Shocking! The entire court was drooling with envy because of me.

As soon as Zhao Gou left, Sun An's resentment became even more obvious, and he practically rolled his eyes to the sky.

Fried rice with egg? Is this Shen Niangzi who just appeared out of nowhere joking?

Anyone could do something this simple.

Moreover, if we really have to compare, then his master Li Fuquan's fried rice must be the most fragrant.

Despite his sudden fall to the position of former head of the imperial kitchen, Li Fuquan remained calm and composed, standing silently in place.

He didn't think Shen Qing would stay in his position as head of the imperial kitchen for long.

After all, the imperial kitchen is not a place where you can stay just because you have connections.

Whether food tastes good or not depends on real skill.

When the others suddenly got a new boss, they all lowered their heads and didn't dare to speak.

"You all go ahead and do what you need to do. Everything will remain the same as usual."

Shen Qing's voice rang out.

The Imperial Kitchen was responsible for the food of all the palaces. There were many palace maids and eunuchs in the palace, so the Imperial Kitchen had a lot of work to do.

She became the head of the imperial kitchen simply to avoid being restricted by others and to avoid changing the existing rules and division of labor within the imperial kitchen.

"Oh, right, leave two people for me to assist His Majesty in preparing his dinner tonight."

Although fried rice is simple and doesn't take much effort, she was new to the imperial kitchen and didn't know where many of the ingredients and seasonings were.

It would be better to find a couple of people to help, so she doesn't have to go looking for them one by one.

The crowd was about to disperse after hearing Shen Qing's first sentence, but they stopped again after his second sentence.

Everyone looked at Li Fuquan.

Subconsciously, everyone was still watching Li Fuquan's expression.

Before Li Fuquan could speak, Sun An said with a disdainful look, "This Mrs. Shen, do you really need an assistant to make fried rice?"

"This is so simple, even a lowly eunuch in the imperial kitchen could make it himself!"

"Don't you all agree?" he asked the crowd with a smile, his voice full of sarcasm.

No one dared to speak up. The others disliked Shen Qing, but they didn't dare to offend him.

After all, Shen Qing was personally brought here by the chief eunuch.

In the palace, the lives of insignificant people like them were the least valuable.

Faced with this provocation, Shen Qing was not angry. She calmly replied, "Although fried rice is simple, there are very few people who can make it well."

"That's hilarious, it's just fried rice..."

"What's wrong with fried rice? Do you look down on it?" Shen Qing retorted. "Sometimes, the simplest dishes are the ones that truly showcase skill."

"Heh, what skill is there in making fried rice? Do you dare to have a contest with me? If you lose, you'd better leave the Imperial Kitchen obediently!!" Sun An simply couldn't control his mouth.

As Li Fuquan's apprentice, he was the undisputed leader in the imperial kitchen, and no one else dared to voice any objections.

Everyone assumed he would be the next head of the imperial kitchen.

Sun An himself was also very much looking forward to it.

But Shen Qing's arrival today shattered his dreams.

She was so upset that she couldn't control herself, and all she could think about was getting rid of Shen Qing.

"Fine, I'll compete with you. If I lose, I'll leave the Imperial Kitchen myself."

Shen Qing readily agreed.

She has never lost when it comes to cooking.

"Well, Madam Shen, Sun An is young and impetuous. You were appointed head of the Imperial Kitchen by His Majesty himself; how can you treat this so lightly?"

At this point, Li Fuquan spoke up, feigning to dissuade him.

"Master..." Sun An hurriedly pulled Li Fuquan, afraid that Li Fuquan would ruin the opportunity he had finally gotten.

Shen Qing knew perfectly well: "Since I've agreed, I won't go back on my word."

"I will speak to His Majesty myself."

She would never lose a cooking contest.

"Since that's the case, I won't try to persuade you any further," Li Fuquan said.

Turning to the crowd, he asked, "Who among you is willing to assist Madam Shen?"

One second, two seconds, three seconds, five seconds, ten seconds...

The people in the imperial kitchen looked at each other, but no one was willing to come out.

Li Fuquan served as the head of the imperial kitchen for many years; the imperial kitchen was his domain.

Now that a competition has broken out, the other imperial chefs, eunuchs, and palace maids dare not step forward to assist Shen Qing.

When the situation is unclear, it's best to follow the majority's choice.

Seeing this scene, Li Fuquan felt secretly pleased.

After a long pause, he said, feigning reluctance, "None of you are willing to assist Madam Shen?"

Shen Qing: "..."

Don't think she can't tell; Li Fuquan is doing it on purpose.

"Never mind, I'll have someone prepare the ingredients for me..."

"Shen, Madam Shen, are you the Madam Shen who makes Bobo Chicken?"

Shen Qing had only spoken halfway when a young eunuch timidly raised his hand.

Shen Qing: "???"

Even the palace eunuchs knew about her pot-boiled chicken?

"Yes, it's chicken feet and wings soaked in chili oil, sprinkled with sesame seeds. They smell so good!"

The young eunuch began to describe it.

He remembered clearly that last time, Zhao Gou brought back a chicken foot and a chicken wing from outside the palace, and changed the bowl from a large one to a small one.

At that time, Zhao Gou asked him if there was anything wrong with it.

He couldn't see anything wrong with it; all he could think about was food.

It took a lot of effort to finally learn from Zhao Gou that it was Shen Niangzi's Bo Bo Chicken.

It's a pity I never had the chance to leave the palace...

"What you described is indeed the Bo Bo Chicken from my Zhiwei Restaurant," Shen Qing affirmed.

The little eunuch's eyes lit up immediately.

"Good heavens!!" He rushed straight to Shen Qing. "Madam Shen, so you're the Madam Shen who makes Bobo Chicken!!!"

"Your Bo Bo Chicken smells amazing! I wonder what it tastes like, Madam Shen. I never imagined you'd end up in the palace!"

"I'll be your assistant; I'll do whatever you tell me to do!"

The young eunuch was incredibly excited, his eyes filled with adoration, as if he were seeing his idol.

God knows, the aroma of that Sichuan-style boiled chicken would pop into his mind from time to time, and he would even drool in his dreams at night.

I wonder if I'll get to eat Bo Bo Chicken if I follow Madam Shen?

Everyone was stunned; they never expected that someone would run to Shen Qing's side.

Still so excited.

"You, Xiao Wang, are you sure?? She's just a young woman, are you sure you want to follow her??" Sun An's eyes widened.

He was initially quite pleased to see Li Fuquan subtly give Shen Qing a hard time.

I never expected this thing to suddenly appear; it's outrageous.

"Ah? Steward Li, didn't you ask who among us would be willing to assist Madam Shen?"

"Can't I be willing?"

Li Fuquan's face turned pale, and he frowned and gritted his teeth: "Don't call me Steward Li anymore, I'm not anymore."

"If you want to work as her assistant, I have no objection!"