From a country cook to a master chef

Yucheng, Yaoshanzhai (Medicinal Cuisine Restaurant).

As the only restaurant in the outer city specializing in medicinal cuisine, it still had a steady stream of customers despite the snowy weather.

The medicinal cuisine restaurant is located next to the Qinghe River. Right in front of it is the Longmen Bridge, which connects the inner and outer city. The bridge has a crack, and from a distance it looks like a broken bridge. Despite the passage of time, it still firmly spans the two banks of the Qinghe River.

Sometimes one can't help but admire the wisdom and ingenuity of the ancients.

A couplet hangs at the entrance of the restaurant, supposedly written by a playboy from a wealthy family. Although it's not very well-written, the manager dares not remove it.

Flowing water freezes into ice, falling snow blossoms;

Broken bridge, lingering snow, a family preparing medicinal cuisine.

Leaving the medicinal cuisine restaurant, you'll find yourself on the old Yaoshi Street.

"It has to be the food from the medicinal cuisine restaurant. I feel great right after eating it. Come on, I'll take you guys to Pingkang Lane for some fun!"

The group staggered out of the restaurant. The young man at the head, dressed in fine clothes and wearing a jade belt, was half-drunk. Supported by two followers, he pointed in the direction of Jing'an Lane and talked about Yuqing and Ziwei, the most famous courtesans in Pingkang Lane.

"Miss Yuqing! Miss Ziwei! Young Master Gao is truly wise! Looking across the entire Yucheng, these two are absolutely stunning beauties!"

The henchman helped the young man up, constantly flattering him.

The young man surnamed Gao, who was being held between the two men, had a flushed face and raised his index finger happily, saying, "What are Yuqing and Ziwei compared to this? Next time we go to the capital, I'll show you what true ecstasy is."

The two echoed, "Haha, Young Master Gao is right. Young Master Gao, don't go back on your word. We're waiting for you to take us out to see the world."

"Of course, of course!"

The young man smiled and agreed, but then staggered and suddenly vomited.

Unfortunately, the vomit landed on Lin Jue, who was smelling the medicinal herbs.

"Which bastard is so blind as to block Young Master Gao's way?"

One of the men glared menacingly at Lin Jue, intending to take advantage of the Gao family's power to make a fortune. However, the moment his gaze met Lin Jue's, he was so frightened by Lin Jue's pair of imposing and cold Arhat eyes that he abruptly retreated.

Lin Jue looked down at his feet and found them covered in vomit. He felt nauseous and stared at the three men, demanding an explanation.

After vomiting for a while, the young man surnamed Gao sobered up a bit. He rolled his eyes at the young man in front of him and said, "Do you know who my father is? How dare you question me? Do you have a death wish?"

Lin Jue's gaze fell on the token at the young man's waist, and his expression gradually became serious. Ever since he learned of the Gao family's existence, he had secretly inquired about some things concerning the Gao family.

This gold-plated token with black lettering is only worn by direct descendants of the Gao family.

The young man in front of me, who is completely drunk, must hold a very important position in the Gao family.

The young man's next words confirmed what Lin Jue had in mind.

"My name is Gao Sheng, and my father is Gao Qimo. Haha, scared yet?"

The young man shook his head, and after regaining some clarity, he pointed at Lin Jue's nose and said, "Now, kneel down and kowtow to me twice, then crawl between my legs, and I will forgive your great disrespect."

Lin Jue was shocked. He hadn't expected this guy to be Gao Sheng, the second young master of the Gao family, who was said to be the son of the Gao family patriarch Gao Qimo and a female entertainer.

Gao Qimo had two sons. His eldest son, Gao Yao, was the most favored. He was the only member of the Gao family with spiritual roots and was exceptionally talented. He was accepted into the prestigious cultivation sect, Yanxia Sect.

The second son, Goldman Sachs, has always been an incompetent, arrogant, and dissolute man who enjoys spending his days with his cronies, engaging in cockfighting, dog racing, and frequenting brothels.

Just as Lin Jue was pondering how to deal with the other party, he suddenly noticed a man dressed in all black and masked walking out from behind Goldman Sachs.

A short knife fell from the masked man's sleeve. Caught off guard, Goldman Sachs was about to mock Lin Jue when he felt a sharp pain in his back. His eyes instinctively looked down and saw a sharp blade piercing his chest, blood dripping from the tip like water.

A metallic taste filled his throat, his eyes widened, his face contorted with disbelief and terror, his legs gave way, and in his dying moments he murmured, "My father, Gao Qimo..."

Sensing the danger, the Goldman Sachs henchmen's expressions changed drastically. Before they could even make a move, they were both slit in the throat from behind.

The three slowly collapsed to the ground. The masked man's gaze was calm and composed. After glancing at Lin Jue, he turned around and walked to the high wall to the side. He lightly touched the ground with his toes, leaped into the air, jumped over the wall, and disappeared without a trace.

"Murder!" ×2

Someone shouted, and the deafening shout startled Lin Jue, who was standing there in a daze. He quickly turned into the alley next door and eventually arrived at the neighboring Chang Le Fang.

In broad daylight, he witnessed the second young master of the Gao family being assassinated in the street.

Upon entering Chang Le Fang, recalling the scene just now, Lin Jue's mind immediately conjured up the image of the masked man and his cold, confident eyes.

He breathed a sigh of relief. Instead of returning to Jiming Lane immediately, he went into a nearby foot restaurant, ordered some wine and food, and sat by the window to observe.

He was only about two hundred steps away from where the incident occurred, and he wanted to see how the Gao family would react to the sudden death of the second young master of the Gao family in the street.

Before long, with a sharp whistle, a group of people rushed over from the direction of the Chang Le Fang patrol office. They were all dressed in tight-fitting clothes with long, dark blue stripes, and had embroidered spring knives at their waists. Their steps were hurried but orderly.

When Lin Jue saw the appearance of the leading inspector, he was taken aback.

"Arrogant!"

"How could it be him?"

I remember the last time Zhang Kuang beat up Pan Mang, he was just a squad leader on night patrol. Now, less than half a month later, he has become the patrol inspector of the patrol office.

What kind of shitty luck is that?

Lin Jue picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp, thinking to himself that it was truly a case of "a scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days of separation."

However, he was more curious about how Zhang Kuang had managed to do this. If it weren't for the help of a benefactor, Lin Jue would never have believed it.

In the torrent of worldly affairs, it is already a great blessing to be able to stand firm.

In this messed-up world, getting ahead is harder than climbing to heaven.

While success depends on human effort, these days, without the help of benefactors or the appreciation of a discerning eye, how easy is it to cross those seemingly insurmountable thresholds?

After finishing a pot of wine, Lin Qi got up to leave, but when it came time to pay, the shopkeeper made all sorts of excuses, saying, "Since you have honored me with your presence at my humble shop, how could I possibly accept your money?"

Lin Jue said in surprise, "Boss, are you sure you're looking carefully? I'm not from the Patrol and Inspection Division."

"The clothes are similar in color, but the patterns are different, and there's no patrol station totem. He really isn't an official from the patrol station." Upon hearing Lin Jue's words, the innkeeper mustered his courage and looked him up to examine his attire. He immediately took the money, changed his tune, and said, "Get lost! You scared me half to death. I thought you were an official from the patrol station."

Seeing the person leave the shop, the shopkeeper, remembering how he had just been so obsequious to this person, felt very annoyed and muttered under his breath, "Idiot."

Lin Jue was slightly taken aback. By practicing the Pine Crane Long Fist on his own, he not only developed his eyesight to be able to see in all directions, but also had the ability to hear in all directions.

Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse. I never expected that a black coat, just because it resembled the uniform of the inspector, could frighten the innkeeper so much that he dared not look directly at him.

Hearing the shopkeeper secretly cursing him, Lin Jue was not angry. He turned around and smiled back, and walked towards the Four Symbols Martial Arts School under the shopkeeper's surprised gaze.