The Prince's Beloved Little Wife

The sumptuous dinner delighted the Crown Prince and his entourage, who remarked that it was even better than the imperial kitchen's. Chen Mengyao, blushing with embarrassment, said, "You flatter me. My cooking skills are only so-so; it's mainly thanks to my seasonings. If you like them, I'll give you some to take back and cook for your chefs; I guarantee they'll be just as delicious. I'll also sell these seasonings in my future general store." The Crown Prince, impressed by his sister-in-law's remarkable abilities—possessing such excellent seasonings to make the food so delicious, and being so generous with them—admired Chen Mengyao even more. He replied, "Thank you very much, sister-in-law."

After dinner, the Crown Prince and his entourage sat in the hall drinking tea and chatting, praising Chen Mengyao and asking Ouyang Han how he had met such a wonderful and extraordinary woman. Ouyang Han recounted in detail how Chen Mengyao had saved him and how they had fallen for each other. Of course, he didn't mention the spatial aspect or that she came from another world; he only said that she came from a very, very far away country and was traveling when she happened to save his life. Hearing Chen Mengyao's story, everyone admired her even more—a woman daring to travel alone and possessing so many wondrous things. They were all very envious of Ouyang Han's good fortune and also very grateful that such an extraordinary woman would become their family. They secretly resolved to protect and cherish her. They each assigned a bodyguard, instructing them to protect her and the people in her shop at all times, and to report any problems to them immediately.

Chen Mengyao had no idea that this meal had earned her unanimous praise from the royal family and even their secret protection. "Ding, congratulations, Master, for completing the task that gained the royal family's approval. You've earned 5000 points," Xiaobai reminded her in her mind. Chen Mengyao was overjoyed; she had finally completed a task. Today's meal was truly worthwhile, even though she was a little tired. After returning to her room, she went into her spatial storage and retrieved a large amount of seasonings for tonight's cooking, along with various fruits and pastries and snacks they hadn't tried before, filling several large boxes. When she couldn't carry any more, she called her servants and maids to help carry it out to the princes. She also wrote down the usage instructions for each seasoning and demonstrated how to eat the fruits and snacks on the spot.

When the prince and his companions put those fruits and snacks they had never tasted before into their mouths, expressions of utter astonishment appeared on their faces. The wonderful texture and unique flavor instantly conquered their taste buds, as if opening a door to a new world of gastronomy.

These fruits have vibrant, luscious colors, some as red as rubies, others as yellow as kumquats, and each one exudes an enticing aroma; while the snacks come in various shapes, some resembling small, exquisite pastries, others like delicate and adorable candies, making one's mouth water.

Taking a gentle bite of the fruit, its juices burst forth, the sweet flavor spreading across the tongue, utterly captivating. Tasting a snack, crisp and sweet, the distinct layers of texture bringing unparalleled satisfaction. Their eyes widened, exchanging surprised glances, exclaiming repeatedly, "This is so delicious!" They hadn't tasted such delicious fruit and snacks in all their years in the palace, and their affection for Chen Mengyao only grew stronger.

Just as the Crown Prince and his entourage were chatting happily in a lively atmosphere, they heard light footsteps approaching. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw a graceful woman with a beautiful face entering. This woman was Mu Xue; she wore a light blue long dress, the hem of which fluttered in the wind, making her appear like a fairy descending to earth.

Mu Xue approached Chen Mengyao, bowed slightly, and said softly, "Miss, the income of Yu Yan Fang today has been compiled, and I have come to report to you." With that, she gently opened the account book she was holding and presented it to Chen Mengyao.

The ledger was filled with detailed records of income and expenditure, the handwriting neat and legible. Chen Mengyao took the ledger and began to carefully examine it, while the Crown Prince and others couldn't help but curiously gather around to watch. As Chen Mengyao turned the pages, a satisfied smile gradually appeared on her face. When she reached the last page, everyone stared at the long string of numbers before them, their mouths agape, their eyes wide as if about to pop out of their sockets. They simply couldn't believe what they were seeing; the number was enormous! A full 300,000 taels! This was an astronomical sum of money for everyone present. Some even began to doubt whether they were seeing things or if there had been a mistake in the calculation, but after repeated confirmation, everyone had to accept the shocking fact—it was indeed over 300,000 taels! For a moment, the entire scene fell into a deathly silence.

The Crown Prince and the others couldn't help but look at Chen Mengyao with new respect, especially Prince Duan, Ouyang Yu. He was a businessman who had been in business for a long time, and even at the peak of his business, he didn't earn this much in a single day. He couldn't help but admire Chen Mengyao even more, and he also wanted to cooperate with her.

So he said, "I wonder if Third Sister-in-law would be interested in doing business with me? I have many kinds of businesses: food, medicine, grain, cloth, money exchange, and jewelry. I have shops in all of these. I wonder if Third Sister-in-law has any good ideas or good products? I can provide the shops, and you can provide the goods or ideas. How about we split the profits fifty-fifty?"

Chen Mengyao thought to herself, cooperating with Prince Duan is good. With such a powerful backer, she wouldn't have to worry about others causing trouble. She wouldn't have to work so hard in her business in the future. She thought for a moment and said, "I haven't thought of a better idea yet. Don't you have a herbal medicine shop? You can join my Yu Yan Fang. Some of my skincare products require good herbs to make. You can provide us with good herbs, and we'll give you a share, how about that? I'll discuss other business opportunities with you later. I also have a general store that I'm planning to open, selling all kinds of daily necessities and novelties. If you have anything special, you can join my Wan Bao Xuan and provide us with goods. We'll also give you a share, how about that? If you're interested, come back here tomorrow and we can discuss the details further."

Prince Duan, Ouyang Yu, was overjoyed and quickly said, "Of course, that's wonderful! I'll definitely join Yu Yan Fang. As for your Wan Bao Xuan, I'll bring some products from my shop for you to see tomorrow. If you think they're acceptable, we can cooperate; if not, then we'll have to cooperate another time."

Chen Mengyao was delighted to see him so agreeable and quickly nodded, saying, "Okay. By the way, didn't you say you're in the food business? You must have a restaurant, right? I'll write down the recipes for tonight's dishes for you tomorrow, and I'll also give you some seasonings. Have your restaurant's chef make them and see how they taste. If it's good, I'll provide you with recipes in the future, and you can just give me a share. I have many recipes, and you can add some new dishes every now and then. I guarantee it will attract both new and old customers." Ouyang Yu was overjoyed: "This is wonderful! My restaurant business has been so-so lately, probably because there are too many competitors. With your recipes and seasonings, my business will definitely improve. I'll definitely thank you properly then."

Seeing Chen Mengyao discussing business with Ouyang Yu, Ouyang Han was genuinely happy for her and found her even more charming. However, noticing she was ignoring him, he urged her to leave, "Alright, Fourth Brother, it's getting late. You should return to your palace. Come back tomorrow to chat. Don't disturb my wife's rest; she's already exhausted from cooking this meal. Let her rest." Ouyang Yu understood perfectly well what his third brother was thinking—he was just annoyed that he was interfering with his wife's time. But he also genuinely felt sorry for his wife's hard work cooking.

Ouyang Yu then stood up and bid farewell to Chen Mengyao, saying, "Third Sister-in-law, I'll come again tomorrow. I'll take my leave now. Thank you for your hospitality tonight. Next time you visit my palace, I will certainly treat you well."

The Crown Prince and his entourage rose to bid farewell to Chen Mengyao and her companions, thanking her for her hospitality and promising to treat her well should she have the opportunity to visit their residence again. They also assured her that she could come to them if she needed anything. Afterward, each of them presented Chen Mengyao with their personal token. Touched once again, Chen Mengyao accepted the tokens and thanked them profusely. The Crown Prince and his party then returned home with the gifts Chen Mengyao had given them.