Chapter 16 Chapter Sixteen

Second Mistress Zhen was very sure about things; this time, she thought that Mrs. Ma would ask her after she knew about it, but she was wrong. Madam Ma naturally wanted to find someone to discuss with, and what she thought of was Qiuyue; instead of having a secret conversation, first show her the "Jingxin" sent by Cao Zhen.Since she didn't understand what she meant, Qiuyue couldn't say anything more after reading the letter. "It's not good news, but it's also useful. The second master Zhen is going to close the tent. It's just that I find it strange that he asked someone to bring it." Mrs. Ma suddenly asked, "Do you know that Second Grandma Zhen has a How many private houses?"

Qiuyue naturally replied, "I don't know." "Have you heard that?" Mrs. Ma said again, "Tell me the truth; there is no one else here, so it doesn't matter." "Second Grandma Zhen has a private house, everyone knows it. It's hard to say how many there are; I'm afraid even Jin'er doesn't know." "According to Second Master Zhen, it's really quite a lot. Now that we're losing over a hundred thousand public funds, according to Second Master Zhen, we can use Second Grandma Zhen's private house to make up for it, which is more than enough; what he means is that Second Grandma Zhen can do it." At this point, he will stop everything. Otherwise, there will be troubles in the future."

Qiuyue was very surprised, "How did Second Master Zhen come up with such a method?" She said, "Could it be to make things difficult on purpose?" "I think so too. Whether Second Grandma Zhen has the power is one thing, and whether she is willing to take it out is another. Taking a step back, even if she has the strength, she is willing to take it out, but she can't take it like this! Even if she is willing, I don't want to either; it seems that our Ma family has done something wrong to the Cao family. Do you understand what I mean?" "I know."

"Since that's the case, I don't need to mention the method of Zhen Erye for the time being. However, the shortfall is real; I have to find a way to make up for it. I can't sleep well because of this matter!" Madam Ma said with a worried look on her face. "I asked the fourth master, and he said that there is a deficit, but it's only twenty or thirty thousand silver; then I know it's more than one hundred thousand!" Seeing that Mrs. Ma was really worried, Qiuyue couldn't help but said: "The fourth master is afraid that his wife is anxious; the second master Zhen wants to embarrass the second grandma Zhen, so he must report more false accounts. There is a compromise between the two, and there is about fifty or sixty thousand silver. It shouldn't be difficult to make up for this money."

"I just want to discuss with you, what do you think we should do?" Qiuyue thought for a while, then asked calmly: "Madam must have a secret case?" "I want to discuss with you, how can I come up with a sum of money to make up for the shortfall? I don't know if you have seen a booklet; I remember it very well. When the fourth master showed it to the old lady, I was there .” "I kept a few papers written by Zhu Zhu, but I didn't read them carefully; the old lady handed them to me, and I locked them in the prayer box." Qiuyue asked, "I don't know which one the lady is referring to?"

"It was the fourth master who wrote the book and said that the shortfall would be made up in three years; that was a matter of the year before last. That year was not counted; the year before last, last year, and this year, the three-year period expired! If the shortfall is still there, the crime will not be light if it is pursued. " Qiuyue thought about it for a while and remembered, "Madam is right, there is such a note." She said, "I'll get it later." "Not busy! Let's discuss it first. The emperor can't remember things like this, so it doesn't matter if you delay; once you remember, if you don't explain it, it's a big deal. I'm really worried. When I asked about the case, I found out that the shortfall was not reduced, but increased instead. Qiuyue, do you think that the temper of the current emperor can be tolerated?"

Qiuyue listened and thought at the same time; when she heard this, she felt shuddering when she thought that the current emperor is fond of bragging and using heavy codes. "I thought about it," Mrs. Ma continued to express her feelings: "The fourth master should not be blamed for the shortfall. It is also for too much use; too many entertainments, and it was accumulated as a last resort. If something happens, let the fourth master suffer alone. It makes sense in my conscience; so now everything is secondary, I have to find a way to make up for this shortfall first." Mrs. Ma paused and said: "I have been thinking about this for a long time; now that Second Master Zhen has brought it up, There is also this letter from Jingli, so it is better to deal with it clearly, even if it is a poor year, it will still be comfortable."

After hearing this, Qiuyue was very surprised. She always thought that Mrs. Ma was more than loyal, but not knowledgeable enough; only now did she realize that she was wrong!She not only knows the priorities; she is also fair-minded, and she is truly the head of the family. So Qiuyue also felt that she should be loyal and wise, and help Mrs. Ma's cooking to a satisfactory result; she nodded and thought for a while and said, "Since my wife asked me, I dare not say everything without knowing it. To be honest, Deficit is two different things, the deficit of the public house, and the deficit of the second master Zhen. But the two things are the same thing; how do you say this? If the deficit of the public house is gone, the deficit of the second master Zhen will not be; in the future, the public house will still have a deficit , It’s as good as nothing. I don’t know if I’m wrong about what I said?”

"That's right, that's right, that's right." Madam Ma nodded deeply, "Second Master Zhen's deficit can't be short-lived, so he must find a way to spend on public funds, but in the end it's still short-lived. together." "Madam is clever." Qiuyue said happily, "If my wife thinks my words are reasonable, I will simply come up with a solution; the first step is to carefully calculate how much the public is short of; how much is the second Lord Zhen short; Let's find a way to raise money. If the second master Zhen's shortfall, the second grandma Zhen can shoulder it; for the public's shortfall, we may have to use the money left by the old lady to make up for it. How much money is left, all will be placed in the sacrificial field .As for the things left for Qin Guan, whether you can move them or not, I ask my wife to make the decision."

"It depends on the situation. Or keep a little less, the old lady has her mind, that's it." Mrs. Ma thought for a while and said: "That's it! Whatever you say, do it; get Second Grandma Zhen, the three of us We defined it together." When Mrs. Ma sent someone to invite Second Mistress Zhen, Qiuyue hurried back to Xuanrong Hall, took out the worship box where important documents were stored, and checked them carefully, finally found the memorial that Mrs. Ma had mentioned; Madam, Second Grandma Zhen has arrived. "I found it." Qiuyue folded the memorial, "it was written on the seventh day of the first lunar month in the second year of Yongzheng."

"I don't remember very clearly either." Mrs. Ma said, "Read it again!" "Yes." Qiuyue read: "Jiangning's weaving slave Cao knelt down and played, in order to thank God for his kindness: before stealing the slave, he used weaving to make up for the warehouse. It is written by the Ministry of Culture and Consultation. Please take it in three years. Now I will take the article, I know the title Please, long live Fumeng, the mighty Hong En, you are allowed to follow the proposal and follow the case. The slave who steals the memory is guilty of a felony, and there is no excuse for breaking his head. Today, the grace of God is so preserved. It is really unexpected. The slave is really a reborn person, and I can only cry and wait. Sin, I only know that paying for money and food is the most important thing. Although the rest of the family's wives and children are starving and cold, the slaves ignore everything and don't care about it." After reading this, Qiuyue stopped to look at Mrs. Ma's serious face; while Second Grandma Zhen was surprised, as if she was asking: "Did the fourth master play this before?" Qiuyue took a sip of tea and then read: "If you can save one point, you will make up for one point of the debt. The deadline is within three years, and you will be able to make up for it. It is my sincerest intention to be kind and complete. Kowtow, thank you for the grace of heaven. The servant He Sheng is very grateful." "Is it over?" Mrs. Ma asked. "There is also Zhu Zhu." Qiuyue read: "'As long as the heart and mouth respond; if you can do this, you will be blessed!"" "Really?" Second Grandma Zhen opened her eyes wide and asked, "Is this really the emperor's approval?" "Here!" Qiuyue showed the original fold in front of her eyes: "Clear vermilion pen." The second grandma Zhen was stunned for a while, and she seemed to be regretful; she also seemed to be complaining: "Why do you keep taking this book so seriously? I think there will be trouble this time!" Even when she said this, Madam Ma couldn't help panicking; but Qiuyue remained calm, "There's still time!" She said: "From this year to the end of the year, it will still be a 'three-year year'. As long as the 'clearing and complementing' is completed, it will be considered a 'heart-to-heart relationship', and it will still be a 'great fortune'; maybe the fourth master will be promoted!" "But what are you going to use for promotion!" Second Grandma Zhen frowned and said, "A shortfall of eighty or ninety thousand silver is not a small number." Seeing that it's hard to break through, Qiuyue couldn't help but say: "I can only find ways to make up——." "That's right." Mrs. Ma said quickly, "Think about it. It has to be fast; the sooner the better." The Second Grandma Zhen was silent, her heart was in a state of agitation; she was a little helpless at the moment when things were difficult for her at ordinary times—she was worried about herself; Once she gritted her teeth and gave up, she was also afraid that people would laugh at her behind her back. "Don't be half-hearted." Mrs. Ma made up her mind, "Go to Tongsheng to discuss it." "Don't look for him yet!" The second grandma saw this very clearly; and she also said what was in her heart, "Once you look for him; he will add his own shortcomings to it, so it will be even more confusing." "That's true. Then," Mrs. Ma thought for a moment, "Look, how should I find out the exact number first? Should I get 'Ulinda' from the yamen?" In Manchurian dialect, the treasurer is called "Ulinda"; it is natural to find this person to liquidate the deficit.However, according to the rules set by Cao Yin, the family members do not deal with the employees of the weaving yamen. If you want to find "Wulinda", you must first go to Cao Zhen; Speaking of this, he had an idea, and said again: "There is someone who should be looked for; but, I don't want to look for it." "Who?" "Longguan." The second grandma Zhen said, "the monthly expenditures in the yamen are all sent in in booklets; I have read almost all of them. The materials purchased by Longguan and the second master embezzled from him Silver, it should be calculated, but—" She shook her head and did not continue. Mrs. Ma naturally understands that there are legends of "unacceptable"; she must avoid the suspicion of melon fields and plums.But how important this is; how can we avoid minor suspicions and miss the overall situation? "What are you afraid of!" she said, "I will ask him to settle the score tomorrow." "I heard that I have been out for the past two days." "Going out?" Mrs. Ma asked, "Where is it?" "That's not clear." The Second Grandma Zhen was more determined, "I'll send someone to ask him." Mrs. Ma nodded; but she said, "We can't delay the important matter just because he is not here. Let's discuss first how to make up for the shortfall? Also, Tongsheng's shortfall has to be thought of for him; otherwise, the public I have made up for the loss, and I will still have to continue to lose in the future.” After all, they are husband and wife by name; so Second Grandma Zhen blushed when she heard this.But since it has been exposed, there is no need to cover it up again, "'Eat one section of the radish and peel off one section.' First make up for the shortfall of the public house. I have 20,000 silver; it is really not enough, I can borrow it 20,000. However, there must be a certain date to pay it back.” This means that they are willing to share 20,000 silver, and as a last resort, add another 20,000.Mrs. Ma was loyal by nature, and couldn't bear to force her any longer; after thinking for a while, she asked, "Have you dealt with the old lady's things that need to be dealt with?" "Gold leaves, miscellaneous items have been given away; only a few pairs of 'tops' are left, and the beads are all yellow. If you want it, someone wants it. The price you paid makes people angry. It's better to keep it and give it away. It's a good idea anyway. Vice pearl 'head face'." Madam Ma nodded silently and asked again: "How much money did you sell in total?" "More than fifty-seven thousand." "That's only so much!" Madam Ma was disappointed, "Just adding your 20,000 yuan is not enough." Second Grandma Zhen should come up with an idea but she didn't make a sound, so the situation became a little stiff.Qiuyue had an opinion, and she didn't want to say it at first; at this time, for the sake of reconciliation, she had to speak up. "Madam, I'm thinking, if you want to make up for the shortfall, you don't have to wait until you have all the pieces together; didn't the fourth master's book say that every point is worth one point? And it's not good to make up all at once; it looks like We have money and refuse to take it out until the time limit is up, and we can’t push it, so we have no choice but to make up for it.” Qiuyue turned around and said, “What about Second Grandma Zhen?” "I see that you are very eloquent, so at least pay the amount first; think about the rest slowly." "Then there must be an approximate date." Mrs. Ma thought for a while and said, "I have to make up my mind now. Let's do this. For the fifty-seven thousand silver, we will raise thirty thousand to buy the land for sacrifice. The rest , plus what you collected, the total is 47,000 silver, which should be more than half of the shortfall. See where it should be solved, and do it as soon as possible. At the same time, write a letter to tell the fourth master to ask him to play by himself. This time , he can put half his mind at ease." "Yes!" Second Grandma Zhen said, "Anyway, the money is readily available, but my wife has to take care of our second master, he doesn't plan to play any tricks here!" "His deficit also has to find a way for him, you are husband and wife after all; we are closely related." "My wife thinks it's a matter of solidarity; he can't wait for me to die, so that people and money can win both!" Mrs. Ma and Qiuyue were both stunned; they may have the intention to fancy her private house, but how can it be called "people gain both money"? Madam Ma asked, "Who?" "Madam, don't you understand? He has Zhang Wufu's wife out there! Just wait for my death today; get that Sai Guanxiang in tomorrow." "That's true!" Mrs. Ma felt that what she said was too much, "Could it be that he doesn't have me in his eyes." "Second Grandma Zhen is also speaking out of anger." Qiuyue comforted her like this, but she couldn't help but want to come up with an idea, "If Second Grandma Zhen can take care of Second Master Zhen's shortfall, Madam might as well bring Second Master Zhen here to meet him face to face. Say something nice to Second Grandma Zhen." "No, no!" Second Grandma Zhen shook her hand and said, "It costs tens of thousands of silver to listen to those good words, and I can't afford it; even if I can afford it, it won't be that rich." The words froze again, so Qiuyue could only smile reservedly; seeing Madam Ma's unhappy face, Second Mistress Zhen was vigilant, so she winked at Qiuyue to signal her to turn around. So Qiuyue said: "Second Grandma Zhen really made Second Grandpa Zhen angry! Since the wife confessed, of course Second Grandma Zhen can't ignore it." "That's right." Grandma Zhen took the opportunity to say: "I promised my wife, I must do it; but I don't know how much money he has. If I can't take care of it, will I lose my trust in my wife? I want to ask my wife Ask him first; I only have 20,000 yuan in cash, and I want to make up the shortfall of the government. To pay off his debt, I can only use my jewelry to change it. How much it is worth, I am not sure yet. Anyway, how much power do I have? , my wife must see it." "If I want to ask him, why don't I ask you first; how much can you pay back for him?" "Does this mean how much my jewelry is worth?" Second Grandma Zhen wriggled her fingers muttering, and silently calculated for a long time before saying, "It's only 20,000 silver." "Okay! Find Tong Sheng now, and wait for me to ask him." As soon as Cao Zhen arrived, Mrs. Ma met him in the main room of course; Second Grandma Zhen and Qiuyue hid in the compartment, only to hear Mrs. Ma say in a serious tone: "Business and private matters are imperative! Tong Sheng, You can't be confused anymore!" "Why did Madam say that?" Cao Zhen replied with a smile, "I don't know what I did wrong again today?" "It's not about today, it's about how many years you've been used to spending and using; now you can no longer follow that way." Mrs. Ma asked: "How much shortfall do you have—" "not much--." "Don't rush to defend yourself. I'm not checking your account, I'm doing it for you. Tell the truth, how much do you have?" Cao Zhen was only short of 20,000 silver; but since someone came forward to take care of him, he was happy to talk more, and immediately replied: "I shouldn't bully my wife, 30,000 silver." Mrs. Ma thought to herself, the difference is only 10,000, and the matter is not difficult; she asked again: "What about the public's deficit?" Then she added: "There is an account for this." It means to warn him not to report falsely. account. Cao Zhen also figured it out, he may not be able to make up for the shortfall of public funds, and false reports are useless; he immediately replied, "It's always around 100,000, and you have to check the accounts to find out." "I know, it won't exceed 90,000." Madam Ma asked, "During the first month of the year before last, the fourth master made a note about the deficit, do you know?" "I know, it will be completed in three years." Cao Zhen said again, "It's just a sentence." "That's why you're confused! You promised the emperor yourself; what's the crime if you can't do it? Could it be that you and your fourth uncle have left this matter behind?" "Fourth Uncle always mentions it; the past three years are a bit over. The original shortfall was more than this amount; it was 120,000 to 30,000 at that time." "According to you, it's only a fraction. The three-year deadline is up in a blink of an eye. What do you say when asked?" Cao Zhen had no words to answer, and lowered his head to think, if the old case could be dug up and investigated carefully; just this matter alone, he could be dismissed and investigated, and maybe even ransacked the house.When the thought turned here, I couldn't help but shiver. "This is a matter of family fortune. I don't have the strength myself; if I have the strength, I will use it to make up for the public. Now I have nothing to say. I only ask my wife to decide." "Hmph!" Mrs. Ma sneered, "It's a shame that you are still a man, and you can only speak sarcastic remarks and be generous to others. Your wife has so many private houses; there are so many private houses, and it is not the faction that the party should take them out. Since you know that the family is in trouble If you have no power, you should also have a plan for the family's misfortune—not just for yourself; think for others." Seeing Mrs. Ma's intention of reprimanding, Cao Zhen couldn't help but panic; he was quite confused, so he had no choice but to speak up. "I beg my wife to tell me clearly, how should I plan for my family's misfortune?" Then, Mrs. Ma half admonished, half persuading Cao Zhen to "reform evil and return to righteousness."He said that although weaving is a famous name of Cao Fuding, he is honest and honest and not good at affairs; Cao Zhen should take more responsibility.Being able to transfer the time spent on whoring, gambling and eating to business affairs is a plan for the blessing of the family. Cao Zhen can't argue with what he said, but he is unwilling to confess himself, so he just bows his head without saying a word.Seeing this, Mrs. Ma couldn't help but sighed again and said, "Looking at you like this, it seems that you are still not convinced. I am speaking a little bit more strongly. If you don't understand my painstaking efforts, I have no choice but to leave it to you." "There, there! My wife's words are 'a good medicine tastes bitter and good for the disease'. I only feel ashamed. I don't need to say more now. I just ask my wife to see if I will change it." Madam Ma felt a little comforted by these words; she immediately said: "You usually have one advantage, open-mindedness; no matter how capable your daughter-in-law is, she is a prostitute after all, and you have to let her a little bit. Now you can say something: yes Didn't you move back?" This made Cao Zhen very embarrassed; thinking about the only way to dodge, he immediately said: "The moon is good these two days, and the two sweet-scented osmanthus flowers in Jianxin Mountain House are in full bloom. I will enjoy the moon and read a book there." , Quiet for a few days, the spirit is much better." "Sometimes the moon will go down; the sweet-scented osmanthus will soon be withering. How about then?" Cao Zhen didn't expect Mrs. Ma to ask such a question; he was held back by his own words, so he could only answer: "At that time, I will naturally move back." "Okay!" Mrs. Ma coughed and said, "Someone here." The maids were ordered to dodge, and they all hid far away; when there was no one around for a while, Second Grandma Zhen pushed Qiuyue away. But Qiuyue also realized it, and quickly lifted the curtain to appear; Cao Zhen was startled, and said sharply, "So you are here!" Qiuyue smiled and didn't answer; she walked up to Mrs. Ma, only to hear her ask: "Did you hear what Second Master Zhen said?" "I heard." "'A husband speaks, a four-horse is hard to chase', second master Zhen can't say anything; look, it's a good day in twenty miles, let Qin Guan come to pick up his second brother back." "Actually," Qiuyue looked at Cao Zhen and said, "On the day of the festival, when the moon and the moon are round, it is a good day." Cao Zhen didn't answer; Mrs. Ma didn't say anything, she just gave her a wink, and Qiuyue didn't say any more.I looked for the emperor's calendar, and after many good days, I said, "Twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-seven, twenty-nine are all good. Please choose your wife." "Let Master Zhen choose!" Cao Zhen thought to himself, it's better to be happy now, so he responded, "It's twenty-four!" Mrs. Ma nodded deeply, expressing her satisfaction; then she said to Qiuyue: "Tell Chun Yu later, the table wine was prepared on the twenty-fourth; it was given by Qin Guan. Ask the small kitchen to open the account, and come directly to me to pay the money. " "Why do you need to worry about your wife? I know a cook who can make twelve more dishes than others in cooking whole lamb mats. When will I find him and invite my wife specifically?" Cao Zhen said again: "This cook's skills are indeed amazing. It is superior to others; it was originally brought by General Nian from the west." "Come on! Let's not mess with the people of the Nian family!" Madam Ma continued, "Tong Sheng, there are a few things I want to tell you, and they must be dealt with urgently from tomorrow on." "Yes! Madame orders." "First, you have to calculate carefully how much public funds you are short of. You two, start tomorrow and look at the accounts separately to find out the exact amount. How long do you think it will take? Can ten days be enough?" "It's hard to say," Cao Zhen replied, "Since my wife has set a deadline, I always finish within the deadline." "Secondly, you should write to your fourth uncle tomorrow morning and tell him about it, saying that you have raised 50,000 silver, and you can at least make up half of the shortfall—" "Let me interrupt." Cao Zhen interrupted her, "This so-called shortfall of public funds is different from the old man's shortfall of the salt class in the past. The salt class is to solve the household department. If it is not solved, it is a deficit. Now weaving The shortfall of public funds is just that what should be given to the businessman is owed but not paid; the satin of the Ministry of Internal Affairs should be paid off, how much is still short, and the amount should be converted into silver. This is the same as the shortfall of salt class. It’s one or two, there’s a real difference.” Mrs. Ma didn't understand much about it, so she asked, "Why do you call the difference between reality and reality?" "For example, each piece of satin is rated at twenty-four taels, and the cost is less than twenty taels; there are four taels of empty money in it. In other words, as long as twenty-four taels of silver, the shortfall of twenty-four taels can be covered. Another example The money that should be given to the businessman can be discounted to some extent, and there is a false head in it." "I understand. You mean, if there is a shortfall of one hundred thousand silver, you can fill it up with only eighty thousand or ninety thousand." "Exactly!" Cao Zhen said immediately, "but what I mean is more than that. If you are sure, you can report at this moment. The deficit has been made up. How much silk and satin is owed, and it will be processed. When will it be set?" Report; as for what should be given to the merchant, as long as the discount is negotiated, when payment is made, it can be said that it has been settled; the higher-ups will not know, and there is no need to know. Isn’t it full of face?” Mrs. Ma listened while nodding her head frequently, "Your words are not bad. But you have to be sure." She said, "I will discuss it with your wife carefully. You write a letter to your fourth uncle tomorrow, and write the letter first." Let him know our plan." "Yes." Cao Zhen asked again, "What else can I order?" "Also," Mrs. Ma thought for a while and said, "According to what you said, you have a lot of things to do; how many silks and satins are missing, such as materials, how long will it take to get them out? You have to go to the yamen carefully." discuss." "Yes!" Cao Zhen suddenly felt refreshed; because of the work and materials, personal deficits can be made up without the generosity of his wife. From the next day, Cao Zhen and his wife were busy with their own affairs.The Second Grandma Zhen justly sent someone to find Cao Shilong to reconcile the account: she didn't find it until August 14th. When we met, Second Grandma Zhen didn't ask him where he had been, but said, "The fourth master has sent a letter asking for the exact amount of public funds over the years. You have handled a lot of money; you didn't check it out last year; you can't delay any longer now." gone." "Responding to my second aunt," Cao Shilong replied attentively, "Last year's account was not settled because my second uncle embezzled a sum of money." "Who allowed you to let him embezzle it?" Second Grandma Zhen said with a sullen face, "He has to distinguish between public and private." "Yes! I won't dare to do it next time. Please allow me to reimburse you this time, Second Aunt!" "Forget it, I will settle the account with your second uncle." Second Grandma Zhen put a list on the table; then asked: "Did you bring your account?" "Brought it." "Then you're right here!" Second Grandma Zhen pointed, "Sit there, and ask me if you don't understand anything." So Cao Shilong sat down at another square table next to the wall; he looked at the tent, but his heart was on the second grandma.He had already inquired, and Cao Zhen was still staying alone in the Jianxin Mountain House, which showed that the couple had not reconciled; but why did Second Mistress Zhen dare not avoid suspicion and openly seek him out.If this doubt is not cleared up, I will feel agitated, and I will not be able to reconcile my account. Therefore, he simply put aside the accounts, and kept secretly looking at Second Grandma Zhen; he saw that she was taking care of chores for the holidays, people coming and going, or something, or asking for instructions, Second Grandma Zhen waved her eyes; she said a few words Send it away immediately.After half an hour, nothing happened. Then the little girl brought the washbasin, Second Mistress Zhen washed her hands and picked her nails, then evened her face with a powder puff, Fang Shi got up and walked over. Cao Shilong stood up hastily; only second grandma Zhen asked, "How are you doing?" "It's not over yet." "Take your time!" Second Grandma Zhen turned around to look intentionally or unintentionally. There was no one else except the girl in the distance. Fang Shi lowered his voice and said, "I have an envelope for you later; take it back and read it quietly." , according to my words, do it properly." "yes!" "I can't finish reconciling the accounts today, so I'll do it tomorrow." Second Grandma Zhen returned to her normal voice. "yes!" "Bring a few months of mooncakes to your mother." Second Grandma Zhen then called a little girl to order: "Go and tell your sister Jin'er to bring eight boxes of mooncakes and ask for vegetarian ones; Longguan's mother is Changzhai. , make no mistake." The little girl agreed to go; Second Grandma Zhen also moved slowly, and Cao Shilong followed behind to see her off. There were people coming and going outside the flower hall again, and she couldn't find a chance to speak for a while; until the entrance of the flower hall, she had to talk. "Take the mooncakes home, and you should open them first to have a look, in case they are misplaced; the only mooncakes that are printed with the Chinese character "Lvshou" are vegetarian mooncakes." "I know." Cao Shilong replied, "I must first open it and have a look." "By the way! It is also your filial piety to check it yourself." Both of them put the word "in person" very seriously; there is no doubt that they have reached a tacit understanding. When I got home, I opened the eight boxes of pure vegetarian mooncakes one by one, and found a letter; Cao Shilong read it and memorized it in his heart.The next day, I still went to the mansion to reconcile the accounts, and it was reconciled in the middle of the day. "Returning to Second Aunt," he went to pay the account, "According to the account, I have overpaid by more than three hundred taels of silver; pay it off before the end of the year." "Hand in how much you have first, don't let people gossip." "Yes! I'll try my best to get half of it in first." Cao Shilong said again, "If you have any errands recently, please ask my second aunt to send me a trip or two." "Recently, there is something, but it's just a hard job." "Anyway, 'the emperor does not send hungry soldiers', it is better to do hard work than to sit idle at home. Second aunt please tell me." "You have to go to Suzhou; transport the tribute items and ask Suzhou to bring them to Beijing." It turned out that the internal affairs personnel were sent to various errands in supervision, transportation, customs and weaving, and there were local products and local products to contribute in four seasons and eight festivals as usual.During the reign of Emperor Kangxi, when Cao Yin was in Japan, every time he paid tribute, it was a boat. In addition to "honoring the master", he was also rewarded with rewards, princes, relatives and friends; The Yamen enters on behalf; the freight rate is apportioned according to the number.Cao Shilong has done this kind of errand a few times, so you don't need to ask about the rules, just ask which day you leave? "Just a few days. I'll let you know when I'm ready." "Yes." Cao Shilong said with a smile again: "Everyone in the house buys, and the things are cheap and good; my nephew wants to find a bargain, so I ask my second aunt to buy two boxes of winter bamboo shoots for me, and the price will be paid." "Two boxes of winter bamboo shoots, your family of four, can you finish it?" "Bring it as a gift. I usually owe a lot of favors; if I can't pay it back, I have to use these things to embellish." "Okay! I'll give you two boxes." Four days later, Second Grandma Zhen sent someone to invite her to the house.I saw a lot of boxes, cages and baskets in the sedan chair hall. "The things are almost ready. There are forty pieces of Jinhua ham, and they will be delivered tomorrow; they will be loaded on the ship in the morning of the day after tomorrow, and we will leave after packing." "Is the boat hired?" "It's been hired. You come early the morning after tomorrow." Second Grandma Zhen said again, "I brought back the two boxes of winter bamboo shoots you asked for. It's a total of sixteen taels of silver, and you don't have to pay the price. It will be considered as an allowance for your pocket expenses." "Thank you, Second Aunt!" Cao Shilong greeted with a smile. He came here by car, so he immediately transported two boxes of winter bamboo shoots back; the coachman moved into the main room and warned his wife and children not to touch it.In the middle of the night, I got up quietly, opened the wooden box, and pushed aside a layer of winter bamboo shoots on the floating surface. Inside were two octagonal iron-clad, extremely strong camphorwood boxes;Where the seals intersect, there is a monogram personally written by Second Grandma Zhen, which is the word "Lan". Cao Shilong carefully packed two camphorwood boxes with a sack, tied the bag tightly, and pushed it under the table.The next morning, I hired a car to transport the sacks to Shui Ximenli and the pawn shop, and went to deal with Chaofeng Fang Zizhong. "Two boxes, each worth fifty taels." Fang Zizhong lifted the box, and from the weight, he could roughly judge what was inside; he immediately asked, "Whose belongings?" "Why ask it? Could it be that you still can't believe the friendship you have had for so many years?" Fang Chaofeng pondered for a while and asked, "How do I get a ticket?" "It's better to write 'Lan Ji' on the head." So Fang Chaofeng took care of it; after a while, he got up two ingots of official treasures;Cao Shilong saw that he had collected it; he took two ingots and left. Fang Chaofeng did not dare to be negligent, and ordered the two camphor boxes to be placed under the bed in his bedroom; then he prepared a invitation card and invited Yan Xunjian from Shangyuan County to have a drink and supper at night. At the time of the second watch, Yan Xunjian had finished his inspection, and he came to Fang to make an appointment on the moon.Before taking his seat, Fang Chaofeng said quietly: "Master Yan, let's talk about an official matter first; I have brought two boxes of things today, please have a look." It turns out that the current emperor ascended the throne, built up prisons, and ransacked homes at every turn. Therefore, whenever there is a disturbance in the family of officials, they always store their belongings elsewhere first.But the money is touching, even if it is a close relative or friend, there are cases where it is confiscated; or the original owner was convicted and brought to the case, and confessed to a certain place to store it. In order to avoid the charge of harboring, he simply denied it.Therefore, someone came up with a way to use the pawnshop as a nest, called quality pawn, which is actually deposit.Familiar pawnshops, or pawnshops whose owner is a person of status, used to send the whole box of pawns, only relying on the seal, regardless of the content; but pawnshops, no matter how big or small, are trustworthy, even if they pawn a pair of gold bracelets, the pawnbrokers will be pawned. As usual, only "a pair of brass bracelets" is written, and the redemption must be the original, and it will never really turn gold into copper.Therefore, it is safest to use a pawnshop as a nest; if you are convicted and ransacked your home, as long as you have this pawn, your property will be more or less spared from entering the government. This ingenious method was discovered by the court not long after it was implemented;Yan Xunjian is responsible for arresting thieves and tracking down stolen goods; upon receiving an order, he secretly notifies the pawnshop in the area under his jurisdiction, and if there is such a thing, he must report it;Fang Chaofeng has always been cautious, so naturally he obeyed the law and orders. After reading the seal, he also weighed the box; Yan Xunjian then asked, "Which family did it?" "Weaving the Cao family." "The Cao family!" Yan Xunjian looked stunned, "I don't know what rare treasures are in these two boxes? Can you open them and have a look?" It's not difficult to open, the seal that is full of starch can be opened carefully even if it is soaked in shochu; unless a lock is filled with iron slurry, there is absolutely no reason why it cannot be opened.But Fang Chaofeng wanted to take care of his credibility, so he said with a smile: "You always leave me a meal ticket! If my boss or colleagues know about this matter, I have to go home and pick up the child." Yan Xunjian smiled and sat down to drink; the topic still remained on the two boxes, "Who is 'Lan Ji'?" He said, "It looks like a woman from the handwriting." "Probably the young mistress of the Cao family who is in power." "Could it be the famous Second Grandma Zhen?" "It's probably her." Fang Chaofeng asked, "Master Yan also knows her?" "Why don't you know?" Yan Xunjian said, "The young mistress of Banner's family doesn't avoid people very much; I've seen it twice: a pair of romantic phoenix eyes, you will jump if you see them." "Then," Fang Chaofeng said with a smile, "It seems that Master Yan's heartbeat has been beating for many times?" Yan Xunjian laughed loudly; his eyes were narrowed into two slits, a pair of perverted eyes. "Let's get down to business." Fang Chaofeng said seriously, "The Cao family is acquainted with each other; it's just because you told me last time that Zaotai is very serious about this matter, don't be careless, and find yourself in trouble. That's why I specially invited you at this moment." Come; things are clear, I don't know what you always plan to do? Don't make me feel sorry for others. " "What?" Yan Xunjian couldn't figure it out for a while, "How could you be sorry for someone?" "If you just keep this matter in your stomach, of course it doesn't matter; if you report it to the higher authorities and let the outside know about an accident, and I told you the old man, then not only will I feel sorry for the Cao family, but also the rumors will spread." Once word spread, who would dare to come to take care of me?" "This—" Yan Xunjian hesitated, "I don't know what to do after you say it?" "How did the superiors explain it?" "The county master told me that whenever such a thing happened, I had to investigate and report it." Yan Xunjian said, "At that time, General Nian ransacked his house, and all the provinces found out where he sent his family's wealth; I don't know how much it's broken." "The Cao family has nothing to do with General Nian; moreover, the current weaving of the Cao family has less silver flowers for a while, so it is common for officials to find pawnshops." Fang Chaofeng finally made a positive request: "I don't think so. Report it!" Yan Xunjian said in his heart: If you want me not to report, will you not not report?如今卸了自己的责任，却又来做好人；将来不出事则罢，一出了事，你说你报给我了，责任全在我身上。我可不那么傻。 念头还没有转，方朝奉倒又开口了，“喔，”他像突然想起来似地，“我给你老留着一样好东西呢。” 说着，他起身从抽斗中取出来一个小布袋；由剪碎的粽箬中掏出来一块汉玉，油光闪亮，“盘”得很够功夫了。 “这是满当的东西，本利才十五两银子；知道你老好汉玉，特为给你留下来的。” 颜巡检心中的不快，顿时消失，接过玉来就灯下细细把玩了一会，点点头说：“东西不错！” “喔，”方朝奉有意凑兴，“这玩意叫什么？” 问到这上头，搔着颜巡检的痒处，他很起劲地说：“这叫玦。圆的是环；有缺口的就叫玦。那时作官的，实言直奏；一次不听劝二次；二次不听劝三次；三次都劝不回，知道忠言逆耳了！自己带了行李出城去住着，看上头的意思，说不定会充军。上头如果赏这么一个玉玦；那就乖乖儿上路好了。” “原来玉玦还有这么一个用处。”方朝奉又问：“倘或赦了他的罪呢？” “那就赏一个玉环。环者还也；是准他回家。” “怪不得！如今充军，准赎回来叫'赐环'。” “对了！”颜巡检很高兴地，“你一点就通了。” “还不是你老的教导。”方朝奉说：“颜老爷，你不但上马捕盗，下马还能做考据，真正博古通今，文武全才。” 一顶高帽子套得颜巡检飘飘欲仙，谈兴与酒兴俱高，直到深夜，方始告辞，“这块玉，承情之至。”他拱拱手说：“明儿我叫人送十六两银子过来——。” “几两银子小事——。” “喔，”颜巡检也抢着说：“我刚才说的那件事，我想起一个人，得跟他商量一下，看怎么办才妥当。反正你放心，绝不会让你对不起人。” 他又歉然地解释：“老方，不是我不痛快；实在是这件事关系太大。当今皇上你知道的，看似不要紧的事，说不定就会脑袋搬家。为朋友两肋插刀，别的罪过，我也认了；这一行罪，可不行！脑袋没了，可怎么来跟你喝酒，谈汉玉？” “不错，不错！”方朝奉笑着送他出门，“只别让我对不起人；你老怎么办都行。”
颜巡检倒是很重视方朝奉的叮嘱；第二天专诚去找他的一个朋友，正就是“吴三老爷”吴铎。 听他一说来意，吴铎心中一动；很注意地听完了，略想一想说道：“这件事可大可小；也许没有关系，也许关系很重。曹家这两年，碰了上头好几个钉子；或许得了什么风声，先作部署，亦未可知。老颜，你来问到我这件事该怎么办；我倒要先问你，曹家来当东西，到底是真当，还是假当？” “自然是假当。” "how do you know?" “从方朝奉口中听得出来。” “方朝奉又何尝知道人家是真当，还是假当？”吴铎又说“老颜，我告诉你一个试验的法子，你去问方朝奉，东西是谁拿来当的？” “这，这，”颜巡检莫名其妙，“这就能听得出来，是真当，还是假当？” “对了！验得出来。”吴铎说道：“大户人家太太、少奶奶，有急用而一时手头不便，当当也是常事；不过总是找贴身丫头或者老妈子去办，这是真当。若是假当呢，其中有许多说法，得找能干的听差办得了。你懂得这个道理了吧？” 颜巡检当然懂了，而且立即派了一个小厮去问；须臾回报：方朝奉说是曹家一个族人来当的。 吴铎心中暗喜，料准了是曹世隆。在颜巡检面前，当然声色不露；只说：“看起来是假当。老颜，这件事有两个办法，一个是直接了当，据实照报；顾不得方朝奉了。若要顾方朝奉呢，比较麻烦；你得时时刻刻留心曹家，无事最好；倘有风吹草动，赶紧呈报，免得连累。” “麻烦就麻烦吧！”颜巡检毫不考虑地说，“方朝奉的交情，不能不顾。吴三哥，你消息灵通；这件事还得请你照应，万一曹家出什么事，先赏我一个信。” “自己弟兄的事，还用说吗！” 等颜巡检道谢辞出；吴铎立刻去找孙胡子。上次为了想堵曹世隆跟震二奶奶，劳师动众结果扑了个空，一无所获；这两个人的性情都好强，一直不服这口气。如今起来又有新的机会，当然不肯放过。 “这件事有两个看法，也是两个做法。一个看起来孽缘未断；只不知道他们在那里兴云布雨，咱们接着前面未竟之功再干。这得下水磨工夫。你看呢？” “你先别问我。”吴铎说道：“不还有个看法吗？” “还有个看法，是曹家只怕真的出事了！你去打听看，咱们先下手为强！” “怎么叫先下手为强？” “摆明了跟震二奶奶说：光是潜移家财这款罪名，就叫曹家吃不了兜着走。问她如何了结？” “怎么问她？”吴铎想了一下说：“只能找曹世隆。” “自然。找他就行了。” “好！咱们就找他。” “慢着！找他不是那么容易的事。”孙胡子说，“他见了你魂都吓掉了，肯来吗？得另外找个人骗了他来。我想，不如仍旧找赛观音。” “不错，一客不烦二主。” 于是派人将赛观音邀了来，仍由孙胡子来跟她谈判。 “上次一千两银子，没有让你挣到，实在过意不去；这一次又有机会了，不找你不够义气。张五嫂，你干不干？” 赛观音又惊又喜，以为他们发现震二奶奶与曹世隆的幽会之处，急急问说：“在那儿？” 这三个字在孙胡子与吴铎听来，竟是答非所问，不知所云；不过她脸上的表情，也不难猜到她心里。孙胡子先不明说；含含糊糊地答一句：“回头你自会知道。你先说干不干。” 赛观音要帮曹震，当然不会跟孙胡子合作；但如说“不干”，便无法获知“在那儿”，因而坚决地答一句：“当然干！” “这一回不必像上回那样麻烦；你只干一件事好了。”孙胡子问：“你能不能把曹世隆约出来？” “约到那里？” “约到那里再琢磨。你只说，有没有把握把他约出来？” 赛观音心想，只说有关震二奶奶的消息，要私下问他；就一定能将他约到。于是深深点头，简洁地答一个字：“有！” “这就行了。”孙胡子说，“约到什么地方，我们商量好了再通知你。” 这是一个难题，赛观音若有事找曹世隆，自然是请他到家来谈；约到任何地方，都足以令人生疑，踟蹰却步。 “只有约到赛观音家。”孙胡子说，“不过她有夫家，也有娘家，看那里便于行事；便约到那里好了。” “我想也只好如此。” 略为查访一下，发觉赛观音的娘家很合用；原来她家本替城南吴家看守宗祠，父死子继，如今由赛观音的哥哥顶著名，但却在城里另作木器营生；留下妻子在吴氏宗祠的偏屋中，侍奉老母。那里地段荒僻，有何动作，不畏人知；正好用来勒索曹世隆。 于是将赛观音找了来，由孙胡子跟她谈判，“张五嫂，”他说，“这一回只借你的地方，请你出一出面；不论事情成功不成功，奉送一千银子。你乐意不乐意？” “这样的好事，我怎么不乐意？”赛观音问道：“不过到底该怎么办，请你说清楚些。” “是这样，请你派人去约曹世隆，说有关震二奶奶的事要告诉他；这件事关系很大，要避人耳目，所以你约他到你娘家来见面。” “原来你们连我娘家在那里都打听过了。”赛观音略为想了想答说：“好！我去约他。约好了来给你们回话。”接着又问：“你们到底要干什么？” “无非问他几句话而已。” 看他们不愿透露，赛观音也就不必再追问；回到家通前澈后想了一遍，便到兴儿家，跟他娘留下了话，要兴儿去看她。 第二天上午兴儿来了，赛观音便问：“那天你说你们二爷跟二奶奶讲和了；这几天怎么样？” “这几天蛮好。那天由芹官出面备了桌酒替他们夫妇劝和；二爷当天晚上就搬回去住了。”兴儿又说，“多亏得芹官，他劝二奶奶拿钱出来替二爷还赌帐；二奶奶听他的话，给了二爷一万银子。这阵二爷很阔；你该上上劲才是。” “我在家，有劲也使不上。” 兴儿沉吟了一会说：“谁让你是我妈朋友呢？等我来替你拉一拉。” 他说到做到，第二天晚上就将曹震拉了来；张五福事先已经避开，两人在卧房，关紧了门窗说知心话。 “恭喜你！夫妻和好。本来嘛，一夜夫妻百夜恩，我们旁人不该多事的。” “你别犯酸！”曹震很坦率地，“我是看她替我还帐的分上，敷衍敷衍她；我喜欢的还是你。”说着，搂住赛观音亲了个嘴，然后从身上掏出簇新的一只蒜条金的镯子，替她戴上。“总算你还有点一良心。”赛观音掳起衣袖；将金镯子捋到上臂，放下袖子说道：“我倒问你，如今若是有人要跟震二奶奶为难，你怎么样？” 曹震悚然一惊，急急问道：“谁要跟她为难？” “没有人，我不过假定而已。” 曹震以为是她对震二奶奶余憾未释，打算搅点是非；当即正色说道：“你别胡来！我老实告诉你吧，她除了替我还赌帐；这几天还在忙着筹款子替四老爷还亏空。你如果要跟她为难；就等于跟我们一家为难。” “我怎么会跟她为难？我不敢；我也没有那个能耐。”赛观音笑道：“你想到那里去了？我跟震二奶奶为难，不是拿鸡蛋往石头上碰？” “那么，你怎么会想出来问这么一句话；总有人跟她为难的意思吧！” “好了，好了，话越说越多。别提了。” 曹震也觉得秋宵珍如春宵；这晚上还得赶回去，犯不着将温馨缱绻的辰光，虚掷在无谓的争执上，因而也就只动手不动口了。 要回绝吴铎很容易，一句话就可了事：约了曹世隆，他不肯来。但赛观音却不愿这么做；因为她对震二奶奶与曹世隆究竟是不是还有幽期密约；相会又在何处这件事，始终具有极浓的兴趣？若有打听的机会，绝不愿放弃。 回绝了吴铎，便是放弃了这个机会。因此，她决定采取拖延的手法，第一回说约曹世隆不容易，须避人耳目，拖了两天；第二回说好不容易找到一个可以约他的机会，偏偏曹世隆不在家，只好过几天再约。就这样一回一个花样，拖了有把个月；吴铎固然失望，她也一无所获，因为每次见面总想套问她所有关切的那些事，吴铎便迎头拦一句：“五嫂，你不必问：到时候你自然就知道了。” 但就在这个把月的日子中，事情起了根本上的变化；方朝奉把颜巡检又请了去，告诉他说：“曹家的两口箱子，前天赎回去了。我特为请你老来，告诉你一声；万一出了什么事，要找我要这两口箱子，可是没有的。” “我知道了。”颜巡检说：“好在我也没有报。” “那就再好都没有了。”方朝奉极其欣慰地说，“这件事一点痕迹都不留，干干净净，大家省心。” 接着在闲谈中提到，来赎当的不是原来送当的人；是四名北方口音中年汉子，看打扮像是官差。颜巡检心一动，觉得有些不大对劲；于是去找吴铎谈这件事。 吴铎一听，心里非常不舒服；他平时以智计自负，加以有孙胡子这么一个“军师”，平时出些什么花样，总能办成。唯独这一回，两番落空；隐隐然觉得似乎斗不过震二奶奶与曹世隆，这口气却有些咽不下。 “老颜，不是我吓你。”吴铎神色懔然地说，“这件事怕要妨你的前程！” “怎么？吴三哥，”颜巡检急忙问道：“你倒说个缘故我听！莫非就为的当时我没有报；那也你说的啊！” “不错！我也有点错；不过我也提醒过你，最好是据实呈报，倘或要顾方朝奉的交情，暂且不报，麻烦很多。现在就是个麻烦；不过也还来得及。” “你说，你说，该怎么办？” “照实补报，这篇文章还不好做；我替你起个稿子，你明天来取。” 要他“明天来取”的原因是，吴铎要跟孙胡子去仔细推敲。听罢经过，孙胡子想了想说：“东西已不在南京了。你派人到周老四那里去抄一份过境官员的名单来。” “你的意思是，让过境官员替曹家把东西运去了！” "almost." 吴铎便亲自去找周老四——上元县的驿丞；过境官员除非奉有特旨，微行查案，否则都逃不过他的耳目。所以光是抄这十天过境的官员，便足足写满两张纸之多。 孙胡子接到手里，逐项细看；看到快终了的地方，微微一笑，“错不了！”他得意地，“就是他。” 吴铎凑近去一看，孙胡子所指的那一行是“内务府广储司主事马，奉旨赴镇江金山寺勘察修佛阁工程回京，随带下人五名；住两日。” “曹家跟马家至亲，又是内务府；这个马主事，当然是可以受托寄顿财物的。” 吴铎点点头又问：“你有多少把握？” “总有七、八分。” “既然如此，一不做、二不休；索性将这一段也叙了进去。” 孙胡子想一想说：“也罢！说得含蓄些好了。” 于是他提笔替颜巡检拟了一个禀帖说：“据水西门利和当朝奉方子忠面称：曹织造家派族人曹某，押当加封杂物两箱，计银五十两。事本寻常，无足为异；不意日前又据方子忠面称，上开箱子两口，已由当主赎回；赎当之人共四名，口操北音，形似差官。窃思既为家用杂物，当银不过五十两之数，何致动用形似差官者四人赎当。然则情节显有可疑；经职查访，风传此两口箱子，内储之物，价值不赀，已由其至亲携带到京云云。职责所在，理当呈报。” 颜巡检也是公事老手，一看所拟的稿子，将他以前知情不报的失职之处，遮掩得不露丝毫痕迹，颇为高兴，也颇为感激。当下再三道谢；随即亲笔誊正，递了上去。 一看他已照自己的预期去办；吴铎还有第二步动作，便是约曹震在秦淮河房喝酒。见了面自道相邀的缘故，一则是久未晤面，一叙契阔；再则是有几句“不足为外人道”的话相告。 “曹二爷，”他问：“令叔进京好几个月了，何以至今还没有回来？” “京里另外有临时奉派的差使。”曹震随口编造了一个理由，“恐怕要在京里过年了。” “没有什么别样消息？”头一问是寒暄；这一问弦外有音，曹震何能听不出来？心里一沉，表面上却不动声色；平静地问说：“吴三哥，你说该有什么消息？” 见此光景，吴铎自然也有戒心，怕话中有了漏洞，让曹震抓紧了追问，难以应付。即忙闪了开去，“我也是出于关切，随便问一问。”他说：“曹二爷别认真。” “是，是。”曹震表现了