Chapter 53 Carrying the Bluffs to the End

Phew! That good-for-nothing is finally gone!

After Song Yuchen left, Li Qi let out a heavy sigh of relief. His mouth had been nearly parried dry from all that talking just now.

However, before he could even catch his breath, a light cough came from beside him.

Damn it! He had completely forgotten about this old fox.

Li Qi turned his head and looked with an apologetic expression at Cai Minde, who had remained silent for so long, then chuckled awkwardly, "I hope the Master will forgive any offenses I may have caused just now."

"Think nothing of it! Think nothing of it!"

Cai Minde waved his hand and smiled, "Young Master Li's eloquence is truly admirable, and that flanking maneuver of yours has certainly opened my eyes."

Although Li Qi's fabricated nonsense had managed to fool Song Yuchen, it could never deceive the cunning and experienced Cai Minde.

While Cai Minde had relatively little contact with Bai Qiannuo, he knew her character well enough to know she would never utter such words, let alone praise Song Yuchen so lavishly in front of others.

It was only because Song Yuchen was so utterly infatuated with Bai Qiannuo that he believed Li Qi's words without a shred of doubt.

Hearing this, Li Qi knew that Cai Minde had seen through his little trick. He gave an awkward laugh and said, "You make me look foolish, Master."

Cai Minde smiled, "Young Master Li is too modest."

He had witnessed with his own eyes just moments ago how Li Qi had neutralized Song Yuchen's hostility with merely a few words and instead made him regard Li Qi as a kindred spirit. Such cleverness alone was probably unmatched throughout the entire Jade Pavilion. Furthermore, he had always regarded Li Qi as a rare talent and hoped one day to recruit him under his banner; now, he was even more convinced that his judgment was correct.

Just then, Old Third Cai walked over, bowed to Cai Minde, and asked, "Master, can we serve the dishes now?"

Hearing this, Cai Minde suddenly realized what was happening, laughed heartily, and said, "Well now, look at my memory. I almost forgot the main event. I'm getting old, truly getting old." With that, he immediately instructed Old Third Cai to bring out the dishes at once.

A smile crept up the corner of Li Qi's mouth. Finally, they were getting down to business.

Before long, the dishes were served.

There were seven dishes in total: Three-Delicacy Broth, Crystal Aspic, Fried Quails, Drunken Crabs, Shredded Mutton Head in Clear Broth, Drunken Pheasant, and Cai Family Stinky Tofu.

Except for the stinky tofu, all the rest were prestigious and expensive delicacies.

Among these seven dishes, Li Qi had tasted all except the Shredded Mutton Head in Clear Broth, and in fact, he had cooked most of them himself. However, his versions could hardly be considered authentic, making it difficult to compare them directly with the dishes before him.

Once the dishes were fully served, Cai Minde invited Li Qi to eat.

Li Qi carefully tasted the first five dishes. Each one was exceptionally distinctive, and every dish was executed to near perfection in terms of color, aroma, taste, and presentation. He secretly sighed in admiration; the Jade Pavilion truly housed hidden dragons and crouching tigers.

However, this did not mean Li Qi would concede defeat. He believed that given these pure, natural raw materials, he had the confidence to create even more delicious dishes, because he possessed far more advanced and rich culinary techniques, as well as an understanding of food that the local chefs simply could not match.

Apart from the Cai Family Stinky Tofu, Li Qi had tasted the other six dishes, but to conceal his true strength, he offered no professional critiques and merely touched upon them lightly.

Cai Minde did not mind this much, as his primary purpose today remained that plate of "Cai Family Stinky Tofu."

Li Qi picked up a piece of the "Cai Family Stinky Tofu," bit off a small corner, chewed it thoughtfully, furrowed his brow, and cast a sideways glance at Cai Minde. Seeing the man's full-faced smile, Li Qi instantly understood. He put down his chopsticks, cupped his hands toward Cai Minde, and said, "The Master's culinary skill is truly admirable!"

Cai Minde feigned surprise and asked, "Why does the Young Master say that?"

Li Qi smiled, "After passing through your hands, this stinky tofu has improved vastly in both flavor and appearance. The stinky tofu we make at Drunken Immortal House simply cannot compare."

Cai Minde did not deny it; instead, he asked with a chuckle, "Then does Young Master Li know the reason why?"

Li Qi smiled, "I can only guess that you must have added some spices to the brine. As for what exactly they are, I am not certain."

"Correct! I indeed added a few spices based on the recipe the Young Master gave me."

Cai Minde nodded and said, "Young Master Li wouldn't mind, would you?"

"Of course not. I have already sold the stinky tofu recipe to you, Master. As to how you choose to use it, I have no right to interfere. Besides, I should be thrilled to see you bring greater glory to this stinky tofu," Li Qi said with a hearty laugh. Yet inwardly, he was genuinely astonished; Cai Minde's understanding of food had far exceeded his expectations.

"To be frank with you, Young Master, I was just worried that you might blame me. Since you don't, nothing could be better," Cai Minde laughed heartily, his laughter full of smug triumph.

"By the way, I wonder what the price of this 'Cai Family Stinky Tofu' is?" Li Qi asked out of curiosity.

Cai Minde held up three fingers and smiled, "Same as your esteemed establishment, it sells for three hundred cash."

Three hundred cash?

Li Qi furrowed his brow and instantly understood.

Though the price was the same, the portion was easily more than double. In this way, he could suppress Drunken Immortal House while maximizing his own profits. Moreover, given the current status of the Jade Pavilion, three hundred cash for a dish was not expensive at all. Coupled with the backdrop of Drunken Immortal House's previously high prices, this undoubtedly served to win over the common people's hearts—truly killing three birds with one stone.

Seeing Li Qi remain silent, Cai Minde asked with a puzzled look, "What? Does the Young Master perhaps think this price is inappropriate?"

"No, no, this price couldn't be more appropriate. Furthermore, how could I dare to display my meager skill in front of a master of business like yourself?" Li Qi said with a modest smile.

This price was the result of much careful deliberation by Cai Minde. Hearing Li Qi put it this way, he felt extremely pleased with himself. Suddenly, he asked, "By the way, Cai heard a couple of days ago that your esteemed establishment has stopped selling stinky tofu. I wonder if there is any truth to that?"

True or false, wouldn't you already know?

Li Qi smiled bitterly, nodded, and said, "It is indeed true!"

"Oh? And why is that?"

Li Qi sighed, "That's all because I sold the recipe to you. When Uncle Wu found out, he was extremely worried and dared not continue pickling this stinky tofu."

These words were undoubtedly telling Cai Minde that Wu Furong had already been beaten into submission by him.

Cai Minde felt immensely proud inside, though his face assumed a look of concern as he asked, "Did Manager Wu hold any grudge against the Young Master?"

Li Qi pursed his lips, shrugged, and remained silent, which was taken as tacit confirmation.

"If that is the case, then I suppose I have brought the Young Master quite a bit of trouble. I truly apologize," Cai Minde said, cupping his hands hypocritically.

Li Qi forced a smile and said, "You flatter me, Master. It is true that I wronged Uncle Wu first, so it is only right that he scolds me a few times."

Seeing that Li Qi's words lacked sincerity, Cai Minde felt a surge of joy. He deliberately sighed and continued, "Since Drunken Immortal House has already closed its doors and ceased operations, I wonder what plans the Young Master has for the future?"

Hearing this, Li Qi knew that Cai Minde was once again trying to poach him to the Jade Pavilion.

This old fox has quite a sharp eye. Even though I've kept such a low profile, he still thinks this highly of me. If I hadn't already made an agreement with Drunken Immortal House, I might actually have been moved by him and come to work for him.

However, with him paying this much attention to me now, it's certainly no good thing!

After pondering this inwardly for a moment, an idea suddenly struck Li Qi. He hatched a plan, let out a deliberate, lengthy sigh, shook his head without speaking, and put on an expression of unspeakable difficulty.

Seeing this, Cai Minde was filled with curiosity and asked, "Why is the Young Master sighing?"

Li Qi sighed once more and said, "I'm afraid my life will forever be bound up with Drunken Immortal House."

Cai Minde was greatly startled and hurriedly asked, "Why would the Young Master say such a thing?"

Instead of answering, Li Qi asked in return, "By the way, I happen to have a matter that I wish to consult with you about, Master."

Cai Minde asked with surprise, "Oh? What matter is that?"

"I heard that you once offered four thousand strings of cash to buy Drunken Immortal House. Is there any truth to that?" Li Qi asked.

Cai Minde was slightly taken aback and asked, "Why is the Young Master suddenly asking about this?"

Li Qi cupped his hands and said, "I hope you can answer my question first, Master. Shortly, I will definitely explain everything clearly to you."

This matter was no longer a secret, so telling him would do no harm. Cai Minde frowned, weighed the matter in his heart, and finally nodded, saying, "That is correct, it is true."

Upon hearing this, Li Qi instantly let out a sigh of relief. With an exaggerated expression, he muttered softly, "It seems Uncle Wu wasn't lying to me."

The more Cai Minde listened, the more confused he became, and he hurriedly asked, "Young Master Li, what on earth is going on?"

Li Qi sighed, "You may not know this, Master, but ever since Steward Cai delivered the money that day, I haven't laid eyes on a single coin of it."

Cai Minde drew in a sharp breath and said, "Surely nothing went wrong, did it?"

Li Qi shook his head and sighed, "Uncle Wu borrowed all of the money."

"Ah?"

Cai Minde let out an exclamation and his arm jerked, nearly knocking over the teacup before him.

Seeing this, Li Qi laughed inwardly. *Let's see if I don't talk you to death with my nonsense.*

Cai Minde hurriedly asked, "Then you lent him all of it?"

Li Qi nodded and sighed, "Uncle Wu saved my life. How could I possibly have the heart to refuse him?"

Cai Minde exclaimed anxiously, "Young Master Li, you are foolish! How could you lend him all the money? You know the current situation of Drunken Immortal House as well as anyone. What will you do if he fails to repay you when the time comes?"

Li Qi said, "I had those misgivings at first, too. But later on, Madam Qin herself stepped forward. She said Drunken Immortal House is worth at least four thousand strings of cash, and she also mentioned that you had once wanted to buy it, Master, so she told me not to worry about them failing to repay. Besides, Madam even wrote an IOU for me."

"So that's how it is. No wonder you asked that just now."

Cai Minde frowned deeply, probing cautiously, "Then does Young Master Li know why they borrowed so much money from you?"

Li Qi nodded and said, "Naturally, I know."

"Then why is that?" Cai Minde asked eagerly.

Yet the moment the words left his mouth, he felt it was somewhat inappropriate and immediately added, "Cai is just asking out of idle curiosity. If it's inconvenient for the Young Master, you needn't say."

Seeing his anxious expression, Li Qi suppressed his smile, spoke calmly, "Actually, even if I didn't tell you now, Master, you would find out sooner or later, so telling you makes no difference."

Cai Minde was overjoyed, looking at Li Qi with hopeful anticipation.

At that moment, Li Qi picked up his teacup, took a light sip to deliberately whet the old fox's appetite, set the cup down, leaned in closer, and whispered softly, "I heard from Uncle Wu that Madam is going to step forward and manage Drunken Immortal House personally."

"What?"

Cai Minde was greatly startled and hurriedly asked, "Is this true?"

"Of course. How would I dare deceive you, Master?" Li Qi nodded.

Cai Minde frowned and shook his head, saying, "Impossible. Word has it that Madam Qin rarely shows her face in public and hardly ever steps outside her doors. Why would she suddenly step out to manage Drunken Immortal House?"

Li Qi sighed bitterly, "This is all because of a dream Madam had."

"A dream?"

Li Qi nodded and said, "That's right. I once heard it mentioned by the maidservant by Madam's side. A few days ago, Madam dreamt of her late husband. In the dream, her late husband asked her to help manage Drunken Immortal House well, which is why Madam decided to step forward and run it herself."

"So that's how it is," Cai Minde said, narrowing his eyes.

Looking worried and depressed, Li Qi said, "Master, you tell me—a woman of the inner chambers, what does she know about running a business? Isn't this clearly throwing money into a river? And as for those gods and dreams, those are all illusory things that shouldn't be trusted lightly. Alas, if not for Uncle Wu, I truly wouldn't have wanted to lend her the money."

When Li Qi lied, his face didn't flush and his breath didn't shorten; he was definitely of best-actor caliber.

Hearing this, Cai Minde's heart instantly settled. He truly hadn't taken Madam Qin seriously. He believed that even if Madam Qin did step forward, relying merely on those fifteen hundred strings of cash to fight him was futile. Even if he did nothing at all, Drunken Immortal House would certainly not last three months. It was just that he still harbored some reservations about Li Qi's words, so he asked further, "Then when does your esteemed establishment plan to reopen?"

Phew! It seems this fox has completely regarded me as one of his own, asking whatever he pleases without any reservations whatsoever.

Li Qi shook his head and said, "That I wouldn't know. I'm just a cook; do you think they tell me everything?"

Cai Minde nodded, though he wasn't particularly worried. He laughed heartily and said, "Young Master Li shouldn't worry too much. I've heard that Madam Qin was also quite a talented woman in her youth; I believe she will certainly find a way to repay your money."

He had originally been pondering how to get his hands on Drunken Immortal House, but now that the other party was delivering themselves to his doorstep, he was too happy for words. He now fervently hoped that Drunken Immortal House would reopen sooner rather than later. As long as Drunken Immortal House remained active in this circle, it would be at his mercy to shape or flatten as he pleased. If Drunken Immortal House were to simply sit there vacant as it was now, he would actually be at a loss for what to do.

"I hope so!" Li Qi sighed, shaking his head while a sharp glint flashed across his eyes.

After the meal, to thank Li Qi for "leaking information," Cai Minde instructed Old Third Cai to bring out twenty taels of silver as a gift for Li Qi. After a token resistance, Li Qi pocketed the silver, feeling quite happy inside. Although twenty taels wasn't an exorbitant sum, it gave Li Qi the distinct feeling that Cai Minde's guard against him had dropped by another notch.

In truth, when Li Qi came this time, he hadn't intended to tell Cai Minde about Drunken Immortal House's impending reopening. However, during their conversation, he realized that reopening Drunken Immortal House was no small matter and required a great deal of prior preparation, which could never be hidden from this old fox and would only arouse his suspicion.

What Li Qi feared most was that this old fox would meddle and cause trouble before Drunken Immortal House reopened. Given its current strength, Drunken Immortal House could simply not contend with him. Moreover, an open spear is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to deflect; if the old fox merely tampered with things behind the scenes, it was not something Drunken Immortal House could withstand.

Therefore, to dispel Cai Minde's misgivings, Li Qi simply chose to inform him of the reopening while pinning all the responsibility onto Madam Qin. Once Drunken Immortal House successfully reopened, he would no longer need to fear Cai Minde.