Jinling's Little Food Moments

Main story complete. Upcoming novels: "The Years I Set the Record Straight for the Chancellor" and "After Transmigrating, I Got Rid of the Tyrant and Ruled from Behind the Curtain." Please add them to your reading list. Scroll down for the blurbs. [Childhood Friends Reunite After a Broken Romance] The soup made with cured pork is delicious, and osmanthus-roasted duck is fragrant. The perch is plump, the crabs are ready to catch, and the wheat is ripe, making the pancakes worth a taste. Shen Qiongying, the daughter of a salt merchant, learned to appreciate and cook delicious food from a young age. She and Gu Xiyan grew up together and understood each other as children. She had assumed they would naturally marry and spend their lives in wealth and happiness. But one upheaval changed everything. When they met again, Shen Qiongying was the owner of Jinling's Zuixian Tower, while Gu Xiyan had earned third place in the palace examination and embarked on an official career. The past was like smoke, and all that remained had changed beyond recognition. Gu Xiyan reminded himself over and over: My life has nothing to do with her anymore! Onlookers: But Lord Gu visits Zuixian Tower pretty often. The usually composed and reserved Gu Xiyan blushed. "I only go there for work." Shen Qiongying reminded herself over and over: My life has nothing to do with him anymore! But when she saw Gu Xiyan raising cups and exchanging pleasantries with guests in her restaurant, graceful as a jade mountain and radiant enough to light up the room, she realized that the shy boy from back then had grown into a man. Shen Qiongying's heart raced. She hurriedly turned away. A handsome man is dangerous! After seeing the world, you finally realize that someone has been waiting for you all along. Take his hand, and you will return to those bright, beautiful days of youth. Reading Guide: 1. Food and light mystery, featuring plenty of dishes from the Ming and Qing dynasties. This is a fictional setting, so please don't nitpick the history. 2. The full story is written in advance, with a steady update schedule. Blurb for "The Years I Set the Record Straight for the Chancellor" As an ambitious transmigrator with ideals, Xie Ying has two wishes: first, to keep her secret identity as a woman disguised as a man under wraps; second, to become a worthy official remembered throughout history. Unfortunately, after she meets Gu Yun, both plans go completely off track. According to the History of Qi, Chancellor Gu Yun is a notorious villain, with enough charges to fill several pages: manipulating the emperor, undermining ancestral institutions, abusing power and acting arbitrarily, driving out loyal officials, and suppressing free speech... Xie Ying has the misfortune of becoming his subordinate. But the longer Xie Ying spends with Gu Yun, the more she realizes that he is nothing like the treacherous official in the history books. She swiftly becomes a fan and follower of Gu Yun, and is inevitably branded one of his cronies. Thus begins her long campaign to clear his name and fight for justice. The censors: Gu Yun is a villain who pretends to be loyal, obsessed with fame and advancement! Xie Ying: That's just a baseless accusation. When people want to condemn someone, they can always find a pretext. The censors: Gu Yun doesn't understand the proper boundaries between ruler and subject! Xie Ying: The chancellor is simply a straightforward man who doesn't fuss over trivialities. The censors: Gu Yun undermines our ancestors' laws, builds a faction, and abuses his power! Xie Ying: The chancellor serves the public good with all his heart. We were all inspired by him. A Little Scene Xie Ying is assigned to a local post and bids Gu Yun a reluctant farewell. "The road ahead is long and uncertain. I may never again bask in your radiance. Please take care, Chancellor." Gu Yun smiles at her. "Zining, have you not grown tired of pretending all these years?" Xie Ying is startled. "Your subordinate doesn't understand what you mean, Chancellor." Gu Yun gives a soft cough. "Don't bind your chest so tightly. It's bad for your health." Xie Ying blushes and stammers. "C-Chancellor, when did you find out?" Gu Yun chuckles. "The moment I fell for you." Reading Guide: 1. The female lead transmigrates, while the male lead is a native of this world. A lighthearted story. 2. This is a fictional setting, so please don't nitpick the history. Blurb for "After Transmigrating, I Got Rid of the Tyrant and Ruled from Behind the Curtain" Shen Jingran, a news reporter, unexpectedly transmigrates to Great Yan and becomes Shen Peiyun, the unfortunate first empress of Emperor Li Kai of the Yan dynasty. Born into a modest family, Shen Peiyun does her best to serve the emperor, whose moods are as unpredictable as the weather. Just as she finally becomes pregnant with the imperial heir and is about to give birth, Li Kai takes a liking to her personal maid and fondles the girl's hand right in front of her. Shen Peiyun can bear no more. She smashes a teacup and gets up to leave, only to face a disaster that will destroy her completely. Furious and humiliated, Li Kai kicks Shen Peiyun in her swollen belly. She suffers for two days before miscarrying and dying. The callous, heartless Li Kai feels no remorse. He buries her with the honors due a noblewoman and gives her a cruel posthumous name: You, meaning "secluded." Faced with this wretched fate, Shen Peiyun reflects on her suffering and resolves to take revenge. She becomes exceptionally virtuous and wins a reputation throughout the court and the land. She doesn't care whether Li Kai keeps chasing after other women. What she wants is the dog emperor's life. As fate would have it, after three years in hiding, a palace maid can no longer endure Li Kai's cruelty. She takes advantage of his sleep to try to assassinate him, striking a vital spot with her knife. The eunuchs rush to inform Shen Peiyun, who calmly takes a sip of tea and says, "What's the rush? Send for the imperial physician." The imperial physician, who has long been in league with Shen Peiyun, not only fails to save Li Kai but administers a powerful dose that sends him to the afterlife. As the mother of the three-year-old crown prince, Shen Peiyun naturally begins ruling from behind the curtain. As it happens, the newly appointed chancellor is also a transmigrator. So what are they waiting for? They should join forces to root out corrupt practices and bring about a revival. A Little Scene Shen Peiyun excitedly grabs Chancellor Xiao Siyuan. "You're Cabbage!" Xiao Siyuan is so shocked that he has to brace himself against the wall. "Bean Sprout, h-how did you figure it out?" Shen Peiyun smiles. "Old classmate, you bite your nails whenever you get excited." Xiao Siyuan hesitates for a moment, then steels himself. "Now that we've confirmed who we are, should we take our relationship a step further?" Reading Guide: 1. The male lead, Xiao Siyuan, is a transmigrator. The dog emperor is a supporting character. 2. The dog emperor is loosely based on the Jiajing Emperor. Everything else is fictional. 3. This is a fictional setting, so please don't nitpick the history. Theme: Earn your own keep, live an inspiring life, and rely on your own hands to provide for yourself.