seven steps

Reprimand

Yinhu obediently went to the secret room to wait for Yinzhen at night, of course.He also has something to say.After waiting for a while, Yinzhen came in.

"Why, you were well-behaved then, and you're here early." Yinzhen's tone was not good, seeing that Yinhu's head was still covered with wounds, he couldn't hold back his tone.

"It's such a big thing, can my brother not come, no matter what, I have to come and apologize to my fourth brother." Yinhu laughed.

"Apologize? What do you have to apologize for? It's not your fault."

"Anyway, it's because I didn't take care of that bastard, Old Ten." Yinhu sighed as he spoke.

"This is beyond your control. Even Huang Ama can't do anything about him, let alone you. However, I think this matter is definitely not something that Lao Shi came up with by himself." Yinzhen then said He snorted coldly, did he really think he didn't know?Although the old ten's temper is a bit anxious, there must be a military adviser behind him.It was really good to hit two birds with one stone, and it got him and the prince involved.

Yinhu smiled apologetically and said, "I know that the fourth brother is the most delicate and exquisite, and I can't hide anything from the fourth brother. I also know that this is not something that the old ten can think of, and it is all caused by the old nine. Don't be angry, the fourth brother. You also know Lao Jiu's temper. He often doesn't distinguish between right and wrong when doing things. I've told him several times, but it's useless. Fortunately, he's all about business, which is fine."

Yinzhen frowned and said, "The situation is not clear now, so don't let them go too much. I know you love them, so you can't really kill them. By doing this, the old ten obviously got me and the prince involved. That's all, it's also Huang Ama's will, he can't really punish me, but the old nine and ten will be hated by the prince, it's really not a smart choice."

"I was also worried about this, so I came to look for the fourth brother."

Yinzhen shook his head, "It's not that I don't help, but that I'm also in this muddy pit now. I have the will and powerlessness. Now Huang Ama has a lot of opinions on me. If I say something, I'm afraid I won't be able to help but will hurt you." killed them."

Yinhu naturally knew that Yinzhen would not tell lies to himself, and now Yinzhen is considered a mud bodhisattva crossing the river, if he really said anything else, I am afraid that the old nine and ten will really suffer.

In Yuqing Palace, sitting in front of the prince was a tall, thin, bearded man.This person was wearing a gray long gown, with a string of large bodhi seed beads on his hands, and his eyes were sharp, which made people feel a bit nondescript.

The prince sat on the main seat, with a hint of sternness in his eyes, he only heard him say, "This old ten is so harmful to the orphan, I think it is because he is too cheap on weekdays. No matter how you say, the orphan is the prince, how can he be bullied?" .”

The person on the opposite side was playing with the Buddha beads in his hand, and said, "Don't worry, the prince. You are the prince anyway. Since brother ten is making such a fuss, let's make it bigger. I heard that there is someone from Jiangnan Cao The family owed a lot of silver."

After hearing this, something flashed in the prince's eyes, but the corner of his mouth curled into a calculating smile. "You're a smart one, and I don't think I value you in vain. You go down first, I know what to do."

Hearing what the prince said, the man got up and went out.The prince called the personal eunuch beside him to his mouth, and whispered a few words, the eunuch finished listening, and immediately said, "I understand. After finishing speaking, I went out."

The Jiangning Weaving Mansion existed in the previous dynasties. Both the Ming and Qing Dynasties set up bureaus in Jiangning to weave silk fabrics needed by the court.Ming was in charge of the admiral weaving eunuch.Still in the early Qing Dynasty.During the Shunzhi period, it was managed by the Ministry of Household dispatchers, but it was still under the eunuch's thirteen yamen, and dispatched persons every year.In the second year of Kangxi (1663), the Ministry of Internal Affairs sent staff to serve for a long time.The title was initially called "Jiangnan weaving doctor", and later changed to "Jiangning weaving doctor" (or Yuanwai Lang).Cao Xi was the first doctor.His son Yin also held this position. When Cao was an official, he often reported the situation in various places in secret, which was actually the eyes and ears of Emperor Kangxi.

Because Jiangning Weaving is mostly held by the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Eight Banners, who is a close friend of the emperor, it is called "Jiangning Weaving Department". Its status is second only to the governor of Liangjiang, and it is more trusted by the emperor. So powerful.Moreover, the silk weaving industry in Jiangning has a long and excellent tradition since the previous dynasty. Today, Jiangning City alone has more than 3 looms, about 20 male and female workers, and more than 200 residents relying on the silk weaving industry for their livelihood. The annual output value reaches [-] million taels of silver.Not only that, the silk of Jiangning Weaving Mansion is only used by the emperor, princes and ministers.To put it bluntly, it is a fat and oily job.

Cao Yin has already entered Beijing because of this debt repayment.Now he is living in the ancestral house of the Cao family.That eunuch came to look for Cao Yin.

Although Cao's family went to Jiangning with their family now, the ancestral house in the capital has never been abandoned, and it is still magnificent. As soon as the eunuch stopped at the door, someone came to ask which master sent it.The little eunuch didn't speak, only showing his badge.The concierge understood, and said, "Grandfather, wait a moment, the younger one will report now." After speaking, he trotted in.

After a while, he came back and asked the little eunuch to go in.The Cao Mansion has a large area, and the design of the inner courtyard is also quite particular.The little eunuch followed the porter around and walked around for a while before arriving at the study.

"The master is in the study, it's not easy for the younger ones to go in, please forgive me."

The eunuch nodded, then went straight to the study.When he reached the door and knocked on the door, he heard Cao Yin's voice, "Please come in."

"Master Cao, this servant is paying his respects to Master Cao."

"Elder-in-law please, you are a person close to the crown prince, how can I accept your gift." Cao Yin is now old, and his braid is also mixed with white hair.There are also many wrinkles on the face.Back then, Cao Yin and Nalan were the most handsome among the palace guards, but now they are not forgiving.

"Lord Cao is joking, if the crown prince hears this, he will scold the servant for no reason."

Cao Yin smiled.He stroked his beard with his hand and said, "Eunuch, please sit down and talk. I don't know that Eunuch is here today, but what can the Crown Prince ask me to do?"

The eunuch also sat down generously. Seeing Cao Yin asked once, he said, "Where is the order? The crown prince heard that Mr. Cao was also being pushed hard, so he sent his servants to send Mr. Cao some self-contained food." Silver, so that Mr. Cao can get over this difficulty." As he spoke, he took out a thick stack of banknotes.How could Cao Yin expect that the crown prince would give him silver coins. This stack of silver coins is all in the face value of 100 taels, and by visual estimation, there are 1 taels here.

Cao Yin is a member of Kangxi, so he naturally knew that the money could not be accepted.He said, "The father-in-law should return the money to the prince for me. I definitely can't accept it. The prince lives in the palace and doesn't have much money. Even if the old slave is forced to kill himself, he can't ask the prince to pay back the money for me." .”

Seeing what he said, the eunuch laughed in his heart, only to feel that his master really had a clever plan.What Cao Yin said was exactly as the master expected.It's just that on the surface, "Isn't Mr. Cao embarrassing the slave? If the slave goes back like this, he will be reprimanded by the prince for doing things badly."

"Eunuch, don't worry, I will explain to the prince myself."

"It's just that Mr. Cao doesn't accept the money now. How can he pay back the money tomorrow? Is Mr. Cao really going to do something stupid?"

Cao Yin frowned, didn't say anything, and said after a while, "Eunuch, go back first, I won't send any more."

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, the little eunuch hurriedly said, "I dare not trouble Mr. Cao" and went back.

In Yuqing Palace, the crown prince was waiting for news from him, seeing him coming back, he hurriedly asked, "How is it?"

The little eunuch knelt down and said, "The crown prince is wise, and Mr. Cao's reaction was exactly as the crown prince expected. He didn't take money at all, and only said that there was a way. I think this is going to make trouble with Long Live Lord again."

The prince sneered and said, "It's better to make trouble in the past, I'm afraid that he won't make trouble."

The next day, Kangxi just returned to Qianqing Palace, and before he had time to change his court clothes, Li De said with an ugly face, "Long live Lord, Mr. Cao hanged himself in the mansion this morning, and he was rescued by someone." It’s gone, and it’s still lying in the mansion now.”

"What! What's going on?" Kangxi frowned, one episode after another, all acting together.But no matter what, Cao Yin was his former attendant and grew up together, and now he is someone he can use, so naturally he can't hope for anything to happen.

Li Dequan saw that Kangxi's anger was getting up in an instant, so he had no choice but to truthfully say, "I heard that it's because the repayment is due today, but it's really not enough. It's a last resort..."

"Nonsense! Come on, go to Cao's mansion!" Li Dequan hurriedly ordered to go down, and then waited for Kangxi to change his clothes.You can't go there in court clothes, no.

Before Kangxi came to the Cao Mansion, Li Dequan ordered someone to pass on the message, so Kangxi, on the other hand, had everyone kneeling at the door of the Cao Mansion. "Take me to see your master."

The leader, a middle-aged man in brocade, said yes immediately.This person was Cao Yin's attendant, and when Cao Yin became the head of the family, he also became the housekeeper, so Kangxi also knew him.

After the housekeeper took Kangxi away, he made everyone retreat, closed the door, and guarded the door by himself.

Seeing that Cao Yin was still lying on the bed, Kangxi walked over.Cao Yin wanted to greet Kangxi, but was held down by Kangxi.

Kangxi's anger still persisted, "Everyone of you will live in peace, and I will live in peace!"

Cao Yin said in a low voice, "Yes, it's all slaves that make the emperor bother."

Kangxi sighed and said, "You tell me, what is it that makes your Cao family have to borrow money from the Ministry of Accounts, and you can't pay it back? Don't pretend that I don't know, your Cao family is one of the most wealthy in the court." People."

Cao Yin seemed to have something to hide. When Kangxi saw it, he said again, "Tell me, there are only you and me here. No matter what you say, I will forgive you for your innocence."

Cao Yin shed tears when he heard this. "Your Majesty, thank you for your kindness. My Majesty, I know what kind of family my family is. I am not exaggerating. In the past, this money was not enough for the Cao family. But now the Cao family is really just empty air. I dare not The reason for this is that all the money of the Cao family has been spent on the emperor these years."

"On me?"

"Long live, when you go to the south of the Yangtze River, you often live in the Cao family. This is a blessing that the Cao family can't ask for in eight lifetimes, but every time you pick up the driver, no matter how small the cost is, it is a huge sum. This is a last resort. Long live, The Cao family had to go to the household department to borrow money twice later, but who would have thought that they would not be able to pay. The slaves can’t tell, but they still can’t pay, so they had to seek death to seek relief.”

Kangxi didn't speak, but only looked at Cao Yin, seeing that he was no longer young, so he said in a deep voice, "I see. Please rest."

When Kangxi returned to the palace, he called Yinzhen to the palace.Ask Li Dequan to bring a box.

"This is my personal silver, and there is 3 taels in it, which I returned to the household department on behalf of Cao Yin."

Yinzhen was startled and said, "Huang Ama, is this wrong?"

"Inappropriate! What kind of trouble do you have to make before you give up! How many old officials have been forced to do nothing, why are you so eager for quick success and quick benefits, you have no humanity at all! You go back and think about your mistakes behind closed doors, don't bother with this matter anymore! You will be fined for one year The salary right is the money owed by those old ministers. Go back."

Seeing Kangxi like this, Yinzhen had no choice but to agree, and went back to Sibeile's mansion, telling Gao Wuyong that no one would be seen when he came.It is only said that it is for self-cultivation and self-cultivation.

I'm at work, so tired!