Chapter 218: The martial world is not all about fighting and killing, it is about relationships and disputes over interests!
At this time, winter was gradually approaching and the weather was getting colder.
Lin Beifan would usually stay at home unless he had to attend morning court or deal with official duties at the Imperial Academy and the Dedian Mansion. He would set up a charcoal stove, drink some wine, and read books, enjoying his days.
When it comes to enjoyment, Lin Beifan never falls behind.
Next to him was a young man with a rebellious attitude. He sighed regretfully and said, “The battle against the Demon Sect at Tianmen ended so quickly! It’s such a pity that I couldn’t participate in this grand martial arts event!”
“What would you be doing if you went?” Lin Beifan asked while warming his wine.
“Of course, I would be there to eliminate demons and uphold justice!” Guo Shaoshuai clenched his fist and said excitedly, “Tianmen cultivates demonic techniques and intends to harm the martial world. We must eliminate them! As a young hero of the martial world, don’t you feel regretful for not being able to participate in this grand event?”
Lin Beifan chuckled and said, “What’s there to be regretful about? It’s just fighting and killing for the sake of interests!”
“What do you mean by interests? We are fighting for righteousness!” Guo Shaoshuai’s face was resolute.
“Righteousness? Bullshit!” Lin Beifan burst into laughter, “What is right, and what is evil? Throughout history, no one has been able to distinguish clearly! You all say that Tianmen is an evil and deviant sect, but have you seen Tianmen provoke other sects?”
“Um…” Guo Shaoshuai was speechless.
“Absolutely not, it’s always others who provoke them! They were peacefully developing on their own territory, causing no trouble and living quietly. Yet, people came to their door to attack them, causing their sect to be annihilated. The Sect Master of Tianmen is more innocent than Dou E!”
“But… they cultivate demonic techniques…” Guo Shaoshuai weakly said.
“How do you know it’s demonic techniques? Just because their cultivation methods are slightly different and their progress is faster, does that make it demonic?” Lin Beifan smirked, “To put it bluntly, it’s just because they are afraid of Tianmen’s growth and erosion of their interests, so they slander them as a demonic sect and launch a collective attack!”
“They are so actively doing this because they also want to possess this demonic technique! Third-grade in three days, eighth-grade in one month, seventh-grade in three months, and the hope of reaching Innate after a year. No one can resist this temptation!”
Lin Beifan sneered, “According to the news from the Six Doors, after the battle, these sects and righteous factions have divided the remaining Tianmen disciples among themselves and sent them back. So, why did they go through all this trouble? Wouldn’t it be simpler to just kill them directly? Is it just because they are kind-hearted and spared their lives?”
“In the end, it’s because they learned the Evil-Repelling Sword Techniques, which are like living sword manuals! By capturing these disciples and making them write down the sword technique manuals, they have the opportunity to strengthen their own sects!”
“Ah!” Guo Shaoshuai let out a deep sigh.
Looking at the disheartened Guo Shaoshuai, Lin Beifan said unkindly, “Fortunately, you didn’t go. Otherwise, with your impulsive nature, you would definitely have sacrificed your life in vain! Let me tell you, the martial world is not all about fighting and killing, it is about relationships and disputes over interests! Don’t charge forward when there’s nothing to gain, otherwise, you will only end up hurting yourself.”
“Junior brother, what the young master said is right! You have little experience in the martial world, so you should listen to the young master more in the future! The young master is extremely wise and will never let you go astray!” Mo Rushuang, who was sitting next to them, advised.
“I know too! Ever since I entered the martial arts world, I realized that it’s completely different from what I imagined! I thought Prince of Northern Hebei was a wise ruler, wholeheartedly devoted to his duties, and I followed him to conquer the world! Who would have known…”
Guo Shaoshuai chuckled bitterly, “He turned out to be a hypocrite, willing to do anything to fulfill his ambitions, and we were used without realizing it! And then, following the Young Master, I discovered that the martial arts world is full of deceit and trickery! Even the reputable sects joined forces to destroy Tianmen, and I don’t know who I can trust!”
“What a poor child!”
Lin Beifan sympathetically said, “Shaoshuai, from now on, follow me wholeheartedly! As long as I have a meal to eat…”
“Young Master!” Guo Shaoshuai Guo’s eyes were filled with hope.
“You will have one bowl to wash!”
General Guo: “…”
Just then, the little princess burst in with great energy, seeing Lin Beifan huddled in front of the fireplace and exclaimed, “Why are you hiding at home again? You’re always stuck here, like an old man!”
Lin Beifan calmly replied, “It’s freezing outside, but warm as spring in here. I have no choice!”
“You always have excuses!” The little princess excitedly spread out her hands, holding a large basket, “Here, this is the delicious food I brought for you! There are several new restaurants on Food Street, and I found these for you. Enjoy while it’s still hot!”
“Thank you, little princess! Are there still people setting up stalls outside in such cold weather?” Guo Shaoshuai reached out to take the food.
“Although there are fewer people, there are still many stalls!”
“Shaoshuai, you are well-fed and don’t know the hunger of the starving! Life is tough for the common people. If they have a chance to earn some money, they will seize it desperately! Even though it’s icy and snowy outside, and there are fewer customers, they can still make some money if they keep going! If they stop, they’ll really have no money!” Lin Beifan said while taking a few skewers.
He placed them on the charcoal fire, the aroma wafting around, and then he happily ate them.
It was undeniably delicious!
The little princess sat beside Lin Beifan, her hands propping up her cheeks, and said, “Lin Beifan, the weather is so cold now! Imagine if we had a steaming hot Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup, wouldn’t that be great? I heard that winter and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall are a perfect match!”
Her big eyes blinked, hinting eagerly.
Lin Beifan’s face remained expressionless, “Didn’t I teach you how to make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall? Go home and make it yourself!”
“But the one my family makes isn’t as authentic as yours. It always feels like something is missing!”
Lin Beifan replied, “Is it missing premium abalone?”
The little princess shook her head, “No!”
Lin Beifan asked, “Is it missing premium sea cucumber?”
The little princess shook her head again, “No!”
Lin Beifan asked, “Is it missing premium wine?”
Once again, the little princess shook her head, “That’s not it either!”
…Finally, after asking around, it seemed like there was nothing lacking, but the taste was somehow lacking.
Lin Beifan suddenly realized, “Then I know what you’re missing!”
The young county princess blinked her big eyes, “What am I missing?”
“You’re missing a straightforward mind; you won’t stop bothering me until I give in!” Lin Beifan retorted playfully.
“Ugh, you’re mean!” The young county princess covered her forehead with both hands.
Lin Beifan thought for a moment and suggested, “We don’t have time to make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall now, so how about we make hotpot?”
“What’s… hotpot?” the little princess asked in confusion.
Mo Rushuang and Guo Shaoshuai, sitting beside them, also looked curious.
“Hotpot is a cooking and eating method for delicious food. It’s cooked and eaten immediately, savory and not greasy, perfect for winter! You don’t understand anything now, but you’ll get it when you see us making it!” Lin Beifan explained.
Lin Beifan then called out, “Dali, we’re having hotpot tonight; go prepare the ingredients!”
“Alright, young master! We should have done this a long time ago, haha!” Dali responded.
An hour later…
The little princess looked at the small charcoal stove on the table with a pot of boiling broth hanging above it. There were also some vegetables and raw meat on the side. She blinked her eyes and pouted, “Isn’t this just boiled vegetables? What’s so special about it!”
“Don’t be deceived by appearances. Actually…”
“Actually what?”
“Actually, it is just boiled vegetables!” Lin Beifan said.
The young county princess: “…”
“But the method is slightly different from ordinary boiled vegetables!” Lin Beifan chuckled, “Look, whether it’s vegetables or meat, we cut them into thin slices and then blanch them in the boiling broth. It’s ready to eat right away!”
The young county princess widened her eyes and asked expectantly, “Will it taste better this way?”
“No, it will be more expensive!” Lin Beifan replied.
The little princess: “…”
“The main point is to keep the ingredients fresh and hot! When we used to eat, by the time the dishes were served, several cups of tea or even half a joss stick’s time might have passed. The food would no longer be fresh and would have cooled down!”
“But now, with hotpot, we can eat it right after blanching! The ingredients are not only fresh but also tender and easy to digest. Isn’t that good?” Lin Beifan explained.
“You make a good point!” The little princess nodded excitedly.
“And finally, a hotpot without dipping sauce has no soul! The biggest difference between hotpot and boiled vegetables is the dipping sauce! While boiled vegetables can be eaten directly, hotpot requires dipping sauces to make it flavorful!” Lin Beifan said.
“What kind of dipping sauces do we need?” The little princess curiously asked.
“Look here, Dali has already prepared everything!” Lin Beifan smiled, pointing to the small dishes and bowls on the side.
“There’s scallions, ginger, garlic, sesame, soy sauce, vinegar, chili, and more. You can add whatever you like and customize the sauce yourself! The same goes for the vegetables; you blanch what you want to eat!”
After Lin Beifan’s detailed explanation, everyone finally understood how to eat hotpot and eagerly gave it a try.
As the little princess was about to start, Lin Beifan stopped her, “Wait a moment, little princess. Send this hotpot to the imperial palace for the Empress to taste!”
“Alright, but don’t eat without me while I’m gone!”
The young county princess acted quickly, delivering the hotpot and rushing back.
Finally, everyone tried the hotpot together and found it to be incredibly enjoyable! Especially in the freezing winter, every bite was warm and flavorful.
Moreover, the taste could be customized according to individual preferences.
Everyone was very satisfied and had a lot of fun.
“Lin Beifan, I think I said something wrong just now!”
“What did you say wrong, little princess?”
“I feel like hotpot is a better match for winter!” The little princess exclaimed.
“You finally understand!” Lin Beifan chuckled.
At this moment, a hotpot was delivered to the Empress’s table.
The Empress was full of question marks in her mind, “What is this? Lin Beifan, why did you send raw vegetables and meat? How can I eat this?”
