Chapter 8: Do you comply or not

Qin Shaoyou trembled with anger, this is undoubtedly a blatant provocation, as if to say that the Qin family has no one to stand up for them. Being particular about cleanliness is merely slandering the food at Chunjiu Restaurant, claiming it to be problematic, and saying one is picky is nothing more than stating that the food is poorly made. You haven't even tasted it, yet you make such a judgment; is this not seeking trouble? The Zhou family, this matter is far from over!

Shangguan Wan'er said: "For example, grapes"

Thus, Shangguan Wan'er could not help but take a step back

Shangguan Wan'er was still in shock, her delicate face slightly flushed, breathing heavily, to the point that she emitted nasal sounds. She had grown up in the prime minister's residence, living a life of luxury and comfort. Later, her father fell into disgrace, and she was sent to the palace. However, with Wu Zetian's protection, she had always been regarded as someone of higher status, never having endured such treatment. Yet this 'bookworm' before her neither treated her as the esteemed Shangguan Zhaogao nor showed any compassion, which was both hateful and fearsome.

Qin Shaoyou smiled faintly, not taking it to heart, and finally instructed Qin Shou: "Bring that white porcelain bottle."

At this moment, Qin Shaoyou held a long spoon in his hand, focusing solely on the cooking time, as if every moment of heat and time was under his control, completely oblivious to Shangguan Wan'er’s lingering sorrow

Shangguan Wan'er hesitated; she was very eager to step forward and try it, for the soup, with its enticing color and aroma, seemed to possess a soul-stirring allure that whetted her appetite. However, she was somewhat annoyed by Qin Shaoyou's rudeness, and with a hint of stubbornness, she was just about to say, "You have quite the audacity"

Qin Shaoyou directly pulled Shangguan Wan'er to the kitchen, while several guards hurriedly rushed forward.

Qin Shaoyou was not in a hurry to put the tofu into the pot. At this moment, the pot was already boiling with steaming water. He directly picked up the bok choy and tossed it into the pot, then took a basin with his other hand and placed the tofu inside. He then drizzled oil over the tofu, sprinkled fine salt on it, and chopped a small green onion to scatter on top.

Upon seeing this, Shangguan Wan'er could not help but say: "Why is the tofu not placed in the pot"

Qin Shaoyou, upon hearing Shangguan Wan'er's words, cast a sidelong glance at her and said: "Be quiet, this is not a place for you to speak."

The kitchen is cramped and cannot accommodate many people. A few guards cannot enter, yet Qin Shaoyou still holds onto Shangguan Wan'er, almost scolding in a condescending tone: "Guest, what would you like to eat?"

Good name... However... Do you have here, that kind of... um, dishes that do not require preparation

In this moment, several pieces of tofu had already fallen under Qin Shaoyou's knife. As he turned the knife in his hand, it danced gracefully in the air. Soon after, the tofu was transformed into perfectly round balls the size of glass marbles, without any signs of fragmentation, leaving onlookers in awe.

Shangguan Wan'er was immediately startled and instinctively said: "I will eat"

In the blink of an eye, this bookish individual, who was once as gentle as a spring breeze, has transformed into a fierce and wrathful figure.

Qin Shaoyou laughed heartily and said: "Haha, demons and monsters, do you think I cannot see through your schemes? Do not prattle on. Since you have tarnished the reputation of my tavern, you have insulted my honor and sullied my integrity. If I do not let you open your eyes today, I, Qin, will write my name backwards."

Do not be deceived by the fact that this item seems inconspicuous in modern times; however, during the Zhou Dynasty, it was undoubtedly a trump card among trump cards. The people of that era had little more than oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar for seasoning, which is vastly different from later generations.

Qin Shaoyou scooped a spoonful of powder with a small spoon and sprinkled it over the pearl and jade soup

Qin Shaoyou was enraged; he had never experienced such anger before. You may insult my character, but you cannot insult my profession. You may covet my possessions, but you cannot take advantage of my misfortune in this manner

Too much bullying!

Fragrance

Shangguan Wan'er, feeling helpless, could only respond in a half-hearted manner: "Glory and wealth? What is that?"

The sound was urgent and highly rhythmic; when the chopping reached his hands, it purely became an appreciation of art

He dragged Shangguan Wan'er directly to the back kitchen

In this world, where is there a person being forced to eat soup with a kitchen knife held against them

Shangguan Wan'er did not respond

Qin Shaoyou said lightly: "This is pearl and jade soup, how does the young lady find it?"

The vegetable known as "sungcai" is what later generations refer to as "Chinese cabbage". However, Qin Shaoyou directly cut off the vegetable's root with a knife, leaving only the leaves, which were then sliced into long strips

Qin Shaoyou furrowed his brows and said, "What does this mean, Miss?"

Qin Shaoyou directly poured the steaming vegetable soup into a basin of tofu, and as the scalding vegetable soup made contact with the tofu, it immediately emitted a sizzling sound, and a plume of white smoke rose up

Knife skills are indeed the most crucial aspect of Eastern cuisine, directly influencing the taste and presentation of the dishes. Qin Shaoyou's knife skills are exceptional; in just a moment, the vegetables are already sliced. Qin Shaoyou then said: "Tofu"

Immediately, the rich aroma of tofu and bok choy filled the kitchen. Not only that, the pearl-like tofu mixed with the vibrant green bok choy, and just the visual appeal alone was enough to make Shangguan Wan'er unable to resist the urge to taste it

The text appears to be a series of repetitive sounds or expressions, which may not have a direct translation in a formal context. If you have a specific phrase or sentence in mind that you would like translated, please provide that for accurate translation.

Shangguan Wan'er has already been moved.

A few guards outside were about to rush in to subdue Qin Shaoyou, but they were frightened by his display. Shangguan Wan'er was very close to Qin Shaoyou; if they charged in and provoked him, who could guarantee that this man would not act out of desperation and harm others with a kitchen knife

... ...

So domineering

This is a conspiracy, it must be a conspiracy, it must be the Zhou family sent to amuse him

Qin Shaoyou was puzzled: "What does it mean by a dish that does not need to be made?"

Qin Shaoyou was taken aback, asking, "You want to eat grapes, what are you doing here?" He shook his head and replied, "No!"

A rich fragrance suddenly wafted through the air; this aroma was no longer merely the scent of the dish, but rather a peculiar fragrance that completely aroused Shangguan Wan'er’s appetite

A peculiar umami flavor instantly permeated the lungs, accompanied by the rich taste of tofu and cabbage that entered the stomach, this flavor...

Where is the pear

Shangguan Wan'er stumbled, feeling both embarrassed and angry. She twisted her ankle, and immediately tears welled up in her eyes from the pain as she bit her red lips and said, "I twisted my ankle"

After a moment, the greens in the pot were cooked

Qin Shaoyou said without any courtesy: "Eat!"

Neither is there.

Shangguan Wan'er was taken aback; she had never encountered such an emotionally volatile bookworm. A few guards beside her were eager to take action, but she cast a glance, signaling them not to act rashly. She then smiled and said, "I have always loved cleanliness"

Qin Shaoyou became enraged, and even the Heavenly King could not intervene. He returned to his frenzied state and, in an undeniable tone, declared: "Assist me, it is a hot stove."

She was still somewhat overwhelmed by the imposing presence of Qin Shaoyou, yet she forced herself to remain calm and said: "I... I don't know..."

What Qin Shaoyou added to the pearl and jade soup was chicken essence. The use of chicken essence became quite widespread in later generations, but during the Great Zhou Dynasty, it was a blank slate in the culinary world. The production of chicken essence is quite simple. Qin Shaoyou tailored it to the ingredients at hand, cooking and roasting mushrooms, chicken, dried shrimp, and pork jerky until they were well done, then grinding them into a powder. After adding scallion and ginger powder and mixing everything thoroughly, the task was successfully completed

Shangguan Wan'er smiled lightly, presenting an appearance that seemed harmless, and said: "It's nothing, I just want to eat a pear"

Thus, the guards did not move at all, remaining completely petrified

In the kitchen, Qin Shou heard the commotion and, upon seeing the situation, exclaimed in shock: "Cousin..."

Shangguan Wan'er winced in pain, letting out a cry of "Ouch!" Just as she was about to retaliate, Qin Shaoyou dragged her away, angrily saying: "What enmity or grievance do I have with you? How could the reputation of Chunjiu Restaurant be so tarnished by you? Do you find the food dirty? Then let me show you the kitchen, where is it dirty? If it is inedible, then you will see what true delicacies are..."

Even the previously furious Shangguan Wan'er could not help but be captivated. She had seen the imperial chefs at work; in fact, many of the court banquets were arranged by her. She certainly had an eye for quality. While the best chefs in the palace were undoubtedly skilled with knives, none could compare to Qin Shaoyou, who had elevated knife skills to an artistic realm akin to freehand brushwork.

I am picky about food

However, upon seeing Qin Shaoyou's fierce and menacing demeanor, Shangguan Wan'er could only endure such humiliation. She watched Qin Shaoyou with wide eyes, fearing that this 'fool' might suddenly become violent. Her delicate hands did not dare to be negligent; she scooped up a spoonful of soup, carefully blew on it to cool it down, and then placed it in her mouth

Then you can send someone to the street to buy some, I will eat this

At this moment, Qin Shaoyou said: "Bok choy."

Qin Shaoyou suppressed his anger and glared at Shangguan Wan'er: "Is it really more terrifying to eat my food than to be stabbed?"

Without saying a word, Qin Shaoyou seized Shangguan Wan'er by the wrist, applying considerable force, leaving a faint mark on her snow-white jade wrist.

At this moment, Shangguan Wan'er calmed down and thought about the various rumors regarding Qin Shaoyou. She mused that if this young man truly had excellent culinary skills, how could his business be so lackluster? Did he really think she would be deceived by his flashy tricks?

Qin Shaoyou said: "Stir-fried cabbage"

Qin Shaoyou felt injured; after all, it was not easy to have a guest, yet he ended up having to go out to buy fruit and wash it clean for her to eat. Was this person here to ruin the occasion?

Once again, fresh bok choy was thrown over. Qin Shaoyou struck it with the flat side of his knife in mid-air, and with a loud thud, the bok choy landed directly on the cutting board. At this moment, he had already entered a state of complete oblivion, driven solely by the desire to prove himself. As soon as the bok choy hit the board, the knife in his hand immediately began to move.

"Very well, if you do not know, then you will eat everything." Qin Shaoyou no longer paid her any attention and said to Qin Shou, "Knife!"

Shangguan Wan'er was enraged, her fragrant shoulders trembling with anger

Qin Shaoyou simply pushed the bowl of 'Pearl and Jade Soup' in front of her, and the overwhelming aroma made her mouth water profusely

What else is there

However, Qin Shaoyou discerned disdain in her eyes, and could not help but let out a cold laugh. In the next moment, he picked up the kitchen knife and forcefully slammed it onto the cutting board. With a loud "bang," the blade sank into the wood, trembling slightly. He glared at Shangguan Wan'er with a fierce look and asked, "Are you going to eat or not?"

Without saying a word, Qin Shou held a small white porcelain bottle and approached Qin Shaoyou. Qin Shaoyou took it, opened the lid of the porcelain bottle, revealing a dark powder inside

Qin Shaoyou gritted his teeth and resolutely resisted the temptation: "Miss, shall we order first?"

No one ever expected that Qin Shaoyou would dare to commit murder. He suddenly seized Shangguan Wan'er’s pulse point, and several guards rushed to draw their swords, yet they hesitated due to concerns for Shangguan Wan'er’s life, leaving them somewhat at a loss.

Qin Shou clicked his tongue and hurriedly went to add more firewood

Qin Shou took a kitchen knife and flew directly towards Qin Shaoyou. This was the special skill that Qin Shaoyou had taught him. Qin Shaoyou extended his hand into the air above his head, and the kitchen knife was firmly grasped in his hand.