Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

The spread consisted of eight dishes and one soup. While it lacked the elaborate plating and decorative carvings of a restaurant, it was impeccable in color, aroma, and taste.

The braised pork belly glistened with a rich, dark sauce. The steamed fish was blanketed in slivers of ginger and scallion. A dish of stir-fried seasonal vegetables was a vibrant, luscious green. Alongside these were several cold appetizers and a tureen of steaming chicken soup.

With a thoughtful mix of meat and vegetable dishes, both hot and cold, it was clear the meal had been prepared with great care.

At the table.

A beautiful woman, whose eyes and brows bore a slight resemblance to Zhuang Zhen, stood up. She smiled warmly at Chen Cheng as he entered.

"You must be Chen Cheng. You look even younger than I imagined... And you shouldn't have! You came all this way, why bring so many gifts?"

"Greetings, Lady Zhuang."

Chen Cheng set the items he was carrying on a nearby table. He gave a formal fist-and-palm salute before speaking.

"They're nothing of great value. A few boxes of pastries from Fushun Restaurant for you, my lady. And that jug of... Nine Treasures Wine is for Lord Yu."

"Nine Treasures Wine?"

Yu Feng, who had been walking toward the table, paused at the mention of this. He turned his head and glanced at the wine jug.

The jug wasn't large. It had a smooth, black-glazed surface and was sealed with a red cloth. It looked to be a fine vintage.

But Yu Feng had never heard of the name.

There wasn't a fine wine in Zhao City that Yu Feng hadn't tasted. He figured Chen Cheng must have gone to some trouble to procure this jug from out of town.

At this thought, Yu Feng's curiosity was thoroughly piqued. He wanted to open it and have a taste right away but, fearing his wife's displeasure, he could only restrain himself.

"Come, come, please sit. Make yourself at home."

Zhuang Hui Xian acted more like the head of the household. The moment she spoke, Yu Feng immediately went to his seat.

Chen Cheng followed suit and took a seat.

The three of them ate and chatted, and the atmosphere was quite congenial.

The three of them shared a tacit understanding, carefully avoiding the misunderstanding about him being their nephew-in-law.

During the meal, it was mostly Zhuang Hui Xian who questioned Chen Cheng.

She asked about his age, his family, his mother's health, and if there was any news of his father. She asked if he was accustomed to living in the South Third District, which master he studied under at the Dragon Mountain Upper Courtyard, and what his plans were for the future.

She left no stone unturned, asking about whatever came to mind, as if determined to scrutinize every detail of his life.

Chen Cheng answered all the questions he could, and he did so truthfully.

When it came to his origins, he didn't try to hide a thing. He recounted his circumstances in Kuhuai Village, his tone so dispassionate he could have been talking about someone else's life.

As Zhuang Hui Xian listened, the smile on her face deepened.

Even Yu Feng's eyes revealed an undeniable look of approval for Chen Cheng's candor.

"There's no shame in a humble birth. To have clawed your way up from the very bottom to where you are today is what's truly commendable!"

Yu Feng raised an eyebrow, and his usually stern face took on a hearty expression.

"For that alone, I'd like to raise a cup to Xiaochen. What do you think, my dear?"

At his words, Zhuang Hui Xian gave him a light-hearted glare, but ultimately smiled and nodded her assent.

Yu Feng's lips split into a wide grin, a rare sight for any outsider.

He promptly stood up and fetched the wine jug.

He untied the red cloth and broke the clay seal. But instead of using a cup, he found a large, deep bowl and filled it to the brim.

The aroma of the wine instantly filled the entire room.

"Xiaochen, care for a bowl?"

'A bowl?'

Chen Cheng eyed the bowl. It looked like it could hold half a bottle's worth, at least.

"No, thank you. I can't hold my liquor. Please, Lord Yu, don't let me stop you."

"Yu, don't drink so much!"

Zhuang Hui Xian shot her husband another glare, this one more pointed than the last.

There was a good reason she didn't like her husband drinking.

"Tsk... this wine has a kick..."

Yu Feng couldn't help but exclaim in praise after the very first sip.

But as he went to take a second, he realized something was wrong.

A scorching heat erupted from his lower abdomen, spreading through his entire body in an instant, as if he were being consumed by fire.

"This wine..."

Yu Feng looked toward Chen Cheng, about to ask a question, but he could no longer even remain seated.

He shot to his feet, and there was an unusual bulge beneath the hem of his cotton robe.

He glanced down, then shot his head up to look at Chen Cheng, his normally stern face now as red as a cooked lobster.

He opened his mouth, but was too stunned to speak.

Zhuang Hui Xian, not yet realizing the gravity of the situation, was busy placing more food on Chen Cheng's plate.

"Lord Yu, Lady Zhuang," Chen Cheng chose this moment to speak up.

"I should take my leave for today. My mother is home alone, and I should get back to keep her company."

"What a good, filial son."

Zhuang Hui Xian put down her chopsticks and said with a warm smile.

"I won't keep you any longer today, then. We'll get together again when we have the chance. Next time, I'll have Zhuang Zhen make a few of her specialty dishes for you! Her cooking is much better than mine!"

"Excellent. Until next time."

Chen Cheng rose, offered a fist-and-palm salute, and took his leave.

"Yu, see Xiaochen out. Yu?"

Only then did Zhuang Hui Xian turn to look at Yu Feng. Her expression immediately turned peculiar.

"There's no need to trouble him. I can see myself out."

Chen Cheng politely declined and made a swift exit.

He hadn't gotten far before the clatter of falling bowls and dishes echoed from the dining room.

...

「The next day.」

The blizzard passed as quickly as it came. The clouds parted to a warm sun, and the world felt brand new.

Black Cloud Lake, nestled amidst a circle of mountains, stretched out as far as the eye could see.

In winter, the lake's surface lost the vibrant greens of spring and summer, taking on a somber, iron-gray hue that stretched gloomily to the horizon.

The northern wind swept across the water, stirring up ripples in endless layers. The crests of the waves were laden with bits of ice, and as they pushed against each other, they made a sharp, clanging sound that carried to the edge of the horizon.

To the south of the lake, a solitary island stood out starkly in the sunlight.

The island's foundation was built of bluestone, from which high walls rose majestically. The walls stood a full thirty feet high, rivaling a borderland garrison fortress.

This was Wu's Fishing Village.

Atop the high walls were neat rows of crenellations and soaring watchtowers. Manor Soldiers, armed with bows, patrolled back and forth, their gazes sweeping over every ripple on the water's surface.

Within the walls, houses stood in dense, orderly rows. Wisps of cooking smoke curled into the air. A network of wide and narrow roads crisscrossed the compound, making it look like a small, self-contained village.

On the south side of the island was a man-made wharf.

At that moment, a dozen or so boats were moored side by side along the docks. Their hulls swayed gently with the waves, and their mooring ropes creaked as they alternately tightened and slackened.

These were no ordinary fishing boats. Their hulls were wider and deeper, and their decks featured specially constructed water tanks. The hatches to these tanks were mostly sealed shut, with only a few small holes left for air.

Some of the boatmen were washing the decks, and steam rose where the icy water hit the wood. Others were adding water to the tanks, bucket by bucket. Still others tirelessly made trip after trip, loading cargo onto the boats.

Several of the boats were already fully loaded, sitting low in the water with their gunwales nearly level with the surface.

Chen Cheng was standing beside the water tank of one such boat, watching the lively 'cargo' inside, lost in thought.

"Brother Chen."

A soft, polite voice called out from behind him.

Chen Cheng turned around.

A graceful figure emerged from the main cabin and came to a stop beside him. She followed his gaze, peering into the water tank.

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