Chapter 325: He Was Just a Country Bumpkin!
“Understood, I’ll go inform them.”
Xuan Qi exited the private room. Meanwhile, the man gazed at the six dishes spinning on the round table, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Even back in the imperial palace, he had never seen such cuisine.
He picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the sweet and sour pork. The balance of tangy and sweet flavors spread across his tongue, awakening his palate in a way he had never experienced before.
Someone who had never paid much attention to food found himself taking three consecutive bites before finally moving on to another dish.
By the time Xuan Qi returned, nearly half of every dish had been eaten, a sight that made even his usually stoic expression flicker with surprise and delight.
“Master, it seems Luo City’s cuisine is truly exceptional. For you to have such an appetite, these chefs must be quite skilled.”
The man took a sip of tea, dabbing the corner of his lips with a silk handkerchief. He nodded, smiling.
“Indeed. Before today, I never imagined that food could have so many flavors and be prepared in such ways. Even before tasting, just looking at the colors and presentation shows the care and thoughtfulness behind them. This city… just on the strength of its cuisine alone, could establish itself in the four nations, attracting people who crave culinary pleasures.”
Xuan Qi agreed wholeheartedly.
“This father-daughter duo is truly remarkable. No wonder Master is willing to bet so much on them. Even if they take a different path than Fengcheng, their cuisine alone will drive the city’s prosperity.”
The man chuckled.
“Seeing is believing. I had only heard that Miss Yu was breathtakingly beautiful, but today, I realize how shallow such rumors were. True, she is strikingly beautiful, but I believe she is far more interesting than just her appearance.
Even if they are not following Fengcheng’s path, they must have a survival strategy just as powerful. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be bold enough to compete against Fengcheng in the heart of the wilderness.”
Xuan Qi nodded in agreement.
“Indeed. But I still find it strange that, for so many years, the Yu family stayed completely under the radar in the National Guardian Marquis Manor. There was never any news about them. It was as if they were just ordinary, unremarkable nobodies.”
At noon, Yu Luo hurriedly arrived at Laifeng Restaurant. The moment she stepped through the doors, Azan was already waiting to greet her.
Earlier, she had sent a house servant ahead to order food and reserve a private room.
By the time she arrived, Ye Lu was already seated at the table, struggling to resist the temptation of the feast laid before him.
Having grown up in the imperial palace, Ye Lu was accustomed to delicacies. But palace cuisine was repetitive and bland, merely refined versions of common dishes.
Even after traveling extensively, he had never encountered flavors like these. Just seeing and smelling the dishes made him restless with anticipation.
Now, as he stared at the extravagant meal before him, he suddenly felt like a country bumpkin who had never seen real food.
Last night, after arriving at Luo City, he had only eaten a simple breakfast at the inn. Even that meal had shocked him.
But now, this lunch spread…
He, a prince of Dongfeng, was actually drooling over food like a child!
“Apologies for making you wait, Your Highness. The affairs of Luo City have kept me busy.”
“It’s nothing! It’s nothing! Just being able to share a meal with Miss Yu is already my greatest honor! Who would have thought, after our first meeting, that we would be dining together today?”
Yu Luo chuckled at his dramatic response and gracefully took her seat across from him.
She lifted the teapot, pouring tea for Ye Lu.
“There’s much work to be done, so I won’t be drinking. Let’s toast with tea instead. After all, you and I… we’ve had quite the memorable introduction. I must admit, I never expected to be sitting here with you today.”
The two clinked cups and drank in one go.
Ye Lu’s heart soared with excitement.
“Let’s eat,” Yu Luo said, gesturing toward the dishes.
“The chefs here were all trained by my father. I doubt you’ll find these flavors anywhere else in Dongfeng. If you like them, feel free to invite your friends to Luo City sometime.”
This was exactly Yu Luo’s plan.
It was a subtle way to express gratitude for Ye Lu helping them pass through the border, while also roping him in as an advocate for Luo City.
Faced with such a sweetly-packaged proposition, how could Ye Lu resist?
He immediately nodded enthusiastically, even promising to spread the word about Luo City when he returned.
Throughout the meal, Ye Lu was so absorbed in the food that he forgot his original plan of bonding with Yu Luo.
By the time she set down her chopsticks, he realized he had eaten too much.
“I still have many matters to attend to this afternoon, so I won’t keep Your Highness any longer,” Yu Luo said as she stood.
“Since Luo City is still in its early stages, there’s a lot to manage. I heard you wanted to rent a shop? Now that we are friends, allow me to give you some insider advice. If you have enough silver, you should consider opening multiple businesses. In half a month, we’ll be launching another street. If you establish yourself now, you’re guaranteed to make money.”
Ye Lu was stunned.
He hadn’t expected Yu Luo to be so open with him—not after just one meal!
Originally, he had only wanted to rent one shop to compete with that rich guy from earlier.
But now…
Her persuasive words ignited a new determination in him.
He suddenly wanted to sell everything he owned in the capital and invest it all in Luo City!
Realizing that his love-struck master was about to impulsively agree, Azan panicked.
He didn’t care about status anymore—he had to intervene.
“Miss Yu, may I say something?”
“Ah Zan! Don’t—”
Ye Lu realized too late. He tried to stop him, but Yu Luo had already turned to Ah Zan with an amused expression, clearly ignoring Ye Lu’s protests.
Seeing this, Azan hurriedly continued.
“Miss Yu, forgive me, but I’m curious…You must understand the rules of the wilderness—the four nations have an unspoken agreement to prevent any one power from controlling this region. Luo City has risen incredibly fast. Aren’t you worried that, sooner or later, the four nations will see you as a threat and try to eliminate you? Do you really think Luo City can stand against four entire countries?”
For the first time, Ye Lu snapped out of his daze.
Now that he had calmed down, he, too, wanted an answer.
How could Yu Luo and her family be so bold?
Did they truly believe they could survive if the four nations turned against them?
