"Li Xuan, stop crying."
Princess Ankang held Li Xuan and comforted him for a while, saying with a wry smile.
Li Xuan whimpered continuously, sticking out his crimson little tongue, trying to soothe the spiciness in the cold wind.
"Who told you to be so greedy, putting everything in your mouth?"
Princess Ankang pinched Li Xuan's little tongue, but Li Xuan gave her a glare and swatted her hand away with his paw.
"Hahaha..."
Zhao Feng, who was standing by, laughed so hard he bent over, tears streaming from his eyes. Li Xuan wished he could pounce on that annoying old man and give him two Meow Meow Fists to taste.
Li Xuan was twelve parts sure that this old man definitely knew what was in that porcelain bottle, and he had deliberately played a trick on him just now.
But Zhao Feng was now a Third-Rank Martial Artist, and Li Xuan had no way to deal with him, so he could only endure the spiciness, hissing and muttering a few curses.
The more Princess Ankang tried to stop him, the more energized he became, looking as if he wouldn't let anyone stop him today.
Princess Ankang, however, kept a straight face, trying her best to suppress her laughter.
Heaven help her, she hadn't stopped Li Xuan at all; it was clearly Li Xuan pulling on her arm and not letting go.
Princess Ankang's hands were pulled back and forth by Li Xuan, but they were firmly clamped under his ribs, making it look as if Princess Ankang was earnestly persuading Li Xuan not to act rashly.
But Princess Ankang's arms were limp like two noodles, showing no sign of exerting any force.
Still, since it was her own cat, Princess Ankang could only try her best to keep a straight face and not laugh out loud.
"Alright, alright, it was my fault for not explaining clearly just now. Isn't it enough if I apologize to you?"
"Here, Li Xuan."
"I'll compensate you with this treasure. Surely you can calm down now, right?"
Zhao Feng said, taking out a brocade box from his sleeve. When he opened it, a peculiar blue-green pill lay quietly inside.
"calming wind and sea pill."
"This helps a Fourth-Rank Martial Artist complete Jing Qi within a day, and it also has the effects of strengthening the foundation, cultivating the origin, and refining True Qi."
Upon hearing Zhao Feng's introduction, Li Xuan no longer cared about cursing. His eyes were fixed on the pill, which was clearly no ordinary item.
"This is the reward His Majesty promised you. I brought it to you today while I was at it."
Zhao Feng finished speaking and winked at Li Xuan.
Seeing his impish behavior, it was clear he had been deliberately teasing Li Xuan just now.
This time, however, Li Xuan had learned his lesson. He first used his tail to write to Zhao Feng, asking:
"Eat directly?"
Zhao Feng nodded.
The next moment, he saw Li Xuan open his wide mouth and gulp down the pill from the brocade box in one go.
After eating the pill, Li Xuan still smacked his lips with a lingering feeling, as if he hadn't tasted much.
Then, everyone watched as Li Xuan silently stuck out his tongue again to air it out.
It seemed the pill had no effect on relieving spiciness.
Li Xuan felt the pill's efficacy working within his body. A cool sensation rose from his dantian and spread throughout his limbs and bones.
And the previously restless True Qi within his body actually began to calm down slowly.
Li Xuan had absorbed a lot of energy earlier, making him feel slightly out of control, but now that feeling had disappeared.
It was replaced by the feeling of True Qi continuously condensing and becoming increasingly calm.
At this rate, Li Xuan would likely be able to consolidate the power of the Fourth-Rank Serene Qi Realm in less than a day.
"Oh, not bad."
Li Xuan was very satisfied with the pill's effects.
A pill of such quality was probably also from Imperial Physician Xue's hands.
It seemed Emperor Yongyuan hadn't been fooling him before, but had truly kept the promised reward in mind.
The effect of this calming wind and sea pill was precisely what Li Xuan urgently needed at the moment.
Meanwhile, Zhuge Fang also made progress.
He brought a deep blue liquid in a jade bowl and held it out to Li Xuan.
"Little cat, this will relieve the spiciness. Would you like to try it first?"
Li Xuan eyed Zhuge Fang suspiciously.
It was also this guy's fault for not reminding him in time, causing Li Xuan to unknowingly gulp down a bottle of "chili extract."
Li Xuan first sniffed it with his nose and found that the liquid was indeed brimming with ice-attribute power.
He immediately stuck out his tongue and took a small lick.
It was icy cold and a little sweet.
Of course, this was Li Xuan's perception.
If it were anyone else, they would probably only taste a bone-chilling flavor, and might even be in mortal danger.
Li Xuan tasted it and felt that it was not suitable for Princess Ankang and Yuer to consume; the effect was still too potent.
Li Xuan immediately wrote to Zhao Feng: "No, can the effect be made gentler?"
Unexpectedly, Zhuge Fang also noticed the characters Li Xuan wrote and replied without thinking:
"Of course. This is just unprocessed clam juice, and its effect is the purest."
"If you can absorb it, it's best to consume it this way."
"For Her Highness the Princess, I will make some adjustments to make it easier to absorb the effects of the arctic supreme clam."
After Zhuge Fang finished speaking, he went back to his busy work.
In a short while, he presented a bowl of much lighter-colored arctic supreme clam juice to Princess Ankang.
"Please taste it, Your Highness."
Zhuge Fang finished speaking and stood to the side, awaiting Princess Ankang's trial.
Princess Ankang scooped a spoonful with a spoon and brought it to her mouth to taste.
Soon, Princess Ankang showed a look of surprise and said:
"Delicious! It's icy cold!"
"Sister Yuer, you should try it too."
As soon as Princess Ankang finished speaking, Zhuge Fang promptly handed over another bowl, which Princess Ankang personally gave to Yuer to taste.
Yuer seemed a little reserved with outsiders present and was unsure what to do when Zhao Feng said from the side:
"The arctic supreme clam is a prize awarded by His Majesty to Her Highness the Princess for the competition. Her Highness is naturally free to dispose of it as she wishes."
Zhao Feng seemed to be talking to himself, but he was saying it for everyone present to hear.
The Flower-Clothed Eunuchs naturally had no worries; they had all undergone strict training by the Internal Affairs Bureau and knew the rules.
It was the Imperial Chefs brought by Zhuge Fang that Zhao Feng had to warn, lest they spread rumors outside.
Although Zhuge Fang was obsessed with culinary arts, he was not a fool who knew nothing.
How could someone who had perfected a skill be foolish?
He had just noticed that Li Xuan could write and communicate, but he showed no surprise. Hearing Zhao Feng's warning, he immediately expressed his stance:
"That is natural. We in the Imperial Kitchen only cook; we don't understand much else."
Zhuge Fang gave Zhao Feng a simple, honest smile.
He had brought his people today and naturally didn't want his subordinates to suffer misfortune later because of today's events.
Moreover, Zhao Feng controlled the lifeline of his Imperial Kitchen's research budget, so how could Zhuge Fang dare to offend him?
The words of the two important figures immediately made the accompanying Imperial Chefs and Flower-Clothed Eunuchs lower their heads deeply. Besides their own tasks, they dared not listen or look around anymore.
That's how it was in the palace; one careless mistake could lead to complete ruin.
Sometimes, when disaster struck, people didn't even know what was happening, and countless people disappeared without a trace.
To live long in this palace, being a bit foolish was always more useful than being clever.
Foolish people might be bullied and scolded, but they would never, like those who thought themselves clever, dance on the tip of a knife with their lives.
Seeing Zhao Feng's support and Zhuge Fang restraining the Imperial Chefs, Yuer finally dared to eat alongside them.
In the past, if they broke rules in private, it didn't matter, as no outsiders saw it.
But if outsiders saw it, they would inevitably be criticized, and even if Jingyang Palace wasn't accused of a crime, many unpleasant things would be said behind their backs.
But now, everything was different.
They were still the same as before.
However, now when they did those rebellious things of the past, there were many people who would find legitimate reasons for them, instead of looking for trouble.
This sense of security made Yuer drink the icy clam juice, but it made her heart feel warm.
"Your Highness, how do you feel after drinking this clam juice? Is there any discomfort?"
Zhuge Fang asked Princess Ankang while continuing to prepare his dishes.
Princess Ankang shook her head and replied, "No, I think it's delicious. It's both icy and sweet, and the texture is great."
After hearing this, Zhuge Fang nodded: "Your Highness, next I will increase the concentration of the clam juice. Please let me know if you feel uncomfortable."
"Once I confirm the limit Your Highness can withstand, I can continue preparing the remaining ingredients."
Princess Ankang indicated that she understood.
Only then did Li Xuan understand why Zhuge Fang would present such a simple clam juice dish with no technical skill involved.
Next, Zhuge Fang prepared several small bowls of clam juice with different concentrations. Princess Ankang drank each one without changing her expression, indicating there was no problem at all.
Seeing Princess Ankang's normal complexion, which didn't seem like she was lying, Zhuge Fang's expression became troubled.
"Zhuge Fang, what's wrong?"
Zhao Feng immediately asked, thinking something was wrong.
Zhuge Fang pointed to the last small bowl of clam juice and said, "The last bowl is already pure juice, just like what the little cat drank just now."
Li Xuan immediately looked up and meowed at Princess Ankang in a questioning tone.
Princess Ankang understood that Li Xuan was concerned about her and quickly said:
"Li Xuan, I'm really fine."
"On the contrary... the more I drink, the more comfortable I feel."
Li Xuan sighed, knowing that the coldness within Princess Ankang's body still held an absolutely dominant position.
The coldness of the arctic supreme clam might be strong, but it truly wasn't enough to cause a change in Princess Ankang's constitution.
At least for now, it hadn't even managed to stir the coldness within her body.
Li Xuan touched Princess Ankang's abdomen with his paw, and seeing that everything was normal, he gave a look to Zhao Feng and Zhuge Fang.
Seeing this, Zhao Feng said to Zhuge Fang:
"Just do as you intended."
Upon receiving these words, Zhuge Fang beamed with joy and immediately began the formal cooking.
Since Princess Ankang could even tolerate the pure clam juice, he could let loose and cook with the sole purpose of maximizing the efficacy of the arctic supreme clam.
Next, dish after dish made with arctic supreme clam as the main ingredient was brought to the table.
However, since they were all cold dishes, there was no fragrant aroma filling the air. Instead, each one emitted a chill.
In this bitter winter month, they ate cold dishes in the outdoor courtyard.
Li Xuan first jumped onto the table and tasted each dish.
It had to be said that the flavor of the arctic supreme clam was indeed excellent, and with Zhuge Fang's meticulous preparation, there was no monotony of cold dishes at all.
The True Qi within Li Xuan's body began to fluctuate again as he ate these dishes, but it was quickly suppressed by the effects of the calming wind and sea pill.
It seemed Emperor Yongyuan had indeed put thought into it, knowing that Li Xuan would also eat the arctic supreme clam, and specially chose to send the pill along today.
This way, Li Xuan could feast without worrying about his body's un-Jing Qi state.
After confirming that the dishes were fine, Li Xuan greeted Princess Ankang, assuring her to eat without worry.
However, Li Xuan waved his paw at Yuer and was about to explain when Zhuge Fang, who was cooking, spoke first:
"The dishes I'm making now, Yuer cannot eat."
"You showed discomfort when you drank the clam juice at the third concentration. Eating these dishes would be very dangerous."
"There are many ingredients in the arctic supreme clam. I can only select the essence now to maximize its efficacy."
"As the activity of the arctic supreme clam decreases, the danger of other ingredients will also decrease. Later, I will prepare a few safe dishes. Please wait a moment, Yuer."
As the saying goes, even a gatekeeper of a prime minister's mansion is a third-rank official. Zhuge Fang showed sufficient respect to Yuer, the only palace maid of Jingyang Palace.
Otherwise, if it were anyone else, he wouldn't bother explaining so much.
Li Xuan also nodded in agreement; he had just wanted to tell Yuer that these dishes were not suitable for her to eat.
Yuer smiled, not minding at all, and instead said to Imperial Chef Zhuge:
"Imperial Chef Zhuge, thank you for your trouble."
"Just focus on preparing dishes for Her Highness the Princess; you don't need to consider anything else."
With that, Yuer focused on serving Princess Ankang and Li Xuan their meal.
Zhao Feng, standing by, also nodded secretly. He always appreciated a good child who knew her place, like Yuer.
Some servants, once favored by their master, would become complacent and completely forget their status.
Knowing one's place, just three words, simple to say, but difficult to do.
Next, Zhuge Fang continuously brought new dishes to the table, matching Li Xuan and Princess Ankang's eating speed.
Both Li Xuan and Princess Ankang were hearty eaters, and coupled with their special physiques, they ate without many worries.
As a result, Zhuge Fang was kept busy non-stop, like a whirlwind in the outdoor kitchen.
All the Imperial Chefs he brought were assisting him, but even so, they were still somewhat overwhelmed.
And the arctic supreme clam was visibly reduced by one-third.
Just as Zhuge Fang had said, he only cooked the essence while it was fresh.
As for the scraps, there was no need to rush.
When the last soup was served, Li Xuan and Princess Ankang couldn't help but let out a collective burp.
"Can't eat anymore, can't eat anymore..."
Princess Ankang waved her hands repeatedly, unable to eat another bite.
"Your Highness, the original soup helps digest the original food. Drinking this fresh clam soup will relieve the fullness."
Li Xuan and Princess Ankang drank a mouthful, half-believing, half-doubting, and found that their bloated stomachs indeed felt much better.
"This soup is the finale for today."
"We will also prepare the remaining ingredients, but there's no need to eat them today."
The Three Little Ones understood that the remaining ingredients were probably not as good as the earlier dishes.
Even so, two-thirds of the arctic supreme clam remained, enough for Jingyang Palace to have an all-clam feast for several days.
Li Xuan and Princess Ankang, meanwhile, drank the fresh clam soup, feeling the changes within their bodies.
What surprised Li Xuan was that although he was very full, he didn't feel too much energy being absorbed into his body.
Although there was a continuous, faint energy being absorbed, it was far less than Li Xuan's initial expectations.
"This arctic supreme clam feels just so-so."
Li Xuan looked up at Princess Ankang's expression and found the little girl was also secretly peeking at him.
The cat and human had such an understanding; they both guessed what the other was thinking.
Li Xuan and Princess Ankang silently cast suspicious glances at Zhuge Fang.
Zhuge Fang, who was resting briefly, stood ramrod straight, puffing out his chest under their suspicious gaze.
He looked as if he had been expecting to be suspected all along.
"Do you two feel that the effect of this arctic supreme clam is just average?"
Zhuge Fang seemed to be asking a question, but the intention to show off in front of others in his tone was far too obvious.
Li Xuan and Princess Ankang exchanged glances, then simultaneously spread their hands, widened their innocent eyes, shook their heads, and calmly replied:
"No (Meow)."
Zhuge Fang, who had been full of confidence and about to speak, suddenly choked, even getting caught by his own saliva, and started coughing violently, almost coughing up his lungs.
"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough..."
"Manager, Manager..."
"Are you alright?"
The Imperial Chefs quickly gathered around, patting Zhuge Fang's back and helping him catch his breath, in a chaotic flurry, fearing that the esteemed manager of the Imperial Kitchen would choke to death on his own saliva.
Zhao Feng looked at the human and cat, who were chuckling mischievously, and said helplessly:
"Oh, just let him show off for a bit."