I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

When Ye An'an saw Xiao Jingshi pick up the second piece of stinky tofu, she knew that the deal was done!

There's no taste bud that Chinese cuisine can't conquer. If there is, then try a different cooking method and do it again!

"Sister-in-law! I want more! I want more!"

The seventh and ninth princes each held a bamboo skewer, staring longingly at the few remaining pieces of tofu on the plate, looking like two hungry little birds.

"Yes, yes, yes, plenty!"

Ye An'an was in a great mood. She took another plate out of the oil and quickly poked holes in it and poured sauce into it for them.

For a moment, the only sounds in the courtyard of Tinglan Water Pavilion were the crunching of chewing and the satisfied exclamations of the crowd.

Even Changting, who had been standing to the side with a conflicted expression, tried a piece with some skepticism after being encouraged by Ye An'an.

As a result, it was another "it smells so good" moment.

"Your Majesty, this...this thing is amazing!" Changting exclaimed as she ate. "I always thought that delicious food must smell good too, but I never imagined...something that smells bad could taste so good!"

"That's called contrast, you know?" Ye An'an proudly raised her chin.

Plate after plate of stinky tofu was devoured.

For the first time ever, Xiao Jingshi ate three pieces by himself.

Although he didn't say "good" once from beginning to end, his increasingly rapid eating speed and his slightly flushed, handsome face, whether from heat or spiciness, said it all.

When the last plate of stinky tofu was finished, everyone smacked their lips with lingering satisfaction.

Ye An'an looked at Xiao Jingshi and asked with a smile, "Your Highness, do you still think my 'money-making' plan was absurd?"

Xiao Jingshi wiped his mouth with a napkin, his movements still elegant. He raised his eyes and gave Ye An'an a deep look, his gaze filled with shock, admiration, and a hint of appreciation that he himself was unaware of.

He paused for a moment before slowly speaking, "This matter... is worth a try. But, it must be absolutely foolproof."

He admitted it!

Ye An'an mentally gave a thumbs-up.

"Your Highness, rest assured!" she patted her chest to assure him. "Don't you trust me? However, fried stinky tofu alone isn't enough; we need to diversify our product line. To cater to customers like Your Highness who initially can't accept the 'stinky' smell, I've also prepared an upgraded version of the dish."

"Oh?" Xiao Jingshi's interest was piqued. "What is it now?"

"It's a secret!" Ye An'an winked playfully at him. "You'll find out tomorrow."

……

The next day, Ye An'an got up very early.

What she's going to do today is the 2.0 version of stinky tofu—stinky tofu stuffed with soup.

This dish is actually more like a variation of soup dumplings.

She asked the kitchen to prepare the best dough and roll it into thin wrappers.

The key lies in the filling.

She minced the fresh pork foreleg meat, then chopped up the softest part of the stinky tofu she had made the day before, and mixed it into the minced meat in a certain proportion.

In this way, the signature "stinky" smell of stinky tofu is greatly neutralized by the savory aroma of pork, becoming more mellow and leaving only a unique, fermented umami flavor.

To achieve the "soup filling" effect, she specially used the leftover chicken carcass from yesterday to make a pot of rich chicken soup, cooled it, froze it into aspic, cut it into small cubes, and mixed it into the filling.

With everything ready, Ye An'an began to demonstrate her not-so-skilled, but rather quite impressive, ability to make dumplings.

One by one, the plump, white "stinky tofu soup dumplings" with fairly even pleats were quickly filled in the steamer.

Steam it!

As steam rose, this time, what wafted from the kitchen was no longer that overpowering stench, but a unique aroma that blended the fragrance of noodles, meat, and a faint savory scent.

Xiao Jingshi did not attend court today. After handling some urgent official business, he inexplicably strolled to Tinglan Water Pavilion.

He wanted to see what the woman meant by "upgraded version".

As he walked into the courtyard, Ye An'an was carrying a steaming basket of buns out of the kitchen.

The bun's skin was as thin as paper, crystal clear, and you could even vaguely see the soup sloshing inside.

"Your Highness, you've arrived!" Ye An'an's eyes lit up when she saw him. "Come and try my new 'soup dumplings'!"

She placed a basket of steamed buns on the stone table and handed Xiao Jingshi a dish of prepared ginger and vinegar.

"There's a proper way to eat this." She picked up a bun and demonstrated, "You have to lift it gently and move it slowly, then bite a small hole on the side to suck out the soup inside. Otherwise, you'll burn your mouth."

As she spoke, she bit open a small hole and took a satisfied sip of the delicious broth inside.

Seeing her enjoying herself, Xiao Jingshi followed her example and carefully picked one up.

The buns have very thin skins, are heavy, and are filled with soup.

He imitated Ye An'an and bit a small opening on the side.

A rich, indescribable freshness instantly gushed out from the opening.

He leaned in and took a gentle breath.

The piping hot, delicious, and rich broth immediately filled his mouth.

The broth had the freshness of chicken soup, the aroma of pork, and a unique flavor that he couldn't quite put his finger on, but which was exceptionally "enhancing" the taste.

The taste was somewhat similar to the stinky tofu he had eaten yesterday, but it was infinitely milder, leaving only the most essential "freshness".

Delicious!

It tastes so good!

Xiao Jingshi slurped up all the soup in one go, then dipped the remaining bun in a little vinegar and put it in his mouth.

The thin, chewy skin and tender filling, combined with the flavors of ginger and vinegar, create a perfect balance in the mouth.

After finishing one, he immediately reached for the second.

There were eight soup dumplings in a basket, and he ate six of them by himself.

It wasn't until he finished eating that he belatedly realized that the so-called "soup dumpling" contained the same stinky tofu that he had both loved and hated yesterday.

He looked at Ye An'an, who was smiling at him, and felt a mix of emotions.

This woman always finds a way to make him break his principles, time and time again.

His so-called germaphobia and his so-called bottom line are utterly insignificant in the face of her delicious food.

He completely broke down.