After Leaving the Palace, I Opened a Little Restaurant Beside the Court of Justice

[Content warning: multiple couples]

Su Wanqing, also known as A Ruan, transmigrated into the imperial palace. With her extraordinary cooking skills, she rose from an unknown kitchen hand to head chef of the Imperial Kitchen. When the emperor granted a general amnesty, she resolutely left the palace and opened a little restaurant called Wan’s Supper near the Dali Temple. Behind its gray-tiled roof and blue-brick walls, a bowl of hot soup or a plate of braised snacks offered all the warmth of everyday life.

Shen Yanci, also known as Jingxing, the Minister of the Dali Temple and the eldest son of the Grand Princess, was impartial and stern when solving cases, but he couldn’t resist the homestyle flavors at the restaurant. He became a regular at Wan’s Supper, and before long, the whole Dali Temple was gathering there too. Gradually, the little restaurant became a unique “information hub” in the capital, where court secrets mingled with street-corner gossip and circulated along with the aromas of the food.

While running the restaurant, A Ruan befriended Shen Yanci’s six close friends: the gentle, unpretentious Crown Prince Xiao Jingyan; the perceptive and considerate Crown Princess Lin Zhiwei; Qin Zhuye, the hot-blooded general’s son who always stood up for the restaurant; the Hanlin scholar Xie Mingxuan, who came up with names for the dishes; Gu Qinghuan, a merchant heiress skilled with figures; and Chu Yan, a lively prince of the imperial clan who loved to play matchmaker. Each contributed in their own way, whether by bringing rare ingredients or commissioning custom celadon tableware, while quietly helping A Ruan and Shen Yanci grow closer.

At Wan’s Supper, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess’s youthful romance, the merchant heiress and the prince’s playful bickering, and the complementary bond between a military man and a scholar all blossomed alongside the warmth of everyday life.

With the growth of a strong heroine who rose from imperial chef to restaurateur, the gentle devotion of a temple minister, and the warmth shared between noble families and a humble neighborhood eatery, this is a heartwarming tale of success in both career and love.