AEOGA CH53

After the branch of Huaman Pavilion opened, it featured not only that classic Yujing dish, Squirrel Mandarin Fish, but also introduced two new items to the menu—Beggar’s Chicken and Farmhouse Cured Meat.

Restaurants designed specifically to serve the rich and powerful typically chose high-end, grand, and sophisticated names for their dishes. Even a plain and simple cabbage dish would be given the noble title “Emerald White Jade”. By contrast, the names of these two dishes were remarkably down-to-earth.

Lu Xuechao had no intention of renaming them with grand titles. The culinary methods for both dishes had originally been inspired by a beggar and a farmer, so why disguise their contribution?

Having become shareholders in Yunzhou’s Huaman Pavilion, the Jiang family had the fortune of tasting Huaman Pavilion’s signature dishes for free, and even became the very first patrons to try the two new creations, Beggar’s Chicken and Farmhouse Cured Meat.

Jiang Jinxu ate until his eyes shone, polishing off two extra bowls of rice: “So delicious! How come our family’s restaurant could never make food with this flavor before? Huaman Pavilion truly lives up to its reputation!”

He rarely involved himself in the family business, but major matters were always shared with him by his father and Yun Yao. Thus, he naturally knew that Yujing’s Huaman Pavilion had reached numerous cooperative agreements with their household.

To be precise, except for Jiang Yan Pharmacy, which remained their own property, they were essentially working for Huaman Pavilion across all other ventures.

If working meant eating such delicious food, please bring on more of these jobs!

Yun Yao nodded in agreement, moving his chopsticks with lightning speed.

He had initially worried that because Huaman Pavilion’s reputation was so overwhelming, setting expectations sky-high might lead to disappointment if the food failed to live up to the hype. Only upon tasting it did he realize that seeing was believing—the deliciousness of Huaman Pavilion exceeded anything one could imagine.

Many famous establishments served mediocre food, pouring all their effort into marketing and hype. Huaman Pavilion, however, fully lived up to its name; Yun Yao even felt the rumors fell short of praising it enough, as the food was so delicious it left him at a loss for words.

As the representative for Huaman Pavilion in Yunzhou, Yun Yao was given the secret recipe cards for these dishes. Something that other restaurants could only dream of obtaining, Lu Xuechao had handed over to him without the slightest hesitation.

If you trust someone, don’t suspect them; if you suspect someone, don’t employ them. If Lu Xuechao could misjudge a person even in this, his many lived lifetimes would have been in vain.

Besides, they had never intended to keep their identities hidden forever. If anyone dared to flee with the secret recipes after learning who they really were… one could only admire their bravery.

Whether out of morality or self-preservation, the Jiang family would never dig their own grave by doing something so foolish and completely lacking in benefit.

Even though it was no longer strictly their own restaurant, Yun Yao managed it with utmost dedication. Before opening, he not only redecorated the entire establishment, but also hired an entirely new staff.

Yun Yao specifically recruited several former shouma.

After the shouma industry was banned, former shouma of illegitimate origins were assisted by the government in finding their families. Yet there were others who were truly without reliance; having been brainwashed since childhood to believe their sole purpose in life was to please others, they were plunged into confusion upon suddenly regaining their freedom, unsure of what to do.

Yun Yao saw the dust-covered gold in them.

Some could keep accounts, some could cook, some were quick-witted and adept at serving guests, and others were proficient in musical instruments, able to play the zither to entertain visitors.

Without being shouma, they could still do many things; in fact, they had always been capable of doing anything.

With everything prepared, Yun Yao didn’t need to put much effort into the most crucial aspect—the promotional buildup.

One generation plants the trees, and the next enjoys the shade. Lu Xuechao had already built Huaman Pavilion’s renown, so all they needed to do was bask in its prestige.

Yun Yao knew that flashy promotions were entirely unnecessary; the golden plaque of “Huaman Pavilion” was the most influential draw of all.

Sure enough, as soon as Huaman Pavilion opened, its popularity remained sky-high.

Although no one dared to be the first patron in the immediate wake of the official purge, people privately discussed visiting Huaman Pavilion to broaden their horizons once His Majesty departed Jiangnan.

Jiang Jinxu marveled: “I hear so many people outside talking about Huaman Pavilion. Before a single guest has even walked in, it’s already a household name. To make a business this wildly popular, those two Young Masters Lu and Xie are truly remarkable.”

Yun Yao said, “This is nothing. Once Mafei Powder reaches Jiang Yan Pharmacy, it won’t just ignite Yunzhou—the entire world will be boiling over.”

Medicines required approval from relevant departments before they could be brought to market, making its progress somewhat slower than the restaurant’s.

That was the true source of excitement.

Speaking of which, Mafei Powder had been developed by Young Master Lu, which was already enough to draw exclamations of a natural genius. When Yun Yao tasted Huaman Pavilion’s food, he was once again awestruck, and upon receiving the recipes, he hurriedly asked which master chef had created them, only for Lu Xuechao to reply in a calm, gentle tone: “That would also be this humble self.”

Yun Yao: “…”

Developing medicine and creating culinary dishes—that was quite a massive leap across industries.

Young Master Lu was not only a divine physician, but also a divine chef.

Was this man a deity?

Yun Yao had also asked once: “His Majesty is currently in Yunzhou, why do you two not present the medicine to His Majesty? What the Imperial Family can grant you would surely be far more than what the Jiang family can offer.”

The efficacy of Mafei Powder was enough to startle the Sovereign. Seeking an audience with such medicine would undoubtedly earn heavenly rewards.

Lu Xuechao merely cast a subtle glance at Xie Chongjin, revealing a sliver of the truth: “His Majesty knows.”

Yun Yao was startled, only then recalling that Huaman Pavilion had once presented dishes before the throne and received a golden plaque personally inscribed by the Emperor, meaning these two had met the Sovereign in person.

Perhaps when presenting the dishes, the two had presented the medicine as well.

Yun Yao would never have guessed in a million years that the people before him had not merely met the Sovereign, but were the Sovereign and Empress themselves.

To the extent that when he eventually found out, remembering that meaningful phrase “His Majesty knows,” he secretly cursed his own slow wits.

Yun Yao didn’t find out too late, however.

After Huaman Pavilion opened, since the wealthy merchants of Jiangnan didn’t dare to take the lead, the very first patron to cross the threshold was none other than the current Emperor, arriving in person alongside the Empress.

This was hardly unexpected. His Majesty had previously praised Huaman Pavilion’s signature dishes in Yujing and even inscribed its plaque. Now that Huaman Pavilion had opened a branch in Yunzhou and introduced several new dishes, and His Majesty just happened to be in Yunzhou, of course he would come at the earliest opportunity to taste the new creations.

It would have been strange had they not come; there was no need to deliberately avoid suspicion.

Xie Chongjin and Lu Xuechao did not keep a low profile this time, arriving in grand fashion with a full imperial honor guard, making no effort to conceal their identities.

The shop attendants had never witnessed such a grand sight. From having no patrons at all to suddenly hosting the reigning Emperor and Empress, every single one of them panicked, completely losing their composure.

It was a male accountant—a former shouma—who managed to regain a semblance of calm first. He ushered the Emperor and Empress into the finest private room and ordered the staff to serve the dishes quickly, while gesturing to a floor boy to immediately notify the Young Master’s spouse and Master Jiang.

Distinguished guests of this stature were far beyond the pay grade of minor figures like them to receive; anything less than the owners personally appearing would be considered disrespect.

Although they all knew the restaurant had been bought by the owner of Yujing’s Huaman Pavilion, since neither Xie Chongjin nor Lu Xuechao had appeared out in the open, the highest-ranking managers they could contact were Jiang Yue and Yun Yao.

Jiang Manor.

Upon hearing the news of the Emperor and Empress’s personal arrival, Yun Yao was so shocked his hand slipped, knocking over a teacup.

“Quickly, go find Young Master Lu and Young Master Xie!” Yun Yao ordered immediately.

They were the true masters of Huaman Pavilion; by all rights, they should be the ones to present themselves before His Majesty.

Moreover, those two had met the Sovereign before; it was very likely His Majesty specifically wanted to see them, and no one else possessed the standing to substitute for them.

The errand boy said in distress, “Young Master’s spouse, we don’t know where those two gentlemen are staying…”

Yun Yao: “…”

Only then did he recall that he didn’t even know where those two resided.

After meeting so many times, the other party had never revealed their true faces, nor had they ever disclosed their lodgings—they were utterly mysterious. Yun Yao had initially felt that such masters being a bit mysterious was normal, but now, unable to find them at such a critical moment, he was left entirely helpless.

Just as he was at a loss, Jiang Yue emerged from the study.

Yun Yao said, “Father, His Majesty and His Majesty the Empress…”

“I’ve heard the news,” Jiang Yue said gravely. “Prepare the carriage. We go to welcome the imperial carriage; we cannot keep His Majesty and His Majesty waiting.”

It was too late to search for anyone now; the two of them, as the nominal managers on the surface, simply had to brace themselves and go.

Along the way inside the carriage, Yun Yao’s heart pounded so fast it nearly leaped out of his chest.

Normally, he was a very calm person.

…But that was the Emperor and Empress!

Who wouldn’t be nervous?

Jiang Yue appeared much more composed, at least maintaining a normal countenance, though he subtly tightened his grip on his robes.

“Father,” Yun Yao asked, “do you know much about His Majesty and His Majesty? I’m afraid of saying something I shouldn’t… Do they have any taboos?”

Knowing nothing about the two of them before going to seek an audience made him inevitably anxious, so he thought to do some last-minute preparation.

Although the Emperor and Empress had been staying in Yunzhou for a long time, they had no direct contact with the Jiang family. Judging from the officials and merchants brought down during this period, Yun Yao had already envisioned an exceedingly majestic and iron-fisted imperial couple in his mind.

Jiang Yue shook his head with a solemn face: “How could I know clearly? The Jiang family’s prior connection with His Majesty and His Majesty amounted to only that single affair…”

That matter went back quite a few years. The Jiang family’s Pregnancy Pill was world-famous, sought after not only by Yujing nobles with heavy gold, but even covertly purchased by consorts from the other three nations in hopes of conceiving imperial heirs.

When the Empress was still the Crown Princess, he had been married to the Crown Prince for a year without producing offspring. At that time, someone seeking to curry favor with the Crown Princess presented a gift of Pregnancy Pills on the Crown Princess’s birthday, wishing him an early birth of a noble son.

Lu Xuechao hadn’t said anything at the time, accepting the gift with calm politeness before seeing the guest off.

That night, however, he had remained thoroughly dispirited.

Xie Chongjin had asked him, “Why are you still unhappy on your birthday?”

Lu Xuechao didn’t speak.

He did not wish to bear children, and Xie Chongjin doted on him enough to indulge him. Yet the gift-giver’s words that day—constantly harping on the importance of imperial heirs and gaining status through children, as if failing to give birth meant losing favor, as if his abilities and achievements were completely irrelevant and he could only pitifully rely on children to maintain affection—such feudal, conservative nonsense made him deeply unhappy to hear.

Yet he could say nothing. Even if he asked the whole world to judge, he would still be in the wrong. A Crown Princess unwilling to bear offspring was inherently a failure of duty as Crown Princess.

Such was worldly convention.

Lu Xuechao didn’t speak, but Xie Chongjin wouldn’t truly ignore it. The next day, he reviewed the gift list and found the root of Lu Xuechao’s distress.

Xie Chongjin directly threw the Pregnancy Pill out of the Eastern Palace, harshly rebuking the person who had offered it. He declared that his own body was at fault and that conceiving was difficult for him; if anyone wanted to cure someone, they should cure him instead. If anyone sent such messy medicines to the Crown Princess again, he would beat them out the door every single time.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had always been gentle and reasonable, but that time he was genuinely enraged, abandoning even his gentlemanly composure.

Because the Crown Prince’s frank admission of his own physical defect was so shocking, the story caused quite a stir for a time, and Jiang Yue had heard of it as well.

Worldly conventions always seemed to harbor a habitual bias: if a woman couldn’t bear children, the woman was blamed; if a chenghuan couldn’t bear children, the chenghuan was blamed, while the other party was treated as if invisible. In truth, many times it was the other party’s body that had issues, but their pride was larger than the heavens, so they would never seek the cause in themselves, forcing their spouse to take the fall even if they knew they were at fault.

For someone like the Crown Prince to directly admit he was the one with the issue and tell others not to make things difficult for the Crown Princess was simply unheard of.

He was the Crown Prince, after all.

He had only relied on the fact that His Majesty had him as his sole son; otherwise, on the account of fertility difficulties alone, his position as Crown Prince might not even have been secure.

Using this excuse, after Xie Chongjin ascended the throne, he spent every night lingering in the imperial harem while the entire harem produced no offspring, which subsequently surprised people much less.

After all, His Majesty had physical issues…

After listening, Yun Yao remained silent for a moment: “How do I feel that, before even meeting them, we’ve already offended His Majesty and His Majesty?”

After all, that Pregnancy Pill had originated from their Jiang family.

Jiang Yue said, “After that incident back then, I began researching target medicines for chenghuan who face fertility difficulties. It has achieved modest results now, though it’s still in the trial phase… With this medicine around, His Majesty shouldn’t go so far as to blame us.”

While speaking, the carriage arrived at Huaman Pavilion.

The entrance of Huaman Pavilion was heavily guarded by soldiers, with sentries every three steps and posts every five. Guards stood watch at every staircase and doorway. No matter how grand a display the wealthy merchants of Jiangnan usually put on, it appeared utterly petty in the face of such a presence.

This was the Imperial Family.

Both Jiang Yue and Yun Yao had to undergo a full body search before being allowed inside.

Upon entering the private room, there was no one else present except two young men dressed in vermilion and purple official robes. Jiang Yue and Yun Yao did not look directly at them, properly kneeling down to pay homage the moment they stepped inside.

“This commoner pays respects to Your Majesty, pays respects to His Majesty the Empress.”

Xie Chongjin said, “Rise.”

“We thank Your Majesty.”

…Why did this voice sound so familiar?

Both Xie Chongjin and Lu Xuechao had voices so pleasant they were highly recognizable; generally, once heard, they were never forgotten. It was just that in their current nervous state, the two failed to confirm it immediately.

Lu Xuechao said gently, “Bestow seats.”

…This voice was even more familiar!

One might be a coincidence, but what were two… Such divine voices weren’t something just anyone possessed!

Yun Yao stood up and raised his head. Seeing the two men of peerless grace inside the room, he froze for a moment, disbelief flashing in his eyes.

Although he had never seen their true faces, who could possibly replicate that presence and aura?

“This commoner seems to have seen… Your Majesty and His Majesty somewhere before?” he asked tentatively.

Lu Xuechao let out a light laugh: “We only met yesterday; has Young Master Yun forgotten already?”

A look of shock appeared in Jiang Yue’s eyes.

Yun Yao went blank for a second.

He reflected on the shift in the duo’s identity in his eyes:

First, martial artists and a young noble eloping on a rainy night.

Then, wandering martial artists and a peerless divine physician traveling the world.

Next, a wealthy merchant couple opening a restaurant.

And finally, the supreme Emperor and Empress of the current dynasty before his eyes.

Even peeling an onion didn’t go through this many layers.

So the question returned to the very beginning:

Why on earth would His Majesty hold a lotus leaf and run through a rainy night with Her Majesty the Empress?

Was that really something a normal Emperor and Empress could do?