Republic of China era: A hundred-year-old still practicing martial arts? Is that right?

Liu Qingzhu slowly stepped onto the central table in Qingkeping and chose a spot where he could see Lin Ji and the others.

Although it was for the convenience of this trip.

Liu Qingzhu wore a dark-colored, form-fitting outfit that didn't really show off her figure.

Even without jewels, her unparalleled beauty still attracted the attention of many martial artists.

"Stunning beauty is nothing more than this."

"Tsk tsk... What a pity, she's just a cold beauty..."

……

Wang Ziheng also noticed Lin Ji and his group. His gaze toward Liu Qingzhu was no longer filled with appreciation for the beauty, but with deep resentment.

Everyone sat down for a full quarter of an hour.

The sun was already high in the sky.

It was already noon.

The last two seats remained unoccupied.

At this moment, the martial artist on the seat couldn't help but complain, "When are we going to start? It's almost noon, are we not allowed to eat?"

"Yes, yes! Are there any other important figures coming?"

……

The crowd's complaints rose and fell.

Even the martial artists watching from outside started shouting excitedly.

Most of the time, it's about getting the organizers to hurry up.

at last.

After all the calls came out.

A slightly overweight middle-aged man dressed as a chef walked out from the organizers' office, stopped at the middle of the session, and then shouted to the outside:

"The banquet is about to begin. As you all know, there are a total of eighteen dishes. The first nine are delicious dishes, and the last nine are rare delicacies. However, whether anyone will be able to taste these real delicacies is another matter."

He looked around.

The martial artists around them were all shouting at the top of their lungs to hurry up.

He nodded and continued, "The rules of the banquet are that as long as you safely eat the last nine dishes, you will pass the level and receive the reward for this level. The first person to eat the most of these last nine dishes will be considered the winner of this level."

He waved the large ladle in his hand, turned to look at the many martial artists on Qingkeping, and bowed slightly: "The banquet shall now begin."

Lin Ji watched his movements, his eyes narrowing sharply as he thought to himself:

"This person isn't just a chef; the way he wields the ladle is more like that of a master swordsman."

Lin Ji didn't have to observe further.

The portly chef shouted, "First dish: Jade Lotus Root Soup!"

He had barely finished speaking.

Sixteen tall young women walked out onto the stage.

The girl carried a plate, from which a faint fragrance wafted.

The moment caused the throats of the audience to bob.

"It smells so good, old man, what dish is this?"

Bai Yu'er tilted her head back and asked Lin Ji a question, her nose twitching occasionally.

The plate is served.

Further analysis by Lin Ji is needed.

Liu Qingzhu's voice came through their earpieces:

"This dish should be made by removing the strings from tender tofu, steaming it with egg white and crab roe, and then sprinkling it with some high-quality ham bits and freshly picked green beans after it's done. There's nothing particularly special about it, but... the soup is delicious, milky white like fat, and has a rich and savory flavor."

As soon as Liu Qingzhu said this...

Bai Yu'er couldn't help but suck on her throat again.

but.

A distant voice suddenly appeared in Lin Ji's mind.

"I'll add a spoonful of evaporated milk..."

"Forehead……"

Even Lin Ji was speechless.

And this time.

The chubby chef also gave a simple explanation of the dishes, which was almost identical to what Liu Qingzhu had said.

Next, the second course.

The golden carp transforms into a dragon.

To put it simply, it's just a finely crafted squirrel-shaped mandarin fish made with high-quality ingredients.

"Next, the third one."

"As the saying goes, 'When the jar is opened, the aroma of meat wafts to the neighbors, and even Buddha would abandon his meditation and jump over the wall to come.' This dish is simmered in Shaoxing rice wine for more than three days."

"It's just Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, it's not like I haven't eaten it..."

The martial artist below the stage grumbled in dissent.

Some martial artists even found the dishes too ordinary.

But when the sixteen ceramic jars on the stage were lifted...

Everyone in the audience was stunned by the aroma that wafted out.

The rich aroma filled the air and soared into the sky.

This Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup has the aroma of food blended together, and you can also smell the unique aroma of ten ingredients: abalone, sea cucumber, fish lips, beef skin glue, king oyster mushroom, tendon, shiitake mushroom, cuttlefish, scallop, and quail egg.

Lin Ji grinned and whispered into his earpiece, "I'll use a spoonful of sesame oil from the whole street..."

"What are you saying, old man? What do you mean by 'fragrant all over the street'? It should be 'fragrant all over the street'!"

Bai Yu'er couldn't help but complain and gave Lin Ji a strange look.

"It's really delicious." Liu Qingzhu also left her review of the food in the channel.

"Next, the fourth dish, 'Longevity of Pine and Crane'... a whole deboned pigeon..."

"The fifth dish, 'Searching for Plum Blossoms on a Snowy Night,' involves mashing iron-stick yams into a paste..."

"The sixth dish: dragon whisker noodles wrapped in golden thread, so fine it can be threaded through a needle..."

"The seventh dish, 'Moonlight Reflecting on a Cold Pool,' features bird's nest stewed until translucent, with peeled pigeon eggs floating in the clear broth..."

"The eighth step, the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, pig intestines..."

"Uh, isn't this the ultimate open conspiracy, the Nine-Turned Intestine..."

Lin Ji couldn't help but complain again.

"Old man, what are you talking about? You're acting really strange today."

"The ninth dish, Jade White Jade Rolls, are made by blanching cabbage leaves until soft, then rolling them with minced shrimp and chopped shiitake mushrooms..."

Nine dishes were served one by one, accompanied by the explanations of the chubby chef.

The sixteen participants on stage were either wolfing down their food or chewing slowly.

but.

These nine dishes were indeed delicious, and were completely devoured by the sixteen martial artists at the table.

Even Liu Qingzhu was no exception.

"These nine dishes combine nine different cooking techniques from all over China. Even General Wang Zhenhuai probably couldn't have tasted all the delicacies in the world."

The fat chef looked at Wang Zhenhuai as he spoke.

really.

Wang Zhenhuai nodded slightly.

Even now, in the Republican era, transportation is much more convenient.

However, due to cultural differences and different diets between the North and South, it is often difficult to gather all these ingredients, let alone have a chef who can integrate all cuisines.

"Even the chefs I employ at home can only cook three of these dishes, and we can only taste them on special occasions." Su Wanning rested her chin on her hand, looked at the leftover food on the table in the distance, and exhaled.

"Little sister, don't worry. After the war, let the old man take us sightseeing. We'll definitely be able to taste even more authentic delicacies there."

Bai Yu'er had also seen some of the dishes. Although the imperial court was in decline in its later years, it still tried its best to satisfy the needs of the royal family and relatives.

She had seen some of these dishes from afar when she was in the palace.

"Okay, I'll take you there." Lin Ji chuckled and nodded in agreement.

The reactions of Bai Yu'er and Su Wanning were not observed in Lin Ji.

To put it bluntly, these issues stem from a lack of information and poor transportation, resulting in limited communication.

In the previous life, during the era of information explosion.

He had seen far more than just these things before.

I ate quite a lot.

Well... I'm not really sure if it's authentic or not.

"I'm sure everyone is eager to get started. The next nine dishes are even more delicious, truly rare delicacies from around the world. Are you all ready?"

The fat chef smiled and glanced at the sixteen people on the table.