【Exclusive First Release on Jinjiang Literature City】
"Yun Kui, it's like this... Last month, my mother arranged a marriage for me with a distant cousin."
"You know, my grandfather is getting old and hopes I’ll settle down soon. I can’t wait until you leave the palace at twenty-five..."
"I’m sorry, I’m too ashamed to face you... This is all my savings over the years. Please take it, or I’ll never forgive myself..."
A bulging money pouch was pressed into Yun Kui’s hand. She discreetly weighed it—quite a sum indeed.
Though inwardly cursing him a thousand times, Yun Kui maintained a gracious expression and smiled warmly. "Guard Zhao, I understand your predicament. I don’t blame you. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding."
The man gazed at her longingly.
The young girl wore her hair in twin buns, adorned only with two delicate silk cherry blossoms. Yet, her beauty was radiant as spring—a flawless porcelain complexion, rosy lips, bright eyes, and delicate features that needed no embellishment. Even dressed in the simplest pale apricot ruqun, she stood out effortlessly in any crowd.
What a pity he was marrying someone else.
Yun Kui was reluctant too.
She’d miss Guard Zhao’s imposing physique, his brawny arms and simple mind.
He had been one of her carefully selected candidates for marriage.
At sixteen, Yun Kui was a palace maid in the Imperial Kitchen.
Though low in rank, her silver tongue had won her favor among the higher-ups. The scraps from their tables kept her well-fed, hopeful, and glowing.
As the saying goes, "Well-fed and warm, desires stir." Under the guidance of her aunt Bi Zan—who had married the captain of the imperial guards—Yun Kui was determined to follow in her footsteps.
As Bi Zan often said, "Palace-trained girls are refined and well-mannered—qualities that make them desirable brides. Marrying a guard is ideal. They come from respectable families, are handsome, and with military achievements, they can climb the ranks. At the very least, you’ll become an official’s wife."
Young and beautiful, Yun Kui refused to spend her days greasy and unnoticed in the Imperial Kitchen. In her free time, she befriended several unmarried guards.
With luck, she’d marry smoothly after leaving the palace at twenty-five. Without it, she’d end up like Guard Zhao—abandoned after sweet promises.
Orphaned and rootless, Yun Kui had no one to arrange a proper match for her. She was adrift, forced to plan her own future.
Regrets? A few, but not many. Without Guard Zhao, there were still Guard Qian, Guard Sun, Guard Li... Truthfully, most palace guards were tall and strapping, rarely unattractive.
But hearts were fickle. Today’s declarations of love could turn into tomorrow’s betrayal. Hence, she needed options—a safety net.
Guard Zhao was decent enough to leave her with a generous sum. She could use part of it to treat Guard Sun’s ailing mother, earning his undying gratitude and loyalty.
Pleased with her calculations, Yun Kui’s steps lightened.
Yet the next morning, grim news spread through the palace—
The Crown Prince, infamous for his cruelty, bloodlust, and a reputation that silenced crying children, was returning.
Guard Feng, whom she’d recently befriended, rushed to meet her. "Xiao Kui, the border war is over. The Crown Prince will return to the capital soon. The palace will be swamped with preparations, so I might not see you for a while."
Yun Kui blinked. "The Crown Prince?"
The title alone seemed taboo. Even the stalwart Guard Feng shuddered.
After glancing around, he lowered his voice. "The Northern Wei campaign ended in victory, but the Crown Prince slaughtered seven cities. Wherever he went, devastation followed. They call him the ‘Jade-Faced Rakshasa’ or ‘Living King of Hell.’ You’ve never seen him..."
Having spent years at war, the Crown Prince was a stranger to Yun Kui. But... Jade-Faced Rakshasa? Not "Iron-Faced" or "Blue-Faced"? Did that mean he was strikingly handsome?
News of the Crown Prince’s return soon swept through the Forbidden City.
Yet when Yun Kui and other curious maids asked the Imperial Kitchen veterans about him, they clammed up, terrified of repercussions.
"Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t."
"Once the Crown Prince returns, stay far away from him. Otherwise..."
The speaker paled, drawing a finger across her throat.
The girls exchanged uneasy glances and fell silent.
Yun Kui concluded: The Crown Prince was not to be trifled with.
But she carried on eating and sleeping as usual.
After all, the East Palace was worlds apart from the Imperial Kitchen. What did she have to fear?
Yet days later, the head eunuch announced shocking news—with the Crown Prince’s return imminent, the East Palace kitchens, long neglected, required restaffing. The Imperial Household Department would transfer ten cooks and dozens of eunuchs and maids from the Imperial Kitchen to serve the Crown Prince’s meals.
Rumor had it the Crown Prince was not only ruthless but also insatiably lustful—indiscriminate in his tastes. Thus, the eunuchs sent were all fair and delicate, the maids tender and comely. None dared risk offending his eyes.
Yun Kui, unfortunately, was among them.
She couldn’t fathom it. If the Crown Prince was so lustful, why not fill his chambers with beauties? Why extend the criteria to the kitchens? Did pretty people cook better?
Seeing her former colleagues mourn as if she were heading to the underworld, Yun Kui grew uneasy.
Upon arriving at the East Palace, she realized it was far grander than imagined—a microcosm of the Forbidden City, complete with its own administrative offices, hundreds of staff, and even a Privy Council.
Compared to this, the kitchens were insignificant. She’d never cross paths with the Crown Prince. Dishes passed through countless checks before reaching noble hands.
If the Crown Prince sought pleasure, wouldn’t he do so in his chambers? Would he really visit the kitchens to claim someone?
Relieved, Yun Kui settled in, determined to make the best of it.
As the Crown Prince’s return neared, the East Palace bustled with activity—renovations, cleaning, decorations. Within half a month, the entire estate gleamed, down to the glazed tiles on the roofs.
While others toiled, the kitchen staff focused on meals, with ingredients supplied by the Court of Imperial Entertainments. The work was lighter than expected.
But the guards Yun Kui had befriended grew distant, wary of her East Palace posting and its restricted access. Meetings dwindled, dampening her spirits.
No matter. Once the Crown Prince returned and she established herself, she’d reassess her options.
One evening, her roommate Dan Gui fell ill and begged a favor. "The meals for Lanyue Pavilion haven’t been delivered yet. If you’re free, could you take them for me and Xiang Xing?"
The Moonview Pavilion was located in the southwest corner of the Eastern Palace. Rumor had it that the palace had specially selected over a dozen beauties from the Imperial Music Bureau to rehearse songs and dances there for the past two months, all to entertain the Crown Prince upon his return.
Yun Kui was more than happy to oblige. "You rest well. I’ll go in your place."
This was perfect—she still wasn’t familiar with the layout of the Eastern Palace, and with its strict order, she couldn’t just wander around freely. This trip to the Moonview Pavilion would give her a chance to scout the area.
Xiang Xing was a seasoned servant in the Eastern Palace. She had worked in the palace kitchens even before the Crown Prince left for war, and over the years, she had developed a timid and cautious nature. Seeing this new girl brazenly looking around, she quickly lowered her voice to warn her, "The Crown Prince is about to return! You’d better be careful!"
Yun Kui leaned closer and whispered, "Sister Xiang Xing, tell me, what kind of person is the Crown Prince? We’re new here—it’d help to be prepared."
At the mention of the Crown Prince, Xiang Xing’s face paled. How dare she gossip about that demon!
Though she worked in the Eastern Palace, as the most insignificant kitchen maid, she had only ever caught a distant glimpse of the Crown Prince once.
That day, an assassin had appeared in the Chengguang Hall, and the Crown Prince had flown into a thunderous rage. In the end, both the assassin and the traitorous eunuch who had aided him were left in pieces.
Xiang Xing remembered it vividly—the Crown Prince striding out of Chengguang Hall with a sword in hand, his robes drenched in blood, his entire being radiating a murderous aura, like a vengeful spirit crawling up from the depths of hell.
Even years later, the mere memory of that scene made her legs weak and her hair stand on end.
The Crown Prince’s cruelty was infamous. Even his campaign to the northern borders was said to be a self-imposed exile—punishment for executing several officials without the Emperor’s approval.
Just when everyone thought they could finally breathe and wait out their days until leaving the palace, this demon was returning—and after slaughtering seven cities in Northern Wei, no less! His bloodthirsty nature hadn’t changed a bit. Who wouldn’t be terrified?
Though it was already autumn, cold sweat dripped from Xiang Xing’s forehead, and the back of her neck prickled with unease. "Just remember—hear little, ask little, say little! The Crown Prince won’t bother with small fry like us in the kitchens."
"Don’t worry, Sister Xiang Xing. I won’t cause any trouble."
Yun Kui unconsciously lowered her voice, affected by Xiang Xing’s fear.
By mid-October, news spread through the palace—the Crown Prince had been ambushed by bandits on his way back to the capital. Struck by multiple arrows, he now hovered between life and death.
He had been rushed back to the Eastern Palace. The Emperor and Empress were beside themselves with worry. Every physician from the Imperial Hospital had gathered there, the Medical Bureau was overwhelmed, and even renowned doctors from the common folk were summoned to the palace.
Basins of blood were carried out one after another. For days, the Eastern Palace reeked of thick, metallic blood, yet the Crown Prince remained unconscious.
The kitchens could only prepare medicinal broths and bland congees, but since the Crown Prince couldn’t even swallow medicine, let alone food, their efforts were in vain.
Yun Kui carefully suppressed the excitement bubbling in her chest—if the Crown Prince was on death’s door, maybe she could return to the Imperial Kitchen?
Yes!
In high spirits, she closed her eyes, ready to enjoy a good night’s sleep, when she remembered—she had been in the Eastern Palace for two months now. Had Guard Zhao gotten married yet? Maybe she could sneak into his dreams and find out.
Yes, at some point, Yun Kui had discovered that she occasionally saw strange scenes in her sleep—Dan Gui drooling over braised pork knuckles, Guard Qian rolling around on a pile of gold, or the eunuch Xiao Luzi from the Imperial Kitchen discovering that his… missing parts had grown back. All sorts of bizarre things.
Why was she dreaming about Xiao Luzi?! She didn’t care at all!
Later, during a casual chat with Dan Gui, Yun Kui tested the waters and realized that these scenes were actually other people’s dreams.
But she couldn’t just peek into anyone’s dreams—only those of people she interacted with often, those she knew well.
Someone like Guard Zhao was easy to slip into.
Muttering his name in her mind, Yun Kui closed her eyes and drifted into a hazy slumber.
The glow of red candles nearly blinded her. Blinking, she took in the sight—two brides in red wedding dresses and veils sat side by side on the bed.
Had she stumbled into Guard Zhao’s wedding night in his dream?!
Wait… why were there two brides?
Just as she was about to investigate, the door creaked open. Guard Zhao, dressed in lavish red wedding robes, stumbled in drunk. Picking up the ceremonial scale from a tray, he lifted the veils of both brides one after another.
The bride on the left must be his beloved cousin—delicate and graceful. But the one on the right, gazing at him with tender affection… wasn’t that her?!
Yun Kui stared in disbelief as Guard Zhao raised two cups of wedding wine, sitting between her and his cousin. In a bizarre yet harmonious arrangement… the three of them linked arms and drank together.
After draining the cups, Guard Zhao beamed, clasping both their hands in his. "From now on, as long as the three of us live happily together, nothing else matters."
Yun Kui was furious—so furious she jolted awake.
The audacity! Marrying his cousin wasn’t enough—he wanted two wives?!
What a two-faced scoundrel!
She was about to curse him further when hurried footsteps approached outside. The kitchen matron rushed in, lantern in hand. "Dan Gui! Yun Kui! Get up quickly! Prepare yourselves—you’re to report to Chengguang Hall at once to attend to the Crown Prince!"
