Ye An’an leisurely sliced the post-meal fruit while blatantly holding her ears up, eavesdropping.
After all, when you provide such a sumptuous dinner, is it really too much to see what’s being said in the corners?
Her radar went off the moment she heard the words: “empty treasury,” “funds,” “Wang Dean.”
Out of money?
And for a project as important and beneficial as repairing the riverbanks?
Her little mental calculator immediately started ticking.
She herself was short on funds! Even as the Crown Prince’s concubine, with a decent monthly allowance, her wild culinary experiments were all money-burning ventures. After today’s outing in the city, she was more determined than ever to expand her income sources.
Now, the Crown Prince himself needed money.
This was perfect timing—literally “sleep and a pillow is delivered.”
She could totally combine her money-making plan with his state financial problem!
Thinking this, her heart practically ignited. She paused in the middle of slicing fruit, carrying a neatly arranged plate of orange slices, and stepped out from behind the screen.
“Cough.”
She deliberately cleared her throat.
The three men in the study—who had been engaged in a serious discussion—stopped immediately and turned to look at her.
Xie Zhao’s face still showed a hint of indignation, Lu Chengyuan looked deep in thought, and Xiao Jingshi frowned slightly, clearly troubled by the financial issue.
“Finished discussing, gentlemen?” Ye An’an asked, smiling as she set the fruit plate on the table. “Have some fruit, refresh your palate, lighten the mood.”
Her appearance, like a spring breeze, instantly dissipated the heavy atmosphere in the study.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Lu Chengyuan said politely, bowing slightly.
Xie Zhao looked embarrassed, scratching the back of his head. “Um… Your Highness, did we disturb you?”
“Not at all,” Ye An’an waved dismissively, then turned her gaze toward Xiao Jingshi, asking casually, “I think I just heard you mention… a shortage of funds?”
She phrased it casually, but Xie Zhao and Lu Chengyuan froze. Matters of the imperial treasury were confidential; how could they casually discuss it in front of a lady of the harem?
Xiao Jingshi looked up at her, his eyes inquisitive, but he didn’t deny it.
“Just a minor problem,” he said lightly.
“Oh…” Ye An’an elongated her tone, then switched gears, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him. “Speaking of which, when I went out today, I also found a treasure that could make a lot of money!”
“Oh?” This piqued the interest not just of Xiao Jingshi, but also of Lu Chengyuan and Xie Zhao.
Xie Zhao immediately asked, “Your Highness, what treasure did you discover? Is it some new exotic artifact from the Western Market?”
“This is far more valuable than any exotic artifact,” Ye An’an said mysteriously, smiling. “How about this—you wouldn’t believe me just hearing it. I’ll take you to see my ‘treasure.’ Your Highness, gentlemen, will you indulge me?”
She extended the invitation, her eyes flashing with mischievous confidence.
Xiao Jingshi watched her radiant expression, feeling much of his previous irritation over state affairs fade away. He was curious: what exactly was this woman up to?
He nodded. “Lead the way.”
Ye An’an’s face lit up instantly as she led the three grown men in a triumphant march toward her little kitchen.
When the kitchen door swung open, an indescribable stench of raw meat mixed with offal wafted out.
Fuyun and Chen Zhu were inside, laboriously handling the large basket of pig offal as per Ye An’an’s earlier instructions. The two young maids’ faces were contorted in disgust, clearly struggling with the smell.
Xie Zhao and Lu Chengyuan immediately froze, their expressions shifting as they saw the black, slimy contents.
“Th… this is… what?” Xie Zhao pinched his nose and took a step back. “Your Highness, these… can’t be the treasure you were talking about?”
In their households, such items would be thrown away or fed to dogs—the servants wouldn’t even touch them.
Lu Chengyuan said nothing, but his furrowed brow clearly indicated his disapproval.
Xiao Jingshi, with his fastidious tendencies, also frowned at the smell, though he didn’t show overt disgust like Xie Zhao. He simply watched Ye An’an, waiting for her explanation.
“Yes! This is it!” Ye An’an said, ignoring their looks of revulsion, energetically moving to the basket. She pointed at the partially processed pig trotters and intestines, her eyes shining.
“Don’t judge by their appearance now. Once I clean them up and braise them with my secret recipe, the flavor… tch, you’ll be licking your tongues clean!”
She turned to the three doubtful men, patting her chest confidently. “Your Highness, trust me once. These cost next to nothing, but when done right, they’re exquisite delicacies. Not only can they be sold, but they make perfect, prestigious gifts. Maybe they can even help fill that funding gap for your river project!”
Her words were firm, brimming with unwavering confidence.
Xie Zhao and Lu Chengyuan exchanged glances, both thinking the Crown Prince’s concubine had gone mad. Filling the treasury’s deficit with a pile of unwanted offal? Pure fantasy.
Yet Xiao Jingshi, looking into Ye An’an’s eyes that shone with an astonishing brightness and unwavering confidence, felt an odd impulse… perhaps it was worth a try.
“How will you do it?” he asked.
Ye An’an’s eyes lit up at the opening.
“The key to this is a good braising stock! The longer it ages, the more fragrant it becomes—a family heirloom in the making! Today, I’ll show you exactly how to turn the rotten into the divine!”
With that, she rolled up her sleeves and issued orders to Chen Zhu and Fuyun.
“Chen Zhu, fetch all the spices we bought today—star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, fennel seeds, cloves… everything!”
“Fuyun, heat some oil in a pot, add plenty of rock sugar, and let’s first make a caramel base!”