Chongzhen Sunset Song

?one

When I woke up early in the morning, my knee was still sore and stiff, but it was much better than last night.Xi Zhao glanced at the tidy bed next to him, Er Fu should have not returned overnight.Brother Xiong and Xiaobao didn't know if they had woken up, they were quiet and there was no movement.It's best not to wake up, with the current state of mind, Xi Zhao still doesn't know how to continue to get along with these two people.Xi Zhao sat on the edge of the bed, gently rubbing her knees with her hands, remembering the surprised expressions of the two when Eunuch Liang sent her back last night.If it weren't for the emperor, I don't know if my life would have been confessed to the cold wind last night.Kind and compassionate, the emperor is indeed a good man.Xizhao thought.

Boom boom boom!

Just as Xi Zhao was sitting by the bed in a daze, suddenly there was a hasty knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Xi Zhao supported the bed, moving forward to open the door.Brother Xiong and Xiaobao also poked their heads out of the bed to look at the door.Before Xi Zhao came to the door, the door was pushed open suddenly, and a little eunuch whom he didn't know rushed in panting, with a pale face, and said incoherently to the three people in the room:

"A... something happened! Ha... ha... something happened to the second blessing of your house! In... in the southeast library... ha... ha..."

"What's the matter!?" Xi Zhao was startled, and hurriedly grabbed the little eunuch's arm and asked.

"He...he's dead!"

Xi Zhao's head buzzed into a mess, he didn't hear what the little eunuch said afterwards, he just felt dizzy, he staggered back a few steps, supported the table, and managed to stand still.Brother Xiong and Xiaobao immediately jumped up from the bed, put on their clothes indiscriminately, and ran out of the house with the little eunuch.Seeing this, Xi Zhao hurriedly followed out regardless of the pain in her leg.

Erfu...how is this possible...it's not true!

By the time Xizhao stumbled to the southeast library, many people had already gathered there.He squeezed into the crowd, only to see a person covered by a straw mat, with only hands, feet and a few strands of hair exposed.Xi Zhao squatted down, and tremblingly lifted the straw mat a little, just one glance, she almost fainted, and couldn't look at it anymore.The thin clothes had been torn into strips, the body was covered with hideous open wounds and dark red blood, and there was hardly a piece of intact and clean skin.The face was swollen and bruised, the hair and blood clots were messy, and the face was almost impossible to distinguish.But even so, Xi Zhao had to admit that the frozen corpse in front of him was indeed Er Fu, Er Fu who was still alive until yesterday.

how so!Xizhao couldn't stop being dizzy before his eyes, his heart was instantly occupied by the surging grief, his internal organs were like a heavy boulder, and his whole body was almost torn apart by the heavy weight.

"It's a ghost killing again..." someone in the crowd whispered.

"This kind of thing happened just after the New Year...it's really unlucky."

"That's right...the Southeast Library is indeed an unclean place."

What!Sunset suddenly raised his head, and above his head, faces of pity or indifference crowded into a pile, almost covering the sky above his head, but he couldn't find out who the speaker was.The injuries on this body are so glaring, why can't he see why he died!Even now, they are still talking about ghosts and gods. Is it ignorance, or is it deliberately turning a blind eye to the truth?Xi Zhao suppressed the sadness and resentment in her heart, and slowly covered the straw mat, but squatted on the ground all the time, without standing up.Everyone is like this, with their own ulterior motives, looking down at the tragedy from a high position, avoiding the most obvious facts in their words, without the slightest condolences for the deceased in their eyes.It is said that the southeast library is unclean, how many of you are clean!Just let them look down and see enough, Brother Erfu, Dexiu, I will accompany you here.

"Hey, what are you looking at! Go back to work!"

Suddenly, the crowd stepped aside, and a creaking cart stopped beside Xi Zhao.The two eunuchs wrapped Er Fu's body in a new straw mat, and put him on the cart with heavy force. "It's gone!" The eunuch who accompanied the car waved his hand to drive away the crowd, and the onlookers chattered and then dispersed.

Xizhao was still squatting, watching the cart creaking away until it disappeared at the turn at the end of the road, only to find that Brother Xiong and Xiaobao hadn't left either.The two looked at the direction where the cart was leaving, without any expression.Seeing them like this, Xi Zhao couldn't tell what it was like in her heart.Yesterday's anger and contempt, today's sadness and bitterness, new pain and old wounds are ebbing and flowing in the atrium, don't think about it, don't think about it, it seems that if you touch it, your heart will suddenly shatter .

Sensing Xi Zhao's gaze, Xiao Bao trembled like a frightened rabbit. "I... I didn't expect it to be like this..." Xiao Bao's voice trembled, and he hurriedly defended.Brother Xiong also turned his head, avoiding the sight of Xi Zhao, and said anxiously:

"We... what can we do... Is it possible that all three of us are going to die..."

"Yeah... Brother Erfu... I don't want to..."

Xi Zhao retracted her gaze, and gradually realized that she had nothing to refute.Thinking about it carefully, no matter what they did at the time or what they did themselves, it was just the difference between one death and three deaths.

silence.

It was overcast and there was no sun.The wind whimpered across the empty road in front of the southeast library, making the silence all the more icy.After a while, Xizhao stood up and took a last look at the end of the road.Legs and feet were already numb from squatting, Xizhao leaned on the wall, without looking at the two of them again, and walked away from this deathly cold place step by step with his head down.

two

Uncle Gui's room was as quiet as ever.Xi Zhao curled up on the wicker chair, staring blankly at the ground, without saying a word.Uncle Ghost was sitting at the other end of the room, holding a rosary in his hand, muttering something softly in his mouth.Probably scriptures.Xizhao thought.

"If I had asked the emperor for mercy, I might not have come to this point." After sitting there for a long time, Xi Zhao suddenly said.

"Hey...everyone has his own destiny." Uncle Ghost replied flatly, "Brother, whether you beg for mercy or not, it's his life."

Fate...?Xizhao silently closed her eyes, chewing the word carefully.Hu Dazui, Brother Xiong, Xiaobao, Erfu.Some people were bullied, some were wronged for no reason; some framed, some tortured to death;Everyone is guilty and everyone is innocent.Who is to blame in the end?Karma and sin are intertwined, intertwined, meandering, unable to see the source, unable to distinguish right from wrong, only feel a haze.Is this the palace?Xizhao opened his eyes again, looked at the blue bricks on the ground, and recalled what Uncle Gui had said when he was just transferred to Qianqing Palace.A place of right and wrong... It's really good. It only takes one month to be transferred, and these four words are enough.But the imperial palace is huge, and the time is long, how much gossip has happened in this imperial palace where my eyes and ears can't see it?Is this the world inside the red wall...

"I don't know how many ghosts wander around this ghost gate every year. This year, this is the first one." Uncle Gui stood up and took out some sticks of incense from the drawer, "Come on, little brother, let's give him a ride together. "

"Uncle Ghost."

"Ok?"

"I want to get out of this place."

"..."

"This time... it's real."

Uncle Gui nodded slightly, noncommittal.

It should have been almost noon when we left Uncle Ghost's residence.But the sky is still dim, as if day and night are chaotic together, the light is dim, and time and space are all unclear.Xizhao walked slowly while feeling the gloomy moisture in the wind.This time it was really decided.Xizhao didn't want to stay any longer in such a dim place.I don't belong here, and I don't want to belong here.That's it.I got what I wanted, and I saw what I wanted to see. It's time to abandon this ridiculous identity and return to Xu Xizhao.It won't be long before the big stone in my heart will disappear, and everything in the palace will gradually fade out of my memory.Cut off the expectation, cut off the nostalgia, and ended like this, it should be the best.

Thinking this way, she had already returned to Qianqing Palace before she knew it. Xizhao stretched out her hand and opened the door, and it turned out that Brother Xiong and Xiaobao had already returned.Xi Zhao didn't raise her head, and went straight into the room, but suddenly felt that the atmosphere was a bit strange.

"Dexiu..." Brother Xiong called out his name.

Xi Zhao raised his head, and saw one more person in the room. This person was wearing a beam crown, holding a fly whisk, and wearing a crimson brocade robe with a collar, and was sitting at the Eight Immortals table and looking at him with a smile.His hair was already gray, the wrinkles on his face were as deep as ravines, but Dudu's eyes were clear and bright, like a mature man.Isn't this person the Liang Yiliang eunuch who sent him back last night?Xi Zhao hurriedly took a step back, bowed and saluted:

"Eunuch Liang, Dexiu is very grateful for the rescue last night."

"Hey~" Eunuch Liang waved his hands, "How is your leg recovering?"

"It's much better, thank you Eunuch Liang for your concern."

"Well. That's good. Our family came here for no other reason. It is the emperor who wants to summon you."

"The emperor summoned me?" Xi Zhao was unprepared, her heart rose in her throat.

"Well. The emperor should be in the inner hall now. Come with me." After finishing speaking, Eunuch Liang got up and wanted to leave.

This... is this going to see the emperor?Sunset was a little overwhelmed. "Dare to ask Eunuch Liang, why the emperor summoned me?"

"Hehe." Eunuch Liang smiled kindly, "The emperor wants to transfer you to the capital prison."

Know the prison? ?

Xi Zhao couldn't react for a while, and froze there.

"What? You don't want to?" Eunuch Liang turned around, flicked his whisk, clasped his hands, and looked at the sunset with a slight smile in his eyes.

"No, no...how dare..." Xi Zhao hurriedly lowered her head, "Please trouble your father-in-law to lead the way."

three

From Xizhao's residence to the inner hall, there is only a distance of three or four hundred steps, but Xizhao's mind has gone through countless reincarnations quickly.Zhou Xi had mentioned the name Duzhijian before, and the eunuchs of Duzhijian would walk and live with the emperor.Although it has nothing to do with political affairs, according to Zhou Xi, in this palace, as long as you can get close to the emperor, you are considered prosperous.But once following the emperor, how can there be a chance to escape from the palace?A little eunuch who sweeps the floor, no matter it is from the southeast warehouse or the Qianqing Palace, is missing. Everyone will look for it, whether you can find it or not, no one will alarm the emperor because of such a trivial matter.But the people around the emperor disappeared, that would cause a big commotion.How can this be good.But now, being called by the emperor directly, it's too late to run away, not to mention... Xi Zhao put her hand on her chest, feeling her will gradually wavering.The longing for the emperor erodes the firm intention to go, and for a moment, the warm experience last night even melted away the icy chill that Erfu's death brought to Xizhao's heart.This is not right, this is not right.Sunset shook her head.Although I can't imagine what will happen in the future, there is a kind of thought in my heart for no reason-if I don't leave, I'm afraid that what awaits me is a deep quagmire that I can't break free or escape from.

But the reality is that there is no room for hesitation, the emperor will always go when summoned.

When Xizhao followed Eunuch Liang into the south study, the emperor was approving the memorial.Seeing Xi Zhao and the others come in, he put the memorial aside and smiled at Xi Zhao.

"Greetings to the emperor." Xi Zhao knelt on both knees and kowtowed to the emperor.

"Exemption. Liang Yi has already told you what I mean."

"Go back to the emperor, I've said it." Xi Zhao stood up.

"Yes. I saw that you were elegant and smart, so I wanted to transfer you to the prison. Liang Yi is getting older and his health is not as good as before. You can help him share some of the hardships."

"What's the matter, Your Majesty, this old slave is not old enough to serve the Emperor." Liang Yi bowed and said respectfully.

"I know your heart, but your body is important, don't force yourself." The emperor looked at Liang Yi with warm and calm eyes.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your compassion." Liang Yi bowed deeply.

But Xizhao still lowered her head thoughtfully, without saying a word, just looking at the black stone bricks on the ground.

The emperor looked at the sunset and frowned slightly.

"Working by my side, but the palace people are very good, why don't you see a happy face?"

Xi Zhao was immersed in her own thoughts, and was shocked when suddenly the emperor asked her directly.

"Are you dissatisfied with my arrangement?"

"The villain doesn't dare!" Xi Zhao hurriedly knelt down and replied, her body was so low that she almost touched the ground.

"Do you not like doing things by my side?"

"No... not..."

"I don't understand the rules," Liang Yi couldn't stand it, "Thanks to the emperor's appointment, why don't you hurry up and thank you."

"Ah... Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness..."

Xi Zhao lay on the ground and said tremblingly, while regretting how she could be so stupid and rude, at the same time, she was afraid that the emperor would convict him because of this.

But the emperor didn't see any anger on his face, he hesitated for a while, and said again:

"You...or don't like this palace?"

!! ?

Suddenly being told about the central matter, Xi Zhao became flustered for a while, not knowing how to answer.I knew in my heart that I should continue to deny it, but when the words came to my lips, I hesitated and couldn't say them.

Seeing that Xizhao responded, the emperor smiled slightly.

"I see. I don't like it either."

what?

Xizhao raised her head, just in time to meet the gentle eyes of the emperor.

"Since we are the same people who don't like this palace, you and I just happen to be companions."

Why?Xizhao opened her eyes wide, unable to believe the words she heard.But the emperor's words really echoed in my ears, over and over again, like the rhythm of a heartbeat, urging a warm current to pour into my body, making my frozen heart melt away bit by bit go.A ray of sunlight leaked in, and it was as if the rain was just beginning to fall in front of his eyes. The gloomy thoughts disappeared in an instant, so that he even forgot to answer, and just looked straight at the emperor's warm face.Eunuch Liang's expression changed suddenly, and he quickly reprimanded Xi Zhao for being rude, while begging the emperor for forgiveness.But the emperor smiled brightly like a clear sky, waved his hand to Eunuch Liang, and let Xi Zhao fall down again.This smiling face, Xi Zhao thought, she would never forget it for the rest of her life.

At this time, it was the first month of the third year of Chongzhen.

☆, extra

?The fact that Xizhao is a fake eunuch, apart from Xizhao himself, only Uncle Gui in the palace knows.

Probably from the first time he saw him, Uncle Ghost saw through it.Xizhao thought so, because he couldn't figure out which event Uncle Gui knew about this secret from which event he met, and he couldn't figure out how Uncle Gui kept his composure, so he was sure of the truth of the matter.It wasn't until one time that Uncle Ghost said lightly that his beard grew, and Xizhao was shocked to find that in front of Uncle Ghost, he was as naked as if everything was exposed.

Although Xizhao still doesn't know where Uncle Gui saw the clues, but in any case, the crime of not being clean is a real death penalty.So at first, Xi Zhao didn't admit it at all, and just argued that it was a hair, and hurriedly escaped from Uncle Gui's room.And Uncle Ghost didn't care too much, when we met again, it was as if nothing happened, and he never mentioned it again.

After spending a year in Dongnanku in such a calm manner, Xizhao has not been discovered by others.After all, the Southeast Library is not a good place in the eyes of the palace people.Cleanliness is better than cleanliness. Xizhao and Uncle Gui, one old and one young, usually chat, play with herbs, and live a leisurely life.So many years later, every time Xizhao recalled that time in Dongnanku, there would still be a wave of pure and warm nostalgia.

At the end of the second year of Chongzhen, the Jin army besieged the city.Ma Gonggong misunderstood Xizhao's loyalty because of the incident in the Jinjun camp. Out of good intentions, Xizhao was transferred to Qianqing Palace by Ma Gonggong.Just before leaving, Uncle Gui suddenly appeared in front of Xizhao, took out a small box from his arms, and pressed it in Xizhao's hand.

"What is this?" Xi Zhao was puzzled.

"People in the Qianqing Palace have many miscellaneous eyes, no more than this southeast library. When there is no one, use this medicine, wash it off after half an hour, use it for seven days, and you will be safe for three years." Uncle Gui scratched around his mouth and nose with his hand. Walked around and gestured to Xizhao.

Xizhao immediately understood Uncle Gui's intentions, her heart was both startled and warm, and she didn't know how to respond for a moment.Uncle Gui didn't wait for Xizhao's answer, he patted Xizhao's shoulder, smiled, then turned and left.

I don't know how to repay this favor for keeping secrets for myself for a long time without asking why.Looking at Uncle Ghost's back, Xi Zhao had mixed feelings in her heart, so she could only bow deeply.

"Thank you Uncle Ghost."