After the cannon fodder father and daughter married into the family, the whole family regretted it

Early in the morning, Fang Tong and his wife had breakfast with Wu Dongjia and set off in a carriage.

The dim sum competition will be held at Wanbaolou.

In front of the Wanbao Tower, a high platform had long been built, surrounded by a circle of red silk. Next to the platform was a stand, on which stood a gong as big as a moon disk.

A waiter stood in front of the gong and struck it twice.

The sound of "clang clang clang" spread.

"Don't miss it if you're passing by! The Beijing Dim Sum Competition is being held today at Wanbaolou. Come stop by and take a look, everyone from the south and north. Thirty-five dim sum shops, big and small, including Liubaozhai, Rongji Dim Sum, Xile Cake, Chengnan Shop, Zhaoji Rice Cake, Tuanyuanfang, Tianxintang, and Miguofang, have sent their best dim sum chefs to compete."

"It's a truly remarkable gathering of talented individuals, a rare opportunity. If you want to watch the action, please step forward. If you want to enjoy some tea and watch the action, please come inside. There's still room in the private room on the second floor!"

Wanbaolou really knows how to do business and it also attracts customers for itself.

"Thank you all for your support. This dim sum competition is the first of its kind in the capital. To ensure fairness, Wanbaolou will act as guarantor. We invite 101 people to participate in the evaluation! These 101 people can taste the dim sum produced in the competition for free."

As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar.

"Choose me, choose me, I know the most about eating."

"What do you mean by 'you'? Look at your pointed face and monkey cheeks. You can't even eat three dishes in your life, and you're still eating snacks? Do you understand what eating is?"

"Don't push me, I'm an old woman. If anyone tries to grab it from me, I'll lie down on the ground."

An old lady in her fifties, holding her runny-nosed grandson in one hand and her granddaughter, who was biting her fingers and laughing happily, fought her way to the front from the back.

The waiter stretched out his hand and pressed the surroundings, signaling for silence, but it didn't have much effect.

He could only scream at the top of his lungs.

"Everyone, be quiet, be quiet! These one hundred and one people have a request. The Dim Sum Competition will be held for three days, and everyone must come for all three days."

"No problem. I haven't eaten for the past three days, so I brought my grandchildren here for some snacks." The old lady grinned happily.

Oh my, she said that when she went out today, she heard a magpie calling.

It turned out to be a great bargain, I could eat snacks for three days without spending any money.

The waiter could barely hold back his smile and reminded her, "Old lady, you still have to eat. Our dim sum is mainly for tasting, not for filling up, and you can't take it away."

Although there are many dim sum chefs participating in the competition, the maximum number of dim sums they can make in a pot is twenty pieces.

It will have to be cut into pieces and shared out later, so that there is enough for everyone to taste.

"Who are you looking down on, young man? I'm not the kind of person who takes advantage of others."

The old lady raised her eyes and was about to get angry.

The waiter kept apologizing and was finally persuaded to give the spots to all three of them.

When Qian Fengping and the others arrived, the contestants had not yet arrived.

Wu Dongjia had booked a private room long ago and went to the second floor to rest first.

Fang Tong leaned over the window and looked down: "Your dim sum competition is so grand, are you really letting ordinary people be the judges?"

"Of course not. A hundred people together only count as one vote. There are also four other appraisers: Wansheng, the owner of Wanbao Tower; the Eighth Prince; Wang Rong, the eldest son of the Wang family; and Jin Yunting, the eldest son of the Jin family."

Wu Dongjia said in an inexplicable tone: "They are all important people. They will watch the game on the third floor."

In other words, the third floor of Wanbao Tower is not open to guests today and is reserved for them.

Fang Tong raised his eyebrows when he heard the name 'Eighth Prince': "Could it be the big backers behind the dim sum shops?"

"The owner of Wanbaolou is not." Wu Dongjia explained: "Wansheng, Master Wan, has always been nicknamed the Little Glutton because he can eat a lot and is very picky."

"If he takes three bites of a dish, he can taste 80% to 90% of the ingredients, as well as the cooking time."

Fang Tong was surprised: "So powerful?"

An expert in food.

Unlike his second brother, his second brother wins by quantity when it comes to eating and is not picky at all.

Qian Fengping didn't say a word after entering the box. Even though she had thought it through clearly, she couldn't help but feel nervous because the competition was about to begin.

Fang Tong saw through it and poured her some tea: "It's okay, relax, we'll just make snacks like we usually do at home."

"Yeah." Qian Fengping nodded, but didn't drink the tea.

I’m afraid I drank too much water and will want to go to the toilet when I go on stage.

At this moment, two carriages came down from the building.

The curtain was lifted, and the first carriage to come out was a middle-aged man with a broad face and a protruding forehead, wearing a yellow-brown robe.

The man wore a thick gold chain around his neck, a jade ring on his hand, and a jade pendant around his waist.

He looked up at their box.

Wu Dongjia stood up and bowed with a smile, "Master Rong."

Uncle Rong sneered and showed no intention of returning the greeting.

He turned around, waited for the old man in the car behind to get out, and then helped him into Wanbao Tower.

"Oh, Brother Wu, you can't do that. They are all bosses. Look at how they are wearing gold and silver." Fang Tong joked.

Wu Dongjia was humiliated, but he didn't get angry: "Of course, we can't compare. Rongji has been passed down for two hundred years before it was handed over to Mr. Rong. Shouldn't they be more ostentatious?"

Fang Tong could sense a different meaning in these words.

He leaned over and asked, "What do you mean? Is this Mr. Rong a prodigal son?"

Wu Dongjia shook his head: "Not really, but Master Rong's vision is not good, so he just barely maintains the status quo."

When it comes to business, if you stay where you are, others will move forward.

If the plate that others are sharing is bigger, won’t the piece in your hand be smaller?

Therefore, for the Rong family, maintaining the status quo means falling behind.

Fang Tong understood this principle.

He touched his chin thoughtfully: "That old man, is that Mr. Xing?"

Wu Dongjia had never seen it before, but judging from Uncle Rong's attitude, he said, "It's probably true."

Half an hour later, people from various snack shops arrived.

The most important thing is that the tasters have arrived, and Wu Dongjia wants to go upstairs to say hello.

But he was stopped at the stairs.

Not only him, but also Mr. Rong and Mr. He of Liubaozhai could not go up.

They can't see the noble person whenever they want, it depends on his mood.

Qian Fengping didn't care about all this, she was going to draw lots.

There are a total of thirty-six dim sum shops, and Wanbaolou is divided into nine groups.

Four families were divided into groups and took turns to go on stage.

Only the top team in each group can advance to tomorrow's competition.

The specific group you will be assigned to will be decided by drawing lots by the pastry chef.

Fang Tong murmured to his wife, "Why not let Old Xing and Chef Jiang face off in the first round?"

"It shouldn't happen. No matter which of these two fails to enter the second round, it will be fun." Qian Fengping analyzed.

Wanbaolou is hosting the competition, so although it needs to be fair, it should try to avoid a strong-versus-strong situation at the beginning, right?

Of course, if a real dark horse appears, Wanbaolou cannot be blamed.

Qian Fengping didn't know that she was barely placed in the category of strong people by Wanbaolou.

After all, it was Mr. Wu who threw out half of the jackpot, so the pastry chef he brought must be good.

Qian Fengping drew “three”!

It was during the third group that she breathed a sigh of relief, just in time to see how the first two groups were doing.

Just as she was about to return to the box, she heard a contemptuous voice.

"Hmph, as a woman, instead of taking care of your husband and children, you run around men. I'm afraid you're not here to compete, but to show off your charm."

The speaker was a man in his forties, dressed in fancy clothes, with a fair face and no beard.

He held his chin high, as if looking down on everyone.

The servants behind him echoed his words and laughed.

Fang Tong's face was as black as ink. The other party not only took the initiative to provoke him, but also insulted his wife in public.

Just as he was about to speak, Qian Fengping stepped forward.

"The threshold for this dim sum competition is really low, even a dog can get in."

Jiang Yuchu's face changed.

His servant jumped out first: "How dare you! How dare you insult our master? Do you know who our master is?"

"My master's surname is Jiang, and he was born into a royal family. You can't afford to offend him. It's not too late to kneel down and admit your mistake!"

Another servant stepped forward and the two men sang in unison.

Qian Fengping's eyes were innocent and calm: "Isn't it? Then why don't you speak human language, but only bark like a dog?"

"What a shameless, sharp-tongued woman."

Jiang Yuchu's eyes were sharp and full of disdain.

Only after Liubaozhai made a solemn promise and asked the Eighth Prince to come forward did he reluctantly participate in this damn snack competition.

Unexpectedly, there were women participating in this competition.

It is really ridiculous to let him, a royal chef, compete in public with an ignorant woman who can only cook some mediocre meals at home.

Faced with repeated humiliation, Qian Fengping took two steps forward and his demeanor suddenly became tough.

"He's sharp-tongued, but nothing compares to Chef Jiang's unreasonable behavior."

"This is only the first time I've met Chef Jiang. We're strangers, yet Chef Jiang is making wild assumptions and insulting me. How can that be justified?"

"I heard Chef Jiang keep talking about women and women. It seems like he knows how to behave as a woman better than I do. Could it be that he has a fetish in this area?"

Qian Fengping looked him up and down with a strange look in her eyes.

Fang Tong felt relieved when he saw his wife, who looked like a tiger showing its claws.

He incited the crowd: "I heard that some men don't like being men and secretly wear women's clothes and imitate women's speech. I didn't expect that Jiang Yuchu is like this. No wonder he doesn't work in the palace anymore. I'm afraid he was kicked out."

The people who came to draw lots stayed around, and each of them had excitement and curiosity on their faces.

Someone even looked at Chef Jiang's lower body and whispered self-righteously, "I heard that all men entering the palace must be castrated, and this Chef must be one of them too...so it's normal for him to like being a woman."

"Nonsense!" Jiang Yuchu scolded angrily: "It's obvious that you, a woman, are fickle and want to show off here and seduce other men..."

He had seen through women long ago.

All women are bad. His wife spends the money he earns and lives in the house he buys, but she goes out to fool around all day, saying that she is doing embroidery work.

As a result, she fell in love with other men while doing the embroidery work!

Women who are restless and unruly are willing to be lowly.

Qian Fengping's face turned cold, and her voice was even louder than his: "Chef Jiang, be careful with your words! If you continue, you will reveal your ignorance and vulgarity."

"I, Qian Fengping, am able to stand here because I, Xile Cake Shop, registered for the competition with integrity and my identity was verified by Wanbaolou. What right does Chef Jiang have to slander me?"

"Because you are narrow-minded? Because you think dirty things are worth seeing?"

Being scolded so much, Chef Jiang's neck turned red with anger.

Before he could refute her, Qian Fengping raised her voice and asked, "Chef Jiang's actions today are truly puzzling. I wonder if you look down on women, or if you're afraid of losing to them?"

Every word she spoke was aggressive.

Jiang Yuchu was so angry that his face turned red and his neck became thick: "What a joke, I am afraid of losing?"

Among all the contestants, the only one who caught his eye was Mr. Xing.

But he is old, and it is not clear whether he has lost his skills.

When she was young, she was unable to enter the palace and made pastries all her life. Only her osmanthus cake caught the Empress Dowager's eye and gained some fame.

The Queen Mother is just one person.

How many masters does he serve in the palace?

"Oh, that's looking down on women." Qian Fengping suddenly sighed, her tone sympathetic: "I really feel sorry for your mother. She carried him for ten months and raised him for more than ten years, but she didn't teach Jiang Yuchu the importance of human relations and filial piety."

If someone doesn't understand human ethics, isn't that just a beast?

If you are unfilial to your biological mother, aren't you worse than an animal?

"You! Be bold!"

Chef Jiang Yu was so angry that he lost his mind and was about to take action.

His servants also rushed forward.

Fang Tong pulled his wife behind him and pushed the man directly upwards.

"What are you doing? Are you going to fight if you can't even get into an argument?"

"What kind of royal chef is this? Is this all he has?"

He was experienced in fighting and knew that he was not at an advantage when fighting one against three, so he had to use underhanded tactics.

Therefore, when pushing someone, you can pinch their armpits or step on their feet without making any noise.

The two servants cried out in pain.

The scene became increasingly chaotic, and Wu Dongjia finally arrived with his men.

"Stop, everyone, stop. The competition hasn't even started yet, and you're already fighting. Are you waiting to be laughed at?"

Fang Tong let go and pulled his wife to hide behind Wu Dongjia.

Wu Dongjia: ...

Qian Fengping poked her head out and spoke preemptively, "Brother Wu, I think it's better not to participate in this dim sum competition. Chef Jiang Royal interfered with his opponent for no reason before the competition, ruining his reputation and no one cared. It shows that the competition is not very formal."

Wu Dongjia understood the implication.

He smiled bitterly, "Well, it's just that my Happy Cake Shop is small and unknown, and I'm being targeted before the competition even starts. So, I'll just not participate."

The shop is small and has no reputation.

In Beijing alone, there are six Xile Cake Shops.

One of them is even located directly on the main street outside the palace gate.

Wu Dongjia is indirectly questioning whether there is any shady dealings in the competition and blaming Wanbaolou for inaction.

All matters related to the dim sum competition were organized by Wanbaolou.

They were arguing just now and no one stopped them. I wonder if Wanbaolou did it on purpose.

Mr. He Dongjia of Liubaozhai also came hurriedly. He first comforted Chef Jiang.

Chef Jiang felt extremely humiliated and demanded that Qian Fengping be disqualified from the competition.

He Dongjia looked embarrassed and explained Qian Fengping's identity to him.

Their dim sum competition is all about taking a bite of the Happy Cake Shop and finding the mysterious dim sum chef of the Happy Cake Shop.

When a talented person shows up, how can he chase him away?

Jiang Yuchu knew the seriousness of the situation, but he was still upset and said he was not feeling well and wanted to go back to rest.

Now, He Dongjia also lost his good face.

"In that case, I can't force you. The Eighth Prince is on the third floor. Brother Jiang, why don't you say goodbye to the Eighth Prince before leaving?"

Jiang Yuchu's expression changed slightly, and he looked at him deeply.

The Ho Tung family was not too intimidated. No matter how ambitious Chef Jiang was, he was just a chef.

He was flattered and praised, and despite his low status, he was unlucky. But the Eighth Prince was very interested in the dim sum competition and even served as a taster.

If Jiang Yuchu leaves, he will slap the Eighth Prince in the face.

Chef Jiang snorted coldly and waved his sleeves to leave, but judging from the direction he was heading, he was going upstairs to the private room.