Princess Changle returned to the palace, and she sat beneath the window lattice, rolling a small packet of “dried shepherd’s purse” that Du Heng had given her between her fingertips.
This was not ordinary dried greens, but shepherd’s purse that Du Heng slow-roasted over charcoal for 3 days, then hung in a bamboo basket at the mouth of a well to absorb moisture.
Soak it in water for 3 minutes and it could “come back from the dead,” turning green as if it had just been picked, and when you bit into it, it even carried the dewy scent of Zhongnan Mountain.
She gently unwrapped the oil-paper packet, and a thread of fragrant dried-vegetable aroma slipped into her nose, and in an instant the lively bustle by the stove that day rose before her eyes.
Oil droplets flew like golden rain, and the young man hiked up his sleeves and tossed the wok as the firelight painted his brows and eyes like a portrait, and even the sweat beads on his forehead gleamed as if he had been dusted with gold powder.
In truth, the feelings Changle held for Du Heng took root as early as that time she went to Zhongnan Mountain to pick wild vegetables.
That day, she accidentally twisted her ankle and sat on the bluestone, frowning in pain, and Du Heng did not rush to call the attendants.
Instead, he squatted down, carefully took off her shoes and socks, washed her swollen ankle with warm spring water, then rummaged through his backpack for herbs, chewed them up, and applied the mash, and his movements were so gentle it was like he was protecting a fragile porcelain bottle.
“Princess, don’t be afraid; I searched all over the mountain hollows to find this herb, and it reduces swelling very quickly.”
When he spoke, his breath carried the clean scent of wild grasses and trees, and his gaze was focused and open, with not the slightest trace of sycophancy toward a pampered noble, only genuine concern for another person.
In that moment, Changle’s heart was like a lake with a stone dropped into it, rippling in widening rings, because the people in the palace either feared her or flattered her, and no one had ever treated her like Du Heng did, as an ordinary person who needed caring for.
“When that young gentleman stir-fries, even the Kitchen God is secretly learning from him.”
She murmured to herself, drew a crooked little stick figure on the window lattice with her fingertip, then drew a smoking pot, and she could not help laughing out loud.
Moonlight flowed across the green brick floor like scattered fragments of silver.
Changle propped her chin in her hand, but her mind was full of daylight scenes.
Whenever Du Heng studied a new recipe, he always picked up the first bite for her to taste, and his eyes were full of anticipation, like a child waiting to be praised.
When he handed her water, his fingertips brushed hers lightly and he snapped his hand back as if shocked, and his gaze only dared to land on the orchid embroidered on her sleeve, exactly like a cat caught stealing food.
There was also that time when the village children surrounded Du Heng and demanded candy, and he did not scold them.
Instead, he pulled out malt sugar wrapped in coarse cloth from his chest and gave each child a piece, and he even squatted down to play a pebble game with them, smiling brighter than sunlight.
Changle stood not far away and watched, and she suddenly felt that this Du Heng was especially captivating.
He came from humble origins, yet he had a warm and tender heart, unlike those sons of great families who always held themselves high above everyone else.
“He looks at me like he’s looking at a seedling waiting to be planted, not some pampered noble.”
Changle snickered, dipped her fingertip in tea, and drew a small stove on the table.
“This fool can’t even dare to steal more than half a glance, and he’s not even as brave as Abao (the chicken in the mural)!”
She fetched paper and brush and wanted to write a poem, but with her brush tip hovering in midair, she only wrote the 4 words “oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar,” then blushed and crumpled it into a ball.
On the old plum branch outside the window, a nightingale let out a “chirp,” and it startled her so badly her heart pounded like a drum, and she blurted, “Even the bird is laughing at me!”
She remembered that once, Du Heng made her a new dish called “Jade shepherd’s purse meatballs,” and the emerald meatballs bobbed in clear broth, and one bite was full of fresh fragrance.
He said excitedly, “Princess, look, this shepherd’s purse paired with pork is refreshing without being greasy, and if we put it in a restaurant, customers will definitely love it!”
When he talked about how to improve recipes and how to make customers eat comfortably, the light in his eyes shone brighter than the most luxurious jewels in the palace.
Changle suddenly understood that what she had fallen for was precisely Du Heng’s passion for living, his stubborn devotion to food, and that vividness and sincerity she had never seen within the deep palace walls.
Before dawn fully broke the next day, she had already finished washing and dressing and hurried straight to Liangyi Hall.
Li Shimin was buried in memorials until only the top of his head showed, the tea on his desk had gone cold 3 times, and there was still half a piece of huping he had not finished eating by the inkstone.
Seeing his beloved daughter barge in, he raised his brows and smiled as he asked, “Is it for the Xiaoyao Tower account books? My private treasury isn’t for you to empty out!”
“No.”
Changle knelt on a meditation cushion, her back straight as green bamboo, and she said, “This daughter has a question, and if Father Emperor does not answer it, then today I will kneel here without rising, and I will even skip lunch.”
“Oh?”
Li Shimin set down the vermilion brush, and a foxlike glint flashed in his eyes as he said, “Could it be you’re asking about Du Heng’s marriage? I saw you come back yesterday and even forget to eat your favorite candied fruit.”
Changle’s ears reddened, yet she lifted her chin and met his gaze.
“If this man cooks, then fragrance can fill Chang’an, and if this man is a companion, then he can warm a lifetime, and if this man is to be an imperial son-in-law…”
She paused, and her voice rang as clear as a chime as she continued, “Then he can let this daughter taste the warmth of ordinary life every day and laugh with a true heart, and even Father Emperor’s dragon robe can pick up a little food fragrance!”
She thought of how Du Heng stayed up late testing formulas to make tastier sauces and did not care even when sauce stained his hands.
She thought of how, to design the restaurant’s menu, he repeatedly asked villagers about their tastes and even kept the preferences of the elderly and children in his heart.
Someone like that was worth her sincere devotion, and worth her being brave once for this feeling.
The hall fell silent, and even the dripping of the bronze clepsydra sounded clear.
Li Shimin sipped his tea unhurriedly, and his expression gradually turned solemn as he said, “Changle, do you know that royal marriages have never been decided by children’s private feelings?”
“I know you like Du Heng, and I also acknowledge his craftsmanship and character, but to marry my princess is absolutely not an easy thing.”
He set down the teacup, and his fingertips tapped the desk lightly as he said, “A Great Tang imperial son-in-law either needs merit in securing the realm or ability in governing and helping the people, so how could he gain that status with nothing but good cooking?”
“Du Heng is good, but he has not a shred of achievements to rely on, and if I easily agreed, how could I explain it to the civil and military officials of the court, and to the common people under Heaven?”
Hearing this, the expectation on Changle’s face gradually faded, yet she still stubbornly lifted her head.
“Father Emperor, must achievements only be earned in the court?”
“Du Heng wants to make Xiaoyao Tower flourish, to let more commoners eat affordable and delicious food, and to make Chang’an’s everyday warmth more prosperous, and doesn’t that count as achievements?”
“This daughter is willing to strive alongside him, and when he has real results, then we can talk about marriage!”
Li Shimin looked at his daughter’s resolute eyes, and his heart stirred slightly, and his tone softened.
“You really do protect him.”
“Very well, I can give Du Heng a chance.”
“If he can make Xiaoyao Tower a model for Chang’an, not only beloved by the people but also able to contribute to matters of livelihood, such as promoting ingredient cultivation and driving up the income of nearby farming households, then that will count as his achievements, and then I will consider your marriage.”
“But if he cannot do it, then you must cut off these thoughts and obediently accept my arrangements.”
Light blazed again in Changle’s eyes, and she knocked her head to the floor heavily as she said, “Thank you, Father Emperor!”
“This daughter will certainly stand with Du Heng and not fail Father Emperor’s expectations!”
Li Shimin clapped his hands and sighed lightly as he said, “Back then, your mother was just as stubborn.”
“Enough, go help him prepare Xiaoyao Tower, and I will wait to see your results.”
“But remember: if it ultimately fails, you are not allowed to throw a tantrum.”
When Changle rose, her skirt hem spun into a flower as she said, “This daughter obeys!”
“I will definitely make Xiaoyao Tower the pride of Chang’an!”
She wanted to work with Du Heng to turn Xiaoyao Tower into Chang’an’s liveliest restaurant, and she wanted even more to help Du Heng earn achievements so everyone could see his ability and so Father Emperor would acknowledge their love.
After she returned to the palace, she immediately summoned craftsmen from the Bureau of Imperial Manufactories, and she did not even have time for tea and snacks.
The Eight Immortals Table had to be extendable, so for 3 people one side could be folded away, and for 10 people it could be fully unfolded, making it convenient for customers to share tables.
The menu had to be divided into 4 colors, with red for meat dishes, green for vegetable dishes, white for soups, and gold for sauces, so customers could understand at a glance.
The service bell had to be crisp and pleasant, so that once a customer pressed it, someone would respond.
The suggestion book had to use flecked-gold paper, and each page corner had to have a little Stove God drawn on it, and after collecting 10 suggestions, the customer would be given a bowl of sweet soup, so they could eat comfortably and leave satisfied.
She personally wrote the “Xiaoyao Tower Regulations,” and her handwriting was airy yet stubborn, and she even drew the punctuation like little zhuyu shapes.
The chef assessment required the “Three Passes”: knife work (slice meat as thin as paper), heat control (toss the wok without spilling), and flavor (saltiness just right).
The ingredient wooden tags were written even more meticulously than love letters: “This cabbage was picked at the Mao hour, delivered by Old Zhang of Wang Family Village, and raised on Zhongnan Mountain spring water, only so you, honored guest, may taste one bite of freshness.”
On the 1st of each month was “Commoners’ Day,” where for 5 wen you could pick any 1 dish, elders over 90 got a free poached egg add-on, and you could even request the chef to sing a little tune for entertainment, so ordinary commoners could also afford good wine and good dishes.
“I want Xiaoyao Tower to become Chang’an’s liveliest restaurant, and I want it even more to become a place that can help Du Heng earn achievements.”
She blinked at her trusted palace maid, stuffed a packet of dried shepherd’s purse into her hand, and said, “You go to Dujiawa first to help out, learn how to manage the restaurant’s messy details, and also tell Du Heng Father Emperor’s conditions, because we have to work hard together!”
She prepared Xiaoyao Tower with such urgency not only because she acknowledged Du Heng’s cooking, but even more because this was their shared undertaking and the key to helping Du Heng earn achievements and make the marriage possible.
Meanwhile, Du Heng in Dujiawa did not rest either.
When he heard that Changle had fought for him to get a chance from the emperor, he worked even harder.
He made the copper bell as crisp as birdsong, and with one press it rang “ding-ling-ling,” and even the dogs in the neighboring village stopped barking when they heard it.
He drew the menu more vividly than New Year pictures, and the cured meat slices were drawn so translucent that even the grain was clearly visible.
He designed the suggestion book with 2 sides, “likes” and “complaints,” and he even drew a crying stick figure on the complaint page with the words, “Complain correctly, get sweet soup; complain wrongly, get zhuyu sauce,” which was both fun and good for collecting customer opinions.
The most brilliant thing was the “membership card”: he carved names onto wooden plaques, and with 1 guan stored you got 10% off, and the first batch of slots was reserved for village elders.
When Granny A Ruan got her card, she laughed so hard her missing teeth showed as she said, “Young gentleman, with this card, can grandmother trade for a basket of sweet talk from you?”
Du Heng scratched his head and smiled as he replied, “Granny, sweet talk doesn’t cost money, but you have to trade good words for it, so you praise my new hairstyle as handsome first!”
As he was speaking, Du Heng’s little apprentice ran over holding a note that had just been sent from Chang’an City.
“Master, Master! The princess says that in 3 days the Ministry of Works will start construction by the Qujiang Pool to build Xiaoyao Tower, and the deed has your name written on it!”
Du Heng took the note, and after reading it, he could not help whistling as he patted the apprentice’s shoulder and said, “Good kid, come on, Master will stir-fry you some zhuyu spicy chicken today to celebrate!”
“And I’ll let you broaden your horizons too, and see what a true ‘human delicacy’ really is!”
A few days later, Du Heng was in the kitchen pondering new recipes when a palace maid sent by Changle happened to deliver a message, and seeing him busy, she smiled and said, “Young Lord Du, the princess says that when Xiaoyao Tower opens, she wants to be the first to come eat the ‘Jade shepherd’s purse meatballs’ you make!”
“She also told you to research more sauces made with zhuyu, because it’s a rare flavor in Chang’an and might become a signature.”
Du Heng’s hands paused, and the corners of his mouth rose involuntarily as he said, “Tell the princess that when the time comes, I’ll save her the best seat, and I’ll also use zhuyu to make a few new dishes, and I guarantee she’ll be satisfied!”
7 days later, Changle came in light carriage with minimal attendants, wearing plain clothes and no makeup, with only a fresh wild chrysanthemum pinned in her hair, yet her face was full of urgency.
“Du Heng, something happened.”
She twisted her clothing corner, and her voice trembled slightly as she said, “My uncle proposed marriage in court, and Father Emperor neither agreed nor refused, and he only said he wants to see your achievements.”
Du Heng froze mid-wipe over the iron wok, then looked up at Changle, and seeing the panic in her eyes, he steadied himself first.
He set down the cloth in his hand, pulled over a wooden stool at the side, and let her sit as he said, “Princess, don’t panic, and tell me slowly.”
“Does Your Majesty have some requirement for me?”
Although he did not understand court rules, he also understood that since the emperor had not directly refused, there was still hope.
“Father Emperor said that to marry me, you must have achievements.”
After Changle sat down, her eyes reddened slightly as she said, “Zhangsun Chong has achievements in handling canal transport, and you need to run Xiaoyao Tower well, and you also have to drive livelihoods, like helping farming households increase income, and only then will it count as achievements.”
“Du Heng, I don’t want to marry him, and I only want to open Xiaoyao Tower with you and live an ordinary life.”
“But I’m afraid… afraid the pressure will be too much for you, and afraid we can’t do it…”
Before Changle could finish, Du Heng reached out and gently patted the back of her hand, and his tone was steady and composed as he said, “Princess, this isn’t urgent.”
His gaze was firm and there was not the slightest panic as he continued, “If you truly don’t want to marry, I have a way to help you deal with it.”
“Your Majesty wants achievements, then we’ll earn achievements for him to see.”
“We don’t need to fight anyone for anything or compare anything; we only need to get Xiaoyao Tower running, help the villagers grow and sell vegetables, and let everyone live better, and achievements will naturally come.”
He paused, then added, “I’m only a rustic cook, and I don’t understand palace rules, and I don’t know what kind of person that Young Master Zhangsun is.”
“But I know that when you do things, you have to be solid and grounded.”
“You like eating the dishes I make, and I like working with you to figure out the restaurant’s affairs, and if we strive together, we’ll definitely make it.”
“Rest assured, I won’t let you suffer any wrong.”
As he spoke, Du Heng unfastened the small clay jar at his waist and opened the lid, and inside were sun-dried zhuyu, red with a hint of yellow and giving off a distinctive aroma.
“This is zhuyu I picked from Zhongnan Mountain, and after drying it I use it to make sauces, and it’s spicy and appetizing, and it’s rare in Chang’an City.”
“I plan to talk with the village’s farming households and have them plant more zhuyu and vegetables, then our Xiaoyao Tower will purchase them.”
“Then we’ll sell sauces made with zhuyu to other restaurants, so that Xiaoyao Tower has a signature while also helping farming households increase income, and wouldn’t that be killing 2 birds with 1 stone?”
Changle looked at Du Heng’s composed manner and listened to his plain yet farsighted words, and the panic in her heart gradually faded.
She sniffled, and light returned to her eyes as she said, “Alright, I believe you!”
“Then we’ll talk to the farmers together, and we’ll build up Xiaoyao Tower and the sauce business together, and we’ll let Father Emperor see your achievements!”
Du Heng smiled and nodded, then took a piece of freshly made osmanthus cake from the stove and handed it to Changle.
“It just finished steaming, so try it, because it’s sweet without being cloying, and it goes perfectly with tea.”
“Don’t think about those troublesome things for now, and eat something first to line your stomach, and this afternoon we’ll go to the village to talk with the farmers about planting zhuyu.”
Changle took the osmanthus cake and bit into it, and the clean sweetness spread in her mouth, and her heart warmed too.
She looked at Du Heng’s busy back as she watched him deftly tidy up the stove, and she suddenly felt that no matter what happened, as long as Du Heng was there, she did not need to fear anything.
As the carriage drove away, Changle leaned her head out the window and shouted to Du Heng, “This afternoon I’m going to the village with you!”
Du Heng stood at the courtyard gate, smiled, and waved as he said, “Alright, I’ll wait for you!”
After the carriage vanished from sight, Du Heng turned back into the courtyard.
He picked up the zhuyu on the table and carefully put it away, and in his heart he already had a detailed plan.
First, he would sign purchase agreements with the farming households and provide zhuyu seeds and planting methods.
Next, he would develop multiple kinds of zhuyu sauces as Xiaoyao Tower’s signature.
Finally, he would launch “farmer direct supply” dishes at Xiaoyao Tower, letting customers know where the ingredients came from and letting more people see the farmers’ hard work.
He did not understand court affairs, but he knew that as long as he did things honestly and solidly and helped more people, achievements would naturally arrive.
In the corner of the courtyard, a little yellow dog carried over a piece of vegetable leaf and set it by his feet.
Du Heng smiled and patted its head as he said, “Good buddy, when Xiaoyao Tower opens, our days will only get livelier.”
“When the time comes, let Your Majesty know that the everyday warmth in this rustic little courtyard can also achieve great merit!”
As the sun set in the west, cooking smoke curled upward.
This thread of everyday warmth would eventually make the Son of Heaven on the dragon throne drool, make the vermilion-and-purple officials of the full court lower themselves to line up, make the sons of great families envy this steady happiness, and make the entire Great Tang forget what pedigree meant and remember only the warmth between lips and teeth.
It would forget what bloodline meant and recognize only the true heart and real achievements reflected in firelight.
Du Heng pushed open the courtyard gate and looked toward Chang’an.
He knew that from this day on, what he stir-fried was not only food, but also the future achievements he was earning for himself and Changle.
And Princess Changle’s feelings had already taken root in his heart like a seed, waiting only to bloom into the most brilliant flower, accompanied by the fragrance of zhuyu.
“Wait for me,” he whispered to the evening wind.
“Until I stir-fry happiness with an iron wok, season a signature with zhuyu, and use real achievements to marry my Great Tang bright moon.”
“When the time comes, everyone will understand that the best days were never about matching family backgrounds, but about 2 people’s hearts being together, using effort to make ordinary days flavorful, and earning the glory that belongs to them.”