Chapter 142: Speaking the Truth
Old Zhang watched from the side, eyeing her skeptically. ’This girl... she doesn’t seem like a complete amateur,’ he thought. ’But her knife skills are only at an apprentice’s level, far from what’s required of a master chef.’
Soon, the dishes were ready one after another.
There was a spicy rabbit dish, spicy diced chicken, and spicy boiled fish. She had also whipped up a simple vegetable and egg soup.
Gu Fei considered that people who had never eaten spicy food wouldn’t be able to handle too much at once, so she had gone easy on the chili and Sichuan peppers when cooking.
Gu Fei, accompanied by Lian’er, carried the last bowl of vegetable soup upstairs.
Old Zhang followed behind them.
Inside the private room, Young Master Zhu was accompanied by another young gentleman who was slender and fair-skinned.
Gu Zhang and Gu Qing weren’t eating; they were sitting to the side, drinking tea.
Young Master Zhu was unhurriedly eating the spicy diced chicken.
The other young gentleman was eating the spicy rabbit, exclaiming, "I love this flavor! It’s so damn good, so satisfying."
Old Zhang pursed his lips slightly from the side.
Gu Fei quickly set the soup on the table. "Since this is your first time eating spicy food, Young Masters, please don’t have too much. It might upset your stomachs."
"Perhaps have some of the vegetable soup instead."
Young Master Zhu nodded. "It’s fine. You didn’t add too many chili peppers, so I can handle it."
He pointed to the fish on the table. "This is a novel way to prepare fish."
Gu Fei nodded. "Actually, this fish can also be prepared without chili peppers. It just has a different flavor."
The other young gentleman chimed in, "How could it possibly be this delicious without the peppers?"
"These chili peppers are perfectly to my liking!"
Young Master Zhu smiled. "This is Young Master Zhou."
Gu Fei quickly curtsied. "A pleasure to meet you, Young Master Zhou."
Young Master Zhu beckoned to Old Zhang. "Come, you try these dishes as well."
Old Zhang sat down and casually picked up his chopsticks, grabbing a piece of the spicy rabbit. ’I’ve never seen someone eat like Young Master Zhou,’ he thought, skeptical. ’I can’t believe this unremarkable-looking dish could be that good.’
The moment the rabbit meat entered his mouth, he first felt a slight numbness on his tongue. Then, a wave of spiciness exploded, followed by the savory fragrance of the rabbit filling his entire palate.
Old Zhang closed his eyes to savor the taste, only opening them again after a long moment.
Young Master Zhu smiled. "Well? If we put these dishes on the restaurant’s menu, would they sell?"
Old Zhang gave Gu Fei a complicated look. "When I was young, I ate my way all across the land, but I have never tasted anything like this."
"The flavor profile is unique. Young Master, if you want to introduce these dishes at the restaurant, I believe they will be popular."
Gu Fei curtsied to Old Zhang. "Thank you, Sir."
Old Zhang waved his hand. "I’m just telling it like it is."
Just then, Young Master Zhou looked up. "I can’t speak for anyone else, but I love this flavor. The more I eat, the more I want."
Young Master Zhu took a sip of water and mused for a moment. "Are you the only one who has these chili peppers?"
Gu Fei nodded. "I can guarantee that in the entire Da Ying Dynasty, no one has this but me."
Young Master Zhu’s eyes lit up. "In that case, how about this: I’ll buy all the chili peppers you grow from now on. However many you plant, I’ll buy."
’If you’re going to do something, you go for a monopoly,’ he thought. ’Anyone in business knows that’s where the real money is made.’
’He could buy the peppers, dry them, and sell them elsewhere, too.’
Gu Fei understood what Young Master Zhu was thinking. "Young Master Zhu, to be honest, these chili peppers are very easy to grow. Once they’re out there, no matter how hard you try to keep it a secret, someone will find a way to get the seeds. Within a year, other people will be growing them."
"So, if your restaurant uses these chili peppers, it’s really just about getting a head start."