Chapter Forty: Defying the Imperial Edict

Cheng Chubi asked, “Master, are you going to teach me how to cook today?”

At the mention of this, Li Zhi felt a headache coming on.

Teaching Cheng Chubi to cook was truly exhausting.

But without teaching him, there would be no way to run the restaurant.

“In light of your eight thousand-coin apprenticeship gift, I’ll reluctantly teach you to stir-fry two dishes. But watch carefully—I’ll only show you once. Whether you learn or not depends on your own understanding!”

“Yes, Master!” Cheng Chubi hurried off to prepare the utensils and ingredients.

Li Zhi spent twenty minutes explaining the methods for three dishes:

Garlic Sauce Bloodleaf Greens!

Appetizing Pickled Long Beans!

Fragrant Herb Dish!

All three were appetizers. Of these, the Garlic Sauce Bloodleaf Greens was the most refreshing, perfect for cleansing the palate. For the wealthy, accustomed to rich meats and fish, a plate of this dish would be a true blessing.

The pickled long beans were a remedy for lack of appetite.

As for the fragrant herb dish, as its name implied, it exuded a rich aroma reminiscent of fish. Yet, there was no fish in the dish—rather, it used a plant known as fragrant herb, which, when added, tasted even more like fish than actual fish, with a flavor as exquisite as any fish dish in Tang Dynasty cuisine.

“That’s it... Learn well!” Li Zhi said. “If you internalize what I’ve taught you, you’re sure to become an outstanding chef!”

“Thank you, Master!” Cheng Chubi was thrilled.

With these three dishes mastered, he could open his restaurant and make a fortune.

At noon, Cheng Chubi put his newfound skills to the test and served the three dishes at the table.

Li Lizhi eyed them skeptically, pouting, “Chubi, are these even edible?”

“I... I’m not sure!” Cheng Chubi replied uncertainly. “I followed Master’s instructions exactly, but as for whether they’re edible, I...”

“Should I try first?” Summoning his courage, Cheng Chubi took a bite of the fragrant herb dish.

It was quite good!

“Master, you should try it…” For his first attempt at cooking, Cheng Chubi was very satisfied. In his mind, he’d already surpassed the restaurant across the street.

“Ugh!” Li Zhi spat the fragrant herb dish right back onto the table. “It’s too bland!”

Li Zhi had not criticized Cheng Chubi’s methods or steps, only that he’d added too little salt.

“Master, you never said how much salt to add! If I’d put in too much, it would be inedible!”

Indeed, this was a problem. In the kitchen, he’d only briefly explained the steps and which seasonings to use, without specifying quantities.

With such cursory guidance, it would be hard for Cheng Chubi to develop top-notch culinary skills.

Determined to make his restaurant the most renowned in the capital, Li Zhi made up his mind. “I’ll go home and write a cookbook for you. Luo Tong will bring it to you!”

“With this cookbook, you’ll know not only the steps, ingredients, and quantities, but also broaden your horizons and discover many dishes you’ve never seen before!”

Cheng Chubi thanked him profusely and promised, “I will become the best chef in the capital!”

Though Cheng Chubi’s cooking was lacking, it was still better than the restaurant across the street. Everyone settled for second best and reluctantly enjoyed the three dishes.

Once they were full and content, Li Zhi named the restaurant—First Restaurant of the Capital!

He made no attempt to hide his ambition.

If they were going to do this, they would do it best!

“Your Highness, about your calligraphy…” Luo Tong frowned, “I’ve never seen this kind of script before. It seems different from the way we write. It looks much simpler, yet it doesn’t lose the meaning of the characters.”

Li Zhi handed the finished signboard to Cheng Chubi. “Have someone mount it and hang it at the entrance. From now on, our restaurant will be called First Restaurant of the Capital!”

“Yes!”

Whether or not the restaurant lived up to its name, the unique calligraphy alone was sure to draw a crowd of diners. Never before in history had there been such a script; although unfamiliar, everyone could still recognize it.

Wasn’t that interesting? Some calligraphy masters would surely come just for its fame!

...

That day, at noon, Li Zhi received news.

The manager of Tianyi Restaurant had been heavily sentenced by the Ministry of Justice—twenty years in prison!

Given his age, he’d likely never see freedom again.

“With the manager gone, won’t Tianyi Restaurant have to close?” In Lisheng Hall, Li Zhi asked Luo Tong.

“According to Cheng Chubi, they have a new manager. He’s none other than the son of Zhangsun Wuji, Zhangsun Chong!”

“What!” Li Zhi could hardly believe his ears.

“That Zhangsun Chong would personally manage the restaurant—doesn’t he fear... Oh, I understand now. My father no longer despises or suppresses merchants; he even encourages commerce and economic development. Therefore, Zhangsun Wuji arranged for his son to take over the restaurant!”

“Your Highness means... the real owner behind Tianyi Restaurant is Zhangsun Wuji?” Luo Tong asked in astonishment.

“Who else could it be?”

“This is unbelievable!” Luo Tong was shocked. “He’s a Duke and the head of the Secretariat, yet he knowingly breaks the law! I’ll go to the Ministry of Justice at once and have someone go to Tianyi Restaurant...”

“Wait!” Li Zhi stopped him. “Do you think Zhangsun Wuji is so easy to deal with? If he dares put his own son in charge of Tianyi Restaurant, it means he’s confident and fearless. If we charge in now, it will do no good and might even provoke his retaliation!”

“Then what should we do?”

“Wait!” Li Zhi chuckled. “You know what Zhangsun Chong is like—he gets into trouble every other day. It won’t be long before he makes a mistake himself. Then, we’ll strike while he’s down!”

“Brilliant idea!” Luo Tong replied joyfully.

...

In his spare time, Li Zhi picked up his wooden sword again and practiced in the courtyard.

“His Highness’s swordsmanship grows more fluid by the day,” Luo Tong thought. When Li Zhi grew older, would he still be able to defeat him? The set of sword techniques Li Zhi practiced remained a mystery to him.

Suddenly, a familiar sound rang in Li Zhi’s ear, making him pause. “Could it be a new task?”

“Brat System—Main Quest Triggered: Tear up an imperial edict. Gain thirty attribute points, freely assignable!”

Li Zhi was stunned.

An imperial edict represented the highest authority in the land, as it had throughout the ages. To tear it up, or even to show the slightest disrespect, could mean execution—or even implicate one’s entire family.

Even as a prince, Li Zhi was no exception.

“Damn! What kind of rotten task is this? Is it trying to get me killed? How could anyone just tear up an imperial edict?” Li Zhi cursed inwardly. But the infernal system had no intelligence—it only issued tasks and could not answer.

Luo Tong came over, “Your Highness, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing!” Li Zhi replied irritably, striding into the sitting room to think things over.

The reward for this task was extremely generous—thirty attribute points, freely assignable. In other words, he could pour all the points into martial prowess, and the power of his sword techniques would increase severalfold.