OFTLHFRO C65

Chapter 65: Finding a Backer Tofu carp soup, coconut chicken, braised pork, spicy fish fillets, eggplant with pork, steamed duck with rice flour…

Luo Mingchen even made sure to leave two large bowls of carp soup and coconut chicken soup especially for the three siblings.

Their guests today were numerous, and all were burly men who looked like they could eat a great deal. Two huge pots of rice were cooked, along with baskets of steamed buns.

Although Luo Mingchen himself wasn’t bound by class notions, in this place, it was customary that masters and servants did not dine at the same table.

After confirming this, Luo Mingchen separately prepared a feast for the Ming household’s steward and bodyguards.

Seeing the dishes were identical to their master’s, the bodyguards fell silent.

The same food as their lords… Could they even eat this without consequence? Wouldn’t they be beaten alive for it?!

The head guard quickly approached his master and whispered, “Master, the food is the same as yours.”

The Third Young Master paused, then replied, “It’s fine.”

“Thank you, Master!”

Listening nearby, Luo Mingchen felt a pang in his heart. These men really were like tamed dogs.

But this was part of the era’s reality—difficult to change, and those powerful clans who benefited from it would never allow reform.

So, Luo Mingchen only glanced and said nothing.

The delicious food quickly brightened the mood of the Third Young Master and Master Ming. Both were genuinely surprised at how outstanding Luo Mingchen’s cooking was.

After they had eaten their fill, Master Ming finally remarked, “This tofu is indeed excellent.”

The Third Young Master nodded slightly. “It tastes much the same as what I had at the tavern.”

Such delicate, silky tofu… Outside of the palace, he had never tasted such perfection.

And though there were no exotic luxuries like shark fin, just a simple bowl of tofu and carp soup, it was wonderfully fresh and satisfying.

The Third Young Master even felt it tasted better than what he had eaten in the palace—it wasn’t greasy or overwhelming.

“Actually,” Luo Mingchen said casually, “if you went to Kangde Tavern, their tofu also comes from us.”

The Young Master understood at once. So that was why.

The strong richness of the tofu fish soup, combined with the sweet clarity of the coconut chicken broth, was unforgettable. The chicken was tender and delicious—another masterpiece.

The spicy fish slices were soft and slippery, going perfectly with rice—it was easy to eat two or three bites in a single mouthful.

Even the rice itself tasted better than the finest grade the Young Master had eaten before.

Altogether… it was astonishing.

The pair usually ate only until they were eighty percent full, but this time they uncharacteristically ate themselves completely full—so much that they even wanted to rest and then continue afterward.

Realizing how improper this thought was, the Third Young Master forced himself to set down his chopsticks.

“Sir, with talents like yours, not opening a restaurant is a waste.”

Luo Mingchen laughed lightly. “Running a milk tea shop is more relaxing.”

Opening a full restaurant meant preparing too many dishes, and Taohua Town already had enough inns and dining houses. If they went to the county, they’d have no backer and would easily be targeted by competitors.

Especially after the trouble with the fake constables, Luo Mingchen had fully learned the truth of “an innocent man gets into trouble when he holds treasure.” It was better to avoid standing out too much.

In taohua Town they were fine. But in the county, who knew what kind of trouble would come their way?

Hearing him mention milk tea, the Third Young Master made a mental note to try some later. Perhaps it really was as good as the rumors said.

Master Ming, meanwhile, was intrigued by the vegetable garden in the courtyard. “The dishes we just ate—were they grown right here?”

Luo Mingchen nodded. “Yes.”

Hearing his teacher’s words, the Young Master’s eyes lit up. He remembered how fresh and vibrant the vegetables looked. “Was that also with your ancestral powder?”

“That’s right.”

One lie required countless more lies to prop it up.

Fortunately, they did not know him deeply, so Luo Mingchen could continue his bluff.

“Is the powder difficult to make? If vegetable seeds or grain could be soaked in it, then distributed to farmers, wouldn’t yields soar across the land? Could you sell the powder?”

Luo Mingchen smiled. “Young Master’s idea is excellent. But the powder must be prepared and used fresh. And ordinary people cannot grasp the exact dosage. If mistakes are made, they could produce plants with unstable traits, which could spread out of control. Then people would need pesticides to wipe them out, wasting time and resources.”

These words sobered the Third Young Master.

“Still, I have sold many seeds to villagers. If the yields prove high, I’ll keep selling them elsewhere—perhaps even try rice. But I can’t force people to buy. I am just an ordinary man. If they don’t trust me, I cannot afford to hand out seeds free at my own expense.”

Here Luo Mingchen was deliberately angling—he needed to tie himself to the Third Prince.

Only by finding such a backer would he avoid being threatened or coerced by others.

After all, powerful noble families weren’t only in the capital—local overlords were equally dangerous.

Even a petty stall overseer had dared to openly bully them, relying on hard backing. What about clans and estates far stronger than him?

The Third Prince fell silent, then nodded. “It’s no matter. I’ll leave you a token. If you face trouble, go to the magistrate of Yuelan County. If he does nothing, then go to the Prefect of Yuanzhou.”

Hearing this, Luo Mingchen’s eyes curved with joy. “Then thank you very much.”

Master Ming raised an eyebrow. “You don’t want to ask why this token can command the county magistrate and the prefect?”

Luo Mingchen blinked. “Huo Yan told me the Young Master is a prince. If you’re a prince, would these officials dare disobey? And I’m not doing anything wicked, only selling seeds.”

“You knew?”

Master Ming glanced at the silent Huo Yan.

That Luo Mingchen knew the Third Prince’s identity yet treated him no differently, still warmly eating with them—it showed a boldness uncommon.

“I do know. But since you preferred we not acknowledge it, we were willing to act ignorant—it keeps things natural this way. Unless, of course, you expect us to kneel while you lecture us?”

At these words, the Third Prince hesitated, words stuck in his throat.

Master Ming chuckled. “Our little brother speaks well. Feigned ignorance is better for all.”

Luo Mingchen smiled too.

It seemed his guess was right.

These two were far better than most pampered sons—they did not lord their power over others.

The guards, taking turns dining, overheard these exchanges from outside and felt a little respect for Luo Mingchen’s straightforwardness.

“Oh yes,” Luo Mingchen added, “since I’ll be selling seeds anyway, wouldn’t it be best if the court itself purchased them, then sold them on to the farmers? With the court handling it, people will trust it more.”

Mainly, he didn’t want the hassle. If disputes arose, they would go to the officials instead of him.

Huo Yan also said, “If schemers discovered what Mingchen could do, they might come for him out of greed. You of all people should know such methods, Your Highness.”

The Third Prince understood. “Very well. Sell the seeds to the county office—I’ll see to it that you are fairly rewarded.”

The couple offered their thanks.

Delighted, Luo Mingchen saw the whole company off, holding the token. Turning to Huo Yan, he said, “This Third Prince is rather easy to deal with.”

A benevolent ruler—if such a man became the next emperor, for commoners like themselves, it would be a great blessing.

Huo Yan glanced at the token and remarked, “Only the Third Prince is easy to deal with.”

Luo Mingchen shrugged. “But that’s enough, isn’t it?”

The mountains were high, the emperor was distant. If they stayed in this little town, surely no more unruly princes would come bothering them?

If they really did… then those princes must have far too much time on their hands.

Footnotes for Readers

1. 1. Tofu carp soup (豆腐鲫魚湯 – dòufu jìyú tāng): A traditional Chinese freshwater fish soup with tofu, often considered nourishing and good for recovery.
   2. Coconut chicken (椰子雞 – yēzǐ jī): A mild, sweet-scented dish where chicken is boiled in coconut juice or broth.
   3. Moonlight Cloud Brocade (月光雲錦 – yuèguāng yúnjǐn): A fictional but culturally inspired luxury fabric in the novel, reserved only for royalty.
   4. “An innocent man gets into trouble when he holds treasure” (匹夫無罪懷璧其罪 – pǐfū wúzuì, huáibì qízuì): A Chinese proverb meaning that someone with valuable things attracts danger, even if they themselves are blameless.
   5. Yamen (衙門 – yámén): A government office or administrative court in imperial China.