Chongzhen Sunset Song

?one

Silver, clothing, and exit tokens.

Xi Zhao pinched the corner of the exit token, looked at it anyway, and twitched the corner of her mouth in self-deprecating manner.Tomorrow, is it finally time to use it?A few days ago, I was still stepping on the blue clouds, and the holy light was shining, and I didn't pay attention to the dusty thing lying in the corner, but suddenly fell into the clouds, and this dusty back road became the only one. the way forward.Xi Zhao sighed, stuffed the token into the bag, thought for a while, and pulled out some clothes from the bag.In the suitcase of the old house in Baozhu Hutong, there is still a lot of silver, what to do with some clothes.With too much baggage, it will inevitably arouse suspicion when leaving the palace. After leaving the palace, these old clothes may cause melancholy again.Thinking about it, Xi Zhao put the clothes back into the cabinet and rearranged the small bag containing the silver.Suddenly, an object rolled out of the bag and landed on the ground with a clatter.Xizhao stopped her hands, and looked down, it turned out to be a small, smooth gourd.Little gourd?Xizhao was a little puzzled, and after a moment of stunned, he suddenly remembered, isn't this the little gourd handle he got from Uncle Gui many years ago when he moved out of the Southeast Library.

Uncle Ghost... Long time no see.Xizhao picked up the small gourd and looked it over, the old things came to mind faintly.So he put down the burden, carefully blew off the dust on the small gourd, clenched it tightly in the palm of his hand, turned and went out the door.

Counting it, I haven't been back to Southeast Library for several years.When he first entered Duzhi Prison, he would visit Uncle Gui during the holidays, but unknowingly, he didn't go again all these years.I don't know if Uncle Gui will blame me.Xizhao lit a lantern, thinking while walking slowly between the two palace walls.The sun is gone, a waning moon is crumbling under the bare treetops, the breeze is cold, and the uninhabited stone road looks desolate and lonely.The voice of people is faint, the light is dim, and in this dark corner of the palace, it seems that there will be ghosts and ghosts.Even with such a night scene, is there only one night left... The setting sun lightly supports the rough and uneven palace wall, and the originally bright red paint is as chaotic and muddy as caramel under the dim moonlight.Come on, let's go, it's okay to see such a night scene.Xi Zhao withdrew her hand holding the wall, retracted into her sleeve, quickened her pace, and headed towards the southeast library.

two

Tee, Tee, Tee.

"Uncle Gui, are you asleep?" Xi Zhao asked softly outside the door.

"come in."

Uncle Ghost's old voice came from inside the door.Xizhao opened the door and entered the room, only to see Uncle Gui still sitting on the rattan low chair, an oil lamp like a bean, burning quietly, the walls, tables and chairs in the room, all emitting a faintly familiar scent. Medicinal fragrance.

"Uncle Ghost hasn't rested yet. How are you doing recently?"

Holding the little gourd, Xi Zhao sat down on the creaking chair by the window as usual after greeting her.The furnishings, light, color, breath, and the indifferent uncle, nothing has changed. It seems that time has bypassed this unremarkable room, only rushing through the cracks in the wall, without taking away a single bit of the room. cents.And in this room filled with medicinal fragrance, Xi Zhao seemed to have forgotten the passage of time in a trance, as if he had never left Dongnan Library, and the last time he was here was just yesterday.

"You are in good health." Uncle Gui smiled lightly, "I have been waiting for you. In the evening, the bird blew three times on the eaves. I think it must be that you are coming."

"Oh?" Xi Zhao felt a little strange, only to hear Uncle Gui continue to say: "I haven't seen you for a long time, and now I'm here, but I have encountered some troublesome troubles again?"

"...Uncle Ghost knows me." Xi Zhao blushed, lowered her head and smiled, and played with the little gourd in her hand. He stopped his hands, stood up, and cupped his hands, "Dexiu is about to leave the palace, and I'm here to bid farewell to Uncle Ghost."

"Is it... because of what the emperor said?" Uncle Gui still looked determined, as if he knew everything already.

"What? You already know." Xi Zhao was surprised again.

"I just know a thing or two." Gui Bo got up and poured a cup of tea for Xi Zhao.

"As expected, I can't hide anything from Uncle Gui." Xi Zhao smiled miserably and sat down, "This time, my fate with this imperial palace is finally over."

Uncle Gui's eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't answer directly, he just coughed a few times, and sat back on the wicker chair: "What did the emperor say, which made you so disheartened and just wanted to leave."

"Actually, it doesn't hinder the emperor. It's because I'm confused, I don't know the level, I don't know the depth." Xi Zhao lowered her head and said slowly, with a listless look, "I think so, no matter what, I'm just a slave, just do something Self-righteous wishful thinking should be rejected by the emperor, and it should be."

Wrinkles gathered at the corners of Ghost Uncle's mouth, and he seemed to smile: "Since you have thought clearly, why bother to leave."

"So what if I don't leave? The emperor doesn't want me anymore, what's the point of staying in the palace." Xizhao said, "Besides, you know me too. I can't stay in the palace for a long time. Why don't I go? clean."

"Hmm..." Uncle Ghost nodded, paused, and then said slowly, "Where are you going after you leave the palace? You left the emperor without saying goodbye, and I'm afraid you won't be able to stay in the capital anymore. "

"This..." Xi Zhao was taken aback for a moment.In the past few days, my heart has been filled with sadness and conflicts, and I actually forgot to think about this issue. "Where to go... I haven't decided yet. In short, there is nothing to worry about, and it's the same wherever you go. Wherever you can accommodate me, you can go there."

As the oil lamp dimmed, Uncle Gui picked up a small stick and picked out the wick.The thin fingers reflected the light, like pine and cypress branches, dry but vigorous. "Hehe...the sky is so vast, how can there be any place that can't accommodate you." Uncle Ghost leaned back lightly on the back of the chair, with a smile on his face, "I can accommodate you, but you can't accommodate it. That's all."

"This... how could it be a single thought." Xi Zhao was depressed and didn't care to appreciate the meaning of Uncle Gui's words. He answered casually, then fell silent for a moment, then stood up suddenly, with red eye circles, faintly moved: " It’s just that after this trip, I can’t come back. I don’t know if I can see you again in this life. Thanks to your gift of magic medicine, Dexiu has been able to keep the secret all these years, safe and sound. I want to be with you back then Dongnanku has been with each other, and it is still the most warm and happy time since Dexiu entered the palace. Dexiu will go, and the uncle’s kindness will never be repaid. Please accept Dexiu’s worship here. No matter where you are in the future, Dexiu In this life, I will never forget Uncle Gui's kindness."

Saying that, Xi Zhao flicked her skirt, knelt on the ground, folded her hands high, and bowed deeply to the ground.Uncle Gui wrinkled, and hurriedly got up from the rattan chair to help Xizhao: "You are an old man, what kindness do you have, to receive such a great gift. Good boy, get up, get up." When Xizhao stood up, he stood up again Resuming his usual indifference, he walked slowly towards the rattan chair with his hands behind his back.

"However, there is no need to tell too early about the future. Everything in the world is unpredictable..." Uncle Gui sat back on the wicker chair and smiled meaningfully, "What will happen in the next moment, probably only God knows."

three

It was almost Haishi when I left Gui Bo's place.Knowing that Bi Tao is well, and saying goodbye to Uncle Gui, Xi Zhao felt as if everything had come to an end, even though she had no more thoughts, she was left with nothingness.That's it, this period of dreamlike days is over.To be able to have a dream beside my parents and benefactors today, God really treats me well.It's just... When Xi Zhao thought of the emperor, his heart suddenly sank.Although I have been trying my best to restrain my heart with reason, there are always memories that sneak out inadvertently and harass Xi Zhao's thoughts wantonly.In the south study room, in the imperial garden, in the old house of Baozhu, in the west mountain of Fengyang... the past is vivid in my mind, I say that all these are just dreams, but how can I make myself willing...

As the cold wind blew past, Xi Zhao took a deep breath of cold air, feeling a coldness from his throat to his chest.This cold shock made people extremely sober, but it was also painful to bear. This indescribable feeling was exactly like Xi Zhao's current state of mind.

——It would be great if everything could just freeze.

All the way back to the residence absent-mindedly, Xi Zhao pushed open the half-hidden door, and the room was as dark as ink.The brazier should not be extinguished. Once you enter the room, you will be greeted with dry warmth mixed with the smell of charcoal, and a hint of sandalwood fragrance mixed in it, which seems to not belong to this room.For some reason, this strand of sandalwood evokes some nostalgia in Xi Zhao's heart, but this nostalgia only wanders between the five senses, flickering, and cannot be remembered for a while.Xi Zhao didn't care too much, and went straight to the lamp to look for fire pockets, ready to light the lamp, undress and go to bed.

"Cough cough..."

Suddenly, an unnatural cough sounded from the dark place behind him, Xi Zhao was startled, turned around suddenly, and vaguely saw a person sitting there.

"Who!" Xi Zhao's hairs stood on end, she backed away in shock, bumped into the Eight Immortals table, and kicked the four-legged stool over with a bang.The lantern in his hand also swayed with the flustered footsteps of the setting sun, and the light and shadow in the room flickered for a while.

"Don't be afraid. It's me."

"Emperor... Your Majesty?" Xi Zhao collected himself, held the lantern steady, and raised it to identify it carefully.That figure, together with the voice, is indeed the emperor.Xi Zhao let out a long breath, and stroked his chest: "Why doesn't the emperor light the lamp, it's frightening the villain." Saying that, he took out the fire pocket and lit the gauze lamp.The soft and warm light gradually filled the room, and the man in green clothes and plain hat sitting at one end of the room was Chongzhen.

After calming down, Xi Zhao realized that this was the first meeting between the two parties after the emperor kicked him out of the Hall of Martial Arts last time.Chongzhen looked at the sunset with hesitation, as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't speak for a long time.The shadow of the lamp flickered delicately as if with ulterior motives, other than that, there was only an embarrassing silence in the room.I don't know why the emperor came here?Xizhao put away the fire and stood dryly, feeling at a loss what to do, so she turned around and took out a can of tea from the pear blossom cabinet to make tea for Chongzhen.The tea slowly flowed out from the spout of the purple sand pot, and a cloud of white mist formed on the mouth of the cup. Xizhao covered the cup, picked up the teacup, and gently placed it on the coffee table by Chongzhen's hand.Unable to guess the reason for the emperor's visit, Xizhao felt anxious and uneasy, but the unexpected arrival of the emperor made Xizhao quietly feel a little expectation in the midst of uneasiness. More, the mind is subtly entangled, making serving tea, which is so common, seems to be as heavy as Mount Tai, one by one, do it carefully, still hesitant.

"If your Majesty has something to do, just summon the villain. He Lao Shengjia... come here in person." Putting the teacup on the table safely, Xi Zhao finally spoke first, breaking the silence.

"I heard that you have contracted a cold, let me see how you are..." Chongzhen coughed again, and said slowly.

wind chill?By the way, I catch a cold occasionally. "Thanks to the emperor's blessing, the villain has recovered, thank you for your concern." Xi Zhao hurriedly thanked him.

"Well, it's good to recover..." Chongzhen nodded, but was speechless for a while.The emperor just sat in front of him like this, if it was in the past, Xi Zhao would immediately make a big salute and make a long bow, so as to apologize to the emperor.But for Xizhao this time, it is not just a simple apology that can be passed on in a flash; but on this last night when he is about to leave the palace and the emperor, what he wants to say is not as simple as an apology Painless, insignificant...

Just when Xi Zhao was silently hesitating, Chong Zhen seemed to finally be unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, took a hasty sip of tea, put down the cup, got up and walked towards the door.Xizhao was in a state of confusion, so she had to follow her off in a hurry.But Chongzhen walked a few steps, but stopped again, cleared his throat, and said:

"Since he is cured...tomorrow the Taimiao worships the ancestors, so let's go with me."

"Your Majesty...!" Xi Zhao's eyes lit up suddenly.

With his back to the sunset, Chongzhen hid his face in the dark, stopped talking for a while, and then spoke again, his voice was abnormally low and hoarse:

"Ever since Feng Yang came back to this palace, I've been depressed and uncontrollable, and I can't help but say serious things, don't take it too seriously."

"Your Majesty, why did you say such a thing? You're such a villain!" I didn't expect the Emperor to apologize first. Xi Zhao's heart felt hot, and she fell to the ground, pouring out her confession, "Your Majesty is upset, Dexiu should have understood." Yes, it is Dexiu who is stupid, stupid, does not know the depth of things, does not know the severity of words, and angered the emperor, Dexiu deserves death, please punish the emperor!"

"You are more than guilty and deserve death." Chongzhen said hard words, but he turned his head halfway, and there was a gentle smile in his eyes, "It's just that you are dead, who else will call me?" grown ups."

"Your Majesty..." Xi Zhao raised her head in a daze, her eyes soured, and two big teardrops rolled down.The chest that was still covered with frost a moment ago was instantly filled with eager joy, as if spring flowers were warmed up in the harsh winter, and big and big flowers were competing to bloom.It turned out that the emperor needed him just as he had imagined; it turned out that it was not a ridiculous self-indulgence.One word, fall from heaven to hell, one sentence, jump from hell to heaven again, the emperor's words are like magic spells, making Xi Zhao's heart sway like this, unable to control herself.In those long years of loneliness and helplessness, Xi Zhao never thought that her mood could be so closely tied to a person's joy and anger as it is today; I thought that there is a place where I can easily keep myself for a moment, firm and firm, determined, willing, and never leave.

That night, Xizhao took out the exit token from the package and resolutely threw it into the brazier.Seeing the token being gradually blackened and engulfed by the charcoal fire, Xi Zhao's heart was as firm as iron:

If it's a dream, then dream it!In short, it is a life of no one to rely on, no worries and no worries, the big deal is to dream of dying!