Courtyard House: The Chef's Intelligence System

Around noon, the banquet officially began.

There were no ceremonies, not a damn ceremony, we just started the feast.

One dish after another was served, making everyone's appetite soar.

A rather unusual table included Manager Luan, Li Tielong, and the Lou Bancheng family.

Manager Luan smiled and said:

"Hehe, it's been a long time since I've had a feast, and it's a grand feast prepared by our Mr. Yu! Let's go, brothers..."

Lou Bancheng and he were old acquaintances, so there weren't many formalities to follow.

Why bother with rules when you're at a big banquet? Just eat and that's it.

Lou Bancheng rarely attends banquets like this, and He Daqing invited him, though he hadn't really thought about it.

But my wife wanted to go and see, so since we had nothing else to do, we decided to go.

It would also be good to take my daughter to see what it's like to attend a grand banquet.

Having grown accustomed to delicacies from land and sea, a simple meal at an ordinary family's house is quite pleasant.

Moreover, he had heard that the person hosting the banquet was He Daqing's nephew, known in Beiping as "Mr. Yu!"

Lou Bancheng and his entourage made sure to order plenty of dishes personally prepared by Mr. Yu when they came to Fengzeyuan.

Lou Bancheng squinted his eyes in enjoyment after taking a bite of the dish.

Seeing this, Manager Luan joked:

"How's the feast my husband, Mr. Yu, prepared?"

Lou Bancheng opened his eyes and laughed, a very hearty laugh:

"Hahaha, Mr. Fish is Mr. Fish. Dishes made with ordinary ingredients are just as delicious."

"Come on, come on, let's go one by one. It's rare to see such a scene."

Manager Luan greeted them.

After observing the other neighbors, they began to wolf down their food once all twelve dishes were served.

Grab food?

No way! If you can finish a table full of dishes, you're amazing.

Li Jiuzhou naturally had to sit at the table too. Why shouldn't he sit at the table after the dishes were cooked?

He gave a gift too, okay?

What kind of chef doesn't serve food?

Bullshit...

After the neighbors in the courtyard finished eating, they finally learned about Li Jiuzhou's true strength.

That was absolutely amazing!

They had never eaten such delicious food in their lives.

Yi Zhonghai and the others didn't want to offer any more praise; they just wanted to eat.

The deaf old lady was also at this table. She was eating happily; old people like lively scenes.

The key thing is that she's a foodie and loves to eat meat.

She had a great time today, drinking three cups of baijiu without even turning red in the face.

"Grandma, please eat more. Jiuzhou's cooking skills are superb; he truly deserves to be called Mr. Fish."

Yi Zhonghai's wife served the deaf old lady a bowl of dragon and phoenix soup.

The deaf old woman nodded with a smile: "A great reputation is well-deserved; this child has made it."

"Come to Zhonghai, fill up your wife's glass, let's have a few more drinks, let's have a good time today..."

"Hehehe...Alright, whatever makes you happy."

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai immediately filled the old lady's glass with wine.

Liu Haizhong also loves wine and often toasts elderly ladies.

Everyone ate their fill by the end of the banquet.

There wasn't a single dish left on the table.

Only the table where Manager Luan and his group had leftovers. They weren't short of food or drink, so they were content with just a taste.

After the guests left, the neighbors in the backyard all stared at the leftover food on the table.

Bai Lian also wanted to speak up, but as the host, she couldn't bring herself to say so.

Upon seeing this, He Daqing said:

"Hey everyone, bring a bowl, I'll distribute them."

The neighbors all went home to get their bowls.

He Daqing divided up the leftovers.

In the evening, the neighbors can also try some of the food.

After finishing tidying up in the afternoon, He Daqing left with his wife; the new house wasn't here.

Bai Lian's two children will stay in the courtyard for now.

They're newlyweds, why are those two brats getting involved?

After this banquet, Li Jiuzhou became famous in Nanluoguxiang.

Many people have come to inquire about the pricing for hosting a banquet.

Li Jiuzhou declined them all, saying he was too busy.

He earns a lot in a month, so it's not appropriate for him to continue working as a head chef.

Moreover, his fees are really not low. Although he doesn't set a price, those who used to hire him to cook were all wealthy families.

They're very generous, so he really can't set a price and simply won't accept the offer.

He Daqing gave him a red envelope containing 88 yuan for the banquet.

Unable to refuse, he was coerced and bribed until he had no choice but to comply.

In a courtyard near Zhengyangmen, Bai Lian was happily counting the monetary gifts in two rooms in the backyard.

"430 million! My God..."

He Daqing chuckled as he smoked:

"What's there to get so excited about? It's just a little over 400 million. What's that to me, He Daqing, in Beiping?"

"I haven't forgotten to make a big deal out of it; if it's a big deal, it could easily cost tens of millions."

"Yes, yes, you're the best, sir. I'll serve you right away..."

Bai Lian didn't want to say anything more, so she showed it through her actions.

Li Jiuzhou slept soundly at night, but his system was not at peace.

They frequently sent him intelligence.

It's incredibly melodramatic; it's either about a general taking a concubine or the general's son doing something bad.

Another issue is corruption among officials in certain departments.

He also asked Li Jiuzhou to report and expose the criminal forces.

This is like someone who thinks they've lived too long; Li Jiuzhou didn't even dare to look at this kind of information.

His name is Li Jiuzhou, that's true, but he doesn't have nine lives!

He just wanted the system to give him some little surprises in his life, not to kill him!

For example, information like finding some money.

He wouldn't do things like attacking enemy agents or infiltrating enemy camps.

He just wants stability and doesn't want to cause trouble.

After finishing his meal at the Jia family's residence in the Intermediate People's Court, Jia Dongxu licked his lips.

"Mom, I'd like Jiuzhou to cook the banquet for my wedding as well."

Upon hearing this, Madam Jia was initially delighted, but her face soon fell.

The good news is that my son is thinking about getting married. Carrying on the family line is a big deal, so it's something we should take seriously.

She was happy that her son could mention it, but she was in a difficult position if Li Jiuzhou was asked to host the banquet.

So he said:

"Son, let's talk about it when the time comes. First, find a wife you like, then we can discuss the banquet with that boy from Jiuzhou."

"However, I estimate that his banquet won't be cheap."

Jia Dongxu nodded upon hearing this:

"Then we'll ask him when the time comes. We're all neighbors in the same courtyard, so we should be able to discuss it."

"Okay...you're 19 this year too. Tomorrow I'll go find Granny Wang in courtyard number 90 and ask her to find a fortune teller for you."

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongxu smiled, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

"Mom, I'll listen to you..."

Inside the east wing of the courthouse, Yi Zhonghai lay on his bed, unable to sleep, his mind racing.

He was about the same age as He Daqing, both 35 years old.

He Daqing's son is already 15 years old, while Yi Zhonghai has nothing.

His wife had been pregnant years ago, but she couldn't keep the pregnancy and ended up with health problems.

Later, an accident damaged his health, and although he was fine in terms of social relationships, he was unable to have children.

Now things are really messed up; both husband and wife have problems, and they're practically childless.

They saw countless doctors and took countless medications, but nothing worked. The couple was almost in despair.

We also face a very serious problem: elderly care!

After seeing He Daqing's two stepsons today, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration and came up with an idea.

Yi Zhonghai might not be able to get a divorce and remarry a widow with a child, but he could take on apprentices.

The Intermediate People's Court has one right there.

Jia Dongxu has been working at the factory for several months now, and I usually guide him in his work.

If I were to take you under my wing, wouldn't that guarantee my retirement?

Jia Dongxu respected him a lot. Although he didn't say he wanted to become his apprentice, Yi Zhonghai felt that he would bring it up sooner or later.

So he wasn't in a hurry; he couldn't be the one to speak first.

After thinking things through, Yi Zhonghai felt much better and slowly drifted off to sleep...