Luo Cuiwei smiled shyly, then looked up at him seriously and added, "It was made this morning, and it's all cold now. You have to heat it up in a steamer before eating it. It's filled with minced meat."
Yun Lie nodded, closed the food box again, and chuckled with a hint of mockery: "The Luo family of Jingxi is indeed extraordinary. Not only is Miss Luo capable of managing the family business, but she also knows the art of cooking."
I believed her nonsense! It was most likely made by her chef. She didn't make anything fancy or elaborate so as not to give herself away. That's quite prudent of her.
"Your Highness, there's something wrong with your eyes!" Luo Cuiwei said with a smile, feigning anger, her eyes and brows full of charming annoyance. "I really made this myself!"
Yun Lie clicked his tongue inwardly but didn't reply.
Luo Cuiwei, however, was adept at taking advantage of any opportunity. She immediately clenched her small fist in slight annoyance and said seriously, "Since Your Highness doesn't believe me, there's no point in saying more. Tomorrow I'll bring the ingredients to your residence and cook it again in front of Your Highness!"
“No…” Yun Lie’s mind was buzzing, and he was speechless.
“Your Highness, there’s no need to refuse. Merchants value their reputation above all else. If I can’t prove that I made this myself, I’ll lose my reputation!” Luo Cuiwei said solemnly yet stubbornly. “I will come first thing tomorrow morning. Please make sure Your Highness witnesses the whole process. Farewell.”
She gracefully took her leave and walked out of the main hall with her head held high.
Yun Lie stared blankly at her retreating figure, filled with extreme regret.
That meddlesome mouth of hers, how did she manage to find another excuse to make it seem like we have to meet tomorrow?!
They're so cunning, it's impossible to guard against them.
****
The true essence of meticulous craftsmanship often lies in the seemingly insignificant details.
In ordinary households, those who are particular about their food simply chop the shepherd's purse leaves and mix them into glutinous rice flour to make shepherd's purse dumplings, resulting in dumplings with a mixed appearance of green and white. But the dumplings in front of me are a vibrant green, requiring the shepherd's purse to be carefully chopped into a paste first.
"Everyone says the Luo family is particular about their food, and they're really not exaggerating," Xiong Xiaoyi said with a grin at Yun Lie, whose face was dark, his mouth full. "This thing looks ordinary, but it tastes really good. The best part is, it's minced meat! Plenty of minced meat!"
This is so touching! He hasn't had such a satisfying meal of meat in ages!
Yun Lie's face darkened even more: "Aren't you afraid of stuffing yourself to death?"
That bastard Xiong Xiaoyi ate two layers of food boxes in one go.
"You really won't eat?" As he spoke, Xiong Xiaoyi had already opened the third layer.
Yun Lie grabbed a dumpling in frustration and stuffed it into his mouth angrily.
"Don't overthink it. She doesn't seem to have any ill intentions," Xiong Xiaoyi said confidently while happily eating. "Even if there's a trap, we'll deal with it as it comes. We've seen it all over the years. What can't a delicate girl like her devour you?"
He had been in the courtyard of the main hall just now. He glanced at Luo Cuiwei when she came out of the hall, and then listened to Yun Lie recount what happened yesterday. Now he could understand why Yun Lie was so agitated.
Xiong Xiaoyi's words of comfort did not quell Yun Lie's anxiety. Until he figured out Luo Cuiwei's true intentions, he was unable to eat or sleep properly...
"You bastard! Are you planning to eat it all in one go?!" Yun Lie slammed his fist on the table in anger.
****
Inside the Luo family study.
"Sister, how did it go today? Did you see anyone?" Luo Fengming stood behind the chair, massaging his tired-looking older sister's shoulders as he asked about the day's "results."
Luo Cuiwei gave a weak chuckle, closed her eyes and said softly, "He seems to be trying to avoid me, but who am I? Not only did I see him today, but he can't hide from me tomorrow either."
As the saying goes, "practice makes perfect," and friendships can always be built up over time.
Upon hearing this, Luo Fengming felt a huge weight lifted from his heart: "Yesterday you said you'd only send dumplings, and I was worried I'd mess things up. My sister is so wise!"
The Luo family wants to reach a deal with King Zhao to allow them passage through Linchuan. However, allowing caravans to pass through the military defense zone is risky. Without some prior relationship, simply offering gold and silver would not be enough to convince King Zhao, given his reputation for behavior.
His sister's roundabout approach, though seemingly clumsy and foolish, was remarkably effective.
King Zhao initially refused to even accept the Luo family's visiting card, but now he has to tolerate his sister's repeated visits to his home. The situation is extremely favorable for the Luo family.
"Where did you learn this sycophantic manner from..." Luo Cui smiled and yawned wearily.
She wasn't lying to Yun Lie; those dumplings were indeed made by her own hands under the guidance of the head chef. Not only were the shepherd's purse almost chopped into juice, but she also chopped the meat filling herself, which exhausted her.
Seeing her limply raise her right hand, Luo Fengming quickly massaged her arm again. "How about I go with you tomorrow?"
Although the Luo family did not spoil their children, sometimes when they were in the mood, they would go to the kitchen and cook some food themselves. They were not spoiled brats who never lifted a finger.
But looking at his elder sister's tired smile, he couldn't help but feel sad. If the family hadn't encountered difficulties, his elder sister wouldn't have had to go to such lengths to cultivate a relationship with King Zhao.
“It’s almost the end of the year, and the shopkeepers from all over will be coming back to settle accounts. Aren’t you busy enough?” Luo Cui smiled, forced herself to stand up, turned her head and pinched his cheek. “Tomorrow I’ll have Yan Jie come with me. You can just do what you need to do.”
Luo Fengming nodded heavily.
“I had a bad cough a few days ago and was afraid of upsetting my father, so I didn’t dare to go to the main courtyard to pay my respects,” Luo Cuiwei said, pulling his arm to walk outside. “Let’s have a medicinal meal with Father and Mother tonight.”
The two siblings chatted as they walked.
Luo Fengming suggested, "Sister, why don't you teach me more about this? That way, if I encounter something like this again, you won't have to go through the trouble of dealing with it all by yourself."
“There’s no magic to it,” Luo Cuiwei said, finding it amusing herself. “I was just quick-witted, sincere, and persistent… Hey, after this is all over, remember to tell Luo Cuizhen about it. Who knows, she might actually write a business book about it someday…”
5. Chapter Five
The next morning, just as the first rays of winter dawn were beginning to show, Yun Lie was already up.
Just as Xiong Xiaoyi was about to leave, he met him face to face on the corridor of the rear hall and couldn't help but grin mischievously: "Up so early? Waiting for someone?"
Yun Lie pursed his lips with a stern face, somewhat uncomfortable, and scolded, "Go do your business."