Chapter Thirty-Five: Tasting the Dishes

At this point, Liu Tan had found himself a new goal to strive for.

Just imagine—if in this lifetime he could reign over the world, gather great fortune, immense merit, and formidable power within himself, then centuries later, after his death and resurrection, he could sit before a television and watch countless professors and scholars discuss his glorious achievements. What an exhilarating moment that would be.

Now, a chest of gold ingots could serve as his first pot of gold in this world. With this initial wealth, there was so much he could accomplish—no longer would he be the coddled weakling hidden away in the deep recesses of the palace.

The other chest carried the hope of resurrection after dying of old age—compared to wealth and rank in this life, this hope was even more intoxicating.

Liu Tan grinned, truly delighted. Indeed, as the saying goes, a tree thrives when moved, and a man comes alive when he changes his circumstances. On his very first venture outside the palace, he had gained so much. The secret of these gold ingots could indeed be traded for the lives of the entire Shen clan.

He thus turned to the Shen clan and the old clan chief, saying, “To fulfill the clan chief’s wish, I hereby pardon your clan’s death sentence today. May your clan serve me well, that together we may accomplish great deeds and build an everlasting legacy!”

The old clan chief wiped away tears and replied, “The Shen clan obeys. From this moment on, the old family laws are set aside. There is only the solemn vow of loyalty to Your Majesty. All members of my clan shall devote themselves to Your Majesty’s service. Should we betray this oath, let us be doomed to eternal ruin.”

Having spoken, he stepped before Liu Tan and declared loudly, “The Shen clan bows! Long live His Majesty! Long live the Emperor!”

The whole Shen clan fell to their knees, their voices echoing with acclamations.

Liu Tan gave a slight shake of his armor and said calmly, “Rise.”

The old clan chief laughed and called out, “Come, slaughter an ox, butcher a sheep, and bring out the wine!” Then, turning to Liu Tan, he said, “Your Majesty, might you do us the honor of entering the manor and sharing a drink with my clan?”

Liu Tan smiled. “I would be delighted.”

Surrounded by the Shen clan and the imperial guards, with chests in tow, Liu Tan entered the manor.

Once inside, the entire Shen clan bustled about, and Liu Tan could see the joy of survival on their faces.

Except for that pair of mother and child—on the woman’s face, he caught a trace of sorrow.

Of course, no matter how he looked at it, he was the one who had killed her husband.

Yet, with the entire manor enveloped in an air of celebration, it was not the time for further bloodshed.

The old clan chief noticed Liu Tan’s gaze lingering on the mother and child. As he had considered this matter along the way, once they were all settled in the main hall, he ordered clan members to bring the mother and child in.

“Your Majesty, it was her husband who committed the gravest crime, rebelling against the throne. I leave their fate to Your Majesty’s judgment,” said the clan chief as he knelt.

Hearing this, the woman pulled her son to kneel as well. “Your Majesty, all that was my husband’s doing. My son and I truly knew nothing of it. I beg Your Majesty for mercy. We will forever be grateful if you spare our lives. Please, have pity!” She pressed her son’s head to the ground, bowing repeatedly.

Liu Tan touched his nose thoughtfully.

Pang Bo stood and said, “Your Majesty, as the saying goes, there are two great grudges in this world: the theft of a wife and the murder of a father. I see the child’s eyes filled with hatred. If you do not deal with him now, calamity may follow in the future!”

“Your Majesty, the boy is only eight years old—he cannot understand hatred!” pleaded the woman.

Lin Youzhi added, “Your Majesty, when you cut the weeds, you must also remove the roots.”

Wang Zhe said, “Your Majesty need not worry. You are the sovereign, ruler of the realm. One woman and one child are of little consequence. Kill them or spare them, as Your Majesty desires.”

Liu Tan nodded. “Enough. Today I am in good spirits—let us not add to the bloodshed. If you wish to stay here, you may. If you wish to leave, I will provide you with travel money. The world is vast—surely there is a place for you?”

The woman shook her head. “Though the world is wide, war and chaos reign everywhere. Where is there a haven for my son and me? Your Majesty, rest assured, I am not unreasonable. I know it was my husband who rebelled and sought your life—he deserved death a thousand times over. I bear Your Majesty no hatred and will raise my son to be loyal. He is but a child now, but perhaps one day he too can serve Your Majesty…”

Liu Tan nodded. “Let us hope so…”

At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps approached from outside. The Shen clan had finished preparing food and drink and brought them into the hall, arranging the dishes before Liu Tan and his companions.

When the attendants withdrew, only the woman remained standing in the hall. Her son had, at some point, quietly left with the others.

Still kneeling, she bowed and said, “Your Majesty, Clan Chief—Your Majesty’s status is most exalted. Before food or drink is taken, there must be someone to test it. Your Majesty, allow me to taste your meal first.”

At her words, Liu Tan suddenly recalled that in ancient times, before an emperor dined, eunuchs or palace maids would sample the food first, to guard against poisoning.

All his life he had known Liu Chan died of old age, and his mind had not yet fully entered this new reality, so he had overlooked this precaution. In truth, the danger was real, and poison in food could be hard to detect.

The old clan chief was shrewd. Indeed, there was no poison in the food, but an emperor’s suspicion could make things difficult. Now that the woman volunteered, it suited him perfectly. “It was my oversight, Your Majesty. Let her taste the food for you…”

Liu Tan nodded. “As you wish.”

The woman rose gracefully, found another set of chopsticks and a wine cup, and approached Liu Tan. She first poured wine for the emperor, then for herself, and drained her cup in one swallow.

After a moment, she said, “Your Majesty, it is safe to drink.”

Only then did Liu Tan raise his cup. “Let us drink together!”

Afterwards, with each new dish, the woman would taste it first, and only then would Liu Tan begin to eat.

She served him as though she had been his maid for years—pouring wine, serving food—with a practiced and harmonious manner.

Outside, dusk fell. Pang Bo rose and said, “Your Majesty, the three of us have drunk our fill and eaten our share. We are grateful for your kindness, and will await your orders outside. Should Your Majesty require anything, simply command us.”

Liu Tan nodded. Not everyone could get drunk—a single mishap and there would be no one to protect him.

Besides, he had private matters to discuss with the old clan chief, and he did not yet fully trust these three commanders of the imperial guard. Who knew if they had been planted by someone else?

After they left the hall, Liu Tan drank a few more cups with the old clan chief before asking, “Clan Chief, what is the general quality of your clan’s members?”

The old man replied, “Since the founding of our clan here, we established a school. The men of our family are not exceptionally talented, but all can read and write.”

Liu Tan nodded, feeling truly pleased. He had feared he would end up with a band of illiterates, good for nothing. In this ancient era, simply being literate was enough to be considered a scholar—this would do quite well.