Please call me Your Majesty!

Chapter 287 A Big Eater Appears in the Army
Even though everyone was so hungry that their hands and feet were weak, they were dizzy and saw double.

However, as soldiers, they still obeyed orders obediently and lined up obediently.

Zheng Yan dragged his heavy steps and slowly moved behind the team. His legs seemed to be filled with lead and he took every step with all his strength. But no one cut in line, and no one complained.

Although the fat cook's words were harsh, he worked very efficiently. His big hands, covered with calluses, waved an iron spoon and shuttled back and forth between the steaming pot and the queued soldiers.

Sweat ran down his round face, glistening in the firelight.

Zheng Yan is a new soldier who has just joined the army for more than a year. He is only 18 years old this year, and his face still has a childish look. At this moment, he is staring at the boiling pot in front of him, his Adam's apple rolling up and down.

There was no lofty reason for joining the army, I just thought that being a soldier would give me enough food.

After joining the army, I found that although the food was better than at home, it was not easy to get enough to eat.

Although there is no limit on how much each person can eat in the army, the food cooked in one go is heavy. If he wants to eat his fill, he has to get his food several times.

I often end up at the back of the queue and then there is nothing.

It was also difficult to get meat on weekdays. If meat was available occasionally, it was given first to veterans and officers.

New recruits like Zheng Yan were thankful to be given one or two pieces of fat meat. Most of the time, they could only eat rice with the aroma of meat and imagine pickled vegetables as meat to satisfy their cravings.

The most important thing is that Zheng Yan is a well-known big eater, and the food for two or three people can only fill his stomach at most.

This time, there were almost no vegetables in the meal, only meat, and Zheng Yan was already very greedy.

The rich smell of meat was like an invisible hand, pulling his nose forward. His stomach made a loud rumbling sound, but no one laughed at him. The soldiers in the queue had rumbling stomachs one after another, and everyone was the same.

Because he was staring at the meat in the pot, Zheng Yan didn't realize it was his turn.

"Oh, it's you, kid?" The fat cook smiled when he saw Zheng Yan. His round face, which was always stern, relaxed. He wiped his greasy hands and waved to Zheng Yan.

As a chef, I always have a natural liking for guys who love to eat.

The fat cook had been a fireman for twenty years, and he liked soldiers who could eat well. Zheng Yan always ate everything and even licked the bottom of the bowl every time he came to get food, which had long been a familiar sight in his mind.

Zheng Yan touched his head and smiled, which made him look more like a shy boy than a soldier who had experienced bloody battles.

Before he could open his mouth, the fat chef said, "You kid, eat as much as you want today. His Highness has already said that the soldiers have fought hard, so there is no limit on how much you can eat today."

His voice was loud, as if he was speaking to everyone.

After that, he took the largest wooden bowl, filled it with rice, and then put several large pieces of meat in it, and then poured the broth with oil floating on it. Lao Li's movements were fast and accurate, the meat pieces piled up in the bowl, and the golden broth stopped just when it was about to rise to the edge of the bowl.

Zheng Yan's eyes widened and he took the bowl carefully, fearing that he would accidentally drop this treasure.

During the time it took to serve the rice, Zheng Yan didn't know how many times he had wiped his saliva. His Adam's apple kept rolling up and down, and his stomach growled even louder.

"Okay, go eat over there. If you're not full, come back and play again. Don't worry about it being out of stock. By the way, remember to queue up next time you come."

The fat chef tapped the edge of the pot with a spoon, making a crisp sound. He glanced at the long line behind him and regained his ferocious expression: "Next! Hurry up! Don't dawdle!"

"Thank you, uncle!" Zheng Yan quickly thanked him and ran to the side with the bowl in hand. His steps were as light as if he was walking on clouds, and his eyes were reluctant to leave the bowl in his hand. The heavy weight made him feel at ease, as if he was holding not a bowl of meat, but the whole world.

More and more people were eating, and there were no longer enough chairs and tables. The training ground was filled with people sitting in all directions, some leaning on their weapons, and some sitting directly on the ground. There were laughter and joy, which was completely different from the solemn atmosphere during the day.

Zheng Yan didn't care about anything else, he just squatted on the ground, picked up a piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth without caring about the heat. The hot piece of meat rolled in his mouth, burning him so much that tears came out. But he couldn't bear to spit it out, so he could only open his mouth and keep breathing, like a fish out of water.

The rich meaty aroma exploded in his mouth, causing Zheng Yan to squint his eyes and savor the rare delicacy. Before the gravy flowed from the corners of his mouth, it was licked clean by his deft tongue, without any waste.

It smelled really good. Zheng Yan had never eaten such delicious meat before, and every bite made him want to cry with happiness.

Looking at the pile of meat in front of him, he suddenly felt a sense of unreality.

After swallowing the meat, he took a big mouthful of rice. The rice, which was full of gravy, exploded in his mouth. The aroma of fat made Zheng Yan feel as if he was going to heaven. His tongue tip was numbed by the heat, but he was reluctant to slow down the chewing speed. Every grain of rice burst out with a rich meaty aroma between his teeth.

The delicious food whetted Zheng Yan's appetite even though he was already very hungry. He finished the meat in the bowl in just a few bites, and shoveled the rice into his mouth along with the soup.

His cheeks were puffed up like a hamster, and the chopsticks made a harsh sound in the bowl. He looked like a hungry tiger pouncing on food, as if he was not eating, but fighting a life-and-death battle.

Many people eating around only saw Zheng Yan lift up his bowl, and then the food, which was twice as much as theirs, disappeared like magic. Several veterans were so stunned that they even forgot to chew the meat in their mouths.

These soldiers, every time they eat, are no different from starving ghosts. Although people will not go hungry in the military camp, if they really want to eat their fill, they have to rely on themselves to rob.

After eating, Zheng Yan still felt empty in his stomach, so he went to queue again.

Although the team was moving forward at a fast pace, Zheng Yan felt that this process was much longer than last time. He looked over the shoulders of the people in front of him and stared at the fat cook who was serving food to people.

Especially after tasting the meat, the wait becomes even longer. The rich aroma of meat still lingers between the lips and teeth, causing saliva to secrete continuously.

It was finally his turn. The fat cook smiled at Zheng Yan and without saying a word, he filled his bowl with food, not worrying at all that the boy might not be able to finish it.

When Zheng Yan returned to his previous position with the bowl in his hand, a new group of people had arrived. The new soldiers were eating voraciously, not caring about anything else.

All that could be heard was the sound of chewing.

Zheng Yan found a place to squat down, picked up the bowl and chopsticks, and ate so much that his shadow was almost left.

The rice and meat were reduced at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if being swallowed by an invisible black hole. Zheng Yan's throat kept rolling, and he even skipped the process of chewing.

Many people had just taken a bite of meat and had not had time to sigh at the taste when they saw Zheng Yan eating. Some people froze in mid-air with their chopsticks in their hands, and some people forgot to close their mouths. The surroundings suddenly became quiet, with only the sound of Zheng Yan eating.

An old soldier with a beard rubbed his eyes and muttered, "I've fought for twenty years, but this is the first time I've seen such a greedy guy." Someone couldn't help but curse, "This guy is too greedy."

This statement spoke out the thoughts of everyone. The person who said this was a tall and thin veteran. He was holding a half-eaten bowl, looking at Zheng Yan's empty bowl, then at his own, with an expression of disbelief.

When Zheng Yan was queuing for his third meal, someone even came to join in the fun. A few idle soldiers followed him, as if they were looking at something rare. Someone whispered, "This is the third bowl. Are you going to eat your Highness out of money?"

This caused a burst of laughter from the people around him. Zheng Yan's ears felt hot, but the temptation of food overcame his shame.

The fat cook hesitated for a moment and said, "Little boy, it's not that I won't give you some. It's just that, are you really okay? Don't think it tastes good and eat as much as you can, and end up stuffing yourself to death."

He wiped his greasy hands on his apron. He had been a fireman for many years, but he had seen people die from eating too much.

In the past, Zheng Yan would have stopped talking after hearing what the fat cook said. Young people always have younger faces.

But today was different. Today was the first time in his life that he could really eat his fill, and it was meat! The temptation was too great.

Zheng Yan didn’t know if he could eat as freely as he wanted in the future.

Zheng Yan rubbed his hands awkwardly and said with a wry smile: "Uncle, I know that I am only 30% full."

Afraid that the fat cook would not believe him, he lifted his clothes and patted his stomach. His flat stomach did not show any signs of bulging, but was slightly sunken due to hunger. Zheng Yan's ribs were clearly visible under his thin skin, proving that what he said was true.

The fat cook looked at him for a long time and found that the boy's belly seemed to be very flat, not like some people's which were bulging.

In this case, he didn't say anything more and served another portion to Zheng Yan. This time, Lao Li specially served more broth and took out an egg from the big pot: "If I were your father, you would definitely eat me to death."

"Look, he actually made another bowl! Aren't you afraid of being stuffed to death?" An old soldier with a beard widened his eyes and grabbed his collar unconsciously with his rough fingers.

"Old Chen, it seems like your reputation as a glutton is about to be changed. Can you eat so much?" A tall and thin soldier in the crowd poked the burly man next to him with his elbow, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"You're talking nonsense. I just ate a little more. How can I become a glutton?" Old Chen retorted angrily.

The army is full of big eaters. These soldiers who have been fighting for many years all have a good appetite.

Not only does daily training consume physical energy, the most important thing is that if you eat quickly, you can go get another meal, but if you eat slowly, there will be nothing left.

But even they had never seen such a large appetite. Several veterans sat together, staring at Zheng Yan without blinking. Someone began to count on his fingers: "One bowl is at least two kilograms of rice and half a kilogram of meat, three bowls is..."

This number made them all gasp in shock. For an ordinary soldier, eating one and a half kilograms in one meal was already considered a big eater.

But Zheng Yan not only finished two bowls easily, but now he even queued up again! The school field gradually became quiet, everyone put down their bowls and chopsticks, and their eyes unconsciously followed the thin figure.

Even the guards patrolling in the distance couldn't help but stop and watch, wanting to see how much this kid could eat.

As for Zheng Yan, for the third bowl, he tilted his head back, and the mountain of rice and meat disappeared without a trace.

Apart from feeling a little embarrassed because of being watched, his eating speed was the same as before, so fast that people couldn't react to what was happening.

Feeling that he was still not full, Zheng Yan went to queue up again. His steps were a little shaky, not because he was too full to walk, but because he had been hungry for too long and suddenly ate something that caused his blood sugar to fluctuate. But the satisfaction from his stomach drove him to keep going.

The hustle and bustle of the training ground gradually faded away, and the only thing left in Zheng Yan's world was the bowl of steaming food in his hand.

The fourth bowl of rice was eaten a little slower, but that was only compared to himself.

Compared with others, it is still very fast.

Several veteran soldiers nearby have started betting on how many bowls of rice Zheng Yan can eat, and the stakes have grown from polishing boots to standing guard.

Night fell completely, and the light of the torches danced on the parade ground. Zheng Yan's shadow was stretched out very long, and the shape kept changing as he ate his rice. The crowd of onlookers did not disperse, but gathered more and more.

Some people even ran from the wounded soldiers' camp just to watch the fun, and even walked on crutches to catch a glimpse of this "glutton".

The fifth bowl... the sixth bowl...

Zheng Yan's eating speed finally slowed down. It was not because he could not eat anymore, but because he finally felt the sense of revenge. Zheng Yan finally had time to savor the rare delicacy carefully.

Not only the ordinary soldiers, but even Chu Shizhao heard the news and couldn't help but run to watch the fun.

After all, before traveling through time, he had seen many so-called big eaters.

Unfortunately, many of them were later proven to be fake, and people either vomited after taking a few bites, or induced vomiting afterwards.

The battle at Xueyuan Pass was so arduous that Chu Shizhao certainly could not treat those soldiers unfairly.

All other promises are too vague.

In his opinion, under the current circumstances, the most practical thing to do is to ensure that these soldiers have enough food to eat.

Therefore, there was no need to prepare anything else, just stew the meat directly and let the soldiers eat as much meat as they were full.

"Tsk, I think this is just a rumor. How can a normal person eat so much?" Li Batian was very disdainful of the news.

One can tell from his body shape that he is definitely the type who can eat a lot.

But even Li Batian only ate three big bowls.

When I heard that there were people who could eat twice as much as him, I simply didn't believe it.

(End of this chapter)