Ming Dynasty: Gain one supernatural power every day

Meanwhile, within Yingtianfu City, more than a dozen secret letters were sent out from different corners, flying in all directions.

The Tatar Khan, Benyashiri, was gnawing on a lamb leg when a secret envoy presented him with a report: "Khan, the fourth prince of the Ming Dynasty can fly on a sword, and the entire city's inhabitants are kneeling in awe—"

Benyashiri slammed down the lamb leg, his eyes widening: "Flying on a sword? You saw it with your own eyes?"

"What my subordinates saw..."

"Your men? I sent you to scout, and you brought back some kind of god?" Benyashiri grabbed his wine glass and smashed it on the ground. "I only believe in scimitars and horses' hooves! You're kidding me!"

Arutai stroked his beard and said coldly, "It's probably just a bluff. Tell that spy to come back." The tent was silent for a moment, then Arutai whispered, "If he really has that ability..."

Benyashiri glared at him: "You believe that too?" Arutai shook his head.

Mahmud, the leader of the Oirat Mongols, took the secret report, glanced at it, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it at his feet: "Nonsense. I've lived on the grasslands for forty years and I've never heard of a living person being able to fly. Send the message back and tell that spy to come back."

Choi Se-ki, the Korean interpreter, picked up his teacup and said slowly, "Whether His Majesty believes it or not is his business. We must make our message clear: there are immortals in the Ming Dynasty, so let's be honest with them."

After sending out the secret report, the Annamese spy leader turned pale: "Do you think His Majesty will believe us? He'll just think we're crazy. Let's run and save our lives."

King Champa of Champa jumped up excitedly with the secret report in hand: "The Ming Dynasty has immortals? Great! Annam is doomed! Quickly prepare the white elephants, I'm going to pay tribute!"

Ashikaga Yoshimochi of Japan tossed the secret report aside and sneered, "The Ming people are always prone to exaggeration. Trade will continue as usual."

After flipping through a thick stack of secret reports, Ji Gang, a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, chuckled, stood up, and walked out: "Let them spread them. Those who believe will kneel, and those who don't will curse. It's none of our business."

Night had fallen, and the courtyard of the Qianxi Fourth Residence was quiet. Zhu Gaoxi lay on his couch, waiting for that sound. This was the fourth time he had waited for the sign-in, and he was more composed than before, but he still couldn't help but feel anticipation.

[Ding! It's time to check in for tomorrow. Do you wish to claim today's special ability?]

Zhu Gaoxi sat up abruptly: "Receive it!"

[Ding! Sign-in successful! Congratulations, host, you have obtained a new supernatural power—Gourmet Table.]

A translucent, pale gold panel surfaced deep within my consciousness:

Host: Zhu Gaoxi

Age: 7 years old

Number of check-in days: 4

Acquired supernatural powers: Power of creation, Immortal body, Sword control, and gourmet dining table.

gourmet dining table

[Supernatural Power Effect: Gourmet Table - Sit at the table, say the name of the dish, and the dish will appear instantly. From delicacies of land and sea to famous dishes from north and south, choose whatever you desire.]

Zhu Gaoxi was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. The first three days had been filled with fighting and killing, and today a cook had arrived. But thinking about it, it wasn't so bad; it had been a long time since he'd eaten modern food. Although the food in the palace was delicious, he still couldn't forget Coke, Sprite, and fried chicken.

He got out of bed and went to sit down at the small round table in the outer room. He cleared the table.

He licked his lips and tried to say, "Cola, cheese turkey noodles, buttered Italian fried chicken."

As soon as he finished speaking, a glass of bubbly cola appeared out of thin air on the table, with fine water droplets condensing on the glass and ice cubes tinkling inside.

Next to it was a steaming bowl of turkey ramen, with thick noodles coated in a bright red sauce, topped with white sesame seeds and seaweed flakes, and half-melted cheese slices lying on the noodles, stretching into long strands.

Next to it was a plate of golden fried chicken, coated in a buttery garlic sauce, with a crispy skin sprinkled with parsley flakes, glistening with oil, and steam and aroma rising together.

Zhu Gaoxi took a deep breath, his eyes lighting up. This aroma—it's perfect.

He picked up the cola and took a swig. The bubbles burst on his tongue, and the familiar sweetness and coolness shot straight to the top of his head. "Awesome!"

He picked up another mouthful of spicy chicken noodles, stuffing the noodles, cheese, and hot sauce into his mouth. The spiciness and milky aroma battled in his mouth, making him slurp and slurp, but he couldn't stop eating.

The fried chicken is even better, with a crispy skin and tender, juicy meat inside, and an incredibly rich aroma of butter and garlic.

He had fried chicken in one hand, a can of cola in the other, and was chewing on a spicy chicken noodle soup. His cheeks were bulging, and his hands were covered in oil. The table was piled high with food, and the aromas mingled together, so strong that they filled the entire room and wafted out through the cracks in the door.

The young eunuch on night duty in the corridor was dozing against a pillar when his nose twitched a few times. He groggily opened his eyes and sniffed hard. The palace maid next to him also smelled it, looked up at the window, and whispered, "What's that smell? It smells so good!"

The young eunuch swallowed hard and lowered his voice, "It smells... spicy? But not quite. It's much more fragrant than the imperial kitchen's. It also has a milky aroma and a meaty smell. It smells so tempting."

The palace maid swallowed hard. "What is Your Highness Prince Rui eating in there in the middle of the night? We've served in the palace for so many years and have never smelled anything so delicious."

The little eunuch craned his neck to look out the window, but could see nothing except a light on inside and vaguely visible figures moving about.

He pulled his neck back, his stomach growled, and his face turned red.

The palace maid heard this and couldn't help but laugh, then quickly covered her mouth.

Inside the room, Zhu Gaoxi was enjoying his meal when he heard rustling sounds outside the window. He listened carefully and could vaguely hear the sound of a little eunuch swallowing.

He glanced down at the remaining fried chicken and spicy instant noodles on the table, then looked out the window, a smirk playing on his lips. He put down the chicken leg, wiped his hands with a handkerchief, and called out towards the door, "Someone come here."

The door was immediately pushed open, and the young eunuch on night duty walked in, bowing low, and stood at attention: "Your Highness, what are your orders?"

Zhu Gaoxi pointed to the plates and bowls on the table and said casually, "Take these out and distribute them to the people outside. Don't make a fuss about it in the middle of the night."

The little eunuch was stunned for a moment. He looked down and saw golden and crispy fried chicken and bright red and fragrant turkey noodles. The aroma wafted into his nose, and his Adam's apple bobbed suddenly.

He swallowed hard, picked up the tray with both hands, and said in a trembling voice, "Thank you for the reward, Your Highness!"

Zhu Gaoxi waved his hand: "Go."

The young eunuch carefully carried the tray out, turning to close the door behind him. Several palace maids and eunuchs had been peering through the crack in the door for quite some time, sniffing around. As soon as the door opened and the tray was brought out, the corridor erupted in an uproar.

"What is that smell? Good heavens, I've been serving in the palace for four or five years, and I've never smelled anything so fragrant!"

"Don't push, don't push! Look at this chicken, it's so shiny and the skin is golden brown!"

"Wait a minute, what's the rush! Can't you be a little more refined when His Highness bestowed this upon you..."

Several people squatted under the eaves, sharing the fried chicken and spicy noodles. They ate with gusto, their mouths greasy, practically licking the plates clean. The younger eunuch, wiping away tears as he ate, cried, "Waaah, it's so delicious... I've never eaten anything so good before..."

Zhu Gaoxi sat at the table, took another swig of his cola, leaned back in his chair, and couldn't suppress the smile on his lips. He thought to himself, "If my second brother knew this, he'd probably stay here forever."

Outside the window, moonlight spilled onto the old locust tree, and the night wind rustled the leaves, mingling with the hushed gasps and chewing sounds of the eunuchs and palace maids. He smiled, then made himself another cup of milk tea and slowly sipped it.