Lifelong Cook (3)

At this moment, the Emperor also knew that if Ye Lang could be found, all problems would be solved. But at the same time, he also knew that finding Ye Lang was almost impossible. If he could be found, that girl from the Ye family and his own precious daughter would have calmed down long ago and wouldn't be throwing tantrums there.

He found this point quite peculiar. Even though everyone knew clearly that Ye Lang was nearby and hadn't left, they just couldn't find him. And this wasn't the first time; he always appeared in unexpected places.

This time, although Ye Lang hadn't deliberately hidden from them, the place he was in was also unexpected by others!

"I hope he doesn't do anything out of line this time, just scare them a little, don't actually do those things," the Emperor said with a headache.

Why did this kid go and scare these people for no reason? Now it's a mess, he's gone, and we're left to suffer!

"This, I don't think so..." Ye Chengtian said unconfidently.

"..." The group of ministers fell silent. Among those whose daughters or granddaughters were in the talented women's competition, they seemed to understand that they had to ensure their greatest strength to protect them, and not expect help from the royal family or the Ye family.

They wondered in their hearts if the Emperor and their parents would punish Ye Lang if he really did those things. Perhaps they would, but it certainly wouldn't be severe.

"Hey, hey, he's your son, how can you not know him?" The Emperor, seemingly not noticing everyone's expressions, continued to chat idly with Ye Chengtian, or rather, a serious conversation between ruler and subject, as he himself put it.

"How would I know? You know him, don't you? How many foolish things has he done since he was a child?" Ye Chengtian shook his head helplessly.

"That's true. Let's not talk about that for now. We'll deal with it if it really happens. There's something I'm curious about, who is this Zhen Xiaoyan, and why would that kid go out of his way to help her?" The Emperor suddenly remembered this key person.

"Zhen Xiaoyan, I've investigated. She's the granddaughter of Count Zhen Tianming," Ye Chengtian replied. He knew the Emperor was asking about Zhen Xiaoyan's identity, and he should have heard about other matters from others.

The Emperor thought hard and then said, "Oh, it's him. I have some impression. Your Zhen family seems to have been in the restaurant business for generations. Are they still doing it?"

The Zhen family was not at the center of the Empire's power; they couldn't even reach the fringes. Therefore, these people were not familiar with them. If it weren't for this incident, people here probably wouldn't have noticed the Zhen family's existence. This was fortunate for the Zhen family, making their future path brighter.

The reason the Emperor had an impression of them was that the Zhen family had once been the royal chefs. Because they were favored by an Emperor, they received this hereditary title.

It's no wonder people try their best to get close to the Emperor and similar figures. Because as long as they like you, they can make you infinitely glorious at any time, and your descendants can enjoy the benefits. Of course, it can also bring about the disaster of family annihilation, but countless people are willing to take these risks.

"They still are. Zhen Youwei Restaurant is considered a century-old traditional establishment in our Xiangkong Empire," Ye Chengtian replied.

Zhen Youwei, it is said that this was named after that royal chef. At that time, Zhen Youwei's culinary skills were the best in the world, so it prospered for a long time.

However, like some family businesses, the Zhen family's restaurants have fluctuated with the abilities of their managers. In the past few decades, they have declined. Of course, this is only relative to the past. In the eyes of an ordinary person, the Zhen family is still a prominent family, well, only in the eyes of ordinary people!

"Let's not talk about this for now. I'm very curious about one thing: does Zhen Xiaoyan possess the same culinary skills as her ancestors? Otherwise, why would your son be so concerned about her? He's been indifferent to everything these past few years, and even for his own matters, he wouldn't have made such a big move," the Emperor questioned.

"It is said that Zhen Xiaoyan's culinary skills are exceptional, and that's the only thing about her that is," Ye Chengtian's answer, while not entirely direct, made it clear that nothing other than Zhen Xiaoyan's culinary skills could have attracted his son.

"Chengtian, do you think we should place a small bet and bet on Zhen Xiaoyan to win?" The Emperor seemed to be getting more and more interested, forgetting that he was still in the imperial court.

"You think so too? I've already had someone place ten thousand Gold Coins for fun!" Ye Chengtian said with a smile.

"..., you are truly shameless!" The Emperor glared at Ye Chengtian with his eyes, after all, he still paid some attention to his image in the imperial court.

Ye Chengtian seemed to understand the Emperor's meaning and replied with his eyes: "Likewise..."

"Your Majesty, why do you think Zhen Xiaoyan will win? With her qualifications, how could she possibly win!" a minister said indignantly. And why was he indignant? Of course, it was because he was an elder of one of the talented women.

Along with him, some other ministers also expressed dissatisfaction with the Emperor's and Ye Chengtian's views. Of course, they wouldn't be too strong; it was a moderate dissatisfaction.

"With Zhen Xiaoyan's qualifications, she indeed wouldn't be able to win. The problem is that with that miraculous kid from the Ye family, it's hard to say what the outcome will be," the Emperor said with a slight smile, shaking his head.

"Your Majesty, you cannot let Ye Lang act recklessly. If that happens, I will have to withdraw my granddaughter from the competition!"

"Yes, if that happens, we might as well all withdraw. It's better than letting him harm our daughters."

"Everyone, don't worry, I won't let him break the rules. I will definitely ensure that this competition maintains its usual fairness. If you are afraid, then I will specially grant you the authority to be the judges of this grand competition. That way, you won't have to worry about anyone being bribed. Rest assured, I will dispatch the most elite Imperial Guards and City Guards to protect your safety!" the Emperor said immediately. At this moment, he needed to show that he was not favoring anyone. In fact, he had no intention of favoring anyone; it was just that these ministers had misunderstood.

What use is protection? That kid managed to slip out repeatedly under such strict surveillance before. If he really intends to deal with you, the outcome cannot be guaranteed.

Ye Chengtian watched the ministers who had calmed down and secretly chuckled in his heart. He seemed proud of this matter, though outwardly he would feign a serious and earnest demeanor, as if he would also do his utmost to protect these people.