After Zhenzhen was assigned to the Eastern Palace, Pei Shangshi chose Feng Jing to succeed Zhenzhen as her assistant, responsible for tasting the imperial meals first. The Eastern Palace’s meals were still managed by Qin Sishan, who formulated the Crown Prince’s dietary plans. As long as she was present, any food presented to the Crown Prince had to be tasted by her first. However, as the tacitly acknowledged candidate for the next Director of Palace Food by both the Emperor and Pei Shangshi, she often needed to return to the Bureau of Palace Provisions to assist with its affairs. Therefore, she placed great importance on training Zhenzhen, entrusting her with the task of tasting the Crown Prince’s meals first in her absence. She also compiled a thick booklet of dietary taboos for Zhenzhen, instructing her that the Crown Prince had a weak spleen and stomach, and even slight dietary negligence could cause vomiting, diarrhea, or indigestion, so utmost caution was required in every detail.
Zhenzhen saw that the booklet was recorded in great detail. For example, seafood and aquatic products should not be consumed with fruits such as pomegranates, grapes, or persimmons; rabbit meat should not be eaten with celery; goose meat should not be paired with pears; quail should not be consumed with mushrooms or wood ear fungus; persimmons should not be eaten before or after drinking alcohol; carp should not be cooked with legumes... In addition, it was noted that serving the Crown Prince raw, cold, or greasy foods required extra caution, and grilled or smoked meats with charred exteriors were strictly prohibited.
Observing the meals Qin Sishan arranged for the Crown Prince, Zhenzhen noticed they were mostly steamed, boiled, or stewed dishes, with very few stir-fried or pan-fried options. The seasoning was light, and the ingredients and preparation methods were flawlessly healthy—yet, it felt like food for a three-year-old child. Zhenzhen secretly wondered whether the Crown Prince, eating such bland and unstimulating food every day, found it utterly joyless.
One day, Zhao Ai came to the Eastern Palace after a hunt, intending to gift a roe deer to his elder brother. He said, “Roe deer meat is tender now, even better than lamb, and perfect for grilling.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes lit up with obvious interest, but Qin Sishan immediately intervened, “Your Highness cannot eat grilled food, especially game, as it harms the spleen and stomach. Please take this roe deer back, Second Great King.”
Zhao Ai laughed, “Since I’ve already brought it, how can I take it back? If Elder Brother cannot eat it, I’ll give it to Wu Dianshan.”
Without waiting for further discussion, he handed the roe deer to Zhenzhen. Startled, Zhenzhen accepted it and looked inquiringly at Qin Sishan. Qin Sishan, perhaps feeling it unwise to repeatedly reject Second Great King’s goodwill, remained silent and offered no further objection. Zhenzhen then glanced at the Crown Prince, who nodded with a smile, so she accepted the gift.
After Zhao Ai left, Qin Sishan also headed to the Bureau of Palace Provisions to discuss matters with Pei Shangshi. Seizing the moment when no one else was around, Zhenzhen quietly said to the Crown Prince, “Does Your Highness wish to try the roe deer? Qin Sishan won’t be back for a while. Shall I grill it now and bring it to you?”
“That would be good, but if you grill it in the Eastern Palace kitchen, there are too many people there, and someone is sure to inform Qin Sishan.” The Crown Prince thought for a moment and suggested, “Why don’t you take it back to your residence and grill it in the courtyard tonight? I’ll come by later, and we can taste it together?”
Zhenzhen thought the Crown Prince’s suggestion made sense. The Eastern Palace kitchen was indeed crowded and prone to gossip. If she grilled it there and served it to the Crown Prince, Qin Sishan would inevitably find out. So, she nodded in agreement.
The Crown Prince then lifted his teacup, dissolving a faint smile into the act of drinking.That night, Zhenzhen first marinated the diced roe deer meat with salt, wine, and spices, then wrapped each piece with mutton fat, skewered them on iron skewers, and grilled them over a stove set up in the courtyard. Soon, she heard a soft knock at the courtyard gate. Zhenzhen hurried to open it and saw that the visitor was indeed the Crown Prince. He entered with light steps, carrying a jug of imperial wine—Rose Dew—in his hand, with no attendants following behind.
The two palace attendants serving Zhenzhen were startled but quickly bowed to the Crown Prince. Exchanging a glance, they tacitly retreated to a distant corner, not daring to disturb them.
Zhenzhen invited the Crown Prince to sit at the table in the flower hall, then rushed back out to enthusiastically grill the roe deer meat. After a short while, when the meat was ready, she placed it on a plate and brought it to the Crown Prince’s table. She then fetched cups and poured the wine, using chopsticks to peel away the charred mutton fat before handing the clean roe deer meat to the Crown Prince.
Wrapped in mutton fat, the roe deer meat showed no signs of burning and remained exceptionally tender. The melted mutton fat had seeped into the meat’s texture, adding a rich, savory aroma. With the first bite, the smoky, robust flavor of the meat burst forth like a storm, instantly dominating the palate. Upon closer tasting, the subtle fragrances of saffron and cumin gradually emerged, lingering in the mouth, suppressing the gamey odor while perfectly complementing the meat’s aroma, enriching the overall taste of this hearty dish.
The Crown Prince praised Zhenzhen’s culinary skills and pulled her to sit beside him, urging her to eat with him. Thus, the two enjoyed two skewers each, accompanied by Rose Dew, occasionally chatting and laughing. Both felt the atmosphere was vastly different from the usual formal meals where the Crown Prince sat upright before Qin Sishan, finding it relaxed and joyful.
“This grilled meat is fragrant and doesn’t burn. Who taught you this?” the Crown Prince suddenly asked Zhenzhen.
Zhenzhen was taken aback but answered, “It was Xuanyi Lang. I once studied culinary arts with him in the Wuyi Mountains. He disliked smoky, charred foods, but after eating too much bland food, I secretly grilled behind his back. When he found out, he taught me this method, saying it prevents the meat from burning and is healthier.”
The Crown Prince responded with a faint “oh” and fell silent for a long while, no longer eating the roe deer meat.
Feeling uneasy, Zhenzhen tentatively asked, “Your Highness, did I say something wrong?”
The Crown Prince gently brushed the stray hair from her temple behind her ear, gazing at her tenderly with a soft smile. “Silly girl, even though I asked, you didn’t have to answer truthfully… I’m not pleased to hear you mention him.”
So, was he… jealous? The thought startled Zhenzhen. She lowered her eyes, not daring to meet his gaze, and after a moment whispered, “Your Highness has always been tolerant and magnanimous. Would you really be displeased by this?”
“Yes, I am displeased,” the Crown Prince admitted frankly. “I was displeased back when he had someone pour you Meisidahua wine without asking you first.”
Zhenzhen was utterly astonished and blurted out, “If that’s the case, why did you let me be alone with him that day? If it were the Second Great King, he would have stayed in the tearoom or taken him along when he left.”
“Only children act that way,” the Crown Prince said, pushing aside the cup in front of him. He leaned down, resting his head on his arm, and turned to look at her. His serene smile seemed tinged with a hint of melancholy. “I only want you to remember my kindness.”Zhenzhen recalled how he had sat solemnly upon the hall's dais during the Wenxi Banquet, dignified and graceful in bearing, like a celestial being. Yet now, he knelt before her like a gentle fawn, his peach-blossom eyes gazing up at her with a distant, melancholy look, faintly smiling, clear as water and bright as stars.
Suddenly, Zhenzhen sensed his danger. Lin Hong was like a cup of clear tea, exuding the fragrance of grass and wood from within. But the Crown Prince resembled the plum wine her mother had brewed, which she had secretly sipped as a child—sweet and fragrant, each drop proclaiming its gentle harmlessness, luring her to drink sip by sip. Only after drinking too much did she realize this was no fruit juice; it could make one's face flush, heart race, and leave one feeling tipsy, as if standing upon a floating bridge of clouds.
The Crown Prince still rested his head on his arm, gazing at her innocently. Zhenzhen sighed and couldn't resist touching his jade-carved face. "But, Your Highness," she said, "are you deliberately acting childlike now to evoke pity?"
"Not exactly..." The Crown Prince rubbed his chest, frowning. "Zhenzhen, my stomach hurts."
Startled, Zhenzhen quickly searched her memory for Qin Sishan's booklet of dietary taboos, wondering whether roebuck meat should not be consumed with wine. Seeing the Crown Prince in apparent pain, she felt she could not delay. She stood abruptly. "I'll fetch the imperial physician."
"Never mind." The Crown Prince grabbed her hand, making her sit, then rose himself with a slight smile. "I'm fine. I'll rest a while and be well. Tell those two palace attendants not to mention my visit here to anyone."
He took his leave, leaving behind a sigh tinged with laughter. "What a silly girl..."
Though Zhenzhen had repeatedly warned them, she suspected the two palace attendants had still let the news slip.
Lately, seeing the Crown Prince diligently studying state affairs and overexerting himself, the Crown Princess had summoned several dancers from the Xianshao Troupe to the Eastern Palace. They performed songs and dances daily during the Crown Prince's meals, likely with the intention of selecting concubines for him. Among them was Xiangli'er. The Crown Prince watched the performances absentmindedly and did not engage in conversation with the dancers. Xiangli'er, content with the leisure, came to chat with Zhenzhen one afternoon when she had nothing to do. As soon as she opened her mouth, she asked, "I heard the Crown Prince visited you the other night?"
Zhenzhen sighed inwardly at how quickly the news had spread, but since Xiangli'er was a close friend, she told her the truth, clarifying that the Crown Prince had only come to eat roebuck meat and had not stayed overnight.
Xiangli'er listened in surprise. "When he said his stomach hurt, you said you'd fetch the imperial physician?"
"Yes," Zhenzhen replied. "Is there something wrong with that?"
Xiangli'er pressed her hand to her forehead. "Sister, you're nineteen now. You should know better... The proper way to handle this is: when the Crown Prince says his stomach hurts, you ask, 'Where does it hurt? Let me massage it for Your Highness.' After a few rubs, the Crown Prince will likely say the pain has eased but not completely gone. He might add, 'Perhaps the night is too cold, the wine too chilled.' If he doesn't say it, you should. Then you suggest he rest in your warm room... What follows will come naturally."
Zhenzhen blushed. "The Crown Prince is a gentleman. He wouldn't have such intentions when visiting me."
Xiangli'er shook her head, leaning closer to whisper, "Let me tell you, when a man visits a woman's residence at night, regardless of his status or what he says, his ultimate goal is to stay the night.""Go away!" Zhenzhen scolded, blushing. "You're so young, two years younger than me, yet where did you learn all these improper ideas?"
Xiangli'er laughed. "I'm in the Xianshao Department, where people talk about men and women all day. Haven't I seen pigs run even if I haven't eaten pork?"
After the informal banquet at Gathering Scenery Garden, Lin Hong wanted to resign and return to Wuyi Mountain, but the Crown Prince promptly dissuaded him, reminding him that he had previously agreed to oversee the project of channeling mountain spring water into the Eastern Palace. Lin Hong also felt that since he had made a promise, it would be improper to break his word, so he agreed to stay and complete the task.
One day, Lin Hong came to the Eastern Palace to survey the terrain. The Crown Prince personally went out to greet him, immediately offering a deep bow upon meeting, fully demonstrating his grace in honoring the worthy and humbling himself. Lin Hong also promptly returned the courtesy. The two exchanged bows with great dignity and politeness.
After the matter was concluded, the Crown Prince invited him to Zhanlu Hall for tea, instructing Zhenzhen to bring out a newly-tribute small dragon tea cake from Fujian, suggesting that Lin Hong compete with him in tea whisking. Seeing his high spirits, Lin Hong had no choice but to accept. Zhenzhen brought two Jian ware tea bowls, presented the tea set, ground the tea powder for them, and then the Crown Prince and Lin Hong each took a tea whisk, separately pouring hot water and whisking.
Though nearly half a month had passed since the Gathering Scenery Garden incident, Zhenzhen's heart still ached like needles upon seeing Lin Hong again. With just a hurried glance, she noticed he had grown much more haggard, but dared not dwell on it. While they whisked tea, she stood with lowered eyes behind the Crown Prince, deliberately avoiding looking at Lin Hong. Lin Hong also kept his gaze slightly lowered, focused on the tea froth, avoiding meeting Zhenzhen's eyes.
After whisking for a while, both their tea bowls were filled with churning milk-like froth, clinging to the bowl and congealing, pure and white as snow. They set down their tea whisks and sat upright, quietly waiting. Moments later, the froth in Lin Hong's bowl dissipated slightly faster, revealing water marks. Lin Hong then bowed to the Crown Prince and conceded defeat: "Your Highness's skill is extraordinary. I sincerely submit."
"Your skill is in no way inferior to mine," the Crown Prince said with a slight smile. "It's just that today, your mind is not as calm as mine."
Having said this, the Crown Prince invited Lin Hong to drink the tea, and he himself picked up his tea bowl, intending to take a sip. Unexpectedly, Zhenzhen suddenly approached and snatched the bowl from his hand.
"Director Qin Sishan said that whisked tea that is too strong is excessively cold and not suitable for Your Highness to drink," Zhenzhen said. "It's fine to whisk it for fun, but there's no need to drink it."
The Crown Prince tilted his head slightly toward her, smiling softly as he negotiated: "I'll just drink half a bowl."
Zhenzhen shook her head. "Not even half a bowl."
"Then I'll just take one sip, to taste it," the Crown Prince continued, gently pleading.
"No," Zhenzhen firmly refused. "Last time Your Highness said the same thing, but then took it and drank it all."
Then, without listening to further excuses, she cradled the tea bowl, turned, and walked out the door, even forgetting to bow and take her leave.
The Crown Prince shook his head with a smile, withdrew his gaze following Zhenzhen, and apologized to Lin Hong, who had been silently observing: "Poor household management. Please excuse the amusement, sir."
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