#Did the Prince Plot a Rebellion Today? No, He's Working Today#
After a palace coup, a new emperor ascended the throne.
Prince Yu Xie Xi, once the most favored by all sides and the likeliest to inherit the throne, was banished to the common folk by his little brother, who had just become emperor.
The new emperor assigned Xiao Hong, a royal spy, to secretly keep an eye on Xie Xi.
"Keep a close watch on him. If he's still coveting my throne and my empire, kill him on the spot!"
Spy Xiao Hong accepted her orders, packed her things, and moved in next door to the prince, beginning her life of undercover surveillance.
Did the prince plot a rebellion today? No, today he was teaching.
He was teaching a book called What Book. After class, he collected two taels of silver in wages, picked up a block of tofu on the way home, and had pan-fried tofu with rice.
Xiao Hong wrote in her surveillance log: The prince behaved himself today and made no plans to rebel. If anything unusual happens tomorrow, kill him then.
Did the prince plot a rebellion today? No, today he was performing for a living.
He played the qin, working as a musician in a brothel and accompanying the dancers. One of the dancers gave him a sachet during his shift. On his way home, he made beggar's chicken. "You up there on the beam, hungry? Come down and eat with me."
Xiao Hong's surveillance log: The prince invited me to dinner today. He made no plans to rebel. If anything unusual happens tomorrow, kill him then.
What about today? Did the prince plot a rebellion? No, today he was running a stall.
He was selling jewelry he'd made in his spare time. He sold eight hundred copper coins' worth over the course of the day. On his way home at dusk, he bought two fish. He passed one of the bigger ones to his neighbor and kept the smaller one for himself.
Xiao Hong's surveillance log: I don't know how to cook this fish. Tomorrow I'll ask Xie Xi to make sweet and sour fish for me. I'll let him live until then.
Xiao Hong noticed that Xie Xi had been unusually stingy lately, apparently saving the money he earned from his jobs.
Spy Hong immediately grew alert. "Why are you saving money? Could it be... you're plotting treason!"
Xie Xi shook his head. "I'm not plotting treason. I'm saving up to marry you."
Reader's Guide
1. The heroine's real name isn't Xiao Hong.
2. This is just a goofy comedy set in a fictional world. Whatever I write goes, so don't argue with me.
[Rough blurb written on June 17, 2021; unfinished blurb written on November 5, 2021; final revision on January 3, 2022]
Theme: Workers have worker spirit. Working hard makes you one of the best!
