So far, Emperor Kangxi has only eaten one "extremely spicy chicken wing".
Princess Jianning only ate half of it.
There were still six "extremely spicy chicken wings" left in the lunchbox.
Kangxi glanced at the remaining beer in his hand, then looked at the unopened bottle of beer on the table.
Li Huan knew that Kangxi was estimating how many "extremely spicy chicken wings" he could eat with the help of "iced beer"!
Kangxi said, "There are still six spicy chicken wings left, I can eat them all!"
Young and impetuous.
Li Huan had been waiting for Kangxi to say those words!
"Little Xuanzi, did I hear that right? You can finish the remaining six 'super spicy chicken wings'? Are you sure?"
Emperor Kangxi said arrogantly, "What can six mere spicy chicken wings do to me?"
Princess Jianning hurriedly said, "Brother, these chicken wings are incredibly spicy! I can't even finish one, how can you eat seven?"
Emperor Kangxi said, "Drinking some ice-cold beer can relieve the spiciness. I'm confident I can eat six more spicy chicken wings!"
Li Huan chuckled: "Since you're so confident, let's make a bet!"
"What kind of bet?"
Upon hearing about the bet, Wei Xiaobao became energetic.
Kangxi asked, "Tell me, how do you want to gamble?"
Li Huan said, "If you can finish the remaining six 'extremely spicy chicken wings,' I'll give you a portion of the 'spicy crayfish' that I'm preparing to present to the Emperor!"
"If you can't finish the remaining six 'insanely spicy chicken wings,' you must report to the Emperor and ask him to allow me to set up a food stall in the palace!"
Emperor Kangxi was shocked: "Setting up a stall to sell boxed lunches in the palace? This... this is outrageous!"
Princess Jianning chuckled: "The palace is the Emperor's territory. You're setting up a stall here selling boxed lunches. Do you think you can make money off the Emperor?"
Li Huan shook his head: "How could I dare to earn the Emperor's money? I set up a stall selling boxed lunches in the palace, and I only earn money from the ministers, guards, eunuchs, and palace maids. The Emperor, Empress Dowager, and princesses can enjoy the boxed lunches for free!"
Princess Jianning nodded: "That's more like it. If you dare to accept money from the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, you'll surely lose your head!"
After a moment's thought, Kangxi smiled and said, "Alright, I'll bet you. If I lose, I'll go see the Emperor and ask him to allow you to set up a stall selling boxed lunches in the palace."
Li Huan said, "Once the Emperor agrees, he must issue me a token."
Kangxi asked, "What token?"
Li Huan said, "It's an imperial edict to set up a stall and sell boxed lunches."
Emperor Kangxi laughed: "Hahaha, you're quite clever. With the imperial decree granting you the right to set up a stall and sell boxed lunches, it's like having a talisman. You can openly sell boxed lunches! No one will dare to stop you from setting up a stall and selling boxed lunches, not just in the palace, but anywhere in the world!"
Li Huan said, "My request isn't unreasonable. Can you do it?"
Kangxi said, "Of course I can. I will report to the Emperor and ask him to issue you an imperial edict authorizing you to set up a stall selling boxed lunches! However..."
"But what?" Li Huan asked.
Kangxi said, "When I go to report to the Emperor, I need to bring your boxed lunch and ask the Emperor to taste it. If he is pleased after eating it, he will allow you to set up a stall to sell boxed lunches in the palace and issue you an imperial token."
Li Huan chuckled to himself.
Emperor Kangxi was a clever fellow.
Regardless of whether he won or lost the bet, Emperor Kangxi always got to eat a delicious boxed lunch.
"Okay!" Li Huan readily agreed, "We'll do it your way!"
"Wait!" Wei Xiaobao called out.
Kangxi asked, "Is there anything else?"
Wei Xiaobao said, "Could you add one condition?"
Kangxi asked, "What are the conditions?"
Wei Xiaobao said, "After you lose, besides asking the Emperor to allow Xiao Huanzi to set up a stall selling boxed lunches in the palace, you also have to make Xiao Ningzi hand over the 'Forty-Two Chapters Sutra'!"
Kangxi said, "There are eight copies of this 'Forty-Two Chapters Sutra,' each managed by one of the eight banner lords of the Manchu Eight Banners. I wonder where Xiao Ningzi obtained the sutra in his possession?"
Wei Xiaobao said, "He snatched it from my hands!"
Kangxi then asked, "Where did you obtain the Forty-Two Chapters Sutra?"
Before Wei Xiaobao could answer, Princess Jianning said, "He stole it from the Empress Dowager's palace!"
"Empress Dowager? Strange, how come the Empress Dowager has a copy of the Forty-Two Chapters Sutra..." Kangxi frowned slightly, deep in thought, and looked directly at Wei Xiaobao, "As a eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen, why did you steal the sutra from Cining Palace?"
"I...I..." Wei Xiaobao was speechless.
Li Huan hurriedly said, "When Xiao Chunzi and I passed by Cining Palace, we saw a man in black break into the palace, fight with the Empress Dowager and the palace maids, and drop the 'Forty-Two Chapters Sutra.' Xiao Chunzi had just picked it up when Xiao Ningzi snatched it away!"
"A man in black?" Kangxi was shocked.
Princess Jianning said, "I was in Cining Palace at the time, how come I didn't see the man in black?"
Li Huan said, "If you had arrived a little earlier, you would have seen the Empress Dowager and the palace maids chasing after the man in black."
Emperor Kangxi said with concern, "So, the man in black is an assassin? The Empress Dowager is in danger!"
Li Huan said, "Don't worry, that man in black is no match for the Empress Dowager and has already escaped."
Kangxi breathed a sigh of relief, then said with displeasure, "The palace guards neglected their duties and actually let an assassin into the palace, hmph..."
Wei Xiaobao urged anxiously, "Stop talking nonsense. After you lose, will you hand over the 'Forty-Two Chapters Sutra'?"
Kangxi laughed and said, "No problem. If I lose, I'll make Xiao Ningzi hand over the 'Forty-Two Chapters Sutra' he has!"
Li Huan said, "Okay, let's eat the 'super spicy chicken wings'!"
Emperor Kangxi pointed to the chilled beer: "Open the beer!"
Li Huan picked up the beer and flicked the bottle cap off with his thumb!
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