People were coming and going on the bustling street, but that tall and slender figure was very eye-catching. The young man looked around but could not see the familiar figure. He was also anxious in his heart. He grabbed a very kind-looking old man next to him and asked in a voice with a rather foreign accent. He also made gestures with his hands from time to time. :
"Old sir, I don't know if you have seen a man who looks about twenty years old, probably..."
At this time, the old man was focused on following the procession of floats, when he was suddenly pulled by an outsider and asked him this and that, and he couldn't help but feel impatient:
"Oh, today is August 15th. Huatiaozi is coming to Beijing. There are so many people coming and going on this street. How can there be..."
The complaints stopped abruptly, and the old man blinked and looked carefully at the young man who asked him. I am about in my early twenties, wearing a lavender robe with dark background patterns embroidered with thread, and a blue cloth tied on my head. It seems that it is because of anxiety, there is a light red on the snow-white cheeks, and a pair of watery eyes are looking at me with anxiety and expectation.
Which god is this that traveled here? The old man looked at me with his mouth open, and for a moment he forgot to answer.
As soon as the old man stopped, the people behind him squeezed in again, and suddenly a group of people bumped into each other. The young man seemed not to have expected that he had caused such a commotion. He subconsciously stepped back and bumped into another person. The bamboo book basket behind him accidentally caught the person's robe. .
"Who is this, ruining my clothes?" It was a young man in brocade and jade robes. He was grabbing his left sleeve and shouting angrily. Behind me were a few servant-looking people, who must have been the children of some wealthy family. The young man was still shouting enthusiastically at first, but when he looked up and saw the person in front of him looking embarrassed and uneasy, he was stunned for a moment, and then his expression changed, and he actually had a frivolous smile. I slowly took a step forward, used the folding fan in my hand to lift up the chin of the person opposite me, and carefully looked at the beauty's wide-eyed look.
"Who is this lost little beauty? This fragrance almost takes away one's soul." The young man closed the distance between the two of them little by little. As if he felt that the situation was not good, the young man subconsciously wanted to hide back, but several servants blocked the way from behind, and even the raised wrist was caught. I know etiquette best in my life, and I grew up in remote urban and rural areas. When have I ever seen such a dissolute person? Looking left and right subconsciously. But when the people around him saw the young master, they seemed to have met the god of plague. They quickened their pace and walked forward, but no one stepped forward to take care of him.
In the majestic capital, at the feet of the emperor, the subjects actually regarded this frivolous matter as nothing. It's just...it's so irritating!
"You...what do you want?" Unable to break away from the iron palm, the young man became anxious for a moment, looked at the young master and said nervously.
"Simple, if you can change my clothes back to their original state, I will let you go."
"It's broken, how can I restore it to its original state? You're a madman, you're just taking the opportunity to cause trouble, I..."
"What? You ruined my clothes. I haven't said anything yet, but you want to escape first? My gold embroidery is a gift from the prefect of Suzhou. It is made by the best embroiderer in Suzhou. It is based on the price. Well, think about it for yourself. Seeing as you are a scholar, I'm too lazy to ask you to compensate. Why don't you embroider me back to my original shape, and I'll forget it."
"How can I embroider without needles or thread?"
"It's simple. There are a lot of gold and silver threads in my house. If you come back to my house with me, I won't be afraid of you running away."
The young man was not stupid. When the young master said this, he knew that the other party was lying to him. I have no relatives or friends at this time, and the only one who went to Beijing with me to take the exam, Fa Xiaoer, is now lost and I don’t know where he is. If the whole person is lost in the capital, where can someone find it? This young man doesn't seem like a good guy. If he follows me, I'm afraid he won't be able to come back.
Seeing that the beauty looked embarrassed, she lowered her head and said nothing. The young man wanted to strike early to prevent what was in his mouth from flying away. I secretly made a gesture to the two servants behind me. The two men understood, grabbed the young man's arms, held me up and left. The young man was angry and anxious, and kept struggling. But as a scholar, I didn't have the strength to restrain a chicken, so how could I break away from those two big and thick men?
Seeing this unbelievable thing being done in broad daylight. At the critical moment, a lazy voice rang:
"Prince Duan, which song are you singing this time?"
Hearing this voice, the domineering young man's face darkened. Although he looked angry, he also looked unbearably depressed. I turned my head and glanced at the man opposite me angrily.
The man raised his brows, fanned the fan in his hand, and looked at all this with a smile on his lips. There was only one attendant with me, and he was equipped with a sword. Anyone who understands etiquette knows that in the royal city, those who can freely equip swords must be military attaches of the fourth grade or above. The man in front of me must be a nobleman.
The man named Prince Duan waved his hand and signaled to get out of the way. I walked slowly to the man's side, blocked it with my sleeves, and lowered my voice:
"You don't even care about this, do you?"
"Why should I care about you?" The man laughed lightly, and Shi Shiran asked in return. Just as he was about to pull away, he accidentally met the eyes of that beautiful young man. Those eyes with an innocent look in the panic were so clear and moving, it made me think. Look at the young man's grace and immortality. Although he is a scholar, he has no pedantic air. He has a posture of orchid and bamboo "with poetry and calligraphy in his belly", but he is a rare beauty.
Not sure where the compassion came from, the man took a step back and whispered into the ear of Prince Duan who was about to leave:
"It's a pity that your mother came to the palace to pay her respects a few days ago and heard some rumors. I'm afraid it won't be of any help to you during this period. Prince Duan still has to keep his tail between his legs when necessary."
When Prince Duan heard the mention of my mother, his face suddenly turned the color of pig liver. I gritted my teeth and endured it again and again. After a while, I waved my hand and signaled to let the young man go. He no longer looked at the fearful crowd and the man around him, and walked away angrily with his own people.
The young man was finally let go, but he still felt terrified. I stood there with a dazed look in my eyes. Suddenly I heard someone calling my name from behind. I couldn't help but look back and saw a familiar figure running towards me:
"Brother Hong..."
What was running over was a handsome man with a cloth hat on his head and a white book basket behind him. I saw that the young man looked tired and pale. In shock, he hurriedly held my waist:
"What's wrong with you?"
The young man shook his head and leaned on Brother Hong, breathing lightly. I raised my eyes, looked at the man who was looking at me with a heavy eyebrow, and nodded gently to show my gratitude.
The man sneered, opened his fan, turned around and left.
After finally finding an inn to stay, Brother Hong asked about what happened just now, but the young man was unwilling to mention it. Brother Hong had no choice but to pat the back of my hand comfortingly and turned around to pack his luggage.
"Brother Hong," the young man called me in a low voice, biting his lower lip gently with his white teeth: "I don't really want to take the exam."
Brother Hong was stunned and looked at me with some confusion, searching for the reason in his eyes.
"Now that the official career is rotten, I don't want to get involved in it. If I can go home with you and open a private school, I won't have to worry about food and clothing. You...what do you think?"
Brother Hong lowered his eyes gently and smiled faintly: "Aling, what are you talking about? We are all here, how can we run away in the face of battle? What's more, there are inherent flaws in the official career, and we must learn from it. There are many others, so don’t be biased just because you met them once.”
The young man lowered his head, his eyes drooped, and said no more. I really understand: what Brother Hong said makes sense, but what is the reason for this faint uneasiness in my heart?
The light yellow curtain fell from the doorway of the cubicle, blocking Brother Hong's sight. I looked towards Aling. The man was sitting in front of the copywriter, frowning, as if he was thinking about something. Suddenly he seemed to feel something and looked towards himself. The falling roller blinds bit by bit covered my face and my lustful eyes.
Brother Hong sighed softly in his heart and turned his attention to the question paper on the case in front of him. There seems to be an unknown future wrapped up there.
The best thing in life would be for me to ride with you, covered in red silk, and return home in glory.
The golden gongs roared, the bells were chimeless, and the young emperor waved his hands. The students opened the examination papers for the imperial examination and wrote down their thoughts about their country and their country, as well as their speculations about the emperor's thoughts. It's a pity that Han Chuang studied hard and was as cheap as dirt, but that brief glimpse of freshness evoked a slight curve in the corner of the man's mouth in the Jinluan Palace.
People say that the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time to welcome the cold and worship the moon, but for some reason this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival makes people feel hot all over. Halfway through writing, Aling's clothes became wet with sweat on his cheeks. I raised my sleeve to wipe the sweat that was flowing on my neck. Unexpectedly, as soon as I raised my arm, the pen between my fingers fell out of control and fell to the ground, making a dull sound in the quiet corner. The "clang" sound. Aling just lowered his head to pick it up, and when he moved a little, he felt dizzy. I tilted my body and fell off the bench, leaning softly on the cold ground.
A pair of black boots fell into my blurred vision, and the silver stripes on them blurred into a dark cloud in front of my eyes. A low sigh sounded above me:
"It can be considered another blessing for you."
People who read think a lot, just to hope to be favored by the emperor and to serve him. You have this opportunity, and enjoying this blessing will also fulfill your wish.
A eunuch shook his head and waved his hands to the left and right, signaling the people behind him to pull Aling away who was lying on the ground. He tightened his sleeves to cover up the strange fragrance wafting from it.
Two hours later, the sound of drums for the exam came over. Brother Hong cleaned up the things on the table, looked at the question paper on the table for the last time, and let out a long breath. I lifted the rolling curtain and came out of the compartment, and saw all the students taking the imperial examination retreating outside in twos and threes. Brother Hong went over to the cubicle where Aling was and saw that there was no one inside, except for an open examination paper on the table. I looked around and saw Aling nowhere, so I guessed whether I had finished answering the questions and left first. Because the examiners of the palace examination would come to collect the papers soon, no one should be allowed to stop here. Brother Hong had no choice but to go out and find Aling again.
I have never seen such a disrespectful person, man or woman. After trying to be intimate with me countless times, but being rejected by the other party’s fighting and struggling. I finally couldn't help it, stretched out my hand to pull Aling up from the couch, and gave him a slap in the face.
Aling was beaten until he lost his voice for a short time, and there was a burning feeling at the corner of his mouth. I shivered and pulled at the collar of my chest, gasping for breath while glaring at the man in front of me.
I have read books and know about the sages Confucius and Mencius. Loyalty and courtesy flow in my blood. But now, these two things that cannot be chosen at all are in conflict with each other and tormenting me.
The emperor's order should originally be the way of heaven, and he dare not violate it. but now……
I bit my lips until they turned white, and my eyes were full of humiliation.
The man in front of him was clearly aroused, and his movements showed no trace of tenderness or mercy. I threw Aling to the ground, held Aling's hand with Kong Wu's strong arms, and tried desperately to tear his hand away. I grabbed the collar of the soft cotton gown and tore it to both sides crazily. There was only a harsh cracking sound, and Aling screamed heartbreakingly. Most of his snow-white body was exposed to the man's sight.
The best principles in the world are the only superior words, the only superior actions, and the only superior way.
The empty hall resounded with the sound of fabrics torn apart, and on the burgundy pillars, the golden dragon totem was coldly laughing at everything I did.
Brother Hong...
I have read all the books of sages, but I still have a lover.
In the haziness, he heard a "squeak" sound, and Aling could no longer raise his eyes. A faint dazzling white light penetrated into his slightly closed eyes. I don’t know how long it took, because both my eyes and my heart were filled with endless darkness.
Someone threw down a robe, which happened to cover my messy body.
Then the commotion around me became louder, and someone seemed to move a chair and place it next to me. The chair legs hit the floor, making a dull sound. The young monarch sat on it and deliberately bent down, with a hint of gratitude:
"I read your article. It's gentle and elegant in Chinese. You must be a talented person who can pass the examination. Unfortunately, you only wrote half of it, which makes people sigh." I let out a chuckle and waved my hand to open a scroll in my hand. : "I am very satisfied today, and I have another great article. How about sharing the reward with you?"
Aling remained motionless, her beautiful cheeks shrouded in a backlit darkness.
"The connection of Jiuzhou does not lie in the width of the road, but the enlightenment of the great road in the world lies in people. From ancient times to the present, those who are quick in thinking have many flaws. Therefore, people are born with knowledge, grow in enlightenment, and become successful in action. Those who know are those who enlighten people's hearts... "
The clear voice of the monarch echoed in the empty study room, and beautiful sentences poured out from my mouth. Aling tightened his grip on his robe, tears gradually moistening the corners of his eyes.
I know whose article that is.
Establish a private school and forge the foundation like a pine or a bamboo. This is what Brother Hong often says.
Hearing the sobs below, the monarch stopped reading, bent down and grabbed my scattered hair, and stared into Aling's eyes:
"All the reviewers are known as writers and talented scholars. But I think..." I deliberately lengthened my words and suddenly threw the scroll in my hand aside with great force: "Tonghua, Jiuzhou? How can this happen? Is it up to me to consider this? Who should consider this? Since I took over the throne, the first thing I have done is to widen provincial roads and build water conservancy projects. I think these are useless actions. Such a poor and rotten scholar is actually in front of me. I should be punished for making irresponsible remarks about political affairs, and I should be punished for the crime of disrespect!"
Aling burst into a loud cough. I shook my head desperately and stretched out my hand to grab the emperor's sleeve:
"please……"
You know none of this is my fault at all, no.
But whose fault is it?
Aling choked and lowered his eyes. Before he could avoid the other party's sight, his chin was grabbed, and he was forced to receive a scrutinizing gaze.
"You are such a beauty. When you cry, you are so lovable, and when you are cold, you are so itchy. What kind of talent does it take to have such a good appearance?" The emperor laughed softly, patting the white jade with his palm lightly. The same cheek: "Be at ease and be mine."
The gongs and drums outside were beaten over and over again, and the good news had reached the sixth time. Brother Hong was still sitting in the small closed room, leaning on the table. There were several wine bottles scattered around in my hand.
Still... can't find...
My Aling, where have you been?
The noisy voices gathered outside his door, but they were no match for the lingering thought in his heart.
Aling has been missing for more than half a month. After I passed the palace examination, I never came back. Brother Hong frantically searched every corner of the imperial capital, even almost breaking into Prince Duan's Mansion, but there was still no news about Aling.
What about being the top pick in high school? Without you accompanying me on my return home, what would I want?
What do I want?
The suona and firecrackers were blasting together. Under the surprised and envious eyes of everyone, the drunken new champion was mounted on a high horse, tied with a red silk ribbon, and began to parade.
After traveling for three days, I figured it out. If I win the first prize, I may have official authority and power, which can help me find Aling.
I washed myself neatly, took the red list with me, stood outside the huge imperial city, passed through the Qinghe Gate, crossed the Yuxiu Bridge, and entered the palace to meet the emperor.
However, when I was on the bridge, my steps stopped. I felt a familiar gaze coming from somewhere. Suddenly, as if my heart was moved, I looked to the left and right, but I saw nothing.
There was a sarcastic smile on the young king's face from beginning to end. No matter how I stated my political views or my grand plans, the king's face always had that look of half-listening but not listening. The glances that occasionally fall on my face are from a downward angle, the attitude of a superior looking down on someone who is underestimating their own abilities.
I suddenly felt discouraged and said no more.
After bidding farewell to the monarch in a hurry, Brother Hong prepared to leave the imperial city with some confusion. Unexpectedly, on the Yuxiu Bridge where they had stopped when they arrived, a large group of people were surrounding them, discussing something in twos and threes. It seemed that something terrible had happened.
"What's wrong?"
"I heard that she was the emperor's new beauty. She was favored by her a few days ago. I don't know why, but she suddenly threw herself into the river today."
"No way? Who is so stupid? Why don't you enjoy the happiness in the palace and insist on staying with the Lord of Hell?"
"you do not say……"
Brother Hong suddenly felt cold. I pushed aside the crowd and lay down by the bridge. I saw the clear water of the moat sparkling, and a black cloth shoe floating on it, swaying as it was washed by the river water. The word "Ling" embroidered with red thread on the sole of the shoe also dangled in Brother Hong's sight.
"Wearing these shoes, wherever you go, I will feel it and follow you wherever you go."
Brother Hong suddenly felt tears welling up.
I climbed onto the bridge pier and jumped off without hesitation amidst the exclamations of everyone.
Still found nothing.
Brother Hong flopped in the cold river water for a long time until he was rescued from the water. I only grabbed the shoe floating on the water.
I sat on the ground crying and my mind went blank.
The last glimmer of hope was shattered, and I thought we would never see each other again. Brother Hong held the shoe numbly, and unforgettable hatred gradually rose in his numb mind. I turned my head, and in the blur of tears, the towering tower looked down at me, making me seem to see the man's mocking eyes, revealing a bit of disdain and contempt.
Brother Hong knows Aling, and I know that that gentle smile is full of love and longing for the world. What flows out of that indifferent thought is trust and persistence in principles and life. My Aling is very strong and will not give up on his promise to me easily and will not be willing to leave like this.
However, that person stretched out his hand and unscrupulously crushed the character that we literati rely on for our livelihood.
If heaven is not heaven, how can we preserve the virtuous? If there is no way for those who are superior, there will be no way out in this world.
Brother Hong shook his head miserably, raised his hand, and a bright yellow scroll fell into the flowing river with the wind.
When I kicked open the wooden door, the attendants inside had already heard the sound and knelt down.
Aling's whole body was wet, and his dark hair stuck to the sides of his face, still dripping with water. I sat under the bed without saying a word or paying attention to the trembling people. I looked completely lost and embarrassed. His hazy eyes were full of nothingness.
I also had troubles and resisted, but then I became compliant. Just when I thought I had resigned myself to my fate, I accidentally caused such a scene for myself. Are you making the whole world laugh at yourself?
The young king only felt angry. I rushed over and lifted up the thin body, and met Aling's eyes. Then I just felt a thought in my heart. When those confused eyes looked at me, they were full of self-deprecation.
"I saw me," Aling said softly, "I have no regrets in this life."
You once swore: One day, you would put on your red robe and soap boots in front of me and set foot on the Golden Palace. Now you have indeed never breached the contract, but I can only watch your back, walking further and further away.
"No regrets in this life?" The king sneered, turned my back to him and pulled me into his arms. He put his arm around my waist and asked me to look at the attendant kneeling in front of me: "Then you will be fine Take a look and feel it, what is the word 'regret'?"
Al-Ling's fingers were slender and soft, and they were accustomed to writing. However, in an instant, they touched a cold object without knowing when. Before I had time to react, I felt someone take my hand and wave it vigorously. The heavy force turned into a gust of wind and poured out, and then there was a strong smell of blood hitting my face.
A body fell down like a piece of wood that had lost its support, and bright red blood slowly snaked from the bottom of the body to the surrounding areas. Al-Ling was about to slide down as if he was losing all his strength, but someone grabbed his waist.
"Bring me a pen!"
A group of attendants who were shaking with fear crawled around to get the pen and held it high above their heads.
"It is a serious crime for a concubine to kill herself, and it will bring disaster to the whole family. I used your hand today to behead only this servant who usually serves you, which is a mercy. But..." I pushed Aling to the ground, holding nothing in his hand. He unceremoniously pulled Aling's wet clothes around his waist: "I also want to teach you how to write the word 'regret'. Please remember it carefully!"
The soft and snow-white hair of the wolf was stained with sticky blood, giving off a choking smell. Al-Ling was grabbed by the arm from behind and pushed to the ground. Sharp cries and begging for mercy echoed through the small palace.
There was an unspeakable cruelty on the monarch's face, which was written heavily on Aling's back like a catharsis. The blood-red words "regret" were burning hot, as if they were carved into the flesh and blood, very deep.
There is character in the writing, and there is a degree of severity.
The writing shows its way, and the mind is free to waver.
This is faith, it is... everything.
But now, it is a heavy yoke.
Dense words of blood covered Aling's back. When it was all over, Aling had already collapsed on the ground stiffly, unable to even move.
I was dragged onto the bed in chaos. When I woke up a little, I found that my hands were tied behind my back, and my whole back felt hot and swollen, and there was also an itching and pain. Feeling helpless in my bones. It seemed like a hand was pulling there unscrupulously, penetrating deep into the bone marrow. The distinct feeling was so real that I couldn't tell whether it was true or false. Aling twisted his body in horror and stretched out his hand to confirm, but no matter how hard he reached, he couldn't reach it.
The light in front of his eyes disappeared little by little. Aling looked at the group of people leaving little by little, and couldn't help shouting crazily:
"Don't close the door, don't close the door..."
Please.
Darkness is a hotbed of fear, and all negative emotions quietly overflow from the quiet corners, creeping up the itchy back and along the spine. Aling felt cold all over. I opened my eyes wide in the darkness and tightened my body as if my breath was being strangled.
The feeling of that hand suddenly became clear, and the torture that could not be relieved by touch was infinitely magnified.
I'm afraid...
Fear drowns everything. Fear is the most real emotion. Fear is the fragility of the human heart.
You can't live, you can't die.
Aling's eyes gradually dimmed during this long period of suffering.
The following year, there was Changming Palace in the palace.
It is called Changming Palace because lamps are lit there all year round, morning and evening.
Being a servant in Changming Palace is also very hard. The soles of everyone's shoes are tied with thick cushions, and they do things lightly. They must also maintain the human atmosphere inside them at all times.
Changming Palace has the most powerful servants, the most prosperous favors, and the weirdest red tape.
So everyone in the palace knows that it is special because it has a different status in the monarch's mind.
Brother Hong doesn't know who lives in Changming Palace, nor can he expect it.
I watched arrows flying past my eyes and shooting into the city opposite, causing silent agitation.
The restlessness of the heart.
Arrows can hurt the body, words can hurt the heart. Injuring yourself is not the goal, but being sad is.
The cuneiform words in the paper ball at the end of the arrow are filled with my broken heart and faith...
And love.
The only thing people want is reason.
My heart desires, but there is still a memorial.
Coinciding with natural disasters, people's resentment is boiling, wolf smoke is everywhere, and it is a lament for troubled times.
Everything suddenly felt enlightened.
After Brother Hong got drunk again, he rushed into the heavy rain and cried bitterly into the empty and lonely wilderness:
"God knows my heart and will eventually give me justice. Aling, have you seen it?"
Aling's eyelashes trembled slightly. I was sitting in the arms of the monarch, looking at the copied words on the table. A bit of brilliance suddenly appeared in my chaotic eyes, as if I Really gotta see it.
"I used to hate people like you. You are so self-righteous and righteous. I became the throne when I was eight years old, and I heard these words until I was sixteen. Later I became annoyed and turned our Cut off your head and mix it with the books I was forced to read since I was a child, and it burned everything up." The monarch slowly rubbed my ear: "But after I saw you that day, I began to miss that book inexplicably. A bookish scent. If those old guys were like you now, well-behaved and obedient, with a pretty and lovable face, then I might really be a good emperor in your eyes."
I sighed, feeling disappointed...
It is always bright at night in the Changming Palace, but it is difficult to be diligent in the Qinzheng Palace.
The piles of memorials failed to awaken the emperor's restless heart.
As I said myself: I am not a good emperor in people's eyes. The most valuable thing about people is self-knowledge, but sometimes self-knowledge is difficult to change, and the same is true for emperors. I want to be myself in a cool way, but I am an emperor, the son of heaven in people's hearts. Life, death, kidnapping, and abuse all depend on a single thought. They are human actions, not the will of God.
From the high tower, I witnessed the desolation of the building about to collapse.
It was night, and the imperial city was in ruins and deserted. Only Changming Palace still had lights on.
There is always a place in the human heart where light pursues warmth, swaying and shining in a corner.
An arrow was nailed to the city wall, and a piece of blood-stained inscription was fluttering in the wind. I stretched out my hand to tear it off, and read it word by word with the help of the faint firelight not far away.
Perhaps it was because I had stayed with Aling for a long time, but as I continued to read the flowing words, there was nothing obscure and elegant. That direct emotion, like a drum in the evening and a bell in the morning, struck my soul, and I couldn't help but want to applaud.
With such talent, I thought I was coming back to pick me up.
What an irony. For the first time in my life, I read an article with a lingering eloquence, and it turned out to be an article that killed me.
Changming Palace is finally going to really light up.
I shouldn't have left you in the dark, so it's time for you to go back and it's time for me to leave.
The bloody book swayed along the city wall with the wind.
Aling trembled all over and opened his eyes hazily. Suddenly I found that there was silence all around, only the candlelight was dancing weakly. We were almost out of gas, but it was still dark.
I rushed over in panic, covering the lamps with my hands, sobbing softly.
When the burning was almost over, I suddenly thought of something. I rummaged through the room, pulled out the copying papers, and threw them into the brazier frantically.
Suddenly there was a huge fire.
Don't destroy...
I burned them one by one, burning everything.
After the last piece of paper was thrown into the brazier, the door opened, letting in a gust of cold wind.
The flying sparks are scattered, and those beautiful pasts return together with the ashes.
END
