41 Chapter 41 (Second Update) Heroes Don't Ask About Their Origins
Chapter 41 Heroes Don't Ask About Their Origins
A cat or a dog's knife?
Bai Cen shook his head and laughed out loud, knowing without a doubt who had come up with that title.
Take the old man's mouth, and you'll be unmatched in the entire martial arts world.
"The menu is here," Bai Cen said, then whispered, "They ordered six or seven dishes, but the old man only wrote down three or four."
It sounded like complaining.
"Wow! The old man ordered four dishes!" Wang Sumo exclaimed in surprise. "Let me see how much the old man likes this group of people!"
Bai Cen: (⊙o⊙)…
Wang Sumo still had things in her hands, so she quickly glanced at the menu on the table and then looked at Bai Cen, "Who are the people at this table?"
Bai Cen took the menu back from her and examined it carefully. Strange, there wasn't much written on it!
How did you figure that out at a glance?
Bai Cen even held it up to the light to see if there was a hidden world under the light.
Wang Sumo found it both amusing and exasperating.
With something in the pot, Wang Sumo cooked while smiling and saying, "You're not familiar with the old man yet, but you'll get to know him in time. The old man's way of entertaining guests falls into three categories, no, it should be four."
Bai Cen found it amusing and leaned against the cabinet to watch her cook while listening.
It was noisy upstairs and in the courtyard, as diners were talking.
But this bustling Bazhenlou, compared to the quiet Bazhenlou of the past, has an indescribable air of local life, everyday life, and even a touch of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry).
The pot was heated, and a piece of pork fat was put into the pot. Wang Sumo kept stirring the pork fat with a large spoon. "The first type is people that the old man will definitely not entertain. In the old man's eyes, they are people who do not know manners, do not look like good people, and speak rudely. The old man will not allow them to come to Bazhenlou. If they come up, he will kick them out."
Bai Cen asked playfully, "What if they don't want to go down?"
Wang Sumo looked at him: ? ? ?
Bai Cen: ? ? ?
Wang Sumo sighed, "Then it might require the Cloud-Piercing Mountain-Splitting Hand..."
Bai Cen: (⊙o⊙)…
That's true, the old man has a temper; he'd break a hand if things didn't go his way!
It's likely that the diners who come to Bazhenlou understand the rules of the martial arts world. Bazhenlou is famous, and there are other diners there. It's probably rare for someone to insist on going upstairs when the old man doesn't allow it after his birthday.
Just then, the pork fat melted and turned into lard. Wang Sumo added the chopped garlic cloves, and with a "whoosh," the aroma of garlic burst out!
Bai Cen couldn't help but swallow.
Good heavens!
There's a reason why unauthorized people shouldn't linger in the kitchen—they lack the willpower to resist the temptations of the kitchen!
Wang Sumo gestured for the "unnecessary people" to move aside, and the "unnecessary people" immediately understood, so as not to be disliked by the employer.
Very discerning eye for price.
Not only that, they also helped carry heavy objects.
Before the employer even spoke, he volunteered, "Since I'm helping the employer, there's no need for you to be so polite!"
Wang Sumo found it both amusing and exasperating.
Wang Sumo took the sliced meat she had just cut and put it into the pot.
Twice-cooked pork is especially known for its skillful knife work. Although the cuisine of the Jianghu (street food) is generally characterized by its open-mindedness, Wang Sumo's knife skills still evoke images of twice-cooked pork slices that are perfectly marbled with fat and lean meat, trembling slightly when picked up with chopsticks, and glistening with the aroma of oil.
"You really know how to eat! That deadly Dragon Tiger Blade!" Bai Cen exclaimed.
Wang Sumo continued, "The second type is the kind where the old man doesn't really like them, but he doesn't think it's necessary to refuse to receive them or force them to leave. But no matter how many people they have or how many dishes they order, the old man will only write down two or three dishes for them. If they don't want to eat them, they can just leave late and won't give him a good look."
That's why people say Bai Cen is smart.
"Oh~" Bai Cen crossed his arms and sighed, "There were five people at the table in the back courtyard who were 'Deadly Dragon Tiger Knife,' and the old man only ordered three dishes for them. There wasn't even a bowl of hot soup. This is what the host was talking about earlier: people who can be entertained but not treated well."
“Yes.” Wang Sumo first used a large spoon to scoop up the twice-cooked pork slices and set them aside, then quickly washed the pan and added oil again. “I don’t really like it, but I don’t hate it either, so I don’t let the kitchen make more for them.”
Bai Cen suddenly realized, "So, the waiters are the ones who have the power to 'order' food for the diners at Bazhenlou!"
"Hmm!" Wang Sumo swung the cleaver down, and with a crunch, the scallion was chopped into sections.
You can smell the aroma of scallions from afar.
Bai Cen's gaze was once again drawn to the scallions.
"Separate raw and cooked food, separate cutting vegetables and meat, separate chopping bones and cutting meat..." Wang Sumo added a couple of instructions, leaving Bai Cen dazzled.
But Wang Sumo can accurately distinguish which position his knives should be placed in.
Only in this way will you not have to search for it again next time.
The biggest taboo in the kitchen is grabbing and leaving things lying around. If you do that, neither you nor anyone else will be able to find the knife when they need it, and there will be pots that you urgently need.
Bai Cen leaned closer to take a look.
It's alright, not hard to remember. Wang Sumo puts things away in a regular way.
For example, raw and transported are major categories, then meat and vegetables are the next level of classification, and then, butchering bones and cutting meat are further classifications.
If you carefully observe Wang Sumo's knife-using and cooking habits a few times, you can easily remember where these knives should be placed.
While Bai Cen was carefully observing Bai Sumo's knife-laying habits, the scallions were put into the pot.
He was amused; he had never been so close to observe so carefully before. The aroma of scallions fried in a pan was completely different from that of garlic, yet each had its own unique fragrance.
I suddenly feel hungry...
But when Wang Sumo suddenly asked where we were, he was able to continue, "The old man's view of diners, we just talked about the second type, those he doesn't particularly like but won't turn away. Now let's talk about the third type, the boss."
Bai Cen looked at her with a smile.
Stir-fry the soybean paste, fermented black beans, salt, and a little bit of dried dogwood fruit until fragrant, then add garlic leaves and continue stir-frying.
Finally, put the meat slices that you just scooped out back into the pot and stir-fry them until fragrant.
Sighing to himself, Bai Cen thought to himself, "I really do feel a little hungry."
Mingming ate quite a lot in the morning, and even ate a few bunches of grapes near noon.
Wang Sumo made some stuffed pancakes, and the old man and Master He ate them. He didn't eat any himself and kept them, thinking he would eat them after he finished his work at noon. Who knew that his stomach would start rumbling softly right now...
I should have eaten that stuffed pancake; now everything Wang Sumo cooks tastes delicious!
Good heavens!
Just then, the twice-cooked pork came out of the pot, and he happened to witness the process of frying it in oil after it was taken out of the pot.
He even considered joining the Deadly Dragon Tiger Blade team, wondering if they needed any more members.
"Serve it while it's hot." Since he was there, Wang Sumo didn't ring the bell to let Grandpa He get the food.
"Okay~" Bai Cen started to have his own ideas.
Just as the referee turned around after serving the dish, he heard Wang Sumo say from behind, "Don't sneak a bite!"
Bai Cen: Σ(⊙▽⊙"a
Does it have eyes or something in the back of its head?
"I think you're about to drool," Wang Sumo retorted.
Bai Cen quickly served the dishes and slipped away.
Outside the courtyard, the five members of the Deadly Dragon Tiger Blade gang stared at him expectantly, "Why don't you put this dish down!"
Having eaten at so many restaurants, this is the first time I've ever seen a waiter holding a dish and not letting them put it down, just letting them watch.
Bai Cen swallowed hard. "Eat it while it's hot."
Five members of the Deadly Dragon Tiger Blade gang: -_-||
Before he could even say another word after putting down the plate, it was already devoured in a flash. Luckily, he hadn't closed his eyes, or he wouldn't have known that the phrase "lightning speed" could be used at the dinner table.
In short, the last bit of oil from the twice-cooked pork on the plate was used to mix with rice and eaten.
Bai Cen: "..."
This guy with the Deadly Dragon Tiger Blade is really living a rough life~
"Hurry, hurry! The next dish!" someone was already urging.
Before Bai Cen could speak, Old Master Qu appeared out of nowhere, looking displeased, "The rules of Bazhenlou are that we don't rush the dishes!"
The implication is: take it or leave it!
The five members of the Deadly Dragon Tiger Blade group all fell silent.
Bai Cen was truly amazed to see such a rare sight!
Just then, the rice bowl on the table was empty, so the old man went upstairs to get more tea. Bai Cen took the rice bowl and was about to go back to the kitchen to restock when he heard the five men from the Deadly Dragon Tiger Blade group chirping behind him, "That old man has a really bad temper!"
"You don't understand. There's always been a grumpy old man at the Eight Treasures Pavilion. Never mess with him! I heard that the Three Knives of Jiangnan were thrown out by this old man! Two of the three knives broke!"
"Weren't the Three Knives of Jiangnan just starting out and roaming the martial arts world all that time?"
"Hey, there are plenty of people who don't care about those three knives! That old man threw them well!"
"Aren't we also wielding the deadly Dragon Tiger Blade?"
The group: "..."
"I also heard that Qiu Bairen, who can make ten thousand ghosts weep with a single sacrificial offering, is a guy who swaggers around with a two-meter-long broadsword. He always has his eyes on the sky. I don't know how he ended up at this Bazhenlou, and when he fought this old man, he was completely stunned!"
"Confused? What do you mean?"
"Suddenly, they stopped fighting and killing and went to experience life."
"ah!!!"
"Do you think it's possible that the old man doesn't really like people who use knives?"
The group: "..."
The group looked down at the gleaming swords on the table, and then simultaneously and quietly tucked them under the table with a rustling and clanging sound.
Bai Cen almost burst out laughing.
There's no shortage of rumors circulating in the world, but seeing is believing, and it can be truly hilarious.
Lifting the curtain, Bai Cen returned to the kitchen to get more food.
The rice at Bazhenlou is free, which is incredibly generous for martial arts enthusiasts. The five men wielding the Deadly Dragon Tiger Saber ordered at least twice as much rice as the two tables upstairs, but the old man only ordered three dishes for them.
Bai Cen glanced at Wang Sumo, who was engrossed in cooking, and shook his head. Bazhenlou was not short of money.
But we're short a sous chef and an accountant!
Bai Cen had just finished serving the rice when Wang Sumo called to him, "Bring the dishes."
So fast?
Bai Cen was stunned. He put down the rice bucket in his hand and went up to serve the vegetables, only to find that they were green vegetables.
Bai Cen understood. There were three tables full. The old man was worried that Wang Sumo would get tired, so he only ordered a few dishes selectively. All the dishes from the Deadly Dragon Tiger Knife were served.
It's still fast!
With her elbow lifting the curtain, Bai Cen served the food, one hand holding a rice bucket and the other a dish, the food piping hot.
The five members of the Deadly Dragon Tiger Blade were stunned!
That's fast!
But upon closer inspection, it was just green vegetables?!
Bai Cen understood this shock.
Green vegetables are usually served last.
Bai Cen said politely, "Everyone, the dishes are all served. Please enjoy your meal."
How many people: ? ? ?
Several people thought they had misheard.
One of them said, "We...didn't we order so many dishes?"
Another person said, "There are at least ten!"
Bai Cen: (⊙o⊙)…
Ten?! No wonder the old man doesn't like you!
Ten dishes! I'd be exhausted if I didn't help the host! There are still two tables upstairs!
The old man is indeed selective in his treatment of people, but the premise is that the person must be reliable!
Although Bai Cen was inwardly complaining, he still sighed softly, "Isn't it just the owner of our Bazhen Restaurant cooking all by himself? It's freshly cooked, not made and left out the day before, so how can it be so fast? Isn't the point of coming to Bazhen Restaurant to experience the taste of the martial arts world? You gentlemen are clearly from the martial arts world, acting with integrity and speaking your minds. Just tell me if these dishes taste good or not?"
All the soup is gone!
Of course!
Bai Cen knew this very well.
The group was indeed stunned: "..."
Then the fat guy said first, "It really is delicious!"
Tall man: "Indeed!"
The short man said, "The Eight Treasures Pavilion truly lived up to its reputation!"
The skinny man said, "Even martial arts masters can't fight with people every day, and the owner of the Eight Treasures Restaurant can't cook ten or eight dishes for one table!"
Not tall, not short, not thin, not fat: "Yes!"
...
Well, this group of deadly dragon-tiger swordsmen has already taken down their own targets!
Bai Cen continued to sigh, "No wonder the renowned heroes of the 'Deadly Dragon Tiger Saber' are so famous in the martial arts world. Meeting them today, I can confirm that their reputation is well-deserved and their demeanor is extraordinary."
Not too tall, not too short, not too thin, not too fat: "Not at all!"
Skinny guy: "I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it!"
The short man exclaimed, "Oh my! Bazhenlou is too kind!"
The tall man said, "We only have a little reputation. Bazhenlou is the real name in the martial arts world."
Fatty: "This meal was worth it. From now on, when we're out in the world, we'll be people who've eaten at Bazhenlou!"
The group burst into laughter: "Hahaha!"
...
When the old man came down from the second floor, ready to deal with those troublesome bastards, he found that the small courtyard was empty, and only Bai Cen was clearing away the dishes at the table.
"Where are those cats and dogs?" Old Master Qu asked.
"Here, enjoy your meal, let's go!" Bai Cen pointed in the direction with his eyes, and the old man looked in that direction and indeed saw five people of different heights, weights and builds, some with knives at their waists, some carrying knives on one shoulder, some holding knives in their hands, some carrying knives on both shoulders, and some swinging large knives as they walked.
Judging from his back view, he seems to be in a good mood.
The old man couldn't help but glance at Bai Cen again. He had originally come to teach these guys a lesson, but he didn't expect someone to "teach" them a lesson first, and do it very well.
The old man gave him an awkward look and said softly, "How was it 'cleaned up'?"
Bai Cen said with a smile, "You can't hit someone who's smiling. Everyone who comes to Bazhenlou is a guest. I said a few words to make the guest happy, and the guest left happily."
"Hmph!" He knew it. The old man snorted, "Sycophant!"
Just then, the kitchen bell rang, signaling that another dish was ready!
The guests upstairs were still waiting, so the old man lifted the curtain and went in to get the food. A little while later, he brought out a plate of steamed sea bass.
Bai Cen was already hungry, and when this plate of steamed sea bass came out, the plate was still steaming, and the aroma of hot oil poured over the bean sauce and scallions was so enticing that it made one's soul go out of their way!
He loves sea bass too!
There was a whooshing sound as someone came downstairs. Bai Cen looked up and saw it was Old Master He.
"Grandpa He," Bai Cen greeted. Seeing that he was carrying plates and bowls of various sizes, Grandpa He gently lifted the curtain in the kitchen for him, and Bai Cen easily entered.
Grandpa He also helped bring in the remaining bowls and chopsticks from the table.
“Look, those five are the cats and dogs that the old man mentioned…” In the kitchen, Bai Cen put down the plates and bowls in his hands and lifted the curtain of the kitchen window. Wang Sumo could just see the backs of the five figures of different heights and builds outside.
Old Master He saw it from afar and couldn't help but smile as he set out the bowls and chopsticks.
Bai Cen keenly observed, "Does Elder He know any of them?"
There were hooks on the window, which could be used to hold the curtain in place when it was lifted, so Bai Cen didn't have to keep reaching out to hold it. Wang Sumo, who was chopping vegetables, turned around when she heard this, and the two of them looked at Grandpa He together.
Master He shook his head and said gently, "It really is those five. I didn't recognize them before, but these figures from behind confirmed it was them."
Bai Cen exclaimed in surprise, "These five cats... no, these five deadly dragon-tiger blades are so powerful? Elder Master He actually knows them all?"
If he remembered correctly, Master He had retired from the martial world for more than twenty years.
For more than twenty years, Master He has hardly left Qingyun Manor. That was more than twenty years ago...
No wonder Master He didn't recognize these people at first.
However, he was just fooling them. He had heard of the Deadly Dragon Tiger Saber, but he was a nobody in the martial arts world, far from being a household name.
And I did see it just now; these people don't have the air of chivalry.
But for someone like Master He to have an impression of them, and the expression on Master He's face doesn't lie, Master He must have had a very good impression of them, or rather, a deep impression of them.
Master He lowered his head and took a deep breath, then looked up again at the figure outside the window and smiled gently, “It was more than twenty years ago. At that time, I was preparing to retire from the martial world. Before retiring, I went to Lingxu Temple on a whim to talk to the head of the temple, Master Liaochen, about retiring and to hear his opinion. He and I have been friends for many years. I am still in the mortal world, while he has transcended it and understands everything better than I do.”
“When I went to Lingxu Temple, the disciples there told me that the sect leader had gone down the mountain, but only two days later, he said he was going to Pingcheng. So I went to Pingcheng to look for Chen. Interestingly, when I found him, he was helping a few beggars.”
When I think of this place, only fleeting images come to mind.
These fleeting figures happened to intertwine with the silhouettes seen outside the window...
Liao Chen smiled gently: "I want to find a beggar in the city who asks for breakfast."
The beggars all shook their heads.
The fat guy spoke first: "Hehe, we weren't even up yet back then, how could we have ever seen a beggar asking for breakfast!"
The skinny guy chimed in, "Exactly! We hadn't even gotten up ourselves back then! How were we supposed to know about other beggars? Hey, did you ever get up?"
The tall man shook his head: "What do you mean? I didn't."
The short man: "None of us have any! Right?"
The short man bumped into the man of average height and build, who replied blankly, "Yeah."
Liao Chen wasn't annoyed. Instead, he smiled gently and said, "This is it. Why don't you take a look tomorrow morning? I'll come and wake you up, and you can try it out."
The group exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of the old Taoist's meaning. But the fat man, quick-witted, said, "Old Taoist, are you saying that if we can get up tomorrow morning and accompany you to the city to find a bunch of beggars asking for breakfast, you'll give us this silver?"
Liao Chen nodded. "Yes."
The tall man didn't believe him: "You're not lying, are you?"
Liao Chen laughed, "I am a person from another world, why would I lie to you?"
"Wait a minute!" The fat man and his group huddled together for a moment, whispering among themselves, "Was that arrogant old Taoist priest a fraud?"
The skinny man whispered, "Why would they lie to us, a bunch of wretched beggars? To inherit the dilapidated temple we've taken over?"
The group: "..."
The old Taoist priest's whisk alone is more valuable than all of theirs combined, so why would he cheat them?
"That's true," the fat man remarked. "So, do you want to go?"
The tall man turned and glanced at Chen, then whispered, "Why don't you give it a try?"
The shorter man hesitated, "How can we get up so early? Don't we usually only open our eyes when the sun is high in the sky?"
They all sighed, "Yes."
The man, who was neither tall nor fat, neither short nor thin, hesitated for a moment: "But didn't that Taoist priest say he could come and call us? Since he's already come and called us, we won't lose anything. Why don't we give it a try?"
Too.
The group hadn't used their brains in a long time, and when they suddenly put them to use, they felt sluggish, but at least they reached a consensus.
"Alright, old Taoist priest, if you can come tomorrow morning, we'll go with you, but first we have to agree that you can wake us up." The fat man laid down three conditions.
Liao Chen nodded gently, "Okay."
The skinny man also mentioned, "We're not sure if we can find beggars in the city for breakfast! We can't withhold our money because of that!"
Liao Chen nodded gently, "Okay."
Emerging from the dilapidated temple, He Wenxue looked at Chen and said gently, "Other martial arts sects invited you to give lectures, but you refused and instead stayed here to help a few beggars?"
Liao Chen stroked his beard and said humbly, "Why should there be a specific place to ferry people across? In this vast world, martial arts sects are one, and so is a dilapidated temple. Elder Master He, please allow me to be so late for two days."
...
Bai Cen asked in surprise, "Old Master, are you saying that those people who wielded the Deadly Dragon Tiger Blade were once beggars in a dilapidated temple? They were converted by Daoist Liaochen of Lingxu Temple?"
Wang Sumo's eyes also showed surprise.
Master He nodded gently, "Indeed."
Wang Sumo and Bai Cen looked at each other, then together gazed out the window at the five figures, each with a distinct appearance, gradually walking away into the distance.
Beside him, Old Master He's voice continued...
"The next day, Liao Chen and I went to the dilapidated temple to look for the five of them, and they were indeed still not awake. Moreover, Liao Chen and I called them for a long time, but they still refused to wake up. The disciples of Qingyun Manor are known for their self-discipline, and when selecting disciples, the manor tends to choose those who are strict with themselves. So I advised Liao Chen, 'Wood can be good or bad, and rotten wood cannot be carved.'"
Liao Chen smiled calmly. I originally thought he was going to say to me, "How could you be so sure they were rotten wood?" But Liao Chen said, "There are good wood and ordinary wood in this world. They can't be good wood for carving beams and painting rafters, but they can still be ordinary wood, not rotten wood. I just want to try to help them and see if they can become ordinary wood again."
“I had never thought about things from this perspective before, nor had I ever imagined that a courier could act this way. I watched as Liao Chen woke them up and told them that he was late today and that he would come again tomorrow, but he still gave them some silver. The beggars were pleasantly surprised and trusted him. Although they didn’t get up the next day, Liao Chen went to wake them, and they got up quickly.”
"Huh~" Bai Cen couldn't help but cross his arms; this story was starting to get interesting.
Wang Sumo lifted the lid of the pot. The chicken soup had been simmering for a while, and it smelled good, but it wasn't ready yet. She had to wait a little longer.
Wang Sumo continued listening as he sliced the duck meat.
"Liao Chen led them all over the city to look for beggars asking for breakfast, but they searched from morning until noon without finding a single one. The group returned dejectedly, but they had taken quite a bit of silver. Then Liao Chen told them to come back the next day, but to come earlier, as the beggars asking for breakfast might have already gone home. The group nodded repeatedly. On the third day, when I went to the dilapidated temple with Liao Chen, the group was indeed already up."
"Wow!" Bai Cen couldn't help but exclaim.
Master He laughed and said, "I was surprised at the time, but what surprised me even more was that Liao Chen still led them all over the city to look for beggars for breakfast, but they still couldn't find any. On the fourth day, they were still looking for beggars for breakfast, but they still couldn't find any. But during this time, Liao Chen told them that since they had gotten up early, and the innkeeper said that the staff had taken leave and there was no one to help carry the water buckets, they would go and see if they could help."
"Since they were already here, and they had already received money from Chen, they felt bad not to go, so they helped the innkeeper carry water buckets. The innkeeper was grateful and gave each of them a freshly baked bun."
Bai Cen and Wang Sumo both blinked, as if they had suddenly realized something.
The old man continued, "Later, Chen asked them to help the neighbors fetch well water, deliver things, run errands... they did a lot of things. At first, they were all simple tasks, but later they also had to deliver messages, look for people, and so on. By the seventh day, these beggars suddenly realized that they no longer seemed to be looking for beggars for breakfast in the city, but they had gotten used to getting up early. The neighbors also asked them to do things and gave them rewards, which, although not much, meant they no longer had to beg every day like before. Instead, they could eat well and wear decent clothes."
Later, Liao Chen told them that there were originally no beggars asking for breakfast in this world, because if beggars could get up early, they wouldn't be beggars. The group suddenly realized that, unknowingly, they had accomplished what they previously thought impossible. Liao Chen told them, "You may not be able to become the most outstanding group, but you can do your best and achieve the best you can..."
"That was the last time I saw them. They were having a heated discussion about what they wanted to do in the future. Some said they wanted to be businessmen and never have to worry about money; some wanted to join the army and said it was powerful to be a general; some said they wanted to study and write, because they would have to learn one or two words in their lifetime; and some said, why don't we travel the world and fight for justice? They always felt that it was the work of a great hero to uphold justice and eliminate evil."
"What was originally a cacophony of opinions suddenly reached a consensus. They told Liao Chen that they wanted to find a master to learn martial arts and travel the world. Liao Chen said, 'Alright, how will we know it won't work if we don't try?'"
As he watched the figures gradually disappear into the distance, Old Master He stroked his beard and said softly, "They may never become martial arts masters, but they did what they could through their own efforts. Liao Chen, Liao Chen."
Grandpa He looked into the distance with satisfaction, and the few ragged figures in his memory gradually merged with the chivalrous figures in front of him.
A hero's origins are irrelevant.
The place of origin is where the journey begins.
"The Deadly Dragon-Tiger Blade," Bai Cen murmured. "Interesting!"
Wang Sumo looked at him and said, "Serve the dishes!"
[Author's Note]
See you tomorrow!
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