The Rise and Fall of the Last Imperial Cook

17. Knowing the Truth

Translator: Gao Jing

Proofread by Peter Gong

At this moment, Xu Zhiwei once again experiences a fit of helplessness and despair, just like when he was sentenced to death by the Empress Dowager Cixi in the palace. But at that time in the palace, there was Mr. Weng who could help him, but who can help him now? It is said that the people in the palace are indifferent, and everything is dangerous. How can the outside world be different? And this is his hometown, and in front of him is the boss whom he is working for.

Thinking of his hometown, Xu Zhiwei immediately puts the teacup on the table, gets up, and walks out quickly, without saying anything to Zhao Hudong. What he thinks about is right. Since he can’t stay in the Huiquan Hall, he should go back to Shibawan Village to find Fan Ada. The competition has just ended, and Chef Clique may not have thought of intercepting him on the road immediately. And it’s not too late, and even if he is intercepted, Chef Clique will not dare to make a rash act in the daytime. As long as he returns to Shibawan Village, Fan Ada may be able to call on some folks from the village to protect him. Even if Fan Ada can’t do this, and he cannot stay in the village, at least Fan can help him find a place to shelter him temporarily.

Xu Zhiwei thinks in his heart while walking to the village, and luckily, nothing happens along the way. When he arrives at Shibawan Village, he finds it is also very peaceful. After entering the village, Xu Zhiwei doesn’t immediately return to Fan Ada’s home but goes straight to the threshing ground where villagers often gather. Because there is a grass pavilion on the edge of the threshing ground, Fan Ada often drinks tea or wine here. In addition, this grass pavilion is the place where idlers gather in the village, and here is the most well-informed. Xu Zhiwei can first find out if any strangers come to the village to look for him, in case Chef Clique has come ahead of him.

The grass pavilion is barely a thatched cottage, and in addition to the grass roof, there are only three grass walls surrounded by straw mats. This place is usually occupied by some elderly idlers, drinking tea or wine and chatting. When there are major public events or disputes in the village, people will gather here to judge and resolve them. Besides, it can be regarded as a small market. Every morning and evening, some villagers exchange eggs, fish, meat, and vegetables here to enrich their tables and satisfy their food needs for the day.

Xu Zhiwei is still far away from the grass pavilion, but he can hear someone inside saying something loudly, and it seems that he is mentioned. So he can’t help but freeze for a moment, and quickly slows down and slowly approaches the grass pavilion, secretly worrying that it is Chef Clique members who have arrived at the village ahead of him.

“Let’s talk about the son of the Xu family who has just returned. He is the only one who is the only promising guy in our village. I hear that he has worked as an imperial cook in the palace, and he has served the emperor. And now, he is working as a chef in Clay Street, and no one can rival his cooking skills, and he can make a lot of money. How can you idlers match him? ”

Xu Zhiwei realizes that the old man in the village is using him as an example to teach young people who have not learned well. But they don’t know that he is now as wretched as a stray dog, and he even doesn’t know where he can live.

“Don’t compare Chef Xu with us, he is just a fool, and he is deceived thoroughly by Fan Ada.” Someone is retorting what the old man taught just now. Xu Zhiwei stops when he hears this. He is a little confused at this moment because he doesn’t understand what it means.

“Yes, that Cook Xu went out and was not at home, so Fan Ada abused his wife. And now he comes back, and he is tricked by Fan Ada again. Hahaha, he is really a fool. ” Xu Zhiwei’s head buzzes as if he has been secretly attacked by someone in an instant.

“You guys, don’t talk nonsense. This is about the reputation of the living and the dead. Beware of retribution.” An old man is stopping those idlers who are not learning well.

“We are not talking nonsense. Everyone in the village knows that Fan Ada is the adulterer of Cook Xu’s wife. Otherwise, how could a mean man like him raise the bastard of Mrs. Xu? That is actually his own kid.”

“Yes, yes, look at that bastard. He is only a very young kid, but his treachery and wickedness resemble Fan Ada’s exactly.”

Xu Zhiwei trembles slightly in a trance. He originally heard from Fan Ada that Yumei was raped by a scoundrel and gave birth to the child, so he only feels that this child looks like a thief. But now after listening to the words from the idlers in the grass pavilion, and then thinking about it carefully, this child is really a carbon copy of Fan Ada. Suddenly, Xu Zhiwei feels not only a sense of humiliation, but also a kind of indignation of being fooled. In addition, he also feels a sense of fear of being entangled in something insidious and cunning, which is also mixed with the first two feelings.

At this moment, Xu Zhiwei is more tormented than waiting for death in the palace, and even more miserable than being threatened and persecuted by Chef Clique. The contemptuous gazes, sneering faces of the villagers, and the mouth that repeatedly said those words just now keep whirling, drifting, and magnifying in his mind… The only thing he wants to do is to escape, not escape from the chase of Chef Clique, but from the sight of the villagers. Their gaze will do more harm than Chef Clique, and he has been in this kind of harm before without knowing it.

In fact, the present Xu Zhiwei is unable to perceive some situations, not noticing that there is a thin figure hiding in a corner of the grass pavilion. This figure is Wu’er who is called the bastard by people. Wu’er keeps watching Xu Zhiwei while listening to the conversation going on in the grass pavilion, and he may have heard such conversations many times.

Xu Zhiwei turns around anxiously, runs to Fan Ada’s house, picks up his baggage, and rushes out of the house again. But just when he goes out, he happens to meet Fan Ada.

Fan Ada is panting, and he also hurries back, and Wu’er is following far behind him. Fan Ada hurries back after he hears about the dish competition at Clay Street. He knows that Xu Zhiwei definitely has no other place to go to after he has provoked Chef Clique. He can only go back to the village. But the village is not the place which can shelter him. When there’s something good, they are your fellow townsmen, but when there’s a trouble, no one cares about you. So he rushes back to the village to drive Xu Zhiwei away to other places to hide himself.

Fan Ada meets Wu’er as soon as he enters the village. Wu’er tells him that Xu Zhiwei has listened to villagers’ chats in the grass pavilion and then runs home. He knows that things are not good, so he goes home at a faster speed.

Fan Ada says to himself as he walks: “I must stop Xu Zhiwei, and I can’t let him leave without getting anything good from him. He has to pay for what I have done to him these days. ”

“Just, just leave?” Fan Ada stands in the middle of the alley, panting, and says to Xu Zhiwei.

“Can I stay? Do I have a face to stay? ” Xu Zhiwei looks at Fan Ada angrily, and his eyes are red as if burning with anger and dripping blood.

“I keep you in my house with good intentions, why do you suddenly turn hostile? Even if you want to leave, you must leave some words, and at least meet me once. ”

“What do you want me to explain? I see, you just ask for room money.” Xu Zhiwei takes a string of copper coins from his baggage and throws it to Fan Ada.

Fan Ada catches the money in a panic, then continues panting and saying: “I hear about the dish competition. Chef Clique will not tolerate you. Wuxi will definitely not be a place for you to stay in. It’s useless to hide in Shibawan Village. The village is full of selfish people who always make up disgusting stories all day long. No one will come out to help you if things go against you. In addition, I really hope that you leave as soon as possible. One reason is to avoid Chef Clique and consequent disasters. Another is that if you keep hiding in my house, the villagers must make up some dirty things about you and my family. Reputation is important! Otherwise, I can’t hold my head up. ”

Xu Zhiwei can’t help being stunned after hearing Fan Ada’s words. He is not arguing whether he is the adulterer of Yumei or not, instead he seems to explain the words of the villagers are unreliable.

“No matter what you say, I can’t stay here anymore. There used to be a home but I didn’t well guard it, now I know it is too difficult to rebuild a home, much harder than learning to cook a few dishes. Because a lot of things are beyond our control, people force people, things force things, and the world forces people! ” Xu Zhiwei exhales a deep breath from his chest, getting emotionally tearful.

“But where are you going? Will you run around in the wild? ”

These words make Xu Zhiwei instantly depressed and lost. Well, where does he go? Where is the place he can stay in? He has devoted himself to cooking for so many years, and he wants to become successful with his cooking skills. As a result, he almost lost his life when being an imperial cook in the palace. Fortunately, a great man helped to save his life, and then he was driven out of the palace. Now back to his hometown, he is also chased by Chef Clique and has to escape, and it is hard to make sure if he can survive. Both the capital and his hometown can’t accommodate him, where he can live?

“In my opinion, if you want to have a bright future, you’d better go to Shanghai. Shanghai is not far from Wuxi, where there are sites rented by foreigners, and it has been many years since it opened its port and traded with foreigners. Every day foreign cars and boats come and go, and there are big commercial firms and warehouses along the street. People who do business there are the least short of money. Even if one runs a small business like selling vegetables, he can make much money easily. Had it not been for my family, I’d have gone there to make a fortune.” Fan Ada shows Xu Zhiwei a way.

Xu Zhiwei feels that it makes sense. He can’t stay in the capital and his hometown. It is estimated that other places will not be better than this place. Under the sun, Shanghai, where foreigners come and go, is different from other places. Maybe it really is a new place where he can live. Besides, at this moment, he really doesn’t know where he should go, so he will feel that it is a right way if anyone introduces some places for him.

Thinking of this, Xu Zhiwei doesn’t say much, and he is about to squeeze past Fan Ada, carrying his luggage.

Fan Ada grabs his luggage and drags it back hard, “Hey, I haven’t finished speaking yet. Didn’t I tell you just now? You must have an explanation if you want to leave. ”

“What? Isn’t the room money already given to you? What else do you want to do? ” As Xu Zhiwei speaks, he yanks his luggage forcefully, and at the same time stretches out his hand to push Fan Ada violently. People who cook in the kitchen usually use pots and knives, so their hands are powerful. Not only does he break away from Fan Ada’s hand, but he also gives him a lurch. Fortunately, Fan Ada leans against the wall in the alley to avoid falling.

“Don’t hit my dad! Don’t hit my dad! I’ll fight with you!” Wu’er, who is following behind Fan Ada, rushes forward, and his two small fists pound Xu Zhiwei’s crotch constantly. He looks not only quite courageous, but also very sinister. Fortunately, he is young and weak, so Xu Zhiwei is just taken aback, and it exerts no real harm to him.

When Xu Zhiwei looks down at this bastard, observing his cunning face similar to Fan Ada’s, a fit of anger surges up in his heart, and he even wants to kick him to death. But he finally holds it back, it has nothing to do with the child.

And at this time, Fan Ada, who is pushed down against the wall, rushes forward again, clutching Xu Zhiwei’s clothes tightly, “You still have some unresolved accounts, how can you leave!” If you have the ability to kill us, you can leave! ”

Although Fan Ada holds onto Xu Zhiwei’s clothes tightly, Xu Zhiwei is able to shake off his hands. After getting rid of Fan Ada, Xu Zhiwei takes out a bunch of copper coins from his luggage and throws it to him, “Aren’t you just asking for money?” Is it enough?”

This time Fan Ada doesn’t pick up the money. It falls to the ground. Wu’er who is beating Xu Zhiwei quickly gives up the ineffective attack and pounces to pick up the money.

“Far from it. These money should be used to pay the debt, which is not as easily as you think.” Fan Ada wants to catch Xu Zhiwei again while he is talking, but Xu Zhiwei steps aside, heading in the direction of the alley.

“There is an account that your Yumei wants to settle with you!” Fan Ada is blocked by Wu’er who is on all fours, picking up money, and then he sees that Xu Zhiwei has walked a certain distance and can’t help but shout from behind.