On the carriage heading to the Southern Mountain Palace, Qi Daiyu leaned against the wall, dozing off. She had nearly failed to rise that morning, forcing herself through drowsiness to pay respects to the empress at Kuning Palace before boarding the carriage, yawning incessantly. Before departure, she had also earned a disdainful glance from Concubine Mei—the emperor rarely visited the inner palace, and when he did, he went straight to Yanqing Residence. The looks from Concubine Shu and Concubine Cao standing beside her had been far from friendly.
Once inside the carriage, Qi Daiyu closed her eyes. Her maid, Putao, pitied her and offered her lap as a pillow, but Qi Daiyu refused. If she slept, she might not wake for hours, and Putao would endure numb legs without daring to move. Having suffered the same discomfort the night before, Qi Daiyu empathized and chose to rest against the carriage wall instead.
The ride was smooth at first, but as they neared the Southern Mountains, the carriage began to jolt slightly. Qi Daiyu opened her eyes.
Putao said, "Mistress, we should arrive at the palace in about half an hour. The mountain roads are rougher, so the ride will be bumpier."
"Mm." After her nap, Qi Daiyu felt refreshed. "Has Consort Zhuang given any instructions ahead?"
Qin Saizhu was seated in the carriage in front.
Putao pointed to a food box on the small table and retrieved a bowl of wontons in chicken broth. "Sister Xiangchun brought this over a quarter-hour ago, saying you could have a bite if you were hungry."
Qi Daiyu had skipped breakfast, and now her appetite stirred. She scooped a wonton into her mouth—the wrapper was thin, the filling generous, and the broth rich and savory.
She sighed appreciatively. "Consort Zhuang is truly thoughtful."
Preparing the wontons in advance, crafting an insulated food box, and sending it over—every detail spoke of her care.
Putao chuckled. "From her usual demeanor, one might assume Consort Zhuang is more straightforward and outgoing, but she’s surprisingly attentive. Though she does seem particularly fond of culinary delights. I only thought to pack pastries for you, but she prepared hot wontons in broth."
Such a dish was troublesome to transport.
Qi Daiyu smiled. "You wouldn’t understand."
To a food enthusiast, nothing mattered more than a good meal—minor inconveniences were trivial.
After finishing the wontons and resting a while longer, they soon arrived at the Southern Mountain Palace. The guards leading the procession presented the empress’s red token, allowing the carriages entry. Qi Daiyu estimated another ten minutes of travel within the palace grounds before the carriage halted.
Little Cheng’s voice came from outside the window. "Mistress, we’ve reached the inner palace. You may switch to a palanquin."
No carriages were permitted beyond this point.
Qi Daiyu stepped down, just as Consort Zhuang descended from her carriage ahead. Before she could admire the palace scenery, she noticed over a dozen figures waiting at the inner palace gates—the palace’s head eunuch, head matrons, and the governesses overseeing the imperial candidates.
"Greetings to Consort Zhuang and Noble Consort Hui!" The palace servants bowed in unison, their voices and expressions even more solemn than those in the Forbidden City.
Qi Daiyu raised a brow, a faint unease stirring. She doubted the palace staff here were inherently more disciplined—their demeanor suggested something else: they had lost control of a situation and were desperate for someone in authority to take charge.
Was there more to the injured candidate’s incident?
"Consort Zhuang, this servant is Gao Yin, the chief eunuch of the inner palace. This is Head Matron Qing, and these are Governesses Bai and He, responsible for the candidates’ training," Gao Yin introduced.
Matron Qing curtsied. "The mistresses must be weary from the journey. Quarters have been prepared—please follow me."
Governess Bai, however, tensed, as if wanting to speak but hesitating, her lips parting slightly.
Did she want them to inspect the candidates immediately?
Qin Saizhu noticed but remained composed. "We’ll rest first. Other matters can wait."
Palanquins stood ready nearby. Qin Saizhu and Qi Daiyu boarded, while their luggage would be delivered separately.
Matron Qing had arranged their lodgings close together in a palace called Wenshan Hall—Consort Zhuang in the main hall, Qi Daiyu in the eastern wing.
Upon arrival, Qi Daiyu saw that the entire structure was built of wood, without a single tile. The walls were carved with lifelike auspicious beasts, and behind the courtyard stretched a vast bamboo grove, backed by a mountain cliff.
It was as if the palace had been erected within the forest itself. The mountain breeze was invigorating.
This was no surprise—the entire retreat was nestled on the Southern Mountains’ slopes.
Truly a haven for relaxation and tranquility, blending seamlessly with nature.
Qi Daiyu snapped a few photos with her camera.
Qin Saizhu approached. "Let’s have lunch first, then rest a little. What do you think?"
Qi Daiyu asked, "Shouldn’t we check on the candidate first?"
Governesses Bai and He had seemed anxious.
Qin Saizhu winked. "They’re the ones who messed up—why should we rush? The more we delay, the more nervous they’ll grow. Besides, we’ve just arrived and know nothing of the situation. Rather than rely on their accounts, it’s better to have our own people investigate."
She needed to uncover why the roof tile had fallen—that was the crux of her responsibility.
Consort Zhuang was setting a trap!
Seeing her confidence, Qi Daiyu relaxed. Her role here was merely as a witness—a tool, really.
"Fine by me. I’m here for bamboo shoots—nothing else concerns me."
Qin Saizhu pretended to pinch her, laughing. "Not so fast! At least lend me Little Cheng and Putao for a while."
She had brought more servants than Qi Daiyu, but with only one maid at her side, she had just four to spare. More hands meant better intelligence.
Qi Daiyu glanced at Hongtao. "Hongtao, you’ll be left to unpack everything alone. Better ask Consort Zhuang for a reward to console yourself!"
Consort Zhuang was amiable and close with her mistress, so Hongtao didn’t hesitate.
Covering a giggle, Hongtao curtsied. "May Consort Zhuang generously reward Sister Putao and Little Cheng!"
"Clever girl, advocating for them first. Very well, I won’t neglect you either."
Putao seized the moment. "If Consort Zhuang finds Hongtao so clever, why not trade her for me?"
Qin Saizhu teased, "I refuse—I insist on using you!"
She had visited Yanqing Residence several times and admired Putao most—sharp, sociable, and meticulous.
Shiliu was loyal and dependable but lacked Putao’s quick wit.
Amid the banter, lunch arrived. Qin Saizhu and Qi Daiyu dined in the main hall’s side chamber while the servants hurried to unpack.
By noon, Governess Bai sent someone to inquire, but Qin Saizhu held firm: "No hurry."
Meanwhile, Lu Song, Little Cheng, Xiangchun, and others were dispatched to gather information.
In the afternoon, Qi Daiyu and Qin Saizhu strolled through the bamboo grove behind Wenshan Hall. A few bamboo shoots had sprouted, but not many.
"It’s still too early—the weather isn’t warm enough." Especially in the mountains.
Qin Saizhu eagerly rubbed her hands together. "Once we finish handling matters at the temporary palace, let's dig up some bamboo shoots and make oil-braised bamboo shoots!"
"Yan Du Xian!" Qi Daiyu blurted out.
"Yan Du Xian? Is that some new dish from somewhere?" Qin Saizhu wondered, having never heard of it before.
"Mmm... it's another dish made with spring bamboo shoots. You stew them with cured meats like salted pork or ham, along with pork belly, ribs, and fresh bamboo shoots—it's incredibly flavorful!" The more Qi Daiyu explained, the brighter Qin Saizhu's eyes sparkled.
After listening, Qin Saizhu gave Qi Daiyu a puzzled look. "Everyone says I'm the one skilled in culinary arts, but it turns out you're the hidden master. Your previous ideas already amazed me, and now this? I remember you're also from the outskirts of the capital—how do you know so many regional dishes?"
With ingredients like spring bamboo shoots and salted pork, it clearly sounded like a southern dish.
Unless someone deliberately studied and collected recipes, how would an ordinary person know so many?
Qi Daiyu remained unruffled. "My maternal family originally came from Jiangnan before relocating here. These recipes were passed down by my mother."
She wasn’t entirely lying—just embellishing the truth. The original body’s mother, Lady Wan, came from a merchant family in Jiangnan. After their business declined, they moved to the Liaodong Commandery, and by Lady Wan’s father’s generation, they relocated again to the capital’s outskirts, where Lady Wan married Qi Caishang.
In truth, the Wan family’s mobility was rare for the era—most families stayed rooted for generations.
The part Qi Daiyu omitted was that Lady Wan had never learned any Jiangnan cuisine. She grew up in Liaodong and later moved to the capital’s outskirts, developing a distinctly northern palate.
But who would dig into that? If asked, she’d simply say the recipes were family secrets—who would pry further?
Qin Saizhu nodded in understanding. "Ah, I see!" She beamed. "Then in a few days, let’s try making this Yan Du Xian!"
By evening, after dinner, the two sat on the wooden couch in the main hall chatting when Lu Song and the others returned.
"My lady, we’ve gathered all the details."
Qin Saizhu motioned for him to continue. "Well? What happened?"
Lu Song bowed. "There are 328 young ladies staying in the temporary palace. Forty-six were sent home in the first half of the selection for failing to meet standards, leaving 282 remaining, divided into the four courtyards—east, west, south, and north—with four sharing each room. The incident occurred in the South Courtyard’s Pear Blossom Pavilion. The one injured by falling roof tiles was Ye Qiong, daughter of Ye Fu, the assistant prefect of Jizhou. Miss Ye dodged in time, so the tile struck the back of her head rather than her face, but the injury is severe—she remains unconscious."
"Has Physician Li examined her?" Qin Saizhu asked. They had brought a physician along.
Xiangchun replied, "He’s already been. After applying acupuncture, Physician Li said Miss Ye should wake within two days at most."
Lu Song continued, "The mason responsible for Pear Blossom Pavilion’s repairs has been detained. When questioned, he swore he’d inspected the eaves multiple times—without heavy wind or rain, tiles shouldn’t fall without cause. His fellow masons also vouched for him."
In fact, Lu Song himself could attest to this; he’d personally inspected Pear Blossom Pavilion half a month prior, and everything had been intact.
"I went to Pear Blossom Pavilion myself and combed the area thoroughly. It was Little Cheng who found this."
Lu Song pulled out a cloth-wrapped object and unfolded it.
Qin Saizhu leaned closer. "...A pottery shard?" She glanced at Little Cheng. "You found this?"
Qi Daiyu also looked at him in surprise.
Little Cheng scratched his head sheepishly at Qi Daiyu. "I’ve been firing clay pots daily at the artisan workshop, so I recognized this shard immediately when I spotted it wedged in the beam."
A small pottery fragment mixed among roof tiles would’ve gone unnoticed—only his recent experience made him spot the anomaly.
"Who knew your daily work would prove useful today?" Qi Daiyu praised encouragingly.
Little Cheng grinned bashfully.
Qin Saizhu studied the shard through the cloth. "How did a pottery piece end up there in the first place?"
