章 15: Chapter 5 Lantian's Warm Day, Smoke Rises from Jade (Middle)_1
Bing Xue City, the second-largest city in the Bing Yue Empire. Gazing from afar, the city walls towered tens of meters high, sprawling wide. Although not oppressively imposing, the grand city stood firm, emitting a profound sense of steadiness. The Tianqing River flowed past the west of Bing Xue City. The grand city was built along the river, benefiting from its water resources. While it wasn't as famous as Bing Yue City, the capital city of Bing Yue Empire situated next to the Ice God Tower, it was unquestionably one of the economic centers of Bing Yue Empire. Many major business guilds had their roots in Bing Xue City. With a population of millions and decades of peaceful times, the city burgeoned to unprecedented prosperity.
Nian Bing and Cha Ji entered through the northern gate of Bing Xue City. Dressed as ordinary citizens, they didn't draw any attention. The dozens of samurais guarding the entrance didn't bother to question them, allowing them to enter the city easily.
Upon entering the city, they were hit with a markedly different ambiance. Just like the Peach Blossom Forest was an idyllic retreat from the world, the interior of Bing Xue City was bustling and vibrant. Streets paved with bluestone were lined with numerous shops, and cries of hawkers filled their ears. Even though Nian Bing had visited here more than a year ago, he had become accustomed to a more tranquil life and was momentarily disoriented in the city's bustle.
"Master, what should we buy now?" Nian Bing asked.
Cha Ji smiled faintly, replying, "We have many things to buy this time. We should buy several bags of rice to save frequent trips, and also some good seasonings. Oh, yes, we also need to get you a top-notch knife. In the coming days, you should formally start learning to cook. Like a samurai's sword, a chef's knife is of utmost importance. Only with a good knife can you fully harness your culinary skills. Ideally, we should buy a knife embedded with a magic gem, which would enable you to better wield magic when chopping ingredients. I don't know about other chefs, but for me, the most essential kitchen tool was always the knife."
Upon hearing Cha Ji wanted to buy him a knife, Nian Bing instantly lit up, "That's fantastic, Master. Finally, I can stop using that chopping knife! You must get me a good one. But do you have enough money?"
Cha Ji snorted, saying, "You can drop the 'ma'; I, your master, was once the illustrious Ghost Chef, so my savings would last several lifetimes even if I blew through them. Otherwise, how could I afford to enjoy my twilight years in the tranquil Peach Blossom Forest? I only chose to stay there because I cherish the tranquility."
Nian Bing chuckled slyly, "So, Master, you're actually quite wealthy. What kind of kitchen knife do you use? I've never noticed anything peculiar about the one you usually use."
With a sigh, Cha Ji replied, "I sealed my own knife a long time ago. Since I'm no longer the Ghost Chef, how could I let my precious knife gather dust? If your culinary skills meet my standards in the future, perhaps, I might pass it on to you."
"Let's go. Don't dwell on the knife. Even the best knife won't be of much use to you now. We'll buy rice first." Soon, Cha Ji led Nian Bing into Bing Xue City like a regular. In no time, Nian Bing's wooden cart was stacked high with provisions: essential foods, seasonings, and household goods. Cha Ji bought everything in bulk, including several sets of coarse cloth clothes for the two of them to change into. Of course, he didn't forget Nian Bing's red string, and now the jade token was worn close to his chest. The warmth of the smooth jade against his chest was comforting to Nian Bing.
Pushing the increasingly heavy cart, Nian Bing complained, "Master, I've been starving for a while now. Can we eat something before we continue shopping?"
Cha Ji looked at Nian Bing, his chubby apprentice, and chuckled, "You've got loads of fat on you already; missing a meal won't hurt you. Don't worry, we have almost bought everything we need by now. Let's find an inn to rest and have a meal. Then, later tonight, I'll take you out to look for a suitable knife."
Nian Bing let out a sigh of relief, pointing to a small inn not too far ahead, "Master, let's go there. I can't walk any longer."
Cha Ji nodded, "Alright. I've stayed there before, though the environment is just average, it's clean enough."
The inn was named All Living Beings. A young servant rushed out to greet the elderly and young pair who were pushing their cart towards them, cheerfully introducing, "Gentlemen, do you wish to stay here? We have full facilities and provide hot water round the clock for all twelve hours, and we charge reasonable rates."
Cha Ji, slightly annoyed, snapped, "Enough chatter. First, move the cart into the yard. We will be staying here."
Entering the inn, Cha Ji led Nian Bing to the front desk, "We need a standard room with two beds."
The server behind the counter was ordinary in appearance, appearing around eighteen or nineteen years old. With a slight smile, she said, "The cost of a single night's stay is one silver coin, please pay in advance."
"Wait a moment, we'll need two rooms." Nian Bing said anxiously.
Cha Ji queried, "Why do we need two rooms?"
Nian Bing stuck out his tongue at him, "Master, when you sleep in the room next to mine, your snores often disturb me. If we share a room, I won't be able to sleep at all. I have to push the cart back tomorrow. Please, have some pity on my fatigued body."
A flush crossed Cha Ji's face, he pulled out two silver coins from his pocket and handed them to the server, "Then, two rooms it is. Are my snores really that loud?" The server took the silver coins, suppressing her laughter, and arranged two adjoining rooms for them.
Cha Ji took the room keys from the server and said to Nian Bing, "You're hungry, aren't you? Let's just eat something here."
The inn's restaurant wasn't large, only about a hundred square meters, neatly arranged with a dozen tables. As Cha Ji had said, though not luxurious, it was still quite clean. It wasn't mealtime, so the restaurant was quiet. Cha Ji led Nian Bing to a table by the street-facing window. From there, they could watch the bustling scene on the street.
"What would you like to eat?" A server walked up to them, asking leisurely. Naturally, the plain attire of Nian Bing and Cha Ji didn't command her attention.
Cha Ji said, "Four steamed buns, a bowl of plain porridge, and some pickles will do."
A disdainful glint flashed in the server's eyes, she didn't even bother to write down the order, "Wait for a bit, it'll be here soon."
Staring blankly as the server walked off, Nian Bing shouted, "Master, you can't be serious. Weren't you bragging about how rich you are? Why are you being so cheap now? We can't survive on just steamed buns, where's the nutrition in that?"
Cha Ji retorted impatiently, "Fool, do you think I can stomach the food here? After eating the dishes I prepare, if you try the food from this kind of ordinary restaurant, you'll vomit immediately."
Nian Bing asked, puzzled, "Master, I know you're the esteemed Ghost Chef. But do you really have to belittle others like this? Even if their food isn't as good as yours, it can't be that bad, can it? Otherwise, how would they get to be chefs?"
Cha Ji gave a strange smile, "You don't believe me, right? Fine, we'll order two dishes. You'll know after you taste them. If there wasn't a huge gap between me and ordinary chefs, how could I have won the Kitchen God competition five times in a row?" With that, he summoned the server and added two vegetable dishes to their order.
Though the server was somewhat impolite, the vegetable dishes were easy to make, and the steamed buns and porridge were ready-to-serve items. She brought them over in a while. Hungry as he was, Nian Bing immediately thrust a big mouthful of vegetables into his mouth.
"Wow, pah, pah, pah." He spat out the vegetables even before he could properly chew it, "What on earth is this! It's so disgusting. It tastes raw and the oil didn't heat well during cooking. It's undercooked, the natural fragrance of the vegetable is lost, and way too much salt and MSG have been added. It's just awful."
Cha Ji didn't mock Nian Bing. Instead, he nodded approvingly, "Good, it seems you didn't waste your time learning for the past year. You pointed out nearly all the flaws in this dish. Seeing that you have some talent, your master will showcase some skills for you today. Server!"
-- 贈り物
が届きました 
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット