Chapter 197 The Law of "It's So Good!"
Huo Lin stared at the strangely shaped insect in the dish, his scalp tingling.
The smell is enticing, but its appearance is truly horrifying...
Huo Lin looked at the still somewhat ferocious-looking insects in the dish, then at Jiang Huan's bright eyes, and was torn between his own feelings and his inner turmoil.
It smells delicious, but is this stuff actually edible?
Could it be poisonous? Will it cause any harm if I eat it?
[I, the Emperor, eating insects? What kind of talk is this? But the smell is just too good to be true!!!]
He was still engaged in a fierce internal struggle, and a bead of sweat even appeared on his forehead.
Hearing his hesitation, Jiang Huan gave a soft snort.
She put down the plate, picked up a crayfish, and peeled it open.
The snow-white crayfish meat was immediately revealed, and a rich aroma wafted over.
"Open your mouth, ah—"
Jiang Huan raised her hand and directly presented the crayfish meat to Huo Lin's lips.
The crayfish meat was right in front of him, mingling with the rich aroma of garlic, dancing around Huo Lin's nose and relentlessly testing his already pitiful willpower.
[This is an insect! An insect!]
[As the supreme ruler, with a body of precious value, if I were to suffer an illness from eating something strange, would the historians record in the daily records, "The Emperor died after eating a strange insect"?]
My glorious reputation...
However, another voice emerged even louder.
But she fed him herself.
She peeled it, and she held it to my lips, her eyes sparkling as she looked at me!
[I'll give it my all! It's just a bug, right?]
With a determined heart and eyes closed, he opened his mouth and put the crayfish meat in his mouth with an almost tragic resolve.
Instantly, an indescribable taste exploded in my mouth.
The crayfish meat is firm and chewy, soaked in the hot and delicious broth, bursting with rich flavor with every bite.
Huo Lin suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils dilated, and his face was filled with shock.
His expression was as if he had witnessed the collapse of the heavens and the earth, or as if he had discovered a new continent.
Is this the kind of taste an insect could have?
[Am I truly ignorant?]
He subconsciously picked up another crayfish from the plate, peeled off its shell like Jiang Huan did, revealing the crayfish meat, and put it in his mouth.
[It's a real announcement!]
[I can show off another ten pounds.]
Seeing him like this, Jiang Huan raised her chin triumphantly, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.
See? The "it's actually good" phenomenon has arrived, albeit late.
Whether you're an emperor or a deity, you'll have to bow down before spicy crayfish.
But this slap in the face wasn't strong enough.
Jiang Huan smiled and suddenly reached out, as if to take the plate of crayfish away.
"Oh dear, seeing how much effort His Majesty is putting into eating, let's just forget about it."
Huo Lin's hand, which was about to grab it, froze in mid-air, his eyes wide with surprise.
No, absolutely not!
[If I missed such a delicious meal, I would regret it for the rest of my life, and the life after that.]
Thinking to himself, Huo Lin coughed lightly.
"I...I think I can try it again."
Jiang Huan blinked, looking completely innocent.
"But wasn't His Majesty just now looking like he was ready to die?"
Huo Lin stubbornly replied, "You've misunderstood. I didn't."
Heaven knows this stuff is incredibly delicious! Spicy, numbing, and savory—it's simply irresistible.
Jiang Huan suppressed a laugh and feigned hesitation: "Really? Your Majesty wouldn't be saying this just to make me happy, would you?"
"Of course not!" Huo Lin immediately denied, then picked up another crayfish. "Look, I'm eating one, aren't I?"
He deftly peeled open the shell, dipped the snow-white crayfish meat in the broth, stuffed it into his mouth, and squinted his eyes in satisfaction.
Seeing his expression, Jiang Huan finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Okay, I believe you. You can keep this disc."
"Your Majesty, is it delicious?" Jiang Huan asked deliberately.
Thinking about his previous misunderstanding of crayfish, Huo Lin coughed lightly.
"This dish has an extraordinary flavor; I have never tasted anything like it before."
Jiang Huan nodded in satisfaction; she was determined to dispel their prejudice against crayfish today.
Her thoughts shifted, and as she spoke, she looked at Xiao Zhao again.
"Xiao Zhao, go and call over the eunuchs and palace maids who helped deal with the crayfish earlier."
Xiao Zhao responded and quickly summoned the eunuchs and maids to her side.
Jiang Huan picked up the large porcelain basin filled with crayfish and walked up to them.
"Thank you for your hard work. It took you a lot of effort to deal with these crayfish. Here, have a taste."
The eunuchs and maids turned pale when they saw the still steaming crayfish.
They looked at each other, neither daring to make the first move.
Seeing this, Jiang Huan pointed at Huo Lin.
"Don't be afraid, the Emperor has already eaten it."
Upon hearing this, the group all turned to look at Huo Lin.
Huo Lin was busy dealing with the crayfish in his hand and didn't even raise his head. He said coldly, "Why are you all looking at me? This is a gift from Consort Zhuang. Why don't you quickly express your gratitude?"
Upon hearing the Emperor's words, the head eunuch and the other eunuchs and palace maids were startled and immediately knelt down to express their gratitude.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Consort Zhuang, for your generous gift!"
They looked at the crayfish, gritted their teeth, closed their eyes, and clumsily began to peel and eat them, just like Huo Lin.
Before long, gasps of amazement echoed throughout the room.
"Oh my god! This is so delicious!"
"It's both numbing and spicy, so satisfying!"
"This servant has never eaten anything so delicious."
As they ate, they couldn't help but admire her, their eyes filled with disbelief and heartfelt respect as they looked at Jiang Huan.
Consort Zhuang is truly amazing! She can even cook insects so deliciously; she's practically a culinary goddess descended to earth!
From now on, I'll do whatever the Empress tells me to do. If I follow the Empress, I'll have meat to eat—no, I mean, I'll have insects to eat.
As Jiang Huan watched their transformation, the little voice inside her laughed wildly, hands on her hips.
Haha, look, another "it smells so good" moment.
The allure of crayfish is irresistible.
Huo Lin looked at her smug little face and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.
[As expected of her, she can even make something out of insects.]
The ducks in the Imperial Garden probably won't have this treat anymore.
He happily picked up another crayfish and slowly began to peel it.
In the following days, Jiang Huan's small kitchen became the liveliest place, with the aroma of spicy and garlicky food wafting out from time to time, attracting the attention of passing palace servants.
Those eunuchs and palace maids who had tasted crayfish became loyal fans, working extra hard, hoping that the Empress would be in a good mood one day and reward them with another meal.
Days passed by, and before they knew it, the Empress Dowager's birthday arrived.
The palace was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, filled with a joyous atmosphere.
Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, officials and members of the imperial family gathered together.
Jiang Huan sat below Huo Lin. Today was the Empress Dowager's birthday, and according to etiquette, she was unusually dressed to attend.
Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with jewels, and her begonia-red palace dress made her skin appear even whiter than snow.
Among the many beautiful women in gorgeous attire in the hall, she was simply the most dazzling presence.
Huo Lin sat on the dragon throne, his posture upright and his face cold and stern.
He would occasionally turn his head and whisper a few words to the Empress Dowager, but his gaze would always unconsciously drift towards Jiang Huan, his eyes softening.
The crimson of the crabapple blossoms suited her perfectly; she was dazzling.
[Why is everyone looking at her? No, I must also stare at her intently; I can't fall behind!]
【stare……】
Jiang Huan was watching the people coming and going in the hall with nothing to do.
Suddenly I felt a sticky, cold sensation, like a venomous snake clinging to my bones.
She raised her eyes without making a sound, and instinctively looked in that direction.
She saw Huo Ting looking at her with a smile from the seat diagonally opposite.
She certainly remembered this person; he was the perverted prince who startled the horse and took the opportunity to grope her.
Seeing her looking over, Huo Ting didn't flinch or avoid her. Instead, he raised the white jade wine cup in his hand, facing it towards her, and then drank the wine in the cup in one gulp.
Finally, he lightly licked his lower lip with the tip of his tongue, his eyes filled with naked possessiveness.
Jiang Huan instantly got goosebumps. Something was off!
Does he think he's putting on some kind of sentimental act? And he's even licking his lips?
Ugh, I feel like throwing up my dinner from last night.
This oil is enough to cook three dishes; even a peacock in heat can't display its plumage like this.
Jiang Huan immediately frowned, feeling as if she were being stared at by something dirty, and her whole body felt uncomfortable.
Huo Lin sat next to Jiang Huan, keeping a close eye on her. Noticing her unease, he immediately followed her gaze.
They caught Huo Ting's undisguised covetous look as he put down his wine glass.
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