What counted as a lavish dinner for the Yi Household was nothing extraordinary in the prince's eyes, of course, but it had the warmth of everyday life.
The prince rarely left the palace, and had even fewer opportunities to dine in a household whose "background he knew nothing about." Watching the Yi family bustle about, enthusiastically preparing the meal, was particularly interesting to him.
The dishes were nowhere near as elegantly presented as those from the imperial kitchens, or even those of some upscale restaurants, but the portions were generous, the colors bright, and the aromas rich. Just looking at them made his mouth water.
Truth be told, the prince was quietly putting on something of a performance in front of Yi Shuyuan, but as the meal went on, he grew increasingly relaxed.
Even though the presence of distinguished guests made the Yi family somewhat reserved and less uninhibited at the table, their version of restraint still involved hearty mouthfuls of food and rice, eaten with noisy, wholehearted enjoyment.
Besides, the Yi family were all healthy. Never mind Yi Baokang and his son, who had spent the day doing physical labor-even the women of the household were no less impressive. Simply watching them eat made the food seem delicious.
Under these circumstances, the others at the table could hardly avoid being influenced, and the predominantly savory dishes became all the more appetizing.
By the end of the meal, the prince, who ordinarily ate only a small bowl of rice, had eaten several bowls. Seeing him eat like this, the Yuanjiang County magistrate abandoned his own reserve, even deliberately making himself look a little more disheveled.
"Here comes the soup! Come on, everyone, have some~~"
Yi Yong'an brought over a large basin containing the final dish. Rather than a thick, long-simmered