"Instant noodles and mutton soup are good, but they can't be used when we're about to set off quickly," Duoti, who had been training outside the camp with the Jing Country army for half a day, advised the grassland subordinates beside him.
Ba Tu, who had previously been the most disrespectful and looked down on the small stature of the Jing Country soldiers, now had eyes full of anticipation and hope.
He trained hard with the Jing Country soldiers, just waiting to have another taste of mutton soup or instant noodles.
Ba Tu hadn't tried instant noodles yet, and his eyes were full of expectation.
But Hou Yuchuan's subordinates, who trained with them, were already laughing, "We can't eat that all the time. When we return to camp, we'll eat proper meals."
"Instant noodles are good, but they're also rationed. They're only used for urgent travel, and even then, only elite troops get them."
Guards who didn't perform well wouldn't even qualify.
"The mutton soup was actually concocted by the camp's cooks themselves, that's why you got to taste it, Ba Tu."
With these words, Ba Tu's face crumpled from its usual square, masculine shape into a mask of pain.
"Lord Duoti, when we go back, could you tell the Khan to learn how to make these instant noodles and distribute them among our elite grassland troops?" Ba Tu asked, while the other grassland cavalry looked expectantly at Duoti.
Duoti's throat bobbed.
Learn to make Jing Country's instant noodles?
"Or we could trade horses for them! Lord Duoti, have you heard? These noodles can be stored for quite a long time."
Duoti's noble eyebrows furrowed together.
Trade with Jing Country for noodles? Not only was it unclear if this was a good deal, but he had also received a hefty gift from the King of Chu to sabotage the relationship between the grasslands and Jing Country.
Once the relationship was broken, Jing Country wasn't stupid. Would they still teach them or sell to them?
"Ahem, we spend our days on horseback, so soups and broths aren't suitable," Duoti shook his head.
"When you're really in the camp, you'll see that the Jing Country soldiers also eat food cooked in the mess hall. Isn't freshly cooked food more fragrant than instant?"
Ba Tu's lips twitched. He actually thought the instant noodles smelled better.
The less he could have them, the more fragrant they seemed.
Seeing Ba Tu's greedy look, Duoti patiently persuaded him, "With silver coins, isn't it better to return to the grasslands and drink wine and eat meat in large quantities? These noodles are gone in one bite, who can get full on that?"
Ba Tu drooped his shoulders, disappointed but still nodded, "That's true. We'd be afraid of spilling the soup while riding, and the strong smell isn't very practical."
*
In the camp, the kitchen soldiers and wounded soldiers who remained behind welcomed the arrival of Xiao Yunzhou, accompanied by Concubine Liu, as well as the Minister of War and court officials.
"Channiang, what did you tell me before? That instant noodles have too much soup and a strong smell, so they're not suitable for rapid travel," Xiao Yunzhou coughed lightly towards Liu Chaniang.
"So, tell the kitchen about your idea for new military rations, let them try it out."
Liu Chaniang's eyebrows immediately twitched, and she barely restrained herself from turning back to look at the Little Princess who was left sleeping soundly in the carriage, accompanied by Zhang Jia.
"Hmm..."
She had barely hesitated when Xiao Yunzhou took the initiative to speak for her.
"I know that the Minister of War and court officials were impolite to you earlier, so it's understandable that you're angry and don't want to speak now."
The Minister of War and court officials: "..."
"It's alright, I'll speak for you. You thought of applying the method of eating roast meat and roast duck to military marches."
Xiao Yunzhou felt he was too brilliant, coming up with a way to smooth things over in an instant.
"Since roast meat and kebabs can be wrapped in lettuce, and roast duck can be wrapped in pancakes to eat."
"Why can't we apply this to military rations?"
"Fried foods and roast meats are easier to preserve."
"Just use flatbread to wrap a whole piece of roasted or fried chicken... add some lettuce, and like roast duck, spread a thin layer of sauce. Soldiers can hold it to eat, and it won't be too dry."
After finishing, Xiao Yunzhou patted Concubine Liu's arm, signaling her to cooperate with him.
"This idea of yours is excellent, Channiang."
"Your Majesty..." Liu Chaniang's face turned pink.
She didn't dare to take credit.
But Xiao Yunzhou pressed her hand, "Don't be modest."
Well, there was no help for it.
Only he, the emperor, could hear the Little Princess's thoughts, so only he had to bear the burden of relaying and advising Concubine Liu.
"Well, Minister of War, what do you think?" Xiao Yunzhou looked at them and snorted.
"You're all so capable, abandoning your duties to intercept me. All day long, not thinking about your own responsibilities! You're so eager to do these unnecessary things, acting on every rumor you hear."
"!"
The Minister of War and court officials were all embarrassed.
In private, Xiao Yunzhou held Concubine Liu's hand and said in a low voice, "Just pretend this Han wrap was your idea. I'm already the supreme ruler, I don't need more achievements."
He gazed deeply at Liu Chaniang.
Liu Chaniang looked up at the emperor, then nodded with a complex expression, "In the future, this concubine will certainly strive harder to consider the welfare of the country and its people." She wouldn't waste the Little Princess's good intentions.
Xiao Yunzhou nodded with satisfaction, "Mm. Not taking credit, not being arrogant, you are a good person."
No wonder the Little Princess was reborn as her child.
...
When Xiao Chuchu woke up from a deep sleep, the sun was already setting, painting the sky with rosy hues.
From the camp's kitchen, waves of fragrant smells were already wafting out.
"Your Majesty—the military rations that Concubine Liu came up with have been prepared in several varieties. Please, Your Majesty and Concubine Liu, taste them." The head cook of the kitchen quickly brought out several iron plates.
Xiao Chuchu was stunned when she heard this.
[Huh? I just took a nap, and Mother invented something else?]
Xiao Chuchu's curious gaze moved to the iron plates and she was dumbfounded.
[Holy crap, isn't this the Old Beijing Chicken Roll?!]
Xiao Yunzhou and Liu Chaniang both jolted at the same time.
Wasn't it supposed to be a Han wrap?
How did it turn into an Old Beijing Chicken Roll?
They immediately looked at the iron plates brought out by the kitchen staff, and saw flatbread wrapped around lettuce and fried chicken pieces...
It was indeed rolled up!
Not like a wrap.
Hmm...
Xiao Yunzhou's mouth twitched. The kitchen had made a mistake.
He quickly glanced at Concubine Liu, then at the kitchen staff, "Ahem, I'll give this food a new name. Let's call it a chicken roll. How about that?"
[Oh my god, how does my mother know about this thing?!] Xiao Chuchu's mouth watered. [Is that sweet bean sauce inside? It really is the Old Beijing Chicken Roll!]
[I never thought my mother was so smart, she directly invented Colonel Sanders' dish, leaving no room for him!]
Colonel Sanders?
Xiao Yunzhou and Liu Chaniang's eyes flickered with shock.
Was that some kind of divine chef from the celestial realm?
["But this kind of junk food can't be eaten too much, fried foods are unhealthy~"]
Xiao Yunzhou: "!"
Liu Chaniang: "!"
Ahem.
Fortunately, the soldiers from the kitchen brought out more options - meat rolls wrapped in flatbread, roasted meat wraps... giving them more choices to try.
Xiao Yunzhou glanced at these and finally relaxed a bit.
"Your Majesty, Commander Hou and Zhao Qianwei have returned with the troops from training!"
The soldiers who had been out for a day of group training were back on schedule to eat!
The clopping of cavalry hooves was accompanied by shouts from some veteran soldiers, "Kitchen, hurry up with dinner, we're so hungry our stomachs are touching our backbones!"
"What's going on? Why isn't there any smoke from the cooking fires?"
"No way? Don't tell me we'll have to go hungry!?"
As the soldiers drew nearer, they finally noticed the emperor's presence, as well as the cold, smokeless kitchen.
The Minister of War's mouth twitched as he coughed, "Ahem, Commander Hou, Zhao Qianwei, His Majesty has brought Concubine Liu to see you."
"Concubine Liu has developed a new type of military ration for marching. Come quickly and try it."
"!"
While the other Jing Country soldiers hadn't yet reacted, Duoti and the grassland cavalry were already wide-eyed.
What?
Jing Country had new march rations again?
Were these Jing Country soldiers here to fight or to eat?
How come they always had something delicious!?
[Ding, Duoti's loyalty level has increased to 47%.]