Chef God of the Wuxia and Fantasy World

Hu Meiniang immediately breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I'm glad the God of Cookery is satisfied."

“However, it’s a bit of a waste that this embroidery can only be admired.” After a pause, Ling Chi asked, “Do you know how to tailor clothes?”

Hu Meiniang nodded repeatedly: "Meiniang knows how. Whether it's clothes or shoes and hats, Meiniang has learned them all."

"That's wonderful." Ling Chi's eyes lit up even more: "From now on, you'll be in charge of sewing clothes, shoes, and hats for me, and then embroider beautiful patterns and scenes on them according to my requirements."

At this point, Ling Chi said, "How about this? From now on, I won't buy your embroidery by quantity. You'll become my personal embroiderer, and I'll pay you one hundred taels of silver a month. How about that?"

"This..." Hu Meiniang was tempted, but she couldn't make up her mind about becoming Lingchi's personal embroiderer.

“Speak up if you have any concerns,” Ling Chi said. “I am not a tyrant who does not listen to advice.”

"Master Chef, you misunderstand. It's not that Meiniang has any concerns, it's just that Meiniang can't believe she can become your personal embroiderer. Meiniang is just a little overwhelmed by the honor," Hu Meiniang explained.

"I see." Ling Chi chuckled and said, "Then there's no problem. I really like your embroidery. There are only two months left until the New Year. In the meantime, please sew a new outfit for me, Mei'er, and Xiao Qing..."

Ling Chi gave a brief description of the style of clothing that needed to be sewn, which Hu Meiniang noted down. She found no problems and chatted with Ling Chi for a few more minutes before taking her leave.

After Hu Meiniang left, Su Mei asked, "Has Brother Ling taken a fancy to Meiniang?"

Ling Chi nodded: "Her embroidery skills are indeed unparalleled in this era. Even the Weaver Girl in the heavens is no match for her. How could I let such a talent slip by?"

Xiaoqing snorted lightly: "I think you're just after her body."

Ling Chi looked at her, chuckled softly, and asked, "Does it still hurt?"

Xiaoqing's face suddenly turned red: You bastard.

……

In the last two months before the New Year, nothing noteworthy happened. On the eve of the Lunar New Year, Hu Meiniang finished making new clothes for the three of them to wear for the New Year, and all of them were embroidered on the clothes, shoes and hats according to Ling Chi's requirements.

These embroideries are all beautiful patterns, but only those who don't know anything about them would think they are just ordinary patterns. To those who do know, they would be astonished: these clothes and shoes are actually embroidered with array patterns!

That's right, the patterns on these clothes, shoes and hats are composed of various formations. For example, there is a Vajra Formation on the hat, which can make the hat as hard as Vajra when it is hit, making the helmet of the general on the battlefield much harder.

The shoes feature three array effects: dust repellency, water repellency, and lightness of movement. They look impressive, but they pale in comparison to the clothes. Ling Chi's entire outfit, from the inner garment to the middle garment to the outer garment, is inscribed with no fewer than ten arrays. Not only can it repel dust, but it is also indestructible and impervious to water and fire, making its effects comparable to Tang Sanzang's brocade cassock.

And many of them are much prettier.

Not only was Ling Chi satisfied, but Su Mei and Xiao Qing were even more satisfied.

"It's so beautiful." Su Mei's eyes crinkled into crescent moons as she smiled. "I've never worn such beautiful clothes before. Mei Niang, your craftsmanship is truly amazing."

"I don't deserve Miss Su Mei's praise." Hu Meiniang said modestly, but she was very happy in her heart, because she also felt that the clothes and shoes she made were really too beautiful and could be called her masterpiece.

Looking at her light blue dress and the beautiful embroidery on it, Xiaoqing felt a little excited. She thought to herself: This rabbit spirit's tailoring and embroidery skills are indeed extraordinary. It seems that the young master is indeed attracted to her talent, rather than coveting her body.

Thinking of this, Xiaoqing's hostility towards Hu Meiniang almost disappeared, which made Hu Meiniang feel inexplicably relieved.

"Meiniang, you did a good job." Ling Chi took out fifteen taels of gold and handed it to her: "Take this money."

"No, no," Hu Meiniang repeatedly refused, "The Master Chef has given too much. Meiniang only needs one hundred taels of silver per month, and you've given me fifty taels too much."

Ling Chi smiled and said, "I didn't give you much. The remaining fifty taels are a reward for your good work. It's almost the New Year, so take this money and buy shoes or whatever you want. Also, I'm giving you a New Year's holiday now, and I'll arrange work for you after the Lantern Festival."

"Then... thank you very much, Master Chef." Hu Meiniang was, after all, the Jade Rabbit of Yaochi and had seen the Queen Mother's style of doing things. Compared to the Queen Mother's less tolerant attitude towards her subordinates, Ling Chi's attitude towards his servants was simply too good. She was willing to work for Ling Chi for the rest of her life.

"You're welcome, go ahead!" Ling Chi smiled.

"Yes, Meiniang takes her leave." Hu Meiniang left with fifteen taels of gold. To be honest, this was the first time in her life that she had ever owned gold. One tael of gold was equivalent to ten taels of silver. Fifteen taels of gold might not seem like much, but in silver, it was equivalent to more than ten years' income for an ordinary person. The God of Cookery was indeed very kind to his servants. She was so touched.

"Let's go!" Ling Chi said to Su Mei and Xiao Qing, "You're dressed so nicely, come out and have some fun with me."

"Pah!" Xiaoqing spat lightly, "What 'slutty'! It's awful."

Su Mei giggled and said, "Okay, okay! I like it the most."

Xiaoqing looked helpless. Why is there not a single person with any morals in this family? This is unbearable.

Soon after, the three left the Ling residence and went out to enjoy themselves in the crowded streets. Although Qiantang County was wealthy, it was only relatively so. While ordinary people had no worries about food and clothing, it wasn't easy for them to wear nice clothes. Even if they bought a few feet of cloth to sew new clothes for the New Year, the style was at most just to make the colors look better. How could they compare to the clothes worn by Ling Chi, Su Mei, and Xiao Qing? Not only were the colors vibrant, but the patterns were also beautiful. Every man and woman who saw their clothes showed amazement.

Among them was Xu Jiaorong, who was strolling on the street.

"Huh? This...isn't this Young Master Ling!" Xu Jiaorong was initially amazed by Ling Chi and the others' clothes, but upon seeing Ling Chi's appearance, she immediately stepped forward and asked, "Is this Young Master Ling in person?"

Ling Chi stopped and looked at Xu Jiaorong walking towards him, and smiled, "So it's Madam Li. Madam Li is also strolling around the street?"

Seeing that Ling Chi recognized her, Xu Jiaorong breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Yes! It's almost the New Year, so I came out to buy some things for the New Year. I wonder if Young Master Ling has bought all the New Year's goods?"

"I've bought everything." Ling Chi smiled and said, "I wonder how Officer Li is doing these days?"

“Very well, ever since Young Master Ling eliminated the thief who stole the treasury silver, my husband has never been punished. I would like to thank Young Master Ling here.” With that, Xu Jiaorong was about to bow.

“Madam Li, there’s no need for such formalities.” Ling Chi waved his hand and said, “It was just a matter of chance, and I did it on a whim.”

“It was just a convenient thing for Young Master Ling, but for me, it saved my husband from the danger of being dismissed and investigated. I wonder if Young Master Ling is free now? I would like to invite Young Master Ling to my home for a while, so that I can thank you in a way,” Xu Jiaorong said.

"Hmm..." Ling Chi thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I have nothing to do now anyway, so I'll bother Madam Li."

Seeing that Ling Chi agreed, Xu Jiaorong was very happy: "That's great, Young Master Ling, please come with me, ladies."

"Please lead the way, Madam Li."

Xu Jiaorong's invitation to Ling Chi to her home was observed and remembered by many busybodies. Besides speculating about the relationship between Ling Chi and Xu Jiaorong, they also looked at Xu Jiaorong and Li Gongfu with newfound respect: having connections with the young master of the Ling family meant that the Li family was about to prosper.

Ignoring the opinions of passersby, the four of them quickly arrived at Xu Jiaorong's home. Although Xu Jiaorong and Li Gongfu were just ordinary people, the Southern Song Dynasty was indeed a period of national and social prosperity. Even ordinary families lived in houses with several rooms and even a sizable courtyard—equivalent to a detached courtyard house in modern times, something money couldn't necessarily buy. In this era, the people of the Southern Song Dynasty certainly lived well. It's no wonder that the Southern Song Dynasty was the only dynasty where, upon its fall, officials and commoners alike preferred to commit suicide by jumping into the river rather than surrender.

The Southern Song Dynasty did indeed bring a good life to the people, but unfortunately it was ultimately destroyed by barbarism, which is a great pity.

"My humble abode is simple and unadorned; I hope Young Master Ling and the two young ladies will not find it offensive," Xu Jiaorong said as they passed through the courtyard and entered the main hall.

"No." Ling Chi glanced at the layout and furnishings of the main hall and praised, "Madam Li's home is very nice, and it has a warm and cozy atmosphere. It is clear that Madam Li's family lives a very harmonious life, which is enviable."

"It's not as good as Young Master Ling makes it out to be." Xu Jiaorong said with a smile, "Young Master Ling and the two ladies, please have a seat. I'll go make some tea right away."

"Thank you for your trouble, Madam Li."

While Xu Jiaorong was busy, she heard a knock on the door: "Open the door! Open the door!"

Hearing the rude knocking, Ling Chi knew that Li Gongfu had returned, and Xu Jiaorong hurriedly went to open the door.

The door opened, and Xu Jiaorong saw Li Gongfu reeking of alcohol. She was immediately furious: "Gongfu, why have you been drinking again?!"

Seeing his wife was angry, Li Gongfu coughed and said, "I didn't drink much. It's just that the government office is about to have its annual holiday! So the brothers got together early. Don't worry, I really didn't drink much."

"I don't believe you." Xu Jiaorong rolled her eyes. If it weren't for Ling Chi and the others, she would have grabbed Li Gongfu by the ear and given him a good scolding today, so that he would know what the consequences of drinking without the 'leader's' permission were.

"Come in quickly, we have guests," Xu Jiaorong said.

"Guest? What guest?" Although Li Gongfu was drunk, his mind was still clear. He glanced into the main hall and was immediately stunned: "Young Master Ling?"

Ling Chi stood up and clasped his hands in greeting: "Officer Li, it's been a long time."

"Uh, it's been a long time." Li Gongfu stepped into the main hall and saw two stunningly beautiful women accompanying Ling Chi. He felt a pang of jealousy and said, "Young Master Ling, what brings you to my humble abode today?"

"I met Young Master Ling on the street and specially invited him," Xu Jiaorong said as she walked in. "I'm preparing tea and snacks. Gongfu, please keep Young Master Ling company and have a good chat. Don't neglect him."

"Don't worry! When have I, Li Gongfu, ever done anything unreliable?" Li Gongfu took full responsibility.

Xu Jiaorong rolled her eyes, apologized to Ling Chi, and went to prepare tea and snacks.

Li Gongfu unfastened the long sword from his waist and casually placed it on the table, saying, "Young Master Ling, it's been a few months since we last met, hasn't it?"

Chapter Twenty-One: A Real Man, A True Hero

“That’s right.” Ling Chi nodded. “I haven’t seen them since I got the land deed and house deed that day. But the pastries that Officer Li sent were delicious, thank you.”

"Of course, of course," Li Gongfu said somewhat awkwardly. "I didn't know that Young Master Ling was such a master that day, and I neglected him. I didn't expect that Young Master Ling would be so magnanimous. Not only did he not hold it against me, but he also helped me so much. I should thank him both out of courtesy and reason."

Ling Chi smiled slightly: "Officer Li, you're too kind. I just happened to be there."

As the two were chatting, the knocking on the door sounded again. Li Gongfu paused for a moment and said, "It must be my brother-in-law returning. Please have a seat, Young Master Ling. I'll go open the door."

Ling Chi nodded with a smile.

Soon, the gate opened, and Li Gongfu's voice came: "Hanwen, where did you go to play today?"

"Brother-in-law, I wasn't playing around, I went to deliver a New Year's gift to my teacher," Xu Xian's voice came over.

"Come in! We have guests today. Come with me to meet them."

"A guest? What kind of guest is so important to my brother-in-law?"

"Young Master Ling of Qingbo Gate, come with me quickly."

Ling Chi listened to their conversation and a playful smile appeared on his face.

Li Gongfu quickly pulled Xu Xian in: "Young Master Ling, this is my brother-in-law, Xu Xian, courtesy name Hanwen. He has studied the classics for a few years and is currently an apprentice at the pharmacy. I hope you will take good care of him in the future."

Ling Chi chuckled lightly: "For Officer Li to say such words of consideration in front of me, it seems that Officer Li values ​​this brother-in-law quite a bit!"

Li Gongfu chuckled twice: "Hanwen is the only son of the Xu family. Of course, I hope that he can carry on the Xu family line and bring glory to the ancestors."

Ling Chi smiled slightly, carefully examining Xu Xian. Although she had seen Xu Xian once before, she hadn't looked at him closely. Now, she saw that Xu Xian bore a striking resemblance to Ye Tong, only his skin was darker and his physique more robust. Even when dressed as a man, Ye Tong couldn't hide her delicate fragility, which Xu Xian lacked. However, he was undeniably handsome, and if he were dressed as a woman, he would definitely be a master of cross-dressing.

Ling Chi nodded and smiled, "Young Master Xu is quite handsome; I'm sure many young ladies are fond of him!"

This unexpected praise made Xu Xian blush, and he quickly said, "Young Master Ling, you flatter me. I am just a poor boy, how could I possibly have any girl who likes me?"

Ling Chi shook his head and said, "Being poor isn't scary; what's scary is being poor, lazy, and ambitious at the same time. Since you're currently an apprentice at the pharmacy, you probably want to open your own pharmacy in the future. Let me ask you, how long have you been learning? How well are you learning?"

"I've only been studying for three months. I've just finished learning how to identify drugs, and the next step will be to learn about drug efficacy and how to prescribe the right medicine for the right symptoms," Xu Xian said. "My teacher said I have a good understanding and will be a good doctor in the future."

"That's good." Ling Chi nodded and said, "If you can't be a good prime minister, be a good doctor. If you can save countless lives in the future, that will be a meritorious deed. I have some connections with your brother-in-law, and since he asked me for help, I can't leave without doing something." He paused, then continued, "How about this? After you complete your apprenticeship, I can fund the opening of a pharmacy for you. I'll keep 30% of the profits, and the rest will be yours. If you make more money in the future and want to buy the pharmacy, you can discuss it with me; I won't stop you."

"Oh! This is wonderful! This is excellent!" Li Gongfu was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Hanwen, quickly thank Young Master Ling."

Xu Xian hadn't expected Ling Chi to actually be willing to help him, and to offer such a huge benefit. It was like a modern medical student who had only studied for a few months and then had a local tycoon provide the money and the shop, so that he could open a pharmacy as soon as he graduated. All he had to do was take 30% of the profits, and if he made more money in the future, he could take over the shop, and all the profits would be his.

This kind of good fortune is basically a dream come true for a poor, lowly medical student. Xu Xian never expected to have such an opportunity, and hurriedly bowed to Ling Chi: "Thank you for your generous help, Young Master Ling. I will certainly not disappoint you."

"No need for formalities." Ling Chi smiled slightly. "If you were to open a pharmacy, where would you like to open it?"

"If I could choose, I would prefer not to live too far from my sister and brother-in-law's house," Xu Xian said. "That way, if something unexpected happens, I can get there in time."

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Li Gongfu slapped Xu Xian on the back of the head. "Your sister and I are in good health! There's no way anything could happen to us!"

Xu Xian stumbled from the slap and said with a wry smile, "Brother-in-law, that's not what I meant. I just wanted us to be able to get to each other in time if something happened."

“But if an accident really happens, it can indeed get to the scene as quickly as possible,” Ling Chi said. “Alright, you can inquire around the area to see where there are shops for sale. As long as you are satisfied, I will fund the purchase. We will open the pharmacy once Xu Xian has completed his studies.”

"Thank you, Young Master Ling." Xu Xian bowed deeply once again.

Li Gongfu smiled broadly: "Good, that's great. Now I, as your brother-in-law, can at least give an explanation to your sister and your deceased father-in-law and mother-in-law."