Chapter 110 Unwilling
Luo Tian also knew that it was a bit embarrassing to comment on the dishes in front of an empty plate, but at this point he had no choice but to go ahead and talk.

“However, the exquisite appearance created by the knife skills is only the most insignificant part of this dish. What is more exquisite is the ingenuity of the chef.”

As he spoke, Luo Tian looked at Xu Qing in admiration, "Xu Qing used preserved eggs made of plant ash to shape the northern mythical beast Xuanwu, which represents winter; tea eggs made of tea leaves to shape the eastern Azure Dragon, which represents spring; salted duck egg yolks made of salt to shape the southern Vermillion Bird, which represents summer; and fermented eggs made of wine lees to shape the western White Tiger, which represents autumn."

"In spring, tea is picked; in summer, salt is dried; in autumn, wine is brewed; in winter, wood is burned for ash. He uses the hard work of ordinary people in a year to represent the four seasons, which stirs people's inner thoughts. After taking a bite, it's as if you see the rotation of the four seasons and the endless cycle of life."

"There is no doubt that this dish is full of vitality. Vitality is life force, but it is more than just life force. It is also the inexhaustible power and source in people's bodies. This dish makes us clearly realize that vitality is not only possessed by young people, but even gray-haired old people like us still have strong vitality in our bodies. As long as we do not give up the pursuit of life and the desire for the future, then vitality will always exist in our bodies and in our hearts."

Luo Tian exclaimed with deep affection.

He has always been a person who refuses to admit old age, otherwise he would not still retain 80% of his strength from his peak period at this age.

Therefore, Xu Qing's dish, which represents endless life, is most to his liking.

"In comparison, the intention shown by Wei Jie's phoenix egg is a little weak. It just desperately shows its vitality and life force, but compared with the resilience and breadth of life revealed by the rotation of the four seasons, the simple vitality of the phoenix egg is too illusory."

The phoenix egg did indeed bring them back to their youth and regain their youth and vitality.

But youth is gone forever. The phoenix egg gave them an incomparable dream, but the dream will eventually wake up, and they will eventually have to face this old body.

However, Xu Qing's dish made them accept the reality, accept the reality of their own aging, but also sprouted new buds in the aging, telling them that even with an aging body, they can still sprout new vitality.

One is the path of reminiscing about the past, and the other is the path of being rooted in reality and looking forward to the future. It is clear at a glance which one is better.

Compared with Xu Qing's complex and profound feelings, Wei Jie seems too shallow.

Luo Tian used to think that it was Xu Qing's misfortune to face off against Wei Jie, a top chef who had learned the secrets of the imperial kitchen and mastered court cuisine.

Now it seems that the unfortunate person might be Wei Jie.

Wei Jie climbed up a high mountain with all his might. He thought he would be able to see all the other mountains from a high place, but he was shocked to find that there was another, higher mountain in front of him. His best efforts seemed so insignificant in front of this mountain.

It's terrible, really terrible.

Fortunately, he had never encountered such a terrible opponent like Xu Qing when he was young.

Luo Tian thought with lingering fear.

As a diner, eating the dishes made by Xu Qing brings a resonance between body and mind. The extraordinary shock reaches from body to soul. This wonderful experience is truly an incomparable enjoyment.

But being his opponent is very disappointing.

Hearing Luo Tian's words, Elder Li nodded repeatedly, and even Elder Wu could not say anything to refute.

Not only that, his heart grew colder.

He underestimated this young man. Such a grand gesture and such profound and mysterious feelings were not like those of an ignorant boy. Even if Luo Tian did it himself, he probably couldn't do it so well.

I really don’t know where this young man came from, and why I have never heard of his name.

If he had known there was such a person earlier, he would never have gone against the Guangdong Chefs Association and Luo Tian. He just needed to try his best to befriend this young man, and when he grew up, power and fame would be within his grasp.

Even if all the mediocre chefs from the Guangdong Chefs Association were tied together, they would not be able to defeat him alone.

Unfortunately it's too late now.

Elder Wu felt regretful. After hearing Luo Tian's comments and seeing the expressions of Elder Wu and Elder Li, Wei Jie's heart felt like it had broken the rope that saved his life, and suddenly fell into the abyss.

Wei Jie's heart suddenly felt empty, with only one thought left.

He lost.

Wei Jie clenched his fists, feeling unwilling.

How could he be content just to listen to other people's comments?
How could he accept defeat if he couldn't taste this dish that defeated him and surpassed his expectations in person?
Wei Jie looked at Xu Qing and said, "Master Xu Qing, I have a humble request. Can you please make the Four Gods Eggs again? I hope to taste this dish myself."

Xu Qing smiled and said, "No need to redo it. I reserved a copy before, and I'll give it to you."

After saying that, Xu Qing returned to the stove and brought up a small dish.

This dish does not show the appearance of the four gods, but simply places four pickled eggs on an omelette.

This is the part that Xu Qing deliberately left when cooking.

Because if it were him, if he lost in a cooking duel, he would really want to taste what the dish that defeated him tastes like.

And Wei Jie might be the same.

Just as he expected, the dish he had reserved earlier came in handy.

Wei Jie took a deep breath, picked up the dish and put it in his mouth.

This dish uses a pan-fried egg pancake as the base, which cleverly blends the flavors of four types of pickled eggs. No matter how varied the flavors of the four types of pickled eggs are, they still cannot surpass the control of the egg pancake. Just like the vast world, it accommodates the rotation of the four seasons.

As you chew it carefully, the fragrance of tea, the smoothness of salted egg yolk, the aroma of wine lees and the unique alkaline taste of preserved egg are all revealed one after another. The complex and changeable taste is like a storm in your mouth, engulfing your taste buds.

The rich and mysterious taste keeps attacking the taste buds until they are completely defeated and nothing else can be felt except this wonderful taste.

Then, the thoughtfulness hidden in the deliciousness swept over.

This kind of thought is not as aggressive and invasive as the taste of food. Instead, it is like a refreshing breeze that blows quietly through the heart.

It is like a feather gently tickling the heart, making the body and mind numb, making people unable to stop chasing it and craving for it.

When you hold this breeze in your hands, it turns into a seed that sprouts in your heart, then grows under the scorching sun, bears fruit in autumn, and sleeps in winter, waiting for the next spring and the next new life.

The anxiety and boredom in Wei Jie's heart, the unwillingness and pain of failure, all quietly turned into invisible things in the rotation of the four seasons and became the nourishment for his vigorous vitality.

No matter how difficult the environment is, as long as there is spring breeze blowing and sunshine shining, it will grow vigorously and shout to the world with this vigorous vitality.

Whether facing life or death, it is struggling with all its might, craving for even a slight possibility of life.

The form of life changes between the seasons, but the only thing that remains unchanged is life and vitality.

This is the essence of life.

Wei Jie put down his chopsticks and sighed. He really lost.

The palace dishes and secret techniques of the imperial kitchen, the things he was proud of, became so insignificant in front of this magnificent display that stirred people's thoughts and showed the rotation of the four seasons.

(End of this chapter)