Chongzhen Sunset Song

?one

After the last time, Mr. Zhou came here twice.One was to ask Xizhao how things were going, and by the way, he gave Xizhao 20 taels of silver.The other time was a few days ago, and Xizhao was asked to do the same thing again.Of course, the money was given, and Xizhao took it with peace of mind, without mercy.

Now, it is the seventh day of cleaning in front of the temple.Every day when the emperor went up and down court, Xizhao followed Brother Xiong's instructions, knelt on the ground and lowered his head, sometimes he could catch a glimpse of the emperor's hurried steps, sometimes he could only hear the sound of footsteps when he was far away, but it was not as good as the one in the west of the hall. It was real that time.

In the past few days, Brother Xiong and the others seemed to be secretly discussing something, and when they saw the setting sun, they would immediately shut up and talk about other topics.Xizhao saw it, and although he cared a little bit, he didn't ask specifically - if it was against him, it would be useless to ask; if not, it would be pure to know less.

The days are so unremarkable, and it is the end of the year in a blink of an eye.The palace was full of lanterns and festoons, full of joy, and Xizhao, together with other eunuchs, tied red satin and hung palace lanterns on the side of Qianqing Palace.

"It's not lively during the Chinese New Year in this palace." Xi Zhao and Er Fu chatted while hanging the red satin on the corridor.

"Yes. It's deserted." Xi Zhao responded casually.

"It's like Chinese New Year at home." Er Fu said, with nostalgia in his words, "Hey, since entering the palace, I haven't been home for many years to celebrate the New Year."

It turned out to be homesick.Sunset smiled. "Where is Brother Erfu from?"

"Northern Zhili Jizhou native."

"That's not very far."

"Hey, it's the same far and near." Erfu said helplessly, "You can't go home wherever you are. If you enter the palace and do this job, let alone the New Year, you can go home for a funeral when your parents die. It’s all grace.”

"Brother Erfu's parents are both still alive?"

"Father died early, but mother is still there. I have an older brother above and a younger brother below who can take care of her, so I feel at ease. Where is Dexiu? Is there anyone else in the family?"

"No, my parents passed away a long time ago. I am the only child. I have been fostered by my relatives since I was a child. The relatives thought I was a burden, so they sent me to this palace." Xi Zhao blinked and casually told Zhou Xi's past. Relying on himself, "Brother Erfu still has a family to think about. To be honest, this is enough to make Dexiu envious."

"He's also a miserable person." Er Fu sighed, looking at the setting sun with pity in his eyes.

"Where's Brother Erfu? Why did you come into the palace?" Xi Zhao shook off the red satin and handed it to Erfu.

"I was also poor back then, and I wanted to enter the palace, looking for a chance to make a living," Er Fu stepped on the stool, took the red satin, and while knotting the red satin through the beam, "I was young back then. , the younger brother is even younger and weak, and only the elder brother and mother support the family. So I discussed with the elder brother that if we enter the palace, we will be able to flourish like Eunuch Wei and let the whole family live a good life. After hearing what my mother heard, no matter what I don’t want to, even if I’m poor, I just want us to live a life in peace and stability. At that time, I was ignorant, and I only thought about those unrealistic things, and ran out against my mother’s wishes. Now that I think about it, I really still I regret it." Erfu jumped off the stool and patted the ashes on his hands, "Mother is sixty-three years old this year, and I am in a place of wrong and wrong in the palace. Every day I dream, I always dream of the way my mother wept on the door frame on the day I left home, ah... very sad."

"Brother Erfu, don't be sad." Xi Zhao's heart moved, and she comforted her in a warm voice, "Since I've come, I can't go back anyway. There is nothing I can do about it. Brother Xiong and Xiaobao are good people, The four of us live together in this palace, so we are not lonely."

"Hey... hi." Er Fu answered vaguely, pursed his lips, and his brows gradually tightened.Xizhao thought he would say something more, but unexpectedly, there was nothing for a long time.Xi Zhao blinked, stretched out a length of red satin and handed it over, and was about to change the subject when Er Fu suddenly spoke again, breaking the silence.

"In the past few days, don't go to the South Study Room to clean it. If you are told to go, don't go."

"Why is this?" Er Fu's sudden and thoughtless sentence made Xi Zhao very puzzled.

"Listen to brother, that's right." Erfu smiled at Zhaoxizhao, pulled up the red satin, stepped on the stool, and continued to work.

two

On the second day, at the gate of Qianqing Palace, Xi Zhao quickly walked a few steps and chased Brother Xiong.

"What's the matter? You don't want to clean the South Study Room anymore?" Hearing Xizhao's words, Brother Xiong asked with staring eyes.

"It's not...hehe, I just want to go to other rooms to see and see...East Nuan Pavilion, West Nuan Pavilion, I haven't been in yet." Xi Zhao scratched her head with a smile on her face.

Brother Xiong frowned, turned his mouth, changed his usual big brother appearance, and said impatiently: "Sweep the floor, sweep wherever you need to sweep, why are there so many thoughts." After saying that, he turned and wanted to leave.For a moment, Xizhao seemed to catch a glimpse of Brother Xiong's eyes suddenly piercing Erfu and Xiaobao, but after a moment, the sharp eyes disappeared, as if they never existed at all.

Xi Zhao also looked at Er Fu, not knowing whether to continue asking.But with a glance over, he only saw Er Fu's indifferent back.Forget it, after all, I don’t know why Er Fu told me not to go to the South Study Room.Xizhao thought.Since Brother Xiong refuses to agree, let's let it go, not to mention leaving the South Study Room, doesn't it mean that you have cut off your money.

Thinking of this, Xi Zhao turned around and walked towards the South Study Room.And at the moment when Xizhao turned around, Erfu also slightly turned his head to look at Xizhao, a trace of incomprehensible complexity flashed in his eyes.

three

In a flash, it is the first day of the new year.There is nothing to do these days.According to the old theory, when the old year is removed on the thirtieth year, one must sweep it thoroughly, and then sweep away the firecracker scraps and gunpowder ash in the yard during the Chinese New Year on the fifth day of the new year, so that the blessings of this year can be accumulated. .Although there were no firecrackers everywhere in the palace, following the custom, the courtyard was not cleaned from the first to the fourth day of the lunar new year.You only need to sweep the inside of the hall, not the outside. The New Year's period is considered the most leisurely few days of Xizhao's year-round work.

After finishing their work, the three of them didn't return to their room for a long time, and they didn't know where they went for a stroll.Taking advantage of their absence, Xi Zhao took out the bag containing silver from under the bed.The original 40 taels, plus Master Zhou’s gift, now totals 160 taels.In all these years, I have never had so much money in my hand.Xi Zhao beamed with joy, rubbing and rubbing an ingot of silver cherishingly, arranging and arranging it again and again, happy in her heart.Back to the palace this time, not only met the emperor, but also earned a lot of silver. Speaking of which, I have to thank Eunuch Ma for his generous treatment.Xizhao looked at the exit token in the bag and thought to himself.I was just thinking about it for myself, but I didn't know that the wrong attack really made Ma Gonggong believe in my loyalty.Thinking of this, Xizhao thought about it, took a little thought, took 40 taels of silver and put it in his bosom, and hid the rest of the silver, went out for a trot, and went straight to Eunuch Ma's small courtyard with gray walls.

It was only after entering the courtyard that Eunuch Ma was not here.Asking the little eunuch, it turned out that he went to walk around the other father-in-law's room in the morning.It's Chinese New Year, let's give gifts to someone.Since I went out in the morning, I should be back soon, Xi Zhao thought, so she found a place to sit down.

The courtyard is not big, and a few steps away from the setting sun, there is a fence that is one person tall, with dried vines and leaves on the fence, which must be flowers and plants planted by Mr. Ma himself.There was a large black pottery vat next to the fence. Xizhao stood up and walked over to look at it, only to see that the bottom of the vat was dry, without a drop of water, but with some dead leaves and dust.Although I have been to the small courtyard two or three times before, I have come and gone in a hurry, and I have no impression of the objects in the small courtyard.Now look at the fence and water tank in front of you. When the weather is warm, it should be a scene full of fish and flowers, full of vitality.

At this moment, a sound of footsteps approached.Is Eunuch Ma back?Sunset greeted the door, but an unexpected face appeared in front of the door.Although they don't see each other often, their names are heard endlessly, and this person is his immediate boss who has always been scolded by others - Hu Dazui.

Seeing the setting sun, Hu Dazui immediately slowed down.As Xizhao was turning around, An An saluted. "Morning, Eunuch Hu."

Hu Dazui raised his short eyebrows. "What are you doing here?"

"Eunuch Ma won't be here, I want to wait for him to come back." Xi Zhao replied humbly.

Hu Dazui squinted his eyes, looked up and down at the sunset, and snorted, as if he wanted to say something, but the words gurgled in his throat, but he swallowed them back.I went up to see Mrs. Ma's room, but there was no one there, so I found a step far away from the setting sun, dusted off the dirt, and sat down.

Seeing that Hu Dazui has an unfriendly face, but he doesn't say much, I think I'm afraid of me as Eunuch Ma's confidant.What a bully master.Xizhao thought of Erfu's experience of being kicked by Hu Dazui two days ago, secretly disdainful, and then found a random place to sit down, looking outside the door from time to time, trying not to meet Hu Dazui's eyes.Neither of them spoke, and the small courtyard fell into silence.If there was only one person, it would be very comfortable to be quiet, but when the two of them were together and did not talk, the atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

About a quarter of an hour later, Hu Dazui couldn't help but get up abruptly, walking back and forth in the courtyard.After walking a few times, I finally said impatiently: "You wait, I have something else to do." So he left straight away.And Hu Dazui walked forward, which made Eunuch Ma, who had been waiting for a long time, return to the courtyard.Xi Zhao hurriedly greeted her with a smile, saluted and exchanged greetings.

"What's the matter, are you living comfortably in Qianqing Palace?" Eunuch Ma asked as he walked towards the house.Although he was still the same, but for some reason, he didn't hear it after a while, which made Xi Zhao feel very kind.

"Thanks to my father-in-law, everything is fine."

"Yes." Eunuch Ma responded casually, opened the noren curtain and entered the room.

Xi Zhao also followed into the house, and as soon as she let go, the warm curtain fell with a plop.

Eunuch Ma took off his blue satin cloak, handed it to the little eunuch, and ordered the little eunuch to pour tea.Seeing that Eunuch Ma was sitting still, Xizhao took out the 40 taels of silver that had been covered warmly from his arms, and placed it respectfully on the table, at the place near Eunuch Ma's hand.

"This is..." Eunuch Ma raised his eyes, slightly surprised.

"This is for my little one to honor my father-in-law." Xi Zhao said with a smile, "I depend on my father-in-law to take care of me when I do such a good job. Now that I have received dozens of taels of benefits, how dare I enjoy it alone. There is not much money, and it can be regarded as a villain's work." Mind."

"You boy." Eunuch Ma looked at Yin Zi, and smiled so that the golden teeth at the corner of his mouth shone brightly. "Since it is your filial piety, our family will accept it, and work hard in the future. If you find the right opportunity and become prosperous, don't forget who supported you back then."

Xi Zhao hurriedly bowed and said yes, then looked up again, suddenly felt that there seemed to be something missing in the room.

"Brother Gao Hu is not here today?"

"Gao Hu? That kid hasn't come for a while." Eunuch Ma took a sip of tea and said slowly, "He seems very dissatisfied with transferring you to Qianqing Palace."

"Oh?"

"Hmph, he thinks that I don't know, and he came to bring me tea and water, isn't it just to solve the lack of Qing Palace." Eunuch Ma sneered. "It's just to flatter you every day. In terms of filial piety, he can't compare to you. He doesn't think about it carefully. There is nothing he can be dissatisfied with."

Xi Zhao smiled guiltily, recalling Gao Hu's expression when he came to call him the second day after he came back from the Jin Army Camp.The unnatural look in his eyes was indeed correct.

"However, you should be more on guard against him." Eunuch Ma held his teacup and frowned slightly, "Although he can't do anything like a half-sized bird, that kid is not a good person after all." As he spoke, he sipped again I took a sip of tea, moistened it in my mouth, and didn't swallow it for a long time.

"Thank you, father-in-law, for reminding me." Xi Zhao bowed and thanked.After chatting for a while, Xi Zhao left.After leaving the small courtyard with gray walls, I went to visit Uncle Ghost again, it was nearly noon.Xizhao saw that it was not early, so he prepared to go back to Qianqing Palace.At this moment, Xi Zhao would not know that it was the seemingly ordinary encounters this morning that made him lucky to avoid a catastrophe.