Across 300 Years, I Love You

The strange land

Author's note:

*Jing yang palace (Jing yang gong) is the place where Noble Consort Yu resides and the location of Yongqi's bedchamber.

**Zhong yuan festival is also known to modern Chinese as the Hungry Ghost Festival.

*** Guan hua is equivalent to modern day standard Chinese spoken in mainland China.

7 August 1994

[Yong qi's POV]

"Knock knock!" crisp sound of the night watch drum could be heard throughout the entire Jing yang palace*.

"It's 1 hour before sunrise." the night watchman announced.

I was already up 1 hour before the sound of the night watch drum doing some light revision of my school work. Today is the Zhong yuan festival**. Mother Consort is very strict with me attending classes and completing my assignments with my tutors even with a hectic day such as today. As such, she has sent for Eunuch Li to supervise the completion of all my required tasks for today.

"Your highness, your humble servant has prepared your study seat with cut paper and ink. Today's assignment included readings and memorisation of the Poems of One Thousand Writers and the Book of Rites." Eunuch Li updated me as a junior eunuch dressed me up in study robes.

"Grand tutor Eertai will be overseeing your studies today." Eunuch Li continued.

I let out a long breath. Grand tutor Eertai, the top Imperial College Professor, is at least 100 times stricter than any other tutors. A staunch man with an iron will of a titan that can break any man on earth.

"Let's get going." I said to Eunuch Li.

I think about all that insane amount of work that has to be done before the commencement of the Zhong yuan festival rituals.

On a usual day, these assignments have a deadline of submission before dinner. Today, it is 1 hour before lunch time.

"I can do it! It's all in the mind" I muttered to myself massaging my temples to ease the throbbing headache.

"The vegetables! Where are the vegetables?" a senior cook screamed at a junior eunuch.

"Work faster or the Emperor and consorts are going to get hungry!" another senior cook raged at an apprentice cook.

"Clank!" a metal pot can be heard dropping on the floor.

"Who is the klutz! Get the hell out of here!" another voice yelled.

I looked into the nightmare of the Imperial kitchen as kitchen staff and junior eunuchs rushed to prepare the elaborate offerings for the ceremonial rites at noon. Eunuch can be seen scrambling to scrub and set up the elaborate tables for the affair.

"Every harvest tributes from each of the provinces must be accounted for. Have you got it checked?" the chief of kitchen staff asked his second in command.

"Yes. The daily meal arrangements of the Imperial Household will not see any lapse." the second in command answered.

"Very well, we can't afford for heads to roll." the chief in command saw me passing by and stopped to bow to me.

"Away with the formalities. I shall not impose on you." I said to him.

"Thank you, Your Highness. Have a great day at the Imperial College." he got up from his low bow to resume his work.

The Imperial College is a place where only the Princes and sons of top aristocratic families have the privilege to attend. The best tutors in the entire dynasty are recruited to teach here.