The Emperor and his family also enjoyed this meal prepared by that half-baked chef and were quite satisfied. However, the Crown Prince remarked that the fried dishes made by the little fellow were more than twice as delicious, suggesting the chef’s skills were simply not practiced enough. Even so, the cooking method alone was enough to satisfy them greatly, even if it was rather wasteful with ingredients—though for the Imperial family, that was a mere trifle.
The Emperor sent a group of young men and women around my age to keep me company. They called it "playing," but in reality, they were trying to extract information from me, knowing I would be leaving in a few days.
Those talented young scholars tried to challenge me with poetry, but I pushed them to the point where they couldn't even lift their heads. Finally, they invited me to a horse-riding competition. I deliberately let them win, then scoffed that it was boring. "You guys are doing it the hard way; the older brothers and sisters where I come from play games like this."
Chapter 162