Chapter Fourteen: I Don't Believe It

"Is it really that delicious?" Cheng Yaojin was skeptical.

"Here!" Hua Bigfoot picked up a piece of meat from the table and forced it into his mouth. "Taste it yourself!"

Cheng Yaojin, always henpecked, dared not refuse.

Even Luo Tong couldn't resist and began to dig in heartily.

Just one bite!

The unique aroma of the stir-fried dish instantly conquered them.

Luo Tong mumbled, "I always thought my mother's cooking was the best in the world. I didn't expect there could be something even better. Was this really made by His Highness the Prince of Jin?"

He could hardly believe it.

Cheng Yaojin, instantly transformed into a foodie, laughed, "Ha ha... Chubi, go fetch the wine! I want a drink!"

"Alright!" Cheng Chubi fetched the wine as fast as he could and sat down next to his father. "Father, I have an idea. I wonder if you'll agree."

"What idea?"

"I want to learn cooking from His Highness the Prince of Jin!"

Learn cooking from a three-year-old child?

Cheng Yaojin almost burst out scolding him.

"Father, I can't excel in martial arts, and I have no interest in scholarship. I truly don't know what else I should do. If I could master the art of cooking, it would be a fine way out!"

"You are a grown man, my son no less, and you want to hide in the kitchen like a woman? Where would that leave my reputation?"

"Absolutely not!" Cheng Yaojin was adamant.

"Alas..." Cheng Chubi looked thoroughly dejected.

Li Zhi, however, smiled. "You refuse to let him learn, but I have no intention of teaching him anyway! Do you think just anyone is qualified to master my culinary skills? What a joke!"

"Your Highness, that wasn't my intention—"

"Then what did you mean?" At that moment, the Mischievous Child System issued a new task: within ten days, accept Cheng Chubi as a disciple.

If completed, it would unlock the Title System and grant the title "King of Chefs."

King of Chefs: Automatically perfects dishes, with a 30% improvement rate!

What kind of cheat is this?

Could it mean that even mediocre dishes would be perfected in an instant?

"Wahaha..." Li Zhi was thrilled.

With this ability, even a fool could create delicacies!

No more worries about food from now on!

"Please forgive me, Your Highness," Cheng Yaojin replied firmly, "Chubi is the son of a military family—how could he learn to cook?"

"This is his only chance... Are you sure you want to give it up?" There was a subtle note of threat in Li Zhi's words.

"Trying to threaten me? Hmph... I'm not so easily cowed!" Cheng Yaojin straightened up and replied resolutely, "Let someone else have this opportunity!"

"Fine! Uncle Cheng, how about a bet? Within ten days, you'll come and ask me to accept him," Li Zhi said confidently, though he didn't explain why.

Cheng Yaojin sneered, "I'll send him to you? Only if I've lost my senses!"

All the while, Luo Tong had been silently devouring the dishes on the table with all his might.

Hua Bigfoot assisted him.

In no time, more than half the food on the table had been eaten!

"Burp..." Luo Tong patted his stomach, satisfied. "So good... Your Highness, your culinary skills are truly divine! But how do you know all this at such a young age?"

"Heh heh!" Li Zhi gave a silly laugh.

He certainly wasn't about to reveal he was a transmigrator.

"Luo Tong! You rascal... You finished all the food and didn't even leave me any!" Cheng Yaojin, just as he was savoring the flavor, looked up to find only scraps left on the table.

"Since you look down on cooks, whether you eat or not hardly matters," Li Zhi teased.

He had originally intended to prepare more dishes with the kitchen staff.

But seeing Cheng Yaojin's fussiness, he simply returned to the parlor, crossed his legs like a little old man, and said, "I've come here today to make a request, Uncle Cheng. You must help me!"

"What is it? Speak!"

"I want to forge a sword for self-defense."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"You're only three years old—could you even lift a sword if you had one? Your Highness, I've already arranged for a bodyguard for you: Luo Tong, the young master of the Luo family! With him by your side, no evildoer would dare approach!"

Luo Tong stepped forward. "Rest assured, Your Highness. With me here, no matter what kind of assassin appears, I have complete confidence I can protect you!"

"But I have a small request," Luo Tong added. "If I'm to serve as your guard, could you, every few days, prepare a meal like today's for me? To be honest, it's exceptionally delicious!"

"Deal!" Li Zhi agreed instantly.

He already planned to do everything he could to transform the food culture of the Tang Dynasty. There would be many opportunities to cook in the future, and Luo Tong could serve as his taster.

"That's a promise!" Luo Tong was overjoyed.

He'd just secured a long-term meal ticket—delicacies found nowhere else in the world.

"Even with your protection, I still want a sword. Uncle Cheng, can you help me?" Li Zhi pressed again.

"I'm not the one to decide that."

"Why not?"

"Weapons for princes are all issued by the palace. If I give you one privately and something happens, who will take responsibility?" Cheng Yaojin wasn't foolish enough to give Li Zhi a weapon. What if someone got hurt? Just last time, simply guiding Li Zhi nearly got him falsely accused as the instigator.

Such a thankless task, Cheng Yaojin would never do.

"You coward!"

Li Zhi's eyes gleamed as he tried a little reverse psychology. "I've heard Mother say that Uncle Cheng was called the Demon King of Chaos at Wagang Stronghold, invincible on the battlefield. You were my idol, but now... you seem more like a turtle. I’m really disappointed."

"Uh!"

Cheng Yaojin had spent his life boasting of his Demon King of Chaos title, and even once played emperor at Wagang Stronghold. Hearing Li Zhi express admiration filled him with pride, but Li Zhi's disdainful look moments later was hard to bear.

"Boy... When I followed your father to conquer the world, you weren't even born yet! Don't talk nonsense and tarnish my reputation!"

Furious, Cheng Yaojin threw all decorum aside.

Everyone covered their mouths, stifling laughter.

Li Zhi pressed on, "Isn't it true? You don't even have the courage to give me a weapon—how can you call yourself the Demon King of Chaos? You might as well change your name to the Old Turtle of Chaos!"

"You—!" Cheng Yaojin retorted fiercely, "Fine, fine... It's just a sword, I'll give you one!"

"Hand it over then!" Li Zhi seized the opportunity and held out his hand.

Cheng Yaojin, as if well prepared, pulled a half-foot-long dagger from his sleeve. "This, I seized from the Wolf Lord of the Northern Desert during my campaign there. It's extremely precious! The Emperor himself has asked me for it several times, but I never gave it up. Now, it's yours!"

"That impressive?" Li Zhi took the dagger without another word.

He tried it out.

Though called a dagger and only half a foot long, it was the perfect size for him. At three years old, small in stature, the dagger felt like a long sword in his hand.