These two dishes truly left Li Lizhi, Cheng Yaojin, and the others deeply shaken.
“I never imagined fish could be prepared so deliciously. I’ve lived for most of my life, but this is the first time I’ve tasted anything like it.” Cheng Yaojin had eaten imperial cuisine before, and this was even more delicious than imperial cuisine, but he could not say that.
The others were relatively restrained, but when the little princess tasted the fish soup, her bright, watery eyes lit up at once.
“Wow~ It’s so yummy~”
Compared with the reactions of Li Shimin and the others, the little princess’s reaction satisfied Xiao Ran even more.
“Young lady, if you like it, eat more.” Xiao Ran carefully removed the fish bones for the little princess.
“This one has no fish bones. Young lady, eat this.”
“Heehee~ Thank you, Little Gentleman~” The little princess did not refuse.
“Young master, who taught you this culinary skill?” Li Shimin picked up a piece of grilled fish and discovered that each of the three flavors had its own merits, yet all were wonderfully fragrant.
Li Shimin even considered taking Xiao Ran to the Palace Food Bureau.
“I like fishing, and I also like eating fish, so I often make it and slowly figure things out.” Xiao Ran could only put it that way. These cooking methods did not exist in this era.
The seasonings of this era could not produce such flavors either.
The grilled fish was also good, but the little princess preferred eating rice soaked in carp and tofu soup. The steamed grass carp was also quite good.
“This is truly extraordinary. Your culinary skill is far superior to the cooks at the eateries in Chang'an City!” Qin Qiong could not help praising him as well.
This meal was destined to leave a deep impression on everyone.
“Young master, please eat! This old servant will take care of my young lady.” Zhang Anan noticed that Xiao Ran had barely eaten.
“Uncle, just eat. I’m not hungry.”
Everyone could tell that Xiao Ran genuinely liked the little princess.
The little princess had originally been beside Li Lizhi, but Xiao Ran felt it was inconvenient. “Young lady, come over here!”
“Mm-hmm, mm-hmm~” The little princess carried her small bowl and sat down beside Xiao Ran.
The small bowl Xiao Ran used for eating was just right for the two princesses, but it was indeed a little small for big eaters like Li Shimin and Cheng Yaojin.
Li Shimin and the others also noticed that Xiao Ran’s tableware was far from ordinary and seemed very valuable.
The little princess was full, but Li Shimin and the others had certainly not eaten enough.
Even so, they were quite satisfied.
The little princess rubbed her little belly. “I’m full~”
Xiao Ran picked up a tissue and gently wiped the little princess’s face, then wiped her little hands.
The little princess cooperated very well.
After eating their fill, Li Shimin put down his chopsticks, and the others stopped eating as well.
Xiao Ran pushed the tissues toward Li Lizhi and the others.
Following Xiao Ran’s example, Li Lizhi pulled out two sheets. Holding the tissues, she had no idea what they were.
There was no such paper in this era, so Li Lizhi did not associate it with paper at all.
However, after seeing Xiao Ran use the tissues to wipe the little princess’s face, Li Lizhi naturally understood what they were for.
What surprised Li Lizhi even more was that Xiao Ran simply threw the tissues away after using them.
“This is truly excellent. Young master, have you ever considered opening an eatery in Chang'an City?” Li Shimin was speaking somewhat jokingly, but if Xiao Ran really wanted to open one, Li Shimin would support him.
“You’re joking, uncle. I’m not suited for that. I’m used to living a carefree life.”
Before transmigrating, he had not wanted anything to do with the catering industry. If he was going to run a restaurant after transmigrating, what would have been the point of transmigrating?
Li Shimin rose to his feet. “Thank you for your hospitality, young master. We should be heading back!”
“If you come to Chang'an City in the future, young master, and need anything, you can come to the Duke of Su's Residence and look for me!” Li Shimin said with a smile.
When they heard him mention the Duke of Su, Cheng Yaojin and Qin Qiong’s expressions became strange, but neither of them said anything.
When Xiao Ran heard the title duke of the state, he was also startled. This was a top-tier noble!
Above a duke was only a prince.
Xiao Ran asked in surprise, “uncle, are you a duke of the state of the current dynasty?”
Xiao Ran had guessed that the people before him were not ordinary, but he had not expected them to be so astonishingly important.
Families with such noble ranks, so long as they did not bring disaster upon themselves or become involved in some major incident, could remain upright and share the fate of the state.
“Hahaha, how could I possibly be a duke of the state?” Li Shimin said with a laugh. “I’m a relative of the Duke’s family. When you go there, just say you’re looking for the second young master of the duke of su's residence.”
“All right, I’ll remember that!”
“By the way, we still don’t know what to call you, young master.” Li Shimin did not want to reveal his identity, so he had not asked earlier.
But now, he was very interested in Xiao Ran.
“Uncle, my surname is Xiao, and my given name is Ran!”
“Hmm?” Li Shimin furrowed his brows.
Xiao Ran hurriedly added, “Although I’ve reached adulthood, I haven’t received a courtesy name.”
If someone gave only their personal name without mentioning a courtesy name, there were generally three possibilities. First, the other person’s status was lower, so there was no need to use their courtesy name.
Second, they were deliberately maintaining their distance and did not want a close relationship.
Xiao Ran belonged to the third category: he simply had no courtesy name.
“I see!” Li Shimin did not dwell on it. Xiao Ran was clearly different from the local people of Great Tang.
After their brief interaction, he could roughly tell that Xiao Ran was not an arrogant person.
The group began gathering their things, and Xiao Ran also picked up his fishing rod.
Under the group’s astonished gazes, Xiao Ran retracted the fishing rod.
“Hmm? Wait, young master, this... this can do that too?” Li Shimin’s face was filled with disbelief.
He had not expected a fishing rod to be extendable and retractable so freely.
“This type of fishing rod is made that way.”
“It isn’t broken, is it?”
With a flick, Xiao Ran restored the fishing rod to its original form, then retracted it again. “You can put it away when it isn’t in use. It’s convenient for carrying and storage.”
Li Shimin nodded. “Uncle is being presumptuous, but may I ask where this was purchased?”
The more Li Shimin looked at it, the more he wanted one.
“It’s been passed down in my family!” Unable to explain where it had come from, Xiao Ran claimed it was ancestral. In any case, it had been handed down to him by his ancestors; he simply did not know how they had obtained it.
Li Shimin did not ask any further.
“Uncle, take these fish home with you!”
Li Shimin waved his hand. “That won’t do! You arrived at the fishing spot first, and the bait is also yours. After eating a meal here, taking the fish as well would be unreasonable.”
“There are so many of them, and I can’t eat them all. I can only put them back otherwise. These fish are quite good; taking some home to cook would be nice!” Xiao Ran truly had no choice but to release them.
After hearing Xiao Ran say this, Li Shimin, Cheng Yaojin, and the others finally selected several fish to take home.
The remaining fish were released directly into the water pool.
Knowing they were about to leave, the little princess was somewhat reluctant. Hugging the Samoyed’s neck, she said, “big doggy~ I’m leaving now~”
“Woof, woof, woof!”
Li Lizhi also reached out and stroked the Samoyed.
Xiao Ran watched as they boarded the carriage. The little princess waved her little hand. “Bye-bye, Little Gentleman~”
“Goodbye, young lady!”
“Goodbye, young master!” Li Lizhi exchanged farewells with Xiao Ran before returning to the carriage.
“Remember to come find me in Chang'an City when you have the time!” Li Shimin said with a smile.
“All right, I definitely will.”
Only then did the group depart.
“Who was the Duke of Su again?” Xiao Ran could not recall no matter how hard he tried.
Which meritorious official of Great Tang was that?
The main issue was that Xiao Ran still did not know which period of Great Tang this was.
Xiao Ran returned with doggie to the place where they had eaten earlier and began packing up. As he did so, he continued wondering who the Duke of Su was.
The little princess was very excited in the carriage. There were still several calcium milk biscuits left from the ones Xiao Ran had given her earlier.
“Sizi, was it fun?” Li Lizhi looked at her younger sister.
“It was fun~ father, I want to come again~” The little princess tugged on Li Shimin’s arm.