Zhenzhen, mindful of the Emperor’s instructions, had Zhao Ai and Yin Ti take her first to the Chen Family Noodle Shop in Qinghefang to buy quail wontons.
It was the fourth watch, and the sky had not yet brightened. The dynasty did not enforce a curfew and had also abolished the restrictions on wards and markets. As Yin Ti drove the ox cart for Zhenzhen, with Zhao Ai riding alongside on horseback, they saw along the way that the streets were brightly lit, with night markets still bustling and morning markets already opening. Many shops were open for business, and along both sides of the Imperial Street, numerous roadside stalls were enthusiastically selling all kinds of food: lamb fat and leek pancakes, marinated lamb trotters, lamb blood soup, ginger shrimp, jellyfish, fried white sausages, fried duck, fried anchovies, spicy vegetarian noodle soup, clear snail soup…
Upon reaching Qinghefang, they saw several noodle shops on both sides, each with halls and corridors to the east and west. At the entrances, wooden frames were set up like mountain sheds, hung with halves of pigs and sheep to attract customers. Today, the shops were bustling, most of them nearly full.
Zhenzhen and the others found the Chen Family Noodle Shop. As soon as they entered, someone greeted them with a smile and led them to a seat. On the walls hung food plaques listing the shop’s offerings: noodles with raw pork or lamb, shredded chicken noodles, fish and tung bark noodles, bamboo shoot and braised pork noodles, shrimp-topped noodles, and more, as well as soups like marrow soup, mixed vegetable soup, various fish soups, and three-delicacy bone soup. Meat dishes such as tender lamb kidneys, steamed lamb with turtle, Zhenzhen chicken, frozen meat, and fish dumplings were also available. Wontons and the wontons the Emperor wanted were among them.
Zhenzhen placed an order for the wontons. While waiting, Zhao Ai, seeing that it was still early, suggested having breakfast there. Zhao Ai and Yin Ti each ordered a bowl of three-delicacy noodles, while Zhenzhen ordered a vegetarian seven-treasure five-flavor porridge. Just as the three were about to start eating, they suddenly heard someone at the neighboring table exclaim joyfully, “Wu Zhenzhen!”
Zhenzhen turned at the sound and greeted them amiably, “Han Suwen.”
Han Suwen, holding his bowl of wide noodles with lamb, moved naturally to their table and asked, “Zhenzhen, what are you doing here?”
Before Zhenzhen could answer, Zhao Ai cleared his throat softly. When Han Suwen turned to look at him, Zhao Ai glanced at Zhenzhen and said calmly, “This is Chief Attendant Wu.”
“I know. Zhenzhen and I have known each other for a long time,” Han Suwen replied quickly, smiling openly at Zhao Ai as if to say the introduction was unnecessary.
Zhenzhen, annoyed, remembered what he had said before: if a medical officer wrote to a girl using a prescription slip, it meant the girl was sick and definitely not that he liked her. Han Suwen, still enthusiastic, tried to explain to the puzzled Zhao Ai, “There’s a story behind this…”
Zhenzhen immediately picked up a clean wooden chopstick and tapped his black gauze hat. “Just shut up, you!”
With that tap, Zhenzhen suddenly noticed that Han Suwen was wearing the official robe worn for grand court assemblies and remembered that today was the first day of the second month, when a grand court assembly was held in the palace.
“Do you, a junior medical officer, also attend court assemblies?” Zhenzhen asked Han Suwen."Yes, today is the grand court assembly. All officials in the capital must attend, including those from the miscellaneous arts and medical offices," Han Suwen replied, then gestured toward the table where he had been sitting. "They are my friends—one works in the academy, the other in the painting academy. Both must attend the grand court assembly today."
Zhenzhen followed his gesture and saw two young officials also dressed in blue-green official robes. Noticing her gaze, they both set down their chopsticks and bowed to her.
After returning the courtesy, Zhenzhen looked around and realized that more than half of the patrons were officials in official attire. Most, however, were draped in cloaks or dark gray cool robes to ward off the cold, which was why she hadn’t noticed earlier.
"Why don’t you officials have breakfast at home? Why all come to the shop to eat?" Zhenzhen asked Han Suwen again.
Han Suwen answered, "Young officials from humble backgrounds, without much footing in the capital, already find it difficult to afford living here. With limited salaries, if they rent a small courtyard, buy a horse, and hire a gatekeeper, there’s little left. They can’t afford a cook or buy maidservants. If they’re unmarried, or married to a wife who loves sleeping in, who will make breakfast for them? They all have to eat out."
A short while later, after everyone had finished eating, the shopkeeper brought over the quail wontons they had ordered earlier. The wontons were stuffed dough snacks shaped like buns, but more aesthetically pleasing, resembling flower buds. They were pan-fried, with three skewered on a bamboo stick each, their surfaces lightly sprinkled with salt.
Zhao Ai laughed at the sight. "This is a snack Father loved to buy when he was young... Both he and Grandfather have the habit of occasionally sending people out to buy street food."
Zhenzhen had the shopkeeper pack the wontons into the food container she had brought, then left the shop with the others to return to the palace.
During court assemblies, the northern Hening Gate of the imperial city was opened, with a waiting hall outside for officials who arrived early. As Zhenzhen and the others made their way forward, they saw officials in official robes thronging the imperial street, all on horseback. As the fifth watch approached, the officials hurried along, clearly with many not having had time for breakfast. Passing stalls selling steamed buns, stuffed buns, wontons, and other portable foods, they would rein in their horses, buy a few breakfast items, and quickly move on. Quite a few even ate while controlling their horses on horseback.
One official rode alongside Zhenzhen’s carriage, his dark gray cool robe revealing a crimson silk robe and black leather boots, suggesting he might be a fourth-rank official. Peering out from the carriage window, Zhenzhen found his figure somewhat familiar. Looking closely at his profile, she recognized him as Ji Jinglan. Amid the surrounding green-robed officials, he rode with one hand on the reins, sitting tall and raising his head, letting the breeze ruffle his elegant beard, appearing quite dashing.
However, as he reached a stall selling flatbreads, he suddenly reined in his horse with a soft "whoa," maintaining his graceful posture as he turned his head calmly toward the vendor and said, "Two lamb fat and leek flatbreads."
Originally, the troubles in Zhenzhen’s family had stemmed from him. Although he had merely been carrying out his duties and Qiu Niang had said not to blame him, Zhenzhen couldn’t help feeling some resentment. At first sight, she hadn’t intended to acknowledge him, but this scene left her both surprised and slightly amused. Unable to resist, she raised her voice and called out, "Master Ji!" When he turned around, Zhenzhen asked bluntly, "Master, you’re buying breakfast yourself too?"
"Seventh Young Master!" Ji Jinglan also recognized Zhenzhen, then felt somewhat embarrassed and explained in a low voice, "My family originally made noodles for me, but I overslept today. Seeing that I was about to be late for the court assembly, I rushed out, so I had to grab something here hastily."After wrapping up the mutton-fat leek cakes, he quickly paid and, too embarrassed to continue chatting, hurriedly bid farewell to Zhenzhen before mounting his horse and galloping toward the palace gate.
At the end of the third month, Consort Liu went into labor. By the hour of you (5–7 p.m.), she had yet to give birth. Persuaded by Consort Li, the Emperor returned to Jiaming Hall for his meal, but his thoughts remained with Consort Liu, and he ate little, finding no flavor in the food.
The day was bright and sunny, quite warm, so Li Dahong personally added a chilled cherry-topped cheese dessert to the imperial meal, serving it last.
This dessert was presented in a golden bowl covered with a glass lid. A palace attendant first brought it to Zhenzhen’s table. When the attendant lifted the glass lid, they saw crushed ice filling the golden bowl, with cherries piled in the center like a small hill, drizzled with sugarcane syrup and cheese.
While palace ladies typically had cherries pitted and halved before serving, the Emperor disliked this practice, believing it altered the fruit’s flavor. He thus ordered the imperial chefs to leave them whole. Now, the bright red cherries rested atop the ice in the golden bowl, gleaming like precious beads, a truly beautiful sight.
Zhenzhen scooped two cherries with a silver spoon into her own silver bowl and was about to taste them when she suddenly noticed something and paused, not immediately bringing them to her mouth.
The Emperor happened to glance her way and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Zhenzhen smiled in response. “It’s nothing. This servant was just admiring how the cherries look like jewels, so I took an extra moment to gaze at them.”
Then, without changing her expression, she ate the two cherries and smiled at the Emperor. “These cherries are very fresh and taste excellent.”
As the palace attendant prepared to bring the golden bowl to the Emperor, Zhenzhen suddenly stood up, bowed to him, and said, “This servant has an impertinent request and hopes Your Majesty will grant it.”
The Emperor allowed her to speak, and Zhenzhen continued, “This servant has never tasted cheese-topped cherries before. Upon trying them, I found the blend of dairy and fruit aromas utterly delightful. Unfortunately, I only had two cherries, so might Your Majesty…”
The Emperor laughed. “You wish to have more. That’s fine—this bowl is granted to you.”
Zhenzhen joyfully thanked him for the favor but did not eat immediately. Instead, she instructed the palace attendant beside her to take the bowl of cherries to her room in the Bureau of Palace Provisions.
Pei Shangshi, seeing this, was somewhat surprised. She leaned forward and asked the Emperor if Li Shishou should bring another bowl to the hall. Before the Emperor could reply, a messenger from Furong Pavilion arrived with news: Consort Liu had given birth to a princess.
Overjoyed, the Emperor immediately rose to visit Consort Liu and her daughter at Furong Pavilion, completely forgetting about the cherries.
When word of Zhenzhen’s request for the cherries reached Li Dahong’s ears, he flew into a rage. He stormed straight to the Bureau of Palace Provisions, found Zhenzhen, and berated her for her audacity and shamelessness in daring to seize the Emperor’s meal.
Zhenzhen offered no defense but silently pushed the bowl of cherries toward Li Dahong.
When Li Dahong lifted the lid, his eyes widened in shock: most of the crushed ice had melted into water, and floating on the surface were small white worms, with more clinging to the cherries. A few were still wriggling.
“Cherries are prone to worms after rain. Clearly, the imperial kitchen purchased cherries that had been exposed to rain. The worms weren’t visible during washing, but after soaking in the ice water, they emerged,” Zhenzhen explained at last.
Li Dahong naturally understood this. These were fruit fly larvae, often hidden in fruits like cherries and bayberries. Though non-toxic and unlikely to harm the body if ingested, they absolutely must not be seen by nobility, let alone the Emperor. There was a precedent: a kitchen attendant who served bayberries containing worms to the Empress Dowager had been caned and expelled from the imperial kitchens.Li Dahong stared blankly for a long moment, then suddenly clasped his hands toward Zhenzhen: "Thank you, Head Chef Wu, for saving me this time. I, Li Dahong, distinguish clearly between gratitude and grievance—I will definitely repay this favor... Tell me, what dish do you wish to learn?"
Zhenzhen did not answer immediately. After a brief moment of contemplation, she smiled and asked Li Dahong: "Li Shishou, currently in the imperial kitchen, including both cooks and apprentices, there are over four hundred people, right?"
Li Dahong confirmed this. Zhenzhen continued: "The Emperor eats very little for breakfast, far from needing so many people. The vast majority of these four hundred or so have nothing to do before the fifth watch, correct?"
Li Dahong eyed her warily: "What do you want us to do?"
OpenNovel