Chapter 108: Stealing Skills
Under Yu Feng’s detailed explanation, Yu Wan and Shopkeeper Cui understood the whole story.
It turned out that Uncle had already cooked those dishes at home when he was a chef at Tianxiang Restaurant. But he was not satisfied with the taste and did not publish it for a long time. However, when Uncle finally adjusted the taste to his satisfaction, something happened to Yu Wan.
Since Shopkeeper Cui was present, Yu Feng vaguely mentioned the last sentence. He only said that something had happened in the family and that Uncle had no choice but to leave the Tianxiang Restaurant.
A dish that had not been publicly promoted had become Tianxiang Restaurant’s signature dish. Anyone would have a knot in their hearts.
Shopkeeper Cui was in this line of work, so he especially understood Yu Feng’s feelings. If the new dishes invented by White Jade Restaurant were to be served at someone else’s table before they were even publicly sold, he would definitely vomit blood!!!
Of course, there was another problem. Was those new dishes really something that ordinary people could not think of and cook? Could it be just a coincidence?
“How many dishes are the same?” Yu Wan asked.
“There are a total of five,” Yu Feng said. “They are One Autumn Leaf, Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl, Three Stars Shining, Four Seas Rising, and Five Sheep Brings Bliss.”
Five Sheep Brings Bliss was a stew made of goat bones, mutton, goat hearts, goat lungs, and goat intestines. The materials and workmanship were very particular. They chose sheep that were eight to nine months old. The meat of such sheep was fresh and tender, and there was fat paste. The taste was extremely good. After marinating, braising, and stir-frying, the taste was a little spicy and domineering, but because they had added a suitable amount of herbs, it was spicy but not dry.
The Four Seas Rising was not that complicated, but the ingredients were even more picky. It was a soup made from shark fins, scallops, fresh prawns, and crabs that were transported from thousands of miles away. The degree of freshness was unimaginable to anyone who had never tasted it.
The Three Stars Shining was a snack made of lotus seeds, red dates, and longan. It was soft, thick, and sticky. It was sweet but not greasy. There was a hint of sweetness and sourness in it due to the addition of some hawthorn vinegar.
The Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl is a plate of steamed pork ball with vegetables. The steam pork ball had a special sauce added to it. The taste was completely different from other restaurants, and it had the fragrance of gardenias.
The last dish, One Autumn Leaf, was the only one that Yu Feng had never eaten before. It was also the one that Uncle had thought about the longest.
However, even without the details of this dish, the first few dishes were enough to convince Shopkeeper Cui. He had eaten these dishes before, and they were no different from what Yu Feng had described.
Other restaurants had made these dishes before, and even the White Jade Restaurant was no exception. However, the taste was different from Tianxiang Restaurant. For example, the fragrance of gardenias in the steamed pork ball, and the sweetness and sourness in the Three Stars Shining.
Of course, Shopkeeper Cui knew that the slight sourness was because of hawthorn vinegar, but what about the fragrance of the gardenias? Ahem, Shopkeeper Cui cleared his throat. It was a sin, a sin. If he continued to probe, he would be stealing the secret recipes of his peers.
If it were anyone else, Shopkeeper Cui would have asked him if he was deliberately scamming people after eating. However, the other party was Yu Feng. He had known the character of the siblings after getting along with them. Yu Feng was definitely not someone who would cause trouble for no reason. Moreover, Yu Feng’s father indeed had culinary skills that did not lose to Tianxiang Restaurant.
Shopkeeper Cui said, “I’ve eaten these dishes before. The texture and ingredients are indeed similar to what you said.”
Yu Feng originally thought that perhaps it was just a coincidence that the names are the same while the workmanship and taste were different, but after hearing Shopkeeper Cui’s words, the last trace of hope in his heart was shattered.
Yu Wan looked at Chef Yang, who was deep in thought, and said, “It would be fine if it was just the cooking method, but even the names of the dishes are the same. Uncle Yang, this shouldn’t be a simple coincidence. I wonder when these dishes were launched?”
If it was before Uncle left the Tianxiang Restaurant, then Uncle was the one who had secretly learned it. If it was after Uncle left the Tianxiang Restaurant, then there was no doubt that Uncle’s skills had been plagiarized.
Chef Yang took a deep breath and was about to answer when Shopkeeper Cui said, “I remember it seemed to be two years ago? At that time, the Capital was talking about it for a long time. I even brought Miss to eat.”
Uncle had left the Tianxiang Restaurant three years ago!
Yu Wan straightened her expression and said, “Uncle Yang, may I ask which chef invented these dishes? Is it convenient for you to introduce us? There are some things we want to ask him in person.”
“This…” Chef Yang sighed helplessly. “To be honest, these dishes were invented by a chef surnamed Tang, but I’m afraid you won’t be able to see him today. Do you remember the chef I mentioned to you just now who was recuperating at home?”
“It’s him?” Yu Feng frowned.
Chef Yang nodded. “He did work with your father before. But to put it bluntly, even though your words are very convincing, I still have to investigate the entire incident clearly. It’s hard to say if it was done by Chef Tang with just your words alone…”
Yu Feng became agitated. “If it’s not him, could it be my father? Did my father plagiarize Chef Tang’s skills? How is that possible! My father would never do such a thing!”
Yu Wan pulled Yu Feng’s wrist and said calmly, “Uncle Yang is right. Before we investigate the matter clearly, it’s not good to convict anyone.”
Chef Yang held Yu Feng’s hand and said earnestly, “Nephew, don’t worry and leave this matter to me if you trust me. I will definitely find out the truth. If it’s really Tianxiang Restaurant’s fault, I will definitely persuade the boss to apologize and restore your father’s reputation!”
Yu Feng nodded solemnly. “Uncle Yang, I believe you.”
After such a thing happened, it was temporarily not good to make a deal with Tianxiang Restaurant.
Chef Yang repeatedly asked the three of them to stay. Although Yu Feng was not in the mood, he could not refuse his kindness. He still ate lunch before leaving. He specifically asked for those dishes, and Chef Yang got someone to serve them one by one.
The texture was indeed similar to his father’s. He was even more certain that his father’s recipes had been plagiarized.
After leaving Tianxiang Restaurant, Shopkeeper Cui went to the Bai Manor. The two of them boarded the carriage and rented a carriage to return to the village.
Along the way, Yu Feng was in a bad mood.
Yu Wan suddenly said, “I didn’t expect Uncle to be so good at naming dishes.”
Especially the One Autumn Leaf, it really touched her heart.
Yu Feng wanted to say that his father didn’t study and couldn’t read, but after working in the Capital for a few years, he was still influenced. However, before he could say anything, the carriage stopped.
The coachman screamed!
Yu Wan hurriedly lifted the curtain and saw a group of masked men on the bare path. They were holding large sabers and blocking their path.
Yu Feng’s temples twitched. “A robbery could happen in the Capital?”
“Robbery?” Yu Wan looked at the group of people deeply and said meaningfully, “If you’re here to rob money, I’ll give you the silver. If you’re here for sexual exploits, I’ll go with you. Let my big brother go.”
Yu Feng’s expression changed. “Ah Wan!”
Yu Wan did not look at him. She stared straight at the eight masked men. “How about it?”
The other party ignored her words. One of them waved his saber and ordered, “Brothers, attack!”
“How, how did this happen?” Yu Feng frowned.
Yu Wan narrowed her eyes and said, “It’s not a robbery, nor is it for sexual exploits. It seems like they are here to silence us.”
“…” Before Yu Feng could react to the meaning behind his sister’s words, that group of people rushed over murderously.
The coachman was so frightened that he abandoned the carriage and fled! The masked men ignored him. They only swarmed up and slashed at the two people in the carriage.
Yu Wan raised her leg and kicked the wrist of the person opposite her, knocking him and his knife over the shaft. Then, she grabbed Yu Feng’s wrist and jumped off the carriage. “Big Brother! Run!”
The siblings quickly ran towards the Capital. The masked men chased after them with their sabers.
Yu Feng ran with all his might and could not help but look back at the group of masked people. They were fierce and looked like they wanted their lives. Finally, even Yu Feng realized that something was wrong.
After all, he had been in town for many years. He had seen all kinds of hooligans, but no one rushed up to kill him.
“Why do they want to kill us?” Yu Feng asked breathlessly.
“We’re blocking someone’s path to wealth, Big Brother,” Yu Wan said coldly.
“Blocking someone’s path to wealth?” Yu Feng frowned.
Yu Wan said, “Big Brother, don’t you understand? We just exposed Tianxiang Restaurant and are now being chased. Do you think it’s a coincidence?”
“You mean… the Tianxiang Restaurant wants to kill us?” Yu Feng’s brows were furrowed tightly.
This stupid brother of hers was usually so smart, but he couldn’t escape the word “kin” at the critical moment. She didn’t say it too clearly just now because she hoped that he would understand. The Tianxiang Restaurant probably didn’t know about this yet. It was because that person couldn’t let the Tianxiang Restaurant know that the two of them had to die!
A masked man caught up with them.
Yu Wan turned around and swung the jar in her hand at his head! The masked man was knocked down. He struggled to get up, but he was decisively knocked out by the stinky tofu in the jar.
However, even though a masked man had fallen, there were still countless masked men chasing after them. Even though the siblings were running at their highest speed, the masked men were still getting closer and closer.