Chi Wan galloped toward the west of the city, encountering the Jinwu Guard on her way as they were finishing their night patrol.
Seeing someone racing a horse through the streets, the leader of the Jinwu Guard stopped her.
As the guards responsible for patrolling the capital, it was standard procedure to have anyone found galloping about just as the curfew ended dismount for questioning.
“Fuma?” The leading commander of the Jinwu Guard dismounted and offered a half-bow. “What is the Fuma doing here?”
The commander’s rank was higher than Chi Wan’s, but as the Fuma, she was considered a member of the imperial clan, so a half-bow was still required.
Though she held little status in the Princess’s Residence, her title as Fuma was quite intimidating outside. No wonder the House of Huai’an had been able to cause trouble using her predecessor’s name, and her predecessor had been able to mooch off others.
It was fortunate that her predecessor had been the Fuma for only a short time. Otherwise, she would have had far more than a hundred taels of silver. Then again, her predecessor had practically lived in the red-light districts, where she only drank and gambled, never asking for company. Because of this, Yu Jiuzhou had no grounds to divorce her.
Besides, the Emperor would never have agreed to a divorce so soon after the wedding.
Chi Wan dismounted and cupped her hands, gesturing to the basket on her back. “Her Highness has given me an urgent task.”
“So it is a matter for Her Highness the Princess. Please, Fuma, go on your way.”
The man glanced at her basket, which contained only a fur pelt and a food box, nothing forbidden. Since the curfew was over, there was no need to offend the Fuma over such a small matter.
Chi Wan cupped her hands again. “Many thanks.”
As soon as she left, the man waved to his subordinate. “Follow her. See what she’s up to.”
“Yes, sir.”
Chi Wan, preoccupied with her shopping, was completely unaware that she was being followed. The Jinwu Guard who tailed her later reported that the Fuma had bought roasted lamb flatbread in the west of the city and botuo in the north.
Combined with her claim of running an errand for the Princess, it wasn’t long before a story spread: the Fuma had left the residence at yin hour to buy breakfast for Her Highness the Grand Princess. She had traveled from the Princess’s Residence to the west of the city, then from the west to the north. To ensure the food was still hot upon her return, she had placed a food box in her basket, thoughtfully wrapped in a fur pelt.
Rumors began to circulate that the Fuma feared her wife.
Chi Wan had no idea that her actions today would lead the people of the capital to believe she was henpecked. As long as Yu Jiuzhou was happy, her own life was safe. What did she care what outsiders said?
After buying the roasted lamb flatbread, she galloped toward the north of the city. It was a good thing she had brought the basket to carry the food box; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to manage it all.
Once Yue Luo knew she was getting breakfast for Yu Jiuzhou, she had helped her prepare everything. Hearing her plan, she had even found a military waterskin for her.
Chi Wan had the shopkeeper fill the leather waterskin with the broth for the botuo. She also took a portion of the seasonings. The noodles were raw; worried they would become soggy, she decided to cook them herself when she got back.
To ensure she got the steps right, she even watched the shopkeeper cook a bowl of noodles.
Chi Wan stood there, stomping her feet from time to time against the cold, her eyes glued to the shopkeeper’s hands as he cooked.
Lao Wang’s wife handed her the filled waterskin. “Young lady, why don’t you come inside and warm yourself by the fire? You can head back in a little while.”
“No, thank you. My wife is waiting at home to eat,” Chi Wan politely declined.
She had already been out for over two hours and needed another hour to get back.
The shopkeeper’s wife sighed. “What a good young lady, so caring for her wife. Not like my husband, as dull as a block of wood.”
Hearing this, Lao Wang protested, “Well, old woman, what do you want to eat? I’ll go buy it for you.”
“Go on, go on, who needs you to buy anything.”
“See?” Lao Wang threw up his hands in resignation.
Chi Wan smiled as she watched the heartwarming scene before her, carefully packing her things.
As she was leaving, the shopkeeper reminded her, “Remember, use a clay pot over a low flame.”
“Alright. Thank you, shopkeeper.”
“Don’t mention it. Didn’t you give me a recipe for a medicinal plaster, young lady?”
Lao Wang suffered from back pain, yet at his age, he still rose early to make a living. Chi Wan had written down a prescription for him, instructing him to crush the herbs and apply them as a plaster.
The herbs themselves weren’t expensive, but the prescription was. Anyone with medicinal knowledge could see its value.
So, Lao Wang didn’t mind letting Chi Wan stand by and learn how to make botuo. Besides, the broth was the true secret; even if others knew the rest, they couldn’t replicate it.
Chi Wan packed everything into the food box and mounted her horse once more.
Her predecessor had known some horsemanship. After mastering the techniques, she felt her own skills surpassed her predecessor’s; otherwise, she wouldn’t have dared to gallop through the streets.
But she couldn’t do that at this hour. The people of the capital were beginning to fill the streets, so she could only ride back at a moderate pace.
Even though Chi Wan hurried, she didn’t get back until chen hour. She had left the Princess’s Residence a little after four in the morning and returned close to eight. All that time just to buy breakfast, and her hands were now as cold as ice.
Thank goodness for the back basket; she probably wouldn’t have been able to carry a regular basket. Her physical constitution had actually improved, and normally she wasn’t so sensitive to the cold, but she had woken up too early and had been riding hard.
Finally back at the Princess’s Residence, Chi Wan went to the kitchen to cook the botuo and reheat the pastries so she could serve them to Yu Jiuzhou.
She didn’t call for anyone. In the entire residence, the only person she could command was Yue Luo, so she decided not to ask and just lit the stove herself.
Meanwhile, Yu Jiuzhou had already been informed. Chun Gui immediately reported the news.
“But the botuo the Fuma brought back is uncooked. She has gone to cook it herself.”
In this world, only chefs among the Qian Yuan would enter a kitchen. At the very least, no scion of a noble house would ever set foot in one, adhering to the so-called principle that a gentleman stays away from the kitchen.
Even though she was the Fuma, Chi Wan was also a court official from a noble family. For her to enter the kitchen to cook botuo was quite a shock to everyone in the Princess’s Residence.
The servants of the residence all wished for the Princess’s happiness. If the Fuma had been like this from the beginning, they wouldn’t have treated her like she was invisible. They just didn’t know if the Fuma was putting on an act or had truly turned over a new leaf.
“In that case, let us dine,” Yu Jiuzhou instructed calmly.
Chun Gui was taken aback. The Fuma hadn’t finished cooking yet, so how could they eat now? Then she understood. Her Highness had asked for breakfast, but she had never said she would eat what the Fuma bought.
Chun Gui could only go and have the meal served. The kitchen had already prepared it, and soon the dishes were arranged on the tea table by the arhat bed.
Yu Jiuzhou took a few bites of congee and then set down her bowl and chopsticks.
“Your Highness, the eunuch with the imperial decree has left the palace,” Xia Qu reported, striding in quickly.
Yu Jiuzhou waved her hand dismissively. She felt a heat in her glands that was very uncomfortable, and she had little appetite.
On the other side, Chi Wan had finished cooking the botuo and reheating the roasted lamb flatbread, ensuring they hadn’t lost their original flavor. Figuring Yu Jiuzhou must be getting impatient, she quickly carried the food box toward Yongning Courtyard.
Arriving at Yongning Courtyard, Chi Wan placed the food box on the dining table, just in time to see a maid carrying away the dishes from a finished breakfast.
Chi Wan froze for a moment, her lips pressing together, but she still walked into the inner room.
She knew it. Yu Jiuzhou’s sudden command wasn’t truly a request, but most likely a way to torment her and vent her anger.
It was good if Yu Jiuzhou could let off some steam. Only after her anger was vented could she calm down enough to listen to what Chi Wan had to say and watch what she would do.
When she entered Yongning Courtyard, the maids in the yard all lowered their heads, pretending not to see her.
Yu Jiuzhou was drinking tea, her brows tightly furrowed, a clear sign of her foul mood.
Chi Wan approached. “Your Highness, I’ve brought back the botuo and the pastries.”
The task was complete. The process didn’t matter, and whether Yu Jiuzhou ate it or not… was beyond her control.
Yu Jiuzhou looked up, her tone lazy and cold. “Then throw it away.”
It was just as she had expected. Chi Wan’s frozen body had just warmed up, but her lips and hands were still very cold. When she pressed her lips together, she could feel the chill on them.
“It would be a shame to throw it away. If Your Highness won’t eat it, I will.”
Chi Wan smiled and walked out calmly.
Yu Jiuzhou was bewildered. Wasn’t she angry at being toyed with? After being tormented like this, why wasn’t she angry?
Her reaction made Yu Jiuzhou feel as if that foul mood was still stuck in her chest, unvented. The heat in her glands grew more pronounced, making her even more irritable.
Could her Rain and Dew Period be coming?
Get instant access to all chapters now.
