Era: You're asked to cook a home-style dish, but you cook Wellington.

"Look, look! The brother and sister have gone up there."

Who do you think will win between the two of them?

I guess it's my sister.

I guess it's my younger brother.

As everyone looked on, they saw the siblings carrying their Imperial Eight Treasure Duck towards the high platform in the distance.

"Nangong Hong, it's not shameful for you to lose to me."

Nangong Lian walked on the left, deliberately slowing his pace, and looked at Nangong Hong beside him, his smugness completely undisguised.

"I know you're better than me at traditional dishes, so I specially modified this dish. Based on my current skill level, there's a very high chance you'll lose to me."

"Oh, you're so confident."

Nangong Hong glanced sideways, her eyes calm and undisturbed.

Her hair fluttered slightly, leaving a beautiful red trail in the air.

"Looks like I haven't disciplined you enough."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Lian's heart skipped a beat. Recalling some unpleasant memories, a thin layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his back, and his arrogant demeanor vanished in an instant.

He subconsciously shrank his neck, but still stubbornly insisted on keeping quiet.

"How old are you? Why bring up things from the past? Aren't you ashamed?"

"Let me tell you, things are different now. I've been in seclusion for so long, and I'm not the same as before. Don't keep looking at me with the same old perspective."

Nangong Hong curled her lips into a smile, not even sparing her younger brother a glance, but her words were still incredibly hurtful.

"Yes, you're right. It's just that you lost all 300 of the 300 written exams."

"you!"

Nangong Lian was furious, her cheeks flushed red, and she almost lost her composure on the spot. After taking a few deep breaths, she could only glare fiercely at her sister.

"Stop saying all that, let the judges see!"

Nangong Lian quickened his pace, taking three steps at a time to reach the high platform, completely unaware of the profound smile on Nangong Hong's face.

Yes, the little brother is so cute.

On the high platform, the two stood together, and the lid in front of them was lifted at the same time.

In an instant, two different fragrances wafted out simultaneously, enveloping the entire venue.

"Wow, it smells so good! I'm so hungry! I want to go home for dinner!"

"Don't eat dinner yet, look! Nangong Hong's duck is golden in color, it looks like it's made using the traditional method, it must be the most authentic taste."

"Look at Nangong Lian's duck, it's so reddish-brown, just like roast duck. I've never had it before, I really want to try it!"

The judges on stage looked at the two duck dishes in front of them with amazement.

"Mr. Gu, which one would you like to try first?"

Xu Qinyun smiled sweetly.

Old Gu was in a very good mood, his gaze constantly shifting between the two Eight Treasure Ducks.

He stroked his beard, his eyes full of admiration.

"First adhere to the correct principles, then employ unconventional tactics. Let me see how this little girl Hong'er performs."

After saying that, he took the knife and sliced ​​open the duck skin.

In an instant, white glutinous rice and gray mushrooms flowed out of the duck's body.

He scooped up a spoonful of filling and put it in his mouth.

The mild, savory aroma explodes on the tongue, and the duck meat is tender and juicy.

The glutinous rice and other ingredients absorb the flavor of the duck meat very well, making it even richer and more flavorful.

The duck meat also absorbed the flavors of the seasonings, adding a subtle sweetness to the rich aroma.

The flavors are perfectly balanced, fresh without being greasy, and the eight flavors blend together just right. No flavor overshadows the others, and no flavor is overshadowed. It perfectly embodies the sophistication and sense of proportion of imperial cuisine.

A smile involuntarily crept onto Gu Jingzhou's lips.

"Delicious, smooth on the palate, with a lingering aftertaste. Hong, you have completely inherited the best qualities of the Nangong family."

He put down his spoon and looked at Nangong Hong with satisfaction.

Nangong Hong bowed slightly to show respect.

Seeing his sister receive such high praise, Nangong Lian immediately became anxious.

"Old Gu, Old Gu, please try some of mine, please try some of mine!"

"You can't stand to see your sister doing well, it's driving you crazy."

Xu Qinyun joked with a smile, and also made a cut on his Eight Treasure Duck.

Like Nangong Hong's, his ingredients flowed out slowly, but unlike Nangong Hong's, he used dried tangerine peel and goji berries.

Light brown tangerine peel bits and bright red goji berries are sprinkled among the glutinous rice, making the dish more appealing.

A rich aroma of fruit and broth wafts over, making your mouth water.

Xu Qinyun scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth.

Her eyes lit up.

"Good lad, you were hiding something after all."

She could taste that Nangong Lian's duck meat was stewed until extremely tender.

Because of the deep-frying process, the duck's skin tightens suddenly, locking in the internal moisture.

The delicate aroma of dried tangerine peel perfectly balances the greasiness of the duck meat, while goji berries bring a subtle sweetness.

In addition to the basic filling, his Eight Treasure Duck also incorporates two special flavors, creating distinct layers and a more refreshing taste that completely breaks away from the pure and rich flavor of traditional Eight Treasure Duck.

After chewing it carefully, Gu Jingzhou couldn't help but give it a thumbs up.

"Great! Your improvement and innovation are excellent. It's given me a new flavor, which is a wonderful surprise!"

At that moment, the entire audience erupted in uproar.

"My God, the Nangong siblings are being praised way too highly."

"I think the older sister won this round. Eight-treasure duck tastes best when it's traditional."

"You're talking nonsense. My brother's Eight Treasure Duck is the best; it's not greasy at all."

"Come on, this round is going to be won by my sister."

"Steven, who do you think will win?"

Gao Yang looked at Steven to the side.

Steven crossed his arms and carefully admired the two Eight Treasure Duck dishes.

"I think Nangong Hong will win this round."

"Hmm, why?"

"Nangong Lian's skills are indeed very strong, but his foundation is not as deep as Nangong Hong's."

"It seems that seasoning is very important for this dish, but there is another key point: whether all the seasonings can be absorbed. Obviously, Nangong Lian is a little short of that."

Gao Yang raised an eyebrow in agreement.

In his view, Steven was absolutely right.

On the competition stage, after the judges finished tasting the food, they put down their spoons and their expressions gradually became serious.

The audience, who had been arguing fiercely just moments before, now held their breath and remained completely silent, their eyes fixed on the platform, awaiting the final verdict.

Nangong Lian straightened his back and raised his eyebrows smugly.

He nudged his sister with his elbow.

"How about that? I told you I'd win this round, so don't cry later."

Nangong Hong glanced at him, said nothing, but her expression showed a hint of disdain.

Gu Jingzhou looked at the two people beside him, nodded, and slowly spoke.

"Both contestants' dishes were amazing. One was a traditional creation, and the other was a bold innovation. Both were excellent and equally impressive."

"But this competition ultimately has winners and losers, and after discussion among us judges, we made a joint decision."

The winner of this match is...

At this moment, Nangong Lian's hands were clenched into fists, his body trembled slightly, and his eyes were wide open.

Nangong Hong, who was beside him, seemed expressionless at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it could be seen that she was also biting her lip tightly, her gaze intense.

"The winner of this match is Nangong Hong!"