I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

Ye An'an's sudden appearance was like a drop of cold water falling into a boiling oil pan.

The atmosphere in the entire garden instantly exploded.

Princess Jing looked at Ye An'an, who was smiling innocently as if she really came to "freeload," and was so angry that she almost fainted on the spot.

Why is she here?

Why did she have to come at this exact moment?

Isn't this just someone deliberately trying to make a fool of themselves?

"You... why are you here?" Princess Jing's voice trembled slightly.

"I'm here on my mother's orders to deliver some newly acquired ingredients to my sister-in-law." Ye An'an handed the food box to Fuyun, then walked curiously to the stone table and looked at the plate of "secret recipe chicken feet" that had hardly been touched.

"Oh? Sister-in-law, is this your 'secret recipe chicken feet'? It looks pretty good." She picked up her chopsticks, as if to grab some.

"No!" Princess Jing cried out instinctively.

Are you kidding me?

Why would the "real deal" have to eat the "imposter"?

Isn't that just offering your face up to let her hit you?

"What's wrong, sister-in-law?" Ye An'an blinked her innocent big eyes. "Could it be... that you're reluctant to let me eat it?"

"Of course not!" Princess Jing's face flushed red and then turned pale. She couldn't very well say that she had cooked it badly and was afraid of losing face, could she?

She could only watch helplessly as Ye An'an picked up a chicken foot and put it to her mouth.

In the garden, everyone's eyes were focused on Ye An'an.

Everyone held their breath, awaiting her "judgment".

Ye An'an took a small bite.

Then, she stopped chewing.

Unlike the others, she didn't show that awkward expression.

She merely furrowed her brow slightly.

Then, she looked up at Princess Jing and asked earnestly, "Sister-in-law, is it... that you put too much salt in these chicken feet? And they seem... not flavorful enough."

Her question was so direct, so...unforgiving.

"puff……"

Beside them, a young woman couldn't help but laugh.

Although she quickly covered her mouth, that laugh acted like a switch, instantly igniting the entire venue.

Everyone could no longer hold back; they all lowered their heads and their shoulders trembled incessantly.

Princess Jing's face could no longer be described as "ugly".

It was simply colorful and wonderful.

She felt as if she had been stripped naked and thrown into public, humiliated beyond measure.

"Ye! An! An!" she squeezed out the three words through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with a look that seemed to want to devour Ye An'an alive.

"Hey, sister-in-law, don't be angry." Ye An'an seemed completely oblivious to her anger. She put down the chicken feet in her hand and then opened the food box she had brought.

"I was just saying it casually, please don't take it to heart. You see, I came in a hurry today and didn't prepare anything fancy. I just brought some homemade braised chicken feet for you to try."

As she spoke, she took out a plate full of authentic braised chicken feet, glistening with amber luster, from the food box.

That familiar, refreshing aroma, a blend of wine and spices, instantly filled the garden.

Without comparison, there is no harm.

Two plates of chicken feet were placed side by side.

One was dull and lackluster, clearly a half-baked imposter.

One is crystal clear, with an enticing aroma, clearly a genuine "master-level" product.

High judgment.

Princess Jing looked at the dish on Ye An'an's plate that seemed to glow, and then at the plate of "garbage" on her own table that no one cared about. She felt as if her heart had been stabbed.

She couldn't stay there any longer.

"Show them out!" she screamed, then fled the scene without looking back.

The guests were left looking at each other in bewilderment, while Ye An'an innocently munched on the chicken feet she had brought.

……

The incident of "Princess Jing's wife imitating Xi Shi" quickly became the latest laughing stock in the capital.

As for Ye An'an, this incident solidified her unshakeable status as a "grandmother" in Beijing's culinary scene.

Time flies by amidst delicious food and gossip.

Before we knew it, the end of the year was upon us.

To celebrate the peace and prosperity of the Great Liang Dynasty this year, with the floods in the south subsided and the war in the north not yet started, Emperor Xiao Yuanzheng decided to hold an unprecedentedly grand state banquet in the palace.

Not only should civil and military officials be entertained, but also envoys from various countries who come to pay tribute should be invited.

This is a grand event concerning the prestige and reputation of the Great Liang Dynasty.

Everyone assumed that this state banquet would be personally organized by the most senior and skilled head chef of the imperial kitchen.

However, the emperor's edict surprised everyone.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: There is a concubine of the Crown Prince, Lady Ye, who is intelligent, quick-witted, beautiful inside and out, and has a talent for the art of cooking. She is hereby appointed to be in full charge of all matters concerning the year-end state banquet. So be it."

The moment this imperial edict was issued, the entire palace erupted in chaos.

Why would a concubine be in charge of organizing a state banquet?

This... this is the first time since the founding of the Great Liang Dynasty!

This is simply an immense blessing!

Ye An'an was stunned when she received the imperial edict.

She knew that the emperor liked her cooking, but she never expected that he would entrust such an important matter to her.

This is a state banquet! It represents the face of the nation!

If she messes it up, she'll become a sinner for all time.

"Your Highness, what... what should we do?" Holding the imperial edict, her hands were trembling. She immediately ran to Xiao Jingshi for help.

Xiao Jingshi was reading in his study when he saw her looking completely lost. He put down his book and smiled to comfort her, "Don't be afraid. Since Father Emperor entrusted this matter to you, it means he trusts you. You just need to cook your best dish as usual."

"But...but this is a state banquet! My dishes are just ordinary home-cooked meals, how can I serve them at a state banquet?"

"Who says it's not presentable?" Xiao Jingshi raised an eyebrow. "Even Father Emperor praised your dishes. Those so-called 'delicacies' are nothing compared to what you've got."

"Just go for it." He looked at her, his eyes full of encouragement and trust. "If anything happens, I'll take care of it for you."

His words were like a reassuring pill, instantly calming Ye An'an's panicked heart.

Yeah, what's there to be afraid of?

It's just cooking a meal.

This is her original profession!

She wants to show those who look down on her and think she's only good at "underwater" things a thing or two!

She wanted to let those envoys from various countries taste what real Chinese cuisine is like!

A surge of heroic spirit welled up within her.

She returned to Tinglan Waterside Pavilion, took out paper and pen, and began to conceive her "state banquet menu".

She thought for a long time, and finally, heavily wrote down three words on the paper.

"Roast whole duck".

No, to be more precise, it's Peking duck.

She wants to use this world-renowned Chinese dish to conquer everyone's taste buds.

She immediately reported her thoughts to the emperor.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuanzheng frowned slightly, realizing it was about ducks again.

He remembered the braised duck wings he had eaten last time, which he had devoured without any regard for his image.

"Ducks again?" he asked skeptically. "This kind of thing, is it really suitable for a state banquet?"

"Father, please trust me this once," Ye An'an confidently assured him. "I guarantee that this duck will be completely different from any duck you've ever eaten before! It will be the most delicious duck you've ever tasted in your life!"

Looking into her incredibly bright eyes, Xiao Yuanzheng, as if possessed, once again chose to believe her.

"Very well, I grant your request."

Thus, preparations for a state banquet featuring Peking duck began in full swing in the imperial kitchen.

Ye An'an personally selected the fattest and strongest dozens of ducks from hundreds of specially raised, force-fed ducks.

Then, she began to demonstrate to the chefs in the imperial kitchen the most crucial and magical steps of this dish.

The first step is to blow air.

She had a chef with the largest lung capacity make a small incision in the duck's neck, and then blow air forcefully into that incision.

"Blow harder! Blow! Separate the skin from the flesh!"

The cook was exaggerating so much that his face turned red, his neck thickened, and his eyes saw stars.

Soon, the duck, like a balloon, was inflated and became very full.

The second step is to scald the skin.

She had a large pot of boiling water boiled, and then, using a spoon, she poured the boiling water over the duck's skin again and again.

The duck skin tightened instantly under the stimulation of hot water, becoming smooth and elastic.

The third step is to apply caramel coloring.

She mixed maltose, honey, and a little balsamic vinegar to make a bowl of golden sugar water.

Then, like painting, it was evenly applied all over the duck's body.

The fourth step is to air dry.

She hung the prepared ducks, one by one, on a specially built, well-ventilated rack.

"Alright, now let them stay here quietly, letting the wind blow for a day and a night."

"When their skin becomes as thin as paper and as brittle as glass, they can be... put in the oven."

The imperial chefs in the imperial kitchen were dumbfounded by this series of unheard-of and unseen, incredibly skillful operations.

They felt that they had wasted their decades as cooks.

They looked at the Crown Prince's concubine, who was giving orders with an air of professionalism, their eyes filled with awe and...admiration.

On the day of the state banquet.

Under the expectant gazes of all the guests.

Dozens of ducks, dried to a glossy sheen and resembling works of art, were hung in a specially made, open oven.

The oven is filled with the finest fruitwood.

As the temperature rises, the oil on the duck's skin begins to sizzle and seep out.

An indescribable, overpowering aroma, a blend of the fresh scent of fruitwood and the smoky aroma of duck, began to permeate the entire banquet hall.

Everyone who smelled this aroma couldn't help but swallow.

The ducks were slowly rotating in the oven.

The color also gradually changed from the initial pale yellow to an alluring golden red.

Finally, it turned into a glossy, dazzling maroon color.

"Out of the oven!"

With Ye An'an's command.

The first, perfectly roasted duck, was taken out.

A royal chef dressed in a white chef's uniform pushed a small cart to the center of the main hall.

He placed the still-steaming roast duck on the cutting board.

Then he picked up a sharp cleaver.

First, he used the tip of his knife to make a light cut on the fattest part of the roast duck's breast.

"Click—"

A crisp sound, like shattering glass, echoed throughout the entire hall.

Just this one voice.

It made everyone present feel their souls tremble.

This skin... how crispy must this skin be!