In the Three Kingdoms period, the opening scene features the killing of Huang Gai, shocking Zhou Yu!

Cao Cao's eyes widened in surprise.

"Cook?"

"You're sending a governor from Xiliang to be the emperor's cook?"

This isn't appropriate.

Spread it out

No one in the world should dare to criticize Cao Mengde.

To say he insulted a famous general?

"This is called 'humanistic care'."

Zhao Yu was seriously trying to fool people.

"His Majesty has recently been frightened and is feeling uneasy."

"From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, this is called 'the soul is not at ease,' and it requires a lot of nourishment."

"Among all the officials, he is the most suitable."

"And it can also 'monitor' His Majesty's health for you, Prime Minister."

"Besides, how difficult is it for a cook to make a fuss?"

"Isn't it better to have him chop scallions in the imperial kitchen every day than to have him leading troops outside?"

Cao Cao pondered for a moment.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Zhao Yu was right.

Place Ma Teng under house arrest in the imperial kitchen!

This gives Liu Xie face (because he is your loyal subject).

This also relieved Ma Tengdi of his military power.

Throughout history, only a handful of cooks have successfully rebelled.

It also allows Liu Xie to drink sheep brain soup every day to nourish his body and soothe his emotions!

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Zhao Yu! You're a genius!"

"Granted!"

"Issue the order! Appoint Ma Teng as 'Grand Master of the Palace and concurrently an Attendant in the Imperial Kitchen'!"

"His sole purpose... is to stew sheep brains for His Majesty!"

……

And so.

The Imperial Palace, the Imperial Kitchen.

It was smoky and fiery.

Prefect Ma, who once commanded respect throughout Xiliang.

He was wearing a greasy apron.

Holding a large cleaver,

He was chopping pork bones on the cutting board with a "clack clack clack" sound.

Chopping as I went, tears streaming down my face.

"I, Ma Shoucheng, was a hero for all time..."

"They've actually sunk so low as to slaughter pigs here..."

"The Prime Minister is really too good to me...!"

He glanced at the overseer beside him (a tiger guard sent by Wang Bi).

He shrank his neck.

"But it's better than losing your head."

"At least one thing is certain: the fact that the Prime Minister asked me to take care of the Emperor's daily life proves that Cao Cao really did not want to harm Liu Xie."

"Otherwise, why would you make me, a loyal subject, cook?"

"I want to live!"

"Dr. Ma, is the soup ready yet?"

(Here he is called a "Daifu" because his official title was Guanglu Dafu.)

The young eunuch urged them on from the doorway.

"His Majesty is hungry and is waiting..."

"Alright, alright!"

Ma Teng quickly wiped away his tears.

He picked up the clay pot, which was bigger than a washbasin.

Inside is a nourishing sheep brain that has been simmered for three hours.

……

Inside the palace,

Liu Xie sat on the dragon throne, holding a copy of the Spring and Autumn Annals in his hand, but the book was upside down.

He simply couldn't concentrate on it.

He had also heard that Magistrate Ma had been promoted to the position of Imperial Kitchen Attendant.

Although Ma Teng also belonged to the loyalist faction.

But after the Jade Belt Edict

Although Cao Cao knelt down in public and said he wanted to respect the emperor.

He slept very well last night.

It hasn't smelled this good since I became emperor.

But who knows if they're saying one thing to your face and another behind your back?

By sending Ma Teng, a "former member of the Jade Belt Edict," to deliver the meal, is he trying to tell me:

"Look, your loyal minister is now my man. Let him poison you with his own hands. Aren't you surprised?"

The eunuch arrived faster than Ma Teng and had already come to report.

"Your Majesty, Grand Master of Ceremonies Ma Teng has arrived with 'that'."

that?

Which one?

It's definitely poison.

They're going to get me killed.

"Announce..."

Liu Xieqiang tried to remain calm.

"Even if I die, I want to die with dignity."

"Let Minister Ma in."

The curtain was lifted.

An extremely strong... fragrance entered the room before anyone else could smell it.

It was a unique flavor that blended cumin from the Western Regions, Sichuan peppercorns, and a rich meaty aroma.

Followed by.

Ma Teng walked in.

The former governor of Xiliang, who once wore golden armor

He was wearing a somewhat tight eunuch's robe (because he couldn't find a suitable official robe), with a large iron ladle tied around his waist.

He was holding a bowl of soup.

"Your subject is Ma Teng."

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

As Ma Teng knelt down, the soup in the bowl sloshed, but not a single drop spilled.

This sense of balance comes from years of horseback riding training.

"My...my beloved subject, please rise."

Liu Xie shrank back a little.

"What...what is this?"

Ma Teng looked up and saw Liu Xie.

Tears welled up in her eyes again.

When he was in the imperial court, Liu Xie was wearing a wide dragon robe, and with a beaded curtain covering his face, he was not easily seen.

Ma Teng only noticed it when he was dressed casually in his private clothes.

Your Majesty has become so thin!

It's obvious that he has suffered from long-term malnutrition and neurasthenia.

Sin!

The Prime Minister is right!

Your Majesty is suffering too much!

It needs to be replenished!

"His Majesty!"

Ma Teng held up the sheep brain soup with both hands.

"This is... a nourishing sheep brain soup from Xiliang that I personally prepared for you!"

"When I was in Xiliang, I always drank this soup before every major battle!"

"After drinking it, my headache will be gone, my eyesight will be clear, and I'll even have the energy to wield a knife!"

Liu Xie looked at the white, fluffy sheep brains.

My stomach churned.

Xiliang?

Nourishing?

Is this implying that I can only drink Xiliang soup?

"My dear minister...you are very thoughtful."

Liu Xie picked up the soup spoon and scooped it a few times.

"I... am not hungry."

"His Majesty!"

Ma Teng panicked.

Now he is the cook, and his primary task is to ensure that the emperor is well-fed.

This is my first time cooking, and I got rejected. I just can't accept it.

He crawled forward half a step on his knees:

"This is the culmination of three hours of my hard work!"

"To remove the fishy smell, I used pepper, a tribute from the Western Regions!"

"To enhance the flavor, I used three old hens as the base!"

"Just one bite! Just one bite!"

"If you don't drink, I...I will kneel here forever!"

Looking at Ma Teng's big face, which was filled with "loyalty (coercion)".

Liu Xie was even more desperate.

That's it.

You can't fight city hall.

I have done my best.

One imperial edict in a belt and another in a jade belt—that's enough to do justice to our ancestors.

That's it for today.

Even if they go to the underworld and meet their ancestors,

I also have something to say: at least I tried.

It's better to die at the hands of a loyal minister than at the hands of Cao Cao.

At least, this poison smells pretty good.

"it is good."

"I'll drink it."

Liu Xie closed his eyes.

I scooped up a spoonful and put it in my mouth.

A few seconds later, the expected pain did not come.

Holy crap?

What is this? It smells amazing!

It smells so good!

Sheep brains are as smooth and tender as tofu, melting in your mouth.

The broth surged on the tip of the tongue,

The pepper was sprinkled just right, directly dispelling the cold from the body.

A warm current spread throughout my body.

"It tastes good..."

"In my entire life... I have never tasted such delicious soup..."

"real."

What kind of food do the imperial chefs in the palace make?

Nothing beats this soup.

It's not even a fraction as good as this soup.

This is the true scent of a man!

This is the true flavor of the Han Dynasty!

Liu Xie felt like he had come back to life.

"Another bowl, please!"

Liu Xie handed the bowl over.

"Give me a generous amount of that... brain stuff!"

"Hey hey!"

"Okay!"

"Your Majesty, please drink slowly!"

"There's still some in the pot!"

"I will serve it to you right away!"

this day,

Laughter, which had been absent for a long time, echoed from Weiyang Palace.

And the sound of slurping soup.