Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

A winter night in the Bohai Bay, with wind and snow raging.

A fierce wind whipped up snowflakes as large as goose feathers, raging and howling outside the dark, towering walls of Zhenhai Fort.

However, behind a heavy iron city gate, inside the main hall of the imperial palace, Haiyan Hall,...

But it is a different kind of warm and spring-like paradise.

At the four corners of the main hall, lifelike mythical beasts that swallow the sea are carved on thick, pure copper dragon pillars.

There were no braziers inside the hall; instead, a network of crisscrossing underground heating systems had been laid out.

They burned top-quality smokeless red charcoal from Xishan.

The warmth rises from the bottom up.

This created a warm and inviting atmosphere in the spacious hall, reminiscent of the gentle intoxication of early summer in Jiangnan.

Emperor Chenghua, Zhu Jianji, sat high behind his desk in the main seat, having already removed his heavy everyday robes.

She was wearing only a bright yellow silk robe, and her complexion was rosy.

A fine layer of sweat even appeared on his forehead.

"Minister Pei, the palace you built is truly a marvel of nature."

Zhu Jianji picked up a cup of warm yellow wine in front of him, his gaze lingering on the novel furnishings of the main hall, and nodded in satisfaction.

"From the outside it looks like a formidable military town with impregnable walls, but inside it is even more comfortable than my Qianqing Palace."

"The method of laying the earthen floor is so ingenious that even in the dead of winter, living in Haiyan Hall feels like being bathed in a spring breeze."

Pei Yuan sat on the first brocade stool at the lower end, smiling and bowing.

"Your Majesty flatters me. I am a vulgar man who craves comfort. Since this palace was built for Your Majesty to escape the summer heat and enjoy the snow, I naturally have to put a lot of effort into its interior."

"To defend against powerful enemies abroad and enjoy peace at home is in accordance with the proper conduct of the emperor's residence."

Zhu Jianji laughed heartily upon hearing this and repeatedly raised his cup.

At this moment, two rows of Jiangnan maids dressed in light red gauze skirts, carrying lacquered mahogany food boxes, filed in like butterflies flitting among flowers.

One after another, steaming hot delicacies were placed on the tables of everyone in a flowing manner.

This imperial banquet did not utilize the imperial chefs from the Guanglu Temple who accompanied the emperor.

Instead, Pei Yuan specially brought a renowned chef from Jinling to cook.

The dishes on the table were quite different from the proper imperial meals served in the palace.

The large, translucent prawns from the East China Sea, about a foot long, are split open from the back and covered with golden minced garlic and a powder that emits a strange aroma, sizzling as they are grilled over charcoal.

The soup, made by stewing whole sea cucumbers and abalone, is golden in color and has a rich, enticing aroma.

There was also a large plate of roasted venison, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, topped with a thick, black sauce that smelled spicy and pungent.

It makes one's appetite very strong.

Zhu Jianji picked up a piece of venison covered in black juice and put it in his mouth. After chewing it carefully for a few moments, his eyes lit up.

The spicy and domineering yet incredibly fresh flavor exploded on my tongue, dispelling the fatigue from days of travel.

"This juice... has a peculiar flavor, spicy with a unique aroma. My dear minister, what is this concoction made from?"

Zhu Jianji couldn't resist picking up another piece.

Pei Yuan, fanning himself with a folding fan, slowly reported, "Your Majesty, the sauce is made from pepper, a specialty of the Southeast Asian countries. The prawns are sprinkled with powdered cardamom, cumin, and other spices, a tribute from Champa."

"black pepper?!"

Upon hearing this, Li Xian, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, sitting at the lower end of the table, trembled involuntarily, nearly knocking over the soup bowl in front of him.

Not only him, but also the Minister of War, the Minister of Revenue, and other high-ranking officials accompanying him all showed expressions of astonishment.

Pepper and cardamom were rare items in the Ming Dynasty!

High-ranking officials and nobles in the capital often purchased goods by weight or by the tael.

Occasionally, when the palace bestows rewards upon its officials, a pound of pepper would be considered an immense favor.

Officials wished they could enshrine the ancestral tablets in front of them.

But Pei Yuan was actually sprinkling such precious spices on roasted meat and seafood like mud, and even using them to make sauces!

"Governor Pei! These precious spices are treasures of the imperial court, yet you so recklessly waste them, using them as seasonings for roasted foods! It's simply... simply outrageous!"

An imperial censor from the Censorate, unable to bear it any longer, slammed his fist on the table, stood up, and vehemently denounced the situation.

Pei Yuan turned his head and looked at the furious censor, his eyes as if he were looking at a country bumpkin who had never seen the world.

He closed the folding fan and chuckled softly.

"My lord, you've probably been in the capital for too long and don't know the value of things outside. Pepper is a precious treasure in our Ming Dynasty, but in those foreign lands of Southeast Asia, it's everywhere and as cheap as dirt!"

Pei Yuan stood up, walked to the center of the hall, and bowed slightly to Zhu Jianji.

"Your Majesty. The Ming merchant ships I dispatched only need to transport a few bolts of cheap coarse silk or a few cartloads of ordinary porcelain bowls. Once they reach the South Seas, they can be exchanged for a ship full of pepper and spices."

"Not only did I use pepper in my cooking today, but the warehouse at Zhenhai Fort also has thousands of bags of spices from Southeast Asia piled up."

"If Your Majesty enjoys this culinary delight, from now on, the imperial kitchen will use pepper instead of salt, and there will be plenty!"

"Great! Hahahaha!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jianji burst into hearty laughter.

What he liked most was Pei Yuan's magnanimity in manipulating the world's wealth.

"You're right, my dear minister! Things are valued for their rarity. Now that the Ming navy is bringing these spices back in a steady stream, they're no longer considered rare."

"My dear ministers, please pick up your chopsticks! Savor these rare delicacies from overseas, and do not let Governor Pei's painstaking efforts go to waste!"

With the emperor's words, Li Xian and the other civil officials could only suppress their frustration and shock.

They ate the extremely expensive seafood feast in front of them with a bland and unpleasant taste.

For most of their lives, they had been worrying about the tens of thousands of taels of silver that were short of funds in Taicang, and they had become accustomed to a life of scarcity.

Now Pei Yuan suddenly dumped a mountain of gold in front of them, telling them that there was so much wealth in the world that it could feed them.

Such a violent shock left these elderly civil officials completely bewildered for a time.

Night was falling.

The welcoming banquet finally came to an end.

Zhu Jianji was served by eunuchs such as Wang Zhi.

He went to rest in the warm pavilion behind the imperial palace, which was built in the style of the Qianqing Palace, with a satisfied heart.

Pei Yuan, with his sleeves tucked in, stood under the pillars of the main hall.

Looking at the civil and military officials who were helping each other up, preparing to find a place to rest.

"Lu Zheng".

Pei Yuan called out softly.

"Your humble servant is here."

Lu Zheng, dressed in a flying fish robe, emerged from some shadowy figure.

"My lords, you must be tired from your journey. It's late and the dew is heavy. Please take some men and arrange accommodations for you."

"Remember, we must distinguish between different levels and take good care of our Grand Secretary Li and the censors of the Censorate."

Pei Yuan's smile held a hint of cunning, like that of a shrewd businessman.

Lu Zheng understood immediately and grinned, "Rest assured, sir, I will handle this matter perfectly."