Chapter 15 Hidden secrets
As everyone was talking, saliva kept flowing out of their mouths.

So everyone stopped talking, each served a bowl of rice, and put the boiled pork slices into their mouths.

The first thing that the taste buds feel is the spiciness and numbness. The boiling hot oil collides with the chili peppers and peppercorns, and the intense heat instantly stimulates the hidden flavors. The spiciness and numbness instantly sweep through the mouth with a surging force.

After the initial stimulation wears off, the caramelized aroma of the pepper becomes more prominent, and the slightly numbing taste of the Sichuan peppercorns serves as a backdrop, as if fireworks were ignited on the tip of the tongue, explosively occupying every inch of the mouth.

Then, the teeth touched the thin meat slices, and with a light bite, the tip of the teeth pierced through the meat slices, and the touch between the teeth was as soft as clouds. The outer layer of the meat slices was wrapped with fresh and fragrant spicy oil. With a bite, the spicy oil that penetrated into the fibers flowed out, overlapping with the delicious taste of the meat, indistinguishable from each other, as if they were one.

After being cooked for a short time, the vegetables still retain their crisp texture. The fresh and crisp cabbage has a slightly sweet taste, and it makes a crisp sound when you bite it. After the bean sprouts are decapitated, the slightly bitter taste is also removed, leaving only the fresh, crisp and sweet taste. The bean sprouts themselves are also rich in water. The sweet juice and the spicy oil are intertwined, and the slightly sweet taste alleviates the excessive spiciness and adds a different kind of deliciousness to the spicy taste.

In addition to the crisp sweetness of the vegetables and the smooth and fragrant meat slices, there is a peculiar aroma hidden in it. It is intimately integrated with all the ingredients, adding a new fragrance to all the ingredients with its unique taste.

For a moment, the place was extremely quiet. The only sounds were the clatter of dishes and chopsticks, and the sounds of chewing and swallowing. Apart from that, there was nothing else.

Everyone was immersed in the wonderful taste of the food, and an unprecedented sense of happiness arose spontaneously.

Only after they had eaten and drunk their fill did everyone breathe a sigh of relief with satisfaction.

“It was so delicious!”

"You really are worthy of being a famous disciple of Juxialou. Your skills are simply amazing!"

Ah Qi also nodded and said, "I admit that your dish is indeed the best in Sichuan."

Xu Qing shook his head: "No, this dish is far from enough."

He tasted the dish after it came out of the pot. Xu Qing was very confident in his knife skills and control of taste, but that was the limit of this dish.

It is like a fine work of art, but it has not been infused with a fresh soul. Therefore, it can at most bring people a wonderful sensory enjoyment, but it cannot impress diners from the bottom of their hearts.

The almond tofu made by Chef Abei is a hundred times better than this one.

Xu Qing has tried to add his own thoughts into the dishes when cooking, but how can something as intangible as thoughts be integrated with real ingredients?
Not to mention impressing people through the taste of food.

That realm was too mysterious. Xu Qing couldn't find the threshold, let alone the steps.

It's like looking for a way to climb a mirage, but no matter how hard you try, you can't touch it, which makes you feel desperate and powerless.

When I get back, I will definitely ask Chef Abei how to make dishes that reflect his passion.

When Ah Qi saw Xu Qing's expression, he knew that he was not being modest, but really thought that the dish was not up to standard.

Ah Qi said: "Perhaps you have a greater goal in mind, but in my opinion, the taste of this dish is already very good. This is exactly the dish that is worthy of Juxialou."

"Not bad!"

"Qi is right!"

"Little brother, your cooking skills are amazing!"

"That's amazing!" Everyone praised loudly.

Xu Qing looked at the happy expressions on everyone's faces and the sincere praises. The diners' joy and satisfaction were transmitted into his heart, dispelling the entanglement and depression in his heart, leaving only the satisfaction and happiness unique to being a chef.

Xu Qing was infected by everyone and laughed heartily.

He no longer thought too much about the unknown future, but just enjoyed the beauty of the present moment.

After lunch, Ah Qi called Xu Qing aside.

"You asked me about the oil formula before. Originally, the old man didn't allow me to talk about it. Later, I thought about it carefully and felt that you were right. It's a pity to use such good oil on flamethrowers. Besides, the old man's life is very hard. You are a disciple of Ju Xialou, and you have many connections. Maybe you can find a way for the old man to make money and improve their lives."

Xu Qing said, "Don't worry about that. The quality of this oil is excellent. Just find a well-known restaurant and let them smell and taste it, and countless people will rush to buy it immediately. Even if no one else comes to buy, the purchase volume of Juxialou alone is enough for the old man to have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of his life."

"Okay, I'm relieved with your words."

Ah Qi said with a smile.

Xu Qing said: "I am very curious about one thing."

"You said."

"If you take this oil to any restaurant, people will rush to buy it. Why has it become like this?"

"Well, this actually has something to do with the current Governor of Sichuan." Ah Qi sighed deeply and said.

"what?"

Xu Qing was stunned.

No, what could an oil seller have to do with the Governor of Sichuan?
"You're not kidding, are you?" Xu Qing asked seriously.

"Do you think I'm joking?" Ah Qi looked more serious than him.

Could it be true?

"Please tell me in detail."

"I don't know much, actually. The old man doesn't like to talk about these things. Whenever you ask too many questions, he gets angry. This happened a few years ago. When the Governor of Sichuan first took office, he was recruiting chefs in Sichuan to work in the Governor's Office. Just imagine, cooking for the Governor of Sichuan, not to mention the salary, just talking about it is very prestigious. Of course, this is not a job that ordinary people can do."

"Thousands of chefs from all over Sichuan went to the audition, which lasted for more than a month. In the end, most of them were eliminated, leaving only two people, one of whom was the old man's son. I live in the village next to the old man, and his son is very famous in our area. Not only has he inherited the old man's skills, but he is also an excellent cook. The small restaurant he opened in the local area is very popular. No matter when I go there, there is always a long line outside the door."

"When he participated in the chef selection, we all thought that he would definitely become the chef of the Governor's Mansion, and we would also be able to benefit from it in the future."

"Sure enough, he won the selection and stayed in the Governor's Office with another chef. But not long after, bad news came. The officers and soldiers said that he secretly added hallucinogenic poisonous herbs to the dishes in order to control the governor. However, he was exposed by another chef on the spot. The governor was furious and ordered him to be thrown into jail. His identity as a chef was stripped and his restaurant was closed down. Since then, the old man couldn't sell his oil. After all, no one wants to be associated with the family of a criminal. If he offended the Governor of Sichuan because of this, wouldn't it be even worse?"

(End of this chapter)