Dining with Jade Royalty

The Serpent's Den

"The art of deception lies in action, not words."

A porcelain mask
Though inside, a heart beats strong,
Even the oak breaks.

---

"Wenbao! Make haste to Lady Ting Ting's quarters! She is not a patient woman, and we have kept her waiting long enough." The Palace's Head Chef sighed and shook her head as she hurried the scurrying Eunuch out of the kitchen. It was noon and the sun was blazing high in the sky, yet the infamous lady-in-waiting had just woken from her slumbers and demanded that her breakfast be sent to her immediately. Goodness, Xiulan thought, she would be executed in a second if it were not for the Emperor's liking of her.

But in the Forbidden City, there was more to do than feeding just one lady-in-waiting, especially at noon. At this hour, many of the royal family were anticipating a divine luncheon. Some of the family even had guests, so the Imperial kitchen was flooding with work.

Xiulan sighed. She herself had not had the chance to sit down and take a sip of the tea she had brewed earlier in the morning. "Maids! Are we done with the garnishing's on Empress Tian's 'Dance of the Phoenix' yet? We still need to work on Concubine Jia Xin's 'Blooming Lotus' and don't forget the Imperial Physicians requested less salt in the Emperor's diet."

There was suddenly a loud clatter of dishes on the floor.

Xiulan shook her head, "You, girl! Clean the mess and get back to work! Has Eunuch Wenbao returned yet?"

Xiulan normally found much pleasure in cooking, but working in the Imperial Kitchen became an overbearing task more often than not. Being the Head Chef encompassed a duty of care to the kitchen staff, as well as ensuring flawless dishes for the Imperial family to dine on. They could not afford to make even one mistake; doing so would result in their immediate execution.

It was not until the sun disappeared into the horizon that the busy court came to a rest, kitchen workers included. The Palace Head Chef finished her inspection of the kitchen before locking it shut. She looked about carefully, to ensure there was not a soul in sight. She fixed on a dark cloak and covered her face with a demon mask. Xiulan then attached a sword to her waist and covered her entire body with the cloak.

Sneaking into the kitchen's storage room, Xiulan shoved aside several sacks of rice. They were heavy and solid, but years of working laboriously made her stronger than the average female. There lay a trapdoor underneath, deliberately covered in dust and sand to blend in with the storage room's floor.

Having someone find out about her underground labyrinth would be far from beneficial for her, and she intended to keep it a complete secret. Hurling the wooden door up, Thuy grabbed a lantern from the nearby cupboard and arranged the rice sacks around the door. She stepped down into the tunnel, closing the trapdoor behind her.

She descended from the dirt steps, lantern flickering dimly as she walked. The labyrinth was cold, particularly during the night time, and her dark cloak did little to warm her. Still, the world underneath welcomed her presence; it was one she was well-accustomed to.

The only sounds that could be heard was the impact of her soft steps against the earth, and the occasional loud breath. After a few minutes, Thuy reached a rotting wooden door. She knocked on it exactly three times, then made a scratching sound across the top of the frame. A gruff voice spoke up from behind it.

"Password?"

She made sure her tone was lowered before speaking. "The master never lingers." The door swung open immediately, revealing a burly man behind it.

"Welcome back, Supreme One." She nodded firmly, pushing past and up the staircase. Underneath her hood, she could see a large, dinghy room filled to the brim with seedy merchants and wealthy landowners sear to discredit their rivals. Here was the work of petty criminals - a speck on her vast domain.