On the Sky Canopy, the eunuchs and maids in the courtyard were clearly very panicked, but contrary to their expectations, Emperor Jingwu did not explode in anger. Instead, she gently told them to rise and speak.
Sensing that Emperor Jingwu did not seem to be angry, the eunuchs and maids relaxed a little, though their brows still showed some apprehension as they recalled how they had been fighting right in front of her.
"Why were you fighting in the middle of the night?" Emperor Jingwu asked.
Hearing this, some eunuchs lowered their heads even more, while others rushed to speak first, as if afraid someone else would answer before them.
A fat eunuch shrilled, "Your Majesty, I was ordered by Wang Hui, Director of the Palace Services Bureau, to bring Xiao Shunzi back for twenty strokes of the cane."
"Strokes? What did he do wrong?" Emperor Jingwu asked the fat eunuch.
The fat eunuch replied, "Your Majesty, Xiao Shunzi has been neglecting his duties, seriously derelict, only caring about cooking for other eunuchs and maids to make money. When I came just now, I caught him red-handed with those eunuchs and maids!"
"Who is Xiao Shunzi?"
Hearing this question, a thin young eunuch trembled in fear.
Seeing this, a glint of amusement flashed in Emperor Jingwu's eyes. "What are you afraid of? Do you think I'll eat you? Tell me yourself, is it as he says?"
Although Yin Ning's attitude was gentle, Xiao Shunzi couldn't help but swallow nervously. His voice quivered as he said, "Y-Your Majesty, I did help others cook for money, but I only did it in my spare time after finishing my duties. Others in the palace can testify that I never neglected my work."
"Others in the palace? So your cooking business is quite famous!" Emperor Jingwu commented.
Not sure if this was praise or criticism, Xiao Shunzi could only shrink his neck and lower his head obediently.
"Who brought these raw meat and vegetables thrown on the ground?" The maids and the eunuchs who had been defending Xiao Shunzi stepped forward fearfully.
The fat eunuch, however, looked gleeful, clearly hoping to see them punished.
But Emperor Jingwu's next words made the fat eunuch's face tremble. "Why are you eating so late? Didn't you have dinner? Or was your meal stolen?"
Noticing that Emperor Jingwu's attitude had been gentle and she didn't seem angry, a round-eyed maid boldly replied, "Your Majesty, we did have dinner this evening, but since we were on night duty, we felt hungry after our shift ended and wanted to eat something before bed so we wouldn't go to sleep hungry."
Emperor Jingwu nodded understandingly. "Well, that is understandable."
Seeing that Emperor Jingwu seemed ready to let them off, the scratched-faced fat eunuch couldn't swallow his anger. He quickly said, "Your Majesty, they're lying! When I came, I heard them say they were just craving good food and wanted Xiao Shunzi to cook for them! And Xiao Shunzi himself has a rule: you have to book two days in advance so he can arrange the cooking time!"
Hearing the fat eunuch expose her lie, the young maid who had spoken paled in terror.
"How do you know Xiao Shunzi's rules so well? Have you asked him to cook for you before?" Emperor Jingwu countered.
The fat eunuch was taken aback, caught between a rock and a hard place, unsure how to answer.
The young maid, now hating the fat eunuch, quickly spoke up, "Your Majesty, you're right. Eunuch Pan Guan used to be a regular customer of Xiao Shunzi. But he never paid Xiao Shunzi for his work, always saying he'd put it on tab. Last month, Xiao Shunzi wanted to settle accounts, and Pan Guan said he was doing Xiao Shunzi a favor by letting him cook. After that quarrel, Xiao Shunzi refused to let him freeload anymore."
Though not explicit, the implication was clear: the fat eunuch was using this opportunity to get back at Xiao Shunzi under false pretenses.
As she spoke, the fat eunuch's expression grew increasingly awkward.
"Pan Guan, how dare you try to use me as your weapon?" Emperor Jingwu said coldly.
With a thud, the once-arrogant Pan Guan knelt before Emperor Jingwu in terror.
Emperor Jingwu looked down at him with a sneer. "Not only do you dine and dash, but you also try to get revenge? You're truly shameless! I order you to pay back all the money you owe Xiao Shunzi within three months!"
Hearing this, Pan Guan kowtowed in fear and agreed.
Then Emperor Jingwu ordered the eunuchs from the Palace Services Bureau who had come with Pan Guan to take him back and give him twenty strokes of the cane for lying to her.
Seeing the villain Pan Guan hoist by his own petard, Xiao Shunzi and the others couldn't help but show joy on their faces.
Emperor Jingwu didn't punish Xiao Shunzi for running his little kitchen in the palace. Instead, she chatted with him like family, asking how his cooking business was going.
Learning that Xiao Shunzi's booking orders were already scheduled two months out, Emperor Jingwu was surprised at his popularity.
She then told Xiao Shunzi that he no longer needed to tend the flowers in the Imperial Garden but would be transferred to the newly established External Food Bureau, responsible for the three daily meals of the eunuchs and maids.
Below the Sky Canopy, Yin Ning smiled at this arrangement. She thought she knew who "Xiao Shunzi" was—the ten-year-old Xiao Shunzi in her small kitchen who showed culinary talent.
When Yin Ning had asked the 007 system to evaluate Xiao Shunzi's strategic value, it gave him a high score of 83. She had thought then that her small kitchen might one day have a divine chef named Xiao Shunzi.
Outside Yin Ning's small kitchen, Xiao Shunzi sat on the steps with other eunuchs and maids, watching the Sky Canopy. Seeing "Xiao Shunzi" assigned to the External Food Bureau, an older maid teased, "Xiao Shunzi, you've turned misfortune into fortune again!"
"Mm! His Highness saved me again!" Xiao Shunzi's eyes sparkled.
He could never forget how Yin Ning had saved him by the lakeside. Now, learning cooking from Chef Hua in the small kitchen, he felt so happy he sometimes thought it was a dream. And because he was young, everyone treated him like a younger brother.
Xiao Shunzi silently thanked Liu Sanqi in his heart, believing it was her and the Sky Canopy's sudden appearance that had allowed him to cross paths with Yin Ning years earlier and enter her small kitchen.
But when the figure of the deathsworn Xiao He appeared on the Sky Canopy, Xiao Shunzi's clear eyes instantly showed disgust and vigilance. To him, Yin Ning was the best person in the world, and Xiao He, who wanted to harm her, was utterly evil.
His young heart filled with worry for Yin Ning, afraid she would be hurt by Xiao He. Clenching his fists unconsciously, he watched tensely.
On the Sky Canopy, the video showed Xiao He grinding ink for Emperor Jingwu. But due to unfamiliarity and distraction, she accidentally splashed ink droplets onto the clean desk.
Startled, Xiao He stopped grinding. But before she could apologize, Emperor Jingwu, without looking up, handed her a dark yellow handkerchief. "It's fine. Just wipe the table clean."
Taking the soft handkerchief, Xiao He's eyes lingered on Emperor Jingwu for a moment. After wiping the ink, she couldn't help asking, "Your Majesty, I made a mistake. Why don't you punish me?"
Emperor Jingwu looked up, surprised. "Such a trivial matter? Besides, you didn't do it on purpose. Just be more careful next time."
Xiao He's hand tightened on the now-stained handkerchief.
The video then switched to a flashback of Xiao He's training under Qi Wenyuan. Scenes showed her being kicked hard by an instructor for an imperfect punch, crashing into a wall and spitting blood. Even Xiao Shunzi, who disliked Xiao He, winced in sympathy, remembering his own beatings.
Besides brutal physical punishment, humiliating scoldings and solitary confinement were routine for Xiao He.
Emperor Jingwu didn't know that Xiao He had just recalled her past. Seeing Xiao He still troubled by the ink, she pointed at a memorial. "Look, I make mistakes too. But it's no big deal. Just correct them."
Xiao He saw that Emperor Jingwu had indeed written a wrong character, crossed it out, and written the correct one beside it. Her cold gaze lingered on the strike for a moment before she said, "Yes, I understand."
The scene shifted to Xiao He meeting an old eunuch in private. The old eunuch said grimly, "The master has sent another letter from outside the palace, asking when you'll strike!"
Xiao He replied coldly, "No need to rush me. I know what I'm doing."
"Hmph!" The old eunuch sneered. "Know what you're doing? Or have you changed your mind?"
"Why would I change my mind? Do you think she'll spare me if she knows my true identity?"
"As long as you know you have no way back! Find an opportunity quickly. You have the best chance! The master says if you succeed, you'll be greatly rewarded."
"I know. I'll handle it in the next few days."
With that, Xiao He turned and left. When she returned to Emperor Jingwu, the latter smiled and waved her over. "Come quickly! That Xiao Shunzi has great skill. He just sent over some pastries. They're delicious. No wonder he was so popular."
When Xiao He reached her, Emperor Jingwu didn't let her take one herself but picked up a pastry and popped it into Xiao He's mouth. Xiao He was so startled by this intimate gesture that she almost forgot to chew.
Emperor Jingwu looked at her expectantly. "Well? Isn't it good?"
Xiao He, distracted, nodded automatically.
"I knew you'd like it. You've always liked this kind of sweet but not cloying flavor." Emperor Jingwu's smile seemed to sting Xiao He's eyes, and she lowered her gaze to hide her emotions.
That night, Emperor Jingwu was still reviewing memorials, occasionally grumbling about unsatisfactory ones. But when she noticed Xiao He nodding off on a low stool nearby, she stopped talking and even set down memorials more softly.
As the night deepened, the palace grew colder. Hearing Xiao He cough lightly, as if catching a chill, Emperor Jingwu picked up her woolen cloak and walked over.
Xiao He's eyelashes fluttered slightly at the approaching footsteps. Clearly, she hadn't really fallen asleep but had been feigning sleep to lure Emperor Jingwu close without suspicion.