SFS #428 - Tell you a secret
#428 - Tell you a secret
Liang Jin looked up and saw a lithe figure in the distance, as nimble as a falcon, landing on the sentry tower.
From the neatness of the movement alone, Liang Jin could tell that this person's martial arts had at least reached the Third Rank.
Moreover, Liang Jin had seen this person before.
It was Hong Wei, the Deputy Commander of the Southern Forbidden Army.
Liang Jin couldn't help but feel a myriad of emotions.
He still remembered the first time he met Hong Wei; at that time, he was as insignificant as an ant in Hong Wei's presence.
But now, times had changed, and Liang Jin already possessed the strength to defeat Hong Wei.
Liang Jin didn't stare at Hong Wei.
For a master of Hong Wei's level, even a few extra glances could make him sense something.
So, Liang Jin quietly slipped down from the high corridor like a cat, soundlessly, and returned to his post, standing guard as usual.
Today, taking advantage of the opportunity to help Su Lian, Liang Jin also tested the reaction of the Imperial Palace's Forbidden Army system to emergencies.
This gave him a general idea of the situation.
The Prince of Huaiyang, Zhao Yu, in the iron cage, had been staring intently at Liang Jin's every move from beginning to end.
The commotion made by the Forbidden Army earlier naturally didn't escape his ears either.
At this moment, his eyes were completely devoid of their usual foolish appearance, replaced by utter astonishment.
Liang Jin felt his gaze, turned his head, and grinned at him.
Upon seeing this, Zhao Yu instantly put on that silly smile again:
"Hehe."
The laughter of the two echoed in this small corner, and then quickly returned to silence.
Before long, the commotion of the Forbidden Army gradually subsided.
The so-called assassin was naturally not found.
Liang Jin's movements of releasing and收回 the battle puppet were extremely swift. Apart from the two Forbidden Army soldiers, no one else saw the so-called assassin.
Even the sentry on the watchtower only blew the horn because they noticed the abnormal behavior of the two Forbidden Army soldiers.
These two Forbidden Army soldiers were naturally subjected to a scolding from their superiors. After the scolding, they could only return to their posts, crestfallen.
After all, the blockade and search that could be done had already been carried out, but the assassin was still nowhere to be seen. Therefore, it could only be speculated that the assassin probably didn't exist.
Moreover, the Forbidden Army, serving in the Imperial Palace, inherently bore a heavier psychological burden than ordinary soldiers, so it was not entirely impossible for them to have hallucinations.
The superiors didn't want to cause trouble for themselves, let alone make trouble out of nothing, so they could only order increased vigilance, and the matter was dropped.
......
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Imperial Palace.
Inside the Laundry Bureau.
Guo Min had already dressed carefully, wearing neat formal attire, with exquisite head ornaments, and her luggage was neatly packed.
A palace maid leaving the palace was a serious and solemn matter in the palace, and the entire process had a set of cumbersome procedures.
Now that Guo Min was ready, most of the procedures had been completed smoothly.
At this moment, she stood quietly in the courtyard of the Laundry Bureau, waiting for the Chief Eunuch of the Office of Palace Affairs to come and complete the final procedures.
The palace maids around her came and went, and whenever they passed by Guo Min, they couldn't help but glance at her.
In the past, when these palace maids saw Guo Min, they would respectfully call her "Clerk," or at least "Aunt."
But now, not only did they no longer address her, but they also whispered and even ridiculed her unscrupulously.
"That old hag is finally leaving!"
"After waiting for so many years, we've finally seen her go. Our good days are coming."
"Look at her haggard appearance. After doing so many wicked things, she definitely won't live long!"
......
The palace maids had been beaten and scolded by Guo Min a lot on weekdays, and now that Guo Min was about to leave, they were all gloating, eager to see her lonely appearance.
Especially before, they didn't dare to scold Guo Min casually even behind her back, but today they could secretly scold her to their heart's content, without worrying about being reported or being held accountable later.
As the saying goes, when people leave, the tea cools.
Guo Min had actually been mentally prepared for this.
But she never expected that before she even stepped out of the palace gate, the "tea" had already gone cold.
Guo Min knew in her heart that she had indeed offended many people in the Laundry Bureau over the years and was disliked.
But she always felt that she was capable and well-organized. After so many years in the Laundry Bureau, she should have earned some people's respect.
But she never thought that what others respected was only her position as Clerk.
Yesterday, she had just handed over the position of Clerk to her successor, and today, no one showed her any respect.
Even as she was about to leave the palace, and her heart was full of trepidation and fear for the future, no one was willing to accompany her, comfort her, or see her off.
This showed how much the people in the Laundry Bureau hated her.
"I don't care!"
Guo Min gritted her teeth in her heart and said.
She still remembered that when her predecessor left, she had told her that some people were highly respected and received many people to see them off before leaving the palace, seemingly infinitely glorious.
However, once they stepped out of the palace gate, the inside and outside of the palace became two completely different worlds, with no more intersection between them.
So, there was actually no difference between having someone see you off and having no one see you off.
Guo Min naturally understood this principle.
"Don't come to see me off, I don't care!"
"After a while, I will leave the palace, and from then on, I will have no connection with you!"
"A bunch of ungrateful wretches!"
Guo Min gritted her teeth and cursed fiercely in her heart.
Although she said so, she couldn't help but feel a pang of soreness in her nose.
Humans are not plants, how can they be without feelings? Guo Min had stayed in this Laundry Bureau for nearly twenty years after all, and had been with these people for so long.
Now that she was about to leave completely, but found that everyone hated her so much, she couldn't help but feel all kinds of unpleasant feelings in her heart.
Just then, a sound of footsteps came.
Guo Min's heart stirred slightly. Could it be that someone was really coming to see her off?
She hurriedly looked over with joy, only to see two people slowly walking in from the gate of the Office of Palace Affairs.
When Guo Min saw who it was, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.
The two people were the eunuchs of the Office of Palace Affairs. The one walking in front was the Chief Eunuch of the Office of Palace Affairs.
Guo Min hurriedly saluted the two, because she knew that the two had come to give her the final instructions.
The Chief Eunuch stood up straight with his head held high, and said in a high-pitched voice:
"Guo Min, Clerk of the Laundry Bureau, is leaving the palace today!"
"Remember, palace maids who have already left the palace are not allowed to enter the palace again, are not allowed to reveal anything about the palace, are not allowed to ask this palace's Chief Eunuch to send messages on their behalf, and are not allowed to send people to the palace gate to greet their masters."
"According to the records of the Imperial Household Department, Guo Min has been in the palace for more than fifteen years. According to the rules, she will be given a reward of thirty taels of silver on the day of her departure!"
After speaking, the Chief Eunuch gently raised his hand, and a few pieces of silver appeared in his palm.
He reached out and handed the silver to Guo Min.
But after doing all this, the Chief Eunuch didn't leave, but stood in front of Guo Min, looking at her with squinted eyes.
Guo Min knew in her heart that if the Chief Eunuch didn't arrange for a servant to lead the way, she wouldn't be able to leave the palace gate today.
So, Guo Min hurriedly took half of the thirty taels of silver and handed it to the Chief Eunuch's palm, and said respectfully:
"Thank you, Eunuch!"
The Chief Eunuch glanced at the silver in his hand, the corner of his mouth slightly raised, and then he put it into his sleeve.
Then he ordered the servant beside him:
"Xiao Fuzi, lead Guo Min out of the palace."
After speaking, the Chief Eunuch turned and left.
The little eunuch called Xiao Fuzi immediately said in a shrill voice:
"Guo Min, follow me."
As he spoke, he took Guo Min and left the Laundry Bureau, heading towards the distance.
Xiao Fuzi walked very fast, not waiting for Guo Min at all, obviously wanting to end this errand as soon as possible.
Guo Min took a few steps, but couldn't help but look back at the Laundry Bureau one last time.
She came to this place at the age of thirteen, spending the best years of her life here.
Now that she was able to leave, she should have been happy, but for some reason, her eyes were wet and her heart was full of sadness.
Just then, Guo Min saw many palace maids gathered at the entrance of the Laundry Bureau.
She couldn't help but feel a burst of joy, could it be that they were here to see her off?
But Guo Min quickly saw clearly that these palace maids were pointing and gesturing at her from afar, laughing non-stop.
This made Guo Min's heart surge with anger again:
"The people here don't like me, so why should I be attached to this place?"
"Even if someone is willing to see me off now, I will definitely not look back!"
Guo Min muttered to herself, while turning her head and continuing forward.
Her heart was full of melancholy, and even her breathing seemed to carry a deep sigh.
Even because tears blurred her vision, she hurriedly wiped away the tears with her fingers.
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Those people hated her and were hoping to see her in a miserable state.
She must not cry in front of those people!
Suddenly!
A shout came:
"Auntie! Auntie!"
Guo Min's heart jumped.
Auntie? Are they calling me?
It must not be!
Now everyone is laughing at her, how could anyone still be willing to call her auntie?
Guo Min sighed secretly and continued to walk forward.
But the voice was getting closer and closer, accompanied by a burst of hurried footsteps:
"Auntie! Auntie, wait for me!"
Guo Min only felt that this voice was extremely familiar.
She told herself that she must not look back.
If some palace maid deliberately tried to make things difficult for her or tease her, then she would lose even her last bit of dignity.
So Guo Min quickened her pace, wanting to leave this sad place as soon as possible.
But at this moment, the sound of footsteps had already reached behind Guo Min, accompanied by a burst of hurried panting:
"Auntie, I finally caught up with you!"
"Luckily I made it, didn't miss it."
Only then did Guo Min stop.
She straightened her back and turned her head to look, with a stern face.
This look greatly surprised her:
"Xiao Lian?"
The person who came was Su Lian.
Guo Min remembered clearly that Su Lian had not worked in the Laundry Bureau for a long time, she had already gone to the harem to serve the Consort.
Could it be that she... came here specifically to see her off?
This made Guo Min dare not believe it, and also difficult to believe.
In this palace, human relationships are inherently indifferent, Su Lian was no longer her subordinate, so how could she come to see her off?
What's more, she hadn't been very kind to Su Lian in her early years.
"You... why are you here?"
Guo Min deliberately made her voice sound understated, and even deliberately showed a heartless and indifferent appearance.
But only her voice unconsciously carried a trace of trembling and a bit of anticipation.
Su Lian tightly grabbed Guo Min's hand, her eyes suddenly turned red:
"Auntie, once you leave, I'm afraid I'll never see you again."
"So no matter what, I have to come and see you off."
Guo Min's eyes trembled slightly.
Indeed!
She really came to see her off!
At this moment, Guo Min couldn't help but feel excited.
Who said that no one would see her off? There was still someone who came!
Especially since the one who came was the most promising one among her subordinates!
Just then, Xiao Fuzi frowned and urged impatiently:
"Guo Min, let's go!"
"You really don't understand the rules, farewells should have been taken care of before we came, how can you still be dawdling now."
"Let's go, don't delay my time!"
Even as he spoke, Xiao Fuzi reached out to pull Guo Min away.
Guo Min bit her lip, then quickly took out five taels of silver and stuffed it into Xiao Fuzi's hand:
"Please make it convenient for us, Eunuch, we'll be done soon."
If it had been before, Guo Min would have felt that spending five taels of silver just to say a few more words was simply incurable.
But now, she spent it willingly.
Xiao Fuzi weighed the silver in his palm, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face:
"Then hurry up, I'll wait for you for a while."
As he spoke, Xiao Fuzi thoughtfully walked away a little, leaving Guo Min and Su Lian with space to talk alone.
Guo Min turned to look at Su Lian, her heart filled with mixed feelings, and couldn't help but sigh:
"Xiao Lian... I didn't expect that the person who came to see me off in the end would be you."
"I really didn't expect it..."
"Auntie wasn't good enough to you before, if I could start over, I would definitely treat you well."
Guo Min's words were not polite, but a sincere expression.
Su Lian was already a sentimental person, and now hearing Guo Min's words, she couldn't hold back any longer, and tears welled up in her eyes:
"Auntie, you've actually been very good to me."
"If it weren't for Auntie, I would still be washing clothes in the Laundry Bureau every day now."
"This time Auntie is leaving, I prepared a gift for Auntie."
As she spoke, Su Lian hurriedly took out a hairpin from her arms.
It was a delicate ox horn hairpin, with exquisite carvings and very beautiful.
"Auntie, you can wear it in the future, and when you see it, you can think of me."
Su Lian gently put the ox horn hairpin into Guo Min's hand.
Guo Min held the ox horn hairpin tightly, and tears finally couldn't help but fall from her eyes.
When Su Lian saw Guo Min crying, she couldn't help but burst into tears herself.
While crying loudly, she "plop!" knelt down to Guo Min:
"I entered the palace when I was young and had no relatives, first I recognized two older brothers, and later I met Auntie."
"Auntie has taught me so much over the years, in my heart you are my real auntie."
"Now that Auntie is leaving, I will no longer be able to serve you in the future, now I will kowtow to Auntie a few times, which can be regarded as paying my respects to Auntie!"
As she spoke, Su Lian kowtowed a few loud "dong dong dong!" times.
At this moment, Guo Min could no longer pretend to be indifferent, and the emotions in her heart surged out like a tide.
She hurriedly squatted down, stopped Su Lian from continuing to kowtow, then hugged Su Lian tightly, and also began to cry.
At this moment, Guo Min's heart was full of joy.
She not only maintained her dignity, proving to the palace maids in the distance who were waiting to see her make a fool of herself that she was not without anyone to see her off.
More importantly, Guo Min suddenly felt that it was worth it to have worked in the Laundry Bureau for so many years.
After all, in this extremely indifferent palace, there was actually someone who sincerely cared about her.
Guo Min regretted that she hadn't treated Su Lian well before, but fortunately, it wasn't too late now.
She leaned close to Su Lian's ear and said in a low voice:
"Xiao Lian, listen to me. This palace is like a dragon's pool and a tiger's den, and you can easily cause a great disaster if you are not careful."
"Now I am about to be free, but you still have to stay here for more than ten years. Especially you, this girl, are like a child who never grows up, and you don't let people worry at all, I can't rest assured about you."
"So... I want to tell you a secret."
"If nothing happens, then you have to keep this secret buried in your stomach for the rest of your life, and you must never tell anyone."
"If one day you offend a noble and face the great crime of losing your head, then you can tell this secret."
"At that time, this secret may save your life."