Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Watching the Fun

Step 1: Contextual Analysis

Literary genre: Chinese historical fiction/web novel with imperial setting (mentions Crown Prince, Emperor, imperial titles)

Language style: Conversational with formal elements typical of period setting

Tone: Light, somewhat humorous with elements of slice-of-life and political intrigue

Plot keywords: poetry competition, restaurant/teahouse, family relationships, imperial politics, rivalry

Characters:

- Ming Lingyi (明令宜): Female, main character, seems to be running a food establishment, has connections to the imperial family

- Li Yan (李砚): Male, young boy (described as 小团子/"Little Bun"), Crown Prince, Ming Lingyi’s son

- Zhang Zhidong (张之洞): Male, appears to be an advisor or friend to Ming Lingyi

- Xiao Chun (小春): Female (presumed), a servant

- Ming Yanshu (明言许): Gender unclear, likely female, seems to be a servant

- Shi Mingyue (师明月): Female, a servant who stays with Ming Lingyi

- Wu Zhao Yu (武兆玉): Gender unclear, seems to be a loyal servant

- "Wu Brothers" (武家兄弟): Male, seem to be guards or servants

- Jianzhen (鉴真): Male, servant of Li Yan/Crown Prince

- Li Yun/Emperor (李昀/皇上): Male, the Emperor and father of Li Yan

- Xu Qian (胥迁): Male, nicknamed "Ziwei Star" (紫微星), likely an antagonist

Settings:

- A food establishment run by Ming Lingyi

- Wangxian Building (望仙楼): A popular restaurant hosting a poetry competition

- Huaided Fang (怀德坊): An area/district where the characters are

- West Market (西市): A market area near Huaided Fang

- Shangjing (上京): The capital city

Step 2: Integrated Translation and Polishing

Now I’ll translate the text line by line while applying all the polishing rules.

Starting translation:

First paragraph: Zhang Zhidong paused with his chopsticks as he observed Ming Lingyi’s expression.

Next paragraph: Hmm...

The dialogue follows a conversation about someone participating in a competition (seems to be Li Yun/the Emperor), and Ming Lingyi’s confidence in handling the situation.

The rest of the passage involves the characters going to see the poetry competition at Wangxian Building, and then an encounter between Ming Lingyi and her son Li Yan, who reveals he’s there to find fault with the restaurant that’s been causing trouble for his mother.

Let me produce the full translation now, following all the rules specified:

Zhang Zhidong paused with his chopsticks as he observed Ming Lingyi’s expression.

Hmm...

"Why don’t you just kick him out? Tell him he’s not qualified to participate?" Zhang Zhidong suggested unhelpfully.

Ming Lingyi fell silent, then shook her head. "It’s fine. Come watch the show when the time comes. He won’t cause trouble."

If Ming Lingyi had been uncertain before, now she was quite confident.

Previously, she hadn’t considered asking Li Yun to participate in this evaluation, but some people just "showed up uninvited."

Since that was the case, he could actually be somewhat useful.

No matter how powerful the Chief Secretary was or how high his position, could he possibly be more formidable than Emperor Jing’an?

When Li Yun takes his seat with Black Armor Guards standing around him, probably no one present would dare to cause trouble.

Not even Xu Qian, the "Ziwei Star."

After seeing off the last wave of customers from the restaurant, Ming Lingyi prepared to clean up and rest.

Xiao Chun and Ming Yanshu exchanged furtive glances. After cleaning the restaurant, they lingered, reluctant to go to the back courtyard.

"If you want to go, then go. Am I going to stop you?" Ming Lingyi had noticed their hesitation and decided to speak up first.

Xiao Chun and Ming Yanshu exchanged a look, then gave Ming Lingyi an ingratiating smile. "Miss, we’ll just go take a quick peek. Just one look, I promise we won’t be discovered, and we’ll be back very soon."

Ming Lingyi didn’t quite believe the "very soon" part, but she never intended to keep them from going out anyway, so she waved her hand as if eager to send them on their way.

Unexpectedly, after Xiao Chun and Ming Yanshu left, the Wu Brothers also slipped out, under the pretext that neither Xiao Chun nor Ming Yanshu knew martial arts, so they were going as bodyguards.

Ming Lingyi: "..."

They really loved to watch the excitement.

"Doesn’t Miss want to take a look too?" Shi Mingyue asked.

After hearing Zhang Zhidong’s words, she’d grown curious herself.

Ming Lingyi had actually wanted to rest, but now with more than half the restaurant staff gone to Wangxian Building—and since Huaided Fang was very close to the West Market and curfew hadn’t yet fallen—she found herself wanting to take a look too.

Meeting Shi Mingyue’s sparkling eyes, Ming Lingyi laughed.

She could see that the three of them who remained in the restaurant probably had their hearts elsewhere too.

"Let’s go!" Ming Lingyi wasn’t the kind of boss who spoiled fun. Since both Shi Mingyue and Wu Zhao Yu wanted to take a look, she nodded readily.

Soon, the mistress and her two servants left the restaurant, heading toward Wangxian Building.

Wangxian Building was indeed bustling with activity.

Thanks to Wangxian Building’s heavy promotion, business today was exceptionally good.

The three-story restaurant was nearly full today, packed with people.

At noon, Wangxian Building had been collecting poetry submissions.

By evening, they were announcing the day’s winners, whose works would be hung in Wangxian Building for all customers to see on giant scrolls.

So many of those who had eaten lunch at Wangxian Building and participated in the competition returned in the evening.

After all, who wouldn’t want to see their poetry "famous throughout Shangjing"?

Wangxian Building covered a large area, so they could select ten poems each day to display as exceptional works.

By the time Ming Lingyi reached Wangxian Building, the crowd of onlookers had nearly filled the entrance.

She figured she wouldn’t be able to see much. Had she come all this way just to see a crowd?

Just as Ming Lingyi was considering whether to leave, someone suddenly approached her and whispered, "Your Highness."

Ming Lingyi: "???"

Looking over, she discovered it was Jianzhen.

Jianzhen served under Li Yan, so naturally he knew who Ming Lingyi was.

Although Her Highness didn’t return to the palace, he wouldn’t dare address her as "Miss Ming." If the Emperor in the palace found out, he would lose his position attending to the Crown Prince.

Jianzhen led the way, escorting Ming Lingyi to a private room on the second floor.

With Jianzhen here, how could Ming Lingyi not guess who was in the private room?

Opening the door, she saw Li Yan still wearing his Imperial College student uniform.

When Li Yan met Ming Lingyi’s gaze, he clearly looked guilty, his little eyes quickly darting away.

He hadn’t come to Wangxian Building just to show support.

"Mother."

Li Yan glanced quickly at Ming Lingyi again and pushed the fruit plate beside him toward her.

"Have some fruit."

Ming Lingyi laughed, looked at him, and asked casually, "Why are you at Wangxian Building too?"

Li Yan stole another glance at her, and after confirming his mother wasn’t upset, he began chattering away.

"I was thinking ’know your enemy as you know yourself, and you’ll win every battle.’ Aren’t the people at Wangxian Building plagiarizing Mother’s event? I came today to find their weaknesses. If I catch them doing something wrong, hmph!" Li Yan brandished his chubby little fist.

Though he was the Crown Prince, he couldn’t simply take action against a civilian restaurant.

However, if the restaurant itself had issues, he wouldn’t show any mercy.

He hadn’t forgotten how Wangxian Building had tried to cause trouble for his mother earlier.

The last person who deliberately provoked his mother—the second young lady of Duke Jing Mansion—was still sitting in the Ministry of Justice’s prison. Even after her release, the people of Duke Jing Mansion probably wouldn’t bring her to any social gatherings again.

"I’ve already arranged for people to investigate this restaurant, Mother can rest assured," Li Yan said.

Ming Lingyi hadn’t expected Little Bun to come to Wangxian Building genuinely to "avenge" her. After hearing Li Yan’s words, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

In Ming Lingyi’s view, a five-year-old was still a child who knew nothing, who should be preoccupied with what to eat, what to play with, and how to sneak out of the house to play outside.

But...

The little one before her seemed to be growing up in a way completely different from what Ming Lingyi had imagined.

He was like a wild horse that had broken free, galloping down the road so quickly that she could only stand in place, watching the dust kicked up on the official road.

Ming Lingyi took out a handkerchief and directly wiped the remnants of pastry from the corner of Li Yan’s mouth.

"You’re still so young. Neither your mother nor your father have talked to you about these things, and they’re certainly not for you to pay attention to or get involved in." Although Ming Lingyi hadn’t asked Li Yun, she understood him well enough to know he would never let Li Yan concern himself with or meddle in such matters.

Li Yan suddenly had his mouth corner wiped, and his face instantly turned red.

He lowered his head, avoiding Ming Lingyi’s gaze, feeling mortified.

Only little babies ate messily and needed their mothers to wipe their mouths.

He was a grown-up who could help now. This was simply too embarrassing.

Suddenly, Li Yan realized he couldn’t make himself appear as impressive as his father in front of his mother.

Thinking of this, Li Yan let out a heavy sigh in his heart.

All his efforts, wasted!