Sludge suction system

After the servants threw Ye Keke into the woodshed, they carefully locked the door before turning back to the study and respectfully asking Gao He, "Master, Ye Keke is now locked up. What should we do with her from now on?"

Gao He stood there, his brows furrowed, a sinister glint in his eyes. He paced back and forth a few times, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "Lock her in the woodshed and keep a close watch on her. Bring her food on time every day, lest she starve to death."

The servant looked puzzled and couldn't help but ask, "Master, wouldn't keeping her around be a disaster? Why not..." Before he could finish speaking, Gao He glared at him and shut him up.

Gao He snorted coldly and said impatiently, "Hmph, what do you know? Ye Keke is still very useful. The connections and businesses behind this woman are still in her hands. If she can be used by me, that would be the best. Even if she can't, we can find other ways to deal with her later."

The servant nodded hurriedly and replied, "Yes, sir, I understand. I will make the arrangements right away and make sure nothing goes wrong with her." After saying that, he withdrew and went to take care of all the matters concerning Ye Keke being locked in the woodshed, as instructed by Gao He.

Fang Xiaobei, through Xiao Zha's remote-vision ability, saw everything clearly, yet a mocking smile curled at the corner of her lips. She slowly sat back down in her chair, picked up the teacup on the table, took a small sip, and her eyes were full of disdain.

"Hmph, Ye Keke is such a complete idiot. She was so easily manipulated by Gao He. She didn't even know her own limitations. She dared to question Gao He all by herself. She was really overestimating herself. But it's good this way. It's one less trouble." Fang Xiaobei said softly, shaking her head, showing no intention of rescuing Ye Keke.

In her view, Ye Keke's current predicament was entirely her own fault. She had previously planned to use her to deal with Gao He, but now it seemed that Ye Keke was a good-for-nothing, incapable of achieving anything significant. She might as well let her fend for herself in the woodshed; it wouldn't affect her plans much anyway. Fang Xiaobei put down her teacup and leaned back in her chair, seemingly unconcerned, as if Ye Keke's ordeal was nothing more than a trivial farce.

May sunshine bathed every corner of Xiangmao Capital, and the air was filled with a lively and joyful atmosphere as the annual food competition arrived as scheduled.

Fang Xiaobei, dressed in a simple yet elegant outfit, walked alone through the bustling crowd toward the food competition venue. Her gaze was firm, and a faint smile played on her lips; the cheers and jostling of those around her seemed to have no effect on her.

Fang Xiaobei walked lightly to the front of the Xiangmao Capital Club. A large crowd had gathered in front of the huge bulletin board, chattering about the rules of the food competition.

She pushed through the crowd, her gaze falling on the clearly written competition rules on the notice board, which she read carefully. It stated: This competition is a solo event; each participant must meticulously prepare a banquet for one hundred people within three hours. Furthermore, specific spices must be used: plum, cumin, star anise, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, lemongrass, and perilla. Crucially, each participant can only prepare one dish, but this dish must be sufficient to feed one hundred people. After the dishes are completed, one hundred people will be randomly selected from the crowd to taste and vote. The participant with the most votes will win; the entire competition is decided in one round, with no semi-finals or other stages.

After reading the rules, Fang Xiaobei frowned slightly, thinking to herself that the rules were indeed strict. It was no easy task to make a dish that would satisfy a hundred people with these spices within a limited time. However, her fighting spirit quickly rekindled in her eyes. Since she was here, she had to give it her all.

As the competition drew near, the city of Lemongrass became increasingly lively. With only three days left until the culinary competition, Gao He also appeared, swaggering towards the registration area with a determined look on his face.

Followed by several lackeys, Gao He's arrogant demeanor drew the attention of passersby. Arriving at the registration desk, Gao He raised his head and said arrogantly to the person in charge of registration, "Register me. I, Gao He, am determined to win this culinary competition."

The registration staff glanced at him, somewhat displeased with his arrogant attitude, but still processed his registration according to procedure. Gao He looked at his participation certificate, a smug smile playing on his lips, as if the championship title was already his for the taking. He completely disregarded the other participants, unaware that Fang Xiaobei would also be competing against him in this competition.

Gao He knew that the hundred people randomly selected in this competition were the key, and with a quick thought, he came up with a plan. He secretly sent his men, carrying heavy bags of money, to visit the wealthy merchants of Xiangmao Capital house by house.

Wherever he went, his subordinates greeted him with beaming smiles, offering money and conveying Gao He's message: if they secretly helped him during the selection of 100 people for the culinary competition, they would receive even more benefits in the future. The wealthy merchants, greedy for money, mostly succumbed to the temptation and readily agreed, patting their chests to guarantee they would lend Gao He a hand at crucial moments.

In this way, Gao He bribed most of the wealthy merchants in Xiangmao Capital with a large sum of money. Gao He was extremely pleased with himself, thinking that the championship was now in his grasp. He could almost see the scene of everyone surrounding him and handing him the jade pendant that represented the champion.

On a bright and sunny morning, the food competition in Xiangmaodu City was bustling with activity, the air filled with the rich aroma of food. Contestants arrived early, some nervously adjusting their cooking utensils, others confidently preparing their ingredients.

President Li Changfeng, dressed in a magnificent robe, strode onto the platform. His gaze swept across the entire audience, and he cleared his throat, his booming voice echoing across the square: "Friends, welcome to the Lemongrass Culinary Competition. The rules are as follows: Individual contestants must, within three hours, meticulously prepare a dish sufficient to feed one hundred people, using spices such as plum, cumin, star anise, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, lemongrass, and perilla. After completing the dish within the time limit, one hundred audience members will be randomly selected to taste it. Finally, these one hundred audience members will vote, and the contestant with the most votes will win—one round to determine the winner."

The audience listened with rapt attention, occasionally whispering among themselves, their anticipation for the competition palpable. The contestants, meanwhile, were fully focused, ready to meet the challenge.

There were thirty contestants in this lemongrass culinary competition.

Fang Xiaobei, dressed in plain clothes, exuded confidence with a determined gaze. Her understanding of ingredients and use of spices were exquisite, and each dish was full of her unique interpretation of food.

Gao He, dressed in lavish attire, stood arrogantly to one side of the arena with his men. Relying on his wealth and connections, he believed victory was assured.

Lin Yu was dressed simply and plainly, with a slender build and focused eyes. He had a meticulous control over spices, showcasing a unique style in his cooking.

Su Yun, wearing a blue apron and with a beaming smile, exudes a friendly aura. She excels at creative cuisine and possesses a unique talent for combining ingredients.

There is also a middle-aged chef named Chen Fei, who is experienced, skilled in traditional cooking techniques, and has a perfect grasp of spices.

The remaining contestants included both young, inexperienced chefs with a passion and drive for food, and established local culinary masters, each showcasing their unique skills. They all demonstrated their talents in the competition, adding a vibrant and memorable touch to this culinary extravaganza.