Courtyard House: The Chef's Intelligence System

The courthouse was bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of people slurping soup.

The braised soup is so satisfying, though of course there's a limit to the amount of meat.

One serving per person; if it were all-you-can-eat, Li Jiuzhou would be eaten out of house and home by his neighbors.

Those who had steamed buns or cornbread at home would take them and dip them in the soup to eat.

After the neighbors finished eating, they were already feeling the effects. Li Jiuzhou didn't need to say anything; their eyes were always on the move, and their hands were never idle.

Even the boys were looking down in the yard for stones that might hurt their feet, picking them up and taking them away—they were so considerate!

Immediately, the entire courtyard was bustling with activity.

Yan Bugui was dressed very appropriately today, in a long gown, looking quite like an accountant. Hehe, that's right, he is today's accountant.

He was really enjoying the braised pork he had just eaten. Sha Zhu knew he had a lot of work to do today, so he cut him extra large intestines. He was very happy!

At this moment, he was sitting imposingly in Li Jiuzhou's main room, with a table in front of him, and he was grinding ink with great elegance, pinching the edge of his sleeve.

There was a stack of red paper on the table; besides the monetary gift, he also had a lot of work to do.

For example, a large red congratulatory notice should be posted at the entrance of the compound, such as:

In a certain month of a certain year, the Li family welcomed a new member.

They also need to post a celebratory notice on Li Jiuzhou's door, announcing the child's birth date, name, and so on.

The main attraction is the menu.

When Yan Bugui wrote the menu, he even cut a relatively large piece of paper.

He would pause to savor each dish he wrote about, as if... as if he were actually eating it.

Yi Zhonghai, watching from the side, gritted his teeth and cursed inwardly:

"Damn it, those damned scholars, they're spouting nonsense about ghosts and spirits again."

"It's just writing a menu, why are you making such a fuss?"

"Anyone who didn't know better would think you were writing a coronation edict."

Li Jiuzhou sent out invitations far and wide this time, inviting everyone he had a good relationship with.

Li Jiuzhou even personally visited his regular customers who often asked him to cook to deliver invitations.

Although their statuses might be somewhat unequal, Li Jiuzhou felt that they still needed to cultivate a relationship.

He'll need these people's help if he opens a restaurant in the future.

Among Li Jiuzhou's customer base, the majority are former members of the old regime, and he quite likes them.

Although he loves to show off and often tells Li Jiuzhou about his ancestors' official positions, he is genuinely generous when it comes to spending money.

Even if they fall on hard times in the future, these people will hide away the good things.

They'll continue to live comfortably once the storm passes.

Li Jiuzhou, who held an official position, was not invited, because he did not know who would dismount, so he simply did not invite them.

As for capitalists like Lou Bancheng, they can come or not, it's up to them.

To Li Jiuzhou's great surprise, his regular customers were very happy when they received the invitations and immediately agreed to come.

They respected Li Jiuzhou not only because of his culinary skills, but also because of his talent.

Anyone with real talent will be respected more.

What's wrong with being a chef? There are 360 ​​professions, and every profession can produce an expert.

Of course, besides Li Jiuzhou himself, there was also Li Huaide. Although Li Huaide's position wasn't high, didn't he have powerful backers?

This kind of relationship is no secret. Anyone with a bit of influence in the family knows that Li Jiuzhou is actually doing quite well.

Even the old guard and their descendants still have rickshaw pullers. Didn't that prince also pull a rickshaw? Times have changed.

It's not a bad thing to form positive connections, especially since they're just inviting you to a meal.

Li Huaide arrived around 9 a.m. with his wife and children, and even his brother-in-law and sister-in-law came along.

They are proper relatives, so they have to come.

In the morning, the weather was exceptionally clear and sunny, a rare sight in Beiping during winter.

As time went by, guests arrived one after another, creating a very lively atmosphere.

Bingbing also brought her son Li Chuan out to meet people.

The person in question is Li Chuan. Today is his one-month birthday celebration, and if he doesn't show up, the celebration will be a waste.

Boss Lou brought his whole family. He was very familiar with No. 95 Courtyard and had eaten there several times before.

It's only because No. 95 Courtyard is large and looks grand that he would be doing this.

When some old-fashioned people came to offer their congratulations, they dressed in such grand attire that they were practically wearing yellow jackets.

They gave very generous gifts; they not only gave cash but also jewelry for children.

For example, bracelets and longevity locks.

After all that has happened in Beiping, the common people don't really have much prejudice against the old guard. Having lived in the same city for so long, what prejudice would they have left?

Now it's a new country, everyone is the same, just from different ethnic groups, we are all compatriots.

To Li Jiuzhou's surprise, his second uncle and father-in-law also came. They were very low-key and came dressed in a well-fitting Zhongshan suit.

Apart from Lou Bancheng and others who could recognize them, the neighbors in the outer courtyard didn't know who they were and all thought they were Li Jiuzhou's employers.

Seventh Master and his wife also arrived.

The scene was very lively.

Li Jiuzhou asked Manager Luan to take care of his guests.

Manager Luan was a shrewd and resourceful person, so he handled the reception with ease. It was just a small matter; that was exactly the kind of work he did at Fengzeyuan.

He readily agreed to Li Jiuzhou's request; that's where the relationship lies.

Li Jiuzhou wasn't too surprised. He had already made plans for inviting these people; the dishes were of high quality, and their presence wouldn't lower the social standing of the restaurant.

The menu drafted by Li Jiuzhou this time is basically based on Shandong cuisine, which is quite presentable. He is at ease with his senior brother Wang Shan in charge of cooking.

The guests' eyes lit up when they saw the menu—a whopping 22 dishes! That's a lot!

These days, most people choose an even number of dishes for a large banquet. A typical family banquet has 12 dishes, a better one has 16 dishes, and the next level up has 18 dishes, with the highest level being 22 dishes!

The neighbors in the courtyard exclaimed "Wow, wow!" after seeing it. Those who couldn't read asked their school-aged children to read it aloud.

The more she listened, the brighter her smile became.

The menu is as follows:

Braised beef (cold dish)

葱烧海参

九转大肠

Stir-fried pork kidneys

糖醋鲤鱼

Fried Double Crispy

Four Happiness Meatballs

Peking duck

油焖大虾

Crab-like

Crystal Pork Knuckle

Pine nut corn

Stir-fried mutton with scallions

Texas Braised Chicken

Kongfu Yipin Hot Pot

Cuttlefish Egg Soup

溜肝尖

Jinan Sweet Porridge

Candied Yam

Dry Pot Frog

Boiled fish fillets

Dragon and Phoenix Soup

Jia Dongxu had been helping out the whole time, and only when he had a spare moment did he look at the recipe. He looked at it with a wide grin!

His face flushed with excitement. These were mostly dishes from Fengzeyuan Restaurant, and he knew exactly what dishes they had.

Damn, we men finally got to eat at Fengzeyuan today.

As Jia Dongxu walked towards the Intermediate People's Court, he couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of his mother bustling about.

My mom really goes to great lengths for food.

However, she was startled when she saw her father's memorial tablet about to fall out of her mother's arms.

If he falls out, he'll be doomed. The Lou family is nearby; they're his bread and butter.

Jia Dongxu quickly stepped forward and, without saying a word, pulled his mother into the house.

After closing the door, he launched into a tirade under the astonished gazes of Jia Zhangshi and Tong Jie:

"Mom, hurry up and get my dad out, he almost fell out."

"Boss Lou is here too. Are you trying to point out that the compensation he gave my father back then wasn't enough?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhangshi's eyes lit up. This was a good idea; she might even be able to make some money from it.

Seeing his mother's look, Jia Dongxu became even angrier:

"Mom, we can't do anything reckless today. What if you make me lose my job? What will we eat then?"

"Relying on selling Sachima during the two months leading up to the Lunar New Year?"

Upon hearing this, Tong Jie quickly advised:

"Mom, Dongxu is right. Let's bring out my father-in-law. He's kind of creepy."

At this moment, Madam Jia was a person who listened to advice, and slowly took out Old Jia's memorial tablet from her bosom.

He pushed it outwards, the side with the writing facing Jia Dongxu, and then, while walking forward, he said tearfully:

"Old Jia, you damned bastard, you have no luck. Today the Li family is having a big feast, and we're eating famous dishes made by the chef from Fengzeyuan Restaurant."

"A feast with 22 dishes! I've never seen anything like it in my life. It's a pity you left so early, otherwise I would have made sure you got to taste it."

"I was thinking of bringing your memorial tablet along for a meal, but your son disagreed, saying you're not presentable enough!"

"Waaaaah~"

Jia Dongxu was forced to retreat again and again by his father's memorial tablet, until he hit the wall and had nowhere left to go. Looking at his father's memorial tablet, he felt a chill no matter how he looked at it.

And honestly, when did I ever say my dad was disreputable? This is blatant slander!

Tong Jie bit her lip hard to stop herself from laughing; this mother and son were just too hilarious.

She doesn't feel uneasy anymore; it's become a habit, so what's there to be afraid of?

Jia Dongxu didn't want to look at his father's memorial tablet anymore, so he took a cloth and covered it up.

Seeing this, Jia Zhangshi muttered to herself again:

"Old Jia, I wonder if you're eating well down there. Tonight, give Dongxu a dream and tell him what you want to eat."

Jia Dongxu didn't want to listen anymore, so he gave his wife a wink and slipped out.

At noon, the courtyard was filled with a delicious aroma.

As Yi Zhonghai announced the auspicious time had arrived, he declared, "Let the feast begin!"

Upon hearing this, the guests all took their seats with smiles on their faces.

Li Jiuzhou toasted at every table, happy that his son was turning one month old.

He spent a lot of money today; the standard for one meal was 30 yuan. He booked a total of 30 tables, and they were all full.

Two people from one household in the courtyard came to eat at the banquet. The children were not counted, but they could take some food from next to their parents.

It took more than an hour to finish eating.

There was definitely more food than could be eaten. There were 22 dishes, how could anyone possibly finish them all? There was still quite a bit left on every table.

If you want to take it home, that's fine; we can't waste food.

The old guard and their descendants don't have that idea. They care about appearances and aren't short of money. They just want to finish the banquet, pack their bags, and leave.

So all the leftovers went to the neighbors in the yard; such good food shouldn't be wasted.

Jia Zhangshi was exceptionally clever, and she wasn't greedy either; she packed some of all 22 dishes to take home.

The daughter-in-law at home can still eat, but Jia Zhangshi is still regretting that her grandson Banggeng is too small, otherwise she could have a big meal with him.

My father-in-law also packed several dishes to take back with him, which will save him some trouble and allow him to have several meals.

In the afternoon, after the meal, the neighbors went out for a stroll and didn't forget to brag about it.

And we can't just let them brag; they actually got to eat it.

The neighbors in the nearby courtyards were shocked when they heard that the Li family was having a banquet with 30 tables and 22 dishes.

Envy and longing flashed across his face, and his mouth watered.