On this rainy Mid-Autumn Festival, the East Palace was quiet and deserted. Even the usually lively Xifeng Pavilion in the west was an exception, without any musicians or dancers from Liyuan to add to the festivities. It's said that due to the rain, the Second Prince caught a chill, which greatly reduced his enthusiasm for play. Chao Sheng also saw Meng Taifu, who had come last time, carrying a medicine box on his back and heading towards Xifeng Pavilion.

  It seems that the second prince is really ill. He has been seriously ill for several days, and he has been busy asking doctors and taking medicine. Huan Xun was also busy running around, and it wasn't until recently that she finally found time to meet with Chao Sheng.

  Chao Sheng quietly told his plan to Han Xun, and Han Xun smiled and said: "As long as you have a plan in mind, your plan is always better than mine. However... isn't the kitchen work tiring?"

  No matter how bitter and tiring it is, it's still better than being in a brothel.

  "How is your lordship's illness? It has been several days and there is still no improvement?"

  "Sister Song Can said that although Doctor Meng had prescribed medicine, the prince hated taking medicine the most - in this way, his illness would naturally not get better soon."

  "No wonder..." Chao Sheng shook his head.

  It seems that those who dislike taking medicine are always children. The second prince can't be considered a child, yet he still has such a childish habit.

  However, it seems that these small problems are put on this person's body, and they don't seem strange, but rather like something he can do.

  "Han Xun said: 'I don't know how Zhu is doing either, we have no communication with the palace and no one to ask about it. Last time I wanted to send her a message through someone, but unfortunately, twice in a row, I couldn't find anyone.'"

  Chao Sheng comforted her: "Take it easy, don't be impatient, there will always be opportunities."

  Although she said so, Chao Sheng also understood in her heart that the opportunity was very slim. Those errands were done by others, and it was extremely difficult for them to leave the palace gate - Chao Sheng had never left the gate of Yi Qiu Palace since he came here.

  "Alas, unfortunately the kitchen staff here are not easy to get along with, they're usually very arrogant. Otherwise, I'd really like to go learn some cooking skills." Hu Xiang whispered: "In the future, when you have a chance to leave the palace, you can rely on your needlework and also learn some cooking skills, then you won't have to worry about making a living. But what about me? When I leave the palace in the future and go back home, do I tell my mother: 'Mother, these few years in the palace I've learned how to serve people well, let me help you pour tea and water...'?"

  Cháo Shēng lifted his chin, with a smug expression: "How's that? Want to learn this skill? Just ask me, I'm the most kind-hearted person. You ask, and I'll definitely teach you this skill."

  Xun smiled and came over to pinch her mouth: "I think you're not skilled enough, but your tongue is more agile than before. Oh, this feels really smooth..."

  She was stunned, and Chao Sheng hastily dodged to one side.

  "Look at you, you're definitely living a good life recently, your skin is so tender. Come on over, I'm not a tiger that's going to eat you. By the way, have you guys heard about something?"

  "What's wrong?"

  "It's something that happened in the palace." Huanyin lowered her voice: "I heard that the Emperor scolded the Empress for some reason and ordered her to reflect on her actions."

  "What's going on?"

  "This isn't very clear, but it seems that because the Empress scolded a palace maid, the Emperor said she was jealous and vicious."

  Chao Sheng thought for a moment: "This is too strange, I'm afraid it's not because of this. The empress manages the harem, and the life and death of all palace people and concubines are decided by her. How can the emperor punish the empress for this?"

  "With a tone of an insider, Hu Xiang said: 'You don't understand. The things in this world are not about the east wind overpowering the west wind, but rather the west wind overpowering the east wind. I'm guessing that the palace maid who was flogged must have been extremely beautiful, which is why the Empress couldn't tolerate her.'"

  Two people's endless speculation

  The life of the palace people is extremely monotonous and depressing, so gossiping has become the best way to pass the time. Which palace person got favored, which concubine is the most popular, etc. In fact, true or false doesn't matter, some may just be rumors spread by the palace people, exaggerated and fabricated out of thin air.

  For example, when Chao Sheng was in the laundry alley before, he had heard those women say that a certain palace maid in the Yueting Palace unexpectedly met the emperor in the imperial garden and received imperial favor, and suddenly rose to prominence overnight, becoming a phoenix from a sparrow. When they said these things, those women's faces were radiant, their eyes shining brightly, as if they had put themselves in the extraordinary encounter of Cinderella. The speaker's tone was complacent, as if she herself had been favored by the emperor. This kind of story is particularly popular in the laundry alley, and everyone is eager to hear it. As the story is constantly spread, it is constantly improved upon, with later tellers adding all sorts of details, such as what color clothes the palace maid wore, how she paid respects to the emperor, how the emperor was immediately smitten with her, personally helping her onto the dragon carriage... and so on.

  Perhaps these rumors and anecdotes are a good seasoning for their repressed and melancholy lives. It is also possible that they are the only comfort and hope for them to struggle on. The imperial concubines take turns, who knows, maybe tomorrow it will be my turn to get lucky.

  The queen's reputation has always been good, born into a prestigious family, gentle and virtuous, after being crowned as the empress for over a decade, she has managed everything with diligence and orderliness, worthy of being a role model for the world.

  However... Tides of Birth always felt that the Third Imperial Prince, who was entrusted with great expectations by many people, wasn't quite...

  Last time the fourth prince had a birthday, he also came. He looked a bit too arrogant and his temper didn't seem very good either. He wasn't close to anyone, not even his own younger brother, the sixth prince.

  Chao Sheng thinks that in history, those successful emperors were first and foremost experts in human resource allocation. An emperor doesn't have to be exceptionally talented in literature or martial arts. He just needs to understand his officials, know how to assign the right people to the right tasks, balance the relationships within the imperial court, and make the most efficient use of resources.

  Of course, Chao Sheng didn't understand what the Emperor's Way was either, she just had a hunch.

  The third prince is not a qualified candidate for the throne——

  As an emperor, one should first and foremost not wear their emotions on their sleeve, making it obvious to everyone at a glance.

  At first, in the Yunxia Palace, Chao Sheng had met the Emperor several times. The feeling was that he was very majestic. Even when he was with Empress Chen and she was trying to please him, Chao Sheng couldn't tell if the Emperor was truly happy or not.

  "What dishes have you learned to cook?"

  Chao Sheng shook his head: "Not yet, because of the Mid-Autumn Festival, I've been busy for a few days. I think it's unlikely that he'll teach me to cook right away. Probably need to do some chores and help out first, get familiar with things, before I can start cooking on my own."

  "Right. Just like learning embroidery, you can't start by making a screen, it all begins with threading the needle and separating the threads. You have to be careful too, in the kitchen there are knives, hot oil, or firewood, if you're not careful, something big might go wrong, and if you hurt yourself, there's no one to cry to."

  "I know." Chao Sheng suddenly remembered something: "Are you still learning characters now?"

  "Wanting is one thing, but apart from what you taught me before, the rest of those words are something it knows and I don't, we're mutually disgusted with each other."

  Chao Sheng said: "Spring Ink sister has been ignoring me lately, you'd better give me a message when you have time, we can meet in the garden."

  Han Xun nodded and smiled: "That's great. Do you still remember that notebook we used to practice writing with? I've kept it all along."

  Chao Sheng couldn't help but admire her persistence and determination, giving her a thumbs up.

  "Oh no, it's late, I have to go back, you should head back too."

  ——————————————————

  In Jiuzhaigou, the hotel arranged by the travel agency couldn't get online, this is the internet cafe I found after running several kilometers... sweating, this chapter was written yesterday.

  Jiuzhaigou is really beautiful, can't upload photos now, will put them on ** after I get back for everyone to see.