In the beginning, he was ranked alongside An Shigeng as a spoiled brat.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Picking Up a Cook

"Why is my sister in such a hurry to leave? Young master hasn't even had a chance to see your unparalleled beauty yet."

Even Hongxiao had to admit that the young master had a really good eye for people.

The little beggar played by Huang Rong just now, apart from her big, bright, and charming eyes, was covered in a layer of mud.

Unexpectedly, after being washed, she turned out to be an unparalleled beauty with fair skin and delicate bones.

Like a lotus flower emerging from the mud, she is not only exquisitely beautiful, but also possesses an ethereal and elegant temperament, as if she were a fairy who stepped out of a painting.

If she were to grow up in a few years, her petite and slender figure would fully develop, and she might even surpass them in beauty.

However, just as Huang Rong was about to leave, Hongxiao's graceful figure swayed, her long skirt fluttering like a red cloud, her lightness skill no less than Huang Rong's.

With a graceful turn, Huang Rong instinctively sensed a flash of red; Hongxiao was already in front of her.

It was as swift as a ghost, even Huang Rong was shocked.

Unexpectedly, Hongxiao, who looks like a maid, has such lightness skills, and her martial arts skills are probably no weaker than hers.

"Sister, you've got some skill! Take this!"

Huang Rong's eyes flashed, her clear gaze flowing, and she slapped her jade palm towards Hongxiao.

With a graceful and elegant posture and agile and unpredictable movements, the moment a slender jade palm struck Hongxiao seemed both illusory and real, making it impossible to fathom.

But a slight smile crept onto Hongxiao's lips, and her red-clad figure suddenly split into three.

Huang Rong's vision blurred, and she saw three red silk ribbons attacking her simultaneously, causing her palm strike to miss its mark.

Snapped!

With a crisp sound, Huang Rong's cheeks flushed red, her expression one of shame and anger.

Hongxiao acted without restraint. Her buttocks were attacked. If Hongxiao hadn't been a woman, Huang Rong might have already gone berserk.

Even so, she felt a sense of humiliation. With a slender waist, she turned around and her jade palms flew out.

When Huang Rong unleashed her full power, her movements became even more agile, and her palm strikes filled the air, shifting unpredictably between reality and illusion.

Watching the red-clad figure of Hongxiao wandering back and forth, Huang Rong repeatedly waved her jade-like arms to slap it.

Although Hongxiao was proficient in the mysterious and extraordinary Nine Spiral Shadows, she was far inferior to Huang Rong in terms of combat experience and mental agility.

In just a few moves, Huang Rong shattered several phantom images, and her movements began to become somewhat chaotic.

"Alright, are you guys going to tear the house down?"

At that moment, a light shout rang out, and Zhang Xiaoshan walked in.

Hongxiao immediately stopped and stood beside Zhang Xiaoshan, but Huang Rong took the opportunity to try to jump out of the window and escape.

However, Huang Rong was quick, but Zhang Xiaoshan was even faster.

Grabbing a silk ribbon nearby, he wrapped it around Huang Rong's slender waist as she prepared to jump out the window, gently pulling her down onto the princess bed beside her, while chuckling softly:

"You think you can just leave like that? It's not that easy."

"Alright, Hongxiao didn't go all out against you just now because you can't really control her; after all, there's a difference in strength between you."

After saying that, Zhang Xiaoshan turned and left.

Huang Rong was unwilling to give up after untying the ribbon, but she gave up her desire to escape.

The difference in strength she had just witnessed made her realize that Zhang Xiaoshan was a hidden master, and even the maidservant beside him was beyond her ability to deal with.

"What do you want me to do? Let me make this clear first, I will not submit to a lecher like you."

"Don't worry, I don't have an appetite for a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl."

If you are eighteen or nineteen years old, this young master might consider taking you as a concubine and giving you a formal status.

"Shameless!"

Huang Rong was shocked by Zhang Xiaoshan's shamelessness, and at the same time, she was indignant.

"Little girl, I won't make things difficult for you. Just be my cook for a month and serve the young master well, and everything will be fine."

"Really?"

Huang Rong's bright eyes darted around as she pondered the possibilities.

After all, there's a lot of room for maneuver here; she could easily slip away while shopping for groceries.

"Little girl, don't even think about running away. Look what this is?"

Zhang Xiaoshan took a pill from a porcelain bottle next to him and threatened him:

"This is a poison called the Heart-Eating Pill. If there is no antidote within a month of ingestion, the heart will beat violently and eventually burst due to the unbearable frequency of the beating."

Upon hearing the gruesome manner of death, Huang Rong's expression changed instantly, and she looked at the pill in Zhang Xiaoshan's hand with fear.

"I will not eat!"

Huang Rong shook her head in refusal, displaying an air of defiance that suggested she would rather die than comply, but Zhang Xiaoshan laughed and said:

"You won't eat? Aren't you afraid I'll force myself on you?"

"You dare... um... cough cough..."

In the instant Huang Rong appeared fierce but was actually weak, Zhang Xiaoshan seized the opportunity to flick the pill into Huang Rong's mouth.

"After taking this pill, check your wrist again in an hour to see if a red line appears."

The red line indicates that the poison has begun to take effect. It will slowly extend along the meridians of your arm towards your heart. Once the red line reaches your heart, that will be the moment the poison takes hold!

"Give me the antidote."

"Antidote? We'll see if you behave yourself for the next month."

"If you satisfy me, I'll give you the antidote. After all, I'm not one to cruelly destroy beauty like this, letting such a delicate girl perish."

"you···"

Seeing Zhang Xiaoshan's mocking gaze, Huang Rong immediately realized that he couldn't possibly give her the antidote, and at the same time, she secretly cursed Zhang Xiaoshan for being treacherous and cunning.

"Alright, go prepare dinner for tonight. If I'm satisfied, I might give you the antidote after you've eaten."

"Humph!"

Huang Rong looked at Zhang Xiaoshan. Although she didn't know how he knew she could cook, she had no choice but to comply.

Watching Huang Rong's departing figure, the women in red silk exchanged glances, feeling mostly reluctant to leave.

They knew Huang Rong was somewhat willful, but using such methods to deal with a young girl was far too cruel.

"Young master, aren't you being too harsh on that girl?"

"Do you really think I poisoned her?"

This medicine is called "Heart Blossoming," a miraculous drug developed by the seventh young master of the Hua family in Menghe. After taking it, women, in particular, will emit a unique fragrance.

The red lines, seemingly indicating poisoning, are actually just a manifestation of qi and blood, ultimately extending to the heart and blooming, achieving the effect of promoting blood circulation and unblocking the meridians.

Upon hearing Zhang Xiaoshan's explanation, the women immediately flinched and laughed.

They also noticed Huang Rong's spoiled and willful nature, but they didn't expect Zhang Xiaoshan to be even more cunning, subduing her with just one pill.

They could imagine how furious Huang Rong would be if she knew she had been deceived.

"Alright, go and pick out some fabric, and choose a piece of white silk for that girl to make a dress."

"Yes, Master!"

Looking at the graceful figures of the women, Zhang Xiaoshan suppressed his wicked thoughts and entered the underground chamber to cultivate.

The Golden Tripod Iron Shirt is a type of external martial art that requires physical training. Therefore, Zhang Xiaoshan needs to undergo high-intensity training every day, even using heavy steel ball sandbags to strike himself repeatedly, in order to achieve continuous improvement.

Otherwise, if you don't practice for a long time, your physical body will not improve but regress.

However, Zhang Xiaoshan has already cultivated a protective Pure Yang Gang Force, which will only become stronger over time.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Huang Rong's Culinary Frustration

"Is this what you made? It looks pretty good."

Looking at the exquisite dishes on the table in front of him—four dishes and a soup—Zhang Xiaoshan couldn't help but curiously pick up his chopsticks to try them.

"Wait, the antidote!"

When Huang Rong saw Zhang Xiaoshan about to pick up his chopsticks, she directly blocked his way with her slender hand.

"Antidote? Who knows if this stuff tastes good? And you expect an antidote after just one meal? It's not that easy."

Pushing aside the jade-like hand in front of him, Zhang Xiaoshan picked up a strip of meat and put it in his mouth.

As you chew slowly, you'll discover the distinct aromas and textures of the four types of meat, each offering a unique and delightful flavor that intensifies with each bite; the tofu, too, is exceptionally fragrant and melts in your mouth…

The dishes were good; at least Zhang Xiaoshan felt they were comparable to the famous dishes at Hongfu Restaurant.

However, this is not enough. You must know that the Zhang family chef is a descendant of the imperial chefs, and he has even surpassed his master.

At least in terms of cooking, Huang Rong is far inferior, at best only achieving a minor level of skill.

"How about it?"

"What else can it be? It's barely edible."

"You're shameless! You barely managed to eat it all, you scoundrel, you bastard..."

Seeing Huang Rong's pretty face contorted with resentment and her eyes blazing with anger, Zhang Xiaoshan stood up and said with a faint smile:

"follow me."

Huang Rong was extremely cautious, but she couldn't resist her curiosity and followed Zhang Xiaoshan into the hall.

A sumptuous and fragrant feast had been laid out in the hall. Hongxiao, Jiangxue, Tina, and Shana served Zhang Xiaoshan, and they all smiled charmingly at him.

"Master!"

After eating four dishes and a soup, Zhang Xiaoshan sat down, and Jiang Xue placed a large piece of meat, resembling a steak, in front of the young master.

After each training session, Zhang Xiaoshan needed to have a large meal to replenish his body after the damage.

In particular, some medicinal diets can repair the hidden injuries caused by physical training and strengthen bones.

This beef soup is made with ginseng and lingzhi as seasonings, and also includes tiger bone, donkey meat, and fish maw... In the end, it is simmered into this highly nourishing soup.

Zhang Xiaoshan was not afraid of being overwhelmed by the tonics; on the contrary, the powerful medicinal effects allowed him to cultivate his physical strength without restraint.

"Taste it?"

Zhang Xiaoshan placed a piece of beef on a side plate and began to swallow it in large gulps.

The meat was stewed for three hours until it was so tender that it could be swallowed directly without chewing.

"Such tender beef, this must be beef shank? But... how did they do that?"

"It's the pot's fault!"

Zhang Xiaoshan's explanation made Huang Rong suddenly realize the truth.

At the same time, she was secretly amazed. She knew the key, but still didn't know how to do it. What kind of pot could make it tender and not tough or dry?

Moreover, there was so much stuff inside that she was really enjoying it, and her cheeks flushed slightly, making her even more charming.

Huang Rong looked at the exquisite and luxurious dishes on the table, casually picked up a few pieces of food that looked like unidentified objects, and tasted them with her red lips.

Chicken that looks like brain, bouncy beef balls, tender shrimp with tea aroma... Eighteen dishes, fifteen of which are meat dishes, and most of them are dishes that Huang Rong has never heard of.

But Huang Rong had to admit that everything was delicious in terms of color, aroma, and taste.

If her cooking skills are just beginning to improve, then the other person is a master chef, they are not even in the same league.

"how?"

"···"

Huang Rong didn't waste any words, she glared at him with her beautiful eyes, her gaze captivating.

Despite having such a skilled chef, she had to embarrass a young girl like Zhang Xiaoshan, making him even more despicable in her eyes.

"I'll have Jiangxue prepare a private room for you later. Just let Jiangxue know if you need anything."

"Hypocrite, I'm not living here."