Guan Xiyue paid no mind to the objections and looked around the main kitchen to see what seasonings were available.
There were, of course, very few. No chili peppers, and many spices were missing. Things like chicken bouillon, soy sauce, and sesame oil were nowhere to be found. Fortunately, there was sugar and a little star anise.
When Head Chef Wang saw her pick up the pieces of star anise, he quickly said, “Concubine Guan, that’s a rare ingredient. We don’t even know how to use it.”
Guan Xiyue smiled.
“Perfect. I do know how to use it. How about this—let me have two meat buns first, and at noon I’ll show you what I can do. If the master and madam reward you afterward, share a little with me.”
The others were unconvinced.
Everyone knew that this concubine came from an extremely poor family and had essentially been “bought” for twenty taels of silver.
Still, she had a pleasant temperament and wasn’t arrogant despite being hailed as a “lucky star.” That earned her some goodwill, and they handed her two meat buns.
Guan Xiyue had never realized how delicious steaming hot meat buns could be. Even after finishing both, she was only half full.
This body’s appetite was enormous.
In her previous life, with her petite frame, a single large meat bun would have filled her up.
Then again, the ingredients in this era were all organic and natural. Though the seasonings were limited, the ingredients themselves were genuine and flavorful.
Once she made up her mind, she got to work immediately.
After washing her hands, she prepared to start cooking.
Chef Wang hurriedly stopped her again.
“Concubine Guan, we really can’t let you cook personally. Besides, this meat is precious. Every piece is accounted for. We can’t afford to waste it. My entire family depends on this job, and I couldn’t possibly compensate for such a large cut of meat.”
There was no helping it.
The original owner’s impoverished family background simply didn’t inspire confidence.
Ordinary families might not eat meat more than a few times a year. Even when entertaining guests, meat dishes were uncommon. Eggs and tofu alone were considered a respectable spread.
As for Guan Xiyue’s birth family, they were dirt poor.
She possessed nothing of value—not even an item she could offer as collateral.
So she negotiated.
“How about this? If I waste the meat, deduct the cost from my meal allowance in the future.”
Now Chef Wang had no grounds to stop her. He could only let her proceed and see what tricks this concubine had up her sleeve.
Guan Xiyue instructed a maid to maintain a low fire.
With practiced ease, she cut the pork into large chunks and seasoned them lightly with salt.
Into a cold wok she added a small amount of oil, some water, and rock sugar. She stirred constantly with a spatula until the sugar melted, then continued cooking over low heat.
Gradually, bubbles appeared and the syrup turned a rich amber color.
She added the marinated pork and stir-fried until the meat was evenly coated with color. Then she added star anise and ginger, poured in warm water, brought everything to a boil, and covered the wok.
The pork simmered gently over medium-low heat.
Soon, an irresistible aroma filled the air.
Guan Xiyue instructed the maid to increase the fire. It was time to reduce the sauce.
Picking up a glistening, tender piece of pork belly, she tasted it without ceremony.
Excellent.
Soft, sticky, springy, and succulent.
She secretly praised herself.
Although many seasonings were unavailable here, for a food enthusiast like her, cooking skills alone were more than enough.
Chef Wang also sampled a piece.
His eyes widened in shock.
What kind of flavor was this?
It was a complete assault on the senses. Never in his life had he eaten pork this delicious.
He had watched Guan Xiyue cook. She hadn’t used any extraordinary techniques—just some rock sugar.
Of course, as a chef, he understood that dishes which appeared simple often differed tremendously depending on who prepared them.
Guan Xiyue grinned at his expression.
She filled a small bowl for herself and said matter-of-factly,
“This is my lunch allowance, so I won’t stand on ceremony. Please bring me two bowls of rice and two steamed buns as well.”
Chef Wang instructed the maid to do as she asked. He even packed portions of the other side dishes and personally arranged everything in a food box.
Satisfied, Guan Xiyue carried the box away.
That noon, the kitchen indeed received a reward.
As it happened, distinguished guests had arrived. Every dish sent from the kitchen earned unanimous praise, especially the bowl of braised pork.
Rich but not greasy.
Perfectly balanced.
So delicious that words failed to describe it.
Master Zhou beamed with pride and rewarded Chef Wang with one tael of silver.
Remembering Guan Xiyue’s words about splitting any reward in half, Chef Wang felt it was only fair.
He sent a maid to deliver five mace of silver to her.
For the first time since transmigrating, Guan Xiyue had money in her hands.
She felt genuinely excited.
Money made the world go round. In the face of reality, nothing was more important than silver.
As for the braised pork, most of it had ended up in Guan Xiyue’s stomach.
Xiaoyun stared longingly at the three remaining pieces.
What kind of meat was that?
It looked completely different from the steamed pork she usually saw.
Its glossy color made it look irresistibly delicious.
Her mouth watered.
What was even more infuriating was Concubine Guan’s blissful expression, as though she were eating the rarest delicacies from mountain and sea.
Seeing no sign that Guan Xiyue intended to share, Xiaoyun swallowed hard, turned away, and secretly rolled her eyes.
Only after teasing her enough did Guan Xiyue finally pick up a piece and place it in Xiaoyun’s bowl.
“Go ahead and try it. It’s rich and fragrant. I made it myself.”
Xiaoyun devoured it greedily.
The more she chewed, the better it tasted.
She was just about to reach for another piece when Guan Xiyue swiftly whisked away the bowl containing the last two pieces.
“That’s enough, that’s enough. This braised pork wasn’t easy to come by. I’m saving these last two pieces for later.”
Once Xiaoyun was out of sight, Guan Xiyue quietly took the buns and pork to the storage room.
When Ling Jingren tasted those two pieces of braised pork, he was equally astonished.
Although he was the son of a declining noble family and had served in the military, enduring plenty of hardship and surviving on dry rations and flatbread, he had also sampled many exquisite delicacies while growing up.
The satisfaction on his face provided exactly the reaction Guan Xiyue had hoped for.
She couldn’t help thinking:
If she ever managed to leave the Zhou family, perhaps she could open a restaurant. With her signature dishes, she ought to be able to live quite comfortably.