Easy pickings from food only emperor ordered (5,3,3,4)
I believe the answer is:
money for old rope
'easy pickings' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'food only emperor ordered' is the wordplay.
'ordered' indicates an anagram.
'food'+'only'+'emperor'='foodonlyemperor'
'foodonlyemperor' anagrammed gives 'MONEY FOR OLD ROPE'.
'from' is the link.
(Other definitions for money for old rope that I've seen before include "as made by oakum pickers?" , "Easy pickings" , "securing elderly painter's bread?" , "Reward for little effort" , "Profit for little effort" .)