I Finally Made It to the Finale, Who Still Cares About Political Scheming?

Qi Ci, a celebrated chef from the twenty-first century, unexpectedly transmigrated into a book as a doomed cannon-fodder character. For six whole years, he hid his culinary skills and spent every day treading carefully as he navigated the imperial palace and court, planning every move and doing his utmost to help the book’s regent and male empress dowager stabilize the situation. After weathering one turbulent crisis after another, he finally saw everyone reach a safe and happy ending.

With the situation settled and the court at peace, everyone else hoped to curry favor with those in power. Qi Ci, however, only wanted to leave behind all the schemes and struggles for power. He took over a small courtyard in the palace, unexpectedly unlocked an astonishing golden finger for farming, and resolved to make vegetable gardening and cooking a success.

A single spring shower could bring a garden full of crisp, tender greens to life. He built a chicken coop to collect natural organic fertilizer, and the fresh vegetables he grew tasted so delicious that he turned them into all kinds of nourishing home-cooked dishes. The powerful regent climbed over the wall every day to mooch a bowl of vegetable noodles, and everyone in the palace craved Qi Ci’s home cooking.

On top of that, Qi Ci had another great pleasure: hiding in a corner of the vegetable garden to secretly ship the regent and the empress dowager, the canon couple. The bodyguard Shi Yan often joined him to gossip and chat in secret.

While the officials across the court schemed against one another and chased fame and fortune, Qi Ci tended his courtyard of seedlings and coop of chicks, farming and cooking every day, and watching the person he loved find love in return whenever he had a spare moment.

The dangerous power struggles were long behind him. Growing vegetables, cooking fresh food, and happily shipping a couple were the free and contented life Qi Ci wanted.

Theme: There’s no problem good food can’t solve!