USWHC -Chapter 385 The Mysterious Master (Part 5)

“Ow—my butt!” Zhu Jie let out a sharp cry. Huaihua hurriedly placed a padded cushion beneath her, and only then did she carefully lower herself into a seated position.

“Miss, the tailor is already waiting outside. He’s brought some fine red silk with wedding patterns for you to choose from. The cook has also arrived and prepared a few dishes for you to taste. Which would you like to see first?” Huaihua asked softly.

“Of course the cook comes first!” Zhu Jie answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. As an ambitious foodie, nothing could stand in the way of her desire to eat.

Huaihua immediately led several people inside. Each of them carried two dishes—there was steamed crucian carp, crystal pork knuckle, soy-braised chicken and duck… a dazzling spread of delicious food. Zhu Jie took one bite and instantly couldn’t stop.

Seeing this, the cook rubbed his hands together and smiled. “Well? Are you satisfied, miss?”

“Satisfied, satisfied—very satisfied!” Zhu Jie praised repeatedly. “We’ll serve these dishes on the wedding day!”

Huaihua grew excited upon hearing this. With so much good food, even she couldn’t help but swallow her saliva.

But just then, Zhu Jie suddenly revealed a mischievous smile. Chuckling, she said, “I wonder, besides these main dishes, can you make some specialty dishes as well?”

“Specialty dishes?” The cook was momentarily stunned but quickly replied, “As long as you can name it, we can make it!”

“Then how many kinds of sweet potato dishes can you make?” Zhu Jie asked with a sly grin.

Sweet potatoes? At a wedding? And several kinds? The cook paused in confusion before answering, “Seven or eight kinds, I suppose. Candied sweet potatoes, braised sweet potatoes, dry pot sweet potatoes…”

“Can you make them look like meat? Preferably so appetizing that from afar they seem like real meat.”

Hearing this, Huaihua immediately burst into laughter—she instantly understood what Zhu Jie was planning.

The cook, however, was baffled. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “They might look similar, but the taste definitely won’t match.”

“Sweet potato chicken? Sweet potato duck?” Zhu Jie continued.

To be fair, they had made such things before. In these poor times when people often survived on sweet potatoes, some households really did this. The cook nodded, though somewhat dejected. “Yes, it’s possible! We can even make an entire table of sweet potatoes arranged like a feast!”

“Good. Then that’s what we’ll serve at the main table,” Zhu Jie decided immediately, without the slightest hesitation.

The cook was completely dumbfounded. Sweet potatoes at the main table, while the other tables get real meat—families like this were rare indeed!

But Zhu Jie continued, “I’m going to host a three-day flowing banquet and invite the entire village!”

“What?!” The cook’s jaw practically dropped. What kind of situation was this? If she was poor, how could she afford a three-day banquet? If she was rich, why serve sweet potatoes to her own table? Wait… who would be sitting at the main table?

The cook suddenly widened his eyes. What a formidable bride-to-be! That old Old Madam Ji was going to suffer! Little did he know, Old Madam Ji had already been suffering for quite some time.

Zhu Jie chuckled in satisfaction. She was getting married—such a joyous occasion. How could Old Madam Ji not share in the “joy”? She could already imagine the look on Old Madam Ji’s face while eating sweet potatoes—it would surely be priceless.

＊

Just as Zhu Jie was dreaming of the happiness of becoming a bride, a group of riders came galloping down the official road in the distance. They were dressed in fine clothes and rode spirited horses. From afar, their dark red garments looked festive, and there seemed to be embroidered patterns on their chests.

Who were these people?

Passersby couldn’t help but stare in fascination. But as the riders approached, everyone quickly lowered their heads, not daring to look at the people on horseback.

Why was that?

Without slowing down, the group rode straight into the county magistrate’s office.

Yes—the magistrate’s office!

What kind of people would dare to be so bold?

Hearing the commotion, the yamen runners rushed out. But the moment they saw the riders’ attire—and the long, narrow curved blades hanging at their waists—they all froze. Not a single one dared step forward to question them.

The riders strode straight toward the inner hall of the magistrate’s residence.

Yes—directly into the inner hall.

What exactly were these people planning to do?