At the beginning of March, the branches sprouted and gradually became less cold, and all the palaces withdrew their charcoal cages. The rain gradually increased again, and it fell endlessly all day long. Looking up at the sky, it was always gray and low, as if it was pressing on people's heads.
The thread on Xia Houlin's shoulder has been removed, leaving a crooked and ugly scar that stretches from the shoulder to the shoulder blade, which is shocking to see. Shen Jue said to find a ointment for removing scars, but Xia Houlin refused. Well, man, scars are medals, and it's just a mother-in-law who is naked.
After the injury was healed, Shen Jue allowed him to go out for a walk occasionally, and told the outside world that the smallpox had healed. The old eunuchs all complimented Shen Jue, saying that he was loyal, good-hearted, and wanted to change others. The eunuch who worked together with him had the disease of smallpox. It's daydreaming.
When Xia Houtong was recovering from his injuries, Shen Jue often went to the dining room to buy some leftover bird's nest powder soup from the master to make up for him. The palace is used to extravagance and waste. Although the concubines have a small appetite, they still have to serve a table full of delicacies from the mountains and seas every day, and only use a few chopsticks for each dish. The eunuchs in the pantry are well-informed, and selling these leftovers to greedy eunuchs and maids is a good way to make money.
A few days ago, the dining room had a new eunuch in charge. The food in Shen Jue's food box suddenly doubled, and there were abalone and shark fins from time to time. Shen Jue kept silent and just kept it.
As usual, I took the food box from the pantry, and hurried to the circuit with both hands. Eunuchs are slaves, dogs raised by their masters. They can't walk with their heads held high, and they have to keep their heads down. When they meet noble people on the road, they have to bend down and kneel.
He knows that nothing can be rushed, and in order to one day surpass ten thousand people, one must first descend into the dust.
Just after walking through Tianjie, a person suddenly rushed out behind him. Shen Jue was holding the food box, and it was inconvenient to move, and was thrown straight.
"Eunuch Liu, what do you mean?" Shen Jue was pressed against the palace wall, suppressing the desire to kill in his heart, and said coldly.
The chief eunuch of the dining room, Liu Kage, was a head taller than him, with a dark face and a smile on his lips. He looked very honest. He spoke calmly: "Our family treats you with good meals and vegetables every day. You don't know what it means? Can you afford such a good abalone and shark fin with your little money?" He looked Shen Jue up and down. , sighed with a little pity, "After raising him for so long, why is he still so thin, holding a scumbag."
"It's the busy time of the imperial pantry. Father-in-law doesn't take care of it, aren't you afraid of making a mistake?" Shen Jue lowered her head, unable to see her expression clearly, but her voice was so calm that she didn't seem to know what she was facing. thing like.
Liu Deyi thought he didn't reject him, secretly rejoiced, and took a step closer to Shen Jue's shoulder and rubbed it finely.
"If you are obedient, I can go back as soon as possible."
Shen Jue sneered: "Two broken pots without a spout, are we grinding the mirror or breaking the sleeve?"
Liu Deyi laughed slyly, that rough hand slid down his arm and covered his palm, Shen Jue stared straight at his hand, if there was a knife in his hand, he might kill both of them. chop down.
"What are you talking about? Are there still few absurd things in the palace? The higher the status, the more absurd. Having said that, others don't treat us as men, we should look up to ourselves. However, I'm fine, even if I'm clean, no one will treat me as a woman, but you..."
Shen Jue asked, "What about me?"
Liu Deyi poked Shen Jue's face and said, "Look at your appearance, you are a natural fox, you are weird. I think, you must have given birth to the wrong child, but the lives of the girls belong to the girls. In the end, it's not that I can't escape cutting off that extra thing."
Shen Jue smiled pitifully, the shadow in his eyes gradually spread and became bottomless. He said: "Really, it turns out that this motherfucker is my life."
"Hey, Sixi told me that he meant something to you before. I thought you were a strong personality. Well, I pay attention to mutual affection, and I don't want to do anything to you. I didn't expect Si Xi I'm happy that the leprechaun has actually become a reality, look at you guys who mix oil with honey all day long." Liu Deyi rubbed his chin and said, "If I make a move, how can I let that skinless and faceless person get the first place? Four Xi has no future. You might as well follow me, you just have to nod, and I'll get you out of the Ganxi Fourth Institute."
Shen Jue slowly raised his head, and the corner of his mouth evoked a sinister smile. Liu Deyi looked down at him, his eyes were dark and gloomy, and there seemed to be a monster quietly revealed in the deepest part. Liu Deyi felt a little uncomfortable, and secretly asked why Shen Jue's eyes were so terrifying
"Then do you know that if you want to be with me, you have to pay a price?" Shen Jue said word by word, every word made Liu proud and uneasy.
Liu Deyi was born in a family of hunters and grew up in the mountains. His mother often told him stories of mountain ghosts eating people at night. In the cold and damp forest, what the lone traveler must beware of is not the beasts that may be thrown at any time, but the mountain ghosts dormant in the dark. The back of the tree, under the leaves, in the piles of stones, wherever there is a dark place, there may be mountain ghosts.
He was often scared to sleep by his mother, but he had never seen a mountain ghost, and he gradually knew that it was his mother who coaxed him to play. But at this moment, he seemed to see the gloomy eyes of the mountain ghost, staring at him, grinding his teeth and sucking blood.
Although his heart was a little trembling, for the sake of face, he still asked with a smile on his face: "What's the price, let's hear it."
As soon as he finished speaking, a stifling punch hit him on the side of the face, accompanied by an earth-shattering roar: "Blind your grandma's dog eyes, dare to touch Lao Tzu's brother!"
Liu Deyi was beaten until his head was dazed, and before he could react, he was kicked in the chest and abdomen by the collar. Liu Deyi leaned against the wall, spitting out clean water, Xia Houlin added another uppercut and knocked him to the ground. His feet were not idle either, the storm kicked on him like a torrential rain, and he screamed out in pain, screaming for mercy.
"The stuff raised by prostitutes, no matter what mud pigs and leprosy dogs dare to beat my brother's idea! If I don't beat you all over the place, I won't be called Xia... Cough, four hi!"
Shen Jue was still stunned, Xia Houlin appeared too suddenly, he had planned to deal with Eunuch Liu, but in the blink of an eye, Liu Deyi had been beaten by Xia Houlin and his parents and ancestors shouted one by one.
"Sixi!" Liu Deyi screamed when he heard the name, "You son of a turtle who eats alone, only you are allowed to touch it, but not for me!?"
"Use your grandfather! My motherfucker will make you so cool now!" Xia Houlin was so angry that his eyes darkened, he lifted his hem and rode on Liu Deyi's waist, bowed to his face left and right, and asked, "Cool Unhappy? I asked you if you were happy!?"
Liu Deyi's nose, tears and saliva flowed, and he couldn't spit out the scolding.
"Don't slap your face! Don't slap your face!" Seizing the gap, Liu shouted proudly. But Xiahou Lin was slack and bad. Every time he slapped his face, his palms didn't fall in the air, and the slaps made him dizzy and his eyes were shining with gold stars.
After dozens of slaps, Xia Houlin stopped. His hands were sore, and the wound on his shoulder was dragged by the movement just now, causing a burst of pain, I don't know if it was cracked or not.
Liu proudly cried and said, "Grandpa Sixi, spare the little one!"
Xia Houlin pressed his head and faced Shen Jue's direction, and said, "What is it to beg me for mercy? Ask your father for mercy! Hurry up and call my father!"
Liu proudly cried: "Dad Shen, spare your life! Please let him stop, he will die!"
Shen Jue's face darkened and he said, "Are you grandfather and me father?"
"Sorry, sorry, I made a mistake, I made a mistake!" Xia Houlin punched Liu Deyi again and said, "Can you talk to you? My name is Grandpa Shen!"
"Ouch, the two ancestors! The little ones don't dare anymore, please let the two of you let the little ones go!" Liu was too bitter to say, and cried terribly, his pig-headed face covered with tears.
Xia Houlin stood up from him, brushed off his clothes and said, "Okay, I'll let you go this time, and next time I will kill you, you bastard."
Liu Deyi got up from the ground, walked a few steps forward, made sure to keep a safe distance from Xia Houlin, turned around and spat at Xia Houlin and the two of them, and said viciously, "Little bastard, this is this. You guys keep the account for Lao Tzu, Lao Tzu will definitely not let you have good fruit to eat!" After saying that, he covered his head and ran away.
Xia Houlin disapproved and said "cut": "Coward."
Shen Jue knew that they might have to eat bad food in the coming days, but he didn't say anything, he greeted Xia Houlin and said, "Let's go, everyone should be starving."
Xiahou Lin responded and followed behind. Shen Jue sullenly nodded, not knowing what she was thinking, she didn't speak all the way. Xia Houtong has been in good spirits for the past few days. He originally wanted to help Shen Jue with some household duties. Today, seeing that Shen Jue hadn't come back for a long time, he went out to look for it. Unexpectedly, after walking a few steps, he saw a eunuch pushing Shen Jue to the side. Fumbling with his hands on the wall, he immediately became furious, and he didn't even think about punching the dead eunuch's face.
The male style of the Holy Dynasty was prevalent. Emperor Chengzong and Emperor Muzong were both famous for their broken sleeves. At that time, the chief seals of the lijian were all based on the ability of the master to invite favors, which made the Chao Gang a mess. The upper beam is not right and the lower beam is crooked, and the atmosphere in the palace is becoming more and more rotten. The eunuch with some authority has not enough women, and even extends his dirty hands to men. The same is true among the people. It is common for male performers in the Goulan washhouse to play the piano and sing songs, which is very popular among the rich and powerful. The brothel run by Galan is also indispensable for such tricks. It is said that Master Qiu made his debut in this way.
That's all for others, Shen Jue came from an aristocratic family, how could he be so useless? Xia Houlin felt sore in his heart, but he was confined by his stupid mouth. After thinking for a long time, he couldn't think of any good words to comfort Shen Jue.
Xia Houlin walked a few steps faster, took the food box in Shen Jue's hand, turned his face sideways, the sun reflected on Shen Jue's face, and it was plated with a warm golden layer. He had no expression, his face was as sickly pale as ever. His current thoughts are becoming more and more unpredictable, and Xia Houlin is a little stunned.
After stepping through the palace gate, Shen Jue put down the food box and entered the house. Xia Houlin delivered the meals one by one to the houses of several mad ladies. Some of the women sang songs and some embroidered. The flowers are arranged in clusters, like a big fried cock. The old eunuchs said that Concubine Gao was seriously ill recently, and she became more and more mad. She used to ride on the top of the wall to call the emperor, but now she stepped on the roof and said that she was a peerless hero. Xia Houtong chased after her for a while before letting her eat obediently. After the work was done, he didn't want to eat, so he went to the house to visit Shen Jue first.
As soon as he entered the room, he saw Shen Jue standing naked by the side of the washbasin rack. It's not like Xia Houlin was covered in scars, as if he had come back after walking in a sea of swords and flames. Shen Jue turned his back to Xia Houlin, and Xia Houlin could only see his disgusted expression in the brass mirror, almost gnashing his teeth. He held a damp cloth in his hand, and rubbed his shoulders and arms where Liu Deyi had touched. Even though there was still a layer of cloth between the flesh and Liu Deyi's hands, Shen Jue seemed to want to put all the skin on his body. Peel off.
"Stop wiping!" Xia Houlin grabbed Shen Jue's cloth and said.
Shen Jue said angrily, "What are you doing!"
"You want to peel off your skin, don't you!"
"Don't worry about my business! Go away!"
Seeing Shen Jue's face full of anger, Xia Houlin felt a lot more at ease. He had a dead face before, which made Xia Houlin feel uneasy.
"Don't move." Xia Houlin opened the Duobao grid, took out a piece of pancreas, slapped it on Shen Jue's shoulder and arm, and rubbed it lightly with the palm of his hand. Because Xia Houlin has been holding a knife all the year round, his palms are covered with calluses and are very rough, but it feels unexpectedly comfortable to touch on his arm.
Xia Houlin rolled his eyes at him and said, "Be content with you, and show me your face when I wait for you. I usually don't take a bath by myself." I was rubbing the most expensive blue and white porcelain, for fear that it would be damaged and smashed, so I almost did not wax it.
He didn't know why, he just felt that people like Shen Jue were born to be admired and admired by others. He has such a good appearance and is full of poetics, who can compare to him? He should have stayed in the court, and his name will remain in the history, and he could climb the corridor and enter the temple without asking for shade and his children and grandchildren. God's tricks, but now, he has become an internal minister, his fame has become a running water, and his descendants have become nothing, and he has to be abused by pickled people like Si Xi and Liu Deyi. How can people not hurt, not hate
God's will is hard to defy. God wants you to fall into the quagmire. Even if you grow wings made of gold, God will melt it.
Xia Houlin resisted the grief in his heart, dipped a washcloth in water, and wiped off the foam on Shen Jue's arm. The fine and dense foam melted into the cloth, revealing the smooth skin underneath. The pancreas was mixed with sweet-scented osmanthus, which gave his arm a faint scent of sweet-scented osmanthus, which smelled very comfortable.
"Okay, it's clean!"
Shen Jue tilted her head and said in a low voice, "Also on your face."
Xia Houlin responded, dipped his pancreas with water, rubbed it lightly on his face, and then rubbed it with his fingertips.
A strange feeling appeared in Shen Jue's heart, like a feather tickling his heart. He wanted to push Xia Houlin's hand away, but he couldn't bear it. He was tangled back and forth, and Xia Houlin had already helped him clean up. When Xia Houlin retracted his hand and threw the washcloth into the basin, Shen Jue felt a sense of loss.
It's not that there are no people who treat him well in the palace, it's just that he hides his guard in his heart, builds a high wall, and treats everyone with respect, as if they are separated by a layer. Suffering, suffering, can only swallow in the stomach. He's used to being patient, and that's fine. But when he faced Xia Houlin, he immediately relaxed.
Very good, he thought. He was like a homeless wild dog, walking on the verdant world, until his hair was dirty and his claws were broken, he suddenly found a shelter from the wind and rain. From now on, no matter how many beatings and crimes you have suffered outside, at least there will be a place to rest.
However, he seemed to think too well, the shed was obviously leaking some air—Xiahou Lin wanted to put the pancreas back in the Duobaoge, but one of them fell on the ground, covered with ashes.
Shen Jue's face turned dark: "I only have this one." He disliked that the pancreas in the palace had a strange smell. The sweet-scented osmanthus pancreas was brought in from outside the palace by a trustee who had saved two months' salary.
Xia Houlin apologized repeatedly, cleaned the pancreas, and put it back in its place. Shen Jue looked at the piece of sweet-scented osmanthus pancreas that had been devastated, thinking that it's better to lose it.
Xia Houlin went out to pour water with the washbasin, and was about to open the door when Shen Jue's voice suddenly sounded behind him.
"Xiahou Rin, I don't need your sympathy."
This stinky boy needs face. Xia Houlin said helplessly, "I don't sympathize with you."
Shen Jue didn't speak, Xia Houlin thought that he was all right, he put his hand on the door, and just as he was about to open it, the front of his shirt was suddenly pulled behind him. Xia Houlin turned his head and saw Shen Jue lowered his brows and eyes, his broken hair covered half of his face, Xia Houlin could only see the corners of his red eyes.
"What's the matter?" Xia Houlin was the worst at seeing others cry, especially Shen Jue, who immediately panicked.
"You are not allowed to leave," Shen Jue suddenly came close to him and hugged Xiahou Lin tightly, "Xiahou Lin, I forbid you to leave!" Shen Jue's voice sounded in his ears, and Xiahou Lin could hear the subtle trembling. and fear.
Yes, how could he forget that Shen Jue has always been a face-saving personality. No matter how scared or painful he is, he still has to hold on to his straight back and his tattered face. This is the case with being a young master who no one cares about in the Xie Mansion, and the same is true of being a slave and servant girl who is trampled by thousands of people in the palace. He has always had his own pride.
Xia Houlin was silent for a long time, so silent that Shen Jue felt that his blood was getting cold. Finally, Xiahou Lin let out a long sigh, held the basin with one hand, freed one right hand to stroke Shen Jue's back, and said softly, "Okay, I won't leave."