Ji Ling Xue and Xiao Yi Chen looked at each other, Xiao Yi Chen asked the carriage driver, "What happened outside?"
The carriage driver said: "General Ding returned to the capital, the people are standing around watching him and blocking the road."
Ji Ling Xue raised an eyebrow, she didn't think Ding Si Fang would so quickly settle the matter at the northwest border.
Xiao Yi Chen said: "General Ding's younger sister was the one who was conferred the title of zhaoyi a few days ago, she suddenly fell ill two days ago, she was so ill she couldn't get up, the emperor gave the order for general Ding to return to the capital."
Ji Ling Xue gave an oh, seeing the over scheming empress this morning, she knew the palace wouldn't be peaceful, no wonder Yi Yun would rather enter the prince's residence as a concubine than enter the palace, after all there weren't many mistress's of the house like her around.
Ji Ling Xue raised the carriage curtain and got off, the sun was shining brightly, she stood on the carriage shaft higher than the crowd, the range of her sight was unfettered, she saw Ding Si Fang go past her on horseback, Ding Si Fang looked grave, probably worried about his only sister.
Maybe Ji Ling Xue's gaze was too hot, Ding Si Fang turned to look in her direction.
Ding Si Fang frowned, he felt like he recognised Ji Ling Xue, he seemed to have seen her from somewhere, but couldn't think of where in the moment, he still smiled in her direction, considered to be a greeting.
Seeing behind Ji Ling Xue was prince Chen's carriage, he frowned again, could it be a maid from the prince's residence?
Xiao Yi Chen didn't step out of the carriage because of his status, he could hear the movement outside, the sound of horse hooves gradually got further away, the people watching also gradually left, Xiao Yi Chen said: "The person has already left, princess you still won't come in?"
Ji Ling Xue returned to the carriage, the carriage continued forward, they didn't speak until they returned to the gates of the prince's residence.
Xiao Yi Chen said: "Princess, this prince is busy over this time, if there's nothing don't leave the residence, stay inside it's a lot safer."
He was only worried imperial uncle would be not be reconciled, finding an opportunity to retaliate against Ji Ling Xue, Ji Ling Xue was currently his soft spot.
Ji Ling Xue nodded, indicating before An Ge recovers, she won't go running about.
When they returned to the prince's residence, Ji Ling Xue asked the housekeeper to bring the chefs in the kitchen out for her to see.
There were three great chefs in the residence, each had their own advantages, one was an expert in pastries, one was good at cooking, one was good at soup.
The old housekeeper respectfully stood in front of Ji Ling Xue asking: "Princess, are you dissatisfied with the food in the residence?" Why else would she gather the chefs in the residence for no reason.
Ji Ling Xue smiled shaking her head: "Housekeeper, it's not what you think, I only have a question to ask for their guidance, I'm not dissatisfied."
The old housekeeper nodded, thinking about it he said: "The chef who came this morning, prince asked this old servant to check on him, I felt his cooking skills weren't bad, so I took the initiative to keep him, I wonder if princess wants to interview him."
Ji Ling Xue nodded, "Yes."
She didn't think the scholar chef from this morning was still in the residence, not long after four chefs stood in front of Ji Ling Xue respectfully bowing at Ji Ling Xue, Ji Ling Xue waved her hand: "No need for the curtesy, I asked you here today to test a new dish this princess's maid developed, you are experts, critique it, let her improve it."
The four chefs looked at each other in dismay, each of them nodding, Ji Ling Xue's gaze fell on the scholar in green at the end, of course it was someone she noticed.
The scholar in green also raised his head to look at Ji Ling Xue, he was very surprised, surprisingly it was the miss who he shared a table with, so she was princess Chen, he really was fortunate, green smoke coming from his ancestral tomb.
Ji Ling Xue laughed, Mo Xiang brought a plate of food over, letting them take turns to try and say what was wrong with the dish.
The first to try it was the chef who was the most experienced in the residence, Mo Xiang brought over a plate of Buddha jumps over the wall, abalone, sea cucumber, tripe and ten more ingredients, as well as a carefully concocted unique soup simmered over a small flame.
After the dish was finished, it was soft and tender, a rich fragrant, not greasy at all, more than tasty.
The head chef nodded his head endlessly, "The soup is rich but not greasy, the blend of wine and other aromas covers all the tastes, soft yet not mushy, it's delicious."
Ji Ling Xue shook her head, she didn't want to hear praises she wanted to hear deficiencies, the other two chefs also praised over and over, very soon it was the scholar in green, he picked up sea cucumber with chopsticks, then took a piece of pig trotters, afterwards he took a sip of soup with a spoon.
When they thought he was going to finish the entire plate, he put down his chopsticks, he cupped his hands and said to Ji Ling Xue: "Buddha jumps over the wall has been combined with more than ten ingredients, each have their own taste, each characteristic have been maintained, but there's an order to putting them into the pot, the consistency and texture would be different, I feel this Buddha jumps over the wall is very good, but having so many ingredients is a lot of effort, it would be quite hard to distinguish oneself if they entered the cooking competition."
Ji Ling Xue smiled when she heard this, she raised her hand asking: "Why do you say that?"
He actually guessed her intentions, he really was a clever person, it seems a bookworm wasn't necessarily foolish.
The scholar in green continued to say: "Chefs have flocked together for the cooking competition, coming from all parts of the country, each would make authentic local specialities, this Buddha jumps over the wall is a speciality of Fujian?"
Ji Ling Xue nodded, his analysis was correct, "Then what's your suggestion, why don't you tell me?"
The scholar in green cupped his hands: "So-called, everything has its advantages and disadvantages, all living things have something they can rely on to survive, at the same time they must have a disadvantage. Attack others' shortcomings with one's own strength, that's how you'll win."
The three other chefs looked at the scholar in green with a strange expression, they felt princess's Buddha jumps over the wall was great, it would do good at the competition, but this scholar was so nit-picky, and spoke so much.
The scholar was a scholar, he had turned foolish from reading, that's why he spoke not caring that princess would chase you out of the residence out of anger.
Not only did Ji Ling Xue not get angry, she even asked the scholar in green to stay and asked him some questions before asking the scholar to make his speciality dish.
A quarter of an hour later, a plate of poached eggs was in front of Ji Ling Xue, scorched on the outside delicate on the inside, emitting a faint aroma.
JI Ling Xue raised her head towards the scholar, "Your speciality dish?"
So the housekeeper didn't keep him here for his cooking abilities, he only pitied him, when he was explaining things just now he seemed to understanding cooking very well, but he was only a strategies who was all talk.
The scholar smiled: "Poached egg is indeed a simple dish, but heat control is crucial, if the heat is too high the egg will be burnt."
Ji Ling Xue said: "Your speciality dish has surprised this princess a lot!"
The scholar smiled: "Princess is mocking me, even though my skills aren't as great as the chefs in the residence, I am honest."
Ji Ling Xue waved her hand, "You're planning to participate in the civil service examination after the new years, and this year's rare cooking competition, you have nowhere to go, so you decided to enter the residence as a chef to solve the issue of food and shelter."
The scholar cupped his hands "Princess is clever."
At night, Mo Xiang said to Ji Ling Xue who was sitting by the window basking in moonlight: "Princess, I thought about what the scholar said, your Buddha jumps over the wall was very tasty, you're really not going to use it to participate the cooking competition?"
Ji Ling Xue looked up at the moon: "Even though the prince hasn't told me anything about the cooking competition, I guess at the competition we would need a lot of ingredients, Buddha jumps over the wall would take a lot of ingredients and time, forget about it, everything will naturally take its course."
Mo Xiang: "..."
In a flash it was the day of the cooking competition, the military ground outside of the city was surrounded by cloth, surrounding it was independent booths, selling all kinds of snacks and tea, wok spatulas across woks, there were even people selling high price seats at the entrance of the military ground.
On the other side was a notice with the name of all the competitors, here betting was taking place, the highest wagers were of course on the imperial uncle's Deqing restaurant and Xiao Yi Chen's Wangshan restaurant, some of the old customers of Qingfengyashe also placed bets on Qingfengyashe.
Others ridiculed: "Someone would bet on Qingfengyashe, such idiots, they've been closed for how long, yet they still came to participate?"
The people mocked for a while, hehe haha they began to talk of other things as they waited for the competitors and staff to enter the venue.
Very soon imperial uncle came in with the head chef of Deqing restaurant, that eye-catching carriage, made everyone look at it in curiosity.
"Imperial uncle has arrived, Deqing restaurant's head chef was paid a lot of money by imperial uncle to come from Jiangnan, ever since princess Chen smashed up Deqing restaurant, imperial uncle renovated it, it's even more impressive than before."
"Why did princess Chen smash up imperial uncle's Deqing restaurant?"
"You don't even know this, you must be from elsewhere, isn't it because Deqing restaurant was doing too well..."
"That's not it, I heard princess Chen went to eat at Deqing restaurant, the dish had a fly, so she smashed up the restaurant in anger..."
At this moment the sound of horse hooves were heard, the people who were chatting happily just now immediately shut up, raising their head to see, they saw prince Chen arrive on a steed alongside a delicate and pretty youth.
Ji Ming Yang sat on horseback looking at the three tiered military ground and the people standing around whispering to each other, he gave a wa: "Wa, so many people, those without seats are even standing on the outskirt to watch the competition, yi there's even a place to bet, zeze...prince, why isn't my older sister coming to watch, doesn't she like to cook?"
Xiao Yi Chen said: "Xue Er said she has a headache, she won't come today, if you miss your older sister you can visit the prince's residence."
Xiao Yi Chen turned his head to look to his side, Ji Ming Yang had already leapt off the horse, like a wisp of smoke he had gotten to the front of the crowd of people betting.
Seeing the over excited JI Ming Yang who wanted to get in the fun, Xiao Yi Chen shook his head and got off the horse, handing the horse to an attendant he continued to walk forward, at the entrance of the military ground he came across Ding Si Fang.
Ding Si Fang wasn't wearing armour today, he wore a deep green relaxed long robe, his hair up high, an air of righteousness.
Xiao Yi Chen smiled: "General Ding, I trust you have been well since we last met."
Ding Si Fang laughed: "Not having seen prince Chen for some time, you're as suave as before, everyone in the capital praises prince adores his wife, solves cases like a god, getting rid of a lot of the emperor's troubles."
Xiao Yi Chen smiled: "This is all what this prince should do, it's not worth mentioning, General Ding please enter..." As he spoke he made a please gesture.
Ding Si Fang nodded, glancing at Xiao Yi Chen behind him, "Why didn't prince bring a maid today?"
Xiao Yi Chen was startled, not understanding what Ding Si Fang meant, when did he ever bring a maid with him?
Ji Ling Xue and Xiao Yi Chen looked at each other, Xiao Yi Chen asked the carriage driver, "What happened outside?"
The carriage driver said: "General Ding returned to the capital, the people are standing around watching him and blocking the road."
Ji Ling Xue raised an eyebrow, she didn't think Ding Si Fang would so quickly settle the matter at the northwest border.
Xiao Yi Chen said: "General Ding's younger sister was the one who was conferred the title of zhaoyi a few days ago, she suddenly fell ill two days ago, she was so ill she couldn't get up, the emperor gave the order for general Ding to return to the capital."
Ji Ling Xue gave an oh, seeing the over scheming empress this morning, she knew the palace wouldn't be peaceful, no wonder Yi Yun would rather enter the prince's residence as a concubine than enter the palace, after all there weren't many mistress's of the house like her around.
Ji Ling Xue raised the carriage curtain and got off, the sun was shining brightly, she stood on the carriage shaft higher than the crowd, the range of her sight was unfettered, she saw Ding Si Fang go past her on horseback, Ding Si Fang looked grave, probably worried about his only sister.
Maybe Ji Ling Xue's gaze was too hot, Ding Si Fang turned to look in her direction.
Ding Si Fang frowned, he felt like he recognised Ji Ling Xue, he seemed to have seen her from somewhere, but couldn't think of where in the moment, he still smiled in her direction, considered to be a greeting.
Seeing behind Ji Ling Xue was prince Chen's carriage, he frowned again, could it be a maid from the prince's residence?
Xiao Yi Chen didn't step out of the carriage because of his status, he could hear the movement outside, the sound of horse hooves gradually got further away, the people watching also gradually left, Xiao Yi Chen said: "The person has already left, princess you still won't come in?"
Ji Ling Xue returned to the carriage, the carriage continued forward, they didn't speak until they returned to the gates of the prince's residence.
Xiao Yi Chen said: "Princess, this prince is busy over this time, if there's nothing don't leave the residence, stay inside it's a lot safer."
He was only worried imperial uncle would be not be reconciled, finding an opportunity to retaliate against Ji Ling Xue, Ji Ling Xue was currently his soft spot.
Ji Ling Xue nodded, indicating before An Ge recovers, she won't go running about.
When they returned to the prince's residence, Ji Ling Xue asked the housekeeper to bring the chefs in the kitchen out for her to see.
There were three great chefs in the residence, each had their own advantages, one was an expert in pastries, one was good at cooking, one was good at soup.
The old housekeeper respectfully stood in front of Ji Ling Xue asking: "Princess, are you dissatisfied with the food in the residence?" Why else would she gather the chefs in the residence for no reason.
Ji Ling Xue smiled shaking her head: "Housekeeper, it's not what you think, I only have a question to ask for their guidance, I'm not dissatisfied."
The old housekeeper nodded, thinking about it he said: "The chef who came this morning, prince asked this old servant to check on him, I felt his cooking skills weren't bad, so I took the initiative to keep him, I wonder if princess wants to interview him."
Ji Ling Xue nodded, "Yes."
She didn't think the scholar chef from this morning was still in the residence, not long after four chefs stood in front of Ji Ling Xue respectfully bowing at Ji Ling Xue, Ji Ling Xue waved her hand: "No need for the curtesy, I asked you here today to test a new dish this princess's maid developed, you are experts, critique it, let her improve it."
The four chefs looked at each other in dismay, each of them nodding, Ji Ling Xue's gaze fell on the scholar in green at the end, of course it was someone she noticed.
The scholar in green also raised his head to look at Ji Ling Xue, he was very surprised, surprisingly it was the miss who he shared a table with, so she was princess Chen, he really was fortunate, green smoke coming from his ancestral tomb.
Ji Ling Xue laughed, Mo Xiang brought a plate of food over, letting them take turns to try and say what was wrong with the dish.
The first to try it was the chef who was the most experienced in the residence, Mo Xiang brought over a plate of Buddha jumps over the wall, abalone, sea cucumber, tripe and ten more ingredients, as well as a carefully concocted unique soup simmered over a small flame.
After the dish was finished, it was soft and tender, a rich fragrant, not greasy at all, more than tasty.
The head chef nodded his head endlessly, "The soup is rich but not greasy, the blend of wine and other aromas covers all the tastes, soft yet not mushy, it's delicious."
Ji Ling Xue shook her head, she didn't want to hear praises she wanted to hear deficiencies, the other two chefs also praised over and over, very soon it was the scholar in green, he picked up sea cucumber with chopsticks, then took a piece of pig trotters, afterwards he took a sip of soup with a spoon.
When they thought he was going to finish the entire plate, he put down his chopsticks, he cupped his hands and said to Ji Ling Xue: "Buddha jumps over the wall has been combined with more than ten ingredients, each have their own taste, each characteristic have been maintained, but there's an order to putting them into the pot, the consistency and texture would be different, I feel this Buddha jumps over the wall is very good, but having so many ingredients is a lot of effort, it would be quite hard to distinguish oneself if they entered the cooking competition."
Ji Ling Xue smiled when she heard this, she raised her hand asking: "Why do you say that?"
He actually guessed her intentions, he really was a clever person, it seems a bookworm wasn't necessarily foolish.
The scholar in green continued to say: "Chefs have flocked together for the cooking competition, coming from all parts of the country, each would make authentic local specialities, this Buddha jumps over the wall is a speciality of Fujian?"
Ji Ling Xue nodded, his analysis was correct, "Then what's your suggestion, why don't you tell me?"
The scholar in green cupped his hands: "So-called, everything has its advantages and disadvantages, all living things have something they can rely on to survive, at the same time they must have a disadvantage. Attack others' shortcomings with one's own strength, that's how you'll win."
The three other chefs looked at the scholar in green with a strange expression, they felt princess's Buddha jumps over the wall was great, it would do good at the competition, but this scholar was so nit-picky, and spoke so much.
The scholar was a scholar, he had turned foolish from reading, that's why he spoke not caring that princess would chase you out of the residence out of anger.
Not only did Ji Ling Xue not get angry, she even asked the scholar in green to stay and asked him some questions before asking the scholar to make his speciality dish.
A quarter of an hour later, a plate of poached eggs was in front of Ji Ling Xue, scorched on the outside delicate on the inside, emitting a faint aroma.
JI Ling Xue raised her head towards the scholar, "Your speciality dish?"
So the housekeeper didn't keep him here for his cooking abilities, he only pitied him, when he was explaining things just now he seemed to understanding cooking very well, but he was only a strategies who was all talk.
The scholar smiled: "Poached egg is indeed a simple dish, but heat control is crucial, if the heat is too high the egg will be burnt."
Ji Ling Xue said: "Your speciality dish has surprised this princess a lot!"
The scholar smiled: "Princess is mocking me, even though my skills aren't as great as the chefs in the residence, I am honest."
Ji Ling Xue waved her hand, "You're planning to participate in the civil service examination after the new years, and this year's rare cooking competition, you have nowhere to go, so you decided to enter the residence as a chef to solve the issue of food and shelter."
The scholar cupped his hands "Princess is clever."
At night, Mo Xiang said to Ji Ling Xue who was sitting by the window basking in moonlight: "Princess, I thought about what the scholar said, your Buddha jumps over the wall was very tasty, you're really not going to use it to participate the cooking competition?"
Ji Ling Xue looked up at the moon: "Even though the prince hasn't told me anything about the cooking competition, I guess at the competition we would need a lot of ingredients, Buddha jumps over the wall would take a lot of ingredients and time, forget about it, everything will naturally take its course."
Mo Xiang: "..."
In a flash it was the day of the cooking competition, the military ground outside of the city was surrounded by cloth, surrounding it was independent booths, selling all kinds of snacks and tea, wok spatulas across woks, there were even people selling high price seats at the entrance of the military ground.
On the other side was a notice with the name of all the competitors, here betting was taking place, the highest wagers were of course on the imperial uncle's Deqing restaurant and Xiao Yi Chen's Wangshan restaurant, some of the old customers of Qingfengyashe also placed bets on Qingfengyashe.
Others ridiculed: "Someone would bet on Qingfengyashe, such idiots, they've been closed for how long, yet they still came to participate?"
The people mocked for a while, hehe haha they began to talk of other things as they waited for the competitors and staff to enter the venue.
Very soon imperial uncle came in with the head chef of Deqing restaurant, that eye-catching carriage, made everyone look at it in curiosity.
"Imperial uncle has arrived, Deqing restaurant's head chef was paid a lot of money by imperial uncle to come from Jiangnan, ever since princess Chen smashed up Deqing restaurant, imperial uncle renovated it, it's even more impressive than before."
"Why did princess Chen smash up imperial uncle's Deqing restaurant?"
"You don't even know this, you must be from elsewhere, isn't it because Deqing restaurant was doing too well..."
"That's not it, I heard princess Chen went to eat at Deqing restaurant, the dish had a fly, so she smashed up the restaurant in anger..."
At this moment the sound of horse hooves were heard, the people who were chatting happily just now immediately shut up, raising their head to see, they saw prince Chen arrive on a steed alongside a delicate and pretty youth.
Ji Ming Yang sat on horseback looking at the three tiered military ground and the people standing around whispering to each other, he gave a wa: "Wa, so many people, those without seats are even standing on the outskirt to watch the competition, yi there's even a place to bet, zeze...prince, why isn't my older sister coming to watch, doesn't she like to cook?"
Xiao Yi Chen said: "Xue Er said she has a headache, she won't come today, if you miss your older sister you can visit the prince's residence."
Xiao Yi Chen turned his head to look to his side, Ji Ming Yang had already leapt off the horse, like a wisp of smoke he had gotten to the front of the crowd of people betting.
Seeing the over excited JI Ming Yang who wanted to get in the fun, Xiao Yi Chen shook his head and got off the horse, handing the horse to an attendant he continued to walk forward, at the entrance of the military ground he came across Ding Si Fang.
Ding Si Fang wasn't wearing armour today, he wore a deep green relaxed long robe, his hair up high, an air of righteousness.
Xiao Yi Chen smiled: "General Ding, I trust you have been well since we last met."
Ding Si Fang laughed: "Not having seen prince Chen for some time, you're as suave as before, everyone in the capital praises prince adores his wife, solves cases like a god, getting rid of a lot of the emperor's troubles."
Xiao Yi Chen smiled: "This is all what this prince should do, it's not worth mentioning, General Ding please enter..." As he spoke he made a please gesture.
Ding Si Fang nodded, glancing at Xiao Yi Chen behind him, "Why didn't prince bring a maid today?"
Xiao Yi Chen was startled, not understanding what Ding Si Fang meant, when did he ever bring a maid with him?
