The Princess Wei Yang

ade? That the taste is this unique.”
 Li Wei Yang finally opened her mouth to speak.
Her voice was slow yet steadfast: “These dishes from Dajie, are all vegetarian, right?”
 Li Chang Le couldn’t believe that the first person to guess correctly was Li Wei Yang, who didn’t even taste the dishes.
She succumbed her astonishment and then slightly smiled and said: “San mei has a good eye, the dishes on this table, are actually all vegetarian.”
 Lao furen was still dubious and grabbed a few more slices and placed them into her mouth.
Without distinguishing the difference, she curiously asked: “I’ve eaten vegetarian dishes from all around the nation but I haven’t tasted this before, how was this made?”
 Li Chang Le smilingly said: “The days sun nv spent on the mountaintop, besides practicing abstinence from meat and chanting prayers, I idle away time aimlessly each day.
So after a while, I decided to learn how to prepare vegetarian meals from the cook.
The vegetarian dishes that Lao furen eats are inarguably prepared by an infamous chef, yet it might not be as legitimate compared to those prepared by the cook who resides deep in the mountains.
In actuality, the way these vegetarian dishes are prepared is very simple.
The main ingredients are wild vegetables, mushrooms, fungus, and various kinds of tofu, these simple things, as long as these are prepared well, not only will we save money but the meals would be vibrant and appetizing. “These dishes were all prepared by you?” Lao furen glanced at the dishes on the table and only felt incredible.
Li Chang Le had always boasted her nobility and never stained her hands with work.
Making a bowl of soup once in a while in the kitchen was good enough but she actually prepared a table of vegetarian dishes, which made everyone couldn’t believe their eyes.
Perhaps she was really a changed person, she wanted to start anew?
 “All were prepared by sun nv but without the guidance of the temple’s Miao Xin Shifu, sun nv wouldn’t have been able to prepare such local vegetarian dishes.” Li Chang Le was very humble and her attitude was harmonious.
 

Li Chang Xiao couldn’t hold back her curiosity, she clamped a piece of chicken leg and gave it a try.
She then revealed a shocked expression: “Dajie, how did you make this chicken leg? How does it still have bones?”
 Li Chang Le warmly smiled: “Si mei, take a careful look at this chicken bone, what is it exactly?”
 After tasting it for a while, Li Chang Xiao ultimately shook her hand.
Li Chang Le comfortably said: “I’ve boiled the winter bamboo shoots in the water, then scooped them out and cut them into pieces to imitate the bones of a chicken.
After, I add the pieces of bamboo into the middle of the tofus, wrapped them up to create various sizes of chicken legs.
I fried them in a pot of oil until they are golden, so don’t they look exactly like chicken legs?”
 Others continued to sample and then naturally gasped in admiration.
The people all have eaten vegetarian dishes before but they have never tasted such refreshing ones.
Even the best monk in An Guo Temple couldn’t prepare such a delicious meal. Li Xiao Ran showed a rare smile: “If you had calmed your temperament, you wouldn’t have —“ Amidst his words, he gently sighed and said: “Since you’ve return, we will let the past be forgotten and you should serve Lao furen well.”
 A modest smile appeared on Li Chang Le’s face: “Yes.”
 Li Min De’s brows unconsciously tensed up, this Li Chang Le was entirely different from before.
Whether it was her manner of speech or behavior, she was even more beautiful, noble, and gentle than before.
If Li Chang Le was described as a beautiful, fragranced peony, this arrogant peony had transitioned into a luring and sophisticated orchid.
And especially the type that carried a sense of gentleness and a delicate yet weak expression, making everyone not have the heart to reject her.
 Li Wei Yang smiled gently, usual vegetarian dishes often used vegetarian chicken, duck, and fish cooked in vegetarian oil to imitate the shape of the chicken, duck, and fish.
It was very difficult to imitate the taste, it may look like a meat dish but the taste was actually a vegetarian dish so some might think it’s not delicious.
But this table of dishes was elaborately prepared by Li Chang Le. 
 Er furen forced a smile: “Da Xiaojie, don’t hide away those talented cooking skills, you should guide your Er mei more!”
 Li Chang Ru’s smile was stiff and then she heard Li Chang Le warmly said: “If Er mei is willing to learn, then I will certainly advise her.”
 Li Wei Yang actually shook her head and said: “No matter how much you learn Er jie, I’m afraid you wouldn’t learn how to.”
 Li Chang Ru clenched her brows: “What is the meaning behind your words?! Am I not as smart as Da jie?”
 Li Wei Yang’s smile created a sense of discomfort: “Er jie, you’ve misunderstood, Wei Yang’s meaning is even if Da jie taught you how to prepare these dishes, the taste wouldn’t be the same.”
 Li Chang Ru completely didn’t understand and her face showed confusion.
 Li Wei Yang smilingly picked up a piece of tofu, she said: “Let’s talk about this dish, it looks ordinary but in actuality, it requires ten and more wild chicken for the soup base.
Think about it, how could the value of these be compared to those ordinary vegetarian dishes? I’m afraid one dish cost about one or two silvers and this is the cheapest amongst all the dishes.
Other dishes look ordinary but with further observation, it is a waste, so how would Er Jiejie be able to prepare these?”
 After those words were out, Li Xiao Ran’s expression sank and Lao furen revealed an incredulous expression.
 Li Chang Le’s heart was cold yet showed a well-measured smile: “San jie has a good eye.”
 Li Wei Yang’s expression was very calm like the sun reflected in the lake: “Da jie is flattering me.
In actuality, your dishes look like vegetarian dishes but different types of delicacies have been used to create the essence of the soup.
Once this is added to the vegetarian dishes, then the vegetables couldn’t be tasted at all and instead taste like bear paws and abalones.
But for a table of dishes to cost a hundred or two silvers, then it is too wasteful.”

 Li Chang Le’s facial expression didn’t change, she glaringly said: “San mei is exaggerating, it’s merely a hundred or two silvers.
From the Li family’s fortune, why should we be so petty? As long as we are wholeheartedly doing it for zumu, it’s worth it to spend even more money.
If you hate to part with your money, then I am willing to finance the ingredients used to prepare the dishes for each of her meals.”  Thus, if Li Wei Yang continued to speak on, then she is disapproving the idea of expensing for Lao furen, then it would be impiety. 
 Li Wei Yang revealed an anxious expression: “Dajie had completely misunderstood Wei Yang’s intentions.
The Li family now can, of course, bear the expenses but I am speaking for the Li family’s fortune in the long-run.
If I’ve ruined Lao furen and fuqin’s mood, then please forgive me.”
 Li Xiao Ran frowned: “Wei Yang, what are you trying to say?”
 Li Wei Yang slowly spoke: “Fuqin, the Emperor had once said, out of all the officials, you are the most upright.
Ever since you were promoted in De Zhou, you only owned three pieces of winter garments, you were served meals no more than five, and you only had four to five small yuanzis in your residence.
Such simplicity, who wouldn’t praise your honesty and uprightness! Now that fuqin is the prime minister, the family’s condition changed and now to fulfill our duty towards Lao furen, spending more is natural, but —“ As she spoke, she gave Li Chang Le a glance and continued: “If we let the people in the capital know that a meal in the Li family cost a hundred to two silvers, what will they say about fuqin?”
 Li Xiao Ran was stupefied and then his expression began to change for the worse.
He looked at the table of dishes and then clenched his brows.
 In the end, Li Wei Yang’s pair of eyes flashed and she said: “Thinking of this being spread around, they will call fuqin a hypocrite, pretending to be upright, my heart would feel awful.
To protect fuqin’s upright reputation, integrity, and fame, it’s better to not consider these sweet desires and allow Lao furen to indulge in a lifetime of honor is the most important!”
 Li Wei Yang’s intentions were obvious.
If an outsider found out that a meal in the Li family cost about a hundred silvers, it would cause an uproar.
As long as Li Xiao Ran is in the position of prime minister, Lao furen will live through good days.
If they ruined their reputation because of these extravagant meals, the gains cannot cover the losses and they would even become a laughingstock amongst the world! 
 Lao furen, of course, understood Li Wei Yang’s meaning well.
Even though she knew Li Wei Yang and Li Chang Le were at odds, but every word that Li Wei Yang spoke was for the Li family so Lao furen became hesitant.
 A trace of watered chill slowly flashed across Li Chang Le’s eyes: “Perhaps San mei is overthinking it, it’s simply a table of dishes.”
 Li Wei Yang sighed and said: “The Empress Dowager’s vegetarian banquet was merely eighty silvers.”
 Lao furen suddenly became oblivious, she frowned as she looked at the dishes on the table: “Take them all away, I can’t accept such expenditures.”
 The Da Li’s Empress Dowager only spent eighty silvers on a vegetarian banquet.
The meal of a first-ranked official furen was actually much more extravagant than the Empress Dowager’s, it was like taking the lead to commit a crime!
 Li Chang Le’s face revealed absolute regret and immediately said: “Lao furen, it’s all sun nv’s fault.”
 Lao furen coldly watched her and was about to speak when Li Xiao Ran sighed and said: “Forget it, she had good intentions.”
 Li Chang Le’s eyes were filled with tears and looked at Lao furen with anticipation, Lao furen calmly spoke: “So be it, in the future, let’s not have those wasteful dishes appear on our table.”
 Li Chang Le quickly voiced: “Yes.”
 Li Wei Yang smiled slightly, if it was another person, they would not have the financial resources to host such a banquet.
But Li Chang Le is different, Da furen had already furtively sent all of Li family’s most expensive valuables to her own room.
To host a banquet like this for an entire year or more was not a difficult matter but to actually invite the real vegetarian master to teach her, she didn’t have enough face.
She was just saying how Miaoxin Dashi of the temple taught her how to prepare these, but she was merely speaking rubbish.
She was sent to reflect and Lao furen deliberately chose the oldest and poorest temple, it was impossible that there would be such a monk.
However, Li Wei Yang didn’t want to expose her because then Li Xiao Ran wouldn’t be able to back down with grace.
 

In the end, Li Chang Le was able to return completely because of Li Xiao Ran’s decision.