Master Niu led Xiao Mo toward the stove.
The clatter of pots and pans, the hiss of oil, and the sizzle of cooking filled Xiao Mo's ears.
"Little human, do you have a name?" Master Niu asked.
"I do." Xiao Mo nodded. "My name is Xiao Mo. Xiao is the one with the grass radical, and Mo is ink."
Master Niu waved a hand. "You don't need to tell me all that. I can't read. I just need to know how to say it."
Xiao Mo: "."
"My name is Niu Dali. I'm strong, so they call me Dali. I'll only explain the rules here and the important rules of the manor once, so listen carefully."
Master Niu stood with his hooves behind his back and began.
"First! There are four head chefs in this kitchen, and I'm one of them."
"See those two stoves in the middle?"
"Those two stoves are only used to cook for two people: the mistress of Tushan Manor, and the young lady of Tushan Manor."
"Remember, you mustn't touch those two stoves—not even the cutting boards! If you get executed, don't blame me."
"As for the other stoves, they're used to cook for the servants. There aren't any particular rules about those."
"From now on, you'll chop wood, tend the fire, and help me out. If you're sharp, you might get the chance to take charge of the cooking someday and make meals for the servants. Then you could marry a human wife with big breasts and broad hips and have a few chubby sons. It's not impossible."
"If you're not sharp, you'll be chopping wood for the rest of your life. You won't even get to smell a woman's hair."
"And here in the Kitchen courtyard, you can eat anything the servants eat.