HCT – Chapter 49 Jam Mille-Feuille Cake

“Lin Qing has passed away?!”

The old King of Qin dropped the scroll in his hand onto the table, his voice filled with disbelief. “How did Zhu Xiang find out?”

He hadn’t even received the news himself!

A shadow guard reported, “Last night, Lord Zhu seemed to have dreamed that Lin Qing came to say farewell.”

The old King of Qin stood stunned for a long moment before finally raising a hand to support his forehead. He slowly sighed, “I see.”

Propping himself up on the table, he stood and walked out the door, gazing silently at the newly sprouting buds in the courtyard.

He had heard of farewell dreams before—an extraordinary connection said to occur only between deeply bonded blood relatives.

When his elder brother died lifting a tripod, he had not appeared in his dreams. When his eldest son passed away alone in the state of Wei, he had not appeared in his dreams. Even when his own mother died, just one palace wall away, she too had not appeared in his dreams.

Naturally, as a king, he understood—his ties of kinship were tenuous at best.

Lin Xiangru and Zhu Xiang were not even blood-related. Yet, could they really share a farewell dream across the divide of life and death, separated by thousands of miles?

For a fleeting instant, a faint, nearly imperceptible ripple stirred in the old King of Qin’s heart.

Even kings are human; who among men is without emotion?

He spoke, “To the Residence of Lord Changping. Bring the official documents as well—I shall stay at Zhu Xiang’s home for a few days.”

“At once,” the shadow guards and palace attendants answered in unison.

Their faces were solemn as they lowered their heads, but their minds were in turmoil.

Until now, the King of Qin had only shown special favor toward Ying Hou. Now, there was another—Lord Changping.

When Zhu Xiang collapsed, Xue had just reached the Crown Prince’s residence.

This time, Lady Huayang didn’t put on airs. She had everything prepared early and even brought along Lady Xia—whom she normally looked down on—to accompany her, waiting anxiously for Xue’s arrival.

After the Crown Prince informed her of Lord Changping’s abilities and status, Lady Huayang didn’t dare treat Xue lightly, even if she was of common birth.

“Lady Changping, I’m unwell—please forgive my rudeness,” Lady Huayang said, stepping forward to grasp Xue’s hand before Xue could even bow.

Xue glanced at Lady Huayang’s rosy complexion and felt at a complete loss for words.

When her beloved tried to dodge Master Lian’s scoldings, he would at least smear wax or powder on his face to look sick. If not for the evident panic in Lady Huayang’s expression, Xue would’ve thought she was deliberately being provocative.

“Lady Huayang, if you’re unwell, you should lie down and rest,” Xue quickly said, helping her to lie down and then properly offered her salute.

Standing nearby, Lady Xia was quite surprised.

She hadn’t expected the Lady of Lord Changping to recognize her identity without anyone introducing her.

An uncomfortable feeling welled up inside Lady Xia.

Like Lady Huayang, she deeply resented that a child born of a Zhao woman had gained the King’s favor and was now poised to become Yiren’s heir.

As long as Yiren could become the King of Qin, she didn’t care if he gained another “mother.” Now that Yiren was gradually gaining favor, her own family finally began to take him seriously and support him. Lady Huayang had chosen a Chu girl for Yiren; she herself was choosing a Han girl for him.

A woman sent by a newly recognized mother, versus one sent by the birth mother who had shared hardship with him—Lady Xia firmly believed Yiren would be closer to the Han girl she picked.

Who would have expected that Zhao woman to have a highly esteemed brother who had caught the King’s attention?

Lady Xia had endured many years of neglect, and her mindset had adjusted quickly. She needed to make sure her son had a child with the Han girl as soon as possible. Although she dared not defy the King of Qin and would not target Zheng directly, Zheng was still young and might not survive to adulthood. Even if he did, it would still be good for Qin to have a prince close to the state of Han.

Lady Xia returned Xue’s courtesy with gentle respect and silently withdrew to the side like a maid, refraining from speaking to Xue.

Lady Huayang was quite pleased with Lady Xia’s tact.

Taking Xue’s hand, she said warmly, “Sister, there’s no need for such formality. You are the officially appointed Lady of Lord Changping, granted the title by His Majesty himself. May we call each other sisters?”

Xue: “…”

She was still mentally reviewing the etiquette her beloved had taught her, and Lady Huayang’s words nearly stunned her senseless.

Xue hurriedly replied, “My beloved is a friend of… of Lord Zichu. Your Ladyship is Lord Zichu’s mother—how could I dare address you as a sister?”

Lady Huayang paused, only then realizing the issue.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Xue quickly took out a food box and said, “When my beloved and I came to Qin, we brought little with us. Though we have received generous gifts from His Majesty, we still felt they lacked personal sentiment as a token of appreciation. So my beloved and I prepared some cakes for Your Ladyship. I hope you won’t mind.”

With that, Xue opened the box, revealing a stack of soft, jam-layered steamed egg cakes.

They didn’t have an oven in their new home yet, so Zhu Xiang used a flat pan to make thin egg crepes and layered them with a sugary plum jam, creating a simple version of a mille-feuille cake.

Although vinegar now existed, production methods were underdeveloped, so plums remained the most important source of tart flavor.

Zhu Xiang had claimed to bring little with him, but in truth, he brought many valuable items such as paper and various seasonings. Their new home had once been the Crown Prince’s villa, and was well-stocked with high-quality condiments—including plum paste.

He reboiled the plum paste with plenty of cane sugar, turning it into a sweet jam with a blend of caramel and plum flavors. He secretly set it aside, not telling the old King of Qin or anyone else.

He worried that if the King of Qin tasted it even once, he might devour everything meant as a gift for Lady Huayang.

Lady Huayang looked at the delicate and novel-looking treat, hesitant to try it.

Xue took out a small silver spoon, scooped a bit of the cake, and tasted it. Then she took out another clean silver spoon and offered it with a smile. “Would Your Ladyship like to try some?”

By tasting it herself first, Xue showed that it wasn’t poisoned. Tempted by the sweet and tangy aroma, Lady Huayang nodded and took a bite.

Her eyes lit up. “The chef in your household is amazing! Is this a palace dessert from Zhao?”

Xue shook her head. “My beloved made it himself. Cooking is his hobby. Even the King of Zhao hasn’t tasted it. If Your Ladyship likes it, you’re welcome to send your cooks to our home to learn. Once you’re feeling better, my beloved sincerely hopes you will visit us.”

“So it was actually Lord Changping who made this by hand…” Lady Huayang, though naïve, was not foolish. She immediately realized that the handmade pastries from Lord Changping were a gesture of goodwill.

She felt much better at heart. Although she knew she should apologize to Lord Changping, she couldn’t quite bring herself to do so. Now that the other party had extended the olive branch first, she was happy to accept it.

Seeing Lady Huayang’s expression relax a bit, Xue recalled Zhu Xiang’s instructions and moved to the next step.

“Lady Huayang,” Xue said, “yesterday, the King dined at our home.”

Lady Huayang’s fingers tightened around the bedding, her expression flustered. “Did His Majesty… did he say anything about me?”

Xue did not answer the question directly and instead asked, “Lady Huayang, do you know which state I am from?”

Puzzled, Lady Huayang said, “Why do you ask, Lady Changping? I know you are from Zhao.”

Xue shook her head. “No, I am Qin.”

Lady Huayang was astonished. “You mean you’re a Qin native who moved to Zhao?”

Xue shook her head again. “No. I was originally from Zhao, but now I am a citizen of Qin. My husband is Lord Changping of Qin, and I am the wife of Lord Changping of Qin. Just as you, Lady Huayang, are the wife of the Crown Prince of Qin.”

She calmly met Lady Huayang’s eyes and said, “Lady Huayang, you should understand—among the Seven Warring States, any state with sufficient strength harbors ambitions of unifying the realm. Qin has already begun the process of conquering the other six. Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he will do the same.”

“I… I do understand,” Lady Huayang replied, a chill creeping up her spine as she looked into Xue’s emotionless face and fathomless eyes. “But what does Lady Changping mean by this?”

Xue closed the food box and said, “My husband respects you because you are the mother of Prince Zichu. But as a loyal subject of Qin, he wishes to offer you one piece of advice—whether it is the current King of Qin or the future one, they will only value Qin people. You, Lady Huayang, are the future Empress of Qin. Your family are Qin nobles and will share in Qin’s glory and fortune.”

Still locking eyes with Lady Huayang, Xue continued in an even more indifferent tone: “Lady Huayang, our honor and disgrace are tied to Qin. No matter how good Chu or Han might seem, what can they truly give us? If one cannot understand this point, then on Qin’s road to unification, we will all suffer greatly.”

She paused for a moment and then gave a bitter smile. “When my husband left for Qin, the people of Zhao saw him off over a thousand miles. They wore through their straw sandals, and their feet bled. But now my husband is a Qin man. If Qin were to destroy Zhao, he would still have to offer his strategies in service to Qin.”

Lady Huayang looked at the tears welling in Xue’s eyes and felt a pang of emotion.

She wondered—were these Lord Changping’s thoughts, or had the King of Qin, who visited their home the day before, asked Lady Changping to pass on this message?

“Qin intends to destroy Zhao…” Lady Huayang murmured.

“And Chu as well,” Xue sighed.

And Han too, Lady Xia thought silently.

Xue looked up, and her gaze met Lady Xia’s.

Lady Xia hurriedly averted her eyes, flustered. She hadn’t done anything… or rather, hadn’t had the chance to do anything yet. Had the King also sent Lady Changping to warn her?

Seeing the terrified expressions on the Crown Prince’s two consorts, Xue recalled her husband’s instructions:

“His Majesty’s prestige is overwhelming—even the Crown Prince trembles before him, let alone his wives and concubines. First help them relax. Then, mention that the King was at our residence. Once you reprimand them afterward, they’ll listen. This is called ‘borrowing the tiger’s might.’

His Majesty has forced Chu to relocate its capital twice and annexed large tracts of Han territory. If Lady Huayang and Lady Xia still have familial ties to those states, they’re surely uneasy deep down. Stir the fear they dare not voice aloud, and they won’t dare stay close to those foreign relatives any longer.”

At the time, her husband had sighed deeply and shaken his head: “The Crown Prince is wise and clear-headed. When he was still Prince Anguo, he deliberately chose wives with weak family backgrounds and docile, innocent temperaments. Such wives are easily manipulated—by both their natal families and their husband’s household. Whichever side applies more pressure, they’ll lean toward it. Sigh.”

Xue had been confused then. Why did his tone carry a hint of pity?

But now, seeing Lady Huayang and Lady Xia trembling, she understood.

She had no emotional ties to Zhao. But her husband had elders and friends in Zhao—and many who would willingly die for him. Was his pity for Lady Huayang and Lady Xia? Or was he lamenting his own fate?

These thoughts stirred Xue’s heart, and tears welled up and spilled from her eyes.

Seeing Xue’s sorrowful face, Lady Huayang’s voice trembled: “Did His Majesty send you to warn me?”

With tears streaming down her face, Xue replied, “No… he wouldn’t trouble himself over us. It was my husband who asked me to remind you.”

“I see… That makes sense.” Lady Huayang lay back against her jade pillow, truly feeling unwell now.

The three women quietly wept in the room, until a maid silently slipped out and delivered the report to the Crown Prince.

Crown Prince Zhu turned to Lu Buwei and said, “Lord Changping is a Qin man. And you—what state are you from?”

Lu Buwei bowed low and replied, “Naturally, I am also of Qin!”

The Crown Prince tapped the table twice with his fingers and gave a cold snort. “I’ll provide you a letter of introduction. In a few days, you may pay your respects to Lord Changping. He is still mourning the passing of Lord Lin and is not in the mood to see you.”

Lu Buwei let out a breath of relief. “Many thanks, Your Highness!”

“You may go.” Crown Prince Zhu waved his sleeve to dismiss him, sneering inwardly. As expected of a merchant—when they start taking losses, they suddenly become very shrewd.