Chongzhen Sunset Song

?one

Today is the third day of confinement.

The confinement room was small and dark.Xi Zhao curled up in the corner, staring blankly at the clumps of straw on the ground.The pungent musty smell when I first came in can hardly be felt now. If it wasn't for a ray of light coming in from the small window high on the wall, being locked in this dark space, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between day and night. clear.

Gala Gala.

It sounded like a door lock opening.

Xi Zhao looked towards the door, only to see the small door being pushed open with a creak, the light was so bright that Xi Zhao couldn't open his eyes for a while.In a blur, it seemed that someone came in, and there was another squeak, and the door was closed.Xi Zhao rubbed his eyes and looked intently. The white-haired man holding a whisk in his hand was not Mr. Liang Yiliang?

"Greetings to Eunuch Liang."

Xi Zhao hurriedly stood up and saluted.

"Hey, okay, sit down." Eunuch Liang found a place to sit cross-legged, and Xi Zhao also sat back to the original place.

"I've heard it all, you silly boy, the emperor is burning with anger, why are you going to join in the fun, thinking you have a long life?"

"Well... Dexiu knew it was wrong." Xi Zhao hugged her knees and said dejectedly, "At that time, my heart was in a mess, my brain didn't turn around, and I didn't know why I blurted it out... Now that I think about it, I really regret it."

"It's good to know your mistakes. The emperor is merciful, but you are only locked up for seven days. If you are fined, twenty boards will go down, and half of your life will be knocked out." Liang Gonggong pointed at Xizhao, and Xizhao gave a shiver. , a little scared, but also a little bit happy.Naturally he was happy that he didn't get through this board, but what made Xi Zhao even more happy was that Eunuch Liang cared about him.In the past few years, I have lived alone, and I have seldom been cared about by anyone; and after entering the palace, I see mostly gangs and intrigues, and everyone is surrounded by a wave of hostility.But Eunuch Liang is so gentle and friendly, aloof from the world, like a cup of tea, with a faint warm tea fragrance.Although Zhou Xi said that Eunuch Liang's status in the palace is really unusual, but for some reason, Xi Zhao felt that he was somewhat similar to Uncle Ghost—when he was with these two seniors, he couldn't tell in his heart Safe and quiet.

"But...don't Eunuch think that this punishment is too cruel?" After a few chats, Xi Zhao asked.

"Huh?" Eunuch Liang frowned slightly, and looked at Xizhao meaningfully, "...I don't think so."

A sudden surprise came to my mind.Xizhao thought that Eunuch Liang, who was kind, would definitely agree with her.But Eunuch Liang had a calm expression on his face, as if it was nothing unusual.

"I don't think so, and you better not think so. We are just the emperor's servants. The emperor decides what he thinks. It's not our turn to judge good or bad. Understand." Eunuch Liang said word by word.

"Then...couldn't you even have your own thoughts?" Xi Zhao was puzzled.

"No one knows that this kind of thing exists, but it doesn't. If you can't control your heart, you must control your people. Don't let your thoughts influence what you do and what you say." Eunuch Liang said halfway, After a slight pause, he changed the topic again, "But that being said, the look in your eyes will betray your thoughts sooner or later, so it's best to take care of it." Mr. Liang tapped Xizhao's chest with his fly whisk, "That's right. serious."

"But..." Xi Zhao blinked, not convinced, wanted to refute something, but didn't know where to start.

"Hey, silly boy." Eunuch Liang sighed, smiled wryly, stretched his legs and sat in a comfortable position.

"At the beginning, our family entered the palace in the second year of Wanli. After three generations of emperors, we have been in the palace for 56 years. In this vanity fair, there are ups and downs, life and death, and we have seen a lot in these years. Where there is floating, there is sinking, and when there is life, there is death. Things in the world are generally such a cycle. If you get glory this time, who knows if you will lose your life next time. If you want to live a pure life, you should not be too involved in the world good."

"Dexiu doesn't want to be prosperous...just..."

"Well, it can be seen that you, like our family, are not those who seek fame and fortune." Liang Yi said slowly, his face as kind as his father's generation, "But the palace is like a big whirlpool. You can't help yourself. Everyone surrounds the emperor, scrambling forward, and the closer you get to the center of the vortex, the faster the water flow will be. If you are not careful, it will bring disaster. You and I are people around the emperor. If I can't see the flow of the water, but I can't live in peace on the cusp of the storm."

Xi Zhao listened silently, and the scenes she saw in the palace over the past year kept replaying in her mind.Eunuch Liang's words are not difficult to understand, but if you think about it carefully, you can't understand the mystery.After thinking for a while, Xizhao patted the dust and stood up, straightened his clothes, straightened his face, and solemnly saluted Eunuch Liang.

"Dexiu is dull. I don't know when and what month I will be able to see the veins of the water flow. I also ask my father-in-law to give clear instructions on how to act in the future."

Eunuch Liang smiled warmly and shook his head.

"It's not that our family is stingy. You can only understand the way of ups and downs by yourself. But..." Eunuch Liang paused, "If you are willing to listen to the old words of our family, there are two things that you can remember for now. Come on, lest you lose your life in a muddled way before you fully understand it."

"My father-in-law please teach me."

"Well. These two things, the first is not to discuss political affairs indiscriminately, and the second," Eunuch Liang looked at the sunset, his eyes were steady and bright, "Don't get involved in party disputes."

Don't discuss political affairs indiscriminately, don't participate in party disputes...?

Sunset bowed deeply.

"Thank you, father-in-law. Dexiu wrote it down."

two

On the morning of the fifth day, Xi Zhao was released from the confinement room.The reason why he was locked up for two days less was because Eunuch Liang spoke well of himself in front of the emperor, Xi Zhao thought.

When I got back to the room, I heard the eunuch in the same room say that today is the day when Governor Yuan will execute his sentence.Xi Zhao didn't want to hear more, so she quickly took a change of clothes and went out to the bathroom.

After five days of musty smell, I almost felt sick to smell it.Sunset washed it clean, put on the clean clothes and hat, and combed the hair neatly.Is today the execution day... Governor Yuan, today will be punished by Ling Chi... Xi Zhao shook her head not to let herself think about it, took a deep breath, and patted her face hard.After the meeting, it's time to change shifts. As Eunuch Liang said, it's better to forget about it as soon as possible.

"Greetings to the emperor."

In the afternoon, when Xizhao came to Qianqing Palace, Chongzhen leaned on the Luohan bed in Xinuang Pavilion to read a book, which was rare.Xi Zhao knelt down on both knees and kowtowed.

"Well, get up." Chongzhen's voice seemed not as clear and powerful as usual.He raised his eyes to look at the sunset, as if he wanted to say something, but after waiting for a long time, he didn't say anything, and hid his eyes behind the scroll again.

Xizhao got up, bowed again, and stood beside Luohan's bed.

Today is a long-lost cool.A gust of breeze outside the window enters the room, bringing with it a hint of autumn.Chongzhen moved his body, turned a page of the book, and breathed out lazily.

"Is the emperor unwell?" Seeing that Chongzhen's spirit was not as good as usual, Xizhao asked.

"Well, there is one thing, it's okay." Chongzhen replied lightly.

"The emperor's dragon body is important, or call Eunuch Liang over to show the emperor."

"No need." Chongzhen simply replied, and stopped talking.

It seemed that the emperor seemed more bored than before.Seeing that the emperor didn't want to say more, Xizhao fell silent and stood quietly aside.

It was silent for half a day, until in the evening, a report came from outside the door saying that Wang Chengen asked to see him.

"pass."

Wang Chengen walked into Xinuang Pavilion in response, and after inviting Ann, he didn't report anything, but stood by the door and waited, eyes lowered, and kept silent.

Chongzhen didn't speak, but looked at the scroll, but didn't turn a page for a long time.

It was getting dark again, and it was almost time to light the lamps.Chongzhen looked at the sky, finally put down the book in his hand, and said in a low voice:

"ended?"

"Back to the emperor, it's over." Wang Chengen leaned forward slightly.

"En." Chongzhen muffled in response, and was speechless for a while, then picked up the scroll and covered his eyes again.

"My Majesty." Wang Cheng'en paused, then said cautiously, "Uh...he...had a poem before his execution, and the escort had already copied it down. I don't know..."

Chongzhen was taken aback. "Submit it."

Xizhao took the note that Wang Chengen held in both hands, turned around and presented it to Chongzhen.

"If the emperor has nothing to do, I will take my leave first." Just after handing in the note, Wang Chengen asked to resign.

"Ah."

Wang Chengen turned and left the room, Xizhao also stood by Luohan's bed, but Chongzhen twisted the folded note, stared at the empty back of the paper, and did not open it for a long time.The twilight was getting darker, and after about half a stick of incense, he finally flipped his hands over, unfolded the note, read it hastily, and suddenly clutched the note tightly, his fingers trembling slightly, and his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.Xi Zhao peeked over the emperor's shoulder, and saw a seven-character quatrain written in square script on the note:

His career is always empty in his life, and his fame and fame in half his life are in his dreams.

After death, there is no worry about having no brave generals, and the loyal soul still guards Liaodong.

There was a fluttering sound outside the window, several crows flew up one after another, and disappeared into the misty twilight.The croaking of crows and the dim sunlight unknowingly added a hint of sadness to this early autumn evening, but it was still lingering.

three

At night, the court ladies light up the gauze lanterns one by one.Chongzhen was still leaning over the bedside of Arhat reading the scroll, and on the small table lay the wrinkled note quietly.

Since reading the note, Chongzhen didn't say a word.Xi Zhao vaguely felt that the emperor's spirit seemed to be a bit gloomy again, and his reading was much slower than in the afternoon.

"Your Majesty, you are not feeling well today, so you should rest earlier." Xi Zhao said softly.

Chongzhen heard the words, closed the scroll, but did not get up, but leaned against the bed rail.

"The day before yesterday, you let me take back my life."

When Xizhao heard the words, he hurriedly bowed down.

"The villain was confused for a moment and did something beyond the rules. I also ask the emperor to forgive me."

Chongzhen waved his hands, paused for a while, and then sighed softly. "Probably at that time, I should really listen to your words."

what?

Hearing such words suddenly, Xi Zhao was unprepared.The light was dim, so I couldn't see the expression of the emperor at this time, and I couldn't understand why the emperor would make such a speech against his identity, so Xi Zhao could only lower his head and said tremblingly: "Why did the emperor say that, villain ...Little man..." But before he finished speaking, the emperor turned his head and looked at him, with an imperceptible wry smile remaining on the corners of his eyes and brows.Xi Zhao's heart tightened, and she was even more at a loss, so she blurted out: "The villain is convicted...!"

Seeing that Xizhao was so nervous, Chongzhen gradually relaxed his eyebrows and softened his expression.

"Did you ever learn the whole song that you sang in the west of the hall?" After a moment of silence, she spoke again, but changed the subject.

"Ah... Go back to the emperor, I have already learned it." From the corner of the sunset, I caught a glimpse of the emperor's slightly relaxed mouth, and felt a little more at ease.

"Okay, can you sing with me?"

"...Yes, Your Majesty."

The soft light is dim, and the candlelight dances slightly, reflecting on the gauze lantern bamboo bones, just like the dusk of the tree shadows in autumn. Chongzhen propped one arm on the table, with his eyes half-closed, as if he was not asleep.Xi Zhao cleared her throat slightly, and sang in a low voice:

The thin sun is slanting towards the west mountain,

The clouds are dyed with red ointment, and the colorful trees are wrapped in golden gauze.

Prosperity is just right,

But it is the sunset.

When the twilight fades away,

The moon is cold and the wind is clear, and the heights are even more desolate.

Not reconciled to the early sunset, there is no way to return to heaven,

The long night is long and the road is slim.

Walking is futile, stopping is futile...

The singing faded away.

"You can't sing well, the emperor will laugh at you." Xi Zhao bowed.

"This song... what song card is it? I have never heard it before." Chongzhen asked.

"Back to the emperor, this song is just a random composition of a friend, there is no tune, the emperor can listen to it as he pleases."

"Then... do you have a name?"

"The name does..."

Chongzhen slightly opened his eyes and glanced slightly.There was silence in the room, only Xizhao said softly:

"This song is called Sunset Song."