Chapter 53: The cool night dew and hidden thoughts
The sound of the carriage rolling over the bluestone pavement was particularly clear in the silent night, yet the atmosphere inside the carriage was even more gloomy than the twilight within the palace walls. Little Swallow pressed her face against the window, the cool glass rubbing against her cheekbones, dampening the heat a bit. Outside, the streetlights dimmed, and the willow branches swayed in the evening breeze, a perfect reflection of her turbulent state of mind.
"Still thinking about the palace?" Xiao Jian's voice came from the side. He was playing with a jade pendant in his hand, stroking the warm lines on it with his fingertips. "Father said that he will take care of everything. Don't dwell on it."
Xiaoyanzi turned her head. The red silk ribbon at the end of her braid had unraveled, dangling from her shoulders, swaying gently as the carriage jolted. She reached out to tighten the silk, her fingertips trembling. "Brother, don't you find it strange? Why would the Emperor suddenly mention spicy pancakes? And he even remembered to add spicy diced radish... That was the recipe Liu Qing came up with back when we were in Jiangnan Courtyard."
Xiao Jian's fingertips paused on the jade pendant. Moonlight poured in through the car window, casting a shadow in his eyes: "Maybe it's just a coincidence. There are thousands of recipes in the imperial kitchen, and it's possible that you might occasionally come across a dish from the market." Having said that, a hint of uneasiness appeared at the corners of his tightly pursed lips.
The carriage stopped in front of the Fang Mansion, and the gatekeeper came forward, lantern in hand. In the dim light, the copper rings on the vermilion gate shone coldly. As Xiaoyanzi stepped onto the steps, she saw the butler hurried out, his long blue cloth gown wrinkled from running. "Miss, Master, someone's coming from the palace! They're waiting in the main hall!"
Xiaoyanzi's steps suddenly stopped, and her heart felt like something was clenching. The palace banquet had just ended, so how could someone from the palace arrive so quickly? She subconsciously grasped Xiao Jian's sleeve, her knuckles turning white. "Is it... is it Eunuch Su?"
"It's not the eunuch, it's Manager Liu from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He said... a reward has been sent down." The butler wiped the sweat from his forehead, his tone filled with a sense of flattery and an inexplicable nervousness.
Fang Zhihang and his wife had already been waiting in the main hall. Mrs. Fang's handkerchief was wrinkled. When she saw her children come in, she quickly stood up and greeted them, her voice very low: "Ci'er, don't be afraid, your father is here."
In the center of the main hall stood a middle-aged man in a dark blue satin jacket, a bright yellow badge dangling from his waist. He was none other than Manager Liu from the Imperial Household Department. Upon seeing Xiaoyanzi enter, he immediately smiled, but the smile never reached his eyes, only a few shrewd lines forming at the corners. "Miss Fang is finally back. The Emperor has specifically instructed this old servant to bring this reward to you."
He clapped his hands, and the young eunuch behind him immediately entered, carrying a rosewood tray covered with bright yellow brocade. Steward Liu personally lifted the brocade, revealing a shimmering phoenix hairpin. The ruby-encrusted phoenix feathers gleamed in the light, even more magnificent than the red gold and kingfisher feather hairpin that Xiaoyanzi had worn at the palace banquet.
"Is this a reward from the Emperor?" Fang Zhihang stepped forward, the sleeves of his dark blue brocade robe brushing the table lightly. His eyes fell on the hairpin, and with scrutiny, he asked, "Steward Liu, why did the Emperor suddenly give this reward to my daughter?"
Steward Liu's smile grew increasingly attentive, but his eyes flickered to Xiaoyanzi. "Master Fang, you may not be aware that the Emperor met Miss Fang today and praised her intelligence and cleverness, saying... that she looked friendly. He specifically had the warehouse select this hairpin, saying the recipe was perfect for her." He paused, then changed the subject. "By the way, the Emperor also specifically instructed that Miss Fang bring her pancakes to Shufangzhai at noon tomorrow, saying... that he wanted to taste Miss Fang's handmade craftsmanship."
"Handmade it myself?" Xiaoyanzi blurted out, her fingertips clenching the hem of her skirt, deep wrinkles forming in the lilac-colored material. "Didn't the Emperor say... to have Liu Qing and Liu Hong from the miscellaneous courtyard do it?"
The smile on Manager Liu's face faded a little, and the wrinkles around his eyes tightened. "Miss Fang, what you said is true. The emperor has given you the right to do it yourself, so of course it's in accordance with the rules. Besides, how can the craftsmanship of ordinary people compare to that of a lady from a noble family like you? The emperor is really honoring you."
Fang Zhihang frowned, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table, making a steady "knock knock" sound: "Manager Liu, my daughter has never been to the imperial kitchen, and I'm afraid she won't be able to cook these common dishes well. What if..."
"Don't worry, Lord Fang," Steward Liu interrupted him, his tone filled with unquestionable confidence. "The Emperor said it doesn't need to be elaborate; home-cooked flavors are fine. This old servant will be waiting here and will accompany Miss Fang to the palace early tomorrow morning. I guarantee we'll be there on time." As he spoke, his eyes swept over Xiaoyanzi's pale face, and a meaningful smile curled the corners of his mouth. "Miss Fang, please don't keep the Emperor waiting."
After seeing off Steward Liu, the lights in the main hall seemed to dim a bit. Madam Fang held her forehead and sat down, her silver earrings swaying gently in the candlelight. "What should I do? The Emperor clearly wants Ci'er to go, and I can't refuse. But those pancakes...how can Ci'er make them?"
Xiaoyanzi walked to the window and half-opened it. The night breeze blew in, carrying the faint fragrance of osmanthus, but it couldn't dispel the chill in her heart. She gazed at the crescent moon on the courtyard wall and suddenly remembered Liu Qing's past life in the compound, teaching her how to make pancakes. The scorching griddle burned her, and Liu Hong laughed beside her, her back bent. The moonlight back then was like this too, cool and clear, casting long shadows on the millstones.
"I can do it." Xiaoyanzi turned around, her voice soft but remarkably firm. The panic in her eyes was gradually replaced by a determination. "Sister Hong taught me. I remember the steps."
Xiao Jian looked at her worriedly: "Are you sure? The palace is not like home. What if there is any mistake..."
"Brother, I know the seriousness of the matter." Xiaoyanzi walked over to her father and gently held his hand. His palm was rough but warm, which calmed her flustered heart. "Since the emperor has made such arrangements, he must have his reasons. I will be more careful tomorrow and just make pancakes. I won't talk or look around. I will be back after I have delivered them."
Fang Zhihang looked at the stubbornness in his daughter's eyes, then looked out the window at the dark night. He sighed and said, "Forget it. Let Xiao Jian accompany you tomorrow. Once you get to the palace, be patient. If anything goes wrong, have Xiao Jian find a way to send a message back immediately."
That night, Xiaoyanzi slept very lightly. Before dawn, she carried her lunch box to the compound. Liu Hong came out to open the door, draped in her clothes. Seeing the dark shadows under her eyes, she couldn't help but be surprised: "Xiaoyanzi, why are you here so early? Why do you look so bad?"
"Sister Hong, I want to learn how to make pancakes." Xiaoyanzi placed the food box on the stone table. In the dim morning light, her eyes were extremely serious. "Add double the spicy diced radish. The spicier the better."
Although Liu Hong was filled with questions, she quickly lit the stove. She heated the griddle and poured sesame oil on it. With a sizzling sound, the batter gradually formed into golden round pancakes under the bamboo spatula. Xiaoyanzi stood by and watched closely as Liu Hong's fingers deftly turned the pancakes on the scorching griddle, flour staining her fingertips. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, but she smiled brightly. "Look, you have to spread it in circles like this to make it evenly thick. Add the spicy radish last, so it's crispy and spicy enough..."
Xiaoyanzi imitated Liu Hong as she spread the batter. Hot oil splashed onto the back of her hand, stinging it fiercely, but she seemed oblivious, watching intently as the crust gradually bulged. Xiao Jian stood beneath the old locust tree, watching his sister's clumsy yet stubborn back, and Liu Hong's busy figure in the morning light. He gripped the sword at his waist, his eyes filled with solemnity.
As the first rays of sunlight passed over the courtyard wall, Xiaoyanzi finally placed the freshly made spicy pancakes into her lunch box. The aroma of the pancakes mixed with the fragrance of the chili peppers hit her face, and the familiar smell made her nose sore, and she quickly turned her head away.
"These pancakes smell delicious!" Liu Hong patted her shoulder, the warmth of her palm passing through her sleeve. "Who is so lucky to have our Xiaoyanzi personally cook for us?"
Xiaoyanzi raised her head, the morning light falling on her face. She forced a smile, but tears gleamed in her eyes: "It's... a very important person."
The carriage once again drove toward the palace. This time, the food box contained steaming hot spicy pancakes, its aroma seeping through the cracks and lingering in the carriage. Xiaoyanzi pressed her face against the food box, feeling the faint warmth, her fingertips gently caressing the delicate patterns on the box's surface.
She didn't know what she would encounter on this trip to the palace, nor did she know what Qianlong was planning. But she knew that from the moment she took the food box, she could no longer hide from it.
The palace walls gradually became clear in the morning light, and the vermilion palace gate was like a silent, enormous mouth, waiting for her to enter. Xiaoyanzi took a deep breath and gripped the handle of the food box tightly, her fingertips turning white from the effort. The red silk ribbon at the end of her braid fluttered gently in the morning breeze, like a leaping flame, especially eye-catching in this deep palace.
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