Chapter 47: Prince Zhan

Fearing that they wouldn’t have a chance to eat the noodles, everyone rushed forward. Xiaoguo felt a headache coming on from all the shouting. “Everyone, please take your time. I’ve prepared quite a lot of ingredients this time. I guarantee that everyone will get a chance to eat it. Do take your time and wait for your turn.”

Under Xiaoguo’s coaxing, the crowd slowly calmed down. Xiaoguo did not take the money from their hands. Instead, she made three bowls of noodles for the auntie first. After handing over the bowls to her, she accepted the money from the next person in line, and cooked the noodles accordingly. When she was done, she handed the food to her. “Here, two bowls of mushroom soup noodles with extra chili.”

The woman took the bowls and said to Xiaoguo with a smile, “Your chili sauce is especially fragrant. My family loves it.”

Hearing this, Xiaoguo gave her another spoonful of the chili sauce. The woman was caught by surprise and thanked her repeatedly.

After the woman left, Xiaoguo accepted payment from the third person and started working based on his order.

She worked swiftly and added seasoning to the fish balls and noodles. Soon, six bowls of fragrant potato noodles were handed to the man.

Xiaoguo was even worried that he couldn’t handle the food all by himself, so she paid extra attention to check on how he was coping. To her surprise, he had come on a sedan chair. As soon as the bowls were loaded up, two men hoisted the sedan chair and marched off with steady steps.

Xiaoguo was speechless for a split second. The potato noodles actually had the chance to sit in a sedan chair. To think that she was still traveling on a donkey cart. She promised herself that she would definitely install a carriage to the donkey cart in the future.

After retracting her gaze, Xiaoguo calmly continued with her cooking—accepting money with one hand and cooking noodles with the other. Very soon, only half of the queue was left. But every now and then, a few passers-by would join the queue as they had been attracted by the fragrance.

Xiaoguo was glad that she had prepared a lot of ingredients. Otherwise, it would have been hard to fulfill the orders.

–

In the study of Prince Zhan’s residence, a handsome man in a green robe was brewing tea in a methodical manner. Li Shouji lowered his head and stood quietly across from him, waiting for the man to speak.

The man poured the tea and placed it across the table. His lips parted slightly. “Sit.”

The tone of his voice was as cool as white tea.

Li Shouji sat down respectfully and waited for the man to speak.

The man took a sip of tea. After a while, he put down the teacup and looked at Li Shouji. “How is Danhe’s health?”

“Your Highness, the general has almost recovered. The general asked me to come here to check on the time,” Li Shouji said truthfully.

Prince Zhan nodded in understanding. He knew Jiang Danhe’s personality. He was extremely cautious. He said helplessly, “This man… he is injured. He should be more focused on recuperating.”

Li Shouji smiled. “That’s how the general is.”

Prince Zhan smiled knowingly. He fell into deep thought. He and Jiang Danhe had known each other for three years, and they had a deep trusted friendship. Jiang Danhe had been keeping busy carrying out the plans of the Prince. Now that it was almost time to reel in the net, it was only right for him to be cautious.

Prince Zhan then handed a letter to Li Shouji and instructed him to pass it to Jiang Danhe. Li Shouji took the letter and carefully placed it in his chest pocket. He then got ready to leave.

At this moment, the voice of a servant calling for breakfast came from outside. Prince Zhan generously invited him to stay for breakfast. “Let’s eat together.”

Li Shouji looked hesitant. “This… ”

Prince Zhan came to his side unhurriedly and patted him on his back. Without a word, he turned and walked out. Li Shouji had no choice but to follow behind.

Sitting at the table, the princess consort asked the servants to bring in the food. The servants brought in three bowls and placed one bowl in front of each person. Li Shouji looked at the bowl in front of him in a daze. What were the transparent things inside? And what were the round white balls?

Li Shouji’s question was answered by the princess consort. “I bought these from the streets. They’re called fish balls and potato starch noodles. See, the transparent noodles inside here are made from potatoes. And these balls are made from fish meat.”

Li Shouji was shocked. To think that potatoes could become transparent, and fish meat could be made into meatballs. It was magical. After the prince and the princess started eating, Li Shouji hurriedly picked up the fishball with his chopsticks and took a bite.

Hmm…

It was such a smooth and tender texture, this chewy meatball… Li Shouji took a sip of the soup. As soon as the soup went down his throat, the domineering fragrance traversed through his entire body.

Li Shouji took one sip after another.

When Prince Zhan put down his chopsticks, Li Shouji put down the empty bowl in his hand. He asked, “Your Highness, where can I buy these fish balls and potato noodles? I want to bring some back for the general. He has been sick recently and must have gotten sick of drinking tasteless porridge.”

Prince Zhan laughed. “You are always looking out for him.”

Li Shouji smiled shyly. “That’s right! I think about him all the time. I’ll go eat at the place, and buy a bowl for the general. That’s what I am going to do!”

Prince Zhan didn’t know about Li Shouji’s tricks. He told him the address and gave him a lunch box before leaving.

Li Shouji took the container in confusion and thanked the Prince. He rode his horse to the given address where the potato noodles were sold.