Pei Liang placed great importance on intelligence about her competitors.
Doing business was like moving through a vast, interwoven web. Whoever could trace the threads of the entire web—or even break free of it and become the one controlling it—would ultimately stand at the end of every exchange of interests.
By leveraging the tides of the world and making use of every opportunity available, Pei Liang had reached her current position in a remarkably short time. Though there was certainly an element of opportunism in it, this alone showed how much importance she attached to building an intelligence network.
She even had a department devoted entirely to recruiting, gathering, and organizing information.
In this era, human life was cheap as grass. With the cost of employing people so low, the information that could be extracted from the mouths of those who mixed in the city’s many underworld circles—those “lowborn” people—was beyond imagination.
For this reason, Pei Liang had even delayed her studies for a time back then, personally selecting people with astonishing talent in this field and training them herself.
The Drunken Sun Tower in the western part of the city, like the Pei family’s Fragrant Heaven Tower, was a century-old family business passed down through the generations. It enjoyed a fine reputation in the western district.
At its height, dignitaries had gone out of their way to visit it, drawn by its fame. It had been an old-established restaurant with an illustrious reputation and deep roots.
In recent years, however, business had gradually declined. After the old master who had once managed the family enterprise passed away—Old Master Chi, a contemporary of Grandpa Pei and, in his day, one of the two most renowned chefs in the capital—the descendants who inherited the business proved mediocre, lacking both talent and skill.
Little by little, the restaurant lost its former glory.
Still, this was nothing too serious. Just as Little Chef Pei had once supported the Fragrant Heaven Tower, the family’s foundation remained. With a hundred years of accumulated heritage and countless secret recipes passed down through the generations, even a slight decline in prestige did not prevent them from making a living.
The Chi family, however, had been even more unfortunate than the Pei family. Though the Pei family had produced a useless wastrel like Pei Fugui, at least Grandpa Pei had passed away only to be succeeded by Little Chef Pei, allowing the family business to limp along.
The previous generation of the Chi family had already been mediocre, while the next generation was even worse—addicted to drinking, gambling, and women. In terms of ruining the family business, he had surpassed even Pei Fugui in his prime.
Back then, Master Chef Chi and Chef Pei had been close friends. They often exchanged ideas, competed with one another, and studied new dishes together. Comparing the circumstances of the two families now was enough to make anyone sigh.
What Pei Liang had not expected was that this First House of hers—so conspicuous that it naturally drew attention—would be the first to face a challenge from them.
Were they trying to build momentum and reverse their recent decline? Or did they have some other purpose? Pei Liang was rather curious.
Once everyone entered the First House, several sharp-witted assistants immediately rearranged the tables and chairs in the main hall, clearing a large space in the center and setting up a judging area.
The extra chairs were arranged neatly in a circle for the guests who had come to watch the spectacle.
They had even thoughtfully provided melon seeds and tea.
Seeing how considerate the First House was, the regulars and onlookers could not help praising it inwardly. No wonder it had recently become the talk of the capital.
While the assistants prepared the “arena,” Pei Liang said, “Manager Chi, this contest will require judges. Do you think all the diners present should decide the winner together, or should we select a few representatives?”
There were three people from the Chi family, not counting the assistants and workers.
The man at the front was a little over thirty. His eyes were dark-rimmed, his gaze vacant, and his entire body looked limp and listless. The chef’s uniform hung awkwardly on him.
At a glance, it was obvious that he was unfit for the demanding work of a professional kitchen. Judging by his age, he looked very much like the wastrel heir described by outsiders—the ruinous son of the Chi family.
The other two were entirely different. One was an elderly man with graying hair, while the other was a spirited youth in his teens.
Both wore solemn expressions and had clear, focused eyes. Yet neither said a word. There was an air of shame and grief about them.
It seemed that the real contenders were those two.
The chubby and sluggish Manager Chi at the front, however, looked somewhat excited. He launched into a speech.
“Let the crowd decide? Forget it. Everyone knows that most of the people here are regulars at your First House. It’s only natural that they’d be biased.
“Besides, both our families are culinary houses with centuries of heritage. The difference between our true specialties is no more than a hair’s breadth. Most people simply can’t taste the distinction.”
He had truly shown everyone what it meant to offend an entire crowd with a single sentence.
The moment Manager Chi finished speaking, the onlookers erupted in displeasure.
“Who the hell do you think you are? Looking down on us?”
“The Drunken Sun Tower has quite a sense of grandeur! You still want to do business with diners when you think their tongues are too dull to appreciate your food?”
“You think the Drunken Sun Tower’s mediocre business after Old Master Chi passed away was because everyone else lacked taste?”
“What a wastrel!”
The diners jeered and mocked him from all sides. But before long, another kind of voice rose from within the crowd.
“Forget what that fat bastard said. Still, with so many people here, there’s bound to be some unfairness in the judgment. It might indeed be better to select a few renowned gourmands to give everyone a preliminary taste.”
“What’s so difficult about that? Isn’t everyone here a discerning eater? Take Elder He in front, for example. He traveled all over the country when he was young and has tasted delicacies from everywhere. He knows more than most.”
“Now that you mention it, isn’t Elder Li the same? He deals in medicinal herbs. To prevent life-saving medicines from being adulterated or replaced with inferior goods, he’s trained his tongue to detect even the slightest difference.”
“In that case, what about Boss Zhang—”
“Or Commissioner Qin—”
In no time, several candidates had been recommended. Most of them were regular customers of the First House.
At that moment, Gu Xiu stepped forward first.
“Count me in. No one has any objections, right?”
There were none. Everyone in the capital knew that Lord Gu was famous for possessing a miraculous tongue. No matter how renowned or influential the other gourmands present were, none could surpass him.
Standing outside the circle and watching the spectacle, Wei Yingshu frowned when she saw Gu Xiu come forward.
By now, she had more or less learned something of Li Shen’s way of doing things. His aggressive arrival suggested that he had already made thorough preparations.
He had no bottom line whatsoever in the way he acted. Though she did not yet know what he intended, she could not help recalling how Pei Liang had humiliated her in public several years ago, successfully ruining the reputation of the Wei family.
Gu Xiu’s meddling had played a major part in that incident. Otherwise, as mere merchants, how could they have brought forth such crucial evidence in the face of Gao Lezhang and the other powerful nobles, leaving her and the others unable to defend themselves?
While she was worrying that Gu Xiu might interfere again, the other two judges were selected as well.
There were naturally subtle distinctions of status within the circle of diners and gourmands. After some polite exchanges and mutual deference, a food merchant surnamed Hou and the medicinal-herb merchant surnamed Li were chosen.
The three judges took their seats. A smile that Pei Liang could barely suppress appeared at the corners of her lips.
Perhaps everything looked perfectly natural to the others. But to Pei Liang, aside from Gu Xiu—whose unexpected presence, status, tasting ability, and impartiality made him an undeniable wild card—the other judges had been controlled from the very beginning, from the initial candidates to the final selections.
The result had been achieved by steering the conversations around her and creating what appeared to be the choice favored by popular opinion. In Pei Liang’s eyes, it was nothing more than a crude attempt at manipulating public sentiment.
In the modern world, everyone had been tempered by the internet, and many such tricks were no longer novel.
But in this era, anyone who could consciously employ such methods to manipulate an outcome could certainly be considered a talent.
Now that everything was ready, a container filled with lots was placed on the table in the center.
Manager Chi turned to Pei Liang and said, “Owner Pei, we’re guests here, so we’ll follow your lead. You may choose the subject of the contest.”
“Each bamboo slip in this container has the name of an ingredient carved into its base. You may draw three at random, then use each ingredient to prepare one dish. The first to win two out of three rounds wins. How does that sound?”
Pei Liang naturally had no objection. She shook the container three times in succession, and three bamboo slips fell out.
The words on them were clearly: fish, pork, and egg.
All three were among the most common ingredients.
Once the ingredients had been chosen, a gong sounded, and the competition began.
Pei Liang called Chef Lin and two kitchen assistants over to help her. At the same time, she summoned a sharp-eyed, sly-looking waiter.
In a low voice, she instructed him, “Close the doors. From now on, people may leave, but no one is allowed in. Go to the second floor and keep an eye on any unfamiliar faces in the crowd. Pay particular attention to those who keep a low profile yet enjoy voicing their opinions in public. Watch them closely.”
“If time allows, have the portrait artist sketch their faces. Avoid the forces under Li Shen in the Southern District, and find a few of the leaders who have grievances against him. Have their men identify which faction these people belong to.”
The waiter accepted his orders and went downstairs. Pei Liang, meanwhile, began washing her hands and preparing to cook.
To avoid any suspicion of unfairness, both sides naturally used their own ingredients. That was also why the Chi family had brought so many supplies when they came to challenge the restaurant.
The other side had evidently prepared in advance. As soon as they learned what the main ingredients were, they divided up the work and began bustling about.
Pei Liang, however, pondered for a moment before saying to Chef Lin, “I already have plans for the fish and the eggs. As for the pork… didn’t we discuss it with Uncle Lin before?”
“Since we have this opportunity, why not give it a try?”
Chef Lin was startled. “You really mean to do that?”
Seeing how determined Pei Liang was, he could only take a deep breath and prepare to give it everything he had.
Chef Lin said, “You get started first. I’ll go deal with the pig.”
An entire raw pig would be dirty and unpleasant to handle in the main hall, so it was inappropriate to process it there.
Once Chef Lin had left, Pei Liang began working on the fish.
With just a few strokes of her knife, she removed every scale while leaving the skin completely intact—not even a single unnecessary fold remained.
Quite a few people in the hall guessed, “Is Chef Pei going to make Fish Stuffed with Ham Shreds?”
“She certainly is. Once that technique appears, who could possibly compete with her?”
Sure enough, Pei Liang began by removing the bones from the entire fish. This dish was an exclusive signature item so rare that even a thousand ounces of gold could not buy it. Only a few portions were served each day.
Reservations were selected at random from the list of people who had booked that day. There had even been powerful figures willing to pay a hundred times the price for one of those slots. Later, however, Owner Pei had instituted a real-name reservation system: unless the person whose name was drawn ate the dish personally, any private sale would be declared void.
Although this could not completely eliminate cheating, countless unlucky customers still spent days lining up and lingering at First Restaurant simply for the chance to taste the dish.
Previously, people had merely marveled at the Pei family’s knife skills. Now that they were witnessing them in person, they finally understood what true mastery looked like.
The knife spun, flipped, and sliced in Chef Pei’s hand, moving as nimbly as though it had grown from her fingers.
Her seemingly casual strokes caused the fish’s main bones to slide smoothly away, like water poured from an overturned bowl.
She then worked through the fish’s lips and gills. Without even changing knives, she maneuvered the cleaver—several times larger than the fish’s head—inside the fish. The tip probed inward, twisted, and scraped rapidly several times.
Then she lightly shook the fish upright.
The gill bones, kidneys, and other inedible parts inside the head tumbled out through the belly.
Only a layer of skin and a small amount of edible flesh remained around the head. Without its supporting structure, the fish’s eyes were still clear and lively. This proved that the few strokes Chef Pei had made—seemingly effortless, even careless—had not touched a single part that should have remained intact.
The display of skill drew gasps and exclamations of admiration from everyone present.
Once the fish had been prepared, everyone assumed that Pei Liang would stuff it with shredded ham. Unexpectedly, however, her wrist flickered, and she made a series of cuts across the fish so quickly that the naked eye could barely follow.
There was no sign that she intended to stuff it with ham.
At that moment, one of the assistants brought over a basin of white, slurry-like liquid.
Chef Pei used her chopsticks to test its thickness and viscosity, apparently dissatisfied. She then took over and whisked it rapidly several more times.
Only then did she pour the mixture into the fish through its mouth. Once it was full, she stuffed several slices of meat and ham, each as thin as a cicada’s wing, into the fish’s head. Finally, she set the fish aside to rest.
“This seems different from the Fish Stuffed with Ham Shreds we usually eat.”
“Yes. In that dish, the fish’s head is clearly filled with minced meat and ham. Here, she’s using slices of meat instead. And what is that slurry?”
“I have no idea. I was too focused on watching Chef Pei’s knife work.”
“Perhaps she’s made some improvements to the recipe?”
“The fish is ready. Why hasn’t she put it in the steamer?”
No one understood what was going on. After preparing the fish, Pei Liang had simply covered it and set it aside, leaving it untouched while she began working on something else.
She took three eggs and separated the whites from the yolks, cracking all three with one hand.
An ordinary woman’s hand would have been completely filled just by holding three eggs. Chef Pei’s fingers were long and slender, and the eggs seemed to obey her every movement.
She cracked all three eggs at once, positioned them over a bowl, and poured. The whites slipped out completely, while the yolks remained steady inside their shells.
When she poured them into another bowl, each yolk emerged perfectly round, without a trace of excess egg white clinging to it.
She took the yolks and mixed them with several ingredients that looked like cooked egg yolks, beating everything into a paste. Then she added a large spoonful of a golden, glistening, fragrant paste streaked with minced meat.
After beating the mixture until it had developed a firm elasticity, she had someone carry it away. No one knew how it would be cooked.
The egg whites had already been taken by an assistant and put into the steamer. Pei Liang, meanwhile, began kneading dough.
The crowd was even more bewildered by what she intended to make. Still, whatever Chef Pei did, her fluid, deft, and practiced movements were a pleasure to watch.
After she finished preparing the dough sheets, she ordered someone to take them away as well. At that point, Chef Lin sent someone to inform her that the pig had been dealt with.
Pei Liang turned to the people present and offered a brief farewell. “The pork dish will likely fill the entire hall with smoke and heat while it’s being prepared, which may make our honored guests uncomfortable. I’ll handle it in the back kitchen instead.”
Everyone expressed their understanding. After all, Pei Liang had already demonstrated her skills to everyone. Since each side was handling its own work and the results alone would determine the outcome, there was no need to be overly strict.
Pei Liang added, “Manager Chi, if you require any other cooking utensils or a workspace, you are welcome to use any part of Heavenly Fragrance Restaurant.”
Manager Chi waved his hands. “No, no, there’s no need. We have everything prepared. This arrangement is fine.”
Pei Liang naturally said no more. She nodded and returned to the back kitchen.
Chef Lin had already finished processing the entire pig. It had been washed, its internal organs removed, and its skin blanched. Every cut of meat was ready to go directly into a dish.
Pei Liang said, “Then let’s begin.”
The rest of Heavenly Fragrance Restaurant’s staff remained in the main hall, but aside from those who had stayed behind to prepare the side ingredients, everyone in the back kitchen had returned.
The opportunity to learn was rare, so naturally none of them wanted to miss it.
The knife in their mistress’s hand was still the one passed down to her by Grandpa Pei. After spinning it several times in her palm, she let its cold gleam flash and lightly pricked the pig in several places—the back, the rump, and other areas.
The sharp tip pierced small openings in the pigskin, but she did not cut the flesh open, nor did she enlarge the wounds in the skin.
Instead, she turned the blade sideways and twisted it, separating the skin and flesh around each opening. From the outside, however, not the slightest trace of her work could be seen.
Next, Pei Liang switched to a slender knife. She inserted it through the incision and made several cuts, moving the blade through an extremely small arc. By the end, however, the entire length of the pig’s spine had been treated.
Chef Lin couldn’t help exclaiming in admiration from the side. “You really managed to cut it through the skin?”
Indeed, given that she could handle even the delicate task of working around a fish’s skull, the difficulty of slicing a pig without opening the skin lay only in the meat’s elasticity and the tiny incision, which hindered one’s judgment and maneuverability.
And Pei Liang had evidently overcome both obstacles.
After finishing the back, she repeated the process at the rump. Finally, she drilled through the pig bones before beginning to process the whole pig, which weighed at least two hundred pounds.
Although there were only three dishes, the preparation took quite a while.
Fortunately, Tianxiang Tower kept supplying tea and snacks, allowing the hungry diners to endure the wait.
Once she had finished preparing the pig, Pei Liang returned to the main hall to put the finishing touches on the first two dishes. Then she struck the gong on her side, announcing that her dishes were ready.
The Chi family finished at nearly the same time.
Everyone immediately perked up. The question of who was superior would soon be settled.
Since Gu Xiu was the most senior of the three judges, he spoke first.
“Shall we taste the dishes in the order in which the ingredients were drawn?”
Naturally, no one objected.
Gu Xiu continued, “Let us begin with the fish.”
The fish dishes from the Pei and Chi families were carried to the judges’ table.
The Chi family’s dish was presented first. When the lid was lifted, it revealed a fish-and-tofu soup.
The broth was milky white, and as soon as the lid came off, an enticing fragrance filled the room. The diners, who had not yet eaten lunch, immediately felt their hunger intensify.
The whole fish floated atop the flawless broth, its shape perfectly intact. With the white jade-like tofu and emerald-green scallions, it looked like a fish frolicking in the water.
Gu Xiu and the other judges took a sip and nodded.
“The color, aroma, and flavor are all excellent. The broth is rich and full-bodied. There must be more to its freshness than the fish and tofu alone.”
“There’s also a faint taste of the sea, which gives the flavor greater depth.”
He took another bite of tofu. “It’s tender, silky, and bursting with juice. It also avoids the common mistake most chefs make. Normally, the tofu’s outer layer absorbs all the pure freshness of the fish broth, while the inside retains only the bland flavor of tofu. One has to eat it with a mouthful of broth for it to taste good.”
“But the tofu in this fish soup can be eaten on its own without losing anything. The fish flavor bursts out from inside the tofu. Did you inject it with fish aspic?”
Fish aspic was made from collagen extracted from fish and set into a jelly-like consistency. It could be eaten in various ways: cut into pieces and served cold, poured over hot rice, or mixed into a filling. When heated, it melted into soup, forming the broth found inside soup dumplings and stuffed dumplings.
Chicken aspic, pigskin aspic, and similar dishes were made in the same way. In short, as long as an ingredient was rich in collagen, it could be boiled thoroughly and then cooled into aspic.
Manager Chi smiled. “That’s right. The tofu may look ordinary, but before putting it into the soup, we hollowed out a small cavity in the center with a knife, filled it with fish aspic, and sealed it shut. That way, every bite of tofu contains a cupful of extraordinarily fresh broth.”
Gu Xiu and the other two judges nodded. “Truly excellent. It’s astonishing.”
Manager Chi’s face shone with pride, and his expression grew even more smug. “That’s not all. Marquis, take a closer look at the fish.”
“Oh?” Gu Xiu picked up a piece with his chopsticks, then raised his brows. “The fish has been completely deboned and defanged as well, while still retaining the appearance of a whole fish meant to be eaten intact.”
The crowd cried out in surprise.
“Isn’t that the dish Chef Pei made when entertaining His Majesty?”
“I thought only the Pei family knew how to make it. An outsider could imitate its appearance at most. I can’t believe the Chi family managed it too…”
Manager Chi turned around and gave Pei Liang a meaningful smile. “I wonder, Owner Pei, what do you think of this dish?”
Pei Liang smiled. “Manager Chi, you’re probably only jealous that First Tower has won the favor of so many distinguished guests. Otherwise, you would have taken the trouble to learn a little more about your opponent.”
“I have already improved upon this fish-and-tofu soup served with a whole fish. As for the technique of dismantling a live fish while keeping it intact, I dare say, with all due modesty, that I have taken it to an even higher level.”
“So, since Manager Chi has asked what I think, my answer is this: you’ve done well. Please continue working hard.”
“You—” Manager Chi had not expected such brazen words from her. He flew into a rage. “You impudent junior! How dare you speak so arrogantly!”
Pei Liang merely said, “As far as age and seniority are concerned, I should indeed address you as an uncle. But chefs make their living through their skills. Surely we can’t insist on observing age and seniority at the cutting board and stove, with oil smoking and the dishes burning?”
The crowd burst into laughter.
“That’s right. If the junior chef had to circle around the kitchen greeting every master, uncle, senior apprentice, and elder before starting to cook, the guests would probably end up eating charcoal.”
Manager Chi’s expression turned ugly, and he was about to say something more when the old man standing behind him stopped him.
The judges then said, “Chef Pei, open your dish.”
Pei Liang stepped forward and lifted the lid. What lay before them startled everyone.
“What? Chef Pei was busy for so long just now, and this is only a raw fish?”
“Could it be that the other two dishes were so complicated that she forgot about this one?”
Pei Liang smiled. “Everyone, please don’t be alarmed.”
As she spoke, she uncovered a large bowl beside it. Inside was a soup so sour and spicy that it made the nose sting, yet its aroma was intoxicating.
Pei Liang slowly poured the boiling soup over the raw fish in the other wide-mouthed bowl.
First, the fish scales melted away. Then the fish skin began to curl and shrink, peeling off the flesh in one entire piece and drifting to the side of the bowl.
With the skin gone, everyone could see the interior clearly.
As the scalding broth continued to pour over it, the fish seemed to bloom like a flower. The flesh was not finely shredded; instead, each strand was distinct, milky white, tender, and springy, resembling noodles.
Once the entire bowl of soup had been poured in, the fish head separated completely from the body. The fish body had transformed into a bowl of long, delicate fish noodles, while the head, skin, and tail came together to garnish the dish perfectly.
Pei Liang gestured toward the judges. “Live Silk Fish Noodles. Please have a taste.”
The dish was astonishing not only for its visual presentation, but also for the knife work behind that presentation.
The judges eagerly reached for their chopsticks, drawn in by the mouthwatering aroma of sourness, spice, and chili oil, along with the irresistible freshness of the fish.
The surrounding diners watched, mouths watering. If the fish-and-tofu soup had merely awakened their appetites with its freshness, the Live Silk Fish Noodles struck their senses with such force that it made them restless with hunger.
Sure enough, after taking a bite, the three judges could not stop. They became so engrossed that they nearly forgot they were supposed to be evaluating the dish.
Only after slurping down more than half a bowl did Gu Xiu finally manage to stop himself through sheer willpower.
He wiped his mouth first and composed his appearance before speaking slowly.
“Exceedingly fresh, tender, and springy. The sourness is invigorating, the peppery heat and numbing spice exhilarating. It is thoroughly satisfying.”
“I thought this dish’s main strength would be its knife work, and that the texture of the fish noodles would be merely passable. After all, when raw fish shreds are drenched in hot soup, no matter how fresh and tender they are, they should offer tenderness and nothing more.”
“Noodles, however, are all about that satisfying chew and smooth resilience. Fish may be fresh, but it generally lacks the springy aftertaste that makes noodles so addictive. I never expected to be wrong.”
He then asked Pei Liang, “Is this related to the paste you put into the fish’s mouth?”
Pei Liang nodded. “Exactly.”
“As I thought, that paste is the key,” Gu Xiu said. “I imagine it was made by mincing fish into a paste, seasoning it, then adding starch and beating it until it developed enough elasticity. That is what gives it the texture of noodles.”
“It simply never occurred to me that Chef Pei could inject the batter through the fish’s mouth, allowing it to coat the shredded fish evenly and produce these noodles with a tender fish-filled center and a mellow outer layer.”
Everyone present drew a sharp breath.
“How was this done? Setting aside the fact that the fish looks completely ordinary from the outside, how did he manage to inject the batter through its mouth so that it coated every strand of fish evenly? And how did he do so while the batter flowed naturally through the fish without leaving any excess pooled inside?”
“It is clear that when Chef Pei wielded his knife, he had already calculated the width of the gaps between the strands of fish, as well as the direction in which they would expand, allowing everything to work in harmony with the flow of the batter.”
“Truly a feat of divine skill.”
Gu Xiu pulled apart the fish’s head and, sure enough, found thin slices of fish and ham inside, both cooked through. He took a bite with the soul-stirring pickled vegetables, and a rich, layered flavor burst forth—the smooth, fragrant, spicy, smoky taste mingling together so delightfully that he nearly cried out in satisfaction.
“The broth is not difficult to prepare. The pickled vegetables are stir-fried with green Sichuan peppercorns, tender pickled chilies, and shredded pickled ginger until they release their green oil and all their tangy, refreshing essence. Then pork-bone stock is added and the whole thing is simmered.”
“But your broth has an added note of fresh fish, which harmonizes the flavors of the fish and the stock, allowing the noodles and broth to blend together seamlessly without any abrupt change in taste. You used fish aspic as well, didn’t you?”
Pei Liang nodded. “The first layer that melted when the broth was poured in was the fish aspic.”
Gu Xiu suddenly understood. “I nearly forgot about that. You shaped the fish aspic into fish scales and laid them out evenly. No wonder the fish looked almost alive when it was uncovered, its surface gleaming and fluid. So the transparent aspic was what gave it that luster.”
The tasting of the first dish on both sides came to an end.
Gu Xiu gave his verdict. “Obviously, Chef Pei’s shredded-fish noodles are superior to the Chi family’s Whole Fish with Tofu.”
He did not even use the phrase “slightly superior.” In Gu Xiu’s eyes, although the Chi family’s Whole Fish with Tofu was indeed an exquisite dish capable of astounding everyone, their handling of the fish was clearly not refined enough.
Otherwise, they would not have chosen to turn it into soup. Lightly frying the fish had damaged the integrity of its exterior.
If they had truly been so confident in their knife skills, they would have chosen a showy preparation such as steaming it whole, just as Chef Pei had demonstrated with the fish stuffed with shredded ham.
Besides, putting knife work aside, Chef Pei’s fish noodles simply tasted better.
The other two judges, however, gave a different verdict.
“I think the Chi family’s Whole Fish with Tofu is better. It preserves the fish’s freshness more effectively, and the treatment of the tofu shows that every aspect of the dish was carefully considered. I choose the Chi family.”
“So do I.”
Gu Xiu frowned. “If you’re judging freshness alone, then I have to wonder whether you two know how to eat fish.”
The two judges stood by their opinions. “Chef Pei’s fish had the advantage of its preparation. The spicy, refreshing flavor of pickled-fish noodles naturally makes a stronger impact on the palate. But when comparing the dishes, we have to consider every aspect.”
The thing Gu Xiu could least tolerate was someone questioning his taste. With a faint, sardonic smile, he said, “Every aspect? Leaving aside the knife work displayed by the two dishes, both are whole-fish preparations. The Chi family’s dish is barely up to standard, while Chef Pei handled hers with complete ease, reaching the pinnacle of mastery.”
“Even when tasting the two dishes, one of you merely sampled the first and could not bring yourself to stop eating the second. I truly cannot see where this so-called preference of yours comes from.”
The two men looked somewhat embarrassed. Gu Xiu continued, “Then why is it that neither of you has touched the fish from the Chi family’s soup?”
“Because all the essence has already gone into the broth, leaving the fish itself tasteless and pointless. What use is splendid knife work when the result is nothing more than a piece of food fit only to be discarded? That is what happens when the balance of a dish has not been properly coordinated.”
No matter what Gu Xiu said, however, the two judges still stood by their original decision. There was nothing he could do about it.
Gu Xiu’s expression darkened. He glanced at Pei Liang, then suddenly found himself in the mood to tease her.
“Chef Pei, does this scene feel familiar?”
Pei Liang gave an awkward laugh. This man’s attacks really were indiscriminate.
The incident of Pei Fugui bribing the judges and cheating during the competition was still fresh in her mind.
Fortunately, Pei Liang had thick skin and did not take his words to heart.
But that made the situation interesting.
Someone had gone to such great lengths and arranged everything so meticulously. The people hidden among the crowd who were suited to steering public opinion had stopped speaking after the judges were selected.
Even when Pei Liang consistently outperformed her opponent and won praise from everyone present, they had not made another move. Instead, they had simply echoed the objective opinions of the crowd. Clearly, that did not fit the logic of cheating.
If their only goal had been to defeat her in the competition and make First Restaurant lose face, then the manipulation and cheating should have been carried out from beginning to end. Otherwise, the result would not convince anyone—and how could it possibly deal her a blow?
Such clumsy cheating suggested that the other party wanted to draw her attention toward this very issue.
Pei Liang already had several guesses, but she revealed nothing on her face.
Although the guests present were somewhat dissatisfied with the result, they had not reached the point of openly challenging it. The two judges had good reputations among diners, and quite a few people believed they simply preferred lighter preparations for this particular theme.
“Now that the first dish has been decided, let us bring out the second.”
Once again, the Chi family went first.
The main ingredient of the second dish was pork. The Chi family presented a suckling pig roasted to a flawless caramel color, its rich aroma wafting through the air.
One of the young assistants from the Chi family stepped forward and began carving the skin. The knife sank in with a crisp crackling sound, proof of just how perfectly crisp the skin had been roasted.
As soon as the skin was cut open, juices began to flow from the meat. Even by sight alone, it was obvious that the outside was crisp while the inside was tender and succulent.
Slices were arranged on plates and brought to the judging table. The three judges first picked up pieces of pork skin, some dipping them in white sugar and others eating them as they were, before placing them in their mouths.
The moment their teeth sank in, the crispness of the pork skin burst across their lips and teeth, carrying the sweetness of honey and the meat’s own rich fragrance.
Paired with the tender, juicy pork, the three judges nodded repeatedly.
“Fragrant without being greasy, juicy without being watery. In terms of flavor, even the ancestral secret recipe of XX Restaurant in the eastern part of the city, which specializes in roast suckling pig, would be hard-pressed to surpass this.”
“That is not all. This suckling pig contains another secret. I can clearly taste the savory aroma of mutton in the pork. If the lamb flavor were any stronger, it would overwhelm the dish; if any weaker, it would merely tease the palate without satisfying it. But here, it is just right, giving the meat an irresistible, appetite-whetting flavor.”
Manager Chi smiled. “The gentlemen have excellent palates. This suckling pig was first marinated with our family’s secret house-made zhu hou sauce. After the skin was blanched, vinegar and wine were rubbed over it to remove any gaminess. It was then cooked inside an entire sheep’s stomach overnight before being taken out for use.”
“Throughout the process, the heat must be controlled with precision. The lamb must be fully cooked, with all its rich flavor thoroughly infused, while the pork beneath the skin must remain raw and fresh. Only then can it be roasted.”
“During roasting, in addition to brushing it with honey and other marinades, we repeatedly coat it with fragrant oil rendered from the fats of beef, lamb, and chicken. This ensures that it cooks evenly while also adding greater depth to the flavor.”
The three judges nodded. “You certainly put an extraordinary amount of thought into it.”
Satisfied, Manager Chi withdrew. Before the Chi family’s dish was cleared away, the other two judges deliberately took several more bites, wearing expressions of evident enjoyment.
At the sight, a mocking smile flickered across Gu Xiu’s lips.
Next came the Pei family’s dish.
Chef Lin pushed forward a mobile table covered with red silk. The imposing arrangement left everyone astonished.
The red silk was lifted, and—good heavens! The Chi family had roasted a suckling pig, while the Pei family had roasted an entire pig.
No wonder they had said it would be unsuitable to handle in the main hall. That made sense now.
Pei Liang said to the three judges, “Please come over, honored guests. This dish isn’t suitable for portioning onto small plates. There are some secrets to it, which I hope you’ll discover as you eat.”
The three of them left the judges’ seats and gathered around the table.
The pig was enormous, and its aroma was equally domineering. Earlier, they had said that the Chi family’s suckling pig had absorbed the essence of lamb and been enhanced with beef and chicken fat, resulting in a rich and varied fragrance.
But this whole roasted pig was something else entirely. If one closed their eyes, it would be impossible to guess that all those different aromas came from a single dish. Those with especially keen noses had already begun to identify them.
“Each part seems to have a slightly different flavor?”
Pei Liang smiled. “Exactly.”
She picked up a long carving knife and fork and cut through the pork skin along the pig’s back.
The skin had naturally been roasted to a perfect caramel color, with tiny bubbles across its surface. As pork skin went, that of a mature pig was indeed better than that of a suckling pig—richer, more substantial, and more fragrant.
Suckling-pig meat was tender, but its skin was too thin.
Pei Liang said, “Compared with suckling pigs, I’ve always preferred mature pigs, whose various parts have fully developed and possess distinct layers of flavor.”
“Simply roasting the entire pig would leave every part with the same flavor, which seemed a waste. So I came up with a method to make each cut of pork achieve its most perfect flavor and texture while using only one cooking technique.”
“Fortunately, it lived up to my expectations.”
The moment she finished speaking, the pork skin was peeled completely open, and a wave of astonishment swept through the crowd.
Beneath the skin, the meat along the spine had been cut into distinct slices, each glistening with the sizzling sear of a freshly grilled piece of meat, as though it had just been lifted from an iron griddle.
That was not all. The meat had even been seasoned already, making it seem as though Pei Liang had not just removed the pig’s skin, but had instead lifted a slab of grilled meat straight off a hot plate.
The three judges eagerly picked up a slice. They found that its lower end was still attached to the pig’s body, yet it came loose with the slightest tug of their chopsticks.
The crowd was aghast. “It wasn’t sliced first and then stuffed back in?”
“The intact skin proves that.”
Without another thought, the judges placed the spinal meat into their mouths. Its texture was exceptionally fresh, tender, and springy. Even when stir-frying meat in an iron wok, one had to control the heat carefully and remove it from the pan the instant it was just cooked to achieve such tenderness.
The three of them exclaimed in amazement, “How did you manage this?”
“By rights, roasting such a large pig should take at least one or two hours. The skin has already turned golden and crisp, yet the spinal meat just beneath it remains incredibly tender. And this isn’t the kind of tenderness caused by the meat being soaked in its own juices during roasting—it’s more like the tenderness of stir-fried meat.”
“How did you do it?”
Pei Liang smiled. “Please, take your time. I’ll naturally explain everything to everyone afterward.”
“You’ve only tasted the first part of the pig. It’s still far too early to be amazed.”
“For example, these ribs should be wonderfully flavorful. Why not try them first?”
The crowd exchanged doubtful looks, but a plate of neatly cut ribs had already been brought before them.
Sure enough, although the entire pig appeared to have been stitched together and roasted as one piece, the ribs seemed to have been prepared separately.
They had none of the slight dryness or toughness typical of roasted boneless ribs. Their surface was an appealing golden brown, yet the meat was plump and bursting with juices.
With a single bite, the flavors of honey and garlic exploded across their tongues—
