Chapter 717: Worry-Forget Lady

"Worry-Forget Lady on Iron Bowl Ridge, Little Slave knows this person!"

Li Li Banfeng knew that the Lady had fought a war on the Year-Desolate Wasteland, and Iron Bowl Ridge was adjacent to the Year-Desolate Wasteland. The Lady had recovered quite a bit of memory during this time, perhaps she had had dealings with Worry-Forget Lady.

It really turned out as Li Li Banfeng guessed. Not only had the Lady had dealings with Worry-Forget Lady, but their friendship wasn't shallow either.

"When I was fighting the Inner Continent, Iron Bowl Ridge recruited reinforcements everywhere to ensure the front line didn't run out of supplies. Just for this friendship, Little Slave shouldn't have forgotten her!"

Li Li Banfeng told the Record Player about Pan Pan Dehai's desire to form an alliance with Worry-Forget Lady, "My precious Lady, why not take the opportunity to go see Worry-Forget Lady."

The Lady pondered for a long time and said, "Husband, going to see her is fine, but you know Pan Pan Dehai's character. If Worry-Forget Lady doesn't want to form an alliance with him, what should be done?"

Li Li Banfeng said, "Rest assured, Lady. This matter will absolutely not be forced. If Worry-Forget Lady doesn't agree, we'll just treat it as taking you and the sisters to catch up on old times."

The Lady was full of joy, "Then Little Slave will wait for Husband in the main room."

Li Li Banfeng went to Iron Bowl Ridge. Finding Worry-Forget Lady wasn't a difficult task. She was different from other Land-Head Gods; she didn't hide in the dark, she lived in the open.

Iron Bowl Ridge was a city, not as large as Green Water City, but slightly larger than Sea-Eat Ridge.

Sea-Eat Ridge was divided into three ridges: the first ridge was the city, the second ridge was the town, and the third ridge was the village.

Iron Bowl Ridge was divided into two ridges: the first ridge was considered the outer city, and the second ridge was considered the inner city.

Li Li Banfeng arrived at the first ridge and looked at his pocket watch. It was 12:30 PM, right at lunchtime.

He wanted to find a restaurant to eat. The main street of the first ridge was more than ten miles long, and there were more than a hundred restaurants of all sizes on the street.

Were there really that many customers coming to eat?

There really were. Many large restaurants were full. Li Li Banfeng walked to several in a row, and there were no seats.

Judging from the situation of the restaurants, the population of Iron Bowl Ridge was large, and they were all living quite prosperously.

Li Li Banfeng entered an alley and found a small restaurant. This shop was quiet. In the room of less than twenty square meters, two rows of tables were set up, and there wasn't a single customer.

"Are you still doing business?" Li Li Banfeng asked.

The shopkeeper was a man in his fifties, sitting behind the counter, staring at Li Li Banfeng for a while, "Are you eating?"

"Yes."

The shopkeeper pulled up a chair, "Sit."

Li Li Banfeng sat down, waiting for the menu.

The shopkeeper served a bowl of stewed meat and a bowl of rice, "Eat as you see fit. If you think it's delicious, give whatever you want. If it's not delicious, just act as if you never came."

If it were someone else, they would have been scared away. There was no such way of doing business.

Li Li Banfeng didn't ask much. He picked up a piece of meat and chewed it in his mouth. The soup seeped into his mouth along the texture of the meat fibers, and the rich fragrance filled his mouth and nose.

The fat meat was fragrant and smooth, and the lean meat was firm. Li Li Banfeng chewed this mouthful of meat for a long time and couldn't bear to swallow it.

This person's culinary skills were too good.

Li Li Banfeng ate the whole bowl of stewed meat, mixed the meat soup into the rice, and also ate the rice clean.

Roughly estimating the price of this bowl of meat, Li Li Banfeng put down two banknotes.

He stood up to leave, but the shopkeeper stopped Li Li Banfeng, "Guest, give me a word. Is this meat delicious?"

Li Li Banfeng nodded, "Delicious."

"That's enough," the shopkeeper stuffed the money back to Li Li Banfeng, "I'm not doing this business anymore. The shop will be closed tomorrow. This meal is on me. Take your time."

Li Li Banfeng frowned, "Why aren't you doing business anymore?"

The shopkeeper lowered his head to tidy up the bowls and chopsticks, "Because I'm not worthy of being a cook."

"You're not worthy? Then who is worthy?"

"Who is worthy depends on what Worry-Forget Lady says. Those who are worthy all live on the second ridge," the shopkeeper collected the bowls and chopsticks and smiled at Li Li Banfeng,

"I've been doing business here for thirty years. Every time I go to find Worry-Forget Lady, I take this bowl of stewed meat. In these thirty years, I've gone hundreds of times, and every time I try my best to make it better, but every time she says the same thing: 'You're not worthy.' Since I'm not worthy of being a cook, why should I keep the shop open? This business is done."

"Does she look down on your home-cooked food?"

"Who knows?" The shopkeeper put the bowls and chopsticks into the sink and sat behind the counter with an expressionless face. Li Li Banfeng walked to the shop door and turned back to ask the shopkeeper, "What are your plans for the future?"

The shopkeeper shook his head, "There is no future. I'll die today."

Li Li Banfeng looked at the shopkeeper for a while; this didn't sound like angry talk.

The shopkeeper said calmly, "I just said what was serious. I've been a cook for a lifetime, and I've lived a life of toil."

Li Li Banfeng stopped at the door and asked, "Is there any meat left?"

The shopkeeper was stunned, "You want some more?"

"Pack it in a lunch box. Bring it to the second ridge. I'll go with you. I want to ask Worry-Forget Lady who is truly worthy of being a cook."

The shopkeeper thought Li Li Banfeng was crazy.

Li Li Banfeng went along with the flow, "Just treat me as crazy. Anyway, you're a person who's going to die. You won't lose anything by going out for a walk with a crazy person."

The shopkeeper thought it made sense. He packed the soup and meat into an iron bowl. The iron bowl had a lid, and after covering it tightly, the shopkeeper followed Li Li Banfeng to the second ridge.

Walking on the road, the two chatted. Li Li Banfeng learned that this shopkeeper was named Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang. He had spent most of his life on the first ridge and never had the chance to do business on the second ridge.

Iron Bowl Ridge was a piece of land in the back, the territory wasn't special, but the people were very special. People here were proud of being able to live on the second ridge, and there were plenty of people like him who stayed on the first ridge for a lifetime.

The second ridge was slightly higher than the first, and the territory was much smaller than the first. But in such a small place, there were more restaurants than on the first ridge. On the whole street, except for one theater and two book-reading shops, the rest were all restaurants.

But the level of these restaurants wasn't high. There weren't many large restaurants, but a large area of small ones, and there were quite a few pushing carts and selling along the street.

Li Li Banfeng had originally thought that Worry-Forget Lady looked down on the home-cooked food of small restaurants. It seemed that wasn't the situation.

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang held the iron bowl and arrived at Sea-Bowl Street, entering Vinegar-Dish Alley. This whole alley belonged to Worry-Forget Lady alone.

Entering the main gate and arriving at the courtyard, the courtyard wasn't wide, but it was truly long. From the entrance to the house, he estimated it to be fifty meters.

The courtyard was full of people, each holding an iron bowl in their hands, identical in size and style.

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang introduced, "This bowl was given by Worry-Forget Lady. All these people came from the first ridge, offering dishes to Worry-Forget Lady. As long as Worry-Forget Lady is satisfied with this dish, they can move to the second ridge to do business in the future."

Not long after, more than a dozen people came out of the house into the courtyard. These people included men and women, old and young.

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang recognized them, "These are Worry-Forget Lady's disciples."

The disciples set up two rows of tables in the courtyard, and many cooks placed their own iron bowls on the tables.

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang didn't dare to cut in line and placed his iron bowl on the last table. A disciple shouted, "Open the bowls!"

The cooks opened their iron bowls one after another. Li Li Banfeng looked up and saw dumplings, soup noodles, roast chicken, Tang Yuan, and a person who had packed a bowl of tofu brain, with brine, white sugar, and chili oil placed beside it.

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang snorted, "This tofu seller is too cunning. This is letting Worry-Forget Lady adjust the brine herself; the taste will definitely be more or less the same!"

"The brine isn't the point." Li Li Banfeng stared at that bowl of tofu brain for a long time. He didn't believe that a bowl of tofu could be more delicious than stewed meat!

Not long after, Worry-Forget Lady came out of the house.

In Li Li Banfeng's impression, most Food Cultivators were quite plump. Little Fatty had become that thin because he ate intestinal silkworms. He knew other Food Cultivators, and none of them were small. He didn't expect Worry-Forget Lady to be an exception. She wasn't thin, but her figure was very well-proportioned. She looked to be in her thirties, and she was also quite handsome.

It was just that her attire was a bit vulgar. A golden hairpin was stuck in her hair, with two huge golden rings hanging from the hairpin. As she walked, they clanged, as if deliberately telling others that the weight of this hairpin was sufficient.

The powder on her face was thick and greasy, her eyebrow makeup was deep, her lips were bright red, and she wore a green gauze shirt, her collar half-covered, and a bright red bib faintly visible.

She wore a red gauze skirt on her lower body, red enough to hurt the eyes, and a pair of embroidered shoes with green faces on her feet. She had to wear this red and green combination to the end.

Worry-Forget Lady arrived in the courtyard, walked to the table, and first ate a dumpling.

She was quite satisfied with this dumpling, "There is progress. Make two catties of wontons next month and come again."

The dumpling seller agreed happily. Li Li Banfeng asked, "Does this count as success?"

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang shook his head repeatedly, "It's far from it. If it were a success, it would be a success today. Asking him to come again tomorrow,"

"I estimate it won't work."

Worry-Forget Lady ate a few more dumplings and gave the remaining dumplings to her disciples. She walked to the next cook, took two bites, ate half a roast chicken, sucked her fingers, and commented, "A bit lacking in heat. Wait in the kitchen first."

Li Li Banfeng asked Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang, "Does waiting in the kitchen count as success?"

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang nodded repeatedly, "This still counts as having some hope. Anyway, I've never had the chance to go to the kitchen."

Worry-Forget Lady ate one by one. Some were asked to come again tomorrow, and some were sent away on the spot. Only the cook who made tofu was kept by Worry-Forget Lady on the spot.

"You come to the second ridge to settle down tomorrow."

The tofu seller rubbed his hands, "I haven't saved enough money to move yet. If you let me push my cart to the second ridge to sell tofu tomorrow, I'll be content."

Worry-Forget Lady continued to eat down the line, and when she reached Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang's side, Worry-Forget Lady frowned, "Why is it you again?"

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang lowered his head, "I just wanted to—"

"Didn't I tell you? You're not worthy."

Li Li Banfeng spoke up, "Then who do you say is worthy?"

Worry-Forget Lady looked at Li Li Banfeng. Before Li Li Banfeng spoke, she hadn't even noticed Li Li Banfeng's existence.

"Good skills!" Worry-Forget Lady praised, "Have you eaten his stewed meat?"

Li Li Banfeng nodded, "I have. I think he is worthy of being a cook."

Worry-Forget Lady smiled slightly, "Good. I'm also afraid I might have misjudged. You also go wait in the kitchen."

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang was overjoyed and followed Li Li Banfeng to the kitchen. The person who made roast chicken was also there.

Worry-Forget Lady asked her disciples to prepare tools. She gave each person a small bag of flour, a piece of pork, two eggs,

a head of cabbage, and various seasonings, asking them to make a bowl of noodles.

Noodles were the basic skill of a chef. The roast chicken seller quickly made a bowl of fried sauce noodles. Worry-Forget Lady ate half a bowl and nodded, "Move your roast chicken shop to the second ridge tomorrow."

"Can I move house just like this?" Li Li Banfeng expressed deep doubt.

Worry-Forget Lady asked her disciples to serve the remaining noodles to Li Li Banfeng, and Li Li Banfeng ate them.

The taste was not bad, but it couldn't be called a big surprise. Li Li Banfeng put down his chopsticks and asked, "Does this count as success?"

Worry-Forget Lady nodded and looked at Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang, "If he has this quality in this bowl of noodles, then he counts as successful too."

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang made a bowl of soup noodles. Li Li Banfeng took a bite, turned back to look at Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang, and frowned, asking,

"Did you do that on purpose?"

This bowl of noodles was quite lacking.

It couldn't be called delicious, but it was barely enough to fill one's stomach.

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang rubbed his hands, "I'm not good at making noodles."

Worry-Forget Lady smiled, "But your restaurant sells noodles."

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang lowered his head, "I'm good at stewing meat."

Worry-Forget Lady said, "But your restaurant doesn't sell stewed meat."

"We do sell it, just not much—" Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang's voice grew lower and lower.

"Good," Worry-Forget Lady waved her hand and asked someone to bring a piece of beef, placing it in front of Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang, "You stew it. I'll wait."

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang lowered his head, "I'm afraid this isn't very appropriate."

Li Li Banfeng asked Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang, "Why isn't it appropriate?"

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang didn't speak, and Worry-Forget Lady answered for him, "Because when he stews a pot of meat, it takes three days and three nights."

"Selecting materials and seasonings takes a day, stewing the meat and boiling the soup takes a day, and soaking in the soup to absorb the flavor takes a day. Do you still call this cooking? This has become alchemy."

"When I get up early in the morning and arrive at the first ridge, I like to eat that bowl of tofu brain. It's fragrant, smooth, and delicious. That taste can make people feel refreshed for a whole day. If I eat it today, I'll still be thinking about it tomorrow. This is a true cook. Such a person is worthy of the second ridge."

"You put your whole life's effort into that pot of meat, and it only produces a small pot every three days. When you're done, you come here to compete with me. No one else gets to eat it. What do I call you to the second ridge for? To let people eat that bowl of noodles you make that they can't swallow?"

Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang lowered his head, held the iron bowl, and left.

Li Li Banfeng looked at Worry-Forget Lady and had some understanding of this Land-Head God's temperament.

Worry-Forget Lady asked her disciples to withdraw, leaving only her and Li Li Banfeng in the kitchen.

"This friend, since you came to find me, please state your name first."

Li Qi reported his name. Worry-Forget Lady looked happy, "I've heard quite a few things about you, especially about the Year-Desolate Wasteland. That battle was very dangerous."

"If the Year-Desolate Wasteland had fallen, Iron Bowl Ridge definitely wouldn't have been able to hold on. Those bastards wouldn't even leave a whole corpse. Why did you come to find me?"

Li Li Banfeng didn't know how to speak for a moment. In front of such a heroic woman, it didn't seem right to mention Pan Pan Dehai's name.

"My Lady is your friend, and she wanted to come find you to catch up on old times."

While speaking, Li Li Banfeng quietly pricked his fingertip and sprinkled blood on the ground.

A halo passed under Worry-Forget Lady's feet, the color very dark. Worry-Forget Lady didn't notice. Li Li Banfeng knew the Lady was waiting in the main room, so he used the "Connecting the Bridal Chamber" technique to swap the Lady out of his personal space.

Worry-Forget Lady looked at the woman who had suddenly appeared, first startled, and after looking carefully for a while, she asked, "This is your Lady? Do I know her?"

Li Li Banfeng was also stunned for a moment. This was his Lady; he naturally recognized her, but this makeup was rarely seen.

The Lady had combed her hair into a bun, tied with a blue silk ribbon, wearing a kingfisher-inlaid headpiece, with a neat row of small bangs stuck to her forehead.

Her eye circles were painted with a red base, outlined with black lines, her eyebrows were long and slender, her eye corners were raised, showing charm. Her cheeks were smeared with lotus-red rouge, her lips were smeared with bright red oil paint. The Lady was wearing the attire of a green-clad opera singer, standing in front of Worry-Forget Lady.

"Sister, don't you recognize me?" As soon as the Lady spoke, Worry-Forget Lady recognized her.

"Huang Yuxian! Is it truly you?" Worry-Forget Lady was full of surprise, pulled the Lady, and went to the main room.

She sent away her disciples and cooked for the Lady herself. Worry-Forget Lady was fast, and in the blink of an eye, she prepared a table of wine and dishes.

The two sisters chatted while eating. Worry-Forget Lady was straightforward and asked directly, "When we were fighting back then, I heard you were captured alive by the Inner Continent. How did you escape?"

The Lady shook her head, "I didn't have the ability to escape. It was Dragon Princess who saved me."

Hearing "Dragon Princess," Worry-Forget Lady was a bit excited, "Dragon Princess took action back then? I didn't know at the time and thought the war was lost. They advised me to run quickly, but my territory was here; how could I just throw it away? I intended to fight to the death here. Later, I found out the war situation was slowly being turned around."

Li Li Banfeng was confused listening.

The Lady was captured alive by the Inner Continent and saved by Dragon Princess?

Isn't Dragon Princess the Lady?

Li Li Banfeng asked Worry-Forget Lady, "What is Dragon Princess's background?"

Worry-Forget Lady smiled, "You have to ask your Lady about this. I just know that Dragon Princess won quite a few victories on the Year-Desolate Wasteland. With her there, the war went more and more smoothly. But until the war was over, I never saw this princess."

"Huang Yuxian, where did you go after the war?"

"Sending Dragon Princess home." The Lady took a sip of wine.

Worry-Forget Lady was full of surprise, "You sent her back to Dragon King Mountain?"

The Lady nodded.

"What does Dragon King Mountain look like?"

The Lady thought carefully, "That place is very big, bigger than the entire Pro Continent. I met some people,"

"all of whom were capable. I heard from Dragon Princess that these people were all better at fighting than her."

"So many people are better at fighting than Dragon Princess?" Worry-Forget Lady was even more surprised, "No wonder they all say that when Inner Continent people hear of Dragon King Mountain, their guts are scared out of them."

Li Li Banfeng listened quietly to the sisters chatting. The Lady said some things about Dragon King Mountain and brought the topic to Pan Pan Dehai, "Judging by the situation these days, it seems war is about to start again. Old Pan has some friendship with my Husband, and he wants to form an alliance with you so that we can look after each other in the future."

He had thought Worry-Forget Lady would refuse point-blank, but Worry-Forget Lady pondered for a moment and actually agreed.

"I don't like Pan Pan Dehai, but I trust you. The contract must be written clearly. If I truly encounter trouble, he must take action."

The alliance matter was settled, which meant Li Li Banfeng could learn the method of collecting human energy from Pan Pan Dehai.

The Lady was happy for Li Li Banfeng, but Li Li Banfeng didn't show much joy on his face.

Li Li Banfeng was still thinking about other things.

The sisters chatted until late at night. The Lady stood up to say goodbye. Worry-Forget Lady was reluctant to part, "Little sister, I don't know when I'll be able to see you again?"

The Lady smiled, "Sister has so much food and drink here. Even if you don't invite me, I'll come myself. I just ask Sister not to spread this matter."

Worry-Forget Lady nodded, "Rest assured, Little Sister. Sister will just act as if Little Sister never came."

Returning to the personal space, Li Li Banfeng asked the Lady, "Is there really such a person as Dragon Princess?"

The Lady shook her head and smiled, "Didn't I tell Husband before? Little Slave is Dragon Princess."

Li Li Banfeng didn't understand, "Then Dragon Princess saved you; where does that come from?"

The Lady held Li Li Banfeng's hand, touching Li Li Banfeng's cheek, "That depends on whether Husband dislikes Little Slave."

Li Li Banfeng looked at the Lady in confusion, "Why would I dislike you?"

The Lady gave a bitter smile, "Don't you dislike opera singers?"

Li Li Banfeng said, "You don't dislike crazy people; why would I dislike opera singers?"

The Lady held Li Li Banfeng's cheeks with both hands, her eyes full of affection, "Husband doesn't dislike me, but others do. Arriving at Iron Bowl Ridge, I remembered many things."

"Back when we were fighting on the Year-Desolate Wasteland, because I was an opera singer, many people looked down on me. If it weren't for winning a few battles, they wouldn't have recognized me as a general."

"But war can't always be smooth sailing. When we encountered times that weren't smooth, they all vented their anger on me. Until one battle, I was captured alive. I was certain no one would come to save me. If I had died in the enemy camp, the Year-Desolate Wasteland would have been finished."

"Later, someone saved me. When I returned to the camp, I lied to them, saying Dragon Princess from Dragon King Mountain had saved me. As soon as they heard Dragon King Mountain, they were all convinced. Every time we won a battle after that, I said there was a Dragon Lady secretly helping."

"From then on, the war went more and more smoothly, to the point that after the war was over, not many remembered Huang Huang Yuxian, but quite a few remembered Dragon Princess."

While saying these words, the Lady always had a smile on her face, but she couldn't hide the bitterness.

Li Li Banfeng took a piece of candy and stuffed it into the Lady's mouth. The Lady's bitterness lessened a bit.

"Was it also her who saved you from the enemy camp back then?"

The Lady looked toward the second room, "The master of Red Lotus, the Heavenly Lady."

At that time, the Heavenly Lady had already treated the Lady as an ally.

"Lady, is there really such a place as Dragon King Mountain?"

"I don't know about that," the Lady shook her head, "I heard the Heavenly Lady is from Dragon King Mountain. The Inner Continent also has similar legends."

Resting in the personal space for a night, Li Li Banfeng left Iron Bowl Ridge. Walking to the first ridge, he saw Ban Yue Yao Lao Tang.

He hadn't gone to seek death; he was still stewing meat in the small shop. It took half a day for the meat to be ready. It seemed he had made some progress this time.

Arriving at Sea-Eat Ridge, Pan Pan Dehai was overjoyed and immediately took Li Li Banfeng to the third ridge to teach him the technique of collecting human energy on the spot.

Li Li Banfeng said, "How long will it take to learn this skill at the fastest?"

Pan Pan Dehai estimated, "Ordinary people might need three to five years. Brother, you are a person of virtue; half a month is enough!"

Saying anything about virtue was nonsense; the key was how Old Pan taught it.

Li Li Banfeng was truly a bit anxious. He wanted to go ask the Luo sisters where the legend of Dragon King Mountain came from.

Shang Kingdom, Chaoge, Second City.

Luo Luo Yanjun transformed into human form and sang the piano book "Legend of the White Snake" in a teahouse. The river snail shell was placed to the side, decorated to look like a pagoda, making it very difficult for ordinary people to distinguish.

After two performances, the teahouse closed, but one guest didn't leave and wanted to talk to Luo Luo Yanjun alone.

Luo Luo Yanjun moved the snail shell to the backstage and invited that guest into her private room.

The guest lowered his voice and said, "The Ministry of Works discovered that the altar is missing a lot of stone materials, and the construction period will be delayed again. Master Lan Qiao is anxious, and his illness has worsened."

Luo Luo Yanjun pulled a letter from her sleeve and handed it to the guest, "Hand this letter to Master Xie."

"It's a secret matter; don't let Master Lan Qiao see it."

The guest took the letter and left the teahouse.

Second City, Lan Qiao Yi's residence.

Lan Qiao Yi ate half a bowl of thin porridge and had just fallen asleep.

Xie Gong took out a letter and showed it to Zhu Jin.

Zhu Jin looked at the letter, his eyebrows trembling, a bit surprised.

Xie Gong looked at the candlestick by the bed, and Zhu Jin understood, quickly burning the letter.

Lan Qiao Yi slept in a coma for the night, and Zhu Jin didn't sleep all night.

Waiting until dawn, Zhu Jin woke up Xie Gong and nodded slightly at him.

PS: Big business is coming. ===== CHAPTER 718 =====

When the sky turned bright, Zhu Jin woke Xie Gong and nodded slightly at him.

PS: Big business is coming.