Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

He Yuzhu stood by the stove in the back kitchen of Huifanglou, watching the chefs in front of him passing the buck around the halal meat menu they had just ordered, and he chuckled to himself.

Actually, it wasn't that he couldn't take the job, but the processing methods and spice ratios for halal meat dishes were completely different from the Shandong cuisine he was good at. If he forced himself to do it, ruining Huifanglou's reputation would be a minor matter, but losing face for his father, He Daqing, would be a major one.

That's why he was happy to stand aside and watch the chefs secretly compete for these few orders, while he himself enjoyed a peaceful life.

In the kitchen, pots and pans clattered and rattled, flames licked the bottom of the pots, and waves of heat rolled in.

He Yuzhu deftly prepared the side dishes, his knife skills were precise and swift, the shredded meat was of uniform thickness and the diced vegetables were perfectly square. Just this basic skill alone left the apprentices assisting him speechless.

Since he entered Huifanglou, he has won over many diners in just a few days with his superb Shandong cuisine skills.

Customers who have tasted his cooking always request him to cook for them on their next visit, even though he is just an apprentice who has not yet formally become an apprentice. They recognize his skill.

Although the head chef of Sanzao felt a little resentful, the other person had earned his reputation through genuine skill, and he couldn't find any fault with him. He could only hold his breath and watch He Yuzhu shine brighter and brighter in the kitchen.

In the first few days, He Yuzhu was so busy with the list of names that he didn't even have time to drink water.

But after only a few days, the customers' preference had become a settled matter, and he was much more relaxed. He only needed to focus on dealing with the customers who specifically asked him to cook, while the other apprentices would naturally take care of the other miscellaneous tasks.

All of this was observed by the three head chefs in the kitchen: Chef Bai, Chef Ma, and Chef Yuan Taihong.

All three were pillars of Huifanglou, each tending their own main stove. Their skills were unique, and although they competed with each other, they lived in peace.

Seeing He Yuzhu's talent and skills, the three of them started to have ideas – this kid is definitely a culinary prodigy who comes along once in a century. If they could take him on as their apprentice and teach him everything they know, he would surely surpass them in the future and become a well-known figure in the industry, which would also bring them honor.

However, they all knew that He Yuzhu had brought a handwritten letter from his father, He Daqing, specifically requesting to become Yuan Taihong's disciple. After all, Yuan Taihong was He Daqing's senior fellow disciple, and it was neither proper nor reasonable for them to bypass Yuan Taihong and directly approach He Yuzhu to discuss becoming his disciple.

This thin veil of paper remained unbroken for a full seven days.

It wasn't until the afternoon of the seventh day, after the kitchen had finished its lunch rush, that things became a little quieter.

Chef Bai and Chef Ma wiped their hands, exchanged a glance, and finally couldn't contain their eagerness. They blocked Yuan Taihong's stove one after the other.

Yuan Taihong was leisurely wiping his beloved wok when he noticed the two men's hostile intentions. He raised an eyebrow, already understanding most of what was going on, but pretended not to know and asked casually, "Why aren't you two resting? What are you doing blocking my stove?"

Chef Bai spoke first, his tone direct and forceful: "Old Yuan, don't try to fool us. I'm just asking you one question: are you going to take He Yuzhu as your apprentice or not?"

Chef Ma immediately stepped forward to chime in, crossing his arms and nodding in agreement: "That's right, Lao Yuan, give us a straight answer, are you accepting it or not!"

Yuan Taihong paused in his wiping cloth, his face instantly darkening. He said irritably, "What? Do I need your permission to take on apprentices? That's too much of a fuss!"

"We're not concerned about you, we're concerned about this child!" Chef Bai leaned forward, lowering his voice slightly, but his words were firm and resolute.

"We can't control how quickly He Yuzhu graduates from your apprenticeship, but if you don't accept him, then we two old brothers won't be polite anymore. We'll take him as our apprentice!"

He is fifty-three years old this year and has spent most of his life working hard in the industry. He has taken on at least eight or ten apprentices, but the most outstanding one has only managed to get the position of second chef, which is still a long way from the position of head chef.

A few days ago, he had specially tasted the dishes made by He Yuzhu, and was amazed by them after just one bite. This kid's control of the heat and the seasoning were far superior to his peers, and even better than some chefs who had been working for five or six years. With a little refinement, his future achievements would definitely surpass his own.

Chef Ma nodded quickly, his eyes full of determination: "Old Bai is right! What chef doesn't care about their reputation? Being able to take on such a talented apprentice will make us hold our heads high when we go out into the world! We can't let such a good prospect go to waste!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Taihong immediately became agitated. He slammed the wok onto the stove with a loud clang, glared at the two men, and shouted angrily, "What do you mean? You're openly trying to steal my apprentice!"

"Don't put it so harshly!" Chef Bai sneered, slowly retorting, "He didn't offer tea, didn't bow, and didn't perform the apprenticeship ceremony. What kind of apprentice is he now? Besides, ask yourself honestly, which skill did you teach this kid after he joined Huifang Restaurant? He has a family tradition of skill and a natural talent; it has absolutely nothing to do with you!"

These words struck a nerve with Yuan Taihong. His face turned pale and then red, but he was speechless and could only stubbornly shout, "Who said I'm not going to take him? I've been planning to take him for a long time!"

"Planning to take it? Then go ahead and take it! You keep dragging your feet, inspecting and testing it out. I think you don't really want to take it and are just deliberately stalling!" Chef Ma bluntly exposed his thoughts.

"I just wanted to test his character more! You have to learn virtue before you learn skills. You can't just take on any apprentice!" Yuan Taihong argued illogically.

"Ha, 'inspection'?" Chef Ma scoffed, his tone laced with threat. "If you keep this endless 'inspection,' then we two old brothers really won't be polite! We've got our eye on this apprentice; if you won't take him, we will!"

"How could you do this!" Yuan Taihong was so angry that he blew his beard and glared at his enemies, pacing back and forth in the kitchen with his hands behind his back.

He knew He Yuzhu's value better than anyone else. He had taught apprentices for so many years, and the most outstanding one was just getting by in Sanzao. He didn't even have one who could stand on his own and had officially graduated.

If he could take He Yuzhu as his apprentice, not only would he be able to continue his sect's legacy, but his position at Huifanglou would also be more secure, and he would even have more prestige in the entire Tianjin business community. How could he be willing to give such a promising talent to someone else?

"Who wouldn't want a good apprentice? If it were you, wouldn't you be tempted?" Chef Bai pressed on relentlessly, not giving an inch.

"That's my junior brother's son. In terms of kinship and lineage, he should be my disciple. None of you should try to take him away!" Yuan Taihong glared at the two men, his eyes filled with the eagerness to protect his food.

"Whether he's your apprentice or not is still up for debate!" Chef Ma waved his hand with a smile.

"Let's be straightforward and call He Yuzhu over. Let's ask him face-to-face! What we can teach him, you can teach him, and we two old brothers can teach him too. Let the kid choose for himself!"

"I'll choose him! I refuse to believe it!" Yuan Taihong slammed his hand on the table, brimming with confidence. "His father is my fellow disciple, and he personally wrote a letter inviting him to become my apprentice. Do you think he'd turn his back on me, his senior, and become the disciple of two outsiders? That's utterly absurd!"

The three argued and could not reach an agreement, so they immediately had the apprentice call He Yuzhu over.

He Yuzhu wiped his hands and walked into the chefs' rest area. He saw that the three chefs, who were usually calm and experienced, were now like three roosters fighting with bloodshot eyes. They were all glaring and puffing out their beards, and the atmosphere was extremely tense.

His heart skipped a beat. He clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, his face full of puzzlement, and asked politely, "Three chefs, what's wrong? Who has made you so angry?"

Before Yuan Taihong could speak, the impatient Chef Bai stepped forward and loudly proclaimed to He Yuzhu, "Yuzhu, we two old brothers have made up our minds, we'll take you as our apprentice!"

He Yuzhu was taken aback for a moment, then subconsciously asked, "You two... are you going to take me in together?"

Upon hearing this, Chef Bai and Chef Ma were stunned and looked at each other, speechless for a moment.

In the Qinxing community, the tradition of passing down skills through generations is strictly observed. One master and one apprentice are always apprenticed to the same master. How can one apprentice to two masters at the same time to learn the same craft? This not only breaks the rules but is also an unheard-of phenomenon.

Seeing the two freeze in place, He Yuzhu immediately realized what was happening and quickly clasped his hands in apology, saying with a smile, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you two were going to take on disciples together. I was being presumptuous."

Chef Bai and Chef Ma exchanged a glance, both wondering to themselves—did He Yuzhu really intend to apprentice under multiple masters at the same time? This kid has quite the wild ideas!

"What do you mean, 'take them as your teachers'! If you want to take them as your teachers, you have to take me as your teacher first!" Yuan Taihong immediately pushed past the two men and stood in front of He Yuzhu to assert his dominance.

He Yuzhu watched the three of them arguing back and forth, becoming increasingly confused. He smiled helplessly and said, "Uncle-Master, Chef Bai and Chef Ma, what are you three up to? You're making me completely baffled."

"What else could it be!" Yuan Taihong pointed at Bai and Ma with annoyance. "These two old guys see you have talent and want to steal my apprentice!"

"Hmph! What do you mean by 'stealing an apprentice'? Don't be so rude!" Chef Bai snorted coldly, then turned to He Yuzhu, his tone softening slightly. "Yuzhu, we're not looking out for sentimentality, we're only looking at your intentions. You can choose who you want to become an apprentice to; we won't stop you!"

Chef Ma quickly nodded in agreement: "Yes, Zhu Zi, tell me yourself, who do you want to learn from!"

He Yuzhu pondered for a moment, then his expression turned serious. He clasped his hands deeply in a fist and palm salute to the three chefs, speaking sincerely, "Three head chefs, since you've asked me to speak, I'll be bold and frank. If what I say next violates any of Qinxing's taboos and offends any of you, I apologize in advance!"

"Speak!" Chef Bai, the oldest among them, waved his hand. "I'd like to hear what astonishing things you have to say!"

"Yes, even so, we don't blame you!" Chef Ma and Yuan Taihong echoed in unison.

He Yuzhu took a deep breath, straightened up, and glanced at the three of them before asking earnestly, "I'd like to ask you three, are your signature dishes the same?"

"How could they possibly be the same!" Chef Bai shook his head without hesitation. "Our three chefs at Huifang Restaurant each have their own specialties and unique skills. If we were to make the same signature dishes, what would be the point of having separate kitchens? The customers wouldn't agree to that!"

Once they reach their positions, working in the same restaurant, there is an inherent competition. Each has their own strengths and specialties, which is how they uphold the reputation of Huifanglou. This is an unspoken rule in the kitchen.

He Yuzhu nodded, his eyes growing increasingly determined, and said, word by word, "Since the three of you have different signature dishes and unique skills, I'd like to make a suggestion—I'd like to become your apprentice at the same time and learn all three of your techniques. What do you three think? Is that feasible?"

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, causing an uproar!

"No way! Absolutely not!" Chef Ma was the first to object, shaking his head like a rattle-drum, his tone resolute.

His first thought was of the rules—the tradition of diligence has been passed down for thousands of years, with one master and one apprentice, a lineage passed down through generations, this is an ironclad rule! If he really agreed to He Yuzhu's request to have three masters at the same time, once the news spread, the other apprentices would follow suit, all wanting to learn from everyone and have several masters. How would the old chefs who adhered to the rules, and the apprentices who honestly had only one master, survive? Wouldn't the order of the kitchen be completely disrupted?

Chef Bai's brows furrowed tightly as he looked at He Yuzhu with a grave expression. His tone was stern: "Yuzhu, you're young and haven't worked in Qinxing before. Do you know what it means if we agree to your request? This isn't a small matter; it's breaking the rules passed down from our ancestors!"

Yuan Taihong paced anxiously back and forth in the kitchen, his cloth shoes making a rapid "pat-pat" sound on the bluestone floor. He stopped in front of He Yuzhu and earnestly advised, "Zhuzi, you're still young. There are some things you don't understand, and we don't blame you. In our industry, the most important thing is to pass down the skills from one master to another! If you learn three different skills at the same time, at best you might be able to master them all and become famous, but what about later? If all the young chefs follow your example, going around seeking out masters and learning from everyone, how will the other chefs who honestly pass on their skills make a living?"

He paused, his tone growing even more serious: "To put it bluntly, you're trying to do too much at once, learning a jack of all trades and master of none. In the end, you won't just lose face for yourself, but for all three of us! People will say that the three head chefs of Huifanglou have produced a complete novice. Where will we put our old faces then?"

"Old Yuan is right!" Chef Bai immediately nodded in agreement. "Zhu Zi, having a big ambition is a good thing, but on the path of learning a skill, the worst thing you can do is try to do too much!"

Chef Ma sighed meaningfully and patted He Yuzhu on the shoulder: "Yuzhu, you're a bit too carefree!"

He Yuzhu listened to the three people's words and suddenly realized that he had fallen into the misconception of thinking from the future.

In his time, knowledge was shared, and it was perfectly normal for one person to learn from several teachers; learning from others' strengths was the key to excellence.

But this was an era of information isolation and strict rules. Craftsmanship was a means of livelihood, and passing it down was a matter of face. The one master and one apprentice relationship was an inviolable ironclad rule that could not be overstepped in the slightest.

Having figured this out, He Yuzhu was not discouraged; instead, he became even more determined. Now that he had come to Huifanglou, he was determined to learn the most complete and refined skills, not to waste his talent, nor to disappoint his father's expectations.

He paused for a moment, then spoke again, his tone still earnest: "The three chefs, I understand your concerns; it was my oversight. Let me rephrase it. Do you three think this is feasible? Instead of apprenticing under three masters simultaneously, I'll first apprentice under one master, and after formally completing my apprenticeship, I'll learn from the other two. Surely that won't be considered taboo?"

"Are you sure?" Yuan Taihong raised an eyebrow, looking at him with disbelief. "This isn't something that can be done in a year or two. Learning one craft will take at least three to five years, and learning from two other crafts will take at least ten to eight years. Are you planning to stay in Tianjin forever and never go back to Beijing? Do you think your parents would agree to you wandering around like this forever?"

In his view, He Daqing only had one son, and he certainly hoped that after he finished his studies, he would return to Beijing to settle down, start a family, and inherit the family's craft. He couldn't let him stay in Tianjin forever.

He Yuzhu smiled confidently and patted his chest: "Whether I go back to Beijing or not, we'll talk about that later. Right now, I just want to master this skill. Talk is cheap, so why don't the three of you discuss it and see who will take me on as an apprentice first? After I've studied under you for a while, you'll know my skills and my sincerity!"

He was actually a little puzzled. His talent for cooking was beyond imagination. It wasn't just the knowledge he gained from his later life, or the slight assistance from the potion modification, but more so, it seemed to be the innate talent of this body. He could learn anything quickly, and he could know the recipe after just one look and one bite. This was something that others could only envy.

The three chefs looked at He Yuzhu's confident demeanor, exchanged glances, and saw surprise and admiration in each other's eyes.

Yuan Taihong waved his hand: "You go ahead and do your thing. The three of us will discuss it and give you a definite answer."

"Alright!" He Yuzhu clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around and nimbly returned to his stove to continue his work.

After He Yuzhu left, the three head chefs stood there, first shaking their heads in unison, then exclaiming in unison, "The younger generation is truly formidable!"

Chef Bai spoke first, watching He Yuzhu's busy figure, and said to Yuan Taihong with a smile, "Taihong, judging from Zhuzi's bold and decisive style, your junior brother He Daqing is definitely not a conventional person either, right?"

Yuan Taihong's eye twitched involuntarily. Remembering his junior apprentice, he nodded helplessly, "That's definitely not him! From childhood to adulthood, he's been a troublemaker, never respecting anyone except for culinary skills. Back then, he caused quite a stir by competing in cooking at Fengzeyuan. Everyone knows his personality."

"So, what should we say about Zhu Zi?" Chef Ma leaned forward, his tone urgent, his eyes fixed on He Yuzhu, unwilling to look away.

Chef Bai glanced at the two of them and asked, "What's wrong? Are you two really angry?"

"Angry? What's there to be angry about!" Chef Bai waved his hand, his tone sincere.

"I'm not angry that he has bold ideas; I'm worried that he's young and impetuous, and if he breaks the rules, he won't be able to establish himself in Qinxing in the future. Otherwise, what's the point of taking on such a good apprentice?"

Chef Ma nodded, his tone wistful: "To be honest, I was a bit angry at first, thinking this kid was too ambitious and didn't know the rules. But then I thought, when we were young, wasn't it precisely because we lacked his courage that we didn't dare to dream or act, which is why we were stuck in front of a stove our whole lives, never able to reach a higher position."

Yuan Taihong sighed, his expression complex: "I've learned my lesson too. I've studied Shandong cuisine for half my life, but compared to my fellow apprentices, I'm still not good enough. Otherwise, I wouldn't have returned to Tianjin from Beijing to learn halal cuisine. What I'm worried about is that if Zhu Zi really tries to learn three different styles, he'll end up biting off more than he can chew, learning too many different techniques, which will ruin his talent and his reputation..."

"That makes sense, but how do we know he can't do it if we don't try?" Chef Bai's eyes lit up, and he patted his chest. "I'm the oldest and most experienced. How about this, I'll take Zhu Zi on as my last apprentice, what do you say?"

"Why should I!" Chef Ma immediately protested, taking a step forward and retorting defiantly, "You're only a few years older than me, why should you take on the apprentice first? This apprentice isn't yours to take!"

"Zhu Zi's father and I are fellow disciples, and in terms of relationship, I'm the closest! I should be the one to take him on as my disciple first!"

Yuan Taihong was not to be outdone, and stood between the two, protecting his own like a mother hen.

For a moment, the three of them started arguing again, each saying their own thing and refusing to give in.

There's nothing we can do about it; He Yuzhu is only twelve years old, yet he has already mastered Shandong cuisine to a high degree. Such talent is rare indeed!

Who wouldn't want to hold this perfectly formed piece of jade in their hands and personally carve it into a timeless treasure?

The flames in the kitchen were still burning brightly, reflecting the flushed faces of the three head chefs arguing. Not far away, He Yuzhu held a wok, a confident smile playing on his lips—he knew that the day when he would stay at Huifanglou and learn all the unique skills of Tianjin halal cuisine was not far off.