Chapter 94 The Steward of the Luo Family, Qiao Sen!

Seeing Ye Wushang, Master Wang was consumed with rage! A sudden feeling swept over him, one akin to the lament, “Why must Liang be born when Yu already exists?” His own skills were exceptional, his schemes profound; he had served the Pei family for years, offering strategies that had never failed. Yet, ever since he encountered this so-called wastrel, his assassination attempt had failed, his explosives had malfunctioned. He played his trump card, sending Broken Finger to kidnap Lan Ruoxue in order to capture this useless man, but even that plot had been unraveled! Though the specifics remained unclear, Ye Wushang appeared before him unharmed—clearly, his plan had failed yet again.

This was no longer merely a feud between the Pei and An families; it had become a bitter, personal grudge between himself and Ye Wushang. If he didn’t suppress him utterly and destroy him beyond redemption, he’d never know peace again!

“Hm, your vocabulary is quite technical—I can’t really follow,” Ye Wushang replied calmly. “But I know one thing: tonight’s medicinal cuisine contest, the An family is destined to win. To borrow your words, since the competition hasn’t started yet, you still have the chance to withdraw and preserve a shred of dignity…”

“Bah!” Pei Qinghu spat, disdainfully. “Whether you’re up to the task or not, only a trial will tell. The contest is about to begin; let’s just wait and see. Master Wang, I have confidence in you. My father and I both support you—go ahead boldly.”

Master Wang did not dare respond, instead casting a cautious glance at Pei Huaide. At this moment, Pei Huaide’s anger had reached its peak. He was deeply dissatisfied with Master Wang’s repeated failures, but with circumstances as they were, he had no choice but to persist with him. So long as they won the contest and vanquished the An family—once the Pei family ascended to become a financial conglomerate—his merits would balance out his mistakes.

“Indeed.” With this thought, Pei Huaide nodded, clapping Master Wang’s shoulder with assurance. “Master Wang is versed in the arts of Qimen Dunjia and the Eight Trigrams, skilled in the Five Elements. His expertise in medicinal cuisine is his crowning talent. I have every confidence in him. Ye Wushang, you’d best be careful.”

The three then turned and strode away, heads held high.

“Ah…” Huang Yuanxiang sighed, speaking with earnest gravity. “The Pei family may not be decent folks, and Master Wang is nothing if not cunning. But it’s undeniable that his skills in medicinal cuisine are superb. Though he’s not as accomplished as Xu Zifeng, he can easily surpass the others. You competing against him…”

“Father!” Huang Pianruo interrupted, taking up the conversation. She looked thoughtfully at Ye Wushang. “Why don’t you help him cheat? Mr. Ye saved my brother—he’s our benefactor; we can’t just stand by. The Pei family is full of unscrupulous people, and this contest is about finding a reliable family to ally with for the Luo family. If the Pei family is promoted, who knows what chaos will follow…”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Huang Yuanxiang cut her off, solemnly. “Though I’m the host tonight, those tasting the medicinal dishes include not only renowned critics, but Luo family members as well. Not to mention I’m not the sort to engage in favoritism—even if I wanted to help, could I fool those people?”

“But, Father—”

“Miss Huang,” Ye Wushang interjected, waving his hand with a smile. “Thank you for your kind intentions, but there’s no need for President Huang to intervene. I’ll handle this myself.”

“Now, it’s not just a feud between the An and Pei families. I have my own private score to settle with Master Wang. This is the perfect opportunity to test his skills against mine.”

With that, he nodded toward An Lan, who understood immediately, and together they walked into the dining hall.

“Still watching him, Pianruo?” Knowing his daughter well, Huang Yuanxiang caught the glimmer in her eyes and teased, “What, have you taken a liking to Mr. Ye?”

“Of course not.” Huang Pianruo blushed, pursing her lips. “Father, don’t say such things…”

“Haha! Whether I’m right or not, you know best in your heart.” Huang Yuanxiang cautioned, “But you’d better rein in your feelings. Didn’t you notice? Mr. Ye and An Lan are a pair—you’re too late.”

A pang struck Huang Pianruo’s heart, but she stubbornly replied, “Really, I’m not. I just want to learn from Mr. Ye as a disciple. His medical skills are extraordinary, and his knowledge of medicinal herbs unmatched—I think he’s even better than my own master.”

“Whether he’s better or not depends on his performance tonight.” Huang Yuanxiang took a deep breath, voicing his concern. “Medicine and medicinal cuisine are two different things. Seeing Ye Wushang so confident makes me anxious for him. Confidence is good, but overconfidence is dangerous. I can’t help him cheat, but if the Pei family tries to cause trouble for him afterward, I can help smooth things over.”

With that, he led his daughter inside without further thought.

…

Tonight’s contest of medicinal cuisine was not held in a closed venue. Moreover, since the outcome would determine which family would be elevated to financial conglomerate status, the restaurant was more crowded than usual. The entire hall was packed with people, throngs stretching as far as the eye could see.

As Huang Yuanxiang and his party arrived, all the guests rose, bowing and nodding respectfully. As president of the family association, Huang Yuanxiang naturally received such honors. Yet compared to An Lan’s side, the Pei family drew a larger crowd, their supporters more enthusiastic.

“With Master Wang personally overseeing the medicinal cuisine, the contest is ours,” one guest declared. “Let me be the first to congratulate the Pei family on joining the ranks of financial conglomerates. If you ever need anything, President Pei, just say the word.”

“Following the Pei family, you eat the meat, we just need some soup,” another chimed in.

“Indeed, the outcome has been clear from the start. The real highlight is witnessing Master Wang’s artistry.”

From guests to restaurant staff, from critics to the appraisers sent by the Luo family, all were unanimous: Master Wang was certain to win!

Ever since Xu Zifeng’s death and the An family’s decision to use Ye Wushang as their representative, the An family had become a laughingstock in their eyes. Bringing in a layman at the last minute was nothing short of a joke.

“Wushang, don’t be upset,” An Lan said softly—while she herself didn’t mind, she cared about Ye Wushang, about his every move and feeling. She instinctively gripped his arm, comforting him, “No matter what others think of you, I have faith in you.”

“I’m not angry,” Ye Wushang replied, his manner calm and unruffled. “I’ve seen plenty of opportunists. If I fretted over every one, I’d die of exhaustion. Let the facts speak for themselves.”

Hearing this, Huang Pianruo admired his composure, unfazed even if the mountain collapsed before him. Her heart fluttered.

Meanwhile, Huang Yuanxiang was helpless, still pondering how to help Ye Wushang if the Pei family launched an attack. He was grateful to Ye Wushang, but doubted he could win.

“All right, everyone, please quiet down,” Huang Yuanxiang announced, stepping onto the stage, microphone in hand, his voice carrying across the crowd.

“As president of the family association, I’m honored to serve as host for tonight’s contest between the An and Pei families. Shortly, each family will send its representative to prepare a medicinal dish, with a one-hour time limit. Once completed, the dishes will be presented to nine judges for tasting. Whichever dish tastes best and offers the richest medicinal effects will win. The victors will be honored by the Luo family and formally elevated to the status of financial conglomerate!”

As his words faded, thunderous applause erupted.

As before, the An family’s side was deserted, while the Pei family’s supporters cheered wildly. In terms of collective strength and Master Wang’s abilities, the Pei family was the clear favorite. The An family was expected only to make a fool of themselves, and Ye Wushang was seen as nothing more than a clown.

As everyone looked at the two, their expressions were unfriendly and full of disdain.

“Now, let us welcome both contestants to the stage with a round of applause!” At Huang Yuanxiang’s cue, Master Wang and Ye Wushang stepped forward. Yet while applause thundered for Master Wang, Ye Wushang’s side remained silent as a grave.

“Wastrel, you still have time to admit defeat,” Master Wang sneered as their eyes met. “According to the rules, if you surrender now, though the Pei family will be elevated, no one will be allowed to bully the losing side. If you bow your head, I might even plead with President Pei to let the An family off. But if you persist and lose, not only the Pei family, but even the Luo family may act against you. Only one family can remain—the other risks total destruction. Do you understand?”

Ye Wushang was unmoved, replying coolly, “I think you should worry about yourself. Regardless of tonight’s outcome, if your deeds are exposed, Pei Huaide won’t be able to save you. If you turn over a new leaf now, I might consider sparing you.”

“Wastrel!” Master Wang was furious, clenching his fists and growling low, “How did you get back? What happened to Broken Finger?”

Ye Wushang merely smiled, saying nothing.

Just then, a man approached, led by Huang Yuanxiang.

“Allow me to introduce you both. This is the Luo family’s steward, the appraiser for tonight’s contest—Mr. Qiao Sen, Steward Qiao.”

…