By the time Su Jin finished washing himself and returned, it was already more than half an hour later.
After such a long time, the bedroom where Hui Ming lived was already quiet. Su Jin was afraid that lighting a candle would alert Hui Ming, so he could only feel his way back to the west compartment in the dark. He didn't even dare to close the wooden lattice door too tightly, for fear of making any noise.
Su Jin had just taken a bath in the front yard. After taking off his outer robe, he was only wearing a middle garment. His whole body was still wet. His body was fine, and he dried it with a few pieces of cloth. But the hair on his head was not so easy to dry, especially since he walked in from outside in the middle of the night. The strands of hair were already frozen, and they only felt hard. After entering the house, they slowly softened because of the temperature in the house, and water droplets seeped down.
Su Jin didn't even want the dust and dirt on his body to touch the couch, let alone go to bed like this and stain the bedding and pillows Hui Ming gave him with his wet hair. After entering the door in the darkness, he just knelt on the footrests in front of the Arhat couch, guarding the heat of the brazier, took a half-dry soft cloth, and slowly dried his hair.
It was getting late. After staying in this darkness for a long time, Su Jin gradually relied on the moonlight coming in through the window paper to faintly see the outline of everything in the house. Su Jin quietly watched the moisture in his hair turn into white mist and rise around the brazier. As if afraid of disturbing anyone, he gradually even slowed down his breathing.
At this late hour in the middle of winter, there was no sound of insects or birds outside, only the whistling of the wind, as eerie as a female ghost crying at night. But Su Jin's face was calm, his eyes slightly closed. As long as he thought that Hui Ming was lying in a room less than ten steps away from him at this moment, in this silence, his heart felt an unspeakable peace, as if even the sound of the wind seemed much more pleasant.
In this rare peace and relaxation, Su Jin relaxed his back slightly, leaned back on the Arhat couch, and took out the original Ruyi knot from the small sachet in his chest, and gently rubbed it in his hand.
Hui Ming later personally sewed six small sachets for him, three of various styles of knots, Su Jin carefully stored them one by one, and carried them in his waist in turn. The original Ruyi knot was a little worn out at the corners and could no longer be worn, but Su Jin did not put it away. Instead, he wrapped it in a sachet and kept it carefully in his arms, and took it out to look at it carefully every night before going to bed.
This had been his habit for many years. Since the little Hui Ming with her head shaved grabbed his hand under the peace tank in Yeting and stuffed this Ruyi knot into his palm, Su Jin had never let this little knot leave him.
No matter how tiring the day was, when it was quiet at night, he would touch the Ruyi knot, and he could remember the little palace maid who was like a fledgling bird. He could also tell himself that not everyone in the world is a beast who only bullies the weak, and even though they are already lowly in the dust, they still want to make things worse, climb up on the pain of others, and even just take pleasure in it. He lives in this world now, and what he endures is not entirely hunger, cold, pain, humiliation, and torture. In the palace, right here, there is someone who sincerely hopes that everything goes well for him, treats him warmly, and comforts him.
Only by thinking of that little girl, only when no one was paying attention, by taking advantage of the rough work of adding water, sweeping, and even pouring night incense and sending buckets, could he secretly glance at the only clean and bright little girl from the corner. Only then could he make himself believe in the "human nature is inherently good" taught by his husband and elders, believe in the "loyalty, trustworthiness, integrity, and self-discipline, the foundation of life" that he had learned since childhood, and learn from those people's despicable and vicious scheming methods, from that piece of darkness Climbing out of the filthy place, but not becoming like them, not letting the filth stain himself from the inside out, can he keep his last conscience.
But Su Jin knew very well in his heart that these were just his wishful thinking. Whether it was persistence or comfort, it was all his wishful thinking imposed on Hui Ming. Hui Ming herself didn't know and never cared about his existence.
His little girl had nothing to do with him.
He originally thought that this kind of life would continue until the day he died, but he never thought that he would learn last month that she had accidentally dropped a piece of material and was punished to stand in the cold wind for an hour.
Song Hui Ming was a good girl who was selected to enter the palace. Although she would also learn the rules and be punished, she was different from him, a sinner born as an official slave. He was trampled by others as soon as he entered the palace. Not to mention that Xiao Hui Ming was well-behaved and sensible since she was a child, and she was also skilled in embroidery. She grew up in the deep palace day by day, and she could be called smooth sailing.
It was precisely because of this that Su Jin actually forgot that in this palace, being punished as a palace servant was a common occurrence. Even if it wasn't because of her background, her mistakes, or her real master, even if her immediate superior was unhappy, she could make you suffer enough!
This is commonplace in the palace, and even if you think about it carefully, Hui Ming's punishment of standing is not too much. But because it was Hui Ming, because she was the one he had cared about for many years, Su Jin couldn't bear the thought of his little girl, whom he couldn't even hold in his hands, being someone who could be punished at will in the eyes of a mere eunuch in the Sizhi Bureau.
Transferring her to the emperor's side would solve the problem. At that time, Su Jin thought this way. He is no longer what he used to be. He is also the chief eunuch in front of the emperor. With him protecting her, no one would dare to bully her. When someone bullies her, he would not be delayed by errands and distance, leaving her to be blown by the cold wind for more than an hour before he could hear the news and rescue her.
Furthermore, in Su Jin's heart, he just thought that if she was in front of him, he would be able to see her every day, and he wouldn't have to make excuses to go to the Sizhi Bureau like before just to see her from afar.
Because of this secret and secretly excited selfishness, Su Jin lost his sense of propriety, and he intentionally or unintentionally gave up other suitable places, and finally decided on Qiande Palace, which is closest to him.
It was also because of this selfishness that when rumors of his affair with Hui Ming spread throughout the palace, Su Jin, who was already feeling guilty, only thought that his words, deeds, and expressions were not careful enough to be seen through. He was only worried about Hui Ming's reputation and reaction, but he didn't even suspect that someone was behind it.
Later, by accident, he and Hui Ming came to this point today.
Thinking of Wei, Su Jin's eyes suddenly darkened, but he didn't want to think about such a disappointing person at this time. He lowered his eyes and threw Wei, who had been gone for many days, to the back of his mind. He got up and touched his hair. After drying it by the brazier for so long, it was already half dry. He thought that it should be fine to lie on the bedding and pillow.
Su Jin wiped his palms, turned around and gently touched the bedding. The cotton was filled with this year's best Cangzhou satin. It had been warmed by a hot water bottle for a long time, and it felt warm and smooth to the touch. It made him wonder why, and instantly thought that Hui Ming had slept on this bedding for one night.
Obviously, there was no one else around, but Su Jin quickly withdrew his hand as if afraid of being discovered. He didn't know if it was because of this thought, but his face felt slightly hot. He paused, bent down and put the sachet containing the Ruyi knot under the pillow. After waiting for himself to lie down, he immediately, as if deliberately, turned all his thoughts to Hui Ming's future arrangements.
Forget it for now, with His Majesty's permission, they have just moved in, and it is not easy to act rashly within three to five months. But he is also determined not to implicate her because of his own selfishness. Not to mention, His Majesty's health has not been improving, and I am afraid that the palace will not be peaceful in the future.
If he wants Hui Ming to get away, after the limelight is over, the only way is to find an opportunity to send Hui Ming out of the palace…
Su Jin clenched his palms tightly and curled up slightly. He was clearly in such a warm and soft bed, but he didn't know why, but he felt cold all over.
He only thought it was because he thought that he would send Hui Ming out of the palace in the future, but he didn't intend to change this idea, but just thought carefully about how to do it best.
It is not uncommon for palace maids to leave the palace early due to illness or other reasons. Su Jin slowly closed his eyes. Hui Ming's parents are both alive outside the palace, and she also has brothers and sisters. He has saved enough money for her to live a wealthy life.
The only thing to worry about is that people's hearts are separated from each other. Even her biological parents and brothers may not be willing to take care of her for the rest of her life. What's more, it is inevitable that some people will covet her family property, which will make her suffer instead…
Just thinking about the possibility that Hui Ming might be bullied in the future, Su Jin frowned tightly. No, he needs to entrust her to someone who has the ability, and he can still trust, someone who can truly make Hui Ming live a peaceful life after leaving the palace, and this person must not make any mistakes, because at that time, he is afraid that he will have no chance to take care of her.
But where can he find such a person? Several names came to mind, but he rejected them one by one for various reasons.
But Su Jin didn't think about it any more. Maybe it was because he hadn't slept in such a comfortable and warm place for a long time. As soon as he arrived here, Su Jin, who closed his eyes tightly, slowly fell asleep. He slept soundly, and he didn't know if it was an illusion, but this sleep only made him feel light and airy, as if he had let go of everything and was in the clouds.
In the end, it was Yuan Bao's slightly annoying voice that pulled him down from the clouds: "Master! Master? Master, wake up!"
Su Jin didn't want to pay attention to him, and just as he was about to continue sleeping, another familiar voice rang out beside him and suddenly entered his ears: "Eunuch Su."
It was Hui Ming. Su Jin tried his best to open his eyes, and immediately felt a soft and boneless hand, as smooth as ice and snow, move away from his forehead. Immediately afterward, Hui Ming's tightly frowned face appeared.
Su Jin suspected that he was still dreaming, but the worry and anxiety on Hui Ming's face were too real, which made him struggle to get up, wanting to ask what happened to his little girl, so that she didn't have to worry so much, he would take care of everything.
Just as Su Jin opened his mouth slightly, before he could say his question, he clearly heard Hui Ming's voice: "Eunuch Su, you have a fever!"