Courtyard House: The Chef's Intelligence System

Both sides were at fault in the Jia family's arranged marriage; such things cannot be kept secret.

It's just that Lucy Liu suddenly had a trick up her sleeve.

Jia Dongxu's blind date plan will continue.

Although Wang Po's family made a threatening statement that they would make it impossible for Jia Dongxu to find a wife, they didn't dare to do anything reckless on the surface.

Destroying someone else's marriage is like cutting off their family line; it's a fight to the death. Even a cornered dog will jump over the wall.

If we really anger the Jia family mother and son to the point that they do something irreversible, then the situation will be serious.

In early spring, the weather in Beijing was still quite cold, but the kitchen of Fengzeyuan was exceptionally warm.

The fire in the stove never went out, and the kitchen staff were all dressed very lightly; chefs like Li Jiuzhou were practically shirtless.

Stir-frying is hot, and how can you toss the wok when you're wearing too many layers?

It was lunchtime, and Li Jiuzhou's hands were constantly busy.

Six soldiers arrived at the gate of Fengzeyuan.

Li Zhan pointed to the plaque of Zeyuan and laughed:

"My dad and my younger brother are both chefs here. It's rare for us brothers to get together today, so let's go and have a feast!"

After saying that, he strode inside.

Upon seeing this, Mr. Guo immediately went to greet him:

"Comrades, shall we have lunch today?"

"It's just the six of us for dinner, so please arrange a private room for us."

"Oh, and by the way, have your Mr. Fish cook for you himself, and tell him I'm his older brother!"

Upon seeing this, Mr. Guo clasped his hands in a fist salute:

"No problem, I'll make arrangements for you all right away."

Mr. Guo didn't want to pry too deeply; there were some things he couldn't ask, for fear of upsetting these gentlemen.

After settling Li Zhan and the others in, Mr. Guo went to the kitchen:

"Jiuzhou, a few soldiers just arrived. They specifically asked you to cook, saying you're your older brother!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jiuzhou asked a question:

"Did they order anything? How many people were there?"

"No, there are six people. A guy who claims to be your older brother said you would make the arrangements."

"Alright, thank you, Mr. Guo. Please entertain him for me. I reckon it's my master's eldest brother who's here."

Mr. Guo smiled and said, "Who do we have here? It's Master Li's son. Alright, I'll certainly treat him well."

At this moment, his master, Li Tielong, came to his side and said:

"Is that brat, the boss, here?"

Li Jiuzhou nodded:

"Yeah, didn't Big Brother say a few days ago that he would bring a few comrades over for a get-together?"

Li Tielong thought for a moment and then gave the order:

"Okay, Jiuzhou, just cook whatever you think is best. Don't let your older brother think our family is stingy."

"Also, put this bill on my tab."

Li Jiuzhou smiled:

"Master, if Zhu Zi and I go to Quanjude for a meal, can you put it on your tab?"

Upon hearing this, Li Tielong's eyes widened, and he said irritably:

"I'm not a rich landlord, I don't need you to rob me!"

"Hurry up and cook for your older brother. I'm going to say hello to the eldest brother. Come over when you're done."

"Alright, alright, you can rest now..."

"Zhu Zi, bring us a whole big fish, our big brother is here to eat."

"Alright, you can be diligent then~"

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu immediately grabbed a small net and went to kill the fish.

The whole thing was so smooth and effortless, he didn't even blink.

Sha Zhu figured out how to kill the fish, remove the scales, and slice it in less than a minute.

Li Jiuzhou already had a menu in mind.

Cold braised beef.

There's also Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, where the broth is always hanging in the air, ready to be used at any time.

You can also order a few dishes from the Tan family cuisine; just order the most expensive ones, and the chef will pay the bill, so what's there to be afraid of?

Li Jiuzhou prepared nine dishes for the six people.

He wanted to order more, but he was afraid his older brother would say it was a waste.

The private room was nearly empty, with people clinking glasses and eating with greasy mouths.

The six men were all the same age and comrades-in-arms who had shared life and death, creating an exceptionally warm atmosphere.

After sitting for a while, Li Tielong left the space to the young people.

Li Zhan laughed and said, "Who would have thought that six talented people would emerge from our original cooking squad..."

"Ha ha ha ha..."

Upon hearing this, the remaining five people all smiled from the bottom of their hearts.

Yes, they are proud. When they were in the army, they were in the mess hall, and years of fighting caused them to be separated.

Unexpectedly, when we reunited, everyone was already a regimental-level cadre.

Enough said, let's toast and wish our motherland prosperity and strength!

"Yes, Er Lizi is right. May our motherland prosper and flourish!"

That second Li was named Li Huaide, and like Li Zhan, he shared the surname Li.

To avoid them becoming too formal with each other, the class separated the two of them.

Li Zhan is called Big Li, and Li Huaide is called Second Li.

Li Huaide ate to his heart's content. Before joining the army, he was a cook, and after his parents passed away, he helped his elder brother prepare large banquets.

He had a tiny bit of cooking skill, so he joined the mess hall as soon as he enlisted in the army.

Li Huaide put down his chopsticks and said contentedly:

"As expected of Fengzeyuan, this dish is absolutely amazing."

"Big Li, call your brother out, we have to toast him."

Li Zhan smiled and nodded upon hearing this: "Okay, I'll go call them."

A short while later, Li Zhan led Li Jiuzhou into the private room.

Li Jiuzhou smiled. These were his elder brother's comrades-in-arms, and he had heard that they were all at the regimental level. He couldn't let them down.

Upon entering the private room, I saw five people, all dressed in military uniforms, each with an imposing air about them.

But the person sitting in the very center made Li Jiuzhou's heart tremble violently, and the memories of his dead flooded back like a tidal wave.

Li Huaide was somewhat puzzled by Li Jiuzhou's fixed gaze on him.

But looking at Li Jiuzhou's face felt very familiar and warm.

Li Jiuzhou said in a trembling voice:

"Second...Second Dog?"

The familiar address made Li Huaide instantly lose his composure. He suddenly stood up and carefully examined Li Jiuzhou's face again.

Memories from the depths of my mind suddenly surfaced.

In the past, in a small mountain village, he was a young boy carrying a basket on his back, while his nephew would talk nonsense inside the basket.

But this eldest nephew refused to call him "Second Uncle," insisting instead on calling him by his childhood nickname, "Second Dog!"

Li Huaide's eyes widened, and his voice was loud:

"What are your father's, your grandfather's, and your own names?"

Their actions left the other five people present quite unsettled.

Li Zhan frowned, but he didn't say anything.

Li Jiuzhou said:

"My grandfather's name was Li Seven Years, and my father's name was Li Eight Thousand."

At this point, Li Jiuzhou paused, his gaze fixed intently on Li Huaide:

"My second uncle's name is Li Badou, and his childhood nickname is Er Gouzi!"

"As for my surname, Li, and given name, Jiuzhou!"

At this moment, Li Huaide's eyes were red, filled with the excitement of seeing a loved one. His voice was somewhat strained and trembling as he said:

"Jiuzhou, I'm your second uncle, Li Ba..."

Li Zhan and the others laughed; it was like an uncle and nephew reuniting as relatives.

"Jiuzhou, where are your parents?" Li Huaide's voice trembled even more this time.

Upon hearing this, Li Jiuzhou showed a sad expression:

"They fled..."

Li Huaide staggered and sat down on the ground, tears streaming down his face, and he began to wail...

"Big brother, sister-in-law, I'm so sorry... Waaah..."

Li Huaide's wailing made the atmosphere in the private room somewhat somber; many past events were too painful to recall.

The Li family had suffered a misfortune; few members of their own family were doing well.

Thinking of this, everyone's eyes turned red.

"Second Uncle, don't be sad. Our parents are gone, but we who are alive must continue to live."

"The country is not small anymore. After you join the army, your parents will give us a daughter named Li Fengjiao, nicknamed Jiaojiao."

"Thanks to my master's help, I've settled down in the capital."

"Everything will be alright from now on."

Li Huaide felt better after being comforted by Li Jiuzhou's words.

Having witnessed so many life-and-death separations in the military over the years, he quickly adjusted his mindset.

Li Zhan then recounted the situation of Li Jiuzhou and his sister over the past few years.

Li Huaide was pleased to learn that his nephew was so successful, but he also felt guilty for his own negligence.

As a soldier, he defended his country and sacrificed his life in battle.

But he was an incompetent member of the family, leaving his three nephews to wander in exile.

Li Huai felt a pang of heartache whenever he thought of the hardships his nephews had endured.