Han Bing was doing his normal evening routine. At this time he was practicing martial arts under the setting sun. He wasn"t wearing a top and you could see his well defined body moving in the wind. The sun highlight the light layer of sweat on his body.Han Bing saw Zhi Ruo running towards him and stopped his movements.
"what is it?" Han Bing asked
"She is missing! I can"t find her anywhere and the pig was trapped in the room" Zhi Ruo cried out.
Han Bings eyes immediately went from fire to ice with a murderous intent in them. "Dammit, the stupid Emperor had found out about her" he thought to himself.
"Send Zhi Yan to the palace to get information about what he has planned" Han Bing said in a cold voice. He had reverted back into being a ice cube once again.
"Yes young master" Zhi Ruo replied.
Han Bing showed no emotion on his face and went back into his martial arts training but on the inside he was planning the murder of the Emperor. He knew that he would never get the chance but he needed at outlet for his anger.
Later in the evening Zhi Yan returned with news that the Emperor had decided to host a cooking contents the following day. Han Bind was delighted and frightened at the same time with this news. Delighted because he knew Mai would win but also frightened for her future if she did.
Han Bing was thinking of ways to get into the cooking contest tomorrow to make sure that she was okay and to rescue her if need be.
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Mai attempted to fall asleep but was to freaked out by the man screaming next door to get any rest. The guards came before the sun was in the sky.
It was pitch black as she tiredly treaded behind the guards to where the contest was going to be held.
She stood there in a daze as she looked around at her surroundings. The kitchen must of had a minimum of 20 stoves all lined up in neat rows. With never ending amount of tools for all kinds of purposes spread around the gigantic kitchen. " so this is what a imperial kitchen looks like" Mai thought to herself.
The guards lead her to a area that was behind the stoves with running water. There were piles of different vegetables all around.
"Wash them all" one of the guards told Mai.
"What?" Mai asked however the guards did not say another word as they waited for her to start washing.
"Was it not enough that you kept me in that f.u.c.king room all night now your making me do labor too" Mai thought to herself. The injustice of the situation made Mai see how much the Emperor really thought about her chances of winning were. Unknown to him though Mai was a experience college student. Pulling all nighters to study just a little bit more for her exams was Mai"s specialty.
Mai washed vegetables all morning until it was the afternoon. Her arms were beyond tired as her mind desperately wanted to shut down and rest for the day. She sat there to conserve as much energy as possible. Her eyes fluttered close as she drifted away.
"and last but not least Han Bing"s manors new chef" a loud voice could be heard.
Mai jumped awake when she heard Han Bings name being called out.
"huh" mai mumbled to herself trying to wake up.
"Well get going you have a contest to win" the guard who took her here in the morning said with a snicker.
"Right" Mai though "I have to destroy this stupid Emperors in this game."
Mai walked towards the guy with the loud voice as she saw her work station. From afar it looked the same as everyone else but up close it was in distaterous, broken items were abundant.
Mai choked as she saw the how dangerous it would actually be to cook anything.
"go grab your ingredients why are you making us all wait?" the announcer game said to her with his booming voice. Laughter could be heard in the crowd who was watching. Who did not know the rules of such a contest.
Mai went over to the ingredients table, her left eye started to twitch as there was almost no food left. Just small amounts of vegetables, bones, eggs, flour, rice, and herbs. All the meat had been taken by the chefs that were called before.
"f.u.c.k" mai thought "after everything that he has already done he is going to do even more!" Mai wanted to cry, but her resolve was growing in her heart. "I want to go back to my own courtyard at least there was no one screaming there, a bed, and servants."
Mai took a little of each ingredient and went back to her dangerous work station. Unfortunately for this Emperor Mai was prepared for such a situation. Who hadn"t been stuck in college with a ever revolving low amount of food in there house. He had given her all the ingredients she needed to make her dish.
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To Han bings surprise early in the morning he had gotten a invitation to the palace to watch the contest.
"He is not going to play fair" Han Bing thought as he took Zheng Li with him to watch.
When they arrived they saw every other chef besides Mai standing over there work areas and ensuring that it had not been tampered with.
"Where is Mai" Zheng Li asked. "I don"t see her anywhere" he continued.
"Probably another game. One that"s for Mai and me" Han Bing replied. What is this man up to now" He asked himself. "Too bad for the emperor that Mais food is too delicious and no matter what he does she will still win" Han Bing let out a little laugh as he thought about the face the Emperor would make when he lost at his own game.
"Zheng Li, were going to the palace, that"s where Mai is. Bring some back up guards just incase." Han Bing informed Zheng Li.
When they arrived at the venue that the emperor used to host these type of contest they could see all the renowned chefs from the city and the imperial palace but not Mai.
Han Bing squinted his eyes as he tried to see where she was.
"Hahaha, why if its not Han Bing. Don"t you normally find these types of occasions boring and not to your tastes" the Emperor said when he spotted Han Bing arrive.
"Usually" was all Han Bing said.
"Normally because you are trying to humiliate me you idiot" Han Bing thought to himself. He couldn"t help but smile on the inside though since there was no way that Mai was going to lose to these chefs.
Han Bing grabbed a gla.s.s of wine that was going around. This was actually a grand event that had been planned for awhile and most of the n.o.bles here were in for a good time. He sat down at a shabby table that had his name on it.
Even if the emperor pretended to be surprised he knew that Han Bing was going to come.