"The competition was forced upon us, but in the end, you have to accept the consequences of your bet."
But Qi Guze knew that Xu Yuehuai was not someone who would compromise easily.
Just as the competition was about to end, Xu Yuehuai picked up a knife. Her speed was unbelievable. Even the cook who was observing at close range was overwhelmed by the speed. By the time the cook and everyone else recovered from their shock, Xu Yuehuai had already turned around.
The knife was simply left lying there.
It landed on the cutting board with a thud.
With the striking of the gong, everything settled down.
The crowd looked at each other in bewilderment, then quickly examined each other's work. Some sighed, some lamented, and then several judges took turns going up on stage to score the knife skills.
In just one round, many people have already been eliminated.
The eliminated group left, grumbling and cursing.
Soon, the group of people arrived in front of Zhang Baolong.
"Uncle Zhang's knife skills are excellent. Each piece is neat and uniform, yet still connected like a lotus root. I've only ever seen such skill at the Imperial Kitchen. You're truly the best today."
The county magistrate was about to make an announcement at this point.
But the others clearly had their own opinions.
Amidst the whispers, someone pointed at Xu Yuehuai's work, but Xu Yuehuai himself remained unfazed.
What's so impressive about that? It's just a small test.
The judges walked up to Xu Yuehuai and saw that the potatoes were still lying horizontally on the cutting board as usual, and the cucumbers were still the same, just before everyone announced the elimination.
Suddenly, the Demon Eater lowered his head to observe carefully, and then revealed a surprised look in his eyes. "Everyone, please don't rush to announce it. I think that in the competition of knife skills behind the left ear, Miss Xu is slightly better."
How do you know that?
Wei Yixiao knew that Xu Yuehuai was a true powerhouse, and he also vaguely understood that Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze had some connection, so he approached her.
As for that old beggar...
This man had a calm and collected expression, and seemed to be someone who had seen a lot in life.
"Knife skills have always been the most basic skill to test a chef. I don't think there's anything to compare. It's just a matter of practice makes perfect," Xu Yuehuai said confidently.
The beggar clicked his tongue in surprise and said, "Miss Xu has cut these cucumbers and potatoes into countless slices from top to bottom. It's truly an incredible coincidence."
"so."
Xu Yuehua smiled happily.
Everyone was craning their necks to look at her, and she deliberately showed off, handing one side of the cucumber to the old beggar and the other to the Demon Eater, saying, "You guys pull it apart."
The two men took two steps back and carefully pulled on the cucumber. What was originally a short cucumber was now stretched to a great length. Under the sunlight, the cucumber slices were as thin as cicada wings, crystal clear, and shimmering like fish scales.
No one expected Xu Yuehuai to be so capable.
Then look at the potato chips, which were made in the same way, and Chun San Niang in the audience was the first to applaud.
The applause lasted for a long time.
This angered Zhang Baolong on the other side.
He had tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead. He hadn't expected this young lady to be so capable. He lowered his head, his eyes darting around, and after thinking for a moment, he said in a loud voice, "In a competition, there are naturally winners and losers, and there can only be one winner in each competition."
He was in a "it's either you or me" state, so "we still need to have a fair, open and just competition between us."
Xu Yuehuai had long disliked Zhang Baolong.
The original plan was to slightly dampen Zhang Baolong's arrogance, but now seeing Zhang Baolong provoking him again and again, he couldn't help but be furious. "Then let's begin. Since it's a competition, I will naturally make you accept defeat wholeheartedly."
"Then I, Zhang, will have to see how Miss Xu wins my heart and soul."
You're being stubborn, aren't you?
Xu Yuehua pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought of Wensi Tofu.
"How about we have a tofu-cutting competition this time? Wensi Tofu."
The air suddenly became quiet.
Looking around, there are only a few chefs in the Imperial Palace's Food Bureau who can make Wensi Tofu. This dish is very difficult to make, so much so that many people give up. But Xu Yuehuai insisted on taking on the challenge.
"What?" Xu Yuehuai scoffed, gave a contemptuous smile, and stared at Zhang Baolong. "If Boss Zhang doesn't dare to come, he can just admit defeat."
"What do I have to be afraid of? Let's get started."
Zhang Baolong gritted his teeth and faced the situation head-on.
Inside the carriage, Qi Guze smiled.
Tie Xiong, standing nearby, scratched his head. "Your Highness, what is Wensi Tofu?"
"It's like cutting a piece of tofu into countless pieces, yet the tofu remains connected like a lotus root; just hearing about it makes you realize how difficult it is."
"Isn't Miss Xu digging her own grave and asking for trouble?"
"In my opinion," Qi Guze sneered, "it's more likely that Zhang Baolong will be the one digging his own grave."
Everyone held their breath and stared intently at the stage. No one expected that Xu Yuehuai, this little girl who had never been known before, would pull off such a major upset in today's competition. Everyone sized up the two of them.
Xu Yuehuai grabbed a piece of tofu and placed it in the water. Her hands moved quickly, and ripples appeared on the surface of the water. She was so focused and meticulous.
As for Zhang Baolong on the other side, he placed the tofu on the cutting board, and despite scratching his head in frustration, he couldn't figure it out for a long time.
Seeing Zhang Baolong's behavior, even Wei Yixiao from the Imperial Food Bureau couldn't stand it anymore and hurriedly approached him to offer his favoritism, saying, "Boss Zhang, cutting it in water will make it easier."
Soon, someone brought over better tofu for Zhang Baolong.
Zhang Baolong's frantic efforts finally paid off.
He breathed a sigh of relief and pointed to the tofu in the basin. The tofu looked like a blooming daisy, with every strand visible. Zhang Baolong turned to look at Xu Yuehuai.
They noticed that Xu Yuehuai's tofu remained perfectly still, exactly the same as when it was delivered.
He immediately laughed.
But the Demon Eater once again showed a look of surprise.
Seeing everyone's astonishment and their lack of experience, Xu Yuehuai chuckled. Then, her slender fingers rippled in her hand, and with the ripples of water, the seemingly flawless tofu blossomed into a flower in an instant.
That delicate touch was astonishing; anyone with a discerning eye could tell it was obvious. Even Zhang Baolong, with his skill, could only admit defeat and remain far behind.
In the audience, a man who had been eliminated in the first round shouted and rushed over to kneel down in front of Xu Yuehuai.
"Girl, you are the reincarnation of the patriarch! I want to become your disciple!"
The guards quickly helped the deranged man up.
The outcome was now crystal clear, and Zhang Baolong blushed deeply, finding it almost unbelievable.
He simply moved closer to Xu Yuehuai's basin and reached out to touch the tofu in it. The tofu seemed to come alive.
Xu Yuehuai spoke on behalf of those who were bullied and harmed but dared not speak out, asking, "Mr. Zhang, are you willing to accept the consequences of your bet?"
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