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

"Six servings of Simei soup, please!" Old Master Yan exclaimed excitedly, acting like a child.

Six portions?

Zhongli, standing beside him, widened his eyes: "What are we going to do with so much? We can't drink it all..."

Two servings per person is just right.

"I don't need two servings, one is enough." Although Zhong Li had become somewhat curious about the Four Delicacies Soup, he still felt that he definitely couldn't drink two servings.

Drinking too much soup or stew will definitely make you feel bloated.

"You don't understand..." Old Master Yan waved his hand, about to say something, when Shen Qing's voice rang out.

"Sorry, there are only five left."

There was a lot of Four Delicacies Soup available today, but the number of diners was also significantly higher than yesterday.

In addition, since Old Master Yan and the others didn't arrive too early, only five portions remained.

"Then five portions," Zhong Li said hastily. "Three portions to eat here, and two to take away."

"You and Muzhi can have two portions, I'll just have one."

Upon hearing this, Old Master Yan showed a regretful expression and sighed slightly: "You still don't understand. Just wait and see, one serving will definitely not be enough for you."

"If you hadn't lingered in bed this morning and thrown a tantrum, we definitely would have been able to buy six servings."

???

Zhong Li was speechless. Why was he being blamed?

He hadn't even complained to Yan Shu, that old man, about disturbing his sleep so early in the morning.

As they spoke, the steaming hot Four Delicacies Soup was poured into a white porcelain bowl, and an extremely fresh and delicious aroma wafted into their nostrils.

Zhong Li couldn't help but look at the elegant and beautiful white porcelain cup.

The bowl is two inches high, three and a half inches in diameter, with a slightly tapered base. It is just the right size to hold in one palm, and the soup noodles are about one finger's width away from the rim of the bowl.

The heat was dancing freely in this space that was only a finger's width wide.

Below the steam is an amber-colored soup, like the warm afternoon sun shimmering in the bowl.

The mushrooms floated gently and rotated slowly, supported by the steam, while the emerald green water shield swayed gently in the steam.

The fish ribs are crystal clear, and the scattered crab roe is fully released in the boiling soup, some floating on the water shield and some hanging next to the mushrooms.

Some of it dissolved into the soup, turning the surrounding area a light orange hue.

"This Four Delicacies Soup... is so beautiful!" Zhong Li couldn't help but exclaim.

It was the first time he had ever seen such a beautiful soup, like a moving painting, exquisite and unparalleled.

Old Master Yan, who was standing nearby, couldn't wait any longer. He picked up a white porcelain bowl and began to slurp and savor the taste.

He didn't care that it was hot; he wholeheartedly enjoyed the delicious food he had been craving.

Zhong Li couldn't help but swallow.

He quickly picked up a white porcelain bowl and gently scooped up a spoonful.

The aroma mingled with the heat, a blend of the fragrances of mushrooms, water shield, fish ribs, and crab roe.

The moment it enters your mouth, the rich flavor of the pork bone, the freshness of the chicken, and the delicate freshness of the four ingredients are all released in an instant. This umami flavor is layered, like a mountain, rising layer by layer.

"This..." Zhong Li's eyes lit up.

This is absolutely divine!

No wonder that old man Yan Shu was so stingy yesterday; he certainly wouldn't have been willing to part with it either.

This Four Delicacies Soup is absolutely delicious!

Zhong Li slurped as he ate, and soon the white porcelain bowl was empty.

He squinted, smacked his lips, and looked thoroughly enjoying himself.

Not enough, not enough. He wanted to eat more, to eat to his heart's content.

The next moment, Zhong Li focused his attention on the two packaged portions.

Since Mu Zhi isn't here, bringing him one or two portions is the same.

Without hesitation, he reached out and opened the food box, taking out a portion of Four Delicacies Soup.

"You, didn't you only eat one bowl?" Old Master Yan said, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Zhong Li waved his hand: "Who said that? I didn't say that, you must have misheard."

This is the finest delicacy in the world; how can one bowl be enough?

He definitely didn't say those words.

"Heh~" Old Master Yan chuckled.

As expected, no one could resist the Four Delicacies Soup.

After they finished eating, they took the last portion and returned to the carriage.

Inside the carriage, Qin Muzhi was engrossed in reading an ancient book.

He ignored the chaos and distractions around him and buried himself in his books.

As soon as Old Master Yan arrived, he opened the food box and placed the white porcelain bowl in front of Qin Muzhi: "Muzhi, try this quickly, I brought you a portion, while it's hot!"

The delicious aroma instantly filled his nostrils, and even though Qin Muzhi remained unmoved, he subconsciously looked towards the Four Beauties Soup in front of him.

"Is this the Four Delicacies Soup you mentioned?"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but put down the book and take the white porcelain cup from Old Master Yan's hand.

"Muzhi, you should try it! You won't regret it!" Zhongli, standing next to him, had clearly become a loyal fan of the Four Beauties Soup.

Qin Muzhi looked suspicious and slowly scooped up a spoonful of Four Beauties Soup and put it in his mouth.

The next moment, his pupils dilated, and he remained motionless for a long time, as if he were frozen in place.

He closed his eyes slightly, and after a long while, he uttered a single word.

"elegant!"

Then, he took another sip, and decided to forgo the spoon altogether, picking up the white porcelain cup and drinking directly from it.

Almost instantly, the white porcelain cup was emptied.

After savoring the moment for a while, Qin Muzhi couldn't help but exclaim, "Only today do I truly understand what the Four Beauties are, and how their flavors are blended into one pot."

"Truly elegant!"

After sighing, he put down the white porcelain cup, jumped off the carriage, and made as if to leave.

Old Master Yan was stunned and quickly grabbed Qin Muzhi: "Where are you going?"

"I'll buy another one and savor it properly."

Zhong Li quickly replied, "They're all sold out. If you want some, you'll have to come back tomorrow."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but show a sense of thievery.

Qin Muzhi was supposed to have two portions, but he couldn't resist eating one more.

I feel somewhat uncomfortable at this moment.

"Madam Shen's business is good. When it was our turn today, it was already one of the last few servings..." Old Master Yan explained while secretly glancing at Zhong Li.

Goodness, this has made him feel uneasy too.

Qin Muzhi looked at the two suspiciously, frowning as he asked, "How many portions did you two eat?"

"The two of us..."

"We didn't eat much..."

The two were even more embarrassed.

Qin Muzhi immediately realized that his two friends had eaten more than one serving. He instantly felt extremely regretful, wishing he had gotten off the carriage earlier.

Even the finest wines and dews cannot compare to the Four Beauties Soup!

He's determined to eat his fill tomorrow!

......

Wang Yuan carried the packaged Four Delicacies Soup to the magistrate's residence.

In Ping'an County, the county magistrate is the highest-ranking official, in charge of all affairs in the entire county.

Wang Yuan's solution was to find a way to get the county magistrate to intervene and resolve the matter.

After all, Old Master Yan was highly respected, and although he was no longer in power, no one dared to offend him.

As a mere guild leader of a small food guild, he certainly couldn't criticize the servants of the Yan family.

But the county magistrate was different. He was the highest-ranking official in Ping'an County and could say a few words to Old Master Yan.