章 5: Become a Chef
編集者: EndlessFantasy Translation
One of the imperial astronomers took a look at the eight characters and said, "Her eight characters state that she will have a hard life. These are not good destiny numbers."
Once Eunuch Feng heard that, he thought about turning around to leave, but there was only one person who could serve his master in a circular area of ten lis around Longan Temple.
Hence, Eunuch Feng then brought the eight characters to the leader of the imperial astronomers.
He stroked his beard and said, "She does indeed have a tough life, but her life pattern is very strange. If she can be reborn, her destiny numbers show that she will either become rich or a noble. Also, when she is nineteen, she will go through a disaster, but also encounter a fortuitous event."
Eunuch Feng naturally believed him and quickly asked, "What disaster? What fortuitous event?"
"She will be regarded with disgust by her husband's family and rejected, then she will fall like a wilting flower," the leader said. "By the looks of it, she seems to have already lived through her first disaster. She is fated to be married twice."
This fit with her being a widow.
Eunuch Feng was sure that since the man before him could become the leader of the imperial astronomers, he was definitely skilled. "What fortuitous event will she face?"
"She will run into someone noble because of her husband abandoning her. This can be considered as a turning point in her life," the leader said. He wanted to continue reading into it, but there were plenty of mysteries about her fate, and he could not see what would happen afterwards.
But it was clear that after running into the noble person, her life would not be much worse, so the leader did not say anything.
Eunuch Feng was incredibly impressed.
The reading was as expected from the imperial astronomers. There was a reason the former emperor and even master believed in them wholeheartedly.
Eunuch Feng was sure that the widow did not know the imperial astronomers, but what they said absolutely fit her profile.
She was a widow abandoned by her husband's family, while his master was the most noble person in the world. Her status would certainly rise if she did get together with his master.
If that were the case, the widow could have a relationship with his master.
But it would just last for a period of time, which would depend on the widow's luck. If she could obtain his master's grace, then even if she could not enter the palace, she would not have to worry about her basic necessities for the rest of her life nor have to come out to gather firewood on her own.
Speaking of which, the widow really had good luck.
After receiving word from the imperial astronomer, Eunuch Feng rushed back to Longan Temple.
He called out to Yingda and said that he wanted to meet the widow.
Yingda nodded. He did not even need to ask to know that Eunuch Feng had already asked the imperial astronomers to read the eight characters. He had to have learned that they were a match, which was why he wanted to meet the widow. So, Yingda went off to speak to Chu Yue.
She was currently jumping rope in her courtyard. It was cold, and white mist left her mouth every time she breathed out. Hupo had been trying to convince her to go back inside, but she got tired of it and went back into the house to weave bags.
Yingda threw a stone from the top of the roof. When Chu Yue raised her head, she saw him immediately leave.
Even though he did not say anything, Chu Yue understood what he meant and her eyes sparkled. So, was she about to get the monk in her hands?
She called out to Hupo. When Hupo heard that Chu Yue wanted to go out for a walk, she asked her whether she wanted company, but Chu Yue rejected it.
It had been a long time since she saw the monk and she missed him dearly.
Of course, it was impossible to say that she loved him. They had only met once, so it was impossible for her to love him. She just missed him, that was all.
When she went over, she saw a new person waiting for her.
Chu Yue could immediately tell that he was a eunuch.
"Greetings, Sir." Even so, Chu Yue bent her knees politely to greet him.
Eunuch Feng sized her up. He had to say that she looked quite good. Even though she had no foundation, her face would not allow her to end up as a normal person in the palace.
But a pity that she was a widow, or else, she might be brought back to the palace by his master.
Eunuch Feng motioned that she could stand straight and said, "Master Dao Yuan lacks someone to serve him."
Even if she was fated to have a relationship with his master for a period of time, his master was an important person. It would be impossible for him to send her over in a straightforward manner. They had to do it in a roundabout manner.
Chu Yue was stunned for a moment before she said, "Master Dao Yuan? Could it be the monk's Dharma name?"
Eunuch Feng did not speak in circles. "Yes, I'm talking about the person you saw."
"I don't want to serve him. I just want to see whether he has any intentions to become worldly again," Chu Yue said.
"It will depend on you whether he has any intentions to become worldly again," Eunuch Feng mocked her.
His master would definitely have to become worldly again, but that was next year, and on the day he became worldly, he would end his relationship with the widow.
Chu Yue did not mind his words. Longan Temple belonged to the royal family, so it was normal for them to have a eunuch around. Besides, the monk seemed to have a rather high status.
But that was not strange either. He was incredibly handsome, so he might even be the abbot.
When she thought about how the handsome monk might be the abbot of Longan Temple, Chu Yue felt an urge burn in her again.
"Sir, please point the way. I cannot repay you, but I will remember your kindness, and I will owe you," Chu Yue said.
Eunuch Feng scrutinized her again. The widow had a really smooth tongue, but he wondered whether she would have the ability to serve his master. "We will see whether you truly owe me or not in the future. I just want to ask you, do you have any specialties?"
'I have plenty of specialties. If the monk sees them even once, I can guarantee you that he will not keep to the monastic rules and his vows of abstinence.'
But she could not say that to the eunuch. She thought about it and asked, "Is making vegetarian food considered a specialty?"
"Of course it is." That was exactly what Eunuch Feng wanted. He was thinking about giving Chu Yue the role of a chef. If she could make vegetarian food right away, she could skip training. "But I will need you to cook some food for me first."
Chu Yue nodded and followed Eunuch Feng to a standalone kitchen. It might be small, but it had everything in the area.
So she made Dongpo Tofu.
The ingredients were bamboo shoot, tofu, and mushrooms.
She knew how to make vegetarian food because during one of her missions she had to stay in a temple for a period of time in her previous life. She liked the vegetarian food there, so she spent some money to learn to make it.
The Dongpo Tofu was very tasty. Even if Eunuch Feng was used to all sorts of delicacies from the palace, he could not stop eating for a period of time.
Once he finished, Chu Yue asked, "Sir, what do you think of my skills?"
Eunuch Feng wiped his mouth clean and said, "They're pretty good."
Chu Yue did not speak.
"You can be Master Dao Yuan's chef in the future," Eunuch Feng stated his decision.
It was impossible for him to let her seduce his master straightaway, but it was fine if they did it in a roundabout manner.
"Do your duty well, and forget about everything else," he warned Chu Yue just in case.
Chu Yue knew what the eunuch meant, of course. He knew that she was trying to approach the monk, but he still gave her a chance to do it and chose to say such words.
He had to be thinking about using her to ridicule the monk.
She wondered whether the monk knew that he had offended the stupid eunuch, but that was fine. Next time, if the eunuch figured out what they were doing, the monk might not be able to stay in the place any longer. At that time, he could just leave with her.
Chu Yue did not hold back and said with a smile, "Since I'm going to be a chef, you'll have to pay me a monthly wage. I don't want too much money, so just pay me accordingly."
-- 贈り物
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