Chapter 306: I Have Truly Opened My Eyes

"Why? I've already shown it to him."

"Aunt, you should know I'm his mother. Do you think our family status is now inferior to yours? Or that we're poorer than you?"

Mrs. Wang blushed after being pointed at, "Then… then I'll show Zihan first."

"Hmm, Zihan's marriage will be at Bichun Garden, right? Grandmother said once the marriage is certain, we should transfer the house to Zihan's name."

"Isn't the marriage supposed to be here?"

"He's not my son; for a marriage this big, how can it be held at someone else's house? There's no reason to leave our own house unused and hold the marriage elsewhere."

With just one sentence, Wang Frau was left in limbo; after the old lady learned of this, she sought out Wang Frau and gave her a melodramatic tirade.

The reason Mrs. Wang told Chuan'er about the marriage was because she feared he would pressure Zihan.

I really don't know what she was thinking—she's a pig‑headed fool. The Wang family still relies on Yuan Jiaqi, yet she has such selfish motives.

"Fine, then record it for me. Whatever I have praised, you write down, and later you go to Qiao Ji Small Food Shop to make a reservation."

"Our family can afford this; not to mention five hundred thousand, we can also afford a million."

April 26, on Qiao Fengyun's joyous day, everyone merrily brought the bride into the house.

"Whose fish aren't plump? Look closely; the water is so clear you could drink it, and there isn't a single bug inside."

Without Qiao Mai or Yuan Jiaqi stepping in, the old master and old lady looked around and nodded with satisfaction.

"Hmm."

Desperately begging like a dead beggar, he asked a minister for a seal but couldn't get it; suddenly he recalled that his son Li Longji's Yue family is the Wang family, and the Wang elders appear to reside in Jixiang Yuan, so he entrusted this heavy task to Li Longji.

"If you have silver, go ahead; I don't mind. When the time comes, I'll go over with your father."

Shun Prince kept it in mind, and Ba Da took a bite of the dish, "This dish isn't bad!"

"Ya ya, indeed it is."

"I must say my eyes have been opened; the ministers' homes are even better than my Imperial Palace."

The Old Emperor gave Shun Prince an order, letting him devise a way to obtain a request seal from the Qiao family, and he disguised himself as a relative of Shun Prince's family to attend the banquet together.

"Brother Emperor, the dishes can't be reserved."

He has not even a half‑cent relationship with Mrs. Wang; it's not entirely that he has none, after all, she's been handling the business these years.

"Hmm, if you didn't have Qiao Yatou's recipe, after earning money for so many years, would you still compare with her like this?"

It was then he realized even the tea tasted better than that in the palace, and he couldn't help but furrow his brows.

Mrs. Wang fell silent; originally Qiao Mai sold to the Wang family out of respect for the old master's face, hoping the old master would, in turn, take them in and teach them steadily.

"One person costs about five hundred thousand taels of silver."

"Indeed, we've been here half a day and haven't been bitten."

Mrs. Wang's complexion turned pale, "Father, I was wrong."

Moreover, this was a deal that Wang Jiaru favored, with the old master stepping in to finalize it.

Even the Emperor was stirred; normally he would go to Qiao Ji Small Food Shop for food and drink, and now that the Qiao family is holding a celebration, how could he not go see?

"I see, I didn't expect she had some tricks."

Returning to the table, the Old Emperor, exhausted, quickly took a few sips of tea.

"My younger brother also likes it; when ordering, add an extra portion."

The matter of reserving rare items was also settled after the new year by Qiao Mai and the shopkeeper Niu; anyone who wants rare items must place an order with shopkeeper Niu in advance.

No matter what, we must taste the Qiao family's wedding wine; we regretted missing it last year, so this year we must go. Not only to drink the wedding wine, but also to see Jixiang Yuan, which people have praised to the heavens; we won't be satisfied without a glance.

This really troubled Shun Prince; with his status, attending a first‑rank official's child's wedding is a bit of an elevation, but it's the Emperor's request, so he must obtain the seal.

"I think you're jealous!"

After being scolded by her mother‑in‑law, she would even cry; after her father‑in‑law said a few half‑hearted words, thoughts of suicide arose.

"Have you been to a fairyland?"

Hearing his daughter‑in‑law's heartless words, the old master spoke up; he rarely mentions his daughter‑in‑law, but this time he couldn't hold back.

"If it weren't for your father's face, could a few ten‑thousands of taels buy a formula with such huge profit?"

Having no choice, Li Longji brought a heavy gift and visited the old lady late at night, obtaining a request seal from her.

The garden was full of people, everything being said; accompanied by Shun Prince, the Old Emperor also took a general tour of the garden.

Feng'er, as the elder brother, helped his younger brother arrange the wedding; with last time's experience, this time the setup was faster and better.

"Fengyun, how much did the wedding cost?"

"Wow, their back garden is so beautiful, like a fairyland."

The family, with the Emperor in makeup, attended the Qiao family's wedding; the ceremony was truly lively, both unconventional and fresh.

She again gave prices based on the items in the order; excessive requests were ignored.

"Wow, look at their little animals, so cute and adorable."

"Finally, the much‑anticipated banquet began; the Old Emperor didn't bring Yu Bao, so Shun Prince became the taste‑tester, and their whole party occupied one table."

"Alright, brother!"

"One must not forget one's roots; these days I've seen the marriage matters you showed Chuan'er and Zihan, I have observed them, your little thoughts are clear to me and your mother; when Zihan's marriage is settled, there's no need for you to come here. Even if you go to Jingcheng, just go to Bichun Garden."

"The medicines for Zihan, can you as a mother afford to buy them?"

Where exactly did she go wrong? She only didn't want Chuan'er to pressure Zihan; she was doing it for the family's good, why?

"If you wish to try something new, I heard Qiao Ji Small Food Shop can take reservations in advance; if Mrs. Qiao can arrange it, she'll promise it, and if she can't, she'll explain clearly to the ordering party."

Marrying a daughter‑in‑law is something every family does, not particularly rare; they took advantage of various opportunities to wander around the Qiao family's garden.

"Yes!"

Everyone says she's wrong; Mrs. Wang truly can't understand.

"Did you notice? Their garden isn't humid, there are no mosquitoes."

"Look, the water is so clear and flowing, the fish are so big and fat, really beautiful."

Looking at the dishes whose names he couldn't recall, Old Emperor slurped a sip of Wine, "Wine is good!"

"Mother, that prescription our family bought with money."

When holding the celebration again, the civil and military officials no longer were like before; they all almost tangled with Yuan Jiaqi, shamelessly demanding invitation cards.

The Qiao Family had foreseen it early, and had the chef prepare fifty banquet tables.

Upon hearing that, Shun Prince said, "Your Majesty, why don't I speak with the matriarch of the Wang Family, ask what you like, and have them send it into the palace?"

One household sent two gifts, dividing their own people into two groups, one going to the Xiao Family, the other to the Qiao Family.

"I heard even taking a breath here is more comfortable than outside; do you feel it?"

April 25, Jixiang Yuan got busy, and both Fengyun brothers took leave.

"Yes, it's just more comfortable than outside."

"No need, then what difference is there between me and bandits or robbers?"

Madam Wang followed behind them, "Father, Mother, Zihan's marriage, also hold it like this Wang Jiaru's Wedding?"

"It would just be a bit prettier than an ordinary garden."

Also, take a look inside the minister's mansion to see how marvelous it truly is, and also glance at the person called Qiao Niang.

"The tea just now was quite good."

"I heard these exotic items were all brought in from overseas by Wang Laoyezi Yuan's wife."

But if he goes to the Qiao Family, who would still dare to eat and drink, so as not to affect the minister's family's marriage.

"None,"

"Buy her formula!"

"Oh!"

All the guests ate with sheer delight, tasting Wine they had never drunk before, drinks they had never tried, dishes they had never seen, and flavors that left them unforgettable for life.

No one pretended any longer, no one acted, shedding the cheeky pretense, there was only one word: "Eat!"

(End of Chapter)