It was dark early in winter, and now it was the end of the month, and there was only a shallow moon in the sky.

At the beginning of the day, it was already black outside.

The passenger ship has long been anchored on the shore, because it is an official ferry, the shore is full of shadows, and occasionally there are patrolmen passing by. On the deck, two dead wind lanterns are hung high, swaying in the night wind, falling fragments of floating shadows.

"Ha Luha, there is really no one on the deck at this hour" Shen Jue looked around, and said excitedly: "Then can't we play here all the time?" ”

He Taizhi couldn't wait, and pulled Shen Rui's sleeve and said, "Cousin Rui, quickly teach us to play boxing."

Shen Rui didn't stretch his fists and feet for several days, and his body was rusty, so he found an open place under the lamp.

He Taizhi and Shen Rui both came over, and Shen Rui told the two of them about the basic routines and moves of Xingyi Boxing.

In order to let the two of them see it really, Shen Rui explained while making comparisons, and explained every move in detail and in detail.

Except for the weak, there are few men who do not love bravery.

Shen Jue and He Taizhi's eyes were shining, and they were engrossed in learning.

Shen Rui started to return one move at a time, but then he became interested, so he played it from beginning to end.

A cup of tea, a set of Xingyi boxing practice.

Shen Rui was playing steaming by himself, sweat was oozing from his forehead, and he felt hot all over his body.

"Cousin Rui is so powerful" He Taizhi clapped his hands, his face full of admiration.

Shen Jue also smiled with honor: "In the end, it is the boxing technique passed down by Yue Wumu, Brother Rui's punch is good, it should be no problem to deal with three or five people......

Before he finished speaking, he heard a "poof" and laughter from the corner.

Shen Jue immediately raised his eyebrows and glared angrily.

Shen Rui also looked over, his heart sank slightly, listening to the movement, only four or five zhang away from the position where he was playing the fist. Since he learned Taoist Tu Na kung fu from Wang Shouren, his ear power has never been weak, but he didn't hear that there was anyone over there.

In the shadows, a man walked out.

Shen Rui saw it, shocked in his heart, as if he couldn't believe it, and looked at it carefully. He Taizhi was beside him, and he was already frozen.

Shen Jue was fearless and ignorant, and asked: "Don't look at indecent things, don't say indecent words, don't listen to indecent people, it's not right for you to hide in the dark and peek at people practicing boxing, how can you still laugh at people?" ”

That person looked about the same age as Shen Rui, Shen Jue and others, but he was twelve or thirteen years old, and he was a gentle and elegant teenager. He was dressed in a large coat with a brocade robe exposed and a tooth tag hanging from his waist.

At first glance, he looks like a young man from a rich and noble family, and when he looks closely, he is a little unusual.

Regarding Shen Jue's accusation, the young man was not annoyed, and patiently explained: "Our family came first, and when I heard a movement at the hatch, I thought it was Meng Shilang's family, so I retreated to the side, not intentionally peeping. ”

The Shandong family name of Zhishi Shilang who lives on the first floor is surnamed Meng.

Shen Rui didn't react for a while, and he wanted to say more, but was immediately stopped by Shen Rui: "Brother Jue, don't be rude to Lord Zhongguan"

"Lord Zhongguan, Zhongguan ......" Shen Jue was a little dumbfounded, looking at Shen Rui, a little ignorant.

Although I didn't react for a while to what kind of official the "middle official" was, those who might be worthy of the title of "adult" were all character officials.

The weak boy in the same grade as himself in front of him is a character officer?

The young man looked at Shen Rui and chuckled: "This little brother has good eyesight, may I ask if he is a child of the Meng Shilang family or a junior of the Shen Shilang family?" ”

Although the young man in front of him was polite, Shen Rui didn't dare to be contemptuous, and replied honestly: "Kid Shen Rui, Shen Shilang is the uncle of the ...... of the boy's clan" Speaking of this, he pointed to Shen Jue and He Tai's way: "This is Shen Jue, the disciple of the boy's clan, and this is the ...... of He Tai, the nephew of the clan's uncle."

If he hadn't seen the tooth tag hanging from the waist of this young waiter, he wouldn't have believed that this young waiter's grade was not low.

In the Ming Dynasty, there were many eunuchs with many ranks, and their titles were different, and those above the fourth rank were called "eunuchs", those with grades were called "middle officials", and miscellaneous servants were called "fire people". Although this young chamberlain is wearing regular clothes, he has a tooth tag on his waist, which happens to be a middle-level official level jewelry above the sixth grade.

The young lieutenant skipped Shen Jue, glanced at He Taizhi, and nodded: "No wonder our family feels a little kind, it turns out to be the little son of the He family." ”

He Taizhi, who has always been naughty, behaved at this time: "Boy He Taizhi, I have seen Lord Zhongguan." ”

Although Shen Jue was still a little confused, it could be seen that Shen Rui and He Taizhi were both solemn, so they also followed: "Boy Shen Rui, I have seen Lord Zhongguan. ”

The young man said: "Our family is Bo Liu Zhong, the master of ceremonies, and now during the journey, several little brothers are the same age as us, so there is no need to be so restrained." ”

When Shen Rui heard this, he became more and more surprised in his heart.

There were many eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty, and the specific number of eunuchs in the peak was also different from the figures drawn by various experts in later generations, some said that there were more than 10,000 people, and some said that there were 100,000 people.

No matter what the total base is, most of them are low-level eunuchs, and there are few grades.

The celebrant is thin, the sixth grade, it seems that the grade is not high, and there are eunuchs of the fourth grade, young eunuchs from the fourth grade, and eunuchs of the fifth grade.

But this is the chief of the ceremonial supervisor, the head of the twenty-four yamen, who has the right to approve Zhu and the right to draft votes, so that the east and west factories that the officials and the people talk about are also under the supervision of the celebrants

This young chamberlain is twelve or three years old, and he can be in the thin position of the master of ceremonies and supervisors, in addition to his own talent and literacy, the backer is definitely not ordinary. It's rare not to be arrogant at all, but so gentle and kind.

Shen Rui also let down his vigilance, and said: "The younger brother of the Fangcai clan is not a big nonsense to climb Yue Wumu, in fact, the teacher who taught the kid this set of health boxing methods in the early years said so, the kid said this to the clan brother, he believed my ......"

Liu Zhong hurriedly waved his hand and said: "Our family is not laughing at this, little brother, don't misunderstand." Our family thinks that although the little brother's punch is good, but in the end, he is young, his body is not enough, and his strength is limited. ”

Shen Jue was beside him, and said a little unconvinced: "Brother Rui can't deal with three or five people? How easy did he get me down? ”

Liu Zhong smiled: "The little brother is also a teenager......"

Between the words, everyone went to be restrained.

Liu Zhong saw that everyone was still calling himself "adult", so he said: "You are not from the officialdom, and now you are gossiping in private, why call you this?" Our family is nicknamed Qiyan, and the little brothers are not outside, so you can call it here. ”

Shen Rui is a later generation, and he can accept men and women, androgynous and the like, and there is no discrimination against eunuchs. Although there is no emperor and queen after 500 years, it is not one or two who can go to the hospital to give themselves a knife and change their sex.

In the final analysis, it is the same as the children of the poor family who study and get ahead by the imperial examination, and at this time, the eunuch profession is also poor and has no way to get promoted.

But in front of this young man, the situation seems to be different. He spoke with a southern accent, acted and spoke with a good upbringing, and for some reason entered the court as a eunuch.

He Taizhi is still young, and he only knows that the internal officials are from the palace, and the Son of Heaven is close to the minister, and he is terrifying. But Liu Zhong was so young, and he spoke kindly, he was a little afraid in his heart.

As for Shen Jue, things like palace eunuchs are too far away from him, he knows very little, and he has the least scruples.

This Liu Zhong was originally born in the family of the eunuchs of the Guangdong Wang family, and because of the change when he was young, he did not enter the palace as a palace attendant.

This time he came to Suzhou Mansion, it was the first time he went out after entering the palace, and he was full of curiosity and nostalgia for the world outside. But his identity is here, and when others see him, they are either flattering or afraid to avoid him, and there is really no one like Shen Rui and others who can treat him as an ordinary person and speak.

Liu Zhong was both novel and happy in his heart, and talked to everyone about reading and learning.

Hearing that He Taizhi passed the county exam at the age of nine, Liu Zhong said: "The blue is blue." ”

And because Shen Rui and Shen Jue are both brothers of the champion Shen Li clan, Liu Zhong said: "The children of the Shen family are full of talents, and the day of hearing about Dashilin is not far away."

Shen Jue couldn't hold back his curiosity: "Qi Yan speaks with a literary crepe, it seems that he has read a lot of books, is it because of his profound knowledge that he has made six products at such a young age?"

This matter is also Liu Zhong's pride, so he said: "I don't dare to say how to learn, our family just likes to read Confucian books, and was assigned to the B word library, which is a famous book and painting. ”

A few people were talking about speculation, and they heard someone shouting at the hatch: "Brother Rui, Brother Jue, you come out for a while, come back to the cabin quickly, don't be greedy for fun and blow the night wind."

It was Shen Quan who was shouting at the door of the cabin, and Shen Rui glanced at Liu Zhong and hesitated.

Liu Zhong said with a smile: "Our family has been out for a long time, and we should go back." ”

Hearing him say this, the crowd walked to the hatch.

Liu Zhong stood behind Shen Rui and the others, Shen Quan didn't see it, but now he saw that there was an extra teenager, but he was stunned.

Liu Zhong said to Shen Rui and Shen Jue: "Will you still come out tomorrow night?" ”

Shen Rui saw his implied expectation, nodded and said, "Since I came out, it is also this hour, if Qi Yan doesn't think our brother is boring, you might as well come down for a while." ”

Liu Zhong's eyes bent: "Then we'll see you tomorrow night." With that, he nodded at everyone and went upstairs.

Shen Quan patted Shen Rui and said, "Okay, Brother Rui, I made new friends in a while." This perched rock belongs to the Meng family? Speaking of this, I remembered that something was wrong: "How to go up, is it in the wrong place?" ”

At the door of the cabin, it was not the realm of speaking, Shen Rui was vague, and the group went up to the second floor.

Shen Quan paused at the top of the stairs, glanced at the third floor, and had more solemnity on his face, and followed directly to Shen Rui and Shen Jue's cabins......

Three-story cabins, the largest one.

Seeing Liu Zhong's happy appearance, the middle-aged eunuch in his early thirties next to him smiled: "So happy? ”

Liu Zhong nodded and said, "The journey is boring, and it's always good to know a few more people to talk." Speaking of this, he said: "Young Eunuch Zhang, you have also seen the Xingyi Fist just now, what do you think?" Or maybe you will go down with the little one to play with the little one? ”

The middle-aged eunuch said: "Look, it is quite disciplined, if the adults practice, they should also have the power to control the enemy." Tomorrow night, you can inquire, but what is the origin of the taboo, if it is not in the way, our family will also practice and play......"

Liu Zhong nodded and said, "Well, the little one will ask Shen Rui tomorrow." Seeing that he can teach Shen Jue and the He family kid at the same time, it shouldn't be something that can't be passed on......"