Chapter 303: Expand your horizons
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
This sight stunned all of the princesses.
Everyone of them was well respected wherever they went. Even the officials in the imperial courts did not dare treat them the way Fang Zhengzhi did.
Fang Zhengzhi was just a rank four Sword Envoy. Furthermore, he had no authority or influence as an official. If not for the fact that he was the Sword Envoy, he probably couldn’t enter the palace.
Yet now, he was showing a complete disregard for them.
Outrageous.
"One’s birthplace dictates one’s horizons. Official Fang is wolfing down the food, he must be hungry. We have many delicacies here that commoners don’t get to eat."
"That’s right. Official Fang is a guest of Sister Ping Yang. We would be petty not to offer some food to him."
"Servant! Prepare some food for Official Fang. Let him broaden his horizons."
Each of the princesses began to call for food. Even though they looked at Fang Zhengzhi with tints of scorn, they did not despise Fang Zhengzhi’s audacity.
After all, the rarer something was, the more valuable it was.
Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi’s audacity was well known throughout the city. The princesses were quite curious about him.
With their interest and curiosity piqued, they were willing to ignore many of these details.
Ping Yang smiled when she heard the discussions amongst her sisters. She pitied them quite a bit.
They were trapped in the maze of the palace.
Unlike her, these princesses spent most of their time in the palace. Many of them had not even left the palace before. As such, their outlook on the world was restricted to the palace.
As a result, they were naturally arrogant.
Expand the horizons of Fang Zhengzhi?
This may sound normal to an ordinary person. However, Ping Yang knew that Fang Zhengzhi was quite experienced, especially when it came to food.
He had probably tried all the delicacies in the capital as well as those in the various vassal states.
To put it bluntly, Fang Zhengzhi would eat whatever he could wherever he went!
However, Ping Yang did not say this out loud. She thought that Fang Zhengzhi would say it himself.
However, surprisingly, Fang Zhengzhi did not say that. On the other hand, he looked on excitedly. "Good good, bring me something yummy. I want to expand my horizons!"
"Hahaha... what a hillbilly!"
"The top scorer in the imperial examination is just a hillbilly."
All of the princesses chuckled when they heard Fang Zhengzhi. Their laughter filled the air instantly.
Ping Yang pouted. This fella was embarrassing her. After all, she was the one who brought him in.
The least he could do was behave.
Fang Zhengzhi did not care about what the others saw of him. He had heard that the imperial chefs were the best around. He was going to taste it for himself today.
Very quickly, the table was filled with food.
There were over 30 dishes. Each one was exquisitely prepared. Upong serving each dish, a eunuch would also introduce it to Fang Zhengzhi.
"Official Fang, please have a taste!"
"Yes, you should expand your horizons."
All of the princesses urged by the side.
Fang Zhengzhi was not going to be courteous about it. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and stuffed the food into his mouth. His look of anticipation froze.
Oh?
I thought the imperial chefs were supposed to be the best there were! Why did it taste just like what he had in the capital?
He did not think too much of it. He picked up a second piece.
He chewed it slowly and closed his eyes, relishing the flavors.
All of the princesses stared at Fang Zhengzhi. They were all waiting for Fang Zhengzhi to break down in tears at how delicious the food was.
"Quite average." Fang Zhengzhi confirmed that these dishes were pretty good but not out of this world.
"Average? How can these be average?!"
"Try this. This is my favorite."
"Okay, I’ll try it!" Fang Zhengzhi picked up another pair of chopsticks excitedly. He chewed on it, "It really is average. It is not much different from what I have normally."
"How is that possible?"
"Official Fang, you must tell the truth. This is the delicacy from the palace, it is not something you can eat normally."
"That is true. You’re from the countryside, how could you have possibly eaten such delicacies. I think you’re just boasting?"
"You said that our kitchen is just average. Why don’t you do something for us?"
"Yes, you should make us something!"
"I would like to see if you can make something better than our palace chefs!"
"Who can’t boast? The key is to prove it with your actions."
All of the princesses did not believe what Fang Zhengzhi said. Their favorite foods had just been dissed by someone. All of them chided, their faces flushed.
"Fang Zhengzhi, show them!" Ping Yang finally spoke up. She had always like Fang Zhengzhi’s grilled meat. It was much better than these bland dishes.
"I’m too lazy. It’s too much work." Fang Zhengzhi was too lazy to cook. He came here to play, not to cook.
"That’s because you can’t!" All of the princesses said in scorn.
"Yes, that’s because you cant!"
"I think so too. You probably can’t cook!"
Many other princesses began to chime in. No one believed that Fang Zhengzhi could cook.
"God damn it. Who says I can’t cook?!" Fang Zhengzhi could not take it any longer. How could he stand being despised this way. To make things worse, he was being chided by ladies.
He could not stand it any longer.
"If you can do it, you should go do it!"
"Exactly, if you really can, you should make something for us!"
"Everyone can boast. However, not everyone can prove it with actions."
All of the princesses were not going to take this lying down.
"Okay, I will cook something for you. However... I have one condition." Fang Zhengzhi stepped forward and looked at all the princesses. He smirked.
"Condition?" All of the princesses retreated slightly. They were wary of his smirk. Did he want to make one of them his wife?
That would not do. They were never going to marry a hillbilly.
"Tell us what the condition is."
"It is very simple. The first bite you have is free. After which, you have to pay 100 silvers for each subsequent bite. If you don’t want to pay in silvers, you can give me a treasure. How about it?" Fang Zhengzhi looked at the princesses. They were all rich enough to afford 100 silvers a bite.
"First bite is free?"
"Each subsequent bite is 100 silvers?"
"Okay, deal!"
The princesses nodded after looking at each other.
During banquets, there could be upwards of 1000 dishes. There were few dishes that they would take a second bite of. As such, they did not believe that Fang Zhengzhi could make them eat this much.
Ping Yang was rather surprised by this. Even though the grilled meat was tasty, it required quite some time to grill.
There were no less than 20 people here. Fang Zhengzhi was only selling one for 100 silvers? How much could he earn? Probably a few thousand silvers at best...
He clearly wasn’t thinking ahead.
However, Fang Zhengzhi smiled.
He was beaming. At 100 silvers a mouthful, he would pauper the entire palace.
...
Two hours later, just as all the princesses were getting restless, Fang Zhengzhi ran over. There were two eunuchs behind him carrying a huge pot.
This was not the strangest sight. There were two more eunuchs behind them. One of them carried a hollowed out table whilst the other one carried a huge pot of charcoal.
"He spent so long making one dish?"
"He clearly can’t make anything!"
All of the princesses shook their heads in scorn.
Ping Yang was quite confused. Why did he have a pot? And a hollowed out table? Did he find a way to grill meat in a pot? What a maverick.
Just as she was thinking about it, Fang Zhengzhi arrived in front of her.
The two eunuchs carefully placed the pot on the hollowed out table. Then, they placed the charcoal below the table.
"What dish is this?" One of the princesses asked warily.
"This is not a dish." Fang Zhengzhi replied.
"It’s not a dish? Then what is it?"
"It is a hotpot."
"Hotpot?" The princess was stunned.
"Hahaha... it is a hotpot!" Another princess chuckled. In the palace, they had a tradition of eating hotpot during the winter months. They were still wondering what dish Fang Zhengzhi had cooked.
It was just a hotpot.
For a hotpot, even making the princesses eat a mouthful was an achievement.
Ping Yang frowned. Why would Fang Zhengzhi do a hotpot instead of grilling meat? Even though it was rather chilly, it was not the season for hotpots.
Furthermore, a hotpot was just cooking things in boiling water or stock. What was good about it?
Fang Zhengzhi looked at the scorn on the faces of all the princesses. However, his smile did not diminish.
He knew that they had hotpots here.
However, could the hotpots here even be called hotpots?
Today...
He will let them know what is a Chongqing Hotpot!
"Clang!" Fang Zhengzhi lifted the lid to the pot and revealed a hotpot with eight different bases, each separated by a metal plate.
Fang Zhengzhi had to thank the fact that the palace kitchen was well stocked.
In order to make one soup base, he needed at least 20 different ingredients. Furthermore, it was quite complicated to make an eight flavored hotpot.
Back in the Northern Mountain Village, it was virtually impossible for Fang Zhengzhi to make so many flavors.
Initially, he had only thought of making a two flavored pot. However, upon seeing how well stocked the kitchen was, he changed his mind.
There was an entire house filled with superior stocks. They simmered constantly in dozens of pots.
There were people watching over it to make sure the fire was never extinguished.
Normally, they would only take a little bit out to make soup for the emperor. However, Fang Zhengzhi virtually emptied the pots.
He put a little in the soups and placed most of it in his Heart Protection Mirror.
The guardian had wanted to duke it out with Fang Zhengzhi. However, he was knocked unconscious before he could put up a fight.
After which, no one stopped Fang Zhengzhi.
More importantly, he had the token given by Ping Yang.
The eight colored soup boiled in the pot. It did look quite appetizing. However, what were the "leaves" rolling in the soup?
"Can... this really be eaten?"
"Is there poison in this?!"
All of the princesses were hesitant upon seeing the leaves.
"Of course not." Fang Zhengzhi nodded.
"Inedible? Then are you trying to poison us?" The princesses raged.
"Bumpkins. I am asking you to eat a hotpot. You have to take your meats and vegetables and cook them in the base!" Fang Zhengzhi’s mouth twitched as he clapped.
Very quickly, an eunuch brought over all sorts of ingredients for the hotpots.
"How dare you call us bumpkins?!"
"Outrageous!"
All of the princesses raged when they heard Fang Zhengzhi. However, they were also attracted by the ingredients the eunuch brought over.
"Can these be put in the hotpot?"
"Oh? This can be eaten?"
"Wow... what is this. It looks like... ah, what is this?!"
After all the ingredients were brought over, the princesses leapt to their feets. This was different from what they had seen before.
"Enough with the talking. If you all don’t want to eat it, I will start eating!" Fang Zhengzhi was hungry. He picked up a piece of pig brain and placed it in the hotpot.
Within moments, he took it out and took a bite. It was delicious!
The princesses could not resist it when they saw Fang Zhengzhi devouring the food. In the end, Ping Yang was still the first person to try, "I will have try it out!"