Imperial City

In the past few days, Wei Qi never had two meals a day on the ground. He just lay on the bed and was poured into his mouth. Every meal was light fish porridge or medicinal food.

Every day, the little eunuch took good care of him and prescribed medicine for him three or four times, in case the wound on the back of the man would not heal and the Holy Majesty would punish him.

Wei Qi has never had such a happy life since entering the palace, like a half-master.

Under such care, only three or four days, his injury has healed completely.

But Wei Qi didn't want to go back to the Qianqing Palace early to suffer, and still yelled in pain.

After hearing the report from the eunuch under his command, Eunuch Wu knew that he was healed, so he didn't rush to expose him, but only ordered his subordinates to take care of him carefully.

This dragged on until the seventh day, and finally the eunuch who sent the message from the Qianqing Palace came.

The little eunuch passed on the order from Eunuch An, the former head of the imperial court, to order Wei Qi to follow him back to the Qianqing Palace to serve as an errand.

Wei Qi had no choice but to bid farewell to Eunuch Wu, and went to the other side of the Qianqing Palace together with the little eunuch who sent the message.

When it came to the outer hall of Qianqing Palace, Wei Qi hesitated to go any further. Seeing this, the little eunuch said to him: "Master Wei, you have to go to the side hall to return to the mission of Lord An. The slaves are not allowed to enter, so I will accompany you here." gone."

Wei Qi replied that it was hard work, cupped his hands towards him, took a deep breath, and finally walked in.

He first went to the East Side Hall of Qianqing Palace, the room in the middle of the East Side Hall was specially pointed out by the Holy One to Anxi.

At the moment, there is a eunuch in his twenties standing guard in front of the door. The eunuch's name is Wang Fugui, who is close to Anxi, and has some friendship with Wei Qi.

Wei Qi took two steps forward, Wang Fugui had already seen him. "Wei Qi, come back as an errand?"

Wang Fugui was actually waiting for him here by Anxi's order.

I'm afraid that no one in Qianqing palace knows where he went and why he went, but it's just that he is ashamed to say this, and he has something to do with the person above.

Therefore, Wei Qi has never been greeted by a servant from a court lady during this journey.

Everyone just said long time no see.

Wei Qi naturally understood in his heart, so he breathed a sigh of relief, smiled as usual, and didn't mention the inner court supervisor.

The same is true for him and Wang Fugui at this moment. "Hey! You're back, you can't be lazy anymore, or Eunuch An won't give you the money!"

The two chatted and exchanged a few words of greeting, then entered the room, walked to the right and opened the red agate curtain, passed through the carved screen with six screens embroidered with beautiful landscape paintings, and saw Mrs. An sitting on the grand master's chair drinking tea.

Wei Qi didn't complain about Eunuch An in his heart, although he knew that he was only acting according to his will, and he must have mentioned the inner court supervisor later, otherwise his life would not be so comfortable.

However, although everyone understands the truth, it is hard to avoid letting go when things happen to them.

Furthermore, before this, Wei Qi had always respected Eunuch An very much, and felt that he was kind and kind, not as hypocritical as ordinary high-ranking eunuchs.

On the surface, he never intentionally flattered Eunuch An, but he was close to him in his heart.

Wei Qi forced a smile, and bowed his waist to salute: "Little Wei Qi, please greet Mr. An, Mr. An, Wanan."

An Xi exclaimed, and said, "Since I'm back, I'll be on duty tomorrow."

"Hey." Wei Qi respectfully responded.

An Xi sat at the top and looked at him, seeing that his face was calm and unwavering, neither resentment nor wronged, she sighed in her heart, knowing that he was blaming herself.

I'm sorry for him in this matter, but I really can't do anything about it. If the master takes a fancy to someone, it's just a matter of one word. How can the slaves control him?

"Okay, our family has to go back to the Holy Majesty's side to serve as an errand, you should step down first."

"Hey." Wei Qi bowed his head and stepped back. "

In the evening of that day, the emperor was still grading papers in the small study room in the inner palace of the Qianqing Palace after dinner, and Anxi stood behind him to serve.

After approving a booklet, the emperor wrote a few sentences with a vermilion pen, closed the booklet, and suddenly stopped and turned his head and asked, "The servant can go back?"

Anxi took a step forward, bowed his head and replied: "Return to the Holy Majesty, Wei Qi will be reinstated in the palace when he returned today, and the servant told him to go and rest first, and he will be on duty tomorrow morning."

"En." The emperor responded in a low voice, thought for a while and then said: "Tomorrow I will give him some inconspicuous gadgets and secretly reward him."

"Hey." Anxi was not surprised, this was the emperor's usual method of appeasement.

The emperor wanted to tell Anxi to let Wei Qi rest for a few more days, give him a slap and give him a sweet date, so that he could thank him.

Then he thought about how the slave struggled the first time, like a wild cat with sharp claws, and felt that this slave might not be as docile as he looked, maybe he was not easy to be educated, but he should not be too conniving, lest he rely on it Pampered and proud.

Wei Qi on this side only returned to his side room in the west side hall of Qianqing Palace after many days. Zhou Deshun, who lived with him, had not returned yet, presumably he was still working on errands.

There are more than 150 slaves in the Qianqing Palace, including more than [-] servants and [-] maids, divided into the outer hall, the outer courtyard, the inner hall, the inner courtyard, and the imperial front.

There are more than [-] servants in the outer hall and outer hall of the outer courtyard. They are in charge of sweeping and removing the courtyard, furnishing the palace, guarding the gate, watching the night, carrying water and adding tanks and other rough work.

There are a total of more than forty slaves in the inner hall of the inner courtyard, who are in charge of preparing for the needs, delivering the imperial decree, collecting and storing imperial items, and the daily food and clothing of the Holy Majesty.

There are more than forty slaves in the imperial court, including the eunuch Anxi, the chief executive of the imperial court.

Wei Qi was originally an eunuch in the inner palace, and two months ago the tea servant in front of the imperial court announced that he would return to his hometown, so he filled the vacancy.

The slaves on duty in Qianqing Palace, except Ru Anxi and a few senior father-in-laws, are not of high rank, so as to prevent the eunuchs from messing up the government.

However, because these slaves are close to the emperor, they still have to be respected and curry favor in the palace.

Even if the little eunuch who is sweeping the outer hall goes out, he can still be called a master by the little eunuch of the upper rank.

Wei Qi was not as cheerful as they were, and he would not easily leave the gate of Qianqing Palace if he had no errands on weekdays.

The people in this palace approach everyone with intentions, especially the emperor's close servants, who give you benefits and flattery are just trying to find out what the Holy One is thinking.

However, Qianqing Palace is not so easy to treat, the eyes of the Holy Majesty are placed everywhere in the palace, and when you go out of the main hall gate, there are people staring at every word and deed.

Wei Qi stayed in Qianqing Palace for nearly three years, and was promoted from an eunuch in the outer hall to an eunuch in the inner hall, and the people around him changed so many times that he is now here.

He knew the deep meaning of being cautious in words and deeds, and Guan Sheng's imperial servants were all dull gourds like him who seemed to keep silent.

Too many words and too many mistakes, only if you do your job well and satisfy your superiors can you live for a long time in this Forbidden City.

Wei Qi sat by the bed and read his son's book for a while, and Zhou Deshun came back half an hour later.

Not long after he arrived in Yuqian, Ta Tanli was built next to the vestibule of Qianqing Palace where he used to live.

Therefore, they only moved to the side room of the Xipian Hall two months ago, and their friendship with Zhou Deshun was only superficial.

Before going to bed that day, Wei Qi lay on the couch thinking that he would have to deliberately avoid the Holy Majesty tomorrow, in case the Holy Majesty would see him and come up with strange ideas.

After waiting for a few days, the Holy Majesty's interest faded away, he forgot about it, and went to Shoukang Palace to find the Empress Dowager, and coaxed her old man to transfer him back to work.

He thought about the way ahead, felt relieved for a moment, and finally fell asleep peacefully.

At Maoshi on the second day, it was just getting light outside when Wei Qi and Zhou Deshun, who lived with him, had already tidied things up.

Eunuch Quan Yuquan, the head eunuch in charge of the shift, led the former imperial eunuchs from the east and west side halls to the inner palace to pay their respects to the emperor's bedroom at the back of the Yangxin hall.

Wei Qi started to panic again along the way, since the incident last time, he hadn't seen Tian Yan for seven or eight days, remembering the cruelty of the emperor that night, he shivered violently.

Walking to the sleeping hall, Eunuch Quan went forward to bow down to the Holy One to say hello, and everyone stood in the distance with their hands down.

Eunuch Quan said a few words about the sage's well-being according to the usual routine, and then withdrew.

The rest of the eunuchs don't have to kneel down and salute, they can stand in their own seats and wait for orders from the Holy Majesty when the head eunuch retreats.

Wei Qixing stopped at a remote corner of the dormitory, where he was always on duty.

The eunuchs hung their arms to their sides like clay sculptures, not daring to move rashly.

Anxi and a few father-in-laws who were on duty served the Holy Majesty for breakfast, and then the Holy Majesty went to the inner study to read the memorial and receive the Minister of Internal Affairs.

The imperial eunuchs standing by the walls on both sides of the sleeping hall quietly followed behind, and filed out to the upper study room, where the emperor sat on the armchair and read the booklets, and now Wei Qi and the others really started to work on errands.

Those who stand in shifts inside and outside the house, serve tea and water, serve pens and inks, set up ice basins and shake fans, waiting for the orders of the Holy Majesty.

Serving tea in the inner study was Wei Qi's assignment just two months ago, and the eunuchs in front of the imperial court had to practice for two or three years in order to serve in front of the Holy Majesty.

When there is a vacancy in front of the Holy Majesty, the eunuch in charge will bring you to the imperial court when he sees that you are obedient, loyal, and clever.

Wei Qi was originally a little eunuch in charge of storage in the inner hall, because he was used to being quiet, so he was not very conspicuous.

Although he is careful and careful in doing things, he also likes to read books, and sometimes he talks very interestingly, which can often make everyone laugh, but he himself does not laugh, and he looks like this for some reason.

When she was on duty in the Shoukang Palace, the Empress Dowager loved him for this, she was always able to amuse people inadvertently, and she only gave you such flattering words when she was not popular.

Wei Qiben is a quiet slave.

In the past, there were those who didn't know the basics here, but after suffering for so many years, they were finally able to serve in front of the imperial court, and they were anxious to please the Holy One, and they behaved in various ways, but in the end they displeased the Holy One and sent them out .

"En." The Holy Majesty held the booklet in his left hand to read, and brought tea to drink with his right hand.

Wei Qi listened to the Holy Majesty's response, then bowed and backed away holding the vermilion lacquer tray.