When Song Pu heard Tantai Yi say this, he paused for a moment before reacting. “Then… shall we eat first?”
Tantai Yi lifted his eyes slightly and glanced at him. “Didn’t Minister Song say he was going to cook?”
Song Pu scratched at his fingers and said somewhat bashfully, “If Your Majesty is hungry now, your servant won’t have time to prepare anything. How about tomorrow instead? I can make it at home and bring it into the palace for Your Majesty to taste.”
Tantai Yi looked at him for a moment without showing any expression and said lightly, “Very well.”
When Song Pu saw that he still had not moved from his seat after a long while, he could not help asking, “Your Majesty? What does that memorial say?”
The question was rather presumptuous. Although Song Pu understood the proper distinctions between ruler and subject, the distance between them had narrowed somewhat, and Tantai Yi’s mood had been smoothed by his coaxing. Because of this, Song Pu had relaxed his guard as well.
Tantai Yi had been about to rebuke him, but the words reached his lips and were swallowed again. Instead he replied casually, “A memorial from Minister Li. He bears a considerable grudge against Prince Gong’s household. Every few days he comes to complain to me, thinking that because I dislike Prince Gong I will take his side. Normally he is fairly smooth and calculating, but this time he is truly foolish. Prince Gong is, after all, my brother. If I discipline my own brother on his behalf, it would be a slap in the face to the imperial family.”
Song Pu asked in confusion, “What grievance does Minister Li have with Prince Gong’s household? Your servant has never heard of it.”
Tantai Yi glanced at him. “Minister Song pays no attention to matters beyond his own affairs. Naturally you would not know.”
Song Pu froze for a moment, then said with genuine emotion, “Your Majesty even knows such things about your servant. I am truly overwhelmed.”
Tantai Yi snorted softly and said coolly, “If I am choosing a companion, naturally I choose someone simpler. If everyone were as clever as Shen Yonghe…”
When he reached Shen Yonghe’s name, he paused and did not continue. At the mention of the name, Song Pu cautiously glanced at Tantai Yi’s face but did not dare speak.
The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy for a moment.
There was a knock on the door outside. Cao Xi’s voice sounded. “Your Majesty, the evening meal is prepared. Will Your Majesty dine?”
Hearing this, Tantai Yi naturally set down the memorial in his hand and said to Song Pu, “Minister Song, dine with me.”
Song Pu hesitated slightly, but Tantai Yi was not asking for his opinion. It was clearly an order.
He rose to his feet. Tantai Yi’s pale golden eyes looked down at him from above, his voice smooth and refined, the kind of tone that could easily draw one in.
“When I dine with Minister Song, my appetite improves. Minister Song deserves the credit.”
Song Pu replied, “To share Your Majesty’s burdens is your servant’s honour!”
Tantai Yi’s lips curved slightly, revealing a satisfied smile. “In that case, I shall grant Minister Song this request. From now on, you may take both the midday and evening meals in the palace.”
Song Pu: “…”
Tantai Yi said, “Why does Minister Song not speak? Are you unwilling?”
Song Pu hurriedly said, “No, no! If your servant can help improve Your Majesty’s appetite, then at least I am of some use. It is only that Your Majesty’s favour is so great that I am truly overwhelmed, and thus momentarily lost my composure. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness!”
Tantai Yi’s tone softened considerably. “I am not blaming you.”
Tantai Yi had an excellent tolerance for alcohol and liked to drink while eating. Song Pu was rather afraid of getting drunk and embarrassing himself, but fortunately Tantai Yi never pressed him to drink, so he could simply take a token sip now and then without appearing rude.
Tantai Yi took a sip of wine. His gaze seemed faintly tinged with its colour, carrying a dark warmth that felt almost scorching. He stared steadily at Song Pu, a faint smile lingering at the corner of his lips, as though something about the moment pleased him.
Song Pu noticed the look and felt somewhat uneasy. Nevertheless he kept a well-behaved smile on his face and asked cautiously, “Why does Your Majesty keep looking at your servant? Is there something on my face?”
Tantai Yi said, “Nothing.”
Allowing Song Pu to dine with him like this was a first in his life. At the beginning it might have been mere whim, but now… he had never been one for empty courtesies anyway.
This Minister Song was unlike the scions of great families, who guarded etiquette so carefully that every movement seemed calculated. Though Song Pu ate politely enough, there was still a trace of casual ease about him. Even his expression showed enjoyment, as though he were tasting some rare delicacy. His eyes narrowed slightly with pleasure, leaving a faint shadow beneath them.
Tantai Yi’s gaze suddenly fell upon Song Pu’s hand.
Because he was holding the silver chopsticks, the bones of his fingers stood out pale, making the surrounding skin appear flushed. The faint redness clearly followed the shape of finger marks.
Tantai Yi’s eyes moved slightly. “Does Minister Song’s hand still hurt?”
Sharing a table with Tantai Yi made Song Pu extremely cautious. Unless Tantai Yi moved his chopsticks first, he did not dare touch the dishes, and could only secretly pick at the food before him when Tantai Yi was not paying attention. He was eating very stiffly.
Hearing the question, he quickly swallowed the mouthful he had just taken, only to choke slightly. He thumped his chest, took a hurried sip of wine, and only then managed to answer without embarrassing himself in front of Tantai Yi.
“Replying to Your Majesty, your servant is much better now. It no longer hurts!”
Tantai Yi seemed thoughtful and said nothing more.
After the meal, as Song Pu was preparing to leave the palace and return home, Cao Xi hurried after him.
“Lord Song, please wait!”
Song Pu had truly grown a little afraid of Tantai Yi. He worried that the emperor might suddenly change his mind and order him to stay the night, so when he heard Cao Xi’s voice he nearly jumped out of his skin. His expression almost slipped out of control.
Cao Xi understood that expression all too well. He also faintly suspected that Song Pu’s apparent reverence for Tantai Yi was not entirely genuine. Feeling a certain kinship with him, his attitude became extremely gentle, almost flattering.
“Lord Song, do not be alarmed. His Majesty sent this servant to deliver a jar of Golden Jade Ointment. It promotes circulation, dispels bruising, and relieves pain. It is useful for many things and will surely come in handy for Lord Song.”
He lifted the red cloth covering the tray, revealing a small squat jar no larger than a palm.
Song Pu was genuinely astonished. “His Majesty gave this to me?!”
Cao Xi smiled. “Indeed. When His Majesty gave the order even I was startled. Lord Song may not know this, but His Majesty is not so attentive even towards the Empress Dowager. Since Lord Song has won His Majesty’s favour, I fear great favour will follow in future.”
Song Pu felt a strange mixture of emotions. He truly was a little overwhelmed.
First the cat, then the coloured glass stone, and now this Golden Jade Ointment. The dog emperor had already given him quite a few things.
Cao Xi said, “Lord Song, please take it. His Majesty also instructed me to remind you not to forget tomorrow’s pastries.”
Song Pu accepted the ointment, slipping it into his sleeve while supporting it with his hand.
“Eunuch Cao, please convey my thanks to His Majesty. Tell him not to worry. Tomorrow he will certainly be able to taste the pastries.”
After a brief hesitation, he lowered his voice. “Eunuch Cao… could you perhaps remind His Majesty to review the memorials?”
Cao Xi’s face immediately changed. Fear showed plainly in his expression. “…His Majesty does not like to hear such things. If this servant were to remind him, I fear I would lose my head.”
Seeing his expression, and noticing the still-healing wound on his forehead, Song Pu understood most of the situation. “That was my oversight. Please do not take offence, Eunuch Cao.”
Cao Xi hesitated as though wanting to say something more, but mindful of those around them he closed his mouth again.
“It is already late. Lord Song should return home.”
Song Pu answered and, under the cover of night, boarded his carriage and went home.
*
The next morning Song Pu did not even need Qingmei to wake him. He dressed a full hour early.
He picked up Doufu. He did not particularly like the name Liuli, so at home he still called the cat by its nickname, Doufu.
The purplish-pink glass stone had been strung beside its tag, making Doufu look even more beautiful.
Doufu was indeed very affectionate. When Song Pu held it, it immediately began mewing in a spoiled manner, which greatly improved his mood.
After playing with the cat for a while, he went to his small kitchen.
His mother had been very considerate and had a kitchen built in his courtyard, staffed by two cooks. One prepared his daily meals, while the other specialised in pastries.
Master Liao, the pastry cook, was quite skilled and had come to assist him. Because Song Pu was young and unusually easy-going for a nobleman, the cook did not speak to him with excessive formality.
“Young Master, how do you make that what-feng cake you mentioned? Is there anything I can help with?”
Song Pu said seriously, “Are all the ingredients ready?”
“They’re ready. Come have a look and see if anything is missing.”
Song Pu glanced over the ingredients and saw that everything was indeed prepared.
Chiffon cake was actually quite easy to make. Even in ancient conditions it could be done. It required few ingredients, and when he was at university he had even managed to make it in a rice cooker in the dormitory.
As soon as he returned home he had craftsmen build a bread oven. Such ovens were common abroad. When he had lived in the countryside as a child, he had tinkered with one together with his father, so he still remembered the basic principles.
The craftsmen, however, were completely baffled. Song Pu even had to draw diagrams and explain everything before they understood. After three hours of work the oven was finally finished.
He insisted on testing it himself and only allowed them to leave once he had successfully baked bread.
Unfortunately he had slept very little that night, barely three hours. Now he kept yawning, and faint shadows had appeared beneath his eyes.
Refusing Master Liao’s help, Song Pu began working himself.
Qingmei had also risen early and came to the kitchen to watch the excitement.
Although Song Pu was young, he was still a scholar by upbringing and had never set foot in a kitchen before. When the household heard that he intended to make pastries for the emperor and had even hired craftsmen to construct an oven, the entire Duke’s residence was thrown into an uproar. Even Lady Song and Song Lingyun had come to ask about it, but Song Pu had sent them away without much explanation.
Now that he had begun, everyone in the kitchen watched nervously, ready to step in the moment he failed.
But to their surprise, Song Pu’s movements were extremely practised, as though he had done it countless times. He never asked for help, leaving them completely unnecessary.
Fortunately the Duke’s household possessed abundant resources. Ingredients such as white sugar and milk were easy to obtain, making the process far easier for him.
The cake itself was not difficult. The challenge lay in baking it in the oven. If the heat was wrong, everything would be ruined.
The dog emperor would probably not punish him simply for failing to produce pastries. Still, since the emperor had given him the Golden Jade Ointment yesterday, Song Pu could not help wanting to surprise him a little. He therefore worked with exceptional care.
When the finished cake came out, its colour was beautiful. Song Pu let out a sigh of relief.
He had also made a small amount of cream and set it aside so the dog emperor could try something new.
His timing was perfect. As soon as the cake was ready it was placed into a food box, and he set off for the palace together with Duke Song.
When Song Pu finally saw Tantai Yi, he could not help saying, “Your servant has prepared the pastries. I wonder if Your Majesty…”
He did not finish the sentence, but the glance he cast at Tantai Yi was full of meaning. After all, they had agreed that he would only make them once the memorials had been properly reviewed.
However Tantai Yi said calmly, “Since Minister Song has already prepared the pastries, why not bring them forward for me to taste?”
He did not mention the memorials at all.
Author’s Note:
Ah-Gou: If I slack off, can it still be called slacking off?
Ah-Pu’s rainbow praise: It should be called the Emperor’s boundless grace, caring for his subjects and knowing how to balance work and rest. Not really.
