Chapter 26: Palace Maid and Favored Concubine, Professional Mismatch
When she was still at home, she often ate the snowflake crisps from Zhang’s shop in the county town.
Later, she entered the palace and became a maid, but she had fewer opportunities to see it, let alone taste it.
Caiyue raised her eyes and glanced at the person sitting opposite her.
Even when she was sitting and eating, her manners were no worse than those of a lady from a wealthy family.
Under the candlelight, her jade-white skin seemed to be glowing, and her appearance was even more beautiful.
Caiyue lowered her eyes and stared at the half piece of snowflake crisp in her hand.
It was a small piece, covered with a layer of white frosting. From the bite point, you could see several kinds of nuts and kernels mixed together. The tiny sugar crystals solidified at the edge reflected the candlelight.
If it weren't for the help of the person opposite her, she wouldn't have been able to eat this little snowflake crisp.
The palace is such a place where the powerful are flattered and the weak are trampled upon.
If you want to eat well and dress well, you have to climb up.
Caiyue tightened her fingertips inch by inch, lowered her head, and put the remaining half of the snowflake crisp into her mouth.
——The taste of snowflake crisps is indeed very sweet.
Chu Liuzheng didn't notice Caiyue's abnormality. She was chewing on the snowflake crisps and feeling worried.
[It's over! Giving away both Bihen Cream and Snowflake Crisps. When has Eunuch Zhou ever been so considerate to a little palace maid?]
[With such attentiveness, Zhou Yuande must be trying to make love with me!]
[Damn it! I don’t want to!]
After finishing a plate of snowflake pastry, a young eunuch suddenly ran over and said, "Your Majesty has summoned Lord Fan, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, to the Wenhua Hall for a meeting. He has already entered the palace. The two girls should quickly prepare tea."
[Summoning his ministers into the palace in the middle of the night to discuss matters, is this a tyrant's attempt to select a model worker?]
Chu Liuzheng complained in his heart, never thinking that it was he who caused Fan Hong to run to the palace in the middle of the night.
Caiyue followed Chu Liuzheng and stood up, asking, "Sister, what kind of tea does this Lord Fan prefer?"
"Jasmine tea." Chu Liuzheng said as he carried out the teapot. "Master Fan is from Fuzhou, a city famous for its tea. This cellar-made jasmine tea is one of its famous products."
"Next time I'm not around and you're unsure what kind of tea to make, you can ask the adults where they're from and use the tea that's grown there."
"Adults generally prefer tea produced in their hometown. If it's not available or you don't have time to ask, just go for green tea. You may not like it, but it won't go wrong."
"But," Caiyue stared at the jar beside Chu Liuzheng and the reddish-brown tea leaves inside, wondering, "Since Lord Fan likes to drink jasmine tea, why did my sister take Dahongpao?"
Green tea and oolong tea are so different, it’s impossible to get the wrong one.
"What kind of tea to brew depends on the time." Chu Liuzheng put the teapot back and closed the cabinet door.
"It's already midnight, and everyone is exhausted. His Majesty has summoned Lord Fan to discuss matters, so naturally, he needs some refreshing tea. Jasmine tea is fragrant, but it's not as refreshing as Dahongpao. Dahongpao is also a tea produced in Fuzhou, and Lord Fan also likes it."
Da Hong Pao is a fermented oolong tea that contains more caffeine than green tea. Drinking coffee is certainly a great way to stay awake.
This is a lesson learned from experience, and Caiyue took note of it.
Chu Liuzheng took the copper kettle off the stove and poured water into the teacup. Seeing that Caiyue was taking it seriously, he added, "The Tieguanyin produced in Anxi, Fuzhou is also good. It has a unique orchid fragrance and a sweet taste. It has a refreshing effect similar to Dahongpao."
Caiyue asked doubtfully, "Then why not choose Tieguanyin?"
"Of course, it's because His Majesty prefers Da Hong Pao." Chu Liuzheng winked at her and whispered, "There's not much Tieguanyin left. If you want to make something, you have to go to the inner storehouse to get some. There's the hassle of getting the right brand and registering. It's the middle of the night, so why not take a break for a while?"
These tea-serving ladies were mainly there to serve the emperor, and the ministers who came to discuss matters were just there as a side job, so naturally the emperor's preferences were given priority.
Caiyue nodded repeatedly and couldn't help but sigh: "Sister, you know so much!"
"Practice makes perfect." Chu Liuzheng smiled, counting the time silently in his mind, and lowered his head to cover the teacup. "When you stay in the imperial court for a few more months, you won't even need to remember these things. They will sink into your brain and you won't be able to forget them even if you want to."
Caiyue took the mahogany tray off the shelf and brought it over, saying with a smile, "I'm not very smart, so I'll need my sister to guide me more in the future."
Chu Liuzheng glanced at her.
"I'd love to teach you more, but since you're aiming for the throne, it's useless for me to teach you. Being a palace maid and a concubine, these professions are really incompatible."
Caiyue felt a sudden palpitation inexplicably, and always felt that Chu Liuzheng's glance was very sharp, as if he could see through her from inside out.
But when she looked closely, the other person still had those watery almond eyes with a faint smile on his face, no different from usual.
"Let's go." Chu Liuzheng picked up the tray and motioned Caiyue to follow.
*
Imperial prison.
"Chu Shangming!" A Jinyiwei stood outside the prison fence, knocked on the fence with his embroidered spring knife, and shouted loudly.
The prisoners who were still awake in the cell all looked over, only to be glared back fiercely by the Jinyiwei, who then shouted, "Chu Shangming!"
In the corner, a young man dressed as a scholar was sleeping soundly. Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name loudly. He woke up with a start and answered subconsciously, "I'm here!"
The Jinyiwei took a look at the man and saw that he was indeed a handsome scholar, so he opened the cell door and said, "Come here! You are lucky, someone from above is protecting you. You can get out now."
Chu Shangming was overjoyed. He quickly ran out through the crowd and thanked the Jinyiwei.
"Officer, I have a classmate named Chai Zhicheng who was also arrested by mistake. Can he come out with me?"
"Him?" The Imperial Guard gave him a half-smile. "He's a remnant of the Fifth Prince. It was him who got you arrested. Otherwise, you wouldn't be in jail."
"Ah?" Chu Shangming's eyes widened in surprise. "Master, is there some misunderstanding here? Brother Chai is a pure and kind person. How could he be a remnant of the Fifth Prince?"
"You're a bookworm who doesn't know how to judge people. You've been sold and you're still helping people count money." The Jinyiwei sneered, not wanting to talk to Chu Shangming anymore. He pointed his embroidered spring knife at him and said, "Are you going to leave or not? If not, I'll take you back!"
“Go, go, go!”
How could Chu Shangming dare to stay any longer after he deliberately scared him?
Without even bothering to ask who had gotten him out, he hurried out, fearing that he would be caught again.
After he was released from the imperial prison and the screams and sounds of execution faded away, Chu Shangming let out a long sigh.
"How could such a good man like Brother Chai be a remnant of the Fifth Prince? Did I make the wrong friends again?"
He raised his hand and patted his head: "Oh! If only You Miao hadn't entered the palace, I could ask her."
Youmiao is the nickname of Chu Liuzheng, which is taken from: "As Liuzheng turns back, the sound is young and wonderful and then rises again."
The names of the three brothers and sisters of the Chu family were chosen by their father, who brought gifts to the village private school and asked the teacher who ran the private school in the village to help him choose the names. He just wanted to give his children good names.
Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zheng and Yu, three of the five names are used.
"We have to hurry home. Mother and little sister must be worried sick."
Chu Shangming didn't care about etiquette, and ran towards home with his long legs.
(End of this chapter)
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