There is no such thing as free steamed buns in the world!
When Zhou Yi heard the Epiphyllum Epiphyllum, his first thought was what his father said, if someone lets you eat steamed buns for free, they are either poisonous or they make you sacrifice your life.
"The moment of youthfulness!"
Thinking back carefully, there is a description in "Shuowen Jiezi" that beauty ages quickly, fireworks fade away, and fingers fade away...
Zhou Yi suddenly thought of something and raised his head to look at the eloquent gentleman.
Since arriving in the palace a year ago, there are two people who have made Zhou Yi very close. Xiao Xizi is like a brother and friend, and the husband is like a master, apprentice and parent, which brings warmth to the indifferent palace.
Today, the gentleman is following the instructions and does not mention the shortcomings of the Epiphyllum Book. He only says that if you live a good life, you will be promoted to an official position and make a fortune, and your future will be boundless.
"He's not really a master or a disciple after all!"
Zhou Yi sighed helplessly. There was no warmth in the inner garden of the palace.
The husband boasted about the benefits of the exercise, and most of the servants became excited and began to dream of becoming Eunuch Hai and Eunuch Wei. They recited the Epiphyllum Book of Epiphyllum word for word, much harder than when they were able to read.
A few eyes flicker, but whether you believe it or doubt it, you can't resist after all.
The wells in the palace are all smelly, so it doesn't matter if one more corpse is thrown in!
The Epiphyllum Collection contains more than 3,000 words, followed by more than 2,000 words of tips on how to perform exercises, involving many meridians and acupuncture points, as well as mysterious Taoist concepts.
It takes one day to recite the Book of Changes, and I can basically memorize it. Listen carefully to the teacher's explanation word for word.
What is true qi, where are the acupuncture points and meridians, and how to collect true qi into the Dantian. The explanation is extremely detailed. From this aspect, he looks like a real teacher.
at dusk.
Zhou Yi returned to his residence and saw Xiao Xizi lying on the bed.
He hummed, like a moan.
Looking closer, Xiao Xizi's temples were gray, more than ten times older than a year ago, and her face had a strange purple-red color.
Zhou Yi quickly stepped forward and asked with concern: "Brother Xizi, what's wrong with you?"
"Xiao Yizi..."
Xiao Xizi's voice was weak and delicate, with only a few sounds of breathing out, and a smile appeared on her face: "A few days ago, our family met His Majesty, only a few feet away, and Your Majesty asked a question."
Zhou Yi gently stroked Xiao Xizi's chest and said, "This is a good thing. Did Brother Xizi get the answer right?"
Xiao Xizi's dream is to serve His Majesty and become a figure like Eunuch Hai, with top martial arts skills and a powerful figure in the world.
"We have been preparing for ten years, and of course we got the answer right!"
Xiao Xizi coughed violently, her face flushed with pride: "His Majesty asked a question that no one else in the chamber could understand. I answered it quoting from classics. His Majesty praised me for being smart and solid, hahaha..."
The laughter was as thin as a night owl, and the breath was short and intermittent.
Zhou Yi wondered: "Then what happened today?"
"Today the Qianyuan Palace has refined the golden elixir of longevity, and the chamberlain needs to test the elixir first."
Xiao Xizi said: "Eunuch Xu, who is in charge of the palace, personally called our names and said that we were praised by His Majesty, so we should be tested for the medicine. Who would have thought that after taking the pill, we were poisoned!"
"Poisoned?"
Zhou Yi exclaimed in shock and asked: "Isn't that alchemy person trying to harm Your Majesty?"
Xiao Xizi shook his head and said: "I heard that the elixir of longevity is not complete. Those who refine the elixir have to re-prepare the ingredients, but those of us who try the elixir can only wait to die."
Zhou Yi looked at Xiao Xizi whose breath was weakening and didn't know how to save him.
I don’t know what happened tonight. Xiao Zhengzi and Xiao Yuanzi have not yet taken charge. The two of them have profound skills and may be able to help Xiao Xizi with his energy and detoxification.
"I hate it!"
Xiao Xizi's pupils began to dilate: "I wish I couldn't be loyal to His Majesty, I hate..."
Before he could say the second half of the sentence, he completely cut off his breath, his eyes widened and he refused to close his eyes.
Zhou Yi was so frightened that his limbs were numb and he was restless. He didn't know how to deal with the body. According to the rules of the village, it was to remain in mourning for three days and wait for relatives and friends to express their condolences before burying it in the ancestral grave.
The eunuch cut off the incense of the ancestors, which was a great act of unfilial piety, and he was not qualified to be buried in the ancestors' graves.
When Zhou Yi was feeling worried and at a loss, he heard the sound of the door opening. He turned around and saw that it was Xiao Zhengzi and Xiao Yuanzi.
Xiao Zhengzi glanced at the corpse, sadness flashed in his eyes, and said: "I will report it to the prison tomorrow, and I will send a servant to bury Xiao Xizi in the Zhongguan Tomb."
Xiao Yuanzi stared at Zhou Yi for a long time with a gloomy face, then silently returned to bed to rest.
Anger flashed in Zhou Yi's eyes. He had already understood that the two of them were waiting outside without going in, deliberately not helping Xiao Xizi to heal her injuries.
Such indifference made Zhou Yi feel chilled!
Xiao Xizi had a lively temperament and was willing to help others. She often helped her classmates, but she ended up watching him die!
"What dad said is true. If you want to drink tea, you will burn the bridge when you cross the river..."
Zhou Yi lay in bed unable to sleep. He lost his teacher and friend in one day, and next to the cold corpse, he always felt that Xiao Xizi's face was floating in front of his eyes.
He turned over and over with his eyes closed, wanting to question his two roommates, but he couldn't muster the courage.
The next morning.
Zhou Yi, who had formed a habit, suddenly opened his eyes and quickly got up and dressed.
Xiao Zhengzi and Xiao Yuanzi walked in front, and Zhou Yi lowered his head and followed behind. Unfortunately, there was no Xiao Xizi who liked to talk, so it seemed very quiet along the way.
After passing through the palace gates and meeting the nobles passing by, the three of them knelt down and saluted from a distance.
He carefully waited for the noble man to go away before getting up and continuing to walk. He would rather go late and not have a meal than be disrespectful.
The eunuchs in the palace had a low status and were just servants of the emperor. If the nobles disliked them, they could be dragged out and beaten to death without any reason.
Near the kitchen.
Xiao Zhengzi suddenly said: "Xiao Xizi shouldn't push forward. Your Majesty's question is not difficult. How come no one can answer it?"
Xiao Yuanzi then said: "I just don't dare. There are only so many seats in the palace, one carrot and one pit. You have been praised by His Majesty, do you want to push someone down?"
Zhou Yi remained silent, but his heart was filled with turbulent waves.
Perhaps influenced by Xiao Xizi, or perhaps it was the desire in his heart, Zhou Yi also had the dream of power.
One day, if you take charge of a prison and go home in glory, you can be regarded as honoring your ancestors, right?
Listening to Xiao Zhengzi and Xiao Yuanzi talking now, it seems that Xiao Xizi was praised by His Majesty, and Eunuch Xu deliberately let him test the medicine, and then died of the poison!
Xiao Zhengzi said solemnly: "The water in this palace is too deep. We don't ask for much power in the future. As long as we can save our lives and coax the nobles to get some rewards."
Xiao Yuanzi nodded and said: "When I get old and leave the palace in the future, I can also spend money to find a place to live, so as not to live on the streets and become a beggar."
Zhou Yi remained silent, but his face became a little gloomy and cold, with no emotion or sorrow, just like Xiao Zhengzi and Xiao Yuanzi who led the way.
After breakfast, I went to the study as usual.
The teacher continued to teach the Epiphyllum Book of Epiphyllum, and he was more patient than teaching how to read. If the waiter had any doubts, he would explain it in detail.
Zhou Yi wrote down all the questions in the book. This was the method Xiao Xizi told him. It seems that a good memory is not as good as a bad writing.
The handwriting is crooked and can barely be read, and no one except the Book of Changes can read it fully.
Return to the room.
Zhou Yi went through the questions he had written down from the beginning. Sure enough, he had forgotten most of what the teacher said in class.
Read it over and over again and gain a little bit.
He had a general understanding of acupoints, meridians, and the movement of Qi, but Zhou Yi did not try to practice it.
After all, according to speculation, this is a technique that consumes life span!
The sun rises and the moon sets.
One month has passed in the blink of an eye.
After the teacher finished explaining the secrets of the Epiphyllum, his pupils, more white than black, swept across all the chamberlains.
"Okay, you don't have to come to class anymore, just go and practice!"
Not far from the south of the study room, there is a row of rehearsal rooms. From then on, the chamberlains began to practice martial arts, and after one year they would be assigned duty stations based on their martial arts strength.
Classwork is over.
The servants left the study in small groups and discussed which practice room they should go to so that they would not be bullied by the old people in groups.
Zhou Yi wrote down all the questions in four booklets, making a thick stack. After all the servants left, he came to the gentleman with the booklet in his arms and kowtowed three times.
"Thank you sir."
"Jiejiejie..."
The gentleman's laughter was like that of a night owl. He looked Zhou Yi up and down and said, "You are quite sensible. You are making a living in this palace. The more you kowtow, the longer you can live!"
When Zhou Yi met his eyes, he felt cold and greasy all over his body, as if a poisonous snake was crawling around, which made people shudder.
"Thank you sir for your teaching."
He stood up quickly and left as if running away.
The next day.
Zhou Yi followed Xiao Zhengzi and Xiao Yuanzi to the Jiaqi practice room.
The practice room, which is five to six feet in size, is divided into small single rooms with wooden boards. There are sofas, futons, and incense burners inside. There are messy writings on the wooden boards, which seem to be the martial arts insights left by the predecessors.
"There is no one in the room next to it. Xiao Yizi leaves a mark on the door so that no one will occupy it in the future."
Xiao Yuanzi pointed to his single room. There was a square inside a circle on the door: "Remember, you can only rely on yourself in this palace. If someone really competes with you, we won't care!"
"Thank you, Brother Yuanzi."
Zhou Yi bowed slightly, then bowed to Xiao Zhengzi beside him: "Thank you, Brother Zhengzi."
He drew a mark, entered the private room, and sat cross-legged on the futon.
After a while, his mind calmed down, Zhou Yi recalled the opening chapter of the Epiphyllum Book of Epiphyllum. He concentrated and calmed his breath for twelve breaths. The breath circulated in the meridians and finally returned to the Dantian.
After practicing for a week, Zhou Yi slowly opened his eyes and felt the true energy in his Dantian.
"Sir, he said that to achieve success, those with excellent qualifications will receive ten strands of true energy, those with average qualifications will receive five strands of true energy, and our three strands of true energy belong to the lower qualifications..."
"If the Epiphyllum Book of Epiphyllum loses its longevity, we have to lose it three times before we can compare with a well-qualified chamberlain!"
Zhou Yi looked troubled, there were two roads before him.
One is to live a short life, practice hard, and be assigned a good job. The second is that he lives a long life and has little skill, so he can only patrol the palace walls.
After thinking for a long time, Zhou Yi started practicing again.
"You can't make money by patrolling, and you can't leave the palace. You'll never see your parents again!"
According to the law, eunuchs are prohibited from leaving the palace, but some powerful eunuchs can sneak out during their free time. I heard from Xiao Xizi that many eunuchs have yards in the capital and raise their wives and sons they bought.
Zhou Yi didn't care about his wife, he just wanted to bring his parents to the capital so that he wouldn't have to suffer from hunger.
"Even if your longevity is exhausted, it's not bad that your parents can live a good life!"
Thinking of this, Zhou Yi practiced all day long and accumulated more than thirty rays of true energy in his Dantian.
In the evening, I returned to my room, repeatedly read the book that recorded the questions, recalled the practice tips my husband had taught me, and tried my best to speed up the efficiency of the exercises.
Originally two quarters of an hour per day, half a month later it was only a quarter of an hour, and half a year later it was halved again.
This day.
Get up early in the morning.
Zhou Yi followed the two of them, silently thinking about the secret of how to move Qi.
Xiao Zhengzi suddenly stopped and Zhou Yi almost bumped into him without noticing. He only heard him say: "Xiao Zhengzi, are you not concentrating on your practice?"
Zhou Yi was slightly startled, not knowing why.
Xiao Yuanzi said: "The Epiphyllum Book of Epiphyllum reduces longevity. The more diligently you practice, the faster you will age!"
Zhou Yi was surprised and said: "You two know?"
"Who doesn't know something so obvious?"
Xiao Zhengzi said coldly: "If the palace had not controlled our food and drink, we would have starved to death several times. Now that we are full and full, we should work hard for His Majesty!"
Xiaoyuanzi said: "Those chamberlains who guard the palace walls have to work hard all their lives, and are bullied, and they will never leave the palace until they die. It is better to be more skilled, get a good job, and take care of relatives at home."
"Thank you two brothers for your guidance!"
Zhou Yi frowned slightly, vaguely feeling that something was wrong. He had tried his best to practice.
If it were the time when he first entered the palace, Zhou Yi would definitely express his doubts, but now he is more cautious and plans to see the changes in his classmates after practicing.
Arrived at the kitchen.
Zhou Yi looked around and saw several classmates.
In just the past six months, the faces of those who were still teenagers have become older, and their hair has turned from black to gray. Some even have wrinkles on their faces, gray hair, and cloudy eyes.
"No wonder you suspect that we haven't practiced Kung Fu!"
Zhou Yi's heart was filled with turmoil. He was confused, surprised, and at a loss.
"Why don't we age? Is it because of our special constitution or because we live longer? If someone discovers the abnormality, what will be the consequences? If we report it to His Majesty, will we get a reward..."
In the eyes of the common people, the emperor is the supreme god.
Zhou Yi was a little moved, and soon thought of Xiao Xizi who died after taking the elixir. In order to refine the elixir of immortality, His Majesty asked many servants to test the elixir.
"Your Majesty knows that I will never grow old, will you make a pill and eat it?"
The more I thought about it, the more it became like this. Zhou Yi respected the emperor, but he didn't want to let people burn and cook him. He suppressed the fear in his heart and thought about how to cover up the fact that he would never grow old.
"The best way is to disguise yourself and look older!"
"The second thing is to have less contact with people. At least for the next six months, go out early and come back late to avoid people finding out!"
"Secondly, if you go on duty in a place with few people, your flaws will be exposed after long contact!"
"It's just...where can I find the art of disguise?"
Zhou Yi was lost in thought until he heard a sound in his ear. He turned around to see Xiao Yuanzi, who had an impatient look on his face.
"What are you thinking about? You yelled a few times but didn't answer. Are you full?"
"OK OK."
How can Zhou Yi still think about eating? If he doesn't solve the problem of aging, sooner or later he will be arrested for making elixirs.
On the way to Jia Qi's practice room, Zhou Yi carefully considered his words and asked in a low voice.
"Brother Yuanzi, do you know the art of disguise?"
Xiao Yuanzi raised an eyebrow: "What, you want to hide your face and pretend to practice hard?"
Zhou Yi said with a mournful face: "There is a drought at home, and my parents, brothers and sisters have all starved to death. There is no family left. We just want to live longer and pray for our parents!"
Xiao Zhengzi said quietly: "It looks like this, it's not as real as an actor acting."
"There is great terror between life and death. If you want to live a long time, you don't need a reason!"
Xiao Yuanzi said: "There are many servants in the palace who are unwilling to practice the Epiphyllum Collection. They have ways to pretend to be old, but they need to spend money to buy ointment."
Zhou Yi was secretly happy in his heart, but looked sad on his face. He didn't have a penny inside or outside.
Xiao Yuanzi looked at Xiao Zhengzi and asked what he meant.
Xiao Zhengzi nodded slightly: "We can lend you the money, and you will repay it with regular silver in the future, and you will have to do things for us."
"Thank you, Brother Zhengzi."
Zhou Yi repeatedly bowed and agreed to make his face older first, so as not to be arrested for making elixirs, and the future would be discussed later.
(End of chapter)
