Feng Shuo replied, “I flipped through them briefly and thought they were worth a read, so I kept them.”

Although someone liked to act tough, Jiang Yanyi felt sweet inside.

She quickly invited Feng Shuo to sit down. “Try the fragrant pot I made.”

Feng Shuo sat down across from her. He usually only ate until he was half full for breakfast, but this morning he finished a full bowl of rice with the pot dish.

Jiang Yanyi watched him with eager anticipation. “How does it taste?”

Since recovering his sense of taste, Feng Shuo hadn’t tasted all the delicacies, and he couldn’t be sure if he had eaten something similar before losing his taste.

After a moment of contemplation, he said, “Not bad.”

Jiang Yanyi didn’t feel disappointed by his response.

After all, he was a prince who had tasted countless delicacies; to receive a “not bad” from him suggested that it could be quite popular among other nobles as well.

She smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling.

Feng Shuo was momentarily entranced by her smile, his gaze deepening as he turned to look out the window.

To let in light and air, the servants had hung a layer of sheer silk at the window.

Now, even with the window open, the cold wind wouldn’t blow in, but one could still see the scenery outside.

“In a few days, it will probably snow in Xizhou City,” he remarked.

Jiang Yanyi followed his gaze and looked outside.

The bamboo in front of the window, warmed by the underground heating, showed no signs of wilting; it remained lush and green even in the harsh winter.

Above the bamboo thicket was a dull, grayish-white sky.

At that moment, Jiang Yanyi didn’t grasp the deeper meaning behind Feng Shuo’s words; she thought he was merely commenting on the season.

It wasn’t until a few days later, when she and Yang Xiu and Bing Shao went to the southern part of the city to find the old scholar, that she realized Feng Shuo was concerned that once it snowed, there would likely be countless people freezing and starving in Xizhou City.

---

Two Days Later.

A long line of citizens was queuing up on the southern streets to receive blankets and rice.

As Jiang Yanyi passed by, she saw every face appeared ashen.

She couldn’t remember or recognize anyone, but every pair of eyes flickered with a light that resembled sparks flying in the dark, small yet capable of piercing through the night’s gloom.

She could hear voices praising “Prince Renhou of Liaonan,” calling him “compassionate” and “virtuous.”

Jiang Yanyi felt her heart swell with pride for him.

Yang Xiu and Bing Shao had already scouted the area earlier, and the group easily found the old scholar’s residence.

The house was dilapidated, with wind whistling through the gaps.

In the courtyard, a makeshift shelter had been set up, where a shabby old man was using a charcoal stick to teach a few children huddled around a small fire how to recognize characters.

Jiang Yanyi knocked on the rusted door knocker, and the old man turned his head, peering out with cloudy eyes. “Who might be the esteemed guest visiting my humble abode?”

His hair and beard were white, giving him a somewhat desolate appearance, but his spirit still seemed quite good.

Jiang Yanyi asked Bing Shao to bring forth a jug of wine and a roasted chicken they had bought along the way.

Smiling, she said, “We are not esteemed guests. Today, we have come to humbly ask the old gentleman to tell us some stories.”

Upon hearing the word “stories,” a flicker of nostalgia crossed the old man’s eyes, and he waved his hands repeatedly.

“I haven’t done that in many years. My tongue is not as nimble anymore; you should look for someone else.”

He gestured toward the wine and chicken. “Take these back as well. I’m not one to receive rewards for no merit.”

Jiang Yanyi replied, “Please don’t be so modest, old sir. Every time you told a story, it was met with resounding applause…”

“Those are all past events; there’s no need to bring them up again. Please leave!”

The old man seemed unwilling to discuss storytelling further, and he stood up to personally see them out.

Yang Xiu and Bing Shao quickly positioned themselves to protect Jiang Yanyi from any harsh words.

Jiang Yanyi was concerned that they might be too rough, so she said, “Don’t hurt the old gentleman.”

The group was soon pushed out the door, with the old scholar returning the wine and chicken to Bing Shao, and with a loud bang, he closed the creaky courtyard door.

Jiang Yanyi hadn’t expected to be treated this way, and her emotions were complex as they walked away.

Yang Xiu looked at her and asked, “What should we do now, shopkeeper?”

Jiang Yanyi called out from outside the door, “Old sir, I am Jiang Yanyi, the owner of Jiangji Antique Soup. I sincerely wish to invite you to come and tell stories. If you change your mind, please feel free to visit Jiangji Antique Soup at any time.”

From inside, the old scholar’s voice replied, “Just leave.”

Jiang Yanyi sighed.

Today had been a fruitless trip.

She left the wine and chicken at the courtyard door and departed with Yang Xiu and Bing Shao.

As they walked, Yang Xiu couldn’t help but complain about the old scholar. “This old curmudgeon is quite ungrateful.”

Jiang Yanyi said, “It’s fine. Let things happen naturally. Given what he went through when telling stories, and with his mother passing away with regrets, it’s understandable that he doesn’t want to return to that life.”

Calculating the days, Jiang Yanyi thought that the small stoves she had ordered could be picked up today.

On her way back, she stopped by the blacksmith’s shop, only to run into an old acquaintance.

It was Chef Yao from Laifu Tavern.

They had previously met at a banquet hosted by the Han family, and Jiang Yanyi had a good impression of him. However, with the recent issues involving the owner of Laifu Tavern, she wasn’t sure where Chef Yao stood, so she wasn’t as relaxed in her greeting as before.

Chef Yao, on the other hand, was quite indignant. “Jiang, don’t blame me for this! The owner of Laifu Tavern is not decent; don’t hold it against me as well!”

Although there wasn’t a strong sense of copyright in ancient times, Laifu Antique Soup Shop was simply copying everything from her shop.

People were neither blind nor foolish.

Jiang Yanyi asked, “What brings you here, Chef Yao? Looking to get something made?”

As soon as this topic came up, Chef Yao became furious, cursing profusely. “That new chef at the Antique Soup Shop is simply no good! This kitchen knife is a family heirloom, and he took it to chop large bones! Just look at what he’s done to it!”

Laifu Antique Soup Shop was adjacent to Laifu Tavern, and they shared the same kitchen.

In Chef Yao’s hand was a kitchen knife with a large gash and several areas bent out of shape.

As a fellow chef, Jiang Yanyi could tell this was a finely crafted knife, and using such a knife to chop bones would make anyone heartbroken.

Jiang Yanyi sighed, “What a shame for such a good knife.”

Chef Yao was practically bleeding inside. He angrily exclaimed, “That little brat used my ancestral knife! I couldn’t hold back and gave him a beating, but the owner publicly scolded me in front of everyone at the tavern!”

“I’ve worked my fingers to the bone at Laifu Tavern for over ten years, and the owner only pays me 1,500 coins a month. When they started distributing dividends, he didn’t even let me in on that. And now that new chef has the title of Imperial Chef in his family, and the owner not only gives him dividends but pays him 2,000 coins a month!”

Jiang Yanyi replied, “This is indeed wrong of the owner of Laifu Tavern. Even if he doesn’t know that this knife shouldn’t be used for chopping bones, after all these years of hard work, he shouldn’t treat you like this.”

Having worked at Laifu Tavern for so long, Chef Yao had some emotional ties, and hearing Jiang Yanyi, an outsider, say this made him feel even more heartbroken. He shook his head, unable to hold back tears. “People are only looking at money. Back when the owner first opened the tavern, things were tough, and once he even couldn’t pay wages for six months. Many left to find better-paying jobs, but I didn’t leave. Now that Laifu Tavern is thriving, I suppose the owner has completely forgotten those old ties.”

He sighed, “Jiang, you should open your Antique Soup Shop quickly and outshine that brat! I can’t stand his arrogant attitude! Just because his ancestor was an Imperial Chef, that doesn’t make him one!”

Jiang Yanyi’s eyes brightened slightly, and she tentatively said, “Chef Yao, I truly feel it’s unfair for you. Both you and my master are loyal people. You’ve worked at Laifu Tavern for so many years, yet you still have to endure this! If you’re willing, why not come work at my shop? I’ll pay you double the wages.”

Launching her dry pot would require a chef to constantly manage the stove in the back kitchen, and Aunt Guo, who was good at chopping vegetables, wasn’t as skilled at managing the heat.

If she confined herself to the stove, no one would handle the accounts outside.

Chef Yao was adept at cooking stir-fry, and she had witnessed his skills at the Han family banquet not long ago.

If Chef Yao was willing to leave Laifu Tavern and work for her, she could hand over the dry pot to him, which would save her a lot of worry.

Author’s Note: Jiang Yanyi: If you dare to copy me, I’ll poach your staff! Hmph!