The Female Supporting Role Shows Out

Chapter 36: Lady Chef (35)

It was precisely because Yan Langqing served the "Fortune Meat" that she stood out at the Longevity Banquet and was hired by the Emperor to be an imperial chef. However, it turned out that this so-called signature dish of hers was actually stolen from someone else. Although Lin Dan had no proof, she could recreate the appearance and fragrance of the dish with only a few pieces of tofu. She could make it even better than Yan Langqing's dish, which was enough to prove the authenticity of her words.

Besides, both of her father's apprentices were working as chefs at Yan's restaurant, and they earned a hefty sum each month. It would not be difficult to find out the truth if they were brought in for an interrogation.

However, the Emperor did not care less about the situation. He was the ruler of the nation and nobody could lay a finger on the person he wanted to protect. Hence, Yan Langqing was taken away without even questioning about the lies she told him and the competition was ended in an unceremonious manner. Fortunately, Lin Dan did not mind these things and left the Fragrant Garden after wrapping the golden knife and the recipe book in a piece of red silk.

Tang Jiu whispered behind her, "No wonder you told me not to worry about it. Have you already thought of a strategy when you came?"

Before Lin Dan could answer, Marquis Weiyuan strode over and jokingly said, "Manager Lin, I am thirty-nine this year and had a wife who has passed away. I have no children nor concubines, but I have status and power. If you dont mind, how about tying the knot with me?"

Lin Dan looked at him in surprise, unable to respond for a long time.

Tang Jiu frowned and yelled, "Marquis, please do not pull a joke on Manager Lin like this and tarnish her chastity!"

"Did I say its a joke? Im serious! If I can marry such an intelligent and virtuous woman like Manager Lin, itd be a great blessing of mine. Young marquis, you seem pretty anxious. Dont tell me youre also interested in Manager Lin?"

"What nonsense!" Tang Jiu hurriedly turned around and looked at Lin Dan, but she was already been pulled away by Prince Cheng and Prince Gong to have a conversation. Not before long, she boarded the carriage and left without any intention of staying. For ordinary people, marrying into a family of status seemed to be a stroke of luck, but for her, it spelled trouble.

Besides cooking, she seemed to have little interest in the things of the world. Her contradicting character of being desireless yet extremely serious in all she does had attracted people towards her. Tang Jiu started at the carriage that was moving away and had a defeated look on his face. Meanwhile, Marquis Weiyuan fiddled the ring on his finger and had a pair of determined eyes.

At the same time, Yan Langqing was kneeling down beside the Emperor in fear, while he slowly opened an Ash Water Dumpling and relished it satisfyingly.

"I didn't expect that the rice dumplings soaked in ash water would be so delicious. Get the chefs in the imperial kitchen to study how to recreate this and make them as they are." Yan Langqing was by his side, but he never mentioned that she would be the one to take up the job. It was obvious that he had a worse impression of Yan Langqing after that competition and the disputes that were uncovered earlier.

Yan Langqings face turned pale immediately.

When the carriage passed through Qingyun Lane, the Emperor said, "Stop. Send a few people to seal the Yan's restaurant."

Yan Langqing suddenly lifted her head in horror.

The Emperor glanced at her and smiled casually, "Why? You issued an imperial decree on my behalf and monopolized the market. Do you think I would let this off so easily?" As he spoke, the desperate and anxious Yan Shouye shouted from a carriage behind. He repeatedly asked the guards what gave them the right to close his restaurant. The guard pointed to the carriage in front, saying that it was the Emperor's instruction. He kept silent immediately, as though his tongue had been cut away.

The Emperor snorted coldly, and Yan Langqing trembled with fright. She thought that he had completely lost the Emperors favor, but she did not expect the Emperor to take her hand. He said, "You have been in the palace for seven or eight years. Ive given you the freedom to make all the delicacies of the world and gave you the power to command all the famous chefs from all over the world to impart their skills to you. Logically speaking, your skills should have been as good as Lin Dans, who was born in the countryside. But look, you still lost to her today. Even your signature dishes were stolen or copied from others, you dont have a style of your own and you seem to lack a knack for cooking."[Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the "Novel Multiverse dot com" website @ ]

Yan Langqings pale face started flushing. She was too embarrassed and ashamed to lift her head after hearing what the Emperor had said.

The Emperor turned around and said, "Since youre not talented enough to be a chef, you will enter the palace and be my concubine. I wont treat you badly."

Yan Langqing suddenly raised her head and looked at the Emperor in surprise. She struggled for a long time, before finally nodding to his proposal. She had nothing left. She made enemies in the culinary world and even her restaurant was now sealed. She wondered if she would be able to survive after leaving the palace. However, things would be different when she had become a concubine. She was a servant, but she would instead be served, she thought there was nothing bad in accepting the proposal.

The Emperor caressed the delicate skin on her face and appeared to be gentle, but what he said next was filled with coldness, "Since you will be entering the palace, you better make sure that your family behaves well. If you cause me any trouble, I will not be merciful anymore."

Yan Langqing was shaken by what he said and quickly nodded in fear. She did not seem to realize that the Emperor, who had fulfilled all her requests and cared for her in the past, had completely changed. He thought Yan Langqing was a simple and kind girl, and that her pureness and innocence was a rarity in the imperial palace that was full of schemes and deceit. However, he realized that she was no different from the others. She was also capable of scheming, oppressing others, and bullying the weak, and her family was crude, ignorant, and obnoxious, which made him detest her even more. 

The Emperor had never believed anyone could "be unsullied even when born in the mud." He believed that those who lived in a depraved world would turn even more unscrupulous because they would have to do all means to survive, just as he did. This was why, in an instant, he no longer had any longing and favor for Yan Langqing, and treated her like just any other woman in his harem. He would give her the carrots and sticks and tame her like an animal. Once he got tired of her, she would not be any different from those concubines who had lost his favor.

But Yan Langqing did not know what the Emperor was thinking. She thought that she was still the special one in his heart and requested after mustering her courage, Your Majesty, could I stay home for a while more? My father is still not recovered from his injuries and I hope to return to the palace after he gets better."

The Emperor took a long hard look at her and nodded casually after a long while.

Meanwhile, Lin Dan had already returned to the Three-Fork Alley. When she got off the carriage, he saw a few young and middle-aged men happily greeting her, "Manager Lin, you are finally back! When are you going to open the shop?"

"Ill be leaving the capital and not going to open the shop anymore." Lin Dan waved her hand.

The men were devastated to hear that and wanted to persuade her to stay, but they saw a eunuch leading a group of guards approaching her. He shouted, "Is this Chef Lin Dan? Since you won the competition today, the Emperor has bestowed a plaque on you. Please accept it."

Lin Dan noticed that the two guards standing behind him were carrying a square plaque wrapped in silk and satin. After opening the silk and satin, she saw several beautiful words written in gold lacquer Successor of the Golden Knife Imperial Chef, as well as the Emperor seal.

These words had no longer meant anything for Lin Dan, but she accepted the plaque and sent away the eunuchs and guards with a red packet. Then, she closed the shop door and quietly packed up. The men standing outside the door were completely dumbfounded before they snapped out of their thoughts and said, "Oh my! Manager Lin is actually the successor of the Golden Knife Imperial Chef! Amazing! We will be eating imperial meals every day!"

"Stop dreaming! Didn't you hear her? Manager Lin is not planning to open the shop here anymore! She is the successor of the Golden Knife Imperial Chef and will be opening a restaurant in the West District if she wants to. What makes you think that she would rather sell us a bowl of noodles that only earns her a few copper coins?" Some other men were full of regret. If they had known that Manager Lin was the successor of the imperial chef, they would have cherished her cooking so much more. Now that they thought about it, Manager Lin's culinary skills and character were excellent. It was the blessing of the people in the South District that she had opened a store here, but it was a pity that they did not cherish her time here.

Lin Dan packed her luggage and left the capital immediately. But before she arrived home, she saw Lady Qi standing at the junction and looking out with a worried look. Lady Qi had never thought that her daughter would win and only hoped that Lin Dan would return safely. But when Lin Dan pulled away the silk cloth and showed her the recipe book and the golden knife, Lady Qis eyes were wide open. She was dumbfounded, and could not react for a long time.

"W-What is this?" She asked incredulously.

Lin Dan handed the two things over and said with a chuckle, "Mother, I won the things that belonged to father. Here, please keep them well."

"Y-You won? Did you really win?" Lady Qi kept stroking the golden knife and the recipe book. She eventually laughed, before starting to weep again. Over the years, Lady Qi had always felt heartbroken for her daughter as she had been traveling from place to place and suffered a lot.

Lin Dan hugged Lady Qi and patted her gently. She said calmly, "Mother, lets travel somewhere since this matter has concluded. The world is vast, and there is lots of food waiting for us."

Lady Qi nodded as she sobbed, her eyes filled with joy.

However, it was not easy to prepare for a trip. There were many materials to prepare, there were routes to plan and there was also a need to arrange for guides. It was not something that could be done immediately. Lin Dan stayed in the outskirts of the capital for more than a month, but bad news came when everything was prepared, and she was ready to go. The residence of Marquis Yongding was confiscated for colluding with foreign enemies. Concubine Tang was also banished into the Cold Palace and the entire family was facing a possible annihilation.

Lin Dan stayed in the capital although the situation had changed drastically and may implicate her if she did not leave in time. She had only sent Lady Qi away, before sending a servant to the city to gather more information about the news. The situation developed very rapidly, and within three days, the charges had been passed. The female family members of the Marquis Yongding would be exiled to somewhere three thousand miles away, while all men would be beheaded.

Things got worse in a few days time. All sixty-eight female members of Marquis Yongding did not want to be humiliated and had all hung themselves to death, including Concubine Tang in the Cold Palace. The Emperor was furious to hear this and ordered to execute Tang Jiu and a few others before autumn as if it had become a very urgent matter. On the day of beheading, Lin Dan hurried to the execution ground to see Tang Jiu once more with a huge food box.[Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the "Novel Multiverse dot com" website @ ]