After returning to the capital to farm, the abandoned concubine made a comeback.

Lin Qin held the hot letter in her hand, feeling like a chef forced into a difficult task, having to prepare a Manchu Han Imperial Feast with a pot of white rice.

She rubbed her temples, feeling her head buzzing like a hornet's nest that had been disturbed.

"Isn't this just forcing a duck onto a shelf?" Lin Qin couldn't help but complain. She was a farming expert, and suddenly she was being asked to do some kind of food diplomacy. Wasn't this just making things difficult for Fat Tiger?

She knew absolutely nothing about those foreign spices and ingredients; she was completely clueless. It was like asking an elementary school student to solve a calculus problem—the difficulty level was off the charts.

"Foreign food culture..." she murmured to herself, as if chewing on a bitter melon that was hard to swallow.

Zhu Ling gently held her hand, and the warmth from her fingertips felt like a gentle current, slightly easing her anxiety.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here." His voice was deep, like the melodious strains of a cello, soothing her restless heart.

“But I really…” Lin Qin was interrupted by a series of hurried footsteps before she could finish speaking.

"Your Highness, Mr. Lin," a guard rushed over, panting, "someone from the palace has come and says they want to invite Mr. Lin to the palace immediately."

Lin Qin and Zhu Ling exchanged a glance, both seeing something unusual in each other's eyes.

Sure enough, when she arrived at the palace, before she could even catch her breath, she saw a group of old-fashioned ministers, each with a stern face, as if someone owed them millions of taels of silver.

"A mere peasant woman dares to talk about culinary diplomacy?" An old man with a white beard glared at Lin Qin, spitting almost onto her face. "This is utterly ridiculous! How can such an important occasion be entrusted to a village girl?"

Lin Qin crossed her arms and sneered. These old guys really knew how to make a scene; they immediately threw a huge accusation at her.

She's not someone to be trifled with.

"Why can't I engage in culinary diplomacy? Does food have different levels of value? I think you old men eat less food than I grow land."

"Outrageous! You..." The old man's beard trembled with rage, and his finger pointing at Lin Qin shook uncontrollably. "You are simply...you are..."

"What is it? Is it an antique?" Lin Qin interrupted directly, showing them no mercy.

"Hmph, so what if you can cook some rustic dishes? This is a matter of national honor, how can we let you act recklessly?" another minister said sarcastically, his tone full of contempt.

"National dignity? I think your dignity has long been eaten away!" Lin Qin sneered. She finally understood that these people just didn't want her to stand out and were deliberately tripping her up.

"If you cannot prepare a dish that satisfies the foreign envoys, we will certainly impeach you!" someone threatened.

Lin Qin straightened her back and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Then please wait and see, esteemed gentlemen. I guarantee that their tongues will follow me!" A confident smile appeared on her lips, and her eyes gleamed with an undeniable light.

Before Lin Qin could speak again, a eunuch hurried over and said in a shrill voice, "His Majesty has decreed that Boss Lin is summoned to an audience."

Lin Qin took a deep breath, gave Zhu Ling a determined look, then turned and walked into the unknown depths of the palace.

Lin Qin followed the eunuch at a brisk pace, passing through many palace gates, and arrived at the Imperial Study.

The old emperor sat upright, his face dignified and imposing, but Lin Qin sensed a hint of excitement in his eyes, as if he were enjoying watching a good show.

"Boss Lin, I've heard about it. You have some great ideas!" the emperor said, his tone slightly playful.

Lin Qin thought to herself, "This old man probably wants to see me make a fool of myself even more than those old fogies."

She smiled slightly and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Majesty flatters me. I simply believe that food transcends borders and is the best way to communicate."

"Good! Well said!" The emperor slapped his dragon throne, his beard bristling with laughter. "I'll give you that chance to show those old fogies what real 'power' is!"

With the emperor's golden words, Lin Qin felt even more confident.

She knew that what she had to do next was to prove those old guys wrong with her strength.

Back at the palace, Zhu Ling had already arranged everything. The study was filled with books about exotic cuisine, making it look like a small library.

"This is what I prepared for you, along with the taste preferences of some foreign envoys." Zhu Ling handed her a thick booklet, his eyes full of encouragement.

Lin Qin felt a warm feeling in her heart. Sure enough, having a reliable teammate makes all the difference.

She picked up a book and began to cram in all sorts of culinary knowledge, from the pairing of spices to the processing of ingredients, absorbing everything like a sponge.

Zhu Ling sat next to her, explaining key points to her from time to time. The two chatted back and forth, creating a warm and sweet atmosphere.

For several days, Lin Qin almost locked herself in her study, devouring books and taking notes. Occasionally, she would drag Zhu Ling along to try out various new dishes, causing chaos and filling the Prince's mansion's kitchen with delicious aromas.

The day of culinary diplomacy had finally arrived. Lin Qin, dressed in a smart and practical outfit, stood confidently at the palace gate, like a female general about to go into battle.

Those old-fashioned ministers still had expressions of waiting to see her make a fool of herself, but Lin Qin ignored them and walked straight into the banquet hall.

Inside the banquet hall, envoys from various countries chatted in twos and threes. The table was laden with all sorts of delicacies, but Lin Qin could tell at a glance that although the dishes were exquisite, they lacked a soul.

She smiled slightly and gestured for the maid to bring up the dishes she had prepared.

The first dish was spicy crayfish, its bright red color and enticing aroma instantly attracting everyone's attention.

Those old-fashioned ministers all gaped, as if they had seen something unbelievable.

"What is this? It smells so good!" A foreign envoy couldn't help but exclaim, picking up a crayfish and peeling it, eating it with relish and a satisfied smile on his face.

Next, Lin Qin served grilled lamb skewers. The aroma of cumin and the deliciousness of the lamb made the entire banquet hall buzz with excitement.

Even the ministers who had initially looked disdainful couldn't help but secretly swallow their saliva.

"This...this really was done by her?" an old man asked tremulously, his voice filled with shock.

"Who says a country girl can't do culinary diplomacy? Bah!" another minister couldn't help but mutter under his breath, clearly completely won over by Lin Qin's cooking skills.

Lin Qin looked at the dumbfounded old folks and a smug smile appeared on her lips.

She knew she had successfully taken the first step in culinary diplomacy.

Just then, a guard rushed over and whispered a few words in his ear. His face instantly turned grim: "This... what should we do?" He looked at Lin Qin, his eyes filled with complex emotions, and then hesitated before saying, "Ms. Lin, um..."

After stammering for a long time, the guard finally managed to stammer out, "Boss Lin, um... the foreign envoys... they want to eat... eat..."

"What are you eating? You're stammering like a woman!" Lin Qin interrupted him impatiently, but a bad feeling was rising in her heart.

"They...they want to eat...camel tendon soup, with...with fresh cactus fruit..." The guard's voice grew softer and softer, almost like a mosquito's hum.

"What the heck?!" Lin Qin's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Camel tendon soup?

cactus fruit?

What kind of rubbish is this?!

Where is she going to find these bizarre ingredients now?

Are these foreigners deliberately making things difficult for her?

Lin Qin felt her temples throbbing; this was an incredibly difficult level of difficulty!

She took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

No, we can't panic!

She'd face whatever came her way; she refused to believe she couldn't handle these cunning fellows!

With time running out, Lin Qin immediately summoned the cooks from the Prince's mansion and began a brainstorming session.

Camel tendons are hard to find, but she thought of beef tendons, which should taste similar.

As for the cactus fruit, she had a sudden inspiration and thought of a local fruit—the prickly pear.

Although prickly pear is not as unique as cactus fruit, it has a sweet and sour taste and might have an unexpected effect when paired with beef tendon soup.

Without further ado, Lin Qin directed the cooks to carefully clean the beef tendons and simmer them with various spices to make a thick soup.

The prickly pear is cut into small pieces and marinated in honey, which makes its sweet and sour flavor even more prominent.

Finally, pour the beef tendon soup into an elegant bowl, garnish with a few pieces of crystal-clear prickly pear, and a delicious and visually appealing "modified" camel tendon soup is ready.

When the dish was served, the foreign envoys were all stunned.

They originally thought Lin Qin would be helpless, but to their surprise, she actually made a similar dish.

Curious, they picked up spoons, scooped up a spoonful, and put it in their mouths. The soft and chewy beef tendon and the sweet and sour prickly pear intertwined and blended in their mouths, creating a wonderful taste that surprised them.

"What...what is this?" an envoy asked in surprise, his eyes gleaming with delight.

“This is a local specialty called ‘Seeking Plum Blossoms in the Snow’,” Lin Qin explained with a slight smile. “The beef tendon soup symbolizes the snow in winter, while the prickly pear symbolizes the plum blossoms in early spring, signifying hope and new life.”

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" the envoys exclaimed, praising the dish highly.

Lin Qin looked at the satisfied smiles on their faces and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems her "food diplomacy" has won its first battle.

Just then, the banquet hall doors were suddenly pushed open, and a guard rushed in, his face pale, stammering, "Report...report...outside...outside..."

Outside the banquet hall, a guard, panting heavily and with a face darker than the bottom of a pot, stammered, "Report...report! There's a group of people outside...outside...carrying...carrying a pile of gold and silver jewelry, saying they want to...to present it to Boss Lin!"

Lin Qin was taken aback. What is that?

Dedicate it to her?

Where did this come from?

Before she could react, she heard a commotion of footsteps, followed by a large group of people carrying boxes and surging into the banquet hall.

The brilliance of the gold and silver jewelry instantly dazzled everyone, like a group of nouveau riche flaunting their wealth, blinding everyone's titanium alloy eyes.

"Mr. Lin, your cooking is absolutely delicious! This is a small token of our appreciation, please accept it!" A foreign envoy was so excited that he was practically drooling.

"Yes, yes, yes! Boss Lin, you are simply the reincarnation of the God of Cookery! Consider these jewels as a deposit for hiring you as our country's royal chef!" Another envoy chimed in, wishing he could praise Lin Qin to the heavens.

Looking at the mountain of gold and silver jewelry before her, Lin Qin felt like she was dreaming.

She simply cooked a few dishes, yet she became known as the "God of Cookery" and received so many "dowry gifts"—it's all too surreal!

She took a deep breath, suppressing her excitement, and smiled slightly, revealing a standard "professional fake smile."

"You're too kind, esteemed envoys. Good food knows no borders, and it is my honor to have your appreciation."

The scene was as lively as during the Chinese New Year. Foreign envoys surrounded Lin Qin, praising her culinary skills and treating her like a precious treasure.

Those old-fashioned ministers all turned green with embarrassment, looking as if they had swallowed flies.

They were originally waiting to see Lin Qin make a fool of herself, but instead they were slapped in the face hard.

Zhu Ling stood outside the crowd, watching Lin Qin surrounded by everyone. His woman was indeed the best!

Just as Lin Qin was surrounded by the crowd and enjoying the joy of victory, a tall, sinister-looking foreign envoy slowly walked over.

He was dressed in splendid clothes, with a playful smile on his face, but his gaze kept sweeping over Zhu Ling, full of provocation and jealousy.

"Is this the famous Boss Lin? She truly lives up to her name, beautiful and intelligent." He said in broken Chinese, his tone tinged with malice.

"You flatter me." Lin Qin smiled faintly, not fooled by his sweet words.

She always felt that this guy had ill intentions and was definitely up to no good.

"I heard that Boss Lin and this prince are in love?" His gaze swept back and forth between Lin Qin and Zhu Ling, a wicked smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "How about we play a game? The loser has to leave the other."

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the banquet hall instantly became tense, as if the air itself had frozen.

Lin Qin frowned, alarm bells ringing in her mind.

This guy is definitely here to cause trouble!

She was about to refuse when she heard Zhu Ling speak coldly.

"Okay, what do you want to play?"

Zhu Ling's words struck Lin Qin's heart like a heavy hammer.

What is he going to do?

Do we really have to play this pointless game with this lunatic?

The foreign envoy chuckled evilly, pulled a finely crafted dagger from his pocket, and placed it on the table. The dagger gleamed coldly under the lamplight, sending chills down one's spine.

"This game is very simple. Whoever can use this dagger to cut the thinnest slice of meat wins."

His eyes were dark as he stared at Zhu Ling, his gaze full of provocation.

Zhu Ling's eyes also instantly became incredibly sharp.

"Alright, I accept the challenge!" Zhu Ling grabbed a dagger, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. A half-smile played on his lips. "However, the loser won't just be separated from their opponent..."