Chapter 1859: A Generation's Overlord Retires

When people get on in years, it is inevitable that they will have this or that minor ailment; if one is sick, one goes to see a doctor, but there is also no shortage of those who let their imaginations run wild.

Shi Youxuan had many reflections at home, and she applied them directly here.

Ji Yingjie said, "My health is still fine, but this matter is very significant, so I need to have you all come over to discuss it."

"Our Ji Family still has a Treasure hidden underground; you haven't forgotten, have you?"

Such a big matter, of course, would not be forgotten.

Wan'er and Shi Youxuan took the pendants off their necks and placed them in front of Ji Yingjie: "Returning them to you; we have worn these things for decades, and they have been heavy enough that we have long since had our fill of wearing them."

Ji Yingjie took the pendants in her hand and sighed with emotion: "Yes, when I gave these to you back then, it was out of trust, but it also caused you a lot of trouble. Very well, I will take them back today."

"Aunt, have you finally thought it through?"

"That's great, I can finally sleep soundly from now on." Wan'er felt a sense of relief.

Over these years, Shi Youxuan had advised her aunt more than once to transfer the Ji Family's assets away; although a lot had been donated back then, and quite a bit was used to rebuild the Ji Family, the remaining assets were still staggering.

But every time, her aunt would state: "Do not transfer them; they are safest kept in the underground palace."

Her aunt would even glare at her and tell her with righteous indignation: "Don't always think about being lazy and avoiding trouble. You are a woman of the Ji Family, so you should shoulder the responsibilities of the Ji Family. Your mother didn't want to manage it back then, and you two sisters didn't inherit anything else, just the habit of shirking responsibility..."

After many years, she finally relented, but it was not because she had thought it through; it was because there was no need to keep them anymore.

Ji Yingjie sighed: "The times are changing, and the Ji Family has also changed a lot now. You should talk to them about it."

She let Nianyin speak, so Nianyin did not hide a single thing and told the current situation of the Ji Family exactly as it was.

The last time the Ji Family suffered a catastrophic disaster, although they changed locations to rebuild, the new site did not have the same level of confidentiality as the original.

The Ji Family began to have trade relations with the surrounding tribes, and as the time spent interacting grew longer, people's thinking was gradually assimilated by outsiders; the women of the Ji Family began to frequently intermarry with outsiders and have children.

The bloodline of the Ji Family was no longer pure, and the secrets of the Ji Family were becoming fewer and fewer...

Over these years, Ji Yingjie and Nianyin had both lived in Jiangzhou, and their ability to control the Ji Family was not what it used to be.

More importantly, they had also accepted outside ideas, which is why they would turn a blind eye.

There was one more point, the most important point of all: Kexin was not willing to take over the Ji Family.

She felt that in this day and age, to still want to return to the ways of a primitive tribe was a regression of the times; it was simply too ridiculous.

After Ji Yingjie's personality changed, the influence on her daughter was also very great; Kexin grew up in Jiangzhou, and after not receiving those many overbearing teachings, she was not interested in taking over the Ji Family.

The decline of the Ji Family was something visible to the naked eye and simply could not be reversed, so that massive Treasure should be settled within their generation.

An innocent man is guilty of his own treasure.

It is fine while their group is still here; those who know the secret can all keep the Ji Family's Treasure and secrets.

But as time passes, they will only get older and older; they cannot take all the secrets to the grave.

As for what the next generation or the generation after that will be like, no one can say for sure.

After Ji Yingjie fell seriously ill, her entire temperament and personality changed a lot, and her view of things naturally became different from before.

She became less stubborn and less paranoid; Shi Youxuan and Wan'er were very happy to see such a change, and they raised both hands in approval, feeling that it should have been this way long ago.

Back then, the Ji Family paid a price that was almost the annihilation of their clan just to preserve their inherent structure, all because of the Ji Family's Treasure.

Now that the Treasure had been divided up, there would be no future troubles.

Except for Nianyin, who still felt it was a pity, Shi Youxuan and Wan'er were both in agreement.

Since everyone agreed, Ji Yingjie distributed the remaining Treasure, giving some to each family; after the distribution, Ji Yingjie felt lighthearted.

The pendant, which symbolized an era, became history. Ji Yingjie said: "Alright, even if I close my eyes tomorrow, I won't have any regrets."

The heavy stone that had been pressing on her heart was finally put down.

But the mission of Shi Youxuan, Wan'er, and Nianyin had not ended!

Although they no longer had to keep the secret, the secret had now become a part of their families, and they were women of the Ji Family with a natural obligation to the Ji Family.

As long as the Ji Family was fine and nothing happened, then everyone would be well.

But if a problem or difficulty were to arise, they would be the guardian deities of the Ji Family!

This could also be considered Ji Yingjie shifting the conflict, taking the biggest conflict, dividing it into small pieces, and passing it on to everyone.

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The new Gourmet Conference was held in Chen Family Village.

The weather today was nice, with a gentle breeze and beautiful sunshine.

Because of the Gourmet Conference, the Resort became exceptionally lively, and the vehicles heading to the village were endless, with no beginning or end in sight.

Zichen, Li Dashao, and Gu Zhihao were all sitting on the podium as judges, watching the busy figures below. Gu Zhihao sighed with emotion: "The current batches of chefs are all popping up like seedlings after the rain, one crop after another; they are all young people, making our generation feel old..."

His gaze landed on Zichen beside him, and then he glared at him: "You don't count."

"Pfft!" Li Dashao laughed out loud.

Zichen indeed did not count; although he was also a veteran chef with great credentials, he was still young, only because he entered the industry so early.

Zichen protested: "Master, you are dissatisfied with me? Why are you targeting me?"

"I'm not targeting you. You are my apprentice, closer to me than my own son; how could I target you? I am happier than anyone when you have success."

This sentence was the truth.

Sheng Zichen being his apprentice was the thing Gu Zhihao was most proud and boastful of in his life.

If it weren't for Zichen, he would never have been able to sit in the judge's seat in this life and be respected by everyone.

The master of a big shot is, of course, an even more impressive big shot.

In recent years, as Zichen's reputation soared, Gu Zhihao's status also rose with the tide, and he was frequently invited to serve as a judge at various Chef Conferences; whoever saw him would respectfully address him as "Teacher Gu!"

This title made Gu Zhihao feel absolutely wonderful, and he held his back straight.

Although he had followed the oath he had made to never work as a chef in a restaurant for his whole life, so what?

Now, many head chefs and Executive Chefs of restaurants had to treat him with great respect when they saw him, considering him a senior.

Gu Zhihao sat on the judge's seat, filled with deep emotion, when suddenly, a contestant below caught everyone's attention.

It is a female, very young.

She looks to be just over twenty years old, with fair skin, large eyes, and she is very beautiful.

Likes the Madam and always wants to anger me.