A Foodie City on the Frontier

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Gorgeous, fiery heroine x muscular warrior

Jin Luoyue opens and closes her eyes, only to find she's transmigrated to ancient times. From the start, all she has is a rookie-level post station...

A desolate frontier, a dilapidated inn, a cook whose food tastes awful, a bookkeeper with questionable math skills, a socially anxious waiter, and her, a stand-in mom, struggling to raise her two young nephew and niece.

And to make matters worse, she seems to be married, but can't remember who her husband is or where he went.

Jin Luoyue: If I've done something wrong, punish me according to the law! Don't make me transmigrate here in one piece just to suffer through all this!

The children howl for food and drink, while the landlord chases her for rent. With life forcing her hand, she rolls up her sleeves and gets to work.

Jin Luoyue has no other talents, but she can cook. Fresh seasonal dishes in spring, fruit in autumn, iced drinks in summer, and hot pot in winter. It shouldn't be too hard to turn a little inn around.

They aren't short on staff, but each person has their own shortcomings. She can't bring herself to fire them, but keeping them is a heavy burden.

Luckily, one day Jin Luoyue goes for a stroll outside the city and finds a strapping, rugged man in the yellow sands.

He's tall and solid, with an impressive chest. He can do the work of three men, and doesn't even ask for wages.

The only problem is that he's not very bright, having lost his memory.

He hasn't forgotten everything. The moment he opens his eyes, he takes her hand and calls her his wife. They each wear half of a matching jade pendant, so maybe it really is true.

The man is handsome, well-built, and a hard worker. Jin Luoyue wipes away her drool. I approve of this marriage.

Since we've both "lost our memories," we might as well make do with each other. It's not like we can get divorced.

Before long, Luoyue Inn rises to prominence and beats out all the restaurants in town. Its signature dishes include, but aren't limited to, big-plate chicken, beef noodles, pork knuckle with the bone handle, and whole roasted lamb...

Alongside local dishes, there are countless delicacies from elsewhere: mapo tofu, roast duck; yellow croaker stuffed with broth, white-cut chicken; pumpkin with salted egg yolk and seafood hot pot; dry-fried rice noodles with beef, and oil-braised shrimp!

No one can leave without a full belly.

The young couple's life is just as sweet. They are so loving they sing love songs all night, and might well have two children in three years. She thinks life will go on this way, quiet and simple, until one day Jin Luoyue returns from walking the dog...

Armored guards are kneeling all around her husband. When they see her, they roar in unison: "We pay our respects to Your Highness, Princess Consort of Prince Ning!"

Jin Luoyue leans back in alarm. "Prince Ning what now?"

Yu Jiangshu is Prince Ning of the Great Liang dynasty and the new emperor's elder brother, burdened with the weight of the empire.

He has no interest in the royal family's power struggles and has spent years guarding the border in his armor. Last year, after his younger brother ascended the throne, he was matched with Jin Luoyue, a merchant's daughter.

But the wedding fan was missing at the ceremony, and he saw his bride for the first time. They barely had time to exchange a few words before he donned his armor that night and rushed to the border.

After that parting, both their lives changed. Who would have thought they would meet again in this distant frontier?

How could it be anything but fate, bringing them together across a thousand miles?

His wife is beautiful and capable. Not only is she an excellent cook, she's also one of the finest restaurant owners around. Her only flaw is that she's far too devoted to her business.

The elite soldiers and mighty generals who once served under Prince Ning watch their lord turn from a lion into a kitten in front of his princess consort. He takes her hand and gently asks, "My lady, when will you come back to the capital with me?"

The awe-inspiring woman looks up at the sky and sighs. "It's getting cold. Time to put that restaurant west of the city out of business."

The men all fall silent, not daring to breathe.

#I'll help my prince take off his armor, then admire his pecs.

#Everyday gourmet business

#Character card images borrowed from the kind and lovely Gugu of Bishui

Theme: Overcome hardship and forge ahead