Chapter 185: Probing One Another
It wasn’t until they sat down at the table that Li Fu realized his trip had absolutely been worthwhile.
Seemingly prepared to entertain them, the spread on the table was remarkably lavish. Aside from the mandatory roast duck, there was no shortage of chicken, duck, fish, and meat. Even potatoes had been prepared as two separate dishes and brought to the table. Had the peanuts and corn in the fields been ripe, Wen Yao would have high and low conjured up a “Bountiful Harvest of Five Grains” to let them broaden their horizons.
One of the dishes, the sliced pork in hot chili oil, was something Li Fu had eaten at Zui Xian Tower before. However, the version of the sliced pork made by the Wen family seemed to be completely different from the one at Zui Xian Tower.
He took a bite, and the flavor was absolutely more delicious than what he had experienced at Zui Xian Tower. This spicy taste wasn’t like cornel either; rather, it reminded him of the pungent yet appetite-inducing aroma from earlier.
“This sliced pork in hot chili oil seems to be somewhat different from Zui Xian Tower’s?” Li Fu inquired after tasting it. “It seems what’s placed inside isn’t cornel?”
Wen Yao arched an eyebrow. An expert! He could actually taste that?
She stood up and executed a graceful bow. “What you say is correct, sir. This sliced pork in hot chili oil uses my exclusive seasoning. Like cornel, it is used to enhance flavor, but compared to cornel, the taste is worlds apart.
“To be entirely honest, the recipe for the sliced pork in hot chili oil at Zui Xian Tower is also mine. It’s just that because these chili peppers haven’t been fully cultivated yet, we have been using cornel as a substitute.”
Li Fu nodded. So that was how it was.
It had been mentioned earlier that the Yunwu Roast Duck also came from this young girl’s hands, so hearing now that the sliced pork in hot chili oil was also made by her, Li Fu didn’t find it strange in the slightest.
“Zui Xian Tower introduces two new dishes every month. Could it be…?” Li Fu arched an eyebrow and asked.
Wen Yao gave a demure smile. Oh dear, how could she accept praises to her face like this? Should she show a bit of humility?
Manager Qiu let out a helpless, amused laugh, taking over Li Fu’s words: “Then Brother Li has truly guessed correctly. Now, what does Brother Li think of our Yao’er’s culinary skills? Do you still treat her as just a little slip of a girl?”
“Hahaha.” Li Fu burst into several hearty laughs. “I… I never disbelieved it in the first place, so Brother Qiu should stop teasing me.”
For some unknown reason, Wen Yao and Wen Xiuyi both felt there was something slightly off about Li Fu’s phrase just now, but they couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was amiss.
“Oh dear, stop praising her. In a bit, this girl will be praised right up into the sky. Hurry and eat, hurry and eat. These dishes won’t taste good once they get cold. Didn’t Mr. Li want to eat roast duck? Taste the roast duck; this is much more authentic than the roast duck in the shops. Have a taste.” Old Man Wen harbored a stellar impression of Li Fu now, enthusiastically helping to serve him food.
Finding it hard to refuse such hospitality, Li Fu simply put down his chopsticks and wrapped the duck directly with his hands.
Pairing it with the aged brew Wen Yao had brought over, he feasted with absolute relish.
Once the guests dug in, the others truly began to use their chopsticks and eat.
While the adults drank at their table, Li Yi was thrown over to the table of lads with Wen Jun and the others, currently sitting right between Datou and Wen Jun.
The entire table consisted of boys around the same age, so naturally, they weren’t all that constrained.
Wen Fa’s mind was entirely set on becoming a great general. Even though he was currently pressed by his family to study, it was merely so he wouldn’t become an illiterate general in the future. Knowing that Li Yi came from the capital, his curiosity hadn’t waned for a single moment.
“Li Yi, are you also a student of Mr. Qiu? Is your home in the capital? What does the capital look like?” Wen Fa specifically wrapped a large roll of roast duck and handed it to Li Yi while asking.
Li Yi showed no sign of impatience or disdain. Accepting the wrapped roast duck from his hands, he took a bite and replied, “When I was young, it was Mr. Qiu who initiated my schooling. Later, when the master left the capital, I would come visit him every once in a while. My home is indeed in the capital. As for the capital, it’s nothing special; it’s just a bit larger than Yunwu Town with more people, nothing particularly unique.”
Wen Jun imperceptibly shot Datou a meaningful glance. Datou immediately tilted his head to look at Li Yi, asking with a thoroughly naive expression, “Brother, then what does your family do in the capital?”
Li Yi grew quite fond of the master’s adopted son. Patting Datou’s head, his voice softened by a few degrees as he said, “Just an ordinary household.”
Datou cast a glance at his eldest brother; this answer was as good as saying nothing at all.
Wen Fa asked again, “Since you live in the capital, have you seen those great generals? What do they all look like? Are they all very formidable? Does everyone know incredibly powerful martial arts?”
The moment Wen Fa finished asking, he was kicked by Wen Nong beside him, who hurriedly lowered his voice and said, “You watch yourself. If Mother hears you inquiring about generals again, you’d better watch your skin.”
Wen Fa shrank his neck instinctively. Seeing that his mother wasn’t paying attention to this side, he continued to look at Li Yi with eager eyes.
Li Yi thought for a moment and replied, “The capital is full of officials, so I have naturally seen generals. But generals are also divided into several types; there are minor generals and great generals. The most formidable is the Great General of the State, who is exceptionally majestic.”
Wen Fa wore a look of absolute yearning. “Then becoming a great general must be very difficult.” Having spoken, he let out a deep sigh. He didn’t even know martial arts, so how could he become a great general?
Li Yi noticed it, however. Arching an eyebrow, he asked, “You want to be a great general?”
Wen Fa’s eyes lit up as he nodded. “Mhm.” But it vanished in a flash. “But my mother doesn’t agree. She’s afraid I’ll join the army and die out there.”
Smack!
Wen Nong slapped Wen Fa straight on the head.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Hurry up and spit, spit, spit!”
Only then did Wen Fa reluctantly tilt his head and spit three times.
Li Yi watched the interaction between the brothers, merely smiling faintly.
“If only someone could teach me martial arts, I would definitely learn well. When the time comes, Mother won’t stop me anymore,” Wen Fa muttered in a low voice.
“Martial arts? I know them,” Li Yi spoke up. “My father hired specialized martial arts masters to teach me since I was young.”
Wen Jun slightly cast his gaze sideways to look at this young master who was dressed entirely like a scholar. Thinking back to leading him out for a stroll in the afternoon, the boy had seemed curious about everything and had to ask about everything. Yet Wen Jun discovered that he truly knew how to pick the key points to ask.
Moreover, not only that, but while he was probing Li Yi, Li Yi was also asking about their family’s situation through roundabout ways.
Fortunately, there was nothing their family couldn’t speak of, and Wen Jun had answered everything grandly. In the end, it was Li Yi who appeared somewhat embarrassed and stopped asking further.
Hearing now that he knew martial arts, Wen Fa was truly envious to the core.
“Really? Then could you…” Wen Fa was just about to say ‘perform for us’ when a piece of duck meat was shoved into his mouth by Wen Nong from the side.
Wen Nong smiled awkwardly at Li Yi, apologizing, “Young Master Li, please don’t mind him. This younger brother of mine is just like this, spouting off without filtering his mouth. Whatever he says, you can just treat it as flatulence and not take it to heart.”
Having spoken, Wen Nong gave Wen Fa a warning glare.
Wanting Young Master Li to teach him martial arts? He was dreaming far too beautifully.
The way this person dressed showed at a single glance that he belonged to a household far too elevated for people like them to claim connection with. Having seen plenty of people coming and going at the docks, he naturally had to hold his younger brother back, and could not let him eagerly court being looked down upon by others.
