little eunuch

In the last years of the Tang Dynasty, feudal vassals and towns stood in all directions, wars continued everywhere, and people's lives were in dire straits.

At the end of the first year of Emperor Xizong's Qianfu, Wang Xianzhi of Puzhou revolted in Changyuan, and then Huang Chao responded, and a large-scale peasant uprising began from then on.The Tang Empire, which existed for nearly 300 years, ushered in its final conclusion.

In the fourth year of Tianyou, Huang Chao's general Zhu Wen, that is, Zhu Quanzhong, abolished the last emperor Tang Aidi and made himself king, established Houliang, and the Tang Dynasty was completely destroyed.

The establishment of the back beam seems to have opened the floodgates to suppress the flood, causing the troubled times to sweep across the land of Kyushu with the monstrous yellow mud.As soon as he succeeded, countless heroes stepped on the bones and ascended to the throne that symbolized power in turn.All of a sudden, the ghosts of hell are everywhere, the bones of the world are overthrown, and countless undead linger beside the bridge of death, all afraid to enter the cycle of reincarnation.

In a troubled world, there is no peace in this world.

In 908, Jin Wang Li Keyong, who had been hostile to Houliang, died of illness.Later Zhuangzong, that is, Li Keyong's own son Li Cunxu, inherited the throne.In the early days, Li Cunxu, following his father's behest, gradually accumulated the power to proclaim himself emperor, and the places he occupied, such as Luoyang, were relatively peaceful.

In this year, Cui Mao was born, and Li Shaozong was six years old.

Cui Mao's father, Cui Lian, was a staff member of Li Siben, the governor of Daibei.Li Siben was originally one of Li Keyong's adoptive sons, and was named the Daibei Inspector because of his military achievements.When Cui Mao was born, Cui Lian was teaching Li Siben's fifth son Li Shaozong to study in the Governor's Mansion.When Cui's servants came to ask him to go back to the mansion, the six-year-old Li Shaozong couldn't sit still and insisted on following him back to see what the newborn child looked like.

When they arrived at Cui's mansion, the newborn baby had already been wrapped tightly in red silk cotton cloth.Li Shaozong grabbed Cui Lian's arm and poked the baby's red face with his hand. When he was crying, he curled his lips and said in disgust, "It's a wrinkled mess, so ugly..."

Cui Lian hurriedly coaxed his son in his arms, and said to Li Shaozong with a smile: "A child is always like this when he is born. When he grows up to the age of the fifth son, he will be as beautiful and lovely as the fifth son."

Li Shaozong was immediately unhappy when he heard this, "I don't want to be cute, I want to be as mighty as my father and brothers!"

Cui Lian suppressed a smile, "Okay, okay, the fifth son is the most powerful."

Cui Lian turned his gaze back to the little baby, the little ball had been coaxed away from crying and was sleeping quietly while holding his fingers. "Mao'er...was born in Mao's time, why not call him Cui Mao?" Cui Lian was in a good mood. He looked at Li Shaozong and said with a smile, "Fifth Young Master is the eldest brother. You can't bully Mao'er in the future."

Hearing Cui Lian's words, Li Shaozong glanced at the infant baby again, and muttered softly: "Cat? How can you look like a cat when you're so ugly?"

However, Li Shaozong thought in his heart, if he can really look good, it is not impossible to take him to play.

In 912, Cui Mao was four years old.Cui Lian was invited by his uncle to move to Luoyang. He resigned from his post as a staff member and wanted to leave Daibei with his wife and children.

Outside Yanmen Pass, ten-year-old Li Shaozong caught up with Cui's carriage on horseback.Cui Mao leaned out from the car window, waved to him and shouted: "Brother Shaozong!"

Li Shaozong got off his horse, ran to the car window, and put a piece of jade on Cui Mao's neck, "Mao'er wear it carefully, I will go to Luoyang to find you later."

Cui Mao's eyes were red, his pink and tender face was wrinkled, and he said with tears streaming down his face, "It's done, hiccup, don't forget... hiccup, come to me!"

"It's a deal." Li Shaozong reached out to wipe away the tears from Cui Mao's face, "I will never forget the promise I made with Mao'er."

On the Shangyuan Festival in 913, five-year-old Cui Mao pestered his father to watch the lanterns.After Cui Lian gave the students in the private school homework for the day, he took Cui Mao out of the house.

Although the situation in Houliang was worsening day by day at that time, and the political situation in Kaifeng fell into chaos again, Luoyang, which is not far from Kaifeng, was not greatly affected.In addition, the people are still quite optimistic, so the atmosphere of the festival is quite strong.All kinds of lanterns are hung on both sides of the Luoshui River alone. Visitors shuttle among them, as if they are in a fairyland.Amidst the brilliant lights, all kinds of pleasure boats sailed slowly out from under the bridge, with a row of wind lanterns hanging beside the boats, reflecting the river water, like the Milky Way in the sky falling into the water.

Cui Lian held his son tightly and squeezed his way out of the crowd.Looking at Cui Mao's shining eyes illuminated by the lights, he took the trouble to tell him: "There are so many people, Maoer, you have to hold on tight to Daddy, don't be scattered by others."

Cui Mao nodded and smiled happily, "Yeah."

On the bridge not far from the father and son, the eunuch Liu Yuan stared at Cui Mao's smiling face and clicked his tongue.He called his attendant and said: "Did you see two people, one big and one small, over there? Go and ask if you would like to sell that child to me."

Not long after, Cui Lian protected Cui Mao and came to Liu Yuan with his attendants.Looking at the white-haired man in front of him, with a smile on his face, Cui Lian was very vigilant, he cupped his hands, and asked: "Cui has already answered that my son will never sell, why do you still want to see my father and son?" two?"

Liu Yuan twitched the corners of his mouth, bent down and touched Cui Mao's face, seeing Cui Mao hiding back, he smiled even more happily, "I'm a person, everything is good, but I can't have children. I'll see you today Your son is so cute, you should be happy if you want to adopt him as a foster son."

"But···"

Before Cui Lian could say his refusal, Liu Yuan waved his hand back.Immediately afterwards, several tall and strong men stopped in front of Cui Lian.Cui Lian panicked, "What are you doing, my lord?" Liu Yuan didn't answer.

The strong man snatched Cui Mao from Cui Lian, and one of them pulled out a long knife from his waist and chopped it on Cui Lian's neck.Cui Lian's eyes widened, and he kept making hoo hoo noises.He stretched out his hand to the terrified Cui Mao, but couldn't say a word, and was kicked into Luoshui by the strong man.

After a plop, Cui Mao called out in a low voice: "Father..."

In 916, when the Khitan entered Daibei, Li Siben, the governor, died on the battlefield with his four sons in defense of the enemy.The fifth son, Li Shaozong, was adopted by his uncle Jin Wang Li Cunxu as a foster son, and was recalled to Luoyang to take care of him.

After Li Shaozong entered Luoyang, instead of entering the palace first, he went to a family in the city.After coming out of that family's house, Li Shaozong, who had always been mature and stable, had a sad expression on his face for the first time.When someone asked about it, he only said that he was visiting his father's old friend, but he didn't want that person to have passed away many years ago, so he was temporarily sad and lost his manners.

Li Shaozong stayed in Luoyang.His nominal adoptive father, also known as King Jin, valued him very much because his biological father and several older brothers had sacrificed their lives for the country, leaving him as the only male in the family.Not only did he set up a special house in Luoyang for him, but also sent several caring eunuchs to his mansion to help take care of the courtyard.

On this day, a seven or eight-year-old eunuch bumped into Li Shaozong head-on with a water basin.Before he could speak, the little eunuch knelt on the ground and kowtowed to apologize.Originally, he felt that there was a familiar feeling and wanted to chat with this child, but when he saw that he was scaring him like this, he lost interest.He sighed, waved his hand and let the little eunuch go down.

The little eunuch bowed to leave, and when he turned around the corridor, he met Liu Yuan who came to report to Li Shaozong about the progress of the mansion.Seeing the flustered look of the little eunuch, he frowned and pinched him, "How many times have I told you that you can't be so edgy in front of the nobleman, and you still don't want to change?"

The little eunuch held his arm and timidly responded: "Father, I know I was wrong."

Liu Yuan nodded in satisfaction, and stopped for a moment when he was about to leave, "By the way, little cat, the fifth son's house is almost done, you pack up and go back to the palace with foster father today."

The little eunuch called Xiaomao'er lowered his head to hide the gloom in his eyes, "Yes, foster father."

In 923, Li Cunxu destroyed Hou Liang and established Hou Tang with Luoyang as his capital.

The new emperor ascended the throne, and the city of Luoyang was full of excitement.

"Little cat, why are you still standing there, the emperor is coming soon, fasten the lanterns on the boat."

"Oh" the kitten came back to his senses, and smiled at Xiao Shengzi who ran over, "The tying is over now, there will be no delay, don't worry."

After Xiao Shengzi left, the kitten's smile disappeared.He quietly put a lotus lantern with the word Cui Lian written on it in his hand into the water.After seeing it gradually drifting away in Luoshui, I picked up the lanterns at my feet and hung them up one by one.

The new emperor wanted to hold a big celebration, and built a huge painting boat on the Luoshui River, inviting all his ministers to gather together, and the people of Luoyang were lucky enough to watch it from the shore.

With the sound of silk and bamboo, the atmosphere in the cabin has reached a climax.As a meritorious minister who destroyed the Hou Liang, and was named a general when the new emperor ascended the throne, Li Shaozong, who was unparalleled for a while, was undoubtedly the object of everyone's admiration.After refusing the chats of several ministers who seemed to be trying to marry him, but in fact were trying to win over him, Li Shaozong accused the emperor of drinking too much as an excuse to retreat first to rest.The emperor was watching a play with his arms around the newly-canonized Empress Liu, and he cheered for a line from the actor, "Okay!" After that, he glanced at Li Shaozong, waved his hand and signaled him to take it easy, "If the general is not feeling well, please retreat first." Come down."

Li Shaozong came out of the cabin and walked casually along the deck.On the banks of the Luoshui River in April, all kinds of flowers are blooming on both sides. Although it is difficult to see clearly at night, it is also a special taste under the lights.As the cool wind blew, Li Shaozong sat on the side of the boat, feeling comfortable all over his body, and the unaccustomed melodious sounds could be heard a little bit.

A "plop" sound broke the moment of tranquility.Li Shaozong frowned, could something have happened?

He looked around, because he walked a little out of the way, so there were no guards around.No way, I can only go and see for myself.Li Shaozong stood up, patted the dust on his clothes, and walked towards the place where the sound came from.

Not far away, a figure bumped into it, and was blocked by Li Shaozong and sat directly on the deck.Seeing that the man didn't look like he had kung fu, Li Shaozong made up his mind, as long as he wasn't an assassin or something, it shouldn't be a big deal.But the man didn't seem to get up after sitting down, Li Shaozong was puzzled, "Are you all right, where did you get hurt?"

Looking at the clothes, the man on the ground is an eunuch.Li Shaozong just took a step forward to pull him up, when the person who was sitting suddenly got up and ran away.

Li Shaozong was startled, and reflexively went to arrest him.It was only when he held the person in his hand that he came back to his senses, "Why are you running?"

"..."

Only then did Li Shaozong see that the eunuch was not very old, only about ten years old.The light is too dim, so I can't see clearly, but I can still vaguely feel that this person looks good, especially his eyes, which seem to be full of stars.

"He's dead!" A scream broke their gaze.Li Shaozong put the man down and was about to ask him something, but he ran away as soon as he landed.

What's wrong?

Li Shaozong didn't go to arrest him again, he heard the shout just now that someone was dead, and if something happened at such a time, he, the general in charge of the guard, had to go and see.

As he was about to walk, he found a rope-like thing hanging from his boot, so he bent down to pick it up.

Jade?

After seeing the style of the jade pendant, Li Shaozong felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He looked in the direction the eunuch was running away, and shouted, "Mao'er?!"

When he chased after him, suddenly the lights in front of him were brightly lit, a group of guards were standing guard on the deck, and there was a person lying near the side of the boat, whose life or death was unknown.He pushed aside the crowd, saw an old eunuch lying there, and let out a long breath.

"what happened?"

Someone saluted Li Shaozong, "Return to the general, it's Liu Yuan, Eunuch Liu, he seems to have drunk too much and slipped and fell into the water."

Li Shaozong squeezed the jade pendant in his hand, and said in a deep voice: "Since it was a mistake, deal with it quickly, don't disturb the emperor's interest."

"Yes!"

A guard came forward to carry the corpse, Li Shaozong glanced casually and saw the little eunuch staring at him from the corner.

He walked forward slowly and stood in front of that person, his voice was so soft that he might miss it if he didn't listen carefully, "Mao'er, is that you?"

The person standing in the shadow took a step forward, and the light reflected on his face, which was clearly radiant, yet seemed deathly silent.His voice was crisp and courteous: "My lord may have admitted the wrong person."

What should Cui Mao look like?He didn't know, but it must not be a eunuch.

Li Shaozong was suddenly a little angry, he clenched his hands tightly, resisting his impulsiveness by taking out the jade pendant and questioning him, "You are Maoer, right?"

I have been looking for you for so many years, but you are clearly not far away from me but you don't want to see each other. I have already asked you in front of you. Do you have any difficulties to tell me?I just beg you don't run from me, don't run from yourself.

"If the general has nothing to say, the servant will leave first." The kitten bowed and bowed his head, trying to walk away, but was stopped by Li Shaozong, "Stop! You haven't answered my question yet..."

"I'm not", the kitten interrupted him, saying word by word: "I'm not Cui Mao."

……

Li Shaozong withdrew his arm and stared into his eyes, trying to see some flaws, but the other party's eyes were clear, and he didn't seem to be lying at all.

Really not?

Li Shaozong took out the jade pendant, and the kitten wanted to reach out to touch his neck for a moment, but finally held back.

"Is this yours?"

"No."

"Okay, let's go."

The little cat was about to turn around when he heard Li Shaozong whisper, "You don't have to worry about Liu Yuan, he drowned after drinking, no one else can blame him."

The kitten paused, as if responding to his words, and as if talking to himself, "Thank you."

He didn't even want the jade pendant anymore... Li Shaozong watched the kitten's back gradually disappearing, his brows furrowed, and soon relaxed again.But he finally found someone, no matter why he refused to admit that he was Cui Mao, Li Shaozong believed that since they could see each other again, there would be a day when the two would meet honestly.

Li Shaozong inquired about the kitten and knew that he entered the palace cleanly when he was five or six years old. He was adopted by the eunuch Liu Yuan as his adopted son, and now he serves in Empress Liu's palace.

Although his childhood memories are a little fuzzy, for Cui Lian, Li Shaozong did not believe that he would send his son, whom he protected like a baby, into the palace by himself.Thinking that when I first came to Luoyang to find someone at the Cui family, the aunt of the Cui family said sadly that Cui Lian had passed away, and the whereabouts of Cui Mao, who was only five years old at the time, was unknown... If he guessed correctly, Cui Lian’s death and Cui Mao’s disappearance , it should be related to that eunuch named Liu Yuan.

No wonder Cui Mao killed Liu Yuan.

Thinking of the suffering Cui Mao might have suffered when he was a child, Li Shaozong wished he could dig out Liu Yuan's bones and expose them to the wilderness.But he blamed himself more, why he didn't find him when he first entered Luoyang.The eunuch is domineering, killing people and seizing children and other things would not be so secretive. If he had checked more, it is very likely that he could find out...

Since the meeting of Huafang, Li Shaozong often went to the palace to accompany the emperor to watch operas.Li Cunxu was a little surprised. He once asked him when he fell in love with these things. He only reasoned that the death of his biological father was approaching, and asked him to spend more time with his adoptive father in a dream, as a token of his kindness in caring for him for many years.

Every time Li Shaozong came out of the palace, he would meet Cui Mao following a big eunuch and delivering freshly picked fruits to the queen's palace.

At this time, Li Shaozong would stop and look at him until the group of people disappeared.After seeing it many times, he became more and more certain that the kitten was Cui Mao, the Cui Mao whom he promised to come to Luoyang to find him in the past.

Normally, when Cui Mao passed him, he would just salute along with the others and never look up at him.He didn't force it, he just thought it would be nice to see him this way.But one evening half a month later, Cui Mao, who was in the middle of a group that was about to leave, suddenly looked back at him.Li Shaozong was surprised, just as he was about to step forward, Cui Mao quickened his pace to keep up with the team.

Li Shaozong couldn't help but admit that he was still a child.

In this way, the two maintained a tacit understanding that only they themselves knew, and for more than a year, they would take advantage of this time in the afternoon to look at each other.During this period, Li Shaozong went back to Daibei once because of the invasion of foreign enemies, and when they met again two months later, Cui Mao finally spoke to him for the first time.

Li Shaozong was very happy, he thought this was a good start, and he still had a lot of time to accompany Cui Mao to come out of the shadows.Until he no longer cares about his physical disability and can truly accept himself as a normal person.He has made a plan, and when Cui Mao admits his identity, he will ask the emperor to bring him here, take him back to Daibei, and help him find a good girl.Maybe he will feel that he is delaying others, but Li Shaozong believes that with Cui Mao's character, there will always be kind girls who are willing to accompany him.At that time, he will buy two courtyards next to each other, and the two families will stay together in harmony, so that he can take care of Cui Mao more conveniently.

Li Shaozong himself is not a person with great ambitions.In the battle with Khitan back then, his father had told him before taking his brothers to the battlefield that no matter whether they won or lost this time, it was the end of the men of their Li family. Starting from Li Shaozong, whether he would be a general or not According to my own wishes, I don't need to bear the honor of the family anymore, just live freely.

He felt that as a general, he might still want to inherit the achievements of his father and brother, but compared with that, Cui Mao, who had become an obsession, was more important to him now.Therefore, he intends to take Cui Mao to live in seclusion in Daibei, and if Cui Mao doesn't like Daibei, he can take him wherever he wants.

But the world is always unpredictable, Li Shaozong was not ready to take Cui Mao to leave Luoyang, and what happened next made the two of them embark on the journey back to the north without the slightest expectation.

Because she entered the palace more times, the much-loved Empress Liu became deeply impressed with Li Cunxu's adoptive son.Liu Hou had a romantic and dissolute nature, and Li Shaozong was just a weak crown, and his appearance was quite handsome, so she came up with Li Shaozong's idea.

Cui Mao knew this. When he met Li Shaozong many times, he wanted to remind him to hide from the queen, but he couldn't directly explain the reason, so he could only persuade him to come less to the palace.Li Shaozong only took his advice as the reason for not wanting to see him, on the one hand he agreed repeatedly, on the other hand he still came to see him rain or shine.

One day in the winter of this year, Li Shaozong waited at the gate of the palace for more than half an hour, but Cui Mao did not appear.Just when he was about to find someone, a group of people came to him, headed by Empress Liu who was dressed in fine clothes.

"Zong'er hasn't returned to the house yet?" Empress Liu's red lips parted slightly, her voice was as sweet as brown sugar and lotus root, with beautiful endings between every word and every sentence.

"Empress Empress", Li Shaozong was worried about Cui Mao in his heart, and he didn't want to entangle with her, so he said goodbye and left after saying hello.

But then Cui Mao was suddenly mentioned in Liu Hou's words.She explained that the reason why she appeared here was because a young eunuch in her palace had typhoid fever. She couldn't bear to see the child suffer, so she went to the imperial hospital to be treated by the imperial physician.

"I heard that Zong'er has a very close relationship with a palace official in my palace. It should be the little eunuch named Kitty." Empress Liu smiled ambiguously, "But the kitten is really cute. Bai Nennen, well-behaved and sensible, does not insult his name, it is not surprising that Zong'er would like it."

After Li Shaozong heard it, his face became ugly, and his tone became cold: "Your Majesty, I misunderstood, I just saw that the kitten is young, and I hit it off with me again, so I treat him like a younger brother, so I definitely don't have such nasty thoughts."

Liu Hou was not angry when he heard his stinging words, "That's why I thought wrongly, that's all, I think Zong'er is also worried about the little cat, why don't you go back to Qingning Palace with me, I will let you Someone will take you to see him."

"Thank you madam."

Li Shaozong knew that Empress Liu used Cui Mao as an excuse to lure him to Qingning Palace, and nothing good would happen, but he didn't see Cui Mao today, so he was not at ease, and he followed Empress Liu regardless of any conspiracy. harem.

When he arrived at Qingning Palace, Empress Liu didn't mention Cui Mao.She asked someone to set up dinner, dismissed the servants who were waiting on the side, and personally held the jug to pour wine for Li Shaozong, her every move was full of charm.

However, Li Shaozong did not accept the wine glass she handed over, "It's a big treason for a foreigner to enter the harem. If I stay in the palace for too long, I'm afraid it will attract criticism. Madam, let someone take me to see the kitten."

"What are you in a hurry for..." Liu Hou walked slowly to the table, and blew out most of the candles in the hall. The dim light made the atmosphere in the room suddenly ambiguous.Li Shaozong finally knew what Empress Liu was up to, he sneered in his heart, and looked down on the woman in front of him even more.He stepped back quietly, only one step away from the gate. Empress Liu, who was immersed in the state of trying to charm others, did not realize that the two had arrived at the outer hall.

When Liu Houruan approached, Li Shaozong dodged abruptly, opened the door and jumped out.

"It's getting late, and it's inconvenient for my son to disturb your mother's rest, so I will take my leave first."

After finishing speaking, it didn't matter how Empress Liu gritted her teeth just got up from the ground, flicked her sleeves, and strode down the steps.Just about to leave Qingning Palace, he ran into Cui Mao who was oncoming.

Cui Mao saw his face full of surprise, and did not expect to see him here.Originally, he was supposed to meet him at the gate of the palace as usual, but today, not knowing what happened to the empress, she suddenly arranged for him to help in the dining room, and even ordered him to serve when passing the meal.

Li Shaozong was also surprised, but he was more relieved.Because after looking Cui Mao up and down, he found that his complexion was rosy, and he didn't look sick at all.

But after seeing the washbasin Cui Mao was holding in his hands, Li Shaozong's face darkened.If he hadn't dodged Empress Liu's embrace just now, then Cui Mao must have seen him right now.I don't know why, thinking that Cui Mao might see such a scene, Li Shaozong was angry and flustered at the same time.

Just when he was about to pull him to explain why he was here, Cui Mao grabbed him first and led him towards the gate of the palace, "Why did you come here, what should you do if someone sees you?"

"I told you a long time ago that you don't come to wander around in the palace, but you don't listen. When you are really bumped into by the empress, it will be too late to regret it."

"you know?"

Li Shaozong was held by Cui Mao, staring at his side face without blinking.Hearing what he meant, it was because he already knew about Empress Liu's intentions for him, so he said not to let him come to the palace a while ago, not because he didn't want to see him, but because he was afraid that something might happen to him because of the empress!

"What do I know? I only know that you shouldn't enter the harem." Cui Mao said angrily, let go of Li Shaozong's hand, and pushed him towards the palace gate, "Hurry up, the gate is about to close."

Li Shaozong felt that his hands were empty and he felt a little uncomfortable, so he couldn't help but hugged Cui Mao suddenly.When he found that the person in his arms was frozen, he whispered in his ear what happened in Qingning Palace.

"I didn't see you, I was very worried, but seeing that you are well, I am relieved."

Cui Mao was still worried about what he said, but when the last sentence came into his ears with a warm breath, he blushed immediately after being stunned.

Li Shaozong let go of Cui Mao, and was stunned for a moment when he saw the blush on Cui Mao's face, and smiled from his heart when he recovered.He nodded at Cui Mao's soft face, and he was even happier to see Cui Mao staring at him like a little tiger.

"I'll go to the emperor tomorrow to ask you to go back. I'm getting more and more worried about you staying in the palace."

After sending Li Shaozong away, Cui Mao who was walking back was stopped by someone.Empress Liu walked out from the crowd and smiled kindly at Cui Mao, "Send your lover away? It seems that the little guy has a good plan. Li Shaozong can hook him, but I don't know if he has the ability to charm the emperor as well." live…"

Early the next morning, Xiao Shengzi who ran out of the palace told Li Shaozong that Cui Mao was sent to the emperor's actor's workshop by Empress Liu.

Li Shaozong rode his horse straight into the Forbidden Palace like crazy.After arriving at the actor's workshop all the way, I happened to see Cui Mao in costume being tied up by several old eunuchs and sent to Leyuan.For a moment, his blood surged, and he directly snatched the person over.

Regardless of how many old eunuchs were yelling, Li Shaozong untied the rope from Cui Mao's hand, saw two clear tear marks on his face that had been powdered, and hugged him distressedly.

Li Cunxu was alarmed and walked out of Leyuan. "Zong'er, what are you doing? How decent is it to hold an actor!"

"He's not an actor!" Li Shaozong pulled Cui Mao to his knees, and said word by word to the aloof emperor: "I want to take Cui Mao out of the palace, and the Qing emperor grants his permission."

"Leave?" Li Cunxu's expression remained the same, but his tone of voice was completely different from before: "What are you making trouble about? You're not going to be a great general anymore?"

Li Shaozong hesitated for a while, but still looked into Li Cunxu's eyes, and said firmly: "If you want to take Cui Mao away, you can only pay this price, and don't do it."

"Okay, okay, you've grown your skills..." Li Cunxu was so angry that he grabbed the eunuch who was serving him and slapped him twice, "What's going on? What's going on with that...actor below? Abandon the position of the general and keep him?"

The eunuch who was beaten knelt on the ground and said tremblingly, "It was sent by the empress, saying that it was for the emperor to try something new..."

"Fart, what do you take me for? I'm just listening to a show. Is it as bad as you think?" Li Cunxu finished scolding him, knew the beginning of the matter, and promised to let Cui Mao out of the palace.

However, he asked Li Shaozong not to resign.

Because Li Shaozong really didn't want to stay in Luoyang, Li Cunxu also agreed to let him return to lead the army on behalf of the north.

In this way, Li Shaozong took Cui Mao and left Luoyang that day.On the way back, Cui Mao asked Li Shaozong to return the jade pendant.

"I thought you didn't want it anymore. You didn't even admit it when I asked you at that time."

Cui Mao put the jade on, covered his heart with his hands, and responded in a low voice: "I was really scared at that time, afraid that you would not recognize me, and also afraid that you would recognize me."

"I'm afraid you will forget me, then I really have nothing. I watched my father die in front of me, and I lived without any regret for killing my father and enemy, and forced me to call him father. This is the first time I When I called him, I decided to kill him. I wanted him to die the same way as my father, I wanted him to confess to my father, so I led him to the stern after he was drunk, and I let him lean on Standing on the railing, but in fact, the railing was broken by me long ago, and only a rope tied with a lantern was tied. I watched him fall into the Luoshui with my own eyes, just like my father did back then, but I kept reaching out to catch him At that time, I just watched Liu Yuan sinking a little bit."

"I killed someone and became a eunuch again. I always feel that I am not Cui Mao anymore. Cui Mao shouldn't be like this. Back then, my father enlightened me and taught me that human nature is kind. I also want to be kind like my father. Cui Mao It should be a kind person like Cui Lian. But the kitten is not, the kitten is a eunuch, he has killed people..."

Cui Mao's tears fell and fell on Li Shaozong's hand.Li Shaozong hugged him, let him cry on his shoulder, didn't speak, just patted his back repeatedly.

It's okay, Cui Mao.never mind…

After returning to Daibei, Li Shaozong took Cui Mao to live in the original governor's mansion.The two courtyards originally planned... Li Shaozong looked at Cui Mao who was following him.Still can't rest assured that he will be taken care of by others. If he takes care of it himself, he doesn't need two yards, one is enough.

In the next year, Cui Mao learned how to deal with government affairs with Li Shaozong.Because he was smart and quick to learn, he was fully qualified for the post of staff in a short time.Although Li Shaozong didn't want Cui Mao to do too much work, but he didn't interfere when he saw how full and happy he was every day.

Cui Mao is very talented. He implemented many policies that benefited the people in Daibei.He and Li Shaozong have a good understanding of each other, and they cooperate quite tacitly.In the Daibei area, except for the Khitan disturbing the border from time to time, there is no other turbulent place.

Until the fourth year of Tongguang, the arrogant and licentious Li Cunxu finally ushered in his end.The hero of the previous generation finally died at the hands of his favorite actor.

After that, Li Keyong's adopted son, Li Siyuan, one of the original Thirteen Taibao, entered Luoyang to proclaim himself emperor.The first order issued by the new emperor when he came to power was to target the eunuchs' disorderly government, requiring the towns to kill eunuchs who interfered in local government affairs.With the order of the government, officials and people from all over the country pointed their finger at the military supervisors who had been arrogant and domineering in the local area for a long time.Countless people poured into the residences of the eunuchs, wanting to personally solve the villains who had been oppressing them.For a time, the new emperor who issued this edict was praised by countless people as a wise emperor.

In Daibei, there was also a wave of killing eunuchs.

"What are you doing?!" Cui Mao opened the door of the firewood room, startled by the bloody scene in front of him.

"I didn't..." Li Shaozong hid his blood-stained hands behind his back in a panic, stood up and tried to block Cui Mao's sight, "I didn't do anything..."

Cui Mao had already seen the person lying in a pool of blood behind Li Shaozong.His whole body was covered in blood, his head had been cut off, and his death was horrific.And when he first came in, Li Shaozong was squatting on the ground to cleanse the corpse...

Both of them were silent and did not speak, Cui Mao's face changed several times, and finally turned from anger to helplessness.

"Do you want me to see how I will die in advance?" Cui Mao sighed, took Li Shaozong's hand behind his back, took out the knife he was holding tightly and threw it on the ground, and wiped his hand with his sleeve blood on.

"Don't be dirty..." Li Shaozong was about to withdraw his hand when Cui Mao hugged him, "Why are you doing this..."

"..." Feeling the person holding him trembling slightly, Li Shaozong pursed his lips, regardless of whether the blood on his hands was wiped clean, he stretched out his arms around him, as if trying to embed him into himself with great strength inside the body.

"I can't let you die."

At this time, outside the governor's mansion, the people sent by Luoyang were waiting impatiently, waiting for Li Shaozong to go out with Cui Mao's head.

In fact, as early as when he first heard that the emperor ordered the eunuch to be killed, Li Shaozong never thought that this disaster would befall Cui Mao.In his impression, some eunuchs really did not regret their death, but that person should not be Cui Mao.Cui Mao is different from other eunuchs, he is the one who asked the emperor to come here, he is an ordinary person, he has not done any bad things... But yesterday, a man came, saying that he was ordered to collect the eunuchs who were beheaded from all over the place The head was brought back to Luoyang.

He carried a list with Cui Mao's name in it.

At first Li Shaozong tried to explain that Cui Mao did not interfere in political affairs, but the censor only said, "The emperor's order must not be violated, the general thinks twice."

Then Li Shaozong wanted to take Cui Mao to escape, but as soon as the two went out, they were blocked by the people surrounding them.After a child picked up a stone and threw it on Cui Mao's forehead, and an old man cursed and said "the eunuch should die", Cui Mao refused to leave the room.

Unable to take him away, Li Shaozong took the risk and found someone to replace Cui Mao to die.However, it was still discovered by Cui Mao.

Cui Mao hugged him, and gradually calmed down.He pressed against Li Shaozong's ear, as if he was about to be relieved at last, and said with a smile: "Enough, Brother Shaozong."

"Actually, we all know that this year has been stolen by our good luck. I don't think I have done anything bad, and I want to live a good life, but this is a troubled world. I can meet you in this world." I am already very content. Now that I think about it, my father spoiled me when I was young, and you treated me so well after I found you. I am already luckier than many people."

Li Shaozong's body gradually became stiff, and the hand around Cui Mao began to tremble. He wanted to cover Cui Mao's mouth to prevent him from continuing to speak, but he couldn't lift his hand no matter what.

"And most importantly... I'm really tired."

Before meeting each other, I lingered on for revenge; after meeting, in order not to worry you, I never dared to say that I no longer wanted to live.But it's really tiring, so tired that I don't have the energy to persevere through any difficulties...

So, "let me go, brother Shaozong."

"···"

Li Shaozong took a deep breath and grabbed the dagger that Cui Mao handed him.He closed his eyes, lowered his head and lightly touched Cui Mao's forehead.

"it is good."

In the winter of the fourth year of Tongguang, Li Shaozong, the governor of Daibei, personally cut off the head of Xiang Shang, the envoy of Daibei Supervisor, and handed it over to the court.After that, Li Shaozong resigned from office and rode alone into the desert alone. Since then, there has been no news.Many years later, someone found a solitary stone tomb in the desert, with the word Cui Mao on the stele.

The author has something to say: This story came to me when I was previewing the history of the Five Dynasties. The background is partly true, and the main characters and stories are purely fictitious.Writing about Cui Mao may be deliberately tragic, but as soon as this character appears in my mind, the ending has already been set.It is true that Li Siyuan ordered the execution of military supervisors from all over the country. If my story is suspected of being forced, it should be a problem with my writing skills.It may be a little immature to write an article for the first time, but I will stick to it, and there should be progress in the future.

And that's all. . .