Abandoning Wife and Selling Daughter? Turning Around to Marry a Powerful Minister and Wiping Out Your Entire Clan! - Chapter 21

The waiter from the front courtyard rushed over, disregarding the need to speak softly to Steward Zhang and blurted out his words directly.

Prince Qin’s residence?! The emperor’s own brother, his most trusted right-hand man!

“What did the shopkeeper say?” Steward Zhang asked the waiter, momentarily setting aside thoughts of the workers’ petty conflicts.

Customers were the priority, especially when the request came from Prince Qin’s residence!

“You know that ever since Master Zhao injured his hand, we removed the Crystal Dragon Phoenix Cake from the menu. Customers are important, but we can’t dishearten our chefs. So, we took the dish off the menu and let Master Zhao rest…”

“Get to the point!” Steward Zhang couldn’t stand the waiter’s rambling.

“The shopkeeper said we can’t afford to offend Prince Qin’s residence,” the waiter said, closing his eyes as he changed his wording.

The backyard fell into silence; no one dared to speak.

Steward Zhang closed his eyes for a moment, gritted his teeth, and sent a kitchen assistant to summon Master Zhao while calling for his two apprentices to come to the courtyard.

“Can you two make Crystal Dragon Phoenix Cake?” Steward Zhang forced himself to ask.

But the answer was obvious—if they could, the dish wouldn’t have been removed from the menu.

The two scrawny apprentices lowered their heads, hands clasped behind their backs, their toes pressing hard against the ground.

Master Zhao’s rule was clear: anything they made, they had to eat themselves. Only when their skills were refined could they move on to the next dish.

These two had indeed begun practicing the Crystal Dragon Phoenix Cake, but their results had been disastrous. No wonder they looked so thin and malnourished.

Steward Zhang’s headache worsened.

Were they really going to send out something these two made?

Prince Qin’s heir was only eight years old. If they sent out a poorly made cake, it could be seen as an offense against the royal family!

Bang! Bang! Bang! The kitchen assistant, worried about Steward Zhang’s anxiety, had directly carried Master Zhao on his back and ran over. Even though Master Zhao was thin, the assistant was still gasping for breath.

Steward Zhang quickly had a chair brought for Master Zhao and asked, “Master Zhao, Prince Qin’s residence wants Crystal Dragon Phoenix Cake. Do you think your two esteemed apprentices can meet their expectations?”

The question wasn’t whether they could make it but whether it would be satisfactory.

Master Zhao knew his apprentices’ skills well. They had barely mastered the appearance, but the texture and taste were still lacking.

It was either the wrong flavor or not soft enough.

He was anxious too. His injury was a minor issue, but he couldn’t afford to delay his employer’s business!

Steward Zhang observed Master Zhao’s expression and knew the two apprentices weren’t ready.

“What if Master Zhao guides them step by step?” Steward Zhang suggested.

If their skills weren’t enough, could they manage with detailed instruction? Master Zhao wasn’t sure. He had learned through hands-on practice, never by coaching others step by step.
But there was no other choice.

“I’ll try!” Master Zhao agreed, albeit with some hesitation.

Steward Zhang felt a slight relief. If Master Zhao was willing to try, there must be some hope… right?

He didn’t dwell on it and hurried to make space in the kitchen for the apprentices.

Since the dish hadn’t been on the menu, the apprentices had been practicing diligently. The glutinous rice flour and jujube paste were already soaked and prepared.

They carefully measured the proportions, gently ground the rice, and watched it turn into a smooth paste.

Master Zhao signaled them to stop once the texture was right, then urged them to the next step.

The mixture was poured into molds and placed in the steaming basket. The fire beneath the stove licked at the pot, steam rising thickly, filling the kitchen with a dense mist.

“The time is up. Carefully remove the cakes, brush them with water, and take them out of the molds,” Master Zhao instructed urgently. This wasn’t the time to test their true skills—finishing the order came first!

The two apprentices cautiously unmolded the cakes. Seeing the delicate floral patterns on top, they let out a sigh of relief.

Following Master Zhao’s steps precisely, they should be fine this time, right?

Master Zhao wasn’t entirely sure either and had them bring the cakes to him for inspection.

Once placed before him, Master Zhao confirmed that the appearance was flawless.

A perfect contrast of red and white, translucent and bouncy. When he pressed it slightly with a spoon, it deformed but didn’t break.

“Steward Zhang, the people from Prince Qin’s residence are here again, urging us,” the front courtyard waiter reported.

Master Zhao had just scooped out a spoonful when the waiter’s loud voice startled him, making the cake drop back onto the plate.

Master Zhao and his apprentices glared at the waiter, while Steward Zhang sighed in exasperation. This fellow wasn’t normally this reckless!

Steward Zhang pulled him aside. “What did you tell them?”

The waiter shrugged helplessly. “I told them we were making it and would deliver it as soon as it was ready.”

Steward Zhang wiped his forehead. “At least you have some sense.”

But with the prince’s household growing impatient, Steward Zhang was even more anxious about the apprentices’ results.

He turned back and saw everyone looking dejected. Had they failed again?

Not wanting to believe it, he took a spoonful to taste. The next moment, he spat it into his handkerchief.

The texture was right, but the taste was completely off.

Overly sweet, too sticky—just these two flaws alone would make it unacceptable for Prince Qin’s household.

He tried the other apprentice’s version and didn’t even bother asking further.

Both had failed. Master Zhao’s hand was still injured. What now?

Steward Zhang, drenched in sweat, watched as Master Zhao took a deep breath.

“Steward Zhang, even if it costs me my wrist, I will make it myself!”

Just then, another voice rang out.

“Steward Zhang, may I give it a try?”

The backyard fell silent. The two voices belonged to Master Zhao and Zhang Xiaolan.

Steward Zhang’s face lit up. He pushed through the crowd and stepped in front of Zhang Xiaolan. “Can you really make it?”

“My daughter loves this cake. We used to buy it from Fenghua Restaurant, so I tried making it at home. My family found it acceptable,” Zhang Xiaolan said modestly. In truth, since Xiang Ning loved it, she had perfected her recipe.

“You make it, and if Master Zhao approves, I will make sure you are rewarded!” Finding a suitable replacement lifted a huge weight off Steward Zhang’s shoulders. He had known Zhang Xiaolan had skill—wasn’t this proof?

Just then, someone muttered sarcastically, “She was just gutting fish. Her hands reek of fishy odor. How can she prepare fine pastries for the nobility?”

Steward Zhang, excited to have found a solution, flared up at the remark.

“You—” How dare they undermine their own side?

Before he could continue, Zhang Xiaolan intervened.

“Steward Zhang, do you have any brewed tea leaves?” she asked calmly.

Steward Zhang cooled his temper and signaled for someone to fetch them.

Zhang Xiaolan was pleasantly surprised. Not only were there tea leaves, but also rose petals.

Seeing her pause, Steward Zhang asked worriedly, “Is something wrong?”

“Not at all. The added rose petals will help remove the fishy smell and leave a subtle fragrance,” Zhang Xiaolan explained with a smile.

She meticulously cleaned her hands, then inquired about Prince Qin’s family’s dietary preferences. Following the apprentices’ steps, she prepared the cake.

Master Zhao inspected and tasted it—his eyes lit up.

Steward Zhang knew the problem was solved.

Zhang Xiaolan even prepared variations, incorporating dried fruits and tea flavors.

Steward Zhang had them packaged separately and sent the waiter to deliver them.

Now, everyone in the kitchen waited anxiously.

Time passed. Spirits began to drop. Steward Zhang tried to keep everyone focused on their work.

Then—

“Steward Zhang! Prince Qin’s residence sent a message!”