NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5 - A Little Tune
The palace always pays special attention to the spring days, especially during the recent “Mid-Spring Day.” Early in the morning, Emperor Kangxi went to Fengze Garden to plow the spring ox and personally tilled the land. Even Empress Dowager Tongjia, though suffering from illness, went to the North Sea in the Western Garden to offer her respect at the silkworm altar. Therefore, the daily meals during the spring season were always prepared more elaborately and grandly.
Bitao hung up the clothes, gently fanning the smoke, and said, “Your Highness, you may not know, but during this season, the palace eats from the hot pot eight days out of ten. I looked at the meal list this morning, and sure enough! For the evening meal, there’s yellow millet cakes, boxed vegetables, lamb hot pot, and a plate of five spices. Which ones would you like to have?”
Lamb hot pot, the authentic old Beijing style? Cheng Wanyun couldn’t help but swallow, her eyes gleaming. She pretended to remain composed and said, “I didn’t have any snacks for lunch, so I’ll take everything.”
Bitao didn’t notice the excitement in Cheng Wanyun’s eyes. She naturally stood up to give instructions to the little palace maids and even reminded them carefully, “Don’t forget to ask them to cut extra tripe, spinach, or tofu for the hot pot, and make sure they prepare more dipping sauces.”
Cheng Wanyun couldn’t help but praise, “How thoughtful.” Then, she suddenly remembered, “Since I’ve just moved in, and it’s my first meal here, should we send them some silver for the purchase?”
You have to know that when she was staying in Zhongcui Palace as a candidate for the selection, she couldn’t even get a warm meal without slipping a little silver — a small palace experience from Cheng Wanyun, who had once been stingy to the point of giving the palace eunuchs side-eye for not tipping.
Qingxing finished styling Cheng Wanyun’s hair and inserted silk flowers. Hearing this, she smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Your Highness. Since you’ve just arrived, those attendants dare not offend you. Just wait and see, they’ll definitely bring everything over properly. Moreover, I’ve heard that Side Concubine Li’s management is very strict, and everything you’ve asked for is within the proper allowances. They certainly won’t dare to cut anything.”
Only then did Cheng Wanyun realize that although she was just an insignificant low-ranking princess, she still received one pound of meat, one pound of vegetable and meat, two pounds of seasonal fruits and vegetables, one pound of soy sauce, vinegar, and oil; one plate of various steamed buns (30 per plate), one pound of various milk teas; and a variety of grains, beans, rice, flour, pickles, and eggs…
Sure enough, as soon as the little maids set up the table, several food delivery eunuchs rushed in one after another.
In the palace, meals must be served in even numbers, never odd. So Cheng Wanyun widened her eyes as she watched the eunuchs bring in two copper pots and two long-necked large soup kettles: one filled with radish broth and the other with chicken broth.
There were also eight plates of lamb, four plates of hot pot vegetables, four plates of cold dishes, four bowls of hot dishes, and four types of dipping sauces. Additionally, there was porridge, soup, steamed buns, and desserts… the two square dining tables were completely filled.
The leading eunuch was particularly attentive. After adding charcoal to the pots, he knelt before Cheng Wanyun to pay his respects. He then brought over a double-handled clay jar and said, “Cheng Gege, I wish you great fortune. The lamb is quite greasy, and after eating, it can leave an aftertaste. This is freshly squeezed pear juice, as the master specifically instructed me to offer it to you.”
Cheng Wanyun instructed Qingxing to give a small amount of silver as a reward to the eunuch. “What’s your name? And who is your master?”
Cheng Wanyun smiled slightly. “Please thank your master for me.”
Once the eunuch left, she turned to Qingxing and asked, “How many head eunuchs are there in our palace?”
“The tea and meal room is divided into two sections, with a total of 16 stoves. The front section has 8 stoves, overseen by 4 head eunuchs, and they specialize in preparing meals for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The back section also has 8 stoves, overseen by 4 head eunuchs, and they prepare meals for the side consorts and the young ladies,” Qingxing explained. She hesitated for a moment before adding, “Master Zheng was recently punished by Side Concubine Li, and his monthly salary was cut. It’s said that he’s getting old and his speech isn’t as clear, and sometimes the dishes he serves are uneven in seasoning. Jin Mama even shouted to have him sent back to the Imperial Household Department.”
‘No wonder,’ Cheng Wanyun thought while eating the lamb. ‘I was wondering why anyone would want to curry favor with me. If they want to curry favor, they should be focusing on Yang Gege.’
Whether they were trying to form a good relationship with her casually or making a deliberate effort to win her favor, Cheng Wanyun didn’t take it to heart. For her, nothing was more important than eating at the moment.
The lamb was marbled with fat and lean, sliced thinly and evenly. It was tender and fresh, with no unpleasant smell. The sauces prepared by the tea and meal room, such as the 28-spice sauce, pickled leek flower sauce, and shrimp paste, were all full of flavor. The steaming hot pot drove away the chill of the night, and she ate with great enjoyment. The extra pot and the untouched dishes were taken down by Qingxing and Bitao to share with the others.
Because she ate so much, she had everyone leave and then collapsed onto the heated bed, lounging lazily with her feet dangling, humming a tune. She looked out the window at the palace lanterns gradually lighting up along the corridor, their glow spreading like fireflies in the night.
She was simply daydreaming, and before she knew it, sleepiness crept in. Just as her eyelids were about to close, she suddenly heard a clear voice behind her:
“What are you singing?”
Cheng Wanyun turned her head to look and immediately jumped up to tidy herself. Then, pretending nothing had happened, she forced herself to act calm, getting out of bed and putting on her shoes, bowing respectfully to greet him. Yet, her voice still carried a hint of a sob: “Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, I am not properly dressed. Please forgive me, Your Highness.”
Her bad luck still hasn’t ended…
Cheng Wanyun was no fool. She had lived in the Qing Dynasty for over ten years and was well aware of the emphasis on social status and the way the court used marriage alliances to strengthen ties. By common sense, since she entered the palace the same day as Yang Gege, her own background was already known, and she had no hope of being the first one to serve the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince would certainly prioritize Yang Gege’s family, especially given their status as salt commissioners. She had assumed he would come to her in a few days.
But this Crown Prince didn’t play by the rules!
As Cheng Wanyun looked down, she happened to meet the anxious eyes of Qingxing and Bitao standing outside the door. They exchanged a glance of mutual despair. Cheng Wanyun couldn’t understand why the Crown Prince liked to surprise her like this from behind. This was the second time today!
If she had any future, she would definitely establish a secret signal with Qingxing and the others to warn her next time! Cheng Wanyun’s eyes were red from fright, and she secretly made up her mind.
Yinreng looked at the woman in front of him, with her long hair disheveled and dressed only in casual clothes and slippers, and couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.
He couldn’t figure it out either.
How could it be that Cheng Wanyun, on her first day in the palace, had eaten her dinner, gotten full, and then planned to go to bed?
He knew that Li and Yang had both sent people to guard the corner door. They had even changed into new clothes, combed their hair, and re-applied their makeup, sitting upright and waiting for news from the front hall.
As for the meal, they had to wait for news from the front before making any plans.
He had spent the entire day in the Southern Study, listening to Suoetu and Mingzhu argue, his head full of official matters. His father even asked for his opinion on politics, but he couldn’t openly support his uncle, nor could he give Mingzhu a talking point. He had to carefully choose his words, and by the time he could speak, he was exhausted.
He hadn’t planned on coming to the rear courtyard again, but after hearing He Baozhong mention that small eunuchs were stationed by the corner gate near the eastern and western side halls of the rear palace, he noticed that He Baozhong hadn’t mentioned Cheng Wanyun. He remembered the small bite mark on the pastry and grew curious.
So when He Baozhong came in to ask where to place him, Yinreng rubbed his chin and smiled slightly. “Go to Cheng Gege’s place. No need to announce it. Just go straight there.”
That really piqued his curiosity. Cheng Wanyun didn’t disappoint him. Yinreng looked at Cheng Wanyun’s face, full of regret and grievance, and couldn’t help but laugh even more.
He cleared his throat softly, deliberately not calling out to her. He sat down confidently in the chair and even casually glanced at the clock, asking in surprise, “Are you planning to rest now?”
“Uh… I’m used to going to bed early, Your Highness. I hope you don’t mind,” Cheng Wanyun replied, her face involuntarily turning red. She wasn’t trying to be lazy, but it was much more comfortable to wear casual home clothes. How heavy would it be to wear the full formal attire with a wig and all!
“What song were you singing just now?” Yinreng didn’t call her out but changed the subject casually, “It had a certain fresh, wild charm. I haven’t heard it before.”
But the question only made Cheng Wanyun feel even more flustered, not knowing how to explain herself. She mumbled in a soft voice, “It’s a folk tune from my hometown. It’s not really fit for a grand occasion.”
“Oh? What’s the name of the song? Who composed it?”
“…The name of the song is ‘Blue and White Porcelain.’ I heard it was composed by a scholar surnamed Zhou. I only heard my younger brother sing it at a literary gathering. I’m not really familiar with it,” Cheng Wanyun’s voice became lower and lower as she spoke.
Is there a hole in the ground she could just crawl into right now?!