Jiang Yanyi felt uneasy under his gaze and could only respond with a polite yet distant smile.

Only then did Feng Shuo withdraw his gaze.

He glanced at the bowl of wontons, noticing that the dumpling skins were so thin that they were almost translucent after cooking, clearly revealing the pale red meat filling inside.

Each one was plump and delightful to the eye.

The broth was excellent, rich and aromatic yet remarkably clear, with not a hint of grease, just a few scattered bits of green onion floating on top.

Even though he knew that such a beautifully presented wonton wouldn’t taste good in his mouth, Feng Shuo still felt a stir of appetite.

He picked up a spoon and took a sip.

The moment it entered his mouth, he froze.

Fresh!

Salty!

Aromatic!

The taste sensations were sharper than he had ever experienced before, leaving Feng Shuo momentarily stunned.

Then, waves of surprise washed over his narrowed phoenix eyes.

He picked up a well-stuffed wonton with his chopsticks.

The dumpling skin was soft and smooth, and the meat filling was exceptionally tender.

Soaked in the broth, it was extraordinarily delicious.

Without uttering a word, Feng Shuo finished an entire large bowl of wontons in one go, even drinking the broth down to the last drop.

This was the first time Jiang Yanyi had seen someone eat with such a voracious speed, yet still manage to appear elegant.

She glanced at the empty bowl and swallowed hard before asking, “Would you like some more?”

Feng Shuo hesitated for a moment before replying, “No need.”

He usually didn’t eat after the hour of You, and tonight was already an exception.

Although he was only half-full, there would be plenty of time ahead.

Jiang Yanyi let out a small sigh of relief; she was genuinely worried that this strategist would ask for another bowl.

After all, he looked slender and refined, and she had prepared enough wontons for two people.

The fact that he had finished every drop of the broth left her astounded.

As Jiang Yanyi marveled at the situation, Feng Shuo asked, “How did you make these wontons?”

This was a question Jiang Yanyi was familiar with; whenever a dish was particularly good, there would always be a few curious diners wanting to know the recipe.

She replied, “The wonton skins are made from flour, and the filling is minced pork. Once wrapped, just boil them. The flavor is all in the broth, which is made from simmering old hens and pork bones to create a clear soup.”

One of the soldiers nearby, wanting to praise Jiang Yanyi’s culinary skills, chimed in, “Although Chef Jiang is a new cook in our Fire Camp, her skills are impressive! The first time she made tofu pudding, she received a reward from the general, and this morning, her knife skills while making knife-shaved noodles left the other chefs stunned. The lion’s head meatballs she made for lunch were also a masterpiece!”

Listening to the soldier, a flicker of something passed quickly through Feng Shuo’s eyes, and the corner of his refined lips curled up slightly.

It truly was a case of stumbling upon something precious without much effort.

His gaze returned to Jiang Yanyi, who he had been observing for quite some time, noticing she didn’t seem like an ordinary cook.

After all, which person who has spent years in the kitchen could maintain hands as fair and tender as hers?

Her beauty was striking, and her demeanor was ethereal, unlike a girl raised in a common family.

There was a scar on her forehead, and her last name was conveniently Jiang…

Too many clues pointed in one direction.

However, the dishes she made at the moment happened to help him regain his sense of taste, and they somewhat disrupted Feng Shuo’s thoughts.

Fortunately, having grown up in a cannibalistic royal palace during his childhood and later trained in the military for many years, he had long been able to remain unperturbed even in the face of great adversity.

At this moment, he simply appeared relaxed: “Sounds interesting. Do you have any paper and ink? Please write down the recipes for these dishes. I’ll have the cooks at my estate prepare them as well.”

The fire chief, who had just spoken, shot a somewhat awkward glance at Jiang Yanyi.

Being part of the cooking team, he knew very well that each cook cherished their signature dishes and feared others would steal their recipes.

He initially wanted to speak well of Jiang Yanyi, but little did he expect that this military strategist didn’t understand the field and directly asked Jiang Yanyi for the recipes.

Feng Shuo, being such a person, could read the situation just by looking at the fire chief’s expression.

Since he didn’t have any money on him, he took off a piece of sheep fat jade that was tied to his waist and placed it on the table, pushing it toward Jiang Yanyi. “Consider this a token of gratitude.”

Back when the original owner was the daughter of a Minister, she had handled countless gold and jade jewels, but she had never encountered a piece of sheep fat jade of such quality.

Jiang Yanyi couldn’t dare accept it and quickly said, “I’m afraid I cannot accept such a precious item for a few simple dishes. It’s a great honor for me to catch the military strategist’s attention; how could I take something so valuable? I’ll write the recipes for you right away.”

If she were to receive a jade pendant, she would have to show the purchase contract to pawn it for money; without the contract, it would be regarded as stolen.

Even if she successfully pawned it, the price would be significantly low.

If he wanted to give something, it should be real cash!

Jiang Yanyi quickly fetched paper and ink, leaned over the table, and began writing the recipes while secretly complaining.

Feng Shuo leaned back in his chair, resting his head on his hand, watching the kitchen maid write at the table.

His eyes flickered with varying emotions, and it was unclear what he was contemplating.

The wind lantern hanging at the entrance of the tent cast a warm yellow glow, illuminating Jiang Yanyi’s side profile with a soft light.

She lowered her brows and eyes, deeply focused on writing the recipes.

Her long lashes cast a fan-shaped shadow beneath her eyelids.

It is often said, “A beauty under the moonlight is like jade under a lamp,” but seeing a beauty under the lamp seemed to have its own charm.

While waiting for Jiang Yanyi to finish the recipes, Feng Shuo took a sip of the hot tea served by the fire chief.

It wasn’t the best tea leaves and tasted astringent at first, but it was the first time he had experienced the taste of tea.

Once the astringency faded, he could taste a hint of bitterness, which explained its popularity among cultured gentlemen.

Feng Shuo glanced at the plate of candied chestnuts and suddenly felt like trying one.

Qiu Kui watched in astonishment as the military strategist, with a demeanor as fresh as the breeze and bright moon, ate a candied chestnut, then paused in surprise before eating a second and a third without hesitation…

Qiu Kui’s heart ached—those were the candied chestnuts Jiang Yanyi intended for her!

Fortunately, when the military strategist had eaten about half the plate of candied chestnuts, Jiang Yanyi had just finished writing the recipes, and he finally stopped eating the chestnuts, making Qiu Kui feel a bit relieved.

Thank goodness; she still had half a plate to eat.

Feng Shuo took the recipes written by Jiang Yanyi, glanced over the handwriting on the paper, and his eyelids twitched slightly.

It was the first time he saw someone write the small script for flower pins in such a large size; the handwriting was truly clumsy and amusing.

Jiang Yanyi naturally noticed the military strategist’s disdain for her handwriting and stood awkwardly to the side.

It was not her fault; as a modern person, she had never learned to write with a brush.

The original owner was a foolish beauty, and the only calligraphy she had learned was the small script for flower pins.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t studied seriously, resulting in such awkward handwriting.

After looking a few times, Feng Shuo probably found it too painful to look at and didn’t continue.

He said, “Since you refuse this jade pendant, I will send someone to deliver a cash reward tomorrow.”

Jiang Yanyi’s eyes lit up instantly; this military strategist understood her thoughts well!

However, she still replied, “Military strategist, you are being too courteous.”

Feng Shuo frowned; he disliked dawdling and decisively said, “This matter is settled.”

As he stood up, he glanced at the plate of candied chestnuts and asked, “Did you make these as well?”

Jiang Yanyi nodded.

Feng Shuo then said, “Pack them up; I’ll take them with me.”

Upon hearing this, Qiu Kui trembled slightly.