Chapter 5
Xiyun quickly steadied their hands, preventing anything unusual from happening.
Xiyun saw them out and said, “The Mistress is just like that. You’ll get used to it in the future. Don’t make a fuss.”
The two maids exchanged a look, nodded, and left. It was unclear whether they believed her or not.
Unexpectedly, at noon, six maids came to deliver the meal, each carrying a dish, with another holding the rice.
Yuli already felt uncomfortable. After she finished eating, they swarmed in, giving her no chance to lift a finger.
After everyone had left, another maid brought clear tea and stood to the side, her smile pleasant, with not a single flaw to be found.
Xiyun remembered the two maids whose necks were snapped for their lack of diligence and understood their caution. But seeing Yuli’s slight dejection, she couldn’t bear it.
Xiyun said with a smile, “They are so thoughtful, much better than a maid from the county like me.”
Yuli had been a worker too. How could she not see their meticulous caution? It was just like how she was with Xie Yao.
In their eyes, she was the master, a superior, just like her boss. One would try to avoid them if possible; who would want to get close?
Fortunately, Yuli was only slightly dejected for a moment before she recovered. She should be thankful for the free room and board; what more could she ask for in terms of popularity?
Yuli cast aside these overly sensitive discomforts. Time would tell a person’s heart. No matter what they thought of her, she just had to be herself.
In the afternoon, Yuli took a short nap. Waking up with nothing to do, she decided to explore the small courtyard she lived in.
The courtyard gate was a hanging flower gate. Inside was a covered walkway that led past the east and west wing-rooms to the main building. A pavilion was connected to the corner of the east wing.
Although the courtyard was large, there was no greenery. It wasn’t because it was early spring and nothing had grown yet, but because nothing had been planted at all.
There was no soil to be seen in the courtyard; it was all paved with uniform stone slabs, giving no chance for green plants to take root and sprout.
The courtyard was bare and slightly desolate. The stone slabs were brand new, looking as if they had just been laid.
The small pavilion, however, was exquisite, with lively dougong brackets and flying eaves.
The east wing-room was elegantly furnished, seemingly intended as a study or something similar. There was only a long desk and a curio shelf with a few ornaments.
The west wing-room was divided into several smaller rooms. One was Xiyun’s quarters, while the others were simply furnished, as if they hadn’t decided what to do with them and had moved in hastily.
The main building had three rooms. One was a parlor, where they usually ate and drank tea. To the west was the bedroom for sleeping, connected to a small side room for bathing and washing.
The other room contained three wardrobes, five dressing cases, and some exquisite ornaments, like a walk-in closet and dressing room.
Yuli had only picked out a change of clothes twice before bathing. The things inside were valuable, and she didn’t dare to touch them.
Today, with time on her hands, she took a look.
The wardrobes were filled with clothes. Setting aside the styles for a moment, they all felt very comfortable to the touch. Some were white with a golden sheen, or green with a luminous glow, extremely beautiful.
But they were all wide robes with large sleeves, not suitable for movement. Beautiful, but not practical.
It was the first time she had opened the five dressing cases.
Two of them were filled with jade ornaments—hairpins, rings, pearls, and jadeite of all kinds, their colors lustrous and translucent. She wanted to touch them but decided against it. She wouldn’t wear them anyway; they were too heavy.
She looked and looked, then reluctantly closed them. The other two were filled with gold ornaments, dazzlingly beautiful, with intricate filigree, wire-wrapping, and gemstone inlays—all time-consuming, intangible cultural heritage crafts. Yuli dared not touch them even more.
The last one was filled with various beaded flowers of vibrant colors, with pearls, kingfisher feathers, and silk flowers of all kinds.
Just looking at them was a feast for the eyes.
Xiyun urged her to try them on. “My hairstyling skills are quite good. You should try, Mistress.”
Yuli: “No, they’re too cumbersome to wear.”
But Xiyun could see her fondness for them and thought she was unwilling to use his things because she disliked Young Master Xie.
What Yuli was thinking was, They’re just a work uniform. If I wear them, I have to be on duty. It’s best not to touch them if I don’t have to.
In the evening, the sun set, and the sky quickly darkened.
When it was time for dinner, no one had come with a message. It seemed Xie Yao would not be coming tonight.
Yuli was happy inside, but knew she couldn’t show it. Still, her joy was hard to conceal.
Xiyun could see Yuli’s happiness and was also relieved. She wouldn’t have to persuade her to go and meet Young Master Xie.
The meal was delivered on time, with seven or eight maids entering in a line again. Yuli, not used to it, hid in her room and only came out after they had all left.
She had been here for four days, and with so many dishes every day, she had yet to see a single repeat. Yuli was a little curious about who was making all these exquisite dishes.
In her past life, she had loved good food. In university, she and her roommates had once crossed half the city for a good meal. After graduation, she would cook when she had time, but later, time became a luxury.
She had sold almost all her time to her boss in exchange for a meager income. The food in the office building was always the same, all pre-prepared meals from chain restaurants. Eating was purely for survival, with no pleasure to speak of.
In the days before the car accident, if she wouldn’t starve to death by not eating, she would have chosen not to eat.
After transmigrating here, although the meals at the Song family were handmade by Mother Song, the family was poor, and the food was coarse, even worse than in her modern life.
In the few days she had been here, Yuli felt as if her sense of taste had been revived. Even the morning pastries were clearly made from freshly kneaded dough, with perfect timing and heat control, so that they were at their softest and most fragrant when served to her.
Eating good food made her feel that it was truly good to be alive.
Since Xie Yao wasn’t around, her time was her own. Yuli decided to go to the kitchen and take a look.
But leaving this courtyard was a problem. Xie Yao hadn’t said anything about restricting her movements, but Yuli wasn’t sure if leaving the courtyard would displease him.
On second thought, she hadn’t displeased him like the original Song Yi in the novel. No matter how crazy his character was, he had to follow some basic logic. Right now, he had no reason to torment her.
Besides, she was just going to the kitchen to have a look. If it wasn’t allowed, someone would stop her. It wouldn’t be too late to turn back then.
As the sun rose, Yuli woke up. She lazed in bed for a while, then got up and dressed. Xiyun came in with a radiant smile.
They had agreed last night to go to the kitchen together today.
Yuli wore a simple, narrow-sleeved dress. The weather was not yet warm, so she wore a water-green padded jacket embroidered with jade bamboo. She wore no makeup, her dark hair simply tied up and held with a black jade hairpin, the simplest one from the dressing cases.
But with her red lips, white teeth, and skin fairer than snow, she was still an otherworldly beauty even in such simple attire.
Yuli felt a little nervous as she stepped out of the courtyard gate. But when she was out, she found that no one came to stop her. She looked back in relief.
The courtyard was quiet, shimmering in the sunlight. A plaque hung on the gate with white characters on a wooden background: Mingyue Residence.
So the courtyard had a name. It had been dark the day she arrived, and she hadn’t noticed.
Led by Xiyun, she walked along a small path, around a lakeside garden, out one gate, through another covered walkway, and out another gate, arriving at a courtyard entrance.
Inside, it was bustling with activity and voices. Yuli walked in. The maids who recognized her quickly stood up and called out in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, “The Mistress has arrived.”
It was still early for noon, but the kitchen was already busy. People were selecting and washing vegetables, chopping and arranging them on plates. A glance showed the entire kitchen was filled with people, all working in an orderly fashion. Her sudden intrusion caused a brief moment of chaos, and then they quickly lined up.
They stood respectfully, silent as crows. Yuli, on the other hand, didn’t know where to put her hands.
“I’m just looking around. Sorry to disturb you all. Please continue.”
After saying this, Yuli turned and left. Not long after, someone from the kitchen chased after her.
It was a maid who often went between Mingyue Residence and the kitchen. She wore a pink dress, different from the others, and seemed to be in a position of authority.
Behind her was a portly middle-aged man. Both wore smiles and bowed to her.
Yuli waved her hand, telling them not to bow, but they didn’t listen.
The maid in pink said, “This servant is Jingyu, and this is the kitchen manager, Old Hu. If the Mistress has any instructions, please feel free to give them.”
Old Hu continued, “Is there anything the Mistress would like to eat? As long as the Mistress asks, even if it’s an unknown dish, as long as you can describe it, this humble one can make it.”
Yuli hadn’t planned on saying anything, but hearing Old Hu’s words, she felt a little tempted. The recent dishes were exquisite but too high-class and light. She was craving some heavy-flavored junk food.
Yuli asked, a little embarrassed, “Have you heard of hot pot?”
Old Hu: “Is it something like a Shuanguo?” (T/N: Shuanguo :Chinese hot pot where ingredients are quickly cooked in a simmering broth at the table.)
Yuli: “Sort of, but a little different. The soup base is made by stir-frying a lot of chili peppers, spices, and beef tallow, then adding bone broth and bringing it to a boil. Besides beef and mutton, you can also cook thinly sliced tripe, chicken gizzards, duck blood…”
Yuli never thought she would one day describe hot pot in such detail. Just talking about it made her mouth water.
Old Hu carefully noted down every word she said. The more he listened, the more he felt something was off. Beef and mutton were common, but the entrails that followed were things eaten by the poor.
Old Hu had been transferred from the palace and knew that the master of this house was no ordinary person. He hadn’t expected the mistress to come from a poor family. But her demeanor showed no trace of the timidity of the poor. Instead, she was bright and generous, approachable and easy to get along with, making people feel close to her for no reason.
Old Hu agreed and went back to study it carefully. He took it upon himself to substitute the beef tripe and duck blood with higher-quality ingredients.
At noon, Yuli took a bite. The ingredients were very fresh and high-quality, but… there were too few spices and chili peppers. It wasn’t flavorful enough…
After eating the bland hot pot, Yuli couldn’t even take a nap. She sent for Old Hu and discussed with him, “Uncle Hu, could I borrow the kitchen for a bit?”
Being called “Uncle,” Old Hu was both flattered and terrified, and quickly agreed.
Yuli paid no mind to his attitude and joyfully rushed to the kitchen.
The kitchen was cleared out, leaving only four head chefs to assist Yuli. When Yuli added a lethal amount of chili peppers and spices to stir-fry the base, the other three were smoked out. In the end, only Old Hu and Xiyun remained to help.
The soup base was ready. It was placed in a copper pot over a small stove and brought to a boil. Yuli picked up a slice of beef, as thin as a cicada’s wing, and swished it back and forth in the hot pot eight times. After blowing on it to cool it down, she put it in her mouth.
The familiar spicy and fragrant taste spread in her mouth. At that moment, Yuli was the happiest person in the world.
*
Imperial Palace. Zichen Hall, Imperial Study.
Stacks of memorials, half a man’s height, were piled on the desk. Xie Yao was engrossed in writing, drafting a list.
The names on it corresponded to positions. Some positions were vacant, waiting for suitable candidates to be filled, but there weren’t many left.
When the list was finished, he put down his brush. A eunuch quickly served him tea.
Xie Yao didn’t drink. Beside him, Song He tested it for poison with a silver needle before he took a sip.
Xie Yao dismissed all the eunuchs, closed his eyes to rest, and asked Song He, “What did she do today?”
Song He said, “The Princess Consort went to the kitchen. It seemed she wanted to eat something, but she left when she saw there were too many people. Fortunately, Jingyu and Hu Wenjun were diligent and chased after her. The Princess Consort told them what she wanted to eat, and Hu Wenjun immediately tried to make it. But the Princess Consort was not satisfied…”
Hearing this, Xie Yao opened his eyes. “Was Hu Wenjun not diligent?”
“No,” Song He said. “No one had ever seen what the Princess Consort wanted to eat. It seemed a bit strange. Hu Wenjun’s skills were not up to the task. Later, the Princess Consort cooked it herself. The Princess Consort was very happy and wanted to share the food with others. Only Xiyun partook. The rest all apologized and politely declined.”
“What kind of delicious food was it?” Xie Yao asked.
“A lot of chili peppers, beef tallow, and more than ten kinds of spices were added, stir-fried and boiled into a hot pot, for cooking beef and other ingredients,” Song He said matter-of-factly.
Xie Yao was silent.
It didn’t sound delicious.
Xie Yao: “As long as she is happy. Tell Hu Wenjun to be more diligent.”
Song He agreed. Xie Yao rested for this half-moment, then picked up the list and scanned it again. A cold smile suddenly touched his lips.
*
Late at night.
Zichen Hall was brightly lit. Seven elderly officials were brought to the Imperial Study.
Xie Yao was dressed in a black robe with python patterns, with only a white hemp belt tied at his waist, as a sign of mourning for the recently deceased late Emperor.
The seven old men were dressed in grayish-white hemp clothes, not for mourning, but as prison uniforms.
Two months ago, Xie Yao had fought his way into the capital from the western border. At that time, the Crown Prince and Prince Xin were fighting for the throne, and it was unclear who had summoned him to the capital.
Not long after he entered the capital, both the Crown Prince and Prince Xin died one after another. His Shenwu Army firmly controlled the capital and the imperial palace.
Then, His Majesty fell gravely ill. He appointed himself regent. After the Emperor’s death some ten days ago, he installed a five-year-old child as the successor.
People chase after profit. Coupled with Xie Yao’s ruthless methods—he had killed many supporters of the Crown Prince and Prince Xin, not even sparing the Xie family members who were once at the core of the Crown Prince’s faction—most of the officials in the court pledged their allegiance to him through the young emperor and were quickly promoted. It was a clear case of “those who submit prosper, those who resist perish.”
Only the seven elderly officials before him remained upright and unyielding, constantly denouncing him as a treacherous rebel.
Among them were the heads of hundred-year-old aristocratic families, the rector of the Imperial Academy whose students were everywhere, as well as the Grand Chancellor, the Grand Tutor, and others. They were all old officials who had controlled the court for many years, whose slightest cough could shake the political situation.
It was precisely because of this that they dared to unite and pressure Xie Yao to choose a different emperor.
The mother of the current five-year-old child was of humble birth, the daughter of a commoner the late Emperor had met in Jiangnan. She had no foundation and no connection to them, and could only be controlled by Xie Yao.
What they wanted was an heir related to them by blood. In the end, it was just a struggle for profit with Xie Yao.
Because they had been deeply entrenched in the court for many years and had many supporters, they held themselves in high regard and did not take this twenty-two-year-old regent of military background seriously.
Since the late Emperor’s death, they had been thrown into prison. Xie Yao had come to the prison to persuade each of them, but they remained unmoved. Now that he had brought them here late at night, it must be because he could no longer withstand the pressure from the court officials and was about to compromise with them.
The seven men stood tall and proud, like white cranes in the wind.
Xie Yao glanced at them, his eyes devoid of any emotion.
Looking at their noble and righteous appearance, he only felt bored.
He uttered a single sentence faintly, “Disloyal to the new sovereign, the crime is punishable by death. Grant them suicide by hanging.”
Immediately, eunuchs brought out several lengths of white silk. The expressions of the men changed drastically, still not believing that Xie Yao would dare to kill them.
Seeing them not moving, Xie Yao glanced at Song He. “They are inexperienced. Find someone to help them.”
Song He gave a secret signal. The Shenwu Army guards surrounding the area immediately entered and took the white silk.
It was unclear if it was intentional, but there were only three lengths of white silk. Only three people could be strangled at a time.
The Shenwu Army wrapped the silk around the necks of three of them. Their arms were like iron, tightening inch by inch. Their mouths gaped open, their eyes bulged, and soon they stopped breathing. Even so, the Shenwu Army did not let go until there was no possibility of revival, and they fell to the ground stiffly.
In the blink of an eye, three were dead. The remaining four were shocked to realize that Xie Yao was serious.
The jade-faced young man they had just dismissed now seemed to have transformed into a green-faced Asura, ready to claim their souls.
Two of them couldn’t take it and knelt down, surrendering and begging Xie Yao for mercy.
Xie Yao’s lips curled into a cold smile. “I gave you a chance.”
The white silk coiled. The old officials, who were usually high and mighty, lost their lives in an instant, three more of them.
The last one was already soulless. His pleas for mercy were fruitless. The white silk was more terrifying than a barbed iron chain. He tried to run into a pillar but was caught and held down on the ground.
The white silk was wrapped around his neck, and the force was instantly applied to the maximum. In his terror, he looked at Xie Yao, raising a withered hand to point at him, but lost his strength before he could. He could only stare at him with bulging eyes, which remained open even in death.
Xie Yao didn’t even twitch an eyebrow. He ordered the bodies to be sent back to their respective homes overnight and then issued a decree to hold a grand court assembly in Hanyuan Hall. Before dawn, all officials must be present. Latecomers would bear the consequences.
The killing of the seven elderly officials did not cause a huge stir, because Xie Yao had already tamed the court after they were imprisoned. Those who should be killed were killed, those who should be exiled were exiled. The current officials were all loyal to the new sovereign.
The deaths of these seven were just a symbol of his removal of the old and corrupt.
Recently, he had ordered the sixth and fifth-rank officials to submit their memorials directly to him. He inquired into every detail and found that there were many capable officials among them who had been held back from promotion by the entrenched interest groups.
He had already selected those who were capable of great responsibility from the existing officials and announced fifty new appointments at the grand court assembly the next day.
This was what truly shook the political situation.
Not only that, but he also ordered the Ministry of Rites to hold a special imperial examination in the name of the new emperor. An extra spring examination was added this year, and three hundred Jinshi would be selected. Regardless of whether they came from aristocratic or commoner families, as long as they were willing to be loyal to the new dynasty, they could apply.
After a whole day of such busy work, it finally came to an end. He took some time out, and his first question was about Yuli.
When he learned that Yuli had spent the entire day in the kitchen, making some strange food and having Hu Wenjun and others eat it, the corners of his straight lips curled up.
“Inform her in advance. I am going back tonight,” Xie Yao said.