Praise

By nighttime...

Word spread like crazy, that Zhangye has the blessing of the Spirit Deity.

His position is as good as solid gold.

'Prince Xiaoyao, have you heard the latest gossip?' trade must be equal. If not visiting her, she has to visit him as Dongling would say. Bad for business. Among the many lessons Grandpa Fujimura taught her. Beiyue never dreamed Dongling got friggin' Yakuza for LEGAL GUARDIANS through his English Teacher. Then again, the Fujimuras weren't typical Yakuza...they dabble in information, foiling active criminal groups and get paid for their work by law enforcement. Hell, they don't even have typical tattoos as expected of them.

'Mm. Prince Zhangye has the support of future Clan Heads and Madams.' Xiaoyao beamed as Dongling took out an assortment of sorbets, as well as pickles. Still hot! Need cooldown snacks! There's even smoothies with wheat stalks for straws and Beiyue can't believe Dongling purchased Wheat Stalks off of the market. When the baffled merchants asked why and Dongling explained the logic, they soon took to selling wheat stalks for straws too, after cleaning them and carefully choosing cuts, for 50 irons a stalk, popular for women wearing lipstick. The longer the stalk, the higher price goes up by ten irons.

They talked about the latest intrigue and potential political happenings centering around Zhangye and his biggest appraiser yet...the most dangerous entity in Nanyi Country itself! A man immune to Punitive Fire because he has no evil in his heart. With him as Emperor, nobody feared corruption and bad deals in the future that got the whole city happy!

However, the Court will act to support whoever they favor instead, no matter the cost to further their own agenda for more power. Beiyue felt they'll get more aggressive in their bid for power through a puppet prince.

'Prince Jing is espoused by the Anguo Clan and their allies, as his mother is a favored Yifei. Third Prince also has supporters, but his background cannot compare to Jing and Zhangye for his mother's noble status is low.' said Xiaoyao. 'Should either win, the ahem, winning prince will be indeed, a puppet as his supporters will forever remind him, 'you owe us' and push him around. Even as a child, Zhangye has a strong will, unyielding and very fair. He may have little court support, but he has the whole country and now the deity on his corner.' he said, fanning himself. 'Who will you support, Yue'er?'

'...even if I could care less about politics, I will choose one suited for ruling a country, not one working only for a faction's benefit while leaving everyone else hanging.' said Beiyue. 'But even then, many factors will occur that even if Zhangye is most popular, there's many ways...underhanded...to depose him. It will now be a battle of wits. Zhangye is comparable to a swimmer trying to stay afloat in the middle of an ocean. He must swim while avoiding predators who'll tear him apart or poison him while avoiding sinking from exhaustion.'

'Mm...and that's a rather hard position.' Xiaoyao agreed. 'Will you support him?'

Beiyue looked back on her past memories.

'If I get a full analysis of his character and if its to my liking since I recall as a timid child back then he'd glare at me. His glare back then puts me to tears.' Beiyue sighed. 'Even then I have no power in court, given my reputation.' said Beiyue.

She was a known coward and a fool, but that was soon discovered to be the Xiao Clan's falsity to defame her as she was neither as she proved later on. The only true thing they said was she was a 'waste' who can't even cultivate. Her perpetual illness was actually caused by poisoning. The waste part was because of said poisoning she can't even physically compensate for her inability to cultivate, as even Commoners can do martial arts without access to cultivation pills. And her own father would rather enjoy himself with HER money and left her hanging instead of finding good doctors.

When cured and recovered, she was a genius who soon caught up to her own maid's skills in combat. She was once engaged to Anguo Gong's son Xue Che but repudiated her in favor of 3-star Xiao Yun...only to learn later he lost a gold ore when Xitian exposed the Xiaos for what they are. His reputation was thus stained for choosing a thief whose family committed heinous crimes on the princess. People say 'Waste she may be but at least she wasn't a criminal!' for choosing a thief, he was reportedly mocked. Heck, his father was just as mocked in court for listening to the silky voices of thieves, particularly when Beiyue showed her talents in martial arts and from the frail sickly thing she once was, she was now a beauty.

Speaking...

'Oh yes, Yue'er, now that you're free from that Xue boy...'

'I say good riddance.' Xiaoyao sweatdropped at her words that dripped in cold contempt.

'...I was going to tell you that Huiwen promised you to me but before we could get in ironclad...four years ago happened.' Xiaoyao sighed somberly, while enjoying a peach sorbet. 'And then Empress Dowager promised you to Xue Che that got me gloomy. But have you interest in other men?' Beiyue shook her head. She nearly got engaged to Xiaoyao, a man old enough to be her FATHER by her mother though retains his handsome youth, staying late teens in form. Not bad, but she wasn't one to be tied down!

'For now, no.' said Beiyue. 'I am to fly high and see what my world is like, before I meet a nice bird who will promise me a nest and a brood in a green land.' Xiaoyao chuckled at her words. In nature, male birds are flashy for a reason. 'Besides, I'm not like foolish girls who chose to live a fast life for status anyway. What's the use of marrying up, only to later learn your life is hell in turn when that trophy husband you snagged by crook turned out to be a monster? Can a high social status and money truly compare with one who truly cares and actually make you happy? The misses in school are utter fools and I hope not to catch their stupid while avoiding greedy men.'

'You wish for a man who would truly love and make you happy.' Xiaoyao remarked thoughtfully.

'If such a bird existed who can see past my status and money and how they can exploit that.' Beiyue snorted. 'Speaking, I'll appeal to royal uncle for ahem, protection against stupid ideas.'

'Haaa?' Xiaoyao blinked, wide-eyed.

'Grandmother...isn't a good judge of character.' Beiyue scoffed with an eyeroll. 'Giving mother to a contemptible adulterer who favors evil women and then promising me to a contemptible blowhard. I may have not met the Dowager but she has a hand in our misery.' she gazed upon Xiaoyao, her eyes brimming in resentment and he did a double-take at her brimming dark feelings. Was she seriously blaming the Dowager? 'Now that Xue Che repudiated me as he listened to evil liars, I'm a free woman. I will choose a man who would actually be good and kind to me and actually a decent human being for a husband to his wife and father to his children. Only time will tell about the future afterward now.' she said with a sigh.

'What do you wish?'

'In noble households, it's use and be used...you give all attention to who's useful to you and ignore who doesn't benefit you if you are the father, while mothers will pressure their children to catch their father's eye and favor in order to become legal wife. As for children from different mothers, its a battle of vicious wits and sabotage. Among nobility, there's no such thing as family. In fact, they mock that very word simply by existing. Its most likely the same in a royal household since Yingye dislikes Jing just for being affiliated to that entitled pig.'

Xiaoyao felt she used the Xiao Clan as her sole example. He would listen to Beiyue as he helps her grow.

'Dongling. What is a commoner household like?' Beiyue asked Dongling. 'I had you observe, right?'

'Yes miss...upon observing commoners in the city, Commoners actually have good, stress-free lives.' said Dongling. 'They don't worry about survival like we do. I-I have trouble believing that the family head can be caring and affectionate to his wife and children and sticks to one woman only. No harem, no favoritism on kids, jealousy and hate...siblings actually get along, even joke with each other.' she said shakily.

'Such a thing exists...I wouldn't know that, I'm an orphan exposed to the messed-up life that's the Xiao Clan but even then I had my own ideals, but still...' she fretted out. Other families she was exposed to were Magus Families. The cases of Rin, Sakura and Illya. Taiga's family doesn't count, they're a good lot but she never knew if Taiga gets along with her brother who was being groomed to succeed someone in a Branch Office as her father succeeded Raiga in heading the Main House in Fuyuki.

'However, upon doing a survey, 5% of households of commoners in Linhuai are affected by domestic abuse. If it's either a drunkard useless man into vices forcing his family to work for money to support his bad habits, it'd be also a domineering woman who cowed her husband and heaps verbal abuse at everyone. Children from both families are too broken to run away, or actually run away than stick around to fend for themselves together.'

'Oh my...' Xiaoyao croaked at that. He hadn't known how commoners lived, beyond being poor, living in small hovels and barely getting by...and there are those middle classes who are at least, well-off.

'Well, nobody will allow me to marry a commoner, so I can only hope for the next best thing. A rare noble with a good heart if he exists. A good life like that.' Beiyue said wistfully. 'Simple but at least, happy.'

In her heart, she smiled darkly. Men like that don't exist in a world like this! If its modern day Earth such a possibility is high. Here? Like hell! So she'll live only for herself and be top dog with Dongling watching her back and they'll both fight and be just by themselves. And that suits them just fine. And she'll destroy those who crosses her and backstab anyone who tries to use her. Xiaoyao may be kind to her now but who knows about the real him?

xxx

Dongling got a habit of singing because she missed listening to music.

'Oooi? Singing in the showers now?' Beiyue asked, going in for a bath and came in the bathroom naked, with one hand on her hip. Dongling had soap suds all over other than her hair.

'I miss J-POP.' Dongling sulked. 'Don't you miss C-POP or something in China?'

'I don't listen to those.' Beiyue scoffed as she lowered herself to sit on the wooden stool and splashed herself. 'I watch soaps instead but I gotta admit, I miss TV.' she grunted. 'I'm wondering about the episodes I didn't get to watch of Meteor Garden!' Dongling lit up in familiarity.

'Ohhh I know that one! It's a show inspired from a manga called Hana Yori Dango! It's the rage in my high school among girls!'

'Oh really?'

'Didn't care much for it though since I got a lot of odd jobs...' said Dongling. 'But there's what you call shipping wars on who they want the girl to be with.' she grinned. 'So who's your ship?'

'Ship?' Beiyue blinked, unfamiliar with the term before it clicked. 'Oh! Well, I'm no good at this romance thing so I cannot imagine a shipping pair. So who's yours? Anyone with Sakura mentality?'

'Ahahaha...' Dongling looked sheepish. 'Not really but when I fall in love with someone...it just happens. I have no type nor sexual preference. Because of my past origin, I didn't care about orientation. I fall in love with whoever.' she said.

'Ahhhh it's like that huh?'

'You'll fall in love too.' Dongling snorted. 'It's something beyond our control. Take that from me, your senpai in that department.'

'Oh, you!' Beiyue snarked, splashing Dongling with water.

'Whoa!'

xxx

After being ridiculous in the bathroom...

Time for Royal Dinner.

But what a dinner!

Royal Emperor ordered the royal kitchens to make a splendid feast in celebration of even a DEITY favoring Zhangye. Soup, Dimsum, Meat, Fish and Dessert, the meat and dessert being Dongling's job as she knew meat best. Her meats were always so succulent, juicy and tender not to mention flavorful. It helps that after cooking, she sliced them all up for chopstick convenience. She took charge in fish...in regards to filleting and deboning them before giving to the others to cook, by either frying, steaming or simmering. Head Chef's choice. Dongling is solely in charge of meat and dessert for tonight, and Beiyue's vegetarian diet as well as her own dinner which she keeps in a ring until she can have her turn.

Then this happened.

'Emperor ordered two roasted piglets so we got some!'

'Whole or cut?'

'Roasted whole!'

'Eep, we've never done that before! Only Anguo Gong cooks roast pigs!'

'I'll do it!' Dongling offered as her jobs were pretty much done. All that was left was baking the desserts and chilling some! So she'll have to come back every hour so everything's a-ok!

She removed the organs, drained the blood completely with magic, and then prepared a spitfire set-up...and cooked using Fire Crystals.

'Y-you're using Fire Crystals?!' large ones at that the size of a plate and as thick as a chopping board!

'Miss said it's convenient and I agree since constantly feeding and fanning the fires are so cumbersome, leading to my fear of unevenly-cooking what I'm cooking I was forced to compensate a lot in the past, until miss got the idea of Fire Crystals for my sake.' Dongling explained. 'A little expensive but the investment is worth it because it can be used forever!'

The kitchen staff exchanged looks.

'Makes me wonder if we can appeal to Emperor for that...the mere idea is scary!' the Head Chef shuddered. 'A crystal that size costs 50 million gold already, he'll have my head on a platter.'

'This is for roasting whole animals, the ones I use for cooking is much-much smaller.' Dongling took out crystals the size of her palms and an inch thick. 'These cost 5 million gold.' she smiled. 'Somebody make a lot of sauce! I got my hands full with the pigs since I have to ensure it comes out juicy-soft with crispy skin!'

xxx

Dinnertime...

The servants came out with pushcarts ready in many levels of courses. Invited were all Imperial Consorts(four of them) and Imperial Concubines(nine of them), Prince Xiaoyao and Prince Liangyi.

Soup was given first in three large bowls for everyone to get from. Then three different dimsums. Next is putting all platters of fish and meat dishes, AND putting the roast pigs on the table! They also poured in drinks. Wine for the adults, and tea for the underaged...just Yingye and Beiyue who were too young to drink wine. Of all food, Beiyue only touched the soup and fish, which she ate with rice.

Only then did the chatting..begin. It was about Zhangye's great fortune that came from scolding Xue Che and Xiao Yun for starting a fight!

It would have been a happy atmosphere...

But to anyone who knew better...yeah.

At least the food was good.

Soon, when everyone finished up, time for Dessert...which were cakes, pies, tarts, and fruit smoothies in tall glasses with straw.

'I can predict trouble brewing in closed doors later.' said Beiyue as she and Dongling went home to their residence, unaware that Liangyi was both stalking and eavesdropping. 'Those consorts with their sons will throw a bitch fit tonight.'

'It must be because they have no shot at the throne anymore.' said Dongling. 'Crown Prince's position is as solid as a rock.'

'Yeah. Fighting for the throne is always a race against time.' said Beiyue before chuckling coldly. 'You snooze, you lose. Such is reality. The other two rested on their laurels too much. Childe-to-Head by default only applies in Aristocracy while in Royalty, even the youngest infant can be a contender if their mother was smart enough to dupe the others for her own son to be favored or at least, the only surviving heir that Emperor has no choice.'

'Mm...'

'Well, not our problem, we got nothing to do with that as I hate politics. I'd rather live a stress-free life, thanks.' Beiyue snorted in amusement. 'Ah~I can finally eat flavored fish...that means I can eat noodles soon!' Beiyue sighed wistfully while raising her arms in a way to stretch herself. 'I'm counting on you! I want noodles tomorrow for lunch!'

'Yes~! Will dipping noodles be good or a noodle bowl soup?'

'Whatever as long as it's good!'

'Alright! I'll go to the market tonight!'

xxx

Market...

'It's still summer but the heat is at its peak...definitely zaru soba.' said Dongling with a wince. Even nighttime is warm.

She had been cooking cold treats as summer-be-damned, not even Beiyue wanted to eat cold food.

'Leave that shit to nobility! Noble I may be in this bodysuit but I don't want the dietary life too!' she would say. In royal households, food undergoes a ton of Food Testing for poisoning as soon as it leaves the kitchen to be delivered by maids and anything can happen...so to avoid that issue Beiyue had Dongling cook her meals to STAY WARM.

So cold drinks it was after a meal, and using ice magic through Bing to cool their courtyard residence. Like good old air conditioning though in winter...they're still wondering HOW to heat up.

She bought a sack of buckwheat and went home. In this world, buckwheat is boiled and eaten soggy by poor. They don't like the taste of boiled buckwheat or any boiled grain for that matter.

There's a reason why Earth likes them as noodles instead. Did these people seriously think all grain can be like rice?

Then again, buckwheat is healthy. They just don't know it, that the poor are in some ways, healthier than their wealthier counterparts.

Upon returning home, she prepared the noodle dough. This way she can cook breakfast and the side dishes tomorrow, and just boil the noodles before chilling them real good, before making the sauce which will be also chilled.

After that, bed.