Chapter 93 A Grand Display of Skill

"If we could follow my third sister-in-law's idea from now on, creating a menu for each palace tailored to individual tastes, I bet I'd clean my plate every time."

Luo Qingge considered her own experience. Although she could eat food that didn't suit her taste—just enough to fill her stomach—eating things she didn't like would always make her unhappy!

A person needs food like iron needs steel; eating is a daily necessity, so who wouldn't want to eat something to their liking and be happy?

Manager Liu stammered, "This... Princess Ye's suggestion is good, but she is an outsider to the palace, so I'm afraid it might not be in line with protocol?"

Luo Qingge placed her hands on her hips. "What's not in line with the rules? You probably don't know yet, but my father has already taken Third Sister-in-Law's advice to reduce the palace's daily meal expenses, cutting it down from eight dishes and a soup to just three dishes and a soup, focusing on vegetables with meat as a side, to curb waste and extravagance."

"From now on, the imperial kitchen will follow my Third Sister-in-Law's suggestion and create a menu. The chefs will cook according to the menu every day. If anyone wants extra dishes, they'll have to pay for it themselves; otherwise, they can only eat what's on the menu."

Manager Liu's mouth fell open, but no words came out. He couldn't understand why this little ancestor had started meddling in the affairs of the imperial kitchen.

Although he was surprised that Emperor Jingyang would listen to Ji Yuntang's suggestion, he didn't entirely trust Luo Qingge's word alone.

This matter still needed approval from above.

Seeing the troubled expression on Manager Liu's face, Luo Qingge knew what he was thinking. She smiled at him, her red lips curling slightly.

"Manager Liu, I know what you're afraid of. You're just worried that my father and mother will blame you, aren't you?"

"Don't worry. I'll take care of creating the menu. After the palace banquet ends, I'll discuss this matter with my mother. I'll have her issue a decree to you. Will that put your mind at ease?"

Manager Liu's worried expression instantly vanished, and he beamed with joy.

"Your Highness, you honor me! Your word is as good as gold. I would never dream of doubting you! Once Her Majesty the Empress's decree arrives, I'll immediately have someone create the menu. How does that sound?"

Luo Qingge: "..."

First, he said he dared not distrust her, and then he insisted on waiting for her mother's decree.

In the end, Liu Yong still didn't trust her.

Luo Qingge pursed her lips. It seemed what Ji Yuntang said was true—she had offended quite a few people in the palace with her words.

Her clout really wasn't that great.

"Alright, alright, let's do it that way. Now, have all the servants in the imperial kitchen leave and clear out. My Third Sister-in-Law is going to cook."

Manager Liu was stunned. "What? Princess Ye is going to cook in the imperial kitchen? That would be most improper!"

"Cooking should be left to the imperial chefs. If Princess Ye is hungry, please wait outside for a moment. I'll arrange for someone to prepare some food for you."

"It's not that I'm hungry," Ji Yuntang said, "but I'm going to cook for the guests at the palace banquet. May I ask, Manager Liu, what fresh vegetables are available in the imperial kitchen?"

Although Manager Liu was puzzled, under Ji Yuntang's fox-like gaze, clear as autumn waves, he couldn't withstand her scrutiny and answered truthfully.

"Princess Ye, the vegetables purchased by the imperial kitchen are stored in the small warehouse at the back. Please follow me, and you and Princess Jiu can see for yourselves."

Ji Yuntang and Luo Qingge followed Manager Liu out the back door of the imperial kitchen and saw a medium-sized room.

She knew immediately this was where food supplies were stored.

Vegetables were neatly arranged on shelves, while perishable meats and eggs were specially preserved with ice. There were many items, each labeled accordingly.

"Since the focus is on vegetarian dishes, I'll just pick a few vegetables at random."

Ji Yuntang firmly believed that with good culinary skills, vegetables could taste even better than meat.

Her eyes scanned the shelves as she picked up ten large potatoes, two catties of okra, two catties of mushrooms, one catty of green beans, five carrots, six scallions, and seven eggs.

Ji Yuntang selected the ingredients, while Tao Zhi and Linglan carried baskets to hold them.

Manager Liu watched them, feeling puzzled. The guests at the palace banquet were all people of status and prestige, not to mention the Emperor, Empress, and various princes.

Who among them hadn't eaten delicacies? They were probably tired of lavish feasts, like big fish, big meat, bear paws, and venison. Who would enjoy such ordinary vegetables?

Princess Ye deliberately avoided the expensive meats. He couldn't understand what she was thinking.

Luo Qingge also carried a basket with seven eggs. She asked, "Third Sister-in-Law, there are over fifty of us. Are these few eggs enough?"

"Even if everyone just takes a bite, it doesn't seem like enough to share. I'm afraid someone might accuse you of being stingy later."

Ji Yuntang's red lips curled slightly. She reached for a few red and green peppers from the shelf before speaking nonchalantly.

"Qingge, have you forgotten this is just my talent showcase?"

"The essence of eating isn't about being full. I'm not trying to make them eat their fill but to make them understand that even ordinary vegetables can taste better than meat when cooked well. Doesn't this align with the decree His Majesty just issued?"

Only then did Luo Qingge realize. "So that's it. But can vegetables really taste better than meat?"

She was somewhat skeptical.

The value difference between vegetables and meat was obvious—one catty of meat could buy over ten catties of vegetables.

Moreover, "drinking wine and eating meat" was an ingrained saying in the hearts of many people in the Dongchen Kingdom.

If it became "drinking wine and eating vegetables," it would lose its flavor and much of the enjoyment.

Ji Yuntang smiled and nodded. "Yes, it depends on the chef's skill."

She glanced at the items in the three baskets and said, "Alright, we have almost everything prepared. Let's go out."

Back in the imperial kitchen, Tao Zhi peeled the potatoes, Linglan sorted and washed the vegetables, Luo Qingge beat the eggs, and Ji Yuntang handled the chopping.

As for tending the fire, that was Manager Liu's job.

Everything proceeded in an orderly manner.

Ji Yuntang sliced the potatoes into shreds, soaked them in water to remove the starch, poured oil into the wok, stir-fried dried chili peppers and garlic until fragrant, then added the potato shreds to the wok along with green peppers, vinegar, sugar, salt...

Ancient seasonings were incomplete, which often made dishes taste less flavorful. While the others weren't looking, she secretly took oyster sauce, light soy sauce, chicken bouillon, and other seasonings from her space and added them to the wok.

After stir-frying for a few minutes, the dish was ready. The five potatoes were divided into ten plates.

With the remaining five potatoes, Ji Yuntang cut them into chunks to make braised potatoes with green beans.

After adding the ingredients to the wok, she seasoned them, added water, and let them simmer slowly. In another wok, she made a dish of stir-fried carrots with mushrooms.

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