The thick soup stewed with small white fish, which appeared like snow-white milk, boiled in the pot and emitted a strong, refreshing scent. A couple drops of mystic-stone water was added into the thick soup and the only condiment used was salt. The fish soup was originally very fresh, so it was unnecessary to add other condiments. Before serving it, one should sprinkle some mashed coriander and two drops of sesame oil on top because the aroma could enhance one’s appetite.

Under Xiaocao and the two maidservants’ expectant gazes, Lady Fang tried a small sip of the soup. The strong aroma seemed to have aroused the ‘gluttonous bug’ in her stomach. The soup was refreshingly delicious, and the fish meat was smooth and tender. Unbeknownst to her, Lady Fang had completely finished a bowl of fish soup and half a bowl of fish meat.

Zhenzhu and Linglong held each other’s hands and had tears of excitement in their eyes. Their madam’s poor appetite recently had been quite worrisome. For each meal, she ate even less than a cat. If she forced herself to eat, it would bring about the opposite effect—she would vomit all the food that she used so much effort to eat. It had been a long time since their madam had finished an entire bowl of soup, especially one that contained meat or fish. The two loyal maidservants...