Xiao Chengzi, this is the name of a eunuch, his original name was Tang Cheng.
However, what is not consistent with the cute name "Little Chengzi" is that Tang Cheng is an unsmiling and ruthless eunuch. He is the eunuch of Emperor Yongle. From the 11th year since he entered the palace in the fourth year of Jianwen to the present, he has always been...
Apart from Zheng He, the "grandfather of the country", he was the eunuch who was most valued by the emperor. People in the palace generally called him "Tang Gong".
Today, the great eunuch is almost sixty years old, but no one can shake his position as the head of the eunuchs.
Although Tang Cheng served the royal family, he had nothing to do with the princes. Even when facing the prince, he had no flattery. In his eyes, except for the emperor, the rest of the people were not worth paying attention to.
value.
However, Tang Cheng looked at the young prince Qi in a different light, not because Qi was so outstanding, but because... he looked different compared to other princes.
Regardless of whether it was the Crown Prince, the King of Han, the King of Zhao, or Tang Cheng, he only saw deep calculations in them. He always judged people very accurately, and even the always kind-hearted Crown Prince could not avoid it.
As for King Qi, Tang Cheng would feel a little surprised every time he saw this King Qi. This young prince always seemed to have a smile as warm as the sun on his face, and people couldn't help but have a good impression of him.
Smiling like a...fool.
Tang Cheng has always thought so, although it is an extremely disrespectful idea.
Until he saw with his own eyes the young prince holding a sword and beating to death the Imperial Censor of the Imperial Palace Youdu in the Fengtian Palace.
"Uncle Tang."
The young voice pulled Tang Cheng from his memories to reality. In front of him was the magnificent Qianqing Palace, and the young man wearing the prince's costume - Prince Qi.
Tang Cheng said calmly: "The emperor is waiting for you in the back hall."
Zhu Gaojie nodded and was walking towards the back hall, but stopped again and turned to look at the elderly eunuch: "The weather in Jinling has turned cold. Why don't you pay attention at your age? Remember
Put on some thick clothes when you go back."
His tone of voice was very easy-going and reprimanding, as if he was teaching an ignorant child.
Since King Yan ascended the throne, Tang Cheng has never encountered anyone who dared to speak to him in this tone.
Except for His Majesty the Emperor, whoever sees him, Mr. Tang, is not allowed to offer an offering with respect?
"I know." Tang Cheng responded calmly.
He has become accustomed to King Qi's outrageous behavior. If it is said to be outrageous, what could be more outrageous than when King Qi called him "Uncle Tang" just now?
How can a prince call a eunuch "uncle"?
However, Prince Qi knew the general situation and never called out "Uncle Tang" in the presence of a third person, so Tang Cheng never cared about it.
It was like a little secret between two people, which made Tang Cheng feel a long-lost warmth in the cold palace hall.
"Don't forget, I'll go in first." After Zhu Gaojie warned him, he went straight to the back hall of Qianqing Palace.
The old Tang Cheng looked at the back of the young prince, with a little tenderness in his cold eyes.
……
Zhu Gaojie didn't really think that much. For him, Tang Cheng was an elder worthy of respect.
Long before the Battle of Jingnan, this unsmiling Mr. Tang was a loyal old servant in Prince Yan's palace, accompanying the four brothers as they grew up.
After King Yan ascended the throne and became Emperor Yongle, everything changed. The four brothers drifted apart, and the old servant Xiao Chengzi also became the eunuch Tang Gong.
But in Zhu Gaojie's heart, Tang Cheng will always be the old servant who accompanied the four brothers when they grew up.
He walked into the back hall of the Qianqing Palace and saw His Majesty the Emperor half-reclining on a dragon bed covered with a gold-threaded blanket, holding a roll of thread-bound books. Although he was reading, he was taking a nap with his eyes closed.
"My son Zhu Gaojie, I would like to say hello to the Holy Spirit." Zhu Gaojie bowed and saluted.
Zhu Di slowly opened his eyes, with barely noticeable tiredness in his eyes, and said, "I thought you wouldn't come."
"The emperor summoned me. I dare not not come." Zhu Gaojie replied.
Zhu Di raised his eyebrows and asked, "When did I summon you?"
"You rewarded all the generals of the Southern Expedition Army at the Fengtian Palace, but you didn't say a word to me." Zhu Gaojie said calmly, "This is actually a hint to my son to come to you for mercy after he retires from the court. Reward, right?"
Zhu Di was silent for a while and said with a smile: "Why don't you pretend to be stupid this time?"
"Because you have pushed me to a position where I cannot pretend to be stupid." Zhu Gaojie said calmly, "You have let me marry the British prince, and you have made me have a deadly feud with the King of Han. Otherwise, the King of Han would not I lost the military power in my hand. Although His Highness the Crown Prince has never shown hostility towards me, he has become wary of me. If I continue to pretend to be stupid, it will be a recipe for death."
After the Han king's party's plan to impeach the British prince failed, Zhu Di deprived the Han king of military power. Zhu Gaojie seemed to have a good relationship with the prince, but in fact it was impossible for the prince to relax his vigilance against Zhu Gaojie, who had taken over the Southwest Army.
Zhu Di's eyes became more and more unfathomable: "Do you hate me?"
Zhu Gaojie shook his head: "I don't dare."
"You really don't dare?" Zhu Di said with interest, "You are very courageous. Is there anything else that you don't dare to do?"
Zhu Di pressed forward step by step, forcing Zhu Gaojie into a desperate situation.
No matter whether he answers or not at this time, it will not be a good thing.
Because Zhu Di's question is inherently a paradox, no matter what Zhu Gaojie answers, it is wrong.
After a long time, Zhu Gaojie said slowly: "Your Majesty, have you eaten?"
Zhu Di was stunned for a moment and touched his chin: "Eat."
"I'm a little hungry, are you in charge of the food here?" Zhu Gaojie blinked.
Zhu Di: "..."
No matter, get out!
This unexpected answer left Zhu Di speechless. It would be too hasty to say that this was a change of topic.
But with the words "Have you eaten?", Zhu Di suddenly lost the interest to continue questioning.
……
Although we were dining with the emperor, there were no dragon liver, phoenix gallbladder or delicacies on the table, but very simple home-cooked dishes.
Steamed tofu with soy sauce, Xuzhou gift meat, stir-fried vegetables, and four seasons seafood soup.
Ordinary three dishes and one soup, Zhu Gaojiu devoured the hot white rice.
Zhu Di raised his forehead and said, "Look at the way you eat. You don't think it's embarrassing, but I do."
"It's rare for the imperial chef to open a small stove, so I can't open my stomach to eat." Zhu Gaojie wiped the rice grains from the corners of his mouth.
Zhu Di raised his eyebrows and said, "If you like it, just transfer a few cooks from the four departments and two bureaus of Guanglu Temple."
"My minister is very lucky, and the chef in the palace is still working, so there is no need to go to such trouble." Zhu Gaojie wiped the greasy corners of his mouth with a handkerchief and said, "This meal is almost enough. Should the emperor and my minister be together?"
Are you talking about business?"
Zhu Di said calmly: "We just have a meal, what else can we do?"
Zhu Gaojie smiled but said nothing.
He was embarrassed to expose the old man's face, but the old man seemed to be pretending to be addicted?