Chapter 18: Almost Got Screwed

The Crown Prince rose, bare-chested, and walked toward Jiang Mingyu; his muscular frame, Adam’s apple, collarbones, pectorals, and six-pack abs all radiated masculine energy.

Arriving behind Jiang Mingyu, the Crown Prince placed his hands on his shoulders and asked softly, “Why… haven’t you eaten anything?”

Jiang Mingyu’s body hair stood on end, breaking out in a cold sweat.

“Your Highness, I… I’m not hungry.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than his uncooperative stomach let out a loud gurgle!

The Crown Prince picked up the wine jug, poured a full bowl of cloudy wine, and set it before Jiang Mingyu, ordering him to drink it all.

With no other choice, Jiang Mingyu reluctantly, half-heartedly, drained the bowl.

The Crown Prince: “This soup, wine, and pancake are not drugged—you needn’t worry.”

“No no no…” Jiang Mingyu immediately sat up straight and hurried to explain, “I didn’t mean that—I really am not hungry…”

The Crown Prince pressed his hand over Jiang Mingyu’s slightly trembling right hand and comforted him.

“I know you’re from the south, inexperienced in the world, so today I brought you here… to open your eyes and broaden your horizons.”

As the Crown Prince spoke, Jiang Mingyu twisted his face toward the mess hall; seeing the three hundred muscular men before him, he felt a wave of nausea.

“Though I have the Donggong Guard to protect me, they fall under the Inner Guard’s jurisdiction—ostensibly guarding me, but in truth, spying on me…” The Crown Prince continued, “I need my own force, ready for emergencies—these three hundred soldiers before me are my death knights!”

At these words, Jiang Mingyu turned ashen, silent and trembling uncontrollably.

The Crown Prince pressed his bare chest against Jiang Mingyu’s back and wrapped his arms around him, whispering beside his right ear.

“I don’t care if your patron is Chancellor He or Chancellor Mei—either way, from now on, you’re mine, of the Crown Prince’s faction! If you refuse, you can push me away right now.”

At that moment, Jiang Mingyu was stunned.

He had prepared nothing mentally for this sudden turn—he had naively thought being a Royal Reader meant only accompanying the Crown Prince in reading and writing, never imagining he’d be plunged into the treacherous, labyrinthine storm of power struggles!

And he never dreamed his own body might be claimed too, becoming the Crown Prince’s plaything.

Seeing Jiang Mingyu offer no resistance or escape, the Crown Prince escalated further, reaching to unfasten his clothes!

“Your… Your Highness.”

Gathering courage, Jiang Mingyu stammered, “I… I’m not ready yet. May I beg a few days’ grace before… before I submit to such… such a favor?”

“Ready for what? Better to seize the moment than wait for a lucky day…”

The Crown Prince refused, continuing to fondle Jiang Mingyu, determined to take him by force.

Taking advantage of a moment’s distraction, Jiang Mingyu broke free, spun around, and swiftly knelt prostrate on the ground.

He bowed respectfully: “Your Highness, forgive my impertinence!”

“What’s wrong?” the Crown Prince asked, his expression darkening.

Jiang Mingyu: “Your Highness, I’ve been suffering from stomach trouble lately, with occasional diarrhea. I beg Your Highness’s pardon. My refusal to eat earlier was due to this.”

“Huh… so you’ve got the runs?”

Hearing the word “diarrhea,” the Crown Prince, who had a strong aversion to dirt, relented, only sighing in disappointment: “Then I won’t press you. Later, I’ll send Li Xuan to your residence to examine you.”

Soon after, Xiao Chengzi staggered back from the back hall, disheveled and panting, followed by Du Gu Qiu Bai; he too was bare-chested, his chest thick with hair, striding forward with arrogant confidence.

His beaming, triumphant expression stood in stark contrast to Xiao Chengzi’s disheveled state.

Xiao Chengzi helped the Crown Prince redon his undershirt and armor, then tidied his own attire.

Meanwhile, the three hundred soldiers in the mess hall finished their exercises and began putting on their pants and armor; soon, the entire hall returned to its ordinary appearance, as if no internal conflict had ever occurred.

Later, Jiang Mingyu left the Zuo Hu Commandant office with the Crown Prince’s procession.

This time, he did not return to Donggong; as soon as he passed through Qinglong Gate, he feigned stomach distress, took leave of the Crown Prince, and rode home.

That same afternoon, Uncle Tu arrived at the Shangshan Jian with his nephew “Ah Wei,” following Eunuch Ming’s footsteps.

While Eunuch Ming spoke with the chief eunuch, “Eunuch Hai,” Uncle Tu nervously gave Ah Wei repeated warnings.

“This is your final destination—keep your eyes open and don’t cause trouble again! If you mess up once more, not even I can save you—my own head might be on the chopping block!”

“Don’t worry, Uncle…”

Ah Wei puffed out his chest and swore, “This is the Imperial Kitchen—how could I ever cause trouble? That’s punishable by extermination of nine clans!”

Ah Wei had previously worked at three restaurants, each of which he had driven into ruin.

He had become infamous throughout the capital as a cursed omen in the catering industry.

He had hoped Uncle Tu would recommend him to Zui Baxian as a kitchen assistant, but his reputation was too notorious—Iron Palm Boss Ji flatly refused.

With no other option, he paid a hefty bribe to Eunuch Ming and secured his placement in the Shangshan Jian through unspeakable means.

Though the Shangshan Jian was also a kitchen, it was a closed system; gossip from outside the palace rarely reached inside, so Ah Wei’s notorious exploits were unknown here.

After accepting Uncle Tu’s bribe, Eunuch Hai naturally took Ah Wei on and assigned him a random post, letting him stay in the Shangshan Jian.

“Little Wei,” Eunuch Hai pointed to a small palace gate on the south side of the kitchen, “Do you see that door?”

Ah Wei: “Yeah, I see it. What’s up, Eunuch Hai? What’s special about that door?”

Eunuch Hai: “Look again—do you see the two palace guards in embroidered fish robes standing in front of it?”

Ah Wei: “Yes yes yes, I see them.”

Eunuch Hai: “I’m warning you—you haven’t been castrated, so you’re only allowed to move around the kitchen’s outer areas. If you dare cross that door, your head will roll!”

Ah Wei: “Yes sir, I understand—I’ll remember it well!”

Ah Wei thought to himself: Fine, if I can’t go in, I’ll just stay in the kitchen—easier that way.

Then Eunuch Hai began showing Ah Wei around the kitchen.

The two wandered the kitchen for a long while, eventually arriving at the storage room; it was filled with ingredients from all over the empire and beyond, arranged neatly and dazzlingly.

Sharp-eyed Ah Wei immediately spotted a lavish silk box, open, on a worktable. He blurted out: “Mohan Xungu!”

Eunuch Hai: “Oh? You recognize this?”

“How could I not? This is a foreign delicacy worth its weight in gold!” Ah Wei said modestly. “Back in the restaurants, I once watched the master prepare it and secretly learned a few tricks.”

Eunuch Hai: “You know how to cook it?”

Ah Wei: “A little.”

Due to its overpowering odor, the imperial chefs at the Shangshan Jian had been at a loss since receiving the Mohan Xungu; they couldn’t discard it—it was gifted by the Crown Prince—but they couldn’t use it either, and were stuck.

Now, here came Ah Wei, fresh off the boat, claiming he knew how to cook it.

Thus, the Mohan Xungu became his first trial dish upon joining the kitchen...