There was a faint hint of fish belly white in the sky. Gradually, the fish belly took on a red warmth. A pale golden light gradually emerged from behind the clouds, and the entire Forbidden City was shrouded in a half-bright morning light.
It was quiet all around, except for the ministers and servants who lined up like fish and dragons in front of the Yangxin Hall, slowly walking up the jade steps, preparing to go to court.
On the road between the palace walls near the Anding Gate, a small dung cart drove in the distance. Before it could reach it, the eunuch on duty had already turned his face away with disgust.
In the Forbidden City, filthy waste was disposed of in dung buckets. The eunuchs gathered the dung buckets from each palace together, poured them into dung carts, and let the carts pull them out and dump them in specific places.
Early every morning, people from Xinzheku come to pull the dung truck and rush it to Andingmen. Then the dedicated people waiting there will deliver the filth to the surrounding countryside.
Little Yoko walked up and down the corridor along the palace wall many times until he saw the small dung truck. His eyes lit up and he immediately stepped forward and whispered: "Mouse!".
Following this call, the small dung truck suddenly stopped, and a thin figure slowly emerged from behind the truck.
If Xiao Yoko hadn't seen her before, no one would be able to connect the sallow-looking, skinny low-level servant in front of her with the former palace maid mouse with delicate features.
The person pushing the dung cart is none other than Mouse, the former palace maid of the noble family, and now the handyman of Xinzheku.
When the mouse heard someone calling her, she raised her head blankly, and her eyes searched aimlessly for a while before focusing on Little Yoko's face.
She stared at Little Yoko for a while, and finally grinned, a smile that was uglier than crying: "Little Yoko, you're here again."
Little Yoko had been waiting for a long time, and when he suddenly saw her smile, he felt sore in his eyes.
He lowered his head and said in a low voice: "Yes, I know that every fifth day, it is your turn to empty the dung truck on this road at this time. I...have been waiting for you here for a long time."
After he finished speaking, he took out a small coarse cloth package from his arms, opened it layer by layer, and said: "I have been keeping this bun in my arms and warming it with my chest. The weather is getting hot now, so it shouldn't be cold yet. You
Eat quickly, don't let anyone see you."
When the mouse saw those steamed buns, his eyes suddenly shone with light.
She took it, but before she could hold it firmly, she hurriedly stuffed it into her mouth one by one. Seeing this, Xiao Yoko's nose turned red, but he just covered it up and said harshly: "Slow down, there's more! There's more!".
He was afraid that the mice would see the expression on his face, which would make the two of them feel even more uncomfortable, so he turned his face and said, "This dung cart is too heavy, I will help you push it."
The mouse was still chewing with bulging cheeks. At this time, he shook his head and stepped forward to push Xiaoyang away. He just said: "No! If others see it and break the rules, it doesn't matter if I am punished, but I can't be implicated."
about you!".
Little Yoko remained motionless, only slowly holding the mouse's hand. The mouse trembled and looked up at him.
But Xiao Yoko had already lowered his head and just said in a low voice: "Let me come."
The mouse wanted to say something else, but after hearing his firm voice, he had no choice but to stop his hand. Fortunately, it was still early in the day, and at a glance, there was no one else on the corridor between the palace walls, except for a few sweeping eunuchs in the distance.
Mouse looked up at Xiaoyangzi and saw that his forehead was like an old scar, turning black and purple, and there were faint bloodstains in his hair, which had not yet healed. He couldn't help but feel distressed and resentful and said: "Xiaoyangzi, those people in Sasu...
…Did they bully you again?”.
Little Yoko immediately turned his face away, covered the scar on his forehead, only raised his eyebrows and smiled, and said nonchalantly: "It's all nonsense! Everything that doesn't happen is just swept on the palace road, and the masters are the ones who come and go. If it was really beaten,
, who can’t see it? Of course not.”
Xiao Miao knew that he was unwilling to tell the truth, so he didn't say much. He just said silently: "Brother Xiao Yoko, I know that you have always taken care of me like a sister. Not to mention that you only looked after me when Hai Guiren was here."
.
Even now, you are still like this, saving your rations for me every time, for fear that I will be bullied in Xinzheku and not even be able to eat."
She lowered her head and looked at the steamed buns in her hands, tears falling from her eyes, and she just said: "You gave me all the food, are you hungry?".
After saying that, she wrapped the remaining steamed buns in coarse cloth and stuffed them into Xiaoyangzi's hands again, saying: "Brother Xiaoyangzi, just eat it. If you don't eat at all, I won't eat it even in Xinzheku."
Peace of mind."
Little Yoko didn't take it, but just stood there, clenching his fists slightly, and said for a long time: "I am useless and can't protect you. Seeing you suffering like this in Xinzheku, I can't do anything."
Mouse smiled sadly and said: "You take yourself too seriously. You are said to be a slave, but you are the master. It was the Queen's intention to let me enter Xinzheku. How can you still let the Queen
Did the empress take back her life?".
She paused and said: "You said last time that the noble nobles in Jingyang Palace are very protective of you. I usually collect excrement buckets in each palace, and I also heard people say that the most popular people in the palace are now.
The most popular person is Ji Guiren, and even Concubine Nian's limelight has been suppressed. The emperor has not paid much attention to Yikun Palace for a long time.
There is such a good place, brother Xiao Yoko, you should think of a way, please be kind and noble to take you in, and you don't have to be a rough eunuch to sweep the palace. This job is too hard!
If Lord Naji is really a kind-hearted master, I would be relieved if you could go to her."
When she said this, she saw that Xiao Yoko ignored him and seemed unmoved, so she became a little anxious and said: "Brother Xiao Yoko, if you don't hurry up now, if Jigui gives birth to a little brother later, I am afraid that the concubine will be crowned a concubine."
Sooner or later, how many people will be waiting for the door of Jingyang Palace! Even if they break their heads, they won’t be able to squeeze in!"
Little Yoko didn't say anything. He was silent for a moment, then pushed up the dung drive again: "Let's go, I can't miss your time.".
The mouse looked at the lonely look in his eyes, thought a few times in his mind, and said softly: "Brother Xiao Yoko, could it be that the noble Lord Naji is a masked Bodhisattva?".
Little Yoko paused, shook his head vigorously, and said: "No! Master Jigui... is a very kind-hearted person, and I am very grateful to her!".
The mouse didn't understand why and said, "Then why don't you want to go?"
Little Yoko took a deep look at the mouse and said: "If I went and became a person in Jingyang Palace, how could I be like now, waiting for you on the palace road and looking after you all the time?".
After hearing this, Mouse was shocked. He raised his head and looked at Xiaoyangzi. At this time, the sun rose, illuminating the depth in his eyes.
Xiao Yoko said in a low voice: "Since before, when we were in Haiguiren's courtyard, you would always call me 'Brother Xiao Yoko', but do you know that I don't just treat you as my sister!".
