In the kitchen, Tian Yu stood by the stove, looking at the table full of food, pondering what to cook. Manager Qian said, "Madam, you have exceptional courage. Have you decided what dishes to make?"
"Not yet, but you have a lot more stuff in the kitchen today!"
"I heard we have distinguished guests, so I specially had some fresh food brought from out of town. Madam, please feel free to use it if you wish. How about I find a servant to assist you?"
"Okay! Leave one person behind, the rest of you can go down for now," Tian Yu said, waving her hand.
After the kitchen was cleared out, Tian Yu began preparing five dishes. Once she had decided, she was incredibly busy, leaving the servants running around like headless chickens, frantically cracking eggs, tending the fire, and washing vegetables. Time passed slowly, and the people outside grew impatient, but there was still no movement from the kitchen. Manager Qian had already changed the tea upstairs three times. Seeing the strange atmosphere inside, he dared not say anything. The master had also urged them three times, asking why it wasn't ready yet. Fortunately, the Marquis of Zhenbei calmed him down with a simple "You're too impatient," otherwise Manager Qian wouldn't have known how to answer, and he was sweating profusely with anxiety!
When the aroma wafted from the kitchen, Manager Qian finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it should be almost ready. After a while, Tian Yu opened the kitchen door to let everyone in, but the dishes on the table were all covered with porcelain beforehand, so no one could see them. Tian Yu went upstairs first, letting Manager Qian lead the others upstairs in order. Tian Yu carried a plate of smashed cucumbers upstairs first, knocked on the door, and placed the cucumbers on the already cleaned table. The three were somewhat surprised, but only Huang Xuan pointed at the cucumbers with an exaggerated expression and said, "This is the dish you prepared!"
"These are complimentary side dishes. If the three of you feel a bit greasy, you can try them to cut through the richness!"
After the three of them got up and sat down at the table, Tian Yu asked Manager Qian to start serving the dishes one by one: first, tomato beef brisket; second, sauerkraut fish; third, roast duck; fourth, bamboo tube rice; and fifth, dessert cake.
Tian Yu served the three men their meal while explaining the process. She first wrapped a roast duck in dough to demonstrate how to eat it. The three men, however, waited for Tian Yu to serve them. Unable to do so, Tian Yu wrapped one and handed it to the Prince, then another to Zhao Moyan. Seeing Huang Xuan, she simply let him wrap it himself. After Zhao Moyan finished eating, he gave Tian Yu a meaningful look. Tian Yu didn't understand his meaning and wanted to look at him again, but then the Prince put down his chopsticks and said, "Hmm! Indeed, excellent skill. It seems we can keep him."
Tian Yu was even more confused by his words, wondering where she should stay. Just as she was about to ask, the prince said again, "What is this?"
"Oh, Your Highness, this is a dessert cake." Tian Yu said, cutting two pieces with the prepared utensils and placing them on a plate for them. Huang Xuan was used to being ignored by Tian Yu, so he had to cut a large piece himself.
"Hmm, soft, sweet and delicious! I like it. What do you think, Your Highness?" Prince Wu said, taking another bite with satisfaction.
"I'm glad Your Highness likes it. I think it's a bit too sweet and cloying. This cucumber dish is more palatable," Zhao Moyan said.
"It seems the Marquis doesn't like sweets! Madam, your cooking isn't up to par! It hasn't satisfied our Marquis!"
“Your Highness, it’s impossible to please everyone. It’s normal that the Marquis doesn’t like it.” Tian Yu was about to finish the matter when this happened again. She winked at Zhao Moyan, but Zhao Moyan ignored her and took another bite of cake, saying, “Although I don’t like sweets, this dessert is the best I’ve ever had. Your Highness, please don’t deny the results of others’ efforts because of my personal preference.”
"Your Highness, it's really delicious. I've never eaten anything like this before," Huang Xuan said as he ate.
"In that case, two hundred taels per dish, and since there are six dishes, let's give you two thousand taels of silver!" the prince said.
Tian Yu was overjoyed to hear this, but she still managed to thank the prince before accepting the silver notes handed to her by the servant. She immediately prepared to take her leave, bowing and saying, "Since the matter is over, I will take my leave now."
"Wait! His Highness has something else to say, what's the rush!" Huang Xuan said.
"Does Your Highness have any further questions?" Tian Yu asked.
"You're married? And you have children?" Prince Wu asked.
Seeing that Zhao Moyan still looked calm, Tian Yu lowered her head and replied, "Your Highness, I have indeed been married and have a son."
"What does it mean to have been married?" Prince Wu asked.
"I was married before, but we're divorced now," Tian Yu said truthfully, not daring to hide anything.
"Oh!? So you're not someone else's wife now?" Prince Wu looked at Tian Yu and then at Zhao Moyan.
"Yes, I wonder why Your Highness asks this?" Tian Yu asked curiously.
"It's nothing, just asking. Since that's the case, are you willing to follow me?"
"This!? I don't know what Your Highness means. Do you want me to be Your Highness's cook?" Tian Yu looked up at the prince and said.
"What do you think?" The prince gave Tian Yu a meaningful look.
Tian Yu was somewhat stunned. He'd taken a liking to her? That shouldn't be possible! There were plenty of beautiful girls on the street. With her plain looks and coarse linen clothes, she certainly wasn't a beauty. This prince, so noble and handsome, and seemingly young, how could he possibly be interested in her? Tian Yu thought it couldn't be him, but his gaze just now clearly seemed to have a flirtatious undertone. Looking at Zhao Moyan, who remained expressionless, Huang Xuan was somewhat surprised, but quickly continued eating.
"Your Highness, please don't joke around. How could a commoner like me be worthy of Your Highness's noble stature?" Tian Yu was now somewhat frightened. This wasn't modern times; the law of the land was the law of the royal family. If this prince insisted on taking her away, she couldn't resist, and resistance would be useless!
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