Chapter 1: Days

Chapter 1: Days

Bì, a ritual vessel symbolizing the dignity of an emperor.

Rong Bi's own father, Elder Rong, was in his forties when he finally welcomed this daughter into the world after three sons. She was cherished like a precious pearl, and he even offered a pound of cherished salted meat to the village scholar for a suitable name.

Satisfied with his feast of meat and wine, the scholar scribbled with delight, "Priceless as a treasured jade. Since Elder Rong holds your daughter so dear, let's call her Bì!"

The entire family doted on her cautiously. When she turned twelve, their hometown suffered a severe drought followed by a plague of locusts.

Two of her three brothers were conscripted and never returned, while the last one, serving in compulsory labor, broke his leg. The bone-setting physician demanded three hundred coins for treatment, or he would forever limp and be unable to marry.

With their pots empty, matchmakers began knocking at their door, eager to purchase Rong Bi.

Elder Rong forcefully chased away several, but still could not deter the persistent relatives who acted as intermediaries. Some sought to arrange a childhood marriage, others wanted to take her as a foster bride-to-be. The prices offered kept increasing, so much so that Elder Rong would reinforce his gate each night, fearing that his daughter might be abducted by traffickers.

There was no other reason but Rong Bi's striking appearance. Her charm spread far and wide; everyone knew that the dark-skinned couple, known for their honesty, had birthed a clever and lovely daughter, as delicate and plump as a glutinous rice ball, with eyes as black and bright as those of a celestial child before Guan Yin, exceptional!

Observing Third Brother, whose calligraphy and literacy were exceptional, lying in bed with a pale, miserable expression, and considering the family's dire situation of barely making ends meet, Rong Bi approached her father and mother and proposed, "Sell me into servitude, with a living contract, for a good sum. Use the money to heal Third Brother's leg and help him find a wife. When I grow up, I'll redeem myself."

Old Rong wept, cradling his daughter, "I'd rather break pots and sell iron than let my precious daughter suffer. You have no idea the hardships outside. They may call it a live indenture, but often, girls are sold to foreign lands, and nine out of ten never return. With your beauty..."

From a humble and impoverished household, such an eye-catching maiden has emerged, and this is the root of all calamities.

Bearing an otherworldly charm since childhood, once she reaches maturity and is nurtured with the finest delicacies for a few more years, she would undoubtedly possess a captivating beauty that could captivate an entire city. Her value would soar to millions, and no broker could resist such an allure.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before the visitors transformed into formidable figures like Old Master Rong, individuals one could not afford to offend.

The county magistrate's younger brother-in-law, who resided in the manor, had sent a matchmaker with a promise of a dowry of ten taels of silver, intent on forcefully taking Rong Bi as his own.

Upon inquiry, it was well-known that this uncle-by-marriage had an infamous predilection for young boys and girls. There were those who would specifically purchase children to be at his disposal, only to discard them once they matured. The family, in their despair, wept bitterly together, their hearts torn apart.

Refusal was not an option, for the matchmaker had ominously threatened that should they decline, Old Man Rong would be conscripted for laborious mountain stone excavation this year.

It was a brutal assignment! Mostly young and strong men were chosen, and many returned maimed or missing limbs. Old Man Rong, approaching fifty with poor health, might not survive the ordeal. Left behind would be a boy with a broken leg, an underage girl, and an elderly woman - an easy target for further exploitation.

Ruining their home and lives could be accomplished with mere words.

But how could they send their cherished doll to be ravaged by beasts?

Absolutely not!

Rong Father, having watched his daughter grow up in blissful ignorance, couldn't bear the thought of her never returning once sent away. Desperate and with nowhere else to turn, he pleaded for help from friends and relatives. Yet, upon hearing that it was for the County Magistrate's uncle, everyone avoided them like the plague. Rong Mother almost cried herself blind. The kindhearted tutor, unable to stand idly by, secretly offered guidance, pointing out a potential way out.

In the capital city, an imperial eunuch in charge of purchasing palace maidens was currently selecting candidates.

Once inside the palace, the rules might be stricter and the workload heavier, but there would be no lack of food or clothing, monthly stipends would be provided, and the palace would even teach literacy. With the harem strictly guarded against outsiders, only the emperor could have intimate relations with the palace maids. But with over three thousand maidens, many might never even catch a glimpse of the emperor in their years of service, thus reducing the worry. If a maiden did gain the emperor's favor, she would become an imperial concubine. Even if she didn't receive much attention, the royal family would still provide for her in old age – a far better fate than being sent off as a child without status or reputation to be mistreated.

The best part was that at the age of twenty-five, if a palace maiden had not been chosen by the emperor, she would be released from service, receiving a sum of money to return home. The government would arrange for her transportation back and allow her to marry as she pleased. Though older, a former palace maiden would have no trouble finding a husband!

Only by entering the palace could they escape the County Magistrate's clutches. Once inside, they would be considered part of the royal household, even if just a lowly maid. There would always be a chance to encounter influential figures, and the County Magistrate would never dare to cause trouble for them.

After gathering all the information, Rong Father made a swift decision, slapping his thigh in confirmation.

Through the private connections of the elderly tutor, who had a former student in the capital, Rong Bi was recommended to the purchasing eunuch for inspection. It was agreed that they would forgo any monetary compensation, their sole wish being for Rong Bi's admittance into the palace.

Upon seeing Rong Bi, the eunuch recognized her beauty and surmised that she was likely from a poor family seeking a better future – a common occurrence. As an intermediary, he had some integrity and couldn't simply pocket the full asking price, which was ten thousand coins. An investigation could uncover such dishonesty, so he kept half, a substantial amount. Thus, the arrangement was settled.

Fifty thousand coins would alleviate the urgent financial crisis of the Rong family. Old Man Rong's eyes were red as his wife wiped away her tears, holding onto the hem of her dress. Young Rong Bi comforted her mother, "He'll be back at twenty-five. Mother, you must take good care of Third Brother and heal his leg so he can attend school. If he becomes a scholar, no one will dare bully our family anymore. Then, when Big Brother and Second Brother return, we'll all be together again."

Old Man Rong wiped his tears anew, lifted his young daughter, and sent her off in the carriage that had come to fetch her for the imperial service.

Twelve-year-old Rong Bi thus entered the palace.

Time flew by, yet it also dragged on. Eight years passed before she turned twenty, and her release from the palace was imminent. As the old scholar predicted, Rong Bi had served in the Imperial Kitchen for eight years without ever encountering the current emperor, Emperor Chengping.

In the palace, a beautiful palace maid didn't need to speak; countless unseen hands would instinctively and silently remove her from the emperor's sight.

Rong Bi breathed a sigh of relief. She had heard that the emperor had two empresses, five princes, and three princesses, making him quite an elderly man. Despite her years of dedication, humility, efficiency, and meticulousness in the Imperial Kitchen, she remained an unranked lady-in-waiting. This was partly due to her reluctance to spend money to curry favor with her superiors, even though she understood the necessity. She knew that any such expenditure would be futile.

She was too beautiful. Whenever a new Head Cook took office, their initial astonishment upon seeing her would quickly turn into wariness. Serving dishes, delivering meals, and taste-testing—any role that might involve contact with eunuchs—were all bypassed for her. Her responsibilities often consisted solely of cleaning and preparing ingredients.

It wasn't just about guarding against her. Before one Head Cook left the palace, feeling guilty, she privately confided in Rong Bi, "I've seen your steady character over the years, and you're a capable person. But your appearance makes it too easy to bring trouble. One, I'm afraid you'd feel resentment, causing trouble eventually and implicating the entire Imperial Kitchen. Two, even if you have no intention to, others might still be wary and exploit you. It's better to stay low-key and obedient in the kitchen, perhaps allowing you to safely serve until your release."

Staring at the young maiden before her, the delicate beauty of her face, even in the plainest attire of a low-ranking palace maid, was dazzling. It stirred a sense of guilt within her, a remorse for wasting such a precious talent.

Rong Bi was grateful to her back then and even gifted her several pairs of handmade shoes before leaving.

She always thought that this was already excellent. Her monthly stipend was a tael of silver, with seasonal clothing provided, two meals a day without shortage, and tasks she was familiar with and could handle effortlessly. All she did every day was work in the kitchen, and there was nothing more comfortable than that.

She carefully stored her monthly stipends in ingots and sealed them away. She also preserved the silver beans, gold leaves, silk, and other items she received as rewards during festivals. She wore her seasonal clothes with care, rarely donning new attire, saving them for when she would be released from the palace.

Then, she would build a blue-tiled house with three bright and three dark rooms for her family, construct a small courtyard, plant peach blossoms, and raise a few colorful koi, just like in the imperial garden. It would be pleasing to the eye to see them every day.

After three years in the palace, she realized that she had saved enough to purchase a house in the county town. However, without income from farming, life would still be difficult.

She needed to buy land and hire people to cultivate it, as well as find other sources of income within the city.

She meticulously planned. In the palace, the imperial kitchen managed all meals, catering not only to the emperor, the harem, eunuchs, and maidservants but also to the officials and guards on duty. Aside from the emperor's personal cuisine, which was of utmost importance, most dishes were prepared in large pots to keep warm and transported on baskets to each palace. The taste of these dishes could be imagined.

The Palace Kitchen, directly under the queen's command, was situated entirely within the inner palace and mainly oversaw the daily food arrangements for the queen, concubines, and maidens. In short, the Palace Kitchen was essentially the little kitchen of the harem. Any concubine with extra funds would prefer to privately commission the Palace Kitchen to prepare exquisite dishes and desserts.

Thus, Rong Bi began paying attention to the cooking methods of the various dishes in the palace - from the preparation of different pastries to soup-making techniques and common household recipes.

In the future, opening a small restaurant or dessert shop could generate substantial income, sparing her parents from the laborious work in the fields despite their advanced age.

Wishing she knew if her Elder Brothers had returned, or if Third Brother's leg was cured, Rong Bi pondered. The palace was far removed from the countryside, and she'd never found an opportunity to send a message or inquire about family affairs. She couldn't even find a trustworthy person to deliver money back home. Shuangxi Village was too small and remote, and she had few acquaintances in the palace.

But things would surely improve.

She had saved enough for the house repairs, the shop rental, and the purchase of five hundred mu of fertile land. Her parents were growing old, so she needed to set aside funds for their medical care. Besides, many elders in the village liked to prepare their funeral arrangements early, and her father had expressed envy; thus, she planned to allocate money for that as well. Once everything was in order, she would return home.

There were still five years left, but they would pass quickly.

Rong Bi, who had been quietly counting the days and saving her coins, never imagined that she would one day be summoned by the queen, the supreme ruler of the imperial harem.