Grand Marshal Luo nearly choked to death on those words.

Why had he come?

It was almost mealtime—of course he’d come!

Grand Marshal Luo decided to pretend he hadn’t heard that question and craned his neck to ask, “Sheng’er, what are you doing?”

“Boiling sour broth.”

“What are you boiling sour broth for?” Grand Marshal Luo unobtrusively squeezed Sheng Sanlang aside and moved closer.

He’d observed that this Third Lang fellow ate the most—better to push this kid to the outside first.

“Xiu Gu is making fish head in sour broth.” As Luo Sheng spoke, she stirred the bubbling broth with a long-handled wooden ladle, then took a large-bellied bottle from Hong Dou’s hands and poured more liquid into the pot.

“What’s this now?” Grand Marshal Luo asked curiously.

He suddenly noticed the sour aroma had become even richer and more complex.

“Water infused with wild mountain peppers.”

Watching the bubbles gurgling in the pot, Grand Marshal Luo unconsciously swallowed. “This broth you’re preparing must be both sour and spicy—Qing’er and the others can’t eat it, can they?”

“We can eat it!” Luo Yue quickly interjected.

Grand Marshal Luo froze, looking toward the two concubine-born daughters standing side by side.

Luo Qing’s face reddened slightly as she also said, “We can eat it.”

Grand Marshal Luo: “…”

Luo Sheng said flatly, “In this weather, traveling is still somewhat hot. Eating something sour and spicy whets the appetite and relieves fatigue.”

“Sheng’er speaks reasonably.” Only then did Grand Marshal Luo look toward Xiu Yue, who was working with her head down.

Xiu Yue also had a pot before her, but it was covered with a lid, concealing what was being braised inside.

Just then, Xiu Yue used a white cloth to cushion her hand as she removed the lid.

A fragrant aroma shot straight into everyone’s nostrils.

In the pot lay two fish heads cut in half, with emerald green scallion segments floating on the broth’s surface.

Xiu Yue used a slotted spoon to remove the fish heads and immersed them in cool water. Once the fish heads had cooled completely, she began removing the bones with skilled, efficient movements. Before long, she had extracted all the bones and placed the intact fish brains into the pot of sour broth to simmer.

Grand Marshal Luo’s expression changed. “Where did the fish come from?”

Ever since learning that Sheng’er would be bringing the head chef from Youjian Tavern to the autumn hunt, he’d known food and drink wouldn’t be a concern during their month or so in North River.

But he never imagined they could eat so well even while traveling.

Look at the people accompanying them—ordinarily they all ate fine foods and wore silk, yet when traveling which of them didn’t eat from the large communal pots? At most, some ladies brought along easily preserved pastries to fill their stomachs.

“Uncle, Xiao Qi and I caught them in the river while the procession was making camp.” Saying this, lest his uncle misunderstand them as too gluttonous, Sheng Sanlang hurriedly explained, “I only meant to wash my face, but unexpectedly a very large, fat fish swam past. I thought it would be a waste not to eat such a fat fish, so I—”

Grand Marshal Luo clapped Sheng Sanlang heavily on the shoulder and praised him. “Third Lang, you’re truly a good child!”

“There’s also Xiao Qi—Xiao Qi also caught a very large fish.” Sheng Sanlang pointed at Xiao Qi.

Grand Marshal Luo glanced at the dark-faced youth and nodded approvingly. “Xiao Qi is also a good child.”

The previously nervous Xiao Qi quietly breathed a sigh of relief and revealed a broad smile.

Everyone said the Commander of the  Jinlin Guards was especially terrifying, eating people without blinking, but unexpectedly Grand Marshal Luo was quite amiable.

Luo Chen pressed his lips together and asked Xiu Yue coldly, “Xiu Gu, when will it be ready?”

Xiu Gu was good, but unfortunately she had brought along a nephew.

“Soon.” Xiu Yue was taciturn before outsiders. She glanced at the bubbling sour broth, then took a blue and white porcelain bowl and placed the fish slices from inside into the pot.

The fish slices were so thin that when lifted with long chopsticks, light could nearly pass through them.

Grand Marshal Luo’s eyes went straight.

Such thin fish slices—how thoroughly they must absorb the flavors!

Luo Sheng said, “Originally we were only eating the fish heads, and the fish body and tail could be put to other uses, but being away from home isn’t very convenient, so we must make do.”

“Not making do, not making do at all.” Grand Marshal Luo watched as Xiu Yue used the slotted spoon to remove the snow-white fish slices, unconsciously moving his lips.

On a long table temporarily brought out, a row of several blue and white bowls was arranged.

A spoonful of fish slices was placed in each bowl, then a ladle of sour broth—creating bowls of richly appetizing fish slices in sour broth.

“It’s ready to eat.”

As soon as Luo Sheng spoke, everyone looked eager to try it.

Grand Marshal Luo coughed heavily.

Sheng Sanlang, who had already picked up a bowl, quickly handed it over. “Uncle, you eat.”

Grand Marshal Luo reached out to take it, only then eating with satisfaction.

Everyone received a bowl of fish slices in sour broth and quickly ate down to the bottom, all looking expectantly at Luo Sheng.

“Ahem, Sheng’er, just one bowl of fish slice soup isn’t quite enough.” Grand Marshal Luo tactfully reminded her.

More than not enough—he could eat a whole pot.

Luo Sheng smiled. “This pot of fish head in sour broth is mainly for eating with noodles.”

“Noodles?” Grand Marshal Luo’s eyes lit up.

Noodles were good—noodles were filling.

Grand Marshal Luo swept his gaze around and only then noticed a large shallow basket beside Xiu Yue, with noodles of uniform width spread flat inside.

That bowl of fish slices in sour broth just now had done nothing to fill the stomach—its only use was to greatly awaken the appetite.

Just thinking about eating a steaming bowl of these noodles cooked in that delicious sour and spicy fish broth made Grand Marshal Luo so delighted he wanted to hum a tune.

He had brought Sheng’er to the autumn hunt, and Sheng’er had brought the head chef.

Such days were even more carefree than those of immortals.

While things were lively here, some eating from the large communal pots nearby couldn’t bear it anymore.

“What is Grand Marshal Luo and his group eating?” A noble caught the faint drifting fragrance and suddenly found the steamed bun he was chewing difficult to swallow.

“Seems like they boiled a pot of fish head in sour broth to eat with noodles. I just heard it while walking past there.”

“Fish head in sour broth?”

“Yes, I even saw it. The pot was bubbling with fish heads, scallion segments, and red chili peppers—incredibly fragrant.”

“Tsk—it must be made by the head chef from Youjian Tavern, right?”

“Of course. I heard long ago that Youjian Tavern had closed because Miss Luo wanted to bring the head chef for the autumn hunt.”

“Tsk tsk, Miss Luo is truly willful.”

That person sighed. “Being willful is good—otherwise where would we get fish head noodles in sour broth to eat?”

The two exchanged glances, for the first time feeling a trace of envy that Grand Marshal Luo had such a willful daughter.

The fragrance drifted farther and farther, and more and more people lost their appetite.

This was too excessive—what grudge, what enmity did Grand Marshal Luo have with them, that he indulged his daughter in bringing a head chef to the autumn hunt!

Amid resentment almost solidifying into substance, Wei Han walked over with Shi Yan.

Hong Dou, who was holding a bowl eating noodles, stared wide-eyed and tugged at Luo Sheng’s sleeve. “Miss, wasn’t Shi San Huo left at home to take care of Da Bai? When did he follow along!”

Shi San Huo was hiding deep—she hadn’t noticed him all this time.

Looking at the approaching man, Luo Sheng said flatly, “That’s not Shi Yan.”

“Then who is it?” Hong Dou looked completely baffled.

“Shi Yan’s younger brother, Shi Yi.”

“Younger brother?” Hong Dou pointed at the young man who looked exactly like Shi Yan, nearly dropping her jaw in shock.

Wei Han slightly shifted his body to let the little maidservant point at the right person, then strode before Luo Sheng.

“Does Your Highness have business?”

“I wanted to ask Miss Luo—is the tavern open for business?”