Chapter 47: The Powerful Photographer and the Weak Substitute 9

She bumped into Yun Qin on the road, and Yun Qin saw that she was holding a bucket of water in both hands, and the bones on the back of her hands were tightly tied.

"Miss Lin, let me help you lift it."

She shook her head quickly, refusing in an embarrassed manner, "No... no thanks."

"If you sprain it, you won't be able to cook for the prince tomorrow." Yun Qin's face was serious, and everything was done from the perspective of the prince.

Lin Muqing's hands were empty. The man in guard uniform had already walked a long way out with the bucket, turned into a small courtyard, put it at her door, and left again.

When she returned to the room, she saw a figure that had already left.

…

In the study.

Xi Chenmu had just finished his meal and was about to take care of government affairs. When he came face to face with Yun Qin, he smelled a faint smell of oil smoke.

"Yunqin, where did you go just now?"

Yun Qin lowered his head. The prince's tone was calm, but he felt frightened. "Your Highness, I just came back from outside."

However, Xi Chenmu continued to read the memorials, with a dignified demeanor in his silence.

Yun Qin said in an awkward tone: "I just saw Yun Ke..."

Xi Chenmu glanced to the side and asked, "You're still going to the kitchen?"

Aren’t you asking Yun Ke?

Yun Qin: "I didn't go to the kitchen. I just happened to see Miss Lin."

Xi Chenmu raised his eyebrows imperceptibly, "Does she want to talk to you about something?"

Yun Qin told the truth, "I saw her carrying two buckets of water, so I helped her get the water."

Hearing this, Xi Chenmu paused in reading the memorial and said in a light tone:

"Take care of two more maids. They will be responsible for sweeping the yard near her. There are differences between men and women, and you cannot enter her yard casually."

Yun Qin's back was covered with sweat. "It was my fault for not considering it carefully."

…

Lin Muqing was unsure of how Xi Chenmu wanted to arrange her stay, but she was very busy.

There is no chance to meet Xi Chenmu at all!

Every day she had to go out early and come back at noon. After making lunch, she went out again and came back in the evening to continue making dinner. She was busy all day long without stopping.

The difference was that there were two strong maids outside the courtyard who slept next to her and brought her hot water at night. In return, she would bring back the finished products that she taught the cooks in the restaurant for them to eat.

…

Half a month later.

The restaurant is open.

It's called Fenghua Building.

A restaurant that specializes in entertaining women, with its luxurious decoration and the charm of lake cruise, has become a great place for young ladies and their wives from wealthy families to spend a day.

The next day, the restaurant's dishes became famous.

It is said that the food at Fenghualou is extremely delicious.

Many male guests also came upon hearing the news, but were turned away by two guards with great martial arts skills.

The shopkeeper of Fenghualou was Xi Chenmu's man. The next day, he posted a notice at the door, announcing that a new branch of Fenghualou would be opened on South Street in five days, specifically for male customers.

Such a unique restaurant was quickly packed with people.

Lin Muqing knew all these things and had already gotten along very well in the kitchen. She got along well with everyone, and the cooks she taught became cooks for their husbands.

It was not until the Fenghualou branch on South Street opened that Lin Muqing finally had some free time. After teaching for more than a month, she had basically learned everything and could return home.

When Lin Muqing and Aunt Liu were chatting, they couldn't help but say, "The prince has great powers. The people he found are all couples, and they are all chefs. It's amazing."

Aunt Liu and Butler Liu were both old servants who had followed the prince for ten years and knew more than her. "The prince is capable of much more than this. Go back early tonight."

"Thank you for taking me out every day these days."

"It's Aunt Liu's job." Aunt Liu was particularly kind.

If Lin Muqing had not seen how fiercely Aunt Liu punished her servants, he would have believed it to be true.

That’s right, why would Xi Chenmu’s subordinates keep idle people?

…

In the evening, Lin Muqing was still in the kitchen preparing dinner.

Yun Qin came specially to tell her, "The prince asked Miss Lin to serve the dishes herself tonight."

"I understand." Lin Muqing poured out the clear and fragrant chicken soup, then placed the dishes on the plates and served.

In the dining hall.

Lin Muqing held the tray in his right hand and placed the dishes on the table.

Xi Chenmu suddenly came from behind her.

Hearing footsteps, Lin Muqing turned around.

Two months later, her originally thin body had finally become much rounder, and there was more flesh on both sides of her originally pointed chin. When she smiled, two deep dimples were exposed on her face. Xi Chenmu's dark eyes fell on those charming dimples and became even darker.

"My Lord, would you like to drink the soup first or..."

It was not until she spoke that he came back to his senses and sat down. "Soup, please."

Then he stretched out his long sleeves, took out a purse from his sleeves and handed it over.

"You have been running back and forth this month and have earned me a lot of money. This is your salary."

Lin Muqing wondered in her heart, isn't it the housekeeper who pays the wages? She showed the appropriate reaction on her face.

"And wages? Thank you, Your Majesty."

She took it, resisting the urge to look, and helped him serve the dishes with a little excitement, "This has been stewed for a long time. Your Highness, please take a look and see if it is well seasoned?"

She seemed to realize that she shouldn't say more, so she shut up.

Xi Chenmu lowered his head, raised the corners of his mouth, tucked his sleeves, and picked up a piece of beef she mentioned, "Hmm, tasty."

He seems to be a lively person, but the Lin family has made him timid.

"Can you read?"

"My daughter has never left home since she was young, and...never attended school."

The people of Yun were open-minded. Although women could not enter the court to take the imperial examinations, they could go to school from a young age and do business outside like men. There was no such thing as a woman who could not leave the house.

After watching the plot, Lin Muqing actually supported Xi Chenmu's later participation in politics, because he was knowledgeable and did not have prejudices against women like other men, so he implemented a system that allowed women to take part in the imperial examinations. Twenty years later, Yun State had its first seventh-rank female official.

But now, he asked this question...

Xi Chenmu looked at her, his long crow-feather eyelashes casting shadows, and his words had a different meaning.

"I also want you to write a cookbook. It would be a pity if you can't read."

The emotion in those eyes gradually deepened, as if sucking her in. She stared at him with clear almond-shaped eyes, "My Lord, I can learn from you."

"As long as the prince is willing to give my daughter a chance."

The girl twisted the corner of her clothes, her cheeks turned pink due to nervousness, and she seemed to have mustered up great courage.

Xi Chenmu groaned for a moment, "Can you study hard? Without a solid foundation from childhood, it will be very difficult to learn."

Lin Muqing had already figured out his intentions and took the initiative to say, "Prince, please give my daughter a month to see how she progresses."

Xi Chenmu curled his lips nonchalantly, not showing any obvious reaction. "Yes, I will hire a teacher. The tuition fee will be waived, and you will give me a cookbook later."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

This sentence again.

When Xi Chenmu saw her finish setting the dishes, he said calmly, "Go out."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xi Chenmu watched her walk away with a smile on his lips. It felt pretty good.

…

The night was dim and the girl walked along the path back to her room.

The purse was as big as an adult's palm and was particularly heavy. She put it in her sleeve and took it back to her room to look at it.

There were two handfuls of small silver coins in it, as well as gold melon seeds and a silver note at the bottom. She counted the small silver coins one by one, and there were roughly thirty taels of silver, twenty gold melon seeds, and one hundred silver notes.

The system is too fussy [How can the male protagonist give loose silver? It would be more convenient to give one ingot. ]

"It's not easy to spend a penny. I prefer loose change."

"I have to learn to write and pretend at the same time. It's too difficult."

“But it’s a good opportunity.”

The best hunter is to be the prey, and now it seems that he has been hooked.

System [Does the male protagonist want to develop you into a subordinate? ]