Later, when Lady Su learned about Shen Cui’s performance at the Mid-Altar Showcase, she discovered it was all Ji Cheng’s idea. Su Yun still remembered her grandmother’s words, “That Cheng girl is incredibly deep. Even ten of you wouldn’t be a match for her.”
Su Yun had been unconvinced at the time, but now she admitted it. She was indeed no match for Ji Cheng, especially when it came to attracting men. Even the young prince of the Southern Prince’s Mansion had his eyes fixed on Ji Cheng. Shen Qian might not have noticed, but Su Yun saw it.
Thinking of this, Su Yun couldn’t help but glance at Ji Cheng again. Shen Cui had received a lot of help from Ji Cheng; without her, Shen Cui might not have won the Mid-Altar Showcase. It was Ji Cheng who had discovered Su Qingci. Su Yun bit her lip, thinking if she had won the Mid-Altar Showcase herself, Shen Che would surely have looked at her differently.
If one were to look at Su Yun now, one would notice that her hand gripping the book scroll had turned white from the force.
Unfortunately, Ji Cheng’s thoughts were not on Su Yun. After class at the school, she went straight to Liu Cook’s kitchen. Ji Cheng’s diligent study of culinary arts wasn’t out of passion, but to please the Old Madam. Nowadays, young ladies from good families don’t need to cook, but the Old Madam believed that a true lady should excel in virtue, appearance, speech, and skills. Both needlework and culinary arts were things a young lady should be proficient in.
Ji Cheng was a bit lacking in needlework, so she could only rely on her culinary skills. However, Old Madam’s kitchen was run by Madam Lu, and after eating Madam Lu’s cooking for over a decade, everyone was accustomed to her taste. So Ji Cheng’s culinary skills, like Liu Cook’s, had no place to shine.
But as the saying goes, “The flowers you tend may not bloom, while the willow you casually plant may thrive.” While the Old Madam didn’t ask Ji Cheng to cook, Princess An He, who dined at Rui Ying Hall one day, took a liking to Ji Cheng’s cooking.
Since then, Weirue from Princess An He’s chambers often came to Ji Cheng for help. Princess An He had always had a poor appetite, eating very little at each meal. The maids, to please their mistress, had tried everything and now came to Ji Cheng for help.
Thus, Ji Cheng learned many of Princess An He’s preferences from Weirue. For instance, Princess An He loved spicy food and drinking and enjoyed singing and dancing, and the Furong Courtyard where she lived in Qingyuan was filled with the sound of string and wind instruments every day.
Ji Cheng stirred the ladle in her hand, simmering the soup base. She took out a few strands of something that looked like straw from Liu Cook’s treasured jar and put them into the pot. Don’t underestimate that straw-like ingredient; it was something Liu Cook had dug up in the mountains of Dian and Qian. It had a very special fragrance and looked like straw, only whiter.
Ji Cheng liked to innovate when cooking. Princess An He enjoyed her dishes, and she liked having such a “kindred spirit” in Princess An He. Shen Yuan and the others said they couldn’t get used to her new dishes, but Princess An He always gave face.
This time, the soup pot was both red and spicy, yet with a unique fragrance. Ji Cheng had tried cooking ordinary meat in it, which was unremarkable, but cooking river fish, shrimp, and crab gave it a special flavor. She also prepared a dipping sauce. Considering the soup was already very spicy, Ji Cheng made the dipping sauce sweeter, adding sesame sweet sauce and stewed cheese.
Liu Cook tasted it and praised Ji Cheng for her natural talent in cooking. She hadn’t left the Shen mansion until now, partly because she was attached to such a disciple as Ji Cheng.
In the evening, Weirue came to Ji Cheng with joy, saying that Princess An He had eaten two small bowls of rice today, and she had received quite a reward.
Ji Cheng smiled and said, “That’s good.”
Seeing Ji Cheng’s calm demeanor, Weirue was a bit puzzled. She had thought Ji Cheng would use this opportunity to curry favor with Princess An He, but after a month or two, she hadn’t seen Ji Cheng push her luck. Weirue’s opinion of this young lady from a merchant family improved considerably.
Weirue had been raised by Aunt Ling, who was by Princess An He’s side. Aunt Ling had been a managing palace maid in the palace, with talent and ability far surpassing ordinary people. She was highly trusted by the former Empress Dowager and Princess An He. The maids she raised were certainly no worse than some young ladies from noble families.
Every time Weirue came, although she acted innocent and lively, she had more tricks up her sleeve than anyone.
“The Princess’s health has never been very good. Why don’t you make some medicinal dishes for the Princess to improve her health? I heard you’re very good at making medicinal dishes,” Weirue asked, seemingly innocently.
Ji Cheng smiled and said, “When dining at the Old Madam’s, I noticed that the Princess never touched any of the Old Madam’s medicinal dishes, so it seems she doesn’t like them at all. Her appetite is already poor, and even if I made medicinal dishes, she wouldn’t eat them. She has been eating little for years, so her stomach has shrunk. Now we can only slowly use the dishes she likes to stimulate her appetite. Once she gradually eats more and her stomach expands again, then we can make some medicinal dishes for her.”
“Oh, I see,” Weirue suddenly understood, thinking that Ji Cheng was both attentive and thoughtful.
Ji Cheng, wanting to gain Princess An He’s favor, added, “I heard from you that the Princess likes to drink. When grapes come out in summer, I brew some grape wine myself. You might take some back for the Princess to try.”
Weirue said casually, “That? The Emperor sends several barrels to the Princess from the palace every year, but she doesn’t like to drink it.”
Ji Cheng said, “Although the wine from the palace is a tribute from the Western Regions, it’s not properly preserved during the long journey, sometimes cold and sometimes hot. By the time it reaches the palace, the wine has already gone bad and doesn’t taste good. This wine I learned to make from Liu Cook, who sought advice from wine masters in the Western Regions. The method is the same as theirs. You might as well take some for the Princess to try. I’ve heard that grape wine has many benefits. Not only is it good for beauty, but it’s also good for health as long as it’s not consumed excessively.”
Seeing Ji Cheng’s enthusiasm, Weirue didn’t want to dampen her spirits, after all, she still needed Ji Cheng to cook for the Princess. So she took a crystal bottle from Ji Cheng and returned.
After Weirue left, Ji Cheng had Liu Ye’er help her wash and bathe. Being in the kitchen always left an oily smoke smell, which she disliked, so she always washed thoroughly after cooking.
Ji Cheng lay in the bathtub, occasionally using a ladle to pour water from her shoulders down. In her mind, she wondered what debt she owed Shen Che in her previous life that now she had to attend to his mother’s meals and rack her brains to help Shen Che monopolize the arms trade business in Jin territory.
While Ji Cheng was busy here, things were quite different on Shen Che’s side.
Having endured the hot summer, Chu De, the fat one, felt alive again and could fully indulge in women. The summer was too hot, making him not want to move at all, even giving up his favorite activity and living like a monk for several dozen days.
Now that the weather was cooler, moving around kept him warm, so every few days, Chu De would gather friends to visit brothels. This day, Chu De caught Shen Che and naturally wouldn’t let him go. Every time he saw Shen Che, he itched to see this Buddha descend from his altar and become dissolute. Unfortunately, he had never succeeded, but the fat Chu never gave up. He just couldn’t believe Shen Che wasn’t a real man.
Today, they went to Huamanyuan in Little Chu Alley, an obscure little place where one could sleep with anyone for just a few silver pieces.
“Why do you always like these kinds of places?” Shen Che asked Chu De with a slight frown. Although Huamanyuan had put in their best effort to serve the Second Young Master Shen, their financial and material resources were limited, and the food and wine didn’t suit Shen Che’s taste.
“You’re just too picky,” Chu De said irritably. “Who comes to a place like this for food and wine? You don’t understand the subtleties here. The courtesans here are all battle-hardened, their skills and endurance far surpassing those pretty but useless flower girls. I’m not burning money for nothing, I’m happy spending it here.”
As soon as Chu De finished speaking, he almost fell flat on his face. He straightened up and slapped himself, truly the most despicable, calling himself ‘master’ too smoothly.
Chu De leaned in close to Shen Che, speaking in a lewd manner, “Let me tell you, I only discovered Little Fish Immortal here recently. That place is especially wonderful and naturally gifted. Do you want to try it? It’ll suck your soul away.”
Shen Che pushed Chu De’s face away with one hand. Although he didn’t engage in such activities, he never dampened others’ enthusiasm, especially since he had come here to seek entertainment.
“Go play by yourself, don’t mind me,” Shen Che said.
Given permission, Chu De couldn’t be bothered with Shen Che anymore. He and a few good friends went off to enjoy themselves. These men were all veterans of the pleasure houses; ordinary things no longer excited them, to the extent that they all had some special preferences. For example, Chu De liked to perform in front of others, finding it particularly exhilarating.
Little Fish Immortal had a delicate and pretty appearance, which wouldn’t stand out among the many courtesans in the capital, but as they say, good wine needs no bush. Every day, many people requested her, all coming for that special place.
Although Shen Che couldn’t see her specialty, when Little Fish Immortal started making those “hmm” and “ah” sounds, it indeed had a certain flavor.
Little Fish Immortal was riding the fat Chu, diligently serving him, but her eyes were not at all behaved, glancing at the Second Young Master Shen sitting on the main couch in the hall.
This was Little Fish Immortal’s first time seeing Shen Che, and she was immediately captivated by his appearance. He was elegant and noble, especially those eyes, bright and profound, like the guiding star in a vast cold night. When the corner of his eyes swept over you, it could make you tingle from your tailbone up.
His temperament was somewhat cold, but not the desolate cold of ice and snow. Rather, it was the kind of cold that could bloom into fragrant winter plums, making you want to get close desperately.
Xiao Yuxian’s body flushed with heat as she attended to Chu De with even more dedication, for in her eyes and heart, she saw only another man. She put all her energy into her performance, desperately hoping to catch Shen Che’s attention, to make him look at her twice, to be moved by her, to bestow upon her even a little favor.
Xiao Yuxian’s passionate display caught the eyes of the two men who had come with Chu De, leaving them wide-eyed and eager for their turn.
Shen Che, however, remained composed on the couch, his posture growing even straighter. Thanks to Chu De, he had seen his fair share of such erotic scenes and found no particular thrill in them. Yet, his mind suddenly recalled Ji Cheng, whom he had encountered at dawn. For a fleeting moment, he seemed to see again her snake-like swaying hips at Tianxiang Tower, moving to the rhythm of the drums, stirring desires in people’s bodies. It was inevitable that some thoughts would arise.
It had nothing to do with love; it was merely instinct.
Feeling his heart flutter, Shen Che slowly closed his eyes to meditate and regulate his breath. As he did so, Xiao Yuxian gradually became like a dead fish, losing her vivacity.
Chu De, understanding the reason, slapped Xiao Yuxian’s plump buttocks hard. “Haven’t you eaten?”
Xiao Yuxian’s face wore a smile, but her heart wept. She and someone like him were as different as clouds and mud, separated by a thousand mountains and rivers. How could she ever hope to catch his eye? Even if he were inclined to bestow favor upon her, how could she, in her filthy state, dare to accept it?
Born lowly, fate was unalterable.
Shen Che didn’t know how long he had meditated. The moon rose and the sun set, then the sun set and the moon rose again before he finally opened his eyes.
Chu De was the first to notice. He quickly approached Shen Che. “What kind of tonic did you take this time? You’ve been in meditation for a day and a night. Are you truly becoming a Buddha?”
Shen Che slowly opened his eyes, contentedly shaking out his robe. His inner energy hadn’t progressed in a long time, but this time he had made considerable advancement.
The room had long been tidied up, and Chu De and the others’ wild night feast had ended hours ago. Shen Che’s nose twitched. “Why do I smell incense and joss paper?”
“Is your nose sharper than a dog’s?” Chu De scoffed. “How much bad karma have you accumulated in this life? Xiao Yuxian drowned herself in the river this morning.”
Shen Che’s first reaction was to glare at Chu De.
Chu De quickly raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. You know me. I may be wild, but I never mistreat them. They’re not having an easy time making a living either.” On this point, Chu De wasn’t lying. He was indeed a bit better than those debauchees with violent tendencies.
“Then why did she jump into the river?” Shen Che asked.
Chu De said, “Oh, stop pretending. I heard from the maid who attended to her that before she died, she bathed with incense, and visited the small temple around the corner to pray to the Buddha, muttering about being filthy in this life and seeking purity in the next. Before she died, she even came to this room and stared at you for a long time.”
“Ah, this girl was too short-sighted. How could she consider herself filthy? The filthiest thing is the human heart. It’s all your fault. If you had taken a fancy to her then, would she have needed to jump into the river to be reborn?” Chu De deeply regretted Xiao Yuxian’s death, lamenting the loss of her exquisite charms.
As Chu De sighed incessantly, Shen Che remained unmoved. He stood up and walked out without looking back.
Chu De chased after him, saying, “Hey, aren’t you being too cold-hearted? She wanted to be reborn because of you, after all.”
Shen Che was truly too lazy to respond to Chu De’s chatter. As for guilt or sympathy, Shen Che felt none. When a person wants to die, it’s a decision they’ve already made in their heart. He had merely served as the catalyst.
When Shen Che returned to the mansion, he first went to the Old Madam’s room to pay his respects. The Old Madam was about to retire for the night, but hearing of his arrival, she sat up in bed. “Why are you back so early?”
It was clear that Shen Che’s late returns or absences had become the norm, prompting the Old Madam to ask such a question. “I missed you,” he replied.
“You silver-tongued devil,” the Old Madam chided with a smile. “Your mother’s birthday is approaching. It’s a significant year, and although she doesn’t want to celebrate, you as her son must consider it for her.” The Old Madam feared Shen Che might forget in his busyness, which would hurt An He’s feelings.
“I remember it well,” Shen Che smiled. “Is there anyone in this family I could forget?”
The Old Madam knew that Shen Che had been smarter than ordinary people since childhood, and once something entered his mind, he never forgot it. But isn’t it just like an elderly person to worry?
“By the way, although the Wang family hasn’t made any moves lately, we can’t let our guard down. I have a few maids who know some martial arts and are clever. I’ll assign one to each of your sisters, which should put your mind at ease,” Shen Che said.
The Old Madam’s face lit up with a smile. “How thoughtful of you. I’ve been worrying day and night. With Wang Yueniang in the palace, who knows what tricks she might play.”
Shen Che patted the Old Madam’s hand. “She’s currently busy competing with Consort Wang and Noble Consort Huang. She won’t have time to cause trouble here for now. Don’t worry, I’m keeping an eye on things.”
The Old Madam nodded. Just as she was about to speak, a maid came in to say that the Duke was requesting the Second Young Master’s presence.
Shen Che bid farewell to the Old Madam and headed to his father Duke Shen Zhuo’s quarters. Princess An He and Shen Zhuo lived separately. Before they had children, they sometimes shared quarters, but now it had been nearly ten years since they had lived in the same room.
“Father,” Shen Che said as he entered Shen Zhuo’s room, his demeanor no longer as playful as it had been in the Old Madam’s quarters.
Shen Zhuo nodded, “Sit down. What’s going on with you? ‘A young man should sow his wild oats,’ as they say. I’ve never interfered with your affairs outside, but this time you’ve caused a death, and someone has come to complain to me. What were you thinking?”
Shen Che smiled and sat down in a casual posture. “Who complained to you?”
Shen Zhuo looked at Shen Che without speaking, implying that he should confess honestly.
“It has nothing to do with me. The girl couldn’t bear her filth and had long harbored thoughts of death,” Shen Che said.
Shen Zhuo nodded. He knew his son well and was certain that Shen Che wasn’t the type to act recklessly. Many of his actions were just a facade. He only sighed that being born into their family had hindered Shen Che’s ambitions.
“By the way, is there any unusual activity in the Western Regions?” Shen Zhuo asked.
“It’s fine for now. Kucha and Karashahr have been fighting fiercely these past few years and have no energy to look east. However, the old king of Kashgar has died, and the second prince who succeeded to the throne is quite capable. I’ve already arranged for the exiled crown prince to return to Kashgar. I’m more worried about the Karluks in the north. They’ve expanded too quickly in recent years and are very ambitious,” Shen Che said.
Shen Zhuo sighed, “It’s a pity that Li Liangtu is busy with court factions and doesn’t care about the affairs of the Western Regions and the Northern Hu. He’s still dreaming of a peaceful world. If it weren’t for your Jingshi Army, Anxi would have already unified the northwest and marched east.” Li Liangtu held the position of Prime Minister, wielding great power, yet his shortsightedness deeply disgusted Shen Zhuo.
The Shen family came from a military background, and at most could only rise to the position of Grand Marshal. However, the military didn’t interfere in politics and was restricted in many ways. This world still belonged to civil officials.
Shen Che couldn’t act openly and righteously, so he had to turn to covert methods, using schemes and sowing discord to secretly control the situation in the Western Regions. It was particularly lamentable.
“If you weren’t your mother’s son, with your talents, you would have long since passed the imperial examinations. Receiving a title and becoming a minister would only be a matter of time,” Shen Zhuo said regretfully.
Shen Che replied, “Father, you’re mistaken. Without Mother, how could I exist? Besides, my experience is too shallow. How could someone my age become a minister? By the time I reach that age to wield great power, who knows what state the Great Qin will be in? I think the current situation is quite good. At least I can do my best to accomplish what I want to do, and I have so many people helping me.”
Shen Zhuo gently patted Shen Che’s shoulder and sighed, “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. You have your principles for doing things, and I won’t interfere. But you can’t ruin your reputation like this outside. You’re of marriageable age now and still haven’t been engaged. The Old Madam and your mother are worried sick.”
Shen Che stood up and said, “Why are you starting to nag about these things too?”
Shen Zhuo felt embarrassed. How did talking about marriage become nagging? “You figure something out. The Old Madam and your mother have made up their minds. They’ll arrange your marriage by next year at the latest.”
Shen Che smiled, “It doesn’t matter, as long as it makes the two elders happy. Come to think of it, if they hadn’t been so picky all these years, why would we have waited until now? Now they turn around and blame me for delaying. How unfair.”
Some people’s marriages come easily, while others have to rack their brains.
After composing herself, Ji Cheng went through all the unmarried men she knew in her mind, but couldn’t find a suitable one. In the past, she might have settled, but now Ji Cheng hoped for someone who could stand up to the Shen family. Otherwise, with the leverage always in Shen Che’s hands, she would never feel safe.
The next day, when Ji Cheng followed Shen Xuan to pay respects to the Old Madam, she immediately noticed the line of unfamiliar maids standing in the room.
The Old Madam called Shen Yuan and the others to her side. “These are the maids your Second Brother found for you. They all have some martial arts skills. From now on, take them with you when you go out. Your father, mother, and I can rest easier.”
Ji Cheng inwardly sneered. Shen Che had moved quickly, finding an excuse to place his people openly in just two or three days.
Arranging for Nan Gui was a tricky matter. If she was placed too far, Ji Cheng feared Shen Che would become suspicious; if too close, she worried about Nan Gui betraying her mistress. Ji Cheng looked Nan Gui up and down, unable to see any signs of a martial arts expert. This seemed safer.
“Did Second Young Master say anything to you when you came?” Ji Cheng asked.
Nan Gui lowered her eyes and said, “Second Young Master told this servant to follow all of Miss’s arrangements. If Miss has any message to relay, just tell me.”
Ji Cheng smiled, “For Second Young Master to arrange you by my side, you must certainly be a clever person. Clever people don’t speak in riddles. I certainly can’t trust using you, and Second Young Master probably knows this too. Whatever information you can gather depends on your abilities.”
Nan Gui nodded, “I understand, Miss.”
There weren’t many rooms in the small courtyard to begin with. Ji Cheng arranged for Nan Gui to share a room with Liu Ye’er, so they could keep an eye on each other.
After just two days, a response came from Jin territory. However, Ji Qing didn’t send a letter. Instead, he had his chief steward, Long Yin, rush to the capital overnight.
Ji Cheng met Long Yin in Lanhua Alley, naturally without bringing Nan Gui along. Restarting the private arms trade was no joking matter. Ji Cheng was, after all, too young, and Ji Qing couldn’t feel at ease. That’s why he sent Long Yin to the capital to understand the situation clearly.