EBE Chapter 354 A Little Eunuch Arrives
Chapter 354 A Little Eunuch Arrives
Only then did Zhou Chang see that there was another person behind the crowd.
The man had his head covered and his face was dirty, so his appearance could not be seen clearly. He was wearing the gray uniform of a low-ranking eunuch in the palace, but the clothes were already in tatters.
When he saw Zhou Chang, he didn't know whether he was exhausted or afraid, he fell to his knees, not daring to look up: "Yi, Your Highness Prince Yi..."
"Your Highness, this is..." Uncle Qiu was about to introduce the man.
But the man spoke boldly again: "I am Xiao Jiangzi, your servant, and I pay my respects to His Royal Highness Prince Yi."
Zhou Chang frowned. He was a eunuch in the palace, but Prince Yi had no memory of this person.
The skinny monkey behind him seemed to remember something and ran over to take a closer look: "Xiao Jiangzi? Are you Xiao Jiangzi from the Imperial Household Department?"
"Brother Hou, it's me, wuwu..." Little Jiangzi seemed to have seen a relative, and he hugged the skinny monkey's arm and sobbed.
The skinny monkey helped Xiao Jiangzi up, but Xiao Jiangzi insisted on kneeling and didn't get up, as if he had something to say.
Uncle Qiu watched from the side and shook his head repeatedly, his face full of heartache.
Zhou Chang also walked closer to find out what was going on.
Little Jiangzi kowtowed to Zhou Chang and said, "Please be kind, Your Highness, and take me in."
"Huh?" Zhou Chang was confused.
Xiao Jiangzi was not very old, about the same age as the skinny monkey, but he was skinny, just like the skinny monkey before. He had a weak face, thin eyebrows, thin eyes, thin lips, and a pointed jaw. He seemed even more delicate than delicate.
Uncle Qiu said, "Your Majesty, this child is so pitiful. We are discussing whether to report this to Your Majesty and ask Your Majesty to take him in."
"You all know him?" Zhou Chang wondered why only she or Prince Yi had no impression at all.
Uncle Qiu replied, "Xiao Jiangzi was originally from the Palace's Imperial Household Department. He is about the same age as Monkey. We met each other before when we were in the palace. When the prince got married a few days ago, he was also one of the people sent by the Imperial Household Department to help. Who would have thought that he would be kicked out of the palace after just a few days."
"Why were you kicked out of the palace?" Zhou Chang asked Xiao Jiangzi directly.
Xiao Jiangzi kowtowed again and said, "Your Highness Prince Yi, I was originally in the Imperial Household Department, but was later transferred to the Imperial Kitchen. A few days ago, I was wrongly accused by Chief Steward Liu of eating Concubine Yi's cakes and was beaten with thirty sticks and kicked out. Your Highness Prince Yi, I swear to heaven that I absolutely did not steal anything from the master. The cakes were originally given to me as a reward from the master's leftovers, but I didn't expect to be arrested before I had even taken two bites."
"Which eunuch Liu?" Zhou Chang didn't react and looked at the thin monkey, "Liu Dexia?"
Xiao Jiangzi nodded: "It's Chief Steward Liu."
The skinny monkey said, "Don't say something that doesn't happen. Even if it's true, you wouldn't kick someone out just because of a plate of snacks."
Aunt Jing also twisted the handkerchief tightly in her hand: "Liu Dexia has now taken the second-in-command position in the inner palace, how can he still be so despicable and shameless? He has a lot of bad intentions and he can never get rid of them."
Zhou Chang felt that Aunt Jing seemed to be more nervous than usual, and her mood was not right, but he had to deal with Xiao Jiangzi first: "Do you have a grudge against Liu Dexia? Or have you offended Liu Dexia?"
"How dare I provoke Eunuch Liu?" Little Jiangzi knelt on the ground and shook his head.
Aunt Jing was angry: "Even if he really stole the master's cakes, there is no need to punish him so harshly. Thirty strokes of the cane can kill a person, and he was immediately expelled, not even allowed to take away his clothes and belongings. This is simply a way to take his life. Liu Dexia is such a villain, he should be struck by lightning."
Uncle Qiu was not good at talking, so he just nodded and said, "That's right, let's see when he gets his comeuppance."
When it comes to Liu Dexia's affairs, the Prince Yi's Mansion has always been united in their hatred of the enemy.
"Ah..." Little Jiangzi suddenly remembered something. "If I were to ask when I had offended Eunuch Liu, it was probably the last time when His Royal Highness Prince Yi recruited palace maids to kill snakes. I also participated. I wanted to go the next day, but was unfortunately stopped by Chief Eunuch Liu... I don't know if it was because of that incident, but I didn't dare to go against his wishes at that time."
"How many days have you been expelled from the palace? Are you still injured?" The skinny monkey noticed that there seemed to be faint bloodstains on Xiao Jiangzi's clothes on the back.
Xiao Jiangzi shuddered and said, "Your Highness Prince Yi, I am injured, but it will not be a problem. I can do anything. Please have pity on me and take me in. I have nowhere else to go."
Uncle Qiu frowned anxiously, "Your Highness, I just heard this kid say that thanks to a good eunuch he knew, he secretly slipped him some silver and a piece of clothing before he was kicked out of the palace. He was able to use the silver to treat his injuries, otherwise he might have died on the street. Unfortunately, the silver was spent in just two days, and before his injuries were healed, he had nowhere to go and became a beggar and vagrant. He hasn't eaten for two days."
"Nowhere to go? What about going back to my hometown?" Zhou Chang was worried. There were too many people in the palace now. "I can give you money."
Xiao Jiangzi kept kowtowing: "Your Highness Prince Yi, I have no relatives. Once a person like me leaves the palace, even if I am given money, I have no skills to make a living, and ordinary people will not hire me. Please, Your Highness Prince Yi, have mercy on me."
Zhou Chang was still somewhat hesitant, but he saw that Uncle Qiu and the skinny monkey both had sad looks in their eyes.
"Your Highness, this little Jiangzi is about the same age as a monkey. He used to be talkative and cheerful. Look at what he has become now." Uncle Qiu rarely asked Prince Yi for anything.
The skinny monkey also nodded.
Zhou Chang looked at Aunt Jing again.
Aunt Jing had a frown on her face and a dull look in her eyes, but no one knew what she was thinking.
Zhou Chang felt somewhat sorry for little Jiangzi.
Since Uncle Qiu had spoken, he spared no effort: "Your Majesty, if you are worried about the expenses of the palace, I can use my monthly salary. Anyway, I don't spend much money except buying wine. Your Majesty gives me a lot, and I can't spend it all..."
"What is Uncle Qiu talking about? Since you want to stay, just be a servant in the palace." Zhou Chang didn't need this person's salary.
The most important thing is that Uncle Qiu and Skinny Monkey have the same identity as Xiao Jiangzi, so they must feel sympathy for each other.
She couldn't let them down.
"Thank you, Your Highness Prince Yi. I will never forget your great kindness." Little Jiangzi kowtowed heavily.
"As for where he will live..." Zhou Chang was in a dilemma, as Prince Yi's mansion was now full of people.
Uncle Qiu felt relieved and said quickly, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. Just let him live with me first. My yard is still empty."
"Okay, let him keep Uncle Qiu company," Zhou Chang said indifferently, "and find a doctor to heal his wounds first."
"Your Highness, I thank you for your great kindness." Little Jiangzi kowtowed several times.
Zhou Chang felt pain in his head from the knock. He waved his hands repeatedly and said, "No need to thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank Uncle Qiu for keeping you. You should recuperate in Uncle Qiu's yard first. From now on, just follow Uncle Qiu's instructions."