Chapter 126

Xu Yi asked A Xu to check, and he found something. The address Cao Guanren reported to him was correct. It was in the third house on this street, diagonally opposite Xu's house.

He is engaged in the rouge business. He has a rouge factory at home with several master workers. His rouge shop is two streets across from Tao's rouge shop.

The Tao family's business is booming now thanks to "Xu's Facial Cream", which has brought in a lot of customers.

After further inquiry, it was found that Cao Guan had been suffering from malignant sores on his face for several years. The year before last, he was treated by Dr. Chen and he was cured for a while.

Recently, it has grown again, and the facial oil I applied is not as effective as before. In addition, there are other strange things in it, so I came to my door.

Xu Yi discovered that A Xu had a good ability to inquire about information. After they moved to East Street, A Xu often had contact with his neighbors. He knew who lived in East Street better than Xu Yi.

If he hadn't gone out to inquire about the information, Xu Yi would have wanted to know this, and the way to know would have been more troublesome.

After knowing the news, Xu Yi asked A Xu to pass the news to Tao Qinghao.

He didn't ask Tao Qinghao how he handled it.

A few days later, Tao Qinghao called his entourage to send a message, saying that it was done and would not cause any trouble to Xu Yi.

It's mid-July, it's hot.

On this day, Xing Yuesen will start again and go to Shuntian Mansion to attend the Spring Festival.

Several friends came to practice. The Xing family prepared a carriage for Xing Yuesen. The carriage at the back was wider than the previous mule carriage.

Following Xing Yuesen were Amu and Wang Huyuan.

They are traveling on official roads all the way, they are candidates, and they have the status of being elected, so they will be relatively safe and convenient on the road.

I brought Wang Huyuan with me mainly so that there would be someone to take care of me.

"Brother Xing, I'm afraid it will take a few months to get to Shuntian Mansion this time. I have to prepare some emergency pills and powders on the way, just in case." Xu Yi said.

He took a package from A Xu's hand, which contained various emergency pills and medicinal powders that he had driven out in the past few days.

Xing Yuesen's eyes were slightly hot, and he said sincerely: "Brother Yi, why did you bother to prepare these? I told you before that the medicine has been prepared for me at home."

"I didn't prepare it, I don't worry." Xu Yi said.

When I went back to take part in the scientific examination, I had Tao Qinghao and others to look after me on the way.

Now there are only two people traveling with Xing Yuesen. Although Amu is a follower, he doesn't know much. Wang Huyuan is illiterate. All he has is the tendons on his body that can protect his master, and the knife in his hand.

Originally, Xu Yi didn't worry about this.

But Wu Guanshan was not here, and the other doctors in Miaoshou Pavilion whom Xu Yi had seen were not as good as Wu Guanshan.

After Xu Yi learned about this, he thought about it a little. When he thought about it too much, he became even more uneasy.

In ancient times, ordinary colds and colds could kill people, not to mention traveling in the sweltering heat. Even in modern times, high temperature and heatstroke are very dangerous, and accidents will occur if treatment is not provided.

Xing Yuesen smiled brightly and accepted the package: "According to you, these pills and powders prepared by you can indeed make people feel more at ease."

Xin Shengyuan and Tao Qinghao watched them finish speaking before answering.

"Xu Yi is still thoughtful. Xinyao and I both came empty-handed." Tao Qinghao said with a smile. Xin Shengyuan said

, "It's not empty-handed. At least we brought wine. " Good wine. As soon as the lid of the wine bottle was opened, one could smell the delicate floral fragrance. Xu Yi followed it and smelled it. It tasted really good. Seeing that the gentlemen were in good spirits, Amu quickly took out the mats from the carriage. He spread them on the mats and they sat on the ground. A short table and wine glasses were placed in the middle, and they sat cross-legged around them. Among the few people, except Xing Yuesen who has the idea of ​​pursuing an official career, Xu Yi specializes in medicine, Tao Qinghao likes to do business, Xin Shengyuan is the only one among them who is not sure what he wants to do. Even though the four people pursue different goals, it does not affect their chatting and drinking. The time for free conversation is always short. Soon, Wang Huyuan stepped forward and reminded: "Lang Jun, it's getting late, we have to leave." Xing Yuesen looked at his friends and sighed: "We have to go, otherwise we won't be able to make it to Didian tonight . "Brother Xing, take care! " Xu Yi raised his fist and said to Wang Huyuan, "The journey is long and Wang Huyuan needs to be more careful." Wang Huyuan put his hand on the handle of the knife and said, "I will protect you." Good husband." "Xing Wu, I'm afraid you'll be an official next time you come back." Xin Shengyuan drank a little too much. He stood up unsteadily and put his hand on Xing Yuesen's shoulder. He came closer, curled his lips, and muttered, "I'm quite jealous of you, but I still hope you can pass the exam and stay there." "Okay." Xing Yuesen smiled. Tao Qinghao reluctantly carried him back and said to Xing Yuesen: "Take care. " He said nothing and bowed to them. ... Tao Sheng's life has been very difficult recently. Ever since Tao Qinghao took over Rouge Shop and reviewed the Rouge Shop's accounts, in just one month, more than 20 yuan of money was recorded in the account. Several other housekeepers in the Tao family would make some mocking remarks every time they met, overtly or covertly, saying that he was not as good as Young Master, and they dared to give advice in front of Young Master, without fear of being laughed at. What he said to Tao Qinghao that day was chosen when no one else was around, but he didn't want it to be leaked. Tao Sheng originally thought that Tao Qinghao couldn't help but suppress him, so he told the truth. If this was the case, Xiao Langjun's methods would be much worse. Unexpectedly, Tao Qinghao became angry first and found out the person who leaked these words. That person was the lady who washed the toilet bowl in the eldest lady's house. She was lazing in the garden at that time and happened to hear these words. While the mother-in-law was having a drink, she accidentally let slip that her son was working as an errand in the yard and was not qualified to approach the eldest lady's house, so she let the word out. Tao Sheng could become a butler, so he wanted to.

When Tao Sheng came to see Tao Qinghao with a heavy heart, Tao Qinghao was waiting for him with an extremely ugly expression.

When he saw him coming, he didn't ask him to sit down, so he just kept standing.

Tao Sheng was not sure whether Tao Qinghao was looking for an opportunity to liquidate him, so he could only lower his eyes and stop quietly, trying to see what Tao Qinghao's charter was.

Tao Qinghao didn't talk nonsense to him and threw two account books in front of him.

He said coldly: "See for yourself."

Tao Sheng was confused, but he still picked up the account book and started reading it.

Looking at the purchases recorded above, his hands shook unconsciously. There was a loophole in the money account. Someone had tampered with the account book, and this account book happened to be the Rouge Shop's accounts for the previous two months.

Tao Qinghao looked at him coldly: "Do you have an explanation?"

Tao Sheng said calmly: "Xiao Langjun, I don't know about this matter. The purchase of Rouge Shop is usually reviewed by the shopkeeper, and he will make a decision only after it is confirmed. I have checked the accounts for those days, and there are no omissions. It seems that the people below have embezzled the money privately.

"You can just send me away without knowing anything?" Tao Qinghao laughed angrily. "Tao Sheng, you can have problems running the rouge shop. I wonder if the restaurants you manage also have problems."

Tao Sheng suddenly raised his head and looked at him: "There is absolutely no such thing!"

Fake accounts, Embezzling money, if the master discovers it, it will not be as simple as sending it away.

If you encounter a ruthless master, you can directly arrest the person and take him to the yamen, where he will be slapped in jail or exiled for hundreds of miles in the worst case.

Even if Tao Sheng was stupid, he would not be so stupid.

Moreover, this fake account was too crude and seemed to be artificially framed.

Tao Sheng thought that Tao Qinghao had never liked him, and he could not help but suspect that Tao Qinghao had set the trap himself.

There were so many thoughts in his mind that he knelt on the ground and kowtowed and shouted: "If you don't believe me, I will call the shopkeeper of the rouge shop and the purchasing servants to confront you now. If I have embezzled, I will definitely die a good death." "

Tao Qinghao said: "I don't want to listen to your oath. No matter who swallowed the money, you have failed in your duty."

Tao Sheng knelt on the ground and shouted: "Xiao Langjun, let me investigate this matter. Find the person who committed the crime."

Tao Qinghao waved his hand.

"There is still a shortage of a steward in the village in the northern suburbs, so go there."

Tao Sheng opened his red eyes in horror. His hands trembled and he suppressed his composure and said: "Young gentleman, this matter should be decided by the eldest lady. I...I want to see the eldest lady."

Tao Qinghao sneered: "My mother has not had a good rest these days. If you dare to disturb her with this matter, I will not let you go."

Tao Sheng bent over after hearing this . His waist trembled violently, and he fell to the ground in despair.

After more than 20 years of hard work, in the end it was all in vain.

After going to Zhuangzi, is there still a chance to return to the main house?

He looked at the unhappy young man and wanted to stand up and ask him why he hated himself so much. Is it wrong for him to want to climb up?

Tao Sheng had imagined where Tao Qinghao would attack him, but he never expected this result. Drive him out of the main house and don't let him get close to the eldest lady.

But he couldn't question, and he didn't dare to question. Tao Sheng hid the emotion in his eyes, stood up slowly, bowed and said, "Thank you, Mr. Lang."

After Tao Sheng left, he asked Tao Qinghao in a low voice: "Mr. Lang, let me go like this. Pass him?"

Tao Qinghao closed his eyes and sighed.

He turned around and could no longer see Tao Sheng's back. He looked at the account book that was put back on the table and said to his entourage: "Tao Sheng did not do this, but the purchasing boy. He secretly swallowed the money and overstated the accounts."

"Then..." The attendant scratched his head in confusion, "Since Lang Jun knew that Butler Tao did not do this, why did he send him to Zhuangzi?"

Tao Qinghao's eyes turned cold: "He kept it? " , it is a hidden danger to the Tao family. "

...

Mrs. Tao found out about this three days later.

She said nothing and asked her mother-in-law to send some money to Zhuangzi.

When Tao Sheng saw his mother-in-law taking out the money, he knew he would never go back to Tao's house.

He asked his mother-in-law to thank Mrs. Tao on his behalf, and wanted her to say something in the hope that she would beg for her grace and allow him to redeem himself and leave the house.

The mother-in-law sighed: "It's not bad in Zhuangzi. Although it's not as good as the housekeeper's, it's a lot more peaceful."

Tao Sheng's eyes were in a trance. Was the lady unwilling to let him go? When he came to Zhuangzi, apart from the money he had with him, he only kept the handkerchief.

That veil was his life-saving straw. At that time, he thought he would be sold out of the house, but it was the eldest lady who saved him and he reached the position of the butler.

But the ceremony and leaving the house did not go as he wished, and Mrs. Tao refused to let him go.

When Tao Qinghao learned about this, he wanted to agree to Tao Sheng's promise. He didn't want to see this person again in the future, but his mother stopped him.

"I don't ask why you hate him, but if you blame him for your mistakes, you will do something right." Mrs. Tao looked at her son and said in a soft voice, "Let him leave the house, and you will take revenge on him. An opportunity for the Tao family."

Tao Qinghao was stunned, not expecting his mother to be even more cruel.

"Mom, don't you blame me?" he asked hesitantly.

Mrs. Tao looked out the window: "You will one day take over the Tao family and train your own cronies."

Tao Qinghao tightened his hands under the table.

He thought...

he thought his mother was reluctant to let go of Butler Tao.

After all, he saw his mother hand the veil to Tao Sheng with his own eyes.

He was only seven years old at the time, and he hid under the rockery because he didn't want to go to a private school. At that time, Tao Sheng was just a handyman in the eldest lady's house. He bumped into a nobleman and was punished by kneeling on the gravel path in the yard.

He was a little far away at that time and couldn't hear clearly what the two of them said. He only saw his mother giving the handkerchief to Tao Sheng who was kneeling on the ground.

After his mother left, he saw Tao Sheng put the veil in his arms.

Later, he once bumped into Tao Sheng still keeping the veil...

He already knew what was going on and understood how the veil could not be given away at will. During that time, he hated both his mother and Tao Sheng.

But no one dared to mention this matter, for fear of bringing any trouble to the Tao family. But his mother had always treated Tao Sheng with a trustworthy attitude, and Tao Sheng was capable. Tao Qinghao hated him from the bottom of his heart, but couldn't find a reason to drive him out of his wife's house.

Now he was embarrassing Tao Sheng with the mistakes made by his servants, but Tao Sheng did not beg for mercy and even asked his mother for mercy, which made him believe in his idea.

...

In a few days, it will be the day when Zhang Tiegou will get married.

Xu Yi sent a congratulatory gift in advance, and now that there were still a few days before the wedding, he thought of preparing a simple one.

After much deliberation, I put my mind on wine.

In early August, the sweet-scented osmanthus blooms.

The sweet-scented osmanthus trees in Yanting County are blooming with golden stamens one after another, and the sea of ​​flowers is fragrant. As long as there are streets with sweet-scented osmanthus trees, you can smell the rich fragrance of the flowers from a distance.

Xu Yi held the basket and called A Xu and A Jin.

The three of them sat in Uncle Liu's car and arrived three miles away in the western suburbs. There was an osmanthus forest here. Every year when the osmanthus bloomed, many women came to pick osmanthus.

Xu Yi said: "I will shake the tree later, and you two hold the linen cloth to catch the shaken osmanthus flowers."

A Xu nodded: "I understand, Lang Jun."

A Jin rubbed his hands with interest: "Lang Jun, I used to see other people picking sweet-scented osmanthus by climbing up trees or beating the branches with bamboo poles.

"That's too slow," said A Jin.

Occasionally, he looked at the pedestrians carrying bamboo baskets on the road. The fragrance of sweet-scented osmanthus floats by, it’s the people who came back from picking sweet-scented osmanthus.

There was expectation in her eyes: "Lang Jun, I want to try it too."

"If I have a chance, I will try it for you." Xu Yi said.

Uncle Liu got up on the oxcart, looked back, and said, "Doctor Xu, if I had known you were going to pick osmanthus, you would have just told me. My wife and eldest daughter-in-law have been picking osmanthus for the past few days. "Sell it in the city."

"Oh, how much can it cost?" Xu Yi asked curiously.

Uncle Liu smiled darkly: "The price is very cheap, a basket only costs ten cents." After that, he added, "If Doctor Xu wants it, there is no need to pay. I will ask them to pick two bamboo baskets and send them

over."

It's light, and it costs more than a pound to fill the basket.

Xu Yi said: "It's really cheap."

However, he has not picked the sweet-scented osmanthus yet, and the two children were in high spirits. It would be a spoiler to go back now.

The few people talked and quickly left the city and rushed to the western suburbs. They would be there within three miles and not long after.

Before we arrived, we could already see many people coming back carrying baskets or bamboo baskets to pick osmanthus flowers.

After they got off the oxcart, they walked for a while and came to the sweet-scented osmanthus forest. There were many people picking sweet-scented osmanthus inside.

Their arrival did not attract anyone's attention. Xu Yi smelled the rich fragrance of flowers in the air and picked a place with few people. Walk.

After a while, I found an osmanthus tree that had never been picked.

The trees are full of golden flowers, blooming in clusters. The closer you get, the stronger the fragrance of the flowers.

If you smell it for a long time, you will feel dizzy.

Xu Yi didn't waste any time. He took out the folded linen cloth from the basket, shook it and handed it to A Xu and the others.

A Xu and A Jin grabbed both ends of the linen and stretched it out under the sweet-scented osmanthus tree.

Xu Yi stepped forward and hugged the tree trunk, exerted force on his wrist, and then shook it.

Soon, a rustling sound sounded.

Branches and branches swayed in the air, and golden flowers fell down like stars in the sky.

A Xu and A Jin's eyes suddenly lit up, they raised their arms and caught most of the sweet-scented osmanthus.

Seeing the sweet-scented osmanthus falling to the ground, the two of them stared at it sadly.

But soon, more sweet-scented osmanthus fell down, which dazzled them. It was too late to sigh at the flowers that fell to the ground.

In more than half a quarter of an hour, they collected the linen and put the sweet-scented osmanthus into the basket. The basket was filled in a short while.

At this time, Xu Yi regretted bringing the basket.

If you bring a bamboo basket, you can pick some more and take them back.

A Xu said: "Lang Jun, or I will go home and get the bamboo basket."

Xu Yi shook his head: "No, come back tomorrow."

After saying that, he brought the two of them back.

Uncle Liu was a little surprised to see them back so soon. When Xu Yi said that the basket he brought was not enough, he immediately laughed.

"Doctor Xu, I know how to weave straw baskets. Why don't you wait for me for two-quarters of an hour while I weave a straw basket to hold the sweet-scented osmanthus?"

Xu Yi was slightly surprised: "A straw basket?"

He had never heard Uncle Liu say that before.

Uncle Liu told him that before he could save money to buy cattle, he used to make straw baskets and sell them to support his family.

However, in their village, every household can weave straw baskets. Straw baskets are easier to weave than bamboo baskets. There is no need to deal with bamboo strips. If there are too many people weaving, they will not be sold.

Uncle Liu hadn't knitted grass baskets for a long time, but he had knitted for decades and had muscle memory. He pulled a few slender weeds and knitted them for a while, and the speed picked up.

A Xu and A Jin took the initiative to look for weeds to make baskets nearby, and soon pulled a small pile back.

Both of them knew how to knit straw sandals. After watching Uncle Liu knitting for a while, they joined in the knitting of baskets.

Only Xu Yi couldn't understand.

He tried to weave it for a while, but found that the weave did not form a shape, it was just two weeds, but the opponent could fold it into four, and after one weaving, he could connect to the next one and continue weaving.

Uncle Liu saw that Xu Yi was interested and asked, "Doctor Xu, do you want to learn how to make baskets?"

Xu Yi reluctantly smiled and said, "I want to learn, but I just watched you make the time and don't know the principle."

Because he didn't know what to do. Editor, it looks simple, but I don’t know where to start.

Uncle Liu didn't understand what "principle" was, but he understood what Xu Yi wanted to learn.

Weaving baskets couldn't be easier for the people in the countryside. The only difference is whether the weaving is good or not and whether there are many patterns.

Xu Yi wanted to learn, so Uncle Liu started teaching him enthusiastically.

He pulled two new pieces of weeds, folded them in half and showed them to Xu Yi, then passed another piece of weeds through them, folded them backwards, and repeated the same step in reverse.

"Doctor Xu, look, by knitting it back and forth like this, you can knit the bottom of the basket." After Liu Bo said this, he taught Xu Yi how to lock the edges.

Locking the edges was more troublesome. They came out without knives, so the extra parts were left alone for the time being. They looked like green round cakes.

With his careful teaching, Xu Yi really knew how to compile.

By the time Xu Yi made up an irregular-shaped straw basket, Liu Bo and A Xu had already made several.

Xu Yi: "..."

Forget it, the job of making baskets is not suitable for him.

They took the newly made baskets, filled them all, and returned home laden.

Freshly picked osmanthus flowers are washed with well water and steamed in a steamer.

The steamed osmanthus still has a strong flavor. Spread them on a dustpan, dry them in the sun, and they are ready to use.

Xu Yi took out some of the sun-dried osmanthus flowers, soaked them in sake, and then added licorice and cloves.

Licorice has a seasoning effect, and when combined with cloves, the osmanthus wine brewed has many effects such as warming and nourishing the stomach, promoting blood circulation and replenishing qi.

He also ordered A Xu to go to the shop to buy caramel and come back to boil osmanthus honey.

First melt the caramel in water, then add the osmanthus and stir, then seal it in a jar and wait a few days for the osmanthus honey to be ready.

When the osmanthus wine and osmanthus honey are ready, the day of Zhang Tiegou's marriage has arrived.

He took osmanthus wine and osmanthus honey, as well as A Xu A Jin and the others to Baili Village to attend Zhang Tiegou's wedding.

After Zhang Tiegou bought the betrothal gifts, he didn't have much money left in his hand, but he still renovated the dilapidated house.

As the groom's official, Zhang Tiegou wore a brand-new narrow-sleeved gown today, a square scarf on his head, and a bright azalea in his hair.

Xu Yi looked at him in surprise. It turns out that you need a hairpin to get married.

Although he often saw literati and elegant guests wearing hairpins in teahouses, as a good friend, this was the first time he saw Zhang Tiegou's hairpin.

"Brother, am I handsome today?" Zhang Tiegou saw him coming and came to greet him happily. He put his arm around Xu Yi's shoulders and whispered to each other.

Xu Yi was happy for him: "He is very handsome."

"You go inside to have a drink first." Zhang Tiegou rubbed his palms, "The auspicious time is coming, I have to go pick up Mengniang."

After he said this, The matchmaker came out of the house and walked in their direction while explaining various things to pay attention to.

The matchmaker's mother shouted: "Bridegroom, why are you still here? Go and pick up the bride's wedding car. The wedding team will leave soon."

Marriage in ordinary people's homes is not as grand as that of wealthy families . , not even a banquet, just hire a bullock cart to take the bride home and live.

There are better ones, like Zhang Tiegou, who values ​​the bride and will follow etiquette to the bride's house in a dignified and respectable manner.

Today he hired a sedan draped in red silk and hired two bearers to play the gongs and bring Li Mengniang back in all splendor.

Along the way, the wedding team will also scatter jelly beans to the children who are joining in the fun.

When the children asked for the wedding candy, they congratulated and said a few auspicious words. If the words were good, Zhang Tiegou stuffed a few more.

Today, the bride, Li Mengniang, is wearing a red skirt with a double breast, rouge on her face, black eyebrows, holding a round fan embroidered with mandarin ducks in her hand, and sitting in the sedan with a blushing face.

She and Zhang Tiegou finished worshiping heaven and earth, and led by the matchmaker's mother, they entered the new house first.

Next, the lively banquet began.

In addition to Xu Yi and Uncle Liu, Zhang Tiegou also invited everyone in the village to have a feast.

Tao Qinghao and Xin Shengyuan had never seen an ordinary wedding, so they also came to attend with congratulatory gifts.

They sat at the same table as Xu Yi and saw that Xu Yi brought osmanthus wine and osmanthus honey as gifts.

Afterwards, the two went to Xu's house to beg for some money and went back.

Xu Yi has always been generous to his friends, and he, A Xu and the others still collected a lot of sweet-scented osmanthus.

The two of them didn't get it for free, so they were dragged by Xu Yi to do hard labor for several days.

Xu Yi did not let A Xu sell the sweet-scented osmanthus wine he made, but kept some of it for himself to drink.

Xu Yi gave away the rest.

Osmanthus wine is different from medicinal wine. It is more popular. It tastes fragrant and sweet and is not intoxicating.

Unfortunately, the season of sweet-scented osmanthus passes quickly. After late autumn, there are fewer and fewer sweet-scented osmanthus flowers in the sweet-scented osmanthus forest. The weather gradually becomes colder and another winter is coming...