It was in October when maples turned red. In the tree, the mature persimmons were like round lanterns, swaying in the mist and rain.

At night, there were plenty of figures and shadows in Qinming Hall. Besides, some mutters could be heard from the slightly opened window lattice.

"Really? Is she in the western tribes?"

Huanan Xin said in a high voice, from which people could slightly feel his delight.

Eunuch Superintendent Liang Zhen bowed obediently, as his shadow was dropped on the windows.

"Your Majesty, there are many small countries in the western tribes. Hence, it always spends some time to make investigations and search for her."

"Why investigating? Tell Yue Xilou, searching Udan first. If Yunxi is indeed in the western tribes, she must be hidden by Prime Princess Huanan Qiang."

Sounds of the watch drums occurred from the outside. Liang Zhen heard and reminded,

"Your Majesty, time is up. And you are supposed to leave for Tailuan Hall. It's Concubine Hui's turn to serve you tonight."

It was quiet for a while.

"Ah..."

Huanan Xin made a slight sigh, seeming to have returned to his senses,

"As for those I see and select, I just like their appearance. How boring and meaningless..."

When the gate made a crunch and was opened to the side, a figure occurred, as the golden sleeves swayed in the darkness.

With his hands holding on the back, Huanan Xin walked slowly on the porch. At night, the melancholy winds rustled and blew in his ears.

Recalling everything about Gu Yunxi, he suddenly ached in his heart.

He killed some people, leaving himself no other choices.

Eventually, he was on the throne, becoming supreme and unparalleled in the world. However, he felt so lonely.

It was in the bedroom of Tailuan Hall.

Flames flickered in the golden candleholder engraved with flowers, where the candles dripped and winded drop by drop.

The bed was soft and fragrant, being ornamented with red and purple valances.

In the room, a beauty as pure as jade had bathed herself and worn a new garment. Her thick hairs were as black as the ink, pouring and spreading on the whole soft pillow embroidered with golden clouds and gooses.

It was Concubine Hui, Counselor-in-chief Shi Song's daughter, Shi Yuanqing.

For the fact that she was in a great background and that her father was thought highly of by Huanan Xin in the court, Shi Yuanqing gained the opportunity to be in the Palace. Even without serving Huanan Xin, she was also first honored as Concubine Hui.

Besides, among Huanan Xin's numerous concubines, she was the most similar to Gu Yunxi in appearance.

People in the Garden and nobles all delivered beauties into the palace one after another.

However, Huanan Xin only made a few people left, who seemed to be made in one module, being in a similar appearance.

As time went by, people could always experience a lot. But as far as Huanan Xin was concerned, it was not enough to fade his sadness away.

Seeing Huanan Xin in golden standing in front of the bed, the young woman in the quilt slightly raised her eyelashes, which were like flapping wings. Her eyes seemed to be watery and deep.

"Your Majesty."

Shi Yuanqing softly called him, shyly shifting her eyes and slightly biting her delicate lips.

Instantly, Huanan Xin came to his sense. He lowered his eyebrows and stared at the beautiful woman with a blushing face, as something strange crossed his eyes. It appeared that his emotion was much too sophisticated.

The woman's appearance and expression of shyness were certainly like those of Gu Yunxi who was beloved in his mind.

As his dragon robe was dropped, the valances were drawn.

However, although Huanan Xin embraced beautiful Shi Yuanqing in his arms, he still thought of Gu Yunxi's face in his mind.

The more he was indulged in the emotion of losing her, the more he missed her.

In the world, his beloved was Gu Yunxi!

The thing lasted all night. In low groans, the mild fragrance of somnolent incenses spread all around.

When the sky had just broken, some figures occurred in front of the gauzes. As the valances were lifted, they got up.

Shi Yuanqing was rolled in the quilt, being carried out of Tailuan Hall. Then Liang Zhen saluted Huanan Xin and asked,

"Your Majesty, reserve it or not?"

Huanan Xin sneered and looked at the dawn, raising his thin lips,

"Promote her as Noble Concubine, but don't let her be pregnant. My children should naturally be born by my beloved woman!"

Liang Zhen was stunned for a while, then he nodded,

"As Your Majesty commands."

"Wait!"

Before Liang Zhen left to prepare a contraceptive decoction, Huanan Xin stopped him. The emperor kept expressionless and thought for a while, appearing firm,

"Deliver my oral decree to the Eastern Depot. Once certain news comes from the western tribes, immediately report to me. This time I will take her back to the palace in person."

―

With time flying, the appointed date was up.

According to the previous agreement, today Gu Yunxi should offer Dongzhou Restaurant affluent ten spicy flavors in half a month's supply.

It was in the morning again. Gu Yunxi and Leng Qingtang fulfilled 4 sacks with 750 packets of flavors. Then they put them on two horses and started off.

At that time, Manager Jiao appeared to be more hospitable than before, leading his staff out to greet them.

More than seven thousand packets of flavors were piled up and occupied the whole square table, being like a small peak.

Seeing that, Manager Jiao's eyes brightened. Although he was too delighted to refrain himself, he still remembered Gu Yunxi's previous promise in the restaurant.

"Ha-ha, Madam Hua, previously when you left, you said that the specified flavor could be used in other ways. Could you give me an example today?"

Gu Yunxi raised her breast and directly answered, "Of course. Later please take me to the kitchen, manager. It takes me only one packet of flavor to make two kinds of meals."

Just as she had expected, if she couldn't achieve her promise now, Manager Jiao would stick to demand a lower price. After all, the flavor had been on his hand.

Gu Yunxi quietly raised her mouth and thought,

"Just have a look! Later I will make you sincerely pay for them. A packet of flavor costs five taels of silver, and the price can't be lowered anymore!"

Manager Jiao smiled mildly and calmly in his eyes, slightly showing some doubt and disdain,

"OK. Okay. This way, please."

It was not because he suspected this young madam.

Since the day when Gu Yunxi and Leng Qingtang took five hundred taels of silver and left there, Manager Jiao had been always thinking. The more frequently he thought, the more he considered something was strange.

The red spicy beef tallow was indeed delicious. However, one packet of it as large as an egg cost five taels of silver. It seemed to be somewhat an unfair bargain.

Anyhow, the beautiful madam had made a great promise. Before paying, he could make her show something to him.

Now it was just at noon when people should have a meal and plenty of guests gathered there. So he needn't be worried that there were no guests being willing to receive free gourmet food.

If someone tasted it and gave some dissatisfied comments, it would be reasonable for him to bargain with her.

Gu Yunxi had already expected that Manager Jiao would take tricks after gaining the flavor, so she didn't hesitate, but frankly followed him to go to the kitchen.

Leng Qingtang was also calm now.

After all, he lived with her wife Gu Yunxi all the day. Couldn't he notice her ability?

At that time, he needn't say anything or do anything. Instead, he just needed to follow Gu Yunxi.

The kitchen of Dongzhou Restaurant was not small, where thirty cooks were all busy working.

Manager Jiao stopped there. He squinted his eyes and smiled, where some cunning was hidden.

He waved to a cook, signaling him to stop working and give the hearth up.

Gu Yunxi smartly blinked, raising her eyebrows and slightly smiling. As she cleaned her hands and wore an apron, she said,

"I'm sorry, but I need to make two meals of frying and stir-frying. Please leave a second hearth for me."

Manager Jiao ordered another near cook to go aside.

Gu Yunxi glanced at the wooden table, selecting such materials as cabbages, mushrooms, needle mushrooms, funguses, day lily, corns, tripe, and pork belly. Then she cleaned them up and cut open the belly of a fresh perch.

The pork belly was cut into long strips as thin as the paper, the tripe into shreds, and the corns into lengths.

Then the back of the perch was slightly ripped three times in order to make the flavors deeply immersed. And she also fulfilled the belly with mushrooms, funguses, day lilies, leeks, and gingers, sewing it with strings and pickling it with rice wine.

When the clear water in the burning pot boiled, she put needle mushrooms, mushrooms, funguses, corn sections, beef belly threads, and pork belly into it in turn, scalding and draining them.

In two irony pots, edible oils were boiled. Then she put leeks, garlic, and peppers into them, boiling them and waiting for some attractive smells.

Gu Yunxi salvaged such flavors as leeks and garlic from one pot, and then she put the perch into it and fried it until half-cooked.

After pouring some heat water, she put half packet of ten spicy flavors, a few sugars, and salt into it in turn. At last, she put those scalded vegetables in.

In the other pot, she didn't take any ingredients but directly threw the left half packet of spicy flavors.

As soon as the red spicy tallow was heated, it began to melt. She put the scalded pork belly, tripe, vegetables, sugar, and cabbages in turn, stir-frying them for a while and adding the salt.

Two gourmet meals were made in turn.

Gu Yunxi also didn't forget to scissor the strings in the belly of the perch.

The two meals were made of common materials, and it was not a complicated procession.

However, the finished meals were in green, red, dark, and white and smelled delicious. They looked glossy and wonderful, giving people more appetite.

Manager Jiao and cookers were all stunned.

Gu Yunxi calmly pursed her lips. She softly glanced at Manager Jiao and asked,

"What do you think, Manage Jiao? I have made two meals of frying and stir-frying with a packet of flavors, and they are not the same as the hot pot, right?"