Delicacies Destiny Episode 4 Recap
> Delicacies Destiny Recap
At an imperial banquet, already halfway through, Ling Xiaoxiao arrived with palace staff, presenting an array of exquisite dishes, including Bald Butter and its accompanying silver thread noodles. The Emperor questioned her tardiness, to which Ling Xiaoxiao eloquently replied by comparing the Emperor and General Gao to the Bald Butter and silver thread noodles, symbolizing their harmonious relationship as monarch and subject. This pleased the Emperor greatly.
General Gao, who had long anticipated this dish, was invited by the Emperor to eat first. He mixed the noodles and Bald Butter, enjoying it thoroughly and recalling past days of military campaigns with the Emperor where they shared crabs when rations were scarce. However, Minister He, who had been transferred to the capital from Jiangnan, noticed that the Bald Butter did not taste like Jiangnan tribute crab and pointed this out.
While General Gao initially did not wish to escalate a matter of food, others in the hall, notably Minister Li, insisted on pursuing it, even threatening Minister He with accusations of deceiving the Emperor if his statements proved inconsistent. Minister He, greatly alarmed, knelt and guaranteed that the crab roe he had eaten was certainly not tribute crab.
Minister Li further suggested that Ling Xiaoxiao's actions disrespected the deep bond between the Emperor and General Gao, which made General Gao displeased. The Emperor summoned everyone from the Imperial Delicacy Kitchen to investigate. Ming Mei, a palace maid, immediately pushed all blame onto Ling Xiaoxiao, stating that Ling Xiaoxiao had handled the matter entirely by herself, allowing no one, not even the Crown Prince, to participate.
This was allegedly to protect the tribute crab given by the Crown Prince, thus clearing the Crown Prince and the rest of the kitchen, but implicating Ling Xiaoxiao. The Emperor was displeased by the Crown Prince's perceived lack of oversight. Ling Xiaoxiao then laughed contemptuously and confessed that the Bald Butter was indeed not made from tribute crab, but from egg yolks, and that the Crown Prince was unaware.
She explained that she had changed the ingredients for the Emperor's health. She had learned that the Emperor had recently developed a fondness for oily foods, leading to symptoms like weariness at noon, a bitter taste in his mouth at night, and increased susceptibility to colds. She also heard Chef Guan mention that the Imperial Kitchen had run out of live green crabs, which he usually mixed with yam in the Emperor's meals for their spleen-tonifying and fluid-generating properties.
Knowing that crab roe is "cold-natured" and oily, Ling Xiaoxiao inferred it exacerbated the Emperor's condition. Thus, she boldly substituted it with "warm-natured" egg yolks to both satisfy the Emperor's craving and alleviate his ailments, without informing anyone. General Gao expressed his immense admiration for Ling Xiaoxiao's culinary skill, admitting he had not detected the substitution and had only found the taste mellow and rich.
He also felt deeply touched that the Emperor hosted him for the banquet despite being ill. The Crown Prince advised the Emperor to only consume real Bald Butter once his health improved. The Emperor, understanding Ling Xiaoxiao's intentions, did not blame her for her daring act. He promised to personally host General Gao again in a few days with real Bald Butter. Ling Xiaoxiao and the Crown Prince exchanged a knowing smile.
Following the banquet, the Crown Prince, furious with Ming Mei for her attempts to frame Ling Xiaoxiao, summoned her for questioning. When Ming Mei refused to confess, the Crown Prince ordered Zheng Li to slap her. However, Ling Xiaoxiao intervened, arguing that torturing Ming Mei without concrete evidence would only cause the palace staff to lose trust in the Crown Prince. Respecting Ling Xiaoxiao's insistence, the Crown Prince released Ming Mei.
Ling Xiaoxiao then set out to make the real thief confess. She questioned the guards and eunuchs responsible for the Imperial Delicacy Kitchen's entrances and learned that no outsiders had entered recently. Suspecting an insider, she investigated Minister He and Minister Li, concluding that Minister He was merely naive while Minister Li enjoyed causing trouble, which further confirmed her belief that the culprit was within the Imperial Delicacy Kitchen.
One day, Xi Yan, Ming Mei's roommate, began acting unusually silent and sad. Ming Mei inquired about her distress and learned that the Emperor had ordered the Crown Prince to deliver Bald Butter to General Gao the next day, but the Crown Prince's messengers sent to Jiangnan would not return for at least ten days, potentially leading to accusations of deceiving the Emperor. Realizing the gravity of the situation she had caused with the missing Bald Butter, Ming Mei panicked.
Under the cover of darkness, she attempted to return the stolen Bald Butter to its original place. As she set it down, the door opened, and the Crown Prince, accompanied by staff from the Imperial Delicacy Kitchen, caught her red-handed. Unable to deny her actions, Ming Mei confessed. She revealed her motive stemmed from Ling Xiaoxiao shattering her dreams.
Ming Mei had grown up in a noble family, accustomed to luxury, until her father was convicted of stealing military provisions, which led to their family's ruin. She was then sent to the Imperial Laundry, where she learned to survive under the harsh discipline of a governess. One day, while working, she salvaged some worm-eaten walnuts and, out of curiosity, ate them with candied fruit, discovering a unique sweet-sour flavor that masked the walnuts' bitterness.
The Crown Prince happened to pass by, noticed her discerning palate, and transferred her to the Imperial Delicacy Kitchen. Ming Mei had since regarded the Crown Prince as her sole hope for a better life. Ling Xiaoxiao's sudden appearance and the attention she garnered from the Crown Prince made Ming Mei intensely uncomfortable, leading her to devise the scheme to get rid of Ling Xiaoxiao. The Crown Prince, upon learning the truth, intended to dismiss Ming Mei. However, Ling Xiaoxiao and the other staff members pleaded on Ming Mei's behalf, and she was ultimately allowed to remain in her position.
