The Imperial Chef Comes Down the Mountain: I Conquer Great Jing with Food

Su Wan was a five-star top chef. After an explosion in the kitchen, she woke up as a lowborn orphan in the Great Jing dynasty, with no land or home, buried in debt, and exploited by cruel relatives. From the start, she had nothing but bare walls and empty pockets. The common people in this food-starved ancient world ate little but coarse grains and bland dishes, while the powerful made do with food that was crude and monotonous. But Su Wan had maxed-out cooking skills, so she was set. Wild greens turned into crisp pastries that had the whole street fighting for a taste! Scraps became juicy meat buns that put every long-established shop in the city to shame! She went from a street stall that took the town by storm, to opening her own shop and dominating the county's food scene, then building a chain of restaurants across the land and becoming a legend in the capital. She improved ancient sauces, invented thousands of new dishes, and built her own dedicated supply chain for ingredients. With her own efforts, she transformed Great Jing's food culture and turned ordinary meals into an extraordinary fortune. The down-and-out orphan no one thought anything of eventually became a wealthy culinary legend adored across Great Jing. Everyone said that Lu Shiyan, a reclusive young gentleman with a frail constitution, a cool demeanor, and a mysterious background, was the most untouchable nobleman in the capital. But he alone spent his days keeping watch by her stalls and lingering in her little restaurant, protecting her from trouble, clearing obstacles, and shielding her from all the world's malice. The crowd watched with curiosity and admiration, but Lu Shiyan's eyes held nothing but tenderness. "I'll protect her and her everyday life, and she'll give me all the warmth and flavors of this world."