Chapter 98

"Brother Li, what dishes do you plan to make?"

After the female bartender left, Wu Xiaoliu and the others gathered around, looking at Li Qi with curiosity.

Li Qi smiled slightly, suddenly untied his apron and threw it to Wu Xiaoliu, then washed his hands and said, "Do you think a person can still have an appetite after eating more than ten dishes in a row?"

After saying that, he walked out.

The apprentices all had a puzzled look on their faces.

...

"Who is there?"

Oh, what a familiar line.

Li Qi left the kitchen and went directly to the private room. Just as he was about to enter, he was stopped by two men with knives at the door. He was secretly surprised by the grandeur of the guest. However, he smiled and said, "Brothers, I am the chef of this restaurant, and your host asked me to come."

At this moment, a voice suddenly came from inside the room, "Let him in."

The two men immediately made way.

"Very obedient."

Li Qi gave them a smug glance and then opened the door and walked in.

When Li Qi saw the important guest, he was startled and thought to himself: Hmm? This person looks familiar, as if I've seen him before.

But he couldn't remember where he had seen him.

The important guest, seeing Li Qi's young age, clear and handsome appearance, and clean and tidy appearance, which didn't resemble a chef at all, but rather a scholar, couldn't help but ask curiously, "You are the head chef of Zui Xian Ju, Li Qi?"

Oh? You even know my name, it seems you came prepared.

Li Qi nodded and smiled, "That's me. Sir, are you satisfied with your meal?"

The important guest smiled, "The previous dishes were fine, but the last dish came a bit late."

Li Qi smiled slightly, "This dish is the pride of our restaurant, so it naturally takes some effort."

The important guest laughed heartily and asked with interest, "How did you know that the last dish I ordered would be you?"

"That's simple."

Li Qi shrugged and smiled, "You have already tasted all the dishes in our restaurant and the entire Tian Xia Wu Shuang series. Apart from me, I can't think of any other dish that could surpass the others."

"Surpass the others? Ha, you're not modest at all."

The important guest laughed a few times and gestured, "Sit down."

"Thank you."

Li Qi nodded and sat down nearby.

"I didn't expect that at such a young age, you would have such exquisite culinary skills, which is truly surprising."

Li Qi had heard too many praises and was already numb to them, so he humbly replied, "I dare not, I dare not, Sir, you flatter me."

The important guest, seeing that Li Qi's face was smiling but his eyes were very calm, nodded in approval and smiled, pointing at the wine bottle with a paper fan, "I heard that Tian Xia Wu Shuang was also brewed by you?"

"That's right. It was brewed by me," Li Qi nodded and said.

"I just tasted it, and it seems this wine is not made from a single fruit?"

Li Qi smiled awkwardly, "It's a secret."

"Secret?" The important guest was taken aback.

Li Qi nodded, "Sir, what do you think of this wine?"

"Very good. Just like its name, Tian Xia Wu Shuang."

Li Qi nodded again, "Do you like it?"

"If I didn't like it, I wouldn't have asked."

"That's good, that's good."

Li Qi chuckled, "You came to our restaurant to enjoy delicious food and drinks. From this, it seems your goal has been achieved. As for what this wine is made of—sorry, this wine is the foundation of our restaurant, and I cannot reveal it."

Given the strict regulations on brewing in the Northern Song Dynasty, Li Qi naturally dared not speak recklessly.

The important guest smiled sardonically, "What if someone put a knife to your neck, would you still not reveal it?"

Damn. Could they be here to steal the recipe?

Li Qi glanced warily at the two men behind the important guest, seeing that their hands were already on their sword hilts, as if they would kill him if he didn't answer correctly.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

But Li Qi was a man of the world and wouldn't be so easily intimidated. He shook his head and smiled bitterly, "If someone really put a knife to my neck and demanded the recipe for Tian Xia Wu Shuang, I would be in big trouble."

"Oh? Aren't you afraid of death?"

"I am, of course, but I don't have the secret recipe for Tian Xia Wu Shuang. Unless they follow me and learn for a year or two, they won't be able to brew it," Li Qi said confidently.

"Why is that?"

"Because Tian Xia Wu Shuang contains a new and unique wine culture. To brew it, one must first learn this wine culture."

The important guest's interest was immediately piqued, and he asked curiously, "What is this new and unique wine culture? Tell me quickly."

"About that—sorry, I still can't reveal it."

A cunning look flashed in Li Qi's eyes, and he said half-jokingly, "Sir, you are graceful and handsome, a man of talent. I believe you wouldn't be like those bandits who like to brandish knives and swords."

The important guest narrowed his eyes and suddenly smiled, "You don't need to worry. I came here today just to eat. I'm only curious about your Tian Xia Wu Shuang. You don't need to deceive me with some wine culture."

"No. Our Zui Xian Ju always values honesty. If I said something outside this door, it might be a lie, but inside Zui Xian Ju, from the owner to the bartenders, everything is true, and we never deceive our guests," Li Qi said seriously.

"So, what you said just now is true?"

"Of course it's true."

"Then I really want to see this new and unique wine culture."

"I'm really sorry."

"No problem, no problem. There will be an opportunity in the future."

The important guest smiled and shook his head, then pointed at the beams with his paper fan, "By the way, who wrote those three couplets up there?"

Li Qi replied, "Oh, those were written by our owner, Lady Qin."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"Bold."

The important guest suddenly roared, "You just said that your restaurant values honesty and never deceives guests. Why are you lying to me now?"

Don't be fooled by his kind and benevolent appearance; when he got angry, he was quite intimidating.

Li Qi was taken aback and said firmly, "Sir, what are you talking about? I'm telling the truth."

The important guest snorted, "I heard that those three couplets were written by you."

Sweat! Could it be what Bai Niangzi said?

Li Qi inwardly groaned but suddenly had an idea and smiled, "Sir, you are mistaken. Everything in Zui Xian Ju belongs to Lady Qin, including me. Since I belong to Lady Qin, whether those three couplets were written by me or not, they still belong to Lady Qin. How can this be considered a lie?"

Can this work?

The important guest was taken aback and laughed heartily, "I heard this morning that you are a smooth talker who can twist the truth and never tells the truth. Now I see that it's true."

Sweat! That's a bit too hurtful to my self-esteem.

Li Qi said irritably, "The person who told you that must also run a restaurant."

"Uh... you could say that."

The important guest smiled and nodded, then said seriously, "Those three couplets are absolute masterpieces. Can the three dishes on the wooden board really match them?"

"Of course."

Li Qi nodded and then changed the subject, "But what I say now is useless. We have to wait for someone to come up with the matching couplets to prove it. I'm actually worried that no one will be able to do it."

"Ridiculous, what a ridiculous joke."

The important guest snorted disdainfully, "Think of the many learned scholars in our great Song Dynasty. How difficult can those three couplets be? I guarantee that within a month, someone will solve all three."

Within a month? Solve all three couplets? Damn! This is too exaggerated. It seems I've met a master of exaggeration.

Li Qi was unimpressed but smiled awkwardly, "Sir, you're right. I was overthinking it."

"Just make sure your three dishes don't disappoint."

What? Dare to question my culinary skills. Li Qi said proudly, "I can also guarantee that they won't disappoint."

"Alright. Remember what you said today."

The important guest stood up, looked at Li Qi with a smile, opened his paper fan, and walked out first.

"Without even saying goodbye, how rude."

After the important guest left, Li Qi pouted and muttered a few words, then said to the female bartender, "Take these dishes away first. Heat them up tonight and have them as a midnight snack."

The female bartender's eyes were filled with excitement. This would definitely be the best meal they had ever had.

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Please recommend and collect. By the way, the Lakers vs. Warriors game just now was indeed quite exciting. I wonder how many people watched it.

{Piao Tian Literature}