Chapter 3404 3406【Escape into the Forbidden City】
Xiang Nan pulled down the curtains to make a baggage, packed up the U.S. dollars, jewelry, gold bars, and oceans in the safe and carried them on his back.
Then he quietly went to the ambassador's wife's room and took two furs from her wardrobe. Finally, I went to the kitchen in the backyard of the embassy and bought some bread, cakes, sausages, fruits, etc.
He jumped out of the embassy and found Xiaodouzi, who was huddled in a corner, shivering from the cold.
“Xiaodouzi~” Xiang Nan called softly.
“Senior brother~” When Xiaodouzi saw that Xiang Nan was really back, he was moved to tears. He was really afraid that Xiang Nan would not want him.
"Okay, we got it, let's go quickly." Xiang Nan said, and then took him out of Dongjiaomin Lane and went straight to the Forbidden City.
Although Xuantong's position as emperor had been overthrown after the collapse of the Manchu and Qing government in the Revolution of 1911, the National Government signed the "Qing Dynasty Preferential Treatment Conditions" with him in order to smooth the transition.
It was stipulated that he could continue to live in the Forbidden City and receive four million yuan a year for daily expenses. The various deacons used in the palace can also be retained as usual.
Therefore, he was still his own emperor in the Forbidden City, and even retained the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Imperial Household, the Department of Punishment, the Imperial Kitchen, the Internal Prison, the Palace Ladies, the Bodyguards, etc.
But after all, it was a small imperial court that had become outdated, completely incomparable to the Kangxi and Qianlong eras. The Forbidden City is no longer as grand as it once was, with many ruins of bricks and tiles, dead grass and leaves, and abandoned palaces.
Xiang Nan and Xiaodouzi had nowhere to go at night, and it was impossible for the two children to go to a shop, so they had to find a place to make do.
Generally speaking, homeless people like them usually find a place to stay in a fire house or a chicken-feather house.
The so-called fire house means that the shopkeeper will dig a big pit in the middle of the house, light a fire in it, and everyone will sit around the fire. It costs one copper to stay a night, and you will be kicked out early in the morning.
As for the chicken feather room, it means that the shopkeeper will spread a layer of chicken feathers on the ground, and the guests will sleep in the chicken feathers. The chicken feathers are used as mattresses and quilts. One to three copper coins are charged for one night's stay.
There was a poem at that time that said, "At dusk, I beg for three coins and buy a sleep in a chicken-feather room. At dawn, when I go out on the streets, I feel like I am not as good as a chicken with feathers."
If you don’t even have a copper, you have to sleep on the streets. And on this cold winter night, if you lie down on the street for one night, don't think about it again the next day.
Therefore, in that era, there were many dead bodies on the road, which were also called "lying corpses". Every morning, people from the government would bury the deceased in a grand manner and send them directly to the mass graves outside the city to be thrown away. Not to mention a coffin, not even a roll of tattered mats.
Although Xiang Nan has money, he cannot go to places like the Fire House or the Chicken Feather House.
The reason is also very simple. First, the two children are too conspicuous. Master Guan knew that the two of them had run away, so he would definitely come out to look for them.
It’s just a small stone, it’s not uncommon for a young student. Once the key role of Xiaodouzi is gone, it will be extremely difficult to find another one.
In the film, Xiaodouzi and Xiaoshengzi escape from the troupe. When they come back, Master Guan picks up a knife and beats him, cursing "I'll beat you to death and let's all disperse." It's not exactly an angry statement.
Because without Dan roles, there is no drama, and a major cannot survive without Dan roles. Therefore, Master Guan must look for him and will not give up easily.
His two children went to live in a fire house or a chicken-feather house. Master Guan could find them as soon as he looked for them, and he might not be able to escape even for a day.
After all, money touches people's hearts, and the owners of fire houses and chicken feather houses are so poor that their eyes turn blue. Even if Xiang Nan has great martial arts skills and is not afraid of killing people, why bother with this trouble.
Anyway, there are many places to hide in Beijing. For example, the Forbidden City is a good place. First of all, the Forbidden City now only has a small imperial court of the Qing Dynasty. Although there are still maids, eunuchs, guards, etc., they are completely incomparable with those in the Kangxi and Qianlong eras. There are many palaces that no one lives in;
Secondly, even if Master Guan wanted to break his head, he would not have guessed that Xiang Nan and the two would hide in the Forbidden City. He didn't even dare to think about it. After all, even an old eunuch, Eunuch Zhang, had already made him grovel and dare not resist, let alone the emperor who was ninety-five years old.
Hide in the Forbidden City therefore I cannot say that it is the best choice, but it is also a relatively good one.
…
Dongjiaomin Lane is next to the Forbidden City, and the two of them soon arrived at the palace wall.
Xiang Nan held up Xiaodouzi's body, and the two of them immediately jumped into the air, climbed over the three-foot-high city wall, and entered the Forbidden City. Then they found an empty palace and slipped in.
“Senior brother, where are we?” Xiaodouzi looked at the room and asked doubtfully.
Although the house was a bit dilapidated, he could still see that it was decorated with carved beams and beams and was majestic. It was by no means an ordinary place.
Of course he is still young, and his mother is busy with work, so she cannot take him out every day. Therefore, even though he is from the capital, he does not recognize this as the Forbidden City, and thinks it is some big temple.
"This is the Forbidden City where the emperor lives." Xiang Nan said with a smile.
"What?" Xiaodouzi was startled when he heard this, "Brother, you dare to break into the palace at night? Are you not afraid of being beheaded?"
Although he is still young, he also knows what the palace is. He really didn't expect that Xiang Nan would be so bold.
"What's there to be afraid of? Don't worry." Xiang Nan said with a smile, then took out the fox fur and wrapped it around Xiaodouzi, and then took out bread, cakes, sausages, and fruits, "You are hungry, eat quickly."
The fox fur was on her body, and Xiaodouzi felt much warmer immediately. As soon as he smelled the aroma of bread and cakes, his mouth watered.
There is nothing good to eat in the troupe. In order to save money, I eat Bangzhaer porridge every day, and even the steamed buns are good, but not three meals a day.
And these children are greedy and growing in weight. They drink stick porridge every day to satisfy their hunger. How can they not be greedy and hungry?
That's why the little leper is so eager for candied haws on a stick, and even fantasizes about eating candied haws on a stick every day when he becomes an adult.
Although Xiaodouzi is not a greedy person, he can't help but move his fingers when seeing so many delicious foods.
“Eat, don’t be polite.” Xiang Nan smiled and said,
“Senior brother, you eat first.” Xiaodouzi handed the cake to Xiang Nandao.
“Let’s eat together.” Xiang Nan said with a satisfied smile.
He didn’t mind Xiaodouzi eating first, but Xiaodouzi could still remember his senior brother when faced with so many delicious foods. This alone made him satisfied.
"It's delicious, it's so delicious. What is this? Senior brother, why is it so delicious..." Xiaodouzi ate a piece of cake and felt it was crispy, sweet, soft and fragrant. He had never eaten such a good thing before and almost died. My tongue swallowed.
(End of this chapter)