Xiao Chen, the Third Prince of Great Yan, is the good-for-nothing mocked by the entire capital. While others fight for the throne, he stews meat; while they train troops, he grills skewers.
Then his jar of devilishly hot chili sauce appeared out of nowhere:
War on the frontier? A pot of mutton soup persuades the steppe chieftain to hand over his knife in exchange for the recipe.
Bandits causing trouble? Two grilled kidney skewers have them turning themselves in.
The court looking for a reason to pick a fight? Three spoonfuls of sour fruit sauce mixed into a dish make the officials switch sides on the spot.
[Ding! Crisis resolved by doing the bare minimum. Rewards: automatic barbecue grill / endless sour plum drink / Illustrated Guide to the Cuisines of All Nations!]
Xiao Chen is dumbfounded. “I just wanted to be a cook, eat my fill, and wait to die. How did I end up uniting the realm with chili peppers, one pot at a time?”
The emperor says, “Son, go roast another whole lamb. The Western Regions are itching for war again. And remember to save me a leg!”
