The Qing royal family had always been very strict with the management of the eunuchs. Among the many rules, there was an absolute order that absolutely did not allow the eunuchs to buy residences outside the Palace. This was to ensure the privacy and safety of the nobles within the Palace and make it easier for the imperial soldiers and guards to control them. It was also to prevent the eunuchs who had the means to buy residences from colluding with the officials in court.
However, the eunuchs with status would never lack for silver. Since they could not buy residences outside, they could only put effort into where they lived. Thus, in this seemingly poor area of the laundry workshop, one could still find a dozen very eye-catching mansions.
The eunuchs' individual courtyards stood calmly and proudly in the bustling laundry workshop.
It was already late at night. Hong Zhu had properly arranged the matters in the Eastern Palace. He separately knelt to the empress and the Crown Prince to say his goodbyes. He then led a few trusted eunuchs toward the laundry workshop.
Not far from the inner Palace, those trusted eunuchs carried out a bamboo sedan chair from somewhere and invited him to sit in it.
In the inner Palace, Hong Zhu did not have the courage to put on airs. Once he left the inner Palace, he would not refuse such things that he should enjoy. However, sitting in the swaying bamboo sedan chair, his expression was not very good. Those eye-piercing little red lumps shrunk in the icy wind. His mood was also a bit gloomy.
He forcefully hid the glimmer of fear and unease in his eyes. He said a few words to the eunuchs beside him and scolded them a few times, telling them to serve the two in the Eastern Palace well. The fear in his heart disappeared a bit because of the scolding. Only then did he feel slightly more at ease.
Entering his own little courtyard, he muttered a few words and then entered the room. He sat on the round chair beside the kang. The style of this round chair was exactly the same as the one old Eunuch Hong used to sunbathe outside Hanguang Palace. He had specially asked someone to make it.
Every time a eunuch came to the courtyard to do business and saw this round chair, they would think of the relationship between young Eunuch Hong and the old eunuch and feel vigilance and respect in their hearts.
Hong Zhu was very proud of his skill. He sat on a chair and slowly sipped a pot of hot tea in his left hand. A 13 or 14-year-old eunuch respectfully knelt down and helped him take off his shoes. He then fetched some hot water to warm his feet.
Feeling that pair of small hands carefully rubbing his feet in the wooden basin, Hong Zhu developed a strange feeling. It was somewhat satisfied, somewhat proud, and somewhat sad. His family had once been a gentry family and had produced a few Jinshi. However, it had been destroyed by the official Lian family, which caused his life to become what it was today. If such a tragedy had not occurred, Hong Zhu thought to himself, given his age, he would probably have passed the spring examinations and begun his official career.
Each time he thought of this matter, he couldn't help but feel sad, then angry, and then sincerely grateful to Sir Fan junior outside the Palace.
Hong Zhu was not an ungrateful person. It was said that a scholar would die for those who understood him. He had always thought that although he did not have that thing between his legs, his heart was still that of a scholar.
His fingers slowly rubbed the granules on the surface of the purple clay teapot, but his thoughts were not on this wonderful feeling. He thought of the matter he had taken the risk to tell Sir Fan junior. He didn't know what kind of disaster this matter would bring to him. He had been afraid, afraid for many days. It was not until Sir Fan junior returned to the capital that he felt a little more confident. He would leave such a terrifying matter to Sir Fan junior to handle. Perhaps he would gain some benefits from it. It could be considered his repayment. As long as the matter did not implicate him, it was fine.
Hong Zhu's fingers suddenly trembled. He stuck out his tongue to moisten his lips that had become dry from nervousness. In a dry voice, he said, "You can leave. I'm a bit tired. If there's nothing important, don't disturb me."
The 13 or 14-year-old eunuch with delicate features took out a dry rag and wiped Eunuch Hong's feet clean. He giggled and said, "Eunuch, do you want to call Xiu 'er to help you massage them?"
Hearing these words, Hong Zhu was slightly startled. He immediately thought of the serving girl's soft body and fragrant wet tongue. A warm current surged in his lower abdomen, but it could not go to where it should go. Involuntarily, his expression darkened slightly. In addition, he was afraid that these words would be heard by the person in the room. He scolded angrily, "Get out! What Xiu 'er and Xing' er. "
The little eunuch didn't know why his eunuch was angry. With a sullen face, he left the room and carefully closed the door to the courtyard and room. He then went to the side room to sleep.
…
…
"Xing 'er … that is Yi Guipin's trusted serving girl. How dare you have designs on her?" Fan Xian walked out from the inner room and laughingly scolded. "Look at your little life, it's even more comfortable than mine. You've gradually become more daring."
With a sullen face, Hong Zhu said, "Don't embarrass me, I really don't have much courage …" He glanced at Fan Xian probingly and smiled. "Besides, that Xing 'er lady, isn't she my person?"
Fan Xian jumped in fright and scolded in a low voice, "Die! How dare you say such preposterous things. "
Hong Zhu smiled apologetically and closed his mouth.
This little courtyard was to the southwest of the laundry workshop. The terrain was relatively quiet. Earlier, Fan Xian had circulated his zhenqi to listen. There shouldn't be anyone eavesdropping around. It was relatively safe and convenient to speak. He was afraid that Hong Zhu would be too shocked by that matter, so the moment he opened his mouth, he first said a few naughty jokes.
He sat at the foot of the kang. The lights in the room could not cast his shadow outside from this angle.
Hong Zhu carefully looked around and lowered his voice. "Sir, I knew you were staying in the front of the city today, so I guessed. However … this place is also not safe. It's best to leave quickly."
Fan Xian nodded and glanced at him. In a low voice, he asked, "Are you sure?"
Hong Zhu's expression immediately changed. His lips trembled for a while. He looked around fearfully and nodded a moment later.
"Keep this matter to yourself. Don't tell anyone." Although Fan Xian knew that Hong Zhu was not that stupid, he still reminded him worriedly. Furrowing his brows, he said, "Even if you cover it until it's rotten, don't talk too much … when you're sleeping, it's best if there's no one beside you … not even that Xiu 'er."
Hong Zhu shivered and thought to himself, "F * ck, this is too extreme. Who can control something like sleep talking?"
In reality, Fan Xian was also a bit angry at this moment. There were too many things to consider in between how to turn this hot potato into a stone that could hit people. His main purpose in visiting Hong Zhu tonight was to confirm this matter face to face. The follow-up arrangements could not be made carelessly right away.
He was silent for a moment and then said in a low voice, "Regardless of what you do next, there is one thing you have to remember. First, you have to remove yourself from this matter. Don't let anyone find out that you have anything to do with this matter."
"This is the first condition," Fan Xian said seriously. "As long as there is even the slightest possibility that it involves you, then don't move."
Hong Zhu nodded silently. He had long known that if he sold this information to Sir Fan junior, Sir Fan junior would certainly use this information, and he would certainly become an important part of the other party's actions. From the very beginning, he had put his little life in Fan Xian's hands. The kindness of dozens of lives in his clan was repaid with his life. It was nothing. Hearing Fan Xian's concern for his safety, he felt more and more moved in his heart.
The candlelight in the room swayed for a moment. The light and shadow were slightly blurry.
Fan Xian called Hong Zhu to his side and quietly said something in his ear. The more Hong Zhu listened, the brighter his eyes grew. However, there was still undisguisable fear and alarm in that brightness. However, this kind of fear and alarm could not defeat the future rewards.
Like the officials in court, the eunuchs in the Palace also had to secretly suppress the Zhuang family, particularly eunuchs like Hong Zhu who had already climbed to a certain level.
Starting from a year ago, because of Fan Xian's secret actions, Hong Zhu already had no choice but to suppress him and suppress him in Shufang Palace.
"Right now, it is inconvenient for us to contact each other. We have to find a way." Fan Xian finished explaining some things and furrowed his brows. "But, we can't go through the middleman. There are still some details that I have to go back and think about. Before I return to Jiangnan, we have to see each other again. In the first month, when can you leave the Palace?"
"22." Hong Zhu swallowed and lowered his head. "The Empress doesn't like the embroidery color that Jiangnan sent as a tribute last autumn. She asked for an edict to order a batch from Dongyi. This is a profitable business. The Empress bestowed it to me, so I can go out that day."
Fan Xian nodded and confirmed the time for their next meeting. However, a thought flashed through his mind. He realized that the empress truly doted on Hong Zhu, this eunuch. He looked at the pimple on Hong Zhu's forehead and unconsciously glanced at his crotch. Shortly after, he laughed silently at himself. He had seen too many shady things in this gloomy and heavy Palace. He couldn't help but want to think about everything three ways down.
However, this was impossible. The checks to enter the Palace were too strict. On the land of the Qing Kingdom, it was impossible for a story like Wei Xiaobao's to appear.
Fan Xian didn't dare stay in Hong Zhu Courtyard for long. In the end, he gave a few more careful warnings and left.
It was a long time after he left that Hong Zhu came back to his senses. Looking at the empty corner of the kang and the lights in the room, he was confused. The door to the room and courtyard hadn't even been opened. How did Sir Fan junior leave?
"Ha, he really is amazing."
Hong Zhu slapped his thigh and silently sighed in admiration. For some reason, the large stone that had been pressing down on his heart suddenly became much lighter after Fan Xian's arrival. Perhaps he had told this massive secret to another person and split it in half. Perhaps he felt that a god-like figure like Sir Fan junior would certainly be able to handle this matter.
He had a lot of confidence in Fan Xian. He felt that he could finally have a good night's sleep. With a relaxed expression, he blew out the lights, took off his clothes, and burrowed into the thick blankets. Although Xiu 'er's youthful and beautiful body was missing from the blankets, young Eunuch Hong still felt very happy.
…
…
However, Fan Xian's confidence in Hong Zhu was not full.
He had three methods of controlling Hong Zhu. One was to help his family get revenge. Another was to give his brother in Jiaozhou countless benefits. What he truly used to tie down Hong Zhu was still affection. In this world, everyone was different. Some people could be bought with money. Some people had no ability to resist in front of beautiful women. Fan Xian confirmed that Hong Zhu was a very special little eunuch. He was sincere and chivalrous. Otherwise, he would not have been willing to become a nail in Fan Xian's hands in order to repay a favor. He also would not have occasionally curried favor with old Eunuch Hong.
However, a person's personality and nature would always change according to the environment they were in. Hong Zhu was no longer that bitter child running for his life in the mountains. He was also no longer a little eunuch who was bullied by others in the Palace. He was the head eunuch in the Eastern Palace. He was deeply favored and trusted by the empress, the Emperor's favorite, and the eunuchs and serving girls in the Palace fawned on him. Circumstances changed one's temperament. Vanity could melt one's bones, and greed could cloud one's heart. Who knew if, in the future, he would not be unable to resist the temptation of profit and quietly lean to the other side?
No one knew that Hong Zhu was one of his people, so it would be very easy for the other factions to accept him. If they were playing around, of course, Fan Xian would be happy with this state. If Hong Zhu really did something, there was nothing he could do.
Fortunately, he had this secret. Fan Xian was very grateful for this secret. Regardless of whether or not it could bring him any benefits in the future, at least this shared secret could make it so that Hong Zhu would never be able to leave him again, at least until the Eldest Princess and Crown Prince fell from power.
Returning to his residence in the front corner of the Royal Palace, Fan Xian carefully confirmed in the darkness that the little trap he had set when he left had not been broken by anyone. It looked like no one had come to disturb him in these short hours. Stretching out a finger, he brushed away the strand of black hair and rubbed something on the noses of the two sleeping eunuchs.
He then sat on the bed and took out a bottle of royal wine he had picked up along the way. He sprinkled some by the side of the bed and sat in a daze for a while before falling asleep.
…
Sitting in the carriage, Fan Xian couldn't resist turning his head to glance at the thick red walls of the Palace. Unconsciously, he wanted to get as far away from the Royal Palace as possible. He had entered the Palace too many times. Each time he entered, it was like the first time he entered the Palace to visit the various ladies. He could feel that cold feeling.
It had nothing to do with the weather. It was just cold … thin cold.
He hated this smell in the Royal Palace, so he hated staying in the Royal Palace all the time. He sympathized with the Emperor who had always been locked up in the Royal Palace. For the same reason, he did not want to be Emperor. This was not being pretentious, it was the truth.
In his previous life, a post on a certain forum had described the inhuman pain of the Emperor's occupation. Thus, Fan Xian wanted to maintain his right to choose his own career. This was probably the biggest conflict between him and Chen Pingping.
With 100,000 strings of silver tied around his waist, riding down to Jiangnan, carrying the Emperor's sword on his back, and controlling the power of the world, perhaps this kind of life was not bad.
Of the four Great Grandmasters, Ye Liuyun's life was the most relaxing. However, he still needed the Junshang Conference's silver and meticulous service.
But, Fan Xian didn't need it.
Immersed in his beautiful imagination, Fan Xian tilted his head and glanced at his wife. Lovingly and gently stroking the hair on her head, he said, "In a few years, the world will be at peace."
"A few years?" Wan'er pulled up the corners of her lips and forced a smile. "I hope so."
"How did your talk with mother go?" Lin Wan'er looked at the Jingdou street scene outside the carriage window and suddenly asked this question.
Fan Xian started slightly and warmly said, "We chatted for a while, but there wasn't anything of substance. You looked very tired yesterday and went to sleep so early. It wasn't good for me to stay too long."
"I was pretending to sleep," Lin Wan'er calmly said. "If I didn't sleep, it wouldn't be convenient for you two to say anything."
Fan Xian was silent for a long time. Only now did he understand that his wife was giving him and his mother a chance to negotiate and see if they could reach a compromise. However, there was already too much blood on their hands. It would be difficult to wash them clean and carry out a second handshake.
Feeling her husband's silence beside her, Lin Wan'er suddenly felt that her spirit was lacking. Her body felt weak. In a quiet voice, she said, "What should we do?"
Fan Xian silently pulled his wife gently into his arms. He didn't know what to say.
Wan'er did not refuse his embrace. She tilted her head and gently leaned against his chest. A trace of indifference and hopelessness appeared between her brows and disappeared in a flash. Tears began to roll down like pearls. They formed a line and soaked Fan Xian's clothes.
It was not that Fan Xian had not considered the problem of what to do. However, the situation had long been set. He could try to destroy the Second Prince's ambition, but he did not have a glimmer of hope that he could convince the Eldest Princess to leave the stage of this world.
Either you die or I perish in the struggle.
Naturally, Wan'er, who was caught in the middle, was the most pitiful person. Fan Xian clearly knew this, but he could not change anything. He held his wife tightly in his arms. For some reason, his heart also began to ache.
A year ago, Wan'er had reminded him that perhaps his mother would once again join hands with the Crown Prince.
Thinking back to the past, Fan Xian couldn't help but sigh in admiration at his wife's sharp intuition. He knew that it was not that Wan'er did not understand the turbulent undercurrents under the Qing Kingdom's golden age of peace. She was caught in the middle and could only remain silent.
Always silent, so silent that it seemed to have disappeared.
Because of this, Fan Xian felt increasingly guilty and apologetic toward his wife because he could not say anything. He could not even give her a promise.
In his arms, his wife was crying silently.
Fan Xian gently used his thumb to wipe away the tears on her face.
Raising his head to look at the scenery outside the window, he thought to himself that even if a person had two lives, there were still many things that could not be changed and many wishes that could not be fulfilled.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
