Chapter 8 Chapter Eight Heng'e

Seen from the side, Zheng Hao's face resembled that of the wounded warrior, especially his chin that slid slowly and then tilted sharply.Jang Geum finally shook his head.Although it was daytime, the woods near Songpo Wharf were eerie. Besides, when the officer fell to the ground, his face was almost covered by the shirt he had taken off, and Jang Geum could only see the corners of his mouth and jaw.But seeing only the corners of the mouth and the jaw is actually almost the same as seeing nothing.Men have beards on their chins, how can distinguish it. At that time, Jang Jin was busy looking for and crushing herbs, so he didn't have time to look at the man's face carefully.Besides, even if she had time, she didn't dare to take off the shirt and observe the man's face carefully.Even so, there was one place where she saw it very clearly.While bandaging the man's wound, Jang Geum clearly found three regular triangular moles on the man's shoulder, as if three drops of ink had dropped on it.

Jang Geum looked at Min Jung Ho with strange eyes.He is now wearing a gray official uniform and a single-corner gauze cap. His position is the officer of the inner guard.Because his father was once an officer of the Imperial Guard, Jang Geum felt very kind to the Imperial Guard. Thinking of his father, the three-color tassel streamer on the desk of Xiaoshuge appeared in Changjin's mind.In any case, she must find her father's relics. "My lord, do you still remember the day I went to the School Book Pavilion?" "remember." That tone clearly said, how could I forget it.

"Then do you still remember the adult who asked me why I went to the School Book Pavilion?" "Are you talking about Li Zhengmian who asked your maid why she came to Xiaoshu Pavilion?" "Li Zhengmian..." "What did you ask him for?" "actually……" Just as Jang Geum was about to speak, he suddenly closed his mouth.She couldn't ask the man if he had three moles on his shoulder, much less about the tricolor fringed ribbon on the desk. "No, nothing." "What's the matter? Could it be that he made things difficult for you because of the court lady's going to Xiaoshu Pavilion?"

"No, I seem to have a sudden illusion." Jang Geum's eyes were full of curiosity, but she didn't speak, so it was inconvenient for Min Zhenghao to ask.But Zheng Hao could tell that Jang Geum seemed to have a lot to say. Both of them felt that it was time to say goodbye, but neither of them hesitated to leave.In the end it was Zheng Hao who took the first step, he was aware of the gaze behind him.But two people can't walk side by side, so Jang Geum can only walk slowly five or six steps behind Zheng Hao. When he reached the edge of Ai Lianting Lake, Zheng Hao stopped suddenly.After passing this lake, it is the intersection where palace maids come and go frequently, so they should be separated here.Zheng Hao looked back at Jang Geum regretfully.

"Every time a pavilion is built, the ground must be dug to create a lake, and small islands are built in the lake, which is to form the pattern of heaven, earth and man." "So which part represents the people?" "The pine tree in the middle represents people." A piece of round land extends to the center of the lake, above which is the elegant and quiet Ailian Pavilion, in front of which stands a pine tree.A lake accommodates heaven, earth and people. Jang Geum silently looked into the lake.The white one is a small lotus, and the yellow one is the moon.It's just a piece of lake water, but it actually carries so many meanings in it, not to mention people's hearts!

Looking into the lake, Jang Geum suddenly felt that the identity of the palace lady was so clear that it almost penetrated into the marrow of his bones.There are only two situations in which a court lady can leave the palace. She is old and sick, or the master she serves dies. At this time, she needs to serve three years of mourning until the master's spiritual seat enters the ancestral temple or ancestral hall, and then she can go home. Even if you go home, you can't get married, and you can't even do a concubine.Once she becomes a court lady, no matter inside or outside the palace, until the end of her life, she will always be the king's woman.

Therefore, some court ladies use the fish in the lake as a metaphor for their mood. Leisurely leaning on the railing to ask the fish in the lake, May I ask why you swam here? Have you ever remembered that the sea is broad and the river is deep? Come and never come back like me! The palace is like a lake, and I am the fish in this lake.However, how should I face the eyes that are quietly approaching me at this moment?Jang Geum did not avoid Zheng Hao's calm gaze, but faced him bravely.If there is anything strong and gentle in this world, it is probably only Zheng Hao's eyes. The wife ceremony was held, and Jang Geum and Lian Sheng lived in the same room.Originally, Lian Sheng and Ling Lu lived in the same room, but Lian Sheng, who had been tortured by Ling Lu so much that he couldn't stop crying every night, cried and begged the Supreme Palace, and finally such an arrangement was made.

After becoming a wife, Jang Geum officially leaves the palace for vacation.On the night before leaving, Han Shanggong called Jang Geum into his room.She quietly gave Jang Geum something wrapped in silk and satin, with a very tragic expression. "This is a knife. Now that you are a veritable wife, you should have your own knife." "When will you have the knife ready? I will carry it with me all my life." "This is the knife used by my closest friend, the one who was framed and kicked out of the palace." "How can you give me such a valuable thing?"

"...Didn't you say that you will be with you for the rest of your life?" "Yes, Mammy." "There is such a saying in "The Analects of Confucius Yong Ye", that those who know are not as good as those who are good, and those who are good are not as good as those who enjoy themselves. Do you understand the meaning of this sentence?" "Those who know it are not as good as those who like it, and those who like it are not as good as those who enjoy it." "That's right. No matter how much a person understands and works hard for it, he can't catch up with liking it from the bottom of his heart. What I taught you before was only cooking techniques. If you can't go beyond the scope of technology, you will never reach the state of perfection. Even if you become The most noble palace is nothing more than a talented person. It is not easy to reach perfection! It depends on the mind, from now on, the opponent you want to defeat is yourself!"

"But Madam Shanggong, let's take the matter of making imperial meals for the king, how can I achieve the state of taking pleasure in it?" "In "Zhuangzi·Health Master", there was a story about Pao Ding killing an ox. At the beginning when Pao Ding killed an ox, all he saw was a huge ox. However, after three years, he only used his heart to contact the ox. There is no need for eyes to see." "Can you really kill a cow with your heart?" "This is because he stopped feeling the outside world and acted according to the instructions in his heart. Pao Ding said that an excellent butcher changes his knife every year, while an ordinary butcher needs to change his knife every month. He changes his knife every year. The knife is for cutting meat, and changing one knife a month is because he has to work hard to chop bones. However, Pao Ding has killed thousands of cows in 19 years, but he has never changed his knife. He neither cuts meat nor bones , but insert the knife into the bone seam to find a gap, and then cut the knife. In this way, the bone splits, the whole cow falls apart, and the meat is easily separated."

"This is the realm that can only be achieved by Taoism." "The story of Pao Ding is not about technique, but Taoism. If you are only obsessed with technique, you will not be able to enjoy it; if you cannot enjoy it, you will not be able to reach the realm of Taoism. Therefore, you will use this knife for the rest of your life. Whether to change to other knives in the future depends on your own mind." Jang Geum opened the silk and carefully took out the knife.As if it had just been sharpened on a whetstone, the light was sharp.Looking at this sharp knife, Jang Geum felt a sense of kindness and nostalgia in his heart. "...This friend of mine also wants to be the Noble Palace. She is just like you, she is very curious and has a chivalrous heart. Most importantly, she is a friend who values ​​love and righteousness. If you can pass this Bringing the knife to perfection, my friend will be as happy as her own dream come true." "I remember, Mammy." Jang Geum covered the knife with satin and rewrapped the knife, her fingertips trembling slightly.It was this seemingly inconspicuous knife that condensed the wishes of Jang Geum, Han Shanggong and Han Shanggong's friends. "Tomorrow morning you will leave the palace for vacation, so go back and rest early today." Jang Jin put away the knife and left Han Shanggong's residence.Those sad nights when no matter how hard you tried, when you hesitated and didn't know where to go, came to Han Shanggong's mind one by one.The reason why her desolation can be melted is not only because of the years, the sadness of her dear friend leaving with hatred, but she is still alive, is melted by this disciple who is about to grow up. The same is true of Jang Geum.She entered the palace as an orphan, and met Han Shanggong in the most ruthless place in the world.Although she has no blood relationship with herself, she regards herself as her own and makes her feel the affection of blood. This is a blessing.At the moment when she thought she had lost everything, she was still able to survive. Isn't that the reason. In this sense, the Dejiu family can be regarded as her family. "This time it's a certainty?" The contented face at the reception had disappeared, and De Jiu's daughter-in-law soon started talking nonsense again.After hearing her words, De Jiu jumped into a rage, almost reaching the ceiling. "Tsk, Jang Geum is now an official wife. From the ninth rank, how can you speak in such a tone? Do you think so, Jang Geum..." "For a while, 'Do you think so', and for a while, 'Chang Jin', what are these words?" "Please continue to talk like before. Without the two of you, how could I be where I am today?" "That can't be..." "Didn't they let us talk about it casually?" "Is it really possible... like this?" "Of course, you are like my real parents." After hearing Jang Geum's words, Deku's daughter-in-law's face immediately became gentle. "Go to sleep in another room today." "Really? Then don't you want to find fault with me for this in the future?" "What are you thinking about all day long? Your mother and daughter have a lot to say, so go sleep in the next room!" It wasn't until this moment that Jang Jin suddenly realized that he hadn't seen one since entering the palace.Now, it's time for Yiyi to grow into a real man. "Is one okay?" "You brat, don't even mention him. If you ask him to marry a daughter-in-law, he refuses to agree to it, and keeps clamoring all day long to join the inner guard." "Then what's the matter? Who said we can't be internal guards together?" "Can anyone be an inner guard? That's a place to protect the king by his side. You must have a solid background, a good background, and money? Just hang two things on both sides, and want to What kind of inner guard officer? What a hell! There is a way to fight with people!" "Hey, it's just such a son, why do you have to scold him like a dog, I think you want to eat him?" "Because there is only one, I can't eat him. If there were two, I would have eaten him a long time ago. What can you do to me?" Jang Geum couldn't help but wanted to laugh, but he still bit his lip with his front teeth and held back.Two people quarrel endlessly as soon as they see each other, but once any one is lost, the remaining one will be lost and boring, and even lose the joy of life. After spreading the quilt and laying down side by side, Jang Geum had a faint feeling of returning to his mother's house.When she was eight years old, she lost her mother and came here, and this is the lair where she lived for two years.I was a child when I came, a girl when I left, and now I just came back as a wife.Suddenly, Jang Geum felt extremely sad and had the urge to cry. "This is the path you choose because you like it, and I can't say anything, but being a court lady is not as easy as imagined." The voice of De Jiu's daughter-in-law beside him sounded very far away, as if in a dream. "Since ancient times, when a girl grows up, she should be put into the arms of a man, and then have children. This is the life of our women. Your current age is the most beautiful time in a woman's life. If you only stay as a court lady until you wither , I feel sorry for you..." "What is withering? If I can become the most noble palace and cook the royal meal for the king, the meaning of my life will be no less than that of a woman who has been a man all her life." "Oh, do you like cooking so much? Don't just think about cooking the imperial meal for the king, but think about how to sleep with the king. Since you will spend your whole life in the palace, the embrace of the king is a hundred times warmer than the stove in the imperial dining room." times. Oh, it must be much warmer. Don’t think about being the most noble palace, try to be the king’s woman.” "...I prefer to be the most noble palace." "You'll be a virgin until you die, and you like it so much. Hey, since you say that, you must have your own plans." Not knowing whether it was a sigh or a moan, De Jiu's wife snorted and turned over with a clatter.Turning over, she was still chanting words. "Actually, I still live the life of a court lady every night..." The next morning, Jang Geum put down his bowl and chopsticks and stood up. "Are you leaving now? Can't you leave after dinner?" Seeing De Jiu's expression as if he was about to cry, it can be seen that this is not a polite remark he said casually.Deok-gu's daughter-in-law didn't say anything, but when Jang Geum had already walked out of the gate, she handed over a bundle. "Take it. It's the first time you leave the palace for vacation, I should have made you some food to take away..." Jang Geum was moved by her good intentions.De Jiu's eyes widened. "Hey, when are you even ready for this?" "Thank you, ma'am." "What's there to thank... You take this too!" Deku's daughter-in-law handed Jang Geum a booklet, and when he opened it, there were dense numbers written on every page. "Because I've become a wife, my salary has also increased? I spent a total of ten taels of silver on the food I made for you, and you pay me back two liters of white rice every month. Then for one year, plus hard work, you will still pay for one and a half years." That’s it. You and I must settle the matter clearly, and don’t forget to mark it here to avoid trouble in the future.” "Let me tell you, why are you so generous, you iron cock, no wonder... you just said something about your mother..." "I just want to tell her a truth. There is no good thing in the world. If you want to live in the palace for a lifetime, you must be strong and vicious." "Hey, you stingy bitch, I can't even pull a single hair off of you." Using the two liters of white rice per month instead of wild strawberries, Jang Geum came to his mother's stone tomb.A full ten years have passed since the initial agreement until now.At the foot of the mountain in late autumn, there are no wild strawberries, only the goldenrod is still lush. In the ignorant season of running carefree on the hill behind Baiding Village, she likes to bet with the boys to see who can catch more butterflies.Whoever can find piles of goldenrod will win.Because they all know that a butterfly called the red pearl silk butterfly will lay eggs there, suck nectar and make this place their home. "mother……" Jang Geum kneels and kowtows in front of his mother's grave.Ten years have passed, and the stalagmites in the cave are no different from ten years ago, and the eight-year-old girl has grown into a slim girl.The piled stones are still as indifferent as they were ten years ago.These inanimate things neither grow nor die, for they have no sorrow.Since there is no sadness, of course there will be no expression. She is a gentle wife and kind mother.Although her dream of being a court lady was shattered, the life born of her thwarted dream stood before her now.Just as the goldenrod grass nurtures the red bead silk butterfly, each life will nurture another life, but as a court lady, she has to violate this law of nature. Standing in front of her mother's stone tomb, Jang Geum deeply felt this.However, is life the only thing that a person can conceive?Jang Geum suppressed tears, recalling his dream, perhaps from the moment he came to this world, this dream has already taken root in his heart. After becoming a member of the imperial dining room, Jang Jin began to receive formal cooking training, and more than a month passed in the blink of an eye.The king suddenly decreed that the hunting activities originally scheduled for five days would be moved forward to the next day.This news made the Imperial Dining Room extremely busy. The Internal Servant hurriedly delivered the food list that had been prepared long ago.The Supreme Palace has designated a list of insiders led by Han Shang to the hunting ground.Jinying went to the Biejian, where the silverware was kept, to pick up the silver tableware, and Janggeum went to the Sidengyuan to pick up the materials.Han Shanggong and Min Shanggong compared the food list and busily prepared various cooking materials including seasonings. The king’s hunting is usually scheduled around the twelfth lunar day* of December (the third Weiri day after the winter solstice, for example, Jiwei day, Yiwei day, etc.——Translator’s Note), and the inner hall’s cooking kitchen prepares the inner meal and takes it away. It is customary to hunt and make Lari soup after returning to the palace.This year's hunting date was not chosen on La Ri, it seems that the king is in a bad mood. When Zhongzong was still the maharaja of Jincheng, he married Shen Shouqin's thirteen-year-old daughter.Since Shen Shouqin's elder sister became Lord Yanshan's harem, Shen Shouqin has been promoted from Chengzhi to Zuo Yizheng. He is not only the king's uncle, but also the king's closest confidant, powerful and powerful.The reason why Lord Yanshan did not kill his half-brother Jincheng Maharaja is also related to the fact that he is the niece and son-in-law of his beloved concubine.When Pu Yuanzong conspired against him and supported Shen Shouqin's son-in-law Jincheng Dajun, Shen Shouqin refused.After Zhongzong succeeded anyway, Shen Shouqin was killed by Liu Ziguang's party.For Shen, the day her husband ascended the throne was the day her father faced death. Not long after the Jincheng Maharaja ascended the throne, he began to discuss the issue of canonizing the Shen family as the queen, but he was strongly opposed by the heroes anyway.Their reason was high-sounding, saying that Shen's aunt was originally Yan Shanjun's concubine, and his father was Yan Shanjun's uncle.In fact, the real reason was that they were afraid that Shen Shi would avenge his dead father once he became queen.Finally, Shen Shi was expelled from the palace on the eighth day after her husband ascended the throne. Faced with the heavy pressure of the heroes anyway, Zhongzong had to abandon his wife, but he gave his favorite horse to Shen Shi without telling his subordinates, which is also a proof that he never forgets the love between husband and wife. Shen made porridge for the royal horse with her own hands, and told the horse her emotions. "You are an animal, I can still see you, but His Royal Highness can't come here. You have to eat, go back and serve His Highness well." Faced with the pressure of those heroes who made him king, Zhongzong had to drive away the Shen family, but the king's respect for the Shen family Feelings are special.After the Shen family was expelled from the palace, she lived in the home of Zheng Xianzu, the captain of Hecheng.In order to be able to overlook the eaves of the pavilions and eaves of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Shin family often ran to Inwang Mountain alone.When the king is in love, he will climb to the highest pavilion in the palace and watch that side from afar.After Shen's natal family learned of this, they spread Shen's red dress on the rocks in order to look more conspicuous.However, later, Shen's residence was moved to Zhudong Palace, and the longing between the two was completely cut off.Shen Shi and Zhongzong went through life and death, and never saw the person she couldn't let go of until they died, and passed away with hatred, leaving only a legend of Shangyan in Renwang Mountain. Riding his horse faithfully back and forth between the front and back, the person in charge of the royal team is none other than Min Jung-ho, the officer in charge of the internal guards.His horse-calling skills and his appearance in official uniform seemed quite calm. When he found that Jang Geum was following the team, his eyes became brighter. The hunting grounds were calm and cloudless, and the autumn sun shone brightly on the ground.In the vast plain where Jungnangcheon and Han River meet, horse farms were built as early as the early Joseon Dynasty.From Machangdong, which is sandwiched between the rivers with green grass, to Shajindong, Tashili, Xingtangdong, and Ttukseom, this vast area is perfect for grazing.Ttukseom was also the place where the king inspected the army.Whenever there is a major event, the first flag that is the symbol of the event is inserted here, hence the name Ttukseom. On Ttukseom Island, where the grass was shaded and green willows were lined up, the king galloped at the head of the procession, with the royal nobles and courtiers behind him lined up in a row. "Whoever hits the biggest beast will be rewarded heavily. Let's work hard!" The sound of gongs and drums was earth-shattering.The king holds the reins in his hand and gallops vertically and horizontally. "Crane Wing Formation!" When Min Zhenghao gave an order, the officers of the inner guard immediately formed a formation of crane wings and surrounded the king. In a row of awnings, Jang Geum was washing vegetables while listening to the sound of horses hoofs receding away.Min Shanggong tasted the saltiness of the broth, then shook his head. "It's weird." The mediator quickly took over and said. "I added some more wine to get rid of the smell, but it still can't get rid of the smell." Min Shanggong and Tiao Fang kept scooping up the soup and tasting it, shaking their heads even more after each taste. Han Shanggong also came over to take a spoonful, then turned his head to one side. "Bring a big spoon!" The recipe brought a big spoon, and Han Shanggong kept stirring the bone broth while observing the ingredients in the broth.The fingernail-sized white oil sticking on the ethmoid bone looked abnormal, slightly bluish in color, and harder than ordinary oil sticks. Han Shanggong took a small piece and put it in his mouth, and immediately spit it out. "What do you do with the poison you just picked out of the conch?" "I put it aside." While Min Shanggong answered, he raised his hand and pointed over there.Diao Fang's gaze followed the direction of Min Shanggong's finger, and her face was suddenly as pale as paper. "Then...the things on the plate over there...I thought...that...that was the cartilage of the sieve bone..." "What? Do you mean you put that in the broth, too?" Han Shanggong asked with wide-eyed eyes, and Min Shanggong fell to the ground. "Oh my God!" "Min Shang Palace! Min Shang Palace!" "Mammy... fainted..." Jang Jin and Jin Ying heard the cry, put down their knives and ran over.At this moment, the mediator also fell headlong on Min Shanggong.The two of them were not completely unconscious, but they were temporarily shocked and unable to move.The three moved Min Shanggong and the mediator into a temporary residence. To make matters worse, something was wrong with Han Shanggong, his pupils were out of focus, and cold sweat kept breaking out on his forehead. Jang Geum was terrified. "Mommy, isn't the toxin fatal?" "I won't die, I will wake up in three or four hours..." "Mammy ate all the poison from the conch, what should I do?" "The most urgent thing is that the king will come back when you are, how many people are left to work?" "All the people from the Internal Servant's Mansion went hunting, and here are only us and the servant who made the fire." "It seems that we can only rely on the three of us..." Tragic decision.The muscles on Han Shanggong's face were already paralyzed, his voice was getting weaker and weaker, his pupils were almost dilated, and he didn't know what she was looking at.That's it, Han Shanggong still walked crookedly. Han Shanggong staggered without looking at the road, and finally tripped over a stone tip. Jinying hurried forward to help her up. "You are too reluctant." "No! Your Majesty must be starving when he comes back from hunting. We can't keep His Highness waiting. We will use the leftover meat to make soup for your Majesty..." Han Shanggong was not fully awake, and opened his eyes with difficulty, but he never forgot the king's meal.Jang Geum can't watch it anymore. "Even if I search the entire hunting ground, I still want to find out the chief servant!" "Even if you find the chief servant, what can you do if you don't have the materials?" Han Shanggong gritted his teeth, trying to grab the pillar of the awning and stand up.Her persistence made people cry, but it still didn't work, Han Shanggong fell down again, and she called Jang Geum in despair. "Jang Geum, help Jinying. Jinying..." "Yes, Mammy." "From now on, you will be in charge of the entire cooking room. You have cooked all kinds of food since you were a child, and I believe you can do it well. Fortunately, there are still a few dishes. The main dishes can be made with the prey that the officials brought back. , you just need to make a few side dishes and main dishes. You...can you do it?" Han Shanggong asked with difficulty.Jinying didn't answer immediately, Jang Jin was anxious like an ant on a hot pot, she looked at Jinying and Han Shanggong in turn, and couldn't help but stand up and say. "How can the two of us take on such a heavy responsibility..." "Let's try it." Jinying resolutely interrupted Jang Geum, and Jang Geum looked at Jinying unexpectedly.Instead of showing fear, Jinying's face looked unusually decisive. "Okay, I can still move, you guys go. A lot of time has been wasted, now we must hurry up." Leaving Han Shanggong at his residence, Jang Geum walked towards Nei Shu Shuo with heavy steps.Jinying, on the other hand, walked like flying, and ran over in one breath. She only glanced at the pile of materials, and then picked up the kitchen knife. "First prepare the fish meal and cucumber meal that can be eaten cold. You wash the fish, and I will cut the dried fish." Jang Jin has accumulated a lot of words in his heart, but at this moment he can't say a word. "The beef soup has been cooked, it's time to put the radish in. You pack the radish, and then scrape it with a spoon, be careful not to scrape too thick..." "..." "Scallion Rolled Pork will be ready immediately after blanching in water, so it's best to prepare this dish. Oh, right! Scallion Rolled Pork with sliced ​​meat and fried eggs should be prepared in advance." "..." "We also need to prepare beef and stir-fried vegetables, and eat it with sauce." Jinying doesn't care about Jang Geum's reaction at all, and just concentrates on doing things.Seeing Jinying like this, Jang Geum felt very depressed, unable to work with peace of mind, and just watched blankly.After a while, Jang Geum sighed, and then went to catch the fish, but it was just a show, she didn't put her mind on it at all. Jinying cut the cucumber into oblique knives, scooped out the peeled croaker, and cut the beef into thin strips.Jang Geum is amazed by Jinying's craftsmanship of cutting preserved fish. What Jang Jin thinks about is frying eggs, choosing vegetables, and wrapping sliced ​​pork with scallions, but his eyes always turn to Jin Ying involuntarily, and everything he does is a mess. After the king's imperial meal was prepared, they began to fold the decorative flowers again.At this time, the other prisoner from the main hall came in to look for Han Shanggong.Jinying and Jangjin asked at the same time if the king had returned from hunting. "Did you bring ice?" I don't know if I heard Jang Geum and Jin Ying's questioning, and the prison guard in the main hall was looking for Bing everywhere without thinking.Ice was brought, to keep the fish fresh. "There is ice, what do you want to do with it?" Jinying asked back in surprise. "It's good to bring it with you. The servant commander in Shangshan ordered you to prepare cold noodles." "Cold noodles?" "Your Highness is sweating profusely from hunting, and wants to eat refreshing cold noodles. The cold noodles of the clan adults should also be prepared." "The weather is getting colder and colder, should we eat some warm food?" "This is His Highness' order." Bie Jian finished what he wanted to say, and left in a hurry.Jang Geum lost his mind, Jinying thought about various problems, and his expression became complicated. "Let's make cold noodles. After the king comes back, he must eat the prey he just killed first. Wouldn't we have a little more time?" "That's what I said, but have you ever pulled noodles?" Jinying shook his head nonchalantly.She has never pulled noodles before, but she said she wanted to make cold noodles. I really don't know where she got the courage.In addition, broth is also a problem, not to mention whether there is enough meat to make broth, first of all, there is not enough time. Chang Jin thought it was better to raise his hand and surrender, but a word came out of his mouth in a daze. "Radish Kimchi Soup!" After hearing this sentence, Jinying hurriedly opened the white porcelain jars containing various kinds of miso.Jang Geum also ran over in a hurry, but unfortunately, there was only half of the radish and kimchi soup left, which was not enough to make cold noodle soup for the royal family members. If pear juice was added to make up, the taste would definitely be greatly reduced. Jin Ying and Jang Geum stared at Tang in silence, then shifted their eyes to each other's faces, neither of them could do anything.Even so, they still refused to give up easily.If they give up now, they can be freed from the stress of clutching their hearts.Although the heart is extremely heavy, I can always find an excuse to say that there is no way.The two swallowed the words of giving up, just observing each other's expressions. Suddenly, a good idea popped into Jang Geum's mind. "There's a place I want to go right away." "What? Is there anything more urgent than this?" "Before I come back, you pull the noodles and cook the broth." "Jang Geum, where are you going?" Jinying asked sharply, but Jang Geum just said "I'll be right back" and stepped out of the awning. When I first set off, I didn't feel much, but when I got there, I felt infinitely far away.But since we are here, we have to go to the end of this road, Chang Geum thought so, how can he care about life and death, I saw her holding a bucket in one hand, holding the hem of her skirt in the other hand, non-stop I ran and ran, and I couldn't count how many times I fell down. Anyway, my face was already bruised and scratched.Beads of sweat kept falling, falling on the parts scratched by branches and scratched by stones, causing burning pain.Sweat seeps into the lips, salty taste. It was twenty miles away from the mountain spring I saw when I came here, but fortunately I found it.The water flow was very slow, and while waiting for the bucket to be filled, Jang Geum's heart was so anxious that it was about to smoke. It was easy to fill a bucket of water, and Jang Geum was about to go down the mountain, but his legs were weak and his body always leaned to one side.In order not to let the water spill out, Jang Jin struggled hard, but it was useless, she finally put the bucket aside and fell down by herself. After the water was completely drained, the bucket rolled down by itself.Jang Geum watched this scene at a loss, sobbing uncontrollably.She knew that crying was useless, but there was nothing to soothe the misery at this moment except tears. Jang Jin burst into tears, but suddenly found something wrong with his leg.It may have been sprained when she fell down. She lifted the tabby socks and saw that the high swelling was extremely ugly.I barely stood up and took a step, but the road was too far, and I didn't know when I would go on limping like this.Let alone the spring water now, it is even a question of whether he can return to Jinying in time for sunset. Jang Geum was at a loss, staring blankly at the bucket that rolled down to the bottom, which is now out of reach.Just then, a soldier came from the rugged path below the hillside.Seeing Jang Geum, the soldier ran forward as if flying, and asked worriedly. "I just passed by and heard someone screaming. What is Mr. Heng'e doing here?" After listening to Jang Geum, the soldier frowned and tried to search for something in his mind. "Your Majesty's hunting isn't over yet, it's not far away." "So, there should be many soldiers nearby?" "Yes, I can help you carry another bucket of water, but if Mr. Heng'e doesn't go back to the Neishu Institute, isn't it futile? I'll explain your situation and help you find a horse." "Your kindness to me is too great to make you work so hard..." "Aren't you also making cold noodles for the king?" The soldier's answer was reassuring, and Jang Geum's worries eased a lot. Jang Geum sat on the ground empty-handed, the wound still hurt unbearably.Chang Jin thought that instead of sitting like this, it would be better to pick up the bucket first, and just as she was stumbling towards the bucket, the soldier came back.It really wasn't bragging, the soldier was followed by a horse. The officer on the horse seemed somewhat familiar. It turned out to be Min Zhenghao.As soon as Zheng Hao saw Jang Geum, he immediately jumped off his horse and quickly ran to Jang Geum. "When I heard the soldier say it, I thought it might be you, so I came over to have a look. It's really Mr. Heng'e. What's going on here?" Jang Jin was speechless for a while, even the roots of his ears were red. "Is your foot hurt?" "I guess so." Zheng Hao knelt down on one knee and lightly touched Jang Geum's ankle.Unexpectedly, with just this light touch, Jang Geum was in so much pain that he almost screamed, and finally held back desperately.Seeing her like this, Zheng Hao said to the soldiers. "You need a plywood. Go find a piece of wood that you can use!" "My lord! The most urgent task now is to fetch water!" Jung Ho turned around and stared at Jang Geum.Looking at his gaze, Jang Geum's heart suddenly sank.His sharp and fiery eyes made it hard for Jang Geum to resist, he barely looked at him for a while and finally turned his eyes away. When the soldiers heard the order to carry water, they hurried to find the buckets. "You're going to have to wait here anyway until the water comes. So, now...you can splint it?" "...I feel very sorry every time." Zheng Hao stood up silently, walked through the grass beside the hillside and disappeared into the woods.While waiting for Jung-ho to come back, Jang-geum looked around and only then did she notice the scenery around her.Below the hillside is a vast sorghum field, under the vast sky, the harvested sorghum stalks stand in the wind. Jeong-ho came back with a branch that could be used as a plywood in his hand. "It's okay, it will be fine in a while." Even though he said that, Zheng Hao's eyes were full of pity.Looking into those eyes, Jang Geum nodded slowly.Zheng Hao grasped Jang Geum's knee tightly with both hands, paused for a moment, and then exerted force suddenly.At the moment when the distorted bones returned to their proper place, Jang Geum couldn't bear it anymore and screamed.The pain was worse than expected.In fact, it's no wonder that no matter what method you want to restore the misplaced bones to their original positions, it is impossible to be painless. Zheng Hao glanced at Jang Geum, then put the splint on her, and then tore off a piece of his own clothes to cover the splint.His expression was so serious, as if there was nothing else in the world worthy of his devotion. Jang Geum suddenly became serious, and looked at Zheng Hao curiously.他的五官棱角分明，搭配得近乎完美，完全配得上保护君王的内禁卫军官的称号，保护君王的内禁卫军官……父亲生前的面孔重叠在政浩的脸上，长今突然感到莫名其妙的冲动。 “现在好了。” 政浩抬起头来，与长今四目相对，长今不由自主地避开了。麻雀在碧蓝的天空里排列成镰刀的形状，展翅飞翔。 这时候，提水的士兵回来了，遮住了流淌在两人之间的尴尬的沉默。政浩让士兵提着水桶走在前面，长今骑在马上，他自己则手执缰绳。一滴水也不能流出来，所以他们走得很慢，不能加快速度。 没等到达目的地，远远就看见了急得团团乱转的今英。 “这么晚才回来，这可怎么办啊？” 今英跑过来，嘴里不停地抱怨着，当她看见政浩几乎是把长今抱下马来的时候，不由得僵住了。 "How is this going?" “我提水的时候扭伤了脚，正巧从事官大人就在附近，是他就帮助我的。” 长今匆忙说完，赶紧往内熟说所走去，她那一瘸一拐的样子显得更加不安。过了一会儿，她忽然想到自己连声谢谢都没说，于是转过头去，却发现今英和政浩正面对面站着亲热地聊天。他们两个竟然认识！这多少有些令长今意外，当然，意外的感觉很快就被急于煮肉汤的迫切冲淡了。 “从事官大人，真的好久不见了！” 今英一反常态，声音中夹杂着几许羞涩。刚才还翘首期待长今归来的今英，此时此刻却把冷面彻底抛在了脑后，她目不转睛地盯着政浩。 “崔判述大房还好吧？” “还好，你在三浦倭乱*（1510年，朝鲜三浦发生了日本侨民暴动事件，史称三浦倭乱——译者注）中立了大功，升为内禁卫特别从事官的消息，我都听说了。” “她的脚腕只做了临时处理，坚持不了太长时间，忙完之后还得赶快叫医女。另外她走路会有很多不便，还请崔内人多多帮忙。” "I see……" 今英立刻就显得闷闷不乐，闭上嘴巴不再说话。政浩郑重地点了一下头，转身离开了。望着政浩渐行渐远的身影，今英转身朝内熟说所走去，表情冷冰冰的。 长今接过了今英的活儿，正忙着调制冷面汤。 今英已经熬好了肉汤，长今往里加了点儿水，略微尝了尝，然后摇头说道。 “给我梨汁！” 按照长今的指示，今英找到梨汁递了过去。然而就在这一瞬间，今英一下子怒从心起，想到她二话不说突然离开，让自己在这里苦苦等待，再想到政浩搀扶着把她从马上抱下来的情景，今英压抑不住心中的愤怒。 “你回来之前，上膳令监来过了，因为你事先不禀告就擅自行事所以对你大加责备，他还说了，如果殿下或者王室贵胄对今天的御膳稍有不满，惟你是问。” “给我点醋好吗？” “万一事情搞砸了，不但你我，就连韩尚宫也摆脱不了干系。这对信任我们并把重任托付给我们的韩尚宫来说，真是莫大的侮辱。” 今英滔滔不绝地发泄着自己的愤怒，而长今却只顾埋头做事，只见她加醋、加糖、撒盐，有条不紊。调料加完之后，长今拿一把大勺来回搅拌，然后先尝了尝味道。 “你有信心吧？” “……我第一次做冷面肉汤，所以我也不大清楚，只能靠感觉了。” "What did you say?" 正在这时，别监进来了。 “上冷面！” 长今被这声音吓了一跳，不知所措地望着今英。无论如何，现在也只能硬着头皮呈上去了。 两个人仿佛下定了决心，彼此交换着无声的眼神，又忙起来了。按照刚才配好的调料比例，长今做出了大量的肉汤，而今英也拿来了盛有面条和冰块的碗。肉汤浇在碗里，她们的工作就算告一段落了。 狩猎餐桌摆在草原正中，前面是竹签串起的山猪肉，骨头峥嵘。中宗大王和王室贵族们吃着烤山猪肉，脸上洋溢着满足的快感。大王在狩猎场的膳食，通常都以捕获的野生动物为材料做成腊平汤*（腊日食用的汤），这已成惯例。然而今天的餐桌上却呈上了冷面，而不是腊平汤，这就显得有些例外。 终于，大王用筷子夹了口冷面放进了嘴里。长番内侍目不转睛地注视大王，他的目光冷若冰霜。今英和长今远远地守在一边，宛如窒息一般。闵政浩望着她们两个，脸上的表情也是分外紧张。 “这种味道是怎么出来的呢？” 大王问长番内侍。长番内侍没明白大王的真正意思，正在犹豫。这时，大王又尝了一口，满意地笑了笑。 “以前在宫里可没吃过这种味道的冷面啊。” “殿下，小人也有同感。” 吴兼护观察着大王的脸色，满面阿谀地插嘴道。 “萝卜泡菜汤的味道固然清爽，可偶尔不还有臭味吗？然而这道汤清凉可口，打猎之后吃，真是再合适不过了。” 看着长番内侍脸上露出笑容，长今和今英这才放心地松了口气。政浩远远地递了个眼神过来，长今低下头去。今英感觉到他们两人之间的微妙气氛，脸上的笑容顷刻间一扫而光。 “你从未做过冷面汤，怎么会想到加矿泉水呢？” 韩尚宫仿佛从来就没有麻痹过，脸上始终带着欣慰的笑容。此时餐桌刚刚撤掉。 “以前嬷嬷不是让我了解各种各样的食用水吗？那时我就品尝过很多水的味道。” "I see." “您曾经告诉过我，小堂里梅月堂的矿泉水最适合腌萝卜泡菜。我们来的路上也看见有山泉，我就想这里的味道会不会也合适呢。很可能只是个普通的山泉，水的味道跟小堂里梅月堂的矿泉水有天壤之别，幸好老天保佑。” 韩尚宫用力点了点头，然后把目光转向今英。 “好！今英从来没有拉过面条，长今不辞劳苦远道取水，你们两个都辛苦了。如果没有你们，今天这场危机我就无法安全度过。尤其是今英，单独留下来也没有惊慌失措，而是沉着应对，功劳最大。” 向来不喜欢多说话的韩尚宫，此时此刻却毫不吝啬赞誉之辞。 太阳落山了，打猎场上搭起住宿的帐篷。政浩统领士兵在帐篷之间往来巡视。 “今天晚上，大王的安全就掌握在你们手中。绝对不允许片刻疏忽，知道了吗？” 政浩严格管理手下的士兵，威风凛凛。 检查完最后一座帐篷，政浩向内熟说所走去。沉浸在秋夜的习习凉风中，内熟说所安安静静，根本不像刚刚发生过混乱，只有帐篷偶尔沙沙做响。 突然，政浩听见某种奇怪的声音，立刻紧张起来。朝着声音发出的方向看去，只见长今正趴在帐篷旁边的凹地上，好象在写什么。尽管这个晚上月光皎洁，但那小册子看上去却是那么小，借着月光写字实在太过勉强。 政浩担心长今会害怕，于是先干咳了几声。 “你的腿不是受伤了吗，这么晚还在写什么？” 长今连忙端正坐好，整理了一下衣服。蓝色裙子和玉色小褂，羊角辫和红色蝴蝶结，搭配起来真是和谐极了。 “我每天都把料理的材料和方法记下来，免得日后忘记了。” “比起这本小册子，你的毛笔太大了。” 说完，闵政浩把手伸进袖管，翻了半天好象也没找到要找的东西，便不无遗憾地说道。 “哦，我换了衣服没带。我有一管毛笔，跟你这本小册子正好搭配……” 政浩说的是三色流苏飘带上的毛笔。长今当然不知道，只是很感激政浩的良苦用心。 “您有这份心意就足够了，虽然没接到，但也没什么分别。” “什么也没给你，还说跟接到了没什么分别？下次我一定拿给你。” 长今找不到合适的语言回答政浩的好意，政浩也是一时语塞，羞涩地笑了笑，便将视线转向天边。漆黑的夜空里，皎洁的月亮是那么美丽。 “长今啊，长今！” 今英在叫长今。声音越来越迫近了，长今和政浩全都不知所措地愣在那里。当今英发现他们时，两个没犯错误的人却是一副罪人的表情，今英越发闷闷不乐了。 “本来她正要回去了。” 政浩礼节性地冲今英说道，然后回头看着长今，目光和看今英时截然不同。 “明天还要走很远的路，早点回去休息吧。” 长今点了点头，政浩便不再耽搁，匆忙离开了。今英目送政浩的背影走远，眼里充满了遗憾。当政浩消失在视野之外，今英有点儿神经质地说。 “你们两个这样在一起，要是被别人看见了会怎么样？幸好我知道他是个本分人。” “对了，我没想到姐姐你也认识从事官大人。” “他经常到我伯父那里去借中国书籍和其他物品，很久以前我就认识他了。你也不是第一次遇见他吧？” “是的。我在茶栽轩的时候认识主簿大人，他派我到校书阁送信，那时候是第一次遇见他。” “是这样啊。以后最好还是小心点儿。” 长今吃惊不小，但还是没怎么多想，也就过去了。她哪里知道，八年前的那个晚上今英曾经给一个人行礼，那人正是闵政浩。 回宫以后，长今得到意外的喜讯。调方因为打猎场上的失误而被调离退膳间，长今被安排顶替调方的位置。现在，她终于可以名正言顺地去找寻母亲的料理日记了。想到这里，她心里既兴奋又不安，宛如小鼓在敲打着胸口。 怀着急切的心情，顾不得腿上的伤口，长今朝退膳间跑去。正好遇见迎面走来的闵政浩，长今立刻低下头去，只以目光代替问候。 “看你跑得这么快，我就放心了。” "what?" “我是说你的脚腕，看来已经彻底恢复了。” “哦，是的……还没有……不，都好了……” 长今有些难为情，两腮生出一丝绯红，政浩的嘴角挂着亲切的微笑。 “大人，上次您借给我的书，我已经抄完了。” “那么多书你都抄完了？真是没想到。” “不知道该怎么还你……” “……最近几天有训练，我可能不在宫里。等到十五申时见面吧，还在上次见面的地方。” “好的，多保重。” 长今郑重地道别，然后匆忙赶路。刚迈几步腿还有些瘸，走着走着，脚下就像生风似的，越走越快了。 望着长今的背影，闵政浩的脸上堆起了笑容。外表柔弱而内心坚强，文静之中略带豁达，性格骄傲却又不无亲切，如果她不是宫女，真想与她共度此生。想到这里，政浩的脸色不由得阴了下来。 与此同时，今英的脸色正如死灰般难看，心里充满了失望和愤怒。 "Hate!" "What did you say?" “我不需要做这种事，凭我的能力早晚可以担当御膳房的重任。我们家的后台，再加上我的能力，再说我也会努力。只要才华和能力具备，还有什么不能成功呢？” “你说能力加努力？” “是的。可是您为什么让我做这种事呢？” “……你害怕了吗？” “不是害怕。是伤了我的自尊心。” “你竟然说什么自尊心？” 崔尚宫面带嘲笑地奚落今英。 “你的想法大错而特错！的确不假！我们家的前辈尚宫们个个都具有做最高尚宫的能力。但是你要明白，能力也只是能力。你以为只要有能力就一定能坐上最高的位置吗？” “我相信只要尽最大的努力，一定能做到！” “你给我闭嘴！你仔细看看这座王宫，这里面的人哪个不努力？还有，你以为其他尚宫们每天都是懒洋洋地玩乐，最高尚宫的位置才轮得到我们家人来做吗？你应该清楚，能力和努力只是基础！” 要说能力和努力只是基础的话，那么除此之外还应该具备什么呢？今英平生第一次品尝到了苦涩的屈辱感。 “掌握这个世界的不是才华和努力，而是力量。世界上再没有哪个地方比王宫更苛刻地遵循这条原则。王宫从来都只容有势力的人存在，我们家族就是因为每次都能看透力量掌握在谁手里，所以才能存活到现在。这才是我们家族走到今天这步的真正原因。” 今英不由得暗自呻吟一声，家族的势力和自己的才华给她带来了自信，原来这一切都只是个假象。就连这个假象，也让崔尚宫真切地戳穿了。 “这个位置绝对无法保障我们家的贵族地位，但它能够为我们带来比贵族更多的财富。既然不能拥有权力，就只好努力拥有金钱！然后再以金钱去买权力，你懂吗？” “如果非这样不可，那也可以雇人去做，为什么一定要让我亲自去做呢？” “这是从前辈尚宫那里流传下来的训育方针。我们家族的女人，不管是谁，成为内人之 后必须做一件大事！ " 如此说来，这就是与生俱来的使命了。拒绝这个使命就像企图改变崔家的姓氏一样，根本不可能。此时此刻，今英不得不承认现实。今英无法忍受这悲惨的事实，她咬紧牙关，嘴唇渗出了鲜血。 “当年，内人仪式刚刚举行完，我就做了这样的事。甚至因此……给一位朋友造成灭顶之灾。我难道没有痛苦吗？但是，只有经历恐惧才能真正变得强大，温室里的花草怎么可能具有坚韧的生命力？要想在弱肉强食的王宫站稳脚跟，就只能变得坚强！” 拒绝？还是接受？答案只能是二者择其一。即使拒绝，家中的长辈倒也不至于置自己于死地，问题在于仅仅凭借才华和能力难以坐到最高尚宫的位置。然而，今英很想成为最高尚宫。现在，欲望和自尊正在今英体内进行斗争，虽然没有刀光剑影，却依然痛苦万分。 可是自尊心究竟是什么呢？今英忽然感觉心中一片迷惘。不知不觉之间，她的脑海里竟浮现出长今的面孔。 “你是个聪明孩子，我相信你会听我的话。来！把这个符咒藏到退膳间去！” 这是一张诅咒王后腹中胎儿从王子变成公主的符咒！ 最近，吴兼护正在密谋让自己的侄女成为中宗的后妃，当然他的最终目标是王后。如果王后产下王子，他的美梦就将化为泡影。所以他跟崔判述共同策划阴谋，要不惜一切代价阻止王后产下王子。 今英把脸扭向一边，不去看崔尚宫递过来的符咒。当她偶尔抬眼看见符咒的瞬间，突然有种抓住的冲动。想到这里，她对自己有种深深的憎恶感，就是这个自己让她觉得恶心。 “我做不到！” “今英！” "Hate!" 今英冲出房间。崔尚宫在迷蒙中跟了出来，很快便又坐了回去。 “她会回来的，她不能不回来，就像我当初一样……” 崔尚宫低头望着手里的符咒，失神地喃喃自语。