Chapter 32: Eats Everything Except Human Excrement

Chapter 32: Eats Everything Except That One Thing

"Master, I heard it's run by people from the palace. We're not sure, but they bought up the three big shops across from us and connected them into one. They're making a big splash."

The servant pointed toward the imperial palace, startling Liu Dadan so much he staggered and plopped down onto the ground.

"It's really run by people from the palace?"

"Seems like it. I saw a eunuch come by the other day and give directions for quite a while."

"Oh dear, is that so? Which big shot in the palace could it be? I need to cozy up to them fast..."

Liu Dadan rubbed his smooth chin, his eyes spinning with schemes.

Inside the palace,

Yun Ran had a table full of braised pork trotters laid out before her.

She was just about to dig in when Yuanbao bustled in with his head bowed, a delighted expression on his face.

"Your Majesty, Consort Shen requests an audience, saying she's brought you some homemade nourishing soup."

Consort Shen?

Yun Ran cringed internally.

Wasn't this the same Shen Shining who had caught her red-handed stealing a pearl chicken from her palace right after she transmigrated here?

"Fine, let her in."

Yun Ran thought to herself—she had gotten her dress dirty last time, so this was a good chance to make it up to her with a new one. Women in the palace should all like pretty dresses, right?

"Your Majesty, your humble consort has arrived."

Shen Shining was just sixteen, sweet-voiced and pretty.

Today she wore a deep pink padded skirt and robe, draped in a pale pink, moon-white gauze oversleeve, sweeping gracefully into the hall with a tray in hand.

Her hair was styled in a soft, ethereal updo, with pearl and kingfisher-feather hairpins whose tassels swayed slightly—totally adorable.

Where did this little cutie come from? Yun Ran was in a great mood.

She beckoned.

"Shining, come here."

The emperor actually called me by my name!

Shen Shining's face turned bright red.

Eunuch Yuanbao, seeing this, tactfully took the tray and stepped aside to make himself scarce.

"Have a taste with me, and see which bowl has the best flavor."

The young eunuchs nearby had already tested each dish for poison.

There were twenty bowls in total. The ones that weren't cooked right or had been stewed to mush had already been sent back by Eunuch Yuanbao.

"Let's begin. Oh, and call in that lad Debiao."

Lately, Yun Ran had set up a small training ground in the hall, secretly putting Debiao through brutal spy-style training.

A month of practice, plus a daily diet of four chickens and ten eggs,

had transformed him from a skinny, dark boy into a burly, muscular man.

For the entire month, the imperial kitchen had been constantly wondering—had the Emperor adopted a weasel or a white fox?

How could he eat so many chickens?! They'd almost cleaned out the chicken coop!

"Your Majesty, I'm here."

When Debiao appeared, Eunuch Yuanbao nearly jumped out of his skin!

Was this the same scrawny kid? Who was this mountain of a man?

Debiao grinned, flashing a grin full of white teeth.

"It's me, Eunuch Yuanbao."

Debiao flexed his arm, showing off solid muscle, and slowly curled it into a pose, extending it toward Eunuch Yuanbao.

"What are you doing? Stay back!"

Eunuch Yuanbao stumbled back in fright. Honestly, facing a big guy like that was pretty scary.

"Okay, Debiao, come over here."

The three of them sat down together at the table, picked up their spoons, and all took a spoonful at once.

"Slurp!"

Yun Ran's first spoonful had no salt.

"Tsk, tsk."

Second spoonful: saltier than the ocean.

"Blech!"

Third spoonful: who the heck put sugar in instead of salt?

Shen Shining couldn't hold it back either and sprayed it directly into her handkerchief.

What the heck was this? Fishy and sweet...

Only Debiao kept eating spoonful after spoonful, wolfing down every bowl in front of him.

Yun Ran stared at him, baffled.

"Is it any good, Debiao?"

"I think it's right tasty, Your Majesty."

Debiao's wolfing-down act shocked Eunuch Yuanbao, who thought to himself—

Could the imperial kitchen actually have some real cooks after all?

Yun Ran was speechless. That lad Debiao—he'd eat anything except that stuff. His opinion couldn't be trusted!