Chapter 160: The Birthday Day

Jiangning, Qingliang Temple, Abbot Hall.

Looking at a big dragon on the chessboard that was about to collect the palace, Cao Yin was very content. Abbot Huikong, who was sitting opposite him, saw that there was no chance of turning around on the chessboard, put the chess piece in his hand back into the Gu, nodded and said, "Donor Cao, he is more leisurely and comfortable!"

Cao Yin was wearing a long blue silk cloth suit and a pair of thousand-layer soles of the same color. He looked like an ordinary scholar, but he didn't look like a noble and honorable minister. Although he was still thin, he looked very good.

After hearing Huikong's words, Cao Yin nodded and said, "I have lived for more than fifty years, and I know what it means to be truly at ease!" Speaking of this, he couldn't help but fall into distant memories.

From the beginning of my memory, my parents taught me that I should be "the emperor's kindness" and "loyalty to the emperor". He was stronger than children of the same age since childhood, and loved reading and writing very much, hoping that he would make achievements in knowledge when he grew up. Among all the companions who entered the palace at that time, he was the youngest, but his homework was the best, and he was praised as a "child prodigy". Even older, he was good at piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. At the age of sixteen, after finishing his study, he was selected as the imperial guard. He was also a man who was good at poetry and writing, and was good at lyrics and music, but he lost his spirituality in the powerful field.

He was also excited to see the emperor whom he met since childhood, abandoning Oboi and moving to the peak of the emperor step by step. In his heart, he admired and grateful to Kangxi, willingly abandoning his ideals and offering all his loyalty to the emperor who treated him like a brother.

After the prosperity faded, most of the life passed.

He was burdened with a deficit of millions of taels and his family paid off his debts, but he did not regret it; he did not regret it when the prince was deposed; he was terminally ill, and he still did not regret it when he watched his son come back from the capital with dust all over his body!

But, I'm just tired.

I have no more energy to figure out the holy heart, and no more energy to deal with all kinds of conspiracies and struggles.

His body gradually got better and he only hanged Jiangning weaving. After taking down other errands, Cao Yin became a regular visitor to Qingliang Temple. He played a chess game with the abbot, listened to the bells in the temple, read the first half of the scriptures, and recited a few Zen words, which made him feel a little bit like a monk. Because he was young and his wife was in love with him, he finally gave up this thought.

He pushed others by himself, and thought of sending his son here to practice, Cao Yin was a little scared. At that time, he wanted to resolve the depression in his son's heart so that he could learn strategies in a peaceful state and prepare for his future succession to his position.

Thinking of this, Cao Yin couldn't help but feel a bit ridiculous. What's the difference between what he did and his parents back then? He almost slipped into his son's ears and said, "The Heavenly Family is so kind, you must be loyal and cautious!"

The word "loyalty and prudence" has been restraining myself for more than fifty years. Could it be that he still has to restrain his son? Too obsessed with it, it is exhausting to be tiring himself.

"Everything is as good as you wish." Cao Yin thought of these four words, and his body became much more relaxed, and pointed to the chessboard and said, "Come on, come on, old monk, let's have another plate!"

Who said that monks "all four elements are empty"? Huikong lost because of the upper plate, but this plate was pressing step by step, and he did not give up in an inch of land, forcing Cao Yin to retreat step by step. It was really hard to put in full spirit and make a peace.

After putting down the chess piece, Cao Yin smiled and sighed, "It's just a pleasure to play chess with the old monk! Thinking about you and I have been friends with you for nearly 30 years. The chess skills I used to guide you at the beginning, but now they are getting one and the other. It's really not easy to win a game!"

Huikong said: "Master Cao Shi is in the world and is afraid of something. He is inevitably overthinking the layout of playing chess. Although he ends up doing his best, it is just a situation of unbeaten. After all, the donor takes this seriously! Victory is also his victory, and defeat is also his defeat, and he will do everything!"

There is a bit of a sensation among them, and Cao Yin thanked him seriously.

Looking outside the window, it was noon, thinking that his wife was still waiting for her dinner, Cao Yin said goodbye to Huikong. Huikong asked him to wait, and then called two novice monks, carrying two wooden boxes ranging from two feet long and one foot wide, and said, "This is a newly made incense in the temple. The eldest son had asked for it several times in the past two years. Today, he happened to ask the donor to bring it back."

Cao Yin thanked him, but he couldn't help but have two questions in his heart. Is the Fourth Prince really as he acted as he did? Did his son give incense for several years, just simply repay his kindness? Then, thinking about what Huikong said just now, "He will win, and he will lose," it seems that he has really worried. His son has been different from others since childhood, so how can he use his own caress over the years?

When he returned to the weaving house, Cao Yin briefly asked about the yamen and went back to Kaiyang Courtyard.

Li sat on the kang in the west, rubbing the new shoes on his hands, his face full of relief, and tears faintly appeared at the corners of his eyes. Seeing Cao Yin coming back, she put down her shoes and stood up to greet him: "The master is back!"

"Yeah!" Cao Yin looked at her: "What's wrong? Have you received a letter from the children?"

Li wiped the corners of his eyes with a veil, sent a few Xiuluans and others to get water and pass the meal, and then replied to him: "It was a letter from our son and his wife. The letter was praised by the son and the wife, and the same was true in this letter! There is a saying that says, 'If you marry a wife, forget your mother', and I can't help but eat it in my heart!"

Seeing his wife's face full of joy, Cao Yin could look like a strict mother-in-law, and shook his head with a smile: "Not to mention your son, you are a mother-in-law, and you have never seen your daughter-in-law before. You are talking about it all day long!"

The maids brought the water and threw the towels. Li handed it to her husband and smiled: "I was worried that my wife was from a noble family, but she was always lukewarm in her attitude towards women. I was afraid that the two of them would be young and quarrel. Now it seems that I am too worried!"

After Cao Yin wiped her face, she signaled the new shoes on the kang to Cao Yin: "This is the 'moon shoes' made by his wife. Looking at the pins, she did her job carefully, and it was hard for her to be patient!"

Cao Yin nodded: "I told you before that the Seventh Prince's mother tribe is not as noble as the other older princes, but he is a sensible person. His princess will definitely be excellent in his family!"

While he was talking, the food was already set. Cao Yin sat by the kang and saw that there were vegetarian dishes in the six paths. He was about to ask Li why he remembered that he was vegetarian, but he remembered that it was the sixteenth day and that there were two more days to be the birthday festival. Over the years, if he could not go to Beijing to celebrate his birthday, he would fast for three days and pray for long live.

*

On March 18th, Cao Yong changed his guard uniform and went into the palace. Although the officials in the capital were busy, I didn’t know what Mr. Kangxi was thinking, so he didn’t want to do it in a big way. I just returned to the palace from Changchun Garden yesterday. According to previous years’ practice, this morning he would lead the kings, Beile, Beizi, Gong, Minister of the Interior, Grand Secretary, Guard, etc. to salute in the Empress Dowager.

Afterwards, Kangxi held a grand court meeting in the Hall of Supreme Harmony and accepted the congratulations from all civil and military officials below the king.

On March 22, he served as the Queen Mother again and moved to Changchun Garden.

The princes and officials were stunned. No one could figure out what Kangxi was intended, and the Wanbao Festival that everyone had worked hard to plan was so dull.

The Sixteenth Prince was happy. He followed Cao Yong's advice and sent people to dig a hundred deep wells far away from the river in Daxing, Wanping and Liangxiang counties, and selected several earth rituals offered by the people of the three places as birthday gifts. When paying homage to Kangxi, he said that he would give a jar of imperial wine and pour over the hundred water wells in the capital, so that the people of the capital could bathe in the emperor's kindness. Kangxi was very happy and approved the filial piety of the Sixteenth Prince.

The day when the Holy Lord returned to Changchun Garden was the day when the Thirteenth Prince's branch was also the 100th day of the legitimate son of the Thirteenth Prince. In order to save trouble, the Thirteenth Prince's banquet was together.

Like his low-key fourth brother, the Thirteenth Prince did not invite any outsiders at the banquet. He simply invited more than a dozen tables of tables to invite his own brothers, in-laws, Zhaojia Mansion and several families who often traveled around.

Cao Yong and Chu Yu were going to go naturally. Cao Song was considered the thirteenth wife Zhao Jia, who was the nephew of the cousin. Because of Cao Yong, he was also invited.

However, Cao Song was limited by his identity and followed his brother to present a gift list to the Thirteenth Prince, congratulated him, and then stepped down and went out to find Fengde Fengche and several of Zhaojia's direct descendants to sit at the table.

Because the Sixteenth Prince was also in the hall, Cao Yong was called to stay and speak.

After chatting for a few words, the people in the hall were basically in the seat. Seeing that there were no outsiders, the Thirteenth Prince smiled and said to Cao Yong: "I have been busy with the affairs of the branch office these days, and I don't care about the people around me. I heard that you have done a good job in the Ministry of Revenue and have been promoted to a doctor, which is very good!"

"Thirteenth Master praised it, and it was all about some things." Cao Yong said.

This is not a self-modest statement. It is really that Cao Yong did not feel much joy about this promotion. He was a little overwhelmed when he thought of the endless accounts of the Ministry of Revenue. Recently, seeing that people in the six ministries were often transferred, he also hoped that he could be transferred to a free yamen from time to time.

But except for the Ministry of Rites, there is really no place for the six ministries to go to. The errands of the Ministry of Personnel's Office are relatively easy to do, but because they need to be in charge of the names of officials and their deeds, they have to deal with accounts! If you still check the accounts after a walk, it would be better not to adjust them, let alone the water there is not shallow, and all forces are also confused.

The Thirteenth Prince waved his hand and said, "What a master, you should change your mind. Uncle Thirteenth Prince! There is no need to make these official accents with me. I know some of those things, and the Fourth Brother praises you too."

The Sixteenth Prince was smiling and watching. The Thirteenth Prince said seriously again. Cao Yong sighed helplessly: "Uncle Thirteen was joking. It was not a sarcastic voice with Uncle Thirteen. It was really nothing. It was all the hard work of the colleagues over there."

It is difficult to say whether it is difficult or not. If Prince Yong believes in Buddhism, Cao Yong also wants to like what he likes. Although Prince Yong hates corrupt officials, he can't create two corrupt officials out of thin air to repair it for Prince Yong. This time it was a coincidence, but it should not be considered a bad thing to get Prince Yong's praise.

The Sixteenth Prince did not regard Prince Yong's praise as a good thing. When the Thirteenth Prince mentioned this, he was afraid that Cao Yong would be taken to the sidelines, so he hurriedly said, "Thirteenth Brother, don't praise him. I know him. I am the lazy one. It's just a decoration. I don't believe that he can be more diligent!"

The Thirteenth Prince looked at Cao Yong and pointed: "The Ministry of Revenue is indeed a little frustrated. Being cautious in words and actions is also a good thing. This requires you to be patient!" As he said that, he said to the Sixteenth Prince, "It's Xiao Shiliu, where are you going to serve?"

The sixteenth prince smiled and said, "The Thirteenth brother doesn't know me yet. He is more lazy than Cao Yong. He just hopes that he doesn't have to go to the study and has more time to go out for a walk. In the future, I will often come to the Thirteenth brother's mansion. Don't think I'm so furious."

The Thirteenth Prince shook his head and said, "I'm afraid you've tied up your errands. I want to invite you to come at that time, but you won't come either."

The sixteenth prince picked up the teacup and made a toast position: "If the Thirteenth brother has good music and good wine, I will even be scolded by the emperor if I try my best to escape and get scolded by the emperor, then I will come!"

While speaking, the servant came back and forth to talk about the opening time. The Thirteenth Prince stood up and said to the Sixteenth Prince: "Then let's go and listen to the opera, taste the wine, and estimate it? The Jixing Ban I called today is not as famous as Sanxi Ban, but my skills are solid and my voice is also bright."

Turning to the side of the stage in the garden, the tenth prince saw the sixteenth prince coming, and called him to come from a distance.

Because the Tenth Prince has always been like this, the Sixteenth Prince always knows his intentions, so he always smiles and only fights them. However, when there was Lang Tu and Guishan before, the Sixteenth Prince smiled a little uncomfortable today.

Looking at the eighth prince who was sitting next to the tenth prince, and the ninth prince who was sucking wine calmly, the sixteenth prince responded, but the step was getting smaller and smaller.

He smiled on his face, but muttered to Cao Yong: "Hey, it would be great if he could sit at your table. I would be impatient when I look at them. Who are all fools? I have to find a way to escape. It's a pity that you came with the big princess today, otherwise you can still go out for a walk."

*

The female relatives who came to congratulate were all in the inner courtyard. Originally, the Seventh Prince and the Thirteenth Prince had no friendship, so the two families had a normal relationship. Prince Chun came here but was polite in the scene and went out to attend the banquet. However, because Cao Yong's snake oil sperm cured the Thirteenth Prince's legs, he treated the Cao family differently. He was also particularly close to Chu Yu, so he pulled her to ask a few words.

Chu Yu didn't know that Cao Yong was abducted when he was a child, so naturally he didn't know that Uncle Thirteen would save him. However, when he discussed moving to the Thirteenth Mansion and giving gifts to the legitimate son for a hundred-day gift, Cao Yong specially asked her to thicken it, and they all picked up affordable things to give. She also saw that he was close to Uncle Thirteenth. In addition, because of her temperament, Thirteenth Prince treated her well, so she naturally became much closer to this aunt.

Chu Yu smiled and answered a few words with a smile, and then reported that the wife and lady of Zhaojia Mansion were here. At Cao Song's birthday drink, Chu Yu had seen the female relatives of Zhaojia Mansion, so he also asked them with a smile. The Thirteenth Foolish asked the wet nurse to carry the little brother out.

The child was so stubborn that he looked around with dark eyes, not afraid of being angry, and was very keen on laughing. When others teased him, he kept laughing. It was so cute that everyone praised him constantly.

Chu Yu's family has many younger brothers and sisters, and the youngest sister is not yet one year old. She likes children very much. Seeing this little prince so cute, it touched her mind again, and some emotions were revealed in her eyes.

The fourth wife of Zhaojia Mansion was young and was very close to Chu Yu. Because there was no outsider, when Chu Yu looked at the little prince again, she couldn't help but smile and pushed her, whispering: "What are the princess thinking? Princess herself, is there any movement?"

Chu Yu was told that he was worried, and he couldn't help but blush, shook his head gently, feeling a little disappointed.

The Thirteenth Concubine was next to Chu Yu. After listening to the fourth wife's words, she smiled and turned the topic away. When she got into the table, she pulled Chu Yu and walked away, whispering in Chu Yu's ear: "You, don't take those words to your heart. How many days have you been married? I started to worry about these people. I have been married for three or four years before I got my eldest princess. I can't be anxious about these things."

The sixteenth prince finally ran away halfway. Because Cao Yong wanted to go back with Chu Yu, he naturally waited until the banquet was about to end. Fortunately, the princes at his table were not too annoying, and the meal was quite enjoyable.

When they returned to the mansion, the two changed their homely clothes. Chu Yu asked to bring sobering soup to Cao Yong for drinks, and told Cao Yong about what he saw today. When she mentioned the timid little prince, a strange look appeared on her face.

Looking at her bright eyes, Cao Yong guessed what she was thinking, but he didn't dare to take that risk.

That night, Cao Yong was inevitably popularized by Chu Yu's fertility knowledge. Among them, Chu Yu heard what the concubine had asked, and she heard it for the first time. Lying in Cao Yong's arms, she listened with a red face, and when she encountered something she didn't understand, she held back and asked in a low voice. When Cao Yong said that, parents, as parents, had to prepare in advance, and they had to take care of their bodies before they could give birth to a healthy baby. Chu Yu asked again about the time needed to prepare.

Seeing her cute appearance, Cao Yong said it would not take long, but he was very upset. Why is she no longer a few years older? She always restrains her. He is really afraid that he will make trouble after a long time.
Chapter completed!