False eunuch in late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 3 Stealing Cakes and Encountering Chongzhen

"Xiao Jiu, you wait here. After taking me to Kunning Palace, I will come here to find you again. Don't mess around in the palace." Cao Qing warned.

In fact, this is not the first time Cao Qing has visited the Ming Dynasty Imperial Palace. Of course, it has been the Forbidden City hundreds of years later.The palace underwent some changes during the Qing Dynasty, but generally remained the same.Cao Qing has visited the Forbidden City several times, and he still has some impressions of the general layout.

It was not without reason that Empress Zhou was anxious to see Cao Huachun.Historically, King Xin succeeded to the throne in August, and Wei Zhongxian was overthrown in November.Almost a month has passed now, and naturally there are many things that need to be laid out.

In order to test Chongzhen's attitude, Wei Zhongxian resigned from the position of Governor-General Dongchang, and Hakka claimed that he was willing to leave the palace and return to his private residence.Chongzhen considered that Wei Zhongxian had already established wings in the imperial court, and it was not appropriate to act too hastily, so he "disapproved" his request, and only allowed the Hakka family to return.

However, Fengsheng’s wife, Hakka, still lives in Xian’an Palace at this time. On the third day of this month, Hakka also performed a scene of "crying spirit": she was dressed in filial piety, and went to the former emperor’s palace in the Hall of Renzhi. The small letter was wrapped in a yellow dragon burden, saying that it was the late emperor's fetal hair, scabs, years of shaved hair, tooth loss, and nail clipping, and passed away in pain.

It seems that the palace is still immersed in the sorrow of the late emperor's death, but the game of various forces has quietly started.

"The old slave kowtowed to the empress, a thousand years ago." Cao Huachun walked into the Kunning Palace, and solemnly gave a big gift to Queen Zhou.

"Cao Eunuch, hurry up. Eunuch Cao is an old man in Xinwangfu, and he has helped His Majesty a lot. There is no need to be so generous." Empress Zhou made a gesture of support.Although Cao Huachun was an eunuch, she still paid great attention to etiquette.

"Etiquette cannot be revoked. Your Majesty said so to kill the old slave. It is the duty of the old slave to do things for the master." Cao Huachun said.

Empress Zhou stepped back and said to Cao Huachun, "The man in the palace has a lot of eyes and ears now, I'm afraid that the matter of seeing you will fall into his ears soon."

"In this troubled time, Your Majesty and Your Majesty need to be cautious in their actions. Fortunately, the public opinion in the court is now available. But everything should not be rushed." Cao Huachun said.

"It should be so. A few days ago, Mrs. Fengsheng made troubles in the palace, and she is now occupying Xian'an Palace, which is not in accordance with the etiquette system." Queen Zhou said with some concern.

Wei Zhongxian couldn't lose his tail, and the Hakka family couldn't absolve himself of the blame.The Hakka family is Xi Zong's nursing mother, and is deeply favored by Xi Zong. In the palace, she actually surpasses Xi Zong's concubine and controls the power of Xi Zong's wife.Wei Zhongxian was single-handedly promoted by the department.Moreover, the relationship between the Hakka family and Xizong is somewhat uncertain, and they even ate against Wei Chao and Wei Zhongxian successively, and entered the court.

"No matter how noisy the Ke family is, it can't stop the general trend. The queen doesn't need to worry. In a few days, the Ke family will definitely leave the palace. But that person has a lot of followers, so don't rush for success, so as not to spoil the big event." Cao Huachun said.

"This Ai family knows. The emperor is even more insightful. Eunuch Cao doesn't need to worry." Queen Zhou said.

Empress Zhou and Cao Huachun had a lot to talk about, and affairs in the palace were like walking on thin ice, so there was no room for carelessness.As he spoke, he forgot the time.

However, Cao Qing waited and waited and did not see Cao Huachun, a cheap old man, come back. The weather in September is still a bit hot, Cao Qing waited for a long time under the shade of the roadside, and his stomach started to growl.

Cao Qing lay on the bed for several days and didn't eat much. Now that his body is slowly recovering and his inner strength has just formed, he needs a lot of energy and blood to turn into energy, so the consumption has been accelerated a lot.This stomach gets hungry very quickly.

When a person's stomach is hungry, the nose is much more sensitive than usual.Cao Qing seemed to smell the smell of pastries coming from the side hall.

Cakes are placed in many places in the palace for the convenience of the emperor and his family.Cao Qing saw that there was no one around, and tiptoed towards the palace.

"Crench!"

"Damn it. I'm scared to death." Cao Qing was taken aback. Seeing that no one noticed this, he boldly closed the door again.

When I first came in, I was only focused on eating, and didn't pay attention to what kind of hall it was. When I walked in, I saw that there were many bookshelves around the house, and there were many books on them.A desk is also full of books.

Cao Qing quickly discovered where the fragrance he just smelled came from.On the desk, there were two small plates with various snacks in them.Cao Qing was growling with hunger, walked over and grabbed a piece and stuffed it into his mouth.

But the snack was stuffed into the mouth, and the door creaked and opened again.A young man in colorful and shiny clothes walked in.

"What are you doing?" the young man asked.

Cao Qing was startled, a big mouthful of dim sum stuck in his throat, choking and rolling his eyes.

Seeing a purple sand cup on the desk, he brought it over and drank a big gulp, finally flushing his mouthful of snacks down.

"You really are, what are you yelling for? I was scared to death. I thought it was the emperor who came? Damn, I choked to death. By the way, which father-in-law are you? Are you also here to steal snacks? ?” Cao Qing asked.

"I'm... I'm a servant of the prince. What are you doing here?" the young man asked.

"I'm a young eunuch under Eunuch Cao's family. Eunuch Cao was called over by Empress Zhou. He told me to wait outside. It's almost dinner now, and I haven't come out yet. I didn't eat much in the morning. I'm already hungry. Or It’s good for you to work as servants in the inner palace. There are so many delicious snacks. Those of us who work outside can even make a mouthful of a bird.” Cao Qing said.

The young eunuch couldn't help but chuckled, "Then hurry up and eat a few more yuan."

"Well, I'm not full yet, so help me keep an eye on people. It would be bad if people find out." Cao Qing was also polite, and tried all kinds of dim sum.

"Not bad, this dim sum is very authentic. Today's trip was not in vain. Hey, don't you want some?" Cao Qing said.

"Eat this thing every day. I'm tired of eating it." The young eunuch said.

"Hehe, it seems that you have kept your mouths in the inner palace. By the way, I heard that when the emperor eats, you have to taste it first. Is there such a thing?" Cao Qing asked.

"Of course this happened," said the young eunuch.

"Haha, it's not easy for the emperor, even when eating, he can only pick up his teeth." Cao Qing said with a smile.

The young eunuch was a little displeased, but soon relaxed.

"You are an interesting little eunuch. Did Mr. Cao not strictly discipline you?" asked the young eunuch.

"Don't care, why don't you care? But the country is easy to change, but the nature is hard to change." Cao Qing smiled.

"The country is easy to change, but the nature is difficult to change. This is an interesting saying." The young eunuch said.

"Actually, it's really not easy for the emperor, who is not much different from us in age. But he has to do the most difficult thing in the world." Cao Qing said here, and suddenly looked up at this young man.Finally something feels wrong.The hand holding the snack was hanging in the air, and he stopped chewing in his mouth, and the crumbs of the snack fell out of his mouth suddenly.

The clothes that the young man was wearing were so gorgeous that it was impossible for them to be worn by eunuchs.In this imperial palace, who else could wear such gorgeous costumes besides the emperor?

(End of this chapter)