Inside the inn's kitchen, a youth with a long ponytail wielded a chef's knife. In the blink of an eye, he had gutted and scaled a slender carp, sliced open its flesh, coated it in flour, and dropped it into the hot oil for frying.
He picked up a plump chicken, and with several swift cuts, separated the bones, breast, legs, and wings. Each piece was seasoned and left to marinate.
The fish was taken out of the oil and doused with sauce—thus, a dish of sweet and sour carp was complete.
Next came the peppery, spicy poached chicken breast, followed by a classic "Three Cup Chicken." In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn halfway, three dishes, each rich in color, aroma, and flavor, were plated and ready.
The chef's knife flew back onto the rack, leaving the kitchen to the second cook for cleanup. Li Chaofeng took two bowls of rice and carried the three exquisite dishes into the front hall.
In the front hall, Jiang Biehe sat as still as a meditating monk, waiting for the youth. The innkeeper's wife directed the servers to prepare the heads of the "Four Tigers of Tianmen" for pickling.
The scent of the food wafted to Jiang Biehe's nose, causing him to open his eyes in surprise. When he saw the dishes before him, he was momentarily stunned.
This youth was truly a chef.
The noises from the kitchen hadn't escaped Jiang Biehe's ears—he heard clearly how skillful and steady the boy's hands were.
These three dishes were undeniably made by him.
Yet Jiang Biehe's wariness didn't lessen—not because he feared the youth, but because this young man didn't trust him at all.
Even if the youth thought him a hypocrite chasing empty fame, that would have been a kind of trust.
Trust enables deception.
Only when there is trust can there be deception.
Like when someone believes a merciless killer will come for revenge—they become anxious and fearful. Meanwhile, the killer has already left, only to strike unexpectedly months or years later, catching the victim off guard.
That too is deception.
Not only can the "good guys" deceive because you trust them, but the "bad guys" can also deceive by making you believe they will do something terrible.
Good people must know how to deceive; bad people must know how to deceive. This was Jiang Biehe's way of dealing with the world.
Only by fooling the other party could one gain the upper hand.
Right now, Jiang Biehe felt vulnerable because he could not see through the youth—but the youth seemed to see right through him.
He didn't trust Jiang Biehe at all.
The youth's murderous knife was nowhere to be seen, and Jiang Biehe could detect no weapons on him.
But he had seen the boy on the second floor do nothing except sheath his knife in the blink of an eye.
If a killing blade can vanish suddenly before your eyes, it can just as easily appear suddenly.
Many don't understand this, but Jiang Biehe did—he considered himself clever.
The left palm of the Chaotian Tiger had been completely sliced open, meaning he faced the enemy head-on. The youth's blade was sharp enough that if it struck, the Chaotian Tiger would die—even if he blocked it with his hand.
Xiao Li's flying dagger was thin and short; those who saw it died, because it was only the size of a willow leaf, at most three inches—small enough to be hidden in the palm.
But Li Chaofeng's blade had a spine nearly two centimeters thick and a blade length of about eight inches.
This was not a knife easily concealed, even if it could be called a dagger by length.
The youth before him was dangerous.
As the dishes were served, Jiang Biehe smiled and spread his arms.
"Please, enjoy as you wish."
Li Chaofeng didn't bother with formalities—his stomach was already growling. He picked up a bowl of rice and ate, dipping into each dish with a few bites. As the flavors filled his mouth, he finally smiled and asked Jiang Biehe,
"I just heard you mention the Wanfu Wanshou Garden. Is it the same one belonging to Master Jin Si from Jiangnan?"
"Yes, it's the bonus granted by Master Jin Si."
Seeing Li Chaofeng eat the food without hesitation, Jiang Biehe relaxed and began to sample the dishes himself.
The fish was sweet and tender, the chicken silky and juicy, and the spicy pepper sauce invigorating.
For a moment, Jiang Biehe even felt as if the food he had eaten in the past had been like pig slop, and he praised them repeatedly.
"Young Master Li, your culinary skills are exceptional. Such exquisite dishes served in a humble inn—truly a waste of your talent."
The town of Sihai was small, and naturally, the Sihai Inn was modest, only gathering some traffic due to its proximity to the official road.
Li Chaofeng heard Jiang Biehe's praise but showed no hint of pride. He sighed softly.
"In life, one only seeks enough to eat. No matter how delicious food is, it's only to fill the belly. You are too kind, Jiang Da Xia."
"Young Master Li, your insight is admirable!"
Both sides exchanged a few polite but insincere words. Before long, the plates were empty, the bowls clean, and each rose to their feet. The innkeeper's wife was already preparing Li Chaofeng's travel belongings.
Noticing the hesitation in her eyes, Li Chaofeng grew irritated.
"I've taught the second cook my skills plenty of times over the past six months. Even if I leave, this inn won't just go bankrupt."
The Sihai Inn catered mainly to passing merchants. Culinary finesse wasn't important—filling their stomachs was enough, and the travelers cared little about the quality of the food.
The innkeeper's wife, seeing Li Chaofeng's resolve, voiced her complaints.
"That guy is clumsy, and his cooking is barely edible."
Feeling Jiang Biehe's gaze from behind, Li Chaofeng said no more. He grabbed his bundle and strode out the door.
Fortunately, the "Four Tigers of Tianmen" had come on horseback—there was no need to walk all the way to Hangzhou.
As he stepped outside, a crowd gathered at the inn's entrance, smiling and watching him. Jiang Biehe lingered a step behind, avoiding the public eye.
"You're the one who killed the Tianmen Five Tigers!"
"Never thought the Sihai Inn would hide such a master!"
"Too bad we won't get to eat such good food anymore!"
The townsfolk and passing merchants had all heard about the incident in a short time. They weren't exactly congratulating, just astonished.
Among the crowd, the gambling-addicted innkeeper smiled smugly, arms crossed, watching the reactions with satisfaction.
Li Chaofeng had stayed at the inn for five years, secretly observing the innkeeper the entire time.
Though the innkeeper's wife had long wished Li Chaofeng would become her son-in-law, he knew this young man wouldn't stay for long.
It was a pity—his martial arts, learned at Shaolin, couldn't be taught casually. Otherwise, he would have taken Li Chaofeng as a disciple.
That morning, the innkeeper had planned to gamble a little before heading home. Halfway through, he heard about a violent incident at the inn. By the time he returned, Jiang Biehe and Li Chaofeng had already met.
From the servers, he learned the details of the event.
In a flash, he spread the word throughout town: the young chef at the Sihai Inn was a martial arts master who had slain the notorious Tianmen Five Tigers.
No one in Sihai truly knew who the Five Tigers were, but everyone, including passing merchants, had heard rumors about the young chef.
In recent years, the inn's cuisine had grown steadily better, stirring envy deep in some hearts.
So whether for curiosity or genuine regret, everyone, familiar or not, gathered to bid Li Chaofeng farewell.
The credit for killing the Tianmen Five Tigers was firmly welded to Li Chaofeng's name.
The innkeeper was pleased. Though he did not fully understand who this Jiang Da Xia was, his ploy had successfully dampened any secret ambitions the youth might have held.
After all, who would act without benefit?