Following the winding path, the group arrived at a small bamboo house deep in the forest. The entire structure was made of bamboo, and the roof was covered with glazed tiles, giving it a very antique feel. It looked to be at least ten or twenty years old, with some moss hanging between the tiles.

Stepping into the bamboo house, you'll find it's quite spacious, around 40 or 50 square meters. It has a main dining room, a tea room, and a restroom, all made of bamboo. It's clear that the owner has a special fondness for bamboo. The only modern touches are a television and an air conditioner.

As the host, Ouyang Ming naturally arranged the seating. Li Chongming and his wife took the seats of honor without hesitation. Next to Aunt Qin were Hu Xiaoli, Ouyang Fei, and Zhou Xin. Ouyang Ming wanted Fang Yang to sit next to Li Chongming, but Fang Yang refused, saying that no guest should occupy the seat of honor. In the end, Ouyang Ming sat down, with Fang Yang next to him. Finally, Li Chongming's driver, Fan Shiguang, sat down.

The food was served quickly. As soon as the group sat down, four cold dishes were brought to the table: spicy cold lotus root slices, preserved egg with tofu, Sichuan-style chicken, and spicy pig's ears.

It was the height of summer, and although the bamboo cabin was cooler than outside and the air conditioning was on a low setting with a gentle breeze, the sight of the cold dishes on the table still made one's appetite very whetted.

The waiter brought over two bottles of Shaoxing wine, which Ouyang Ming took. “Old leader, let’s have some Shaoxing wine today. This is a five-year-old Shaoxing wine from the central treasury. It has a mellow taste and low sugar content.”

Li Chongming laughed heartily, "Ouyang, you really understand me. This Shaoxing wine, although it can't compare to those liquors that cost tens of thousands, tastes better."

Ouyang Ming chuckled and said, "Old leader, we're all family here, so there's no need for all that formality. It's your own body to take care of. It's quite hot today, so there's no need to warm the wine. Let's have something cold?"

Li Chongming laughed and said, "It's alright, it's just right to drink something cold on a hot day."

Ouyang Ming poured a glass for Li Chongming and Aunt Qin. Hu Xiaoli and Zhou Xin don't drink alcohol and they have to drive back, so he got a large pot of freshly squeezed juice for them and the driver. He also poured a glass of Shaoxing wine for Fang Yang and himself, and ate a few bites of cold dishes with Li Chongming.

The waiter began serving hot dishes: Eight-Treasure Duck, Braised Pork Belly, Stir-fried Shrimp, Braised Pork Belly with Herbs, Braised Catfish, Crystal Shrimp, Vegetarian Crab Roe, and Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs were brought to the table one after another. Ouyang Ming served Li Chongming some food while introducing the dishes:

"The owner's ancestors were imperial chefs, and their Chinese sturgeon cooking skills were unparalleled in the world. In their old age, they retired and returned to their hometown. Because it was a chaotic time, they lived in seclusion here and became farmers, never mentioning their imperial chef days. Thirty years ago, the owner's father revived the family's cooking skills and also began to expand this small courtyard. However, because of its remote location, it was not very famous. It wasn't until my friend took over that the name gradually spread due to the owner's excellent cooking skills and good management. However, because of the family's teachings, they have always been unwilling to go out and develop the business, so not many people know about it."

Li Chongming picked up a piece of Eight Treasure Duck and chewed it carefully. "Hmm, the skill is indeed excellent. This Eight Treasure Duck is worthy of the title of Imperial Chef."

Ouyang Ming said excitedly, "This boss is most proficient in Chinese sturgeon. He just got a Chinese sturgeon yesterday. I heard it was bred in a simulated wild environment by a fish farm in Han City, so he invited me to try it out."

Li Chongming stared at Ouyang Ming: "Are you sure it was artificially bred?"

Ouyang Ming laughed and said, "There's absolutely no mistake about this. The boss even sent me some photos of the fish farm and aquaculture certificates. I wouldn't dare to lie to you, my old leader, about this."

As he spoke, Ouyang Ming took out his phone and showed Li Chongming the photos and certificates of the fish farm one by one. Only then did Li Chongming believe it and exclaimed, "You don't know? This Chinese sturgeon is a national first-class protected animal. There are less than 100 wild Chinese sturgeon left. In recent years, in order to protect the Chinese sturgeon, the Shanghai Municipal Government has bought as many as 7 million Chinese sturgeon fry from the Wuhan Research Institute and released them into the Yangtze River estuary, hoping to protect the reproduction and continuation of this precious species of fish."

Fang Yang couldn't help but say, "If these seven million Chinese sturgeon survive, that would be a great merit."

Li Chongming said with a wry smile, "We release them every year, but we don't see an increase in the number of Chinese sturgeon. This is a great regret for our government leaders. Even with artificial breeding, the survival rate is not very high. Now we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate. We release a little more each year, hoping that one day in the future we can see the Chinese sturgeon in the Yangtze River flourish again."

Fang Yang smiled and said, "Now the country is vigorously promoting the 'Green Mountains and Clear Waters' project. With the continuous improvement of the environment, the water quality of the Yangtze River is constantly improving, which is not an impossible situation."

Li Chongming praised, "Young man, you have a bright future. I hope I can live to see that day!"

Fang Yang toasted Li Chongming with a glass of wine, and the atmosphere at the table gradually became lively. Everyone ate and drank, and the food was indeed delicious. Li Chongming and his wife were also very approachable, and with Ouyang Fei as their little darling, everyone temporarily forgot about the imposing presence of Li Chongming's official position.

When the Chinese sturgeon was served, head chef Duan Qingrong personally came up to drink with them. After Li Chongming and Aunt Qin took their chopsticks, Fang Yang also picked up a piece. Sure enough, the meat was delicate, snow-white, soft and tender, and the fresh aroma lingered, leaving a lasting impression.

Li Chongming nodded and said to Duan Qingrong, "I was fortunate enough to eat Chinese sturgeon once when I was young. At that time, we were entertaining foreign guests and we ate it at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. It was made by the imperial chef. I have really missed it for decades. Later, Chinese sturgeon was listed as a national first-class protected animal, and I never ate it again. I never expected to fulfill my dream of decades today. The taste is exactly the same as the one made by the imperial chef back then."

Duan Qingrong said, "The point of eating Chinese sturgeon is to preserve its original flavor. I only did some simple processing to maintain its original taste. The main thing is that the ingredients are good."

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