Lin Dan helped Madam Qi sit down by the door before turning to Yan Langqing. Her gaze was piercing as she asked, “Miss Yan, have you looked through the recipe book I gave you?”

“Of course I have.” Yan Langqing replied. Standing on the staircase leading to the second floor of the restaurant, she looked down at Lin Dan with a mix of confusion and arrogance.

“Then you must have noticed that the first sixty pages of the Yan family’s recipe book are old, yellowed, and the writing is blurred, while the following three hundred and eighty-eight pages are pristine, with clear ink. Why is that?”

Yan Langqing’s heart sank, realizing things might take a bad turn, but she couldn’t stop Lin Dan from speaking. Lin Dan took a step forward and raised her voice, “That’s because those three hundred and eighty-eight pages are filled with new dishes created by my father to make up for the shortcomings of the Yan family’s recipes. My father worked in this field for decades, innovating hundreds of dishes and dozens of new techniques, all recorded in the Yan family’s recipe book. Today, the most popular signature dishes in the restaurant were all created by him. Even the dish made with braised deer tendons was personally developed by the Marquis and my father together. It took them several months and dozens of deer to perfect it. Surely you haven’t forgotten that, Young Marquis?”

The Young Marquis replied cautiously, “Indeed, that is true.”

As the restaurant was changing its sign today, it was a momentous occasion. Second Brother Lin invited many old gourmets to join the celebration. One of them, who had a close friendship with Lin Baotian, couldn’t help but shout, “And the stewed shark’s fin dish! I worked with your father on that for over half a year. We wasted cartloads of shark fins before we finally created the dish that became part of the imperial menu. People can say what they will about your father’s character, but his culinary skills were never stolen or robbed. Those were real skills honed through years of hard work!”

Lin Dan respectfully bowed to him, expressing her gratitude. “Thank you, Uncle Liu, for speaking up. Based on his actions over the years, everyone should have a clear understanding of my father’s character.” She then turned to Yan Langqing and continued, “Your father was the biological son of Grand Master. He was bedridden for months and sent several letters to your father, but your father never returned to see him off. I won’t delve into the reasons for that. I only want to say this— my father arranged everything for Grand Master’s funeral with utmost care. He even performed the ritual of breaking the basin and erecting the tombstone in place of Grand Master’s biological son. You cannot deny that, can you?”

Yan Langqing instinctively looked toward her father, who was about to argue, but Lin Dan continued, “There were many people who attended the funeral back then. It shouldn’t be difficult to find a few witnesses.”

Yan Langqing’s father immediately fell silent. That funeral was indeed grand and many people still remembered it.

Lin Dan glanced at him and slowly said, “My father cared for Grand Master until his last breath and handled all the funeral arrangements, fulfilling the duties of a true son. How could he be accused of betraying his master? Back then, you and my father both studied under Grand Master. Yet, while you remain obscure, my father traveled far and wide, establishing the Yan family’s culinary reputation in the capital. So, was it my father who stole your family’s golden knife and recipes, committing a heinous betrayal, or was it that Grand Master didn’t pass on his best skills to you because you were unworthy? Who really knows the truth? Just like you, his own son, who didn’t even return to see him off— who can say what went wrong there, other than your own words?”

Cold sweat began to form on the forehead of Yan Langqing’s father. He raised his hand to wipe it but quickly lowered it again, looking guilty and flustered. No matter how well he spoke, the fact that he didn’t return for his father’s final moments was a grave act of unfilial conduct, enough to condemn him in the eyes of others.

Lin Dan turned to Yan Langqing and continued, “You wanted to compete with me in culinary skills, with the winner claiming the golden knife and the recipe book. I found that reasonable, so I agreed. In the end, you won, and I returned the recipe book and the knife. Then doesn’t that mean that only the strongest deserve to inherit the title of Golden Knife Imperial Cook’s Successor? If so, shouldn’t your father and my father have competed as well back then?”

Yan Langqing’s father seemed to have been struck in a sore spot and immediately retorted, “Compete for what? I am my father’s son. His things should be passed on to me. What does it have to do with your father?”

Finally, someone nearby couldn’t stand it anymore and refuted, “In the culinary world, it’s all about real skill. You can’t fake it when you’re in front of the stove. The title of Golden Knife Imperial Cook’s Successor can’t be passed on to just anyone. You have to be worthy of it! For a cook, reputation and credibility are everything. Anyone who ruins those two, even if they’re the biological son, doesn’t deserve the title!”

As soon as those words were spoken, many people nodded in agreement. Every well-known cook in the capital took on dozens of apprentices, but only one or two of them could inherit their legacy. Why? Because true skills could only be passed on to those with real talent.

Some things were better left unsaid. But once spoken, the doubts started piling up. For a moment, everyone began looking at the father and daughter differently.

Lin Dan, unhurried and calm, said, “Yes, you are Grand Master’s biological son, and it seems that gives you some claim, however, my father is no longer here to defend himself. So now, can I, following Yan Langqing’s logic, challenge you on behalf of my father? Let’s finish the competition that you and my father had never managed to do. You and I will each make three dishes in this restaurant’s kitchen and the guests here will be the witnesses. Whoever wins will own the golden knife and the recipe book. Is that fair for you?”

Yan Langqing’s father was so frightened that his lips started to tremble. He had avoided the hardships of culinary training from a young age, pleading with his mother to send him to live with his maternal grandparents and study there. How would he know how to cook? It was Yan Langqing who had inherited Yan Bo’s talent. If not for that, he wouldn’t have pushed his daughter to compete with Lin Dan.

But he never expected Lin Dan to be so cunning, turning the tables on him. What was he to do now? Should he accept the challenge in front of all these people or decline it? Declining would make him seem cowardly, but accepting would only lead to more embarrassment when he inevitably lost!

Yan Langqing, just a year or two older than Lin Dan, was slightly more shrewd than his father but not by much. She immediately stepped forward and shouted, “Lin Dan, if you want to compete, compete with me. Why challenge my father?”

“I’ve already competed with you. Right now, this competition is to find out who’s the more deserving one between our fathers. I was personally taught by my father and inherited a fraction of his skills. If I lose, I’ll accept it. But if I win, I ask that you retract your accusations against my father. So, will you compete?”

Yan Langqing’s father didn’t even know how to flip a wok. How could he possibly compete? As the cold sweat on his forehead grew more evident, the onlookers began to guess that he was not skilled in cooking and they started to discuss among themselves, “He couldn’t even beat a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl, yet he dares to compare himself to Lin Baotian? If I were Imperial Cook Yan, I would have chosen Lin Baotian as my successor too, rather than this incompetent son.” The public opinion, which had been heavily against Lin Baotian, was now completely shifting. Some even began to egg Yan Langqing’s father on to compete, eager to see him make a fool of himself.

Although Lin Dan had already lost to Yan Langqing, this time she issued the challenge on behalf of her late father with the purpose of defending his reputation. No one could fault her for this. Instead, they secretly praised her, saying, “Such filial piety, a child should be like this.”

The white-bearded old man who had previously served as a judge in the previous competition watched Lin Dan and nodded repeatedly, his expression full of appreciation.

Yan Langqing’s father was panicking. He kept wiping his sweat and retreating. Yan Langqing turned her head to look pitifully at the young marquis, seemingly seeking his help. The young marquis was Lin Dan’s master, and as long as he spoke, Lin Dan would stop making things difficult for her father. But the young marquis, who had always been responsive to her requests, was solemn and silent this time.

Lin Dan glanced at the young marquis and said helplessly, “Fine, in consideration of Grand Master’s spirit in heaven, I won’t argue with you. But there is one thing I must clarify. My father was never an ungrateful person who would betray his master. Everything he achieved was earned through his own skills. Back then, there were not hundreds, but just dozens of imperial cooks who left the palace, yet how many of them truly made a name for themselves outside? I counted on my fingers and they don’t exceed five. Without my father, who would know the title of Golden Knife Imperial Cook’s Successor? Who would know the Yan family’s dishes? The original Yan family’s recipe book had only sixty pages, but my father expanded and revised it to over four hundred pages. How much effort did that take?”

Lin Dan stared directly at Yan Langqing and continued, “I’ve given the golden knife to you as well as the recipe book that my father had a hand in writing. Consider it repaying Grand Master’s years of kindness in raising my father. I hope you won’t continue to push us. I can choose not to cook the dishes from the book, but don’t deny my father’s culinary skills and character, and don’t deny his contributions to the Yan family’s dishes. Without him, the Yan family’s dishes wouldn’t be as celebrated as it is today. He is worthy of his master and of the Yan family. Even in the afterlife, he has nothing to fear.” After finishing her words, she helped the tearful Madam Qi up and slowly walked away.

As soon as their figures disappeared, discussions broke out in the restaurant. Some said that the Yan family’s dishes’ current reputation was indeed earned by Lin Baotian, who always regarded himself as the rightful successor. This was gratitude, not ingratitude. Others said that the Yan family’s father and daughter were truly ungrateful. Without Lin Baotian, would the Yan family’s dishes have its current fame? Lin Baotian rewrote the Yan family’s recipe book, which was an immense treasure. Yet, they not only took it all but also forbade his daughter from cooking the dishes in it, forcing her into a corner. How heartless!

Previously, everyone had sympathized with Yan Langqing and her father, but now they saw the truth. One of them fabricated lies to ruin someone’s reputation, and the other was cruel and ruthless, cutting off someone’s future. Such despicable behavior! On the other hand, Lin Dan and her father were generous and magnanimous!

“I’m not eating here anymore. Without Cook Lin, what’s the point of eating at this restaurant?” Many customers immediately left and the bustling hall quickly emptied.

Lin Dan helped Madam Qiinto a hired carriage and headed to the outskirts of the capital to find a cheap inn. One hundred and twenty taels of silver seemed like a lot, but it would be spent quickly. Without any income, they had to save every penny to ensure their future livelihood.

“Dan’er, why didn’t you compete with Yan Shouye just now? He couldn’t even flip a wok back then. He’s no match to you.” Madam Qi asked in confusion.

“Mother, didn’t you notice how much the young marquis protected Yan Langqing? With the young marquis around, it’s best not to provoke the Yan family.” Lin Dan replied as she pulled back the thin quilt, urging Madam Qi to rest for a while. But only she knew that not wanting to provoke Yan Langqing and the young marquis was one reason. The other reason was that she had only inherited the other Lin Dan’s memories but hadn’t mastered her culinary skills. The words she said earlier were just to intimidate Yan Langqing’s father. She wouldn’t actually compete with him. If she did, she would only embarrass herself. By not competing, people would imagine the worst about Yan Langqing’s father in their minds, which was exactly the effect she wanted.

“Are you saying that the young marquis is interested in Yan Langqing……?” Madam Qi thought of Yan Langqing’s beautiful face, then remembered how the young marquis always protected her, and couldn’t help but sigh. They were just a lone widow and her daughter, with no one to rely on. How could they dare to oppose someone the young marquis favored? They had no choice but to silently accept this loss.

Little did they know that after they left, the young marquis also walked away without a word, leaving Yan Langqing standing there in extreme embarrassment.