Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 284: Censor

As they were talking, Cao Yu walked in from outside. Seeing the guard and Qingwen standing there, he greeted them with a smile: "What took you so long? I've been waiting for you! Come out quickly!"

The two of them knew Cao Yu, and were particularly surprised to see that he was unwilling to offend this restaurant.

However, one of them had his own master clearly told him not to cause trouble, and the other had witnessed his boss being severely beaten by this guy, so both of them tactfully followed him out.

Cao Yu walked a few steps outside and saw the carriages and horses parked nearby. He realized that Daiyu should be among them, so he came over to pay her a brief greeting.

Daiyu smiled in the carriage and said, "I never thought that inviting Mr. Cao to dinner would be so difficult."

Cao Yu smiled and looked around. There was no other restaurant similar to this one. After thinking for a while, he said, "When I got up in the morning, there was a restaurant two streets away. The front door was very clean. Why not go and give it a try?"

Daiyu smiled and told the driver to follow him: "As you wish, Mr. Cao."

A horse, a carriage and several people slowly left.

The waiter of the restaurant was standing in the doorway, looking at him with his arms folded, and pouted: "Bah! Poor bastard!"

After two blocks, there is a straight and wide street.

Half of the people walking on the street were wearing long shirts and square scarves.

Daiyu saw it from the car window and laughed: "The government school and the Confucian Temple are on this street?"

"That's right." Cao Yu was riding on a horse and walking beside the carriage. When he heard the question, he answered subconsciously.

Daiyu was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "This street is good, more elegant."

Cao Yu smiled, hummed, and said nothing more.

Soon they arrived at a very lively restaurant.

It was Qingwen and the guards who went to ask about the private rooms again. They said that there were six people and they needed two private rooms, preferably next to each other.

When the waiter asked the reason, Qingwen told him frankly: men and women sit at different tables.

The waiter asked with a smile: "My shop has a large room, which is divided into two small rooms, both of which are independent. Only the partition in the middle can be removed, and there is a screen window.

"So, if relatives and friends sit at separate tables, men and women can take down the window panels and chat, but they can't eat at the same table."

Qingwen was delighted: "Your family is really good at doing business! We want this big room!"

The waiter smiled and pointed to the side door, asking the ladies to go upstairs from the back.

After hearing the arrangement, Daiyu was very satisfied with the store. She specifically asked about the name of the store, repeated it twice, and wrote it down.

So Daiyu took Qingwen and Xueyan to one room, and Cao Yu and the two guards to another room, and they ate separately.

After they had finished their meal, Daiyu asked for some good tea to be brought.

The two guards looked at each other, then stood up, made up an excuse, and went out together.

Daiyu was extremely satisfied and glanced at Xueyan.

Xueyan understood and stuffed a purse into the two guards’ pockets before leaving the house: “Just now I saw someone selling sugar-roasted chestnuts on the opposite street.

"This stuff is rare in the south. I'm craving it, so please buy me a pack to try."

The guards also understood and agreed with a smile. They then asked Xueyan, "Why doesn't your girl come out? I see she likes to go out."

Xueyan giggled: "There are too many people, and she is so beautiful that she attracts everyone's attention. The lady never allows her to walk around."

The guards nodded repeatedly, and one of them took the opportunity to ask, "Has she decided on someone?"

Xueyan covered her mouth and laughed: "She has a bad temper and no relatives. She probably won't get married and will just follow our master to eat, drink and have fun for the rest of her life!"

The two guards looked regretful.

Seeing this, Xueyan smiled and said nothing more. She went downstairs to find the shopkeeper to see what the best tea on the counter was like.

After a round of walking, he came back with the waiter to collect the leftovers on the table, make hot tea, and put out candied fruits before leaving.

Xueyan whispered a few words into Daiyu's ear again.

Daiyu raised her eyebrows and nodded slowly: "In that case, there is no need to be so reserved when speaking to the shop owner."

Xueyan smiled knowingly and nodded.

Cao Yu waited until all the noise from the other side died down, then he stood up respectfully and bowed to Daiyu in a serious manner:

"The last person in the second class of this year's exam, the former lieutenant of Danyang County, the current acting magistrate of Jiangning County, the censor of the Censorate under secret decree, Cao Yu, here to see Princess Zhaoqing!"

When Daiyu heard his last title, she realized that this was his trump card, so she smiled with relief and said, "I don't deserve this gift.

"Supervisor Cao, please stand up and take a seat. I left the capital without permission. Does Your Majesty have any order to punish me?"

Cao Yu smiled, crossed his hands and lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty did not mention it in the secret letter." Then he sat back.

After a pause, he asked carefully, "I have received news that the princess has been investigating the case of Zhen's daughter since Suzhou.

"I don't know whether it is because of old friends that I am deeply attached to them, or because of some other order? Please let me know so that I can follow your orders."

Daiyu was silent for a while, then asked, "Does Supervisor Cao know Master Zhitong?"

Cao Yu nodded: "I met the Master once at the Qinpu Zen Temple. It was then that I learned that Your Majesty had just found the Master not long ago. The Master may have returned to the capital now."

"I also met the master at the Qinpu Zen Temple." Daiyu said softly, "The master asked me about the cause of my father's illness, but I was stunned and couldn't answer."

Cao Yu's face suddenly became solemn and he listened attentively.

"The master said that my father was in very good health when he was in Beijing. Not only was he in good health, but my mother was also in good health.

"Later, the master left Beijing for a long journey and met my father again in Yangzhou. He said that my younger brother had died at that time, and my mother and I were both ill.

“But even then, my father was still in good health.

"The master was very sad and extremely suspicious."

Daiyu was silent for a long time when she said this.

Cao Yu said nothing and waited quietly.

After a long while, Daiyu finally suppressed her tears and spoke again:

"My father was seriously ill, and when he took me back to Yangzhou, my cousin from the Jia family invited a medical expert from Jinling.

"I think the doctor felt sorry for my father and I, so he whispered something to me."

Cao Yu subconsciously held his breath, put his hands on his knees, leaned forward slightly, and listened more attentively.

Daiyu whispered, "He said that my father's illness has been going on for a long time, nearly six years."

Six years! ?

What kind of illness can last for six years? !

unless……

Cao Yu secretly took a breath of cold air!

Unless it's poison! Chronic poison!

"When I went back, my father was already ill and could not be cured. He just tried his best to relieve his pain."

Daiyu lowered her head and tears fell again.

Her father had passed away a long time ago, but because he hadn't been able to arrange the rest of her life, he endured the pain and held on for another three or four months.

Cao Yu was so surprised that he could hardly sit still and couldn't help but cough lightly.

Daiyu wiped her tears, forced a smile, and said lightly: "In fact, it's not surprising. In Yangzhou, there are countless salt merchants who have taken over the salt business.

"If my younger brother had not died when we had not yet arrived in Yangzhou, I would have suspected that even the death of my mother and younger brother was caused by them."

Cao Yu frowned and was silent for a moment before he spoke softly, "My princess, do you know that Master Zhitong was the great monk of the Dali Temple back then?"