However, the Crown Prince’s features changed little. His palm-sized face remained as delicate and refined as a young lady’s, with clear, bright eyes. Yet the slender waist, once willow-like, now sat straighter, making him appear far more spirited and energetic than before.
Feng Qiyuan arrived before the throne hall, lifted the hem of his robe, and performed a crisp, flawless salute. His movements were elegant and practiced, showing none of the destitution one might expect after four years of hardship at the detached palace.
Emperor Chunde looked over his long-neglected son, and some of his irritation eased. At least the Fourth Prince had finally acquired a trace of masculine bearing. He no longer walked with that soft, swaying gait and limp-waisted affectation.
It seemed these years of self-cultivation had accomplished something. With that thought, though his anger had not fully dissipated, the emperor asked: “Why are you late? Have you spent these four years nursing resentment toward me and harboring dissatisfaction? If you didn’t want to come, you should have stayed in the Eastern Palace.”
When sons from ordinary families threw tantrums at their fathers, it was nothing unusual. But for a prince of the imperial family to harbor hatred toward his sovereign father was tantamount to courting death.
At the side, Empress Tang quietly sucked in a breath. That damned boy. Why stir up trouble at a time like this? Wasn’t he going to ruin her plans?
The youth showed no sign of panic. He raised his head and looked reverently at Emperor Chunde. “Reporting to Father Emperor, this son went to the Imperial Kitchen to prepare longevity noodles for Your Majesty’s birthday. That is why I am late in paying my respects. I beg Father Emperor to punish me.”
The emperor glanced at the flour genuinely dusting his sleeves and laughed in exasperation. “Ridiculous! Are you saying that without you, the Imperial Kitchen of Great Feng couldn’t even serve a bowl of noodles?”
At those words, faint laughter rippled through the hall. The Third Prince’s laughter rang the loudest. “Look at him, trying so hard to stand out! Making noodles? He might as well have smeared flour all over himself, twisted his waist, and put on a performance for Father Emperor!”
Empress Tang grew uneasy and quickly stepped in. “Late is late. Why aren’t you apologizing to your father? What kind of excuse is this?”
“Feng Qiyuan” looked earnestly at the emperor and bowed again. “Your son previously did not know that among the common people of Great Feng, it is customary for sons and daughters to personally make noodles for their father’s birthday. Later, an elderly eunuch who attended me at the detached palace told me of the custom’s deeper meaning. The dough must be kneaded over and over, folded countless times before it becomes smooth and resilient. Few understand the labor involved. As I learned to make noodles from him, I gained a profound realization. When parents raise their children, do they not also devote endless effort and care?
“Your son was foolish and unruly, causing Father Emperor much worry. For four years, I have been unable to fulfill my filial duties at your side, and I constantly repent. I have not had the means to prepare an extravagant birthday gift, so I thought it better to personally make a bowl of longevity noodles and pray for Father Emperor’s health and long life. I only ask that Father Emperor not despise this son’s crude craftsmanship.”
As he spoke, he took a tray from the eunuch who had followed him from the Imperial Kitchen. Upon it rested a deep gold-rimmed bowl filled with noodles bathed in rich golden broth, topped with minced meat.
Seeing this, several veteran officials hurried to support his explanation, affirming that such a custom did indeed exist among the common people. Though the Crown Prince had arrived late, they said, his sincerity in personally making the noodles was commendable and deserved forgiveness.
Who would have thought that the timid Fourth Prince, who in the past couldn’t be coaxed into saying a word even after repeated prodding, had become so eloquent?
Yet, he had made no real progress at all! He had left the opera stage only to climb onto the kitchen stove!
Emperor Chunde snorted and ordered the noodles brought forward. “Very well. I’ll take a token bite, if only to give some face to the old ministers pleading on your behalf.”
After an eunuch tested the food with a silver needle, the emperor examined the bowl expressionlessly, picked up his chopsticks, and sampled a strand of noodle.
These past few days, the Han River had flooded. Starvation was widespread, and rebellions broke out from time to time. Emperor Chunde was already simmering with frustration and had little appetite. The banquet dishes, prepared according to the Ministry of Rites’ conventional standards, were mostly cold ceremonial fare. One felt full just looking at them.
However, despite its ordinary appearance, the noodles tasted nothing like the palace cuisine he was accustomed to. They carried a uniquely fragrant, tingling savoriness that immediately stimulated the appetite.
Unable to resist, Emperor Chunde took several more bites. Then he picked up a spoon and drank a few mouthfuls of the broth. The warm, lively flavor spread through him, leaving even his heart feeling comfortingly warm.
At this, the assembled consorts and princes could only stare in astonishment. Judging by the emperor’s reaction, he wasn’t faking it. Could the noodles really be that delicious?
Setting down the spoon, Emperor Chunde pointed at the bowl and asked the eunuch from the Imperial Kitchen who had accompanied Feng Qiyuan: “This flavor is rather distinctive. Did the Crown Prince truly make it himself?”
The eunuch hurriedly replied, “Indeed, Your Majesty. This servant watched the entire process. From kneading the dough to preparing the toppings and seasoning the broth, His Highness did everything with his own hands and allowed no one else to assist.”
The Crown Prince’s sudden appearance in the Imperial Kitchen had given the cooks quite a scare. Given their lowly status, they dared not stop him. Instead, they could only assign people to watch him closely, lest the Crown Prince harbor thoughts of regicide and poison the food, dragging them into disaster as well.
Once the eunuch had finished speaking, “Feng Qiyuan” calmly continued: “Your son has always cared deeply for Father Emperor. I heard that these past few days Father Emperor has been troubled by state affairs, and that your stomach ailment has flared up again. Your son is foolish and incapable, unable to share Father Emperor’s burdens. The only thing I could do was prepare a warm bowl of noodles to soothe your stomach. The bowl contains ma pepper from Shu, brought through the Western Regions. It is particularly effective at stimulating the appetite. However, its pungent nature can irritate the stomach in some people. By unspoken agreement, the palace kitchens reserve such spicy seasonings for their own use and dare not serve them to honored nobles. I consulted medical texts and learned that this ingredient can warm the stomach and dispel cold when used in proper amounts. Thus, your son boldly added some to the noodles, hoping Father Emperor might enjoy something new.”
At those words, Emperor Chunde was finally moved. When he had been young, years spent campaigning with the army had left him with a chronic stomach disorder. Whenever it flared up, the pain was almost unbearable.
Once, during a family banquet, he had suffered an attack without warning. The princes, consorts, and concubines had all fallen to their knees, weeping and offering the usual formal blessings for the emperor’s recovery. Only six-year-old Feng Qiyuan had timidly stretched out a thin little arm toward him. “Father Emperor, if it hurts too much, you can bite my hand. I’m bad at studying, and whenever Mother punishes me with the ruler, biting my own hand makes it hurt a lot less!”
The child’s innocent words were irresistibly endearing. Now, so many years later, this son, who had been confined in isolation for a full four years, bore no grudge. Instead, he still remembered the emperor’s old illness.
Emperor Chunde sighed inwardly. This child might have countless shortcomings, but the pure devotion he showed toward his father was unchanged from when he was small.
Thinking of this, much of the resentment between father and son suddenly melted away.
He waved a hand. “You have been thoughtful. But you are the Crown Prince of a nation. If you truly wish to show filial devotion, then devote yourself wholeheartedly to matters of state in the future instead of lingering around kitchen stoves. That would be the real way to ease your father’s burdens. Go and take your seat beside your mother.”
The moment those words were spoken, subtle changes appeared on everyone’s faces.
Back then, because of the Crown Prince’s improper conduct, the emperor had confined him under the pretext of cultivating his character and virtue. During those years, the emperor had refrained from openly deposing him, unwilling to provoke a succession struggle among his sons.
Nevertheless, although the title remained, the Crown Prince’s authority existed in name only. That was a universally acknowledged fact. Even after his release, several days had passed without the emperor summoning him. Nor had there been any indication that he would be allowed to participate in state affairs. It was obvious the emperor no longer favored him and intended to leave him sidelined. Yet now, a single bowl of noodle soup had persuaded Emperor Chunde to soften his stance. He even seemed willing to let the Crown Prince return to discussing government affairs. That upended everyone’s calculations.
After offering another formal bow, the Crown Prince remained perfectly composed. Rising calmly, he took his seat beside Empress Tang. Then, with an almost filial attentiveness, he produced a handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from her brow. “Oh? Mother Empress, are you feeling warm? Why are you sweating so much? Shall I have one of the palace maids fan you?”
Concealing her reaction behind her sleeve, Empress Tang shot him a fierce glare. Is this because of the heat? A moment ago, that wretched girl nearly scared the soul right out of me!
Did this young lady take the imperial palace for the manor house of some country gentry? She had actually run off to make noodle soup?
Empress Tang was still shaken and quietly pressed her for answers. “You are not from the palace. How did you know His Majesty’s stomach ailment had flared up? And how did you even get into the Imperial Kitchen?”
“Feng Qiyuan” blinked innocently. “Yushu told me. She’s one of the old attendants from the Eastern Palace. The other day she came to reminisce with me, and I casually asked about His Majesty’s recent health. She held nothing back. My stomach isn’t very good either. Whenever it acts up, my father makes me this crispy-meat noodle soup. It’s soft, fragrant, and excellent for the stomach! It was my first time meeting His Majesty. It wouldn’t do to arrive empty-handed. I had to do my part to show filial piety on the Crown Pri… I mean, on behalf of a child. As for finding the Imperial Kitchen, Nanny Song was afraid I’d get lost and expose myself, so she’d shown me a palace map before. While visiting the latrine, I discovered a path outside the window that led straight to the kitchen. If I’d gone back to tell Nanny Song, she would’ve nagged at me and wasted time, so I calculated the timing and climbed out the window to make a bowl of noodles. Well? I wasn’t late for too long, was I?”
Seeing the “Crown Prince” grinning cheerfully, completely oblivious to the chaos she had nearly caused, Empress Tang felt a lump rise in her throat.
What had this girl, born of the same mother as the Crown Prince, been raised on? She was clearly a young lady, yet her courage was bigger than a wok lid!
Before the Empress could think further, the girl had already picked up a morsel of meat and vegetables with her chopsticks and eagerly held it toward her mouth.
With a bright smile, she whispered: “On such a joyous occasion, Mother Empress keeps such a stern face. Won’t people notice something’s wrong? Don’t worry. I remember everything you told me. Just relax. Eat when it’s time to eat, drink when it’s time to drink! Though honestly, the food in this palace isn’t all that impressive. The banquets hosted by wealthy country gentry back home are far grander! Every dish is so tiny. Did the Imperial Kitchen skim money from the budget? When I get the chance, I’ll help investigate the palace’s oil-stealing rats…”
Empress Tang was a stern woman by nature. The real Feng Qiyuan had been raised so timid that he was like a frightened mouse; in her presence, he scarcely dared to breathe too loudly.
But this young lady knew nothing of the Empress’s formidable authority. She behaved without restraint, carefree and brazen to an almost unbearable degree.
Not wishing to jeopardize the larger plan, Empress Tang silently took a deep breath. More than ever, she was looking forward to the horse competition later. In fact, she now almost hoped the girl would fall and break her neck.
As for the Crown Prince, this chess piece could simply be discarded!
However, the program for this birthday banquet differed from previous years. After the palace feast, there would normally have been horse competitions, but this year wrestling matches had been added as well.
The wrestling arena operated on a challenge system, with a reigning champion defending the platform.
Today’s champion was the Third Prince, the most accomplished martial fighter among the imperial sons. As the titleholder, he could accept challenges from others or issue challenge tokens himself, inviting opponents onto the stage.
Looking at the broad-shouldered, thick-waisted Third Prince, the other princes all averted their gaze and pretended to socialize. None of them wished to embarrass themselves by stepping into the arena.
Under normal circumstances, some tactful military officer or palace guard would have volunteered to play along, climbing onto the stage only to be thrown around and become yet another defeated opponent beneath Third Prince Feng Qiwu’s hands.
Today, however, the Third Prince was clearly nursing a grievance. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed his challenge token onto the frail Crown Prince’s table. “Crown Prince, what sort of filial piety is making a mere bowl of noodle soup? Why not honor us by stepping onto the stage and sparring with me for a round? Let us liven up Father Emperor’s birthday banquet!”
Empress Tang lifted her eyes toward Noble Consort Shang and her son. Both wore faint smiles, looking entirely unsurprised.
This is bad.
In an instant, Empress Tang understood the scheme. As expected of an old rival she had battled for more than a decade. She and Noble Consort Shang had arrived at the same idea.
The hateful woman had simply struck first. She had arranged this wrestling match before the horse competition, using that brute of a Third Prince to break the deadlock. They must have heard rumors that the Crown Prince’s leg was injured and intended to test whether there was truth to it.
The Great Feng Dynasty valued martial prowess. In a setting like this, even the Crown Prince could not refuse a formal challenge.
The Third Prince and the Crown Prince had never gotten along. Once he got his hands on him, he certainly would not show any restraint. Even if the Crown Prince’s legs were perfectly healthy, there was every chance that reckless brute would throw him hard enough to cause real injury.
Empress Tang wanted to stop it. Unfortunately, Yatou had no sense of the danger and cheerfully accepted the challenge before anyone could intervene.
At that moment, Empress Tang was furious beyond words. Forget it. Since this chess piece refuses to obey properly, it might as well be discarded here and now.