Wei Wen ultimately couldn’t resist Zhu Hanshuang’s persuasion and nodded in agreement.

Zhu Hanshuang said: “When you have no appetite, that’s exactly when you should go try it. If it tastes good, you can even bring some back for the Imperial Concubine.”

It was precisely this statement that moved Wei Wen.

After Wei Wen nodded, Zhu Hanshuang slightly lifted the corners of her lips.

She definitely had to go to Youjian Tavern, and going with the Princess was of course more convenient than going alone.

She was after all a noble lady of a distinguished family—running to a tavern alone to eat would be somewhat conspicuous. What if it left Prince Kaiyang with an impression of frivolity?

If she went with a handkerchief friend of even higher status than herself, it would be different.

Moreover, she’d heard that quite a few noble ladies had already gone together in groups.

The two arrived at Qingxing Street and stopped outside a tavern that looked quite ordinary.

“This is Youjian Tavern?” Wei Wen looked at the customers coming and going, momentarily somewhat shocked.

With her discerning eye, she could naturally tell these people were either wealthy or noble, and even recognized several familiar faces.

“Oh my, aren’t those the two granddaughters of Vice Minister Wang of the Court of Imperial Stud? They’re actually here too.” Zhu Hanshuang spoke blandly, her attitude even more casual.

The Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud was merely a fourth-rank official—in the capital, he truly didn’t rank. In the eyes of a noble lady like Zhu Hanshuang, his family’s daughters naturally didn’t count for much.

Only at the rare gatherings did both sides have any interaction.

“Let’s go in first.” Seeing people coming and going, Wei Wen said softly.

As the two reached the entrance, they were stopped by Hong Dou.

“My apologies, honored guests, but our tavern has already distributed all of today’s tokens.”

“Tokens?” Zhu Hanshuang was stunned to hear this.

Though Hong Dou disliked Zhu Hanshuang in her heart, after serving as staff for so long she could still maintain composure on the surface. She explained: “Our tavern only receives ten tables of guests in the evening. Any more will have to wait until tomorrow.”

This was a new rule their miss had established after they’d fought desperately to present their case!

If too many rice buckets came, what would they hardworking staff eat?

Meanwhile, the plainly dressed young woman by the counter noticed the commotion at the entrance and glanced over.

Seeing it was Wei Wen, Luo Sheng’s heart stirred.

After waiting so long, the big fish hadn’t come, but a small fry arriving first wasn’t bad either.

Once the daughter had eaten, could she worry that the father wouldn’t come eat?

As for the evening market only receiving ten tables of customers, it naturally wasn’t established because Hong Dou and the others had made a fuss, but rather something she’d planned all along.

She had opened this tavern not to make money, but to kill people.

So from the start she’d set high prices, directly limiting customers to the range of wealthy and noble, and even these people couldn’t afford to come eat all the time.

There were countless wealthy and noble people in the capital—she wasn’t washing her hands and making soup to serve them every day.

People like Minister Zhao, after their initial fervor, had been calmed by their purses and hadn’t come these past few days.

However, the tavern’s reputation had already spread, so there was no worry about new customers arriving.

People regard food as heaven—this could never go wrong.

Observing these past days, limiting it to ten tables was just right.

Sometimes ten tables weren’t filled in one evening, and there were also times like today when people came away empty-handed.

Zhu Hanshuang had already glimpsed that crimson-robed figure sitting alone in the corner of the main hall. How could she be willing to leave just like this? Her expression immediately darkened slightly: “Limited to ten tables? I’ve never heard of a tavern distributing tokens.”

“I’m sorry, that’s how our tavern operates.” Hong Dou explained with a stiff face. “The tavern is small—the main hall can only seat six tables, and there’s only one table in the private room. Once it’s full, those who come later have to wait for the earlier guests to finish eating. By the time the second wave of customers finishes their meal, it’s exactly when the tavern closes.”

After seeing off these rice buckets, they could finally eat properly.

At this moment, Kou’er curtsied to the two young ladies: “The two honored guests may enter now.”

Seeing the two Miss Wangs stand up, Zhu Hanshuang couldn’t help but call out: “Wait a moment.”

The two young women looked over and hurriedly curtsied in greeting to Wei Wen.

One of them politely asked Zhu Hanshuang: “Does Miss Zhu need us for something?”

Zhu Hanshuang smiled reservedly: “The Princess and I arrived late, I wonder—”

The corner of her eye fell on that crimson-robed figure. She had originally wanted to ask if they could give up their token, but changed her mind at the last moment: “I wonder if we could share a table?”

If she took their token, it would inevitably seem domineering in his eyes.

What could the two Miss Wangs say? Naturally they dared not hesitate and agreed.

The four of them happened to fill one square table.

After hearing Kou’er recite the menu names and prices, Zhu Hanshuang suppressed her shock and asked Wei Wen: “What would the Princess like to eat? I’m treating today.”

She had heard this tavern was outrageously expensive, but she never imagined it would be this expensive.

“Just a plate of sauced duck tongue, a dish of shredded cucumber, and a bowl of plain noodles.” Wei Wen truly had little appetite these days. With the fragrance of the food and drink in the main hall stimulating her, she casually ordered a few light dishes.

“Add a portion of braised beef, a plate of crystal pork, and an order of Spanish mackerel dumplings.” Zhu Hanshuang smiled at the two young women. “What would you two like?”

The slightly older young woman hurriedly said: “Miss Zhu needn’t trouble herself over us.”

Zhu Hanshuang breathed a huge sigh of relief, her face still calm and breezy: “Eating at the same table, should we really split the bill? Whatever you Miss Wangs want to eat, just order it—put it all on Duke Anguo’s estate account.”

The two young women persisted in refusing.

Zhu Hanshuang silently thought them quite sensible and found the two somewhat more agreeable.

“Then please help yourselves, Miss Wangs.”

The two young women were obviously relieved. The slightly older one said to Kou’er: “Two bowls of plain noodles and a dish of shredded cucumber will be enough.”

Plain noodles were five taels of silver per bowl, shredded cucumber three taels per dish—even this would cost over ten taels of silver, which for them was no small sum.

Their sisters’ monthly allowance was only two taels, which already included social exchanges with other young ladies and such matters.

The elder Miss Wang looked at her younger sister, her expression gentle.

Everyone said Youjian Tavern’s food was extremely delicious—she wanted to treat her sister to a taste.

It was just a pity her purse was so light that they could only eat a bowl of plain noodles.

If the taste truly was as good as the rumors said, after the new year when she had more money on hand, she would treat her sister to eat here again, and then they would also eat braised beef and crystal pork.

Kou’er noted it down and smiled sweetly at Zhu Hanshuang: “Would the honored guest like to try the orange wine? This is exclusively brewed by our tavern—clear and bright, excellent on the palate, completely different from ordinary orange wine.”

“Then bring a pot of orange wine.” Zhu Hanshuang’s heart bled, her face indifferent.

“Right away, please wait a moment, everyone.”

While Kou’er was attending to this table of guests, the plainly dressed young woman who had been sitting by the counter was nowhere to be seen.

“Xiu Gu, I’ll make a small dish.” Luo Sheng, who had appeared in the back kitchen at some point, spoke up.

Xiu Yue stepped aside and asked casually: “What does Miss intend to make?”

“Amber winter melon.”

Xiu Yue’s eyes contracted.

Amber winter melon?

There were several ways to prepare winter melon that could all be called amber winter melon, but in her heart, there was only one true amber winter melon.

The chef who had originally taught the Princess to make this dish had said that in all of the southern regions, no more than three people knew this preparation method—one was her master, one was her senior brother, and the third was herself.

“Is Miss preparing tomorrow’s new dish?”

True amber winter melon required at least four hours to complete.

“No, I’ll serve it shortly to one table of guests, so I’ll need to use a shortcut method. Though the flavor will be somewhat inferior, it will still be palatable.”

Xiu Yue’s heart trembled violently.