Xie Xin had already enjoyed seventeen wonderful years of life, and Yu Yu decided to add a little spice to it.
“Your Highness has just returned and hasn’t yet visited the most famous tavern in the capital. Its signature dish is only available on the ninth day of each month. Would Your Highness like to go and try it?”
Yu Yu spoke first, as if yesterday’s incident had never happened. He did indeed seem to take seriously the task of accompanying Xie Xin to familiarize himself with the capital.
Having no reason to refuse after yesterday’s offense, and since Yu Yu had brought it up, he must want to try it himself, Xie Xin agreed readily.
It happened to be the fifth day of the month, so Xie Xin gave orders for someone to reserve the dish in advance. Yu Yu stopped him, explaining, “Your Highness may not know this, but that signature dish requires one to personally go to the tavern to claim a token. No one is allowed to fetch it on another’s behalf, nor is it permitted to be packed out.”
They had just reached the palace gate. Yu Yu brushed off nonexistent dust from his clothes and said, “If Your Highness is interested, on the ninth day, I will be waiting in the main hall.”
Palace attendants were steadily carrying in the rewards from Consort Jiang, passing in and out of Yu Yu’s peripheral vision. He composed his expression and took his leave of Xie Xin. Yu Yu’s slender figure looked utterly forlorn.
“Yu Yu.” Xie Xin called out to him. “Mother has sent me lots of fun things. Will you keep me company and take a look?”
Yet Yu Yu did not appreciate the gesture.
“Your Highness didn’t rest well last night. Aren’t you tired?”
Xie Xin was about to say he wasn’t tired when Yu Yu spoke again: “I’m tired, Your Highness.”
Xie Xin had no choice but to nod and let him go.
Why wouldn’t he even accept a gesture of goodwill? And yet Xie Xin couldn’t find any fault with him. He felt a headache coming on, he thought Yu Yu was truly a difficult person to get along with.
For the remaining four days, Xie Xin didn’t see Yu Yu even once. Yu Yu used the excuse that he had caught a chill from the cold night wind and was hiding in his room, refusing to come out.
Xie Xin called for him several times under the pretext of meals, but each time Yu Yu declined, saying he feared passing the illness on to Xie Xin. Unusually, Xie Xin didn’t go out drinking or carousing, staying obediently in his own quarters.
He was curious about Yu Yu and also harbored a desire to befriend him. It was rare to meet someone so unique, and naturally he wanted to leave a good impression.
On the ninth day, Yu Yu appeared in the main hall right on time.
He sat in a round-backed guest chair, propping his face on his hand, his unfocused gaze fixed somewhere in the distance. A dark blue silk ribbon was tied to his hair crown. The draft sweeping through the hall mercilessly tousled every strand of his hair; the ribbon floated up, then fell, gently brushing against his pale face. Set off by that ribbon, he truly looked like someone just recovered from a serious illness.
Xie Xin unconsciously walked over, and only then did Yu Yu shift his gaze to him. Their eyes met, and immediately Yu Yu looked away.
Yu Yu rose to his feet and called out, “Your Highness.”
Xie Xin scratched his head, not knowing where to put his hands, and asked with awkward concern, “Are you feeling better?”
“Much better.”
“Then let’s go.” Xie Xin relaxed his tone and walked out first, glancing back slightly to see if Yu Yu was following. Only when Yu Yu drew level with him did he face forward again.
Not far past the palace gates, the surroundings grew lively. The cries of vendors and hawkers filled their ears. Along the way, Xie Xin bought quite a few things, tossing them all to the shadow guards following behind to carry, and still remembered to ask Yu Yu if he wanted anything, his treat.
Yu Yu occasionally chimed in with a word or two, accompanying him through most of the street before they finally arrived at the entrance of Zuixiang Pavilion.
Xie Xin had the shadow guards send the items back first, leaving two men stationed in the shadows, before he and Yu Yu went inside.
The building was packed to the brim, not even a glimpse of an empty seat in sight. Xie Xin walked to the front counter, about to have someone lead him to the reserved private room, when he was first startled by the waiter’s complexion.
“Is your place this short on staff? Working your help this hard.”
The waiter gave Xie Xin a pitiful smile. “You can see for yourself, sir, we’re simply swamped here.”
Xie Xin nodded, offering a polite show of understanding. Then, Xie Xin and Yu Yu were led into the private room by another waiter with an even worse complexion.
After they took their seats, the waiter thoughtfully introduced their establishment’s signature dish: “Our signature dish is something plenty of folks crave but can’t get their hands on. You two are so close to that room over there, when the time comes, you’ll want to move fast.” He gave Xie Xin another pitiful smile.
It seemed that waiter’s ashen face was more of a hallmark of this place than any dish.
Only after the waiter left did Xie Xin share his observation with Yu Yu: “The staff here look like death warmed over, their fortune nearly spent, not like normal people.”
“So when the time comes, we’ll have to move fast, snatch this place’s signature dish for ourselves, and take a good look.” Yu Yu put on the air of a righteous hero, brimming with the spirit of rooting out evil.
Yu Yu had been coaxing him the whole way here, giving Xie Xin the illusion that the other had already accepted him as a friend.
This was also the first time he’d smiled at Xie Xin like that. Stared straight at by such a handsome face, Xie Xin felt his heart pounding in his chest.
Xie Xin was a straightforward sort, and he immediately followed Yu Yu’s lead: “Exactly!”
Outside the door, the roar of the crowd swelled from far to near. Yu Yu knew it was about to begin. Xie Xin pushed the door open and stepped out a step ahead of him. Watching his eager retreating figure, Yu Yu’s mood lifted considerably.
Xie Xin ought to thank him properly, he’d gone out of his way to let Xie Xin get an early taste of what a Divine Official’s life was like.
Yu Yu strolled out leisurely, standing at the edge of the crowd.
Xie Xin, true to his frontier upbringing, was quick on his feet and quick to dart through the throng. Before long, he came back with a token in hand.
“Look!” Xie Xin held up the token happily, circling around Yu Yu like an excited puppy.
Yu Yu took the token from Xie Xin’s wrist and handed it to the waiter. “Your Highness is truly impressive.” Then he turned to the waiter and said flatly, “One private room. The signature dish.”
His tone shifted so completely it was like a different person. The waiter took the token and shuffled downstairs, looking sheepish.
Yu Yu pulled the excited Xie Xin back into the private room, where Xie Xin kept chattering on about his glorious feat of snatching the token.
Yu Yu humored him with endless patience, for every sentence Xie Xin said, he could heap on ten praises.
It wasn’t until the waiter knocked that Xie Xin reluctantly stopped. The signature dish was set down in the center, wafting an enticing aroma, and even the waiter’s complexion seemed to ease a bit.
“Enjoy your meal, sirs.” The waiter left those words and shut the door behind him.
It was a crab-stuffed orange, exquisite in color, aroma, and flavor, a favorite among scholars, so it made perfect sense as the house specialty.
Xie Xin picked up the porcelain spoon, scooped up a bite, held it under his nose for a long moment, and said gravely, “This is the first time I’ve seen a crab-stuffed orange cooked with fortune.”
Xie Xin set the spoon back on the porcelain plate, making no move to eat, and understood why so many people fought over it.
It was nothing more than enjoying good luck after consuming it, their insatiable greed driving them to crave more and more.
The master behind Zuixiang Pavilion was bound to be no ordinary figure.
“Indeed. This is the imperial capital, after all,” Yu Yu said, propping his elbows on the tabletop and resting his chin in his palms. Leaning forward slightly, he asked, “I’ve heard that for pending Divine Official like us, if we resolve an incident of fortune wreaking havoc in the mortal realm, eight or nine times out of ten, our ascension will be expedited. Your Highness, do you wish to take care of it?”
Seeing Yu Yu’s posture, a spark ignited in Xie Xin’s heart. “Of course. This is our duty as Divine Official.”
A genuinely bright smile surfaced on Yu Yu’s face. “I shall accompany Your Highness.”
Hook, line, and sinker.
Ninth Prince, Your Imperial Highness, your charmed, smooth-sailing life is about to take a tremendous tumble right here.