Chapter 193: The Mansion’s Back Kitchen
Chapter 193: The Mansion’s Back Kitchen
“It seems Director Wen has received some news?”
Lin Mu picked up his teacup and gently blew on the swirling tea leaves on the surface.
“Correct. We have received a large amount of intelligence during this period. After careful analysis, we discovered the situation in Europe is somewhat unfavorable. An organization called Vulture is rapidly rising. They have already infiltrated several small countries. It now appears they also have people inside England.”
Wen Qiming said with a serious expression.
“Just an illegal organization, yet it can possess such great power?”
After taking a sip of tea, Lin Mu raised an eyebrow and asked.
No matter how powerful a private organization is, it’s very difficult for it to contend with the state apparatus. This Vulture could actually infiltrate multiple countries. It seems they indeed have some capability.
“Europe has many small countries. Although they are economically developed, their military strength isn’t very powerful. Don’t assume they are all like us. If not for this era of peace, those small countries would have been overthrown long ago.”
Wen Qiming shook his head. “When Germany started World War II, it only took two hours to overthrow Finland’s government. A powerful illegal organization could completely control them secretly from the shadows.”
“So that means, the situation over there is quite a mess?”
Lin Mu immediately frowned. “Then how can we determine which countries are still under their own control?”
“That’s just the way it is. After all, Europe is far from us. Being able to gather some intelligence is already quite impressive. We don’t have the energy to intervene in other matters. The situation there is much more chaotic than domestically.”
Wen Qiming sighed. “But now this Vulture is reaching even further. According to reliable sources, they have already sent people to make contact with those bosses in the Golden Triangle. We have reason to suspect that the recent prison break and the seizure of the narcotics are related to them.”
“Vulture?”
Lin Mu muttered the name once; this was the first time he had heard of it.
“Correct. The organization’s name is Vulture. They have now infiltrated the upper echelons of Europe and already possess significant power. England applying diplomatic pressure this time is a signal of their emerging influence.”
Wen Qiming affirmed with a nod.
“So what do we plan to do?”
Lin Mu turned his head and said.
“We will remain unchanged to cope with the ever-changing situation. The domestic market holds enormous energy and is a key dumping destination for those bosses in the Golden Triangle. This time they seized the narcotics back; they definitely won’t consume it themselves. Ultimately, they will still find a way to transport it into Huaxia.”
Wen Qiming said intently. “We just need to find a way to intercept their goods. No matter how much those people mess around abroad, it doesn’t have much to do with us.”
“That works too. We indeed don’t need to step into that muddy water.”
Lin Mu nodded deeply in agreement.
“Of course, this is primarily the matter for the Ministry of Public Security. It doesn’t have much to do with you, Xiao Lin. Having you come was also to express our gratitude. When necessary, if support is needed, I believe the higher-ups will make separate arrangements.”
Wen Qiming laughed heartily.
From the information Wen Qiming knew, Lin Mu felt Wen Qiming’s background wasn’t simple. Although he was now a Director, in charge of a province’s public security, he hadn’t reached the level where he could be involved in such high-level confidential information. From this, it seemed his future achievements would definitely not be limited to this.
“Since that’s the case, I won’t ask further. If there’s any need for help, I’ll await the arrangements from above. I wonder when Director Wen would have time for me to check on your wife’s condition?”
Lin Mu smiled and said.
“Tonight. I can free up some time tonight. I’ll trouble you then.”
Wen Qiming thought for a moment and said.
“Alright, then tonight it is. I happen to be free this afternoon. I’ll also trouble Mr. Yang to introduce me to Master Wong. I have some questions regarding medicinal properties that I’d like to consult him about.”
Nodding, Lin Mu then looked at Yang Guangqing.
“I’ll go check. Maybe Old Wang is free right now.”
Yang Guangqing stood up, smiled slightly, and walked out of the room.
Lin Mu and Wen Qiming chatted for a while longer. Not long after, Yang Guangqing pushed the door open and came back in.
“Old Wang is in the kitchen studying his recipes. You can go directly to find him and chat. He’s like this; once he focuses intently on researching recipes, he can’t move his feet.”
Yang Guangqing said with a laugh.
“No problem, I’ll go find him. For such a figure, I also want to witness his style.”
Lin Mu immediately laughed heartily.
“Alright then. Since that’s the case, Xiao Lin should go have a good chat with Master Wong. I’ll contact you tonight.”
Wen Qiming looked at his watch, then stood up and said.
“Okay, Director Wen, please go attend to your busy schedule. I’m just an idle person; I’ll just pass the time casually.”
Lin Mu nodded. After the two left, he was just about to call Yao Xianxian when Yao Xianxian returned.
“Why did they leave first?”
Yao Xianxian asked curiously.
“Director Wen is a very busy man; how can he compare to us? Come, I’ll take you to meet that Master Wong who can make the Ten Complete Great Tonifying Soup. You must learn well from him, so you can make soup for me at home later.”
Lin Mu picked up Yao Xianxian’s bag, took her hand, and walked out.
“But that’s his special skill! Can he just teach it to me so casually?”
Yao Xianxian giggled and held onto Lin Mu’s arm.
“Hmm, that’s true. What if he refuses to teach?”
Lin Mu pretended to frown, thinking hard.
“Then I just won’t learn!”
Yao Xianxian burst out laughing.
“How can that be! I still want to drink this soup!”
Lin Mu shook his head like a rattle-drum.
“Then I’ll go back and research it, see if I can figure out the secret recipe for this Ten Complete Great Tonifying Soup.”
Pouting, Yao Xianxian acted coquettishly.
“Then forget it. I don’t want to drink a Ten Complete Great Poisonous Soup. Who knows, drinking it might cost me my life.”
Lin Mu immediately put on a scared look.
“Dislike!”
Yao Xianxian lightly patted Lin Mu’s chest. “So many people want to drink the soup I make and can’t even get it! You’re so lucky!”
“Haha, indeed. So many people want to fall for you, never expecting that I’ve already found my way in!”
Lin Mu laughed heartily, making Yao Xianxian shyly act coquettish again.
The two walked and played around, soon arriving at the kitchen behind the mansion. The entire kitchen was built from green bamboo. Even before getting close, they could smell the faint fresh scent of bamboo.
It was long past meal time. The other chefs in the kitchen had already clocked out and were resting. Only a slightly plump figure remained in the kitchen, squatting on the ground studying something.
Lin Mu pulled Yao Xianxian inside and called out softly, “Master Wong?”
“You’re Lin Mu, right? Old Yang already told me about you. He praised you highly!”
The figure squatting on the ground stood up, then turned around and said with a smile.
This was a middle-aged man, roughly in his early forties. He had a crew cut, quite full cheeks that seemed a bit droopy, and a very full-faced appearance. If a fortune-teller saw him, they would surely say he has a very fortunate look.
“Mr. Yang flatters me. As a junior learner, there are still many things waiting for us to study.”
Lin Mu smiled slightly, handed the bag in his hand to Yao Xianxian, then walked forward to look at the things on the ground.
“Old Yang said you have considerable research into medicinal properties and wanted to discuss some issues with me?”
Wang Zhichuan said with a beaming smile, his cheeks shaking slightly.
“I wouldn’t dare call it a discussion. I wanted to ask Master Wong for advice on some questions regarding medicinal properties.”
Lin Mu squatted down and fiddled with a vegetable basket on the ground. Inside were over ten Chinese medicines, some flowers, some grass, and some roots.
“It seems you have research into pharmacology as well. Generally, researching medicinal properties means wanting to try inventing new things. Are you planning to use medicine?”
Wang Zhichuan also squatted down and asked with great interest.
“Yes. I found an ancient formula, but most of the medicinal ingredients in it can’t be found now. So I plan to find some medicinal herbs with similar properties to substitute, to see if I can recreate this ancient formula.”
Lin Mu nodded and said truthfully.
“That’s a pretty normal phenomenon. There are many medicinal herbs from ancient times that are indeed extinct today.”
Nodding, Wang Zhichuan then asked, “I wonder what kind of medicinal properties you are looking for?”
“Xianxian, get me some paper and a pen.”
Lin Mu said to Yao Xianxian. After receiving the paper and pen, he quickly wrote down various medicinal properties, then handed it to Wang Zhichuan to see.
“It seems your ancient formula is quite extraordinary!”
Wang Zhichuan gave Lin Mu a meaningful look, his eyebrows furrowing into a shape like the character for river. Clearly, even he was greatly troubled by the medicinal properties Lin Mu listed. Although he was proficient in pharmacology, several of these properties were strange ones he had never even heard of.
Picking up a pen, he wrote the names of a few medicinal herbs next to the properties he knew. After concentrating and thinking for a while, he shook his head and returned the paper to Lin Mu.
“There are a few medicinal properties I haven’t heard of either. I don’t even know if such medicinal herbs exist in the world.”
Wang Zhichuan shook his head and gave a wry smile.
“Yeah, I’m also very puzzled. Perhaps the herbs for these medicinal properties really can’t be found.”
Lin Mu also sighed helplessly. The Cultivation World is vast, so naturally all sorts of strange medicinal herbs can be found. But Earth’s scope is very limited. Plus, with the scarcity of Spiritual Energy, perhaps these similarly-propertied herbs truly cannot be born.
“But I do have one method. Perhaps we can give it a try.”
Wang Zhichuan suddenly spoke up.
“Oh? What method?”
Lin Mu looked at Wang Zhichuan curiously.
“You must have tasted that Ten Complete Great Tonifying Soup just now, right?”
Wang Zhichuan said with a beaming smile.
“Correct. The soup is indeed of the highest grade.”
Lin Mu nodded and praised.
“Although the name is Ten Complete Great Tonifying Soup, it actually contains dozens of medicinal herbs. I wonder how many of the medicinal properties you were able to discern?”
Wang Zhichuan looked at Lin Mu and asked with a smile.
“About five or six. What do you mean?”
Lin Mu said puzzledly, then suddenly understood and immediately showed a face full of surprise.