The Emperor frowned. “Are you telling me they’ve served a live fish? How utterly crude.”
Pei Liang, however, said, “Your Majesty, please allow me to explain. Only the fish’s skin has been lightly fried to remove the fishy odor. Its spinal column and nerves remain unharmed, so before it is eaten, one can still see it flinch and struggle when touched. This does not actually affect its edibility.”
“Once it has been immersed in this boiling sauce for a few moments, Your Majesty, if you look again, you will find that the flesh inside is perfectly cooked and exquisitely tender. It will then be ready to eat.”
But the Emperor had long since lost his appetite. The mere thought of how the fish had been prepared made him feel sick.
“Take it away. Take it away,” he ordered. “Such a crude and vulgar thing has no place at a refined banquet.”
As he spoke, he turned to Shi Feiyu. “What does Lord Shi think?”
Shi Feiyu, however, poked at the live-fried fish before him. He seemed quite fascinated by the way it thrashed in alarm whenever it touched the water.
He immediately understood what Pei Liang meant. So when he heard the Emperor’s words, he nodded and said, “A crude and repulsive dish like this has no business being placed before the most honored person in the realm. It is truly outrageous.”
Hearing Shi Feiyu echo his own sentiments and disparage his woman, the Emperor’s expression finally improved somewhat.
He exchanged glances with several of his favored ministers, their eyes revealing the satisfaction of a man who had recovered his imperial dignity.
Wei Yingshu saw Pei Liang’s dish being removed in disgrace, and delight welled up inside her. She glanced at Pei Liang.
To have such an unpresentable dish served before the Son of Heaven and so many powerful ministers, only to be openly mocked by General Shi himself—what a satisfying sight. It had finally helped her vent some of her anger.
Compared with this, being repeatedly made the target of the common people’s scorn by that wretched woman seemed like nothing. After all, those lowborn rabble could not truly do anything to her.
Here, however, Pei Liang’s head was in very real danger.
The second dish was brought out.
Wei Yingshu had prepared a roasted quail.
The quail was small, but its skin looked crisp and its meat succulent. Rather than being cut up and skewered, it had been roasted whole.
Its shape remained intact, its body plump and full. It had none of the usual shortcomings of roasted quail—dry skin and tough meat. This tiny bird was so juicy and well-rounded that it looked surprisingly meaty.
The Emperor took one look and said, “Oh? This dish appears to offer nothing particularly novel. Has Chef Wei run out of ideas lately?”
Wei Yingshu knew he was teasing her. She smiled and stepped forward to turn the quail over.
From the outside, the roasted quail looked much like Pei Liang’s fish had earlier—as though it had never been gutted or cleaned.
But when Wei Yingshu cut into it with a knife and fork, the air, already thick with the charred fragrance of roasted poultry and the rich aroma of meat, filled with an even more commanding and savory scent.
The mingled aromas of roasted bird and concentrated broth created an olfactory delight of an even higher order, making everyone’s stomachs rumble with hunger.
Then, from the quail’s plump belly, a thick broth slowly spilled forth, carrying an assortment of luxurious delicacies—sea cucumber, abalone, shark fin, and more. Each morsel was coated in a clear, glistening sauce that made mouths water.
A humble little roasted quail had, in the blink of an eye, been transformed into an extravagant delicacy.
The Emperor threw back his head and laughed. “Wonderful! So there was a hidden marvel within. I truly underestimated Chef Wei.”
“And what is this dish called?”
Wei Yingshu glanced at Shi Feiyu once more and said softly, “This dish is called ‘Crossing Chencang in Secret.’”
The Emperor nodded and smiled at Lord Shi. “This dish has reminded me of something. Lord Shi, can you guess what it is?”
Shi Feiyu put on an expression of confusion. “I would not dare presume to guess at Your Majesty’s thoughts.”
The smile on the Emperor’s face faded somewhat. He said, “When the Northern Barbarians launched their surprise attack, the supplies for your army had not even been loaded and sent out.”
“We thought the Northern Barbarian army had cunningly chosen that moment to launch a sneak attack, and that the Northern Defense Army was in grave danger. Yet, unexpectedly, not only did you manage to hold the city gates, but throughout the months of fighting, your battle reports never once requested reinforcements or provisions.”
“I have long known that you are the undefeated God of War of this dynasty. Having you is truly a blessing for the nation. But even I never imagined that you possessed the ability to cook a meal without rice.”
“With an undefeated army like yours that requires no expenditure whatsoever, it seems our dynasty need never fear war again.”
Pei Liang nearly burst out laughing when she heard the Emperor say this. As expected of the hereditary system of a feudal dynasty—given enough time, it could produce all kinds of absurd emperors.
Compared to this Emperor, even Chuan Jianguo could be considered articulate.
He could not even wait until after the fact to settle accounts while first covering his own backside. While questioning the suspicious origins of Shi Feiyu’s provisions and military supplies, he had the nerve to bring up the fact that he himself had not thought to arrange reinforcements or provisions for several months.
Someone had fought on your behalf and protected the capital. Because he never submitted a request for supplies, you felt perfectly justified in giving him nothing. Then afterward, you blamed him for not needing provisions in the first place. A talent for being entirely self-sufficient like that was practically proof that he intended to rebel.
Pei Liang had seen plenty of people stab their meritorious subordinates in the back. Even in the business world, such things happened all the time. But she had never seen anyone play this trick while managing to make such blatant contradictions in the same breath.
The Emperor, however, did not see it that way. His gaze toward Shi Feiyu turned cold, and the surrounding officials’ expressions grew equally hostile.
A wordless accusation descended upon Shi Feiyu, pressuring him to prove his innocence.
Yet Shi Feiyu merely said lightly, “So my battle reports did not mention reinforcements or provisions? I must have forgotten.”
“After all, I submitted several memorials in the three months before the battle, yet they still had not arrived by the day before the fighting began. Once the battle was underway, the military situation was too urgent to wait that long.”
“Fortunately, kindhearted citizens of the capital and generous merchants donated clothing and grain, allowing the Northern Defense Army to survive this ordeal.”
Shi Feiyu turned toward the Emperor and Minister Yu, who sat below him. “However, Your Majesty, Minister Yu, the Ministry of Revenue’s efficiency in arranging supplies is inferior even to that of a mere civilian organization.”
“The reason for our initial defeat in this battle should require no explanation from me. Yet the people who withheld military supplies and delayed military operations, nearly causing an irreversible disaster, can still sit here at ease and enjoy this victory banquet.”
Shi Feiyu looked at the Emperor, his piercing gaze making no effort to conceal its accusation. “I assumed that after I returned victorious, the criminal officials who had meddled with military supplies and nearly caused an irreparable catastrophe would have been dealt with. At the very least, they should have resigned in disgrace. Yet they still have the audacity to remain here.”
“Your Majesty, why is that?”
The Emperor’s expression immediately darkened. He had been the first to reject the original strategy, and a considerable portion of those military funds had been diverted to construct his hot-spring resort.
Shi Feiyu was clearly using this matter as a pretext to demand an investigation, openly directing his accusations at the Emperor himself.
But an emperor could never be wrong. The only possible explanation was that he had been misled by those around him—or that you had failed to stand firm and convince him.
Thus, the emperor let out a cold laugh. “Lord Shi has spent months fighting on the front lines, and upon returning to court, he has not had a moment’s rest. Yet you still helped Us settle the merits and faults of the court officials. Truly, you are a pillar of the nation, exhausting yourself for the sake of the realm.”
Shi Feiyu smiled. “Your Majesty flatters me. It is merely the duty of a subject. May I ask what Your Majesty intends to do?”
“Though this is a victory banquet celebrating our triumph over the Northern enemy, I, Shi Feiyu, am not the sort of person who would conceal faults and gloss over shame for the sake of a momentary show of peace and prosperity.”
As he spoke, he seemed intent on forcing the emperor to deal with the offending officials on the spot.
How could those officials possibly accept this?
This Hongmen banquet had been arranged for Shi Feiyu from the very beginning, intended to curb a man whose achievements had grown too great for his own good. No one had expected him to be so brazen as to fail to show even the slightest weakness and go along with the situation to reach a tacit balance.
Instead, he actually dared to pressure the emperor directly, hoping to strip them of all their glory and wealth. To them, this enmity was no different from the murder of their parents.
One official then spoke in a cold voice. “Marquis Shi certainly has excellent manners. Given the current state of General Shi, he seems to have become even more imposing than your ancestor was at the founding of the dynasty.”
Marquis Shi broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly signaled to Shi Feiyu.
Shi Feiyu merely said, “Lord Sun, coming from such a humble background, how could you possibly have witnessed the majesty of my Shi ancestors?”
“You—”
“That is enough!” the emperor interrupted, casting Shi Feiyu a cold glance. “The matter of delaying military orders was settled in court long ago. Those who occupied their posts without doing their duty have already been dismissed and executed, with the punishments determined according to the severity of their crimes. There is no need for you to trouble yourself over it, Lord Shi.”
Shi Feiyu nodded. However, before the emperor could finish speaking, he said, “If that is the case, then I can rest easy.”
“Very well. Let us continue judging the dishes. We must not allow Chef Pei’s dish to lose its flavor because of this.”
The emperor was momentarily at a loss for words. Just then, he saw a eunuch uncover Chef Pei’s dish.
It consisted of several roasted items as well, though their shape was bizarre. When they were being prepared earlier, they had looked about the size of quails, but the way they had been arranged on the plate was highly unusual.
They had been propped upright.
They had been roasted to a fragrant caramel brown, with meat that appeared plump and succulent, crisp on the outside and tender within.
Yet not only were the roasted creatures standing upright, each one was also clutching a round object in its hands. The sight was rather eerie.
The emperor’s disgust deepened. He now found Shi Feiyu’s tastes even more vulgar, and could not believe that he had become entangled with a woman who would serve such an undignified dish.
With a contemptuous smile, he asked, “I have tasted delicacies from every corner of the realm, yet for a moment, I cannot identify what this is.”
“What mystery lies behind this dish, Chef Pei?”
Pei Liang replied as though nothing were amiss, “Your Majesty, these are carefully selected rats, roasted to perfection. A rat’s head contains the essence of its entire body, so it would be a shame to discard it. I coated the heads in flour, fried them until golden, and placed them in the rats’ arms.”
“Your Majesty, please taste and judge for yourself.”
The emperor’s scalp went numb. He remembered that he had even poked one with his own chopsticks, and suddenly felt itchy all over, nauseated and sickened.
The chief eunuch at his side naturally understood the emperor’s wishes. Seeing his reaction, he shrieked, “How dare you! You actually presented such filthy, vile food before His Majesty and offended the imperial presence.”
“Guards! Drag this woman away!”
The imperial guards were just about to move when Shi Feiyu shouted, “How dare you, eunuch! His Majesty is delighted by the great victory and in high spirits. He has graciously agreed to serve as a judge and share in the people’s enjoyment. The ingredients are merely unusual, and have caused a moment of surprise.”
“Why are you shouting and making such a commotion? You are disturbing His Majesty’s enjoyment!”
How dare he twist the emperor’s words so brazenly. A murderous glint flashed through the emperor’s eyes.
Yet he waved away the eunuch and reproached him for making such a fuss. “The common people are suffering these days. As the Son of Heaven, I should naturally lead by example in all things. It is only rat meat. If the people can eat it, why should I be unable to?”
He waved again, signaling the palace maids to refill the ministers’ cups. “Come, my esteemed ministers. Join me in savoring this unique delicacy.”
Everyone wore an unpleasant expression, as though blaming Shi Feiyu for causing trouble. One of them raised his cup. “I toast General Shi. Were it not for General Shi, we would likely never have had the chance to sample the flavor of rat meat in this lifetime.”
Shi Feiyu raised his cup in return. “Think nothing of it!”
He was just about to drain his cup when Wei Yingshu suddenly spoke in a flustered voice. “Your Majesty, this subject’s final dish is nearly ready. If we delay any longer, its flavor may be compromised. Might I present it first?”
A trace of displeasure crossed the emperor’s face, but he still nodded. “In that case—”
Before he could finish, Pei Liang interrupted him. “Your Majesty, there is an order to everything. My second dish has yet to finish being judged, yet Shopkeeper Wei is already asking to present her third dish. In a contest such as this, the order and timing of each course are factors that should have been considered from the outset. What exactly is Shopkeeper Wei trying to do?”
Wei Yingshu was frantic with anxiety. The look she gave Pei Liang was almost murderous, as if she wished she could tear that mouth right off her face.
From the emperor’s earlier hints, along with the information Gao Lezhang had obtained while serving in the Imperial Study, she had already understood the direction of the banquet, the signal, and the decision that would determine its final outcome.
What she had not expected was that General Shi would be so stubborn. Even knowing how deeply the emperor feared him, he continued to provoke him again and again.
The signal just now clearly indicated the worst possible result.
That was why Wei Yingshu had immediately spoken up to stop things. For this day, she had long ago prepared a dish into which she had poured all her painstaking effort, hoping to persuade the emperor to change his mind.
But that wretched Pei Liang had chosen this critical moment to ruin everything.
She was not merely a poor match for General Shi. She was clearly a vengeful spirit sent by Heaven itself to claim his life.
The emperor was naturally displeased that a mere common woman had interrupted him. Still, he was more than happy to send Shi Feiyu to his death first.
Thus, he said, “What Chef Pei says is reasonable. This is a contest, after all. I cannot show favoritism toward Chef Wei simply because her cooking happens to suit my tastes.”
“Very well. Distribute this rat meat among everyone. The ministers and I shall enjoy it with fine wine.”
He then asked, “What is the name of this dish?”
Pei Liang replied, “I am not as refined as Shopkeeper Wei, and cannot come up with some profound and elegant name.”
“This dish is made with rats, and the rats have been arranged with their paws clutching their heads. Thus, it is called ‘Rats Scurrying in Panic.’”
The moment those words fell, the great hall fell silent for a few breaths. The emperor and the assembled ministers all glanced at Pei Liang.
They felt that she was mocking everyone present, yet instinctively assumed that a woman from the common folk could never be so audacious.
Regardless, having displeased so many people, this woman was already as good as dead.
Just as everyone was thinking this, Shi Feiyu suddenly spoke with great enthusiasm. “That name is certainly plain and forthright. I, Shi Feiyu, would say it is far more interesting than Chef Wei’s name, which seems to carry some hidden meaning.”
Wei Yingshu jerked her head up and stared at Shi Feiyu, tears nearly spilling from her eyes.
Did he have any idea what she had done for him?
But Shi Feiyu did not spare her so much as a glance. Instead, he turned to Pei Liang and asked, “Come to think of it, Chef Pei never did announce the name of the first dish.”
“Could you tell us again, so we might see whether it is as witty and amusing as this one?”
Pei Liang smiled and pointed at the first dish, the live-fried fish. “There is nothing particularly remarkable about it. Like the others, its name comes solely from its shape and appearance.”
“This fish is fried while still alive. When it is served, the inside is not yet fully cooked, so it must be soaked for a moment in the piping-hot thickened sauce before it can be eaten.”
“The moment a diner touches it with their chopsticks, it slips beneath the surface of the soup, as though it has fled far away. That is how it came to be called *Fleeing in Disarray*.”
By now, if everyone present—including the emperor—still could not tell that this woman was being outrageously bold, joining Shi Feiyu in mocking them, then they truly were either deaf or fools.
The woman had toyed with the sovereign. It was now clear that the two dishes had not been prepared out of vulgar taste, but deliberately. From the very beginning, she had been committing an act of open treason.
The emperor shot to his feet, hurled his cup to the floor, and sneered at Shi Feiyu. “I had intended, out of consideration for your unparalleled accomplishments, to let you leave with some dignity.”
“Who would have thought you would be so utterly ungrateful? A mere woman you keep in a separate residence dares to show such disrespect toward me. That alone reveals how completely Shi Feiyu disregards his sovereign in private.”
“A traitor like you, with command of the military in your hands, is nothing less than the source of disaster for this country.”
“Guards! Seize Shi Feiyu!”
Shi Feiyu rose as well. There was not the slightest trace of panic on his face. In fact, a faint smile even touched his lips.
He called out, “Your Majesty, how far away are the imperial guards from me? And how far am I from Your Majesty?”
The emperor immediately backed away. “Protect me! Protect me first!”
The guards stationed before the emperor drew their swords at once and formed a shield in front of him.
Seeing that Shi Feiyu was not wearing armor and carried no weapon, the emperor felt slightly reassured.
The guards sent to apprehend Shi Feiyu were almost upon him when several arrows suddenly shot through the air. Most of them pierced the hearts of the guards just as their blades were about to reach Shi Feiyu. One arrow, however, passed through two of the guards protecting the emperor and plunged straight into the ground before him.
The sudden turn of events sent the ministers, who had been sitting back and calmly watching Shi Feiyu be captured, into a panic. Without the slightest concern for their dignity, every one of them scrambled beneath the tables.
The emperor himself was among them, naturally.
Shi Feiyu snatched a sword from one of the fallen guards and pointed it at the emperor. The remaining imperial guards fought desperately to protect their sovereign.
But how could they possibly stand against an undefeated general who had moved freely across countless battlefields? Shi Feiyu cut them down almost one by one.
The emperor was so terrified that his voice twisted out of shape. “Shi Feiyu, you treacherous rebel! You dare assassinate your emperor?”
“Protect me! Someone, come and protect me!”
But the emperor’s only answer was the sudden slam of the great hall’s doors as they closed shut.
Shi Feiyu kicked aside the desk beneath which the emperor was hiding, hauled him out, and tossed him into the middle of the hall.
The middle-aged man in the bright-yellow dragon robe was now disheveled and utterly devoid of dignity. He looked nothing like the majestic Son of Heaven.
The air was even thick with the stench of urine. It was, after all, only fitting for the man destined to become the first emperor of the dynasty to run for his life.
The clash of weapons soon rang out beyond the main hall, accompanied by countless screams.
The Emperor and the assembled ministers, who had thought they had lured Shi Feiyu into their trap with a Hongmen banquet and could capture him alone, were all stunned.
This shouldn’t be happening. It shouldn’t.
In the days since Shi Feiyu had come ashore, they had made elaborate arrangements to separate him from the personal guards marching south with him, ensuring that his orders could not be delivered.
They had also made certain that those soldiers remained quietly at their station, without the slightest sign of disturbance.
The imperial residence was heavily guarded, with layer upon layer of sentries. To prevent Shi Feiyu from making a desperate move, they had stationed countless palace experts outside, lying in wait.
How had this happened? How had Shi Feiyu’s men occupied the high ground without anyone noticing, firing volley after volley of arrows to destroy the first wave’s attempt to capture him alive?
And how had they silently infiltrated the imperial residence, then shut the doors of the hall at a single command—holding the Emperor hostage and ordering the feudal lords about within, while surrounding and slaughtering the Emperor’s men outside?
Wei Yingshu was utterly dumbfounded as well. If the Emperor’s earlier hint that she should poison Shi Feiyu with a cup of wine had left her panicked, then this palace coup was entirely beyond her expectations.
The corpses inside the hall and the screams from outside combined to create a living hell, leaving Wei Yingshu trembling uncontrollably.
She could not help looking toward Pei Liang, only to find that the other woman had somehow dragged over a chair and sat down. She had even grabbed a handful of shelled sunflower seeds from the fruit platter on the table and was eating them with complete indifference.
She looked as though everything had been within her expectations from the beginning.
Wei Yingshu was horrified. The Emperor’s worries had not been unfounded. General Shi truly had harbored rebellious intentions all along.
The sounds outside gradually subsided. The Emperor and the ministers desperately prayed that the palace guards had suppressed the traitors and rebel soldiers.
But they were disappointed. The vermilion doors opened, revealing Sanxiang and Siji, both drenched in blood.
The two men said expressionlessly, “General, we have annihilated all the traitors and rebel troops.”
“Traitors and rebel troops?” The Emperor’s voice warped as he glared at Shi Feiyu.
Shi Feiyu found it laughable. He lowered his head and said to the Emperor, “In the past, the founding emperor of our dynasty was a man of extraordinary talent and vision, a true hero. Yet after being passed down through the generations, the throne of the realm has fallen into the hands of a shameless, weak, and foolish man.”
“I thought that no matter how dull-witted Your Majesty might be, you would at least have realized something when Owner Pei presented that dish of rat meat. Had you done so, perhaps you and I, as sovereign and subject, might still have reached a dignified outcome.”
Indeed, Pei Liang had been summoned to the palace by the Emperor at the last minute to compete with Wei Yingshu in a culinary contest. In theory, as a common woman with no connections within the palace, she should have had to use whatever ingredients, utensils, and seasonings the palace provided. Even if she had made additional requests, how could the palace have indulged her by procuring something as filthy as rat meat?
After all, the dishes were meant to be served to the Emperor and his ministers.
Yet Owner Pei had managed to bring rat meat to the table, while even the eunuch serving at the Emperor’s side knew nothing about it. From that alone, one could tell that the imperial residence had long since been riddled with flaws.
If the Emperor possessed even the slightest bit of sense, he would not have continued with his self-important scheme. Shi Feiyu was certain not to leave empty-handed this time, but ultimately, many matters could still be negotiated. Reaching an agreement would have been far more dignified for everyone involved.
Unfortunately, the Emperor was so foolish that he could not even recognize such an obvious warning.
Upon hearing this, the emperor suddenly understood, and his heart filled with even greater dread. “You had already made arrangements at the imperial retreat?”
“More than that.” Shi Feiyu gave a cool, mocking smile. “I knew long ago that Your Majesty would flee south. Naturally, I had cast the net months in advance, just waiting for you to walk into it.”
The emperor’s plan to lure the enemy in had only been conceived recently, whereas Shi Feiyu had begun preparing several months earlier.
The emperor drew a sharp breath. “How did you know I would go sou—south?”
“From my understanding of Your Majesty. And from the fact that I, Shi Feiyu, deliberately gave ground when the Northern Barbarians invaded.”
“So you had calculated everything from the start.” The emperor’s eyes bulged with fury. There had never been any so-called retreat due to military inferiority. It had all been this traitor’s scheme to force him south.
Then everything made sense. Since this traitor had plotted from the beginning to drive him south, he must have laid out his plans in Jiangnan long ago.
By now, the governors of the Two Rivers and the local garrisons had probably already joined forces with him.
The personnel at the imperial retreat, the guards before the throne, and the officers assigned to command the troops could not possibly all have been drawn from the few men brought out of the capital. Naturally, many local personnel had been appointed as well.
And Shi Feiyu’s people had infiltrated every department and corner of this temporary court long ago. They had lain low, waiting only for Shi Feiyu to raise his arm and give the signal.
Despair, the realization that all was lost, filled the emperor’s face.
He said bitterly, “Even if you kill me, you will gain nothing, you traitorous usurper.”
The empire was already showing signs of falling into the hands of competing warlords. Though the emperor was foolish and incapable, he at least possessed the legitimacy of the throne.
If Shi Feiyu killed him just like this, the other ambitious powers would have the perfect excuse to raise the banner of exterminating the traitorous usurper and join forces against him, destroying their most formidable rival first.
Shi Feiyu was no fool. How could he rush into claiming the throne?
He tossed over a blank imperial edict and said to the emperor, “Your Majesty, draft the decree.”
“Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, natural disasters have followed one after another. The people have been plunged into misery, wars have erupted in every quarter, and Great Liang stands on the brink of ruin. Your Majesty possesses neither the ability to turn the tide and save the realm nor the simple virtue of loving the people. On the day a foreign enemy invaded, Your Majesty showed none of the courage and steadfastness expected of a ruler. You are therefore unworthy of the position of sovereign and father to the people.
“Today, Your Majesty shall abdicate in favor of the Fifteenth Prince, thereby preserving the imperial line of Great Liang.”
The Fifteenth Prince was still an infant, not even weaned yet.
But using the Son of Heaven to command the feudal lords was the best choice available to Shi Feiyu at present.
The emperor knew that once the realm was pacified, the end of his Great Liang dynasty would arrive.
Even so, he had no choice but to write the abdication edict. His stubbornness and backbone had failed him the moment Shi Feiyu chopped off his first finger.
Once the edict had been signed and stamped with the imperial jade seal, the Fifteenth Prince, who had still been nursing in one of the consorts’ chambers, was carried over.
His birth mother, the consort who had followed along the entire way in tears, like a woman whose child had been snatched away, went completely blank when she heard the imperial decree proclaiming her son emperor.
Shi Feiyu had the edict put away, intending to announce it to the realm the following day.
Then, seeing that Pei Liang’s dishes were still sitting there untouched, he said, “Owner Pei went to such trouble. Though this banquet has suffered a slight interruption, these delicacies are still a rare taste of the human world. Everyone may as well continue dividing them among yourselves and enjoy them.”
With that, he distributed the rat meat and the live-fried fish among the emperor and the assembled ministers.
He did not even spare the “head” who had fled in blind panic. They had to swallow it down, no matter how difficult it was.
To be honest, the dishes were not bad at all—in fact, they were quite delicious, a testament to Chef Pei’s skill. But given the circumstances, and especially with the meat being rat, everyone could only force down a few bites before retching.
Shi Feiyu came over and asked Pei Liang, “What is the third dish?”
Pei Liang lifted the lid. There was nothing inside. She had never prepared a third dish in the first place.
Shi Feiyu arched a brow. “And what is this dish called?”
“It’s called—‘Who Do You Think You Are?’”
Shi Feiyu immediately burst out laughing. “A fitting name.”
Taken together, the three dishes were surely a message Pei Liang had prepared for the Emperor.
At that moment, Pei Liang turned to Wei Yingshu and asked, “Shopkeeper Wei was in such a hurry to serve a third dish and salvage the situation. It seems you poured a great deal of effort into it. May I have a look?”
Before Wei Yingshu could respond, Shi Feiyu lifted the lid for her.
Inside was a dish plated with breathtaking beauty and profound artistry, prepared from the meat of several different birds and beasts. Whether it was the combination of colors or the contrast of flavors and textures, everything had been handled with astonishing skill.
At a glance, it evoked images of the Great Liang’s vast lands and abundant resources.
Unfortunately, the dish had gone cold by then. No matter how beautiful it looked, it was impossible to whet anyone’s appetite.
Pei Liang asked, “Shopkeeper Wei’s previous dishes all had names rich in meaning. I imagine this one is the same. What is it called?”
Wei Yingshu had yet to recover from the turn of events. It was true that she had not wanted the Emperor to punish General Shi, but she had to admit that all her current prestige and momentum came from the Emperor.
Part of her had been eager to reappear before General Shi as his savior, so that he could finally see which woman in this world was truly worthy of him.
Now that her backer had fallen, her future was uncertain. Meanwhile, Pei Liang—the woman Wei Yingshu had thought would surely be doomed this time—was still standing there unharmed.
At the thought, grief welled up inside Wei Yingshu. She cast General Shi a sorrowful, plaintive glance, her eyes seeming to hold an endless sea of feeling.
She hoped that, even under these circumstances, General Shi would still understand her heart. Thus, she said mournfully, “This dish is called ‘All Under Heaven.’”
She had originally intended to use it to persuade the Emperor to consider the people of the realm, and not discard General Shi once he had served his purpose.
But Shi Feiyu frowned when he heard the name. “All Under Heaven? If that fool had even the slightest concern for the common people, the realm would not be in such a disastrous state.”
Then he turned to Pei Liang and asked, “I seem to recall that this woman was in prison. Why is she here?”
Wei Yingshu’s head snapped up. She could not believe that General Shi had cast aside her heartfelt devotion so completely—and was even planning to pursue the crimes of the past.
She hurriedly said, “General Shi, though my efforts may have been futile, I still beg you to consider this humble girl’s sincere intentions—”
“What a joke. The nation has its laws. First, you plotted to poison and harm innocent civilians. Then you abused your influence to destroy the livelihoods of countless people in the food and beverage trade. What price are your so-called sincere intentions worth?”
Wei Yingshu had not expected even General Shi to know about those matters. But what hurt her most was the way he defended Pei Liang.
Her eyes grew moist as she said, “Everything I did, every scheme I devised, was only so that General Shi would look upon me favorably. Even if you stopped for only a moment, this humble girl would have been content.”
“I admit to every accusation concerning how I treated others. But my feelings for General Shi alone have never been mixed with the slightest impurity.”
Shi Feiyu impatiently waved a hand. “Even if you keep pleading, I still won’t order the guards to give you an extra bowl of meat each day. Save your breath.”
Wei Yingshu was overcome with grief.
Shi Feiyu, however, sneered inwardly. How could she bring such trite, poorly delivered lines before him and expect to impress him? Even his own performances in the past had been far better.
As they spoke, Wei Yingshu was dragged away and thrown back into prison. Less than three months after her escape, she had found herself behind bars once again.
Gao Lezhang was sent in with her this time. After all, impersonating an official order was a crime as well.
The emperor’s finger had been chopped off. After drafting the imperial edict and finishing his【headlong flight】and【panicked scramble】, he was carried away to have his injury treated.
The ministers present, however, were not so fortunate.
Shi Feiyu strode directly to the seat that belonged to the emperor and sat down, sweeping his gaze over the assembled officials.
The ministers’ legs trembled as they prostrated themselves on the floor. Not a trace remained of their earlier arrogance and smug triumph.
One of the emperor’s recent favorites even cried out, “General Shi is a pillar of the nation, a man of both civil and military talent, and the architect of unparalleled achievements.”
“His Majesty is still young, and the state is unstable. General Shi is like the needle that calms the seas. We, your humble ministers, respectfully implore His Majesty to issue an edict appointing General Shi as Regent, so that the Great Liang realm may endure for generations.”
“We humbly implore His Majesty to issue the edict!”
The irony was that the current Son of Heaven was not merely an unweaned infant; he had already been carried away to sleep.
Those cries of “Long live Your Majesty” were directed at the elevated seat where Shi Feiyu sat. It was almost as if, by unspoken agreement, they were hailing him as the emperor.
Had it been an ordinary man consumed by ambition to rule the world, standing in that resplendent palace and basking in the submission of these former pillars of the state, he might truly have become intoxicated with power and lost all sense of himself.
But Shi Feiyu loathed this nest of parasites. What glory was there in being surrounded by the sycophants of a pack of corrupt vermin?
He pressed down with one hand. Qiu Sanxiang immediately appeared beside the minister who had made the proposal first. His blade rose and fell, and a head tumbled to the floor.
The cries of “Long live” had been surging higher and higher only a moment ago. Now they stopped as abruptly as a flood cut off by a breached dam. Several ministers who had risen through flattery and scheming were so terrified that they wet themselves on the spot.
Shi Feiyu’s voice rang out, cold as ice. “Shameless wretches, and you dare presume to discuss affairs of state?”
His gaze swept over the assembled officials in all their disgrace. Wherever his eyes passed, he saw pale faces and foreheads slick with sweat.
At last, Shi Feiyu’s gaze settled on his own father, Marquis Shi.
The Marquis tensed from head to toe. He had never shared any affection with his eldest son, but he was still the boy’s biological father. At least, he need not fear for his life.
What he had never expected was that his eldest son would actually launch a palace coup and rebel. If he had previously been angry that Shi Feiyu had implicated him, he now felt only fear—fear of a son he had perhaps never truly understood, and whose ambition, courage, and ruthlessness he had gravely underestimated.
Then Shi Feiyu said, “Father, before I returned to the military camp, I distinctly remember telling you that I had my own plans regarding marriage. All you needed to do was make excuses and stall.”
“Why, then, did the late emperor keep insisting just now that my marriage contract with the Seventh Princess had already been settled?”
Marquis Shi’s expression stiffened. Since his eldest son had dared to rebel, it was only natural that he would despise anyone who tried to control him.
He was somewhat flustered, but steeled himself and said, “As your father, I was only thinking that you have reached a marriageable age, yet your chambers remain empty. The Seventh Princess is noble, beautiful, and exceptionally well-bred. She is not at all an unsuitable match for you.”
“With your distant and aloof disposition, how long must the direct line of our Shi family wait before it can continue? Even if you are dissatisfied, you should at least show some understanding for your father’s earnest efforts.”
He glanced at Pei Liang, fully aware that his son had likely taken a liking to this commoner woman, and added, “If you had told me sooner that you already had someone in your heart, I would not have played the villain.”
“I am not so unreasonable a father.”
Shi Feiyu smiled. “I naturally understand your good intentions, Father.”
“However, in all these years, you have never concerned yourself with household affairs, devoting yourself entirely to the imperial court. Yet now you are meddling in the inner residence like some housewife. I imagine it is because our household lacks a mistress to oversee the domestic accounts, leaving you burdened with such unnecessary worries.”
“As for my stepmother, although she brought her punishment upon herself by violating the family rules, I cannot deny that I played a part in it. I have always felt guilty as her son. I also neglected the fact that Father’s wife’s position has been left vacant, which must have caused you no small amount of inconvenience.”
“Since that is the case, I shall find you a worthy wife today, Father. That way, your domestic concerns will be taken care of, and you need not trouble yourself with such unnecessary matters.”
Marquis Shi was stunned. He had never imagined that his eldest son would react this way.
But his smile vanished almost at once.
A woman of nearly fifty entered from outside the hall. She was ordinary-looking, with a face covered in fine lines, but her bearing was solemn and dignified, every movement precise and impeccable. She was a nanny.
Shi Feiyu said, “This is Nanny Yan. She served three empresses over the course of her life. Her character is upright, her conduct beyond reproach, and she is strict and orderly. She is perfectly qualified to become the mistress of the Shi household.”
Marquis Shi was utterly dumbfounded. Nanny Yan was roughly his contemporary, after all. Yet as a first-rank marquis, he had always been surrounded by beautiful wives and charming concubines.
Even Lady Chai, his former wife, had maintained herself so well after twenty years of marriage that, despite being nearly forty, she looked no older than thirty.
With his status, even at the age of eighty he could still have women as fresh and lovely as flowers at his side. He had never imagined that one day he might be expected to marry a nanny with a face full of wrinkles.
Marquis Shi stared at Shi Feiyu as though he had seen a ghost. Shi Feiyu merely waved his hand and ordered coldly, “Seize these treacherous ministers who sought to mislead the sovereign and punish them according to the law.”
The great hall erupted in wails and pleas for mercy. Their mouths were quickly gagged, and they were dragged away.
Shi Feiyu’s gaze then settled on Marquis Shi. “What is it? Do you have some objection to this marriage?”
Marquis Shi forced a strained smile. “No. I am naturally honored to have found such a worthy wife.”
And with that, the grand spectacle finally came to an end.
Pei Liang had been fortunate enough to witness a palace coup firsthand. She felt that the experience had been well worth the price of admission.
By then, apart from the attendants clearing up the hall, only the two of them, along with Sanxiang and Siji, remained.
Shi Feiyu said unhappily, “Swords and sabers do not distinguish friend from foe. You should never have come today. Even if you had everything planned out, you still should have considered the possibility of something going wrong.”
Pei Liang replied, “You make it sound as though I could simply refuse to come after receiving an imperial edict.”
Shi Feiyu said, “Why couldn’t you? You could have killed the eunuch who delivered the edict. By the time the palace realized he had not returned and began making inquiries, I would already have begun my plans. Delaying them for a while longer would have been easy enough.”
Seeing that Pei Liang clearly did not take it to heart, Shi Feiyu felt a dull irritation rising in his chest. He asked, “What means do you have to protect yourself?”
Pei Liang said, “Apart from the people I planted in the imperial palace before entering the capital, does this count?”
As she spoke, Pei Liang twisted the handle of a cooking pot. The pot had been crafted in an unusual style, but who would have guessed that its handle was detachable?
Once the wooden handle was twisted off, it revealed a deadly hidden weapon, every needle coated in poison.
The emperor had not been targeting her today, but Shi Feiyu. As an insignificant minor player, these preparations were more than enough for her to protect herself.
Seeing that Shi Feiyu was about to start lecturing her again, Pei Liang grew somewhat impatient.
She spoke first. “Now that the emperor has abdicated, there will be countless matters to deal with. But the first priority is to settle accounts with those who plundered wealth on a massive scale after entering Jiangnan, disrupting the markets in the process.”
“The new emperor is still in swaddling clothes. This change of power is bound to provoke a reaction from various factions. At least one or two of them will seize this opportunity to test Jiangnan’s defenses, with the intention of swallowing up this prosperous land.”
“You’re going to be very busy for a while. Work hard.”
Shi Feiyu said coldly, “Are you telling me how to do my job?”
Pei Liang gently patted his cheek and smiled. “Good boy, don’t throw a tantrum. This is your own work.”
“Do your job properly. I won’t let you go short of weapons, military equipment, or provisions.”
With that, she walked straight out of the imperial palace. After all, even a wealthy woman had to keep her priorities on work.
Shi Feiyu turned back and said smugly to Sanxiang and Siji, “See that? She may dare to short anyone else, but she wouldn’t dare short me.”
Sanxiang and Siji: “…”
Young Lord, let it go. The more you say, the more pitiful you sound.
