Security Check

After Yun Dai got into the carriage, her discomfort reminded her of the terrible humiliation that had happened to her just now.

Yun Dai replayed the incident in her head again and again. She forced herself to remember that back view so that she would be able to recognize him immediately the next time she saw him.

From that man's back view and clothing, she realized that he must be a nobleman.

What a wolf in sheep's clothing...

She was never going to allow such a despicable, vulgar loser get away with assaulting her.

She sorted out her emotions, and, by the time the carriage came to a stop, she'd calmed down.

Her expression looked calm, but her gaze remained icy.

"Miss Yun, we're here," came a rather sharp voice from outside the carriage.

Yun Dai snapped out of her daze, used her sleeve to wipe away the tearstains on her cheeks, opened the carriage door, and hopped out.

When she looked up to see where she was, she froze for a moment.

She looked up to see a palace that was built with yellow tiles and red bricks, with a large plaque reading Palace of Heavenly Grace.

Yun Dai recalled what the servant had said before she'd left.

At that time, she had been filled with so much shame and fury that she hadn't really taken note of exactly what the servant had been saying.

She only realized now that she was literally going to enter the palace.

Did that mean that the person who'd enjoyed her braised meat and liked her cooking skills was a noble from the palace?

Since this person had dined with a group of other young aristocratic men, he was probably a young man himself too.

That meant he was probably one of the princes.

After having lived here for a few months, Yun Dai had a much better understanding of the current political situation in the capital city.

The current emperor was now past 50, with five sons and three daughters.

The eldest prince was married and lived in a separate manor, while the eldest princess was also married and had moved out of the palace. The remaining princes and princesses continued to live in the palace.

Yun Dai felt rather puzzled. It wasn't strange for rich people to exchange kitchen help, but how could the palace simply allow anyone to enter?

Besides, the royal kitchen wasn't a place where just anyone could enter either.

Yun Dai felt that all of this seemed a little off, so she started to get nervous and wanted to back out.

"Come on, move along," said the same sharp voice from before

Yun Dai looked at him and finally noticed that he was dressed as a key servant of the royal palace.

No wonder his voice was weird.

He turned out to be a eunuch.

Yun Dai hesitated for a moment, but since it was impossible for her to get out of this situation now, she had to follow him inside.

She had signed a contract with the Chen family, so even though she hadn't sold herself to them, if she dared to run away, then not only would the merchant who'd brokered the deal be in trouble, but both Auntie Pan's family and Yan'er would be implicated.

Since she wasn't all by herself in this world, she couldn't only think of herself.

Yun Dai lowered her eyes and walked into the Palace of Heavenly Grace with the eunuch. Suddenly she realized that she hadn't taken her belongings with her, and all she had were the clothes she was wearing and the two coins that the Chen family had paid her for her work.

There were guards at the gate.

The eunuch showed them the tag he wore at his waist to identify himself. The guards looked Yun Dai up and down, then let both of them in.

Yun Dai was still finding it strange that the gates to the palace seemed to be so lax in security, but then she realized that the real security check was waiting for her farther inside.

The eunuch passed her to two older maids and said, "This is the new kitchen helper that the Eldest Young Master from the Chen family at Wutong Street is giving to His Highness, please help to check her carefully."

The two maids took Yun Dai to a smaller room. They had cold expressions on their faces as they told her to take all her clothes off.

"I'm going to work in the kitchen, so why do I have to take off all my clothes for a check?" Yun Dai frowned. She wasn't here to sleep with the prince, so why did she need to be stripped for a check?

The maids scoffed. "Do you think just anyone can work in the small kitchen and prepare food for the crown prince? If you have even one scar or one sore on your body, you won't do."

Yun Dai was slightly surprised. "This is the East Palace?"

The East Palace wasn't the name of a palace building, but it referred to the residence of the crown prince.

The maids weren't bothered by her surprise and said, "Even though you have been sent here by the Chen family, it's still our duty to check you. Take off your clothes. If you don't take your own clothes off, we'll have no choice but to call someone else in to help you with it."