The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 81: Delicacies
It’s Cheng She!
Cheng Mian mentioned that Cheng She was going on a long journey, but did not say that he was coming to Hangzhou. Cheng She should have set off one day earlier than them, and had no setbacks on the way, so he arrived one or two days earlier than them.

"General Xu, long time no see." Cheng She stepped forward and saluted Xu Tianxing.

"Second Master Cheng, how are you?" Xu Tianxing was polite to Cheng She.

"Uncle Shang, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I was delayed by something and came late." Cheng She bowed to Shang Jinliang and apologized.

Shang Jinliang knew his own business, but it was impossible for him to expose Cheng She, so he could only smile and say, "It's not too late, we just got here."

"General Xu, it is inconvenient for me to invite General Xu to my family dinner, so I will set up a dinner another day to make amends." Cheng She turned around and apologized to Xu Tianxing.

The word "family dinner" made Xu Shaoxing's eyes keep moving between Shang Mingshu's sisters and Cheng She and the other two.

"Mr. Cheng, please go ahead." Xu Tianxing made way.

"Thank you, General Xu." Cheng She said politely, then stood at the door of the inn and extended his hand, "Uncle Shang, please."

Shang Jinliang could only bow to Xu Tianxing and follow Cheng She's instructions upstairs to the private room booked by Cheng She.

"Uncle Shang, please forgive me. I was presumptuous enough to lie and say I was hosting a banquet for you." Cheng She apologized as soon as he entered the house.

Shang Jinliang waved his hand: "You helped us out, how can I blame you?"

If Shang Jinliang were alone, he would have been more than happy to drink and chat with Xu Tianxing. But since he was with his wife, if others saw him, he would inevitably be criticized and would have to explain himself.

Of course, if Shang Mingshu is willing to meet Xu Tianxing, they can have this meal together.

Shang Mingshu is on the Cheng family's side, so it would be great if Cheng She stepped in.

"Thank you for your understanding, uncle. Let me host a welcoming banquet for you today as my apology." Cheng She said immediately.

"This..." Shang Jinliang was a little embarrassed to refuse. Wouldn't refusing mean that he was still upset about Cheng She's behavior? He looked at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu smiled and said, "Then let Mr. Cheng pay for it. I will invite Mr. Cheng to visit me in my humble abode some other day."

Since they were people who wanted to become a family, Xiao Yu was not overly polite.

"Aunt is the elder, so just call me nephew Erlang." Cheng She acted like a junior. "I'm familiar with the owner of Yuzhuan Pavilion. I'll go say hello and ask him to cook a few of his signature dishes for my uncle, aunt, and the two ladies to try."

"Thank you." Xiao Yu responded with a smile.

"Second Master Cheng is indeed a seasoned businessman. You see, he does things in a very organized way and doesn't give us any room to refuse." As soon as Cheng She left, Shang Zishu leaned over to Shang Mingshu and whispered, "He first stopped us from eating with General Xu, then treated us to a banquet as an apology, and even told General Xu that this was a family dinner..."

"The owner of Yuzhuan Pavilion doesn't cook for a long time. Even if many dignitaries are given thousands of gold coins, he may not cook himself. Today I can let you have a meal for free. What are you dissatisfied with?" Shang Mingshu also replied in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

"You haven't even married into the Cheng family yet! You're already turning your back on the family." Shang Zishu snorted twice, but her mind was still on the delicious food. "Can the owner of Yuzhuan Pavilion's cooking skills surpass yours?"

"How dare I compare myself with him?" Shang Mingshu was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

Shang Mingshu had always considered her cooking skills merely passable, never truly exceptional. Shang was a wealthy family, employing many cooks and chefs, and Shang Mingshu had learned from them. She felt her family's admiration for her cooking was due to a natural bias within the family.

"You haven't even tasted it, how can you boost others' ambitions?" Shang Zishu was not convinced. In her heart, Shang Mingshu's hands would always rank first. Shang Mingshu: "Try it carefully later."

"I have to taste it!" Shang Zishu stared at the door, wishing the food would be served right away.

Cheng She returned with two jars of wine and met Shang Zishu's fierce gaze, which made him look confused. He kept looking back, wondering if something had broken in while he was away and made Shang Zishu unhappy.

"This wine jar..." Shang Jinliang could tell at a glance that the wine jar was familiar.

"Since the two ladies are here, I have asked someone to send two jars of osmanthus wine, which is not easy to get drunk." Cheng She put down the jar of wine and opened it himself. A rich osmanthus fragrance wafted out.

"No wonder it looks familiar." Shang Jinliang had seen it twice, both times not long ago, on the Double Ninth Festival and on the boat. Shang Mingshu did not keep it to herself and shared it with her family. Shang Jinliang, a big man who likes strong liquor, also felt that this osmanthus wine had a unique flavor.

Soon after Cheng She came in, exquisite dishes were served one after another. It was the golden autumn season, the best time to eat crabs. A dish of crab stuffed with oranges conquered Shang Zishu, and she ate so much that she didn't even stop to praise it.

Then lotus fish buns, Dongpo pork, Shanhai dumplings, Dongpo tofu, Boxia offerings, Xuexia soup and so on were served one by one. Shang Zishu had long forgotten what she had said about Shang Mingshu having no fighting spirit, and ate with relish.

During this period, the owner of Yuzhuan Pavilion came over in person and gave them plum blossom soup noodles. At Cheng She's introduction, he had a drink with Shang Jinliang and left.

The family was very satisfied with the meal. After the meal, Cheng She sent them home before leaving.

"Third sister, let's go to Yuzhuan Pavilion tomorrow." Shang Zishu touched her bloated belly, "I saw a lot of dishes but I haven't tasted them yet."

"The boss is personally cooking today out of respect for Second Master Cheng. Do you think you'd have the nerve to go?" Shang Jinliang couldn't help but pour cold water on his daughter. "The other chefs at Yuzhuan Pavilion are certainly skilled, but not to this level of exquisite craftsmanship."

Shang Jinliang comes to Hangzhou every year and has eaten at Yuzhuan Pavilion countless times. In the past, he thought that the food he ate was all delicacies, but today, after making a comparison, he finally understood the craftsmanship of an imperial chef.

"The chef of the Cheng family has inherited the same cooking skills as the owner of Yuzhuan Pavilion." Shang Mingshu said.

Shang Jinliang stroked his goatee and said, "I've heard that Second Master Cheng has connections with high-ranking officials and dignitaries, and his background is unfathomable. His chef might also be a retired official."

"The Cheng family is truly remarkable." Xiao Yu couldn't help but sigh, "The Cheng family's court physician is also a retired imperial physician."

How many wealthy families would have fought to recruit someone who had served in the palace? But Cheng She, a merchant, was able to snatch him up, not only because of his wealth, but also because he was not afraid of these powerful people's retaliation or obstacles.

Shang Mingshu thought again of the Japanese pirates outside the city who were determined to kill Cheng She at all costs.

Shang Mingshu felt that the Cheng family was a little hard to understand, and Cheng She was also extremely mysterious.

But she didn't have to find out the truth. Everyone has their own secrets. So far, she felt at ease with the Cheng family. The Cheng family members were all decent people.

The next morning, Shang Mingshu was dragged by Shang Zishu to the tea market in Hangzhou.

It is said that there are nearly a thousand teahouses of all sizes in Hangzhou City, which sells all the tea in the world.

For Shang Zishu of Heytea, as soon as she stepped into the tea market, the aroma of various teas wafting around made her close her eyes and indulge in it.

(End of this chapter)