Although Changsun Wuji was a little unhappy about consulting a commoner on national affairs, the fact that the suggestion came from his own sister, the Empress of Tang Dynasty, and that the Emperor did not object, meant that he did not need to come and bother himself.
On the other hand, he was actually intrigued by the young shopkeeper named Zhang Nuo, who was the son of an old friend and could provide valuable insights into the thorny national affairs that had stymied both the court and the government.
So the next day, right after the morning court session, Changsun Wuji rushed back home to change clothes and wait for Li Shimin, as they had arranged, outside the palace gates.
Not long after, the two of them got into the same carriage and headed straight for Kaihua Lane.
As they rode along, Li Shimin couldn't help but remind Changsun Wuji, who had already changed out of his purple official robes,
"Fu Ji, when we get to Zhang Nuo's shop, you should call yourself Sun instead. Your surname Changsun is too conspicuous, and people may not believe that you are not from the imperial family."
Changsun Wuji nodded silently. Being called Sun was no big deal, since even the emperor was often called Li.
When they arrived at Zhang Nuo's shop, however, Li Shimin was surprised to see Zhang Nuo and some of his staff already having breakfast together.
That morning, Zhang Nuo had been pampered by Doggy younger sister, who brought him a warm face towel to wipe his face while he was still in bed. She then helped him dress and comb his hair, which seemed like a scene straight out of a TV drama, but one that Zhang Nuo was not quite used to.
In the future, he would have to take care of himself from a young age, since his parents did not have the time to do it for him. They were too busy buying groceries and running their business.
Unfortunately, when Zhang Nuo finally arrived in the front yard, he was a bit unhappy.
Why? Because there was no breakfast for him!
Although the material life in the Tang Dynasty had improved somewhat, the lower-class people still tended to eat only two meals a day.
This was unbearable for Zhang Nuo, who felt really hungry without breakfast.
So he boldly walked into the kitchen and decided to give the new cook Doggy's mother as an example.
By making a big plate of fried pancakes using cabbage, eggs, and leftover bread from the day before.
The Doggy's mother was embarrassed to see the master of the house cooking for himself, and when she saw that he was making pancakes for all three of them, she almost burst into tears.
On the first day of work, not only did I not know the family's habits, but I couldn't even match their skills. This was the rhythm of getting fired!
After some persuasion, Zhang Nuo managed to convince the family to eat together and explained his own daily routine and dietary habits.
And finally, the family of three sat down to eat together.
While eating, Zhang Nuo instructed the Doggy to go to the shops and purchase the specific types and quantities of food he needed.
After spending so much time there, the people were already familiar with him, and instead of paying in cash, they settled their account every ten days.
So all the Doggy needed to do was go there, mention Zhang Nuo's name, sort out the food he needed to buy, make a record, and bring it back.
As the Doggy was carefully taking note of the instructions, two elegant customers walked in.
Zhang Nuo quickly got up and greeted them.
"Li, why are you here at this time? It's not even lunchtime yet."
Li Shimin had no trace of his usual aura of authority on him and smiled as he greeted Zhang Nuo.
"Hello, boss Zhang Nuo. You said it's not time for lunch, but you're already eating."
Zhang Nuo led them to Li's usual seat and explained that his ,
"His family was different from others, as they had to wake up early to work, so they naturally had to eat three meals a day.
Li nodded, one more meal wouldn't hurt. As long as there was enough food at home, he wouldn't mind eating ten meals a day. He was only a little surprised that Zhang Nuo was sitting at the same table as the servants.
"This is Sun, who does business with me. I've been talking about how delicious the food here is, even my wife likes it. Now he's come to try it, and you have to let Sun have a taste."
Zhang Nuo was delighted that Li was such a generous person, not only spending his own money, but also bringing friends.
Sun seemed to be wealthy, just the kind of customer he liked. He didn't need to worry about the cost; he would just serve up the dishes.
After greeting Sun, Zhang Nuo quickly asked the Doggy to purchase the food he needed, including the freshest lamb meat that hadn't arrived yet.
Zhang Nuo was ready to make some signature dishes today.
Even if he became an official in the future, he could still teach some chefs to cook. As long as he made a name for himself, he wouldn't have to worry about not making money.
And his secret was the five-spice, star anise, and cinnamon he had obtained from the pharmacy yesterday.
Although these were essential seasoning ingredients in the future, at this time they were rarely used medicinal herbs.
The Doggy was a smart person and didn't wait to purchase everything before returning. Instead, he immediately went to buy the lamb meat.
And brought back the owner of the lamb shop.
The two doors of lamb, still emitting heat, were placed in the kitchen.
Zhang Nuo planned to prepare a whole lamb banquet today, and Doggy's mother was called in to assist.
Doggy's mother watched as Zhang Nuo, a fair-skinned young man, skillfully handled the pieces of lamb and used methods of preparation and cooking that she couldn't understand. She was deeply admire.
Just by smelling the aroma, she knew that what was being made was exceptional. But what would it be like when it was finished?
Watching the master of the house simultaneously handling three or four pots in an orderly manner, Doggy's mother felt immense pressure.
Jokingly, Zhang Nuo could handle two or three tables of dishes at once in his future life. These few dishes were nothing.
Before long, dishes with a fragrant aroma were brought out one after another like running water.
Changsun Wuji looked at the dishes in front of him, and inexplicably gained more confidence in Li Shimin's evaluation of Zhang Nuo.
Zhang Nuo's cooking skills had already proven that he was a talented person who had not yet come to prominence.
Because Zhang Nuo had been interrupted by Li Shimin and the others while he was eating breakfast, he was still hungry.
Without being polite to them, he sat down with the fried cake that he had not finished eating before.
Li Shimin did not care about Zhang Nuo's casual behavior. He liked this straightforward manner, and was now more interested in the main dish that Zhang Nuo had brought over.
"Boss Zhang, there seems to be some artistry in this main dish of yours. Why don't you give us a serving? Are you afraid that we can't handle it?"
Zhang Nuo smiled, and said it was no big deal. If they were craving it, they could just say so.
"Li, that's not what I meant. I was just worried that you might not like this fried cake. You have to understand that it's not made with any expensive ingredients. It's made with cabbage, eggs, and leftover bread. If you don't mind, I'll make a serving for you two."
Li Shimin looked at it, and his hunger grew. He wasn't shy about it. The biggest thing in life is eating, so he nodded and ordered a serving.
Changsun Wuji was also intrigued by the simple yet fragrant main dish, and ordered a serving as well.
Zhang Nuo nodded and went to the kitchen. Fried cake wasn't very complicated. The only thing that mattered was the seasoning.
There happened to be lamb stewing in the kitchen, so Zhang Nuo took out a piece of lamb, chopped it up, and sprinkled it on the fried cake. After a simple stir-fry, a plate of fragrant lamb fried cake was ready.
At this moment, Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji were eating the braised lamb on the table with oil dripping from their mouths. When the fried cake arrived, Li Shimin immediately picked it up, not afraid of being burnt. He took a chopstick and put it in his mouth.
As soon as the fried cake touched his tongue, the fragrance of cabbage, the richness of lamb, the softness of the bread, and the deliciousness of the egg filled his mouth.
The mixture of flavors not only did not repel each other, but instead formed a subtle and harmonious blend, creating a unique and irresistible delicacy.
Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji had no time to talk, they kept shoveling the fried pancakes into their mouths.
Zhang Nuo smiled and leisurely enjoyed his own fried pancake, occasionally adding a piece of lamb with his chopsticks.
The lamb was stir-fried with cabbage stems, which not only reduced the greasiness but also gave a fresh and refreshing taste, perfectly complementing the slightly greasy lamb.
After a while, Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji finished the whole plate of fried pancakes and had a sip of wine. Finally, they had time to talk.
Changsun Wuji expressed his genuine admiration for the chef, Zhang Nuo, and gave him a big thumbs up, saying,
"Boss Zhang, Li had previously praised your cooking skills to the sky, and I didn't quite believe it. But now I know he not only spoke the truth but also understated it. Your cooking skills are truly exceptional!"
Zhang Nuo smiled and accepted Changsun Wuji's praise. For a chef, being complimented for their cooking skills is the most genuine and valuable evaluation.