Yun Qingshi opened his own oil-paper package and handed two more pieces to Lu Qinyan.
“No more than that. Elder Sister said crispy fish shouldn’t be eaten in excess.”
Then he hurried off to find the Imperial Academy Chancellor and complete his assigned task.
Feeling nervous, Yun Qingshi knocked on the study door.
Before he could even speak after entering, the Chancellor spoke first.
“Ah Shi, the pursuit of knowledge has neither beginning nor end. Have you remained diligent in your studies recently, striving to improve day by day?”
Yun Qingshi immediately straightened himself.
“Reporting to Sir, this student has indeed applied himself diligently to his studies and dares not slacken in the slightest. I strive daily to make progress and deepen my learning.”
After exchanging the usual scholarly pleasantries, the Chancellor tested him on several academic subjects before finally asking why he had come.
“Elder Sister entrusted me with a task, and I dare not neglect it.”
Respectfully, Yun Qingshi presented the oil-paper package.
“This is a new dish Elder Sister made today—crispy fish. She instructed me to bring it to Your Excellency and ask for your esteemed opinion.”
The moment he heard that his precious granddaughter had sent him food, the Chancellor became even more agitated.
“Such an important matter! Why didn’t you say so sooner? You dawdled and rambled for half the day without getting to the point!”
Yun Qingshi felt utterly wronged.
Grandfather, every time I visit, you start by giving me a lecture. I’d have loved to hand over the crispy fish the moment I walked in, but you never gave me the chance to speak!
Of course, he didn’t dare say that aloud.
“Your Excellency’s instruction is correct. This student shall remember it well. If there is nothing further, I shall take my leave.”
He wanted to escape as quickly as possible.
The mission was complete.
Time to run.
“Wait.”
The Chancellor’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried immense authority.
Yun Qingshi’s heart skipped a beat.
Here comes another lecture…
Instead, the Chancellor slowly unfolded the package and picked up a piece of crispy fish.
The fish skin gleamed with a rich sheen.
The tenderness of the fish meat combined perfectly with the crunchy exterior, creating a harmony that was difficult to describe.
And knowing it had been made by his beloved granddaughter made it taste even better.
The Chancellor glanced at his grandson and extended the package.
“Want some?”
Rarely seeing his grandfather in such a pleasant mood, Yun Qingshi didn’t stand on ceremony.
“I wouldn’t dare refuse.”
He grabbed a piece and tossed it straight into his mouth.
“Is it good?” the Chancellor asked.
“Just as delicious as before.”
Yun Qingshi focused entirely on eating and failed to notice the crafty smile spreading across the old man’s face.
The Chancellor casually remarked,
“There is no end to the pursuit of bodily pleasures. To spend one’s days eating one’s fill without setting one’s mind to anything worthwhile—is that not a lamentable thing?”
The old fox was fishing for information.
He already suspected Yun Qingshi still had more crispy fish hidden away.
If he didn’t hand it over voluntarily, there would be no escaping this conversation.
Yun Qingshi silently groaned.
He could pretend ignorance around Lu Qinyan.
But not around his grandfather.
If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve just let Lu Qinyan have a few extra pieces.
“Your Excellency is correct. I still have a few pieces in my dormitory. I’ll bring them immediately. A student should not seek fullness in food nor comfort in lodging.”
Only after making that painful promise was he finally allowed to leave.
As he exited the study, he happened to “coincidentally” run into Lu Qinyan lingering nearby.
Lu Qinyan immediately grinned.
“Serves you right for acting like a dutiful grandson and refusing to share more with me.”
Though his heart was bleeding, Yun Qingshi refused to lose verbally.
“What do you mean acting like a grandson? In front of the Chancellor, I actually am his grandson.”
Meanwhile, the Chancellor sat happily in his study with twice as much crispy fish as before.
“This crispy fish is excellent.”
He chuckled contentedly.
“When I get home, I’ll have the old lady warm a pot of wine. Wonderful, simply wonderful.”
While Yun Qingshi lamented his losses, Yun Qingyi was out shopping.
Three days had passed since arriving in Yunmeng Marsh, yet she still hadn’t properly explored this bustling imperial capital.
Since she planned to reopen the Fish Flavor Restaurant one day, she wanted to see which of her ideas could realistically be implemented here.
At present, the family kitchen could handle ordinary frying, stir-frying, and steaming without issue.
However, one of the most popular dishes from modern times—grilled fish—was still impossible to make.
In fact, when she had requested control over the kitchen, she had already been thinking about renovations.
After discussing the idea with her mother, she received wholehearted support.
Madam Fang immediately handed her a pouch of silver.
“Do whatever you wish. If you need money, use this first. If it isn’t enough, simply send the bill home. Just don’t overwork yourself.”
After thanking her mother, Yun Qingyi set off with Shui Ling and Yun Zhong toward South Street.
If she was going to renovate, she might as well do it properly.
Besides grilled fish, she could also make roasted vegetables, pastries, and many other dishes.
After measuring dimensions and drawing detailed plans, she went in search of skilled craftsmen.
Her first stop was Master Zhang, a mason.
She showed him the blueprints and carefully explained her requirements.
Once they settled on a construction schedule and payment, she hurried off to the blacksmith’s shop.
There she met Master Yu.
She needed custom iron grill plates.
After examining the drawings, Master Yu nodded enthusiastically.
“Cast iron. As long as the dimensions are correct, there’s no problem.”
Since the grill plates would be used inside the oven, there was plenty of time to complete them.
Yun Qingyi negotiated the price slightly, but not aggressively.
There was still enough profit for the blacksmith.
Master Yu was extremely pleased with the deal.
Since opportunities to leave the house were rare, Yun Qingyi intended to make the most of this outing.
Whenever she finished negotiating with a craftsman, she would leave behind a small gift from home.
Partly to build goodwill.
Partly to spread the reputation of her cooking.
Most foods were inconvenient to carry around, so she brought crispy fish.
Master Zhang, Master Yu, and all of their apprentices each received a package.
If Chancellor Grandfather and Little Brother Ah Shi ever found out, their hearts would probably ache from envy.
In truth, not only the craftsmen received some.
The household cooks, Shui Ling, and Yun Zhong all got their share too.
There was plenty for everyone.
After finishing her business, Yun Qingyi checked the time.
It was still early.
Since she was already out, she decided to browse the marketplace.
Her second brother had once mentioned that the delicious snow pears he bought came from this market.
Perhaps she could discover some treasures of her own.
And she certainly did.
She purchased a large assortment of fruits:
Rambutans.
Custard apples.
Langsat fruit.
Passion fruit.
Raspberries.
And many others.
The Tianqi Kingdom truly was an amazing place.
Its agricultural abundance rivaled, and in some cases surpassed, what she remembered from modern times.
Some of these fruits were rare even where she had originally lived.
Yet they could be found here with ease.
She had Yun Zhong take the fruit home while she and Shui Ling continued on toward a cosmetics shop.
Along the way, they noticed an elderly woman sitting by the roadside with a troubled expression.
The old woman sold flowers.
Roses.
Jasmine.
Chrysanthemums.
Various seasonal blossoms.
If they had been sold fresh at the morning market, they would have fetched a much better price.
Flowers always sold best while still carrying morning dew.
That was true everywhere.
Now that noon had already passed, the old woman’s basket remained almost completely full.
Yun Qingyi glanced at the flowers.
Her eyes immediately lit up.
“Grandmother, how much for all these flowers?”
The elderly woman brightened.
At last, a customer.
And judging by her clothing, a wealthy young lady at that.
“The flowers don’t look very fresh anymore. If Miss likes them, you can take everything for two hundred copper coins.”
Two hundred coins would be enough to support her family for quite some time.
She only wanted to sell them quickly and buy food to take home.
Yun Qingyi couldn’t bear to take advantage of her.
As a businesswoman from modern times, she knew market prices well.
If sold individually in the morning, these flowers would easily have brought in five hundred coins or more.
Even accounting for the afternoon decline in quality, two hundred was far too little.
She instructed Shui Ling to give the old woman three hundred coins instead.
Reluctantly, Shui Ling handed over the money and accepted the basket of wilted flowers.
“Miss is always so kind.”
“If you hadn’t come along, that grandmother probably wouldn’t have sold any of these.”
She glanced doubtfully at the flowers.
“But our manor always uses fresh flowers grown in water. What do you plan to do with these?”
In Shui Ling’s mind, her mistress had simply taken pity on the old woman.
Sooner or later, the flowers would probably be thrown away.
“Of course we’re taking them home.”
Yun Qingyi smiled.
“I have a very important use for them. Once my new oven is finished in a few days, I’ll make flower pastries for you.”
Shui Ling froze.
Flower pastries?
Flowers could be made into pastries?
Everything seemed to become treasure once it reached her mistress’s hands.
At that moment, Shui Ling made a silent vow.
Since she could never guess what Miss was thinking, she’d stop trying altogether.
The old woman’s flowers were all edible varieties.
When making edible flower fillings, the petals would be preserved in sugar.
Fresh appearance hardly mattered.
Besides, the roses were a deep, vibrant color.
They would produce beautiful-looking pastries.
The moment Yun Qingyi saw them, she could already imagine a fresh batch of rose cakes coming out of the oven.
And it wasn’t just the roses.
The jasmine and chrysanthemums could also be used in cooking.
She hadn’t purchased the flowers solely to help the old woman.
It was a win-win situation for everyone involved.
On the way back to the manor, she entered through the rear gate so she could get to the kitchen more quickly.
The Yun family’s back gate happened to face the rear gate of another residence.
At that very moment, a young gentleman from the neighboring household sat in a second-floor pavilion, leisurely drinking tea.
By chance, he looked down and saw Yun Qingyi carrying a large basket overflowing with flowers.
His eyes lingered on her figure.
Then he smiled.
“What a charming flower-buying maiden.”