I Got A New Wife After Crossing Over

Chapter 43

When the staff in the Imperial Kitchen heard that the emperor was coming, they quickly gathered and prepared to receive him.

As Luo Yan and the emperor arrived, the staff performed their formal greetings. After a quick glance at the emperor, Luo Yan stepped into the kitchen.

Upon entering the kitchen, Luo Yan was astonished by the scene before him. The cookware showed signs of previous use, and it appeared that everything was organized separately. The tables for chopping and preparing ingredients were arranged apart from each other, and they were long and spacious, filled with a variety of ingredients.

There was also a small stove burning, seemingly simmering something. Luo Yan sniffed the air and deduced that they were likely cooking bird’s nest soup. However, the aroma was slightly different from what he had tasted or cooked before.

After getting a general overview, Luo Yan turned to the emperor and said, “I will just let my creativity flow.”

The emperor responded, “Feel free, Luo Gongzi.” It seemed that “freely” meant he could cook as he pleased.

“Alright,” Luo Yan replied.

Inside the Imperial Kitchen, the selection of ingredients was somewhat limited. Luo Yan decided to combine several of them, but it still wasn’t sufficient; he needed more ingredients.

“Your Majesty, do you have any paper and ink?” Luo Yan asked.

The emperor replied, “We do.” He called for someone to fetch writing supplies for Luo Yan, wondering why the kitchen didn’t have enough ingredients.

Upon receiving the paper and ink, Luo Yan wrote down the names of several medicinal herbs to use for the meat and braised dishes. The list included goji berries, cinnamon, and bay leaves. “Could you please have someone fetch these herbs for me?” he requested.

The emperor glanced at the paper, confirming that it contained the names of the herbs. However, he was puzzled as to why Luo Yan needed these herbs for cooking. He realized that the herbs would require the imperial physician's oversight.

“Not a problem, I will send someone to get them for you,” the emperor assured.

“Thank you,” Luo Yan replied.

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Luo Yan called a few people to assist him in preparing ingredients and chopping vegetables. He first cooked some stir-fried dishes and made a few soups. In one small pot, he was simmering the bird's nest soup, but after tasting it, he found the flavor quite unpalatable.

Luo Yan decided to make another batch of bird's nest soup. Once the herbs arrived, he prepared a black chicken soup, adding red dates, goji berries, and other herbs for a good stew.

As the enticing aromas wafted through the air, the emperor found himself unable to resist swallowing his saliva. The other spectators had similar reactions, while the imperial physician was surprised to see herbs used in cooking as well.

By the end of the cooking process, Luo Yan had prepared eight dishes, four soups, and a sweet porridge, in addition to the bird's nest soup.

“Your Majesty, I’m not sure whose bird’s nest this is. I noticed it looked different from what I usually make, so I prepared a portion for you to taste,” Luo Yan said.

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Whoever it belonged to, at that moment, he simply wanted to eat it. The emperor asked, “Is this made in the palace?”

“According to Your Majesty, this belongs to Her Majesty the Empress,” came the reply.

The emperor instructed, “Have the Empress come here to see me.”