Chapter 28: Underestimating Us

"Here come your dishes!"
"Young masters, please enjoy your meal!" The waiter brought over several plates of food and a bottle of wine—all the most expensive items on the menu.
"Your disguise is really something... Just a hat, and even the waiter couldn't tell you're a girl," Li Zhi said, reaching out to straighten the cap on her head.
"Of course. Like this, no one will recognize me!"
Li Lizhi stared at the dishes on the table, swallowing hard.
"Yuck!"
She couldn't wait to try a piece of fish head, but spat it out on the table with utter disdain. "This is disgusting!"
"It can't be that bad, can it?" Li Zhi tried some as well.
The steamed fish tasted a bit fishy and salty—not exactly delicious, but not inedible either.
Still, compared to his own stir-fries, this was a world apart. Even Li Lizhi's bacon fried rice was far more appetizing.
"Your Highness, Princess..." Luo Tong returned and sat down. "I've already sent someone to the Duke of Lu's residence to inform Cheng Chubi. He should be here soon."
"Good, sit down and eat with us."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Li Lizhi sighed, grumbling, "With food like this, how do they even run a restaurant? They should just close down... My cooking is better! Zhi, go make me a stir-fry, I'm starving!"
"Don't be difficult, just make do for now."
"I won't!" Li Lizhi threatened, "If you don't, I'll go back to the palace right now and tell Father you snuck out. Hmph! See how you explain that!"
"Please, must you go that far?"
"So, will you go or not?"
Li Zhi forced a bitter smile. "This isn't Lizheng Hall, and this isn't our kitchen. Why would they let me cook here? Just bear with it. When we get back, I'll cook for you."
Li Zhi shot a glance at Luo Tong.
Luo Tong understood instantly, quickly picking up some food and putting it in his mouth. "Mmm... Delicious, delicious... Princess, this food is really... really terrible!"
He simply couldn't help it. After a few bites, he spat the food out as well.
"Come on, is it really that bad?" Li Zhi, losing his temper, kicked Luo Tong.
"Well, it's not inedible... But I've gotten used to your cooking, Your Highness. After that, this restaurant's boiled meats are hard to swallow. Let's just get down to business, and eat afterward."
"Fine."
Li Zhi glanced up and saw the manager nearby. He slammed the table and shouted, "Manager, come here!"

The manager approached eagerly. "Young masters, is there something else you'd like to order?"
Li Lizhi was fuming. "With food like this, you dare charge money? I didn't eat a bite, and now I feel sick!"
"What's the matter? Not to your taste?"
"It's just too awful..."
At this, many heads turned their way.
The manager's expression darkened. "You young masters aren't planning to dine and dash, are you? This is the first time I've seen children trying to skip out on a bill! Whose household are you from?"
"We're from the palace—" Li Lizhi blurted out.
Li Zhi hurriedly covered her mouth. "We're from the Public Lane nearby... Manager, how much for this meal? Name your price."
"Public Lane? Never heard of it," he muttered, then calculated, "This meal comes to exactly fifty coins."
It wasn't expensive at all.
Luo Tong prepared to pay, but Li Lizhi broke free, grabbing Luo Tong's hand in anger. "Don't pay! We didn't eat a thing—why should we pay?"
"I only took half a bite, and spat it out on the table... If you want the money, eat all these dishes to prove they're edible, and then we'll pay."
This little troublemaker!
The manager's patience wore thin.
"Hmph! Which family are you really from? I'm going to find your elders!"
"Go ahead—if you actually find them, you'll be so scared you'll wet your pants!" Li Lizhi said, absolutely fearless.
And she wasn't wrong.
Who dared ask Emperor Taizong for payment? That was asking for death.
With things at this point, Li Zhi dropped all pretense and stood up. "Manager, your food really is inedible. We didn't eat, so there's no reason to pay."
Luo Tong, coins in hand, had already offered them to the manager, but upon hearing Li Zhi, he withdrew his hand. "Sorry, we won't be paying for this meal."
Three children skipping out on a meal?
The other diners burst out laughing, curious to see how the manager would handle it.
"Young master, may I touch your sleeve?" the manager asked.
"What do you mean?" Li Zhi didn't understand—why on earth did he want to touch their clothes? Was he being improper?
The manager reached out and pinched Li Lizhi's sleeve lightly. His face changed at once, and he bowed respectfully. "Young masters, this meal is on the house. Please, go ahead."

Li Lizhi was still disgruntled. "With a place like this, I won't be coming back!"
"Let's go..."
"Wait!" Li Zhi stopped her and Luo Tong. "Don't forget why we're here."
He'd seen clearly what had just happened. The manager had recognized the fabric of Li Lizhi's sleeve—it was from the palace.
Even though their identities weren't stated outright, their presence weighed on the manager like a mountain.
Now was the perfect time to discuss buying the restaurant—they held all the advantage.
"Young masters, is there anything else you need?"
"There's something I'd like to discuss. Is there a private room upstairs?" Li Zhi asked.
"There is."
Li Zhi went straight up.
The manager, still bewildered, followed with a pot of tea.
Inside the private room,
Li Zhi got straight to the point. "Manager, we want to buy your restaurant. Name your price."
"Young master, you must be joking."
"Does it look like I'm joking? Let me be clear—we've taken a liking to this place. Whether you want to sell or not, you're going to sell."
As he spoke, Li Zhi watched the manager closely.
The manager was visibly uneasy.
He was certain these children were of extraordinary background—perhaps even of imperial blood.
But to just hand over his shop was unthinkable.
"Sirs, could you tell me which noble household you belong to? If you're serious about buying, please have your elders come. After all, a restaurant is no small purchase, and I doubt you have the funds."
"Are you looking down on us?" Li Zhi huffed. "I have more than enough money to buy your restaurant. Name your price."
"In that case, I'll give you a number..." The manager slowly raised one finger.
How much was that?
Li Zhi instinctively thought he meant ten thousand coins.
But then the manager said, "One million Kaiyuan Tongbao."