Chapter Ninety-Seven: Settling the Final Accounts!

Bang! Pei Huaide crushed the glass in his hand with sheer force.

He glared at Master Wang, his eyes nearly bulging out. "Wang Dafa, how could you possibly lose to him?"

"It's not what you think, Mr. Pei, I... I..."

"You're done for." Pei Qinghu's face was dark as he spoke in a low voice. "If we can't bring down the An family, they'll rise to power."

"Given the enmity between our two families, the An family will never let this go."

"When that happens, we're finished—and you'll go down with us!"

Master Wang was burning with rage. He stared at Ye Wushang, brimming with resentment.

He never imagined that his expertise—poisoning, assassination, bomb-making, even crafting medicinal cuisine—would be completely unraveled by the opponent, who turned the tables so thoroughly that Master Wang was now utterly defeated.

Why? Why did it turn out this way?!

"President Huang, is it time to announce the result?" Ye Wushang remained calm and collected, smiling at Huang Yuanxiang.

Huang Yuanxiang exchanged a glance with Qiao Sen, nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, I'll announce it right away."

At this moment, he couldn't help but feel tears welling up in his eyes.

He realized he had underestimated Ye Wushang. He thought Ye was merely boasting, but the truth was, Ye possessed real skill. The medicinal cuisine he crafted seemed unimpressive at first glance, yet contained remarkable depth.

Of course, anyone capable of curing his son's incurable illness must possess extraordinary ability—how could an ordinary person compare?

Suddenly, he recalled what happened at the entrance earlier.

His daughter had shown interest in Ye Wushang, but he hadn't thought much of it. Now, upon reflection, Ye not only possessed superior skill and ability, but was also handsome.

He himself was divorced and single now; perhaps his daughter could truly develop something with Ye Wushang. Even if An Lan stood in the way, as long as there was no marriage certificate, everyone was starting from the same line—whether one could win depended on their own merit.

"I hereby declare," he said, "the An family is the winner of this medicinal cuisine competition!"

As Huang Yuanxiang announced the result, thunderous applause erupted once again in the hall.

Huang Pianruo and An Lan rushed onto the stage, competing not openly but with subtle rivalry. They hurried to Ye Wushang's side, excitement in their voices. "You're amazing, Wushang! How did you make that pill? I thought it was no good at first glance."

"Indeed, Mr. Ye, I was really anxious for you just now."

"If the taste or effect hadn't been good, I was ready to have my father support you by force!"

Ye Wushang smiled calmly. "Medicinal cuisine lies within, not without."

"The Lao Jun Pill is merely one type of medicinal cuisine—actually the most basic kind."

"If not for limited ingredients and average tools, true medicinal cuisine would leave people longing for more, day and night."

His words instantly ignited Qiao Sen's passion.

He had already been reminiscing about the flavor, and now, upon hearing Ye's words, he rushed over, gripping Ye Wushang's hand, shaking it with excitement. "Mr. Ye, you are truly a master. Please forgive any offense earlier."

"You're too polite, Steward Qiao—"

"Show-off!"

Before he could finish, Master Wang snorted coldly, his voice laced with sarcasm. "You're just lucky. The medicinal cuisine you made is actually on par with mine."

"When you made it, you added a lot of seasoning—just for freshness."

"And the high scores? You only got them by standing on my shoulders."

"In my opinion, the improvement in the judges' health was all thanks to my soup. Don't go gloating!"

Ye Wushang's eyes sharpened.

An Lan and the others wanted to rebuke him, but Pei Huaide nodded in agreement. "I think the competition isn't over yet."

"The taste and effect are only part of the contest."

"More importantly, there's the matter of filling the missing three ingredients in the recipe."

Pei Qinghu patted Master Wang's shoulder, arrogantly. "Master Wang may be lacking, but he can fill one of the missing ingredients. Can you?"

This was their final trump card.

The recipe for medicinal cuisine was already a rare treasure; being able to fill even one missing ingredient was considered a stroke of fate.

Even if Ye Wushang's dish was good, as long as Master Wang could successfully fill an ingredient, all would be balanced.

"Why can't I?" Ye Wushang sneered.

Earlier, he might not have been fully confident. But after making the medicinal cuisine, he was nearly certain of what the missing three ingredients were.

"Wushang, don't act rashly," An Lan whispered, knowing well the recipe's power. It had been passed down for centuries, and many skilled people had tried, all failing. Though Ye Wushang was talented, clearly this was a trap set by the other side. She advised quietly, "Your dish received a perfect score—by the rules, we've already won. Filling the missing ingredients is just a bonus. If you can, great; if not, it doesn't matter."

"Indeed, Mr. Ye," Huang Pianruo agreed. "I think the Pei family is up to no good. Please don't stoop to their level—be careful..."

"It's fine, I know what I'm doing." Ye Wushang waved his hand, glanced at Pei Huaide and his group, then turned to Qiao Sen. "Steward Qiao, may I ask where the recipe is?"

"I can fill in the three missing ingredients right now."

"You—can really do it?" Qiao Sen was stunned, staring at him in shock.

In truth, the Luo family hosted this competition tonight for two reasons: to choose a suitable ally between the An and Pei families, and because the patriarch was gravely ill. An expert had advised that only this medicinal cuisine recipe could save him.

But it was missing three ingredients—if they could be filled, the patriarch could be cured, and Qiao Sen would have performed great service!

"Whether I can or not, we'll see," Ye Wushang replied, smiling calmly.

Qiao Sen did not hesitate, carefully handing the recipe to Ye Wushang.

Ye Wushang took it, barely glanced at it, then swiftly filled in the missing parts with a few strokes.

"In truth, the recipe is missing not three ingredients, but three methods of preparation."

"The left path is steaming—to evaporate the moisture from the ingredients, then dry them for later use as a medicinal guide."

"The center path is frying—extracting the flavor, cooking to seventy percent, then using it to brew medicinal soup."

"The right path is grinding—pulverizing into powder, mixing with broth, and then serving."

At this, Ye Wushang turned to Qiao Sen. "Steward Qiao, if I'm not mistaken, your Luo family wants this recipe to cure illness..."

"Mr. Ye!" Qiao Sen's heart skipped a beat. He hurried forward, urging, "Mr. Ye, there are many people here—let's speak privately."

"Then please announce the result," Ye Wushang said lightly, understanding the situation, and not making a fuss.

Qiao Sen nodded repeatedly. He had admired Ye Wushang before, but now he felt only respect.

He didn't know the recipe's specifics, but the expert had said the missing three ingredients depended on usage. On the surface, they could be ingredients; in reality, they could be methods. It all depended on the patriarch's fate.

Ye Wushang's explanation that the three ingredients were actually three methods proved he not only understood, but mastered the art.

Perhaps he truly could cure the patriarch!

This matter was momentous; Qiao Sen dared not reveal anything, so he followed Ye's lead and announced, "I declare that the three missing components Mr. Ye just filled are indeed the parts absent from the recipe."

"This round of the competition—the An family wins completely!"

Applause thundered, and the crowd praised him without end.

Compared to earlier flattery, this time there was a solemn reverence.

Everyone genuinely respected Ye Wushang.

Despite his youth, he possessed astonishing talent; truly, heroes are born young.

To be favored by both An Lan and Huang Pianruo—two peerless beauties—was no coincidence!

"Ms. An, on behalf of the patriarch, I announce: from now on, our Luo family will have only one subordinate family—the An family."

"All Luo family resources will be focused on you. Every restaurant associated with the recipe will be under your management."

Upon hearing this, An Lan was moved to tears, nodding, "Thank you, Steward Qiao. The An family will work even harder and never let the Luo family down."

At the same time, she glanced at Ye Wushang, signaling her gratitude. "Thank you, Wushang..."

"It's nothing. We're friends—helping each other."

Ye Wushang smiled.

Huang Pianruo came forward, delighted. "Congratulations, Mr. Ye."

"Your performance today was truly eye-opening."

"My idea from before—I will pursue it with unwavering determination."

"You needn't rush to refuse; I believe one day, I will persuade you."

Ye Wushang looked awkward.

He hadn't expected she still wanted to become his apprentice.

Coincidentally, he had recently discovered the core granules of rare Langya Grass at the outskirts of the Wutong warehouse and wanted to consult her master.

But with so many people around, it was inconvenient, so he replied vaguely.

He looked up at Pei Huaide and his son, asking calmly, "Mr. Pei, at this point, do you have anything else to say?"

"Hmph!" Pei Huaide snorted coldly. If not for Qiao Sen's presence, he would have torn Ye to pieces.

"Rivers and mountains meet again—we'll see who has the last laugh."

"Losing the Luo family's protection isn't the end for the Pei family; we may rise again."

"Qinghu, let's go."

With that, he turned and left, not even greeting Qiao Sen.

Pei Qinghu was full of rage but had nowhere to vent it. He could only follow his father's lead, planning to reconsider once they returned.

"Wait."

Ye Wushang stepped forward, blocking their path.

"What do you want, you loser? You won the competition, the An family got everything they wanted."

"What more do you want?" Pei Huaide's face was dark.

Pei Qinghu couldn't hold back his fury. "Loser, don't think you can act recklessly just because Steward Qiao and President Huang support you."

"Our Pei family is a first-rate clan—the dead camel is still bigger than the horse."

"We only lost the chance to become a financial giant, but we're not about to let a loser like you trample us!"

Seeing this, An Lan hurried forward, tugging at Ye Wushang, whispering, "Wushang, if you're upset, let's talk later."

"Trust me on this—there's no need to stir up more trouble."

Qiao Sen and Huang Yuanxiang stood by, alert.

Each had their own motives.

Huang Yuanxiang now regarded Ye Wushang as a prospective son-in-law—he would do anything to help him.

Qiao Sen saw Ye Wushang as his own path to success; if Ye could cure the patriarch, it would be a great achievement.

Ye was his precious asset—anyone who opposed him would be utterly ruined.

"I'm not picking a fight with you two—why so nervous?"

Ye Wushang teased, raising a brow as he glanced at the grim-faced Master Wang behind them. "Well, Master Wang, how about an explanation for kidnapping my ex-wife and trying to kill me?"

Master Wang froze, lowering his head in silence.

The others were puzzled, looking at him suspiciously.

"Wushang, what do you mean?" An Lan held him back, asking, "You were late because he kidnapped Lan Ruoxue, and you went to rescue your ex-wife?"

...