Yan Ge expressed his loyalty smoothly, “The move to the Tenglong Palace was Your Majesty’s will. This servant only needs to understand the underlying reasons behind Your Majesty’s decision. As for others with doubts, this servant has no authority over them.” He was not in the palace during the day, and after returning, he came to the “thigh’s” Tenglong Palace, so he was not afraid of someone causing trouble for him.
Deng Mande caressed the whisk in his hand and secretly praised. ‘This dragon fart is well done.’
Huangfu Yuchen smiled and remained silent, it was unknown what he was thinking.
Yan Ge handed the food container to Deng Mande, saying, “This dish was a recipe I came up with on a whim and I personally supervised its preparation.” Since he aimed to cling to the thigh, he had to constantly make Emperor Huangfu Yuchen feel his favor, so that he could hold onto him tightly.
Deng Mande looked at Huangfu Yuchen. After Huangfu Yuchen nodded, Deng Mande took the food container, revealed the contents inside, and carefully placed a pair of chopsticks and a small plate on the side. He took a silver needle to test for poison, ensuring that the silver needle did not change color. Then he personally picked up a piece of ribs and placed it in the small plate, tasted it, and only after not feeling any discomfort did he take the dish and place it in front of Huangfu Yuchen, fetching Huangfu Yuchen’s special tableware.
Huangfu Yuchen could already smell the fragrant and slightly sweet aroma. He tasted a piece of pork chop and found it tender and succulent, with an excellent texture. He smiled in satisfaction and said, “Yan Daying has put thought into this. You are pardoned for your dress code. You may rise. This fragrance has a fruity note, but it doesn’t seem like fruit juice has been added. It’s quite distinct.”
Yan Ge smiled and replied, “Your Majesty is wise. This dish is called Fragrant Aromatic Pork Chop. It’s true that it doesn’t have any fruit juice added, however, it was carefully smoked with high-quality fruitwood, hence it has absorbed the fragrance of the fruitwood. The well-balanced aroma doesn’t overpower the natural meaty fragrance of the pork chop, but adds a unique sensation.”
Deng Mande’s mouth watered as he listened.
Huangfu Yuchen lifted his chopsticks gracefully and had another bite of the pork chop.
Yan Ge presented the recipe.
Huangfu Yuchen was in a good mood. He put down his chopsticks and, in a rare instance, took the initiative to inquire, “Has everything gone smoothly today?”
“There was a minor issue at Liuxian Pavilion,” Yan Ge knelt down, “This servant has a matter to discuss with Your Majesty.”
‘Sure enough, the Fragrant Aromatic Pork Chop was not free.’ Huangfu Yuchen secretly thought.
Deng Mande had long been numb to Yan Ge’s audacity and remained expressionless.
“Rise and speak,” Huangfu Yuchen said, “What do you want to discuss? If it’s about borrowing money, forget it.”
Yan Ge was momentarily taken aback, feeling somewhat helpless, “It’s not about borrowing money. Your Majesty, Liuxian Pavilion offers dishes that other restaurants lack, and its development potential is vast. It is entirely possible to open another branch in the capital, or even expand Liuxian Pavilion to other provincial capitals. However, as you know, I don’t have enough manpower—”
He spoke so smoothly and forgot to address himself as “this servant.”
Seeing that Huangfu Yuchen didn’t show any signs of being offended, he happily pretended to be clueless and continued, “My idea is, why not collaborate with Your Majesty? I provide the recipes, and Your Majesty provides the personnel. The annual income of all Liuxian Pavilion branches nationwide, after deducting necessary expenses, will be divided into ten portions, with a 4-6 split between Your Majesty and me. Of course, I will take four, and Your Majesty will take six portions.” His pair of smiling eyes gazed at Huangfu Yuchen, displaying exceptional sincerity.
Huangfu Yuchen found it amusing, and a faint smile glimmered in his eyes, but his tone remained cold, “I provide the personnel, and you get four portions without doing anything?”
“You are mistaken, Your Majesty,” Yan Ge replied solemnly, “Creating the recipes also requires great effort.”
Huangfu Yuchen asked calmly, “But didn’t you produce over a hundred recipes effortlessly?”
Yan Ge had anticipated this question and was prepared. Without changing his expression, he promptly knelt down solidly and said, “To answer Your Majesty, it is…”
However, Huangfu Yuchen interrupted him, saying, “Eight portions for me, two for you. Otherwise, let’s not discuss it. I cannot personally undertake this matter, so I will delegate it to someone else. At that time, two portions will be allocated from my share and given to him.”
Huangfu Yuchen didn’t allow Yan Ge to explain further, which made Yan Ge feel somewhat uneasy. He could sense that this man was unfathomable, and he needed to be extremely cautious when dealing with him. However, for some reason, this sense of crisis ignited his blood and excitement surged within him, like encountering a worthy opponent in a game of chess. Therefore, he quickly pushed aside his unease and regained his composure.
He calculated in his mind that if everything went smoothly, opening two more branches in the capital alone could earn him 360,000 taels in a year. If he received a 20% share, it would be over 70,000 taels, not to mention that there would definitely be more than two Liuxian Pavilion branches nationwide.
He readily agreed, but on the surface, he had to show a hint of reluctance. He couldn’t let Huangfu Yuchen think he was easy to manipulate, otherwise, Huangfu Yuchen would surely exert more pressure on him.
He once again expressed his gratitude and stood up.
Huangfu Yuchen shook his head slightly and said, “No need to kneel every time you see me. You’ve knelt four or five times in such a short period. Aren’t you tired? I feel tired for you.”
Yan Ge immediately stood up and replied with a loud voice, “Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!”
Though Huangfu Yuchen didn’t smile on his face, the curvature of his lips and eyebrows seemed to carry a smile. HH suddenly felt that he had been deceived, so he stared intently into Yan Ge’s eyes but found only innocence.
Yan Ge pretended to be oblivious. He firmly refused to admit that it was a deliberate calculation. What could Huangfu Yuchen do to him anyway? He certainly couldn’t force him to confess.
“Your Majesty, may I borrow the writing materials?”
Huangfu Yuchen didn’t object, so Yan Ge assumed his consent. He walked to the edge of the desk, picked up the brush, and swiftly wrote a few lines, then handed it to Huangfu Yuchen. “Your Majesty, please stamp on it.”
Huangfu Yuchen glanced at it and saw the detailed date and agreement reached with the Emperor, stating that 80% of Liuxian Pavilion’s income would be donated to the national treasury. Implicitly, this meant that the 80% profit sharing had to be accounted for within the 200,000 taels they had agreed upon yesterday.
A barely noticeable twitch appeared on Huangfu Yuchen’s forehead. He cast a sidelong glance at Yan Ge and spoke in a deep voice, “Do you think I would covet this 80% silver?”
Yan Ge replied sincerely, “Absolutely not. It’s just for the convenience of bookkeeping.”
Huangfu Yuchen stared at him for a long time, his gaze inscrutable. Eventually, he took the seal and stamped it on the document.
Deng Mande looked at Yan Ge with shining eyes and silently reminded himself to establish a good relationship with this man. He was undoubtedly the most favored figure in the palace!
“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Yan Ge quickly blew the seal dry and carefully folded the paper before tucking it into his sleeve and putting it the system backpack.
Feeling that he had been somewhat on the losing end tonight, Huangfu Yuchen shifted his thoughts and asked in a dignified manner, “How is the matter with the new pen progressing?”
Adoro o Yan ge ❤️