Chapter 129: The Five-Poison Medicine Stew (Part 2)

  "Haha, then you little guy is a genius."

  The surface of Yede Cao was calm, but in his heart a storm was brewing; could he have achieved such success just by studying ancient methods on his own? Such a rare talent that even Zhou Yi had never seen before, this generation is indeed hard to surpass.

  "Master, you're overpraising me, it's almost dinner time, let's go to the dining hall, everyone..."

  Zhou Yi smiled and said: "I've recently come up with a new recipe for a medicinal soup, it just so happens that I'd like to ask Master to try some and give me his feedback, so I can make improvements."

  "Medicine soup?" Ye De Cao nodded slightly: "Did you use that old ginseng?"

  "This dish is a great tonic. Women who eat it will become more beautiful, and men who eat it will live longer. Everyone should have some later."

  Zhou Yi's words suddenly stirred up everyone's appetite, and not only Yang Cai and Gu Zhiwei were looking forward to it, but even Liu Xue was full of expectation. These days, Zhou Yi would often run to Baiquan Valley whenever he had time, saying that he wanted to find some good medicinal materials and ingredients, asking him what they were, he still kept it a secret, it seems that today is going to reveal this secret.

  The two old men were both refined and elegant, and 'Rich as the Sky' was not something they would consider. In the end, they chose between 'Bamboo Forest Quiet' and 'Stone Pool Chirping Spring', and chose the latter; originally there were some difficulties in making a decision, but Yang Cai liked the red carp in the hall, so the two old men gave in to her, anyway both halls had their own strengths, it was hard to say which one was better.

  "Ah, Xiao Zhou, you've been keeping secrets from me! If it wasn't for Cai Zi revealing your secret, I'd still be worrying about the pickled radish every day. This time, I'm going to eat my fill and alleviate my longing!"

  The old man finished speaking and playfully glanced at Liu Xue: "Lass, don't you agree? You young people are sentimental about love, but this old man is only thinking about good food. Isn't that a reasonable request?"

  Willow's face turned red, and she said in a low voice: "Whatever you want to eat, let Zhou Yi make it for you..."

  "Haha, did you hear that, Little Zhou? This is what the girl said..."

  Guo Zhiwei smiled and said: "My old man has been thinking about your Sanmei tofu since he ate it last time. Is that yellow-toothed white radish still available?"

  "Don't worry, old man, I'll make sure to be a qualified chef. Can we not store this high-grade ingredient?"

  Zhou Yi smiled slightly, the unique skill of the ninth-level great chef was "transformation of similar ingredients", so as long as there were ordinary white vegetables, they could be transformed into Huang Ya Bai; this skill just couldn't transform living creatures and plants beyond the range of ingredients. Otherwise, he wouldn't have to go through the trouble of raising livestock or searching for precious medicinal materials like 300-year-old old mountain ginseng.

  "That's great! By the way, Old Zhou..."

  Yang Cai's face was even thicker, and he patted Zhou Yi's shoulder, saying: "I still want to eat nine-turn large intestine, soup-exploded double crispy, we are Shandong Province people, today this meal must be eaten in Shandong cuisine, bring out all your skills, hehe..."

  "Heh heh, let's get the Sanmei tofu first; I'm afraid that after you all eat my medicinal soup, you won't be in the mood to eat anything else."

  Zhou Yi burst out laughing and turned around to head into the kitchen.

  How cool is this? Yang Cai couldn't help but lick her lips. She looked forward to Zhou Yi's medicine even more.

  "This kid has talent, but he's also a bit arrogant..."

  Ye De Cao furrowed his brow, somewhat regretful for Zhou Yi.

  He is an outsider to the culinary world, but when it comes to brewing medicinal dishes, he's a master of the highest level. Brewing medicinal dishes isn't like cooking ordinary meals. It's even more difficult than preparing a Manchu-Han full-course banquet. The cook's skills are secondary; what matters most is whether they can grasp the proportions of each medicinal ingredient and create a palatable "medicinal dish".

  Nowadays, many large hotels also launch various medicinal dishes, but in fact, many of them are just fake, and the final goal is still to prioritize color, fragrance, and taste. However, for medicinal dishes that can be recognized by national-level figures like Ye De Cao, they must reach a certain level of efficacy. But to guarantee efficacy, the taste will not be good... So when Zhou Yi boasted about his delicious medicinal dishes, Ye De Cao was skeptical, thinking that this disciple was just a "big talker" and probably only made fake medicinal dishes in the style of those hotels.

  Before long, Zhou Yi had prepared several common cold dishes and a large serving of Sanmei tofu, but he didn't bring out the "City Overturning Water".

  He hasn't officially released the white wine he brewed yet, and this trouble is really not suitable for old men and girls to drink; in fact, if it's just about being careful with the taste, that's fine, but the joke of the ancestors can't be opened, what if after drinking, he also comes up with a '沧海一声笑' (a burst of laughter) and starts hugging people's legs and shoulders? That would be unbearable. Hugging Gu Zhimi's thick legs is one thing, but what if he hugs two girls instead? That would go against the main theme... Liu Xue is okay, but Yang Cai's cowboy pants are low-waisted!

  "Hmm... as expected, it's not bad. Xiao Yizi, it seems that you've put in quite some effort into your culinary skills! I had this dish at the South Water Palace in the Imperial City back then, but the flavor doesn't seem to be as good as yours..."

  "However, you mustn't indulge in hobbies and lose your ambition. As the saying goes, 'A true gentleman stays away from the kitchen', the medical path is vast and profound, even if we exhaust our entire lives, it's hard to grasp every detail. The more effort you put into culinary arts, the more likely your medical skills will become rusty..."

  "Hey? Brother Ye, I don't like hearing you say that. It sounds like your medical skills are all that matter and the digestive system is just a plaything?"

  He had always liked to pick on Ye De Cao when he was young, and now Ye De Cao's words made him even more displeased. He immediately retorted: "I've only heard that people regard food as heaven, but I've never heard of anyone eating medicine all day long. Brother Ye, you shouldn't educate your disciples like this, should you?"

  "People say that food is heaven, but if you eat the wrong thing, it's just diarrhea. If you encounter a mediocre doctor and take the wrong medicine, it can be fatal! So, who do you think is more important, doctors or cooks?"

  Ye De Cao isn't in a good mood either, thinking to himself: "I'm the one who's been teaching this disciple, how dare you, an old glutton, speak up? This is going to ruin my good seedling. Are you trying to drag Xiao Yi Zi into the ranks of the foodies? Is this something that can be tolerated or not?"

  "What's that? Old Ye, if you're going to say it like that, we've got a lot to discuss...” Gu Zhiwei was also getting anxious. The dignity of a foodie cannot be blasphemed! Moreover, if Zhou Yi really listened to this stubborn old man and stopped making medicinal pills, who would he eat with? Not to mention for Zhou Yi's sake, but even for the sake of his own mouth, he had to argue with Ye De Cao until it was clear...

  "Hmm... Master, you continue chatting with Old Man Gu slowly, I'll go take a look at that pot of medicinal stew."

  Zhou Yi wiped away a cold sweat. The old man's quarrel was endless. What are you waiting for, hurry up and leave?

  "Let's just say it, am I, an old man, still afraid of you? I'm telling you, young Guo. If it weren't for me as a doctor back then, you would have been done for long ago, and there wouldn't be today?"

  "Ah... If only you weren't around back then, that would have been great! I had my eyes on that female doctor, but then you popped up and ruined everything for me. How am I supposed to settle this score?"

  "Settle the account? Alright, let's settle it then..."

  The two old men were getting more and more stiff as they spoke, their eyes bulging out and their sleeves rolled up, looking like they were about to engage in a fierce fight.

  Willow and Yangcai stared with wide eyes, wanting to advise but not knowing where to start. Xiaoye, on the other hand, was delighted, almost clapping her hands and cheering them on.

  "The Five Poisonous Drugs have arrived!"

  Just as the old goods war was about to break out, Zhou Yi walked in with a large casserole, put it on the table, and opened the lid. Smiling, he said: "Master, Mr. Gu, why don't you try my medicinal stew before continuing the debate?"

  He also gave the old man a step down, and what was clearly a fierce argument became a debate when it came to him.

  "Smells so good! Is this actually medicinal food?"

  "Hmm... the medicinal materials are reasonably matched, quite bold! Paeonia, Trichosanthes, Polygonum multiflorum, Panax ginseng, Angelica sinensis, so many potent tonic medicines. And what about the biological medicinal materials? Hmm, snake! Centipede! Scorpion...... Good, good, good, no wonder it's called the Five Poisons Medicinal Stew!"

  As soon as the lid of this poisonous medicinal stew was opened, there was no need for Zhou Yi to persuade them, and the two old men stopped arguing. What attracted Gu Zhiwei's attention was the peculiar fragrance of this medicinal stew, while what moved Ye Dechuang was the medicinal properties of this stew. He took a sniff with his nose and knew that the combination of medicinal materials in Zhou Yi's stew was bold yet reasonable, truly meeting the standards of 'medicinal cuisine'.

  "How can there still be centipedes?! So disgusting..."

  The two old men were quite happy, but the reaction of the girl's family was different. Not to mention Liu Xiu, this delicate and timid girl, even Yang Cai, a strong and fierce woman, also had a bottom line and never ate these disgusting things; therefore, after hearing Ye De Cao's words, both of them covered their faces, one because they were afraid to see those terrible and ugly poisonous substances, and the other was to resist the temptation of the fragrance.

  "Hehe, what are you two afraid of? This pot of Five-Poison Medicine Stew is a refined dish that uses poison to counteract poison, turning it into a highly nourishing food. Eating this stew will guarantee your skin to be smooth and supple, and any freckles or wrinkles on your face will disappear. How about it, don't you believe me?"

  "Don't try to fool us, these things are absolutely impossible!"

  Willow catkins are gentle, just shaking their heads and not looking. Yang Cai, on the other hand, shook her head and muttered: "Again with the long worms and scorpions and toads, even if you give me more I won't look, even if it's delicious I won't look!"

  "Haha, then that's your lifelong regret. Little Yezi, don't you think so?"

  Xiao Yezi initially also covered her face and didn't dare to look, but she couldn't resist the curiosity of a child's heart, and finally couldn't help but sneak a peek.

  This one glance made her unable to withdraw her gaze again...

  "Wow, it's so beautiful! Uncle Zhou made a really beautiful jelly, like a rainbow, like the stars in the sky, like flowers..."

  Xiao Yezi is now like a little demon, a small poet, with a wet mouth.

  Is it true?

  Willow and Yang Cai were tickled in their hearts, but they couldn't help putting down their hands. Both of them vowed in their hearts to take only one glance, not even an extra one!

  Isn't it just scorpions, centipedes and toads? I don't believe he can still produce flowers...

  PS: Thanks for the monthly ticket support from book friends 'Dark Emperor', 'Tian Lang Yun Piao' and 'Wu Tian Dao' etc. :)

  Thanks to 'star 蕗痴', '游走的枪口', '青山依旧2016' and other book friends for their generous rewards:)

  Thanks to "Roving Gun Mouth" brother for sending chapters, friends who haven't received them yet, go get them now, haha...

  Finally, I'd like to ask for next month's ticket and recommendation ticket, thank you in advance: ) (....)