1138 The First Dish, Jadeite Sugar Taro Spirit Frui

There were nine appetizers before the meal?

When Jing Yuan shouted out this sentence, the entire hall froze.

Previously, when the imperial feast began, it had always been one dish after another according to the menu. There had never been such a thing as an appetizer.

And what’s most important was… what’s an appetizer?

Many people thought carefully, then managed to understand.

This so-called appetizer should be something that would stir up their appet.i.tes, causing them to put their focus onto the dishes. It was that sort of enticing method.

However, this caused another uncertainty, and that is that the appetizer must actually be able to stir up everyone’s appet.i.te. If not, it would backfire and cause everyone displeasure.

The maids reached out their hands while the other hand was holding their sleeves. Under Jing Yuan’s instructions, they took off the lid.

Rays of light shot out from within, causing everyone’s eyes to be instantly drawn to it.

“The first appetizer… Spirit Pickled Radish.”

As the maids revealed the first dish, the sound of harp playing instantly rang out.

Everyone’s eyes landed on it. Even the cold High Priestess, and the proud and n.o.ble Empress Bi Luo all involuntarily looked at the first dish.

As the first dish, it definitely had to be stunning.

And why did Bu Fang choose this as the appetizer? Everyone couldn’t help but feel a little curious.

In the distance, Nether King Er Ha who held a Spicy Strip in his mouth scratched his head, curiosity filling his eyes.

Nethery was also the same. She wanted to know why Bu Fang would choose that as the first dish.

However, when the lid was taken off, a wave of unique aroma began to disperse.

Spirit Pickled Radish?

The wave of fragrance spread out, surging out ceaselessly.

Hm?

Everyone’s face suddenly changed. With just a sniff, that acidic smell thrust into their noses. It tickled at their taste buds, causing their drool to involuntarily leak out of their mouths.

“A plate of radish?”

“It really is a plate of radish, a nicely cut radish?”

“This is counted as a dish? Is this a joke?”

On the spirit gold dining table, everyone’s faces were frozen. They never thought that the first dish would actually be a plate of radish.

Jing Yuan absorbed their expressions. Seeing everyone so shocked… she was relieved.

As for the questionability of this dish…

A playful smile unconsciously appeared on her face.

The idea of an appetizer was added by Head Chef Bu. At first, she also questioned it. After all, it was the imperial feast, so the eighteen dishes had to be exquisite.

But Head Chef Bu had actually suggested such an idea.

What’s more important was that the first dish was actually a plate of radish.

This made Jing Yuan question it. However, under Bu Fang’s confident and playful expression, she ate a piece of radish…

After that… she was won over.

“These Spirit Pickled Radish are Head Chef Bu’s valuable appetizers. There is a limited number of it, so please eat and enjoy it.” Jing Yuan did not explain too much, leaving many in suspense.

The people at the spirit gold dining table instantly looked at each other.

Who cares if it’s Spirit Pickled Radish or Spirit Spicy Radish? Aren’t they all radish?

Such a n.o.ble occasion like the imperial feast… and the first dish is a plate of radish? Is this acceptable?

Empress Bi Luo did not say anything. Actually, her suspicions were opposite to everyone else. She had an idea of Bu Fang’s culinary skills, so there naturally would be a reason why he dared to make radish as the first dish.

Hence, Empress Bi Luo picked up her chopsticks. Those chopsticks were made of silver and were different from the other chopsticks—they were engraved with exquisite phoenix carvings at the top.

She picked up a piece of radish.

It was dazzling and glowing, and there was even transparent juice rolling on top. The radish had been cut by Bu Fang into strips, and each piece was about the same size.

A wave of unique acidic smell spread out from the radish. This smell did not make one turn away, and it left a deep impression on people.

Clasping a radish, under everyone’s gaze, the Empress opened her fiery red lips, showing her teeth as she took a bite of the radish.

The sweet and sour taste that entered her mouth instantly spread out. That taste was not very strong, but it instantly p.r.i.c.kled her taste buds, causing her brows to furrow slightly…

This taste…

Crunch. Crunch.

After the Empress’ brows furrowed, her eyes suddenly lit up.

This type of sweet and sour taste was unexpectedly good.

Stuffing the entire piece of radish into her mouth and chewing, the Empress once again reached out her chopsticks for a second piece.

“Good!” the Empress complimented.

The onlookers were curious.

It’s just a piece of radish… How tasty can it be?

However, after everyone picked up a radish into their mouths, they became silent…

That taste p.r.i.c.kled their taste buds, even causing sweat to come out from the tip of their noses.

The sourness was so pleasant that it made their bodies s.h.i.+ver…

It tasted so good!

Jing Yuan gently laughed, then continued speaking, “The second appetizer, Sour Spicy Lotus Root.”

The audience’s eyes turned, landing on the second appetizer that was revealed.

The revolving tray spun once again, as the chopsticks reached out.

“The third dish, Flowing Crystal Chicken Legs.”

“The fourth dish, Abyssal Spicy Strip.”

Jing Yuan announced the dishes one by one.

The fifteen people at the dining table moved their chopsticks at every dish, unable to stop eating. Not only was the radish appetizer so tasty, the following dishes also made them extremely surprised.

No matter if it was the Flowing Crystal Chicken Leg, or the Abyssal Spicy Strip, they were all like catnip that stroke their hearts, making them unable to pull themselves out of it.

Abyssal Spicy Strip?

Nether King Er Ha was stunned, disbelief all over his face!

Bu Fang young man had actually made his favorite Spicy Strip into an appetizer?

There was such a use?

Empress Bu Luo was surprised. She gave Nether King Er Ha a side glance. Seeing him chew the Spicy Strip in his mouth, she was a little curious in her heart.

This plaything… can actually be eaten?

The Spicy Strip had been cut by Bu fang into small pieces. Scattered on the plate, they let out a dazzling radiance.

The Spicy Strip could be said to have the strongest smell out of all the appetizers, causing everyone to involuntarily reach out their chopsticks.

Empress Bi Luo clasped a Spicy Strip and stuffed it into her mouth. With a suck, her tongue circled around it.

Instantly, the fragrant, spicy taste spread out.

“Oh?!”

The Empress’ eyes widened!

This spiciness! This taste! This type of flavor that penetrated deep into the bones!

This was the Spicy Strip!

This truly… tastes too good!

The Empress raised her head. Chewing the Spicy Strip in her mouth, her red lips turned even redder, and a flush appeared on her charming face.

Her exquisite features displayed intoxication.

The reaction of the Empress made the surrounding people scared. The High Priestess was even more suspicious.

It was just a Spicy Strip… Why did it seem like she had taken a pill?

Then, everyone else moved their chopsticks.

All fifteen people at the dining table raised their heads, showing faces of intoxication.

From afar…

Nether King Er Ha, with a face like there was no love in the world, hugged the spirit gold pillar, slamming his head against it again and again.

“This king’s Spicy Strip…”

“These uncivilized women… How could they eat Spicy Strips like this? It should be eaten like this…”

“One suck, two pulls, three sucks, four pulls… Sucking and pulling, In and out… This is the true way of eating Spicy Strips!”

Nether King Er Ha’s heart was bleeding, and he was crying.

On the other side, Nethery’s lips twitched.

Bu Fang’s Spicy Strip was indeed very addicting.

Initially… she was crazy for it, but because she had eaten too much one time, she had abstained from Spicy Strip ever since. Now, she felt scared whenever she saw a Spicy Strip.

However, she had to admit that Bu Fang’s Spicy Strip was definitely filled with a deadly attraction…

The nine appetizers had all been served.

Under everyone’s dumbfounded gaze, the fifteen people at the spirit gold dining table had swept the appetizers clean.

The maids all sucked in a breath of cold air.

This was the first time that they had seen their masters eat like that!

However, the ones that had finished the nine appetizers did not feel full at all. They felt their stomachs rumbling with hunger, and they couldn’t help but want to continue eating.

Even if it was the cold and proud High Priestess, at this moment, she was also filled with interest in the following dishes.

Chef Jing Yuan’s mouth curved into a satisfied smile.

Head Chef Bu’s appetizers… worked!

Cheering a little in her heart, Jing Yuan turned around and entered the kitchen. After a short while, she personally held a dish and walked over from a distance.

“The first dish of the imperial feast… Jadeite Sugar Taro Spirit Fruit.”

Jing Yuan’s pleasant voice brought a trace of excitement, resounding across the entire place.

She strutted her elegant and small steps as she came in front of the spirit gold dining table, then placed the blue-and-white porcelain plate onto it.

The plates that had been swept clean had already been taken away by the maids. At the same time, appetizers also began to be served on the other tables.

The dishes were served in a staggered order.

“Jadeite Sugar Taro Spirit Fruit?”

This dish made everyone freeze. This time, it would actually be a dish of the imperial feast?

Although the appetizers were pretty good, what tested the head chef were still those eighteen dishes.

Moreover, they had not had any recollection of that dish from the previous imperial feasts.

Chef Jing Yuan did not explain. She grabbed the silver lid and suddenly opened it.

Instantly, hot steam surged, and a wave of dazzling golden brilliance shot out, filling everyone’s sights.

When everyone saw the appearance of that dish, they let out an uproar.

This was shocking!

Even Empress Bi Luo looked stunned, her red lips opening in surprise.

This was a dish that was filled with solid emotions.

As the steam rolled off the dish, it revealed sugar silks, which curved and circled in the air, forming a phoenix that seemed to spread its wings as it rose to the heavens.

In the belly of the phoenix were pink spirit fruits. Under the lights, this dish let out a radiance.

Seeing this dish, many people realized that they had eaten this dish, but at that time, it did not look like this.

The sugar silk was round and wrapped the taro spirit fruit.

Empress Bi Luo could no longer wait. Women naturally loved beauty, and such a beautiful dish made them happy and excited for some reason.

The silver chopsticks reached out, instantly sinking into the sugar syrup to pick up the taro spirit fruit floating within.

With that, another uproar started.

Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air.

That was because on the Empress’ chopsticks, a silk thread on the taro spirit fruit followed it, as if picking out a fine thread.

With this pull, the wings of the phoenix made out of sugar silk moved, as if it was about to dance lightly and gracefully.

Shocking! It was utterly shocking!

Empress Bi Luo’s heart was filled with joy.

A dish giving her such joy was really hard to come by.

After putting the dish into her bowl, the Empress gently licked the taro spirit fruit. The sugar syrup wrapped around it was incomparably fragrant, as if it were an arrow shooting straight into her heart.

It caused her face to involuntarily turn red as she gently let out a gasp.

Her teeth gently opened, then bit down.

The tender taste brought the mushy texture of the taro spirit fruit. Its sweetness, mus.h.i.+ness, and aroma combined as one, which erupted at the same time!

The Empress stuck out her tongue to lick her red lips. At this moment, her joyous feelings need not be expressed in words.

The rest of them had long seen enough.

This dish was actually able to elicit such a response?!

Chef Jing Yuan had already been stunned by it. She never thought that after the dish had been modified by Head Chef Bu, the difference would be so great, as if it were flipping the heavens…

This caused her to involuntarily salivate, wanting to have a taste as well.

The High Priestess gave the Empress a glance, then speechlessly turned the spirit gold revolving tray. She reached out her chopsticks and picked up a piece of taro spirit fruit, opening her mouth to take a bite.

Even if it was the cold and proud High Priestess, she could not help give a gentle gasp…

The remaining thirteen people at the dining table were about to go crazy.

The eyes of Chi Si and the rest shone.

Around them, the other diners stared in a daze.

This year’s imperial feast… seems to be very different from all the previous years!

It made one look forward to it.

Meanwhile, a trace of worry appeared in Jing Yuan’s face. She gave a glance at the High Priestess, who was happily eating the taro spirit fruit.

Thinking of the recipe of the sacrificial dish that Head Chef Bu had changed… her heart suddenly felt a little unsettled.