Farm Girl Turns Everything Around: Sly Husband, Let's Farm

Chapter 1135: Chapter 1135 The Competition Begins_1 Chapter 1135: Chapter 1135 The Competition Begins_1 After breakfast, Qiao Xiaomai and Tong Sanlang began moving the ingredients they needed onto the carriage. Just like the contest at Bailu Academy, the Royal Family would provide some of the ingredients, but they also allowed contestants to bring their own.

With some dallying, they packed everything up, and Emperor Yong’an left the court.

After Emperor Yong’an left the court, he headed to Da’an Palace with Yao Xian, Yang Hao, Yang Zheng, Feng Huihui, and several others.

Yang Wenxiao was already prepared, and seeing that all the expected attendees had arrived, he got onto the imperial carriage and led a group out of the Palace towards the city gates.

A platform had already been erected outside the gates of the Imperial Palace; atop the platform were the seats for Yang Wenxiao, Emperor Yong’an, and other members of the Royal Family. Facing the platform, twenty meters away, were the cooking stations, and beyond them sat the civil and military officials.

By the time Yang Wenxiao arrived, the space had already been cordoned off by the Imperial Guards, forbidding entry to the commoners and riff-raff.

However, the outer circle was packed with onlookers, ordinary citizens as well as nobles without official positions who couldn’t enter the scene; it was as lively as a marketplace.

The civil and military officials had also arrived and were sitting properly in their designated places. When they saw Yang Wenxiao and Emperor Yong’an approaching, they quickly stood up to pay their respects.

Once Yang Wenxiao, Emperor Yong’an, and the others were seated on the platform, Emperor Yong’an gestured with his hand and said, “Everyone, rise.”

As his voice fell, the civil and military officials stood up from the ground and then sat down properly in their seats.

Emperor Yong’an said, “Today, we have gathered everyone here for a culinary competition. Zuixian Building and another restaurant are the two most famous in Daqi, and today they will contend to decide the superior one, with all present to bear witness.”

“The challenge was initiated by Zuixian Building, and the stake put forward by the Prime Minister is the territory of five prefectures. As everyone knows, Zuixian Building and its competitor are spread out across every prefecture in Daqi. After this contest, whichever side loses will have to retreat from the market in those five prefectures and yield it to the other.”

“Prime Minister, Minister of the Left, there are no objections to these stakes, correct?”

The Prime Minister, Shen Chenghao, and the Minister of the Left, Yu Ang, who were sitting at the front, stood up and paid their respects to Emperor Yong’an, saying, “Your humble servant has no objections.”

These stakes were proposed by Shen Chenghao, with the market in five prefectures being neither too much nor too little.

Emperor Yong’an nodded and continued, “Good, with no objections, let us now discuss the rules of the competition. There will be eight main dishes, two cold and six hot, in addition to one soup and one dessert, making a total of ten dishes.”

“There will be five judges: myself, the Retired Emperor, the Minister of the Left, the Prime Minister, and the Prince of Bai County. Each dish will be scored out of ten, with the highest and lowest scores removed. The side with the highest final score will be the winner.”

“Representing the competitor restaurant is Qiao Xiaomai, and representing Zuixian Building is Wan Chang. Both chefs, please approach the cooking stations and greet the officials.”

Qiao Xiaomai, who was standing by, came forward to the cooking station upon hearing this and raised her hand, making a gesture of clasped fists toward the civil and military officials, “Qiao Xiaomai at your service, greetings to the distinguished officials.”

A chef named Wan Chang also came forward, clasping his fists toward the officials, “Wan Chang pays his respects to the ministers.”

He was not tall, and his speech was somewhat awkward, resembling the accent of a foreigner who had just begun learning the Chinese language.

Qiao Xiaomai couldn’t help but take a few more glances at him.

At this point, Emperor Yong’an spoke again, “Now that the chefs have greeted everyone, if there are no objections, the competition will begin. The time allotted is one hour, concluding at midday.”

With no objections raised, Emperor Yong’an’s words fell, and Shen Chenghao and Yu Ang sat down. Tong Sanlang stood by Qiao Xiaomai’s side, and over at the other cooking station, Wan Chang’s assistant also approached the front.

The contest officially began.