Song Pu could not help giving Tantai Yi a rather speechless look, though he dared not say anything aloud. He handed the food box to Cao Xi, who took out the contents, performed the customary tasting inspection, then carefully sliced the cake with a small knife, arranged it on a little dish, and presented it to Tantai Yi.
Tantai Yi tasted a small piece. His narrow pale-gold eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise passing through them. After a moment he said, “This pastry is exceptionally soft and delicate. Even nuòyún cake* is somewhat inferior by comparison. Did Minister Song truly make it himself?”
(*TN: glutinous cloud cake)
Song Pu replied earnestly, “Every word is true! How could I dare speak falsely before Your Majesty? I spent four hours at home working on it before it finally came out right. My uncles and aunts even laughed at me for making such a fuss.”
Tantai Yi ate another piece. Seeing that he liked it, Cao Xi hastily cut the remaining cake into neat portions and arranged them at his side for easy eating.
Tantai Yi’s gaze then fell upon the small bowl of cream beside it. “Minister Song, what is this?”
Song Pu smiled. “It is cream. Your Majesty may try some. It is soft and sweet; I am very fond of it myself. Unfortunately I had little time, so I could only prepare this small amount.”
Tantai Yi looked doubtful, but scooped up a little with a spoon and tasted it. His golden eyes brightened at once, and even his voice lifted slightly. “Not bad.”
Seeing his expression, Song Pu let out a quiet breath of relief, his smile loosening a little. “Does Your Majesty like it? If so, I can make it for you every day.”
Tantai Yi set down the spoon with studied composure. “It is acceptable.”
Although he said so, he still offered high praise. “Minister Song’s skill is remarkable. Even the imperial chefs in my palace cannot compare.”
Song Pu said awkwardly, “Your Majesty flatters me. I only know how to make a few pastries. If you asked me to cook proper dishes, I fear they would be quite unpresentable.”
From the corner of his eye he saw Tantai Yi quietly reach out and pinch another piece of cake between his fingers. The sight made him want to laugh, though he managed to restrain himself.
After a while Song Pu asked, “Does Your Majesty have any plans for today?”
Tantai Yi cleared his throat and thought for several seconds before replying, “I intend to leave the palace for a while and take a look around.”
Song Pu spoke carefully. “Does Your Majesty remember what you told me earlier?”
Tantai Yi narrowed his eyes. “That I would summon Minister Song into the palace?”
Song Pu: “…”
Song Pu said cautiously, “Perhaps Your Majesty might think a little further?”
Tantai Yi replied, “I do not recall. What matter does Minister Song mean?”
Song Pu: “…”
Song Pu swallowed and ventured tentatively, “To be honest with Your Majesty, I can make several kinds of pastries like this. Ones Your Majesty has surely never tasted before. I wonder whether Your Majesty might be interested?”
Tantai Yi glanced at him. “Minister Song claims never to have set foot in a kitchen, yet you can produce such delicious pastries with your own hands. Such natural talent… it truly surprises me.”
Song Pu puffed out his chest and declared with great fervour, “Because my desire to please Your Majesty surpasses everything else. I wished for Your Majesty to regard me in a new light, so I exerted myself with twelve parts of effort. These pastries are steeped in my sincere devotion and filled with my earnest hopes… hence their flavour. If Your Majesty is satisfied, your servant could die without regret!”
Tantai Yi believed him.
His expression softened noticeably. Only yesterday he had ordered the Black Dragon Guards to keep watch at the Duke’s residence, and they had reported that every word Song Pu said was true. Even the household cook had not assisted; it had all been done by Song Pu alone.
He paused, his voice gentler. “I seem to recall now.”
Song Pu’s eyes lit up. Lowering his voice, he urged, “Your Majesty might think a little further? My heart is full of fervour and I know not where to pour it! If Your Majesty enjoys the food, I would willingly spend every day in the kitchen. So long as it brings a smile to Your Majesty’s face.”
Tantai Yi laughed softly. “If Minister Song behaves like this, Duke Song will surely resent me for squandering his cherished son.”
Song Pu said, “My father shares the same loyal devotion to Your Majesty as I do. Even if he knew, he would not complain. He might even urge me to do more, so Your Majesty need not worry.”
At these words the smile at the corner of Tantai Yi’s lips faded slightly. His gaze drifted into the distance as he murmured, “I remember now.”
Song Pu looked at him with bright, eager eyes. “Your Majesty truly remembers?”
Tantai Yi coughed lightly and sighed. “I do. Minister Song truly is my nemesis.”
Though his tone carried a trace of helplessness, the indulgence in it was unmistakable, leaving the surrounding attendants momentarily stunned.
As for Song Pu, an undisguised, delighted smile spread across his face. “Your Majesty’s favour is something your servant will remember all his life. I only hope to have many more chances to serve Your Majesty faithfully. What plans does Your Majesty have for today?”
Tantai Yi met his gaze, looking into those bright, smiling eyes. Narrowing his own slightly, he said lazily, “Return to Chunhe Palace. Apart from Minister Song, I have no further summons today. The rest may withdraw.”
Chang Jiangming and Xie Nuoyu were utterly unable to comprehend how Song Pu could appear so at ease in Tantai Yi’s presence. With nothing to say, they quickly apologised and left the palace early.
Though the palace held few people, there were many ears. Chang Jiangming dared not speak while still inside. Only after they had left the palace gates and entered the carriage did he turn to Xie Nuoyu and ask, “Was Ah-Pu always this talkative?”
“That little mouth of his never stopped once. And he even managed to make His Majesty smile genuinely. That’s quite something.”
Xie Nuoyu thought for a moment before replying, “You are the one closest to him. I barely know him. If you do not know, how should I?”
Chang Jiangming sighed. “Ah-Pu and I were always good friends, but now that he is in the palace he hardly speaks to me at all. Only to His Majesty. I never expected that after recovering from his illness he would become so bold, able to laugh and chat with the emperor like that.”
His voice sounded somewhat despondent, like two poor students in the same class when suddenly one of them surged ahead and nearly reached the top, leaving the other far behind.
Xie Nuoyu sighed. “Zongyi is absent, and Yonghe as well. With His Majesty’s temper, who could possibly serve him? With Song Pu stepping forward, the two of us can at least have some peace. Do not overthink it. Last time you nearly brought disaster upon him. The fact that he has not cut ties with you already shows his temper is good.”
Chang Jiangming said shamefacedly, “I know I was wrong. I will not speak recklessly again.”
Xie Nuoyu nodded. “Let us go. Since we are returning early today, shall we visit Yonghe?”
Chang Jiangming said, “Yes. Ah-Pu has not visited the Shen residence yet either. Next time we can bring him along.”
Xie Nuoyu agreed. The coachman shouted to the horses and drove the carriage toward the Shen residence.
Meanwhile, Song Pu followed Tantai Yi into Chunhe Palace. With only the two of them and a pair of young eunuchs remaining in the hall, Song Pu relaxed somewhat and dared to ask, “Your Majesty, I have a question, though I am unsure whether I ought to ask it.”
“Ask.”
“Your Majesty is the ruler of the realm. Why, then, are your chambers so simple? It seems unworthy of Your Majesty’s noble station.”
Tantai Yi was silent for a while before replying, “Chunhe Palace was my late mother’s residence. I never bothered to renovate it.”
Song Pu smoothly amended his words. “I see. No wonder this palace has such an air of refined elegance.”
Tantai Yi glanced at him and smiled faintly.
The smile made Song Pu a little uneasy. Blinking, he asked cautiously, “Why does Your Majesty laugh?”
Tantai Yi replied, “Minister Song truly knows nothing. That is not a bad thing. In this palace, knowing too much is something I dislike.”
Song Pu was somewhat confused, but sensing the meaning in his words, he wisely said nothing more and turned his attention to the memorials.
“Your Majesty, allow me to accompany you while you review them,” he said gently.
Tantai Yi gave a quiet hum of assent and picked up a memorial.
Song Pu edged closer to read it. Compared with the serious state matters earlier, this memorial was merely a respectful greeting from an official to his sovereign, filled with praise. They were remarks about the excellent weather this year, the abundant harvests enjoyed by farmers, and how it must surely be due to His Majesty’s benevolent protection.
Song Pu stared in astonishment, realising that these officials were quite skilled at flattery. Looking back at Tantai Yi, he saw the emperor’s brows relax with obvious satisfaction.
Song Pu: “…”
After a while Tantai Yi picked up his vermilion brush and wrote with sweeping strokes: I am aware.
Then he opened another memorial. It too consisted entirely of lavish praise. There were local officials attributing various auspicious omens to Tantai Yi, or describing bustling markets and proclaiming that under His Majesty’s rule the people of Liang lived in peace and prosperity.
Song Pu was dumbfounded. Compared with these officials, his own flattery seemed rather mild.
But after watching Tantai Yi approve more than ten such memorials in succession, Song Pu began to notice something strange.
It seemed the memorials had been sorted beforehand. The flattering ones were stacked together, while the serious matters of state were piled separately. Tantai Yi kept picking from the left-hand stack and ignored the right-hand one entirely.
Speechless, Song Pu waited until the emperor was not looking, then quietly took one memorial from the right pile and slipped it onto the left.
The next memorial Tantai Yi picked up happened to be the one Song Pu had moved.
Song Pu leaned forward to look. It was the memorial he had read earlier: a report of flooding in Yuzhou that had caused a massive wave of refugees. According to the prefect, the entire region had been submerged. Thirty percent of the population had been swept away by the floodwaters, their whereabouts unknown. Of the remaining seventy percent, most had lost their homes and become refugees with nowhere to go. The prefect therefore requested disaster-relief funds and supplies from the court, estimating a need for three hundred thousand taels of silver and three hundred shi of grain.
The moment Tantai Yi saw it, his brows knit together. Instinctively he began to close it and move on.
Song Pu suddenly spoke. “Your Majesty, why do you not approve the disaster-relief funds?”
Tantai Yi paused. After a moment he said, “Minister Song is merely a scholar. Even if I explained it, you would not understand.”
Song Pu was unconvinced. “If Your Majesty does not explain, how could I possibly understand? Disaster-relief funds must never be withheld. I truly cannot think of any reason Your Majesty would refuse them.”
Tantai Yi’s expression darkened. “Is Minister Song questioning me?”
Song Pu instantly shrank back. After a moment he said cautiously, “In your servant’s heart, Your Majesty has always been wise and mighty. I must crane my neck merely to glimpse Your Majesty’s knees. Perhaps I am simply too dull to comprehend Your Majesty’s deeper meaning… might Your Majesty enlighten me?”
Tantai Yi’s slender fingers traced the edge of the memorial. After a moment he spoke quietly.
“The late emperor governed with great diligence and devoted considerable attention to the welfare of the people. Knowing that the Nu River along the border of Yuzhou swells each year, he ordered a dam to be constructed. And as an additional safeguard, he established granaries in Jiaozhou to be used in times of emergency.
“The granaries are guarded by garrison troops, and Jiaozhou itself is a strategic stronghold on the southern frontier, facing thirteen neighbouring states. Should foreign powers invade, the grain stored there could also be used to supply the frontier forces.
“And yet now that Yuzhou has been devastated by floods, the prefect of Yuzhou does not so much as mention the Jiaozhou granaries. Instead he asks me directly for money and grain.”
Tantai Yi’s voice cooled. “Such intentions deserve condemnation.”
Song Pu stared at him in astonishment. He had not expected the dog emperor to say something so… sensible.
Tantai Yi had rarely spoken so much at once. When Song Pu failed to respond, he grew faintly displeased and turned his head to look at him.
What he saw was Song Pu staring at him with eyes shining like stars, full of admiration and awe. So reverent he looked almost ready to throw himself to the ground in worship.
“Your Majesty truly is Your Majesty!” Song Pu exclaimed fervently. “Your servant had no idea there was such reasoning behind it.”
Tantai Yi seemed almost scorched by the brightness of that gaze. His eyes flickered aside, and for some reason his cheeks grew faintly warm, a light flush rising beneath his skin.
His complexion was so pale it seemed almost translucent; the slightest hint of colour stood out clearly. Maintaining a stern expression, he said stiffly,
“That is precisely why I said Minister Song would not understand.”
Song Pu nodded eagerly. “But now that Your Majesty has explained it, I do understand. Your Majesty means that the prefect of Yuzhou is attempting to profit from the nation’s misfortune?”
Tantai Yi paused before replying.
“The granaries in Jiaozhou are vast. They are large enough to feed the entire population of Yuzhou for half a year. It is now the beginning of summer, so there is no need for cotton garments or winter provisions. Once the floodwaters recede, the refugees can be sent back to rebuild the city. Given half a year, could they not reconstruct Yuzhou?”
He gave a cold laugh. “That prefect simply assumes I neglect state affairs, know nothing of governance, and am ignorant of the situation.”
Seeing that Tantai Yi was willing to explain matters, Song Pu grew bolder. “Even so, ignoring the matter entirely may not be wise. Would it not be better for Your Majesty to issue an edict ordering the garrison at Jiaozhou to open the granaries?”
Tantai Yi said calmly, “If the prefect of Yuzhou truly cared for the people, he could have acted first and reported afterwards by ordering the garrison to open the granaries immediately, then submitting a memorial to request punishment. In circumstances such as these, even the late emperor would not have blamed him.”
When he mentioned the late emperor, something changed in his eyes.
Song Pu sensed the complicated emotions behind it and felt the atmosphere grow heavy. For a moment he did not dare speak.
Tantai Yi soon recovered himself and continued. “The floods occurred at the end of last month. Yet the prefect of Jiaozhou has submitted no memorial at all, while the prefect of Yuzhou sends only requests for relief funds and grain.”
His gaze darkened slightly. “That makes me suspect something may have happened to the Jiaozhou granaries.”
Song Pu brightened at once. “Could it be that someone has been secretly selling off the grain?”
…Wait. That was not the important point.
How did the dog emperor know the prefect of Jiaozhou had submitted no memorial?
Could it be…?
Author’s Note:
Pu: Ah-Gou… you…?
Ah-Gou: I am not. I did not. Stop talking.
