《Palace Full of Delicacies》


 CH 1.1

    Chapter 1-Down and out


    The crescent moon was like a hook, and the cold white moonlight was as faint as the light of a firefly, dripping on the vermilion glazed tiles and reflecting the loneliness of the entire imperial city.


    A burst of chaotic footsteps suddenly sounded on the empty palace road, startling several birds.


    A fluffy golden figure suddenly appeared on the wall, and upon a closer look, it was a golden kitten the size of a palm. He paused slightly at the highest point and tapped the smooth glazed tile with the tip of his claws, as if hesitating.


    The sound of footsteps behind him was getting closer and closer, and so the kitten flattened his ears and jumped down the palace wall that was three feet high.


    The tall city wall was still too high for his small body, when he landed, he stumbled and rolled, then shook his ears, got up quickly, and quickly disappeared into the dense grass in a blink of an eye.


    ¡°Look carefully, don¡¯t let it run away!¡±


    The voice of the commander of the guards was deafening, and the rest of the guards responded in unison, turning around the spear in their hands and using the end without the tip to stir the grass.


    It was dark at night, and it wasn¡¯t easy to find a kitten the size of a palm in that sloping field full of tall grass and rocks. After a while, another team of guards came holding a ten feet pointed fork and roughly stabbed it deep into the grass.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s the emperor¡¯s cat!¡± The commander of the guards hastened to stop them.


    ¡°What are you afraid of? It¡¯s just a beast!¡± The guards that just arrived shouted, their spears moving without stopping, and the sharp blades slid across the moonlight with an astonishing cold light.


    ¡°Stop!¡± The commander of the guards turned the head of his spear and firmly blocked the prongs that were trying to stab the grass again.


    When the other guards saw this, they also placed their spear horizontally to stop the prongs that were constantly stirring. The atmosphere between the two groups of guards quickly became tense.


    In the grass not far away, a pair of amber eyes narrowed slightly, taking in everything that was happening in the darkness, pausing for a moment, then turned and left silently.


    ??????????????


    The early spring in the capital was still warm and cold at first.


    Su Yu drove the donkey while holding the wooden barrel on the cart to prevent the water inside the barrel from spilling too much. That water was the seawater from his family house, if it was spilled, the sea fish in the bucket would die in a moment.


    At the place where the daily stalls were set up, Su Yu skillfully tied the donkey, unloaded the wooden barrel and racks from the cart, next he set up a cutting board with a few knives in two to three steps, and finally took out a low stool from the corner of the donkey cart, he then rolled up his sleeves and sat casually beside the barrel.


    ¡°Brother Xiaoyu, why are you so late today?¡±


    Said a little boy about seven or eight years old, wearing a half-worn cotton jacket, with a dark little face with two red patches because winter had just passed, and he smiled naively.


    Seeing Su Yu coming, he consciously gave up his squatting position for him to set up a stall, and then he familiarly took out a bench from the donkey cart and sat beside him.


    Su Yu smiled and took out a white cloth-wrapped pastry from his pocket and handed it to him.


    ¡°I saw a good thing today, and forgot the time while haggling with the fishmonger.¡±


    The boy¡¯s name was Sanchuan, and he came every day to sell eggs. Because Su Yu had to go to the pier to buy goods in the morning, he was often delayed, so Sanchuan helped him occupy a booth in advance.


    ¡°What good stuff?¡±


    Sancuan chewed the dough and leaned over curiously to see it.


    Su Yu smiled mysteriously, caught one from the barrel and brought it in front of Sanchuan with both hands, then he suddenly opened his hands and sent it forward.


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    Sanchuan ducked back in fright and fell to the ground with a thud. He saw that Su Yu was holding a strange-looking thing in his hands, it was a large pile of soft things, glowing with a strange pink color, very terrifying.


    ¡°Hahahaha¡­¡±


    Su Yu looked at Sanchuan and couldn¡¯t stop laughing, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, this is delicious.¡±


    ¡°This weird thing can still be eaten? What is this?¡±


    Sanchuan sucked air through his nose and got up from the ground, he then sat back on the small stool and looked at Su Yu in disbelief.


    ¡°Of course you can eat it, it¡¯s called¡­squid¡­¡±


    At the mention of this unfamiliar and familiar term, Su Yu felt a little disappointed. In the time he lived in, squids were only sold on the southern coast, and here they were even on the temperate seaside.


    It has been three months since Su Yu traveled here, he still doubts that he was actually dreaming.


    Maybe one day he will wake up and return to his original world. He was also the head chef of ChuanXiang Restaurant, joyfully cooking his spicy crap every day.


    Before he left work he would send some seafood scraps to the wild cats at the back door. At night, he would go home to watch TV and play games¡­


    Instead of being a poor penniless aristocrat in this inexplicable ancient world.


    That¡¯s right, don¡¯t look at Su Yu as a fish seller, his identity in this ancient times was still a nobleman to say the least.


    The ancestors of the Su family followed the Emperor Taizu to conquer the world and was made a marquis. Although the title was hereditary to Su Yu¡¯s father, he was already a worthless second-class auxiliary general, but the nobility was after all the nobility, even without war achievements the noble can still rely on his salary to live a good life.


    It was a pity that when Su Yu arrived his father had just passed away.


    His uncle bullied him when because he was young and wanted to take his title. His aunt controlled the family budget, and because the family was not good at business there was no savings, and the funeral cost most of it, so his aunt used this to treat him harshly.


    Not only did he not live the life of a playboy, but he couldn¡¯t even get enough to eat!


    In desperation, Su Yu had to go back to his old business, pulling the only donkey in the family and selling fish.


    ¡°Come, give me a grass carp.¡±


    Someone came to buy fish, so Su Yu threw the squid in his hands into the bucket and responded with a smile, he then got up and took out the fence, fishing out a fat and strong grass carp in a large wooden basin filled with fresh water.


    ¡°Sir, do you think this one is okay?¡±


    ¡°Do you know how to kill fish?¡±


    This was the first time the customer came here to buy fish.


    Seeing that the owner of the stall was clean and white, he didn¡¯t look like a fish seller at all, but looked like a handsome and gentle scholar, so he was hesitant for a while.


    ¡°Brother Xiaoyu is really good at killing fish!¡±


    Sanchuan saw the man wrinkling his nose and said defiantly.


    Su Yu smiled and didn¡¯t answer, he took out the scale and weighed it, placing the stunned grass carp on the cutting board he quickly opened the belly, chopped the head and removed the scales, all of the movements were done in one go.


    It was even more skilled than the old fishermen by the sea.


    ¡°Good craftsmanship!¡±


    Carrying the slaughtered fish, the customer couldn¡¯t help but admire it.


    Su Yu took the copper coin and gave a wry smile, thinking that he had to kill fishes for five years before he could become a chef.


    He was glad that he would no longer have to kill fish, but he never thought he would have to start from scratch now. He looked down at his slender hands.


    Due to the prolonged exposure to salt water combined with the cold weather they had been frostbitten in several places, and they were no longer as fair as they were before.


    If it weren¡¯t for the lack of capital, he would have opened a restaurant long ago, if not why would he bother to sell fish with low cost and low returns. But¡­


    Turning his head to look at the squid that was huddled together into a ball in the bucket, the smile on Su Yu¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but rise a little, now, there was a good opportunity for him to accumulate capital.


    ¡°Little brother, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m doubting you, but why did you buy this!¡±


    Before the customer left he pointed at the squid in the bucket and shook his head, ¡°No one buys this stuff.¡±

 CH 1.2

    Chapter 1- Down and Out


    The people of Da¡¯an Dynasty preferred to eat fresh food from the rivers, lakes and seas, so the business of fishing and selling fish was very prosperous, but they mainly focused on fish, shrimps and crabs.


    Few people would eat squid, because it doesn¡¯t taste good no matter what they do, so the fishermen usually throw them away or sell them cheaply to feed livestock.


    Hearing this, Su Yu just smiled kindly and didn¡¯t say much.


    The capital was divided into east and west, the eastern city was the residence of the rich and nobles, and the western city was populated by the commoners.


    This Xiping Street was a small road in the West City, since the road was narrow and carriages don¡¯t often use the road, stalls can be found everywhere.


    The women from poorer families are not as particular as the noble ladies of rich houses, they go out to buy vegetables with a basket on their own.


    Because of Su Yu¡¯s fair looks and gentle speech, those grandmothers and aunts liked to chat with him a few times, coupled with that beautiful fish-killing knife methods, business was naturally better than other stalls, just after noon he sold out the last fish.


    ¡°Che, if you want to sell smiles you should go to the Chuyi Building, how much is it worth on this Xiping Street¡­¡±


    Not far away, a burly fishmonger said in a cold voice.


    Although he didn¡¯t raise his voice, everyone around him could hear him clearly. Chunyi Building was a well-known brothel in the capital.


    After hearing this, Sanchuan was going to argue with the man, but Su Yu pulled him back.


    He wasn''t someone who lived near Xiping Street, for the local gangsters here you couldn¡¯t fight them with force, so he could only pretend he didn¡¯t hear anything and smiled at the last guest.


    Su Yu was born with a warm and gentle face, and that man didn¡¯t seem like a good person, so with this bitter smile the auntie looked very distressed.


    ¡°Yu Laosi, who are you scolding?¡±


    After taking the fish that Su Yu tied with straw, Aunt Zhang, who was nearly forty years old, immediately turned around and glared at the fishmonger.


    This auntie was famous for her fiery temperament, and no one dared to provoke her in the whole street.


    When Yu Laosi heard her words, he couldn¡¯t help shrinking his head, he then felt that it was shameful to be so cowardly afraid of a woman, so he stuck out his neck and said:


    ¡±Whoever takes it is who I¡¯m cursing!¡±


    As soon as he said this, he immediately regretted it so much that he wanted to bite his tongue off.


    ¡°Wow, you dare to scold me, Zhang Cuihua, you don¡¯t even know what I did when I was young!¡±


    Aunt Zhang suddenly became excited, it had been a long time since anyone dared to quarrel with her. This time, she must definitely have a good time.


    Soon many people gathered around to watch the fun on the street, and Yu Laosi was scolded so badly that he couldn¡¯t speak, and he was so angry that he was about to pass out.


    Su Yu silently cleaned up his stall without changing his face, and drove the donkey cart away quietly.


    Turning around the corner, there was a shop that collected old wood, Su Yu unloaded there the large wooden basin and two large wooden barrels on the trolley leaving only the half-sized wooden barrel that contained the squid.


    The old carpenter with a white beard looked at it for a while:


    ¡°Ten wen each.¡±


    ¡°For the wooden barrels it''s fine, but this wooden basin was made of a whole piece of wood, at least eighty wen.¡± Su Yu frowned.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got two pieces put together, thirty wen at most.¡± The old carpenter furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s not for sale.¡±


    Su Yu bent over and tried to take away the wooden basin, this basin was indeed made of good materials, if it wasn¡¯t for the lack of money, he wouldn¡¯t be willing to sell it.


    Seeing this, the old carpenter couldn¡¯t bear to part with that piece of old material, so he had to loosen his mouth.


    After some haggling, the basin was sold for fifty-five wen.


    Su Yu counted the newly obtained seventy-five wen, in addition to the two hundred and thirteen copper coins from today¡¯s fish sales, those were all his belongings.


    After collecting the two and a half dangling coins, Su Yu led the donkey back to a house on the corner of East City.


    That was a three-entry house with blue bricks and gray tiles that were quite old.


    Only the two stone lions in front of the main entrance still retained some of the scenery of the past.


    ¡°Yo, our second young master is back, where¡¯s today¡¯s share?"


    Entering through the side door, he saw a woman with a large waist leaning on the porch pillar, she reached out and asked him for the money.


    ¡°Mother said yesterday that the medicine is no longer necessary.¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s face was cold and indifferent, he didn¡¯t bother to look at the woman, and went straight to tie the donkey.


    This body of his is the concubine son of the old lord, but the first wife had no heir so she raised him as her first son.


    His father died three months ago, and his first mother was so angry with his eldest uncle¡¯s family that she fell ill.


    In order to supply the medicine of the first wife, Su Yu handed over two sea fish to his aunt every day to get money for the decoction.


    When his aunt heard this, her thin eyebrows stood up and she sneered:


    ¡°Since your mother doesn¡¯t need the medicine, I¡¯ll sell the donkey tomorrow, so that you won¡¯t have to go out and make a fool of yourself.¡±

 CH 2.1

    Chapter 2- Livelihood


    The donkey is a must for Su Yu to go out to set a stall everyday, without the donkey he would have to pull the fish by himself.


    Su Yu couldn¡¯t help but stop when he heard those words.


    His aunt thought she had him and was very pleased, she continued ragging:


    ¡°The family is almost unable to make ends meet, and you still use this extravagant donkey cart¡­¡±


    ¡°Aunt,¡± Su Yu sneered at the ecstatic woman,¡°You¡¯re right it¡¯s better to sell the donkey tomorrow, and I¡¯ll push the cart to sell fish in front of Zhong Zheng Department¡¯s door to save the long journey.¡±


    When his aunt heard this, her face immediately became ugly.


    The Zhong Zheng Department was the place where the affairs of the nobility were managed, and the abolition of sons, the succession of titles, and the division of families among the great clans all had to go through the Zhong Zheng Department.


    If Su Yu went there to sell fish, wouldn¡¯t he just be telling the Zhong Zheng Department that his uncle treats his nephew harshly?


    They haven¡¯t collected enough money for the gifts, and the title still has not been decided, so there must not be any mistake.


    Ignoring his choked aunt, Su Yu dropped the donkey cart, then turned around and went out again.


    The streets of the East City were obviously cleaner than those in the West City, and the things they sold were not of the same grade at all.


    Su Yu didn¡¯t stop in front of the various shops and headed straight to a spice store.


    That shop often sold spices from the Western Regions, which was very popular with the women of the capital.


    It''s just that a strange spice was introduced a few days ago, but the smell was quite strange, so no one was interested in it.


    ¡°Shopkeeper, yesterday we agreed on a good price.¡±


    Su Yu took out two hundred and eighty copper coins and pointed to a box of spices in the corner.


    The shopkeeper looked at the box of yellow-green powder and then looked at the copper coins in Su Yu¡¯s hand, he sighed:


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, I¡¯ll sell them all to you.¡±


    When the shopkeeper saw that the Western Regions merchants bragged about this spice, saying how the Western Regions loved it, he bought it in a daze, but when he arrived in the Central Plain, he wasn¡¯t able to sell it at all.


    It¡¯s just that they were in the capital and he was unwilling to reduce the price too much, so he finally agreed with Su Yu, two hundred and eighty copper a catty.


    Su Yu took the spice from the oiled paper package and held it in his arms.


    He couldn¡¯t help but show a little smile, this thing was the key to his squid sales.


    He found this by accident yesterday, so he decisively gave up selling fish and prepared to change his career. Because this which was known as TianShan incense also had another name-- Cumin!


    It was really sad to say that, as a seafood chef, Su Yu was good at cooking Sichuan cuisine.


    Although the Da¡¯an Dynasty wasn¡¯t a dynasty in his world, there wasn¡¯t anything that shouldn¡¯t be there, such as chilly peppers!


    Without chili, what could a Sichuan-style chef cook! After searching all over the capital, he couldn''t find a single trace of chili pepper, but he found this cumin powder by accident.


    It was better than nothing, at least he could now do something.


    With the remaining money he bought hundreds of bamboo sticks from Old Chen, who was selling candied gourds.


    Su Yu, in the good mood that he was about to make a fortune, was ready to go home through the alley next to the palace.


    The difference between the magnificent Zhao Wangfu and the dilapidated mansion of his own family is simply the difference between a wealthy old man and a poor peasant.


    ¡°Go away, you bastard!¡±


    At the side door, an impatient Yu Laoshi was cursing and swearing as he carried the fish bucket to his donkey cart.


    Rich people would buy fish everyday, and if it wasn¡¯t fresh the next day the host wouldn¡¯t eat it again, and so it counted as thrown away in the account.


    If the servant in the kitchen couldn¡¯t finish it by themselves, they would sell the fish.


    This kind of thing was not something honorable, everybody knew it well, but to say it out loud was bad for the reputation.


    Yu Laosi was annoyed, and when he saw Su Yu, he was even more angry, that he kicked fiercely at the one that stood on his way and spat:


    ¡°You beast, you don¡¯t walk on the sunny road, but run into my feet!¡±


    Su Yu didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to Yu Laosi¡¯s curses, and saw that he was kicking a palm-sized golden kitten.


    He suddenly frowned, stepped forward quickly and grabbed the small ball into his hand.


    ¡°Meow~¡±


    The little cat was very strong, after being caught by Su Yu, he still waved his claws at Yu Laosi with his teeth bared.


    Seeing that he was so energetic, it should be unhurt, so Su Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and then looked at Yu Laosi with cold eyes:


    ¡°Bullying the weak, are you are not afraid of retribution?¡±


    ¡°Hey, little white face, you dare to talk back to your grandfather today! Where was your cowardly face this morning? There¡¯s no screw here to back you up!¡±


    Yu Laosi said and rolled up his sleeves to beat him up.


    Su Yu grunted coldly, after hanging the waving kitten on his clothes, he then punched Yu Laosi¡¯s nose with a swift punch.


    You could just hear a ¡®bang¡¯, then Yu Laosi was beaten to the point of tears and bent down reflexively.


    Taking this opportunity, Su Yu, who succeeded in one blow, held the cumin powder in one hand and pinched the cat hanging from his clothes with the other, then turned and ran away.


    He just beat him by surprise, if he really went up against a fishmonger who was full of muscles and meat, with just the small physique of this noble young master, even two of him were not a match.


    After running all the way back to Su''s house, Su Yu threw the cumin powder on the table, panting. After three consecutive months of work, his body had become a lot stronger, but it still wasn¡¯t very good.

 CH 2.2

    Chapter 2- Livelihood


    The kitten in his arms crawled out and shook his messy fur.


    He then walked on the table, as if he was an emperor patrolling his territory.


    Looking at Su Yu, who was already tired and lying on the table, a pair of amber eyes showed a bit of contempt.


    He sat there for a while, and seeing that the man had no intention of getting up, he turned his head boredly and poked the paper bag next to him with his claw.


    The finely ground cumin powder was pressed by the cat¡¯s paw and suddenly floated out of a gap and got into the sensitive cat¡¯s nose. The kitten couldn¡¯t help sneezing.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±


    The kitten turned back and saw Su Yu, who raised his head at some point, was looking at him with a smile on his face, and couldn¡¯t help being a little annoyed.


    He turned around slowly, sat down again, and then stared at him sternly.


    God knows how to tell if a cat¡¯s face was stern or not, anyway, Su Yu couldn¡¯t tell.


    He just found the fluffy little guy sitting upright with his chin slightly raised was very funny, and couldn¡¯t help but reach out and rub the cumin covered little head.


    He had been fond of cats since he was a child.


    When he used to work in a restaurant, he kept a group of wild cats in the alley outside the backdoor of the kitchen, and sent them fish to eat at regular intervals everyday, he just couldn¡¯t stand to see people mistreating these little guys.


    The kitten¡¯s head was rubbed and his eyes narrowed without moving. Then, it gave him a fierce clawing.


    ¡°Hiss-¡±


    Su Yu hurriedly retracted his scratched hand.


    Fortunately, he had experience, and he retracted his hand the moment the cat claws came out, so he wasn¡¯t scratched too hard, even then he was left with three red marks on his hand.


    ¡°Little bastard, I tried my best to save you, and you won¡¯t even let me touch your head¡­¡±


    Reaching out, he poked the cat that was looking at him contemptuously.


    That small look seemed to be saying, ¡°How can this head be touched by mortals?¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s heart was itching and he couldn¡¯t help but want to rub it again.


    ¡°Do you have a home? If you don¡¯t have a home, stay with me.¡±


    Su Yu got up and started to move the things in his cabinet, babbling while cleaning up, regardless of whether the cat could understand it or not.


    A long tin box with three openings, a small bag of charcoal, and a seasoning brush made of wool, Su Yu counted these items he collected with great difficulty one by one and couldn¡¯t help grinning.


    When he first came here, after finding himself poor, Su Yu intended to do a small business such as iron plate squid, but the reality was too cruel, and he even had to search for cumin powder for three months.


    And if he wanted to get enough money to build a cart where you can put iron plates, he didn¡¯t know if he had to wait until the year of the monkey and the month of the horse, so he could only settle for the next best thing and make the grilled squid skewers first.


    Looking at the sky, it was already past dinner time.


    The ancients paid attention to eating less at night, but it''s not that they didn¡¯t eat.


    Su Yu didn¡¯t eat dinner, and no one at home cared about him.


    He didn¡¯t care about that, he moved the wooden barrel containing the squid to the middle of the yard, brought his fish-killing tools, and started to deal with these big fat fellas.


    He was very skilled at peeling, gutting, and pinching the head.


    Gently slashing twice on the squid while holding the triangular head, and he could cleanly remove the skin.


    The kitten was sulking for a while, and seeing that Su Yu wasn¡¯t talking anymore but his fingers were flying around and cutting something, he couldn¡¯t help but to lean over curiously.


    After the cartilage was removed, a squid was considered ready.


    Su Yu turned around and saw the kitten staring at the squid in his hand for a moment, he thought that it was hungry, so he cut off a squid whisker and handed it to him.


    The kitten came up and smelled it, then turned his head away in disgust, with no intention of eating at all.


    Su Yu raised his eyebrows, but didn¡¯t care much.


    Some cats were picky eaters, they didn¡¯t eat all kinds of seafood. He threw the squids in his hands into a small basin and continued to deal with the rest.


    When all the squid were cleaned up he cut most of them into squid rings and squid whiskers, leaving about ten whole ones.


    He then cut them with a knife then took out the bamboo skewers and strung them up neatly in a bucket with a lid, and cooled them with well water.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to eat something delicious.¡±


    Having done all of this, Su Yu heaved a sigh of relief and raised his hand to rub the kitten¡¯s head, unsurprisingly he received another scratch.


    There were very few servants in the Su family, it was already dark at that time and the kitchen was empty.


    Su Yu went in and looked around, all the pots and pans were as poor as they could be, leaving him no leftovers.


    After searching for a long time, he only found some small fish and shrimps, a few small clams, and a handful of shriveled green vegetables.


    Scooping out a ladle of flour, he then mixed water and the flour to make dough.


    After kneading it repeatedly, he moved it to a basin to let it rise. Su Yu then calmly washed the small fish, shrimp and clams.


    The small fish and shrimps were thrown into the pot and boiled, and the clams were roasting on the stovetop. The wood fire is slow and so it needs to be cooked for a while.


    In this spare time, Su Yu took out a white porcelain soup pot and began to put a lot of seasoning into it.


    Soy sauce, salt, pepper powder, sesame oil, these simple seasonings were abundant.


    Mixing these together in a certain proportion, he added an appropriate amount of cumin powder, and the seasoning for the grilled squid was ready.


    He set aside a small plate, moved the remaining seasonings into a small claypot, and then the noodles were ready.


    Not in a hurry to cook the noodles, Su Yu first grilled a few clams. The tiny clams were already baked with their mouths open and steaming hot. There was little meat but it was delicious.


    Su Yu used a thin bamboo stick to pick one and handed it to the kitten squating by the chopping board.


    The kitten tilted its head and looked at it for a while, with some disgust he slowly opened his mouth and bit down, then he chewed slowly.


    The strange thing was that this little guy did not even lower his head while eating, still maintaining a lofty expression.


    Su Yu looked amused, he picked a dip in the seasonings on the plate and tasted it, the taste of the seasoning was just right, so he couldn¡¯t help picking another.


    Who knew that just after being dipped in the sauce, it was snatched away by the cat next to him.


    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t eat it!¡±


    Su Yu was too late to stop it, and the clam meat with a lot of sauce had already been swallowed by the kitten.

 CH 3.1

    Chapter 3- Name


    Cats can¡¯t eat anything too salty, otherwise it will put a burden on the kidneys.


    This was common knowledge that cat owners and cats themselves know.


    Su Yu thought that the kitten would spit out the clam meat, but who expected it to lick the corner of its mouth, then pawed at the sauce dish, and called out to Su Yu, which clearly meant ¡°It tastes good, one more.¡±.


    Unable to understand the special hobby of this cat, he simply tossed the remaining two clams to him to play with and made his seafood noodles instead.


    He raised the dough, kneaded it, scattered spices, and then cut into noodles.


    Su Yu won¡¯t have a lot of noodles, but making a bowl of hand-rolled noodles wasn¡¯t a problem.


    The soup base was boiled with small fish and shrimps, in addition with a few fried squid whiskers, it was fragrant and delicious.


    Su Yu squatted on the ground with a bowl of noodles, looking at the sweet cat eating seafood noodles opposite of him, the corner of his mouth couldn¡¯t help twitching.


    This cat¡¯s taste is too strange. He doesn¡¯t eat raw food, but he likes to eat his food¡­


    The weather was still a bit cold.


    In the dark and cold night, squatting by the dimly lit stove, one person and one cat ate hot seafood noodles, and the fragrant hot soup warmed the deepest parts of the body.


    After being here for so long, Su Yu felt a trace of happiness for the first time.


    He looked down at the little hairball that was eating so much that it was choking, and felt good about having some company by his side.


    ¡°Second young master, you are here!¡±


    A little girl suddenly appeared in front of the kitchen door, and her eyes widened when she saw the young master squatting by the stove eating noodles without any image to speak of.


    ¡°Chun Cao, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Su Yu was her and couldn¡¯t help standing up.


    This was the only girl beside the first mother Zhao Shi. Something urgent must have happened for her to be sent here at this time.


    ¡°Furen asked you to come over.¡±


    Chun Cao tugged at her horn braid, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Furen is fine.¡±


    In this family, ¡°Furen¡± refers to Su Yu¡¯s first mother Zhao Shi.


    Because originally his father had a title, the main wife naturally also had a rank, but his aunt could only be called Taitai, she could not be called Furen.


    Hearing that, Su Yu finished eating the rest of the noodles in three bites, and followed Chun Cao to the backyard.


    The golden kitten looked up at Su Yu, who was walking away with quick steps.


    Its eyes were filled with dissatisfaction. The stupid slave had actually run away without asking for instructions, after glaring for a moment, he then buried his head in anger and ate up.


    After eating the seafood noodles, he instinctively wanted to lick his paws, but looking at the furry paws that trod the dusty ground, he half lifted and then put them back down, scratching the ground.


    ??????????????


    While he was getting angry, a foot-long civet cat suddenly appeared on the wall and meowed at him.


    Su Yu followed the little girl in the dark to shuttle around the mansion, in order to save money, the lights weren¡¯t lit at night.


    When they saw the lights from the Furen¡¯s room from a distance, they both quickened their pace.


    ¡°Mother, what happened to call me at this hour?¡±


    Su Yu walked up to the bed and saw a woman in her forties leaning on a kang table doing some needlework.


    Zhao Shi was quite plump at first, but her illness was very sinister, as they say sickness comes like a landslide and goes slowly like spinning silk.


    After a few months, she was very haggard and her cheeks were a little sunken.


    Seeing Su Yu arriving she beckoned him to come closer, she finished the last stitches in her hand, and pulled off the end of the thread.


    ¡°Come over and try this.¡±


    Su Yu picked it up and took a closer look. It turned out to be a cotton robe made for a man.


    The material was the finest kudzu cloth, and the fabric was not thick.It was just right for this season:


    ¡°For me?¡±


    There was a bit of surprise in his eyes, this was purely handmade, and every stitch and thread was covered with the warmth of her fingertips.


    Such a gift was difficult to obtain in society after a thousand years.


    ¡°It was originally to be made in the fall, because I wanted to give you something to wear for the New Year, but your father suddenly passed away so it got delayed for so long.¡±


    Zhao Shi pulled Su Yu¡¯s hand over, and sympathetically touched the calluses that he had made from his hard work these days.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting warmer, I removed a layer of cotton wool, come try it on.¡±


    Su Yu lived two lives, but this was the first time someone made clothes for him, it would be a lie to say that he wasn¡¯t moved.


    In his last life, his parents divorced, and his mother married someone else because she didn¡¯t love his father, and she didn¡¯t even like him either.


    It would be nice to even meet him once a year, so how could she care about his well-being?


    The clothes fit just right, the stitches were delicate and the fabrics were of high quality, lining Su Yu¡¯s fair and handsome face, instantly turning the fisher seller of the Su family into the noble son of the Su family.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Taitai->This honorific is used to refer to an married woman. It is added after the surname of the husband or can be used alone as a title of address. It is used in familial and personal relations, but completely absent in formal business contexts since it emphasizes age and marital bond.


    Furen-> Traditionally used to refer to a lady of high rank

 CH 3.2

    Chapter 3- Name


    In the dark and windy night, between the green bricks and gray tiles, several eerie figures quickly shuttled through and stopped at the roof of a mansion in the West City.


    ¡°Boss, what are we going to do?¡±


    The cat asked the big black cat who was in a hurry in front of him.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    The black cat gave him a slap and quickly leaped onto the roof, arriving before that high and mighty kitten, and sniffed the tip of his tail to show submission.


    The golden kitten flicked its tail, ¡°Old Hei, how have you been?¡±


    ¡°Well thanks to your blessing.¡±


    The big black car bowed his head, and his younger brothers didn¡¯t know why but they also followed their boss and lowered their heads.


    ¡°The day before yesterday, you were almost bitten to death by Wang Cai of the East City¡­¡±


    On the other side, the civet cat that came with a group of younger brothers also spoke coldly.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    The big black cat was suddenly displeased, showed his teeth and made a threatening ¡°Hiss¡± sound, and the civet cat was not to be outdone and raised the fur on the back of its neck preparing to fight.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    The kitten shook his tail with a headache, hanging out with these wild cats who had yet to open their minds really couldn¡¯t set off his brilliance, but what could be done about it?


    As a cat, at the present, he could only use this ¡°miscellaneous army¡±.


    Having the civet cat find the yard of Yu Laosi, his Majesty the cat was in a bad mood decided to teach the mortal that dared to kick him a lesson.


    Su Yu bought fish early because there was not enough seawater at home to store marine fish, and if they were left overnight they might die.


    As an experienced fishmonger, Yu Laosi wouldn¡¯t get up early in the morning to catch the morning market like Su Yu, but he would buy fish caught during the day at dusk, and he had several large tanks at home to store those fishes.


    The water tanks made of rough pottery were very thick, although a three-foot-tall water tank wasn¡¯t too high for a cat, the water inside was deep enough that a group of wild cats circled around the fish tank a few times, but couldn¡¯t get in.


    The impatient ones had already jumped onto the water tank and slapped the emerging fish with their paws.


    The big black cat let out a low whine, and all the cats suddenly quieted down, turning their heads in unison to look at the golden kitten who claimed he would take them to a feast.


    They saw that little one squatting on a bench, with amber eyes calmly watching them toss and turn.


    When they finally had enough, he then got up with pleasure and went to the side of the water tank with his tail in the air swaying rhythmically and gently.


    The tip of the golden-yellow tail had a pinch of white fluff, and there was a faint halo that emerged during the swaying.


    Then, the tail swung towards the water tank like a steel whip, and the two-finger thick water tank suddenly had a fist-sized gap where the salty sea water surged out.


    Needless to say what the cat''s reaction was when they smelled the fishy scent, he believed that the expression of Yu Laosi on the next day would be very wonderful.


    ??????????????


    Su Yu came out of his mother¡¯s courtyard and couldn¡¯t help sighing.


    The situation at home was too complicated, he was a son of a concubine, and it was difficult to inherit the title smoothly.


    The identity of his uncle was not much stronger than his, it was just that his aunt¡¯s family had some relations with the emperor¡¯s uncle, so he had more connections than him.


    The Furen, Zhao Shi, wasn¡¯t a vegetarian either, because of her poor health recently, she had no strength to fight with them, but once her body gets better the family would be noisy again.


    To tell the truth, as a modern man, he doesn¡¯t care much about the title, as long as he had money he could live a comfortable life.


    As a noble, he would still live a miserable life without any income.


    Not wanting to participate in any house fights, Su Yu just wants to sell his seafood well. His current goal was to save enough money to rent a shop so he could open a small restaurant.


    He went back to his courtyard and searched around but couldn¡¯t find the kitten, then he remembered that he had forgotten the kitten in the kitchen so he hurried back to look for it.


    The plate containing the seafood noodles was still on the ground, and the few clam shells were left alone.


    After he searched the whole kitchen he still couldn¡¯t find the little fur ball, and Su Yu couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed.


    That kitten was the most spiritual cat he had ever seen.


    Su Yu thought that he could become good friends with him and live together, but who would have thought that he would leave without even saying goodbye¡­


    Lying on the cold bed, Su Yu suddenly felt a little sad.


    Living in this different time and space, he always felt that he had no sense of belonging, because he thought that he might one day go back, he didn¡¯t dare to communicate too much with the people around him , for fear of leaving behind any ties.


    And after finding that kitten, he for the first time gave birth to the intention of living a serious life, but it disappeared without a sound.


    ??????????????


    In the dark alley, the street lights were dim, and Su Yu had just finished feeding the wild cats when he suddenly heard a loud noise, it seemed that several hooligans were fighting.


    Not wanting to get involved, Su Yu planned to leave quickly, when suddenly a beer bottle flew over and his head hurt.


    ¡°My mother is about to become a general¡¯s wife, we must sell this donkey in exchange for a carriage¡­¡±


    ¡°Give it back, give it back to me¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t know who was arguing, the sky was spinning around him, and with a ¡®Dong¡¯ sound, he slammed on the hard steps.


    Su Yu opened his eyes and found himself in an ancient room with the same face and name, but everything else had become different.


    ??????????????


    Su Yu felt breathless and struggled to open his eyes.


    What he saw in the dimly lit bedroom was the top of the old wooden bed, and his chest felt very stuffy.


    When he looked down he saw a small golden hairball nestling in his chest sleeping warmly. His yellow fur shone a glamorous gold in the early morning light.


    ¡°Little villain.¡±


    Su Yu stretched out his hand and poked at the warm fur ball.


    That little guy was sleeping on his chest, no wonder he felt a ghost pressing the bed.


    The kitten seemed to be very alert, and immediately woke up when he touched him.


    He stared at him dissatisfied, got up and stepped on his chest to find a comfortable position, laid down again, and looked straight at Su Yu with both eyes, as if warning him to not move, if he affected the cat¡¯s sleep, he will die very ugly way.


    Su Yu couldn¡¯t help curling his lips, and put his hand behind his head to look at it:


    ¡°You came back, does this mean you agree to stay with me? Then I¡¯ll give you a name.¡±


    The kitten gave him a contemptuous look, if not compeled, who would want to live with you, you stupid slave.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call you Sauce.¡±


    Su Yu said with a smile, a cat who likes to eat sauce so much must be commemorated.


    ¡°Hmph, if you want to know my name, just say it.¡±


    The kitten stood up, looked at him sideways, then squatted down and pressed Su Yu¡¯s chin with a meat pad like he was giving charity.


    ¡°Remember, my name is An Hongche!¡±


    However, this mighty and domineering announcement was just a string of ¡°meow meow meow¡± in Su Yu¡¯s ears, so he patted the cat¡¯s head:


    ¡°Since you like it so much, then it¡¯s a happy agreement, Sauce!¡±


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Orluros''s Vault of Secrets: If you liked the chapter please donate Here.


    Hi everyone, this is the last chapter of this openning celebration of Palace Full of Delicacies translation, I am sorry to say that now the chapters are gonna be one per week on wednesday, and just to clarify, because the chapter are quite big, a chapter means a part 1 or 2, if they get small I won''t divide them, but things are not set in stone. For special ocasions when my stash of chapters gets big and plump, I''ll release a few more for you guys and gals. However if you can''t wait to read more you can check out my Ko-Fi and give a donation and then you get access to all the chapters I have translated in my vault of sweet content. Now I hope you have a nice weekend, see you later!

 CH 4.1

    Chapter 4- Selling cats


    March 16, West City Temple Fair.


    There was a Bodhi Temple in the western suburbs, and the scent of incense was strong.


    The path leading to the temple had been for a long time a good place for hawkers to set up their stalls.


    The market was held on both days, it was before dawn, the sound of the donkey carts and the creaking of wooden wheels filled this peaceful path.


    Su Yu got up at four in the morning because the squid needed to be marinated an hour and a half in advance, and the kitten was very dissatisfied with the behavior of the ¡®mattress¡¯ leaving him behind and running away by himself.


    ¡°Sauce, come set the stall with me today.¡±


    Su Yu loaded the things into the donkey cart, and then dragged away the cat whose paws were clinging to the sheets and wouldn¡¯t let go.


    When An Hongche heard that name, he was infuriated.


    No matter how much Su Yu laughed and tried to curry favor with him, he ignored him all the way.


    ??????????????


    It was already late when he rushed from the East City to the western suburbs and the good booths had already been occupied.


    Su Yu found a fairly conspicuous place, this place was next to a big tree, which would block some of the sights, but can¡¯t be helped, it was already good to have such a place.


    The kitten squatted on the table, scratched its ears with its hind leg, and leisurely watched Su Yu as he went about his business.


    As the sun rose, there were more and more people.


    The booths selling wontons and jujube cakes were having very good business, Su Yu looked at the ugly squid ring in his hand, and then looked at the jujube cakes that were kneaded into flowers, there was more than one and a half star difference in terms of selling appearance.


    He shrugged, then got up and went to the next stall to buy a bowl of wontons.


    ¡°Sauce, if I can¡¯t sell it today, this will be our last meal.¡±


    Su Yu gave the kitten two wontons.


    Hearing him call that name again, the kitten turned around and pointed its ass at him, continuing to eat the wontons.


    Laying a layer of iron mesh over the iron box, he then brushed a thin layer of rapeseed oil, and after that placed the squid skewers on it.


    Under the charcoal fire, the aroma of the squid gradually came out, Su Yu controlled the heat with one hand and with the other continued to spread the sauce with a wool brush.


    Many people were attracted by that fragrance, they couldn¡¯t help but stop and looked at it for a while but didn¡¯t know what it was, then they turned around and left.


    It was close to noon, but Su Yu still didn¡¯t sell a bunch of them, and in his heart couldn¡¯t help but feel a little apprehensive.


    He still overestimated the receptivity of the ancients, to sell this kind of food that no one had eaten was tantamount to opening a completely blank market, the risk was very high.


    ¡°Meow~¡±


    An Hongche looked at his depressed look, pouted, shook his fur, grabbed Su Yu¡¯s hand holding the squid skewer and looked at it again and again with disgust, and finally he lazily opened his mouth and pulled off a piece.


    He was not hungry, he was just bored out of his mind.


    The squid meat itself had a sweet flavor, which was fully released after roasting, but the calamari itself had the fishy smell of the deep sea, so cumin was the first choice to get rid of the fishy smell.


    He brushed it with a thick layer of sauce, the raw cumin powder was also roasted by the charcoal fire until it exploded, with clear particles.


    After taking a bite, An Hongche narrowed his eyes in satisfaction and took a few more bites.


    ¡°Huh?¡± A low cry came from the crowd, and soon, a chubby figure squeezed over.


    ¡°Sir, how about having a skewer of grilled squid, just three copper coins.¡±


    Su Yu presented with a smile, looking at this person in splendid clothes, he must be rich, besides, he had a chubby baby face, so he should be a food lover.


    The chubby young man looked at the squid skewers in Su Yu¡¯s hands.


    To be precise, he stared blankly at the golden kitten at Su Yu¡¯s hand eating squid.


    ¡°That¡­Give me a skewer.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Su Yu immediately and happily heated the half-baked skewer on the fire, brushing it with another layer of sauce, and handed it to the man to receive today¡¯s first income- three copper coins.


    ¡°Oh¡­oh, delicious!¡±


    The little fatty looked like he was only 16 or 17 years old. He immediately forgot about his business after eating the delicious food.


    While chewing the last squid ring, he pointed at the grill.


    "Give me ten more bunches of this!"


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Su Yu swiftly turned around and took out ten skewers of squid rings, then he took out a whole squid and cut it with a flower knife:


    ¡°Sir, there¡¯s also this kind of whole squid, would you like to try it?¡±


    ¡°Okay, give me one of those.¡±


    The little fatty agreed quickly, but then he glanced at the kitten beside him, blinking at it.


    As a result, he was coldly glared at by those amber eyes, he immediately swallowed and scratched his head a little bewildered.


    The people around who had been observing for a long time saw that person repeatedly saying that it was delicious, so some of them got the courage to come up and buy two skewers.


    That kind of food was something that the people in the capital have never tried before, but it was unexpectedly delicious, so the small stall was soon crowded with people.


    There were even female relatives sitting on sedan chairs, and seeing the liveliness there, they asked their servants to go and buy ten or twenty skewers.


    A bucket full of squid was sold out just after noon.


    Su Yu was sweating profusely from exhaustion, but his mouth was wide open.


    Both the squid ring and the squid whiskers were worth three copper coins per skewer and a whole squid cost ten coppers.


    He bought a hundred squids yesterday, and so selling them all meant that Su Yu made nearly five hundred copper coins! And he bought those squids for only thirty copper coins!

 CH 4.2

    Chapter 4- Selling cats


    Five hundred coins! A thousand coins were one tael of silver, and if he went like this, he could earn hundreds of taels of silver a year!


    For a while, Su Yu¡¯s eyes were full of white silvers with small wings fluttering to him.


    Seeing Su Yu¡¯s silly smile with his droll almost falling, the kitten¡¯s amber eyes were full of disgust.


    What a shame it was to stay with such a stupid guy.


    Just at that moment, the little fatty in fancy clothes went and returned, and An Hongche raised one paw to cover his face.


    ¡°Sorry sir, it¡¯s all sold out.¡±


    The smile at the corner of Su Yu¡¯s mouth had not yet gone down.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want food,¡± The little fatty stretched out his white and tender hand and pointed to the golden kitten sitting beside the money jar, ¡°Sell me your cat.¡±


    Su Yu shook his head:


    ¡°This cat is not for sale.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll trade this for it.¡±


    The little fatty said, and took out a small piece of silver from his sleeve.


    Looking at the head, it was three taels!


    As a poor fish seller, it was the first time Su Yu had seen so much money, and his eyes widened, but his reason finally prevailed.


    No matter how good-looking a cat was, it wasn¡¯t worth three taels of silver.


    He couldn¡¯t help frowning and said:


    ¡°What does the gentleman need this cat for?¡±


    ¡°This cat is fat and strong¡­cough, the fur is bright, it¡¯s really good-looking, I think¡­ ouch!¡±


    He stretched out his hand to grab the kitten, only to be scratched neatly.


    Fat and strong? In Su Yu¡¯s heart he suddenly rang alarm bells, he knew that the ancients also liked to eat ¡°Dragon Tiger Fight¡±.


    This kitten¡¯s fur is peculiar, maybe it was some kind of particularly delicious breed, which would attract this kind of person who loves to eat like his life and spends money like dirt.


    Seeing that the kitten resisted his touch, he immediately hugged the little hairball that was about to explode into his arms.


    With a cold face, he said: ¡°Not for sale.¡±


    After speaking, without waiting for the man to react, he loaded the equipment into the donkey cart, cracked the whip, and left.


    The kitten nestled quietly in Su Yu¡¯s arms, slowly sticking its head from the front, and looked up at his beautiful defined jaw.


    His chest was not wide, but at the moment it looked warm and reliable.


    A cat was usually worth only a few pennies, and someone offered him three taels of silver, but he still didn¡¯t sell it.


    Well, stupid is stupid, but he was still a loyal minister. This was the conclusion of His Majesty the Cat.


    Back at home, Su Yu was still distressed by the windfall of three taels of silver, but a gentleman likes to make money the righteous way, so he naturally couldn''t earn such ill-gotten gains¡­But, it was still three taels of silver!


    Before the sun went down it was still warm, so Su Yu got a basin of warm water by the stove, ready to bathe the smoky kitten after a long day.


    To prevent being scratched, he also deliberately found a cloth to wrap around his hands:


    ¡°Come on Sauce, let¡¯s wash up.¡±


    Hmph, you finally know to serve me a bath!


    The kitten trembled and jumped into the wooden basin arrogantly.


    Then he masterly grabbed the edge of the basin like an old man, with his tail leisurely paddling slowly in the water.


    Su Yu was stunned for a full three seconds, this cat was definitely a freak!


    The weather was still cold, so he didn¡¯t dare to wash him for too long.


    After rubbing it hastily for a while, Su Yu quickly wrapped the kitten in a dry towel, put it in his arms, and swiftly ran back to his room and tucked it into the quilt.


    When Su Yu¡¯s bought a new squid and came back, he found that the little guy¡¯s fur was dry, and he was sleeping on his back in the middle of his bed.


    He amusingly squeezed his little paw while he was sleeping softly, then turned around and went out to clean up the squid and make dinner.


    ??????????????


    There were many fishing boats returning from fishing at dusk, and the price was cheaper than that in the morning, but the fish they caught were not as big as those from the morning.


    After some haggling Su Yu bought 200 squids for fifty copper coins and bought a few small yellow croakers.


    Today he had made some money, so he could make some splurges.


    ??????????????


    An Hongche was awakened by the smell of the grilled fish.


    When he turned over, he saw that his stupid slave was carrying a plate of small yellow croakers that had been grilled to a golden brown.


    There was also a large bowl of milky white fish soup next to it. He was about to run to the table, but when he got to the bedside he hesitated to jump.


    He didn¡¯t want to get dust on his fleshly washed paws.


    ¡°Sauce, come here.¡±


    Seeing that the kitten refused to get out of the bed, Su Yu thought that it was afraid of heights, so he reached out and carried the cat to the table.


    This move obviously won the cat¡¯s heart, which stretched out his paw and patted his arm rewardingly to show his encouragement.


    Delicious charcoal-grilled small yellow croakers with tender crucian carp soup, this was enough for a cat¡¯s life!


    The well-fed kitten laid on the bed, belly up, slowly wagging its tail in a wonderful mood.


    The royal chef in the palace couldn¡¯t make such delicious food.


    When he returns to the palace in the future, he must definitely take this little slave back with him, and make him cook fish for himself every day.


    After taking a bath, Su Yu was shivering from the cold, so he jumped on the bed, lifted the quilt, and burrowed in.


    The small hairball that was digesting the food on the quilt was suddenly thrown into the bed.


    ¡°Meow!¡± An Hongche thrashed, then got up in dissatisfaction and jumped to Su Yu¡¯s chest, looking down at him condescendingly from above.


    Stupid slave, how dare you steal my bed!

 CH 5.1

    Chapter 5- Family Heirloom


    With a special thanks to mistydaylights , lennie , Metalloid , Kokuy¨­seki, and DiEnA who helped me translate this chapter


    ??????????????


    ¡°Are you cold, Sauce?¡±Su Yu, who was wrapped into a dumpling, blinked.


    Stupid slave, how dare you to mention that idiotic name! Today, We must teach this fool a lesson!


    Soft paws stepped forward and pressed on Su Yu¡¯s chest, his amber eyes were full of anger.


    An Hongche¡¯s body was still a small milk kitten, only the size of a palm. His round head was covered with fluffy fur, and he slept in a mess.


    With such an image, how could he show a cold and majestic appearance was a thousand-year-old problem¡­


    At least the suffering party Su Yu didn¡¯t feel the ¡°pressure of the superior" at all. He smiled and looked at the little thing that was about to explode.


    Su Yu, who knew cats well, knew that this fella felt that he had invaded his territory, so he was ready to beat him up.


    He quickly stretched out his hand from the quilt, dragged the small furball into his arms, held down the struggling paws, and took the opportunity to kiss his furry head:


    ¡°Okay, okay, you can¡¯t sleep in such a big bed. So be generous and please give me a little.¡±


    Soft lips, still warm and moist from bathing, slowly touched the top of his head.


    An Hongche was stunned for a moment, then raised his head slowly, just in time to see a white neck with a little pink in it. This damn slave, actually, actually, kissed, kissed him¡­


    His little golden ears pursed back, and the hairless side was already red. An Hongche turned over and rubbed his head hard against Su Yu''s undershirt.


    Damn it, he actually got his head wet, letting him lose all his majesty. How can he issue an edict like this?


    Hmph, today We will let him off the hook, next time We won¡¯t be so easily fooled.


    Su Yu laughed silently as he looked at the ball of fur that was reluctantly forming a ball in his arms.


    The north wind was still whistling outside the window, and because of an addition of a small body, the usual icy quilt suddenly became different.


    ??????????????


    Temple fairs don¡¯t happen every day, but the snack street in the west of the city was always there, it¡¯s just that business was better every two days.


    To do this kind of distinctive snack business, it was best to be fixed in one place, so Su Yu didn¡¯t change places, and set up a stall under that big tree on time every day.


    The little fatty who wanted to buy the cat didn¡¯t show up again, and Su Yu gradually put the three taels of silver behind him.


    It¡¯s just that his mother Zhao Shi¡¯s body never improved, which made him a little worried.


    After working for half a month and saving some money, Su Yu went to the pharmacy to buy a few fifty-year-old ginseng whiskers, he then slaughtered an old hen to make soup and sent it to his first mother.


    Fifty-year-old ginseng cost a hundred taels of silver, and Su Yu couldn¡¯t afford it, but it was still in his range to buy a few ginseng whiskers.


    In fact, there wasn¡¯t much of a problem with Zhao Shi¡¯s body.


    In Su Yu¡¯s view, it was purely caused by malnutrition.When the ancients became ill, they insisted on avoiding certain foods and would simply lie down to rest.


    Even if they weren''t sick before, their bodies would be so starved that they would eventually become ill.


    ¡°Yo, Boss Yu has made a lot of money recently.¡± A tall figure blocked Su Yu¡¯s path, blocking out a lot of light.


    Su Yu frowned slightly and looked up, but saw a man with a face full of pockmarks. He was holding his stomach in front of the moon gate that went to the backyard.


    That red face was full of red pockmarks, and in the eyes of the ancients, was the face of a mangy dog.


    The food of the ancients was bland, and the fact that they could eat at puberty and get acne was a testament to how good and greasy the food they ate was.


    This greasy man was Su Yu¡¯s cousin Su Ming.


    ¡°It¡¯s a small business to make a living. I will still have to rely on our elder brother in the future.¡±


    Su Yu had no intention of getting entangled with him, chicken soup doesn¡¯t taste good when it¡¯s cold.


    ¡°Chicken soup,¡± Su Ming didn¡¯t let him go at all, he stretched out his head to look at the bowl in his hand, and almost buried his head in it to taste it, ¡°My mother has been tired for the past two days, and it¡¯s just right to drink chicken soup.Our cousin is thoughtful, just give it to me.¡±


    As he said that, he was going to grab the soup bowl from Su Yu¡¯s hands.


    Although Su Yu was tall and slender, he was at a disadvantage compared to Su Ming, who was tall and big. Seeing that he was about to be robbed, Su Yu gritted his teeth and raised his hand sharply.


    As Su Ming went to grab it, a bowl of hot chicken soup suddenly poured out and covered the head of the young master Su.


    ¡°Ouch, it¡¯s burning me to death!¡±


    Su Ming suddenly jumped up, shaking his head and throwing the things off his head.


    ¡°Cousin, just tell me if you want to drink it, be careful not to burn your tongue if you drink it so quickly.¡±


    Su Yu pretended to be surprised and straightened his clothes in a slow manner.


    An Hongche squatted on a tree beside them, watching this farce quietly.


    He had never seen such a straightforward and rogue approach and felt strange for a moment, not knowing what his little fish slave would do next.


    ¡°You dare to splash on me!¡±


    Su Ming still had green onion leaves hanging on his face. The thick chicken soup dripped down the hair on his forehead and the front of his clothes were dripping wet.


    He was so angry that his face turned red, and so he threw a punch at Su Yu¡¯s face.


    Su Yu was already prepared, so he turned around and ran. Just kidding, he¡¯s just a cook, not a martial arts master.


    ¡°...¡± An Hongche was stunned for a while, he thought that this guy had some great moves, he really overestimated him.

 CH 5.2

    Chapter 5- Family Heirloom


    With a special thanks to mistydaylights , lennie , Metalloid , Kokuy¨­seki , and DiEnA who helped me translate this chapter


    ??????????????


    Fortunately, the chicken soup was stewed in a pot, so there was some left after spilling.


    Su Yu filled another bowl and called the maid from his mother¡¯s yard to bring it over, to avoid being cut off again.


    Zhao Shi had already heard about the small disturbance in the front yard, and took Su Yu¡¯s hand and looked at it for a while, for fear that he would get burned, then seeing that he was fine, she sneered:


    ¡°Those filthy things are getting more and more arrogant, let them jump around for a few more days.¡±


    ¡°Mother, this son can earn money now. If uncle inherits the title, you can go out with your son and live together.¡±


    Su Yu took out a few pieces of newly exchanged silver from his sleeve and put them on the kang table.


    The squid sold very well these days, and he basically kept the amount of three buckets a day, so he exchanged a large number of copper coins for silver and saved them.


    Zhao Shi looked at the few small pieces of silver on the table and weighed them in her hands.


    They were worth about five taels, and after pondering for a moment, she said:


    ¡°Do you still have more of those things you sold these days?¡±


    She knew that Su Yu went out daily to set up a stall to sell cooked food, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be so profitable.


    ¡°Would you like to try it, mother? This son will go and grill a few skewers.¡±


    Su Yu smiled, got up, and walked out. This grilled squid was actually the most popular among women.


    Every day, there were women from wealthy families who sent their servants to buy squid.The moment they bought the squid, it was a handful. However, he neglected to take it for his mother to have a taste.


    Zhao Shi didn¡¯t stop him or reject the money of his filial piety.


    She just slowly finished the bowl of chicken soup and instructed Chun Cao to open a box.


    When Su Yu came back with a few skewers of grilled squid, he saw Zhao Shi sitting on the main seat holding a yellowed booklet in her hands.


    ??????????????


    The golden kitten jumped briskly on the eastern wall and arrived at King Zhao¡¯s residence in a short time.


    Yu Laosi was listlessly collecting fish at the small side door. Last month, he didn¡¯t know what happened, there was a big hole in the fish tank.


    A full tank of fish was eaten by wild cats, causing him a great loss, he estimated that he won¡¯t be able to turn over for half a year.


    When he came over, he saw a few cats on the wall and couldn¡¯t help spitting.


    An Hongche flicked his tail and jumped from the wall into the royal residence, feeling his way to the main courtyard familiarly.


    In the courtyard, there were flowers, birds, waterside pavilions, and pavilions that were luxuriously built.


    A young man wearing a light blue robe embroidered with a five-clawed silver dragon was sitting in a small pavilion in the courtyard, with a table full of delicious wine and delicacies in front of him.


    This person was the Emperor¡¯s younger brother, King Zhao.


    ¡°My lord, these are fresh scallops that have just been fished, my lord should try them.¡±


    An enchanting-looking woman was diligently preparing the food for the lord, digging out the meat from the shell with a delicate silver spoon, dipping it in the sauce, and delivering it to the man''s mouth.


    ¡°My lord, eat this, this little yellow croaker roasted with perilla fruit is made by this concubine herself.¡±


    Not to be outdone, another beautiful and lovely woman picked up a piece of fish and carried it over.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s delicious¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t know which one to eat, so he put the two together in his mouth, and his face, which was already slightly fat, was suddenly bulging.


    He inadvertently looked up and saw a golden furball sitting on the top of the tree, and he immediately choked. ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, your Highness!¡±


    The two women panicked and hurriedly handed him water to drink.


    The golden kitten looked at him coldly, with amber eyes full of disgust.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s fine!¡±


    King Zhao waved impatiently, ¡° All retreat for this king, you are getting in the way. How am I supposed to eat with all of you here?!


    Everyone didn¡¯t dare to make a sound, and they filed out with their heads lowered. The courtyard soon became empty.


    An Hongche swaggered over, jumped onto the stone table, and sat down in the middle.


    He acted as if he was the only one in the world, and squinted at King Zhao, who had eaten so much that his mouth was full of oil.


    King Zhao¡¯s features were very pretty and handsome. However, because he was fat, he looked a little less dignified.


    Facing the palm-sized cat, for some reason he felt somewhat guilty, so he rubbed his hands and said:


    ¡°That¡­ Have you been doing well these few days?¡±


    ??????????????


    The moon was in the middle of the sky, Su Yu walked back to his yard holding a yellowed book, but he was still lost in thought.


    Today, after Zhao Shi tasted his grilled squid, she solemnly handed over this family secret book to him.


    Su Yu also had doubts, the Su family did a meritorious deed for the founding of the country, how could they be so poor that they had no savings?


    There must be some kind of family heritage.


    When he took over this ancient book, countless thoughts flashed in his mind.


    This may be a secret book of the art of war, and after reading it well, you can unite the world;


    Maybe it¡¯s an inner strength secret method, and after practicing, you can be invincible in the world;


    It was more likely to be a treasure map left by the ancestors, which details the hiding places of thirty-six treasures¡­


    With inexplicable excitement, Su Yu opened the first page of the ancient book and saw four big characters:


    ¡°Su Ji Recipes!¡±


    The corners of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched as he put away the family heirloom, then read even more jerkily the history of the Su family¡¯s fortunes.


    ¡­ There was a difference between dreams and reality after all, and it was quite big¡­

 CH 6.1

    Chapter 6- Recipes


    Back in the house, the golden hairball had already fallen asleep with his limbs spread out in the middle of the bed in the shape of the ´ó character.


    The tip of his tail, which was covered in white fur, would occasionally sway in the air, sweeping over his territory. The kitten¡¯s coat color was very special.


    Usually, yellow cats have some markings on them, but this fella was pure yellow from head to toe, with only the belly and the tip of the tail colored white.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t fed you tonight, what did you eat?¡± Su Yu poked his bulging belly, which was obviously full.


    An Hongche turned over slowly and leisurely, stretched his long waist, and sat up with a yawn, shaking his tail.


    He raised his head and stared at Su Yu¡¯s face for a long time, and then reluctantly moved into the bed a little more.


    Su Yu immediately accepted the charity from the Lord Cat, then climbed onto the bed and occupied the land he sacrificed so much to give up.


    Taking advantage of the situation, he took the cat who was licking its paws into his embrace and sighed:


    ¡°Sauce, you¡¯ll never guess how our Su family became the founding fathers.¡±


    An Honggche glanced at him and continued to lick his paws in boredom, what was there to guess.


    In the twenty-seventh year of Chengping, the Taizu fought in Mangzhou and was stranded on the road. A fish seller named Su came to offer him three carts of live fish, and the fish was so fresh and delicious that Taizu praised him and gave him a title.


    ¡°This is not loyalty at all¡­¡± Su Yu buried his nose in the cat¡¯s thigh and grunted listlessly.


    An Hongche looked down at him quietly with a smile gradually appearing in his amber eyes. He slowly bowed his head and licked Su Yu¡¯s temples.


    How can this stupid thing understand that the person who can bring fresh fish to the royal family was the most loyal subject.


    The small barbed tongue licked his face, slightly itchy. Su Yu was a bit flattered and didn¡¯t dare to move, obediently accepting his Lord Cat¡¯s sudden caress and unknowingly falling asleep.


    ??????????????


    That day, Zhao Shi had told him a lot. His uncle and his father weren¡¯t born to the same mother. His uncle¡¯s mother was the secondary wife after the death of Su Yu¡¯s grandmother, so he could only be considered half a son of the first wife.


    Therefore, his status was on par with Su Yu¡¯s, so the matter of the title had not yet been settled. But the daily physical work had exhausted Su Yu¡¯s energy, and he didn¡¯t have the energy to play any kind of house fight.


    When it was past midnight the moon was in the middle of the sky, half-dreaming and half-awake, Su Yu seemed to feel a pair of cool thin lips gently touching the corners of his lips.


    He tried hard to open his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t see anything clearly. He vaguely felt it was a beauty.


    Struggling to open his eyes in the morning light, he still felt the soft feeling. Su Yu quickly lowered his head and found the sleeping Sauce curled up in the crook of his neck.


    This guy was very domineering, his long tail wrapped around his neck, and one front paw was still pressed against Su Yu¡¯s chin, so he wasn¡¯t allowed to move around in his sleep.


    Su Yu looked a little confused by the quilt on his body. He seemed to fall asleep directly on the quilt last night, how did he get covered by the quilt?


    ??????????????


    ¡°Soft fish, soft fish, freshly grilled soft fish!¡±


    Loud shouts spread all over the road leading to the Bodhi temple. The squid was called soft fish in this era.


    The grilled squid that came from Su Yu¡¯s stall sold well, and many people arrived to try something new.


    ¡°It¡¯s not so good.¡± Some people ate a skewer and thought that the taste was fishy and didn¡¯t taste good.


    ¡°Of course, the one you bought doesn''t taste good.¡± A frequent customer saw it and pointed to the small stall under the big tree, where the authentic Su Ji Grilled Soft Fish was.


    These days, seeing Su Yu¡¯s good business, many people started to follow suit. The squid was considered worthless seafood, and the cost was very low, but recently hawkers in the capital have been rushing to buy them, so the price of squids has doubled.


    Su Yu stared at the several grilled squid stalls across the street and wasn¡¯t worried about being robbed of business because without cumin powder it was difficult to make the grilled squid tasty.


    What he was worried about was that those nasty squids would get a bad reputation, such infamy would hinder his plan of opening a ¡°Chain Store¡±.


    ¡°Meow!¡± Sauce¡¯s cry brought back Su Yu¡¯s attention, looking up quickly he saw a young man in luxurious clothes grimacing at his scratched hand, his chubby face full of grievance.


    Because of the large number of customers, Su Yu didn¡¯t have time to collect the money, so he placed a wooden box on the table. The buyer would first throw the copper coins into the box then take the squid.


    The chubby young man was probably scheming to eat the squid first, but he ended up being caught by the money box ¡°Fortune Cat¡± and was scratched.


    ¡°A total of 30 copper coins.¡±


    Su Yu rubbed the cat¡¯s head, but the smile on his face disappeared. He knew him, it was the young man who wanted to buy his cat half a month ago.


    The little fatty was helpless, and after fumbling for a while, he finally took a silver bead from his purse.


    ¡°It¡¯s too precious, I can¡¯t afford it.¡±


    Su Yu quickly stopped Xiao Pang from throwing the silver beads. The beads were at least two taels in weight, and he couldn¡¯t exchange his daily income for even one.


    Xiao Pang scratched his head: ¡°I forgot to bring money today, there¡¯s no need to give change.¡±


    ¡°How can I do that.¡± Su Yu immediately gave up, what if this person used this as an excuse to ask for his cat.


    He pushed the silver beads back, and also took back the roasted squid, not planning to sell it to him.


    Xiao Pang quickly snatched back the oily squid skewer and took a bite without saying anything, then he quickly stuffed Su Yu with a small jade plaque.


    ¡°Come to my residence to get the money.¡± After saying that, he held a handful of squid skewers and disappeared like a wisp of smoke.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Su Yu couldn¡¯t stop him and frowned as he looked at the jade plaque in his hand that was only two inches long.


    The jade plaque was made of sapphire jade, and the front side was carved with an exquisite qilin that had tiger eyes and dragon whiskers, with its feet on auspicious clouds.


    This thin slice of sapphire jade alone was enough for a barrel of squid rings(meter link). Except for a line of inscriptions on the back that were too small to be recognized, there was only one big ¡°Úw (Zhao)¡± character.

 CH 6.2

    Chapter 6- Recipes


    The qilin was the symbol of royalty. Who was the owner of this jade piece, you can guess the answer even with your toes.


    It was the younger brother of the current Emperor, King Zhao An Hongyi!


    On the way back from closing the stall, Su Yu absentmindedly drove the donkey cart.


    King Zhao¡¯s behavior was obviously intentional, but why did a prince with such high status and honor would come to him, a skewer seller, repeatedly? It¡¯s really puzzling.


    The kitten that was originally sitting in Su Yu¡¯s arms crawled up his arm to his shoulder and sat steadily on him as if it was driving the donkey cart. This cat was not like a cat at all.


    Like a dog, he wasn¡¯t afraid of strangers at all. It followed him east to west, and Su Yu realized that he had picked up a treasure.


    He warmed the bed, walked, played with him, and also charged money. Now if you gave him three taels or even three hundred tales of silver, he definitely won¡¯t sell it.


    Su Yu was prickled in the ear by the cat¡¯s hair and felt itchy all of a sudden, so he rubbed himself against the cat¡¯s body and noticed that there was a large area of rapeseed flowers that had bloomed in the field.


    The yellow and orange flowers spread all the way to the horizon. The little cat on his shoulder was overlooking the field of flowers that was as bright as the clouds.


    ¡°Spring is here.¡± Su Yu stopped the donkey cart and sat side by side with the kitten on the carriage, quietly watching the afterglow of the setting sun fall into the flower fields.


    ¡°Meow.¡± The kitten gave a rare response, looking at the scenery in front of them with both eyes. It seemed as if he could compose a poem right away.


    A strange feeling gradually came into Su Yu¡¯s heart.


    King Zhao would definitely not be interested in him, who sold skewers. It could only be because of this special cat. For a moment, an absurd thought suddenly flashed through his mind.


    As a transmigrator, could the golden finger that God had given him be¡­


    ¡°Sauce, you¡¯re not some kind of spirit, are you?¡± Su Yu turned his head strangely and met with those big amber eyes.


    ¡°...¡± The cat didn¡¯t answer Su Yu¡¯s question, he just gave him a scratch when he heard ¡°Sauce¡±.


    Stupid slave, how many times have I told you, you aren¡¯t allowed to use that name!


    Thanks to Lord Cat''s ruthless blow, Su Yu temporarily threw King Zhao to the back of his mind, so he went home to fill both his and the cat¡¯s belly. Then he lay on his bed and began to study his family heirloom.


    The increasing number of grilled squid stalls in the market gave him a sense of crisis. After all, making grilled squid wasn¡¯t a long-term solution.


    If one wanted to make a lot of money, you still had to do traditional seafood delicacies. It¡¯s just that the seasonings in this ancient world are very different from the ones in the modern world.


    As a newcomer, Su Yu didn¡¯t know much about the ingredients in this world. If he wanted to make popular food, he couldn''t make it with his bare hand.


    According to Zhao Shi, the ancestors of the Su family used to be famous chefs in the East China Sea, and they were the best at preparing fresh food from the sea.


    It¡¯s just that the people of the previous dynasty weren¡¯t as enthusiastic about seafood as they were now. Although the Su family was prosperous, it never became a rich family.


    These ¡°Su Ji Recipes¡± were the secret recipes of dishes recorded by the Su family in the past dynasties.


    Many dishes had been lost, because this cookbook only recorded the ingredients of each dish, but didn¡¯t mention a single word about how to do it. Such as this first one - ¡°White Jade Scallops Wrapped in Silk¡±.


    The recipe said, ¡°Fresh scallops, mung bean powder, garlic, ginger, and sauce¡±, it¡¯s full of nine characters.


    Then there¡¯s a picture of the finished product, which was a line drawing of a shell with its mouth open, with a pile of strips piled on it, and it was signed ¡°White Jade Scallops Wrapped in Silk¡±.


    Su Yu was at loss, adding mung beans to fresh scallops, what was this practice?


    An Hongche, who was playing with his claws in a bored manner, suddenly felt that it was an eyesore when he saw that person¡¯s frown.


    He looked down at the yellowed ancient book, ¡±White Jade Scallops Wrapped in Silk¡±. This wasn¡¯t a rare dish, the imperial chefs in the palace could also cook it.


    ¡°Mung bean powder, mung bean powder, could it remove the fishy smell?¡± Su Yu scratched his hair and buried his face in the quilt. No matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t understand it.


    The kitten, attracted by the movement of his head, pounced on his head, and scratched it quickly, turning the already messy hair into a tangled mess.


    "Hey!" Su Yu hurriedly grabbed onto its flailing, unruly front paws. Unexpectedly, it immediately switched over to its hind legs, kicking them around quickly.


    "Little rascal, my hair looks like glass noodles now thanks to you..."


    Su Yu laughed and held down the fidgeting ball of fur, and suddenly froze for a moment, wait a minute, glass noodles!


    Modern people often ate Longkou glass noodles, which were slender, translucent, and tender while eating.


    The most delicious ones were made with mung beans. The so-called lv dou fen(Â̶¹·Û) was not fen ( ·Û powder) made from mung beans, but rather fen (glass noodles) made from mung beans!


    Why did they look so similar? White Jade Scallops Wrapped in Silk, to put it bluntly, isn¡¯t it steamed scallops with minced garlic glass noodles?


    Su Yu picked up the book in his hand and quickly flipped through it.


    The ingredients were detailed, and the method was just a few words, but with the drawing to associate it with the dishes from his previous life, they weren¡¯t so different from each other, it was just that the names of the ingredients were strange.


    ¡°Sauce, I love you so much!¡± Su Yu picked up the kitten that was still persistently kicking him, and he gave the fluffy cat a hard kiss on its face.

 CH 7

    Chapter 7- The set-up


    The little furball stiffened and stared wide-eyed at Su Yu, who was still dancing with excitement.


    This damned¡­


    ¡°Sauce¡­¡± When it was time for bed Su Yu realized that the kitten was angry, it shrunk into a ball of fur on the pillow and kept pointing his butt at him.


    He reached out and poked him, ignored;


    Tugging on his tail and rubbing his hind paws, ignored.


    He pressed up against him cheekily and buried his face in its soft fur, and the little guy miraculously didn¡¯t move away, still motionless.


    ¡°Hehe, with this recipe, we will make a fortune, hehehe.¡± Su Yu closed his eyes and couldn¡¯t help but start giggling again.


    ¡°In the future, let¡¯s open a restaurant, you just squat on the cash drawer, you are bright gold and dazzling(Jin Cancan ½ð²Ó²Ó) so you¡¯ll attract more fortune, hehe¡­Just when will we save enough money to open a restaurant¡­ Why don¡¯t we get an investment¡­¡±


    A muffled voice came down his hind legs, accompanied by a warm breath. An Hongche was lying motionless and gently stretched out his paw to hook the pillow.


    The original pink and white meat pad had already become red. This little fish slave is really getting more and more reckless, We can¡¯t spoil him like this anymore!


    ??????????????


    The moonlight was hazy, slightly cool, and soft. It gently touched the corners of his lips and cheeks. Tickling, as if with some teasing, it was also like a pious testimony.


    Su Yu couldn¡¯t help but dodge, but the warm breath moved with him, and he vaguely saw a pair of slightly upturned beautiful eyes.


    Enduring sleepiness, Su Yu opened his eyes. When he focused, he discovered that his inner shirt was torn open and half of his clavicle was exposed.


    A ball of fur was squatting solemnly beside his pillow and looked at him with its head tilted.


    ¡°Little bastard,¡± Su Yu smiled, then he took the cat into his arms and rubbed it, ¡°Licking me in the middle of the night, are you treating me like a fish?¡±


    He put his chin on the cat¡¯s head and rubbed it, the newly grown stubble scratched his head very comfortably. An Hongchen narrowed his eyes and quietly retracted its claws hooked on his inner shirt.


    In the early morning, before Su Yu opened his eyes from the furry tender land, he was suddenly awakened by a loud noise outside. An Hongche obviously hadn¡¯t slept enough yet. He raised his paws and covered his ears, shrinking into Su Yu¡¯s arms.


    ??????????????


    ¡°Second Young Master, it¡¯s bad! My lady and the eldest madam are fighting in the backyard!¡± Chun Cao banged on the door outside, sounding very anxious.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Su Yu was startled. Fighting? Who? Mother and aunt?


    In this ancient noble house that pays attention to etiquette, women are actually fighting!


    Thinking of his aunt¡¯s sturdy figure and his mother¡¯s small physique, who was still recovering from a serious illness, Su Yu quickly got up, and the purring kitten that was sleeping on his chest fell onto the bed.


    ¡°Meow--¡± An Hongche stretched out, watching Su Yu hurriedly put on his clothes and ran out the door.


    He yawned bored, licked his paws straightening his appearance, then he leisurely jumped out of the bed and followed him into the backyard.


    When Su Yu ran to the backyard, the scene in front of him was completely different from what he imagined.


    His aunt Li, who was strong as a cow, had her hairpin rings tousled, and he didn¡¯t know what kind of tea was splashed on her body because she was sticky.


    As for his thin legitimate mother Zhao Shi, she had a dignified appearance and a fierce look in her eyes. If it weren¡¯t for the two maidservants holding her, she would probably have rushed over to beat her again.


    ¡°Mother!¡± Su Yu hurried over and held his mother that was panting non-stop.


    ¡°Li Yunxiu, look at your virtue, and you still want to be a general¡¯s wife, Bah!¡± Zhao Shi spat, throwing off the two maids and only letting Su Yu support her.


    ¡°Zhao Yuhua, I¡¯ll fight it out with you!¡± His aunt screamed and was about to pounce on her. The two maids tried to stop her, but they couldn''t stop her at all. Instead, they were hit and fell down next to his first mother.


    Su Yu frowned, pulled Zhao Shi back a step, then raised his hand to block his aunt''s outstretched arm. Regardless, she reached out and slapped towards Su Yu¡¯s face.


    Zhao Shi suddenly made a move, she grabbed his aunt¡¯s hair and gave her a backhanded slap.


    ¡°Pa!¡± The sound was very loud, the courtyard was suddenly quiet for a moment, and everyone was stunned.


    ¡°What is this!¡± A middle-aged man arrived, it was Su Yu¡¯s uncle Su Xiaozhang.


    ¡°Aiya, I can¡¯t live anymore like this!¡± Seeing her man arriving, his aunt immediately sat on the ground and cried bitterly.


    Su Xiaozhang had upright facial features and tall stature, but his eyes were shifty and unreliable.


    His own wife was making a scene but he didn¡¯t make a sound to stop her, he just looked at Zhao Shi and Su Yu¡¯s faces and coughed dryly: ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The younger sister-in-law beats the elder sister-in-law, isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±


    Before the two could answer Aunt Li shouted loudly, and then cried again: ¡°Oh what sin, I tried my best to treat you and raise your son, and this is how you treat me, what sin¡­¡±


    Zhao Shi stood quiet with a cold face, not saying a word about how the conflict started, and she didn¡¯t even try to accuse Li Shi. Instead, she seemed to be watching a show.


    ¡°Mother¡­¡± Su Yu asked Zhao Shi¡¯s meaning quietly.


    Zhao Shi patted Su Yu on the back of his hand: ¡°Don¡¯t talk, just watch.¡±


    Therefore, Su Yu was relieved, he relaxed and watched in fascination as the eldest aunt went from deliberately finding faults with Zhao Shi, to scolding Su Yu for being disobedient and unfilial, to saying that the family was in strait circumstances, and concluded with that she would no longer take charge of the family and would let Su Yu and his mother live a free life by themselves. From then on, they would cut relations with each other.


    I¡¯m afraid that all the neighbors could hear that hearty voice clearly.


    ¡°What kind of nonsense are you talking about!¡± Su Xiaozhang finally couldn''t bear it anymore and scolded her.


    ¡°Sister-in-law is right,¡± Zhao Shi said, ¡°Send someone to invite the clan elders to come, let¡¯s have a good talk today, is the family really so poor that we don¡¯t even have brown sugar water to drink!¡±


    When Su Xiaozhang heard she wanted to invite the clan¡¯s elders, he was immediately anxious.


    ¡°Why are you inviting the clan¡¯s elders! ¡±


    These days, Su Xiaozhang had been running his legs thin, and the matter of the title was still undecided. Yesterday, he had just made a plan, so he couldn¡¯t afford to make a mistake at this juncture.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t ask someone to do justice, we orphans and widows are going to starve to death.¡± Zhao Shi replied without mercy, pulling Su Yu towards the main hall.


    ¡°Yo yo, you are still acting wronged!¡± Hearing that Li Shi immediately jumped up: ¡°Go, go and invite someone right now, I want people to see how you treat your elder sister-in-law!¡±


    Su Xiaozhang originally thought, it was early in the morning without food, those clan elders would probably only appear near noon.


    Who expected that when he came into the main hall, two clan elders had been sitting in the room, an alarm bell suddenly rang in his heart!


    The clan elders were all elders within three generations of the current patriarch.Though side branches could not inherit, their seniority was still something that could not be disregarded. The Su family had to invite these clan elders to preside over any major and minors affairs.


    Of course, there was another reason for this, that is, when Zhong Zheng Department considers the title, they would also consult the elders of the clan to see if they agreed with the decision.


    ¡°Meow¡­¡± The people in the main hall were noisy, which made the hungry Majesty more and more unhappy.


    He stretched out his claw and scratched Su Yu¡¯s trouser legs. Seeing that he was ignored, he climbed onto his back along the helm of his clothes.


    Zhao Shi sat directly on the main seat. Now that the title was uncertain, as the wife of the general, she had the highest status and she should sit in the top seat.


    Su Yu stood beside his mother and supported her. He stood naturally with his back was straight and his eyes were burning like torches. Even if there was a ball of fur that keep climbing along his back, he kept his face unchanged and even the eight winds couldn¡¯t move him.


    ¡°I invited the two clan elders to come today for one thing.¡± Zhao Shi sat upright, then she took out a wooden box, placed it on the eight immortals table, and opened the lid, revealing a bright yellow color.


    Su Xiaozhang and Li Shi both became nervous when they saw that. They were familiar with the box, it was the Imperial Approval yellow silk that was placed in the ancestral hall.


    The decision of every generation titles of nobility must be approved by the emperor. If the title changed hands, it was necessary to take out this yellow silk and report it to the Zhong Zheng Department.


    ¡°When my late husband died, his title was left vacant and the family propriety has withered¡­¡±Speaking of this, Zhao Shi paused and took a deep look at his uncle and her sister-in-law, ¡°Yu¡¯er is concubine born, even if he accepts the title, he would be demoted two levels in succession, and the days to come would be even worse¡­¡±

 CH 8.1

    Chapter 8- The Shop


    Su Xiaozhang¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help light up. He thought that his sister-in-law was going to tear her face and fight for the title with him today, but it seemed there was still room for discussion.


    ¡°I, as a woman, don¡¯t know much about the title. I originally thought that we were a family, that there¡¯s not much difference whether brother-in-law or my son inherits the title, but¡­¡±


    Zhao Shi took out her handkerchief from her sleeve and patted the corners of her eyes, and suddenly burst into tears.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been holding a heavy burden for many years, how much money there is in the family? My heart is clear as a mirror. Even if there wasn¡¯t enough it wouldn¡¯t be necessary for Yu¡¯er to sell fish! You black-hearted people want to starve us to death!¡±


    As she spoke, Zhao Shi began to cry, while crying she scolded Li Shi¡¯s black heart for not giving Su Yu food and not giving her medicine if they didn¡¯t pay enough money every day.


    The poor child couldn¡¯t lift or carry heavy items but he was still forced to sell fish in the cold weather, and his hands and feet suffered from frostbite. It was just sad to see her heartbreaking tears.


    Su Xiaozhang and his wife were dumbfounded and Su Yu was stunned as well until the furball on his back crawled out to his collar. Then he came back to his senses and quietly rubbed his head against the kitten.


    If his mother hadn¡¯t said so, Su Yu really wouldn''t realize that they had such a miserable life.


    The two clan elders also frowned. The Su family had been prosperous at the very least, it was really shameful to be like this now.


    ¡°Xiaozhang, your brother''s bones aren¡¯t yet cold, and you treat his widow like this. How can the clan give the title to you?¡±


    Su Xiaozhang fiercely glared at his wife, who always failed to do things right. It would be good if she managed to force Zhao Shi to death, but instead, she had forced her to the point where she retaliated. How troublesome!


    ¡°Zhao Yuhua, stop making such villainous slanders. I haven¡¯t shortchanged you a single penny of your medicine decoction all these days.¡± The eldest aunt¡¯s eyes bulged as she jumped up and cursed.


    It was fine if she didn¡¯t talk about this, speaking of that medical soup, Zhao Shi immediately asked Chun Cao to show the medicine dregs she used every day to the two clan elders.


    Anyone with a clear eye could see that the medicine dregs had been cooked more than five times. That kind of thing was no different from boiled plain water, there was no need to talk about treating illness.


    ¡°Yu¡¯er gave you enough money to buy three doses of medicine every day, but you only gave me one dose every two days. If I hadn¡¯t been so lucky, I¡¯m afraid that I would have seen the King of Hell a long time ago.¡± Zhao Shi said, covering her mouth with a handkerchief and coughing, she looked very weak.


    Her other hand was still holding tightly the Imperial Approval yellow silk on the table.


    ¡°If was ground to death by you like this, how could my Yu¡¯er survive? I am determined not to let you win this title!¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s father was a second-class general of the country. Whether it was him or his uncle, they had to be demoted by two levels.


    Passing the second-class Town Army general and becoming a third-class Guard general. Although they didn¡¯t have much power and were forced to fight during the war, the third-class Guard general had thirty Shi Lumi(ʯ»Ã×) and 130 strings of copper coins of salary every year. Enough to feed a family.


    For a moment, the atmosphere became stiff. Su Xiaozhang was silent for a moment with his face ashen and then said with a sneer: ¡°With the status of a son of a concubine, the Zong Zheng Department will directly take back our Su family title and no one will benefit at that time! ¡±


    The nobility was always very strict. Under normal circumstances, they must be the main wife¡¯s eldest son.


    If there was no legitimate son it was very likely that the Zong Zheng Department would judge that they had no heir and directly strip off their title.


    Although Su Xiaozhang was concubine-born, his mother was later promoted to wife status. In the family record, he was the legitimate son of the first wife, so he was more confident in inheriting the title.


    However, Zong Zheng Department¡¯s duty was to control the reduction of nobility. If Zhao Shi makes things big, once Zong Zheng Department decides that Su Xiaozhang¡¯s virtue was at fault, the title definitely will not fall on his head.


    The white-bearded clan elder looked around, coughed dryly, and said: ¡°Lao¡¯er wife, don¡¯t be impulsive. The Su family must not lose their title and it¡¯s not good for Yu¡¯er to make trouble.¡±


    With their title, the Su family was still noble. Without this title, the relatives of the collateral branches will also lose face, and the family will be completely destroyed in the future.


    An Hongche yawned on Su Yu¡¯s shoulder.


    The Su family was in such a state, what is there to contend for this title? Serve us well and We could even name you a prince.


    ¡°There are still five hundred taels of silver for cutting down the title. So I can set up a farm, which is enough to support us, mother and child.¡± Zhao Shi stopped crying, dried her tears twice, and calmly folded the yellow silk into the box.


    Su Xiaozhang became nervous. According to the customs, reducing the rank would indeed give some money, which could be considered the last grace of the royal family.


    It was not necessarily five hundred taels of silver, but there were always two or three hundred taels.


    Su Yu raised his eyebrows. He seemed to understand his mother''s idea.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, we are a family. Why should we be so distant?¡± Su Xiaozhang barely showed a smile.


    ¡°The Su family is blessed with glory and honor. With this tile preserved, there will be a salary every year. Won¡¯t it be enough for you to eat and drink? ¡±


    If these words had been said before, they would have been able to smooth things over. Now, it was obvious that both mother and son had no food to eat.


    Moreover, even ghosts wouldn¡¯t believe that they would be treated well in the future.


    As soon as this remark came out, Su Xiaozhang himself felt unable to say anything else.


    ¡°That salary is yours. If you can give us the sun, it will rise from the west.¡±


    Just then, a head poked out of the entrance. he looked five-points similar to Su Xiaozhang, but he looked sullen and not so energetic.


    ¡°If I may say so, just cut the title, and give me 30% of the five hundred taels of silver!¡±


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Shi Lumi(ʯ»Ã×)->in ancient china, the hard currency is grain (Rice and wheat), as well as the official salary. 1ʯ = 59.2 kg£¬ 30 shi = 30x 59.2 kg =1776kg, »Ã× = official salary.


    String of copper coins-> Each string had 1000 copper coins.


    Lao''er->Second child

 CH 8.2

    Chapter 8- The Shop


    ¡°You¡­¡± Su Xiaozhang almost lost his breath when he saw who it was.


    ¡°You still have the face to say that! The family is so poor now, is it not because of you!¡±


    The man was Su Xiaoxian, Su Yu¡¯s third uncle. He was lazy good-for-nothing and he caused a great disaster a few years ago.


    Su Yu¡¯s father had to sell the family¡¯s farm before he could settle the matter, which was also the main reason for the deterioration of the Su family.


    ¡°Hmph, I didn¡¯t ask my second brother to save me. Did you all ask me when you sold the farm? It¡¯s the ancestral property and I also have a share! Now if you want to be a general, then you must give me my share!¡± The third uncle squatted at the doorway with his hands in his pockets, straining his neck.


    Seeing the third uncle coming, Zhao Shi sneered.


    ¡°The land was sold the year before the last, he sold off his land property, but there is still a Zhuangzi in the western suburbs, and there are several shops on the East Street. If Older brother-in-law wants to take the title, it is not impossible to succeed, just split these properties with us, and let us have something to eat.¡±


    Hearing this, Su Xiaoxian eyes lit up and he stood up.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is there another Zhuangzi in the western suburbs? Elder brother, you¡¯re going to swallow all the family properties!¡±


    With the third uncle''s making such a stir, the main hall became more and more lively, and Su Xiaozhang was left panting with anger.


    An Hongche was impatient for a long time and kept scratching Su Yu¡¯s clothes with his claws.


    His Majesty who didn¡¯t eat his breakfast was in a bad mood. Su Yu couldn¡¯t help but quietly reach out and pull the cat¡¯s tail to make him quiet.


    The kitten immediately jumped on his other shoulder and continued to scratch.


    ¡°How about this,¡± Zhao Shi finally spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t understand anything about it as a woman. I just want to be able to eat and wear warm clothes. Give Yu¡¯er the two shops on East Street, I¡¯ll follow Yu¡¯er in the future. Younger brother-in-law and Older brother-in-law can discuss the title.¡±


    Su Yu was stunned. A shop on East Street? The Su family actually has a shop on East Street!


    East Street was the main street of East City. It was very prosperous.


    If you could open a storefront there, your business will be booming. It¡¯s just like I¡¯m sleepy and I come across a pillow!.


    Su Xiaozhang was in the middle of the commotion, with the sudden twists and turns, without even thinking about it, he responded: ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°How can you do that! That¡¯s the most valuable property of the Su family!¡± Li Shi, the eldest aunt, shouted.


    That¡¯s the shop she only got her hands on by scheming, and she received five taels of silver every month!


    Without these two shops, they still have to walk around to give gifts to earn the title. Where can they get the money?


    ¡°What do you know!¡± Su Xiaozhang hurriedly winked.


    After a tumultuous morning, in the end, under the witness of the two clan elders, he took the account book and simply divided the family property. The title is still uncertain, so the family cannot be divided, but the shop on the account book was assigned to Su Yu, which was counted as his private property.


    Su Xiaozhang asked Su Yu to sign his name and write a letter saying that he gave up the title


    Su Yu didn¡¯t care and Zhao Shi didn¡¯t stop him.


    An Hongche watched this farce with cold eyes, and his mood became worse and worse. This stupid slave was too easy to bully!


    ¡°I can¡¯t go out and sell today, let¡¯s eat these squids.¡± Su Yu looked at the sky, it was almost noon.


    The squid hadn¡¯t been marinated yet, so it was too late to show up at all.


    An Hongche squatted on the chopping board, glanced at him, and turned his butt at Su Yu.


    Stupid slave, without a title how can I promote you and make you rich in the future? What was there to be happy about.


    Su Yu used his finger to poke the soft kitten¡¯s butt.


    ¡°Hey, Sauce, Let¡¯s go and have a look at the two shops. If the location is good we can open a restaurant.¡±


    After lunch, Su Yu excitedly took the cat to the shop.


    ??????????????


    After noon, East Street was not deserted at all, and it was still very lively. Su Yu searched for a long time but couldn¡¯t find the address recorded in the account.


    ¡°No.101 East Street¡­¡± Su Yu stared between the 100th and the 102nd for a long time.


    No.100 was a pawnshop, No.102 was a silk shop, and No.101 was a¡­


    Alley¡­


    There was no shop, only a small alley. 101 seemed to disappear into thin air, ¡°It can¡¯t be a demolition!¡±


    ¡°Meow¡­¡± The kitten on the shoulder glanced at the silly Su Yu, shook his tail and jumped to the door of the pawnshop, and exposed a gray brand in the corned of the eaves.


    Only then did Su Yu discover that there was a small door three feet wide on the edge of the pawnshop, which was not connected to the pawnshop. He asked and learned that this was shop No.101.


    Su Yu: ¡°...¡±


    In fact, the store was not small. It was indeed two large rooms, but they were all on the second floor.


    There was only such a small door on the first floor, there was a stepladder to go in. There was no business at all, therefore, it had been rented to the pawnshop as a warehouse.


    Su Yu stared at the shop for a long time, and suddenly his eyes lit up. The small staircase was next to the alley. If you wanted to do business on the second floor, you couldn¡¯t put the staircase like this.


    If it was made into a distinctive external staircase, hang a conspicuous sign, and decorate well, it may be particularly eye-catching. But just like this, the cost of decoration will be much higher than the cost of the storefront on the first floor.


    He just had no money to do that beautiful rotation staircase alone.


    Dejected, Su Yu went home with the cat in his arms. Su Yu had been switching back and forth between heaven and hell all day and was exhausted both physically and mentally.


    ¡°Sauce, I¡¯m so poor¡­¡± Su Yu buried his nose in the cat¡¯s fur and groaned. Looking at the golden fur, he thought that it was like sparkling gold.


    ¡°Lend me some money. I¡¯ll be a cat slave for you all my life¡­¡±


    The kitten, who had been squatting impatiently, slowly turned his head and looked at Su Yu¡¯s beautiful white face.


    Then he quickly pursed his ears, stood up, put his paws under the pillow, and took out a piece of sapphire jade carved with a Qilin.

 CH 9

    Chapter 9- Raising Money


    ¡°Eh?¡± Su Yu kept lying on the bed and reached out for the sapphire jade piece. The jade emitted a faint glow under the candlelight.


    The Qilin carved on it was lifelike and there was a big ¡°Zhao¡± word engraved on the back.


    He almost forgot about that, King Zhao still owed him thirty copper coins!


    ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t I pawn this, it might be worth a lot of money.¡± Su Yu stared at the jade piece for a long time.


    The quality of this jade was really good, but he didn¡¯t know whether it was enough to build a revolving staircase.


    ¡°Pa!¡± A furry paw suddenly stretched out and slapped off the jade piece in Su Yu¡¯s hand.


    An Hongche scratched the ¡°Zhao (ÕÑ)¡± character with the tip of his claw, his amber eyes filled with anger.


    Stupid thing, this jade plate is An Hongyu¡¯s token, how is it merely worth the price of a single piece of sapphire jade!


    ¡°Sauce, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Su Yu leaned over, touching the tip of his nose with the kitten, and got a slap in the face.


    The warm meat pad slammed on his face, and Su Yu fell to the ground in cooperation.


    While the two were playing, Chun Cao knocked on the door again and asked Su Yu to go to the backyard.


    Today, Su Yu gained first-hand knowledge of Zhao Shi¡¯s fighting strength, he admired his hidden legitimate mother and wanted to prostrate himself in admiration.


    When he heard these words, he immediately got up and patted the cat¡¯s head.


    ¡°Sauce, play by yourself, I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡±


    An Hongche glanced at him. Useless thing, what is the use of listening to the words of a married woman that stays deep in the residence.


    Seeing that Su Yu really turned and left, he angrily slapped the jade piece back under the pillow and scratched the edge of the pillow with all his strength.


    ??????????????


    ¡°Have you seen the shop?¡± Zhao Shi¡¯s complexion was much better than in the morning, she smiled and asked Su Yu to sit down.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Su Yu answered. As soon as he sat down, he found a light gold furry paw sticking out of the window behind Zhao Shi.


    He couldn¡¯t help twitching the corners of his mouth, got up and pretended to close the window, and quickly caught the furball outside the window and stuffed it into his sleeves.


    An Hongche squatted in his sleeve and shook his head. He was just bored and did whatever he wants. It¡¯s not that he was worried that the stupid slave will sell himself again for some money, certainly not!


    ¡°I never thought of taking this step, but the current situation does not allow us to delay anymore.¡± Zhao Shi nodded inwardly about Su Yu¡¯s behavior of closing the window.


    He knew to guard against the walls having ears, it seems that he had made a lot of progress during this period of time.


    Su Yu had a headache from listening to the feuds within the family. He couldn''t understand a single thing behind Zhao Shi''s profound words, and could only nod his head and reply: "It''s up to you, Mother."


    ¡°How are you getting along with your research on the family heirloom?¡± Zhao Shi was very pleased with Su Yu¡¯s obedience.


    She can¡¯t bear children herself and had been raising her concubine-born son with a parent-child relationship. She saw Su Yu¡¯s behavior these days, her ancestors blessed her with a good son.


    ¡°The front ones I should be able to do, but the back ones haven¡¯t learned yet.¡± Su Yu folded his hands and quietly groomed the impatient kitten in his sleeve.


    ¡°Really?¡± Zhao Shi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Can you really cook the food inside?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Su Yu was stunned.


    The first few courses were very simple, they were the same as those he made in his previous life. In fact, he could also cook the following dishes, it¡¯s just that the materials were hard to find. Moreover, the ancient terms were far from those he was familiar with.


    He estimated that it would take some effort to guess the ingredients recorded in the recipes. Just, looking at Zhao Shi¡¯s surprise, should he had been more modest?


    ¡°Amitabha, ancestor blessings!¡± Zhao Shi¡¯s hands were folded, and she was very excited.


    After mumbling to herself for a long time, she took a small wooden box out of a chest. When the box was opened there was a cloth bag in it, which was disassembled layer by layer. It took a long time to reveal what was inside.


    ¡°Mother, this is?¡± Su Yu took the thin layer of paper, on which were words engraved by a carved printing block.


    It was covered with several layers of seals, which were very neat and tidy, with ¡°One Hundred Taels of Silver¡± clearly written in the middle.


    ¡°This is the private savings that I have saved over the years.¡± Zhao Shi smiled and stuffed the silver ticket into Su Yu¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Take it and renovate that shop so that you can open a restaurant.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Su Yu pushed the silver ticket back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to get the money. In the future, the family won¡¯t give any monthly allowance, Mother needs to save some money too.¡±


    In fact, he had already thought about it, the method of financial leasing was to sell the shop first, and then rent it back. In this way, he can have the capital and the shop, which was the best of both worlds.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good method, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s hard to find a buyer.¡± Zhao Shi frowned, soon after she thought of something and sneered.


    ¡°The buyer has to be powerful, otherwise once your uncle gains power, he¡¯s going to try to seize your restaurant.¡±


    Su Yu also took this into consideration, his eldest uncle and third uncle were not oil-saving lamps.


    If the restaurant was still under his name, once Su Xiaozhang wins the title in the future, he will definitely come to cut a piece of his flesh.


    But how would he, an "outsider" recognize anyone powerful? The only one that he could recognize...


    Suddenly, he thought of the sapphire jade token pulled out by the kitten. King Zhao was a really powerful man, but¡­ With a 30 copper coins friendship, can King Zhao help him so much?


    Besides, the fatty always gave people a feeling of harboring evil intentions.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to feel awkward, it¡¯s not that easy for Su Xiaozhang to assume the title.¡± Zhao Shi saw Su Yu frowning so she made a sound of comfort.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that the consort selection is coming this year.¡±


    ¡°Consort selection?¡± Su Yu blinked, what was that.


    An Hongche wormed his way through Su Yu¡¯s arm along his sleeves, and a head popped out of his shirt. As soon as he got his folded ears over, he heard the word ¡°Consort selection¡±, and a pair of furry ears stood up immediately.


    ¡°That¡¯s still a long way off. Besides, it¡¯s been pushed forward for two years now, and it''s likely to be postponed this year if it doesn¡¯t match up.¡± Zhao Shi looked out of the window and seemed reluctant to talk about his topic.


    ¡°You can open the restaurant with peace of mind, if you have any difficulties, remember to tell me.¡±


    Ultimately, Zhao Shi gave Su Yu the hundred tael silver note and said that preparedness averts peril.


    Su Yu returned to his room in a fog, but the kitten was very excited. He paced back and forth on him.


    Finally, he squatted on his chest, looked down at him condescendingly, and shook his tail proudly.


    ¡°Sauce, why are you so happy?¡± Su Yu was amused by his small appearance.


    He touched the sapphire token and scratched its chin, but there was some melancholy in his heart. The hundred taels of silver was the money at the bottom of his mother''s box, so he doesn¡¯t want to move it easily.


    Besides, just relying on this bit of dead money it was difficult to survive the period when his business first opened, so he has to find a partner.


    It¡¯s just that figures like King Zhao may not be interested in these small profits. He must have something to impress him.


    While he was on a mental journey, a warm paw suddenly pressed against Su Yu¡¯s frown.


    Su Yu pulled over the small meat pad and kissed it. It¡¯s all right, let¡¯s talk about it tomorrow ba.


    ??????????????


    The moon was high in the sky, the clear moonlight spreading along the window lattice.


    Su Yu lay in an orderly manner with something in his mind, he even frowned gently when he fell asleep. Looking carefully, he suddenly found that there was a slender body lying by his side.


    The man¡¯s long hair was like ink. Through the moonlight, he could only see a graceful chin and thin lips slightly pursed.


    At the moment, he was supporting his forehead with one hand. A slender and fair hand stretched out and gently pressed against his eyebrows. Stupid slave, frowning looks so ugly!

 CH 10

    Chapter 10- His Royal Highness


    The next day Su Yu was awakened by the heat. When he opened his eyes he saw a golden dumpling tightly nestled against his neck, and a long tail stretched into his inner shirt again.


    He didn¡¯t know what kind of sweet dream he had, the tip of his furry tail was still softly patting his chest.


    ¡°Good morning, Sauce.¡± Su Yu pulled out the long tail and rubbed his chin against his furry head.


    An Hongche stretched out his paw and pressed down Su Yu¡¯s disobedient chin, then gave a big yawn.


    There was no need to go out that day, so Su Yu planned to solve his financing problem. He held the furball and stayed in bed for a while.


    ¡°Hey, when can the two of us sleep until the sun is three poles high?¡±


    The kitten squatting on Su Yu¡¯s chest scratched his ear with his hind paw. Serve Us well and We will reward whatever you want.


    That¡¯s right, for the hard-working Su Yu, sleeping until the end of the morning meant that he and the cat will go hungry.


    After a while, he consciously went to the kitchen and cooked a small pot of seafood porridge with fresh shrimp, squid whiskers, and two small crabs.


    The soft glutinous rice was mixed with pink and white shrimps and crabs, sprinkled with some emerald fragrant scallions, and drizzled with sesame oil, then the delicious flavour immediately overflowed.


    One person and one cat had a beautiful meal, and then they began to do their¡¯s proper business.


    It was a little strange that King Zhao left this jade token at the beginning, but Su Yu had no other way now. He had to brace himself and pull An Hongyi as an investor.


    Only, he had to make some preparations before going.


    When the restaurant was to be expanded in his previous life, Su Yu also followed his boss to solicit investment.


    At that time, his boss asked people to prepare an exquisite business plan and a table of high-grade seafood dishes cooked by Su Yu himself. If you wanted people to invest, you always need some finished products.


    Su Yu can¡¯t write a business plan, but he was capable of writing a menu.


    The Sichuan cuisine that Su Yu was an expert in was useless until he finds the chili peppers. Fortunately, there was also the heirloom record of Su Ji¡¯s recipes, and Su Yu had thoroughly studied the previous dishes.


    For example, the first three courses on Su Ji¡¯s menu were ¡°White Jade Scallops Wrapped in Silk¡±, ¡°Tai Chi Yin Yang Shrimp¡± and ¡°Xianbei Tofu Soup¡±.


    Their names were very profound, in fact, they were ¡°steamed scallops with minced garlic glass noodles¡±, ¡°one shrimp cooked in two different styles¡± and ¡°steamed tofu with dried scallops and shrimps¡±. These dishes were very simple for Su Yu to cook, he just had to gather the ingredients.


    The first few courses, plus several kinds of fish soup, seafood porridge, and seafood noodles, and why not put together some barbecue, one menu is just about done.


    Merely¡­ He scratched his head and looked at the kitten who was licking its paws leisurely after eating and drinking to his heart''s content, Su Yu¡¯s face was bitter.


    ¡°Sauce, can you write with a brush?¡±


    An Hongche stretched out his claws and glanced in disdain at Su Yu.


    How can Our caligraphy be used to write dishes, this stupid slave courage is really getting bigger and bigger.


    The traditional characters which were barely written were too horrible to look at, Su Yu simply threw away his brush and went out to make soy sauce. As a cook, he¡¯d better give up writing and cook well.


    Da¡¯an Dynasty already had soy sauce, but it was just a single variety, not as diverse as the later generations.


    Soy sauce was very important for many seafood dishes, especially those simple dishes, soy sauce was the soul of the cuisine.


    The advantage of soy sauce in ancient times was that it was brewed with natural ingredients, and the taste was pure without the doping of industrial raw materials.


    The disadvantage was that the taste was too pure, only salty mixed with the sauce, lacking freshness. The key to freshness was sugar.


    Boil a bowl of river prawns in water until the soup changes color, remove the river prawns, and add several tablespoons of soy sauce and sugar.


    Brown sugar was originally used to brew soy sauce, but the ancient soy sauce was brewed with beans and so had a heavy color, and if you added brown sugar its appearance would become worse, so Su Yu chose white sugar.


    Soon, a bottle of seafood soy sauce was freshly made, which was his secret weapon.


    ??????????????


    The royal residence was still very luxurious and magnificent as before, King Zhao, An Hongyi was the Emperor¡¯s sole younger brother from the same mother, and was trusted by the Emperor.


    There were not just a few people who came to him every day wanting to climb to a higher status, but there seemed to be more people in front of the door that day.


    ¡°His Royal Highness said, there will be no guest.¡± The imperial guard impatiently expelled the crowd in front of the door.


    ¡°This official has important to discuss with his Highness, please, I¡¯ll trouble you to inform.¡± A man in official clothes negotiated with the imperial guard with a distressed expression.


    ¡°Daren Zhang, don¡¯t waste your time, Wangye won¡¯t see us.¡± Another official with a white beard sighed.


    The emperor hadn¡¯t been in court for more than a month, and the people in the court were in panic.


    It was even rumored that the emperor¡¯s life was not long, they were also ill at ease and rushed to anyone they could find, they came there to try their luck.


    A fluffy head popped out of Su Yu¡¯s shirt, its amber eyes narrowed slightly.


    These fools, what¡¯s the use of looking for An Hongyi at this time? On the cusp of this storm, as King Zhao had the most right of inheritance, it was natural to avoid arousing suspicion.


    He scratched Su Yu with his paw and urged him to go in quickly to avoid being made more stupid by these people.


    Su Yu reluctantly pressed the cat¡¯s head back down. Watching so many people being stopped he was also a little unsure.


    He repeatedly confirmed the prepared speech in front of the door and squeezed the sapphire jade token in his hand. Then he raised his foot and squeezed over.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± The imperial guard in front of the door came forward to stop him.


    ¡°I¡¯m Su Yu, an old friend of his Royal Highness. I have a keepsake here, please report it on my behalf. ¡± Su Yu carried the soy sauce bottle with one hand behind him, raised his chin slightly, and showed the sapphire jade token in his hand.


    When the imperial guard saw the jade token, he couldn¡¯t help but look solemn, cupped his hands, and said: ¡°Sir, please come in.¡±


    Everyone was surprised and one after another looked at Su Yu, who was dressed in simple clothes.


    Su Yu never anticipated that the sapphire jade token would be so useful. Under the pressure of everyone¡¯s eyes, he pretended to be calm and walked in.


    Pavillions, terraces and open halls, winding waters and flowing wine cups, one scenery in five steps, one pavilion in ten steps.


    The layout in the palace was really exquisite and luxurious, which really showed how much this younger brother was loved by the emperor.


    ¡°This king has said that he will not see any guests.¡± King Zhao, wearing a royal blue robe, sat in the pavilion and waved impatiently.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s the person holding the jade token.¡± The imperial guard reported in a low voice.


    An Hongyi, who was eating a small fish cake, almost choked.


    He stared at Su Yu and looked at him from head to toe, with his sharp eyes, he found half of a furry ear exposed from his chest, and immediately waved his hands to let everyone retreat.


    When the crowd dispersed, the golden kitten immediately jumped out of the shirt and onto the stone table.


    ¡°Sauce, don¡¯t be rude!¡± Su Yu was startled and hurriedly reached out his hand to catch it, but he failed to hold it.


    ¡°What did you call him?¡± King Zhao heard the strange name with his sharp ears, and his eyes were about to pop out.


    He pointed to the cat on the table: ¡°Ha Ha¡­ Ouch!¡± An Hongyi laughed, shaking the soft flesh on his face.


    Just halfway through the laugh, he was rewarded with a claw.


    When Su Yu saw that his Royal Highness''s face was scratched, he was immediately scared into a cold sweat and quickly bowed.


    ¡°The little pet is spoiled, I hope your Highness can forgive it.¡±


    An Hongyi wanted to put on airs, but as a result, he was glared at by the golden kitten and so quickly reached out to help Su Yu.


    ¡°No harm, no harm, I knew him already. I¡­One day without being scratched by him, I feel uncomfortable all over, hahaha¡­ ¡±


    The corner of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched, he finally understood why the emperor trusted King Zhao so much. He look so unreliable and wouldn¡¯t seek power and position.


    ¡°Hey, to tell you the truth, I have some affection for the cat, so it was for his sake that I gave you the token.¡± An Hongyi explained to Su Yu while feeding the kitten fish cakes.


    Su Yu frowned: ¡°He¡­¡±


    An Hongyi waved his hand: ¡°You will naturally know later, first things first, why are you looking for me today?¡± King Zhao was only sixteen or seventeen years old, there were two small dimples on his chubby face and he smiled naively.


    He didn¡¯t have the airs of a prince at all. Instead, he looked like a little brother next door, letting one admire his frame of mind.


    ??????????????


    After listening to Su Yu¡¯s idea about the restaurant, An Hongyi didn¡¯t immediately respond.


    He pondered for a moment and said: ¡°There are many seafood restaurants in the capital as the hairs of an ox, I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯s difficult to keep up appearances by roasting squid alone.¡±


    Su Yu didn¡¯t explain much, only asked to borrow the kitchen.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t bite¡­¡± When Su Yu left, King Zhao was bitten by the cat on the table, he rubbed his ears aggrievedly.


    ¡°You follow the descendant of the Su family to drink and eat spicy food. I haven¡¯t even tasted a single bite. If you want me to pay, you have to give me some benefits.¡±


    An Hongche glanced at his worthless younger brother, he really didn¡¯t want to acknowledge that they were the offspring of the same mother.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Daren->title of respect toward superiors


    Wangye->Prince

 CH 11

    Chapter 11- Consort Selection


    There was all one could think of on hand in the kitchen of the palace. Before, because he was too poor to afford good ingredients, Su Yu almost forgot that he used to be the head chef of a restaurant rather than the owner of a night market stall.


    Now, in the face of a dazzling lineup of seafood, the long-lost working state suddenly returned.


    Palm-sized top-notch scallops, wash them, pry them open, put in glass noodles, minced garlic, and other ingredients, as well as seafood soy sauce face prepared by Su Yu, and finally add sesame oil on the center point and steam all of it in the pot.


    Then chop the fresh shrimp, thicken the shrimp head with egg white cooking starch, add hot oil and fry until it¡¯s brown; Boil thoroughly the shrimp in plain water, mix in yellow wine and ginger slices to remove the fishy smell, take it out to remove the shrimp line, separate the golden shrimp head and its white meat into a Tai Chi shape, and fill two small plates with salt and pepper, and soy sauce respectively as the fish eyes of the Taiji yin-yang fish.


    Like this, the first two dishes recorded in Su Ji¡¯s recipes are successfully made.


    An Hongyi rested his chubby face on the table and stared at the little cat.


    ¡°The two-month deadline is approaching, I think you should live in the palace.¡±


    An Hongche, who was licking his paws, paused, glanced at his younger brother, and then continued to lick his paws.


    ¡°An Hongzho wants to join hands with the old man, but the old man didn¡¯t buy it.¡± An Hongyi drew closer.


    ¡°Uncle Huang asked you to hurry back quickly, it is said in court that you will die soon. If you don¡¯t hurry back, these people are going to break my threshold.¡±


    Impatiently, he scratched his ear with his back paw. An Hongche shook his tail and motioned his brother to shut up, he had his own discretion of when to go back.


    ¡°You aren''t perhaps reluctant to part with that fish seller, right?¡± An Hongyi lowered his voice and looked at Su Yu, who was walking toward them with a tray.


    Long-winded! Unable to bear it anymore, An Hongche rewarded his younger brother with a slap, and it was finally peaceful.


    King Zhao covered his scratched nose and looked curiously at the tray in Su Yu¡¯s hand.


    White jade scallops wrapped in silk was a common dish in the imperial family, but Su Yu¡¯s recipe seemed to be a little different.


    The aroma of minced garlic exploded in the hot oil, slowly overflowing, and when you got closer one can even smell the umami of the shellfish.


    Experts can judge the grade of a dish as soon as they smell them, An Hongyi was naturally an expert. Before Su Yu even introduced the dish to him, he had already picked up his chopsticks.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Taking a bite, An Hongyi immediately burst into tears¡­ He got scalded.


    The kitten squatting on the table was too lazy to pay attention to his stupid brother.


    He went straight to the plate with the Tai Chi Yin Yang shrimp and stretched out his claws to hook the white and tender shrimp meat.


    Tai Chi Yin Yang shrimp was easy to get because of its simple recipe and easy to obtain ingredients, ordinary people could also eat it.


    But An Hongche knew that the essence of this dish lies in the saucer of soy sauce cooked by Su Yu himself.


    King Zhao learned to behave well this time, first he ate the not too hot shrimp meat, he picked up the white shrimp body, shelled it, and dipped it in the sauce. Naturally, the first bite was offered to show filial respect to his elder brother.


    Su Yu was surprised to see King Zhao pass the shrimp meat covered with sauce to his cat. At this point, he believed that his Royal Highness was really familiar with the cat.


    One person and one cat were eating. Su Yu began to explain his plan for the restaurant, he first would start to make his name in the capital. He would train apprentices and seasonings will be prepared by himself.


    In less than three to five years, he would be able to open a branch.


    The decoration style and waiter¡¯s clothes should be exactly the same, similar to the business model of the McDonalds in the future. As long the funds were sufficient, they will be able to open all over the country.


    After making an impassioned speech, Su Yu turned around and saw one person and one cat eating without lifting their heads. They didn¡¯t even hear what he was saying.


    Su Yu: ¡°...¡±


    When his highness King Zhao finished eating the last scallop, he coughed and said: ¡°Okay, that''s it.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Su Yu became speechless because of astonishment. What do you mean, that¡¯s it?


    An Hongyi called for a Qingke and put him in charge of Su Yu¡¯s restaurant. King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu bought the two shops and was responsible for the early decorations and purchases.


    Even the craftsmen and artificers were guaranteed.


    To make a long story short, Su Yu only had to wait at home and go directly to cook and open the restaurant after it was finished. As for the money earned, it was divided into seven and three parts. Su Yu three and King Zhao seven.


    Su Yu naturally had no problem with such a division. In fact, the main purpose was to let King Zhao give half of the money and pull the tiger skin of the prince¡¯s mansion as the behind-the-scenes supporter. He didn¡¯t expect such a good thing.


    After signing the pledge and writing down the deed, An Hongyi didn¡¯t put forward any other requirements.


    He only asked Su Yu to leave the bottle of soy sauce and stuffed the sapphire jade token back in his hands.


    Until he returned to Su¡¯s residence, Su Yu still felt a little like floating when walking. How could he meet such a good thing as a living Lei Feng falling from the sky?


    Unable to understand for the time being, he silently tied a red scarf to King Zhao. Su Yu rubbed his face and went to pay respects to his legitimate mother.


    ??????????????


    ¡°The consort selection is imminent, I want to make some nice clothes for Ying¡¯er¡± A woman¡¯s voice came from the room, Su Yu stopped and frowned.


    ¡°It¡¯s Concubine Wang from the eldest master¡¯s house.¡± Chun Cao whispered to Su Yu.


    Concubine Wang was the concubine of Su Yu¡¯s uncle, Su Xiaozhang.


    She had a concubine daughter named Su Ying, who was 15 years old.


    As his uncle''s concubine, although the generations were different, there was still the need to avoid suspicion.


    Su Yu stopped in the corridor and didn¡¯t go in anymore.


    ¡°Second brother!¡± A soft voice sounded behind him. Su Yu looked back and saw a little girl about eleven or twelve years old standing timidly three steps away.


    ¡°Xiao Zhi, why are you here?¡± Su Yu couldn¡¯t help smiling.


    This was his concubine sister, born by not the same mother, but the same father.


    ¡°Muqin called me over and I¡­¡± Su Zhi glanced at the tightly closed door curtain and quietly pulled Su Yu¡¯s shirt.


    Concubine Wang always sneered at her every time she saw her. She didn¡¯t want to see her unless she had to, but due to mother¡¯s summons, she had to go.


    Unlike Su Yu, she had always been respectful and afraid of her first mother.


    Reaching out and holding his sister¡¯s hand, Su Yu asked Chun Cao to go in and announce their arrival and followed her in.


    ¡°Oh, the second young master is back.¡± Concubine Wang had been originally smiling brightly, but when she saw Su Yu she got up quickly and the smile on her face also subsided a bit.


    Su Yu ignored her and paid respects to his legitimate mother.


    ¡°What did Furen call Zhi¡¯er to do?¡± Su Ying didn¡¯t salute when she saw Su Yu, she just stared at the thin Su Zhi with disdain in her eyes.


    News came from the palace that this year¡¯s consort selection will be held as scheduled. There were only two daughters in the family, and Su Zhi was not old enough.


    Su Xiaozhang said that their family was going to send Su Ying and had already reported to the Zong Zheng Department. Originally, as a concubine daughter, Su Ying had no position in this family.


    The female selection was the only chance for all the concubine sparrows from merit noble families to become a phoenix. Once selected, she would be the highest-ranking person in the family, how could she not be proud of it!


    ¡°Yu¡¯er dutifully gave me some silver taels some time ago, so I had someone make a pair of bracelets for Zhi¡¯er and they were delivered today.¡± Zhao Shi smiled, took out a small box, and handed it to Su Zhi.


    ¡°Muqin?¡± Su Zhi was startled and looked up at Su Yu. Su Yu was also in the dark.


    Inside the box was a pair of thin silver bracelets. There was not much silver, but the carving was pretty good.


    The bracelet body was slim and round, embedded with several butterflies spreading their wings to fly. They looked very nice on Su Zhi¡¯s thin arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for Zhi¡¯er to learn the feminine arts, this is a congratulatory gift from your Muqin and older brother.¡± Zhao Shi smiled.


    When Concubine Wang heard this, her expression immediately changed. These words were clearly told for the mother and daughter pair.


    They had already split the family assets, so Zhao Shi and her daughter had to rely on Su Yu for their daily needs. Even if they wanted to come again to borrow money, they would not get a single copper.


    ¡°Furen, after so many years of mutual friendship, why do you do such a thing.¡±


    If one wanted to go to the consort selection, you must have a presentable dress. Her own family Taitai was so stingy that she couldn¡¯t find a decent dress after turning over all the chests.


    That¡¯s why she shamelessly came to the second branch Furen to play the autumn wind. She just got carried away for a moment and offended others, how could this be good?


    Over the years, Zhao Shi secretly helped Concubine Wang several times, in order to check and balance the eldest branch. Now that they already shed all pretenses of cordiality, Zhao Shi was too lazy to pay attention to her and sent the mother and daughter away in a few words.


    She asked about Su Yu¡¯s restaurant and learned that everything was going well. Then she nodded slightly and sneered.


    ¡°Let them be proud for a few more days, you take this to Zong Zheng Department tomorrow.¡±


    Su Yu took it, and it was a name card with his name and his eight characters written on it.


    ¡°What is this for?¡±


    An Hongche, who was sleeping soundly in Su Yu¡¯s bosom, was awakened by the sound arriving through the clothes.


    He lazily poked his head out for a look, and suddenly woke up smartly.


    ¡°Your uncle certainly doesn¡¯t want you to go to the consort selection, how could I let his wishes be fulfilled?¡± Zhao Shi''s eyes were full of ridicule.


    ¡°Wait, Mother, what kind of election I¡¯ll go to?¡± Su Yu was completely confused.


    Didn¡¯t they discuss the emperor¡¯s woman consort selection just now? What does it have to do with a man like him?


    Looking at Zhao Shi and Su Zhi¡¯s proper and expected as a matter of course expressions, Su Yu suddenly had a bad feeling.


    ¡°The imperial family chooses concubines regardless of gender, of course you are going too.¡± Zhao Shi looked at him inexplicably.


    Kakaka! A flash of lightning fell from the sky, striking Su Yu, who was standing foolishly, into dregs¡­


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    yellow wine->mulled rice wine


    Qingke->proteges of the powerful who stay with their benefactions like parasites


    Wangfu->Prince''s mansion


    Lei Feng->Lei Feng was allegedly a soldier in the People''s Liberation Army who was the object of several major propaganda campaigns in China.After Mao''s death, state media continued to promote Lei Feng as a model of earnestness and service, and his image still appears in popular forms such as on T-shirts and memorabilia.


    red scarf->The red scarf indicates that they are members of a special Communist Party organization just for children aged 6-14¨C the Young Pioneers.


    Furen->Lady/Madam/Married woman.


    Muqin->Respectual way of saying mother.


    Taitai->Tai tai (Ì«Ì«) is a Chinese colloquial term for an elected leader-wife; or a wealthy married woman who does not work.

 CH 12

    Chapter 12- Laws and decrees


    Choosing an imperial concubine, no matter male or female.


    Su Yu suddenly felt that he had not crossed into the ancient times, but into the future. This society was too open!


    Zhao Shi went on and on about the benefits of participating in the consort selection. If he could be selected, he would be able to win at least a first-class general title after a few years.


    Even if he failed to win the election, as long as he passed the first level, he would be able to attract the Zong Zheng Department¡¯s attention, and the title would probably fall on Su Yu¡¯s head.


    Su Yu was still in a state of shock, he didn¡¯t hear a word from his first mother. To be exact, he didn¡¯t understand them at all.


    He suddenly discovered that he lacked a lot of common sense of this world.


    Absentmindedly taking the name card and leaving the rear court, Su Yu looked up at the sky to see the time and raised his feet to walk to the study.


    The Su family had never been a literary family, but at least it was a noble family. There were still things like a study for outsiders to see.


    Pushing open the dust-laden door, the dust blowing in his face choked the kitten in his bosom and it sneezed constantly.


    Su Yu quickly waved his sleeve, patted the dusty furry head, and lit the candlestick in the room with a firestarter.


    The study was not big, and the books stored on the bookshelf were limited. Su Yu searched for a long time with a candlestick and he didn¡¯t find any books that could help him understand the common knowledge.


    There was no encyclopedia in ancient times, you could only read law books, but as a fish selling family, will there be a law book in the study?


    Seeing Su Yu look anxious, An Hongche didn¡¯t know why, so he stretched out his paw and patted Su Yu¡¯s face.


    Su Yu lowered his head and faced the kitten¡¯s big eyes. Unexpectedly, he could make out doubts in those eyes that were like glazed glass beads.


    ¡°I think I know too little about this dynasty, I have to find a law book to study it.¡± Su Yu looked at his cat¡¯s eyes and unconsciously wanted to explain it to it, although he knew that it couldn¡¯t understand.


    Hearing the word ¡°this dynasty¡±, An Hongche narrowed his eyes slightly.


    ¡°Sauce, why would the imperial family want a male concubine? This world is so amazing.¡± Su Yu couldn¡¯t help talking too much as he searched through the stacks of books while chatting.


    When he arrived at this unfamiliar space-time, it was false to say that he felt no fear.


    Su Yu always lived carefully for fear of exposing anything, even if there were many things he didn¡¯t understand, he couldn¡¯t speak and he couldn¡¯t ask. Only facing the little furball in his arms did he dare to put down his guard.


    The golden kitten clung to his shirt and quietly listened to Su Yu¡¯s long-winded words. The tip of his tail hidden in the clothes shook gently and his amber eyes were dark and gloomy.


    ¡°Ah! Found it!¡± Su Yu exclaimed, picking up a dusty book from the corner. The cover was a little yellow, blowing off the floating dust on the surface revealed three words ¡°Da¡¯an Law¡±.


    ¡­noble family, all men and women of appropriate age who do not have a wedding contract are required to participate in the selection¡­


    ¡­When the crown prince is established, the harem will be dismissed. Except for those with royal heirs, the women will return to one¡¯s parents, and the men will be appointed an official title according to their grades¡­


    Su Yu lay on the bed and carefully studied the chapters about the imperial concubine selection. The more he looked, the more confused he became. The golden furball laid on his back, licking its paws in boredom.


    According to the law recorded down, the royal family of the Da¡¯an Dynasty was really an unusual exotic flower. There was no distinction between male and female concubines in the selection, it could also be understood as the imperial family¡¯s good southerly wind.


    This also happens in particularly open-minded dynasties, but the remaining rules were really incomprehensible.


    Once the crown prince was established all the concubines in the palace who had not given birth to children will be released, women could marry another and men will be directly promoted a rank!


    According to the rank of the nobility in the palace, they could be promoted to a rank after release. For example, if they become an ¡°Imperial Concubine¡± they could become an Earl. They can become a Marquis if they reach the rank of Imperial Consort¡­ The Empress will not be released.


    ¡°That¡¯s too ridiculous!¡± Su Yu was dumbstruck.


    An Hongche hearing that, shook his tail, stood up, climbed to Su Yu¡¯s head, and looked down at him.


    ¡°Then everyone should go to the palace and become concubines. Who would go make meritorious deeds to protect the family and defend the country!¡± Su Yu seriously doubted whether this law book was a pirated copy bought by his ancestors on a street stall.


    Stupid thing, do you think it¡¯s that easy to be a male concubine? An Hongche jumped off Su Yu¡¯s head, squatted on the law book, moved his tail, and pointed it at the corner of the page.


    There were all kinds of strict restrictions on male concubines. To select a male concubine to enter the palace, it required the consent of many members of the royal family and to get a high evaluation during the selection.


    It can be said that those who can be selected are qualified to be promoted to officials.


    Su Yu lay on his back and held up his name card, reading it again and again. Five gilded characters were written in the center, ¡°Su Yu, courtesy name Jin Tang¡±.


    After being here for so long, Su Yu didn¡¯t know he had his own courtesy name. He thought was only seventeen to eighteen years old, but he didn¡¯t expect himself to be so feeble.


    ¡°Jin Tang¡­¡± Su Yu¡¯s thoughts wandered a little while tracing those two words with one finger. What was he doing when he was twenty in his last life?


    Nobody cared about him at home, and he couldn¡¯t afford to pay his tuition to go to college. He went out to work early, killing fish and washing vegetables, and was busy from morning till night.


    An Hongche climbed onto Su Yu¡¯s chest and looked up at the name card. Jin Tang, that¡¯s a good courtesy name.


    Although Su Yu didn¡¯t carefully look at the restrictions on choosing male concubines, he also understood that such a good thing would not fall on anyone easily.


    The royal family will certainly be cautious about male concubines. Zhao Shi¡¯s way of thinking was still too simple.


    ¡°As for my virtues, it¡¯s useless to go. Only if the emperor is blind will he take a fancy to me.¡± Su Yu casually threw the name card aside and decided to ignore it.


    Outrageous! The kitten on his chest was suddenly unhappy, he stretched out his paw and slapped Su Yu¡¯s head.


    Su Yu easily pressed the cat onto his face and rubbed happily against the soft fluff.


    ??????????????


    The moon was high in the sky, a slender and fair white hand picked up the name card that fell under the bed. Pale thin lips pursed gently.


    Stupid slave, how dare you throw away the name card!


    Others have broken their head in order to enter the palace, and this stupid thing actually doesn¡¯t want to go!


    An Hongche sat in the bed, sulking for a while, he then turned to look at Su Yu, who was sleeping with an ignorant face. Angrily, he stretched out his hand and pulled him into his arms.


    After looking at him for a long time, he couldn¡¯t help leaning in and licked his soft lips. Then, he stuffed the name card into his sleeve pocket.


    Forget it, We are so generous and kind, how can We bear to see you make a fool out of yourself? We¡¯ll give you a hand, treat it as a reward for your proper service in these days, ba.


    ??????????????


    The next day, Su Yu forgot all about the name card and got up to pack up and go the King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu.


    The Qingkes of King Zhao¡¯s family were very capable, they found two kitchen helpers yesterday evening. An Hongyi asked Su Yu to go to King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu every day and cook a dish for him.


    Su Yu instructed one of the helpers to learn to roast squid in the garden and the other to cook seafood porridge in the kitchen. He himself carried a plate of golden butterfly shrimps to make snacks for King Zhao.


    ¡°Wangye, don¡¯t you need to go to court?¡±


    ¡°My royal older brother is ill and won¡¯t go to court.¡± An Hongyi happily fed the cat while eating.


    The corners of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched, speaking of his elder brother''s illness, even if he was an ordinary person, he should at least pretend to be grieving.


    ¡°The restaurant will be decorated decorating today. You can go and have a look in the afternoon.¡± An Hongyi finished eating the last shrimp and the roast squid over there has been prepared.


    After a sip of tea, he grabbed a squid skewer and began to eat. ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s not as delicious as yours.¡±


    Su Yu gave some pointers to the helper to help him master the heat. He chatted with King Zhao about the decoration of the restaurant, and as he spoke, he also talked about the selection.


    He suddenly thought that since the emperor was still ill, this year¡¯s consort selection could also be postponed, which would save him some trouble.


    ¡°Consort selection?¡± An Hongyi blinked and glanced at the kitten on the table. ¡°Well, it depends on the mood of elder brother Emperor.¡±


    Remembering that Su Yu was also a merit noble, King Zhao laughed and said that Su Yu should go. The decoration of the restaurant will be completed in less than half a month, three months before the selection.


    Which was enough time for Su Yu to earn a lot of money to bribe the Zong Zheng Department. As for the royal family, he, King Zhao will certainly vote for Su Yu.


    Su Yu felt that talking about business with the unreliable King Zhao was simply asking for trouble. In the afternoon, he followed the Qingkes to East Street to see the decorations.


    Originally, the two-room tavern didn¡¯t need any complex decoration, and the focus was on the construction of the spiral staircase.


    The pawnshop downstairs originally didn¡¯t want Su Yu to build a wooden staircase outside, which would cover part of his storefront, but when he heard they were from King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu, he moved the warehouse overnight without saying a word, and also took the initiative to deliver water to the craftsmen.


    When Su Yu wanted to take back the two shops before, he talked to the pawnshop owner and was ridiculed by the head shopkeeper.


    ¡°We will be neighbors in the future, so we should help each other.¡± The smiling pawnshop shopkeeper seemed to be a different person compared to the shopkeeper from a few days ago.


    Naturally, the craftsmen invited by the King¡¯s Wangfu were among the best, more than a dozen craftsmen started to work at the same time, with such a speed that seemed to catch up with the decoration companies of Su Yu¡¯s previous life.


    In less than ten days, the installation was almost completed, and they will be ready to open in half a month.


    ¡°Sauce, get up. Today the restaurant unveils the plaque, you have to be the Lucky Cat!¡± Su Yu made breakfast and went back to the house to find the lazy cat who was still sleeping.


    The blue curtain swayed with the breeze. Su Yu opened the bed curtain with a smile and was stunned on the spot.


    The early morning sunshine poured in and brightened the simple wooden bed. The cat that used to sleep in the middle of the bed had disappeared and was instead replaced by an exceptionally handsome¡­ man.

 CH 13

    Chapter 13- Opening


    The man was wearing a thin white robe and was lying on his side on the quilt, looking like he was having a nice dream. His slender body curled up on the small wooden bed causing one to feel a bit wronged.


    It seemed that he was disturbed. His sword-like eyebrows gently drew closer and he opened his eyes slightly, glanced at Su Yu, turned over, then went back to sleep.


    Su Yu had no idea what was going on right now. He just went to make breakfast, and in less than half an hour, there was another person on the bed.


    ¡±Umm¡­Gongzi, excuse me, may I ask¡­¡±


    On the bed, the person who was sleeping in a relaxed manner was startled awake and slowly turned back.


    After looking at Su Yu, who was looking at him with a puzzled face, he looked at his body again, then suddenly stiffened.


    The air seemed to stagnate for a moment, the lying man sat up and looked straight at Su Yu.


    His eyes were very good-looking, crystal clear and bright, and the corners of his eyes were raised. However, at his moment, they were slightly narrowed, giving off a sense of danger.


    Facing those eyes, Su Yu had a feeling of being stared at by a beast. The hairs on the back of his neck began to stand up.


    ¡°Gonzi, you¡­ why are you in my room?¡±


    Swallowing his saliva, originally as the master, he should question the uninvited guest righteously, but at the moment he felt like he was in the wrong.


    ¡°Mine¡­¡± The man stood up, raised his hand, and there was a little golden fur on the cuff.


    ¡°Sauce!¡± Su Yu was startled and raised his hand to pull his sleeve.


    ¡°You are not allowed to let anyone know.¡± The man deftly avoided Su Yu''s touch, and his slender white hand pinched Su Yu¡¯s chin in turn.


    His voice was as clear as a cold mountain spring, pleasant to listen to, but it made people shiver.


    ¡°Otherwise, the whole Su family will be hard-pressed to survive.¡±


    Su Yu was completely stunned, he didn¡¯t understand how his cat would implicate himself and his whole family¡¯s lives.


    Before he could react, the man roughly pushed him away, leaping lightly and silently over the wall, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    ??????????????


    East Street was very lively today. The Seafood Restaurant was unveiling its plaque, and it naturally couldn¡¯t do without lion dances and acrobatics.


    As early as half a month ago, people were filled with endless curiosity about the spiral stairway built at the corner.


    Usually, when building a house, one had to pay attention to symmetry, the boards should be balanced left and right, and the carvings echo the top and bottom. It was rare to cut the boards of a wooden ladder into one big and one small like this.


    Now, the odd staircase had its paint dried and it was brightly displayed in front of the world. The vermillion railing was simple without any carving, the wide staircase spiraled like a swimming dragon. At the top was a small domed pavilion, which was very unique.


    For the grand opening ceremony, Su Yu had the two small chefs fry several baskets of squid rings overnight and carved a radish flower stamp.


    The visitors came forward and stamped the back of their hands, and then they received a squid ring. Things that don¡¯t need money were very popular in any era.


    As soon as the squid was carried out, the lion dance square was so packed that not one drop of water could trickle through.


    The capable Qingke of King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu was surnamed Yuan, everyone in the Wangfu called him Mister Yuan. As soon as Su Yu squeezed into the crowd, he was grabbed by Mr. Yuan, who was too busy to touch the ground.


    ¡°Young Master Su, you have arrived.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Wangye?¡± Su Yu looked around, searching for the figure of King Zhao.


    Only An Hongyi could solve his doubts about Sauce¡¯s affair. He knew that the cat seemed to be very important to the royal family, King Zhao made it clear that he could not disclose information about the cat.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Mr.Yuan pushed Su Yu upstairs and signaled the gongs and drums downstairs to change the tune.


    ¡°Go and unveil the plaque.¡±


    Su Yu stood at the top of the stairs and looked down, and soon found An Hongyi who was mixed in the crowd. At that moment, His Royal Highness King Zhao was huddled in the crowd, happily following everyone''s lead to the squid rings.


    He sighed helplessly, he couldn¡¯t be in a hurry at the moment, so he took the pole handed over by Mr. Yuan, and in accordance with the rhythm of gongs and drums, he lifted the red cloth off the plaque.


    In an instant, firecrackers roared, and people looked up one after another. The three gilded characters ¡°Xian Xian Mantang¡± were shining brightly in the sun.


    It was the first time he owned his own restaurant, exuberant was Su Yu, a man of two eras. He couldn¡¯t help feeling a little excited, but at the moment, just thinking about something else, his mood had been diluted a lot.


    On the surface, he looked stable and mature. Mr. Yuan looked at him, nodded secretly, made a gesture to the gong beater, and motioned for Su Yu to speak.


    ¡°The shop is open today. Except for tea, all dishes are half price. ¡± Su Yu straightened his back and said in a loud voice.


    The gongs and drums suddenly stopped as he spoke, and there was a moment of silence in the crowd.


    ¡°Good!¡± King Zhao, who was mixed in the crowd, shouted loudly.


    Everyone returned to their senses and one after another followed after him cheering loudly. The gongs and drums started once more and some food lovers took the lead to set foot on the revolving staircase, and the crowd swarmed up.


    It was a small restaurant with only two rooms, with ten square tables, large windows on three walls, and a counter on the windowless side.


    Su Yu rented a small courtyard in the rear of the house as a back kitchen. The original staircase was opened reversely and was just used for passing dishes.


    King Zhao didn¡¯t grab a seat, so he had to go around to the back kitchen and ask Mr. Yuan to give him another table in the courtyard.


    ¡°This Young Master Su is not a person of no particular talent, Wangye, sure enough, has a discerning eye, to find this pearl.¡± Mr. Yuan sat opposite An Hongyi and said in a low voice.


    Mr. Yuan, whose real name was Yuan Ce, was the most competent advisor in the Wangfu.


    This time, King Zhao said that there were important matters to be handled by him, Mr. Yuan worked diligently with a sense of loyalty to the royal family, but so far, he had not found any deep meaning other than opening a restaurant.


    But these days, all the ideas Su Yu put forward about how to operate the restaurant were amazing and impressed Yuan Ce, who was very knowledgeable.


    Today, seeing the business of the seafood restaurant was so good, he finally understood what the King¡¯s so-called ¡°Important Matters¡± refers to, that was, Su Yu!


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± An Hongyi nodded while eating. He was a once-in-a-century good cook.


    ¡°Wangye, I have something to tell you.¡± Su Yu glanced at Mr. Yuan.


    Regarding the cat, King Zhao explained that he should not talk about it in front of others.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go upstairs and have a look.¡± Mr. Yuan stood up wisely and went to the front to greet the guests.


    When Mr. Yuan left, An Hongyi looked around and frowned: ¡°Where is the cat?¡±


    The man and cat stick together every day, why is it missing today?


    ¡°A man suddenly appeared in my room this morning and took Sauce away.¡± Su Yu said urgently.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± An Hongyi hurriedly stood up.


    Su Yu quickly recounted what happened in the morning.


    After hearing Su Yu''s description, An Hongyi slowly sat back and coughed: ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. Since it¡¯s him, there is nothing to worry about. ¡±


    ¡°Wangye means¡­¡± Su Yu blinked.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably back where he used to be.¡± An Hongyi said vaguely.


    ¡±This cat is very important to the royal family. You can rest assured that you will see him again in the future.¡±


    As for the mysterious man in the morning, King Zhao seemed unwilling to talk more about it and urged Su Yu to cook quickly.


    Could it be that Sauce was the nation''s guardian mythical beast? Su Yu thought wildly while putting the prepared ingredients in the pot.


    The cat was abnormally clever, and it cannot be said that it really wasn¡¯t a spiritual creature.


    ¡°Master, we should cook all our good dishes at the opening day, why are we only serving two kinds of dishes?¡± The small chef was puzzled by Su Yu''s stipulation that he could only cook two dishes per day.


    Su Yu glanced at the 16-year-old cook and sighed. He thought to himself, child, it¡¯s not that I, your master, don¡¯t want to make money, it¡¯s just that I can¡¯t do everything by myself, and I already have my hands full.


    The two chefs were very clever, he didn¡¯t know where Mr. Yuan found them. Their skills were also good, but the short terms training had little effect, it will take some time to make the dishes in Su Ji¡¯s Recipes.


    At present, Su Yu still had to cook the main course alone, and the storage of sea goods was also a big problem in ancient times when there was no refrigerator.


    In order to save materials and physical strength, Su Yu simply stipulated that only two high-grade dishes were available every day, while other dishes, such as barbecue, seafood noodles, and seafood porridge were not limited.


    There was also ¡°White Boiled Shrimps¡±, this kind of dish only needs to be boiled and dipped in soy sauce so it was available every day.


    After a busy day, Su Yu returned home and stared at the wooden bed in a daze. He felt empty in his heart.


    It was his habit to look at the furball on the quilt, it usually slept in the middle, until Su Yu comes over, only then will he move aside a little bit, like giving alms to him, with a ¡°looking in pity and bestowing a reward¡± grandfatherly look.


    In this strange space-time of fear and unknown, Sauce was a spiritual sustenance for him. Now it was unexpectedly snatched, without even saying a goodbye¡­


    Su Yu lay on his stomach on the bed and remembered the strange man in the morning. King Zhao meant that the man would bring the cat back to the royal family, was it the Secret Royal Guard? Then why would the Secret Guard sleep while on assignment?


    ¡°It¡¯s also arduous to the Secret Guard to be on night duty, ba¡­ ¡±

 CH 14

    Chapter 14- Business


    ¡°First Royal Brother.¡± King Zhao put down the dried squid in his hand and greeted him with a smile.


    ¡±What wind brings you here?¡±


    ¡°When His Majesty returns to court, I will naturally be free.¡± The visitor was dressed in dark green clothes and he was around twenty-five years old.


    He was An Hongzhuo, King Mu.


    An Hongyi secretly rolled his eyes. He said this as if he had made great contributions when the Emperor didn¡¯t go to court. On the surface, he still happily asked him to sit down.


    An Hongzhuo didn''t sit down. He twisted up a piece of dried squid to take a look.


    ¡°Royal Younger Brother has gotten quite a lot of good stuff recently.¡±


    When the emperor returned to court, it happened to be the day of his coming of age ceremony. People came from all directions and offered a lot of rare treasures.


    With a thick skin, An Hongyi asked his brother for many amusing things at the family banquet the day before yesterday.


    An Hongyi scratched his ears, he had heard a lot of these sour words these two days, but it was rare to hear them from Hongzhuo¡¯s mouth.


    He glanced at King Mu¡¯s eyes which were more narrow than ordinary eyes. It¡¯s too narrow, I can¡¯t tell if there¡¯s any jealousy.


    ¡°I bought it on East Street, to experience some freshness. If First Royal Brother likes it, tomorrow I¡¯ll have someone send you a few pounds.¡±


    ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a small seafood restaurant on East Street, which sells very different things from others restaurants. Presumably, this is from that restaurant, right?¡± An Hongzhou said casually.


    ¡°First Royal Brother, who is always busy with many things, still knows this? ¡± An Hongyi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Why did this guy suddenly mention Xianmantang?


    Xianmantang was his, King Zhao¡¯s, shop, which was no secret in the noble circle in the capital. Because Su Yu¡¯s business was too special, it had attracted the attention of various forces since its opening.


    After a little inquiry, it was known that the big boss behind the scenes was King Zhao, and those people with evil intentions stopped. This was also the reason why Su Yu had to find a backer.


    Without the great banner of King Zhao, he could not open a restaurant.


    ¡°Recently, it has been widely spread all over Zhongdu. It is said that Xianmantang opened on East Street, and it¡¯s very unique. I have in mind to try something new.¡± An Hongzhuo looked at An Hongyi with a smile.


    The meaning was obvious, there were too few seats in Xianmantang hall, so they often had to queue up when they went there, but King Zhao, as the master behind the scenes, had a seat in the backyard.


    ¡°Haha, since First Royal Brother wants to go, I, the younger brother, will naturally accompany you.¡± An Hongyi smiled sincerely.


    ??????????????


    Near noon, East Street was very lively.


    Many people were already standing on the spiral staircase of Xianmantang. When the two Kings went to the top, they saw a clean and fair-skinned waiter standing under the dome pavilion with a stack of small bamboo tokens in his hands.


    Seeing the two of them approach, he handed over a token.


    ¡° These two guests, the seats inside are full. You will have to wait in line to eat here. If you don¡¯t want to wait, you can choose to take out.¡±


    An Hongyi took the bamboo token, and the word ¡°Qi(Seven)¡± was written on it. It meant that there were still six tables of people waiting in front of him.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll wait, ba.¡± An Hongyi sat down on the bench in front of the door and waved to his eldest royal brother to sit down, without any intention to open the backdoor.


    "Please hold onto it carefully. If they skip your number, you''ll have to wait in line again." The waiter reminded them expertly.


    When An Hongzhuo saw him act like this, a sneer hung on the corner of his lips.


    ¡°The backyard is too small. My original seat was torn down to dry fish.¡± An Hongyi explained in a low voice, smiling with a simple and honest face.


    Someone in front couldn¡¯t wait and choose the take-out. It wasn¡¯t long before it was their turn.


    Inside, there were two waiters in the lobby, dressed in the same brown uniform as the one in front of the door, decorated with a plump fish made with simple strokes on the back.


    The lobby of the two rooms had windows on three sides. The side without windows had a long counter. The shopkeeper sat behind the counter and said with a smile.


    ¡°Wangye, you came. What would you like to eat?¡±


    There was a big wooden sign on the counter, which said that today¡¯s main dishes were ¡°Shrimp with minced garlic¡± and ¡° Braised small yellow croaker¡±.


    The menu with small dishes was engraved on the counter, and even the price was engraved which was very detailed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have each of the main dishes, half a catty of boiled shrimp, a plate of Maxiang fish, and a pot of sour plum soup.¡± An Hongyi ordered some good dishes and handed over the money to the shopkeeper, those dishes cost nearly 400 copper coins.


    ¡°Okay, please take a seat.¡± The shopkeeper wrote down the orders and motioned them to take their seats.


    ¡°The sour plum soup here is very delicious, I can¡¯t drink enough of it every time.¡± The two sat down, and the waiter brought up the sour plum soup and the Maxiang fish. An Hongyi couldn¡¯t help drinking a cup first.


    Whenever a restaurant opened, drinks were the most profitable, but because you couldn¡¯t drink alcohol when one ate some kinds of seafood, for the sake of safety, Su Yu could only give up his plan of selling wine in Xianmantang. But normal drinks could still be sold.


    The sour plum soup made by boiling sour plums, crystal sugar, orange peels, and logan fruits was very popular. It cost seven copper coins a cup and eighteen for a pot, almost every table ordered it.


    Maxiang fish was a cold dish, it was fried fish sticks marinated with pepper and special seasonings and it was covered with a layer of sauce.


    It tasted spicy and had a long aftertaste, eating it made one¡¯s tongue numb and they couldn¡¯t help but eating it again and again.


    It was also a specialty there. Su Yu made a big pot every day, it could be served at any time by drizzling it with sauce.


    ¡°This is actually an interesting place, surely the His Majesty must like it.¡± An Hongzhuo said meaningfully.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±An Hongyi swallowed the shrimp in his mouth, then he reached out and pealed another one.


    ¡°The soy sauce here is different from other places, the shrimp only tastes delicious when it is dipped in this.¡±


    An Hongzhuo asked all sorts of questions during dinner, however, An Hongyi forgot everything when he saw the delicious food. He answered something that didn¡¯t match the topics. Afterward, he began to boast that the food was delicious and cut off the conversation.


    After eating, An Hongzhuo, on grounds of being busy with official business, separated from An Hongyi. An Hongyi watched King Mu go downstairs and slowly finished the last cup of sour plum soup. Then he got up and walked towards the kitchen in the back.


    ¡°Wangye you¡¯re here, why didn¡¯t you eat in the backyard?¡± Su Yu finished making the lunch dishes and was washing his hands preparing to go out.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to settle accounts when you bring a freeloader.¡± An Hongyi scratched his head.


    Su Yu smiled, took out an oilpaper bag from his sleeve, and handed it to him.


    ¡±I was about to go to your Highness Wangfu to find Wangye. This is a snack that Sauce likes, please bring it to him.¡±


    An Hongyi took the oilpaper bag, paused, and said:


    ¡°His Majesty has agreed to the Consort Selection. ZongZheng Department¡¯s reviewed the list today and it is estimated that there would be news in a few days.¡±


    Su Yu nodded indifferently, it had nothing to do with him no matter which angle he sees it.


    ¡°If you are chosen, you may be assigned by His Majesty to take care of Sauce.¡± Taking advantage of Su Yu¡¯s inattention, An Hongyi smelled the oilpaper bag in his hand.


    A tempting fragrance came to his nostrils and King Zhao felt hungry again even though he had just eaten his fill.


    ??????????????


    When An Hongyi returned to the Wangu, he saw the Imperial Guard in front of the Wangfu gate looking tense and when he saw him, he ran over and whispered.


    ¡±Wangye, the Emperor is here.¡±


    In the middle of the Wangfu¡¯s garden was a waterside pavilion. On the small bridge leading to it, there was a maid standing every three steps, each lowering their head, not daring to say anything.


    On the waterside pavilion, a man wearing embroidered robes and a jade crown stood with his hands on his back.


    ¡°I, your servant, the younger brother has seen the Emperor. Long live our Emperor.¡± An Hongyi quickly walked over and knelt down to salute.


    The man turned around, he had swordlike eyebrows and starry eyes, beautiful and extraordinary. He was the man that appeared in Su Yu¡¯s room that day.


    Glancing at King Zhao kneeling on the ground, he didn¡¯t allow him to get up. He waved his hand slightly and the eunuch on his side immediately understood.


    ¡°All retreat.¡± The palace eunuch commanded loudly and led the servants out. Soon the courtyard was cleared.


    ¡°Hand it over.¡± A slender and fair white hand reached out to King Zhao.


    An Hongyi honestly handed over the wrapped oilpaper bag in tribute. When the man turned around, he stood up consciously and watched his elder brother open the paper bag, revealing a crisp and delicious Xianbei pastry.


    It was Su Yu¡¯s snack fried with fresh shellfish and flour, each which was made to the size of a finger, which was convenient for Sauce¡¯s cat mouth to eat, and it was crunchy when chewing.


    King Zhao watched helplessly as his elder brother picked two pieces, threw them into his mouth, and ate them with relish. He then leaned over cheekily.


    ¡°Elder brother, is it delicious? Can you reward me with one?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unpalatable, he hasn¡¯t made any progress after so long.¡± An Hongche snorted coldly.


    Looking at the snack in his hand he thought, he even used a mold to make it into the shape of a small fish, he¡¯s really naive.


    If it''s unpalatable then why don¡¯t you give it to me! An Hongyi looked at his elder brother throw them one by one into his mouth, and he couldn¡¯t help curling his lips.


    ¡°If you want something fresh, you might as well go and see him.¡±


    ¡°What is there to see.¡± An Hongche finished the whole package of small fish cakes, wiped his hands, and glanced at his younger brother.


    ¡°What did An Hongzho go there for?¡±


    After listening to his brother¡¯s report, An Hongche was silent for a moment and then grabbed his little brother by the collar:


    ¡°Send more people and if something happens to Su Yu, I¡¯ll pluck all your hair out! ¡±

 CH 15

    Chapter 15-Name Card


    There was a night curfew in the capital, and the East Street was gradually deserted after supper time.


    Su Yu marinated the ingredients to be used for tomorrow, counted today¡¯s income, packed up his things, and left Xianmantang.


    In the alley outside the back kitchen, there wasn¡¯t a single soul in sight, and while walking on the road you could hear the echo of your own footsteps.


    ¡°Who?¡± A dark shadow passed behind him. Su Yu suddenly turned back but found nothing.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed and said to himself.


    ¡°Sauce, you won¡¯t come back to see me either¡­¡±


    It had been nearly a month since Sauce disappeared. At first, he was worried that the fierce Secret Guard was so rough that he couldn¡¯t take good care of his cat.


    Until King Zhao told him that he had seen Sauce in the palace and that the little guy was having a pretty good life, which made him feel a little relieved. But when Su Yu asked if Sauce was the nation''s guardian divine beast, King Zhao¡¯s expression was strange.


    With a sigh, Su Yu looked around again and turned to leave. His thin silhouette looked more and more lonely in the moonlight.


    After walking out of the alley, a touch of gold emerged from the thick leaves. His amber eyes were like colored glass in the moonlight, quietly watching Su Yu¡¯s back drift away.


    The Su family¡¯s house was still cold and cheerless. Although Su Yu had made a lot of money recently, he had not added any more servants to his house.


    After all, as a modern man, he doesn¡¯t need them at all. It seemed that life was getting tighter and tighter in the branch family, and two old servants had resigned in a row.


    He heard that his aunt still wanted to sell his uncle¡¯s yatou, which made a lot of noise.


    Su Yu was busy with Xianmantang everyday, he didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to these trivial things at home.


    He listened to Zhao Shi¡¯s words every morning when he got up, and most of them go in one ear and out the other.


    His uncle was sitting in the courtyard to cool off. When he saw Su Yu coming in, he coughed softly.


    ¡°Yu¡¯er, come here. Uncle has something to tell you.¡±


    Su Yu hadn¡¯t seen Su Xiaozhang for some time, he looked a little more haggard than before. He secretly thought that the matter of the title had taken a wrong turn again.


    Although he didn¡¯t like to see this uncle of his, he still showed a decent face, and he respectfully walked forward to salute.


    ¡°What can I do for you uncle?¡±


    ¡°The Zongzheng Department has posted an official notice, the Consort Selection is at the beginning of the next month.¡± Su Xiaozhang looked at Su Yu¡¯s face and was unable to make out his state of mind so he had no alternative but to go on.


    ¡°The royal family has always had few male Imperial Concubines. If you are chosen it¡¯s fine, but if not you¡¯ll lose face.¡± As he said this, he looked askance at Su Yu¡¯s expression.


    Seeing that he was still calm he couldn¡¯t help grinding his teeth. The little bastard didn¡¯t get caught up, did he really think he could be chosen in the selection?


    Su Yu naturally understood that his uncle was afraid that he would go to the Consort Selection and wanted to nip the problem in the bud. However, although his uncle¡¯s words were misleading, there was also a grain of truth.


    To let him, a man, participate in a beauty pageant and give people a good impression, with his lack of skills in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, he can only kill fish and cook. He would certainly be severely despised, and when he lost the selection, this would leave a dark mark in his second life.


    In the future, Xianmantang opened all over the country. When people talk about the rich history of boss Su Yu, they will say that this boy participated in the Imperial Palace¡¯s Imperial Concubine Selection, and was thrown out at the first pass. He was angry and worked hard to make his fortune and only then did he achieve what he is today.


    Seeing Su Yu¡¯s absent-minded appearance, Su Xiaozhang became angry and raised his voice.


    ¡°Do you know why so many noble children don¡¯t hand over their name cards? If they really participate in the selection, it will be a problem to talk about marriage in the future!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Su Yu gave a clear answer.


    ¡°Uncle is right. In that case, let¡¯s quickly persuade my cousin to get married, to avoid being ordered by the Zongzheng Department.¡± He didn¡¯t even hand over the name card, uncle¡¯s worry was superfluous, but Su Yu didn¡¯t intend to tell him so kindly.


    Su Xiaoxhang choked so much that he couldn¡¯t speak for a long time.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, this Nephew will go and have a rest first.¡± Su Yu was too lazy to say more, and after all the courtesy, he waved his sleeves and left.


    The room was empty, the night in late spring was a little cold. Su Yu lay on the bed and sighed.


    The Su family couldn¡¯t let him rest for a few days, he really didn¡¯t want to fight for the title of a third-class general. His dream was to open a chain of seafood restaurants, but no one understands it.


    In this strange time and space, probably only the kitten would listen to his nonsense.


    The sky gradually became gloomy, in the second half of the night the moonlight was covered by dark clouds, it was pitch black. It was a moonless windy killer night. Such a night made people inexplicably uneasy.


    Su Yu didn¡¯t sleep very well. In his sleep, he unconsciously grasped the quilt corner. In the middle of the night, he vaguely felt that someone was lifting his quilt.


    Suddenly, he opened his eyes and saw a small furball tucking its head on the quilt and trying to drill in.


    It¡¯s like waking up in the middle of the night to see Santa stuffing gifts into his socks. There was no better surprise than this!


    Su Yu held his breath, he could not see clearly without the moonlight, he just felt the fluffy guy burrowing into the quilt, turning directions flexibly, and revealing his small head.


    With some disgust, he pulled Su Yu¡¯s arm. After thinking for a while, he lay down and put his head on it.


    Just as he put his head in place, a pair of soft and warm lips pressed on the top of his head.


    ¡°Sauce!¡± Su Yu rubbed his mouth against his head and whispered.


    The kitten on his arm stiffened for a moment.


    He immediately lifted his paw and pressed it against the warm mouth. He rubbed his head against Su Yu¡¯s undershirt. Damn it, he got his hair wet again!


    ¡°Sauce, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re back!¡± Su Yu kissed the meat pad beside his mouth and tried to rub his belly excitedly.


    ¡°Meow!¡± The kitten on his arm couldn¡¯t bear it. He jumped up and crouched on the pillow, looking at him angrily.


    Stupid slave, how dare you be frivolous with Us!


    ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± Su Yu smiled foolishly. He put his face close to the cat¡¯s paw, looked up at the commanding cat, blinked his eyes, and whispered after a long time.


    ¡°Sauce, I miss you so much.¡±


    Stupid thing¡­


    The amber eyes were still cold, but a pair of furry ears had turned red. He shook his tail and turned around pointing his butt at Su Yu.


    Really, although I already knew that you stupid slave admired Us for a long time, it¡¯s really indecent to say so frankly.


    ¡°Where did that man take you that day? Do you really live in the palace? How did you get out?¡± Su Yu was immersed in the happiness of his recovery, sticking to the warm Maomao and muttering to himself.


    Hmph! Didn¡¯t you just want to win my pity by acting stupid in the alley?


    An Hongche shook his tail, lay on his paws, and yawned. Listening to Su Yu¡¯s mumbling voice he soon fell asleep.


    Tomorrow We have to go to court, We will get up before dawn. We have no time to listen to stupid slaves playing coquettish.


    The next day, Su Yu opened his eyes with happiness but found that there was nothing on the pillow and his heart felt cold.


    Was it a dream last night?


    After sitting in a daze for a while, he suddenly found a light on his hair. Looking down he saw several golden hairs twinkling in the morning sun.


    The corners of his mouth began to rise up. Su Yu took off the cat¡¯s fur and pinched it at his fingertips. At this time, he really believed that Sauce was not an ordinary cat, he had an extremely high spiritual nature.


    Is it really the nation¡¯s guardian divine beast¡­


    ??????????????


    After breakfast, he went to greet Zhao Shi as usual, and happen to meet Su Zhi who also came to pay respects to her.


    ¡°Second brother¡­¡± Su Zhi was still shy and hesitated as if she had something to say.


    ¡°Xiao Zhi, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Su Yu looked at his thin and weak little sister and couldn¡¯t help but lighten his tone.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Su Zhi bit her lip and took out a royal blue embroidered pouch from her sleeve, which looked like a man¡¯s style.


    ¡°For me?¡± Su Yu took it over and looked carefully.


    A cloud pattern was embroidered with a silver thread. It was simple yet exquisite. At the closing point, a silver soft rope was used to make a five good fortune(¸£) tie, which was very unique.


    ¡°I just learned to embroider a few days ago, the embroidery is not good enough.¡± Su Zhi twisted her sleeves, a little nervous.


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful, did you make this?¡± Su Yu was surprised.


    Speaking of it, Su Zhi has been studying needlework for less than a month, and with such achievements, she could be called a prodigy.


    ¡°Oh, tieing a string bag was something I could do before. ¡± Hearing the praise, Su Zhi¡¯s face finally showed a smile.


    When Zhao Shi heard their voices from the room, she came out and called them in.


    ¡°The Zongzheng Department has started to review the list, I think they¡¯ll come to announce it in a few days.¡± Although Zhao Shi was in the inner house, she got the information not slower than Su Xiaozhang.


    After looking at Su Yu, she was a little worried.


    ¡°Did you hand over your name card?¡±


    Of course, I didn¡¯t hand it over.


    Su Yu replied vaguely and said that he did. In fact, he still doesn¡¯t know which way the Zongzheng Department¡¯s gate opens.


    ¡°I have some summer clothes cut for you, take them and try them on.¡± Zhao Shi happily opened the cloth bag on the table and revealed several high-quality clothes inside.


    Xianmantang¡¯s business was booming. He made a net profit of more than 20 taels per day, excluding expenses. After 37 days, Su Yu can get seven or eight taels of silver, which was comparable to what he earned in two or three months when he sold fish.


    At last, the days were finally getting better. The clothes Zhao Shi cut for Su Yu were no longer limited to cheap hemp cloth and even he dared to buy a foot or two of silver brocade.


    ¡°I¡¯m in the kitchen every day, where do I use this.¡± Su Yu looked at the wide sleeves.


    He couldn¡¯t imagine how he looked wearing silk and satin sleeves and holding a ladle. The two little apprentices would probably die of laughter.


    ¡°It must look good on brother.¡± Su Zhi picked up a set of aqua blue clothes, her little face flushed with excitement. Girls were always interested in beautiful things.


    Unable to beat the mother and daughter, Su Yu had to change his clothes behind the screen.


    Su Zhi tiptoed to put a crown on him, two strands of tassels on the crown hung softly between the blue silk. The silver-bordered belt was buckled at the waist, and the water blue cheongsam was tightly tied and it was covered with a wide-sleeved muslin coat.


    The figure was slender and the face was like a crown of jade. In an instant, he had changed from a fish seller to a beautiful young master.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    yatou->servant girl / used deprecatingly, but sometimes also as a term of endearment


    Maomao->pet name for a baby or small child


    cheongsam->traditional Asian dress for men

 CH 16

    Chapter 16- Directory


    ¡°You look like this, if you don¡¯t hand over your name card, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll suffer a beating.¡± Zhao Shi''s eyes were full of amazement, she thought in her heart, it was true that people rely on clothes and horses rely on saddles.


    Su Yu¡¯s skin was fair, in fact, his facial features were not particularly brilliant, but they were put together just right. One more point and he would be too unyielding and one less would make him look weak.


    On normal days, he was covered up by coarse clothes and looked a little ashen. Now he changed his clothes and showed his warm eyes and eyebrows.


    If he had a handful of books in his hand, he would be certainly recognized as a talented scholar in the south of the Yangtze River.


    ¡°Get a caning?¡± Su Yu was stunned.


    Why was there such a saying? But no one ever told him!


    Zhao Shi nodded, her eyes full of smiles.


    ¡°In those days, Tong Yiniang was a famous beauty. You really look like her. ¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡± But Su Yu was not in the mood to listen to this now.


    His main concern was that he could be punished for not submitting his name card!


    Throughout the ages, all dynasties had different requirements for drafts. It all depended on the mood of the emperor.


    The people of the Da¡¯an Dynasty were relatively open. Su Yu always thought that this place was similar to the Song and Tang Dynasties, so he didn¡¯t care too much.


    Could it be that the emperor was like Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, and if there were any beauties in the family who refused to be sacrificed, they would be killed?


    Su Yu found that every time that he came to see his first mother, he would discover a new world and he was either surprised or frightened.


    Going back and reading the law book again, there was indeed a written record about the fact that the children of merit nobles must attend the selection, but it doesn¡¯t say that there was any punishment for not attending the selection.


    Su Yu was very distressed, if he was fined and he couldn¡¯t get married, it would be fine, but as a modern man who never suffered, he really couldn¡¯t bear to be beaten and whipped.


    ??????????????


    Xianmantang was open all day. It was not yet time to sell snacks and tea. The snack was seafood barbecue, and the tea was mainly sour plum soup and sweet ginger tea and they were all ready-made things.


    The shopkeeper and Su Yu were at leisure at this time.


    In fact, the shopkeeper was Mister Yuan. Because Su Yu¡¯s business philosophy was too advanced, Mister Yuan was afraid that the old shopkeepers wouldn¡¯t accept it, so he simply took the lead.


    In addition, King Zhao had not assigned any tasks to him recently, so he appeared behind the counter on time every day.


    When Su Yu threw a strategist, who was almost qualified to be the prime minister, into the restaurant as a shopkeeper, he inevitably felt that he was wasting natural resources.


    Seeing Mister Yuan smile and put the guest¡¯s change into his sleeve, he had a toothache. Sure enough, no one was perfect, Mister Yuan had such a strange habit of being a shopkeeper.


    Taking advantage of the half-hour free time, Su Yu invited Mister Yuan to have a rest in the backyard and try his new dishes.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Mister Yuan laughed when he heard Su Yu¡¯s distress.


    ¡°Young Master Su was right to ask me.¡±


    After thinking about it Su Yu could only ask Mister Yuan about the selection. Other people he knows are either not nobles or younger than him, and knew little about the rules of the Imperial Concubine Selection.


    ¡°The rules for selecting imperial concubines were set in the reign of Emperor Taizu. The name card was to be reviewed in a directory for the ZongZheng Department. In his early years, there were not so many noble children, so there was no need for name cards, ZongZheng Department reported the roster directly. Now the merit nobles had a large number of children, where good and bad looks and character were intermingled, and ZongZheng Department doesn¡¯t have that many people, that¡¯s why each family should take the initiative to hand in name cards¡­¡± Mister Yuan seemed to understand everything and spoke straightforwardly.


    He explained the process of selecting imperial concubines in every detail and even analyzed the hidden political factors.


    According to Mister Yuan, most of the nobles'' children were willing to participate in the Concubine Selection because of the strange rules of the Da¡¯an Imperial family.


    After all, once they were selected to the palace, the family title would be theirs and men couldn¡¯t have children. Of those who were released, if they were lucky enough to be granted a title in the palace when they left they would get a promotion in their title.


    To not participate in the Imperial Concubine Selection was to give up the chance to show up in front of the royal family, that is, to give up inheriting the title in disguise.


    Generally speaking, every noblewoman of the right age family will participate in the selection, while the men were the preferred heirs of the family, so usually, one or two individuals were enough, not everyone.


    Therefore, The ZongZheng Department mostly reviews the directory based on the name cards.


    Those who did not submit their name card will be ignored when there was no shortage of candidates.


    After filtering out the political things Mister Yuan said, Su Yu breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Zhao Shi was just joking.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Mister Yuan seemed to suddenly think of something, and then changed his words.


    ¡°If the ZongZheng Department suddenly became more serious, if you should hand over the name card but didn¡¯t, you would be punished with twenty canings.¡±


    Su Yu: ¡°...¡±


    After going back and forth, things went back to square one.


    At home, Su Yu overturned trunks and boxes for a long time but failed to find his lost name card, he was very distressed. If I had known it earlier, I would have submitted the name card.


    Anyway, it would be better to fool around and not be selected, than to be found out and beaten.


    ??????????????


    In Da¡¯an Imperial Palace, in the golden hall, there were red pillars with coiled dragons, carved beams, and painted rafters.


    On the Jiulong Throne sat the young emperor of the Da¡¯an Dynasty, dressed in bright yellow imperial robes, he held his forehead with one hand and listened absently to the minister presenting a memorial below.


    ¡°I inform the emperor that the ZongZheng Department has reviewed the name cards of the noble children, and the Ministry of Revenue has also submitted the directory of official children. The first round of the Concubine Selection is scheduled for the third day of September.¡± The official of the Ministry of Rites said, holding two rosters.


    The beautiful eyes, which seemed to be closed but not closed, opened slightly. After a pause, he said casually.


    ¡°Bring it up.¡±


    The directory of official¡¯s children was obviously much thicker than that of merit noble children.


    An Hongche frowned slightly, opened the registry of noble¡¯s children, glanced at it and closed it, then looked at the other directory, tapped on it with two fingers but didn¡¯t look through it.


    There was a moment of silence in the court hall.


    ¡°Your Majesty, there has been no Imperial Concubine Selections in the palace for three years. This minister thought that this time he should recruit concubines to fill the harem, and so this minister decided without authorization and allowed the children of officials below the third grade outside the capital to be included in the booklet.¡± The man standing at the head of the civil officials stepped forward and said.


    This person was Luo Maogong, the Prime Minister of the current dynasty, the crown prince''s grand tutor, and also the cousin of the Empress Dowager.


    There were too many officials outside the capital that it would be very costly to let their children participate in the selection. Everyone understood this truth, but no one in the court refuted it,


    An Hongche picked up the booklet and glanced at the people in the audience hall.


    The civil official all lowered their heads and dared not to talk, several military officers seemed angry but no one spoke.


    ¡°Crack~~¡± A crisp sound, which was very grating on the ear echoed in the hall where a needle falling could be heard and the thick booklet was torn to pieces in an instant


    ¡°With so many words, how can We see it!¡± An Hongche said coldly.


    ¡°September will wait, the Concubine Selection will be held on the third day of the next month, present the new directory tomorrow.¡± With that, he got up and left without waiting for everyone to react.


    Silence, a long silence.


    The civil and military ministers were all stunned on the spot, and the Prime Minister was even more frozen in place.


    ¡°Sirs, are you all intending to have lunch here?¡± The person standing above the prime minister, that is, the person under the imperial steps yawned, it was His Royal Highness King Zhao who hadn¡¯t quite woken up yet.


    Only then did the ministers of civil and military affairs react, saluting the empty throne and leaving the court.


    ¡°Brother Emperor has been willful for a long time. Uncle, take more care.¡± An Hongyi said happily when he came to Luo Maogong¡¯s side.


    Lu Maogong looked at the chubby King Zhao with a smile.


    ¡°The King¡¯s words are too serious. The emperor¡¯s dissatisfaction is naturally due to the incompetence of his subjects.¡±


    ??????????????


    The Imperial Concubine Selection will be held on the third day of next month and the sons and daughters of the officials outside the capital had no time to enter the capital.


    The ups and down in the court affected Su Yu¡¯s peaceful life, within a few days, the ZongZheng Department¡¯s directory came down.


    Su Yu was inviting King Zhao to taste the new dishes in the backyard when the only servant of the Su family stumbled in.


    ¡°Second Young Master, the family asks you to go back quickly. The ZongZheng Department sent people to announce the directory and requested you to go back and announce it again!¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡± Su Yu dropped the vegetable plate in his hand to the ground and looked at An Hongyi stiffly.


    ¡°Wangye, can you think of a way to help me make up the name card?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± King Zhao, who was eating happily raised his head blankly.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Yiniang->concubine


    overturned trunks and boxes-> to make a thorough search


    carved beams, and painted rafters-> a richly ornamented building


    Jiulong Throne-> Nine Dragon Throne

 CH 17

    Chapter 17- Accepting Apprentices


    The Zongzheng Department asked Su Yu to go back by name. There was only one possibility, that was, they found out that Su Yu had no marriage engagement and had not submitted his name card, so they directly pulled out the cane to make an example out of him.


    An Hongyi blinked.


    ¡°At this time the name cards are already submitted, daylily is cold.¡± How could Su Yu have come around to going to the Concubine Selection? Hadn¡¯t he been unwilling to go before?


    Su Yu sighed sadly, knowing it was wishfully thinking, he didn¡¯t want to go back. The possibility of running off with the money was quickly calculated in his mind.


    In the Da¡¯an Dynasty, all four oceans were peaceful, the population was well managed, and even the beggars on the street were recorded. Unless the fugitives occupied a mountain, they had to go through the government to buy land, houses, and for weddings and funerals.


    As a cook, Su Yu¡¯s probability of occupying a mountain was¡­ negative¡­


    After shaking his head and throwing away those unreasonable thoughts, Su Yu went to the counter and took some silver.


    He also told King Zhao that if he was caught, he had to remember to come to save him, then hurried home.


    An Hongyi listened to Su Yu¡¯s worried tone and was stunned for a long time.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with him?¡±


    Mister Yuan walked out leisurely.


    ¡°He was afraid that the Zongzheng Department would hold him accountable for not submitting the name card.¡±


    When His Royal Highness King Zhao heard this, he immediately burst into laughter, laughing until tears were about to flow out.


    ¡°This Su Yu is so amusing, hahaha¡­¡±


    Mister Yuan forgot to tell Su Yu that as long he wasn¡¯t a famous beauty known all over the country, no one would care about the fact that a man refused to participate in the selection.


    ??????????????


    The doors of the Su family residence were wide open, and everyone gathered in the lobby.


    The two officials of the Zongzheng Department stood in the middle, their complexion not particularly good.


    Su Xiaozhang accompanied them carefully in the front hall, the women sat behind the screen waiting for the announcement.


    ¡°He¡¯s not the master of the house, for what reason should we wait for him to come back?¡± Su Ying stood beside her aunt and mumbled in a low voice.


    She was born of a concubine, the Concubine Selection was her only chance to rise to power, how could she not be impatient.


    ¡°Yu¡¯er should know about the important matters of the Su family.¡± Zhao Shi said coldly.


    When she heard the two words ¡°Important Matters¡± Su Yung¡¯s chin immediately raised a few points.


    That¡¯s right, as long as she could enter the palace in this Concubine Selection, she would be the most important person in the family. Su Yu, that half-legitimate first wife''s son, would have to look up to her in the future, naturally, he should be aware.


    ¡°Why did you come back so late, you let these two Daren wait!¡± When Su Yu entered the front hall, his uncle was full of complaints, as he spoke he looked at the faces of the two officials.


    Ignoring his uncle, Su Yu took out two pieces of silver and went forward with a smile.


    ¡±The shop is far away, the two Daren have been waiting for a long time.¡±


    The two officials put away the silver very naturally, their faces still indifferent.


    ¡°Now that you returned, let¡¯s announce it.¡±


    Su Yu felt uneasy in his heart and thought that he was doomed so he wanted to bribe them in advance. He didn¡¯t expect to succeed by a lucky stroke.


    The officials of the Zongzheng Department came to publicize the directory, which was to have bonus silver.


    Seeing that the two were unmoved, Su Yu was even more at loss. Gritting his teeth, he took out two silver beads from his purse, which he had just extorted from King Zhao with the new dishes that day.


    ¡°Thank you for your trouble two Sirs, please take the seat of honor.¡±


    The two officials looked at each other, then they shared a smile and said.


    ¡°Young Master Su is young and promising, the future is limitless, ah¡±


    When his uncle saw this, his face became as black as a pot.


    Because the directory was approved by the emperor when the Zongzheng Departement came to announce the decree everyone should kneel down and listen.


    Su Yu asked the two Daren to stand in the seat of honor and then knelt down consciously, the people in the hall also knelt down one after another.


    ¡°...the directory checked by the emperor, Su Yu, and Su Ying from the Su family of the second-class general¡¯s residence are standing for the selection, they should go to the Zongzheng Department¡¯s front courtyard to register on the third day of the seventh lunar month¡­¡±


    Participate? Su Yu was dumbfounded, in the normal course of events, he either missed the selection or had to suffer a beating. How can he perfectly legitimately participate in the selection?


    The two officials of the Zongzheng Department said nothing. They smiled and congratulated Su Yu, and then went to the next residence, leaving Su Yu, who was puzzled, and his uncle, who had an unsightly expression.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, what¡¯s going on?¡± Su Xiaozhang angrily tore open the screen and Su Zhi gave a cry of surprise.


    Su Yu returned to his senses and immediately ran over quickly blocking in front of his first mother and concubine-born little sister.


    ¡°Uncle, what are you doing?¡±


    Zhao Shi got up in a leisurely manner and adjusted her dress.


    ¡°It¡¯s no more than going through the motions, there¡¯s no need for brother-in-law to be anxious.¡±


    Although in the Da¡¯an Dynasty you could choose a male imperial concubine, the conditions for choosing one were very harsh. All those who can be selected are Dragons and Phoenixes among the people.


    Most of the children of merit nobles go there just to go through the motions, if they are lucky enough to catch the Emperor¡¯s eyes, it would be helpful for their future.


    This was also why Su Xiaozhang tried his best to prevent Su Yu from going, Su Xiaozhang was the only one in the Su family who had been in contact with the nobles outside.


    Su Yu had been raised in the inner residence for many years and didn¡¯t know anyone, if Su Yu got any connections because of the selection, all his efforts over the last few months had been in vain.


    ¡°I said it well at the beginning, I gave you that shop and you gave up the title, now you are trying to have both!¡± Aunt Li pinched her waist and pointed at Zhao Shi¡¯s nose.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, there¡¯s no way. If you want to participate in the Concubine Selection, hand over Xianmantang!¡±


    Xianmantang¡¯s business was prosperous, now it was a household name in the capital. The whole branch family has been coveting it for a long time.


    Today, when they saw Su Yu¡¯s generosity, giving a few pieces of silver without even blinking, they suddenly couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.


    Su Yu looked at his eldest aunt as if he was watching an extraterrestrial being, this face was really thick-skinned.


    ¡°It was clearly written in black and white, that shop was Yu¡¯er private property.¡± Zhao Shi pulled Su Yu back lest Li Shi¡¯s saliva spay on his face.


    ¡°Besides, whether to go the Concubine Selection or not the Zongzheng Departement has the final say. When will it be your, Li Yunxiu, turn to dictate.¡±


    His uncle was red with anger, he couldn¡¯t give any reason to refute. After all, attending didn¡¯t equate to gaining nobility.


    It¡¯s a pity that the title was still up in the air after he had been running back and forth for the last few months. Those people of the Zongzheng Departement were waiting for him to give gifts, but there was nothing at home that can be taken out.


    Now that Su Yu¡¯s restaurant makes so much money and he¡¯s after going to the palace, if he meets some eminences and makes some arrangements, the title was in Su Yu¡¯s pocket!


    Only then did the uncle and his wife realize that they had been fooled by this mother and son pair, who seemed weak and easily bullied.


    Seeing that they were about to quarrel again, Su Yu rubbed his forehead and said with a headache:


    ¡°It¡¯s just me, even if I go, there¡¯s no use. It¡¯s a good thing that Ying¡¯er can go to the selection, I¡¯ll cook tonight and our family will have a good meal.¡±


    After all, they were all one family, and were going to cross paths regularly, they still needed face to get by. It¡¯s not a good thing to be so tense every day.


    As soon as Su Yu said this, the atmosphere softened, but his uncle¡¯s face was still ugly.


    Zhao Shi''s lips curled, who cares to eat with the people in the branch family? But she was in a really good mood, so she won¡¯t care about them.


    The happiest ones were Su Ying and her mother, at dinner in the evening, Su Yung consciously sat at the table with Zhao Shi and Li Shi, looking like an eldest daughter.


    ¡°Zhi¡¯er, come and sit too.¡± Zhao Shi waved to Su Zhi, who was still standing and asked her to come and sit down.


    Su Yu was the cook, in fact, he just went to Xianmantang to finish the dishes, then took the unsold food, and asked the waiter to bring them over.


    Xianmantang dishes weren¡¯t cheap, no one from the Su family has tried them yet. Seeing the delicacies from the mountains and seas on the table, cousin Su Ming¡¯s eyes straightened.


    Su Xiaozhang was even more upset when he looked at the table, I didn¡¯t expect this boy to be so capable. He looked at Su Yu, who was confident in his actions.


    He was very different from the child who could only be bullied by Su Ming.


    ¡°Uncle, let me propose a toast to you. Thank you for being willing to give me the family shop.¡± Su Yu poured a cup of rice wine for his uncle and served it himself first.


    Su Xiaozhang took the wine but didn¡¯t drink it. He kicked his son under the table.


    ¡°Who said it was for you? This shop belongs to the Su family, if you want to inherit the title, you must return the shop.¡± Su Ming¡¯s mouth was full of grease, he was kicked by his father and said immediately.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this title.¡± Su Yu¡¯s face was cold, and he looked straight at his uncle.


    ¡°I can¡¯t return back this shop, I sold it long ago. Now Xianmantang belongs to His Royal Highness King Zhao, I¡¯m just a helper.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Su Xiaozhang was surprised.


    ¡°You, you sold your ancestral property!¡±


    ¡°Uncle must be joking, I¡¯m not the head of the family, naturally, it cannot be considered ancestral property.¡± Su Yu poured himself another cup and frowned slightly.


    ¡°If you need my help with the title, Uncle, just say it. But just a word of advice, don¡¯t have any ideas about that shop.¡±


    To be honest, Su Yu was really not good at these house fights. He could only beat them in a courteous manner according to the method of modern people.


    He had put too much effort into Xianmantang, it was his capital to settle down in the world. He didn¡¯t want others to meddle at all.


    These blunt words, to Su Xiaozhang, sounded like an obvious threat, and he was so angry that his eyes turned red.


    ¡°Okay, okay, your wings are hard now, you have the ability!¡±


    After the meal, the conflicting views of the Su family still couldn¡¯t be solved. Su Yu knew that if the matter of the title could not be decided one day, his uncle and his family would not stop. But now he was too busy to pay attention to these things.


    The Zongzheng Department asked him to enter the palace on the third day of the next lunar month, the drafts in the past dynasties were not done in a day or two, and he didn¡¯t know how many days he¡¯ll be away, someone still needed to look after Xianmantang.


    As time was running out, Su Yu decided to teach the two small chefs seven courses each within one month. In this way, two main courses would be available every day, which should last a long time.


    ¡°From today on, I will teach you how to cook.¡± In the afternoon, Su Yu called the two chefs and said seriously.


    ¡°These are my Su family¡¯s heirloom dishes, I hope you can learn them by heart.¡±


    The two chefs looked at each other, their eyes full of surprise, then they knelt down together.


    The culinary arts have always adhered to the ancient rituals until modern times, when Su Yu was apprenticing to his teacher, he also kowtowed and offered tea, so he did not refuse the salute of the two chefs, and asked the waiter to bring tea.


    ¡°Today I officially accept you as my disciples, I will rely on you in Xianmantang in the future.¡±


    The two small chefs, Zhang Cheng and Wang Feng, were both peasants with clean family backgrounds and were clever and quick-witted.


    After completing the teacher worship ritual and receiving a salute, Su Yu gave each of them a strange-looking knife.


    Looking at the excitement of the two people, Su Yu felt a little guilty. He asked a blacksmith to make them according to the scale removing knife of the 21st century. They looked like that, but it wasn¡¯t really worth a lot of money.


    However, facing the adoring eyes of the two teenagers, Su Yu felt like a teacher for the first time. In modern times, I didn¡¯t have time to take in disciples, but in ancient times, I took two disciples instead, it¡¯s really good fortune.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    daylily-> In China, the daylily is associated with forgetfulness and loss of memory, or in some situations, they symbolize "forgetting worries." They are often gifted when someone is having a little bit of a rough patch so that they can overcome and move on.


    Daren-> Title of respect toward superiors

 CH 18

    Chapter 18- Conspiracy


    One month¡¯s time is limited, in order to cultivate his disciples quickly, Su Yu arrived early every day at Xianmantang. The two disciples were also very diligent and simply lived in the back kitchen.


    Watching the two of them make a bed on the floor in the utility room, Su Yu couldn¡¯t bear seeing it anymore.


    After discussing with Mister Yuan, he rented a small courtyard next door with three rooms, making it into a large bunkhouse, enough for two apprentices and a few young boys to live in.


    Speaking of it, Xianmantang¡¯s servants were all transferred from King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu, and the expenses were paid by the Wangfu. Su Yu looked at the accounts carefully and felt that it was inappropriate to do so.


    He wanted to cooperate with King Zhao for a long time and it was bad in the long run to take advantage of others.


    ¡°The new waiter has already been recruited, there¡¯s no need to trouble yourself.¡± Mister Yuan stopped Su Yu from dividing the accounts.


    ¡°They are domestic slaves, and it was impossible for them to leave King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me who¡¯s confused.¡± Su Yu suddenly realized that although the slaves on the Wangfu were slaves, it was a position that many were unwilling to give up.


    In the eyes of others, the waiter in the restaurant and the slaves in the Wangfu naturally couldn¡¯t be mentioned in the same breath.


    The new waiter was still in training and could take up his post in a few days, Su Yu was not good at this, so he handed it all over to Mister Yuan.


    But he repeatedly explained that the accounts in the future should be clearly separated, he couldn¡¯t let Wangye suffer any more losses, and then he could concentrate on teaching his two apprentices.


    One month should be enough for each of the two apprentices to learn seven dishes.


    The most difficult thing in cooking was controlling the temperature and seasoning. Time was pressing, so Su Yu matched the seasonings of these fourteen dishes and put them in different cans, in which were marked the dishes to use on.


    What Zhang Cheng and Wang Feng needed to learn was to control the temperature and how to handle the ingredients.


    Seafood ingredients were more particular than other ingredients. Where they can be eaten, where can they be used for the soup base, where should they be cut in advance and the order of priority cannot be wrong.


    Su Yu chose simple fish, shrimp, and scallops, it wasn¡¯t difficult to make 14 dishes with these main ingredients.


    ¡°Today I¡¯m making fried shrimp marinated in soy sauce.¡± Su Yu took out a pot of shrimps and gave it to Zhang Cheng asking him to pick the shrimp line.


    Fried shrimp with soy sauce was not simply fried with soy sauce, in the era Su Yu lived, chefs were often lazy and used the prepared Meiji sauce directly. There wasn¡¯t any industrial-produced Meiji sauce here, so it needed to be prepared by hand.


    ¡°The most important thing in seafood cuisine is not after cooking, but prior to cooking.¡± Su Yu checked the processed shrimp and handed a pile of seasonings to Zhang Cheng.


    To get rid of the fishiness, you need cooking wine, and naturally, there was no cooking wine in Da¡¯an Dynasty.


    When looking through Su Ji¡¯s recipes, he found that many dishes contained a seasoning called ¡°Hua Diao¡±.


    Hua Diao, also known as flower carving wine, was a kind of yellow rice wine. Su Yu bought Hua Diao wine in East Street, and there were more than a dozen kinds of yellow rice wine, such as Zhuangyuan Hong, Jintan wine, Hua Baiyang, and more, and he tried them all.


    He found that these kinds of yellow rice wines had basically the same effect on removing fishiness, he didn¡¯t know why the ancestors of the Su family only wrote Hua Diao wine, which made him guess for several days.


    Minced garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, pepper, and yellow rice wine, first the seasoning should be ready, remove the head of the fresh shrimp, marinate it in the seasoning for half an hour, and then drain it well before putting it into the pot.


    This was the first time that Zhang Cheng looked carefully at Su Yu processing ingredients, he saw the slender white fingers flying, spreading the ingredients, dispersing powder, and dropping sauce, it was a set of movements like moving clouds and flowing waters.


    It was like performing a superb tea ceremony, and he couldn¡¯t help but be fascinated by it.


    There were always some people who looked ordinary when they were at leisure, like Su Yu, their appearance could only be regarded as above average, and their life was also mediocre.


    However, when they stepped into their field they can instantly become peerless, with an unmatched radiance.


    ¡°Can you remember?¡± Su Yu stopped and asked his little apprentice.


    ¡°Shifu, why do I feel like you''re not cooking, but rather¡­¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡± With a crisp sound, the conversation between master and disciple was interrupted.


    Looking up, he saw that a small basin of flour originally used to make snacks was knocked over to the ground. A furball covered with flour looked very angry.


    While sneezing, it didn¡¯t forget to ruthlessly slap away the basin that dared to be in his way.


    ¡°Sauce!¡± Su Yu¡¯s eyes lit up, and he ran over in three steps and picked up the white kitten.


    Stupid slave! His amber eyes were full of anger.


    An Hongche lifted his paw and slapped Su Yu¡¯s hand away, struggled to jump back to the chopping board, and shook his fur vigorously.


    Damn it, marinated shrimp is marinated shrimp, who are you showing that seductive look for!


    Looking at Zhang Cheng who was stunned at the side, the anger in His Majesty¡¯s heart was even stronger, and he couldn¡¯t help but bare his teeth at him.


    ¡°Be good, be good, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Su Yu held the kitten up again with a smile and leaned over to kiss the flour-stained cat¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s wash it or you¡¯ll feel uncomfortable.¡±


    Wretched, wretched thing!


    Using his usual means, the flour cat in his arms really stopped moving. Su Yu touched the cat¡¯s head with satisfaction and instructed Zhang Cheng to marinate it again, leaving his apprentice to bathe the cat.


    The weather was getting hotter and soon it was noon, so Su Yu was not afraid of freezing.


    He took a small wooden basin, scooped a ladle of hot water from the steamer, and mixed it, then tested the water temperature before putting the furball in.


    The depth of the water was just right, lying on his stomach can completely submerge his body. Master Cat lay down comfortably and pillowed his head on the edge of the basin.


    ¡°Sauce, why did you run out at noon?¡± Su Yu had not seen this little guy in the daytime for a long time and he came twice in the middle of the night this month.


    Now looking carefully, he seemed to be a circle bigger than before.


    The kitten, who was squitting and enjoying his bath, lifted his eyelids and looked at him. He lifted his front paw and the tactful cat slave immediately grasped it and carefully cleaned the flour paste in the paw seams with his fingertips.


    Today is a day of rest, We came to take a bath! An Hongche yawned and answered casually.


    However, this sentence sounded like ¡°Meow meow meow¡± to Su Yu, he didn¡¯t understand it at all, but he was still chatting happily.


    ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll cook something delicious for you later, it¡¯s when you are growing up that you should eat more¡­ Hey, by the way, do you remember where I placed my name card? I didn¡¯t hand it in at all, why did the Zongzheng Department order me to go to the selection?¡±


    An Hongche didn¡¯t bother to pay attention to him anymore, and just let him ramble on there.


    After washing the cat, Su Yu wiped the Master Cat from head to toe with a cloth towel.


    Maomao''s fur was half dry and afraid of it being blown by the wind, he simply took another dry cloth and wrapped the cat and took him in his arms.


    An Hongche uncomfortably broke away from the cloth towel and rubbed his damp fur on Su Yu¡¯s shirt.


    It was already summer, and Su Yu didn¡¯t wear anything else except that shirt, the feeling of his skin was transmitted through the soft wet clothes, and His Majesty couldn¡¯t help but freeze for a while.


    ¡°Boss, something happened in the front.¡± The waiter who passed the dishes hurried over.


    ¡°A man claims to be your elder brother and wanted to keep an account, but Mister Yuan refused so he make an uproar for you to come.¡±


    Su Yu frowned and raised his hand to take out the cat in his arms so that he could check the situation.


    An Hongche, who was in a daze, subconsciously grabbed Su Yu¡¯s clothes with a claw, as a result, he couldn¡¯t take him out. Su Yu, who had always been used to him, didn¡¯t force it, so he simply took the cat to the lobby.


    Sure enough, Su Yu¡¯s cousin Su Ming was standing in front of the counter, shouting endlessly, and the guests in the lobby watched the excitement while eating.


    ¡°Su Yu, you speak, am I not your elder brother?¡± Seeing Su Yu coming, Su Ming immediately became more energetic and banged the table.


    These days, Su Ming couldn¡¯t bear to see Su Yu¡¯s flushed with success complacent expression. He wanted to come here to eat and drink for free, and after wiping his mouth he would put it on Su Yu¡¯s account and make him suffer a loss.


    On Xianmantang one had to pay before eating, and the shopkeeper was very stubborn, he just refused to put it on Su Yu¡¯s account.


    Seeing that the people in the lobby began to laugh at him in whispers, Su Ming, who became angry from embarrassment, couldn¡¯t help losing his temper.


    Su Yu had a headache and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Mister Yuan, as I said, anyone who makes trouble will be sent to the government.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Mister Yuan smiled. ¡°I already asked someone to invite people from the Yamen.¡±


    ¡°Su Yu, what do you mean!¡± As soon as Su Ming heard that he went to invite the Yamen, he was suddenly and little flustered.


    Unwilling to show his cowardice, he bluntly grabbed Su Yu¡¯s shirt.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Just as he approached, a sharp claw scratched a deep bloody mark.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disturb the guest¡¯s meal. Today, everyone here will be given a pot of sour plum soup.¡± Su Yu calmly patted the furball in his arms and cupped his hands at the crowd.


    In front of a table by the window, An Hongzhuo stared at the tuff of golden fur exposed on Su Yu¡¯s shirt, and a playful smile appeared in his long and narrow eyes.


    Turning around, he looked at Su Ming, who was still swearing after being kicked out by the waiter, and slightly raised his chin.


    ¡±Follow him.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Someone nearby answered and walked away, following Su Ming¡¯s footsteps, he gradually disappeared on the bustling East Street.


    ??????????????


    In the evening, Su Yu finished the last dish, rubbed his sore shoulder, and turned his head to look at the golden kitten who was concentrating on catching fish by the fish tank. He couldn¡¯t help smiling.


    ¡°Sauce, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    The golden furry ears moved, and An Hongche looked up at him. In the warm candlelight in the kitchen, the not-so-handsome face became softer and softer.


    He loosened the fishtail he had just hooked and shook his paws. Really, just because We favor you, you cannot act coquettish in front of others.


    Back at Su Residence, Su Yu''s courtyard was dark.


    Just after stepping into the courtyard, the kitten in his arms suddenly jumped over his shoulder, at the same time, there was a muffled sound behind the door and a dark figure rolled out.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± The shadow fell to the ground and let out a cry.


    ¡°Su Ming? Why are you here?¡± Su Yu lit a candle and saw the person on the ground.


    It was Su Ming, his cousin who made trouble during the day. He guessed that he had been hiding in the dark just now. Somehow, he missed his step and fell down, he also held a net bag in his hand, not sure what for.


    Su Ming¡¯s face was pale. He looked nervously at the obscure corner and glanced at Su Yu again, then ran away.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Su Yu scratched his head, he didn¡¯t think that Su Ming was hiding in his house to do anything good, it was either to steal money or to beat him, but why did he fall out on his own and get scared?


    Standing on his shoulder, An Hongche¡¯s eyes were full of cold light.


    He wanted to catch Us with a rabbit-catching net bag, it was truly wishful thinking.


    The next day, Su Ming fell ill and his eldest aunt refused to let go, saying that he fell down in Su Yu¡¯s house and got hurt.


    Su Yu was so annoyed that he simply didn¡¯t return home, and just directly lived at Xianmantang to stay away from the filth and unrest of the world.


    In the twinkling of an eye, it was the third day of the seventh lunar month the day of the Imperial Concubine Selection.


    Zhao Shu called Su Yu back the day before and taught him in a hurry.


    She reminded him to make more friends with those noblemen and put away a few sets of clothes and accessories for him.


    At the beginning of the morning, Su Xiaozhang had already driven a donkey cart to send Su Ying to the ZongZheng Department. Su Yu missed the donkey ride so he could only walk over with his baggage.


    When he arrived at the front yard of the ZongZheng Department, many noble children were already there in groups of twos and threes, all dressed in brocade and beautiful clothes.


    Su Yu didn¡¯t know anyone, so he could only shrink in the corner like a quail.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Meiji sauce->a type of soy sauce


    Hua Diao->Flower Carving/ Shaoxing yellow wine


    set of movements like moving clouds and flowing waters->natural and unforced


    Shifu->Master


    Yamen->government office in feudal China

 CH 19

    Chapter 19- Entering the Palace


    The women all went to the backyard, and the palace maids came to meet them. The men gathered in the front yard and entered the palace with the Zongzheng Department officials.


    Standing in the corner, Su Yu found that most people were empty-handed, some were even fanning fans gracefully, and only he had foolishly carried a burden.


    ¡°Who is that, he¡¯s actually carrying his luggage.¡± Someone discovered the unique Su Yu as if they were seeing something strange.


    The first round of the Imperial Concubine Selection began today. Only those who passed the first round stayed in the palace. The luggage of the nobles could be sent to the palace''s gate by their servants once it was settled.


    Only those who had no servants like Su Yu would carry big bags and small parcels by themselves.


    ¡°It seems to be the concubine son of the Su family, the one who opened the restaurant.¡± Someone recognized him and couldn¡¯t help sneering.


    ¡°The Su family is so dilapidated, it looks like this and they still have the nerve to come to the selection¡­¡±


    ¡°A fish seller, hahaha¡­¡±


    Several teenagers not far away pointed at Su Yu. One of them never said a word, when he saw someone laughing out loud, he frowned slightly.


    ¡°The Zongzheng Department officials are coming, don¡¯t make any more noise.¡±


    ¡°Shizi is right.¡± The man laughing stopped immediately, and the several teenagers around him also restrained themselves a little.


    Su Yu glanced at the man, he was tall in stature and his face was cold and solemn. Listening to other people¡¯s conversations, he seemed to be the Duke Lu¡¯s son.


    The title of nobility was passed down from generation to generation. If there were no further meritorious services, it was supposed to be demoted and inherited.


    Only a few real founding heroes had been granted a hereditary title, and Duke Lu was one of them.


    Duke Lu''s official surname was Gao, and all men practiced martial arts and were a family of valiant generals. The current Duke Lu''s grandfather still had no problem fighting and killing enemies.


    This kind of Gao family was the true nobility!


    Su Yu looked at the genuine ¡°True¡± Gaofushuai, and it was hard to imagine how such a person could marry into the palace to serve the Emperor.


    Sure enough, this selection was to rope in contacts, and the focus was on women.


    As a quail carrying a burden ready to be ridiculed at any time, Su Yu didn¡¯t plan to make friends with anyone. He simply took out the small fish cakes that he made in the morning and ate them with relish.


    His Sauce was in the palace, in order to please the Master Cat, he specially made many snacks, looking forward to meeting it in the palace.


    Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi glanced at Su Yu casually. Seeing that he was eating as if no one else was around, he couldn¡¯t help twitching the corners of his mouth.


    Not long after, the officials of the Zongzheng Department appeared. They politely read out today¡¯s process to the people, then gave each person a wooden token with their name engraved on it.


    After rechecking their identity they arranged for everyone to get on a carriage. The Zongzheng Department prepared a special carriage, which was brought into the palace by the Zongzheng Department Deputy himself.


    With a fragrant imperial canopy, all sides and angles were detailed and fine. One by one, carriages passed through the lofty Palace Road, going to the magnificent imperial palace.


    The carriages of the noble children were in front, followed by the sons of the officials of the ministers of civil and military affairs, entering the palace from the Shenwu Gate. The women¡¯s carriage followed, turning in front of the Shenwu Gate and diverting into the Shunzhen Gate, and did not meet the men. So Su Yu never saw his cousin Su Ying.


    ??????????????


    Entering through the Shenwu Gate, there was a wide plaza. Everyone got off the carriages and a eunuch about 40 years old stood in front of them, saluting them with a smile.


    ¡°Yang Gonggong, I trust you have been well since we last met.¡± Changchun Marquis¡¯s Shizi returned the salute with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m thankful for your thoughts, Shizi.¡± The old eunuch surnamed Yang smiled with a wrinkled face and also greeted Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi.


    The latter just nodded and didn¡¯t say much to him. The old eunuch didn¡¯t care and cleared his throat, then he began to read the rules of the palace.


    These ¡°True Gaofushuai(TL_Note: Tall, rich, and handsome)¡± were already familiar with these rules, but it was the first time Su Yu heard it and the feeling was very novel.


    The Imperial Concubine Selection was divided into four rounds, and it will take at least ten days to finish the selection.


    During this period, the ladies lived in Xianglan Palace, and they, uh, handsome males, lived in Xunyang Palace. During this time, they couldn¡¯t step out of the Xunyang Palace without being summoned.


    All kinds of rules added up, not to mention seeing the Emperor, it was likely that they couldn¡¯t even see a senior eunuch.


    Su Yu touched his chin, so the scenes where the beauties bumped into the Emperor in those TV dramas of his previous life were nonsense after all.


    The Imperial Palace in Da¡¯an Dynasty was divided into the Outer Court and Inner Court. State affairs and court affairs were handled in the Outer Court, while the concubines lived in the Inner Court, separated by a vast imperial garden.


    The area occupied by both sides was about the same, even if the area of the Outer Court was a bit bigger. The Xunyang Palace they were going to was within the scope of the Outer Court.


    Except for the main hall of the Xunyang Palace, the rest of the buildings, which surrounded the main hall, were three-story high.


    When the crowd arrived at the main hall, there were already many eunuchs waiting there. Three men in official uniforms stood behind a long table, and the first round of the primary election was about to begin.


    This primary election, in Su Yu''s opinion, was a roll call plus a simple physical examination. Everyone took their nameplates and went forward in turns to answer several questions, and check their identities.


    At the same time, some of them would be screened out. Those who were ugly or disabled would have their nameplates taken away directedly.


    Su Yu watched a man with a beard being ruthlessly eliminated, he was still unreconciled and wanted to reason.


    He immediately felt that he had a correct attitude for participating in the selection, at least he remembered to shave before going out.


    The order of the standing positions was also exquisite, those with high family status were in front. After the primary election, one could go to the side hall to choose where they wanted to live for the next few days.


    When Su Yu arrived at the table, there were only a few people left.


    ¡°Surname and given name.¡± The official of the Ministry of Rites looked up at him absently and ticked ¡°Upper-Middle¡± in his appearance.


    ¡°Su Yu, courtesy name Jintang.¡± Su Yu respectfully replied.


    Glancing at the pamphlet on the table he found that there were three levels of ¡°Superior¡±, ¡°Top Quality¡± and ¡°Stunning¡± above ¡°Upper-Middle¡±.


    Except for that Marquis Changchun''s Shizi who was marked ¡°Stunning¡±, the rest were basically ¡°Upper-Middle¡± and ¡°Lower-Middle¡±. Even the highest-ranking Duke Lu Shizi was only ¡°Top-Quality¡±.


    It seems that the inside story was not too dark, Su Yu thought absentmindedly.


    He had seen Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi at the Shenwu Gate, with a face like a crown of jade, he was indeed a beautiful man, if this was not ¡°Stunning¡±, then what was?


    A face suddenly flashed in his mind, the facial features so exquisite that they were almost flawless. It was the Secret Royal Guard who took Sauce that day¡­


    Su Yu suddenly sympathized with the Emperor, he regarded a powerful man like Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi as a ¡°Top-Quality¡± resource, but he didn¡¯t know that the real beauty was hidden in a corner he couldn¡¯t see, what a waste of natural resources!


    ¡°Next.¡± Just as Su Yu was wondering, he has passed the primary election.


    His Zongzheng Department token was taken away and replaced with a more exquisite waist token with a long cyan tassel, while the children of officials over there received a waist token decorated with a blue tassel.


    Outside the main hall, a eunuch instructed Su Yu to go east.


    The old eunuch surnamed Yang stood under the East building, seeing Su Yu¡¯s leisurely approaching appearance, his face showed a little impatience.


    ¡°Young Master Su is late, so please stay in room 13, Xuanzi. ¡±


    ¡°Gonggong, room 13¡­¡± The little eunuch next to him heard his words, he looked at Su Yu and was a little hesitant.


    Yang Gonggong raised his eyebrows and said slowly.


    ¡°Tianzi¡¯s rooms are full, and besides Xuanzi''s rooms not facing the sun, the rest is the same.¡±


    Speaking of this, there was a reason, even third-class Tianzi¡¯s rooms were full.


    The Xuanzi¡¯s rooms were not facing the sun, those that can choose naturally want to live better, and naturally they have to pay some benefit fees.


    Su Yu naturally understood, but he didn¡¯t intend to spend this unjust money, so he pretended not to know.


    ¡°No harm, it¡¯s the same wherever you live. Thank you for your trouble, Gonggong.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± The old eunuch snorted coldly and threw him a key.


    Xuanzi No.13 was in the corner of the first floor, sure enough, it was not exposed to the sun at all. When he opened the room, a damp smell blew against his face.


    After all, it was the Imperial Palace. In fact, the conditions were very good, at least better than Su Yu¡¯s own room. Except for some moldy spots in the corner, the furniture was just a bit damp.


    Su Yu put his bag down on the table, threw himself on the bed, and stretched out.


    He finally realized what meant ¡°no weight on a long journey¡±.


    Carrying a burden that wasn¡¯t too heavy in his hands for a whole day could also tire people out.


    The courtyard gradually became lively, and the servants of the noble families the luggage and the little eunuchs were busy delivering the luggage to all rooms and packing up, but no one came to pay attention to Su Yu, and so he fell into a deep sleep.


    When he woke up, it was already dark. Su Yu got up and touched his stomach, unexpectedly, no one came to call him to dinner. He opened his window and looked¡­ He couldn¡¯t see anything.


    Because the window of his house was facing the courtyard wall, after opening the window there was the wall.


    Looking up bored, Su Yu saw a flash of gold jump on the wall, and his eyes suddenly lit up.


    ¡°Sauce!¡±


    The golden furball stumbled on its feet and almost fell down. He glanced at Su Yu, who kept waving foolishly. An Hongche was furious.


    Stupid slave, even arriving at the Imperial Palace, you actually dare to call Us by this name!


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Shizi->heir of a noble house


    Lu->vassal state at the time of the Zhou Dynasty


    Gaofushuai->Mr. Perfect/tall, rich, and handsome


    Shenwu Gate->Gate of Godly Prowess


    Gonggong->Eunuch

 CH 20

    Chapter 20 - Qinwang


    Su Yu didn¡¯t expect to see Sauce on the first day of entering the palace.


    He rubbed the cat excitedly for a long time, and ultimately, he was knocked down on the bed by the paw of His Majesty, who was at end of his patience.


    ¡°Sauce, how did you know I was here?¡± Su Yu lay on the bed like a corpse, using his nose to reach the cat¡¯s tail that was above his head.


    The tail was hanging softly in front of him, and when he stretched his neck to touch it, it would suddenly move away. This was a very boring game but Su Yu was having fun.


    An Hongche stood on top of Su Yu¡¯s head and looked curiously at the upturned lacquer layer on the bed column. He stretched his paw and scratched it, the lacquer layer shook, scratched it again and it shook again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat something first, I brought you something delicious.¡± Su Yu sat up, picked up the cat who was on top of his head into his arms, peeled off the lacquer layer, and threw it aside, so as to not fall on his face in the middle of the night and scare him.


    An Hongche flicked his tail, jumped onto the only table in the room, and looked around condescendingly.


    The room was very dark, and no one came to light the lamp, but this didn¡¯t affect the cat¡¯s vision at all. Old furnishings, furniture with paint falling off, half-used bed curtains, and mottled mildew spots on the wall, all of this looked terrible.


    The air was full of a damp smell, An Hongche shook his fur, he was very displeased. He didn¡¯t expect that there was such a shabby palace room in the Imperial Palace, how did those dogs do things!


    When almost all the rooms were lit, only then did a small eunuch slowly sent Su Yu a candle and told him to put out the candles on time, to not violate a taboo.


    Su Yu didn¡¯t care, when he was in the Su Residence he often didn¡¯t light candles in order to save money. After thanking the little eunuch, he took out the cat hidden in his sleeves.


    He brought out the small fish cakes and enjoyed the comfort of feeding the cat happily.


    Knowing that cats didn¡¯t like this humid environment, Su Yu used the only candle to heat the pillow, so that Master Cat could sleep more comfortably.


    An Hongche scratched the pillow in disgust, scratching the thread of the embroidery, that already wasn¡¯t very strong, until Su Yu lay on it, and then reluctantly wrapped himself around his neck.


    Stupid slave, without Us at your side, you¡¯re really getting worse and worse!


    Su Yu rubbed the warm fur on his neck.


    ¡°Sauce, if only you could stay with me all the time.¡±


    Really, acting spoiled again!


    An Hongche turned his head and wagged the tip of his tail slightly.


    There¡¯s really nothing We can do about you, but it¡¯s no use acting coquettishly. If you want to be Our person, you have to really on your own ability. We will never play favorites!


    ??????????????


    Before dawn, An Hongche left.


    Today, the second election will begin. Due to the early morning court, the officials and the royal clan members were basically not free in the morning.


    In the morning, Su Yu and his group had nothing to do except gather in the main hall and get familiar with the afternoon process.


    In the Tianzi rooms, there was a small eunuch serving in each room and breakfast would also be delivered to the rooms on time. The people in other rooms were served by several eunuchs, Su Yu leaned against the door, looked at the food box in the distance, and visually measured the distance.


    It would probably be cool when it gets to him, so he shrugged his shoulders and planned to take the initiative to get his own meal.


    Before he had taken two steps, he ran into Yang Gonggong who came in a hurry.


    ¡°Young Master Su.¡± Yang Gonggong still had the same expression.


    ¡°I have something to ask of you.¡±


    Yang Gonggong raised his chin to the two little eunuchs behind him, and they entered Su Yu¡¯s room and packed Su Yu¡¯s luggage in two to three moves.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, in today¡¯s election the young masters brought many things to use, and there was no place to put the swords, spears, and halberds. This Xuanzi room 13 was to be used as a warehouse, so I can only wrong Young Master Su to move.¡± Yang Gonggong said as a matter of course.


    Su Yu frowned, the Xuanzi room 13 was in the corner of the first floor. It was fine for it to be a warehouse, but there were several rooms over there that were obviously empty, why did he have to move?


    Although he was full of doubts, he was leaving under another¡¯s roof and what they said seemed high-sounding, so Su Yu couldn¡¯t argue with anything.


    After thinking about it, it was not really worth these people¡¯s effort to deal with him who came from a dilapidated noble house.


    Although he felt that it didn¡¯t matter where he lived, Su Yu was still shocked when he stood in front of the new room.


    Facing the sun on both sides, excellent feng shui and richly ornamented, Tianzi room number 2!


    ¡°Gonggong, this¡­¡± Su Yu hesitated.


    It was impossible for him to live in this room, Duke Lu Shizi lived in room number 1, why should he live with a small shrimp in room 2?


    ¡°Marquis Changchun Shizi didn¡¯t like the word ¡®two(TL_Note: In Beijing dialect stupid)¡¯, so this room is empty.¡± Yang Gonggong said naturally.


    ¡°The other Xuanzi rooms are going to be warehouses, now only this room is left, I can only wrong Gongzi.¡±


    Su Yu blinked, he was not wronged at all, really.


    The two little eunuchs neatly cleaned the room and Yang Gonggong pointed to one and said.


    ¡°His name is Xiao Shun, he will serve Gongzi Su in the next few days.¡± After saying that, without waiting for Su Yu to answer, he turned around and left.


    ¡°Gonzi, please wait in the room, this little one will bring breakfast now.¡± Xiao Shun invited Su Yu into the room to have a rest, then he ran downstairs in hurry.


    There were only five Tianzi rooms, all on the third floor, each facing the sun, bright and spacious. In front, there was a red-painted carved railing, looking out from the railing you could see most of the Front Palace of the Imperial Palace.


    The area of the room was comparable to three Xuanzi rooms, it was divided into a suite with screens and partitions. There were tables, chairs, and soft beds outside, and on the inside, there was a bedroom, with a bath bucket behind a screen.


    The front and back windows were transparent, the windows were open and the cool morning wind passed through the room, dispelling the sultry heat of early summer.


    Su Yu looked at the furnishings in the house and immediately felt that he had moved from an express motel to a five-star suite.


    Before he had time to be stunned, Xiao Shun already set up the meal. It was four small dishes with meat and vegetables, two baskets of snacks that were exquisite and delicious, and a bowl of porridge that was still steaming.


    Su Yu, who hadn¡¯t eaten well all day yesterday, immediately moved his fingers. Anyway, they didn¡¯t take his money, only a fool would not take advantage of this. Soon, the whole table of food was eaten into his stomach at a staggering rate.


    When he went out he happen to meet Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi. He looked at Su Yu and was stunned for a moment, staring blankly at Su Yu who appeared there. Then he recovered his paralyzed face, greeted him, and went downstairs.


    When they arrived at the main hall of the Xunyang Palace, everyone stood together in groups of twos and threes.


    As soon as Su Yu entered the hall, he felt more than dozen lines of sight sweeping over him, making him feel uncomfortable.


    This morning''s events had already been spread all over the world.


    Everyone seemed to agree that Su Yu was currying favor with Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi, otherwise, no one had such great ability to move him to a Tianzi room.


    As a result, the teenagers that used to point fingers at Su Yu restrained themselves a lot today. Even when Marquis Changcun¡¯s Shizi saw Su Yu, he smiled and nodded to him.


    Su Yu, who doesn¡¯t know why: ¡°...¡±


    The baffled Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi:¡°...¡±


    The Imperial Concubine Selection was said to be divided into four rounds. After the primary election, there was a secondary election, then a final election, followed by a grading.


    In the primary election, the directory is verified and the ugly, disabled, and other unqualified candidates shall be screened out.


    In the secondary election, they meet the royal family and are selected based on their character, appearance, and talents.


    In other words, if you wanted to pass the second round, you must at least have the same amount of talent and looks.


    In the afternoon election, everyone should show one talent for the appreciation of the royal family, and the final decision was made by the royal family members.


    The royal family attached great importance to this Concubine Selection, which was held only once every three years. Even the Emperor¡¯s two royal uncles who were guarding the border made light of traveling a thousand li to come over.


    The Da¡¯an Imperial household was prosperous, but there were few Qinwangs in each generation.


    For example, in the generation of the former Emperor, only the thirteen Su Wangye and the seventeenth Ling Wangye were bestowed the title of Qinwang, and the rest were at most Kings appointed to a small fief from afar.


    Su Wangye and Ling Wangye were stationed in the West and North forts respectively and were not in the capital all year round.


    For Su Wangye it was better, it only took a few days to get to the Imperial City by taking the official road in the West, but Ling Wangye ran back from the barren wilderness in the North and only arrived at the capital today.


    ¡°Seventeenth Uncle is tired from the long journey, why don¡¯t we do the secondary election another day.¡± King Zhao looked at his travel-worn uncle and couldn¡¯t help suggesting to the Emperor.


    The Emperor raised his eyebrows and looked at the seventeenth uncle kneeling under the imperial steps, full of disgust.


    The meaning was very obvious, you bragged that you were extraordinarily brave and heroic, and you just rode a horse for two days and reached the point of death?


    Ling Wangye was in his mid-thirties and looked very energetic, even if he just got off the horse, one couldn¡¯t see any fatigue at all. Hearing the speech, he immediately glared at his fat nephew and then looked up at the Emperor.


    ¡°The Concubine Selection is no small matter, it must not be delayed for your minister alone.¡±


    ¡°Ling Wangye is right, the border is important. The two Wangye¡¯s have to rush back early. Naturally, the faster the selection, the better.¡± Lu Maogong, the Prime Minister said.


    From the beginning, he did not agree to let the two Wangye¡¯s with massive military forces enter the capital, but the Emperor would not listen.


    ¡°The border is so peaceful that birds don¡¯t lay eggs anymore, this Wangye and his seventeenth brother plan to stay in the capital for a few more days.¡± His thick voice sounded like a bell, it was Su Wangye who stood as the top military general.


    Su Wangye had a burly stature with a cold face, he had the wild temperament of the northwest and he spoke straightforwardly. In the past few days, he had made the group of literary officials tremble with anger every day.


    An Hongche on the throne narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°That being so, the afternoon secondary election will be presided by the two royal uncles, We won¡¯t be involved.¡±


    ??????????????


    ¡°Brother Emperor, your younger brother also wants to go with you.¡± After leaving court, King Zhao immediately ran to the Emperor¡¯s bedroom and begged his brother to let him go too. He was really curious about what kind of talent Su Yu wanted to perform.


    An Hongche lay lazily on a huge cushion, he lifted his eyelids and took a look at his brother, then closed his eyes again.


    An Hongyi reluctantly walked over, trying to be pitiful in exchange for the afternoon benefits. Who would expect that he couldn¡¯t stand firm and fell down on the carpet with a bang?


    A white light flashed, and His Royal Highness King Zhao¡¯s clothes scattered on the floor and the person disappeared instantly. A chubby kitten, dizzy, crawled out of his clothes.


    The kitten had yellow and white striped fur, and because it was too fat, one could hardly see its neck.


    His Majesty the Emperor, who seemed to be asleep, instantly opened his eyes and looked at the yellow and white furball clumsily crawling out. A wicked smile arose from the corners of his mouth.


    As soon as the little fat cat broke free of the shackles of his clothes, he looked up and saw a golden blur coming. He suddenly screamed and was bitten by a kitten with golden fur.


    ¡°Elder Brother, let go!¡± The little fat cat struggled and fluttered.


    The golden kitten completely ignored his younger brother¡¯s resistance and held the little fat ball with his four paws and scratched for a while.


    ¡°Reporting to the Emperor, Su Wangye and Ling Wangye are asking for a meeting.¡± The voice of the chief eunuch suddenly sounded outside the door.

 CH 21

    Chapter 21- Secondary Election


    The two who were bitting each other excitedly suddenly stiffened. An Hongche stretched out his paws and pulled the silk sash not far away. The bell outside the door suddenly rang, which meant he agreed with the audience.


    Just as he was about to change back, he was suddenly bitten by his younger brother on his hind paw.


    His Majesty the Emperor was instantly angry, how dare you sneak attack Us!


    He fought back decisively and the two kittens were once again fighting, completely ignoring the Royal Uncles who were still waiting outside the door.


    So, when the two Qinwangs pushed open the door of the inner palace hall, they saw two furballs squeezed together, who had fallen from the cushion to the ground, and even struggling to climb back to the cushion they continued fighting.


    Su Qinwang: ¡°...¡±


    Ling Qinwang: ¡°...¡±


    Wang Fuhai, the chief eunuch, sighed in his heart. Embarrassed he saluted the two Wangye''s, and backed away.


    Su Wangye widened his eyes and stared at the two furballs.


    ¡°Cough cough¡­¡±


    Ling Wangye rubbed his hands, took a half-step back, and rushed towards the cushion like an arrow.


    ¡°Seventeenth Uncle is coming, la!¡±


    A big black and yellow cat scurried onto the cushion, pounced on the two little furballs, holding them in his embrace, and rubbing them with all his strength.


    The golden kitten was extremely dissatisfied. Shaking his tail, the pinch of white fur on the tip glowed slightly. He shook the big cat away, took advantage of the opportunity, and viciously pounced over, bitting the big cat¡¯s ear.


    The little fat cat rolled aside, seeing that his elder brother had the upper hand, he immediately followed and bit the other ear excitedly.


    ¡°Ow, thirteenth brother, help!¡± The big cat kicked its four paws and called out.


    Looking at his younger brother being sorted out by his nephews, Su Wangye''s serious and resolute face cracked, feeling his hands itching.


    Finally, he couldn¡¯t help but turn into a big cat and join the group battle.


    ¡°Meow---¡±


    ¡°Thirteenth Elder Brother, you¡¯re pressing on my whiskers!¡±


    ¡­


    ??????????????


    The secondary election was scheduled to begin in the afternoon, the royal clan members had already arrived, but the two Qinwangs had yet to arrive.


    ¡°The two Qinwangs truly are very pretentious.¡± Su Ying stood behind a rockery.


    It was stated that the secondary election would be in the Imperial Garden. The royal clan members chose the men and the women were selected by the Empress Dowager.


    The ladies stood in a rock garden, which was surrounding a small pavilion in the middle. The rockery was beautifully built with layers upon layers of peaks, it was extremely exquisite.


    You could see the outside from the inside, but you couldn¡¯t see the situation inside from the outside.


    At this moment, the Empress Dowager still had not arrived. The ladies curiously gathered around the rock garden and looked at the men.


    Su Ying saw that the young lady of the Marquis Changchun''s family beside her was a little impatient and dared not to complain about the Empress Dowager, so she complained aloud about the two Qinwangs.


    The young lady of the Marquis Changchun¡¯s family glanced at Su Ying¡¯s fawning smile.


    ¡°What do you know? Ten royal clan members are not worth a Qinwang.¡±


    Su Ying smiled shyly and took the round fan in young lady Changchun''s hand to fan for her. Su Ying had a pretty good time these two days because she fawned on the first young lady of the Marquis Changchun family.


    She felt that this young lady would definitely be selected as a high-ranking Imperial Consort. She was not only beautiful but also very well-learned. When she followed her into the palace, she would have a backer, so naturally, she served her more and more attentively.


    ¡°I heard that your older cousin curried favor with Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi. ¡± The young lady of the Marquis Changchun¡¯s family sneered.


    ¡°The people of your Su family are truly virtuous.¡±


    Su Ying suddenly broke into a cold sweat when she heard this, secretly scolding Su Yu for making trouble for her.


    The young lady of the Marquis Changchun¡¯s family always believed that her brother was better than Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi and she always compared the two with each other.


    Every day, she inquired about the situation on the men¡¯s side, and when she heard that there were more people chasing after Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi, she twisted her handkerchief in anger.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a fish seller, he¡¯ll certainly make a fool of himself later.¡± Su Ying didn¡¯t choose what to say in her panic.


    ¡°Oh? Fish seller?¡± The young lady of the Marquis Changchun¡¯s family giggled.


    ¡°A noble family has fish sellers?¡±


    ¡°Later, everyone will show their literary and military skills, what will he do?¡± The other ladies nearby heard this and also came to join the fun.


    ¡°So, will you sell fish?¡± Someone sneered at Su Ying.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a concubine son of my second uncle¡¯s family, it has nothing to do with me.¡± Su Ying¡¯s face was red, it was as if she was a legitimate daughter and completely forgot that the dress she wore to the palace was bought by Su Yu.


    Just as they were talking, the two Qinwangs who came late finally arrived.


    The royal clan members and the two Qinwangs each had a booklet with the name, family background, and the circumstances of the primary election of each candidate written on it.


    After one person performed, they could check under the name. The secondary election was divided into four grades, ¡°lower, middle, upper and superior¡±.


    Only after receiving more than half of the evaluations obtained were ¡°upper¡± could you pass the secondary election and enter the final selection.


    The noble¡¯s children and the literary official¡¯s children were no longer separated this time, and the order of performance was decided by drawing lots.


    Su Yu drew a very late lot and silently stood aside, glancing at the two solemn Qinwangs and wondering why His Highness King Zhao didn¡¯t come.


    Didn¡¯t that guy always clamor that he will vote for him?


    The royal clan members sat in a circle and the two Qinwangs sat in the middle. Yang Gonggong, holding yellow silk in his hand, sang the names of the people that appeared one by one.


    Most of the noble¡¯s children performed martial arts.


    Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi performed a set of spear skills, the silver spear in his hand was like it was alive. Flew as graceful as a startled goose and as gentle as a wandering dragon.


    ¡°Good! Worthy of being the tiger son of a general''s family.¡± Su Wangye applauded, and the clan members also praised it one after another.


    The performance of the literary official¡¯s children was even more varied, including poetry, songs, zither, Go, calligraphy and painting. Several people also performed pairings and poems together, and some people even made a policy essay on the spot.


    The members of the royal family sighed that there are talented people from generation to generation. Su Wangye was more interested in martial arts, while Ling Wangye was sleepy.


    Su Yu watched for a long time and became more and more sure that the purpose of the Imperial Concubine Selection was not to choose an imperial concubine at all but rather to show their faces for an official career.


    Imagine the Emperor marrying an Imperial Concubine who wielded spears and sticks every day or an Imperial Concubine who opened their mouth to talk about the national economy and the people¡¯s livelihood, how annoying would that be!


    ¡°Next, Su Yu.¡± Yang Gonggong¡¯s sharp voice called back the wandering Su Yu.


    The eunuch in charge of moving props set a table in the middle of the empty stage, and everyone thought that Su Yu was going to exhibit his painting; Unexpectedly, the little eunuch put several knives on the table, and everyone guessed that this was to exhibit carving; After that, a cutting board was placed on the table and everyone¡­


    Su Yu wiped the cold sweat on his forehead and stood behind the table under great pressure, he then silently fished out a lively fish from the wooden basin.


    Zither, Go, calligraphy, painting, swords, spears, and halberds, he, Su Yu, really can¡¯t do any of them!


    He didn¡¯t find any special skills even if he broke his head. The only thing he could perform was¡­ fish-killing skills¡­


    ¡°Su Yu, the performance is¡­ killing fish.¡± Yang Gonggong¡¯s shrill voice spread far away, and the whole Imperial Garden was silent for a moment.


    ¡°Pffft---¡± The tea that Ling Wangye had just drank in his mouth suddenly spewed out, splashing Su Wangye¡¯s face.


    Su Wangye raised his hand and wiped the droplets from his face. Expressionless, he slapped Ling Wangye on the back of the head.


    Bursts of suppressed laughter came from the crowd, Su Yu summoned up courage and picked up a knife.


    Not far away, a golden kitten lightly ran up the rockery and squatted at the highest point, followed by a yellow and white chubby cat. The chubby cat had short legs so it took two tries before climbing up.


    Taking a deep breath, Su Yu closed his eyes. This is it, I have to go on. Ignore everyone¡¯s reaction and focus on the fish in your hand.


    Knife skills focused on wrist strength, just like using a musical instrument. Some people used knifes techniques that seemed complicated and fancy.


    In fact, they wasted their strength and the cuts were not very fine. Real masters returned to the basics. By adjusting the angle on their wrists, they can swing their knives easily and freely, and sometimes one couldn¡¯t even see the movements of their hands at all.


    Such are Su Yu¡¯s fish-killing skills.


    But since it¡¯s a performance, it must be made to look good. Su Yu also participated in food competitions in his previous life.


    In order to attract attention, he especially practiced some beautiful knife techniques, which could not only be flaunted to the spectator but also cleanly kill fish.


    He opened the belly and the checks were descaled like moving clouds and moving water, without any hindrance. The knife in his hand was like a living creature.


    His slender white fingers moved and the knife flipped flexibly between his fingers, like a small silver fish.


    When the knife was retracted, Su Yu arranged the killed fish on the table, which still appeared like an intact fish. He pinched the fishtail with two fingers, shook it gently, and pulled quickly.


    The whole fish bone and tail were pulled out and the fish body was still intact!


    ¡°Meow!¡± The chubby cat let out a cry of surprise.


    The golden kitten¡¯s paw patted his younger brother''s head without looking back.


    Su Yu heard the cat¡¯s meow, looked up, and saw the golden kitten crouching up high, and he couldn¡¯t help smiling. He raised his hand and threw the fish into the bucket full of water.


    The white and tender fish meat instantly separated, piece by piece like flower petals, but the roots were still connected, like a peony in full bloom.


    ¡°Wonderful!¡± Ling Wangye exclaimed loudly.


    With this technique, you didn¡¯t have to worry about the fish bones anymore!


    He couldn¡¯t help poking his thirteenth brother beside him with his elbow.


    Su Wangye nodded slightly, this was indeed a rare talent!


    Su Yu looked at the twitching expressions of the clan members and wiped his sweat. He worked so hard, so he should not be guilty of having an improper attitude.


    Of course, it was even more impossible to be selected to advance.

 CH 22

    Chapter 22 - Anguo Tower


    Although there were dozens of people on the men¡¯s side, a lot of time was saved because of the large number of ¡°group performances¡± made by the civil official¡¯s children, so it was almost done in one afternoon.


    The results of the secondary election were not announced on the spot, they had to wait until tomorrow to know. Because of the large number of royal clan members, the final results need to be counted.


    Moreover, since there were many related households, the clan members had to work together to avoid offending people. But in general, the speed of selecting men was very fast.


    The woman¡¯s side was relatively much slower, it was said that the Empress Dowager read it once and said nothing. She only let the palace maids send needles and threads to the young ladies to examine their feminine arts, and to let them come back to check three days later.


    During this period, the people of the Department of Rites and Music were asked to teach the ladies to dance, which was said to be shown to the Emperor at the palace banquet on the last day.


    The end of the Imperial Concubine Selection seemed to be far away.


    Su Yu returned to the Xunyang Palace with a clear conscience to pack his back, he guessed that he could go home tomorrow.


    Thanks to thinking that he would be trapped there for more than ten days, he forgot that with his aptitude he would soon be brushed off, he had completely worried in vain.


    In the evening, Su Yu had enough to eat and drink. He waited in the room for a long time and didn¡¯t see Sauce coming to him, suddenly he remembered that the kitten didn¡¯t know that he had changed his room.


    He quickly took a few small fish cakes from his bag and put them on the rear window.


    The read window on the third floor was still some distance away from the wall, but with Sauce''s intelligence, he should know to take the stairs¡­I think.


    What if the kitten doesn¡¯t go through the back window and go to the front yard instead?


    Su Yu scratched his head in annoyance and simply walked out of the door and rested against the railing. He was a big living person standing there, the cat¡¯s eyes that could see things at night could always see him, ba.


    The noble¡¯s children lived on the east side of the Xunyang Palace, this small building was also built facing east. Standing on the third floor, you could see most of the Outer Court of the Imperial Palace.


    It was just time to light the lamps, the sun had not fallen completely.


    The afterglow loomed over the Imperial Palace, reflecting the vermilion glazed tiles, giving off a sense of loneliness, and also highlighting the tower in the center.


    Most of the buildings in the Palace did not exceed three floors, but the Da¡¯an Imperial Palace had one exception, which was a seven-story tower located on the central axis of the palace.


    The tower was beautifully built, towering into the clouds and each floor was built extremely high. At the moment, lights were being lit layer by layer, and they were shining from the big windows, just like a delicate lantern, radiating light to all corners of the palace.


    ¡°Sure enough, looking in the palace, this tower is several times more beautiful.¡± Behind him came a calm voice.


    Su Yu looked back and saw Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi who came out to enjoy the cool air like him.


    Just as he was about to say ¡°Lu Gongzi, what a coincidence¡±, Su Yu suddenly remembered that he was not surnamed Lu, and for a moment, he couldn¡¯t remember what was Duke Lu¡¯s surname was.


    He was a little embarrassed and coughed softly.


    ¡°Zaixia[TL_Note: Myself (humble) ] Su Yu, have been living next door to Gongzi for two days and I haven¡¯t paid my respects yet, I¡¯m really ashamed.¡±


    Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi didn¡¯t mind and leaned against the railing with him.


    ¡°Gao Peng, courtesy name Wan Li.¡±


    Su Yu blinked, he thought that he was as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns ¡°Old Unmarried Youth¡± who had participated in the Imperial Concubine Selection in his twenties.


    He didn¡¯t expect that the dignified Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi was also a ¡°Leftover Man¡±, and immediately felt a lot closer to him. So he smiled and continued the topic just now, pointing to the ¡°Big Lantern¡± and asking.


    ¡°Does Shizi know what that¡¯s used for?¡±


    The tower was called Anguo Tower, but Su Yu already heard the name of this tower.


    Because it was so high, this tower could also be seen in other parts of the capital, but the people in the capital knew nothing about what this tower was used for.


    Gao Peng glanced at him then looked at the exquisite tower again. He was silent for a long time, just when Su Yu thought he was not going to speak again, he slowly said that it was the residence of the State Teacher.


    State Teacher? Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened, there really was a State Teacher!


    Because he was worried about the selection, Su Yu crammed up the laws of Da¡¯an a few days ago. He felt that there were many unimaginable things in this Dynasty, one of which were the rules about the State Teachers.


    The State Teacher of Da¡¯an was an existence higher than the title of Qinwang. It had an unshakable position in the Da¡¯an Dynasty, and the power of the State Teachers sometimes was even above the imperial power!


    This nonsense rule would certainly cause the instability of the throne. Just imagine that before making any major decision you had to ask the State Teacher to make a divination, which was as unreliable as throwing dice!


    ¡°Brother Wan Li.¡± Just when he was going to ask something more. Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi came up the stairs and greeted Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi with a smile.


    Seeing that the two were enjoying the cool wind, he came over naturally.


    ¡°Brother Su¡¯s performance today really impressed me, ah.¡±


    Su Yu laughed dryly.


    ¡°Call me Jin Tang¡± The two hadn¡¯t spoken before, so having him come up and call him ¡°Crispy Breast¡±[TL_Note: Sounds similar to Su Xiong(Brother)] made him a little overwhelmed by favor.


    ¡°Take advantage of today¡¯s moon reflection day, and quickly bow to the Anguo Tower. I hope that the State Teacher¡¯s evaluation of me will not be too ugly.¡± Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi proposed with a smile.


    The Anguo Tower was lit every seven days, which was the moon reflecting day, and the rest were stargazing days.


    The State Teacher would observe the stars on top of the tower and must not be disturbed. Only when the moon shines will he receive people¡¯s blessings and wishes.


    Just then, the seven-story exquisite tower lit up, which happened to replace the setting sun and illuminated the entire Imperial Palace.


    Someone in the courtyard was already kneeling in the direction of the tower. Even a little eunuch working hard bowed his head and saluted. After a pause, he continued to work.


    ¡°May my sister not get into trouble again during the selection.¡± Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi murmured, and the eunuch he had just bribed sent a message saying that his sister was crying and kicking up a racket.


    ¡°How can a lady of a respectable family dance in public like a Geisha!¡±


    He reported she refused to learn to dance, which gave him a headache. He now prayed for the blessing of the State Teacher, don¡¯t let his sister be chosen.


    The Emperor¡¯s temper was notoriously bad, if she irritated the Emperor their entire family will suffer.


    Those illiterate common people were easy to fool, but looking blankly at the two Young Masters kneeling down and praying devoutly, Su Yu was extremely shocked. The degree of this belief has far exceeded his understanding.


    After waiting all night, the golden kitten didn¡¯t come to him. Su Yu was a little lost and rolled by himself on the luxurious wooden bed.


    Regarding the matter of the State Teacher, he really couldn¡¯t hold it in and wanted to find someone to talk about it.


    Legend has it that the previous dynasties were plagued with disasters and continuous wars, and by the end of the era, the people were in dire straits. However, the Da¡¯an Dynasty always had good weather since its founding, with few disasters.


    The people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and even the border frontiers were in peace all year round. People said because of the divine power of the State Teacher, the Da¡¯an Royal Family was a Royal Family favored by Heaven.


    Originally, he thought that this feudal superstition was nonsense, but tonight¡¯s conversation with the two young masters revealed that the State Teacher seemed to have some incredible abilities.


    For a moment, he remembered that he crossed through time and space, so this kind of strange power may really exist. Then, would the State Teacher know the way to travel back?


    Thinking of this, Su Yu couldn¡¯t help getting excited. If he had the opportunity, he must meet this State Teacher!


    Listening to the wish of Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi, the final election was decided by the State Teacher, could he see him at that time?


    The Emperor didn¡¯t know that his stupid slave was thinking nonsense again.


    At the moment, he was frowning at the little chubby ball beside him.


    ¡°You will live in the side hall these few days, ba.¡± With that, he pinched the back of his neck and planned to throw it to Wang Fuhai.


    The white and yellow little chubby cat clung to the cushion under his body and didn¡¯t let go, obviously unwilling to leave.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Wangye may not want to live in the side hall.¡± Wang Gonggong looked at the tearful little chubby cat sympathetically.


    The side hall had always been claimed to be the place for the Emperor¡¯s cat, there was a cat nest in it, but after all, it was a decoration. Living in it was naturally not as comfortable as the Emperor¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t live in the side hall, do you want to live with Us?¡± An Hongche was very displeased.


    With his younger brother in the way here, he couldn¡¯t turn into a cat and run to the Xunyang Palace.


    That stupid slave doesn¡¯t know what kind of stupid thing he¡¯s doing, it¡¯s really annoying!


    ¡°Reporting to His Majesty, Ling Qinwang is asking for an audience.¡± There was a report from outside the hall.


    An Hongche¡¯s eyebrows furrowed even tighter.


    ¡°Xuan!¡±[TL_Note: Granted!]


    His Highness King Zhao hurriedly ran a few steps away, he didn¡¯t want to live in that small side hall!


    The Emperor¡¯s bedroom was the most comfortable place in the whole palace. The whole bedroom was covered with carpets, most of the room was padded and there were complex and gorgeous silk sashes within reach.


    Every time he became a cat and can¡¯t turn back, no matter what was said, he had to sleep there.


    ¡°I, your servant, pay respects to the Emperor.¡± Ling Wangye made a formal salute.


    ¡°Imperial Uncle came late at night, what¡¯s the matter? ¡± An Hongche was still lying lazily on the cushion.


    ¡°About today¡¯s secondary election, there are some things to report.¡± Ling Wangye said solemnly.


    He took the chubby cat that crawled to his side and rubbed it in his arms.


    ¡°By the way, I got a lot of good things from those foreign people this time. One of them is very interesting, and I plan to give it to give to Hongyi.¡±


    An Hongche waved to Ling Wangye to get up and motioned Wang Fuhai to go out first.


    Ling Wangye stood up. He walked casually to the Emperor, sat down on the cushion, and took out a brightly colored ball from his sleeves.


    The ball was made of gold wire and was hollowed out, a jingling bell was placed in the middle, and many colorful silk ribbons were wrapped around it.


    An Hongche saw this thing, and his face suddenly darkened. Before he could stop it, Ling Wangye had thrown the ball out, and he instantly turned into a big cat and ran to catch the ball.


    The little chubby cat was also immediately excited and followed his Seventeenth Uncle to catch up with the noisy ball.


    For a time, the quiet bedroom was full of ¡°DingDingDangDang ¡± and ¡°meow meow¡± sounds.


    In the palace in the distance, Su Wangye looked at the selected list carefully and frowned. Talents like Su Yu must be retained, they must give greetings to the State Teacher in advance.


    I believe that if Seventeenth reports to the Emperor, the Emperor will agree.


    And Ling Wangye, who had the high expectations of his brother¡­


    ¡°Seventeenth Uncle, what did you come to report to Us?¡±


    ¡°...Meow?¡±

 CH 23

    Chapter 23 - Chili


    On the following afternoon, the final list was announced.


    There was a large number of candidates, and the nobles and civil officials¡¯ children added up to nearly 100 people, but it was difficult to get more than half of the picky royal clan members to give the ¡°upper¡± evaluation.


    In the end, the number of people who could enter the final election was less than a handful.


    The civil official¡¯s children were fine, after all, they still had to rely on the Imperial Examination to go on their official careers.


    The noble¡¯s children were different, their future prospects completely depended on the Imperial grace, therefore they were exceptionally interested in the results. Even the always calm Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi went downstairs early to see the results.


    Su Yu sorted out his luggage before he slowly went to see the list.


    In the main hall of the Xunyang Palace, a five-foot-long red silk was hung, on which everyone¡¯s results were densely written. All the ratings by the ten royal clan members and Qinwangs were written clearly on it.


    ¡°That fish killer is here¡­¡± As soon as he approached, someone pointed at Su Yu.


    Everyone looked at him with a strange expression, even Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi couldn¡¯t help looking at him.


    The corners of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched. The Da¡¯an royal family was really ¡°fair, just and open¡±, he thought that he could go after reading the list, who expected that they would publish the results, he was not even allowed to be humiliated in a discreet manner.


    Whoever won the election would have their name written in red ink, naturally, it would be particularly prominent. Su Yu was a little unwilling to see his grades, so he simply went to see the winner first.


    Gao Peng, Upper, Upper, Upper, Middle, Middle, Upper, Upper, Upper, Upper, Upper, Upper, Middle.


    Cen Musheng, Upper, Middle, Upper¡­


    There were less than ten names written in red ink, all of which were amazing characters.


    Su Yu thought it was expected until he saw the last name Su Yu, Lower, Lower, Lower, Middle, Upper, Upper, Middle, Lower, Lower, Superior, Superior¡­ Eh?


    It was of course a spectacle too horrible to look at, but because both Wangye''s gave a ¡°Superior¡± evaluation, they made an exception and accepted him.


    Performing fish-killing techniques and he could unexpectedly be selected!


    Until he stood in the Imperial Garden again, Su Yu was still a little confused, he felt that the royal family was surely joking.


    In any case, the selection will continue. Those who lost the election left the palace on the same day, while Su Yu, who was the first to pack up his bags, was taken to the Imperial Garden to continue the selection.


    The final selection was decided by the two Wangye¡¯s and the result was handed over to the State Teacher for evaluation.


    Many people had no hope of passing the final election. It was said that the State Teacher of this generation was indifferent by nature and very harsh, so it was almost impossible to pass his test.


    On the Imperial Concubine Selection three years ago, the State Teacher gave everyone a ¡°Lower¡± evaluation, and no male Imperial Concubine was selected.


    However, if you could get a word from State Teacher, even an ¡°Acceptable¡± was enough to bring glory to the family.


    Everyone was led to a side chamber, which was full of all kinds of strange things.


    ¡°These are the treasures obtained by me and Seventeenth Brother in foreign countries. Each of you chooses one and says its purpose. Right or not, good or bad, it is up to the State Teacher to decide.¡± Su Wangye pointed to the objects in the hall and beckoned everyone to choose at will.


    Su Yu frowned slightly. Such an open-ended topic was really hard to say. After he swept his gaze through these things once, there was jewelry, calligraphy and paintings, medical ingredients, linen, and so on in the hall.


    The most precious ones were the ones that the eunuchs were especially holding, such as the radiant ¡°Musk Moon Bow¡± and in addition the formidable Qingcong Horse¡£


    ¡°For some of these objects, even this Wangye doesn¡¯t know what they¡¯re for.¡± Ling Wangye smiled.


    ¡°If you say it well, the thing you choose will be bestowed as a reward.¡±


    Hearing that the selected things could be taken away, Su Yu¡¯s eyes lit up. You know, foreign things have always been precious, and the tributes brought by the Wangye were even more valuable!


    The eyes of Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi had been glued to the Qingcong Horse and couldn¡¯t move.


    After Yang Gonggong read out the rules, he walked with great strides and took the reins in the hands of the little eunuch as if he had seen a peerless beauty, touching the beautiful mane, and he loved it too much to part with it.


    The others were much more cautious and took their time in the hall to examine everything.


    This topic seems simple, but in fact, it had a profound connotation. To say the purpose of an object, it must not be just about how to use it.


    To put it more clearly, why do you choose such a thing for, yourself or for your country; In the future, what can these foreign objects bring to the royal family and to the Da¡¯an Dynasty.


    The smarter the person is, the more they think about it. These proud sons of heaven frowned tightly and fell into a state of anxiety, for a while, it was so quiet in the hall that you could hear a pin drop¡­ Which was more valuable?


    Some of these treasures were a single piece, and some were packed in containers, but without exception, all were beautifully packaged. Except for a straw basket in the corner, which looked a little out of place.


    According to the common saying, the more tattered it looks, the more likely it is to be the most valuable treasure.


    Su Yu walked over curiously, lifted his hand, and scraped up the hay on it, guessing what kind of rare treasure it was.


    Then he saw a basket of bright red, glossy, glistening ¡­chili¡­.


    Chili!


    As a Sichuan-style cook, days without chili were like years!


    Su Yu felt a ¡°hum¡± in his head, and he hugged the tattered straw basket and didn¡¯t let go. When he came back to his senses, the time for selection was over.


    If you choose a Qingcong Horse, you can gallop on the battlefield and protect our homes and defend the country.


    Choose the Musk Moon Bow, you could naturally bend the bow and kill the enemy bravely;


    Choose the chili¡­


    ¡°This student has once read this in the books.¡± The young master of the Minister of Rites held a snow lotus from Tianshan Mountain with deep feelings and solemnity.


    ¡°This is an immortal object from the snowy mountains. Legend has it that it was a jade hairpin left behind in the mortal world by the gods of heaven. It is used to guard the residence, drive away diseases and demons, and avoid all evil. That Wangye can get this object, it¡¯s a sign that heaven blesses our Da¡¯an ¡­¡±


    The scribe on the side recorded this remark and put it together with the Tianshan Snow Lotus.


    Su Yu blinked, if he were asked to say this, he would definitely say.


    ¡°Snow lotus is a good ingredient. Stewed with turtle soup is a very good tonic, and it¡¯s delicious to make pastries too¡­¡± However, if he said so, would he be thrown out by the guards?


    After looking at the things in the hands of others and at his own straw basket. Su Yu swallowed his saliva. If anything else can be arranged to benefit the country and the people, what should you say about a basket of chilis?

 CH 24

    Chapter 24 - State Teacher


    Ling Wangye was surprised to see that Su Yu choose the straw basket.


    It was something he got by chance from the hands of a foreigner. He always thought it was a kind of medicinal herb and planned to take it back to Imperial Hospital for research.


    ¡°Su Yu, what did you choose?¡±


    Everyone else had finished their presentation, and each one was surging forward with great momentum, worried about one¡¯s country and the people, but Su Yu kept his head down and didn¡¯t come to his senses until he was named.


    After all, he will sell this thing in the future, naturally, he couldn''t lie. Besides, he knew very little about the taboos of this dynasty, maybe he would offend because of a careless word, so, he had to tell the truth after hesitating for a long time.


    ¡°Reporting to Wangye, this is a kind of ingredient.¡±


    ¡°Ingredient?¡± Ling Qinwang picked up the chili and pulled it near his nose, the spicy breath entered his nose and he couldn¡¯t help sneezing.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± It was the first time he had seen this, how could Su Yu know?


    The Seventeenth Wangye squinted his eyes and the eyes that looked at Su Yu were full of scrutiny.


    Su Yu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, is there anything else involved with this thing? If it¡¯s related to state secrets, then he¡¯ll die an unjust death.


    ¡°Reporting to Wangye, this commoner family has an ancestral recipe book, which mentions this kind of ingredient. This thing is called chili pepper, it¡¯s a seasoning that can make extremely rare delicacies.¡± He answered slowly and carefully, making up lies always took time to think, what¡¯s more, the target of deceit was a high-ranking Qinwang.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Ling Wangye¡¯s eyes lit up and looked at his thirteenth brother.


    The day before, they paid attention to Su Yu¡¯s family background. They remembered that he was the descendant of the Su family, whose dishes had been lost for several generations.


    ¡°Tell me what you can do with this, if it¡¯s really easy to use, this Wangye will get some more.¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s heart moved, and he looked at His Royal Highness Ling Wangye, who was full of curiosity.


    The geographical environment of this space-time was different from what he was familiar with, he was not sure that chili pepper seeds could be planted here in the capital. If not, maybe he could cooperate with his Imperial Uncle through King Zhao.


    Considering this, Su Yu put on the posture of talking about business and introduced chili-related dishes in detail.


    ¡°This ingredient can expel cold and expel dampness and is used to mix cold ingredients, especially fish, shrimps, and crabs. It is very delicious, you can make spicy crabs, spicy shrimps, poached sliced fish in hot chili oil [TL_Note: Sichuan recipe], spicy lobster, spicy roasted whole fish¡­¡±


    Speaking of Sichuan cuisine, Su Yu began to talk endlessly. Hearing this, Ling Wangye¡¯s eyes were wide open, and the scribes beside him wrote down every word without omission.


    When Su Yu finished, the final selection was over. The inner attendants submitted the selected objects and records to the State Teacher, they also had the honor of going to the Anguo Tower to wait for the State Teacher¡¯s comments.


    ??????????????


    Anguo Tower, towering into the clouds, the first floor alone was three feet high.


    The body of the tower was made of a very precious black stone, which with faintly suffused with golden spots under the sun.


    The heavy gate was open, and a maid in a light-colored dress saluted the crowd, leading them into the audience hall on the first floor.


    The main hall was not as solemn as everyone thought, it was even very beautiful. The huge upright columns supported the dome, on which an intricate start map was drawn.


    There were layers and layers of snow veils hanging in the hall, making it look like a fairyland.


    The stone steps leading to the top of the tower were paved with the same black stone, rotating upwards, which was similar to the rotating staircase of Xianmantang.


    No one outside the royal family was allowed to step above the first floor of the main hall of Anguo Tower. Originally, they could have brought the things to the tower to give them to the State Teacher, but it happened that Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi choose the Qingcong Horse.


    Naturally, such a big beast cannot contaminate the sacred upper floors of the Anguo Tower, so everyone could only wait quietly in the hall.


    ¡°DingLingLing¡­¡± A clear and distant ringing came from the stone steps that spiraled down, the sound seemed so close, like an intimate whisper in your ear; It seemed so distant, with the desolation handed down from ancient times.


    At this moment, everyone couldn¡¯t help but feel an impulse to prostrate themselves in worship and everyone in the hall kneeled together.


    ¡°Greeting the State Teacher.¡± Even the two Qinwangs bowed their heads.


    Dressed in an intricate and magnificent snow-colored robe, one person walked down the stairs and walked slowly to the throne in the audience hall.


    Su Yu didn¡¯t dare to look up casually. When he heard a melodious voice saying ¡°No need for ceremony.¡± above his head, he looked up.


    White hair like snow, picturesque features, handsome and cold, not like a Daoist master.


    Su Yu was shocked, he always thought that the State Teacher was an immortal-like old man, unexpectedly, he turned out to be a beautiful man in his twenties.


    If his white hair grew on others, they would look old, but on his body, it turned into an ethereal immortal aura.


    The inner attendants presented several pieces of recorded silk cloths to the State Teacher, and Su Yu suddenly felt that his whole person was not good.


    In this situation, with such an immortal State Teacher, the other¡¯s statements were either a deeply moving heroic magnificent aspiration, a moving tale, or a flowery Da¡¯an anthem, while his was a Sichuan seafood recipe.


    He always felt that it was particularly damaging to the atmosphere¡­


    Sure enough, the State Teacher just took a quick glance at the silk cloth in front of him and snorted coldly.


    ¡°Who is Su Yu?¡±


    Su Yu quickly knelt down and saluted.


    ¡°Can you prove that what you said just now is true?¡± The State Teacher twisted a dried chili pepper in his hand and his beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.


    ¡°This matter is related to the fortune of the country, if you talk nonsense, this seat will punish you today for the sin of bringing disaster to the country.¡±


    Su Yu broke out into a cold sweat, he really didn¡¯t understand how a basket of chili peppers could provoke so much trouble, but now was obviously not the time to complain. If the State Teacher decided that he was a disaster to the country, he was the right to execute him now!


    Abruptly, Su Yu calmed down. He didn¡¯t do anything wrong, if worst comes to worst he¡¯ll just prove it to these country bumkins.


    He took a deep breath and his tone was steady.


    ¡°Reporting to the State Teacher, what this commoner said was true, please supply this commoner some fish and cooking utensils to prove it.¡±


    Everyone stared dumbstruck at the development of things. When the inner attendants brought out a complete set of cooking utensils and two big lively fishes, their eyes were about to fall out.


    Su Yu didn¡¯t know how he got to this point, but there was no turning back, he could only take one step at a time.


    Picking up the grass carp in the water, he beat it dizzy, quickly killed it, and removed its scales, he then sliced it into thin strips at a very fast speed.


    The fast and delicious Sichuan cuisine was none other than boiled fish. It doesn¡¯t need to be marinated for a long time, after preparing the others ingredients, you can put them into the pot.


    The fresh and tender white fish, covered with brown pepper and bright red chili pepper, was sprinkled with hot oil, and the spicy and fragrant scent instantly burst out, immediately filling the whole hall.


    At this moment, the State Teacher, who had been keeping his beautiful eyes slightly closed, slowly opened his eyes, got up, and walked up to the second floor.


    ¡°Give this Wangye a taste!¡± When Ling Wangye saw the State Teacher leave, he couldn¡¯t hold back and immediately stuffed a piece of fish into his mouth.


    The fresh and tender meat was accompanied by a spicy taste, which he had never experienced before, almost made Seventeenth Wangye bite his tongue.


    Su Wangye frowned and snatched the chopsticks from his younger brother¡¯s hand.


    ¡°The Imperial Concubine Selection is not over, take care of business first.¡± With that, he took a piece of fish and tasted it.


    Just then, the State Teacher¡¯s person suddenly communicated a message that this thing should not be touched without authorization, and forcibly snatched a basin full of Sichuan poached sliced fish in hot chili oil from the hands of the two Qinwangs.


    ¡°This is Ours. No one is allowed to eat it.¡± In the hall on the second floor, An Hongchen, dressed in bright yellow clothes, pulled the pot of fish to his side.


    ¡°Then there will be no judgment, and this matter is closed.¡± The State Teacher leisurely stroked the white hair at his temples.


    ¡°Imperial Uncle can eat it.¡± Only then did the emperor reluctantly remove his hand, but stared coldly at the opposite State Teacher.


    The State Teacher ignored him and slowly picked out a piece of fish and ate it.


    ¡°Is this why you said I must choose him?¡±


    ¡°Whether you choose or not is up to you, We are too lazy to care!¡± An Hongche snorted coldly and stormed off in a huff.


    Looking at the golden silhouette jumping down from the huge window, the State Teacher slowly put down the bowl and chopsticks.


    ¡°Go down and announce, ba.¡±


    Everyone waited in the hall for a long time and finally received the evaluations from the State Teacher.


    Whether it was poetry, songs, or heroes¡¯ blood and tears, the great State Teacher mercilessly gave an ¡°Inferior¡± evaluation absolutely without consideration for others'' feelings and then acclaimed.


    ¡°It¡¯s all rubbish!¡±


    Only Su Yu got an ¡°Acceptable¡± evaluation and was allowed to enter the palace to serve.


    Su Yu blankly held a basket of chili peppers, completely dumbfounded.

 CH 25

    Chapter 25 - Grading


    The young masters that failed to be elected soon packed up their bags and went home, while Su Yu, who somehow got selected, monopolized the Xunyang Palace.


    In the next few days, he will receive training before entering the Imperial Palace, carefully studying the rules of the place, and after ten days the emperor will marry him.


    Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi happily led his QingCong horse away, and Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi, who still worried about his sister, specially came to see Su Yu before leaving.


    ¡°What¡¯s Shizi mean by this?¡± Su Yu looked at the small box on the table and frowned slightly.


    ¡°Brother Su felt like an old friend at our first meeting, I originally wanted to go to Xianmantang to pay a visit when I left the palace, but I didn¡¯t expect brother Su to stay. This should be considered a parting gift, I hope brother Su will not dislike it.¡± Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi said sincerely and pushed the box to Su Yu¡¯s hand.


    Su Yu opened the box and saw several silver banknotes in it. After a rough look, it was about one thousand taels. He immediately closed the lid and pushed the box back.


    ¡°I cannot accept it. If Shizi has anything to say, just say it, ba. ¡±


    Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi sighed: ¡°To be honest, today is the Empress Dowager election, and my younger sister passed the secondary election. She is naughty and mischievous by nature and is ignorant of worldly affairs, I¡¯m afraid that she will offend people in the palace. As a man I cannot ask other Imperial Concubines to look after her, so I can only ask Brother Su to take care of Yi¡¯er. In the future, if you need the Cen family''s help, we would absolutely do our best"


    ¡°I¡¯m just a cook, I¡¯m afraid I cannot do better than Young Lady Cen in the palace¡­¡± Su Yu was speechless, he himself knew nothing about court battles and house fights, and he was entrusted to take care of her.


    ¡°Brother Su, don¡¯t belittle yourself. Since the State Teacher selected Brother Su, there must be something outstanding about you!¡± Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi¡¯s face was full of certainty.


    You know, although the Da¡¯an Dynasty can choose male Imperial Concubines, there were only a handful of male concubines who had really entered the palace in previous dynasties.


    All those who can be selected are amazing figures without exception. After being released they rise in the official world and have boundless prospects.


    In the end, Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi still left the silver notes to Su Yu and said a lot of seemingly profound words, which gave Su Yu an headache¡£


    ??????????????


    The chaotic day finally ended, and An Hongche flicked his drowsy younger brother with his finger.


    ¡°We are going to summon someone to bed tonight, you sleep in the side hall.¡±


    The dazed little chubby ball instantly woke up in shock.


    ¡°Meow?¡±


    Wang Gonggong, who was listening, immediately showed a relieved smile on his face. His Majesty has been crowned for so long, and today he is finally enlightened, and so he said right away.


    ¡°I¡¯m ignorant, which one would Your Majesty like to summon?¡±


    It¡¯s important to know that before the age of twenty, these guys¡¯ body shape was difficult to control.


    Emotional excitement or accidental impact may turn the Emperor into a cat, therefore the Emperor has grown so big and has never summoned his Imperial Concubines even once.


    An Hongche glanced at Wang Gonggong in a puzzled manner.


    ¡°Summon Su Yu, of course.¡± Who else can be summoned?


    ¡°This¡­ Your Majesty, Young Master Su hasn¡¯t joined the palace yet. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s inappropriate.¡± Wang Gonggong looked embarrassed.


    Although Su Yu had been selected, his rank was still to be determined and he had not been formally married. The Emperor summoned him to come to the bedroom now, which was obviously against the rules.


    ¡°Heng, then We¡¯ll go to the Xunyang Palace to honor him!¡±[TL_Note: Here at the end the author used the characters ÅRÐÒ(l¨ªn x¨¬ng) which has the meaning of the emperor going in person to visit a concubine]


    An Hongche snorted coldly, and conveniently threw away his brother who was sleeping in his lap, got up and left.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Wang Gonggong couldn¡¯t stop him, so he saw the Emperor turn into a golden light and rush out of the hall.


    ¡°Reporting to Gonggong, the Empress Dowager invites His Majesty to visit Ci¡¯an Palace for a chat. ¡± As soon as the Emperor left, a small eunuch came to report.


    Wang Fuhai turned his head to look at His Highness King Zhao, who pretended not to hear, and then looked at the empty throne.


    He had a headache.


    ??????????????


    Su Yu was bored in the room counting chili peppers, thinking about how to live in the future.


    Today, Yang Gonggong provided a lot of general knowledge of the palace to him, so he had a general understanding of the current situation in the Imperial Harem. Su Yu truly didn¡¯t want to stay here at all.


    The late Emperor left early, and the current Emperor ascended the throne as a young man, but he was weak and sickly. He often couldn¡¯t go to court, so the throne was not stable.


    The Prime Minister was the elder male cousin of the Empress Dowager, and over the years, his relatives have dominated the court. It has reached a very grave level and inside the Imperial Harem, when the Emperor just ascended the throne, he was forced to receive the daughter of the Lu family as the Gui Fei [TL_Note: highest ranking concubine].


    As one can well imagine, in the previous dynasty Imperial Harem there were chickens flying and dogs jumping, and there was certainly not a day where it was peaceful.


    As a cook, he just wanted to open his seafood chain store safely, ad he didn¡¯t want to participate in these profound struggles at all. Not to mention serving a man he had never met!


    He couldn''t help shaking when thinking about it.


    ¡°Sauce, this is simply extremely ridiculous.¡± The traumatized Su Yu listlessly buried his face in the golden fur, seeking comfort from the kitten who had sneaked away to see him.


    ¡°Why should I, a man, marry the Emperor, ah!¡±


    An Hongche, who was pushing Su Yu¡¯s head hard, froze, he then angrily slapped him with his paw.


    Stupid slave, who else can you marry if not Us?


    ¡°Forget it, just with my appearance, I guess the Emperor will release me in two days.¡± Su Yu comforted himself and buried his nose in his Maomao again, groaning.


    ¡°If only I was married off to you, I wouldn¡¯t serve the Emperor, only you.¡±


    Count yourself tactful!


    The golden cat slightly raised his chin, and the long tail behind him swayed proudly.


    We won¡¯t give you the cold-shoulder.


    A few days later, the Imperial Concubine Selection on the women¡¯s side was also over, and a banquet was held in the Qingping Hall in the palace.


    This was the last segment of the Imperial Concubine Selection. All those who were selected had to participate in the palace banquet on the last day, in which the Emperor will bestow them their titles.


    The titles of male concubines and female concubines were different. The male ranks from low to high were ShiJun, ShangJun, Fei, GuiFei, and Empress;


    And the women were CaiRen, ZhaoYi, Fei, GuiFei, and Empress.


    Most people who just entered the palace start from the lowest rank, unless there was a special reason.


    ¡°Nowadays, there are very few concubines in the harem, but their ranks are not low. Aijia thinks that this time you can directly confer a Fei position.¡± In the Ci¡¯an Palace, the Empress Dowager held a yellow and white chubby cat in her arms, while grooming it, she said to the absent-minded Emperor.


    ¡°En.¡± An Hongche sat on the main seat and looked contemptuously at his younger brother acting spoiled in his mother¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°The first lady of the Marquis Changchun¡¯s family has the highest background¡­¡± The Empress Dowager did not look like the Emperor.


    Her pair of almond eyes were slightly round, precisely the same as King Zhao¡¯s, and she spoke gently and slowly.


    ¡°Just Su Yu, ba.¡± His Majesty the Emperor said impatiently. What first lady, what does it have to do with him?


    ¡°He¡¯s merely the son of a second-class general.¡± The Empress Dowager said helplessly.


    ¡°We have my own ways.¡± An Hongche said and got up.


    Conveniently, he picked up the fat ball that was stretching its neck for his mother to scratch, then turned around and left.


    The Empress Dowager sighed, and the palace maid waiting beside her came forward to carefully remove the cat¡¯s fur from the Empress Dowager¡¯s dress.


    Seeing that Empress Dowager was in a bad mood, she said in a comforting tone.


    ¡°If Empress Dowager likes the kitten, why not ask His Majesty to play with it for a few days.¡± She remembered that the Emperor has a pure golden cat, but she had not seen this one before today.


    ¡°To raise a cat is to raise an ancestor, Aijia is getting old and can¡¯t handle it anymore.¡± The Empress Dowager sighed softly.


    The palace maid felt that the Empress Dowager''s words carried an implicit meaning, and dared not to say more.


    ??????????????


    Qingping Hall, the land under heaven is clear and bright[TL_Note: Qingming], safe[TL_Note:Pingan] and happy, it is the main hall commonly used for banquets in the Imperial Palace.


    This palace banquet was for the Emperor to choose and see his concubines. The Empress Dowager did not participate, and it was inconvenient for the other royal clan members to show up.


    Before the banquet, in addition to Su Yu and a bunch of beautiful women, only Yang Gonggong and Chen Gugu, who managed the young ladies, were there.


    The hall was completely empty with two rows of low tables, Su Yu sat on the left side and the ladies sat on the right.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe a man was selected this year, ah!¡± Several ladies secretly whispered to one another.


    ¡°He looks quite handsome¡­¡±


    ¡°Certainly not as handsome as the His Majesty. According to my father, the Emperor is a rare beautiful man¡­¡±


    ¡°I need to dance well in a while, maybe the Emperor will directly appoint me as a GuiFei¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t dare to talk nonsense about this, be careful Lu GuiFei may hear¡­¡±


    Marquis Changchun¡¯s young lady Cen looked coldly at Su Yu across the tables. Her family sent word that they have partnered with Su Yu.


    The Su family had no foundation in court and could only rely upon their Houfu, in the future he had to listen to her in the palace. Thinking of this, Cen Xiaojie got up and walked to Su Yu, and said condescendingly.


    ¡°I heard that younger sister of yours say that you are a fish seller.¡±


    Su Yu raised his head to look at the young lady he had never met, unsure of her intentions.


    ¡°My father is the Marquis Changchun.¡± Cen Xiaojie secretly gritted her teeth when she saw Su Yu¡¯s unworthy appearance.


    Why did her family find a fish seller to help her, she¡¯s afraid that with this revolting character, he can¡¯t even be conferred Shang Jun.


    ¡°I heard that CaiRen¡¯s and ShiJun¡¯s don¡¯t have separate bedrooms, and they can¡¯t walk around as one wishes. Let¡¯s put off our discussion until you are conferred as ShangJun, ba.¡±


    In other words, if you can¡¯t make a name for yourself, don¡¯t come to bother this young lady.


    Only then did Su Yu understand, was he despised by his teammate?


    ¡°The imperial edict has arrived!¡± Just when he was responding, a loud voice came from outside the hall and Wang Fuhai, the chief manager of the palace, came in, but His Majesty still didn¡¯t show himself.


    Everyone hurriedly knelt down to receive the edict, and Wang Gonggong cleared his throat and said.


    ¡°Your Excellencies, His Majesty is busy with government affairs, and is unable to come to the palace banquet today, Zajia will deliver the decree on his behalf, I hope you¡¯ll bear with me. ¡±


    Hearing that the Emperor was not coming, the young ladies couldn¡¯t help being greatly disappointed, and even Cen Xiaojie, who didn''t want to dance, looked lost.


    ¡°By the will of heaven, the Emperor decrees, Our Imperial Concubine should be chosen by Our beloved cat.¡± Wang Gonggong solemnly put away this brief and powerful imperial edict and resisted the urge to look at the strange facial expressions of the ladies.


    He then respectfully took the tray in the hands of the little eunuch, on which sat a golden kitten.


    Sauce! Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened, I didn¡¯t expect this guy was raised by the Emperor! But to leave the selecting of imperial concubines to Sauce¡­ Su Yu suddenly had a bad feeling.


    ¡°His Majesty has decreed that whichever one of you is chosen by the cat will be named Fei.¡± Wang Gonggong put the tray steadily on the ground, and the golden cat jumped out.


    The ladies reacted, no matter how outrageous this matter was, it was an important opportunity for them to get the Fei position, naturally, they couldn¡¯t let it slip by.


    ¡°Little darling, come here!¡± Someone clapped their hands to attract the kitten¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Meow, meow, look at this!¡± Someone shook the silk sash around their waist in an attempt to attract his eye.


    Only Su Yu¡¯s face was twitching as he whispered.


    ¡°Sauce, don¡¯t come over, don¡¯t come over¡­¡±


    The golden cat did not look twice, freely and unconstrained he walked up to Su Yu and threw himself straight into Su Yu¡¯s arms.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    there were chickens flying and dogs jumping -> chaos


    Maomao -> baby


    Fei -> Imperial Concubine


    GuiFei -> Senior Concubine/Imperial Consort


    CaiRen -> Talented Person


    Aijia -> self-referring by a widowed empress etc, used in historical novels and operas


    Gugu -> A high-rank palace maid who was in charge of the younger maids


    Houfu -> Marquis residence


    Xiaojie -> Young lady


    Zajia -> This one

 CH 26

    Chapter 26 - Dowry


    Su Yu subconsciously reached out and caught him.


    The furball automatically and purposefully grabbed his lapel and climbed up, climbing up to his shoulders before it stopped.


    He looked at Su Yu¡¯s complicated and gorgeous crown with dissatisfaction and sat down on his shoulder reluctantly, condescendingly proclaiming his ownership to the crowd.


    There was a moment of silence in the hall.


    ¡°Congratutation, Young Master Su.¡± Wang Gonggong was the first to react, he bowed calmly and gave him a mutton fat jade pendant, which was the first reward for crowning a Fei.


    A mutton fat jade was warm and soft, like a beauty¡¯s delicate jade hand. This jade pendant was hollowed out and carved into a set of two fishes in rippling water, which was very exquisite.


    Su Yu held the jade pendant in his hand in a daze, a thumb-sized piece was worth several hundred taels of silver, and this jade pendant was worth at least a thousand taels.


    However, looking at the expressions of those beautiful women, especially Cen Xiaojie¡¯s blood-red eyes, he feared that this jade pendant was probably worth more than a thousand gold taels to everyone.


    The rank of concubines in the palace was like the difference between heaven and earth.


    CaiRen and ShiJun¡¯s were only higher than palace maids, only ZhaoYi and ShangJun¡¯s could have their own palace room, and Fei¡¯s could manage their own palace and when there was no Empress, they could also assist in the management of the six palaces[TL_Note: Being in charge of all concubines/the residences of the imperial consorts].


    In other words, the Fei was the sideroom concubine[TL_Note: A sideroom concubine is of higher status than a regular concubine] and those under it can only be regarded as chambermaids.


    What¡¯s more, Su Yu was a man. If he was released from the Fei¡¯s position, he would directly be conferred Count[TL_Note: Just below a Marquis], which could be described as reaching heaven in a single bound!


    A fish seller actually turned into a Fei directly, but these innate noble ladies could only start from being Cairen¡¯s!


    Bursts of coldness came swirling from all directions, Su Yu felt as if he was standing amidst a pack of hungry wolves holding a thorny and oily meat bone in his hand¡­


    ¡°The decree to bestow the title shall be delivered to your Excellencies'' noble families in a few days.¡± Wang Gonggong kindly broke the increasingly tense atmosphere.


    ¡°Su Gongzi, follow this slave to send the sacred cat back, ba.¡±


    With Wang Gonggong to accompany him, the others did not dare to say much. Su Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and rested his ear on the kitten on his shoulder, what a sin.


    After leaving the Qingping Hall, Wang Gonggong reached out and took the kitten away, then he respectfully invited Su Yu back to the Xunyang Palace, speaking in a pleasant manner.


    ¡°Tomorrow someone will send Gongzi home, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will go to your residence to take care of everything. Gongzi can relax and wait for His Majesty to marry you.¡±


    ¡°Gonggong, rest assured, this little one will certainly serve Su Gongzi well.¡± Yang Gonggong said with a big smile on his face.


    Wang Gonggong glanced at him and said: ¡°As long as Gongzi has any requirements, just do it according to the rules of the Fei position, if you can¡¯t make up your mind, let me know.¡±


    With what Wang Gonggong said in public, the people in the palace naturally didn¡¯t dare to be irreverent to Su Yu.


    Even in the few steps from Qingping Hall to XunYang Palace Yang Gonggong looked for a palanquin and was reluctant to let him take a half step more.


    The next day, the news that the Emperor elected a male Fei spread to all levels of society from the imperial court to the common people, and in the Su family, it was even more explosive.


    The concubine daughter of his eldest uncle¡¯s branch family was eliminated early. Su Ying, who was originally full of expectations of flying to the high branches, was sent back by the Zongzheng Department people in tears.


    Hearing his daughter say that Su Yu passed the secondary election, Su Xiaozhang began to feel ill at ease.


    After a few days of not seeing Su Yu leaving the palace, he completely panicked and asked the person who promised to help him secure the title, this person was Lu Zhongliang, the second son of Prime Minister Lu.


    Lu Zhongliang at the present held a post in the Ministry of Rites, and the Zongzheng Department and the Ministry of Rites were also considered one integral whole.


    It was reasonable that Su Xiaozhang would definitely get help by taking such a path, that¡¯s why he, secure in the knowledge that he had a backing, dared to treat Su Yu so fearlessly.


    It¡¯s just that he had sent back and forth a lot of gifts in the past few months, but it still had not been settled.


    Su Xiaozhang was angry in his heart but didn¡¯t dare to say anything, after all, the Prime Minister had nowadays great power and his granddaughter was also the GuiFei[TL_Note: highest-ranking imperial concubine] in the palace, he was not from a poor family that he could afford to offend.


    ¡°This matter cannot be done.¡± Lu Zhongliang seldom saw Su Xiaozhang, every time he goes to see him, the housekeeper was the one to receive him.


    Today, he directly came out to see him, raising his hand, he threw all the silver taels that Su Xiaozhang had given him on the table, a solemn expression on his face.


    It was not that difficult to fix a title of an impoverished family, Lu Zhongliang didn¡¯t think much of it at the beginning, but something always went wrong when he was doing it.


    Until this morning, when he attended the imperial court session, the Emperor announced that he would appoint Su Yu the title of Fei, only then did he come to his senses.


    Think about how the Su family¡¯s fish seller had caught the eyes of the State Teacher, there must be a noble person who helped him, and the power behind this noble person is enough to compete with the Lu family!


    ¡°Second master, why can¡¯t it be done?¡± Su Xiaozhang was stunned.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see for yourself when you get home.¡± Lu Zhonglian was too impatient to talk to him, these days, when the two Qinwangs entered the capital, the balance in the court was suddenly broken.


    During this sensitive period, he naturally could not get involved in the affairs of the Su family anymore.


    Si Xiaozhang returned to the Su Residence with a downcast face, just in time to meet Su Yu, who was sent back by the people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.


    With him, there was also a bright yellow Imperial Edict.


    ¡°Su Yu, the youngest son of the Su family, has both virtue and talent and is of excellent character and appearance, a model of nobility, and is hereby granted the title of Fei by the order of the Empress Dowager, and is so permitted to enter the Emperor¡¯s palace in three days to serve¡­¡±


    Wang Gonggong, the Chief Steward of the imperial household, personally carried the decree and the people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs stood on both sides.


    The Su family knelt down on the ground trembling and looked at Su Yu, who was dressed in gold and crowned with jade. The latter expressionless accepted the decree and thanked them for their kindness, without any excitement, which made his eldest uncle¡¯s family branch even more frightened.


    It''s not that Su Yu was calm, he was just powerless to complain.


    Wang Gonggong left after announcing the decree, but the people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs stayed. In the next three days, they had to prepare Su Yu¡¯s dowry and the matter of entering the palace.


    ¡°The Su family ancestors have blessed us, the heavens have eyes!¡± Zhao Shi was so excited that she couldn¡¯t help herself.


    She never expected that Su Yu would be selected and be crowned Fei!


    Two years later, when the crown prince was established and the harem was released Su Yu would be a real Count, who will receive a salary of 1000 taels every year and she would be the Count¡¯s TaiFuren!


    ¡°How can this be¡­¡± The eldest aunt shivered for a long time, then rolled her eyes and fainted.


    When Su Yu enters the palace, the title of the family was equivalent to being stripped, and when Su Yu was released, his rise in the official world had nothing to do with the first branch.


    ¡°Niangniang [TL_Note: imperial concubine], the matter of the dowry¡­¡± The people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs didn¡¯t seem to see the Su family¡¯s loss of composure, they smiled and asked Su Yu about the next arrangement.


    According to common practice, the concubines selected in the Imperial Concubine Selection were allowed to stay in the palace directly, however, Su Yu was crowned Fei, and the Fei had to perform a receiving Fei ceremony and accompany the dowry, so the people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs had to rush over to serve.


    The corner of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched and looked at the honest-looking consul of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.


    ¡°Li Daren, can not call me Niangniang?¡±


    The thickness of a concubines¡¯ dowry represents the power of the family behind them. It was also a safeguard for the concubine after entering the palace.


    The Su family was poor, so naturally, they couldn¡¯t get any dowry. Su Yu¡¯s own hand was the 40% shares of Xianmantang and the 1000 silver taels notes sent by Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi.


    To be forced to go enter the Emperor¡¯s palace to serve a man he had never met, and to accompany with all his possessions, no matter how he thought it was not worth it.


    Su Yu was pained to throw more than 200 taels of saving that he had saved over the past few months to the people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and let them make the arrangements.


    He then changed out of his fancy clothes, held the straw basket filled with chili peppers, and hurried out.


    As soon as one entered the palace gates, it was as deep as the sea.


    He only had three days to give instructions at Xianmantang and settle the chili peppers he had paid a great price for, no matter how he calculated it was not enough.


    ¡°Li Daren, this¡­¡± The people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs looked at each other in dismay.


    When Lu Guifei entered the palace, the Prime Minister¡¯s Residence took out 30,000 taels of silver and prepared 120 dowries, the Ministry of Internal Affairs sent eight people to handle it and this time, it also sent eight people.


    They thought they would be busy running back and forth these three days, but who would have thought¡­


    Li Daren looked at the pitiful 200 taels of silver, they were not needed at all, Su Yu could just pack a bag and bring it to the palace, and that¡¯s enough.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    nobility ranks -> Duke > Marquis > Count > Viscount > Baron


    reaching heaven in a single bound! -> instant success


    TaiFuren -> title for the mother of a noble or an official


    Niangniang -> queen/empress / imperial concubine / Goddess, Queen Mother of the West/mother/aunt

 CH 27

    Chapter 27 - Trouble


    Su Yu first went to King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu. Over the past few days, Yang Gonggong had mentioned many things about him, and among the influential officials, he only knew An Hongyi.


    He could live in the Tianzi room because of the care of His Highness King Zhao. Moreover, he had to trouble King Zhao to discuss with Ling Wangye about the chili pepper.


    When he arrived at the Wangfu, the housekeeper told Su Yu that King Zhao had been away for several days and did not know when he would return.


    Mister Yuan was there, and he was planning to go to Xianmantang to sit at the counter.


    ¡°Where did Wangye go?¡± Su Yu carried the straw basket on his shoulder and was ready to leave with Mister Yuan. However, he startled the housekeeper of the Wangfu on the side.


    ¡°Niangniang, quickly put it down, let this little one come, ba.¡± King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu was naturally well-informed.


    The housekeeper did not dare to let Su Yu do any labor now, so he quickly called a young servant to help him.


    Su Yu pressed his throbbing forehead. One by one, they all called him Niangniang, how can he live like this?


    Just as he was about to correct the housekeeper¡¯s title, Mister Yuan at the side followed.


    ¡°Niangniang does not know, Wangye and the Emperor have always been close to each other and he often stays in the palace. I¡¯m afraid he will stay in the palace all the time because of the Imperial Concubine Selection these days.¡±


    Su Yu: ¡°Mister Yuan¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Mister Yuan looked at Su Yu, who was not looking well.


    ¡°Niangniang, don¡¯t worry, Wangye has entrusted me with many affairs, if there¡¯s anything important, this Yuan will do his best to help.¡±


    ¡°Forget it¡­¡± Su Yu silently turned around and left. No matter whether they were Yuanmou people or cavemen, they cannot communicate with each other.


    ??????????????


    The business at Xianmantang was still flourishing. The two little disciples each served seven dishes, enough to support the small restaurant.


    ¡°Shifu, you¡¯re back!¡± Wang Feng, who was killing fish, saw Su Yu and rushed over with a knife in his hand.


    Su Yu quickly dodged the bloody welcome and patted Zhang Cheng, who was honestly marinating shrimp, he then called the two disciples together.


    ¡°I have to enter the palace soon. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to come back for a while, so I¡¯m planning to divide Xianmantang between the two of you.¡±


    The two little disciples were shocked, without any rhyme or reason, how come he can¡¯t return?


    In the beginning, it was agreed with King Zhao that Su Yu accounted for 40% of Xianmantang. Su Yu planned to divide half of the dividends from himself to his two apprentices, counting them as technical shares.


    ¡°No, Shifu, we can¡¯t have this!¡± Wang Feng had a big round face, and now his head was shaking like a rattle.


    ¡°Shifu, you have already paid more than enough for the work!¡± Zhang Cheng looked at Mister Yuan, who was standing by, expecting the shopkeeper to help persuade him with a few words.


    They, two poor boys, could follow Su Yu to learn his craft, and could still earn so much money, they were already very content.


    Mister Yuan was also a little surprised by Su Yu¡¯s decision, but it was reasonable when you thought about it. After all, when you enter the palace, you won¡¯t know how long it will take to come out.


    The Su family had no foundation in court, and Xianmantang was Su Yu¡¯s only livelihood. Now he could only rely on his two disciples to support him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to refuse, in the future, Xianmantang will have to rely on your skills, but the dividends in Niangniang¡¯s hands are not much. As such, I will take the initiative to share 10% of Wangye¡¯s dividends and 10% of Niangniang¡¯s contribution counting as two people, how about it?¡±


    ¡°Shifu, by doing this, do you not trust us? We¡­¡± Zhang Cheng started to become anxious.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Wang Feng hurried to pull him back.


    Su Yu waved his hand and motioned them to sit down.


    ¡°Xianmantang¡¯s potential is far more than that, I have long discussed with Wangye that we will open more restaurants in the future.¡±


    This was indeed planned by him, Xianmantang looks very high-end, but in fact, it took the fast-food route. If you want to make big money, you need to open more restaurants, Su Yu alone was definitely not enough.


    For the two apprentices, they were actually trained according to the core executives of an enterprise, and it was absolutely necessary to divide the shares appropriately.


    In the next few years in the palace, Su Yu may not have much control over the business, but now he was one family with King Zhao, and so King Zhao''s Wangfu will naturally help.


    What¡¯s more, when he is released, he will be at least a Count, and it will not be difficult then to spread Xianmantang North and South of the Yangtze River.


    After listening carefully to Su Yu¡¯s plan for Xianmantang, not to mention the two little disciples, even Mister Yuan felt his blood boiling.


    After signing a new contract, and throwing the two excited and teary-eyed apprentices off to do the dishes, Su Yu took out a box and handed it over to Mister Yuan.


    ¡°There are one thousand taels of silver in it, I hope Mister can help me buy a piece of land.¡±


    Su Yu had no choice but to accept the money from Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi.


    On one hand, as Cen Gongzi said, the Su family had no foundation. If you wanted to survive in the palace, you must have an ally, so at least you can get some information;


    Moreover, he did not have much savings in his hands now, and his legitimate mother and concubine sister did not know how to run a business. Once he enters the palace, he¡¯s afraid their lives will be difficult.


    ¡±Niangniang wants to buy land, as a matter of fact, it¡¯s not difficult, merely, I don¡¯t know what for?¡± Mister Yuan did not refuse.


    ¡°The fertile farmland will be used to grow grain, and the annual harvest is to be sent to the Su Residence for my Muqin to take care of.¡± Su Yu took out a chili pepper and broke it apart, pouring out a handful of pepper seeds.


    ¡°Additionally, set aside a separate place to grow this.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know whether the chili peppers could survive, so he can¡¯t promote the dishes with chili peppers for the time being, but this didn¡¯t affect Su Yu¡¯s enjoyment.


    He gave half of them to Mister Yuan to try planting the seeds and kept the rest. At noon, Su Yu personally cooked and made spicy shrimps.


    The thick shrimp soup stock and ground chili powder were boiled together in the hot oil, and the lining dish was topped with sweet potato strips, green vegetables, and shelled peanuts.


    The fat shrimps¡¯ backs were cut open and then had hot and spicy oil sprinkled over them. The rich aroma was so strong that attracted passers-by frequently.


    ¡°Shopkeeper, what is cooking in the back kitchen, why is it so fragrant?¡± The guests in Xianmantang asked one after another.


    ¡°Our boss is trying new dishes.¡± After explaining this, Mister Yuan hurried to the back kitchen.


    He was also very curious about the dishes made with the strange chili pepper.


    ¡°Too, too delicious¡­¡± Zhang Cheng ate a spicy shrimp and he couldn''t speak a complete sentence.


    Mister Yuan ate three shrimps in a row, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡°This chili pepper, I will certainly plant it for you!¡±


    ??????????????


    When he returned to the Su Residence in the evening, several people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs were happily discussing the dowry with Zhao Shi.


    ¡°These silver taels are enough. Furen can rest assured, we can get everything ready tomorrow.¡± Li Daren held a stack of silver banknotes in his hand, laughing till his teeth disappeared.


    There were no betrothal gifts for imperial concubines entering the palace. If their family prepared their articles of daily use in advance, there won¡¯t be many matters to involve the Ministry of Internal Affairs.


    But most of the imperial concubines do not know if they would enter the palace before they were selected. In a hurry, their families would directly pay the money to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for them to handle the dowry [TL_Note: Articles of daily use].


    All the things of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were ready-made, just took the money and directly carried it.[TL_Note: Articles of daily use, such as the bed, furniture, cupboard, bedding. In ancient times, the bed, furniture, and cupboard are the main dowry for a girl, furniture was expensive at that time. I would like to thank w¨­ ni¨² = BB for helping with this part]


    Su Yu frowned and hurried forward.


    ¡°Muqin, where did this silver come from?¡± Zhao Shi¡¯s private savings were only a hundred taels of silver.


    Later, Su Yu gave a lot of money one time after another and the total was definitely less than five hundred taels. However, looking at the stack of silver banknotes, there were at least a few thousand taels.


    ¡°I was about to tell you about it.¡± Zhao Shi looked at the few people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and hesitated.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I¡¯ll discuss the dowry with Furen tomorrow.¡± It was obvious that Su Yu and his mother had something to talk about.


    The people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs knew how to behave in delicate situations and said their goodbyes in advance. The silver banknotes were also left on the table, they only said that they would come to pick them up early in the morning.


    Su Yu picked them up and counted, there were three thousand taels, and his heart sank slightly.


    ¡°Muqin, what¡¯s going on?¡± Marquis Changchun¡¯s family gave him a thousand taels, and there were endless troubles.


    This extra three thousand taels that appeared out of thin air may drive him to his death.


    ¡°This was sent by the Wangye who befriended you.¡± Zhao Shi smiled and continued.


    ¡°You have truly met a noble person. You are not at home these days, but Wangye has been very helpful.¡±


    Wangye? When Su Yu heard this, his frown deepened.


    The only Wangye he was familiar with was An Hongyi, and that person had been in the palace all these says. How could he come to his house to help?


    Zhao Shi kept talking about what happened these days.


    Since Su Ming was hurt in Su Yu¡¯s courtyard last time, he had become sneaky. As soon he regained the ability to walk, he went to gamble with people.


    He lost until his eyes went red and actually went as far as to want to pawn his sister off to others, however, Su Ying was in the Imperial Concubine Selection in the palace, so Su Ming said that Su Zhi, the concubine daughter of the second branch, was also his sister.


    Zhao Shi was so angry that she wanted to denounce it to the officials, but it was not good for Su Zhi¡¯s reputation to publicize this kind of thing. She was afraid that it would be difficult to marry into a good family in the future.


    ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that you know Wangye. Wangye had someone teach Su Ming a lesson and paid off the gambling debts, so as not to tarnish Xiao Zhi¡¯s reputation. ¡± Zhao Shi sighed with relief and was very grateful to Wangye.


    ¡°Wangye also sent money today especially to add to your trousseau.¡±


    The more Su Yu listened, the more he felt something was not right.


    ¡°Muqin, what¡¯s the name of that Wangye?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it King Mu? He even asked you to go to Drunken Immortal House for a drink tomorrow.¡± Zhao Shi smiled.


    King Mu, the full name King Mu Jun, was the eldest prince An Hongzhuo. Su Yu was sure that he had never met this person, he only heard from King Zhao that this man was the elder brother of the Emperor.


    Since he had not yet been granted a fief, he was still in court for the time being. King Zhao didn¡¯t seem to like this elder brother and reminded Su Yu that if he saw that man eating in Xianmantang, by all means, he must not let him off lightly.


    ¡°Muqin, I don¡¯t know King Mu, so I cannot take this silver.¡± Su Yu sighed.


    He didn¡¯t want to cause trouble, but trouble came one after another.


    ??????????????


    The next day, Su Yu took the three thousand taels of silver and went to Drunken Immortal House.


    Before going, he did not forget to send a letter to Mister Yuan, after all, this imperial family matter implicated too much, so it was necessary to let King Zhao know.


    ¡°It¡¯s really not easy to meet Boss Su.¡± King Mu had a pair of extraordinary long and narrow eyes, which made Su Yu feel scared in his heart.


    ¡°Wangye has helped me a great deal these days, this Su can¡¯t thank you enough. It¡¯s just that I cannot accept such a heavy gift from Wangye.¡± Su Yu directly put the silver banknotes on the table, turned around, and left.


    The affairs of the Imperial Family were too complicated. No matter what King Mu¡¯s plan was, he didn¡¯t want to be involved with this snake-like Wangye at all, besides, the plump His Highness King Zhao looked more like a good person.


    An Hongzhuo didn¡¯t expect Su Yu to fail to appreciate one¡¯s favor.


    He actually didn¡¯t ask anything or say anything. He just directly threw the silver notes to this face and left, and the speech that he had prepared was stuck in his throat.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Niangniang -> Imperial Concubine


    Yuanmou people -> fossil remains found in Yunnan


    North and South of the Yangtze River -> all over the country


    Muqin -> mother


    trousseau -> the personal possessions of a bride usually including clothes, accessories, and household linens and wares

 CH 28

    Chapter 28 - Sealing the Fei


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± An Hongzhuo did not intend to let him go. The bodyguards in front of the door heard the noise and immediately blocked Su Yu¡¯s way.


    ¡°Wangye, Su Yu is just a cook, it¡¯s really not worth the trouble for Wangye.¡± Su Yu still didn¡¯t understand when he saw the guards holding weapons.


    He''s afraid that King Mu had been watching him for a long time, and what happened at home was most likely this person¡¯s doing.


    King Mu didn¡¯t seem to hear the irony in Su Yu¡¯s words and smiled.


    ¡°This King has long admired Su Gongzi¡¯s craftmanship, but I never had the opportunity to meet him before. When this King learned that Gongzi will soon become family with this king, Oneself naturally wanted to help out a little.¡±


    Su Yu looked at the sword on the bodyguard¡¯s waist and sat back helplessly.


    ¡°Su Gongzi, don¡¯t worry. This King has no other intentions.¡± An Hongzhuo put on an amiable smiling face.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m just curious, how come the State Teacher consented to choose a male Fei this time? After all, His Majesty''s temper¡­¡±


    When the words ¡°State Teacher¡± were mentioned, there was a momentary distortion in those long and narrow eyes.


    His Majesty¡¯s temper? The mention of this aroused Su Yu¡¯s curiosity, After all, he was about to be married off to that man, but he knew nothing about him, it made him a little apprehensive.


    An Hongzhuo was very good at talking, seeing that Su Yu was interested, he said what he wanted. According to King Mu, His Majesty was weak and sickly, moreover, he was ruthless and tyrannical, being very hard to please.


    When Su Yu entered the palace, he was afraid he¡¯ll suffer hardships, so if he needed help in the palace, he can come to him. At the same time, he will help Su Yu take care of his legitimate mother and concubine sister outside the palace.


    The more Su Yu listened the more unhappy he became. This was clearly threatening him!


    ¡°Oh! Elder Brother, I¡¯ve found you!¡± Just then, the door of the private room was suddenly pushed open, and a chubby body squeezed in.


    It was none other than King Zhao, An Hongyi, who had not been seen for many days.


    Su Yu stood up with a sense of relief.


    ¡°Your Highness, I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time.¡±


    King Zhao opened his eyes wide.


    ¡°Go home quickly, the things I sent to you are about to arrive¡­ Eh? What is this?¡±


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Seeing King Zhao¡¯s sharp eyes grasp the silver banknotes on the table, King Mu¡¯s complexion suddenly changed.


    ¡°Ah, Elder Brother, you¡¯ve also added to Su Yu¡¯s trousseau. Haha, it¡¯s not easy for the royal family to marry a male concubine. Muhou will be very happy to know that you are so diligent.¡± An Hongyi smiled broadly and shoved the silver banknotes into Su Yu¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Hurry up and take it, the additional dowry that Elder Brother gave must be accepted no matter what. Isn¡¯t that right, Eldest Royal Brother?¡±


    King Mu¡¯s face was as black as a bottom of a pot, and he said gritting his teeth. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡±


    Before Su Yu could react, he was pushed out of the private room by King Zhao, urging him to hurry home to have a look.


    ??????????????


    When Su Yu absentmindedly walked back to the Su Residence with three thousand silver taels in his hand, he found that he could not enter the Su Residence anymore¡­ Because the royal bestowment had finally arrived.


    The Imperial Family Fei was equivalent to the concubines of the common people. There weren¡¯t three letters and six rites, but there was still a reward.


    This kind of reward usually was a token of one¡¯s appreciation, the Empress Dowager provides a part, and the Empress also sends some tokens, to show she thinks highly of the family. However, this time was evidently not the same.


    The small front courtyard of the Su Residence was already full of all kinds of things, and the people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were still carrying one thing after another. Damask silks, coral pearls, it was a dazzling sight.


    ¡°The congratulatory gift of King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu has arrived--¡± Li Daren himself served as a ceremonial officer in front of the door.


    The housekeeper of King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu came to give the congratulatory gifts in person. Seeing Su Yu, he promptly stepped forward to greet him.


    ¡°Niangniang, why are you standing here?¡±


    ¡°Wangye asked me to come back and see... Is this it?¡± Su Yu blinked and held King Mu¡¯s three thousand taels banknote in his hand.


    ¡°The reward from the palace has arrived, it is natural for Wangye to also send some additional dowry.¡± The housekeeper smilingly said the royal reward and the noble¡¯s congratulatory gifts can all be counted as the Imperial Concubine dowry.


    Su Yu swallowed his saliva, the Imperial Family is too generous, ba!


    ??????????????


    Imperial Palace, Ci¡¯an Palace.


    ¡°Empress Dowager, do you see, His Majesty is taking the stance of marrying the Empress to take a Fei, ah!¡± The exquisitely made-up Lu Guifei sat beside the Empress Dowager with a sad face.


    ¡°Where can it be compared to marrying an Empress?¡± The Empress Dowager slowly sipped her tea, not paying any attention to it.


    Lu Guifei gritted her teeth, got up, and knelt down by the Empress Dowager¡¯s knee. ¡°Gumu, when I entered the palace, the royal family merely bestowed eight treasures, but now that Fei received the bestowment of thirty-two treasures. What will other people think of this! ¡±


    The Empress Dowager glanced at Lu Guifei.


    ¡°Aijia did not send any reward today.¡±


    Lu Guifei snapped her head up and looked at the Empress Dowager in disbelief. The Empress Dowager did not send a reward, in other words, the thirty-two bestowments were all sent by the Emperor!


    ??????????????


    Zhao Shi¡¯s hands trembled when she received the gift list presented by Zhao Daren. After living half a lifetime, she had never seen so many treasures and almost fainted with joy.


    In the early morning, after the royal rewards arrived, they were followed by King Zhao¡¯s congratulatory gifts as well. In the afternoon, the noble families got the news and also sent additional dowries one after another.


    Su Yu finally came back to his senses. He, found, himself, rich!


    It was like winning the lottery. He changed from a poor wretch to a millionaire overnight.


    Compared to the royal reward, the 1000 taels of Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi and the 3000 taels that King Mu threatened him to accept were nothing!


    Su Yu held tightly the Pisces jade pendant at his waist and slowly raised the corners of his mouth. He suddenly came to accept the matter entering the palace. This was a highly paid profession, with more money to live and less care for retirement pensions.


    After retirement, you can continue to be a senior official, you just had to treat the Emperor as a big boss. Just for today¡¯s ¡°Entry Red Envelope¡±, he had to serve the Emperor well!


    Therefore, Su Yu, who had ignited his fighting spirit, happily took back his 200 taels of private savings, bought the best scallops and sea crabs, and prepared to make some expensive snacks for Sauce.


    ??????????????


    The royal carriage arrived at the Su Residence early. It had a multi-colored imperial canopy with four golden bells ringing in all directions, and the eight corners were decorated with incense sachets.


    Su Yu, dressed in magnificent scarlet clothes set foot on the carriage. The whole journey was vacillating and staggering, with drumming music and shengs blown, and went straight to the forbidden city.


    The royal rewards followed the carriage as the dowry, which was Su Yu¡¯s private property. One by one, they were carried directly into the palace.


    Passing through Shenwu Gate they entered the Taiji Palace Hall.


    Su Yu got off the carriage and the ceremony of bestowing the Fei title directly began.


    The Taiji Palace Hall was actually an open square, it was located on the high platform behind the main hall of the former dynasty. It was made of black and white stone bricks that together formed a huge Taiji diagram.


    The Empress Dowager, dressed in a bright yellow Phoenix gown, stood on the fish eye of the ¡°Yin Fish¡±, Su Yu walked to the fish eye of the ¡°Yang Fish¡±, and everyone knelt down and worshipped.


    The complicated and solemn rituals dazzled Su Yu, so he had to move his gaze to the cool and collected Empress Dowager.


    According to the people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, if you were a female concubine, you had to kneel at the feet of the Empress Dowager, at the fish eye of the ¡°Yin Fish¡±, and the Empress Dowager would personally put on the golden Buyao, which symbolized the Fei position. While the male concubine would stand opposite to her, waiting until the ceremonial official sang the tune, knelt down, and worshipped, and then the ceremonial official would exchange the symbol of the Fei position with a gold-inlaid jade crown.


    The Empress Dowager¡¯s face was calm and looking at Su Yu¡¯s eyes, there was neither joy nor sorrow, as if it was just routine, instead of marrying her son a concubine.


    The ceremonial official sang: ¡°The Su clan¡¯s child Jin Tang has a proper behavior and appearance, and has a virtuous moral character. The Empress Dowager decrees he is to be sealed as Xian Fei.¡±


    Hearing this, Su Yu quickly knelt down and kowtowed, in fact, he was secretly relieved. Fortunately, he still had a formal title, if he was directly named Su Fei, then everyone would call him ¡°Su Niangniang¡±. All day long like living in the world Fengshen Yanyi [TL_Note: The Investiture of Gods, referencing Su Daiji.], how could he still have face to go on?


    ¡°Henceforth, you will be the master of the first palace. You should serve the Emperor with all your heart, do not fail the Emperor¡¯s benevolence.¡± The Empress Dowager said such a sentence in a neutral tone, and the ceremony was considered complete.


    Su Yu kowtowed and thanked her, then a carriage came to pick him up and sent him directly to his palace.


    The imperial harem can only confer four Fei¡¯s, two Guifei¡¯s, and one Empress, there was no limit to the number of others.


    The Fei¡¯s can monopolize one palace, and the palaces that can be selected belong to the West Palace, being available the Bixiao Palace, Yuxiao Palace, Zixiao Palace, and Yexiao Palace.


    The rest of the concubines watched the light red carriage heading to the Yexiao Palace, and one after another twisted the handkerchiefs in their hands.


    Although Yexiao Palace was not the largest, it was the easternmost in the West Palace. In other words, it was the closest to the Emperor¡¯s bedchamber.


    Su Yu had no idea of this and was admiring his new living quarters with curious eyes.


    Yexiao Palace was very spacious, with one main hall, four side halls, and thirty-six palace rooms. The Imperial Palace in Da¡¯an was very different from the Imperial Palace in Beijing that he visited in his previous life.


    The Imperial Palace was solemn and dignified, and the main hall of the Imperial Palace was completely barren. Obviously, the royal family in Da¡¯an thought differently, just look at the luxury of King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu.


    In the front courtyard of Yexiao Palace was an artificial lake, with a white jade stone nine-curved bridge, pavilions, and decorated eaves. Layers upon layers, it was extremely beautiful.


    There was a water lily planted in the lake, it was now in full bloom. The snow-white petals and the tender yellow lotus heart complemented each other. The beauty of the lake is breathtaking.


    The palace room was even more magnificent, with blue jade for the table, red sandalwood for small tables, huge windows that reached the ground, and red carved pillars and beams.


    Su Yu was dazzled, in order to not lose face, he tried to keep his face expressionless and cold, but in fact, he was screaming in his heart.


    ¡°Got rich, got rich!¡±


    Walking slowly to the front of the main hall, Su Yu took a deep breath and stepped in.


    ¡°Greetings to Su Niangniang!¡± A clear and loud voice rang out, and Su Yu stumbled.


    ¡°Niangniang, are you alright?¡± The source of the voice immediately appeared in front of Su Yu and gave him a hand.


    It was Xiao Shun, the eunuch who waited on him in Xunyang Palace a few days ago.


    Wang Gonggong thoughtfully transferred Xiao Shun to him and assigned him two first-class palace maids, four second-class palace maids, and four little eunuchs.


    There was no eunuch in charge because the chief eunuch had to be appointed by the concubines themselves. For the time being, Yang Gonggong was sent to serve him.


    After taking a bath and dressing with the help of the servants, Su Yu changed into a relaxed set of normal clothes. At the time for supper, Su Yu thoroughly experienced the treatment of a seven-star hotel.


    Having to only open his mouth to be fed and hold out his hands to be dressed. After dinner, there were little eunuchs massaging his legs and talking gossip, the day could hardly be any better.


    ¡°Xiao Shun, what do you think the Emperor will do if he called me to serve him?¡± Su Yu¡¯s only worry was to serve the Emperor.


    No matter how much he psychologically prepared himself, he really can¡¯t do it.


    ¡°Niangniang, don¡¯t worry.¡± Xiao Shun took a private look and said quietly.


    ¡°This slave heard that His Majesty never summoned anyone to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened.


    The Emperor was twenty years old and never summoned anyone to serve him? Coult it be that¡­


    All kinds of guesses flashed through his mind and finally settled in the column of ¡°Cannot have sexual intercourse¡±.


    So it was like this, ah¡­ Su Yu secretly snickered. Then his job became ¡°a lot of money, no work, and take care of the elderly¡±.


    So he closed his eyes with peace of mind, if Sauce could come to him tonight, his life would be complete.


    ¡°His Majesty has decreed that Xian Fei will serve him tonight.¡± A loud voice pierced the sky, waking up Su Yu, who was half-asleep and even woke up the majority of the palace.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Muhou -> queen mother addressed by princes /princesses)


    three letters and six rites -> A traditional and genuine Chinese marriage should follow a basic principle of the ¡°Three Letters and Six Etiquettes¡± in the past. Even now some customs are still followed. The ¡°Three Letters¡± include the Betrothal Letter, Gift Letter, and Wedding Letter. The Betrothal Letter is the formal document of the engagement.


    Gumu -> One¡¯s father¡¯s sister


    shengs blown -> a free reed wind instrument with vertical bamboo pipes


    Xian Fei -> worthy or virtuous person

 CH 29

    Chapter 29 - Serving in Bed (Part one)


    There were two kinds of ways that the Emperor could show special favor toward a concubine.


    One was called Xuanzhao, that is, turning over their nameplate to summon the concubines to the Emperor¡¯s bedroom;


    And the other was Linxing, that is, the Emperor goes to the concubine¡¯s palace to seek pleasure.


    Once summoned, the selected concubines should take a bath and change clothes as soon as possible, then proceed to the Emperor¡¯s bedroom -- Beiji Palace.


    Although the Da¡¯an Dynasty summons was not like some dynasties in history where the concubines were stripped naked and rolled up in blankets, Su Yu was still forced to wash up and rinse again.


    Declining Yang Gonggong¡¯s offer to put perfume on him, Su Yu put on a plain long-sleeved cheongsam and, viewing death as a return to home, jumped into the carriage.


    Su Yu immediately regretted when he jumped up, he should have said that he had diarrhea and couldn¡¯t serve. He really wasn¡¯t mentally prepared to serve in bed on the first day after entering the palace, ah.


    Yexiao Palace wasn¡¯t very far from Beiji Palace. At night the Imperial Palace was very quiet, only the footsteps of the patrolling guards echoed on the palace road.


    Sitting on the carriage, Su Yu felt that there was something wrong with the silence around him, only then did he realize that he was so nervous that he forgot to breathe.


    ??????????????


    The Beiji Palace was located in the center of the Imperial Palace, with a high and vast structure and an imposing atmosphere.


    One person every three steps and one guard every five steps.


    Countless guards were spread around the palace, solemn and respectful, fully concentrated on their duty.


    Climbing the forty-nine white jade marble stairs, step by step he went into the brightly lit imperial bedchamber. To tell the truth, it was at this moment that Su Yu genuinely experienced the majesty of the Emperor.


    The man who lived here held the power of life and death over all the people in the land under heaven. This man was now his husband, and he had no right to put up any resistance.


    ¡°Greetings, Su Niangniang.¡± Wang Gonggong saluted Su Yu with a smile.


    ¡°Wang Gonggong, you don¡¯t have to call me Niangniang.¡± Su Yu was exasperated.


    Being called this way, his nervousness suddenly decreased.


    ¡°His Majesty is inside, you can go in by yourself, this slave will not disturb.¡± Wang Gonggong smiled and motioned Su Yu to push open the second door.


    All the surrounding eunuchs and palace maids retreated to the entrance together with Wang Gonggong and closed the door in a very orderly manner.


    The Emperor never called someone to serve him in bed¡­


    The Emperor has been frail and sickly since he was a child, and he had a cruel temperament¡­


    Su Yu stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Chen, Su Yu requests an audience.¡±[TL_Note: Chen -> I, you servant]


    The ten feet high dragon-carved gate slowly opened. The bright candlelights in the hall assaulted his senses, and Su Yu subconsciously closed his eyes.


    The vast Emperor¡¯s bedchamber suddenly appeared in front of him, the whole imperial dwelling was covered with soft carpets, and bright yellow silk sashes hung down from the high beams, interwoven into a hazy beautiful vision.


    Under the dim candlelights, a man, wearing a black embroidered nine-clawed golden dragon robe, stood with his hands behind his back.


    The Emperor, who is also the Heavens.


    Su Yu hurriedly knelt down and bowed.


    ¡°Chen Su Yu salutes the Emperor. May my Emperor live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years.¡±


    An Hongche turned around and silently watched Su Yu kneeling on the floor for a while.


    ¡°You¡¯re excused.¡±


    A voice as pleasant as a cold spring, he seemed to have heard it somewhere before. Su Yu raised his head and looked up at the Emperor.


    Tall figure, clear and bright manner, Dragon stature and Phoenix bearing, the natural quality of Heaven!


    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Su Yu couldn¡¯t help crying out in alarm.


    This stunning but domineering face, wasn¡¯t this the secret royal guard who took Sauce away that morning?


    Stupid slave, An Hongche snorted coldly.


    Slowly approaching Su Yu, he raised his hand and pinched his chin.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already met Zhen, why are you so surprised?¡±[TL_Note: Zhen-> This Emperor/I/We(imperial use)]


    His slender fair fingers had a very comfortable temperature, but the force was a bit large. Su Yu couldn¡¯t help frowning slightly and became even more nervous in his heart.


    The Emperor¡¯s appearance was not like a frail and sick person at all. What¡¯s more, the action of climbing over the wall that day was so swift, he was obviously a martial arts master.


    He still remembered clearly what happened that morning. The man grabbed his throat and warned him not to say anything, otherwise, the Su family would be buried with him.


    This must involve a lot of secrets. So maybe the Emperor married him into the palace to keep his secret? But, what secret do I keep?


    ¡°Chen didn¡¯t know the identity of your Majesty at that time, I didn¡¯t mean to offend. I hope your Majesty will please forgive me.¡± Su Yu knelt down and hung his head to confess his sins, freeing his chin in the process.


    An Hongche frowned. This stupid slave had never spoken to him in such a vague and subtle manner, which made him feel strange and at the same time, gave birth to a lot of dissatisfaction.


    He snorted coldly: ¡°Did Zhen summon you just for you to plead guilty?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Su Yu shivered, then quickly stood up and looked at the incomparable handsome Emperor at loss for words.


    If it¡¯s not for asking me to beg for forgiveness, then it¡¯s to serve in bed, but how could he serve him?


    ¡°Come here, and wait upon Zhen to bathe.¡± An Hongche glanced at him, truly a fool!


    The huge bath made of black marble was surrounded by mist after layer upon layers of curtains. The faucets were two dragon sculptures carved from obsidian embedded on the wall, clear running water gurgled out of the dragons'' mouths.


    Su Yu unskillfully took off the Emperor¡¯s regular clothes, he stripped off the black silk coat and untied the jade belt, revealing a dark golden inner garment. The warm body temperature passed through the thin inner garment to his fingertips.


    The thought that he was taking off the Emperor¡¯s clothes made his fingertips tremble uncontrollably, not knowing whether it was because of nervousness or excitement.


    An Hongche was idle and bored, he tilted his head to the side of Su Yu¡¯s neck and sniffed, it was clear and refreshing, without any hint of perfumes, just a little bit of the fresh taste of seawater.


    The dissatisfaction in his heart suddenly faded.


    The Emperor was half a head taller than him, and him sticking so close made Su Yu feel very oppressed. The original tense mood was even more so by this sudden action, but he didn¡¯t dare to move.


    He could only stand stiffly and allow the warm breath to spray over his neck, stirring up layers of goosebumps.


    An Hongche looked at Su Yu with a dull expression, and a faint smile appeared in his eyes.


    He chuckled in a low voice: ¡°Stupid slave.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Su Yu raised his head.


    He had to say that the Emperor¡¯s eyes were really beautiful, which was what he also thought last time. There was an exotic amber color in the depths of the serene pupils, which were as clear as a glass bead washed by a clear spring.


    Outside the hall, Wang Gonggong was personally guarding the door and a little eunuch inquired rather worriedly.


    ¡°Gonggong, His Majesty has not bathed yet and this slave can¡¯t go in and serve him, can Niangniang serve him alone?¡±


    Wang Gonggong looked at the little eunuch with a faint smile.


    ¡°Su Niangniang is no ordinary person.¡±


    Su Niangniang was indeed not an ordinary person, and Su Yu at his moment also thought so.


    Anyone who could watch unfeelingly the Emperor jump into the pool with his undershirt on, and then easily throws the neatly dressed him into the water without changing his face was no ordinary person!


    Su Yu touched the water droplets on his face and looked back at the Emperor.


    He saw that the Emperor had already flung his soaked inner shirt to the edge of the pool, revealing his honey-colored broad shoulders.


    ¡°Why are you staring? Come over and bathe Zhen.¡± His Majesty leaned against the edge of the pool and threw a piece of soft silk cloth to Su Yu.


    He felt that the Emperor¡¯s actions were familiar, but he couldn¡¯t remember where he had seen them. Su Yu shook his head and first took off his soaked outer and inner clothes.


    It was summer, so he was not cold being shirtless, and after thinking about it, he still kept his underpants. To serve the boss in clothes is like taking a bath, to serve the boss without clothes was to behave like a rogue.


    The Emperor had a very good figure, he had broad shoulders, a thin waist, and firm muscles. Su Yu couldn¡¯t help secretly touching them, it felt like a steel knife wrapped in silk, dangerous yet addicting.


    An Hongche stretched out his hand without looking back and slapped away Su Yu¡¯s wandering hand, then leaned back again.


    Su Yu took back his tofu-eating hand, no wonder the royal family seldom chooses male concubines. After all, the Emperor himself is so good-looking that it¡¯s unknown who would lose out if he summoned a male concubine to serve him.


    After finishing the bath with great difficulty, Su Yu changed into the clothes that had been prepared by the pool, then he looked at the Emperor, who was already lying lazily on a soft couch by the pool, and was appointed to go over dry his hair and put on his clothes.


    But after doing all this, the Emperor was still lying on the soft couch, with no intention of moving.


    ¡°Stupid slave, are you still not carrying Zhen to bed!¡± An Hongche habitually stretched out his hand, and halfway through the motion, he suddenly remembered that he wasn¡¯t a cat now, and immediately froze in the air.


    Su Yu also froze, what did he hear? ¡°Carry the Emperor¡± to go to bed?


    He looked up and down, and he didn¡¯t look at all like the ¡°frail, sickly and unable to move¡± His Majesty the Emperor.


    He secretly thought, this salary is really not easy to get.


    Before the Emperor could lose his temper, Su Yu wisely picked up the Emperor in a princess carry. Although he often worked, it was still hard to carry a grown man. After a few steps, Su Yu could not hold on anymore. There was still a long distance from the bath to the dragon bed.


    Su Yu gritted his teeth, and simply lowered his back and carried the Emperor on his shoulders. As someone who often carried fish tanks and straw baskets, such a move was easy for him, so his steps were suddenly a lot lighter, and he made a beeline for the dragon bed.


    ¡°Bastard, can you hold me like this? Put Zhen down!¡± The Emperor was naturally dissatisfied with being carried like a burlap sack and kicked up a racket to come down.


    Su Yu had no choice but to put the Emperor down. As a result, because of the unstable center of gravity, the two fell to the ground together.


    Fortunately, the ground was covered with huge cushions, so it didn¡¯t hurt at all, however, Su Yu¡¯s hair was still wet, and the fall soaked the Emperor¡¯s lapel.


    ¡°Truly foolish.¡± An Hongche immediately jumped up, grabbed Su Yu by the collar, and lifted him up.


    He touched the wet mark on his chest in disgust.


    ¡°Dry your hair, otherwise, don¡¯t come near Zhen.¡±


    There were soft bright yellow veils hanging on the four corners of the dragon bed, and the situation on the bed was indistinct.


    Su Yu dried his hair, hesitated for a long time, and walked to the bedside step by step. He took a deep breath and slowly lifted the bed curtain.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    cheongsam -> traditional Asian dress for men


    Beiji Palace -> North Pole Palace


    tofu-eating hand -> to take liberties with a woman / to tease with sexual innuendo / to harass / to take advantage of someone sexually


    dragon bed -> The emperor¡¯s bed

 CH 30

    Chapter 30 - Serving in Bed (Part two)


    The incomparable handsome Emperor was already lying down on the bed, and he domineering slept in the center of the bed. His slender limbs were spread out, occupying the wide dragon bed, and leaving him with no place to lie on.


    The corner of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched, and he looked at the Emperor''s slightly closed eyes, wondering whether he should sleep on the floor cushion.


    An Hongche opened his eyes and frowned slightly.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Do you want Zhen to invite you up?¡± After saying this, he reclined to the side and made room for him.


    Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Su Yu crawled up and lay down beside the Emperor in a proper manner.


    The two of them were silent for a moment. The Emperor, who was sleeping on the inside, slowly approached and gently sniffed Su Yu¡¯s hair, Su Yu immediately tightened his body.


    ¡°Your, Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± An Hongche responded and leaned closer to Su Yu.


    ¡°The candle is still burning¡­¡± After saying this, Su Yu was itching to bite his tongue off.


    He said it as if he could not wait to do something that¡¯s convenient to do when it¡¯s pitch dark, but really, he was just too nervous to find something to talk about, that¡¯s all.


    An Hongche didn¡¯t say anything, he stretched out his hand and pulled the silk ribbon inside the bed.


    A crip bell rang outside the door, and immediately a palace maid came in, quickly extinguished the candles, and then quietly retreated.


    The bedroom was suddenly plunged into darkness, and Su Yu couldn¡¯t help feeling more nervous.


    After hearing a rustling sound, a warm body came over. Su Yu quickly reached out his hand and touched the Emperor¡¯s chest that was about to be pressed against him.


    ¡°Your Majesty, you, what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s so much nonsense in serving in bed!¡± Those eyes that could see at night could naturally see the panic on Su Yu¡¯s face.


    An Hongche frowned, with one hand on Su Yu¡¯s side, he captured Su Yu¡¯s hand on his chest and dragged it over his head, and then pressed it on the pillow.


    Hmph, obviously we¡¯ve been in bed so many times, what¡¯s the point of pretending to be chaste?


    Stunned by the Emperor¡¯s overbearing actions, Su Yu chose to close his eyes.


    The Emperor¡¯s appearance, where does it resemble being unable to perform?


    Before he was unwilling to spoil his concubines, it was probably because he didn¡¯t like women. But now he was the only male concubine in the whole Imperial Palace.


    If he stretches his head, he meets a knife, if he shrinks his head he also meets a knife. Since it¡¯s a matter of time, what is the point of resisting?


    Seeing that Su Yu stopped moving, An Hongche gave a cold snort and loosened his grip on his hand.


    Su Yu felt the person beside him lay down again, and his slender arms wrapped around his neck. Then a warm body clung to him, the head resting on his shoulder and a long leg pressed against him, he found a comfortable position, and then stopped moving.


    Not moving?


    Su Yu opened his eyes and stared blankly at the top of the bed. The Emperor¡¯s body temperature came continuously through the thin inner shirt.


    The cool long hair piled on his neck, a little itchy, without any smell of perfumes, only a faint fragrance of sunshine. Such a scent felt very familiar.


    After waiting for a long time, the Emperor didn¡¯t make any moves. Is it that the so-called ¡°serving in bed¡± meant to serve as a pillow for the Emperor?


    Dazed for a long time, he slowly lowered his head. Su Yu couldn¡¯t see the Emperor¡¯s face, he could only see the long eyelashes and the slightly raised corners of his eyes through the faint moonlight.


    ¡°You are not allowed to sleep until Zhen falls asleep.¡± A clear chilly voice came from his chest.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Su Yu obediently responded.


    Pleased, An Hongche rubbed himself against the nest of Su Yu¡¯s shoulder and softened his body.


    An hour later, Su Yu was shaken wake.


    ¡°Stupid slave, Zhen hasn¡¯t fallen asleep yet!¡± The Emperor lay on the pillow beside him, glaring at Su Yu.


    ¡°Please forgive me, Your Majesty!¡± Su Yu looked at the Emperor in a daze. An Hongche yawned and went back to sleep.


    Two hours later, Su Yu was shaken awake again.


    ¡°Stupid slave, you fell asleep again!¡± Su Yu was startled when he opened his eyes. He saw the handsome face of the Emperor right in front of him, opposite the tip of his nose.


    ¡°Your Majesty, did you have a nightmare?¡± Su Yu moved his head back and looked at An Hongche¡¯s bright eyes, he was very helpless.


    The Emperor must have a problem with waking up at night, that must be why he fell asleep early.


    ¡°Hmph, how could Zhen have nightmares?¡± An Hongche turned over, stretched his arms across the bed, and fell asleep again.


    Su Yu had already lost his temper after being tossed from side to side. After a while, hearing the Emperor¡¯s gradually long and even breathing, he couldn¡¯t help reaching out and gently rubbing the Emperor¡¯s head, making a face at the back of his head.


    ??????????????


    The next day, when Su Yu woke up, the Emperor had disappeared, replaced by a golden kitten sleeping warmly nestled in the crook of his neck.


    ¡°Sauce, what are you doing here?¡± Su Yu kissed the furry head pleasantly surprised.


    The Emperor, who had not yet woken up, reluctantly stretched out his paw and pushed away Su Yu¡¯s mouth.


    Su Yu sat up and looked around. The bedchamber was empty without anyone around.


    There was a bright yellow inner shirt on the bed, it was the one the Emperor took off before pasting himself to him.


    Thinking of last night¡¯s ¡°serving in bed¡±, Su Yu couldn¡¯t help covering his face with one hand.


    As for the Emperor, he was really curious why that guy went to the Su Residence in the first place. Just to take Sauce away, but he also slept on his bed¡­


    Although he was dying of curiosity, Su Yu didn¡¯t dare to ask. He lowered his head and poked the golden kitten sleeping in a ball of fur.


    ¡°Sauce, will I be punished for not serving the Emperor getting out of bed?¡±


    Being annoyed by Su Yu, An Hongche reached the end of his patience. He jumped up and hooked the silk sash on the bed with his claws.


    Not long after, Wang Gonggong walked in alone and saluted him with a smile.


    ¡°His Majesty has gone to the imperial court, Niangniang can go back to Yexiao Palace. Breakfast has been prepared for you.¡± Saying that, he took a peek at the kitten nestled in Su Yu¡¯s arms.


    After Su Yu got dressed, the kitten automatically climbed onto his shoulder, obviously intending to go together.


    ¡°Gonggong, can I take it to Yexiao Palace?¡± After all, it was the cat raised by the Emperor, he didn¡¯t know if he could take it away at will.


    ¡°Naturally you can.¡± Wang Gonggong smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that Niangniang must take good care of the divine cat, never let it eat anything bad or let others hold it.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Su Yu was immediately elated when he heard that he could carry Sauce away in an open and straightforward manner.


    The carriage driver was waiting outside, Su Yu took the carriage and left Beiji Palace. Wang Gonggong stood in front of the jade steps with a disappointed face.


    The little eunuch beside came to ask: ¡°Gonggong, the hour is late and His Majesty hasn¡¯t gotten up yet, is he still going to attend court today?¡±


    ¡°Not anymore.¡± Wang Gonggong sighed and turned around to go to court to inform the Prime Minister that the court would not be in session again today.


    Su Yu, who didn¡¯t sleep well last night, sat on the carriage and kept yawning. When he arrived at Yexiao Palace, Yang Gonggong hurriedly helped him down. Xiao Shun looked at Su Yu with a worried face.


    ¡°Niangniang, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Su Yu was baffled, what¡¯s the matter? Then he reacted and slowly turned his head to look at Xiao Shun, who was full of curiosity.


    He suddenly understood, and with a little cough, he said coldly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about what you shouldn¡¯t worry about.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Xiao Shun quickly lowered his head, not daring to ask any more questions.


    As expected, an exquisite feast had been arranged in Yexiao Palace. Six dishes, four steamer baskets of pastries, and two kinds of porridge, it was very rich.


    Su Yu was now a second-rank Fei, his proportions were naturally high. As the first concubine to be favored by the Emperor, the people in the palace didn¡¯t dare to be negligent, and the things they sent were naturally the best.


    Delicious soup-filled steamed dumplings, dipped in balsamic vinegar, left a fragrant taste on people¡¯s lips and teeth. Su Yu slightly squinted his eyes, he was good at making seafood, and other meals, especially snacks made from flour, were his weak points.


    It was not easy to experience the palace chef¡¯s craftmanship, but he couldn¡¯t resist eating one after another.


    The golden kitten squatted on the table and swiped the food in front of him back and forth with his paws in disgust.


    Seeing this, Su Yu used his chopsticks to pick out the shrimps from the shrimp dumplings and put them in a bowl in front of the kitten after they had cooled.


    ¡°Eat some first, and I¡¯ll make you something delicious later.¡±


    An Hongche then reluctantly bowed his head, licked a mouthful of the tasteless shrimps, and discontentedly bared his teeth.


    He had long been fed up with these things made by the imperial kitchen.


    ??????????????


    In the front court, the imperial censor was extremely furious when he learned that the Emperor dismissed the imperial court because he favored the newly admitted male Fei.


    ¡°His Majesty has finally recovered with great difficulty, but I didn¡¯t expect he would unexpectedly let the beauty¡¯s charm get in the way of the affairs of the nation, what a misfortune for our country, ah!¡±


    The imperial censor jumped around for a while, then turned around angrily to go home and prepare to write a ten-thousand-characters memorial to be presented tomorrow.


    Without changing his face, the Prime Minister greeted everyone and asked them to go back to their respective offices to do their jobs. Anyway, it often happens that the Emperor does not go to court, everyone was used to it, just¡­


    A dark light flashed in Lu Maogong¡¯s eyes, the Emperor has not been known to favor concubines before, this male Fei really deserves some attention.


    And the despotic and lawless Emperor was at this moment immersed in the tender home of Xian Fei, in seventh heaven.


    Su Yu took out the scallop meat he bought before entering the palace. He was afraid of spoiling it, so it has been deep-fried at home. Now he could take it out and eat it directly after heating it.


    Knowing that Sauce liked seasoning and a crunchy texture, Su Yu simmered them again with seasonings and broth, then passed them through oil again, and cut them into the shape of small shells with a flower knife, which was very pretty.


    Su Yu walked to the waterside pavilion in the middle of the lake with a plate of prepared Xianbei pastries. The kitten was lying on a cushion, lazily basking in the sun.


    The morning sun was not too hot, making the Maomao¡¯s golden fur warm and fluffy.


    The waterside pavilion had no roof and a wooden platform had been built on the stone floor, with a low padded table on top. Su Yu put the plate on the low table, and Xiao Shun immediately poured him a cup of hot tea.


    He twisted a piece of the pastry and lifted it close to the mouth of the squinting Cat Daye. The Cat Daye raised his eyelids and glanced at it, then he lazily rolled it into his mouth.


    In the morning, after Su Yu finished eating, he made a bowl of fresh fish soup for him, so now, contrary to what one might expect, he was not hungry.


    Su Yu was a little sleepy from the sunlight, so he simply lay down on the cushion, feed one piece to Sauce, and ate one himself. One person and one cat idled their time away in a decadent manner.


    Xiao Shun led over an unfamiliar little eunuch across the winding corridor. Yang Gonggong stopped the little eunuch from approaching the waterside pavilion and let him report ten steps away. When it was cleared up, he honestly went to report back to Su Yu.


    ¡°Reporting to Niangniang, the little eunuch from Lu Guifei¡¯s Palace has come to deliver a message, inviting you to make a trip to Yuluan Palace.¡± Yang Gonggong whispered.

 CH 31

    Chapter 31 - Lunch


    ¡°Ah?¡± Su Yu raised his head from the cat¡¯s fur.


    Why is the Guifei looking for him?


    ¡°Guifei Nianginang is inviting you to make a visit to her palace.¡± Thinking Su Yu didn¡¯t understand, Yang Gonggong changed his words.


    ¡°This¡­ is it not inappropriate, ba¡­¡± Su Yu scratched his head.


    The Guifei is a woman, right? It¡¯s not good if people get to know that she secretly meet him alone so mysteriously.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t want to go, Niangniang.¡± Yang Gonggong looked at Su Yu, who seemed to be tired.


    Wang Gonggong had already told him to be on guard against Lu Guifei¡¯s making things difficult for Xian Fei. On the first day of entering the palace, Su Yu was asked to go by name, it was naturally not with good intentions.


    ¡°In that case, then I won¡¯t go.¡± Su Yu didn¡¯t know about these things, but he hasn¡¯t heard about a rule demanding paying respects to the Guifei.


    He guessed that the Guifei was just curious about his rare species and want to see it, but he was not interested in the Guifei at all. Instead, he lay down again, stroking the lying kitten back with his nose.


    ¡°Sauce, have you ever seen the Guifei?¡±


    His Majesty the Emperor liked his paws, as if he didn¡¯t understand him at all.


    ??????????????


    Yuluan Palace.


    After hearing the little eunuch report, Lu Guifei¡¯s willow-leaf eyebrows suddenly rose.


    ¡°You say that again!¡±


    ¡°Xian Fei said that he was a man, so it was not convenient to meet with Guifei Niangniang alone, so he hoped that Niangninag would be magnanimous enough to forgive him.¡± The little eunuch tried to the best of his ability to express Su Yu''s meaning.


    ¡°This Su Yu is not easy to deal with.¡± Lu Guifei gritted her teeth.


    She was not the Empress yet, naturally, the concubines in the harem had no obligation to pay respects to her daily. But now there was no Empress in the harem, as the only Guifei, she wielded the Phoenix Seal and was in charge of the six palaces, no different from the Empress. Anyone who was knowledgeable would come to her from time to time to pay their respects.


    ¡°Reporting to Niangniang, De Fei and Shu Fei have come to pay respects to Niangniang.¡± A palace maid came in to report.


    Lu Guifei waved her hand and allowed the two concubines to come in. Not long after, there were Zhaoyi¡¯s and Cairen¡¯s from every palace arriving to pay respects to her.


    The main hall of Yuluan Palace was soon filled with a crowd of orioles and swallows, chattering together pleasantly.


    ¡°His Majesty never visits the imperial harem, and now that male Fei was summoned as soon as he entered the palace¡­¡± Shu Fei twisted the handkerchief in her hands, very worried.


    If the Emperor liked men, wouldn¡¯t they have no chance?


    The faces of the other concubines were also full of fear. Before everyone was the same, no one said anything about the others, even the most prestigious Guifei was like that. But now, someone was favored, and the balance of the harem was instantly broken.


    ¡°Niangniang, why not summon Xian Fei to come so we can take a good look at him.¡± De Fei suggested.


    ¡°Hmph, do you think Bengong didn¡¯t summon him?¡± Lu Guifei¡¯s eyes were full of gloom.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have Bengong in his eyes at all!¡±


    ¡°This concubine has just gone to Ci¡¯an Palace, and heard that Xian Fei had not yet gone to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.¡± Chen Zhaoyi rolled her eyes and laughed softly.


    ¡°Niangniang, why not use this to punish him for the crime of disrespecting the Empress Dowager.¡±


    Changchun¡¯s Hou Xiaojie stood behind Chen Zhaoyi, and hearing this she couldn¡¯t help biting her lip. She was granted the title of Cen Cairen and stayed in the palace directly. In the past two days, she had suffered a lot.


    Now only those of the Zhaoyi rank and above can take a seat, she could only stand behind the Zhaoyi of her palace. Originally, it ought to be her who should be crowned Fei, and she should have been the one who was envied by all these beautiful women, how come it become the fish seller!


    ¡°What do you know, if someone is favored by the Emperor, they can naturally be exempted from paying respects the next day.¡± Lu Guifei sneered.


    These women thought she was stupid, instigating her to borrow the name of the Empress Dowager.


    ¡°This concubine is foolish.¡± Seeing that Lu Guifei was not happy, Chen Zhaoyi immediately knelt down to apologize.


    She really forgot about it, after all, no one had ever enjoyed such treatment before.


    Cen Xiaojie saw the way all three trembled at the sight of Lu Guifei¡¯s raised eyebrows, and once again she was envious and jealous. She hesitated again and again, but couldn¡¯t help saying.


    ¡°This concubine heard that Xian Fei used to be a fish seller, and doesn¡¯t know to read or write.¡±


    Originally, she also ridiculed Su Yu that he could only be a Shijun, who would have expected that their situation would be completely reversed.


    Now she has to put aside her pride to flatter Su Yu, but she absolutely can¡¯t do it, it was more practical to curry favor with Lu Guifei.[TL_Note: Shijun was the lowest title for a male concubine]


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lu Guifei raised her eyes and looked at her, then had an idea.


    ??????????????


    In the end, it was the height of summer, you could only bask in the sun for a while in the morning.


    When the sun became fierce, Yang Gonggong came to pick up the kitten, saying that the State Teacher needed the help of the divine cat for his practice and that he will bring back the cat after noon.


    Su Yu knew clearly in his heart that Sauce was really not just the Emperor¡¯s pet. Maybe in the future, he can rely on it to communicate with the State Teacher about the way to travel back by the way of ¡°Being good to the country¡¯s guardian deity¡±.


    Su Yu had nothing to do, so he dug out the Su¡¯s family recipe book to study new dishes.


    There was everything in this Yexiao Palace, and the most valuable part was that there was a well-equipped kitchen. It was said that there was a small kitchen in every palace, making it convenient for the concubines to set up a small stove for themselves.


    However, the kitchen of Yexiao Palace has obviously exceeded the scope of a ¡°small kitchen¡±. It was as spacious as three rooms, and there were also two palace maids assigned to help in the kitchen.


    ¡°In the event they are fortunate and His Majesty pays a visit, he likes to eat meals cooked personally by his concubines. The higher the grade of the Palace, the better the kitchen will be.¡± This is the explanation given by Wang Gonggong.


    Although Su Yu didn¡¯t understand the Emperor¡¯s special hobbies, having a good kitchen was naturally a good thing for a cook, so he excitedly took out the sea crabs he bought for Sauce.


    The Su family recipe book recorded a snack made of crab meat wrapped in flour, which was quite interesting. Su Yu maliciously pinched the crab stick into the shape of a bone and made rows of meat bones.


    In the afternoon, Lu Guifei once again sent someone to pass a message that a flower appreciating banquet was being held in the imperial garden, and all concubines were invited to enjoy the flowers at dusk.


    It was not considered a private meeting in such an open place as the imperial garden, and the person stated that all concubines were invited. Su Yu presumed that this should be a company gathering for the new recruits to meet with directors at all levels. It was difficult to push it off, so he accepted.


    ??????????????


    After finishing the important affairs in the imperial study, His Majesty prepared to go to Yexiao Palace for lunch.


    ¡°Your Majesty, your actions will make things difficult for Xian Fei Niangniang.¡± Wang Gonggong advised with a troubled expression.


    He had just summoned him last night, he went over to have a meal at noon, and in the evening, it¡¯s possible for him still to be summoned. If this reaches the court, he¡¯s afraid that he can¡¯t escape the accusation of being a country ruining beauty.


    ¡°Zhen is going to have a meal, what¡¯s so hard about that?¡± An Hongche frowned.


    He expended so much energy to marry Su Yu into the palace, why is he not allowed to eat?


    Wang Gonggong thought to himself, ¡®If you want to go there to eat, you have to go to court on time.¡¯, he was about to dissuade him when he heard the guard outside report that King Ling and King Su were asking for an audience.


    ¡°This one pays respect to His Majesty. May my Emperor live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years.¡± The two royal uncles saluted respectfully.


    ¡°Stand up.¡± The Emperor put away the discontent on his face and waved his hand to let them rise.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    King Su stepped forward and said in a loud voice. ¡°Reporting to Your Majesty, this official has checked the arrangement of the Xiaoqi Camp in the past two days. There are indeed some oversights pertaining to the defense of the capital, and we must rectify them as soon as possible.¡±


    Two slender fingers gently tapped on a memorial on the table, An Hongche said in a deep voice:


    ¡°Have you found out anything about the thing that happened before?¡±


    King Ling and King Su looked at each other and sighed.


    ¡°It has roughly become clear that the ones who followed Su Yu were King Mu¡¯s people, but the source of two that Your Majesty killed have yet to be traced.¡±


    ¡°Keep investigating.¡± The Emperor¡¯s beautiful eyes were filled with a cold light.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing urgent about the Xiaoqi Camp, Thirteenth Royal Uncle should first straighten out the defense of the inner palace.¡±


    ¡°This official obeys the Emperor¡¯s decree.¡± King Su bowed to receive the decree.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this official has one more thing to report.¡± After talking about business, King Ling hurriedly said before the Emperor spoke out to drive them away.


    ¡°What?¡± An Hongche frowned slightly. It was time for lunch, if he didn¡¯t go to Yexiao Palace, he will miss lunch.


    ¡°Apart from the basket that Xian Fei got, I still have a lot of chili pepper here.¡± King Ling cheekily took a step forward.


    ¡°You see, it¡¯s time for lunch, and I bought a bag today. Chen wonders if I can ask my Xifu[TL_Note: daughter-in-law] to make me spicy boiled fish.¡± Then he took out an oil paper bag from his sleeve and put it on top of the imperial table.


    An Hongche¡¯s face darkened immediately.


    ¡°Zhen¡¯s concubine, how could he make food like a cook.¡± With this, lifting the packet of chili peppers in his hand, he tucked it inside his sleeves, and went away.


    In the end, because of the interference of the two royal uncles, His Majesty the Emperor failed to catch lunch in Yexiao Palace. Depressed, he took an afternoon nap in the bedchamber.


    Because it was the first gathering, Su Yu thought that he cannot lose face, so he asked Xiao Shun to choose the appropriate clothes for him.


    Xiao Shun obediently chose a royal blue long-sleeved Hanfu and picked a crown inlaid with sapphires and silver tassels for him to wear.


    Su Yu looked at the pigeon egg-sized sapphire for a long time.


    ¡°Where did this thing come from?¡±


    ¡°This is from Niangniang¡¯s dowry.¡± Xiao Shun replied.


    ¡°In the rush of yesterday, it had not yet been sorted out. So, while doing it, this little one just took one. ¡±


    ¡°How much of this stuff is in the dowry?¡± Su Yu swallowed his saliva.


    He knew that many of the royal rewards were very valuable without looking carefully.


    ¡°Yang Gonggong is already making an inventory, and will bring a detailed list in the evening.¡± Xiao Shun answered honestly, then he couldn¡¯t help adding.


    ¡°Niangniang, the rewards you received are unique in the Imperial Palace, I¡¯m afraid that the other concubines¡¯ rewards are not comparable.¡±


    Su Yu felt that he was quietly receiving a high salary and went to the imperial garden to visit his struggling to get by colleagues. He was suddenly brimming with expectations for this party.


    Dressed neatly with excitement, Su Yu received the unhappy ¡° His Majesty Divine cat¡± from Wang Gonggong.


    ¡°Sauce, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t eat well at lunch, he¡¯s in a bad mood.¡± Wang Gonggong said with an awkward face.


    ¡°His Majesty is still busy preceding court, thank you for your trouble Niangniang for taking care of him for a while.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Of course, Su Yu was very happy. So he stuffed the furball into his lapel, grabbed the crab sticks he made at noon, and jumped into the carriage to go to the imperial garden for the banquet.

 CH 32

    Chapter 32 - Confrontation


    In the imperial garden, the fragrance of flowers was overflowing.


    Not many flowers bloom in the height of summer. Even if there were hardworking gardeners in the Imperial Palace who would transplant plants from time to time, there was no such thing as a hundred flowers blooming in spring.


    Moreover, in the hot weather, many flowers would wilt after a while in the sun. So, in order to make a flower appreciating banquet, Lu Guifei ordered the gardener to temporarily put out many potted plants, and make them look like a splendid cluster of flowers.


    The sweet fragrance of flowers attracted many bees and butterflies. When Su Yu got off the carriage, he saw a group of bees and butterflies dancing around chaotically.


    He quickly pressed down the furball in his lapel, lest the cat sees the butterflies and run out to pounce.


    His Majesty was very dissatisfied with being pressed down, Su Yu had just moved his hand away and he immediately burst out again.


    Lu Guifei was sitting in the pavilion in the center of the garden, dressed in a red and gold magnificent dress, wearing a double Phoenix adorned with pearls gold buyao on her hair, a pair of earrings bearing luminous pearls on her ears and her make-up was exquisite and regal.


    De Fei and Shu Fei sat beside her, the Zhaoyi¡¯s sat in the surroundings, and the Cairen¡¯s stood by in attendance nearby. All of them with cold and solemn faces, as if they were facing a formidable enemy, they didn¡¯t look like they were appreciating flowers at all.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a fish seller, is it worth being so worried?¡± Lu Guifei snorted coldly.


    ¡°In a moment all of you be clever for Bengong¡­¡±


    ¡°Xian Fei Niangniang has arrived---¡± When the eunuch guarding the moon-shaped gate caught sight of Su Yu¡¯s carriage, he immediately shouted and interrupted Lu Guifei¡¯s lecture.


    Hearing this, the crowd immediately sat upright and still, looked at the moon gate one by one, took a deep breath, and prepared for the entreaties.


    One breath of time passed and no one appeared¡­


    Shouldn¡¯t a fish seller be able to walk fast and vigorously? How come he¡¯s walking so slowly?


    ¡°Xian Fei just received divine favor last night, so perhaps he is not feeling well.¡± Shu Fei dabbed her cheeks with a handkerchief, covering the corners of her mouth that couldn¡¯t help turning down.


    Lu Guifei¡¯s fingers holding the cup instantly tightened, and the faces of the other concubines became more and more ugly.


    This Xian Fei must have done it on purpose, originally she was prepared to make an initial show of strength, but on the contrary, she let him take the lead.


    ¡°Sauce, don¡¯t make trouble!¡± Outside the gate, Su Yu was negotiating terms with the cat in his arms.


    He was worried that there were more butterflies in the garden, so he tried to make the furball sleep in his embrace for a while. However, this guy has just taken a nap and has no intention of sleeping again.


    The fur on his head was messed up by Su Yu, His Majesty was very dissatisfied. He grabbed Su Yu¡¯s lapel and climbed up, pawing at Su Yu¡¯s neatly combed hair.


    ¡°Oh my!¡± Xiao Shun cried out in fear and hurried forward to tidy up Su Yu¡¯s hair.


    He was here to meet the Guifei, if his attire was in disorder it would make others see him as a joke.


    Su Yu helplessly took the cat off his shoulder and smoothed his fur soothingly.


    ¡°Okay, okay, forget it if you don¡¯t want to sleep, then don¡¯t run around all over the place for a while, ah.¡±


    An Hongche glared at him, do you treat Zhen as a three-year-old child?


    Seeing that the cat Daye was unhappy, Su Yu smiled and kissed his fluffy head.


    ¡°You¡¯ve messed up my hair too, let¡¯s call it even. Don¡¯t be mad, I¡¯ll give you something nice later.¡±


    Scoun, scoundrel! His Majesty the Emperor stiffened for a moment, then he pursed his ears and looked around. In broad day, actually ingratiating himself with him in public, how shameless!


    Seeing that the furball in his hands was honest, Su Yu hugged the cat with satisfaction, and only then did he lift his feet and went inside.


    Detouring past the rockery, the scenery of the garden suddenly appeared in front of him. Colorful dresses, dazzling jewelry, plus shining eye daggers made Su Yu almost lose his footing.


    ¡°Xian Fei has truly made a grand show of splendor, making us wait, ah.¡± Lu Guifei flicked her long fingernails, her words full of resentment.


    Su Yu was a Fei, when he arrived the low ranking concubines had to get up and salute him, and at the same time, he also needed to bow to the Guifei. However, the Guifei scolded him to his face, it was naturally wrong not to answer, but if he answered, he could not salute and in the same way, it would also lead to people finding fault with him.


    The scene was a little awkward for a moment. The gentle breeze blew and the fragrance of rouge and face powder drifted over, which made the Emperor¡¯s cat nose very uncomfortable, he immediately struggled to jump out of Su Yu¡¯s embrace and rushed to the stone table in the pavilion in two to three jumps.


    ¡°AH---¡± Shu Fei was taken aback and screamed out right away.


    The Emperor, who was dipping his paws in tea and washing his nose, was startled by the scream and suddenly knocked over the cup, staining Lu Guifei¡¯s gorgeous dress.


    Su Yu rushed over and said: ¡°The kitten is naughty and mischievous, please forgive me Niangniang.¡±


    Lu Guifei¡¯s complexion was ashen, but De Fei beside her actually recognized the cat.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this His Majesty¡¯s cat?¡±


    ¡°Xian Fei, you have guts, how dare you have the impertinence to take the divine cat without permission!¡± Lu Guifei waved away the palace maid who was scrambling to help her wipe away the water and asked coldly.


    The cat was extremely precious, and usually, they only saw it a few times from a distance.


    Nobody can touch it except the Empress Dowager and the State Teacher, and last year, there was a palace maid killed by the Empress Dowager for trying to grab this cat by its neck.


    ¡°His Majesty is very busy in the afternoon, so Wang Gonggong specially asked me to take care of him for a while.¡± Su Yu was relieved to see that everyone knew Sauce.


    He was afraid that if they didn¡¯t know the severity of the issue of harming the kitten, it would be bad.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Lu Guifei couldn¡¯t help but stare in disbelief.


    The concubines who had been in the palace for several years suddenly felt jealous. The Emperor even handed over his beloved cat to Su Yu, which showed how much he favors Su Yu.


    The newly promoted Cairens looked at the cat with mixed feelings, it was this cat who decided that now Su Yu was sitting while they were standing.


    The Emperor touched his nose with his wet paws and then rubbed against Su Yu¡¯s clothes, now that¡¯s much better.


    He looked around discontentedly. Seeing that several women had been smeared with a thick layer of rouge and face powder and every word could drop two catty¡¯s worth of powder when they spoke, he couldn¡¯t help getting angry. Putting on so much face powder, do you want to commit regicide?


    There were four seats around the stone table, the last one was naturally reserved for Su Yu, who was also a Fei. Su Yu sat down with the cat in his arms and pulled his sleeves to wipe the kitten¡¯s paws.


    ¡°Xian Fei Niangniang truly is fated with the cat.¡± Chen Zhayi said with a fake smile, unknown if it was a compliment or sarcasm.


    ¡°Cats just like the smell of fish, we can¡¯t compete with that.¡± Shu Fei covered her mouth with a handkerchief and laughed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? I heard that Xian Fei Niangniang used to be a fish seller¡­¡±


    Su Yu naturally heard the cynicism, but as a big man, it was not good to take issue with a group of girls, so he pretended not to hear it. An Hongche squinted slightly, truly making a racket!


    Discovering that the cat Daye in his embrace was showing signs of getting angry, Su Yu quickly took a crab stick from his sleeve.


    ¡°Today we are here to appreciate the flowers, not to talk about this.¡± Seeing that Su Yu refused to accept the challenge, Lu Guifei secretly gritted her teeth.


    ¡°Xian Fei has just entered the palace, and she doesn¡¯t understand many rules. This palace has to give one or two pointers¡­.¡±


    The smell of crab meat dispelled the smell of face powder around his nose. The kitten subconsciously opened its mouth and bit what was delivered to its mouth, the fresh flavor immediately filled his taste buds.


    His Majesty¡¯s mood was much better, holding the crab stick in his mouth, he glanced at Su Yu. To fawn on Zhen like this, is it that you want Zhen to help you settle these annoyances?


    Before, Su Yu mischievously made the crab stick into a bone shape. Now that the little cat was holding a ¡°meat bone¡± in its mouth with an ¡°I don¡¯t care¡± expression, Su Yu couldn¡¯t help puffing out a laugh.


    Lu Guifei¡¯s face turned completely black.


    A flower appreciating banquet broke up unhappily. During this first confrontation, the concubines one by one thought that Xian Fei was very difficult to deal with, while Su Yu, who was concentrating on coaxing the cat, was inexplicably victorious.


    In the evening, Wang Gonggong sent someone to inform him that the Emperor would come to Yexiao Palace for dinner tonight. He also specially sent a packet of chili peppers and asked Su Yu to cook spicy boiled fish.


    The corner of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched while he held the chili pepper.


    How come I¡¯ve never heard that the Emperor even ordered dishes when visiting the harem? He always thought that the so-called ¡°The Emperor likes to eat dishes personally made by his concubines¡± said by Wang Gonggong was just something high-end and stylish like ¡°White Fungus Lotus Seed Soup¡±...


    Every month, the concubines have a quota for what they eat, anything outside the scope of the regulations would be deducted from the monthly silver.


    Su Yu asked Wang Gonggong, he had as much as eighty taels of silver every month. It should be fine to eat two grass carps, but it was still a bit painful to pay out of his own pocket to invite the boss to dinner.


    When the Emperor walked into Yexiao Palace, he heard that Su Yu was still busy in the kitchen, so he raised his hand to stop the report and went straight to the kitchen to find him.


    In the brightly lit kitchen, the stove fire was crackling. The Emperor stood in front of the door with his hand behind his back, watching Su Yu fluttering around in the smoky kitchen, and suddenly, that warm feeling surged up again.


    Last time, it was in this kind of scene that the sound of ¡°Let¡¯s go home, ba.¡± gave him the idea of tying this stupid thing to his side forever, to keep him captive and only allow him to cook for himself.


    ¡°Paying respects to the Emperor!¡± The palace maid in charge of the kitchen suddenly discovered the Emperor standing in front of the door, and hurriedly knelt down to salute.


    Su Yu was sweating profusely holding up the oil pan, preparing to pour hot oil on the fish. He was so frightened by this sudden shock that his hands slipped, and the heavy iron pan tiled over, half of the pot of hot oil was about to spill on himself.


    ¡°Get out of the way!¡± A voice as pleasant as a cold spring suddenly sounded in his ear, Su Yu¡¯s eyes blurred and the hot iron pot flew out. He had already been grabbed by his collar and flashed to the side.


    Su Yu didn¡¯t know how the iron pot flew out, all he knows was that the Emperor was still holding him by his collar, carrying him like a chicken.


    ¡°Truly extremely stupid!¡± His Majesty was very angry. If he hadn¡¯t been there, this stupid slave would have turned into boiled fish just now!


    Su Yu blinked innocently. If it wasn¡¯t for you, the Emperor, arriving silently to frighten people, he wouldn¡¯t have stumbled, but he didn¡¯t have the guts to say that.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Seeing Su Yu¡¯s silence, An Hongche let go of him with a cold snort.


    ¡°Finish cooking the dishes. Don¡¯t think Zhen will take pity on you if you look at Zhen like this.¡±


    Ah? Su Yu was stunned and stole a glance at the Emperor¡¯s expression.


    ¡°What are you doing standing still!¡± An Hongche was a little uncomfortable when Su Yu looked at him, his thin lips pursed into a line and he seemed to be even more angry.


    ¡°If Zhen¡¯s not here to watch you, when would this meal be ready to eat? Make it quickly!¡±

 CH 33

    Chapter 33 - Paying respects


    The ancients emphasized eating less at night, so Su Yu didn¡¯t dare to cook too much. In addition to a pot of spicy boiled fish, he mixed two cold dishes.


    The Emperor didn¡¯t mind the small number of dishes, he ate the fish piece by piece, and even the rice was eaten in two bowls with the soup.


    ¡°If Your Majesty wishes to eat something else, call the imperial kitchen to make some more, ba.¡± Seeing that the Emperor was enjoying himself, Su Yu picked the bean sprouts and vegetables to eat and left all the fish to the Emperor.


    Looking at the way he also swept away the rice, he was worried that he would not be full.


    ¡°No need.¡± Glancing at the two vegetarian dishes on the table with disgust, An Hongche leisurely drank a cup of tea. It seemed that he was in a good mood.


    Su Yu glanced at the Emperor and silently eat the two cold dishes. He thought that two grass carp would be enough for two people, but he didn¡¯t expect that this guy would finish it all by himself.


    He thought to himself, next time I¡¯ll also bring the dishes from the imperial kitchen to the table, ba. At least he could still have something to eat.


    After eating his fill, An Honche leaned lazily on the soft couch and hooked his finger at Su Yu: ¡°Come here.¡±


    Su Yu dawdled over and sat down on the edge of the soft couch. A pair of slender arms immediately came from behind him and wrapped around his waist.


    The warm body heat was continuously transmitted from the place the two were connected, and Su Yu couldn¡¯t help freezing.


    Although they had ¡°slept¡± together last night, that was ¡°two good brothers¡± sleeping together, and this ambiguous embrace was obvious not on the same level.


    ¡°From now on, Zhen will eat all three meals you make.¡± The pleasant and clear cold voice had a languid tone, which tickled people¡¯s hearts.


    ¡°Chen only knows how to make fish, shrimp, and crabs¡­¡± The corner of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched.


    Is this getting addicted to eating and planning to use this place as a canteen? But what¡¯s the matter with the tone of ¡°This is a great favor for you¡± when making concubines serve as cooks?


    ¡°Zhen only eats fish, shrimp, and crab.¡± The arm wrapped around his waist tightened, and both slender hands stretched out and brought him against a lazily stretched waist.


    Su Yu looked at the hands, with well-distinct joints, slender and fair, while the fingertips and palms glowed a healthy pink. They were very good-looking.


    This reminded him of Sauce¡¯s little meat pads, which were also this kind of pink color. When he was about to ask the Emperor why he didn¡¯t bring the cat, he saw that beautiful hand stretch out onto the small table beside the soft couch and pick up the crab stick on the plate.


    ¡°Your Majesty, that is¡­¡± Before the words ¡°cat treats¡± could be spoken, a bone-shaped crab stick had been stuffed into the Emperor¡¯s mouth.


    Su Yu silently swallowed the rest of his words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make such a stupid shape in the future. Do you think you¡¯re feeding dogs?¡± After the Emperor ¡®crack¡¯, ¡®crack¡¯, finished eating one, he picked up another and knocked Su Yu on the head.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Rubbing the knocked forehead, Su Yu turned his head to look at the Emperor who was eating the crab stick gracefully, then he slowly turned his head back.


    Using that kind of handsome face to earnestly eat bone-shaped crab sticks, if he continued to look at him, he would definitely not be able to stop laughing.


    ??????????????


    At night, the Emperor naturally stayed in Yexiao Palace.


    Because the Emperor forbid him from falling asleep first, Su Yu could only open his eyes and think about something.


    It wasn¡¯t until this moment that Su Yu came to his senses. He married this man in such a muddle-headed manner, although they only said less than three words before marriage, and he was almost choked to death¡­


    The moonlight shone through the huge floor to ceiling window of Yexiao Palace, clearly reflecting the sleeping face of the Emperor. The Emperor was so beautiful when he was quiet, and his facial features were so exquisite that they were almost flawless.


    Su Yu swallowed his saliva and didn¡¯t dare to look again, if he unconsciously did something irredeemable to the Emperor in the middle of the night, he would not see tomorrow''s sun.


    ¡°Stupid slave, stupid slave!¡± In the middle of the night, His Majesty the Emperor opened his eyes and poked Su Yu¡¯s arm with one finger.


    Seeing that he was sleeping half on his back, his inner shirt was slightly pulled open because of his posture, revealing a graceful collarbone and he couldn¡¯t help snorting coldly.


    ¡°Are you trying to seduce Zhen with such a posture? Quickly put on your clothes.¡±


    ¡°You brought this on yourself.¡± An Hongche waited for a moment, and with a slight hum, reached out and hugged Su Yu into his embrace.


    He sniffed at his lips and licked them gently, the soft feeling was like the tender fish slices eaten at night, he couldn¡¯t help licking them again. Licking and licking, he was not satisfied, so he stuck his lips to his and gently sucked and rubbed them together.


    ¡°Nn¡­¡± Su Yu¡¯s breathing was blocked, so he groaned softly.


    The Emperor immediately moved away. Seeing that Su Yu had not woken up, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief and hugged the man more tightly, then he fell asleep fully satisfied and content.


    ??????????????


    In the morning, Su Yu was awakened tightly bound.


    The Emperor wrapped him up tightly like an octopus, with a big head still resting on his neck, and a warm breath puffed over his neck. He could neither live nor die.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s time to get up.¡± Su Yu pushed the man over his body. Last night, Wang Gonggong repeatedly told him that he could not miss the morning court.


    ¡°Hmm, I want seafood porridge for breakfast.¡± An Hongche closed his eyes, rubbed against Su Yu¡¯s neck, and then fell asleep again.


    Su Yu struggled to save his neck, and ran to make seafood porridge, then handed over the arduous task of waking up the Emperor to Wang Gonggong.


    The Emperor ate the seafood porridge and went to the morning court in a happy mood, while Su Yu went to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.


    Seeing to bed in the evening and visiting in the morning was part of paying filial piety, but filial piety was not something everyone has the right to do.


    Just like the concubines in the palace, only those of the rank of Zhaoyi and Shangjun and above were qualified to daily pay respects to the Empress. Strictly speaking, Cairen¡¯s and Shijun¡¯s were still servants. If they wanted to see the Empress Dowager, they could only follow their own Zhaoyi, they were not allowed to see her alone.


    ¡°Xian Fei has been favored for two days in a row, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s a little overwhelmed. Can Xian Fei also be exempted today from paying respects? ¡± Lu Guifei sat beside the Empress Dowager and asked with a smile.


    The Empress Dowager lightly sipped her tea. These words seemed to be a plea for Xian Fei, but in fact, it was a reminder to her that the Emperor has pampered this male Fei for two days in a row, and it was already too late for Su Yu to pay respects.


    ¡°Chen, Su Yu, respectfully wishes good health for Empress Dowager. ¡± Su Yu stood still in the center of the audience hall and knelt down respectfully to salute.


    Lu Guifei continued to sit there motionless, without any intention of avoiding Su Yu¡¯s big ceremony. The Empress Dowager took a glance at Lu Guifei and didn¡¯t say anything. The other concubines took this in their eyes and didn¡¯t dare to say anything.


    ¡°Xian Fei is actually quite a slow person, yesterday she also let us wait for a long time, ba. Today there¡¯s also no hurry to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.¡± Lu Guifei sneered.


    Su Yu looked around and saw that all the concubines were there. It was obvious that he was late for the battle, his mind flashed through the old times of making excuses to the teacher when he was late for school.


    Finally, he had a flash of inspiration and coughed softly.


    ¡°Reporting to Empress Dowager, although Chen is a concubine, men and women are different after all, so Chen thought of staggering the time of paying respects, but Chen still came too early.¡±


    The Empress Dowager glanced at Su Yu and faintly smiled.


    ¡°You are thoughtful.¡±


    Lu Guifei¡¯s face changed slightly. How could she forget this?


    Usually, at this time they would have gotten up and taken their leave. Today, they were especially waiting to see Su Yu make a joke of himself, who would have expected to be blamed by Su Yu.


    ¡°Since a distinction should be made between males and females, then don¡¯t come to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.¡± Cen Cairen couldn¡¯t help interjecting.


    Paying respects to the Empress Dowager was the only chance to come in contact with the Empress Dowager. If she wanted to come, she had to beg Chen Zhaoyi, but this Su Yu even dared to pick the time.


    ¡°Impudent!¡± Lu Guifei shouted in a cold voice.


    ¡°Niangniang, please forgive me, Cen Cairen does not understand the rules.¡± Chen Zhaoyi hurriedly stepped forward to intercede.


    After all, it was her who brought her, if she was punished, she would be immediately out of luck.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not uncommon for young people to not understand the rules.¡± The Empress Dowager was not angry nor did she mean to punish the Cen¡¯s family Xiaojie.


    She glanced at Su Yu standing in the center of the audience hall.


    ¡°Xian Fei is a man, there¡¯s no need to pay respects to Aijia every day. Just go pay respects to the State Teacher.¡±


    Everyone was stunned for a moment. In the past, there were no male Fei in the palace, naturally, no one went to pay respects to the State Teacher.


    After the Empress Dowager said this, they remembered that the male concubines were actually under the jurisdiction of the State Teacher.


    Su Yu secretly clenched the hand hidden in his sleeve. He was worried that he could not get close to the State Teacher, it was like he was sleepy and someone handed him a pillow. Every day he could get close to the State Teacher, maybe he can find a way to travel back.


    With a feeling of almost jumping for joy, Su Yu left Ci¡¯an Palace and went straight to Anguo Tower.


    ¡°Gumu, cousin is showing favor to that male Fei, this is not a good sign, ah.¡± After everyone withdrew, Lu Guifei angrily pulled the Empress Dowager''s sleeve. Today, Su Yu was not brought under control, and she couldn¡¯t swallow her anger no matter what.


    ¡°His Majesty is merely trying a novelty.¡± The Empress Dowager said indifferently.


    ¡°His Majesty has never favored any other concubine, what if the Emperor doesn¡¯t like women at all?¡± Lu Guifei looked at the Empress Dowager¡¯s face and said in a worried tone.


    ¡°If the others Wangye¡¯s have an heir first, then the crown prince¡¯s position¡­¡±


    The Empress Dowager''s expression slightly changed when she heard this.


    After pondering for a moment she said: ¡°You can make the arrangements, and tonight Aijia will have the Emperor turn over the nameplate.¡±

 CH 34

    After Lu Guifei left, the Empress Dowager rubbed her forehead with a headache.


    ¡°Guifei Niangninag is becoming more and more unlikable these days.¡± Lin Gugu, an old palace maid standing behind the Empress Dowager, stepped forward and helped the Empress Dowager massage her temples.


    ¡°The Marquis Changchun¡¯s family is very useful, but it¡¯s a pity that she hasn¡¯t been appointed as a Fei.¡± The Empress Dowager leaned on a pillow and frowned slightly.


    ¡°What did the Emperor eat this morning?¡±


    ¡°Xian Fei made seafood porridge, I heard that His Majesty only went to court after eating two bowls.¡± Lin Gugu said with a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The Empress Dowager laughed.


    ¡°Let Yang Qing tell Xian Fei that he can pay respects to Aijia every three days.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Gugu responded with a smile.


    ??????????????


    When Su Yu arrived at the Anguo Tower, he found that the gate was closed, and only two guards were in front of the entrance. Only then did he know that the Anguo Tower was closed in the morning.


    ¡°The State Teacher watches the stars at night, he doesn¡¯t get up until noon.¡± The guards said that Su Yu could come back after taking a nap.


    The corner of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched, seeing to bed in the evening and visiting in the morning was when to pay filial piety.


    After taking a nap and coming back, it will be time for afternoon tea, what kind of paying respects is that?


    In the imperial study, An Hongche¡¯s face was cold and solemn, his two slender fingers lightly tapping on a stack of memorials.


    ¡°The imperial court has now become a one-man office of the Lu family, everything they said is ¡®seconded by this minister¡¯.¡± King Zhao complained while sorting out the memorials approved by his elder brother.


    ¡°Throw them all back and tell them to copy the Prime Minister¡¯s memorial again if they want to second a motion.¡± King Su looked at the ten-thousand-character long memorial written by the Prime Minister and had a headache.


    It was too cheap for these people to get the imperial approval by just seconding with a single sentence.


    ¡°Thirteenth Uncle, that ten thousand character memorial was written by the imperial censor.¡± King Zhao sighed. The Prime Minister''s memorial was not long, it was useless to copy it ten times.


    ¡°Do as Imperial Uncle says.¡± The silent Emperor suddenly opened his mouth.


    ¡°Ah?¡± King Zhao¡¯s mouth widened.


    ¡°Thirteenth Uncle is talking nonsense¡­¡±


    ¡°Zhen wants to see how bold they can be.¡± His beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and An Hongche¡¯s eyes were full of cold light.


    Before he was 20 years old, he was unstable and often became a cat. He had to be absent from the morning court on the pretext of being weak and ill.


    A good deal of affairs in the court depended on the Prime Minister, which led to the present situation. Now that he has taken the crown, he naturally can¡¯t let it go any longer. It¡¯s time to punish those people.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m most annoyed by those whiny civil officials.¡± King Su threw back the ten-thousand-character memorial and took a drawing from his sleeve.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this is the new imperial palace defense deployment.¡±


    An Hongche took it over and glanced at it.


    ¡°Will it work well?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to talk about external thieves, but internal thieves can be prevented.¡± King Su frowned, but he didn¡¯t beat his chest ensuring that everything was foolproof.


    It was said that the ¡°divine cat¡± ran out of the palace and was even expelled by the guards with swords. He was scared into a cold sweat even a thousand miles away. This time, when he returned to the capital, he said that he had to renovate the palace so that even water could not pour in.


    ¡°How did you spend those two months outside the palace? Thirteenth Brother and I were scared to death.¡± Speaking of this, King Ling patted his chest as if frightened.


    He was basically unable to turn into a human for the two months before he was crowned, it was pitiful to think that such a precious kitten was stranded outside.


    An Hongche glanced at his Seventeenth Uncle¡¯s exaggerated expression and didn¡¯t have any intention of paying attention to him.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s time for lunch.¡± Wang Gonggong came out to remind him at the right time.


    ¡°That¡¯s all for today.¡± When the Emperor heard this, the gloom on his face was immediately swept away, and he got up and left.


    King Su and King Ling looked at each other, then turned to look at King Zhao in unison.


    When did His Majesty become so interested in eating? That was not like the old Emperor at all, was he possessed by some fatty, ba?


    ¡°What you are looking at me for?¡± King Zhao was puzzled.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t His Majesty usually lose his temper when it was time to eat?¡± King Ling was so curious that he followed him out to see what was going on.


    Someone came from afar with a food box, looking carefully, it was not someone from the imperial kitchen.


    ¡°Su Yu!¡± King Zhao¡¯s sharp eyes spotted the person behind the food box and ran over in two to three steps.


    ¡°Your Highness King Zhao, long time no see.¡± Su Yu greeted An Hongyi with a smile.


    ¡°I still haven¡¯t thanked Your Highness for what happened last time.¡± The last time he was at the Drunken Immortal House, if not for the timely arrival of King Zhao, he would have really been grasped by King Mu Jun.


    After such a stir, he instead earned 3000 taels of silver for no reason.


    ¡°We are all one family, don¡¯t be so polite.¡± King Zhao laughed, revealing two deep dimples.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Su Yu smiled awkwardly, he originally thought that if the Emperor didn¡¯t go to the Yexiao Palace at noon, he would not have to cook.


    Who would expect that he would not only have to do it but also be responsible for delivering the meal? Calculating this way, it was a bit of a loss to give 80 taels a month.


    ¡°What are you standing there for, why haven¡¯t you come in yet!¡± The Emperor¡¯s voice sounded in the dining hall.


    Su Yu cupped his hands apologetically to King Zhao and turned back to walk in.


    ¡°Is this meal made by Xian Fei?¡± On the beams of the dining hall, a black and yellow cat stretched his neck, looking at the bright dishes on the table as he swallowed his saliva.


    ¡°Be quiet!¡± Another big cat with black and white stripes looked serious and slapped away his brother''s paw.


    ¡°Ow, you hit me again!¡± King Ling was very upset and opened his mouth to bite his elder brother¡¯s paw.


    When Su Yu heard a cat cry out, he thought it saw Sauce, he looked up and saw two big cats squeezed together on the roof beam.


    ¡°That is¡­¡±


    ¡°Whoosh---¡± A silver light flashed and the two big cats quickly rushed off the roof beam and disappeared, a silver chopstick was nailed exactly where the two cats were standing.


    His Majesty the Emperor took the new chopsticks handed over by Wang Gonggong and said expressionlessly.


    ¡°A mongrel, no need to pay attention.¡±


    Su Yu blinked, there were so many cats in the palace, ah¡­ Wait, what¡¯s the matter with that chopstick just now?


    After lunch, Su Yu was forced by the Emperor to stay in Beiji Palace for an afternoon nap.


    As a cook who was usually very busy at lunchtime, Su Yu didn¡¯t have a habit of taking naps. Half lying on the head of the bed in high spirits, he quietly picked up one of the Emperor¡¯s hands and studied it carefully.


    He was sure that the chopsticks were thrown by the Emperor with his bare hands. If they could be as penetrative as those in novels, they must have the legendary ¡°Inner Qi¡±!


    When he thought of the gracefulness of this man when he climbed over the wall of the Su Residence, it must be Qinggong, ah!


    Unexpectedly, this space-time he traveled to was actually a world of martial arts. Su Yu seemed to have discovered a new continent and was very excited.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± A clear and cold voice rang in his ears, and Su Yu came to his senses.


    He found the Emperor looking at him both eyes wide open, he still held his ¡°Imperial Hand ¡± and he still hadn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°Er¡­¡± Su Yu was frozen in place, neither loosening it nor holding it. Suddenly, there was a feeling of being caught red-handed.


    ¡°I know you admire me, but there also has to be a time and occasion. ¡± An Hongche didn¡¯t seem surprised at all and he pulled his hand out of Su Yu¡¯s palm.


    ¡°...¡± Su Yu almost choked on his own saliva. What did he hear?


    Before he could argue, the slender and supple hand stretched out again and he wrapped an arm around his waist.


    ¡°Hmph, Zhen will allow you to indulge yourself in private this one time.¡± His Majesty said in an arrogant manner.


    ¡°Only Zhen will spoil you so much.¡±


    ??????????????


    From when he sent off the sleepy Emperor to deal with the government affairs, and went to the Anguo Tower to pay respects to the State Teacher, Su Yu still hadn¡¯t gotten out of the Emperor¡¯s amazing logic.


    Which eye of the Emperor saw that he admired him? They have only known each other for two days, besides, this guy is grumpy and has a bad temper, although he is very good-looking¡­


    ¡° Xian Fei Niangniang, the State Teacher invites you in. ¡± The palace maid in a plain dress bowed respectfully.


    Su Yu shook his head and threw that dazzling handsome face out of his mind. He raised his feet and walked into the Anguo Tower.


    There was still a misty veil hanging in the hall, the air of immortality was very strong.


    The State Teacher with white hair like snow leaned on the high seat and looked at him coldly.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Chen has come to pay respects to the State Teacher.¡± Su Yu stepped forward and saluted.


    ¡°If it¡¯s for the sake of seeing to bed in the evening and visiting in the morning, there¡¯s no need to come again.¡± The State Teacher¡¯s beautiful profound eyes closed slightly and he gently waved his hand.


    ¡°Xian Fei Niangniang, please go back.¡± The palace maid who just invited Su Yu in, still keeping the same smile as before, invited him out again.


    Su Yu looked at the Anguo Tower, which closed its door again, and scratched his head.


    ??????????????


    ¡°He really dares to go pay respects to the State Teacher?¡± Lu Guifei couldn¡¯t help laughing when she heard that.


    Who is the State Teacher, even His Majesty can¡¯t see him anytime he wants to.


    ¡°The Empress Dowager just gave him a way out of the embarrassing situation and he took it seriously.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? You don¡¯t know, Xian Fei''s expression when he was kicked out, tsk tsk¡­¡± In order to amuse Lu Guifei, the eunuch beside her described Su Yu¡¯s embarrassment with exaggerated embellishments.


    ¡°Hmph, if he offends the State Teacher and shows the Emperor how stupid he is, I¡¯ll see how many more days he can be pleased with himself.¡± Lu Guifei fiddled with some wooden plaques on a tray.


    ¡°Go and deliver this to Beiji Palace, say it¡¯s the will of the Empress Dowager, and let Chief Steward Wang decide for himself.¡±


    In all dynasties, for the sake of soaking the harem with rain and dew, the Emperor decided which concubine palace to visit by turning over a nameplate, except when going to the Empress¡¯s Palace on the first 15 days of the lunar calendar.


    The Da¡¯an imperial family also clearly stipulated that after the Emperor takes the crown, he should flip a nameplate every day.


    In Beiji Palace, Wang Gonggong frowned and looked through the wooden plaques on the tray. Among the ten plaques, there were three ¡°Lu Guifei¡± and the rest consisted of two Fei¡¯s and several Zhaoyi¡¯s, but there was no ¡°Xian Fei¡±.


    Since the Empress Dowager agreed with Lu Guifei¡¯s claim on this matter, she tacitly approved of her behavior, only¡­


    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s time to turn over the nameplates.¡± Wang Gonggong carried the carved ebony tray, and handed it over to the Emperor who was about to go to Yexiao Palace. He wanted to say something but did not.


    An Hongche flipped one over without looking. The official of the Ministry of Internal Affairs immediately recorded: ¡°On a certain day, of a certain month, of a certain year, the Emperor flipped over the nameplate of so and so concubine.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, ba.¡± With a dashing flick of his sleeves, His Majesty the Emperor lifted his feet and walked towards Yexiao Palace.


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    <What¡¯s the meaning of flipping the nameplate?>


    Wang Gonggong: Your Majesty, flip over the nameplate


    Cat Gong: (Covers with his paws) Lay the bet, lay the bet


    Thirteenth Uncle: (Pushes out a fish) I bet ¡°Lu Guifei¡±


    Seventeenth Uncle: (Pushes out two fish) I also bet ¡°Lu Guifei¡±


    Younger Brother: (Pushes out a pile of fish) Definitely ¡°Lu Guifei¡±


    Cat Gong: Meow hahaha, it¡¯s ¡°Chen Zhaoyi¡±. Hand over the fish, hand over the fish. Stupid slave, quickly come out to stew fish soup!


    Thirteenth Uncle & Seventeenth Uncle & Younger Brother: You¡¯re cheating, how can Lu Guifei not have a thousand QAQs today


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Gugu -> aunt


    Qinggong -> martial arts technique for making the body extremely light in weight


    seeing to bed in the evening and visiting in the morning -> ancient filial duty


    soaking the harem with rain and dew -> to share the favor for all the harem

 CH 35

    Chapter 35 - Afternoon Tea


    In Yexiao Palace, Su Yu was checking the ingredients sent by the imperial kitchen.


    ¡°The quality of this scallop is really good.¡± Su Yu picked up a fresh scallop and looked at it.


    It was as big as the palm of his hand, the flesh was round and plump, and even the shell looked very neat.


    ¡°It¡¯s natural to give the best for Niangniang.¡± The man from the imperial kitchen said with a smile.


    Su Yu nodded with satisfaction. All chefs love high-quality ingredients, after all, the better the ingredients are, the better the food will be. Then he looked at the live fish in another basin, there were no problems and he signaled to accept it.


    ¡°Five taels of silver, take it.¡± Yang Gonggong took out the silver and handed it to the eunuch who delivered the fish.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Su Yu who was catching fish suddenly straightens up and stopped the people who were about to leave.


    ¡°Why do these things cost five taels of silver?¡±


    According to the Emperor¡¯s appetite yesterday, he decided to prepare more food today, so he bought two kinds of ingredients, just fresh scallops and carp. Even if the scallops were a little more expensive, they wouldn¡¯t cost so much as five taels of silver, right?


    You would know, that five taels of silver are enough for an ordinary family to spend for a month! This is simply a robbery!


    ¡°Niangniang buys it every day, so it¡¯s especially cheaper for you.¡± The little eunuch obviously misunderstood Su Yu¡¯s words and thought he was surprised that the price was too low, so he quickly offered some words of praise.


    You regard it as cheap and it¡¯s still so expensive!


    Seeing the people¡¯s faces as they take it for granted, Su Yu took a deep breath and waved his hand to let the people of the imperial kitchen go back, and then he turned to ask Yang Gonggong.


    ¡°Are the prices in the palace always like this?¡±


    ¡°Answering Niangniang, indeed it is.¡± Yang Gonggong¡¯s face is also full of pain.


    He asked the imperial kitchen to send fresh ingredients in the past two days, it had already cost a lot of silver.


    The concubines have their own monthly allowances for food and clothing and everything outside the rules requires silver. All things are supplied by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and just like the only shop in a boarding school, the prices were naturally absurdly high.


    What¡¯s more, the things in the palace were of high quality, so their price was not low, the other imperial concubines were not like Su Yu who would buy extra things every day.


    No matter how high the salary was, it can¡¯t keep up with the soaring price. Su Yu counted on his fingers, and his face suddenly became bitter.


    If this continues, he would soon become a pauper again.


    Thirty scallops, two of which will be left to make snacks for Sauce tomorrow, and the rest will be steamed with garlic and vermicelli. Su Yu watched the Emperor eat happily one bite at a time.


    He only felt that the handsome Emperor had become a golden Pixiu, swallowing a large pile of silver in one bite.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± An Hongche glanced at Su Yu, who was staring blankly at the vegetables.


    With a slight frown, he put the scallop meat with vermicelli he just picked up into Su Yu¡¯s bowl.


    Overwhelmed by favor, Su Yu looked at the scallop in his bowl. He didn¡¯t expect that the Emperor would serve another person dishes.


    ¡°Zhen bestows it to you. Do not hurry, eat it neatly!¡± When An Hongche saw that Su Yu didn¡¯t eat, he couldn¡¯t help getting a little angry.


    It was very rare for him to share such delicious food with others, but this stupid slave didn¡¯t appreciate it!


    Seeing that the Emperor was about to flare up, Su Yu quickly ate the scallop in the bowl.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±


    An Hongche glared at him and became more and more dissatisfied in his heart. This stupid slave has not spoken to him properly since he entered the palace.


    Su Yu didn¡¯t know what to do and looked at the still unhappy Emperor.


    Could it be that the Emperor was waiting for him to return the favor? He tentatively put a piece of sweet and sour fish into the Emperor¡¯s bowl with his chopsticks.


    Wang Gonggong, who was standing to the side, was too late to stop him. He looked on helplessly as the piece of fish dripping with sauce fell into the Emperor¡¯s jade bowl, and was suddenly scared out of his wits.


    The Emperor never eats the food served by others, if anyone dared to touch his food, he would fly into a terrible rage. He was about to come forward to intercede when he saw the Emperor¡¯s chopsticks pick up the tender fish slice and slowly put it into his mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s too sweet.¡± His Majesty licked away a bit of the sauce from his thin lips. His tone was still bad, but his face softened a lot.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll add less sugar next time.¡± Su Yu smiled faintly.


    He suddenly found that this guy was not as difficult to get along with as he imagined.


    An Hongche snorted but said nothing more. He picked up a scallop and continued to eat.


    Wang Gonggong silently took back his eyeballs that were about to fall off and turned around to deal with the matter of flipping over the nameplate. He was no longer needed here.


    After dinner, Su Yu brought out a normal-shaped crab stick to the Emperor as an after-dinner snack.


    ¡°What were you doing at the Anguo Tower today?¡± His Majesty leaned on the soft couch and used two slender fingers to play with a crab stick.


    Su Yu was sitting by the soft couch looking at the dowry list that Yang Gonggong had just sorted out. Hearing this, he raised his head and said: ¡°The Empress Dowager instructed Chen to go and pay respects to the State Teacher every day.¡±


    ¡°Foolishness¡± An Hongche sneered and took one end of the crab stick into his mouth.


    The long crab stick was held by the Emperor on his lips, it looked like he was smoking a cigarette, very dashing.


    Merely, just thinking that it was a crab stick, Su Yu really cannot help but purse his lips and smile.


    His appearance was inherently warm and gentle, with such a faint smile, it was somewhat pleasing to the eyes.


    His Majesty the Emperor frowned. This stupid slave is smiling so seductively, do you want Zhen to get intimate with you? But it¡¯s not bedtime yet, to do it in front of so many eunuchs and maids in the palace, how indecent!


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Pixiu -> a mythical animal that brings luck and wards off evil, having the head of a dragon and lion''s body, often with hoofs, wings, and tail. And is said to have a voracious appetite exclusively for gold, silver, and jewels

 CH 36

    ¡°It seems that the State Teacher is not fond of Chen going to pay respects.¡± The atmosphere between them was much more relaxed than before.


    Recalling that the two of them were already considered married, there are things that should be discussed. Su Yu put down the account book in his hands, intending to ask the Emperor¡¯s opinion.


    Not to mention that he was curious about the existence of the State Teachers. Just talking about the task assigned by the Empress Dowager, asking him to pay respects to him every day, it was definitely inappropriate not to go, but it would also be very embarrassing to go and be kicked out again.


    ¡°Imperial Uncle is the most intolerant about unnecessary and overelaborate formalities. If you just want to pay respects to him, he will definitely not see you. ¡± An Hongche thought for a while and put a long and perfect leg on Su Yu¡¯s lap.


    Hmm, he knows to come to Zhen when he runs into a problem, he should be rewarded. Since he wants to be intimate with Zhen so much, Zhen will satisfy him this time.


    Su Yu was taken aback by the suddenly stretched leg. Seeing the Emperor''s look of righteousness, he sighed helplessly and massaged his leg in a good-natured manner.


    Wrenched thing, Zhen knew that he would get his hands on Zhen at the first opportunity! His Majesty twisted his head, covering his ears that were quietly turning red, and completely chewed the crab stick in his mouth.


    ??????????????


    The next day, Yang Gonggong told Su Yu that the Empress Dowager said there was no need to go there to pay respects. It would be enough to go there once every three days, as long as he went to pay respects to the State Teacher on time.


    Su Yu was naturally happy to have the chance to enjoy his leisure, but the Ci¡¯an Palace without Su Yu¡¯s presence was still restless.


    ¡°Has the Emperor turned over the nameplate?¡± The Empress Dowager frowned slightly.


    ¡°Flipped over.¡± Lin Gugu said with a smile.


    ¡°His Majesty has always been respectful and filial, he will certainly flip over the nameplate if Empress Dowager asks so.¡±


    ¡°En, it¡¯s good to flip over. ¡± The Empress Dowager nodded with satisfaction.


    ¡°But the Emperor still went to Yexiao Palace last night.¡± Lu Guifei said with a face full of grievances and the other concubines were also indignant.


    ¡°Maybe it happened to turn over Xian Fei.¡± The Empress Dowager said without much concern.


    ¡°...¡± Lu Guifei was about to say how could it be possible, she opened her mouth to speak and yet took a deep breath.


    She, as a concubine, had no right to know the Emperor¡¯s daily life, even if she knew whose nameplate the Emperor turned over, she couldn¡¯t say. While others didn¡¯t know, she knew that there was no nameplate with Xian Fei¡¯s name on the tray. How could it be possible for it to turn over Xian Fei?


    Lu Guifei tore the handkerchief in her hand and secretly gritted her teeth. One time, it could be said it was a coincidence, but she didn¡¯t believe that the Empress Dowager can still not care tomorrow.


    Because he didn¡¯t have to pay respects, he escaped the bloody storm in the harem. Su Yu, who had nothing to do, wanted to find Sauce to play with, but after searching around, he still didn¡¯t find him.


    ¡°Just now it was at Beiji Palace, I¡¯m unsure where it went.¡± Wang Gonggong talked nonsense without blinking an eye.


    ¡°When he returns, this old slave will send it to Niangniang.¡±


    Without a cat, Su Yu had to go back to Yexiao Palace to study the recipe book.


    The contents of the first chapter of the Su family recipe book were very easy to understand. Based on Su Yu¡¯s experience, he could basically guess the exact ingredients, but in the second chapter, it was a little hard to understand.


    ¡°Mackerel, use Inner Qi to remove fishy blood, and remove the fur with boiling water¡­¡± Remove the fur? Su Yu was baffled. How could killing a fish require removing its fur? What is this mackerel?


    Looking at the picture on the left, the ancestors of the Su family drew a grotesquely shaped fish with a mess of things that looked like scales and thorns on it.


    In the first chapter, he learned about his ancestors¡¯ horrible painting skills, Su Yu didn¡¯t expect to see anything from the picture, just about the deliciousness of this mackerel.


    The ancestors of the Su family also focused on describing it, saying that it tasted as delicious and tender as a roasted suckling pig, which made people unable to stop eating it.


    It especially suggested that one must use their Inner Qi to remove the fishy blood, otherwise, you couldn¡¯t make such delicious food.


    Inner Qi? Su Yu remembered the silver chopsticks thrown by the Emperor.


    Could it be that it preparing this kind of fish requires Inner Qi? This is too much!


    Su Yu, who could not continue to read the recipe, threw the book aside, got up, and went to the kitchen to make snacks. While working, he thought about how to finish the task of paying respects in the afternoon.


    The Emperor said that the State Teacher was intolerant of unnecessary and overelaborate formalities, then he could not say that he was there to pay respects, should he just that it was just for afternoon tea?


    Su Yu scratched his head. It¡¯s not good to go for tea empty-handed, then he should bring some snacks.


    Unfortunately, he was not good at making pastries, at most he could make some seafood snacks. Thinking about the scene of the immortal like State Teacher eating a bone-shaped crab stick, Su Yu couldn¡¯t help shivering.


    The State Teacher would certainly kill him for the crime of ¡°disrespecting the gods¡±.


    After pondering for a long time, Su Yu removed the head and opened the back of the fresh shrimps, then tied them back and forth with their whiskers, after that he fried them thoroughly to make a beautiful ¡°Golden Butterfly Shrimp¡±.


    He also asked Yang Gonggong to find a white jade tray in the shape of a snow lotus to serve it. Although it was not a high-class fried snack, at least¡­ it was improbable to be shot dead, ba.


    Clapping his hands with satisfaction, Su Yu turned around to change his clothes. He just took two steps when he heard the sound of ¡°Crunch Crunch¡± chewing behind him.


    He hurriedly turned around and saw the golden kitten sitting beside the white jade plate, chewing the butterfly shrimp with great relish.


    When His Majesty the Emperor returned, he heard from Wang Gonggong that this stupid slave missed him. As a diligent Emperor, it was not good for him to run a concubine palace in the middle of the day, so he turned into a cat and came to see what he was doing. Seeing him obediently preparing food for him, the Emperor¡¯s heart was very comforted.


    ¡°Sauce!¡± Su Yu quickly picked up the kitten and tugged at the shrimp it held in its paws.


    ¡°Little rascal, you are not allowed to steal food. This is what I made for the State Teacher.¡±

 CH 37

    Chapter 37 - Establishing the Rules


    People outside the imperial family were not allowed to step on the second floor and above of the Anguo Tower. Now the State Teacher was allowing him to go upstairs, which was extremely rare.


    He won¡¯t get another opportunity like this if he doesn¡¯t take this chance, so when the palace maid at the foot of the stone steps indicated that he could follow, Su Yu went upstairs without hesitation.


    The second floor was about the same size as the first floor, but the roof was not as high.


    It was no different from the height of normal rooms, so it didn¡¯t seem so empty. On the eight walls were big transparent windows, so it was very well-lit.


    There was no incense burner sacrificial altar or yellow paper sutras like imagined, it looked like a normal imperial dwelling. There were several luxurious tables, chairs, and soft couches.


    Several huge pillars supported the dwelling in eight directions, with strange patterns carved on them, which seemed to be some kind of totem.


    There was a low table in the center, which was made of superior red sandalwood. Around it was several soft and wide cattail hassocks, because of the hot summer, the hassocks were also covered with a white jade mat.


    The State Teacher sat down on a hassock, and his posture was not as upright as when he was in the audience hall, but beauty was a beauty after all. Even if he sat on the ground casually, he was still so cold and noble that people didn¡¯t dare to look directly at him.


    Su Yu placed the butterfly shrimps on the red sandalwood low table. He was glad he had found such a white jade plate, otherwise, he would feel ashamed to put it on the table.


    ¡°Sit.¡± The State Teacher glanced at the hassock on the opposite side and motioned for Su Yu to sit down, then he took out a tea set.


    The tea set was carved from top-grade mutton fat jade, sparkling and translucent, pure and limpid, it was very refined, but compared to the hand holding it, it was rather inferior.


    The State Teacher¡¯s skin color was very white, probably because he had not seen sunshine all year round. His fingertips looked almost transparent, which were more beautiful than jade.


    Such an elegant State Teacher must be a master of tea ceremony. Su Yu expectantly looked at the State Teacher, imagining that he would bring out the best tribute tea leaves and Tianshan ice spring water to brew a pot of high-end, elegant, and immortal-like tea.


    ¡°Do you know how to brew ginger tea, ba?¡± The State Teacher pushed a small jar in front of Su Yu.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Su Yu subconsciously caught the jar.


    Opening the jar, a faint sweet smell of ginger wafted out.


    The State Teacher didn¡¯t pay any more attention to him, he twisted a piece of butterfly shrimp and took a graceful bite. Seeing that Su Yu was still stunned, he raised his chin slightly, indicating that the charcoal stove for making tea was by his hand.


    Su Yu looked left and right, only to find that there was no one else on the second floor, and so he resignedly dragged over the charcoal stove to make ginger tea.


    Sure enough, the beauty¡¯s tea brewing was pure fantasy, it was impossible for a noble State Teacher to serve him with tea.


    It¡¯s just¡­ drinking sweet ginger tea with this top-grade jade cup, there was a kind of sense of dissonance like drinking Cola from a crystal goblet.


    ¡°River seafood is cold in nature, so naturally you gave to drink ginger tea.¡± The State Teacher supported his head with one hand, seemly knowing what Su Yu was thinking.


    He looked at him indifferently and slowly and leisurely chewed the butterfly shrimp.


    ¡°It¡¯s as you say.¡± Su Yu was startled.


    Could it be that the State Teacher could read his mind? He dared not to think about it anymore and honestly brewed the pot of ginger tea.


    ¡°Add some honey to remove the bitterness.¡± The State Teacher ate the second butterfly shrimp and handed Su Yu a small jar of honey.


    ¡°State Teachers also understand the way of fine food?¡± Su Yu took a spoonful of honey and stirred it into the tea, he then poured it into a jade cup and handed it over respectfully.


    The State Teacher, who had eaten three shrimps, took the jade cup with one hand and took a light sip. The temperature and the sweetness were just right.


    He raised his hand and drained the cup in one gulp, then he handed the cup back with his and slightly closed his eyes.


    ¡°You may follow the Emperor and call me Imperial Uncle.¡±


    Su Yu tactfully refilled the cup.


    ¡°Yes, Imperial Uncle.¡±


    ¡°What I comprehend is not the way of fine food.¡± The State Teacher¡¯s voice seemed to be more cold and cheerless than before, and his expression became a little more serious.


    He paused for a moment and then gave a light laugh, like a mockery and a sigh.


    ¡°But there are some commonalities with what you have learned.¡±


    Eh? Su Yu blinked.


    He was just casually speaking to get closer, he didn¡¯t expect that the State Teacher would say such things.


    The State Teacher must have studied something mysterious and profound, related to the fortune and fate of the nation, why would it have something in common with his cooking?


    ¡°The shrimp is somewhat good, though the heat control is a little bit off.¡± The State Teacher ate the last butterfly shrimp and concluded.


    ¡°It¡¯s as you say.¡± Su Yu smiled awkwardly.


    I had to put it back in the pot and fry it again, so of course, it would be a bit overcooked.


    ¡°I will certainly remember to fry it a bit less tomorrow.¡±


    The implication of this was to come back tomorrow.


    The State Teacher looked at him with a smile yet not a smile.


    ¡°The Da¡¯an royal family can¡¯t climb the Anguo Tower for nothing. If you want to come here every day, then you must have something to do.¡±


    Su Yu felt a little embarrassed when he was immediately seen through. Facing this unfathomable State Teacher, he decided to be honest.


    ¡°Imperial Uncle is like a bright mirror. Xiaozi came here to trouble you, on one hand, it¡¯s indeed for the sake of the rules, besides that, it is also a little out of selfish motives¡­¡±


    ¡°You are actually sincere.¡± The State Teacher slightly curled his lips, and his clear and cold beautiful eyes quietly looked at Su Yu, but he didn¡¯t ask him what were his selfish motives.


    Su Yu had a guilty conscience, so he took a sip of his cup of tea.


    The taste was warm and sweet, without the bitterness of ginger. It¡¯s just that drinking ginger tea in the height of summer was not good for a young man with a lot of firepower. So not long after he began sweating, making him seem more nervous.


    Just when Su Yu couldn¡¯t hold back and was about to admit his mistake and ask to be excused, the State Teacher pushed the white jade tray by his hand and said.


    ¡°You can change it for a porcelain plate tomorrow, it¡¯s rather heavy.¡±


    This is¡­ consenting? Su Yu stared blankly for a long time.


    Only then did he react, agreeing cheerfully, and then excused himself. As he walked away, he thought about what kind of snacks to bring tomorrow.


    Just as Su Yu left, a big black and yellow cat jumped in from the window, looking sympathetically at Su Yu¡¯s departing back, and shook his furry head.


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡­¡±


    The State Teacher glanced at the big cat and ignored it. He went straight to the soft couch and lay down, yawning gracefully.


    ¡°Sleep again, sleep again!¡± The big cat jumped onto the soft couch and hooked the State Teacher¡¯s sleeve with his claws.


    ¡°Thirteenth Brother let me come to ask you, what exactly did you mean by the oracle last time?¡±


    The State Teacher stretched out his long slender finger and flicked it against the noisy cat¡¯s head.


    ¡°The secrets of heaven must not be revealed.¡±


    ¡°Ow, Twenty-one, I¡¯ll say it again, I¡¯m your Elder Brother. Try flicking my head again!¡± King Ling¡¯s fur suddenly exploded, and he jumped onto the chest of the State Teacher baring his teeth and claws.


    His cold and beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and the noisy big cat immediately shut up and took a step back.


    A white light flashed and a big snow-white cat suddenly struck out with his paws like lightning and knocked His Highness King Ling to the ground with a slap. Suddenly, a shrill cat meow rang out in the hall.


    ¡°Ow, Thirteenth Brother, save me---¡±


    His Highness King Su, who had just arrived at the foot of the Anguo Tower, stopped in his track and looked up at the second floor.


    He hesitated for a moment then turned around and left, deciding to come again tomorrow.


    ¡°Did he take the food box?¡± In Beiji Palace, His Majesty looked at Wang Gonggong with a gloomy expression.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager asked Niangniang to pay respects to the State Teacher. You are not unaware of the State Teacher¡¯s temper, Niangniang is also in a difficult position.¡± Wang Gonggong tried very hard to persuade him with a bitter face.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± An Hongche snorted coldly.


    He had no objection to going to Anguo Tower, but today the stupid slave¡¯s attitude made him very angry, and he even dared to swat his¡­ Hmph, hmph, today Zhen must set the rules for that stupid thing.


    ¡°Your Majesty, do you still wish to go to Yexiao Palace to eat tonight?¡± Wang Gonggong tentatively asked.


    ¡°Not going.¡± His Majesty the Emperor narrowed his eyes dangerously.


    ¡°It¡¯s because Zhen spoils him too much that he became arrogant with his favor.¡±


    The eyes of the palace maid holding the ebony tray suddenly lit up, Xian Fei angered the Emperor, she had to quickly tell the good news to Guifei Niangniang.


    Wang Gonggong sighed, then he took over the ebony tray and presented it to An Hongche.


    ¡°Your Majesty, turn over the nameplate, ba.¡±


    His Majesty the Emperor raised his hand and flipped over one without looking, then he took out a memorial and began reading it.


    ¡°Your Majesty, are you not going?¡± Wang Gonggong looked at the shiny wooden nameplate in his hand.


    ¡°Already said not going.¡± The Emperor frowned at the long-winded Wang Gonggong.


    ¡°Zhen can¡¯t spoil him so much, let him come to serve in bed by himself and to bring the dinner too.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Wang Gonggong rubbed his aching chest, and silently put the nameplate back, then he turned to the little eunuch.


    ¡°Go to Yexiao Palace to pass on the message.¡±


    The news in the palace traveled fast.


    Xian Fei angered the Emperor¡­


    The Emperor decreed that he won¡¯t go to Yexiao Palace¡­


    The Emperor summoned Xian Fei to Beiji Palace to serve in bed¡­


    The concubines who were straining their ears to listen to the news almost tore the handkerchief in their hands.


    Su Yu, who came to Beiji Palace to serve in bed, was still immersed in the excitement of the State Teacher agreeing to his daily greetings.


    ¡°The State Teacher permitted Chen to call him ¡®Imperial Uncle¡¯.¡±


    His Majesty the Emperor snorted coldly.


    ¡°The State Teacher seems to know everything, he also said that the way of studying the Dao is similar to my cooking. Your Majesty, you say¡­ Mmm¡­ ¡± Su Yu kept on chattering but didn¡¯t notice the increasingly gloomy expression on the Emperor¡¯s face.


    As he was talking happily, he was suddenly grabbed by the collar and pulled over.


    ¡°Stupid slave, shut up for Zhen!¡± The anger in His Majesty¡¯s eyes was about to materialize.


    Just now, both of them were on the dragon¡¯s bed, the Emperor grabbed his collar too roughly so that he pulled Su Yu down in one go, ripping open several seams and revealing an unblemished white chest.


    Su Yu was frightened and looked at the suddenly furious Emperor in bewilderment.


    ¡°Zhen will properly set the rules for you today.¡± An Hongche leaned over and pressed Su Yu over his legs.


    ¡°You cannot be allowed to continue being so lawless.¡±


    ¡°Lawless?¡± Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened. What did he do?


    ¡°Hmph, think about it. What have you done to Zhen¡¯s cat?¡± Seeing Su Yu¡¯s panicked expression, His Majesty was very pleased with himself.


    This stupid slave finally knew to be afraid, although referring to himself as his own cat sounded a bit silly¡­


    ¡°Sauce?¡± Su Yu was stunned. What does this have to do with Sauce?


    ¡°You are not allowed to use that stupid name¡± His Majesty¡¯s originally happy face suddenly turned gloomy.


    He raised his hand and slapped Su Yu¡¯s buttocks.

 CH 38

    Chapter 38 - Name


    ¡°That, that name¡­ what¡­¡± Su Yu asked in a daze, but his mind was not on the question at all.


    What just happened? His Majesty, hit, his, butt! This, this is taking liberties with him, ba¡­


    The soft palm of the hand slapped on that bouncy place, soft and elastic, this kind of feeling was very novel to the Emperor. He couldn''t help putting his hand on it and stroking it back and forth.


    ¡°Your, Your Majesty¡­¡± Su Yu¡¯s face turned red and instinctively shrank back.


    An Hongche raised his head and met Su Yu¡¯s eyes which were full of embarrassment. The gentle, fresh, and handsome face was tinged with a layer of light red, because of his touch, the thin red gradually spread downward, dyeing the white neck red, and climbed onto the graceful lines of his collarbone.


    His body curled slightly due to the tension, and the whole person looked like a cooked shrimp, looking very delicious.


    His Majesty''s mouth felt somewhat parched. This wretched stupid slave is always seducing him.


    This was seriously setting the rules, he cannot let him just muddle through like this, hmph!


    Steadying his mind, His Majesty the Emperor proudly raised his chin and said: ¡° Now know how powerful Zhen is. If you do something wrong again, Zhen will punish you like this!¡±


    Taking liberties, just taking liberties. He didn¡¯t know how to answer such a lame excuse, Su Yu rolled his eyes and felt that he lost a little face when he blushed because he was touched.


    Now to get back at him, he should pinch the Emperor¡¯s perfectly lined lower jaw with a devilish smile, then kiss him strongly on¡­


    Stop! Su Yu shook his head, what was he thinking? The Emperor is a man just like him, they were purely boss and cook. Who ate, talked, and slept together¡­ Although the Emperor is very good-looking.


    He looked up at those pale thin lips. At that moment, they were slightly upward because of his good mood and were glowing with a healthy luster. Su Yu swallowed his saliva and didn¡¯t dare to look again.


    To get back at him or something, even if you lend him the guts he would not dare to. He could only bow his head and let it go.


    Seeing the stupid slave¡¯s appearance of ¡®knowing his mistake¡¯, His Majesty was very satisfied. He released his grip on Su Yu, then turned over and leaned against the head of the bed.


    Seeing his dumbfounded and stupid expression, he frowned slightly. Could it be that he was frightened, ba? Hmm, this stupid slave is truly delicate.


    An Hongche stretched out his hand and brought him into his embrace in a natural manner.


    ¡°Of course, if you do well, Zhen will naturally reward you.¡±


    Su Yu was suddenly dragged down again and was forced to bury his head in the arms of the Emperor. His warm body had the scent of sunshine, which made people reluctant to leave.


    There was no struggle, Su Yu just silently changed his posture and twisted his face out, but his inner heart was in turmoil. I¡¯m done for, I¡¯m done for, I won¡¯t really be bent, right?


    Thinking about his past life, he was busy learning skills to make money, so he didn¡¯t have time to fall in love. In this life, he had been working even harder for food and clothing that he hadn¡¯t thought about getting married. But, today, he was suddenly attracted to a man.


    He sneaked a peek at the Emperor¡¯s profile, it was really impeccably beautiful. It must be because this guy is so good-looking that he got confused for a while. It must be the case, en.


    After a well-done psychological preparation, Su Yu coughed gently to break the weird atmosphere.


    ¡°Your Majesty does not allow Chen to call him Sauce, so what was the original name of the divine cat?¡±


    An Hongche lowered his head to look at him. He was silent for a moment, then his clear and cold voice carried a bit of solemnity that he himself had not noticed, and slowly said: ¡°Zhanzhi¡­ You can call him ¡®Zhanzhi¡¯.¡±


    After that, he slowly turned his head to one side and stared at the candlestick not far away. His ears blushed an unnatural shade of bright red.


    An Hongche, courtesy name Zhanzhi.


    The surface of the lake sparkled with the reflection of light, the water is crystal clear.


    Zhen allows you to call Zhen¡¯s courtesy name.


    ¡°Dipping Sauce¡­ Hahahaha¡­¡± Su Yu burst out laughing.[TL_Note: Zh¨¤n Zhi sounded similar to dipping sauce, Ji¨¤ng Zhi-> Sauce]


    ¡°Your Majesty, your name is no better than mine, hahahaha, the dipping sauce can¡¯t even compare to the sauce, hahaha¡­¡±


    His Majesty the Emperor slowly turned his head back and looked at Su Yu, who was dancing with laughter. His face was completely black.


    I entrust my heart to the bright moon, but the moon shines on the ditch¡­ In the ditch, there is a smelly fish who did not fear death and was laughing like crazy!


    Therefore, His Majesty slept all night with his back to the Xian Fei and did not say another word to him.


    The next day, the Emperor still didn¡¯t eat the lunch made by Su Yu.


    Su Yu, who didn¡¯t realize that His Majesty the Emperor was in a unilateral cold war with him, happily made a plate of garlic-flavored scallop snacks from the prepared ingredients, and went to the Anguo Tower to have afternoon tea with the ¡°National Male God¡±.


    The State Teacher did not meet him in the audience hall this time and directly allowed Su Yu to go up to the second floor.


    ¡°As I said yesterday, you should not climb the Anguo Tower if you have nothing to do. Since you come day by day, you must have something to do.¡± The State Teacher propped up his chin with one hand and looked at the brightly colored pastries on the white and blue porcelain plate with his cold and beautiful eyes.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°A snack made of scallop meat.¡± Su Yu smiled and presented the plate to the State Teacher.


    ¡°It¡¯s sprinkled with some garlic powder, does Imperial Uncle feel it¡¯s overcooked this time?¡±


    Fingers so white they were almost transparent twisted a small piece and slowly put it in his mouth. The palm-sized round snack was fried and baked until it was yellow and crisp.


    There was a layer of garlic power on the surface, and the stir-fried garlic powder had a pellicular fragrance, which complemented well the umami of the shellfish, it was addicting.


    The State Teacher slowly and leisurely ate a snack and took a sip of ginger tea, then he casually threw a book at Su Yu.


    ¡°Take this book and read it. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, come and ask me¡±


    Su Yu looked at the State Teacher in surprise, is he planning to teach him something? His heartbeat couldn¡¯t help speeding up, could this be the beginning of this time-traveler fortuitous encounter?


    Thinking about the plots in his previous life¡¯s TV dramas, the protagonist who transmigrated would meet an unfathomable person by chance, and that person would inexplicably think that the protagonist has an excellent bone structure.


    After some trials, he would very carelessly decide to pass on his supreme Kung Fu skills and entrust the heavy responsibility of heaven and earth to him.


    With an indescribable sense of excitement, Su Yu opened the delicate book cover with trembling hands. Inside lies a beautifully bound book, and it was clearly written on the front page < Fish Killing Heart Law >


    Fish Killing¡­Heart Law¡­


    Su Yu felt that there was something wrong with his comprehension abilities, otherwise, why would he clearly recognize these four characters, but would not understand them when put together?


    ¡°I know you are good at killing fish, but *mortals don¡¯t have the slightest Inner Qi, so it¡¯s hard to have great achievements. ¡± The State Teacher took a bite of the garlic snack and said indifferently.


    Inner Qi! When Su Yu heard this word there was a flash of inspiration in his mind and he remembered the <Su Family Recipe Book Chapter 2> record about how to eliminate the fishy blood with Inner Qi that he couldn¡¯t understand, maybe it wasn¡¯t just the blind nonsense of the ancestors of the Su family¡­


    ¡°When using Inner Qi to kill fish, draw the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, infuse it into the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, strengthen both hands and eyes, eliminate the fishy smell, and remove the miscellaneous blood¡­¡±


    The long introduction made Su Yu feel as if he was amidst clouds and mist. Looking back he saw there was even a table of contents, and the whole book was divided into <Heart Law Mantra>, <Knife Skills Record>, and <Hand Seals Record>...


    Is this book really about killing fish? The corner of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched, he was so curious that he was unable to resist leafing through.


    ¡°Reporting to the State Teacher, His Highness King Su is requesting an audience.¡± The palace maid from downstairs suddenly reported.


    ¡°Put away the book and do not let others see it.¡± The State Teacher raised his hand and closed the book in Su Yu¡¯s hands, indicating to not read it yet.


    Su Yu obediently put the book away and put it in the food box, but his heart felt so itchy that he couldn¡¯t help peeking at the food box.


    The sound of steady and powerful footsteps came from downstairs, not long after, King Su appeared in a dignified manner on the second floor.


    ¡°Greetings, King Su.¡± Su Yu hurriedly got up and saluted.


    ¡°Xian Fei is here too.¡± King Su waved his hand to indicate to not stand on ceremony. He then saluted the State Teacher. ¡°Greetings to the State Teacher.¡±


    ¡°There are no outsiders here, so there¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± The State Teacher twisted a piece of the scallop snack and motioned King Su to sit down.


    ¡°The Prime Minister said today that he had found a person, who may very likely be the foreign star in the oracle.¡± King Su said solemnly, twisting a piece of the scallop snack and bitting it.


    The delicate long eyelashes trembled, and the State Teacher sneered coldly.


    ¡°What does he know?¡± With these words, the shifted the porcelain plate to his side without any trace.


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    <What is transmigrating all about?>


    Zhao Shi: This is a recipe passed down by the Su family ancestors.


    Little Fish: The original purpose of transmigrating is to make a fortune ¨I£¨£Þ¦Ø£Þ£©¨J


    Empress Dowager: This is the imperial family''s secret history.


    Little Fish: The purpose of transmigrating is to escalate the palace struggle ( ¡Ñ o ¡Ñ )


    State Teacher: This is a mysterious secret martial arts manual.


    Little Fish: The purpose of transmigrating was to save the common people (¡Ñ_¡Ñ)


    Cat Gong: Zhen today wants to eat braised fish with spicy crab oil and shrimp, Meow~~


    Little Fish: Transmigrating is actually for feeding the cat¡­ba

 CH 39

    ¡°That person has been sent to the Dali Temple by the Prime Minister.¡± King Su frowned and finished the small snack in his hand in two bites, he then reached for another piece.


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± The State Teacher put down the hand holding his chin, it seemed to be let go randomly, but it happened to stop between King Su¡¯s outstretched hand and the plate, and he said with a solemn expression.


    ¡°The foreign star is very important, don¡¯t interfere at will.¡±


    ¡°Then you have to explain the oracle clearly¡­¡±King Su¡¯s face darkened slightly. He hesitated for a moment, and then looked at Su Yu.


    Su Yu immediately understood that as a concubine of the harem, he was not qualified to listen to national affairs. He very tactfully got up and took his leave.


    ¡°You can go, ba.¡± The State Teacher motioned that he could leave, then he kept silent with King Su, obviously intending to wait for Su Yu to leave before continuing.


    Su Yu walked down the black-gold spiral staircase, deliberately slowing down his pace, wanting to hear a few more words.


    He somewhat felt that the so-called ¡°foreign start¡± might be him, after all, such a thing as a visitor foreign to the heavens should be uncommon¡­right?


    ¡° ¡®The catastrophe is arriving, and the foreign star descends to the world.¡¯, isn¡¯t it very clear?¡± The State Teacher¡¯s melodious voice seemed somewhat ethereal when he recited the oracle, with a sense of unfathomable holiness.


    Su Yu¡¯s heart froze. He couldn¡¯t help but pause while walking downstairs, he held his breath and waited for three more breaths of time. No sound came from upstairs, so he had to leave.


    On the way back, Su Yu¡¯s mood was a little heavy. Previously he was indulging in wild fantasies, he actually wanted to discuss the issue of transmigrating with the State Teacher.


    In a country that revered deities, heretics are bound to be ostracized, besides, it also involved some kind of catastrophe. If someone found out he was not the same, maybe he would be burned to death in a sacrifice to the heavens at the first chance.


    Walking through the imperial garden with heavy steps, the excitement of getting a new secret manual has now been significantly reduced. His life was in danger, how can he be happy?


    So, in this mood, seeing the woman arrogantly blocking the way, even the good-natured Su Yu can hardly give a smile.


    The person who blocked the way was the young lady of the Marquis Changchun family, Cen Cairen. She was wearing an emerald green silk dress and was accompanied by a palace maid and a eunuch.


    She standing in the middle of the narrow path, making it impossible to go around.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Cen Cairen?¡± Xiao Shun stepped forward to inquire first, lest these people bump into his master.


    Cen Xiaojie has been having a bad time in the palace in the past few days. She thought that by virtue of her family background, she would be sealed as Fei in the palace.


    However, she did not expect to just become a little Cairen. With her appearance, as long as she got favored by the Emperor, she would naturally be able to call wind and rain, but who would have imagined that the Emperor has never even looked at her properly until now.


    Now in this huge palace, anyone could step on her, and even a small Zhaoyi can embezzle her share. How can she, the dignified first young lady of the Marquis Changchun Fu, ever be reconciled with being in this kind of plight?


    ¡°Su Yu, what did you promise my elder brother?¡± Cen Xiaoje put one hand on her hips and looked at Su Yu arrogantly. The more she looked, the more uncomfortable she became.


    In order to match the style of the State Teacher, Su Yu specially wore a light colored wide sleeved changpao, which was made of tribute satin and covered with ice silk. The whole person looked dignified and handsome.


    As a native born and bred daughter of an eminent family, Cen Xiaojie knew the value of this outfit the best, so she couldn¡¯t help clenching her sleeves. He was favored by the Emperor, so even if he was a fish seller, he could also become a noble childe.


    ¡°What did I promise your brother? Didn¡¯t your elder brother tell you?¡± Su Yu frowned.


    He just promised the Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi to take care of his younger sister, if he had any urgent news, he would tell him in time in order to prevent her from attracting trouble and implicating Marquis Changchun.


    ¡°Hmph, as long as you remember.¡± Cen Xiaojie said with a smug look on her face.


    ¡°Since you received silver from my family, you have to handle affairs for me.¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s lips twitched and confirmed again that Cen Xiaojie is truly dim-witted.


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°Within the next few days, you have to come up with a way to let the Emperor favor me.¡± Cen Cairen said naively.


    ¡°His Majesty is with you every day, is it not easy for you to mention it?¡±


    Su Yu quietly looked at the girl for a while. He was extremely sympathetic to Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi, for having such a younger sister in the palace was like hanging a knife over their head.


    At any time, their whole family could be ruined and all the members put to death.


    ¡°...Okay, just wait, ba.¡±


    ??????????????


    Returning to Yexiao Palace, Su Yu found the box containing the silver banknotes and took out a thousand taels of silver, then gave it to Yang Gonggong.


    ¡°Go and return it to Cen Cairen.¡± These 1000 taels of silver were really not easy to earn, he thought it was worthwhile to help him pass on a message or something, but now it seemed that this was big trouble. It¡¯s better to get rid of the relationship as soon as possible.


    Hmm, King Mu Jun is still the most generous, it¡¯s improbable that he would ask back the three thousand taels that he gave him.


    ¡°Niangniang, the palace has bought fresh crabs today, would you like two?¡± Yang Gonggong didn¡¯t ask any further questions and just put the banknotes away.


    ¡°Crabs?¡± Su Yu got up and went out to have a look.


    Nowadays, the only one who would buy fresh ingredients in the palace is Xian Fei, and the imperial kitchen is very attentive to this only big customer.


    Now they had learned to bring one or two more ingredients to sell in addition to the ingredients Su Yu asked for.


    It¡¯s summer, not the season when crabs are the fattest, but as long as the craftsmanship is good, it¡¯s not so important whether it was the best time to eat.


    Su Yu took two and looked at them, it was a kind of freshwater crab similar to the hairy crab. They were big and fat, bound into a ball with straw ropes, but they were still waving their big tongs with perseverance.


    Speaking of this, the crab stick from last time was not only liked by Sauce, but the Emperor also liked to eat it. The two grumpy fellows were surprisingly consistent in this regard, as long as you give a crab stick, they can be well-behaved for a while.


    ¡°This is the best freshwater crab. It was just transported into the palace today, and it only costs one tael silver a piece.¡± The delivery eunuch said with a wide smile on his face.


    Su Yu silently threw the crab back and bought some relatively cheap bamboo shrimps.


    Because the Emperor didn¡¯t ask him to deliver takeout at noon, the daily fish is still there. So Su Yu sliced the fish, marinated it to make pan-fried fish fillets, he then added stir-fried shrimp with soy sauce, and then took the red dates congee cooked in the imperial kitchen to deliver to the Beiji Palace.


    As a result, when he arrived at Beiji Palace, he was told that the Emperor had already eaten dinner.


    Su Yu looked at the food in his hands with sorrow. Because he had the Emperor, the State Teacher, and Sauce, these three big seafood households, to feed, his monthly allowance was running out, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling a little annoyed.


    It was fine that the Emperor doesn¡¯t know how to pay for meals, but he didn¡¯t even send anyone to inform him.


    The little eunuch outside the palace gave Su Yu an embarrassed look. The Emperor actually didn¡¯t have dinner yet, but when he heard that Xian Fei made fried shrimp with soy sauce, somehow his complexion changed, and just ordered him to send Xian Fei back.


    ¡°Niangniang, you are finally here!¡± Wang Gonggong, who was just called by the Empress Dowager for questioning, hurried back, meeting Su Yu, who was about to turn around and leave.


    ¡°Gonggong, His Majesty has already eaten, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡¯¡± Su Yu sighed, thinking that he had to find a way to go out of the palace and bring this month''s dividends from Xianmantang in advance to provide emergency assistance.


    ¡°Bastard thing, what nonsense are you talking about!¡± Hearing this, Wang Gonggong immediately slapped the little eunuch, then he smiled at Su Yu.


    ¡°His Majesty hasn¡¯t eaten yet. Niangniang should go in quickly.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Su Yu looked at Wang Gonggong.


    The little eunuch was stationed at the gate, so he must clearly know whether the Emperor has eaten or not. Since he dares to say so, it must be the Emperor¡¯s intention.


    ¡°Someone in court has made His Majesty angry today, Niangniang should go and persuade him. At any rate, let His Majesty at least have a bite.¡± With a look of grief, Wang Gonggong pushed Su Yu into the main hall without any explanation and quickly closed the door.


    What a joke, that ancestor hasn¡¯t eaten much since lunchtime. If he didn¡¯t eat, he guessed it wouldn¡¯t be as simple as the Empress Dowager calling him for a lecture.


    In the brightly lit hall, there were thick padded cushions everywhere, His Majesty lay lazily on the cushion in the middle, with several memorials scattered around him.


    His eyes were lightly closed and his limbs were relaxed, it seems that he has fallen asleep.


    Su Yu walked over and sat down on the cushion. He looked down at the Emperor and softly whispered: ¡°Your Majesty, get up and have some dinner, ba.¡±


    His Majesty''s ears twitched, but he didn¡¯t open his eyes or speak.


    Hmph, stupid slave, don¡¯t think Zhen will forgive you so easily.


    He pretended to have eaten dinner and now is pretending to be asleep again, Su Yu finally understood what was going on. Was His Majesty throwing a tantrum?


    Such an expensive meal won¡¯t taste good if it¡¯s left to cool for a while. After scratching his head in puzzlement, Su Yu pondered for a moment. Using his chopsticks, he picked up a piece of fragrant fried fish fillet and brought it near the Emperor¡¯s nose, and then swayed it back and forth.


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    <The State Teacher¡¯s status in the Imperial Family is very high>


    King Ling: Twenty-one, flicking my head is being disrespectful to your elder brother!


    State Teacher: Really? (Lifts his paw and slaps away)


    King Su: Twenty-one, sharing food with your elder brother is a traditional virtue of the An family.


    State Teacher: Really? (Lifts his paw and slaps away)


    Younger Brother: Imperial Uncle, that¡­


    State Teacher: (Lifts his paw and slaps away)


    Younger Brother: ¡­I haven¡¯t finished speaking yet.


    State Teacher: You''re blocking the way.


    Younger Brother: QAQ

 CH 40

    The fish fillets fried with Sichuan pepper and sesame seeds exuded an enticing scent near the sensitive nose.


    ¡°Snap!¡± His Majesty the Emperor suddenly opened his eyes. He grabbed Su Yu¡¯s wrist with one hand and said coldly: ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± Su Yu laughed dryly.


    How terrible, he had a moment of playfulness and teased His Majesty the Emperor like a cat.


    An Hongche gave a cold snort and got up, then sat down. He narrowed his eyes slightly, slowly moving from the slightly panicked face to the hand holding the chopsticks, and then to the crisp fish fillet at the tip of the chopsticks.


    He paused for a moment, then turned to face Su Yu nose to nose.


    ¡°You are getting bolder and bolder these days!¡±


    The two of them were too close, and the warm breath puffed over his face, Su Yu looked at the magnified handsome face in front of him and the strong sense of oppression made him shrink back.


    The hand holding the chopsticks moved a bit, and the fragrant fish slice was placed between them.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the fish fillets are going to be cold.¡± Su Yu smiled ingratiatingly.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± His Majesty snorted coldly, opened his mouth, and rolled the fillet into his mouth. But he still didn¡¯t let go of Su Yu¡¯s hand, and just stared at him fixedly.


    Su Yu got goosebumps from being stared at. He felt what the Emperor was chewing was not fried fish, but him. So he couldn¡¯t help swallowing.


    Just now, when he saw this fellow sleeping relaxed and soft look, he suddenly felt that he was very cute, so he had a moment of weakness¡­


    How could he forget that this man was the most honorable person under the heavens, he was not someone that he could tease at will.


    His Majesty chewed the fish in his mouth viciously, and then moved the tip of his nose against Su Yu¡¯s and said: ¡°From now on, you are not allowed to sway things in front of Zhen.¡±


    ¡°Wuu¡­¡± Su Yu was about to agree when suddenly the Emperor bit the tip of his nose, and he couldn¡¯t help crying out in shock.


    An Hongche sneered, then he let go of his hand and turned his head to look at the dinner on the small table, and he frowned at the plate of fried shrimp with soy sauce.


    ¡°What kind of damnable thing did you make?¡±


    ¡°Shrimp with Meiji soy sauce.¡± Su Yu rubbed his bitten nose and reached out and handed over a pair of chopsticks.


    ¡°Chen made it with great effort, Your Majesty, please have a taste.¡±


    The so-called Meiji sauce was the modern-age soy sauce synthesized with industrial raw materials. This was very simple to use for making seafood cooking, just buy some soy sauce of this brand, it was simple and delicious.


    However, in this ancient times, Su Yu had to prepare his own blend of sauce. A sauce made from natural condiments was several times more delicious than the industrially synthesized ones.


    His Majesty grunted coldly. Instead of picking up the chopsticks handed over from Su Yu, he lay back on the cushion.


    ¡°It looks unpalatable.¡±


    This soy sauce was prepared by this stupid slave long ago, even his foolish younger brother had a few bottles of it, wasn¡¯t he aware?


    Today, the imperial kitchen specially said that there were fresh crabs, he threw away what was made by the imperial kitchen and waited for Su Yu to cook delicious crabs to acknowledge his mistakes.


    However, this stupid slave didn¡¯t make any for him, he just brought this thing to fool him.


    Su Yu blinked. No matter what he cooked these days, the Emperor would eat it without looking up, what happened today? He picked up a piece of shrimp and put it close to the Emperor¡¯s lips.


    ¡°It''s not very good-looking, but it¡¯s absolutely delicious.¡±


    Raisinh his eyes to look at the fawning Su Yu, His Majesty¡¯s mood improved. This stupid slave finally had some self-consciousness as a slave. Hmm, this sauce tastes so delicious.


    Seeing that the Emperor was willing to eat, Su Yu continued the struggle and moved another piece to his lips.


    ¡°Sauce likes this dish the most, and can eat a large plate every time.¡±


    ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± The Emperor suddenly choked.


    Dispirited, he finished his dinner on the soft couch. The Emperor leaned lazily on a big pillow, then looked at the memorials by his hand, he randomly picked one and began reading.


    After a few glances, he became impatient and touched Su Yu, who was sitting on the soft couch, with his foot.


    ¡°What are you reading?¡±


    Because Su Yu was bored, he took out the <Fish Killing Heart Law> from the bottom of the food box to study. When the Emperor asked, he honestly handed over the book.


    An Hongche threw the book aside without looking at it and put a stack of memorials into Su Yu¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Read.¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched, he really knows how to enjoy himself. He was too lazy to read the memorial, so he turned the memorial into an audiobook.


    Most of the memorials that His Majesty left to read for the evening were irrelevant or he didn¡¯t want to read them but had to see them before going to court, so he listened absentmindedly. He just quietly looked at Su Yu¡¯s serious side profile and listened to every word in a good mood.


    It was hard to read the traditional Chinese characters, Su Yu could only read them to himself first to get a rough idea of what it was about, and then slowly read it out.


    After reading a couple of them, he noticed that they were all about trivial things. When he reached the third memorial, he suddenly saw the words ¡°Foreign Star¡±, he read it carefully and immediately felt like he had fallen into an ice cave, ¡°...The foreign star has been placed in the Dali Temple and shall be subjected to severe punishment, and is soon to be¡­¡±


    Subjected to severe punishment, severe punishment¡­


    Su Yu stared at these two words, and the hand holding the memorial began to tremble slightly.


    It would be better if they just killed him, how could they torture him to extract a confection? He forced himself to calm down, then cleared his throat and read slowly, he must not let the cat out of the bag and let the Emperor see that something was wrong with him.


    An Hongche looked at the pale Su Yu and frowned slightly. He immediately understood something, he reached out and pulled the person into his arms.


    ¡°Do you know about this foreign star?¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he didn¡¯t dare to look back at the Emperor¡¯s face.


    ¡°I heard the State Teacher and His Highness King Su mention it today, but I don¡¯t know. What is this foreign star?¡±


    ¡°Six months ago, the State Teacher divined that a foreign star would appear on the star chart, and he said it was related to the upcoming disaster in Da¡¯an.¡± An Hongchen hugged the person in his arms, as if he could not feel the stiffness of the body in his arms. He continued in a relaxed tone.


    ¡°The imperial family has been looking for this foreign star, but I don¡¯t know what it is. It may be a person, or maybe it¡¯s an object.¡±


    ¡°Why did you throw him to Dali Temple?¡± Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened, they just arrested him without knowing what it was and extorted confessions with cruel torture!


    An Hongche glanced at him and said slowly: ¡°That old man just wants to use this to uproot his opposition, do you think Zhen is that stupid?¡±


    Concubines are not allowed to participate in court politics, he shouldn¡¯t have said this to Su Yu, but who let him be the master of this spoiled slave?


    It turned out that it was the court''s internal strife¡­ Su Yu breathed a sigh of relief when he heard these words.


    Only then did he find himself surrounded by the Emperor¡¯s arms, and a warm chest was pressed tightly against his back, he couldn¡¯t help stiffening up again.


    An Hongche looked at the face of the person in his arms gradually recovering its color, and said to himself, this stupid slave was really delicate, just a bit and he can¡¯t refrain from being frightened.


    He rubbed against his fair neck and said.


    ¡°Cook crabs for Zhen tomorrow.¡±


    The crabs cost one tael of silver a piece, ah! Chen isn¡¯t wealthy, ah!


    Su Yu¡¯s face was bitter, he very much wanted to tell the Emperor that as an Emperor, even if he could not take up the obligation of supporting his family, he should at least pay the meal fee to the dedicated cook!


    The roaring question came to his mouth, but he choked it back again, he still didn¡¯t have the courage to say it.


    The Emperor willing to eat the food made by his concubines is the imperial favor, how could there be any sense that he asks the Emperor money for the meal?


    ¡°Your Majesty, can Chen go out of the palace?¡± Su Yu tried to test the waters.


    He had already asked Yang Gonggong, as a male concubine, he could, in fact, leave the palace occasionally. After all, many male concubines were the pillars of the family, and there were many things to deal with outside, but they could only leave with the Emperor¡¯s consent.


    ¡°Go out of the palace?¡± An Hongche frowned. ¡°Going outside the palace for what?¡±


    ¡°Chen has a restaurant in East Street, if Chen doesn¡¯t take a look after so many days of neglect, Chen is afraid something will go wrong.¡± Su Yu said weakly.


    He was thinking about taking the dividends, he would also talk to Mister Yuan on the way how to use the money to open two more branch stores.


    Nowadays in the palace, he had to spend money like water, so he had to earn more money.


    ¡°As a concubine, you just have to serve Zhen well, why bother with all those idle worries!¡± Thinking about the two little cooks in Xianmantang, the old fogey at the counter, and his younger brother who often goes there to eat, An Hongche felt a burst of displeasure in his heart.


    ¡°Chen is a man, how can Chen spend all day in the palace doing nothing, besides, Chen has his own mother and concubine sister to support.¡± Su Yu tried to argue a little.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± His Majesty the Emperor couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. He overpowered the chattering Su Yu down on the couch.


    ¡°You only need be concerned about Zhen alone, you are forbidden to think of anybody else!¡±


    The Emperor did not agree, so there was no chance of going out of the palace. The next morning, Su Yu listlessly went to pay respects to the Emperess Dowager


    ¡°Aijia heard that His Majesty eats your cooking three times a day.¡± There were no other concubines today, not even Lu Guifei came to join in the fun.


    The Empress Dowager still looked as carefree as ever.


    ¡°Chen is grateful for His Majesty''s favor.¡± Su Yu was not sure what the Empress Dowager meant, was she chiding him for seducing the Emperor, or was she just recounting a fact?


    ¡°You go to Anguo Tower every day, what can you perceive? ¡± The Empress Dowager took a sip of tea and asked slowly.


    What can you perceive? Su Yu frowned slightly, he accompanied the State Teacher to have a cup of afternoon tea every day, what stuff could he tell?


    ¡°Xiaozi is slow-witted, Xiaozi doesn¡¯t know what is Empress Dowager referring to?¡±


    ¡°You can advise His Majesty to also drink some of the kind of ginger tea that the State Teacher drinks, it¡¯s not good to always eat those cold and chilly things.¡± The Empress Dowager sighed and raised her chin towards Lin Gugu at the side.


    Lin Gugu understood and took a jar of ginger powdered sugar and handed it over to Su Yu.


    ¡°This ginger powdered sugar was prepared by Ci¡¯an Palace, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not as good as the State Teacher¡¯s.¡±


    The Empress Dowager designated him to pay respects, was it just for him to go ask for ginger powdered sugar, ba?


    Su Yu raised his head to look at the Empress Dowager, since she cared so much about her son¡¯s meals, then he should be able to ask for some food for her child, right?


    ¡°Chen has something to report to Empress Dowager.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Su Yu thought about his empty purse and the Emperor who was about to run out of food, he gritted his teeth and said shamelessly.


    ¡°The price of river seafood within the palace is high, and Chen¡¯s monthly silver has been used up. Chen is afraid he can¡¯t afford the food for His Majesty¡¯s meal today¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The Empress Dowager looked at him in surprise, then turned to Lin Gugu.


    ¡°Is Niangniang saying that these days you bought all the ingredients with your own money?¡± Lin Gugu immediately understood and inquired on behalf of the Empress Dowager.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Just one crab costs one silver tael, Chen can¡¯t really afford to buy it. Yesterday, His Majesty wanted to eat it but he couldn¡¯t.¡± Su Yu said in embarrassment.


    He was also a little sorry to see that the Emperor couldn¡¯t eat delicious food. The crabs were so fat that it would be delicious if they were baked with salt or just steamed.


    The Empress Dowager¡¯s gaze toward Su Yu gradually became more and more profound. After a long time, she suddenly laughed. ¡°What a sincere child!¡±


    Su Yu blinked, not knowing what was going on.


    ¡°Leave this matter to Aijia, Aijia will certainly not let the Emperor starve.¡± The Empress Dowager glanced at Su Yu¡¯s foolish look and couldn¡¯t help laughing.


    Out of the Ci¡¯an Palace, Su Yu couldn¡¯t help sighing. In order to make the Emperor eat his fill, he began to beg for food. However, that fellow still wouldn¡¯t let him out of the palace, it¡¯s really¡­


    Just as he was thinking about it, he suddenly saw a man glaring at him impatiently on the palace road not far away.


    ¡°Stupid slave, what time is it now, you are still walking so slowly!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Su Yu saw who it was and quickly walked over.


    An Hongche was wearing a pear flower blossom white narrow-sleeved robe, a sliver inlaid jade belt was coiled around his waist, and he held a jade folding fan in his hand.


    Standing in the sunlight, his bearing was outstanding and his beauty was beyond measure.


    However, at this hour, shouldn¡¯t the Emperor have just left the morning court? Where was the court robe? Su Yu wondered for a moment, then he reached.


    ¡°Your Majesty, why are you dressed like this?¡±


    ¡°Why, does it not look good?¡± His Majesty raised his eyebrows, and a storm was brewing in his eyes. If this stupid slave dares to say no¡­


    ¡°Good-looking.¡± Su Yu hurriedly nodded. ¡°It¡¯s so good-looking that Chen almost couldn¡¯t come back to his senses.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± The Emperor¡¯s ears quietly turned red.


    ¡°In broad, broad daylight, saying these words, have you no shame.¡±


    Su Yu stole a glance at the Emperor¡¯s ears and blinked.


    ¡°Your Majesty, how come you came here?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, today Zhen¡¯s going to observe the mood of the people.¡± An Hongche snorted coldly and looked at Su Yu¡¯s appearance in disgust.


    ¡°Go and change your clothes, how can you leave the palace when you are dressed so ostentatiously? ¡±


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    After Little Fish left the Anguo Tower yesterday


    Thirteenth Uncle: Give me a piece! (Raises a paw to grab)


    State Teacher: Why didn¡¯t you grab it just now? (One paw is scratched back)


    Thirteenth Uncle: My nephew''s wife was here! (Continue to extend the paw)


    State Teacher: (Raises his paw and slaps him to the sky)


    Thirteenth Uncle: (Flying in the air~) Twenty-one, do you know when you should respect your elder brother?


    State Teacher: (Licking his paws) When he was not hungry

 CH 41

    Chapter 41 - Spicy crab


    Su Yu subconsciously lowered his head and looked at his clothes, he was wearing a regular wide-sleeved royal blue long robe, and there were no exaggerated ornaments, except for the outer layer of mermaid silk, which was somewhat luxurious¡­


    Wait, leaving the palace?


    Su Yu finally reacted, the Emperor was going to take him out of the Palace! The corners of his mouth gradually rose. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think so highly of yourself.¡± An Hongche glanced at Su Yu, who was smiling foolishly.


    ¡°Zhen has to go outside the Imperial Palace for important matters, not to accompany you to see that toilsome restaurant.¡±


    ??????????????


    East Street was still as prosperous as ever.


    Mermaid silk was too precious, common people couldn¡¯t buy it even if they had money, so he couldn¡¯t wear it out of the palace. Su Yu simply took off the outer layer of mermaid silk, but as a result, the Emperor was very dissatisfied and said that he was wearing too little, stunned he asked Wang Gonggong to go find another garment.


    Although it was not as valuable as mermaid silk, it was also worth a lot of money. The royal blue wide-sleeved robe and white jade glazed crown set off Su Yu¡¯s gentle and handsome face, attracting many young girls to look back.


    However, the incomparably beautiful Emperor did not attract many gazes and smiles from those young girls instead. Some people were born to shine and attract the attention of all people, but when they are dazzling to the point that they can compete with the sun and moon, then people didn¡¯t dare to look directly at them.


    An Hongche didn¡¯t have a young master¡¯s bearing when he walked, his steps were unrestrained and firm, and his whole body was surrounded by a ¡°Do not approach within three feet¡± aura.


    He was strangely distinguishable from the noisy crowd, not vigorous nor prestigious, with an imperious aura as if made by heaven.


    Su Yu followed behind the Emperor and quietly looked at the man¡¯s back. No matter how grumpy and awkward he was in private, he was definitely a qualified Emperor in front of others.


    Stopping in front of a booth selling small jewelry, the Emperor suddenly reached out and fiddled with a string of silver bells with a serious expression. He slowly extended his fingers and gently flicked it, and then flicked it again.


    ¡°Young Master, these little bells are so beautiful, buy one to give to your beloved, ba.¡± The auntie selling jewelry smiled sincerely.


    An Hongche raised his head and looked at the older lady, then he looked at the small bell in his hand. He raised his hand and threw it to the person behind him. ¡°For you.¡±


    The auntie smiled and looked over.


    ¡°The young lady has really good fortune¡­¡± The words got stuck in her throat halfway through.


    The bell fell into the hands of another person, who was wearing royal blue precious clothes, with gentle eyes and a handsome and charming appearance, but honest to god it was actually a man!


    The corner of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched.


    ¡°My Lord, this an accessory for women.¡±


    ¡°Buy.¡± His Majesty the Emperor said stiffly and then left with his hands behind his back.


    ¡°Aiya, it¡¯s a token of good intentions, do not let him down, Young Master.¡± The auntie came to her senses and realized that the Young Master in white wanted to buy it because of the phrase ¡°Your beloved¡±, she immediately hastened to persuade Su Yu to accept it.


    Because the imperial family can marry male concubines, although common people can¡¯t marry male wives, they were very tolerant of men falling in love with each other.


    Do not let him down¡­ Su Yu¡¯s whole face twitched, that guy must have bought it because he thought it was fun, he didn¡¯t intend to give it to him at all.


    Besides, even if he wanted to give it to him, how could he make the recipient pay for it?


    He silently paid for the fancy string of silver bells and threw it into the basket held in his hands. Su Yu thought of the sympathetic look in Wang Gonggong¡¯s eyes when he gave him the money bag before leaving the palace, and wanted to cry but had no tears.


    He had just left the palace and the Emperor has bought two hydrangeas, three tassel pendants, a set of brass rings, a string of silver bells, and a package of fried fish¡­ Anyway, it seems that they were all for Sauce!


    And because he thought he would lose face holding them, all of it was thrown to him!


    Who said he has a natural royal bearing just now? Who said he was a qualified Emperor? Who said that!


    Su Yu stared at the handsome Emperor¡¯s back, took a deep breath, then looked up at the sky, it was almost noon and the Emperor was still strolling around. The so-called ¡°Important Matters¡± weren¡¯t just buying cat toys, right?


    Not far away was Xianmantang, Su Yu was thinking about how to lead the Emperor there, so he could get the job done in the meantime.


    ¡°My Lord, it¡¯s almost noon, where should we go eat?¡±


    An Hongche glanced at the look all over Su Yu¡¯s face that said ¡°Follow me Follow me¡±.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to that restaurant of yours, ba.¡±


    ¡°Good, ah! Your Majes¡­ My lord, please follow me.¡± Su Yu was so happy that he stretched out his hand to pull the Emperor¡¯s sleeve. He just pulled when he realized something was wrong.


    The Emperor wore narrow sleeves, so he was basically holding the Emperor¡¯s hand when he pulled the cuff, he then quickly let go.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± His Majesty snorted coldly.


    This stupid slave is becoming more and more arrogant and willful, obviously, he wanted to go, but insisted that he, the master, had to speak out.


    He held the hand that was holding his cuff in the palm of his hand. Really, he even pulled his sleeve and acted like a spoiled child. If you wanted to hold hands, just say so¡­ Um, as a tolerant master, he could still satisfy this small request.


    The palm wrapped around his fingers was warm and dry, and Su Yu¡¯s fingertips couldn¡¯t help trembling.


    He was dragged by the Emperor for a few steps, the pedestrians by the roadside looked at them and whispered timidly, which finally made him react.


    He quickly drew his hand back but provoked His Majesty''s displeased glare.


    ¡°...It¡¯s time to go upstairs.¡± Su Yu realized that the movement of his hand was a little too abrupt and pointed awkwardly at the wooden spiral staircase, he meant that it was inconvenient to go upstairs while holding hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± His Majesty raised his hand and motioned for Su Yu to extend his hand. The sudden withdrawal made him feel a little reluctant, he wanted to hold it for a little while longer.


    Su Yu looked at those stubborn beautiful eyes and couldn¡¯t refuse, stretching out his hand again and quickly taking the Emperor upstairs.


    The business of Xianmantang was still booming, the lobby was full of people. His Majesty started to get impatient after standing still for a while, so Su Yu quickly lead him to the back kitchen courtyard.


    A bucket of fresh pike crabs had just been brought to the kitchen, from the basket of chili peppers that he got last time, except for those planted in the hamlet, the remaining half has been kept in the back kitchen untouched.


    Su Yu remembered what he had promised the Emperor last night, so he picked some crabs and chili peppers and made some spicy crab for His Majesty with his own hands.


    Fragrant fried sweet potatoes and peanuts, red crabs served with brunt chili, and spicy crab soup with seasonal fresh vegetables, it was delicious beyond words.


    His Majesty poked the crab on the plate with his chopsticks and curled his lips in disdain. The pike crab was a kind of inferior crab, it had more shells than meat and it was hard to eat.


    It was basically impossible to see this kind of crab in the Imperial Palace. Besides, usually crabs were eaten whole, but Su Yu chopped them into pieces, so it looked ugly.


    ¡°Although it¡¯s not a great ingredient, it¡¯s definitely delicious.¡± Su Yu chuckled and gave him a crab leg.


    With his thin lips slightly pursed, An Hongche slowly moved the crab leg into his mouth with a look of ¡®Seeing that you look so pitiful, Zhen shall reluctantly eat it.¡¯.


    In his previous life, Su Yu was first trained on how to make spicy crab, his control of ingredients and heat had reached the level of perfection, even with ordinary pike crabs he could make excellent delicacies.


    After eating a crab leg, the Emperor stopped talking and began to eat one chopstick after another.


    After setting down His Majesty the Emperor, Su Yu took the time to look at the recent cooking skills of his two apprentices, and he also checked the accounts with Mister Yuan.


    This month, because Su Yu was not in the restaurant, the two little disciples could only cook a limited variety of dishes, although business was not bad, there were no pleasant surprises. After the calculations, he could give Su Yu 180 taels of silver.


    He took a part of it and had someone send it to the Su Residence to give to his mother, then packed the rest to take it when he was ready to return to the palace.


    ¡°There are several hamlets outside the city, this useless old man went to see them but they were more or less unsatisfactory, so I cannot decide at the moment.¡± Mister Yuan brought out a book that recorded the general situation of several hamlets, including the number of fields, what the terrain was like, and the asking price, it was very detailed.


    He asked Mister Yuan to buy a hamlet, and it was not only to make a living for his First Mother and concubine sister but also to try to grow chili peppers.


    Su Yu didn¡¯t know how to farm, so he was also at loss about how to choose a hamlet to farm.


    ¡°Mister, just do what you think is best, just buy it before the end of this month, so we can plant the chili peppers.¡±


    It was hot now and it was easy to grow chili peppers, but if it gets cold later, it won¡¯t be as easy.


    Mister Yuan nodded.


    ¡°The hamlet bought needs to be looked after, does Niangniang have any reliable servant at home?¡±


    ¡°Mister, don¡¯t call me Niangninag.¡± Su Yu said bitterly.


    These days he was called ¡°Niangniang¡± and ¡°Niangniang¡± every day in the palace. It was not easy to leave the palace, so at least let him be a proper man for a day!


    Mister Yuan stole a glance at the Young Master in white sitting not far away eating crabs, and immediately understood.


    ¡°This old man misspoke.¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s identity was very clear to him, he had just now seen the two of them holding hands when they went upstairs, so that person''s identity was self-evident.


    At any rate, Mister Yuan was a guest of King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu, and having seen much of life, he naturally knew that the Emperor couldn¡¯t be recognized when he left the palace in disguise, so he pretended that the Emperor was just someone who came to eat with his master and didn¡¯t even greet him.


    Although Mister Yuan¡¯s idea was quite different from Su Yu¡¯s original intention, Su Yu would be satisfied as long as he doesn¡¯t call him ¡°Niangniang¡± anymore.


    ¡°There are still a few things to be entrusted to Mister¡­¡± Su Yu felt a little embarrassed when he said this.


    Now he had no manpower available, so he had to trouble Mister Yuan with everything, but he had limited time outside the palace and there were still many things to do. Even as he said this, he still had a plethora of things to tackle and didn¡¯t know where to start.


    ¡°Are you still not done?¡± Just as he was saying this, His Majesty the Emperor finally reached the end of his patience.


    He lifted Su Yu up and then threw him to the stone table.


    ¡°Eat!¡± From an angle invisible to Su Yu, he gave Mister Yuan a cold look.


    Su Yu was in a hurry to finish the arrangements, so he was not in the mood to eat at all. He turned to face Mister Yuan but found that the person was gone.


    ¡°You went out of the palace for the sake of taking this?¡± An Hongche pointed at the small pile of silver on the table.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Since Mister Yuan ran away, Su Yu could only pick up his rice bowl. The spicy food whetted his appetite, so he felt hungry after two bites.


    ¡°Is it worth making a trip for such a small amount of money?¡± An Hongche frowned.


    ¡°This bit of money can be of great use to Chen.¡±[TL_Note: Chen-> This minister] Su Yu couldn¡¯t help glancing at the Emperor. All of his hard-earned money was eaten by this guy and he was still talking nonsense here.


    His Majesty was silent for a moment. After looking at Su Yu and the scattered silver, his pale lips gradually pursed into a straight line.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Zhen if you are short of money?¡±


    ¡°Chen is a man, so naturally, he should rely on himself to support his family.¡± Su Yu bit open a crab claw and sucked out the crab meat.


    In fact, if the seafood in the palace was not too expensive, he would be very happy to buy food for the Emperor. In this way, he could secretly imagine that he was keeping the Emperor.


    His Majesty the Emperor was not happy at all.


    ¡°You belong to Zhen¡¯s, so it¡¯s only right and proper for Zhen to support you!¡±


    ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± The crab claws were a little mushy from being stir-fried, and they were filled with spicy oil, so when the meat was sucked out, the meat and juice came out in one mouthful. Su Yu immediately choked.


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    Little Fish: Your Majesty, what am I to you?


    Cat Gong: You are my little fish, ah


    Little Fish: Huh? So it turns out that I¡¯m food, ah!


    Cat Gong: In this way, I can eat you up~ £¨¡Ñ¦Ø¡Ñ£©


    Younger Brother: Brother, what am I to you?


    Meow Gong: You are my Younger Brother ya ~


    Younger Brother: (Overwhelmed by an unexpected favour) So you do know that I am the Younger Brother, ah


    Meow Gong: In this way, I can beat you ~£¨¡Ñ¦Ø¡Ñ)

 CH 42

    Chapter 42 - Date


    An Hongche glanced at him in disgust and threw over a bright yellow handkerchief.


    Su Yu awkwardly wiped his mouth, he was frightened by the His Majesty¡¯s domineering ¡°You are Zhen¡¯s.¡± sentence. Shouldn¡¯t the Emperor say ¡°You are Zhen¡¯s concubine¡± or ¡°You are Zhen¡¯s subject¡±, or something like that? Saying half of it sounded so awkward¡­ it¡¯s like a confession¡­


    Startled by his own thoughts, Su Yu took a peek at An Hongche, who was quietly eating a crab leg. Su Yu shook his head and threw out that ridiculous idea.


    It must be because today¡¯s Emperor is too handsome, causing him to get delusions of grandeur.


    At this time, the servants in charge of purchase carried the newly bought fish and shrimp into the courtyard, so the two stopped talking and lowered their heads to eat.


    The fragrant spicy crab soup was best served drizzled over white rice. After His Majesty finished the crab, he then ate two bowls of rice with vegetables and soup,


    ¡°Would you like some more pike crabs?¡± Su Yu saw the Emperor¡¯s unfulfilled desire expression and asked tentatively.


    It was not easy to go out of the palace and crabs were cheap, so he had to eat till he was satisfied. In this way, His Majesty may not want to eat crabs for several days.


    ¡°No need.¡± An Hongche put down his chopsticks and looked at Su Yu.


    ¡°Do you still want to eat?¡±


    ¡°No, I just thought that the crabs were cheap¡­¡± Su Yu thought and suddenly blurbed out the truth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that Master, these crabs are not cheap at all.¡± Said the fellow who was carrying the goods to the courtyard, hearing Su Yu¡¯s words, he interjected.


    ¡°It¡¯s two hundred copper coins a catty!¡±


    ¡°Why is it so expensive?¡± Su Yu frowned.


    Pike crabs usually only cost 70 to 80 coppers a catty. Now was not the season for fat crabs, so logically it shouldn¡¯t be so expensive.


    ¡°Recently, the price of fresh seafood has gone up.¡± Zhang Cheng, who had finished cooking, came over while wiping his hands. He wanted to take the opportunity to say a few words to his Shifu.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just a bad year, but recently fishermen are always catching empty nets.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The man in charge of purchases had a pair of small eyes that were shining brightly, he moved closed mysteriously and said.


    ¡°I heard that it¡¯s not because the nets were empty, but because they fished up a monster.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Su Yu knocked the fellow¡¯s head.


    ¡°Where did the monster come from?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± The boy tried his best to widen his mung bean eyes.


    ¡°When I went to stock up this morning, I heard from them that the owner of the fish stall we always buy from had a disaster last night and a net full of fish was eaten by the monster.¡±


    Su Yu didn¡¯t take it seriously, he estimated that a fierce carnivorous fish appeared, which affected the fishermen near the capital.


    ¡°Has anyone seen that monster?¡± An Hongche, who had been silent this whole time, suddenly asked with a cold and dignified tone, which startled the fellow.


    ¡°Seen it.¡± The fellow seemed to think of something disgusting and curled his mouth.


    ¡°I heard that it also looked like a fish, but it had pig hair all over it, and that it would squeal like a pig¡­¡± As he spoke he rubbed his arms and shuddered.


    ¡°Is there such a thing?¡± Zhang Cheng¡¯s lips curled, he didn¡¯t believe it at all.


    ¡°Are you fooling around with the stock money and made it up?¡±


    ¡°If I stole even a penny, may the heavens lightning strike me down five times!¡± The fellow jumped up and swore that he merely bought seafood at the lowest prices.


    Su Yu sighed, he wasn¡¯t around every day and no one was in charge of Xianmantang, so everything was a mess.


    ¡°Zhang Cheng, if you don¡¯t believe it, just go and have a look with the fellow tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°As Shifu said, I¡¯ll go and see it tomorrow morning.¡± Zhang Cheng felt guilty and rubbed his head.


    He was so busy cooking that he didn¡¯t even know that such a big thing happened during the stocking.


    An Hongche slightly narrowed his eyes and tapped on the stone table with two slender fingers. This fellow may be greedy for a few coins, but most of it should be true.


    Qingyu, shaped like a silver carp with swine fur and sounds like a pig squealing. When it¡¯s seen, it¡¯s accompanied by a great drought in the land under the heavens.


    This kind of thing actually appeared¡­


    Leaving some new dishes for his two little disciples to learn by themselves, Su Yu planned to meet King Zhao at King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu to discuss opening a new store with him.


    He glanced at the Emperor beside him, he probably wouldn¡¯t mind the fact that his concubine and younger brother were in a business partnership¡­right?


    Think about it, if you were the Emperor and heard that your younger brother had business dealing with your beloved imperial concubine, her family property was bought by the Wangye, her restaurant was under the name of the Wangye, the Wangfu managed the interior decoration and even the shopkeeper and the chefs were all prepared by the Wangye¡­ Su Yu swallowed his saliva, if he doesn¡¯t mind, the Emperor is not the Emperor!


    Su Yu suddenly realized that His Royal Highness was abnormally kind to him, willing to help him in any way.


    If it was just because of Sauce, it doesn¡¯t make any sense, although Sauce had a very high status in the palace, he¡¯s not King Zhao¡¯s cat, but the Emperor¡¯s cat. King Zhao didn¡¯t need to be so grateful to him.


    ¡°What are you in a daze for?¡± An Hongche took his jade fan and knocked Su Yu¡¯s head.


    Su Yu covered the place he was hit, looked up at the Emperor, and for the first time summoned up the courage to look closely at those beautiful eyes. In the depths of the bright obsidian eyes, there was an exotic amber color.


    He always thought that these eyes would be always full of restlessness and impatience, but when he calmly looked at them, he discovered that this was not the case. His figure was clearly reflected in those beautiful pupils, peaceful and stable.


    Gazing at such a pair of eyes Su Yu unexpectedly blurted out. ¡°Chen would like to go to King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu, and discuss the matter of opening a store with Wangye.¡±


    He suddenly wanted to know, if there would be suspicion or even killing intent in those eyes that were so beautiful. Such a possibility made Su Yu clench his fists nervously¡­ I must be crazy, ba¡­


    ¡°Hongyi is not at the Fu today.¡± An Hongche frowned.


    ¡°You can consult with Yuan Ce about opening the store.¡±


    Huh? Su Yu blinked. The Emperor heard that his Wangye was colluding with his beloved Imperial Concubine, shouldn¡¯t he say ¡°How dare you¡±, or ¡°You cheap sl*t¡±? What is this calmness? And who is Yuan Ce?


    It took him a long time to remember that Yuan Ce was Mister Yuan, and by that time Su Yu had been dragged out of Xianmantang by the Emperor.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do everything yourself even if you tire yourself to death.¡±


    His Majesty the Emperor didn¡¯t have the slightest amount of suspicion, and he even seemed to know everything¡­ Something flashed in his mind, he wanted to grasp hold of it but he failed to catch it. Su Yu suppressed his inexplicable joy and chaotic thoughts in his heart and scratched his head.


    ¡°Then let me tell Mister Yuan.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so long-winded!¡± His Majesty captured Su Yu who was trying to turn back.


    ¡°Yuan Ce will serve at your command in the future, we will discuss it tomorrow. Now come with Zhen to a place.¡±


    Just then, two men clad in black clothes leaped down from the wall and saluted An Hongche, then one of them came forward and whispered something in a low voice.


    His Majesty frowned slightly, then he raised his hand to let the two leave.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Su Yu''s eyes widened. He just saw the two shadows appear with a ¡®whoosh¡¯ and then with another ¡®whoosh¡¯ disappear again.


    ¡°Shadow Guard.¡± An Hongche said indifferently, glancing at the surprised Su Yu.


    He won¡¯t tell this stupid slave that these two shadow guards had been following Su Yu as early as two months ago, it was due to his own stupidity that he never found out.


    Not long after, a shadow guard came in with a well-decorated carriage. Su Yu was stuffed into the carriage but he was still craning his neck to peer, unexpectedly there is really such a profession as a Shadow Guard.


    ¡°Your Majesty, why did you appear in the Su¡¯s Residence at that time and fell asleep in my bed?¡± All of a sudden, Su Yu remembered His Majesty the Emperor, who had been initially misunderstood as a Shadow Guard, and he finally couldn¡¯t help asking.


    There was a moment of silence in the carriage, His Majesty looked out of the window with a deep gaze, and said after a long time. ¡°You will know later.¡±


    The carriage swayed through the city and went straight to the hunting grounds in the eastern suburbs.


    The Eastern Suburb Hunting Grounds was a royal hunting ground, it covered an area of 1000 mu and was very vast. Now was not the season for hunting, so the prestigious children of nobility could also go horseback riding and shoot arrows here on weekdays.


    ¡°Does Your Majesty want to go horseriding?¡± Su Yu got off the carriage.


    Seeing the open grassland and rolling hills he felt relaxed and refreshed.


    An Hongche shook his head. ¡°Taking you to a place.¡± Then he held out his hand to him.


    After looking at his slender white hands, which had distinct joints and beautiful pink fingertips, Su Yu looked around and found that the two shadow guards disappeared instantly, and there was no one else around.


    After swallowing his saliva, he reached out and held the beautiful hand. This kind of mystery gave him a bit of anticipation. They were having a date, right?


    Jumping over a stream and bypassing a small forest, then taking seven to eight turns, they reached a very remote place. Then they climbed up a small hill that was only two zhang high. His Majesty suddenly stopped and slightly raised the corners of his lips.


    ¡°This is the place Hongyi and I used to come to when we were children, only the two of us know about it.¡±


    In front of them was the sunny slope of the small hill, starting from the top of the slope and continuing to the distant woods, there was a large and luxuriant field of grass -- Dog Tail Grass!


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    Fairy Tale Book: There must be a large rose garden behind the hillside.


    Immortal Cultivation Book: There must be a rare treasure behind the hillside.


    Palace Fighting Book: There must be an extremely ruthless and merciless assassin behind the hillside.


    ¡­


    Little Fish: I always feel like the atmosphere is a bit abnormal.

 CH 43

    Chapter 43 - Confession


    The dog tail grass that seemed to reach the sky swayed in the wind like a fluffy green jade wave. As one fell, another rises, it looked absolutely beautiful.


    His hand was abruptly clenched tightly, and before Su Yu could react, His Majesty the Emperor dragged him down the hill with quick steps, and then suddenly lay down in the place where the grass was most lush.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Su Yu uttered a cry of surprise as he was pulled by the Emperor to slide down on the grass.


    He quickly kicked his legs to stop and then scrambled to pull the Emperor.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± The Emperor avoided Su Yu¡¯s pull and rolled on the grass, easily steading his body, and then not yet enjoying himself to his fullest, he rolled around again. Lying on the grass, he looked at Su Yu and laughed.


    Su Yu was stunned and he couldn¡¯t help laughing. Unexpectedly, His Majesty had such a naughty side.


    When he was about to say something, a gust of wind blew, and the green dog tail grass began to shake tremblingly, An Hongche slapped it and knocked down a large area, but another one started to sway again, he reached out and slammed on to the other piece.


    Covering this one and not the other, finally, all patience was lost, he rubbed a handful of dog tail grass with his hands and threw them aside, taking advantage of the opportunity to roll on it.


    Su Yu stared blankly for a moment, just as he looked at the amber color in the Emperor¡¯s eyes, a strange feeling came to his mind once more¡­ He climbed up and walked toward the Emperor, silently looking at him.


    His Majesty the Emperor, who was rolling around happily, suddenly came back to his senses when he heard the footsteps behind him. He stiffened for a moment, then sat up and tilted his head to look at Su Yu.


    The handsome and incomparable beauty was shining in the bright sunshine. The delicate hair crown was still in place, but the hair on his temples was a little messy.


    Two broken strands of grass hung alone on the top of his head, making His Majesty, who usually looked cold and stern, look fluffy.


    Su Yu looked into his crystal-clear bright eyes, both filled with a little confusion and innocence and suddenly felt that his heart was stabbed by a red arrow.


    His previous fear and tension disappeared in a flash, he couldn¡¯t help squatting down, then slowly reaching out and picking off the two furry grass heads.


    His heart was throbbing, that was probably how he felt.


    An Hongche sat quietly, letting Su Yu approach him, watching him reach out and touch his head boldly, without scolding or evading. He let him take the grass off his head and moved as Su Yu approached.


    Su Yu was absorbed in looking at the grass and didn¡¯t notice the Emperor¡¯s approach. When he came back to his senses, The Emperor was already almost pasted to his face, and gently sniffed at his lips.


    ¡°The smell of pike crab.¡± The voice as clear as a cold spring was softer than ever.


    Su Yu felt that his heart was beating a little fast, so he couldn¡¯t help shrinking back. Unexpectedly, those pale thin lips also followed and quickly landed on his slightly parted lips.


    A slightly cold touch, with a hint of the fragrance of grass. After a brief touch, they separated.


    Su Yu was left foolishly holding two dog tail strands in his hands, frozen in place.


    What just happened now? A kiss¡­ He couldn¡¯t react for a moment, and his mind was still floating.


    He was an honest and good cook in the 21st century, then he inexplicably somehow transmigrated to this ghost place and confusingly married the Emperor.


    Today, he was sadly ensnared by the beauty of the Emperor, and before he had time to save himself, he got a sincere and sweet kiss¡­ What¡¯s worse, he actually felt, that the taste was not bad at all¡­


    ¡°Your, Your Majesty, do you know what you were doing just now?¡± Su Yu stuttured a bit.


    He was not ready to confess his love to the Emperor and now he kissed him, should he say something?


    ¡°Stupid thing.¡± An Hongche chuckled.


    Holding the stunned Su Yu in his arms, he found those soft lips and kissed them again. This time, it was no longer a light kiss, crushing and grinding, sucking and nibbling, he found the sweetest spot with great familiarity as if it had been done many times before.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± With a kiss with the scent of green grass, from shallow to deep, Su Yu felt like a fish out of water.


    His lips were bitten by a cat and there was no resistance. He could only let him taste it and his body involuntarily warmed up.


    Just when Su Yu felt that he was almost out of breath, His Majesty finally let him go.


    Rubbing his lips, he said: ¡°Of course, Zhen knows what he is doing. Seeing that you like Zhen so much, Zhen will graciously satisfy you.¡±


    Su Yu looked at the smug Emperor not knowing whether to laugh or cry.


    ¡°Who said I like you?¡±


    An Hongche¡¯s smile froze in an instant. A hand pinched Su Yu¡¯s chin, just now, he clearly saw love in Su Yu¡¯s eyes, so he couldn¡¯t help kissing him regardless of being daytime.


    ¡°How can you not like Zhen? Zhen, Zhen likes you so much¡­¡±


    Suddenly realizing what he said, His Majesty immediately stopped talking and pushed Su Yu away. His ears gradually became agate red.


    Damn it! How could he say such shameful words!


    ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Su Yu couldn¡¯t help laughing.


    ¡°You are not allowed to laugh!¡± An Hongche raised his head and glared at him, pushing Su Yu into the grass angrily.


    ¡°Meow---¡± Su Yu felt something soft pressing against him and was startled. He hurriedly turned to the side and saw a chubby kitten struggling out from under his sleeve and the underbrush.


    His yellow and white fur was in a mess, and he pitifully held his crushed tail and shrunk into a ball.


    His Majesty¡¯s face darkened even more.


    ¡°Huh? A kitten!¡± Su Yu looked at the little chubby ball and all of a sudden his eyes lit up, then he reached out to touch it.


    An Hongche grabbed the kitten in his hand and held it high in the air.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch him.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Su Yu looked at the Emperor puzzled.


    His Majesty felt stifled, glancing at the chubby ball of fur, who was looking innocently at him in the palm of his hand. He then remembered that he was there to look for his younger brother.


    After leaving Xianmantang, the Shadow Guard told him that his stupid younger brother had an accident in the hunting ground and suddenly disappeared. He guessed that he just couldn¡¯t change back and was waiting for his older brother to save him.


    ¡°It looks like it just ate a mouse, and it¡¯s very dirty.¡± His Majesty threw his younger brother aside and refused to allow Su Yu to touch him.


    His Royal Highness King Zhao immediately exploded into a ball and scratched his older brother¡¯s paw.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s so dishonest.¡± An Hongche poked his younger brother¡¯s furry head.


    Su Yu couldn¡¯t help laughing. This man was so friendly to small animals, but he deliberately puts on a fierce face. He was really¡­so cute.


    Because of the understanding of his own heart, he found the squirming and awkward Emperor pleasing to the eyes no matter how he looked at him.


    Just as he was about to say something, An Hongche suddenly saw something. He rushed at Su Yu, hugging him and rolling on the ground.


    ¡°Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!¡± Three short arrows were fired in succession at their position just now, and they dank deeply into the soft grass.


    The surrounding dog tail grass instantly turned black, it was obviously highly poisonous.


    In such an open area, the only way to hide his figure was to hide in the forest in front of him. An Hongche picked up his younger brother and put him in his arms.


    He leaped with Su Yu in his arms and soared into the sky like a bird, then suddenly jumped to the top of the slope.


    ¡°Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh---¡± Several poisonous arrows came flying one after another, almost in a row.


    An Honghce turned over slightly in the air and rolled down the hillside.


    Several figures in green sprang out from all directions, rushing straight toward An Hongche. They thought that the assassins were hiding in the woods a few zhangs away, but unexpectedly there were also some hidden in the grass!


    ¡°Ding, ding, ding¡± The sound from a short clash of arms came just in time, and the shadow guards showed themselves, accurately stopping the assassins'' swords.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± An Hongche stood up with Su Yu in his arms and looked him over.


    Su Yu shook his head, just now he was firmly protected in his arms, he didn¡¯t even have a scratch.


    ¡°Did Your Majesty get hurt?¡± The moment when they landed, An Hongche flipped him to the top and landed on his back, he didn¡¯t know if he got hurt.


    ¡°These small thieves aren¡¯t enough to hurt Zhen.¡± An Hongche sneered and turned to watch the fight.


    The number of shadow guards was not only the two Su Yu saw before, but six people.


    They firmly protected the Emperor in a circle, and although the assassins were bold and fierce, they couldn¡¯t get close to An Hongche at all.


    In order to hide, these assassins were covered with dog tail grass. Now that they were fighting, dog tail grass was flying all over the sky.


    His Majesty grabbed one and shook it in his hand. The chubby furball in his arms popped out immediately and stretched out his short paw, making great efforts to scratch it.


    ¡°Whoosh--¡± An arrow pierced through the air and went straight toward the crown of Su Yu¡¯s head. The arrow was emitting an abnormal black gas, it was very dreadful.


    The dog tail grass in his hand took off from his hand and cleaved the raven black gold arrow with a ¡°crackle¡±.


    An Hongche quickly looked at the place where it came from, there was a distorted shadow hidden in the woods behind them!


    Meanwhile, the shadow guards killed all the assassins. An Hongche threw Su Yu and his younger brother to the dark guards, then turned around and jumped into the woods.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Su Yu stumbled when he was pushed.


    A shadow guard immediately gave him a hand and glanced at the little chubby cat squatting on the palm of another shadow guard with an aggrieved look in his eyes.


    An Hongche leaped into the woods, a short knife slipping from his sleeve to the palm of his hand, then he jumped onto the top of a tree, rushing straight into the dense canopy.


    A shrill inhuman scream came from the woods, Su Yu shivered and hastened the shadow guards around him. ¡°You¡¯re still not going to protect His Majesty!¡±


    The words had not yet fallen when An Hongche returned. He shook the short knife in his hand, his eyes full of anger.


    ¡°Your Majesty, none of the assassins survived, the ones in the woods have also been taken care of.¡± The shadow guard reported the results of the battle truthfully.


    The Emperor nodded slightly. ¡°Go and bring the carriage.¡±


    He took out a bright yellow handkerchief and wiped his weapon. He did not hold accountable the shadow guards for not leaving anyone alive.


    In a time of crisis, it was necessary to kill the assassins. The loss outweighs the gains if they gave the assassins a chance to hurt Su Yu in order to capture them alive.


    A wonderful date was forced to be interrupted because of the sudden emergence of furballs and assassins.


    It was not suitable for them to stay there for long, the shadow guards came to the scene with a carriage and horses, and the two men and a cat left the hunting grounds in a hurry.


    When he returned to the palace, the Emperor went to deal with the matter of the assassins, and let Su Yu return to Yexiao Palace by himself.


    Looking at the furry head sticking out of the Emperor¡¯s lapel, Su Yu opened his mouth but didn¡¯t have the guts to ask for it.


    He watched as the Emperor went to the imperial study with a small chubby cat in his arms to take care of business.


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    Little Fish: I feel like I forgot something today£¨¡Ñ£ß¡Ñ£©


    Cat Gong: You forgot to confess to Zhen£¨¨t£ß¨s£©#


    Mister Yuan: You forgot to take the silver


    State Teacher: You forgot this seat afternoon tea =¦Ø=


    Younger Brother: You forgot to take me away QAQ

 CH 44

    Chapter 44 - Reward


    When Su Yu returned to Yexiao Palace, he saw people from the Imperial Kitchen carrying things into his small kitchen.


    He suddenly remembered that because he was in a hurry to return to the Palace, he forgot to go back to Xianmantang to get the silver.


    ¡°Niangniang, please take a look.¡± This time, there was not only the eunuch who often came to deliver the ingredients but also several new faces.


    They were very respectful when they saw Su Yu and rushed out to let him check the seafood.


    A pot of fresh large crabs, a pot of live shrimps, a plump sea bass, one mandarin fish, five small yellow croakers, twenty scallops, twenty oysters¡­


    Su Yu looked at the dazzling array of seafood and swallowed his saliva. The quality of these ingredients was very good, and he also wanted to buy them to make delicious food for the Emperor, but the problem was¡­ He didn¡¯t know whether the Imperial Kitchen would allow him to buy on credit.


    ¡°Please take a look, if there¡¯s no problem, we¡¯ll take our leave.¡± The little eunuch smiled ingratiatingly.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Su Yu quickly stopped him.


    What a joke, he won¡¯t have anything to eat this month if he bought these things.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t said how much they cost.¡±


    ¡°Niangniang is joking, how could we dare ask for money, ah.¡± The little eunuch said quickly.


    ¡°These are the Emperor¡¯s share for today.¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened, the Emperor¡¯s¡­portion¡­


    ¡°The Empress Dowager has issued a decree, in the future, the Emperor¡¯s monthly expenses shall be merged with yours. If you are short of any ingredients, just ask for the Imperial Kitchen to deliver them.¡± The little eunuch glanced at Su Yu¡¯s expression and saw that it changed from astonishment to pleasantly surprised then to chagrin and at last, his complexion became ashen. He couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy.


    Su Yu walked around the pile of seafood and angrily pinched a big crab, the trussed-up crab struggled to wave its pincers at him and tried to pinch his nose.


    No wonder the price of seafood in the palace was so outrageous, it turns out that most of the seafood was originally reserved for the Emperor.


    Because of the priority of supplying the Emperor, there was not much seafood left, so naturally, the price was high. Compared with the Imperial Concubines¡¯ daily share of one fish a day, the Emperor¡¯s share was so abundant that could make one¡¯s hair stand on end.


    How could he not have thought that the Emperor eats three meals a day at his place, he could have asked for the Emperor¡¯s share. Be it here or there, it was all for the Emperor to eat!


    What¡¯s more hateful was that a few days ago the Emperor threw away all the food made in the imperial kitchen in order to eat the food made by him, and those precious ingredients were wasted for nothing!


    Su Yu¡¯s heart ached when he thought of it, just how much money he has wasted, ah!


    In the imperial study, His Royal Highness King Zhao, who was finally recovered, stood honestly in the middle of the study.


    Glancing at his elder brother¡¯s displeased expression, he spilled the beans and recounted what happened today.


    ¡°I was originally having a horse race with Duke Lu¡¯s Shizi in the hunting grounds. His Qingcong horse is really awesome, I¡¯ll ask later Thirteenth Uncle to also get one for me¡­¡±


    An Hongche narrowed his eyes and the imperial writing brush in his hand snapped into two sections with a ¡®Kacha¡¯.


    His Royal Highness King Zhao shrank his neck and suddenly spoke faster. ¡°Several assassins suddenly appeared, killing and hacking without discrimination, and we both ran away. That guy Gao Peng is not loyal to his friends at all, he relied on his Qingcong horse to run fast and soon disappeared. My horse stumbled, throwing me into my beast shape, I could only run to our old place, I didn¡¯t mean to disturb your love affair¡­ Ow!¡±


    Even if he was so brief, King Zhao was still hit on the head by the broken brush.


    ¡°Did you catch sight of that thing?¡± His Majesty took a deep breath and reminded himself to not fall to the same level as his stupid younger brother.


    ¡°I saw.¡± King Zhao¡¯s chubby face wrinkled into a frown, and looked piteously at his elder brother, trying to get a little sympathy.


    ¡°Fortunately I hid myself well, escaping the disaster by hiding in the dog¡¯s tail grass.¡±


    ¡°You still have the nerve to say that!¡± An Hongche couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.


    He got up and walked over, picking up his younger brother by his back collar.


    ¡°From today onward, you shall go to the fifth floor with Zhen to practice martial arts for two hours every day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going!¡± King Zhao immediately struggled.


    ??????????????


    Half an hour later, in the Anguo Tower.


    The State Teacher leaned on a soft couch, supporting his chin with one hand, he looked up at the tearful little chubby ball held in the Emperor¡¯s hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Hongyi is getting fat again, it must be because he hasn¡¯t practiced martial arts recently. Zhen wishes for him to come here for two hours every day.¡± His Majesty mercilessly threw his younger brother onto the soft couch of the State Teacher.


    ¡°Oh?¡± The State Teacher raised his eyebrows. He stretched out his slender fingers and unhurriedly pinned down the tail of the little furball that was trying to escape.


    ¡°What about your Majesty?¡±


    An Hongche snorted coldly. ¡°Zhen will naturally come too.¡±


    The State Teacher nodded slightly, slowly caressing the kitten in his hand. His movements were gentle, full of love and pity.


    ¡°Did Your Majesty see that thing in the hunting ground today?¡±


    ¡°Killed one and two ran away.¡± An Hongche said coldly. ¡°There is also some back news, Qingyu has appeared in the river.¡±


    The State Teacher gently stroked his nephew in his hand, and a cold light flashed in his clear eyes.


    ¡°We must catch them as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡±Zhen naturally knows.¡± An Hongche got up, too lazy to look at his stupid younger brother who started licking the State Teacher¡¯s fingers, he only looked at the State Teacher whose eyes were lightly closed.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    The State Teacher picked up the furball in his hand and threw it to the Emperor. Obviously, he did not intend to let King Zhao spend the night at Anguo Tower.


    ??????????????


    Because the Emperor suffered an assassinating attempt on the hunting grounds, the Xiaoji Battalion gathered in an emergency muster and Su Qinwang personally led the troops to strictly search the hunting grounds. At the same time, the inner palace was under martial law.


    ¡°Cairen, please stop.¡± On the palace road, the imperial guards stopped Marquis Changchun¡¯s Xiaojie.


    ¡°Today, we are under martial law. No one can step into the palace road without a writ.¡±


    ¡°Our master is going to Yexiao Palace to send something to Xian Fei Niangniang, please show some accommodation, ba.¡± The palace maid next to Cen Xiaojie quickly stepped forward to say some good things.


    The palace guard looked at the arrogant Cen Cairen and sneered.


    ¡°It¡¯s even more impossible to go to Yexiao Palace.¡±


    ¡°There are many people who want to send things to Yexiao Palace, it¡¯s better for Cairen to save your breath, ba.¡± Another palace guard beside him couldn¡¯t help interjecting.


    The two palace guards looked at each other, and at the same time curled their lips. These concubines knew that the Emperor would go to Yexiao Palace in the evening, so they would find any reason to gather there, and they even try to use Xian Fei¡¯s name. Do they think they, the imperial guards, are stupid?


    ¡°You¡­¡± Cen Xiaojie¡¯s pretty face became white with anger.


    The little palace maid hurriedly pulled her own master and smiled apologetically to the palace guards. ¡°We will leave at once.¡±


    Soon after, a purple sandalwood box was delivered to Su Yu.


    ¡°Niangniang, this is a return gift given by Cen Cairen.¡± Yang Gonggong opened the box, and a refreshing fragrance burst out.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Su Yu looked curiously.


    ¡°If there is no mistake, it should be high-quality incense.¡± Yang Gonggong said with a smile.


    When Su Yu gave back the 1000 silver taels to Cen Cairen, she was very happy. As a result, this matter was soon known by the Marquis Changchun¡¯s Shizi.


    The Young Master was very angry and ordered his sister to return the money to Su Yu, if not, she had to give a decent gift in return. Even though Cen Xiaojie felt reluctant in her heart, she still listened to her brother.


    Su Yu frowned. He didn¡¯t need incense, and Yexiao Palace rarely ordered it. Even if it was a very light pine incense, it was not easy to return it if someone sent it.


    ¡°Leave it be and sell it later, ba.¡± It¡¯s said that this agarwood incense was quite expensive, somehow comforting him after he lost a wealth of a thousand silver taels.


    At dinner time, the Emperor did not arrive at Yexiao Palace but instead came a bestowal.


    ¡°His Majesty has decreed, Xian Fei accompanied Zhen on an outing today and so shall receive a special reward of a hundred taels of gold and thousand taels of silver.¡± Wang Gonggong calmly read a short imperial edict and then asked someone to carry out a chest of gold and silver.


    One hundred taels of gold, one thousand taels of silver¡­


    Shouldn¡¯t the Emperor reward his concubines with silk, pearls, and jewels? No one directly bestows a pile of gold and silver, furthermore, ¡°Accompanied Zhen on an outing.¡±, what kind of reason to confer a reward is this?


    You are short of money, why didn¡¯t you tell Zhen¡­


    You are Zhen¡¯s, and it is only right and proper for Zhen to support you¡­


    How can you not like Zhen, Zhen, Zhen likes you so much¡­


    Those cold, somewhat prideful, somewhat awkward, twisted words that concealed his tenderness and concern appeared in his mind one after another.


    Su Yu stared blankly at the shiny gold and silver in the chest, slowly reached out, grabbed a gold ingot, then took a bite. There are tooth marks, it¡¯s real gold!

 CH 45

    Chapter 45 - Shy


    ¡°Hehehe, thanking His Majesty for the reward.¡± Su Yu couldn¡¯t help grinning while holding the golf ingot.


    Wang Gonggong lips twitched.


    When the Emperor said that he would reward Xian Fei with gold and silver, he tried to change his mind, thinking that it was too unsophisticated and that it was hard for ordinary concubines to accept it.


    Now it seems that¡­ these two were really a match made in heaven.


    ¡°His Majesty is busy today, so he won¡¯t come over for dinner. Niangniang please help taking care of the divine cat. ¡± Wang Gonggong put a basket on the table.


    In the small basket weaved out of fine cane, there was a thick bright yellow cushion, and on it sat a golden kitten with its chin up, beside him also lay a chubby white and yellow kitten.


    ¡°Sauce!¡± Su Yu was a little disappointed when he heard that the Emperor was not coming.


    Since he fell in love with that person, he naturally wanted to see him all the time, but when he saw the kitten, he immediately forgot everything.


    Throwing the gold ingot back into the chest, he picked up the golden kitten and kissed it on its slightly raised furry chin.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in days!¡±


    An Hongche pursed his ears, then raised his paw and pushed Su Yu¡¯s mouth away. Zhen knows you like me very much, but there are too many people here, it¡¯s really indecent.


    He turned his head and glared at Wang Gonggong who was still standing there. The latter immediately understood and quickly asked to be excused.


    ¡°What do you want to eat for dinner? From now on the Emperor¡¯s share will be under my control. Haha, we can have whatever we want to eat, today we have hairy crabs and sea shrimp, which one should we eat?¡± Su Yu held the cat in his arms and was ready to take him to cook.


    ¡°Meow¡­¡±Hearing that there was something delicious to eat, the little furball in the basket couldn¡¯t help crying out.


    ¡°Little fatty!¡± Su Yu¡¯s eyes lit up.


    He was talking to Sauce but he didn¡¯t notice that there was still a cat in the basket. The Emperor is really kind, he also kept the little wild cat he found today to raise.


    ¡°Then you two can play first, I¡¯ll cook some delicious food for you.¡± Su Yu thought for a moment and put the kitten in his arms back.


    His Sauce is highly spiritual and never makes trouble in the kitchen, but if other cats go they might make a mess.


    As soon as the golden kitten was put into the basket, it bit the little chubby cat¡¯s ear, and the little chubby kitten immediately meowed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fight, take good care of your younger brother.¡± Su Yu patted the golden kitten on the head, then looked at the struggling little chubby kitten and muttered.


    ¡°Is it a younger brother, ba? If it¡¯s a younger sister, then all the most he can¡¯t bully her, ah.¡±


    ¡°Meow meow meow¡­¡±Of course it¡¯s a younger brother! His Royal Highness King Zhao protested while saving his ears. Unfortunately, Su Yu couldn¡¯t understand and went to the kitchen happily.


    ¡°I was wrong, I was wrong! I just want to say that I want to eat too, who knew he would put you down!¡± His Royal Highness King Zhao kicked his short hind legs, trying to push his older brother down.


    The golden kitten hugged his younger brother¡¯s round head and took hard two bites, he then kicked him away. Pooh pooh, it spat out two mouthfuls of fur, then it lay on the edge of the basket and sulked.


    He shouldn¡¯t have been soft-hearted and brought his younger brother to dinner.


    His Royal Highness King Zhao stretched out his paws to tidy up the uneven fur on the top of his head, however, his head was too big and he couldn¡¯t reach the top, so he had to give up. He came up to his elder brother with a ¡°Cockscomb hair-style¡±.


    ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t you turn into a human?¡± In the hunting grounds today he already said so much, so he should strike while the iron is hot.


    ¡°Too much nonsense!¡± An Hongche gave his younger brother a slap with his paw and his ears twitched.


    Hmph, he accidentally said something embarrassing today, he won¡¯t let the stupid slave laugh at him. Wait he forgets today, then, then he will talk again¡­


    His Royal Highness King Zhao stared at his older brother¡¯s furry ears with big round eyes, as if he saw something rare, and suddenly said: ¡°Brother, you are not shy, are you?¡±


    His Majesty slowly turned his head, narrowing his amber eyes as he looked at his younger brother. He slowly raised a furry paw and with a ¡®swish¡¯ five shiny blades appeared.


    When Su Yu came back from cooking, he saw the golden kitten squatting at the table leisurely licking its paws, while the chubby kitten was lying listlessly beside the overturned basket.


    ¡°Not fighting, ba?¡± Su Yu put down the hairy crab with a smile.


    ¡°Come and eat crabs.¡±


    Hairy crabs were delicious and were best eaten steamed. At noon, those fragrant swimming crabs aroused Su Yu¡¯s appetite, so he couldn¡¯t help cooking steamed hairy crabs.


    The steamed crabs showed an attractive orange-red color, knocking open the crab tongs revealed a piece of white crab meat the size of one¡¯s fingers. The Emperor was not there, so there was no need to be fussy.


    Su Yu directly picked up the crab meat with his hands, dipped it in some crab vinegar, and filled his mouth. The tender texture, tasty meat flavor, and his special crab vinegar made a delicious and long aftertaste.


    The four cat eyes on the table followed Su Yu¡¯s movements one by one, the two furry heads shook left and right with his white fingers and watched him use the tip of one crab leg to scoop out the thin meat in the other.


    ¡°Meow--¡± The golden kitten stepped forward, squatting in front of Su Yu, then he scratched Su Yu¡¯s arm with a meat pad without his claws extended.


    Su Yu looked down, and the furry kitten looked up. It was obviously begging but its face was still full of pride as if to say. ¡°Stupid slave, what are you waiting for, hurry up and make an offering!¡± The little chubby cat at the side was not so polite, directly hugging a hairy crab and gnawing it.


    He smiled and handed over the crab leg meat that he had prepared for the cat, but the golden kitten turned his head in disgust and used his tail to point at the dish with crab vinegar.


    Su Yu was helpless and could only give him a little less sauce. Sauce always liked to eat things with a strong taste, he was really worried that this guy would damage his body.


    ¡°Meow!¡± When the little chubby cat saw it, he dropped the crab that couldn¡¯t be chewed. He wanted to eat that too.


    ¡°Niangniang, please permit this slave to do it, ba.¡± The head palace maid behind him came forward and picked up the tools for cracking crabs on the table.


    Su Yu was overwhelmed by the two kittens, so he nodded when he heard that and handed over the task of cracking open the crabs to the head palace maid. He concentrated on dipping the crab meat in vinegar and divided it equally between the two small plates.


    The palace maid was very skillful in handling crabs, she pried open the crab shell, took out the small plates that couldn¡¯t be eaten, dug out the crab meat with a small spoon, then cracked open the crab tongs and pushed open the crab leg, quickly picking out all the edible meat and placing it neatly on the plate.


    Su Yu couldn¡¯t help glancing at the palace maid, the head palace maid Ye Yuan, who usually managed the arrangements of the furnishings of Yexiao Palace. Unexpectedly, she can handle ingredients very well, it seems that she can be asked to help in the kitchen in the future.


    After having dinner, Su Yu put the two kittens on the bed and pounced after them himself, but the little chubby kitten struggled to get out of bed and got back into his basket in two to three steps, vowing not to go to the bed.


    What a joke, if he sleeps in his older brother¡¯s concubine¡¯s bed, he will definitely become a ¡®younger sister¡¯ tomorrow.


    Su Yu looked regretfully at the chubby furball that had shrunk into a ball, thinking that fleshy texture must feel very good to the touch, but it was a pity that the kitten was shy with strangers and never let him touch it.


    A forcefully picked melon is not sweet, so Su Yu stopped caring about the little chubby cat and blissfully buried his face in the golden fur.


    ¡°Sauce, let me tell you something big.¡± Su Yu nudged his warm little paw with his nose and showed a foolish smile.


    ¡°Today, the Emperor confessed to me!¡±


    Confessed? His Majesty lifted his eyelids and glanced at him. What nonsense is this stupid slave talking about, what do you mean by confessed?


    ¡°He said, Zhen likes you so much, hehehe¡­¡± The corners of Su Yu¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but rise.


    When he was in school, some girls also confessed to him. At that time he only felt a little proud, but it didn¡¯t make him feel as excited as he does today. Thinking of the majestic Emperor, who looked cold and irritable, but was actually awkward and shy, he couldn¡¯t help but want to roll on the bed.


    Shut up! The fur on the golden kitten¡¯s tail suddenly exploded, and he raised his paw to shut Su Yu¡¯s chattering mouth. Su Yu immediately kissed the small meat pad, but he unexpectedly got a slap, falling to the ground in a smooth motion.


    ¡°Hehehe, how can there be such a good thing? I like him and he just happens to like me, hehehe¡­¡±


    His Majesty, who had just started to bare his teeth, paused and used his hind paw to scratch his ears. Stupid slave, what did you just say?


    ¡­


    Su Yu babbled to the golden kitten for a long time, but His Majesty''s patience seemed to be particularly good tonight, lying lazily on Su Yu¡¯s chest with his long tail swinging leisurely. Listening in a cheerful mood with the white furry tip of his tail swaying slightly.


    ¡°Sauce, how come I never see you with the Emperor? Come along with him tomorrow.¡± Su Yu stretched out his hand and held the tip of his tail, then rubbed it against his nose.


    Imagining the Emperor¡¯s cold face while holding Sauce, one person and one cat showing the same haughty expression, he suddenly felt his wolf¡¯s blood boiling.


    The long tail stiffened for a moment and suddenly pulled out of Su Yu¡¯s hand, so Su Yu went to catch it again.


    His Royal Highness King Zhao, who was sleeping in the basket, covered his eyes with his paws.


    It¡¯s over, not only did I hear but I also saw so many things that shouldn¡¯t be seen. I don¡¯t think that I can even turn into a ¡®younger sister¡¯ tomorrow, my life will be in danger¡­


    He quietly climbed out of the basket, jumped onto the windowsill, and used his short legs to leap over the window edge. I¡¯d better go sleep in the side palace hall, ba.


    The night was deep. In a trance, Su Yu felt a pair of cool thin lips pressing against his own, with a faint fragrance of green grass. The dream was gradually tinged with beautiful colors, warm and charming, letting people sink into it gradually, not knowing when would the night end.


    The next day, Su Yu opened his eyes and stared at the curtain for a long time. He slowly raised his hand and held his head which was gradually beginning to emit smoke.


    He actually had such a dream and the object of his dream¡­ At the last moment, he saw that exquisite and impeccable handsome face, who was it if not the Emperor?


    ¡°Sauce, I¡¯m hopeless.¡± Su Yu looked at the cat on his chest with a sad face. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry, for some reason his undergarment was torn open with two holes. The fluffy golden kitten was sleeping soundly inside his inner shirt, a warm meat pad was still covering a pink spot, unconsciously pressing it in his dream.


    The author has something to say:


    Little Teather:


    <There must be a good dream on such a beautiful night>


    Little Fish: (X Dream)...ehehehe, hehehehe¡­


    State Teacher: (Sweet Dream)...boiled fish, spicy crab, spicy crabfish¡­


    Younger Brother: (Nightmare)...All the people knelt down and shouted in unison ¡°Paying respects to Princess Zhao¡±...

 CH 46

    Chapter 46 - Birthday Present


    Su Yu poked the golden fluffy head, he then stretched out his hand and pulled the warm furball to his neck, and rubbed against it.


    The golden kitten yawned but didn¡¯t open his eyes and fell asleep once more hugging Su Yu¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Who let you keep your spirits up at night, are you sleepy now, ba? ¡± Sauce always wakes up in the middle of the night, and when he wakes up, he will play on the bed for a while before going back to sleep. Su Yu was used to it, no matter how noisy it was, he would not wake up.


    ¡°Niangniang, Wang Gonggong just sent word that you don¡¯t need to cook breakfast.¡± Xiao Shun whispered from outside the door.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Su Yu answered and the action of getting up was killed in the cradle. He relaxed his limbs decadently. ¡°Sauce, we can sleep in.¡±


    His Majesty the Emperor thought he was noisy, he raised his paw to cover his soft lips. Suddenly, he felt something was wrong, so he opened his eyes a crack to take a look.


    Seeing that they were a little red and swollen, he couldn¡¯t help pursing his ears. Moving forward, he touched the corner of Su Yu¡¯s lips with his cold cat¡¯s mouth.


    Su Yu cordially returned a firm kiss to Cat Daye, and then buried his nose in the Maomao¡¯s fur and gave a deep sniff. The smell of warm sunshine, which one can never be tired of smelling, was the same as His Majesty.


    There were no scents of perfumes, just the scent of clean and warm sunshine¡­Thinking about it, his head couldn¡¯t help but start to steam up again, last night¡¯s dream was full of this smell¡­


    ¡°Sauce, did you sit on my nose last night?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    He cooked a delicious shrimp porridge for the picky Cat Daye, then Su Yu leisurely finished the breakfast sent by the imperial kitchen. It was six dishes and four desserts course, but the red date porridge was a little greasy, so he also had a bowl of shrimp porridge with the kitten.


    ¡°Reporting to Niangniang, Guifei Niangniang has summoned you to go to Yuluan Palace to discuss the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday.¡± Before he had finished his porridge, Xiao Shun came in with a bitter face to report.


    The birthday of the Empress Dowager? Su Yu looked up and said: ¡°Is there such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Next month is the birthday of the Empress Dowager, all the concubines will have to present birthday gifts to the Empress Dowager.¡± Ye Yuan, the head palace maid, interrupted.


    ¡°Niangniang should go there and know what the others concubines will give, so you can consider what to gift.¡±


    Su Yu thought it was reasonable, although he doesn¡¯t want to get together with the women, he really doesn¡¯t understand anything about gift giving. Just listen to what the other will present so he won¡¯t lose face.


    There was nothing to do, so Su Yu ate and drank to his heart¡¯s content, put the cat in his pocket, then went to see Guifei Niangniang.


    After Su Yu left, everyone in Yexiao Palace began to clean the palace as usual.


    ¡°Where are you taking this?¡± Ye Yuan stopped the little maid who was packing up and pointed to the wooden box in her hand.


    ¡°Reporting to Older Sister, Niangniang asked to put it away.¡± The small rosewood box contained the agarwood sent by Cen Cairen.


    ¡°Such a good incense, the scent won¡¯t disappear for a long time.¡± Ye Yuan looked at the small box regrettably, after thinking for a moment, she waved the little maid away, leaving the agarwood behind.


    Yuluan Palace looked bigger than Yexiao Palace, this was Su Yu''s first visit.


    A Buddha''s-hand made of mutton-fat jade the size of a fist was placed on a table in the center of the main hall, as a treasure for people to admire.


    ¡°Aiya, every time I see this Buddha¡¯s-hand I feel jealous. It¡¯s really hard to find such a large mutton-fat jade.¡± Shu Fei was the most knowledgeable and intelligent, she praised it the moment she came in.


    Lu Guifei¡¯s eyes were slightly smug, but her expression was indifferent.


    ¡°What so valuable about it, every time you come here, you nag about it. If it was not bestowed from the Emperor, I would have given you as a present.¡±


    Su Yu thought that the Palace Hall of the Guifei must certainly be more luxurious than his, seeing everybody praising that Buddha¡¯s-Hand, he felt like he should follow the crowd and say something, but¡­ considering the half-foot high white cabbage made of mutton-fat jade in Yexiao Palace that was just thrown to the Treasure Pavillion like an ordinary decoration, he thought it was better to keep a low profile.


    ¡°His Majesty and Niangniang are cousins, so they are naturally closer than us.¡± De Fei joked, then glanced at Su Yu who had been silent.


    Su Yu frowned slightly when he heard those words, I almost forgot about this¡­ He had to persuade the Emperor that it was not good to marry close relatives.


    The kitten, nestled in Su Yu¡¯s arms poked his head out and took a look at the so-called ¡°Biaomei¡±. Pei-Pei, and spat out the fur it just licked. What Biaomei, he remembered that she was obviously a Biaojie.


    ¡°I heard that His Majesty has not gone to court again today.¡± Lu Guifei flicked her delicately manicured nails and glanced pointedly at Su Yu.


    ¡°The Empress Dowager hates those coquettish tricks that delay the Emperor¡¯s official business.¡±


    Everyone looked at Su Yu, it was well known that the Emperor stayed in Yexiao Palace again last night.


    Su Yu thought it was rather baffling. The Emperor did not go to court, but what did it have to do with him? The Emperor didn¡¯t come even come last night, okay?


    The cat head hanging outside the coat jacket shrank back. Staring at the thin white tunic for a while, he then leaned over and rubbed against the slightly raised area through his clothes.


    Hmm, this stupid slave¡¯s seductive means are quite powerful.


    After the usual practice of taunting and jeering, Lu Guifei finally started to talk about business. The Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday next month is indeed true, but because it was not the complete birthday the Empress Dowager didn¡¯t want to be extravagant.


    She only said that she got a batch of high-quality bird feathers, and wanted to weave a blanket.


    The birds'' feathers were the fine down of a snow eagle, which was extremely valuable, and the Empress Dowager couldn¡¯t decide what pattern to use. Lu Guifei summoned the other concubines to ask them to present designs.


    ¡°Bengong will talk about the ugly things upfront, this is for the Empress Dowager, if the pattern cannot catch the eyes of the Empress Dowager, you have to weave the blanket together with the people of the knitting department.¡± Lu Guifei took a sip of tea and glanced pointedly at Su Yu¡¯s expression. She didn¡¯t believe that a man who always held a fish-killing knife all year round could draw something good.


    Other concubines were fine, whether it was painting or needlework, both couldn¡¯t trouble these girls from respectable families.


    The palace maids spread a large piece of paper on the long table, letting the imperial concubines each draw a picture with a brush, ¡°Mandarin Ducks Playing In The Water¡±, ¡°Luan and Phoenix Bring Prosperity¡±, ¡°Jade Peach Blessings¡±...The rice paper was soon filled with beautiful and exquisite embroidery patterns.


    ¡°Xian Fei, why don¡¯t you draw?¡± Shu Fei smiled and pushed the ink plate in front of Su Yu, looking like she was enjoying the show.


    Su Yu picked up the brush and scratched his head with the brush shaft. He really can¡¯t draw, it¡¯s fine for him to carve radish flowers, but would really embarrassing for him to use a brush like he daubs sauce[TL_Note: Here I think he means sauce the condiment, like using a brush to daub sauce on meat]. After thinking about it, he put his hand in his coat and took out the golden furball that was still in a daze.


    ¡°Meow!¡± His Majesty the Emperor, who had just come to his senses, suddenly struggled when he realized that the stupid slave was holding his paw and pressing it into the ink plate.


    ¡°Sauce, do me a favor.¡± Su Yu held the soft meat pad, quickly dipped it in ink, and pressed it on the rice paper. A clear cat¡¯s paw print suddenly appeared in the midst of the complex and gorgeous designs, looking particularly abrupt.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Shu Fei¡¯s face suddenly turned livid. The cat paw print was patted next to hers ¡°Hundred Butterflies Passing Through Flowers¡±, which instantly made her drawing look out of place.


    His Majesty shook his black paw vigorously. Su Yu hurriedly picked him up, fearing that he might spatter ink dots and ruin other people¡¯s drawings. As a result, the cat Daye retaliated by pressing several paw prints on his body.


    Wretched Stupid Slave, how dare you dirty Zhen¡¯s fur, today he must be punished by bathing Zhen for an hour tonight¡­Hmm, and there are no clothes allowed, hmph!


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    Little Fish: It doesn¡¯t matter not wearing clothes ¨r£¨¨s¨Œ¨t£©¨q


    Cat Gong: What do you mean?


    Little Fish: I heard that Meow Star People are small gentlemen XD


    Cat Gong:£¨¨t£ß¨s£©#

 CH 47

    Chapter 47 - Homework


    ¡°Niangniang, this Xian Fei does not have you in her eyes.¡± Shu Fei glanced at the cat¡¯s paw prints and felt a toothache.


    ¡°How dare he show this to the Empress Dowager!¡±


    Lu Guifei sneered: ¡°He is not afraid of anything, so what is Bengong afraid of? Since Xian Fei has the heart to show filial respect to the Empress Dowager, Bengong will help him succeed.¡±


    After finishing drawing, all the concubines went to Ci¡¯an Palace, except for Su Yu who was rushing back to prepare lunch for the Emperor.


    The long scroll slowly unfolded in front of the Empress Dowager, and the complex and gorgeous patterns dazzled the viewers.


    ¡°Aijia¡¯s eyes are getting worse and worse, it¡¯s up to you to decide.¡± The Empress Dowager didn¡¯t have the patience to look at it and said with a smile to Lu Guifei.


    ¡°Sisters¡¯ craftsmanship is so good that this concubine can¡¯t make up her mind.¡± Lu Guifei looked at the long scroll pretending to be embarrassed and pointed at several places.


    ¡°Just like this painting of ¡°Luan and Phoenix Bring Prosperity¡± which is very exquisite, and the lines are something that this concubine has never seen before, so it must be beautiful to embroider; And this ¡°Hundred Butterflies Passing Through Flowers¡± is so lifelike, it would be even better if it were embroidered with gold thread¡­


    The Empress Dowager followed Lu Guifei¡¯s hand full of jewelry with waning interest and suddenly discovered the ¡°Plum Blossom¡± beside the ¡°Hundred Butterflies Passing Through Flowers¡±. Curious, she asked the palace maid to bring the scroll over for a closer look.


    Lu Guifei coldly curled her lips, she pointed at that spot on purpose, fearing that the Empress Dowager would not see the cat¡¯s paw print.


    Making a fool of the Empress Dowager, even if the Emperor dotes on Xian Fei, he won¡¯t let him off lightly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the paw print of the divine cat?¡± The Empress Dowager examined for a moment and was immediately happy.


    ¡°Aiya, I haven¡¯t seen you for a few days but this little paw has grown a little bit.¡± As she spoke, she fondly touched the paw print with her hand for a moment.


    How did she not think of this before, using the paw prints to decorate the blanket? Thinking of the snow-white velvet blanket covered with black paw prints, just like if the little golden furball stepped on it from head to tail, it would be extremely amusing


    ¡°Empress Dowager is wise, that is indeed the paw print of the divine cat.¡± Lu Guifei replied with a stiff face.


    She held her heart and waited for the Empress Dowager to fly into a rage, when she asks who did this, she would be able to give away Su Yu in a disguised manner, but looking at the Empress Dowager, she didn¡¯t seem angry at all.


    ¡°Aijia thinks this is very good.¡± The Empress Dowager¡¯s face was full of smiles.


    ¡°Whose idea was this, Aijia should reward them well.¡±


    Several concubines looked speechless at each other, and Lu Guifei¡¯s face was as black as the bottom of a pot.


    The misfit Su Yu naturally was not aware of all the punishment and rewards that he was missing out on. He offended the Cat Daye and wanted to make something delicious to apologize to him.


    He left the absurd dream he had in the morning behind him and very magnanimously went to deliver the meal to the Emperor.


    At noon, when he arrived at the Imperial Study, Su Yu looked around for a long time but he didn¡¯t see Sauce.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡± His Majesty frowned slightly and stared at Su Yu discontentedly.


    ¡°How come I didn¡¯t see the divine cat?¡± Su Yu was not afraid of the Emperor now, so he asked him with a grin.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± An Hongche snorted coldly.


    This stupid slave, Zhen is right here so what are you looking for? Is Zhen not as good-looking as a stupid cat?


    Su Yu stared at the Emperor¡¯s expression. He didn¡¯t understand why this man was making trouble again. Blinking, he picked up a chopstick and put a piece of fish into the jade bowl. ¡°Try this sweet and sour mandarin fish.¡±


    His Majesty¡¯s complexion became even worse. The mandarin fish was sweet and sour, he never liked this kind of food. He glanced at Su Yu¡¯s eyes full of expectation, pursed his thin lips, picked up the chopsticks, and sent the golden fish flesh dripping with sauce into his mouth.


    The flesh of the mandarin fish was fat and spineless, when fried it was golden brown and crispy. The fish flesh and spine were separated, just like a blooming chrysanthemum. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, it tasted delicious.


    Only this time the sauce was not as sweet and greasy as An Hongche usually abhors, instead it was his favorite salty flavor.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t put as much sugar this time.¡± Su Yu couldn¡¯t help but curl the corners of his mouth when he saw surprise flashing in his beautiful eyes.


    He used to think that cooking for the Emperor was a job, although he was very dedicated it was just a job after all. But after yesterday¡¯s date, his mentality was different. He just wanted to cook delicious food for him in different ways, and seeing him eating happily, he also felt happy..


    ¡°It¡¯s barely acceptable.¡± His Majesty said with a straight face, but the corners of his mouth couldn¡¯t help rising. This stupid slave even remembered that Zhen doesn¡¯t like sweet food and especially changed the ingredients of the dish.


    ¡°Reporting to the Emperor, King Su and King Ling are asking for an audience.¡± Wang Gonggong came over to inform him with a look of embarrassment.


    According to reason, the Emperor should not be disturbed when he is eating, but the two Qinwangs said that there was something urgent. In addition to the palace being under martial law last night, the two Qingwangs were busy working all night, one outside the palace and the other inside the palace. Their faces were covered with wind and frost, it was unbearable to look at.


    ¡°What¡¯s the urgent matter now?¡± The corner of An Hongche¡¯s lips, which had just rose, immediately became a straight line.


    Su Yu frowned. Stopping halfway through the meal to talk about work would likely provoke indigestion. He had a mind to advise the Emperor to finish his meal before talking, however, sometimes national affairs cannot be delayed for even a moment. If he delayed something important because of his words, it would be troublesome.


    ¡°Your Majesty has something important to do, so Chen will leave first.¡±


    Seeing that Su Yu put down his bowl and was about to get up, His Majesty pressed him down and then said to Wang Gonggong. ¡°Let them come in.¡±


    ¡°Seeing the Emperor, may my Emperor live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years.¡± The two Wangyes kneeled down and saluted in an orderly manner. Su Yu quickly got up to avoid it and then bowed to the two Qinwangs when the Emperor allowed them to rise.


    ¡°Xian Fei is here too.¡± King Su greeted Su Yu expressionlessly.


    ¡°I told you, I could smell the fragrance from outside¡­¡± King Ling stared at all the dishes on the table, and before he could finish the sentence, he was elbowed by his older brother.


    ¡°Is something wrong Imperial Uncles? If it¡¯s not urgent, let Zhen eat lunch first before talking.¡±As if His Majesty couldn¡¯t see the hungry eyes of his two uncles, he picked up a piece of fried shrimp dipped in soy sauce and threw it into his mouth.


    Because now Su Yu received the Emperor¡¯s share, it directly led to the enrichment of his Majesty¡¯s lunch. Previously, there were only two pitiful hot dishes and two cold dishes, but now it has been upgraded to six main courses, two side dishes, one soup, and one dessert.


    Sweet and sour mandarin fish, crispy golden brown, juicy, and fatty; Stir-fried shrimp in soy sauce, cooked with Su Yu¡¯s special seafood soy sauce, bright and colorful with a deep fragrance; Last night¡¯s twenty¡¯s oysters were directly brought by Su Yu and roasted with minced garlic, thin and tender¡­


    The dessert was seafood tofu pastry, he originally wanted to make a seafood tofu pastry with kimchi, but because there was no kimchi it was too late to temporarily marinade it, so he mixed shrimp and crab meat with tofu, brushed two layers of sauce, pasted a layer of glutinous rice on the front and back, and pan-fried on both sides until they were brown. The Emperor ate one bite at a time and was very satisfied.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Chen has been working hard all night, and we even didn¡¯t have time to eat breakfast.¡± King Ling rubbed his hands, he knew that his nephew was the most heartless, if he didn¡¯t say it straight away, he would be rejected without any hesitation.


    ¡°I implore Your Majesty to bestow lunch.¡±


    ¡°Seventeenth Brother is right.¡± His Highness King Su echoed with a righteous face.


    Su Yu looked a the two Qinwangs in surprise, asking to eat with such a precious and important tone, it sounded like a secret code no matter what.


    ¡°Ask the imperial kitchen to add some dishes.¡± His Majesty twisted a piece of the seafood tofu pastry and took a big bite.


    Although the Emperor¡¯s shares were handed over to Xian Fei, His Majesty¡¯s shares did not actually have a clear number. The imperial kitchen would still prepare the Emperor¡¯s three meals on time, in case Xian Fei was upset and refuses to cook for the Emperor, so the dishes were served quickly.


    The ministers were granted a meal with the Emperor. They had to eat at separate tables, so the two imperial uncles set up another table beside them.


    Since they were granted a feast, the Emperor should symbolically bestow one or two dishes in front of him to his subjects to show his benevolence.


    Exquisite dishes were served one by one. King Ling kept peeking at the food on the Emperor¡¯s table. An Hongche glanced at his good-for-nothing imperial uncle in disgust and asked Su Yu to take a plate and choose two shrimp, two fish, two oysters, and two tofu pastries¡­In the end, only two of each were lying alone on a huge plate, and he served it to the two imperial uncles. They didn¡¯t mind the small amount, so they took them and ate them.


    Su Yu blinked, and he discovered that what the two Wangyes said before was really not a secret code.


    After lunch, the two Wangyes really had something to discuss with the Emperor, King Su led the Emperor back to the imperial study and Su Yu tactfully withdraw.


    ¡°Hey, Jin Tang ah.¡± Walking behind him, King Ling suddenly stopped Su Yu.


    ¡°That thing called chili pepper, do you need more?¡±


    Su Yu froze for a moment before realizing that King Ling was calling him. ¡°Of course I want it.¡±


    ¡°I still have many chili peppers in my Fu, I¡¯ll have some sent to your palace some other day.¡± Leaving such a meaningful sentence, King Ling turned around and quickly followed the footsteps of King Su and the Emperor.


    Su Yu frowned slightly, he always felt like there was more to King Ling¡¯s words.


    In the afternoon, he paid a visit to the State Teacher, who was as elegant and leisurely as ever. He just told him to study the <Fish Killing Heart Law> carefully and that he was going to test his knowledge tomorrow.


    Su Yu couldn¡¯t help making a bitter face, he really couldn¡¯t understand the <Fish Killing Heart Law>.


    What acupoints? What Inner Q? As a cook, he doesn¡¯t know anything about it.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t understand you can ask the Emperor.¡± The State Teacher twisted a piece of the seafood tofu pastry.


    ¡°Add some cornel juice to the oil and the fried glutinous rice will be more delicious.¡±


    The juice of cornel was spicy, did he want to fry tofu pastries in spicy oil? Su Yu thought for a moment.


    ¡°The cornel juice is slightly bitter, it would be better if it¡¯s replaced by chili pepper.¡± He had never used cornel, an ancient spicy sauce, before because he simply disliked the bitter taste, which after all was different from chili pepper.


    The State Teacher nodded. ¡°Chili pepper is a fine good, I¡¯ll ask King Ling to send some to you some other day.¡±


    ¡°Boom!¡± Just then, there was a loud noise upstairs, like the sound of something breaking.


    Su Yu looked up and saw that there were no stairs on the second floor of the Anguo Tower, there was only an empty hole leading straight to the top floor. In the middle hung an elegant silk ribbon, decorated with tiny bells. When the wind blew it would sound out that ethereal ringing.


    The State Teacher frowned slightly.


    ¡°Go back first, I¡¯ll go up and take a look.¡± After that, he ate the last piece of the tofu pastry, stepped onto the black gold steps, and walked to the third floor, he then wrapped the soft silk around his wrist and gently tapped his toes. Like a white swallowtail butterfly, he floated up to the fourth floor. Su Yu couldn¡¯t see any further up.


    It turned out that all the people in the royal family were experts, floating up and down the buildings¡­Su Yu looked up for a long time. After reading it, he felt as if the book in his hands <Fish Killing Heart Law> was a heavenly book.


    Thinking about the ¡°Student Assessment¡± tomorrow, he decided to ask the Emperor for advice.


    But in the evening, the Emperor said that he would not come to Yexiao Palace tonight, nor would he call Su Yu to Beiji Palace, he also didn¡¯t even send the Cat Daye who hadn¡¯t forgiven him.


    Su Yu suddenly found himself in trouble.


    ¡°His Majesty can¡¯t come every day, you can relax.¡± Xiao Shun looked at the distressed Xian Fei and didn¡¯t know how to comfort him.


    ¡°It won¡¯t do, I have to find him.¡± Su Yu suddenly stood up and went to Beiji Palace with his food box.


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    Concubine A: I heard that His Majesty won¡¯t go eat at Night Snack Palace tonight.[TL_Note: Yexiao Palace->Night Firmament Palace and here she uses a different xiao character; Yexiao -> Night Snack Palace]


    Lu Guifei: What¡¯s so strange about that?


    Concubine B: I heard that the Emperor will not summon Xian Fei to Beiji Palace tonight.


    Lu Guifei: Are you serious?


    Concubine C: I heard that Xian Fei has taken the initiative to go to Beiji Palace to wait on his bed.


    Lu Guifei: Wretched seductress


    Little Fish: Your Majesty, you can¡¯t abandon me at this critical moment


    Cat Gong: Humph Humph Humph, now you know how important Zhen is.


    Little Fish: QAQ Xueba, seeking guidance for homework

 CH 48

    Chapter 48 - Bathing


    ¡°Niangniang, what brings you here?¡± Wang Gonggong was very surprised to see Su Yu.


    He immediately whirled around and looked at the little eunuch beside him and said angrily. ¡°How did you deliver the message?¡±


    Su Yu hurriedly stopped Wang Gonggong from scolding the little eunuch. ¡°I have something to see the His Majesty about.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Wang Gonggong looked to be in a quandary and glanced at the closed gates of Beiji Palace behind him.


    ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s a little inconvenient.¡±


    The main hall was brightly lit, and the palace maids and imperial guards were all guarding the door. The Emperor was obviously inside, but at this hour, the so-called inconvenience¡­ Su Yu''s heart skipped a beat.


    It was inconvenient to see him because someone else was there. His original excitement to copy homework was suddenly quenched by a bucket of cold water.


    He was carried away by love these days. How could he forget that this man was the Emperor, besides him, there were also so many concubines. Although the Emperor did not seem to understand love before and was like an innocent child¡­


    ¡°Niangniang, are you all right?¡± Wang Gonggong looked at Su Yu with a worried face. He was startled when he saw the originally radiant face suddenly turn pale.


    ¡°Since it is inconvenient for the Emperor, then I¡­¡± Su Yu clenched the food box handle in his hand and turned to leave.


    It was the beginning of autumn, the night wind blew on the forty-nine white marble steps turning them ice-cold. Su Yu slowly walked two steps and he could feel the temperature of the stones under his feet through his thin brocade shoes.


    When he transmigrated, he actually felt very confused and helpless in his heart. Occasionally he delusionally thought about going back, because he felt that it was difficult to live here and he had few attachments.


    Now that he had someone he liked, it suddenly strengthened his belief in living a good life here, which made him have unlimited expectations for his future life¡­


    Looking at the bright moon in the sky, the mood in this situation was so bleak that it was really fitting for a poem¡­Su Yu froze for a moment, then suddenly turned around and returned to the front door of the bedchamber in two to three steps, pushing the palace door open.


    To hell with the sadness of spring and autumn, Laozi bent for this cranky and nitpicking fellow, what else is there to be afraid of! If worst comes to worst I can go back to selling fish!


    Su Yu angrily walked into the bedroom, the bright candlelight making him squint his eyes, just like the first time he stepped into this bedroom. When he opened his eyes again, the hall was empty and the Emperor was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Niangniang¡­¡± Wang Gonggong couldn¡¯t stop him.


    He watched as Su Yu rushed in and the guards quickly followed to drag Su Yu out, but just half a step in, they were immediately stopped by Wang Gonggong. ¡°Quickly withdraw, don¡¯t you want your life!¡±


    The guards stopped at once, and Wang Gonggong no longer cared about Su Yu and hurriedly closed the door.


    Su Yu stood in the hall for a moment full of doubts, where was the Emperor?


    Looking around, he put the food box on the table and took two steps inside.


    ¡°Humm¡­¡± A muffled groan suddenly came to Su Yu¡¯s ears. Su Yu¡¯s heart skipped a beat and quickly walked to the place where the voice came from.


    The sleeping hall of Beijie Palace was covered with velvet carpets and cushions of various shapes everywhere, so it was silent when one walked.


    Passing around the muslin veil, near the bathroom, a man in bright yellow robes tumbled onto a soft cushion, his handsome face seemed to have a painful expression.


    Su Yu was startled and hurried to help him. ¡°Your Majesty¡­uh¡­¡±


    An Hongche¡¯s hand shot like lightning, without even looking, grabbed the visitor''s neck, and threw him to the ground.


    He turned his head back coldly, in his eyes was a fierceness that Su Yu had never seen before. Suddenly seeing clearly that it was Su Yu, the ferocious look was like winter snow under the scorching sun, disappearing in an instant.


    ¡°Stupid slave? Why are you here?¡±


    Su Yu lay on the soft cushion and blinked. ¡°You are injured?¡±


    ¡°Cough¡­¡± An Hongche felt uncomfortable and frowned.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that you are not allowed to come serve in bed?¡±


    Su Yu was too lazy to argue with him. He got up and grabbed the Emperor¡¯s arm to help him up.


    An Hongche also obediently followed his strength to stand up, he seemed to have hurt his leg, so he stood up and turned sideways, clinging to Su Yu¡¯s back.


    ¡°Zhen wants to take a bath.¡± Since the stupid slave has seen his disgraceful appearance, he might as well handle the punishment he was owed today to make up.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call someone to serve you?¡± Su Yu had no choice but to drag the koala behind him to the bathroom.


    Obviously, he couldn¡¯t walk anymore, and still, he drove everyone out, even Wang Gonggong wasn¡¯t allowed to enter.


    An Hongche buried his nose in Su Yu¡¯s neck. He sniffed gently without speaking.


    Making the koala sit on the soft couch, his hand undressed His Majesty the Emperor. An Hongche¡¯s body was a little tense at first, then slowly relaxed.


    Su Yu pretended to have seen nothing and just stripped the Emperor completely, just leaving a pair of short underpants.


    The Emperor¡¯s smooth muscular body was black and blue, and his leg was particularly badly injured. There was also a wound on his arm oozing blood. Su Yu sucked in a breath of cold air.


    ¡°How can you be hurt like this!¡±


    Last night the Emperor did not ask him to serve in bed last night, this was still the case tonight. Was he injured in the hunting ground yesterday? Considering this, Su Yu felt very distressed, it was all to protect him and he even suspected that he favored others¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself.¡± An Hongche seemed to see what he was thinking.


    He raised his hand and slapped the back of Su Yu¡¯s head.


    ¡°Zhen accidentally hurt himself when practicing martial arts today.¡±


    Su Yu was skeptical, who would accidentally hurt himself into this state by practicing martial arts? He was obviously beaten up by someone.


    His Majesty the Emperor was stabbed by the look in Su Yu¡¯s eyes and snorted coldly.


    ¡°Zhen was just itching for a moment and exchanged a couple of moves with Imperial Uncle.¡±


    Imperial Uncle? Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened, His Majesty called the other Wangye¡¯s by their ranks or titles, but he only addressed the State Teacher as ¡°Imperial Uncle¡±. That is to say, all the injuries on his body were caused by the State Teacher!


    ¡°The State Teacher¡­¡± Is really fierce, Su Yu paused and didn¡¯t dare to say the second half of his sentence.


    An Hongche pursed his thin lips.


    ¡°He was more hurt than Zhen.¡± Why is this stupid slave always thinking about the State Teacher?


    ¡°Your Majesty, beat up the State Teacher and injured him?¡° Su Yu¡¯s words were incoherent. Facing such a cold and noble beauty, the Emperor really had the heart to fight.


    ¡°Zhen has never lost a fight since childhood.¡± An Hongche smiled smugly. He then got up and took off his underpants and slid into the water.


    Soaking in the warm water, His Majesty gave a comfortable groan and lay on the jade bed in the middle of the pool, lazily hooking his finger at Su Yu.


    ¡°Come here and wait on Zhen to bathe.¡±


    Su Yu looked at his Majesty on the jade bed with his eyes wide open. The jade bed was so high that people could be half-submerged by the warm water when lying on it, and his chest was still exposed to avoid suffocating.


    As a result, the slender and fit dragon body, half exposed and half hidden was fully presented in front of him.


    The graceful muscles were covered by a layer of beautiful honey-colored skin, the broad shoulders and narrow waist, the long legs¡­


    ¡°Stupid slave, where are you touching!¡± An Hongche slapped Su Yu¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Er¡­¡± Su Yu came back to his senses and found that he had stretched out his hand to the Emperor¡¯s thigh and coughed drily.


    ¡°I was looking at the injury¡­¡±


    His Majesty the Emperor raised his eyebrow and slowly leaned over to Su Yu.


    ¡°Why does Zhen think you are not looking at the injury.¡± He said, looking to a certain place between his legs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have one too?¡±


    ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± Su Yu choked on his saliva and decided to stop this topic. He bowed his head and took a cloth towel to honestly wipe the Emperor¡¯s body.


    An Hongche looked at Su Yu¡¯s face and then at his own body, suddenly revealing a smile of unknown meaning.


    ¡°In fact, it¡¯s not impossible for you to touch it, you just have to let Zhen touch too.¡±


    Su Yu raised his head stiffly and looked at His Majesty, who looked serious. Why did this person suddenly become bolder recently?


    Before he knew it, a slender white hand had reached for Su Yu¡¯s underpants.


    Su Yu was startled and reflexively pushed him.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± An Hongche suddenly groaned and bent down clutching his belly.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Su Yu quickly stepped forward to help him. Who would have thought that his hand had just touched An Hongche when he was pushed away by that person and he fell into the pool with a plop.


    The water in the pool was not deep, but he fell into the water suddenly, so Su Yu inevitably choked a big mouthful of water and hurriedly struggled to stand up.


    His Majesty the Emperor looked at Su Yu whose head was dripping wet and coughed non-stop and pursed his thin lips. He was silent for a moment, and finally only snorted without saying anything.


    Su Yu wiped the water on his face, wondering what this man was up to again.


    It was hard to finish the bath, His Majesty yelled that he had to take a bath for an hour, so he lay still on the jade bed. Su Yu ignored him and carried him out of the water like a sack and threw him on the soft couch.


    ¡°How can you stay for so long with so many injuries!¡± This person had an obsession with cleanliness, but you had to think about the situation, the injury on his arm would lose color after soaking for so long.


    Putting on the middle coat, Su Yu casually wore a coat and walked out, but the Emperor caught him.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± An Hongche frowned and held his hand tightly.


    ¡°Going to ask someone to find some wound medicine.¡± Su Yu looked back at him and saw a moment of panic in the Emperor¡¯s eyes. He immediately felt strange and leaned over to look him in the eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the jade box over there.¡± An Hongche pointed to the stone cabinet not far away.


    Su Yu couldn¡¯t deny him, so he took the jade box and came over. There was a kind of gold paste in it, he touched it with his fingers and slowly rubbed it on the wounds. This time, the Emperor¡¯s body was not so tense, allowing Su Yu to massage his body.


    An Hongche quietly watched Su Yu¡¯s movements, his thin lips once more pursed into a straight line.


    ¡°When Zhen is injured, Zhen can¡¯t allow others to get close.¡±


    ¡°Then Your Majesty should apply the medicine himself.¡± Su Yu was so angry that he stuffed the medicine box in his hand to the Emperor.


    This man was especially difficult to serve tonight.


    ¡°You are different.¡± An Hongche didn¡¯t take the medicine box, he closed his beautiful eyes and motioned Su Yu to continue.


    Su Yu was stunned, then he realized that the Emperor was explaining the act of pushing him into the pool was not intentional, but maybe he was just not used to it.


    He knew that people who lived on the edge of life and death would be more aggressive when they are injured¡­


    ¡°I, how am I different?¡± Su Yu couldn¡¯t help but raise the corners of his lips and the movements of his hands became more and more gentle.


    This awkward guy can actually say such sweet words.


    An Hongche grunted comfortably, lifted his eyelids, and looked at him.


    ¡°You are Zhen¡¯s stupid slave, so Zhen allows you to get close to me. Oh, a little higher.¡±


    Su Yu: ¡°...¡± You really can¡¯t hope this guy to sweet talk.


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    <The Fight For The Throne Is Always Full of Bloodsheed>


    Little Fish: How did the Emperor become the crown prince?


    Cat Gong (Licks his paw): Zhen has never lost a fight


    Younger Brother & Prince A, B, and C: QAQ


    Little Fish: How did the former emperor win the throne?


    Father Cat(Transparent, licks his paws): Guaren has never lost a fight


    Thirteenth Uncle & Seventeenth Uncle: QAQ


    Additional friendship tips for Wang Gonggong


    Little Fish: The Emperor¡¯s habit of not letting anyone approach him when injured must be caused by wandering around the edge of life and death all the year round (Heartache~)


    Wang Gonggong: When a cat is injured, it scratches everyone = =

 CH 49

    His Majesty the Emperor, who had been applied the medicine, lay lazily on the soft cushion in the center of the hall and hooked the corner of Su Yu¡¯s clothes with his toes.


    ¡°Stupid slave, Zhen is hungry.¡±


    Sure enough, this fellow didn¡¯t even eat to avoid being seen injured.If he didn¡¯t come today, was he planning to starve himself?


    Su Yu resigned himself to getting up and grabbing the food box and suddenly remembered that he had come to the Emperor for the homework assigned by the State Teacher.


    An Hongche glanced at the contents of the food box and felt somewhat dissatisfied.


    ¡°Why is it so little?¡±


    ¡°Chen thought Your Majesty had eaten and so just made a bowl of fish porridge.¡± Su Yu brought out the white porcelain cup with fish porridge and a plate of pastries.


    The Emperor still lay motionless on his belly, reached out and pulled the desserts plate, twisting a piece into his mouth.


    Uncovering the soup cup and putting a bowl on the small table, Su Yu poked the Emperor on the shoulder and motioned him to sit up.


    ¡°Your Majesty, is the Kung Fu you practice ¡®Inner Qi¡¯?¡±


    His Majesty turned over and leaned on a big resting pillow.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    Taking out the <Fish Killing Heart Sutra> from the bottom of the food box, Su Yu scratched his head.


    ¡°The State Teacher is going to take an examination tomorrow, but I really can¡¯t understand it. Could you please give me some pointers?¡±


    An Hongche sneered, he put one hand behind his head and pointed to his mouth, obviously asking for benefits.


    ¡°Your, Your Majesty¡­¡± This guy actually understood this kind of taste? Su Yu looked at the pair of light-colored thin lips, which were glistening with water, swallowed his saliva, and leaned over with a red face.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± A slender forefinger touched Su Yu¡¯s forehead, keeping him half a foot away, An Honghce frowned.


    ¡°Zhen asked you to feed me porridge, what are you doing leaning over?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    After eating and drinking enough, he wrapped Su Yu in his arms and propped up his chin. His Majesty then picked up the book <Fish Killing Heart Sutra> to read.


    ¡°The so-called Inner Qi is the energy born from Inner Force, but anyone who knows Inner Qi can emit it out. The difference only lies in the size and usage of Inner Force, ba.¡± After flipping through it casually, An Hongche knew what Su Yu didn¡¯t understand.


    His graceful chin rested on his shoulder, it felt a little itchy, and Su Yu moved uneasily.


    ¡°Then how can one cultivate Qi? How can you use Qi on the fish-killing knife?¡± As a modern person, he certainly knew the magical Inner Qi in martial arts novels, but he couldn¡¯t understand how to apply it to killing fish.


    An Hongche didn¡¯t answer. He took Su Yu¡¯s hand, grabbed a jade pendant for him, and held his wrist.


    ¡°Give it a try.¡±


    Su Yu didn¡¯t know why, but he immediately felt a heat current coming from the place where the two were connected, gathering along the meridians in his palm, then flowing to his five fingers.


    He tried to pinch the jade pendant in his hand, and with a ¡°ka-cha¡±, the solid blue jade suddenly broke into two pieces.


    His Majesty withdrew his hand and the heat current disappeared. Su Yu pinched it again but he couldn¡¯t break it at all.


    Su Yu took the Emperor¡¯s hand and stared at it up and down curiously. It was amazing, it was like suddenly being filled with electricity, it was like divine help.


    ¡°Can I learn Inner Qi?¡±


    ¡°You?¡± An Hongche tilted his head and looked at him. ¡°Ordinary people need to start practicing Inner Qi between the ages of three and eight.¡±


    Then what¡¯s the point of learning? Su Yu was choked for a moment, then he noticed that the Emperor said ¡°Ordinary people¡±.


    ¡°What about people who are not ordinary?¡±


    ¡°Some people are born with Inner Force.¡± His Majesty smiled smugly.


    ¡°Such as Zhen.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Su Yu stole a glance at the ¡°Dragon Head¡± resting on his shoulders, the proud son of heaven is really enviable.


    ¡°You just need to learn the part about killing fish well.¡± His Majesty slid down and yawned on the cushion.


    ¡°Are there really any fish that need to be killed with Inner Qi?¡± Su Yu skipped the <Heart Law Mantra> and went directly to the <Knife Skill Chapter>. He found that the knife technique inside was also very strange.


    ¡°En.¡± The Emperor replied vaguely, then turned his body sideways and encircled Su Yu¡¯s waist, curling his long legs slightly and surrounding Su Yu.


    ¡°I saw a lot of fish that I have never seen before in the Su Ji Recipe Book, were they available in the previous dynasty?¡± The warm body heat around his waist made Su Yu slowly relax. He looked at the book and rambled to the Emperor, even forgetting to use his honorific name.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± The Emperor gave him face and replied again, and then, tired of Su Yu¡¯s noise, buried one ear in the gap between Su Yu¡¯s thigh and the cushion.


    ¡°...Qingyu, whose bones are as hard as stone, is separated from its flesh by picking its gills¡­¡±


    Su Yu pulled out the <Su Ji Recipe Book> from his pocket and turned to the first page.


    ¡°Qingyu bones are put into the soup, simmered for three hours in a small fire and the flesh is roasted¡­¡±


    Why do these two books look so much like a supporting textbook and an exercise book?


    ¡°Sauce, do you think this book is from the ancestors of the Su family and the An family¡­¡± Su Yu was stunned for a moment and suddenly remembered that he wasn¡¯t talking nonsense to Sauce, but instead, he was talking to the Emperor. He immediately stopped talking.


    After he didn¡¯t hear the Emperor speak to him for a long time, he lowered his head and saw that An Hongche had fallen asleep at some point.


    The slender eyelashes were like a small fan, casting a shadow, and the slightly raised corners of his eyes looked softer under the candlelight. Everyone says that people look beautiful under candlelight, not to mention he was a beauty, so it was hard to shift one gaze.


    Su Yu boldly reached out and touched the Emperor¡¯s beautiful eyebrows. His Majesty, who had always a cold face, looked very harmless at this moment, like a noble cat. Usually showing baring his teeth and claws, and after sleeping softly, he was like an ordinary furball, at the mercy of others.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The sleeping Emperor was dissatisfied with Su Yu¡¯s harassment. He raised his hand and waved it, then it was gently held by Su Yu.


    Pursing his lips to suppress his laughter, Su Yu squeezed the Emperor¡¯s hand. Suddenly remembering something, he brought the royal hand closer to him.


    When he was studying Inner Force he saw something in the Emperor¡¯s fingers, he just didn¡¯t know if it was dirt or an injury.


    Slender fingers with distinct joints, the soft palm was a healthy pink, however, there were very thin black lines hidden in the neatly trimmed nail seams. It was in almost all five fingers, which seemed to be caused by playing with ink but not washing it out.


    Su Yu frowned, His Majesty is so big, how could he still use his hands to paint with ink? Is it like Sauce, dip in the ink and press a paw print?


    Thinking of the Emperor himself childishly pressing his handprint in the imperial study, he couldn¡¯t help laughing.


    Sauce, paw print, the Emperor¡­ Su Yu¡¯s smile suddenly stiffened.


    He looked at the Emperor¡¯s hand, and then glanced at the peaceful sleeping face again, as if deep in thought.


    The next day, the Emperor got up and went to court. Wang Gonggong took Su Yu to the Muchun Palace Hall in the front hall, he said that someone came for him from outside the palace.


    Su Yu was at loss when the family of the concubine comes to visit, they would definitely go to the inner palace. Those who want to see him in the front hall must be an outsider and it was a man.


    Thinking about the few people he knew, who would go to the palace to find him at this time?


    ¡°Boss, I trust you have been well since we last met.¡± Mister Yuan wore a dark blue cloth robe and looked very refined.


    He didn¡¯t look like a restaurant manager at a glance, but rather like a court official.


    ¡°Mister Yuan, how did you get in?¡± Su Yu was surprised.


    Although Mister Yuan was a guest from Zhao¡¯s Wangfu he was still a commoner, it was impossible for him to enter the palace casually.


    ¡°Boss forgot to take away the dividends last time.¡± Mister Yuan avoided the subject and took out a wooden box containing the fragments of the silver dividends and also several pieces of paper full of words and red seals.


    ¡°And the farm in the countryside has also been set up. This is the land deed.¡±


    Su Yu took a look at the land deed, it was a hamlet in the eastern suburbs. The area was not large, but it was all fertile land and surprisingly there was also a pond included.


    ¡°Many thanks, Mister.¡±


    ¡°Niangniang is polite.¡± Mister Yuan answered quickly, with a very different attitude from before.


    ¡°The farm needs to grow chili peppers, if it¡¯s difficult for Niangniang to find a domestic slave, it is better to leave it to this old man, ba¡±


    Su Yu looked at Mister Yuan in surprise. He had asked him to help him with this task before, and although he did not refuse the attitude was neither warm nor cold, so he was too embarrassed to bother him. What¡¯s the matter with being so eager now?


    ¡°You are His Royal Highness King Zhao¡¯s guest and you have a busy schedule, I can¡¯t bother you to always run around for this matter of mine.¡±


    Mister Yuan smiled bitterly when he heard that.


    ¡°Truth be told, the Lord has already ordered that in the future all the affairs of Niangniang outside the palace will be entrusted to the rotten old man. If you have anything on your mind in the future, just instruct me. This rotten old man can go into the palace often.¡± Then he showed Su Yu his newly acquired palace entrance token.


    ¡°Why is Your Highness so¡­¡± Su Yu frowned. King Zhao treated him so well that it was beyond his acceptable range.


    ¡°Niangninag, don¡¯t misunderstand me, my Lord it¡¯s not King Zhao. ¡± Seeing Su Yu¡¯s face changing, Mister Yuan had no choice but to get to the bottom of it.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Su Yu asked. As a guest of King Zhao¡¯s Wangfu, surprisingly he was actually not King Zhao''s person.


    ¡°In any case, he won¡¯t harm you.¡± Mister Yuan said vaguely.


    ¡°I heard that Niangniang wants to open a new storefront, what are the rules?¡±


    Su Yu looked at Mister Yuan suspiciously for a long time. Seeing that he didn¡¯t dare to say anything more, he stopped asking.


    He knew that Mister Yuan was very capable, it was not easy to go out of the palace by himself, and it would be much easier to have such a person as a middleman. As for who is the person behind him¡­


    There¡¯s no need to be so mysterious, okay? Who else but the Emperor can get Mister Yuan into the palace casually and let Wang Gonggong act as a guide!


    Su Yu was speechless, these people were so secretive, did they take him for a fool?


    Since His Majesty gave him the man it would be a waste not to use him, Su Yu discussed his ideas with Mister Yuan in detail. He wanted to turn Xianmantang into a fast-food restaurant similar to Mcdonald''s.


    Each restaurant made the same dishes, his apprentices could also pass them from one to another as long as the ingredients were in his hands. As for the high-end seafood restaurant, since he can¡¯t get out of the palace, he can¡¯t open it for the time being.


    The idea was there, as for the specific plan, he as a cook couldn¡¯t think of it thoroughly. Mister Yuan patted his chest and promised that he would give him a complete plan within seven days.


    At noon, Su Yu took a nap in Yexiao Palace.


    The curtain was lightly closed, and the smoke rose in spirals in the incense burner. A fine hand gently held a silver spoon and put half a spoonful of the expense agarwood into the censer.

 CH 50

    As soon as the top-quality incense was put into the censer, an extremely strong fragrance wafted away in an instant, filling the whole room.


    Su Yu, who was sleeping, did not know that a conspiracy was drawing close.


    Yuluan Palace, main hall.


    ¡°Niangniang, isn¡¯t this too risky?¡± The eldest palace maid next to Lu Guifei, that is, her dowry maid, Yulan, said worriedly.


    Lu Guifei looked at her long fingernails, which had just been painted, and gave a sneering laugh.


    ¡°Whether it is successful or not has nothing to do with Bengong. What are you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°Ye Yuan was the one Niangniang worked so hard to get into Yexiao Palace, it would be a pity if she got wasted like this.¡± Yulan was still uneasy.


    It was not easy to insert a pawn, what¡¯s more, what Ye Yuan was doing was punishable by death, letting her inevitably feel sad.


    ¡°If it was not to use the concealed pawn, Bengong concealed her for what. ¡± Lu Guifei glared at the unpromising dowry yatou.


    ¡°Go outside the door and listen. Report any news immediately.¡±


    After sending away the long-winded Yulan, Lu Guifei took a sip of tea and leaned comfortably on the imperial couch, quietly waiting for the good news.


    If today is successful, the fish seller will die without a burial place; If not, she can get rid of that girl who acted heedless of consequences and maybe even drag the whole Marquis Changchun Residence.


    Two days ago, the palace was under martial law. Cen Cairen listened to her father and brother and sent a gift back to Su Yu. She was stopped by the guards on the palace road, so then she turned around and left. When she returned to Chunhua Palace, the eunuch nearby said that it had a way of sending it out.


    Cen Cairen, who was unwilling to worry about this, did not doubt him and handed the wooden box to the eunuch.


    After that, it was not known whether the red sandalwood box sent to Yexiao Palace was the one Cen Cairen gave.


    Yexiao Palace


    Ye Yuan lit the agarwood, then quietly retreated and stood in the side room of the side hall waiting for the fragrance to disperse.


    The agarwood was prepared with extra ingredients, it was not easy to get poison in the palace and Lu Guifei also wouldn¡¯t dare to use it. This fragrance is not fatal, it just makes people sleep more deeply.


    What she had to do was to take off her clothes and lie beside Su Yu when he was unconscious, that¡¯s all.


    The incense was sent by Cen Cairen, the maid was handpicked by Yang Gonggong himself, and Yang Gonggong was appointed by Wang Gonggong. From beginning to end, it had nothing to do with Lu Guifei.


    Ye Yuan clasped her trembling hands. The life of her family members was in Lu Family¡¯s hands, she had to act as Lu Guifei said. According to Lu Guifei¡¯s plan, if she wanted to kill Su Yu, she had to take her life as well.


    No one wants to die, and Ye Yuan was no exception, but this time, everywhere was a dead end, so she just wanted a quick death.


    The scheme was flawless for Lu Guifei, but it was full of holes for Ye Yuan. If Su Yu wakes up and denies it, and then if they investigate the agarwood, she would surely be cruelly tortured and questioned. Rather than that, it would be better to¡­


    Therefore, she added another medicine to the agarwood. As long as Su Yu was moved, she would really have something with him, and then she would look like she was humiliated and kill herself by crashing into a pillar, then Su Yu would be unable to argue.


    Thinking about Su Yu¡¯s handsome face with a warm and light smile, Ye Yuan gritted her teeth. This kind of death, it¡¯s worth it.


    And at this extremely dangerous moment, His Majesty the Emperor was enjoying the afternoon sun on the roof of Beiji Palace.


    Summer has passed, and now the sun was no longer burning, but warm. The golden kitten lay lazily on the northern golden glazed tiles, almost blending in with the roof.


    The warm sunlight baked the golden fur until it became soft and loose, taking away the dampness of the palace, and leaving only the smell of warm sunshine.


    The fur on his back was almost dry, so His Majesty turned over, exposing his belly with white fluffy fur, and he flicked his tail pleasantly. The originally flattened fluff puffed up slowly in the sun, gently swaying in the breeze, just like a fine velvet blanket.


    If Su Yu were here, even at the risk of being scratched in the face, he would certainly bury his face in it. It was the so-called, dying on the furry belly, one would be accomplished even as a ghost.


    A little sleepy from the sun, His Majesty yawned and looked at the streaming clouds in the sky. The white clouds gathered together and made seemingly threatening gestures, reminding him of the baked lobster that he ate at noon.


    It was a foot-long lobster, which was baked crispy on the outside and tender on the inside by Su Yu. The hard shell of the lobster was cut open and sprinkled with spices, and then he carefreely ate it directly with his hands, it was very tasty.


    After licking his paws, there still remained the taste of the seasonings on them, and His Majesty suddenly couldn¡¯t sleep.


    Rolling over and jumping up to the roof ridge, he stood on the beast statue in the center.


    The beast statue in the center of the ridge was used to bring peace to the house and suppress evil spirits. The roof of Beiji Palace was too high, so no one could see the appearance of the beast statue on the roof, and no one knows it was actually a statue of Taizu.


    He looked askance at the ¡°Taizu¡± who was a circle larger than himself, the golden statue was crouching with a deep expression, looking into the distance.


    Learn the posture of Taizu and look into the distance, that was what every Emperor in Da¡¯an Dynasty should do regularly, and also feel the imposing manner of his ancestors by Taizu¡¯s side.


    The golden glazed tiles were endless, and the amber cat¡¯s eyes accurately found the roof of Yexiao Palace. At noon, Su Yu asked the Emperor for Sauce and said that he should be taken out to bask in the sun on such a fine day.


    Naturally, he couldn¡¯t find a second Emperor to play with Su Yu, so he could only say that he couldn¡¯t find it at the moment.


    Hmm, I don¡¯t know what that Stupid Slave is doing right now¡­


    His head itched a little so he rubbed against ¡°Taizu¡±. His Majesty, who couldn¡¯t sleep, decided to visit Yexiao Palace and ask the Stupid Slave to scratch him along the way.


    Walking along the ridge to the edge, he jumped lightly onto the big tree next to the bed-chambers, and weaving back and forth between the trees, he easily jumped onto the roof of the Western Palace.


    No one knew that there was a secret passage between the Beiji Palace and Yexiao Palace. Between the roof ridges, there was a finger-wide glass bridge connecting them. As long as you were a cat, you could easily pass through it, encountering little resistance.


    However, the Emperor jumped onto the roof of the main hall of Yexiao Palace and stripped the tiles on the roof, wanting to have a look at Su Yu.


    But to no avail, because the roof had been put together perfectly, and the soft furry paws couldn¡¯t move it the slightest bit, so he had to stop. Jumping off the roof, he poked his head in through the window and went in.


    The chambers were silent, and the curtains on the bed were gently closed. You could vaguely see Su Yu sleeping soundly.


    His Majesty shook his tail and glanced at the white next that peeked out, and staring at those lips that were rosy from sleeping, he licked the corners of his mouth.


    Jumping into the bedroom, a white light flashed, and the Emperor, wearing a white long-sleeved cheongsam, appeared out of nowhere. There was a slight smile on his lips and he walked towards the bed.


    The closer one gets to the bed, the stronger the smell of agarwood becomes. The smile on An Hongche¡¯s lips suddenly disappeared and he gradually frowned his brows.


    ¡°Ahchoo!¡±


    The strong scent made the sensitive cat''s nose very uncomfortable.


    ¡°Ahchoo, Ahchoo¡­¡± His Majesty sneezed several times in a row, waking up Su Yu who was fast asleep.


    ¡°Hmm, Your Majesty?¡± Su Yu was startled and looked left and right. In this empty hall, the door was bolted from the inside, how did the Emperor get in?


    ¡°Ahchoo, wretched thing, what the hell did you light!¡± An Hongche was so angry that he lifted the incense burner on the table and picked up the tea water on the table to put out the burning incense.


    Ye Yuan, who was hiding in the side room, immediately turned ashen when she heard the voice of somebody coming in.


    In Chunhua Palace, Cen Cairen did not know that a catastrophe was about to arrive.


    On the palace road where the summons was sent, an unknown number of eunuchs and palace maids were standing in waiting.


    In Yuluan Palace, Lu Guifei was still looking forward to it.


    ¡­A complex palace struggle, was killed by the cat¡¯s nose¡­


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Yuluan -> Jade Luan


    yatou -> servant girl


    die without a burial place -> come to a bad end


    Taizu -> the first founder of the dynasty

 CH 51

    Chapter 51 - Thorough Investigation


    Only then did Su Yu find that the room''s smell was very different from usual. As a cook, he could still distinguish the scent of incense, and he knew it was not the ordinary kind of agarwood incense.


    Su Yu was still sleepy, yawning, he squinted his eyes and wanted to fall asleep again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sleep!¡± An Hongche saw Su Yu¡¯s strange state and walked to the bed in two to three steps. Holding the half-sitting Su Yu in his arms, he grabbed his wrist to check.


    Su Yu buried his face in the Emperor¡¯s waist and yawned again. The rich scent of sunshine dispelled the pellicular odor in his nose, making him feel much more comfortable, he couldn¡¯t help rubbing against him more.


    The Emperor¡¯s clothes were incredibly soft, unlike silk or soft cloth, they seemed to be woven from very fine fur, and it was very comfortable to rub against.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± An Hongche felt ticklish by the rubbing and reached out his hand to push Su Yu¡¯s head.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Su Yu felt a little hot. In fact, the Emperor¡¯s body was still carrying the temperature of the sunshine, but it made him feel strangely cool when rubbing against him.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little reluctant to leave, he stared greedily at the Emperor¡¯s broad chest and swallowed his saliva.


    ¡°Wretched thing!¡± His Majesty lowered his head and looked into Su Yu¡¯s eyes.


    Those warm eyes glistened because of the yawning and were looking at him with a kind of unspeakable desire. Cupping Su Yu¡¯s chin with one hand, he looked closer at his face and frowned.


    ¡°Why are you looking at Zhen like this?¡±


    The voice that was as clear as a cold spring echoed in his ear, speaking in measured tones, which was very pleasant to the ear. Su Yu¡¯s breath suddenly sharpened a bit, and his body also responded accordingly. He secretly thought that it was bad and immediately blushed.


    ¡°Why are you blushing?¡± An Hongche looked and him with a raised eyebrow, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little proud. This stupid slave really admired him too much.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s somewhat hot.¡± Su Yu opened his eyes and didn¡¯t dare to look at it again. The Emperor¡¯s appearance is really too attractive, it¡¯s better to not be disrespectful so as to avoid losing face.


    Hearing Su Yu¡¯s words, His Majesty also felt a little hot, presuming that it was because of running all the way here, he rolled up his sleeves, revealing the golden lining inside.


    Su Yu tried to divert his attention and changed his sight to the Emperor¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Your Majesty, your clothes¡­¡± These clothes were really striking, the inside was yellow and the outside was white, he somewhat felt that he was wearing them backward.


    ¡°What?¡± Just now, Su Yu interrupted his investigation, so His Majesty grabbed Su Yu¡¯s wrist again. The soft sleeves couldn¡¯t be rolled up, so they slipped down by themselves.


    Su Yu reached out and touched it, and it felt especially nice.


    ¡°This material is really good.¡±


    ¡°This is the only one in the whole country.¡± An Hongche answered casually.


    He then immediately wrinkled his eyebrows, touching Su Yu¡¯s arm back and forth, and then reached out to touch his neck.


    ¡°Why are you so hot?¡±


    ¡°Wu¡­¡± Su Yu gave out a muffled grunt and shrank back. His breath once again became short because of the Emperor¡¯s sudden touch.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± The hidden desire in that voice moved the Emperor¡¯s heart.


    Looking at Su Yu¡¯s awkward posture, he immediately understood and knelt on one knee beside the bed. He propped his hands on the head of the bed and put Su Yu between his arms.


    ¡°Stupid slave, aren¡¯t you in heat for Zhen, ba?¡±


    ¡°How, how could it be¡­¡± Su Yu almost choked on his saliva. The Emperor¡¯s words were too crude!


    ¡°Hmph.¡± His Majesty the Emperor snorted and raised his hand to lift Su Yu¡¯s quilt.


    Su Yu cried out in alarm, grabbed the corner of the quilt, and pressed down with all his strength. An Hongche flexibly turned his wrist and put his hand under the quilt.


    Su Yu hurriedly curled up his legs, grabbed the blanket desperately, and pulled it back. His Majesty wouldn¡¯t let him succeed, so he grabbed the lining inside the quilt and flipped it over, and the wide blanket was lifted off instantly, leaving only the corner in Su Yu¡¯s hand as a pitiful decoration.


    ¡°...¡° Su Yu froze, clutching the corner of the quilt in a daze.


    An Hongche aimed his gaze between his legs and smiled smugly.


    ¡°Zhen knew you liked Zhen so much, and you still don¡¯t admit it.¡±


    When Su Yu reacted his whole person flushed red. Looking at the Emperor who suddenly became a rouge with his head smoking, suddenly evil rose up from his guts and he reached out to touch the Emperor.


    ¡°Still talking about me, is not Your Majesty the same!¡±


    The Emperor stiffened for a moment, then with one hand he grabbed Su Yu¡¯s fumbling hand and pushed him strongly, pressing his hands above his head, he climbed up after him and pinned the man between his legs.


    ¡°Wretched thing, you are so lawless now, Zhen really should teach you the family laws.¡±


    ¡°Boom!¡± At this time, the door of the bed-chambers was suddenly pushed open and several imperial guards rushed in, shouting without looking.


    ¡°How bold, how dare you fornicate in the harem¡­¡±


    Halfway through the lines, the lead guard suddenly choked up. He seemed to have seen a ghost and the hand pointing forward began to shiver uncontrollably.


    Still, in their sight, the curtains on the wide bed were in disarray, the quilt was thrown to the ground and the Emperor, who was wearing a thin shirt, was holding Xian Fei under his body, while Xian Fei was struggling with blushing cheeks.


    Yang Gonggong and the eunuch of Yexiao Palace, who came half a step slower, ran in and became stiff as well.


    The scene was a little awkward for a moment.


    ¡°Disgraceful things, what are you looking at!¡± An Hongche, with sharp eyes and agile hands, quickly pulled the quilt and covered Su Yu from head to toe.


    Su Yu was so embarrassed at the moment that he just followed the Emperor¡¯s wishes and simply buried his whole person under the quilt and pretended to be an ostrich.


    ¡°Your Majesty please forgive me!¡± Several people reacted and kneeled on the ground with a plop, the head guard repeatedly banged his head on the ground and asked for forgiveness. They could not wait to bury their heads in the cracks of the floor tiles.


    His Majesty laughed grimly, how could he still not see what was going on. Glancing at Su Yu, who was tightly wrapped, he walked slowly to the crowd.


    ¡°This is the first time Zhen heard that favoring an imperial concubine is also considered adultery in the harem. ¡±


    The cold voice was full of murderous intent without a trace of warmth.


    ¡°Reporting to the Emperor, these people said that there was an assassin in the palace, so they demanded to break in no matter what.¡± Yang Gonggong was scared out of his wits and hurried to pick himself up.


    At the moment, there was no time to think about why the Emperor suddenly appeared in Yexiao Palace, it was clear that he had been guarding outside the door, but he didn¡¯t see half a figure.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the hall door bolted?¡± Su Yu drilled half his head out and glanced at the wide-open hall door. Before going to bed, he specifically instructed Ye Yuan to close the door tightly so that he could sleep soundly.


    An Hongche narrowed his eyes and put his hands behind him.


    ¡°Summon the Imperial Army to seal off Yexiao Palace. Not a single bird is allowed to go out!¡±


    Soon, the Imperial Army encased in armor surrounded Yexiao Palace and the atmosphere in the palace suddenly became tense. The imperial physician was urgently called to take the pulse of the Xian Fei and all the eunuch and palace maids were gathered in the front hall.


    Only the physician and the Emperor were allowed to enter the bed-chambers, no one else was allowed to enter.


    ¡°Niangniang, something big has happened!¡± Yulan stumbled in.


    ¡°The Imperial Army surrounded Yexiao Palace!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lu Guifei sat up with a start, her eyes full showed she was pleasantly surprised.


    ¡°Unexpectedly, it alarmed the Imperial Army!¡± She originally thought that it was enough to make the imperial guards make a disturbance and alarm the Emperor, but surprisingly even the Imperial Army was dispatched. It seems that His Majesty was very angry.


    ¡°Of course, His Majesty is furious!¡± Yuluan had become pale with fear.


    ¡°Those imperial guards were killed on the spot!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about!¡± Lu Guifei rose abruptly. Why kill the imperial guards, they had performed a meritorious service, why is this not as she expected?


    The Imperial Army sealed off Yexiao Palace and naturally blocked the news. Lu Guifei¡¯s people couldn¡¯t find out more. An hour later, the whole cause and effect has been investigated.


    His Majesty thunderously disposed of those guards that dared to look at Xian Fei, and then let someone carry Ye Yuan and the agarwood incense to be sent to Ci¡¯an Palace.


    ¡°Reporting to Empress Dowager, this agarwood can cause people to fall asleep, but it also can move a man¡¯s passion.¡± The imperial physician trembled and told the truth.


    ¡°Hmph, what a poisonous scheme!¡± The Empress Dowager looked at the red sandalwood box with an ice-cold expression.


    ¡°To do such a thing under Aijia¡¯s eyes, they are truly bold!¡±


    ¡°Yexiao Palace is not peaceful now, Zhen is going to let Xian Fei live in Beiji Palace.¡± The Emperor glanced at the angry Empress Dowager and said slowly.


    ¡°How can a concubine live in the Emperor¡¯s bedchamber?¡± The Empress Dowager frowned and looked at the Emperor helplessly.


    ¡°Aijia will make a thorough investigation of today and will not put Xian Fei in danger.¡±


    ¡°In the affairs of the harem, Muhou makes the decision, Zhen only needs Xian Fei.¡± An Hongche got up and left Ci¡¯an Palace, pulling the bewildered Su Yu.


    The eunuchs and palace maids in Ci¡¯an Palace bowed their heads and didn¡¯t dare to say a word. The mother and son of the Heavenly family quarreled because of a demoness concubine.


    The Empress Dowager rubbed her forehead.


    ¡°One after another, all aren¡¯t worry-free.¡±


    ¡°Empress Dowager, please calm down. You are not unfamiliar with the Emperor¡¯s temper.¡± Lin Gugu was quick to mollify her.


    ¡°The top priority is to find out the matter about the agarwood.¡±


    The Empress Dowager nodded her head and issued imperial decrees in succession.


    Some people intended to frame Xian Fei and colluded with the internal guards to commit treason and other conspiracies. Except for the victim Su Yu, all the others concubines were summoned to Ci¡¯an Palace.


    Lu Guifei was very upset, and a few of the concubines involved were also in a state of fear.


    The cause of everything lay on that box of agarwood. When Cen Cairen saw the red sandalwood box, she was immediately stunned.


    ¡°Empress Dowager, the agarwood sent from this concubine¡¯s home is definitely not poisonous!¡±


    ¡°So, this matter is also related to the Marquis Changchun¡¯s Residence?¡± De Fei hit someone while he was down.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± Cen Cairen shrieked.


    The sequence of events was very simple, and the trail was broken at the moment when Cen Cairen handed over the agarwood to the eunuch. The eunuch jumped into a well and killed himself and dead men tell no tales.


    ¡°Agarwood is only available at Marquis Changchun¡¯s Residence, and there are not a few people who have agarwood incense in the palace.¡± At this critical moment, Cen Xiaojie who was not very bright suddenly turned smart.


    The concubines suddenly became nervous again. This kind of thing is not rare, so it¡¯s not easy to find the source. Lu Guifei comforted herself in her heart that ordinary people can¡¯t recognize the difference between agarwood incense.


    ¡°Reporting to the Empress Dowager, King Zhao asks for an audience.¡± At this time, His Highness King Zhao, who was summoned, arrived.


    The concubines retreated behind the screen, and the Empress Dowager greeted His Highness King Zhao with a smile.


    ¡°Wangye is a master of differencing incense, the matter about the agarwood incense, Aijia will find out the truth today!¡±


    When did I become a master of differencing incense?


    His Highness King Zhao, who didn¡¯t know why, finally understood why did his Muhou summon him when he saw the incense box put out by the palace maids, and his chubby face suddenly crumbled into a ball.


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    <Mama is Also Unreliable Report>


    Younger Brother: Mama, why did you ask for me here?


    Empress Dowager: It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s cold and Aijia needs a hand warmer (reaches out and hugs)


    Younger Brother: QAQ


    Younger Brother: Mama, what did you summon me for?


    Empress Dowager: The highest imperial concubine gave me a small box of incense, come and sniff if there¡¯s musk incense.(TL_Note: Musk incense is bad for cats)


    Younger Brother: Ahchoo, there¡¯s musk incense.


    Empress Dowager: Hmph, daring to scheme against Aijia.


    Younger Brother: Muhou, Father Emperor is gone, why are you worried about being sterilized?


    Empress Dowager: That¡¯s right, come, come and warm Muhou hands again.


    Younger Brother: QAQ


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Muhou -> mother/ the queen address by princes/princesses

 CH 52

    His Majesty dragged Su Yu out of Ci¡¯an Palace and looked at the time. It was time for Su Yu to go to Anguo Tower to pay respects. At his side, An Hongche also had to practice martial arts, so they went together.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager just summoned King Zhao to enter the palace and Wangye sent someone to pass on a message that he can¡¯t go practice martial arts today.¡± Wang Gonggong came close and reported.


    The Emperor frowned and said.


    ¡°Then we won¡¯t go either.¡± His younger brother was not there, so he won¡¯t have anything to play with when he gets bored with his martial art practice.


    ¡°The State Teacher is going to take an examination today, don¡¯t you have to go, ba?¡± Su Yu blinked.


    In fact, he was curious whether the State Teacher had really been beaten by the Emperor yesterday or whether the fond-of-face Emperor was bragging.


    An Hongche glanced at him, the agarwood incense would make people drowsy, and Su Yu was still sleepy at the moment, yawning from time to time.


    ¡°The imperial physician said that you should rest.¡±


    ¡°Then at least let¡¯s go an take a leave of absence, ba.¡± Su Yu couldn¡¯t help it, he was indeed a little sleepy, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    Yesterday, he understood a lot of the <Fish Killing Heart Law> under the guidance of the Emperor, and today he can go confirm one or two things. If correct, he can start to study seriously. As a cook, he also has the ambition of becoming the best chef in the world.


    The two didn¡¯t take a palanquin along the way, and hand in hand, they went to Anguo Tower.


    When they came out of Ci¡¯an Palace, their hands never separated. The Emperor clutched his hand and Su Yu was also reluctant to let go.


    The Emperor¡¯s hands were big and strong, but the palm and fingertips were very soft, warm, and very comfortable to hold. The feeling of skin-to-skin contact made his heart beat faster. He didn¡¯t pay attention to the scenery along the way, all his attention was on their hands.


    Su Yu finally understood why those couples would hold hands and go on evening strolls, because holding the hand of the person they like is a kind of enjoyment itself.


    Time suddenly passed in a flash, it was clearly a long way off, but they soon arrived. So much when he walked to the gate of Anguo Tower, he had not yet reacted.


    ¡°This is it?¡±


    His Majesty glanced at him and said. ¡°Do you resent that it¡¯s too close after almost half an hour of walking?¡±


    ¡°...Is, is that so?¡± Su Yu was a little embarrassed, he had been walking for half an hour?


    ¡°Stupid slave.¡± An Hongche sneered, then pulled the foolish stupid slave and walked in. He didn¡¯t even ask for permission and went straight upstairs.


    The State Teacher was not on the second floor, so the Emperor took Su Yu and went up.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Chen can¡¯t go up, right?¡± Su Yu tilted his head.


    Although he was curious about what was on it, he clearly remembered that it was written in the law that people outside the royal family could not step above the second floor of the Anguo Tower.


    ¡° You already reached the second floor, and the third floor is certainly within reach.¡± His Majesty said carelessly.


    ¡°Just need to report, there no need to alarm.¡±


    ¡°How to report?¡± Su Yu looked around, the servants in Anguo Tower can¡¯t even go up to the second floor, and there¡¯s only royalty on the third floor and above, so who would report to them?


    His Majesty didn¡¯t answer, he just looked up at shouted aloud to the upper floor.


    ¡°Imperial Uncle, Zhen¡¯s going up with Su Yu!¡± Then he pulled Su Yu up.


    Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened. This kind of report is really¡­ out of tune with the style of Anguo Tower.


    The third floor was a library, with bookshelves on all eight walls, and the floor was covered with thick plain cushions. If there¡¯s a sunny afternoon, holding a book here and sitting on the ground, would be very pleasant.


    The State Teacher was leaning against a window, leafing through a book at will. He didn¡¯t even look up when he heard the two men coming.


    ¡°Where is Hongyi?¡±


    ¡°He was summoned by Muhou.¡± His Majesty pulled Su Yu and sat down on a soft cushion.


    ¡°Something happened in the palace today, so Zhen came to take a leave of absence with Xian Fei.¡±


    Only then did the State Teacher slowly raise a pair of beautiful eyes and looked at Su Yu.


    ¡°Have you inhaled tranquilizing incense?¡±


    Su Yu looked at the Emperor in surprise, how did the State Teacher see it?


    The Emperor seemed not to be surprised at all.


    ¡°His body is too weak to study today, we will leave first.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty wants to be lazy, don¡¯t drag others¡± The State Teacher put down his book and looked between the two with a chilly gaze, and finally fixed on the clasped hands.


    Su Yu then realized that the two were still holding hands, he felt a little embarrassed and pulled his hand back into his sleeve.


    ¡°Hmph, how can Zhen be lazy?¡± An Hongche said discontentedly.


    ¡°Zhen¡¯s worried that Imperial Uncle is getting old and is unable to bear the strain of doing this for days on end.¡±


    The State Teacher stared at the Emperor quietly and His Majesty also looked back quietly.


    Su Yu turned his head to look at the two men. They looked at each other in silence, but it made people feel like they were going to fight the next moment. He quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°Yesterday, Chen consulted the Emperor about the use of Inner Qi. Chen roughly knows the use of Inner Qi, however, Chen has already missed the age to learn Inner Force. Chen wonders whether he can still learn this heart law.¡±


    ¡°No harm.¡± The State Teacher waved his hand.


    ¡°This State Teacher has his own means to let you use Inner Qi.¡± Then, without asking anything, he just instructed Su Yu to memorize the book and take the examination tomorrow, then he drove him out, saying that he had something important to discuss with the Emperor.


    ¡°Me, memorize¡­¡± Su Yu swallowed his saliva. Although the book was not thick, it was still a whole book! Leaving the Anguo Tower step by step turning back every three steps, at that moment, he really believed that the Emperor fought with the State Teacher yesterday. He just didn¡¯t know whether the His Majesty will be injured today.


    ¡°Niangniang, let¡¯s go back first.¡± Wang Gonggong didn¡¯t seem to worry about the safety of the Emperor at all. Smiling, he led Su Yu back to Beiji Palace.


    ¡°Gonggong, isn¡¯t it inappropriate for me to live in Beiji Palace?¡± Su Yu felt a bit embarrassed, he was not at ease living in Yexiao Palace at this time.


    Who knew which eunuch will drug him again, but it was even more inappropriate to live in the Emperor¡¯s bedchamber. Tomorrow, the imperial censor should knock against the pillar.


    ¡°It¡¯s not even night yet and Yexiao Palace is still in chaos. Niangniang should rest in Beiji Palace first and we¡¯ll talk about it later in the evening.¡± Wang Gonggong hastened to persuade.


    The eunuchs and palace maids of Yexiao Palace were all locked up now, waiting for the Empress Dowager to deal with the offenders. Even if Su Yu returned he won¡¯t be about to stay because there was no one to serve. And as a male Fei, he can¡¯t drop in to temporarily stay with the other concubines.


    It actually made sense to live temporarily in the Emperor¡¯s bedchamber. Did he not see that the Empress Dowager also did not oppose it?


    His Highness King Zhao was summoned by his Muhou to identify the incense and kept sneezing with a bitter face.


    The concubines behind the screen couldn¡¯t what was happening in front of them, and hearing the sneeze after sneeze of King Zhao they felt their hearts jumping.


    ¡°Ahchoo, this one is similar to this one, it¡¯s¡­Ahchoo¡­¡± King Zhao pointed at the two boxes and looked pitifully at his Muhou.


    The Empress Dowager hastily asked someone to bring clean water to clean King Zhao¡¯s face, and he personally wiped his chubby face with a handkerchief.


    ¡°Aijia''s son is tired, go and have a rest, ba. Muhou told your elder brother that you''re not going practice martial arts today, so go and play, ba.¡±


    King Zhao heard that there was no need to practice martial arts and his wrinkled face immediately smoothed out.


    ¡°Thanking Muhou, ahchoo¡­¡±


    The room was filled with the smell of incense and it was unbearable to stay a little longer. His Highness King Zhao saluted his Muhou and ran away with the wind at his feet.


    Lin Gugu couldn¡¯t help laughing when she looked at King Zhao¡¯s back and whispered in the Empress Dowager¡¯s ear.


    ¡°His Highness''s body is a lot lighter after practicing martial arts with the Emperor. ¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a slow runner by nature.¡± The Empress Dowager also chuckled, then she immediately put her smile away and said coldly.


    ¡°Come out.¡±


    The concubines each walked out with their brows lowered, not daring to say much.


    ¡°Who is involved in this matter today, Aijia already knows in her heart.¡± The Empress Dowager swept the crowd with a frosty look.


    ¡°If you admit it yourself, you may get lenient treatment, if you refuse to admit it, don¡¯t blame Aijia for being cruel!¡±


    ¡°Empress Dowager please calm one¡¯s anger!¡± The concubines knelt down one after another and didn¡¯t dare to raise their heads.


    His Highness King Zhao left the dreadful incense and ran quickly toward Beiji Palace. Today, he had committed such suffered such a great sin and it was all because of his elder brother. No matter what, he had to ask for some benefits.


    So when Su Yu opened the door of the bedchamber of Beiji Palace, he saw a small yellow and white furball hugging a few small fish cakes and eating happily.


    At the Emperor¡¯s request, Su Yu made a lot of seafood snacks and sent them to Beiji Palace. There are always small fish pastries, crab sticks, and the like on the small table, you could eat one wherever you go.


    ¡°Little Fatty!¡± Su Yu walked over happily and patted the head of the little furball.


    His Highness King Zhao was too late to run away because he was holding a small fish cake and he was touched by Su Yu.


    The fur on his body suddenly exploded and he jumped off the small table with the fish cake in his mouth, falling over and breaking the small fish cake.


    Su Yu doesn¡¯t know what he did, he thinks he had always been very friendly to cats, so he doesn¡¯t know why the little chubby ball runs when he sees him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, come here and I¡¯ll give you something delicious.¡± Su Yu teased him with a crab stick.


    The little chubby cat shrank back and stared at Su Yu warily.


    When the Emperor returned to Beiji Palace, he saw Su Yu sitting on a cushion, holding the <Fish Killing Heart Law> with one hand and feeding the cat with a crab stick with the other hand.


    His stupid younger brother was chewing the crab stick while staring at Su Yu¡¯s hand, afraid that he would suddenly reach out to take advantage of him.


    ¡°This little guy still won¡¯t let me touch it.¡± Su Yu said somewhat aggrieved.


    His Majesty¡¯s frown relaxed, and he walked over to sit new to Su Yu in two to three steps. He picked up the little chubby ball and rubbed it vigorously.


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    Little Fish: Your Majesty, this small chubby cat won¡¯t let me touch it


    Younger Brother: QAQ Xiaoshu, It¡¯s wrong to be frivolous


    Little Fish: Your Majesty, these two big tabby cats also won¡¯t let me touch them


    Thirteenth Uncle & Seventeenth Uncle:¡Ñ©n¡Ñ Slighting the old uncles is also wrong


    Little Fish: Your Majesty, can you let me touch this beautiful white cat?


    State Teacher: (silently flashing his claws)


    Little Fish: ¡­Forget it, hahaha

 CH 53

    Chapter 53 - Bewitching Fei


    Su Yu watched jealously as the Emperor patted the little fat ball and the little guy didn¡¯t resist at all. He looked like he was being trampled by the Emperor.


    ¡°Why is he so obedient in your hands?¡±


    ¡°Zhen is the Son of Heaven.¡± An Hongche said smugly.


    Is there a relationship between the two? Su Yu rolled his eyes and reached out to try to touch the little chubby cat secretly, but the Emperor immediately moved his hand away and did not let him touch it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe it?¡± An Hongche naturally saw Su Yu¡¯s contemptuous look.


    He raised his eyebrows, put the kitten in his hand on his lap, and stretched out a finger.


    ¡°Raise your paw!¡±


    His younger brother looked up helplessly at his elder brother, and slowly stretched out a paw and placed it on the finger extended by His Majesty the Emperor.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Su Yu looked at the Emperor admiringly.


    ¡°Such a small cat is actually willing to obey!¡± The Emperor was very receptive to Su Yu¡¯s worship and redoubled his efforts.


    ¡°Change to the left paw.¡±


    The kitten stiffened for a moment and stared at his elder brother with a bitter face. ¡°Brother, can cats understand left and right?¡±


    ¡°Cough.¡± An Hongche gave a dry cough and glared at his younger brother, signaling to stop being wordy.


    His Majesty King Zhao had to change his left paw to touch the Emperor¡¯s fingertip.


    ¡°Good boy!¡± Su Yu exclaimed. The cat can even distinguish left and right, it was almost catching up to Sauce.


    ¡°Roll over!¡± The Emperor nudged the furry head with his finger.


    His Royal Highness King Zhao glanced at his elder brother who was addicted to playing and faced his threatening look. The meaning was very clear. ¡°If you don¡¯t obey, I¡¯ll pull out your fur.¡±


    Slowly bowing his head, he rolled over in the same place, then looked angrily at his elder brother who was abusing his power for the sake of winning the smile of the beauty, this incapable ruler!


    ¡°Eh? Can it play dead?¡± Su Yu¡¯s eyes lit up. The kitten was so funny.


    ¡°Play dead?¡± His Majesty frowned. ¡°How can cat play dead?¡±


    ¡°It is¡­¡± Su Yu explained, it was to shape your hand like a pistol, and ¡°Pa¡± shoot the cat, and then let the cat lie down and pretend to be shot.


    An Hongche looked at his younger brother with his eyebrows raised, got it? Then he pointed his evil finger at his younger brother. ¡°Pa!¡±


    His Highness King Zhao froze for a moment, and fell to the ground with a ¡°plop¡±, glaring at Su Yu with resentment.


    Disregarding the suffering of his subjects and coming up with wild ideas, this Demon Fei!


    ¡°Good boy!¡± Su Yu was so excited that he took a small fish pastry and broke off a corner to feed it.


    The Demon Fei wants to bribe Benwang with food, Benwang¡­ Benwang is a man of character, that can bend and stretch¡­


    The kitten immediately opened its mouth and took the tasty fish pastry into its mouth. Hmm, it¡¯s so delicious.


    The two played in the hall until dusk when the Empress Dowager sent a message.


    The agarwood was originally an ordinary incense, but two drugs were added to it. The Empress Dowager asked King Zhao to identify the origin of these two drugs, and among them, the sleeping medicine was from Chen Zhaoyi¡¯s place, while the medicine that moved a man¡¯s passion unexpectedly appeared in Lu Guifei¡¯s palace.


    Chen Zhaoyi complained tearfully that because she often woke up at night, that was the tranquilizing incense given by the imperial physician.


    However, Cen Cairen lived in Chen Zhaoyi¡¯s Chunhua Palace, and the red sandalwood box was taken away by the eunuch in Chunhua Palace. If someone said it had nothing to do with Chen Zhaoyi, no one would believe it.


    ¡°Empress Dowager, this concubine is only a Zhaoyi. Even If Xian Fei is killed, His Majesty would not favor this concubine, ah!¡± Chen Zhaoyi broke down in tears.


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to say.¡± De Fei said coolly.


    ¡±A month ago, you were seen arguing with Cen Cairen in the Imperial Garden.¡±


    ¡°This concubine doesn¡¯t like Cen Cairen, but she is at least a member of this concubine¡¯s palace. If something happens to her, this concubine can¡¯t get away with it. How can a normal person do such a thing to the detriment of themselves?¡± Chen Zhaoyi gritted her teeth and secretly sneaked a glance at Lu Guifei.


    She quarreled with Cen Cairen in the Imperial Garden at that time, but in fact, it was at the behest of Lu Guifei.


    Because of Cen Cairen¡¯s flaunting temperament, many people knew that her family was connected with Su Yu. So, Lu Guifei instructed Chen Zhaoyi to teach her a lesson at a place where Su Yu passed, so as to win Su Yu¡¯s sympathy and let the two people more involved, then they would find a chance to catch him and her receiving each other privately and kill two birds with one stone.


    Who would have expected Su Yu to return the 1000 taels of silver to clear the relationship with her, Cen Cairen also unexpectedly agreed so the plot was killed at the cradle.


    De Fei raised it up at this moment, but on the contrary, it became evidence against Chen Zhaoyi. Chen Zhaoyi was about to break a silver tooth.


    Lu Guifei was now busy enough looking out for herself, she glared at Ye Yuan, who was tied into a dumpling, and her face turned white with anger.


    The drug was supposed to be a good stimulant for her to use when the Emperor turned over her nameplate one day. At that time, when Ye Yuan entered Yexiao Palace, she gave her some to let her find a chance to seduce Su Yu, but Su Yu never looked squarely at those palace maids, so she gave up on this idea.


    Who would have thought that this little hussy would add a dose of medicine to the seamless plan like drawing legs on a snake!


    Today, Lu Guifei and Chen Zhaoyi tried to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used to lure it. A lot of complex schemes were superimposed, but instead, they caused a lot of trouble.


    ¡°Empress Dowager, after such a big incident happened in the imperial harem, this concubine feels ashamed. Also hope that Empress Dowager removes this concubine position as Guifei.¡± Without making any excuses, Lu Guifei knelt on the ground with a plop and spoke in a tearful voice.


    The Empress Dowager idly looked at the cup in her hand and slowly said.¡±How many times has Aijia said that the Emperor¡¯s body is weak and can¡¯t stand all this, and told you to manage the imperial harem well, but you are good enough to use it first yourself.¡± Unhurriedly, like an ordinary aunt chatting with a niece, however, there was no trace of warmth in her voice.


    Lu Guifei was truly scared now. After so many years, she understood the Empress Dowager the best, ordinary trivial matters would be left to her, but once it hurts the Emperor, she will never leave the matter at that.


    ¡°The Empress Dowager removed the position of the Guifei and ordered Lu Shi to think about her mistakes behind closed doors and not to step a foot outside Yuluan Palace. Chen Zhaoui has been locked up and Ye Yuan has been put to death.¡± The little eunuch who passed on the message told the story of what happened in Ci¡¯an Palace in detail.


    ¡°The Empress Dowager said that this is how it is today, depending on Emperor¡¯s thoughts.¡±


    An Hongche frowned at the news, it was hard to understand the complicated means of the imperial harem.


    ¡°Go back to Muhou and say that Zhen knows.¡± The Empress Dowager meant that the handle had already been handed over to him.


    She was waiting to see what he would do in court before the Empress Dowager would think about how to take care of these imperial concubines.


    After the eunuch was sent away, Su Yuu remembered that it was time to cook a meal. The idle Emperor took his younger brother in his arms and followed him to the kitchen.


    The Emperor couldn¡¯t help in the kitchen, but fortunately, he didn¡¯t add to the chaos. He just walked around Su Yu and watched him cook curiously.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Su Yu was stir-frying when a warm body suddenly stuck to him from behind him, put his arms around his waist, and rested his chin naturally on his shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little tired.¡± His Majesty yawned, and the fatigue from fighting with the State Teacher in the afternoon emerged at this moment.


    ¡°Go back to sleep first, ba. I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯m done.¡± Su Yu was held by the Emperor and his heart beat faster. He was worried that he was going to spoil the stir-fry.


    ¡°Not going.¡± He rubbed his nose against Su Yu¡¯s neck willfully. His Majesty insisted on not letting go, while His Highness King Zhao, who was squeezed between his elder brother¡¯s chest and his sister-in-law¡¯s back, kept struggling to climb up.


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    <Your Majesty, Let¡¯s PLAY Incapable Ruler Record>


    Traveling the mortal world for a concubine¡¯s smile


    Meow Gong: Seventeenth Uncle an express delivery of a basket of kittens!


    Tricking the dukes with the fire beacon


    Meow Gong: Eat grilled fish on the roof today!


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Benwang -> this king


    bend and stretch -> adaptable to circumstances


    drawing legs on a snake -> to ruin the effect by adding sth superfluous / to overdo it


    tried to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used to lure it -> to try to gain an advantage only to end up worse off / to go for wool and come back shorn


    handle -> information that can be used against sb)


    Traveling the mortal world for a concubine¡¯s smile -> Yang Yuhuan ¨C or Yang Guifei, as she was also known ¨C was the best-loved concubine of Emperor Xuan Zhong, whose reign of 43 years between 713 and 756AD was the longest of China¡¯s Tang dynasty. Yang was one of the ¡®Four Beauties of ancient China¡¯ and is famous for her love for the Emperor. She is perhaps less known, however, for her love for the lychee, her favourite fruit. She adored it so much that the Emperor had couriers ride night and day to bring her the sweet treat from Guangdong, some 1,900 kilometers away from her home in the capital.)


    Tricking the dukes with the fire beacon -> On the Great Wall, around every 3-5 km , you can see a beacon tower. It was a device used for military alarms. When there was a danger of invasion, the fire would be lightened on the tower to send alarming messages. In Chinese history, there is a widely-known story related to the beacon tower. It is about a king tricking his marquesses with beacon fires.


    King You, the last king of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC - 771 BC), was a foolish and self-indulgent ruler so addicted to beautiful ladies. He seldom handled the national affairs, but only asked his marquesses to search for top beauties in the whole state for him. Once someone persuaded him to care more about the affairs of the state but was dismissed by the fatuous king. A marquess called Bao Xiang proposed the same and was sent to jail.


    In order to save his father, Bao Xiang¡¯s son offered King You a very beautiful young lady named Bao Si, gaining the king¡¯s great satisfaction. He was attracted by Bao Si and stayed with her all day long. However, the beautiful lady never smiled after she was brought to the palace. No matter how hard the king entertained her, she never gave a single smile, which made King You quite frustrated.


    Knowing what was troubling the king, a minister named Guo Shifu came up with an idea. He suggested to the king, ¡°The beacon towers built before on Mt. Lishan to send alarm messages no longer have any use in such a peaceful age. However, you can use this to gather marquesses in a very short time. Only if you lighten the alarming fire of the beacon towers, they will hurry to save you. Afterward, you can just tell them that it is a joke and dismiss them then. Bao Si must be entertained by the reactions of the marquesses.¡± King You thought it reasonable and adopted the ¡°great¡± idea.


    As expected, the marquesses and soldiers assembled immediately and got prepared for the fight as soon as they saw the alarming fire lightened by their king. However, to their disappointment, they found there was no enemy invading at all. Then the king said that it was just a joke and there was no battle or danger. The marquesses and soldiers were so angry knowing they were teased but could say nothing. Seeing the scene, Bao Si was delighted with the response of the marquesses and burst into laughter for the first time.


    King You was glad to find the idea came into effect. He rewarded Guo Shifu with 1,000 liang (an ancient Chinese unit of measurement) gold, which left an idiom of Yixiao Qianjin in Chinese, meaning ¡°a smile costs 1,000 liang gold¡±. The king took advantage of his marquesses¡¯ trust and played the trick several times, making the soldiers and marquesses irritated. Later in 771 BC, the state was invaded by an ethnic group called Quanrong, and the capital was surrounded. King You hurried to lighten the alarming fire to gather his troops. Nonetheless, no one came to his rescue. Nobody believes the liar anymore. The Western Zhou Dynasty got finally demised.


    Orluros''s Vault of Secrets: Hi everyone, this time the extra was a little difficult to translate, so I had to ask for help from a fellow translator and research a little. What I found seemed interesting so that''s why the explanation this time is so long

 CH 54.1

    Chapter 54 - The Great Calamity


    His heart felt ticklish from the Emperor¡¯s little gesture, so Su Yu threw the seasoning into the pot, slightly tilted his head sideways, and quickly kissed that bright and clean forehead.


    His Majesty, who was rubbing vigorously, immediately froze. His Highness King Zhao, who finally climbed onto his elder brother¡¯s shoulder froze too.


    He hurriedly covered his eyes with his paws, but he forgot that he was a cat now, and the consequence of his two paws rising into the air was that his chubby body fell straight backwards.


    An Hongche caught his stupid younger brother who rolled off his shoulder, and with red ears, released the arms holding Su Yu.


    Wretched thing, doing this in front of his younger brother¡¯s face...Truly, truly indecent.


    After kissing the beauty, the dishes were also cooked. Su Yu gleefully picked up a shrimp from the pot, pinched it with two fingers, and held it to the Emperor¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Have a taste.¡±


    The freshly cooked shrimp that just came out of the pot was bright and steaming. It looked delicious, but eating in the kitchen was obviously not in line with royal etiquette. An Hongche frowned and hesitated a little.


    Su Yu thought he felt it was too hot, so he blew it.


    Hmm, since the stupid slave is so attentive, Zhen can¡¯t refuse to his face. Just eat one, ba.


    His Majesty didn¡¯t reach out either, he opened his mouth and bit at Su Yu¡¯s hand, then pasted himself to Su Yu¡¯s back, chewing on the shrimp with red ears.


    Seeing that the Emperor had no opinion on the taste of the dish, Su Yu took the pot and loaded the plate, then started to fire up the next dish.


    The Emperor¡¯s hand continued to circle around Su Yu¡¯s waist, and His Highness King Zhao, who was clutched in his brother¡¯s hands, was forced to appear in front of Su Yu¡¯s body.


    Looking at the smoky oil pan and the delicious food in the pan, he felt his belly rumbling with hunger and also scared witless.


    After dinner, the Emperor reclined idle on a soft couch, took his younger brother, and wiped the sweat from the meal on his head, then he hooked his finger at Su Yu.


    ¡°Stupid Slave, come here and rub medicine on Zhen.¡±


    ¡°Are you injured again?¡± Su Yu put down the <Fish Killing Heart Law> in his hand and sat down beside the Emperor.


    ¡°Show me.¡±


    His Majesty was neatly dressed and let Su Yu rub the medicine, but he didn¡¯t have the slightest intention to take off his own clothes.


    The black changfu was complicated and gorgeous. Su Yu put his hand on the delicate waistband, glanced at the Emperor who was looking at him with a clear gaze, and swallowed his saliva.


    The Emperor¡¯s clothes were peeled off layer by layer, revealing the bright yellow middle coat, it felt like he was opening up a delicately packaged toy.


    Su Yu¡¯s fingertips trembled with excitement, and he disassembled the clothes sash and pulled it slowly, revealing a graceful collarbone, a broad and strong chest, and a narrow and powerful slender waist.


    Su Yu felt hot again, so he took a deep breath. Could it be that the effect of the drug at noon has not expired?


    After shaking his head, he forced himself to focus on the wounds, he found that the old bruises on the Emperor¡¯s body were almost healed. Yesterday it was still blue and purple, which was quite scary, but today it was just a little red.


    He carefully smeared the medicine on several new bruises and saw the Emperor squinting comfortably, resembling a cat being scratched, he was so soft and docile.


    Su Yu smiled and simply began to massage him. The muscles need to be relaxed after exercise, but the flesh on the Emperor¡¯s body was so tense and tight that he would be sore all over when he woke up tomorrow.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Warm and strong hands were pressed against his body, well expelling the dull soreness.


    An Hongche gave a light hum and opened his eyes slightly, he looked at Su Yu who looked serious and closed his eyes again. He hooked his lips and said. ¡°Continue.¡±


    His Highness King Zhao, who was scratching the tassel at the side, saw Su Yu beating and pounding his elder brother''s royal body. He immediately became interested and stumbled over, jumped onto His Majesty¡¯s chest and he followed Su Yu¡¯s kneading hands, stepping on him with his two front paws.


    ¡°Little Fatty is really close to you.¡± Su Yu looked jealously at the little furball with its butt in the air stomping and stepping with pleasure.


    ¡°Nn.¡± An Hongche answered with a muffled voice, ignoring his younger brother who dared to climb on top of him. He was about to say something when he suddenly frowned and grunted in pain. ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Su Yu was startled and looked down quickly. He was pressing on the Emperor¡¯s chest, the skin was smooth and clean, and there was no redness, swelling, or bruising.


    ¡°Does it hurt here?¡±


    An Hongche held onto Su Yu¡¯s hand on his chest and waited for a while before he breathed a sigh of relief and loosen his frown.


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, just suffered some internal injuries.¡±


    Internal injury? Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened.


    He thought that the State Teacher pulled his punches today, and he didn¡¯t get any more blue or purple bruises, but it turned out he raised things to a higher level, he actually inflicted internal injuries!


    ¡°You are the Emperor, not an imperial guard. Why do you train as if your life depends on it every day?¡±


    That¡¯s right! The little furball squatting on the Emperor¡¯s chest nodded along. As an underage Qinwang, he should be well cared for, how can he train every day in a horrible place like the Anguo Tower?


    An Hongche stretched out his hand and flicked the round furry head.


    ¡°The great calamity is right around the corner, Zhen can¡¯t slack off.¡±


    Great calamity¡­ Coming soon¡­Su Yu''s heart skipped a beat. The matter of ¡°Foreign Star¡± which he had forgotten for a long time came up again. He wanted to inquire a little more, but Wang Gonggong''s voice suddenly rang from the outside.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s time to flip nameplates.¡± Wang Gonggong was in a difficult position. He knew that Xian Fei is Beiji Palace, but the rules of turning over the nameplates could not be abolished.


    Turn over the nameplate? Su Yu was dumbfounded and then remembered that most of the imperial concubines that the Emperor favored every day were decided by flipping over the nameplate.


    Looking at the ebony tray in the palace maid¡¯s hands, Su Yu turned to the Emperor. Seeing the Emperor¡¯s face of taking it for granted, Su Yu quietly clenched his fists.


    His Majesty raised his hand and flipped one casually, then taking advantage of the opportunity he put his younger brother on the ebony tray.


    ¡°Withdraw, ba. Take this away too.¡±


    Wang Gonggong and His Highness King Zhao on the tray stared at each other with wide eyes in speechless dismay, and then silently led everyone back out.


    Eh? Su Yu stared at the gradually closing door. Wasn¡¯t it flipped? Now what? After flipping the nameplate, it¡¯s over?


    When he came back to his senses, the Emperor, who no longer had a younger brother at his side, had curled up and moved his head to Su Yu¡¯s lap.


    ¡°Your Majesty, that¡­the nameplate¡­¡±Su Yu has seen it for the first time. Is it really okay for the Emperor to turn over the nameplates like this?


    ¡°What?¡± The Emperor took his hand and pressed it to his head, motioning him to rub it.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± The corner of Su Yu¡¯s lips twitched and he decided not to ask.


    In order to prevent the Emperor from spending the night on the couch again, Su Yu wisely coaxed him to the dragon bed before the Emperor fell asleep. He then took out the <Fish Killing Heart Law> and prepared to burn the midnight oil.


    ¡°You are not allowed to get out. Come over and serve in bed.¡± His Majesty was very dissatisfied with Su Yu holding that book all day.


    ¡°The State Teacher wants Chen to memorize this book.¡± Su Yu grimaced.


    There was only one day left, and in the afternoon he was busy playing with the cat and forgot to do his homework. If he didn¡¯t work hard now, how could he report back to the State Teacher tomorrow.


    His Majesty¡¯s thin lips pursed into a line and coldly glared at Su Yu for a long time.


    ¡°Go and fetch the memorials. Zhen will allow you to recite it in bed for a while.¡±


    Today, such a big thing happened in the inner palace, it was a good opportunity to tidy up the Lu family. His Majesty didn¡¯t want to get up again, and he can¡¯t be absent from tomorrow¡¯s morning court. So these unimportant memorials still need to be read.


    The two leaned against the headboard and were reading books together, the atmosphere was actually a rare tranquility.


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    burn the midnight oil -> to work into the night


    changfu -> a type of robe

 CH 54.2

    <Fish Killing Heart Law>


    In the words of the Emperor, this was an extremely simple Inner Qi cultivation method, so Su Yu could learn it.


    As long as he had Inner Force, he could drive the Inner Force to swim through the meridians according to the cultivation method, so as to achieve the realm of killing fish by releasing his Inner Force.


    The State Teacher said that there was a way for him to learn Inner Force, so there isn¡¯t a need to worry, and so the <Heart Law Chapter> must also be memorized.[TL_Note: Heart Law = Cultivation Method]


    ¡°...The Qi sinks into the Dantian, and the Inner Force swims through the hand Shaoyang meridian, over the five fingers¡­ ¡±Su Yu repeated the words in the book in a soft voice, he didn¡¯t really understand, so he could only memorize them by rote.


    ¡°Over the five fingers¡­Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Over the five fingers, the Inner Force is transformed into Inner Qi, which coincides with the Yin and Yang of heaven and earth and converges with no form.¡± The Emperor has heard this sentence over and over again almost five times, so he recited it smoothly.


    ¡°Did it bother you?¡± Su Yu was a little embarrassed.


    ¡°Stupid.¡± The Emperor snatched the book from Su Yu¡¯s hand and threw it on the ground together with the memorials in his hand. ¡°Sleep.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Su Yu looked at the abandoned book and memorials.


    The Emperor seemed to have only read half of the memorials, is it okay to go to court like this? If the ministers mentioned a question and the Emperor could not answer it, he couldn¡¯t just say, ¡±Ah, Zhen went to bed early with Xian Fei and forgot to read it.¡±, moreover, he clearly saw that there was the word ¡°Urgent¡± on it.


    Nowadays the Emperor dotes on him alone and he¡¯s always absent from court, if he missed the key memorial and delayed something important, he will be guilty of a big crime.


    Getting out of bed, Su Yu picked up the urgent memorial.


    ¡°Your Majesty, at least finish reading this, ba.¡±


    An Hongche impatiently rolled over. ¡°You read.¡±


    Su Yu was helpless, in order to not be a Yao Fei who brought disaster to the country, he had to accept his fate and give up his homework in order to help the Emperor do his own homework. He opened the memorial and slowly recited.


    ¡±Recently, sea monsters have been sighted frequently in the East Sea, so the price of fresh fish remains high. This minister has led troops to catch fish, and it will send them to the capital in a few days. This minister fears the catastrophe is approaching, this minister hopes Your Majesty makes preparations early. Signed, Jing Wang¡±


    Again a catastrophe, Su Yu frowned. He didn¡¯t know how accurate the prediction of the State Teacher was, if it was true, could it be the end of the world or something? But the catastrophe was related to the foreign star, what does the end of the world have to do with him, a cook?


    This was such an important thing, and the Emperor unexpectdly didn¡¯t even look at it. Su Yu, who thought he had done a meritorious deed, looked at the Emperor seriously, thinking whether he should learn from the loyal ministers and give a frank advice and make some inquiries about the foreign star.


    ¡°Jing Wang¡¯s secret missive has arrived a long time ago, this is just a formality.¡± His Majesty shoot a glance at Su Yu who was begining to be restless.


    ¡°...¡±The impassioned speech was immediately doused with cold water. Su Yu slumped his shoulders and put away the memorial in his hand.


    ¡°Your Majesty, who is this Jing Wang? How come Chen haven¡¯t seen him before.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen much.¡± An Hongche yawned.


    This generation Qinwang can¡¯t be His Highness King Zhao alone. Most of the imperial family is not in the capital, and Qinwangs need to defend the border, His Royal Highness King Jing ranks third. He was a military general who is good at fighting.


    ¡°King Jing is the son of Seventh Imperial Uncle, and he has the right to inherit. Counts as Zhen¡¯s third royal elder brother.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Su Yu was confused and immediately understood.


    Da¡¯an law stipulates that whenever a Qinwang¡¯s son is born, they all must be examined by the State Teacher. If the State Teacher determines that the child had the right to inherit the throne, he will bring the child directly to the palace to be considered as the son of the Emperor and ranked together with the Emperor¡¯s son. This was the case with King Jing.


    ¡°Oh, that¡­¡± Su Yu was not interested in the complex relationships of the imperial family, he was concerned about the problem of the catastrophe. He took a peek at the Emperor¡¯s expression and tentatively asked.


    ¡°Is the catastrophe really related to the foreign star?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so wordy?¡± His Majesty impatiently pulled Su Yu into the quilt, then raised his hand and pulled the silk ribbon. Not long after, a palace maid came in and extinguished the candles, and the hall was soon plunged into darkness.


    Su Yu honestly nestled under the covers and didn¡¯t speak.


    After a moment of silence, the Emperor slowly approached, buried his face in Su Yu¡¯s neck socket, and sniffed gently.


    ¡°The prediction of the State Teacher has been spread all over the world, and many interpretations are the difference.¡± The clear and crisp voice became increasingly more distinct and more pleasant to the ear in the dark.


    Su Yu scuttled back and drew closer to the Emperor for fear of letting a word slip.


    ¡°Some people say that you can gain the capacity to control the world if you get the foreign star.¡± An Hongche paused and moved back onto the pillow, opposite Su Yu¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Others say that offering the foreign star as a sacrifice to the heavens can prevent the great calamity.¡±


    Sacrifice to the Heavens! Su Yu¡¯s pupils suddenly constricted, and countless bloody and brutal scenes of offering sacrifices to the heavens flooded his mind¡­


    ¡°There is another version¡­¡± His Majesty slightly curled his lips. His eyes could clearly see the expression on Su Yu¡¯s face in the dark, and he deliberately lowered his voice.


    ¡°Wha, what¡­¡± Su Yu swallowed his saliva.


    ¡°It is said that you can awaken the ancient divine beast with the foreign star and sweep over the world.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Su Yu¡¯s prepared frightened expression suddenly froze. Awakening the ancient mythical beast¡­This is too ridiculous¡­


    Finally realizing that the Emperor was playing with him, Su Yu pouted in boredom and turned over and lay flat. His heart needed to calm down.


    ¡°You think Zhen is playing with you?¡± An Hongche sneered and held Su Yu in his arms.


    ¡°Now there are all kinds of beliefs, if someone finds the foreign star, you can¡¯t say what they would do with it, so the imperial family must find the foreign star first.¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s heart, which had just dropped down, immediately rose up again. That is to say, not only the royal family is looking for him, but also those superstitious ministers and the common people are looking for him. The problem was, he really can¡¯t summon the ancient divine beast, ah! He looked at the Emperor with fear and trepidation.


    ¡°If the imperial family finds the foreign star, what does Your Majesty intend to do?¡±


    His Majesty the Emperor yawned in boredom.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the foreign star?¡±


    Ka Ka Ka! Su Yu was instantly petrified.


    Your Majesty, can you not use the tone of ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one selling skewers on the East Street¡± to say such frightening words!


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    <Tricking the Dukes with the Beacon Fire Record>


    Seventeenth Uncle: (Standing on the desolate desert) There is smoke on the roof of Beiji Palace


    Thirteenth Uncle: (Standing on the plateau covered with yellow sand) His Majesty is beckoning


    King Jing: (Standing on an upright and tall stone outcropping in East Sea ) We should hurry to the capital


    When the Qinwangs arrived, the roasted fish only had bones left over


    King Jing & Thirteenth Uncle & Seventeenth Uncle: (Bitter and hateful) Your Majesty, Chen has brought the chopsticks, and this is what you show us!


    Then, the vassals rose in rebellion and the country fell¡­

 CH 55

    Chapter 55 - Scaring


    ¡°Your, Your Majesty is joking, right, haha, hahaha¡­ ¡± Su Yu forced a laugh, completely scared stupid.


    An Hongche glanced at him.


    ¡°Zhen asks you, what festival is on the tenth day of the tenth month of the lunar year?¡±


    ¡°Tenth day of the tenth month¡­¡± Su Yu hesitated. He thought quickly of the Mid-Autumn Festival of August 15 and the Double Ninth Festival on the ninth day of September.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Yan Emperor¡¯s birthday.¡± At the critical moment of life and death, his mind suddenly cleared up, and he thought of such an unusual festival.[TL_Note: Yan Emperor -> Flame Emperor, legendary dynasty descended from Shennong]


    ¡°Who is Yan Emperor?¡± His Majesty the Emperor frowned.


    ¡°He is¡­¡± Su Yu¡¯s lips twitched.


    How could he forget that this is not the same time and space where he originally lived, no matter the geographical environment, historical changes, and even the gods and demons they worshipped were different. There were no such things as the Flame Emperor, Yu the Great, and so on.


    His Majesty sneered.


    ¡°The tenth day of the tenth month is the Manxiang Festival of our Da¡¯an Dynasty. You don¡¯t even know such a grand festival, how dare you say you are not the foreign star?¡±


    The Manxiang Festival of the Da¡¯an Dynasty was mainly used to worship the ancestors of the Da¡¯an royal family. October was the time of harvest, not only should the royal family go up to the Anguo Tower to worship, but the common people would also put up a rich feast at home in order to ask the ancestors to bless the coming year with good weather.


    Because of the miraculous good weather every year in the Da¡¯an Dynasty, the common people had a lot of faith in this festival, so the grandeur was no less than that of the Spring Festival.


    He had just transmigrated here for half a year, it hasn¡¯t passed October yet, how could he know there was such a festival.


    Su Yu unconsciously shrank back, all he could think of was, it¡¯s all over, I¡¯m done for, he was going to be sacrificed to the heavens!


    He grabbed Su Yu, who was about to fall out of bed and held him in his arms. His Majesty said in a deep voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, as long as you are obedient, Zhen won¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    Su Yu stared at the Emperor dumbfounded. He couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly in the dark, he just vaguely saw a faint smile in his bright eyes.


    ¡°Be, be obedient¡­¡± He had always obeyed the Emperor¡¯s words, how could he be more obedient?


    An Hongche chuckled and suddenly rolled over and pressed Su Yu under his body, kissing him on the lips.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Slightly cold thin lips, with the sweet fragrance of grass, shifted and grinded, gradually deepening the kiss.


    Su Yu was stunned and let the Emperor do what he wanted until a warm and slender hand reached into his inner shirt, and then he came back to his senses.


    ¡°Your, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, let Zhen touch it.¡± His Majesty domineering placed Su Yu¡¯s hand above his head and released his lips, slowly moving to his temples he lightly sniffed, and then moved to his ear and neck, as if a wild animal confirming whether the food was fresh before eating.


    Such a move caused Su Yu to tremble, and his soul which has been scared away beyond the nine heavens gradually returned. He then remembered that the Emperor has long seen he was different and never did anything to him. What¡¯s more, they were lovers now¡­


    After confirming the freshness of the food, His Majesty the Emperor began to taste the delicious food in a happy mood.


    The delicious fish should naturally be licked from head to tail and gently caressed inch by inch until you turn the fair white fish pink, and then turn it into braised fish.


    ??????????????


    The next day, the Emperor went to court very pleased with himself.


    Su Yu¡¯s head was smoking and pretended to be an ostrich under the quilt. Last night, he was touched by the Emperor and he couldn¡¯t restrain himself for a moment and also touched the Emperor. This led to His Majesty discovering a new world and pestered him for most of the night.


    Covering his face with one hand, Su Yu remembered the various unequal treaties he had agreed to muddleheadedly, and couldn¡¯t help feeling a little angry.


    The Emperor was clearly teasing him last night, the so-called obedience was to let His Majesty kiss and touch him, to be available at his beck and call every day, serve as a cook, masseur, pillow, and so on when His Majesty was bored.


    As a cook, working part-time as a concubine was enough, but now he had to deal with more part-time jobs and there was no extra salary, even the luxury dormitory was confiscated. The future was really dark¡­


    ¡°There was a major event in harem yesterday, and presumably all ministers already know.¡± His Majesty¡¯s voice was cold, but there was a slight smile on his lips.


    The court ministers looked at each other in dismay, unable to tell whether the Emperor was angry or happy, but regardless of the Emperor¡¯s mood, yesterday''s incident was not a good thing. The Emperor raised this issue at this time and it was certainly not to reward them, and then they said in unison:


    ¡°These ministers are in reverence before your Majesty.¡±(TL_Note: This one was a pickle to translate so I would like to thank aeryn and Jade for helping me translate this. These are their novels I recommend checking them out https://www.isotls.com/ghosts-know-what-i-experienced/, https://www.isotls.com/how-dare-you-attack-my-support/ )


    ¡°Zhen was unaware that the imperial guards in the palace can already be instructed by the concubines.¡± An Hongche¡¯s face turned cold.


    ¡°Today, they dare to add tranquilizing drugs to Xian Fei¡¯s incense. Tomorrow will they be able to add Hedinghong to Zhen¡¯s food?¡±[TL_Note:Hedinghong -> a highly toxic chemical]


    ¡°Your Majesty, please restrain one¡¯s anger.¡± All the ministers knelt down one after another and Prime Minister Lu was already sweating profusely.


    Last night, there was news from the palace that his daughter had gotten into trouble and was grounded. Although there was Empress Dowager¡¯s protection and it had not been decided the nature of the crime, the Emperor obviously wasn¡¯t willing to let it go.


    ¡°Reporting to the Emperor, since King Mu got involved in the guard of the palace, there have been frequent problems in the imperial palace. Chen thinks King Mu should be dismissed from the post of Minister of Defence.¡± Prime Minister Lu came forward and said.


    The Emperor mentioned the guards first and then the concubines, so the key is the guards. Naturally, he would not be foolish enough to mention his daughter''s affairs first, having been an official for so many years, he certainly knows what the Emperor wants.


    The named King Mu stared coldly at the Prime Minister and hurriedly stepped forward and made a statement:


    ¡°Your Majesty, since King Su and King Ling entered the capital in July, the inner palace and the Xiaoqi Camp have been under the control of the two Imperial Uncles. Chen really was unaware of yesterday¡¯s matter.¡±


    This was a really vicious thing to say, the inner palace and the Xiaoqi Camp were both under the control of the two Wangyes. To put it in a bad way, all the Emperor¡¯s assets were in the hands of the two Wangyes.


    ¡°Boy, what do you mean!¡± King Su grabbed King Mu by the collar.


    ¡°This nephew has no intention of criticizing Imperial Uncle, just telling the truth.¡± The long and narrow eyes of King Mu were full of coldness.


    ¡°Your Majesty, King Mu has stayed in the capital for more than a year. Now that Your Majesty is crowned, it¡¯s time to give Junwang a proper fief.¡± Marquis Changchun suddenly said.


    Prime Minister Lu looked at Marquis Changchun in surprise. This man has been very slippery and has always remained neutral in the court, why did he suddenly change his character now?


    Marquis Changchun complained secretly in his heart, he didn¡¯t want to be the first bird but it was because of his daughter who always made him worry.


    Since the Empress Dowager elected Cen Xiaojie to enter the palace, Marquis Changchun¡¯s Residence has never been peaceful, and he was worried every day. After all, the matter of the agarwood incense arose from his family, once the Emperor investigated Marquis Changchun¡¯s Fu would be in danger. He had to hug the Emperor¡¯s thigh tightly.


    His Majesty took a deep look at Marquis Changchun and remained silent for a moment, then slowly said:


    ¡°Marquis Changchun has a point, let¡¯s set the fief at Yongcheng, ba. You can depart the capital after ten days.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± King Mu and King Su exclaimed in unison.


    Yongcheng was a small city in the northwest, and it would be fine as a fief for a Junwang, however, Yongcheng was under the jurisdiction of King Su. Junwangs couldn¡¯t leave their fief without being summoned, and if the fief was still under the control of a Qinwang there would be even less freedom.


    King Su didn¡¯t like this nephew at all, if you throw him under his nose, will it not be a disturbance every day? He couldn¡¯t help looking at King Ling.


    King Ling bared his teeth and gloated at his elder brother''s misfortune. His northern land was connected to the western region, it was very convenient to collude with foreign enemies, the Emperor will naturally not appoint Junwang to the northern land.


    The ups and downs in court had no influence on Su Yu, he was preparing breakfast for the Emperor while reciting the book from memory.


    In the morning, because the Emperor woke up and hugged and rubbed against him, it delayed the cooking, so he went to court hungry.


    Su Yu felt a little distressed, although Wang Gonggong said that in the past the Emperor only ate after going to court, thinking of how he felt in high school when he went to study in the morning on a hungry stomach, he decided to make some pastries. In the future, the Emperor would eat some before he went to court, and then have a good meal when he comes back.


    Therefore, when the Emperor came back from killing in all four directions, he saw a rich breakfast.


    ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t think that if you fawn on Zhen with delicious food, Zhen will let you off the hook.¡± His Majesty took a bite of the shrimp and lotus root.


    ¡°Follow Zhen to the Imperial Study later.¡±


    After breakfast, the Emperor would review the memorials in the imperial study and occasionally receive some ministers to discuss official business.


    His Majesty, because last night he tasted the sweetness, whenever he had a chance, he wanted to hug Su Yu and kiss and touch him, just like now.


    The Emperor sat on a broad dragon chair, holding Su Yu in his arms to support his chin. With one hand around his waist and a vermillion brush in the other hand, he marked the memorials.


    ¡°Your, Your Majesty, this is not appropriate, ba.¡± Su Yu moved uneasily.


    Sitting like this, he could see the contents of the memorial clear as day, is it really okay to let a concubine see the memorials?


    ¡°What?¡± An Hongche raised his eyebrows and looked at him.


    The meaning was very clear, as a foreign star if you wanted to live, you must be obedient. Don¡¯t try to rebel against Zhen, Zhen¡¯s patience is very poor.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Su Yu conceded and silently took out the <Fish Killing Heart Law> from his sleeve and obediently memorized it.


    ¡°Reporting to the Emperor, King Ling requests an audience.¡± The guard outside the door reported.


    ¡°Let him in.¡± The Emperor replied without raising his head.


    ¡°Your Majesty, quickly let go of Chen.¡± Su Yu hurried to stand up, but the hand at his waist was firmly wrapped around him, preventing him from moving. The sound of King Ling¡¯s footsteps was heard outside the door, and he suddenly broke out into a sweat.


    ¡°Chen pays respect to the Emperor, may my Emperor¡­¡± King Ling came in and started to make a solemn salute.


    ¡°All right, don¡¯t be wordy.¡± The Emperor waved his hand and interrupted King Ling¡¯s salute.


    He could not bear to listen to these unnecessary and overelaborate formalities, besides he should also prevent Imperial Uncle from saluting Su Yu.


    King Ling hadn¡¯t knelt down yet, hearing this he looked up.


    ¡°Eh, Xian Fei is also here.¡± He immediately understood the Emperor¡¯s meaning, so he didn¡¯t insist anymore. Smiling, he took a small fish pastry from the imperial table.


    His Majesty frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, the things sent by King Jing have arrived at the capital.¡± After eating the pastry in his hand in two to three bites, King Ling took another one before speaking.


    ¡°Send it directly to the Anguo Tower.¡± An Hongche glared at his Imperial Uncle and took away the plate holding the pastries.


    King Ling¡¯s lips twitched, he looked at Su Yu and said with a smile.


    ¡°Xian Fei, ah. I sent someone to transport the chili peppers, they will arrive at the palace at noon.¡±


    Su Yu blinked, not understanding why King Ling always wanted to give him chili peppers.


    ¡°Thank you, Imperial Uncle.¡±


    ¡°Why so polite.¡± King Ling waved his hand.


    ¡°Since you married His Majesty, you are naturally also my nephew. If you want something, just tell your Imperial Uncle.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Su Yu nodded and expressed his understanding.


    It turned out that the royal elders were so friendly, he thought if he could not grow chili peppers, he would have to exchange benefits with King Ling, who knew that King Ling was a living Lei Feng.


    King Ling choked, this child was too sincere.


    ¡°...Cough, that, if you really feel bad about it, when you cook boiled fish you can also send a portion to Ling Wangfu.¡±


    Su Yu: ¡°...¡±


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    <The Incapable Ruler Is The One That Likes to Touch Fish During Working Hours Record>


    Minister A: Why is Your Majesty late for court?


    Cat Gong: Touched fish for a while£¨¡Ñ¦Ø¡Ñ£©


    Minister B: How can the Emperor bring his concubine to the Imperial Study?


    Cat Gong: For the convenience of touching the fish£¨¡Ñ¦Ø¡Ñ£©


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Yu the Great -> Yu the Great mythical leader who tamed the floods


    Manxiang -> Grand Feast


    Junwang -> A prince of the second rank in the Qing dynasty


    Fu -> seat of government/government repository/ official residence/mansion


    Lei Feng -> Lei Feng was allegedly a soldier in the People''s Liberation Army who was the object of several major propaganda campaigns in China. The most well-known of these campaigns in 1963 promoted the slogan, "Follow the examples of Comrade Lei Feng."


    Wangfu -> prince''s mansion

 CH 56

    Chapter 56 - Blood Pact


    Accompanying the Emperor to approve the memorials, Su Yu was on tenterhooks all morning.


    Only the Imperial Uncles would think of fish fillets with hot chili when they saw Su Yu, the first reaction of the other courtiers who came to the meeting when they saw Su Yu was¡­The Yao Fei misleads the country!


    He was convinced the imperial censor would knock against a pillar tomorrow morning to remonstrate with his death.


    The immediate consequence of this was that Su Yu didn¡¯t finish memorizing the <Fish Killing Heart Sutra>.


    Apprehensively carrying a food box to the Anguo Tower, Su Yu purposely made a few extra pastries today, hoping to divert the State Teacher¡¯s attention so that he could go through the motions.


    The Anguo Tower today seemed different from before. The security around it was much tighter, and there were many more white-clothed attendants in the main hall.


    Su Yu went up to the second floor and the State Teacher was sitting by the window, watching something intently.


    ¡°Paying respects to Imperial Uncle.¡± Su Yu stepped forward and saluted.


    The State Teacher waved his hand and motioned him to keep quiet.


    Putting the food box on the table, Su Yu curiously leaned over. In front of the window, where the sun could shine, there was a three-foot-square porcelain jar.


    The water in the jar sparkled and reflected some light patterns on the wall. There were two black things swimming in the water, and when he went closer to have a look, he couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback.


    It seemed to be two fish, each one a foot long and shaped like a carp, but their bodies were covered with long black fur. The fur was hard and as the fish swam, the fur waved in the water with threatening gestures, looking like a prickly ball.


    The State Teacher stared at the two fish for a moment, his clear and cold eyes swung back and forth with the swimming fish. After a long time, he slowly reached out his hand towards the water.


    The hand was slender and fair, almost transparent in the sun.


    Originally swimming aimlessly in the water, the fish seeing the beautiful hand on the surface, suddenly paused and then fiercely burst out of the water with a ¡°splash¡±, opening their big mouth for a bite.


    The fish''s mouth originally looked normal, but after opening it was very frightening. The big mouth full of fangs could almost reach their gills, and in addition to the fine fangs, there were two long tusks on both sides.


    When it opened its mouth, it would make a hoarse roar.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Su Yu exclaimed.


    He picked up the bamboo strainer beside the vat and was about to go protect the State Teacher, but the State Teacher was faster than him.


    Turning his wrist slightly, he skillfully bypassed the lunging big mouth and grabbed the fish gills with one hand, conveniently using the tail of the fish in his hand to slap the other one back into the water.


    Su Yu quietly withdrew his half-stretched bamboo strainer, it seemed that the State Teacher didn¡¯t need his protection at all.


    The State Teacher held the strange fish, then he leisurely looked at Su Yu, seeing that he was still holding a strainer, his beautiful eyes were tinged with a smile.


    Su Yu had never seen the State Teacher smile, his eyes were always cold and lonely. Now, with just a little bit of warmth, it was like a snow lotus on a high mountain dyed with the first sun¡¯s shimmer, beautiful beyond compare.


    Su Yu looked a little stunned, the afterglow was swept away by the strange fish that was still struggling in the hands of the State Teacher, and he instantly came back to his senses. Thinking that the Emperor was beaten black and blue and suffered internal injuries, he sighed in his heart. A beauty was a beauty, but still a bit fierce.


    The State Teacher was a little surprised, he didn¡¯t expect Su Yu to come back to his senses so quickly. He lowered his eyes slightly and passed the fish in his hand.


    ¡°Can you recognize it?¡±


    He had never seen this kind of fish, but it felt a little familiar. Su Yu blinked and the exaggerated drawings in <Su Ji¡¯s Recipes> suddenly came to his mind, an ugly black fish like a prickly ball.


    ¡°This, could it be a Qingyu?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± The State Teacher nodded and plucked a hair from the fish.


    ¡°How do you kill this fish?¡±


    Su Yu reacted, the State Teacher was reviewing his homework, fortunately, his memory of recipes was always good. He remembered how to prepare the fish recorded in the recipe in the secret book clearly.


    ¡°Boiling the fish in hot water removes the hair, and use Inner Qi to remove the fishy blood. Qingyu¡¯s bones are as hard as a rock, so remove the gills and separate the flesh and bone. ¡±


    ¡°Boil in hot water to remove the hair?¡± His slender long eyelashes trembled, the State Teacher looked at the long hair in his palm and brought his five fingers back together.


    The long black hair suddenly caught fire and burned into ashes in an instant, a strong scorching odor wafted from the surroundings. He raised his hand and threw the fish back into the tank.


    ¡°So that is how it is.¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened, he was sure that the State Teacher had no ignition device in his hand. He stared blankly as the ¡°fish hair¡± caught fire in the center of his palm like it was natural, this is too unscientific!


    ¡°Imperial Uncle, just now that fire¡­¡±


    The State Teacher took a white silk handkerchief and wiped away the black ash and water stains from his hands, then he stood up and said.


    ¡°Fire In The Palm.¡±


    ¡°Is this triggered by Inner Qi?¡± Su Yu was curious.


    In the martial art novels, it is said in the Wulin that experts could heat up their meals with their bare hands. He had always been very envious, he never thought that someone could really do it.


    The State Teacher gave him a look and didn¡¯t answer. He just picked up the cup on the table and took a sip of water, then he lifted the food box on the table and said.


    ¡°Fish up those two fish and follow me.¡± Without waiting for him, he slowly went up to the third floor.


    ¡°Ah? Oh, yes.¡± Su Yu hurriedly grabbed the strainer and went to catch the fish.


    The strange fish swam quietly when the State Teacher was there, but when they saw Su Yu, they were not polite at all. As soon as he showed half his face in the water tank, the two fish rushed to the fore and flung Su Yu a face full of water.


    With sharp eyes and agile hands, he caught the fish that jumped out from the water with the strainer and threw it to the ground.


    The strange fish was stunned from the fall, and Su Yu grabbed the fish gill and threw it into the basket, then he quickly captured the second one in the same manner, closed the lid, and ran up to the third floor.


    The State Teacher was sitting on the couch on the third floor, he had opened the food box and was preparing to eat the pastries. Seeing Su Yu appear so soon, the hand holding the pastry couldn¡¯t help but pause.


    ¡°You are quite fast.¡±


    Su Yu scratched his head in puzzlement. It¡¯s just catching fish that¡¯s all, how much time could it take?


    The State Teacher took a deep look at him, then he put down his pastry and walked slowly towards him.


    ¡°In our dynasty successive generations, except for the Son of Heaven, ordinary imperial kinsmen are not allowed to climb above the third floor of the Anguo Tower.¡±[TL_Note: My bad, the way the author wrote was a bit confusing to me, so in conclusion it¡¯s the floors above the third floor that are forbidden, not the third floor itself]


    Su Yu looked up at the stairless third floor. There was a big hole in the roof, and silk ribbons with tiny bells hung down in the middle, swaying gently with the wind.


    Thinking back on the way the State Teacher went upstairs, he swallowed his saliva. Even if you let him go, he couldn¡¯t go up!


    ¡°My Da¡¯an Imperial Family has many secrets.¡± The State Teacher held the long silk ribbon with one hand, his slender white fingertips slid across, and his clear and cold voice suddenly became ethereal.


    ¡°If you want to climb the tower, you have to establish a blood contract.¡±


    Blood contract¡­Su Yu¡¯s lips twitched. To learn how to kill fish, you have to establish a blood contract?


    ¡°If you make a blood pact, you cannot betray it. Once you leak the secret, Benzuo will immediately know, even if you are thousands of miles away, and you will be killed instantly.¡± The ethereal voice suddenly became clear again, echoing coldly in his ear like a knife, Su Yu trembled with fear.


    ¡°Then, then I¡­¡± Su Yu couldn¡¯t speak as nimbly.


    He wondered if he could stop learning, but in face of the cold gaze of His Highness the State Teacher, he couldn¡¯t utter the words of refusal.


    ¡°I have to discuss it with His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± The State Teacher lowered his eyes and said no more.


    ¡°Today, I¡¯ll take you to the fourth floor. If you don¡¯t want to make a contract, you don¡¯t have to come back tomorrow.¡± Saying that, he raised his hand and threw out the silk sash, which instantly wrapped around Su Yu¡¯s waist. With a tap of his toes, he floated up gracefully.


    The soft silk around his waist suddenly tightened. Su Yu gave a startled cry, grasped the fish basket in his hand, and then was yanked up.


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    <The Great Conjecture about the Blood Pact>


    Signing a blood contract with the State Teacher


    State Teacher:(bibibi, calling) It¡¯s time for the afternoon tea, where are the pastries?


    Signing a blood contract with Seventeenth Uncle


    Seventeenth Uncle: (bibibi, calling) I¡¯m in the Western Regions, what spices does my niece-in-law want, ah?


    Signing a blood contract with Younger Brother-in-law


    Younger Brother: (bibibi, calling) Ow, sister-in-law, help, meowww¡­(communication broken)


    Signing a blood contract with His Majesty


    Cat Gong: (bibibi) Stupid slave, Zhen wants seafood porridge for breakfast


    Cat Gong: (bibibi) Stupid slave, Zhen wants to eat roasted scallops for lunch


    Cat Gong: (bibibi) Stupid slave, come and accompany Zhen to review the memorials


    Cat Gong: (bibibi) Stupid slave, come here to sleep!


    Little Fish: ...If the blood contract can block the screen flood, I will sign it¡­


    ??????????????????????????????????????????????


    Yao Fei -> goblin/witch/devil / bewitching/enchanting / monster/phantom/demon


    Wulin -> martial arts social circles


    Benzuo -> this seat

 CH 57

    Chapter 57 - The Sacrificial Offering


    Su Yu was indeed shocked when he entered the fourth floor.


    Unlike the bright second and third floors, the fourth floor was dark without lights. The floor, columns, and furniture were all made of black stone with gold sand.


    The clear sunlight poured down, connecting with the light from the third floor, and forming a pillar of light in the middle of the tower. In the light pillar, there was a silk ribbon with tiny silver bells, and where the light pillar could not reach was pitch black.


    The State Teacher flicked his fingertips, and with a ¡°whoosh¡±, the candles on the stone pillars instantly ignited.


    The candlesticks were shaped like a coiled dragon, winding up along the stone pillar. Hundreds of candles were lined up in order and they ignited spontaneously one by one from the bottom.


    Su Yu clenched the fish basket in his hand and the Qingyu in the basket splashed twice in response to this scene. No matter how you look at it, this scene looks like it¡¯s from a horror movie.


    The candles on the eight stone pillars lit up at the same time and the originally dark fourth floor was suddenly as bright as day, even overshadowing the light pillar in the center.


    Su Yu discovered that the reason why the fourth floor was so dark was because there were no windows. The eight walls were divided into eight stone chambers by stone slabs, and the stone gates were closed, completely shutting out the light from outside the tower.


    ¡°Imperial Uncle, what¡¯s in these stone chambers?¡± Su Yu got his courage and opened his mouth to ask.


    ¡°Sacrificial offerings.¡± The thin pink lips poured out two words.


    The State Teacher glanced at the stone chambers and a bit of mockery appeared in his cold eyes.


    Sacrificial, sacrificial offerings!


    All kinds of terrifying scenes flashed through Su Yu¡¯s mind.


    Maybe there were countless young boys and girls kept in there like lambs to be slaughtered; Maybe there was an unrivaled beauty with tears in her eyes, not knowing when tomorrow will come; Maybe there were ninety-nine chopped-off heads of villains stored there, only waiting for the day of the sacrifice to burn the offerings to the heaven¡­


    The imperial family sure enough had many hidden secrets, Su Yu regretted that he followed the State Teacher to the fourth floor.


    Today¡¯s affairs must not be good, he decided to speak less, the more you know, the faster you die. Once you know what those sacrificial offerings were, it is estimated that the blood contract must be signed.


    The State Teacher watched Su Yu¡¯s face change several times with interest, then he slowly said:


    ¡° The matter of the sacrificial offering is related to the fate of the nation. From the first time Benzuo saw you in the concubine selection, Benzuo could see that you are very suitable to make a sacrificial offering.¡±


    ¡°Clang¡± The fish basket in Su Yu¡¯s hands suddenly fell to the ground, and his whole body felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.


    You are very suitable to make a sacrificial offering, suitable to make a sacrificial offering, sacrificial offering¡­


    The great calamity is coming, a foreign star descends to the world¡­


    Are you sure? This concerns the fate of the nation¡­


    The Qingyu flopped out of the basket, it left the water for so long but it was still alive and kicking. It struggled to move its ugly body on the floor and opened its mouth to bite Su Yu¡¯s foot.


    Su Yu took a few steps back, his hands and feet ice-cold. The only thing that came to his mind at that moment was the handsome face of the Emperor. ¡°As long as you are obedient, Zhen won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± The man said he would protect him, where was he now? Does he still have any hope of leaving Anguo Tower alive? How sad would it be if he never saw him again¡­


    The State Teacher walked slowly to a stone gate and put a white almost transparent hand on the gate. His beautiful voice was like a chant from ancient times.


    ¡°Let me show you, the sacrificial offerings to our ancestors.¡±


    The thick stone door suddenly opened, and a blinding light surged out of the door. Su Yu closed his eyes, then he summoned the courage to open them to take a look and suddenly froze.


    However he saw behind the stone gate, there was a spacious stone room, with many black and gold shelves, and the shelves were densely packed with countless¡­dried fish.


    ¡°Ka Ka Ka!¡± A strange sound came from his feet, Su Yu lowered his head and saw the Qingyu going all out still trying to bite his foot.


    Raising his hand, he picked up the fish, put it into the basket, and walked over with it.


    ¡°Imperial Uncle, this, is this, the sacrificial offerings?¡± The corner of Su Yu¡¯s mouth twitched.


    ¡°This is just one of them.¡± The State Teacher picked up a dried fish casually, elegantly tearing off a small piece, and put it in his mouth.


    ¡°Only after you sign the blood pact can you see the rest.¡±


    Su Yu held his forehead, the State Teacher''s statement ¡°You are very suitable to make a sacrificial offering¡± turned out to be ¡°You are very suitable to help make dried fish¡±.


    As for what¡¯s in the other stone chambers¡­he no longer has any more hopes.


    In the center of the stone room, there was a dark golden stone table, and on it lay exquisite cutting boards and fish knives.


    ¡°Today, let me show you how to use Inner Force to kill fish.¡± The State Teacher threw the dried fish in his hand aside, took out a jade bucket carved with intricate cloud patterns, and twirled out a jade knife about an inch long.


    The jade knife was as thin as a cicada¡¯s wings, and a lifelike jade dragon was carved on the handle of the knife. Pinched in the slender and white hands of the State Teacher brought out the best of each other, very pleasing to the eye.


    Taking the Qingyu handed over by Su Yu, the thin knife the in the hand of the State Teacher gently rotated, quickly making a slit in the fish¡¯s spine. Pinching the belly of the fish with one hand, he applied force with the palm of his hand.


    Even if Su Yu was a layman, he could feel a surge of force, and with a ¡°hualala¡±, he saw some black liquid spraying out from the knife edge, spilling all over in the white jade bucket.


    Su Yu leaned over and looked, the black liquid exuded an indelible stench. No wonder ¡°Su Ji¡¯s Recipes¡± emphasized that it was necessary to remove the fishy blood with Inner Force, unless this thing was removed it couldn¡¯t be eaten at all.


    The State Teacher lightly threw the fish in his hand into the air and the jade knife flipped between his fingers and his hands were like Fa Shi making seals.


    The technique was complex and magnificent. Before Su Yu could see what was going on, the fish had already been beheaded and gilled, and all its bones and flesh were separated.


    Su Yu stared blankly for a moment. It was only after a while that a sentence popped out:


    ¡°Imperial Uncle, you forgot to cut the hair.¡±


    The State Teacher paused while wiping his hands with a silk handkerchief and slowly glanced at the fish whose flesh was separated from the bones but still with black hair. His long eyelashes trembled slightly and after a moment, he said: ¡°Kill another one.¡±


    This time, apart from removing the fishy blood, Su Yu will do the rest of the steps. It was not difficult for Su Yu to remove the black hair by boiling it in hot water, then the fish gills were grasped and the flesh and bones automatically separated.


    Although the Qingyu was rather unattractive, the quality of the meat of the fish was really good. The recipe said that it would taste like a roasted suckling pig after roasting, so he couldn¡¯t help but be a little eager to try.


    Fearing that the fire might damage the sacrificial offerings, the State Teacher led him out of the stone chamber and found a charcoal brazier outside, then from nowhere conjured a bag of seasonings. He sat happily on a black gold stone chair, holding his chin with one hand and watching Su Yu roast fish.


    The flesh of the Qingyu was white and tender, with a slight pink hue. Being roasted over the fire, it quickly turned brown. Su Yu carefully sprinkled seasonings on top, then improvised a dish of barbecue sauce, and brushed it repeatedly.


    Because according to the recipe, it could taste like a roasted suckling pig, he brushed another layer of honey on it.


    After brushing with a honey glaze, the fish began to ooze with oil and an indescribable aroma spread out.


    The State Teacher¡¯s eyes slowly opened, and the silver bell on the silk ribbon hanging in the center of the hall suddenly emitted a crip ring.


    Su Yu was startled. There were only two people in the tower, he and the State Teacher, and there was no wind on the fourth floor, so how did the bell ring? In the darkness of Anguo Tower, anything could happen.


    Su Yu suddenly turned around and saw the silk ribbon swinging from side to side, two fluffy kittens were hanging from it, wiggling and slowly climbing down.


    The golden kitten reached out neatly, and his claws hooked on the silk ribbon and quickly moved downward, while the chubby yellow and white kitten was not so good, and hung on it at loss for what to do.


    ¡°Sauce!¡± Su Yu ran over pleasantly surprised and raised his hands to catch the kitten jumping down.


    Unexpectedly, the fella he hadn¡¯t seen in several days was on the fifth floor of the Anguo Tower.


    ¡°Meoww--¡± The little chubby cat felt like weeping but had no tears and turned to the State Teacher for help.


    The State Teacher glanced at him and without consulting anyone set forth to pick up a pair of jade chopsticks and gracefully tasted Su Yu¡¯s freshly roasted fish. There was absolutely no intention of helping his poor nephew.


    ¡°Meow!¡± The golden kitten in his arms immediately struggled to jump onto the table and the little chubby kitten also stopped meowing. He jumped straight down, rolled on the ground, staggered along and grabbed the snow-colored hem of the State Teacher¡¯s clothes, and climbed up.


    ¡°How is it, does it taste like a suckling pig?¡± Su Yu sat down with Sauce in his arms. He tasted it himself and suddenly froze.


    The aroma was unlike any other type of fish in the past, the fragrance was very thick and heavy. It really tasted like roast suckling pig, but unlike real pork, the fish was tender but not greasy, and it melts in the mouth immediately.


    After swallowing it, the delicious aroma of seafood remained between his lips and teeth. Really delicious!


    His Majesty the Emperor broke away from Su Yu¡¯s hand and jumped onto the stone table, slapping his younger brother who was trying to bite directly, then he wrapped his tail around Su Yu¡¯s wrist and tugged it towards the grilled fish.


    Stupid slave, still not giving Zhen food yet!


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    <Sacrifices to the Ancestors Should be Safely Preserved>


    Little Fish: It must be very hard for the State Teacher to guard the sacrificial offerings


    Thirteenth Uncle: (Solemnly picking up a dried fish) Recently, snakes and mice have been spreading unchecked. Let me see if there hasn¡¯t been any damage to the sacrificial offering


    State Teacher: (Lift his paw, slaps him flying)


    Seventeenth Uncle: (Chuckles and picked up a dried fish) Recently, the weather has been cloudy and humid. Let me help you move the sacrificial offerings to bask in the sun


    State Teacher: (Lift his paw, slaps him flying)


    Younger Brother: (Secretly hides a dried fish) Imperial Uncle, I think there¡¯s a shortage of cleaning rags in this storeroom, let me lend a hand.


    State Teacher: (Lift his paw, picks up the younger brother, wipes the dried fish rack, and swats him flying)

 CH 58

    Chapter 58 - The Contract


    Su Yu immediately understood the meaning and picked up a large piece of grilled fish, blew it, and then passed it to Cat Daye¡¯s mouth.


    His Majesty loosened his tail and looked at the grilled fish covered with sauce. He tilted his head, opened his mouth, and gestured for a moment, then closed his mouth again and tilted it to the other side to ensure the sauce won¡¯t get on his whiskers, then he took a bite.


    Wretched stupid slave, don¡¯t you know how to pinch a small piece.


    Su Yu stole a glance at the State Teacher, he intentionally pinched a large piece of flesh, fearing that the State Teacher would not like to eat with a cat at the same table.


    If he chased the cat off the table, he could say that the cat had bitten into this piece and then give it all to the cat.


    However, it seems that the State Teacher did not care about the two cats squatting on the table. He didn¡¯t know where he found a jade pot, in which was a clear-colored wine. He conveniently poured a cup for Su Yu.


    The wine had a light taste, a little sweet and sour. It was very refreshing and a perfect match for the slightly oily grilled Qingyu.


    ¡°What kind of wine is this?¡± Su Yu looked curiously at the light red liquor in the white jade cup.


    ¡°Look at the color, what kind of wine do you think it is?¡± The State Teacher elegantly picked up a piece of fish and moved it to his mouth, then took a sip at the white jade cup.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Su Yu scratched his head. He didn¡¯t have a deep understanding of these ancient flowers and fruit wines and only know a few.


    ¡°Mulberry wine.¡± Raising his finger to flick away the chubby furry head that tried to steal a drink, the State Teacher added another cup to Su Yu.


    ¡°I will teach you how to make wine some other day.¡±


    Su Yu didn¡¯t care much and casually agreed, his attention was drawn to the fluffy golden kitten.


    Seeing that the Cat Daye did not want to gnaw on the big piece of fish, he handed the rest to the little chubby cat, then he picked up a piece to fill his mouth and ate it one bite at a time with His Majesty the Emperor in turns.


    His Highness King Zhao did not care a bit about his elder brother¡¯s bite, and blissfully held the fish and gobbled it up.


    A foot-long Qingyu was enough for two people and two cats to have a good meal.


    Before leaving, Su Yu asked the State Teacher for the two fish skeletons. Originally, he wanted to beg for a Qingyu to bring back to the Emperor to eat, however, the State Teacher said that this strange fish was still a top secret and that it could not be taken out of Anguo Tower, so he could only retreat and ask for that instead. The two skeletons were taken away.


    According to <Su Ji¡¯s Recipes>, this Qingyu not only was rich and flavorful, but the soup made from fish bones was also very delicious.


    Fish soup was usually cooked with fish meat, but because the Qingyu flesh had a high oil content it wasn¡¯t good for boiling soup to drink, roasting over fire was more suitable to eat it.


    The fish bones were quite magical, after being put in boiling water, within a quarter of an hour there were already signs of cooking, and after half an hour, all the fish bones disappeared without a trace.


    Su Yu carefully stirred with a thin colander, but he could not find a single fish bone, moreover, the soup had turned into a milky white color. Just sprinkling some fine salt and scallions, the taste was very delicious.


    The Emperor was originally very dissatisfied with Su Yu¡¯s offering of ¡°Fish bone soup¡± but after a sip, he drank three bowls in a row before stopping.


    His Majesty, who ate and drink to his heart''s content, became idle again. He lay on a cushion and circled Su Yu, leisurely wagging his tail, then he remembered that he was now in human form and had no tail, so he took a step back and waved his feet as an alternative.


    ¡°Your Majesty, do you know about the blood pact?¡± Su Yu tried to retrieve the memorial thrown by the Emperor, but the Emperor hugged him too tightly, so he couldn¡¯t move at all. He had no alternative but to give up and instead asked about the blood contract.


    According to the State Teacher, if he wanted to have a deeper relationship with the imperial family, he must sign a blood contract.


    Su Yu was not interested in the work of preparing sacrificial offerings for the ancestors of the An family. If he wanted to learn how to kill fish, he had to make a ¡°blood pact¡±, such a mysterious and scary sounding thing, it was not a good deal.


    However, when he left Anguo Tower, the State Teacher said something that forced him to re-examine the issue of the blood pact.


    ¡°If you want to have a long and lasting relationship with the Emperor, the blood pact is a must.¡±


    An Hongche was originally concentrating on fiddling with the tassels on Su Yu¡¯s waist when he heard the words ¡°Blood Pact¡± and his exposed ear twitched slightly.


    ¡°The State Teacher asked you to sign a blood pact?¡±


    ¡°En.¡± Su Yu gave an account of what happened in the Anguo Tower today, but he was embarrassed to say the State Teacher¡¯s last words.


    ¡°This blood pact is extraordinary. Once it¡¯s signed, it will last forever.¡± An Hongche frowned slightly, looking up at him.


    ¡°Do you want to sign a blood pact just to learn how to kill fish?¡±


    ¡°Of course not¡­¡± Su Yu scratched his head somewhat sheepishly. He was worried that he wouldn¡¯t be able to ¡°Have a long and lasting relationship with the Emperor¡±.


    If he didn¡¯t say it, he would appear a bit foolish, but if he did he would be embarrassed to say it.


    ¡°Why is it?¡± His Majesty sat up and stared directly into Su Yu¡¯s eyes.


    The blood pact with the royal family is very different, he must know Su Yu¡¯s true thoughts.


    ¡°Hm, because the State Teacher said, um¡­¡± Su Yu clenched the corner of his clothes a little awkwardly, he really didn¡¯t know what to say.


    An Hongche carefully recalled what the State Teacher had said today, and suddenly a flash of light came to him.


    When the State Teacher finally said that sentence, His Majesty the Emperor was nestling in Su Yu¡¯s arms to digest¡­ The corners of the eyes that were slightly raised gradually curved into a crescent moon.


    Hmph, Zhen knew this stupid slave cannot beat to leave Zhen!


    As expected, even Imperial Uncle could see that the stupid slave likes Zhen to an inconceivable degree!


    Su Yu stammered and couldn¡¯t speak clearly, he hadn¡¯t seen the irascible Emperor interrupt him for a long time. Just as he was thinking, the Emperor suddenly said: ¡°Since you want a sign a blood pact, why not sign it with Zhen.¡±


    ¡°Ah? You Majesty can also do it?¡± Su Yu always believed that this esoteric and mysterious thing only existed with the esoteric and mysterious State Teacher, he didn¡¯t expect that the Emperor could do it too.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± His Majesty was very dissatisfied with Su Yu¡¯s behavior of questioning him. With one hand, he pulled Su Yu into his arms, and before he could say anything else, he sealed his mouth with his lips.


    Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened, wasn¡¯t he seriously discussing the issue of blood pacts? How did it suddenly become¡­Hm¡­


    The warm lips became soft during the shifting and grinding. There was a hint of fragrance of mulberry wine between the lips and teeth, fresh and delicious.


    An Hongche held Su Yu¡¯s head tightly and wouldn¡¯t let him move. Instinctively, he wanted to taste more, so he followed his heart and explored deeper.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Su Yu, who had been kissed to the point of becoming a mess, suddenly felt the tip of his tongue hurt, which was quickly bitten by His Majesty the Emperor. The taste of blood suddenly came into his mouth, then His Majesty¡¯s tongue approached and matched the tip of his tongue.


    He felt the blood on the tip of his tongue suddenly being drawn away, and his tongue began to tingle from the blood loss.


    At this strange moment, Su Yu felt no fear at all, and thought to himself in a daze, the secret of the imperial family isn¡¯t that they are all vampires, right?


    Vampire? His Majesty frowned slightly, what was this stupid slave thinking about again?


    When Su Yu thought his tongue was about to be ruined, a warm stream of blood suddenly poured back from the joined spot, and it felt incredibly comfortable. Suddenly, a sentence popped into his mind.


    ¡°Stupid slave, what are you thinking about again?¡±


    Slowly separating, Su Yu blinked and said: ¡°Your Majesty, did you speak just now?¡±


    ¡°Contract complete.¡± The Emperor ignored him and just faintly spat out these two words.


    ¡°What contract?¡± Su Yu was somewhat unable to react.


    ¡°Was that the blood pact just now?¡±


    An Hongche smiled smugly.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Su Yu pursed his slightly swollen red lips and looked at the Emperor suspiciously.


    ¡°Is it also like this to make a blood pact with the State Teacher?¡±


    His Majesty¡¯s smile froze for a moment, and a suspicious blush appeared on his ears.


    ¡°Of, of course not!¡±


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    Little Fish: Is this how the State Teacher also signs a blood pact with someone? £¨ ¡Ñ o ¡Ñ £©


    Wang Gonggong¡¯s friendly reminder: I am also a male(?) who has signed a blood pact with the State Teacher


    Little Fish: ¡­Your Majesty, be honest, what kind of contract did you make with me?


    Cat Gong: Selling one¡¯s body£¨¡Ñ¦Ø¡Ñ£©

 CH 59

    The Emperor who signed the blood pact seemed a bit tired, and he didn¡¯t even read the memorials anymore. He leaned on Su Yu¡¯s back and clamored to go to bed.


    Su Yu could only drag the big plaster behind him to get up, then staggered and dragged the Emperor to the dragon bed. The big plaster fell onto the bed without letting go, taking him down to the bedding.


    The Emperor hugged Su Yu¡¯s waist and rubbing his cheek against his back, he fell asleep contently hugging him.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty?¡± Su Yu moved his body and couldn¡¯t get a response for a while, so he could only struggle to sit up by himself.


    His Majesty actually didn¡¯t even take off his outer garment and just fell asleep straight away. Su Yu slowly removed the hand on his waist, then turned around to help him undress.


    The candlelights in the main hall of Beiji Palace were bright enough to clearly illuminate the sleeping face of the Emperor.


    The sleeping Emperor looked much cuter than when he was awake, quiet and well-behaved, but his originally light pink thin lips seemed a bit pale today.


    Su Yu frowned with some worry. He didn¡¯t know how the blood contract signed with the Emperor was different from the one made with the State Teacher, but he knows that the State Teacher would not use this method to make a contract with someone.


    He didn¡¯t feel anything special now, but he was afraid that there was some harm to the Emperor¡¯s body.


    Su Yu leaned down and took a closer look, gently poking those beautifully shaped lips with his finger. In his sleep, the Emperor couldn¡¯t bear the disturbance and raised his head slightly upwards. With a slight smile on his lips, Su Yu withdrew his evil hand and slowly brought his face closer, dropping a light kiss on those thin lips.


    And then, he got up and began to peel off the dragon robe.


    His Majesty the Emperor slept so deeply, that he didn¡¯t even wake up when Su Yu took off his middle coat, but his ears buried in the bedding had already turned beet red.


    That night, the Emperor didn¡¯t wake him up in the middle of the night, but Su Yu consciously woke up. When he opened his eyes in a daze, he saw the tassels moving around the bedside, his unclear mind couldn¡¯t think clearly, and he thought that Sauce was up again in the middle of the night to play around.


    Moonlight shone through the window ledge, and in the gradually clear vision, His Majesty, with a hand outstretched, was playfully fiddling with the tassels on the head on the bed.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Su Yu called out softly.


    His Majesty¡¯s movements paused for a moment and he turned his head to look at him.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± Su Yu moved over to the Emperor¡¯s side.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± The Emperor gave an ambiguous snort, reached out, and embraced him. He rubbed his head against Su Yu¡¯s neck and didn¡¯t speak.


    Skin to skin, there was a more subtle sense of connection than in the previous hug. It felt very comfortable, but it also reminded Su Yu of the unfinished question he had before going to bed.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I heard you say something when the contract was completed, but at the time we were still¡­hmm¡­¡±


    The unfinished words were blocked between the lips of His Majesty the Emperor, he kissed the wordy fellow until he was dizzy and then the Emperor grunted.


    ¡°If you want Zhen to kiss you, just say it directly. What¡¯s the point of doing things in such a big circle.¡± Then he roughly cradled the person into his arms, rested his chin on Su Yu¡¯s head, then closed his eyes to sleep.


    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡± Su Yu mumbled. He gently pushed the strong chest in front of him, and unable to move it, had to give up.


    He slightly tilted his face, revealing his nose, and listening to the Emperor¡¯s steady and powerful heartbeat, he gradually fell asleep. About the blood pact, I¡¯d better ask the State Teacher tomorrow, ba.


    The next day, when he went to the Anguo Tower, Su Yu, who was seeking help from others, brought a large food box.


    Pancakes with seafood flavored sauce, fried shredded squid with chili sauce, fried shrimp with garlic, spicy razor clams, and the newly developed spicy crab sticks.


    A dazzling array of seafood snacks were placed on a low red sandalwood table, just looking at it makes one¡¯s mouth water.


    The State Teacher, who had originally closed his eyes to rest on the soft couch, slowly opened his eyes. His clear and cold gaze wandered between the snacks and Su Yu for a moment.


    ¡°Speak, ba. What do you want to ask?¡±


    It was always a little embarrassing to be seen through at a glance. Su Yu scratched his head and sat on a footstool beside the soft couch with a place of fried shrimp.


    ¡°Chen just wants to know, how should Chen complete this blood pact, what impact will it have on both parties?¡±


    The State Teacher twirled a shrimp and slowly and methodically took a bite. The stir-fried garlic powder had a special aroma, which was delicious when sprinkled on the open back of the shrimp. Gradually finishing a whole shrimp elegantly, the State Teacher slowly spoke.


    ¡°Just hand over a drop of blood from the fingertip, and the rest will be dealt with by Benzuo. This blood pact can let Benzuo know if you have leaked any secrets, and as for the rest, it doesn¡¯t affect anything.¡±


    Blood from the fingertip, not blood from the tongue tip! Su Yu blinked.


    ¡°Then is there any difference in using blood from other places?¡±


    Upon hearing this, the State Teacher frowned slightly and said.


    ¡°The ten fingers are linked with the heart, and half of the blood on the fingertips is from the heart, so it¡¯s natural to use them.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Su Yu handed over another shrimp and stealing a glance at the State Teacher¡¯s expression, carefully asked.


    ¡°Is there any special phenomenon at the moment of signing the contract, such as hearing what the other person is thinking in their hearts?¡±


    ¡°Nn?¡± The State Teacher¡¯s hand holding the shrimp paused for a beat and he looked firmly into Su Yu¡¯s eyes.


    The clear and cold eyes reflected the sunlight, seemly as if there were streams of light flashing through them. Su Yu was in a trance for a moment, secretly sighing that the beautiful eyes of the State Teacher were really too beautiful.


    ¡°You signed a blood pact with the Emperor?¡± The State Teacher¡¯s originally casual voice suddenly became cold and solemn, and the person also sat up.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Su Yu swallowed his saliva.


    ¡°Is this blood pact any different from the usual ones?¡±


    The State Teacher lowered his eyes and said.


    ¡°Ordinary blood pacts, only Benzuo can draw up, the kind the Emperor¡­¡±


    ¡°Meow!¡± Before finishing the sentence, a golden kitten suddenly came down from upstairs and threw himself into the arms of the State Teacher.


    ¡°Sauce, don¡¯t make trouble!¡± Su Yu quickly went to fetch the cat so as not to offend the State Teacher.


    ¡°Meoww--¡± The kitten slapped away Su Yu¡¯s hand grumpily, his amber eyes glaring at the State Teacher, warning him not to speak carelessly.


    The State Teacher gave Su Yu a deep look.


    ¡°How is this blood pact different, you will know in the future. Anyhow His Majesty will never harm you.¡±


    Since the blood contract has been signed, Su Yu could freely enter and leave the fourth floor of Anguo Tower. The State Teacher also seemed to treat him a lot more casually.


    ¡°Go to the third floor and find a copy of <Mountains and Rivers Illustrated Book>, come and while you¡¯re at it hang this cat on the soft silk ribbon for it to go up.¡± He threw the golden furball to Su Yu, then the State Teacher took out a pot of ginger tea and began enjoying the snacks.


    Su Yu honestly went to the third floor to search. Looking at the silk ribbon hanging from the fourth floor, and then looking at the furball in his arms again, he decided to hold the cat for a while longer and put it back when he found the book.


    The entire third floor was filled with books, making people dazzled. After searching for a while, Su Yu couldn¡¯t see any pattern in the arrangement of the books. Next to the <Da¡¯an Laws and Regulations> was the <Intrumental Music Classics>, and next to the <History of the Former Dynasties> was <The Legend of the Scholar White Fox>...


    His Majesty the Emperor, who was nestled in Su Yu¡¯s arms couldn¡¯t bear to look at it anymore. He jumped off his shirt and in two to three jumps, he climbed to the top of the bookshelf.¡±Clatter¡± Large and thick books poured down, almost burying Su Yu.


    ¡°Sauce, come down quickly!¡± Su Yu hurriedly picked up the books and put them back one by one.


    Suddenly, he saw a three-fingers thick <Mountains and Rivers Illustrated Book> among them.


    Hanging the golden kitten on the soft silk, he patted the furry little butt and said. ¡°Go play by yourself.¡± Then he gleefully went downstairs, leaving the stiff His Majesty the Emperor hanging on the silk ribbon swaying with the breeze.


    When Su Yu returned to the second floor, the food on the five plates was already cleaned up. The State Teacher held a cup of ginger tea and the two big tabby cats stared at each other in consternation.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Su Yu, seeing these two cats, immediately approached curiously.


    ¡°Why are they here?¡±


    ¡°Freeloading for food.¡± The State Teacher took the book from Su Yu¡¯s hand and ignored the two big cats.


    ¡°Last time His Majesty said the same thing.¡± Su Yu suppressed a smile, and seeing the two tabby cats'' smooth and glossy appearance, he reached out to pet them.


    The two big cats were naturally more agile than the little chubby kitten, and they definitely wouldn¡¯t let Su Yu¡¯s wandering hands succeed. ¡°Whoosh¡±, Leaping off the table, they ran upstairs in unison.


    Grabbing the silk ribbons and climbing up, they bumped into His Majesty the Emperor who was still hanging in place.


    ¡°You Majesty, can¡¯t climb anymore?¡± The black and yellow cat approached and asked with a smile.


    His Majesty glanced at his Seventeenth Uncle and stepped on his head, rushing up to the fourth floor.


    ¡°Ow!¡± King Ling let out a mournful cry and turned around to complain to his elder brother.


    The black and white cat in charge of the bring up the rear caught up and gave him a paw without hesitation.


    ¡°What are you doing in a daze, get up there!¡± Then, following the footsteps of the Holy One, stepped on his younger brother¡¯s head.


    ¡°Are these cats all kept in the Anguo Tower?¡± Su Yu asked as he listened to the noisy cat calls upstairs.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± The State Teacher flipped through the <Mountains and Rivers Illustrated Book> in his hand and threw it to Su Yu.


    ¡°Memorize everything on it within three days.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Su Yu¡¯s eyes widened. Su Yu didn¡¯t accompany the Emperor to approve the memorials this morning so he finally managed to memorize the <Fish Killing Heart Law>.


    After memorizing he gained a deeper understanding of how to kill Qingyu, he had originally planned to practice at the Anguo Tower again today, but unexpectedly the State Teacher asked him to memorize another book.


    You can tell by the title of the book that this was an atlas about the geographical environment of the Da¡¯an Dynasty. As a cook, what is he memorizing the <Mountains and Rivers Illustrated Book> for? Wrinkling his brows and flipping it open, Su Yu was dumbfounded.


    The drawings in the book were all meticulous colored paintings, exquisite and lifelike. But the question was, who can explain why there are so many different kinds of fish painted in ¡°Mountains and Rivers¡± illustrated book?


    In the beginning, there was a vivid Qingyu, and there was written a detailed annotation.


    ¡°Shaped like a carp with swine hair, to see it means a severe drought in all lands under the heaven.¡± The next fish Su Yu had never heard of, such as:


    ¡°Yingyu, fish body with bird wings, sounds like a mandarin duck, to see it means there will be a great flood.¡±;


    ¡°Lenggui, fish body with a tortoise shell, to see it means there will be a great storm.¡±...


    Remembering the flashy drawings in Su Ji¡¯s Recipes, Su Yu blinked.


    Could those indistinct ink dots be these strange fish? If it¡¯s related to the recipes, he¡¯s quite willing to study it, so he got up and was about to bid farewell.


    ¡°Slow down.¡± The State Teacher raised his hand to stop Su Yu¡¯s movements.


    ¡°Go back and memorize this book. Tonight, we will offer a sacrifice to the heavens, on the fourth floor Benzuo has already removed the fishy blood of several Qingyu, you go and kill them all.¡±


    Su Yu: ¡°...¡± Sure enough, neither the school assignment nor the homework could be escaped.


    ¡°After killing, you can take away one of the killed ones with you.¡± The State Teacher took a light sip of ginger tea and said with pleasure.


    ¡°Chen will go now.¡± Su Yu was full of enthusiasm when he thought of making grilled fish for the Emperor.


    Although the State Teacher did not tell him the difference in the blood contract made with the Emperor, considering the pale lips of the Emperor last night, he knew that this unconventional thing was harmful to his body, so he had to give him a good tonic no matter what.


    The author has something to say:


    Small Theater:


    Answering Questions in Anguo Tower Classroom


    Little Fish: What is the relationship between the Mountains and Rivers Illustrated Book and Fish?


    Thirteenth Uncle: Mountains and Rivers are related to the country!


    Seventeenth Uncle: The illustrated book is related to the ancestral teachings!


    State Teacher: The Mountains and Rivers Illustrated Book is related to the fate of the country!


    ¡­


    The ancestral motto of the An family: Consolidate my rivers and mountains, guard my fresh fish!

 CH 60

    Excitedly running upstairs, he was ready to do a big job but was dumbfounded when he reached the third floor. Facing the flimsy silk ribbon, how was he going to get up there?


    Turning his head to look at the State Teacher who was still leisurely sipping tea on the second floor, Su Yu scratched his head and said.


    ¡°Imperial Uncle, how do I get up there?¡±


    The State Teacher put down the teacup in his hand and had no intention of getting up to help. He just looked up and said to Su Yu.


    ¡°Call the Emperor to take you up.¡± Then, he continued to drink tea leisurely.


    ¡°The Emperor?¡± Su Yu blinked. Was the Emperor here?


    He looked around and circled around the soft silk ribbon, then had no choice but to tilt his head and shout to the top.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty?¡±


    There seemed to be a moment of silence in the Anguo Tower. Shortly after the Emperor, dressed in a white robe, held the silk ribbon with one hand and descended from the sky.


    ¡°Stupid slave, what are you calling me for?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, you are really here, ah!¡± Su Yu jumped up in surprise.


    The third floor was filled with soft cushions everywhere, he only looked at the Emperor without looking at his feet, so he unsteadily fell directly into the Emperor¡¯s arms.


    An Hongche lifted his hands to catch the clumsy slave and held him steady.


    ¡°Outside, don¡¯t throw yourself into Zhen¡¯s arms.¡±


    Who threw themselves into his arms? Su Yu felt helpless and looked at the serious Emperor, unable to argue with him.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please take Chen to the fourth floor, ba. Chen needs to go up and kill fish.¡±


    ¡°You called Zhen down just to use Zhen as a ladder?¡± His Majesty the Emperor was immediately unhappy.


    Hearing the foolish slave calling so urgently, he thought the State Teacher had done something to him. He came down in a hurry, only to find it was just for such a stupid thing!


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Su Yu blinked. It was a bit wrong to use the Emperor like this, however, there were only the three of them in the tower.


    ¡°But, without Your Majesty, Chen couldn¡¯t go up on his own.¡±


    An Hongche gave a cold snort upon hearing this, but the corners of his mouth couldn¡¯t help rising slightly.


    Hey, this stupid slave is so dependent on him, it¡¯s really annoying, but as a good master, this little request will still be satisfied. Holding Su Yu in his arms with one hand and holding the silk ribbon with the other, he applied force with his feet and ¡°swoosh¡±, quickly rushed up to the fourth floor.


    Up on the fourth floor, the Emperor suddenly thought of a question.


    ¡°How did you come up yesterday?¡±


    ¡°The State Teacher brought Chen up.¡± Su Yu replied honestly.


    His Majesty the Emperor immediately furrowed his brows. ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Did the State Teacher also pick up the stupid slave like this? Even if it was Imperial Uncle, you can¡¯t take advantage of him like this!


    The Emperor angrily turned around and jumped down to the third floor, then charged straight towards the second floor.


    Su Yu didn¡¯t know what to do and only assumed that the Emperor had left on urgent business. Looking at the first stone chamber with the door open, he walked straight in.


    There were five Qingyu in the stone chamber with the fishy blood removed, and there was also a bucket of boiling water. Recalling the method of killing Qingyu, Su Yu took a deep breath, picked up his knife, and started working.


    The State Teacher instructed him to kill these fish and on the way roast them outside, he would offer this as a sacrifice to the heavens in the evening.


    Although he didn¡¯t understand why he still needed to roast the fish for the sacrificial ceremony, Su Yu put his reward - the largest Qingyu - into the fish basket and put it away, and then honestly roasted the remaining four.


    It seemed that there were more seasonings today than yesterday, Su Yu mixed two kinds of barbecue sauce with great interest, one a salty flavor, and the other a kind of soy sauce, but the surface should be brushed with honey.


    The grilled fish with honey sauce sizzled over the charcoal fire, and Su Yu started working from left to right, he was able to turn and grill two fish at the same time. He was working hard, but suddenly, he felt something was wrong.


    Su Yu¡¯s hand paused and slowly turned his head, only to see four pairs of sparkling eyes staring at him momentarily. Two big tabby cats and two small yellow cats squatted down in a row on the ground, looking straight at him.


    He didn¡¯t know when the State Teacher came up and sat behind the four cats, with one hand supporting his jaw, he gazed at him indifferently with his cold beautiful eyes.


    Su Yu blinked, then blinked again.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the Emperor?¡±


    ¡°The fish is burning.¡± The State Teacher reminded him softly.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Su Yu quickly flipped the fish over.


    The two fish were grilled, and the State Teacher asked Su Yu to put them on a plate. Then, two more fish were grilled for the evening sacrifice to the heavens. By the time Su Yu finished grilling the two offerings to the heavens, the previous ones only had fishtails left.


    After grilling fish at the Anguo Tower all afternoon and the attempt to coax Sauce back to Beiji Palace failed, Su Yu slowly returned alone, carrying his reward.


    Considering the large group of cats in the Anguo Tower, Su Yu was very skeptical that the sacrificial offerings could be preserved until the evening.


    Anyway, offering sacrifices to the heavens was none of his business. The top priority was to go back and cook a delicious grilled fish for the Emperor.


    The tools at the Anguo Tower were rudimentary, and couldn¡¯t be used to make high-end cuisine. There were chili peppers just sent by King Ling to Beiji Palace, so Su Yu was prepared to cook a meal of Wushan Grilled Whole Fish for the Emperor.


    In the evening, His Majesty the Emperor came back with heavy footsteps, and as soon as he entered the palace hall, he collapsed on a soft couch and remained motionless.


    ¡°Your Majesty, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Su Yu walked over and touched the Emperor¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Tired.¡± His Majesty the Emperor took the opportunity to put his head on Su Yu¡¯s lap and stretched his waist.


    A man¡¯s body should be hard, and His Majesty the Emperor usually felt very firm to the touch, but when he stretches his back, he looks very flexible. His slender body was pulled into a bow and then quickly bounced back to encircle Su Yu.


    ¡°Did Your Majesty practice martial arts at the Anguo Tower this afternoon?¡± Su Yu looked at his high-risk movements and was very worried. He rubbed his waist for fear that he would pull a muscle.


    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Responding vaguely, His Majesty the Emperor was massaged so comfortably that he was about to fall asleep in a daze.


    He and the State Teacher temporarily put aside their prejudices and returned o the fourth floor because the grilled fish was almost cooked.


    After Su Yu left, An Hongche and his Imperial Uncle continued to discuss in depth the issue of ¡°How did Imperial Uncle bring his niece-in-law up to the fourth floor yesterday.¡±.


    King Ling and King Su, who ate and drank to their hearts'' content, saw that the situation was not right, so they picked up the little chubby cat that was still licking its paws and ran away.


    The result of the fight between His Majesty the Emperor and the State Teacher was that Su Yu no longer had to go to the Anguo Tower for three days, and only memorized the illustrated book with peace of mind at the Emperor¡¯s side.


    After three days, Su Yu went again and found a rope ladder built between the third and fourth floors. When he walked over, the yellow and white little chubby cat would appear on the fourth floor and then, puff and blowing with protruding buttocks, push down the rope ladder, then would climb up to the fifth floor in a flash, lest Su Yu climb up and touch him.


    During these three days, Su Yu was tied to the Emperor. Accompanying reviewing the memorials in the morning, taking a nap in the afternoon, and playing around with him in the afternoon. In short, he was not allowed to leave half a step.


    For three days in a row, the Imperial Censor tried to hit the pillar in the court hall, but His Majesty continued to do as he pleased. He insisted on using Su Yu as a cushion and for feeding him pastries when approving memorials, and also Su Yu was gradually immune to the minister''s sharp gazes.


    Su Yu discovered that the Emperor was starting to eradicate a portion of the forces in the court, using swift and resolute measures, not the slightest bit sloppy.


    To put it mildly, in Su Yu¡¯s opinion, the so-called pass like thunder and move like the wind actions could be summarized as simple and brutal. He wondered whether there was any problem with the Emperor ruling the country like this.


    After all, many things were not as simple as they seem on the surface, and the Emperor¡¯s speed in determining the right or wrong of a matter and a person''s guilt or innocence were really too fast.


    ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t you want to investigate again?¡± Su Yu watched the Emperor neatly write the word ¡°Chop¡± on the memorial he just glanced at, and the corner of his mouth couldn¡¯t help but twitch.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to investigate?¡± His Majesty threw the memorial aside, leaned against Su Yu and yawned.


    ¡°As long Zhen is here, the world will not lose its fairness.¡±