The Crown Princess was dressed in a dark-purple long robe with wide sleeves, embroidered with peonies and gold scrolling vines, and crowned with a gold-inlaid red-jade peony headdress. At that moment, she sat upright and meticulously composed in a rosewood chair, watching the person standing in the middle of the hall. Her brows drew together slightly.
“Is what you said true?”
Fan Chuan bowed deeply and answered respectfully, “In response to Your Highness, even if this servant had a hundred times the courage, he would never dare deceive you. The Eastern Palace kitchens are in quite an uproar at the moment. Your Highness need only send someone over to investigate and you’ll know.”
“That Lady Shen is, at any rate, the daughter of an official household. How could she truly know how to cook? Isn’t she merely putting on an act to vie for His Highness’s favor? Who knows what a mess she’s made of the kitchens by now.”
At this, the Crown Princess’s brows knitted even more tightly. Though her expression was displeased, she did not speak immediately. She merely waved for Fan Chuan to leave.
Fan Chuan was puzzled, but he did not dare question his mistress’s decision. As he departed, he felt the purse Hongling had given him tucked inside his sleeve. One squeeze of his fingers told him roughly how much it contained, and a satisfied smile spread across his face.
This trip had certainly been worth it!
The Crown Princess’s expression remained displeased. “Whenever Lady Shen comes to pay her respects, she appears obedient enough and never takes the initiative to cause trouble. But she has never been the sort to suffer a loss in silence. It hasn’t even been a month, yet His Highness has already spoiled her into becoming increasingly presumptuous.”
Matron Zhou frowned beside her. “Your Highness is right. Lady Shen is likely hiding wickedness beneath that obedient exterior.”
“Lady Wu may appear ostentatious in her daily conduct, but she has never once managed to show off in front of Lady Shen. On the contrary, she has suffered no small losses at Lady Shen’s hands every time.”
“It seems we were all deceived by her meek and deferential appearance and mistook her for someone docile.”
“Now that she has revealed her true colors, she is no longer anything to fear.” After all, the favored Lady Shen in the palace was her elder sister by birth, and she had always been a thorn in the Crown Prince’s heart.
“If she truly becomes more and more presumptuous now that she has His Highness’s favor, then given His Highness’s temperament, he will soon grow tired of her,” Matron Zhou continued, suddenly lowering her voice. “Moreover, during the Dragon Boat Festival gathering at Golden Bright Lake the day after tomorrow, as long as she and Lady Shen speak privately for a few more words…”
What would the Crown Prince think then?
A flicker passed through the Crown Princess’s eyes.
*
It was noon, and the sky was clear and blue beneath the blazing sun.
Zheng Yuande carefully carried a purplewood, black-lacquered, mother-of-pearl-inlaid, eight-sided box decorated with flowers and birds. He stepped forward and bowed slightly as he reported in a quiet voice, “Your Highness, these are the pastries and drink Lady Shen has just delivered herself. She said that Your Highness must taste the pastries while they’re still warm, as they won’t be as delicious once they cool. This servant didn’t dare delay. Please take a look…”
Under ordinary circumstances, while the Crown Prince was handling official business, Zheng Yuande would never dare interrupt him with food sent by one of the lesser ladies living in the rear quarters. But today, Lady Shen’s matter was clearly different from usual.
After all, he had also been at fault for yesterday’s incident. Naturally, he ought to lend her a hand now.
Cui Yu raised his head from the documents and instinctively pressed his fingers to his brow.
With a smile, Zheng Yuande said, “Your Highness, these pastries and this drink were made personally by Lady Shen using ingredients borrowed from the Eastern Palace kitchens. It’s clear she put great thought into them.”
Cui Yu lifted a brow at that. “Made personally by her?”
Zheng Yuande’s smile instantly widened. He hurriedly affirmed it, then placed the box on a nearby table. He opened the container holding the still-steaming golden pastries, and a rich, enticing fragrance of eggs and milk filled the room.
“Your Highness, please have a taste.”
Cui Yu looked at the golden pastries and picked one up. After taking a bite, his brows rose slightly.
Zheng Yuande watched him nervously. Although he had already tested the food himself, he had no idea whether it would suit His Highness’s taste…
Just as he was thinking this, he saw the Crown Prince eat another, and then a third before finally stopping.
Zheng Yuande immediately put on a broad smile and promptly offered him a clean towel that had just been rinsed.
Cui Yu accepted it and slowly, unhurriedly wiped his fingertips. His tone was indifferent.
“Acceptable.”
Zheng Yuande was even more delighted. Lady Shen truly knew how to please His Highness. Not only had she made something fresh, but His Highness clearly enjoyed it as well.
Cui Yu then glanced at the sweet white porcelain jug nearby. Zheng Yuande quickly poured the Crown Prince a cup, then opened two small porcelain containers and said with a beaming smile, “Your Highness, Lady Shen said this drink is called milk tea. She made it using the tea leaves Your Highness bestowed upon her. She specifically instructed this servant to have Your Highness taste it first and see whether the sweetness is suitable. If it seems too bland, Your Highness may add some of the tapioca pearls and taro paste.”
Cui Yu took a sip. It was smooth and velvety as soon as it entered his mouth, sliding gently down his throat. It was neither bitter nor overly rich, leaving only the full fragrance of milk and tea. The sweetness was just right—sweet without being cloying, mellow and gentle.
He scooped a spoonful each of the tapioca pearls and taro paste into the cup.
The pearls were springy and chewy, carrying a faint sweetness. Mixed with the dense, soft taro paste, they were powdery, sticky, and delicate, melting in his mouth.
By the time he came back to himself, more than half the jug of milk tea had already been emptied.
Only then did he slowly set it down. Suddenly remembering something, he asked in a casual tone, “What sort of food did she send before?”
Yesterday’s incident had merely been an accidental misunderstanding that had cost him a little face. He was not so petty as to hold a grudge over it.
He had never cared about what food any woman sent him. But now that he knew she had been so sincere, he suddenly thought it a pity that the pastries she had made herself, piece by piece, had likely all ended up in Zheng Yuande’s stomach.
“Ah?”
Zheng Yuande froze. He had not expected His Highness to suddenly ask such a question—and it was truly rather difficult to answer…
Cui Yu’s voice deepened. “What is it? Did all the food go into your head instead?”
Zheng Yuande’s plump, fair body trembled in fright. Seeing that His Highness was still staring at him with furrowed brows, he replied awkwardly, “In response to Your Highness, Lady Shen… she… she has never sent any food before.”
After saying this, he wished he could bury his head in his chest. He did not dare look at His Highness’s expression at all.
The study instantly fell so silent that one could hear a pin drop.
Zheng Yuande felt the pressure around the Crown Prince growing heavier and heavier. His legs suddenly went weak, and he dropped to his knees.
After a long moment, Cui Yu cast him a glance and asked in his usual calm voice, “Why are you kneeling?”
Zheng Yuande cautiously raised his head. “…Your Highness?”
That was it? He was no longer angry?
Cui Yu raised a brow. “Do you wish to kneel?”
Seeing his expression and demeanor, Zheng Yuande’s heart immediately relaxed. He scrambled to his feet and hurriedly thanked His Highness.
Still, he remained deeply puzzled inside. His Highness’s moods seemed to be changing faster and faster lately…
Cui Yu noticed the confusion in his eyes but had no intention of explaining.
At first, he had naturally felt uncomfortable upon hearing the answer. Though he did not know where that inexplicable discomfort had come from, he had not thought deeply about it.
Then he suddenly remembered that, in the past, even Lady Shen’s regular allowance had not been enough to feed her. She had needed to spend additional money every day just to supplement it and eat her fill. She was only a concubine-born daughter of her family, so even if she had some private savings, she could not possibly have had much.
Moreover, she was straightforward and sincere by nature. It was only natural that she had not thought of currying favor in this way.
Over the past month or so, of the four newcomers, she alone had done nothing unnecessary. She had never secretly spent money to curry favor with people and make inquiries about the Eastern Palace, nor had she sent anyone to find out about his whereabouts or preferences. Every day, she simply lived her own quiet little life, keeping well within the rules.
That was good.
He turned his gaze toward the sky outside, set aside the documents before him for the time being, and rose to his feet. “Let’s go to Lianxin Court.”
Zheng Yuande hurriedly acknowledged the order, but inwardly grew even more puzzled. Unable to help himself, he scratched the back of his head. Why did he feel that he was becoming less and less able to fathom the Crown Prince’s thoughts?
