Chapter 739 False Information As Xinweiju is getting busier and busier, Chef Chen wants to find a few people to help in the kitchen.

Lu Qingyang let him take care of it himself, and Master Chen found three young guys to help out in the kitchen.

In the kitchen of Xinweiju, with the addition of three young and strong guys, the work of washing vegetables, cutting and moving things was indeed very efficient. Chef Chen also focused more on the heat and seasoning.

These three guys were recruited by Master Chen through his old connections, and they all looked simple and hardworking.

But after a few days, Ma Hongxia felt something was wrong. She was a careful person, and from welcoming and seeing off customers in the store, she had developed a keen eye for people.

She discovered that among these three guys, there was one called Wang, who was quite nimble on his feet, but his eyes seemed restless.

The other guys would take a break after finishing their work or help with odd jobs.

But whenever this King of Swords had some free time, he couldn't help but glance at Master Chen.

Especially when Master Chen was dealing with medicinal herbs and mountain products coming from "special channels", he would slow down when peeling potatoes, stretch his neck, and his ears would seem to stand on end.

Once, when Master Chen was preparing a secret recipe for a medicinal dish, Wang took the opportunity to pass something to him and came very close to him. He stared at the scales and the herbs in Master Chen's hand and almost knocked Master Chen off balance.

"Oh, be careful!" Master Chen frowned.

King 께 quickly bowed his head to apologize, but his eyes were still glued to the herbs.

Ma Hongxia saw all this, and her heart was beating fast.

She found a free moment and strolled to the backyard:

"Qingyang, look at the King that Master Chen found. Something seems a little strange."

Lu Qingyang brushed off the dust on his face and turned around: "Oh? What's wrong?"

"That kid's work is OK, but his eyes are too lively."

Ma Hongxia gestured, "I kept staring at Master Chen's skills, especially when he was fiddling with the herbs. His eyes were like hooks, and I was wondering if he was trying to steal my skills."

Lu Qingyang was not too surprised when he heard this. He just smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, you are really vigilant. The core of our medicinal cuisine lies in the ingredients and the cooking time. I'm afraid you won't be able to learn the essence just by looking at it a few times."

"It's better to be more careful."

"You're right."

Having said that, Lu Qingyang was also concerned.

He returned to the front and casually wandered around the kitchen door. Sure enough, he saw the butcher chopping bones vigorously while glancing at Master Chen who was tasting the soup out of the corner of his eye.

After closing the shop at night, Lu Qingyang and Master Chen stayed behind to take inventory.

While helping to lock the door, Lu Qingyang casually mentioned: "Uncle Chen, what do you think of the three new guys?"

Master Chen took out his pipe, lit it, took a puff, and squinted his eyes as he said, "They're all okay. They're willing to put in the effort. But that King Wang... he's a little too focused, always trying to get involved in the core work."

After all, the old master has seen countless people and his mind is as clear as a mirror.

"Then you say, should we just let him go, or..." Lu Qingyang asked tentatively.

Master Chen exhaled a puff of smoke and shook his head. "If we just kick them out, it'll make us look arrogant, and there's no basis for it. Besides, what if they're just interested in learning? It's not a bad thing if someone wants to learn our art. The key is to see if they have character."

Lu Qingyang nodded, with an idea in mind: "Then let's use a 'counterattack' on you? Let you see some insignificant steps, or even let you try it yourself.

The real core things, such as the precise ratio of medicinal materials and the processing of our "special" materials, must be firmly grasped by ourselves.

A fox will always show its tail. If you really want to learn the art, we will also test your patience and character."

Upon hearing this, Master Chen smiled and said, "Your method is safe. You don't have to worry about others stealing your skills, but you can also see what quality this thing has."

Therefore, from the second day on, Master Chen seemed to be more friendly towards Wang. He would occasionally teach Wang how to cut meat more labor-savingly, how to wash vegetables more cleanly, and even let Wang help with some of the initial preparations for making soup.

The King seemed very excited and studied harder, but he didn't notice that whenever it came to the most critical steps of adding herbs and controlling the heat, Master Chen would always naturally send him away.

That day, while Master Chen was preparing a batch of commonly used tonic herbs, he deliberately called King Xiao to his side. "King Xiao, take a good look at this 'Deer Meat Stewed with Astragalus and Red Dates'. If you want the soup to be golden brown and have a rich flavor, the key lies in this first step—the astragalus needs to be dry-roasted in a hot pan to bring out its medicinal properties."

As he said this, he seriously put a handful of high-quality astragalus into a clean pot and roasted it over a slow fire.

This was a standard step, but then, as Chef Chen continued to stir-fry, he muttered to himself, as if giving specific instructions: "Well, when the heat is just right and you smell the burnt aroma, it's right... Yes, it needs to have a slightly burnt taste to be chewy."

The King standing aside had his eyes lit up and nodded his head like a chicken pecking at rice, wishing he could take a notebook to write it down.

Little did we know that over-roasting Astragalus would produce a burnt smell, which would not only destroy the medicinal properties, but also make the soup base have a bitter taste that is difficult to remove.

It's not enough to just give false information, we also have to see the character of this guy.

Master Chen and Lu Qingyang decided to give King Xiao a very important new job, which was to take charge of the "Old Fire Basic Soup".

Master Chen patted the King's shoulder and said solemnly, "King, this pot of soup is the basis of many of our dishes. It uses the alternating method of 'civil and martial fire' passed down by our ancestors.

Use low heat for eight hours and high heat for two hours. When the heat is just right in between, add boiling water immediately and don't leave the stove unattended.

This job is boring, but it's the best way to hone a chef's patience. I wouldn't trust someone else to do it, so you have to keep an eye on it!"

When the King heard this, he thought he was his own man! He straightened his chest and promised solemnly:

"Don't worry, Master Chen. I promise I won't even blink."

During the first few hours, he was still full of energy, adjusting the stove fire from time to time according to his request.

After noon, my eyelids began to twitch, and I felt dizzy watching the soup foam rolling over and over again.

During this time, Ma Hongxia kindly came over to remind him twice: "Prince, don't fall asleep. If the soup is overcooked or the bottom is burnt, all the ingredients in this pot will be wasted. Master Chen will be heartbroken."

Wang tried to muster up some energy, but he was complaining in his heart. This was more tiring than shredding potatoes for a whole day.