115. Duo help

There are rules for all the big and small affairs in the palace, and the twenty-four yamen are no exception, don't look at the outsiders, these officials are all poor people who have cut off their children and grandchildren. In fact, the high-level eunuchs, after leaving the emperor, the most extravagant ones are not much weaker than the high-ranking officials. During the Gaozu period, the days of the eunuchs in the palace trembling were already getting farther and farther away.

Fortunately in other places, the ceremonial eunuch yamen has now gradually become the most powerful department in the twenty-four yamen, and even the eunuchs of the Dongchang admiral have to come out and serve as the celebrant eunuchs, which shows how great this power can be. The eunuchs who can serve in the ceremonial supervisor are all knowledgeable, and some can also export chapters, cultural literacy, and the little Chinese people who do chores in the palace are simply not the same.

Although it is said that he was a son of heaven and a courtier, in the early days of each emperor's coming to power, he would not make much adjustments to the cabinet and the rulers. The celebrant is different, they are all minions, of course, it is their old minions that make it the most convenient. Although the celebrant can still see a few old people from the previous dynasty, most of the confidential positions, such as the eunuch of Bingbi and the eunuch of the palm print, are basically replaced by the old people who were appointed by the emperor during the Nannei and Donggong periods.

The celebrant is also an important place in the imperial city, although it is not as heavily guarded as the inner city, but it is impossible for Liu Zhien to walk into the office and greet everyone, Liu Zhien is not so uninteresting, he went to the lower room where the big eunuchs lived.

At this time, it was not popular among the eunuchs to buy houses and land outside and buy properties - the palace still had a relatively close control over the great eunuchs. Besides, many eunuchs' food is in the palace, and there is no need to live outside the palace. If you have more dignity and can live in one or two rooms, the two of them will get together after they get off duty, and the masters will not say anything. However, this is also the treatment that only the officials can have, the young eunuchs, and the eunuchs. The ordinary little yellow door, I'm sorry, let's find a place to eat with you.

Liu Zhien didn't eat right, and the grade was not there, although he had won the emperor's credit and made meritorious contributions, but the starting point was low, when he followed the emperor, the emperor was still a grandson, and the companions around him naturally did not have a high grade. It's easy to wait for the Nanjing incident, they went to Beijing, and because they were allocated to Xu Xun by the emperor, Concubine Zhuang was cautious, in addition to the emperor in the palace, only the queen mother's Qingning Palace had a young eunuch from the fourth grade to serve, Liu Zhien's peers got up one by one, and even Ma Shi is now a young eunuch who is also the imperial supervisor, and he Liu Zhien is a long-term follower of the six products, and he is still in charge of the palace supervisor - the department in charge of cleaning the palace. He even arranged his residence with the small and middle-aged people of Yong'an Palace, so he rarely came to the residence of powerful eunuchs such as the celebrant in the imperial city.

But this does not mean that he will be given a cold reception, Liu Zhien just entered this green tile house, and a small yellow door jumped up to salute him - it is one thing to be in front of the masters, and in private, the eunuchs also have their own set of rules. Although Liu Zhien is young, he has a high generation, and he is the same generation as Wang Jin.

"Uncle Shi." Xiao Zhongren's mouth was sweet, "Are you back from Nanjing?" It's hard work! Please sit in the room, Master, he is still in front of the emperor, and he has not come back. ”

As he spoke, he was going to let people into the house - this was Wang Jin's little apprentice, who was responsible for serving his food, clothing, and daily life, and was still in a relatively difficult apprenticeship period. In the words of the great eunuchs, this is 'practicing skills', getting up early and being greedy for darkness, carefully staying up for a few years, and serving the master well before he can go out on an errand - even the master can't serve well, can he serve the emperor?

Don't feel hard, it's all beautiful, those who go out from the hands of the big eunuch will never drill the cold stove, either to serve in front of the popular lady, or to serve the prince, if you are lucky, you will be satisfied in front of the emperor, and the hardships of the past few years will not be in vain.

Liu Zhien smiled and waved his hand, "I won't sit, I'll go out first to earn money - Ma Shi and they are back from their next duty?" ”

"Hey." Xiao Huangmen replied neatly, and smiled with a smile in his eyes. "It's still in the old place, uncle, go over by yourself."

Liu Zhien also understood, and after going out, he listened to the sound, and walked to the more remote corner of this row of houses. Sure enough, it didn't take long to walk before I heard a human voice.

Like the eunuchs, the more popular this eunuch is, the busier he is. It's just that officials can go back to their homes to relax after work, but the working hours of eunuchs are not fixed, who knows when the master will think of you? Generally, they don't dare to leave the imperial city easily, and they try to come back to stay. For example, Ma Shi got up early in the morning to serve the emperor, got up to go to the court, preached the scriptures, held a meeting with the cabinet, had lunch, and went out to play for a while in the afternoon. By the time he changed shifts, it was more than five hours, and he came back for a night to rest and continue the next day...... Is it popular or not popular? Popular! But he also has pressure, but he doesn't have time to vent.

Therefore, although the ban in the palace is strict, as long as it is a big eunuch in power, there is no one who does not secretly set up a bureau to drink, otherwise what do you let these people run? Do all these fame and fortune have to contribute to their families? If you really have this friendship, you won't enter the palace as a eunuch. Even the emperor actually turned a blind eye, but there were too many people who died during the Yulu Rebellion, and everyone stopped a lot, and after that, there were a series of various matters, and now strictly speaking, the anniversary of Emperor Zhao has not passed, so the big eunuchs are also more evasive, eat and drink in the corners, and also send two small yellow doors to guard.

When Liu Zhien entered the house, the round table in the room was already half full - on weekdays, the emperor thought that the dishes in the imperial kitchen under Guanglu Temple were not good, so he opened a private kitchen, that was because the imperial kitchen was placed in the imperial city instead of the inner city, and when the dishes came up, they had to rely on iron plates to warm them and lose their heat. can be sent to the imperial city, it is indeed fresh and hot, and there are not so many scruples about making imperial meals, and more than half of the dishes on a table are full of color, flavor, and flavor. As soon as Liu Zhien entered the house, he smiled and said, "It's so fragrant, we're here today!" ”

Ma Shi was really drunk, and when he saw Liu Zhien coming, he smiled and said, "This grandson is back, but what about the one who came to us to hit the death knell?" I just said, Aunt Xu has a straight face, and she doesn't know how anxious she is, looking forward to it day and night, just looking forward to your return! ”

The eunuchs' private titles are not the same as those outside, the eunuchs privately call the popular and favored eunuchs, they all call them 'lord', and the foreign officials call them 'father-in-law' - only the few at the top of the pyramid are called so, and the ordinary people who don't know how to do it call their father-in-law when they see people, and the eunuchs who have their duties dare not respond. And the eunuchs call the emperor, it is very direct, they call it grandpa, grandpa emperor, grandpa long-live, are all variants of this name. And because the concubines in the palace often called themselves 'daughters and sons' to the emperor, the eunuchs would privately call the concubines close to them aunts. If there is no certain popularity among the eunuchs, Ma Shi will not be able to call this word.

Liu Zhien said with a smile, "This old ten, you speak so ugly, I met again after a long absence, and I came to visit my brothers, didn't you chill our hearts when you said this?" Punish yourself with three cups! ”

As he spoke, he took the oiled paper bag on the table next to him and said, "This is not the saltwater duck I brought back from Nanjing?" I hate you, you are so unforgiving after taking my gift, quick, remove the wine. - This is made by Liu Huakui himself in the third hall of Qinhuaihe. ”

When Ma Shi heard this, he couldn't help but laugh and said, "Bah, just by you, you can also let Oiran wash your hands and make ducks for you?" You lift up your pants and I'll see, what kind of elixir did you take, so that that root grows again? ”

Although most of the people in this room are well-read, a group of people with a lot of work pressure get together and tell some meat jokes is the most lively atmosphere, and everyone in the room laughs. Ma Shi pressed Liu Zhien's shoulders and asked him to squeeze a seat next to him, "This time in Nanjing, how is the errand going?" You didn't lose our brothers, did you? ”

"Well, it's not just a small thing." Liu Zhien said nonchalantly, "That is, Aunt Xu is timid, if this is resting on someone else's head, what is the matter." ”

Although Feng En was sitting next to Ma Shi, he didn't speak, but at this time he said, "It's Aunt Xu's kindness that can't bear the suffering of the people." If the ladies in this palace are all the same as Aunt Xu, then the atmosphere will be much more upright. ”

He had received Xu Xun's grace and naturally spoke to her, but most of the eunuchs in the group were from poor families, which one had not been oppressed by the powerful? Hearing the words is silent. After a while, Liu Zhien asked Feng En with a smile, "Didn't you go to the mausoleum, when did you come back?" ”

A while ago was the emperor's longevity festival, Feng En, on behalf of the queen mother, went to visit the Changling Tomb and the Xianling Tomb on the same road, and stayed in the local area to overhaul the two mausoleums, especially the Xianling Tomb because it was built in a hurry, and the beginning and end were confiscated, he couldn't help but think more about it, and he did just come back. Wen Yan smiled and said, "Strange Dao Ma Shi scolded your grandson, you said that you have only been back for a long time, why did you even find out my actions, and you will not be clever?" ”

Everyone talked and laughed, and after a while, Wang Jin and Jin Ying came down from the Qianqing Palace and came in to eat and drink. - Although these colleagues are not as close as brothers, they are hard-working people, and it is still meaningful for concubines to compete for favor, what is the result of eunuchs competing for favor? Therefore, the relationship between everyone is generally harmonious. Liu Zhien is able to speak well, calling people to his residence to get a large number of local products, all of which are famous things in Nanjing, Suzhou and Hangzhou.

Liu Zhien had something in his heart, so naturally he didn't drink too much, intentionally or unintentionally, and talked about Liu Yong in the current Dongchang, "Why is he bad." ”

This Liu uses the j□j of bad things, asking no one is as useful as asking colleagues, there is nothing around the emperor, there will be no less people. Isn't this witness this group of eunuchs? Besides, this is also a major event for a while, and when I heard it, I became excited, some regretful, some disdainful, some wronged, and rushed to speak. In the end, it was Ma Shiyi who broke the word.

"This grandson is unlucky, and all the obscurity of his life has been driven together." He said half with emotion, half with regret, "What happened in the inner palace, who of us doesn't know?" But who would dare to stretch their feet into it? This grandson didn't know who was picking him up, and he was fascinated, so he rushed to the door and sent him to death - I was next to my grandfather that day, and I couldn't see anything clearly? Grandpa's face was wrong in the morning, and after watching the secret performance of Jinyiwei, his brows never relaxed. After the meeting, I read a few letters, and my mood was even worse, so I seriously criticized the excerpts and approved them for half an hour...... At this time, Liu Yong came over and said this, and wanted to hook his grandfather to ask, but he said it vaguely, who knows what grandpa heard clearly, the queen, the concubine, and the concubine Zhuang......"

Jin Ying also said, "Isn't it? When Grandpa heard about it, he said, 'What, there is another dispute?' None of them let me stop! He was angry, but Liu Yong was timid, the emperor asked a few words, Liu Yong couldn't answer the point, the emperor dropped the fold and went to Yong'an Palace......"

"Alas," he sighed heavily, "Look, I didn't say those few words, and the emperor's temper came up and I was embarrassed, and I had an awkward relationship with the queen mother and Aunt Xu, and the matter was so big, even if someone wanted to protect it, they couldn't keep it." - Grandpa is deflated, but the Queen Mother is not discouraged, and she wants to clean him up by name. ”

The difference in one sentence turned into a worry for their lives in an instant, and all the eunuchs also served in such a situation, even if they didn't deal with Liu Yong, at this time, there were also some rabbits and foxes who were sad, and they all sighed. Feng Endao, "I don't know what the result will be for him, the errand will definitely not be saved." If you can end up guarding the mausoleum, I'm afraid it will be a big luck. ”

Ma Shi shook his head and said, "I'm afraid it's difficult, I guess—"

He made a beheading action, and everyone gasped slightly, but no one refuted: this matter involved all the four palaces, and Liu Yong's identity could not bear this result at all, except for death, I am afraid that there is no other way out.

The lively atmosphere in the banquet was already a little deserted so far, and when Liu Zhien was about to speak, a small middle-sized person flew in from outside, and said breathlessly, "Liu, Uncle Liu is a bad thing...... Grandpa Fan sent a message out, saying that he would let him be in the private room of the East Factory the day after tomorrow...... All users of the Qianqing Palace must go to observe the punishment......"

As soon as the wine glass was raised, it fell to the ground with a bang, and for a while, this group of the most powerful eunuchs in the whole imperial city did not speak, but just looked at each other in disbelief.

And with this shocking news floating in my heart, all kinds of emotions on the surface, in the end, they all gradually turned into a very simple feeling.

Fear.

The emperor would almost never kill a minister without trial, and he would not even be sentenced to death lightly unless it was a charge of treason. For ministers, the most cruel punishment is to take their posts and stay at home - even if they go in and out of Zhu Zi, hold their heads high, even if they can talk to the minister hand in hand, even if ordinary officials meet, they must laugh and call 'father-in-law'...... Eunuchs have always been eunuchs, and to put it bluntly, they are just a dog of the emperor!

A person's mind is not pure, 'the gentleman respects and stays away', and a dog has his own careful thoughts, he only deserves to be beaten to death and eat meat!

Not many people can drink this wine now.

The crowd dispersed in silence, and in the twilight sky, the row of houses gradually lit up. In a vacant room, a few suppressed sobs could be faintly heard-Liu Yong's disciples and grandchildren should have also received the news. Liu Zhien and Wang Jin walked back to his residence silently, and the two of them entered the house and sat down, touching the teacup, but no one spoke for a while.

After a while, Liu Zhien sighed.

"Is it really a coincidence?" He asked thoughtlessly.

Wang Jin understood it in his heart - for a while, because of the accident in Yong'an Palace, Mama Sun basically didn't come over, and Liu Zhien is now asking Xu Xun's opinion on behalf of Xu Xun.

"It is indeed a coincidence that the emperor would react like this." He said in a low voice, "Ma Shi is right, you also know what that master can take care of in his anger." This is another family matter, and I went to Yong'an Palace when I got up, and it didn't take long to figure it out after I came back - I regret it too! ”

Just like a person who wants to be a prime minister has to cultivate a corresponding demeanor, an emperor is frizzy and frizzy, listening to the wind is rain, how can the ministers below trust his judgment on political affairs? If the emperor doesn't have ambitions, it doesn't matter, but this is a very thoughtful person, so he naturally cherishes his feathers and pays attention to his image...... But this matter has pulled the queen in, and the attention is even higher, and it takes a little effort to cover it. Come to think of it, the emperor regretted his impulsiveness, and Liu Yong was unlucky in this point - the emperor's mistake had to be paid for by him.

Hearing Wang Jin say this, Liu Zhien's heart was truly relieved: he had served the emperor all these years and knew him very well. Since he regrets it in his heart, he will not be unreasonably angry with Concubine Xu Zhuang - if it weren't for Concubine Zhuang's words at that time to block him back and let him scold the queen in front of so many people, this matter would only be more difficult to clean up now.

"There's no news about the Wai Dynasty now, right?" He frowned, "It's not a big deal after all......

It's not that he is full and worried about the emperor, but this matter has involved Concubine Xu Zhuang, and he can't help but worry about it - don't be the same as the Xianfei incident, and become the target of the ministers' accusations and scolding. The emperor conferred Sun Guifei and gave Jinbao, but the ministers didn't say a word, and Weishenme didn't let him use the title of Concubine Xian? Isn't it because of what happened to in Nanjing, if she gets the title of Xian, doesn't it mean that the minister who broke into the palace at that time was not virtuous? With this precedent, in the future, in special periods, or when there is a critical situation, the emperor will hide and not see anyone and only use the seal letter, will the minister admit it or not? To break into the palace or not to break in?

However, when there is no special political significance, the ministers are basically too lazy to meddle in the emperor's family affairs - they are not the slaves of the Son of Heaven, and they pay attention to what other people's backhouses do. In Liu Zhien's heart, this matter is just spreading, at most, it will damage the image of the emperor and the image of Sun Guifei, and there are just a few more satirical miscellaneous dramas in the market, and it will not even affect Xu Xun's head.

Wang Jin acquiesced to Liu Zhien's statement, but did not pick up, but said again in a deep voice, "It is indeed a coincidence that the emperor reacted like this. ”

Liu Zhien raised his eyebrows, "Liu Yong said that, but didn't he?" Who is the man behind him? ”

"I don't know." Wang Jin shook his head, "He has a very wide hand for a while. After the accident was planted, his apprentice came to me with a small golden fruit of more than fifty taels - I didn't answer. ”

The eunuchs are not high, and if they want to get rich, one is to rely on the reward from above, and the other is to rely on the income from outside. Go out to be a town guard eunuch, although it is difficult to take a step up, but there are many opportunities to make a fortune, Han Er, who made great contributions in Nanjing, although he can no longer continue to serve by the emperor's side, but he has not been treated badly, and he was sent to do it is the Fujian town guard eunuch, who has long been full of money. And Liu Zhien is not bad, he works as an errand in Yong'an Palace, and he is a lot of people by the Xu family on weekdays, and there is no reason not to give it if he is short of money? But in the Qianqing Palace, the big eunuchs are fine, and the middle-level eunuchs have a relatively hard life, because it is difficult for the emperor to think of rewarding people, and he is willing to use you as a reward for you, and the income outside is mostly monopolized by the upper-level eunuchs, and he can only get some pieces. Not to mention the financial constraints, it is still a little difficult to come up with at least more than 50 taels of gold.

"His apprentice-" Liu Zhien asked, and he shook his head again, "What can a big fart child understand?" ”

"Not yet." Wang Jin snorted and pouted, "There are only a few lords in the palace, but counting the little ladies, there are more than a dozen people." This road knows the horsepower remotely, and the hearts of the people will be seen over time, and it will be clear who made the move. ”

What if not? If you don't know, you can only be unclear, do you still have to insert your hand into the Qianqing Palace to get to the bottom of Liu Yong? Don't say that there are only a thousand days to be a thief, there is no reason to prevent thieves for a thousand days, in this palace, if you don't have the heart of a thousand miles to prevent thieves, sooner or later you will be involved in trouble. - In fact, even if you have the heart to prevent thieves, there are still times when people are not as good as heaven.

Liu Zhien understood, so he didn't mention it, Wang Jin knew so much, it was useless to ask and talk more. He asked Wang Jin again, "In the past few days in front of grandpa, I have to mention our aunt." ”

"You don't need to say this, we also mention it." Wang Jin lit a fire for himself, waved away the service of his apprentice, and lit another candle himself. "Aunt Xu is benevolent and righteous, treat us with kindness, a while ago, the situation was unclear, and it was in vain to cause trouble to Aunt Xu, and now Qingning Palace has made it clear, grandpa is going to Kunning Palace in the next few days...... In a few days, if I don't say anything, someone will speak. ”

He sighed and placed the candle in the small lantern on the table.

Liu Zhien also stood up as soon as he bowed, the two looked at each other, but they both saw each other's complicated feelings, and Wang Jin sighed again. "Lu Hei, take a little more light!"

Liu Zhien carried this small hydrangea lantern and stepped into the night.

- If you want to say who knows the emperor best in this palace, among the eunuchs, Wang Jin, the big companion, recognized the second, and no one dared to admit the first. However, within a few days, the emperor's actions were all predicted, and he first went to Kunning Palace to talk to the empress, and then rested for four or five days in a row. Kunning Palace came out and went to Changning Palace to appease Concubine Sun, and they also rested for a few days in a row......

Then, and then it was finally Xu Xun's turn.

However, perhaps because the emperor was still a little angry in his heart, he did not come to Yong'an Palace in person, but sent someone to take Concubine Xu Zhuang to the Qianqing Palace.