Chapter 900: Chapter 899: Liu Clan Selection (Part 2)
The lion dance team stepped down, and Qi Qingyan took to the stage as the host.
“Good evening, everyone—”
Qi Qingyan waved to the four corners of the venue.
“Wow!”
“It’s Qi Goddess hosting this year’s Liu clan selection, this deserves a thumbs up!”
Below the stage, the local TV station’s program crew in Jingguan City was also nervously conducting the live broadcast of the selection.
After all, it’s a large-scale program held once every three years, with nationwide influence. The authorities naturally considered it an excellent opportunity to promote Sichuan local culture and urban scenery.
On the internet, on the Seafood TV live broadcast platform.
A popular live stream room rapidly gained over a million viewers immediately after it started, and the title was:
Tang’s Mingzhu takes you to watch the Liu clan Lantern Festival selection simultaneously.
“Ah, who changed the title of my live stream room!” In the camera, Tang Yuqiong frowned with dissatisfaction, sitting in front of the computer for once and switched the live feed to the page capture, watching the Sichuan TV broadcast with a keen interest, “Come on, let’s count together and see how many familiar faces are in the guest seats…”
She rested her chin on her hands, watching the live broadcast carefully. As the female host Qi Qingyan thanked the guests, the camera smoothly swept across the guest seats.
Instantly, Tang Yuqiong’s eyes brightened.
In the front row, that teenager indeed had the aura of a Demon King.
That’s what Tang Yuqiong thought, glancing at the suddenly exploding thick layer of bullet comments.
“666, Demon King Xia!”
“Ah, having watched ‘Kitchen of the Three Kingdoms’, I’ve been deeply captivated by the Demon King’s charm, completely enamored without escape…”
“I also watched that variety show, and I can confirm our Demon King Xia is quite the drama king!”
Within the thick layer of bullet comments, Tang Yuqiong immediately spotted this vivid ‘drama king’ comment and paused for a moment, then burst out laughing, “Oh yeah, that guy is indeed a drama king, tonight’s selection is going to be spectacular!”
From intuition, Tang Yuqiong felt that Xia Yu’s attendance at the Liu clan selection tonight was far from simple.
If Xia Yu knew that in the eyes of his acquaintances, he carried the aura of a ‘death god elementary school student’, would he cry out ‘wah’?
“Eh!”
In the camera, Tang Yuqiong continued to observe the young man gently patting the head of a petite young girl, with a friendly demeanor, telling her something, appearing like a big brother.
Coincidentally, the female host Qi Qingyan announced loudly:
“…Please welcome contestant number seven, Liu Ying, to the stage!”
And so—
The much-anticipated selection stage gained a little figure.
Liu Ying stood in a line with the other six contestants, and the difference in height and age immediately created a jarring contrast.
The six contestants on stage displayed various expressions.
In the audience below, not to mention the viewers watching the live broadcast, the live audience also erupted in a chorus of boos.
Qi Qingyan maintained her composure, smiling as she said, “Contestant number seven, Liu Ying, is 13 years old this year. I believe Old Grand Duke Liu has acknowledged her culinary skills by placing this young descendant on the contestant list, and believes she can shine brightly at such a grand event!”
The camera shifted to the guest seats.
Old Grand Duke Liu, leaning on a cane, slightly twitched the corner of his mouth at the camera.
Among the seven contestants, Liu Lan took on the role of the leader. He stared straight at the second row where Demon King Xia was, took a deep breath, and pondered, “How on earth did he manage to get the old grand duke to arrange for such a list?”
Taking advantage of female host Qi Qingyan introducing the seven contestants, Xia Yu quietly gave Zhu Qing a thumbs up.
“Aunt Qing, thank you!”
In reality, the matter of the list was something Zhu Qing took upon herself, patting her chest this morning assuring him it would be completed.
Zhu Qing gave a sly smile, “Hmph hm!”
“A verbal thank you is just so insincere.”
Xia Yu shrugged, “Then what do you want?”
After ensuring the camera wasn’t on them, Zhu Qing leaned in close, nearly whispering in Xia Yu’s ear, “Win for me today!”
Gone was the usual playful expression, she wore a face of solemnity and seriousness.
“Losing is not an option in this battle!”
Biting her words, Xia Yu met her deeply emotional gaze and understood the unspoken message, immediately feeling a warmth of familial affection flood his heart. He nodded affirmatively and whispered, “We won’t lose!”
The answer was delivered with firm conviction this time.
Zhu Qing gazed at him for a few seconds, then sat back down.
“Alright then—”
The emcee and female host Qi Qingyan, after introducing the seven contestants, held a bundle of scrolls, stood in the middle of the stage with a smile, and shook her hand, unrolling the scrolls, “Everyone, repeat after me!”
In the massive arena, one voice echoed:
“Floating Yuanzi!”
Watching the selection live simultaneously with millions online, Tang Yuqiong paused for a moment, then said, “What a retro topic!”
The bullet comments already had some users starting to provide explanations.
Floating Yuanzi is actually an old name for Lantern Festival treats.
It’s said that Lantern Festival treats originated in the Song Dynasty, made with various fruit fillings, coated with glutinous rice flour and formed into balls, then cooked to be fragrant and delicious, full of fun.
Truly speaking, Lantern Festival treats are small delicacies much loved by the general public.
“Lantern Festival treats, huh!”
Xia Yu had known in advance that the topic would be limited to pastries, but he didn’t know the specific subject.
Lantern Festival, making Lantern Festival treats, eating them, sounds quite delightful.
In reality, though, the Liu clan selection, as the triennial culinary feast of the region, using the ‘Lantern Festival’ such an old topic as a gimmick, inevitably had the hint of reheating old ideas, which was evident with the booing from the audience, indicating that the spectators were equally dissatisfied with the topic!
Qi Qingyan had to call upon Ye Feizhou beside Old Grand Duke Liu for an explanation.
The camera landed on this Heavenly King disciple, Ye Feizhou, whose smile appeared calm and composed, as he said, “This topic was jointly decided by me and a group of Liu clan elders.”
“About thirty years ago, in the tenth edition of the Liu clan selection, we also used the topic ‘Lantern Festival treats’. I think older audiences might remember that selection. But times are changing, and the culinary world is also changing daily, with dishes innovating constantly…”
Pausing for a moment, Ye Feizhou continued.
“It’s well-known that the selection is for outstanding Liu clan chefs to stand out and gain the three-year operating rights of Juxia Building.”
“And in this rapidly changing era, innovation is a critical challenge faced by major restaurants and establishments. A chef must have enough creativity to meet the ever-growing taste changes!”
“Therefore, innovation is the true theme of tonight’s event!”
After speaking, Ye Feizhou sat down.
The camera then swept across the first row, where a group of elders, including Old Grand Duke Liu, nodded affirmatively to Ye Feizhou’s words.
The seven contestants on stage fell into deep thought.
Innovate dishes based on the “Lantern Festival treat” theme?
Liu Lan frowned, racking his brains.
When it comes to innovation from the perspective of dishes, it can be divided into external and internal parts.
Externally, naturally, it’s the dish’s appearance, the visual transformation!
In people’s common knowledge, Lantern Festival treats are white, plump, so turning them into a fruit platter of splendor is a minor innovation.
Internally, it involves the ingredients of the treat!
Traditional Lantern Festival treats use fillings like peanuts and sesame, wrapped in glutinous rice flour.
So, can changes be made to the dough and fillings?
Liu Lan had many ideas, yet he felt a mess of confusion without knowing where to start, “How should I reform it?”
The camera clearly broadcasted Liu Lan’s troubled expression on the big screen.
Sigh.
Old Grand Duke Liu, seeing this, sighed.
This Liu Lan, the strongest in his Liu clan generation, yet compared to the entire Chinese Realm, such strength was merely mediocre. His culinary skills, knife skills, seasoning, and other techniques were not top-notch.
Creativity-wise? Liu Lan’s talent appeared equally mediocre, and this mediocrity in various aspects was the reason Liu Lan’s management of Juxia Building showed no improvement over three years.
The style of a chef is the style of the restaurant.
Dishes that are mediocre in all aspects cannot captivate the increasingly picky young consumers!
The seven contestants had half an hour to ponder and prepare.
However, the chef station numbered 7 quickly drew the camera and audience’s attention.
“Hmm?”
“That little girl on number 7 is already starting?”
“Isn’t she called Liu Ying?”