Promoting the Vegetarian Banquet

"Mr. Shen, take your medicine. This herbal remedy will help you feel better." Lily Evans came in with a bowl of decoction, smiling brightly, and interrupted Shane Shen.

Shane Shen took the medicine and drank it down. Lily Evans warmly welcomed everyone and called Lucky and Leonard Li to join them.

Seeing so many people present, Leonard Li decided not to ask any more questions. The four men started chatting about everything under the sun.

Lily Evans was busy cooking. Preparing high-end vegetarian dishes was a lot of work and truly tested her culinary skills and knife technique. Many ingredients had been prepped ahead of time. Luckily, Lily was experienced and managed to put together a whole table of vegetarian food by noon.

The moment Leonard Li saw the vegetarian spread, he grinned and shook his head, "Lily, is this really vegetarian? I see a whole table of chicken, duck, and fish—where are the veggies?"

Shane Shen was also surprised. Weren’t they promised vegetarian food? Why was the table covered in meat dishes?

Lily Evans just smiled mysteriously, handed them chopsticks, and said, "Gentlemen, why don’t you try my cooking first?"

Although Leonard Li and Shane Shen were puzzled, the dishes smelled so delicious that they didn’t care whether it was vegetarian or not—they dug in right away.

"Mmm, this is delicious!" Leonard Li exclaimed, savoring every bite. "Meat is always the best! Those pretentious scholars just like to show off by eating vegetarian food, but nothing beats real meat! Lily, this table of meat is way better than any veggie dish!"

Shane Shen couldn’t stop eating either. "This is amazing! The meat is rich but not greasy. Honestly, this is better than the imperial chef’s cooking! Leonard is right—why bother with vegetarian food? The most famous vegetarian dishes in the capital are bland and tasteless compared to this!"

The two men didn’t hold back—they stuffed their cheeks and ate with gusto. Lily Evans watched them with a smile and asked, "So, gentlemen, how do you like my vegetarian cuisine?"

"What? Vegetarian?" Shane Shen froze, stunned.

"Lily, this is obviously meat!" Leonard Li mumbled, his mouth full.

Lily Evans smiled and explained, "Leonard, those 'meat slices' in your mouth are actually made from mushrooms. Shane, the diced chicken you just ate was actually bamboo shoots. Every dish on this table is truly 100% vegetarian!"

Leonard Li and Shane Shen’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, you’re telling me all this chicken, duck, and fish we’re eating is actually made from vegetables?"

"Exactly!" Lily Evans replied proudly, explaining the ingredients. Leonard and Shane looked as if they’d seen a ghost.

"Lily, are you sure you’re not a fairy chef from the Queen Mother’s Celestial Kitchen?" Leonard Li swallowed another mushroom 'meat' slice, struggling to believe it.

Lily Evans burst out laughing. "Leonard, you flatter me! I just put my heart into my cooking, that’s all."

If Lily Evans’s dishes for Savory House had already impressed Leonard Li and Shane Shen with her culinary skills, then this table of vegetarian food had completely blown them away.

These two well-traveled young nobles had never seen anyone use vegetables so skillfully to imitate the taste and texture of real meat.

This table of vegetarian cuisine had already gone beyond delicious—it was sheer culinary genius!

"Lily, I’m convinced. Totally convinced!" Leonard Li drooped his head and groaned in mock regret. "I used to hope you’d come cook for my family, but now I see your skills are far too extraordinary for an ordinary household. I was way out of my league."

Now it was Lily Evans’s turn to stare in disbelief. Did this pampered young noble just admit he was wrong?

Lily Evans grinned slyly and said, "Gentlemen, since you’ve tasted my legendary vegetarian banquet, how about doing me a little favor in return?"