Yao Chengcheng had a dream last night—she dreamed of a huge black snake.
The serpent coiled around the very house she was in, its terrifying vertical pupils fixed directly on her. The scene was truly a bit spine-chilling.
After waking up, Yao Chengcheng still felt a lingering fear, but the cheerful voice of Bobojii in her mind soon pulled her back to reality: [Congratulations, host! The wild vegetable dishes you made yesterday received unanimous praise from the guests! A guest has requested a dessert made by you, offering 5 silver coins!]
Yao Chengcheng instantly snapped awake. Dessert—that was something she excelled at. The almond tofu she had previously made for the Prince was the best proof, but her skills extended far beyond that.
After washing up, Yao Chengcheng headed to the main kitchen.
Chunyan and Xialiu were already busy. As soon as Yao Chengcheng entered, she heard a sarcastic remark.
“Even if you’ve caught the Prince’s eye, you should still keep to the schedule. Coming late two days in a row—do you expect others to do your work for you?”
The speaker was Cook Kong, a rather stout woman. Yao Chengcheng knew her. She had previously been responsible for the Prince’s meals alongside Gao Dazhuang. After the Prince’s appetite grew increasingly poor, Cook Kong was transferred elsewhere. Now that Gao Dazhuang was also gone, Cook Kong naturally harbored resentment toward this newcomer.
It was also a matter of unwillingness.
Yao Chengcheng, with her good-natured temperament, simply smiled and said, “I’ll remember that in the future.” She then tied on her apron and went about her own tasks.
Cook Kong’s punch landed on cotton—the other party showed no reaction. She twitched the corner of her mouth and glared back at the onlooking servants. “What are you all staring at? Don’t you have work to do?”
Chunyan whispered to Yao Chengcheng, “Sister Yao, don’t mind her. She only dares to throw her weight around when Auntie Mu isn’t here.”
Yao Chengcheng smiled. “It’s fine, I don’t care.”
She inspected today’s ingredients and already had a plan in mind.
Fresh lamb had been delivered to the main kitchen early in the morning and was already simmering in broth. Yao Chengcheng quickly lifted the lid and took a sniff. “Transfer it to our small pot,” she said.
Xialiu was surprised. “Are we serving lamb soup for breakfast? It was originally meant for noon.”
“Yes, it’s fine. A bowl of lamb soup in the morning is comforting. Help me knead the dough.”
Serving lamb to the Prince first thing in the morning?! What an idea! Just like yesterday’s wontons—trying to stand out and grab attention! Cook Kong curled her lip in disdain.
Yao Chengcheng paid no heed. She could tell the quality of the lamb just by smelling it, but it still didn’t meet her standards. She tossed a few raw almonds into the clay pot—
Mountain-stewed lamb could use almonds to remove the gamey smell of the meat. This was a method recorded in ancient recipes.
Xialiu quickly finished fermenting the dough, and Yao Chengcheng prepared to make crescent moon griddle cakes.
If there were a northerner present, they might recognize this as a famous dish from the northwest region—Lamb Soup with Flatbread.
The ancients considered lamb a delicacy precisely because of its inherent richness and flavor. Once the gamey taste was removed from the piping hot lamb broth, only a rich, savory aroma remained. Paired with freshly baked griddle cakes, it was simply a northerner’s favorite!
These two alone weren’t enough—it was best accompanied by a small side dish, whether pickled vegetables or sweet garlic, both were flavorful and delicious.
Unfortunately, there was no sweet garlic today. Moreover, when Auntie Mu heard she wanted to prepare this dish, her eyes widened in disbelief. “The Prince has never eaten such spicy food.”
Well, alright then. The nobility sure are particular. Yao Chengcheng had no choice but to give up and decided to make some herself later to satisfy her cravings.
In less than half an hour, the lamb soup with flatbread was brought to the Qinzhu Courtyard. Seeing it was her, the servants below didn’t bother to announce her and simply let her in.
“Your Highness, the lingering chill of late spring is still a bit cold. For breakfast, I’ve prepared Northwest-style mountain-boiled lamb, also known as lamb soup, to be eaten with crescent-shaped flatbread. It’s absolutely delightful!”
Fu Yuanzheng had changed his clothes today, though he still wore the same mask. Yao Chengcheng had actually seen his face before, but the area around his right eye was severely injured, while his chin remained largely unchanged. She still hadn’t figured out why the original book never mentioned Fu Yuanzheng being burned in a fire.
“Mountain-boiled lamb? I’ve had it in the Northwest,” Fu Yuanzheng spoke up unexpectedly, and Yao Chengcheng perked up. “Then you must know how delicious it is! People there like to have it for breakfast and even for lunch!”
Fu Yuanzheng slowly looked up. “Indeed… that’s true. But how is it that I never knew the Yao family originated from the Northwest?”
Yao Chengcheng froze for a moment and bit the tip of her tongue.
“My cooking skills were all learned from my grandfather. He’s been to the Northwest!”
She reacted quickly—her ability to lie through her teeth was still intact!
Fu Yuanzheng said indifferently, “Is that so?”
Then he fell silent again.
As expected yet unexpectedly, Fu Yuanzheng’s appetite was still quite good this morning. Yao Chengcheng watched from the side, unable to help but stare in awe.
After all, he was royalty—eating slowly and deliberately, not making a single sound while drinking the soup.
Even with half his face covered, he was still more handsome than many of the pretty boys in later generations!
Perhaps sensing Yao Chengcheng’s gaze, Fu Yuanzheng paused his fingers. Fuman cleared his throat and immediately stepped sideways to block her view.
“Your Highness, Imperial Physician Wang has arrived and is waiting at the door.”
Fu Yuanzheng hummed in acknowledgment. “Let him in.”
With that, he had the breakfast cleared away.
Yao Chengcheng hurriedly said, “Your Highness, how did you like the almond cheese I prepared for you the other day? I’ve thought of two new desserts today! Would Your Highness like to try them?!”
“?!”
Fuman’s eyes widened.
Fu Yuanzheng was also taken aback for a moment, recalling the almond cheese from that day. He tugged at the corner of his mouth. “As you wish.”
Yao Chengcheng: “Great!” Then she happily ran out.
Fu Yuanzheng’s gaze darkened once more.
Desserts? What new tricks was she up to now?
Let her do as she pleased. He’d just wait for her to eventually reveal her true colors.
Although today’s lamb soup and flatbread weren’t specifically requested by the System, Yao Chengcheng was free to choose to sell them.
Bobojii was also quite diligent, selling out in no time and earning 2 silver coins.
Returning to the main kitchen, she didn’t plan to rest. Instead, she gathered tapioca starch, brown sugar, yellow sugar, glutinous rice, eggs, fresh milk, and more…
Ancient refining techniques weren’t advanced enough, so there was no white sugar. Bobojii seized the opportunity to promote: 【Would you like to purchase some? 1 silver coin per pound.】
“Heh, no need. Yellow sugar works just as well.”
Didn’t they know her nickname?
Little Yao the Iron Rooster.
Once all the ingredients were ready, Yao Chengcheng got straight to work. With a glance at the ingredients, she decided what desserts to make.
Glutinous rice and regular rice could be made into sweet, soft, and chewy rice cakes—simple and effortless, ready to serve once steamed.
With cassava, brown sugar, and milk, wouldn’t that be enough to make bubble tea!
After reporting the menu, Bobojii excitedly told her: [Host, three or four customers have already placed orders for bubble tea!]
Yao Chengcheng was stunned for a moment: “So fast?”
[Yes! Host, you still need 980 Satisfaction Points to level up. If you work hard to save them, you’ll soon be able to unlock your own Cultivated Land!]
“Wait, what points?” Yao Chengcheng looked completely confused.