A single serving of stinky tofu soup buns had completely broken down Xiao Jingshi’s last mental defenses.
He finally nodded, agreeing to Ye An’an’s “radically unconventional” plan to make money.
However, he laid out a few conditions.
First, the project had to remain completely secret. No one could know it had anything to do with the Eastern Palace, and Ye An’an’s identity could never be exposed.
Second, the shop had to be located on the busiest street in the capital, but the storefront had to be discreet, running a high-end, private-dining style.
Third, all accounting must be handled by people he appointed, to ensure absolute security.
Ye An’an, of course, agreed to all conditions.
She had always planned to be a behind-the-scenes boss—giving orders, offering ideas, but leaving the actual public-facing work to others.
And so, the secret project “Eastern Palace Revenue Initiative” officially began.
Xiao Jingshi’s efficiency exceeded even Ye An’an’s expectations.
He quickly used his influence to secure a three-compound courtyard on the capital’s priciest street, Zhuque Avenue.
He selected a few clever and trustworthy personal guards to handle the shop’s security and operations.
The accountant was a meticulous old scholar transferred from the Crown Prince’s office, known for his strict attention to detail.
The chef responsible for perfectly recreating Ye An’an’s recipes? That was Chang Ting.
Ever since eating several of Ye An’an’s dishes, Chang Ting had been utterly impressed by her skills. When Xiao Jingshi assigned him this task, he was so excited he almost kowtowed to both the Crown Prince and the concubine on the spot.
Everything was ready—just waiting for the right moment.
Ye An’an locked herself in the small kitchen for three full days, personally teaching Chang Ting and a few handpicked palace cooks how to make marinated dishes and fried stinky tofu.
From the precise ratios for the brine, to the cooking time for each ingredient, to controlling the oil temperature and sauce formulas for the stinky tofu, she revealed everything without holding back.
Chang Ting and the others studied with incredible diligence, with an intensity greater than any scholar preparing for the imperial exams.
A few days later, a mysterious little eatery called “Aroma Arrives” quietly opened on Zhuque Avenue.
No drums, no fireworks, not even a proper sign—just a small wooden board at the entrance.
On its first day, the shop offered only two dishes: the signature marinated platter and golden fried stinky tofu.
And the rules were extremely peculiar.
It opened only in the afternoon for one hour.
Each dish was strictly limited to fifty servings per day. Once sold out, that was it.
The prices were absurdly high.
One marinated platter cost two taels of silver, and one serving of fried stinky tofu one tael.
That amount could feed an ordinary family for an entire month.
At first, no one dared enter. Passersby shook their heads at the prices, thinking the owner must be insane.
But Xie Zhao and Lu Chengyuan, acting as the project’s “chief taste-testers” and “special promoters,” had been instructed by Xiao Jingshi. They led a group of the capital’s most curious and indulgent young nobles straight to the shop.
“Boss, what’s the best thing here? Give us everything on the menu!” Xie Zhao shouted as soon as he walked in.
When the two dishes arrived, the young nobles’ expressions varied widely.
The marinated platter was fine; though some items were unusual, the powerful aroma was irresistible.
But the “Golden Fried Stinky Tofu” made many hesitate.
“Xie, are you serious? This… it smells too strong! Can we even eat it?” one of them asked, pinching his nose.
“You don’t understand!” Xie Zhao’s eyes gleamed. “It’s stinky on the outside, delicious on the inside! A true culinary masterpiece! Watch me!”
He dipped a piece in sauce, shoved it in his mouth in front of everyone, and his expression immediately went blissful.
Encouraged by him, others finally dared to try.
And then it was unstoppable.
“Delicious!”
“My god, this flavor is incredible!”
“This marinated pig’s trotter is so tender—it melts in your mouth!”
“Boss! Another serving! No, ten more!”
Soon, the small courtyard was filled with continuous exclamations of delight.
The hundred limited portions sold out in less than half an hour.
Those who missed out thumped their chests in regret.
The next day, a long queue had formed outside “Aroma Arrives” even before dawn.
In no time, the eatery became a sensation among the city’s nobles.
Word spread like wildfire. Mystery and exclusivity drove people wild—everyone wanted a taste.
“Have you heard? A new place opened on Zhuque Avenue, and even the Emperor ate there!”
“Really? What do they sell?”
“Just two dishes: a marinated platter and fried stinky tofu. Ridiculously expensive, and it sells out every day!”
“Let’s go, let’s go see for ourselves!”
Business grew hotter day by day.
Within ten days, the accountant, hands shaking, could barely hold the ledger.
One night, Ye An’an was playing chess with Xiao Jingshi in the courtyard when Chang Ting rushed in, clutching a heavy wooden box.
“Your Highness! Your lady! Great news!”
He placed the box on the stone table and opened it.
Inside, glimmering under the moonlight, were silver coins and golden ingots.
“Your Highness, Lady,” Chang Ting stammered with excitement, “this is the total profit of ‘Aroma Arrives’ for the first ten days, after all costs… 1,200 taels of gold!”
1,200 taels of gold!
Even Ye An’an, a modern woman, was stunned by the figure.
She knew it would be profitable—but not this profitable! Ancient nobles really had incredible spending power.
She picked up a gold ingot, feeling its weight and icy touch.
Turning to Xiao Jingshi, her eyes shone brighter than the gold itself, like a child seeking praise.
“Your Highness,” she said, pressing the ingot into his hand, smiling with eyes curved like crescent moons, “look, this is our earnings.”
Xiao Jingshi held the still-warm ingot, looking at the radiant woman before him. The softest chord in his heart was gently plucked.
What he saw wasn’t just 1,200 taels of gold—it was the pride shining on her face, born of her own effort.
And that pride moved him far more than any honor or achievement he had ever received.