The Female Supporting Role Shows Out

Lin Dan returned after only staying in the suburbs of the capital for two nights.
Since the store had been sold to Qin Er’niang, she wanted to move her things out to make room for her.

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“Can you not sell this store and continue the hometown kitchen business?” Qin Er’niang felt that she might be the stupidest woman in the world, as she was yearning to return the shop she had bought over.
But she knew that life would be tougher without having to enjoy Manager Lin’s dishes.

“I’m not continuing the business.
I’m almost done with the matters of the capital and am thinking of traveling to other places.” Lin Dan was used to traveling around and would not stay in the same place for too long.

While they were talking, there were people knocking on the door from time to time and shouting, “Is Manager Lin back yet? When will she open for business? Manager Lin, Manager Lin…” They shouted for a long time before walking away with a sigh as they received no response.

This happened frequently during days while Lin Dan was away.
There were diners who would knock on the door and ask questions at every other moment.
Since the hometown kitchen was closed, people in the South District could only enjoy authentic hometown food in their dreams.
These days, most of the people who left their hometown to make money in the capital were strong men who did not know how to cook.
Even if they could, they would not be able to recreate the flavor Lin Dan made, and could only eat plain buns.

Nobody would want to live a hard life if they could make their lives better.
They would not want to eat buns if there were cheap and delicious food.
They felt life had become tougher without Manager Lin around.

Lin Dan did not seem to pay any attention to the noise outside and continued packing.
But Qin Er’niang tsked and sneered, “Yeah, just keep the door closed and let them die of anxiety! They enjoyed so much good food here but when trouble came, nobody actually offered any help! They’re just a bunch of ungrateful bastards!”

Lin Dan smiled and said nothing.
She thought it was an overstatement to call them bastards.
They acted this way because the world was hard and cold.
Nevertheless, she was still thankful for Qin Er’niang.
If she had not brought her girls over to chase Lady Zhou away, Lady Zhou may still come and create more trouble for her.
She believed that it was out of kindness that others were willing to help, but it was also understandable if they did not want to.
No one should be blamed.

That was why she sold the store to Qin Er’niang at a low price of ten taels of silver, and also gave her a recipe for making wine and a few recipes for making snacks.
The brothel was not a place to sell food, but food and drinks were important aspects of her business.
She believed it should be enough to repay her kindness.

They talked as they packed, but suddenly they heard loud screaming outside the door, and there were vague sounds of someone begging for mercy and giving kowtows.
The noise outside was annoying people around.

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“Who is fighting outside? You stay here while I go and take a look.” Qin Er’niang put down the broom and walked out.

Lin Dan could not let her take the risk and pulled her behind, before walking out with a kitchen knife.
She peeked out from the door and saw Tang Jiu standing upright in front of the steps.
The guards were stepping on several punks under their feet and were breaking the bones of their hands one by one with the back of the sword.

The screams were made by the gangsters, and there was a young man who was kneeling next to them.
It was Tang Peng.
His back was tied up with thorns and he yelled angrily, “Brother Jiu, you actually humiliated me for an outsider! I’m going to report this to uncle!”

“Do you think you’re in the right for misusing your power for personal gains and oppressing the people?” Tang Jiu said indifferently.

“Aren’t you misusing your power right now as well?” Tang Peng was still struggling, but Zhao Liu pressed his shoulders hard and made him kneel on the ground.

Tang Jiu ignored him and turned around as he heard some sounds.
His eyes lit up immediately and said, “Lin Dan, you are back.”

“What are you doing?” Lin Dan wanted to raise her hand and point at Tang Peng and the few gangsters, but she soon realized that she was holding a knife and put her hand down.

Tang Jiu cupped his hands and said, “The government received Tang Peng’s instructions to disregard the arson, and I have brought him here to face his wrongdoings.
These rogues are the arsonists.” He obviously has received news that Lin Dan was back and was sure that he would not come in vain.

Lin Dan showed a look of sudden realization and glanced at Tang Peng who was still yelling and cursing.
She replied gratefully, “Thank you, young marquis, for standing up for me.
I accept his apology.” She wanted to close the door after saying these words.

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Tang Jiu hurriedly put his hand in between the doors and asked, “Can you please stay, then?” He failed to keep Lin Dan ten years ago, and he hoped that things could change ten years later.
No one knew how many times Lin Dan’s figure and her stubbornness had appeared in his dreams.
She always went farther and farther, and then gradually disappeared into the dense fog, making him awake with lingering fear and guilt.

Back then, if he had not believed in the rumors and forced Lin Dan to have a competition with Yan Langqing, Uncle Lin would not have to suffer such injustice even after his death.
He grew up eating dishes made by Uncle Lin, and he should know Uncle Lin’s character.
But at that time, he felt as if he had been bewitched and believed in everything Yan Langqing said.
In the end, the competition had tarnished Uncle Lin’s reputation, while Lin Dan and Lady Qi clan had to leave their hometown and travel from place to place for many years.[Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the “Novel Multiverse dot com” website @ novelmultiverse.com]

He believed that he had never done anything wrong in his life, except the fact that he was sorry for the deceased Uncle Lin, as well as Lin Dan and Lady Qi.
Seeing that Lin Dan had finally returned to the capital and tried to re-establish Lin’s family’s recipes, he was happier than anyone else.
He knew how talented Lin Dan was, and as long as she was given enough time, she could definitely surpass Uncle Lin’s achievements.

However, there were people who wanted to make her suffer.
They used one trick after another on her, which forced her to leave again.
But Tang Jiu’s disgust for Yan’s family was already bone-deep, or he would not use his own means to strip Yan Langqing’s position as an imperial chef.

He said in a more serious tone and repeated, “Can’t you stay this time around? I promise that no one will dare to humiliate you in the future.”

Lin Dan smiled but shook her head firmly.

Tang Jiu was utterly disappointed and wanted to say something more.
But a man squeezed through the crowd and said in a trembling voice, “I am the servant of the Yan family, I came here to deliver a letter for my missy.”

“You may hand it to me.” Lin Dan stretched out her hand to receive the letter before letting out a heavy sigh.
The person she was waiting for had finally come…

Tang Jiu glanced at the letter and saw a line written in beautiful handwriting that said: “June 6th, Fragrant Garden.” The Fragrant Garden was an imperial residence and was usually out of bounds for the ordinary people, as that was one of the Emperor’s favorite gardens and should be guarded all year round.
Tang Jiu wondered how Yan Langqing could use that place with her current identity and suspected she had gotten the Emperor’s permission.

Tang Jiu suddenly remembered the message sent to him by his sister, saying that the Emperor had been very generous to Yan Langqing in recent years, and asked Tang Jiu to find a way to stop her as the Emperor seemed to have the intention of making her a concubine.
It was also because of this message that there were rumors that the imperial concubine wanted Yan Langqing to marry Tang Jiu and become part of the marquis’ family.

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If it was true that Lang Yanqing had the backing of the Emperor, he worried that the competition would not be a fair one.
He whispered to Lin Dan, “The Fragrant Garden is an imperial garden, and no one could use it without a decree from the Emperor.
The last person who ate at the Fragrant Garden was the Royal Princess.”

Lin Dan frowned slightly and nodded after a moment.
“I see.
Thank you for telling me.” She spoke calmly and sounded relaxed.

Tang Jiu could not tell what she was thinking and continued: “I can think of a way to cancel this competition.” He thought there was no point in participating in an unfair competition and that they should make Yan Langqing lose the Emperor’s favor before having the competition.
There was already little justice in the world, but he wanted to seek justice for Lin Dan, a justice that was ten years late.

“It’s fine, I have my own way to deal with it.” Lin Dan smiled and shook her head.
She had waited for ten years for this moment and did not want to wait any longer.

“Please reconsider it carefully.
Yan Langqing has the Emperor’s backing, and the judges who will be invited would not dare to make her the loser.” Since he could not persuade her, Tang Jiu decided to make things clearer.

Lin Dan waved her hand and said the same thing, “I can deal with it, not to worry.”

Tang Jiu looked at her and gritted his teeth, feeling helpless yet moved at the same time.
Lin Dan was still the same stubborn girl, but it was precisely because of this stubbornness that she had achieved what she had today.

“Whatever, I’ll come up with something for you anyway!” After saying this, Tang Jiu took Tang Peng and strode away.

Qin Er’niang tiptoed and looked at the content of the letter.
She sighed, “Fragrant Garden, that’s the Emperor’s favorite place and it’s out of bounds for most people.
Manager Lin, it’s better that you do not ignore what Young Marquis Tang said.
Sometimes, giving in doesn’t mean that you’ve lost.
We know how good you are, so why bother fighting a losing battle?”

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Lin Dan shook her head with a determined look on her face.

—

June 6th soon arrived, and Lin Dan was invited to the location.
She passed through numerous checkpoints and inspections before she was allowed to enter the Fragrant Garden.
In the garden, there was one guard post for every five steps and one booth every ten and the place was heavily guarded by solemn-looking imperial guards.

Most ordinary people would be terrified of such a scene and would not dare to appear for the competition.
It was obvious that Yan Langqing tried to instill fear in Lin Dan even before meeting her.
Lin Dan did not know who she was, but she knew that she would be facing something peculiar or even spectacular.
It was because she did not panic at all at the sight of this scene, and her heart was as calm and quiet as still water, without any ripples at all.

She walked into the inner courtyard with composure and entered the main hall.
She immediately knelt down when she saw a handsome man sitting on the main seat.
The man was wearing a pair of bright yellow boots and was undoubtedly the Emperor.

“You may rise.
I heard that you are going to have a cooking competition with Langqing, so I specially left the palace to be a witness to her.” The Emperor gave a seemingly kind smile, “This time around, you will only have to display your true capabilities without worrying anything.
You may ask for any food ingredients, and the servants will prepare them for you.”

Yan Langqing lowered her head and covered her mouth, seemingly bashful.
The Emperor glanced at her and smiled tenderly.
He may seem fair on the surface, but with just a few words, he had clearly spelled out his close relationship with Yan Langqing.
“Who would dare to disobey him?” She thought.

The people who came to be the judge looked at each other and each had their own thoughts.
These judges included old imperial chefs who have left the palace, well-known food connoisseurs, and head chefs of large restaurants.
All of them were knowledgeable in cooking.

Lin Dan took a quick glance at the judges and immediately understood what was happening.
Most of these judges were also there in the previous competition, it felt as though time had gone back and the same thing was happening again.
In addition, old acquaintances such as Young Marquis Tang, Prince Cheng, Prince Gong, Marquis Weiyuan, and the son of Lord Dianqian were also present in the audience.
Yan Shouye, who had been badly beaten up and was supposed to remain bedridden, was there too.
He looked at her with a bitter but proud face.

Lin Dan bowed down and asked, “Your Majesty, would you ensure the fairness of this competition?” The Emperor claimed to be a benevolent ruler.
When he first took over the throne, he welcomed all suggestions and feedback and recruited talented officials.
On the royal court, he was exceptionally forgiving toward officials who gave direct and honest opinions.
Since Lin Dan tried to make things clear, he had to nod if he did not want to.