Chapter 61

"Do you know who I am ordering takeout for?" Lian Fu did not expect Bu Fang would reject his request once more and was slightly furious .

"Do you know that His Majesty wishes to savor your dishes? This is your greatest honor!"

Bu Fang was frowning as he looked toward the haughty Lian Fu in displeasure . He had already clearly stated that the store did not provide takeout service . Why was the eunuch unable to understand?

"Tell me, how much money do I need to pay before I can order takeout? Just say the price," Lian Fu snorted and said, while pinching his thumb and middle finger together . He was exasperated by Bu Fang's unwavering attitude as well .

"Do you still not understand what I am saying?" Bu Fang expressionlessly glanced at him . He did not feel like paying any further attention to the eunuch anymore . He returned to the kitchen and came back with the last dish .

The golden Oyster Pancakes were wrapped in large bamboo leaves that concealed its aroma .

"This is the last dish, the Oyster Pancake . This is permitted for takeout . You can bring this back and let the emperor eat this," Bu Fang passed the Oyster Pancake to Lian Fu and simply said .

Lian Fu went into a daze as he subconsciously received the Oyster Pancakes . He glanced at the Oyster Pancake wrapped in bamboo leaves . Even though the smell was fragrant… compared to the sumptuous Fish Head Tofu Soup, the Oyster Pancake seemed a little shabby .

He ate so many delicious dishes and only brought a serving of this shabby Oyster Pancake back… Would His Majesty scold him when he returned?

"Little cook… can't you make an exception for me? Not even if I fork out a hundred crystals?" Lian Fu bit his lips as he resentfully looked at Bu Fang .

Bu Fang's entire body shuddered . Lian Fu's gaze was causing goosebumps to appear all over his body . Bu Fang ducked his head and turned around . He immediately returned to the kitchen and completely ignored the Chief Eunuch Lian Fu .

Lian Fu watched as Bu Fang left . He sighed as he gloomily looked at the Oyster Pancake in his hands . Finally, he could only grudgingly leave .

After seeing off Lian Fu, Ouyang Xiaoyi excitedly ran toward Bu Fang .

"Smelly boss, give me a serving of Oyster Pancake!" Ouyang Xiaoyi charmingly shouted .

"Hmm? Are you going to eat it now?" Bu Fang was startled as he puzzledly asked . Didn’t Xiaoyi mention that she wanted to bring it back with her so that she could let her parents have a taste?

Ouyang Xiaoyi swallowed her saliva and said with a grin, "I can't bear it any longer . I'll have a taste for them first . "

Even though Bu Fang knew that she was feeling gluttonous, he did not expose her and only told her to wait .

After a while, two servings of Oyster Pancakes were ready to be eaten .

He handed one serving to Xiaoyi and took the other serving for himself . The two of them comfortably pulled a chair to the entrance and ate the Oyster Pancakes .

Tearing off the bamboo leaves, Ouyang Xiaoyi impatiently took a bite of the Oyster Pancake . A crisp sound rang out . As she bit down on the crispy crust of the Oyster Pancake, the juice of the radishes flowed into her mouth .

A rich fragrance was exuding from the Oyster Pancakes and had enveloped her surroundings . She had an enraptured expression on her face as she continued to eat the Oyster Pancake with her head lowered .

The two of them were curled up on the chairs as they ate the Oyster Pancakes . The fragrance was slowly spreading and was lingering within the alleyway,

. . .

"Your Majesty, this is the food your humble servant brought back from the black-hearted store, the Oyster Pancake . " Lian Fu was carrying a silver plate with numerous exquisite patterns carved on its surface .

Two hemispherical golden Oyster Pancakes were placed on the silver plate and were still exuding a slight warmth as a faint aroma hovered above it .

The Emperor Ji Changfeng stroked his beard as he puzzledly looked at Lian Fu and asked, "Xiao Fu, didn't I tell you to bring back all of the dishes? Why did you only bring back such a tiny thing?"

The appearance of the Oyster Pancake was indeed terrible . It looked like a type of food that commoners would eat .

When Lian Fu heard the emperor's words, his heart trembled and he immediately complained with a long face, "Your Majesty, there's something you don't know . The owner of that black-hearted store said that all the other dishes are not permitted for takeouts . Only this Oyster Pancake is allowed for takeouts . "

"Oh? Then you've tasted the other dishes?" Ji Changfeng indifferently asked as he gave Lian Fu a sidelong glance .

"Hmm, the taste was excellent, especially that Sweet 'n' Sour Ribs…" Lian Fu was about to describe Bu Fang's dishes when he felt the emperor's incomprehensible gaze . His heart suddenly trembled as he took a step back and bowed, "Uh, Your Majesty, it's my mistake!"

"Looks like the culinary skills of that store's owner should be pretty good . Otherwise, you wouldn't be praising him so highly . Then, I'll give this… Oyster Pancake a taste," Ji Changfeng said .

Lian Fu was immediately overjoyed that the emperor did not blame him and hurriedly straightened his back . He offered up the silver plate to Ji Changfeng and took out a small silver dagger which he used to slice one of the Oyster Pancakes in half after pulling back his baggy sleeves .

A rich fragrance was instantly released as the Oyster Pancake, that previously had a weaker aroma, was sliced open . It was like an aromatic bomb was stepped on .

A white juice seeped out from the opening and covered half of the plate .

Ji Changfeng's eyes immediately lit up as he smelled the Oyster Pancake's aroma . He exclaimed in surprise, "The smell is fragrant but not pungent, it's mellow but lingers in the air . Good!"

Lian Fu was extremely surprised as well . He did not think that the unassuming Oyster Pancake would be so fragrant . With such a rich fragrance, the taste should be quite good as well .

Ji Changfeng reached out his hand and picked up one of the Oyster Pancake that was sliced open . He looked at the plump Oyster Pancake and promptly took a bite . The flavor of the oyster was unreservedly released in his mouth . It instantly rushed into his nasal cavities and caused all of the pores on his body to widen .

The crispy crust that was perfectly deep fried combined with the tenderness of the shredded radish created an unprecedented texture . Ji Chengfeng could only give praise .

"Delicious! What an excellent Oyster Pancake!"

Lian Fu swallowed his saliva and was joyous as well . He thought, "Your Majesty, I am just glad that you're happy . I am only afraid that I would be in trouble if you weren’t . . . "

After that half of the Oyster Pancake was eaten, Ji Changfeng could not help but lick his lips as he wiped off the oil stains on his beard . He picked up the other half of the Oyster Pancake and finished it within a short while .

After eating both Oyster Pancakes, Ji Changfeng happily breathed out with a satisfied expression .

"It's been a while since I've had such a comfortable meal . This black-hearted store has some ability after all . I am suddenly curious about the other dishes . "

"Your Majesty, that store doesn't permit takeout… Your Majesty would need to personally visit the store in order to eat the other dishes . " Lian Fu was feeling slightly indignant .

"So what if I have to personally visit? With such delicious dishes, it's worth it for me to personally go there . Besides, isn't there a wine better than the Bejewelled Nectar Wine in that store? I've always yearned for good wine . Xiao Fu, go and make preparations . I'll personally go there tomorrow . "

"Oh my, Your Majesty?! There's no need for Your Majesty to personally visit such a store . Your humble servant will go back tomorrow and make sure to bring all the dishes back . " Lian Fu was feeling slightly anxious . With the emperor's condition, how could he let him personally go there?

Ji Changfeng indifferently glanced at Lian Fu and said, "Xiao Fu, if I could visit Immortal Phoenix Restaurant for the sake of a Roasted Flower Duck, why can't I enter this store for delicious food? Remember, we're going incognito, tomorrow . "

Lian Fu felt helpless . He made up his mind to secretly arrange for the imperial physicians to be at the ready, aside from other arrangements . He would still be able to react, in case something happened .

At the same moment, in Fang Fang's Little Store, Ouyang Xiaoyi was looking at Bu Fang in a pitiful manner after finishing the two Oyster Pancakes .

"Smelly boss, just give Xiaoyi another serving . Xiaoyi isn't satisfied yet . "

Her large eyes were blinking in a lovely, touching manner that would give anyone a strong urge to protect her .

Bu Fang glanced at her and simply said, "No, if you eat too much Oyster Pancakes… you'll accumulate internal heat[1] . "

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[1] accumulate internal heat – In Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM), food is categorized into heaty, neutral, and cooling and it is believed that illnesses are caused by consuming an imbalance diet . When someone is suffering from certain ailments(e . g . Having a sore throat . ) defined as "heaty", they would consume "cooling" food to offset that imbalance .