’Being constrained by one’s status, isn’t that a form of arrogance in itself?’ Li Yan thought.

These words, which sounded a bit childish, had stumped the crowd.

"We study to be loyal to the Emperor and serve the nation, to do our part for the empire," someone retorted.

The words sounded particularly high-minded and sanctimonious.

Li Yan’s smile faded and he shook his head. "’Arrogance is the chief of all evils, while humility is the foundation of all good.’ You stand on your status now, unwilling to display your talent at a mere restaurant. In the future, how can you be sure that your superiors won’t be just as arrogant, perhaps not even bothering to give you a chance to display your talent?"

Li Yan was young, but his Grand Tutor had praised him before the Emperor on more than one occasion. He lauded the Crown Prince for his resilient character, his independent mind, and his precocious intelligence.

Li Yan didn’t bother to hide his true thoughts these days. Most of the time, he just said whatever came to his mind.

Just like now.

The moment Li Yan’s words fell, the surroundings became even quieter than when he had first announced he was entering the competition.

It seemed everyone was pondering the young Crown Prince’s words, lost in thought.

In the end, no one knew who in the crowd reacted first, but soon everyone was clamoring to get in line.

After the Crown Prince’s speech, who would still think that participating in a poetry competition hosted by Ming’s Restaurant was beneath them?

While Li Yan was speaking, Ming Lingyi had already been standing at the kitchen entrance, listening.

She wasn’t actually too concerned that some people might refuse to participate, claiming it was beneath their dignity. Her event wasn’t meant to be some formal competition for literary scholars anyway. Besides, she was confident that once she announced the judges, these scholars who were so worried about losing face would come flocking to her door. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

But Ming Lingyi hadn’t expected her Little Huachao to be so impressive. A sense of pride couldn’t help but touch her features.

Ming’s Restaurant was bustling. Ever since Ming Lingyi announced there would be prizes, the crowds had only grown, making the place more and more lively.

Around dusk on the fourth day, Ming Lingyi finally saw the person she had been waiting for.

Gongsun Liangce was a frequent customer at Ming’s Restaurant.

However, Lord Gongsun had been swamped with official duties recently and hadn’t been to Ming’s Restaurant in several days.

Dressed in simple cloth robes, he found a seat at the long table facing the wall, which Ming Lingyi had specially set up. He casually plucked a travelogue from the bookshelf above his head, then ordered from Wu Zha’er, who had already come to his side.

He was getting on in years and couldn’t eat much by himself in the evening. A serving of lamb pilaf would be enough.

While waiting for his food, Gongsun Liangce began to flip through the travelogue in his hands.

He didn’t expect that before the lamb pilaf arrived, a pot of wine would be brought to him first.

"Hm?"

Gongsun Liangce was about to say he hadn’t ordered any wine when he looked up and met the smiling face of Ming’s Restaurant’s proprietress.

"Boss Ming?" Gongsun Liangce said, surprised.

Although he frequently patronized Ming’s Restaurant, he had no personal relationship with this Miss Ming. Every time they met, it was either him dining at the restaurant, or Miss Ming being "on trial."

Ming Lingyi said, "This apricot blossom wine is a new vintage from this year. It’s not too strong, with a touch of sweetness and the fragrance of apricot blossoms."

As she spoke, Ming Lingyi took the initiative to pour a cup for Gongsun Liangce.

Gongsun Liangce was flattered, but also alarmed. If his assumptions about this young lady’s identity were correct, she had some connection to someone in the palace. He was not worthy of having an imperial lady pour wine for him personally.

"This old man didn’t order any wine..."

"Our restaurant isn’t licensed to sell its own brewed wine yet. This is a gift for Lord Gongsun," Ming Lingyi said.

Gongsun Liangce asked, "Is there something you need, Boss Ming?"

One doesn’t get rewarded for no reason. If Ming Lingyi didn’t have a favor to ask, Gongsun Liangce would actually be more worried.

Fortunately, Ming Lingyi did indeed have a favor to ask.

Ming Lingyi didn’t beat around the bush and got straight to the point. "Lord Gongsun, have you heard that our restaurant is holding a poetry gathering? For a period of ten days, any customer who dines here can leave behind a poem related to summer. On the rest day ten days from now, we will select the top three."

Gongsun Liangce nodded. What he didn’t tell Ming Lingyi was that he was actually planning to participate himself.

If he could eat for free at Ming’s Restaurant for ten days, he felt that no matter how busy he was with his official duties, he would definitely make time to visit Huaide Fang for his three meals.

’What a wonderful stroke of luck!’

As for the so-called "integrity" that some students from the Imperial College insisted upon, the Lord Governor paid it no mind.

Back in the day, wasn’t it because he had no money that he worked as a laborer on the docks? He couldn’t even scrape together the silver to travel to Shangjing for the imperial exams. When it rained, it poured; a family member fell ill and was in urgent need of silver. The travel money he had painstakingly saved up for the exams was all spent on his family’s medical treatment.

The final result was, naturally, less than ideal.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have reached his current age only to be a Capital Official whom Ming Lingyi had never even heard of before.

’Scholars are people too. There’s no shame in swallowing your pride to make a living.’

"I would like to ask you, Mr. Gongsun, to be a judge for our poetry gathering," Ming Lingyi said. "There will be three judges in total. One is already confirmed—Lord Jiang Yuchuan, the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice."

Ming Lingyi’s proposal took Gongsun Liangce by surprise.

After all, who else would have the audacity to ask him to do something for them right off the bat?

Common folk who saw him would be reverent, if not fearful.

And here was Ming Lingyi, trying to ask for his help with just a pot of wine?

After the realization hit him, Gongsun Liangce couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

At his age, what hadn’t he seen? What hardships hadn’t he endured? But meeting Ming Lingyi, he still couldn’t help but find her truly interesting.

"You little slip of a girl." For a moment, Gongsun Liangce forgot Ming Lingyi’s status, seeing her only as an ordinary junior. "Interesting. I accept your request."

With that said, Gongsun Liangce picked up the cup of wine Ming Lingyi had just poured for him and drained it in one gulp.

A faint smile bloomed in Ming Lingyi’s eyes. She placed the pot of apricot blossom wine on the table and said in a low voice, "Consider today’s meal my payment for inviting Lord Gongsun."

Gongsun Liangce didn’t refuse and even gave Ming Lingyi a look that said, "You get it."

As Ming Lingyi turned away, the smile hadn’t yet completely faded from her face.

Now, there was only one spot left.

Ming Lingyi actually had someone in mind, but with her current status, inviting that person would be difficult.

However, she wasn’t too worried. Even if she couldn’t get them, she had other methods.