"I came as soon as I woke up, how could I have had time to cook!" Jiang Yi said speechlessly.
"It's okay if you didn't cook!"
"Last night, I had someone clean up a small courtyard in the backyard and bought all sorts of cooking utensils. You can cook here from now on!"
"I also specifically went to buy a lot of ingredients. Everything is ready, just waiting for you to cook something delicious!" Natasha said as she pulled Jiang Yi towards the backyard.
Jiang Yi was amused and felt like he was being treated like a personal chef. When they reached the small courtyard in the back, Jiang Yi saw that Natasha had indeed prepared all the cooking utensils and bought many fresh ingredients. Originally, Jiang Yi had no intention of cooking, but seeing Natasha's enthusiasm, he decided to make a meal to satisfy her craving. He was also feeling a bit hungry himself.
Seeing Jiang Yi preparing to cook, Natasha couldn't help but swallow. She hadn't eaten Jiang Yi's cooking in a long time. Natasha didn't stay idle either; she watched Jiang Yi cook while taking notes. She had always wanted to learn Jiang Yi's culinary skills. After tasting his cooking last time, Natasha had tried many times upon returning home, but without success. However, Natasha hadn't given up; she believed she could definitely learn Jiang Yi's cooking abilities. Since she had the chance to see Jiang Yi cook again, Natasha didn't want to miss any detail, recording everything for future study.
At this moment.
Outside the gate of the small lord's mansion.
A group of armored soldiers approached and lined up neatly on both sides of the gate, all fully armed. A moment later, several luxurious cars from the grand lord's mansion arrived. As the car doors opened, Grand Lord Barre alighted first and respectfully opened the door of the leading car.
"Prince Matthew, we have arrived!" Grand Lord Barre called into the car.
Then, Prince Matthew, supported by his personal doctor, stepped out of the car. Since being treated by Jiang Yi, Prince Matthew's foul odor had disappeared. Although he still wore a mask, he looked much better than before.
"You said you were taking me somewhere good just now. Is this the place you were talking about?" Prince Matthew frowned, his tone filled with displeasure.
"Prince Matthew, please don't be in a hurry. Let's go inside first. Once we're inside, there will definitely be a surprise!" Grand Lord Barre said quickly.
"What exactly is this place?" Prince Matthew asked.
"It's Jiang Yi's small lord's mansion!" Grand Lord Barre replied.
Upon hearing it was Jiang Yi's small lord's mansion, Prince Matthew's interest immediately piqued. He eagerly asked Grand Lord Barre, "What is this surprise you mentioned? Hurry and tell me, I can't wait to know this so-called surprise!"
"Prince Matthew, you haven't had a good appetite lately. Jiang Yi's Chinese cuisine is incredibly delicious, so I wanted to bring you to try it!" Grand Lord Barre said.
"Is Jiang Yi a chef?" Prince Matthew asked.
"Jiang Yi is not a cook, but his dishes are indeed very delicious. I tasted them once before, and the flavor was simply indescribable. I've eaten my fill of delicacies, but I've never tasted anything so good!" Grand Lord Barre said, starting to salivate. Grand Lord Barre had been craving it for a long time but hadn't found an excuse to freeload. Today presented a good opportunity.
"If Jiang Yi isn't a cook, how good can his cooking be?"
"I've eaten all sorts of dishes in the capital, and all of them were prepared by famous chefs from the Eagle Kingdom. Their cooking is top-notch. I've lost my appetite for the dishes of renowned chefs, let alone someone who isn't one?"
"Besides, I've eaten most of the Chinese dishes; their taste is just ordinary. Chinese cuisine pales in comparison to ours in the Eagle Kingdom!" Prince Matthew stated. Prince Matthew's words utterly devalued Chinese cuisine.
"Exactly, Jiang Yi's cooking must be unbearable!" the personal doctor chimed in.
"Prince Matthew, I told you you wouldn't believe me, but you'll know once you try it later. I'm not bragging!" Grand Lord Barre said.
"I won't eat Jiang Yi's cooking. I don't want to lose my appetite even further!"
"However, I still need to go in and see Jiang Yi to check on the progress of his drug development. My recovery can only depend on Jiang Yi." Prince Matthew said.
"Prince Matthew, you can't count on Jiang Yi at all. This kid isn't sincerely treating you. He's been stalling for time and hasn't completely cured your illness. There must be some ulterior motive!" the personal doctor said coldly.
Prince Matthew chuckled and then asked Grand Lord Barre, "Grand Lord Barre, you have a good relationship with Jiang Yi. What are your thoughts on this matter? Does Jiang Yi have any hidden agenda?"
"Prince Matthew, you're mistaken! Jiang Yi is not that kind of person!"
"I know Jiang Yi very well. How could he have any schemes? He's treating you for his own advancement and fortune. Only by curing your illness can he soar to great heights," Grand Lord Barre said earnestly.
"But several days have passed, and he still hasn't completely cured me. How do you explain this?" Prince Matthew stared at Grand Lord Barre.
"Jiang Yi has his own difficulties. As Jiang Yi said, Prince Matthew, your illness is too severe and cannot be cured in a short time. He needs to research slowly. Such matters cannot be rushed!"
"You can't entirely blame Jiang Yi for this!" Grand Lord Barre began to defend Jiang Yi. He had already chosen to cooperate with Jiang Yi, so he naturally had to support him. In truth, he knew that Jiang Yi would not cure Prince Matthew; Jiang Yi had been using Prince Matthew from the beginning. Although Prince Matthew harbored some suspicions about Jiang Yi's motives, he had no proof. Moreover, only Jiang Yi could cure his illness, so he couldn't afford to fall out with Jiang Yi. Prince Matthew also sensed that Grand Lord Barre was definitely in league with Jiang Yi, so he didn't trust him entirely.
"Alright, we know what we need to know. Let's go in and find Jiang Yi!" Prince Matthew said and walked straight into the gate. The personal doctor and Grand Lord Barre quickly followed. Additionally, Prince Matthew's personal bodyguards and a group of nobles followed. Prince Matthew's noble status meant his personal bodyguards never left him by more than three steps, all for his safety. Prince Matthew was known for his ruthless methods, and he had many enemies who wished him dead. Even members of the Eagle Kingdom's royal family wanted him gone.