Chapter 42 Cooking is called "Climbing the Toad and Winning the Laurel".

The messenger read out the names on the list of winners again: "Congratulations, Scholar Pei!"

Yu Chengfu finally came to his senses, and suddenly tugged at Deng Sanniang's sleeve, his voice trembling, still unable to believe it: "Mother of my child! Pinch me! Pinch me! Did I hear that right? Erlang... Erlang really passed the exam? Or... or even became the top scholar?!"

Deng San Niang was also flushed with excitement. Without any hesitation, she pinched Yu Chengfu's arm hard, making him hiss and gasp in pain.

"Does it hurt? If it hurts, it's not a dream!" Seeing Yu Chengfu wince in pain, Deng Sanniang's voice was loud and clear. "That's the top scholar! The number one! The best of the best! The biggest joyous occasion in our Dongqing County!" Remembering the custom, she quickly pushed Yu Chengfu, "Quick! Quickly give the officials their congratulatory money! We can't be negligent!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Lucky money! Lucky money!" Yu Chengfu suddenly realized what was happening and frantically rummaged through his sleeves. He didn't even bother to count the coins; he just grabbed a handful of loose silver, didn't bother to count how many taels it was, and stuffed it all into the messenger's hand. His face was plastered with an awkward smile. "Sir, you've worked hard! Sir, you've worked hard! This is just a little something for tea, nothing special, just to share in the joy!"

The messenger took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and was immediately delighted. He had been the envy of his colleagues when he received the mission to deliver the good news to the top scholar. According to the long-standing tradition of Laizhou, most of the successful candidates in the autumn imperial examinations came from prominent families in the prefecture, and their rewards were naturally generous. Before setting off, he had heard that his colleague who delivered the good news to the Zhang family, who came in second place, had received a full ten taels of silver. But the closer the procession got to Dongqing County, the colder his heart became. This county was far inferior to the prefecture; the reward would likely be much less, and he might not even get a cup of tea.

Unexpectedly, this seemingly ordinary family was so generous, and the amount they gave was probably no less than that of the Zhang family! Indeed, people are in high spirits when they have good news, and this family is quite sensible!

The messenger's smile became even more sincere and enthusiastic. He repeatedly cupped his hands to Yu Chengfu, and auspicious words poured out like a torrent: "Congratulations! You are truly blessed, sir! Pei Jieyuan is indeed a handsome and outstanding man, a veritable literary star descended to earth! With this success in the provincial examination, he will surely achieve great things next year and have a bright future! You can just wait to enjoy your retirement!" Seeing Yu Chengfu with Pei Ji at the food stall, he naturally mistook him for Pei Ji's father.

Yu Chengfu was taken aback by the string of "Master" and "Your Excellency" address, but quickly realized what he meant and waved his hand, grinning from ear to ear, but not forgetting to clarify: "Oh dear, sir, you've got it wrong, you've got it wrong! I'm not Erlang's father!"

The messenger then realized he had made a mistake and quickly apologized.

The onlookers immediately started to jeer and burst into laughter.

"Haha, a father-in-law is like a father to you!"

"Manager Yu, you've really struck gold with this top scholar's son-in-law!"

"Exactly! Even half a father is still a father!"

The messenger suddenly realized that this was Pei Jieyuan's future father-in-law. A pang of regret swept through him; such a young, handsome, and talented scholar had countless officials vying for his hand in marriage, yet he was already taken. He didn't show it, offering more compliments about their perfect match, before turning and respectfully presenting the heavy, red certificate of victory, stamped with the official seal, to Pei Ji, who had been standing quietly to the side.

"Congratulations, Scholar Pei!" the messenger said solemnly. "Tomorrow, Prefect Gu will be hosting a banquet at his residence to celebrate the success of all the gentlemen who have passed the autumn imperial examinations. Scholar Pei, please do us the honor of attending."

Pei Ji remained calm and composed. He accepted the report of victory, nodded slightly, and said in a clear and steady voice, "Thank you for your trouble. I will be at the banquet on time."

"Very well! Very well! Then I will not disturb the scholar and his family from celebrating!" After saying this, the messenger, having received a generous reward, led his entourage away with great satisfaction, amidst the envious gazes of the crowd, beating drums and gongs.

The procession announcing the good news had barely left when Magistrate Tao, accompanied by a few constables, arrived, panting heavily. His large belly and sweat-drenched brows greeted Pei Ji with a broad smile upon seeing him, and he bowed respectfully from afar, calling out:

"Oh my! Scholar Pei! Congratulations! What a joyous occasion! I... no, I was overjoyed to hear this good news and came here to offer my congratulations!" He lowered his posture to an extreme degree, and his tone was even more flattering. "Scholar Pei has truly brought honor to our Dongqing County! To be honest, for decades, our Dongqing County has never produced a scholar who even ranked in the top thirty of the autumn examinations, let alone a scholar who has achieved the highest rank! Your achievement not only brings glory to your family but also to our entire county! This is a testament to the power of education and a sign of a flourishing literary tradition!"

After he finished speaking at length, he turned to Yu Man with a keen eye and praised her with a beaming smile: "Madam Yu is also a heroine among women, with excellent management skills. She and Pei Jieyuan are truly a perfect match, a match made in heaven! They will surely have a harmonious marriage and a bright future!"

Pei Ji hadn't intended to speak, but upon hearing this, he nodded politely and distantly: "Magistrate Tao is very kind, thank you."

Although he only received these four words, Magistrate Tao was overjoyed as if he had received a great reward. His face lit up with a smile, and he repeatedly said, "Of course, of course! If you need anything in the future, please feel free to give the order!" After saying that, he was also sensible enough not to linger and swaggered away.

Once they were some distance away, he stopped laughing and instructed his men behind him, "Listen up! From now on, be careful with all the miscellaneous taxes and levies in our county, and don't disturb Madam Yu's peace and quiet!"

"yes!"

Magistrate Tao then returned home, feeling quite pleased with himself.

The area around the food stall was still teeming with people, and congratulations were constantly being offered; it was so crowded that it was impossible to move. Seeing this, Yu Man knew that business wouldn't be able to proceed normally today. Quick-witted, she immediately called out, "Thank you all, fellow villagers, for coming to congratulate me! To share in the joy of this outstanding scholar's achievement, all dishes at Manxin Food Stall will be 30% off today! Just to express my heartfelt gratitude!"

Upon hearing this, the onlookers cheered even more! Who wouldn't want to share in the talent and good fortune of this literary star and top scholar? Those who were initially hesitant to watch the spectacle also flocked into the shop, vying to order dishes, making the atmosphere inside and outside the restaurant exceptionally lively.

The storyteller continued, "The title of 'Jieyuan' in the provincial examination is no ordinary achievement. It represents the top scholar in the autumn examination of a province, a position that only comes once every three years, demonstrating its exceptional quality. This means that Pei Ji will have to participate in the spring examination the following year, and might even have the chance to meet the emperor. Even if he doesn't become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), the title of 'Jieyuan' alone is enough to make him a local celebrity, someone who wouldn't bow to officials—truly a noble person."

Amidst the commotion, Pei Ji walked step by step to Yu Man's side. The villagers winked and made way for him. He gently handed her the bright red news report of victory.

Yu Man took it; the silk surface felt slightly cool to the touch. She carefully unfolded it, her gaze falling on the top. Unlike the blurry list in her dream, the victory report before her was crystal clear—the first place in the autumn imperial examination of the seventh year of Guangde in Laizhou was none other than Pei Ji! Below him, she saw another person's name—second place, Zhang Jian.

She looked at him, then glanced down at the congratulatory notice.

The system spoke softly in her mind, attempting to support the plot: "[Host, a reminder: the male lead in the original novel is truly a military general, the kind of ruthless man who can leave the capital in ruins and stop children from crying at night.]"

Yu Man replied, "I know."

System: [...] Then why do you look so incredulous?

Yu Man just couldn't understand it. Pei Ji couldn't be simply described as someone skilled in both literature and martial arts. He could only be described as... a genius of unparalleled talent! No wonder novels dare to write such things!

Pei Ji looked at the amazement, joy, and slight disbelief that flickered in her eyes, and finally a faint smile slowly curved his lips.

"How is it, Master Yu?"

Yu Man carefully rolled up the report of victory and handed it back to him, her eyebrows curving into a smile: "You always keep your word. Congratulations, Scholar Pei."

Lu Mingyan was pressed for time, and the two didn't exchange many words before she urged him to take the good news back to the small courtyard he had just bought in Dongqing County to tell Pei's parents the good news, and to prepare to pack his things.

Having just seen Pei Ji off, Yu Man turned around and was left speechless by the scene before her. Several familiar neighbors were reaching for the dishes that Pei Ji had touched while helping to serve the food—dishes that hadn't been washed yet—muttering, "These were touched by the top scholar himself! May they absorb some of his scholarly aura and bless my son's studies next year!"

"Uncles and aunts, no, no!" Yu Man quickly stepped forward to stop them. "These bowls haven't been washed yet, they're filthy! There's no rush to share in the good fortune. Please sit down, everyone. The dishes are discounted today, I guarantee you'll all be satisfied and share in the good luck!" She persuaded them to put down their bowls and chopsticks and find seats, but their eyes kept glancing at the ordinary bowls and plates, as if they were the writing brush in the hands of the God of Literature.

Yu Man finally breathed a sigh of relief, shook her head, and prepared to go find Yu Chengfu to discuss increasing the supply of dishes for tomorrow. Looking up, she saw her father standing by the counter, unconsciously clutching the rag that had fallen to the ground, staring blankly in the direction Pei Ji had left, grinning widely. He was clearly still immersed in the immense shock and joy of being the future father-in-law of the top scholar, and hadn't fully recovered.

Deng Sanniang, who was standing next to her, was already fiddling with the abacus, trying to sort out the accounts. But as she calculated, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up, and she murmured, "Three hundred and twenty-one coins... and a top scholar was produced..." She was nowhere near as efficient as usual.

Well, today this food stall has become the support group for this top scholar.

Yu Man couldn't help but chuckle. She didn't bother them any longer and turned to go into the kitchen. In the kitchen, Shan Niang was silently stuffing a small piece of walnut into A Mao's hand, uttering three words succinctly: "Eat, top scholar."

Amao looked at the small walnut kernel in his hand and gave a wry smile. "Sister, even if I ate all the wild walnuts in the mountains, shell and all, I still wouldn't become a master." He sighed and said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "It seems that the heavy responsibility of bringing glory to our Yang family can only be entrusted to you, sister!"

After saying that, he looked up and saw Yu Man walking in. He didn't even have time to greet her, afraid that his sister would give him some food with literary enhancement. He quickly ran out to greet the guests.

Shanniang noticed the mischievous smile on Yu Man's face. Her expression remained unchanged, but the tips of her ears had quietly turned red. She casually put away the remaining walnuts and pretended to walk to the water vat to start washing vegetables as usual, only her movements were slightly faster than usual.

After Shan Niang left, Yu Man tied on an apron, washed her hands, and prepared to try two new dishes during her free time. One was shrimp and eel noodles, which she had tasted in the prefectural capital and remembered vividly, and the other was a dish she had come up with by combining ingredients with her own ideas.

First, she prepared the eel, deboning and cutting it into sections, then marinating it with cooking wine, ginger slices, and a little salt. She peeled and deveined the shrimp, leaving the shrimp meat intact. She heated a wok with plenty of oil, then quickly stir-fried the eel sections until they curled and the edges were slightly browned, then removed and drained the oil. Using the remaining oil, she quickly stir-fried the shrimp until they changed color, then set them aside. Next, she began preparing the noodle soup base, using a broth made from pork bones and chicken bones, adding the stir-fried eel bones, ginger slices, and scallions, and simmering it over low heat to fully release the flavors. Meanwhile, she cooked the hand-pulled noodles, then rinsed them in cold water to make them chewy. Finally, she added the noodles to the rich broth, topped them with the stir-fried eel sections and shrimp, sprinkled with chopped scallions, and drizzled a few drops of sesame oil. A bowl of flavorful eel and shrimp noodle soup, with its crisp eel and tender shrimp, was ready.

Another original dish she created used high-quality pork tenderloin, sliced ​​thinly and pounded with the back of a knife to tenderize it. Egg white and cornstarch were then added and mixed well to coat the meat, maintaining its tenderness. Local fresh bamboo shoots and black fungus were chosen as side dishes. The pork slices were briefly cooked in oil until just done, while the bamboo shoots and fungus were blanched. In a separate pot, scallions, ginger, and garlic were sautéed until fragrant, with a touch of fermented black beans for flavor. Soy sauce, sugar, and chicken broth were added, and the mixture was brought to a boil and thickened with a light cornstarch slurry. The cooked pork slices, blanched bamboo shoots, and fungus were then added and quickly tossed in the wok to coat each ingredient evenly with the sauce. Finally, a drizzle of sesame oil was added to enhance the color. The finished dish was a bright red color, with tender pork slices, crisp bamboo shoots, a rich fermented black bean aroma, and a savory and delicious flavor.

Looking at this dish that looked and smelled delicious, Yu Man stroked his chin, pondering what catchy name to give it.

"How about calling it 'Climbing the Toad and Plucking the Laurel'?" she said to the system in her mind.

The system paused for a second, then its electronic voice, tinged with a hint of exasperation, asked: "Host, does this word... have a direct logical connection to the contents of this dish?"

Yu Man said confidently, "Of course it's auspicious! After all, Pei Ji is a newly minted top scholar, so it's very fitting. We wish him continued success in next year's imperial examination!"

System: […I don’t think I mentioned the word “solution element” at all.]

However, this dish, which Yu Man forcibly named "Climbing the Toad and Plucking the Laurel," unexpectedly became an extremely popular dish after it was launched the next day. Now, probably no one in the entire county doesn't know that the owner of Manxin Food Shop, Madam Yu, is engaged to Pei Ji, the top scholar of Laizhou in this imperial examination! This news spread like wildfire, and even the villagers of Xingcheng Village came to offer their congratulations, bringing eggs and mountain produce, both to share in the joy and to ask if Pei Ji could return to teach the children again.

In no time, the Manxin Food Shop was bustling with customers, and the thresholds were almost worn down by the crowds. Naturally, Pei Ji's small courtyard in Dongqing County and the Pei family's residence in Xingcheng Village were also inundated with guests, some of whom even made false claims of kinship, saying they were relatives of the Pei family before they fled.

Pei's father's face immediately darkened, and he told Pei's mother to ask these people to leave, and from then on, he closed the door to visitors.

Even the third uncle's family, who had previously framed the Yu family out of jealousy and hadn't shown their faces for a long time, shamelessly peeked out from outside the food stall a few times, their faces plastered with smiles, as if the previous discord had never happened. But Yu Chengfu was no longer the kind-hearted man who always tolerated everything. As soon as he saw them, his face immediately darkened. He didn't even let them in the door, waving them away as if he didn't want to see them anymore.

However, after Yu Chengfu hesitantly mentioned Yu Man's second aunt's family, Yu Man pondered for a moment and then asked Xiu Xiu to invite them into the house.

As soon as they entered the room, Yu Chengxiu grabbed Wang Xing'er and pretended to kneel down. Tears welled up instantly, and her voice choked with sobs: "Big brother! Before... before we were all blinded by greed. We are sorry to you, big brother, and even more sorry to Aman! We are not human!" She was referring to the time when Wang Xing'er was sick and urgently needed money. They accepted Yu Chenglu's money and got involved.

Seeing his younger sister and niece in such a state, Yu Chengfu sighed heavily. In the end, his heart softened, and he stepped forward to help them up, preventing them from actually kneeling. Yu Man stood to the side, her expression calm, and said nothing more.

However, this incident completely destroyed the already thin kinship between the two families. From then on, they would likely only be more familiar with each other than strangers, knowing each other's names.