The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

Inside Liu Chen's palace.

Liu Chen sat cross-legged under the eaves waiting, while the eunuchs and palace maids were sent to stand in a more distant place.

They didn't dare to whisper, but they exchanged glances, feeling very uneasy.

During this period, Liu Chen's behavior made them very uneasy.

For example, a miser.

They actually sold the new cloth sent by the Imperial Household Department and turned it into gold. Instead of making new clothes, are they going to wear last year's old clothes?

Is that color okay to wear?

Moreover, Liu Chen frequently inquired about the warehouse expenses. Although he did not scold or beat them, it still greatly increased their pressure.

Liu Chen sensed the change in atmosphere, but didn't care.

It's normal to talk about it in private.

And that's what he wanted.

He wanted to be an absurd person.

"Young Master Chen, Mi Zhao requests an audience." A guard entered from outside and bowed to Liu Chen.

"Please come in." Liu Chen's eyes lit up as he looked up and said.

"Yes." The guard bowed and turned to leave.

Mi Zhao walked in from outside and bowed to Liu Chen after reaching the corridor. Liu Chen smiled and invited Mi Zhao to sit down opposite him.

"Yes, I find the food unpalatable, so I've been studying it diligently lately. I've come up with a recipe. I invited you here today to taste it, and if you find it delicious, I'd like to open a tavern in Chengdu to make some money," Liu Chen said with a smile.

Mi Zhao felt a sense of relief. His previous conversation with Liu Chen had been quite sensitive. Liu Chen had given an answer: "Money can influence even the gods."

This time, Liu Chen summoned him again, and he became very wary of whether Liu Chen had any unrealistic ideas. If so, how should he deal with it? He was really racking his brains.

Now Liu Chen had come to him about a recipe... but he quickly became wary. A recipe? To make money? This was still heading down the path of "money can buy anything." Liu Chen probably still had unrealistic ideas in his mind.

As for the recipe itself, Mi Zhao found it absurd.

The delicious dishes that still exist in the world today are the result of countless refinements and the accumulation of thousands of years.

What delicious dishes can Liu Chen create by working in isolation?

Not to mention making money from these delicious dishes.

Is this because they desperately want money and are therefore resorting to any treatment they can find?

If it were him, he would rather use his status as a prince to do something that sounds respectable, but is actually a form of cunning and plunder.

Having considered this, Mi Zhao composed himself. A pleased expression appeared on his face, and he said, "Excellent."

Liu Chen stood up with a smile and led Mi Zhao into the makeshift shed. Then, to Mi Zhao's astonishment, Liu Chen had a eunuch remove his bright Shu brocade robe and put on a makeshift apron.

Liu Chen had eunuchs tend the fire, assisted by palace maids.

Heat the pan, add cold oil, and start cooking.

Mi Zhao had no idea that Liu Chen would actually cook. How could a prince like Chen, a dignified young master... possibly do such a culinary job? If word got out, wouldn't people laugh their heads off?

While Mi Zhao was still in a daze, Liu Chen had already cooked a plate of braised tofu.

Tofu has been around for a long time.

The way it's eaten is very primitive.

His braised tofu dish was a simplified version due to limitations. But he believed that even this simplified version could easily surpass 90% of the so-called delicacies of the Han Dynasty.

It was a case of overwhelming force. As the aroma of braised tofu wafted out, Liu Chen distinctly heard the eunuchs and palace maids swallowing their saliva.

"It smells so good." Mi Zhao couldn't help but praise it in his heart and took a breath.

Mi Zhao sat down, picked up a spoon, scooped up some tofu, and slowly put it into his mouth.

Soft tofu...

After a long while, Mi Zhao swallowed it, closed his eyes to savor the memory, and when he opened his eyes, they gleamed with a sharp light.

Although it was absurd that Prince Chen would personally cook, the dishes were indeed delicious and could make money.

"It tastes good, doesn't it?" Liu Chen asked with a smile.

"Indeed a delicacy." Mi Zhao put down his spoon, resisting the urge to devour the food, and replied with proper posture.

"Next dish." Liu Chen smiled and nodded, then had the eunuch take away the braised tofu and reward it to them.

He then washed the pot and reheated it with cold oil. He then prepared all thirty dishes from his "Young Master Chen's Recipes".

Mi Zhao only ate one or two bites of each dish, showing great restraint.

After finishing, Liu Chen took off his apron, changed back into his original Shu brocade clothes, and sat down in the small hall with Mi Zhao.

"How is it?" Liu Chen asked Mi Zhao with a smile as he sat in the main seat.

Mi Zhao closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then nodded slightly, but then shook his head.

"Zhao. Why is your reaction contradictory? Do you agree or disagree?" Liu Chen asked curiously. He couldn't believe that his groundbreaking delicacy was inferior to the so-called delicacies of the Three Kingdoms period.

Mi Zhao cupped his hands in greeting, his two wide sleeves falling down like two doors. He said, "Young master, these thirty dishes will surely earn you money. But if you open a tavern, firstly, you'll need staff. Secondly, you'll need a venue. Thirdly, you'll need investment. Fourthly, the recipes must be kept secret. If the recipes are leaked, the money will be nothing but a mirage."

He shook his head at this point.

"Zhao. What do you think?" Liu Chen frowned, then his eyes lit up. Remembering that Mi Zhao had nodded earlier, he asked expectantly.

"Just sell the recipes directly. Sell them to three to five restaurants in Chengdu, one or two in Hanzhong and Nanzheng, and seven or eight in Sanba. As long as we can find people to take over, we won't need any investment; we can just convert them into gold," Mi Zhao said calmly. Of course, if Liu Chen still thought opening a tavern was better, he could ignore what he said.

He just instinctively felt that this was a quick and easy way to make money.

Liu Chen's eyes lit up, and he asked, "Okay, we'll do it your way." After a pause, he added expectantly, "Yes. Can I entrust this matter to you?"

Mi Zhao hesitated for a moment, but still agreed, "Thank you for your trust, young master. I will definitely do it."

"Thank you so much." Liu Chen said solemnly, clasping his hands in gratitude.

"You flatter me, sir," Mi Zhao quickly returned the greeting.

Not long after, Mi Zhao left Liu Chen's small palace. He stood at the palace gate, glanced back, and a complex expression appeared on his face.

He and Liu Chen were friends, but their friendship was limited to horseback riding, archery, and playing.

Ever since the saying "money can move mountains" came about, their relationship has become complicated.

A prince from the inner palace and a member of the Imperial Guard—it's definitely not a good thing for them to be together.

What baffled him even more was that Liu Chen, a man skilled in both horsemanship and archery, actually cooked himself and had even mastered the art of making such delicious dishes.

"Is it because the world is becoming increasingly absurd that even princes are becoming absurd?"

Considering the current internal situation of Liu Han, Mi Zhao felt extremely heavy-hearted. He sighed deeply, shook his head, and left.

You can't cook just by having a recipe.

For the next three days, Mi Zhao went to the palace to watch Liu Chen cook. Once he learned how to cook, he took the recipe with him out of the palace.