Chapter 92 – Growing Old Together

In a flash, Ding Hai returned with the four servants named after the seasons. Upon their return, Fang Zixing led them to kneel outside the Suiyu Hall, ready to beg the Emperor for forgiveness.

Xu Chun, however, was leading a group of guards carrying a cow’s head, returning in high spirits from outside. Walking into the courtyard, he spotted Fang Zixing and Ding Hai, first startled then delighted. “Ding Hai, you’re back? What happened?”

Fang Zixing was first drawn to the sight of the cow’s head. “What is this? Why did you bring it back? It reeks!”

Xu Chun explained, “Big Brother Fang, you wouldn’t understand. This old lady has been soaking it overnight. Once we remove the hair and roast it a bit, we can slice the beef cheek meat, as well as the brain, tongue, and other parts. They’re delicious when roasted! I specifically brought it in for Ninth Brother; he must never have tasted it. Now that Big Brother Fang and Big Brother Ding Hai are here, let’s eat together.”

Fang Zixing appeared skeptical, his face full of disdain. However, Ding Hai chimed in, “Roasted meat is tasty. Sprinkle some cloves and cinnamon powder on it! Cumin and pepper are good too!”

Xu Chun’s eyes shone brightly. “Right? Let’s start setting up the grill in the courtyard right away! Where’s the Emperor?” He looked around, but one hand was holding the cow’s head, seemingly eager to show it off to Xie Yi. Seeing Su Huaibei emerge from inside, he greeted him with a smile. “Young Master Su, you’re back? Whoa! What’s this?”

Xu Chun quickly asked, “Eunuch Su, where’s Ninth Brother?” Naturally, he handed the cow’s head to Ding Hai, who was still kneeling. Ding Hai was momentarily at a loss, glancing at Fang Zixing. Fang Zixing gave him a meaningful look, and Ding Hai hurriedly got up to take it.

Su Huaibei acted as if he didn’t see, only smiling. “The imperial physician just finished his acupuncture session. He fell asleep and said to wake him when you arrived, but I’ll go rouse him now.”

Xu Chun said, “Don’t wake him. Let’s get the meat roasting first. Ninth Brother isn’t feeling well, so let him rest.”

He lowered his voice and whispered to Su Huaibei, “I got this cow’s head yesterday! It’s rare, and I’ve already soaked it overnight to get rid of the blood. Tonight, we’ll roast it for Ninth Brother to try. All those sauces can be used.”

Su Huaibei chuckled. “That sounds great. I’ll have the imperial kitchen set up a charcoal stove. Just now, a deer was delivered. They say the Emperor is weak and should eat something to boost his vitality. There are also fresh shrimp and clams that can be sent over to roast.”

Fang Zixing summoned several palace guards, including Ding Hai. They were all fit and nimble, swiftly setting up a fire pit and stacking firewood and charcoal to light it. Meanwhile, Xu Chun directed Ding Hai to shave off the hair on the cow’s head. First, they roasted the outer skin, then took out a sharp knife to slice the meat from the cow’s face. They also removed the brain, tongue, eyes, ears, and so on, marinating them.

On the other side, live shrimp and clams were being roasted, while slices of venison were skewered. Xu Chun called Wu Fulu to finely chop some chives, seasoning them with salt water. He boasted to Fang Zixing, “This goes well with grilled meat, shrimp, and tofu.”

As spices were sprinkled on, the aroma filled the air.

Under the trees by the charcoal fire, the guards and eunuchs worked quietly and efficiently. Fang Zixing held a skewer of roasted meat and secretly asked Xu Chun, “I heard the Emperor invited the Qianqiu Opera Troupe into the palace twice for performances, and now your Qianqiu is doing incredibly well.”

Xu Chun chuckled. “Making money, no shame in that—besides, I really had them rehearse for a long time, specifically choosing the funniest plays for Ninth Brother. He had never seen such performances before, thinking they were just singing and fighting scenes. He didn’t know there were so many entertaining folk tunes out there.”

Fang Zixing: “…He was just humoring you. In the past, the Empress Dowager loved watching operas and invited many troupes, but he would leave after accompanying her for a scene.”

Xu Chun’s eyes sparkled. “I’m trying my best to make him happy, and he’s willing to humor me too. That’s what matters. The plays come second.”

When Xie Yi emerged from the hall, he almost thought he was still half-asleep. Under the June night sky filled with stars, the strong scent of grilled meat wafted through the air, mingling with the sweet fragrance of roasted raisins, apricots, and orange peels, the faint smoky aroma of charcoal, and the pungent, rich scent of alcohol—a medley reminiscent of the bustling night markets in the western part of the capital.

Upon stepping out, everyone rose to pay their respects. Xu Chun approached and took Xie Yi’s hand. “Eunuch Su told me you fell asleep after acupuncture, so I didn’t dare disturb you. I started grilling the meat first, waiting for the Emperor to wake up and enjoy it.”

Xie Yi chuckled softly. Only Xu Chun dared to do something like this in the courtyard of his sleeping quarters. He followed Xu Chun and sat down, glancing at Fang Zixing and beckoning him over. “Sit down. Eunuch Su, join us. Since it’s a barbecue, the more people, the merrier. No need for formality; let’s all eat together.” His gaze then fell upon Ding Hai, who, upon seeing the Emperor looking at him, nearly collapsed to his knees, sweat soaking his back.

But Xu Chun was already leading Xie Yi to the grill. “Ninth Brother, take a look. Can you guess what this is?”

Xie Yi looked at the neatly sliced pink meat pieces, unable to identify them, and asked with a smile, “Rabbit meat? Or venison? The imperial physician said it could help with dietary supplements. I seem to recall Eunuch Su mentioning that a deer was sent over from the hunting grounds.”

Xu Chun personally picked up a sizzling, oil-dripping piece of meat, dipped it in saltwater chives, and fed it to Xie Yi.

Xie Yi felt the clear and distinct taste of chives complementing the crisp meat. The flavor was fresh and fragrant, with a unique texture. It was somewhat similar to chicken gizzards but even more tender, juicy, and delicious. He reflected that Xu Chun had indeed fed him a variety of strange dishes these days, but he found himself enjoying them nonetheless.

After a few bites, he said, “Can’t tell what it is, but it tastes fine.”

Xu Chun’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “It’s cow tongue. I chose the slice closest to the root, which is the most tender and flavorful. If Lao Liu were here, she could make it even better.”

Xie Yi: “…”

He glanced at Fang Zixing, who was enthusiastically eating a skewer of cow tongue, clearly having waited patiently for him. Ding Hai held a skewer of shrimp, retreating into the shadows and blending in with Si De, Wu Fu, and Wu Lu, clearly not wanting to attract the Emperor’s attention anymore.

Xie Yi picked up his chopsticks and chose some venison for himself. Although the cow tongue tasted decent, the thought of its origin triggered his fastidious nature, and he stopped eating it. Xu Chun quietly asked him, “Ninth Brother doesn’t like it? Is it not tasty? Earlier, Big Brother Fang seemed to find it disgusting, but now he’s eating happily.”

Xie Yi considered it and replied honestly, “The taste is alright. I suppose you cleaned it thoroughly, but the thought of it being a tongue makes me uncomfortable.”

Xu Chun reached out to caress Xie Yi’s wrist and whispered, “Ninth Brother seems to dislike strange body parts. I noticed you don’t like organs either. From now on, I won’t prepare such things.”

Xie Yi felt a softening in his heart. “Am I spoiling your fun? It’s not that it’s inedible. If I didn’t know what it was, it would be fine.”

Xu Chun chuckled softly. “I also don’t like eggplant, bitter melon, or mushrooms. In the past, Madam disliked my picky eating habits and insisted on making stuffed eggplants, stuffed bitter melons, and stuffed mushrooms…even worse.”

Hearing Xu Chun say that eggplant was unpalatable, Fang Zixing commented, “Deep-fried whole eggplants are delicious. Slice them open with a sharp knife and sprinkle on some spices. They’re tasty.”

Xu Chun asked Fang Zixing, “Big Brother Fang, are there foods you don’t like?”

Fang Zixing thought for a moment. “Snake meat and frog meat.”

Everyone was speechless for a moment.

Su Huaibei laughed. “Except for you southerners, who eats that?”

Fang Zixing replied honestly, “Dragon and phoenix stew, snake meat and old hen soup, said to be very nourishing.”

Su Huaibei was reminded of something and mused, “Speaking of which, I read a Tang Dynasty banquet menu that included a dish made with bullfrogs, called Snow Babies, wrapped in bean flour and deep-fried…”

Fang Zixing showed his disgust. “They all sound weird.”

Su Huaibei nodded. “Actually, when people are extremely hungry, they’ll eat anything, even tree bark and Goddess of Mercy clay…”

The guards seemed to have opened a floodgate of conversation. Perhaps due to the Emperor’s unusually relaxed mood tonight, Commander Fang and Eunuch Su led the chatter, making everyone feel more at ease. They exchanged stories about unique dishes from their hometowns and discussed various cooking methods.

In the midst of the lively discussion, Xu Chun simply kept adjusting the sauce, picking proper slices of venison to feed Xie Yi. Seeing Xu Chun’s face flushed from the heat of the charcoal fire, Xie Yi felt touched. After a few slices, he refused to eat more, forbidding Xu Chun from going back to the grill. Instead, he chose to drink apricot almond porridge.

The group continued their merry-making until late into the night. Although alcohol was forbidden in the palace, Xie Yi still rewarded them with wine to drink after their shift ended. He took Xu Chun to wash up and retire for the night, without further mention.

==

The next day, there was no court session, but the cabinet had memorials to discuss. Xie Yi arrived at the meeting hall and picked up a memorial from the Ministry of Personnel. At a glance, he noticed Fan Mukun’s name on the list for deployment to Hunan-Guangdong. He paused slightly and asked Ouyang Shen, “Why does Fan Mukun want to be deployed? Wasn’t he just promoted to be a Lecturer in the Hanlin Academy? Why does he want to go to Hunan-Guangdong?”

Ouyang Shen replied, “Your subject once had a friendship with Duke Fan. How could I not inquire? I specifically sought him out to ask why. He said that with the southern floods and northern droughts, the Hanlin Academy is a place to nurture talent. While serving there, his literary skills contribute little to the state. It would be better for him to serve outside the capital to alleviate the Emperor’s burdens and do some practical work that benefits the country and its people.”

Xie Yi frowned and turned to instruct Su Huaibei to summon Fan Mukun. Meanwhile, he quickly reviewed the memorials, returning them to Ouyang Shen with brief comments to guide further discussion.

By the time Fan Mukun arrived, Xie Yi had nearly finished handling the memorials. He checked the time, planning to visit the rear mountain with Xu Chun after meeting with Fan Mukun.

Fan Mukun entered and performed the three-kneel, nine-knock ritual respectfully. Xie Yi, however, cut straight to the chase. “The duties of a capital official are vastly different from those of an external official. You’ve never shown aspirations for external postings. Your personality is also overly upright and aloof, with few people to support you. Why did you think of serving outside the capital?”

“With your integrity and scholarship, you could study diligently in the Hanlin Academy. If you want to do practical work, you could serve as a school governor or join the Censorate. County officials are too mixed, especially in the Hunan-Guangdong region. The river engineering projects there are too murky, with all kinds of corruption. Last year, a third-rank prefect committed suicide. You haven’t married yet, and it’s inappropriate for you to serve outside the capital. If something happens, this Emperor will be unable to face Uncle.”

Fan Mukun’s eyes reddened slightly when Xie Yi mentioned his father. He had prepared many reasons, but at that moment, he struggled to speak. After a while, he said, “Prince Xu enjoys wealth and freedom in the capital. Your Majesty plans for his long-term future, arranging for him to serve as an external official to temper and hone his skills for future accomplishments. Your subject now seeks to emulate the virtuous and also wants to share the Emperor’s burdens and serve the people. I hold myself to high standards and will not betray the deep kindness of a saintly sovereign.”

Xie Yi was surprised. “Are you resentful towards this Emperor?”

“How can you compare yourself to Xu Chun?”

Fan Mukun was taken aback.

Xie Yi said, “You are my minister, a trusted advisor. I look after you because of Uncle’s face, our childhood companionship, your unwavering loyalty and integrity, and your vast erudition. That’s why I have high hopes for you.”

“Xu Chun and I love each other. We share the temple halls, the empire, and the realm, growing old together in the same tomb. What are you comparing yourself to?”

Fan Mukun hadn’t expected Xie Yi to be so candid, uttering such shocking words. If the censors and court ministers heard them, there might be bloodshed and upheaval. Yet Xie Yi spoke so casually, as if discussing something trivial.

Stunned, he looked up at Xie Yi, who didn’t hide anything. “Xu Chun said you could smell the apricot tea scent on his body. I figured your dog nose must have detected the scent of this Emperor on him.”

“I don’t need to hide this from you. The court is in dire need of capable people. If you insist on serving outside the capital, it’s not impossible. Shuo Prefecture is currently plagued by locusts. You can go and take a look. I’ll assign you a few trustworthy assistants. As for whether you genuinely want to govern and serve the people or prefer seclusion in the mountains, you must decide clearly. Don’t end up stranded between two worlds.”

Fan Mukun was momentarily at a loss for words, staring blankly at Xie Yi. “Your Majesty, Prince Xu rose through favoritism, ultimately tarnishing his reputation. One day, history will record flaws in Your Majesty’s reign. Why go through with it?”

Xie Yi glanced at him. “I have no regrets towards heaven, humanity, the state, or the ancestral temples. Why fear the praise or criticism of historians?”

“External officials often face corruption. You’ve always harbored the desire for a life of seclusion. You may not be able to endure it. Since you claim to be upright, act accordingly.”

After dismissing the distracted Fan Mukun, Xie Yi turned to return to the rear hall to change clothes. However, he didn’t see Xu Chun, so he asked Wu Lu, who served Xu Chun, “Where’s the Prince?”

Wu Lu replied, “Reporting to the Emperor, Prince Xu was here calculating the customs duties and related documents of the Jinkang Maritime Customs for the past few years. He spent the whole morning on it, but the numbers didn’t quite match up. He asked Eunuch Su, who was attending to the Emperor in the front hall, but didn’t want to trouble him to come over. So, he went to ask a question and returned after a cup of tea. He suddenly remembered that the Ghost Festival was approaching and wanted to go back to the Duke’s mansion to instruct them about the offerings. He might have to accompany his parents for a meal and told the Emperor not to wait for him for lunch.”

Xie Yi saw that the table was indeed covered with records and documents from the maritime customs. He turned to Su Huaibei, who wore a puzzled expression. “I didn’t see the Prince come to find me…”

Xie Yi deduced that Xu Chun must have overheard his conversation with Fan Mukun and was embarrassed, choosing to leave. Amused, he asked, “Did he take anyone with him?”

Wu Lu replied, “Ding Hai took people along and arranged for a carriage.”

Xie Yi sighed. “Well, since no one is accompanying this Emperor, I’d better finish my official duties early so we can head to the hunting palace sooner. Have a simple meal and then call back Ouyang Shen and the other cabinet ministers. I’ll review the candidates for river management with them again.”