Courtyard House: The Chef's Intelligence System

Li Jiuzhou was quite satisfied with You Fulai kneeling on the ground, but he didn't move. Kneeling and kowtowing wasn't enough; he also had to serve tea.

Li Jiuzhou asked his wife to come and sit down as well.

While You Fulai was kowtowing, Sha Zhu poured two cups of tea for him.

You Fulai gave Sha Zhu a look full of gratitude.

"Master, please have some tea."

"Please have some tea, Master's wife."

You Fulai respectfully invited his master and mistress to have some tea.

The couple joined hands and helped him up.

He then returned to his chair and continued sitting. Li Jiuzhou, as the master, was about to explain the rules of their sect.

Li Jiuzhou started by talking about the Kitchen God and the Ancestral Master, explaining each point in great detail.

The industry rules and regulations are rules that chefs must abide by.

Because they are legitimate and belong to a sect.

Ironclad Rules of the Industry:

The relationship between master and apprentice is like that between father and son: listen to the master's words, help the master's family, and care for the master in his old age and see him off in his final days.

Kitchen taboos: Don't sneak food, don't leak secrets, don't be lazy, and don't gossip behind people's backs.

Craftsmanship must not be passed on to outsiders: do not teach to outsiders, do not steal skills, and do not change jobs.

Respecting teachers and valuing their teachings: Giving gifts during festivals and attending all the teacher's weddings and funerals.

Graduation and Follow-up:

After three years and one festival, a thank-you banquet is held for the master, and only when the master approves can the apprenticeship be considered complete.

After completing their apprenticeship, they can either become independent or stay at the shop; most will continue to help their master for another 1-3 years to repay the kindness.

Li Jiuzhou stopped after he finished speaking, while You Fulai listened intently, kneeling on the ground.

Sha Zhu listened attentively; this was an industry rule, and he had to abide by it as well.

Finally, Li Jiuzhou smiled and said to You Fulai:

"Disciple, why don't you serve tea to your martial uncle? He's the one who introduced you to him."

Upon hearing this, You Fulai quickly stood up, took the tea his mother had prepared, and knelt down in front of Sha Zhu:

"Uncle-Master, please have some tea!"

"Ha ha ha ha…"

Sha Zhu laughed loudly as he accepted the tea offered by You Fulai and drank it all in one gulp.

Sha Zhu rummaged around on his body and realized that he hadn't brought any money with him in the rush, so he simply took off the watch he was wearing on his left wrist.

"Here, this is a gift from my martial uncle."

"This..." You Fulai dared not accept it, it was far too valuable.

This is a watch, and it's not cheap. Although he likes it, he really doesn't dare to buy it.

His family doesn't even own a single large item.

Mother You dared not accept such an expensive gift, so she said:

"Uncle-Master, this is too precious; the child can't handle it!"

Sha Zhu wasn't angry when he heard this. He knew the You family's conditions very well. It was just a coincidence, otherwise he wouldn't have given the watch as a gift to his nephew.

But the words had already been spoken, and it would be inappropriate to take them back, so Sha Zhu turned his gaze to his senior brother.

Li Jiuzhou naturally noticed Sha Zhu's gaze, so he spoke up:

"Disciple, it is not appropriate to refuse a gift from an elder. Please accept this gift from your master."

"I'll repay your uncle properly when I'm able to."

Seeing that his master had spoken, You Fulai had no choice but to accept the gift from his uncle with trembling hands.

Li Jiuzhou and his wife each gave a red envelope, not much, a total of ten yuan.

Meanwhile, many neighbors had gathered outside Li Jiuzhou's house to watch the excitement.

Upon learning that Li Jiuzhou had taken on a disciple, a smile immediately spread across his face.

They were all whispering excitedly, and you could vaguely hear the names of dishes like braised lion's head meatballs and braised sea cucumber with scallions.

They didn't envy Li Jiuzhou's new apprentice; it was just a skill to make a living. The children of the residents of No. 95 Courtyard wouldn't lack one or two skills in the future.

What they cared about was the apprenticeship banquet; they naturally assumed that a great chef like Li Jiuzhou would definitely hold a grand feast to accept apprentices.

Because a few years ago, when Yi Zhonghai accepted disciples, he held a banquet with 20 tables.

Li Jiuzhou chatted with the You family mother and son for a long time inside the house, and in the end they left No. 95 Courtyard with profuse thanks.

After Li Jiuzhou and his group saw the You family mother and son off, they returned to the front yard, and someone immediately asked them questions.

The person asking the question was Yan Bugui:

"Jiuzhou, when are you going to hold the banquet?"

"I need to prepare some writing materials such as brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones."

Yan Bugui spoke as if it were a matter of course, as if victory was assured.

Li Jiuzhou feigned surprise upon hearing this:

"Why hold a banquet? I don't hold banquets when I accept disciples."

"What? If you don't host a banquet, what are we supposed to eat?" Jia Zhangshi blurted out.

Although her words were inappropriate, they resonated with many of her neighbors.

Jia Zhangshi's words were incredibly jarring, giving one a sense of being coerced and making one extremely angry.

Without a second thought, Sha Zhu pointed at Jia Zhangshi and began to curse:

"You son of a bitch, do you want to eat this shit?"

"What are you going to eat? What business is it of yours if my senior brother takes on disciples? Have you become too picky from eating too much?"

"Look how spoiled you all are! It's like my senior brother is digging up your ancestral graves if he doesn't hold a banquet when he accepts disciples."

"Get the hell out of here, or I'll beat you all up!"

Sha Zhu's angry shout startled many people, who all backed away.

Not only was Jia Zhangshi unafraid, but it also aroused her rebellious spirit.

Stepping forward, he said:

"Hey, you idiot, who the hell do you think you are? There are so many elders here, when did it become your turn to pretend to be a big shot?"

"You're just meddling in other people's business. Come on, if you've got the guts, come and hit me. Do you think I'm scared?"

Jia Zhangshi's tirade made Sha Zhu's face change. The insults were so vile that his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and he was on the verge of exploding.

Jia Dongxu didn't say anything at this moment, and stood lightly in front of Jia Zhangshi, seemingly to shield his mother.

Seeing this, Jia Zhangshi felt very gratified. With her son by her side, she became even more proud and arrogant. It was a primal instinct; sometimes, Jia Zhangshi couldn't control herself. She shouted at Sha Zhu:

"Hey, you idiot, come on, hit me! You cowardly wimp!"

Sha Zhu shifted his feet slightly, determined to give Jia Zhangshi a slam dunk this time, so she would learn her lesson.

However, Sha Zhu still glanced back at his senior brother, afraid of being punished if he made a move.

Li Jiuzhou had been observing Sha Zhu to see if he would still get provoked into hitting someone because of a verbal argument.

Seeing that he still knew to ask her questions, she was somewhat satisfied; he still had some self-control.

So he stepped forward and casually said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Zhu Zi, there's no need to resort to violence; it'll only damage the harmony between neighbors."

"Your senior brother teaches you: when you hit someone, hit them in the face; when you insult someone, stab them in the heart."

"She would be even more justified if she struck first."

Sha Zhu was initially confused, but then he felt like he understood.

With a smile on her lips, she pointed at Madam Jia and said lightly, "Your husband is dead."

"Whoa!" the neighbors exclaimed in surprise.

Jia Zhangshi felt terrible being insulted like that by Sha Zhu, but she didn't completely break down. She retorted:

"Your mother is dead too."

Sha Zhu didn't care after hearing this; his mother had been dead for many years, so he continued cursing:

"Your husband is dead, and your son is a client of prostitutes!"