Chapter 599: Masking the Gray Hair

The other side paused for a while before sending another message: "Checked up to Yu Sicheng?"

"Mm. Qu Chang was the person in charge of the whole thing that year. Originally, if I found this person, many things would be clear, but Yu Sicheng killed him." Pei Ye briefly described the matter about Yusan Garden, "Resulting in me only being able to take some remnants, looking for some old people who don't know the inside story, and searching for clues from them... I feel this effect is not good. Since Yu Sicheng is still there, it is better to act on him directly."

"Good idea. I'm afraid you can lead the Crane Grade One in the future."

"... Don't mess around, I'm asking you seriously." Pei Ye flipped through the materials in his hand, trying to find a few more names from them.

"Not messing around," Xu Chuo's peaceful voice seemed to ring in his heart, "It's just that checking Yu Sicheng in the palace is indeed a difficult and dangerous thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Yu Sicheng has lived for more than fifty years, forty of which were in the palace. He hasn't stepped out of the Chengtian Gate, but his fierce reputation has already made the court wary. Now you have run to his old nest, and you still ask 'what do you mean'?" Xu Chuo sent a long paragraph, "He has a private residence in the north corner of the Inner Servant Province, which no court official has the status for. He covers the sky with one hand in the entire Great Ming Palace. Running to the northern frontier to check the Prince of Yan is about the same."

"It's been forty years... Tell me about this person?"

"Yu Sicheng has no clan or family. He is the kind of lonely minister that people are quite wary of. Also because of this, people have few channels to understand him. Cruelty, ruthlessness, and moodiness are the impressions of most court officials. He entered the palace at the age of thirteen. At that time, it was not the current Sage who was on the throne. He stayed in the previous Emperor's palace for more than ten years. Ten years later, he rose with the wind of the throne change and became the Grand Eunuch of the Inner Servant Province. Since then, he has been the first powerful eunuch of our dynasty. Since then, his power has increased. He commands the Imperial Guard and inspects the Three Halls... To this day, no one knows how far his hands have reached."

"So, if someone wants to make any moves in the palace, they must not be able to bypass him?"

"At least in my memory, it can be said so."

Pei Ye nodded, flipped through a few drawings, and continued to hook out a few names, but they were either occasionally mentioned as coolies or laborers, or idle notes like "how much silver was given to the cook for delivering food." He continued to flip through carefully, wanting to find another name similar to supervisor or Xi Guan Order.

"Yu Sicheng's residence is in the north corner of the Inner Servant Province, adjacent to the South Pool, and he is also in the palace. But if you really want to make any moves against him, it's better to be a little circuitous and borrow strength from another person."

"Who?"

"Yu Ziliang."

Pei Ye thought about it.

"Yu Ziliang is also often in the palace. Yu Sicheng loves this adopted son very much, but he is a rare and precious fool," Xu Chuo said. "You can see many things about Yu Sicheng from him. Usually, no one dares to have ideas about him, fearing to attract retaliation. However, since you intend to move against Yu Sicheng himself, you don't have to care."

"So that's it." Pei Ye calculated in his heart, "Does this person have any whereabouts?"

"He is accustomed to following Li Yujin. I will have people collect the specific news and send it to you today. You can make your own plans." Xu Chuo probably wasn't free either. After saying that, she didn't say goodbye, and the cyan bird on the left dimmed.

"Good." Pei Ye withdrew his mind, lowered his head and looked at the last page, and slowly hooked the last name.

This name was nothing special, but the position it fell was a bit strange. It only appeared once at the end of the whole set of materials. It was under "Verification and Acceptance: Junior Supervisor Qu Chang," and another line of somewhat sloppy additions was started.

The pen and ink used were different, as if written after a period of time: "Review: Shenwu Army Chief Clerk Guo You."

Pei Ye closed the case file and muttered the name twice.

"You don't say," Pei Ye straightened up from leaning, turned his head and smiled at the little cat, "With this 【Knowing Meaning】, it's really convenient to talk."

The black cat had no expression, glanced at him: "Originally you were talking at any time, but now you are avoiding me."

"..."

... It seems that it was indeed using the little cat to pass the message before.

Pei Ye wisely didn't answer, put away the materials, and walked on the street. Although it was said to be the Ye Court, it seemed to have the misery of a criminal concubine's cold palace, but in fact, it was much more popular than the Great Ming Palace, and it was much less cold and solemn.

On the other hand, everything in the palace was handled by the people here. Things that couldn't be found in the Great Ming Palace could often be found here.

Pei Ye thought seriously and walked to the west first. The map given by the Immortal Platform said "West of the Ye Court, palace people live together," which was exactly the place he liked.

After walking a few steps, he saw a large area of alleys squeezed together—not every palace person had a clear division of labor, nor could every department accommodate everyone. Not to mention the doctors who treated illnesses, old palace maids, and criminal concubines, many people who didn't fit the allocation lived in these dozen intersecting alleys.

But the appearance here was not as bright and neat as the outside. Under the long-term residence and wind and rain, the stone slabs cracked and sank into the soil, the door eaves and courtyards were new and old, and the sizes were different. They were all arranged tightly. The alleys were narrow and deep, the door eaves were old and black, and some were pasted with bright red spring couplets, which carried the charm brewed by time.

The Yong Alley in the Han Dynasty was probably about the same.

Pei Ye walked slowly, and suddenly his eyes stopped, falling on a large courtyard opposite the alley, which was the Embroidery Workshop just mentioned.

What the female official said was really not false. Sure enough, ten ox carts were lined up at the courtyard gate, each piled with a mountain of cloth.

The palace maids in the courtyard were unloading them one by one with worried faces. A slender embroiderer was rolling up her sleeves and holding two bolts from the cart, turned her head and shouted panting: "Qiuyi, come and help me!"

A voice came from the courtyard: "If you can't hold it, just hold one."

"Oh, believe me, it's faster for two people to carry two bolts than for one person to hold one!"

"..."

A dozen palace maids came and went constantly, and the total amount on the cart slowly decreased. The deep eyes of the strong ox looked at them quietly.

Pei Ye thought for a while, walked to the ox cart and smiled: "Excuse me, do you need help?"

A few palace maids were stunned at the same time. Their eyes first looked at his face, then swept from top to bottom over his attire, and then paused slightly on the long sword at his waist... And then their vision was pulled back up violently, all fixed on the small black cute cat on his shoulder.

"... Which department are you from?" The slender embroiderer held two bolts of cloth in her arms and looked back at him.

"I am a guard from the Ming Palace side," Pei Ye smiled and stepped forward, easily carrying more than ten bolts, "Just give you a hand."

The embroiderer had already opened her small mouth in shock: "... Th-thank you!"

The palace maids were simply pleasantly surprised, staring at him as he supported five or six more bolts with his other hand, and walked into the courtyard with his chest held high.

With the addition of this heaven-sent guard, the speed was more than doubled. He held a lot and walked fast. Gradually, the palace maids consciously blocked his footsteps. Some stacked and prepared by the ox cart, and some organized the goods in the cloth warehouse. Ten carts of cloth were unloaded in less than two hours.

"Really hard work for Young Hero Pei! Thank you very much!"

"Just a small effort." Pei Ye sat cross-legged under the courtyard, using a handkerchief to wipe the thin sweat from his forehead. Although the embroiderers hadn't moved much, their arms had long since grown sore, and they were now walking back and forth in the courtyard, busy finishing up.

"Young Hero Pei is worthy of being a guard in the Ming Palace," the older embroiderer smiled, "If it weren't for your help, these would really have stumped us."

"Yes, it's the first time I've seen a guard from the Ming Palace side. What are you doing here this time?"

"Young Hero Pei, you are really a brute!"

"Ah, Young Hero Pei is so happy to be praised by you like this."

Pei Ye smiled and held the tea: "Some miscellaneous things. Do you often have so much cargo to move and unload?"

"It's not often, it's just that every time there is a big event, the Embroidery Workshop has to be busy."

"Busy with clothes for the New Year?"

"Where, just finished. Now it's another big event, preparing the wedding gifts for the masters, which must be prepared a month in advance."

"Wedding?"

"Yes, there will be a big wedding in the palace after the New Year, all kinds of ritual clothes, red gauze curtains, all must be prepared a month in advance."

"Who is getting married?"

"Eh? Young Hero Pei is from the Ming Palace side, do you still have to ask us?"

"I really haven't heard of it."

"... Actually, I don't know either. I just did the work when I received it."

There are many imperial children in the palace, and there are many collateral relatives. It is normal for someone to reach the age of marriage. Pei Ye drank the tea: "Eh, let me ask you about something else. Zhao Wuliang, Xu Si, Wei Qi, these three people, the first two were laborers in the Xi Guan Bureau, and the last one was a cook. Does anyone know them?"

The embroiderers were all blank.

"I have something to ask them."

Since Young Hero Pei had a request, the embroiderers all called and asked each other, but after asking around, they all shook their heads, especially the older and leading one said: "I have been working here for more than twenty years, and I often walk around in various places. I should know about the things in this palace. I really haven't heard of these names—when were they?"

"Twenty-four years ago."

"Ah... Then I'm afraid it's hard to find. Even if they don't die of old age and illness, the Empress Dowager also pardoned the palace people once when she ascended the throne. It's hard to find old people."

"So that's it." Pei Ye nodded. He didn't have much hope in the first place, "Then you should have heard even less about this other person. It is said that he was the Chief Clerk of the Shenwu Army, named Guo You."

"..."

Most of the embroiderers were still blank, but the older one was stunned and said: "If Young Hero Pei wants to find this person... he is still in the workshop."

"Hm?"

Sitting in front of the door and tasting the lunch of the Embroidery Workshop, and sitting idly for more than an hour, seeing the sun setting, Pei Ye stood up and picked up his sword to say goodbye.

"Just have to go to the Music Workshop side." When mentioning Guo You, the female official said so.

She wanted to send a palace maid to lead the way, but Pei Ye saw that they were busy and declined. Walking out of the courtyard gate, the black cat that had been hiding on the wall to avoid the crowd jumped onto his shoulder.

Pei Ye walked over here, the ground gradually became clean, and the magnificent buildings began to appear on both sides. A water canal was specially provided in front of the door for the singing girls to wash and dress up. The greasy fat floated on the water surface. Some female workers in the laundry workshop were driving donkey carts, pulling two large buckets of washed clothes to hand over in front of the door. She knelt on the edge of the cart and handed them down one by one, and two singing girls supported a large bamboo basket to pick them up.

Then he really saw a gray hair that was out of place.

A thin and hunched figure, broken clothes that hadn't been washed for some days, he was outside the wall, stepping on two stacked stones, climbing the wall and trying hard to stick his head in, just like an old turtle stretching its long neck.

A few women in front of the door seemed to have not seen it. Pei Ye stood and watched for a while, seeing that he didn't try to climb in, just watched for a while, and then fell down dejectedly.

Then he propped himself up from the ground, swaying as he stood, and stretched his neck toward the women at the door, staring with wide eyes and croaking in an old voice: "Two wandering ladies, is this... Jingshan now?"

"No, you go that way." The charming singing girl pointed casually and continued to talk to the female worker on the cart about which material should be washed.

"Could it be... could it be... I haven't crossed Yique yet..." The old man muttered blankly.

He looked up at the sky in the west, but suddenly burst into tears, sat on the ground and began to wail: "But the sun is already setting! I can never... never see Luo Shen again!"

The crying was really shrill and graceful. Pei Ye watched quietly for a while, saw him crying and beating the ground, and after a while, he climbed up staggeringly and ran east along the water canal: "No, no, the sun hasn't set yet... I must still be in time!"

Pei Ye followed him silently until he ran to the end of the water canal, panting, and fell to the ground with tears and snot, staring at the green nursery in the north, muttering: "Are you Henggao, or Zhitian..."

Pei Ye squatted down beside him: "Are you okay?"

The old man turned his head sharply and stared at him. This was a face that was too withered, messy dirty hair, cheeks that were thin to the point of exposing the facial bones, deep eye sockets... inlaid with a pair of blank but very clear eyes.

"You..." He said hoarsely, grabbed Pei Ye's forearm, and then cried again, "Are you my driver? Driver, I can't see Luo Shen anymore. You point it to me, where is she exactly..."

Pei Ye didn't avoid it, just looked at him seriously: "Guo You, what are you looking for?" ===== CHAPTER 600 =====