll go to the master's place!" ”

Hui Xin saw that Cao Yan got up to leave, and hurriedly stopped: "Uncle, if you want to go, you will also change your clothes first!" ”

Cao Yan then remembered that he was only wearing a middle coat, and it was okay in his room, but it was disrespectful to wear this to see his father. While talking, Hui Xin and Dark Xiang found a new set of clothes and put them on for Cao Yan. This is neither frivolous nor too solemn, just right.

The self-striking bell in the study hall rang "dangdang", Cao Yan looked at it, it was already four o'clock in the evening, that is, eight o'clock in the evening. Because of the recent incident, Cao Yin was busy in the study until midnight, so Cao Yin went directly to the study to find him.

In the distance, I saw a few small servants waiting at the door of the study, and the figures in the room were surging. Cao Yin knew that Cao Yin was deliberating, so he stayed under the corridor for a while. He waited until the people at the door of the study had dispersed before he walked over.

The little guy at the door saw Cao Yan coming, and hurriedly asked for peace: "Uncle is here, the slave will report!" ”

"Hu'er?" Cao Yin heard it in the room and asked with a little doubt. In the past few years, Cao Yan has always been indifferent to him as a father, not to mention taking the initiative to find him, how can he not be surprised.

"Yes, father, the son has come to greet his father!" Cao Yan said at the door.

Greetings at night, of course Cao Yin didn't believe it, knowing that his son had grown up since he was kidnapped that year, and when he came to him at night, there must be something, he looked at the bookshelf, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Well, come in!" ”

"I've seen my father, my father has been working hard recently, and I need to take care of my body!" Cao Yan entered the study and saluted in a proper manner.

Cao Yin was a little helpless, what could he do, inside and out, he had to make up his own mind about many things. Looking at Cao Yan, who was like a little adult, he felt a little regretful in his heart, if his son was born ten years early, he would definitely be his right-hand man now.

Although Liuli has it in her belly, she doesn't know whether it is a man or a woman, and what will happen to the Cao family in the future, it depends on the son in front of her. Thinking of this, Cao Yin's eyes were a little more loving: "Come over at night, is there anything wrong with Yan'er looking for a father?" ”

Cao Yan thought for a moment, his face was a little more solemn, and it was a little more difficult.

Cao Yin was very curious when he saw his son like this, not that he was boasting, his son was the most worry-free in recent years, although he was young, he had arranged his study and life properly, and now he was encountering any difficulties.

"Father, son just studied, there is something I don't understand." Cao Yan pondered for a long time before he spoke.

Although there are many things in his hands, it is rare for his son to show his son-in-law in front of him, and Cao Yin is also willing to solve his doubts, sitting behind the bookcase, and asking, "What's the matter?" Come on! ”

"Yes!" Cao Yan responded and began to speak: "In a certain year and month, the new emperor of a certain country ascended the throne, and everything was complicated, and there were countless places where the whole country needed to use silver. At that time, the annual tax was 50 or 60 million taels of silver, but when the new emperor needed to use the silver, he realized that there were only two or three silver left, and the rest was a deficit of officials at all levels. Speaking of this, he glanced at Cao Yin.

Cao Yin's face sank like water, and he listened carefully to Cao Yin's narration. Cao Yan continued: "The new emperor ordered the shortfall to be recovered, and found that an old general had lost millions of taels of silver. The old general was too short, his crime was punishable, but his feelings were pitiful, and he was actually a few birthday celebrations for the emperor in his early years. The law of the country is intolerable, the old general smashed the pot and sold iron, paid off the deficit, but for some reason the deficit came out again, and in the end he only ended up with a house, 'the burrow was empty, the wat was full of beds, the grass was withered, and it was a singing and dancing field'. This old general is loyal? Unfaithful? If you are loyal, why is the end so bleak; If you are unfaithful, in order to be able to disregard the safety of your family and grandchildren, you can do this! ”

Cao Yin broke out in a cold sweat on his head, looked at Cao Yin and said, "Why don't you understand?" ”

Cao Yan was still slow and reasonable, and explained it carefully: "My son doesn't understand two things, why the old general can't pay off the deficit, even if he pays it back today, Ming'er will come out again, this is one of them." ”

"Why hasn't he been able to make a deficit?" Cao Yin seemed to be talking to himself.

"yes, why so? The old general's family had been guarding the local area for many generations, and they were the most loyal to the country, and even political enemies could not discredit his loyalty. Cao Yin then Cao Yin arrived, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly: "Why does the old general know the truth of 'repaying debts', but still borrows the treasury every year, this is the second thing that my son is puzzled about. ”

There was silence in the room, and both father and son began to fall silent. After a while, I heard Cao Yin's slightly tired voice: "It's late at night, you go back to settle down first, let your father think about it, and see if you can solve my son's doubts." ”

"Yes, father, son is back!" Cao Yan saw that everything that should be said was said, and he went out in response, and he couldn't tell whether it was heavy or light.

When Cao Yin left, Cao Yin was very tired and looked indescribably depressed. Hearing the sound on the other side of the bookshelf, Zhuang Chang, the chief staff member of the Weaving Mansion, walked out of the secret room behind the bookshelf: "I didn't expect the eldest prince to have such knowledge!" ”

Cao Yin's face was full of loneliness: "I knew the truth of 'prosperity and decline', but I didn't expect that the Cao family looked like a flower, but it had entered a dead end." ”

Zhuang saw Cao Yin's expression and comforted: "Long live the Lord is the most generous to his courtiers, Brother Dongting doesn't have to worry too much about the shortfall, there is always something to make up." ”

Cao Yin smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Where can it be so easy, the first two shortfalls were nearly two million taels, and this time it is not less than one million taels." Even if it's a pawn house to sell land, I'm afraid it's not enough! ”

Zhuang Chang knew that all the grand occasions were sent by the treasury from all over the country, and then spent like flowing water, but they all had to be counted in Cao Yin's account. The "dead end" that Cao Yin is worried about can be deduced. The Cao family has been in Jiangnan for decades, and it is reasonable that the new emperor will not tolerate it after he ascends the throne. Isn't there a saying, "once a son of heaven is a courtier"? But the Cao family has been in charge of the Jiangnan General Administration for more than 40 years, and he is regarded as a confidant by the Long Live Lord, and he is especially relied on, and he can withdraw wherever he wants.