Eliminate prejudice?

That didn’t exist.

As long as Prince Kaiyang’s surname was Wei, in Luo Sheng’s mind he belonged to the category of people deserving of contempt.

Luo Sheng’s expression was indifferent as she sat by the counter.

Even Shi Yan felt his master was somewhat pitiful and comforted him: “The braised beef and sauced duck tongue are also especially delicious.”

Wei Han lowered his eyes, expressionless as he waited for his dishes.

He naturally knew the braised beef and sauced duck tongue were also delicious, but the complimentary dishes were delicious too.

Wei Han coolly glanced at Lin Shu.

A seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth, frail and slender—the type one could poke to death with a single finger.

He had no idea how this one had gained Miss Luo’s favor.

Wei Han meant nothing else by it—he was simply puzzled.

Lin Shu didn’t see it that way.

He only felt a cold wind blowing from the adjacent table, like a bone-scraping blade, making him uneasy in his seat.

Affected by this, Lin Shu’s movements slowed by a step, and the just-served sauced duck tongue was snatched up first by his cousin.

As the sauced duck tongue entered his mouth, cracks appeared in Lin Teng’s serious expression.

He had never tasted sauced duck tongue with such rich flavor!

Chancellor Lin even asked aloud, “How is this sauced duck tongue made? It’s completely different from what we usually eat.”

People in the capital enjoyed drinking a few cups in their leisure time, with typical drinking snacks being: braised beef, pig’s head meat, pig’s tail, duck neck, and so on.

Sauced duck tongue was one of them.

But the sauced duck tongue eaten before was nothing more than salty—those who could eat spice added a bit of heat, those who preferred sweet added rock sugar during braising.

But the sauced duck tongue Chancellor Lin tasted now was completely different.

Tender yet chewy, savory yet threaded with hints of sweet and sour.

This sweet and sour wasn’t the monotonous taste of added sugar and vinegar, but an indescribably mellow and enticing flavor.

Kou’er smiled and said, “Of course it’s different—our tavern’s sauced duck tongue is braised together with black garlic and preserved plums…”

Listening to Kou’er’s endless chatter, Chancellor Lin couldn’t help but remind her, “Isn’t it bad to reveal the shop’s secret recipe?”

Kou’er froze, then her smile grew sweeter. “It’s fine! So what if others know it’s braised with black garlic and preserved plums? Do they know how to pickle black garlic and preserved plums to make them tasty? Do they know how much black garlic and preserved plums to add to braise the duck tongue just right? Do they know—”

Lin Teng coughed. “Grandfather, there’s only one duck tongue left…”

Chancellor Lin looked down to see only one lonely duck tongue and two cloves of black garlic remaining on the plate.

“Two scoundrels!” Chancellor Lin’s beard bristled as he glared at his two grandsons.

Lin Teng and Lin Shu said nothing, their chopsticks never stopping.

What a great injustice—though they had eaten several, the one who ate the most was clearly Minister Zhao.

Besides, who told grandfather to just listen to the server talk?

Chancellor Lin also realized who at this table had eaten the most, immediately casting a sidelong glance at Minister Zhao and coughing sharply. “Minister Zhao.”

Minister Zhao hastily picked up a slice of braised beef and swallowed it before bothering to ask, “What is it?”

Chancellor Lin maintained a stern face. “At our age, we should chew slowly and carefully, otherwise it’s bad for the stomach.”

Minister Zhao laughed heartily. “Yesterday I ate two roast pig’s heads in one breath and had no problems at all. But Chancellor Lin should still be careful—after all, you’re older than me…”

Chancellor Lin’s beard trembled as he picked up the last duck tongue and stuffed it in his mouth.

Forget it—he was only one year older than this old glutton!

If this glutton could eat two roast pig’s heads, couldn’t he eat ten plates of sauced duck tongue?

After devouring the meal like a whirlwind, the table of people sat paralyzed and motionless.

“This is when we should have a cup of tea to cut the grease and aid digestion.” Minister Zhao held his belly with a trace of regret.

Chancellor Lin, having regained his reason after eating his fill, heard this and wanted nothing more than to spit his dentures in Minister Zhao’s face.

Cut the grease and aid digestion? He wanted to digest and continue eating, didn’t he? Had he considered the feelings of the one hosting?

Thinking that his dentures were made of ivory, the old chancellor couldn’t bear to spit them out and rubbed his belly without speaking.

Kou’er held the bill and read it out: “Twenty plates of braised beef, one plate of sauced duck tongue, fifteen pots of liquor, ten bowls of plain noodles. The total comes to nine hundred and thirty taels of silver.”

Chancellor Lin’s gaze went vacant as he looked blankly at his two grandsons.

Lin Teng and Lin Shu kept their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts, striving to minimize their presence.

If not for repeatedly sensing grandfather’s murderous aura, they could have eaten another twenty plates of braised beef.

Unable to eat braised beef freely, they had no choice but to eat plain noodles—but by the end, they didn’t even dare eat the plain noodles.

Chancellor Lin looked again at Minister Zhao.

Minister Zhao sat steady as a mountain, not saying a word.

Even if beaten to death, he wouldn’t politely offer to pay.

One thousand taels for a meal—his wife would kill him.

“Nine hundred and thirty taels?” Chancellor Lin exhaled a breath of stale air, slowly confirming.

He felt he hadn’t eaten much, and had even repeatedly signaled his two glutton grandsons to stop—how had they consumed over nine hundred taels?

Kou’er nodded with a smile. “That’s right, nine hundred and thirty taels, but—”

The young maid’s gaze fell on Lin Shu as she spoke the rest: “Our owner said that with Second Young Master Lin present, it can be half price.”

“Half price?” Chancellor Lin felt his old heart resume normal beating.

“The honored guest only needs to pay four hundred and sixty-five taels of silver. Will you settle now or keep a tab?”

Amid this tremendous surprise, Chancellor Lin forgot to even ask about the strange rule of why having his second grandson present meant half price, and said through gritted teeth, “Keep a tab!”

Over four hundred taels was still no small sum, but with a bill of one thousand taels coming first, he suddenly felt he’d gotten an enormous bargain.

“That—” Minister Zhao cleared his throat. “Pack me a portion of braised beef to go.”

Under Chancellor Lin’s murderous glare, Minister Zhao hastily explained, “I’ll pay directly.”

Chancellor Lin’s expression returned to calm.

He also wanted to be more generous, but one plate of braised beef was twenty taels!

Kou’er smiled sweetly. “Sorry, our tavern doesn’t do takeout.”

What?

Minister Zhao was stunned.

Then how would he fulfill his wife’s request?

“I’ve never heard of a tavern that doesn’t do takeout.” Minister Zhao struggled.

Lin Shu remained silent with complex feelings.

That day at home, Miss Luo had personally told him they could deliver.

Lin Teng also remained silent with complex feelings.

It seemed Miss Luo was determined to have his cousin.

What to do—should he bring his cousin along in the future or not?

Kou’er maintained her sweet smile. “I’m sorry, our tavern simply doesn’t sell takeout. Each tavern has its own rules—without some distinctive features, it won’t work. Don’t you agree, honored guest?”

Minister Zhao laughed dryly.

He only wanted to say this server really could talk!

Since there was no takeout, they could only leave.

After greeting Wei Han, the four departed the tavern.

After walking a good distance from the tavern, Chancellor Lin’s steps halted as he belatedly said, “Wait, the server just said with Second Young Master Lin present it could be half price. Shu’er, was she talking about you?”

Lin Shu looked helplessly at his cousin, his refined cheeks flushing red.

Having grandfather know Miss Luo had extended her clutches toward him was so embarrassing.

“Probably just an offhand remark.” Lin Teng covered for his cousin.

“Hmm?” Chancellor Lin glanced at his eldest grandson.

He knew that Miss Luo had visited their manor not long ago.

Feeling the authority of his grandfather, Lin Teng could only say, “That’s correct.”

“I see—” Chancellor Lin stroked his beard, struggling internally for a long while before making a painful decision. “Shu’er, from now on accompany grandfather to dine often.”