The Taster Who Caught the Regent's Poison novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: The Tasters' Stair

The Hu soldiers came in through the Hall gates at the fifth watch, in lamplight and good boots, with a captain in front.

They wore wolf badges.

They did not draw their swords, because they did not need to.

"For His Majesty's safety," the captain said, over and over, politely. "We are to escort His Majesty to the Hu residence."

Linyuan stood in the Emperor's bedroom door in his under-robe, with his needle behind his ear and his hair unbound.

The Regent was not there.

He had gone to the south gate with his guard to argue.

Behind Linyuan, Zhao Yunhe sat on the edge of his bed with his boots on the wrong feet.

"Taster," he whispered. "What do they want?"

"You."

"Why?"

"Because you can laugh now."

The boy's face went small.

Linyuan took his wrist.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Good. Don't talk."

Linyuan knew the palace the way a rat knows its walls, from the bottom up.

He pulled the boy out through the servants' door and down the back stair.

They crossed the frozen lower court and reached the Imperial Kitchens before the captain had finished reading out his order.

The kitchens were warm and dark and smelled of lard and smoke.

Master Gu stood by the great oven in his apron, with his sleeves rolled and a ladle in his scarred hand.

He looked at the Emperor in his boots and nightrobe, and then at Linyuan.

"Soldiers," he said.

"A hundred."

"Hu?"

"Yes."

Gu did not ask another question.

He put the ladle down, wiped his hands, and walked to the cold room at the back, where the winter meat hung.

Behind the last carcass was a low door of black wood.

He unbarred it with a key from his belt.

"The tasters' stair," Master Gu said. "It runs under the courtyard and comes out under the Audience Hall. Nobody has opened it in two years."

He stood with his hand on the wood for a moment, and Linyuan saw that his eyes were wet.

Linyuan did not ask.

"Down you go, Majesty," Gu said gruffly. "Mind the fourth step. And take a bun."

The boy took a bun.

Linyuan went down after him, and Master Gu barred the door behind them.

The stair was narrow and smelled of old stone and older cooking.

They crouched on the third step in the dark and ate, and the Emperor swallowed noisily.

"Linyuan," he whispered. "Will the Regent come?"

"He'll come."

"How do you know?"

"Because I'm in here," Linyuan said, and the boy gave a small, startled laugh.

Above them, boots crashed into the kitchen.

Linyuan put his ear to the black door and heard a voice say, "Search it."

The kitchen boys went quiet.

A Hu captain swaggered through the room in his wolf-badged coat, kicking at barrels.

When he reached the cold room, Master Gu was standing in front of the carcasses.

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