A spirited, charismatic chef heroine x a two-faced romantic
Ji Yuanhan is the daughter of a wealthy merchant in the State of Qi. When the Wealth Confiscation Order is issued, her family's fortune is seized overnight.
Her mother is gravely ill, her father is half-lame, her younger brother is still a child, and she is left devastated.
To survive, she has no choice but to put her culinary skills to work.
A little street stall serving chestnut cakes, red bean pastries, sponge cakes, iced milk curds, pear paste...
Within a month, her fame spreads far and wide, and she's known as the Chef of Qi Capital.
The sons of powerful officials, merchants, and royal relatives all see an opportunity and come to ask for her hand. Every one of them is distinguished, with tens of thousands in betrothal gifts.
But she marries the demoted Second Prince instead.
Everyone thinks she's lost her mind.
Nan Luoyu, the Second Prince of Qi, is famous for his appetite, and it's what makes him fall for a chef.
She wants money? He'll give it to her!
She wants the truth? He'll help her find it!
She wants power? He'll rise to the top!
After they marry, he never misses morning court. He leads troops into battle and returns victorious, his power growing until even the Crown Prince has to treat him with respect.
One day, Ji Yuanhan's scolding rings through the prince's residence. "Who said you could sneak a taste?"
It was the osmanthus honey she'd carefully prepared for a whole month.
Nan Luoyu looks at her with a pitiful expression. "My dear, I know I was wrong. I won't sneak a taste again."
Seeing his face only makes Ji Yuanhan angrier. She kicks him. "Sneak another taste and you'll sleep in the chicken coop!"
Nan Luoyu grins and wraps his arms around her from behind, lightly biting her neck. "You're the one who cares about me most, my dear."
One day, the scratch marks on his neck are impossible to miss. His attendant dares to ask, "The Empress is so overbearing and unruly. Have you ever considered divorcing her, Your Majesty?"
He fixes the attendant with a fierce gaze. "Only the Empress can divorce me."
He spent more than twenty years pretending to be a fool in the palace. Only in front of her does he dare show his truest self.
Reading Guide
1. Mild rivalry between men.
2. The political scheming is simple. The focus is on food.
Core Theme: Obey the law
The Rules for Staying Alive
White Gloves
Praise the Wild
Starry Night on the River
Never Forsaken
Miscellaneous Notes
Heavy Snow in the Northern Frontier
Xu, the Sleepy Landlord
Pear in the Mountains
Four Seasons in the Mountains, Living by the Seasons
A Hot Summer in Seville
I Found a Puppy on Changbai Mountain