Zhou Yan, who was in charge of washing the woks, had just dried his hands when he heard the sound and looked towards the courtyard gate.
Kong Guodong led the two through the door with a smile.
The slightly chubby, round-faced, dark-skinned middle-aged man walking alongside Kong Guodong was He Zhiyuan, the deputy editor-in-chief of the Sichuan Cuisine magazine.
Following behind him, carrying a crossbody bag and wearing black-rimmed glasses, was the editorial assistant— Xiao Li.
It turns out to be an old acquaintance.
Kong Qingfeng and his apprentices stood up.
He Zhiyuan quickened his pace, smiled, and stepped forward to shake hands with Kong Qingfeng, saying, "Second Master Kong, long time no see. How have you been lately?"
"I'm in good health. I can eat, walk, and even go fishing." Kong Qingfeng held He Zhiyuan's hand and looked him up and down with a smile. "Little He, you've gained some weight and gotten quite tanned. If I didn't know you were the deputy editor-in-chief of the magazine, I would have thought you got a tan from sitting by the river fishing everyday."
"I've been traveling all over the country gathering materials, and getting tanned and fat is just part of the job." He Zhiyuan laughed heartily. "I don't have the patience for fishing. I'm the kind of person who can't sit still. You, on the other hand, are retired and living a peaceful life, fishing to cultivate your mind and body."
Kong Qingfeng laughed too: "Retirement what? I still have to come to the base for an afternoon class every other day. This is only half a retirement."
The two chatted enthusiastically from the moment they met, clearly old acquaintances.
Xiao Li looked around, his gaze pausing when it landed on Zhou Yan, clearly surprised.
Mainly because Zhou Yan was so tall, standing there a half-head taller than his senior brothers.
He has a very distinctive appearance, completely different from the round-faced, thick-necked chefs next to him. He is tall and somewhat handsome.
In the time since the photos were printed, all the single young women in the magazine have been asking him about Zhou Yan.
Their magazine has interviewed quite a few chefs, but this is truly the first one who is so young and handsome.
Zhou Yan smiled at him.
Xiao Li nodded slightly in response, wanting to remind the editor-in-chief, but seeing him chatting so enthusiastically with Kong Qingfeng, he didn't dare to disturb them and could only stand quietly.
The Sichuan Cuisine magazine was founded by the Provincial Catering Service Company. When Kong Huaifeng and Kong Qingfeng went to Rongcheng for exchanges and learning, He Zhiyuan was in charge of receiving them. Over the years, they still occasionally exchange letters.
After exchanging pleasantries, Kong Qingfeng introduced his apprentices and nephews to He Zhiyuan.
He Zhiyuan smiled and shook hands with everyone.
When shaking hands with Xiao Lei, he said with some emotion, "The Kong Sect is now full of talented people. It's a pity that the three masters Xu Yunliang, Fang Yifei and Song Bo did not come back, otherwise I could have taken a group photo for you all to commemorate the occasion."
Xiao Lei smiled and said, "The three senior brothers are indeed too busy to come back, but we can still take a group photo even if they don't come back. If we can send them a photo, they will definitely be very happy."
Kong Qingfeng nodded with a smile: "That's right. The more successful the chefs of the Kong Sect are, the harder it is to gather them all. But no matter where they are, they are the pride of the Kong Sect."
"That makes sense. I was too narrow-minded." He Zhiyuan nodded. "Then I'll take a group photo of your Kong Sect later. I'll print out a lot of copies so you can all keep them as memento. I'll also send one to each of the three masters."
Kong Qingfeng patted him on the shoulder and said, "Then I must cook you a good meal myself tonight."
"Great! I haven't had Second Master Kong's braised yellow catfish in ages." He Zhiyuan grinned.
"You little rascal, you only know how to pick the best." Kong Qingfeng laughed, then turned to Kong Guodong and said, "Guodong, go buy two jin of yellow catfish. If you can't find any on the street, borrow two jin from the restaurant and return them first thing tomorrow morning."
"Okay." Kong Guodong replied, walking aside and beckoning to Kong Liwei, "You, go buy the yellow catfish."
"Master, didn't Grandmaster ask you to go?" Kong Liwei pouted, "I also want to take a group photo."
"You're just standing on the edge of the back row, it doesn't matter whether you take pictures or not, I'm going to stand next to your Grandmaster." Kong Guodong waved his hand:
"Besides, if my Master orders me around, I'll definitely order my apprentice around too. Are you going or not? Don't make me beat you up in the most respectable situation."
Seeing Kong Guodong about to pull out his belt, Kong Liwei quickly jumped back a step and reached out for money: "Give me money, I only have 28 cents in my pocket."
Kong Guodong handed him two yuan and instructed, "Choose those that are neither too big nor too small, bring them back in water, and make sure they're alive."
"Oh." Kong Liwei replied, pocketing the money as he left, his voice drifting back softly, "I'm just a scrap in the back row, my mother's little pride..."
Kong Qingfeng looked at He Zhiyuan and asked, "Little He, how do you want to conduct the interview? Should we cook? Or just have tea and chat?"
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at He Zhiyuan. When Second Master Kong informed them, he said that the magazine might interview Kong Sect about his fish-making skills, and that there were a longsnout catfish and a bighead carp in the fish tank today.
He Zhiyuan just specifically requested braised yellow catfish, which is also one of Second Master Kong's specialties.
He Zhiyuan looked at Kong Qingfeng and said, "Second Master Kong, I had a meeting with the editor-in-chief and colleagues in the editorial department before I came. This time, instead of cooking fish, let's talk about the Kong Sect.
Let's talk about how you and First Master Kong carried on the legacy, carried forward the Kong Sect, and made it as rich in talent as it is today. Some stayed in Jiazhou, some were chefs in Rongcheng restaurants, some promoted Sichuan cuisine in the capital, and some went overseas with leaders.
Back then, the renowned chef Kong Rui, absorbed the strengths of various sects, passed on his skills to Kong Huaifeng and Kong Qingfeng. The two masters surpassed their own master, establishing their own unique style and earning the reputation of the "Kong Sect".
From family traditions to teaching and accepting numerous disciples, generations of Kong Sect's chefs have passed on their skills and shone brightly, their influence extending far beyond the realm of cooking. We plan to conduct an in-depth interview exploring the inheritance of Kong Sect, so that more people can understand the changes in the inheritance of our Sichuan cuisine.
In the decades-long development that propelled the formation of the Sichuan Cuisine system and ultimately led to its inclusion among the four major cuisines of China, I believe the Kong Sect is a very classic example."
Upon hearing this, Kong Qingfeng straightened his back slightly, his expression becoming solemn. "Talking about the Kong Sect is great! Come on, let's go to the conference room, make some tea, and we'll discuss it slowly."
The other disciples' faces lit up with anticipation.
Talking about the Kong Sect—wouldn't that mean their names might also appear in the magazine?
"Sure." He Zhiyuan nodded with a smile, following Kong Qingfeng towards the conference room.
Xiao Li quickly caught up, whispering, "Editor-in-Chief, Zhou Yan is here too."
"Zhou Yan?" He Zhiyuan paused, turning back in surprise. He saw Zhou Yan following behind a group of disciples, who smiled at him as he turned around.
He Zhiyuan nodded to him, continued walking forward with the crowd, and asked Xiao Li, "Is he also a disciple of the Kong Sect?"
"Everyone here today is a disciple or grand-disciple of the Kong Sect. He should be a grand-disciple. In Suji, he would most likely be Xiao Lei's disciple." Xiao Li replied softly.
This interview is an important feature of the 'Top Four Highlights' segment in the first issue of next year's magazine. The editorial department has already held two meetings and collected a lot of information about the Kong Sect in advance, making thorough preparations.
They have a fairly complete grasp of the information about the three generations of disciples of the Kong Sect.
Kong Huaifeng has only four formal disciples. His eldest disciple, Xu Yunliang, is a first-class chef and works in the kitchen of Rongcheng Restaurant. His second disciple, Fang Yifei, is a special third-class chef, and Song Bo is also a first-class chef. However, they have not returned to Sichuan for many years, and their culinary skills cannot be simply measured by their skill levels.
The remaining youngest disciple, Xiao Lei, stayed in Suji, working as a chef in the textile factory's canteen.
Therefore, when Xiao Li saw Zhou Yan present, he immediately thought of Xiao Lei.
"Okay, I'll talk to him privately after the interview." He Zhiyuan nodded.
The training base not only has many kitchens, but also classrooms for theoretical classes and meeting rooms for visiting leaders.
In a bright and spacious private room, a long rectangular table is arranged in a circle, which serves as the conference room.
He Zhiyuan waited at the door for a while. When he saw Zhou Yan coming over, he smiled and patted his arm. "Zhou Yan, don't rush off later. I've printed out the photos and brought them back. I still have something to talk to you about alone."
"Okay." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. Aunt Zhao was still thinking about the family photo two days ago. If he could bring the photo back to her today, she would definitely be happy.
Zheng Qiang entered the conference room one after the other, and vaguely heard someone say "let's talk privately." He sat down in a corner with Zhou Yan and leaned over to ask curiously, "Junior Brother, do you know the editor-in-chief of this magazine?"
"I met him once before." Zhou Yan nodded.
Zheng Qiang's eyes lit up immediately, and he asked with a gossipy look, "Master Uncle took you to see him? Is it about being in a magazine? My Master mentioned it to me before. The editor-in-chief of this magazine knows him. My Master once dined at the same table with my Grandmaster and Editor-in-Chief He. He was even thinking that after passing the exam to become a Level 1 chef, he could find him and see if he had the opportunity to be featured in the 'Sichuan Cuisine' magazine."
"It's just a magazine. If Senior Master Uncle wants to be in it, isn't it guaranteed?" Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"We can't go against our conscience. I know my Master's skill level." Zheng Qiang shook his head and said in a low voice, "Chefs who can be featured in Sichuan Cuisine are either extremely prestigious, like our Grandmaster and Grandmaster Uncle, who have established a reputation as masters of the Kong Sect among the many sects of Sichuan cuisine, or they are recognized by the culinary world for their high skill level, and can be called 'Master'.
Or they are either exceptionally outstanding in a particular area, such as being incredibly skilled at making cold dishes or being exceptionally good at making duck.
My Master does cook fish quite well, but there are many talented people in our Kong Sect, all of whom are good at cooking fish. Not to mention two Master Uncles, with our Grandmaster Uncle in charge, there's no way my Master would be featured in a magazine teaching people how to cook fish.
If he goes first, wouldn't that create chaos? If word got out, he'd be considered a traitor."
Zhou Yan nodded repeatedly; Zheng Qiang's analysis, despite his rebellious nature, made a lot of sense.
Then what was he?
A heretical cultivator within a prestigious sect?
No, no, he had to keep a low profile.
If it was revealed that he had been featured in 'Sichuan Cuisine' magazine before his Grandmaster Uncle, he might not be able to leave this room easily today.
Everyone took their seats.
Kong Qingfeng sat in the main seat, with He Zhiyuan beside him.
Xiao Li sat next to He Zhiyuan, took out a notebook from his bag, opened it, and placed two pens beside him. He sat upright, his camera bag on the table, presumably preparing to capture some interview shots.
Then they sat according to seniority.
Kong Guodong sat to Kong Qingfeng's left, and next to him was Xiao Lei.
Xiao Lei was Kong Huaifeng's last disciple, having joined the Sect early, in 1955, almost thirty years ago.
Then came Kong Qingfeng's other disciples.
Including a group of grand-disciples, there were seventeen or eighteen people, filling the conference room to capacity.
As the tea was served, Kong Qingfeng began, "Little He, ask away. What do you want to talk about? Let's have a frank chat today. Many of these disciples and grand-disciples have taken leave to come back from out of town. The next time we gather all of them together, I might be lying in my coffin. I would be very happy if I could leave behind something useful."
Hearing this, the disciples looked at the gray-haired Kong Qingfeng, and a hint of sadness inevitably appeared in their eyes.
"Master, you are in very good health. We will find time to come back to see you every year." Zhong Yong said emotionally.
"That's right! We will come back every year."
"Next time, let's invite a few of our senior brothers together. We'll arrange a time in advance, and no matter how busy we are, we'll come to see Master."
The apprentices all echoed in agreement.
Kong Qingfeng looked at everyone with a hint of satisfaction on his face and said with a smile, "What's there to see about an old man like me? What makes me happiest is that you hone your skills and teach more and better apprentices."
Zhou Yan was also touched by this scene. The word "master" is an abbreviation of "a teacher for a day is a father for life".
Kong Qingfeng was three years younger than their Grandmaster, Kong Huaifeng, and was also eighty years old this year.
As he said, such gatherings are already rare.
Zhou Yan guessed that the Sichuan Cuisine magazine must have considered this issue when discussing the topic selection.
In terms of the lineage of the Kong Sect, Kong Huaifeng is more representative, but he has already passed away.
In recent years, Kong Qingfeng has been teaching cooking training courses, cultivating many Jiazhou chefs and playing an important role in the inheritance of the Kong Sect of cooking.
Kong Qingfeng is the most suitable person to talk about the inheritance of the Kong Sect.
The exchange meeting at noon today refreshed Zhou Yan's understanding and prejudices.
As a disciple of Kong Sect, he felt a sense of belonging for the first time.
He could feel that his senior master uncles and master uncles were teaching him everything they knew without reservation.
This open-mindedness is what we call inheritance.
"Second Master Kong, let's begin. How about we start with your apprenticeship under Master Kong Rui?" He Zhiyuan said.
"Apprenticeship…" Kong Qingfeng's gaze fell on the covered bowl on the table, his fingertips tapping lightly on the table like the ticking of a second hand, his eyes gradually drifting away.
After a long silence, he slowly began to speak, his voice low and deep: "It all started in 1918. I was 14 years old that year. My father contracted tuberculosis and had to sell everything in the house to take medicine. We were so poor that we couldn't even afford to eat. I was just a teenager, skin and bones, and you could tie my belt with a straw.
That day, my uncle came back from Rongcheng to visit my father. He brought ten silver yuan to our family and asked if I wanted to learn cooking from him.
I didn't know what learning to cook meant, so I asked him, "Uncle, can I get a full meal if I learn to cook?"
Uncle said, "Yes, we also have dried meat."
I hadn't smelled meat for six months, so when I heard about dried meat, my eyes lit up and I agreed without a second thought.
Our hometown is Linjiang Town. My uncle brought my twelve years old brother and me to Jiazhou City, where we entered the Le Ming Restaurant and began our apprenticeships..."
The meeting room was quiet, with only Kong Qingfeng's deep voice and the scribbling of Xiao Li's pen on paper.
Zhou Yan listened attentively. The 'uncle' Kong Qingfeng was talking about should be Kong Rui, his Great Grandmaster, the founder of the Kong Sect.
[Ding! Memory fragments dropped by Kong Qingfeng detected!]
[Entering may trigger a random inheritance reward!]
[Pick up and enter? Yes/No]
Just then, a line of subtitles popped up in Zhou Yan's eyes.
Zhou Yan froze.
Huh? What's that?
He looked around.
Everyone listened attentively to Kong Qingfeng's story.
After a moment's hesitation, he made a decisive choice.
What's there to be afraid of! I'm going to go and see what the true lineage of the Kong Sect really is!
"The apprenticeship ceremony was relatively simple, but we still invited several famous chefs from Jiazhou at the time to be witnesses. The apprenticeship agreement was written by someone else at the master's request. My brother and I spent three days memorizing it. I still remember the last sentence: 'I will follow the master's teachings, learn sincerely, serve the master as my father for life, and never waver for life...'"
Kong Qingfeng's voice gradually faded in Zhou Yan's ears, and suddenly everything went black.
...
His vision gradually cleared, revealing a spacious and bright main room.
In the center were two reddish-brown 'lingzhi' armchairs. On the left sat an elegant middle-aged man in a gray long gown, and on the right sat a middle-aged woman in a cheongsam.
Two thin, half-grown children were kneeling on the ground, holding covered teacups in their hands, and were reciting haltingly: "I will follow the master's teachings, learn sincerely, serve the master as my father for life, and never waver for life, I humbly request your permission."
They raised the teacups and respectfully offered tea to the middle-aged man.
Standing to the side was a tall, upright young man carrying a tray, with clear features and a resemblance to the middle-aged man.
"This is... the Great Grandmaster and the Grandmaster?"
Zhou Yan looked up, somewhat surprised, at the middle-aged man and the young man beside.
...