Chongzhen Sunset Song

?one

That's it.

The cavalry team is solemn and orderly, as mighty and solemn as a royal guard of honor.And the sunset, who walked through the Jin army camp once, with disheveled clothes and disheveled hair, was sandwiched in the middle of the team, just like a crooked dead tree mixed with a row of tall and straight green pines, as abrupt and funny.Riding on the horse, Xi Zhao looked around at the familiar streets and alleys in the capital, under the curious or awe-inspiring eyes of people on the street, while rejoicing that he came back to the capital alive, at the same time thinking about his own thoughts.Just go on like this, and you will soon reach the palace gate.What to do, if you want to escape, this is probably the last chance.But riding on a horse and being dragged by others, under the watchful eyes of everyone, how can he escape?Seeing that the palace gate was within easy reach, Xi Zhao had no choice but to repeat the old trick, pretending to say:

"Oops...my stomach hurts..."

……

Nobody cares.The soldiers kept staring straight ahead as if they didn't hear them, walking evenly.

Xi Zhao took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and said loudly to the horse-leader:

"This big brother... I want to go to the toilet..."

……

Unless you are deaf, how can you not hear, but still no one cares.The important matter that Xi Zhao was thinking about was as inconspicuous as dust at this time, and Xi Zhao's words were easily drowned in the noisy voice of the market and dissipated in an instant.what to do?what to do?The tricks that are easy to use against the little eunuch are completely useless in front of these soldiers. Xi Zhao, who is usually quick-witted, can't come up with a good strategy even after racking his brains.The bright red palace gate was getting closer and closer, Xi Zhao closed his eyes and had no choice but to stop thinking for a while.It turns out that yesterday's failure to escape did not cause me to die in the Golden Camp, but that I was doomed to return to this palace again.After making such a big circle outside the palace, he still couldn't escape in the end. Could it be that this is really fate...?

The horse team stopped, and the palace gate was already in front of them.The leader of the team chatted with the guard, and the guard shouted a few words back, and a small red-lacquered door beside the tower opened slowly.Xi Zhao jumped off the horse, and under the watchful eyes of the soldiers, walked slowly towards the small red-painted door.The eyes of the soldiers were like a glare on their backs, and Xi Zhao seemed to be stiff and unable to move his hands and feet when he walked.The moment he walked through the small door, he stretched out his hand to touch his chest - the thing he picked up yesterday was still there.Forget it, as long as there is this thing, there will always be opportunities.Xizhao comforted herself, stepped over the low threshold with one foot, and once again stepped into the familiar bluestone brick floor inside the high red wall.

Back in the hut in the southeast library, before his butt was hot, Gao Hu came to spread the word that Eunuch Ma was invited.Compared with the last time we met, Gao Hu's expression seemed a bit unnatural, but Xi Zhao thought that this was probably his own illusion.

After meeting Eunuch Ma, I realized that the ostentation of the cavalry escort was originally the kindness of Eunuch Ma.After fleeing back to the palace, Eunuch Ma reported to the emperor overnight, and the emperor issued a special decree to mobilize a small troop of cavalry in the city to send a message to the Jin army camp, saying that the wrong person was arrested and released quickly. Only then did he rescue himself.And Jin Jun also cooperated unexpectedly, since he caught the wrong person, he released him without saying a word.

"It's good once it's born." Eunuch Ma nodded seeing that although Xi Zhao's appearance was a little messed up, he was unharmed, so he nodded, picked up the blue and white porcelain teacup, blew on it, and took a slow sip.

This Eunuch Ma... can be regarded as a kind and righteous person.Xizhao thought.Although this kindness and righteousness really ruined my own good deeds.But since the matter has come to this point, let's think about him first.

After thanking Eunuch Ma earnestly, Xizhao suddenly remembered the secret - since he became Zhang Dexiu at the same time, it's better to say it if there is any consideration.Thinking this way, Xi Zhao tentatively asked:

"Eunuch Ma, that matter... have you reported it to the emperor?"

"That's natural." Eunuch Ma, who was sitting in the small courtyard with gray walls, resumed his confident tone, "If it weren't for this credit, the emperor would not care about the life and death of a little eunuch like you."

That's true.An ordinary little eunuch really couldn't bear this situation.Xizhao thought.But Jin Jun let himself go so easily, which also made this secret more and more like a trap.

"Eunuch Ma," Xi Zhao paused for a moment, then carefully said, "Do you think there is something strange about this?"

Hearing this, Eunuch Ma didn't react too much. He covered the teacup and stroked the rim in his hands calmly, and said lightly, "It's the same whether it's strange or not."

Sunset was taken aback.

"Dare to ask my father-in-law...how do you say this?"

"Hmph." The other side was expressionless, and only squeezed out two laughs from his nose, "Report the matter, and the emperor will make a decision. Why do you care so much?"

"But..." Xi Zhao wanted to say something more, but she didn't know how to say it.

"It's nothing serious, can you be more capable than the emperor?" Eunuch Ma squinted his eyes, as if he was very disdainful of Xi Zhao's meddling, "Whether it's true or not, the emperor has the final say. On our side, as long as you tell the truth, it's fine." Credit is also hard work, and the rest is not our business. Do you understand? Young people."

Eunuch Ma patted Xi Zhao's shoulder, as if he wanted to wake up this stubborn brat.Xi Zhao opened her mouth, but finally shut up and stopped talking.After a moment of silence, Xi Zhao got up and was about to say goodbye, but Eunuch Ma accidentally said:

"By the way, starting tomorrow, our family will transfer you from the Southeast Library to the Qianqing Palace. I will let Gao Hu take care of the specific matters later."

"Qingqing Palace?" Xi Zhao blinked, completely unprepared.

"En. Qianqing Palace." Eunuch Ma raised his face and smiled meaningfully, with golden teeth flashing at the corners of his mouth.

"Remember, that's the emperor's residence. Be smart, don't let this good job go to waste."

two

That night, Zhou Xi, who hadn't seen him for a long time, unexpectedly arrived in the southeast warehouse.After entering the door, the greetings were saved, and I asked at the beginning:

"I heard that you were captured by Jin Jun?"

"The news is so well-informed." Xi Zhao smiled, and moved a chair by the fire for Zhou Xi to sit on.

"I heard what the elder brother of the supervisor of ceremonies said." Zhou Xi patted his clothes and sat down, looking up and down at Xizhao, "How is it going inside? Are you injured?"

"It's okay, I've been locked up for two days, and then I'm released." It's been a long time since no one has cared so much about herself, Xi Zhao felt warm in her heart.

"Oh, that's good." Zhou Xi nodded, reassuring.

"I've heard about what happened later. You really heard some terrible news. The emperor was in a bad mood all day today. It seems that Governor Yuan is doomed this time."

After hearing this, Xizhao's heart tightened. "What? The emperor wants to punish Governor Yuan for his crime?"

"It's probably true." Zhou Xi poked his head over his head and said seriously, "Back then Governor Yuan boasted that he went to Haikou, saying that he had flattened the Liao Dynasty for five years, and the emperor gave him all the power of the country to help him, but he let the Jin army go to Beijing. And it is said that he It was only chasing but not fighting, and led the Jin army to the city. Now there are rumors of collaborating with the enemy, plus the news you have heard, I am afraid that the emperor will not believe it."

"However, I heard people say that Governor Yuan is an anti-gold hero, how could it be..." Xi Zhao was puzzled.

"Hey. People's hearts are unpredictable. This kind of thing is impossible to say." Zhou Xi sighed.

After hearing Zhou Xi's words, Xizhao's heart was also shaken.Could it be that I was wrong in my thinking, Yuan Dushi did cooperate with the enemy, and he was not wronged?Eunuch Ma's words really have some truth, the state affairs are not as simple as I imagined, the specifics should be decided by the emperor, I know very little about political affairs, even if I think about it, I can't think of a reason.

"By the way." Xi Zhao suddenly thought of another matter, and a gleam of joy flashed in her heart, "Starting tomorrow, I will go to the Qianqing Palace to sweep the floor."

"Oh?" Zhou Xiyile said, "Hello, Qianqing Palace, I will go there sometimes, maybe we can still meet often."

"Yes." Xi Zhao smiled, but it was another person that he wanted to see more in his heart.

"Brother Zhou Xi, you said that if you go to Qianqing Palace, will you be able to meet the emperor?"

"Of course. Qianqing Palace is the emperor's residence. If you work there, you still don't see the emperor every day. I'll let you see enough." Zhou Xi said casually while warming his hands on the stove.But these casual words made Xi Zhao's heart boil hot all of a sudden.God is really kind to me, things that I didn't even dare to think about in the past, are now about to come true, to see the emperor's appearance, it's really worthwhile to go back to the palace this time.

As for going out...let's talk about it slowly.

three

The next morning, Xizhao got up early, packed her luggage, and carefully stuffed the precious four ingots of silver in her bosom, ready to go to her new residence.The morning sun is gentle and bright, passing through the light mist in the air, dyeing the blue-gray stone bricks in front of the southeast library with a gentle color.When the door was opened, a few sparrows were startled by the sound of the wooden door, and landed not far away, jumping up and down, continuing to look for food.Looking at the familiar southeast warehouse in front of her, Xi Zhao couldn't help feeling a little nostalgia in her heart, so she put her luggage back in the house, closed the door, and walked towards the small corner to the south.

Tuk Tuk Tuk.

"Uncle Ghost, are you there?"

"come in."

After listening to the answer in the room, Xi Zhao gently opened the door and went in.The rattan chair in the medicine cabinet by the hexagonal window, the Buddhist scriptures lingering in cigarette smoke, and the kindly smiling ghost holding a pounding pot are still sitting peacefully in the same old place.The faint aroma of herbs in the room drifted over the tip of the nose. It seemed that since the moment I stepped into the door following the singing a year ago, this room hadn't changed in any way.

"Uncle Ghost, I'm about to be transferred to Qianqing Palace."

"Oh." Uncle Ghost nodded, instead of looking at the sunset, he just poured out the medicine diligently. "Finally went."

"Huh?" Xi Zhao sat on the wicker chair she used to sit on, picked up the small gourd ornaments on the table to play with, and didn't realize the deep meaning of Uncle Gui's words. "I didn't dare to expect extravagantly before. I never imagined that now, I can really go to work with the emperor. This is really God's grace."

Xizhao smiled purely like a child, her eyes full of longing.Uncle Gui also laughed, but there seemed to be a bit of helplessness in this smile.

"Grace... I'm going, but it's a place of right and wrong. If I can think about it, it's better not to go."

"A place of right and wrong?" Xi Zhao frowned slightly, unable to imagine where the right and wrong would come from.Uncle Gui still lowered his head and silently poured medicine, unable to see the expression on his face clearly, unable to guess the deep meaning in his words.Xi Zhao lowered her eyes, was silent for a long time, and finally said:

"It's not that Dexiu can't think about it, it's just that I want to see the emperor." Xizhao paused, "Don't worry, Uncle Gui, Dexiu just admires the emperor and has no other extravagant hopes. Because the emperor... can be regarded as my benefactor .”

The sound of pounding medicine stopped.

"Remember, you once told me the story of the emperor's wise removal of Wei Zhongxian." Xi Zhao stared at the little gourd in his hand, but his thoughts drifted into the memories of those years, "My parents died because of Wei Zhongxian." Died. Many years ago, my father was sent to exile by the Wei thief on a trumped-up charge, and died on the road of exile. My mother couldn't bear the blow and fell ill, and died soon. The family was ruined and all were destroyed, all thanks to Wei Zhongxian. , it is difficult to avenge your parents, but the current emperor is wise, in addition to this traitor, he also rehabilitated his father. Although it is not for the sake of virtue, but anyway, the revenge will be avenged, and the injustice will be snowed, which will make the parents smile. In Dexiu's heart, the emperor is Dexiu's benefactor."

After Xizhao finished speaking, she smiled slightly.

It must have been a long time ago.It was clearly a heart-wrenching past, but Xi Zhao narrated it calmly and calmly, as if these were just past lives. Although there were regrets, they were separated by time and space, and had nothing to do with the present self.

"It turns out that everything is bound by cause and effect. Hey." Uncle Gui smiled wryly and shook his head. "However, it is a blessing that my brother can be so calm when encountering such an accident."

There was silence.Seeing that it was getting late, Xi Zhao got up to say goodbye.Just as he was about to go out, he found that the round gourd was still clutched in his hand. "This gourd, since I like it, let's take it." Uncle Gui didn't watch Xi Zhao leave as usual.The sound of smashing medicine echoed in the house one by one, accompanied by the old ghost's voice, like a bell in the morning and a drum in the evening, which seems to have a sense of Zen.

"Life is like a play. Things in the future are often exactly what you never thought about. The years are long, and they will become smoke after passing by. Don't hate the impermanence of fate. In the future, everything in the world can be so calm."