Transmigration: The Little Chef Calls The Shots -
Chapter 1575 - 361, full of schemes like a honeycomb! (In the third watch of the night)
Chapter 1575: 361, full of schemes like a honeycomb! (In the third watch of the night)
Lin Yuan munched on a cucumber joyously on the stage, amused at the sight of Lao Fan drooling with envy from afar.
She knew that the vegetables, once presented, were bound to shock everyone.
Especially since she could eat and drink as she pleased, utterly unconcerned whether there would be enough cucumbers left for the upcoming competition.
With a slight eyebrow raise, Lin Yuan winked at Xia Zheng in the audience below.
Xia Zheng responded with a hooked smile and, in perfect understanding, nodded his head before gesturing towards Xiao He and the others who were already prepared: "Go ahead!"
The crowd was unaware of the silent riddle between Lin Yuan and Xia Zheng, but before they had the chance to speculate, the answer appeared before their eyes.
Just as everyone was puzzled, several men suddenly emerged from behind the stage carrying trays filled with fresh, green, and lively-looking vegetables.
These men placed the trays at the front of the spectator area, and beneath each type of vegetable, they hung a little sign.
Written boldly on the signs were the words "One tael per catty," enlightening the audience that the vegetables were for sale right there!
Yan Xiangkai was also taken aback at this moment, as today was supposed to be a cooking contest, so how did it suddenly turn into a vegetable market?
However, although it was a vegetable sale, Dong Tian revealing so many out-of-season vegetables so suddenly truly astonished him.
They at Drunken Immortal Tower boasted having the largest greenhouse in the Capital city, and the vegetables they could present were only those on the stage.
But now, with a casual move, Dong Tian brought out a quantity of vegetables several times that of their tavern’s and even set up a stall to sell them openly. What grandiosity!
Amid their astonishment, the crowd’s interest in the vegetables grew even higher. One tael of silver per catty of vegetables was much pricier than those in the regular markets.
But to be able to eat such fresh and vibrant leafy greens in the winter, not only would it satisfy one’s gastronomic desires, but it would also certainly be prestigious among the circles of the nobility.
Watching the crowd begin to buzz with discussion, Lin Yuan, full of confidence, quirked an eyebrow. She had deliberately chosen a vegetable dish for the second round of the contest with this very idea in mind.
While Liu Siliang’s greenhouse wasn’t large, it was much bigger than the one at Drunken Immortal Tower, and with Liu Siliang and his spouse both being adept farmers, the vegetables from his greenhouse naturally surpassed those from the tavern’s in both quality and quantity.
"Ladies and gentlemen, these out-of-season vegetables are another specialty that Dong Tian is proud to offer. Anyone who wishes to purchase vegetables for their elders or children at home is welcome to buy them from Dong Tian," Lin Yuan announced after finishing her cucumber and clapping her hands, her voice clear and merry. "Of course, as our supply is limited, our vegetables are available on a first-come-first-served basis! We ask for your understanding! Ah, and please don’t move now. After the contest is over, everyone can come and buy their veggies. Of course, you can also make a reservation at Dong Tian! Remember, first come, first served!"
Lin Yuan arched her eyebrows high and began to prepare the second dish.
The second dish was all about stir frying, which didn’t take much time, so she wasn’t in a hurry just now. However, before starting, she took the time to prep the main ingredient for the third dish.
It was simply a chicken, which Gao Xuan had already helped her prepare. Now all she had to do was boil the whole chicken until it was cooked.
The out-of-season vegetables that Dong Tian had unexpectedly brought out had surprised Master Niu, from Drunken Immortal Tower. So far, he had only just begun his second dish.
What they were preparing were crystal-clear cabbage rolls, essentially cabbage leaves stuffed with tender strips of meat and various shredded vegetables, then steamed to perfection.
This dish might sound simple, but it’s also difficult, as making the cabbage rolls crystal-clear and translucent without breaking the cabbage leaves was a true test of skill.
Moreover, the meat strips and vegetable shreds wrapped inside the cabbage required particular processing. The specifics of this procedure were not to be shared, as this was one of Master Niu’s signature dishes, after all.
Zhuang Kangping couldn’t help but nod in approval as he watched his disciple work on the crystal-clear cabbage rolls, acknowledging Master Niu’s exceptional work on this dish, which was sure to appeal to the judges.
However, Lao Fan felt indifferent about the cabbage rolls, and, with a disdainful curl of his lip, he awaited Lin Yuan’s dish instead.
Not just Lao Fan, but Jin Can was also filled with anticipation for Lin Yuan’s next creation; this young lady always managed to present unexpectedly delectable dishes.
What surprised Lao Fan was that Lu Chong, who had been silent throughout, was also intently watching Lin Yuan’s side without moving his gaze.
Lao Fan’s grizzled beard bristled with curiosity, but it quickly shifted to a vigilant look.
This Lu Chong, just like that old cow Master Niu, was a disciple of Zhuang Kangping and an Imperial Chef at the palace. This fellow’s intense focus on Lin Yuan’s cooking—could it be that he was trying to steal a technique?
"Ahem, Chef Lu! Has the Emperor been enjoying your dishes lately? Has he given you any trouble? Oh right, I remember that the one who used to dislike your cooking the most was—what’s her name—ah yes, Princess Cuiwei. How about now? Does she still despise your cooking?"
Lu Chong, who had been engrossed in watching Lin Yuan cook, was suddenly called out by Lao Fan. Startled, he understood the sly calculations that flickered behind Lao Fan’s gleaming eyes.
Lu Chong chuckled and nodded, turning to say in a gentle voice, "Old Mr. Zhen’s guess is correct; Princess Cuiwei still doesn’t like the food I make."
Lao Fan hummed in his heart, reveling in schadenfreude, but his face showed nothing but sympathy: "Ah, Princess Cuiwei is too much. After all, you’ve been at the palace for so many years. Even if there’s no merit, there’s hard work, right? Considering this, she should give you some face! Cough cough, how about this—if Princess Cuiwei gives you a hard time again, you can ask my niece-in-law to take you as her disciple!"
Lu Chong was slightly startled and asked in puzzlement, "Niece-in-law?"
Lao Fan stroked his beard, squinting proudly: "Exactly, it’s the Commandery Princess Pingxi who is cooking on the stage right now. Oh, she’s quite something! If you feel that your culinary skills are lacking, go and learn from her!"
Cough cough, cough cough!
No sooner had he spoken than not only did Lu Chong start coughing awkwardly, but so did Zhuang Kangping with his graying hair.
Lu Chong was his closed-door disciple, and this old man was actually suggesting that he learn cooking from that little girl. Was he implying that his own culinary skills were not as good as a young maiden’s?
Zhuang Kangping pretended to be annoyed and glared askance, "threatening" with a raised voice, "Old Zhen, it seems to me you no longer want the Lotus Wine!"
Eh!
As Lao Fan stroked his beard, puffing himself up with pride just a moment ago, his arm suddenly stiffened. He had only been thinking about stopping Lu Chong from learning on the sly and forgot that his master was right beside him!
Oh dear, what to do now? He had been longing for that Lotus Wine for over a decade!
With an awkward smile, Lao Fan eagerly poured a cup of tea for Zhuang Kangping, fawning over the man nearly twenty years his senior.
Watching these two old rascals, practically with one foot in the grave, squabbling, Lu Chong shook his head in amusement, barely holding back a smile.
Such a hilarious scene—it felt strangely familiar!
The smile on Lu Chong’s face suddenly froze; he remembered that twenty years ago, he and someone else were following Zhuang Kangping and learning cooking in much the same way.
Only back then, it wasn’t just him and that man; there was also a lovely figure who always followed by their side.
Lu Chong glanced back involuntarily for quite a while, but still, he did not see that familiar figure appear and couldn’t help but sigh, his gaze returning to the competition stage.
Watching Lin Yuan’s skilled movements in cooking, Lu Chong nodded inwardly. The Commandery Princess Pingxi was indeed talented; no wonder his little apprentice admired her so much!
While the chicken in the pot was cooking, Lin Yuan had already started preparing the second dish.
The second dish she was preparing was vegetable-stuffed chicken wings. As the name suggests, it involves pairing various vegetables with chicken wings.
The best part of the chicken to use for this dish is the wing’s drumette because it’s meatier and more tender, and also easier to handle.
Firstly, Lin Yuan dealt with the drumettes by cutting the ends of the wings with scissors, then pulling out the two bones inside the drumette, leaving just the outer flesh and skin.
Because she was preparing taste-testing dishes for four judges and twenty civilians, Lin Yuan prepared twenty-eight drumettes in total. The extras would all be given to Lao Fan, the glutton.
Handling the drumettes requires skill, and Lin Yuan, not trusting anyone else, did the job herself.
After preparing the wing drumettes, she marinated them in soy sauce, salt, and pepper for a while. While the drumettes were marinating, Lin Yuan began preparing the required vegetables.
Even though several dozen out-of-season vegetables had been displayed earlier, the vegetables truly needed for the vegetable-stuffed chicken wings were few.
Sitting in the audience and closely following the competition, Yan Xiangkai and Yan Ruchun were eagerly waiting to count how many types of vegetables Lin Yuan needed, when they were flabbergasted to see the cheeky girl take only carrots and potatoes.
And she took only one of each!
Yan Xiangkai clutched his chest tightly, feeling like this cooking challenge was simply him shooting himself in the foot! He had been the one who proposed the competition, so why was he already feeling ten thousand points of damage before it even ended?
Yan Ruchun’s face darkened as black as the bottom of a pot. She knew all along that Lin Yuan was cunning, and together with Xia Zheng, these two were like a pair of hornet’s nests!
However, she never could have predicted they would act like this!
From selling invitations in the beginning to now selling vegetables, what kind of competition was this today? It was simply an exhibition for their Dong Tian!
Yes, it was nothing but a money-making tool for those two hornet’s nests!
Yan Ruchun glared fiercely at Lin Yuan, who was peeling a potato, and decided never to mingle with this sly girl with a mind as complex as a hornet’s nest again!
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