Gourmet of Another World

”Do you know who I am ordering takeout for?” Lian Fu did not expect Bu Fang would reject his request once more and was slightly furious.

”Do you know that His Majesty wishes to savor your dishes? This is your greatest honor!”

Bu Fang was frowning as he looked toward the haughty Lian Fu in displeasure. He had already clearly stated that the store did not provide takeout service. Why was the eunuch unable to understand?

”Tell me, how much money do I need to pay before I can order takeout? Just say the price,” Lian Fu snorted and said, while pinching his thumb and middle finger together. He was exasperated by Bu Fang’s unwavering attitude as well.

”Do you still not understand what I am saying?” Bu Fang expressionlessly glanced at him. He did not feel like paying any further attention to the eunuch anymore. He returned to the kitchen and came back with the last dish.

The golden Oyster Pancakes were wrapped in large bamboo leaves that concealed its aroma.

”This is the last dish, the Oyster Pancake. This is permitted for takeout. You can bring this back and let the emperor eat this,” Bu Fang passed the Oyster Pancake to Lian Fu and simply said.

Lian Fu went into a daze as he subconsciously received the Oyster Pancakes. He glanced at the Oyster Pancake wrapped in bamboo leaves. Even though the smell was fragrant… compared to the sumptuous Fish Head Tofu Soup, the Oyster Pancake seemed a little shabby.

He ate so many delicious dishes and only brought a serving of this shabby Oyster Pancake back… Would His Majesty scold him when he returned?

”Little cook… can’t you make an exception for me? Not even if I fork out a hundred crystals?” Lian Fu bit his lips as he resentfully looked at Bu Fang.

Bu Fang’s entire body shuddered. Lian Fu’s gaze was causing goosebumps to appear all over his body. Bu Fang ducked his head and turned around. He immediately returned to the kitchen and completely ignored the Chief Eunuch Lian Fu.

Lian Fu watched as Bu Fang left. He sighed as he gloomily looked at the Oyster Pancake in his hands. Finally, he could only grudgingly leave.

After seeing off Lian Fu, Ouyang Xiaoyi excitedly ran toward Bu Fang.

”Smelly boss, give me a serving of Oyster Pancake!” Ouyang Xiaoyi charmingly shouted.

”Hmm? Are you going to eat it now?” Bu Fang was startled as he puzzledly asked. Didn’t Xiaoyi mention that she wanted to bring it back with her so that she could let her parents have a taste?

Ouyang Xiaoyi swallowed her saliva and said with a grin, ”I can’t bear it any longer. I’ll have a taste for them first.”

Even though Bu Fang knew that she was feeling gluttonous, he did not expose her and only told her to wait.

After a while, two servings of Oyster Pancakes were ready to be eaten.

He handed one serving to Xiaoyi and took the other serving for himself. The two of them comfortably pulled a chair to the entrance and ate the Oyster Pancakes.

Tearing off the bamboo leaves, Ouyang Xiaoyi impatiently took a bite of the Oyster Pancake. A crisp sound rang out. As she bit down on the crispy crust of the Oyster Pancake, the juice of the radishes flowed into her mouth.

A rich fragrance was exuding from the Oyster Pancakes and had enveloped her surroundings. She had an enraptured expression on her face as she continued to eat the Oyster Pancake with her head lowered.

The two of them were curled up on the chairs as they ate the Oyster Pancakes. The fragrance was slowly spreading and was lingering within the alleyway,

...

”Your Majesty, this is the food your humble servant brought back from the black-hearted store, the Oyster Pancake.” Lian Fu was carrying a silver plate with numerous exquisite patterns carved on its surface.

Two hemispherical golden Oyster Pancakes were placed on the silver plate and were still exuding a slight warmth as a faint aroma hovered above it.

The Emperor Ji Changfeng stroked his beard as he puzzledly looked at Lian Fu and asked, ”Xiao Fu, didn’t I tell you to bring back all of the dishes? Why did you only bring back such a tiny thing?”

The appearance of the Oyster Pancake was indeed terrible. It looked like a type of food that commoners would eat.

When Lian Fu heard the emperor’s words, his heart trembled and he immediately complained with a long face, ”Your Majesty, there’s something you don’t know. The owner of that black-hearted store said that all the other dishes are not permitted for takeouts. Only this Oyster Pancake is allowed for takeouts.”

”Oh? Then you’ve tasted the other dishes?” Ji Changfeng indifferently asked as he gave Lian Fu a sidelong glance.

”Hmm, the taste was excellent, especially that Sweet ’n’ Sour Ribs…” Lian Fu was about to describe Bu Fang’s dishes when he felt the emperor’s incomprehensible gaze. His heart suddenly trembled as he took a step back and bowed, ”Uh, Your Majesty, it’s my mistake!”

”Looks like the culinary skills of that store’s owner should be pretty good. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be praising him so highly. Then, I’ll give this… Oyster Pancake a taste,” Ji Changfeng said.

Lian Fu was immediately overjoyed that the emperor did not blame him and hurriedly straightened his back. He offered up the silver plate to Ji Changfeng and took out a small silver dagger which he used to slice one of the Oyster Pancakes in half after pulling back his baggy sleeves.

A rich fragrance was instantly released as the Oyster Pancake, that previously had a weaker aroma, was sliced open. It was like an aromatic bomb was stepped on.

A white juice seeped out from the opening and covered half of the plate.

Ji Changfeng’s eyes immediately lit up as he smelled the Oyster Pancake’s aroma. He exclaimed in surprise, ”The smell is fragrant but not pungent, it’s mellow but lingers in the air. Good!”

Lian Fu was extremely surprised as well. He did not think that the unassuming Oyster Pancake would be so fragrant. With such a rich fragrance, the taste should be quite good as well.

Ji Changfeng reached out his hand and picked up one of the Oyster Pancake that was sliced open. He looked at the plump Oyster Pancake and promptly took a bite. The flavor of the oyster was unreservedly released in his mouth. It instantly rushed into his nasal cavities and caused all of the pores on his body to widen.

The crispy crust that was perfectly deep fried combined with the tenderness of the shredded radish created an unprecedented texture. Ji Chengfeng could only give praise.

”Delicious! What an excellent Oyster Pancake!”

Lian Fu swallowed his saliva and was joyous as well. He thought, ”Your Majesty, I am just glad that you’re happy. I am only afraid that I would be in trouble if you weren’t...”

After that half of the Oyster Pancake was eaten, Ji Changfeng could not help but lick his lips as he wiped off the oil stains on his beard. He picked up the other half of the Oyster Pancake and finished it within a short while.

After eating both Oyster Pancakes, Ji Changfeng happily breathed out with a satisfied expression.

”It’s been a while since I’ve had such a comfortable meal. This black-hearted store has some ability after all. I am suddenly curious about the other dishes.”

”Your Majesty, that store doesn’t permit takeout… Your Majesty would need to personally visit the store in order to eat the other dishes.” Lian Fu was feeling slightly indignant.

”So what if I have to personally visit? With such delicious dishes, it’s worth it for me to personally go there. Besides, isn’t there a wine better than the Bejewelled Nectar Wine in that store? I’ve always yearned for good wine. Xiao Fu, go and make preparations. I’ll personally go there tomorrow.”

”Oh my, Your Majesty?! There’s no need for Your Majesty to personally visit such a store. Your humble servant will go back tomorrow and make sure to bring all the dishes back.” Lian Fu was feeling slightly anxious. With the emperor’s condition, how could he let him personally go there?

Ji Changfeng indifferently glanced at Lian Fu and said, ”Xiao Fu, if I could visit Immortal Phoenix Restaurant for the sake of a Roasted Flower Duck, why can’t I enter this store for delicious food? Remember, we’re going incognito, tomorrow.”

Lian Fu felt helpless. He made up his mind to secretly arrange for the imperial physicians to be at the ready, aside from other arrangements. He would still be able to react, in case something happened.

At the same moment, in Fang Fang’s Little Store, Ouyang Xiaoyi was looking at Bu Fang in a pitiful manner after finishing the two Oyster Pancakes.

”Smelly boss, just give Xiaoyi another serving. Xiaoyi isn’t satisfied yet.”

Her large eyes were blinking in a lovely, touching manner that would give anyone a strong urge to protect her.

Bu Fang glanced at her and simply said, ”No, if you eat too much Oyster Pancakes… you’ll accumulate internal heat[1].”

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[1] accumulate internal heat - In Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM), food is categorized into heaty, neutral, and cooling and it is believed that illnesses are caused by consuming an imbalance diet. When someone is suffering from certain ailments(e.g. Having a sore throat.) defined as ”heaty”, they would consume ”cooling” food to offset that imbalance.