AEOGA CH29

Lu Xuechao asked, “Where is Hua Yan?”

Seeing how busy business was downstairs and that Wang Yiming could barely keep up with the ledger, Lu Xuechao did not want to disturb him further.

Wang Yiming replied, “He’s upstairs hosting the guests.”

The guests in the private rooms held far more prestigious statuses, consisting entirely of first- and second-rank court officials who could not be neglected. The staff in Huaman Pavilion had previously only served low-ranking officials—even a fifth-rank director could make them tremble with anxiety—so they had never seen such grand occasions. Fearing they might make a mistake under pressure, Hua Yan had taken it upon himself to attend to them personally.

Of course, now that the Emperor and the Empress had arrived, everyone else had to step aside.

Lu Xuechao nodded, took Xie Chongjin’s hand, and headed upstairs.

Wang Yiming watched the Emperor and the Empress walk upstairs hand-in-hand, then looked around at the packed main hall. The customers were dining, admiring the art, and conversing normally, completely oblivious to the fact that two incredibly noble figures were right under their noses.

…Suddenly, I feel like I’m pretty amazing for knowing the truth.

Huaman Pavilion wasn’t particularly large, spanning only two stories. Space in Yujing was worth its weight in gold, and Yuhua Street was a renowned gold-devouring sinkhole, making a two-story building an astronomical expense.

As the two reached the upper floor, they happened to catch Hua Yan just as he closed the door to a private room. He smiled, saying, “The dishes have all been served, please enjoy your meal, honored guests.” As he turned around, he ran right into them in the corridor.

Seeing the two individuals wearing a mask and a veiled bamboo hat, Hua Yan didn’t think much of their mysterious attire. He simply stepped forward with a smile. “Honored guests, I am terribly sorry, but there are no vacancies left upstairs either…”

Lu Xuechao spoke, “It is us.”

Hua Yan immediately changed his tune: “Actually, we do have one now. We specially left a private room vacant waiting for you… two to arrive.”

He had known beforehand that His Highness the Empress was coming to inspect the establishment, but he hadn’t expected the Emperor, who was burdened with a myriad of state affairs daily, to tag along as well.

These two truly couldn’t bear to be apart for even a single moment.

Hua Yan led them into the private room. The room reserved for Lu Xuechao was naturally the finest in the building. The chairs were specially fitted with soft cushions, the floral arrangements in the vases were freshly replaced, and the floor was spotless, showing clear signs of meticulous cleaning.

Once the door was closed, Lu Xuechao removed his veiled hat, revealing his true visage beneath the white gauze. Xie Chongjin took off his mask, displaying his sharp, piercing phoenix eyes.

Hua Yan’s breath hitched slightly.

Even though he had seen it many times before, he still couldn’t help but think that the visual effect of these two standing together could strike down any admirer of beauty under heaven.

“Has His Maj— did you dine in the palace?” Hua Yan asked.

“Be mindful that walls have ears. Outside the palace, you need only address us as Young Master Xie and Young Master Lu—Xie Huaiyun and Lu Qingshu,” Xie Chongjin said before adding, “We have not.”

Xie was the imperial surname, and Lu was the head of the great clans. Both surnames were highly noble and prominent. However, at the end of the day, these two names hadn’t been monopolized by their respective families; there were still plenty of common citizens across the land who shared these surnames, which wasn’t unusual. Many even took pride in claiming relations to the imperial family or the great clans, saying “we belonged to the same family five hundred years ago,” even though they were practically completely unrelated.

A Changli man’s courtesy name was known only to those closest to him. By using these two names as aliases, Xie Chongjin wasn’t at all worried about being recognized. Even if someone noticed, they would merely treat it as a homophone or a coincidence. What ordinary person would dare associate them with the Emperor and Empress?

Hua Yan wanted to defend the honor of Huaman Pavilion by pointing out that the private rooms were extremely well-insulated against sound, but he also felt the Emperor’s cautious approach was not without merit, so he dropped the subject. “Then I shall have the kitchen whip up a few dishes. What would the t— two young masters like to eat?”

“Prepare whichever five dishes have sold the most today,” Lu Xuechao instructed.

He had come partly to inspect his own business and partly to research the market’s tastes, so he could decide what the next new dish on the menu should be.

“The number one spot undoubtedly belongs to the Squirrel Mandarin Fish, and the second is the Emerald White Jade,” Hua Yan stated. “The rest are selling roughly the same; they are common dishes found in ordinary restaurants, ordered by guests purely for novelty.”

Xie Chongjin said, “Then just serve a few at random.”

Receiving his orders, Hua Yan went downstairs to instruct the kitchen.

Although there was a long line of customers waiting for their food, the portion for the Emperor and the Empress had to be rushed through.

With Hua Yan’s special instructions, Xie Chongjin and Lu Xuechao didn’t have to wait long. Within a short while, a full table of dishes was served. The signature Squirrel Mandarin Fish and Emerald White Jade were absolute necessities. In addition, there was stir-fried chicken, steamed mutton, and a bowl of yam hibiscus soup.

Lu Xuechao tasted a piece of chicken, ate a few mouthfuls of white rice, and occasionally ladled a spoonful of soup to drink, his dining manners exceptionally proper and elegant. Adhering to the rule of maintaining silence while eating, he offered no opinion throughout the meal, nor did his expression betray any change.

Xie Chongjin didn’t place any food into Lu Xuechao’s bowl this time. Having tasted Lu Xuechao’s own cooking, Xie Chongjin could easily discern that these dishes were quite average. Qingshu possessed such a discerning palate that forcing food into his bowl would only be a form of torture.

Xie Chongjin also found the flavors of the food ordinary, but he still dutifully polished off the vast majority of it. Neither of them was the type to waste food; with so many people under heaven unable to afford a meal, whatever was ordered had to be finished. If he didn’t finish it, Lu Xuechao would force himself to swallow it no matter how unpalatable he found it, and Xie Chongjin couldn’t bear to watch him suffer that hardship.

Having finished his meal, Lu Xuechao used a handkerchief to wipe away non-existent grease from the corner of his lips. His refined movements were cast from the exact same mold as the Prime Minister’s wife from earlier that day.

Hua Yan thought to himself that they truly were family; their excellent breeding was entirely evident.

“The rice lacks fragrance, sweetness, and softness. The chicken is too dry, the mutton too gamey, and the soup is far too bland,” Lu Xuechao delivered a sharp critique.

Hua Yan looked troubled. “But every other establishment prepares them this way.” Zhenwei Restaurant was no exception.

“Which is why I never care to eat them,” Lu Xuechao stated calmly.

Hua Yan: “…”

“The rice can be grown by Lin Chanzhi, though if we sow the seeds now, the earliest harvest won’t be until the second half of the year,” Lu Xuechao pondered. “The preparation of the chicken can be improved first… Speaking of which, since this is a restaurant, how can we be lacking wine?”

“We have wine,” Hua Yan replied. “It is the Manjianghong that is most popular in Yujing.”

“You are not allowed to drink it,” Xie Chongjin immediately warned. “That is a strong liquor; drinking harms the body.”

“I didn’t say I wanted to drink it,” Lu Xuechao countered.

Xie Chongjin looked at him, his eyes filled with suspicion.

Lu Xuechao calmly met his gaze. After a brief moment, he turned his head away and muttered, “…I want to brew it myself.”

Hua Yan was struck with absolute admiration.

Is there seriously anything His Highness the Empress cannot do?

Hua Yan asked reverently, “You even know how to brew wine?”

Lu Xuechao answered, “I do not.”

Hua Yan: “…Huh?” Then how are you going to brew it yourself?

Lu Xuechao added, “But if I wish to learn, I shall master it very quickly.”

He was exceptionally quick-witted; whatever he sought to learn, he grasped instantly like snow melting on a red-hot stove. Anything he set his mind to do was rarely left unaccomplished.

The wines of the current era were either too strong, burning the throat with harshness, or too weak, tasting as bland as water. For those who couldn’t handle strong liquor but still enjoyed a drink, there was simply no suitable wine available.

Lu Xuechao needed to nurture his health, and his alcohol tolerance was poor. His family and Xie Chongjin had never permitted him to touch strong spirits. On regular days, he drank clear tea, and when he genuinely craved alcohol, he would drink mild wine, which he always complained lacked any real flavor.

He was truly someone who was terrible at drinking but thoroughly loved it. In past years on Mid-Autumn nights, Xie Chongjin, considering the festive season, would soften his heart and allow him two cups of the strong stuff, immediately followed by a sobriety soup.

This tradition persisted until Lu Xuechao turned sixteen. By that year, he had already married Xie Chongjin, and his behavior had grown increasingly bold and uninhibited. Once he felt tipsy after two cups, he became entirely lawless, daring to cling to Xie Chongjin and beg him for another cup, snatching Xie Chongjin’s cup if he refused.

Imagine a usually cold, prideful beauty with a flushed, half-drunken face, raising those shimmering eyes to hold you tight and coax you: “I am sixteen this year, already an adult, and I have married you. Why won’t you let me have a few more cups? Huaiyun, big brother, husband…” Who could possibly withstand that?

In any case, Xie Chongjin couldn’t. He had been a bit tipsy himself, his judgment thoroughly clouded by such beauty, and he had lost track of how many extra cups he allowed Lu Xuechao to drink.

The retribution arrived the very next day. Lu Xuechao suffered a splitting headache and a severe stomach ache, his face deathly pale as he found himself unable to leave his bed, falling gravely ill. Furthermore, he was someone who dreaded pain; with tears clinging to his eyelashes and knowing he was in the wrong, he didn’t even dare complain to Xie Chongjin, looking as aggrieved and pitiful as could be. Xie Chongjin felt both heartbroken and furious; he wanted to scold him but couldn’t bring himself to do so. He could only direct his anger at his own weakness for being swayed by beauty, failing to protect Lu Xuechao’s health. He had cared for him day and night without changing his clothes for half a month, and from then on, he strictly forbade him from touching alcohol.

Lu Xuechao sighed internally, but he simply loved to drink.

If there could be a type of wine that wasn’t strong or harmful to the body, yet still retained the distinct character of wine, it would undoubtedly be immensely popular.

Given time, he would definitely research and develop it.

However, not long after that incident, Xie Chongjin had fallen under the control of the players, leaving Lu Xuechao with no peace of mind to indulge his own palate.

Now that the restaurant had opened, this matter could be placed back on the agenda.

Hua Yan was profoundly shaken.

—I do not, but if I wish to learn, I shall master it very quickly.

Listen to those words.

Was this the wisdom of a genius top scholar?

Xie Chongjin offered a superficial smile. “Qingshu truly possesses far-reaching ambitions.”

If he wasn’t allowed to buy wine, he would simply brew it himself.

He really thought he was so clever.

During that half-month Lu Xuechao had been sick, Xie Chongjin had been utterly terrified, and to this day, he still blamed himself whenever he recalled it. Yet here Lu Xuechao was, completely forgetting the pain once the wound had healed.

Lu Xuechao guaranteed, “The wine I brew will not be strong; it will not harm the body.”

Xie Chongjin knitted his brows and countered, “If you want to brew wine, it will inevitably require countless trials. How can you ensure it won’t harm you? When Shennong tasted the hundred herbs, he was searching for beneficial medicine, yet he still ended up poisoning himself several times.”

Never mind brewing wine; even when Lu Xuechao developed new recipes, he would occasionally face a few disasters.

Hua Yan trembled silently, unsure if he should even remain in the room. Why did the Emperor seem so angry?

Come to think of it, this seemed to be the first time he had ever seen the Emperor lose his temper with the Empress. He had previously assumed the Emperor was completely henpecked.

Xie Chongjin spoke with lingering irritation: “If there truly must be testing for poison, use me as the subject. Do not go tossing your own body about.”

Hua Yan: “…”

He really shouldn’t be here. He should go join the table for single dogs.

Lu Xuechao: “…”

I am merely brewing some wine, how has it turned into testing my body for poison?

It seemed that the instance of that severe illness had truly traumatized Xie Chongjin.

Recalling the consequences brought about by his past overindulgence, Lu Xuechao found himself unusually lacking in confidence. He quickly shifted the topic: “How many portions of the Squirrel Mandarin Fish were sold today?”

The topic changed so rapidly that Hua Yan blinked in a daze before answering, “Ninety-five portions. Counting the one you two had, that makes ninety-six.”

Lu Xuechao instructed, “The ingredients are insufficient. Close the shop once we hit one hundred portions.”

“Ah?” Hua Yan was perplexed. “But our ingredients are very well-stocked…”

He couldn’t comprehend turning away guaranteed wealth.

“Not just today, but moving forward, the signature dishes will be strictly limited to one hundred portions daily,” Lu Xuechao stated.

Rarity enhances value. No matter how delicious a dish might be, people would eventually grow tired of it if they ate it too frequently. It was far better to enforce a limited supply and utilize hunger marketing.