Chapter 84: Praise Without End

“No need to worry… You’ve traveled a great distance to attend our God of Cooking Tournament. As a prince, it is only fitting for me to eat clay as a sign of respect for you!”
Li Zhi climbed along the pole, playing along.
Li Nan was deeply moved.
He bowed to Li Zhi, disregarding the occasion. “Thank you, Your Highness, for not despising my Nan Ni tribe!”
…
“What are they doing over there?” Li Shimin happened to catch sight of Li Zhi’s situation.
“I suppose His Highness’s culinary skills have won over the envoy from the Nan Ni tribe!” Cheng Yaojin stroked his beard, thinking to himself, “Luckily, I was smart enough not to let Chubi compete. Otherwise, all his culinary prowess would be overshadowed by this young Li Zhi.”
Wen Daya announced, “Let the competition begin!”
“Please do your best, everyone, and prepare your finest dishes! You may request any ingredients or kitchenware from the stewards, or bring your own!”
Over a hundred chefs moved into action.
Li Zhi calmly took yellow clay from his bag.
He cooked it over a blazing fire.
Then, using a fine sieve, he removed impurities.
Much like extracting pulp for papermaking, he made the clay remarkably smooth and delicate.
All these actions were observed by Li Nan.
He wondered aloud, “Could this process really change the quality of the clay? No, even if it does, it’s still clay—how could it ever become a delicacy?”
“Never mind… I’ll check again later!”
Li Nan shifted his focus away from Li Zhi.
He concentrated earnestly on the kitchenware before him, preparing a bowl of white fungus and bird’s nest soup.
It was a highly prized dish in the palace.
Special techniques were required to cook it.
Li Nan had studied for over half a month, barely grasping the basics. If not for his people, he would not have dared to risk embarrassment here, yet he had no choice but to press on.
…
Li Shimin’s gaze occasionally rested on Li Zhi.
“What is Zhi’er making? Why hasn’t he started cooking yet? I find it rather odd!” Li Shimin frowned.
“Indeed!”
Cheng Chubi was also watching.
Given what he knew of Li Zhi, whatever the dish, it should be in the pot by now. But Li Zhi kept removing impurities—could it be some sort of pastry or bean product, and he was refining the ingredients further?
“No need to worry, Your Majesty… His Highness must have something new to present!” Cheng Yaojin said.
“Hmm!”
“I have high hopes for him!”
The spectators discussed the chefs’ dishes, some even placing bets.
The youngest, Li Zhi, naturally drew countless eyes.
Once his identity was revealed, people bet heavily on him!

As long as he won, they stood to gain great wealth!
“Dishes up!”
Most contestants had finished their cooking. Only Li Zhi lingered.
“What’s going on with Master? He ought to be the first to finish!” Cheng Chubi worried for Li Zhi.
According to the tournament rules, dishes must be completed within the time it takes for three incense sticks to burn.
If the limit is exceeded, the dish won’t be judged.
Now, two and a half sticks had burned; the deadline was fast approaching.
Li Zhi was still busy, as if his dish were exceptionally complex.
“A child so young, barely old enough to walk, dares to cook?”
“Hahaha…”
“What a joke!”
…
Mocking voices echoed nearby.
“There’s half a quarter of an hour left, little prince, are you ready?” Wen Daya, Minister of Rites, walked over.
“Almost there!”
Li Zhi took out his dish from the pot.
He cooled it rapidly.
Suddenly!
A rich aroma wafted out.
This was no ordinary scent.
If you were a modern person, you’d recognize it as the fragrance of chocolate.
Li Zhi took a deep breath. “Not bad, not bad!”
“Minister Wen, my dish is ready…”
“This!”
Wen Daya had lived a lifetime, tasted countless dishes, and seen many wonders. But the unique aroma rising from the dish he held stunned him.
What could this be?
Even he couldn’t resist wanting a taste!
The urge was overwhelming!
“Minister Wen, your drool is about to fall into the bowl… Please take it to the judges before you soil it!” Li Zhi fully understood.
The allure of chocolate was indeed hard to resist.
Wen Daya, holding the ‘chocolate’ bowl, slowly walked toward Li Shimin. Everyone he passed instinctively inhaled the scent.
Li Nan was the most exaggerated.
And the most astonished.
He knew Li Zhi’s main ingredient was merely clay from the Nan Ni tribe. Just clay, and yet such deliciousness emerged?
How strange!

How extraordinary!
“Little prince, are you sure the main ingredient is clay?” Li Nan stepped closer to ask.
“Yes, yes!”
“Well… Your Highness is truly a divine being!” Li Nan could find no better word to describe Li Zhi than ‘divine’, for only an omnipotent god could serve as a metaphor.
“Hehe!”
“You flatter me!”
Li Zhi was quite satisfied.
He hadn’t expected that a few seasonings mixed together could miraculously produce the flavor of chocolate. This time, the championship was surely his!
Li Shimin and the examiners from the Ministry of Rites waited anxiously.
Wen Daya brought the clay-based chocolate to the center table. “Your Majesty, the little prince’s delicacy is ready. Please taste it!”
“Hmm!”
“I can hardly wait!” Li Shimin had long witnessed Li Zhi’s culinary skills—ordinary ingredients transformed into miracles.
Take, for example, the fried rice with cured pork.
Li Shimin had assumed it used rare ingredients, but upon inquiry, he learned it was merely leftover cold rice and smoked pork.
Now, at the God of Cooking Tournament, all ingredients were top-notch.
The taste could only be even better.
Cheng Yaojin’s mouth watered as he chuckled, stepping forward. “Your Majesty, according to palace protocol, these dishes… You shouldn’t take the first bite. Let me try it first, what do you think?”
“Cheng, what mischief are you plotting? Don’t I know you well? Do we need to test for poison with Zhi’er’s cooking?” Li Shimin smiled gently.
He called Li Zhi closer.
“Zhi’er, tell your father—what do you call this dish? What ingredients did you use? How does it have such an enticing aroma?”
“This…”
Li Zhi hesitated.
He couldn’t possibly say it was made with clay.
“Father, this dish is called Chocolate Pastry. As for the ingredients… May I keep them secret? Otherwise, if all the world knows, I’d suffer a great loss!”
“Very well, I permit you to keep it secret!”
Li Shimin swallowed, then took a bite.
The yellow clay, after countless rounds of cooking, sieving, and impurity removal, was delicate as a pastry.
It melted in the mouth.
Sweet and fragrant.
Its color resembled clay, nothing more.
But who could imagine it was truly made from clay?
“Excellent!”
“Zhi’er’s culinary skills have grown even more exquisite! This is the most delicious pastry I have ever tasted!” Li Shimin finished a piece of chocolate and could not praise it enough.