Even emperors have it tough, so don't be too picky about the entries.

The old Taoist priest pointed to the four bowls of meat soup placed on the table.

laughed:

"Look, this soup is an unnaturally golden color, and it smells excessively fragrant. Normal meat soup doesn't have such a rich aroma!"

"Something fishy must have gone wrong; they must have added something they shouldn't have."

"This is a common trick used by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. They'll make you get an upset stomach, then claim the kitchen is unsanitary and demand a bribe."

He sneered:

"Heh, the same old trick, just a different name for the same thing."

The three young Taoist priests nodded in agreement.

"Old ginger is spicier, I almost couldn't resist taking a sip."

"It has to be a general."

A member of the Imperial Guard strode over and saw the four men staring at the broth without touching it.

He slammed his hand on the table.

"What, you won't even drink it for free? You all look pale and sickly, haven't had meat in ages, have you? Hurry up and fill your stomachs, don't force me to force myself on you!"

"Use this to rinse?"

The young Taoist felt humiliated and instinctively reached for his sword.

The old Taoist priest shook his head.

whisper:

"A knife hangs above the character for 'tolerance'."

"But won't that burn you..."

"There's no 'but' about it."

The old Taoist priest picked up the meat soup in front of him, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

The young Taoist priest felt inexplicably ashamed.

The Imperial Guards nodded in satisfaction.

We've all been there, so stop pretending. Being too proud will only make you suffer. Just eat.

He turned to leave, but his sleeve was suddenly grabbed from behind.

Looking back, it was the same old Taoist priest with the unfathomable expression from before.

At this moment, there was no trace of disdain or aloofness on that otherworldly face.

Holding an empty bowl in one hand, her eyes were full of pleading.

Even his voice trembled slightly.

"Could...could I have another bowl...?"

The Imperial Guard paused for a moment, then scratched his head.

"I can't say for sure, I'll have to ask."

No sooner had he left than three young Taoist priests crowded around him.

His face was full of anxiety.

"General! Be careful, the soup might be poisoned!"

"A knife hangs above the word 'patience'!"

The old Taoist smacked his lips, still savoring the lingering taste of the meat soup.

"It's worth it even if it's poisonous, it's so delicious, I almost cried."

...

Chen Shao could see everything happening in the hall through the screen.

Only then did he pick up a bowl and taste it himself.

The soup is rich and savory, with a strong meaty aroma. After a bowl, you feel warm all over and your hunger is gone.

It's much better than Snickers.

This is what he wants most.

It dissolves upon contact with water, warms the stomach and relieves hunger, and is easy to carry.

It is best suited for military rations, at least here, without exception.

The Imperial Guards nearby approached.

"Your Majesty, is there any more? Many people are asking for more bowls."

"They really think I'm their cook? That's it."

That evening, the imperial study was brightly lit.

Yu Qi'an drank the meat porridge and held the small bag of meat powder in both hands.

If you get the treasure.

She cried her eyes out.

"If Your Majesty can truly mass-produce these products, the logistical problems for the future Northern Expedition will be completely solved."

"No need to light fires for cooking, no need for baggage trains to transport supplies... This is simply, this is simply divine magic!"

In his view, Chen Shao was truly an enigmatic figure.

He was skilled in governing the country, fighting wars, and performing rituals.

Now he's telling himself he can mass-produce this.

Could he really be the reincarnation of the Great Sage?

"His Majesty..."

The old general wept bitterly.

"His Majesty's kindness can never be repaid..."

"Stop, stop, hurry up and get the production line up and running."

Chen Shao waved his hand, left the imperial study, and headed straight for Kunning Palace.

The Empress Dowager has lost her command of the Imperial Guards, but there is still one thing that Chen Shao covets.

It wasn't her beauty, of course.

Rather, it was the Empress Dowager's treasury.

Over the years, the Empress Dowager must have made quite a bit of money.

Kunning Palace.

Empress Dowager Yuwen Xingye leaned against the phoenix couch.

Her long, black hair was not tied up and was casually draped over her shoulders.

She was only wearing a white nightgown.

The fabric was of superior quality, thin and breathable, wrapping around her voluptuous figure.

His face was still pale and haggard, and he didn't even realize his clothes were open.

She only became alert after Chen Shao came in and greeted her.

She hurriedly tugged at her clothes.

I felt both ashamed and afraid.

"Your Majesty...what brings Your Majesty here?"

Seeing Chen Shao brings back the image of him carrying a blood-stained butcher knife.

"The Empress Dowager seems quite afraid of me?"

"You...you can even kill pigs..."

"Harmful."

Chen Shao smiled wryly, "So it was because the Empress Dowager bumped into me that day. It's all my fault."

"Your Majesty, do not panic. Slaughtering pigs is just one of my personal hobbies. I not only slaughter pigs, but I also take care of sows after giving birth. That hobby doesn't prove anything."

What does that mean?

The Empress Dowager's mind raced. Was he here to apologize to her?

The process of slaughtering pigs and their postpartum care seems to be a closed loop.

Seeing this, Chen Shao hurriedly chuckled:

"The Empress Dowager doesn't seem to be in very good spirits. How about I give you a massage? I'm an expert in full-body spas."

Chen Shao had made many clocks in the opposite direction in his previous life, so he did know a thing or two about it.

The Empress Dowager did not know what a SPA was.

But massage... is this postpartum care for a sow? Pshaw, pshaw, pshaw, is it his sincerity in apologizing?

Yuwen Xingye is a beautiful but foolish woman; in her previous life, she would have been a rich woman obsessed with love.

He's not very cunning; when playing chess, he only thinks one move at most.

He immediately flipped over and lay face down.

"It's good that you have such filial piety, but please be gentle, it's not strenuous for me."

"Professional."

Chen Shao casually pressed on her shoulder, pondering how to ask for money.

We can't just use force, can we?

However, the incredible hand speed granted by the unconscious "Qilin Arm" caused the Empress Dowager's posture to go limp almost instantly.

It felt so good I almost hummed aloud.

But then a question suddenly occurred to her.

If Chen Shao was apologizing, why did he have to come in the middle of the night?

Could it be that he... harbors ill intentions?

"Your Majesty came to Kunning Palace in the middle of the night just to apologize to me?"

"Yes, disturbing the Empress Dowager is a grave offense deserving of death." Chen Shao said without changing his expression.

"Heh, I think you have other ideas, don't you?"

Chen Shao was startled. This stupid woman actually thought he was here to swindle money?

The Empress Dowager scolded:

"I heard that during your trip south, you found a woman in every place you visited."

"Huaiyuan Prefecture took Song Lian's wife as a concubine, and Wei Bo took the wives and concubines of the King of Zhao."

"What obsession do you have with married women?"

Chen Shao breathed a sigh of relief; so that was what she suspected.

I'm too lazy to explain this kind of thing.

He casually remarked:

I guess so.

"I knew it would be like this!"

"What do you know..." Chen Shao looked completely bewildered.

"I know that although I am getting on in years, I still retain my charm, and besides... I am a married woman in the eyes of someone like you."

"You're in the prime of your life, so it's understandable that you have some thoughts."

"But Chen Shao, I am, after all, the Empress Dowager. Although I am not your mother, my title is still there."

"If... if word gets out, how will I ever face anyone?"

I didn't, I'm not, you're talking nonsense.

Chen Shao's face darkened.

Is this all there is to the Empress Dowager's mind?