Ever since learning about Shiwu’s peculiar behavior from Liu’er, Shen Hui had been losing sleep again.
She hugged her quilt and lay face down on the couch. The dim candlelight cast a faint glow, highlighting the furrow between her brows.
Connecting the two clues, the identity of the master behind Shiwu had surfaced, which actually resolved her confusion.
Because in the original book, Consort Zheng was never mentioned.
In the original storyline, Prince Chu had already been on the throne for several months, and only the birth and adoptive mothers of the Second and Third Young Masters were introduced. As for the Fourth Young Master’s birth mother, there was no record of her.
Could it be that Consort Zheng would die of illness this time, thus never living to see her enfeoffment?
Regardless, concealing an illness was a serious crime. Shiwu had helped her master do something she shouldn’t have. If discovered, it would implicate the entire Beast House.
She would not allow her peaceful haven to be disrupted.
The next day, Shen Hui went to the kitchen half an hour early during lunchtime and sent a young maidservant to the rear courtyard to fetch Qing’er.
“Hello, Sister Qing’er. Is my aunt free at the moment? I’d like to see her.” As soon as Shen Hui saw Qing’er, she stepped forward and curtsied, her face tinged with shyness. “As a junior, it should be me who goes to inquire after you. But I’m new here and dare not be presumptuous. If I rashly go to the princess consort’s quarters, I fear I might offend some noble person.”
“Madam Xu has been worried about you and A Wei and always wanted to send me to check on you. Now is a good time to meet.” Qing’er, however, didn’t mind. “You’ve been learning well under Aunt Duan. Being cautious in handling matters may be troublesome, but it prevents major mistakes. Madam Xu is unavailable now, but she might have half an hour free in the afternoon.”
“That will be enough.” Shen Hui had no intention of lingering in the rear courtyard.
She still remembered some descriptions about Prince Chu’s wives and concubines.
The Princess Consort of Chu was profound and inscrutable, Consort Cui was domineering and unreasonable, Consort Zhao was wise yet appeared foolish, Concubine Xue was submissive and compliant, Concubine Lu was ambitious and scheming…
On the surface, the rear courtyard was calm and peaceful, but in reality, it had long become a den of trouble.
And since Shen Hui was determined to be a lazybones, it was best to minimize contact with those associated with it.
Qing’er also had no desire to chat further with Shen Hui and changed the subject with food: “I returned to Madam Xu’s home this morning and had the cook make some mutton-fat leek cakes that you and A Wei love. Steam them over the stove and eat them while hot. These two jars are side dishes, both bought from a tavern in Pingkang Fang. One is sweet-pickled cucumber, and the other is vinegar-pickled myoga ginger. They can last for two months and are best eaten with congee.”
“Thank you, Sister Qing’er.” Shen Hui’s eyes lit up.
Pingkang Fang was famous not only for its pleasure quarters and extravagant establishments but also for the mansions of nobles and taverns renowned throughout Chang’an.
But as a vegetarian enthusiast who loved plant-based foods, Shen Hui didn’t pair the side dishes with congee. Instead, she ate them with the grilled beef tripe that Shen Wei had left for her.
Great Qi prohibited the consumption of beef, but if a cow died of old age or “illness,” there was nothing to be done. People could only shed tears of joy while indulging in the feast.
That morning, the master’s kitchen had slaughtered a cow. The good meat, heart, and liver were kept, while the rest was given to the servants’ kitchen.
“It’s a bit tough.” The grilled beef tripe was crispy and chewy, full of resilience. Shen Hui chewed with difficulty, but the flavor was good.
“After all, it’s an old cow.” Shen Wei stood by the stove, sprinkling long pepper and black pepper into the pot to braise beef intestines. “But I heard from Nanny Zhang that the last cow slaughtered in the master’s kitchen was one that died from madness after crashing into something. It was very tender.”
“That must have been delicious. It sounds perfect for making beef meatballs.” Shen Hui couldn’t hide her foodie nature.
“Beef meatballs? The method is probably similar to fish balls, right?” As soon as Steward Zhang, the manager of the kitchen, heard about something she hadn’t tried before, she immediately walked over, full of enthusiasm.
Nanny Zhang, who hailed from the Palace Food Service Bureau, had no intention of competing with the cooks in the master's kitchen who fought like jealous hens. Instead, she voluntarily moved to the Servants' Kitchen.
"I saw the Hu merchants staying at the manor estate eating it. The merchants told me to take fresh beef, remove the tendons and membranes, and repeatedly pound it into a meat paste. This way, it becomes juicy, springy, and firm." Shen Hui used the Hu merchants as an excuse.
"You sisters are truly something—one knows how to eat, and the other knows how to cook." Nanny Zhang did not hold back her praise. "I genuinely adore A Wei. She grasps everything with just a hint. I've seen many maidservants, and none compare to her."
Shen Wei truly could not stay idle.
After entering the kitchen, although her only task was to help Nanny Zhang take stock of ingredients and firewood, once she finished her own work, she would scrub pots, tend the fire, and often volunteered to cook for the other kitchen maids. All of this was observed by Nanny Zhang.
"It is A Wei's good fortune to have Nanny's affection and to be taught her skills." Seeing Shen Wei silently blushing, Shen Hui thanked Nanny on her sister's behalf.
To be fair, the original female protagonist was a genuinely good person.
Shen Hui's anger stemmed from the fact that such a good person was bound by human ethics, rituals, and the "three obediences and four virtues," ultimately having to marry a wicked old profligate with gratitude.
If it was within her power, Shen Hui would never allow Shen Wei to meet the same fate as before.
In the afternoon, Shen Hui followed Qing'er into the baosha in the small garden of Ningyuan Residence.
Madam Xu had changed into a comfortable, narrow-sleeved silk jacket in lotus root purple. She stood by the writing desk, practicing calligraphy on scrap paper from Third Young Master's copied books. Her pursuit of learning was endless, and she never allowed herself to slack off.
In this regard, Shen Hui admired her immensely.
"It seems you have something on your mind." Noticing Shen Hui's hesitant expression, Madam Xu set down her brush and guided her to sit on the narrow couch.
Shen Hui leaned close to Madam Xu's ear. "Yes, there's a maidservant named Shiwu in our Beast House. She's been acting suspiciously lately, and I suspect she…"
"Your nose is quite sharp." Madam Xu fell into thoughtful silence for a moment. "I will discuss this matter with Aunt Duan. You must not interfere, and under no circumstances reveal that you were the one who discovered it."
"Ah Hui understands." Shen Hui nodded vigorously.
"There is another matter I have been planning for a long time. Since you are here today, I will not hide it from you." Madam Xu's expression remained calm, but her gaze fixed intently on Shen Hui. "What are your thoughts on Shen Zhengxiao?"
An old scoundrel, what else could there be to think?
Shen Hui thought silently to herself.
But she couldn't show it. Biting her lower lip, she spoke with tearful sorrow: "My sister and I have served and honored him diligently, yet he allowed Lady Jiang to mistreat us. He may even be the mastermind behind A Niang's death. He repeatedly gambled away debts and tried more than once to pawn A Niang's keepsakes… I, I am unfilial, but I no longer wish to acknowledge him as my father."
"Good, you have backbone. Since he lacks kindness, you need not be filial to him." Madam Xu clapped her hands lightly. "Since you have thought it through so clearly, I will be frank with you. Shen Zhengxiao's days are numbered. Whatever news you may hear in the coming days, do not be afraid or grieve. As for A Wei, you are her elder sister. Comfort her well. From now on, you two will be each other's closest kin."
Excellent!
Since entering the estate, Shen Hui had always feared being implicated by Shen Father's gambling. But filial piety was a heavy burden; how could she dare speak openly to Madam Xu about it? Now, she finally no longer had to worry.
"And there's Auntie too. I'll stay close to Auntie as well." Moved, Shen Hui smiled and hugged Madam Xu's arm.
Madam Xu also slowly let out a sigh of relief. "Yes, there's still Auntie."
"Your humble consort pays respects to the Great Prince." Approaching the hour of Xu, the Princess Consort of Chu arrived outside the courtyard gate of Ningyuan Residence, holding a palace lantern, standing quietly by the wall awaiting Prince Chu.
"Consort, please rise. Between us, there is no need for such formalities." Prince Chu helped her up and, hand in hand with his wife, walked toward the main hall.
Prince Chu was in his prime at thirty. After cultivating Daoist practices and Buddhist devotion, his originally gentle and refined demeanor had taken on a touch of compassion, becoming humble and transcendent.
He and the Princess Consort of Chu had grown up together since childhood, sharing deep affection and common interests. He treated her differently from others.
"Your concern brings me great joy, Great Prince, but propriety must not be neglected." The Princess Consort of Chu opened a food box. "I know you adhere to the rule of not eating after noon, but as you supervise the state and attend to governance, working tirelessly from dawn till dusk, you should still have a little something after nightfall. This is a noodle soup I made, with seaweed, wild mushrooms, pickled ginger, bamboo shoots, and alfalfa as the broth base, paired with water spinach and Shuiqin."
"You are thoughtful, Consort." Since it was personally prepared by the Princess Consort of Chu, Prince Chu set aside his usual restraint and finished it all. "How is Third Prince's studies progressing? Has he made improvements?"
"He has improved greatly, so I allowed him to go horseback riding with Second Young Master of the Jin Kang family to practice archery and riding." The Princess Consort of Chu brought him a teacup to rinse his mouth, repeating Third Young Master's words verbatim. "Just as Side Consort Cui said, it's livelier when the children are together."
Foolish.
The Princess Consort of Chu thought.
She had no intention of interfering with Princess Jin Kang's private dealings with Side Consort Cui, but if she dared to meddle in the marriages of the young masters, she would not hesitate to take action.
Prince Chu seemed to pay no heed to these words and instead spoke of their eldest daughter, Yuan Niang: "Before leaving the palace, I spent some time speaking with the Empress Mother. Yuan Niang accompanied us, dignified and composed, with much of her youthful immaturity gone. It suddenly occurred to me that Yuan Niang is already thirteen, and it is time to consider potential matches for her."
Yuan Niang was the biological daughter of the Princess Consort of Chu. Favored by Empress Xue, she had been raised in the palace since childhood.
According to the regulations of this dynasty, imperial daughters were enfeoffed as Imperial Princesses, the daughters of the Crown Prince as Junzhu (commandery princesses), and the daughters of princes as Xianzhu (county princesses), with titles conferred upon marriage. However, Yuan Niang had received her title at just two years old, which made her somewhat arrogant and distant from her younger siblings.
"Perhaps the Empress Mother wishes to keep her for another year or two. Elder Sister Jin Kang seldom has time to enter the palace, and Younger Sister Yizhen has become detached from worldly affairs after taking religious vows. Let Yuan Niang accompany the Empress Mother a little longer." The Princess Consort of Chu concealed the sharpness in her eyes.
Aside from Elder Sister Jin Kang, Prince Chu had another younger sister, Imperial Princess Yizhen. After losing her husband, the princess took religious vows to cultivate purity, distancing herself from worldly matters and even entrusting her only son to her elder brother to raise.
In the eyes of the Princess Consort of Chu, it would be better if Princess Jin Kang also followed her younger sister's example and stayed out of worldly affairs, lest her scheming cost her the sibling bond with the Great Prince.
"That makes sense. Then let us first consider matches for Second Prince. Second Prince is diligent and well-mannered, but as a royal grandson, he inevitably carries an innate pride. The noble daughters of the capital are all pampered and cherished in their families. If we were to choose a noble daughter, I fear it would be like pitting a needle against a spear, leading to marital discord." Prince Chu implied that he did not wish to select a high-born daughter as a wife for Second Young Master.
"However, I worry that women from humble backgrounds may be too timid and unsuitable for marriage into the wangfu." Having been married for many years, the Princess Consort of Chu understood his meaning perfectly. Pretending to be troubled, she smiled and said, "Speaking of which, I do recall a suitable candidate. The daughter of Side Consort Cui's cousin is one year older than Second Prince. I met her at the flower-viewing banquet in the mansion last year. She is gentle, obedient, and humble. Moreover, it would strengthen family ties, making her a fitting match."
It was true that Side Consort Cui's uncle was the Marquis of Xiping, but not all of his sons were exceptionally talented or capable of becoming pillars of the court.
For instance, her cousin, though a Legitimate Offspring, was of mediocre talent—not as capable as the elder brother who inherited the title, nor as competent as the younger half-brother serving outside the capital. After ten years in officialdom, he remained a seventh-rank official, achieving nothing remarkable.
Thus, even knowing that her cousin’s daughter was close in age to her adopted son, Consort Cui had never considered the match. Her heart was set on emulating Prince Chu’s approach back then—marrying the daughter of an Imperial Princess.
“Very well, you may arrange it as you see fit. I trust you.” Prince Chu patted the hand of the Princess Consort of Chu, his gentle smile mirroring the flawless warmth in his wife’s expression, like a pair of perfect masks.
Author’s Note:
Grilled tripe, like the earlier Hufan and chess-piece noodles, all come from Essential Techniques for the Welfare of the People. I’m just mining this one book relentlessly.