Chapter 13 - 1#
Sugar Cake: Who gave you sugar cake!#
The group stayed camped outside the Beiliang Mountain hunting grounds for nearly half a month.
Xiao Cuan wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about hunting.
Aside from the first two days when he went up the mountain and bagged a fierce tiger and two foxes, he spent the rest of the time in his tent. He read memorials while holding Yanzhi and the rescued wolf cub, absentmindedly stroking their heads and pinching their faces.
Yanzhi and the wolf cub sat side by side, looking obedient and well-behaved. Even when pinched hard enough to hurt, Yanzhi would only silently redden at the eyes, tears welling up without making a sound.
Xiao Cuan enjoyed this very much. He would produce a bear-shaped biscuit from somewhere and stuff it into Yanzhi’s mouth, then toss a smaller, bone-shaped biscuit to the cub for it to gnaw on.
When he grew tired of sitting in the tent, Xiao Cuan occasionally went out for a stroll to see the men and women participating in the imperial selection.
Yanzhi followed obediently behind His Majesty, holding a register and a brush. According to His Majesty’s instructions, he marked the candidates into three grades: “High,” “Middle,” and “Low.”
In the blink of an eye, it was mid-September.
The weather gradually turned cold. At night, the wind howled, and the northern breeze pierced through the canvas, blowing into the tent in thin, persistent streams.
Even sleeping on the tiger skin, Yanzhi felt a bit cold and always clung tightly to His Majesty.
Until one day, Yanzhi woke up with a stuffed nose, a raspy voice, and an unnatural flush on his cheeks, feeling completely dazed.
Yanzhi had caught a cold. Only then did Xiao Cuan issue the decree to set off back to the capital.
Because of the cold, Yanzhi could no longer ride a horse in the wind on the return journey, so Xiao Cuan had a carriage brought over.
Several personal guards cleared the way in front, copper bells jingling softly under the eaves of the carriage, with the civil and military officials following behind.
The carriage, pulled by six fine horses, was carpeted, heated by a stove, spacious, and warm.
Inside the carriage—
Xiao Cuan, finding the stove too hot, had his inner robe open and leaned lazily against a soft pillow, leafing through the selection register Yanzhi had recorded.
Yanzhi was wrapped tightly in a newly made fox fur cloak, with only half of his worried little face peeking out from the fur trim.
He held a bowl in both hands, filled with a dark, foul-smelling medicinal soup.
Yanzhi lowered his head and took a tiny sip.
So bitter! So astringent!
He furrowed his brows, turned his face away, and coughed twice.
He didn’t want to drink the medicine.
“If you don’t want to drink it, then don’t.”
His Majesty’s cold voice sounded above his head.
Yanzhi’s eyes lit up, and he looked up toward the voice. “Your Majesty…”
“Give it to him.” Xiao Cuan didn’t even look up, pointing casually at the wolf cub curled up nearby.
The smile on Yanzhi’s face froze, and the wolf cub also looked up in confusion.
“Pry his mouth open and pour it in. If he drinks it, you don’t have to.”
Better not. He didn’t dare; he was afraid the “puppy” would bite him.
Besides, medicine for humans might not be suitable for a “puppy.” Although Yanzhi was afraid, he had never thought of poisoning it.
Xiao Cuan finally said, “Three—”
Yanzhi hurriedly pinched his nose, tilted his head back, and gulped down the medicine in one breath.
“I… I finished it…” Yanzhi covered his mouth and let out a burp.
Xiao Cuan brushed his hand away, pinched his chin, brushed his thumb against his lip, and wiped away the medicine staining the corner of his mouth.
Yanzhi was stunned for a moment.
Xiao Cuan turned his head, and seeing him dazed, said, “What are you looking at? Did you think I was going to give you candy?”
Yanzhi quickly shook his head. “I didn’t.”
“Do you have no idea how much candy I’ve given you lately?” Xiao Cuan said. “Crying at the drop of a hat, ignoring people whenever you feel like it, making a life-and-death fuss over nothing.”
Xiao Cuan pinched his cheek. “I see now that you weren’t even that sad back then. You were just greedy, deliberately putting on a weeping act to compete for favor and trick me into giving you candy.”
“I didn’t…”
Yanzhi tried to explain, but Xiao Cuan wouldn’t let him speak.
“Trying to eat candy every day for just a little cold? In your dreams.” Xiao Cuan concluded, “From today until the New Year, whether it’s cream puffs or milk candy biscuits, all of it is cut off. You’re not allowed to eat them anymore.”
Yanzhi pouted and responded, “I understand.”
“Go play with your ‘son’.”
“Yes…”
Yanzhi sighed inwardly and moved toward the little dog bed made of blankets.
Previously, His Majesty said he would find two servants to help take care of the “puppy.”
In fact, His Majesty hadn’t found anyone at all. Yanzhi had been the one raising it all along—getting it water, making its bed, preparing rice mixed with meat gravy, and taking it out for walks.
After several days together, Yanzhi and the “puppy” had become quite familiar with each other.
However, Yanzhi was still a bit afraid. When playing with it, he always covered his hands with his sleeves and didn’t get too close.
Sitting in front of the dog bed, Yanzhi reached out his tightly wrapped hand and scratched its chin. “Puppy—puppy—”
The “puppy” was also very well-behaved, tilting its head and leaning into Yanzhi’s hand.
Yanzhi’s eyes curved. “Reporting to Your Majesty, I would like to give him a name.”
Xiao Cuan said indifferently, “You’re called ‘Puppy,’ so isn’t he ‘Little Puppy’? What other name do you need?”
“That’s not it.” Yanzhi said seriously. “I’m not called ‘Puppy,’ and he’s not called ‘Little Puppy.’”
“Oh.” Xiao Cuan gave a light scoff. “Suit yourself.”
“My name is ‘Yanzhi,’ and I want to call him—”
Yanzhi couldn’t think of any elegant names like “Moon-Stepper” or “Wind-Chaser.” After thinking for a long time, he finally said, “‘Puff’!”
Xiao Cuan frowned. “I just told you that from today on there are no puffs to eat, and yet you choose ‘Puff.’”
“No, Your Majesty, the name I want to give him is ‘Puff.’”
“No, they’re not the same thing.”
“Then let’s call him ‘Cream’.”
“No.” Xiao Cuan’s face darkened. “He’s pitch black. Why call him ‘Cream’? ‘Black Charcoal’ or ‘Mud’ would be more appropriate.”
“Let’s call him…”
“Don’t use the names of the food I give you.”
“Yes.” Yanzhi continued to think.
He hadn’t eaten many things. If he gave a dog a name like “Little Chicken” or “Little Duck,” that would be too strange.
Suddenly, Yanzhi had a flash of inspiration. “Sugar Cake!”
“Your Majesty, let’s call him ‘Sugar Cake.’ Brown sugar cake is black, isn’t it?”
“Suit yourself.”
Xiao Cuan finally agreed because he had never given Yanzhi sugar cakes to eat.
Yanzhi lifted the “puppy” high, shook it gently, and called out with a smile, “Sugar Cake, Sugar Cake.”
The “puppy” seemed to know he was calling it. It opened its mouth, stuck out its tongue, and its two short back legs and short tail wagged back and forth in the air.
The “puppy” let out a whimpering sound. Yanzhi couldn’t help but laugh and corrected its pronunciation: “Sugar Cake, no, you should go ‘woof woof woof’.”
“Ying ying ying—”
“Woof woof woof! Woof woof woof!”
“Two idiots,” Xiao Cuan cursed softly, tossing the register he had been marking from beginning to end into Yanzhi’s lap. “The people I’ve circled—have them move into the palace to prepare for the ‘final interview’.”
“Yes.” Yanzhi put down the “puppy” and picked up the register.
His Majesty had circled their names with a bright red vermilion brush, making them very conspicuous.
Yanzhi felt this was a bit unlucky, but he didn’t dare say so, thinking he would just make another copy for himself later.
He lowered his head and looked seriously at the circled names. “Eh…”
Yanzhi was a bit surprised. “Your Majesty… Your Majesty doesn’t like Xie Yi, does he? Why…”
Xiao Cuan turned to look at him, his gaze icy. “What? Are you feeling sorry for him?”
“No, I just think…” Yanzhi answered cautiously, “It’s strange…”
“What’s strange about it?” Xiao Cuan said indifferently. “I don’t like a single person on that list, but don’t I still have to choose an Empress from among them?”
“But…”
“I don’t like you either, yet aren’t you still here?”
“This Xie Yi, although he has an ugly appearance, frivolous manners, and acts like a complete fool, compared to you, he at least has one redeeming quality—”
Xiao Cuan pinched the flesh of Yanzhi’s cheek and shook it hard.
“He knows more characters than you, writes better essays than you, and is more talented than you.”
“Yes, I understand.” Yanzhi lowered his eyes.
Of course he wasn’t jealous of Xie Yi; he was just a bit worried.
Xie Yi had no intention of entering the palace in the first place; he wanted to become an official. If he were actually selected, what would happen?
It probably wouldn’t happen. Besides talent, His Majesty also valued family background. Xie Yi’s family background wasn’t particularly good among the candidates.
The Emperor’s heart was hard to fathom. Was His Majesty truly considering Xie Yi, or was he saying it on purpose just for him to hear?
For a moment, Yanzhi couldn’t tell.
Perhaps he should find an opportunity to warn Xie Yi.
Xie Yi had taken him out to play and bought him sugar cakes; he was considered a friend, and Yanzhi should repay his kindness.
Xiao Cuan’s cold voice interrupted his thoughts. “What are you dazing off for? Feeling sorry for him again?”
Yanzhi looked up and said quickly, “No, I was just thinking about which palace hall to prepare for them to live in.”
“Suit yourself, just keep them far away from the Hall of Supreme Harmony.”
“Yes.”
As they spoke, the procession arrived at Liangdu. The carriage passed through the city gates and drove all the way toward the Great Liang Palace.
Yanzhi lifted the carriage curtain and peeked outside.
The capital today was no different from any other day—people coming and going, bustling and crowded.
Yanzhi pursed his lips and lowered the curtain before His Majesty could scold him.
Xiao Cuan crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and leaned against the carriage wall. “Idiot, tell me, what should we do if the ‘final interview’ also fails to produce a perfect Empress?”
“I don’t know.” Yanzhi shook his head. “Didn’t Your Majesty say before that the young lords and ladies should first study literature and martial arts, and once they become well-versed in both, the selection would proceed?”
“They’re learning too slowly.” Xiao Cuan said. “I took them out for an autumn hunt for half a month, and the average martial power only rose by 0.33. Every single day, they’re just there drinking and having fun.”
Xiao Cuan frowned, his tone impatient. “At this learning speed, by the time they become well-versed in both literature and martial arts, at least seventy or eighty years will have passed. By then, they’ll all be using canes, unable to walk steadily, losing teeth as soon as they open their mouths. How can they be an Empress then?”
“Um…” Yanzhi thought seriously. “I… I don’t know what to do either.”
“I have another idea, actually.”
Yanzhi was puzzled. “Your Majesty?”
Xiao Cuan opened his eyes and sat up straight. “Tell me, who made the rule that an Emperor can only have one Empress?”
“Huh?” Yanzhi blinked, not reacting.
Xiao Cuan said seriously, “No one has ever made such a rule. Even if there were one, all the rules in the world are made by me. If I want to change it now, I can.”
He spoke with total conviction and confidence. “Since a perfect Empress cannot be found, then simply appoint several.”
“One for family background, one for talent, one for appearance, one for martial arts, and another to manage the harem. Appoint a few more, all as Empresses—we’ll eventually put together a satisfactory set.”
Yanzhi was even more stunned, his eyes wide and round. “But… but…”
He felt something wasn’t quite right, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
Xiao Cuan’s lips curled up in self-satisfaction. “You think I’m clever too, don’t you?”