Chapter 67: The Person on the Canvas

Gu Tingzhi pondered for a moment and said, "We can give it a try, but if the Spring Breeze Pavilion has already caught wind of this, we likely stand no chance. Between the two restaurants, Chef Fang will definitely choose the Spring Breeze Pavilion."

Everyone agreed with his reasoning, and their expectations naturally lowered.

After all, a lean camel is bigger than a horse, not to mention that the Spring Breeze Pavilion had dominated Yun'an County for decades. Although the Top Scholar Restaurant had recently gained great fame, its foundation was still shallow. If Chef Fang were to be recruited by the Spring Breeze Pavilion, the latter's prominence would likely overshadow anything seen before.

"What we need to do right now is ensure the quality of our current dishes while researching new ones, making sure they are no worse than what Chef Fang makes. That is the only way to retain our visiting patrons."

Zhen Mier and the others nodded in succession.

...

In the imperial study within the palace of the capital, the emperor finished his meal and had the dishes cleared away. The palace maids and eunuchs waiting outside hurried in upon receiving the order, swiftly and lightly clearing away the bowls and plates. Once finished, they bowed slightly and retreated respectfully.

Wei Cheng raised his eyes to look at the uppermost seat, his face full of worry, looking as though he had more to say.

"Speak your mind if you have something to say. Why put on that expression?"

Looking somewhat sheepish, Wei Cheng stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, this old servant is merely concerned for your health. Your appetite has grown smaller and smaller lately. Perhaps this old servant should summon Imperial Physician An to check your pulse?"

Qi Ji waved his hand to dismiss the idea. Helpless, Wei Cheng did not dare to persist.

Before long, a dark shadow materialized out of thin air within the imperial study, silently dropping to one knee before the emperor.

Wei Cheng consciously retreated to the doorway, acting as a competent sentinel.

The shadow then reported to the superior, "Your Majesty, Number Seventeen is incompetent and failed to find the man in the portrait."

Qi Ji tapped his fingers on the dragon-throne desk, beat by beat, making Seventeen's heart tremble along with the taps.

"A living man, could he just vanish into thin air?"

Seventeen thought to himself that given how severely injured the man had been, whether he could even survive was an unknown. He reported truthfully, "I had my men disguise themselves as villagers and inquired village by village throughout Yun'an County, but no one has seen the man in the portrait."

"If you cannot even handle such a small task, what use do I have for you?"

Seventeen lowered his head in silence, acknowledging his incompetence.

Qi Ji grew angry just looking at him. He waved his hand and said, "Get down. I will dispatch someone else to search. Reflect properly on your mistakes, and your salary is docked for half a year!"

Seventeen's mouth twitched, but he dared not talk back. Thinking of his empty money pouch, he silently shed two lines of bitter tears.

He pulled the portrait from his bosom, presented it respectfully, and with a touch of his toes, vanished without a trace.

Qi Ji let out a heavy "Hmph" and called out to Wei Cheng by the door.

"Your Majesty, this old servant is here."

"Go summon Yan Muqiu to my presence."

"This old servant obeys."

Two quarters of an hour later, Yan Muqiu hurried into the palace, guided by a eunuch all the way to the imperial study.

He straightened his long robes and bowed respectfully to the upper seat, "This humble subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

Seeing that he had arrived, Qi Ji put down the memorial in his hand and gestured, "Yan, my beloved official, rise and take a seat."

Two eunuchs immediately carried over a chair and placed it at the lower left of the dragon throne.

"I wonder what important matter prompts Your Majesty to summon this humble subject?"

"Currently, An Hexiong's faction is growing powerful in the court, and his cronies spread throughout Great Qi. Those who can be utilized by me are few and far between. The triennial imperial examinations have already begun, and unrest is stirring frequently in various regions. Go to Youzhou, help me invite Xie Changhu back, and along the way, select a batch of capable talents to escort them into the capital. We must not let An Hexiong seize the initiative."

"This humble subject obeys the decree and will certainly not fail Your Majesty's commission."

"Mm, of course I trust my beloved official Yan." With that, Qi Ji picked up the portrait Seventeen had presented earlier and handed it to Wei Cheng. Wei Cheng bowed and received it, passing it down to Yan Muqiu.

Yan Muqiu unfolded the portrait, revealing a young man of extraordinary bearing and striking appearance. Puzzled, he asked, "Your Majesty, who is this person in the painting?"

"A few months ago, I was saved by him. Because the situation was critical at the time, I failed to ask his name and place of origin. Since he performed a meritorious service in saving the emperor, I naturally must find him and bestow honors upon him."

Yan Muqiu nodded in understanding.

"The person in this painting should be a native of Yun'an County, Nanning Prefecture, in Youzhou. When you head to Youzhou, I will assign Dark Seventeen to assist you. He will explain the background of this matter to you then. Search for him on my behalf in private, and be sure to find him."

"This humble subject obeys the imperial will."

"Yan, my beloved official, return now to pack your luggage and depart tomorrow."

Yan Muqiu acknowledged the order and withdrew.

...

In Yun'an County, the Gu family discussed how to invite Chef Fang. The next day, Gu Tingzhi and Gu Qingbai brought gifts and paid a personal visit to the Fang residence.

However, the two of them did not even get to see Chef Fang before being politely turned away. The steward of the Fang estate claimed that their master had already been engaged by the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Having mentally prepared themselves beforehand, the two men felt no excessive disappointment.

By the end of the month, Fang Shengrong officially assumed his post at the Spring Breeze Pavilion. The gap between the Top Scholar Restaurant and the Spring Breeze Pavilion widened drastically overnight. The long queues outside their doors dwindled to a mere handful, while the Spring Breeze Pavilion bustled with crowds every day.

Gu Qingbai sent someone to queue at the Spring Breeze Pavilion to buy several dishes to take away. After gathering together to taste them carefully, everyone agreed that the flavors were indeed quite good, yet not nearly as astonishing as they had imagined.

The reason people flocked there to queue every day was largely due to a herd mentality. Moreover, carrying the reputation of having cooked for the emperor meant that even if it wasn't delicious, it was considered delicious; if one found it unpalatable, it only proved one's own lack of refined taste!

Fortunately, under heavy pressure, the culinary skills of Zhen Mier and the others had improved noticeably. The wave of public craze for the Spring Breeze Pavilion lasted for about a month before gradually subsiding, and the Top Scholar Restaurant recovered a large majority of its business.

Another half a month later would be the prefecture examination. On the first day of the fourth month, Zhang Ziheng arrived in the county town from the countryside as promised, bringing the Gu family a generous supply of local specialties from his village.

Madam Zhou tidied up a room for him to stay in, and Lin Mo stopped going to the county school, coming over every day during daylight hours. The three of them spent their time together discussing scholarship and doing homework, while Lin Zhengkang frequently tested them with various academic prompts.

Over these past few days, the one who made the greatest progress was undoubtedly Zhang Ziheng. Problems that he could not puzzle out on his own became crystal clear almost instantly once explained by Gu Tingzhi or Lin Mo. He could not help regretting that he had not come even earlier.

Traveling by carriage from Yun'an County to Nanning Prefecture took three days. Furthermore, once the prefecture and county examinations commenced, they would last until the end of the month. Since they had already booked an inn in advance, there was no need to rush, and they could set off at dawn on the tenth.

On the night before their departure, Gu Tingzhi tossed and turned with Zhen Mier for the better part of the night. Afterward, he pulled her soft, fragrant body into his arms, reluctant to let go for a long time.