Yin Qi trembled uncontrollably, biting his lower lip tightly, his eyes vacant and his spirit utterly adrift. Zhenzhen was momentarily at a loss, not daring to call out loudly for others, fearing she might startle him. She stood frozen in silence for a long while, seeing that Yin Qi remained motionless yet cold sweat beaded at his temples. She then lifted the teapot from the side table, poured a cup of warm water, and holding the cup with a towel, attempted to offer it to him, hoping to ease the tension. However, as soon as her gentle "Young Master" escaped her lips, he struck the cup away with a wave of his hand. Immediately, he seized her right wrist, pulling her close before him. His bloodshot eyes sharpened, piercing straight through her: "You, who are you trying to harm now?"
His voice at this moment was hoarse and low, utterly different from before, and the hand gripping hers gradually tightened its force. Zhenzhen’s wrist bone felt as if it were about to be crushed.
His entire demeanor had abruptly transformed. The timid, frightened expression from earlier vanished without a trace. Now, his gaze toward Zhenzhen was exceptionally cold and ruthless, with a leaping, barely contained fury, as if he saw her as prey to be torn apart.
And indeed, he began to act. Before Zhenzhen could open her mouth to cry out, his hands shot up and clamped around her neck.
He exerted increasing force, in his disoriented and bewildered state, attempting to strangle the life out of Zhenzhen. She struggled desperately, trying to pry his hands from her throat, but they were like iron shackles, unmoving despite her utmost efforts.
Zhenzhen slumped to the ground. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, her weakly falling hand suddenly brushed against the cup Yin Qi had knocked over earlier. A flash of inspiration struck her. With all her might, she stretched out her foot and kicked over the small side table nearby. The silver teapot and teacups atop it clattered to the floor, producing loud, crashing noises.
Soon, the maids outside and Madam Luo, hearing the commotion, rushed in one after another.
Madam Luo was horrified at the sight and immediately stepped forward, slapping Yin Qi across the face and shouting, "Little ancestor, wake up now!"
Yin Qi was stunned, gradually loosening his grip on Zhenzhen’s neck.
The maids hastily pulled Zhenzhen away from Yin Qi’s side.
Zhenzhen’s neck was covered in bruises from the choking, her throat swollen and painful, making it difficult to speak. She felt dazed and remained bedridden for two days. On the third day, Madam Luo came to see her. Witnessing Zhenzhen’s pitiful state, she felt great pity and deliberately offered comfort, saying to Zhenzhen, "I hope you can understand this incident and not hold a grudge against the Young Master. He is ill and does not know what he is doing."
Zhenzhen remained silent for a moment, then with great effort, asked in a hoarse voice, "So, the palace rumors that the Young Master once killed a maidservant... are they true?"
Madam Luo did not answer, only letting out a long sigh.
Zhenzhen’s eyes reddened. She wanted to turn her head away to hide her expression from Madam Luo, but the slightest movement of her neck brought a piercing pain. Feeling even more aggrieved, she couldn’t hold back her tears.
Madam Luo explained, "That time, it was that palace attendant from the Eastern Palace who didn’t know any better. She made wontons for the Young Master. He raised his hand and knocked them over, spilling some soup on himself. The attendant took out a handkerchief to wipe it for him, which triggered his old trauma, causing him to fly into a violent rage..."
"Why would wontons and a handkerchief..." Zhenzhen pressed further.Madam Luo looked around, and seeing no one nearby, lowered her voice to tell Zhenzhen, "Back then, Official Liu eloped with someone, and later she was captured by the Grand Preceptor's men and brought back to the Grand Preceptor's residence. That day, Lady of Chen happened to be returning to her family home with the eldest young master. When the eldest young master saw Official Liu, he ran over and hugged her. Sensing that the men escorting Official Liu meant her harm, he refused to let go, crying and insisting she return to his room. He kicked, punched, and bit anyone who tried to take Official Liu away like a little wild animal. Those men had no choice but to give face to the eldest young master and Lady of Chen, allowing him to take Official Liu away. The eldest young master talked with Official Liu for half the night, keeping her by his side, wanting to protect her. But late into the night, the eldest young master grew tired and hungry, dozing off and mumbling that he wanted to eat wonton. Official Liu went to make it for him, and once she left, she never returned..."
Zhenzhen suddenly understood, "So the eldest young master feels it was his fault, and ever since then, he’s been afraid of seeing wonton."
"Ah, it’s more than that... what a tragedy..." Madam Luo sighed heavily. "The eldest young master woke up after a while and, not seeing Official Liu, quietly went to the kitchen to look for her. There, he saw..."
She shook her head, frowning and sighing, pausing for a moment before continuing.
Zhenzhen had some understanding, "He saw Official Liu being killed?"
Madam Luo nodded, adding after a moment, "She was tied to a long bench in the kitchen, and someone was placing wet cotton towels one by one over her face..."
Zhenzhen shuddered, her brows deeply furrowed as she closed her eyes, her hands secretly gripping the bedding, as if feeling the pain and despair Official Liu had endured.
Madam Luo continued to tell Zhenzhen, "At that time, the eldest young master was only six years old. Seeing such a thing, the shock he suffered is unimaginable... After crying and raging for days with a fever, he developed this hysterical condition. A little stimulation makes him go mad, and when he has an episode, he doesn’t recognize anyone. He didn’t intentionally harm you, and when he’s lucid, if he knew he had treated you like this, who knows how heartbroken and remorseful he would be."
Zhenzhen sighed, "I understand. I don’t blame the eldest young master."
"I know you’re reasonable and won’t take it to heart." Madam Luo took one of Zhenzhen’s hands, gently patted it, and advised, "But these matters, you should keep to yourself. Don’t mention them to the eldest young master or anyone else, or it might cause trouble."
That night, Zhenzhen woke up in the middle of the night and, by the light of the unextinguished candle in the room, was startled to find someone sitting by her bed.
Zhenzhen was greatly alarmed and sat up abruptly. The person, seeing her awake, instantly broke into a pure, childlike smile, "Aunt, you’re awake?"
In the candlelight, Yin Qi’s face was gentle and beautiful, his gaze tender as he looked at her, without a trace of ferocity.
He took out a pastry wrapped in oiled paper, carefully unfolded it, and presented it to Zhenzhen like a treasure, "Aunt, are you hungry? I still have a crisp seal pastry here. Would you like to try it?"
His eyes still seemed a bit dazed, as if veiled in a thin mist, yet he offered Zhenzhen a warm smile, waiting for her response, his childlike expression almost pleading.
Remembering his past with Official Liu, Zhenzhen felt an inexplicable sadness welling up in her heart, and two tears instantly fell from her eyes.
Yin Qi was taken aback, lowering his hand and setting the pastry aside, asking Zhenzhen, "Aunt, why are you crying?"
Noticing the bruises on Zhenzhen’s neck, he grew visibly anxious and asked with concern, "How did you get hurt? Who hit you?"Seeing Zhenzhen did not answer, he resolutely stood up and said, "I will go find them."
Without knowing whom he intended to find, he turned to leave, but Zhenzhen grabbed his arm and gently said, "It's nothing, it's nothing. No one hit Aunt. Aunt just accidentally got eyebrow pigment on her neck."
He sat back down, staring blankly at Zhenzhen's neck for a long time, then reached out to cautiously touch one of the marks and asked, "Does it hurt?"
Zhenzhen shook her head and gently embraced him as if holding a child.
During this time, the thirty newly arrived palace attendants of the Bureau of Palace Provisions who remained in the palace were also assigned their posts. The Emperor did not summon them but merely glanced at their names before randomly selecting four to be handed over to Pei Shangshi for training, to be responsible for imperial meals in the future. The rest were ordered to be distributed by the Bureau of Palace Provisions to serve the various princes and consorts.
Pei Shangshi, noting Yun Yinge's exceptional culinary skills and her usual cautious demeanor, assigned her to the Eastern Palace. Hearing that Fengxian excelled at medicinal cuisine, she intended to send her to serve Consort Li, who suffered from physical weakness and fatigue. When announcing this decision to Fengxian, Pei Shangshi sensed a noticeable silence from her, unlike the other attendants who immediately expressed gratitude and accepted the assignment with delight.
"Are you unwilling to go?" Pei Shangshi directly asked Fengxian.
Fengxian hurriedly bowed and saluted: "Serving any noble is a great blessing for us. Fengxian is naturally willing to go. Thank you for your grace, Shangshi."
After expressing her gratitude, she lowered her head and softly added, "This was something Qin Sishan mentioned when she went to Pujiang to select attendants. Fengxian has always remembered Qin Sishan's teachings."
Hearing her deliberately mention Qin Sishan, Pei Shangshi glanced at Qin Sishan standing nearby and frowned slightly.
After the attendants withdrew, Qin Sishan immediately stepped forward, bowed to Pei Shangshi, and said, "Regarding Ling Fengxian's assignment, I hope Shangshi will reconsider. She seems to have some connection with the Second Great King..."
The next day, Fengxian received a new assignment: the master she would serve had become Zhao Ai.
Consort Liu's residence was also allocated two palace attendants from the Bureau of Palace Provisions. She accepted them and immediately selected two from her own small kitchen's original attendants, sending them to serve Cheng Yuan.
Cheng Yuan dared not accept and personally came to pay respects to Consort Liu, politely declining. Consort Liu smiled and said, "The Emperor has added two attendants to my residence—this is a blessing from the imperial family, and I am naturally delighted. However, my kitchen is small and does not require many people. Recently, I heard that you, sir, have purchased a new garden near the Quyuan Pavilion on the Little New Embankment of West Lake. Presumably, you lack sufficient servants, so I selected two from my old attendants who are skilled in culinary arts, hoping you would accept them. Please take them to add some liveliness to your new garden and, incidentally, help me alleviate my staffing situation."
Cheng Yuan replied, "I deeply appreciate your kindness, Consort. However, the attendants in your residence are also palace attendants of the imperial family. How could they be given to a eunuch for private use? This is absolutely unacceptable."
Consort Liu said, "Those two are not palace attendants; they are cooks I brought into the palace, not registered in the palace records. You may rest assured, sir."Cheng Yuan firmly declined the gift. Consort Liu had no choice but to change her approach: "It seems they lack the fortune and must remain in my humble kitchen. However, your acquisition of property is certainly cause for celebration. In Yangzhou's Houtu Temple, there is a world-renowned qiong flower. After the founding of our dynasty, it was transplanted to the Eastern Capital, but the flower failed to adapt to the new environment and withered within a year, so it was moved back to Yangzhou. Recently, I happened to mention this to The Emperor, who mistakenly thought I wished to see the qiong flower and quietly ordered it to be moved to my garden. Yet no matter how carefully I tended to it, the flower continued to decline and is now on the verge of withering entirely. I believe the qiong flower is a sentimental being; if it encounters someone who truly cherishes flowers, it may revive. I’ve heard that you, Master Cheng, have always been fond of plants, with your own garden lush with greenery and filled with rare and exotic blooms. Why not take this qiong flower as well? With your attentive care, it is sure to revive and flourish anew."
This time, Cheng Yuan did not refuse outright. After a brief show of modesty, he thanked Consort Liu and accepted the qiong flower.
After leaving the palace, he did not return directly to Cifu Palace. Instead, he instructed the Junior Eunuch driving the carriage to head toward the direction of Xiaoxindi Quyuan and stop outside his new garden, "Shi'an Garden." Then, he entered the garden alone.
The garden was not particularly vast, but it was exquisitely designed, with elegant and uniquely shaped rocks that offered changing views with every step. Within, there were vermilion railings, jade-like streams, emerald embankments, and painted bridges. Hundreds of hibiscus and willow trees lined the banks, their reflections in the water resembling a tapestry of brocade.
Cheng Yuan followed a small bridge across the pond to the opposite shore, where a miniature hill made of Taihu stones stood. At its peak was a small building with white walls and dark tiles, its upturned eaves reaching toward the faint, cloud-colored moon in the dusky sky before twilight.
Perhaps the light inside the building had grown dim, for someone lit a candle within, casting the faint silhouette of a woman onto the window screen.
Gazing at the familiar shadow, Cheng Yuan felt warmth in his heart, and a gentle smile unconsciously touched the corners of his lips.
He quickened his pace and ascended the steps.
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