The cook chopped the pork, sliced it, and plated it.
The waiter brought the dishes to the table, his face beaming with a genuine smile. "Please enjoy, honored guest!"
His presence alone was enough to bring joy to anyone.
A customer called out to the shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper Gu, where did you find this waiter? He's so sweet-mouthed and nimble. You must give him a raise!"
Shopkeeper Gu poked his head out and replied with a smile, "Of course. You don't know, but this waiter isn't just nimble; his wife is also a master chef. This Crystal Pig Ear you're eating is a specialty of our new cook."
"Oh, then you've hired a wonderful pair of helpers!"
The guest exclaimed, picked up a piece of pig ear with his chopsticks, and popped it into his mouth. Shopkeeper Gu was beaming. A few days ago, their cook at Guangde Tower had fallen ill, and several master chefs in the kitchen had been suffering from vomiting and diarrhea. With no other options, he had posted a notice seeking a cook.
Who would have thought he'd find such treasures?
This couple, one adept at handling all sorts of situations and elevating the role of a waiter to its peak, the other a skilled chef whose dishes were uniquely flavorful and immediately popular. Their Guangde Tower not only avoided losing customers due to this incident but had even reached new heights.
Shopkeeper Gu was already contemplating how to retain this couple.
"My lord, your Lotus Root Pork Knuckle!"
The Lotus Root Pork Knuckle was crystal clear, presented on a plate. It looked less like a savory dish and more like a dessert.
Er Gou carried the pork knuckle up to the private room on the second floor and placed it before Wang Xun, the magistrate of Wucheng County. He subtly glanced at the guest seated opposite Wang Xun.
The man's arm rested on the table, his sleeve slightly rolled up, revealing a tattoo on his wrist.
Er Gou didn't dare to look too closely, but he vaguely perceived it as an insect pattern.
"Please enjoy!"
Er Gou placed the pork knuckle down and left immediately, even closing the door thoughtfully.
"Guangde Tower has a new cook. Try it!"
Wang Xun picked up his chopsticks, picked up a piece of pork knuckle, and put it in his mouth. The meat melted in his mouth, soft, tender, and incredibly delicious.
The man picked up his chopsticks and took a delicate taste.
"Where is he?"
He asked.
Wang Xun replied, "I didn't expect him to enter Changming Mountain from Liaojiang."
"So, where is he now?"
"I don't know!"
Wang Xun said, "If he's entered Liaojiang, how would I know?"
"You..."
"Alright, what does it matter? Hasn't the last batch of offerings been transported to you? When the final sacrificial ceremony concludes and the Heavenly Maiden awakens, you will fulfill your promise to me, won't you?"
"Naturally!"
"Then I wish us both smooth sailing in advance!"
Wang Xun raised his cup. The man had no choice but to raise his cup, clink it against Wang Xun's, and drink it down.
"By the way, tell your men to be quick. The Langhuan Army will change shifts tomorrow at noon. Make sure they get down the mountain before the shift change. Cheng Chongyu is just a副将 (fùjiàng - deputy general) after all."
"Mm!"
After this conversation ended, the voices in the room subsided. Er Gou, having overheard the entire exchange, retreated silently.
Wang Xun turned his head to look at the window, a sinister smile curling his lips.
...
Cheng Chongyu felt a sense of unease. A few days prior, his son had reported that several individuals' identities were suspect and required thorough investigation. However, these individuals had only remained at the border for a moment before boarding a Hengyuan Merchant Association ship bound for Liaojiang.
It was unclear who was backing the Hengyuan Merchant Association, but they had become increasingly arrogant in recent years, completely disregarding their Langhuan Army.
Cheng Chongyu gazed at Changming Mountain. Changming Mountain was shrouded in mist again today, the fog swirling and distant, resembling a giant beast crouched in the sea.
Er Gou and the cook infiltrated Cheng's manor.
Cheng Chongyu had joined the army before reaching adulthood and was subsequently assigned to the Langhuan Army camp. He later married, had children, and established his business in Wucheng.
Cheng Chongyu rarely returned home. Ever since his son had also donned armor and become a member of the Langhuan Army, the father and son had spent less and less time at home.
Madam Cheng, as usual, did not go to the front courtyard but spent her time in the back garden, tending to flowers and embroidery.
Er Gou and the cook's infiltration was very smooth. The two quickly made their way to the study and found a stack of letters in a secret compartment behind it.
Er Gou held the letters, his brow furrowed.
The matter was proceeding too smoothly. He had learned from Wang Xun that Cheng Chongyu had been bribed. Then they infiltrated Cheng's manor, and with a casual search, they found the evidence?
Er Gou flipped through the letters in his hand. They were all correspondence detailing Cheng Chongyu's collusion with the county deputy, how he was bribed, and the unsavory things he had done in secret and was being blackmailed for. Curiously, there wasn't a single letter mentioning the county magistrate Wang Xun.
Er Gou suddenly chuckled. It seemed someone truly considered them brainless fools. The attempt to frame them was too obvious. Unless they staged an accident to get them... Thinking this, Er Gou was suddenly startled. He quickly grabbed the cook's hand and whispered, "Quick, retreat!"
The cook didn't ask for a reason and retreated from the study with Er Gou.
"Guards! There's a thief in the manor!"
The moment Er Gou and the cook left the study, frantic shouts of servants echoed through Cheng's manor.
Following that was the sound of a chaotic assembly.
Er Gou and the cook retreated rapidly, their feet lifting off the ground as they leaped away. Just then, several sharp arrows whistled through the air, shooting towards Er Gou and the cook from all directions.
Damn it!
Er Gou cursed. He knew that dog Wang Xun was up to no good.
This was clearly a planned "catch the turtle in the jar, desperate escape, transmit information, grave injury, no witnesses" combo!
Had Cheng Chongyu dug up that dog's ancestral grave? Why would he be so meticulously plotted against?
Without suitable weapons, the cook and Er Gou were forced to return to the ground. They dodged and weaved, evading several arrows. Before they could catch their breath, more arrows rained down upon them like a fierce storm.
The cook shielded Er Gou as they retreated into the house. Er Gou yelled into the air, "Brothers and sisters, if you don't help us now, we're finished!!"
The servants of Cheng's manor, seeing the arrow storm in the front courtyard, dared not to step forward. The guards were forced to retreat to the back courtyard to protect the womenfolk within.
Ying Wu, hidden in the shadows, heard Er Gou's cry for help, flashed, and appeared behind the assassins ambushing outside Cheng's manor.
...
With a "thud," a loud noise echoed through the forest.
Nan Shiying looked at the masked man who had fallen at her feet, her eyes as cold as ice.
Xiao Man squatted on the ground, searching the body. The person was empty, yielding nothing useful.
"Bah!"
She spat, then stood and returned to Nan Shiying's side.
Following the clues left by Ying Yi, they had already ambushed and killed two masked men. Neither of these masked men had anything useful on them.
Situ Kong slit the wrist and ankle of the corpse and hung the person upside down from the treetop.
After completing this, the group continued on their way. After walking for a short while, the mountain path became gentler. In a wilderness, an ancient temple stood tall.
The ancient temple was already in disrepair, showing signs of time everywhere. Only the statue within the dilapidated temple remained as good as new, as if it were constantly cleaned and worshipped.