In the evening, he returned to the palace, and as soon as he returned to his residence, a little eunuch came forward and said, "Grandpa Sun, Grandpa Cao, is waiting outside." ”

Sun Xiangyong was stunned for a moment and asked, "Gonggong Cao?" Are you talking about Cao Jixiang? ”

"It's Cao Jixiang, Cao Gonggong." The little eunuch replied.

Sun Xiangyong originally didn't plan to see Cao Jixiang, because he had already promised Xu Youzhen to help Xu Youzhen deal with Cao Jixiang and Shi Heng, but now it seems that it is not good to see him again. But I can't say anything about seeing him like this.

Sun Xiang glanced at the little eunuch with a slanted glance and asked, "What did he come to me for?" ”

The little eunuch said with trepidation: "The little one doesn't know, the little one thinks that Grandpa Cao came to find Grandpa Sun, there should be something important, he said that he wanted to thank Grandpa Sun for helping him last time." ”

Sun Xiangyong understood in his heart when he heard it, it turned out that Cao Jixiang came this time to thank him for helping him deal with Xu Youzhen last time.

Sun Xiangyong hesitated again and again, so as not to startle the snake, he still said: "Okay, then you can invite Gonggong Cao in." ”

The little eunuch agreed, and went down to ask for someone.

After a while, Cao Jixiang followed the little eunuch in.

After Cao Jixiang came in, he first saluted Sun Xiangyong and said with a smile: "I heard that Grandpa Sun went out of the palace to play today, I don't know if you can have fun?" ”

"It's okay, it's okay." Sun Xiangyong said: "Father-in-law Cao, suddenly came to our house, I don't know what happened?"

Cao Jixiang said with a smile: "I came to find Grandpa Sun because Grandpa Sun helped me a lot last time, and I have never thanked him, so I specially sent an antique to Grandpa Sun to appreciate, hoping that Grandpa Sun will not hesitate to smile." As he spoke, Cao Jixiang opened the box in his hand, and inside the box was a jade and jade Buddha.

This jade Buddha is transparent and vivid, and it looks very cute. However, compared to the golden Buddha carved from 10,000-year-old ancient jade that Xu Youzhen gave him during the day, it is much different.

Therefore, Sun Xiang's face did not change at all, and he said in a very ordinary tone: "Since this is the case, our family will thank Gonggong Cao."

Cao Jixiang saw that Sun Xiangyong's face had not changed, and felt a little strange, but it was inconvenient to ask, so he only thought in his heart, who Sun Xiangyong had seen when he left the palace today.

Sun Xiang ordered the little eunuch to bring tea to entertain Cao Jixiang, and the two chatted for a while.

Cao Jixiang couldn't help but feel very strange when he saw that Sun Xiangyong was not enthusiastic about him, and it was completely different from the last time he came to see him. Despite this, he still accompanied him to talk to Sun Xiangyong.

Because he knew that Sun Xiangyong was definitely a person who could speak in front of the emperor. Although Sun Xiangyong's official position is not high, he is loyal to the emperor, and has been with the emperor for more than ten years.

If you offend Sun Xiangyong, then life will definitely not be easy. On the contrary, if Sun Xiangyong can be drawn into his own camp, his own camp will definitely be strengthened in the future.

The two chatted for a while, and Sun Xiang showed a tired look on his face, as if he wanted to send off guests.

Seeing this, Cao Jixiang stood up and said: "Since Grandpa Sun is tired of going out of the palace today, and it is inconvenient to disturb him more, if Grandpa Sun leaves the palace again in the future, I will definitely invite Grandpa Sun to visit my hometown Luanzhou." Luanzhou is a place with beautiful mountains and rivers, and I believe that Sun Gonggong will like it. ”

"Luanzhou?" When Sun Xiangyong heard Cao Jixiang's words, his face suddenly changed greatly, as if he had touched a piece of his heart that had been buried for a long time.

Cao Jixiang was also very strange when he saw this, and he didn't know why Sun Xiangyong reacted so much to this place in Luanzhou.

"Is Gonggong Cao from Luanzhou?" Sun Xiang looked at Cao Jixiang, his eyes became very strange.

Cao Jixiang said "um" and said: "Yes, I am from Luanzhou, do you have any relatives who are also from Luanzhou?" ”

Sun Xiangyong shook his head and said, "That's not it, it's not a secret that our family's hometown is also Luanzhou." “

"Huh? Grandpa Sun, you are also from Luanzhou, and it turns out that the two of us are fellow villagers. Cao Jixiang didn't expect that he and Sun Xiangyong were both from Luanzhou, and the villagers had tears in their eyes when they saw them. If you can climb up from this line, you can ask Sun Xiangyong for help in the future.

"Yes, our family is from Luanzhou, but unfortunately we have left Luanzhou when we were young, and I don't remember the things in Luanzhou very clearly. Since Gonggong Cao is also from Luanzhou, he might as well tell our family about Luanzhou, how about it? ”

Cao Jixiang saw that Sun Xiangyong was very interested in Luanzhou, and hurriedly said: "That's a good feeling." I am from Muliu Village, Leping Town, Luanzhou, but I am not from Luanzhou Mansion, I don't know if Grandpa Sun has ever heard of Muliu Village, Leping Town? I've never heard of it. ”

Sun Xiangyong's eyes suddenly became incredible, he looked at Cao Jixiang with wide eyes, and asked in an incredible tone: "Gonggong Cao, what did you say?" Where are you from Luanzhou? ”

Cao Jixiang was stunned by Sun Xiangyong's big reaction, and he said: "I am from Muliu Village, Leping Town, Luanzhou. ”

Sun Xiangyong seemed to have thought of something, and his face suddenly showed a very sad look, he sat down on the chair behind him, and did not speak for a long time, with a stunned look on his face, as if his thoughts had returned to the distant past. Cao Jixiang didn't dare to interrupt his train of thought when he saw Sun Xiang behaving like this.

After a long time, Sun Xiangyong seemed to be reminiscing from the past, he glanced at Cao Jixiang, and said a little apologetically: "I'm sorry, let Gonggong Cao smile, our family lost shape today." ”

Cao Jixiang pondered: "Grandpa Sun suddenly became like this, he must have thought of something sad, right?" ”

"Alas", Sun Xiang sighed, lowered his eyebrows and said: "That's it, our family doesn't hide it from Father-in-law Cao, don't hide it from Father-in-law Cao, you said, it is true that Muliu Village, Leping Town, Luanzhou has left a very sad memory of our family, and our brother was separated there." ”

"Separated? I don't know what is the name of Grandpa Sun's brother? I know a lot of people in Muliu Village, as long as you can name your father-in-law, I think I can help you find your brother. Seeing this, Cao Jixiang hurriedly flattered and said.

Sun Xiangyong shook his head again and again and said: "No, no, thank you for the kindness of Gonggong Cao, I have been looking for my brother for many years, but I have not found it, I think I am afraid that I will never find it again in the future, I am afraid that my brother is no longer in this world." ”

Cao Jixiang thought about it for a long time, thought about it, but never remembered that there was a person surnamed Sun in Muliu Village.

He saw that Sun Xiangyong was very sad, and he had the heart to win Sun Xiangyong over, so he patted his chest and said, "Grandpa Sun, you might as well come and listen, maybe I can help you."

Sun Xiangyong didn't plan to tell Cao Jixiang, but seeing that Cao Jixiang swore by him, as if he could really help him, he nodded and said, "Okay, since that's the case, I'll tell Gonggong Cao about you." Father-in-law Cao has a wide range of people, so maybe he can help me. ”

"My brother is eight years older than me, and when I was six years old, my parents died in a plague, leaving us two brothers to depend on each other, and my brother was very good to me, and could do anything for me." Sun Xiang said this, Cao Jixiang didn't react at all, and he seemed to be immersed in his past.

Sun Xiangyong continued: "When I was young, the situation was very poor, and I often didn't have enough to eat. My brother was only eight years older than me, and he was very young, so he couldn't take care of me at all, and once, when I was sick, my brother tried to cure me, and he went to the palace to become a eunuch in order to get a fee for entering the palace. He gave me all the money he had gotten and entrusted me to a neighbor's family surnamed Sun. ”

"What did you say?" Cao Jixiang's eyes widened and he looked at Sun Xiangyong, the expression in his eyes was very strange.

Sun Xiang smiled and said, "Grandpa Cao, do you think it's incredible, but this matter is true." After I followed the family surnamed Sun, the family later fled to Yongzhou, and our family lived in Yongzhou. ”

"The man surnamed Sun was very kind to me, but not long after, my stepmother became obsessed with horse hanging, lost all the money, and sold me to someone else. After I was sold to others, I lived a many, many hard lives, begging, selling myself to bury my father, all kinds of hard lives. Later, there was really no way, so he entered the palace and became a eunuch. ”

Sun Xiangyong's words seemed to touch Cao Jixiang's heart, Cao Jixiang looked at Sun Xiangyong deeply and asked, "What about later?" After you entered the palace, didn't you inquire about your brother's whereabouts? ”

"Why haven't I inquired, after I entered the palace, the first thing I did was to find my brother, my brother's name is Cao Shen, and my real name is Cao Bing. At that time, I went to inquire with the people in the Internal Supervision Department, and they told me that there seemed to be a little eunuch named Cao Shen in the palace, but later he was beaten to death by Tian Guifei because of his mistakes. ”

Cao Jixiang looked at Sun Xiangyong, his eyes became very strange, and there was a little more warmth in the eccentricity, and his tears finally couldn't help flowing. He took a step forward, pulled Sun Xiangyong's body, and said in a loud voice: "Ah Bing, Ah Bing, do you remember me?" I am your brother Cao Shen, Cao Shen is me, I am not dead. ”

Sun Xiangyong trembled as if he had been struck by lightning, took two steps back, and said, "What did you say?" What did you say? You are my brother Cao Shen, how can you be my brother Cao Shen, my brother Cao Shen has died a long time ago, you are Cao Jixiang, Cao Jixiang, who is as powerful as the sun is in the sky. ”

"No, I'm Cao Shen, this matter is a long story. Cao Jixiang saw that Sun Xiangyong refused to believe him, and his eyes suddenly became stunned.

He took a few steps back and sat back in his seat, reminiscing about the events of that year.

"It was a long, long time ago......

"At that time, there was indeed a little eunuch named Cao Jixiang who entered the palace with me, and my name was Cao Shen, and I was from Muliu Village, Leping Town, Luanzhou. At that time, my younger brother Cao Bing was sick, and he was very sick, but I didn't have the money to help him get a doctor. I had no choice, so I entered the palace and became a eunuch, and received a sum of money to treat my brother. ”

Sun Xiangyong still looked at Cao Jixiang suspiciously, although Cao Jixiang was right in saying these words, but these words were said once just now, Cao Jixiang was just repeating it once, which didn't prove anything.

Cao Jixiang said slowly: "After entering the palace at that time, there was a little eunuch who entered the palace with me, his name was Cao Jixiang, and I was Cao Shen. The two of us were assigned to serve Tian Guifei at that time, Tian Guifei was very violent, and as long as she made a small mistake, she would be punished very severely. ”

"Cao Jixiang and I had a very hard time in the palace, and the two of us supported each other, like brothers. Once Cao Jixiang was seriously ill, I went to the Taiyi Prison and begged the Taiyi to take medicine to treat Cao Jixiang and cure his illness, and since then, he has become closer to me. Cao Jixiang looked up at the sky, recalling the past.

Once, Cao Jixiang suddenly became sad, as if he had encountered something very wrong, sighed all day long, and made a few mistakes and was beaten by Tian Guifei. When I saw this, I went to ask him if something had happened. Cao Jixiang told me that it turned out that a relative in his family was seriously ill and needed a sum of money to save his life. ”

Cao Jixiang said this, paused, and continued: "Of course I know what it feels like, because I was a eunuch in the palace to cure my brother's illness. When I heard about it, I asked him how much silver he needed. He told me that I needed twenty taels of silver. ”

Cao Jixiang smiled bitterly and glanced at Sun Xiangyong: "Although twenty taels of silver seems to be an insignificant amount now, in the hearts of the two little eunuchs at that time, twenty taels of silver is really a very large amount. It just so happened that at that time, I was rewarded by Tian Guifei for my diligence, and Tian Guifei gave me a silver ruyi. The silver Ruyi was worth fifty taels of silver, so I gave the silver Ruyi to Cao Jixiang and asked him to take out the silver Ruyi and sell it to save his family's lives. ”

Sun Xiangyong heard Cao Jixiang say this, and still looked at him expressionlessly. Because what Cao Jixiang said was too unbelievable.

In Sun Xiang's heart, Cao Jixiang is Cao Jixiang, and his brother Cao Shen is Cao Shen, how can the two be confused? Suddenly, Cao Jixiang became Cao Shen, and the real Cao Jixiang is no longer in this world?

Cao Jixiang ignored Sun Xiang's suspicious gaze, and he continued: "Because of this silver Ruyi, in exchange for fifty taels of silver, Cao Jixiang's family was quickly healed and his body recovered. Because of this incident, Cao Jixiang has always been grateful to me, and the two of us have become closer."

"And then?" Sun Xiangyong asked.

"Later, we have been working in Tian Guifei's palace. Once, I made a mistake, and that mistake was fatal, I smashed Tian Guifei's favorite red rabbit exquisite golden hairpin, and the red rabbit exquisite jade hairpin was broken. That jade hairpin was given to her by the emperor, and it was the favorite of Concubine Tian's heart......"

Cao Jixiang sighed: "After making a mistake, I was honestly afraid, I was very scared, and no one dared to tell me, only secretly told Cao Jixiang." At that time, I was already waiting for death, because Tian Guifei was too perverse and violent, and as long as a eunuch or palace maid broke her beloved things, she would definitely be beaten to death with a live stick, not to mention that I broke her favorite jade hairpin. What's next? ”

Sun Xiang finally had a hint of warmth in his eyes, he looked at Cao Jixiang, expecting Cao Jixiang to continue, so Cao Jixiang continued to recall the previous events.

"At that time, I didn't dare to tell anyone about this, but I was unwilling to die like this, and I knew that Tian Guifei's people would soon come to arrest me. So I hid in the room and didn't dare to come out anywhere, when Cao Jixiang came to me and asked me, 'Why did you hide in the room and not go out, did something happen?' My face turned pale, but I finally couldn't help it, and told him about the fact that I smashed Tian Guifei's beloved red rabbit exquisite jade hairpin. After Cao Jixiang listened to my narration, before he could say anything, Tian Guifei's people had already arrived. ”

Sun Xiangyong also seems to have been immersed in the story of Cao Jixiang, who has been in the palace for many years and knows the sinister nature of the court.

Cao Jixiang continued: "At that time, Tian Guifei arrived with people, and when she saw me, she said: 'Come on, arrest Cao Shen, a slave, and beat him to death with a stick, and then throw the body to a mass grave outside the city. I was so frightened that I knelt on the ground and begged Tian Guifei for mercy again and again. At this time, Cao Jixiang suddenly knelt down, and he said to Tian Guifei: "Guifei Niangniang, do you want to check who broke your red rabbit exquisite jade hairpin, your red rabbit exquisite jade hairpin was broken by me Cao Jixiang, and it has nothing to do with Cao Shen." Cao Shen In order to help me take the blame, he hid in the room, if you want to punish me, punish me. ’”

"Because Cao Jixiang often did wrong things at that time, he was not treated by Tian Guifei for a while. As soon as Tian Guifei heard him say this, she immediately believed his words, thinking that the red rabbit exquisite jade hairpin was broken by him, and it had nothing to do with me, I just helped him to take the blame. So Tian Guifei said angrily: "Let Cao Shen go, take Cao Jixiang out for me and beat him to death." I collapsed on the ground in fright, unable to utter a word. ”

"Could it be that the real Cao Jixiang helped you take the blame?" Sun Xiangyong seems to have believed Cao Jixiang's story.

"Well, that's right," Cao Jixiang said. "Actually, I really wanted to tell Tian Guifei that the person who really broke the red rabbit and the jade hairpin was not Cao Jixiang but me Cao Shen, but I didn't know why, I fell to the ground and couldn't say a word. I just felt that my mind was blank, I felt scared and panicked, but I felt sorry for Cao Jixiang. I still didn't stand up, I still didn't tell Tian Guifei the truth of the matter, I just watched Cao Jixiang being dragged out. Then there was a screeching sound outside, a sound I will always remember. ”

Everyone has a period of sadness that they want to forget but want to cover up.

Sun Xiangyong didn't expect that in the eyes of Cao Jixiang, the powerful eunuch, there was such a sad past in his heart.

He sighed and waited for Cao Jixiang to continue.