Chapter 76: An Unexpected Encounter with the Iceberg Man

Baili Xian approached Liu Ling’er and ordered, “It’s morning now. Go to Ma’s Breakfast Shop and buy some fried dough sticks. Remember, it must be from Ma’s Breakfast Shop.”

He wants me to buy breakfast? Liu Ling’er pointed at herself in astonishment and asked, “You mean I should go buy fried dough sticks? There are so many servants in the prince’s mansion for you to command—why me?”

Right, it must be because I made him sleep on the floor last night. Now he’s getting back at me. What a petty man. Liu Ling’er grumbled inwardly, but who could blame her? It was Baili Xian who insisted on sending her.

Baili Xian sighed. “It normally wouldn’t be your job. But to help you impress the Empress Dowager, I spent the whole night thinking about it. The Empress Dowager loves Ma’s fried dough sticks. If you want to be a good daughter-in-law, you need to do something practical. Someone’s been hoping the old witch would move into the Prince of Virtue’s mansion, after all.”

As if this isn’t revenge—he makes it sound so considerate, as though he’s doing it all for me, but in reality he’s just finding new ways to make things difficult. I slept so soundly; I never saw you troubled by anything at all!

Though her heart seethed with resentment, Liu Ling’er still headed toward Ma’s Breakfast Shop. She asked Su Yun-yun for directions, recalling that the lecherous emperor had brought Su Yun-yun to this very shop for breakfast last time.

For a breakfast shop to achieve such fame, to attract nobles accustomed to delicacies from mountains and seas, it must possess extraordinary skill—skill that is, quite simply, explosive!

As Liu Ling’er reached the mouth of the alley, she saw many people carrying breakfast home. Judging by their elegant attire, they were clearly not ordinary folk—the silk they wore instantly marked them as rich or noble.

The popularity of the shop far exceeded Liu Ling’er’s expectations. Just then, she saw someone returning empty-handed, grumbling with regret, “Tomorrow I must get up earlier.”

Liu Ling’er was stunned. It’s just breakfast—does it really need to be this dramatic? But remembering she was here to buy fried dough sticks for the Empress Dowager, she became alert, quickened her pace, and hurried to the shop’s entrance, only to be even more astonished.

Could this be a mistake? With such thriving business, why close so early? She looked east; the sun had barely risen! Spying a couple tidying up and preparing to lock the doors, Liu Ling’er rushed forward, “Wait!”

The woman glanced at Liu Ling’er. “Are you calling us, miss? If there’s nothing urgent, I’m going back to bed for a nap.”

Liu Ling’er pleaded hopefully, “Could you sell me a portion of fried dough sticks? Please, just one!”

Unexpectedly, the woman shook her head. “Miss, we’re not trying to make things difficult for you. Our ancestors decreed we sell only to one hundred customers each day. You’re late, so I truly can’t sell you any more. It’s a rule handed down from our forebears. Perhaps you can come earlier tomorrow. Since we’re both women, I’ll do my best to reserve a portion for you.”

So humble—just for a bit of food. Liu Ling’er felt embarrassed; she’d never experienced anything so mortifying. This Eastern Chu kingdom was truly strange: even with money, breakfast could not be bought. If she hadn’t witnessed it herself, Liu Ling’er would never have believed such a bizarre situation.

And that ancestral rule—heavens! What kind of monster must their ancestor have been to set a limit of only one hundred portions, turning away piles of silver without a second thought!

Helpless, Liu Ling’er took a few tokens from her pocket and produced the token of the Prince of Virtue’s mansion. “Sister, to be honest, these fried dough sticks aren’t for me. They’re for the Empress Dowager. Could you make an exception this once?”

The moment she revealed the token Baili Xian had given her, the middle-aged man’s eyes lit up. Liu Ling’er thought, The Prince of Virtue’s token truly works wonders! Yet the woman seemed unimpressed, perhaps unfamiliar with the token, and was about to refuse again, only to have the man cover her mouth and drag her aside. “Xiao Man, what are you doing? I saw the Lord’s token just now. This young lady has the Lord’s token—she must be acting on his behalf. We ought to cooperate, understand?”

The woman called Xiao Man pulled his hand away. “Ma Hu, are you sure? She didn’t show the Prince of Virtue’s token. We’re kin to the Founding Empress—we don’t need to obey imperial authority!”

Ma Hu turned her head toward Liu Ling’er. This time, Xiao Man looked carefully and realized it truly was the Lord’s token. How strange—this token hadn’t appeared for hundreds of years; even before, only elders’ tokens had been seen. How could it show up now?

Liu Ling’er felt as though she were dreaming. Upon recognizing the token, the couple’s attitude changed completely. Not only did they fry her some dough sticks, they even gifted her a basket of fried buns. Liu Ling’er was in a daze as she walked out of the alley.

Lost in thought over this odd turn of events, she failed to watch her step and suddenly bumped into someone. Just as she was about to apologize, a chill swept over her. Oh heavens, what luck! I came only to buy fried dough sticks, yet I’ve run headlong into the Ice Mountain Man. Judging by his look, he won’t be easily dismissed.