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With a proud expression, as if she had just come up with a brilliant idea, the Shangyang Princess left Ye Xiaohan speechless with anger.
"Your Highness, I appreciate your kindness," Ye Xiaohan said. "I still have my restaurant business to manage and my family to take care of, so I cannot go to the palace. If the princess enjoys the dishes from our restaurant, you are always welcome to visit, and I will certainly offer you the best prices."
The Shangyang Princess was momentarily stunned. In her imagination, Ye Xiaohan would be overjoyed at the prospect of becoming her personal Royal Chef in the palace. She had not considered that there might be a refusal.
"You don't want to go to the palace?" the Shangyang Princess asked incredulously. "Have you thought this through? This is the royal palace! Countless people would give anything to get in, and you don't want to go?"
Ye Xiaohan shrugged. "Perhaps it's because I don't want to risk my head in that crowd. Your Highness, what would you like to eat today? We have added two new dishes to our menu; would you like to try them?"
"Alright..." The Shangyang Princess instinctively wanted to agree but suddenly realized at the last moment: "What do you mean 'alright'? Don't try to change the subject! Just tell me directly—are you coming back to the palace or not?"
Since the princess was so insistent, Ye Xiaohan replied straightforwardly, "I will not go. The palace may be a dream destination for many, but I am not one of them."
If possible, she wanted nothing more than to keep her distance. She had no desire to be involved with the palace or its inhabitants.
"You!" The Shangyang Princess's face flushed with anger. This Ye Xiaohan was clearly opposing her! No matter what it was, she refused to comply and insisted on going against her wishes.
The Shangyang Princess adopted a commanding tone and exclaimed, "How dare you! A mere commoner like you dares to disregard a princess's words. If I am displeased, I can easily have my father and Mother Empress flatten your shabby restaurant within a day!"
Ye Xiaohan certainly believed she could do it; her brother, Third Prince Murong Jing, had done so more than once, even driving shopkeepers out of the capital for good.
However, the princess's stubbornness had crossed Ye Xiaohan's bottom line. Everything else could be negotiated. Sometimes taking a loss didn't bother her. But one thing was non-negotiable: her freedom could not be compromised.
Even in a world where freedom was a luxury, Ye Xiaohan was determined to carve out breathing space for herself. Some people simply could not be caged for others' amusement.
As she faced repeated refusals from Ye Xiaohan, and especially after her threats were met with defiance rather than fear, the Shangyang Princess's anger only grew stronger.
The two individuals stood their ground, facing off against each other in a heated argument.
Fortunately, Ye Xiaohan had learned from the experience after the first incident with the Shangyang Princess. Each time she came to stir trouble, he would take her to a private room, ensuring that those outside could not hear the quarrel within.
However, just because it was unheard outside did not mean that no one would find out.
Others could still come in.
For instance, while they were arguing, Gu Bei arrived at the tavern. Upon learning from a staff member that Ye Xiaohan and the Shangyang Princess had gone to a private room together, Gu Bei hurried over.
As soon as he opened the door, the sounds of their argument rushed into his ears. The Shangyang Princess was one thing; she was rarely calm. What surprised Gu Bei was that even Ye Xiaohan was flushed and fuming, visibly agitated.
This was truly unusual. Since Gu Bei had seen Ye Xiaohan again, she seemed like a different person—calm and composed in everything she did, rarely showing signs of frustration.
"General Gu!" The moment the Shangyang Princess saw Gu Bei, she instantly forgot about her argument with Ye Xiaohan and turned all her attention to him, her face lighting up with delight.
Gu Bei responded with a polite yet indifferent bow to the Shangyang Princess. "This humble servant greets the Princess."
"General Gu needs not be so formal!" The Shangyang Princess quickly replied, wanting to step forward to help him up. However, Ye Xiaohan subtly blocked her way, allowing Gu Bei to rise swiftly on his own.
The Shangyang Princess shot an angry glare at Ye Xiaohan. This woman was deliberately opposing her!
"What are you doing? Are you feeling anxious now that you see my relationship with General Gu improving? Is your plan about to fail?"
She looked down at Ye Xiaohan with disdain. "You don't really think you can succeed, do you? You've already been exposed for who you are, yet you still have the audacity to stick around!"
"Save those words for your reflection!" Ye Xiaohan retorted with a cold smile. "You've clearly been rejected, yet you still try to get close. Who has thicker skin than you?"
As the two were about to argue again, Gu Bei quickly stepped forward, slightly shielding Ye Xiaohan behind him, and inquired about the reason for their conflict.
“It’s her!” Shangyang Princess interjected. “I kindly invited her to the palace, which is a privilege many would envy. But this woman not only failed to show gratitude but also scolded me without any reason!”
Ye Xiaohan coldly regarded Shangyang Princess, who was brazenly playing the victim. It was clear that she had insisted others sacrifice their own interests to satisfy her selfish desires, yet she managed to twist the narrative so effortlessly.
“Invited to the palace?” Gu Bei looked at Ye Xiaohan in confusion, wondering what kind of act this was.
Ye Xiaohan succinctly recounted the events, leaving Gu Bei at a loss for words regarding the princess's capriciousness.
He certainly wouldn’t allow Ye Xiaohan to enter the palace; even in the future, he would do his best to keep her away from it. There was no way he would let her take such risks over something like this.
Shangyang Princess was completely absorbed in her delight at encountering Gu Bei, oblivious to the situation around her. Even on ordinary days, she rarely understood others' perspectives. After all, with her status, everyone had to cater to her whims, and she would always remain the lofty princess.
“General Gu, you think my idea is good too, right?” Shangyang Princess began seeking allies. “You can persuade her; doesn’t she listen to you? As long as you convince her, she will definitely agree!”
Ye Xiaohan stared at this obviously misguided princess in disbelief. Did she not consider the circumstances when looking for help? With such a lack of discernment between friend and foe, it was a miracle if she succeeded.
Gu Bei certainly wouldn’t agree. Given Shangyang Princess's status, he couldn’t be too harsh and could only refuse gently: “The Royal Chefs in the palace are carefully selected and must pass rigorous evaluations by the Royal Chef's department. If the princess makes a request, they will surely prepare dishes that meet her satisfaction.”
As for those outside the palace, especially this restaurant, she should not hold any hopes for it. He didn’t voice this last part; if the princess were clever enough, she would understand.
However, it was evident that Gu Bei had overestimated her intelligence; she completely missed his implication.
“The Royal Chefs in the palace are utterly incompetent; they don’t even understand what I want,” Shangyang Princess fumed as she mentioned those subservient Royal Chefs. “Every dish they make is so standard; even the scallions are measured out precisely. Every time they serve something, it’s always the same! It’s nothing like what’s served at that restaurant—what was it called?”
"Innovation!" Ye Xiaohan added calmly from the side.
The Shangyang Princess nodded repeatedly. "Yes! It's all about innovation!" Realizing that Ye Xiaohan had picked up her thought, she turned and shot her a glare. "I would have remembered it myself if you hadn't butted in!"
Ye Xiaohan rolled her eyes and ignored her.
The Shangyang Princess turned back, eagerly watching Gu Bei, hoping that after he finished, he could help her deal with Ye Xiaohan. Gu Bei felt a bit impatient but couldn't express his frustration to the princess, so he just went along with it.
Feeling annoyed, Ye Xiaohan decided to send both of them away.
"It's rare for Gu Bei to be here, and the princess can't come often either. Since it's such a coincidence, why don't you two take a stroll?" Ye Xiaohan pointed at the somewhat gloomy sky and said nonsensically, "This kind of weather is perfect for a walk."
At the same time, she shot a secret glare at Gu Bei, signaling him to take the princess away and keep her occupied, hoping they wouldn't return anytime soon.
Receiving Ye Xiaohan's silent plea, Gu Bei reluctantly took the excited princess away.
He initially planned to escort the princess straight back to the palace, but how could the Shangyang Princess, who rarely got to spend time alone with her beloved, agree to that?
"General Gu, why don't we go over there? I heard that shop sells many interesting things. I've always wanted to check it out," the Shangyang Princess suggested, pointing in a direction and looking at Gu Bei with anticipation.
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