The royal family of the Qing Dynasty has always been extremely strict with the eunuchs. Among the many rules, there is a death order that the eunuchs are absolutely not allowed to live outside the palace. The control of the guards, on the other hand, is to prevent the eunuchs who have the conditions to buy a house to live in collusion with the ministers in the court.
However, those eunuchs with status will always have money in their hands. Since they can't buy homes outside, they have to work hard in the place where they live now. Ever since, in Huanyifang, which looks like a slum, you can still find more than a dozen very conspicuous mansions.
The private courtyard of the great eunuchs stands quietly and proudly in the bustling clothes washing workshop.
It was already late at night, Hong Zhu made arrangements for the affairs of the East Palace, knelt down to the queen and the crown prince respectively, and then led a few trusted eunuchs to Huanyifang.
Not far from the inner palace, those confidant eunuchs brought out a bamboo sedan chair from nowhere and invited him to sit on it.
In the inner palace, Hong Zhu didn't have the courage to show off, but outside the inner palace, he would not refuse such a thing that should be enjoyed. It's just that sitting on the rickety bamboo sedan chair tonight, his complexion is not very good-looking, those little red bumps shivering in the icy cold wind, his mood is also a little gloomy.
He forcibly concealed the fear and uneasiness in his eyes, said a few words to the little eunuchs around him, and scolded them a few more times, telling them to take good care of the two in the East Palace, and the fear in his heart was dispelled by the scolding It made him feel a little more at ease.
After entering the small courtyard of his home, he muttered a few words, then entered the house, and sat on the armchair beside the Kang. He specially hired someone to do it.
Every time a eunuch who came to work in the courtyard saw this armchair, he would think of the relationship between Eunuch Xiao Hong and that old eunuch, and he would feel vigilance and respect in his heart.
Hong Zhu was very proud of his hand, sitting on a chair, holding a pot of hot tea in his left hand and slowly sipping, a thirteen or fourteen-year-old eunuch knelt down respectfully, took off his shoes for him, and Called hot water to scald his feet.
Feeling those little hands rubbing his feet carefully in the wooden basin, Hong Zhu felt a strange feeling, a little satisfied, a little proud, and a little sad—his family was also a gentry's family back then, and they had been born a few times. A wealthy Jinshi family was only taken over by that official, which made his later life what it is today. If such a tragedy hadn't happened—Hong Zhu thought, at his own age, he should probably have passed Chunwei. , It's time to start your official career.
Every time he thinks about this matter, he can't help feeling sad, then angry, and then express his most sincere gratitude to that little Mr. Fan outside the palace.
Hong Zhu is not an ungrateful person. The so-called scholar dies for his confidant. He always thinks that although there is no such thing in his crotch, his heart...is still a scholar.
His fingers are slowly rubbing the particles on the surface of the purple clay pot, but his mind is not on this wonderful touch. He is thinking about the thing he risked to tell Mr. Fan, and he doesn't know what kind of thing it will bring to him. The scourge... He has been afraid for many days. It was not until Mr. Fan returned to Beijing that he felt a little bit more confident. Let Mr. Fan handle such a terrible matter, maybe he will get something out of it. For some benefits, I can count myself as a repayment, as long as... the incident does not implicate myself.
Hong Zhu's fingers trembled suddenly, and he stretched out his tongue to moisten his dry lips due to nervousness, and said in a dry voice, "Go out, I'm a little tired, don't bother me if you have nothing to do."
The thirteen or fourteen-year-old eunuch with delicate features took out a dry rag to clean Eunuch Hong's feet, then said with a grin, "Eunuch, do you want to call Xiu'er to pinch for you?"
Hearing these words, Hong Zhu was slightly startled, and immediately thought of the soft body of the court lady and the fragrant wet tongue, a hot current surged up in his lower abdomen, but it couldn't reach the place where it should go, his face darkened slightly, and he was also afraid. After hearing this, the person in the room cursed angrily, "Get lost! Why is Xiu'er waking up?"
The little eunuch didn't know why his father-in-law was angry, so he went out of the room with a sad face, carefully closed the courtyard door and the room door, and went to sleep in the side room.
…
…
"Xing'er...that's Concubine Yigui's confidant maid, you dare to make up your mind." Fan Xian came out from the inside, and scolded with a smile: "Look at your little life, it's more comfortable than mine, and your courage is getting bigger and bigger. ah."
Hong Zhu said with a sad face, "Master, don't shame me, you're really not very courageous..." He glanced at Fan Xian tentatively, and said with a smile, "Besides, isn't Miss Xing'er from Master?"
Fan Xian was taken aback, and reprimanded in a low voice: "Die! How dare you say such absurd words."
Hong Zhu smiled and closed his mouth.
This small courtyard is on the southwest side of Huanyifang, and the terrain is relatively quiet. Fan Xian had listened to it with all his strength before, and there should be no one eavesdropping around. It is safer and easier to talk. He was afraid that Hong Zhu would be too shocked by that Things, so when he opened his mouth, he said a few naughty jokes first.
He was sitting at the foot of the kang, and it was impossible for the lights in the room to cast his shadow outside from this angle.
Hong Zhu looked around cautiously, and said in a low voice, "Master, I guessed that you stayed in Qiancheng today, but...it's not safe here, so let's go quickly."
Fan Xian nodded, looked at him twice, and asked in a low voice, "Are you sure?"
Hong Zhu's face changed immediately, his lips trembled for a long time, he looked around again with some fear, and nodded after a long while.
"This matter is stuffy in my heart, and no one can talk about it." Although Fan Xian knew that Hong Zhu would not be that stupid, he still reminded him worriedly, and said with a frown, "Even if you cover it up, don't talk too much... sleep It is best not to have anyone by your side...not even that Xiu'er."
Hong Zhu shuddered, thinking to himself, this is too terrible, who can control such things as sleep talking.
In fact, Fan Xian is also a little annoyed at this time. How to turn this hot taro into a stone to hit people, there are too many things to consider. He visited Hong Zhu tonight, mainly to confirm this matter in person, and follow-up arrangements , but it cannot be made indiscriminately right away.
After a little silence, he said in a low voice: "No matter what you will do next, but you have to remember one thing, you must first remove yourself from this matter... You must not let anyone find out that you are related to this matter .”
"This is the first condition." Fan Xian said seriously: "If there is even a slight possibility that you are involved, then do nothing."
Hong Zhu nodded silently. He knew in his heart that if he sold this news to Lord Fan, Lord Fan would definitely use this news, and he would definitely become an important part of the opponent's actions—from the very beginning. , he gave his own life to Fan Xian, the kindness of dozens of people in the family, it is nothing to pay back his own life—he was listening to Fan Xian's concern for his own safety , I became more and more moved.
The candlelight in the room flickered, and the light and shadow were a little blurred.
Fan Xian called Hong Zhu to his side, and whispered something into his ear. The more Hong Zhu listened, the brighter his eyes became, but there was still an unconcealable fear and panic in that bright color, but this kind of fear and panic could not match the reward in the future.
Just like the ministers in the court, the eunuchs in the palace naturally want to suppress the banker in secret, especially the big eunuchs like Hong Zhu who have climbed to a certain level.
Since a year ago, because of Fan Xian's secret actions, Hong Zhu had no choice but to press on him, in Shufang Palace.
"It's inconvenient for you and me to get in touch right now, so we have to find a way." After explaining some things, Fan Xian frowned and said, "But I can't go through a middleman, and there are some details that I have to go back to think about. Before I go back to Jiangnan, we must See you again, in the first month, when can you go out of the palace?"
"Twenty-two." Hong Zhu swallowed, bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty doesn't like the kind of embroidery that was paid tribute to the south of the Yangtze River last autumn, so I ordered a batch from Dongyi City. Give it to me, and I can go out that day."
Fan Xian nodded, and confirmed the time for the next meeting, but a thought flashed in his mind, that the queen really doted on Hong Zhu, the eunuch—he looked at the pimple on Hong Zhu's forehead, and subconsciously licked it on his crotch. He glanced down, and then laughed silently at himself, seeing too many dirty things in this gloomy palace, and couldn't help thinking about everything.
But this is impossible, the inspection of entering the palace is too strict, in the land of Qing Kingdom, it is impossible for Wei Xiaobao's kind of story to happen.
Fan Xian didn't dare to stay in the Hongzhu Courtyard any longer, and finally gave some careful instructions, and then left.
It was a long time after he left that Hong Zhu came to his senses. Looking at the empty corner of the kang, looking at the lights in the room, he was confused. How did Mr. Fan leave without opening the door of this room?
"Hey, it's really amazing."
Hong Zhu slapped his thigh, admiring secretly. For some reason, the big rock that had been weighing on his heart these days suddenly became much lighter after Fan Xian arrived. Maybe he told this big secret to another person and divided half of it. Maybe It was because he felt that a fairy-like figure like Lord Fan would be able to handle this matter well.
He had great confidence in Fan Xian, and felt that he could finally have a good night's sleep today. He blew out the lights with ease, took off his clothes, and got into the thick quilt, although the quilt was missing Xiu'er. With a youthful and beautiful body, Eunuch Xiao Hong still feels very happy.
…
…
However, Fan Xian's confidence in Hong Zhu was not very sufficient.
There are three ways to control Hong Zhu. On the one hand, he helps his family to avenge; People in this world are different, some people can be bought with money, some people have no ability to resist in front of beautiful women, but Fan Xian confirmed that Hong Zhu is a very special little eunuch, quite sincere Otherwise, he would not be willing to become a nail in his hand because of repaying his kindness, and it would be impossible to please the old eunuch Hong occasionally...
However, a person's character and character will always change with the environment he is in. Now Hong Zhu is no longer that bitter child running for his life in the mountains, nor is he a little eunuch who is bullied in the palace. The eunuch, the chief eunuch, is deeply favored by the queen, loved by His Majesty, and the eunuchs and maids in the palace are flattered by the eunuchs and maids in the palace - living in the body, nourishing the spirit, vanity can destroy the bones, and the desire for profit can suffocate the heart. Who knows if he will not be able to bear it in the future? The temptation of interests quietly fell to the other side.
No one knew that Hong Zhu belonged to him, so it would be very easy for other factions to accept him. If it was playing seamlessly, Fan Xian would of course be happy in this state, but if Hong Zhu was really in trouble, there was nothing he could do about it.
Fortunately, there is such a secret. Fan Xian is very grateful for this secret, no matter whether it can bring him any benefits in the future, at least this shared secret can make Hong Zhu unable to leave him again, at least until the eldest princess and the prince collapse.
Returning to his residence in the front corner of the imperial city, in the darkness, Fan Xian carefully confirmed that the small mechanism he set up when he left was not damaged by anyone. It seemed that no one bothered him in this short time, so he stretched out his finger to hook it. That black hair, I wiped something on the noses of the two eunuchs who were sleeping sweetly.
Then he sat on the bed, took out a bottle of royal wine from his arms, sprinkled a little on the side of the bed, sat in a daze for a while, then fell asleep.
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Sitting in the carriage, Fan Xian couldn't help but look back at the thick vermilion palace wall, subconsciously thinking that the farther away from the palace the better. He entered the palace too many times, but every time he entered the palace, it was like the first time he entered the palace to visit the ladies, he could feel the cool smell.
It has nothing to do with the weather, it's just cool... cool.
He hates the smell in the palace, so he hates staying in the palace all the time. He sympathizes with the emperor Lao Tzu who has been locked in the palace. In the same way, he really doesn't want to be the emperor. Honestly.
A post on a certain forum in the previous life once described the inhuman pain of the emperor's profession, so Fan Xian wanted to keep his own right to choose a career. This was probably the biggest conflict between him and Chen Pingping.
It may be a good day to wear a hundred thousand guan, ride down to the south of the Yangtze River, carry the sword of the emperor, and control the power of the world remotely.
Among the four great masters, Ye Liuyun's life is actually the most relaxing, but he still needs money and meticulous service from the Junshan Society.
But Fan Xian didn't need it.
Immersed in beautiful imaginations, Fan Xian turned his head to glance at his wife, gently stroked the hair on her head lovingly, and said, "In a few years, the world will be peaceful."
"How many years?" Wan'er touched the corner of her lips, forced a smile and said, "I hope so."
"How is your talk with your mother?" Lin Wan'er asked this question suddenly, looking at the street scene of Kyoto outside the car window.
Fan Xian was slightly taken aback, and said gently, "We chatted for a while, but there was nothing substantial. You looked very tired yesterday, so you went to bed so early, and I don't want to stay too long."
"I'm pretending to be asleep." Lin Wan'er said calmly, "If I don't sleep, it won't be convenient for you two to say anything."
Fan Xian was silent for a long time, and then he realized that his wife was giving him a chance to negotiate with his mother, a chance to see if they could compromise, but...there was already too much blood in the hands of both parties, it was difficult to wash it off and carry out a second time. shake hands.
Sensing the silence of her husband beside her, Lin Wan'er suddenly felt a little weak, and she said softly, "What should I do?"
Fan Xian silently took his wife into his arms tenderly, not knowing what to say.
Wan'er did not refuse his embrace, she tilted her head and leaned gently on his chest, a hint of indifference and despair appeared and disappeared between her brows, and tears began to flow down, like pearls, forming a string, wet Fan Xian's cheeks clothes.
It's not that Fan Xian hasn't thought about what to do, it's just that the momentum has long been established. He can try to destroy the second prince's ambition, but he has no extravagant hope of persuading the eldest princess to withdraw from the world's big stage.
Either you die, or I die.
And Wan'er, who was in the middle, was naturally the most pitiful person. Fan Xian knew this clearly, but he couldn't change anything. He held his wife tightly in his arms, and for some reason, his heart began to ache.
A year ago, Wan'er had reminded him that maybe her mother would join hands with the prince again.
Looking back on the past at this moment, Fan Xian couldn't help but admire his wife's keen intuition, knowing that Wan'er didn't understand the turbulent undercurrents in the peaceful and prosperous Qing Dynasty, but she was just caught in the middle and could only remain silent.
Has been silent, the silence seems to have disappeared.
Because of this, Fan Xian felt more and more guilty and sorry towards his wife, because he couldn't say anything, he couldn't even give a promise.
The wife in his arms was crying silently.
Fan Xian gently wiped away the tears on her face with his thumb.
Looking up at the street scene outside the window, he thought to himself that even if a person has two lives, there are still many things that cannot be changed and many wishes that cannot be fulfilled.
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