Chapter 2

When he finished telling me, Dongfang Heng gave an embarrassed smile.

“My father has campaigned from east to west and walked through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. If he knew his son was frightened of something like this, he’d be so disappointed.”

I patted his shoulder. “Anhe would be just as scared if she saw it. I’ll keep your secret safe. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

His eyes curved into a smile as he tucked the jade hairpin into my hair.

“Anhe, you’ll soon come of age.”

“When I recover, I’ll eat with you every day. Three meals a day, through all four seasons, never apart. How does that sound?”

Back then, Dongfang Heng was so gentle and tender. I nodded and hooked my little finger around his, making him a promise.

The best chefs from across the country were all in the palace. Where else could I find such delicious food?

The Empress had once said she would arrange our marriage, too.

Later, Jiang Xian—the legitimate elder sister of Jiang Heng, Dongfang Heng’s study companion—returned to the capital from a Buddhist temple.

Dongfang Heng seemed to have forgotten what he had once said. He had not sat down to eat with me in a long time.

4

I carried a box of peach-and-poria cakes to find him.

The peaches and poria had to be steamed and dried eight times before their full flavor emerged.

The cakes were neither sticky nor cloying.

Dongfang Heng had always loved them.

But from where I stood, I saw him in a pavilion by the waterside, offering the cakes to a girl in white. She took only the tiniest nibble.

Then she casually tossed the rest to a cat on the ground.

She smiled faintly. He promptly gave her the entire plate, tossing the remaining cakes to the cat as well.

The cat trampled the crumbs across the ground. It seemed even the cat could no longer stomach them.

Jiang Heng teased him with a laugh.

“Isn’t that the cake Little Glutton made? Be careful—if she catches you, she’ll make a scene!”

Dongfang Heng’s voice rang out, carefree and bright.

“It’s only a plate of cakes. If it can earn a compliment from my beloved elder sister, that’s a blessing for the cakes.”

Jiang Xian said coolly, “Sweets are too rich for me. I don’t like them. The kitten does.”

He immediately replied, “I’ll bring some for you next time.”

I gripped the food box tightly. When I got home, I ate every cake inside without leaving a crumb.

My elder brothers surrounded me.

“We made them the same way. Why are the little sister’s cakes better than the cook’s? There just aren’t enough of them.”

“Next time I’ll make enough for you all. Nobody else gets even one.”

At dinner, Dongfang Heng sent someone to ask why I hadn’t come to the Eastern Palace that day.

“His Highness has been looking forward to the peach-and-poria cakes you made yourself.”

I gave no expression. “Tell the imperial kitchen to make them.”

When he found out I had visited, he came to my family’s residence in person.

“You saw it, didn’t you? Don’t sulk anymore. Jiang Heng and I grew up together. His elder sister just returned to the capital, so of course he wanted to show her around.”

The next time I dined at the Eastern Palace, the Jiang siblings were at the table too. Jiang Xian ate only a few bites before setting down her chopsticks.

Her manners were exceedingly refined.

When she noticed I was still eating, she furrowed her delicate brows.

“Excessive appetite only creates more bloodshed. Animals die to fill our stomachs; that’s their fate. Why make even more living creatures lose their lives?”

I picked up a piece of fish. She turned her face away.

“Don’t eat crucian carp in the third month. Their bellies are full of eggs.”

Dongfang Heng ordered the dish removed. My chopsticks were still suspended in midair.

“This fish was raised in the palace. It hasn’t laid eggs yet.”

He explained, “Miss Jiang has always lived at a Buddhist temple. She can be a little blunt.”

“She doesn’t know many people here. We should take her around so she doesn’t feel left out.”

I thought to myself, What is she prattling on about? She’s ruining my meal.

After that, Dongfang Heng stopped even eating with me.

I heard he personally took the Jiang siblings around to meet the young ladies of various noble families.

I even heard him say to someone nearby:

“Anhe only cares about eating. How can she manage a family banquet or a state banquet? If only she had a little of A-Xian’s composure and refinement…”

So my carefree way of eating in front of him had become something for people to mock?!

At the spring outing hosted by the Imperial Academy, someone accidentally disturbed a nest of snakes.

Several snakes burst out. Dongfang Heng rushed forward, wrapped his arms around Jiang Xian, and carried her far away.

He knocked me down into the middle of the snakes. I didn’t even have time to escape.

Snakes were what I feared most. My face turned white. I couldn’t even scream; my whole body went cold and stiff.

Fortunately, the guards arrived with their swords drawn. A Xing was bitten several times while protecting me.

She would have died if she hadn’t received treatment in time.

I was heartbroken as I applied medicine to her wounds, but she still managed to grin and tease me.