The meat had hung in the cool, stone cellar for two days. Li Wei had rubbed it with a simple cure of salt and sugar, drawing out the moisture and concentrating the beefy flavor. It wasn't a true dry-age—he didn't have the time or the controlled environment for that—but it was enough.
Now, wrapped in clean muslin cloth and packed into a wooden cart lined with straw, the "Westland Red Beef" was ready for its debut.
Li Wei stood by the cart, checking the harness on the horse. He wore his leather ranch clothes, looking every bit the rugged outsider. Beside him, Li An was practically vibrating with nervous energy.
"Are you sure about this, Brother?" Li An asked, wringing his hands. "The Golden Pavilion? That place is for lords and generals. They'll throw us out the front door just for looking at the tiles."
"We aren't selling to the cooks, Li An," Li Wei said, checking the balance of the cart. "We're selling to the owner's greed. And greed has no pride."
He looked at Old Zhang. The veteran was mounted on his horse, the wide-brimmed hat pulled low over his eyes. He held the reins loosely, but his eyes were scanning the street corners.
"Stay close, Boss," Zhang said. "Market day brings out pickpockets. And if that meat smells as good as you say, we might have to fight off the stray dogs."
"Let's move."
***
**POV: Proprietor Liu**
Proprietor Liu sat at his desk in the back office of *The Golden Pavilion*, grinding his teeth. The ledger in front of him was a mess of red ink. The noble families were growing bored. They wanted something new. They wanted exotic.
He had tried importing peacocks from the south—too chewy. He had tried deep-fried silkworms—too divisive. Last week, he had served a whole roasted pig glazed with honey, only for the Third Prince to complain that it was "common."
"Manager!" a waiter burst in, panting. "There... there is a commotion outside!"
"Is it the tax collector?" Liu groaned. "Tell him I paid last week."
"No, sir! It's... a scholar? And a soldier. And they have a cart. They say Lady Su sent them."
Liu frowned. Lady Su? The Magistrate's daughter? She was the pillar of propriety. What kind of mess was she sending to his door?
He stood up and smoothed his silk robes. "I'll handle this."
Liu walked into the main dining hall. It was early for dinner, but a few wealthy merchants were already sipping tea. The large front doors were open, letting in the afternoon breeze.
And the smell.
It was a smell Liu had never encountered before. It didn't smell like the gamey, sour scent of an old ox. It smelled rich, mineral, and faintly sweet, like high-quality iron mixed with fat.
He walked outside. There, parked in front of his establishment, was a rough wooden cart. Standing next to it was a man dressed in strange, foreign clothes—leather boots, blue canvas trousers, and a hat that looked like a lampshade.
"You are the one Lady Su sent?" Liu asked, eyeing the man's attire with disdain.
Li Wei bowed politely, but his posture was relaxed, unbothered by the scrutiny. "I am Li Wei. And this is the Westland Ranch's first offering."
He pulled back the muslin cloth.
The sunlight hit the meat.
It was a deep, garnet red. Along one edge, a thick cap of white fat glistened. And when Li Wei turned the piece slightly, the marbling—those tiny white veins of intramuscular fat—seemed to shimmer.
Liu stared. He had been in the food business for thirty years. He knew pork belly. He knew lamb loin. He had never seen beef that looked like *this*.
"Beef?" Liu scoffed, though his voice wavered. "You bring me beef? This is a noble establishment. We do not serve peasant food. Beef is for labor, not for the table. It is tough, stringy, and..."
"Not this beef," Li Wei interrupted. He reached into the cart and pulled out the heavy iron cleaver he had commissioned.
"May I use your kitchen?" Li Wei asked. "I only need a pan and a fire. And I need five minutes."
"You want to cook in my kitchen?" Liu laughed. "Preposterous."
"Proprietor Liu," a sharp voice cut through the air.
A carriage had pulled up behind the cart. The door opened, and Su Qing stepped out. She was dressed in a pale blue robe, looking every inch the noble lady.
"Lady Su," Liu bowed quickly, his attitude shifting instantly. "I did not expect you."
"My husband has brought you a gift," Su Qing said, walking up to stand beside Li Wei. She looked at the meat in the cart and nodded, hiding her own surprise at its quality. "He claims it is a new delicacy. I have invested heavily in it. Surely, a man of your... discerning taste... can spare five minutes to prove me wrong?"
Liu was trapped. If he refused, he insulted the Magistrate's daughter. If he accepted, he risked his reputation.
"Five minutes," Liu snapped. "If it is tough, I will have the cart thrown into the street. And you, Lady Su... I will expect an apology."
Li Wei smiled. "Follow me."
***
**POV: Li Wei**
The kitchen of *The Golden Pavilion* was a chaotic hive of activity. Woks were flaming, steam was rising, and chefs were shouting orders. When Li Wei walked in, carrying his own cleaver, the head chef—a large man named Peng—stepped forward.
"Who dares bring a barbarian blade into my kitchen?" Chef Peng roared.
"He is with me," Liu said, following closely. "Let him use the station by the window. The one with the iron skillet."
Li Wei ignored the stares. He placed a thick-cut steak—a ribeye—on the cutting board. It was about an inch and a half thick.
"Salt," Li Wei said.
Chef Peng sneered but pushed a bowl of fine salt toward him. Li Wei rubbed the salt generously into the meat, massaging the fibers. He added a pinch of crushed pepper.
"Oil?"
"Pig lard," Chef Peng grunted.
Li Wei shook his head. "No. I need rendered beef fat. Or plain oil. The lard will mask the flavor."
He took a bottle of cooking oil from the shelf. He heated the iron skillet until it was smoking hot.
*Now or never.*
He laid the steak in the pan.
*SSSSSSSSSSSS.*
The sound was deafening. It wasn't the gentle sizzle of vegetables. It was a violent, searing roar. The Maillard reaction—the chemical process that turns protein and sugar into flavor—began instantly.
A cloud of fragrant smoke billowed up. It smelled of roasted nuts, browned butter, and iron.
The kitchen went silent. The other cooks stopped chopping. The dishwashers stopped scrubbing. Everyone turned to look.
"What is that smell?" a sous-chef whispered. "It smells... powerful."
Li Wei didn't look up. He was focused. He pressed the steak down with his tongs, ensuring a good crust. After two minutes, he flipped it.
The cooked side was a deep, mahogany brown. Perfectly crusted.
"Just a minute more," Li Wei muttered. He grabbed a handful of crushed garlic and a sprig of rosemary from a nearby prep station (ignoring Chef Peng's gasp of indignation) and threw them into the pan, scooping up the hot oil and basting the steak.
"Done."
He slapped the steak onto a wooden serving board.
"Let it rest for one minute," Li Wei said, wiping his cleaver.
"Rest?" Liu asked, hovering near the door, his nose twitching. "Why let it rest?"
"If you cut it now, the juices run out onto the plate," Li Wei explained, his voice calm, like a teacher instructing a student. "You want the juices in the meat. Patience, Proprietor."
He counted to sixty. The silence in the kitchen was heavy with anticipation.
Li Wei picked up his cleaver. He found the seam between the ribeye cap and the eye, and sliced.
The knife went through like butter. The inside was a perfect, gradient pink—medium-rare. The juices ran red and clear, pooling on the board, not spilling over the edges.
"Bring it out," Li Wei said.
***
**POV: Proprietor Liu**
Liu sat at a table in the private dining room. Su Qing sat opposite him. Li Wei stood by the table, holding the board.
"Try the outer edge first," Li Wei instructed. "The cap. It is the most flavorful part."
Liu picked up his chopsticks. He felt ridiculous. Eating beef? Like a common laborer? But the smell... the smell was intoxicating.
He picked up a slice. It was heavy. The fat wobbled slightly. He dipped it lightly in a saucer of vinegar and garlic sauce that Li Wei had prepared.
He put it in his mouth.
He chewed.
The first sensation was the crust—a crunch that gave way to softness. Then, the fat. It didn't coat his tongue in grease; it dissolved, turning into a savory liquid that coated his taste buds. Then the meat itself—fibrous but tender, yielding to the tooth with a satisfying resistance.
Flavor exploded. It wasn't the gamey, sour taste of old ox. It was deep, primal, satisfying. It tasted like wealth.
Liu closed his eyes. He chewed slower. He swallowed.
He opened his eyes and stared at the board.
"Well?" Su Qing asked, her hands clasped tight under the table.
Liu didn't answer. He reached out with his chopsticks again. He took another piece. Then another.
"Proprietor?" Chef Peng asked from the doorway.
"Bring wine," Liu said, his voice husky. "And bring the good rice."
He looked up at Li Wei. The disdain was gone. In its place was a desperate, hungry look.
"How much?" Liu asked.
"For the whole carcass?" Li Wei asked. "Or for the exclusive supply contract?"
Liu slammed his hand on the table. "Both! I don't care about the contract. I want this meat on my menu tonight. The Minister of Rites is dining here this evening. If he tastes this..."
Li Wei smiled. He named a price. It was three times the price of pork.
Liu didn't blink. "Done. Sell me the cart. All of it."
Su Qing let out a long, shaky breath.
"And the exclusive rights?" Li Wei pressed.
"Three years!" Liu barked, grabbing another slice of steak before Su Qing could even touch it. "You sell to me, and only me, within the city walls. I will pay a premium. Just... keep bringing this."
Li Wei bowed. "A pleasure doing business, Proprietor."
As Li Wei walked out of the restaurant, pockets heavy with silver, the System chimed.
**[Quest Complete: Sell 50 lbs of Beef.]**
**[Funds Acquired: Significant.]**
**[Reputation Increased: Golden Pavilion Supplier.]**
**[Reward: Smokehouse Blueprint (Unlocked).]**
**[New Quest: The First Employee.]**
Li Wei stepped into the sunlight. He had done it. He had turned grass into gold.
"Brother!" Li An ran up to him, eyes wide. "Did you see? He ate three pieces! He didn't even offer any to Sister Qing!"
"I saw," Li Wei laughed. "Come on. We have a smokehouse to build. And we need to buy more calves. The Westland is open for business."