Chapter 367: Divine Cuisine: Braised Beef Noodles!

The next day, at dawn.

Zhu Yuanzhang had just finished the morning court when a eunuch staggered in, rolling and crawling, and knelt at the palace gate.

"Your Majesty! Something's happened at the Empress's Square!"

Zhu Yuanzhang set down his tea bowl and asked, "What is it?"

"A huge house has sprung up from the ground! It's larger than the pavilion in the Imperial Garden! It's built entirely of glass!"

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned.

Glass?

Who would be so extravagant as to use glass to roof a house?

He rose and walked toward the exit, casually calling the eunuch on duty at the gate:

"Go summon Empress Ma, the Crown Prince, Prince Yan, as well as Xu Da, Li Shanchang, and Liu Bowen, to the Empress's Square."

A quarter hour later, a circle of people stood on the Empress's Square.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood at the front, tilted his head back to stare at the house, his mouth slightly open.

The entire wall glimmered in the morning light, translucent like a frozen lake, allowing a vague view of its interior.

Empress Ma tugged his sleeve and said, "Zhongba, is this glass? Such a large piece?"

Zhu Yuanzhang said nothing.

He reached out and touched the wall; it was cool and smooth, his fingers sliding over it without any roughness.

Even the finest glass lanterns in the palace aren't this clear.

Zhu Biao stood behind him, his voice low, "Father, is this Immortal Master Gu's divine technique?"

"It should be,"

Zhu Yuanzhang withdrew his hand and said, "Don't touch it recklessly; wait for the Immortal Master to appear first."

Before the words finished, the door opened.

Gu Shanhe, dressed in a plain white shirt with his hair loosely tied, appeared at the doorway half-asleep, and upon seeing the circle of people outside, he paused, "So early?"

Zhu Yuanzhang cupped his hands and said, "Immortal Master Gu, your house..."

"Oh, it was moved out of a space last night."

Gu Shanhe stepped aside to clear the doorway, "Come in and have a look."

Zhu Yuanzhang hesitated for a second, then stepped inside.

Empress Ma followed, with Zhu Biao and Zhu Di right behind, and the generals Xu Da exchanged glances before also walking in.

The moment they entered the villa's living room, Zhu Yuanzhang's steps halted.

All four sides were glass walls.

Sunlight streamed in from outside, making the whole room bright, with no Candle and no oil lamp.

The floor was laid with dark red wood, soft yet firm underfoot, feeling oddly strange.

Gu Shanhe walked to the window, gave it a push, and the glass window slid open silently, letting the morning breeze rush in and ruffle the hair on his forehead.

Zhu Yuanzhang's pupils contracted briefly.

A window made of glass, can it be opened?

Zhu Di could no longer contain himself; he went to another window, mimicking Gu Shanhe's motion, gave it a push, and the window slid open.

He pushed again, and it slid open once more.

He looked up at Gu Shanhe, eyes shining, "Immortal Master, this window..."

"Glass. Not liuli."

Gu Shanhe said, "It's cheaper than liuli and sturdier."

Li Shanchang stood in the center of the living room, walked a circle, his gaze sweeping over the sofa, coffee table, and the LCD television hanging on the wall—though it was still off.

His eyes lingered on the TV screen, which was a dark, featureless black, revealing nothing.

Liu Bowen silently walked to the side of the sofa, pressed his hand onto the cushion, and his entire palm sank half an inch.

Startled, he withdrew his hand, glanced at his palm, then at the sofa, and said nothing.

"Why is everyone just standing?"

Gu Shanhe went to the kitchen, retrieved a box from the space—a bright red cardboard box printed with five characters, "Sit down."

Zhu Yuanzhang saw Gu Shanhe sit on the sofa and watched his whole body sink halfway in.

He tentatively sat down beside him, and his whole body also sank in.

"……"

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't move.

The sofa enveloped him—soft, springy, his waist and back fitting snugly, ten times more comfortable than the cushion on his dragon throne.

Empress Ma sat down beside him, also startled, "This is softer than our Arhat bed."

Zhu Biao sat down, bounced once, and a smile curled his lips.

Zhu Di plopped down in one motion, bounced twice, and grinned broadly.

Xu Da hesitated for a long while, found the widest single sofa, and sat down cautiously.

The cushion was too deep; he sank to the bottom, his legs kicking up.

Li Shanchang couldn't hold back and laughed.

Xu Da glared at him but didn't get up, because the sofa was indeed comfortable.

Li Shanchang chose a spot for himself, sat back against the backrest, squinting his eyes—comfortable, truly comfortable.

Liu Bowen finally took his seat, sitting upright, but when his back pressed against the cushion, the corner of his eyebrow twitched slightly.

Gu Shanhe emerged from the kitchen, holding a large cardboard box.

"There are too many people; we don't have time to stir‑fry. I'll cook instant noodles for you."

He opened the cardboard box, and inside were neatly stacked little square boxes.

He took out one box, tore off the paper lid, and found a dry noodle cake inside.

Then he walked to the kitchen counter, twisted the faucet, and water gushed out, streaming directly over the dry noodle cake without even using a water tank.

Zhu Yuanzhang and his family all stood up, staring at the water‑spouting thing.

"What is… this?"

Zhu Di leaned over to look, "No need to press a well, no water tank, just a twist and water comes out?"

Gu Shanhe placed a noodle cake in each bowl, sprinkled the seasoning packet, then snapped his fingers, and a burst of flame shot from his fingertips.

The flame flickered in his palm a few times, split into eight fine strands, and landed precisely in each bowl.

The water began to bubble, heat rose, and a strong aroma filled the entire living room.

Three minutes later, Gu Shanhe lifted a dozen or so bowls of instant noodles with spiritual force and placed them on the coffee table: "Try them."

Zhu Yuanzhang took a bowl, and a wave of heat hit his face; the scent rushed straight up his nose to his brain.

He looked down; the previously dry, hard noodle cake had softened, the curled noodles soaked in a red broth, with a few pieces of unidentified shredded meat floating on top.

Zhu Yuanzhang took the chopsticks Gu Shanhe handed over, clumsily pinched a bite of noodles, blew on it, and put it into his mouth.

The moment the noodles entered his mouth, Zhu Yuanzhang's movements halted.

The noodles were chewy and springy, the broth salty, fresh, slightly spicy, and the shredded meat burst with flavor when bitten.

He chewed twice, then twice more, then lowered his head and pinched another bite.

Empress Ma watched him from the side and asked, "Eight again?"

Zhu Yuanzhang swallowed the noodles, looked at Gu Shanhe, and said, "Immortal Master, what is this?"

Gu Shanhe, holding his own noodle bucket, sat aside and took a sip of broth: "Braised Beef Noodles."

"Braised Beef Noodles?"

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at the shredded meat in the broth and asked, "Is this beef?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for two seconds, then lowered his head, pinched a bite, and sucked it in greedily.

This time he chewed carefully, as if savoring a celestial delicacy.

Zhu Di on this side was already eating like a maniac.

He held the noodles, continuously shoveling them into his mouth, not caring that broth splashed onto his sleeve.

Next to him was Xu Da, who ate even faster, finishing a bowl in two or three bites, and looked up at Gu Shanhe: "Immortal Master, any more?"

Gu Shanhe took another bucket from the box and tossed it through the air toward them.

Xu Da caught it with one hand, steady and firm, tore off the lid and soaked it in one smooth motion.

Li Shan Chang and Liu Bo Wen ate more gracefully, yet neither was slow.

Li Shan Chang wielded his chopsticks with great steadiness, pinching a huge mouthful each time;

Liu Bo Wen rarely pinched meat, but after sipping the noodle broth twice, a hint of relaxation appeared between his brows.

Zhu Yuanzhang finished a bowl to the bottom, and the broth was completely drunk.

He set the empty bowl down, looked up at Zhu Biao, who was sipping the last mouthful of broth; noticing his father's gaze, Zhu Biao looked up and said, "Father?"

Zhu Yuanzhang said nothing, then stood up and walked to Gu Shanhe: "Immortal Master, these noodles… are they for deities?"

Gu Shanhe smiled, "Ordinary people eat them."

"In later generations every household can afford them; a bowl costs only a few wen of ancient currency."

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned.

A few wen per bowl.

Later generations can actually eat this?

He glanced back at the empty bowls on the coffee table and remained silent for a long while.

Then he said, "Our descendants are indeed more fortunate in food than we are."