A Visit

"Hey, have you heard?"

"What did you hear?"

"Qingxi Tea Shop! Everyone in the neighborhood is saying that Manager Huang of Qingxi Tea Shop deliberately supplied inferior ingredients to Baiweilou Restaurant, and was caught red-handed by a high-ranking official who came to Shexian County for inspection!"

"Is that so? No wonder Qingxi Tea Shop has been closed recently and sealed off."

"That's not all! I heard that Manager Huang is a heartless tyrant, with a bunch of inconsistencies in his accounts. He's already in jail and is scheduled to be executed in the autumn!"

"Really? Is it that exaggerated? Where did you get this rumor from...?"

The gossip of passersby gradually faded into the distance.

Nan Xu walked along the bluestone pavement, carrying an oil paper package in his hand, as he wandered through the streets and alleys.

After a while, he stopped in front of a vermilion gate and knocked on the door knocker a few times.

With a creak, the door opened, and a servant-like person came out.

"Please inform Lord Ding that Nan Xu has come to visit," Nan Xu said.

"No need, no need... Lord Ding specifically instructed me that if it is you who comes, I will take you directly to see him," the attendant said respectfully.

Nan Xu followed the servants across the courtyard and into a study.

Ding Baozhen was sitting at the table, flipping through a stack of letters, his brows furrowed.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up, a look of surprise on his face: "It's you! Come, come, have a seat!"

"Lord Ding, thank you for upholding justice for our Baiweilou Restaurant. Here are some small gifts as a token of our appreciation." Nan Xu presented the package in his hand.

Upon hearing this, Ding Baozhen shook his head and solemnly said, "I cannot accept this gift. Upholding justice is the duty of an official, and there is no need for thanks."

Upon hearing this, Nan Xu couldn't help but chuckle: "It's just some tea leaves picked from the mountains... The Huangshan Yunwu tea that was added to the dish the other day was this tea."

"That won't do either. Don't bring this up again." Ding Baozhen still refused.

Seeing this, Nanxu had no choice but to take the tea leaves back.

Actually, this wasn't his main purpose. His visit to see Ding Baozhen was just a pretext for expressing his gratitude and giving gifts; his real intention was something else entirely.

"Lord Ding," he said, seeing that the waiter had already left to prepare tea, "I would like to ask... what did you find out at the Qingxi Tea House?"

Upon hearing Nan Xu mention this matter, Ding Baozhen's expression turned serious.

"Aside from the results posted outside... we couldn't find anything else."

"But...this is very abnormal, extremely abnormal."

"You may have heard about the culinary battle that took place a while ago, between the Jiang family and Baiweilou..." Nan Xu said slowly.

"I know." Ding Baozhen's face darkened. "I'm not blind, nor am I stupid. Besides, even a fool could see that there's something wrong with the Jiang family..."

He let out a long breath and looked at Nan Xu with a complicated expression: "Don't worry, I said I would give you an explanation, and I will definitely investigate this matter with all my might."

"But... they've covered their tracks very well. Even if I investigate thoroughly, without evidence, the best outcome will probably be just some minor damage, nothing more," Ding Baozhen said in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, Nan Xu smiled.

"That's enough, Lord Ding's words." He looked very relaxed. "As long as you stand on our side, Baiweilou is fine."

"As for the missing evidence—"

A sharp glint flashed in Nan Xu's eyes:

"I will personally get it back for Baiweilou."

Ding Baozhen's expression changed: "What do you want to do? Don't be impulsive!"

"Don't worry, I just want to invite that young master of the Jiang family to a cooking competition." Nan Xu smiled.

"A cooking contest? I'm afraid he won't agree..." Ding Baozhen pondered.

Nan Xu maintained her smile: "Since I said that, I'm confident I can get him to agree."

"I just hope you will agree to be a witness to this culinary battle."

"If you're going to be a judge for a cooking competition, I certainly have no objection... but what are you going to bet on?"

"If you're willing to gamble your culinary career, I'll be the first to object," Ding Baozhen said seriously.

"No, that won't happen." Nan Xu shook her head calmly. "The Jiang family isn't worthy of making me risk my culinary career."

Upon hearing this, Ding Baozhen burst into laughter: "Hahaha...Good lad, you're really arrogant!"

"However, since you know what's good for you, I won't say anything more. Just go for it!"

He waved his hand generously: "If anything happens, I'll back you up!"

"Thank you, Lord Ding." Nan Xu clasped his hands in thanks.

"By the way, when and where do you plan to hold the cooking competition? I'll make the arrangements for you in advance and find two other judges to come over," Ding Baozhen asked after thinking for a moment.

"Three days from now at noon, at the government office square," Nan Xu said calmly.

Ding Baozhen paused for a moment: "This time and place... wait, isn't this—"

"That's right." Nan Xu nodded, a smile curving his lips.

"I'm going to have a showdown with him in the eighth-grade chef qualification exam!"

……

Jiang Mansion.

"The master is not receiving guests today. Whatever your purpose in coming here, please leave."

The guard spoke coldly, his muscular body blocking the gate firmly.

Nan Xu's expression remained unchanged in the face of this scene; he had expected it to be like this all along.

"If I were you, I wouldn't be as certain as you are. After all..."

The next moment, an old-fashioned booklet appeared in his hands.

"If your master finds out that because you didn't inform them, they missed out on a scroll containing the sixth-grade internal energy cultivation technique of Zen Master Foyin, you will definitely not have a good ending."

Nan Xu waved the booklet and spoke slowly and deliberately, as if stating a fact.

Seeing this, the guard's eyes flickered: "What do you mean?"

Nan Xu smiled slightly: "I need to see Jiang Yuqiao and discuss a deal with him. What I can offer him is this copy of the Surangama Sutra handwritten by Zen Master Foyin."

"Even for the Jiang family, this is considered quite valuable. Are you sure you don't even want to ask his opinion before turning me away?"

The guard hesitated for a moment, then bowed his head and said, "Please wait a moment while I go and inform them."

"Remember to ask Jiang Yuqiao himself; I'll only discuss this with him," Nan Xu added casually.

The guard trotted away and disappeared from sight. After a while, he returned, bowed, and said, "Young Master said he wants to meet with you to discuss things in detail."

Nan Xu followed the guards into a side room for receiving guests. Jiang Yuqiao was sitting in the main seat, legs crossed, staring at him with great interest.

Beside him, a middle-aged man who looked like a butler was meticulously preparing tea.

After Nan Xu took his seat, Jiang Yuqiao immediately put down his teacup: "Let's get straight to the point. My family and your Baiwei Restaurant have never gotten along. What could we possibly have to trade?"

"Let me make this clear first: you absolutely cannot expect us, the Jiang family, to stop targeting Baiweilou based on this alone..."

"No." Nan Xu shook her head. "I'm not that naive. The deal I want to discuss is—"

His eyes narrowed slightly: "I'll use that as a wager... to invite you to a culinary duel with me!"