From Under One Person: Sincere Journey Through the Heavens

Jiang Liu's expression turned serious, and he reprimanded the waiter, "Our empire values ​​craftsmanship the most. That chef must have a passion for cooking, but you only care about profit. You can't talk about ice with a summer insect, and you can't understand spring and autumn with a cicada. You must have neglected him!"

The only thing we can do is respect him!

Only then can he make the best food!

As a painter, Jiang Liu's words perfectly matched the waiter's impression, so he quickly agreed.

So Jiang Liu decided to go with him.

"Dad, I want to go too."

Miss Liu spoke in Mandarin, but the river distorted the sound information received by the Japanese waiter's auditory system, so that he heard a distinct Tokyo accent in his mind: "I want to be a chef when I grow up."

"Good! You truly are my wonderful daughter!"

Jiang Liu smiled.

However, there was a hint of teasing in that smile.

Miss Liu was speechless, and could only make a face at Jiang Liu after the waiter turned away. It was one thing to be Jiang Liu's "girl" at Dawang Mountain, but now she was Jiang Liu's "daughter". How many daughters does he have?

Ulan Maiduo from another world, Feng Baobao adopted from Wugensheng, and now myself, there are three of them!

What a president who loves playing the role of a father to others!

Leave the private room.

Walk through the corridor.

We arrived at the kitchen.

The kitchen was clean, equipped with a variety of utensils, and dozens of chefs were busy working there, with waiters moving back and forth, making it extremely busy.

Among the many busy people, an elderly man with white hair sat lazily in a recliner. When he was hungry, he would grab a piece of Japanese food prepared by a nearby chef and put it in his mouth. When he was thirsty, he would get up and go to the nearby refrigerator to get some wine and drink it down.

The other chefs dared not speak out against his anger and could only endure his "provocation".

Without him.

This guy was handpicked by the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty to participate in the Culinary God Competition!

Although they all knew that the emperor was just a puppet, they couldn't do without him on the surface, otherwise the empire's plans would be difficult to carry out.

Therefore.

For now, we can only put up with this old man.

of course.

Most importantly, they were all ordinary people, while this damn old man—

Just like those samurai and ninja!

They're "superhuman"!

Chapter 1334 Cooking a Meal for Myself (Part 1)

Upon seeing the old man, Miss Liu was overjoyed and was about to step forward, but Jiang Liu quietly pressed her shoulder and advised, "There's no need to rush."

【Too. 】

Seeing that Hong Fugui was unharmed and was even acting like a leisurely old man in the kitchen, Miss Liu calmed down and asked the waiter, "Is he the chef?"

"it's him."

The waiter nodded.

Hong Fugui was stunned when he heard Miss Liu's voice. His expression was strange because he could clearly hear that the girl was speaking Mandarin, while he recognized the waitress but she couldn't understand Mandarin at all. How did the two of them manage to communicate without any barriers?

Thinking of a certain possibility, the doubt in Hong Fugui's eyes vanished in an instant, and he returned to his previous languid state, occasionally taking a sip of wine and laughing, "Staying here, life is quite enjoyable, hehehe."

"Mr. Nobi, I don't speak Chinese. Would you like me to help you find a translator?" the waiter asked.

“No need. When I came here, I learned some of the Chinese language. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to communicate with the local artists who have a craftsman’s spirit.”

Upon hearing this, the waiter had no doubts and dared not ask any further questions.

After all, great painters are often eccentric, and it's reasonable that wealthy painters, having traveled to various countries, would be fluent in several languages.

“Mr. Hong, Northeastern men are known for their generosity and hospitality. Come and cook with me, and after we’ve eaten and drunk our fill, let’s watch the waves rise.”

Jiang Liu clasped his hands in a fist salute, but to the waiters and other chefs, it appeared as a deep bow of invitation.

Hong Fugui looked surprised, but remained calm and said, "If you are a guest, I will welcome you and treat you to the best wine and food. But if you come from Tokyo, then go back to where you came from."

"Sir, you are mistaken. Tokyo is not a tiny place."

Jiang Liu smiled and asked in return, "In the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a city called Luoyang, two capitals and two cities, depicting a prosperous and thriving era. In the Northern Song Dynasty, Kaifeng was called Bianliang, and the Qingming Festival was like a funeral banner."

Tokyo, in the eyes of modern people in the future, may refer to the capital of that small island nation, but Tokyo also existed in the history of China.

One is Luoyang. Both Ban Gu's "Rhapsody on the Two Capitals" and Zhang Heng's "Rhapsody on the Two Capitals" depict the bustling scene of Luoyang.

Secondly, there is Bianliang, where a painting called "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" has been preserved to this day. It is as if the splendor of Kaifeng in the Northern Song Dynasty has been preserved to this day, so lifelike that it seems that the long-extinct Song Dynasty is still showing its spirit in the future.

There are three main reasons why Jiang Liu chose to use this rap-like style.

Firstly, to prove their identity.

Even if a Japanese person could speak Mandarin, it would be difficult for them to produce such an accent. If they could, it would mean they had been immersed in Mandarin culture for a long time, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they had been assimilated by it.

Secondly, it reveals one's true purpose.

The "soul banner" is used as a metaphor for the Qingming Scroll, which is meant to summon souls and spirits, and its essence is to save people.

Thirdly, he would exchange a few words of "local dialect" with Hong Fugui.

When wandering the world, if you encounter a special shop and want to buy something that ordinary people can't get, you have to say the corresponding "secret code".

Just like the "mountain scripture lip-reading" in the Guanshan area of ​​Wuxia.

However, what Jiang Liu was talking about was not some kind of code, but a kind of doggerel similar to rap, that is, a kind of exchange of poems in a certain poetic style, and the content can be freely written according to each person's knowledge and the situation at the time.

In short, it's a bit more obscure than the plain language of ordinary people.

This method was devised by Hong Fugui himself for amusement, and also to allow the apprentices to sing to each other while practicing their culinary skills. It was both a little trick for regulating breathing and to enrich the apprentices' minds, at least to keep their brains active.

It is evident that Hong Fugui was indeed a capable and skilled chef, and not only was he not rigid in his thinking, but he was also open to new knowledge and could modify the techniques passed down from his ancestors.

"Alright! You Japanese are quite honest, so I'll show you what I'm made of and cook you a meal!" Hong Fugui was delighted and laughed heartily. He instructed a handyman who understood Mandarin to take pots, pans, knives, spatulas, forks, and various ingredients, and then went with Jiang Liu and Miss Liu to the private room.

Inside the room.

Hong Guniang, Bai Yuekui, and Lu Jin had already started eating the Japanese food that Jiang Liu had ordered earlier. When they saw Jiang Liu and Liu Guniang leading an old man back, they realized that it was the master chef Hong Fugui.

Hong Fugui kicked the waiters and helpers out of the private room, saying that his Hong family cuisine was only for show to guests and not for the Japanese devils.

The handyman, who understood Chinese, was furious but helpless against Hong Fugui, so he had no choice but to translate for the waiter.

The latter was also furious upon hearing this, but there was nothing he could do but quietly close the door so as not to disturb the enjoyment of Jiang Liu's family of five.

"I wonder what the five of you would like to eat? Although I am old, I am still quite healthy, and with the ingredients here, I can prepare even a Manchu Han Imperial Feast."

Hong Fugui sized up the "family of five" and was certain that Nobi Shinsuke was one of his own. The girl Shizuka was with Nobi Shinsuke, so she must also be from China. However, the identities of the other three girls were still uncertain, so he couldn't be careless.

Furthermore, the ninjas among the Japanese are known for their unpredictable methods. If a ninja happened to be passing by and overheard his secret, wouldn't that ruin everything?

Therefore, it's best to focus on being a good cook.

"I wonder what dish you are best at making, sir?" Jiang Liu asked with a smile.

"Your best dish?"

Upon hearing this, Hong Fugui froze on the spot, pondering for a long time, but was unable to answer.

Because of his poverty at a young age, he lived with his grandfather. Although they had the "Hong Family Cuisine" signboard, they mostly cooked for others, and their own meals were usually quite ordinary...

Ever since he became that "old pig lady's" cook, he's been constantly thinking of ways to prepare meals for her, ensuring each meal was fresh and different. He can cook almost anything, and after experiencing so much, he's even mastered the art of "dissecting an ox with a knife," completely integrating the cooking skills he learned from the Hong family...

Ultimately, however, he realized that the Qing Dynasty was rotten to the core, and he understood the truth that true feelings and wisdom resided among the people. He then traveled north to find Little Flying Butterfly, settling down in Northeast China, opening the Shenzhou Restaurant, training apprentices, and actively participating in grassroots reforms…

Cooking —

It's all so that the guests can enjoy their meal.

"I'm good at cooking all kinds of dishes."

Hong Fugui replied.

"Sir, perhaps you did not understand what I meant."

Jiang Liu smiled. "I'm asking, sir, do you ever truly cook a delicious meal for yourself and your family?"

No, not at all.

Hong Fugui was taken aback, sighed, and answered truthfully, "I'm always the one who goes to great lengths to cook for others; there's no reason for me to cook for my own family."

"Then please reflect on your life and cook yourself a meal."

Jiang Liu's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression. He looked directly into Hong Fugui's eyes and said, "True feelings reside among the people! Wisdom resides among the people! And you are also a member of the people!"

If you can't even manage to cook yourself a proper meal—

Isn't the truth you've come to be nothing but a castle in the air?

Chapter 1335 Cooking a Meal for Myself (Part 2)

A castle in the air!

Hong Fugui gave Jiang Liu a deep look, confirming that the other party was not a disciple he had trained, but he saw right through him.

Who is he?

Hong Fugui was unaware of this, nor did he want to know at the moment. Instead, he pondered the other person's words and finally nodded, his face showing kindness: "This is the first time someone has told me to cook a good meal for me. It really makes me a little at a loss."

That being said.

But Hong Fugui had a premonition that if he really made such a dish, his culinary skills would reach a new level, reaching a level that was unprecedented!

So he sat cross-legged on the ground, recalling all the dishes he had made: vegetarian braised pig's head, emerald green spinach porridge, pearl-gold and white jade soup, and monkey-egg soup...

He recalled all his past experiences: the foreigners came to attack, and he fled westward;

Another wave of foreigners attacked, and they fled to Xi'an;