Hua Zhi rather thought the Emperor kept Shao Yao close because he liked her company, not because she was a physician.

A person like Shao Yao — a little sun in human form, her thoughts utterly transparent and guileless, the most reassuring kind of company imaginable. Putting herself in his position, she too would want to keep such a person nearby at all times. One look would lift the spirits.

She had half a mind to ask about the Emperor’s health, but after turning the thought over, she let it go. She should not use Shao Yao to satisfy her own private curiosity.

As it happened, she had not needed to ask — Shao Yao brought it up herself. “He is like a clay doll right now. One touch and he crumbles. The people who attend him — never mind falling sick themselves, even sneezing is a capital offense. And if he is the one who sneezes, the commotion is even greater. My word alone is not enough; the entire Imperial Medical Bureau must be summoned to examine him before anyone is satisfied. Every single day I have to keep that nerve stretched taut. It is absolutely exhausting.”

“Cao Cao, these words must not be said to anyone else. They could bring you trouble.”

“I know, but you are not just anyone, are you.” Shao Yao’s smile was bright and brilliant. “I would never say this to other people. I am not foolish.”

Hua Zhi patted her head, and felt the head beneath her hand nuzzle eagerly into her palm. She could not help but smile. Indeed — she was not just anyone. How would she bring trouble to Shao Yao?

“If one day he were to… would blame fall on you?”

“Not from him — but perhaps from others. It would depend on who rose to the throne and what their relationship with Yanxi-ge was like. Do not worry, Hua Zhi. In all of the Great Qing dynasty’s history, no newly ascended Emperor has ever gone head-to-head with the head of the Qisu Division. A newly enthroned Emperor has great need of Yanxi-ge’s support — he would be working to win Yanxi-ge’s favor, not rushing to make an enemy of him.”

Hua Zhi let out a quiet sigh. “From the moment I first learned of the Qisu Division’s existence, I felt it was in a precarious position. Too much power, too great a reputation — if someone with ill intentions were to sow discord and the Emperor were to waver, every exceptional quality of the Qisu Division would become a charge against it.”

“Yanxi-ge has said the same thing.”

Hua Zhi’s eyes brightened. “Does he have any plan?”

“Yanxi-ge said that the head of the previous generation, and the generation before that, said the same thing.”

“…” Hua Zhi stared at her, struck speechless. “No more food for you.”

Shao Yao snickered and leaned against Hua Zhi. “That really is what Yanxi-ge said. He said they all knew there was a sword hanging over the Qisu Division — and once it fell, only lives would be enough to fill the debt. But the Emperors had grown so accustomed to relying on the Qisu Division that even when measures had once been considered, they either died before they could be implemented or faded away without conclusion. Hua Zhi, help Yanxi-ge think of something. I don’t want him to spend his life shedding blood for the Great Qing dynasty only to be regarded with suspicion and guarded against at every turn — that is no way to live.”

“Problems that several generations of people have failed to solve — how am I supposed to solve them?” Hua Zhi laughed helplessly. Unless the person on the throne happened to be of exceptional ability and did not need to rely on the Qisu Division for everything — and then found an opportunity to establish separate governmental offices at court, distributing the Qisu Division’s authority and allowing it to gradually withdraw to the form it had taken when it was first established. But people of truly exceptional ability were rare, and the odds of such a person appearing in the imperial family were even lower. Xiao Liu was clever enough, but for now, measured against truly exceptional, there was still some distance yet to go.

“Never mind all that — there is no need for us to lose sleep over it. By the way, the first shipment of seafood has arrived. It came in yesterday.”

Shao Yao immediately recalled the delectable seafood she had eaten in Zhenyang, and had nearly sucked in a mouthful of saliva before opening her mouth to wheedle for some — only to hear Hua Zhi continue: “The household is still in mourning. We cannot partake in anything with a strong flavor. I have had some sent to the restaurant for Fu Dong to practice with. Starting tomorrow I will need to spend a few days at the seafood establishment. The preparation methods are simple enough, but getting the taste right takes effort — I will need to be there to guide things for a few days.”

“…You tell me about it but there is none for me to eat. Hua Zhi, that is not right of you!” Shao Yao looked utterly wretched. She did not want to go back to the palace. If she stayed with Hua Zhi, there would always be something wonderful to eat!

“If I recall correctly, I have been sending meals to you every day.”

“But I cannot eat the seafood…” Shao Yao suddenly caught the implication, and in the span of a breath, her forlorn expression dissolved into a radiant grin. “You’ll send some to me? I want a lot!”

Hua Zhi flicked her on the forehead again. “When have I ever let you go without? From now on you will eat seafood until you are thoroughly sick of it.”

“I won’t get sick of it — there are so many kinds!” Golden-fried small yellow croaker, enormous-clawed sea crabs, boneless ocean fish, huge plump prawns… Shao Yao’s mouth watered. She truly, desperately did not want to leave.

Liu Xiang came to report, “Young Miss, Shao Yao Miss — several dishes are ready. You may start eating while the rest are prepared.”

Without waiting for anyone to coax her, Shao Yao gave a whoop of delight and ran off. All the maids covered their mouths to hide their laughter — whenever Shao Yao was in the house, it was always so much livelier.

Hua Zhi had come to see it clearly: compared to missing her, Cao Cao was plainly more homesick for her kitchen.

“Pack up a generous portion of dried meat strips for her to take back.”

“Yes, Young Miss.”

Hearing the voice from outside calling “Hua Zhi, hurry up!”, Hua Zhi rose unhurriedly and stepped out of the room — and it suddenly struck her that there was nothing in the house but dried meat strips for a snack. There used to be no shortage of things to eat in her courtyard. Whenever she fancied something, she only had to say the word and those capable maids of hers would produce it and bring it to her. But now she was busy, and the maids were busy — not even a trace remained of those leisurely, carefree days.

Those days when she had not needed to worry about anything at all — she truly missed them.

Shao Yao watched the clock and left in due time, clutching a large bundle with obvious reluctance and making her way back to the palace. Hua Zhi returned to the study to work on the menu. For the seafood establishment, she had no intention of attempting anything too elaborate — the virtue of seafood lay in its freshness, and capturing that single quality was enough. The one thing that would genuinely require some effort was the fish broth, and for that she would need Fu Dong to be there in person.

“Young Miss.” Bao Xia came in quickly, her expression somewhat troubled. “Another food stall has opened in the capital today.”

“I thought you had grown accustomed to it by now.”

“But this is already the sixth one…”

“There will be a seventh, and an eighth, and countless more after that. And what of it?” Hua Zhi set down her brush and looked up, kneading at her aching right wrist.

Liu Xiang wrung out a warm cloth and draped it over the wrist. Hua Zhi pressed it herself while Liu Xiang worked her fingers one by one, easing the stiffness that had set in so badly she could barely straighten them.

The flare of agitation in Bao Xia had subsided somewhat, though she still wore a faintly indignant look. “This time it is different. Five stalls are connected in a row, each selling two types of food — and the prices are set lower than those on Green Moss Lane. This servant is worried that shops imitating our food will keep multiplying.”

“There is no avoiding it. We have been eating the meat — we must allow others their share of the broth.” Only, five connected stalls suggested the backing was not some ordinary commoner. Then again — the profits were plain for anyone to see. If they could not get a foothold in what already existed, opening their own shops was the logical move. No one could say a word against it. It was a loss she had to swallow without complaint — even if everyone with eyes could see the imitation for what it was.

No one permitted a monopoly anywhere. From the moment the first imitation food stall appeared, she had foreseen what would follow. Yet its effect on her had proven far smaller than she had anticipated. She had looked at last month’s ledger — the slight dip in figures amounted to nothing worth noting.

“It is not only the food. The preserved food business will likely see imitators this year as well — when Xu Jie went to purchase yellow peaches, he encountered others doing the same. But catching up to our standard of taste is not so simple. At minimum, next year’s preserved food market is still mine. By the time they close the gap, Uncle Bai will already have secured most of the territory. When you hear about these things, there is no need to bristle. A business venture is just a business venture — it is not worth the trouble.”

Bao Xia lowered her head. “This servant was too hasty.”

Hua Zhi gave a small smile. She knew Bao Xia was worried on her behalf — but when it came to matters of trade, she had no fear whatsoever.