Thirty-four

  Everyone was stretching their necks to hear the story, and Fu Daojun took a sip of wine and said: "That's what happened. I, this cook team leader, am originally from Ruijin, Jiangxi Province! In my childhood, I followed my parents to Beijing to seek refuge with relatives and make a living. But unexpectedly, life in Beijing was not as good as it was back home in Jiangxi! In the end, our family was so poor that we couldn't even afford food! With no other choice, they could only sell me, who was just 11 years old at the time, to the palace for eight taels of silver. I, this cook team leader, was originally supposed to be assigned to the construction department after being bought into the palace. But unexpectedly, while waiting in the empty stomach room for two days as preparation, before even getting a chance to be castrated on the third day, General Yuan Shikai accepted Sun Yat-sen's proposal for a ceasefire and returned to the capital, overthrowing the Qing dynasty!"

  "At that time, according to his recollection, the palace was in a state of complete chaos! It was said that the Qing dynasty had been overthrown by Yuan Shikai! Even the emperor himself was going to be beheaded! The ministers no longer attended court, and the guards were not on duty. The eunuchs either stole things from the palace and escaped with their loot or took a small palace maid and the accumulated silver and goods of many years, and quietly left the palace to return home and live a life!"

  Fang Lan asked, "What can a eunuch do with an abducted little palace maid?"

  As soon as this was said, everyone felt embarrassed and found it inconvenient to answer. They all thought that a woman who grew up in the new cultural movement would be different from those of the older generation. How could such a question be asked?! However, Fu Daojun was naturally bold and didn't feel any embarrassment. He simply said: "What else can we do? Take her back home, buy a newborn baby from a poor family, pretend it's our own child, give it our surname, and let the ancestral incense continue to burn, passing on the family line and living out our days!"

  Who would have thought that Fang Lan would say: "Why must you kidnap a young palace maid to take back? Can't you just buy another woman with the silver in your hands when you return?"

  As soon as the words were spoken, even Fu Daojun felt embarrassed to answer. Wu Hanhua took over and said: "Miss Fang still doesn't quite understand things about the older generation! Firstly, do you know what kind of person that eunuch is? Which family would be willing to sell their own flesh and blood to a eunuch to be humiliated, even if they were dying of poverty?! Secondly, you don't know that these eunuchs in the palace generally all secretly find themselves a suitable palace maid as a lover! They're all pitiful people, perhaps comforting each other's fragmented hearts, perhaps because they've been trapped in the palace for years and are limited by their circumstances, they can accept each other. Anyway, such things have happened countless times in the old generation's palace! Everyone in the palace knows about it, except for the emperor himself!"

  Yan Wei, on the one hand, blamed Fang Lan for not considering his identity and asking everything, but on the other hand, he was also eager to hear more, so he said to Fang Lan: "After passing this village, there is no such store, and this top-grade monkey head mushroom is not something that can be eaten often. Taking advantage of the opportunity while we are all listening to Commander Fu's story, you should eat more." After saying that, he urged Fu Dajun to continue speaking quickly.

  Fu Daojun continued to laugh: "Right, Yuan Shikai rebelled! He said that at that time, the palace was already in a mess, and no one came to care about this little boy who was locked in the purification room waiting for his purification. Hearing the chaos outside, he also knew that something big must have happened in the palace, plus he hadn't eaten anything for two days and two nights, and he was really hungry..."

  "Why didn't you give people food before purifying your body?"

  Fu Da-jun also found it inconvenient to answer, so he smiled and said: "Wait until later when you ask Captain Yan, then you'll know."

  When Fang Lan saw Fu Daojun say this, she also realized that the original intention was not good language. Seeing him withdraw his color, she also felt ashamed and only bowed her head to eat, no longer speaking.

  Fu Daojun continued: "He sneaked out of the door at night and slipped away. After slipping away, he saw that in this vast imperial palace, there were houses everywhere, and it was impossible to distinguish east, south, west, or north. So, he followed the wall and felt his way along the dark and secluded houses, thinking that no matter what, he had to find something to eat first to fill his stomach. As he walked, he smelled the aroma and found his way to the imperial kitchen."

  He was caught red-handed by the eunuch in charge of the imperial kitchen while stealing food, but after interrogation, he found him to be clever and respectful. Upon inquiry, it turned out that he had not been castrated yet, which seemed quite troublesome! However, considering the Qing dynasty's uncertain future, and given his young age, it was unlikely he would be discovered anytime soon. Taking pity on his poor and difficult circumstances, as well as his youth and innocence, he decided to take a risk and secretly keep him in the imperial kitchen as a servant during the chaos when everyone's attention was diverted. Later, after things had somewhat stabilized within the palace, people assumed that he must have escaped in the commotion, and no one bothered to investigate further.

  "Why not say that this cook, he was born to be a good chef! He has a natural talent for cooking! Every day, he watches others cook in the imperial kitchen. The eunuch in charge of the imperial kitchen is old and childless, so he took him as his adopted son and passed on all his culinary skills to him. He even gave him a cookbook that he spent his whole life writing!"

  Later, the Manchu imperial family had no status in the capital. Later, after General Feng Yuxiang of the Northwestern Army entered Beijing, he finally drove out the last emperor of our great Qing dynasty! At that time, his adoptive father, the old eunuch, also passed away. He then left the palace with some of his adoptive father's belongings. However, the twelve years in the imperial kitchen made him a great chef from then on!

  "So how did he end up joining our team later?" Yan Wei asked.

  Fu Daojun took a sip of wine and said, "After he came out, he had no one to rely on in the capital city and had nowhere to go. He thought that with his exceptional culinary skills, he wouldn't have to worry about starving as an artisan. So, he headed south back to his hometown in Jiangxi Province. Fortunately, when he returned to his old home in Ruijin, he found his family members whom he had been separated from for many years. With his unparalleled cooking skills, he easily became the head chef at a large restaurant in Ruijin County! He always thought that one day he could save up enough money to open his own big restaurant and bring honor to his ancestors without disappointing his adoptive father's expectations of him over the years! However, unexpectedly, in 1930, a local tyrant in Ruijin County, who was drunk on the street looking for fun, accidentally bumped into his beautiful sister. Taking advantage of his intoxication, he had her kidnapped and taken away! The next day, after being released, she hanged herself that night!"

  Fang Lan couldn't help but ask at this point: "Is there still a king's law? Doesn't the government care?"

  Fu Daojun smiled and said: "You should ask your Commander Yan about this!"

  Yan Wei knew that this matter would definitely be another case of the government colluding with the underworld, and it would all be swept under the rug. So he said: "If I were stationed there at the time, I would have personally shot that son of a bitch!"

  Fu Daojun sighed and said, "I believe it, but unfortunately you weren't there at the time! The second year our Red Army moved to his hometown of Ruijin, we had just taken over the county town, he brought a complaint to my company."

  Yan Wei said in a low voice: "So in 1931 you were just a regimental commander!"

  "In fact, at that time the common people were also not very familiar with our Red Army, thinking that the army was the government and the government was the army. You said he didn't go to report to the county government but instead came to my battalion headquarters to report." Recalling the past events, Fu Da Jun still felt deeply moved and nostalgic.

  "That's why he thinks that the county government has taken advantage of him before, and now his legs are weak when he sees the county government! And then you all marched into the city, proclaiming that you want to be the masters of the poor people, so he thinks that only the army is reliable, and won't collude with those who bully him." Wu Han's judgment on things has always been accurate.

  "It's probably just that, anyway, I was furious when I heard it! So I took the case on the spot and immediately brought people to the home of that rascal. After asking only two or three questions, I could see who was good and who was talking nonsense! Then, in front of a crowd of onlookers, I publicly read out the evil deeds of that rascal! Who knew that before I had even finished speaking, the crowd began to shout and condemn the rascal in unison, like a tidal wave. In an instant, the rascal's crimes almost surpassed those of Wu Sangui!"

  Yan smiled and said, "Ordinary people are like this, usually shrinking their heads to pretend to be obedient, only storing up resentment and humiliation deep inside! They don't dare to get angry or speak out! Once they meet someone who can support them and take charge, they will erupt like a flood! And your army is indeed very good at doing this igniting work!"

  Fu Daojun laughed and said, "Don't make fun of me, Captain Yan. At the time, I really didn't expect this guy to have so many crimes and evil deeds! To be honest, when I came, I was worried that if he really asked me to take charge, whether I should follow the procedure and first take him to the county committee for processing. As soon as I saw the situation, I immediately had a plan in mind! In front of the crowd on the street, I personally shot this guy's head with one bullet! The relief of the people at that time was truly unforgettable! Although later my superiors criticized me for this matter, I think it was worth it!"

  "Nonsense! Of course it's worth it! I'd think so too! To kill a villain and get a top chef from the palace in return? If there's another good deal like this, you tell me! I'll take care of one for him!" Wu Hanhuai also had an envious look on his face.

  "No, that's right! Afterwards he never had any more ideals about opening a restaurant. He thought that only the Red Army led by our Communist Party was the true living Bodhisattva for poor people like them! He immediately followed me to join the army! It's just that my old friend knew how to use people well, and could make every soldier who followed me give their best! After he joined the troops, he still did his old job! Only from then on, he no longer served any officials, nobles or capitalists. He served the people's revolutionary army!"

  "What is serving the people's revolutionary team? I think it's just serving you all day and night! Ah, when I get back, I'll go to the big restaurants in the city to ask around, see if there are any royal chefs who have run out of the palace! If there are, I'll make an enemy out of him even if he doesn't have one! I must buy a private chef like that!" Yan Wei said it as if it were true.

  Wang Zhengwei smiled and said, "Director Yan, you see, this is the difference between us. We help those in trouble with a true heart, but what about you? Everything you do isn't done with the best interests of the common people at heart, instead you're always thinking of ways to scheme against others!"

  Yan Wei smiled and said, "I haven't harmed anyone yet, have I? Besides, I think you, Fu Zhi's old comrade-in-arms for many years, must also have been deceived by him! He must have known the true nature of that imperial chef back then, which is why he helped them out so readily!" Everyone burst into laughter at this. This laughter was especially precious in these extraordinary times!