The Great Kitchen.
This place combined the former Office of Fine Foods and the Department of Rare Delicacies, responsible for almost all the palace's meals. Ever since the late emperor decreed the custom of three meals a day, it had become increasingly busy.
A vast hall stood at its center, bearing the plaque 'Da Shan,' which meant 'Great Kitchen,' but was also a homophone for 'Great Goodness.'
At this moment, all the windows were wide open. Despite the bitter cold of deep winter, the aroma of steaming buns and plumes of white vapor surged out from within, mingling with the scents of various other foods.
Long lines of palace maids and eunuchs from other palaces had already formed at the distribution windows.
Those serving masters of higher status could enter through the main gate directly to collect their palace's portion of the meals.
According to the ancestral rules, for the twelve Eastern and Western Palaces, aside from the Empress, there should be eleven principal consorts each presiding over a main palace. However, the current Emperor's rear palace had only seven, and even one of those was essentially in name only, lacking any real favor.
The most prominent was Consort Lan. Originally gentle in temperament and favored by the Emperor, after giving birth to the Sixth Prince, her status rose even higher on account of her son, bringing benefits to her maternal clan as well.
Eunuch Fu, still sporting the wound on his head from where Consort Lan had struck him, bustled about.
"Be careful with this! These are extra pastries prepared for the Sixth Prince, made with the finest ingredients. If anything is damaged, I won't let you off easily!"
He bore no grudge for having his head broken by Consort Lan; instead, he eagerly curried favor, selecting many good things from his own private stash and racking his brains to please the Sixth Prince and appease Consort Lan's anger.
When Qu Dubian entered, he spotted this portly eunuch with his head bandaged at first glance.
It couldn't be helped; he was just too conspicuously fat.
Carried in by Ye Xiaoyuan, he stepped across the threshold into the hall. Many inside recognized Ye Xiaoyuan and vaguely guessed Qu Dubian's identity. The servants in the hall exchanged glances, hesitant, unsure whether they should step forward to pay their respects.
A young palace maid approached, offering a hesitant curtsy.
"Is it the young prince?"
Qu Dubian nodded. "Mm."
The young maid said, "Your Highness, why have you come to such a place? Eunuch Ye, you must take His Highness out at once."
Over there, Eunuch Fu, not having turned his head, hadn't noticed their arrival and was still barking orders. "What are you all doing? Get moving!"
Qu Dubian glanced around and spotted a basket of leftover hard buns. "Xiaochun, get me one."
Wen Xiaochun handed him the hard bun.
Qu Dubian hefted the bun in his hand, mentally apologizing to it, then took aim at the back of Eunuch Fu's head and hurled it with force.
The bun kissed the back of Eunuch Fu's head with precise and profound affection.
"Ow! Which blind, worthless wretch dares—" Eunuch Fu turned around, eyes blazing with rage, but the fury died abruptly in his throat when he saw the child in Ye Xiaoyuan's arms.
Wen Xiaochun's face darkened instantly, his lips pressed into a thin line, his gaze fixed on Eunuch Fu with a hint of menace.
Qu Dubian had come specifically to make trouble today and felt not the slightest fear.
Playing the part of a petulant child to the hilt, he puffed out his cheeks in indignation. "It was you! You bullied the people from my palace, and you won't give me food!"
So I hit you, what of it? Go ahead, hit me back!
"The Seventh Prince?"
A ball of fire smoldered in Eunuch Fu's chest. But no matter how much face he had in the Great Kitchen, he was ultimately a servant, while Qu Dubian, however neglected, was still a master.
The hierarchy between master and servant was absolute. In front of everyone, even if he was struck, he had to force a smile and say his head was ugly and deserved the hit.
Suppressing his anger, he walked over. He did not bow, but instead coldly rebuked Ye Xiaoyuan. "You dog! How dare you bring the master to a place like this? You deserve a beating."
Qu Dubian swatted the hat off his head.
"Don't you speak of Ye Banban like that."
Held by Ye Xiaoyuan, he was half a head taller than Eunuch Fu. Under the fat eunuch's astonished gaze, he grabbed a handful of his hair and began shaking his head rhythmically from side to side.
It looked like a child throwing a tantrum. Others might think, how much strength could a child have? Just endure it and it will pass. Only Qu Dubian himself knew how much force he was using.
All the energy from the half hard bun and pickled vegetables he'd eaten for breakfast was being expended right here.
Eunuch Fu yelped in pain and instinctively began to struggle.
"Your Highness!" Ye Xiaoyuan hurriedly held him tighter. "Your Highness, don't be angry. Be good, don't squirm, what if you fall?"
Wen Xiaochun was also extremely anxious, stretching out his arms to block on either side.
Qu Dubian was determined to make a scene, the bigger the better.
He leaned half his body out, mischievously yanked off the bandage on Eunuch Fu's forehead, and 'accidentally' poked at the wound beneath. Poke! Poke again! And again! Poke, poke, poke!
Eunuch Fu, in pain, gave a violent shake, and the wooden handle of his horsetail whisk struck the back of Qu Dubian's hand.
Eunuch Fu: "Damn you, let go!!"
Good, so he struck back.
Qu Dubian's eyes welled up with tears, ready to burst into loud sobs, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of movement—a purple-robed eunuch in a python-patterned robe streaking past him like a blur.
He paused, swallowing back the loud, attention-grabbing cry he had been preparing.
Eunuch Yu had come on the Emperor's orders. Just as he reached the entrance of the Great Kitchen, he heard the Seventh Prince causing a commotion inside.
He immediately broke into a run. Seeing a scuffle already underway in the hall, his heart sank. He was just about to shout for them to stop when he saw the servant strike the back of the Seventh Prince's hand.
A silent scream erupted in his mind. He sprinted in, kicked Eunuch Fu flying.
"You're the one who's damned! You lowly slave, who do you think you're hitting?!"
Eunuch Yu turned around with trepidation to look at the Seventh Prince in the arms of the other eunuch. "Your Highness, are you alright?" Good heavens, the first step of His Majesty's assignment was already this intense.
The child seemed dazed, as if frightened. A red mark from the blow had appeared on the back of his hand.
Judging by his attire, this must be a chief eunuch's uniform... someone sent by his cheap father?
Qu Dubian blinked, and his eyes instantly reddened soundlessly, tears threatening to fall.
He turned his head and buried himself in Ye Xiaoyuan's embrace, clutching a bit of the eunuch's chest garment to wipe his tears.
His crying was soft, punctuated by slight, aggrieved hiccups.
"...I was just hungry, that's why I came here looking for food. Why did he hit me?"
When someone is there to take your side, quiet tears work better than loud wails.
Qu Dubian had truly inherited fine looks from his parents.
At the very least, Eunuch Yu's heart trembled with a surge of affection. This was actually his first time seeing the Seventh Prince's face, yet he recognized him at a glance.
It was because the Seventh Prince resembled both his mother and his father.
His eyes and brows bore a striking resemblance to Consort Yun. If His Majesty could see the Seventh Prince with his own eyes, he would likely find it hard not to feel a bit more leniency and paternal fondness.
Eunuch Yu: "It was this wretched slave's fault for frightening Your Highness."
Ye Xiaoyuan gently rubbed the back of Qu Dubian's hand where he had been struck, feeling a pang of sympathy.
The young prince's tears were like a catalyst, instantly igniting the pent-up emotions that had been simmering in his heart.
Ye Xiaoyuan set Qu Dubian down and bowed to Eunuch Yu. "The Jiu'an Palace is bleak and cold. The main kitchen, seeing which way the wind blows, has been withholding His Highness's meals. At an age when he should be growing, he hasn't even smelled cow's milk all year. Today, there wasn't even any congee, forcing a young child to gnaw on hard steamed buns. Even in somewhat well-off commoner households, such a thing would be unheard of! I beg you, sir, to punish this treacherous servant who bullies his master!"
Eunuch Yu was startled. He hadn't imagined the situation in Jiu'an Palace was this bad, worse than he had thought.
"You!"
Eunuch Fu hadn't expected the usually meek and submissive lapdog to bite him today. His face contorted even more fiercely.
He scrambled on his knees to Eunuch Yu. "Eunuch Yu! I didn't! This servant didn't! I have served in the main kitchen for so many years, always loyal and dutiful. How could I make things difficult for the Seventh Prince? It must be Ye Xiaoyuan who withheld the prince's food and is now pinning the blame on me!"
"I beg you to investigate clearly!"
Qu Dubian took a timid step back, completely unlike his earlier fierce self. "He's so scary..."
To everyone present except Eunuch Fu, this seemed perfectly normal. How old was the little prince? Two and a half! Mood swings are natural for most children.
Wen Xiaochun went to Qu Dubian's side, bending down to gently shield him.
"Your Highness, don't be afraid."
Qu Dubian hid behind him, peeking out from behind his leg to say to Eunuch Fu, "Liar. You're the fat one, Attendant Ye is so thin." Who's the greedy one here, really!
Eunuch Fu was seething with hatred inwardly.
Damn little sickly brat, why didn't the high fever finish him off last time!
"This old servant isn't senile yet," Eunuch Yu glanced at the plump eunuch on the ground, thinking to himself how useless he had become. If His Majesty knew of the Seventh Prince's circumstances, he would surely be angry. This man had walked right into the blade's edge.
He crouched down and said gently, "Your Highness, how do you think this servant should be punished?"
The little prince hesitated, then finally gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "Punish... punish him by making him go hungry too!"
Eunuch Yu inwardly smiled wryly, his gaze growing even gentler. This was probably the biggest revenge a child long confined to a neglected place could conceive. But the matter certainly couldn't be let off so easily.
He simply nodded. "Alright, we'll punish him with some hunger."
He waved his hand, and immediately two young eunuchs dragged away Eunuch Fu, who had collapsed into a heap on the floor, even gagging him to avoid frightening the child—quite considerate.
Eunuch Yu took out a clean handkerchief and wrapped it around the back of Qu Dubian's hand.
"We'll call a imperial physician for the Seventh Prince later, to prevent bruising."
He was merely following the Emperor's intention to be good to the little prince. Unexpectedly, as soon as the handkerchief was tied, Eunuch Yu, still crouching, received a big, enthusiastic hug.
The soft, sweet scent of a child filled his embrace.
Eunuch Yu was taken aback.
Qu Dubian's eyes sparkled, not stinting in showing his enthusiasm, almost with a touch of admiration. "Thank you, sir! You're so good, punishing the big bad guy. So impressive!"
Eunuch Yu instinctively wanted to say it was the Emperor's will, but remembering His Majesty's instructions, he swallowed the words and reluctantly accepted this admiration.
He smiled and said, "This servant thanks Your Highness for the praise."
"Can I get today's food now?" Qu Dubian looked at the other servants of the main kitchen.
The others quickly said,
"Of course!"
"Your Highness, please, as you wish."
But after searching for a long time, they couldn't find the lunch portion meant for Jiu'an Palace. The reason was that Jiu'an Palace was neglected. At some point, the main kitchen had stopped preparing meals for it separately, merely setting aside some leftovers from other places each day for Jiu'an Palace.
It was acceptable at first, but it became more and more perfunctory later.
Yet, no matter how neglected, the Seventh Prince was still the Emperor's child. To be treated so wretchedly was far worse than he had imagined.
Eunuch Yu's face turned cold.
His sweeping glance over the surrounding servants, all with bowed heads, made him feel that not only did Eunuch Fu have a death wish, but the entire management of the main kitchen thought they had lived too long.
"Your Highness may choose for yourself. From all the food in the main kitchen today, take whatever you like, take it all," he said.
The child nodded, somewhat bewildered.
Happily tugging at the sleeve of the young eunuch beside him, he selected various steamed buns, congee, and eggs. After choosing for a while, they were all very simple foods.
Eunuch Yu couldn't help saying, "Your Highness, won't you choose something else? Like roast chicken, roast duck, or cow's milk?"
Hearing "roast chicken," the little prince's eyes lit up, clearly wanting it, but he hesitated and said, "But these are the best things I usually eat. The other stuff... someone said it's because Father doesn't like me, so I can't have it."
Then he looked up innocently, delivering another stab.
"Sir, if I never eat those things, will Father start to like me?"
