Yan Langqing had risen to prominence during the emperor’s birthday banquet^[1]wàn shòu yàn by creating the dish ‘Wanfu Meat’. This dish earned her an invitation to the palace to serve as an imperial cook. However, it turned out that this so-called signature dish was actually the result of her stealing someone else’s hard work. Although Lin Dan lacked concrete evidence, she was able to recreate the dish perfectly using just a few pieces of tofu, making it even more flavorful and aromatic than Yan Lanqing’s version. This alone was proof enough of the truth behind her words.

What’s more, her father’s two pupils were working as head cooks at the Yan Family’s Restaurant, earning a substantial monthly wage. It wouldn’t be difficult to uncover the truth if they were summoned and questioned.

However, the Emperor didn’t care about any of this. As the ruler of the realm, whomever he chose to protect would be untouchable by others. Thus, without even questioning Yan Langqing’s crime of deceiving the monarch, he took her away, and the competition abruptly ended. Fortunately, Lin Dan didn’t mind. She wrapped the golden knife and the recipe book in red silk and then left the restaurant unhurriedly.

Tang Cheng followed behind her, whispering, “No wonder you told me not to interfere. Did you already have a plan in mind?”

Before Lin Dan could respond, Marquis Weiyuan strode over with a grin and said, “Shopkeeper Lin, I’m thirty-nine years old, once had a wife who passed away due to illness and have no children, concubines, or mistresses. I have power, wealth, and ability. If you don’t mind, how about we make a lifelong agreement?”

Lin Dan was stunned and stared at him in disbelief, unable to speak for a long while.

Tang Cheng frowned deeply and scolded, “Marquis, you mustn’t joke about such things. Be careful not to tarnish Shopkeeper Lin’s reputation!”

“When have I ever joked? I’m serious. To marry a woman as wise and virtuous as Shopkeeper Lin would be the greatest fortune of my life. Young Master Tang, could it be that you’re so anxious because you harbor some improper feelings toward Shopkeeper Lin yourself?”

“Nonsense!” Tang Cheng quickly turned to look at Lin Dan, only to see her being pulled aside by Prince Cheng and Prince Gong for a conversation. She then boarded the carriage without any hesitation and left. For ordinary people, marrying into a prestigious family seemed like a blessing beyond reach, but for her, it appeared to be nothing more than a troublesome affair.

Apart from honing her culinary skills, she seemed to have little interest in anything else in the world. This contradiction of being both unattached and extremely focused deeply attracted those around her. Tang Cheng stared at the departing carriage with a deeply frustrated expression. Marquis Weiyuan toyed with the ring on his finger, his eyes filled with determination.

———pr

This translation is by Pocketrobbin at S h a n g h a i f a n t a s y . c o m

Meanwhile, Yan Langqing knelt trembling beside the Emperor, who was leisurely unwrapping and savoring an ash water zongzi, his expression one of great enjoyment.

“I never imagined that zongzi soaked in ash water could be so delicious. When I return, I’ll have the imperial kitchen study it and recreate it.” The Emperor said.

Yan Langqing was right beside him, yet he made no mention of asking her to recreate the dish herself, indicating that the recent competition and subsequent disputes had greatly diminished his opinion of her.

Yan Langqing’s face turned deathly pale.

As the carriage passed through Qingyun Lane, the Emperor calmly ordered, “Stop the carriage. Send some men to seal Yan Family’s Restaurant.”

Yan Langqing abruptly looked up, horrified.

Only then did the Emperor glance at her with a casual smile on his lips. “What’s wrong? Did you think I would let you get away with passing off a false imperial edict and exploiting the market?” As he spoke, angry shouts erupted from the carriage behind them. Yan Shouye was furiously demanding to know why the guards were sealing his shop. When they pointed to the Emperor’s carriage and explained that it was His Majesty’s order, it seemed as if a cat had gotten his tongue and he instantly fell silent.

The Emperor snorted coldly, sending shivers down Yan Langqing’s spine. Just when she thought she had completely lost his favor, the Emperor unexpectedly took her hand, softened his tone, and said, “You’ve been in the palace for seven or eight years, with all kinds of delicacies at your disposal and renowned cooks from across the land at your service. Whatever skills you wanted to learn, I had them teach you everything they knew. By rights, your culinary prowess shouldn’t be inferior to Lin Dan’s, who comes from a humble background. But look at you— you still lost to her today. Even your signature dishes were stolen or plagiarized from others, lacking any originality. This shows that, in the art of cooking, you’re ultimately lacking in talent.”

Yan Langqing’s face, already pale, flushed red with shame as the Emperor’s words struck her deeply.

The Emperor then changed the subject, saying, “Since you lack the talent to be a cook, you might as well enter the palace and become my woman. I won’t treat you poorly.”

Yan Langqing looked up in shock at the Emperor, struggling for a moment before nodding her head. She had nothing left now, had enemies everywhere in the culinary world, and even her restaurant was being sealed off by the imperial family. Where could she find a way to survive once she left the palace? But becoming an imperial concubine would change everything. She would no longer serve others. Instead, others would serve her. Why wouldn’t she seize this opportunity?

The Emperor gently caressed Yan Langqing’s delicate face, his touch seemingly tender but his words were laced with coldness, “Since you’re entering the palace as my woman, make sure your family stays in line. If they cause me any trouble, I won’t show mercy.”

Yan Langqing trembled violently and quickly nodded in fear. In her daze, she failed to notice that the Emperor, who had once been so indulgent and protective of her, had completely changed his attitude. He had once believed that Yan Langqing was a pure and kind-hearted girl, the last untainted soul in the filthy palace, but it turned out she was no different from the others. She schemed, stole, and bullied the weak, and her family was vulgar and overbearing, further increasing his disgust.

The Emperor never believed in the phrase ‘untainted by the mud’. Those who were mired in filth only became dirtier because they had to do whatever it took to survive, just like him. In that instant, he abandoned all his previous admiration and affection for Yan Langqing, seeing her only as another object of his desire. He would use a carrot-and-stick approach to tame her, and once the novelty wore off, she would be no different from the other concubines who had fallen out of favor.

But Yan Langqing, unaware of the Emperor’s true thoughts, still believed she held a special place in his heart. Summoning her courage, she asked, “Your Majesty, may I stay at home a little longer? My father has not yet fully recovered from his injuries and I would like to wait until he is well before returning to the palace.”

The Emperor gazed deeply at her for a long moment before nodding.

———pr


On the other side, Lin Dan had returned to Sanchakou Alley. As soon as she stepped out of the carriage, several men, overjoyed at her arrival, hurried up to greet her, “Shopkeeper Lin, you’re finally back! When do you plan to open the shop?”

“I’m not opening the shop anymore. I’ll be leaving the capital soon.” Lin Dan waved her hand lightly.

The men all showed mournful expressions. They were about to persuade her further when they noticed a eunuch leading a group of guards approaching in a grand procession. The eunuch called out, “Are you Lin Dan, the great cook? You won the competition today and the Emperor has bestowed a plaque upon you. Please accept it.”

Only then did Lin Dan notice the two guards behind him carrying a square plaque wrapped in silk. When the silk was removed, five large golden words were revealed, written in a flamboyant style— 「Successor of Imperial Golden Knife」, bearing the Emperor’s seal.

Lin Dan no longer cared about this title, however, she still accepted the plaque, gave the eunuch and guards red envelopes, and closed the shop door to quietly continue packing her belongings. The people outside the door were completely stunned, and after a long pause, one of them exclaimed, “Good heavens, Shopkeeper Lin is actually an Imperial Golden Knife’s successor! That’s incredible! We’ll be eating imperial cuisine every day!”

“Stop f*cking dreaming! Didn’t you hear? Shopkeeper Lin is no longer opening shop here! She’s an Imperial Golden Knife’s successor. If she wants to open a shop, it’ll be in the Western District. Who would bother to cook us a bowl of noodles for a few copper coins?” The others were filled with regret. If they had known earlier that Shopkeeper Lin was an imperial cook’s successor, they wouldn’t have taken her culinary skills for granted. Now that they thought about it, Shopkeeper Lin’s cooking and character were both exceptional. Her opening a shop in the Southern District had been a blessing for the people there. It was a pity they hadn’t known to appreciate it.

Lin Dan finished packing her belongings and directly left the city. Before she even reached the house on the outskirts, she saw Madam Qi standing at the crossroads, craning her neck in worry. Madam Qi had never expected her daughter to win, only hoping that she would return safely. So when Lin Dan pulled away the silk cloth to reveal the cookbook and the golden knife, Madam Qi’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth, unable to react for a long time.

“W-what are those?” she asked in disbelief.

Lin Dan handed the items to her with a light laugh. “Mother, I won back Father’s belongings. Keep them safe.”

“You…… you won? You really won?” Madam Qi kept stroking the golden knife and the cookbook, her face slowly breaking into a smile before she burst into tears. Over the years, her daughter had traveled far and wide, enduring countless hardships and suffering. Her heart ached at the thought.

Lin Dan embraced Madam Qi and gently patted her back, her voice calm. “Mother, now that this matter is settled, let’s travel to other places. There’s a vast world out there with many delicacies waiting for us.”

Madam Qi nodded through her sobs, joy sparkling in her eyes.

———pr


Traveling was no easy task. They had to prepare many supplies, plan the route, and obtain travel permits. It wasn’t something that could be done on a whim. Lin Dan stayed on the outskirts of the capital for another month, ensuring everything was ready for their departure. But just as they were about to leave, a piece of shocking news came— Marquis Yongding’s residence had been confiscated for colluding with foreign enemies and Noble Consort Tang was imprisoned in the cold palace, facing the threat of family extermination.

Seeing the drastic change in the situation and knowing that staying might involve her in the turmoil, Lin Dan chose to stay behind while sending Madam Qi far away. She then sent a servant to the city to gather information. Events unfolded rapidly. Within three days, the charges were confirmed and the female members of Marquis Yongding’s household were exiled three thousand miles away, while all the men were sentenced to beheading.

A few days later, even worse news arrived— sixty-eight female members of Marquis Yongding’s household, unable to bear the humiliation, had all hanged themselves, including Noble Consort Tang in the cold palace. The Emperor was furious and, in his haste, decided to execute Tang Cheng and the others without waiting for the autumn executions.

On the day of the beheading, Lin Dan hurried to the execution ground with a large food box to bid farewell to Tang Cheng.