"I'm going to listen to the teacher's lecture. I'll be back in two hours. Don't be lazy. I want the hot pot to be ready when I come back."
After Princess Shouning finished speaking, she ran out in a hurry. Several eunuchs and palace maids chased after her with pale faces. Li Yi sat on a stone bench in the courtyard with a gloomy expression on his face.
Anyone who was disturbed from a good dream would not be in a good mood to come here early in the morning just to cook.
The eunuch reminded him, "County Magistrate Li, this is the order of His Majesty. You can't neglect the princess."
"Alright, alright. I got it. You can go and do your own things." Li Yi waved his hand impatiently and said.
It was still early. He had two hours to find a place to catch up on sleep. As for cooking, he could do it in an hour.
"It's my duty to follow County Magistrate Li." The eunuch said with a smile.
The eunuch's voice was sharp and thin. It was neither a man nor a woman. It was quite uncomfortable to listen to it. His smile was gloomy. No wonder most of the eunuchs in literary works were not good people. With such good qualities, it would be a pity if he did not become a bad person.
"Then take me out for a walk." Li Yi did not plan to catch up on sleep. He had fallen asleep in the sedan and did not have the chance to see what the palace looked like. If he did not take a day trip to the palace, he would feel sorry for waking up so early.
The eunuch said with a fake smile, "I'm sorry, County Magistrate Li. You can't go anywhere except here."
The palace was not a vegetable market where anyone could stroll around. Without an identity card, he would be caught by the guards within two steps.
Well, he was disturbed from a good dream. Now he had no freedom and his stomach was empty. Perhaps the old emperor did not think of feeding him. His impression in Li Yi's heart suddenly became negative.
He got up from the stone bench and strode into a room with a fragrant smell.
The eunuch did not follow him in. He knew that the county magistrate was already very dissatisfied with him. He did not dare to get into trouble again.
He had been in the palace for more than a decade, but this was the first time he had seen His Majesty order a viscount around as a cook.
Thunder, rain, and dew were all grace from the heavens. Why didn't His Majesty find someone else, but chose this newly appointed county magistrate? This wasn't a punishment, but a grace.
Li Yi didn't think that being a cook for others was a grace. He was willing to cook for his own family. If being forced to cook was considered a grace, then who would want such a lousy grace?
Finding something to fill his stomach was what he should be doing right now.
On the table in the middle of the room, there were many bowls and plates, and the rich aroma was coming from there.
"Sir, you can't touch the things here. You can't touch them." Just as Li Yi was about to open one to take a look, a chubby man ran over and said while huffing and puffing.
"Who are you?" Li Yi glanced at him and asked.
"Lord Jue, this lowly official is still in charge of the food bureau." The man smiled apologetically.
The head chef of the food bureau was also the head chef of the Royal Restaurant. No wonder he was so fat. It seemed that he had made a lot of money over the years.
"Lord Jue, you can't touch this. This is the osmanthus cake that Consort Yan wants."
Speaking of osmanthus cake, Li Yi felt his mouth salivate. It had been a long time since he had eaten the osmanthus cake that Ruoqing made. He missed it very much …
Seeing this Lord Jue's hand reach down, the head chef's heart couldn't help but jump. He said, "Lord Jue, you can't touch it. You can't touch this either. This is for Consort Yan and will be sent over immediately."
The head chef's face was covered in a cold sweat. If he delayed Consort Yan's time, he wouldn't be able to withstand being chopped off even if he had ten heads.
Consort Yan couldn't be offended, and neither could Consort Yan. Li Yi was annoyed. He looked at the head chef and asked, "What do you have here that Consort Yan doesn't want? Quickly bring it over for me."
The head chef smiled bitterly and said, "No."
The food bureau was in charge of the meals in the palace. Only those consorts, princesses, and princes could enjoy this privilege. He was only a head chef. Without His Majesty's edict, how could he dare to let people eat here?
The higher-ups only said that Princess Shouning's meals were taken over by someone else. They were allowed to do as they pleased here, but no one told them how. He was only a small head chef. He couldn't afford to offend either side — how could he live like this?
Seeing that this Lord Jue was reaching for the next one, the head chef hurriedly said, "This is Princess Yongle's soup. Lord Jue, you mustn't."
"Princess Yongle's?" Li Yi was startled. He finally met someone he could afford to offend. He straightforwardly opened the lid and used a spoon to taste it. He nodded in satisfaction and said, "The taste isn't bad. I'll take this. You can make another portion for the princess."
Plop!
The head chef's legs softened and he fell to the ground. This kind of soup would take at least four hours. How could he make it in time to make it now?
Seeing that the head chef was frightened, Li Yi comforted him, "Don't worry. I'll talk to Her Highness. It's none of your business."
As expected of an imperial chef. His skill in cooking soup was probably on par with Li Yi's. Li Yi was hungry to begin with. Soon, a small bowl of soup was down his stomach.
"Head Chef Han, is the princess's white fungus and lotus seed soup ready?" A clear voice sounded. A maid dressed in palace attire walked in from outside.
"Yes." Li Yi wiped his mouth and replied. He pointed to the soup that was still more than half left.
"You, you …" The maid saw a small bowl and spoon with traces left. She suddenly widened her eyes and said angrily, "How dare you!"
The little maid gritted her teeth so hard that they were about to break. Her Highness had the habit of drinking a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup after practice every morning. This guy who came out of nowhere was really bold. He even dared to steal the princess's soup!
"It's just a bowl of soup. Do you have to do that? Your princess used to freeload from me many times. Just take it as returning the favor of that bowl of Egg-Fried Rice." Li Yi said indifferently.
When they were in Qing 'an Prefecture, a prince, a princess, and two members of the royal family, they had always been frequent customers of Ruyi Lane. Not only did they not care about the business, but they were always treated with good wine and delicious food. They would wipe their mouths and leave after eating. Her Highness was not so stingy as to drink a bowl of lotus seed soup from her.
"You, you wait for me!" The maid glared at Li Yi fiercely and left angrily.
The head chef got up from the ground, patted the dust off his body, and was ready to do his own business.
He could see that this was a matter between this Lord and Her Highness. As a small head chef, it was better for him not to intervene.
Ignoring the little maid who ran out, Li Yi picked up the spoon and filled a bowl for himself. Although the white fungus and lotus seed soup was delicious, the bowl in the palace was too small. After one bowl, it couldn't even fill the bottom …
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