75 Well Done (1/2)

Inside the Lan Xuan Attic of Heavenly Residence.

Liu Li finished the three cold drinks at once and sighed with satisfaction.

The prince, still taking his time in tasting his, smiled at her. ”If you like the cold drinks so much, why don't you get this chef to work in the Imperial kitchen? That way you can have him make whatever you want, whenever you want.”

The cold drink really was special and delicious. It would be popular in the palace.

Liu Li's big eyes gleamed with mischief. ”That's a good idea! Get him inside the palace, so that I can torture him anytime. Ha!”

She wanted to teach Li Yao a lesson. He could not just disrespect and humiliate her without any consequence. She had to admit, though, that the cold drinks were really tasty and the palace's master chef wasn't even able to make something like it. His skills would justify her bringing him to the palace under her control. She could turn him into a plaything whenever she's unhappy. That would teach Li Yao to bow at her feet.

Liu Li spirits lifted the more she thought about this.

After a short while, the dishes started to come up.

Little Lu announced the dishes' names as he presented them.

”Mandarin duck snow roll…”

”Iron plate mushroom…”

”Eel slices with oyster sauce…”

”Lotus leaves yellow thorn fish…”

”Please have them slowly, sirs. There are a few more dishes coming up.”

The prince carefully looked at the deliciously smelling dishes in front of them, folding his paper fan.

They looked as delicate as the emperor's food, the decorations and placements artfully and beautifully arranged. The carving design was especially amazing and life-like. The overall look of the dishes was doing wonders to his appetite.

Liu Li picked a flower made of carrots and cradled it in her palm. She said admiringly, ”This is so beautiful, what is it made of?”

Little Lu answered, ”It is made of purple carrots, sir. Our head chef is really good at carving. He could carve anything and everything flying in the sky and running on the ground. He could even carve flowers with tofu!”

Liu Li's mouth set into a straight line when she heard that this was done by Li Yao. She threw the carrot back to the plate and scoffed, ”It's mediocre. Compared with the emperor's...”

The prince coughed twice, warning Liu Li.

Little Lu worked not to scowl. This brat was so amazed just a moment ago, but when he heard that it was made by Li Yao, she immediately changed her mind? Really? What kind of person does that?

Little Lu came back to the kitchen. Ye Jiayao immediately asked, ”How was it?”

Little Lu told the truth, acting out Liu Li's despicable expressions.

Ye Jiayao sighed, her heart heavy. That spoiled princess was not budging. She said, ”You take this to him and say that it's compliments from the chef.”

Inside the room, Liu Li was talking shit about the dishes as she enjoyed them.

The prince laughed at how ridiculous she was being. ”Well, since his dishes are so terrible, you can't hire him to the palace.”

Liu Li shook her head. ”Hiring him to the palace has nothing to do with his skills. I want to hire him to make it easier for me to torture him.”

The prince nearly choked on his food at the word 'torture'.

”Liu Li, I think you shouldn't be too hard on him. He didn't know who you were. It's not right to punish him for something unintentional. Just let him apologize to you and let it go. Okay?” the prince said.

”No, no! He humiliated me - no one has ever done that. I'm not going to just forgive him that easily,” Liu Li said, pouting.

The prince couldn't help but smile.

The waiter brought up a soup made by half of a papaya and set it down in front of Liu Li. ”Sir, this papaya braised snow clams was given to you by our head chef. We haven't put this on the menu yet, so you'd be the first one to try it.”

The prince asked in confusion, ”Why don't I get one?”

Little Lu responded, ”Sir, our head chef said that this is only effective for the young. It will have a counter effect on you. Our head chef is doing another special dish and it will come up soon.”

The prince still didn't understand why it was only effective to Liu Li.

Liu Li's face turned a bit red. Is it because the dish is made for women and he knew that she was really a girl?

Did Li Yao make this as a token of his apology? Hmph. Her forgiveness wouldn't be bought with just a cheap dessert. Liu Li wanted to tell the waiter to take it down and throw it away, but the carved papaya and the sparkling, crystal-clear snow clams were too tempting.

Whatever. I'll try it first and if they taste bad, I will throw it away.

She ate a spoonful and was immediately impressed by the sweet taste. The clams had the fragrance of papaya and it melted decadently in her mouth.

Delicious!

In fact, it was too delicious that it made her angry. She was a princess who lived in a magnificent palace and ate the most delicate food in the world, but she has never tasted anything as good as this. It felt like other civilians have better gourmet's luck than her.

Little Lu looked at the young man with barely concealed anticipation and carefully reminded, ”Sir, that papaya is also edible.”